Book series for a 12 year old

[Louise]

I'm looking to buy a birthday present for my friends daughter. She's 12 and has just finished The Hunger Games and loved it. I want to buy her a similar series but don't want to get her anything inappropriate, I'm happy with dating and kissing but don't want anything that would go further than that.
The series that I have been looking at are:
- Divergent
- The Mortal Instruments
- Beautiful Creatures
- Throne of Glass
- Lunar Chronicles
I know these were all popular from the POV of adults reading YA, but not sure of their appropriateness for someone who's not quite a teen.

[Izzy]

Louise wrote: "I'm looking to buy a birthday present for my friends daughter. She's 12 and has just finished The Hunger Games and loved it. I want to buy her a similar series but don't want to get her anything in..."

I can't remember whether it happens within Throne of Glass, but sex does take place in the series.
I've not read the others but I would advise against Divergent and The Mortal Instruments for the reasons below:

~ The Mortal Instruments covers something that you might want to avoid. Reason why: (view spoiler)[Situated at the end of the book, a character tells audience/spreads rumour that the romantic couple is in an incestuous relationship. Rumour is proven to be false in a later book, however. (hide spoiler)] If you still want to go ahead, perhaps buy the first two books in the series.
~ Divergent is renowned for having a poor ending. The final book has the lowest average number of stars across all the online book rating websites out of the trilogy. To play it safe, maybe stay away from this one?


Did your friend's daughter enjoy the Hunger Games because it was dystopian, or because it was YA? Is there anything else that she's read and enjoyed?
I ask this because with the exception of the Lunar Chronicles and Divergent series, there’s nothing on that list that would immediately appeal to a Hunger Games reader.

[Nuran]

Well Hunger games is quite violent for a modern YA book, so if they can handle that, they can handle anything.

[AgCl]

i've only finished/read the mortal instruments and the main MCs' (view spoiler)[interactions can get pretty intense and they actually "go further" in the last book (hide spoiler)] so i wouldn't recommend it based on your requirements and some of those books on your list don't seem to have much in common with HG except the fact that they're all bestsellers of sorts. Maybe you should really ask her why she liked HG and then we can go from there.

if you like you could try looking up these book series:

1.The Unwind Dystology by Neal Shusterman

2. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

3. The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

4. Abhorsen Series by Garth Nix

5. The Giver Quartet by Lois Lowry

6. Lockwood & Co. by Jonathan Stroud

7. The Enemy by Charlie Higson

[Noah]

Divergent is good and clean. However it's sequels get less good and less clean. I might suggest The Selection Series which stays pretty clean and not to bad. There's a bit of cuddling and it's probably pg-13, but not any worse than the Hunger Games

[Nuran]

Perhaps, you should ask her parents what is appropriate subject wise, they may be more comfortable than you are with what she reads, they may have accepted her as a more mature reader. I was reading Stephen King's books at 12.

You might be over thinking this? I think anything classed as YA is okay for a 12 year old.

[[deleted user]]

My cousin, a 12 year old, read the Lunar Chronicles, Beautiful Creatures, and the Mortal Instruments. I don't suggest Divergent and I don't know about Throne of Glass...

[Bookworm54]

Sorry if I'm late, I have a somewhat different taste in books than most teens, but I love love love Harry Potter, and I would always suggest it to anyone who hasn't read it. I am also a huge fan of the Hobbit, though I am ashamed to say that I haven't finished the LOTR trilogy yet. I am working on it! If she likes that sort of thing, they are great. I don't know if she would be interested, this isn't really a kid's book, but I read To Kill a Mockingbird in 5th grade for the first time, and absolutely loved it, I have read it a few times since, including when I was twelve, and got something new out of it each time. I don't love divergent, but as far as less popular dystopians go I love The Giver. I also enjoyed Ender's Game, which has some sic-fi elements.

[J.D.]

Have you tried any of the classics, like Where the Red Fern Grows? I teach fifth grade, 11 and 12 year olds, and I read it to them. They couldn't wait each day until I read some more.

[Tasneem]

It depends on your friends daughter. When I was twelve I read divergent, perfect chemistry, and many more YA books people wouldn't advise a twelve year old girl to read. It depends on your maturity at that age. You could also get a gift card instead of buying a specific book so she can pick.

[Beth]

I'm 12 and I only read YA books. I have since I was about 10. If she is mature for 12 (acts at least 14), I think it would be fine to buy books that might have sex in them. But you may want to check with her parents first.

If she is not as mature (acts 9-12), then probably Divergent. It is clean but it worsens as the series goes on.

[Poly]

Harry Potter? Darren Shan? Princess Diaries? All were favourites of mine at around 12.

[Beth]

Poly wrote: "Harry Potter? Darren Shan? Princess Diaries? All were favorites of mine at around 12."

Both Harry Potter and the Princess Diaries are some of my favorite book series. Just watch out for Harry Potter, she may find it boring (at least at first). But besides that they would be perfect.

[Louise]

Thanks everyone. I don't know why she liked it, she's been ill & contagious so I haven't been able to see her for a few weeks (I'm heavily pregnant so don't want to catch anything that could be harmful to baby).

In all honesty, I just reeled off a list of books that I knew were popular around the same time where it seemed as though if you liked one you'd like the others. Amazingly, Harry Potter had never even crossed my mind.

I don't want to choose something that'll potentially be read in school, although a lot of books on the curriculum are amazing & really enjoyable reads, I want something seperate to them.

I think I'll look at The Lunar Chronicles & Harry Potter.