A Year of Tween Book Club Books
Planning another year of Tween Book Clubs? I’ve got ya covered! Here are 12 of my favorite Tween Book Club books for ages 8-12: one for every month of the year. Click on each book’s Book Club Guide for engaging discussion questions, crafts, activities, snacks, and read-alikes. Happy reading!
January
Greenglass House
By Kate Milford
Genre: Mystery
Milo plans to spend his winter vacation relaxing until secretive guests fill the inn run by his parents. When objects begin to disappear mysteriously and the inn becomes snowed in, Milo is forced to investigate and learns more about the inn’s secretive history than he thought possible.
Amazon | Goodreads
February
Bud, Not Buddy
By Christopher Paul Curtis
Genre: Historical Fiction
In 1936, ten-year-old Bud runs away from his foster home, hoping to find his father. Set amidst the Great Depression, Buddy sets out on an adventure across Michigan in search of a famous jazz musician he’s convinced is his father.
Amazon | Goodreads
March
Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer
By Kelly Jones
Genre: HUmor & Fantasy
Twelve-year-old Sophie isn’t sure what to expect when her family moves from Los Angeles to a farm, but it isn’t chickens with superpowers. Sophie must learn to care for her unusual flock and keep them safe from a menacing chicken thief.
Amazon | Goodreads
April
Turtle in Paradise
By Jennifer L. Holm
Genre: Historical Fiction
When Turtle is sent to live with her enterprising and eccentric relatives in Key West, Florida, during the Great Depression, she encounters scams, family secrets, and buried treasure—the perfect blend of adventure, history, and humor.
Amazon | Goodreads
July
Speak Up, Santiago!
By Julio Anta & Gabi Mendez
Genre: Graphic Novel
Santiago is excited to spend the summer with his abuela, eating her delicious food, meeting new kids, and playing soccer. Still, he is nervous that his subpar Spanish skills make him less Colombian than the rest. When his worries take hold, it just might cost him friendships or worse.
Amazon | Goodreads
August
A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall
By Jasmine Warga
Genre: Mystery
Rami finds sixth grade lonelier than expected, until a painting from a local art museum and his classmate, Veda, joins him in trying to crack the case. The stakes are even higher when his mom, who works at the museum, becomes a suspect. A possible ghost in the museum halls and a turtle who loves to draw add a touch of magic to this light-hearted mystery.
Amazon | Goodreads
September
Kareem Between
By Shifa Saltagi Safadi
Genre: Novel in Verse
Kareem dreams of being the first Syrian American NFL player, but he’ll have to tackle seventh grade first. Being stuck between friends, bullies, and doing the right thing at school is overwhelming, but when his mom returns to war-torn Syria to help family and is unable to return home, it becomes clear which struggles matter most. Will Kareem find the confidence to face his challenges, both big and small?
Amazon | Goodreads
November
Diamond Willow
By Helen Frost
Genre: Novel in Verse
Willow wants more than anything to mush her family’s sled dogs all by herself, but the wilderness is a dangerous place when you’re alone. Fortunately, the animals around her carry the spirits of her Athabascan ancestors, whether she is aware of it or not.
Amazon | Goodreads
Visit The Youth Desk’s Book Clubs page for more books and tips!
