Veronica in VA Posted May 15, 2008 Share Posted May 15, 2008 My almost 16 y.o. dd will soon be heading to Florida to visit my dad for 2 weeks. She wants reading material but nothing too heavy (i.e. what I would assign her - lol!). She plans to start working through one of the college bound type reading lists, but NOT while she is sitting next to the pool. Some of the books I have seen at the bookstore for teens are written so badly, and after years of reading good books, she cannot stand to ones that are poorly written. Any ideas for teen summer reading by the pool? Thanks, Veronica Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liza Q Posted May 15, 2008 Share Posted May 15, 2008 My daughters (just turned 17 and 15) recommend these titles for light, fun, non-school assignment reading - Modern books Hope was Here (Joan Bauer) Bloomability (Sharon Creech) Songs from Home (Elizabeth Goodman) 2 series by Hilary McKay - the one that starts with Saffy's Angel and the older one that begins with The Exiles These next books are sf/fantasy - Goose Chase (Patricia Kindl) The Princess Bride (William Goldman) Beauty (Robin McKinley) Heir Apparent (Vivian Vande Velde) Book of a Thousand Days (Shannon Hale - actually, anything by Shannon Hale!) These are a little better/older - The Daughter of Time (Josephine Tey) I Capture the Castle (Dodie Smith) Quick Service (P.G. Wodehouse - and, of course, anything with Jeeves!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted May 15, 2008 Share Posted May 15, 2008 Set in modern day Botswana in a town at the edge of the rural Savannah of Africa, a 30-something "traditionally built" African lady starts her own detective agency with nothing more than her own good common sense -- and a copy of Clovis Andersen's private detection manual, "The Principles of Private Detection" Gentle, funny, charming, life-affirming, quick, light reads. The later books in the series are even better than the first one. Get several -- you buzz through them quickly. While mysteries are solved in each book, part of the delight is in watching the characters grow, and learning more about each one. Enjoy! Warmly, Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liza Q Posted May 16, 2008 Share Posted May 16, 2008 A few more titles, in case your daughter has read all of the ones I mentioned! Downright Dencey (Caroline Dale Snedeker - historical fiction) Up a Road Slowly (Irene Hunt - modern-ish, Newbery winner) And some great series - Homecoming, etc. (Cynthia Voigt - modern-ish, some of the sequels are Newbery winners) All the Betsy-Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace - my daughters think that Joe Willard is the perfect man! The Anne of Green Gables books - but I am sure that she has read these! If she likes Science fiction, my girls thought these were great - Podkayne of Mars and Have Spacesuit, Will Travel (Robert Henlein) Martian Chronicles (Ray Bradbury) I, Robot (Isaac Asimov) I am sure there are more..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimm in WA Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 My boys read a lot, esp. 13yo twins, and the library has so much bad stuff. They really enjoy reading a series, but I'd love any suggestions. I just finished Duncan's Arrow, etc. . . One boy picked up the Grey Griffins books by Benz and Lewis from the library and they do NOT look like what we'd want our guys to read (we don't do HP). Anyone have opinions on this series - don't have time to read it right now so may be reading that myself this summer. TIA! Kimm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 These are NOT classics (predictable, mostly harmless) "snack food" reads, but they are worlds that my boys enjoyed: - Ranger's Apprentice series (Flanagan) - Eragon; Eldest (Paollini) - Artemis Fowl series (Colfer) - Warriors series (Hunter) These are better written, adult works, that were surprise hits with either one or both of my boys: - All Creatures Great and Small series (Herriot) - Life With Jeeves (Wodehouse) - A Year in Provence (Mayle) - No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series (Smith) Some other "good juvenile" book ideas: Adventure: - Wolves of Willoughby Chase (Aiken) - Mushroom Planet series (Cameron) Fantasy Adventure: - The Neverending Story (Ende) - Phantom Tollbooth (Juster) - Peter and the Starcatchers; Peter and the Shadow Thieves (Barry) - The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy (Tolkien) - Knight's Castle (Eager) - Percy Jackson and the Olympians seris (Riordan) - Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (O'Brien) - Redwall series (Jacques) Historical Adventure: - Midshipman Bolitho series (Kent) - Hittite Warrior; God King (Williamson) - Ides of April; Beyond the Desert Gate (Ray) Mysteries: - Samurai series (Hoobler) - Baker Street Irregulars (Newman) - The Westing Game (Raskin) - books that are a collection of "minute mysteries (various authors, such as: Sobol; Conrad; Weber; Sukach) Animal Adventures: - The Incredible Journey (Burnford) - My Side of the Mountain (George) -- and others in the series - Black Stallion; Black Stallion Returns; Island Stallion (Farley) - Where the Red Fern Grows (Rawls) Some accessible adult titles: - Sherlock Holmes short stories (Doyle) - Tarzan (Burroughs) - Horatio Hornblower series (Forester) - Ben Hur (Wallace) - Count of Monte Cristo (Dumas) - Out of the Silent Planet (Lewis) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane Elliot Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 Set in modern day Botswana in a town at the edge of the rural Savannah of Africa, a 30-something "traditionally built" African lady starts her own detective agency with nothing more than her own good common sense -- and a copy of Clovis Andersen's private detection manual, "The Principles of Private Detection" Gentle, funny, charming, life-affirming, quick, light reads. The later books in the series are even better than the first one. Get several -- you buzz through them quickly. While mysteries are solved in each book, part of the delight is in watching the characters grow, and learning more about each one. Enjoy! Warmly, Lori D. Don't you just love Mr. McCall Smith! Lately, he is my favorite indulgence. His explanation of existentialism was the best ever. It put me in stitches. I went around the house reading it to every one of my teenagers. Great recommendation, Lori. My teenagers listed their favorite books in their profiles on their blog www.siblingsunited.blogspot.com You might find some ideas there. (Maybe ignore Isaac's. He's a U.S. history nerd.) Luann mom of 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 Don't you just love Mr. McCall Smith! Lately, he is my favorite indulgence. His explanation of existentialism was the best ever. It put me in stitches. I went around the house reading it to every one of my teenagers. I kept reading the funny bits outloud, too! I think that's what finally got my older boy reading the series himself. I got him hooked on Life With Jeeves that way, too. : ) Also, the incredible gentle love that Alexander McCall Smith infused into these simple, beautiful characters when they are so profoundly grateful for the simple fact of being loved by a good man (or a good woman), or for the provision of good plain food; that just brings tears to my eyes -- and it's a good reminder to me to be focusing on those good qualities that ARE in my DH and DSs and be grateful for all we DO have, rather than getting all in a bunch about their failings or things we don't have. : ) (Can you tell -- I can be a bit of a perfectionist?!) I'll have to check out the blogsite and see what your teens like. Thanks for the link! Warmest regards, Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-FL Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 One boy picked up the Grey Griffins books by Benz and Lewis from the library and they do NOT look like what we'd want our guys to read (we don't do HP). Anyone have opinions on this series - don't have time to read it right now so may be reading that myself this summer. FYI, my dd says it's not HP-ish. The boys are playing a trading card game & the game is a link to another world. The good & bad things start coming through & only the guy who owns the shop can help them. There are no wizards from "our world" as far as she remembers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 I give up: what's "HP" stand for?? : ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 Oh... I think I just figured it out: "Harry Potter" ?? : ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane Elliot Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 Also, the incredible gentle love that Alexander McCall Smith infused into these simple, beautiful characters when they are so profoundly grateful for the simple fact of being loved by a good man (or a good woman), or for the provision of good plain food; that just brings tears to my eyes -- and it's a good reminder to me to be focusing on those good qualities that ARE in my DH and DSs and be grateful for all we DO have, rather than getting all in a bunch about their failings or things we don't have. : ) (Can you tell -- I can be a bit of a perfectionist?!) I love the way you put that, Lori. I will enjoy the books (I'm only on #4) all the more now as I look at it that way. Thanks. Luann mom of 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwimmerMom Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 I can't think of anything that hasn't already been mentioned, but I did want to say that Bean loves the Percy Jackson series, and so does her best friend, so I wouldn't say they are strictly "boy" books. I also second the "anything by Shannon Hale". Her books are great. And I can third (fourth? fifth?) the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. These books are so gentle and comfortable. There is nothing questionable in any of the 7 I've read. Your dd is lucky! I'd love to spend the summer reading by the pool. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samuel Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 I second the Princess Bride and the Westing Game. Madeleine L Engle for fantasy/adventure. Some are better than others. The wind in the door trilogy is good. Robin Hobb writes pretty complex fantasy. I would grade it at pg-13. If you're anti magic these are a no go. Alistair MacLean wrote thrillers which are for the most part pretty clean. Certainly not great literature. The Last Frontier/ The Secret Ways is the probably the best. Harry Turtledove, the master of alternate universes, has a series which looks at alternate universes from the premise that travel between universes is possible. The Crosstime Traffic series is set for ya's, so theres no or minimal swearing etc. You can tell taht Turtledove is not a Christian if that would be an issue. Turtledove in general is a good writer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veronica in VA Posted May 19, 2008 Author Share Posted May 19, 2008 These all look so good. My dd will be happily reading by the pool this summer! Since someone asked about books for boys, one I recently read and really enjoyed is The Invention of Hugo Cabret. It is over 500 pages, but many of the pages are illustrations. I read it in one day so it is a quick read! Happy Reading, Veronica Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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