You want your tween to read, but you don’t want to give them a clunker? Here are some awesome books that both you and your kids can enjoy.
1. The 39 Clues
This is still my favorite fiction book! None of these are actually just one book, but instead a series. This is still ongoing, and they’re currently on the second series of it, called Cahills vs. Vespers.
This is a series about two kids, Dan and Amy Cahill (11 and 14 respectively; although their age changes throughout the series), who find out when their grandmother Grace dies that they’re part of the greatest family the world has ever known. Politicians, businessmen, inventors, scientists, mathematicians, spies; you name it. The source of their power is thirty-nine clues, which over the years have been scattered all over the globe. Whoever finds all 39 clues will be the most powerful person in human history.
So they get a choice at the funeral, two million dollars or a hint to the first clue. For two penniless orphans, two million dollars is a fortune, but, of course, they take the clue.
It turns out there are four branches to the family, and thousands of Cahill’s, each willing to do anything possible to get the clues first; even kill. They travel all over the world in a search for the clues. Shocking secrets, amazing escapes, and even deaths accompany the hunt. There is also a ton of historical information, so you can learn a lot, too.
Another cool thing about it is that it’s a multi-author series, featuring famous authors such as Rick Riordan, Gordon Korman, Patrick Carman, Margaret Peterson Haddix, and more.
What really sets it apart is that it’s not just the books, but there are also cards included that you can enter into their website, and also plenty of games in your own search for the clues.
Although you can start anywhere, I’d advise starting at the beginning of the series. Highly recommended.
Buy the first book in The 39 Clues series, The Maze of Bones, by Rick Riordan.
2. Swindle
This is also an on-going series, written by the author of three of the books in the above series, Gordon Korman. There are currently four books out. They are all action-packed adventures about a kid named Griffin Bing (The Man with the Plan) and his friends. Griffin is always trying to get into things and right wrongs. In Swindle, Griffin and his best friend Ben Slovak found a 1920 Babe Ruth baseball card. They take it to a collector to see if it’s worth anything and the swindles him. He gives him a hundred dollars, but, really, it’s worth more than a million dollars.
So they try to right this wrong and steal the card back. The heist involves several other kids, and even the police get involved eventually. Very, very, exciting fast paced and exciting books. Kids just love this series!
3. On the Run
This is another series (one six-book series and a follow-up trilogy) about two kids named Aiden and Meg Falconer whose parents get convicted as terrorists for life in “the trial of the century.” Everyone knows about this trial; and everyone hates the Falconers.
This is very bad for Aiden and Meg, obviously. They try foster care, but everyone hates their parents so much that there is constant tension. So eventually they get sent to a low-security prison in order to take them out of the spotlight for a few years.
But it’s horrible. They have to work on a farm and do school most of the day, living among thieves and murderers. Meg wants to get out of there to prove their parents innocent, but Aiden realizes there’s no way to do it. Except for one day, a fire breaks out. Aiden decides to let it go and burn the place down, so they can escape. Others jump, too, but one by one, the others get caught.
Aiden and Meg need to track down an FBI agent who worked with their parents for the government. One problem: He’s no where to be found. Not only is the government after them, but also a cold-blooded killer named Hairless Joe, too.
This is one of my all-time favorites, an action-packed adventure that will keep you guessing.
Buy the first book in the series, Chasing the Falconers by Gordon Korman.
4. The Kid who Ran for President
This is a more relaxed and comedy book than the others, also by a different author named Dan Gutman, another one of my favorites. These two books are my favorites of his (the other being The Kid who Became President).
They are about a kid named Judson Moon who decides to run for President as a goof and ends up making it a close election, thanks to his genius friend Lane Brainard, who serves as his campaign manager. While a little young and basic for older tweens, it can be a very fun and interesting read for some. Gutman could be a professional comedian, these books are hilarious! This is the type of things kids dream of, too. There are many times when reading this that you’ll find yourself literally laughing out loud.
Buy, The Kid who Ran for President by Dan Gutman.
5. Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer
This is the famous John Grisham’s first venture into books for kids. While I haven’t read his adult books, I can definitely say that these are amazing!
The first book is about a 13 year-old only child whose kids are both lawyers. He is very interested in the court system, of course, and constantly sneaks away from school to go down and watch the proceedings.
The story of the book is one of the biggest trials in the town in a long time; a murder trial. The prosecutor alleges that a man by the name of Pete Duffy murdered his wife after she dies mysteriously. But other than suspicion, there’s no evidence to actually sustain such a claim. He’s going to walk.
But Theo learns of a previously unknown witness who can nail Duffy. The problem: Will he come forth? And will he be believed?
The trial actually isn’t wrapped up in this book, but is delayed until the third book in the series. It’s a very interesting book about the law system and a good case. Some have expressed boredom with the book, and I agree it might be for intellectually-minded kids. This is not nearly as face-paced as the first three, nor does it include the humor of the above. Still, it’s an intriguing story that many older teens will enjoy.
Buy Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer by John Grisham.
6. Last Shot
This is the first book in a sports series by John Feinstein. The main characters are fourteen year-olds Stevie Thomas and Susan Carol. They are the two winners of a writing contest so they get to travel out to write about the Final Four basketball tournament.
While there, they realize there is a plot to blackmail one of the star players, Chip Graber to throw a game on purpose. Stevie and Susan Carol work together with Chip to find out what is going on and to catch the guys who are orchestrating this. There are copies of these books for baseball (Change Up), football (Cover Up and The Rivlary; the former being the Super Bowl and the latter being about Army vs. Navy), and tennis (Vanishing Act), all with different plots and mysteries. There is virtually no regard for previous plot-lines, so it might be good to jump your tween in whatever his favorite sport is.
There are many twists of plot in here that make the story exciting front to cover.
Buy Last Shot, Vanishing Act, Cover Up, Change Up, or The Rivalry by John Feinstein.
So there you have it. Six breathtakingly awesome series that combine for a total of 35 great books. Most of these you really can’t go wrong with, and I’m sure your tween will agree. 
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