Hannah's Book List for Teen Girls
I wrote my book list for elementary school girls, elementary school boys, and teen boys, but I forgot to write my book list for teen girls! How could I? So, without further ado, Hannah's Book List for Teen Girls.
As I said while writing the teen boy books, teen books are harder, because the carry-over from gender to gender is huge. As always, these books are not meant to be exclusively for one gender or the other, and I don't believe in strictly "boy books" and "girl books," but I do believe that different books appeal to one gender more than the other. As I also said before, I tend to like "boy books" more, even though I'm a girl. And there is a lot of carry-over. I cannot stress that enough.
Also as I said with the teen boy books, with teen books I will include parental warnings. Disclaimer: It is up to you to decide whether or not these books are appropriate for your teen, and I bear no responsibility if you give this book to your child and material is objectionable to you, but I will try and give you an idea of what could be considered objectionable.
1. The Queen's Thief by Megan Whalen Turner (first is The Thief)
Warnings: violence and torture throughout. Most descriptions focus on the blood, and not the guts, but still one of the acts of violence in the second is strong. Definite implied sex between a married couple in The King of Attolia. The first one I could even classify as a children's book, but after that, they are squarely Young Adult.
2. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (stand-alone)
Warnings: sex, teen sex, one f-bomb, some graphic depictions of vomiting, etc, and emotionally trying ending.
3. Paper Towns by John Green (stand alone)
Warnings: references to sex and sex organs, some characters get EXTREMELY drunk, a road-trip includes various males peeing into bottles, references to an STD, fairly strong language, two characters are implied to have been having sex, vandalism.
4. Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan (first is The Red Pyramid)
Warnings: Some violence (not too heavy), race issues where two siblings are mixed Caucasian/African but one looks black and the other looks white (beautifully handled), unclear of who is good and who is evil
5. Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan (a continuation of the Percy Jackson books, but not for small children) (first is The Lost Hero)
Warnings: violence (at times fairly heavy, but mostly only blood), discussion of same-sex attraction, but no actual homosexuality, several teenage couples who will kiss (none have sex, though one couple innocently falls asleep in each other's arms and their satyr "chaperone" goes bonkers about it).
6. Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis (first is The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Not Magician's Nephew. It was not published first, so it is not the first, no matter how modern publishers number the book spines)
Warnings: some violence, not very heavy ever. A lot of Christian allegory, so if you're not Christian, I guess you could find that objectionable
7. Gallagher Girls by Ally Carter (first is I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You)
Warnings: some violence, never graphic. Teen girls crush over boys, but never fantasize about more than kissing them. Some kissing. Topless males are described in a somewhat sexualized way. Generally fairly innocent teen-girl stuff.
8. Heist Society by Ally Carter (first is actually called Heist Society)
Warnings: thieves are heroes, some mild fantasizing about attractive people (never graphic)
9. Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare (first is City of Bones)--I would maybe recommend Infernal Devices, the spin-off series, but I have only read the first so far.
Warnings: Oy Vey. supernatural creatures (vampires, werewolves, demons, etc.), violence ranging from mild to quite graphic (Infernal Devices even has a vampire nest slaughter that uses the "sheets of blood" metaphor), males are commonly described in a sexualized way (females rarely are, for whatever reason, but Isabelle sometimes is), homosexuality/bisexuality, sex in the first book is only kissing/ mild petting, by the last it's graduated to full make-out, but I don't think there's actually ever any described intercourse that I recall--but I think there might be a condom opening at one point. Some languages, generally PG. The swearing is falsely lowered somewhat, as Shadowhunters (the main characters) commonly say, "By the Angel," or variations which would appear to be a somewhat oath-taking formula/swear in their culture. Some drinking/mentions of drug usage in Mortal Instruments, much more in Infernal Devices (it's Victorian-era...seventeen-year-olds drink regularly and without pause, and one character is a complete drug-user with reason). In the later books, some characters attempt to/do summon demons, angels, etc. One character is described as having been cut from their mother's dead womb at birth.
10. Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (first is Hunger Games)Warnings: violence, violence and more violence. Some kissing, passionate make-out. Two characters pretend to have a sexual relationship, but don't really--they also pretend to be married. Lots of violence.
11. Prince of Shadows by Rachel Caine
Warnings: It's a Romeo and Juliet retelling, and it has the violence to match. Sometimes a bit gritty, but I wouldn't go to flat-out graphic. Some sex, but generally shrouded by era proprieties. They go with the Mercutio is gay theory, full-on.
12. All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill
Warnings: Kissing, "thematic elements" as the movie ratings say, language (multiple f-bombs), some violence (none of it gory), the point-of-view character can hear screams as her friend is tortured in the next room.
Remember, I've put anything on there that any parent might find objectionable, even if it is merely one reference. Some of them, though, I would personally pause for any teen under fifteen or sixteen. (Fault in Our Stars, Paper Towns, Mortal Instruments...City of Bones through City of Glass are probably okay for younger teens. City of Fallen Angels through City of Heavenly Fire, older teens only).
Maybe I should have included everything that teens could gain from these books so they didn't look quite as awful out of context.
Another piece of advice: There is a website called commonsensemedia.org. There you can get parental advice on the age-appropriateness and possibly objectionable material of pretty much any book, movie, video game or tv show. Still make you own decisions. They call Heroes of Olympus okay for ten-year-olds, and I think that the same-sex attraction discussion alone throws it into the 13 and over category...personally.
Teen girl books that I do not recommend, no matter how much other people do: Divergent series and Selection series. They're awful. Don't read them.
Teen Boy List (some carry-over here)
Elementary School Girl List (some carry-over)
Elementary School Boy List (some carry-over)
Any other lists people want? Any books that you'd put on the list that I missed, or maybe that I haven't read? Let me know.
As I said while writing the teen boy books, teen books are harder, because the carry-over from gender to gender is huge. As always, these books are not meant to be exclusively for one gender or the other, and I don't believe in strictly "boy books" and "girl books," but I do believe that different books appeal to one gender more than the other. As I also said before, I tend to like "boy books" more, even though I'm a girl. And there is a lot of carry-over. I cannot stress that enough.
Also as I said with the teen boy books, with teen books I will include parental warnings. Disclaimer: It is up to you to decide whether or not these books are appropriate for your teen, and I bear no responsibility if you give this book to your child and material is objectionable to you, but I will try and give you an idea of what could be considered objectionable.
1. The Queen's Thief by Megan Whalen Turner (first is The Thief)
Warnings: violence and torture throughout. Most descriptions focus on the blood, and not the guts, but still one of the acts of violence in the second is strong. Definite implied sex between a married couple in The King of Attolia. The first one I could even classify as a children's book, but after that, they are squarely Young Adult.
2. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (stand-alone)
Warnings: sex, teen sex, one f-bomb, some graphic depictions of vomiting, etc, and emotionally trying ending.
3. Paper Towns by John Green (stand alone)
Warnings: references to sex and sex organs, some characters get EXTREMELY drunk, a road-trip includes various males peeing into bottles, references to an STD, fairly strong language, two characters are implied to have been having sex, vandalism.
4. Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan (first is The Red Pyramid)
Warnings: Some violence (not too heavy), race issues where two siblings are mixed Caucasian/African but one looks black and the other looks white (beautifully handled), unclear of who is good and who is evil
5. Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan (a continuation of the Percy Jackson books, but not for small children) (first is The Lost Hero)
Warnings: violence (at times fairly heavy, but mostly only blood), discussion of same-sex attraction, but no actual homosexuality, several teenage couples who will kiss (none have sex, though one couple innocently falls asleep in each other's arms and their satyr "chaperone" goes bonkers about it).
6. Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis (first is The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Not Magician's Nephew. It was not published first, so it is not the first, no matter how modern publishers number the book spines)
Warnings: some violence, not very heavy ever. A lot of Christian allegory, so if you're not Christian, I guess you could find that objectionable
7. Gallagher Girls by Ally Carter (first is I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You)
Warnings: some violence, never graphic. Teen girls crush over boys, but never fantasize about more than kissing them. Some kissing. Topless males are described in a somewhat sexualized way. Generally fairly innocent teen-girl stuff.
8. Heist Society by Ally Carter (first is actually called Heist Society)
Warnings: thieves are heroes, some mild fantasizing about attractive people (never graphic)
9. Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare (first is City of Bones)--I would maybe recommend Infernal Devices, the spin-off series, but I have only read the first so far.
Warnings: Oy Vey. supernatural creatures (vampires, werewolves, demons, etc.), violence ranging from mild to quite graphic (Infernal Devices even has a vampire nest slaughter that uses the "sheets of blood" metaphor), males are commonly described in a sexualized way (females rarely are, for whatever reason, but Isabelle sometimes is), homosexuality/bisexuality, sex in the first book is only kissing/ mild petting, by the last it's graduated to full make-out, but I don't think there's actually ever any described intercourse that I recall--but I think there might be a condom opening at one point. Some languages, generally PG. The swearing is falsely lowered somewhat, as Shadowhunters (the main characters) commonly say, "By the Angel," or variations which would appear to be a somewhat oath-taking formula/swear in their culture. Some drinking/mentions of drug usage in Mortal Instruments, much more in Infernal Devices (it's Victorian-era...seventeen-year-olds drink regularly and without pause, and one character is a complete drug-user with reason). In the later books, some characters attempt to/do summon demons, angels, etc. One character is described as having been cut from their mother's dead womb at birth.
10. Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (first is Hunger Games)Warnings: violence, violence and more violence. Some kissing, passionate make-out. Two characters pretend to have a sexual relationship, but don't really--they also pretend to be married. Lots of violence.
11. Prince of Shadows by Rachel Caine
Warnings: It's a Romeo and Juliet retelling, and it has the violence to match. Sometimes a bit gritty, but I wouldn't go to flat-out graphic. Some sex, but generally shrouded by era proprieties. They go with the Mercutio is gay theory, full-on.
12. All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill
Warnings: Kissing, "thematic elements" as the movie ratings say, language (multiple f-bombs), some violence (none of it gory), the point-of-view character can hear screams as her friend is tortured in the next room.
Remember, I've put anything on there that any parent might find objectionable, even if it is merely one reference. Some of them, though, I would personally pause for any teen under fifteen or sixteen. (Fault in Our Stars, Paper Towns, Mortal Instruments...City of Bones through City of Glass are probably okay for younger teens. City of Fallen Angels through City of Heavenly Fire, older teens only).
Maybe I should have included everything that teens could gain from these books so they didn't look quite as awful out of context.
Another piece of advice: There is a website called commonsensemedia.org. There you can get parental advice on the age-appropriateness and possibly objectionable material of pretty much any book, movie, video game or tv show. Still make you own decisions. They call Heroes of Olympus okay for ten-year-olds, and I think that the same-sex attraction discussion alone throws it into the 13 and over category...personally.
Teen girl books that I do not recommend, no matter how much other people do: Divergent series and Selection series. They're awful. Don't read them.
Teen Boy List (some carry-over here)
Elementary School Girl List (some carry-over)
Elementary School Boy List (some carry-over)
Any other lists people want? Any books that you'd put on the list that I missed, or maybe that I haven't read? Let me know.
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