Awesome Book Series for Girls aged 9 to 12: What to read now?

In honour of World Book Day, I thought it was about time to let my younger daughter publish another list of her must-read book series for girls. A couple of years back, she put together a list of recommended reads for girls aged 6 to 9 but now that she is almost 11, it’s time for my little bookworm to update her reading recommendations for older girls like herself.

I’ve talked about this before, but my 3 children are ADDICTED to reading.

Like, when we go to the library, they borrow so many books they each take a sports bag with them to lug the latest literature home with them. And then the bags are so heavy the kids actually can’t carry them by themselves anyway.

Or like when we are in a Doctor’s waiting room and there is nothing to do but pick up scrappy old comic magazines or books for toddlers, my kids will read those too.

My kids love reading so much that my eldest daughter a while back also wrote a list of her own recommended book series for tween girls and my 8-year-old son also put together a list of his top book series picks for boys aged 6 to 9 .

To discover what some must-read books for girls aged 9 to 12 are, you’ll need to READ on…

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning that I get a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you.

Now, it may all be pure coincidence that they love reading so much. But we have made a habit of reading to our kids pretty much EVERY day since they were babies. Of course, we have missed days (D’uh! We are human!). But as a general rule, we read something, even if only a few pages, every day.

Naturally, as they’ve grown older, they can read to themselves and our teenage daughter doesn’t request a goodnight story anymore. But you get the idea. Lots of exposure to books and reading won’t hurt helping turn your child into an avid reader!

What is World Book Day?

UNESCO started to celebrate World Book Day on 23^rd April, the international day to promote reading and publishing. In the UK and Ireland a similar celebration of books is held in March. Did you know, the 23^rd of April was chosen because it is the anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes and a number of other prominent authors.

Recommended Reads for Tween Girls

The following list of book series was compiled by my 10-year-old, nose-always-stuck-in-a-book daughter. Most of these books I have not personally read but do fall into this age category for suitable reading. I will add though, for example, Harry Potter themes do get darker as the series progresses. So while book number 1 might be perfect for a 9-year-old, book number 7 probably will not be.

Ultimately, every parent needs to decide what books are suitable for their own children. Just make sure they find a suitable series they enjoy and their love of books will grow!

Soul Riders by Helena Dahlgren

The fantasy trilogy, Soul Riders, follows the adventures of 4 young girls on the island of Jorvik as they use their newly-discovered magic powers along with their mystical horses and do battle with an evil demon and his Dark Riders. For lovers of fantasy friendship and horse tails, er, tales.

Miss 10 says: “Soul Riders is a lovely book series about girls who all have their own story and problems but keep together to save their home with their horses and magic powers. I like Linda because she is a bookworm like I am. I love her powers. But I’m not a spoiler, so read the book yourself to find out about her.”

Land of Stories by Chris Colfer

This fantasy and adventure series of 6 books will keep children hooked and reading until the very end! Land of Stories follows twins Alex and Connor as they find their way into the place where all fairy tales of their younger years take place. Once there, they realise that there is a lot more to the stories… Expect lots of castles, evil queens, magic spells and colourful creatures!

Miss 10 says: “For everyone who has read a lot of fairy tales. It is really funny and exciting. But nothing is like it should be in the Fairy Tale land including the characters. Conner has a lot of humour even when everyone is not up for a joke. My favourite book is part 4 because there are lots of new characters. Part 5 also gives new people but 4 is still my favourite.”

Lumberjanes by Noelle Stevenson, Shannon Watters, Kat Leyh & more

Thinking Lumberjanes is just like a standard summer camp tale? Think again! The 5 fearless, adventure-loving girls in this graphic novel series have to constantly deal with monsters with too many eyes and solve all manner of mysteries. Relying on their tight friendship and outdoor survival skills, they might even have to save the world…

Miss 10 says: “A comic so funny that I couldn’t stop laughing! The illustrations are also so funny  and beautiful. I like April and Ripley. April is so strong she can lift trees and Ripley is really funny. Friendship to the max!”

The Magical Unicorn Society by Selwyn E. Phipps

Beautifully written and illustrated, The Magical Unicorn Society series will fascinate and charm any reader. Read all about the history of unicorns, where they live, the unicorn families and how humans have interacted with the mystical creatures over the centuries. A perfect read for unicorn lovers and fans of being transported to magical places (that aren’t always so far away…).

Miss 10 says: The stories are so nicely written that you have the feeling that it is real. My favourite unicorn is the Dawn Spirit because I like the power of granting wishes. But my favourite tale is the one of the Water Moons because I like the setting. Relax, get a cup of tea and snuggle in your bed and read this book! A nice goodnight story!”

The Tapper Twins by Geoff Rodkey

Tapper twins Claudia and Reese attend Middle School in New York City and are in a permanent state of competition with each other. Full of funny drawings, text messages, screenshots and more, this very modern, very creative, very funny “he said she said” book series will have your tween constantly cackling with laughter.

Miss 10 says: “This book is full of funny moments. The main characters are twins and are always battling against each other. No idea is crazy enough for them! I do not want to switch roles with the unlucky parents who often get affected with the “attacks”. Fights are out, War is on! One word: Hilarious!”

Percy Jackson & the Olympians by Rick Riordan

The Percy Jackson series is not a new book series, but remains a firm favourite among children due to its original take on historical characters and witty writing style. Percy, real name Perseus, is a demi God, with, you know, Greek God Poseidon for a father. Being a demi God puts a lot of demands on Percy, as he battles Minotaurs , ancient Gods, learns how to use his powers while also trying to save his family and friends. Camp Half Blood sure is no regular summer camp for kids…

Miss 10 says: “Rick Riordan is an author who tells his stories with lots of humour and you learn about the Greek and Roman Gods. Every book is different. The book is written out of Percy’s perspective and he tells it super funny. Fighting with the normal life is hard but also fighting Monsters? Only a thing Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon can do.”

Descendants by Melissa de la Cruz

Yet another twist to traditional fairy tales. When all the Evil Villains (think: Captain Hook, Jafar, Cruella de Vil… ) are banished from their ideal island they are stripped of their powers and forgotten about by the world. Or are they? Their children, now teenagers, start to question whether being good for a change is such a bad thing and develop real friendships they never imagined.

Miss 10 says: “Descendants is about choosing who you want to be. I like Mal and Carlos. Mal is cool and Carlos is funny. There are also three movies. If you read the books it´s helpful to know them. I love that even when the world is black the friends keep together and show that they are like they are. And that love is stronger than evil. And yes, there are fairy tale characters but this isn´t a classic fairy tale.”

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

Almost everyone has heard of the Harry Potter book series by now. Since being published in the late 1990s, Hogwarts, Harry Potter, Hermoine and Ron have practically become household names. Nevertheless, the Harry Potter stories remain extremely popular with their blend of magical worlds meeting (sometimes colliding) real life worlds, adventure, bravery and friendship.

Miss 10 says: “Many of you may have already heard about this book series but I am also saying that again. It is a must have! I haven`t read all the books yet but as far as I can see it´s an excellent book series. Nothing is like it seems there and nobody is who they look like. The characters are funny and the story exciting. I love it!”

More Reading Recommendations for Tween Girls

To Night Owl From Dogfish by Holly Goldberg Sloan & Meg Wollitzer

Dork Diaries [Series] by Rachel Renee Russell

The Heroes of Olympus [Series] by Rick Riordan

Pania [Series] by Sabine Giebken (only in German)

Wortwächter by Akram El-Bahay (only in German)

Die Chroniken von Mistel End [Series] by Benedict Mirow (only in German)

Die geheime Drachenschule [Series] by Emily Skye (only in German)

Which book series here have you heard of before? Which ones are new to you? Which ones do you think your special tween would read first?