Here are the top 30 classics books for 12 year olds. Please click Read Review to read book reviews on Amazon. You can also click Find in Library to check book availability at your local library. If the default library is not correct, please follow Change Library to reset it.
1. The Fellowship of the Ring: Being the First Part of The Lord of the Rings
by: J.R.R. Tolkien Release date: Jun 01, 2005 Number of Pages: 544 Find in Library Read Review |
2. The Hobbit: An Illustrated Edition of the Fantasy Classic
by: J. R. R. Tolkien, Charles Dixon, David Wenzel Release date: May 29, 2001 Number of Pages: 133 Find in Library Read Review |
First published in the United States more than seventy-five years ago, J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit is one of the best-loved books of all time. Now a blockbuster film by Peter Jackson, Academy Award–winning director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Hobbit was also adapted into a fully painted graphic novel, a classic in its own right, presented here in a new expanded edition.
When Thorin Oakenshield and his band of dwarves embark upon a dangerous quest to reclaim stolen treasure from the evil dragon Smaug, Gandalf the wizard suggests an unlikely accomplice: Bilbo Baggins, a quiet and contented hobbit. Along the way, the company faces trolls, goblins, giant spiders, and worse. But in the end it is Bilbo alone who must face the most dreaded dragon in all Middle-earth—and a destiny that waits in the dark caverns beneath the Misty Mountains, where a twisted creature known as Gollum jealously guards a precious magic ring.
3. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
by: J. K. Rowling Release date: Jan 01, 2000 Number of Pages: 464 Find in Library Read Review |
No Canadian Rights for the Harry Potter Series
HARRY POTTER and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter publishing rights © J. K. Rowling. (s05)
4. Bunnicula in a Box: Bunnicula; Howliday Inn; The Celery Stalks at Midnight; Nighty-Nightmare; Return to Howliday Inn; Bunnicula Strikes Again; Bunnicula Meets Edgar Allan Crow (Bunnicula and Friends)
by: James Howe, C. F. Payne Release date: Aug 27, 2013 Number of Pages: 1136 Find in Library Read Review |
Something wicked this way hops… Join Harold, Howie, Chester, and of course, Bunnicula for seven thrilling adventures—all together for the first time in one fur-raising boxed set!
This complete collection includes paperback editions of Bunnicula, Howliday Inn, The Celery Stalks at Midnight, Nighty-Nightmare, Return to Howliday Inn, Bunnicula Strikes Again, and Bunnicula Meets Edgar Allan Crow.
5. Loretta Mason Potts (New York Review Children’s Collection)
by: Mary Chase, Harold Berson Release date: Jul 15, 2014 Number of Pages: 224 Find in Library Read Review |
6. Pippi Goes On Board (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition)
by: Astrid Lindgren Release date: Jun 01, 1988 Number of Pages: 140 Find in Library Read Review |
7. The Odyssey
by: Gillian Cross, Neil Packer Release date: Sep 11, 2012 Number of Pages: 178 Find in Library Read Review |
Odysseus faces storm and shipwreck, a terrifying man-eating Cyclops, the alluring but deadly Sirens, and the fury of the sea-god Poseidon as he makes his ten-year journey home from the Trojan War. While Odysseus struggles to make it home, his wife, Penelope, fights a different kind of battle as her palace is invaded by forceful, greedy men who tell her that Odysseus is dead and she must choose a new husband. Will Odysseus reach her in time? Homer’s epic, age-old story is powerfully told by Carnegie Medalist Gillian Cross and stunningly illustrated by rising talent Neil Packer.
8. Welcome To Showside
by: Ian McGinty Release date: Jun 28, 2016 Number of Pages: 176 Find in Library Read Review |
9. Old Granny Fox (Dover Children’s Thrift Classics)
by: Thornton W. Burgess Release date: Jun 23, 2010 Number of Pages: 96 Find in Library Read Review |
Using the wisdom she’s acquired over the years, Granny overrules many of Reddy’s foolhardy suggestions, taking the conceit out of a youngster who thinks he knows more than anyone else. Granny also teaches Reddy quite a bit about patience, common sense, and resourcefulness.
A timeless fable by master storyteller Thornton W. Burgess, Old Granny Fox will delight youngsters with an entertaining story while teaching important lessons — in a painless and enjoyable way — about wildlife, the environment, and personal conduct.
10. Human Body Theater
by: Maris Wicks Release date: Oct 06, 2015 Number of Pages: 240 Find in Library Read Review |
Welcome to the Human Body Theater, where your master of ceremonies is going to lead you through a theatrical revue of each and every biological system of the human body! Starting out as a skeleton, the MC puts on a new layer of her costume (her body) with each “act.” By turns goofy and intensely informative, the Human Body Theater is always accessible and always entertaining.
Maris Wicks is a biology nerd, and by the time you’ve read this book, you will be too! Harnessing her passion for science (and her background as a science educator for elementary and middle-school students), she has created a comics-format introduction to the human body that will make an expert of any reader — young or old!
11. Moominpappa At Sea
by: Tove Jansson Release date: Jun 21, 2011 Number of Pages: 224 Find in Library Read Review |
12. The Magical Land of Noom
by: Johnny Gruelle Release date: Sep 01, 2013 Number of Pages: 186 Find in Library Read Review |
13. Hamster Princess: Of Mice and Magic
by: Ursula Vernon Release date: Mar 15, 2016 Number of Pages: 240 Find in Library Read Review |
Princess Harriet has absolutely no interest in brushing her hair, singing duets with woodland animals, or any other typical princess activities. So when a fairy tells a very bored Harriet about twelve mice princesses who are cursed to dance all night long, she happily accepts the quest and sets off with a poncho of invisibility and her trusty battle quail. But when she arrives at the Mouse Kingdom, she discovers there’s more to the curse than meets the eye, and trying to help is dangerous business . . . even for a tough princess like Harriet.
From the creator of Dragonbreath, comes a laugh-out-loud funny new comic-hybrid series, bursting with girl power and furry fairy tale retellings.
14. The Holy War
by: John Bunyan Release date: Nov 20, 2013 Number of Pages: 256 Find in Library Read Review |
John Bunyan could be said to have authored the most influential book in the English language (other than the King James Bible) – The Pilgrim’s Progress. But he has also written another dramatic allegorical novel – The Holy War.
Bunyan’s plan for his readers was for them to experience the struggles of the city of Mansoul as a fierce battle rages to take control of it. However, alongside this knife-edge drama Bunyan wished his readers to understand how the struggles of their souls ran in parallel to the struggles of the wretched inhabitants of that place.
The righteous and honourable ruler Shaddai and his son Immanuel rule Mansoul with justice and equity. But the ruler of darkness – Prince Diabolus – has other plans. With his evil captains and their battalions Diabolus plots the fall and destruction of the once happy city. The first to fall is Captain Resistance as Diabolus knows that there is only one route into the city and that it can only be breached through the permission of the people of Mansoul itself. With Captain Resistance gone, the city is laid open to Diabolic lies and the next to fall is Lord Innocency and then the city is lost.
So begins a story of treachery and deceit, foolishness and pride, forgiveness and final redemption. In fact this is, as Bunyan intended it, the story of a sinner saved by the grace of God.
15. Winter Holiday
by: Arthur Ransome Release date: Oct 15, 2012 Number of Pages: 512 Find in Library Read Review |
Or so Nancy thinks. Then the lake ices over completely and the Swallows and Amazons, along with Dick and Dorothea — ‘the D’s’ — plan a race to find the North Pole. How will they reach it if they can’t sail? By sledges of course! But when a blizzard blows up and there is a mix up about signals, the D’s disappear into the Arctic night. Disaster looms. Can the Swallows and Amazons save their friends?
16. Two Little Savages (Dover Children’s Classics)
by: Ernest Thompson Seton Release date: Oct 27, 2011 Number of Pages: 320 Find in Library Read Review |
This is one of the great classics of nature and boyhood by one of America’s foremost nature experts. It presents a vast range of woodlore in the most palatable of forms, a genuinely delightful story. It will provide many hours of good reading for any child who likes the out-of-doors, and will teach him or her many interesting facts of nature, as well as a number of practical skills. It will be sure to awaken an interest in the outdoor world in any youngster who has not yet discovered the fascination of nature.
The story concerns two farm boys who build a teepee in the woods and persuade the grownups to let them live in it for a month. During that time they learn to prepare their own food, build a fire without matches, use an axe expertly, make a bed out of boughs; they learn how to “smudge” mosquitoes, how to get clear water from a muddy pond, how to build a dam, how to know the stars, how to find their way when they get lost; how to tell the direction of the wind, blaze a trail, distinguish animal tracks, protect themselves from wild animals; how to use Indian signals, make moccasins, bows and arrows, Indian drums and war bonnets; how to know the trees and plants, and how to make dyes from plants and herbs. They learn all about the habits of various birds and animals, how they get their food, who their enemies are and how they protect themselves from them.
Most of this information is not generally available in books, and could be gained otherwise only by years of life and experience in suitable surroundings. Yet Mr. Thompson Seton explains it so vividly and fully, with so many clear, marginal illustrations through the book, that the reader will finish “Two Little Savages” with an enviable knowledge of trees, plants, wild-life, woodlore, Indian crafts and arts, and survival information for the wilds. All of this is presented through a lively narrative that has as its heroes two real boys, typically curious about everything in the world around them, eager to outdo each other in every kind of endeavor. The exciting adventures that befall them during their stay in the woods are just the sort of thing that will keep a young reader enthralled and will stimulate his or her imagination at every turn.
17. Freddy Goes Camping (Freddy the Pig)
by: Walter R. Brooks, Kurt Wiese Release date: Dec 23, 2014 Number of Pages: 280 Find in Library Read Review |
In Freddy Goes Camping, Mr. Camphor’s aunts, Minerva and Elmira, are staying with him, much to his disgust. “There’s two kinds of aunts,” he says. “There’s the regular kind, and then there’s the other kind. Mine are the other kind.” He enlists Freddy’s aid in an attempt to rid his house of the ladies, with the result that Freddy and his chums become entangled with some extremely unfriendly ghosts in an abandoned summer hotel. Freddy camps out, goes canoeing, and tosses flapjacks like a pro when he’s not mixing it up with the eerie Mr. Eha . . .
18. A Christmas Carol: The Junior Novel (Disney’s a Christmas Carol)
by: Disney Book Group, Disney Storybook Art Team Release date: Sep 21, 2009 Number of Pages: 144 Find in Library Read Review |
19. Pigeon Post
by: Arthur Ransome Release date: Apr 15, 2013 Number of Pages: 448 Find in Library Read Review |
BACKSTORY: Test your knowledge of the book and its characters, and learn more about water dowsing!
Reunited for the summer, the Swallows and Amazons with Dick and Dorothea launch a prospecting expedition to find the lost gold mine of the high hills above the lake. But the mining camp runs into all sorts of trouble: not only the danger of fire in the drought ridden countryside but also scary encounters with unsafe tunnels. Worst of all is the sinister Squashy Hat, who appears to be a rival prospector and who’s certainly a spy — how can they keep working without him discovering what they’ve found?
20. Asterix Omnibus 7: Includes Asterix and the Soothsayer #19, Asterix in Corsica #20, and Asterix and Caesar’s Gift #21
by: Rene Goscinny, Albert Uderzo Release date: Jun 17, 2014 Number of Pages: 156 Find in Library Read Review |
21. Edgar Allan Poe’s Tales of Death and Dementia
by: Edgar Allan Poe, Gris Grimly Release date: Aug 04, 2009 Number of Pages: 144 Find in Library Read Review |
22. Gobbolino the Witch’s Cat (Kingfisher Modern Classics)
by: Ursula Moray Williams Release date: Sep 15, 2001 Number of Pages: 224 Find in Library Read Review |
23. Tal, His Marvelous Adventures with Noom-Zor-Noom
by: Paul Fenimore Cooper, Ruth Reeves Release date: Jul 01, 2009 Number of Pages: 305 Find in Library Read Review |
24. The Scribble Squad in the Weird Wild West
by: Donald “Scribe” Ross Release date: Sep 06, 2016 Number of Pages: 258 Find in Library Read Review |
Best friends Rumpus, Tai, Phil, and Phlox are thrilled for the chance to make their first real mural, but when they fall into the world of their own epic painting, they suddenly have to face down the piranha-pistol-packing Wildhares, cattlefish stampedes, and buzzing battlebees of their own creation. Even if they survive, how will they ever find their way back home?
Giddyup with the Scribble Squad as they ride into a very weird, very wild Old West!
* With over a hundred full-color illustrations by nationally renowned street artist Donald “Scribe” Ross
25. Tenggren’s Golden Tales from the Arabian Nights
by: Gustaf Tenggren, Gustaf Tenggren, Mary Pope Osborne Release date: Sep 09, 2003 Number of Pages: 128 Find in Library Read Review |
26. Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand
by: Louise Hawes Release date: May 19, 2008 Number of Pages: 224 Find in Library Read Review |
Well, the old tales are back, and they’ve grown up! Black Pearls brings you the stories of your childhood, told in a way you’ve never heard before. Instead of lulling you to sleep, they’ll wake you up?to the haunting sadness that waits just inside the windows of a gingerbread cottage, the passion that fuels a witch’s flight, and the heartache that comes, again and again, at the stroke of midnight.
Make no mistake: these stories are as dark as human nature itself. But they shine, too, lit with the fire of our dreams and our hunger for magic.
27. An Enemy at Green Knowe
by: L. M. Boston, Peter Boston Release date: Apr 01, 2002 Number of Pages: 192 Find in Library Read Review |
The spooky original illustrations have been retained, but dramatic new cover art by Brett Helquist (illustrator of A Series of Unfortunate Events) gives the books a fresh, timeless appeal for today’s readers.
28. The Jungle Book: Mowgli’s Story
by: Rudyard Kipling, Nicola Bayley Release date: Mar 22, 2016 Number of Pages: 160 Find in Library Read Review |
First published over a century ago, these three unabridged stories from THE JUNGLE BOOK about the man-cub, Mowgli, have delighted adults and children ever since. The stories tell of Mowgli’s upbringing among the wolves; his lessons in the Law of the Jungle from Baloo the bear, Bagheera the black panther, and Kaa the python; his kidnapping by the Monkey People; and his clash with the evil tiger, Shere Khan. Illustrated in striking full color and exquisite detail by award-winning artist Nicola Bayley, this is a book to treasure forever.
29. Les Aventures de Tintin: L’Ile Noire (French Edition of The Black Island)
by: Herge Release date: Sep 15, 2000 Number of Pages: 61 Find in Library Read Review |
The hero of the series is Tintin, a young Belgian reporter. He is aided in his adventures from the beginning by his faithful fox terrier dog Snowy (Milou in French). Later, popular additions to the cast included the brash, cynical and grumpy Captain Haddock, the bright but hearing-impaired Professor Calculus (Professeur Tournesol) and other colorful supporting characters such as the incompetent detectives Thomson and Thompson (Dupond et Dupont). Herge himself features in several of the comics as a background character; as do his assistants in some instances.
The success of the series saw the serialized strips collected into a series of albums (24 in all), spun into a successful magazine and adapted for film and theatre. The series is one of the most popular European comics of the 20th century, with translations published in over 50 languages and more than 200 million copies of the books sold to date.
The comic strip series has long been admired for its clean, expressive drawings in Herge’s signature ligne claire style. Engaging, well-researched plots straddle a variety of genres: swashbuckling adventures with elements of fantasy, mysteries, political thrillers, and science fiction. The stories within the Tintin series always feature slapstick humor, accompanied in later albums by sophisticated satire, and political and cultural commentary.
30. The Marguerite Henry Complete Collection: Benjamin West and His Cat Grimalkin; Black Gold; Born to Trot; Brighty; Brown Sunshine; Cinnabar; Gaudenzia; … San Domingo; White Stallion of Lipizza
by: Marguerite Henry Release date: Oct 14, 2014 Number of Pages: 3056 Find in Library Read Review |
Marguerite Henry’s detail-rich horse stories have been revered classics for years, and now all sixteen are available in one collectible paperback boxed set. Including some titles that were previously out of print, and others that have been awarded literature’s highest honors, this is a one-of-a-kind collection that will be cherished by any animal lover. The Marguerite Henry Complete Collection includes:
Benjamin West and his Cat Grimalkin
Black Gold
Born to Trot
Brighty of the Grand Canyon
Brown Sunshine of Sawdust Valley
Cinnabar, the One o’Clock Fox
Gaudenzia, Pride of the Palio
Justin Morgan Had a Horse (winner of the Newbery Honor)
King of the Wind (winner of the Newbery Medal)
Misty of Chincoteague (winner of the Newbery Honor)
Misty’s Twilight
Mustang, Wild Spirit of the West
Sea Star
Stormy, Misty’s Foal
San Domingo, the Medicine Hat Stallion
White Stallion of Lipizza
Best Selling Books for 12 year olds:
- Action & Adventure
- Activities, Crafts & Games
- Animals
- Biographies
- Classics
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Technology
- Early Learning
- Education & Reference
- Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths
- History
- Holidays & Celebrations
- Humor
- Literature & Fiction
- Mysteries & Detectives
- Religions
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports & Outdoors
- Children’s Cookbooks
Recommended Books for 12 year olds:
- Action & Adventure
- Activities, Crafts & Games
- Animals
- Biographies
- Classics
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Technology
- Early Learning
- Education & Reference
- Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths
- History
- Holidays & Celebrations
- Humor
- Literature & Fiction
- Mysteries & Detectives
- Religions
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports & Outdoors
- Children’s Cookbooks
Best Selling Classics Books for:
- 1 Year Olds
- 2 Year Olds
- 3 Year Olds
- 4 Year Olds
- 5 Year Olds
- 6 Year Olds
- 7 Year Olds
- 8 Year Olds
- 9 Year Olds
- 10 Year Olds
- 11 Year Olds
- 12 Year Olds
- Teen & Young Adults
Recommended Classics Books for:
- 1 Year Olds
- 2 Year Olds
- 3 Year Olds
- 4 Year Olds
- 5 Year Olds
- 6 Year Olds
- 7 Year Olds
- 8 Year Olds
- 9 Year Olds
- 10 Year Olds
- 11 Year Olds
- 12 Year Olds
- Teen & Young Adults
Last updated: Monday, December 5, 2016 9:09 AM