Books can become your child’s best companion for life. Inculcating the good habit of reading from an early age will surely help to read some of the amazing books throughout their life. Reading books not only helps them to gather knowledge and information, but books are great ways to nurture their creativity and imagination, improve vocabulary, and of course boost confidence as well. Reading aids in both Spoken and Written communication throughout their entire life.
Every age group has its own universe of books that are interesting to read and comprehend at that age. Teenagers, mostly the age group between 12 to 16 years need something which is really exciting to read and help their minds to explore. It is a very ‘confusing’ age for many as they are just crossing the line from a child to a teen. Hence, there is a big transition in their likes and dislikes. They want to explore more, yet form their own opinion about things they read and comprehend. Often, parents are not sure what their teenage child would like or prefer, and they don’t know what choices they should give them.
This is also the case when it comes to choosing the right books for them. Though teenagers are old enough to make their own decisions, yet a helping hand is always great. I have often been asked about this by many parents, so here is a compilation that might help them.
10 amazing books that every teenager will find exciting and interesting.
1. The Girl Who Drank the Moon- This wonderful New York Times Bestseller about Xan the witch and a girl named, Luna. is an interesting read, and has won numerous awards. A 12-year-old will surely love the twists and Luna’s growth in power.
2. Guts- This graphic novel is about an anxious girl which deals with the physical and psychological effects of anxiety on her. Guts is based on Telgemeier’s personal experience with anxiety and has already received rave reviews. Many kids find comics relatable for them, and teenagers will surely learn to deal with their own anxiety with examples from this one.
3. Harry Potter series- Book series is always a good way to engage young readers as it keeps the excitement going. Harry Potter has been a hot favourite among teenagers and we wouldn’t want to leave that out. Of course, there are a few other series that a teenager can also explore like the Percy Jackson Series, or The Mysterious Benedict Society Series for those who love adventure and mysteries.
4. The Science of Breakable Things- This book is about Natalie’s efforts to cheer her mother up. This novel addresses mental illness explores healthy friendships and also delves into Natalie’s Korean heritage. Mental health is an issue that doesn’t get enough focus and often kids shy away from discussing this. This book might be a great read for them on how they need to discuss and deal with such issues.
5. The Someday Birds- This heart-warming book talks about autistic Charlie and their family road trip from California to Virginia for his father’s medical treatment. Along the way, Charlie tries to find all the birds he and his father always planned to see together as a sign that his dad will be okay. This book is a perfect road trip book filled with hijinks, sibling drama, and a whole lot of heart.
6. The Inheritance of Loss- Our Indian authors also have some amazing good reads to offer for teenagers. This Man Booker Prize winner one by is an eye-opener on terrorism, globalization, and immigration. It is set in 1986 with the Gorkhaland movement as the backdrop. It is an intriguing read for someone who wants to explore the reality behind such grave situations.
7. The God of Small Things- Arundhati Roy’s, The God of Small Things is set in Kerala, and the story revolves around the lives of fraternal twins Rahel and Esthappen, and their mother, Ammu. Betrayal, caste discrimination, etc. This book won the Booker Prize in 1997.
8. Interpreter of Maladies- This is a collection of nine short stories based on Indian Americans and Indians who are confused between their roots and the new country they are associated with. The book won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction and the PEN award in 2000. Jhumpa Lahiri is also well-known for her book, The Namesake which teenagers can also try out.
9. Travelling Light- If a teenager has a wandering heart and loves to travel, then this is a must-read. This short story novel is a light take on travel that highlights five wonderful journeys and the takeaways from them.
10. New Kid- This is an honest graphic novel that follows Jordan who’s sent to a prestigious private school where he’s one of the few kids of colour in his whole grade. It talks about the cultural divide and micro-aggressions faced by people of colour. For someone who enjoys such novels, they will surely love to read this one.
Apart from these, good old English classics like Gone With The Wind, Pride and Prejudice, The Great Expectations, or works of Shakespeare like Othello or Hamlet will never fail to amuse young readers. These are rich in vocabulary and explores different aspects of literary marvels as well.
Some of the important reading milestones of a 12-year-old can be:
- Vocabulary: They should be able to independently grow their vocabulary by looking up words that are unfamiliar to them using a dictionary.
Impact: By this age, a child’s opinion can be affected, altered, or influenced by what they read. So, they should be able to form and defend their opinions or beliefs with arguments.
Comprehension: They will be able to understand and compare different formats, levels, perspectives, or even meanings in what they read.
Develop likeability: They should be able to differentiate between genres they read and will develop a taste for certain genres over others. This also helps them to choose their next book.
- Reading habits: They should be able to explore different mediums, like newspapers, academic texts, and non-fiction novels. This also will help them to increase and plan their reading time.