Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
i don't know the child in question. the quote is all i have - asking for a twitter correspondent
"A mind blowing novel for a 12 year old girl" - recommendations?
- Thread starter Orang Utan
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purenarcotic
Conveniently Pocket Sized
I was a 12 year old girl the first time I read American Psycho and Lunar Park; those were pretty mind-blowing at the time (and probably entirely inappropriate...)
Hah, they probably are but they are great.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
go on - i'm curious.Well I could tell you the book that blew my mind aged 11 but now I'm wondering if it's a bit of a silly suggestion
i loved James Herbert, Stephen King and Shaun Hutson when I was that age. I never really read any teen/preteen fiction - i leapfrogged from Fantastic Mr Fox to Cujo and Fluke.
Agent Sparrow
the age of slippers and migraines
Tbf I think 12 is a good age to be discovering genres. Though reading level might be useful to know.
So on that note, the book that blew my mind aged 11 was the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Set me off on a life long liking of sci fi and fantasy. Yes there was a lot of the humour that I didn't get but I got enough of it to be engaged, and it just meant that I found another layer when I went back to them in my mid teens, and then my 20s. And there's no swearing and no sex to worry about until book 4 (and easy for a younger person to completely miss anyway
).Yes it's old so not contemporary but it's also not the middle class Enid Blyton stuff you were referring to earlier. Mind you, the digital watches references are hopelessly outdated now, which is why I was a bit unsure whether to say.
Agent Sparrow
the age of slippers and migraines
God I read some fucking awful teen fiction from the library when I was about 12
In amongst some good stuff thankfully, but yes, like you I was more interested books for adults at around that age.
miss direct
misfungled
Fair enough for a child who isn't already a reader but for me, while I liked fairy tale type things (Faraway tree type stuff) as a small child, I was certain that I had no interest in sci-fi/fantasy by the age of 9 or 10. I miss young adult books. There's some really exceptional stuff around.
Maurice Picarda
Actually, might as well flounce.
Machine Gunners is young, but plenty of Robert Westall is great for teenagers: Devil On The Road, Futuretrack 5, The Scarecrows.
trabuquera
Modesty Bag
I'm not completely sure they're 'appropriate'- possibly a bit too violent and i can't remember how explicit or weird any of the sex stuff is - but what about The Wind Up Girl (Paolo Bacigalupi) or Random Acts of Senseless Violence (Jack Womack)? Or for a slightly lower-key dystopia still relevant to teen girls The testament of Jesse Lamb by Jane Waters.
Or if she REALLY likes reading then the Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson.
Or if she REALLY likes reading then the Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
Ooh yeah, i think i read that at a similar age, though i think i only did so after the tv show. it didn't really stay with me though. i downloaded the original radio version last year but still haven't got round to listening to it.Tbf I think 12 is a good age to be discovering genres. Though reading level might be useful to know.
So on that note, the book that blew my mind aged 11 was the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Set me off on a life long liking of sci fi and fantasy. Yes there was a lot of the humour that I didn't get but I got enough of it to be engaged, and it just meant that I found another layer when I went back to them in my mid teens, and then my 20s. And there's no swearing and no sex to worry about until book 4 (and easy for a younger person to completely miss anyway
Yes it's old so not contemporary but it's also not the middle class Enid Blyton stuff you were referring to earlier. Mind you, the digital watches references are hopelessly outdated now, which is why I was a bit unsure whether to say.
Dunno if this generation would like it, but will suggest all the same.
It's great reading people's suggestions of books they liked when they were twelve, but it would also be great if people with children of that age could suggest some too.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
bit advanced for most 12 year old kids
The Age of Miracles, Karen Thompson Walker? The rotation of the earth begins to slow, making days longer and longer, seasons screwed etc; all seen from the perspective of a young teen girl. My daughters liked that one.
They were also keen on graphic novels, early Walking Dead, or Black Hole.
They were also keen on graphic novels, early Walking Dead, or Black Hole.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
WHERE YOU GOING NOW?
Agent Sparrow
the age of slippers and migraines
I was a massive reader yet had either missed kiddy sci fi or found none of it of note. All I know is that when I discovered HHGTTG it was, to put it mildly, a bit of a revelation. But then I do have an inner geek.
weepiper
I fix the machines that fight climate change
Sophie is twelve but unfortunately mostly what she really loves is godawful vaguely adult fantasy-by-numbers and Youtuber tie-in annuals so that's not much help
She does love Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman too.
Agent Sparrow
the age of slippers and migraines
Yep, Pratchett and Gaiman both have stuff actually aimed at that age group as well as adult stuff they can progress onto, and I imagine I'd have loved that aged 12, but again depends on genre choice I guess.
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
yeah, it's hard to know what to suggest to kids if they're not in front of you. i'm good at it if i have a chat with them first, but it's virtually impossible to do on social media.Sophie is twelve but unfortunately mostly what she really loves is godawful vaguely adult fantasy-by-numbers and Youtuber tie-in annuals so that's not much help
Along similar lines (based on that description, I've not read it myself) - The Last Survivors series by Susan Beth Pfeffer
friedaweed
Me and me girl named Jane
I made Larden read The Long Walk to Freedom recently because the letter from school said they should read a variety of text but he informs me David Walliams books are much better and less political 
He's devoured Walliams stuff. Our Moll loved The Dark Material at that age 
He's devoured Walliams stuff. Our Moll loved The Dark Material at that age 
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
manuscript found in sargossa
diary of a chambermaid (mirbeau)
torture garden (mirbeau)
la-bas (huysmans)
diary of a drug fiend (crowley)
the monk (matthew lewis)
memoirs of a gnostic dwarf
satan wants me
diary of a chambermaid (mirbeau)
torture garden (mirbeau)
la-bas (huysmans)
diary of a drug fiend (crowley)
the monk (matthew lewis)
memoirs of a gnostic dwarf
satan wants me
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
you bastard - i couldn't even read that as an adult! I'm sure he's very nice, but Mandela is not a great writer!I made Larden read The Long Walk to Freedom recently because the letter from school said they should read a variety of text but he informs me David Walliams books are much better and less political
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
i have read the opening to that gnostic dwarf
The Monk is brilliant - amazing ending! i am actually skimming through it at the moment to find a suitable extract for Y8s as an example of Gothic fiction. Not having much luck!
friedaweed
Me and me girl named Jane
He ate all the biscuits mate he fucking deserved it. I leave Understanding Power by Noam Chomsky propped up against the biscuit tin now and he knows he's getting some Seymour Hersh if he doesn't leave enough milk for a brew. Message has been received load and clear. I just purchased him Grandpa's Great Escape and he's ploughing through it. He's 10 and a boy mind
friedaweed
Me and me girl named Jane
Top book
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
give them the opening of dracula or maybe something from the beetle. or jekyll and hyde.i have read the opening to that gnostic dwarf
The Monk is brilliant - amazing ending! i am actually skimming through it at the moment to find a suitable extract for Y8s as an example of Gothic fiction. Not having much luck!
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
three impostors (machen)
dream-quest of unknown kadath (lovecraft)
the red tree (kiernan)
murder of angels (kiernan)
our lady of darkness (leiber)
conjure wife (leiber)
dream-quest of unknown kadath (lovecraft)
the red tree (kiernan)
murder of angels (kiernan)
our lady of darkness (leiber)
conjure wife (leiber)
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
the beetle? they will already be looking at extracts of dracula. good call on jekyll & hyde.
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
the beetle (marsh)
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
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