Best Books for Ages 9-12 in 2022

Recommended middle-grade fiction for confident readers, ranked by real Amazon UK sales during 2022.

“Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone” by J.K. Rowling was the best-selling book for ages 9-12 in 2022, ahead of “The Girl of Ink and Stars” and “The Boy At the Back of the Class”. 99 of the 100 books below hold an average rating of 4.5 stars or better, led by “Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone” on 4.8 stars from 143,852 reviews.

Ranked by how well each book actually sold on Amazon UK across 2022 — not by our opinion, and not by how they sell today.

← Ages 6-8 Ages 9-12
#1 — Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

by J.K. Rowling

Rating: 4.8 · 143852 reviews
#2 — The Girl of Ink and Stars: winner of the British Book Awards...

The Girl of Ink and Stars: winner of the British Book Awards...

by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Rating: 4.6 · 8173 reviews
#3 — The Boy At the Back of the Class

The Boy At the Back of the Class

by Onjali Rauf

Rating: 4.7 · 11731 reviews
#8 — Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Book 1)

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Book 1)

by Jeff Kinney

Rating: 4.6 · 24093 reviews
#10 — Holes: The iconic childhood-defining phenomenon

Holes: The iconic childhood-defining phenomenon

by Louis Sachar

Rating: 4.6 · 35460 reviews
#11 — The Explorer: From the author of the internationally bestsel...

The Explorer: From the author of the internationally bestsel...

by Katherine Rundell

Rating: 4.7 · 4569 reviews
#13 — Goodnight Mister Tom: Michelle Magorian (A Puffin Book)

Goodnight Mister Tom: Michelle Magorian (A Puffin Book)

by Michelle Magorian

Rating: 4.7 · 8310 reviews
#19 — The Hobbit

The Hobbit

by J. R. R. Tolkien

Rating: 4.8 · 2508 reviews
#20 — The Brilliant World of Tom Gates

The Brilliant World of Tom Gates

by Liz Pichon

Rating: 4.6 · 8206 reviews
#22 — How To Train Your Dragon

How To Train Your Dragon

by Cressida Cowell

Rating: 4.6 · 7094 reviews
#23 — The Lost Spells: An enchanting, beautiful book for lovers of...

The Lost Spells: An enchanting, beautiful book for lovers of...

by Robert Macfarlane

Rating: 4.8 · 3290 reviews
#25 — Rooftoppers: From the author of the internationally bestsell...

Rooftoppers: From the author of the internationally bestsell...

by Katherine Rundell

Rating: 4.6 · 4163 reviews
#29 — Dragon Mountain (Dragon Realm)

Dragon Mountain (Dragon Realm)

by Kevin Tsang

Rating: 4.7 · 1052 reviews
#32 — Northern Lights (His Dark Materials)

Northern Lights (His Dark Materials)

by Philip Pullman and Chris Wormell

Rating: 4.6 · 15921 reviews
#33 — Skellig: Winner of the Carnegie Medal

Skellig: Winner of the Carnegie Medal

by David Almond

Rating: 4.6 · 4317 reviews
#37 — The London Eye Mystery: Siobhan Dowd

The London Eye Mystery: Siobhan Dowd

by Siobhan Dowd

Rating: 4.6 · 3292 reviews
#38 — The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh (the funniest new book for k...

The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh (the funniest new book for k...

by Helen Rutter and Andrew Bannecker

Rating: 4.7 · 731 reviews
#41 — The Girl Who Stole an Elephant

The Girl Who Stole an Elephant

by Nizrana Farook

Rating: 4.6 · 1337 reviews
#44 — The Wolf Wilder: From the author of the internationally best...

The Wolf Wilder: From the author of the internationally best...

by Katherine Rundell

Rating: 4.7 · 2296 reviews
#48 — The Big Book of the Blue

The Big Book of the Blue

by Yuval Zommer

Rating: 4.8 · 2336 reviews
#50 — National Trust: Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright!: An Animal Poe...

National Trust: Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright!: An Animal Poe...

by Fiona Waters, Britta Teckentrup, Britta Teckentrup

Rating: 4.8 · 992 reviews
#51 — A Kind of Spark

A Kind of Spark

by Elle McNicoll

Rating: 4.7 · 1233 reviews
#52 — Kay's Anatomy: A Complete (and Completely Disgusting) Guide ...

Kay's Anatomy: A Complete (and Completely Disgusting) Guide ...

by Adam Kay and Henry Paker

Rating: 4.8 · 8688 reviews
#53 — Windrush Child: a moving tale from BAFTA-award-winning Benja...

Windrush Child: a moving tale from BAFTA-award-winning Benja...

by Benjamin Zephaniah

Rating: 4.7 · 806 reviews
#54 — There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom: Rejacketed

There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom: Rejacketed

by Louis Sachar

Rating: 4.6 · 6159 reviews
#56 — Once (Once/Now/Then/After)

Once (Once/Now/Then/After)

by Morris Gleitzman

Rating: 4.6 · 2942 reviews
#57 — The Nothing to See Here Hotel: Volume 1

The Nothing to See Here Hotel: Volume 1

by Steven Butler

Rating: 4.6 · 792 reviews
#58 — The Borrowers (A Puffin Book)

The Borrowers (A Puffin Book)

by Mary Norton

Rating: 4.7 · 2623 reviews
#59 — Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World

Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World

by Rachel Ignotofsky

Rating: 4.8 · 6389 reviews
#61 — Boy In The Tower

Boy In The Tower

by Polly Ho-Yen

Rating: 4.6 · 1217 reviews
#62 — The Girl Who Drank the Moon

The Girl Who Drank the Moon

by Kelly Barnhill

Rating: 4.5 · 28874 reviews
#64 — No Ballet Shoes in Syria

No Ballet Shoes in Syria

by Catherine Bruton

Rating: 4.7 · 1102 reviews
#68 — Crater Lake

Crater Lake

by Jennifer Killick

Rating: 4.6 · 911 reviews
#69 — Shackleton's Journey

Shackleton's Journey

by William Grill

Rating: 4.8 · 694 reviews
#70 — Charlie Changes Into a Chicken

Charlie Changes Into a Chicken

by Sam Copeland

Rating: 4.7 · 735 reviews
#71 — The Diary of a Killer Cat: 1 (The Killer Cat, 1)

The Diary of a Killer Cat: 1 (The Killer Cat, 1)

by Anne Fine

Rating: 4.5 · 1073 reviews
#72 — Fighting Fantasy:The Warlock of Firetop Mountain

Fighting Fantasy:The Warlock of Firetop Mountain

by Ian Livingstone

Rating: 4.7 · 702 reviews
#75 — The Haunting of Aveline Jones: 1: The first spine-tingling b...

The Haunting of Aveline Jones: 1: The first spine-tingling b...

by Usborne Publishing Ltd Phil Hickes

Rating: 4.7 · 985 reviews
#76 — The Arrival

The Arrival

by Shaun Tan

Rating: 4.8 · 2446 reviews
#77 — The Nowhere Emporium: 1 (Kelpies)

The Nowhere Emporium: 1 (Kelpies)

by Ross MacKenzie

Rating: 4.7 · 1849 reviews
#78 — The Tin Forest

The Tin Forest

by Helen Ward

Rating: 4.7 · 779 reviews
#80 — The Sheep-pig: 40th Anniversary Edition

The Sheep-pig: 40th Anniversary Edition

by Dick King-Smith

Rating: 4.7 · 742 reviews
#82 — The Queen's Nose

The Queen's Nose

by Dick King-Smith

Rating: 4.6 · 608 reviews
#84 — The Rhythm of the Rain

The Rhythm of the Rain

by Grahame Baker-Smith

Rating: 4.7 · 595 reviews
#85 — The Silver Sword

The Silver Sword

by Ian Serraillier

Rating: 4.6 · 2130 reviews
#86 — Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow

by Jessica Townsend

Rating: 4.6 · 5247 reviews
#87 — Brightstorm: 1 (The Brightstorm Chronicles)

Brightstorm: 1 (The Brightstorm Chronicles)

by Vashti Hardy and George Ermos

Rating: 4.7 · 914 reviews
#88 — The Giving Tree

The Giving Tree

by Shel Silverstein

Rating: 4.6 · 34135 reviews
#93 — The Accidental Diary of B.U.G.: 1

The Accidental Diary of B.U.G.: 1

by Jen Carney

Rating: 4.7 · 404 reviews
#94 — Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls

by Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo

Rating: 4.8 · 10724 reviews
#97 — Survivors: BLUE PETER AWARD WINNER: 1

Survivors: BLUE PETER AWARD WINNER: 1

by David Long

Rating: 4.7 · 512 reviews
#98 — Leon and the Place Between

Leon and the Place Between

by Angela Mcallister/Grahame Baker-Smith

Rating: 4.7 · 590 reviews
#99 — Clockwork or All Wound Up

Clockwork or All Wound Up

by Philip Pullman and Peter Bailey

Rating: 4.6 · 632 reviews

FAQs

What were the best books for ages 9-12 in 2022?
The best-selling book for ages 9-12 in 2022 was "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone", measured on real Amazon UK sales rank across 2022. See the full top 100 below.

How is this list ranked?
By real Amazon UK sales rank averaged across 2022 specifically, so it reflects what actually sold to this age group during that year rather than what sells today.