7 Books To Gift Your Tween Who Hates To Read
These might be the key to getting your stubborn kid's nose in a book!
Now more than ever, parents need to be doing everything they can to get their kids’ noses in books, reading about other lived experiences, developing empathy, imagination, and a thirst to read even more. As an avid reader, I hope to instill this passion for reading in my own daughter, but it’s tougher for tweens, especially if reading becomes “uncool.”
If you have a tween who doesn’t like to read, here are some books that might spark that curiosity, getting their nose off a screen and into a book. These books are easy to read, short, and a great introduction to reading for a reading-for-fun late bloomer.
Fuzzy Mud
One of the best parts of Fuzzy Mud is the mixed media element. The story of Fuzzy Mud, centering around a science experiment gone wrong, is interspersed with news reports and senate hearing transcripts. Sometimes, a different type of writing copy can make a book feel less daunting and more digestible. I know that’s how it goes for me as an adult, at least.
Mixed Feelings: A Graphic Novel
Any tween who has felt like a fish out of water during those torturous junior high years will resonate with Mixed Feelings’ main protagonist, Sara. In Sara Amini's semi-autobiographical story, navigating life as a mixed-race girl has never been more hilarious or heartfelt, with family, friendship, and fuzz all at the forefront of this laugh-out-loud and painfully relatable middle-school memoir.
The New Girl: A Graphic Novel (The New Girl #1)
Graphic novels can be a great, low-pressure way to get kids into reading, immersing them in a world of color and bold illustrations. The New Girl by Cassandra Calin does just that.
Inspired by the author's own immigration experience, The New Girl follows Lia as her family leaves their home country of Romania to move to America. All the while, Lia gets her first period, and her world turns upside down from there. How will she manage school, her changing body, and living in a new country?
The One and Only Ivan
The One and Only Ivan is inspired by the real Ivan, a gorilla who lived much of his life in a roadside mall attraction and had never even been outside. But Katherine Applegate takes that story and weaves it into one of hope, purpose, and love. You will laugh out loud, and you will also cry. Applegate never misses, and The One and Only Ivan might be her best ever.
The Wild Robot
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown is the perfect book for a tween who wants something fast-paced, easy to follow, and packed with heart. The story of Roz — a robot who wakes up alone on a wild island and learns to survive with the help of the animals — feels like watching a movie unfold. Short chapters, simple language, and striking illustrations keep even reluctant readers hooked, while the emotional themes of friendship, nature, and belonging sneak in powerful lessons without ever feeling “educational.”
Drama: A Graphic Novel
Raina Telgemeier’s Drama is a graphic novel that follows Callie, a middle-schooler who loves theater but prefers to stay behind the scenes, building sets. As Callie navigates friendships, crushes, and the ups and downs of putting on a school musical, your tween will be pulled into the story with colorful illustrations and relatable moments of being an awkward middle school tween.
The Percy Jackson Series
Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians series is a fast-paced, funny adventure that will get even the most reluctant reader hooked. The story follows Percy, a 12-year-old who discovers he’s the son of Poseidon and must navigate a world where Greek gods and monsters are real. These are just classic and worth the read. Maybe even try this as a read-aloud at bedtime if your tween is super resistant.
