Meyer, Stephenie. Twilight. Little, Brown and Company, 2005. ISBN 0316015849. Ages 12-14.

When seventeen-year-old Bella leaves Phoenix to live with her father in Forks, Washington, she meets an exquisitely handsome boy at school for whom she feels an overwhelming attraction and who she comes to realize is not wholly human. The author's story creates a world so real that even the supernatural elements seem possible. She creates a love story that most older tween romantics will fall for because it tells of a world where even the awkward girl gets the boy. But tween readers will also identify with themes of being different and overcoming all obstacles in order to be with the one you love.

Pfeffer, Susan Beth. Life As We Knew It. Harcourt, Inc., 2006. ISBN 0152058265. Ages 12-14.

Through journal entries sixteen-year-old Miranda describes her family's struggle after a meteor hits the moon, causing worldwide tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. This is a harrowing account of a catastrophic event through the eyes of a teenager. Throughout the story the reader sees glimpses of Miranda trying to be a normal teenager despite having to watch her world crumble around her. Older tween readers will find the idea of an asteroid doing such damage both fascinating and sobering. They will also relate to Miranda's questions of whether a God exists, feelings of responsibility for her family, and dealing with the repercussions of her parents' divorce.

Brashares, Ann. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Delacorte Press, 2001. ISBN 0385730586. Ages 12-14.

During their first summer apart, four teenage girls, best friends since earliest childhood, stay in touch through a shared pair of secondhand jeans that magically adapts to each of their figures and affects their attitudes to their different summer experiences. The book follows different storylines of four friends and their journeys of self-discovery. While each of the four friends is unique and deals with their own unique situations, tween readers will identify with aspects of each of their stories as they experience circumstances that especially speak to tween girls, including death, illness, sex, relationships, divorce, and friendship.

DiTerlizzi, Tony, and Black, Holly. The Spiderwick Chronicles Book 1: The Field Guide. Simon & Schuster, 2003. ISBN 978-0689859366. Ages 9-12.

When Jared, Simon and Mallory Grace move into the old Spiderwick Estate, they are unprepared for the magical and fantastic occurrences they experience. Eager to explore and learn more about their surroundings, they stumble upon an old book detailing the existence of fairies and other creatures. Readers eager to move on to chapter books will enjoy the simple books in the Spiderwick series, as they join the Grace children on adventure after adventure in the world of Arthur Spiderwick. Readers will not be satisfied with reading just this first volume, as it merely introduces the characters and setting for what is sure to be a wild adventure.