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Suggestions for precocious teen reader

Posted on 2/28/24 at 9:47 am
Posted by Locoguan0
Baton Rouge, LA
Member since Nov 2017
4363 posts
Posted on 2/28/24 at 9:47 am
My daughter is 14. She reads at a college level, but she is 14. Her interests are the same as any typical 14 year old. They like to read teen horror novels, fantasy, etc. Often times, the content in higher level books is a bit mature for students of this age, especially to qualify for AR (Accelerated Reader). I'd like to let her read what interests her, but AR has reading level requirements are usually above her ZPD (zone of proximal development) range of 6.0+.

Any book suggestions? Anything your kids are reading?
Posted by hogfly
Fayetteville, AR
Member since May 2014
4658 posts
Posted on 2/28/24 at 10:30 am to
If you're wanting to "stretch" her reading without subjecting her to too mature of content, I'd start giving her some classics. She might not "love" the books in the same way she's going to like the YA stuff that she's currently likely reading, but she'll develop stronger comprehension skills, vocabulary, and ability to wade through more difficult texts.


Some thoughs:
Watership Down
The Giver
Wrinkle in Time
Ender's Game
Brave New World
Frankenstine
Time Machine
Dracula
Lord of the Flies
Huck Finn
Call of the Wild
Treasure Island
Gulliver's Travels
Sword in the Stone
Three Musketeers
Swiss Family Robinson
The Outsiders
Little Women
Oliver Twist
The Secret Garden

Posted by HailHailtoMichigan!
Mission Viejo, CA
Member since Mar 2012
69406 posts
Posted on 3/2/24 at 3:30 pm to
For those with teens interested in literature, you can’t go wrong with these to get them started on a lifelong love of literature

1) a voyage to Arcturus
2) finnegans wake
3) the sound and the fury
4) Ulysses
Posted by whiskey over ice
Member since Sep 2020
3290 posts
Posted on 3/2/24 at 7:59 pm to
quote:

4) Ulysses


really?
Posted by drexyl
Mingovia
Member since Sep 2005
23078 posts
Posted on 3/2/24 at 9:02 pm to
Hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy
Posted by Stitches
Member since Oct 2019
914 posts
Posted on 3/3/24 at 7:07 am to
quote:

Watership Down
The Giver
Wrinkle in Time
Ender's Game
Brave New World
Frankenstine
Time Machine
Dracula
Lord of the Flies
Huck Finn
Call of the Wild
Treasure Island
Gulliver's Travels
Sword in the Stone
Three Musketeers
Swiss Family Robinson
The Outsiders
Little Women
Oliver Twist
The Secret Garden


All of the bolded above, plus those listed below were part of my junior high reading list, and none were too difficult to comprehend as a teen.

The Hobbit
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Skellig
The Red Badge of Courage
Sherlock Holmes stories (especially the Hound of the Baskervilles)
Posted by GreenRockTiger
vortex to the whirlpool of despair
Member since Jun 2020
42703 posts
Posted on 3/3/24 at 9:50 am to
What about Hunger Games, the Matched Series, maybe the Maze Runner Series.

The Giver also has sequels.

John Green books for romance - but some have sex in them.

I really liked The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson.

And there are the classics - Anna Kareninna, Little Women, Catcher in the Rye, Tuck Everlasting, etc

Posted by TigerFanatic99
South Bend, Indiana
Member since Jan 2007
27744 posts
Posted on 3/3/24 at 12:09 pm to
Fourth Wing and Iron Flame
Posted by LaLadyinTx
Cypress, TX
Member since Nov 2018
6097 posts
Posted on 3/7/24 at 2:06 pm to
quote:

Wrinkle in Time

quote:

Huck Finn

quote:

Little Women


I really would have expected her to have already read those if she is really a reader. I was probably 3-4 years younger when I did. I remember specifically reading A Wrinkle in Time at around 8-9 years.

quote:

Lord of the Flies


Have her read this one if you want to take away every bit of her joy of reading. I read it at about her age. I think it was required for school. I thought it was a miserable book.

My family's thoughts on reading (and my grandpa's before them) was that I pretty much could read anything I wanted. Parents had often read it before and would discuss somethings about books with me. I read things like Helter Skelter, Rosemary Rogers books, Go Ask Alice, etc. at 14. I was that age when I read Carrie and maybe a year older when I read Salem's Lot. Basically, in the 70s, YA didn't exist. You either read kid's books or adult books. There are a lot of good crime/detective books as well.

I realize the OP is looking at what her daughter might understand and not wanting content to be too "adult". But I'd argue that your daughter will hear lots of adult stuff and seeing things from the context of books might help her. If someone had given me the list provided here as a 14 year old girl...most of it would have put me to sleep! Censor less. Just let her read well written books. She will be fine.
Posted by dirtsandwich
AL
Member since May 2016
5216 posts
Posted on 3/7/24 at 8:44 pm to
Too obvious.
Posted by biglego
Ask your mom where I been
Member since Nov 2007
76634 posts
Posted on 3/9/24 at 8:42 pm to
Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere books have no sex but are adult
Posted by BogDaHOg
Member since Aug 2023
22 posts
Posted on 5/20/24 at 6:32 pm to
Children of the Neon Bamboo would be perfect for a precocious teen. A nice transition into proper literature.
Posted by Lawyered
The Sip
Member since Oct 2016
29555 posts
Posted on 5/20/24 at 7:07 pm to
The 5 people you meet in heaven would be great for her

I read that around her age . But good on her for reading as a teenager when a large majority of her peers do not

( I’m 34 and my dad gives me shite all the time for going to the library and checking out boots.. like why would I want to enrich my brain and broaden my horizons) so at least you’re supportive in your girls interests
Posted by biglego
Ask your mom where I been
Member since Nov 2007
76634 posts
Posted on 5/21/24 at 1:14 am to
quote:

If someone had given me the list provided here as a 14 year old girl...most of it would have put me to sleep

Still would. For me, the Classics are a chore and a bore, generally speaking.
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