Is there anything harder than being a tween? Sometimes you want nothing more than to be independent; sometimes all you want is to be a kid. Your body\u2019s changing, your friends seem like strangers, it\u2019s like you\u2019re on a roller coaster that you didn\u2019t want to ride.<\/p>\n
And while the last thing a kid this age wants is advice from their parent, try suggesting one of these powerful coming-of-age books (or leaving it on their\u00a0bed). You just may be rewarded with a hug!<\/p>\n
no no 9780425290439 Strange Birds <\/i> by Celia C. Perez <\/p>\n
Over a sleepy summer in a sleepier Florida town, an unlikely friendship forms between four very different girls as they team up to protest an outdated \u2014 and environmentally unfriendly \u2014 tradition carried out by the Floras, the local Scout group. At turns moving and funny, and always relatable, Strange Birds mixes themes of friendship and small, everyday rebellions that make a huge difference. <\/p>\n
9781984893000 Clean Getaway<\/i> by Nic Stone <\/p>\n
Growing up means learning uncomfortable things about history, your family, or society. In Clean Getaway<\/i>, an 11-year-old boy named Scoob goes on a spontaneous road trip with his G\u2019ma. As they make their way across the American South, Scoob faces upsetting information about the area\u2019s history and his family\u2019s heritage.<\/p>\n
9780823456109 The Star That Always Stays <\/i> by Anna Rose Johnson <\/p>\n
When Norvia, a radiant and introverted girl, moves from the countryside to the city, she faces the challenge of adapting to a new place while concealing her heritage. While also navigating quintessential tween firsts, like crushes, making friends, and belonging in a blended family. Follow Norvina as she tries to have the best year yet, admist her changing world.<\/p>\n
9780525553823 The Many Masks of Andy Zhou<\/i> by Jack Cheng <\/p>\n
Fans of When You Trap a Tiger<\/i> and The Stars Beneath Our Feet<\/i> will enjoy following sixth-grader Andy as he discovers who he wants to become. Andy is used to playing the role that people expect of him. To his parents and visiting grandparents from Shanghai, he is the “good kid”. To his best friend Cindy, he is the helpful sidekick for her rebellious plans. Despite his deep concern for his family and friends, Andy finds himself in the place to reconcile the roles he is expected to play or determine his true identity. <\/p>\n
9780142402504 The Cat Ate My Gymsuit<\/em> by Paula Danziger <\/p>\n Paula Danziger penned many coming-of-age gems, but this is her masterpiece. The story of Marcy, a chubby middle school student whose parents don\u2019t get her, but whose favorite teacher, Ms. Finney, does, will resonate with anyone who\u2019s ever felt like an outsider. When Ms. Finney gets fired, Marcy finds the strength she didn\u2019t know she had to fight the decision. Readers will despair and rejoice along with Marcy.<\/p>\n 9781536212587 Merci Su\u00e1rez Changes Gears<\/i> by Meg Medina <\/p>\n First crushes, mean girls, and an aging grandparent combine into a heartfelt coming-of-age novel about a young Latina girl. From complicated friendships to new romance and family secrets, readers will love every part of this Newbery Medal-winning novel. The story continues in Merci Su\u00e1rez Can\u2019t Dance<\/i><\/a> and Merci Su\u00e1rez Plays it Cool<\/i><\/a>.<\/p>\n 9780679886372 Stargirl<\/em> by Jerry Spinelli <\/p>\n Meet Stargirl. She\u2019s the new girl at Mica High who captures the most popular boy\u2019s heart with her bright smile and colorful, individual style. But when her classmates have enough of her unique ways, they turn on her, and even her boyfriend urges her to be \u201cnormal.\u201d Jerry Spinelli weaves a tense, touching story about the perils of popularity and the thrill of first love that\u2019s a must-read for tweens and their parents.<\/p>\n 9780763696917 Raymie Nightingale<\/i> by Kate DiCamillo <\/p>\n When Raymie\u2019s dad abandons her family for another woman, she comes up with a plan to get him back\u2014winning a beauty pageant. As the competition heats up, Raymie meets Louisiana and Beverly, who challenge her in unexpected ways and become her best friends. Kids who enjoy this award-winning book will also want to read the companion novels Louisiana\u2019s Way Home<\/i><\/a> and Beverly, Right Here<\/i><\/a>.<\/p>\n 9780425288290 The Outsiders<\/em> by S. E. Hinton <\/p>\n When I asked my husband if he had any suggestions for this list, he immediately replied, \u201cThe Outsiders<\/em>.\u201d S. E. Hinton\u2019s classic story of Ponyboy, a teenager on the outskirts of regular society, is as striking today as it was when it was first written. Once you\u2019ve met Ponyboy, Sodapop, and the rest of the Greasers and Socs, you\u2019ll never forget them.<\/p>\n 9781524715984 The Season of Styx Malone<\/i> by Kekla Magoon <\/p>\n Caleb and his brother Bobby are excited to spend their summer having adventures in the woods behind their house, even if they secretly wish for something bigger. Then the boys meet their neighbor, Styx Malone. Styx comes up with a plan where they will trade one small thing for something better until they achieve their wildest dream. But will the boys find themselves in over their heads? <\/p>\n 9780399252525 Harbor Me <\/i> by Jacqueline Woodson <\/p>\n Are you noticing a theme of ensemble casts? That\u2019s because coming-of-age is rarely (if ever) a solo journey. The six kids in Harbor Me<\/i> can attest to that fact: they meet up every week to talk privately about the very real, very pressing issues going on with their families and personal lives. It\u2019s a poignant read that praises vulnerability among friends and offers diverse perspectives. <\/p>\n 9780593325179 Tumble<\/i> by Celia C. P\u00e9rez <\/p>\n In this beautiful novel about family and belonging, 12-year-old Addie goes on a mission to find her biological father. She finds her roots in a family of luchadores<\/i>, professional wrestlers. Addie gets swept away by this exciting part of her history but soon learns that being a family means showing up, taking off your mask, and working through challenges together. <\/p>\n 9781524740573 Tight <\/i> by Torrey Moldanado <\/p>\n \u201cI feel far away from where I should be. It might sound silly, but I feel far away from who I am.\u201d So confesses Bryan, a comics-loving kid growing up in Brooklyn who\u2019s falling a little too far into the orbit of his risk-taking friend, Mike. Between peer pressure, parental pressure, and the cultural scripts that try to tell Bryan who he\u2019s allowed to be, he\u2019s feeling less sure of himself every day. But with the help of the superheroes in his comics, Bryan writes a new script. <\/p>\n 9780385730587 The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants<\/em> by Ann Brashares <\/p>\n Ask my daughter if she liked The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants<\/em>, and she\u2019ll exclaim, \u201cI loooooooooove that book.\u201d Ann Brashares\u2019s tale about four best friends and a pair of jeans that miraculously fits each girl perfectly is utterly enchanting and moving. Readers will see parts of themselves in each character as she faces the challenges of first love, changing family dynamics, and shifting friendships.<\/p>\n 9781524717674 Shine! <\/i> by J.J. Grabenstein and Chris Grabenstein <\/p>\n Twelve-year-old Piper refers to herself as a \u201cblender\u201d \u2014 someone meant to blend into the crowd rather than stand out. Still, Piper tries to be supportive of her dad when he lands a big job that takes them both to Chumley Prep, a school bursting with star-like students. Charming and full of heart, Shine!<\/i> reminds readers that kindness is their greatest talent of all. <\/p>\n 9780553510386 Full of Beans<\/i> by Jennifer L. Holm <\/p>\n It\u2019s the middle of the Great Depression in Key West, Florida, and headstrong Beans isn\u2019t buying any of the grown-up\u2019s nonsense \u2014 especially not President Roosevelt\u2019s, who\u2019s pretending like things are going to be on the up-and-up any day now. When Beans decides to take matters into his own hands and earn some money to help his mom, everything spirals to a head. <\/p>\n 9781984814982 girl stuff.<\/i> by Lisi Harrison <\/p>\n Middle grade readers will fall in love with Fonda, Drew, and Ruthie \u2014 three best friends who find navigating seventh grade a lot harder than they thought it would be. As each girl deals with issues around friendship, crushes, and new experiences, they\u2019ll learn that there is nothing as special as the support of friends! <\/p>\n Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2014 and updated in 2023.<\/small><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Being a tween is hard. These powerful coming-of-age novels can help kids navigate this tumultuous time in their lives.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":89003,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[72,73,85,94,102,954],"coauthors":[39],"class_list":["post-323","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-friendship","tag-bullying","tag-family","tag-growing-up","tag-social-issues","tag-educators","ages_stages-tween"],"yoast_head":"\n