Tween
17 Grown-Up Books Tweens Can Read
by Melissa Taylor
After rescuing a sweet 8-year-old lab and falling in love, I started reading dog books, which included the powerful memoir Until Tuesday by Luis Carlos Montalvan. Then, to my surprise, my 12-year-old stole it off my nightstand!
It got me thinking. What books of mine would my tween kids want to read? What books were appropriate? What books would they love just as much as me? And what books would change them as individuals and readers? Here are eleven “grown-up books” I’m recommending to my tweens, plus six bonus picks.
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The Lord of the Rings
Also available from:Tolkien is required reading for fantasy lovers, right? My Harry Potter fan devoured The Hobbit and is currently the middle of this epic fantasy trilogy.
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Unbroken
Also available from:I dare you. Just read the prologue to your kids. Not only is it a tension-filled historical adventure, it’s also a true story! Your kids will race to read this fascinating tale.
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Until Tuesday
Also available from:A moving account of how an imperfect but devoted golden retriever helped this former Army captain survive civilian life with PTSD and other injuries. Even if you aren’t a dog lover, I’m pretty sure you will be after reading this narrative.
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The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
Also available from:Stephen King scares the you-know-what out of me, but I’ve read enough to know he’s an amazing writer. My braver friends tell me that this story is a good sample of Stephen King’s writing for tweens who appreciate terror, and for parents who appreciate no sexual content for their kids just yet.
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The Last Lecture
Also available from:I’ve always thought that if I went back to the classroom, I’d put The Last Lecture on my syllabus. My own copy is filled with highlights and margin comments. Its timeless wisdom is just too good to miss. And who needs it more than our tweens and teens?
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The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Also available from:Narrated by a boy with Autism, you’ll see the world from his unique perspective. As he seeks answers to the neighborhood dog’s mysterious death, I promise that you’ll gain empathy and understanding for families dealing with Autism and enjoy a good mystery too.
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Into Thin Air
Also available from:This is one of those real-life accounts that is so compelling, even kids will find it hard to put down. Follow Krakauer as he ascends and descends the deadly Mt. Everest.
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My Sister's Keeper
Also available from:A story about sisters and family and secret promises, this book with its crazy plot twists and turns is a fast-paced read with interesting moral dilemmas.
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The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
Also available from:Douglas Adams isn’t as popular currently as when I was growing up in the ‘70s, but his science fiction epics are worth rediscovering for their humor, adventure, and thought-provoking life lessons.
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Selected Poems
Also available from:I found E. E. Cummings in my own tween years and have loved him ever since. His scandalous lack of grammar usage (!) appeals to our kids’ rebellious natures while his poems appeal to their souls.
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The Road
Also available from:Enter a bleak, burned world with few survivors. A father and son. Then, just a son. It’s an ashy, survival-of-the-fittest world. Readers imagine the “what ifs.” And ponder humanity. If nothing else, this book will make you think. (And possibly investigate survivalist living.)
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A Few More Grown-Up Books for Tweens:
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A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
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The Secret Life of Bees
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Life of Pi
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The Alchemist
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Watership Down
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