Summer reading recommendations for girl 13

[sillywoman]

been to bookshop & bought; Judy Blume "Forever", Amanda Godbersen "Luxe" (hmmm::-S) and Judy Blundell "what I saw & How I lied". We also have "Ann of Green G's", la Blume's "Blubber" and Eva Ibbotsen's "The Star of Khazan". We're off now. Wish us luck, and me endless patience!

[it'sraining]

What about reading Twilight by Stephanie Myer- a mixture of adventure/romance/vampire-ness. The books are big but gripping, apparently. There are 4 of them in the series. Good luck

[supermum]

My teenage daughter loves the teenage section at Dulwich Library. She isn't a book worm but when she is in the mood for reading she can borrow quite a few!

Hope it helps

[Travelimo]

The 'Tomorrow' series by Australian author John Marsden is brilliant; although the subject matter may not seem to be typical for a female (the books are about the invasion and occupation of Australia by a foreign entity), they are narrated in the first person by a female teenager, and are full of the usual teenage issues.

I'm not sure what age group the series is aimed at, but know that everyone I have given the series too (it's a popular choice as a birthday/christmas present for friends' children and/or relatives), loves it.

I don't know if the books are available in the Southwark libraries, but you could try getting the first book on Amazon and then investing in the remaining 6 books if the first is popular. The first book is 'Tomorrow, when the war began'.

[Curly]

The best books are the ones she chooses herself. I go to Smiths and get my children to choose a couple of books and make it sound like a real treat (it's difficult not to interfere with their choices but you have to resist). Then read one as a bedtime story until you get to a really exciting bit. Then shut the book and announce that she will have to finish it herself if she wants to know what happens. You may have to wait a couple of days but it has worked with my boys every time.

[alib]

My ideas would fall more into the trash category, because I was glued to the likes of Sweet Dreams and Sweet Valley High when I was your daughter's age. I don't think it scarred me, I love reading everything nowadays. And I make my living working with books. I think the 2009 equivalent (US based glamorous escapism) would be...

Meg Cabot's Airhead trilogy (and Meg Cabot generally)

Cecily Von Ziegaser - Gossip Girl (As seen on TV!)

Twilight (though she must know it and if she hasn't asked...)

I wonder what her friends are reading? Books that have been made into films she might have liked? The Devil Wears Prada, The Notebook, Pride and Prejudice.

I'd also suggest non-fiction, biographies, perhaps no more taxing than Ant n Dec, Girls Aloud,Simon Cowell, or the inside story of Mamma Mia for example, and plenty of books on how to be an actress.

I do love most of the books above that people have recommended but I think I might have rolled my eyes and claimed they were boring when I was 13 and climbed back under the duvet with my secret copy of Lace.