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