10 Books Tweens Will Love to Read

Timothy is a 12-year-old boy who has a stealing habit. It was just little things here and there, all in the name of raising money for his sick brother Levi. But then he got caught, and now he's considered a juvenile delinquent. 

A judge orders one year of house arrest as punishment, during which time he must behave himself or face harsher sentencing. He's ordered to keep a journal to detail his feelings during house arrest. It's only a year, but 365 days stuck in the same building feels so much longer, especially for someone like Timothy.

Cimorene is no ordinary princess. Royal girls like her are meant to be quiet, subservient, and do whatever they're told. But she is a tomboy who hates following orders. She's also bored stiff with her duties, so she does what every girl in her situation would do: she runs away to live with a dragon. 

How could it possibly be any worse than her previous life? Now, she has a new family and all the excitement she could ask for...for better or worse!

George MacDonald was a Scottish author who is considered one of the pioneers of Victorian fantasy literature. The Princess and the Goblin, first published in 1872, was later seen as a major influence on the likes of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. 

Eight-year-old Princess Irene lives in her absent father's mountain kingdom with nobody but her loyal nursemaid for company. One day, she is rescued from a band of goblins by a young miner named Curdie. The goblins were banished from the kingdom and now dwell in the dark mines where they plot to get their revenge on humans. Only Irene and her new friend Curdie can stop the rebellion, even if it means stomping on the foot of every goblin in the land!

Generations of children were raised on the works of Lucy Maud Montgomery, particularly her legendary series Anne of Green Gables. But Montgomery told many tales of young women living on the picturesque lands of Prince Edward Island. 

Emily of New Moon follows Emily Starr, an orphan brought to live on New Moon Farm by her late mother's snobby relatives. She's sure she'll be miserable here, what with her cruel new classmates and judgmental Aunt Elizabeth. But things begin to change when she makes friends, like Teddy, Perry, and Ilse. Soon, New Moon Farm seems like a paradise with so many beautiful secrets to discover. 

Many consider Joan Aiken to be one of the greatest children's authors in British history. 1962's The Wolves of Willoughby Chase kicked off the Wolves Chronicles series, an adventure saga set in an alternative 19th-century Britain where wolves dominate the wilds. 

Black Hearts in Battersea follows up the first novel and picks up the story of Simon the goose-boy, who helped to thwart the devious schemes of governess Miss Slighcarp. Now, he's in London and has stumbled into a plot to overthrow King James from the throne. With the help of his friend Sophie, Simon has to face kidnapping, shipwrecks, and even more wolves in an attempt to save the good King of this great land.

Armani Curtis is about to turn 10 years old and all she can think about is throwing the perfect party. Her friends are coming, she's going to get the perfect cake, and her presents are piling up. But things aren't meant to be. Hurricane Katrina is set to bombard New Orleans, and Armani's family home is in the middle of the storm's deadly path. 

Now, she must grow up quicker than planned and fight with her loved ones to stay alive. Being 10 has become a battle for survival as one of the deadliest storms to ever hit America makes land in Louisiana. 

Big Audrey is a perfectly normal girl, except for the fact that she has cat whiskers on her face. Hungry for adventure, she waves goodbye to her friends in Los Angeles and goes on the ultimate road trip to Poughkeepsie, New York. 

Perhaps she can find some answers about her unique life there, but if not, at least she'll have a blast on this trip. How could she not when she's traveling with her telepathic friend Molly and riding with a bongo-playing driver who looks suspiciously like Marlon Brando?

Bronte Mettlestone is only 10 years old when her parents are killed by pirates. But this doesn't bother her. She's been raised by her Aunt Isabelle ever since her mom and dad ran away to have adventures. But her parents have left detailed instructions for Bronte in their will, and she has no choice but to comply since the will was made with faery magic! 

Bronte must travel to new kingdoms and deliver gifts to her 10 other aunts. Why are her parents making her do this, and what is it she's actually delivering to these mysterious aunts?

Becoming an adolescent is amazing but also totally terrifying. You have many questions about what's happening to your body, mind, and society's views of you. The American Medical Association Girl's Guide to Becoming a Teen is filled with invaluable advice to help any young girl prepare for the madness of puberty. This guide also offers information on dealing with your changing feelings, how to deal with period care, and staying healthy when it seems as though your body hates you.

Puberty sucks for everyone, regardless of gender. For boys, you have to deal with many of the same issues as girls—acne, hormones, mood swings—as well as hair growth, your voice dropping, and seemingly gaining two feet in height overnight. The American Medical Association Boy's Guide to Becoming a Teen is, like its female counterpart, ideal for those in need of advice on everything from emotions to skincare to taking care of your body as well as learning about the reproductive system.