Recommend interesting POSITIVE books for young teens?

I've been seeking interesting, NON-DEPRESSING books with positive messages for 14-15 year olds, and have been coming up pretty empty. Can anyone help? Based on recommendations, I have looked at synopses/reviews for: Me, Earl and the Dying Girl (apparently riddled with profanity, has a self-loathing main character, and, obviously, prominently features a dying girl); Looking for Alaska (lots of content re. sex, drugs, and other examples of poor behavior); If I Stay (apparently about a girl in a coma that has to decide whether or not she wants to live)...the list goes on, but it all seems pretty dark to me. Yes, I want the reader to be interested. But is this the only way to make an interesting book? With such dark content? Please, can someone recommend something that's a bit more...sunny? I bought Jonathan Livingston Seagull and The Alchemist for the somewhat reluctant reader in question, but I don't think she's bothered to crack their covers. She keeps coming back to me asking for books like the ones I've listed above. Yes, I believe that reading pretty much anything is good for developing the brain, but right now I am more concerned about not filling her head with such depressing content. Thoughtful recommendations very much appreciated!

Teens love angst and that's why you'll find it in a lot books that are popular with that age group. Is she depressive and you don't want to depress her further?

I believe that by 15, teens should be encouraged to choose their own pleasure reading and follow their interests, even if that means following their curiosity to subjects that I wouldn't choose. One of my guys developed a deep interest in military history by reading first-person accounts of special ops missions that to my horror were beyond grisly (and not terribly well-written, but that's another story).

Poor behavior is unlikely to be planted or even reinforced by reading. Be very careful about relying on synopses or reviews for the context in which subject matter is presented. There are plenty of age-appropriate books dealing with mature themes in sensitive, nuanced ways. I would suggest checking in with your daughter's English teacher or with a librarian.

You know, as I was posting my query, I suspected that these might be they types of responses that I'd receive. I'm not really interested in getting into the details on why I'm seeking the types of books that I'm seeking. Can we please just take it at face value that I have good reasons for it? I'd really love suggestions that fit the criteria if anyone has any! Thanks again.

Consult librarian(s) as well as teacher(s)? Maybe there are biographies or memoirs (not necessarily specifically directed to young readers) that would fit your wishes?

https://www.google.com/search?q=biographies+for+teens&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8 (though it looks as though there's a lot of hardship in there, too)

Books I have enjoyed that might work:

Christy, by Catherine Marshall - Young girl goes to teach in Appalachia. You would have to not mind some Christian content here.

Cold Sassy Tree, by Olive Ann Burns - Also set in the South, maybe early 20th c. again, too. Not specifically a young people's book, but I would say "wholesome." Maybe you would like it more than your daughter, though.

Jim the Boy (and its sequel, whose name escapes me), by Tony Earley. There's some trouble here (what's a book without some trouble), but also a very supportive, though not entirely conventional, family.

Rocket Boys (some editions titled October Sky)

According to the above link, Malala Yousufzai (sp) has published a book about her life so far. (I haven't read this one.)

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie. I laughed myself silly with this, though I think it has some "language." But then, I love Sherman Alexie.

Has she read the Little House books? Any Willa Cather? There's a lot of reality in there, but at least the language/writing is good (well, except for Ma Ingalls' attitude toward Indians).

Fantasy at all? Ursula LeGuin? Traveling Pants (or too young?)?

(Have to say, my kids and I were all deeply tired of teen-angst books before the end of middle school, let alone h.s., and I sympathize with your wish to move toward broader horizons. Let us know what you come up with?)

Check A Mighty Girl website--they have good suggestions for young kids and I'm pretty sure they have a section for teens as well. Good luck

Has she read "The curious incident of the dog at nighttime"? Also, Persepolis might be interesting.

Three more - Saint Anything; We are all made up of Molecules; Because you'll never meet me.

I like this indie booksellers list for new books and reviews: http://www.indiebound.org/kids-indie-next-list?edition=201509k

"Fans of the Impossible Life" by Kate Scelsa is great. A little bit of sex though.

Karen Thompson Walker's The Age of Miracles. First YA book I have ever read that I truly enjoyed.

Wicked or anything else by Gregory Maguire

How about -

Between the Lines and Off the Page by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer (mother-daughter team) - if there is any interest in fairy tale/fantasy

finnegan said:
Karen Thompson Walker's The Age of Miracles. First YA book I have ever read that I truly enjoyed.

I loved this book but it has some pretty depressing themes.

My early teen daughter, who also devours a lot of the popular dark YA books, loved Malala's book (I think she read it due to a school assignment) and found it very inspirational. I haven't read it myself, however.

My son read this at the start of middle school, but it is a good book for any age - Wonder by R. J. Palacio.

My daughters (and I also) loved the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series.

Thanks so much for all the ideas!

What about the classics? Little Women, To Kill A Mockingbird, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Tom Sawyer?

Don't know if anyone reads her anymore, but as a young teen I loved Edna Ferber's books: So Big, Giant, Cimarron, Saratoga Trunk, Show Boat..... Also loved Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre about then, too.

Thanks for all the suggestions! Sadly, I think she'd write off all the classics as "boring," but maybe I should get a few anyway--perhaps she'd surprise me. In the meantime, so far I've ordered The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and We Are All Made of Molecules. If I get any feedback, I'll post it!

I recommend the Lunar Chronicle series. It is based on fairytale heroines in a future dystopian society, but without the darkness of the Hunger Games, etc. The first one is called Cinder https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/cinder-the-lunar-chronicles-book-1

The whole series is quite good

Scholastic's web site has terrific search tools that allow you to search for books by age, grade, reading difficulty, and subject matter. Try both the search engine for parents (http://www.scholastic.com/parents/) and the one for teachers (http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/). Lots of free learning resources at their web site, too.