Book for a 12 year old girl who hates to read

Here are a few YA books she may like:

Now and Zen by Linda Gerber (the girl is a foreign exchange student in Japan)
Major Crush by Jennifer Echols (the girl/guy are in marching band)
The Giver by Lois Lowry (excellent story...you just have to read it)

My daughter is 10 and reading the Princess Diaries series. She also loves Nancy Drew...

Books by Tamora Pierce are very popular with girls that age. She has several series of 3 or 6 books each -- you're always compelled to read another one.

Read to her if she doesn't want to read. Make it something you love to do with her.

Our own Joe Ekatis's "Collinsfort Village" is also a good choice. My daughter loved it.

Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little...what were some of your favorite books? The Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder....I've been having a great time rediscovering the books of my early reading years with my daughters. My husband too -- lots of books are equally appealing to both genders. Oh -- The Indian in the Cupboard series is terrific fun. A really good one to read together. (I'm getting carried away!)

My son loved the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series by Kathryn Lasky. It's about owls.

Shadow_Ferret said:

My son loved the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series by Kathryn Lasky. It's about owls.

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I'll second that suggestion - I work in a middle school library, and the Ga'Hoole books are HOT with the preteen set.

You could also offer her Alice Hoffman's Aquamarine - it's about two 12-year-old girls who discover a mermaid. Only 105 pages, so it isn't too intimidating.

Harry Potter? That's credited with getting lots of non-reading kids to read.

And mebbe Jacqueline Wilson, she's hugely popular with girls in the UK, altho Ive not read any of hers myself.

I'd go with the Little House books. They are what made me want to be a writer. I also agree with getting her the Harry Potter books. They are wonderful.

I had a whole list of ideas, but I can't beat Misty's Aquamarine suggestion. Short, her favorite subject, and she's probably heard of the movie (which, unfortunately, is often the best way to suck a new young reader in). Sounds like a perfect idea to me!

At 12 I was reading Harlequin romances, the tamer PG-13 ones (closed door sex scenes). I was also reading Dean Koontz. Maybe she'd be more inclined to read if she could read a few grown-up books.

How about The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke? I just finished reading this to my 9 yo son and 7 yo daughter. They loved it. Other books they've loved (as read alouds anyway): the Harry Potter series, The Secret Garden, and the Little House series. My son read Holes by Louis Sachar on his own and enjoyed it.

I love reading aloud and they love hearing the books. It helps expand their vocabulary so they'll be better equipped to read more challenging books on their own, when they're ready.

Also on our shelf to be read: Artemis Fowl and Black Beauty. How about Judy Blume? Don't 12 yo girls love Judy Blume?

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. One of my teachers read that to the class one chapter at a time and we were begging, really BEGGING for just one more word.

Also The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare. That one made me want to read more.

Then there is good ol' Nancy Drew by Carolyn G. Keene! Girls love reading about slightly older girls so they can learn what to do when it's time to trade lollipops for lipstick--become a detective, of course!

Then I discovered Hobbits and my whole danged world changed.

And check out these: How to Get Your Child to Love Reading by Esme Raji Codell, creator of PlanetEsme.com, a Web site devoted to kids and reading.

And Paul A Kropp author of How to Make Your Child a Reader for Life

Try some comedy: Calvin and Hobbs! Kids don't always equate comics with *reading*!

Yanno--she might not be much for fiction, you could try some non-fiction with her. If she likes mermaids you could check out books on hoaxes or real world sea life that's been mistaken for mermaids. Take her to a natural history museum. They usually have intractive things for kids--and books in the gift shop!

You might want to read aloud to her too. It helps with her listening comprehension--she'll need that as she's almost a teen --and it gives her one-on-one time with you. Parents stop reading aloud too soon. I regret stopping when my son learned to read. He never again had the same love of books as he did as a child.

I would like to add to this topic.

As another side to why she may not like reading.

My daughter is in the 3rd grade, the other in the 1st.

Here in NC, they are made to check out a new book in the Library Every Day. They must take it home and read it. The following day they must test on it.

The books are called AR books or Advanced Reading Books. The reading is called AR Reading. It is the pressures in the School System that turn children from readers into non readers.

My daughter used to like reading.. she loved it. But by 2nd grade, She figured out that she had to start checking out longer books.Those books are called Chapter Books.

She learned that she had to test on those books the next day. Hence not enough time to read, therfore, failing the 5 questions that were given in 2nd Grade on the AR book that she chose at the library.

By 3rd Grade, she never got passed the Hate to read. Here she sits in the 3rd grade, Fighting to read a book each night only to test on it the next day to pass or fail the now 10 questions that are given on the Computer about the book... and in 3rd grade, it must be a Chapter Book. 4 Chapters plus.

So with me being a writer, it breaks my heart to know that both of my daughters dislike reading now because of the pressures in school to take AR tests and pass them. It really does take the fun out of reading all together.

I never had that problem when I was in School. I would get a book and read what I wanted to of it. If I didn't like it, I wouldnt finish it and would simply return it to its shelf.

Today, our children are not given that option. They are made to read AR books Every day and test on them the following day.

Now tell me... Wouldn't that curve your appetite for reading?

I hope the best for your daughter .. and hope that she will find a book that touches her heart.

MistOfShadows said:

The books are called AR books or Advanced Reading Books. The reading is called AR Reading. It is the pressures in the School System that turn children from readers into non readers.

My daughter used to like reading.. she loved it. But by 2nd grade, She figured out that she had to start checking out longer books.Those books are called Chapter Books.

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I have a different perspective. Our school does that, too. In fact, my son's 2nd grade teacher used to send home something like 5 or more books a night to read. Every child in that class, at the end of the school year, had at least 100 AR points (some had upwards of 300!) and most of the books they had to read were worth half a point.

I credit that teacher and her drill sargent attitude with making my son the reader he is today.

My niece is an animal lover about the same age, and she loved the books by Marguerite Henry: Misty of Chincoteague, Misty's Twilight, Sea Star, King of the Wind, Stormy Misty's Foal. Wonderful series of books about the wild ponies that live on Chincoteague Island.

Also try Jim Kjelgaard. Irish Red and Outlaw Red are two favorites.

That's a shame, and it's the problem with the cookie-cutter school system. What works for one child, doesn't work for another. Sometimes, not only does it not work, it harms the child's educational experience. In their effort to produce a generation of readers, they're producing a generation that's turned off by reading.

This process of levelled reading worked for my daughter, but was a disaster for my son, who's now rediscovering reading for pleasure through Ripley's Believe or Not and the Guinness Book of World Records, and books about his favourite video games.

Shadow_Ferret said:

I have a different perspective. Our school does that, too. In fact, my son's 2nd grade teacher used to send home something like 5 or more books a night to read. Every child in that class, at the end of the school year, had at least 100 AR points (some had upwards of 300!) and most of the books they had to read were worth half a point.

I credit that teacher and her drill sargent attitude with making my son the reader he is today.

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I certainly give Credit where credit is due... My oldest daughter while in 1st Grade... her Wonderful Teacher had her at a 2nd Grade Reading Level by the end of the 1st 9 weeks of 1st grade. heheh. But Boy... when it came to the longer books and 2nd grade... 4 Chapter- Chapter books... She Came to hate reading. She didnt even want my husband and I to read them to her. She came out top of her class in 1st Grade with her AR points, and Middle of her Class in 2nd Grade... She is in with the Top 10 of her 3rd Grade Class now.

Just recently she asked me to buy her the books titled Third-Grade Detectives and The Secrets of Droon. Hopefully this will hit a high spot for her interest. heheh. Here's Hopin'

The only other one I could add would be Island of the Blue Dolphins. I don't remember the author's name, though.

Are we really this far into a thread about book recommendations for a 12-year-old girl, and not one person has yet mentioned Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret?

Seriously. Margaret. I dare you to find a 12-year-old girl who didn't like it. Any of the Blume books are great, but that one is special.

Aside from that I agree with most of the suggestions already up. My sd is 12 and likes the Jacqueline Wilson books, as well as Eragon and Lemony Snicket and Rowling. When I was that age Silouette put out a teen line, I used to eat those up. There were a lot of teen romances then, don't know if there still are but I bet you can find them in the YA section at a bookstore.


BTW, while I won't actively disagree with Gilhoughly's suggestions of L'Engle's Wrinkle in Time...I think it's a real "love or hate" book. I hated it, and I know a few other people who hated it too.

Welcome, RumpleTumbler. I'll second DeadlyAccurate's suggestion of (tamer) adult books. No one ever pressed me to read as a kid, but when I was about ten I picked up a copy of Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs. From that moment, it was hard to find me without a book in my hand.

My son is eight, and loves to read all kinds of nonfiction, especially about dinosaurs or predators (yeah, all boy). He is reading Despereaux right now, which his second-grade teacher read to his class. He's also working on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and we try to read Eragon or The Hobbit together when we have time.

Don't sweat it too much. Take her camping, or fishing, or away from the TV for a few days. Bring a stack of books and see what happens.

Hope this helps.
HN

MistOfShadows said:

So with me being a writer, it breaks my heart to know that both of my daughters dislike reading now because of the pressures in school to take AR tests and pass them. It really does take the fun out of reading all together.

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I am SO with you, MistOfShadows. I'm dealing with the same frustration. I have a 3rd grader and just a few weeks ago went nose-to-nose with her teacher over this stupid AR program that has turned my once-loved-to-read daughter into a I-hate-reading kid. It's a shame and I think on so many levels, the program is missing the point. Of course, it all depends on how the teacher handles the incentives. I was told directly that the point of the program was not to encourage the child to read; the point is to challenge the child to read harder books. Well, the teacher categorized my daughter in a higher reading level which has resulted in her having a heck of a time scoring the required 80% on the comprehension, which has also created anxiety over all books that she reads, for fear she won't pass the test. So she ends up turning in her test with a 70%, and the teacher then requires her to read the same book over again and retake the test. Well of course they don't change the questions so now my daughter knows which ones she missed, looks up the right answer in the book, takes the test again and passes. Yeah. That's reading comprehension at it's finest!

I've gotta stop there, or I'll totally highjack the thread with my complaints. Just know that the same crap goes on elsewhere in the country. I will, however, include a link where I learned some additional information. I found a few helpful pointers on this guy's website.

Sorry. Back to your regularly scheduled programming...

Start her out with some audio books. It will probably be a lot more palatable for her to listen to her MP3 player than crack open something she's decided stinks. Once she gets into storytelling, it will be easier for her to transition to reading the stories herself.

BTW, I think it's a mistake to rely on the school system to instill a love of reading and books. I take my daughter to the bookstore as an "event" at least every other week (we look at books, get snacks and hot chocolate, sit and talk, etc). We trade off her reading...one graphic novel for one chapter book. She asked Santa for the entire series of Unfortunate Events books this year and is already halfway through them. (btw, she's 9)

Avoid the "do as I say not as I do" syndrome. Make sure she sees you with a book A LOT. Have books all around your house. Read the same books as her and talk to her about them. When all else fails, don't neglect the time-honored parenting tool of bribery. Works every time.

scribbler1382 said:

I take my daughter to the bookstore as an "event" at least every other week (we look at books, get snacks and hot chocolate, sit and talk, etc).

Make sure she sees you with a book A LOT. Have books all around your house.

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Excellent advice. My kids look forward to visiting the library and bookstore. (Even though my 6-year-old refuses to LEARN how to read, he still loves books. Go figure.)