Looking for a good book?

Question

I am a 13 year old and I'm looking for a good book to read. To give you an idea of my reading interests, i really like The Outsiders By S.E. Hinton, all of the Judy Blume books, and Sharon Creech books. I'd like to read some of the classics, too. Any suggestions?

I also love to read any books about world war two and the jews and nazis. I don't know why, i just find it interesting.

Answer 1

To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

Answer 2

Hi there, it's great to find a teenager like you enjoying Judy Blume and S.E. HInton. It takes me down memory lane.

I can make a couple of recommendations. Try looking for Paul Zindel books such as 'My Darling, My Hamburger,' and 'The Pigman.' I thoroughly enjoyed them as a teen. Also to note are books illustrated beautifully such as Hope for the Flowers by Trina Paulus and The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

Classics such as The Little Princess and The Secret Garden (both by Frances Hodgson Burnett), The Tale of Two Cities and The Prince and the Pauper (Charles Dickens) will keep you interested.

If you are into more 'mainstream' series, then try looking for Taffy Sinclair line and The Fabulous Five by Betsy Haynes.

Happy reading!

Answer 3

The Hobbit- JRR Tolkien
Tarzan of the Apes- Edgar Rice Burroughs
The Story of Doctor Dolittle- Hugh Lofting
The Pigman- Paul Zindel
The Chocolate War- Robert Cormier
A Separate Peace- John Knowles
Peace Breaks Out- John Knowles

Answer 4

I enjoyed S.E. Hinton and Judy Blume, too. I recommend an author named Philip Pullman. I have not read all of his books but he has a series called: His Dark Materials. I really enjoyed this trilogy: The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife and the Amber Spyglass. I have included the publisher's site below for you. I hope that you like these books!

Answer 5

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon, which, without attempting to give away any of the plot, is kind of a mystery novel whose main character is a 15-year-old autistic-savant (think Rain Man). Written from the austistic kid's point of view. Really fascinating.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, which describes a young girl's childhood in the American South in the 1930s.

And, if you haven't already read them, here's a few classics:
Watership Down by Richard Adams
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Mrs. Frisby & the Rats of NIMH by Robert O'Brien

My current favorite World War II book is:
A Summer Bright and Terrible by David E. Fisher
It reads like great fiction -- a really gripping page-turner of a book -- and is a very moving account of one man's stubborn heroism leading a division of the Royal Air Force during the Battle of Britain. It really gives you a sense of how one person can make a difference, because if that battle had been lost, Hitler would likely have taken over England and the course of the war might have been very, very different.

Answer 6

A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, The Secret Garden, To Kill a Mocking Bird, Charlotte's Web, Christy, Watership Down, Little Women, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Drowning Ruth...those are all really good books to start with.

Answer 7

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
All the Betsy-Tacy books-- by Maud Hart Lovelace
The Keeping Days- Norma Johnston (she has a series of 5 books with the same teenaged girl)
Caddie Woodlawn - Carol Ryrie Brink
All of a Kind Family - Sydney Taylor (sounds silly but was really good)
Little Women, Little Men, Jo's Boys Louisa May Alcott
A Little Princess -
The Secret Garden- Both by Frances Hodgson Burnett (whoops might be too young for you, sorry, they are still some of my favorites)

These were all favorites from when I was your age, I know I am missing a few--if I think of any more I'll let you know. : ) thanks for the question, it was fun to look back!

Answer 8

James Cross Giblin's biography on Hitler is great. You should definitely read it. It was very fascinating. Great pictures/illustrations too. (Like of the propoganda on both sides). And HITLER YOUTH by Susan Cambell Bartoletti is good too. It came out last year.

Some of my favorite Holocaust books are:

In My Hands by Irene Gut Opdyke
The Cage by Ruth Minsky Sender
To Life by Ruth Minsky Sender
I Have Lived A Thousand Years by Livia Bitton Jackson

If you want more Holocaust titles just contact me through Yahoo answers.

Other favorite YA books you might enjoy:

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

As far as classics go...
I love L.M. Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables, etc.)
And I loved Gone With The Wind. I first read it when I was 13.

Answer 9

If you want to give fantasy a try - read King Fortis the Brave. It's about a pair of twins that are pulled into a magical world and get caught up in a battle for control of the land. It's full of humor and adventure and would be perfect for a thirteen-year-old

Answer 10

When I was thirteen, I just got into my science fiction phase.
His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman had just been completed
I fell in love with Brian Jacques and his Redwall books and lost a lot of money
I was introduced to Terry Brooks and he and I became penpals, (looking forward to his new book this month)
I also work at a bookstore, so check out the Life of Pi by Yann Martel, Susan Cooper.

As for your weakness for WWII/war novels, check out Flyboys, it's very good

Answer 11

Read "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak. It just came out a few weeks ago and you'll find it in the young adult section of the bookstore. It's about a girl living in Nazi Germany, when many books were banned, and she starts taking them. The book is narrated by Death, which makes it unusual, but it draws you in.