I don’t know if Wonder by R. J. Palacio or Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper were mentioned.
Two terrific books in which the main character has special needs.
Absolutely loved “Code Name: Verity” – a trifle intense, but an interesting view of WWII from a teenaged girl.
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing is sort of sci fi-ish but the setting is contemporary. There is no space travel. It is really a commentary on social media. Written by the brother of the writer of a book already recommended, The Fault in our Stars.
If 1980 isn’t too old-school, and a boy protagonist is okay, check out Kevin Major’s books “Far From Shore” and “Hold Fast”. Typical teen themes, frankly told, in a location that might be just exotic enough (Newfoundland, Canada) but not too exotic.
I should have mentioned a few more books I have read recently and enjoyed (which my children read in middle school and then passed on to me):
The Breadwinner Series - compelling story, very timely and relevant - Amazon.com
The Testing (dystopian future, if that is not too close to fantasy. If she likes this genre, I recommend the Hunger Games and The Giver.)
Braced
There’s a series whose first book is “Tomorrow, when the war began”. The premise is that a group of teenagers in a smallish town in Australia go camping, and on their return home they find that the town is being invaded by a military force. Not aliens, nothing truly science-fictiony, beyond the fact that it hasn’t actually happened. They manage to help delay / impede the invasion. I haven’t read the books but the first one was made into a movie, which I watched.
My tween daughter (who reads… a LOT) recommends the Warrior Cats series by Erin Hunter.
It’s a long series, and they’re still releasing new ones.
If your tween desires something a bit more adult (high school setting) maybe check out Colleen Hoover’s books.
A lot of the books I loved as a tween have not gone over well with my daughter. She pretty much only likes things that have been published in her lifetime. The kids in a story had better know how to text.
Ender’s Game
I would recommend the Alice McKinley by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. My niece started it in her teens and continued with it well into adulthoold. It starts with the title character starting sixth grade in a new town, her mother having passed away when she was five, living with her father and older brother, looking for a female role model. The series continues on through middle and high school with the usual trials and tribs; the last books goes on through college and beyond.
I gave **Wonder **to my 10 year old nephew for Christmas. I haven’t heard a report back.
There’s Love, Simon about a teenaged boy who is outed as gay while in high school and his having to deal with it.
There’s also Before I Fall, about a teenaged girl who dies but has to keep reliving the last day of her life until she get her life right.