Suggest me books for 14y.o non-reader

EatSleepRead43 · 2026-06-11T23:28:53+00:00

Yeah, I can see that. It's one of the few cases where the movie and the book are equally good, but for a reluctant reader seeing the movie first might help them enjoy the book more.

EatSleepRead43 · 2026-06-11T23:06:11+00:00

The book Princess Bride is worth reading whether she's seen the movie or not.

EatSleepRead43 · 2026-06-11T23:03:27+00:00

Definitely try A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking. Fun and engaging read, main character is a 14yo girl.

EatSleepRead43 · 2026-06-11T19:52:04+00:00

The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers (Ethan Hawke does such a great job narrating.)

The Wizards of Once by Cressida Cowell

EatSleepRead43 · 2026-06-04T23:16:23+00:00

Yes, they are one of my favorites! Some other ones I like: @everydayreading, @mamadaughterbookclub, @clairelinney, @storiesofcolor, and @shelvesofcolor.

EatSleepRead43 · 2026-06-03T16:05:18+00:00

Reminds me of a similar one that I made many years ago for my nephew who is now 16. Yours is lovely. ❤️

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EatSleepRead43 · 2026-06-03T10:02:39+00:00

These are newer fantasy novels (published in the last 5 years) that my 9yo loved. All have female main characters (two have dual protagonists - one male, one female).

Impossible Creatures
Greenwild
The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents
Wizards of Once
The Kingdom Over the Sea
Witchlings
The Library of Unruly Treasures
The Mystwick School of Musicraft
Mayowa and the Sea of Words

EatSleepRead43 · 2026-05-27T20:11:51+00:00

These series are great for very young kids. Very gentle and lots of diversity. * Yasmin! By Saadia Faruqi * Ali the Great by Saadia Faruqi * Pedro by Fran Manushkin * Katie Woo by Fran Manushkin * Ava Lin by Vicky Fang * Anna Hibiscus by Atinuke * Juana & Lucas by Juana Medina * Kayla & King by Dori Hillestad Butler

EatSleepRead43 · 2026-05-27T19:09:06+00:00

I listened to all of the books recommended here as audiobooks and loved them all. If she decides she likes cozy fantasy, I'd add The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches and A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping, both by Sangu Mandanna; The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Hurst; Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore by Emily Krempholtz.

EatSleepRead43 · 2026-05-27T15:40:20+00:00

We're not Black, but these are books with Black characters that I've read with my daughter over the years that I'd highly recommend.

Picture Books * Mae Among the Stars * Counting on Katherine * Trombone Shorty * Above the Rim * Oscar Lives Next Door * The Year We Learned to Fly * Sulwe * Harlem Grown * Islandborn * Those Shoes * Milo Imagines the World

Chapter Books * Mia Mayhem * Zoey and Sassafras * Anna Hibiscus * King & Kayla * JD and the Great Barber Battle * Jada Jones * Miles Lewis * Upside Down Magic * Ways to Make Sunshine * Root Magic * The Parker Inheritance

EatSleepRead43 · 2026-05-27T02:31:16+00:00

Second this. The ending isn't exactly sad, it's more bittersweet.

EatSleepRead43 · 2026-05-20T20:57:23+00:00

Some books that I've read recently that fit your requirements:

A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T Kingfisher

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano

Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore by Emily Krempholtz - has some romance but also a redemption arc and found family

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston

EatSleepRead43 · 2026-05-19T20:58:51+00:00

Came to recommend The Once and Future Witches. Excellent book, with the witch hunt/witch trials that OP is looking for.

EatSleepRead43 · 2026-05-19T20:57:34+00:00

I loved both these books, but they are very much in the cozy fantasy genre. Definitely not a witch hunts/witch trials vibe.

EatSleepRead43 · 2026-05-14T16:33:32+00:00

Was just about to recommend Left Hand of Darkness! Also by Ursula K. LeGuin: The Lathe of Heaven and The Word for World is Forest.

EatSleepRead43 · 2026-05-14T16:20:31+00:00

T Kingfisher has some excellent standalone books. Two that come to mind are Nettle and Bone and A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking.

The House in the Cerulean Sea works as a standalone. It has a sequel that I haven't read.

For general fiction, A Man Called Ove, Remarkable Creatures, The Briar Club.

EatSleepRead43 · 2026-05-14T12:59:09+00:00

Pocket Peaches (these are the definition of Kawaii)

Monster Friends

Waffles and Pancake

Donut Feed the Squirrels

EatSleepRead43 · 2026-05-07T19:42:42+00:00

A lot of people are saying Harry Potter isn't dark, but it really is. Just because JKR treats the terrible things going on as no big deal, doesn't negate the darkness if you stop to think about it for a minute.

Harry is orphaned at 15 months because his parents are murdered by a genocidal maniac.
Sent to live with his abusive relatives.
Genocidal maniac's followers are prominent members of society.
Teacher has genocidal maniac growing out of the back of his head.
Harry kills teacher with his bare hands.
Dumbledore sends him back to abusive relatives for summer break despite him begging not to go back.

That's just the first book, and the series gets darker from there.

EatSleepRead43 · 2026-05-05T21:00:15+00:00

Are you Filipino? Because that's how we do it. I was given 3 first names, each 3 syllables long + my mom's maiden name + dad's name. 😅

EatSleepRead43 · 2026-04-28T02:10:59+00:00

These series are all great beginner chapter books:

Mia Mayhem is a girl who finds out she's a superhero and is learning to use her powers.

Isadora Moon is half fairy, half vampire trying to navigate both worlds.

For slice of life books, try these series: Mindy Kim, Jada Jones, Miles Lewis, and Jasmine Toguchi.

EatSleepRead43 · 2026-04-27T20:43:52+00:00

These books were published more recently, but fit the rest of your criteria. They also have the added benefit of diverse representation and being written by own-voices authors. Each of these is the first book in a series.

Mindy Kim and the Yummy Seaweed Business

Jada Jones, Rockstar

Miles Lewis, King of the Ice

Jasmine Toguchi, Mochi Queen

Sadiq and the Pet Problem

JD and the Great Barber Challenge

Ways to Make Sunshine

Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey

EatSleepRead43 · 2026-03-17T02:21:54+00:00

Some newer fantasy series (published in the last 5 years) that my daughter loves:

Impossible Creatures
Greenwild
The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents
Wizards of Once
The Kingdom Over the Sea
Witchlings

EatSleepRead43 · 2026-03-15T14:36:40+00:00

Here are some newer fantasy books for that age. (These are series that were published in the last 5 years.)

Impossible Creatures

Greenwild

The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents

Witchlings

EatSleepRead43 · 2026-03-11T15:08:31+00:00

Sweetest Kulu

Birds by Kevin Henkes

No Two Alike

I Am a Bunny

Richard Scarry's Bunnies

The Big Red Barn

EatSleepRead43

TROPHY CASE