Good Reads For Kids

Looking for a great summer reading escape? This list of books has something for everyone. We've broken them down by age group, so you can find age-appropriate titles.

Read one, or read ‘em all – post your thoughts in the comments. Or, if we missed your favorite book, tell us in the comments!

Great Advanced Reads for Tweens and Teens, 11-up

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
A thrilling reading experience which combines fantasy with haunting vintage photography. Find out what happens when 16-year old Jacob discovers the ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.

The Lost Hero (Heroes of Olympus series) by Rick Riordan
After rebuilding Camp Half-Blood, Kronos, Percy and their friends inherit a quest for which they need help from a few demigods.

Matched by Ally Condie
What happens when Cassia has to choose between her ideal mate, Xander and Ky, the boy she’s actually interested in? Will she live within the system or challenge its rules?

Witch & Wizard (Witch & Wizard series) By James Patterson
Siblings Wisty and Whit need to defend themselves against accusations of witchcraft, fight against a regime that wants to suppress life, liberty, books and music…..all while navigating the perils of being a normal teenager.

Holes by Louis Sachar
When Stanley Yelnats is given a choice between prison and Camp Green Lake, he readily chooses the easy option. But Camp Green Lake is not what it seems…

Masterpiece by Elise Broach, Illustrated by Kelly Murphy
New York City kid James and his beetle friend, Marvin get caught up in a staged art heist at the Metropolitan Museum of Art that could help recover a famous drawing by Albrecht Dürer.

Anya’s Ghost By Vera Brosgol
Anya believes that she needs a friend in her life. And she finds one in the bottom of a well. But what do you do when your new BFF is actually a ghost?

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
11-year old Delphine has it all together. But one crazy summer in 1968 with her mother threatens to change everything.

When You Reach Me By Rebecca Stead
Miranda receives four letters that will change her life forever.

To Kill a Mockingbird By Harper Lee
A beloved classic that tells the story of one of the most heroic protagonists in American fiction – Atticus Finch.

Looking for Alaska by John Green
Sixteen-year old Miles leaves his uneventful life behind in pursuit of the “Great Perhaps”.

Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon By Catherine Thimmesh
Read the story of the team that contributed to the success of the first ever lunar mission.

How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous by Georgia Bragg
The deaths of 19 famous people, told in gory and sardonic detail.

Extra Credit

THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusack
The story of Liesel Meminger, who discovers books and her passion for reading against the backdrop of World War II.

SEABISCUIT by Laura Hillenbrand
The extraordinary novel based on the equally extraordinary true story of the horse that won against all the odds.

UNBROKEN by Laura Hillenbrand
A World War II airman uses ingenuity, determination, humor and resilience to survive in the open ocean after a doomed flight.


Summer Reading Lists for Kids Ages 8-12

Dead End in Norvelt By Jack Gantos
Two months of being grounded during summer vacation change Jack Gantos’ life forever. Especially since it involves the mysterious chore of typing obituaries for his intriguing neighbor.

Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to Not Reading By Tommy Greenwald
What happens when Charlie Joe Jackson, the most reluctant reader EVER has to actually read a book?

Big Nate in a Class by Himself (Big Nate series) By Lincoln Peirce
Things don’t always go your way just because you’re awesome.

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda By Tom Angleberger
Dwight is a clueless boy with a prescient Yoda hand-puppet. His classmate Tommy is mystified.

Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life (Middle School series) by James Patterson
Middle school student Rafe Khatchadorian decides to break every rule in the school’s Code of Conduct. But what happens when things don’t go as planned?

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Wimpy Kid series) By Jeff Kinney
Read Greg Heffley’s diary detailing trials and tribulations from middle school.

Bud Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
Bud, a motherless boy on the run, is armed with his suitcase of secret, important things, his book with instructions on having a fun life and being a better liar and clues to find his father. Nothing is going to come in Bud’s way – not hunger, fear or vampires.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret By Brian Selznick
This book weaves prose and illustrations beautifully to tell the story of Parisian orphan, clock keeper and petty thief Hugo.

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
Orphan Jeffrey Lionel “Maniac” Magee decides to run away from his unhappy aunt and uncle. And then he decides just to run.

Wonder By R.J. Palacio
A facial deformity prevented August Pullman from going to a regular school. He craves an ordinary life when he joins Beecher Prep. as a fifth grader. But he soon learns that you can’t blend in when you were meant to stand out.

Eragon (Inheritance Cycle series) by Christopher Paolini
Can farm boy turned dragon rider Eragon and blue stone turned dragon Saphira join forces to save the world?

Gregor The Overlander (Underland Chronicles series) By Suzanne Collins
What happens when New Yorker Gregor falls through the grate in his apartments and enter the strange world of the Underland?

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone By  J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter enters the world of magic and realizes his destiny.  
                                                                      
The Westing Game By Ellen Raskin
This intricately plotted story has 16 people who could become millionaires if they can play the tricky and dangerous Westing game.

A Wrinkle in Time By Madeline L’engle
Meg Murray, her little brother Charles Wallace and their friend Calvin travel through space and time to find Meg and Charles’ father.

Guinness: World Records 2012 by Guinness World Records
Read about extraordinary, interesting daredevils who want to push the limits and their record- breaking feats.

National Geographic Kids Almanac 2012 by National Geographic Kids
Learning about your world and everything in it was never so much fun!

Ripley’s Believe It Or Not: Special Edition 2012 By Ripley’s Inc.
Read about the bizarre, the hilarious and the incredible in this fun collection!

Summer Reading Lists for Kids Ages 6-9

Pirate vs. Pirate: The Terrific Tale of a Big, Blustery Maritime Match by Mary Quattlebaum
The biggest boy pirate and the maddest girl pirate face-off in a series of competitions and then find themselves falling in love!

Bad Kitty Gets a Bath (Bad Kitty series) by Nick Bruel
When you give a bath to Bad Kitty, you need, among other things,  soap, a towel and a suit of  armor.

Amelia Bedelia By Peggy Parish; illustrated by Fritz Siebel
Learn and laugh over housekeeper Amelia Bedelia’s attempts to understand her employer’s instructions. Don’t be surprised if she gets her sketchbook out to draw a picture of the drapes when her employer asks her to “draw the drapes”!

Grin and Bear It by Leo Landry
Bear wants to be a comedian so bad and his jokes are funny too – but will his stage fright hold him back?

The Houdini Box By Brian Selznick
Victor meets his idol – Harry Houdini – who gives Victor a mysterious box as the answer to all his questions.

Scooter in the Outside by Anne Bowen, illustrated by Abby Carter
Scooter loves the outside. So one day when he sees the door ajar, he goes out all by himself. But the outside can be a scary place.

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith             
Popular fairy tells retold in a hilarious spoof of the fairy tale genre.     
           
The Stories Julian Tells by Ann Cameron
Read about the adventures of  Julian Bates, his little brother Huey and his best friend Gloria.

The Talented Clementine (Clementine series) By Sara Pennypacker, Illustrated by Marla Frazee
Third grader Clementine was doing just fine till her teacher announced a talent show. Clementine is in a state of panic because she thinks she doesn’t have a talent. Find out how her unexpected talent surprises everyone including herself.

Adventures in Cartooning: How to Turn Your Doodles into Comics By James Sturm, Andrew Arnold, and Alexis Frederick-Frost
You know you have fun when you read comics – now have fun making them too!

Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman by Marc Tyler Nobleman
The extraordinary story of two ordinary boys who created Superman.

Summer Reading Lists for Preschoolers and Kids Ages 2-7

Shark vs. Train by Chris Barton, Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld
Who do you think will win, Shark or Train?

Blackout By John Rocco  
A summer blackout can actually be a great party!

Dog and Bear: Two Friends, Three Stories By Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Read about the adventures of best friends, Dog and Bear.

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems
What happens when a pigeon volunteers to drive a bus? An engaging story in question and answer format where you can decide his fate.

Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen
Turns out that an ordinary box with ordinary yarn isn’t ordinary at all.

No, David! By David Shannon
What happens when little David does everything that his mother tells him not to do?

Caps for Sale By Esphyr Slobodkina
A timeless classic about the ways in which a peddler tries to outwit a band of monkeys.

Doctor De Soto By William Steig   
Doctor De Soto is a great dentist and treats only gentle animals. But what happens when the fox has a toothache? Will kindhearted Doctor De Soto turn him away?  
                                                                                   
Horton Hatches the Egg By Dr. Seuss
The whole jungle is talking about Horton the elephant, who’s just hatched an egg.

The ReadKiddoRead program features bestselling author James Patterson’s picks for the summer. Find reviews of these books and more in the Illustrated Reads section of ReadKiddoRead.com.