One thing I love about the long school breaks in November and December is seeing my kids do a lot of reading just for the pleasure of it. When the weather is cold and wet, there’s nothing better than curling up with a cozy blanket and diving into a good story.
Good stories for tweens has especially been on our minds, because Oscar has been asking for recommendations. So I polled my older kids and we came up with a list of 8 book series for tweens. We focused on series instead of individual stories, so that if he loves the first one, he can continue the adventure in book after book.
1) Harry Potter. Yes, Oscar has already read them, but re-reading them at 11 is the best. Harry is 11 and Oscar is 11 and it’s delightful to go through the adventures and really be able to relate to the social stuff and school stuff Harry is dealing with. Seven books in the main series, and then others in the Harry Potter world.
2) Series of Unfortunate Events. These books are funny and smart and somehow dark and heart-warming at the same time. Total vocabulary expanders and ridiculous in the best way. Thirteen books in the series.
3) The Mysterious Benedict Society. Three books in the series, and a new one with some back story.
4) Chronicles of Narnia. I read these as a kid and they are still just as good. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe is the most famous one, but they’re all excellent. Seven books in the series.
5) Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Sometimes silly and gross, but they do a really good job of capturing a bit of life in middle school. Fast reads with lots of comic relief. Eleven books in the series (and counting, I think).
6) The BoxCar Children. So wholesome it’s a world your kids will hardly recognize, and each one showcasing ingenuity, resourcefulness, compassion and hard work. Nineteen books in the series written by the original author, and then dozens more by subsequent authors.
7) Percy Jackson. I’ll be honest, my kids love this series way more than I do. It really seemed to capture their imaginations at 10, 11 and 12. But I kept wanting it to be as good as Harry Potter, and it wasn’t. Happily, the kids never seemed to notice until they were older. So a good series for tweens. Five books in the Olympians series, and then others in the Percy Jackson world
8) The Roald Dahl books. This is not a series, but they sit on our book shelves as if they are a series, and they certainly all have a wonderful sort of magic in them. You can even buy several of them as a collection. You’ll recognize the titles like Matilda, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, The BFG, Fantastic Mr. Fox, James and the Giant Peach, and on and on. Again, not a series, but there are about 15 children’s books from Mr. Dahl that I know of.
If you add it all up, that’s 80 books or so! Plenty to keep even voracious readers happy. Now it’s your turn: what would you add to this list? What are the favorite book series for tweens at your house?
Robin W
November 22, 2016 at 8:32 amSusan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising series. Steeped in Arthurian mythos, fantastic writing, engaging characters. True gems. Five books if I recall. I think Over Sea, Under Stone is first, but you could start with the Dark is Rising, too, and that one is set at Midwinter. A great book for the holidays. Then read the rest in order. If Oscar likes HP and Narnia, I bet he would love them. My 7th grade teacher read Over Sea, Under Stone aloud to our class. I treasure that memory. The writing is truly great ; makes HP look like Percy Jackson ;-)
Design Mom
November 22, 2016 at 10:42 am“The writing is truly great ; makes HP look like Percy Jackson ;-)”
Made me laugh! Also. I love hearing that. Can’t wait to check out the series.
Emily Musso
November 23, 2016 at 7:08 pmThis was the first one that came to mind–I’ve loved this series always.
Susan
November 22, 2016 at 8:56 amTuesdays at the Castle series – Jessica Day George
Gregor the Overlander (Underland Chronicles) – Suzanne Collins
The Thief (Queen’s Thief series) – Megan Whalen Turner
The Ranger’s Apprentice series – John Flanagan
Nanny Piggins – R. A. Spratt
The Penderwicks – Jeanne Birdsall
Each Little Bird that Sings/Love Ruby Lavendar/The Aurora County All-Stars – Deborah Wiles
The Saturdays (Melendy quartet)- Elizabeth Enright
Design Mom
November 22, 2016 at 10:44 amA long list! I love it! And I’ve only heard of a few of these. Thank you!
Rebecca Price
November 22, 2016 at 1:05 pmAn enthusiastic thumbs up for the Melendy quartet books, and most especially the Penderwicks. There are 4 books in the series, and they are forever books for my girls.
jessie scanlon
November 30, 2016 at 10:37 amRebecca Price — Birdsall is writing a fifth that will be out next year!
Janelle Thietje-Dunn
November 22, 2016 at 9:14 amThe Warriors by Erin Hunter
The Land of Elyon series by Patrick Carman
The Ranger’s Apprentice by John Flanagan
Redwall by Brian Jaques
Fablehaven by Brandon Mull
I agree with Tuesdays at the Castle – strong young woman heroine as is Elyon listed above. For another, read Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George
Design Mom
November 22, 2016 at 10:44 amGood to know! I’m always happy to add books with strong female characters to our collection.
Beth
November 22, 2016 at 9:19 amI love their picks- so great! Based on those choices, I’d also recommend the Charlie Bone books (aka Children of the Red King series). I’ve read at least the first three or four, and I think there are 8 now.
Design Mom
November 22, 2016 at 10:41 amCharlie Bone! How could I forget. Maude was so into the series, but I don’t think my others kids ever tried it.
Emily Maxwell
November 22, 2016 at 9:24 amThe Septimus Heap series – starting with Magyk. My 12-year old just finished the final seventh book – reading all 703 pages in 2 days. I guess that would be a good indication that it was a great series!
Design Mom
November 22, 2016 at 10:43 am703 pages in 2 days is epic!
Rachel Kaylynn
November 22, 2016 at 10:10 amOur children really enjoy the Wingfeather Saga, the Prydain Chronicles, Septimus Heap, and Artemis Fowl.
Design Mom
November 22, 2016 at 10:39 amThank you, Rachel! Loving all these recommendations. So many I’m unfamiliar with.
Mary
November 22, 2016 at 10:57 amLoving all these recommendations! My 10-year-old loves HP and Percy Jackson and has been searching for new series to love – I think he will find a couple under the tree this year to try. Thanks!
Paige
November 22, 2016 at 11:42 amYou have a lot of my favorites in this list! I loved Harry Potter and the Rolad Dahl books, and I remember my brother tearing through the Percy Jackson books! I’ll have to check out the others on this list too!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Katy
November 22, 2016 at 11:56 amI just bought my kid Madeline L’Engle’s “A Wrinkle in Time.” I am hoping he loves the series as much as I did. My kids love Diary of a Wimpy kid but I have to admit I am SO OVER them. Greg is not very nice to his friends (but that’s a good thing for us to discuss together :)).
Heidi
November 22, 2016 at 12:17 pmI have never been able to get into Roald Dahl! A series I love is the Chasing Vermeer series by Blue Balliet. I read it to my middle school classes and they loved it too. They based around different artists, set in Chicago, and are nerdy fun!
Design Mom
November 22, 2016 at 10:09 pmIt happens. Though I tried many times, I’ve never been able to get into Hemingway. : ) Sometimes I just can’t seem to connect with an author.
David V Stuart
November 22, 2016 at 12:35 pmThese are the favorites from my childhood–some oldies but goodies. Might be a little juvenile for older tweens, but younger ones will still enjoy them.
Freddy the Pig series – Walter Brooks
Doctor Doolittle series – Hugh Lofting
Magic Tales series – Edward Eager
Mary Poppins – P. L. Travers
se7en
November 22, 2016 at 12:44 pmI’m with Robin W. , The Dark is Rising is my favourite series ever, I read it first when I was eleven. I have been reading it with my kids over this past few months. It starts with Over Sea and Under Stone, which is fabulous and then it literally takes off in the Dark is Rising… Will is the seventh son of a seventh son and on his eleventh birthday he discovers he has incredible powers and that his whole life has been building up to this special time. Pure magical mystery in the English countryside. Otherwise, here’s a link to a post we wrote a while back with Bazillions of Brilliant Chapter Books: http://www.se7en.org.za/2011/04/15/se7en-of-the-best-bazillion-chapter-books-a-book-bonanza
Chrissy
November 22, 2016 at 1:16 pmI love all the suggestions here. I am surprised to see His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman hasn’t been mentioned yet. A truly amazing trilogy featuring a strong female character.
Design Mom
November 22, 2016 at 10:10 pmThanks for mentioning it!
Mrs. A
November 22, 2016 at 2:05 pmOh my gosh, I would have listed all of these (except for Percy Jackson, which we haven’t yet tried).
I would also add to the list the How to Train Your Dragon books. VERY different from the movie and TV series. Kind of a mix between Harry Potter and Wimpy Kid series. Very much the odd-boy-out who has good friends and good morals, and works hard and saves the day. My now 9-year-old son loved the scribbly drawings, and the Dragonese vocabulary dictionary. What kid wouldn’t love how to say “You have stinky breath” in Dragonese?
Here’s a quote which sums up the series:
“However small we are, we should always fight for what we believe to be right. And I don’t mean fight with the power of our fists or the power of our swords…I mean the power of our brains and our thoughts and our dreams.”
Rachael
November 22, 2016 at 2:23 pmI have a huge long list posted on my blog here (http://theirchronicles.blogspot.com/2015/06/chapter-books-for-elementary-aged.html), but a few quick favorites my 11 and 9-yr-old are loving these days–Anne of Green Gables, Fablehaven series, Enchanted Forest Chronicles, the Dark is Rising, and the Chronicles of Prydain. And they just finished Lord of the Rings and so we are happily binge-watching the films. :-)
Design Mom
November 22, 2016 at 10:11 pmAnne of Green Gables is pure delight. I should reread them every year just for the happiness factor it would bring to my life.
Anna
November 22, 2016 at 2:41 pmGood list, thank you! We’ve read them all except for the Boxcar series. However, we couldn’t finish the Series of Unfortunate Events books because they were just too repetitive. We got to book six but perhaps we stopped too soon?
Angela parrish
November 22, 2016 at 3:09 pmCan you do a follow up post to this on TEEN titles? I love that your blog crosses into big kid land. MY 13 yr old is a hUGE reader and Is now venturing into adult titles – and the thrill of reading non tween books. Any input?
Design Mom
November 22, 2016 at 10:07 pmGreat idea. Though I feel like the post will need to come with a warning, because teen books tend to cover some really hard stuff. Like, my kids devoured the John Green books but they tackle a lot of grown up topics.
MTLee
November 22, 2016 at 3:22 pmThis is great! I am a huge reader but my kids are somewhat reluctant readers and it’s driving me crazy. I am constantly looking for chapter books to read to them (and for them to start reading).
Any suggestions for a girl that isn’t into fantasy/magic type stories? She loves animals and loves all the Dork Diaries (girl-centric Wimpy Kid series) and devours Ronald Dahl. I love fantasy, but she has no interest in Harry Potter (sad face). I’m at a loss!
Jen
November 22, 2016 at 6:35 pmHas she tried graphic novels yet? My daughter loved Ghosts (and the others by Raina Telgemeier), as well as Roller Girl (Jamieson) and Awkward (Chmakova). She’s also started to get into the original Nancy Drew series. We both really liked The War That Saved My Life (and so did her friends), but her very favorite book is Wonder by R.J. Palacio and its sequel. They’re incredibly good. Finally: Maybe try the audiobooks of Harry Potter narrated by Jim Dale? That’s what got my daughter hooked on them. He somehow makes them even better. Good luck!
Grace
November 22, 2016 at 9:09 pmIf she loves animals she would probably be super into Warriors, which is a book series about four clans of wild cats–Thunder, Shadow, Wind, and River (and eventually Sky). One of the main cats is named Brambleclaw…I mean, so fun!
Also I grew up reading the Redwall series which for me takes the cake when it comes to animal novels and the like.
Alexandra
November 22, 2016 at 4:17 pmAwesome, so many ideas, thank you to all the commenters (my son is 11 and has read all of the books recommended in the post). We love books!
Karen D
November 22, 2016 at 4:26 pmI second the idea of posting book ideas for teens. Both of my boys love to read but we seem to have a harder time finding book ideas now that they’ve outgrown Percy Jackson and Harry Potter.
Simone B
November 22, 2016 at 5:15 pmThe Treehouse Collection (39 story treehouse, 13th story treehouse etc)
Magic Faraway Tree or anything Enid Blyton
The Flying Orchestra
Lockie Leonard series by Tim Winton
Tomorrow when the war began series (more for teens)
or just anything written by Morris Gleitzman and Paul Jennings
Simone B
November 22, 2016 at 5:39 pmand just remembered a big favourite in our house
The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa maybe more for 13+ but definitely fabulous
Design Mom
November 22, 2016 at 10:05 pmOh! So many good recommendations. Thank you, Simone!
Allison
November 22, 2016 at 6:41 pmThe Flavia de Luce novels by Alan Bradley were originally aimed at adults (and I and many in my family enjoy them) but older preteens might enjoy them too. Rich vocabulary. They feature an 11-year-old female chemist who solves mysteries in 1950s England. Fun!
Design Mom
November 22, 2016 at 10:04 pmAn 11-year-old female chemist who solves mysteries in 1950s England? Count me in, please.
Jen
November 22, 2016 at 6:46 pmThis is a good list: http://gretchenrubin.com/happiness_project/2016/10/great-books-childrens-young-adult-literature-favorites/
Design Mom
November 22, 2016 at 10:03 pmThanks for the link, Jen!
Grace
November 22, 2016 at 9:00 pmHarry Potter reigns supreme for me even to this day! My senior year of high school was Harry’s “last year” at Hogwarts. Characters I will always feel I grew up with.
I’d have to say my second favorite series though is “The Time Quintet” by Madeleine L’Engle starting with “A Wrinkle in Time.” My absolute favorite out of the series is “Many Waters,” which is the twins Sandy and Dennys’ adventure. I started reading them in 4th grade, but they are SO good and hold up to this very day as an all time favorite book series. Happy reading, Oscar!
Design Mom
November 22, 2016 at 10:03 pmWell I’m embarrassed. I’m only familiar with A Wrinkle in Time. I didn’t realize it was a series!
Alison Way
November 23, 2016 at 4:45 pmL’Engle’s adult books are also wonderful. They deal with death of a parent, being married, being a parent….
Alison Way
November 23, 2016 at 4:50 pmThese are worth re-reading every few years.
A Circle of Quiet
The Irrational Season
The Summer of the Great-Grandmother
Two-Part Invention: The Story of a Marriage
Meredith Simpson
November 22, 2016 at 9:29 pmMy daughter fell in love with the Theodore Boone: Kid Detective series by John Grisham. There are 4 or so books in the series and my daughter that struggles with the fantasy genres that appealed to her older sister (Harry, etc) found she truly loved this series. It got her to read and actually enjoy it. She is 12 now but read her first one at 10.
Design Mom
November 22, 2016 at 10:02 pmWhaaa? John Grisham has a series for kids? I had no idea.
Susan Magnolia
November 23, 2016 at 1:03 amHave you seen the fantasy chapter books by Grace Lin? I have heard they are wonderful. The first in the series is called Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and there are currently 3 books.
Autumn
November 23, 2016 at 10:07 amThank you for all the suggestions! My 10 year old and I have read the City of Ember series for our Mother Son Bookclub and we both enjoyed them! There are 4 books in the series. Its an interesting concept set in the future in a post apocalyptic-ish world with two 13 year old heros
Cate
November 23, 2016 at 2:28 pmLooking forward to checking out some of these suggestions out for my HP-obsessed daughter. She is reluctant to move on from reading, re-reading, and re-re-reading the series :-)
A couple of others that were hits for my son when he was younger:
– French author Guillaum Prevost’s The Book of Time trilogy
– Stephen Hawking’s trilogy
(1. George’s Secret Key to the Universe 2. George and the Big Bang 3. George’s Cosmic Treasure Hunt)
Andrea B.
November 23, 2016 at 5:17 pmI never thought I’d find a series that I’d love as much as Harry Potter, but then my 9 year old son and I read the Gregor the Overland series by Susanne Collins (who went on to write the Hunger Games series). A story told in 5 books of a boy (around age 11) who discovers a underground world populated by humans, huge rats, bats and cockroaches, Collins covers many of the same themes as the Hunger Games but in a manner totally appropriate for a younger audience. I was truly sad when we finished the last book! My daughter also has read the Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan to the point where the books are falling apart. Told in alternating chapters by brother and sister who are Egyptian demigods, the girl gets an equal voice as as the boy which my daughter appreciated.
Molly
November 23, 2016 at 6:45 pmWe enjoyed The Search for Wondla trilogy. Don’t think I saw those mentioned yet.
Jennifer
November 23, 2016 at 9:40 pmMy 11 year old son is currently devouring the Keeper of the Lost Cities series by Shannon Messenger. Perfect for kids who love fantasy.
Laurie
November 23, 2016 at 10:01 pmGabrielle- love the wooden storage cubes used to create bookcases in the photo. Source, if you would please share?
Happy Thanksgiving!
Design Mom
November 24, 2016 at 2:01 pmHi Laurie! We made them (well, had them made). You can see the DIY here.
LeafyNell
November 23, 2016 at 11:18 pmMy favorite series at that age were The Great Brain by JD Fitzgerald and Mrs. Pigglewiggle by Betty MacDonald
Kylie Pattman
November 24, 2016 at 4:22 amMy 10 year old book loving son is currently devouring the ‘Wings of Fire’ series….dragon fantasy. He also loved ‘The Emerald Atlas’ and is keen to get onto book no 2. Thanks for the other great suggestions.
Jane Wildman
November 24, 2016 at 2:46 pmThe Unwanteds series by Lisa McMann. There are a total of seven books that my 10 and 12 year old girls love. Kind of a mix of the themes in The Giver and Harry Potter. The author has a new series coming out in the spring based on two of the characters in the Unwanteds series as well that my kids can hardly wait for.
Our boys loved the Rangers Apprentice series. A few of their friends started borrowing them and blazed through the series as well.
The Penderwicks are an absolute delight.
The Little House on the Prairie books.
Wonder by R. J. Palacio. Not a series exactly but there are two main books that go together. So good!
My ten year old loves The Land of Stories series by Chris Colfer.
So great to see others’ recommendations.
Kathryn Sprowl
November 24, 2016 at 9:19 pmNice list for teens. Could you do a list for teens? I want to get a book for my 16 year old nephew for Christmas and at a loss of what kids that age are into these days.
Christina
November 26, 2016 at 11:49 amYes to so many you mentioned, and here are a few more that are just so good…
Redwall series
Warriors
The Great Brain series
The Lord of the Ring Trilogy along with his other books.
Marc Walker
November 26, 2016 at 5:05 pmThis is right down my alley. Both my boys are voracious readers.
I see someone beat me to it, but I wanted to recommend Chris Colfer’s Land of Stories series. My 11 year old son read them as fast as I could buy them.
Also wanted to mention Carl Hiaasen’s books for younger readers. Hoot, Flush, Chomp, etc. I’ve always enjoyed his sense of humor.
Thanks for this post.
Darcy Draeger
November 27, 2016 at 7:38 amThe Enola Holmes Mysteries series by Nancy Springer is a pure delight! Set in Victorian England in 1889, Enola is the much younger sister of Sherlock Holmes. After their mother disappears, Enola runs away to London to avoid being sent to boarding school and ends up becoming quite a talented detective herself. Filled with wonderful vocabulary and period detail, as well as simple cryptography and codes you can do yourself. We just finished the sixth and last book and long for more.
Arina
November 27, 2016 at 3:25 pmI very like Chronicles of Narnia. Cause i think the story tell how to important of family and friendship.
Christina
December 9, 2016 at 11:39 amDiana Wynne Jones’s Chrestomanci series (7 books) and her 3 book series involving Howl (starting with Howl’s Moving Castle, which is quite different from the movie they made based on it) are wonderful reads, very well written and sure to appeal to any Harry Potter fans. My 9-year-old and I started on the Howl series at bedtime in the spring because I got a deal on the 3 book ebook, and then sought out the Chrestomanci series because we were bereft that there weren’t more Howl books. We just finished the Chrestomanci series and want to explore more of her work.
MPR
December 19, 2016 at 5:51 amI would also highly recommend the My Side of the Mountain Trilogy (My Side of the Mountain / On the Far Side of the Mountain / Frightful’s Mountain) by Jean Craighead George. The main character leaves home to lighten the load on his family (just a device for starting the story really) and lives in a hollowed out tree. It talks about how he finds food, interacts with the animals and tames a hawk. His tree home is one we all wished we could try out! My boys and girls all really loved this series.
mobogenie
February 10, 2017 at 11:34 pmLooking forward to checking out some of these suggestions out for my HP-obsessed daughter. She is reluctant to move on from reading, re-reading, and re-re-reading the series :-)
Michele Perry
June 20, 2017 at 2:50 amGreat book selection – as a Children’s Book Editor, I totally agree with these fantastic books for tweens.