Reading Lists for  Ages 12-14

as recommended by the American Library Association

Almond, David. The Fire-Eaters. 

Simultaneously searing and soaring, this passionate exploration of faith places the private apocalypses of rural English schoolboy Bobby Burns against the backdrop of the Cuban missile crisis. A 2005 Best Book for Young Adults (YALSA).

Armstrong, William N.  Sounder
The story of a dog, who tries to save his master a black sharecropper, who has been driven to steal for his family's survival, from arrest, and a boy who loves them both

Arrington, Frances.  Prairie Whispers. "Oh what a tangled web we weave" might be the motto of this story, set on the South Dakota prairie. Colleen brings home a baby girl whose mother has died, substituting it for her mother's stillborn child. Arrington masterfully tightens the noose as Colleen tries to juggle her stories and protect her new sister.

Babbit, Natalie.  Tuck Everlasting
Ten-year-old Winfred Foster and a malicious stranger both accidentally discover the Tuck family and their secret, a hidden spring whose water prevents one from ever growing older.

Bausum, Ann. With Courage and Cloth: Winning the Fight for a Woman's Right to Vote.

 Focusing on Alice Paul, Bausum's account of the 72-year battle to gain women's voting rights uses archival photographs and other visual material, tinted in purple and gold, to accompany information about political strategies, the treatment of jailed activists, and the determination that resulted in woman suffrage in the U.S.A. 2005 Best Book for Young Adults (YALSA).

Bolden, Tonya. Wake Up Our Souls. Published in conjunction with the Smithsonian American Art Museum, this elegant, concise volume introduces a selection of African American visual artists. Bolden's clear, graceful language illuminates the social and political climate in which the artists worked, and the beautifully reproduced images will encourage readers to connect with the artists' work and visual art in general

Brooks, Kevin.  Lucas. In this edge-of-the-seat story, Lucas comes to town and everything changes, including 15-year-old Caitlin. As Caitlin's older brother becomes a danger and Lucas emerges as a blessing, both Caitlin and readers feel the confluence of events building to an explosive climax.

Brooks, Martha. True Confessions of a Heartless Girl. Tiny Pembina Lake has more than its share of world-weary residents. When 17-year-old Noreen rides into town in a stolen truck, her scarred psyche awakens even those sleepwalking souls. Plain writing and bare-to-the-bones characterizations are the hallmarks of this expertly revealed story.

Catling, Patrick.  The Chocolate Touch
A boy acquires a magical gift: everything he touches turns to chocolate!

Cameron, Ann. Colibrí. Kidnapped from her Mayan village at the age of 4, Rosa, now 12, travels the Guatemalan countryside with "Uncle," her abusive captor, who believes she will bring him great fortune. Poetic words describe Rosa's thrilling quest for her true family in a story that is filled with mysticism and adventure.

Choldenko, Gennifer. Al Capone Does My Shirts. Alcatraz is the evocative backdrop for this highly original novel, set in 1935, in which 12-year-old Moose tells about his travails on "the Rock," where his father works. Hilarious antics are interwoven with themes of isolation and imprisonment, compassion and connection. A 2005 Newbery Honor Book and A 2005 Best Book for Young Adults (YALSA

Chotjewitz, David. Daniel, Half Human: and the Good Nazi. Tr. from the German by Doris Orgel. In this suspenseful story set in 1930s Germany, a boy accustomed to privilege is forced into a life of deception after discovering that he is half-Jewish. His complicated relationship with his friend Armin is challenged when the rise of Nazism takes the children in different directions. A 2005 Batchelder Honor Book and A 2005 Best Book for Young Adults (YALSA).

Constable, Kate. The Singer of All Songs.  In Constable's lush introduction to a world where song powers magic, a novice ice-priestess breaks free from a cloistered existence and helps battle an upstart sorcerer. Strong storytelling and rich specificity put this impressive debut firmly in the tradition of Ursula K. Le Guin's classic Earthsea books.

Cooper, Susan.  The Boggart
After returning from a trip to Scotland, two school children find out they've brought something extra home with them.

Curtis, Christopher Paul. Bucking the Sarge. With great wit and intelligence, 14-year-old Luther plots to escape his ruthless mother's plans for his life and to find his way in the world outside of Flint, Michigan. A 2005 Best Book for Young Adults (YALSA

Donnelly, Jennifer. A Northern Light. A 1906 murder at an upstate New York resort provides the framework for this ambitious, lyrical novel about 16-year-old Mattie, who longs to be a writer while straining against family expectations, gender constraints, and the emotions that come with first love.

Doyle, Brian. Boy O'Boy. 

This powerful, engaging novel set in Ottawa at the end of World War II introduces 12-year-old Martin O'Boy, whose wit, upbeat disposition, and superhero inspiration help him triumph over poverty, a troubled family life, and abuse from a man with an eye for boys.

Drez, Ronald J. Remember D-Day: The Plan, the Invasion, Survivor Stories.   

The history of this pivotal World War II event is chronicled in a compelling narrative, presented in an accessible, engaging format and buttressed by a variety of primary sources

Farmer, Nancy. The SeaTrolls

In a tale inspired by Norse legend, Jack sets off on a quest and encounters wild adventures and outrageous characters, including trolls, dragons, giant spiders, and fierce boars. A 2005 Best Book for Young Adults (YALSA).

Fisher, Catherine. The Oracle Betrayed.  Mirany becomes the keeper of the Archon's final secret and must find a way to save her kingdom. Set in a mythic Greco-Egyptian kingdom, her story is filled with betrayal and intrigue.  A 2005 Best Book for Young Adults (YALSA)

Flake, Sharon G. Who Am I without Him? Ten funny, anguished short stories about growing up black today speak with rare truth about family, friends, school, and especially about finding a boyfriend.

Fleischman, Paul.  Bull Run.
Northerners, Southerners, generals, couriers, dreaming boys, and worried sisters describe the glory, the horror, the thrill, and the disillusionment of the first battle of the Civil War.

Fredericks, Mariah. The True Meaning of Cleavage. Writing with tremendous perception, first-time novelist Fredericks tells the story of two ninth-grade girls: Sari, who has crossed the psychological divide that makes boyfriends more important than girlfriends, and Jess, who waits for Sari to come back to her.

Freedman, Russell. In Defense of Liberty: The Story of America≠s Bill of Rights.  In a compelling, timely discussion of the Constitution and civil liberties, Freedman writes in clear, conversational prose about the history of the Bill of Rights. The contemporary scene, including the conflicts now raging about national security and individual freedom, is always part of his discussion. (Top of the List winner Youth Nonfiction.)

Freedman, Russell. The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights. Freedman gracefully narrates the story of Anderson's life and career in this handsomely and spaciously designed book about an artist who preferred to focus on her career but was forced to confront her nation's racism. The 2005 Sibert Medal Book, A 2005 Newbery Honor Book, and A 2005 Best Book for Young Adults (YALSA).

George, Jean Craighead.  Julie of the Wolves
Julie must find a way to survive in the harsh Alaskan tundra and the nearby wolf pack may be her only hope.

Going, K. L. Fat Kid Rules the World. Troy is almost 300 pounds of sweating, unhappy insecurity. Then, out of a moment of despair, comes a charismatic punk rocker who befriends him. An impressive debut that offers hope for all kids--dross transmuted into gold

Greenberg, Jan and Jordan, Sandra. Andy Warhol: Prince of Pop. Without sensationalizing, the authors offer a riveting, balanced biography that humanizes their controversial subject. Lucid insights into Warhol's life and the provocative questions his work raises make this an essential, highly readable introduction both to an American icon and to contemporary art.

Haddix, Margaret Peterson.  Running Out of Time
When a diphtheria epidemic hits her 1840s village, thirteen-year-old Jessie discovers it is actually a 1995 tourist site under unseen observation by heartless scientist, and it's up to Jessie to escape the village and save the lives of the dying children.

Hamilton, Virginia. The House of Dies Drear
Thomas Small discovers a secret in his family's home, which was once a stop on the Underground Railroad.

Hautman, Pete. Godless.  Young people who have had questions about faith and God will respond to the story of 16-year-old Joshua Block, who invents a new religion with the town≠s water tower as god. In a smartly structured narrative, by turns funny, worried, and questioning, Jason watches as his little congregation starts wanting to "worship" in its own way.

Henry, Marguerite.  Misty of Chincoteague
A brother and sister are determined to own one of the ponies their father helps to round up on Chincoteague Island.

Hesse, Karen.  Sable
Tate has always wanted a dog, and when Sable shows up, her dream comes true. Will problems with the neighbors keep Tate and Sable apart?

Hoffman, Mary. Stravaganza: City of Stars.  In the second exciting episode in an outstanding fantasy series, Georgia travels back and forth between her unhappy home in modern-day London and her new friends in a richly detailed, well-imagined place called Remora.

Hoose, Phillip M. The Race to Save the Lord God Bird.

The tragic conclusion of the reign of the magnificent ivory-billed woodpecker unfolds with passion - and a tiny dollop of hope at the end. A 2005 Best Book for Young Adults (YALSA)

Hopkinson, Deborah. Shutting Out the Sky.

With amazing documentary photos, this history of nineteenth-century European immigration humanizes the statistics by telling the personal stories of five young people and exploring why they left and how they changed America.

Is This Forever, or What?  Poems & Paintings from Texas.  Ed. by Naomi Shihab Nye.

In a beautiful, contemporary collection of paintings and free-verse poetry, 140 Texas artists and poets convey their love of Texas as a "state of mind," not just a place. 

Johnson, Angela. Bird. 

Bird searches for the stepfather who abandoned her, but finds a circle of friends that reveal the true meaning of family and love. Told through the first-person perspectives of Bird and her two new friends. A 2005 Best Book for Young Adults (YALSA).

Johnson, Angela. The First Part Last.   At 16, Bobby suddenly finds himself a single-parent dad, and in the simplest poetic words, Johnson expresses the physical reality of what it's like, both the exhausting problems and the tenderness.

Kadohata, Cynthia. Kira-Kira. Kadohata's tenderly nuanced novel glitters with plain and poignant words that describe the strong love within a Japanese American family from the point of view of younger sister Katie. Personal challenges and family tragedy are set against the oppressive social climate of the South during the 1950s and 1960s. The 2005 Newbery Medal Book

Konigsburg, E. L. The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place

Margaret Rose is rescued from summer camp by her eccentric uncles and, in turn, saves their splendid, artistically sculptured towers. A 2005 Best Book for Young Adults (YALSA).

Konigsburg, E.L.  The View From Saturday
An academic competition brings four students together, and each tells the unlikely story of how they got there.

Lauber, Patricia. Who Came First? New Clues to Prehistoric Americans. Who were the first Americans? Where did they come from? When? How did they get here? Lauber≠s lively narrative draws readers into crucial contemporary research in archaeology, science, and language.

Lawrence, Michael. A Crack in the Line. When teenage Alaric travels to an alternate universe, he meets a girl who could be his twin and gets a glimpse of his mother, who, in his own world, has died. Rich sensory detail and a wealth of clever connections mark this inventive, complex fantasy that considers the quirks of chance and fate.

Leavitt, Martine. Heck Superhero.  Heck's mother counts on him to be her hero, but their lives unravel when the clinically depressed woman spirals into "hypertime," leaving Heck, artist and superhero wanna-be, to fend for himself on the streets. A funny, painful, original novel. A 2005 Best Book for Young Adults (YALSA).

L'Engle, Madeleine.  A Wrinkle in Time
Classic adventure in space and time.

Le Guin, Ursula K. Gifts. The first YA novel in 14 years from renowned fantasist Le Guin, this trenchant coming-of-age allegory, set in a community where long-standing rivalries are driven by clans' inherited, extrasensory "gifts" combines earthy magic with universal themes of young people testing boundaries and questioning tradition.

Mack, Tracy. Birdland. The making of a video becomes a metaphor for coming-of-age in this rigorously unsentimental novel about a family in crisis following the death of one of its own. Powerful, poignant fiction that traces one family's painful struggle toward healing.

McDonald, Janet. Twists and Turns. Raucous and tender, harsh and hopeful, McDonald's fast-talking novel about teen project girls in Brooklyn Heights shows the hardships even as the girls find strength in themselves and their community.

McKay, Hilary. Indigo's Star. Through a series of humorous and poignant adventures, the Cassons learn about the true meaning of family and friendship.  It's great to spend more time with the quirky characters that first appeared in Saffy's Angel.

McWhorter, Diane. A Dream of Freedom: The Civil Rights Movement from 1954 to 1968. Pulitzer prize winner McWhorter mines her childhood as a white girl in Birmingham, Alabama, to write this distinguished, in-depth exploration of the civil rights movement in the U.S.A. 2005 Best Book for Young Adults (YALSA).

Mead, Alice.  Junebug
Living in the projects, Junebug must somehow withstand the daily pressures of drugs and gangs while still holding onto his dream of sailing.

Moriarty, Jaclyn. The Year of Secret Assignments.  Letters, diary entries, lists, and quizzes are only a few of the narrative devices employed in this wholly entertaining story about three impressionable Australian girls who recount madcap adventures, burgeoning romances, and deep, unshakable friendships.

Morpurgo, Michael. Private Peaceful   In this World War I story, the terse narrative of a young English soldier is as compelling about the world left behind as about the horrific daily details of trench warfare. Suspense builds right to the end, which is shocking, honest, and unforgettable.

Myers, Walter Dean. Here in Harlem: Poems in Many Voices.  Borrowing from both the classical tradition and the rhythms of jazz and blues, this dazzling collection illuminates the many faces of Harlem, past and present. A 2005 Best Book for Young Adults (YALSA).

Namioka, Lensey.  Yang the Youngest and His Terrible Ear
Yang is the only one in his entire family to be totally lacking in musical talent. He faces the agony of music lessons every day, when all he really wants to do is play ball.

Nelson, Marilyn. Fortune's Bones: The Manumission Requiem. 

Using a piercing cycle of poetry, Nelson introduces readers to Fortune, a slave whose death frees him but also enslaves him for 200 years--first as an anatomical specimen and later as a museum display. A 2005 Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book.

Nilsson, Per. Heart's Delight.  Nilsson gets the elation, the embarrassment, and the disappointment just right in this honest, poignant story of a teenager caught unawares by the transience of first love.

Oppel, Kenneth. Airborn.  

Matt, a cabin boy aboard a luxury airship, saves a dying balloonist whose ship has been damaged. The balloonist's last words are about beautiful, winged creatures. One year later, the granddaughter of the balloonist takes passage on the airship, hoping to find the mysterious creatures. A 2005 Printz Honor Book and A 2005 Best Book for Young Adults (YALSA).

Orenstein, Denise Gosliner. Unseen Companion. Exceptionally strong characters and a background of unusual cultural conflict distinguish Orenstein's stark, kaleidoscopic novel, in which a 16-year-old boy is the link between four Alaskan young people, whose compelling stories gradually unfold.

Osa, Nancy. Cuba 15. Growing up in suburban Chicago with a Cuban father and a Polish mother, Violet insists she is an American. Her hilarious, cool first-person narrative veers between slapstick and tenderness as she searches for roots in her loving family.

Patterson, Katherine.  Jacob Have I Loved
While everyone adores and admires her twin sister, Sara Louise overcomes her jealousy and finds her own identity and inner strength.

Peck, Richard. The River between Us.  Personal secrets drive the plot and reveal the history in this powerful novel about two young women who get off a boat in a small southern Illinois town at the start of the Civil War.

Peck, Richard. The Teacher's Funeral: A Comedy in Three Parts. Russell, growing up in 1904, doesn't like school, and he's delighted when his teacher, Miss Myrt Arbuckle, dies. But when his older sister Tansy becomes the new teacher, Russell finds himself facing all kinds of new troubles. A 2005 Best Book for Young Adults (YALSA).

Pratchett, Terry. A Hat Full of Sky.  

Young Tiffany Aching, two years removed from saving the world with an iron skillet, returns to face two new challenges: formal education in witchcraft and an identity-eating monster.  It's the Feegles to the rescue in a great sequel to The Wee Free Men. A 2005 Best Book for Young Adults (YALSA)

Raskin, Ellen.  Westing Game
A millionaire's mysterious death, a fortune to inherit, and an unlikely assortment of heirs- -can you figure out the mystery?

Rawls, Wilson.  Where the Red Fern Grows
Having purchased two dogs for fifty dollars, young Billy is determined to create the valley's best hunting team. Follows the friendship of a boy and his two dogs and their adventures along the dark hills and river bottoms of Cherokee country.

Rosoff, Meg. How I Live Now. Waves of global terrorism and a tough, contemporary 15-year-old protagonist are the defining elements in this startlingly original first novel, which tenderly interweaves a deeply felt first romance with the main character's transition from sardonic, self-absorbed teen to resourceful survivor.

Rowling, J.K.  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry's a perfectly ordinary boy in a perfectly ordinary school--except for the fact that he happens to be a wizard and his classes include Transfiguration and Potions!

Ryan, Pam Muñoz. Becoming Naomi León. Ryan presents an endearing, unforgettable character in Naomi Soledad León Outlaw, who faces many challenges with courage and conviction. A book filled with humor and poignancy. The 2005 Schneider Family Middle School Award Book.

Schmidt, Gary D. Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy. Set in Maine in 1912, this powerful, haunting novel, propelled by a tragic historical event, probes a forbidden friendship between a preacher's son and a dark-skinned girl from a nearby island. Steeped in imagery and laced with surprising humor, the story explores powerlessness, possibility, and the difference individuals can make.  A 2005 Newbery Honor Book, A 2005 Printz Honor Book, and A 2005 Best Book for Young Adults (YALSA).

Shusterman, Neal. The Schwa Was Here. 

Is it possible for a human being to be invisible? Schwa nearly is, but Antsy notices him, and the two boys devise a scheme to make big bucks. By turns hilarious and touching, this novel is both unique and creative. A 2005 Best Book for Young Adults (YALSA).

Soto, Gary.  The Afterlife.  After 17-year-old Chuy is stabbed to death, the story begins, following the teenager as he comes to terms with his fate. Soto remakes Our Town in Fresno.

Spinelli, Jerry.  Maniac Magee
Jeffrey Lionel "Maniac" Magee, a twelve-year-old homeless boy, could hit a ball better and faster than anyone in Two Mills. Even more remarkable, he dares to cross the line that divides the white West End and the black East End, confronting prejudice and racism head on.

Spinelli, Jerry. Milkweed. Part survival adventure, part authentic Holocaust history, this captures the perspective of a young orphan in the Warsaw ghetto. The child's bewildered, matter-of-fact account distances the brutality without sensationalizing or lessening the truth.

Stolz, Joëlle. The Shadows of Ghadames. Tr. from the French by Catherine Temerson. Stolz paints a vivid picture of an all-female community and a young woman's coming-of-age in nineteenth-century Libya, in a story that follows 11-year-old Malika as she questions the restrictions that she encounters as she approaches marriageable age. The 2005 Batchelder Award Medal

Stratton, Allan. Chanda's Secrets. The statistics of the millions infected with HIV/AIDS in southern Africa find a human face in this gripping novel about teenager Chanda, who sees the disease threaten her family and community. The realistic characters--caring, cruel, funny, angry--break the silence about the tragedy.

Stroud, Jonathan. The Amulet of Samarkand.  Summoned by an apprentice magician to steal a precious amulet, Bartimaeus the djinn carries out his task while remaining his wily, insulting, wildly entertaining self. A dynamic beginning to a new fantasy trilogy.

Warren, Andrea. Escape from Saigon: How a Vietnam War Orphan Became an American Boy. This gripping, true-life child-of-war account relays the story of a mixed-race orphan's evacuation from Vietnam on a plane under fire, his international adoption, his success in America, and his pride in his roots.

Weeks, Sarah. So B. It.

Heidi is determined to discover the background of her mentally disabled mother, who calls herself So B. It. As she travels to Hilltop Home for the Disabled, she meets a host of memorable characters, and when she arrives, she finds the answers to her ancestry as well as a new family. A 2005 Best Book for Young Adults (YALSA)

Werlin, Nancy. Double Helix.  Werlin seamlessly blends solid characters, intrigue, and thoughtful consideration of a troubling ethical issue in a first-rate thriller/ coming-of-age novel in which a clever, obsessed kid unearths a terrifying secret that changes his life. Food for thought as well as stellar entertainment.

Whitney, Kim Ablon. See You down the Road. Sixteen-year-old Bridget and her family are Travelers and move across the U.S. in trailers, supporting themselves through con jobs. Whitney's taut story is a fascinating portrait of a teen caught between conflicting moral codes and the pull of family, tradition, and love.

Wojciechowska, Maia.  Shadow of a Bull
Manolo Olivar demonstrates true courage as he faces his bull and makes his decision.

Yolen, Jane. Sword of the Rightful King.  A malicious witch, a throne in peril, and a plot twist that will take readers by surprise are the ingredients in this fresh, exceptionally skillful retelling of King Arthur's story.

Comment On This Page