19 Holiday Gift Ideas for
9- to 12-Year-Old Readers
by Devon A. Corneal
Tweens can be notoriously hard to buy for. Not yet full-fledged teens, but no longer little kids, they occupy an unenviable middle ground between the magic and imagination of childhood and the more complex realities of adulthood. That can make holiday gift-giving challenging. If you’ve got readers on your list, however, we can make your holiday shopping a bit easier. We’ve collected some amazing books and book-related gifts for all kinds of 9- to 12-year-olds — whether they’re into computers, or animals, or magic, or cooking. So rather than fretting over what to get your favorite middle-grade readers for the holidays, you can relax and enjoy them!
Looking for Brightly’s 2018 Gift Guide?
Check out our list of The Best Holiday Gifts for Kids Ages 7 – 12!
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New Classics
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Brave Red, Smart Frog: A New Book of Old Tales
Available from:Fairy tales because they are timeless, but Emily Jenkins has taken seven classic fairy tales and breathed new life into them in Brave Red, Smart Frog. There is an almost indescribable warmth and kindness in these new stories that makes them perfect reading for a dark winter’s night. Share them with your tweens this season and make more holiday memories.
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Snow & Rose
Available from:This reimagining of the Snow White & Rose Red fairy tale makes a great gift for your middle-grade reader. In Snow & Rose, Emily Winfield Martin puts two sisters in an enchanted forest, takes away the comfortable life they used to know, and sends them on an adventure that feels familiar, yet entirely new and fresh.
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The Wonderling
Available from:Last year, Pax was my favorite book of the year, and this year it’s The Wonderling by Mira Bartók. The Wonderling is the story of Arthur, a part fox, part human “wonderling” whose life at the Home for Wayward and Misbegotten Creatures is changed forever when he befriends a young bird named Trinket. With only each other’s trust, Arthur and Trinket embark on a journey they never imagined possible — finding magic and music and destiny along the way.
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The Purloining of Prince Oleomargarine
Available from:Take something old (in this case, a previously unpublished story by Mark Twain) and add something new (in this case, an end to the story and beautiful illustrations) and you have a wonderful picture book about a boy, his pet chicken, and the lessons he learns.
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Life As We Know It
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Life As We Know It
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Wonder Pouch
Pair a copy of the book with this zippered Wonder pouch. It can carry anything from pencils to make-up to cell phones, and in addition to being practical, it reminds us to always choose to be kind.
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My Brigadista Year
Available from:World events sometimes give rise to amazing works of historical fiction. In My Brigadista Year, bestselling author Katherine Paterson uses the upheaval of the 1960s to tell the story of 13-year-old Lora’s decision to become a teacher in Cuba. Paterson evokes a distant time that feels relevant to today’s world events in a book every bit as engaging as her classic A Bridge to Terabithia. A wonderful novel for tweens interested in history, world events, and being part of something bigger than themselves.
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Adventure & Mystery
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The Phantom Tollbooth
Available from:When young Milo receives a tollbooth in the mail one day, he obviously has no choice but to drive through it and into the Lands Beyond. On his journey, Milo visits the Kingdom of Wisdom, a place of Expectations, and is tasked with rescuing two very oddly named princesses.
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The Phantom Tollbooth T-Shirt
Keep the memories of Milo’s adventures alive with this awesome t-shirt, picturing Milo and his companion Tock (a “watchdog” — get it?!).
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Podkin One-Ear
Podkin is the son of a warrior rabbit, destined to protect his warren from enemies. Unfortunately, he’s also very lazy, and doesn’t have much interest in leadership. Until the day his warren is attacked by an evil tribe and Podkin must leave his home to protect the warren’s most valuable treasure. Don’t be fooled because the hero is a fluffy rabbit, this book is packed with enough action to satisfy even the most skeptical tween.
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Murder on the Orient Express Pouch
Kids today might not know who Agatha Christie is, but this year her classic Murder on the Orient Express is coming out in the theaters and I have my fingers crossed that a few older tweens and teens will discover this master of suspense. So get the book, toss it in this bag with some contraband popcorn and hit the theaters.
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Fantasy & Mythology
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The Ship of the Dead and
Norse Myths: Tales of Odin, Thor and LokiAvailable from:For the mythology-loving tween, consider getting them books about Norse mythology. Don’t worry, they won’t think you’re boring if you wrap up the latest in Rick Riordan’s Magnus Chase series, The Ship of the Dead, and the fascinating (and gorgeous) collection Norse Myths: Tales of Odin, Thor and Loki. To top it all off, see a matinee of “Thor: Ragnarok.” It will definitely be a holiday to remember.
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Books Turn Muggles into Wizards Sweatshirt
The magical world of Harry Potter is the gift that keeps on giving. This holiday season, dress your favorite muggle in style by getting them this fun sweatshirt printed with a spell guaranteed to turn ordinary readers into great wizards.
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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Illustrated Edition
Once they’re clad in this delightful sweatshirt, they can put the spell into action by reading the latest illustrated edition of J.K. Rowling’s third book, The Prisoner of Azkaban, or learning all about the history of magic in Harry Potter: A Journey Through a History of Magic.
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Science & Technology
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Girls Who Code
Available from:The Girls Who Code series is a fantastic gift for any tween girl interested in coding and computer science. Designed to inspire girls to see how coding applies to almost every aspect of our lives, the series is filled with energy, great stories, imaginative artwork, and practical tips. Gift the original book, Girls Who Code: Learn to Code and Change the World, the chapter books from the extended series, or both!
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Star Wars Coding Projects
Kids who dream of galaxies far, far away can create their own Star Wars-inspired characters and games without ever leaving Earth. New coders are guided by Luke, Chewie, Rey, and more through games and projects and can share their work with friends using Scratch. (For grown-ups like me who still have trouble using their iPhones, Scratch is a cool coding language. Like French, but for computers. Don’t worry, your kid knows what it is.)
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Explanatorium of Nature
Not into computers? Never fear! If your child is more interested in animals and plants, check out Explanatorium of Nature. It’s jam-packed with pictures and diagrams and x-rays and factoids and explanations of the world around us. The Smithsonian helped create this masterpiece of science information, so you know it will be both educational and fascinating.
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Cooking & Food
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MasterChef Junior Cookbook
Available from:If your tween is a fan of the culinary arts — partaking in, watching, or a mix of the two — they’ll love the MasterChef Junior Cookbook filled with recipes, tips, and techniques inspired by the hit show. If all goes well, maybe you can sit back and enjoy the holiday this year, while your tween does most of the cooking.
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The Joy of Cooking Apron
Get your aspiring chef, and new cookbook owner, an apron worthy of holiday feasts. This way they can whip up a slew of delicious dishes without worrying about creating a pile of laundry for you.
For more great holiday gift ideas, head on over to Out of Print!