Any suggestions for engaging books for young-ish teen girls to read (besides Sophie Kinsella and Anne of Green Gables and those Twilight books)? I'm trying to think if A Thousand Splendid Suns was too graphic/disturbing?
When I was in high school I liked the J.D. Salinger books, Catch-22, The Awakening and Clockwork Orange.. but now that I think about those books don't really seem very teen-age girl-ish. Jane Austen is always good and I also like the Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan. Maybe Pygmalion?
People in my office are always ordereing The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare for their teens. I've never read any but Stephenie Meyer says that they are "Beautiful". If you want them I'll order them. I think that there are 3 in the set.
Good suggestions. Mary Rollins loved LIFE OF PI which she's listened to multiple times. If you haven't heard it as the audio book I highly recommend it. The narrator is wonderful -- makes you want to speak with an Indian accent for the rest of the day.
PRECIOUS BANE...I read that I know but I don't remember it. Hmmm...
MRS. MIKE. That's such a good suggestion and I keep meaning to buy it. Thank you, I will get it asap for her as I know she'll love it. That's one of the only books I remember Mom suggesting we read as girls and saying it was her favorite book. Maybe that's why it seems particularly special. I don't actually remember her ever reading and finishing a book--I think they have drugs for that now :-)
I bet she'd like Amy Tan which makes me think I'll get Memoirs of a Geisha for her too. I bet that would be good as an audio book.
I've never heard of the Mortal Instruments and I'm not sure Stephanie Meyer's recommendation sells me on them. However, I WOULD trust the Isabug's opinion.
I wouldn't really take Stephenie Meyer's recommendation either.. I was just thinking about frequently ordered books in the office..The book covers don't really look like MR covers...
But yes, Amy Tan! And I think I read Precious Bane and liked it but my mind is fuzzy on this.
I really liked Jane Eyre around the 8th grade... I remember that. I also loved Catch-22 and Tess of the D'Ubervilles though. I think once I got to high school I started reading "The Space Triology" by CS Lewis and really loved it and wrote many a paper on it. I also liked all those terrifying non-fictions about climbing Mt.Everest.
Hmm... not sure I'm the best person either. 'Watership Down'? 'Jungle Book'? All good.
Also, what other books does MR really like? I do think that Splendid Suns, even though I haven't read it, probably is a little graphic if it's anything like Kite Runner, but then again - it's really hard for me to gauge what's appropriate.
Thousand Splendid Suns doesn't have that horrible scene at the beginning when the boys are chasing the kite and bad things happen between boys but, I think it probably is too much.
She loved Life of Pi, Snowflower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See (who has a new book Shanghai Girls I've been meaning to read), The Twilight Series (even though she mocks them, wonder where she picked that up?!?!?), Sophie Kinsella, Roald Dahl, Harry Potter (of course).
She also really likes audio books and will sit in her room listening to them while she organizes her wardrobe and makes hemp bracelets. Wonder how Watership Down would be as an audio? It's been about 30 years since I read it. Boy that makes me feel old.
I do think she'd love Mrs. Mike. You know, I used to want to be Mrs. Mike (except for the part where her children all die...) even more than I wanted to be Laura Ingalls Wilder or Elizabeth Bennett. I might rather be Becky Bloomwood Brandon, these days though if I had to be a fictional character. Well, at least have Becky's wardrobe and maybe her job as a personal shopper. I might have missed my true calling! xoxoxo, g.
Just read a new book I will create its own post for...
Wow, I remember wanting to be those girls too!!! I especially wanted to be Jo though, from Little Women (and so on). I really would read Chronicles of Narnia or Space Triology (though that might be a little too much) if she hasn't already though.
Did I mention I'm now listening to Harry Potter in German? It was a little hard getting started, but now I'm fully into it!(and...heh... the best thing is that I'm learning new words because apparently I have it memorized if I have to translate it).
My dad read "Watership Down" to Claire and me when we were little, and while I only remember that the story has bunnies in it and that my dad cried at the end I'm sure MR might enjoy it and actually get more out of it then we did!
I probably remember more, like the names "Hazel" and "Bigwig" and "Strawberry(shortcake?)" and how they built a raft once. I recommended it to Lorin while we were in Ireland (I think it was then) and she had seen the movie, which I didn't know excited, but now claims it as one of her favorite books.
And she's an ENGLISH major. We all know how smart THEY are!!!!
14 comments:
Did you ever read CHILDREN OF THE RIVER ? I think that's the title. It was great. I think she would like LIFE OF PI
I also recommend the classic MRS. MIKE, JRR Tolkeins, Sherlock Holmes stories, and I think SPLENDID SUNS too violent. Did you ever read PRECIOUS BANE?
When I was in high school I liked the J.D. Salinger books, Catch-22, The Awakening and Clockwork Orange.. but now that I think about those books don't really seem very teen-age girl-ish. Jane Austen is always good and I also like the Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan. Maybe Pygmalion?
People in my office are always ordereing The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare for their teens. I've never read any but Stephenie Meyer says that they are "Beautiful". If you want them I'll order them. I think that there are 3 in the set.
Oh - I also really like(d) A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving!
Good suggestions. Mary Rollins loved LIFE OF PI which she's listened to multiple times. If you haven't heard it as the audio book I highly recommend it. The narrator is wonderful -- makes you want to speak with an Indian accent for the rest of the day.
PRECIOUS BANE...I read that I know but I don't remember it. Hmmm...
MRS. MIKE. That's such a good suggestion and I keep meaning to buy it. Thank you, I will get it asap for her as I know she'll love it. That's one of the only books I remember Mom suggesting we read as girls and saying it was her favorite book. Maybe that's why it seems particularly special. I don't actually remember her ever reading and finishing a book--I think they have drugs for that now :-)
I bet she'd like Amy Tan which makes me think I'll get Memoirs of a Geisha for her too. I bet that would be good as an audio book.
I've never heard of the Mortal Instruments and I'm not sure Stephanie Meyer's recommendation sells me on them. However, I WOULD trust the Isabug's opinion.
I wouldn't really take Stephenie Meyer's recommendation either.. I was just thinking about frequently ordered books in the office..The book covers don't really look like MR covers...
But yes, Amy Tan! And I think I read Precious Bane and liked it but my mind is fuzzy on this.
I really liked Jane Eyre around the 8th grade... I remember that. I also loved Catch-22 and Tess of the D'Ubervilles though. I think once I got to high school I started reading "The Space Triology" by CS Lewis and really loved it and wrote many a paper on it. I also liked all those terrifying non-fictions about climbing Mt.Everest.
Hmm... not sure I'm the best person either. 'Watership Down'? 'Jungle Book'? All good.
Does anybody else feel like Mom is yelling at us?
Oh yeah - and I think we have 'Geisha' on cd at home. I bought it once on my way back from Lexington and for some reason never listened to it!
Btw... anybody have shopaholic and a baby on cd...?
I could burn it on CDs I think.
Let's see how long I can hold out.
Also, what other books does MR really like? I do think that Splendid Suns, even though I haven't read it, probably is a little graphic if it's anything like Kite Runner, but then again - it's really hard for me to gauge what's appropriate.
Thousand Splendid Suns doesn't have that horrible scene at the beginning when the boys are chasing the kite and bad things happen between boys but, I think it probably is too much.
She loved Life of Pi, Snowflower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See (who has a new book Shanghai Girls I've been meaning to read), The Twilight Series (even though she mocks them, wonder where she picked that up?!?!?), Sophie Kinsella, Roald Dahl, Harry Potter (of course).
She also really likes audio books and will sit in her room listening to them while she organizes her wardrobe and makes hemp bracelets. Wonder how Watership Down would be as an audio? It's been about 30 years since I read it. Boy that makes me feel old.
I do think she'd love Mrs. Mike. You know, I used to want to be Mrs. Mike (except for the part where her children all die...) even more than I wanted to be Laura Ingalls Wilder or Elizabeth Bennett. I might rather be Becky Bloomwood Brandon, these days though if I had to be a fictional character. Well, at least have Becky's wardrobe and maybe her job as a personal shopper. I might have missed my true calling! xoxoxo, g.
Just read a new book I will create its own post for...
Wow, I remember wanting to be those girls too!!! I especially wanted to be Jo though, from Little Women (and so on). I really would read Chronicles of Narnia or Space Triology (though that might be a little too much) if she hasn't already though.
Did I mention I'm now listening to Harry Potter in German? It was a little hard getting started, but now I'm fully into it!(and...heh... the best thing is that I'm learning new words because apparently I have it memorized if I have to translate it).
My dad read "Watership Down" to Claire and me when we were little, and while I only remember that the story has bunnies in it and that my dad cried at the end I'm sure MR might enjoy it and actually get more out of it then we did!
Maybe i should read it...
I probably remember more, like the names "Hazel" and "Bigwig" and "Strawberry(shortcake?)" and how they built a raft once. I recommended it to Lorin while we were in Ireland (I think it was then) and she had seen the movie, which I didn't know excited, but now claims it as one of her favorite books.
And she's an ENGLISH major. We all know how smart THEY are!!!!
Post a Comment