Book Recomendations from 7-12 years

Books to read to kids in or around the age range of 7-12 years.

7/21/202619 min read

In my last post I promised a couple follow up posts with continued reading suggestion lists. Now, I am good at promising part 2s and 3s and then getting extremely busy, but this time I'm following through in good timing! In fact, I'm releasing part 2 in less than a week after part one! 🥳

As always, just because I set an age range, doesn't mean that older or younger kids (and even adults) won't enjoy these books. It also doesn't mean that these books are good for your child to read, so please read the full back of the book or even read it all the way through before giving it to your child.

This time I shall attempt a bit of organization by genera. We shall see if I succeed.

As always, leave your thoughts in the comments!

List of Books For Ages 7-12

Note 1: This is by no means a complete list. I will likely think of 20 more once I publish it.

Chronicles of Narnia
by C. S. Lewis

A series for every child. The story of the four Pevensie children and their adventures in Narnia. I strongly recommend reading them in publication order which is the order that Lewis intended them to be read. He did not intend them to be read in chronological order.

(1. The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, 2. Prince Caspian, 3. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, 4. The Silver Chair, 5. The Horse and His Boy, 6. The Magician's Nephew, 7. The Last Battle.)

The Enchanted Castle
E. Nesbit

When Jerry, Jimmy, and Cathy discover a tunnel that leads to a castle, they pretend that it is enchanted. But when they discover a sleeping princess at the center of a maze, astonishing things begin to happen. Amongst a horde of jewels, they discover a ring that grants wishes. Wishes seem nice in the mind, when granted, they are not always wanted. (This was written by one of C. S. Lewis' favorite authors)

The Magic City
E. Nesbit

Everything changes for Philip when his older sister (his only remaining family member) marries, forcing him to move in with his new stepsister, Lucy. When his sister is off honeymooning, Philip entertains himself by building a miniature city out of household objects including books, game pieces, bowls, etc. However, when he finds himself inside the city, he must embark on a quest to prove himself as a ‘Deliverer’ and save the inhabitance from destruction.

The Knights’ Tales Series
by Gerald Morris

Many years ago, the storytellers say, the great King Arthur brought justice to England with the help of his gallant Knights of the Round Table. Of these worthy knights, there was never one so fearless, so chivalrous, so honorable, so… shiny as the dashing Sir Lancelot, who was quite good at defending the helpless and protecting the weak, just as long as he’d had his afternoon nap, Sir Givret the Short, Brilliant, and Marvelous, and did I mention short… Sir Gawain, the king’s very own nephew, and Sir Balin… for whom every adventure is rather ill-fated.

(1. The Adventures of Sir Lancelot the Great, 2. The Adventures of Sir Givret the Short, 3. The Adventures of Sir Gawain the True, 4. The Adventures of Sir Balin the Ill-Fated)

Ranger’s Apprentice Series
Jon Flanagan

They have always scared him in the past—the Rangers, with their dark cloaks and shadowy ways. And now 15-year-old Will, always small for his age, has been chosen as a Ranger's apprentice. What he doesn't yet realize is that the Rangers are the protectors of the kingdom. Highly trained in the ways of war and surveillance, they fight the battles before the battles reach the people.
A series written by a father for his sons to give them heroes they can look up to and learn the values of truth, integrity, courage, and friendship. (Only read Books 1-11. Book 12 and onward got all weird and may have been a ghost writer…)

Content Warning: Mild language. (The story was good enough that I took a pen and whiteout to them before passing them on to kids.)

(1. The Ruins of Gorlan, 2. The Burning Bridge, 3. The Icebound Land, 4. The Oakleaf Bearers/The Battle for Skandia, 5. Erak's Ransom, 6. The Sorcerer of the North, 7. The Siege of Macindaw, 8. The Kings of Clonmel, 9. Halt's Peril, 10. The Emperor of Nihon-Ja, 11. The Lost Stories)

The Day Boy and the Night Girl
by George MacDonald

The story of a girl brought up in the night, and a boy raised in the day. An adventure and escape from their captors, but as always, MacDonald goes very deep with striking parallels and wordplays.

The Light Princess
By George MacDonald

A princess cursed to be as light as a feather. She floats away if not held tight, and there is only one way to break the curse. It requires steep sacrifice.

Princess and the Goblin (1)
By George MacDonald

Princess and Curdie (2)
By George MacDonald

The princess Irene lives in a castle while her father the king fights to protect her from the dangers of the world. Curdie, a young miner boy, ends up becoming one of the princess’s protectors and stumbles upon a plot to overthrow the kingdom.

The Golden Key
By George MacDonald

The story of a boy and girl on an adventure that wrestles with death, life, good and evil, hope and despair, in a way that is impactful to young and old readers.

The Wingfeather Saga
By Andrew Peterson

The story of the three Igiby children, their adventures dodging Fangs who have taken over their kingdom, and their search for the Jewels of Anniera.

(1. On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, 2. North! Or Be Eaten, 3. The Monster in the Hollows, 4. The Warden and the Wolf King)

The Wilderking Trilogy
By Jonathan Rogers

Courage and a heart for adventure drive twelve-year-old shepherd boy Aidan Errolson. When the bark of the bog owl echoes from the forest across his father’s well-tended pastures, Aidan dreams of wild places still untamed and quests not yet pursued. A non-cheesy retelling of the David story in a fantasy world setting. It is obviously a David story, but it has its own twists and aspects to it as well.

(1. The Bark of the Bog Owl, 2. The Secret of the Swamp King, 3. The Way of the Wilderking)

The Remarkable Journey of Prince Jen
By Lloyed Alexander

When Prince Jen volunteers to search for the legendary court of T’ien-kuo, a mysterious old man chooses six gifts for him to bear in homage. Puzzled by the gifts but full of high spirits and pride, Jen sets off, but stumbles almost immediately into a series of misfortunes.

Green Ember Series
S.D. Smith

Rabbits and wolves have always been enemies, and now the Blackhawk’s army is sweeping down on rabbit-kind bent on enslaving them. Heather and Picket are tumbled into the fray where they find that their history is far deeper than they knew. (The prologue books Tales of Old Natalia are good, and the first 2 books in the Archer series as well. The rest aren't great.)

(1. Green Ember, 2. Ember Falls, 3. Ember Rising, 4. Ember Ends)
(1. The Black Star of Kingston, 2. The Wreck and Rise of Whitson Mariner, 3. Prince Lander and the Dragon War)
(1. The Last Archer, 2. The First Fowler)

Andrew and the Firedrake
By Douglas Wilson

An allegorical story of a boy who must learn to obey his king and stand against the firedrake.

Fantasy

Farmer Giles of Ham
By J.R.R. Tolkien

A farmer and his dog become unlikely warriors for the king of the land. A story full of comedy and lots of twists. A tale for kids and adults alike from the well-know author of The Lord of The Rings Trilogy.

Historical (Fiction and non fiction)

Mr. Pipes Series
By Douglas Bond

While on vacation in England, two American children are befriended by an elderly gentleman named Mr. Pipes, who begins to tell them the stories behind the hymns and leads them on a trail of discovery through church history.

(1. Mr. Pipes and the British Hymn Makers, 2. Mr. Pipes and Psalms and Hymns of the Reformation, 3. Mr. Pipes Comes to America, 4. The Accidental Voyage)

Scottish Seas
Douglas M. Jones III

A story of a boy and his family in Scotland between the two largest outbreaks of the Covenanter Wars.

The Door in the Wall
By Marguerite de Angeli

The story of a crippled boy in the days of knights and castles who must learn not only to be content but also to serve, even in his state of illness. Quite a fun adventure.

When the Siren Wailed
Noel Stretfield

The story of three children sent to live in the country during the London Blitz in WWII.

The Winged Watchman
Hilda Van Stockum

The story follows the son of a windmill owner in Holand during the Nazi Occupation as he encounters a hidden Jewish child, an “underdiver,” a downed RAF pilot, an imaginative, daring underground hero, and the small things of family life which surprisingly carry on in the midst of oppression.

By The Great Horn Spoon
By Sid Fleischman

A comedic adventure of an orphan boy and his butler who go to the California Goldfields to save the boy’s siblings family from bankruptcy.

Dutch Color
Douglas M. Jones III

The story of a girl and her brother in Holland seeking their lost father. Lots of fun adventures and interesting twists.

Maritime Series
By Douglas Wilson

The adventures of the Monroe family from the eighteenth century through modern times. Times may change, and pirates may change their tack, but the Monroe boys always seem driven to the sea…

(1. Blackthorn Winter, 2. Susan Creek, 3. Two Williams, 4. Barbary Jihad)

Twenty and Ten
By Claire Huchet Bishop

The true story of a school for children that hid Jewish students. Told from the children’s perspective so not as dark or violent as some WWII books. It was an account that has been passed down word of mouth in the village.

Twice Freed
By Patricia St. John

Inspired by the book of Philemon in the Bible, it follows the story of a slave boy in Rome who meets the Apostle Paul

Snow Treasure
By Marie McSwigan

The true story of how a Norse village sent their children on sleds to smuggle important items away from the Nazi soldiers in WWII

Number The Stars
By Lois Lowery

Ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen and her best friend Ellen Rosen often think of life before the war. It's now 1943 and their life in Copenhagen is filled with school, food shortages, and the Nazi soldiers marching through town.

Johnny Tremain
By Esther Forbes

Johnny Tremain, a young apprentice silversmith, is caught up in the danger and excitement of 1775 Boston, just before the Revolutionary War.

Time Cat
By Lloyd Alexander

Cat’s don’t have nine lives, they have nine-lifetimes. A boy and his cat embark on time travel to nine different times in history.

Justin Morgan Had a Horse
By Marguerite Henry

This is the extraordinary true tale of a little workhorse, who, after being born in obscurity, becomes one of the greatest breeding stallions of all time.

White Stallion of Lipizza
By Marguerite Henry

Hans dreams of one day working with the famed stallions of Lipizza. But coming from a family of bakers, Hans is discouraged from ever becoming a rider. That is, until the day he is invited to watch the extraordinary Ballet of Lipizzaners— from the Imperial Box!

When the Dikes Broke
By Alta Halverson Seymour

The story of a family in Holand when the dikes broke and flooded the country.

Radiant
By Richard M. Hannula

The triumph of the gospel as Christian women faced kings and governors, soldiers and wild beasts, Japanese guards and Muslim raiders, fire, exile, Nazis, cannibals, riots, and more. "Look to heaven and forsake the world"

Minutemen of the Sea
By Tom Cluff

The story of a boy and his brothers who become part of their town’s first minutemen and defend the shipping passageway against the British in the American war of Independence.

On the Run
By Willems Casey

The story of a peasant boy attempting to help a downed Allied pilot in WWII.

For Christ’s Crown Sketches of Puritans and Covenanters
By Richard M. Hannula

A collection of short biographies about the Men and women who stood up for their faith and shaped much of what the reformed church now believes.

Trial and Triumph
By Richard M. Hannula

A collection of forty-six brief biographies for children that sketch the stirring trials and triumphs of many famous and some lesser known figures in our family of faith including Augustine, Charlemagne, Anselm, Luther, Bunyan, and C.S. Lewis.

Christian Heroes, Then and Now
By Janet & Geoff Benge

The biographies of Christian men and women in history. Fairly well written, and they tend to tone down some of the more violent description making them better for a younger audience. (Last I checked there were over 30 of them)

Stories of the Pilgrims
By Margaret B. Pumphrey

The story of the small band of brave men and women who fled to the New World in hopes of a place to worship God freely.

Other (a.k.a. didn't fit in the categories above)

The Farm Mystery Series
Mr. and Mrs. Steven B. Castleberry

Andy and Jason love to solve mysteries that show up on their farm. They are from a Christian homeschool family and the stories are well balanced by adventure and good lessons to learn.

(1 Footprints in the Barn; 2 The Mysterious Message; 3, Midnight Sky; 4 Who, Me?; 5 Weighty Matters; 6 Where There's Smoke...; 7 The History Mystery; 8 Lights Out; 9 Trapped; 10 The Case of the Missing Man)

The Moffats series
By Eleanor Estes

Series about a family in the Depression/beginning of WWII. Very funny, and very well done. The father passed away before the series begins and the books tend to follow the children and the scrapes and adventures they get into.

(1, The Moffats 2 The Middle Moffat, 3 Rufus M. 4, The Moffat Museum)

All-of-a-Kind Family series
By Sydney Taylor

Jewish girls living in New York in the late 1950s. They have adventures, get into little scrapes, etc. A lot of fun really (There are three more books in the series but the girls are older and dating around and we didn’t like them.)

(1 All-of-a-Kind Family, 2 All-of-a-Kind Family Downtown)

Swallows and Amazons series
By Arthur Ransome

Set in England’s Lake District in early 1900s, inspired by the author’s own childhood, the stories follow the four Walker siblings as they swim, fish, camp, sail boats and explore the countryside and islands, and even accidentally go to sea. (I have read the other books in the series, but these were the originals and the best. We never liked the others as much.)

(1 Swallows and Amazons, 2 Swallowdale, 3 We Didn’t Mean to Go to Sea)

The Treasure Seekers series
By E. Nesbit

The Bastable children’s mother has died, and their father’s business is going under. The children decide it is time to be treasure seekers like the stories they’ve read and end up getting into all sorts of scrapes and mess-ups with various rather humorous schemes to restore the lost fortunes of the House of Bastable.

(1 The Story of the Treasure Seekers, 2 The Wouldbegoods, 3 The New Treasure Seekers, 4 The Bastable Family, 5 Oswald Bastable and Others)

The Railway Children
By E. Nesbit

After their father is called away on mysterious business, three children are taken by their mother to live in a country house by a railway. The children explore the town and the railway station, make new friends, send signals to the train, and have all sorts of adventures along the way. Another family favorite and has a fun mystery.

Jack and Jill
By Louisa May Alcott

A sledding accident sends Jack and Jill to bed for months, one with a broken leg, the other with an injured back. After a short period of self-pity, they decide to make the most of their illness. And so, with the help of their friends and their mothers, they find all sorts of imaginative ways to keep themselves amused. This is only the beginning of a friendship that will last through many adventures. (I found this one recently and it is one of my favorites)

Under the Lilacs
By Louisa May Alcott

Twelve-year-old Ben Brown runs away from the circus with his dog (and best friend) Sancho to seek out his missing father. He stumbles into the lives of young sisters Bab and Betty Moss who live with their mother in a quiet, tidy house. Ben’s juggling skills, Sancho’s trick of spelling his name with letter blocks, and the duo’s other skills of the trade charm the small family. And so beings the adventure. (We used to read this one about every year as a family)

Little Women series
By Louisa May Alcott

The story of sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy and the adventures they have as they grow up in 1800s America. The series continues to follow Jo and the orphan boys she adopts and raises with her husband in Plumb Field.

(1 Little Women, 2 Little Men, 3 Jo's Boys)

Five Little Peppers and How They Grew
Margaret Sydney

Times are tough for the Pepper family since their father died. Life for a widow with five children is never easy, especially when there isn’t enough money to send them to school, let alone have a Christmas. But no matter what comes their way the little brown house where the Pepper family live is always filled with love, hope and laughter. (Read this one multiple times. It’s a lot of fun with good adventures and storyline)

The Cricket in Times Square
By George Seldon

The story of a cricket and a cat who make friends in Time’s Square and have adventures.

The Little Pilgrim’s Progress
By Helen Taylor

A retelling of the pilgrim’s progress for a younger audience. Really liked this one and made reading the actual book more enjoyable for me later on.

Treasures of the Snow
By Patricia St. John

Annette Burnier lives with her father, elderly grandmother and young brother Dani in a small village in the Swiss mountains. When she is eight years old her mother dies just after Dani's birth, and since the family is too poor to afford a nanny, Annette takes the responsibility upon herself of caring for her little brother... A story of wrong and revenge verses redemption and God’s saving grace.

The Tanglewood Secret
By Patricia St. John

Ruth and her beloved brother Philip find adventure in the expanse of the Tanglewoods’ property. There they escape into bird watching, climbing, and general misadventures with their friend Terry. But Ruth suffers from an incorrigible temper. Just when she thinks she can't take it anymore, she learns a very special secret about a very special Shepherd.

Pollyanna
By Eleanor H. Porter

Pollyanna Whittier, an eleven-year-old orphan, goes to live with her wealthy but stern and cold spinster Aunt Polly Harrington, who does not want to take in Pollyanna but feels it is her duty to her late sister Jennie. Pollyanna is a bubbly, bright girl who is constantly playing the "Glad Game", taught to her by her father. The game consists of finding something to be glad about in every situation, no matter how bleak it may be...

Paddington Series
By Michael Bond

A bear called Paddington (after Paddington Station) and his adventures living with the Browns family in England.

Derwood Inc.
By Jeri Massi

The story of the Derwood family and their wild adventures. Siblings Jack and Penny become entangled in an international smuggling operation and the nonstop adventure of cracking a dangerous case. At times, however, it is hard to decide which is a greater threat: seasoned criminals or neighborhood bullies.

The Wind in the Willows
By Kenneth Grahame

Ratty, Mole, Badger, (and Frog of course) and their adventures in the wild. From boating with Ratty to Frog stealing motor cars, the story is fun and full of adventure.

Owls in the Family
By Farley Mowat

A boy adopts two owls and attempts to raise them and keep them out of trouble in his small-town neighborhood.

Pye Family books
By Eleanor Estes

Two children and their Uncle Bennie (who is only 3) and their adventures with their dog and cat.

(1 Ginger Pye, 2 Pinky Pye)

Misty of Chincoteague books
By Marguerite Henry

Paul and his sister live on the Islands off of Virgina with their Grandparents who are horse ranchers. The adventures begin when the siblings decide they want to capture a wild pony and set to work to earn the money to care for her.

(1 Misty of Chincoteague, 2 Stormy: Misty’s Foal)

The Secret Passage
By Nina Bawden

Three siblings are sent to live with their aunt after their mother dies. The city is a strange place, but it’s even more exciting when they discover a secret tunnel in their house.

Heidi Trilogy
Johanna Spyri and Charles Tritten

Orphan girl Hiedi is taken to live with her grandfather up in the Alps of Switzerland. Here she plays in the fresh air, meets the goatherd named Peter, and runs into several adventures. (The 2nd and 3rd book were published after the author’s death from the notes and drafts she left.)

(1 Heidi, 2 Heidi Grows Up, 3 Heidi’s Children)

Fairchild Family series

By Rebecca Caudill

Series about a family in the Appalachian Mountains. Very Little House feel. The kids do all sorts of fun things, have little adventures, and work together on the family farm.

Note: We never liked the first one is the series, “Happy Little Family”. The kids are very little, and the story itself was not that great. They tended to argue a lot, not at all like the later books. It doesn’t add or take away from the other books.

(1. Schoolhouse in the Woods, 2. Up And Down The River, 3. Schoolroom in the Parlor)

The Secret of Saturday Cove
By Oliver Barbee Carleton

A delightful mystery about a girl and boy who try lobstering to help keep a special island in the family.

Leepike Ridge
By N. D. Wilson

Thomas Hammond has always lived next to Leepike Ridge, but he never imagined he might end up lost beneath it...

Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates
By Mary Mapes Dodge

Hans and Gretal, two children in Holand, are attempting to earn money to help their mother pay for a doctor to aid their injured father.

The Wheel on the School
By Meindert De Jong

The school children set out in search of a wagon wheel to put on their schoolhouse so that the storks will build a nest there.

Letters From Father Christmas
By J.R.R. Tolkien

A collection of letters written by Tolkien for his sons from Father Christmas and Polar Bear telling all about life in the North, Polar Bear blowing things up, and many other wild adventures.

Mr. Bliss
By J.R.R. Tolkien

Mr. Bliss takes his motor car on his first drive. Many strange and comical adventures follow, including encounters with bears, angry neighbours, irate shopkeepers, and assorted collisions.

Pee-wee Harris
By Percy Keese Fritzhugh

Boy scout Pee-wee visits his uncle whose farm is located on a by-road and conceives the idea of starting a little shack along the road in which to sell refreshments…
(I have only read book one in a series. They are hard to get, and I’ve been unable to find the rest)

Boy Scouts Signal Sender or When Wigwag Knowledge Paid
By Archibald Lee Fletcher

A group of boy scouts in the early 1900s find themselves in a situation where the skills of signal-sending they have been working on are more important than they realized. (book 3 in a series. They are hard to find and I have only read this one, but I would love to read the others)

Kill the Dragon Get the Girl
By Cheston Hervey

The story of four children who come face to face with the reality of a spiritual battle in the world around them. Lacy, struggling with self-pity after an accident, Tommie who loves stories of knights and warriors but is too scared to stand up on his own, and Wyan the cowboy loving teen who is seeking something to stand up for and build his convictions on.

Brave Ollie Posum
By Ethan Nicolle

Ollie, the son of an Italian chef, must learn to have courage before disaster strikes. A comedy that teaches true bravery.