Books for Young Readers Pre Teens and Tweens: Ages 9-12

Pre Teens, tweens, and middle grade readers (books for ages nine and up) begin to soar with well-developed fantastical worlds, a gentle increase in the complexities of social and emotional plot developments, smaller fonts, and more pages.
With maturity developing and a wide range of reading abilities among preteens and tweens, middle grade novels launch readers into incredible worlds, a gentle increase in the complexities of social and emotional plot developments, smaller fonts, and more pages.
While kids used to read books featuring characters around their age, preteens and tweens begin to “read up”–they often like to read about characters older than themselves while also reserving the right to “read down” at any moment in time. We believe that our job here at The Children’s Book Review is to select excellent middle grade books that cover the many interests, maturity levels and varying ranges of emotional readiness of kids ages 9-12.
Our middle grade book reviews and book lists cover everything from the fun and enjoyable to stories that begin to raise difficult questions. You’ll find fantasy novels, mystery books, historical fiction, graphic novels (books formatted in comic book style), and much, much more.
Here Are a Few Middle Grade Book Lists to Get You Started:
5 Gorgeous Animal Adventure Novels for Middle Grade Readers
5 Laugh-Out-Loud and Reach-for-the-Kleenex Middle Grade Novels
What to Read Next If You Love the Ramona Books
5 Middle Grade Books That I’ll Never Lend Out to Anyone Ever
If you’re a huge fan of middle grade novels and a socialite, digitally speaking, and feel that we must know about one of your favorite books for ages 9-12, then you can send us suggestions on books for preteens and tweens through our Twitter handle, and share your most distinguished books on Instagram or Facebook with #thechildrensbookreview. We’re looking forward to connecting with our fellow bookworms!
Buy recent books and ebooks for preteens and tweens in our Book Shop powered by Amazon.
Books For Kids Ages 9, 10, 11, 12 and Up
Thought-provoking and exciting, this is the perfect middle-grade fantasy adventure for readers who love a strong heroine and good dose of magic.
This collection, Inspirational Soccer Stories for Kids, is not just a book-it’s a journey of inspiration and instruction for any young person who loves soccer.
Laurie Halse Anderson discusses her latest novel, Rebellion 1776, set during the American Revolution’s Siege of Boston and the smallpox epidemic.
Heather Preusser, author of Hedgehog Whodunit, shares her writing journey, highlighting how a sleepy hedgehog detective came to life.
Ghosts of Winter is a thrilling ghost story and a dive into small-town American history—perfect for middle-grade fans of spooky tales and the past!
God vs. the World is a classic Gods versus Human heroes quest story penned by a creative young author with a wild imagination.
Funny, imaginative, and just thought-provoking enough, Rolo on the Planet of the Cats is a great choice for science-loving middle graders.
Award-winning author Dusti Bowling discusses her new novel The Beat I Drum, which spotlights Connor Bradley’s experience with Tourette syndrome.
Join us on an exciting adventure as we unlock the secrets of the U.S. Constitution on the virtual tour for Gary Gabel’s The Constitution Kids.
Sequel to the story Whisper, Lucas takes us back in time to tell the story of the orphaned little boy who will become a vital part of a new, happy family.
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