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Tween Read

A “tween” is generally a child between the ages of 8 and 13 — old enough to be between the toddler years and the teenage years. In the publishing world, the books written for this age group are called middle grade fiction, sometimes shortened to MG. Some upper middle grade titles overlap with younger young adult (YA) for the 12–13 crowd.

Middle grade isn't just “short YA” or “long picture books.” It's a category with its own conventions. The protagonists are roughly the age of the reader. The stakes feel huge to the characters but stay age-appropriate on the page — no graphic violence, no on-page romance beyond a first crush, no profanity. And the heart of a middle grade book is almost always about becoming who you are: figuring out friendships, family, fairness, fear and courage.

Some of the best-selling middle grade series of all time include Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan, Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, Wings of Fire by Tui T. Sutherland, Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, and Dog Man by Dav Pilkey.

📝 Tween Reading Guides

Everything parents and tweens need to find their next great read