This hits it on the nail.
I almost hate to say it, but have you considered going to Caves and browsing? There’s a solution to this, but guaranteed it’s nothing you’ve already read.
You have to figure out what’s “hip” now. I can assure you, it’ll be as fun as a root canal for you, but that’s how you know they’ll love it.
Yes, if I can’t put together a list of recommendations from internet research, I’ll head there this weekend or next and do just that.
Thanks. I’ll check those out.
R.l Stein has some good books that may be suitable
Was just thinking this. I recommend checking out Goodreads and looking at YA booklists. I really enjoyed anything by Christopher Pike or RL Stine’s Fear Street Books.
We read all of these in High School.
NO ONE forgets those.
Oh, for something to talk about - or read - it’s definitely not too simple. That’s what I like about it - there’s lots of literary complexity (e.g. a very unreliable narrator, references to Holmes) wrapped up in language that’s simple to read but still works well. It’s not intended as a children’s book.
I don’t recall encountering similar books. I suspect there are some similarities to Of Mice and Men and Flowers for Algernon (in language choices of central characters), but I read those a long, long time ago.
On a totally different track: haven’t read it, no idea how appropriate it is, but Interior Chinatown won the National Book Award last year, and I’m fairly sure the writer is Taiwanese-American. Your student may be interested in different Taiwanese-American writers - or may not. I know when I was that age I loved reading, but I instinctively disliked anything “targeted” at my demographic. Space opera, grand fantasy, grand Russian novels - great! Catcher in the Rye or anything featuring high school students? Ugh. “You’re Taiwanese - here’s a Taiwanese-American writer!” may work, or may just get an annoyed glare.
You read Finnegan’s Wake in high school?!?!?!?
EDIT:
Did she like the Woman in White? I’m not sure how much they modernize the language in that book - if she enjoys Victorian prose, maybe even dig into some of Dickens’s shorter pieces. If it were November, A Christmas Carol may be worth a shot, but maybe it’s not a March book. There are also short story options - have a look at the “Best American Short Stories 20xx”, all available as Kindle editions.
Lol no. @Southernboy mentioned Finnegan’s Wake as a response to my list. I did read Ulysses in college, and made it all the way through it. Understood very little of it.
I do appreciate all the suggestions. In addition to my original requirements, I should add that I don’t want elementary-school books or anything with a romance subplot. Sorry for not thinking of those earlier.
I’ve never read Holmes, and I don’t think she has either.
Someone elsewhere mentioned the book had a lot of profanity. How pervasive is it? A bit shouldn’t be a problem.
She’s okay with this book, but the language has definitely been modernized. There actually isn’t a huge amount of dialogue relative to the narrative. Something with a lot of natural dialogue would definitely be good for her. A Christmas Carol has ghosts in it, which she has vetoed. I’d rather not go with classics or oldish books, just something semi-modern, say the '90s or '00s.
I checked out both of those lists. The first one was almost all teen-romance novels, which I don’t think would be a good idea. The second list had a couple that I’ll research a little more. Thank you.
What about pop young adult books? Might lean too far into fantasy for you, but something like Hunger Games? That genre tends to be relatively simple, engaging reads, but not kiddie books.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.
Bliss by Peter Carey
Animal Farm is timeless.
Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh.
The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August. by Claire North (Catherine Webb pseudoname)
Anything by China Mieville
Any of the crime series by Jo Nesbø
Look for Newbery Award winners. Newbery Medal and Honor Books, 1922-Present | Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)
Oh, and guys, Animal Farm is extremely political.
Ender’s game was one of my favorite books at that age, idk how she feels about sci fi.
It’s a bit wordy.
I concur!
You don’t say! But it’s still well told and timeless and none of the language is particularly difficult. So it may be a choice as none of the politics is related to a specific situation, but to a generally applicable theme.
and, Hello again: have not heard from you in a while…
Agreed. Lots of great lessons, and since the politics is rather anti-socialist that seems a good fit for Taiwan does it not?
Lord of the Flies and Animal Farm are solid suggestions. Very general in terms of the vocabulary used.
