Best Books for 10, 11 and 12 Year Old Girls (UK, 2026)

Best for: Dipping in and out at bedtime

One hundred one-page biographies of women from across the world, each with a full-page illustrated portrait. The short format suits readers who do not want to commit to a long book, and it starts good conversations.

There are several volumes plus spin-offs, so check which one you already own before buying.

Best for: Readers who like illustrated non-fiction

Busy, cartoon-style spreads on women including Amelia Earhart, Rosa Parks, Frida Kahlo and Mary Anning. It sits at the younger end of this age band, so it works well for a nine-year-old or a less confident reader.

Part of a series - the follow-ups cover scientists, artists and campaigners.

Best for: A reader who worries about fitting in

Around a hundred short, upbeat stories about people who did things their own way, from athletes to inventors to musicians. A big bestseller for good reason: two pages per person, so it works as a five-minute read before bed.

Ages 9-12. There are companion volumes, so check which you own.

Best for: Readers who feel different

Addie, an autistic girl in a Scottish village, campaigns for a memorial to the women tried as witches in her town. Written by an autistic author, and one of the few books in this age group where a neurodivergent girl is the hero rather than the lesson.

Best for: Fast, adventurous reading

A jewel thief, a jungle chase and an elephant, set in a fictionalised Sri Lanka. Short chapters, real momentum - a good pick for a reader who says books are boring.

Best for: A reader who wants to be swept along

Sophie, found floating in a cello case after a shipwreck, goes to Paris to look for her mother and ends up living on the rooftops. Won the Waterstones Children's Book Prize, and the writing is lovely without being difficult.

Best for: A quieter pick for a book lover

Tilly lives above her grandparents' bookshop and discovers she can walk into her favourite stories. Less shouted-about than the big series but adored by the readers who find it - ideal for anyone who has just finished Harry Potter.

Best for: Fantasy fans who have finished the obvious series

Amari is invited into a secret bureau of supernatural affairs while searching for her missing brother. Big, imaginative world-building with a Black girl protagonist who is underestimated and proves everyone wrong.

Best for: Readers who love myth and folklore

A Russian-folklore-inspired story about belonging and finding out where you come from. Lyrical, a little slower, ideal for a reader who enjoys atmosphere as much as plot.

Best for: A book the whole family can read

Auggie has a facial difference and is starting school for the first time. It is told from several points of view, which makes it unusually good for talking about how the same event feels different depending on who you are.

Best for: Learning business through a story

A brother and sister compete to sell the most lemonade over the summer. Each chapter opens with a genuine business idea - profit, competition, partnership - so the maths arrives inside the plot.

American setting and dollars, so convert the numbers as you go.

Best for: Readers who like a problem solved cleverly

A boy decides shop toothpaste costs too much and makes his own. It is an older book, but the reasoning - work out your costs, then your price - is exactly what we teach in the courses.

First published in 1972, so prices and technology are dated. That can be a good talking point.

Best for: A reader who wants the practical version

From the team behind the Biz Kid$ series: earning, saving, budgeting and starting a small venture, laid out clearly with worksheets. The most useful straight money book for this age band.

US dollars throughout. Pair it with UK pounds using our free tools.