Hi,

I'd like some Christian book recommendations for our niece who is 15.  She's a very sweet girl who lives in a transitional neighborhood - we are trying our best (from a distance) to help her make positive choices in her life but she puts up with fighting, bullying and things like that at school.  She's Christian and attends church regularly and really likes it, but currently lives with my elderly MIL who is unable to get her to the youth group meetings, etc.  So reading is one outlet that she has that is positive in her life, but it seems like a lot of the Young Adult fiction is sort of trashy.   I'd like fiction and non-fiction recommendations, if there's anything you think might be appropriate.  Her reading level is probably avergare for her age.

Thanks in advance!

Melody Carlson's Diary of a Teenage Girl series or her True Colors series. Very edgy Christian fiction that talks about what really goes on for teens without sugarcoating it like other Christian books do.

I almost picked up that book because it looked so good! LOL

Thanks, Deborah! :)

I looked up the Diary series and it seems exactly like what I'd like to send her.  I'd like to get a deal on all of the books if I can, so I posted in the BB.

Thanks again. :)

Covenant Child by Terri Blackstock might be a good one for her to read.  Amazon has quite a few reviews on it, if you want to take a look.  It isn't specifically written for teens, but it is about a set of twins and their life up through 18--I think.  I thought it was very thought provoking, especially since as a retired high school teacher, I worked with teens from all backgrounds and circumstances for many years.

Another author that deals with real problems that teens face is Lurlene McDaniel.  Often her books talk about heath problem, death or dying.  Her Angel Trilogy might be good.  I've only read the first book, which is Angels Watching Over Me.  It is about a teen who is by herself over Christmas, if I remember correctly.  Her mom has remarried and is off on her honeymoon, so the teen is on her own, in a new town, and winds up in the hospital.

Thanks for the recs. :)

If she is interested in fantasy, there is some amazing Christian fantasy out there, in particular the Dragonkeepers Chronicles and the Binding of the Blade series.  There are also several other popular ones that I have not read.  Christianbook.com is definitely a good place to find more information and suggestions.  They also have fairly good prices if you can't find the books used.

Here's the Teen section at Christian Book Distributors.  You can search by different genres.  :o)

i loved reading the left behind kids series as a teen. focus on the family has a lot of great christian books. i am 19 and have subscribed to the christian girls magazine "brio and beyond" and i LOVE it. the brio website has book suggestions specifically for the teen girls

Stephanie's post reminded me of a "Bible in magazine format" that I gave my teen-age grand-daughter.  It is just the New Testament, I believe, and it really looks like a magazine.  It is written in the New Century Version translation, which is very good--IMO.  It is called Resolve.  You might want to check it out.  I know it is on Amazon.com and probably at Christian Book Distributors.

Thanks again for the recs - lots of good choices!

For non-fiction I would recommend anything by Hayley DiMarco.  Her books deal with difficult situations that teenage girls have to deal with.   My church library has most of her books and they are extremely popular with the teenage girls.

Christine

If you haven't found them I can look at the thrift store when I go.

Sandra Byrd writes a lot of YA Christian fiction. Lisa Sampson's new Hollywood Nobody is also a great teen read. I second the recommendation of Melody Carlson. She might also enjoy some of the Christian chick lit such as Kristin Billerbeck, Laura Jensen Walker, or Trish Perry, or the chick mysteries like Sharon Dunn (who is very popular here).

Thanks for all the recs!  I ordered the Diary series for her and also a "Woman of Faith" book:

Gardenias for Breakfast (Women of Faith) by Robin Jones Gunn.  It seemed like a story she could relate to. :)

if she ends up liking that Robin Jones Gunn book, she can also try her teen series, the Christy Miller and Sierra Jensen series. actually all of RJG books are really good for any age.

I've got four of her books listed.  My 12 year old daughter loved them!!

The Christy Miller series by Robin Jones Gunn is a gem. I LOVED it as a teen--and still do.

I also really like The Secret Life of Samantha McGregor series by Melody Carlson. They are about a girl who sees visions and uses them to solve mysteries. I love reading them as an adult, but they are very teen-appropriate.