A coworker was looking for novels for her 12-year-old daughter, so I reread The Willowmere Chronicles (The Witches of Willowmere, The Warding of Willowmere, and The Wyrd of Willowmere) by Alison Baird to make sure they'd be an appropriate recommendation.
Upon rereading, I concluded that they're definitely an appropriate choice for a young woman. There's no sex and no bad language, which was important to my coworker. And I think my coworker will approve of the main character, Claire. Claire is a strongly feminist 16 year-old girl who's very intelligent, courageous, a critical thinker, and someone who doesn't follow the crowd.
The books are filled with feminist messages and discussions. They're at a level that a younger girl could understand, but they even manage to provide food for thought for an old girl like me! Definitely worth passing on to the avid readers in your life who could benefit from reading books with feminist heroines. The books are smart, well-written, and fast-paced. Also, Baird's treatment of Wicca strikes me as sensitive and accurate, though I'm not Wiccan myself so take that with a grain of salt.
I should note that Claire isn't portrayed as being especially pretty. Occasionally this fact bothers her a little (though significantly less than it bothers the average 16 year-old), and a few people make an effort to change the way she looks, with a very small measure of success. Overall, though, Baird's message is that women should not feel compelled to play into the beauty myth and should focus more on other things, such as intellectual pursuits.
So, yes, definitely worth passing on!
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Anything by Deb Caletti is great. Also she is an amazingly nice lady.
I don't know the young ladies taste, but I positively loved China Miéville's UnLunDun.
Apart from a briliant female lead character (she takes responsibility, is funny and smart), it also deals with environmental issues.
Ooh, I love YA. I'll have to see if the local library carries Baird's stuff. Have you tried Patricia C. Wrede's Enchanted Forest Chronicles? Excellent, age-appropriate feminist heroine who opts out of being rescued by a prince and finds a job working for some dragons. On top of that, the dragons choose their own sex/gender as they enter adulthood. Good stuff.
I second the Enchanted Forest Chronicles. Fantastic reads, even as adults.
Erm... the Alanna chronicles by Tamora Pierce are pretty good, if I remember correctly.
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi. This was my introduction to feminism, one of my favorite childhood books, and it has stood up to time. Brilliant.
Anything by Jane Yolen, but Briar Rose is a really well-done story about World War II, told from the perspective of a wonderful girl trying to find her grandmother's history.
Carol Matas' Jasper and Lisa books are also really good takes on World War II - and as "feminist" as you can get while still taking into account some sort of historical reality. I loved those as a teenager...
Oh, and there's a series of 7 books that starts with "Tomorrow, When the War Began" - told from the perspective of a teenager, it's basically the story of a group of kids trying to survive/fight back (as what seems to be the equivalent of WWIII explodes in Australia). Violent, but super-strong female characters, and an actually well-written plot. Good stuff, in terms of adventure novels with strong teenaged girls!
And for crying out loud, whatever you do, avoid Twilight and the like. *shudders*
Jane Yolen is fantastic. So is the woman who writes the "Alanna" series, anything by Madeleine L'Engle (although some of the books have sexual themes), the Illyrian Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander (about a kick-ass archeology-obsessed teen girl who is calm and logical as the adults around her freak out), the Golden Compass series by Philip Pullman (and Ruby in the Smoke when she gets older).