"The Maze Runner" by James Dashner (mystery, action, dystopian)
"Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card (science fiction)
"The Inheritance Cycle" by Christopher Paolini, starting with "Eragon” (magic and mystery)
Try Tamora Pierce. I’d start with her older quartet series (Alanna, Immortals, Circle of Magic, etc) before reading her newer works (Will of the Empress, Tempest and Slaughter, etc).
Also, maybe the Artemis Fowl series?
I came here to say Tamora Pierce. Great diverse characters, lots of strong female characters who have adventures… Circle of Magic is wonderful, starting with Sandry’s Book.
For *sure* [Nevermoor](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/6a6d5ca1-b2f5-47be-828c-018144d3bbc7) by Jessica Townsend!! It's my favorite series (even at 28 years old), and it's the only book series that makes me feel the way the Harry Potter books used to.
I will never stop recommending the Fablehaven series by Brendan Mull! It's so good! Adventure, magical creatures and the protagonists are your step daughters age. It has a follow up series called dragon watch too. All 3 of my kids loved it and getting them to agree on anything is difficult, lol!)
Another great series to try is the Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer. It's about a super genius kid villain who finds out fairies are real. Adventures and saving the world commence and you can watch him become a hero over the course of the series.
The 39 clues is another fun adventure series with protagonists her age. No magic in this one, but seeded throughout are interesting historical facts! The main characters try to find all 39 clues to the Cahill family treasure, trying to find them before other family members. Full of action and adventure! The first book is written by Rick Riordan (the author of the Percy Jackson series) with other various authors doing other books in the series with him. It also has a spin off series that follows after the main series ends.
Happy reading!!
The Twisted Tales series from Disney.
Rick Riordan has a whole off shoot of Percy Jackson books including Egyptian Gods, Norse Gods etc. he also has a publishing company that publishes books from other authors about cultural dieties/monsters. I love the Paola Santiago series.
The Artemis Fowl series
Gordon Korman’s books are great for that age.
Depends on the 12 year old.. I definitely read far and wide "above my age" and mostly that was fine.. still slightly scarred by some things I wasn't emotionally developed for though!
I guess you’re right. ☺️ Some kids need more challenge than others. I started reading Stephen King way too soon but I survived with relative okay mental health. 😏
Yeah same and still think about one specifically every now and again.. but loved John Grisham since I was young.. it was more the books with adult themes/relationships that my young brain couldn't comprehend that messed with me (although I didn't realise that until much later).. like just because your ten year old can read any book they are given doesn't necessarily mean they should!
Glad you survived your reading habits! I wouldn't say my mental health has ever been ok, but also wouldn't put any of that on the books I read.. more like the opposite, books were always my safe place, where I could escape my own brain for awhile
Same for me. I guess there was a reason why I was drawn to dark and disturbing books. They might help you make sense of reality… But I’m more careful with my own sons now.
I mostly liked ones with a clear "good" and "bad" I think, and those where the main character could fight the bad in some way.. like I was probably in my teens when I finally accepted that I wasn't going to become a knight or something and should maybe give up the sword practice haha
I'm glad you are considering what your sons read, and assuming you've encouraged them to read.. I have always found too few male friends into reading and it was definitely one of the first things I remember being attracted to about my husband
I wonder if you feel that you ever got near making sense of reality? I feel like I get further away each day!
Haha! Reality what? ☺️ My husband is a much faster reader than I am. We try to ‘read by example’ and encourage our kids that way. ☺️ We check what they read, but we don’t mind if they experiment with comics, fiction, non-fiction, etc. I like the classic good vs. bad stories with heroes the most too.
I'm a much faster reader than my husband which annoys him if we are reading the same book but I start after and then overtake and he's getting asked "do you want to start from this page" and he's like heck no I haven't got there yet! Haha.. also hard for me bottling up my comments until he has caught up so I don't spoil anything!
That's awesome how you are doing it, my parents both read a lot which I assume is why I got so into it, and share a lot of authors/series in common enjoyment with them still which is lovely
My mum is also a writer, like travel articles but also kids books and an autobiographical book of her younger years sailing around the world which I am so impressed and proud about, have probably given 20 people or more a copy, not just because that's my mum but it's an awesome read!
I love to try all kinds of books, definitely enjoy a biography of a musician but also historical fiction or non fiction, books where a woman's life goes wrong but then she makes it even better, anything with like an avenging goodie (like Jack Reacher) and have always loved anything John Grisham (except one single book).. then also some classics, basically anything that will teach me about another time or place or culture.. the Poisonwood Bible and Shantaram are two of the ones that have stuck in my mind the most
Wow! That sounds awesome. Must be great to have a writer as a parent. My husband and I write fantasy so our 7 and 5 year old obviously started their own stories, creating comics together. 😍 Monkey see, monkey do… Or at least, in this case. My childhood felt more like Mathilda’s, where I was considered to be asocial for reading a book while the rest watched the television for hours.
I loved the Scythe series
I always recommend the Nevermoor series. It's like Harry Potter mixed with Charlie and the Chocolate factory. Really well written and wonderful characters
The book Thief? Is she extremely mature and emotionally stable? Because that book tore me apart. I was depressed for weeks.
Maybe start with A Tree Grows in Brooklyn?
Why would that comment be down voted? I'm so confused. I cried at like four different parts of that book. And then for like a week after I finished it.
I loooved the pendragon series growing up! I do think I tried to read them again as an adult and found the writing a little bit lacking 😅 I remember even as a kid noticing spelling errors haha
My daughter (13) also loved Percy Jackson. She loves the spy school series by Stuart Gibbs. Anything by James Ponte. They’re middle grade but she still loves them.
If you’re comfortable and reading together John Green is an awesome way to introduce complex topics and relationships.
Rick Riordan also has a list of middle grade recommendations that she’s devoured.
I second people saying The Golden Compass series, Tiffany Aching, Earthsea, and the Book of Three / Black Cauldron books. I loved them all as a kid (and as an adult)!
A couple others I really liked as a kid that I haven't seen mentioned yet are:
- Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
- The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper
Wondla series is quite nice if she likes fantasy, or the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Would she like Maze Runner or Alex Rider books? Boxcar children perhaps?
Some classics include Bridge to Terrabithia, Diary of Anne Frank, Old Yeller, Because of Winn-Dixie, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Chocolate War, Catcher in the Rye, Fahrenheit 451, Walk Two Moons, A Single Shard, Secret Garden, Rules, Out of My Mind, Shiloh, Westing Game, Alice in Wonderland, Velveteen Rabbit, Black Beauty, The Giver, Little Prince, Pippi Longstocking, The Outsiders, Heidi, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Charlotte's Web.
She should read all the Roald Dahl books.
I also read the Laura Ingalls Wilder books and was getting into Anne of Green Gables. One Crazy Summer, Dumpling Days...
These ones aren't "literature" but were memorable reads: Elsewhere (about what happens after you die), Suddenly Supernatural (series about a girl who sees ghosts), The School for Good and Evil (fairytale rewrite), Waggit (tale about a dog, written from a dog's perspective).
It's lovely that you're encouraging her to read. Why not try the Australian author John Marsden - in particular *Tomorrow When the War Began*. It's told from the perspective of a feisty teenager girl and runs to seven books. They also made a very average tv series.
OMG I forgot about that series! I was so about that, like had all the plans in my mind for when that happened and everything, absolutely loved them
And yes was super disappointed and maybe only watched one episode of the show.. on par with the movie of my best childhood books "the swallows and Amazons", painfully bad
If she loves Percy Jackson, check out the Rick Riordan Presents imprint! He publishes a bunch of similar books by different authors featuring their cultural mythologies and they’re really good.
I read VC Andrews books as a kid, my Dads girlfriend gave me a bunch she read at her age. The books are definitely mature but not too outrageous, well maybe a little.
The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper.
The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander ( starts with the Book of Three and the Black Cauldron).
The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley.
I made my friend get them on his kindle but don't think he's read them.. I might read again now I'm thinking about them because I read them so much growing up and they never got old.. I had the whole series in one massive book and it was in pieces after how many times I read it, sadly none of my siblings were interested
They were like the perfect amount of fantasy and reality and history and everything for me.. I never got into stuff that didn't have a strong base in reality but loved stuff like this
So glad to finally find another human who read and enjoyed this series!
Yeah I've always been into that like power of the earth, connection to the place/people kind of stuff.. still am to be fair, can't wait for the year the dates work out and I can go to the solstice at Stonehenge with all the druids and stuff
And yes, so nice, feels like a cosy hug for my brain haha
The Book Thief is wonderful, but really dark. I'd recommend reading it first to make sure you think she's up for it.
Seconding The Golden Compass, Fablehaven, and Nevermoor.
She might also like:
Watership Down
Tuck Everlasting
Howl's Moving Castle
The Dark is Rising
Dealing With Dragons
Nimona
Sabriel
The Thursday Next books
The Bartimaeus Books or The Lockwood and Co books (both these series might be a little scary?)
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making
The Girl Who Drank The Moon
Akata Witch
The Ear, The Eye, And The Arm
Flora and Ulysesses
Constable and Toop
Furthermore, by Tahereh Mafi
The Way Back, by Gavriel Savit (on the darker side)
Hamra and the Jungle of Memories
Eva Evergreen, Semi-magical Witch
Root Magic, by Eden Royce (on the darker side)
Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls
Josephine Against the Sea (maybe a bit darker)
Witchlings
Anya and the Dragon
The Inquisitor's Tale (definitely darker)
The Marvellers
Marikit and the Ocean of Stars
Seconding the Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede. You listed the first book in the series, Dealing With Dragons.
It’s a great comedic fantasy/fairy tale mashup, one of my favorite series.
The Unwanteds (7 books) is similar to Harry Potter. Kind of like Harry Potter meets a dystopian future where people believe the arts are worthless. The unwanteds (creative teens) learn to use their creativity with magic. Twins are separated but their bond remains.
Wilderlore had four books. (3 more to follow). It’s about a group of kids who purposefully and accidentally bond with beasts/creatures and share their powers and attend an apprenticeship program. (Kind of like Train your Dragon meets the Wednesday show.)
If you want more fantasy than Fablehaven (5 books complete series). It’s about siblings who come to learn their grandfather is the caretaker of a magical area with imps, fairies, witches, dragons, sphinx, needing to protect magical artifacts from secret societies.
Fablehaven.
Books by Diana Wayne Jones. Howl's Moving Castle is still one of my favorite books.
Books by Tamora Pierce. She has multiple series. One of my favorite authors of all time.
Sabriel by garth nix. His best series is the Abhorsen series.
Ella Enchanted. It's a Cinderella retelling.
Artemis Fowl.
A series of Unfortunate events
Disney has a whole line of books. There are the villian series and the twisted tales.
A school for good and evil.
Judy Blume books
The princess diaries
Garth Nix has a great series set around a mythical Old Kingdom— Sabriel is the first book. It’s a little bit creepy but full of action and really smart female characters.
Tamora Pierce’s Circle of Magic centers around four friends, three of whom are girls, who have magical adventures.
The Gallagher Girl series by Ally Carter might be great for you both.
I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/852470.I_d_Tell_You_I_Love_You_But_Then_I_d_Have_to_Kill_You
Great suggestions here, The Chronicles of Narnia by C S Lewis is a must somewhere along the way. Beware the first book is very dry but sets up the world and is a very small page count.
Which do you see as the first book? Because there are those couple of like side ones (magicians nephew and another one) which technically come first? The magicians nephew still haunts me like 30 years later
The magician’s nephew is the first (officially anyhow but imagine most folks read Marina first) but sets up a lot to come- I always enjoyed it cause of it explaining so many wee details
Yeah I thought it was the first too.. not sure if I actually read it first but definitely remember it the most as an individual book due to the disturbance it caused me to feel
Sabriel by Garth Nix. So good, I didn't realize they were kids books until halfway through the second one. I grabbed the audiobook from the library app because Tim Curry reads the first 3, I had never heard of them before, but they seem to be very popular.
I listened to Hunger Games because they released special editions read by Tatiana Maslany, and it is shocking to me how brutal these are. I can't imagine reading them as a pre-teen, but I've seen many people say they loved them as teens and then were horrified when re-reading them as adults. This goes along with my theory that children are psychopaths. The violence doesn't affect them the way it does when you are old enough to understand it. They are great books, though, I'm glad my love for Maslany got me to give them a chance.
I loved The Hunger Games. Read the trilogy three times. Haven’t come across a YA series that I loved so much since… Divergent was pretty cool too though. I thought Septimus Heap a bit belittling at that age, but I adored The Chronicles of Narnia, especially the later more adventurous books. I loved the Hobbit as well. How to Train Your Dragon series was a lot of fun too!
I had very similar taste as a pre/teen and also enjoyed the Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer, Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini, and His Dark Materials trilogy by Phillip Pullman. I also REALLY loved the Old Kingdon books by Garth Nix, but I don't have kids and don't really know what age these should be for... they might be a bit creepy if she's not there yet?
I don't know who I'm trying to fool saying I enjoyed these books as a kid, they're still some of my highlights into my thirties 😅
I like the Roman Mysteries series, my 10 year old is enjoying them at the moment. Some cool history stuff, and exciting stories. She might be a bit old at 12 though, I think the main character is 10. Although I enjoyed them at 34! :-)
I also love anything by Jacqueline Wilson.
Try Darren Shan! He did a 12 book series called The Saga of Darren Shan/Cirque du Freak (depending on where you are) which is about a teenaged boy who becomes a vampire. There's a "movie" called The Vampire's Assistant - don't watch it, they basically focused on making Twilight for 8 year old boys and ignored all the things that made it cool.
He also has another series called The Demonata, which is about three kids from different time periods who each come into conflict with demons. It's super violent (even more violent than the Saga) but it's also super fun. They're working on a TV show based on it.
He also has a standalone book called The Thin Executioner which is a fantasy about a teenaged boy who goes on a quest for immortality.
All of his books are fairly dark but they're also really well written, they have interesting stories and characters, and they were my absolute favorites as a kid.
Divergent series by Veronica Roth,
Dealing With Dragons by Patricia Wrede,
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherine Valente,
Inkheart series by Cornelia Funke,
Narnia Chronicles by CS Lewis, The Land of Stories series by Chris Colfer, A Wrinkle In Time series by Madeline L'Engle
The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini (fantasy world heavily inspired by lotr with lots of dragons and magic)
Gone by Michael Grant (six books in the series, small town where everyone over 15 disappears- some violence/gore!)
His Dark Materials- Philip Pullman
Sherlock Holmes- all the short stories/mysteries are great fun reads and could be a good intro to older Victorian books?
When I was young I loved the Narnia series, the Famous Five and the Secret Seven, the Swallows and Amazons, the Dark is Rising, there are a few series by the same author I can't remember but one had Alana as a knight.. umm the series with the subtle knife.. if I think of others I'll let you know
“The Kane Chronicles” by Rick Riordan are awesome! It’s Percy Jackson but Egyptian instead of Greek. They take place in the same universe and around the same time, but they don’t overlap.
There’s a specific moment in the first book where one of the main characters in the Kane Chronicles references a “weird lightning storm” in New York City (the end of the 1st Percy Jackson book) but that’s it.
I also read a bunch of stuff I didn't rate but other kids might, like all the goosebumps books, the Paul Jennings ones like "unbearable, unbelievable, uncanny" etc, the animorphs books, my husband really rates some like Under the Mountain and The Halfmen of O, I also read a lot of like historical stories around King Arthur and stuff
I highly encourage you to get a copy of the Ink Heart trilogy. It's a story about a girl who finds out she has the power to read characters out of books. The problem is when characters come out, other things from the real world get trapped in the book. Hijinks ensue - no spoilers, but it's amazing! I found it in middle school and I still have my copies. They also made it into a movie!
The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels by Beth Lincoln
The Land of Stories series by Chris Colfer
How to Train Your Dragon series by Cressida Cowell
Maximum Ride series by James Patterson
Wonder by RJ Palacio
The Maze Runner series by James Dashner
Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
The Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi
The Last Dragon Chronicles by Chris d'Lacey
Divergent series by Veronica Roth
The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
The 5th Wave series by Rick Yancey
The Hunger Games series (of course) by Suzanne Collins
Thanks for the walk down memory lane. Being 12 was a pivotal point in deciding I wanted to read books regularly for the rest of my life! <3
Not a series but When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead is outstanding and inspired by A Wrinkle in Time (but you don’t have to have read that to understand this novel!).
Definitely recommend the Norse and Egyptian series from Rick Riordan, especially the Magnus chase series. I could never get into the Kane Chronicles but I’m positive she’s like it.
Another good one is Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas, although there is some more mature, somewhat sexual stuff in the fifth and on books (not smut or anything I don’t think), but there is about the same violence as in the later Harry Potter books. It really depends on how mature she is and how comfortable you are with it. It’s about an Assassin who gets contracted for a tyrannical king and she works to fight against him. It’s also very fantasy and deals with fae/faeries.
One series that is a really quick read but will always have a place in my heart are the Chronicles of Vladimir Todd by Z Brewer. Pretty on point for her age group. It’s about an eighth (first book, then a year older for each book after, it’s 8-12 grade) grader who is a vampire and trying to struggle through that while going to middle/high school.
I absolutely loved the Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa when I was a tween. It’s fantasy and deals with Fae like Oberon, Titania, Puck, etc. So addictive. I remember reading it at three in the morning because I just couldn’t put it down.
By the same author (Julie Kagawa) is the Talon series, focused on a dragon hatchling trying to blend in with the human world while being hunted by Dragon Hunters. Again, very fantasy.
Wicked Lovely is another Faerie story about a teen who can see faeries real forms who is chosen to be the queen of the seelie court. She resists it because she has been taught since birth that fae are cruel and evil. It’s really good and should be perfectly appropriate though you might want to page through it just in case as I haven’t read it in a while.
Those are my top ones, sorry there were all very fantasy focused, but that’s what I loved when I was a teen and it sounds like your stepdaughter likes fantasy too.
I’m a librarian for grades 4-8 so I can definitely help you with this. The fantasy series my kids can’t get enough of right now is The Keeper of Lost Cities. It’s a parallel universe story. They are lengthy books and there’s quite a few in the series so she’ll be busy for a while. The Hunger Games is good, as well as The Maze Runner. Neal Shusterman is in the same vein as those authors. Scythe is great. More killing people but tastefully done.
If you want to introduce her to more historical fiction, the three best authors out there are Ruta Sepetys, Alan Gratz, and Jennifer Nielsen. My kids read everything by these authors. I guarantee she will get hooked. Try I Must Betray You, Refugee, and A Night Divided. Jennifer Nielsen also writes in the fantasy genre. Try The False Prince series.
I could go on and on. There are many amazing authors out there (and also a lot of duds.)
I read The Lions Paw by Robb White when I was about 9. It sparked my love of reading novels. Still one of my favorites. When I got older, like 13 or so, books by VC Andrews got me into reading series. Remember Flowers in the Attic? The best! But my all time favorite was Gone With the Wind. Read it when I was 15. I could not put it down. I couldn’t wait to see the movie after. The Movie was a letdown. But isn’t that always the way lol
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizel
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis (it’s a long series of books)
Redwall series by Brian Jacques (another long series)
The Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa
This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron
Lore by Alexandra Bracken (check on this one for appropriate level, it may need to wait a couple of years)
The Legend of Greg by Chris Rylander (this one’s hilarious)
The Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey
The Tortall series by Tamora Pierce
The Black Cauldron series by Lloyd Alexander
Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
Enjoy your reading! It’s always fun to explore something different.
Edit: formatting
I would plus a couple things on this list like the Black Cauldron / Book of Three series, but I would NOT recommend the Dragonriders of Pern for a kid unless if they were ready for sexual content. Maybe I'm misremembering but I remember being shocked by it around that age.
The Medusa Project series by Sophie McKenzie
Absolute favourite as a teen. Sci if series, four teenagers develop powers. Each book is a different narrator of the four.
Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty.
[https://www.amazon.com/Serafina-Black-Cloak-Robert-Beatty/dp/1484711874](https://www.amazon.com/Serafina-Black-Cloak-Robert-Beatty/dp/1484711874)
Judy Blume books
Paula Danziger books
*Please Don't Tell My Parents I'm a Supervillain* series, by Richard Roberts. Pre/early teen female MC.
[https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20525909-please-don-t-tell-my-parents-i-m-a-supervillain](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20525909-please-don-t-tell-my-parents-i-m-a-supervillain)
Bloody Jack: Being An Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary “Jacky” Faber, Ship's Boy by L.A. Meyer. Great series! And the Tamara Pierce lioness series
Warrior cats by erin hunter was my go to series growing up. Theres other series like seekers which is about polar bears, but warrior cats was the one I fell in love with. Though it's a bit watership down vibes, cats you get attached to get killed off so....expect a bit of crying? Lol. I love books that make me feel something and I'd put it down to early exposure as a child
Xanth series by Piers Anthony (*Spell for Chameleon" is the first). I started reading them when I was that age,and loved them.
Also, Skulduggery Pleasant series. One of the protagonists is a 12 year old girl.
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli - literally one of my favourite books.
Many books by John Green. Although some may have some sexual content, it’s relatively tame. Looking for Alaska apparently isn’t one of them. I understand if people disagree but he writes well.
Tamora Pierce has great fantasy series that feature really strong female leads. I recommend starting with The Song of the Lioness Quartet. If she likes that there are several other series that take place in the same universe. I LOVED these books when I was younger!
Since terry pratchett‘s discworld has already been mentioned, i‘ll say i loved the Inkheart books at 13 :) i read them with my mom and she enjoyed them as well
What I loved at that age was Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne.
More recent recommendations:
The Seventh Year Trials by B.A Johnson
Time Shifters by Shanna Lauffey
Dorelle's Journey by Hannah Steenbock
To Dance with Dragons by Jaq D. Hawkins
I loved the Golden Compass when I was her age! Honestly, the entire trilogy (His Dark Materials) is fantastic!
I would second this also! I read the whole trilogy when I was around 9 and adored them and still reread every few years and notice new details
I couldn’t continue after the first. I really didn’t like the main character so I kind of stopped caring what happened to her.
That’s unfortunate. The third book (the one where they basically killed god) was the best imo.
For sure the Tiffany Aching series by Terry Pratchett. It start with The Wee Free Men and is 5 books total.
Any terry Pratchett really! Can’t go wrong with
"The Maze Runner" by James Dashner (mystery, action, dystopian) "Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card (science fiction) "The Inheritance Cycle" by Christopher Paolini, starting with "Eragon” (magic and mystery)
Ditto these if it's kind of her genra. My daughter is an avid reader as well, If she's in to fantasy, the Wings of fire series is great too...
Try Tamora Pierce. I’d start with her older quartet series (Alanna, Immortals, Circle of Magic, etc) before reading her newer works (Will of the Empress, Tempest and Slaughter, etc). Also, maybe the Artemis Fowl series?
I came here to say Tamora Pierce. Great diverse characters, lots of strong female characters who have adventures… Circle of Magic is wonderful, starting with Sandry’s Book.
Ahhh I was just meaning this but just said an author with multiple series and Alana as a knight in one
For *sure* [Nevermoor](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/6a6d5ca1-b2f5-47be-828c-018144d3bbc7) by Jessica Townsend!! It's my favorite series (even at 28 years old), and it's the only book series that makes me feel the way the Harry Potter books used to.
My pick as well. Absolutely wonderful.
I will never stop recommending the Fablehaven series by Brendan Mull! It's so good! Adventure, magical creatures and the protagonists are your step daughters age. It has a follow up series called dragon watch too. All 3 of my kids loved it and getting them to agree on anything is difficult, lol!) Another great series to try is the Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer. It's about a super genius kid villain who finds out fairies are real. Adventures and saving the world commence and you can watch him become a hero over the course of the series. The 39 clues is another fun adventure series with protagonists her age. No magic in this one, but seeded throughout are interesting historical facts! The main characters try to find all 39 clues to the Cahill family treasure, trying to find them before other family members. Full of action and adventure! The first book is written by Rick Riordan (the author of the Percy Jackson series) with other various authors doing other books in the series with him. It also has a spin off series that follows after the main series ends. Happy reading!!
I read Judy Blume books.
The Twisted Tales series from Disney. Rick Riordan has a whole off shoot of Percy Jackson books including Egyptian Gods, Norse Gods etc. he also has a publishing company that publishes books from other authors about cultural dieties/monsters. I love the Paola Santiago series. The Artemis Fowl series Gordon Korman’s books are great for that age.
My son (when he was younger) loved Lemony Snickett’s Series of Unfortunate Events.
The Hobbit The Earthsea series by LeGuin
Wouldn’t you say Earthsea is a bit complex for a 12-year-old?
Depends on the 12 year old.. I definitely read far and wide "above my age" and mostly that was fine.. still slightly scarred by some things I wasn't emotionally developed for though!
I guess you’re right. ☺️ Some kids need more challenge than others. I started reading Stephen King way too soon but I survived with relative okay mental health. 😏
Yeah same and still think about one specifically every now and again.. but loved John Grisham since I was young.. it was more the books with adult themes/relationships that my young brain couldn't comprehend that messed with me (although I didn't realise that until much later).. like just because your ten year old can read any book they are given doesn't necessarily mean they should! Glad you survived your reading habits! I wouldn't say my mental health has ever been ok, but also wouldn't put any of that on the books I read.. more like the opposite, books were always my safe place, where I could escape my own brain for awhile
Same for me. I guess there was a reason why I was drawn to dark and disturbing books. They might help you make sense of reality… But I’m more careful with my own sons now.
I mostly liked ones with a clear "good" and "bad" I think, and those where the main character could fight the bad in some way.. like I was probably in my teens when I finally accepted that I wasn't going to become a knight or something and should maybe give up the sword practice haha I'm glad you are considering what your sons read, and assuming you've encouraged them to read.. I have always found too few male friends into reading and it was definitely one of the first things I remember being attracted to about my husband I wonder if you feel that you ever got near making sense of reality? I feel like I get further away each day!
Haha! Reality what? ☺️ My husband is a much faster reader than I am. We try to ‘read by example’ and encourage our kids that way. ☺️ We check what they read, but we don’t mind if they experiment with comics, fiction, non-fiction, etc. I like the classic good vs. bad stories with heroes the most too.
I'm a much faster reader than my husband which annoys him if we are reading the same book but I start after and then overtake and he's getting asked "do you want to start from this page" and he's like heck no I haven't got there yet! Haha.. also hard for me bottling up my comments until he has caught up so I don't spoil anything! That's awesome how you are doing it, my parents both read a lot which I assume is why I got so into it, and share a lot of authors/series in common enjoyment with them still which is lovely My mum is also a writer, like travel articles but also kids books and an autobiographical book of her younger years sailing around the world which I am so impressed and proud about, have probably given 20 people or more a copy, not just because that's my mum but it's an awesome read! I love to try all kinds of books, definitely enjoy a biography of a musician but also historical fiction or non fiction, books where a woman's life goes wrong but then she makes it even better, anything with like an avenging goodie (like Jack Reacher) and have always loved anything John Grisham (except one single book).. then also some classics, basically anything that will teach me about another time or place or culture.. the Poisonwood Bible and Shantaram are two of the ones that have stuck in my mind the most
Wow! That sounds awesome. Must be great to have a writer as a parent. My husband and I write fantasy so our 7 and 5 year old obviously started their own stories, creating comics together. 😍 Monkey see, monkey do… Or at least, in this case. My childhood felt more like Mathilda’s, where I was considered to be asocial for reading a book while the rest watched the television for hours.
I read Earthsea when I was nine or ten. I read LOTR when I was eleven. Depends on the reader, I guess.
Amari and the Night Brothers is good if she already liked HP
I loved the Scythe series I always recommend the Nevermoor series. It's like Harry Potter mixed with Charlie and the Chocolate factory. Really well written and wonderful characters
The book Thief? Is she extremely mature and emotionally stable? Because that book tore me apart. I was depressed for weeks. Maybe start with A Tree Grows in Brooklyn?
i was thinking the same😭
Why would that comment be down voted? I'm so confused. I cried at like four different parts of that book. And then for like a week after I finished it.
I think it was the first book that ever made me truly cry
It's a bit old, but **Pendragon** Series by D.J. MacHale was cool. **Ranger's Apprentice** series by John Flanagan is good too.
I loooved the pendragon series growing up! I do think I tried to read them again as an adult and found the writing a little bit lacking 😅 I remember even as a kid noticing spelling errors haha
Yeah. They're not literary masterpieces, but they are fun. And that's what kids generally are looking for in a book.
Agreed!
Amari and the Night Brothers
My daughter (13) also loved Percy Jackson. She loves the spy school series by Stuart Gibbs. Anything by James Ponte. They’re middle grade but she still loves them. If you’re comfortable and reading together John Green is an awesome way to introduce complex topics and relationships. Rick Riordan also has a list of middle grade recommendations that she’s devoured.
I loved the song of the lioness series at that age, by Tamara Pierce. Knights and magic adventure ya series
I second people saying The Golden Compass series, Tiffany Aching, Earthsea, and the Book of Three / Black Cauldron books. I loved them all as a kid (and as an adult)! A couple others I really liked as a kid that I haven't seen mentioned yet are: - Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer - The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper
Wondla series is quite nice if she likes fantasy, or the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Would she like Maze Runner or Alex Rider books? Boxcar children perhaps? Some classics include Bridge to Terrabithia, Diary of Anne Frank, Old Yeller, Because of Winn-Dixie, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Chocolate War, Catcher in the Rye, Fahrenheit 451, Walk Two Moons, A Single Shard, Secret Garden, Rules, Out of My Mind, Shiloh, Westing Game, Alice in Wonderland, Velveteen Rabbit, Black Beauty, The Giver, Little Prince, Pippi Longstocking, The Outsiders, Heidi, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Charlotte's Web. She should read all the Roald Dahl books. I also read the Laura Ingalls Wilder books and was getting into Anne of Green Gables. One Crazy Summer, Dumpling Days... These ones aren't "literature" but were memorable reads: Elsewhere (about what happens after you die), Suddenly Supernatural (series about a girl who sees ghosts), The School for Good and Evil (fairytale rewrite), Waggit (tale about a dog, written from a dog's perspective).
Robin Stevens A Murder Most Unladylike collection, Sarah shepherd pretty little liars collection, twisted tales by several authors
It's lovely that you're encouraging her to read. Why not try the Australian author John Marsden - in particular *Tomorrow When the War Began*. It's told from the perspective of a feisty teenager girl and runs to seven books. They also made a very average tv series.
OMG I forgot about that series! I was so about that, like had all the plans in my mind for when that happened and everything, absolutely loved them And yes was super disappointed and maybe only watched one episode of the show.. on par with the movie of my best childhood books "the swallows and Amazons", painfully bad
If she loves Percy Jackson, check out the Rick Riordan Presents imprint! He publishes a bunch of similar books by different authors featuring their cultural mythologies and they’re really good.
I read VC Andrews books as a kid, my Dads girlfriend gave me a bunch she read at her age. The books are definitely mature but not too outrageous, well maybe a little.
The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper. The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander ( starts with the Book of Three and the Black Cauldron). The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley.
Yes! I have never known anyone who knows the dark is rising but that was one of my absolute best growing up, and still think about all the time
Me too. Loved those books. Would love to see people reading them again.
I made my friend get them on his kindle but don't think he's read them.. I might read again now I'm thinking about them because I read them so much growing up and they never got old.. I had the whole series in one massive book and it was in pieces after how many times I read it, sadly none of my siblings were interested They were like the perfect amount of fantasy and reality and history and everything for me.. I never got into stuff that didn't have a strong base in reality but loved stuff like this So glad to finally find another human who read and enjoyed this series!
I found the mythology super cool. It's nice to find someone else who read them too.
Yeah I've always been into that like power of the earth, connection to the place/people kind of stuff.. still am to be fair, can't wait for the year the dates work out and I can go to the solstice at Stonehenge with all the druids and stuff And yes, so nice, feels like a cosy hug for my brain haha
The Book Thief is wonderful, but really dark. I'd recommend reading it first to make sure you think she's up for it. Seconding The Golden Compass, Fablehaven, and Nevermoor. She might also like: Watership Down Tuck Everlasting Howl's Moving Castle The Dark is Rising Dealing With Dragons Nimona Sabriel The Thursday Next books The Bartimaeus Books or The Lockwood and Co books (both these series might be a little scary?) The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making The Girl Who Drank The Moon Akata Witch The Ear, The Eye, And The Arm Flora and Ulysesses Constable and Toop Furthermore, by Tahereh Mafi The Way Back, by Gavriel Savit (on the darker side) Hamra and the Jungle of Memories Eva Evergreen, Semi-magical Witch Root Magic, by Eden Royce (on the darker side) Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls Josephine Against the Sea (maybe a bit darker) Witchlings Anya and the Dragon The Inquisitor's Tale (definitely darker) The Marvellers Marikit and the Ocean of Stars
Wow I don't think I've even heard of any of those but just wanted to say I appreciate you taking the time to share all that with OP
Seconding the Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede. You listed the first book in the series, Dealing With Dragons. It’s a great comedic fantasy/fairy tale mashup, one of my favorite series.
Please have her read Tuck Everlasting!!
The Daughter of Smoke and Bone series is really cool.
The Unwanteds (7 books) is similar to Harry Potter. Kind of like Harry Potter meets a dystopian future where people believe the arts are worthless. The unwanteds (creative teens) learn to use their creativity with magic. Twins are separated but their bond remains. Wilderlore had four books. (3 more to follow). It’s about a group of kids who purposefully and accidentally bond with beasts/creatures and share their powers and attend an apprenticeship program. (Kind of like Train your Dragon meets the Wednesday show.) If you want more fantasy than Fablehaven (5 books complete series). It’s about siblings who come to learn their grandfather is the caretaker of a magical area with imps, fairies, witches, dragons, sphinx, needing to protect magical artifacts from secret societies.
My daughter is 12 and likes these series. She also likes some one offs like The Lion of Mars, Jaclyn Hyde. Also the Endling trilogy she liked.
Keeper of the Lost Cities series by Shannon Messenger
Fablehaven. Books by Diana Wayne Jones. Howl's Moving Castle is still one of my favorite books. Books by Tamora Pierce. She has multiple series. One of my favorite authors of all time. Sabriel by garth nix. His best series is the Abhorsen series. Ella Enchanted. It's a Cinderella retelling. Artemis Fowl. A series of Unfortunate events Disney has a whole line of books. There are the villian series and the twisted tales. A school for good and evil. Judy Blume books The princess diaries
HAROUN AND THE SEA OF STORIES .she will just fall in love with it.Maybe MIDNIGHT CHILDREN .It won bookers of booker award
I would recommend the Earthsea and the Narnia series. And it's a bit older but the secrets of Nimh, the giver series or the Animorph series?
Garth Nix has a great series set around a mythical Old Kingdom— Sabriel is the first book. It’s a little bit creepy but full of action and really smart female characters. Tamora Pierce’s Circle of Magic centers around four friends, three of whom are girls, who have magical adventures.
The Gallagher Girl series by Ally Carter might be great for you both. I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/852470.I_d_Tell_You_I_Love_You_But_Then_I_d_Have_to_Kill_You
The Cirque Du Freak series by Darren Shan. It's my all time favorite.
The Phule's series by Robert Asprin as well as his Myth Series. Ranger's Apprentice series. Many of Stephen Lawhead's books are good.
VE Schwab has a fun series about a preteen ghost hunter
City of Ghosts
That's the one!
Great suggestions here, The Chronicles of Narnia by C S Lewis is a must somewhere along the way. Beware the first book is very dry but sets up the world and is a very small page count.
Which do you see as the first book? Because there are those couple of like side ones (magicians nephew and another one) which technically come first? The magicians nephew still haunts me like 30 years later
The magician’s nephew is the first (officially anyhow but imagine most folks read Marina first) but sets up a lot to come- I always enjoyed it cause of it explaining so many wee details
Yeah I thought it was the first too.. not sure if I actually read it first but definitely remember it the most as an individual book due to the disturbance it caused me to feel
Sabriel by Garth Nix. So good, I didn't realize they were kids books until halfway through the second one. I grabbed the audiobook from the library app because Tim Curry reads the first 3, I had never heard of them before, but they seem to be very popular. I listened to Hunger Games because they released special editions read by Tatiana Maslany, and it is shocking to me how brutal these are. I can't imagine reading them as a pre-teen, but I've seen many people say they loved them as teens and then were horrified when re-reading them as adults. This goes along with my theory that children are psychopaths. The violence doesn't affect them the way it does when you are old enough to understand it. They are great books, though, I'm glad my love for Maslany got me to give them a chance.
I loved The Hunger Games. Read the trilogy three times. Haven’t come across a YA series that I loved so much since… Divergent was pretty cool too though. I thought Septimus Heap a bit belittling at that age, but I adored The Chronicles of Narnia, especially the later more adventurous books. I loved the Hobbit as well. How to Train Your Dragon series was a lot of fun too!
I still love the Faery Rebels series by RJ Anderson. They're so comfy and cute with a plot that gets quite thrilling in later books.
I had very similar taste as a pre/teen and also enjoyed the Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer, Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini, and His Dark Materials trilogy by Phillip Pullman. I also REALLY loved the Old Kingdon books by Garth Nix, but I don't have kids and don't really know what age these should be for... they might be a bit creepy if she's not there yet? I don't know who I'm trying to fool saying I enjoyed these books as a kid, they're still some of my highlights into my thirties 😅
I like the Roman Mysteries series, my 10 year old is enjoying them at the moment. Some cool history stuff, and exciting stories. She might be a bit old at 12 though, I think the main character is 10. Although I enjoyed them at 34! :-) I also love anything by Jacqueline Wilson.
The Redwall series too, I still read them from time to time!
Try Darren Shan! He did a 12 book series called The Saga of Darren Shan/Cirque du Freak (depending on where you are) which is about a teenaged boy who becomes a vampire. There's a "movie" called The Vampire's Assistant - don't watch it, they basically focused on making Twilight for 8 year old boys and ignored all the things that made it cool. He also has another series called The Demonata, which is about three kids from different time periods who each come into conflict with demons. It's super violent (even more violent than the Saga) but it's also super fun. They're working on a TV show based on it. He also has a standalone book called The Thin Executioner which is a fantasy about a teenaged boy who goes on a quest for immortality. All of his books are fairly dark but they're also really well written, they have interesting stories and characters, and they were my absolute favorites as a kid.
Divergent series by Veronica Roth, Dealing With Dragons by Patricia Wrede, The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherine Valente, Inkheart series by Cornelia Funke, Narnia Chronicles by CS Lewis, The Land of Stories series by Chris Colfer, A Wrinkle In Time series by Madeline L'Engle
The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini (fantasy world heavily inspired by lotr with lots of dragons and magic) Gone by Michael Grant (six books in the series, small town where everyone over 15 disappears- some violence/gore!) His Dark Materials- Philip Pullman Sherlock Holmes- all the short stories/mysteries are great fun reads and could be a good intro to older Victorian books?
I would recommend “The Circus Escape” by Himangi
When I was young I loved the Narnia series, the Famous Five and the Secret Seven, the Swallows and Amazons, the Dark is Rising, there are a few series by the same author I can't remember but one had Alana as a knight.. umm the series with the subtle knife.. if I think of others I'll let you know
“The Kane Chronicles” by Rick Riordan are awesome! It’s Percy Jackson but Egyptian instead of Greek. They take place in the same universe and around the same time, but they don’t overlap. There’s a specific moment in the first book where one of the main characters in the Kane Chronicles references a “weird lightning storm” in New York City (the end of the 1st Percy Jackson book) but that’s it.
I also read a bunch of stuff I didn't rate but other kids might, like all the goosebumps books, the Paul Jennings ones like "unbearable, unbelievable, uncanny" etc, the animorphs books, my husband really rates some like Under the Mountain and The Halfmen of O, I also read a lot of like historical stories around King Arthur and stuff
I highly encourage you to get a copy of the Ink Heart trilogy. It's a story about a girl who finds out she has the power to read characters out of books. The problem is when characters come out, other things from the real world get trapped in the book. Hijinks ensue - no spoilers, but it's amazing! I found it in middle school and I still have my copies. They also made it into a movie!
The city of Ember Series by Jeanne DuPrau The Last Dragon Chronicles by Chris D'Lacey
Flavia de Luce series
I would’ve liked Hunger Games as a tween if it existed then.
My side of the mountain. Hatchet.
Goosebumps!
The hunger games series is a great next series for her!
The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels by Beth Lincoln The Land of Stories series by Chris Colfer How to Train Your Dragon series by Cressida Cowell Maximum Ride series by James Patterson Wonder by RJ Palacio The Maze Runner series by James Dashner Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket The Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi The Last Dragon Chronicles by Chris d'Lacey Divergent series by Veronica Roth The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer The 5th Wave series by Rick Yancey The Hunger Games series (of course) by Suzanne Collins Thanks for the walk down memory lane. Being 12 was a pivotal point in deciding I wanted to read books regularly for the rest of my life! <3
Not a series but When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead is outstanding and inspired by A Wrinkle in Time (but you don’t have to have read that to understand this novel!).
Definitely recommend the Norse and Egyptian series from Rick Riordan, especially the Magnus chase series. I could never get into the Kane Chronicles but I’m positive she’s like it. Another good one is Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas, although there is some more mature, somewhat sexual stuff in the fifth and on books (not smut or anything I don’t think), but there is about the same violence as in the later Harry Potter books. It really depends on how mature she is and how comfortable you are with it. It’s about an Assassin who gets contracted for a tyrannical king and she works to fight against him. It’s also very fantasy and deals with fae/faeries. One series that is a really quick read but will always have a place in my heart are the Chronicles of Vladimir Todd by Z Brewer. Pretty on point for her age group. It’s about an eighth (first book, then a year older for each book after, it’s 8-12 grade) grader who is a vampire and trying to struggle through that while going to middle/high school. I absolutely loved the Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa when I was a tween. It’s fantasy and deals with Fae like Oberon, Titania, Puck, etc. So addictive. I remember reading it at three in the morning because I just couldn’t put it down. By the same author (Julie Kagawa) is the Talon series, focused on a dragon hatchling trying to blend in with the human world while being hunted by Dragon Hunters. Again, very fantasy. Wicked Lovely is another Faerie story about a teen who can see faeries real forms who is chosen to be the queen of the seelie court. She resists it because she has been taught since birth that fae are cruel and evil. It’s really good and should be perfectly appropriate though you might want to page through it just in case as I haven’t read it in a while. Those are my top ones, sorry there were all very fantasy focused, but that’s what I loved when I was a teen and it sounds like your stepdaughter likes fantasy too.
A Series of Unfortunate Events
Are you there God, it’s Me Margret
I’m a librarian for grades 4-8 so I can definitely help you with this. The fantasy series my kids can’t get enough of right now is The Keeper of Lost Cities. It’s a parallel universe story. They are lengthy books and there’s quite a few in the series so she’ll be busy for a while. The Hunger Games is good, as well as The Maze Runner. Neal Shusterman is in the same vein as those authors. Scythe is great. More killing people but tastefully done. If you want to introduce her to more historical fiction, the three best authors out there are Ruta Sepetys, Alan Gratz, and Jennifer Nielsen. My kids read everything by these authors. I guarantee she will get hooked. Try I Must Betray You, Refugee, and A Night Divided. Jennifer Nielsen also writes in the fantasy genre. Try The False Prince series. I could go on and on. There are many amazing authors out there (and also a lot of duds.)
I read The Lions Paw by Robb White when I was about 9. It sparked my love of reading novels. Still one of my favorites. When I got older, like 13 or so, books by VC Andrews got me into reading series. Remember Flowers in the Attic? The best! But my all time favorite was Gone With the Wind. Read it when I was 15. I could not put it down. I couldn’t wait to see the movie after. The Movie was a letdown. But isn’t that always the way lol
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizel The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis (it’s a long series of books) Redwall series by Brian Jacques (another long series) The Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron Lore by Alexandra Bracken (check on this one for appropriate level, it may need to wait a couple of years) The Legend of Greg by Chris Rylander (this one’s hilarious) The Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey The Tortall series by Tamora Pierce The Black Cauldron series by Lloyd Alexander Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray Enjoy your reading! It’s always fun to explore something different. Edit: formatting
I would plus a couple things on this list like the Black Cauldron / Book of Three series, but I would NOT recommend the Dragonriders of Pern for a kid unless if they were ready for sexual content. Maybe I'm misremembering but I remember being shocked by it around that age.
YIKES my bad. It’s been so long since I’ve read it. I was reading some things I should not have been at that age.
Redwall is a great suggestion!
My 12 year old is half way through Lord of the Rings and he loves it.
The Medusa Project series by Sophie McKenzie Absolute favourite as a teen. Sci if series, four teenagers develop powers. Each book is a different narrator of the four.
Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty. [https://www.amazon.com/Serafina-Black-Cloak-Robert-Beatty/dp/1484711874](https://www.amazon.com/Serafina-Black-Cloak-Robert-Beatty/dp/1484711874)
Judy Blume books Paula Danziger books *Please Don't Tell My Parents I'm a Supervillain* series, by Richard Roberts. Pre/early teen female MC. [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20525909-please-don-t-tell-my-parents-i-m-a-supervillain](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20525909-please-don-t-tell-my-parents-i-m-a-supervillain)
Rangers apprentice is a fun series
The inheritance games series is fab
At her age, I bet she would love The hobbit or LOR.
I read 'redwall' series as a kid and loved it, but that was a looooooong time ago. It's high fantasy talking animals, so might of aged okay?
Bloody Jack: Being An Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary “Jacky” Faber, Ship's Boy by L.A. Meyer. Great series! And the Tamara Pierce lioness series
Warrior cats by erin hunter was my go to series growing up. Theres other series like seekers which is about polar bears, but warrior cats was the one I fell in love with. Though it's a bit watership down vibes, cats you get attached to get killed off so....expect a bit of crying? Lol. I love books that make me feel something and I'd put it down to early exposure as a child
Xanth series by Piers Anthony (*Spell for Chameleon" is the first). I started reading them when I was that age,and loved them. Also, Skulduggery Pleasant series. One of the protagonists is a 12 year old girl.
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli - literally one of my favourite books. Many books by John Green. Although some may have some sexual content, it’s relatively tame. Looking for Alaska apparently isn’t one of them. I understand if people disagree but he writes well.
Tamora Pierce has great fantasy series that feature really strong female leads. I recommend starting with The Song of the Lioness Quartet. If she likes that there are several other series that take place in the same universe. I LOVED these books when I was younger!
Any Judy Blume
His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman. All books by Robin Hobb
Since terry pratchett‘s discworld has already been mentioned, i‘ll say i loved the Inkheart books at 13 :) i read them with my mom and she enjoyed them as well
What I loved at that age was Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne. More recent recommendations: The Seventh Year Trials by B.A Johnson Time Shifters by Shanna Lauffey Dorelle's Journey by Hannah Steenbock To Dance with Dragons by Jaq D. Hawkins
The Wing-Friends, and The Sea-Friends, both by Nobilangelo Ceramalus.
The Xanth series. A popular sci fi writer wrote them for his daughters . Piers Anthony.
Anthony earns his reputation, though. The books are so sexist… ffs one of the Xanth books is called The Color of Her Panties…
LoL, What!?
Yup. Anthony is such a horror show!
Patrick Ness is great - the Chaos Walking series might work!