I absolutely loved reading when I was a teeanger but I always found it difficult to find age-appropriate books. Here are 9 books that would be perfect for a 13-year-old to read.

Bite Risk – S.J. Wills

13-year-old Sel lives in the small, isolated town of Tremorglade where once a month all the adults are locked up by the kids as they turn into werewolves. 

But strange things have recently started happening – they find a mysterious drone that emits a sickeninf sound, people begin behaving oddly and the werewolves keep escaping on confinement night.

Sel and his friends are determined to figure out what’s really going on in their small town.

This is a fun and unique werewolf story where it’s up to the kids to figure out what is going wrong with their town when the adults just don’t seem to believe that anything is wrong.

I’d Tell You I Loved You But then I’d Have to Kill You

Cammie is a student at Gallagher Academy which is an all girls school for young spies. She’s fluent in 14 languages and capable of killing a man in seven different ways but she has no idea what to do when she meets an ordinary boy who thinks that she’s an ordinary girl.

This is a long series that is so much fun.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians – Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can’t seem to focus on his schoolwork and often loses control of his temper. And to make things worse his algebra teacher has just turned into a monster and tried to kill him. He’s soon shipped off to Camp Half Blood where he discovers that he’s a demigod and is sent on a quest across the United States to prevent a catastrophic war between the gods.

Obviously, this is a really popular series that is being adapted into a new tv series on Disney+!

We Were Liars – E. Lockhart

Cady Sinclair is finally back on her family’s private island. Something happened last time she was there but she can’t remember what it was.

We Were Liars is an interesting mystery that keeps you guessing and will shock you with the ending.

Ash – Malinda Lo

Ever since her dad died, Ash has lived with her horrible stepmother who treats her like a slave and she dreams of the day the fairies will come to take her away. Then one day, she meets a dark and dangerous fairy she believes her wish might finally be granted.

But then she meets the king’s huntress and her heart begins to change. She’s forced to choose between her fairytale dreams and true love.

This is a fun and sapphic Cinderella retelling.

Anne of Green Gables – L.M. Montgomery

Anne Shirly is an 11-year-old orphan who has arrived on Prince Edward Island to find that the the elderly brother and sister she was supposed to live with were expecting to adopt a boy, not a fiesty redheaded girl. 

But Anne, who has an amazing imagination and is desperate for a home , quickly wins them over.

Anne of Green Gables is one of the best classics for younger readers and it’s so good!

Heartstopper – Alice Oseman

Charlie is 14-years-old and openly gay at an all-boys grammar school. He’s sat next to Nick, a 15-year-old cheerful and softhearted rugby player. They quickly become friends and soon, Charlie has fallen for Nick, even thought he knows he doesn’t stand a chance.

You Should See Me in A Crown – Leah Johnson

Liz Lighty has always believed she’s too black, too poor and too awkward to shine in her small, wealthy, prom-obsessed town so she’s always planned on getting out. But, she’s just found out that she hasn’t gotten the financial aid she was banking on, she sets her sights on becoming prom queen which comes along with a scholarship. 

This is a fun, sapphic novel that has a little bit of a silly premise – the whole town (including the adults) is obssessed with prom!

The Selection – Kiera Cass

35 girls are given the chance of a lifetime – the opportunity to escape the life laid out for them and enter a competition to marry the gorgeous Prince Maxon. 

For America Singer, being selected is a nightmare. It would mean turning her back on her secret love. But when she is unexpectedly selected as one of the 35, she meets the prince and quickly begins to question all of the plans she’s made for herself.

This is a romantic dystopian series!

Cinderella is Dead – Kalynn Bayron

200 years after Cinderella found her prince, every teenage girl is required to attend an annual ball where they must find a husband. Those that don’t find a match are never heard from again. 

Sophia would much rather marry her best friend, Erin, and on the night of the ball she makes the desperate decision to flee. She finds herself at Cinderella’s mausoleum where she meets Constance, the last known descendant of Cinderella where she learns about Cinderella’s real story.

The Summer I Turned Pretty – Jenny Han

Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good in her life seems to happen between the months of June and August when she’s staying at the beach house with her mother’s best friend and her two sons. But this year, something is different. Belly has just turned 16 and it seems the boys are finally noticing her. 

This is a sweet and heartbreaking young aduly trilogy that has major summer vibes. The main conflict is a love triangle between Belly and the two brothers as they all deal with growing up.

Legend – Marie Lu

What was once the western United States is now home to the Rebublic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbours. 

June is a 15-year-old prodigy being groomed for success in the republic’s highest military circles. Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. June’s brother is murdered and Day quickly becomes the main suspect. June is sent undercover where she meets and falls for Day without realising he is the prime suspect in her brother’s murder.

Legend is a really great dystopian fiction. The characters are young enough that younger people (13 year olds +) can easily relate to them but they go through a lot of serious issues.