by Allison Tait | Apr 4, 2026 | Blog, Books, My books, Writing
If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’ll know that I started out (many, many, many years ago) writing romance novels (for adults). Or trying to write romance novels as it turned out.
I started reading the genre when I was about 13 (Sweet Dreams and Sweet Valley High, anyone?) and then really jumped into romance novels proper at 17 as an antidote to the stress of the HSC.
When people asked me why I read them because after all, ‘I knew how they were going to turn out’, my response was, ‘yeah, exactly, I know how they’re going to turn out’.
When you’re stressed and anxious, there’s a lot to be said for the fact that you’re reading a book that you KNOW will have a happy ending, no matter how bad things might look halfway through.
Plus, frankly, I loved the focus on the characters, I loved the focus on the relationships (even though some of the books I read back then showcased relationships I would run a mile from now), and I was in love with the idea of love.
So, tick, tick, tick.
Heads up: romance readers are now 10+
I don’t think there’s any coincidence in the fact that romance remains the highest-selling genre, nor in the fact that tweens, who are exposed to the whole world via social media and other online spaces, are looking for romance at a younger age. When your world is uncertain, you start to look for happy endings.
And I know they’re looking, thanks to my work with Your Kid’s Next Read.
Because we monitor the Your Kid’s Next Read Facebook group every day, we see the trends for reader interest on the rise, often kicked off by what’s happening in other media and conversation. Though we saw a few requests for recommendations in 2023, things really kicked off around romance for tweens in January 2024 and it remains strong.
In Feb 2024, we did a podcast episode titled ‘The Love Stuff’ to address some of those community discussions. Then, in May 2025, we updated to a list of romance novels suitable for tweens, based on community recommendations as well as Team YKNR recommendations
By that stage, I had been approached by Scholastic Australia to gauge my interest in writing a novel for their ‘Two Hearts’ series of tween romance novels. The characters in the stories are all aged around years 7-9 at high school, but the books are sweet, clean and entirely middle-grade appropriate (for readers 10+). (More about the series here.)
Given I feel I’ve been training for this moment my whole life, I could not jump on board fast enough.
And now it’s here!
Book #3 in the Two Hearts series of standalone romance novels for tween readers (10+), ‘The Last Word’ captures the awkward, sweet, discombobulating, wonderful experience of first love. With debating. And chickens.
You can read more about ‘The Last Word’ and buy it here.
What inspired ‘The Last Word’?
Given ‘The Last Word’ was the first time I’ve been asked to write a particular type of novel, I was a bit nervous. Usually, I pitch an idea that had been rolling around in my subconscious for years or even, as many of you would know, write the entire book to find out what it is before I can even do that.
But in the end, I worked in a similar way to my usual process. I began with the characters and then figured out where they lived. Matilda appeared on the page as I wrote the first lines:
For Matilda Bell, the best part of the first day of a new school year was the stationery.
I could see a very tidy, conscientious girl, setting out pencils and I had a strong sense of who she was straight away. A high-achieving spreadsheet kind of girl, who’s relied on one friend to get her through school and now her friend has moved away. Everything is the same at school, but it’s not. And she’s now facing the mean girls on her own.
From that point, it’s a matter of upending her day even further, and new guy Will is waiting at the bus stop. Will who doesn’t have to work for his grades, Will who is so bored in class he disrupts everything, Will who is trying to pretend all is fine in his chaotic home life.
And then, as always, I drew from the things I hear, the things I remember, the things I know and the things that make me ask ‘why?’.
Behind the book
Plotting vs Pantsing – the main difference between Matilda and Will actually grew out of different approaches to writing.
Ever since we met at a Romance Writers Australia conference 20 years ago, Allison Rushby (far left) from Your Kid’s Next Read and I have had an ongoing lighthearted argument about whether it’s better to plan an entire novel before you start writing – or to write by the seat of your pants.
Regular readers of this blog will have no doubt at all which side of that argument I land on – and let’s just say that Will and I have a fair bit in common as far as this is concerned.
Debating – this is my high school debating team.
Mandy (far left) was third speaker, Allyson (centre) was first speaker and I was second speaker. We debated together from years 8-10 and this photo was stuck – firmly and immovably – into my year 12 photo album.
We went to regional finals twice and were narrowly defeated twice – clearly we were robbed, right? Our long-suffering debating coordinator was Mr Baker, who fed us mint slice biscuits and put up with our histrionics (and, oh my, were there histrionics).
For me, debating was pure joy. I loved the challenge of coming up with winning arguments, I loved public speaking (with a bit of drama thrown in), and I love, love, loved hanging out with these two.
That joy is where ‘The Last Word’ began for me. I also loved the fact that you could take an opponent’s argument apart and they would congratulate you for it afterwards.
It’s a shame the real world isn’t like that, right? Matilda, my main character, would agree.
Small town: The novel is set in another fictionalised version of the south coast where I live, but this time it’s the farm or inland experience rather than the coast, where ‘The First Summer of Callie McGee’ is set, or the larger regional town experience of ‘Danger Road’.
Matilda’s favourite cafe/milk bar is based on the two milk bars that graced the main street of the town in which I spent my high school years, and the Great Milkshake Debate is … well, a classic (note, Chocolate is always the correct response).
Chickens: The chickens arrived with Matilda’s sister Darcy and they came with their chicken coop based on the Château de Chenonceau from the beginning. I had seen a documentary about it and was captivated by this so-called ‘Castle of Ladies’. I had enormous fun naming the chickens, particularly the plucky (and clucky) Lady Peneggope!
I didn’t know how important the chickens were going to be until the story rolled along.
Will and I have a lot in common when it comes to making things up on the spot.
Bringing it all together
If you’d like to get a sense of how all of these things came together to create ‘The Last Word’, you can hear me talk about it here with author Adrian Beck on his Be More Bookish podcast.
And you can hear me read the first chapter of the book in this Your Kid’s Next Read Friday First Chapters episode.
If nothing else, it will show you what I was hearing in my head as I wrote those first lines…
Are you new here? Welcome to my blog!
I’m Allison Tait, aka A.L. Tait, and I’m the author of 12 middle-grade novels, including adventure fantasy series such as The Mapmaker Chronicles, The Ateban Cipher, and the Maven & Reeve Mysteries, and contemporary stories including ‘The First Summer of Callie McGee’, ‘Willow Bright’s Secret Plot’, ‘Danger Road’ and ‘The Last Word’
You can find out more about me here, and more about my books here.
If you’re looking for book recommendations for young readers, join the Your Kid’s Next Read Facebook community, tune in to the Your Kid’s Next Read podcast and sign up for the Your Kid’s Next Read newsletter.
by Allison Tait | Nov 21, 2025 | Blog, Books, Reading, Your Kid's Next Read
After another exciting and busy year, Team Your Kid’s Next Read has consulted our brilliant members and compiled book lists based on their recommendations.
The Your Kid’s Next Read community now comprises 39,000+ members, connected via our Facebook group, the Your Kid’s Next Read website, our podcast and our monthly newsletter!
This year, we also added Facebook and Instagram for even more ways to spread the word about incredible books for kids and teens.
And when we asked the community to share their favourite reads of the previous 12 months, they did not hesitate!
As is the case each year, some of these books were published in 2025, some were not. There are new books that bubble to the top straight away, and there are always older books that are rediscovered by a new group of readers every year.
Once again, I’ve broken the lists into categories: picture books, early chapter books (5-7), junior reads (7-9), middle grade (9-13) and young adult (14+). (NB: There is always crossover in these lists, particularly across ages 7-10, as readers develop at their own pace and to their own level of interest, but I’ve done my best to place the books according to expected independent reading age.)
Stand by also for Team YKNR’s favourite reads in 2025, coming soon.
These lists are great starting points when you’re looking for the next great read for your kid/s and teens. Click the title to find out more about each book*.
Your Kid’s Favourite Read 2025: Middle Grade Books (9-13)
As nominated by the members of the Your Kid’s Next Read community
MOST NOMINATED
Nevermoor (series) by Jessica Townsend (‘Silverborn (book #4) made [my 10yo] then reread the whole series and I did as well.’ – Stephanie)
Murder Most Unladylike (series) by Robin Stevens (‘My 10yo has absolutely devoured this series. Think Enid Blyton x Agatha Christie for kids.’ – Karina)
Villain (series) by Adrian Beck (‘Definitely a winner!’ – Louise)
Adventures On Trains (series) by M. G. Leonard, Sam Sedgman, Elisa Pagnelli (‘The characters are fun and likeable, page-turning mysteries, you explore a different part of the world in every book, there are often adults and kids working together and the audiobooks are wonderful. Happily read by the ‘has read everything’ 12 yo and the ‘will read nothing’ 10 yo.’ – Gillian)
‘Danger Road’ by A. L. Tait (‘Awesome mystery! Lots of suspense and intrigue as two brothers find a murderer. Feeds the needs of year 5/6 students who love this genre without content preventing inclusion in a primary library.’ – Natalie)
Percy Jackson (series) by Rick Riordan
‘Run’ by Sarah Armstrong (‘Fantastic adventure. Suspense and intrigue. Answers ever kid’s question: what if I just run away?! Lots of year 5 and 6 reading this one.’ – Natalie)
Friday Barnes (series) by R. A. Spratt (‘My 11yo is devouring them.’ – Anna)
‘Water, Water’ by Cary Fagan, illustrated by Jon McNaught
‘Airman’ by Eoin Colfer
Skandar (series) by A. F. Steadman
‘Scartown’ by Tristan Bancks (‘My daughter (10) was gripped!’ – Michelle)
‘Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief’ by Katrina Nannestad (‘9yo says this is his favourite of all time.’ – Jen)
‘Everglade: Rise of the Witch’ by Kitty Black
‘A Strange thing Happened in Cherry Hall’ by Jasmine Warga
Young Bond (series) by Charlie Higson (‘My 13yo’s favourite.’ – Marney)
The School for Good and Evil (series) by Soman Chainani
‘Music Camp’ by Penny Tangey (‘Great for muso kids and kids who are passionate about saving the planet.’ – Anna)
‘Giraffe Island’ by Sofia Chanfreau, illustrated by Amanda Chanfreau, translated by Julia Marshall
The Zero Chronicles (series) by Dan Wells
‘The Ghost Locket’ by Allison Rushby
‘The Wintrish Girl’ (Talismans of Fate series) by Melanie La’Brooy (‘It’s such a great fantasy book with a unique storyline, interesting characters and lots of mystery. I had to read the second book in the series straight after this one and can’t wait for the third book!’ – Leah)
‘The Other Edie Trimmer’ by Jacqueline Wilson (‘Timeslip. Lots of historical insight and an interesting twist.’ – Katja)
‘The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest’ by Aubrey Hartman (‘A beautiful story of friendship, loss and acceptance all written into a fabulous quest. Kate DiCamillo/Tim Burton vibes.’ – Caryn)
‘Little Bones’ by Sandy Bigna (‘Our Year 5 classes absolutely loved this book.’ – Kym)
‘Welcome to Miracle’ by Shara Curlett (‘My 11 year old daughter loved this – fast paced with magical adventure!’ – Ree)
The Mapmaker Chronicles (series) by A. L. Tait
‘Murder by Narwhal’ by Alex T. Smith
Ella at Eden (series) by Laura Sieveking
The Wild Robot (series) by Peter Brown
‘Billy and The Giant Adventure’ by Jamie Oliver, illustrated by Monica Armino (‘Has absolutely captured my sons imagination in a way not many books have to date.’ – Katelyn)
‘The Golden Linnet’ (Evenfell series) by Alexander Armstrong
‘The Silken Thread’ by Gabrielle Wang
‘The Golden Compass’ (His Dark Materials series) by Philip Pullman (‘My 12 year old is enjoying this at the moment.’ – Bahareh)
Nanny Piggins (series) by R. A. Spratt
‘When Rain Turns to Snow’ by Jane Godwin (‘Definitely for the older end of this age range.’ – Kath)
‘The Surface Trials’ by H. M. Waugh (‘Love a younger reader’s Hunger Games. Lots of adventure and really tense moments. Teamwork, moral questions and lots more. Popular with year 5/6 and can’t wait for the next one!’ – Natalie)
The Callers (series) by Kiah Thomas
Wonder Woman Adventures (series) by Aisha Saeed
‘Let It Glow” by Marissa Meyer
‘Detention’ by Tristan Bancks (‘This was a gripping audio book enjoyed by 11 & 13 yr olds, and their parents.’ – Amanda)
Keeper of the Lost Cities (series) by Shannon Messenger (‘My girls age 10 and 12 both love [this series].’ – Aimee)
City Spies (series) by James Ponti
‘Storm Watcher’ by Maria V Snyder (’11yo son enjoyed it so much he was asking about her other books (which are more YA). He said it was his fave novel, the characters and story were great and he couldn’t put it down.’ – Kate)
‘August and Jones’ by Pip Harry (‘My 12 year old loved this book and their friendship throughout.’ – Briony)
‘All the Beautiful Things’ by Katrina Nannestad. (’10/11yo reading for 3rd time!’ – Kylie)
Kingdoms and Empires (series) by Jaclyn Moriarty (‘For the bajillionith time…’ – Cassia)
Aru Shah (series) by Roshani Chokshi
11 Ruby Road (series) by Charlotte Barkla
‘Rooftoppers’ by Katherine Rundell
‘Are You There Buddha?’ by Pip Harry
‘A Box Full of Murders’ by Janice Hallett
‘The Midwatch’ by Judith Rossell (‘Obsessively loved by an advanced-reader 7yo and an 11yo. Loved imagining themselves as characters and really wanted one of those ‘Swiss army knife’ dolls.’ – Gisela)
Swift and Hawk (series) by Logan Macx
Descendants (series) by Melissa de la Cruz
Scarlet and Ivy (series) by Sophie Cleverly (‘My 10 year old has read them over and over this year.’ – Jenny)
‘A Small Collection of Happinesses’ by Zana Fraillon, illustrated by Stephen Michael King
Worst Week Ever (series) by Eva Amores and Matt Cosgrove (‘This has been the favourite for both of my 10 year old boys. Books that are funny have kept them engaged in reading.’ – Licia)
The Hatmakers (series) by Tamzin Merchant
‘Monster Locker’ by Jorge Aguirre and Andres Vera Martinez
‘The Apprentice Witnesser’ by Bren MacDibble (‘I’m constantly in awe of Bren’s post-apocalyptic world building & use of language.’ – Jo)
Lottie Brooks (series) by Katie Kirby (‘My young reader loved these because she could relate to characters and situations. They are the only books where she’s laughed constantly and is excited to tell me what happened. Age 9.’ – Lauren)
Rowan of Rin (series) by Emily Rodda
‘Malamander’ (Eerie-On-Sea series) by Thomas Taylor
‘The Kindness Project’ by Deborah Abela (‘It set my 9 year old friend on a path to reading novels.’ – Zanni)
‘Little Women’ by Louise May Alcott
Landovel (series) by Emily Rodda (‘So imaginative. “Mum, please ask her to write more in this trilogy”Age 9. – Karen)
‘Drift’ by Pip Harry
‘Song of a Thousand Seas’ by Zana Fraillon (‘Love verse novels especially if your reader is starting to resist reading. [This has] been enjoyed by 12 year old.’ – Louise)
Hedgewitch (series) by Skye McKenna
The House At The Edge of Magic (series) by Amy Sparkes
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
*This post contains affiliate links. See contact page for details
Are you new here? Welcome to my blog! I’m Allison Tait, aka A.L. Tait, and I’m the author of middle-grade fantasy adventure series, The Mapmaker Chronicles, The Ateban Cipher, and the Maven & Reeve Mysteries.
My latest novels are contemporary middle-grade reads: ‘The First Summer of Callie McGee’, ‘Willow Bright’s Secret Plot’ and ‘Danger Road’. You can find out more about me here, and more about my books here.
If you’re looking for book recommendations for young readers, join the Your Kid’s Next Read Facebook community, tune in to the Your Kid’s Next Read podcast and sign up for the Your Kid’s Next Read newsletter.
by Allison Tait | Nov 21, 2025 | Blog, Books, Reading, Your Kid's Next Read
After another exciting and busy year, Team Your Kid’s Next Read has consulted our brilliant members and compiled book lists based on their recommendations.
The Your Kid’s Next Read community now comprises 39,000+ members, connected via our Facebook group, the Your Kid’s Next Read website, our podcast and our monthly newsletter!
This year, we also added Facebook and Instagram for even more ways to spread the word about incredible books for kids and teens.
And when we asked the community to share their favourite reads of the previous 12 months, they did not hesitate!
As is the case each year, some of these books were published in 2025, some were not. There are new books that bubble to the top straight away, and there are always older books that are rediscovered by a new group of readers every year.
Once again, I’ve broken the lists into categories: picture books, early chapter books (5-7), junior reads (7-9), middle grade (9-13) and young adult (14+). (NB: There is always crossover in these lists, particularly across ages 7-10, as readers develop at their own pace and to their own level of interest, but I’ve done my best to place the books according to expected independent reading age.)
Stand by also for Team YKNR’s favourite reads in 2025, coming soon.
These lists are great starting points when you’re looking for the next great read for your kid/s and teens. Click the title to find out more about each book*.
Your Kid’s Favourite Read 2025: Junior Reads (7-9)
As nominated by the members of the Your Kid’s Next Read community
MOST NOMINATED
Detective Beans (series) by Li Chen (‘[This] was loved in our house. It’s a graphic novel with great vocab and Mr 7 and Miss 9 (and me!) found it hilarious!’ – Sarah)
Crookhaven (series) by J. J. Arcanjo
‘What Snail Knows’ by Kathryn Apel, illustrated by Mandy Foot (‘Very popular with this age group of students. A gorgeous verse novel with gentle illustrations.’ – Kath)
Wolf Girl (series) by Anh Do (‘Both my daughters love [this] series! – Jacqui)***
The Travelling Bookshop (series) by Katrina Nannestad, illustrated by Cheryl Orsini (‘[My 9yo girl]loved the adventures they went on and loves Nat and his quirkiness and their total acceptance and embrace of this.’ – Briony)
‘Ghost Detectives: Terry Fide and the Bakery Ghost’ by Jeannette Stampone, illustrations by Jasmine Berry
Keeper of the Lost Cities (series) by Shannon Messenger (‘Quote: The use of magic makes it feel like it’s real but not real!’ – LJ)***
Violet Mackerel (series) by Anna Branford, illustrated by Sarah Davis
‘Oceanforged: The Wicked Ship’ by Amelia Mellor (‘8yo liked how easy it was to read and wanted to wear a pirate hat.’ – Gisela)
‘Good Different’ by Meg Eden Kuyatt (‘This was [my 9yo boy’s] first introduction to poetry (the book is a novel in verse) and he read it on loop for a month (so far!), possibly 10 times right now. He can relate to the Autistic MC who loves dragons and learns to love herself just as she is.’ – Janet)
Miss Penny Dreadful (series) by Allison Rushby, illustrated by Bronte Rose Marando
Fluff (series) by Matt Stanton
Sleepovers (series) by Jacqueline Wilson, illustrated by Nick Sharratt (‘My daughter was 8 when she read it and loved it. It was the first proper book she read that she couldn’t put down. Not too long chapter book with the odd picture so good transition into chapter book in terms of length. There’s a couple of books in the series as well. She’s not read the third book yet but also loved the second one.’ – Amy)
The 13 Storey Treehouse (series) by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton
Diary Of A Wimpy Kid (series) by Jeff Kinney
The Wingfeather Saga (series) by Andrew Peterson (‘My 8 year old son and I have both thoroughly enjoyed the rollercoaster of adventure the Wingfeather kids go on and I’ve really enjoyed the deep threads of family loyalty and love, justice and wholesome nature of the books.’ – Jenny)
‘Orris and Timble: The Beginning’ by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Carmen Mok
Cat Kid Comic Club (series) by Dav Pilkey (‘A fav from my 8 year old – Zoe)
‘Losing The Plot’ by Annaleise Byrd (‘[This book] is a winner! Short chapters, fairytale with a twist. Humour and lots to love! Great to read to kids and kids love it too! – Natalie)
‘The Haunting of Hindmarsh Hall (The Secret Detectives Club #1)’ by Kate Gordon
‘Wurrtoo’ by Tylissa Elisara, illustrated by Dylan Finney
Real Pigeons (series) by Andrew McDonald and Ben Wood (‘The right amount of text and pictures, and lots of adventures.’ – Suzanne)
Warriors (graphic novel series) by Erin Hunter
‘Fox Goes North’ by Jeremy Strong (‘One of the most beautiful and meaningful books I read for this age group this year.’ – Katja)
Juliet Nearly A Vet (series) by Rebecca Johnson
Malamander (Eerie-On-Sea series) by Thomas Taylor (‘We were recommended Malamander late last year, and loved it. So this year kiddo has been catching up with the later books.’ – Nandi)
Dragon Girls (series) by Maddy Mara
Sherlock Bones (series) by Tim Collins, illustrated by John Bigwood (‘These are adored by my 7 year old and she’s read them over and over this year. I love the puzzles sprinkled into the story that bring math, etc into use.’ – Tara)
‘Max and the Midknights’ by Lincoln Peirce (‘Loved by 8 year old who found it funny (also has fantasy elements that he enjoys).’ – Megan)
Weirdo (series) by Ahn Do, illustrated by Jules Faber
‘Roller Girl’ by Victoria Jamieson (Graphic novel. Absolutely loved by both my girls (8ish). Friendship and roller skates. What’s not to love. – Amy)
Malory Towers (series) by Enid Blyton (‘Boarding school japes & friendships, helped by a TV series. A classic series for young girls! – Laura)
Stella and Marigold (series) by Annie Barrows and Sophie Blackall (‘Very popular with grade 1 and 2 at school. Beautiful illustrations and gorgeous stories about two sisters. Same creators as Ivy and Bean (also fantastic) – Maree)
The Imagination Station (series) by Paul McCusker and Marianne Hering (‘My 8yo loves the adventure element and also learning about historical events. – Sally)
*This post contains affiliate links. See contact page for details
Are you new here? Welcome to my blog! I’m Allison Tait, aka A.L. Tait, and I’m the author of middle-grade fantasy adventure series, The Mapmaker Chronicles, The Ateban Cipher, and the Maven & Reeve Mysteries.
My latest novels are contemporary middle-grade reads: ‘The First Summer of Callie McGee’, ‘Willow Bright’s Secret Plot’ and ‘Danger Road’. You can find out more about me here, and more about my books here.
If you’re looking for book recommendations for young readers, join the Your Kid’s Next Read Facebook community, tune in to the Your Kid’s Next Read podcast and sign up for the Your Kid’s Next Read newsletter.
by Allison Tait | Nov 21, 2025 | Blog, Books, Your Kid's Next Read
After another exciting and busy year, Team Your Kid’s Next Read has consulted our brilliant members and compiled book lists based on their recommendations.
The Your Kid’s Next Read community now comprises 39,000+ members, connected via our Facebook group, the Your Kid’s Next Read website, our podcast and our monthly newsletter!
This year, we also added Facebook and Instagram for even more ways to spread the word about incredible books for kids and teens.
And when we asked the community to share their favourite reads of the previous 12 months, they did not hesitate!
As is the case each year, some of these books were published in 2025, some were not. There are new books that bubble to the top straight away, and there are always older books that are rediscovered by a new group of readers every year.
Once again, I’ve broken the lists into categories: picture books, early chapter books (5-7), junior reads (7-9), middle grade (9-13) and young adult (14+). (NB: There is always crossover in these lists, particularly across ages 7-10, as readers develop at their own pace and to their own level of interest, but I’ve done my best to place the books according to expected independent reading age.)
Stand by also for Team YKNR’s favourite reads in 2025, coming soon.
These lists are great starting points when you’re looking for the next great read for your kid/s and teens. Click the title to find out more about each book*.
Your Kid’s Favourite Read 2025: Chapter Books (5-7)
As nominated by the members of the Your Kid’s Next Read community
MOST NOMINATED
Real Pigeons (series) by Andrew McDonald & Ben Wood (‘We love them all, but my son says if he has to choose one, it would be “real pigeons get bready” which is book 6 in the series. He loves it because its funny and they are fighting crime! He also says that they always have an adventure!’ – Kate)
The Travelling Bookshop (series) by Katrina Nannestad, illustrated by Cheryl Orsini
Itty Bitty Kitty (series) by Maddy Mara, illustrated by Noemie Gionet Landry (‘My 5 year old loved it due to the humour in it. It’s a series based on the perspective of a kitten and would suit families who have a pet cat.’ – Vicki)**
Billie B. Brown (series) by Sally Rippin, illustrated by Aki Fukuoka (‘My 5 year old loves how confident she is, and he relates to her more than Jack.’ – Victoria)
Pizza & Taco (grahic novel series) by Stephen Shaskan
Isadora Moon (series) by Harriet Muncaster (‘My 8 year old has really loved this series and the spin offs this year, there are quite a few books to get through and she likes listening to them on audio as well.’ – Stephanie)
‘Press Start!’ (series) by Thomas Flintham
Willa and Woof (series) by Jacqueline Harvey (‘My nearly 6yo has loved this series – so authentic and Aussie!’ – Emily)
‘Unipiggle the Unicorn Pig’ (series) by Hannah Shaw (‘Loved by my 4 year old. It’s makes her laugh. It’s also a great bridge between picture books and chapter books.’ – Michelle)
‘Orris and Timble: The Beginning’ by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Carmen Mok
‘The Yes Bunny’ by Chris Parker (‘My 6 year old keeps asking if there’s another one yet. He loves bunnies, and the main character in this chapter book was the first book that caught his attention that wasn’t a non-fiction animal text.’ – Megan)
Ivy and Bean (series) by Annie Barrows (‘For our 6 year old. She loves their antics, witchyness, potion making and the younger sister perspective.’ – Kat)
Ninja Kid (series) by Ahn Do
‘Ella and the Sleepover Safari’ by Cassy Polimeni, illustrated by Hykie Breeze (‘My 8 year old neice adored [this book] for the sweet relatable friendships this year.’ – Ree)
Hot Dog (series) by Anh Do
Little Gem (series) by Anna Zobel (‘My 7 year old absolutely loved these books … so much so that she dressed up as Little Gem for Book Week and wrote the author a letter. She loved how heart-warming the story was, the illustrations and Little Gem’s pet cat, Pomelo.’ – Rebecca)
‘Cat On The Run’ by Aaron Blabey
Desmond Cole Ghost Patrol (series) by Andres Miedoso, Victor Rivas
‘The Alien Zoo and You’ by Adrian Beck (‘My 5yo randomly picked this up and we have read it several times this year (and found the sequel!). He likes that it’s an adventure, is funny, and has a character that’s a super computer.’ – Liz)
School Of Monsters (series) by Sally Rippin, illustrated by Chris Kennett
Adventures Unlimited (series) by Andy Griffiths, illustrated by Bill Hope
Tiny Dogs (series) by Rose Lihou
Seekers Of The Lost Cavern (series ) by Thomas Duncan-Watt, illustrations by Suren Perara (‘Simple language, so good for reading alone.’ – Eleanor)
‘The Thylacine and The Time Machine’ by Renee Treml (graphic novel)
Ella Diaries (series) by Meredith Costain, illustrated by Danielle McDonald
Gymnastics Diaries (series) by Georgia Godwin with Laura Sieveking, illustrated by Amanda Erb
Dragon Masters (series) by Tracey West, illustrated by Graham Howells
Orris and Timble (series) by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Carmen Mok
Princess in Black (series) by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham
‘Frances Bloom’ by Katrina Nannestad, illustrated by Marina Zlatanova (‘Perfect for 5-7 year olds. Lots of humour and mischief.’ – Kath)
‘Running with Horses’ by Alison Lester
Captain Underpants (series) by Dav Pilkey (‘Dav Pilkey’s series are fantastic to get young readers reading.’ – Thandi)
The Bad Guys (series) by Aaron Blabey
Bravepaw (series) by L.M. Wilkinson, illustrated by Lavanya Naidu
Dog Man (series) by Dav Pilkey
Julius Zebra (series) by Gary Northfield
‘Kay’s Marvellous Medicine’ by Adam Kay, illustrated by Henry Paker
Ebb & Flo (series) by Laura and Philip Bunting (‘They do an amazing job of filling that awkward gap between picture books and full chapter books with engaging and entertaining stories that are (bonus!) decodable by early readers. And my 6 year old finds them hilarious.’ – Carly)
‘Kay’s Anatomy’ by Adam Kay, illustrated by Henry Paker
Showerland (series) by Nat Amoore, illustrated by James Hart
Meet Ella (series) by Rebecca McRitchie, illustrated by Danielle McDonald
The Wish Sisters (series) by Allison Rushby, illustrated by Karen Blair
Witch Wars (series) by Sibéal Pounder (‘My 7 year old loved them so much she asked to buy physical books instead of just having them on Kindle.’ – Olga)
Tilda Teaches (series) by Amy Adeney, illustrated by Katie Alexander
Ratbags (series) by Tim Harris, illustrated by Shiloh Gordon
Sapphire and the Monster Hunters (series) by Scott Stewart (‘My 6 year old was obsessed with these two books and is hanging out for book number 3!’ – Candeece)
Ramona (series) by Beverley Cleary
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*This post contains affiliate links. See contact page for details
Are you new here? Welcome to my blog! I’m Allison Tait, aka A.L. Tait, and I’m the author of middle-grade fantasy adventure series, The Mapmaker Chronicles, The Ateban Cipher, and the Maven & Reeve Mysteries.
My latest novels are contemporary middle-grade reads: ‘The First Summer of Callie McGee’, ‘Willow Bright’s Secret Plot’ and ‘Danger Road’. You can find out more about me here, and more about my books here.
If you’re looking for book recommendations for young readers, join the Your Kid’s Next Read Facebook community, tune in to the Your Kid’s Next Read podcast and sign up for the Your Kid’s Next Read newsletter.
by Allison Tait | Oct 1, 2025 | Blog, Books, Reading, Your Kid's Next Read
Have you seen the headlines? Boys aren’t reading. Again.
Still?
It seems as though the topic of boys and reading flares up in a media tsunami every couple of years and then subsides, and 2025 has definitely been one of those years. In fact, in 2025, we’re focused not just on the fact that boys aren’t reading, but the fact that the men in their lives aren’t reading either.
New research shows more support needed to get parents reading with children (Australia Reads)
Australians, especially men, are reading less than ever before (ABC)
Have men really stopped reading? We take a deeper dive into the data (The Guardian)
In episode 222 of the Your Kid’s Next Read podcast, Megan Daley and I invited Dr Justin Coulson and author Matt Stanton in for a discussion about boys and reading. Why they’re not reading. What the effects of that are on their literacy levels (hint: not good). How we can encourage boys to read more.
The episode comes with the caveat that while recent research reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics discovered that only around 10 per cent of Gen Z boys participated in ‘reading for pleasure’, it also found that only 13.1 per cent of girls did the same.
So the decline in reading is not just a ‘boy’ problem, and the wider discourse on kids and reading is something that Megan and I dive into every single week on the podcast.
But.
It feels different this time
Somehow, in the light of world events and consistent messaging around the effects of a steady diet of social media and screens on boys, this time those stats around boys and reading feel different.
Hence our decision to have that discussion on the podcast.
You can hear it here.
Of course, understanding some of the ‘why’ boys aren’t reading and getting some advice on ‘how’ to encourage it is only part of the equation.
Knowing which books to give them is the key.
How do you find the book that might make a kid who doesn’t identify as a ‘reader’ change his mind?
How do you make sure you have the ‘next’ book on hand for a kid who might have begun the journey?
To help, I asked the 38,000 members of the Your Kid’s Next Read Facebook community to tell me about the books their boys – of all ages – have read and loved this year. Tried-and-tested books.
And then I compiled a list to help you figure out what might work for your young reader. As you work through it, keep two things in mind:
• Understand your young reader.
Not all eight-year-old boys are alike – what does your particular young reader like to do? What level are they comfortable reading at (you’ll note some books appear in two different age groups for this reason)? Which books have they enjoyed in the past?
• Don’t be afraid to try something different.
If you’re not sure, head to your nearest library and borrow a selection of books to try out. The great thing about many of these recommendations is that they are series – which makes it easier to keep going if he loves the first one.
This list consists of recommendations from Your Kid’s Next Read members. Click the link to find out more about the title and its suitability for your young reader.*
125 books that boys are reading right now
5+
Ebb and Flo (series) by Laura + Philip Bunting
The Bad Guys (series) by Aaron Blabey
Minecraft (Young readers series)
Rainbow Magic Fairy (series) by Daisy Meadows and Georgie Ripper
Frog Squad (series) by Kate and Jol Temple, illustrated by Shiloh Gordon
Shower Land (series) by Nat Amoore, illustrated by James Hart
Zoe’s Rescue Zoo (series) by Amelia Cobb, illustrated by Sophy Williams
Detective Beans (graphic novel series) by Li Chen
The Super Adventures of Ollie and Bea (graphic novel series) by Renee Treml
7+
Fluff (series) by Matt Stanton
Little Lunch (series) by Danny Katz and Mitch Vane
Bunny vs Monkey (series) by Jamie Smart
Geronimo Stilton (series)
Showerland (series) by Nat Amoore, illustrated by James Hart
Specky Magee (series) by Felice Arena and Garry Lyon
The Bad Guys (series) by Aaron Blabey
Frog Squad (series) by Kate and Jol Temple, illustrated by Shiloh Gordon
Animorphs (graphic novel series) by Chris Grine and K. A. Applegate
Wings of Fire (series and graphic novel series) by Tui Sutherland
‘The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane’ by Kate DiCamillo
‘The Enormous Crocodile’ by Roald Dahl
The Oddmire (series) by William Ritter
Catwad (series) by Jim Benton
8+
The Worst Week Ever (series) by Eva Amores and Matt Cosgrove
Zombie Diaries (series) by Guy Edmonds, Matt Zeremes, Jake A. Minton
Funny Kid (series) by Matt Stanton
Tom Gates (series) by Liz Pichon
Bravepaw (series) by L.M. Wilkinson, illustrated by Lavanya Naidu
Max and the Midknights (series) by Lincoln Pierce
Harry Potter (series) by J. K. Rowling
Chronicles of Narnia (series) by C. S. Lewis
The Wingfeather Saga (series) by Andrew Peterson
‘Mr Bambuckles Remarkables’ by Tim Harris
The Last Kids on Earth (series) by Max Brallier and Douglas Holgate
Diary of a Wimpy Kid (series) by Jeff Kinney
Zoo Crew (series) by Matt Zeremes, Guy Edmonds, Peter Popple
Cowboy and Birdbrain (series) by Adam Wallace and James Hart
‘The Remarkables’ by Clotilde Perrin
Dog Man (series) by Dav Pilkey
Frog, Log & Dave (graphic novel series) by Trent Jamieson and Brent Wilson
Ducky The Spy (graphic novel series) by Sean E. Avery
Animal Ark (series) by Lucy Daniels
‘The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Peculiar Pairs In Nature’ by Sami Bayly
‘Creature Clinic: A Graphic Novel’ by Gavin Aung Than
Horrible Histories (series) by Terry Deary and Martin Brown
Terrible True Tales (series) by Terry Deary
9+
Nerd Herd (series) by Nathan Luff and Chris Kennett
Nanny Piggins (series) by R. A. Spratt
The Naughtiest Girl (series) by Enid Blyton
Impossible Creatures (series) by Katherine Rundell
‘The Midwatch’ by Judith Rossell
Specky Magee (series) by Felice Arena and Garry Lyons
Diary of a Wimpy Kid (series) by Jeff Kinney
The Girl and The Ghost (series) by Jacqueline Harvey
The Famous Five (series) by Enid Blyton
How to Train Your Dragon (series) by Cressida Cowell
‘The Invention of Hugo Cabret’ by Brian Selznick
Percy Jackson (graphic novels series) by Rick Riordan (Robert Venditti, Attila Futaki, Jose Villarrubia)
Exploding Endings (series) by Tim Harris
Garfield (series) by Jim Davis
Skulduggery Pleasant (series) by Derek Landy
10+
City Spies (series) by James Ponti
‘Danger Road’ by A. L. Tait
‘Scar Town’ by Tristan Bancks
‘Run’ by Sarah Armstrong
‘We RunTomorrow’ by Nat Amoore and Mike Barry
The Land of Stories (series) by Chris Colfer
Skulduggery Pleasant (series) by Derek Landy
Magicalia (series) by Jennifer Bell
‘Two Wolves’ by Tristan Bancks
Keeper of the Lost Cities (series) by Shannon Messenger
Deltora Quest (series) by Emily Rodda
The Mapmaker Chronicles (series) by A. L. Tait
Rowan of Rin (series) by Emily Rodda
‘The Christmas Pig’ by J. K. Rowling
‘The Ickabog’ by J. K.Rowling
‘Small Wonder’ by Ross Montgomery
I Survived (series), various authors, various formats
The Ranger’s Apprentice (series) by John Flanagan
Brotherband (series) by John Flanagan
Football Superstars (series) by Simon Mugford and Dan Green
The Crossover (series) by Kwame Alexander
Alex Rider (series) by Anthony Horowitz
Once (series) by Morris Gleitzman
‘We Are Wolves’ by Katrina Nannestad
Adventures in Time (series) by Dominic Sandbrook
Manga: Jujutsu Kaisen (series) by Gege Akutami
Manga: Naruto (series) by Masashi Kishimoto
Eragon (series) by Christopher Paolini
Manga: One Piece (series) by Elichiro Oda
Adventure Collection (series) by Enid Blyton
12+
‘The Locked Room’ by Adam Cece
Asterix (series) by Rene Goscinny and Albert Uderzo
Peanuts (series) by Charles M. Schultz
Calvin and Hobbes (series)
Villain (series) by Adrian Beck
‘Refugee’ by Alan Gratz (and other Alan Gratz books)
CHERUB (series) by Robert Muchamore
Spy Academy (series) by Jack Heath
‘Inked’ by Karen Wasson and Jake A. Minton
‘Ghosts’ by Raina Telgemeir (and other Raina Telgemeir graphic novels)
‘Chicken Pox’ by Remy Lai (and other Remy Lai graphic novels)
Alex Rider (graphic novel series) by Anthony Horowitz, Antony Johnson, Kanako, Yuzuru
‘Danger Road’ by A. L. Tait
Sunderworld (series) by Ransom Riggs
Loki (series) by Louie Stowell
Elston-Fright Tales (series) by Reece Carter
‘Run’ by Sarah Armstrong
The Hunger Games (series) by Suzanne Collins
‘The Girl With All The Gifts’ by M. R. Carey
‘Rescue’ by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Adventures On Trains (series) by M. G. Leonard, Sam Sedgman, Elisa Paganelli
Young Bond (series) by Charlie Higson
Lockwood and Co (series) by Jonathan Stroud
Thedore Boone (series) by John Grisham
Tomorrow (series) by John Marsden
The Maze Runner (series) by James Dashner
Skyward (series) by Brandon Sanderson
14+
‘Shoe Dog’ by Phil Knight
‘A Tale of Two Cities’ by Charles Dickens
‘Horse’ by Geraldine Brooks
‘The Hobbit’ by J. R. R. Tolkien
Red Rising (series) by Pierce Brown
Dungeon Crawler Carl (series) by Matt Dinniman
He Who Fights With Monsters (series) by Shirtaloon
Dune (graphic novel series) by Brian Herbert
‘The Giver’ by Lois Lowry
‘The Happiest Man on Earth’ by Eddie Jaku
*This post contains affiliate links. See contact page for details.
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Are you new here? Welcome to my blog!
I’m Allison Tait, aka A.L. Tait, and I’m the author of 11 middle-grade novels, including adventure fantasy series such as The Mapmaker Chronicles, The Ateban Cipher, and the Maven & Reeve Mysteries, and contemporary stories including THE FIRST SUMMER OF CALLIE McGEE, WILLOW BRIGHT’S SECRET PLOT and DANGER ROAD.
You can find out more about me here, and more about my books here.
If you’re looking for book recommendations for young readers, join the Your Kid’s Next Read Facebook community, tune in to the Your Kid’s Next Read podcast and sign up for the Your Kid’s Next Read newsletter.
