My grandmother likes to buy books for her great granddaughters for Christmas. They are 12 and 13 years of age. She does not get out, so she lets me buy them for her. Last year I got them Lizzie Maguire. I have no idea this year with them being teenagers. Any help is appreciated. I have boys, so I have no idea what to get the girls.
What Books for 12 and 13 year old girls
- Thread starter kelley111
- Start date
allwildgirl
Cathlete
What about those Babysitter's Club books? Or the Narnia series? Anything by Judy Blume is fantastic too. Things like "Are you there God, it's me Margaret", etc.
Tell your grandmother, or you could do it yourself, to look up all the following on amazon.com and read the reviews there before buying. She will see that the following books are excellent for this age group.
Get them the books of Laure Halse Anderson. "Speak" was her first and it won awards. She now has 3 novels out and they are brilliant writing. My 12 year old devours them. "Catalyst" is the second title I think.
Try also Margaret Peterson Haddix. She has a whole series about the Shadow children who survive on the outskirts of society. "Among the Brave" is one of her titles.
"Chasing Vermeer", can't remember author name, is an excellent and engrossing mystery of art theft with children as detectives. My daughter ate it up.
She has also loved the books of David Almond, a British writer whose books are available here in the U.S. They always feature sensitive children. Thoughtful pieces.
Try Louis Sacchar, especially "Holes".
Try "Star Girl" by Gerry Spinelli. Also his "Maniac Magee", "Loser" and other novels.
My daughter Martha's latest find is the series of historical novels featuring strong female characters by Ann Rinaldi. They were reccommended to her by the kids' fiction assistant in our local Borders bookstore. She can't get enough of these.
Martha also loves "The Westing Game", another solve a mystery novel. She has read this several times already.
Other great authors: Jacqueline Wilson and Eva Ibbotson. And try her with the "Molly Moon and the Incredible book of Hypnotism" series. Fun.
Martha is in bed now, but tomorrow I'll ask her and she will reel off an entire list of fabulous books for you to suggest. Watch this space.
Clare
Get them the books of Laure Halse Anderson. "Speak" was her first and it won awards. She now has 3 novels out and they are brilliant writing. My 12 year old devours them. "Catalyst" is the second title I think.
Try also Margaret Peterson Haddix. She has a whole series about the Shadow children who survive on the outskirts of society. "Among the Brave" is one of her titles.
"Chasing Vermeer", can't remember author name, is an excellent and engrossing mystery of art theft with children as detectives. My daughter ate it up.
She has also loved the books of David Almond, a British writer whose books are available here in the U.S. They always feature sensitive children. Thoughtful pieces.
Try Louis Sacchar, especially "Holes".
Try "Star Girl" by Gerry Spinelli. Also his "Maniac Magee", "Loser" and other novels.
My daughter Martha's latest find is the series of historical novels featuring strong female characters by Ann Rinaldi. They were reccommended to her by the kids' fiction assistant in our local Borders bookstore. She can't get enough of these.
Martha also loves "The Westing Game", another solve a mystery novel. She has read this several times already.
Other great authors: Jacqueline Wilson and Eva Ibbotson. And try her with the "Molly Moon and the Incredible book of Hypnotism" series. Fun.
Martha is in bed now, but tomorrow I'll ask her and she will reel off an entire list of fabulous books for you to suggest. Watch this space.
Clare
earlyexerciser
Cathlete
Great suggestions, Clare!!! Those are many of the books that I have read to my fifth graders in the past! Loved all of them!!
What about the Series of Unfortunate Events stories? These are sometime preferred more by boys, but I have girls who really enjoy this series.
Good luck! This is very nice that you are willing to do this for your Grandmother!
Jenn
What about the Series of Unfortunate Events stories? These are sometime preferred more by boys, but I have girls who really enjoy this series.
Good luck! This is very nice that you are willing to do this for your Grandmother!
Jenn
pwmatt
Cathlete
My daughter is 12 and she likes Meg Cabot, The Princess Diary series. She also likes all the chicken soup books. There are a lot of them now for teens. There are some specifically for pet lovers etc.Harry Potter is the biggest hit in my house with my 12 year old and my 14 year old. I'm sure you'll find something. Phyllis
http://www.picturetrail.com/pwmatt
http://www.picturetrail.com/pwmatt
endorphin_junkie
Cathlete
My daughter highly recommends "City of Ember" and the sequel "People of Sparks" by Jeanne Deprau. She says they are 'intense, mysterious, sooo suspensful and they make you think'. She has thoroughly enjoyed reading these and felt like she was transported into the story from the first page. The story and characters have resonated with her and she has convinced her older sisters that this is a must read!
Books are a such a wonderful Christmas present at any age, I love shopping for books for other people as much as I love getting them.
Take Care
Laurie
Books are a such a wonderful Christmas present at any age, I love shopping for books for other people as much as I love getting them.
Take Care
Laurie
This may sound lame, but the "Little House on the Prairie" series are some of my all-time faves. I have read and reread them hundreds of times and they never get old. Perhaps 12/13 is too late to introduce books from more innocent times, though. I guess it depends upon the kid! LOL
Marie
Perhaps 12/13 is too late to introduce books from more innocent times, though. I guess it depends upon the kid! LOLMarie
