Pullman also wrote books about a female detective in the Victorian era in England that are great. But I think the Dark Materials are probably closer to the Hunger Games experience with strong female characters, adventure and excitement.
I also used to read Juniper and Wise Child over and over as a kid. Really engaging and well written. There is magic in the book, but not in a silly way. It's based on Celtic healing and religion so it's not like dragons and fantasy magic. Fits again with the strong female characters.
These are quite old, but my absolutely favorite books when I was a teen were Wise Child and Juniper by Monica Furlong. I still read them from time to time; they have a lot of great life lessons. I've been looking and it doesn't look like there's a Spanish translation readily available, though :(
If you're looking for Spanish-language stuff, Carlos Ruiz Zafon (The Shadow of the Wind) used to write young adult novels before he moved on to adult fiction. I haven't gotten around to reading any of them yet, but they're supposed to be really good. I got his book Marina for my nephew a few weeks ago. I don't think his books are especially female-centric, but they don't seem to be particularly male-oriented either.
From a young, female protagonist's view are two of my childhood favourites by Monica Furlong: Juniper and the sequel Wise Child. They're a little hard to find these days, but are well-written and there's a third book as well. The first, Juniper, tells the story of a medieval princess who is sent to her slightly odd godmother for an apprenticeship of sorts. I think my love of fibre crafts was fostered by this book, I loved them when I was a similar age.
I really hoped the thumbnail would appear for this post! Come on, NYT gallery ....
Anyhow, though I didn't know who they were until recently, as a child I was instantly drawn to books illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon. I had to have every book I found featuring their art, including novels by Isabel Allende. I loved to read, but I'm sure I read more because of the artists' work. Other favorites I wished were illustrated by the couple — they made characters complex, dignified and multiethnic, overall more like the world I knew than the one reflected by most book covers.
Image Google "Leo and Diane Dillon art" for more excellence.
Philip Pullman's series, His Dark Materials is perfect for that age.
http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Materials-Yearling-3-book-Boxed/dp/0440419514
Pullman also wrote books about a female detective in the Victorian era in England that are great. But I think the Dark Materials are probably closer to the Hunger Games experience with strong female characters, adventure and excitement.
http://www.amazon.com/Ruby-Smoke-Sally-Lockhart-Mystery/dp/037584516X/ref=la_B000AQ74C6_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1404849661&sr=1-6
I also used to read Juniper and Wise Child over and over as a kid. Really engaging and well written. There is magic in the book, but not in a silly way. It's based on Celtic healing and religion so it's not like dragons and fantasy magic. Fits again with the strong female characters.
http://www.amazon.com/Juniper-Monica-Furlong/dp/0679833692/ref=pd_sim_b_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=04QZXYYBRNN5R5Z0M1TY
http://www.amazon.com/Wise-Child-Monica-Furlong/dp/0394825985/ref=pd_sim_b_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0JB52BH5DD07Y58DTS7C
It also looks like there is a third book, but I never read it!
I really loved the Wise Child trilogy, The Hero and the Crown/The Blue Sword, and the Sally Lockhart series (and all of Phillip Pullman's books) as a kid.
These are quite old, but my absolutely favorite books when I was a teen were Wise Child and Juniper by Monica Furlong. I still read them from time to time; they have a lot of great life lessons. I've been looking and it doesn't look like there's a Spanish translation readily available, though :(
If you're looking for Spanish-language stuff, Carlos Ruiz Zafon (The Shadow of the Wind) used to write young adult novels before he moved on to adult fiction. I haven't gotten around to reading any of them yet, but they're supposed to be really good. I got his book Marina for my nephew a few weeks ago. I don't think his books are especially female-centric, but they don't seem to be particularly male-oriented either.
From a young, female protagonist's view are two of my childhood favourites by Monica Furlong: Juniper and the sequel Wise Child. They're a little hard to find these days, but are well-written and there's a third book as well. The first, Juniper, tells the story of a medieval princess who is sent to her slightly odd godmother for an apprenticeship of sorts. I think my love of fibre crafts was fostered by this book, I loved them when I was a similar age.
not really futuristic, more of a fantasy/historical setting, but the plot elements you describe sound a little like Wise Child by Monica Furlong http://www.amazon.com/Wise-Child-Monica-Furlong/dp/0394825985
I really hoped the thumbnail would appear for this post! Come on, NYT gallery ....
Anyhow, though I didn't know who they were until recently, as a child I was instantly drawn to books illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon. I had to have every book I found featuring their art, including novels by Isabel Allende. I loved to read, but I'm sure I read more because of the artists' work. Other favorites I wished were illustrated by the couple — they made characters complex, dignified and multiethnic, overall more like the world I knew than the one reflected by most book covers.
Image Google "Leo and Diane Dillon art" for more excellence.