13 Books You Have to Read Before You Turn 13 (Best Book Recommendations)

13 Books You Have to Read Before You Turn 13

Donalyn Miller, a 6th grade language arts and social studies teacher and self-described "book whisperer," says she has yet to meet a child she couldn’t turn into a reader. On average, her students at Trinity Meadow Intermediate School in Keller, Texas, read over 50 books a year. Last year, her students received a 100 percent passing rate on the reading portion of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, with 90 percent receiving a "recommended" score.

This list -- 13 Books You Have to Read Before You Turn 13 -- was compiled by Jace Barton, a 2005 alumnus of Donalyn Miller's class.

onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_City_of_Ember_The_First_Book_of_Ember');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0375822747'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_City_of_Ember_The_First_Book_of_Ember');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0375822747'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">The City of Ember (The First Book of Ember) by Jeanne DuPrau onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_City_of_Ember_The_First_Book_of_Ember');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0375822747'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">more on Amazon onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_City_of_Ember_The_First_Book_of_Ember');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0375822747'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow"> 270 page paperback \|$5.99 \|392 reviews


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/Where_the_Red_Fern_Grows');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0440412676'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/Where_the_Red_Fern_Grows');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0440412676'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/Where_the_Red_Fern_Grows');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0440412676'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">more on Amazon onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/Where_the_Red_Fern_Grows');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0440412676'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow"> 208 page paperback \|$6.99 \|1,202 reviews This book also appears on Simeon Stolzberg's Favorite Books


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_Thief_Lord');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/043942089X'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_Thief_Lord');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/043942089X'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke, Oliver Latsch onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_Thief_Lord');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/043942089X'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">more on Amazon onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_Thief_Lord');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/043942089X'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow"> 376 page paperback \|$7.99 \|389 reviews


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/Tangerine');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0152057803'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/Tangerine');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0152057803'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">Tangerine by Edward Bloor, Danny De Vito onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/Tangerine');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0152057803'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">more on Amazon onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/Tangerine');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0152057803'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow"> 324 page paperback \|$6.95 \|459 reviews


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/Holes');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0440419468'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/Holes');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0440419468'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">Holes by Louis Sachar onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/Holes');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0440419468'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">more on Amazon onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/Holes');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0440419468'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow"> 256 page paperback \|$6.99 \|3,280 reviews


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_Schwa_was_Here');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0142405779'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_Schwa_was_Here');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0142405779'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">The Schwa was Here by Neal Shusterman onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_Schwa_was_Here');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0142405779'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">more on Amazon onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_Schwa_was_Here');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0142405779'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow"> 228 page paperback \|$6.99 \|19 reviews


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_Lightning_Thief_Percy_Jackson_and_the_Olympians_Book_1');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0786838655'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_Lightning_Thief_Percy_Jackson_and_the_Olympians_Book_1');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0786838655'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1) by Rick Riordan onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_Lightning_Thief_Percy_Jackson_and_the_Olympians_Book_1');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0786838655'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">more on Amazon onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_Lightning_Thief_Percy_Jackson_and_the_Olympians_Book_1');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0786838655'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow"> 392 page paperback \|$7.99 \|233 reviews


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_Outsiders');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/014038572X'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_Outsiders');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/014038572X'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_Outsiders');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/014038572X'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">more on Amazon onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_Outsiders');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/014038572X'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow"> 192 pages \|$9.99 \|1,527 reviews


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_View_from_Saturday');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0689817215'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_View_from_Saturday');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0689817215'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">The View from Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_View_from_Saturday');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0689817215'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">more on Amazon onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_View_from_Saturday');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0689817215'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow"> 176 page paperback \|$5.99 \|283 reviews This book also appears on Newbery Medal Winners


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_House_of_the_Scorpion');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0689852231'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_House_of_the_Scorpion');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0689852231'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_House_of_the_Scorpion');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0689852231'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">more on Amazon onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_House_of_the_Scorpion');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0689852231'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow"> 400 page paperback \|$9.99 \|299 reviews


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_Boy_Who_Saved_Baseball');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0142402869'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_Boy_Who_Saved_Baseball');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0142402869'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">The Boy Who Saved Baseball by John H. Ritter onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_Boy_Who_Saved_Baseball');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0142402869'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">more on Amazon onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_Boy_Who_Saved_Baseball');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0142402869'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow"> 224 page paperback \|$6.99 \|38 reviews


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/Maniac_Magee');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0316809063'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/Maniac_Magee');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0316809063'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/Maniac_Magee');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0316809063'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">more on Amazon onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/Maniac_Magee');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0316809063'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow"> 180 page paperback \|$6.99 \|710 reviews


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_Giver');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0440237688'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_Giver');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0440237688'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">The Giver by Lois Lowry onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_Giver');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0440237688'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow">more on Amazon onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/13_Books_You_Have_to_Read_Before_You_Turn_13/The_Giver');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0440237688'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;" rel="nofollow"> 192 pages \|$6.99 \|3,070 reviews