Novels for 10-11th grade level with a female lead character.

Their Eyes Were Watching God. Not “current,” but certainly still relevant.

Maya Angelou novels.

I adored the movie of the book @lefteh suggested. I think it is a good one.

How about Garden Spells or Julia’s Chocolates. You might check them out on Amazon.com. They are pretty easy reading but they are adult contemporary. Both with lead female characters.

There are a lot of people on here that can give you great suggestions. I hope you find what you are looking for :)

Note: If you’re 17–50+, from my own personal experience you can read pretty much any fiction

Their reading level is 10th -11th grade. They need to be able to read it and enjoy it.
Thanks

Like Water for Chocolate Laura Esquival
The Secret Life of Bees Sue Monk Kidd
To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee
The Bluest Eye Toni Morrison

@jqlyn All of the books suggested so far are completely readable and enjoyable by 10th-11th grade students

Lovely Bones will generate a bit of conversation. It is a very interesting book and should appeal to the diversity of ages you mentioned. From Wikipedia . . .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lovely_Bones

The Very Hungry Caterpillar. EVERYONE likes that book.

@Kayak8 I was thinking of reading that one myself but I got put off by the rape/murder bit. Is that a big part of the book in a gruesome way or does it play a smaller more subtle part?

I was concerned about the rape/murder also.

Also, here is the trailer for the upcoming Michael Bay movie version.

And, hey, since you’re the teacher, then, if you’re one of the best in the world, then you could probably manipulate the novel into a college-grade curriculum. Its worth a try.

@Fred931 I don’t think the discussion would be appropriate or fulfilling.

The murder/rape is not graphically described in The Lovely Bones but it is central to the plot. It’s a good book but not as strong as some other choices might be.

Memory Keeper’s Daughter
anything by Bobbie Ann Mason

If you stretched it about _ _ _ _ _ _ _ T H I S _ M U C H , _ _ _ _ _ _ _ then it would at least work for a n end-of-school-year giggle. Every student remembers their teacher for something.

@PandoraBoxx That looks good. Have you read it. Can you tell me a little about it. It may be too long though.

@Fred931 Ok, I will keep it in mind.

Also, don’t think i’m just targeting you with the Caterpillar of death. I do this with pretty much every question about books on Fluther. Speaking of which, welcome!

I’m kind of confused as to why it has to have a lead female character? Why not male?

@Kayak8 That’s an excellent book.

Most of the students are women and we don’t have enough good female lead character books out there that aren’t about romance or shopping.

Well I definitely think that, like @Kayak8 suggested, that The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold would be a great choice, it’s definitely geared toward adults, though I’ve already read it, and it has a main female character, and is a very interesting read.

Memory Keeper’s Daughter is about a girl with Downs Syndrome, who was a twin. When the twins were born, their father, who was was a doctor, gave the daughter to a hospital worker to take to a home, and told his wife their daughter had died. The hospital worker keeps the baby and raises her as her own. The father chronicles the lives of both halves of his family with photographs. It’s really a touching story.

I think the Lovely Bones would we a great choice as well.

I remember reading Pride and Prejudice in tenth grade. Elizabeth Bennet is one of my favorite literary heroines.

The points described during the rape/murder scenes are, while definitely letting you know what’s going on, they’re not too gruesome or descriptive. They’re pretty much the central point of the plot/story, but they only describe the actual event of the raping and murder in the beginning of a book, and if you’re teaching a community college course, I’m pretty sure that the people taking it would be mature enough to handle adult themes in a book.

Yeah, I dunno. If someone is truly at a 10th or 11th grade reading level, they should be able to read anything. If that doesn’t apply to current school standards, then standards have dropped dramatically since I was in school – and I’m only 24.

That said, I would suggest “The Mists of Avalon” by Marion Zimmer Bradley. Lead female characters all over the place, and there would be many discussion topics. It’s Arthurian fiction told from female perspectives. It’s excellent, attention grabbing and thought provoking.

@DrasticDreamer that is one of my favs, but too long for this class. I need to start out small and then grow with them. Many of them don’t like reading and have not been successful at reading before. I need to help them to like reading and not make it too difficult for them at this level. I need a book that will grab them and keep their interest and not let it drag on for too long.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan comes to mind. It is about two young girls forming a forbidden (because of social status) friendship and follows them as they grow up. I could not put it down.

I highly recommend The Secret Life of Bees then. It is easy to read, a good story and very appealing characters. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t liked it (although I’m sure some people don’t.)

@janbb, I loved that book.

@jqlyn Okay, I understand. In that case, I would highly suggest “Dead Witch Walking” by Kim Harrison. It’s about vampires (which are extremely popular right now), witches and that kind of thing. The lead character is a very strong woman. The story is really interesting, the humor is awesome and it’s very appealing all around.

There’s also “Wicked” by Gregory Maguire, which has a lead female character. The book deals with moral dilemmas, which would make for good discussion. (Wouldn’t surprise me if you’ve already read this.) :)

Edit: Ooh! One that might be perfect for length and characters is “Equal Rites” by Terry Pratchett.

@DrasticDreamer Wicked is an excellent idea. Thanks!

@DrasticDreamer on my, it is 560 pages.

@jqlyn Yeah, I just noticed that. “Equal Rites” is only about 215 pages, if you want to consider that one instead.

Also, will you let us know what one you choose and how your students react? I’m really interested. :)

@DrasticDreamer I will let you know. I have to decide by next Tuesday, I will keep you updated.

I also ditto Snowflower and Secret Life of Bees. Both short and simple. Classics as well.

@All: I couldn’t read past chapter two in Snowflower and the Secret Fan. I thought it was much too long and very one-note. It might put immature readers off fiction for life. Pride and Prejudice would get my vote, even though it is not contemporary.

@gailcalled Hey just because you didn’t like it doesn’t mean others don’t… poo poo

If nothing else, it is very long. That’s a fact. The rest is my opinion only. Others obviously love it, like the friend who lent it to me.

@gailcalled Okay, okay everyone is entitled to their opinions. although it is only 288 pgs but I can see how that’s long if you hate it, lol

To me, it would have made a very interesting non-fiction book. Her epilogue about the culture I did read and find very interesting. I also would have liked to have seen examples of the simplified idiograms that the women used. The description of the foot-binding, while grim, was also fascinatig. The two young women did not come alive for me.

I was lent the paperback. Maybe it only seemed long. My friend was disappointed that I didn’t read enough to discuss it with him.

@gailcalled Perhaps that is why we have different opinions because I was so in love with the cultural components that the rest seemed of minimal importance to me.

Another vote for The Lovely Bones. It was a very strong book, hard to put down, and very moving.

Perhaps The Golden Compass? Although the series as a whole deals with religious/philosophical issues, they are the least noticeable in the first one. And the first one is interesting, involving, and will probably generate a lot of debate.

Main character is a young girl, with a handful of other strong female characters, as well as some excellent male characters.

Both of my copies, however, are 400 pages long.

Anything Diana Wynne Jones has written is bound to be good, including Howl’s Moving Castle and The Merlin Conspiracy (both with strong female leads) and are shorter (I think).

Patricia C Wrede’s Enchanted Forest Chronicles are good, and are interesting for discussion since they turn fairy tales on their head. First book is Dealing with Dragons.

And, of course, Tamora Pierce—none of her books have males as the central character (although she has many great male supporting/shared leads). Best place to start would probably be either Alanna: The First Adventure or Sandry’s Book.

Time Cat by Lloyd Alexander, is a great read, but the main character is a cat and his human. His The Arkadians is also a good read, with a strong female lead similar to Eilonwy (but The Arkadians stands on its own).

I could go on and on (even more than I already have), but hopefully, this will lead you in the right direction.

@evegrimm Props and GA for Dealing with Dragons :)

@RedPowerLady, thanx! <3

@evegrimm Thanks for those suggestions. I would love to hear what else you suggest for a little older age range.

Life As We Knew It. great book! Just over 300 pages.

Hmm…well, Laurell K Hamilton’s very first Anita Blake book is a great mystery novel (with no sex! promise). It’s called Guilty Pleasures, and Anita Blake is a very strong female character. (Up until The Killing Dance, there is mention of sex (and lots of violence!), but no actual sex until then.)

For older readers, Anne Bishop’s The Black Jewels Trilogy and James Hetley’s The Summer Country are both good, but, again, there is lots of sex and violence.

Tithe/Valiant/Ironside are all good books by Holly Black that are somewhat shorter than some of the others I mentioned, but are very good. Although I wouldn’t call either main character a “strong” female, both have to make difficult choices and deal with the consequences. (Tithe was written first, Valiant takes place in the same universe but with different characters, Ironside is a sequel to Tithe.)

Wicked Lovely (Melissa Marr) is good and has a female lead, but again, she’s not so much strong as having to deal with her choices.

Charlaine Harris writes some wonderful books, usually with strong female leads, including her Southern Vampire series (first book is Dead Until Dark) and some mystery series (Grave Sight, Real Murders and Shakespeare’s Landlord).

Annette Curtis Klause’s Blood and Chocolate and The Silver Kiss deal with werewolves and vampires, respectively, and have female leads.

I liked Maria V. Snyder’s Poison Study, but her subsequent books aren’t as strong.

Have you considered a biography of a strong female, such as Julia Child or Marie Curie?
(Or even Julie and Julia?)

Sharon Shinn writes good female characters, but boy is there angst! Archangel would be a good place to start.

I really liked Fly by Night, by Frances Hardinge, for a very strong female lead and interesting premise. It is, however, for younger readers, although a fellow friend in her late 30s enjoyed it immensely.

A Nameless Witch, by A. Lee Martinez, is good and interesting with a strong female lead.

(I’ll mention Kushiel’s Dart, because I am an enlightened sexual female, but it’s probably too long and involved for any class.)

(Do you want more????)

@evegrimm Wow, you have a lot of knowledge. I will look at these, thanks for your help. I will ask you if I need more.

@jqlyn, I wouldn’t call it “knowledge”, I would call it “I read too much”!! (But thanks for the kind words.)

@evegrimm Reading is better than doing a lot of other things.

I remember this book from high school. I realy enjoyed it… though for the life of me i can’t remember the plot. But hey.. female lead!

Wasted by Marya Hornbacher changed my life- I read it early, but it’s definitely got enough substance for 10–11th graders.

TWILIGHT SERIES HURR

The Scarlet Letter

@Grisaille i will kill you so hard you will die to death…. but i will NOT turno you into a glittery, angst-filled, over-dramatic homosexual vampire.

Ooh, ooh, had another thought: Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple novels. They are all very very good and Miss Marple is a great character! (And for once, it’s not a fantasy novel.)

Isn’t Twilight saga 4th grade reading books?

@evegrimm: The Miss Marple novels is a wonderful compromise for 17–50’s who are reading below grade.
Great idea,

@gailcalled, thanks for the kind words! It’s nice to hear that Agatha Christie is still “alive and well”.

@jqlyn If it were me, I’d be inclined to stay away from fantasy books as not everyone loves them. I would look for something with broader appeal such as some of the other suggestions; The Secret Life of Bees, The Lovely Bones, or the Agatha Christie books. Another good one might be __The House on Mango Street__ by Sarah Cisneros, I believe. It is a very easy novel about an immigrant Hispanic family. Other accessible novels are The Color Purple by Alice Walker or The Women of Brewster Place by Gloria Naylor.

Try “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe.. great book! (no fantasy)

@Dr_C Great book…but it doesn’t have a female lead character (unless I am remembering it incorrectly)

@lefteh you’re right… i got mixed up with another thread…
I still stand by Rebecca though.

Hey all, Thanks for all of your great suggestions, I am still reading some of them. However, after much reading I need some more suggestions. No vampires or fantasy, they told me they want mystery but it needs to be very well done, nothing excessively violent, something suspenseful. 200–250 pages and with a female lead character, for ages 17+. Thanks for your help. I need one by Tuesday.

Lost by Gregory Maguire. Definitely a mystery, and I think it’s short enough.

http://gregorymaguire.com/books/lost.html

I would like to, again, point out the Miss Marple novels by Agatha Christie.

Miss Marple’s first novel is Murder at the Vicarage, and depending on the edition, it is 250–300 pages.

(Of course, anything Agatha Christie wrote would be good.)

For more “cozy”-type mysteries (less blood/violence, typically an amateur female detective), Lillian Jackson Braun (The Cat Who series) and Rita Mae Brown (Mrs. Murphy series) are both heartily recommended by my mother. First book of each: The Cat Who Could Read Backwards; Wish You Were Here. (Both feature a female lead and cats.)

A different type of mystery series, still recommended, is the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters. The first book is Crocodile on the Sandbank. (This series is lots of fun because Peters plays around with gender roles, some of the hackneyed Archaeology that occurred in Victorian times, and the main character is one to root for.) (See some reviews on Amazon if you’re not sure.)

I hope one or two of these is helpful!

If you’re looking for something contemporary, check out either the Kay Scarpetta books by Patricia Cornwell (these might run long) or the Kinsey Milhone books by Sue Grafton (which tend to be short, quick, semi-funny reads).

@augustlan, would you also recommend the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich? (My grandma has read and liked them, but I have no experience with them.)

I ask because, from what I’ve heard, they tend to be a bit lighter than some of the other “thrillers” out there.

And on a similar note, what about JD Robb’s “In Death” series? (I’m asking for both me and the OP, because I’ve heard good things about them.)

@evegrimm I’ve read a few Stephanie Plums, and find them a little too light for my tastes. Ok, if there’s nothing else to read, you know? I have some aversion to reading the “In Death” series… maybe because JD Robb is a pseudonym of a romance author (Nora Roberts)? She lives like 20 minutes from my hometown, and I still couldn’t make myself do it. For all I know, they’re great and I’m just being stupid. :P

@augustlan, Nora Roberts fans are very scary, so I can sort of see your point. :D

That’s interesting that you said that Stephanie Plum books are ”too light”; but then again, from the other two series you suggested, I would guess that you like “heavier” books to begin with.

It will be interesting to see what @jqlyn picks for her students and how they respond to it. Let us know, please!

Is your goal for the assignment to have a book with a lot to discuss or just to get them engaged in reading something? If you want them just toenjoy reading a book , then I think the Janet Evanovich series (Stephanie Plum) woul be enjoyed by many of them. It is very light but that may be what is neeeded for this group. The first one is called One for the Money. Personally, I enjoyed the first one (being a Jersey girl) and then found that the next was almost exactly the same so I ddin’t read any more of them, but it might be fine for you purposes.