Juvenile Literature

The books in this collection navigate themes and ideas appropriate for younger readers. Whether you're looking for contemporary hits like Front Desk by Kelly Yang or beloved classics like Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, you can explore this collection to find a title that will excite the young readers in your life.

Publication year 1883

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Fathers

Tags Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Action / Adventure, Italian Literature, Children's Literature, History: World

Set in the Tuscan region of Italy in the 1800s, by Carlo Collodi’s classic children's fantasy novel The Adventures of Pinocchio (1883) follows the misadventures of a living wooden puppet and his poor puppeteer father. The story was initially published as a serial in a weekly children's magazine; due to reader demand, it was later turned into a book. The Adventures of Pinocchio, translated into more than 260 languages, is considered one of the most... Read The Adventures of Pinocchio Summary


Publication year 1956

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Class, Children's Literature, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, History: World, Historical Fiction, Fantasy


Publication year 1876

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth

Tags Action / Adventure, American Literature, Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is an 1876 novel by Mark Twain written for both youth and adult readers. It is a story about Tom Sawyer, a boy from the fictional town of St. Petersburg, Missouri. Tom lives a life of constant adventure, drama, self-aggrandizement, and self-inflicted woes as he comes of age. The novel is equal parts comical and poignant, dark and light, and is one of Twain’s many odes to the pleasures and... Read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Summary


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Mythology, Action / Adventure, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Children's Literature

Irish author Michael Scott’s The Alchemyst, published in 2007, is the first installment in his six-part series The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel. This guide refers to the 2007 Kindle edition. The following books are The Magician (2008), The Sorceress (2009), The Necromancer (2010), The Warlock (2011), and The Enchantress (2012). The Alchemyst was included in Time Magazine’s 100 Best Young Adult Books of All Time in 2015 and earned multiple awards internationally, including... Read The Alchemyst Summary


Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature


Publication year 2022

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Animals


Publication year 1999

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Humor, Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature

Published in 1999, The Bad Beginning, a darkly humorous adventure novel for middle-grade readers, chronicles the misadventures of three orphaned children whose distant cousin adopts them as part of a plan to steal their huge inheritance. As the first of 13 books in the bestselling A Series of Unfortunate Events, the novel is written by Daniel Handler under the pen name Lemony Snicket, who’s also a character in the story. The books have sold 60... Read The Bad Beginning Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Natural World: Environment, Self Discovery

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Animals


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Sports, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Teams

Tags Mythology, Fantasy, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Animals, Arts / Culture, Climate Change, History: European, American Literature, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure

The Battle of the Labyrinth is a fantasy-adventure novel inspired Greek mythology and written in 2008 by Rick Riordan. It is the fourth in the Percy Jackson series.The novel begins with Percy Jackson is at his freshman orientation at Good High School. Rachel Elizabeth Dare helps him fight two empousai, spectres who were disguised as cheerleaders. Percy flees to Camp Half-Blood, but Rachel remains. Percy is reunited with Annabeth, and they learn Grover is in... Read The Battle of the Labyrinth Summary


Publication year 1952

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Family

Tags Children's Literature, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Memory

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Animals, History: World, Historical Fiction


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Aging, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family

Tags Holidays & Occasions, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride

Tags Realistic Fiction, Poverty, Class, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1972

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Self Discovery

Tags Humor, Children's Literature, Holidays & Occasions, Classic Fiction

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is a 1972 children’s book by Barbara Robinson. It tells the story of six misbehaving children—the Herdmans—and their unexpected involvement with the town’s annual Christmas pageant. Told in first person by an unnamed narrator, it explores themes of Redemption, Perspective and Judgment, and Tradition. Robinson has a masterful ability to mix Roald Dahl-esque humor and nastiness with timeless lessons that will have a particular appeal to Christian readers who enjoy... Read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever Summary


Publication year 1981

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Holidays & Occasions, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Humor


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Humor


Publication year 1982

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Children's Literature, Humor, Action / Adventure

IntroductionBritish author Roald Dahl first made his mark as a leading writer of children’s literature in 1961, when he published James and the Giant Peach. His subsequent books include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Matilda, and his 1982 novel The BFG (Big Friendly Giant), which was illustrated by Quentin Blake and based on a segment of Dahl’s 1975 book Danny, the Champion of the World. His books have been viewed as darker... Read The BFG Summary


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Relationships: Family

Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Sports


Publication year 1947

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Community

Tags Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Japanese Literature