12 year old books for girls: The 50 Best Books for 11- and 12-Year-Olds
Posted onBook Lists & Recommendations for Ages 8-10
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Award-winning UK best books for 9-12 year old children for 2022 UK
❚ MadeForMums reviews are independent and based on expertise and testing. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, but this never influences our product choices.
1. Peril in Paris by Katherine Woodfine, Egmont, £6.
99
Type: Fiction
Intrigue, murder, espionage – this book has it all. Set in 1911, the lead characters in this book are kick-ass girl detectives — Taylor and Rose. We see them traversing danger and peril in the streets of Paris on a mission for the Secret Service Bureau.
This book is the first in a 4-part historical espionage series, inspired by real-life tales of female spies.
Available from: Amazon, Egmont and Wordery
2. Ocean by Hélène Druvert, Thames and Hudson, £19.95
Type: Non-fiction
A real visual stunner, this is a beautifully-crafted lift the flap book. Inside this large format book, the ocean and its inhabitants are brought to life with meticulously crafted laser-cut illustrations.
Not just a fascinating underwater journey, but a reminder of the importance of preserving our ocean.
Pricey, yes, but a treat for the eyes that you’ll enjoy going back to.
Available from: Thames and Hudson, Blackwells and Wordery
3. The Train to Impossible Places by P.G. Bell, Usborne, £6.99
Type: Fiction
Fast-paced and imaginative, this story is a wild ride into the bizarre and unexpected. When Suzy awakes to a train roaring through her house she’s whisked on board and given a curious and terrifying task — deliver a cursed package to the fearsome sorceress, Lady Crepuscula.
Except when the mysterious package begs not to be delivered, Suzy discovers the fate of the Impossible Places might just be in her hands…
A great value adventure book, and if you like the sound of it, check out The Magic Misfits too.
Available from: Usborne, Amazon and Waterstones
4. In the Mouth of the Wolf by Michael Morpurgo, Egmont, £12.99
Type: Fiction
A more serious option, this is a true story of two brothers and the war that changed everything.
Set against the backdrop of World War II, this emotive book is based on the true story of the author’s uncles.
Alongside the inevitable sadness of the subject matter runs a story of hope, bravery, and lots of adventure.
Available from: Wordery, Waterstones and Egmont
5. Natboff! One Million Years of Stupidity by Andy Stanton, Egmont, £6.99
Type: Fiction
A light-hearted option, Natboff is all about the funniest and maddest moments in history.
Packed full of stories and poems, this is perfect for fans of Horrible Histories, Roald Dahl, and David Walliams.
Natboff is the brand new book from the author of the award-winning and bestselling Mr Gum series. So funny, you’ll be dipping into this one on your own when the kids are in bed.
Available from: Wordery, Egmont and Hive
6. The Book Of Trees by Piotr Socha, Thames and Hudson, £18.95
Type: Non-fiction
Another beautifully illustrated and thought-provoking book from this publisher – this time focusing on the natural wonder of trees.
Encyclopaedic in style but with a light, witty touch, it examines the role trees have played in history, legend and in the rest of the natural world.
For another eye-catching nature book, take a look at Ocean.
Available from: Thames and Hudson, Blackwells and Book People
7. The Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris, Egmont, £12.99
Type: Fiction
This magical adventure takes a common issue (feeling like an outsider) and flips it — helping readers to celebrate feeling like a misfit.
A fun-filled read with a big heart The Magic Misfits is a debut book from magic expert and actor Neil Patrick Harris.
We love the ‘How to’ sections dotted throughout, giving readers magic tricks to try at home.
“The introduction has random capital letters scattered throughout, which we soon realised spelt out a secret message. From that point on, my 11-year-daughter was hooked! It’s very funny, easy to read and has kept her attention well.
Good fun read for parents too!” says MFM tester and mum of 3, Sarah.
More like this
Available from: Egmont, Wordery and Book People
8. The Sinclair’s Mysteries: The Midnight Peacock by Katherine Woodfine, Egmont, £6.99
Type: Fiction
From the same author as Peril in Paris, more sinister secrets and suspense come to life in this mystery adventure book. The fourth in the Sinclair Mystery series — a thrilling conclusion awaits.
We love the strong female characters, Sophie and Lil, and its striking cover and illustrations which make it a perfect gift.
“My 9-year-old daughter absolutely loves this book! She is hooked on the story, especially the cliff-hanger that means she ‘cannot possibly go to bed just yet – I need to know what happens! I like that she is engaged and is being challenged and entertained by the author,” says MFM tester Lisa.
Available from: Amazon, Wordery and Blackwells
9.
The Huntress Trilogy — Book 1, Sea by Sarah Driver, Egmont, £6.99
Type: Fiction
A distinctive fantasy adventure set in a thrilling world of tribes, beasts and mystical powers.
This is a sea-churning, beast-chattering, dream-dancing, whale-riding, terrodyl-flying, world-saving adventure. Memorable characters and poetic writing abound.
We love this book – the first in a new coming-of-age trilogy.
Available from: World of Books, Blackwells and Abe Books
10. Wonder by RJ Palacio, Corgi Childrens, £7.99
Type: Fiction
Like the Magic Misfits, this is a heart-warming novel (and film) with thought-provoking moral messages for all ages.
Auggie wants to be an ordinary ten-year-old but lives with the challenge of being born with a facial abnormality. After being home-schooled his whole life, he is sent to a real school, with all its possible triumphs and pitfalls.
Available from: Foyles, Waterstones, Wordery
11.
Fing by David Walliams, Harper Collins, £9.99
Type: Fiction
You know what you get with David Walliams – funny, surreal, tall stories. This time we’re on an adventure with Myrtle Meek and her poor parents. She has everything she could possibly want. But everything isn’t enough. She wants a FING. Mr and Mrs Meek’s desperate quest leads them to the depths of the jungliest jungle where the rarest creatures can be found. But will they ever find a FING?
If this kind of humour floats your kid’s boat, check out Natboff and The Meltdown too.
Available from: Smarter Book, World of Books and Wordery
12. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Meltdown by Jeff Kinney, Penguin, £5.99
A great one for a Christmas present – this snow-themed adventure sees Greg and his trusty best friend Rowley fight for survival in a wintry battlefield.
Among epic snowball fights and giant snow forts, the boys navigate alliances, betrayals, and warring gangs in a neighbourhood meltdown.
Available from: World of Books, A Great Read and Wordery
Read more…
- Five games to teach your child phonics
- Comic Books help boys to read
- Best books for children 5-8 years old
Louise Ashley
Girls without makeup and make-up. Books for teenage girls
“Streams murmur, beams blind, and the ice melts, and the heart melts. And even a stump on an April day dreams of becoming a birch tree again…” Every blade of grass, every twig reaches for the sun: nature wakes up for a new life! It is in spring, more than ever, that there are a lot of beautiful girls on the streets — everyone wants to be the very best, to attract attention. And it seems that in the spring something special, unique, memorable will happen to each of them! So what are they, girls? Proud and arrogant? Tender and vulnerable? Cheerful and brave? The answer is in our today’s selection. Girls remain themselves only in their thoughts. It is no coincidence that many of the presented books are diaries or personal notes.
After all, we are talking about teenage girls.
Girls learn to feel faster than boys learn to think.
Voltaire
Moni Nielson «Semla and Gordon: Dad with Big Shoes» and «Semla and Gordon: Undercover Investigation». Semla is 12 years and 10 months old. She is an ordinary teenage girl. Her parents are divorced, and the girl has to accept the terms of the game, no matter how hard it is… It’s good that Semla has a real friend — Gordon. Together they always come up with something: either they go in search of parallel worlds, or they arrange French kissing competitions, or they look for Semla’s grandfather, who left his family 20 years ago. Nilson’s stories are connected by common characters, but you can read them separately. Semla keeps a diary in which she writes down all her thoughts, and, of course, these thoughts are extremely frank. Parents who choose these books for their children should pay attention to this. The optimal age for reading is 13-15 years old.
Maria Gripe «Shadow on a Stone Bench» and «And White Shadows in the Forest».
The first two books of the famous tetralogy about shadows, invented by Maria Gripe. ABOUT! Teenagers get indescribable delight from these books! Everything that they love so much is here: riddles, secrets, a touch of mysticism and detective, awakening feelings! The books are connected only by common characters, it is not necessary to read in order, but it is desirable — for a more complete perception. Berta and Carolina immediately felt that they were not strangers to each other. But even they themselves could not imagine how everything would turn out in reality! Hardcover books. Beautiful black and white illustrations by Victoria Popova. The only negative is that almost a year passed between the publication of the first and second books. I wish there was a sequel sooner.
I constantly have a terrible urge to try to be as nice as she thinks I am.
Astrid Lindgren «Britt Marie pours out her soul»
Meg Rosoff How I Live Now. Another iconic book for teenagers from the White Crow publishing house.
As soon as she appeared, she became a real sensation. The main character is a fifteen-year-old girl Daisy. Like all teenagers, she is eccentric and prickly, prone to panic attacks, and her nervous system is on edge. But suddenly a war breaks into Daisy’s life, turning everything upside down. The book is a diary entry of the main character, which makes this story even more poignant and authentic. Life, war, love, combined in the novel, shock the reader. It is no coincidence that after the release of the book, Meg Rosoff became the laureate of the international Astrid Lindgren Memorial Prize, awarded for achievements in the field of literature for children and adolescents. Based on the novel, a feature film of the same name was shot in 2016.
Kristina Gudonite «Diary of a bad girl». The heroine of this novel is also 15 years old. Kotrina is a smart and interesting girl, but in her teenage years she is very uncomfortable. She keeps a diary where she writes down her innermost thoughts.
The world seems empty to Kotrina, she does not find a common language with her own mother. But everything changes when she fraudulently gets a job as a nurse. Suddenly, Kotrina realizes that she can change the life of another person.
The book was published by the publishing house «Scooter» (series «Oncoming traffic»). It is better to read it at the age of 14–15, since many “non-childish” problems are touched upon here. This is one of those stories that make you look at yourself from the outside and rethink a lot in your life. Among the shortcomings of the publication are the soft cover and the lack of illustrations.
Left: Diary of a Bad Girl. Right: «Delete this entry?». Publishing house «Scooter»
Larisa Romanovskaya «Delete this entry?». The heroine of the story, 14-year-old Vera, maintains her blog on the Internet, where she posts daily notes as part of the 100 Days of Happiness flash mob. Does Vera have such a happy life? Is everything going well for her? Or is it impossible to be happy at 14? Larisa Romanovskaya, as a connoisseur of adolescent psychology, provides answers to many difficult questions.
It also gives parents the opportunity to get to know their “uncontrollable” children better. It is no coincidence that the story was in third place in the prestigious Kniguru-2016 competition. The book was also published in the Oncoming Movement series. And yes, there are no pictures again, a soft cover, but reading from this is no less interesting.
Daria Dotsuk «Voice». In the same series there is another serious and deep book. Teenage girl Sasha suffers from panic attacks after she witnessed a terrorist attack in the Moscow metro. She cannot go down to the subway, be in the crowd, and in general, she hardly leaves the house. To distract Sasha from life in the capital, her parents send her to her grandmother in Kaliningrad. And here the girl finds loved ones for the first time and «is reborn from the ashes.» This incredibly poignant, poignant book is a must read at 13 or 14. High-quality psychological prose for teenagers.
Els Beirten Run and Live. But the heroine of this story, the track and field athlete Nor, is 18! She is a purposeful and determined girl.
Nor will remember and think about many things during the marathon (in fact, the book is the heroine’s internal monologue). The book tells about the 1970s, but it is very relevant and modern. Everything that worries teenagers today is here: the first love, difficult relationships with parents and friends, reassessment of values, loneliness and misunderstanding… And of course, the marathon that Nora runs and runs is her life… Marking on the book 16+, but there is nothing particularly forbidden in it, so it is quite possible to read at the age of 14–15.
Left: «Britt Marie pours her heart out.» Center: Little Women. Right: «Shadow on a stone bench»
Books of the series «Little Women» are a great option for lovers of classical literature. Each book in the Little Women series is a gift for a girl of any age, because such stories cannot but excite girlish hearts! Among the novelties are «Jane of Clear Hills» by Lucy Maud Montgomery (about the development of an 11-year-old girl and her overcoming many of her own complexes and fears) and «Janetta» by Rosa Mulholland (the heroine somewhat repeats the story of Jane Eyre).
These books will never be out of date, and they will not stop reading — even today’s advanced teenagers. Indeed, in the books of the Little Women series, we are talking about eternal values - honor, dignity and true love, which every girl dreams of.
Steve Stevenson «Agatha Mystery» A budget series that will delight any girl, regardless of age, is Agatha Mystery by the Azbuka publishing house. Thirteen-year-old Agatha combines the talents of a writer and a detective (a classic version!) And, together with her brother Larry, unravels incredible mysteries. Each new book is a different matter. Among the novelties of the series is «Dangerous Cruise». On board the King Arthur liner, the heroes encounter real spies. The books in this series are great leisure reading and an alternative to the serious teen books discussed above.
Is it easy to be a young girl? Always and anywhere in the world, wherever you live? Indeed it is difficult!
Astrid Lindgren Katy in America
Astrid Lindgren Katy in America, Katy in Italy and Katy in Paris.
These books reveal the talent of a completely different Lindgren — not familiar to us. The trilogy about Katya is a serious teenage (and even adult!) reading. But how exciting! How much romance, love, miracles, humor is here! These are the books that are needed at the age of 14-16! Katya will have to test the strength of friendship and love. And also see the world and tell readers a lot of interesting things about your travels.
Each book of the trilogy from Makhaon publishing house has its own illustrator. Someone may not like this move, but, on the other hand, it becomes possible to see different countries “with different eyes”.
Astrid Lindgren «Britt Marie pours out her soul.» And finally, another diary. But how different it is from the ones we were talking about! This diary is kept by a happy girl who has a wonderful family and excellent relationships with her parents. Who loves her home and her friends. Which reflects on responsibility and the meaning of life. And, of course, falls in love, but how could it be without that?! This is the debut book of Astrid Lindgren, it started the literary career of the Swedish writer.
The book is everyday, not a fairy tale, but it has Lindgren’s incredible love of life, and also faith in the best and great love for readers.
An ideal book for girls aged 12-15 to read. And may this feeling of happiness stay with them for a long time!
- See also:
- «Do you like theater?»
- «Could you play the nocturne?»
- «Literary large families»
- «Without a cat, life is not the same!»
With love for yourself. A book about how to learn to be friends and become happy. Lucy Hemmen — «A book about the concept of friendship and how to fit into society for teenage girls.»
Greetings to all who looked into the review.
I remember at the age of 12-14 I was very fond of such books on psychology for girls, like: «Girl’s Secrets», «A Book Only for Girls». But I no longer have such ones, and when I saw the announcement from the Eksmo publishing house of the book “With Love for Myself”, I could not pass by.
My daughter is growing up and I am collecting a small library for her, so I would like to have similar books, suddenly she, like me, will be interested in it.
The plot of the book.
With love for yourself. A book about how to learn to be friends and become happy. Lucy Hemmen
This book is quite rich in various kinds of content.
Here we are told what girls thought about themselves while at school, who have already grown up, and look at themselves in the past.
There are also various kinds of tests, as I had in my childhood, from the category “Find out what kind of flower you are?”. There are situations given: a detailed analysis, mistakes, how one could avoid this and exercises with different games for oneself.
Place of purchase, price.
I took the book through Wildberries, the link to purchase is left here.
You can also buy it on the websites: book24, Labyrinth.
At the time of my purchase it cost 452 rubles. For now, the price has been maintained.
Design, edition.
With love for yourself. A book about how to learn to be friends and become happy. Lucy Hemmen
The publication is decorated in pink tones, in a girlish way, it is not surprising, the book is designed just for a female teenage audience.
With love for yourself. A book about how to learn to be friends and become happy. Lucy Hemmen
The book is thin in volume, but rich in meaning and clever thoughts.
With love for yourself. A book about how to learn to be friends and become happy. Lucy Hemmen
Medium thickness paper, white.
The font in the book is medium in size, reads well, the eyes do not get tired.
With love for yourself. A book about how to learn to be friends and become happy. Lucy Hemmen
The design of the book has a lot of decorative elements and highlighting of the text.
Headings and subheadings, tests and various situations.
Visually, the book is perceived very pleasantly.
With love for yourself. A book about how to learn to be friends and become happy. Lucy Hemmen
Release date. Number of pages, reading time.
This book is also marked as a novelty on the websites, it was released recently, in 2022.
There are few pages in it, 162 printed. If you look at the electronic version, there are over 300 of them, since the text is transmitted as from a picture.
I read it in a couple of hours, with interest and delving into the advice that the author gives.
Writing style, author’s style.
I liked that the book alternates with specific examples from life, analysis of mistakes, various tasks, tests and advice, both from the author and from the heroes of the book.
Thanks to this technique, the book is read with interest, and can really win the attention of the child.
My opinion.
I liked that despite the fact that the book is interactive, the author advises to take sheets of paper or keep a special notebook and make notes there, and not to spoil the book, so it turns out not to be one-time use, but can be reforged further.
With love for yourself. A book about how to learn to be friends and become happy. Lucy Hemmen
The book begins with a preface, and after reading it, I thought that probably 12+, too little age limit, since half of the words from there would hardly be understood at that age.
But as it turned out, these words remained in the preface, the rest of the book is perfectly age-appropriate and will be understood from 12 years old.
With love for yourself. A book about how to learn to be friends and become happy. Lucy Hemmen
The advice in the book is really good, it will also talk about connections with bad companies and how to avoid it.
They explain that there is no need to change yourself for others, and friendship can always be found if you remain yourself.
And a lot of interesting and valuable tips, and besides this, an entertaining part that will also be of interest to girls.
The book will go to the age of 12-16 years, earlier it will not be very clear, and later it is more likely not interesting, but for its age it is excellent.
Pros:
- cute design;
- quality edition;
- handy font;
- will be interesting for girls from 12 to 16 years old;
- many interesting tasks;
- specific examples are given.
Disadvantages:
- not found.
Final conclusion.
I definitely recommend the book for purchase, for the appropriate age of course. From me the maximum rating, I did not find any shortcomings in it.
