Feelings and big moments books for ages 9 to 12
101 award-winning books for ages 9 to 12. Grief, fear, moving house, growing up.
Animals112Adventure205Fantasy and magic203Funny books85Family182Friendship87History and real people398Nature and science57Folktales and fairy tales62Poetry and rhyme48Feelings and big moments101
101 books
Winner2026All the Blues in the SkyRenée Watson2026 Newbery Medal winner
Honor2023Iveliz Explains It AllAndrea Beatriz Arango2023 Newbery Medal Honor Book
Winner2023The Probability of EverythingSarah Everett2023 Governor General's Award (text) winner
Winner2022A Glasshouse of StarsShirley Marr2022 CBCA Book of the Year: Younger Readers winner
Honor2022Red, White, and WholeRajani LaRocca2022 Newbery Medal Honor Book
Winner2022Tiger DaughterRebecca Lim2022 CBCA Book of the Year: Older Readers winner
Honor2022Too Bright to SeeKyle Lukoff2022 Newbery Medal Honor Book
Honor2021A Place Inside of MeZetta Elliott2021 Caldecott Medal Honor Book
Honor2021Fighting WordsKimberly Brubaker Bradley2021 Newbery Medal Honor Book
Honor2020Do Fish Sleep?Jens Raschke2020 Batchelder Award Honor Book
Honor2020Genesis Begins AgainAlicia D. Williams2020 Newbery Medal Honor Book
Honor2020Other Words for HomeJasmine Warga2020 Newbery Medal Honor Book
Honor2016The War That Saved My LifeKimberly Brubaker Bradley2016 Newbery Medal Honor Book
Honor2015El DeafoCece Bell2015 Newbery Medal Honor Book
Winner2012A Monster CallsPatrick Ness2012 Carnegie Medal for Illustration winner
Winner2012The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. LarsenSusin Nielsen2012 Governor General's Award (text) winner
Winner2008The Ghost's ChildSonya Hartnett2008 CBCA Book of the Year: Older Readers winner
Winner2007Gemini SummerIain Lawrence2007 Governor General's Award (text) winner
Winner2007The ArrivalShaun Tan2007 CBCA Picture Book of the Year winner
Winner2006Helicopter ManElizabeth Fensham2006 CBCA Book of the Year: Younger Readers winner
Winner2005Kira-KiraCynthia Kadohata2005 Newbery Medal winner
Honor2004Olive's OceanKevin Henkes2004 Newbery Medal Honor Book
Winner2003Rain May and Captain DanielCatherine Bateson2003 CBCA Book of the Year: Younger Readers winner
Honor2001Hope Was HereJoan Bauer2001 Newbery Medal Honor Book
Honor2000Getting Near to BabyAudrey Couloumbis2000 Newbery Medal Honor Book
Winner2000The Other Side of TruthBeverley Naidoo2000 Carnegie Medal for Writing winner
Winner1997River BoyTim Bowler1997 Carnegie Medal for Writing winner
Winner1997The FriendsKazumi Yumoto1997 Batchelder Award winner
Honor1996What Jamie SawCarolyn Coman1996 Newbery Medal Honor Book
Winner1995Walk Two MoonsSharon Creech1995 Newbery Medal winner
Winner1994Adam and Eve and Pinch-MeJulie Johnston1994 Governor General's Award (text) winner
Honor1994The Princess in the Kitchen GardenAnnemie Heymans and Margriet Heymans1994 Batchelder Award Honor Book
Winner1994Whispers in the GraveyardTheresa Breslin1994 Carnegie Medal for Writing winner
Winner1993Missing MayCynthia Rylant1993 Newbery Medal winner
Winner1992Hero of Lesser CausesJulie Johnston1992 Governor General's Award (text) winner
Honor1992Nothing But The Truth: a Documentary NovelAvi1992 Newbery Medal Honor Book
Honor1991Two Short and One LongNina Ring Aamundsen1991 Batchelder Award Honor Book
Winner1989CrutchesPeter Härtling1989 Batchelder Award winner
Winner1988If You Didn't Have MeUlf Nilsson1988 Batchelder Award winner
Honor1987A Fine White DustCynthia Rylant1987 Newbery Medal Honor Book
Honor1987On My HonorMarion Dane Bauer1987 Newbery Medal Honor Book
Winner1986Rose BlancheChristophe Gallaz and Roberto Innocenti1986 Batchelder Award winner
Honor1985One-Eyed CatPaula Fox1985 Newbery Medal Honor Book
Winner1984A Little FearPatricia Wrightson1984 CBCA Book of the Year: Older Readers winner
Winner1983Hiroshima No PikaToshi Maruki1983 Batchelder Award winner
Honor1981A Ring of Endless LightMadeleine L'Engle1981 Newbery Medal Honor Book
Winner1978Bridge to TerabithiaKatherine Paterson1978 Newbery Medal winner
Winner1972FriedrichHans Peter Richter1972 Batchelder Award winner
Winner1971Bread and HoneyIvan Southall1971 CBCA Book of the Year: Older Readers winner
Winner1965Shadow of a BullMaia Wojciechowska1965 Newbery Medal winner
Honor1957Old YellerFred Gipson1957 Newbery Medal Honor Book
Winner1950The Door in the WallMarguerite de Angeli1950 Newbery Medal winner
Honor1945The Hundred DressesEleanor Estes1945 Newbery Medal Honor BookLaughter Is the Best EndingMaryam MasterWinner2025Laughter Is the Best EndingMaryam Master2025 CBCA Book of the Year: Younger Readers winnerTigHeather SmithWinner2025TigHeather Smith2025 Governor General's Award (text) winnerThe Most Beautiful StoryBrynjulf Jung TjønnHonor2022The Most Beautiful StoryBrynjulf Jung Tjønn2022 Batchelder Award Honor BookAster's Good, Right ThingsKate GordonWinner2021Aster's Good, Right ThingsKate Gordon2021 CBCA Book of the Year: Younger Readers winnerFireflyPhilippa DowdingWinner2021FireflyPhilippa Dowding2021 Governor General's Award (text) winnerThe Distance Between Me and the Cherry TreePaola PerettiHonor2020The Distance Between Me and the Cherry TreePaola Peretti2020 Batchelder Award Honor BookCicadaShaun TanWinner2019CicadaShaun Tan2019 CBCA Picture Book of the Year winnerFlightNadia WheatleyWinner2016FlightNadia Wheatley2016 CBCA Picture Book of the Year winnerPaperboyVince VawterHonor2014PaperboyVince Vawter2014 Newbery Medal Honor BookThe Cat: Or, How I Lost EternityJutta RichterHonor2008The Cat: Or, How I Lost EternityJutta Richter2008 Batchelder Award Honor BookThe Crow-Girl: The Children of Crow CoveBodil BredsdorffHonor2005The Crow-Girl: The Children of Crow CoveBodil Bredsdorff2005 Batchelder Award Honor BookMy DogJohn HeffernanWinner2002My DogJohn Heffernan2002 CBCA Book of the Year: Younger Readers winnerSamir and YonatanDaniella CarmiWinner2001Samir and YonatanDaniella Carmi2001 Batchelder Award winnerThe October ChildEleanor SpenceWinner1977The October ChildEleanor Spence1977 CBCA Book of the Year: Older Readers winnerDon't Take TeddyBabbis Friis-BaastadWinner1969Don't Take TeddyBabbis Friis-Baastad1969 Batchelder Award winner
Shortlist2021I Go QuietDavid Ouimet2021 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlisted
Finalist2019Girl of the Southern SeaMichelle Kadarusman2019 Governor General's Award (text) finalist
Shortlist2019The Land of NeverendingsKate Saunders2019 Carnegie Medal for Writing shortlisted
Finalist2018Ebb & FlowHeather Smith2018 Governor General's Award (text) finalist
Shortlist2018Night ShiftDebi Gliori2018 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlisted
Shortlist2013WonderR. J. Palacio2013 Carnegie Medal for Writing shortlisted
Shortlist2012My Name is MinaDavid Almond2012 Carnegie Medal for Writing shortlisted
Shortlist2012My Sister Lives on the MantelpieceAnnabel Pitcher2012 Carnegie Medal for Writing shortlisted
Shortlist2012Slog's DadDavid Almond2012 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlisted
Finalist2009Home FreeSharon Jennings2009 Governor General's Award (text) finalist
Shortlist2009The SavageDavid Almond2009 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlisted
Finalist1995Out of the DarkWelwyn Wilton Katz1995 Governor General's Award (text) finalist
Finalist1994Past TenseKen Roberts1994 Governor General's Award (text) finalist
Commended1993Someone Came KnockingAnne Merrick1993 Carnegie Medal for Writing commended
Highly commended1992GulfRobert Westall1992 Carnegie Medal for Writing highly commended
Highly commended1991The Story of Tracy BeakerJacqueline Wilson1991 Carnegie Medal for Writing highly commended
Highly commended1988Red Sky in the MorningElizabeth Laird1988 Carnegie Medal for Writing highly commended
Commended1981Goodnight Mister TomMichelle Magorian1981 Carnegie Medal for Writing commended
Commended1980A Sense of ShameJan Needle1980 Carnegie Medal for Writing commended
Commended1980The Fox in WinterJohn Branfield1980 Carnegie Medal for Writing commended
Commended1969Let the Balloon GoIvan Southall1969 CBCA Book of the Year: Older Readers commended
Commended1964Storm BoyColin Thiele1964 CBCA Book of the Year: Older Readers commended
Commended1961Miss Happiness and Miss FlowerRumer Godden1961 Carnegie Medal for Writing commendedBirdieJ. P. RoseShortlist2026BirdieJ. P. Rose2026 Carnegie Medal for Writing shortlistedFlying HighCao WenxuanShortlist2025Flying HighCao Wenxuan2025 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedThe Final YearMatt GoodfellowShortlist2025The Final YearMatt Goodfellow2025 Carnegie Medal for Writing shortlistedChoose LoveNicola DaviesShortlist2024Choose LoveNicola Davies2024 Carnegie Medal for Writing shortlistedSong of Freedom, Song of DreamsShari GreenFinalist2024Song of Freedom, Song of DreamsShari Green2024 Governor General's Award (text) finalistThe GulfAdam de SouzaFinalist2024The GulfAdam de Souza2024 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistSorry for Your LossJoanne LevyFinalist2022Sorry for Your LossJoanne Levy2022 Governor General's Award (text) finalistUnravelSharon JenningsFinalist2021UnravelSharon Jennings2021 Governor General's Award (text) finalistFinn's FollyIvan SouthallCommended1970Finn's FollyIvan Southall1970 CBCA Book of the Year: Older Readers commendedI Own the RacecoursePatricia WrightsonCommended1969I Own the RacecoursePatricia Wrightson1969 CBCA Book of the Year: Older Readers commended