10 Clean Books for Tweens

Written By: The Good and the Beautiful Published On:

Are you looking for wholesome, character-building books for your tween that also teach about history, culture, and compassion? In this blog post and video, Jenny Phillips shares her top 10 clean book recommendations for young teens. Find these books and more parent- and kid-approved books on The Good and the Beautiful Book List at goodandbeautifulbooklist.com.

My Top 10 Clean Book Recommendations for Tweens

Hi, this is Jenny Phillips! In this blog post, I am going to share my top 10 clean book recommendations that are great personal reading options for tweens. Giving your children truly good books is such an easy and powerful way to impact your children’s lives for good. We are doing everything possible at The Good and the Beautiful to make it easy for you to find books that you can trust. So, please take advantage of the free Good and Beautiful Book List and share it with others. Let’s get started!

  • The cover of the book "Snow Treasure" by Marie McSwigan | The Good and the Beautiful

  • 1. Snow Treasure

    By Marie McSwigan
    Level 5

    Snow Treasure takes place in Norway during World War II and is based on a true story. The book is exciting, well written, and packed with educational value. It teaches about the Nazi occupation of Norway and the way of life in a small Norwegian village in 1940. Peter and his friends are given the task of slipping $9 million in gold past the Nazi soldiers as they ride their sleds. The story models courage, selflessness, and perseverance.

  • 2. Black Star, Bright Dawn

    By Scott O'Dell
    Level 7

    Black Star, Bright Dawn is a book by the brilliant writer Scott O’Dell. This book is packed with life lessons, and it tells an exciting story about the Iditarod sled dog race. My family and I really enjoyed this book and learned a lot about a different culture. The book features completely clean language, like all our books included on The Good and the Beautiful Book List.

  • The cover of the book "Esperanza Rising" by Pam Munoz Ryan | The Good and the Beautiful

  • 3. Esperanza Rising

    By Pam Muñoz Ryan
    Level 6

    Esperanza Rising tells the story of Esperanza, a girl who lives a life of wealth and comfort on her family’s ranch in Mexico. But when tragedy shatters Esperanza’s world, she is forced to flee to California and settle in a camp for Mexican farm workers. The story is bursting with educational value and has uplifting messages about family, loyalty, hard work, attitude, gratitude, enduring trials, friendship, honesty, kindness, and more. The writing is engaging, the characters are deep, and the story will leave you feeling inspired.

  • 4. Beyond the Orphan Train series

    By Arleta Richardson
    Level 6

    The Beyond the Orphan Train series is a really fun and uplifting series. The books center around Ethan Cooper and his family in the early 1900s, beginning when Ethan is 8 years old. Readers follow Ethan and his siblings on their quest to stay together and find a family. God, prayer, and faith are gently woven into parts of the story. I highly recommend this wonderful series.

  • 5. Viking Quest series

    By Lois Walfrid Johnson
    Level 6

    Viking Quest is an exciting series; each book leaves you hanging. If you start the series, you will likely want to finish all five books! At the beginning of this fictional series, a Christian brother and sister from Ireland are captured by Vikings. A strong emphasis is placed on faith in God, a theme that is missing from a lot of children’s books today. These books are examples of literature that can be both faith-building and fun.

  • The cover of the book "Enemy Brothers: A Story of World War Two" by Constance Savery | The Good and the Beautiful

  • 6. Enemy Brothers

    By Constance Savery
    Level 6

    Enemy Brothers is a timeless treasure. Constance Savery, the author, did not even know the outcome of World War II, as she wrote this book in 1943. The characters in Enemy Brothers are well-developed, engaging, and convincing, and the story is intriguing. I also love the fact that the book gives deep insights into history and human nature and that the characters have high moral character. The writing is also fantastic.

  • The cover of the book "Boy of the Pyramids: A Mystery of Ancient Egypt" by Ruth Fosdick Jones | The Good and the Beautiful

  • 7. Boy of the Pyramids

    By Ruth Fosdick Jones
    Level 6

    Boy of the Pyramids is a heartwarming story of the unlikely friendship that forms between an Egyptian nobleman’s son and a slave girl from another region. Together, they come to understand each other’s cultures, learn the traditions and farming methods of the people who live along the Nile, uncover foul play during a bullfight, find themselves in danger while seeking adventure, and ultimately solve the mystery that is woven throughout the tale. This is an engaging story of family, love, compassion, sacrifice, bravery, loyalty, and adventure.

  • The cover of the book Red Berries White Clouds Blue Sky" by Sandra Dallas | The Good and the Beautiful

  • 8. Red Berries, White Clouds, Blue Sky

    By Sandra Dallas
    Level 7

    Red Berries, White Clouds, Blue Sky is a book about Tomi, a 12-year-old Japanese American who lives on a strawberry farm in California. Everything changes for Tomi after the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor, and she eventually finds herself in an internment camp trying to adjust to a new life. This book shows the true, hard facts about a dark period of history, but it has an underlying feeling of hope as it explores the messages of forgiveness and service.

  • The cover of the book "Harriet Tubman: Conductor of the Underground Railroad" by Ann Petry | The Good and the Beautiful

  • 9. Harriet Tubman

    By Ann Petry
    Level 6

    Harriet Tubman by Ann Petry is a book that tweens will love. There are many books on the amazing historical figure Harriet Tubman, but this one is written in a very engaging way. I love the references to God and faith throughout the book. It is also packed with educational value as readers learn not only about Harriet Tubman but also about slavery, the time period, and the Civil War. This is the kind of book that helps shape noble character.

  • Lantern Lane Full Series | The Good and the Beautiful

  • 10. Lantern Lane series

    By Tessa Greene
    Level 7

    Lantern Lane is one of the original series from The Good and the Beautiful Bookshop and is found exclusively on our website, goodandbeautiful.com. The Lantern Lane books tell such a fun and imaginative story. In the Kingdom of Trielle, 14-year-old Letty lives on Lantern Lane, a street lined with lanterns to help guide the citizens to safety each night. When Letty’s identity is mistaken and she is whisked away to the castle, adventure ensues. The books highlight principles of high character, courage, and kindness.

Well, those are my top 10 book recommendations for tweens! The Good and the Beautiful is with you as you choose to give your children the incredible blessings of words, ideas, and examples that are ennobling. We hope you enjoy diving into the world of good and beautiful books.

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