The Most Giftable Books for Kids Ages 9-12

Ever wonder what happens at Camp Half-Blood between Percy Jackson’s legendary quests? Five newbie demigods enter the camp’s forbidden Wild Zone, where ancient curses, bloodthirsty monsters, and a mysterious disappearance turn a dangerous challenge into a fight for survival.

The third installment of the Impossible Creatures series is here! Building on the previous books, young readers will love the magical, fast-paced plot and the stunning black-and-white illustrations sprinkled throughout.

With villains, weapons, battles, beasts, and plenty of humor, this graphic novel is an excellent fit for young readers who love action and adventure!

Do you have an animal lover in your home? Snag a copy of the Young Readers Edition of An Immense World. It is chock full of jaw-dropping illustrations and animal facts you don’t want to miss.

Nora doesn’t want to move away from everything she knows, especially the horseback riding barn where she spends her time. Will she be happy at the new barn, Creaky Acres? Can she make new friends?

You can’t go wrong with a book from National Geographic Kids! Filled with incredible photographs, fascinating facts, and handfuls of activities, this almanac is the perfect gift for someone who loves the great outdoors!

Uncover the incredible history of Minecraft, from a one-person project in 2009 to a worldwide gaming phenomenon. Exclusive interviews, concept art, detailed renders, and rarely seen archival material reveal the stories behind favorite mods, servers, characters, creators, and more.

With his best friends and pet monster Rover, Jack faces a giant Wormungulous, a monster pizza hangout, an ancient evil, and another hilariously wild fight to save the world.

Sixth grade feels like someone switched Lexie’s life to hard mode. Then she discovers her late grandfather’s journal, filled with cheat codes for an unfinished video game — and she and her sister are suddenly transported inside it. This heartfelt fantasy graphic novel combines gaming, monsters, friendship, family, and a quest to level up in the game and in real life.

Turn financial literacy into a game! Kids learn how to budget, save, calculate tips, avoid scams, understand investing, and make smart spending choices while adding to — or subtracting from—their pretend Treasure Chest. Real-life examples and interactive activities make money concepts approachable, practical, and surprisingly fun.

The first Wingfeather Saga adventure comes to life as a graphic novel! Siblings Janner, Tink, and Leeli live a quiet life until the venomous Fangs of Dang threaten their land. Soon the children discover their family holds a secret connected to a lost king and legendary jewels. An action-filled fantasy adventure rich with humor, heart, courage, and mystery.

Celebrate the holidays with Hilo and friends in the bestselling graphic novel series’ first-ever Holiday Special! Everyone is ready for seasonal fun — until a giant, super-grumpy snowman crashes the festivities. Packed with the series’ signature action, friendship, big-hearted humor, and colorful illustrations, it’s a festive adventure made for Hilo fans.

In this graphic memoir companion to Newbery Honor winner Mexikid, Pedro Martín returns with more hilarious family adventures and a year filled with change. From long days picking strawberries to immigration patrols and musical daydreams, Pedro navigates family, identity, work, and growing up in a funny, heartfelt story inspired by the author’s childhood.

Three middle school students embark on a quest to find a mysterious book that may just save their lives. Newbery Medal winner Tae Keller weaves fate, friendship, stories, and a touch of magic into an unforgettable adventure about growing up in an uncertain world. Tender, suspenseful, and full of big questions, it’s a story about finding sparks of hope in the dark.

Sasan has middle school figured out: cool friends, decent grades, and enough allowance to hang out on weekends. But when all the other boys start playing the hottest new video game, fitting in suddenly gets complicated. His mom will help him buy it — but only if he finally learns Farsi. A funny, heartfelt graphic novel about friendship, family, culture, and belonging.

Charlotte loves horror — as long as the monsters stay safely inside books. But after she reads from a mysterious library book called Liber de Monstrum, strange things begin happening in Devilfish Bay: snow falls unexpectedly, her favorite teacher disappears, and a suspicious substitute arrives. A creepy, funny graphic novel for kids who delight in things that go bump in the night.

Soar back into the fiery world of Dragonborn in this epic fantasy sequel filled with dragons, danger, action, and betrayal. Alex’s adventure continues as she embraces her destiny — and her inner dragon. This striking gift edition features a dragon-scale edge, full-color illustrated endpapers, foil details on the case and jacket, and an interior map.

Inspired by The Anxious Generation, this engaging guide speaks directly to kids about creating a happy, exciting life that isn’t controlled by smartphones and social media. Packed with surprising facts, graphic storytelling, interactive challenges, and real-life experiences, it gives tweens practical ideas for taking charge of their time, attention, friendships, and fun.

Aku dreams of becoming an astronaut, but a mysterious space helmet makes that dream far more real than expected. Teleported to the distant planet Ibra, he discovers a world under siege — and clues that his missing grandfather may hold the key to saving it.

YOU are the detective in this interactive mystery with hundreds of paths and no dead ends! It’s the first day of the world’s biggest magic convention when all the magic in Haventry suddenly disappears. Question suspicious sorcerers, elves, enchantresses, and even a meditating unicorn as you make choices, follow clues, and solve the case your own way.

Enjoy the world of KPop Demon Hunters with 21 hilarious fill-in-the-blank stories starring HUNTR/X and more fan favorites. Kids supply nouns, verbs, adjectives, and plenty of silly ideas to create their own laugh-out-loud adventures.

Return to a Neverland unlike any you’ve seen before in this action-packed graphic novel that reimagines the world of Peter Pan. A fiercely modern cast faces spectacular battles, danger, and a fantastical steampunk world while discovering the power of friendship and chosen family.

Get ready for a puzzle-filled Christmas with Mr. Lemoncello! The bestselling series serves up a merry holiday mystery filled with games, surprises, brainteasers, and the wonderfully wacky fun readers have come to expect from the world’s most famous game maker.

From #1 bestselling authors Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson comes the first book in a high-flying new trilogy featuring the legendary Skyward Flight squadron of cadet pilots. The crew undertakes a dangerous intergalactic mission to investigate a mysterious alien world, launching an epic science-fiction adventure packed with strange discoveries, high stakes, and action among the stars.

Rohan loves animals — especially tigers — so visiting his grandfather near a tiger sanctuary in India is a dream come true. But what he discovers opens his eyes to the complicated challenges endangered animals face. With chapters told from a tiger’s perspective, this gripping adventure blends family, wildlife, conservation, and one boy’s determination to make his voice heard.

Discover the incredible true story of Jackie Robinson in an action-packed graphic biography. From excelling at nearly every sport he tried to becoming the first Black player in Major League Baseball, Robinson faced racism and discrimination with extraordinary determination. This accessible graphic novel brings the life and legacy of an American sports legend to young readers.

Get everyone laughing, debating, and thinking with more than 160 hilarious “Would You Rather?” questions. The challenges grow harder as kids progress, encouraging creative thinking, imagination, and quick reasoning while inspiring plenty of ridiculous answers. Great for families, friends, road trips, sleepovers, restaurants, and anytime kids need screen-free entertainment.

From the Newbery Honor–winning creator of Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All comes a heartfelt middle school story about the awkward — and empowering — business of growing up. With friendship shifting and questions of identity becoming harder to ignore, a young girl learns that discovering who you are can be messy, surprising, lonely, and ultimately full of possibility.

Cat, Sofia, Ana, and Mari are best friends, and nothing can break their bond — or so they think. As high school begins and their friendship starts to crack, their beloved bookstore and the spirit of Cat’s great-great-great-grandmother may help bring them together again. Woven with graphic novel chapters, this warm story celebrates friendship, family, ancestors, books, and the magic of stories.

An interactive guide and journal designed to help kids build confidence and become their happiest selves. Four approachable steps encourage readers to understand their feelings, grow their confidence, appreciate what they have, and set achievable goals. Writing prompts, activities, and journal pages give kids practical ways to put what they learn into action.

The Forgotten Five face their most dangerous mission yet in the explosive finale to Lisa McMann’s superpowered fantasy series. With Estero under the control of a president and his mind-controlling henchman, the team must find a way to expose the truth and fight back. An action-packed conclusion filled with powers, danger, teamwork, and high-stakes adventure.