Recommended books for 12 year old girls: The 50 Best Books for 11- and 12-Year-Olds

20 Great books for 13

Finding books for teens is really hard!  This is an age where kids often drift away from reading as books compete with social media.  This article will focus on girls.  So, teachers, parents, grandparents, aunties, librarians, friends: don’t give up on trying to put engaging books into their hands. 

My own teen daughter is a reluctant reader and I know the hard work it takes to find the right book!  The teen community of girls can be tricky but to help I’ve created a tried and tested list of 20 reads – and with school holidays approaching you might find the right book for Miss 13/Miss14/Miss 15.

Approved favourites

• Dry by Neal and Jarrod Shusterman    In the midst of a terrible drought – or the Tap Out, as everyone calls it –  16 year old Alyssa Morrow’s life is turned upside down in the battle for survival.  Together with her brother, and other teens they must locate water in order to survive.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book – a combination of harrowing decisions, sad moments and humourous parts.   Thrilled to hear that this is going to be made into a movie!

• Scythe by Neil Shusterman    This author is brilliant and I can recommend this one too.  In the future, death is nearly inexistant and pain is reduced. A  gripping and witty thriller in which the only thing humanity has control over is death. In a world where disease, war and crime have been eliminated, the only way to die is to be randomly killed (“gleaned”) by professional scythes. Citra and Rowan are teenagers who have been selected to be scythes’ apprentices, and despite wanting nothing to do with the vocation, they must learn the art of killing and understand the necessity of what they do. 

The Wonder of Us by Kim CulbertsonRiya and Abby are best friends. Then Riya moves to a different continent. Abby’s parents divorce and she is feeling adrift and upset.  When the girls reunite, they seem more distant than ever and there are now hidden secrets.   I enjoyed this one, as it has the elements of a friendship struggling to survive secrets and individual change that make this novel relatable.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak The Book Thief is the best-selling historical fiction novel written by an Australian author. Set in the dangerous times where Hitler was gaining power over Germany, it is a story about what an average life of a young girl in this time would look like. A brilliant book and a good one to read in tandem with a young adult. It was adapted into a feature film – which I find as a reward if they read the book first.

Other Recommendations

• It Sounded Better in My Head by Nina Kenwood  Haven’t read this one but it’s the story of 18-year-old Natalie who has just finished school When her parents announce their impending separation, Natalie can’t understand why no one is fighting or at least mildly upset. And now that Zach and Lucy, her two best friends, have fallen in love, she’s feeling slightly miffed and decidedly awkward.   A tender, funny and joyful novel about longing, confusion, feeling left out and finding out what really matters.

• The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand

After Lex’s brother Ty took his own life, her entire world took a different path.   Her mother turns to alcohol, she breaks up with her boyfriend and friends treat her differently. This is a story of love, loss and learning how to let go.

• Everless by Sara Holland
• Time is a prison. She is the key. Packed with danger, temptation and desire – a perfect read for fans of The Red Queen. In the land of Sempera, the rich control everything – even time. Ever since the age of alchemy and sorcery, hours, days and years have been extracted from blood and bound to iron coins. The rich live for centuries; the poor bleed themselves dry.  Reviewers say it is a gripping read until the end.
• The Anger of Angles by Sherryl Jordan
  Books that set students’ imaginations on fire are to be recommended.  This book offers young readers a wonderful blend of adventure, mystery, suspense and romance.  It follows the story of Giovanna – the daughter of a jester with a talent for juggling and knife throwing.  The Anger of Angels is set in a fantasy version of Renaissance Italy. The characters are lovely, the world is vibrant and vividly painted, and the story is powerful, uplifting and insightful.

More to check out…..

• The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (My daughter is currently loving this book!  A story on one woman’s ferocious will to escape the horrors of slavery – best for older girls.)
• Don’t Stop Thinking about Tomorrow by Siobhan Curham
• Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon
• Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
• The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
• Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket (Daniel Handler)
• The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar by Roald Dahl
• My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier
• Something in Between by Melissa De La Cruz

Something for older readers (can highly recommend these)

• The Outsiders (12+) (S.E. Hinton)
• To Kill a Mockingbird (12+) (Harper Lee)
• The Tomorrow series (12+) (John Marsden)
• The Book Thief (14+) (Markus Zusak)

We wrote an article about the most popular books in 2022.   Click here to find more titles: Which are the most popular books for kids and young adults?

 

Check out our blogs for more ideas and tips.

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Something extra…

Watch this 2 minute clip on how former Google and Facebook employees are joining together to protect kids from social media addiction.

 

Brought to you by Tanya Grambower

40 Books All Teens Should Read Before They Turn 18

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Ages 14+

Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (2011)

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Ages 14+

Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (2011)

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Credit: Quirk Books

This delightfully weird boxed set starts out when Jacob Portman journeys to a mysterious island off the coast of Wales following a terrible family tragedy. There, he finds the ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and so, so much more.

RELATED: 40+ Gifts for Your Favorite Bookworm

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Ages 12+

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz (2012)

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Ages 12+

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz (2012)

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Credit: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

When Dante and Aristotle first meet at the pool, they don’t seem to have anything in common. But as they get to know each other, they form an unlikely friendship — that soon reveals the possibility of something more.

RELATED: 15 YA Romance Books That Perfectly Capture Teenage Love

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Ages 12+

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros (1983)

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Ages 12+

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros (1983)

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Esperanza Cordero is a young Latina who’s just trying to figure herself out while growing up in Chicago. Sandra Cisneros first penned The House on Mango Street more than 25 years ago, but her lessons on challenging stereotypes of the immigrant experience still hold up today.

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Ages 12+

Every Body Looking by Candice Iloh (2020)

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Ages 12+

Every Body Looking by Candice Iloh (2020)

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Credit: Dutton Books for Young Readers

In this National Book Award finalist, a young woman named Ada goes away to college and begins to find herself. Her journey to explore her sexuality, processing her mother’s struggle with addiction and how she wants to be in the world will ring true to many.

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Ages 13+

Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging: Confessions of Georgia Nicolson by Louise Rennison (1999)

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Ages 13+

Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging: Confessions of Georgia Nicolson by Louise Rennison (1999)

$7 at Amazon

Credit: HarperTeen

Between her temperamental cat, accidentally shaving off her eyebrows and all of the cringeworthy hijinks that come with being an awkward teenager, this book is laugh-out-loud hilarious and almost too relatable. Guaranteed to boost any bad day within the first five pages.

RELATED: The 40 Children’s Books That Belong in Every Family Library

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Ages 12+

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (1967)

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Ages 12+

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (1967)

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Then-18-year-old S. E. Hinton set the groundwork for YA fiction when she wrote The Outsiders in high school, with a book that spoke directly to her peers. Ponyboy’s journey shows that things can go too far very quickly when you’re willing to do anything to belong.

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Ages 8+

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling (1997)

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Ages 8+

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling (1997)

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It’s been 20+ years since we first met the boy who lived, but the adventures of Harry and friends Hogwarts still resonate with teens today. Relieve the experience by reading along with your kids, right from the book that started it all.

RELATED: The 40 Children’s Books That Belong in Every Family Library

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Ages 12+

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds (2017)

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Ages 12+

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds (2017)

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$12 at Amazon

Credit: Atheneum Books

The winner of a whole list of awards, this book takes place in a tight 60 seconds, the time it takes 15-year-old Will to decide whether to retaliate against the guy who killed his brother. It feels as powerful as a loaded gun.

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Ages 14+

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez (2017)

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Ages 14+

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez (2017)

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Credit: Knopf Books

After Julia’s sister Olga passes away tragically, her broken family looks to her to hold them together. But Julia isn’t the perfect daughter her sister was. Then again, was Olga? This story delves into the pressures of being a Mexican-American daughter and what it means to carry the weight of loss on your shoulders.

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Ages 8+

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. by Judy Blume (1970)

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Ages 8+

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. by Judy Blume (1970)

$13 at Amazon

Since the 1970s, Judy Blume has won more than 90 awards for her ability to perfectly capture the inner turmoil of being a teenager. In one of her most well-known, Margaret Simon longs to just grow up already in a story that’s just as relatable as the day it came out.

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Ages 14+

Love from A to Z by S.K. Ali (2019)

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Ages 14+

Love from A to Z by S.K. Ali (2019)

$12 at Amazon

Credit: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

After Zayneb gets punished for confronting a racist teacher, she goes to cool off with her aunt in Qatar. That’s when she crosses paths with Adam, who’s dealing with a difficult diagnosis and trying to keep it a secret from his widowed father. As the two open up, they discover there’s more to each other (and themselves) than they realize.

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Ages 12+

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (2008)

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Ages 12+

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (2008)

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$9 at Amazon

If your teen missed the sensation before it became a blockbuster, slide this dystopian adventure their way. You’ll root for Katniss Everdeen as she fights for her life in Panem’s annual Hunger Games in a world that’s eerily similar to our own even as it feels foreign.

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Ages 12+

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (1999)

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Ages 12+

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (1999)

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This cult favorite takes a stark look at the heartbreaks, friendships and weirdness of high school in all its honest glory. Kids who feel misunderstood may find a kindred spirit in Charlie, as he navigates the rocky road between childhood and adulthood.

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Ages 10+

His Dark Material by Philip Pullman (1995)

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Ages 10+

His Dark Material by Philip Pullman (1995)

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Credit: Yearling

Fantastical, captivating and deeply original, this series will have your teen begging to read «just one more chapter.» Get them the boxed set, so they can follow all the way along with Lyra and Will’s otherworldly adventures.

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Ages 10+

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (2003)

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Ages 10+

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (2003)

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Mark Haddon’s novel follows a boy with autism who is working to solve the murder of a neighbor’s dog. The language gives readers a look inside the complicated mind of Christopher John Francis Boone, offering a new perspective on an entrancing narrative.

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Ages 14+

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley (2021)

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Ages 14+

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley (2021)

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Credit: Henry Holt and Co.

Daunis has always felt like an outcast, but that starts to change when she meets hockey star Jamie. But then, when she witnesses a murder and has to go undercover to use her knowledge of Ojibwe medicine to help with the investigation, she has to decide where her loyalties lie and how far she’ll go to protect her community.

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Ages 12+

The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan (2018)

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Ages 12+

The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan (2018)

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Credit: Little, Brown Books

After her mother dies by suicide, Leigh travels to Taiwan to seek answers. This beautiful, surreal story is perfect for any teen who has ever lost someone, as it explores the many ways grief can manifest, as well as the healing power of family.

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Ages 12+

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (2005)

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Ages 12+

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (2005)

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Credit: Little, Brown Books

Even reluctant readers will find something to love in this absorbing New York Times bestseller. It explores a Nazi society in which a young girl’s passion for reading feeds her soul when all else seems hopeless.

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Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi (2000)

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Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi (2000)

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$10 at Amazon

Credit: Pantheon

This graphic memoir about growing up in Tehran during the Iraq Revolution grapples with the horrors of war and the mundane struggles of childhood, and the absurdity that can come from the intersection between living through history and daily life.

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Ages 10+

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell (2012)

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Ages 10+

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell (2012)

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$9 at Amazon

Eleanor and Park aren’t your fairytale lovers. They understand that first love almost never works out, but that doesn’t mean they won’t try. Set in 1986, this offbeat romance captures how young love can feel desperate, overwhelming and catastrophic.

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Best books for children from 7 to 12 years old

A book is the best gift you can give your child . It is possible that at first, and always depending on how old you are, you will be more grateful for a computer, tablet, or any electronic device, of which there are so many today.

So, in the life of a child there always comes a moment when, without knowing how, he is forever captivated by the pleasure of reading. And that’s what he’ll be doing in private, but we’ll no doubt be promoting it. First to lead by example, and then to offer an open window in the form of a book through which to be free, dream and discover a world of possibilities. Today in our space we want to show you what are the best books for children from 7 to 12 years old.

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• 1 Children’s books, personal choice in which we can serve as guides
• 2 The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)
• 3 101 things you must do before you grow up (Laura Dauer)

900 19 4 Where Monsters Live (Maurice Sendak)

• 5 Alice in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll)
• 6 Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (Jules Verne)

Children’s books, a personal choice in which we can serve as guides

When it comes to transmission children enjoyment from reading, there is an important aspect that we must consider: we must be their role model. The child who sees his parents reading is the one for whom reading and reading books is normalized. . However, we must consider these dimensions:

• Don’t force a title on children, it means offering, opening doors and having many titles, among which they can suddenly find that particular window that kindles their passion.
• Instead of giving them one book, offer them 3 books, including the classic that you yourself have already read. Thus, we give you the opportunity to learn about the most traditional and unforgettable literature, while we discover new titles.
• Reading is not limited to distributing books to children and even more so buying them compulsory books in schools. A good reader can also be achieved by visiting libraries and spending some time between bookstores. , in the science fiction or graphic novel sections.
• Another unmistakable key to conveying curiosity for reading is through cinema. . Nowadays, there are many titles that have been brought to the big screen that can serve as a «hook» to catch them, to guide them to the opening noon in the book, to suddenly see that the pages of the novel are more intense than the world of cinema.

Give your child the freedom to say yes or no. Now the choice is always given by opportunity and offer, so we want to show you a series of titles that should not be missing in our children’s library.

The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)

A classic if ever there was and an essential literary treasure that every child should discover at some point in their lives. . Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s book conveys incredible values ​​that we should not miss, essences that never go out of style and that strengthen the mind and heart:

• Love, happiness and respect, the need to look beyond appearance, the importance of experiencing life through emotions and imagination, and not just through the mind …
• How important it is to be a child, to enjoy the time when he is freer and can see reality in many other nuances. …

Madness to hate roses because only one pricked you, or to give up your dreams just because one of them did not come true.

The Little Prince

101 Things You Must Do Before You Grow Up (Laura Dauer)

This is one of the most original children’s books to come out a few years ago. This is a book for experimentation and, above all, for reflection.

• We recommend it to children aged 8 to 10 who «have not yet had the pleasure of reading». This is an interactive and fun activity in which you will find a series of practice sheets. to do things that every child has to go through almost like a rite of passage before they get older.
• Any example? Juggling, creating a secret code, creating a volcano… They have 101 things to do!

Where the Monsters Live (Maurice Sendak)

Where the Monsters Live is an amazing book that usually has fabulous illustrations to keep our kids dreaming. . This is one of the most curious, magical and fragrant children’s books that can attract the attention of naughty boys and girls from 7 to 12 years old.

The argument is as follows: Max usually always goes in his wolf costume and causes mischief. His mother always yells at him that “You are a monster!…” until one day his adventures reached the extreme limit and he was punished without dinner in his room.

That’s when Max goes to the world of wild creatures, where he meets real monsters: they are huge, with sharp teeth and amber eyes … But nevertheless, Max stands like a king, as the most playful of all.

Alice in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll)

While it’s true that Alice in Wonderland can be quite difficult to read, There are some very successful titles already adapted for 7 to 8 year olds. which are simply beautiful. Lewis Carroll’s most classic book, always accompanied by apt illustrations, is the ultimate reference for every child who wants to challenge their imagination and go beyond reality.

This is one of those undeniable fantasy books that leave a mark and it can serve as a lock to captivate any mind and start off as an avid reader. Classics never fail, and Alice in Wonderland is a delight.

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (Jules Verne)

Today’s children know very well who Harry Potter and other characters are, which the world of cinema is popularized in such a way that the great classic is almost accidentally lost. It is worth making available to our children masterpieces that movies and television no longer popularize and that somehow capture the true meaning of reading: the pleasure of adventure, challenge, mystery, fear and freedom.

• Jules Verne has been and always will be a master when it comes to bringing the dreams of the youngest minds to life. . Therefore, it is worth looking for a beautiful volume with attractive bindings and illustrations to «make the old new» because the old never fails, because it always works, because it always inspires.
• Children will love meeting Captain Nemo. , to his secret, to the man who chose the sea as his way of life and built such a complex ship as the Nautilus. Feel free to tell him about Jules Verne’s visionary power and explain that many of the things that appear in the book were written at a time when this type of technology didn’t exist yet.

The Neverending Story

Children love riddles and clues, so offer them any of these books as those that offer a challenge, a window to the afterlife. where they can travel alone to challenge their reality, become freer and happier.

Top 10 foreign children’s books

Gazeta.Ru continues to recommend the best books for children to read to anyone who wants to grow up to be a decent person.

The Harry Potter series, JK Rowling
What
is about 12-year-old orphan named Harry finds out that he turns out to be a wizard and that his parents did not die in a car accident, as he thought, but were killed. Now the killer wants to get to Harry himself.

Why read
If you’ve watched the movies and weren’t impressed and didn’t read the book, you’re wrong. The films are about magic, dragons and special effects. These books are about love, about what it takes to protect friends from danger, about how difficult it is to be a good person all the time. These books teach how wonderful it is that people are different. The fact that any, even the weakest child, is capable of miracles. It is also the greatest book about death and the fact that there are worse things.

«Winnie the Pooh», Alan Milne
About What
Adventures of a boy named Christopher Robin, his teddy bear Winnie the Pooh and their friends.

Why read
If only because this book is kindness itself. Heroes constantly solve some problems, but here, unlike all the rest of classical children’s literature, there are absolutely no negative characters. There are no enemies to defeat. There is only love. And friends. And in the end, they turn out to be the most valuable thing that you can acquire in life. The book teaches never to lose friends.

Tove Jansson’s series about Moomin trolls
About what
A description of the intricate relations between the inhabitants of Moomin-dalen.

Why read
All the characters are charming and so varied that it is easy to recognize yourself in at least one of them. The book teaches that two different people cannot be treated the same. You need not be lazy and look for an approach to everyone. And also the fact that fear can be overcome, friendship can be strengthened, love can be strengthened, and there is absolutely nothing impossible if you are not alone.

«Pippi Longstocking» by Astrid Lindgren
About what
A girl lives alone with her favorite animals, and adults constantly try to prevent her from doing this.

Why read
First, the heroine is a girl. And if you are raising a girl, then you are probably tired of looking for her books in which girls are the main ones. Moreover, the girl is excellent — brave, dexterous, kind, honest and with a sense of humor. The book teaches the most important thing: never, under any circumstances, no matter what they do to you, no matter how everyone is against you, no matter how hard it is — do not give up.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
What is about
The adventures of a not very obedient boy.

Why read
Yes, you yourself know why. This is a wonderful book, the translation is excellent, the adventures are fascinating, the characters are charismatic. In general, a classic. But there is another reason. When a child is restless, does not obey and constantly gets into trouble because of this, from the abundance of nit-picking, he begins to gradually get used to the fact that he is a bad child, a bad one. This book is just about the fact that even if you do not obey your elders, you are still good. And for those who raise you, it’s generally the best. And you, too, are capable of noble and even great deeds. And also, if something happens to you, adults will be very saddened, because you are the most precious thing they have. You probably forgot to remind your child of this today.

The Chronicles of Narnia, Clive Lewis
About What
A huge epic about children who find themselves in a parallel magical world and must fight evil in order to save this world.

Why read

The book is about love, suffering, overcoming, impossibility of choice and even a little bit about God. About what it costs to overcome evil in yourself every day, and about why it is worth doing at all. The book teaches how much more difficult it is to be a noble person than an ignoble one, and why you still need to choose this difficult path.

«Niels’ wonderful journey with the wild geese», Selma Lagerlöf
About what
For rudeness, the wizard reduces the boy Nils to the size of a gnome. Nils goes on a journey with his goose Martin — he needs to find a magician to enlarge him to the size of a boy.

Why read
The book is especially good for children who don’t have siblings. It is much more difficult to explain why you need to share, give in, and generally sacrifice something of your own. The book teaches how easy it is to do all this if you do it with love. In general, this book is a good example of what you have to go through for the sake of those you love.

«Charlie and the Chocolate Factory» by Roald Dahl
About What
Charlie, a kind and honest boy from a very poor family, finds himself in a chocolate factory run by a crazy genius who has big problems with his family.

Why read
There is a lot of magic around, and in the end the most honest and noble hero wins. But in general, this is a book that children’s grievances do not heal. The fact that the child grows up into a gloomy type who remembers everything that his parents did to him when he was nine. The fact that only the closest people can really hurt us. The child does not think so, and it is good for you to think about it. But the child believes that the most valuable thing in life is when you are loved. It doesn’t matter how. The main thing is love.

«The Adventures of Oliver Twist», Charles Dickens
About what
About the adventures of an orphan who escaped from the workhouse.

Why read
The book tells adults that a child does not have to be an orphan in order to suffer and experience grief. And even your “yes-he-has-everything-is” to your own child may feel bad and may not have enough love. And she teaches children that you yourself choose what kind of person to be, with whom to be friends, how to act and where to go, and the fact that you are just a child does not mean anything. The book teaches that you are still your own boy (or girl).

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
About What
About the life of a brother and sister raised by a widowed father in 1930s America while trying to save a black boy from the death penalty who was falsely accused of raping a white girl.

Why read
One of the greatest novels in the history of American literature.