Realistic Fiction Books For 12 Year-olds Novels & Stories

It was a science fiction novel, with a picture of a spaceship on the cover. He nodded, and his eyes lit up a bit. "Do you like it?" He nodded again, more enthusiastically now, a wide smile forming on his face. Finally, I was starting to get to him. "What is it about?" I asked, brushing a lone lock of hair behind my ears. "It's about a boy who travels to different planets and meets aliens. It's very interesting." I smiled, and felt a spark of connection. I had always loved science fiction, and had read many books of the genre when I was younger, it appeared the kids had a little bit of me in them after all. It wasn't all Jamal in there.

It has never been my goal to impress my sister with anything I do. I scroll through the books in the library until I come to my favourite section, Mystery. I always love the thrill that comes with not knowing what's going to happen next. You can make it more interesting for yourself if you start to wonder what is happening and what will happen. I take a few glances through the books on the shelves and take a book that looks the most interesting out of all the books I saw. 'In the Woods' by Tana French.

"For story time." He took a breath. "Then let's do story time." Inside, 12 kids were waiting. Books on the floor. No cameras. No protesters. Just us. Damian picked up *Where the Wild Things Are.* "Who wants to hear a story?" Hands went up. As he started reading, my phone buzzed. Unknown number. *I see you. Both of you.* I deleted it. And sat down on the floor with the kids. Because if someone was watching, Let them watch this. END OF CHAPTER 51

CHAPTER 1: DRAGONS It is a little past 8pm and the moon is full and well lit. It is bedtime for seven years old Elizabeth and she is all ready for bed. Teeth flossed, hair brushed and nighties worn. Her sister Historia a seventeen years old red head decides to spice up story time tonight. Instead of reading from the regular bedtime stories, she chooses to tell a story from an old fantasy novel. Historia tokes in her sister in place, as she stands up to dramatize the story with her red eyes wild open. Elizabeth packs her beautiful blond hair in a ponytail as she widens her red ruby eyes as well in suspense.

But my father had been. He used to say that books were like gardens of the mind — places you could walk into when the real world had nothing left to offer. And maybe that’s what she needed right now. A new place to hide, one untouched by Lucien’s cruelty. I found the one I had been thinking of — The Legend of Winterlight — tucked in the back of a high shelf. Its spine was worn, the pages yellowed, but the story inside was timeless. A tale about a cursed forest, a silver stag, and a girl who saved herself by believing in something no one else could see.

Because the only way out is forward, even if it hurts. “Wanna hear me read your bedtime story?” I smiled when she nodded. I stood up and walked towards the mini shelf in her room, which housed several stories from best-selling childhood authors. Author TED is, so far, my favorite children’s book author. She doesn’t just tell realistic stories; she weaves tales of courage, faith, hope, and love in a way that moves not only the child being read to but also the parent reading aloud. I picked up The Dancing Princess.

The kind meant for older kids but that August had started gravitating toward because picture books didn't have enough words. "This one is about a robot who wants to be an astronaut." Carter held up the first book. "And this one is about deep sea creatures. Real ones, not made up. And this one—" He pulled out a thick hardcover. "This one is about how bridges are built. It has diagrams." August's eyes went huge. He took the bridge book with both hands like Carter had given him something precious. Opened to the first page where there was indeed a detailed diagram of bridge architecture. "This is mine? To keep?"

There could be a slip up, I might just mistakenly say something I'd rather not say. One more reason why it was a kind of safe space with Kunle and Sophia. We talk about everything and yet, nothing. "Well, All books, all genres except sad fictions. I don't understand why books would have sad endings. Books like All the bright colors, The fault in our stars, We were liars and co. I hate reading those kind of books. I prefer books like Eleanor and Park, Holding up the Universe, A very large expanse of sea. Generally, light novels that'd just make me smile. A sun is also a star, books with breathtaking ending that'd make you feel things."

sabi niya saka tumayo na. I can't still process everything. Everything seems so impossible. It's like something I didn't expect to happen. I've read a lot of fiction but nothing compares to this reality. The reality is scary. Reading books is like stepping into the world of fiction, but if you close the book again, you'll be back to the reality where the things in the book is less likely to happen in real life. "Cap," bati ni Jungle. I know it's Fauve. I can smell his scent.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Prologue CHAPTER ONE – ROAD TO RIYA CHAPTER TWO – APEX PREDATOR CHAPTER THREE – HUNTING PARTY CHAPTER FOUR – TRAPPED CHAPTER FIVE – CAPITAL’S TRUTH Bonus story  A BEAUTIFUL DAY TO DIE YOUNG * CHAPTER ONE – THE INVITE TO DEATH * CHAPTER TWO – BAD FRIENDS, BAD * CHAPTER THREE – CRUMBLING FLESH OF CHILDREN  THE BIRTH OF ERIC KANE