20 Best Books For Preteens (2023 Update)

An instant nyt bestseller! four-time hugo award-winning author n.k. jemisin crafts her most incredible novel yet, the first book in the great cities duology, a crackling tale of culture, identity, magic, and myths in contemporary new york city. "a glorious fantasy." –neil gaiman in manhattan, a young grad student gets off the train and realizes he doesn't remember who he is, where he's from, or even his own name. but he can sense the beating heart of the city, see its history, and feel its power. in the bronx, a lenape gallery director discovers strange graffiti scattered throughout the city, so beautiful and powerful it's as if the paint is literally calling to her. in brooklyn, a politician and mother finds she can hear the songs of her city, pulsing to the beat of her louboutin heels. and they're not the only ones. every great city has a soul. some are ancient as myths, and others are as new and destructive as children. new york? she's got six.

The thrilling world of dreamworks animation's spirit riding free is brought to life in award-winning author suzanne selfors's original novel, now as a paperback! twelve-year-old lucky prescott craves adventure, but as a young lady of society she's only been allowed to experience adventure through books. that is, until one fateful day when lucky, her father, and her aunt leave their neat-and-tidy city life and travel to their new home out west. at first lucky is excited, but during the long train ride to her new home in miradero, she begins to worry. what if she doesn't make any new friends? everyone in the west rides horses, but she's never been allowed to even sit on one. how can she possibly fit in? anxious about the future, lucky looks out the train window and sees a majestic wild stallion. when their eyes meet, she senses a connection. but when the stallion is caught by wranglers, lucky's heart breaks. and when she next sees the stallion, he's tied to a post, refusing to be "broken." spirit riding free: the adventure begins, now in paperback, is the story of a girl and a wild horse, equally out of place in a strange, new world, but equally fierce and brave. with each other to lean on, will these two free spirits be able to find a home together? dreamworks spirit riding free 2019 dreamworks animation llc.

“this is a perfect pick for kids who love rick riordan’s many series, particularly for those eager for mythologies beyond greek and roman stories.” —booklist (starred review) “a winner for all kids, but it will be especially beloved by latinx and hispanic families.” —kirkus reviews (starred review) the lightning thief meets the story thieves series in this middle grade fantasy inspired by hispanic folklore, legends, and myths from the iberian peninsula and central and south america.charlie hernández has always been proud of his latin american heritage. he loves the culture, the art, and especially the myths. thanks to his abuela’s stories, charlie possesses an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the monsters and ghouls who have spent the last five hundred years haunting the imaginations of children all across the iberian peninsula, as well as central and south america. and even though his grandmother sometimes hinted that the tales might be more than mere myth, charlie’s always been a pragmatist. even barely out of diapers, he knew the stories were just make-believe—nothing more than intricately woven fables meant to keep little kids from misbehaving. but when charlie begins to experience freaky bodily manifestations—ones all too similar to those described by his grandma in his favorite legend—he is suddenly swept up in a world where the mythical beings he’s spent his entire life hearing about seem to be walking straight out of the pages of hispanic folklore and into his life. and even stranger, they seem to know more about him than he knows about himself. soon, charlie finds himself in the middle of an ancient battle between la liga, a secret society of legendary mythological beings sworn to protect the land of the living, and la mano negra (a.k.a. the black hand), a cabal of evil spirits determined to rule mankind. with only the help of his lifelong crush, violet rey, and his grandmother’s stories to guide him, charlie must navigate a world where monsters and brujas rule and things he couldn’t possibly imagine go bump in the night. that is, if he has any hope of discovering what’s happening to him and saving his missing parents (oh, and maybe even the world). no pressure, muchacho.

Now a major motion picture!" i wish i'd had these books as a kid. hilarious!" — dav pilkey, creator of captain underpants and dog manthis new york times bestselling illustrated series is perfect for fans of dog man and captain underpants.they sound like bad guys, they look like bad guys . . . and they even smell like bad guys. but mr. wolf, mr. piranha, mr. snake, and mr. shark are about to change all of that… mr. wolf has a daring plan for the bad guys' first good mission. they are going to break two hundred dogs out of the maximum security city dog pound. will operation dog pound go smoothly? will the bad guys become the good guys? and will mr. snake please stop swallowing mr. piranha?!

Percy jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. and lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse – percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. when percy s mom finds out, she knows it s time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he ll be safe. she sends percy to camp half-blood, a summer camp for demigods – on long island, where he learns that the father he never knew is poseidon, god of the sea. soon, a mystery unfolds and together with his friends – one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of athena – percy sets out on a quest across the united states to reach the gates of the underworld – located in a recording studio in hollywood and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods. publisher : harper collins author : rick riordan ages : 10-14format: 400 pages, paperback, isbn : 9780786838653

_______________the second book in the laugh-out-loud funny kid normal series for readers aged 8+, from radio stars greg james and chris smith_______________praise for kid normal:'so funny, it's almost criminal' – independent'outrageous capers' – guardiankid normal was shortlisted for the waterstones children's book prize_______________not all heroes have superpowers. don't believe us? well murph cooper is living proof. since becoming kid normal, he and the super zeroes have been catching baddies all over the place. but being a hero is about to get a whole lot harder … far away in a top-secret prison, the world's most feared supervillain has broken a thirty year silence. his first words? 'bring kid normal to me!'

The classic, bestselling title today's parents grew up with – chicken soup for the preteen soul 21st anniversary edition has been refreshed and updated with additional, new stories to help today's preteens be the happiest, best versions of themselves. when you read these stories about the lives of other kids your age, you’ll realize you share many experiences and emotions. you are not alone. that is so empowering and comforting. and that’s why this collection of stories for preteens has become a classic, published for the first time in the year 2000, and now updated with brand-new stories for its 21st anniversary—ones about being a kid during the pandemic, social media and technology, and many other modern-day issues. you’ll read more than 100 stories and poems in chapters about: – achieving dreams – friendship – family – love – death and dying – attitude and perspective – overcoming obstacles – choices – tough stuff – changes – eclectic wisdom chicken soup for the soul books are 100% made in the usa and each book includes stories from as diverse a group of writers as possible. chicken soup for the soul solicits and publishes stories from the lgbtq community and from people of all ethnicities, nationalities, and religions.

For fans of lemony snicket and escape from mr. lemoncello's library, this first book in the bestselling, award-winning mysterious benedict society series is not to be missed!" are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?" dozens of children respond to this peculiar ad in the newspaper and are then put through a series of mind-bending tests, which readers take along with them. only four children–two boys and two girls–succeed. to accomplish it they will have to go undercover at the learning institute for the very enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. but what they'll find in the hidden underground tunnels of the school is more than your average school supplies. so, if you're gifted, creative, or happen to know morse code, they could probably use your help.

A young boy relates his adventures during the year he spends living alone in the catskill mountains including his struggle for survival, his dependence on nature, his animal friends, and his ultimate realization that he needs human companionship.

A new york times bestselling series a usa today bestselling series a california young reader medal–winning series sophie battles the rebels—and recovers dark memories from her past—in this jaw-dropping fourth book in the bestselling keeper of the lost cities series.sophie foster is on the run—but at least she’s not alone. her closest friends from the lost cities have gone with her to join the black swan. they still have doubts about the shadowy organization, but the only way to find answers is to start working with them. and as they settle into their new lives, they uncover secrets bigger than anything they’d imagined. but their enemies are far from done, and unleash a terrifying plague that threatens the safety of an entire species. sophie and her friends fight with everything they have—with new allies joining them—but every choice has consequences. and trusting the wrong person could prove deadly. in this game-changing fourth book in the keeper of the lost cities series, sophie must question everything to find a truth that will either save her world—or shatter it.

New york times bestseller! artemis fowl meets men in black in this exhilarating debut middle grade fantasy, the first in a trilogy filled with #blackgirlmagic. perfect for fans of tristan strong punches a hole in the sky, the percy jackson series, and nevermoor. amari peters has never stopped believing her missing brother, quinton, is alive. not even when the police told her otherwise, or when she got in trouble for standing up to bullies who said he was gone for good.so when she finds a ticking briefcase in his closet, containing a nomination for a summer tryout at the bureau of supernatural affairs, she's certain the secretive organization holds the key to locating quinton–if only she can wrap her head around the idea of magicians, fairies, aliens, and other supernatural creatures all being real.now she must compete for a spot against kids who've known about magic their whole lives. no matter how hard she tries, amari can't seem to escape their intense doubt and scrutiny–especially once her supernaturally enhanced talent is deemed "illegal." with an evil magician threatening the supernatural world, and her own classmates thinking she's an enemy, amari has never felt more alone. but if she doesn't stick it out and pass the tryouts, she may never find out what happened to quinton.plus don't miss the thrilling sequel, amari and the great game!

Dashka slater's the 57 bus, a riveting nonfiction book for teens about race, class, gender, crime, and punishment, tells the true story of an agender teen who was set on fire by another teen while riding a bus in oakland, california. – a new york times bestseller – stonewall book award winner—mike morgan & larry romans children's & young adult literature award – yalsa award for excellence in nonfiction for young adults finalist one teenager in a skirt. one teenager with a lighter. – one moment that changes both of their lives forever. if it weren’t for the 57 bus, sasha and richard never would have met. both were high school students from oakland, california, one of the most diverse cities in the country, but they inhabited different worlds. sasha, a white teen, lived in the middle-class foothills and attended a small private school. richard, a black teen, lived in the crime-plagued flatlands and attended a large public one. each day, their paths overlapped for a mere eight minutes. but one afternoon on the bus ride home from school, a single reckless act left sasha severely burned, and richard charged with two hate crimes and facing life imprisonment. the case garnered international attention, thrusting both teenagers into the spotlight.

-a multicultural children's books by quentin holmes -easy-to-read, empowering and entertaining stories preteens (7-to-12 years old) -available in softcover, & ebookthe real street kidz are chasing action! join q, lucky, los, and chase — a diverse group of preteens who must pull together in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles–in this unique coming of age story. when rumors fly around long beach that chase, a rising skateboarder, cheated to defeat his former best friend in the annual long beach skateboard competition, chase becomes very determined to get a rematch to prove everyone wrong. but chase and his new crew must rely on the plans of q, the new kid, to get an all new skate park at the local neighborhood center for the rematch despite many unforeseen obstacles. will the real street kidz trust q's plans? will they form a tight bond or will their differences tear them apart? will chase get his rematch? join q and the crew to find out!

Journeys to the end of the world, fantastic creatures, and epic battles between good and evil—what more could any reader ask for in one book? the book that has it all is the lion, the witch and the wardrobe, written in 1949 by clive staples lewis. but lewis did not stop there. six more books followed, and together they became known as the chronicles of narnia. for the past fifty years, the chronicles of narnia have transcended the fantasy genre to become part of the canon of classic literature. each of the seven books is a masterpiece, drawing the reader into a land where magic meets reality, and the result is a fictional world whose scope has fascinated generations. this edition presents all seven books—unabridged—in one impressive volume. the books are presented here in chronlogical order, each chapter graced with an illustration by the original artist, pauline baynes. deceptively simple and direct, the chronicles of narnia continue to captivate fans with adventures, characters, and truths that speak to readers of all ages, even fifty years after they were first published.

Buy roald dhal books- an amazing collections of childhood tales about the author roald dahl was a spy, ace fighter-pilot, chocolate historian and medical inventor. he was also the author of charlie and the chocolate factory, matilda, the bfg and many more brilliant stories. he remains the world’s no.1 storyteller.

-a multicultural children's books by quentin holmes -easy-to-read, empowering and entertaining stories preteens (7-to-12 years old) -available in softcover, & ebookq, jazz, chase, ginger, los, kawena, and lucky, are the adventure seeking real street kidz. an extraordinary group of kids who live life in a big way and prove that you're never too young to make a difference. during the summer the real street kidz chased action and mastered the art of authenticity, but with the arrival of a new school semester the rsk are in serious need of good ideas. the kids are immediately faced with frustrating challenges from a rigid new school's "pilot program," that includes excessive pop-quizzes, strict dress codes, and a disgusting "healthy choice" menu. things really get worse when their old rival junior puts the entire school in jeopardy with his "me first" re-election campaign for school president. q and jazz decide to run against him to stop junior's reckless campaign from ruining the student body, but that's when things become even worse! the entire school becomes divided and everyone is desperate for an infusion of good ideas to help put things back together again. whose side will the friends choose? which side would you choose? making the wrong choice could cost everyone a lot more than just a school election; it could cost everyone a better world!

A collection of short stories for children ages 7-12.

A collection of short stories for children ages 7-12.

This first batch of chicken soup for teens consists of 101 stories every teenager can relate to and learn from — without feeling criticized or judged. this edition contains important lessons on the nature of friendship and love, the importance of belief in the future, and the value of respect for oneself and others, and much more.

This first batch of chicken soup for teens consists of 101 stories every teenager can relate to and learn from — without feeling criticized or judged. this edition contains important lessons on the nature of friendship and love, the importance of belief in the future, and the value of respect for oneself and others, and much more.