Books for reluctant readers (12+)
There's a book out there for every teenager, even the most reluctant of readers.
Try a few of the books below to see if they click with your teenager and help them love reading. There's non-fiction, graphic novels, rhyme and verse! Let us know which one works for your teenager.
-
Petunia Perry and the Curse of the Ugly Pigeon
Flip -
Petunia Perry and the Curse of the Ugly Pigeon
Petunia Perry is writing her memoir to fully explain why she's no longer friends with Cammy - and why, therefore, she and Cammy's …
; Flip
-
The Poet X
Flip -
The Poet X
Xiomara, a teenage girl of Dominican heritage, is starting to notice boys, but her strict Catholic parents have decided on no cont…
; Flip
-
A Different Dog
Flip -
A Different Dog
A boy taking part in a running competition stops to help a van which has crashed - but the only survivor is a dog. This emotional …
; Flip
-
Invisible Emmie
Flip -
Invisible Emmie
Thirteen-year-old Emmie is the quiet girl at school, the one nobody notices. She loves to draw – and is good at it too – and has a…
; Flip
-
Kerb-Stain Boys: The Crongton Broadway Robbery
Flip -
Kerb-Stain Boys: The Crongton Broadway Robbery
Briggsy, his best friend Terror and the love of Terror’s life, Caldonia, are 14 year olds living on the wrong side of the tracks. …
; Flip
-
Blood Line
Flip -
Blood Line
A republication of a short novel which Kevin Brooks wrote more than 10 years ago for Barrington Stoke's excellent series for reluc…
; Flip
-
Shadow Girl
Flip -
Shadow Girl
The story examines relationships between teenager and adult, and coming to terms with past experience. Another Barrington Stoke wi…
; Flip
-
Omega the Unknown
Flip -
Omega the Unknown
The story of a mute, reluctant super hero from another planet, and the earthly teenager with whom he shares a strange destiny.
; Flip
-
Mind the Gap
Flip -
Mind the Gap
When Mikey's unreliable, mysterious and more than slightly dodgy dad Vinny dies, Mikey seems to lose himself and spirals into a se…
; Flip
-
Running from the Rainbow
Flip -
Running from the Rainbow
In this touching story, Rosie decides to reinvent herself when she moves to a new town and starts a new school.
; Flip
-
The Weight of Water
Flip -
The Weight of Water
This beautiful book is written in verse and captures 13-year-old Kasienka’s emotions and experiences perfectly
; Flip
-
Roller Girl
Flip -
Roller Girl
It’s really exciting to be starting at Roller Derby summer camp, but less so when Astrid finds herself doing it alone. A fantastic…
; Flip
-
Death Match
Flip -
Death Match
During the occupation of Ukraine in World War II, players from what had been the Dynamo Kiev football team set themselves up as St…
; Flip
-
Mysterium: The Black Dragon
Flip -
Mysterium: The Black Dragon
Embarking on an action-packed quest through Hong Kong, Danny finds out about the Mysterium - the travelling circus of which his pa…
; Flip
-
Trollhunters
Flip -
Trollhunters
This black comedy has a highly visual, cinematic feel. It is wildly imaginative and rich in description, comedy gore and elaborate…
; Flip
-
Apple and Rain
Flip -
Apple and Rain
Engrossing and uplifting, challenging and charming, Apple and Rain brings fiction and poetry together in a well-crafted story abou…
; Flip
-
Outlaw: The Legend of Robin Hood
Flip -
Outlaw: The Legend of Robin Hood
This is a captivating retelling of the Robin Hood story with punchy dialogue and suitably dark and atmospheric images.
; Flip
-
Ghost Stadium
Flip -
Ghost Stadium
Three boys go camping in the abandoned Northface football stadium. But all is not as it seems. Tom Palmer's Ghost Stadium&nbs…
; Flip
