I'm looking for book suggestions...?

Question

looking for YA books for anywhere between 13-16 yrs old, i like humorous, realistic fiction, adventure, not a big fan of romance but will then if i have to, try to keep it clean if possible
some books i've read and liked:
guitar highway rose and things you either hate or love (both by brigid lowry)
love and other four letter words by carolyn mackler
carolina autumn by carol lynch williams
to kill a mockingbird by harper lee
the outsiders by SE hinton
looking for alaska by john green ( i think thats his name)
guitar girl by sara manning
among the hidden books
born too short: the confessions of an eighth grade basketcase
and so on

i dont like fantasy/sci fi and absolutely HATE animal books (watership down, for an example)

mostly girl books, but i do read guy books (like born too short, kissing vannessa by simon chesire, etc.)

thanks

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

My absolute favorite YA books:  Peter and the Starcatchers and Eragon.  Love Karen Hesse books, try Out of the Dust. Holes by Louis Sachar (funny); Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech.  Fantastic is the only words for Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen.  I liked the Among the Hidden books, but haven't read the last one.  Enjoyed two series by Gordon Korman - On the Run (trilogy) and Island (also a trilogy).  Although Jackie's Wild Seattle has animals in it (wild ones), it's really a story about two kids and their uncle and the things they learn while visiting with him.

Starving Artist · Answer

If you have more of an open mind, the book "Totally Joe" by James Howe is an excellent book about a gay middle school boy and his various life antics, including a crush on one of his classmates, crazy grandparents, school bullies, and the like. I thought it was hilarious, but it also has some relatively deeper themes which makes the book more enjoyable for older kids. My father even liked it.

I would also recommend any book by Sharon Creech. Those are all very excellent, coming-of-age stories, usually about young girls. They are written very well and have nice short chapters, which makes it feel like your reading very fast.

The Stravaganza trilogy are some other great books. It's actually about this alternate world that is stuck in 16th centruy Italy, and the kids that manage to transport there. Now I know you said you don't like fantasy, but this one may be worth a try. Because of the Italian setting, much of the plot parallels 16th century Italian history, with some more dramatic twists.

Hope this helps!

Puff · Answer

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Smith
Cute is a Four Letter Word by Pevsner
I Want to Go Home by Korman
Girl of the Limberlost by Porter
Summer of My German Soldier by Greene
Emily Ever AFter by Dayton
Departures by Gunn
A Long Way From Chicago by Peck
The Hobbit by Tolkien
Bookends by Higgs
My Side of the Mountain
Fifteen by Cleary
A Gown of Spanish Lace by Oke
Consider Lily by Dayton
Treasure Island by Stevenson
Treausre of Hemlock Mountain by Voight
The Face on the Milk Carton by Cooney
My Antonia by Cather
Anne of Green GAbles by Montegomery
A Dog's Life by Mayle
Hail, Hail Camp Timberwood by Conford
A Room of My Own by Tatlock
Island of the Blue Dolphins
The Acorn People by Jones
Cheaper By The Dozen by Gilbreth
Of Mice and Men by STeinbeck

Anonymous · Answer

Check out the "Confessions of Georgia Nicholson" series by Louise Rennison...humorous, realistic, and I'm grown and still found them hilarious. First book in the series is called "Angus, Thongs & Full Frontal Snogging".

Since you like Hinton, you might like an older book called Bless the Beasts & Children. Can't remember the author.

Since it looks like more challenging stuff is not beyond you, check out The River Why and Life of Pi.

erin7 · Answer

I second the Georgia Nicholson books.  Also, Born Confused by Tanuja Desai Hidier about a young woman trying to reconcile growing up American with her Indian heritage.

Mrs. Carl Barât · Answer

East of Eden by John Steinbeck might be a good book for you to read.  It's realistic fiction with minimal romance.  And it's really great if you're using it for a school project- it's loaded with symbolism and such that isn't hard to find at all.

H3yd00 · Answer

The A-List book series by Zoey Dean 

http://www.amazon.com/List-Zoey-Dean/dp/0316734357/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-9409212-9040852?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181042776&sr=1-1

The Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

http://www.amazon.com/Uglies-Scott-Westerfeld/dp/1416911049/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-9409212-9040852?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181042742&sr=1-1

The Gingerbread series by Rachel Cohn

http://www.amazon.com/Gingerbread-Rachel-Cohn/dp/0689871139/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-9409212-9040852?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181042852&sr=1-1

The Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer

http://www.amazon.com/Twilight-Stephenie-Meyer/dp/0316015849/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-9409212-9040852?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181042829&sr=1-1

My daughter loves the books in all of those series, great for grades 9-12.

For books that are not in a series, Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin is an great read, as well as The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold.

http://www.amazon.com/Elsewhere-Gabrielle-Zevin/dp/0312367465/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-9409212-9040852?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181042895&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Lovely-Bones-Alice-Sebold/dp/0316166685/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-9409212-9040852?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181042910&sr=1-1

I just finished A Great and Terrible Beauty, by Libba Bray. It's written for young adults and teens, but good for adults, as well.

http://www.amazon.com/Great-Terrible-Beauty-Libba-Bray/dp/0689875355/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-9409212-9040852?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181042875&sr=1-1

Happy reading, hope this helps!

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I'm looking for book suggestions...?

7 Answers