โ† The Children's Library  /  Age 13

Best Books for 13 year olds

A personal project โ€” every book hand-picked by a London dad ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง

A varied shortlist for 13 year olds, balanced across familiar favourites, different authors, and the formats most likely to suit this stage.

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36 hand-picked books

How to use this shelf

At age 13, reading confidence and attention span can vary widely. Use the age ranges as guidance, then choose among novel and classic according to whether the book will be read alone, shared with an adult, or enjoyed as a family read-aloud.

Quick comparison

6 varied places to start. Compare the age, format, and themes, then read the notes or check current UK editions.

War Horse
Michael Morpurgo ยท Novel ยท ages 10โ€“16 ยท courage and loyalty
Treasure Island
Robert Louis Stevenson ยท Classic ยท ages 10โ€“16 ยท adventure and courage
Watership Down
Richard Adams ยท Classic ยท ages 10โ€“16 ยท courage and loyalty
The Eagle of the Ninth
Rosemary Sutcliff ยท Novel ยท ages 11โ€“15 ยท courage and loyalty
Coram Boy
Jamila Gavin ยท Novel ยท ages 11โ€“15 ยท justice and courage
Flambards
K. M. Peyton ยท Novel ยท ages 11โ€“15 ยท heritage and family
War Horse book cover
War Horse
Michael Morpurgo
Ages 10โ€“16
War Horse
Michael Morpurgo
War Horse by Michael Morpurgo is a novel for readers aged 10+. A useful choice for reading about courage, loyalty, perseverance and heritage.
Novel1982
Treasure Island book cover
Treasure Island
Robert Louis Stevenson
Ages 10โ€“16
Treasure Island
Robert Louis Stevenson
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson is a classic for readers aged 10+. A useful choice for reading about adventure, courage, loyalty and heritage.
Classic1883
Watership Down book cover
Watership Down
Richard Adams
Ages 10โ€“16
Watership Down
Richard Adams
On the shelf for readers aged 10+: Watership Down, a classic by Richard Adams. It connects with courage, loyalty, adventure and nature.
Classic1972
The Eagle of the Ninth book cover
The Eagle of the Ninth
Rosemary Sutcliff
Ages 11โ€“15
The Eagle of the Ninth
Rosemary Sutcliff
On the shelf for children aged 11 to 15: The Eagle of the Ninth, a novel by Rosemary Sutcliff. It connects with courage, loyalty and heritage.
Novel1954
Coram Boy book cover
Coram Boy
Jamila Gavin
Ages 11โ€“15
Coram Boy
Jamila Gavin
For readers interested in justice, courage and heritage, compare Coram Boy by Jamila Gavin. It is a novel for children aged 11 to 15.
Novel2000
Flambards book cover
Flambards
K. M. Peyton
Ages 11โ€“15
Flambards
K. M. Peyton
Flambards by K. M. Peyton is a novel for children aged 11 to 15. A useful choice for reading about heritage, family and loyalty.
Novel1967
My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece book cover
My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece
Annabel Pitcher
Ages 11โ€“15
My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece
Annabel Pitcher
My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece, a novel by Annabel Pitcher, is selected for children aged 11 to 15. Compare it with other books exploring family, resilience and honesty.
Novel2011
River Boy book cover
River Boy
Tim Bowler
Ages 11โ€“15
River Boy
Tim Bowler
Choose River Boy by Tim Bowler for children aged 11 to 15. This novel is shelved with books about family, wonder and resilience.
Novel1997
The Garbage King book cover
The Garbage King
Elizabeth Laird
Ages 11โ€“15
The Garbage King
Elizabeth Laird
For readers interested in courage, friendship and justice, compare The Garbage King by Elizabeth Laird. It is a novel for children aged 11 to 15.
Novel2003
Northern Lights book cover
Northern Lights
Philip Pullman
Ages 11โ€“16
Northern Lights
Philip Pullman
Northern Lights, a novel by Philip Pullman, is selected for readers aged 11+. Compare it with other books exploring courage, adventure, wonder and loyalty.
Novel1995
Mortal Engines book cover
Mortal Engines
Philip Reeve
Ages 11โ€“16
Mortal Engines
Philip Reeve
Choose Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve for readers aged 11+. This novel is shelved with books about adventure, courage and justice.
Novel2001
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit book cover
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit
Judith Kerr
Ages 10โ€“14
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit
Judith Kerr
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr is a novel for children aged 10 to 14. A useful choice for reading about courage, family, heritage and resilience.
Novel1971
The Graveyard Book book cover
The Graveyard Book
Neil Gaiman
Ages 10โ€“14
The Graveyard Book
Neil Gaiman
The Graveyard Book, a novel by Neil Gaiman, is selected for children aged 10 to 14. Compare it with other books exploring courage, wonder, self-reliance and adventure.
Novel2008
A Monster Calls book cover
A Monster Calls
Patrick Ness
Ages 12โ€“16
A Monster Calls
Patrick Ness ยท Jim Kay
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness is a novel for readers aged 12+. It is illustrated by Jim Kay. A useful choice for reading about courage, family, perseverance and honesty.
Novel2011
The Machine Gunners book cover
The Machine Gunners
Robert Westall
Ages 10โ€“14
The Machine Gunners
Robert Westall
On the shelf for children aged 10 to 14: The Machine Gunners, a novel by Robert Westall. It connects with courage, friendship and heritage.
Novel1975
Stormbreaker book cover
Stormbreaker
Anthony Horowitz
Ages 10โ€“14
Stormbreaker
Anthony Horowitz
First published in 2000, Stormbreaker is a novel by Anthony Horowitz for children aged 10 to 14. Its themes include courage, adventure and perseverance.
Novel2000
Millions book cover
Millions
Frank Cottrell Boyce
Ages 10โ€“14
Millions
Frank Cottrell Boyce
Millions, a novel by Frank Cottrell Boyce, is selected for children aged 10 to 14. Compare it with other books exploring kindness, wonder, family and imagination.
Novel2004
Pig Heart Boy book cover
Pig Heart Boy
Malorie Blackman
Ages 10โ€“14
Pig Heart Boy
Malorie Blackman
On the shelf for children aged 10 to 14: Pig Heart Boy, a novel by Malorie Blackman. It connects with courage, family, justice and perseverance.
Novel1997
Goodnight Mister Tom book cover
Goodnight Mister Tom
Michelle Magorian
Ages 10โ€“14
Goodnight Mister Tom
Michelle Magorian
On the shelf for children aged 10 to 14: Goodnight Mister Tom, a novel by Michelle Magorian. It connects with kindness, courage, family and resilience.
Novel1981
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas book cover
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
John Boyne
Ages 12โ€“16
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
John Boyne
Choose The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne for readers aged 12+. This novel is shelved with books about friendship, courage, heritage and justice.
Novel2006
Refugee Boy book cover
Refugee Boy
Benjamin Zephaniah
Ages 12โ€“16
Refugee Boy
Benjamin Zephaniah
For readers interested in courage, justice, resilience and heritage, compare Refugee Boy by Benjamin Zephaniah. It is a novel for readers aged 12+.
Novel2001
Howl's Moving Castle book cover
Howl's Moving Castle
Diana Wynne Jones
Ages 10โ€“14
Howl's Moving Castle
Diana Wynne Jones
Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones is a novel for children aged 10 to 14. A useful choice for reading about wonder, courage and imagination.
Novel1986
The Wee Free Men book cover
The Wee Free Men
Terry Pratchett
Ages 10โ€“14
The Wee Free Men
Terry Pratchett
Choose The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett for children aged 10 to 14. This novel is shelved with books about courage, humour and self-reliance.
Novel2003
The Dark is Rising book cover
The Dark is Rising
Susan Cooper
Ages 10โ€“14
The Dark is Rising
Susan Cooper
The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper is a novel for children aged 10 to 14. A useful choice for reading about courage, wonder and heritage.
Novel1973
The Owl Service book cover
The Owl Service
Alan Garner
Ages 12โ€“16
The Owl Service
Alan Garner
The Owl Service by Alan Garner is a novel for readers aged 12+. A useful choice for reading about wonder and heritage.
Novel1967
The Sword in the Stone book cover
The Sword in the Stone
T. H. White
Ages 10โ€“14
The Sword in the Stone
T. H. White
On the shelf for children aged 10 to 14: The Sword in the Stone, a classic by T. H. White. It connects with wonder, heritage and adventure.
Classic1938
The Silver Sword book cover
The Silver Sword
Ian Serraillier
Ages 10โ€“14
The Silver Sword
Ian Serraillier
Choose The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier for children aged 10 to 14. This novel is shelved with books about courage, family and resilience.
Novel1956
Smith book cover
Smith
Leon Garfield
Ages 10โ€“14
Smith
Leon Garfield
Smith by Leon Garfield is a novel for children aged 10 to 14. A useful choice for reading about adventure, justice and heritage.
Novel1967
Madame Doubtfire book cover
Madame Doubtfire
Anne Fine
Ages 10โ€“14
Madame Doubtfire
Anne Fine
For readers interested in family and humour, compare Madame Doubtfire by Anne Fine. It is a novel for children aged 10 to 14.
Novel1987
Stone Cold book cover
Stone Cold
Robert Swindells
Ages 12โ€“16
Stone Cold
Robert Swindells
Stone Cold, a novel by Robert Swindells, is selected for readers aged 12+. Compare it with other books exploring justice, resilience and courage.
Novel1993
When the Sky Falls book cover
When the Sky Falls
Phil Earle
Ages 10โ€“14
When the Sky Falls
Phil Earle
When the Sky Falls, a novel by Phil Earle, is selected for children aged 10 to 14. Compare it with other books exploring courage, kindness and heritage.
Novel2021
The Skylarks' War book cover
The Skylarks' War
Hilary McKay
Ages 10โ€“14
The Skylarks' War
Hilary McKay
The Skylarks' War, a novel by Hilary McKay, is selected for children aged 10 to 14. Compare it with other books exploring family, heritage and courage.
Novel2018
Biggles Learns to Fly book cover
Biggles Learns to Fly
W. E. Johns
Ages 10โ€“14
Biggles Learns to Fly
W. E. Johns
Biggles Learns to Fly, a classic by W. E. Johns, is selected for children aged 10 to 14. Compare it with other books exploring adventure and courage.
Classic1935
Girl, Missing book cover
Girl, Missing
Sophie McKenzie
Ages 12โ€“16
Girl, Missing
Sophie McKenzie
Girl, Missing, a novel by Sophie McKenzie, is selected for readers aged 12+. Compare it with other books exploring courage, family and perseverance.
Novel2006
Skellig book cover
Skellig
David Almond
Ages 10โ€“13
Skellig
David Almond
On the shelf for children aged 10 to 13: Skellig, a novel by David Almond. It connects with wonder, courage, family and imagination.
Novel1998
The Hobbit book cover
The Hobbit
J. R. R. Tolkien
Ages 9โ€“14
The Hobbit
J. R. R. Tolkien
Bilbo Baggins leaves his comfortable home with Thorin and a company of dwarves to reclaim their mountain and treasure from Smaug.
Classic1937