12 Must Read Books for Teens

I said earlier that I would create my own list of 12 books to read before you turn 12. I can’t do it. I have given it a lot of thought and as I teacher I am constantly referring students to books. Mind you, my students are generally between the ages of 12- 16. I have to know a young person before I could suggest a book for them. I have read a lot of books for young adults. There is such an amazing variety. So I am going to pass on this list. I have mentioned many books that I love for young people. There are 46 blog posts on this blog about young adult reading. This however is only for the last 35 months that I’ve been blogging. I’ve read heaps before I started blogging. It’s just too hard.

My Shakey Reading Memories
I can’t really remember what I read before I turned 12 with any accuracy, but I know Enid Blyton was big for me. I also read a whole series about a nurse called Sue Barton. It was responsible for me thinking I was going to be a nurse when I grew up. In reality I hate the sight of blood though. I loved ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ and lots of fairy tales. Some of my favourites were ‘The Princess and the Pea’ and ‘Rapunzel’. Milly Molly Mandy, Pollyanna, Anne of Green Gables were some others I loved. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and lots of school readers I can recall. I remember wishing there were books written by Australians about Australians because the books I read had the seasons and landscape all wrong. I would love to hear from others what they read around these times. I was born in 1965.

Cloudy Bloody Moon August 2007

Whilst on the phone tonight I caught glimpses of the blood moon between crossing cloudscapes. It was both frustrating and at times dramatic and beautiful. I didn’t sit watching for the entire course of the lunar eclipse, but enjoyed what I saw. I hope other parts of Australia got a better view and I look forward to seeing some photo’s.

Update: Meg has some great photo’s up from Sydney – check them out!

Lost and Found Women

While I was cooking dinner this evening, the phone rang. I nearly didn’t answer it, expecting a telemarketer! I couldn’t resist. It was my long lost friend Ronece. I was speechless with delight, for about two seconds. We have just enjoyed a long chat on the phone, catching up on over 5 years that we haven’t been in touch. Our children have grown, my career has changed, I live in a different town, but we picked up as though it were back in the day when we chatted at least every other day.
Great Women Friends
When I got off the phone, I was on it for a couple of hours, I reflected on how blessed I have been to have such awesome women friends. I don’t really mention them on my blog much because I feel it would be invading their privacy somehow. I want to mention them tonight though because I appreciate them all.
Old Friends
Some have been around for a long time, like Jane who I met when we were 6 years old. Wilma has been around for a long while also. I met her in my first year at Monash Gippsland. Neither of us finished our degrees at that time, but we did go on to have a business or two together in soft furnishings and we’re still in touch. She introduced me to Dallis and Shirley and many other great friends.
New Friends
Rhonda is like a twin soul. We were born on the same day, yet a year apart. We have the same middle name! We work together and see each other every day. It’s such fun! She is currently injured and at home for the week, but I will be popping in to see her each day. She was such a treasure to me over the past hard weeks with the flu and the loss of pa. We share our daily ups and downs and amazingly are often feeling exactly the same way about all kinds of things.
Work Friends
Having had over 20 jobs since I left school, I have enjoyed some great friendships with people I’ve worked with Maureen, Jenny, Sonia and Wilma have been fabulous mentors as well as friends. I catch up with them all, although not as often as before and enjoy their company. I have learnt so much from each of them. I currently have a great bunch of women I work with. Too many to name! It’s another thing I really value about my job.
Great Friends I rarely see
I was so close with Rene when I lived in Harkaway. She is a beautiful and amazing woman who brought such a delicious presence to my life. We had great times and excursions with our kids and her large and wonderful family provided a haven for me when I was missing mine.
I had a great road trip with Lisa to Queensland and her gentle and generous nature tolerated me through the journey.
Lost Friends but not forgotten Friends
I learnt heaps from Bronwyn and she supported me through some painful growth times in my life.
I had some great friends at school. Kim was one I have never caught up with again, but would love to hear from. We had some times together!

Thanks And Sorry
Writing a post like this worries me as there are probably people I am leaving out. Sorry if I have. I feel immensely blessed by the all the great women I’ve had and have as friends. Bronwyn once said to me that your friends are your family of choice. I liked that and am happy with my choices.
I also have a lot of great male friends, but tonight it’s about the girls.