Books for Kids Age 9-12

The Royal Society Young People's Book Prize recognises the best science books for under 14s. Professor Dorothy Bishop, psychologist and chair of the 2024 judging panel, introduces the wonderful titles on this year's shortlist and explains why she thinks they will inspire children to become scientists.

In addition to being fun fields to explore, engineering and technology can help children build their problem solving skills and make them think logically about design. Here, our Children’s Editor recommends engaging and attractive STEM books for 8-12 year olds on how things in the world around us work.

It is hard for books to compete with TikTok and YouTube for children's attention, but a few popular series do manage. If you have children in your life who loved Percy Jackson, here are some suggestions to help you pick the next book series to enthral them, based on myths from around the world.

Nonfiction books for 9-12 year olds can be just as fun for adults as for kids, especially when they are beautifully illustrated. Here, our Children's Editor picks science books for 9-12 year olds that are not only informative, but also beautiful works of art.

The judges of the Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize look for books that explain high quality science in an engaging and accessible way. Neuroscientist Usha Goswami, chair of the 2023 judging panel, explains why it is important to get children excited about science via books, and introduces us to the fabulous titles that made this year’s shortlist.

Even as kids become old enough to read books without pictures, reading a graphic novel is a great way to relax or get a grasp of a complex subject (like quantum physics). 11 year old Harald, an avid reader, recommends some of the best ones he's read that other kids his age might also enjoy.

There is some fabulous historical fiction out there for 8-12 year olds, some of it old, some of it new. British novelist Catherine Johnson, author of a number of historical novels for kids and young adults, recommends some of the best—from short stories to epics and from straight historical novels to those with a strong dose of fantasy and magic.

There needs to be a lot more sci-fi for kids, especially if it's got a good dose of horror, argues Dan Smith, author of the sci-fi mystery series Crooked Oak. He recommends five works of science fiction for 8 to 12 year olds, from books written more than half a century ago to more recent jewels.

Chess is one of the most enduringly popular games in the world, transcending language barriers and teaching valuable life skills. Chess teacher and master Andrew Green recommends books (plus a few websites) to help beginners of all ages learn the game.

Adults sometimes worry that horror novels are too scary for children, but children’s author Jennifer Killick is a fan. Here she picks out five fantastic horror books for 9-12 year olds and explains that in addition to the sheer fun of reading a thriller, horror books can help kids develop courage and often appeal to reluctant readers.