book report for 9 year old

Guided Book Report for Kids- Printable Template

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Is it book report time?  It’s always nice to have an easy way to do book reports with your kids. In this post I have a printable guided book report for you!  This is a fun and colorful book report template in a few different styles.

This Guided Book Report is great for elementary aged kids. It has 6 pages. The first two pages are for younger elementary-aged kids, the second set of pages are for upper elementary aged kids, and the last set of pages are for kids to use to take notes on the book as they are reading it.

These guided book report templates are perfect for teaching study skills and note taking in preparation for writing the book report.

I am curious, for my homeschooling parents, do you give your homeschooled kids book reports?  I have from time to time and I think it is a good accountability opportunity for them. I do not always have my kids do book reports on the books they read, though.  They read way too many books!

You can read some of my thoughts about reading in the post on the the Importance of Reading to Kids .

Need help encouraging your kids to read?  Try our 12-Month Reading Challenge , or our Summer Reading Challenge .

Want something a little more basic, and with no colors or characters not hem?  Also check out my Elementary Level Book Report Template post.

Need ideas for what books to read with your kids/students?

Check Out Some of Our Favorite Book Posts:

Must Read Classic Books for Kids

Best Books for Tween Boys

Best Books for Tween Girls

Newbery Medal Book List

How to Find Clean Books for Kids to Read

How to Print the Elementary Guided Book Report

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How to Write a Book Report (+ a FREE Step-by-Step Printable for Your Kids)

Just so you know, this post contains affiliate links. That means if you use them to make a purchase, I may earn a commission. You can read my full affiliate disclosure  HERE .

We read a lot of books (homeschool moms, can you relate?). Right now, we are reading the Harry Potter series together as a family, and as my kids have grown, it’s been fun to see them become more interested in reading for fun. As part of our homeschooling this year, we have been learning how to write a book report, which has been a great way for me to evaluate how well my kids are understanding what they read.

My son is in 3rd grade this year and recently had a book report as one of his assignments in English. While there were a couple of steps given to him, he struggled with the process and actually putting the book report together. So I decided to create a step-by-step book report printable to help him learn how to write a book report.

I hope these printables will be a big help to your kids, too! They will walk your kids through the steps of organizing their book report, writing a draft, revising and proofreading, and writing a final copy. Plus, I’ve included a rubric for you that you can use to give helpful feedback if you’d like.

Not only will this template help your kids learn how to write a book report, but they will be fun to add to your homeschool portfolio and look back on in the future.

Why Should You Use Book Reports in Your Homeschool?

Writing a book report or using an organizer to respond to what they have read is a great way to help your kids with their reading comprehension . It’s also fun to see their unique writing styles come to light and learn what they think about the books they have read.

Plus, I have found that incorporating book reports into our homeschool is a fun way for my kids to practice their writing skills because they get to write about a book they have loved. My son doesn’t necessarily love to write, so making the writing topic interesting is really important in our current season.

They also will obviously get to practice their handwriting, and you can include an oral presentation component if you’d like to as well!

Teach Your Kids How to Write a Book Report

A book report is just what it sounds like – a detailed report your kids will write after reading a book. In the report, they will give a summary of the book and share some of the important plot points, as well as share their opinion of the book.

When my son first attempted to do his book report from his English assignment, he struggled with what to write, and how to pull it all together in one cohesive report. I wanted to really lay out the process for him, to break it down into manageable steps .

If your child is new to writing book reports, I would recommend doing the first one together . Choose a book you have been reading aloud as a family (or a new one to read together), so you can then walk through the template and process with them.

If you are reading the book together, model how to take notes of important characters and plot points as you read . These notes will be great to reference later when writing the report.

Once you are finished reading and taking notes, grab your book report template and work through the process of putting together the report ( this printable makes it so easy! ).

My Book Report Template for Kids

There are many options out there with ideas for creative and different styles of book reports (I love these ideas from We Are Teachers), but if you are looking for a simple way for your elementary-aged student to organize their thoughts into a basic book report, these are for you.

The pages include:

• 2 Book Report Planning Pages where your kids will organize their thoughts about the main characters, important plot events, and what they learned and liked about the book. They will also have space to draw out their favorite scene from the story.
• First Draft Pages where they will write a rough draft. These sheets also include checklists that will walk them through the revision and proofreading process.
• My Book Report Pages where your kids will write their final copy of their book report.
• Book Report Rubric which is a sheet you can use to offer comments and suggestions on their work, if desired.
• Reading Log page that your kids can use to keep track of what they are reading (great for your homeschool record keeping as well!)

Using a template like this will help your kids organize their thoughts in the planning pages, so it’s easier for them to put the final review together. They will see all of the important parts that need to go into their book reports, which will help them learn how to write effective reviews and recommendations.

Printable Book Report Template

I’d love for this book report template to be a blessing to you and your family as well! Grab it below when you join my subscriber list – I love to send out freebies, homeschool tips, inspiration and more as I go through my own homeschooling journey.

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And if you love all of those, take a peek at my shop where I share some other helpful printables I’ve created for your home and homeschool.

Drop a comment below and let me know – what are some of your kid’s favorite books they have read, or what are they reading now?

Related Posts

• Free Printable Game to Help Teach Your Kids Contractions
• A Fun Way to Make Reading Exciting for Your Kids
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42 Creative Book Report Ideas for Students

Inspire your students to share their love of books.

Responding to what you read is an important literacy skill. Reading about other people’s experiences and perspectives helps kids learn about the world. And although students don’t need to dive deeply into every single book they read, occasionally digging into characters, settings, and themes can help them learn to look beyond the prose. Here are 42 creative book report ideas designed to make reading more meaningful.

1. Concrete Found Poem

This clever activity is basically a shape poem made up of words, phrases, and whole sentences found in the books students read. The words come together to create an image that represents something from the story.

2. Graphic Novel

Have students rewrite the book they are reading, or a chapter of their book, as a graphic novel. Set parameters for the assignment such as including six scenes from the story, three characters, details about the setting, etc. And, of course, include detailed illustrations to accompany the story.

3. Book Snaps

Book Snaps are a way for students to visually show how they are reacting to, processing, and/or connecting with a text. First, students snap a picture of a page in the book they are reading. Then, they add comments, images, highlights, and more.

4. Diary Entry

Have your students place themselves in the shoes of one of the characters from their book and write a first-person diary entry of a critical moment from the story. Ask them to choose a moment in the story where the character has plenty of interaction and emotion to share in a diary entry.

5. Character To-Do List

This fun activity is an off-the-beaten-path way to dive deep into character analysis. Get inside the head of the main character in a book and write a to-do list that they might write. Use actual information from the text, but also make inferences into what that character may wish to accomplish.

6. Mint Tin Book Report

There are so many super-creative, open-ended projects you can use mint tins for. This teacher blogger describes the process of creating book reports using them. There’s even a free template for cards that fit inside.

7. Fictional Yearbook Entries

Ask your students to create a yearbook based on the characters and setting in the book. What do they look like? Cut out magazine pictures to give a good visual image for their school picture. What kind of superlative might they get? Best looking? Class clown? What clubs would they be in or lead? Did they win any awards? It should be obvious from their small yearbooks whether your students dug deep into the characters in their books. They may also learn that who we are as individuals is reflected in what we choose to do with our lives.

8. Book Report Cake

This project would be perfect for a book tasting in your classroom! Each student presents their book report in the shape of food. See the sandwich and pizza options above and check out this blog for more delicious ideas.

9. Current Events Comparison

Have students locate three to five current events articles a character in their book might be interested in. After they’ve found the articles, have them explain why the character would find them interesting and how they relate to the book. Learning about how current events affect time, place, and people is critical to helping develop opinions about what we read and experience in life.

10. Sandwich Book Report

Yum! You’ll notice a lot of our creative book report ideas revolve around food. In this oldie but goodie, each layer of this book report sandwich covers a different element of the book—characters, setting, conflict, etc. A fun adaptation of this project is the book report cheeseburger.

11. Book Alphabet

Choose 15 to 20 alphabet books to help give your students examples of how they work around themes. Then ask your students to create their own Book Alphabet based on the book they read. What artifacts, vocabulary words, and names reflect the important parts of the book? After they find a word to represent each letter, have them write one sentence that explains where the word fits in.

12. Peekaboo Book Report

Using cardboard lap books (or small science report boards), students include details about their book’s main characters, plot, setting, conflict, resolution, etc. Then they draw a head and arms on card stock and attach them to the board from behind to make it look like the main character is peeking over the report.

13. T-Shirt Book Report

Another fun and creative idea: Create a wearable book report with a plain white tee. Come up with your own using Sharpie pens and acrylic paint. Get step-by-step directions .

14. Book Jacket

Have students create a new book jacket for their story. Include an attractive illustrated cover, a summary, a short biography of the author, and a few reviews from readers.

15. Watercolor Rainbow Book Report

This is great for biography research projects. Students cut out a photocopied image of their subject and glue it in the middle. Then, they draw lines from the image to the edges of the paper, like rays of sunshine, and fill in each section with information about the person. As a book report template, the center image could be a copy of the book cover, and each section expands on key information such as character names, theme(s), conflict, resolution, etc.

16. Act the Part

Have students dress up as their favorite character from the book and present an oral book report. If their favorite character is not the main character, retell the story from their point of view.

17. Pizza Box Book Report

If you’re looking for creative book report ideas that use upcycled materials, try this one using a pizza box. It works well for both nonfiction and fiction book reports. The top lid provides a picture of the book cover. Each wedge of the pizza pie tells part of the story.

18. Bookmark

Have students create a custom illustrated bookmark that includes drawings and words from either their favorite chapter or the entire book.

19. Book Reports in a Bag

Looking for book report ideas that really encourage creative thinking? With book reports in a bag, students read a book and write a summary. Then, they decorate a paper grocery bag with a scene from the book, place five items that represent something from the book inside the bag, and present the bag to the class.

20. Reading Lists for Characters

Ask your students to think about a character in their book. What kinds of books might that character like to read? Take them to the library to choose five books the character might have on their to-be-read list. Have them list the books and explain what each book might mean to the character. Post the to-be-read lists for others to see and choose from—there’s nothing like trying out a book character’s style when developing your own identity.

21. File Folder Book Report

Also called a lap book, this easy-to-make book report hits on all the major elements of a book study and gives students a chance to show what they know in a colorful way.

22. Collage

Create a collage using pictures and words that represent different parts of the book. Use old magazines or print pictures from the Internet.

23. Book Report Triorama

Who doesn’t love a multidimensional book report? This image shows a 3D model, but Elisha Ann provides a lesson to show students how to glue four triangles together to make a 4D model.

24. Timeline

Have students create a timeline of the main events from their book. Be sure to include character names and details for each event. Use 8 x 11 sheets of paper taped together or a long portion of bulletin board paper.

25. Clothes Hanger Book Report Mobile

This creative project doesn’t require a fancy or expensive supply list. Students just need an ordinary clothes hanger, strings, and paper. The body of the hanger is used to identify the book, and the cards on the strings dangling below are filled with key elements of the book, like characters, setting, and a summary.

26. Public Service Announcement

If a student has read a book about a cause that affects people, animals, or the environment, teach them about public service announcements . Once they understand what a PSA is, have them research the issue or cause that stood out in the book. Then give them a template for a storyboard so they can create their own PSA. Some students might want to take it a step further and create a video based on their storyboard. Consider sharing their storyboard or video with an organization that supports the cause or issue.

27. Dodecahedron Book Report

Creative book report ideas think outside the box. In this case, it’s a ball! SO much information can be covered on the 12 panels , and it allows students to take a deep dive in a creative way.

28. Character Cards

Make trading cards (like baseball cards) for a few characters from the book. On the front side, draw the character. On the back side, make a list of their character traits and include a quote or two.

29. Book Report Booklets

This clever book report is made from ordinary paper bags. Stack the paper bags on top of each other, fold them in half, and staple the closed-off ends of the bags together. Students can write, draw, and decorate on the paper bag pages. They can also record information on writing or drawing paper and glue the paper onto the pages. The open ends of the bags can be used as pockets to insert photos, cut-outs, postcards, or other flat items that help them tell their story.

30. Letter to the Author

Write a letter to the author of the book. Tell them three things you really liked about the story. Ask three questions about the plot, characters, or anything else you’re curious about.

31. Book Report Charm Bracelet

What a “charming” way to write a book report! Each illustrated bracelet charm captures a character, an event in the plot, setting, or other detail.

32. Fact Sheet

Have students create a list of 10 facts that they learned from reading the book. Have them write the facts in complete sentences, and be sure that each fact is something that they didn’t know before they read the book.

33. Cereal Box TV Book Report

This book report project is a low-tech version of a television made from a cereal box and two paper towel rolls. Students create the viewing screen cut-out at the top, then insert a scroll of paper with writing and illustrations inside the box. When the cardboard roll is rotated, the story unfolds.

34. Be a Character Therapist

Therapists work to uncover their clients’ fears based on their words and actions. When we read books, we must learn to use a character’s actions and dialogue to infer their fears. Many plots revolve around a character’s fear and the work it takes to overcome that fear. Ask students to identify a character’s fear and find 8 to 10 scenes that prove this fear exists. Then have them write about ways the character overcame the fear (or didn’t) in the story. What might the character have done differently?

35. Mind Maps

Mind maps can be a great way to synthesize what students have learned from reading a book. Plus, there are so many ways to approach them. Begin by writing a central idea in the middle of the page. For example, general information, characters, plot, etc. Then branch out from the center with ideas, thoughts, and connections to material from the book.

36. Foldables

From Rainbows Within Reach , this clever idea would be a great introduction to writing book reports. Adapt the flap categories for students at different levels. Adjust the number of categories (or flaps) per the needs of your students.

37. Board games

This is a great project if you want your students to develop a little more insight into what they’re reading. Have them think about the elements of their favorite board games and how they can be adapted to fit this assignment. For more, here are step-by-step directions .

38. Comic strips

If you’re looking for creative book report ideas for students who like graphic novels, try comic strips. Include an illustrated cover with the title and author. The pages of the book should retell the story using dialogue and descriptions of the setting and characters. Of course, no comic book would be complete without copious illustrations and thought bubbles.

39. Timeline

Create a timeline using a long roll of butcher paper, a poster board, or index cards taped together. For each event on the timeline, write a brief description of what happens. Add pictures, clip art, word art, and symbols to make the timeline more lively and colorful.

40. Cereal Box

Recycle a cereal box and create a book report Wheaties-style. Decorate all sides of the box with information about the book’s characters, setting, plot, summary, etc.

41. Wanted Poster

Make a “wanted” poster for one of the book’s main characters. Indicate whether they are wanted dead or alive. Include a picture of the character and a description of what the character is “wanted” for, three examples of the character showing this trait, and a detailed account of where the character was last seen.

42. Movie Version

If the book your students have read has been made into a movie, have them write a report about how the versions are alike and different. If the book has not been made into a movie, have them write a report telling how they would make it into a movie, using specific details from the book.

What creative book report ideas did we miss? Come share in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, check out the most popular kids’ books in every grade..

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The Best Book-Report Books for Middle Schoolers

No need to dread a book report! When kids find titles that are engaging, interesting, and thought-provoking, they're hooked. If it's fiction, students can dissect plot, theme, and characters. If it's nonfiction, they can plunge into a subject that fascinates them or learn a lot about something they've never heard of before. Here's a list of surefire selections for students in sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. For even more ideas, check out 50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12 .

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

Inspiring wartime journal reveals teen's inner life.

The Apothecary, Book 1

Cold War kids use magic to save world in brilliant novel.

Everything Sad Is Untrue: (A True Story)

Young refugee's story is told in memories, myths, fables.

Goodbye Stranger

Bittersweet, lovely story of friendship and social media.

Genesis Begins Again

Teen learns to love herself in uplifting tale of misfits.

Hold on tight for an intense tale of survival.

A Long Walk to Water

Touching take on Lost Boys of Sudan, based on true story.

One Crazy Summer

A gem, with strong girl characters, '60s black history.

Poverty, being unhoused explored in hopeful tale.

The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights

Little-known disaster gets overdue, in-depth treatment.

The Red Badge of Courage

Compelling Civil War novel questions morality of battle.

Uglies: Uglies Quartet, Book 1

Thoughtful sci-fi about the price of beauty.

Interned girl, Native boy find common ground in moving tale.

All-American Muslim Girl

Captivating coming-of-age tale explores identity, racism.

American Ace

Moving, fast-paced novel-in-verse; great for teen boys.

Bomb: The Race to Build -- and Steal -- the World's Most Dangerous Weapon

Complex, suspenseful story of developing The Bomb.

The Boys Who Challenged Hitler: Knud Pedersen and the Churchill Club

Thrilling true story of teenagers who stood up to the Nazis.

Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings

Poignant memoir-in-verse recalls Cuban American's childhood.

Long Way Down

Gripping, unnerving story of teen boy contemplating revenge.

My Name Is Not Easy

Fascinating story of Alaskan kids growing up in the 1960s.

Other great lists from our editors

• Coming-of-Age Books
• Books to Help Your Kid Survive Middle School
• How to Raise a Reader
• Help Your Kids Find Books with Diverse Characters
• How Comics Helped My Kid Love Reading

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Printable Book Report Outlines and Examples

Assigning a book report as part of your reading or writing curriculum? Print and share this quick reference for how to write a book report - including all of the necessary elements, plus examples and outlines.

Looking for fiction and nonfiction titles to assign for book study, reader's theater, or literature circles? Visit our Literature Teaching Guides Hub to find thousands of book guides for all grades.

Featured Middle School Resources

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TeacherVision Editorial Staff

The TeacherVision editorial team is comprised of teachers, experts, and content professionals dedicated to bringing you the most accurate and relevant information in the teaching space.

How to Write a Book Report

Use the links below to jump directly to any section of this guide:

Book Report Fundamentals

Preparing to write, an overview of the book report format, how to write the main body of a book report, how to write a conclusion to a book report, reading comprehension and book reports, book report resources for teachers .

Book reports remain a key educational assessment tool from elementary school through college. Sitting down to close read and critique texts for their content and form is a lifelong skill, one that benefits all of us well beyond our school years. With the help of this guide, you’ll develop your reading comprehension and note-taking skills. You’ll also find resources to guide you through the process of writing a book report, step-by-step, from choosing a book and reading actively to revising your work. Resources for teachers are also included, from creative assignment ideas to sample rubrics.

Book reports follow general rules for composition, yet are distinct from other types of writing assignments. Central to book reports are plot summaries, analyses of characters and themes, and concluding opinions. This format differs from an argumentative essay or critical research paper, in which impartiality and objectivity is encouraged. Differences also exist between book reports and book reviews, who do not share the same intent and audience. Here, you’ll learn the basics of what a book report is and is not.

What Is a Book Report?

"Book Report" ( ThoughtCo )

This article, written by a professor emeritus of rhetoric and English, describes the defining characteristics of book reports and offers observations on how they are composed.

"Writing a Book Report" (Purdue OWL)

Purdue’s Online Writing Lab outlines the steps in writing a book report, from keeping track of major characters as you read to providing adequate summary material.

"How to Write a Book Report" ( Your Dictionary )

This article provides another helpful guide to writing a book report, offering suggestions on taking notes and writing an outline before drafting. 

"How to Write a Successful Book Report" ( ThoughtCo )

Another post from ThoughtCo., this article highlights the ten steps for book report success. It was written by an academic advisor and college enrollment counselor.

What’s the Difference Between a Book Report and an Essay?

"Differences Between a Book Report & Essay Writing" ( Classroom)

In this article from the education resource Classroom,  you'll learn the differences and similarities between book reports and essay writing.

"Differences Between a Book Report and Essay Writing" (SeattlePi.com)

In this post from a Seattle newspaper's website, memoirist Christopher Cascio highlights how book report and essay writing differ.

"The Difference Between Essays and Reports" (Solent Online Learning)

This PDF from Southampton Solent University includes a chart demonstrating the differences between essays and reports. Though it is geared toward university students, it will help students of all levels understand the differing purposes of reports and analytical essays.

What’s the Difference Between a Book Report and a Book Review?

"How to Write a Book Review and a Book Report" (Concordia Univ.)

The library at Concordia University offers this helpful guide to writing book report and book reviews. It defines differences between the two, then presents components that both forms share.

"Book Reviews" (Univ. of North Carolina)

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s writing guide shows the step-by-step process of writing book reviews, offering a contrast to the composition of book reports.

Active reading and thoughtful preparation before you begin your book report are necessary components of crafting a successful piece of writing. Here, you’ll find tips and resources to help you learn how to select the right book, decide which format is best for your report, and outline your main points.

Selecting and Finding a Book

"30 Best Books for Elementary Readers" (Education.com)

This article from Education.com lists 30 engaging books for students from kindergarten through fifth grade. It was written by Esme Raji Codell, a teacher, author, and children's literature specialist.

"How to Choose a Good Book for a Report (Middle School)" (WikiHow)

This WikiHow article offers suggestions for middle schoolers on how to choose the right book for a report, from getting started early on the search process to making sure you understand the assignment's requirements.

"Best Book-Report Books for Middle Schoolers" (Common Sense Media)

Common Sense Media has compiled this list of 25 of the best books for middle school book reports. For younger students, the article suggests you check out the site's "50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12."

"50 Books to Read in High School" (Lexington Public Library)

The Lexington, Kentucky Public Library has prepared this list to inspire high school students to choose the right book. It includes both classics and more modern favorites.

The Online Computer Library Center's catalogue helps you locate books in libraries near you, having itemized the collections of 72,000 libraries in 170 countries.

Formats of Book Reports

"Format for Writing a Book Report" ( Your Dictionary )

Here, Your Dictionary supplies guidelines for the basic book report format. It describes what you'll want to include in the heading, and what information to include in the introductory paragraph. Be sure to check these guidelines against your teacher's requirements.

"The Good Old Book Report" (Scholastic)

Nancy Barile’s blog post for Scholastic lists the questions students from middle through high school should address in their book reports.

How to Write an Outline

"Writer’s Web: Creating Outlines" (Univ. of Richmond)

The University of Richmond’s Writing Center shows how you can make use of micro and macro outlines to organize your argument.

"Why and How to Create a Useful Outline" (Purdue OWL)

Purdue’s Online Writing Lab demonstrates how outlines can help you organize your report, then teaches you how to create outlines.

"Creating an Outline" (EasyBib)

EasyBib, a website that generates bibliographies, offers sample outlines and tips for creating your own. The article encourages you to think about transitions and grouping your notes.

"How to Write an Outline: 4 Ways to Organize Your Thoughts" (Grammarly)

This blog post from a professional writer explains the advantages of using an outline, and presents different ways to gather your thoughts before writing.

In this section, you’ll find resources that offer an overview of how to write a book report, including first steps in preparing the introduction. A good book report's introduction hooks the reader with strong opening sentences and provides a preview of where the report is going.

"Step-by-Step Outline for a Book Report" ( Classroom )

This article from Classroom furnishes students with a guide to the stages of writing a book report, from writing the rough draft to revising.

"Your Roadmap to a Better Book Report" ( Time4Writing )

Time4Writing offers tips for outlining your book report, and describes all of the information that the introduction, body, and conclusion should include.

"How to Start a Book Report" ( ThoughtCo)

This ThoughtCo. post, another by academic advisor and college enrollment counselor Grace Fleming, demonstrates how to write a pithy introduction to your book report.

"How to Write an Introduction for a Book Report" ( Classroom )

This brief but helpful post from Classroom  details what makes a good book report introduction, down to the level of individual sentences.

The body paragraphs of your book report accomplish several goals: they describe the plot, delve more deeply into the characters and themes that make the book unique, and include quotations and examples from the book. Below are some resources to help you succeed in summarizing and analyzing your chosen text.

Plot Summary and Description

"How Do You Write a Plot Summary?" ( Reference )

This short article presents the goals of writing a plot summary, and suggests a word limit. It emphasizes that you should stick to the main points and avoid including too many specific details, such as what a particular character wears.

"How to Write a Plot for a Book Report" ( The Pen & The Pad )

In this article from a resource website for writers, Patricia Harrelson outlines what information to include in a plot summary for a book report. 

"How to Write a Book Summary" (WikiHow)

Using Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone as an example, this WikiHow article demonstrates how to write a plot summary one step at a time.

Analyzing Characters and Themes

"How to Write a Character Analysis Book Report" ( The Pen & The Pad )

Kristine Tucker shows how to write a book report focusing on character. You can take her suggestions as they are, or consider  incorporating them into the more traditional book report format.

"How to Write a Character Analysis" (YouTube)

The SixMinuteScholar Channel utilizes analysis of the film  Finding Nemo to show you how to delve deeply into character, prioritizing inference over judgment.

"How to Define Theme" ( The Editor's Blog )

Fiction editor Beth Hill contributes an extended definition of theme. She also provides examples of common themes, such as "life is fragile."

"How to Find the Theme of a Book or Short Story" ( ThoughtCo )

This blog post from ThoughtCo. clarifies the definition of theme in relation to symbolism, plot, and moral. It also offers examples of themes in literature, such as love, death, and good vs. evil.

Selecting and Integrating Quotations

"How to Choose and Use Quotations" (Santa Barbara City College)

This guide from a college writing center will help you choose which quotations to use in your book report, and how to blend quotations with your own words.

"Guidelines for Incorporating Quotes" (Ashford Univ.)

This PDF from Ashford University's Writing Center introduces the ICE method for incorporating quotations: introduce, cite, explain.

"Quote Integration" (YouTube)

This video from The Write Way YouTube channel illustrates how to integrate quotations into writing, and also explains how to cite those quotations.

"Using Literary Quotations" (Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison)

This guide from the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Writing Center helps you emphasize your analysis of a quotation, and explains how to incorporate quotations into your text.

Conclusions to any type of paper are notoriously tricky to write. Here, you’ll learn some creative ways to tie up loose ends in your report and express your own opinion of the book you read. This open space for sharing opinions that are not grounded in critical research is an element that often distinguishes book reports from other types of writing.

"How to Write a Conclusion for a Book Report" ( Classroom )

This brief article from the education resource  Classroom illustrates the essential points you should make in a book report conclusion.

"Conclusions" (Univ. of North Carolina)

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Writing Center lays out strategies for writing effective conclusions. Though the article is geared toward analytical essay conclusions, the tips offered here will also help you write a strong book report.

"Ending the Essay: Conclusions" (Harvard College Writing Center)

Pat Bellanca’s article for Harvard University’s Writing Center presents ways to conclude essays, along with tips. Again, these are suggestions for concluding analytical essays that can also be used to tie up a book report's loose ends.

Reading closely and in an engaged manner is the strong foundation upon which all good book reports are built. The resources below will give you a picture of what active reading looks like, and offer strategies to assess and improve your reading comprehension. Further, you’ll learn how to take notes—or “annotate” your text—making it easier to find important information as you write.

How to Be an Active Reader

"Active Reading Strategies: Remember and Analyze What You Read" (Princeton Univ.)

Princeton University’s McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning recommends ten strategies for active reading, and includes sample diagrams.

"Active Reading" (Open Univ.)

The Open University offers these techniques for reading actively alongside video examples. The author emphasizes that you should read for comprehension—not simply to finish the book as quickly as possible.

"7 Active Reading Strategies for Students" ( ThoughtCo )

In this post, Grace Fleming outlines seven methods for active reading. Her suggestions include identifying unfamiliar words and finding the main idea. 

"5 Active Reading Strategies for Textbook Assignments" (YouTube)

Thomas Frank’s seven-minute video demonstrates how you can retain the most important information from long and dense reading material.

Assessing Your Reading Comprehension

"Macmillan Readers Level Test" (MacMillan)

Take this online, interactive test from a publishing company to find out your reading level. You'll be asked a number of questions related to grammar and vocabulary.

"Reading Comprehension Practice Test" (ACCUPLACER)

ACCUPLACER is a placement test from The College Board. This 20-question practice test will help you see what information you retain after reading short passages.

"Reading Comprehension" ( English Maven )

The English Maven site has aggregated exercises and tests at various reading levels so you can quiz your reading comprehension skills.

How to Improve Your Reading Comprehension

"5 Tips for Improving Reading Comprehension" ( ThoughtCo )

ThoughtCo. recommends five tips to increase your reading comprehension ability, including reading with tools such as highlighters, and developing new vocabulary.

"How to Improve Reading Comprehension: 8 Expert Tips" (PrepScholar)

This blog post from PrepScholar provides ideas for improving your reading comprehension, from expanding your vocabulary to discussing texts with friends.

CrashCourse video: "Reading Assignments" (YouTube)

This CrashCourse video equips you with tools to read more effectively. It will help you determine how much material you need to read, and what strategies you can use to absorb what you read.

"Improving Reading Comprehension" ( Education Corner )

From a pre-reading survey through post-reading review, Education Corner  walks you through steps to improve reading comprehension.

Methods of In-text Annotation

"The Writing Process: Annotating a Text" (Hunter College)

This article from Hunter College’s Rockowitz Writing Center outlines how to take notes on a text and provides samples of annotation.

"How To Annotate Text While Reading" (YouTube)

This video from the SchoolHabits YouTube channel presents eleven annotation techniques you can use for better reading comprehension.

"5 Ways To Annotate Your Books" ( Book Riot )

This article from the Book Riot  blog highlights five efficient annotation methods that will save you time and protect your books from becoming cluttered with unnecessary markings.

"How Do You Annotate Your Books?" ( Epic Reads )

This post from Epic Reads highlights how different annotation methods work for different people, and showcases classic methods from sticky notes to keeping a reading notebook.

Students at every grade level can benefit from writing book reports, which sharpen critical reading skills. Here, we've aggregated sources to help you plan book report assignments and develop rubrics for written and oral book reports. You’ll also find alternative book report assessment ideas that move beyond the traditional formats.

Teaching Elementary School Students How to Write Book Reports

"Book Reports" ( Unique Teaching Resources )

These reading templates courtesy of Unique Teaching Resources make great visual aids for elementary school students writing their first book reports.

"Elementary Level Book Report Template" ( Teach Beside Me )

This   printable book report template from a teacher-turned-homeschooler is simple, classic, and effective. It asks basic questions, such as "who are the main characters?" and "how did you feel about the main characters?"

"Book Reports" ( ABC Teach )

ABC Teach ’s resource directory includes printables for book reports on various subjects at different grade levels, such as a middle school biography book report form and a "retelling a story" elementary book report template.

"Reading Worksheets" ( Busy Teacher's Cafe )

This page from Busy Teachers’ Cafe contains book report templates alongside reading comprehension and other language arts worksheets.

Teaching Middle School and High School Students How to Write Book Reports

"How to Write a Book Report: Middle and High School Level" ( Fact Monster)

Fact Monster ’s Homework Center discusses each section of a book report, and explains how to evaluate and analyze books based on genre for students in middle and high school.

"Middle School Outline Template for Book Report" (Trinity Catholic School)

This PDF outline template breaks the book report down into manageable sections for seventh and eighth graders by asking for specific information in each paragraph.

"Forms for Writing a Book Report for High School" ( Classroom )

In this article for Classroom,  Elizabeth Thomas describes what content high schoolers should focus on when writing their book reports.

"Forms for Writing a Book Report for High School" ( The Pen & The Pad )

Kori Morgan outlines techniques for adapting the book report assignment to the high school level in this post for The Pen & The Pad .

"High School Book Lists and Report Guidelines" (Highland Hall Waldorf School)

These sample report formats, grading paradigms, and tips are collected by Highland Hall Waldorf School. Attached are book lists by high school grade level.

Sample Rubrics

"Book Review Rubric Editable" (Teachers Pay Teachers)

This free resource from Teachers Pay Teachers allows you to edit your book report rubric to the specifications of your assignment and the grade level you teach.

"Book Review Rubric" (Winton Woods)

This PDF rubric from a city school district includes directions to take the assignment long-term, with follow-up exercises through school quarters.

"Multimedia Book Report Rubric" ( Midlink Magazine )

Perfect for oral book reports, this PDF rubric from North Carolina State University's Midlink Magazine  will help you evaluate your students’ spoken presentations.

Creative Book Report Assignments

"25 Book Report Alternatives" (Scholastic)

This article from the Scholastic website lists creative alternatives to the standard book report for pre-kindergarteners through high schoolers.

"Fresh Ideas for Creative Book Reports" ( Education World )

Education World offers nearly 50 alternative book report ideas in this article, from a book report sandwich to a character trait diagram.

"A Dozen Ways to Make Amazingly Creative Book Reports" ( We Are Teachers )

This post from We Are Teachers puts the spotlight on integrating visual arts into literary study through multimedia book report ideas.

"More Ideas Than You’ll Ever Use for Book Reports" (Teachnet.com)

This list from Teachnet.com includes over 300 ideas for book report assignments, from "interviewing" a character to preparing a travel brochure to the location in which the book is set.

"Fifty Alternatives to the Book Report" (National Council of Teachers of English)

In this PDF resource from the NCTE's  English Journal,  Diana Mitchell offers assignment ideas ranging from character astrology signs to a character alphabet.

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10 Book Report Ideas That Kids Will Love

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Fun book report ideas for fourth, fifth and sixth graders.

Book reports don’t need to be painfully boring. In fact, they can be a ton of fun, and with the right project, students will love the entire process of creating and sharing meaningful book projects. There are loads of great book report ideas out there just waiting to happen in your classroom!

Here are 10 book report ideas that kids will love:

1. cereal box book report.

These oh-so-cool reports were always the top-ranked project by my fifth graders. Students loved creating an original book report display using a covered cereal box and ready-made templates. The finished projects made a great classroom display, and students loved looking at their classmates’ creative reports. Read more about Cereal Box Book Reports HERE .

2. Paper Bag Book Report

This is a super simple idea that is quite fun for students. Provide each student with a lunch-sized paper bag. Tell them to think about 5 objects that relate to the main character of their book . The objects have to be small enough to fit into the bag . Send the bags home and have students place the 5 objects in the bag and bring them back to school. On the day they are due, have students take turns sharing the objects in their bags and explaining how they relate to the main character of the book. You can even make a great display with the bags, objects, and books to pique the interest of other students.

3. Character Day

Have students dress up as the main character of their book. Then, have each student take a turn standing in front of the class and telling their character’s story in first person point of view.

4. Book Report Lap Book

you need are two file folders, some cardstock or construction paper, scissors, glue, and the FREE book report template found here . The finished products are quite amazing, and your students will probably keep theirs forever! Check out my photo tutorial for making a lap book .

5. Book Scene Diorama

Have students construct a diorama of one of the main events of their book. They will make a 3-dimensional scene, including models of characters, the setting, and objects. A shoebox makes a great place to build a diorama. Require students to write a description of the scene.

6. Book Report Posters

This might be the easiest option of the book report ideas. Have students first sketch their posters on a sheet of notebook paper. Then, provide students with a large piece of poster paper or chart paper. Posters must identify main characters, setting, title, problem, and solution. Display finished posters in the classroom or on hallway walls.

7. Book Report Mobiles

Mobiles are easy to make, and it’s fun to watch students use their creativity in designing their own projects. A paper plate folded in half makes a great base/topper for mobiles. Have students write the title of the book on this paper plate semi circle and hang the mobile pieces from it. Provide students with construction paper, yarn, markers, paper hole punches, and any other materials they might need.

8. Book Report Mini Books

With just one piece of paper, your students can make a complete, creative book report!

In these clever book projects , students identify:

• Title/Author
• Main Character

No tape, glue, or staples required! Photo directions are included in this download.

9. Design a Book Jacket

Show your students several examples of some outstanding book jackets. Point out the front with the title and illustration, the spine and its information, and the back with the book summary. Also show the two inside flaps with information about the author and a smaller summary. Provide them each with a larger piece of paper and have them design a jacket for the book they have just read.

10. Ready-to-Print Templates

Use NO PREP book report templates to save your sanity AND to keep things fun for your students. You could print out all 12 templates in this Book Report Templates Packet and let students choose the one they want to do each month! There is even a really nice digital option for Google classroom included!

Regardless of which of these book report ideas you choose, be sure to clearly outline the expectations before your students begin. It’s best if you can model a project to demonstrate the quality of work your students should strive for.

Keep it fun and engaging, and your students will be excited to invest their time in their projects!

Check out these ready to go, easy to use book report projects in my store:

SAVE THIS POST FOR LATER!

Pin this to your favorite classroom Pinterest board  so you can come back for these book report ideas!

To recap, the 10 Book Report Project Ideas are:

• Cereal Box Book Report
• Paper Bag Book Report
• Character Day
• Book Report Lapbook
• Book Scene Diorama
• Book Report Posters
• Book Report Mobiles
• Design a Book Jacket
• Ready-to-Print Templates

Shelly Rees

Hi, I’m Shelly! Thank you for being here. I love helping third, fourth, and fifth grade teachers with fun and engaging activities that require no to little prep! Let me help you by taking some of the stress and work off your plate.

Hi, I'm Shelly

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40 of The Best Books for a 9-Year-Old

Looking for the best books for a 9-year-old? We’ve got the perfect list for you!

Having raised 4 kids through this particular age, we are well-equipped to give suggestions for children with all kinds of book preferences. We’ve got suggestions for Harry Potter-loving fantasy fans and picture book suggestions for reluctant readers.

Below, you’ll find lots of great stories divided by category. Many of the books for a 9-year-old have links to book lists with even more recommendations, so be sure to poke around.

Table of Contents

Looking for more options? We’ve got tons of genre-specific book lists for 9-year-olds !

*Post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you. Some books have been gifted. All opinions are our own.

Best Fantasy Books for a 9-Year-Old

Winterhouse by Ben Guterson

We like to listen to books as a family when we are in the car together or doing a puzzle. The standout book for me this month was Winterhouse.

This middle-grade mystery was as enthralling to me as it was to my boys. I loved the slight bits of magic in the story and the captivating setting of an expansive ski hotel on a snowy mountain at Christmas time. If you are looking for cozy mystery books for a 9-year-old, pick this one up!

A Tale of Magic by Chris Colfer

Brystal Evergreen finds out that she can perform magic when reading a book from her library, but women aren’t supposed to read!

When she is sentenced to a correctional facility, she was quickly whisked away to an academy where she can learn magic! My kids devoured this middle-grade fantasy as quickly as Chris Colfer’s last series. While no correctional facility could be as bad as Azkaban, this series is a perfect pick for books like Harry Potter for kids.

The Kingdom of Wrenly by Jordan Quinn

This series of early readers has pictures on almost every page and easy to read language.  The Stories, however, are fun and full of adventure.

They are sure to keep your child engaged with fairies, trolls, and mermaids. With all the creatures in this series, these are perfect books like Harry Potter for kids.

Love Fantasy Books? We do too! That’s why we created a list of Books Like Harry Potter and Books Like Percy Jackson !

Mystery books for 9-year-olds.

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein

Another middle-grade story that adults will enjoy too. Mr. Lemoncello’s library is one of a kind. It’s full of holograms, logic puzzles, and hidden games.

To officially open the new library, a few lucky kids get to spend the night inside as they try to win Mr. Lemoncello’s game and be the first team to escape.

Encyclopedia Brown by Donald J Sobol 

These are the same books from when you were a kid! They are great for any child who wants a quick fun read.  Each chapter presents a problem that Encyclopedia solves.  

It’s great for kids to see if they can figure out the answer themselves.  A similar choice to these would be the Choose your Own Adventure stories, another perfect set of books for a 9-year-old.

Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

The first of three books in the Book Scavengers series, this story is all about Emily and James. They are on the hunt to uncover the latest game by Garrison Griswold.

Griswold has recently entered a coma and it’s up to Emily and James to uncover who attacked him before they get attacked next. This pick in our list of mystery books for tweens is filled with fun and adventure.

For more books like these, check out our list of Mystery Books for Tweens

Best family books for a 9-year-old.

The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall

An imperfect family, the Penderwick family (consisting of the father, 4 daughters, and their dog) go spend their three-week summer vacation at a cottage they rented. Mrs. Tifton, a grumpy, snooty woman, and her son Jeffry own the cottage that is part of the Arundel estate.

The first in a 5 books series, this wonderful book is perfect to read aloud at night or listen to on audio for a family road trip.

Greetings from Witness Protection! by Jake Burt

What a fun story about an orphan girl tasked by the U.S. Marshalls to keep a family alive. As she enters into witness protection with them, she puts her street smarts and pick-pocketing abilities to good use.

But can she keep her new family safe? Will she be able to hide from her own past? All while avoiding any C’s in school… You’ll just have to read this tween mystery book to find out.

Cilla Lee-Jenkins: Future Author Extraordinaire by Susan Tan

My brother’s girlfriend recommended it to me because her friend wrote it! It did a great job of handling difficult topics in an age-appropriate manner with humor and grace.

Cilla is about to become a big sister, but she wants to become a world-famous author first so her family won’t forget about her. It also addresses coming from a bi-racial family and having difficulties reading. It’s truly a lovely realistic fiction story.

Best Audiobooks for a 9-Year-Old

Wishtree by Katherine Applegate

It is ultimately a beautiful story of love, friendship, and kindness.  It is all told from the perspective of the tree. 

Trees can talk, didn’t you know?  After a few hundred years, the tree decides to intervene in the lives of those the sees every day. This is a great one about welcoming immigrants. Katherine Applegate writes great books for 9-year-olds.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg

This classic middle-grade story is one the whole family will enjoy. Claudia and Jamie decide they want to run away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

When a new statue arrives while they are hiding at the famed museum, they won’t rest until they solve the mystery of who created it! Will they solve the mystery before the museum staff? 

The Candymakers by Wendy Maas

This story appears on our list of books about cand y! I decided to read this book with my boys prior to our visit to Candytopia.

It was a lovely take on life at a candy factory and felt almost like an updated version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 4 kids are competing to win a candy-making contest to have their creation mass-produced. This is the first in a series of middle grade novels. It’s one of the must-read books for 11-year-olds.

For more books like these, check out our list of Family Friendly Audiobooks

Books for 9-year-olds set at school.

The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty

My 3rd-grade math lover inhaled this tween book in 2 days. It’s all about a 12-year-old girl who was struck by lightning and became a math wiz.

She’s been homeschooled her whole life, but now her grandmother wants her to try to go to school just for one year. She has to make one friend, join one activity, and read one book that isn’t math related. Can she do it?

The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Raúf

This is the story of Ahmet, a Syrian refugee, who ends up in Mrs. Khan’s 4th-grade class. At first, the students are wary of the strange new boy.

Soon, they learn that Ahmet has been separated from his family when he was trying to escape the war. Soon the kids were banding together to help Ahmet reunite with his family.

My son cried while reading this book. The story touched his heart and evoked such compassion in him.

The Wayside School Collection by Louis Sacher

Louis Sachar’s hysterical collection of stories about the students of Wayside School is a true must-read for students.

The wacky tales and backward ways of the students and teachers at Wayside will have your child in a fit of giggles.

Love Back to School Books? We do too! That’s why we created the School Hub with all things school.

Best spy books for a 9-year-old.

Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett

When a famed Vermeer painting goes missing, Petra and Calder are thrust into the middle of a scandal! Can they solve an art mystery that’s stumped the F.B.I.?

Why We Love It: The first in a 4 book series, this is a great book that is interactive too. There are hidden puzzles in pictures and a code for readers to break in this tween mystery book. Find this Book in Best Puzzle Books

Spy School by Stuart Gibbs

The first book in Gibbs’s series is about Ben Ripley, a child CIA agent trying to defeat the evil organization Spyder. As he attends the secret junior CIA boarding school, he gets into loads of situations that put his espionage skills to good use.

In each book of the series, Ben and his fellow agents tackle a new problem. They take place at various new locations as the series progresses. This series of books for 9-year-olds has 10 stories and keeps growing!

Harriet The Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

Harriet the Spy has been a classic children’ book for over 50 years. The 11-year-old is never without her notebook to write her observations in. When the notebook falls into the hands of her friends, they all get very angry with Harriet.

Will she be able to right her wrongs? There is a reason this realistic fiction book for a 10-year-old has been adapted repeatedly for the screen. It’s got life lessons for every child.

Love these kinds of stories, then check out these spy books for kids .

Royal books for 9-year-olds.

Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George

If the changing staircases, room of requirement, and secret passages are your child’s favorite parts about Hogwarts, this is the series for them!

Princess Celie lives in an ever-changing castle that adds new rooms every Tuesday. She eagerly maps out each new addition that might just end up saving her family when danger heads to their home.

The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani

You might want to bump this series to the top of your reading pile because it’s becoming a movie starring some big-name actors.

Sophie thinks her history makes her a good fit for the School of Good like Cinderella and Snow White before her. Agatha is thinking the School of Evil is a better fit for her. But when the opposite schools are assigned to each girl, they need to figure out who they really are and where they belong.

From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess by Meg Cabot

Meg Cabot, the author of the famed Princess Diaries, is back with a middle-grade book about Princess Mia’s half-sister, Olivia.

Olivia is an average girl who doesn’t know her father, until her half-sister, Mia shows up and asks her to move to New York to live with the royal family.

She chronicles her adventures in princess life in this charming book series!

Love these kinds of stories, then check out these royal books for kids .

Picture books for a 9-year-old.

The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors by Drew Daywalt  

Author Drew Daywalt is a hands-down favorite in our home. I’ve read this so often that I now make specific voices for each character. It’s all about how the game Rock, Paper, Scissors came to be.

It’s HYSTERICAL. There is no moral to this story, just plain silliness. My kids guffaw with laughter every time we pick it up.

I Walk with Vanessa by Karascoët

This simple yet powerful wordless picture book tells the story of one girl who inspires a community to stand up to bullying.

Inspired by real events,   I Walk with Vanessa  explores the feelings of helplessness and anger that arise in the wake of seeing a classmate treated badly, and shows how a single act of kindness can lead to an entire community joining in to help.

Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynold

Both Creepy Carrots and its sibling book,  Creepy Pair of Underwear , are favorites in my household. Jasper Rabbit loves carrots, but he soon thinks his favorite carrots are out to get him!

This funny tale is very  Twilight Zone-inspired and it’s awesome. The underwear version is funny too and it glows in the dark! This is a fun series of books for 9-year-olds!

Animal Books for 9-Years-Olds

Howliday Inn by James Howe

Technically the sequel to Bunnicula, this read-aloud book can really be read as a stand-alone. Chester and Harold are being boarded while their family is on vacation, but they are convinced they are staying in a haunted hotel!

I remember laughing out loud as I read this middle grade mystery book as a child. This Halloween chapter book stands the test of time.

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Based on the true story of Ivan, a gorilla trapped in a shopping mall, this feel-good story is one of the best family audiobooks for any road trip.

Stella, a young girl gets Ivan to start painting again and she realizes how lonely he is. Bob, a stray dog, works to help Ivan and Ruby, a baby elephant, garner the attention they need to be sent to a better home.

Why We Love This Book:   This book will touch your heart. Even though it is partially a sad book, the ending will make it worthwhile. This is one of the best animal fiction books for middle grade and adults. Appropriate for ages  8-10 Find this book in Books for 9-year-olds , Zoo Books , Family Audiobooks , Animal Novels / Audiobooks for Kids

Superpowered Animals: Meet the World’s Strongest, Smartest, and Swiftest Creatures by Soledad Romero Mariño

We love this nonfiction book about animals that is a must for best books for a 9-year-old. The book is filled with beautiful illustrations that make it read like a fiction book.

My daughter read and loved this book which is filled with amazing information and facts about different animals. I love the way the information is presented in this book and kids can read about one animal at a time if you want a few minutes for a quick read.

Classic Books for a 9-Year-Old

Matilda by Roald Dahl

Matilda is a magical little girl who loves books. Stuck in a family that doesn’t value education, her life is changed when she meets Ms. Honey at her new school.

But the principal, Miss Trunchbull hates children. When she terrorizes the kids at her new school, Matilda finds the power to fight back. The Netflix book adaption of this one is a musical!

The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling

I adore this story about a little boy who gets the magical power to turn everything he touches into chocolate. If you have not read it, you have to know it’s absolutely hilarious.

Why We Love This Book:  This twist on the Midas Touch is adorable and the thought of turning parents into chocolate had my kids rolling with laughter. Appropriate for ages  6-9 Find this book in Candy Books / Read Aloud Books / Audiobooks for Kids

Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

We Love Kate DiCamillo. She is a modern storyteller who appeals to children intelligently and thoughtfully.

I feel like I could choose every single one of her books to put on this list so take your pick. This Newberry Award-winning book is delightful.

Why We Love This Book : We love the message in this wonderful book that is a story of love, bravery, friendship, wishes, and dreams. Find this book in Best Books for a 6-year-old / The Best Family Audiobooks / Read Aloud Books

Sports Books for a 9-Year-Old

The Wizenard Series by Kobe Bryant and Wesley King

My boys and I started this series shortly after their basketball season began and they were on a losing streak. I thought this series about a group of kids and their magical coach sounded like the perfect book to inspire them.

The Badgers are the worst team in the league until Professor Wizenard comes to be their new coach. With his magical tricks focusing on teamwork and morale, the Badgers players learn more than just playing good ball.

Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas

Bree and her dad have just moved to Florida for her father’s new training program. She’s excited to join electives and make new friends until she realizes the only one she can join is swimming…and that makes her quite nervous.

Soon Bree begins counting on her neighbor Etta to give her swimming lessons, and ends up joining the swim team with the hopes of winning the big competition!

Softball Surprise by Jake Maddox

Jake Maddox has long been known for stories about male athletes, but he has female athlete stories too!

This particular story is about Jo and her summer softball team. But Jo might need to make a choice about which team she will be on this summer.

Graphic Novels for a 9-Year-Old

Chunky by Yehudi Mercado

Hudi is trying to figure out what sport he likes to play because he needs to lose weight. He’s trying to be healthy because of a serious illness he had as a younger kid. 

He invents an imaginary friend named chunky to help cheer him on. As he goes through sport after sport, the laughs roll in. But It’s not all fun and games, his dad loses his job and we get flashbacks of the medical problem that started his journey.

My son read this graphic novel in one sitting, while I listened to him giggling on the couch. I think it’s one of the perfect books for a 9-year-old reluctant reader! 

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

This graphic novel is a Newbery Medal Winner and was an easy pick for a list of the best graphic novels of all time. Astrid and Nicole have done everything together until now. Astrid wants to go to roller derby camp.

And thus begins a summer of friendship, finding yourself, perseverance, and girl power. Astrid may be strong enough to endure middle school. Snag this if you are looking for a book for 11-year-olds.

The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey

Aaron Blabey’s famed series about the bad guys is a favorite in our homes. This graphic novel series is perfect for early readers.

The series is all about 4 “bad guys” who are trying to become good guys by trying to save those around them in funny ways.

Non-fiction Books for a 9-Year-Old

From An Idea To Disney: How Imagination Built a World of Magic by Lowey Bundy Sichol

This book tells the story of how Disneyland and the Disney company were created from Walt Disney’s imagination. It’s a fun non-fiction book that is the first in a series.

Other books in the series look at companies like Nike, Google, and Lego. It’s the perfect series of books for a 9-year-old looking to get into the non-fiction genre.

Kid Athletes: True Tales of Childhood from Sports Legends by David Stabler

This book tells the story of famous athletes in short chapters, complete with illustrations. It’s one of the books for 9-year-olds who may not have the time or patience for longer books and any child who loves sports.

Kid Athletes has a mix of athletes from many different sports and includes legends like Babe Ruth, Muhammed Ali, and Gabby Douglas.

Who is Series… by Multiple Authors

The Who is Series is more than 200 books strong at this point. The series covers famous people, places, and historic events.

If your child is interested in any subject, we can almost guarantee there will be a book related to it in this series. The books are easy to read and interesting, making them the best non-fiction books for a 9-year-old.

Historical Fiction Books for 9 year-olds

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Don’t let the length of this mystery book for kids deter you. Even though it is on our list of long books , there are gorgeous illustrations on every other page and the writing is only a paragraph at a time.

This middle grade mystery is an amazing story of Hugo Cabret who is an orphan in the Paris train station where he winds the clocks so that nobody will discover his secrets. Soon he discovers a drawing and a notebook that will lead him to the biggest adventure of his life. This is one of the must-read books for 12-year-olds.

Winnie’s Great War by Lindsay Mattick and Josh Greenhunt

This book is based on the real story of the world’s most famous bear, Winnie the Pooh. From his beginnings in the forests of Canada to the London Zoo where he met the real Christopher Robin, this book mixes one part imagination and one part history to create Winnie’s first big adventure.

Why We Love This Book:   It’s the perfect chapter book for older readers, particularly those who love the Caldecott medal winner, Finding Winnie. Appropriate for ages  8-12 Find this book in Zoo animal books, books for 9-year-olds , books for 10-year-olds

I Survived by Laura Tarshis 

Each book tells about a disaster from the point of view of one child who survives.  The original books all had a boy on the front cover but, the newer books are told from female perspectives too!

The series has also recently started publishing graphic novels which are some of the best books for a 9-year-old reluctant reader.

Did you find any books for a 9-year-old to add to your home library? For more options check out our list of books for 8-year-olds or age up with our book suggestions for 10-year-old .

Co-Founder and Creative Director

As a mother of two boys, Kirsten rediscovered her life-long love for reading while choosing appropriate books for her children. She started this website with Jackie to share their passion for literacy with other moms and kids. She uses her years of experience in marketing and public relations to create quarterly magazines, implement social media strategy, and ensure the website content is relevant and beautiful.

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75 Best Books for 9-Year-Olds (With Printable List!)

So you want to find a good book for a 9-year-old! We've combed through the library shelves and read hundred ( probably thousands ) of middle grade books to find the best classic and contemporary books your 9-year-old ( generally 4th grade in the US or Year 5 in the UK ) will love.

These books cover a wide variety of genres kids love, like historical fiction , magical realism, mysteries and some of the most hilarious books they'll ever read . But it's not just me and my two kids who love these books, every title on this list is recommended by top critics.

Although there are some more serious titles on the list, overall, this list is populated primarily with titles that will put smiles on the faces of 9-year-old readers.

Note: this list contains Amazon and Bookshop affiliate links. Purchases made through these links may earn a commission for this blog. Bookshop also supports independent bookstores.

Don't forget the printable list!

Table of contents

Fantasy and science fiction, historical fiction, animal fiction.

THE VANDERBEEKERS OF 141ST STREET (series) by Karina Yan Glaser

Find it: Amazon | Bookshop

This lovely novel may put you in mind of Elizabeth Enright's The Saturdays . It is just before Christmas and the Vanderbeekers are going to be forced to move from their beloved Harlem brownstone unless they can change the mind of their grumpy landlord who just happens to be their upstairs neighbors. This creative, bi-racial family sets to work to win him over in this heartwarming story.

HONEY AND ME by Meira Drazen

Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

Best friends Milla and Honey will finally be attending the same school. Milla is very excited but the year gets off to a rocky start and Milla worries she and Honey are drifting apart. Each girl is busy preparing for her bat mitzvah as well as working on their speeche for a school competition. Honey and Me is a classic coming of age story about friends who are going through all the familiar pangs of growing up and finding their own voice.

A DUET FOR HOME by Karen Yan Glaser

June, her mother, and younger sister move into a homeless shelter in the Bronx. Tyrell has been living in the same shelter for three years. He loves to listen to the neighbor play classical music and when he learns June has a viola that she is not allowed to play inside the shelter he convinces the neighbor to giver her lessons. Unfortunately, new housing policies are threatening to move families out of Huey House before they are ready, but June and Tyrell are hoping to find a way to stop that. The narrative voice alternates between June and Tyrell.

THE SECRET BATTLE OF EVAN PAO by Wendy Wan-Long Shang

I absolutely loved this book and the story offers a particularly rich array of topics for discussion. Evan, who has an almost supernatural ability to sense when other people are lying, his sister and mother move to a small Virginia town from California. Evan's new class is in the middle of preparing for "Battlefield Day," a field day when students learn about the Civil War. Evan's research leads him to the discovery that Chinese-American soldiers fought in the war. While Evan becomes friends with Max, he also deals with a bully, Brady. But Max's intuition tells him the there is something deeper to Brady than just his outward meanness. Chapters tell the story from different viewpoints of people who live in the town.

SAVE ME A SEAT by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan

This funny and touching story of Ravi, an Indian immigrant adjusting to middle school and Joe, a boy who recently lost his best friend due to a move, is told in alternating voices. The two boys become friends when they unite again a school bully and one seriously crazy week full of laugh out loud humor ensues.

BAN THIS BOOK by Alan Gratz

Amy Anne loves reading but when her favorite book, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler is banned from the school library, she is flabbergasted. The efforts of a small group of parents to ban books from the library sparks student activism and Amy Anne turns her locker into the B.B.L.L., the Banned Books Lending Library. This is not just a tale of the perils of censorship, but one in which Amy Anne learns to speak up for herself. Gratz explains in his endnote that all the titles mentioned have been banned or challenged in some school libraries across the country.

WAYS TO MAKE SUNSHINE (series) by Renée Watson

Heroine Ryan Hart is absolutely delightful. She is the first one to see the silver lining in any situation, and she always tries to see the best in people. But that doesn't mean everything always goes according to plan. Dad loses his job at the post office and the family has to make some big changes, not to mention her sometimes bossy older brother! A great choice for kids who love contemporary realism.

RICKSHAW GIRL by Mitali Perkins

In Bangladesh, Naimi feels frustrated that she is constantly told she cannot work to earn money for her family because she is a girl. When she accidentally ruins her father’s rickshaw she disguises herself as a boy so she can work, and meets someone who will change her life. The book includes a glossary and an author’s note about micro-finance. There's also now a Rickshaw Girl movie !

THE MISADVENTURES OF THE FAMILY FLETCHER (series) by Dana Alison Levy

This book made me laugh out loud. A family of 2 dads and 4 adopted sons ( all together they san several ethnicities and religions ) lead a rather disordered and hilarious lifestyle. The boys all have different personalities, which could lend themselves to stereotypes, but thankfully do not. After finishing this book I wanted to move right in to the Fletcher household, if only to try out their DIY hockey rink.

THE SEASON OF STYX MALONE Kekla Magoon

Caleb and his brother, Bobby Gene, live in a small town. Caleb wants to get out and see the world, but their father insists everything they need is right where they live. But this summer, Caleb and Bobby Gene meet Styx Malone, a super cool teenager whose magnetic personality draws them in, and takes them on adventures. The three boys begin Styx's "Great Escalator Trade" in which they barter up a series of items in hopes of finally getting a moped. Most of the story takes place outdoors without phones or televisions, where relationships are paramount.

DEAR MR. HENSHAW by Beverly Cleary

Through letters and diary entries addressed to his favorite author, Leigh Botts works through his feelings about his parents’ divorce, making friends at a new school and the mysterious lunch thief. One of the most appealing aspects of this book is that Cleary realistically conveys the complex and urgent voice of an 11-year-old boy.  Epistolary novels for children are rare and this one is eminently readable.

DEAR SWEET PEA by Julie Murphy

Sweet Pea's divorced parents live next door to each other in an effort to co-parent their daughter. Sweet Pea acknowledges that she is a little "plump." While Sweet Pea's friendships are undergoing a transition, a neighbor asks her to look after her mail. The neighbor is an advice columnist and Sweet Pea can't resist answering a few of the letters. Understandably, she gets into a bit of a pickle! Funny and heartwarming.

EL DEAFO by Cece Bell

Although El Deafo doesn't strictly belong in the realism category, I'm putting it here. This popular graphic novel memoir narrated by Cece, who loses her hearing due to spinal meningitis. A very funny and charming book about the experiences, imaginings and wishes of a Deaf girl. Although the story will help hearing kids to see challenges of the Deaf, they will also see similarities.

OTHER WORDS FOR HOME by Jasmine Warga

This free-verse novel begins in Syria around the start of the Arab Spring. Jude and her pregnant mother decide to emigrate to live with her uncle in America. Her older brother, caught up in the protests against the government, stays behind with their father. In America, Jude meets new friends and discovers an interest in theater. With unflinching honesty and keen perception, Jude describes the transition from Syria to her experiences adjusting to living in America. A splendid book.

LIONS & LIARS by Kate Beasley

When Frederick Frederickson ( the name says it all ), 10-year-old misfit, accidentally sets himself adrift down the river, he ends up marooned at Camp Omigoshee, a disciplinary camp for boys. The counselors mistake him for one of the campers and Frederick wonders if this is his chance to reinvent himself. The others campers are just as quirky as Frederick, and together they forge a rather strange, but ultimately honest friendship, as true personalities are revealed and Frederick learns to see power and privilege in a new light.

BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA by Katherine Paterson

I read the beautiful Bridge to Terabithia as a kid and I still list it as one of the books that has stayed with me. Two friends, Jess and Leslie, create an imaginary world they call Terabithia. One day a tragedy leaves Jess alone and he must rely on all he learned through his friendship with Leslie to work through his grief over her death. Sometimes we are reluctant to give a child a book with death as a central motif, but children need books that help them deal with big emotions.

MORE: Diverse, Realistic Fiction for Tweens

THE ENCHANTED LIFE OF VALENTINA MEJÍA by Alexandra Alessandri

Valentina has a father who searches for mythological creatures and a mother who is grounded in logic and reason. As a budding artist, Valentina feels stuck between them. One day when she and her brother, Julián are out with their father looking for the legendary patasola , an earthquake traps the siblings in an alternate Colombia and they must figure out a way to get home. Full of suspense, magic and emotional discovery.

THE MANIFESTOR PROPHESY (Nic Blake and the Remarkables series) by Angie Thomas

I knew I was going to like this book when I read Thomas' dedication to Virginia Hamilton, referencing Hamilton's, book, The People Could Fly , a collection of folktales I've recommended countless times on this blog . Nic comes from a family of Remarkables, lives in Mississippi, and hopes to follow in the footsteps of her father, who is a "Manifestor." Manifestors are Remarkables who have extraordinary powers but Nic learns a secret that threatens her father. Nic's best friend, J.P. is an Unremarkable, and helps her on her journey to clear her father's reputation. Angie Thomas ( who wrote The Hate U Give) weaves African, African-American and Biblical folklore into this unique adventure.

THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX by Kate DiCamillo

My son said he had also read Because of Winn-Dixie , The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane and The Magician's Elephant during quiet class reading time in 4th grade. "They were all good, mom, but The Tale of Despereaux  was my favorite." Masterful and suspense-filled plot lines about a mouse in love with a princess, a rat who loves soup and light, and a not-so-bright peasant girl all come together in a marvelous tale which will get your kids thinking about love and forgiveness.

SISTERS OF THE NEVERSEA by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Lily and Wendy are stepsisters, but also friends. One night, during story time with their younger brother, Peter and the fairy Belle arrive and invite them to Neverland. One sister is eager to go. The other turns down the offer, but Peter's shadow convinces her to follow them. Cynthia Leitich Smith has crafted a truly marvelous re-envisioning of J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan story centered around a blended Muskogee Creek and British family.

LALANI OF THE DISTANT SEA by Erin Entrada Kelly

This book will capture your child's attention from the very first page. Rich vocabulary and imagery drawn from Filipino folklore take readers and listeners on a thrilling and utterly unique adventure. Lalani's mother falls ill and Lalani sets out on a voyage across the sea to the legendary Mount Isa in hopes of curing her. Themes range from the limits of personal responsibility, familial relationships and loyalty, and abuse of power and leadership.

A DASH OF TROUBLE (series) by Anna Meriano

In her Mexican-American family Leonora Logroño has five older sisters. Convinced they are excluding her from something important while they tend to the family bakery in their small Texan town, Leo investigates. She discovers a book,  Recetas de amor, azúcar, y magia , and that her sisters use magic in their baked goods! Against her sisters' advice, Leo decides it is time that she learn magic, too, but things don't go exactly as she hopes! A delightful book for 9-year-olds who enjoy magical realism.

WHAT WE FOUND IN THE CORN MAZE AND HOW IT SAVED A DRAGON by Henry Clark

Cal and his pal, Drew, pick up a mysterious binder that a classmate, Modesty, dropped in a cornfield. The binder is full of tongue-twisting, 800 word magic spells. But there's a catch. Magic only works for one minute at several specific times a day, and all the spells are weirdly specific, "To untangle yarn," "to find lost coins," "to change a room's color," to name a few. Eventually, the three kids are whisked away to a parallel world where magic is in danger of disappearing. Lots of humor and fun word play make this an extra magical read.

WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON (series) by Grace Lin

This children's novel is a modern classic. Hoping to free her parents from poverty, Minli sets out on a quest to find the Old Man of the Moon and change the family's destiny. Along the way she is accompanied by the Jade Dragon and her journey is filled with twists and turns of fate. Lin deftly weaves together Minli's quest, her father's stories, and wonderful illustrations to create a memorable tale. Don't forget the companion books, Starry River of the Sky   and When the Sea Turned to Silver .

 A TALE DARK AND GRIMM (series) by Adam Gidwitz

In this subversive re-imagining of "Hansel and Gretel," a sly and snarky narrator offers warnings, observations and opinions on the action.  The story, in which the siblings journey on to try and find a set of decent parents, somehow manages to merge eight different Grimm fairy tales into one cohesive tale. An engaging story, but not for the faint of heart.

HEREVILLE: HOW MIRKA GOT HER SWORD by Barry Deutsch

What's that, you say? You are looking for a graphic novel about an orthodox Jewish girl who dreams of slaying dragons? Well, you've come to the right place. Mirka is not interested in the stereotypical "female pursuits," like knittin. The book opens with Mirka trying to convince her stepmother that God must want her to make kitting mistakes. When you see what role knitting plays in overcoming the terrible troll, you will probably agree with Mirka's assessment. One day Mirka finds herself in a kerfuffle involving wrestling a pig ( although no one believes her, and what is a pig doing in an Orthodox community, anyway, they all say ) but that's just the beginning.

MIGHTY JACK (series) by Ben Hatke

In this wonderful adventure graphic novel series, the titular hero lives with his mother and autistic sister, Maddy. At a flea market he trades his mother's car for a box of seeds and thus the adventure begins. Fans of Hatke's popular Zita the Spacegirl series will particularly enjoy this trilogy and spotting the crossover characters.

ELLA ENCHANTED by Gail Carson Levine

Sure your kids may have watched the movie, but don't forget the book, which is a great fairy-tale inspired book for 9-year-olds. Ella is given the "gift" of obedience, which gets her into all sorts of trouble, not least because she is strong willed. Determined to break the curse, she sets out on a journey and has a much more exciting adventure than Charles Perrault's Cinderella ever had.

DACTYL HILL SQUAD (series) by Daniel José Older

It's 1863 and the Civil War is being fought with troops on the backs of raptors! This is a spectacular and unique historical fantasy story. When Magdalys and several friends are on a field trip, children from the orphanage where they live are kidnapped. Magdalys and the others head to the Dactyl Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn where they learn how to ride pterodactyls as part of a plan to take down the evil magistrate behind the kidnappings. Magdalys has some trouble learning how to be a team player but her skill as a dinosaur telepath helps lead the group to victory.

MORE: Big List of Middle Grade Fantasy Books for ages 8-13

THE WESTING GAME by Ellen Raskin

I still remember my elementary school teacher reading The Westing Game   aloud to the class. I was completely riveted and it continues to be one of my favorite children's books of all time. Mr. Westing, an eccentric millionaire, writes his will as a game. The named beneficiaries must discover who murdered him in order to inherit his fortune. "Players" are separated into teams with clues. This unusual mystery has a host of curious characters and surprising  plot twists.

THE SWIFTS: A DICTIONARY OF SCOUNDRELS by Beth Lincoln

First of all, how can you not love a heroine named Shenanigan Swift ? When someone pushes Arch-Aunt Schadenfreude down the stairs at the Swift family reunion and treasure hunt, Shenanigan is on the case! Everyone one in the Swift family is expected to live up to their name but Shenanigan thinks her legacy can be more than just chaos. With some help from her sisters, Phenomena and Felicity, Shenanigan makes progress solving the case and choosing her own path. Utterly delightful, clever and hilarious.

BELLY UP (Funjungle Series) by Stuart Gibbs

Both my kids loved the Funjungle series. The series begins with Belly Up , a mystery centered around the strange death of a hippo. The zookeepers insist it was natural, but 12-year-old Teddy isn't so sure and begins to investigate. Each book in the series looks at a different animal-based mystery.

THE PARKER INHERITANCE by Varian Johnson

After her parents' divorce, Candace and her mother move from Atlanta to spend the summer in South Carolina, where her grandmother used to live. Candace is lonely and misses Atlanta. She makes friends with Brandon, a shy neighbor and the two of them set out to solve a historical mystery involving Candace's grandmother. Along the way they uncover a history of racial tension in the small town and an intriguing story of identity and fortune.

TANGLED UP IN LUCK (series) by Merrill Wyatt

When Sloane and Amelia have to team up to complete a school project, they don't think they will be able to get along. But the mystery of the town's long-lost jewels draws them in and as they discover new clues and solve the mystery, their friendship blossoms and they learn to appreciate each other's differences. This book has has everything you want in a mystery–a house with secret compartments, missing babies, long lost relatives, and a shadowy figure following the young girl detectives' every move!

REZ DETECTIVES by Steven Paul Judd, Tvli Jacob, and M.K. Perker

In this colorful graphic novel set on a Choctaw reservation, Tasembo and his friend, Nuseka, declare themselves the "Rez Detectives" and set about trying to solve the mystery of the missing ice cream. Clever and humorous illustrations and dialogue in addition to well-rounded characters make this a winning choice.

SECRET CODERS (series) by Gene Luen Yang, illustrated by Mike Holmes

How many graphic novels have your kids read that were written by a MacArthur Fellow ( aka "the genius grant ")? Hopper is the new kid at school and she starts things off on the wrong foot. She gets her hackles up when she gets into a tussle on her first day at the strange and creepy Stately Academy but soon Hopper and another student, Eni, team up to solve the mystery of the school. There are binary numbers to figure out, coding puzzles to solve, and computer programs to unravel. If your kids can spend hours on coding websites, convince them to enjoy some off-screen time while working on the same type of problems—but with a book .

FROM THE MIXED-UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E FRANKWEILER by E. L. Konigsburg

This classic tale for tweens is so well known it hardly needs an introduction. Claudia and her brother Jamie run away to NYC where they hide out in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and try to solve the mystery of a statue’s identity.

MASTERPIECE by Elise Broach

My boys and I loved this book so much! Marvin, an artistically talented beetle makes friends with James, a young boy. The two become embroiled in an art heist when Marvin's drawing is mistaken for James's work.

EDDIE RED, UNDERCOVER: MYSTERY ON MUSEUM MILE (series) by Marcia Wells

Edmund Xavier Lonnrot a photographic memory and terrific art skills and when he gets in the way of a fleeing witness, the NYPD enlists his help to solve an art heist. We enjoyed this book and I liked the way Eddie's relationships with his parents, his OCD-diagnosed best friend and the somewhat grumpy police detective played out, giving the improbable situation a very realistic feel.

LIZARD'S TALE by Weng Wai Chan

In 1940 Singapore, Lizard went to live with his Uncle Archie after his parents died. However, when Uncle Archie disappeared unexpectedly, Lizard finds his way to Chinatown in Singapore, surviving by doing odd jobs. One of those jobs involves stealing a mysterious teak box and delivering it to a mysterious individual. When things don't go according to plan, Lizard is left with the box. He and his friend try to understand the mystery of the box, which somehow connects to the war, secret codes and the disappearance of Uncle Archie.

THE PEAR AFFAIR by Judith Eagle

This wonderful historical mystery takes readers to 1960s Paris, France. 12-year-old Nell has left her English boarding school in an attempt to find out what happened to her beloved nanny, "Pear," whom her unpleasant parents dismissed just before Nell went off to school. Once in Paris, Nell teams up with Xavier, a bellhop at a luxury hotel. Like Enola Holmes, Nell gets drawn into a second mystery–the suspicious contamination of baked goods at boulangeries across the city. ( Anyone who has been to Paris, knows that would be a dire situation, indeed! )

MORE: Mystery Books for Tweens

THE HERO'S GUIDE TO SAVING YOUR KINGDOM (series) by Christopher Healy

Fans of fairy tale adventures will enjoy this cheeky and humorous story about the "Prince Charmings." The princes, who now have actual names, have been turned out by their princesses for various reasons of unsuitability. They band together in an effort to prove themselves worthy by defeating Rapunzel's witch. The feisty princesses also make an appearance and by the end of the book it is hard not to laugh out loud at the lovable foolishness of the princes' exploits. Great fun.

TALES OF A FOURTH GRADE NOTHING (series) by Judy Blume.

This is the first title in Blume’s Fudge classic children's book series about Peter Hatcher and his 2-year-old kid brother, “Fudge.” Older siblings everywhere will relate to Peter’s exasperation at his messy, loud, trouble making brother, especially since Peter seems to get the lion’s share of blame.

THE LAST LAST-DAY-OF-SUMMER by Lamar Giles

This is one of the quirkiest books I have ever read aloud and my fourth grader absolutely loved it. Cousins Otto and Sheed live in a Virginia county known for strange happenings. Together they have worked to solve many mysteries but this is the last day of summer and they are not ready for it to be over. They encounter a mysterious man with a camera that stops time and that's when the weirdness really begins! Zany, imaginative, not-a-little-bit-surreal, yet still thoughtful.

THE TERRIBLE TWO (series) by Jory John and Mac Barnett, illustrated by Kevin Cornell

There's an epic war of tricks and pranks when Miles moves to Yawnee Valley and finds out the school already has a master prankster in residence: Niles. Miles and Niles join forces to become the "Terrible Two" and attempt to pull off the most legendary prank ever. This book is a high interest, easy to read novel for kids who might be classified as "reluctant readers," but will also be loved by voracious 9-year-old readers!

THOR'S WEDDING DAY by Bruce Coville, illustrated by Matthew Cogswell

I will confess that I was not expecting to enjoy this book, but I liked it just as much as my son and we both laughed out loud the whole way through. It's a vary, very funny adaptation of a classic tale from Norse mythology in which Thor must dress as a bride in order to get back his stolen hammer.

FAKE MUSTACHE by Tom Angleberger

Lenny Flem Jr.'s friend, Casper, comes into an unexpected windfall and purchases a suit and fake mustache. Shortly afterwards, a string of robberies takes place and Casper makes a grab for world domination. Sound absurd enough for you? One of the surprising twists of this books is that half-way through, the narration switches from Lenny to Jodie and somehow Angleberger makes it all work brilliantly.

HOW TO EAT FRIED WORMS by Thomas Rockwell

Raise your hand if you read this 1973 book when you were a kid! This is a smart, funny, suspenseful book which paints a realistic portrait of boys in a state of "war" against each other. Billy accepts a challenge to eat 15 worms in 15 days. The prize is a whopping $50. ( Big money back in 1973! ) As Billy thinks of new ways to make the worms palatable, his competitors come up with increasingly complex ways to outwit him.

BARB THE LAST BERZERKER by Dan Abdo, illustrated by Jason Patterson

In this exciting adventure, Barb is the only one of her band of Berzerkers to escape capture by the evil Witch Head. Along with a Yeti named Porkchop, and the powerful Shadow Sword, she heads off to find the Northern Berzerkers so they can help her vanquish Witch Head. A great funny, fantasy graphic novel series !

JULIUS ZEBRA (series) by Gary Northfield

I'm embarrassed to say that it was one of my son's 9-year-old friends who noticed that title character is a pun on "Julius Ceasar," and not me! This is a silly, ridiculous, tale of a "definitely not a stripy horse" who is taken from the African savanna and transported to Ancient Rome, where he must train as a gladiator. With that premise, you can imagine that this book is one big zany adventure. The text is peppered with many black and white drawings and speech bubbles and kids won't stop reading until they finally reach the end, after which they will pick up the next book in the series.

THE TAPPER TWINS (series) by Geoff Rodkey

My son loves this series and checks it out repeatedly from the library! Claudia and Reese are engaged in a prank war at their private New York City school. The writing is funny and engaging and full of outrageous humor, which I'm guessing Wimpy Kid fans will love!

THE WILLOUGHBYS by Lois Lowry

Does your kid like literacy references and tongue-in-cheek, melodramatic humor? Fans of Lemony Snicket will enjoy this tale of four children, Tim, Barnaby A, Barnaby B, and Jane who fancy themselves to be "old-fashioned" in the vein of book heroes and heroines. When their unpleasant parents go off on a world trip, the siblings are left with a not-so-odious-after-all nanny and end up being semi-adopted by their lonely neighbor who has taken in a baby found on his doorstep.

ZORGAMAZOO by Robert Paul Weston

The fast-paced, clever, rhyming verse novel follows Katrina Katrell, who runs away from her evil guardian, and alights on an adventure with a strange creature called a Zorgle from Zorgamazoo. A twisting mystery, with bizarre and hilarious characters follow.

MORE: Funny Books to Read Aloud to 9-10 Year Olds

THE WATSONS GO TO BIRMINGHAM – 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis

Curtis' book is a tender and very funny portrait of a loving African-American family living in Flint, Michigan. Young Kenny’s parents decide to drive the family down to Birmingham where older brother Byron will spend the summer with grandma in an attempt to correct his delinquent behavior. Most of the action takes place before the family gets to Birmingham and despite the serious undercurrents of the story, there are many moments of this book which are laugh-out-loud funny. Highly recommended and very enjoyable.

TURTLE IN PARADISE by Jennifer L. Holm

11-year-old "Turtle" moves in with her extended family in this lovely gem of a book set in 1930s Florida Keys. Turtle’s time running around the neighborhood, meeting new people and having pirate adventures with her boy cousins make for a charming and funny story with old-fashioned overtones.

A SINGLE SHARD by Linda Sue Park

In 12th century Korea, Tree-Ear, an orphan, lives under the bridge with the disabled Crane-man. The two survive from day to day but Tree-Ear is fascinated by the local revered potter, Min. Circumstances collide and Tree-Ear becomes Min's apprentice. Tree-Ear must learn patience, an appreciation for hard work, as well as suffer through Min's bad temper. When Min sets about creating pottery to impress an emissary, Tree-Ear is determined to help him succeed and undergoes an important, life-changing journey. An utterly fantastic book.

NORTHWIND by Gary Paulsen

Paulsen's final survival story is set in an unspecified northern location in an unspecified historical period, but the setting is evocative of Norway in a pre-modern age. When a deadly illness sweeps through a ship crew's camp, young Leif leaves in a canoe with a few supplies. Instructed by one of the elders to voyage northward, he does so. As he travels, he learns self-reliance and revels in the solitude and natural world. Paulsen's beautiful prose sets the reader on a journey of struggle and triumph. Glorious.

FRONT DESK (series) by Kelly Yang

Mia Tang lives in a motel where her immigrant parents are the managers for an exploitative owner. Mia wants to be a writer but worries about her English skills. She takes over running the front desk of the motel and makes friends wherever she goes. She experiences anti-Chinese prejudice and witnesses racial bias against People of Color in her neighborhood. She dreams of winning a writing contest so her parents can own their own hotel instead of working endlessly for little pay. Yang based the novel on her own experiences growing up in similar circumstances. A winning, funny and heartwarming novel; not to be missed.

THREE STRIKE SUMMER by Skyler Schrempp

In the 1930s, Gloria's family farm is the victim of the Dust Bowl. She and her parents head for California to work as agricultural laborers in hopes of earning enough to buy their own land again. They find work in a peach orchard but what Gloria really wants is to play baseball, but first she must find a way to convince the boys to let her play on the secret orchard team. Meanwhile, her father is organizing a labor strike, which has unexpected consequences. It is Gloria's compelling narration draws readers into her story, where they will also learn about labor history and The Great Depression.

THE RHINO IN RIGHT FIELD by Stacy DeKeyser

This is an excellent, funny book for kids who love baseball. Set in the late 1940s, the story follows Nick Spirakis, the son of Greek immigrants, who plays ball with his friends in a field by the zoo. The field contains perils such as Tank the Rhino, who lives just beyond the outfield ( where balls occasionally land! ). When the local baseball team comes under the control of a new owner, Nick and his friends vie for a spot as batboy. Amidst the humor and action, the story also addresses life as an immigrant, dealing with bullies and the status of girls who play baseball.

CRISPIN: THE CROSS OF LEAD by Avi

Set in the 14th century, this award-winning book is a page-turning adventure! Asta's son doesn't have a real name, and he doesn't know who his father is. When his mother dies, he comes under the guardianship of Father Quinel, who gives him a cross of lead owned by his mother. But before Father Quinel tells him his paternity, the boy ( now named Crispin ) must flee. He goes on the run from the wicked lord who owns the village and a hair-raising adventure begins.

THE NIGHT DIARY by Veera Hiranandani

I could not put this book down! Nisha and her twin brother are half-Muslim, half-Hindu siblings living with their father in India just before the time of Partition. When word comes that their town is to become part of the new Pakistan state, Nisha, her brother, her Hindu father and grandmother must make the harrowing and dangerous journey to the Indian border. Each chapter is an entry in Nisha's diary as she leaves her comfortable life behind and struggles with her own questions of identity.

WHEN MISCHIEF CAME TO TOWN by Katrina Nannestad

In early 20th century Denmark, an orphan girl meets her grandmother for the first time when she goes to live with her after the death of her mother. Inge Maria is a free spirit and even though trouble seems to follow her wherever she goes ( hilarious trouble, to be sure ) the townspeople and her grandmother can’t help but fall utterly in love with her. I thought Nannestad masterfully handled Inge Maria’s grief over her mother’s death, her joyous attitude towards new experiences, and her headstrong imagination.

NATHAN HALE'S HAZARDOUS TALE (Series) by Nathan Hale

Both my middle grade readers love Nathan Hale's historical graphic novels. The topics range from the Revolutionary War to the Donner Party, the Alamo to WWI and more. As a narrator, Hale makes history fascinating and funny. If your kids say they aren't "into history" sneak a few of these books into their reading stash.

THE MOFFATS (series) by Eleanor Estes

If you are looking for a gentle, humorous, classic book a 9-year-old will enjoy, this is a great choice. The Moffat family lives in the town of Cranberry and the Moffat children do things like get stuck in bread boxes, hop on trains and enjoy life around them without the aid of an iPad. There are several books in the series: T he Middle Moffat , Rufus M ., The Moffat Museum .

VOYAGE OF THE SPARROWHAWK by Natasha Farrant

Farrant's marvelous novel reads like a classic. In 1919, 13-year-old Ben wants to find his adoptive brother, Sam, who disappeared in France during the First World War. Back in England, he meets Lotti, who is being looked after by her unsympathetic aunt and uncle. Lotti is about to be sent away to boarding school and so she and Ben decide to take the Sparrowhawk , a narrowboat that is Ben and Sam's home, across the channel to find Sam and Lotti's grandmother. On their journey, Ben and Lotti meet supportive adults who help them to their destination. The story is full of dynamic characters that pull at your heartstrings.

LETTERS FROM CUBA by Ruth Behar

I could not stop turning the pages of this excellent epistolary novel. In 1938, Esther leaves her mother and brother in Poland and joins her father in Cuba. Esther tells her story in a series of letters to her sister. Making the journey by herself, as a Jewish refugee, Esther looks forward to her new home. Once in Cuba, she falls in love with the island and her neighbors. Her father has been working as a peddler, but Esther is a talented seamstress and finds success selling sought after dresses so that she and her father are finally able to send for the rest of the family. Behar based the book on the story of her grandmother and introduces readers to an incredibly diverse population.

MORE: Historical Fiction Books for Tweens

A WOLF CALLED WANDER by Roseanne Parry

At the age of two, Wander's pack is attacked by a rival wolf pack and Wander is separated from the rest of his pack. Unable to learn the fate of his family, Wander sets out on a journey of survival. The wolf narrates his own tale and– wow –is it fascinating. The book is full of observations about other wildlife, the impact of humans, and the perils of life as one of nature's most important predators. In the endnotes, Parry explains that she based her book on a real-life wolf that scientists had been tracking.

MORE: Children's Novels Told from the Animal's Point of View

I, COSMO by Carlie Sorosiak

This unique book is narrated by the family's elder golden retriever, Cosmo. Cosmo considers himself to be Max's big brother and his life's work is to keep Max safe. However, the family is in turmoil. Max's parents are fighting and Max and his sister are feeling anxious. Max gets the idea to enter a contest by teaching Cosmo a dance routine, which he hopes will make his parents take notice of him and stop fighting. A wonderful, tender story.

WOOF (Bowser and Birdie series) by Spencer Quinn

With the help of his excellent sense of smell, and his human companion, Birdie, Bowser the dog solves mysteries. Bowser narrates these humorous adventures. In the first book, Bowser and Birdie investigate the disappearance of grammy's stuffed prize marlin. This serie is a great choice for readers who love mysteries, as well as for animal fans.

RAGWEED (series) by Avi

Ragweed follows the trials and tribulations of an adventurous mouse who sets out to see the world. Along the way he meets some super cool mice living the good life, except for the occasional encounter with a tricky kitty. Your 9-year-old will be enchanted by the entire Tales from Dimwood Forest series.

ODDER by Katherine Applegate

Applegate is best known for The One and Only Ivan , but Odder's setting of Monterey Bay, California steals my heart. Also, sea otters are the best. Applegate's free verse novel is narrated by the titular character who finds herself in the middle of a rescue operation when she goes to the aid of another otter who is being attacked by a shark. Odder and her friend, Kairi end up at the Monterey Bay Aquarium where humans are work to heal and rehabilitate otters into the wild.

MORE: Books like The One and Only Ivan

CLEVER POLLY AND THE STUPID WOLF by Catherine Storr

I 100% LOVE this 1955 classic. We've read it aloud multiple times, and my son still reads it on his own! As you might guess from the title, Polly readily outwits a not-so-shrewd wolf who would like nothing better than to eat her for dinner. Storr's storytelling ability is just as clever and witty as her heroine.

THE TRUE BLUE SCOUTS OF SUGAR MAN SWAMP by Kathi Appelt

Bingo and J’miah are two raccoons who descend from a long line of raccoons who are entrusted with the job of alerting the mythic Sugar Man in case of an emergency. They decide to do so when a band of feral hogs invade the swamp, their sights set on the sugarcane. Meanwhile, Chad is dismayed to learn that the slimy Sunny Boy Beaucoup ( what a name! ) wants to convert the swamp into Gator World Wrestling Arena and Theme Park.

VIOLET AND JOBIE IN THE WILD by Lynne Rae Perkins

Although there are many wonderful children's novels featuring anthropomorphized mice, you can always make room for one more. Violet and Jobie are house mice. They love the comfort of dry shelter and all the yummy human food. They also love to play SNAP! the cheese game in which they poke a platform, cause it to jump, and then feast on cheese. Their love of this game gets them trapped and transported to wilds where they must learn new survival skills. But nature, even with its dangers, turns out to be less scary and more exciting than they thought.

MORE: Animal Novels for Tweens, Told from the Animal's Point of View

DOMINIC by William Steig

This is one of our favorite read aloud books! Dominic is a dog who sets out to find adventure. Along the way he meets the Doomsday Gang, a band of ne’er-do-wells who are spreading havoc among the local population. Dominic easily foils the greedy gang and earns everyone’s awe and respect. His kindness towards towards others earns him a reward, which he spreads around to the less fortunate as he continues on his journey. Dominic has such a positive attitude towards life, your kids will be smiling from ear to ear while reading.

M RS. FRISBY AND THE RATS OF NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien

Here's a classic book for every fourth grader! Mrs. Frisby must move her children to a warmer home for the winter. But her youngest, Timothy, is sick and she needs assistance. Mrs. Frisby enlists the help of a community of rats who have been bred in a lab to have superior intelligence. Winner of the 1972 Newbery Medal.

SAVING WINSLOW by Sharon Creech

Find t: Bookshop | Amazon

Young Louie misses his brother Gus, who is in the army. Nursing a small, sickly donkey he names Winslow helps to fill the gap of loneliness. Winslow also helps him to befriend Nora, a charming and quirky girl who lives close by and who is dealing with a loss of her own. Delightful and heartwarming.

• 4th grade summer reading
• Funny read aloud books for 9-10 year olds
• Conversation-starting read aloud books for 9 year olds

Reader Interactions

February 17, 2014 at 8:24 pm

This list is going to come in very handy for Claire's book club- thank you!

Erica MomandKiddo says

February 17, 2014 at 11:40 pm

That's so great that Claire is in a book club! I want Kiddo to join a book club, but it conflicted with karate.

February 17, 2014 at 10:00 pm

My 4th grade son is a voracious reader. It makes me so proud! Thanks for the new titles. We will head to the library to check them out.

Jamie Play to Learn Preschool

February 17, 2014 at 11:39 pm

marykprather says

February 18, 2014 at 7:21 am

Thanks for these suggestions -- we've read a few in the list (The Whipping Boy being our favorite), but some we have not read. I'm putting those on our library list!

February 18, 2014 at 9:13 am

I hope you enjoy your new reads!

Natalie AfterschoolForSmartyPants says

February 19, 2014 at 9:35 am

Great list! So far the only book that we read from it is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but I think my daughter might like Candymakers.

Pragmatic Mom says

February 21, 2014 at 11:23 am

We loved The Candymakers and The Year of the Boar!

February 22, 2014 at 4:42 pm

I just read "Fortunately, the Milk" by Neil Gaiman and couldn't put it down! Gaiman's writing and story telling is superb to say the least! Would love to see that one go on this list 🙂 -Reshama @Stackingbooks

February 22, 2014 at 4:51 pm

That is on our to read list! Just haven't gotten to it yet!

Even in Australia says

February 23, 2014 at 12:11 pm

My third-grader is reading many of the same books. She just finished In The Year of the Boar... and The Candymakers. She also just read Castle Coronoa by Sharon Creech, which I highly recommend, and The Great Wall of Lucy Wu, which I also recommend. However, I'm getting a little stuck on suggestions. She's already read The Mixed-up Files and I'm looking forward to when Under the Egg comes out, but til then... she's read all the non-scary, non-sad classics (Heidi, A Little Princess, Betsy-Tacy, All-of-a-Kind Family, Ramona, Andrew Clements), but I don't think she's quite ready for A Wrinkle in Time, A Bridge to Terabithia, and this morning she turned down The Witch of Blackbird Pond. Other ideas? Some of the other Wendy Mass books seem a little old for her...

February 23, 2014 at 12:29 pm

What about The Westing Game? I'm planning on putting that under Kiddo's nose next. Also, The Enormous Egg and Harriet the Spy! I agree about Mass's other books, except for Pi in the Sky, they are for older kids.

mreeanne says

June 11, 2014 at 3:48 pm

What about the Misty of Chincoteague series, Miracles on Maple Hill, Blue Willow, The Ordinary Princess, and Caddie Woodlawn and sequel, Magical Melons?

June 16, 2014 at 12:38 pm

Thanks for the suggestions!

February 23, 2014 at 12:12 pm

Oh, and The Saturdays and the Moffats. She found the Edgar Eager books a bit confusing... maybe it's time to try them again...

February 23, 2014 at 12:27 pm

We loved The Saturdays and the Moffats as read alouds. I think they are on another list somewhere... maybe the one of old fashioned read alouds. It's hard to keep track. LOL

Deceptively Educational says

February 23, 2014 at 5:29 pm

My son LOVES Big Nate too! I'll definitely be checking out some of these other titles. Your lists are SO helpful, as I struggle to keep up with my son's appetite for books! 🙂

Alanna Hector says

February 24, 2014 at 2:22 pm

Ditto!! And you can't imagine how happy I am to see the words From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. For 30 years I have not remembered the title of this book (or is it 40?). I just remember the story and now I know what it's called, I can read it to my kids!!!! That book - and The Island of the Blue Dolphins and Mrs Frisbee and the Rats of Nimh - all have stayed with me.

February 24, 2014 at 6:26 pm

Those are all wonderful books! I remember them well, too.

Stacie Theis says

February 25, 2014 at 12:03 pm

I always enjoy your recommendations. My 10 year old is an avid reader so we are always in search of new books. Thanks for sharing!

February 25, 2014 at 12:06 pm

Thank you Stacie! I hope you 10 year old enjoys some of these recommendations!

Ann Marie says

July 18, 2014 at 1:21 pm

Hello Erica, You may not see this - the last comment was Feb. 25 - but I thought I would give it a shot. I love your book lists and I love voracious readers. You may already be familiar with this title (I just found your blog and I have not gone through all your lists yet), but if not I think your boy would love it. "The Return of the Twelves" has been a family favorite. Here's a link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twelve_and_the_Genii

July 19, 2014 at 5:16 am

I do get comment notifications on older posts. 🙂 Thanks for the recommendation!

Leslie says

January 12, 2016 at 10:55 pm

We just read Whipping Boy and Mr. Popper's Penguins. Roald Dahl has long been a favorite! I hope you'll start linking your reading lists up to our Literacy Musing Mondays Linkup #LMMLinkup.

Michele says

January 27, 2016 at 9:04 pm

My son loved Young Fredle, and I couldn't wait to read more of it, too! Also, The Little House on the Prairie series, BFG, Trumpet of The Swans by EB White and Desperaux.

January 28, 2016 at 6:15 am

Great suggestions!

February 09, 2016 at 8:47 am

Those are great books!

Joanna F says

January 28, 2016 at 2:43 pm

I hgihly recommend The Sixty Eight Rooms series by Marianne Malone. I couldn't put them down! Was so excited to add these books to our school library. http://www.mariannemalone.com/books.html

February 09, 2016 at 8:46 am

Thanks for the suggestion!

Felicity says

August 25, 2019 at 3:21 am

I’ve received an ARC of a book due to be released in October 2019 which would be perfect for this list. It’s called “The Secrets of Magnolia Moon” and it’s written in a similar voice to Kate DiCamillo’s books. I won this book in an Instagram competition (no affiliation with the author or publisher) and it’s just delightful. Magnolia (who’s very good at keeping secrets so everyone tends to tell her their secrets) is nine and she’s a delightful character, with a vivid imagination and a lovely sense of joy in the world and the people around her.

September 10, 2019 at 8:57 am

Thanks for the recommendation!

August 10, 2020 at 7:03 pm

Hi! I am so grateful for your website! I wanted to pass along 2 suggestions, though I dont know if they are on other lists. My son (8.5 yrs.) enjoyed Pablo and Birdie by Alison McGhee and Letters from Riftka by Karen Hesse.

August 10, 2020 at 7:39 pm

And Water Buffalo Days by Huynh Quang Nhuong.

August 20, 2020 at 12:45 pm

Thanks for sharing your recommendations.

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The All-Time Best Book Series for 9-Year-Olds

Explore the entertaining book series that will help your growing reader continue to get drawn into books..

Starting a book series opens up a world of possibilities for readers of all ages, but especially for 9-year-olds who are ready for more challenging books and complex topics. The right series will not only keep your child engaged, but will also sharpen their reading comprehension , expand their imagination, and improve their vocabulary.

According to recent data from  Scholastic's Kids & Family Reading Report  based upon children ages 6-17, reading books for fun, as well as positive sentiment towards reading, has declined as kids have grown up up, with a marked decrease by age 9 that does not rebound. This age is an especially important moment to cement a child's love for books. 

Perfect for independent reading time, these book series for your 9-year-old will give them the opportunity to explore different worlds, meet relatable characters, and dig into longer plotlines. Exposing your child to a variety of book genres also broadens their interests and love of books. 

Check out some of our favorite series for 9-year-olds below! 

The Best Series for 9-Year-Olds

The Bad Guys : This team of mischievous bad guys — Mr. Fox, Mr. Shark, Mr. Piranha, and Mr. Snake — might be known for their bad behavior, but when they decide to be good instead, hilarious situations arise in this graphic novel series by Aaron Blabey. It will have the whole family laughing out loud. 

The Baby-Sitters Club Graphix : This graphic novel version of the classic series by Ann M. Martin presents the relatable adventures of Dawn, Claudia, Mary Ann, and Stacey with captivating illustrations. These stories about friendship and responsibility will have readers engaged until the last page. 

Pokémon : If your child loves the wondrous world of Pokémon, this chapter book series will get them hooked. Readers join Ash and his devoted Pikachu on his quest to become a Pokémon Master. 

Goosebumps :  Readers will love immersing themselves in R.L. Stine’s stories of haunted masks, demon ventriloquist dummies, and other monsters. Full of plot twists and frights, this series is sure to become a favorite.

The Last Kids on Earth : This action-packed series follows Jack Sullivan and his group of friends as they evade zombies and battle frightful creatures after the Monster Apocalypse. Packed with adventure, these titles are perfect for kids who love lots of thrills and laughs. 

Raina Telgemeier : With great humor and a ton of charm, Raina Telgemeier's graphic novels share funny, true tales about growing up, facing your fears, and telling your own story. These books are New York Times best sellers for a reason. 

Hello Neighbor : Based on the hit video, Hello Neighbor follows Nicky Roth, a lonely kid who befriends his eccentric neighbor Aaron Peterson after moving to a new town. The boys become inseparable, but when Nicky's suspicions about Aaron turn to sleuthing, he uncovers a dark past that Aaron and the Peterson family can't seem to dispell. 

Percy Jackson and the Olympians : A modern-day spin on classic Greek legends, this adventure-filled series about a group of teenage demigods will cultivate and capture the imaginations of readers. 

Diary of a Wimpy Kid : Follow Greg Heffley, a middle schooler who illustrates his life, family, and friendships in a diary. It's a series that highlights so many of the pains of school life and the challenges of being a kid, but it will introduce readers to a wonderful new kind of hero who will have everyone cheering.  

Harry Potter :  In this beloved series, readers join Harry and his friends at Hogwarts, the prestigious school of witchcraft and wizardry, and their exciting — and oftentimes, dangerous — adventures to overcome evil. September 2023, officially marks the 25th anniversary of the U.S. publication of  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone . Even after all these years, the series is still casting a spell over readers of all ages. 

Shop more series for 9-year-olds below. Plus, explore our Scholastic Parents book lists to discover  the best children's books  by age, interest, and more! You can find all books and activities at  The Scholastic Store . 

For more quick tips and book recommendations, sign up for our Scholastic Parents newsletter!

You'll also get 10% off your first order at the Scholastic Store Online.

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45+ Best Books for 9-10 Year Olds: Chapter Books for Fourth Graders

This fabulous list of the best books for 9 year olds was so much fun to collate – there are so many great titles for fourth graders (many of which your 10+ year old will love too!!)

I’ve sorted the chapter book titles into a number of different genres – realistic fiction, historical fiction, mystery, fantasy and adventure, and more, although obviously many of these titles could easily fit into a number of related genres.

45+ Best Books for 9 Year Olds (Fourth Grade)

Like all of the titles in our Best Books for Kids collection, each of our great books for 9 year olds picks is linked to both Amazon and The Book Depository (these are affiliate links) where you can find reviews and age recommendations for any titles you are not familiar with.

Realistic Fiction for 9 Year Olds

Historical fiction & biographical non-fiction for 9 year olds, humour: funny books for 9 year olds.

For even more humour books, check out our collection of funny chapter books for 7-11 year olds.

Books For Fantasy & Adventure Thrill Seekers!

Masterful mystery books for 9 year olds, chapter books for 9 year old animal lovers, you’ll find even more great books for 9-10 year olds in our lists of graphic novels for 9-12 year olds and 50 great read alouds to enjoy with older kids ..

Pin Best Books for 9 Year Olds for later:

Christie Burnett is a teacher, presenter, writer and the mother of two. She created Childhood 101 as a place for teachers and parents to access engaging, high quality learning ideas.

50 Best Books for 9 Year Olds in 2024

This epic list of books for 9 year olds will captivate reluctant readers, book lovers, and every type of reader in between.

At 9 years old, young readers transition from learning to read to tackling more complex texts, a crucial phase for academic success. Unfortunately, many kids experience a decline in interest in reading by this age.

Renew your child’s interest in reading with this engaging list.

*Discover 5 simple and effective strategies to inspire your child to read after considering the recommendations from the reading specialist.

Good Chapter Books for 9 year olds

Begin by exploring these classic books for 9-year-olds, offering captivating stories suitable for reading aloud to the entire family.

This post contains affiliate links, and we may earn a commission at no cost to you. See our  disclaimer  for more.

1. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume (Ages 8-9)

* #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

Peter’s biggest problem is his two-year-old brother, Fudge, who seems to get into trouble wherever he goes. The entire family will laugh out loud with this relatable and timeless tale by beloved author Judy Blume.

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing is the first in a five-book Fudge series.

2. Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan (Ages 9-12)

*Scholastic Gold Line

Esperanza’s privileged life in Mexico vanishes, forcing her family to flee to California. Amidst life on a farm labor camp, she discovers the resilience to overcome adversity and build a new life.

See Esperanza Rising Here >>

3. Frindle by Andrew Clements (Ages 8-10)

*Award-winning author Andrew Clements

Ever wondered how words are made? Nick Allen’s plan to rename a pen as a “frindle” quickly spreads, and he finds himself unable to control the word’s popularity.

Find Frindle here >>

4. 4th Grade Rats by Jerry Spinelli (Books for 8-9 year olds)

Transitioning from a third-grade angel to a fourth-grade rat proves challenging for Suds. Despite Joey’s attempts to toughen him up, Suds struggles. Will he survive fourth grade? Read to discover his fate!

5. The One & Only Bob by Katherine Applegate (Ages 8-11)

*Teacher’s Pick

The beloved characters from The One and Only Ivan return in this book . Bob the dog is looking for his sister with Ivan and Ruby. And they’re off on an adventure that readers will love.

6. Wishtree by Katherine Applegate (Ages 8-11)

*The New York Times-bestselling story of kindness, friendship, and hope

This is the story of Red, an old oak tree. Everyone in the neighborhood writes their wishes and ties them to Red’s branches. One day, a new family moves into the neighborhood and Red becomes more important than ever.

7. Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard Atwater (Ages 6-9)

*A Newbery Honor Book

When Mr. Popper receives a penguin, life will never be the same. Pretty soon, he has an entire performing group of penguins on tour! Parents and kids alike will burst into laughter with this delightful story .

8. Wonder By R.J. Palacio (Ages 9-11)

*Editor’s Inspirational Pick: Best books for ages 9-12

Meet Auggie . An ordinary boy with an unusual face. His personality inspires an entire community to discuss what kindness, empathy, and compassion mean in practice.

Also, check out more inspiring and motivational books for kids .

9. The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes (Ages 7-10)

*Newbery Honor Book

Wanda wears the same blue dress daily, claiming to have a hundred dresses at home. When Peggy mocks her, the story explores themes of kindness, bullying, and the importance of standing up for others.

10. The Boy At The Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Rauf (Ages 8-11)

When Ahmet, a Syrian refugee, joins Mrs. Khan’s class and reveals his separation from his family due to war, the class devises a plan to assist him.

Read The Boy At The Back of the Class here >>

11. Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper (Ages 9-11)

*New York Times bestseller and award-winning author

In this story , Melody, with cerebral palsy impacting her ability to walk, talk, or write, possesses a remarkable photographic memory. Despite challenges, she is determined to show the world her intelligence and capabilities.

12. The Witches by Roald Dahl (Ages 7-10)

*A favorite read aloud

This is not a fairy tale. This is about real witches.

When you are staying at a hotel where real witches are having a convention, things get a little scary. Especially when you discover that witches cannot stand children! Let your imagination run wild with this classic tale from Roald Dahl.

13. The BFG by Roald Dahl (Ages 7-9)

*One of Time Magazine’s 100 Best Fantasy Books of all time

When Sophie is carried off in the night by the BFG , she thinks she is going to be his breakfast! Thankfully for Sophie, the Big Friendly Giant is not like other giants!

Good Books for 9-year-old Girls

Explore these popular girl books for 9-year-olds, featuring exciting series that can captivate even the most reluctant readers.

14. Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George (Ages 8-11)

*First book of a series of 5

Princess Celie cherishes Tuesdays at Castle Glower when it magically adds a new room or wing. She alone notices the changes weekly, and when the kingdom is threatened, Celie becomes the key to its salvation.

Also, look for the Dragon Slippers series by this same author!

15. You Are An Amazing Girl by Nadia Ross (Ages 6-10)

A Collection of Inspiring Stories About Courage, Friendship, Inner Strength and Self-Confidence

Inspire confidence, security, and self-belief in girls with this book featuring 10 short relatable stories that address overcoming fears and building confidence.

16. Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo (Ages 8-11)

*Newbery Medal winner

From beloved author, Kate DiCamillo comes a humorous story about the friendship between a girl and a squirrel.

17. Princess Academy by Shannon Hale (Ages 9+)

*Newbery Honor book for 9 year olds

Miri transitions from a simple family life to attending an academy with the potential to become the next princess. As she faces hardships and trials, readers will connect with her journey in this this first book of the trilogy.

18. The Great Shelby Holmes by Elizabeth Eulberg (Ages 8-11)

*Read more in this series!

9-year-old Shelby Holmes is the best detective in her neighborhood. She’s smart and a little bossy. When John Watson moves in downstairs, Shelby may just find the friend and partner that she needs.

Mystery lovers will enjoy a funny spin on classic Holmes and Watson stories.

19. Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder (Ages 5-10)

*award-winning Little House series

Embark on pioneer life in the 1800s with Laura and her family in the first book of a 9-part series recounting true stories from Laura’s childhood and family adventures.

20. Ways to Make Sunshine by Renee Watson (Ages 8-11)

*A New York Times Best Children’s Book of the Year

Read the first book in this delightful series and meet Ryan Hart. Ryan knows how to make sunshine out of adversity, see the best in others, and continue to be kind in all circumstances.

Best Books for 9-year-old Boys

Boys may gravitate toward the engaging book choices in this next section.

21. The Best of Iggy by Annie Barrows (Ages 8-11)

9-year-old Iggy has done a few bad things…and he’s not even sorry for most of them. Except for that one time…

Read this humorous book !

22. Nate Rocks the World by Karen Pokras Toz (Ages 8-10)

Life as a fourth-grader can be tough when you are Nathan Rockledge. Thankfully he has a sketchpad and his imagination to help him survive! This is a perfect read for the boy in your life!

23. Dude, That’s Rude! (Get Some Manners) by Pamela Espeland (Ages 6-11)

Does the 9-year-old in your life need some manners? This fun book will help teach good behavior in many different situations.

24. Addison Cooke and the Treasure of the Incas by Jonathan W. Stokes (Ages 8-11)

Adventure with Addison Cooke in book 1 of 3 as he tries to save his uncle and a treasure!

25. Power Forward by Hena Khan (Ages 8-11)

Zayd Saleem, a fourth-grader with dreams of basketball stardom, faces a challenge when his passion clashes with violin practice, disappointing his parents. Will Zayd pursue his basketball dream? Read to discover the outcome! Read to find out !

Best Book Series for 9 year-olds

The best way to hook your child into reading is by getting him/her started on a series. I suggest you read the first book in the series with your 9 year old.

26. The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies (Ages 8-10)

Siblings Evan and Jessie compete in a lemonade-selling contest before school starts, leading to a suspenseful outcome. The Lemonade War kicks off a five-book series with relatable characters, making it an enjoyable read for children.

27. The Tail of Emily Windsnap (Book 1 of 9) by Liz Kessler (Ages 8-11)

*New York Times Bestselling series

Emily’s first swim becomes a surprise when her legs transform into a mermaid tail, leading her on an unexpected adventure to uncover the truth about her father.

Read The Tail of Emily Windsnap here!

28. I Survived the Attack of the Grizzlies, 1967 (#17 in the series) by Lauren Tarshis (Ages 8-10)

*New York Times Bestselling author

Read another engaging installment in the I Survived series. When visiting Glacier National Park, Melody Vega comes face-to-face with a grizzly bear.

29. The Sasquatch Escape: (The Imaginary Veterinary: Book 1) by Suzanne Selfors (Ages 6-9)

*Book 1 of 6 in a great series

When Ben’s cat brings home a baby dragon, his summer with his grandfather takes an unexpected turn. Teaming up with a new friend, Pearl, they discover a veterinarian in town caring for imaginary creatures. What unfolds when they accidentally release a sasquatch?

Read here to find out!

30. Legend of the Star Runner by J. I. Wagner (Ages 7-9)

Timmi Tobbson and friends only have 24 hours to discover the legend of a long-lost pirate ship buried in their city. However, they may find more than they expect aboard the Star Runner!

This unique series allows your child to become a sleuth by reading a story and finding clues in a picture to solve the puzzle.

31. The Danger Gang by Tom Fletcher (Ages 7-11)

*#1 bestselling adventure!

Grab your copy of this exciting adventure!

32. The Wishing Spell: The Land of Stories 1 by Chris Colfer (Ages 8-11)

*#1 New York Times bestselling author

Alex and Conner Bailey are twins that find themselves in a fairy-tale world. They discover that adventures in a fairy-tale are not always easy!

33. Sleepover Sleuths: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew #1 by Carolyn Keene (Ages 6-9)

When Deirdre invites Nancy and her friends over for a sleepover, Deirdre’s doll goes missing. Will Nancy be able to solve this mystery ?

34. Front Desk by Kelly Yang (Ages 9-11)

*New York Times bestselling author of this series

Mia Tang, a 10-year-old, juggles managing the front desk of her family’s motel, where they secretly let immigrants stay for free and pursues her writing dreams while navigating the challenges that arise.

Get your copy of Front Desk here.

35. The Familiars (Book 1) by Adam Jay Epstein (Ages 8-11)

*Goodreads Choice

Aldwyn, an alley cat, becomes the familiar to Jack, a young wizard, and must convince other familiars of his magical abilities. When captured by the evil queen, Aldwyn faces a crucial challenge: can he save them all? This captivating fantasy novel is perfect for 9-year-olds who may not typically enjoy reading.

36. Silver Arrow by Lev Grossman (Ages 7-11)

*A New York Times bestseller!

Kate and Tom’s lives transform when Uncle Herbert gifts them a locomotive, the Silver Arrow , for Kate’s birthday. The unexpected present leads them on a magical adventure of a lifetime.

*Test your knowledge with these book trivia quiz questions for kids >>

9 Year Old Nonfiction Books

Explore engaging nonfiction books tailored for 9-year-olds, sparking curiosity and reinforcing essential reading-for-information skills in your child.

37. Weird But True Gross: 300 Slimy, Sticky, and Smelly Facts by National Kids (Ages 7-10)

Do you like to be grossed out? This is the book for you !

38. Mistakes That Worked: 40 Familiar Inventions & How They Came to Be by Charlotte Foltz Jones (Ages 7-11)

Can a mistake change the world? Read these unusual true tales and facts about accidental inventions (from silly putty to potato chips)!

39. Where is the Bermuda Triangle? by Megan Stine (Ages 8-12)

Engage your reluctant or history-loving reader with this book all about the Bermuda Triangle.

Explore over 250 books in this series and find topics your child will enjoy learning about!

40. Super Interesting Facts for Smart Kids by Jordan Moore (Ages 8-11)

Dive into a world of super interesting facts about science, animals, sports, Earth, and more!

Adventure Books for 9-year-olds

Next, adventure books are always popular with 9 year olds!

41. Earthquake Terror by Peg Kehret (Ages 8-11)

*Popular adventure books

In this story , Jonathan, camping with his family, faces an earthquake with his sister and dog. Can they save themselves? Explore more adventure stories by the beloved author Peg Kehret.

42. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo (Ages 7-10)

Join a mouse, a cat, a girl, and a Princess as these delightful characters take a unique journey together .

43. Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls (Ages 8-12)

*Bestselling author of Where the Red Fern Grows

A tree full of monkeys in Oklahoma? The monkeys have escaped from a traveling circus and Jay’s family needs the reward money. Adventure with Jay as he learns lessons on the way to finding the monkeys!

44. Up The Creek! by Kevin Miller: 9 Year Olds Books (Ages 8-11)

In this first book in the Milligan Creek Series , four friends canoe down the creek without realizing the freezing and raging rapids they will encounter. In danger, the boys must figure out how to get home!

45. Wild Born (Spirit Animals, Book 1) by Brandon Mull (Ages 8-11)

*Teacher’s pick

Join four children on a wild adventure as they discover their spirit animal bond, a link between human and animal that gives powers to both. They must join with their animals to stop a dark force and save the world of Erdas.

Graphic Novels for 9 year-olds

Graphic novels are stories that are told using a combination of words and pictures. They are a great way to captivate readers.

46. Mighty Jack by Ben Hatke (Ages 8-12)

Jack dreads summer because he has to take care of his younger sister. But one day they get a box of mysterious seeds and start an unexpected garden adventure. Jack quickly changes his mind about summer!

Read Mighty Jack here!

47. Kristy’s Great Idea: A Graphic Novel (The Baby-sitter’s Club #1) by Raina Telgemeier (Ages 8-11)

*Read the graphic novels adapted from the original chapter books.

Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia, and Stacey are best friends and the members of the Baby-sitters club . They are ready to help and solve any problem that comes their way.

48. The Stonekeeper: Amulet #1 by Kazu Kibuishi (Ages 7-11)

*#1 New York Times bestselling series

Emily and Navin’s mom gets captured and they must follow her into a mysterious world with robots, strange plants, and animals that talk. Will they be able to save their mom in this dangerous world?

49. El Deafo by Cece Bell: Books for 9 Year Olds (Ages 7-10)

*Newbery Honor-winning graphic novel

Now streaming on Apple TV+

Cece, wearing a chest-strapped hearing aid, moves to a new school where she discovers she can not only hear her teacher in the classroom but everywhere else in the school!

Embracing her newfound ability, she becomes El Deafo , Listener of All, but her primary wish is to find a friend.

50. Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier (Ages 8-11)

When Catrina and Maya’s family move to Northern California, their neighbor tells them there are ghosts in their new home. Maya who is sick with cystic fibrosis desperately wants to meet one, but Cat is too scared.

Will Cat be brave enough? Read to find out !

More Books for 8-10 year-olds

Does your 9-year-old need something different? Check out these lists:

• Best Books for 8-Year-Olds
• Best Books for 10-year-olds

5 Tips To Motivate Your 9 Year Old to Read

The number of kids who say they love reading drop from 40% among 8-year-olds to 28% among 9-year-olds. ( Scholastic )

How do we encourage even our most unenthusiastic readers to get back to reading?

1. Schedule in time to read.

As your child gets older, it is still important to schedule reading into their routine. Help them find time to read for at least 20-30 minutes each day. ( Try this free routine checklist to help !)

*Pro Tip: Stash books in your car for when you are on the go!

2. Book choice matters.

Help your kids find a variety of books that interest them and let them choose what to read.

• Get kids hooked on a series. They will continue to read the rest of the series.
• If a student likes a book, check out other books by that same author.
• Introduce a lot of choices in genres: nonfiction, graphic novels, fantasy, etc…

3. Model a love of reading

Read in front of your child, discussing your enjoyment and what you’re learning. Share aloud interesting content to instill a value for reading through your example.

4. Continue to read aloud and with your child.

Read aloud continues to build reading skills such as vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. Plus, both kids and parents enjoy this meaningful time together.

“ Read-aloud is a prescription for lifelong success for the child and a dose of deep well-being for the family.” -Pam Allyn, Senior Vice President, Innovation & Development, Scholastic Education

5. try a reading challenge.

Check out these reading challenge ideas for both adults and kids to enjoy more reading with your child.

Pro Tip:  Motivate your child by reading a  book that is a movie  or television series. Then watch it together!

Free Printable Book List for 9 Year Olds

What’s next.

Join our free kids’ reading challenge for more motivation to read all year! Enter your email below!

Check out these other reading lists!

• Best books for 6 year olds
• Best Books fo r 7 year olds
• Best Books for Middle School Boys & Girls

Good Books and Stories for 9 Year Olds

Jessica is a contributing editor for Healthy Happy Impactful. She is dedicated to fostering a love of reading and empowering women and families. Jessica holds a Master's degree in Education and is a licensed Reading Specialist. She is a mom to 2 kids.

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Books for Kids and Grown Ups

Books for 9 Year Old Girls

Finding books for 9 year old girls should not be too tough a job. Many girls at this age are interested in books and publishing supplies, many young middle-grade books starring girls. For this list, I’ve rounded up my favorite cute stories targeted toward younger middle schoolers and starring girls. You’ll find realistic fiction, talking animals, graphic novels, one historical fiction, and one sweet (award-winning — thanks to the 2024 ALA awards!) verse novel.

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20 Sweet Books for 9 Year Old Girls

Here are 20 excellent books for 9 year old girls:

Leeva at Last

Published: March 7, 2023

In  Leeva at Last , we meet Leeva, a child who’s been kept indoors and put to work by her famous parents. Her mom is the Mayor, and her dad is the Treasurer. They both only care about fame and money, respectively, but not about their daughter or townspeople. They don’t even send her to school, and Leeva learns new words from a vocabulary section of the newspaper and teaches herself to read. But when Leeva finds her way to the town library one day, her eyes are opened to the world around her, and she finds the answer to a question that’s been on her mind forever: “What are people for?” This is a funny, charming, and whimsical young middle grade book about what it means to care about others.

Lolo Weaver Swims Upstream

Published:  April 25, 2023

Willow (Lolo) Weaver’s summer is not going well. Her grandfather has recently died, her grandma isn’t herself, and she’s given away her grandfather’s foster dog, Hank. Lolo’s mother is heavily pregnant, and Lolo is in summer school because she didn’t do too well in her last exams. On top of that, their lake town isn’t a lake town anymore because the lake’s been drained and smells awful now. Lolo wants to help her grandmother feel better, and she’s convinced that getting back her grandfather’s dog will do the trick. The only problem is that the dog now belongs to someone else. So Lolo gets on Pop’s boat to steal Hank back—only to run into her summer school classmate, Noah (who’s the new dog owner). This is a charming story about persistence, unlikely friendships, and the enduring  love for a grandparent  despite the odds

Mr. Whiskers and the Shenanigan Sisters

Published: October 3, 2023

Mr. Whiskers is a street-wise stray dog with a nose for trouble and a fondness for two girls he calls the Shenanigan Sisters. So when Misty and Zelda’s professor father is kidnapped, Mr. Whiskers follows that car, picking up vital clues. With the help of his street friends and the Shenanigan sisters, Mr. Whiskers leads the way to finding Mr. Shenanigan. Kids will love this gentle, funny mystery — especially great on audio. It’s perfect for listeners ages 8 and up.

Ways to Make Sunshine

Published:  April 27, 2021

Ryan Hart and her family are moving to a new (old) house because her dad lost his post office job and his new job doesn’t pay as much. Still, there are small joys. She doesn’t have to change schools and is still close enough to one of her best friends. With the new house, and selling one of their cars, her parents can better deal with their financial struggles. Throughout this slice-of-life book, Ryan learns how to believe in herself, enjoy public speaking, be a bigger person, and love who she is. Renee Watson’s  Ways to Make Sunshine  is an absolutely delightful early middle-grade book with a memorable protagonist. 

Published: October 18, 2022

Marlene hates the salon where her mom takes her to get her natural curls straightened weekly. Marlene’s mom and some in their circle/family believe that “good hair” is straight hair. Marlene’s mom wants her to focus on school and look “tidy” by having her hair straight and slick. But Marlene isn’t so sure. She sees an internet influencer and her favorite aunt, Tia Ruby rocking their curls and is eager to try. But her first attempt fails woefully. With Tia Ruby’s hair, Marlene learns to care for her natural hair better and embrace her curls. Frizzy  is a delightful, thought-provoking graphic novel about natural hair, self-acceptance, and  body image .

Published:  March 5, 2024

DiCamillo’s stories can be hit or miss for me, but this one I adored. It’s about Emma Phineas (also known as Ferris because she was born under a Ferris wheel), whose family is having a chaotic summer. Her younger sister Pinky is determined to be an outlaw, her grandmother Charisse is insistent that she’s seeing a ghost, and her father’s brother is separated from his wife and living in their basement. Despite how stressful all these circumstances sound, this book is more funny and heartfelt than anything else, as Ferris and her family find love and tenderness for each other.

President of the Whole Fifth Grade

Published : October 5, 2010

Briana’s desire to become president of her 5th grade class intensifies when she discovers that her role model and school alumnus was also 5th grade president. But when a new girl comes to her class and becomes her main opponent, Briana is embroiled in a fight for the position that will test her ethics and character. This is a high drama tween novel for fans of friendship stories featuring ambitious characters.

Published: June 4, 2013

This is the first in a cute series about Zoey, a fashion lover who discovers a love for sewing after a visit to the fabric store over the summer break. She eventually starts a blog to show case her designs and quickly begins to garner a following. But when school reopens, it’s not so easy to share her newfound style with classmates (some of whom aren’t always the nicest). A school fashion show presents the perfect opportunity to reintroduce herself. This is very low-stakes story for sensitive kids who love books about friendship and school issues.

PAWS: Gabby Gets It Together

Published: March 8, 2022

I truly loved this graphic novel about three friends who start a dog-walking business. It feels true to kids (feels like something I would’ve LOVED as a child who adored The Babysitters’ Club), and I enjoyed seeing the ethnic diversity and the parental involvement in this story. If you have kids who love animals or have an entrepreneurial streak, this is the book for them. It’s also delightfully short, and this is a series I totally plan to keep up with since every book is from a different girl’s perspective.

Published: September 20, 2022

Odder loves to play. She loves her home in the California waters and is unafraid to take risks–until she’s attacked by a great white shark. After the attack, Odder and her friend (a fellow otter) are taken in by some scientists who rehabilitate the animals. Soon, they make Odder a surprising offer that will change her life. Based on the real-life experiences of some otters, this book surprised me pleasantly. The audiobook is so delightful, with a full cast and sound effects. It’s perfect for this age group!

Published: September 19, 2023

Chance is a three-legged dog at the Dogtown shelter, where able-bodied dogs and robot dogs compete for attention. When a new robot dog, Metal Head, comes to the pound, things start to change. First off, he’s determined to run away (return home). So he hatches a plan with Chance and her mouse best friend to help an older dog get adopted in exchange for helping him escape. But things do not go to plan, and Chance, her mouse friend, and Metal Head spend a night on the streets on an emotional adventure. As someone who isn’t into animal books, I’m shocked by how much I liked this one. It’s charming, beautifully plotted, and full of suspense, heartwarming characters, and plenty of heart. It also has sweet illustrations and very short chapters.

Julia on the Go: Swimming into Trouble

Published: February 13, 2024

Julia LOVES to swim and is excited to participate in Personal Best Day with her swim team. Unfortunately, she develops an ear infection and the doctor’s orders are clear: stay out of the water. But Julia won’t give up and tries several wacky ways to stop water from getting in her ears when she swims, with disappointing and hilarious results. Eventually, she learns there are different ways to be part of a team. I loved this chapter book, especially the depiction of Julia’s immigrant parents, their sushi shop, and Julia’s adventures in the library and with frenemies. It’s an excellent choice for older readers who want the comfort of pictures in their stories. 

Good Different

Published: April 4, 2023

Selah knows there’s something different about her. She’s uncomfortable with overstimulation and can’t seem to instinctively figure out social cues, so she follows the rules; does what others do/expect her to do in those situations. But when she’s home, she practically crashes, needing to recover from shapeshifting all day. She’s doing okay, until one day she hits a fellow student who keeps trying to braid Selah’s hair. This leads to a series of events ending in an Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis and the realization that although she’s different, it’s good different. Good Different  is a powerful verse exploration of  life on the autism spectrum  and the illuminating experience of finally understanding oneself. 

Ruby Finley and the Interstellar Invasion

Published: September 27, 2022

Ruby is an 11-year-old future entomologist who loves studying insects and playing video games with her neighborhood friends. When she sees a strange bug in her bedroom and shares a picture of it on social media, suspicious agents appear at her door to re-capture the now missing insect. Soon, all the metal in her neighborhood begins to disappear as Ruby and her friends realize there’s more to the strange bug. This was a lot of fun and will appeal to fans of STEM stories and books about robots.

Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All

Published: April 23, 2024

Magnolia Wu spends a lot of time at her parents’ laundromat in NYC, keeping track of lost socks and observing customers come and go. But her summer gets more exciting when her parents introduce her to a family friend’s daughter, Iris. Soon Iris and Magnolia set off through the city to solve the mystery of each missing sock. As they meet people in their community and learn about them, the girls’ lives expand beyond their expectations. This is an adventurous, dryly funny book with illustrations that are perfect for nine year old girls.

The Magnificent Mya Tibbs #1: Spirit Week Showdown

Published: January 3, 2017

Fourth grader Mya Tibbs is excited for Spirit Week! She has made plans to partner with her best friend Naomi Jackson. Mya’s life seems pretty good, but the one scary part is Mean Connie Tate, who everyone knows is the biggest fourth-grade bully. So, you can imagine Mya’s terror when she’s partnered with Connie and Connie refuses to trade partners. On top of that, Naomi is mad at Mya for not trying harder to trade partners. This is a sweet, realistic story of  friendship,   family,  and forgiveness, featuring a relatable, funny character who isn’t afraid to be herself — cowgirl boots and all.

Published:  March 19, 2024

Pia heads out on a desert sightseeing road trip on which one of the stops is a famous lake which many believe has magical properties. Pia has a secret: she’s hoping that the lake will bring back her younger brother who died in a drowning accident several months ago. Along the way, she gets to know the odd group traveling together, including a candy-distributing grandma, a reluctant tween traveler, a couple with ever-bickering kids, and an elderly couple hoping for a health miracle. I liked the camaraderie of the travelers and the flashbacks in every chapter that show us Pia’s life before and just after the accident. I also really liked that the plot is sad but not too heavy. This is great for readers who enjoy sad books or stories featuring a road trip.

The Babysitters Club (Graphic Novel)

Published: April 28, 2015

Kids these days may not like the original BSC books (womp womp!), but these graphic novel adaptations are always a crowd pleaser — starting with the first book in the series. Bonus points for being illustrated by THE Raina Telgemeier.

The One Thing You’d Save

Published:  March 16, 2021

Linda Sue Park’s  The One Thing You’d Save  is a unique hybrid of sorts. It’s geared toward middle schoolers, but has lovely black and white illustrations on nearly every page. It is also less than 80 pages long, with sparse text in the Korean sijo poetry style. By the end of the class, even the teacher rethinks her choices, just as every reader will. This book might not satisfy you, if like me you enjoy plot, but it will make you think about the one thing, or things that matter most to you. Teachers and middle schoolers alike will find this book to be an excellent conversation starter, and the illustrations will entice reluctant and younger readers.

Light and Air

Published: October 24, 2023

As a non-fan of historical fiction, I was pleasantly surprised by this debut middle grade novel. Set in 1930s New York, where a tuberculosis epidemic is raging, it follows Halle, whose mother is diagnosed with the disease and sent off to JN Adams Sanatarium in Perrysburg. There, everyone, including people of all races, is welcome, and patients are treated with exposure to light and air. Soon, Halle ends up there to treat pneumonia. This book is accessible, plain-spoken, and truly written for kids without dumbing down or info dumping. The characters are richly drawn, and the subject matter is intriguing and rarely explored in books for kids. It’s impressive that the author has created a book all about tuberculosis with a rich, moving, adventurous, and tender plot balancing friendship, family, mystery, and history all at once.

Join our Patreon community to get the printable version of this list! You’ll also get access to other kid lit resources, like our seasonal guides and educator interviews, to inspire you.

There they are: 20 of my favorite books for 9-year-olds! Which of these books have you read and loved? What did I miss?

More Books for 9 Year Olds

• Books for 9 year old boys
• Books for 9 year olds
• Great graphic novels for 9 year olds

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• About Afoma Umesi

Afoma Umesi is the founder and editor of Reading Middle Grade where she curates book lists and writes book reviews for kids of all ages. Her favorite genre to read is contemporary realistic fiction and she'll never say no to a graphic novel.

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Excellent Nonfiction Books for 4th Graders

This post may contain affiliate links.

Use this list of good  nonfiction books  for 4th graders (9-year-olds in fourth grade) as a resource for finding the best nonfiction books that your kids will enjoy reading.

It’s important for children to practice reading both fiction and nonfiction. It’s also a great motivator if kids are reading something they are interested in.

See the nonfiction book lists for ALL AGES here.

Go  here for FICTION 4th grade books for 9-year-olds .

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Nonfiction Books for 4th Graders

A Natural History of Magical Beasts  by Emily Hawkins, illustrated by Jessica Roux For fans of  fantasy  and  magical creatures  like me, this book is a must-own! It’s  filled with the coolest creatures of lore and legends.  Each creature includes an introduction and description, plus information about its habitat, region, features, size, diet, and behavior. Even more fun is the diary entries from the intrepid explorer inviting you along. Besides loving the format and writing, I love that the book includes other cultures besides European mythical beasts!

The Hidden Life of a Toad  by Doug Wechsler There is so much to love about this nonfiction picture book! The text is really basic —  not too hard for  early elementary  grades. The book sequentially shows in text and photos the development of a toad — which is fascinating! It’s longer than I would prefer but I think kids will stay engaged since the changes in the toad are quite profound.

Where the Weird Things Are: An Ocean Twilight Zone Adventure  by Zoleka Filander, illustrated by Patricia Hooning A  personified  underwater explorer robot named Meso narrates his adventure deep in the ocean.  He speaks to the creatures he meets, and they tell him about themselves. Filled with lots of banter and dialogue, the result is enjoyable and playful while being informational. (This is informational fiction — not nonfiction.)

How Do Meerkats Order Pizza?  by Brooke Barker I love this  engaging and informative book about scientists who specialize in specific areas of study  — including meerkats studied by Dr. Marta Manser, Japanese macaques and bonobos studied by Dr. Cecile Sarabian, and lizards studied by Dr. Earyn McGee. The book is illustrated in comics with dialogue bubbles and handwritten text. It’s amazingly dense with factual information but remains easy to read, interesting, and appealing to the eye. Readers will want to pour over this book for days and learn about animals and scientists. Maybe it will inspire a new career trajectory…or just educate kids on more of the natural world.

The Biggest Stuff in the Universe  by Mr. DeMaio, illustrated by Saxton Moore Get ready to learn cool facts about BIG things — with photographs, cartoons, and illustrations!  From the largest tree to the largest exoplanet to the biggest thing in the known universe (the Hercules Corona Borealis Great Wall), Mr. DeMaio makes learning about science on Earth and in space FUN!

The Story of Movie Star Anna May Wong  written by Paula Yoo, illustrated by Lin Wang I really love how The Story of series introduces us to people that haven’t typically been the subjects of biographies and are unfamiliar. I developed so much respect for Anna May Wong because she found her passion in life, acting, and pursued it. Despite the blatant stereotyping and poor pay, Anna supported herself as an actress, moving to Europe for a time and then China. When she returned, she refused parts that showed Chinese in an unsympathetic light. Talk about perseverance!

From an Idea to Disney How Imagination Built a World of Magic  written by Lowey Bundy Sichol, illustrated by C.S. Jennings I’ve read many other biographies about Walt Disney, but this one stands out for its writing, pertinent information, and appeal. It shares about the business that continued on even after Walt’s death and his brother’s death including the merger with Pixar and the successful but controversial CEO, Michael Eisner. Fascinating!

From an Idea to Nike: How Marketing Made Nike a Global Success   written by Lowey Bundy Sichol, illustrated by C. S. Jennings Kids will see that it’s not enough to have a good idea and great product but you also must figure out how to sell your product — and Nike did this by sponsoring elite athletes like Michael Jordan to wear their shoes. The company’s journey shows kids that businesses go through ups and downs. However, continued  innovative thinking  combined with hard work and determination leads to success.

One of Our Giant Robots Is Missing: A Solve-the-Story Puzzle Adventure  written by Russel Ginns and Jonathan Maier, illustrated by Andy Norman At Roboland, Alicia gets separated from her classmates. She wanders into the employee’s only area and overhears them talking about dismantling her favorite robot, MegaTom. She knows it’s up to her to save him. Help her save MegaTom by solving the puzzles and mazes before the employees find out and catch up to them.  You’ll love this exciting, interactive puzzle adventure from Puzzlooies!

Built by Animals: Meet the Creatures Who Inspire our Homes and Cities  by Christine Dorian, illustrated by Yeji Yun Learn about animal construction,  from the animal’s home-building materials to their designs and more. This book is fascinating, and the illustrations are engaging.

Search for a Giant Squid: Pick Your Path  by Amy Seto Forrester & Andy Chou Musser This is an informational fiction  choose your own adventure  book where readers join an expedition on a dive to the deepest ocean depths to search for a giant squid. Choose which pilot to be, the submersible you’ll use, and the dive site, and then start your adventure. What will you discover? What will you do with mechanical problems or bad weather?

GUM How it Happened The Cool Stories and Facts Behind Every Chew  written by Page Towler, illustrated by Dan Sipple Did you know that gum has been around since the Neolithic era? Learn about the history of gum, the types of gum from different cultures, more recent gum iterations, and modern gum. The authors will hook readers with the writing and design, but readers will stay for the information. It’s fascinating!

Human Body Learning Lab: Take an Inside Tour of How Your Anatomy Works  by Betty Choi, M.D. Colorful pages with kid-friendly writing, illustrations, diagrams, labels, photos, and more add up to my new favorite book on the  human body !  Start reading about the body’s cellular building blocks and continue reading about subjects like the circulatory system, respiratory system, nervous system, the five senses, the reproductive system, and more. Written by pediatrician Dr. Betty Choi. I absolutely love this book!

Everything Awesome About Sharks and Other Underwater Creatures!   by Mike Lowery The Everything Awesome  book series  continues with SHARKS! Handwriting and kid-like fonts plus lots of comic illustrations and colors make this a visual feast for the eyes. (Or distracting, it can go either way.) But, it’s filled with a wealth of facts about the ocean, underwater creatures, and of course, sharks. From information about ocean zones to prehistoric sharks and kelp forests, this book covers ocean information in a fun, often hilarious, way.

Where’s the Llama?  written by Paul Moran, illustrated by Gergely Forizs A group of ten llamas in the Andes in Peru decide to see the world. Can you spot them in each of the world locations like Miami Beach, New York City’s modern art gallery, a fairground in Canada, a Cambodian jungle, an ice park in China, and more? Answers are in the back plus more things to spot. We really like the artwork in this book!

Bei Bei Goes Home A Panda Story  by Cheryl Bardoe This is an excellent book for children to learn about pandas, starting with the birth of baby Bei Bei and following her as she grows up.  Full-color photographs, sequential writing, factual information, and more — this will make a great addition to school libraries.

Anglerfish The Seadevil of the Deep  written by Elaine M. Alexander, illustrated by Fiona Fogg Follow the anglerfish’s birth to growth and life deep down in the dark ocean depths.  Find out more about this weird-looking toothy fish with bioluminescence.

What Breathes Through Its Butt? Mind-Blowing Science Questions Answered  by Dr. Emily Grossman If you’re looking for an informative  nonfiction book  with voice (HUMOR) and pizazz, this book hits all the right spots.  You can’t help but love the appeal of the book which is a mixture of goofy cartoons, information in a handwritten typeface with bolded and bigger words, and funny quizzes. (What can you do to make a pineapple taste riper? a. stand it upside down b. place it in the fridge c. cut it open d. sit on it) The quizzes introduce the topic, engaging a reader’s natural curiosity. You’ll learn about eggs, muscles, escaping a crocodile’s jaw, and other much weirder topics.

Courageous Creatures and the Humans Who Help Them I Survived True Stories  by Lauren Tarshis Superb!  Four compelling stories of animals and humans will keep readers engaged.  From carrier pigeon hero of WW I to cheetah cubs adopted by a human, these will share  true stories  for any animal lover. Filled with lots of black and white photographs and factual information that supports each story. For example, read about echolocation related to the dolphin story and general information about marine animals. Highly recommended.

Sleuth and Solve: 20+ Mind-Twisting Mysteries  by Victor Escandell As a teacher, I used these kinds of mind-bending puzzles in my classroom frequently. Why? Because the solutions take  out-of-the-box thinking.  Which is SO GOOD FOR KIDS! I love the design and format of this book… Pen and ink illustrations accompany a short mystery puzzle. Kids will love the challenge of trying to figure out the solutions– then getting to check to see if they got it right by lifting the flap.

Strange Nature: The Insect Port r aits of Levon Biss  written by Gregory Mone, photographs by Levon Biss Stunning photographs labeled with information about cool  insects  like the tiger beetle, mantis-fly, and the Orchid Cuckoo Bee accompany kid-friendly informational writing with the perfect amount of text to keep readers learning and engaged. Read where each insect lives, its size, and the most important information about the insect. You’ll love this beautiful  bug book  because both the photos and the writing are AMAZING.

What If You Could Sniff Like a Shark?  written by Sandra Markle, illustrated by Howard McWilliam Despite the busy layout, this is an engaging, informative, and relatable  book of facts about ocean animals  filled with photos, illustrations, and graphic designs. On the Australian Box Jellyfish page, it explains where they live and how they use their tentacles to sting, and other fascinating facts. Then it suggests that if you could sting, too, you’d be a crime-fighting superhero.

A Brief History of Underpants   written by Christine Van Zandt, illustrated by Harry Briggs Even people in ancient times wore  underwear ! Whether it was an Inuit in caribou skin underwear or Egyptian loincloths or quilted, padded underpants of European knights, kids will read all about the history of  underwear , inventions like the sewing machine that changed the world of underwear, and plenty of fun facts about underpants!  Well-written with punny humor, facts, and comic illustrations, this little nonfiction book for young readers is a delight!  

Kwame Alexander’s Free Write: A Poetry Notebook (Ghostwriter)   by Kwame Alexander This fun-to-read workbook for ages 8 to 12 introduces writers to poetry, literary devices like metaphors, as well as other poetic techniques.  Written in Alexander’s signature voice and style,  kids will get hooked as they dive into poetry . Alexander provides example poems with fill-in-the-blanks and lots of spaces for free writes.

The Story of Tennis Champion Arthur Ashe  written by Crystal Hubbard, illustrated by Kevin Belford In this book, you’ll learn about Arthur Ashe, a famous tennis player who eventually died from AIDS-related complications after a blood transfusion. Not only did this quiet, kind man work hard in tennis but you’ll learn that he also worked hard for equal rights and research funding for HIV/AIDS.

Killer Underwear Invasion! How to Spot Fake News, Disinformation, and Conspiracy Theories  by Elise Gravel This is a clearly organized informational book that will  teach kids about fake news — and how to find reliable sources of information . (In a nutshell.) Comic panels filled with humor and facts will make the information digestible and easy to understand.

Little Guides to Great Lives Nelson Mandela   written by Isabel Thomas, illustrated by Hannah Warren This is another new biography series that I highly recommend for elementary-age readers. Written like a narrative story, these little books are fast-paced and informative. This particular title is about one of the world’s most admired activists and leaders, Nelson Mandela.  Little Guides to Great Lives series  contain perfect text to picture ratio, captivating illustrations, informative content, and just-right pacing. Plus, they’re very well-written.

Copycat Science  by Mike Barfield Part biographies and part experiments, this nonfiction book narrated in cartoon format makes science fun!  Learn about each scientist in their short biography, then apply and learn more about their area of study by doing the related experiment. Read about James Audubon then make a bird feeder. Then read about Rosalind Franklin and do an experiment about strawberry’s DNA. Topics include living things, human biology, materials, air, electricity and magnetism, forces and physics, astronomy, math, and more.

Beavers: The Superpower Field Guides  written by Rachel Poliquin, illustrated by Nicholas John Frith In this fact-filled, funny, and illustrated book, you’ll meet Elmer who, like other beavers, has superpowers like Chainsaw Teeth and an Ever-Toiling Tail. Wow, right!? After you zip through this engaging nonfiction book, I predict Elmer will be your new favorite kind of animal — and you’ll be a beaver expert, too. Excellent, engaging writing!

Wild Outside Around the World with Survivorman  writing by Les Stroud with illustrations by Andres P. Barr Les Stroud recounts exciting personal adventure stories of exploration and survival in all sorts of places around the world.  Fascinating stories are accompanied by photos, illustrations, maps, and informational insets.  I couldn’t put this book down and HIGHLY recommend it.

So You Want to Be a Ninja?  written by Bruno Vincent, illustrated by Takayo Akiyama Engaging and entertaining, full of facts, trivia, quizzes, and fun , this is the essential illustrated guide for ninjas-in-training. Three friends travel back in time to 1789 Japan where they’re taught by famous ninjas.

Do You Know Where the Animals Live?  by Peter Wohlleben This book is organized around questions about animals .  For every question, find the answers in a two-page spread of photographs and text. Lovely layouts with full-color photographs, quizzes, at-home applications, and interesting and informative information make this is a unique but worthy animal tome that will appeal to most readers. Questions include: Can animals survive on plants alone? Do animals dream? Why do elephants stomp their feet?

Animal BFFs   by Sophie Corrigan I’ve poured over this book because the writing is engaging and  the information about unusual animals who live together is interesting.  I particularly love the funny dialogue bubbles of conversation between animal duos that you haven’t ever heard about — like warthogs and banded mongooses or ruby-throated hummingbirds and spiders– and why they’re paired up.

How to Go Anywhere (And Not Get Lost): A Guide to Navigation for Young Adventurers  written by Hans Aschim, illustrated by Andres Lozano Engaging informational writing guides readers through the history of navigation to the development of more precision, new technology, and better maps . Illustrated activities throughout the book will help readers apply their new knowledge. for example, “Make Your Own Stick Chart” helps you make an ancient system of mapping the ocean and “Visualizing Declination” shows you the difference magnetic declination can make. Use this all year long in your homeschool or science classroom.

Rocket to the Moon: Big Ideas That Changed the World  by Don Brown Instead of reading a narrative nonfiction book, get your fact-filled history about the first moon landing in an exciting, well-written, black-and-white   graphic novel.  Reading this book will help you understand our country’s competitiveness with Russia, the many attempts to launch rockets, and the eventual success of sending astronauts into space. I’m happy to see this new “Big Ideas”  graphic novel series  with a home-run first book.

What Makes a Monster? Discovering the World’s Scariest Creatures   written by Jess Keating, illustrations by David DeGrand Monsters  — real animal monsters — is a topic that kids love reading about. Keating writes in a way that gives kids lots of information in a readable, engaging way. I love the design, too –it’s a mix of photographs, illustrations, cool fonts, and bright colors.  What Makes a Monster  is a must-read filled with unexpected information about fascinating, dangerous animals.

Pencils, Pens   and   Brushes: A Great Girls’ Guide to Disney Animation  written by Mindy Johnson, illustrated by Lorelay Bovi Learn about some of the incredible women who worked at Disney’s animation from writers to artists to animators to researchers.  My daughter read this and thinks that artsy girls especially (like my daughter) will love these biographies. Each one skillfully captures the woman’s story, where she started, her passions, her education, and how she came to work for Disney as well as what she worked on while at Disney. As you might expect, the illustrations and design of this book are both eye-catching and exquisite.

When Green Becomes Tomatoes Poems for All Seasons  written by Julie Fogliano, illustrated by Julie Morstad Beautifully written and illustrated, these poems capture the beauty of each season in relatable verses that seem like magic just like the poem below describes the first snow.

december 29 and i woke to a morning that was quiet and white the first snow (just like magic) came on tip toes overnight

Glow: Animals with Their Own Night-Lights  by W.H. Beck Brightly colored (glowing) plants and animals with bioluminescence pop out of the pages on black backgrounds. Each two-page spread page has both large and medium-sized text with the perfect amount of text — not too much! Read to find out why these creatures glow. You’ll learn how they use this adaptation for a purpose such as hunting, hiding, and tricking. Impressive.

Weird but True 8 Do your kids love the Weird But True! books as much as mine do? This new edition contains 300 all-new wild and wacky facts and pictures. Want to hear a few?

• The 1904 World’s Fair featured a life-sized elephant made of almonds.
• moonbow = a nighttime rainbow
• Scientists found sharks living in an underwater volcano.
• Octopuses have blue blood and nine brains.

Worlds Strangest Creepy-Crawlies Top 40 Weird and Wonderful Hair-Raising Bugs Big, bold text and huge color photographs catch your attention immediately, starting with #40, the elephant beetle and ending with #1, the exploding ant. Huh!? Yes, this ant from Malaysia explodes and dies — yikes! Each bug featured gets a 1- or 2-page spread including important facts, a habitat map, photographs, and ratings on the “strangeometer” for creepiness, superpowers, bug beauty, and fight factor. Irresistible!

Rosie Revere’s Big Project Book for Bold Engineers 40+ Things to Invent, Draw, and Make  by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts ages This is an excellent, engaging activity book based on the fantastic STEM  Rosie Revere, Engineer  picture book. Colorful illustrations and a cool layout will entice readers to try, fail, and learn. Discover more about simple machines, build a marble run, solve engineering challenges, design a  stuffed animal  carrier for your bike, learn about inventors who failed a lot, and so much more.

How to Draw a Unicorn and Other Cute Animals (With Simple Shapes in 5 Steps)   by Lulu Mayo My oldest daughter, AJ, really likes the step-by-step directions in this book. You’ll find directions for 30 animals including a llama, sloth, beaver, panda, tiger, and much more. AJ likes that she can easily draw these on her new iPad with the  Pencil . (One of the best investments I’ve made last summer when JJ was so sick. If the  kids are on screen time , I feel like drawing and being creative are good choices.)

Tear Up This Book!  by Keri Smith A very popular  American Girl book for  fun, creativity, and crafts.

The Disney Book: A Celebration of the World of Disney  (DK) My oldest daughter loves anything Disney and proclaimed that this is the best book ever written . 🙂 While I’m not sure about that, it is a dense fact-filled tome from the early years to the present day.

Genius! The Most Astonishing Inventions of All Time  by Deborah Kespert A visually appealing graphic layout makes it easy to access the invention information — in fact, it’s downright enticing! Who knows I’d care about the Archimedes Screw and want to read all about it. Or the Elephant Clock — yes, that was a real thing which was super cool. You’ll learn about these early inventions and more modern inventions such as the space rocket. This is a well-done, readable nonfiction book.

Sports Illustrated Kids Football Then to Wow! This amazing nonfiction book makes ME, a non-sports fan, interested in football. The layout and design, plus the photographs, make me want to devour all the football facts and info. I highly recommend this for any football fan – it’s packed full of information about football back in the day (1930s) and nowadays. Excellent!

The Navajo Code Talkers  by J. Patrick Lewis, illustrated by Gary Kelley This picture book shares the difficult history of the Navajo people and focuses on how the Navajo men used their unique language to help win WWI. The information is factual in its presentation (it could have been more emotionally charged but isn’t) which lets the readers draw their own conclusions. The illustrations perfectly depict the tone of this historical story. Very well done!

The Dog Encyclopedia for Kids  by Tammy Gagne  This book rocks! It’s one that any dog-lover would want on their bookshelf. The layout is appealing and the information organized and written with kids in mind, meaning it’s not too wordy while being factual and interesting with each breed gets 1 or 2 pages devoted to it and accompanying colorful photos. Great for  4th graders !

Strange But True! Our Weird, Wild, Wonderful World  DK This is a favorite book on the list today — I literally couldn’t help but read so many of the pages out loud to my kids, they were just so interesting. First, the photographs grab your attention — then the headlines — and then the text. This is a GREAT  book for your reluctant readers  because it’s practically irresistible to read through it. Love it for a  gift idea !

LEGO Awesome Ideas What Will You Build? Awesome barely begins to describe this LEGO book — it’s jam-packed with so many ideas from different themes like Outer Space, Modern Metropolis, the Wild West, Fantasy Land, and The Real World. I just love browsing through the ideas. Be warned: Your kids will want you to order A LOT more Legos for these new projects.

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Melissa Taylor, MA, is the creator of Imagination Soup. She's a mother, former teacher & literacy trainer, and freelance education writer. She writes Imagination Soup and freelances for publications online and in print, including Penguin Random House's Brightly website, USA Today Health, Adobe Education, Colorado Parent, and Parenting. She is passionate about matching kids with books that they'll love.

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What is the 'best' children's book? Kids, parents and authors on why some rise to the top

What was your favorite book as a kid?

That question makes for a surprisingly effective icebreaker. You can tell a lot about someone from the books they read as a child. Case in point: I’m a journalist, a talker, a storyteller. Many of my childhood favorites had equally yappy and imaginative characters – “Junie B. Jones” by Barbara Park, “Olivia” by Ian Falconer, “Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse” by Kevin Henkes.

The stories we read at bedtime seldom stay there . Here’s what parents, booksellers, authors and – most importantly – kids told me about what makes the best children’s book.

What makes the best children’s book?

Reading is subjective, of course. But in the quest for the “best” children’s books, parents should look out for a story that’s as entertaining to them as it is to their kids. 

Check out: USA TODAY's weekly Best-selling Booklist

“The secret to a really successful picture book is a picture book that both the parent and child can each enjoy on their own level,” says Peter Glassman, the owner of children’s bookstore “Books of Wonder” in New York City.

At a minimum, you have to make sure it’s a book you’re willing to read over and over.

“Sometimes I view children’s book authors as parenting partners where they’re like ‘This book is for the kid, but I’m going to make sure there’s a joke in here for you,'" said Tocarra Mallard , a TV writer from New York and a mother of two who makes TikToks about children’s books.

A good children’s book may teach kids about colors or numbers, but the best children's books can give them a voice to process and experience emotions.

In “The Pout-Pout Fish” by Deborah Diesen, a favorite in Mallard’s house, an act of acceptance helps turn a frown upside down. It has a silly, catchy rhyme that makes her 2-year-old laugh , but also a lesson for her 5-year-old that it's OK to feel blue sometimes. Kids aren't just kids – they're small people who live in a world that can foster anxiety, depression and other complicated feelings," Mallard says.

“For us to pretend that children (exist in) light and love and goodness at all times is denying them their humanity,” she says.

In their words: Kids tell us what makes a good book

Sometimes, finding the “best” book for your kid is just about knowing your kid. Some children want a picture-heavy book while others, like Mallard's son, who is autistic and hyperlexic, need a strong story with lots of words.

I spent the day at “Books of Wonder” earlier this spring to ask kids what makes the best children’s book.

Iago and Nico Akerman, both 11, told me the books they liked reading in school were about human history, how money works and agriculture in Latin America. Reading is a tool for the brothers to help decode the world around them.

Eight-year-old Valerie Song also loves to learn through reading. It “helps your brain grow,” she told me. 

She’s drawn to series because she’s a speed reader – and they help her feel connected to characters. Valerie was reading the last "Harry Potter" book when we spoke. Fantasy books can help you “go anywhere you want,” she said. As for everyday adventures, “I get enough of that in real life,” she reported. 

Frog and Toad are everywhere: How 50-year-old children's characters became Gen Z icons

What makes an award-winning children’s book?

A captivating story is the foundation for an award-winning book, says Shannon DeVito, the senior director of books at Barnes & Noble, which hosts an annual “Children’s and YA Book Awards.” Witty characters and dynamic illustrations aren’t powerful if there isn’t a story that inspires young readers to keep reading, she says.

But beyond that, a book should have characters or lessons that young readers can identify with. Last year’s overall winner was “ The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels ” by Beth Lincoln, a chapter book with a vibrant cast of characters. This year’s winner, “ A Royal Conundrum (The Misfits ) ” by Lisa Yee, is described by Barnes & Noble as a book for anyone who has ever felt like an outsider.

One pair of young sisters I spoke to at Books of Wonder, 3-year-old Azadeh and 5-year-old Arya Hashemi-Sohi, love “Saffron Ice Cream” by Rashin Kheiriyeh because one of the characters is named Azadeh. The sisters are half Persian, so their mom, Jeunelle Cunningham, told me they keep an eye out for books with Persian characters.

Glassman has been a bookseller for decades and says it excites him to see different childhood experiences represented in books.

“ Max and The House of Spies” by Adam Gidwitz , for example, is a story he wished he had growing up. It follows a Jewish boy living in London after leaving Germany during World War II. Max has red hair and freckles, just as Glassman did when he was growing up. 

Children’s books have gotten more diverse, both in the authors and the characters they write. A 2022 breakdown from the Cooperative Children’s Book Center noted 40% of books published in 2022 and received by the CCBC were by authors of color. On the other hand, an analysis of award-winning children’s books showed white characters are overrepresented .

“A good book that talks about modern culture, (and has a) diverse cast of characters is better than something that doesn’t,” DeVito says.

How to write a children’s book

Author Dan Gutman knows a thing or two about writing successful children’s books. His “My Weird School” books have sold over 35 million copies and he published the series’ 100th book earlier this year.

His secret sauce? Target the kids who don’t like to read. He focuses on short chapters and paragraphs, a linear, easy-to-follow storyline and, his personal favorite, “grown-ups doing dumb things.”

“I wasn’t a big reader myself, I relate really well to kids, especially boys, who don’t like to read,” Gutman says. “My goal is that that kid will open up one of my books and an hour later look up and think ‘Wow, that didn’t even feel like I was reading. I felt like I was watching a movie in my head.’”

That feeling is what Glassman looks for in a book as well. “I go to a book not to be impressed with someone’s writing – which sometimes I am – but I go to a book for the story. I love story, that is my great love,” he says.

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Jessica Biel Reveals 9-Year-Old Son’s Reaction After Reading Her Book About Periods: ‘He Was So Cool About It’ (Exclusive)

Biel's debut children's book, 'A Kids Book About Periods,' is out now

As a boy mom, Jessica Biel feels it's her duty to teach her sons about menstruation.

Speaking to PEOPLE about her debut children's book, A Kids Book About Periods , which seeks to de-stigmatize the topic of menstruation for young readers, the actress and producer opened up about how she's teaching that lesson in her own home.

"My son and I read half of the book for the first time this morning, it was really cool to see him listening," Biel, 42, tells PEOPLE exclusively of her 9-year-old son Silas (Biel also shares 3-year-old son Phineas with Justin Timberlake ). "He would read a page and I would say, 'Okay, so this is what's happening.' And I said, 'Okay, this is the period. This happens to me every month. And it'll happen to people in school.' "

"This was... The best part, is he kind of was like, 'Oh, that's weird.' I said, 'Yeah, it is kind of weird, but trust me, it's weird for me too. When it happens to me, it's still weird.'"

Theo Wargo/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty

Concluding, "And I said, 'Think about it. There's somebody at school that might have their period and they might need your help or support someday, and it's really going to be important for you to understand what's happening so you can help a friend if they need something.'"

Ultimately, Biel wants her sons to understand that when it comes to menstruation, there's only "one option."

Jessica Biel/Instagram

"The option is to be compassionate and not be freaked out and support," she says. "I got a piece of it in, but I could see the wheels in his brain kind of turning over, and he was so cool about it."

She continues, "I was like, 'Oh my God, score. We did it.' That was the first step in much bigger conversations and deeper conversations that I hope to have with him. And that's exactly why I wrote this book."

As for other parents with sons, Biel hopes that with her book, parents can be less "fearful of telling them the truth" — and trust that they'll be "cool" and "kind" about it.

"I just hope that this book could be one piece of your toolkit when you're having to discuss these types of things. So no fear, go for it," she says. " I just want all the information so when I leave this world, it's better for my sons, it's better for their friends, it's better for their kids."

Biel announced the book, which was created in partnership with  PERIOD. , in April and told PEOPLE that it aims to normalize discussion around periods and is an organic way to introduce her kids to it early on.

A Kids Book About Periods is now available.

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Not Lost in a Book

Why the “decline by 9” in kids pleasure reading is getting more pronounced, year after year..

Those of us who believe in the power of books worry all the time that reading, as a pursuit, is collapsing, eclipsed by (depending on the era) streaming video, the internet, the television, or the hula hoop. Yet, somehow, reading persists; more books are sold today than were sold before the pandemic. Though print book sales were down 2.6 percent in 2023, they were still 10 percent greater than in 2019 , and some genres—adult fiction, memoirs—rose in sales last year.

But right now, there’s one sector of publishing that is in free fall. At least among one audience, books are dying. Alarmingly, it’s the exact audience whose departure from reading might actually presage a catastrophe for the publishing industry—and for the entire concept of pleasure reading as a common pursuit.

Ask anyone who works with elementary-school children about the state of reading among their kids and you’ll get some dire reports. Sales of “middle-grade” books—the classification covering ages 8 through 12—were down 10 percent in the first three quarters of 2023 , after falling 16 percent in 2022 . It’s the only sector of the industry that’s underperforming compared to 2019. There hasn’t been a middle-grade phenomenon since Dav Pilkey’s Captain Underpants spinoff Dog Man hit the scene in 2016. New middle-grade titles are vanishing from Barnes and Noble shelves, agents and publishers say, due to a new corporate policy focusing on books the company can guarantee will be bestsellers.

Most alarmingly, kids in third and fourth grade are beginning to stop reading for fun. It’s called the “Decline by 9, ” and it’s reaching a crisis point for publishers and educators. According to research by the children’s publishers Scholastic, at age 8, 57 percent of kids say they read books for fun most days; at age 9, only 35 percent do . This trend started before the pandemic, experts say, but the pandemic accelerated things. “I don’t think it’s possible to overstate how disruptive the pandemic was on middle grade readers,” one industry analyst told Publishers Weekly . And everyone I talked to agreed that the sudden drop-off in reading for fun is happening at a crucial age—the very age when, according to publishing lore, lifetime readers are made. “If you can keep them interested in books at that age, it will foster an interest in books the rest of their life,” said Brenna Connor, an industry analyst at Circana, the market research company that runs Bookscan. “If you don’t, they don’t want to read books as an adult.”

What’s causing the Decline by 9? It might be screens, but it’s not only screens. It’s not like kids are suddenly getting their own phones at age 9; recent survey data from Common Sense Media reveals that phone ownership holds steady, at around 30 percent, among kids aged 8 and 9. (It isn’t until they reach 11 or 12 that the majority of American kids have their own phone.) Indeed, several people I spoke to mentioned that middle-graders’ lack of phones created a marketing problem in an era when no one at any publishing house has any idea how to make a book a bestseller other than to hope it blows up on TikTok. “BookTok is imperfect,” said Karen Jensen, a youth librarian and a blogger for School Library Journal, “but in teen publishing it’s generating huge bestsellers, bringing back things from the backlist. There’s not anything like that right now for the middle-grade age group.”

“It’s not like we want these kids to have phones, that’s not the solution,” one executive in children’s books told me ruefully. “But without phones, we’re really struggling to market to them.”

Traditionally, middle-grade book discovery happens via parents, librarians, and—most crucially—peers. At recess, your best friend tells you that you have got to read the Baby-Sitters Club , and boom, you’re hooked. That avenue for discovery evaporated during the pandemic, and it hasn’t come back. “The lag in peer-to-peer recommendations seems to be lingering,” said Joanne O’Sullivan, a children’s book author and PW reporter. “Kids are back in school, so why aren’t they sharing recommendations with each other? Why aren’t they as enthusiastic about books as they were prepandemic?”

Experts I spoke to pointed to any number of causes for middle-graders’ lost love of reading. Yes, screen time is an issue: “We know that screen time increased for many kids during that initial phase of the pandemic,” said Circana’s Connor. “Some of that increased screen time still remains, even though the pandemic is mostly behind us.” Or, as O’Sullivan asked, “Is this generation just iPad babies?”

But others also pointed to the way reading is being taught to young children in an educational environment that gets more and more test-focused all the time. “I do not blame teachers for this,” said O’Sullivan, but the transformation of the reading curriculum means “there’s not a lot of time for discovery and enjoyment in reading.” She noted a change I, too, had noticed: Reading in the classroom has moved away from encouraging students to dive into a whole book and moved toward students reading excerpts and responding to them. “Even in elementary school, you read, you take a quiz, you get the points. You do a reading log, and you have to read so many minutes a day. It’s really taking a lot of the joy out of reading.”

Of course, even many teachers and librarians who buck the curricular pressure—who dream of fostering a love of aimless, testless reading in their young charges—are finding that substantially more difficult in 2024. “Libraries are getting defunded,” said O’Sullivan. “Librarians are being let go. In some states, teachers can’t even keep a classroom library because they have to protect themselves from book bans.” As Jensen wrote in a recent blog post , it sure doesn’t help the children’s book industry when “chat rooms and library board meetings fill up with a small handful of people calling librarians Marxist communist groomers.”

It all adds up to an environment where kids are less passionate about reading and, even if they somehow do get excited, they’re less likely to discover the book that will keep them excited. What are publishers trying to do about it? They’re doubling down on the kinds of books that have been hits for middle-grade readers over the past few years: graphic novels and illustrated novels. Graphic novels, comics published in trade-book form, are a sales bright spot; last year they made up a quarter of all middle-grade sales. And “illustrated novels” have only become more and more popular since the birth of Jeff Kinney’s Wimpy Kid in 2007. Pilkey’s Captain Underpants and Dog Man books live somewhere in that graphic novel/illustrated-book mode—blocks of simple text followed by pages of drawings—and more and more, publishers are looking for light, funny stories-with-pictures that can help uncertain readers make the leap from picture books to big-kid books.

It’s great that the kids who love these books—or Spider-Man comics, or manga, or for that matter off-putting kid-lit “histories” about tragedies that happened in my lifetime —are reading something . For sure! Yet I can’t help but be worried that the kinds of books that changed my life between ages 8 and 12 are falling by the wayside. Is there room for the thoughtful, serious, beautiful young-person’s novel in 2024? Can you publish Bridge to Terabithia in the age of Captain Underpants?

It does seem to be just a little harder to sell that kind of novel these days. “Editors are looking for highly illustrated projects, shorter word counts, a bit more humor and adventure,” said Chelsea Eberly, director of the children’s book agency Greenhouse Literary . Connor was more blunt: “Maybe you think a book about a school shooting is really important,” she said, “but kids want to read a fun book. That’s what kids want today—they want to have fun.”

“If you’re an established author and you have an established reputation” for serious, heartfelt books, said O’Sullivan, you’ll be fine. But if you’re a new author who’s written a quiet, issue-oriented debut, “you might have to think about adapting, in a way.” A publisher might, for example, suggest bringing an illustrator aboard.

One side effect: Those established authors with established reputations tend to be white. The younger, newer authors who are being dissuaded by the market from writing unillustrated non-comedies? They’re increasingly people of color, thanks to the industry’s notably successful attempts at diversification over the past five to 10 years. The result may be a two-tiered system of awards-worthy book publishing, as older, whiter writers continue to publish moving, sensitive novels, while younger, Blacker authors are shut out of that particular market. “When you make it harder for new writers to break through, you’re perpetuating the problems that children’s publishing has been trying to address,” said Jensen.

For her part, Eberly, the book agent, doesn’t think the supply of serious, “award-winning” books will dry up. “Knowing the editors that I sell to, those are the types of books they want to shepherd into the world.” The danger, she says, isn’t that publishers will stop publishing such books; it’s that children won’t be able to find them due to book bans and pressure on librarians and teachers. Which books face the most challenges from book banners? Books by Black and queer authors.

What nearly everyone I spoke to in children’s publishing agrees would solve the problem in a snap is a new blockbuster, the kind of Harry Potter –style success that raises all boats. The industry can’t depend on Captain Underpants forever, even though, as Connor noted, “The devil works hard, but Dav Pilkey works harder.” While more than one person I spoke to expressed an existential fear—what if that next blockbuster never comes? What if we’re in the post-children’s-blockbuster era?—Eberly was more sanguine. “I don’t worry that we’re not going to have another blockbuster,” she said. “I’m hoping that the tent expands. I’ve always kind of hated it when there’s only one tentpole, like Harry Potter or whatever. I want there to be more tentpoles with room for more people underneath.”

Money blog: Top 10 places kids spend pocket money - as new data reveals going rate for 2024

Pocket money is in decline, data shows - but kids are finding new ways to pay for their everyday "essentials". Read this in our weekend edition of the Money blog below and leave your thoughts in the comments box. We'll be back with regular updates after the bank holiday.

Saturday 25 May 2024 15:00, UK

Weekend Money

• How much is pocket money in 2024 and where are kids spending it? New data reveals all
• Inflation, election and energy bills: What a big week of announcements means for your pocket
• Ford engine problems, inflation data scepticism and BT landline switch: What readers have said this week

Best of the week

• What now for mortgages after inflation and election announcements?
• Ian King : Here's why price cap is still £300 more than before Ukraine war
• Which biscuits have the least sugar? Your guide to elevenses
• Savings Guide: Britons urged to act quickly to grab above-inflation savings rates while they last
• Best of the Money blog - an archive

Ask a question or make a comment

By Bhvishya Patel , Money team

Pocket money is in decline, data shows - but kids are finding new ways to pay for their everyday "essentials".

Data from the Natwest pocket money index  (looking at transactions from 308,000 children in the Rooster app) shows only 30% of families now pay pocket money as part of a regular routine (down 2%), with children getting £3.78 on average a week (down 10p from last year).

In fact, pocket money now makes up just 14% of children's income. Instead they're finding new income streams - with a typical child netting £479.96 a year (£9.23 a week) for one-off chores or entrepreneurship.

These "salaries" obviously differ for age groups... 

• £5.68 for a six-year-old 
• £24.71 for a 17-year-old

British children are now charging extra for chores and squeezing more money out of their side hustles.

• Car cleaning earned £3.25 on average - 32% (79p) more than a year ago
• Paper round earnings increased 2% (45p) to £23.10 a week
• However, it's been a less good year for reselling - with earnings down 15% to £22.62 a week.

Arguably the most interesting part of the data is where kids are spending their money.

Amazon was top, with Tesco and McDonald's next. Primark, Co-op, PlayStation, Xbox, Sainsbury's and Asda are next in that order - but there's no place this year for Apple, which has been replaced by fashion brand Shein, rounding off the top 10.

NatWest Rooster Money said "kids' money is completely changing shape"... 

"Kids are increasingly complementing [pocket money] in other, more sophisticated ways. This move to greater independence and maturity in their earning has been fantastic to see and bodes well for some bright, financially confident futures ahead." Will Carmichael, chief executive and founder of NatWest Rooster Money

An illustration of this maturity is kids' saving rate of 9.5% - not far off the adult average of 10.2%. Gaming, holidays and the future were the top three saving incentives, in that order.

Is there a right answer?

Kirsty Ketley, a parenting specialist from Surrey, said she gave her 11-year-old daughter Ella £5 and her seven-year-old son Leo £2 a week in cash.

They both started receiving pocket money when they were six.

"I often say to parents, even with children as young as four, it's fine to start giving a bit of pocket money because it's such an important life skill to have – to learn how to manage money because you don't get taught it," she said.

Presenter and children's author Konnie Huq, who has two sons, Covey, 12, and Huxley, 10, told the Money team that a regular pocket money allowance was a "really good way" of getting children into the habit of earning and spending.

She said receiving a regular allowance helped teach children "responsibility" and "financial literacy".

"That's what they will be doing as the grown-ups they become," she said. "I've always said kids are shaping and forming between 0 to seven. You want to put the values in them now in these younger years that they will take through with them in their life."

Sharon Olivero-Chapman, chief executive and founder of Harrienna Health, disagrees. She has always thought a regular pocket money figure is the "wrong message to give to children" - and her daughter Harriet, 13, is one of those raking it in from side hustles.

"Pocket money gives them the wrong association with money," she said. "They're just given money on a plate, whereas that's not real life, is it?"

Ms Olivero-Chapman said if her daughter did want to buy something she had to work out how she could get that money and would then be given chores to earn it. She said it was £1 to unload and fill the dishwasher, £1 to fill and empty the washing machine and 50p to make her bed.

"It's not a regular thing every week," she explained.

Ms Olivero-Chapman said the family's entrepreneurial bug had rubbed off on Harriet and she began running her own Etsy store business last year which sees her personalise phone cases. Her business has earned nearly £1,000 so far.

Your pocket money stories - how much, how and in return for what

The Dursuns, Scotland

Aga Dursun, 41, a PMO analyst from Erskine, gives her 13-year-old son Galip £3 a day and her nine-year-old son Troy £1 a day via transfers into a Starling account. They also get £20 each on her pay day. No chores are required.

"It gives them a lot of freedom and they learn the value of money as well because for example now if they want more expensive trainers they have to save up," she says.

"It's mostly spent on games which breaks my heart."

The Shaws, London

Sammy Shaw, from Enfield, said she gave her eight-year-old twins Teddy and Hope £3.50 a week via the Natwest Rooster Money card.

To earn the money, her son and daughter are set a number of activities which they must complete  - if they don't, money is deducted.

"My two have got an exceptional amount they have got to do. The first thing they've got to do is make their bed, get dressed independently. When they go downstairs they've got to do 10 minutes of practice on the keyboard, they do Times Tables Rock Stars (a digital maths app) and then 10 minutes of reading. 

"The parent has to go into the app and approve these activities and if they don't do them it takes percentages off."

Last year, the twins saved up to buy theatre tickets for the family at £35 a pop.

The Regulskis, Wales

Over in Caerphilly, Dean Regulski, 44, has a fairly similar routine: money in return for washing, ironing, dog walking, laundry and vacuuming. He and his wife give kids Emmeline, Nancy and Abraham (aged 12 to 15) £10 a week also using Rooster.

"Every time they want to make a transaction, it pings my phone so straight away I can have a conversation with them about what they are buying and if it's just sweets I can limit it on the app so it's a £1 transaction," Dean says.

"My son the other day was asking if he could buy something that was beyond the £40 and I said he can take it out next month but that will cost extra chores. I explained the concept of interest to him."

The Moores, West Midlands

Ben Moore, 40, from Solihull, said his 13-year-old twin daughters had got £5 a week in pocket money for the past two years.

They used GoHenry before switching to a debit card.

"We spent a year on GoHenry and it was good because we could say 'you can't spend it on McDonald's' and restrict the type of spending but there was a monthly fee for it," he said.

Chores are not a requirement as he is "really keen" his daughters use the money to "go out with their friends rather than just sit on their phones".

The Scotts, Wiltshire

Fiona Scott, 58, from Swindon in Wiltshire, said her three children Samantha, 24, Georgia, 22, and David, 17, all got pocket money until they were able to make their own money.

"We've always had a little book at home showing this is what is coming in and going out and this is what we've got to spend, so I've encouraged them all to do that in different ways. They've got used to seeing and understanding what a household budget is," she said.

The Joneses, West Midlands

Mother-of-three Jenny Jones, 43, said her 11-year-old daughter Rebecca receives £10 a month - no chores, but everyone is expected to muck in.

It started off with 50p a week when she was seven but when she turned 11, Ms Jones opened up a junior account at Barclays and money goes in monthly.

"It's taught her general management around money. At the moment she loves bubble tea and she loves getting bits of jewellery so it's a case of her thinking what does she want, can she afford both? It enables her to make those decisions.

"It's just those life lessons, isn't it? We can't have everything we want and you've got to make those decisions - and it's okay to make the wrong decision, which is normal."

The main topics from the Money blog that got you commenting this week were...

• Known issues with Ford EcoBoost engines
• Inflation drops to 2.3% 

BT delays switch from analogue landlines

'My second-hand Ford is being written off with a known issue - but no one is taking responsibility'

Every Monday, we get an expert to answer your money problems or consumer disputes. 

This week, Rory Raftery told us about a known issue with his Ford C-Max which had caused it to be written off. He asked if there was anything he could do. 

Dozens of readers wrote in to say they had similar issues. 

Money Blog, I had a Ford Focus with an EcoBoost Engine that failed after 62k miles on it, and Ford won't entertain any responsibility because not full Ford service history, offered no help whatsoever, have and are being treated appallingly at every level. Damian Moynihan

Bought a second hand EcoBoost 1.0 13 plate Focus from a broker… had it less than three months and the car has had sudden coolant loss and engine failure due to a cylinder head crack, almost a £5,000 repair. Ford need to be held accountable for this, it's ridiculous... no warning light, no temperature rises and then bang the car's engine is finished. The car has covered 73,000 miles. Gareth from Wigan

The Ford EcoBoost problem has prompted a recall for US cars with the exact same issue. Yet in the UK Ford are doing nothing about the issue. There is a Facebook page with over 20k members all experiencing the same issue and Ford refuse to acknowledge the issue, in the UK at least. anonymous

Here's what Ford had to say when we published Rory's problem: "Ford is confident in the robustness and reliability of its EcoBoost engine technology when the stated guidelines for maintenance and service are followed. 

"Ford UK is happy to investigate service support and/or compensation measures for any customer who believes they have had an EcoBoost engine issue and is happy to review cases with a full-service history for vehicles up to 10 years old with less than 150,000 miles.

"For any customers in the UK whose vehicle meets these parameters, you can speak to our customer relationship team and contact details can be found on our website  here ." 

The company said timely and correct servicing as outlined in the owner's manual was key for wet belt maintenance and any illuminated dashboard warning lights should always receive attention. 

On Wednesday, we got the latest inflation figures, showing it had dropped to 2.3% in April - down from 3.2% in March.

A drop to 2.1% had been expected by the Bank of England, but it showed the fight against price rises was being won.

Here's what some readers had to say about it... 

All my experiences when I go grocery shopping don't fill me with optimism that prices are almost stabilising. Particularly household items, such as cleaning costs, are still rising steadily and frequently. An item I buy was £3 something a matter of weeks ago. This morning... £5. Su H

Am I the only person who thinks that increasing the minimum wage by 10% in April and the knock-on effect of increasing wages by more than 8% in labour intensive industries is going to cause an increase in inflation that will make a reduction in interest rates very unlikely? Rayayre

The national living wage for workers increased by 9.8% on 1 April from £10.42 to £11.44.  

Since the recent decline in inflation is largely due to energy prices, can anyone name a specific government action that influenced energy prices traded on the international market? This government can't resist taking credit for everything! Marek

You have written this story as a failure of government to bring inflation down to a level some analysts forecast, despite it being a huge drop and within a whisker of the 2% target. It reads like a piece one would expect to hear coming from a Labour politician. Tom Jeffries

I don't believe this for one moment, did my shopping yesterday the price of food is disgracefully high still and takes up most of my income as a family. Andrea

I have seen no change in the cost of living, my car insurance is up 10%, council tax did the same. Shrinkflation is still going on. Food prices may have stopped increasing, but they have not gone down. My job as an assessor had its hours and pay cut of 1/3, bills remain! StevieB

Inflation down but prices remain high, my mortgage and day-to-day bills are still cripplingly high while my wages stagnate. In real terms I've never had so little disposable income. The cost of living crisis is far from over. Kingsholm_Neil

How does UK inflation compare around the world ? KevinPB

We found the answer to this one on Wednesday...

Why are prices on certain things still expensive and will they ever go down? Nick12

On Nick's question, inflation coming down doesn't mean prices are. It just means prices are rising at a slower rate. 

For prices to drop, we would need negative inflation, which isn't common. 

But, in the April data, we did see it in the energy sector thanks to the price cap change. 

On Monday, BT Group pushed back its timetable for moving all customers off the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and on to digital landlines.

From this summer, customers who have not used their landline in the past 12 months, who do not identify as vulnerable or have additional needs, have not contacted an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) in the past 24 months and live in an area where a data sharing agreement is in place, will be switched - unless they have opted out.

Vulnerable customers or those with additional needs will start to be switched from summer 2025, with the aim to have all customers moved off the old analogue PSTN by the end of January 2027.

We have a thatched house and no mobile signal. We signed up to Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) and despite protests, we were "upgraded" to digital voice at "no extra cost". Time to give us back our copper which always works - even when we have no electricity. Ian P

Living in a rural area where we have power cuts for different reasons and internet signal is non-existent without Wi-Fi, how will we stay connected? Melanie

I live in Lancaster but my signal is so poor that I have to ask family to call me on my landline. How on earth are we supposed to manage without one? Pat

Three big announcements this week could have significant implications for the money in your pocket.

First, April's inflation data , which on the face of it was good news. 

Price rises slowed to 2.3%, within touching distance of the Bank of England's 2% target and into what economists regard as normal levels.

The Bank has repeatedly stressed that interest rates (which have been elevated to squeeze spending and encourage saving, which usually stops prices going up so quickly) would start to fall when the 2% figure was sustainably hit.

Herein lies the issue - sustainability. Because while headline CPI has fallen dramatically from highs of more than 11% in 2022, a closer look at the numbers suggests the fight against price rises isn't over just yet.

Core inflation, which strips out the volatile elements like energy and food, remains at 3.9% - while service inflation is at 5.9%. All of these numbers, including the headline figure, are above forecasts.

All of which has prompted markets to price in an August rate cut from 5.25% to 5% - previously they'd expected June.

Economics editor Ed Conway wrote this analysis...

Some suggested the fall in inflation, combined with the IMF upgrading UK growth forecasts , provided Rishi Sunak with a positive platform on which to call a summer election.

Conway isn't so sure.

He says: "We're out of recession. That's one of the key things they were waiting for. Inflation is now down to a normal level. Those things have been ticked off [but] there are a couple of issues. 

"First of all, it doesn't look like, with inflation not falling quite as far as everyone would have expected, that the final thing they were hoping for, the Bank of England cutting interest rates, is going to happen in June. There probably is not going to be an interest rate cut before the election. That's quite significant.

"Secondly, when people look at this election, it's that old question: do you feel better off than you did four or five years ago? 

"And in this case, there is no parliamentary period in history where people have seen their real disposable incomes squeezed as much as this one. 

"That's what the prime minister's fighting against."

We took a closer look at what the election and new interest rate forecasts mean for mortgages and the housing market here...

We also examined what the election result on 4 July could mean for people's finances, honing in on what we know about the major parties' plans from childcare to train fares to tax...

Finally, energy bills will fall again in July after Friday's price cap announcement.

They'll be £122 (annually) below the April-June figure.

However, daily standing charges are going up - which means those who use more energy will feel the most benefit from the price cap fall...

Sir Keir Starmer told us that Labour's plan for a new company called Great British Energy would help bring prices down...

And business presenter Ian King explained why energy bills are still £300 more than before the Ukraine war...

The Money blog is your place for consumer news, economic analysis and everything you need to know about the cost of living - bookmark news.sky.com/money.

It runs with live updates every weekday - while on Saturdays we scale back and offer you a selection of weekend reads.

Check them out this morning and we'll be back on Monday with our regular Money Problem feature - and full rolling news and features after the bank holiday on Tuesday. 

The Money team is Emily Mee, Bhvishya Patel, Jess Sharp, Katie Williams, Brad Young and Ollie Cooper, with sub-editing by Isobel Souster. The blog is edited by Jimmy Rice.

Cara Delevingne's childhood home is up for sale - but it's come to market with a huge £23.5m price tag. 

The 5,456 sq ft property in London's Belgravia was also home to controversial casino and zoo owner John Aspinall in the 1960s. 

Mr Aspinall and the mansion were also linked to the disappearance of Lord Lucan in 1974 - a mystery that still hasn't been solved. 

After he died in 2000, the five-bedroom house was bought by Charles and Pandora Delevingne - the parents of supermodel Cara and her older sisters Chloe and Poppy.

The Grade II-listed building on Lyall Street comes with two reception rooms, a study, a home cinema and a professional chef's kitchen. 

A gym, sauna, steam room and rooftop cocktail bar are also included. 

In around 2014, with their daughters grown up, the Delevingnes moved from the Lyall Street mansion and downsized.

The current owners bought the house a couple of years later and have given the mansion an extensive renovation and modernisation. 

"It is one of the best houses currently available for sale in Belgravia and is immaculately presented and beautifully interior designed," said Charles Lloyd, head of Beauchamp Estates. 

The reason for the fall in the household energy price cap is pretty straightforward - wholesale electricity and gas prices have fallen since the price cap was last set in February this year.

Wholesale gas and electricity prices make up by far the biggest proportion of the energy bills - £720 of the current £1,690 - and Ofgem is assuming, for July, August and September, a wholesale electricity price of 22.36 pence per kilowatt hour (kWh), down from 24.50 pence per kWh during the current quarter.

It is also assuming a wholesale gas price of 5.48 pence per kWh from July to September, down from 6.04 pence per kWh during the current quarter.

That brings down the wholesale energy component of the typical bill (which is based on an assumption that a household will use 12,000 kWh per year of gas and 2,900 kWh of electricity) from £720 to £619.

The question some people may have, though, is why the energy price cap that Ofgem has set for the three months from July remains higher, at £1,568, than the level at which it was set - £1,277 - at the time the energy crisis was sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

At first blush, this seems a reasonable enough question, given that a barrel of Brent Crude - a reasonable enough proxy for wholesale energy prices - stands today at $80.78 (£63.50) per barrel, down from the heights it hit after the invasion.

But bear in mind that, in those days, the price cap was only set by Ofgem every six months, rather than quarterly as at present.

The price cap in place immediately before the crisis came into effect on 1 October 2021 having been set on 6 August that year.

Prior to that, wholesale energy prices had been lower than they are now. The wholesale energy component for the price cap for the winter of 2021/22 was, accordingly, £528 - lower than the £619 it will be from July.

Other costs taken into account by Ofgem are also higher now than they were before Russia invaded Ukraine.

The UK needs "longer term solutions" on energy prices because they are still "record high almost", Sir Keir Starmer has said.

The Labour leader was commenting on a fall in the energy price cap.

From 1 July it will be £1,568 a year - a drop of £122 from the previous quarter. 

But Sir Keir said many people were still struggling to make ends meet.

"Everywhere I go, so many people tell me the cost of living is still bearing down on them," he told Sky News.

"People on a mortgage, [those] coming off a fixed mortgage, know their mortgages are going up by hundreds of pounds.

"Everybody knows prices are still going up - energy prices are still record high almost."

He added: "We need longer term solutions."

Labour's proposed Great British Energy (GBE) would help energy prices "come down for good", Sir Keir claimed.

GBE would be a publicly owned company with a mandate to invest in clean energy – wind, solar, tidal, nuclear and other emerging technologies. It would be designed to invest in riskier areas where the private sector might be reluctant.

Asked when energy prices would drop under GBE, and how quickly it could be established, he said: "Certainly by the end of the parliament, and a lot sooner than that.

"We can set up Great British Energy pretty quickly."

Discussions are already under way with potential partners, he added.

Claire Coutinho, the energy secretary, told Sky News that Great British Energy is a "complete gimmick" and a "drop in the ocean".

She also accused Labour of having "no plan" on energy security.

Putting off "life admin" could be costing you thousands of pounds a year, research has suggested.

It is estimated that adults in the UK could save £300 a year by cancelling unused subscriptions, £420 by reviewing their day-to-day finances, and £372 by re-evaluating a gym membership. 

"On average, Brits admit to putting off simple tasks by four to six months," Lloyds Bank said.

When asked why they had been delaying, almost a fifth (18%) said there was no deadline, one in seven (16%) said it was easier to take no action, while for 13% the memory of previous difficulties was off-putting.

Turning to the future, a fifth (20%) admitted not having a pension, while only two fifths (42%) knew how to add more money to their pension if they had one. 

If you are looking for a detailed analysis of today's cut in the energy price cap (see our breaking news post from 7am) then the following from Martin Lewis is worth digesting.

The founder of Money Saving Expert has split his reaction into three sections.

Lewis says the cap will drop on 1 July by an average of 7.2% for Direct Debit customers, 6.9% for prepay customers, and 7.1% for those who pay when they get a bill.

The cap will fall to £1,568 a year - a drop of £122 from the previous quarter. 

Standing charges (what you pay regardless of how much energy you use) "remain high" and are "virtually unchanged", Lewis says.

"All the cut" is via unit rates, he adds.

That means those who use more energy will be seeing bigger savings.

The electricity unit rate for Direct Debit customers from July will be 22.36p/kwH - down 9% from 24.5p, Lewis says.

The electricity standing charge will be 60.12p a day - up from 60.1p.

The gas unit rate will be 5.48p/kwH - down 9% from 6.04p.

And the gas standing charge will be 31.41p - slightly down from 31.43p.

Lewis says the results of a consultation on standing charges are likely to be published sometime in the "summer", adding: "Whenever that is."

As we reported in our post at 7.34am, respected market researcher Cornwall Insight is predicting that bills are likely to rise once more in the run-up to winter. 

Lewis comments: "If they're right this is the last fall, and the coming rises are big.

"On 1 July it's confirmed [the cap] drops 7%, so for every £100 paid today you pay £93. 

"Then on 1 Oct it's predicted to rise 12%, so you'll go back up and be paying £104. 

"Then on 1 Jan the crystal ball is saying it'll stay flat (at £104). 

"All this makes the cheapest fixes, which are currently 9% cheaper than now (so £91 per £100 on the price cap), look a decent bet."

Thousands of darts fans packed out the O2 last night as Luke Littler was crowned champion in the Premier League Darts final.

While his victory was met with big celebrations, the price of a pint left many upset.

Tom Park shared a photo of the menu on X which showed a pint of Camden Hells Lager cost £9.50. 

A Budweiser came in at £8.95 - and it was the same for a Stella Artois. 

Other social media uses responded to his post in shock.

Here are some of the replies we saw: 

• "That's absolutely disgraceful."
• "Bloody hell! That's a joke." 
• "We get so ripped off in this country."
• "£9.50 for a pint of Camden Hells in f****** robbery." 

Two pint offers didn't seem to be any better, with the menu showing the deal just worked out the same as buying two normal pints.

The Money team has contacted the O2 for comment. 

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