15 best books for kids 12 years old

Review of the best according to the editorial board. About selection criteria. This material is subjective and does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

Parents begin to introduce their children to fiction before they can read. Then they independently learn something new and interesting, being carried away by various genres: fantasy, adventure, science fiction. 12 years is a time when you are on the verge of adulthood, but still a child. New perceptions of the world appear, and at the same time curiosity for everything unknown. The book will help satisfy interest, and reading will be a great pastime during your free hours.

Our experts have compiled a rating of the best works for children 12 years old. It includes books that, according to psychologists and educators, are optimal for this age.

Rating of the best books for children 12 years old

Martin Eden, Jack London

Rating: 4.9

For more than 100 years, the work of Jack London, which took first place on our list, excites the young minds of adolescents and all fans of the great American writer, who was able to describe in such detail the experiences of the main characters, events and the surrounding reality of those distant times. The action takes place at the beginning of the 20th century in the United States.

Martin Eden is a simple guy from a poor family. Meeting Ruth Morse turns his whole life upside down. She is a girl from high society, she does not know what poverty is. Martin decides, by all means, to achieve the location of the girl and correspond to her position. He takes up self-education. In a short time, Martin fully masters literacy, begins to read a lot, and corrects his pronunciation.

But having achieved a lot, the guy is disappointed in everything. He understands that he has fallen out of love with Ruth, has lost interest in literature, and, most importantly, has learned that the highest bourgeois society is not at all the world in which the writer would like to exist. Experts recommend starting your acquaintance with the work of Jack London with this book. It is she who will become an understandable and accessible work for children of 12 years old and will help them fall in love with the works of the great prose writer who has become part of the world classics.

The Adventure of Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens

Rating: 4.8

In second place in the ranking is the second novel written by the classic of world literature Charles Dickens, published in 1838. This is the first book published in England to feature a child as the main character. The writer raises social issues that existed at the time. This is a conflict between an aristocratic society with its constant holidays and the working class, forced to work day and night in order not to die of hunger.

Oliver Twist is an orphan who ended up in an orphanage after the death of his mother, who died in childbirth. For his obstinate nature, he is sent to assistants to the undertaker, where his life does not get better. Oliver flees to London, where he falls into the gang of a famous thief. He plans to teach the boy the art of pickpocketing. There will be many events and adventures in the life of Oliver Twist, but as in many of Dickens's novels, the reader is sure to have a happy ending.

The book has been read by more than one generation of young people and is a classic of world literature. Parents are strongly encouraged to present this book to a 12-year-old child, if it is not yet in the home library, and to give the opportunity to experience the new and unknown, which happened in another century with boys like them.

Captain Nemo, Jules Verne

Rating: 4.8

The third place in the rating belongs to the great creation of Jules Verne, the French writer who was the first to open the genre of science fiction to readers. In terms of translatability of works into other languages, his books rank second after the works of Agatha Christie. The main character, Captain Nemo, is present in several of the author's novels. According to legend, he led an uprising in India against the enslavement of Britain.

His wife and children were killed in captivity. The hero becomes disillusioned with life and becomes the captain of Nobody. Together with his like-minded people, he creates a fantastic submarine 'Nautilus' and sets out on a voyage, basically not eating food of land origin and never going out on land. Only at sea could the captain find peace and live a free life.

The amazing adventures of a submarine ship will impress any teenager. Descriptions of marine life seem to be immersed in their mysterious world. Nemo becomes an example of courage and courage, he saves more than one life and, despite the losses, does not lose human qualities, which is why every adventure lover wants to be like this character. Psychologists advise, after reading this work, to continue acquaintance with other books of the author.

Olesya, Kuprin

Rating: 4.7

The fourth place in the ranking is occupied by the great Russian prose writer who worked in various genres, and his work 'Olesya', published in 1898. It became one of the first creations to bring success, and the author's favorite book. The plot is based on the relationship between a master and a simple girl. A young man finds himself in a remote village, where he begins to get bored from idleness. His only amusement is hunting and teaching his servant to read and write.

In the wilderness, Ivan Timofeevich meets a girl of unprecedented beauty, who is forced to live in the forest, since everyone in the village considers her a witch. At first sight he falls in love with Olesya and gradually comes to the idea of ​​marrying her. But the girl does not want to spoil the life of the young man and refuses the offer. A love story is touching and sad, it makes you think about many things.

Olesya does not appear before readers in the form of a witch, despite the fact that the locals consider her as such and punish her when she appears in the village. This is a gentle, kind, sensitive, noble girl, independent of someone else's will, which is admirable. Separately, it is worth noting the author's description of Russian nature. Everything seems to come to life, and you find yourself in a bright colorful world of animals and birds.

The Mystery of the Stuttering Parrot and Other Stories, Alfred Hitchcock

Rating: 4.7

The rating experts gave the fifth place to the work of Alfred Hitchcock. The adult audience has been enthusiastically reading the great author's detective stories for decades. Children 12 years old will love 'The Mystery of the Stuttering Parrot and Other Stories'. The main characters are three boys who have been friends since childhood. The book features four stories, each of which begins with the word 'mystery'.

Bob Andrews, Pete Crenshaw and Jupiter Jones live in a small American town on the Pacific coast. They consider themselves real detectives and are ready to reveal any secrets. To do this, they have their own headquarters, located in a small trailer, and their own forensic laboratory. Young detectives will have to unravel the mystery of the seven parrots, expose a gang of swindlers, reveal the disappearance of a dog statuette and find the mysterious inhabitant of the mirror.

The book is recognized as one of the best works for adolescents. It will appeal not only to boys of 12 years old, but also to adults who prefer detective to all genres and are not yet familiar with this creation of Hitchcock. Experts advise to purchase this book for a child who adores everything mysterious and enigmatic, and is not averse to solving puzzles and puzzles himself, together with the main characters.

Ink Heart, Cornelia Funke

Rating: 4.7

German writer Cornelia Funke has released a fantasy trilogy, and Ink Heart is the first book in the series to be published in 2003. The main characters are a father and his twelve-year-old daughter. Mortimer and Maggie love reading. They have a special gift that sets them apart from other people. It is worth reading the book, how its characters come to life, and in their place a real person appears, who is then considered missing for those around him.

This is how villains appear in our world, and the girl's mother finds herself in a fairy tale. Maggie and her father will have to work hard to get everything back in place. Exciting adventures full of dangers await them, but they will stop at nothing and overcome all difficulties. The story does not end there, but continues in two subsequent works.

Both girls and boys read the book enthusiastically. Many adults have also confirmed their interest in the fantasy plot, which does not let you get bored and makes you empathize with the characters. The 'ink' trilogy won the love of readers on all continents, which is why the film adaptation of the work was also a worldwide success. The book is undoubtedly recommended for reading by children of 12 years old.

The hero of our time, Lermontov M.Yu.

Rating: 4.6

Further, the rating includes the classic of Russian literature – the novel 'A Hero of Our Time'. Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov long cherished the idea of ​​writing a work, but he always knew that in the center of the plot would be a young nobleman who would personify his generation, and his example would show the experiences and throwings of rebellious personalities who had lost their old ideals, and had not yet found new ones. Many parts of the novel have been published separately. The full version was published in 1840.

Pechorin is the main character, who, according to the writer himself, was created from the vices inherent in the entire 'lost' generation. A feature of the work is the non-chronological structure of chapters. By this Lermontov wanted to show that no events and their sequence in any way affect fate. It depends on the actions, lifestyle and behavior of a person.

The work is considered a psychological and social novel. The plot is a little complicated, but gradually the whole idea of ​​the author is revealed, and in the finale you understand what he wanted to convey to the reader. “A Hero of Our Time” is a book that constitutes the cultural wealth of our country, and it should be in everyone's home library. It is not for nothing that the work is included in the school curriculum for literature.

Howl's Moving Castle, Diana Jones

Rating: 4.6

Diana Jones is a British writer who became famous for her works in the fantasy genre. Howl's Moving Castle was published in 1986. The characters are so bright and colorful that transferred to the screen, they became even more popular. The animated film broke all box office records in Japan, and its creator Hayao Miyazaki received the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival.

The main character is Sophie. She lives in a city where magic is common. The girl is engaged in decorating hats and endowing them with a soul. She is sure that she will not find her destiny and will lead a boring existence for the rest of her life. But by mistake, the Swamp Witch turns her into an old woman, mistaking for her younger sister, with whom Prince Justin is in love. She is forced to leave their home and then finds herself in the castle of the arrogant and dishonorable Hole – the eater of the hearts of young attractive girls. But over time, Sophie realizes that he is not really what he is believed to be. Hole is kind and has a magical gift.

Many adventures await Sophie, she will find her love. The book will appeal to both girls and boys who prefer the fantasy genre. She has two sequels, published in 1990 and 2008, so after reading 'Howl's Moving Castle' you can continue your acquaintance with the work of Diana Wynn Jones.

The Invisible Man, H.G. Wells

Rating: 4.6

The next in the ranking is the book by H.G. Wells, which was published in 1897. She is the most famous work of the great English writer, which entered the classics of world literature. It combines several genres: science fiction, crime detective and psychological novel. The tragic and mysterious story of a talented scientist captures from the first pages. Griffith creates a machine that makes a person completely invisible.

The scientist does not make an amazing discovery immediately, but waits for the right time. But financial difficulties force him to use the car, become invisible and start a new life. By destroying the apparatus, he created impossible conditions for existence, since clothes and food still remained visible. He was forced to walk naked in the rain and snow and eat in secret places.

The ending is tragic. The Invisible Man is one of the most famous villains and popular characters in world classics. The book is read by people of any age, but it is especially interesting for the younger generation, who are thirsty for adventure and are interested in secrets and riddles. Experts recommend this book to children 12 years old, as well as everyone who is not indifferent to science fiction.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by Clive Lewis

Rating: 4.5

Many first got acquainted with the film adaptation of the work of Clive Lewis, which was released in 2005. A colorful fantasy parable did not leave indifferent either children or adults, so many also preferred to read about the mysterious country of Narnia and its inhabitants. It could be accessed through a portal, which was in an ordinary wardrobe. The heroes were ordinary children – two brothers and two sisters, who were evacuated during the Second World War.

Once in Narnia, they will have to fight the evil queen who has conquered the whole country, while they will have many adventures and interesting meetings, meeting new characters. In a snowy place, night always reigns, and strange creatures wander in the twilight, but children will not be afraid of difficulties, but will do everything in their power to return Narnia independence from the witch, eternal summer and prosperity.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is one of the best children's books in world literature. She takes children into the world of a fairy tale. The book is often compared to Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings, but it is a separate story that deserves special attention. The creation of K. Lewis will become a desktop work for children of 12 years old who like the fantasy genre.

Boy and Darkness, Sergey Lukyanenko

Rating: 4.5

We include in the rating a book by a Russian science fiction writer, which was published in 1997. It is written in the fantasy genre and will be a wonderful gift for his fans. Our world has special portals that transfer to parallel realities. Magic doors open many secrets and mysteries. A kitten that has transformed from a sun bunny takes the main character into such a world.

Eternal Darkness reigns in it. It is impossible to return back, so the boy Danka is forced to look for other ways. Throughout his journey, he will have to face the Flying and Winged, who are waging a fierce war, meet friends and enemies, take part in the battle and perform a feat. The sunny kitten will soon find a secret door through which Danka and his new friend Len can return to the boy's real world.

The book is one of the best works of teenage literature. It's not just about adventure. It contains a philosophical meaning, and eternal questions are raised, to which mankind has been looking for an answer for more than one millennium. The younger generation will like the bright plot and the main characters, together with whom they will have to withstand difficult conditions and save the world from disaster.

Club of Incorrigible Optimists, Jean-Michel Genassia

Rating: 4.5

Jean-Michel Genassia, a writer from Algeria, became famous right after the release of the first book in 2009. The Club of Incorrigible Optimists immediately became a bestseller and was approved not only by readers, but also by critics, deservedly receiving the Goncourt Prize. The work is recommended for children of 12 years old, as its main character is of the same age, therefore it is close to modern girls and boys. The action takes place in Paris in the sixties of the XX century.

Michelle Marini is an ordinary boy who is no different from his peers. Difficulties in adolescence, school, communication with parents. The only thing that sets him apart from the background of thousands of children of the same kind is his passion for photography and love of reading. Michel has his own corner where he can retire. This place is a small service room in a bistro. People who come from other countries to the freer world gather here. They spend their time playing chess and arguing on many topics that the boy does not always understand. This room is the Club of Incorrigible Optimists.

The book tells fascinatingly about distant times, and reality is seen through the eyes of an ordinary child who has fallen into the cycle of those events.

The True Story of Ded Moroz, Evgeniya Pasternak

Rating: 4.4

A worthy place in the rating is occupied by a book co-authored by Evgenia Pasternak and Andrey Zhvalevsky. It is intended for children who still believe in the New Year's miracle and Santa Claus, but are already on the verge of adulthood with many joyful and sad discoveries. The action begins in 1912, when a married couple, walking through St. Petersburg on Christmas Eve, falls under the magic snow.

For half a century they become Santa Claus and Snegurochka, who come to children on New Year's and give a miracle. They get used to their new status for a long time, and all the time they think that the magic they have done is just an accident. But soon the husband and wife begin to realize their true purpose. Their assistants on New Year's Eve are representatives of a small people – okhli and pterki.

Children 12 years old will love the book, which combines fantasy and reality. The storyline captures from the first minute of reading and does not let go until the end of the story. Experts advise to purchase this work and give the child magical moments of a fairy tale, in which you can learn about the true events taking place in Russia at the beginning of the 20th century and plunge into the history of that time.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

Rating: 4.4

The Secret Life of Bees is a dramatic story of a fourteen-year-old girl who lost her mother in a terrible tragedy. Lily at the age of 4 kills her, but does not remember anything about the accident and tries to answer the questions that have tormented her all this time. She lives with her father, but does not receive love and warmth from him, therefore she is deeply lonely and unhappy. The only native person for the girl is the dark-skinned maid Rosalyn.

The book raises many issues of adolescence. Against this background, the events of racial unrest in America unfold in the 60s of the last century. The author keeps the intrigue until the very end, keeping the reader in suspense and complete ignorance. Along with the main characters, bees act as non-secondary characters, who personify for Lily a belief in life and people.

The work will be interesting not only for teenagers, but also for an adult audience. It will tell about difficult relationships with parents, reveal many social problems. The book of Sue Monk Kidd is read in one breath, the syllable is quite understandable and accessible. It is recommended for reading and will be a good present for a child of 12 years old.

Anya from Green Gables Farm, Lucy Maud Montgomery

Rating: 4.4

The book, published in 1908, closes the rating. She made the Canadian writer famous all over the world, and her creation – one of the most popular and significant works of world children's literature. The book has been translated into several dozen languages, it is printed in many countries of the world, and Prince Edward Island, where the events take place and the writer actually lived, has become an attraction that fans of her work visit every year.

The book is autobiographical. It is based on the author's childhood memories. The young heroine, like Lucy Maud Montgomery, is left without parents early and ends up in an orphanage. The brother and sister decide to take an orphan boy to brighten up their lives and help with the housework. But what was their surprise when the red-haired girl Anya appears on the doorstep.

After publication, the writer received thousands of letters asking to continue the story of the girl's fate, and Mark Twain called the heroine the most adorable child of children's world literature. A good story against the backdrop of tragic events will remind many modern adolescents that you can always change your fate for the better, if you really want it and strive for it.

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Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.