2010 Kids' Reading List: 10 to 12 Years

Want to encourage your preteen to continue reading on their own? Browse this list of new and classic children's books for kids 10 to 12 years old recommended by the Quicklists Consulting Committee of the Association for Library Services to Children, a division of the American Library Association, and inspire a 'tween reader today!
The Magician's ElephantBy Kate DiCamillo; illustrated by Yoko Tanaka
Ten-year-old Peter meets a fortune teller in the market, and she tells him his sister, who is presumed dead, is in fact alive. He then begins a series of adventures as he desperately tries to find her.
Candlewick, 2009. ISBN: 9780763644109

One Crazy Summer
By Rita Williams-Garcia
Three sisters find themselves dropped into the midst of Black Panther San Francisco in 1968 and struggle to make sense of the time and their aloof poet mother.By Rita Williams-Garcia
Amistad, 2010. ISBN: 9780060760885

Tofu Quilt
By Ching Yeung Russell
This collection of poems provides vivid snapshots of the experiences of daily life for a young girl growing up in Hong Kong in the 1960s.By Ching Yeung Russell
Lee & Low, 2009. ISBN: 9781600604232

A 12-year-old girl in New York tries to make sense of a series of mysterious notes received from an anonymous source that seems to defy the laws of time and space.
Wendy Lamb, 2009. ISBN: 9780385737425
Wendy Lamb, 2009. ISBN: 9780385737425

Chinese folklore and original storytelling combine with beautiful illustrations in this magical tale of a girl, a dragon and a quest.
Little, Brown, 2009. ISBN: 9780316114271
Little, Brown, 2009. ISBN: 9780316114271

The Great Gilly Hopkins
By Katherine Paterson
Gilly, an 11-year-old foster child who refuses to bond with anyone, meets her match with Mrs. Trotter, a wise and kind foster mother.By Katherine Paterson
Crowell, 1978. ISBN: 9780690038378

Number the Stars
By Lois Lowry
During the German occupation of Denmark in 1943, 10-year-old Annemarie shows great courage when she helps her Jewish friend escape from the Nazis.By Lois Lowry
Houghton, 1989. ISBN: 9780395510605