Tween Reads

Discover recent releases for tweens.
Updated January 28, 2026
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Away : an alone novel
Freeman, Megan E.
Paper Book
A group of children investigate the threat that prompted large-scale evacuations in this "solid and engrossing" (Booklist) companion novel to the New York Times bestselling Alone told in multiple POVs. After an imminent yet unnamed danger forces people across...
Stamped (for kids) : racism, antiracism, and you
Cherry-Paul, Sonja
Paper Book
THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER This chapter book edition of the groundbreaking #1 bestseller by luminaries Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds is an essential introduction to the history of racism and antiracism in America  
Out of my heart
Draper, Sharon M.
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller! Melody faces her fears to follow her passion in this stunning sequel to the acclaimed, New York Times bestselling middle grade novel Out of My Mind. Melody, the huge-hearted heroine of Out of My Mind, is...
Pony
Palacio, R. J.
Paper Book
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * NAMED ONE OF THE BEST CHILDREN'S BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE WALL STREET JOURNAL "Perfection." -The Wall Street Journal The bestselling author of Wonder returns with an enthralling adventure about a boy...
Recognize! : an anthology honoring and amplifying Black life
Hudson, Wade
Paper Book
In the stunning follow-up to The Talk- Conversations About Race, Love & Truth, award-winning Black authors and artists come together to create a moving anthology collection celebrating Black love, Black creativity, Black resistance, and Black life. "A multifaceted,...
Halfway to somewhere
Pimienta, Jose
Paper Book
New school, new country, but only half a family?! Embark on a coming of age journey with a middle school teen navigating their parent's divorce while moving to a new country in this stunning graphic novel. A STONEWALL BOOK AWARD WINNER . A BOOKLIST BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
Speechless
Steinke, Aron Nels
Paper Book
From Eisner Award-winning author Aron Nels Steinke comes a heartfelt and funny middle-grade graphic novel about friendship, anxiety, and expressing yourself. Middle school was supposed to be a fresh start for Mira, who struggles to speak in class even though she can speak at home...
Bye forever, I guess
Meadows, Jodi
Paper Book
Can a guarded gamer girl lower her shield for a new friend... or more-than-friend? "EARNEST AND LAUGH-OUT-LOUD... PITCH PERFECT."--Publishers Weekly, starred review Thirteen-year-old Ingrid's been living a double life. At school, she's her popular...
Return of the thief : a Queen's thief novel
Turner, Megan Whalen
Paper Book
The thrilling, twenty-years-in-the-making conclusion to the New York Times-bestselling Queen's Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner. The epic novels set in the world of the Queen's Thief can be read in any order. This beloved and award-winning series...
The beautiful something else
Van Otterloo, Ash
Paper Book
Full of humor and heartbreak, this story about a nonbinary character navigating a binary world is perfect for fans of Alex Gino and Kyle Lukoff. It's exhausting trying to be the perfect daughter. Still, getting good grades without making any waves may be the only way to distract from the...
On thin ice
Kim, Jessica
Paper Book
For fans of Disney's GO FIGURE, a laugh-out-loud, heartfelt dual POV sibling-rivalry story by acclaimed author Jessica Kim Twelve-year-old fraternal twins Phoebe and Dexter Bae are polar opposites in every way except for their love of the ice. Phoebe is hyperfocused...
The night diary
Hiranandani, Veera
Paper Book
NEWBERY HONOR BOOK . A poignant, personal, and hopeful tale of India's partition-and of one girl's journey to find a new home in a divided country. " The Night Diary is a sensitive portrayal of the universal search for identity and the need for a place to call home....
A copycat conundrum
Yee, Lisa
Paper Book
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER . When San Francisco is under strange attacks-like earthquakes affecting only two city blocks at a time-who're you gonna call? An elite team of crime-fighting underdogs, that's who! The Misfits are on the case in this hilarious series from Newbery Honoree Lisa...
Vanya and the wild hunt
Mandanna, Sangu
Paper Book
*Winner of the Good Housekeeping Kids' Book Awards* *A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year* From the bestselling author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches comes an action-packed, enchanting middle grade fantasy about a...
Bea Mullins takes a shot
Deibert, Emily
Paper Book
When a 7th grader is forced to join her school's hockey team, she discovers unexpected friendships and a budding crush on the team captain. This fierce and heartfelt queer romance explores the courage to face your fears, even when your dreams are on thin ice. Some goals are...
How to draw a secret
Chang, Cindy
Paper Book
For fans of Raina Telgemeier's Sisters and Jen Wang's Stargazing comes the empowering autobiographical story of a young Taiwanese American artist struggling to find her voice to save what matters most. Twelve-year-old Cindy relishes drawing flawless images, but she is stumped...
In the key of us
Lockington, Mariama
Paper Book
STONEWALL HONOR BOOK ● From the author of the critically acclaimed novel For Black Girls Like Me and the Schneider Family Book Award Winner Forever Is Now, comes a coming-of-age story surrounding the losses that threaten to break us and the friendships that make us...
One wrong step
Nielsen, Jennifer A.
Paper Book
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer A. Nielsen comes a brand-new, spine-tingling adventure about two kids and their fight for survival on the unforgiving trails of Mount Everest. Jennifer Nielsen's storytelling climbs to new heights in this epic about loss, letting go, and...
Boy 2.0
Baptiste, Tracey
Paper Book
An action-packed superhero story from New York Times bestselling author Tracey Baptiste. Win "Coal" Keegan has just landed in his latest foster home, with a big, noisy, slightly nosy family named the McKays. They seem eager to welcome Coal, but he's wary of trusting them. So, he...
Swimming with spies
Lucyk-Berger, Chrystyna
Paper Book
As war escalates between the Russians and Ukrainians in the port city of Sevastopol, can one girl and a pod of dolphins prove that communication is the greatest weapon of all? It's February of 2014 in the seaport city of Sevastopol in Crimea. Sofiya Oleksandrivna only wants two...
Scattergood
Bouwman, H. M.
Paper Book
In rural Iowa in 1941, twelve-year-old Peggy's quiet life is turned upside down by refugee arrivals, first love, and a heartbreaking diagnosis. Growing up a farm girl, Peggy's life has never been particularly exciting. But a lot changes in 1941. Her friend Joe starts acting...
Fallout : spies, superbombs, and the ultimate Cold War showdown
Sheinkin, Steve
Paper Book
New York Times bestselling author Steve Sheinkin presents a follow up to his award-winning book Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon, taking readers on a terrifying journey into the Cold War and our mutual...
Rabbit chase
LaPensě, Elizabeth
Paper Book
A BookRiot Don't-Miss 2022 Queer Graphic Novels & Memoirs * "Rabbit Chase is a welcome intersectional work for today's youth."--Traci Sorell, award-winning author of We Are Still Here! and At the Mountain's Base Anishinaabe culture and storytelling meet Alice in...
African Town : inspired by the true story of the last American slave ship
Latham, Irene
Paper Book
Chronicling the story of the last Africans brought illegally to America in 1860, African Town is a powerful and stunning novel-in-verse. In 1860, long after the United States outlawed the importation of enslaved laborers, 110 men, women and children from Benin and Nigeria...
Dress coded
Firestone, Carrie
Paper Book
In this debut middle-grade girl-power friendship story, perfect for fans of Moxie, an eighth grader starts a podcast to protest the unfair dress code enforcement at her middle school and sparks a rebellion.   Molly Frost is FED UP... Because Olivia...
And we rise : the Civil Rights Movement in poems
Martin, Erica
Paper Book
*"A powerful, necessary book." SLJ, starred review A powerful, impactful, eye-opening journey that explores through the Civil Rights Movement in 1950s-1960s America in spare and evocative verse, with historical photos interspersed throughout. In stunning verse...
Moonwalking
Elliott, Zetta
Paper Book
"This novel in verse, alternately narrated by two boys in 1980s Greenpoint, Brooklyn, one channeled by Elliott and one by Miller-Lachmann, eloquently tackles race, culture and life on the spectrum." -- The New York Times For fans of Jason Reynolds and Jacqueline Woodson,...
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