Friendship, Bullying, Adventure: Book Picks From a 12-Year-Old

Hey, friends, do your kids like to read? In our house, it’s actually my 12-year-old who’s a total bookworm, while his sisters aren’t exactly big readers. We keep getting asked if we have book recommendations for older kids, because it takes really good, gripping stories to keep soon-to-be teenagers reading…

So I asked my son which books he’d recommend and why. Here’s a small but mighty list. Maybe there’s something in it for your kids, too!

Jo und Jomoto (so far, books 1 and 2)

What’s it about? Jo is a “totally normal” boy who one day discovers that his biggest comic-book hero, Jomoto, has suddenly left the manga and is now sitting in his closet. Jo quickly passes Jomoto off as an exchange student, and together they have adventures and travel through the world of manga. Why did you like the book? There were lots of exciting twists, and it was easy to read. I’d never read anything from the manga world before, but you get into it really fast. I’m so looking forward to book 3. (Click here to order book one)

Frei (Free; so far, books 1 and 2)

What’s it about? Five friends have to live in the woods for a week for a school project, with no adults and no phones. It’s an encouraging coming-of-age story about 14-year-old Joshua, who steps out of his comfort zone and makes friends. The second book is more about the helpful Nasrin, who learns to recognize her own limits. Why did you like it? I thought the five characters were really, really well written. You totally feel for them and can understand everything they do. The story is really exciting, too. I think these have been my absolute favorite books so far! (You can order book 1 and book 2 here)

The Fort

What’s it about? Four friends who have known each other since preschool find a secret hatch after a big hurricane, and it leads to a hidden bunker. The bunker becomes the group’s hangout, and CJ in particular goes there to get away from his violent father. When a group of older teens tries to take over the fort, real danger suddenly breaks into this refuge for fun and puts the boys’ friendship to a hard test. Why did you like it? The book was really exciting, because of the bunker and everything. It’s kind of cool to have a hangout like that. But it’s also a little sad, because one of the boys is dealing with violence at home, and I kept thinking how lucky I am that I don’t have to go through something like that… (You can order the book here)

Wolf

What’s it about? A group of teens spends a week together at summer camp. Everyone finds their place except one boy. It’s a novel about identity, bullying, and being left out. What did you like about the book? It really made me think about how I would act. Some parts were really sad and unfair, but it turns out pretty okay in the end. (Here’s the order link)

Atlas, Elena und das Ende der Welt (Atlas, Elena, and the End of the World)

What’s it about? Thirteen-year-old Elena gets caught in a brutal online pile-on on social media. Not a day goes by without hateful comments and vicious bullying attacks. Her aunt’s remote farm becomes Elena’s last refuge. There she meets the quiet, distrustful Atlas… What did you like about the book? I thought it was crazy how fast you can get hate comments on social media. I don’t have a social media account yet, but now I understand better why it can be dangerous. The book was really exciting and also totally relevant to the problems we have today. I thought it was great, and I got through it really fast. (You can order the book here)

PS: Here’s another article where Katharina’s son recommended books almost two years ago. Back then it was mostly about wizards and soccer 🙂