Best books for 12-14 year olds
We've put together a list of the 100 best books for children from the last 100 years.
The books below are ones suitable for older children aged 12 to 14.
How many have you read?
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A Monster Calls
Author: Patrick Ness (From an idea by Siobhan Dowd) Illustrator: Jim Kay
Interest level: 11-14
Reading age: 10+
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A Monster Calls
Author: Patrick Ness (From an idea by Siobhan Dowd) Illustrator: Jim Kay
Interest level: 11-14
Reading age: 10+
Connor's mum has cancer and life is changing. There is the nightmare, then there is school, where people avoid him, or persecute h…
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A Wizard of Earthsea
Author: Ursula Le Guin
Interest level: 12+
Reading age: 11+
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A Wizard of Earthsea
Author: Ursula Le Guin
Interest level: 12+
Reading age: 11+
The first in a classic series of fantasy novels, A Wizard of Earthsea follows a young boy’s development from goat herder…
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Emil and the Detectives
Author: Erich Kästner
Interest level: 9+
Reading age: 9+
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Emil and the Detectives
Author: Erich Kästner
Interest level: 9+
Reading age: 9+
Ten-year-old Emil is excited to be taking the train to Berlin on his own for the first time - but he doesn't like the look of his …
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Liccle Bit
Author: Alex Wheatle
Interest level: 13+
Reading age: 12+
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Liccle Bit
Author: Alex Wheatle
Interest level: 13+
Reading age: 12+
At school Lemar, also known as Liccle Bit due to his height, is like any teenage boy. He's in love with a girl who barely notices …
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Northern Lights
Author: Philip Pullman
Interest level: 9-14
Reading age: 10+
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Northern Lights
Author: Philip Pullman
Interest level: 9-14
Reading age: 10+
This extraordinary fantasy is the first book in Philip Pullman's multi-award-winning His Dark Materials trilogy
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Noughts and Crosses
Author: Malorie Blackman
Interest level: 12+
Reading age: 12+
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Noughts and Crosses
Author: Malorie Blackman
Interest level: 12+
Reading age: 12+
Callum is a Nought but his best friend Sephy is a Cross - the daughter of one of the most influential politicians in the country.
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Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Author: Mildred D. Taylor
Interest level: 10-14
Reading age: 9+
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Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Author: Mildred D. Taylor
Interest level: 10-14
Reading age: 9+
In 1930s Mississippi, the Logan family are forced to live their lives in fear simply because they are black. A classic, compelling…
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Tall Story
Author: Candy Gourlay
Interest level: 9-11
Reading age: 8+
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Tall Story
Author: Candy Gourlay
Interest level: 9-11
Reading age: 8+
Engagingly told in alternate chapters by four-foot, thirteen year-old Andi, in the UK, and her eight-foot, sixteen year-old half b…
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Anne Frank: The Diary of A Young Girl
Author: Anne Frank
Interest level: 12-16
Reading age: 12+
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Anne Frank: The Diary of A Young Girl
Author: Anne Frank
Interest level: 12-16
Reading age: 12+
Now widely regarded as one of the most important pieces of historical literature of all time, Anne Frank’s diary is a poignant and…
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The Owl Service
Author: Alan Garner
Interest level: 12+
Reading age: 12+
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The Owl Service
Author: Alan Garner
Interest level: 12+
Reading age: 12+
When Alison finds a curious dinner service in the attic, the discovery sets off a strange chain of events that look set to affect …
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