In 2016, I started a Facebook group called ‘Your Kid’s Next Read‘. I’m happy to say that the group has already grown into a thriving and enthusiastic community of more than 500 members! [edit: 14.2K members in 2020 and growing]
I’m lucky enough to have the fabulous Megan Daley, a terrific teacher/librarian, as my co-moderator for the group and last week she posted the first half of a Master List of books that come up over and over again as recommendations in the group.
Megan’s list covers age groups from pre-school to 8+ years, boys and girls.
Our Master List was compiled by trawling through the posts in the Facebook group, pulling out the titles that are consistently recommended. Megan has added her own recommendations to her list as well, making it a terrific resource if you’re looking for the next read for a younger child.
Now it’s my turn.
Oh, and you might need a coffee for this post… it’s not a short one, but is designed to remain an ongoing resource for the group. (If you haven’t already joined us, come on over!)
Reads for kids, 10+
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S Lewis
How To Train Your Dragon (series) by Cressida Cowell
A Series of Unfortunate Events (series) by Lemony Snicket
Harry Potter (series) by J.K. Rowling
Diary of a Wimpy Kid (series) by Jeff Kinney
Countdown to Danger (series) by Jack Heath
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
The Boy who Swam with Piranhas by David Almond
Once, Then, Now and After, all by Morris Gleitzman,
Ranger’s Apprentice (series) by John Flanagan
The Mapmaker Chronicles (series) by A.L.Tait
Percy Jackson (series) by Rick O’Riordan
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S.Lewis
Harry Potter (series) by J.K. Rowling
Milly-Molly-Mandy (series) by Joyce Lankester Brisley
Best Friends Bakery (series) by Linda Chapman
The Little House On The Prairie (series) by Laura Ingalls Wilder,
Violet Mackerel (series) by Anna Branford (Ill Sarah Davis)
The Naming of Tishkin Silk by Glenda Millard
Olive of Groves by Katrina Nannestad (Ill. Lucia Masciullo)
Friday Barnes (series) by R. A. Spratt
Netball Gems (series) by Bernadette Hellard
Our Australian Girl (series) – varied authors
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Heidi by Johanna Spyri
The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
Magisterium (series) by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare
Violet Ink by Rebecca Westacott
Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper
Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell
I am Juliet by Jackie French
The Ratcatcher’s Daughter by Pamela Rushby
The Family With Two Front Doors by Anna Ciddor
Cicada Summer by Kate Constable
The Wishbird by Gabrielle Wang
Authors consistently recommended: Belinda Murrell, Kate Forsyth, Emily Rodda, Jackie French, Paul Jennings, David Walliams, Roald Dahl, Andy Griffiths
I would add:
Dark Lord: The Teenage Years (series) by Jamie Thomson
Ghost Knight by Cornelia Funke
House of Secrets (series) by Chris Columbus and Ned Vizzini
Brotherband (series) by John Flanagan
Do You Dare? (series) – assorted titles, assorted authors
Trixie Belden (series) – assorted authors (note that both my boys have read and enjoyed several books in this series)
The Secrets We Keep by Nova Weetman
The Other Christy by Oliver Phommavanh (note that Mr12 also read and enjoyed this one: read his review here)
A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Callie’s Castle by Ruth Park (hard to find…)
Withering-by-Sea by Judith Rossell
Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr
Tensy Farlow and the Home for Mislaid Children by Jen Storer
Reads for kids, 12+
Ranger’s Apprentice (series) by John Flanagan
Chronicles of Narnia (series) by C.S.Lewis,
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Con-Nerd by Oliver Phommavanh,
Mac Slater Cool Hunter by Tristan Bancks
Two Wolves by Tristan Bancks,
Boy X by Dan Smith,
Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin
The Dark is Rising (series) by Susan Cooper
Ugly by Robert Hoge
The History Keepers by Damien Dibben
Itch (series) by Simon Mayo
The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien
The One And Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
The Genius Wars (series) by Catherine Jinks
The Phoenix Files by Chris Morphew
Space Demons (series) by Gillian Rubenstein
Reads for girls, 12+
Silver Brumby (series) by Elyne Mitchell
The Other Side of Summer by Emily Gale
You Don’t Know Me by Sophia Bennett
Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan (Mr12 read this and enjoyed it)
A Single Stone by Meg McKinlay
Magisterium (series) by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare
The Ascendence Trilogy (series) by Jennifer A Nielson
Fablehaven (series) by Brandon Mull
Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead
The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin
Once, Then, After, and Now by Morris Gleitzman
The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne
Pax by Sara Pennypacker
My Life As An Alphabet by Barry Jonsberg
Authors consistently recommended: Meg McKinlay, C.S. Lewis, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Tristan Bancks, Emily Rodda, J.K. Rowling, Anthony Horowitz
I would add:
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Journey To The Centre Of The Earth by Jules Verne
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Inkheart (series) by Cornelius Funke
Tomorrow, When The War Began (series) by John Marsden
The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne
Word Hunters (series) by Nick Earls
White Fang/The Call of the Wild by Jack London
Stonebird by Mike Revell
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Playing Beattie Bow by Ruth Park
Old Kingdom Chronicles (series) by Garth Nix
The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon
*All of these have been read and loved by Mr12 – you’ll find his book reviews here.
YA for tweens
*This section incorporates the gnarly and recurring question of YA suitable for advanced younger readers but parents should consider an individual child’s sensitivities and abilities with regards to each book.
The Maze Runner (series) by James Dashner
Gone (series) by Michael Grant
Laurinda by Alice Pung
Spark (series) by Rachael Craw
Picture me Gone by Meg Rossof
Illuminae (series) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
The Hunger Games (series) by Suzanne Collins
Throne of Glass (series) by Sarah J. Maas [NB: YA content escalates as series progresses]
The Books Of Pellinor (series) by Alison Croggon
Eragon (series) by Christopher Paolini
Cloudwish by Fiona Wood
Every Breath (series) by Ellie Marney
Authors consistently recommended: John Green, John Marsden, Jane Austen, Anthony Horowitz
EDIT (2018): You’ll find some new ADDITIONS to this list here:
Your Kid’s Next Read: Recommended reads for kids 10+, 12+, 14+ (2018 edition)
Are you new here? Welcome to my blog! I’m Allison Tait, aka A.L. Tait, and I’m the author of two epic middle-grade adventure series, The Mapmaker Chronicles and The Ateban Cipher, and a new ‘almost history’ detective series called the Maven & Reeve Mysteries (you’ll find book #1 THE FIRE STAR here).
You can find out more about me here, and more about my books here.
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Fantastic list. Thank you.
I do wonder why there are separate lists for the boys and girls though. I think the boys of that age could gain a great deal out of reading books like Heidi, or Black Beauty for example.
The naming of ‘Tishkin Silk’ is still one of my boys favourite books from when he was that age, and my girl loves the Percy Jackson series.
I think its really important that they read from as many different POV’s as possible.
Hi Kathryn, I agree – my boys read widely across ‘girl’ books as well as boy books. I’ve simply created the lists as recommended by members of the group, and to make things as easy to find as possible. A
Awesome list. Thank you for taking the time, you and Megan Daley, in doing this. It would be great if every school library got this list.
Thanks Maria!
Thank you for that great list I’m sure so many other parents like me will greatly appreciated .
Thanks Tereza! So glad you found it useful.