With three of my kids falling in the age range of 6 to 14, I’m always on the look-out for great books for them to read for home school, in their free time, and for me to read to them. With summer upon us, I’m especially anxious to have an arsenal of unread books that they’re sure to love. In the past, I shared with you one of their favorite reading motivators…a little activity we do to give them a little extra incentive to choose books over video games. See this post: Motivating Kids to Read. I’ve also featured a great post with lots of book ideas for the younger kids: 100 Great Books for Summer Reading. Anyway, in my quest for great books for older kids, I read lots and lots of reviews, and of course asked my trusty Facebook friends. Thanks for all your help, ladies! I think I’ve got a great of books for older kids list now and I’m excited to check out lots of these.
100 great books for older kids, ages 6 to 14:
Series of Unfortunate Events
Emily Windsnap
Captain Underpants
Magic Treehouse
Boxcar Children
Ivy & Bean
American Girl History Mysteries
Choose Your Own Adventure
My Life As
Narnia
39 Clues
Infinity Ring
The Underland Chronicles
Junie B. Jones
Peter and the Starcatchers
Encyclopedia Brown
Ready Freddy
The BFG
Bobbsey Twins
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Goosebumps
Hatchet
The Hardy Boys
Nancy Drew
Judy Moody
Tuesdays at the Castle
Amelia Bedilia
Hank the Cowdog
The Witches
Harry Potter
A Wrinkle in Time
Castle in the Attic
Matilda
Indian in the Cupboard
Wait till Helen Comes
Redwall
Wereworld
Watership Down
The Golden Compass
Big Nate
Ook and Gluk
Fablehaven
I Survived
Twelve Dancing Princesses
Little House
Twig
Geronimo Stilton
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing
The Hobbit
James and the Giant Peach
The Three Investigators
Bad Kitty
The Twits
Fablehaven
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase
Sisters Grimm Fairy Tale Detectives
Percy Jackson & Olympian
Charlotte’s Web
Ramona
The Babysitters Club
Martins Mice
Julie of the Wolves
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
Dragon Slippers
My Weird School Daze
Beyonders
Heroes of Olympus
Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians
Mysterious Benedict Society
The Westing Game
The Great Brain
The Doll People
Grandma’s Attic
The Mandie Collection
Five Little Peppers and How they Grew
Harris and Me
Mary, Bloody Mary
Beware Princess Elizabeth
Red Sails to Capri
The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Runaway Twin
A Crooked Kind of Perfect
The Lemonade War
The One and Only Ivan
The Candymakers
Wonder
11 Birthdays
Confectionately Yours
Middle School
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda
Bunnicula
Island of the Blue Dolphin
Shiloh
Hoot
The Giver
Holes
Wayside School
There’s a Boy in the Girl’s Bathroom
Because of Mr. Terupt
Brixton Brothers
If you loved this list of books for older kids, check these out, too:
30 Books to Read Out Loud to Older Kids
We’ve read a lot of the books you have listed but there are some I’ll have to check out. We’re currently reading Wonder. Thanks for sharing this good list!
You bet! I’m curious about that Wonder book. It got amazing reviews, and I had never heard about it. I’ll be checking it out, for sure. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, i am going too be 11, i have a Judy Bloom book that has been my fave for years, are you there god it is me Marget
Emma, thanks so much for sharing your favorite book with us!!
My daughters can be found with their noses buried in a book more often than not, so I’m always in search of new reading material for them. It’s become quite a challenge, though, to find books that challenge their reading level and yet still contain material appropriate to their age. I have to say that I’m quite shocked at much of what you’ve included in your recommended list here. While there are indeed some good ones on the list, there are also a good many that are rampant with questionable morality and/or promote rude and obnoxious behavior. These are definitely NOT what I want my impressionable 9- and 10-year-old daughters reading.
Please share some of your thoughts on the books! As I said in the post, I haven’t read all of these yet. These are books that have been suggested to me from many, many other mothers with kids in that age group. Some of them are books my kids have read and loved, and others are based on reviews. If you want to KINDLY share some insight on any book specifically, feel free. It could be helpful to hear another point of view, despite some mothers feeling it’s a great book.
Some of these books do have children and people who act in a not swell way. I have read most of these books and have found that in the books with the negative behavior there is a lesson learned. The people behaving that way never get what they want, and negative things usually happen to them in return. They are lessons on the right behavior being rewarded and the negative behavior being punished. I think the book list should stay the same. Instead of shielding children from these books (which is a choice) , I believe it is healthier that they learn a lesson from them.
Agreed! I think in most cases a lesson is taught in the book and it also can lead to a great family discussion. And, also I think sometimes it’s fun to read complete nonsense books, along with educational or award winning ones. Reading is awesome! Thanks for the comment, Tina!
Okay this is right up my alley, thank you!! My kids are 10 and 8 and 6, perfect!!
Oh, good! Thanks girls!!
My teen wants you to know you’re missing Warriors and The Owls of Ga’houl! Otherwise, she likes your list (many books she has read and loves) and is looking forward to reading several on here. Pinning, thank you!
Oh, nice! I’ll look that one up. There were sooooo many books that looked neat, I could have easily got carried away and gone well over the 100 mark!
We’ve read a lot of these. Just to add, my 11-year old has read Ruby Holler 3x this year! She loves it!
Haven’t heard of that one. Thanks for the suggestion, Carin!
Such a great list. I’ve read many of them but are going to add some of them to my to read list – I love reading Juvenile Fiction. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for coming by, Leigh Anne!!
What a fabulous list of books! We are huge readers at our house and we have several on this list. There are more that I need to go get. I’m thinking a trip to the library is in order 🙂 Krista @ A Handful of Everything
Thanks, Krista!
I love how many “classics” you have included, though many of them were “new” when I was a child. Reading “Little Women” changed my life! It was the first “long” chapter book I read and I was so proud of myself.
You know, I don’t think I ever actually read Little Women. Sad! I’ll have to put that on m list.
I run an elementary school (K-5) library, and I was excited to see your list. We have many of these books, but there are a few I’m not familiar with. I’ll be printing your list and sharing it with my kiddos – thanks so much!
Oh, neat! Glad I could be helpful to you!
My oldest is only 4, but it’s never too early to add some books to the bookshelf! I was such a bookworm as a kid and already see the “book bug” in my son – it’s awesome. This is a great list – pinning right now. 🙂 Found this post at A Round Tuit. Have a good week!
Fabulous ideas, Mariel! I will use this list for summer… Thank you so much for coming to share at Super Saturday Show & Tell! I’d love to have you come and share again today http://www.whatscookingwithruthie.com Have a great weekend! xoxo~ Ruthie
‘Hero of Lesser Causes’ and ‘Adam & Eve & Pinch-Me’, both by Julie Johnston are excellent books that would be more suitable for kids at the upper end of 6-14. ‘Mick Harte Was Here’ is great too and can be appreciated by younger kids as well. Enid Blyton is a British author who has written hundreds of books for children of all ages, and many of these books are quite good, even if they are considered one-dimensional today. Richmal Crompton’s ‘William’ books are also hilarious.
Great books on this list 🙂 I used to love the Pixie Tricks series when I was in elementary school!
Wish my boys had been readers but alas no 🙁 . They each had a series in middle they liked and our middle son got into the “Dark Elf Series” by R A Salvatore in high school. I’m the only voracious reader in the family and I’ve read many of the ones on your list as a kid and as an adult.
Great list of books, fablehaven was listed twice.
Good catch, thanks! Do you have a great suggestion to take it’s place??