Young Adult Book Reading Challenges discussion

My 12 year old is searching for some happy books, but not Chick Lit so much. She reads quite a bit of fantasy, but also read Book Thief, Thirteen Reasons Why, Speak in the last couple months so she is kind of tired of fantasy and death/abuse stories. She realy liked The Abundance of Katherines so perhaps something with that type of humor. Any suggestions?

She should try the series by Louise Rennison that starts with Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging. It's a sort of slice-of-life story of a British teenage girl written in diary format, which I am usually not a fan of but like in this case. It may cross over into the chick lit category but I would give it a try.
Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging Confessions of Georgia Nicolson

My daughter, also 12, has been reading the same books as yours. She is now enjoying Shannon Hale's books. And she loves Georgia Nicholson. I read the first one... Super funny! What about Stargirl? It has it's down moments but overall it's a positive book with a positive message.

Wednesday Wars was hilarious, and so was Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie. Both good, clean books.

I heard the Bras & Broomsticks series is funny... Plus the main character is 14. So it's a younger YA... And hopefully cleaner than some.

Some really good YA books with a lot of humor include 'The Amulet of Samarkand' and 'Skullduggery Pleasant'-which was absolutely hilarious. Other stuff of course includes Harry Potter and the Artemis Fowl books, both of which I highly recommend. I also like Shannon Hale's books--start with 'The Goose Girl'.

I'll second Harry Potter, of course. :)
Another series I've quite enjoyed was the "Larklight" series by Philip Reeve. The main character is... I think 12 when the book starts, and he has an older sister of 14, (some of her diary excerpts are included). The stories are definitely light, fun and witty, and the characters are very well rounded and the story is delightfully clever.

Another option is Sorcery and Cecelia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot Being the Correspondence of Two Young Ladies of Quality Regarding Various Magical Scandals in London and the Country. I've only read the first book so far, and while it wasn't a favorite, it was enjoyable. There's a bit of fantasy, a bit of mystery and a bit of PG romance.

For a more sarcastic (but still kind) type of book, I really liked Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians. I'm not sure everyone would enjoy it, but I thought it was a fun and fast read.

Or, has she tried Inkheart?

I'd suggest Lauren Myracle's Peace Love and Baby Ducks. Susane Colasanti and Sarah Dessen are great too, for lighter, funnier stuff.

I loved Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos by RL LaFevers. Feel free to take alook at my video booktalk for it.

I have not read it but this book looks cute: Spanking Shakespeare

Angie wrote: "I have not read it but this book looks cute: Spanking Shakespeare"

That does look like a pretty interesting book.

Amanda wrote: "She should try the series by Louise Rennison that starts with Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging. It's a sort of slice-of-life story of a British teenage girl written in diary format, which I..."

Just a different opinion, but if I had a 12 yo daughter (which I do not, I have sons) I would not be comfortable with her reading Louise Rennison. I probably wouldn't stop her, but I don't think I would give it to her either! A bit raw.

It sounded like her daughter was a mature 12 yr old reader considering she's read Speak and Thirteen Reasons Why. One addresses rape and depression. The other addresses suicide and had a couple of sexual references. While I do agree, Rennison says some risqué (for lack of a better word) comments but I don't think the first Georgia Nicholson book is any worse than Speak or Thirteen Reasons Why. That been said, I've only read the first one and can be way off base in regards to the rest if the series. The first one was light hearted and fun though! Lots of laughs! :)

Here's one that is actually happy and about happiness (main character changes his name to The Blue Avenger and sets out to win the love of a classmate):

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57...


You say your daughter is tired of fantasy, but just a super-fun read (which would be light reading for a precocious 12 yo) are the Patricia Wrede Enchanted Forest Chronicles, which are very well done examples of the fairy tale spoof genre.

For happier, goofier tales, you might want to look to older stuff. E.g., Elizabeth Enright's Melandy series, about a family of five and their adventures. Eleanor Estes' books about the Moffat family. Eva Ibbotson - she writes about witches and ghosts, so that may violate the fantasy rule, but the humor is quirky and sophisticated. Carol Ryrie Brink's Caddie Woodlawn books about life in Wisconsin in the 1860's, if she hasn't read them (again, would not be a challenging read for her, but Caddie is a spunky girl with a warm heart living on the frontier = great fun), Richard Peck's a Year Down Yonder & A Long Way from Chicago about a canny grandma making her way through the Depression with dignity....sorry, can't stop myself...

Great ideas.... I'm going to pass your book list on to my daughter!

Georgia Nicholson diaries (starts with Angus, Thongs...) is very tame and hilarious. Reminds me of the Bridget Jones diaries but for preteen to teenage girls. Then books are British which is kinda cool as there is a dictionary of slang terms in the back and you find yourself learning something new (like cigarettes in Britain are called fags).

Hmm well I really love Sarah Dessen ... her books tend to be slightly depressing, but they usually turn out happy in the end.

I also love Meg Cabot; her books are good and really funny.

Oh, and Maureen Johnson books too, like [Book: Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes] and [Book: Suite Scarlett]

Some other happy/funny books:

[Book: Flipped]

[Book: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You]

[Book: Once Upon a Marigold]

[Book: Catherine, Called Birdy]

Thanks for all thw wonderful suggestions. I put on hold a Georgia Nicholson book, The Goose Girl since she liked Princess Academy; Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes; and The Mysterious Benedict Society based on a friend recommendation.

She enjoys Jerry Spinelli so she had read Stargirl. It is one of my favorites about the costs of conforming to the norm versus remaining an individual.

Of course her current read? Wake by Lisa McMann--the description didn't make it sound happy :)!

Ann wrote: "I'll second Harry Potter, of course. :)
Another series I've quite enjoyed was the "Larklight" series by Philip Reeve. The main character is... I think 12 when the book starts, and h..."


I agree with many of these recommendations =)

Here are some good titles, can't remember all the authors, sorry:
Shug
Out of Patience
Rules by Cnthia Lord
Mercy on these teenage chimps
Criss Cross by Perkins
Temping Fate by Freisher
Chick Here by Vega

I highly recommend the Gallagher Girls books. There are 3 out now. The first is I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You. I also think she could try the Non-Blonde Cheerleader books by Kieran Scott. Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys is fabulous. It's also by Kieran Scott but she uses the pen name Kate Brian. She could also try Saving Juliet. I just read it and really enjoyed it.

hey im 16 and i just plain love to read these days. my mom wonders why and its just because you can get lost in the alternate reality of it all and it trully helps to escape now and again.

I don't think Airborn by Kenneth Oppel has been mentioned yet. That is a FANTASTIC book! One of the best I've read recently. Victorian air-ship adventure complete with pirates and deserted islands. There's a little romance, but it's very clean. The hero is probably the most honorable and good-hearted that I've come across in ages--yet he manages to seem very real and even flawed, no goodie-two-shoes here. There is a spunky, smart girl, too. I think they are about fourteen. There are some tense action sequences and a few sad parts, but overall it's just a rollicking adventure and good fun.

I would also recommend stories by L M Montgomery--they are exquisite though might be considered a bit "old fashioned" by today's standards. Anne of Green Gables is of course the best known but she has many others.

Sara wrote: "Ann wrote: "I'll second Harry Potter, of course. :)
Another series I've quite enjoyed was the "Larklight" series by Philip Reeve. The main character is... I think 12 when the book ..."

Yay! Thanks, Sara! Glad there's another fan of these out there:)

And yes, Kathryn - Airborn for sure!!!! And I agree, Montgomery's books would be great. Even though they are old-fashioned, I'd like to think there's something timeless about them:)

About Airborn - I think the first and last parts of it are very good, however the middle is rather boring and dragged out, and I don't think the author handled that bit very well. But overall it's four stars!

i just finished A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck. great book. 13 year old girl sent to live w/grandma on the farm in 1937.
grandma doesn't waste words, thinks an indoor cat is a bad use of a mouser and doesn't suffer fools gladly. the respectable people of the town tend to be fools. won the Newbery award six or seven years ago, even though it is a happy book