As a reader, I took for granted that my kids would also be readers, and I was confident in my ability to make them love to read. Then, I had four active boys who preferred balls over books, and I felt a bit lost. When it was library time they chose books I had never imagined picking up for them (non-fiction, dinosaur and animal books) and as they got older, the tradition continued, and it was difficult to find titles that sparked their interest.

Then, we became friends with a family who had older boy readers and they started recommending titles to us, and our world completely changed! My boys did love books, just not my books! Since then, I can hardly keep up with their voracious reading pace. They will complete a series and be hungry for something new to read right away, and it makes me incredibly happy.

After this experience, I decided that moms needed more resources for their maturing readers and more title and genre recommendations. I had my kids help me put together lists of books that kids like them might enjoy. We thought it would make sense to recommend books dependent upon what readers had enjoyed reading in the past, but if you want our honest opinion, all of these books are phenomenal and hard to put down. Great for both boy and girl readers, bookworms and reluctant readers, and adults of all ages too!

You can find more thorough and descriptive recommendations on my blog and a large book list of all our favorites from Kindergarten to high school sorted by reading and interest level HERE!

***Please Note: Not all of these books will be appropriate for all age, maturity or reading levels. Please research them and make sure they will work for your child. Books included can range from about 4th grade to teens.***

If your child loved the magical world of Harry Potter, try:

*Percy Jackson and the Olympians * The Land of Stories * The Beyonders *Fablehaven * Disney after Dark * The Candy Shop War * Adventurers Wanted * Charlie Bone * The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flammel * The Chronicles of Narnia *

If you loved the action packed fantasy of Percy Jackson, try:

Image result for percy jackson book cover images

*The Young Samurai Series * H.I.V.E * The Ranger’s Apprentice* Gregor the Overlander * Heroes of Olympus * Demigod Diaries * Michael Vey * The Lord of the Rings * Alex Rider * Young Bond*

If you couldn’t stop giggling through Diary of a Wimpy Kid, try:

Big Nate * Calvin and Hobbes * Skinnybones * Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life * My Life as a Book * Middle School is Worse than Meatloaf * Origami Yoda * The Adventures of Captain Underpants * Dork Diaries

If you were touched by the kindness and love found in Wonder, try:

*Because of Mr. Terupt * Mustaches for Maddie * So B. It * Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key * Out of My Mind * Mockingbird * Rules * The Thing about Georgie * Love Aubrey * Anything But Typical * Star Girl * Holes

If competition and sports are your go-to, and you loved Heat, try:

Heart of a Champion * A Strong Right Arm * The Wednesday Wars * The Big Field * Top 10 of Everything in Sports * Undefeated * Big Book of Who: Baseball, Football, Basketball * The Bat Boy *

If you were addicted to the dystopian society in The Hunger Games, try:

The Giver * The Maze Runner *Divergent * Matched * The City of Ember * The Shadow Children * An Uncommon Blue * The Selection * Peak * The Last Thing I Remember * Gregor the Overlander *

If you love the historical facts and captivating stories of I Survived, try:

Unbroken (young adult version) * Refugee * A Night Divided * BOMB * Will at the Battle of Gettysburg * Making Bombs for Hitler * Number the Stars * Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl * The Devil’s Arithmetic * The Boys in the Boat (young adult version) * The Boys who Challenged Hitler * Esperanza Rising * Chains * The Battle of the Alamo * Al Capone Does my Shirts * Endangered * A Strong Right Arm

If you love the puzzling, real-world mystery surrounding Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, try:

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Shelter, * Book Scavenger * The Island of Dr. Libris * The Mysterious Benedict Society * The Last Thing I Remember * Shipwreck * The 39 Clues * A Series of Unfortunate Events * H.I.V.E. * The Westing Game * Disney After Dark

If you love the Medevil, magical feel of The Ranger’s Apprentice try:

The Book of Dust * Brotherband Chronicles, * Spirit Animals * The Beyonders * Cry of the Icemark * Silverwing * The Dark is Rising * Eragon * Lord of the Rings

If fantasy, adventure, magic and a serious epic like Fablehaven are your favorites, give these other titles a try!

Pendragon * Magyk * Gregor the Overlander * Artemis Fowl * The Dark Hills * The Edge Chronicles * The Candy Shop War * Redwall

If beautiful writing and engaging stories keep you wanting more, these award winning, eye opening books, like Maniac McGee, will satisfy your craving for great literature!

Listening for Lions * Holes * Nightingale’s Nest * Gone Crazy in Alabama * Esperanza Rising * The Wednesday Wars * Moon Over Manifest * Loser * Matilda * The Lions of Little Rock * Born to Fly * Counting by 7s * Ruby Holler * Tuck Everlasting * The Indian in the Cupboard

If you can’t get enough reinvented fairy tales like Rump, try:

Jack * Red * Fablehaven * Land of Stories * The Goose Girl * The False Prince

If you love the magic and fantasy of Peter and the Starcatchers, try:

Lost Boy: The true story of Captain Hook * Kingdom Keepers * Charlie Bone * The Edge * Inskspell * The Genius Files * The Mysterious Benedict Society * Peter Pan in Scarlet * Treasure Island * Nim’s Island

If you love the touching, creatively written story of The One and Only Ivan try:

Flora and Ulysses * Breaking Stalin’s Nose * Starry River of the Sky * Flying the Dragon * The Tale of Desperaux * The Mouse and the Motorcycle * Glory Be * The Cricket in Times Square * Half Brother

If a serious adventure of survival and outdoor mystique is your favorite kind of story, and Hatchet tops your list, check out these other engrossing tales.

Lost in the Barrens * Peak * My Side of the Mountain * The Red Badge of Courage

Hope this list makes getting your kids reading this summer just a bit easier. Do you have questions? Other books that should be on this list? Let me know!!

4 Comments

Kristie on June 27, 2018 at 8:54 am

Great recommendations! We just shared my boys favorites too! I think hear recommendations from other kids helps. Sometimes my kids don’t want to hear my suggestions. Even though I introduced them to Harry Potter 😉
- Brooke Romney on July 17, 2018 at 6:19 am
  
  Thank you! I saw your suggestions and am excited about a couple that we haven’t heard of! Love good book ideas!
Emily on July 7, 2022 at 3:43 pm

No one ever mentions The Young Wizards series by Diane Duane https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_WizardsIt's really good and when my cousin started describing the Harry Potter books I thought she was talking about this series instead.
- Brooke Romney on July 13, 2022 at 2:08 pm
  
  Thanks for the suggestion!

If Your Child Liked this Book…Read That!

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