100 Best Children's Chapter Books of All Time (Updated for 2026)

1

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

J. K. Rowling

5.0

Harry Potter has never been the star of a Quidditch team, scoring points while riding a broom far above the ground. He knows no spells, has never helped to hatch a dragon, and has never worn a cloak of invisibility.

All he knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley - a great big swollen spoiled bully. Harry’s room is a tiny closet at t

Recommended by Joe Lycett.

Joe Lycett

guys i just read this book called harry potter well worth checking out it’s about a really interesting magic lad [source]

2

Charlotte's Web

E. B White and Kate DiCamillo

5.0

Don’t miss one of America’s top 100 most-loved novels, selected by PBS’s The Great American Read.

This beloved book by E. B. White, author of Stuart Little and The Trumpet of the Swan, is a classic of children's literature that is "just about perfect." This paper-over-board edition includes a foreword by two-time Newbery winning author Kate DiCamillo.

Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words

Recommended by Mary Burkey.

Mary Burkey

One thing that was also very nice was having a title that’s for younger children recognized as a truly stellar audiobook, because sometimes people think that audiobooks are to help kids learn to read and not for them to fall in love with literature. And that’s what the audiobook recording of Charlotte’s Web does. It lets young kids and their parents revisit a beautiful title and fall in love with the book. [source]

3

Matilda

Roald Dahl

4.9

Matilda is a little girl who is far too good to be true. At age five-and-a-half she's knocking off double-digit multiplication problems and blitz-reading Dickens. Even more remarkably, her classmates love her even though she's a super-nerd and the teacher's pet. But everything is not perfect in Matilda's world. For starters she has two of the most idiotic, self-centered parents who ever lived. The

Recommended by Kiran Millwood Hargrave.

Kiran Millwood Hargrave

The classic story of Matilda who gets magical powers from reading books. [source]

4

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, #3)

J.K. Rowling

4.8

For Twelve long years, the dread fortress of Azkaban held an infamous prisoner named Sirius Black. Convicted of killing thirteen people with a single curse, he was said to be the heir apparent to the Dark Lord, Voldemort.

Now he has escaped, leaving only two clues as to where he might be headed: Harry Potter's defeat of You-Know-Who was Black's downfall as well. And the Azkaban guards heard Black m

Recommended by Maude Garrett.

Maude Garrett

@GeekBomb Best use of time travel in a book or series to date [source]

5

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter, #4)

J.K. Rowling

4.8

It is the summer holidays, and one night Harry Potter wakes up with his scar burning. He has had a strange dream, one that he can't help worrying about...until a timely invitation from Ron Weasley arrives: to nothing less than the Quidditch World Cup!

Soon Harry is reunited with Ron and Hermione and gasping at the thrills of an international Quidditch match. But then something horrible happens whic

Recommended by Big Structural Change.

Big Structural Change

@siriusclaw Azkaban ftw! Goblet is the worst of the series. Great book though. [source]

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6

The Secret Garden

Frances Hodgson Burnett

4.7

"One of the most delightful and enduring classics of children's literature, The Secret Garden by Victorian author Frances Hodgson Burnett has remained a firm favorite with children the world over ever since it made its first appearance. Initially published as a serial story in 1910 in The American Magazine, it was brought out in novel form in 1911.

The plot centers round Mary Lennox, a young Engli

Recommended by Clare Morpurgo and M G Leonard.

Clare Morpurgo

The book is about a girl coming to live in England from India. She is a sickly child who had a pretty awful early childhood in India. [source]

M G Leonard

The redemptive power of the natural world and gardening was something that struck a chord with me. [source]

7

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter, #5)

J. K. Rowling

4.7

Dumbledore lowered his hands and surveyed Harry through his half-moon glasses. 'It is time,' he said, 'for me to tell you what I should have told you five years ago, Harry. Please sit down. I am going to tell you everything.'

Harry Potter is due to start his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizadry. He is desperate to get back to school and find out why his friends Ron and Hermione

Recommended by Shami Chakrabarti.

Shami Chakrabarti

It’s all about the War on Terror as far as I’m concerned. [source]

8

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia, #1)

C. S. Lewis, Kenneth Branagh, et al

4.7

Narnia...the land beyond the wardrobe door, a secret place frozen in eternal winter, a magical country waiting to be set free.

Lucy is the first to find the secret of the wardrobe in the professor's mysterious old house. At first her brothers and sister don't believe her when she tells of her visit to the land of Narnia. But soon Edmund, then Peter and Susan step through the wardrobe themselves. In

Recommended by Chris Anderson, Chris Anderson, Chris Anderson, and 3 others.

Chris Anderson

As a child, they exploded my imagination. [source]

Chris Anderson

As a child, they exploded my imagination. [source]

Chris Anderson

As a child, they exploded my imagination. [source]

9

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

E.L. Konigsburg

4.7

When Claudia decided to run away, she planned very carefully. She would be gone just long enough to teach her parents a lesson in Claudia appreciation. And she would go in comfort-she would live at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She saved her money, and she invited her brother Jamie to go, mostly because be was a miser and would have money.

Claudia was a good organizer and Jamie bad some ideas, t

Recommended by Danny Meyer and Robin Stevens.

Danny Meyer

@DearDara My 2nd favorite book growing up, just barely edged out by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. [source]

Robin Stevens

This is an American book that I read as a young child, and it’s a classic in America. It’s a phenomenal book, and one of the cleverest mystery stories I’ve ever read. [source]

10

The BFG

Roald Dahl, Quentin Blake

4.7

Captured by a giant! The BFG is no ordinary bone-crunching giant. He is far too nice and jumbly. It's lucky for Sophie that he is. Had she been carried off in the middle of the night by the Bloodbottler, the Fleshlumpeater, the Bonecruncher, or any of the other giants-rather than the BFG-she would have soon become breakfast.

When Sophie hears that they are flush-bunking off in England to swollomp

Recommended by Emma Watson.

11

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2)

J.K. Rowling

4.7

The Dursleys were so mean and hideous that summer that all Harry Potter wanted was to get back to the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. But just as he's packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish creature named Dobby who says that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike

And strike it does. For in Harry's second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and

12

Charlie And The Chocolate Factory

Roald Dahl, Quentin Blake

4.7

Now a Broadway musical!

Roald Dahl's iconic story of a little boy, a golden ticket, and a fantastical chocolate factory has been adapted into a wonderful new musical. This edition has a great new cover featuring the musical's poster art and a foreword by Jack O'Brien, Tony Award-winning Director.

Willy Wonka's famous chocolate factory is opening at last! But only five lucky children will be allowed

Recommended by Tilly Burn.

Tilly Burn

because you believe Roald Dahl and trust him and because you know he tells a good story, you immediately accept that he’s telling you to root for Charlie Bucket. And you’re like, Yeah, sure. Here we go! [source]

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13

The Phantom Tollbooth

Norton Juster, Jules Feiffer

4.6

Hailed as “a classic. . . . humorous, full of warmth and real invention” (The New Yorker), this beloved story -first published more than fifty years ago- introduces readers to Milo and his adventures in the Lands Beyond.

For Milo, everything’s a bore. When a tollbooth mysteriously appears in his room, he drives through only because he’s got nothing better to do. But on the other side, things seem

Recommended by Clara Jeffery and Julie Zhuo.

Clara Jeffery

The best kids book ever https://t.co/9f3UGfmPdi [source]

Julie Zhuo

To this day, I can think of no better book that captures the imagination, wonder and adventure of life that children so intuitively grasp. [source]

14

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, #7)

J. K. Rowling, Mary GrandPré

4.6

Harry Potter is leaving Privet Drive for the last time. But as he climbs into the sidecar of Hagrid’s motorbike and they take to the skies, he knows Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters will not be far behind.

The protective charm that has kept him safe until now is broken. But the Dark Lord is breathing fear into everything he loves. And he knows he can’t keep hiding.

To stop Voldemort, Harry knows

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15

The Wind in the Willows

Kenneth Grahame, Charles van Sandwyk

4.6

Since 1903, the escapades of Mole, his friend Water Rat, shy Badger, and Toad of Toad Hall have delighted children, and adults, too. Follow the winning foursome through the seasons as they sail the river, get lost in the Wild Wood, take off on a merry adventure in Toad's colorful carriage, and rescue Toad Hall from a band of nasty marauding weasels.

Recommended by Neil Gaiman, M G Leonard, Melvin Burgess, and 1 others.

Neil Gaiman

I think The Wind in the Willows is an excellent candidate for Best Book Ever Written. https://t.co/Uepg8wc1uE [source]

M G Leonard

The characters are alive in my head and I love every single one of them. [source]

Melvin Burgess

It’s the first book I fell in love with. The fiction that I liked when I was young was very much about cosy little adventures with animals. [source]

16

A Wrinkle in Time (A Wrinkle in Time Quintet, #1)

Madeleine L'Engle

4.5

Fifty years ago, Madeleine L’Engle introduced the world to A Wrinkle in Time and the wonderful and unforgettable characters Meg and Charles Wallace Murry, and their friend Calvin O’Keefe. When the children learn that Mr. Murry has been captured by the Dark Thing, they time travel to Camazotz, where they must face the leader IT in the ultimate battle between good and evil—a journey that threatens t

Recommended by Sheryl Sandberg.

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17

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter, #6)

J.K. Rowling

4.5

The war against Voldemort is not going well; even Muggle governments are noticing. Ron scans the obituary pages of the Daily Prophet, looking for familiar names. Dumbledore is absent from Hogwarts for long stretches of time, and the Order of the Phoenix has already suffered losses.

And yet . . .

As in all wars, life goes on. The Weasley twins expand their business. Sixth-year students learn to Appar

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18

Pippi Longstocking

Astrid Lindgren, Michael Chesworth, Louis S. Glanzman

4.5

Tommy and his sister Annika have a new neighbor, and her name is Pippi Longstocking. She has crazy red pigtails, no parents to tell her what to do, a horse that lives on her porch, and a flair for the outrageous that seems to lead to one adventure after another!
--back cover

Recommended by Vanessa King.

Vanessa King

Pippi is simply joyful. She is curious and courageous, creative and kind. [source]

19

The Little Prince Family Storybook: Unabridged Original Text

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

4.5

Rediscover Antoine de Saint-Exupery's universal masterpiece with original text and magnificent new illustrations created by masters of film animation. This wise and enchanginting fable teaches the secret of what is really important in life.

Recommended by Ryan Holiday, Brandon Stanton, Evan Goldberg, and 1 others.

Ryan Holiday

Author

Equally allegorical, I read The Little Prince for the first time which for some reason I’d never been exposed to before. If you’re in the same boat, read it. It’s short but great. [source]

Brandon Stanton

Brandon Stanton recommended this book on the podcast "The Tim Ferriss Show". [source]

Evan Goldberg

Phenomenal. [source]

20

Holes (Holes, #1)

Louis Sachar

4.5

Stanley tries to dig up the truth in this inventive and darkly humorous tale of crime and punishment—and redemption.

Stanley Yelnats is under a curse. A curse that began with his no-good-dirty-rotten- pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather and has since followed generations of Yelnats. Now Stanley has been unjustly sent to a boys' detention center, Camp Green Lake, where the warden makes the boys "b

21

James and the Giant Peach

Roald Dahl, Quentin Blake

4.5

When James accidentally drops some magic crystals by the old peach tree, strange things start to happen. The peach at the top of the tree begins to grow, and before long it's as big as a house. When James discovers a secret entranceway into the fruit and crawls inside, he meets wonderful new friends--the Old-Green-Grasshopper, the dainty Ladybug, and the Centipede of the multiple boots. After year

Recommended by Tilly Burn.

Tilly Burn

I think it is one of his darkest books and I think it’s a very sad book. It’s his first ever children’s book, written in 1961, fresh off the back of writing his short stories. [source]

22

Little House on the Prairie (Little House, #2)

Laura Ingalls Wilder and Garth Williams

4.5

Classic tales by Laura Ingalls Wilder about life on the frontier and America's best-loved pioneer family. The sun-kissed prairie stretches out around the Ingalls family, smiling its welcome after their long, hard journey across America. But looks can be deceiving and they soon find that they must share the land with wild bears and Indians. Will there be enough land for all of them? Little House on

Recommended by Jean Webb.

Jean Webb

In this book a family has to negotiate and find out what the rules are for living in the wilds of the American West. [source]

23

The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #1)

Lemony Snicket

4.5

Dear Reader,

I'm sorry to say that the book you are holding in your hands is extremely unpleasant. It tells an unhappy tale about three very unlucky children. Even though they are charming and clever, the Baudelaire siblings lead lives filled with misery and woe. From the very first page of this book when the children are at the beach and receive terrible news, continuing on through the entire stor

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24

The Boxcar Children (The Boxcar Children, #1)

Gertrude Chandler Warner, L. Kate Deal

4.5

The Aldens begin their adventure by making a home in a boxcar. Their goal is to stay together, and in the process they find a grandfather.

25

The One and Only Ivan

Katherine Applegate, Patricia Castelao

4.5

Ivan is an easygoing gorilla. Living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, he has grown accustomed to humans watching him through the glass walls of his domain. He rarely misses his life in the jungle. In fact, he hardly ever thinks about it at all.

Instead, Ivan thinks about TV shows he’s seen and about his friends Stella, an elderly elephant, and Bob, a stray dog. But mostly Ivan thinks ab

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26

Because of Winn-Dixie

Kate DiCamillo

4.5

Kate DiCamillo's beloved, best-selling debut novel is now available in a paperback digest edition.

Kate DiCamillo's first published novel, like Winn-Dixie himself, immediately proved to be a keeper—a New York Times bestseller, a Newbery Honor winner, the inspiration for a popular film, and most especially, a cherished classic that touches the hearts of readers of all ages. It's now available in a p

Cover unavailable

27

The Graveyard Book

Neil Gaiman, Dave McKean, Margaret Atwood

4.5

IT TAKES A GRAVEYARD TO RAISE A CHILD.

Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy - an ancient indigo man, a gateway to aban

Recommended by Meghan Camarena and Simon Smith.

Meghan Camarena

While I was walking to the gym I finished the last chapter of The Graveyard Book by @neilhimself. I must’ve looked like a mad woman because I was balling my eyes out in public. Damn, what an incredible story. [source]

Simon Smith

@carveresque ...but The Graveyard Book is one of the best books ever. [source]

28

Little Women

Louisa May Alcott

4.5

A beautiful unabridged 150th Anniversary Edition with 200 original illustrations and a Foreword by Alice L. George entitled "Why Little Women Endures 150 Years Later."

Little Women was originally published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869. This edition contains both volumes. It follows the lives of the four March sisters--Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy-- from childhood to womanhood and is loosely based on th

Recommended by Amy Chua, Anne Thériault, Jay Kleinberg, and 1 others.

Amy Chua

Marmee is a character that really resonates for me. She’s obviously not Chinese, but she believes that integrity and hard work are the most important things in life. She holds her daughters to very high standards. She doesn’t sugarcoat much. She also reveals to her rebellious daughter Jo, the star of the book and a character loosely modeled on Louisa May Alcott herself, that she had a bad temper too when she was younger. That’s exactly what I did with my own daughter Louisa…….The kinds of mistakes that Marmee allows her daughters to make are very similar to the kinds of mistakes that I allow my daughters to make. [source]

Anne Thériault

@mmarmoset I love that book so much, and then I got to see Patty Smith perform the year I read it, and she made a Little Women reference during the show, and my heart overflowed [source]

Jay Kleinberg

Nancy Drew is another series which follows in those footsteps. The book is all led by her. I think if one looks in the magazine literature it would be hard to find a similar character at that time. These were stories initially published in a magazine and then bound together as a book. [source]

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29

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass

Lewis Carroll

4.4

In 1862 Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, a shy Oxford mathematician with a stammer, created a story about a little girl tumbling down a rabbit hole. Thus began the immortal adventures of Alice, perhaps the most popular heroine in English literature.

Countless scholars have tried to define the charm of the Alice books--with those wonderfully eccentric characters the Queen of Hearts, Tweedledum, and Tweedle

Recommended by Eric Weinstein, Jean Webb, Larry Doyle, and 1 others.

Eric Weinstein

Managing Director/Thiel Capital

Eric Weinstein recommended this book on Twitter. [source]

Jean Webb

An imaginative, clever and fun fantasy story that satirises nineteenth century England at the same time as celebrating academic thinking. [source]

Larry Doyle

You’d have to be a zombie to miss the humour in it – it’s hilarious. Although the book is ancient, the humour feels modern [source]

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30

Winnie-the-Pooh (Winnie-the-Pooh, #1)

A. A. Milne, Ernest H. Shepard

4.4

Trenton Lee Stewart

4.3

ARE YOU A GIFTED CHILD Looking for special opportunities?
When this peculiar ad appears in the newspaper, dozens of children enroll to take a series of mysterious, mind-bending tests. (And you, dear listener, can test your wits right alongside them.) But in the end just four very special children will succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and resourcefu

Cover unavailable

41

Black Beauty

Anna Sewell

4.3

Black Beauty spends his youth in a loving home, surrounded by friends and cared for by his owners. But when circumstances change, he learns that not all humans are so kind. Passed from hand to hand, Black Beauty witnesses love and cruelty, wealth and poverty, friendship and hardship . . . Will the handsome horse ever find a happy and lasting home? Carefully retold in clear contemporary language, a

Recommended by Audrey Penn and Mary King.

Audrey Penn

I have to go with Black Beauty. It’s very tough for me to read, because of the cruelty. I can’t stand cruelty. I don’t understand it, I will never understand it. Never in a million years. But if you want to take my illness and you want to equate it with anything, you can equate it with Black Beauty. [source]

Mary King

As a horsey young girl, it was a wonderful book to have read to you. It was written in 1877, in the first person – ground-breaking at the time. [source]

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42

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library (Mr. Lemoncello's Library #1)

Chris Grabenstein

4.3

A New York Times Bestseller

Kyle Keeley is the class clown, popular with most kids, (if not the teachers), and an ardent fan of all games: board games, word games, and particularly video games. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, the most notorious and creative gamemaker in the world, just so happens to be the genius behind the building of the new town library.

Lucky Kyle wins a coveted spot to be one of th

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43

Beezus and Ramona (Ramona, #1)

Beverly Cleary

4.3

Nine-year-old Beezus Quimby has her hands full with her little sister, Ramona. Sure, other people have little sisters that bother them sometimes, but is there anyone in the world like Ramona? Whether she's taking one bite out of every apple in a box or secretly inviting 15 other 4-year-olds to the house for a party, Ramona is always making trouble--and getting all the attention. Every big sister c

44

Coraline

Neil Gaiman, Dave McKean

4.3

Coraline lives with her preoccupied parents in part of a huge old house--a house so huge that other people live in it, too... round, old former actresses Miss Spink and Miss Forcible and their aging Highland terriers ("We trod the boards, luvvy") and the mustachioed old man under the roof ("'The reason you cannot see the mouse circus,' said the man upstairs, 'is that the mice are not yet ready and

Recommended by Simon Smith.

Simon Smith

@lindsanderson @Misterbodd @PaulWat5 @f33lthesun Awesomely scary book full stop! Great though. [source]

45

The Tale of Despereaux

Kate DiCamillo, Timothy Basil Ering

4.3

A brave mouse, a covetous rat, a wishful serving girl, and a princess named Pea come together in Kate DiCamillo's Newbery Medal–winning tale.

Welcome to the story of Despereaux Tilling, a mouse who is in love with music, stories, and a princess named Pea. It is also the story of a rat called Roscuro, who lives in the darkness and covets a world filled with light. And it is the story of Miggery Sow,

46

Esperanza Rising

Pam Muñoz Ryan

4.3

Esperanza thought she'd always live with her family on their ranch in Mexico--she'd always have fancy dresses, a beautiful home, and servants. But a sudden tragedy forces Esperanza and Mama to flee to California during the Great Depression, and to settle in a camp for Mexican farm workers. Esperanza isn't ready for the hard labor, financial struggles, or lack of acceptance she now faces. When thei

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47

Heidi (Heidi, #1-2)

Johanna Spyri, Angelo Rinaldi, Beverly Cleary

4.3

Little orphan Heidi goes to live high in the Alps with her gruff grandfather and brings happiness to all who know her on the mountain. When Heidi goes to Frankfurt to work in a wealthy household, she dreams of returning to the mountains and meadows, her friend Peter, and her beloved grandfather.

48

The Witches

Roald Dahl, Quentin Blake

4.3

This is not a fairy-tale. This is about real witches. Real witches don't ride around on broomsticks. They don't even wear black cloaks and hats. They are vile, cunning, detestable creatures who disguise themselves as nice, ordinary ladies. So how can you tell when you're face to face with one? Well, if you don't know yet you'd better find out quickly-because there's nothing a witch loathes quite a

Cover unavailable

49

The Fairy-Tale Detectives

Michael Buckley, Peter Ferguson

4.2

Fans of fractured fairy tales will be delighted to discover the fantasy, mystery, adventure, and humor in the beloved New York Times bestselling Sisters Grimm series by Michael Buckley, now with new cover art. As featured on NBC’s The Today Show, the nine wildly popular books are favorites around the world. They were among the first books to bring a distinctly girl-power spin to fairy tales—a spin

Recommended by Zoe.

Zoe

Two sisters who are descended from the brothers Grimm. They try to figure out where their missing parents are while navigating a whole new world full of fairytale creatures. [source]

50

The Neverending Story

Michael Ende, Ralph Manheim

4.2

This epic work of the imagination has captured the hearts of millions of readers worldwide since it was first published more than a decade ago. Its special story within a story is an irresistible invitation for readers to become part of the book itself. And now this modern classic and bibliophile's dream is available in hardcover again.

The story begins with a lonely boy named Bastian and the stran

Recommended by Jamie Grayson and Yaro Starak.

Jamie Grayson

@frigay13 Boys. My love is very deep for this book & film. This is a painting I have. https://t.co/x7crDkEuFu [source]

Yaro Starak

During the early days of my life, my mother read to me the classics, like “The Hobbit”, “The Lord of the Rings”, Enid Blyton, “The Land of the Faraway Tree”, “The Narnia Chronicles”, “The Neverending Story” . All these books were really important to me as a kid and they became just as important to me as an adult because I read through most of them again, for example (obviously) The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit and also The Narnia Chronicles. Went through all of those again and got something powerful out of them because you don’t realise as a child what kind of maybe more spiritual or religious or conceptual or psychological or philosophical messages are hidden within the stories, that you just can’t see them as a child, so it was really great to see them as an adult and take away that extra layer from those kind of books. [source]

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51

The Indian in the Cupboard (The Indian in the Cupboard, #1)

Lynne Reid Banks

4.2

At first, Omri is unimpressed with the plastic Indian toy he is given for his birthday. But when he puts it in his old cupboard and turns the key, something extraordinary happens that will change Omri's life for ever.
For Little Bear, the Iroquois Indian brave, comes to life...

52

Where the Sidewalk Ends: The Poems and Drawings of Shel Silverstein

Shel Silverstein

4.2

Shel Silverstein shook the staid world of children's poetry in 1974 with the publication of this collection, and things haven't been the same since. More than four and a half million copies of Where the Sidewalk Ends have been sold, making it the bestselling children's poetry book ever. With this and his other poetry collections (A Light in the Attic and Falling Up), Silverstein reveals his genius

Recommended by Sheryl Sandberg.

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53

Ramona Quimby, Age 8 (Ramona, #6)

Beverly Cleary

4.2

Mr. Quimby's going to college, Mrs. Quimby's going to work. Now that Ramona is eight, she can go to a new school with a new teacher and ride the bus all by herself. But after school she has to stay with Grandmother Kemp and be nice to that bratty little Willa Jean until Beezus�who's tempermental enough to ruin anyone's day�comes to take her home. Life isn't as easy for Ramona as it used to be. All

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54

A Little Princess

Frances Hodgson Burnett, U. C. Knoepflmacher

4.2

Sara Crewe, an exceptionally intelligent and imaginative student at Miss Minchin's Select Seminary for Young Ladies, is devastated when her adored, indulgent father dies. Now penniless and banished to a room in the attic, Sara is demeaned, abused, and forced to work as a servant. How this resourceful girl's fortunes change again is at the center of A Little Princess, one of the best-loved stories

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55

Ramona the Pest (Ramona, #2)

Beverly Cleary

4.2

This is the second title in the hugely popular series about Ramona Quimby. Ramona doesn't think she's a pest - she knows that she isn't a pest on purpose. So how in the world does Ramona get in trouble? Why does Davy run away whenever Ramona comes near him? And how does she manage to disrupt the whole kindergarten class during their rest time? Beverly Cleary is one of America's most popular author

56

Sharon M. Draper

4.2

Melody is not like most people. She cannot walk or talk, but she has a photographic memory; she can remember every detail of everything she has ever experienced. She is smarter than most of the adults who try to diagnose her and smarter than her classmates in her integrated classroom - the very same classmates who dismiss her as mentally challenged because she cannot tell them otherwise. But Melod

60

Where the Red Fern Grows

Wilson Rawls

4.2

A loving threesome, they ranged the dark hills and river bottoms of Cherokee country. Old Dan had the brawn. Little Ann had the brains, and Billy had the will to make them into the finest hunting team in the valley. Glory and victory were coming to them, but sadness waited too. Where the Red Fern Grows is an exciting tale of love and adventure you'll never forget.

61

The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #2)

Rick Riordan

4.2

The heroic son of Poseidon makes an action-packed comeback in the second must-read installment of Rick Riordan's amazing young readers series. Starring Percy Jackson, a "half blood" whose mother is human and whose father is the God of the Sea, Riordan's series combines cliffhanger adventure and Greek mythology lessons that results in true page-turners that get better with each installment.

In this

62

The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #5)

Rick Riordan

4.2

All year the half-bloods have been preparing for battle against the Titans, knowing the odds of victory are grim. Kronos's army is stronger than ever, and with every god and half-blood he recruits, the evil Titan's power only grows. While the Olympians struggle to contain the rampaging monster Typhon, Kronos begins his advance on New York City, where Mount Olympus stands virtually unguarded. Now i

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63

The Watsons Go to Birmingham

Christopher Paul Curtis

4.2

A hilarious, touching, and tragic novel about civil rights and the impact of violence on one African American family. Narrated by Kenny, 9, the story tells about his middle-class black family, the Watsons of Flint, Michigan, and their trip to Birmingham, Alabama, to visit Grandma. They happen to be in Birmingham when Grandma's church is bombed.

Recommended by Joyce Alene.

Joyce Alene

@HeyImjustsayin @SenDougJones I love this book so much. I read it to my youngest child a few years back. It's as meaningful for adults as it is for kids. [source]

64

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

Kate DiCamillo, Bagram Ibatoulline

4.2

A timeless tale by the incomparable Kate DiCamillo, complete with stunning full-color plates by Bagram Ibatoulline, honors the enduring power of love.

"Someone will come for you, but first you must open your heart. . . ."

Once, in a house on Egypt Street, there lived a china rabbit named Edward Tulane. The rabbit was very pleased with himself, and for good reason: he was owned by a girl named Abilen

Cover unavailable

65

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy (The Penderwicks #1)

Jeanne Birdsall, Susan Denaker, et al

4.1

The Penderwick sisters busily discover the summertime magic of Arundel estate’s sprawling gardens, treasure-filled attic, tame rabbits, and the cook who makes the best gingerbread in Massachusetts. Best of all is Jeffrey Tifton, son of Arundel’s owner, the perfect companion for their adventures. Icy-hearted Mrs. Tifton is less pleased with the Penderwicks than Jeffrey, and warns the new friends to

Cover unavailable

66

The Boxcar Children 1-4 (The Boxcar Children, #1-4)

Gertrude Chandler Warner

4.1

The paperback editions of The Boxcar Children Mysteries: #1, The Boxcar Children; #2, Surprise Island; #3, The Yellow House Mystery; and #4, Mystery Ranch are offered together in a cardboard case.

67

Number the Stars

Lois Lowry

4.1

Ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen and her best friend Ellen Rosen often think of life before the war. It's now 1943 and their life in Copenhagen is filled with school, food shortages, and the Nazi soldiers marching through town. When the Jews of Denmark are "relocated," Ellen moves in with the Johansens and pretends to be one of the family. Soon Annemarie is asked to go on a dangerous mission to sav

68

My Side of the Mountain (Mountain, #1)

Jean Craighead George

4.1

Every kid thinks about running away at one point or another; few get farther than the end of the block. Young Sam Gribley gets to the end of the block and keeps going--all the way to the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York. There he sets up house in a huge hollowed-out tree, with a falcon and a weasel for companions and his wits as his tool for survival. In a spellbinding, touching, funny accou

Cover unavailable

69

The Secret of the Old Clock (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories, #1)

Carolyn Keene, Russell H. Tandy, Sara Paretsky

4.1

Nancy, unaided, seeks to find a missing will. To the surprise of many, the Topham family will inherit wealthy Josiah Crowley's fortune, instead of deserving relatives and friends who were promised inheritances. Nancy determines that a clue to a second will might be found in an old clock Mr. Crowley had owned and she seeks to find the timepiece. Her search not only tests her keen mind, but also lea

Recommended by Audrey Russo.

Audrey Russo

So many novels; Lord of the Flies, Great Gatsby, Great Expectations; all the Nancy Drew books; Catcher in the Rye, Books written by Zora Neale Hurston; Pat Conroy – all because of the view about different people who endure despite adversity while kindling the hearts of the human spirit. [source]

Cover unavailable

70

The Magician's Nephew (Chronicles of Narnia, #6)

C. S. Lewis

4.1

The secret passage to the house next door leads to a fascinating adventure

NARNIA...where the woods are thick and cold, where Talking Beasts are called to life...a new world where the adventure begins.

Digory and Polly meet and become friends one cold, wet summer in London. Their lives burst into adventure when Digory's Uncle Andrew, who thinks he is a magician, sends them hurtling to...somewhere el

Cover unavailable

71

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Oz, #1)

L. Frank Baum

4.1

When Dorothy and her little dog Toto are caught in a tornado, they and their Kansas farmhouse are suddenly transported to Oz, where Munchkins live, monkeys fly and Wicked Witches rule. Desperate to return home, and with the Wicked Witch of the West on their trail, Dorothy and Toto - together with new friends the Tin Woodsman, Scarecrow and cowardly Lion - embark on a fantastic quest along the Yell

Cover unavailable

72

The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #3)

Rick Riordan

4.1

It's not everyday you find yourself in combat with a half-lion, half-human.

But when you're the son of a Greek god, it happens. And now my friend Annabeth is missing, a goddess is in chains and only five half-blood heroes can join the quest to defeat the doomsday monster.

Oh, and guess what? The Oracle has predicted that not all of us will survive...

Cover unavailable

73

Harriet the Spy (Harriet the Spy #1)

Louise Fitzhugh

4.1

Harriet the Spy has a secret notebook that she fills with utterly honest jottings about her parents, her classmates, and her neighbors. Every day on her spy route she "observes" and notes down anything of interest to her:

I BET THAT LADY WITH THE CROSS-EYE LOOKS IN THE MIRROR AND JUST FEELS TERRIBLE.

PINKY WHITEHEAD WILL NEVER CHANGE. DOES HIS MOTHER HATE HIM? IF I HAD HIM I'D HATE HIM.

IF MARION HAW

Recommended by Gretchen Rubin.

74

Pax

Sara Pennypacker and Jon Klassen

4.1

National Book Award Longlist • New York Times Bestseller • An Amazon Best Book of the Year

Finally in paperback! This handsome edition features French flaps.

From bestselling and award-winning author Sara Pennypacker comes a beautifully wrought, utterly compelling novel about the powerful relationship between a boy and his fox. Pax is destined to become a classic, beloved for generations to come.

P

75

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1)

Rick Riordan

4.1

Alternate cover for this ISBN can be found here

Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse - Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy's mom finds out, she knows it's time that he knew the truth about where he came from, a

Cover unavailable

76

Mr. Popper's Penguins

Richard Atwater, Florence Atwater

4.1

The Poppers unexpectedly come into possession of a penguin, then get a penguin from the zoo who mates with the first penguin to have 10 baby penguins. Before long, something must be done before they eat the Poppers out of house and home!

A classic of American humor, this story of a gentle housepainter and his high stepping penguins has delighted children for generations.

77

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Roald Dahl

4.1

Nobody outfoxes Fantastic Mr. Fox!

Someone's been stealing from the three meanest farmers around, and they know the identity of the thief-it's Fantastic Mr. Fox! Working alone they could never catch hi; but now fat Boggis, squat Bunce, and skinny Bean have joined forces, and they have Mr. Fox and his family surrounded. What they don't know is that they're not dealing with just any fox-Mr. Fox would

Recommended by Tilly Burn.

Tilly Burn

It’s about the enterprising and wonderful Mr Fox whose family are starving in their burrow. He’s fed up of not having enough food to feed them. Mrs Fox asks him to go out and get some food and he comes up with a phenomenal plan to dig tunnels underneath three farmers, Mr Boggis, Mr Bunce, and Mr Bean and steal chickens and ham, cider and lots of other goodies from them all [source]

92

The Borrowers (The Borrowers, #1)

Mary Norton, Beth Krush, Joe Krush

4.0

Beneath the kitchen floor is the world of the Borrowers -- Pod and Homily Clock and their daughter, Arrietty. In their tiny home, matchboxes double as roomy dressers and postage stamps hang on the walls like paintings. Whatever the Clocks need they simply "borrow" from the "human beans" who live above them. It's a comfortable life, but boring if you're a kid. Only Pod is allowed to venture into th

Cover unavailable

93

The Hundred Dresses

Eleanor Estes

4.0

Eleanor Estes’s The Hundred Dresses won a Newbery Honor in 1945 and has never been out of print since. At the heart of the story is Wanda Petronski, a Polish girl in a Connecticut school who is ridiculed by her classmates for wearing the same faded blue dress every day. Wanda claims she has one hundred dresses at home, but everyone knows she doesn’t and bullies her mercilessly. The class feels ter

94

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret

Judy Blume

4.0

Margaret Simon, almost twelve, likes long hair, tuna fish, the smell of rain, and things that are pink. She’s just moved from New York City to Farbook, New Jersey, and is anxious to fit in with her new friends—Nancy, Gretchen, and Janie. When they form a secret club to talk about private subjects like boys, bras, and getting their first periods, Margaret is happy to belong.

But none of them can bel

Cover unavailable

95

Crenshaw

Katherine Applegate

4.0

In her first novel since winning the Newbery Medal, New York Times bestselling author Katherine Applegate delivers an unforgettable and magical story about family, friendship, and resilience.

Jackson and his family have fallen on hard times. There's no more money for rent. And not much for food, either. His parents, his little sister, and their dog may have to live in their minivan. Again.

Crenshaw

Cover unavailable

96

Caddie Woodlawn (Caddie Woodlawn, #1)

Carol Ryrie Brink

4.0

Caddie Woodlawn is a real adventurer. She'd rather hunt than sew and plow than bake, and tries to beat her brother's dares every chance she gets. Caddie is friends with Indians, who scare most of the neighbors -- neighbors who, like her mother and sisters, don't understand her at all.

Caddie is brave, and her story is special because it's based on the life and memories of Carol Ryrie Brink's gran

Cover unavailable

97

Gregor the Overlander (Underland Chronicles, #1)

Suzanne Collins

4.0

This irresistible first novel tells the story of a quiet boy who embarks on a dangerous quest in order to fulfill his destiny—and find his father—in a strange world beneath New York City.

When Gregor falls through a grate in the laundry room of his apartment building, he hurtles into the dark Underland, where spiders, rats, cockroaches coexist uneasily with humans. This world is on the brink of war

Cover unavailable

98

Peter Pan

J. M. Barrie, Michael Hague

4.0

Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie Peter Pan, the mischievous boy who refuses to grow up, lands in the Darling's proper middle-class home to look for his shadow. He befriends Wendy, John and Michael and teaches them to fly (with a little help from fairy dust). He and Tinker Bell whisk them off to Never-land where they encounter the Red Indians, the Little Lost Boys, pirates and the dastardly Captain Hook.

Cover unavailable

99

Henry Huggins (Henry Huggins, #1)

Beverly Cleary, Jacqueline Rogers

4.0

In the first novel from Newbery Award-winning author Beverly Cleary, boys and girls alike will instantly be charmed by an average boy whose life is turned upside down when he meets a lovable puppy with a nose for mischief.

Just as Henry Huggins is complaining that nothing exciting ever happens, a friendly dog sits down beside him and looks pleadingly at his ice-cream cone. From that moment on, the

Cover unavailable

100

Ramona and Her Father (Ramona, #4)

Beverly Cleary

4.0

Ramona's father has lost his job and all the family are miserable, so Ramona decides to try and cheer them up, in her own inimitable way.