I’ll say it right off the bat: The best books for 10-year-old girls are books any 10 year old would enjoy, regardless of their gender. But I get specific questions about book recommendations for every age and these posts are there to help people looking for tips in this regard.
For this post, I’ve rounded up my favorite books starring girls between ages 9 and 12, with subject matter appropriate for most 10 year olds. Book recommendations by age are highly subjective and each kid is different, so feel free to check out other lists like this one for 11 year olds and this one for 9 year olds for more recommendations.
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20 Great Books for 10-Year-Old Girls
Here are 20 books for 10-year-old girls:
Maid for It
Published: September 5, 2023
Franny and her newly sober mom are finally finding their feet when her mom gets into a car accident and breaks her femur. Terrified that the new stressors will push her mom back into addiction, Franny tries to earn income by cleaning her mom’s clients’ homes without her mother’s permission — even blackmailing a school rival into helping her. She quickly learns that adults need to take responsibility for themselves. I loved how realistic and engaging this book was.
Ginny Off the Map
Published: June 20, 2023
Ginny’s summer is thrown off when her dad gets a surprise redeployment in the middle of their family’s moving to another city. Then, her geography camp gets canceled. Her sister seems to be making new friends, but no one appears to like Ginny–even when she starts her own geography camp.
I loved this book way more than I thought I would. Ginny has such a great voice and she isn’t always the most likable character but she’s always real. I loved watching her grow throughout the story. This is a younger middle grade book that features illustrations and a new geography fact in each chapter.
Audrey Covington Breaks the Rules
Published: April 18, 2023
Audrey is graduating from elementary school and struggling with having overprotective parents. She notices that her friends seem uninterested in hanging out with her (because she can’t do many of the things their parents allow them to — getting ice cream together alone, watching non PG movies alone, and more).
The breaking point comes when they officially uninvite from their much-anticipated graduation sleepover. Deeply upset, Audrey takes the opportunity to abscond with her celebrity grandmother (who’s desperate to get away for her own reasons). From escaping security on movie lots to crashing celebrity parties, the two have a hijinks-filled day. But how long can Audrey keep breaking the rules?
This exciting, escapist, and insightful middle grade book about identity and finding balanced freedom as a tween will appeal to a younger middle grade crowd.
Honey and Me
Published: October 18, 2022
Honey is Milla’s best friend. She loves the warmth of Honey’s boisterous family and wants to spend every moment with them. That is, until Honey transfers to her school and suddenly, everyone seems to like Honey more than they do Milla. This sweet slice-of-life story grew on me with every chapter. Milla and Honey are both Orthodox Jews, so this book includes many details about the religion.
Ruby Finley and the Interstellar Invasion
Published: September 27, 2022
Ruby is an 11-year-old future entomologist who loves studying insects and playing video games with her neighborhood friends. When she sees a strange bug in her bedroom and shares a picture of it on social media, suspicious agents appear at her door to re-capture the now missing insect. Soon, all the metal in her neighborhood begins to disappear as Ruby and her friends realize there’s more to the strange bug. This was a lot of fun and will appeal to fans of STEM stories and books about robots.
A Duet for Home
Published: May 16, 2023
12-year-old June, her younger sister Mabel, and her mother are forced to move into Huey House, a homeless shelter in New York City. June’s mother has become non-verbal since their father died a few months ago, so June has to care for Mabel on her own.
At Huey House, June meets Tyrell and the two form a friendship on the back of their shared love for music. June also starts getting viola lessons from a next-door neighbor. But just when she’s finding her footing at Huey House, she finds out through Tyrell that the government is trying to get people out of the home before they’re ready and sending them to unsafe neighborhoods. Can June and Tyrell make a difference?
This is a warm, realistic, and inspiring middle grade book about homelessness, grief, and a love of music from the author of the beloved Vanderbeeker series.
Camp Famous
Published: May 10, 2022
Eleven-year-old Abby is going to Camp Famous, but she has no idea. As far as she knows, her parents are sending her off to a sleepy sleep-away camp to (hopefully) make new friends. But when she arrives, she discovers it’s even better. She’s attending a fun summer camp with kid celebrities escaping the spotlight and constant paparazzi and new coverage.
But as Abby starts to make friends at camp, she twists her personality and preferences to keep her camp friends interested in her. Plus, because she’s not a celebrity, finding and maintaining a cover story while being true to herself proves impossible.
This is a fun, insightful look at the impact of fame on kids and what it means to be a real friend. If you like camp stories or stories with diary entries, you will enjoy this one.
Meet Me Halfway
Published: September 13, 2022
New kid Mattie realizes that her classmate Mercedes is practically her doppelganger, but she quickly finds out that there’s more to the resemblance. While working on a project together, Mattie discovers that she and Mercedes share the same Colombian dad who left both of them for a life as an anthropologist in Colombia. But now he’s teaching in a university in their town, so they hatch a plan to meet him without their families knowing.
This heartwarming, adventurous romp about sisterhood, blending families, and Colombian tradition follows two sisters who reconnect with each other and their estranged father, while discovering more about themselves and their families.
Squished: A Graphic Novel
Published: March 7, 2023
Avery has SIX siblings and is feeling squished at home so she’s crushed when her older brother Theo gets the first chance to room alone. She has to share a room with her younger siblings Pearl and Max. On top of that, she often babysits the youngest three siblings. Her dad is a teacher and her mom is studying to become a programmer so things can be hectic at home. Avery decides to get a job so she can earn money and set up a basement bedroom. But just when she’s finding her groove, it appears that the family will have to move to another city — away from the friends and neighborhood Avery has come to love.
I loved this heartwarming, relatable middle grade book about being part of a large family, navigating sibling relationships, and adjusting to change.
Where You’ve Got to Be
Published: September 13, 2022
Nolie feels like the odd person out amid changes. Her sister Linden, who’s only 14 months older seems to have grown up overnight, ditching the seashell necklace their grandmother gave them. And now her best friend, Jessa thinks Nolie’s nickname is too babyish and she should really go by her full name, Magnolia instead. She also wants to include a new cooler friend in their duo and give Nolie a complete makeover.
To top it off, Nolie doesn’t seem to have a “thing” that she’s good at or particularly passionate about. With all those emotions brewing, Nolie makes a poor choice to start stealing things from several people. Centering a likable Jewish tween and her struggles with an evolving friendship, this relatable book takes readers through life in the Big Apple, making new friends, making mistakes and repairing them.
Miosotis Flores Never Forgets
Published: October 26, 2021
Miosotis biggest problem is getting her dad to let her get a dog. Papa insists that Miosotis score higher in Math and Science, even though she’s more of a B student. Soon, though, Miosotis’s woes begin to compound when she discovers that her sister Amarillis may be hiding something from their family. Can Miosotis save her sister?
This is a realistic middle grade book about the impact of domestic violence, identity, and culture. With a sweet protagonist who’s obsessed with dogs, this book is perfect for fans of middle grade books about dogs. I also loved the Latin American culture — the close-knit family, yum food, and overall Spanish infusion — throughout the book.
Elfie Unperfect
Published: August 10, 2021
Elfie Oster is ready to leave Cottonwood Elementary. She doesn’t have any friends at the school and she’s tired of having to do group projects all by herself. It doesn’t help that her super popular cousin, Jenna, whom everyone likes, is also in Cottonwood — and also not Elfie’s friend. Thankfully, she’s been admitted at Hampshire Academy, a swanky private school where she knows everything will be different. Unfortunately, after a misunderstanding, Elfie is swiftly expelled from Hampshire and has to return to Cottonwood.
I loved this realistic, poignant, and funny middle grade book about letting go of perfectionism and embracing the messiness of real life.
Ellie’s Deli: Wishing on Matzo Ball Soup!
Published: September 5, 2023
Eleven-year-old Ellie is feisty, determined, and a little bit anxious. She considers Lukshen Deli part of the family—after all, it’s been around for four generations, ever since her great-grandmother opened it. Ellie is determined to prove that old fashioned Jewish delis can get with the times—but if her plan doesn’t work, the deli will be sold for good. This heartwarming book for 9 year olds has lovely illustrations and is just a joy to read. Thrilled to hear it will be a series!
Select by Christie Matheson
Published: May 9, 2023
When an elite league coach poaches Alex, she hopes it will mean better opportunities. But when she starts, she’s disturbed by her coach’s unkind and misogynistic practices. This fast-paced sports story features a smart girl with too many responsibilities for her age, plenty of heart for soccer, and the will to stand up to an adult bully.
Good Different
Published: April 4, 2023
Good Different is a powerful verse exploration of life on the autism spectrum and the illuminating experience of finally understanding oneself. This book is greatly enriched by the author’s personal experience of being diagnosed in adulthood and is bound to evoke empathy and an increased understanding of the stress that masking and having to survive in a neurotypical world produces for neurodivergent people. If you love verse novels and protagonists who love to write, you’ll enjoy this new release.
The Many Fortunes of Maya
Published: January 24, 2023
The Many Fortunes of Maya is a sweet, realistic, and heartwarming book about facing your fears and listening to your inner voice. This is a great addition to stories about families experiencing parental separation, kids trying to find their passions, and separating one’s goals from external validation. It also highlights how to deal with tough emotions like insecurity and jealousy in friendships. All in all, very well done.
The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn
Published: July 27, 2023
Maudie is a sweet, autistic girl spending the summer with her dad. When her dad’s home is razed in a California wildfire, they move to the small beach town where her father grew up. Throughout the summer, as Maudie makes new friends, starts learning to surf, and enters a surfing contest, a secret tugs at her–one her mother has asked her to keep from her dad. Despite tackling serious issues like physical abuse and autism acceptance, this triumphant story feels infused with the lightness of summer as a girl discovers that she’s braver than she ever thought.
The Firefly Summer
Published: May 2, 2023
When Ryanna gets sent to a family summer camp with her her mother’s extended family — who she hasn’t seen since her mom died when she was three, she’s hoping for a low-key situation. But she is surprised to find a slew of aunts, uncles, and cousins at Camp Van Camp. After a rocky start, she starts to learn more about her mom, even discovering a treasure map she created as a kid and reading the detective novels she used to enjoy. But when she discovers that the campgrounds will be torn down by a developer, Ryanna and her cousins have to band together to save the day.
Picture Day
Published: June 27, 2023
After a bold style statement on picture day, Viv becomes her classmates’ go-to consultant on all things style, life advice, and more. But she gets so caught up in being an influencer that her close circle starts to suffer. A funny but thoughtful start to a new graphic novel series for fans of the Click Series.
Each Tiny Spark
Published: August 6, 2019
Emilia Torres has a wandering mind. It’s hard for her to follow along at school, and sometimes she forgets to do what her mom or abuela asks. But she remembers what matters: a time when her family was whole and home made sense. When Dad returns from deployment, Emilia expects that her life will get back to normal. Instead, it unravels.
Dad shuts himself in the back stall of their family’s auto shop to work on an old car. Emilia peeks in on him daily, mesmerized by his welder. One day, Dad calls Emilia over. Then, he teaches her how to weld. And over time, flickers of her old dad reappear.
But as Emilia finds a way to repair the relationship with her father at home, her community ruptures with some of her classmates, like her best friend, Gus, at the center of the conflict.
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There they are: 20 of the best books for 10-year-old girls! Which of these books have you read? Which ones did I miss?
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