What books are the 12 year-olds into these days?

October 15, 2023 4:24 PM

I don't know many tweens, so: Those of you who know what 12 year-old boys are reading these days... please share with the class! I need some ideas for a solid reader who will want pretty immersive stories. He seems interested in art and fantasy, but beyond that I don't have many leads. Rec me?
posted by TwoStride to Shopping (19 answers total)

Percy Jackson series, especially with the tv series about to start. Rick Riordan also has a great line of YA books by POC writers.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 5:03 PM on October 15, 2023 [4 favorites]

Maybe The 39 Clues? It’s a fairly large (but finished) adventure/mystery series with lots of spin offs, written by multiple heavy hitters in middle grade lit. For fantasy, you could try The Ranger’s Apprentice series and its spin offs.
posted by ceramicspaniel at 5:08 PM on October 15, 2023

I recently purchased a copy of The Hunger Games for my cousin's 12-year-old son (after he told me his teacher had given him special permission to read it) and he LOVED it.
posted by clair-de-lune at 5:27 PM on October 15, 2023

My friend just had published “The Mona Lisa Vanishes.” It’s a great book. The NYT called it a “witty thriller.”
posted by fruitslinger at 6:05 PM on October 15, 2023

Wings of fire. My tweens adore them! Dragons with good world building. There are 15 books in the main series plus a few side books and graphic novels
posted by akabobo at 6:07 PM on October 15, 2023 [5 favorites]

My twelve year old and I really enjoyed The Green Glass House series. We also enjoyed (though not quite as much) The Mysterious Benedict Society.

The twelve year old loved loved loved the 675 Wings of Fire Books that they read in both text and graphic novel form. I made it through one, and after that satisfied myself with watching them read. Those books are pretty much tween pulp fiction, and I was happy when they moved on.
posted by Winnie the Proust at 6:44 PM on October 15, 2023

fourth wing is new and may be higher in the maturity scale than some books for preteens, but my 12 year old loved it
posted by afterdark at 7:26 PM on October 15, 2023

I’ll also throw in the Tiffany Aching series by Terry Pratchett. Part of the Discworld series but aimed at YA.
For sheer fun, I’d also recommend the Treehouse Series by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton.
posted by antipodes at 8:07 PM on October 15, 2023 [1 favorite]

My 12-yo just tore through all of Artemis Fowl and loved it. He also loved the Blackthorn Key series, which is a pretty cool historical adventure/mystery. Also starting Hunger Games. His sister recommended the Graceling series, also.
posted by graphweaver at 9:07 PM on October 15, 2023

Manga? There's an awful lot of it, and kids that age seem to devour it.
posted by MythMaker at 9:21 PM on October 15, 2023

Taking a different tack - I recommend Rudyard Kipling's "Captains Courageous". Might be a little dated, but definitely absorbing. Follow with the excellent movie.
posted by TimHare at 10:52 PM on October 15, 2023 [1 favorite]

The Magyk/Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage, and the Series of Unfortunate Events books by Lemony Snicket were both massive hits with my tweens. They were also the two series where I thought the writing and plotting were excellent. The narrators of both audio series were also excellent. My high schooler occasionally still listens to the Magyk series at bedtime.
posted by cocoagirl at 3:38 AM on October 16, 2023

Currently, at the library where I work: Wings of Fire, Big Nate, lots of comics, (Naruto, Pokemon, Sonic, New Kid and its sequels by Jerry Craft) Who Would Win (a series of non-fiction books about which animals would win in a fight.)
posted by tangosnail at 9:36 AM on October 16, 2023

My boy (12) raced through the first His Dark Materials trilogy right after he finished the non-collab Rick Riordan books. He bounced right off the Book of Dust, though.
posted by Kreiger at 9:38 AM on October 16, 2023

Perhaps the Redwall books, by Brian Jacques. My #2 son loved these so much he has them all (22 books) in hardback.
posted by lhauser at 5:13 PM on October 16, 2023

Diane Duane's Young Wizards series is amazing - get the updated New Millennium eds, though. The whole series is often available at significant discount directly from the author.
posted by Tamanna at 3:43 AM on October 17, 2023

Best answer: Amari and the Night Brothers went over well with my kids (12 and 9). Bonus points because it features a young Black protagonist.
posted by that's candlepin at 1:12 PM on October 17, 2023 [1 favorite]

Recommended highly by a precocious 11 year old: Keeper of the Lost Cities series.
posted by spamandkimchi at 2:57 PM on October 17, 2023 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks for all of the suggestions, everyone! I'm excited to share some of these and read them myself!
posted by TwoStride at 6:33 AM on October 18, 2023