What Should They Read?: Book List for Christian tween/teen Girls

A mother asked me to share a list of good books for Christian young ladies because it is incredibly hard to find suitable reading material for our tweens and teens.  With a world that promotes Harry Potter, Twilight, Vampire Academy, Shadow Kiss, and a thousand (actually a lot more than that) sexually-explicit and morally-damaging novels- where can our young ladies find uplifting, clean, educational, beneficial, and interesting books?

So, I tried to create a list of books, movies, and audio options that will keep our young ladies happy for awhile.  A lot of these on the list can be found in your local library or sent to your library if requested.  Other great places to pick up books, audio books, and movies are  http://www.focusonthefamily.com/about_us/bookstore.aspx and http://www.familytv.com/Default.aspx?type=Movies&t=20141049323174#MovieSearch and http://www.christianbook.com/ and http://www.clp.org/ and http://www.tgsinternational.com/t/category/books/.  I did not even begin to cover all the good books that are out there.  Keep your eyes open for quality reading material for tween/teen girls.  Also teach them to read with discernment and to pick good literature for themselves.  I was quite grateful (not only) for the trust my parents gave me when it came to picking books (but also) for their teaching me to compare what I read with the Bible.  Many times I threw books away or stopped reading certain literature because of its content.  I was not forced to do that, but I knew that I had God and my parents’ trust to uphold.  Enjoy reading through this list.  A few of the books, audio books, and movies are oldies and classics, but somehow they still remain timeless and enjoyable to the modern gal!

Items with a star are ones that I have not read/watched/or listened to, but have been highly recommended to me….

                                                  BOOKS

For Animal Lovers
1.  Misty of Chincoteague- Marguerite Henry (Also a great movie)
2.  Hope Rising and A Bridge Called Hope- Kim Meeder {Stories about animals that help abused children…use discretion concerning readers’ ages}
3.  The Work of Thy Fingers- Pablo Yoder {Excellent pictures to captivate young children, but also interesting content for the older ones as well}
4.  Charlotte’s Web- EB White (Also a great movie)
5.  Children’s Thrift Classics {There are a bunch of fun books in this series by Dover}
6.  Stuart Little- EB White
7.  Where the Red Fern Grows- Wilson Rawls (Also a great movie)
8.  Stone Fox- John Gardiner (Also a great movie)

*9.  Wind in the Willows- Kenneth Grahame

Stories about Girls Books
1.  Caddie Woodlawn (Also a great movie)
2.  Anne of Green Gables- Lucy Maud Montgomery (Also a great movie) {Be sure to check out all the sequels that Lucy Montgomery wrote}
3.  Christy (Also a great movie)
4.  Maria- Maria Von Trapp (Also a great movie known as- “The Sound of Music”)
5.  Stories from Grandma’s Attic Series- Arleta Richardson {I loved reading the books in this series}
6.  Dear America Series {Not Christian, but has interesting fictional stories set in historical times and events}
7.  Daughters of the Faith Series- Wendy Lawton {Can’t recommend this series enough!}
8.  The Journals of Corrie Belle Hollister Series- Michael Phillips {A fictional-type novel for older teen girl readers}
9.  The Peasant Girl’s Dream- George MacDonald {Don’t stop reading after this one; George MacDonald has many more great books.  Recommended for older teen girls because of the harder-reading style}
10.  Little Women- Louisa May Alcott
11.  Little House on the Prairie- Laura Ingalls Wilder (Also a great movie series) {Laura wrote many other books in the Little House series; plus there are The Girls of Little House books which I enjoyed reading because it told stories about Laura’s mother, grand-mother, great-grandmother, and daughter}
12.   Beezus and Ramona- Beverly Cleary  (Also a great movie) {I haven’t read them, but the other Beverly Cleary books are quite popular among tweens and teens}
13.  Crying Wind- Crying Wind {Recommended for older teen girl readers; although I think I was about twelve or fourteen when I read this}

*14.  Kisses from Katie- Katie Davis

15.  Pollyanna- Eleanor Porter (Also a great movie)
16.  Heidi- Johanna Spyri
*17.  Lightkeepers Girls Series- Irene Howat {I have never read this Christian girls’ series, but I wished I would have…there are some interesting-looking stories in this set}
18.  Sarah, Plain and Tall Series- Patricia MacLachlan
*19.  Elsie Dinsmore Series- Martha Finley
20.  The Secret Garden- Frances Burnett (Great movie and audio version as well)
21.  A Little Princess- Frances Burnett (Also a great movie)
22.  Not Regina- Christmas Carol Kauffman {A really good book for teen girls}
23.  Treasures of the Snow- Patricia St. John (Also a great movie)
  Sisters in Time Series- Norma Lutz25.  Joy Sparton Series- Ruth Johnson

Light Romance
1.  Classics for Girls Series- Janette Oke
2.  Pride and Prejudice- Jane Austen {If you like this one, be sure to read some of her other works}
3.  Song of Acadia Series and the Love Comes Softly Series- Janette Oke {I never read very many romance novels and do not recommend girls to do so because of the impossible expectations and fantasies it produces.   But if looking for something on the more romantic side of life, Janette Oke does write clean, Christian “love stories” that are much better than most on the market}
4.  The Inheritance- Louisa May Alcott {I have not read the book, but I loved the movie!}
10.  Jane Eyre- Charlotte Bronte

Mystery
1.  Sherlock Holmes Series- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
2.  Father Brown Series- GK Chesterton {Recommended for older teen girls because of the reading style}
3.  Sadie Rose Adventures Series- Hilda Stahl
4.  Nancy Drew Series- Carolyn Keene (I also enjoyed the old and new movie versions of Nancy Drew)
*5.  The Red Rock Mysteries Series- Jerry B. Jenkins

Mom and Daughter Partner Reads:  Excellent books to read and discuss together
1.  Les Miserables- Victor Hugo
2.  Screwtape Letters- CS Lewis
3.  Lies Young Women Believe- Nancy Leigh DeMoss
4.  Silas Marner- George Eliot
5.  The Scarlet Letter- Nathanial Hawthorne {Excellent lessons in this book…although recommended for older teen girls}
6.  The Ultimate Gift- Jim Stovall {Check out the sequels to this book!}

Adventure Series
1.  The Cooper Kids Series- Frank Peretti
2.  The Riverboat Adventures Series- Lois Walfrid Johnson {One of my favorite fictional series when I was a teen}
3.  Trailblazer Books Series- Dave and Neta Jackson {Fun and interesting to read about fictional kids joining up with true missionary/and other great Christians’ adventures}
4.  Real Kids, Real Adventures- Deborah Morris {True stories of kids who survive all kinds of disasters}
5.  Christian Heritage Series- Nancy Rue {There are the “Salem Years”, “Williamsburg Years”, “Charleston Years”, “Chicago Years”, and “Sante Fe Years”…although the “Charleston Years” were my personal favorites}
6.  The American Adventure Series
7.  The Young Underground Series- Robert Elmer {Another favorite series of mine when I was a teen}
8.  Adventures in the Northwoods Series- Lois Walfrid Johnson

9.  Adventures in History Series- A Beka Book
10.  Abbott Series- A Beka Book
11.  Boxcar Children Series- Gertrude Warner
12.  The Railway Children Series- Edith Nesbit
*13.  Baker Family Adventures Series- CR Hedgcock

Christian Fantasy and Allegory
1.  At the Back of the North Wind- George MacDonald
2.  The Princess and the Goblin- George MacDonald
3.  Chronicles of Narnia Series- CS Lewis
4.  Pilgrim’s Progress- John Bunyan
5.  Hind’s Feet on High Places- Hannah Hurnard
6.  Passage Series- Paul McCusker

Interesting Biographies and Missionary Tales
1.  Christian Heroes:  Then and Now Series- Janet and Geoff Benge
2.  The Hiding Place- Corrie ten Boom
3.  A Chance to Die- Elisabeth Elliot {Recommended for older teen girls because of the reading style}
4.  Mimosa- Amy Carmichael
5.  I Dared to Call Him Father- Bilquis Sheikh {Recommended for older teen girls}
6.  They Would Not Be Moved- Harvey Yoder {Excellent true stories in this book}
7.  Tears of the Rain- Ruth Ann Stelfox
8.  The Cross and The Switchblade- David Wilkerson

*9.  One Woman’s Quest to bring Christ to Tibet- Harvey Yoder

*10.  Trailblazer- Rachael Lofgren
*11.  Amalyah’s Search for Love- Harvey Yoder
*12.  Journey to Joy- Rachael Lofgren
*13.  A Heart to Belong- Johhny Miller
*14.  Elena- Harvey Yoder
*15.  Hidden Riches- Romaine Stauffer
16.  Sandi’s Anchor of Hope- Romaine Stauffer
17.  Heroes of the Faith Series

Devotionals
1.  Mountain Trailways for Youth- Mrs. Charles Cowman
2.  Grace for the Moment- Max Lucado
3.  Operation World- Patrick Johnstone {Perfect for increasing tween/teen awareness of how other Christians are living and showing ways to pray for them}
4.  His Princess Warrior- Sheri Rose Shepherd
5.  Strong’s Concordance {Every tween/teen girl should have a “Strong’s Concordance.  I have used mine countless times}
6.  Armed and Dangerous- Ken Abraham {A little book which holds verses and references on all types of subjects}

Teen/Tween Spiritual Input
*1.  It’s Not About Me (teen edition)- Max Lucado
2.  To Save A Life- Jim and Rachel Britts (also a great movie- but recommended for older teen girls)
3.  In His Steps (What Would Jesus Do?)- Charles Sheldon
4.  The Book of Virtues- William Bennett
5.  A Treasury of Great Christian Stories- Stephen Fortosis
6.  The New Answers Series- Ken Ham {Lots of great reading in this series…older teen girls will really appreciate learning what these books hold}
7.  Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door- Josh McDowell (for high-schoolers)
8. The  Case for a Creator The Case for Christ- Lee Strobel (also in children’s and student’s editions)
9.  Set-Apart Femininity- Leslie Ludy {Very highly recommended!}
10.  The Lost Art of True Beauty- Leslie Ludy
11.  The Princess and the Kiss- Jennie Bishop {May seem like a little girls’ book, but is good for tween/teens to read as well!}
12.  The Way Home:  A Princess Story- Max Lucado {Another short story which seems for younger ages, but I have read this to tween and teen girls because of the power in the story}

Random Books



1.  Letter Art:  American Girl- Becky Higgins {Just a fun little book on cool writing skills}
2.  Personality Plus- Florence Littauer
*3.  The Celestial Message- Morris Yoder

                                                              MOVIES

Feature Films for Families/Stepping Stones
{Check out their website for lots of family-friendly, teen-approved films}
1.  Inventor’s Specials (A series about historical inventors)
2.  Artists’ Specials (A series about historical artists)
3.  Composers’ Specials (A series about historical composers)
4.  On Our Own
5.  Alan and Naomi (Good for teaching children how to relate to those with mental/emotional disabilities)
6.  The Best Bad Thing
7.  The Penny Promise
8.  Hiroshima Maiden
9.  Rigoletto

Walmart Family Movies

{There are a lot of great, clean, family movies in the Walmart Family Series which even teen girls will find interesting}
1.  A Walk in My Shoes
2.  Secrets of the Mountain
3.  Game of Your Life

Clean Family Series
1.  The Waltons
2.  Dick van Dyke (modesty is an issue in some episodes)
3.  Andy Griffith Show
4.  Herbie (The Love Bug) Series

 Random
1.  Akeelah and the Bee
2.  Silent Night (Great movie of how a woman has Christmas with opposing soldiers who sought refuge in her home)
3.  Mr. Magorium’s Emporium
4.  Hoodwinked
5.  Ratatouille

Animal
1.  Hachi (Perfect for dog lovers)
2.  Paulie (Fun story about a parrot…there are some language issues)

Christmas
1.  A Princess for Christmas
2.  The Christmas Choir

Adventure and Drama
1.  Journey to the Center of the Earth (action-packed…modern-day film based on Jules Verne’s novel)
2.  Hidden in Silence (A captivating story of a young girl who hides Jews during WWII)
3.  Nim’s Island
4.  Last Chance Detectives

World-Wide Pictures
{There are lots of great Billy Graham films through World-Wide Pictures}
1.  Last Flight Out (some violence)
2.  Something to Sing About (some violence)

Christian
1.  Amazing Grace
2.  Though None Go With Me
3.  The Book and the Rose
4.  The Inn of 6th Happiness

Louie Giglio
1.  Indescribable
2.  How Great is our God

                                                             AUDIO
*Jonathan Parks

Adventures in Odyssey

*Boxcar Children

*Lamplighter Theatre

Little House on the Prairie

Focus on the Family Radio Theatre
1.  Anne of Green Gables
2.  The Secret Garden
3.  Screwtape Letters
4.  The Hiding Place
5.  Chronicles of Narnia
6.  The Legend of Squanto
7.  Les Miserables
8.  Ben-Hur
9.  Little Women

Your Story Hour

*Kingdom Series

Children’s Bible Hour

Uncle Bob Devine
1.  The Fish with a Pole
2.  Colonel Corn
3.  Helicopter Bird

Sugar-Creek Gang

*Nature’s Corner

I would love to hear what books you would recommend for tween/teen girls!