<p>Is Roald Dahl too easy for a 16 year old?</p>
<p>Hmm, probably. His books are fun, though.</p>
<p>I just thought of a series that my 17 yo S (and I love). The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher.<br>
[Jim-Butcher.Com:</a> Books - Dresden Files](<a href=“http://www.jim-butcher.com/books/dresden/]Jim-Butcher.Com:”>http://www.jim-butcher.com/books/dresden/)
They are about a magician in Chicago and catagorized as sci fi, but great reads even for those who don’t like scifi (me!). I picked one of the books up so I would know what S was reading and couldn’t put it down. Harry Dresden is a wonderful charactrer, you can’t help but like him.<br>
[Harry</a> Dresden - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Dresden]Harry”>The Dresden Files - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>My daughter thought I should add: </p>
<p>Born Confused by Tanuja Desai Hidier ("Seventeen-year-old Dimple Lala is too American in India, and yet struggling to conform in America. Both resisting and ultimately embracing her family’s culture and traditions, Dimple navigates suitable/unsuitable boy Karsh Kapoor, her interest in photography, and “a number of tricky situations.”)</p>
<p>Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. (“The Depression era novel centers on Jacob Jankowski and his experiences in a traveling circus called The Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth.”)</p>
<p>“The Cardturner” (by the author of Holes, but aimed at an older crowd)</p>
<p><em>spoilers that no one will likey care about</em></p>
<p>Maybe these are pre-teen YA (I read them from 9-13 years old)–and don’t laugh–but
I’m rereading the Animorphs series in a fit of sporadic nostalgia, and those books are surprising mature and DARK. At the end of the series, one main character sends his cousin on a suicide mission to kill his brother. The cousin ends up dead (and thus allows them to “win” the war), and the character who gave the order becomes majorly depressed and unable to function. Another character winds up grief-stricken and, again, unable to function. On top of that, all the characters have significant, increasing signs of post-traumatic stress throughout the books, so even the two characters that survive the war in a remotely healthy state still have “issues.” Neither of the two intergroup romances survive the war (in one case, due to death, in the other due to the psychological impact of the war). In the end, three of the four surviving human characters go off on a suicide mission that heralds the start of a new war.</p>
<p>Seriously, Harry Potter had nothing on “dark” compared to these books. Heck, I’ve read lighter depictions of war in adult fiction.</p>
<p>I second the Laurie King books (start with The Bee Keeper’s Apprentice). And also “I Capture the Castle” – the #1 favorite book for both my D’s.</p>
<p>How about Mary Stewart’s Arthur books? Start with “The Hollow Hills”. Or Jack Whyte’s Arthur books – start with “The Skystone”.</p>
<p>Madeleine L’Engle wrote quite a few books besides her most famous “A Wrinkle in Time”, and many are not sci-fi-ish at all. “A Ring of Endless Light” was D1’s favorite.</p>
<p>She may not like most fantasy, but Juliet Marillier write some nice combo fantasy/historical fiction (sort of) stuff. And Robin McKinley has some really wonderful novels that are (very) loosely based on famous myths or fairy tales.</p>
<p>“Howl’s Moving Castle” by Diana Wynne Jones (or might be Dianna Wynne Jones, not sure.) Get her the book and also the Miyazaki anime movie. (The book is better, but the movie is still pretty good!)</p>
<p>Does she like fantasy and humor? If so, Terry Prachett.</p>
<p>Also maybe the Sandman graphic novels by Neil Gaiman. And speaking of Neil Gaiman, “Stardust” by him. Also “Good Omens” co-written by him and Terry Prachett.</p>
<p>The Golden Compass series by Phillip Pullman.</p>
<p>It crosses over into fantasy a little bit, but it’s not like “wizards and dragons” kind of fantasy.</p>
<p>Thinking of “wizards and dragons”, though, I was probably around 16 when I read “The Hobbit” and “Lord of the Rings” for the first time. Great books.</p>
<p>I forgot “Rocket Boys” by Homer Hickam. It is an autobiography about a boy growing up in a West Virginial coal mining town. Was made into a movie (October Skies). My Ds both love this book.</p>
<p>I Capture the Castle
The Help
The Secret Life of Bees
To Kill a Mockingbird
Dewey: The Small Town Library Cat who Touched the World
Gone with the Wind
Rebecca
Forever Amber</p>
<p>Cold Sassy Tree
My Last Days as Roy Rogers</p>
<p>If she likes historical fiction: Sandra Worth, Anya Seton, Philippa Gregory. Recently popular authors with my high school girls. Anya Seton is back in publication. For a general series, I second Cynthia Voigt (Homecoming etc.). I consider it a modern day YA classic. Biography may be a way to go…“Swimming to Antarctica” comes to mind. </p>
<p>Off top of my head…</p>
<p>Just read “The Thirteenth Tale,” Diane Setterfield, from DD’s summer reading list. Modern, not too bad. Also, “Tallgrass” by Sandra Dallas which was on one of last year’s lists. I would suggest going to B & N or Borders and looking at the stack of “summer reading list” books to see what more modern stuff is there. Usually there will be some good alternatives to Pride and Prejudice and Shakespeare. Both DD and DS have reading lists made up largely of modern works.</p>
<p>I second Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns and The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. Good books.</p>
<p>sylvan8798, you might be interested in browsing through this discussion: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/802971-thirteenth-tale-december-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/802971-thirteenth-tale-december-cc-book-club-selection.html</a></p>
<p>“Is Roald Dahl too easy for a 16 year old?”</p>
<p>I was thinking of his works for adults, which are racy and creepy to the nth degree. If the parents are OK with that, the book “The Best of Roald Dahl” (a long collection of short stories) is a great choice.</p>
<p>Seconding that Laurie R. King suggestion.</p>
<p>Thanks. You have all given me some new ideas. Many of the books she has already read but many we have not considered. Some asked what she has read and liked. She loved Secret Life of Bees, Wintergirls, all the Sarah Dessen books. She like The Glass Castle and several books by Sara Gruen. She has read Born Confused and also a couple of other India based modern books such as The Mango Season. She like the Golden Compass but not the rest of the books. Did not get into the Hobbit or Susan Cooper, TA Barron or any of the Tamara Pierce books. Those were all books that my older D absolutely loved. My older D highly recommends the first Allana series by Tamara Pierce to younger readers. She is pretty firm in no fantasy books. Looking at the bookshelf she also liked the books by Libra Bray.
Her favorite genre is books that deal with real life teen issues that aren’t stupid. (her words not mine). So no gossip girls. Her favorite author right now is Ellen Hopkins. Her books are a bit disturbing but do deal with real life issues. She has several good friends who have dealt with suicide attempts by siblings and severe drug addictions and she has an interest in why people do what they do and how others cope. (she has a career interest in counseling or social work when she is not wanting to be a vet)
She likes to put her reading into two types of books. Those that are like TV viewing. Easy to read but entertaining. More serious books that require more concentration. We are trying to increase the more serious literature. Her TV viewing still runs to Disney and Nick. She also loves all the Food Network shows so maybe some books about cooking or chefs would be interesting to her.
just checked her shelf- also several books by Deb Caletti and Colasanti</p>
<p>The Body of Christopher Creed and The She by Carol Plum Icci-- mysteries involving real life teen issues. Good summer beach reads.
The Storm Season by William Hauptman is not well known, but it’s a really good coming of age story.</p>
<p>Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell</p>
<p>I love Cynthia Voigt so second that recommendation for the Tillerman saga books. (She’s good at teen issues that aren’t stupid.) Also Anne Tyler - perhaps start with the early ones where she’s generally writing about younger people. (I started reading them in college.) I really like K.M. Peyton, a British writer, she has a wonderful series that starts off with an (almost) standard girl gets a pony book (Fly-by-Night), but the series gets interesting as she grows up and meets a gifted piano player who gets in trouble with the law. I first met Lynne Reid Banks’ writing through her fantasy kids books, but she writes interesting YA fiction (often with Jewish themes) and adult fiction as well. Another British writer I like is Muriel Spark. I’ve read several very good books by Bruce Brooks including *Midnight Hour Encores *about a budding young cellist and a cross-country road trip with her unconventional Dad. And for classics my favorites are of the Louisa May Alcott’s particularly Eight Cousins and Rose in Bloom, Gene Stratton-Porter’s A Girl of the Limberlost and of course Jean Webster’s Daddy-Long-Legs.</p>