8 Jan 2021

Catherine Ross - book selections for teens

From Summer Times, 11:50 am on 8 January 2021

Working in a school library keeps Catherine Ross in a steady supply of books 

It's her job to give recommendations so students at Diocesan School in Auckland to girls between the ages of 11 and 18. 

She joins Jesse to talk books, and give a few recommendations. 

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Photo: Supplied

Catherine's recommendations:

British author Neil Gaiman writes for all ages – he has done books that could be read to 5 year olds, books for tweens and teens and adult books.

He’s great for boys and girls as he writes strong, independent male and female protagonists. They are all fantasy driven, full of adventure and more often that not a bit spooky and ghoulish so not necessarily for everyone but which a lot of kids seem to really enjoy.

Fortunately, The Milk - it takes a little bit longer for this father to come home from buying the milk as his journey involves aliens, time travel and saving the world!

Great for reading to younger children and could be read by a 7-8 year old by themselves. 

Coraline – which people may know already from the animated film - a young girl has to rescue her family from a creepy other dimension where they are being held. For readers 11-12 years.

Stardust, which became another great film full of famous faces (if you haven’t seen it highly recommended). A adventure filled fairy-tale about a young man trying to bring home a fallen star to prove his love to his crush, but first he has to get her passed ghosts, pirates and witches and find the truth about his own past. For readers 11-12 years.

The Graveyard Book - about a boy whose family is killed when he is a toddler and ends up being protected and brought up by a group of ghosts in a graveyard! For readers 11-12 years.

Anabel Pitcher - My Sister Lives on the Mantlepiece highly recommended for 11 and up.

Ketchup Clouds – a beautifully written story about love, guilt and loss and a terrible set of circumstances. For kids 14 years and up.