Lela Stratton
The Night Diary
The Girl Who Drank the Moon
Percy Jackson
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When your child turns 12, you can find yourself in turmoil. It is confusing for not only the parent but also the child. How can you help your child at this age of transition from a child to a teenager to have an easy and fun experience?
Books are one of the easiest ways to remain occupied but also entertained. Books can be a great way to help your children learn new words and put themselves in other people shoes to experience different emotions. Also, it can be a great way to bond with them, especially if you read together.
So, are you able to choose books which are smart, fun, enjoyable and educative for your 12-year old? If you are finding it challenging, then you are in the right place! Choosing an age-appropriate and age-transition book can be rather tricky, especially for a first-time parent.
However, we got you! We have done intensive research and separated all the popular books that your child is likely going to come across to find those which will be suitable for this delicate age. Also, we prepared a comprehensive guide to ensure that you will have an easy time with everything books.
Below is a list of five considerably educative and enjoyable books for your child to begin their reading journey as a 12-year-old. Also, there is everything you need to know about books and reading. So, make sure you read this guide to the very end before purchasing any book
Best Books for 12-year-olds List
1
The Night Diary
The night diary is a perfect gift for your child. It will leave them with a mix of feelings but mostly some chills that they will feel down their spine. So, what is this heart-wrenching story about?
The book is a Newbery honour book, something we would say is a well-deserved honour. Believe us when we say the book is a hot cake in every library! The book is centred around the life of young Nisha and her family.
The epistolary novel involves the death of Nisha's mother. However, even in death, she strives to keep in touch with her daughter through letters in her diary. If your child is one who loves imagination, then this book will enhance her creativity and imagination.
The book also shows how Nisha, her father and brother escape split India and find themselves on the Hindu side.
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2
The Girl Who Drank the Moon
If you follow up with books, then you must have heard of the girl who drank the moon. Even the title is intriguing. The book which is a coming-of-age story is a New York Times Bestseller which seen the author take home numerous awards.
The book is definitely at the tip of every reader's tongue. So, what is the book all about? The girl who drank the moon revolves around a witch called Xan, who is not the villagers favourite.
What the villagers don't know, though, is that Xan is a good witch! The witch feeds each child the villagers sacrifice every year starlight and sends them off to a right family.
One day she makes an honest mistake, and the story gets even enjoyable. If you want to find out more, you will have to find the book!
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3
Percy Jackson
Harry Potter is a great book series. Heck! Who did not love the Harry Potter stories? However, as time goes, we find better books that deem to replace Harry Potter. Percy Jackson is one of those books.
So, what is the story all about? If you are comfortable with letting your child into the world of supernatural, then Percy Jackson is an addictive paranormal series.
Percy Jackson is a boy at the age of 12 who comes across the knowledge that he is the son of Poseidon, a Greek god. The book series is not all about supernatural but also teaches about Greek mythology.
Upon discovery, perry Jackson is thrown into a sea of demigods, and he has to find his strength, power and courage. What are you waiting for? Join in on Percy Jackson's adventures!
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4
Up for Air
While it can be challenging to talk and help with your daughters with all the problems they may experience as they transition into their teenage, a book may come in handy. Our next read is a perfect example of such a book. Even better, it can be an excellent read for swimmers since they can relate to it.
Up for air is centred around Annabelle, a young girl who loves swimming but struggles with learning. Annabelle feels alive in the pool rather than while spending time completing assignments. The pool is her friend, as even her closest friends begin acting distant.
Finally, things seem to be working out for Annabelle as she gets invited to join the school team. So, what should Annabelle do when a senior starts to show interest in her?
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5
Harry Potter Series
Harry Potter series is one of the best children's books you will ever find. The transition of Harry from an ordinary orphan boy to the world's favourite saviour is a big lesson, especially for younger children who need to find the strength of their own.
The flow of the series is easy to understand, and the vocabulary in the book will ensure that your child will get better grades in English. From the fourth book forward, 12-year-olds can read and comprehend.
The books feature a severe tone which would give younger kids a hard time. However, at 12, a child will find the length more comfortable to cover and the able to process even with advanced themes.
Harry Potter book series is a must-read for every 12-year-old as the book is ridden with lessons and adventures they will love.
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Things to Consider Before Purchasing the Best Books for 12-year-olds
As we had mentioned earlier, books are a great way to keep kids at the age of 12 entertained. Books are a great way to teach them certain things. However, even with books, it can still be confusing with this age.
At 12 years, children are mostly going through different emotions and physical changes. Children will often feel too young for adult books but also too old for kiddy books. Therefore, that is where coming-of-age novels come in handy.
These children can experience the changes characters are going through in the books with them. They also understand the kind of morals and behaviour society expects of them as children friends can easily influence this age.
Also, at the age of 12, children will begin to want more independence from their parents as they discover themselves. They begin to have increased feelings and self-consciousness as they approach puberty.
It is at such an age that children will begin to make improvements to their decision making and develop abstract thinking abilities. Therefore, preteens need good books that will resonate with their seemingly complex lives and educate them on how to handle their issues.
So, what should you look for in a book before buying it for your 12-year-old child?
Impressionability
At the age of 12, children are at the peak of curiosity since they are graduating into teenagers. Therefore, what they read will influence their thinking and even behaviour.
Therefore, you should remember that the books you hand them will either influence, alter or have an effect on your child's thinking. Consequently, it is crucial to go for an impressionable book. The things they read should form a basis they can defend or support their beliefs or opinions.
Vocabulary
A book should help build your child's vocabulary, the reason there are books for different ages. Therefore, a book should introduce new words to your child. They should be able to use a dictionary to find the definitions independently.
However, be careful not to go overboard with the vocabulary. The vocabulary should still allow the child to understand whatever they are reading. Otherwise, your child will keep knocking at your room for explanations, and that is not the independence we are trying to grow.
Reading Critically and Analytically
A 12-year old should be able to express issues in the books they read. They should be able to tell apart different tones used and the writing style used by the author. Also, as they continue getting exposed to books, they should be able to prefer one genre to another.
Also, your child should be able to understand the different reading and writing styles and be able to use them as they explore the universe of books. It is also expected that they should be able to retell the story in their own words in an accurate and unbiased manner.
Reading Habits
At the age of 12, a child can read for extended periods without supervisions. Also, they can handle long books and articles.
These children should also be allowed to explore different reading materials like magazines, newspapers and academic texts. Non-fictional books will also be a great way to expose children to different writing styles.
There are other general vital points which you should adhere to when you are looking for a good read. They might come in handy when you are looking for a book to gift your child of twelve years. Consequently, you may need them in future when purchasing a book for yourself or anyone else for that matter.
Know What You Are Looking for
If you do not know what you want in a book, you might end up with something you cannot read. Therefore, since we live in a world full of technology, you must know precisely what you want. Are you looking for a teen fiction or fantasy?
There are hundreds of genres to choose from adventure to romance, science fiction, poetry and general fiction. Also, you may want to go with a book series which will keep you occupied for quite a while.
You may also have preferential authors that you could check out. Before you start looking for a book to read, you should write down a list of things you like or dislike about a book. That way, you will be in a better position to choose the right book for yourself.
Ask for Recommendation
There is always someone who has read a great book you would fall in love with. And sure enough, you must have one or two friends in a book club or who love reading. It would not break a bone to ask for a recommendation.
The most likely scenario is that they will recommend their fav book. Also, ask your friends why it's their favourite and book, why they love the book or why they think it would be a good read for you. However, do not let them spoil the book for you.
If you think it's worth it from what you have heard, you can borrow the book or plan to get your own copy.
Note All the Bestselling Novels
There is usually a column for the best-seller novels for that year in most newspapers or magazines. Of you cannot get such periodicals, you can always search online since the internet has made the world a small village. If you do not have friends to give your recommendation, noting down the best-seller can be the closest shot to a good book you can get.
Write down all the books that have caught your eye and the name of the author. They must be great reads as they would not have made best-seller with poor grammar or plot, right? You can purchase the book afterwards or borrow it.
Join a Book Club
I used to think a book club is a group of mean ladies who visit each other's homes intending to find out how well one is doing for the wrong purposes. However, a book club is not all bad, after all. If you join a book club, you will have the upper hand of knowing what's hot on the book list each day.
You also gain a more in-depth understanding of the book as you share your ideas and discuss the book once all members have read it. Also, you get to save! Since most members will have a book you have not read, you can borrow books instead of buying them.
The best thing about joining a book club is the in-depth knowledge you can get on a book since there are many people to hears their opinions on the plot, twists, characters and even the writing style.
Use Book Sites
There are hundreds of book sites online. You can find sites such as Goodreads, Book seers, Amazons reading list, Whichbook and many more. You can find great ideas on your next read, especially if you have read books on that site before.
Also, you can check out their "what to read next" list. You will not be disappointed.
Visit book stores
Book stores receive new and old books for display. You can walk around assuming you know the genres you would like and pick out books. You can read the synopses or random pages of the book.
At times, there is nothing better than judging a book by its cover! Literally! What do we mean? You just sit there in a bookshop or library with a table full of books and reading the blurb on the back of the book.
You can as well take a few books off the shelf and read the first few pages. You will get a glimpse of the book or series.
Also, you can ask the staff for assistance. They do attend to many literature fans meaning they could be in a good position to help you pick a great read. They also know the latest books and may have knowledge of various genres.
Head for Obvious Classics
We all know the obvious classics. We have books such as The Chronicles of Narnia, the old man and the sea, Mrs Dalloway and harry porter. If you didn't seem to find anything else to read, they would be a great start.
Have you read all of them? You can never go wrong with old classics!
Conclusion
If you were finding it difficult or perhaps confusing to get your child a book to read, then I'm sure you are not by now. You are surely spoilt for choice! Have you or your children read any of these books?
If not, I would recommend you start right away. Our top pick and recommendation are The Night Diary. The story about Nisha is sure to relay a positive and encouraging lesson to your 12-year-old.
Since the story is based on a true historical account, the book will grow your child's knowledge. It can even be a great conversation starter for a parent a child at the brink of teenagerhood. We know how difficult it can be to talk to kids at such an age.
The book can also help shape your child's character. The story is one of empathy and great courage. The book may even encourage them to keep a diary!
So, what are you waiting for? Get your child The Night Diary and give them a great read!
