As with my previous list, 51 Must-Read Picture Books, I went to great lengths to make sure it wasn’t a duplicate of every other book on the “best chapter books of all time” list. You don’t need another list to tell you that Charlotte’s Web is one of the best books ever written and that your children should read it before they grow up.
You are reading: Top children’s chapter books
My criteria for this list of must-have chapter books for kids were twofold:
- the book must not be a well-known book outside of the book-obsessed community, of which I am a full member.
- the book must appeal to children and not just their parents book snob, a group of which I am the president and founder.
- The entire list should cover a wide variety of life experiences and book genres.
Now, before you send me comments about how you might have forgotten your favorite book (I get those comments all the time, people!) remember, there’s no way to make a complete list of books, and that wasn’t it. my point. however, I think if you check out this must-read list of chapter books, your kids will have so much fun reading! (note: book titles are affiliate links).
Be sure to also visit:
51 (out of the box) must read picture books
62 essential books for families to read aloud
the index of all my book lists!
must read chapter books ages 5+
Not all children are ready to read these books at age 5, and that’s normal. And these are all must-read chapter books that kids ages 5+ will love!
More: See all of my early chapter book lists.
my happy life (series) by rose lagercrantz, illustrated by eva eriksson. a sweet and down-to-earth Swedish import about a girl who finds joy even amidst life’s setbacks.
freddie ramos takes off (series) from jaqueline jules. freddie receives a mysterious package containing shoes that grant him super-fast abilities.
bunjitsu bunny (series) by john himmelman. delightfully humorous short stories about a bunny with serious martial arts skills. mixed is a dose of philosophy.
super duper teddy (series) by johanna hurwitz. 4-year-old bear takes on some big boy responsibilities.
ellen tebbits de beverly cleary. Ellen has a new friend, Austin, but can she keep from ruining their new relationship?
emil and the great escape (series) by astrid lindgren. intelligent emil has an adventurous mood in rural sweden.
the wizard’s child by susan cooper. A wizard’s assistant gets a crash course in magic when he’s thrown into the land of stories on a journey to find St. George.
dory phantasmagoria (series) by abby hanlon. an absolutely hilarious series about a girl with an overactive imagination.
the giggle treatment by roddy doyle. The Gigglers set off a super stinky prank and it’s up to the kids and their dog to thwart it.
beans on the roof by betsy byers. Anna is on the roof writing a poem for a contest, and soon her whole family is composing poetry together.
must read chapter books ages 7+
See Also: Kathi Daley – Book Series In Order
These are some of my best chapter books every child should read, alone or even out loud! more: see all my chapter book lists
gertie’s leap from greatness by kate beasley, illustrated by jillian tamaki. Ramona and Clementine aside, there’s a brave new girl in town.
the night fairy by laura amy schlitz, illustrated by angela barrett. When a fairy loses his wings he must survive the night in a world full of danger and discovery.
year of the dog (series) by grace lin. Pacy navigates friends, school, family, and the Chinese New Year as she discovers what it means to be herself.
8 class pets + 1 squirrel ÷ 1 dog = chaos (series) by vivian vande. a laugh-out-loud story about the chaos created when a squirrel runs through an elementary school.
bless this mouse by lois lowry, illustrated by eric rohmann. At St. Bartholomew’s Church, a group of mice come up with a clever way to thwart an extermination plan.
ambrosia by avi. a charismatic mouse decides to go out and see the world.
the adventures of nanny piggins (series) by r. a. sprat an outrageously ridiculous babysitter (she’s a pig!) has some unorthodox ideas on how to raise children.
confessions of an imaginary friend: memories of jacques papier de michelle Cuevas. In this unusual, hilarious and intriguing book, the narrator discovers that he is actually an imaginary friend and must find his purpose.
the spiderwick chronicles by tony diterlizzi and holly black. three kids discover a magical field guide that changes their lives.
thanks to mr. terrupt (series) by rob buyea. Told with alternate narratives, this story follows the experience of a group of fifth graders as they learn to accept themselves and others more.
save me a seat from sarah weeks and gita varadarajan. This funny and heartwarming story of an Indian immigrant adjusting to high school and a boy who recently lost his best friend due to a move is told in alternate voices.
louise erdrich’s birch bark house. the first book in a series about a Native American family in the 19th century.
jorge by alex gino. A fifth grade girl struggles with her gender identity and how to explain it to her friends and family.
the cat that went to heaven by elizabeth coatsworth, illustrated by raoul vitale. a quiet book about a Japanese man and his cat. interspersed with poetry, the text is imbued with Buddhist teachings.
the hero’s guide to save your kingdom (series) by christopher healy. Fairy tales are turned upside down in this hilarious series where princes and princesses set out to make a name for themselves.
the rickshaw girl by mitali perkins, illustrated by jamie hogan. naima discovers a way to earn money for her family in bangladesh.
christopher paul curtis’s mighty miss malone. Brave and immensely likeable, Deza struggles through the Great Depression when she, her mother, and her brother go looking for her father after he goes missing.
the fletcher family (series) by dana alison levy. a hilarious story in which a diverse family, both in personality and ethnicity, faces the dangers of family life and school.
I love that sharon creech dog. Jack learns to express himself with the help of a sensitive teacher, his dog, and poetry.
sid fleischman’s scapegoat. A cocky prince and his scapegoat are drawn into a kidnapping plot with comic results.
under the egg of laura marx fitzgerald. Theodora wanders around New York City to solve the puzzle of a mysterious painting left for her by her grandfather.
how to eat fried worms by thomas rockwell. a classic tale of a loathsome challenge.
where the mountain meets the moon (series) by grace lin. it’s most likely on every “best book for kids” list, but most parents I talk to have never heard of it, so I feel compelled to include it!
must read chapter books ages 9+
See Also: Al-Ibaanah.com – AbdurRahman.Org
In this section of my middle grade required reading books, I’ve made sure to include some timeless classics and some more contemporary novels.more: see all my middle grade book lists
amaryllis eyes by natalie babbitt. a rather disturbing but classic story about a girl who waits with her grandmother for a message from the sea. This book will stay with her children forever.
surviving the applewhites by stephanie s. tolan. a hilarious story about a misfit theatrical family and the rebellious foster boy who comes to stay with them.
the godfather of richard peck. This author is well known for his book Far Away From Chicago, but his latest release is about a boy who learns about the men he considers to be his role models.
andrea davis pinkney’s red pencil, illustrated by shane w. evans a novel in verse about amira facing the horrors of war in sudan.
the apothecary (series) by maile meloy. an exciting and suspenseful series set during the cold war. Two friends seek to uncover the mystery surrounding an apothecary’s book.
fish in a tree by lynda mullaly hunt. Ally has a knack for hiding her inability to read, but a sensitive teacher and a diagnosis give her a fresh start.
Icefall by matthew j. Kirby Solveig and her siblings are trapped, along with the King’s Guard, a group of warriors known as the Berserkers, in a fortress during a winter storm. solveig tries to discover the traitor among them.
the rise of hope by pam muñoz ryan. A coming-of-age story in which Esperanza and her family go through tough times in Mexico during the Great Depression and immigrate to California.
lost in the sun by lisa graff. After a terrible accident, Trent suffers from guilt. An unlikely friendship with a rather mysterious girl helps keep him going.
wolf hole by lauren wolk. a compelling story. Annabelle befriends the local hermit and must stand up to the bullies to do the right thing.
shannon hale book of a thousand days. dashti, a servant to a princess locked in a tower recounts her imprisonment, correspondence with a prince, and eventual escape from him and journey to the nearby kingdom.
a single fragment of linda sue park. An absolutely captivating story set in medieval Korea about an orphan who becomes a potter’s apprentice.
as brave as you by jason reynolds. The 11-year-old genius and his brother travel from Brooklyn to rural Virginia to spend the summer with their grandparents.
not so horrible falafel from firoozeh dumas. In 1970s California, a young Iranian immigrant discovers how to be an American without rejecting her heritage. funny and touching.
out of my mind by sharon draper. an incredibly moving story about a girl who pushes the boundaries of her disability.
break stalin’s nose by eugene yelchin. a surprisingly funny story of a boy who begins to doubt the authority of the ussr in the stalin era.
a masterpiece by elise broach, illustrated by kelly murphy. an artistically talented beetle and a boy solve an artistic mystery.
The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. Ada and her younger brother Jamie escape a cruel mother when they are evacuated to the English countryside during World War II.
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other lists of books in this series:
- 51 (ready to go) must read picture books
- 62 essential books for families to read aloud (I can’t limit myself to 51 on this list!)
And if you absolutely must have a standard list of the top 100 books, you can check out this excellent list on slj, who I’d no doubt agree are also essential chapter books for kids.
See Also: 7 Private Pilot Books to Make You a Better Pilot – Thrust Flight