Greetings,
My 13 year old very ADHD daughter likes reading when a book engages her, but getting that to happen can be difficult. Even books that her peers will love she will reject, saying "it was boring", etc. She likes thriller / forensic investigator / horror stuff.
She has been resisting reading for a couple of years and reading school-assigned has been real difficult. Last year it was The Book Thief ("It was tolerable. I would not have read it if I didn't have to), The Pearl ("The most awful thing I've ever read. It made me want to stab myself. I hated it. It was about an abuser who hated women and killed his on and beat his wife. And you're supposed to like him. Garbage."
Her two favorite reads so far:
Misery ("super fast paced")
Silence of the Lambs (she said this was the only "slow based" book she's liked). She saw the movie first (this kid loves a thrill/suspense), so that probably kept her engaged.
She says she likes stuff that "genuinely scares me" and she doesn't want to be patronized. This has been tough in the balance between what is appropriate for her age and what is "dumb" to her.
FYI, she insisted on reading King's IT and say she couldn't get past all the unnecessary sex between minors and adults creeping on kids. ("They were 9"). LOL.
As parents, we have in mind what she fills her head with; she loves loves loves stuff that is scary, but we sometimes worry about too much of that in her young brain. We joke with her she needs to read or listen to something hopeful every once in a while. We recently discovered she's been into true crime podcasts. Her mother and sister and I wouldn't be able to do 5min of that. Her words, "I want to be a forensic psychologist. I want to know why Dahmer ate people."
So…any ideas?
by crashdavis87
12 Comments
How about Skulduggery Pleasant? The 12 year old ADHD in my life loves the series. Having said that, she’s not remotely ready for Stephen King, so make of that what you will!
My first foster child (age 12) loved the Five Nights at Freddy’s series, which is horror. He also liked Death Note (which is a Japanese Manga series). I was like 😱, but whatever gets them reading haha!
Maureen Johnson’s books! Truly Devious series, Death at Morning House as a standalone, Shades of London series if she’s okay with a bit of supernatural
None Shall Sleep by Ellie Marney is a Silence of the Lambs inspired YA novel where a teen works with the FBI to catch teen serial killers. Maybe this is in the right zone? It’s the first in a series.
The Murderbot Diaries, Martha Wells
Holes, Louis Sachar. If she objects to this one being aimed at younger teens: I first read it in my mid-20’s and I have recommended it to adults far more frequently than I have teens
The City We Became, N K Jemisin
Watch the film “Society of the Snow” with her to get her hooked, and then give her the book (Vierci). This is one that can spawn a hyperfocus for sure, and is likely to be perfect for a kid who’s into horror and psychology and true crime and does not want to be patronized and who’s parents are a bit alarmed by those interests. It’s an incredibly real, incredibly raw, beautiful look at humanity, social connection, trauma, grief, survival, recovery, and the human brain; and it’s also a book about a group of young college kids stranded on a glacier for two months eating the dead bodies of their friends to survive. It’s a collective memoir with chapters from all sixteen survivors of the crash and aftermath of the Uruguayan F571 in the Andes in 1972.
Cinder and Scarlet, both by Melissa Meyer.
I was struck by her comment that she wants to know how Dahmer’s mind works. So I’ve included things on the more psychological side of things.
The Lie Tree – Frances Hardinge, while not super fast paced it is psychologically complex for a YA book.
The House of Hollow – Krystal Sutherland – Might be a bit too pretty for her. But worth a shot.
Molly Southbourne books – Tade Thompson – Lots of body horror but not in a sexualised/rapy way. Also novella’s so quick and easy.
Dark Tales – Shirley Jackson – In the same vein of getting an easy win with a novella, this collection of short stories from the queen of psychological horror still chill. While being “clean” enough for mid Century America.
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier!
Honestly? She could do worse than Jurassic Park (creeped me out at 16) or Andromeda Strain.
Have her read H.P Lovecraft his stories are amazing and so very well written.
They are deep in ways I can barely describe but they certainly hold one’s attention.
And there’s very short stories and also very long ones.
My kiddos have read several so far and love the mystery and unknown aspects of them.
If she’s been interested in Stephen King, give her “The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon.” I loved that one and Misery at her age!
I have two nonfiction recs: Devil in the white city for her true crime interests. And The Indifferent Stars Above, a book about the intricacies of the Donner party. Its truly an amazing book that any blooming horror/ true crime fan would like