When it comes to kids and books, there are two common complaints. First is that there’s nothing good to read (reluctant readers) and second is that there’s nothing good left to read (bookworms). Either way, having a list of age-appropriate book ideas can help. This list of 25 incredible books for both boys and girls ages 8-12 (or US grades 4-6) can be used to help your kids find their next great read. These are all stand-alone (non-series) books. You can find my favorite kids’ book series here. I’ve included a short synopsis for each book and a grade range based on interest and reading level. Click each photo to find that book on Amazon (affiliate link).
The Indian in the Cupboard. Omri is disappointed when he gets a small plastic Indian for his birthday. Little does he know that when he locks the Indian in a cupboard the toy will transform into a real live warrior named Little Bear. Grades 3-5.
Ella Enchanted. At birth, Ella is given the gift of obedience from a fairy. But as Ella gets older, she starts to consider her gift a curse instead, and she goes on a quest to bread it. Grades 3-5.
Mathilda. Young Mathilda is sent to boarding school where the menacing headmistress makes it her mission in life to terrorize the children. When Mathilda decides to fight back, she realizes she has extraordinary powers. Grades 3-5.
Bridge to Teribithia. Jess and Leslie are best friends who create an imaginary kingdom in the woods called Teribithia, where they are king and queen. The book explores the friendship that brings them together and the tragedy that pulls them apart. Grades 3-5.
The One and Only Ivan. Ivan is a gorilla who has spent the last 27 years of his life in a glass enclosure in a shopping mall. When he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from the wild, everything changes. Grades 3-5.
The Tale of Desperaux. Desperaux a mouse who’s in love with a princess who breaks the rules and communicates with humans. In punishment, he’s sent to live with (or be eaten by) the rats. Will Desperaux escape to claim the princess’ hand? Grades 3-5.
The Phantom Tollbooth. Milo thinks everything is a waste of time, until a phantom tollbooth appears in his room. He drives through into a strange land where just about everything is a play on words and has a wonderful adventure. Grades 3-5.
Tuck Everlasting. The Tuck family unknowingly drank from a magic spring, which froze them at their current ages and blessed (or cursed) them with everlasting life. Things get messy when their secret gets out… Grades 4-6.
Number the Stars. Set in Denmark during WWII, this book tells the story of 10 year old Annemarie and her family as they help smuggle her friend Ellen’s family out of Denmark before the Nazis round up all the Jews in the country. Grades 4-6.
Where the Red Fern Grows. When Billy gets his first pair of coonhound pops he’s determined to make them into the greatest hunting team ever. The book follows their adventured together in the Ozark mountains. When tragedy hits, Billy learns the Native American legend of the red fern. Grades 4-6.
Island of the Blue Dolphins. Based on a true story, The Island of the Blue Dolphins tells the story of a girl stranded alone on an island for 18 years. She defends herself from wild dogs, finds food and fashions clothes from what’s available on the island. A timeless adventure story. Grades 4-7.
Freak the Mighty. This is the story of the unlikely friendship of two boys: a teenage giant with a learning disability and a difficult past, and a tiny genius with a serious birth defect. Together they become an invincible duo. Grades 4-7.
Smile. In this graphic novel (memoir), Raini is a normal preteen, until she falls and knocks out her two front teeth. Then comes braces, surgery, headgear, an earthquake, boy problems, and friend problems in this funny coming of age story. Grades 4-7.
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. A 13-year-old girl finds herself in a perilous situation on board a transatlantic ship with a mutinous crew and a cruel captain. Grades 4-8.
From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs Basil E. Frankweiler. When Claudia runs away, she decides she wants to go seomewhere special, and so she plans her escape to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She and her brother Jamie explore the museum, taking baths in a fountain, and uncover a mystery waiting to be solved. Grades 4-8.
Everything on a Waffle. Even though Primrose is quite certain her parents didn’t perish at sea like everyone else seems to think so, she’s still an orphan, at least for the time being. Kids will love the tales of her constant mis-adventures. Grades 4-8.
The Witch of Blackbird Pond. When lonely Kit Tyler makes friends with elderly Hannah, she doesn’t realize the townspeople suspect Hannah of being a witch. Set in the 1600s, this is a fascinating historical tale and Newberry winner. Grades 5-8.
The Westing Game. 16 people are called together for the reading of Samuel W. Westing’s will, and each one of the is a possible heir to his huge fortune. This is a clever, suspenseful mystery that will have readers guessing until the very end. Grades 5-8.
Bud, Not Buddy. It’s the middle of the great depression, and Bud’s tired of being treated badly in foster care, so he runs away to find the man he’s convinced is his father. Things don’t go quite as well as he expects, but Bud’s not discouraged. Grades 5-8.
The Book of a Thousand Days. In this retelling of a brothers Grimm fairy tale, Ashti is a servant to lady Saran, both of whom are locked in a tower for seven years because Saran refuses to marry the man chosen for her by her father. Grades 5-9.
The Graveyard Book. Bod is a unique boy who lives in a unique place: he’s the only living inhabitant of a graveyard. Surrounded by the ghosts of the people buried there, Bod learns why the man who murdered his parents is out to find him and what he must do to elude him. Grades 6-8.
The Blue Sword. Harry Crewe is an orphaned girl who’s bored by her ordinary life until she is kidnapped by Corlath, king of the magical Hillfolk people. Adventures and romance ensue. Grades 6-8.
The Egypt Game. Six friends get together in an abandoned storage yard to play the Egypt game, which includes holding ceremonies and working on secret codes. But when things start to go wrong and a mysterious death occurs, they begin to wonder if the game has gone too far. Grades 6-8.
Hoot. Things aren’t going so well for Roy at his new school in Florida – no real friends but plenty of bullies. But things are about to get better: he meets Beatrice, a tall no-nonsense girl who might become a friend, and together they uncover a mystery involving a runaway boy and some miniature owls. Grades 6-8.
Touching Spirit Bear. Instead of serving time in juvenile detention, Cole is given the option to spend a year alone on a remote Alaskan island, where he learns about survival and himself. Grades 6-8.
Did I miss your (or your child’s) favorite? Tell us about it in the comments!
craftyP says
Thanks for this wonderful list! there are few I had not heard of before that we will add to our summer reading list! My boys love the Indian in the Cupboard series- my oldest just asked me to get those so he can re-read them.
Robin says
One of my favorites from around that age is Walk Two Moons, and my son and I just read Navigating Early, we both loved it.
Jennifer says
We just finished Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I think any Roald Dahl is fantastic! Always looking for great books for the kids. Thanks
Jennifer says
Thank you for such a great list. My daughter is going into the fifth grade but reads at a tenth grade level. Keeping her in books that are interesting, challenging and content appropriate is sometimes a challenge so I’m always looking for a new list 🙂
Laura Huber says
My kids have fallen in love with the Rangers Apprentice and Brotherband Chronicles series, both by John Flanagan. I’m not sure what the “official” age range is, but I’d recommend for 4th grade and up. You’ll discover these have fantastic character development.
Erin says
I love the sense of adventure in A Wrinkle in Time!! It’s a great entry into the Sci Fi genre. Meg’s father has disappeared. She and her young, but highly intelligent brother Charles Wallace are sent by a star to a distant planet in a far off galaxy to rescue him.
Abigail says
I’ve read most of these books, and The Westing Game and Smile are my favorites. I’ve seen a couple that interest me…I’ll have to check those out. Thank you!
Holly Denman says
We are trying to read 100 books this summer and are up to 55. Our favorites have been 100 Dresses, Elephant Run, Rules, Al Capone Does My Shirts, Maniac McGee, Searching for Lincoln’s Killer, Also Known as Harper, El Deafo, The Lightening Thief, Counting by 7s and Half a Chance!
Lou says
Great list. I would add The Castle in the Attic.
Sondra says
Some other great reads for kids are The BFG, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, The Chocolate Touch, Poppy and Half Magic.
The ACtivity mom says
if your child liked Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The Timmy Failure Series is really fun.
Val says
The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke (Author of the Inkheart Series) is also a fun one!
Ellen says
Loved many of these books. I would add Honus & Me for those boys who are reluctant readers. There are several that follow that in the same format. Also, Hatchet by Gary Paulson and the others that conttinue Brian’s adventure. (Brian’s Winter, The River, Brian Returns.)
Crystal says
Both my girls really enjoy the Fablehaven and Beyonders series by Brandon Mull. Your list had a few we haven’t tried yet. Thanks for sharing.
Evauna says
I read most of those books but not all of them. They are very good chooses for young readers.but I would add one more that us popular and many people enjoy it it’s called “The Lightning Theif” I enjoyed that book as well.?????
Evauna says
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tamara says
Might I add the Narnia series by C.S. Lewis. We are on book 6 of 7 and my 8 year old daughter is loving it. Also, anything by Beverly Cleary: Ramona, the Ralph the mouse series…. Lastly, anything by Roald Dahl and the Little House on the Prairie series. There are so many amazing ooks in this age group. Your list even suggested books I’ve never heard of. Thanks!
carly says
Aaron Blabey book series The Bad Guys 1, 2 and 3 is very funny but suited to a younger age group – around 7 years old. Thanks for this list as I had not heard of most of them! We are most looking forward to reading the Island of the Blue Dolphins. And probably the one about the little toy Indian figurine…
Samantha says
These are all great and there’s a few I want to check out! I love Because of Winn Dixie and also The Secret Life of Bees.
Lauren says
Oh my goodness, this was a big percentage of my childhood! I loved the Egypt games and many of her other books, I found her in 5th grade. Sadly, anything I recommend to my daughter is almost always a no. Stubborn kid. But! Atleast she’s reading.
Max says
Firegirl, The Wednesday War’s, and the Redwall series are amazing books. Thank you for this list.
Cindy Guerin says
Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, all of Madeleine L’Engle’s and check out her bio- was on public radio not too long ago. As a child I read all of: The Bopsey Twins, The Boxcar Children (my Grandmom’s favorites), Nancy Drew…Just picked up Where the Redfern Grows as my Grandkids will be visiting this month!!!
Christine Kuntz says
The Indian in the Cupboard was a favorite choice for reading aloud with all three of my children when they were young (two girls and a boy). Now, THEIR children are enjoying this story! This has an unexpected treasure for us.
Christine Kuntz says
This has been an unexpected treasure for us!
Bev Klassen says
“Wonder” is a book we recently read in our Book Club. It’s a must read for grade school kids. Entertaining, poignant and funny, it follows the life of a boy with a severe facial deformity who enters public school for the first time in Grade 5 – told from several perspectives, his family’s and his schoolmate’s’ and his own. An Excellent Read!
Tristan Castillo says
The Harry Potter series
Ages 11 and up
I really enjoyed them; so much that I read the whole series in 8 months, including the cursed child!
Madeline says
I love Lord of the rings, Harry potter and Narnia
Joy Ballard says
That’s a great list but one of my daughter’s favorites is Mrs. Frisby And The Rats Of NIHM
BookYap says
They are very good chooses for young readers.