A Good Reading Series for a Young Teen Girl

Paranormal Romance

• Fueled by the popular success of the "Twilight" series, many teen girls are enthralled with the idea of paranormal love. If your teen is a self-professed twi-hard, open her eyes to some other options in this genre.

  Author Becca Fitzpatrick̵7;s ̶0;Hush, Hush Saga̶1; features protagonist Nora Grey, a typical teen who becomes irrevocably obsessed with new-boy-in-town Patch. After a few scary encounters, it becomes clear that there̵7;s something weird about Patch. Unable to resist, Nora becomes entangled in a war between good and evil in which Patch is a key player.

  In Richelle Mead̵7;s ̶0;Vampire Academy̶1; series, readers discover the secrets of fictional St. Vladimir̵7;s Academy, a boarding school where vampires are educated in the rules of the vampire life. When main character Rose finds herself drawn into a forbidden romance, she puts everything on the line to follow her heart -- even her life.

Dystopian

• In dystopian novels, society has fallen and been rebuilt with stronger safe holds to prevent the ills that brought about the initial societal downfall. Invariably, the new and improved society is not as perfect as it would seem, leading to conflict.

  When people are given choices, they make too many mistakes. In Ally Condie̵7;s ̶0;Matched̶1; trilogy, nothing is left to chance. In book one, protagonist Cassia heads to the banquet at which she will be matched to her life partner. While the match initially makes Cassia happy, her attention quickly turns to another boy. As she explores this forbidden love, she finds that much is wrong with her society.

  Beauty is everything in Scott Westerfeld̵7;s ̶0;Uglies̶1; series. At age 16, all citizens receive an appearance-changing operation, allowing them to live a happy ̵1; and above all things, beautiful ̵1; life. It all sounds great to Tally Youngblood, but as her birthday approaches, she meets the mysterious Shay and starts to second-guess everything.

Slice of Life

• Give your teen a glimpse of the everyday lives of some fictional teens. Particularly if your teen is struggling with some of the complexities of life as a teenager, suggesting a series of this type is perfect.

  Ann Brashares̵7; ̶0;Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants̶1; series features four forever friends who are forced to part for a summer. Before they say goodbye, they find a pair of pants that magically fits all of them perfectly, despite their vastly differing proportions. They pledge to mail the pants back and forth throughout the summer, using the garment to stay in touch as they engage in separate warm-weather adventures.

  Glimpse British teen life with the ̶0;Confessions of Georgia Nicolson̶1; series. Louise Rennison introduces readers to her protagonist in the playfully titled, ̶0;Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging.̶1; As your teen reads about Georgia̵7;s misadventures -- including boy troubles, body issues and friendship -- she may feel better about her lot in life.

Urban Cultures

• Urban life presents distinctive challenges. Allow your teen to explore these challenges through fiction by immersing her in an urban-set series.

  The Bluford Series, a 15-book set of novels, features stories of struggle and triumph sure to engage your reader. This multi-authored set features both male and female protagonists and contains tales that explore common themes, including friendship, isolation, violence and peer pressure.

  Author Sharon Draper presents an engaging and cautionary tale of love and loss in the ̶0;Tears of a Tiger̶1; series. This series, set in urban Hazelwood High, opens with news of a deadly drunk driving accident. Through the three-book series, readers come to know and love the characters and understand the struggles they face as urban youths.