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
2025 brings an extraordinary collection of non-fiction books that educate, inspire, and celebrate the remarkable diversity of our world.
2025 brings an extraordinary collection of picture books that celebrate imagination, community, and the power of storytelling across diverse perspectives.
AudioFile’s 2025 Best Children & Family Listening Audiobooks are full of music, magic, friendship, adventure, and relatable personal stories.
Funny and thought-provoking, this is a story that sparks conversations about healthy eating—especially for those who enjoy a lot of puns.
In this exciting sequel to Energy Wars: The Awakening, Myles takes the adventure further in his fight against life-sucking technology.
With poetic prose that respects both child and adult readers, Catch succeeds as a meditation on time and love that will resonate across generations.
Today, we’re joined by Desislava Chevallier, author of It’s Not Pilates, a heartwarming picture book born from a love of movement.
We’re excited to chat with Corlis C. Fraga, author of The Chronicles of Noe: The Chimera & The Grail Tree, a myth-bending fantasy.
Gear up for a holiday adventure like no other as we kick off the virtual book tour for T.E. Milburn’s Magic in the Mountains: A Christmas Trilogy!
These audiobooks will immerse listeners in cultural experiences with thoughtful productions, inspire budding scientists, and help families welcome the winter.