The previous post on recommended books for six to eight-year-olds has become the most popular post on this blog. My eldest daughter thinks it is hilarious because she mostly wrote it. She now wants full credit for any blog success hereafter. I’m secretly hoping this post gains as much momentum in order to silence her gloating.
The following list includes a few more of our favourite reads for this age group. As always, with book suggestions according to age, there are many variables that will dictate whether a book is suitable for your child. You may have a six-year-old who reads at a much higher level than is typical for their age and stage. Or you may have an eight or nine-year-old who is just starting to find their groove.
I remember struggling to find books for my daughter when she was around seven-years-old. She was a competent reader and could read at middle-grade level, but the content wasn’t always appropriate or enjoyable for her. My mission to find appropriate books for her is what led me to discover how much I love all things “kidlit”.
Hopefully this list saves you some hours trawling bookshops and libraries. Unless of course, like me, you love that sort of thing. Then trawl away!
Below are our favourite books for six to eight-year-olds (or thereabouts!).
Lulu Bell, Belinda Murrell
A delightful series about family, friendship and animals, starring fun-loving Lulu Bell and her quirky family. Lulu’s dad is a vet and this provides many opportunities for Lulu to help out with injured and orphaned animals. Join Lulu, her siblings and pets in their many adventures that arise from living behind the vet hospital.
Magnolia Moon, Edwina Wyatt
This is such a beautifully written series. The publisher describes it as “whimsical” and I think that sums it up perfectly. Magnolia Moon faces everyday challenges with a dose of magic and imagination. From big life changes, to friendship struggles and family ordeals, Magnolia shows resilience in her ability to overcome the trials that come her way.
The Magic Faraway Tree series, Enid Blyton
The Magic Faraway Tree series will always be my favourite children’s series. I have the fondest memories of lying in my bed as a child, thinking about what land would next be at the top of the magical tree. All three of my children have loved this series. An enduring classic as dependable as the Faraway Tree itself.
Willa and Woof, Jacqueline Harvey
Join Willa and her Irish Wolfhound, Woof, as they navigate through tricky situations and things never quite going to plan. With the help of Tae, her best same-age friend and Frank, her best old-age friend, no challenge is too big for Willa and Woof.
The Isabelle Stories, Jane Godwin
I have been known to shed a tear or two over a Jane Godwin picture book. My then eight-year-old came to me one day, clutching Don’t Forget by Jane Godwin and said, “This book just made me cry and I don’t know why.” I think that summarises Jane’s writing beautifully. It resonates with the reader in a way that is hard to understand or describe. The Isabelle Stories captures this loveliness for junior fiction readers through the experiences of eight-year-old Isabelle and her close community.
A Sprinkle of Sadie, Lana Spasevski
Sadie is a kind-hearted, super baker with a creative flair and a love of sprinkles and sparkles. With the help of family and friends she rises to challenges that come her way and problem solves with a can-do attitude. This series is wonderful for early readers as the text is broken up with lots of sweet illustrations (see what I did there?) and graphics. There are also recipes for some of Sadie’s delicious treats. A wonderful series for fans of Billie B Brown.
The Wish Sisters, Allison Rushby
I read The Wish Sisters series aloud with my girls because I wanted in on the fun. But my seven-year-old could just as easily have read it on her own. Siblings, a mischievous imp and endless wishes – what could go wrong? A fabulous series that has a line-up of characters that are relatable and loveable…and a nosy neighbour who you can draw your own conclusions about.
How to Make a Pet Monster, Lili Wilkinson
My dinosaur, lego and science loving daughter thoroughly enjoyed this series. It is one of the few that I didn’t need to coax or encourage her to read. I would peek into her room and find her lying on her bed reading when she should have been asleep. Lots of fun text and illustrations help the story along. This series has a great balance between fantasy and reality.
The Playdate Adventures, Emma Besterwick
The Playdate Adventures is about so much more than just having fun on a playdate with friends. A group of children set out on adventures that ultimately have a wider impact and highlight a social issue facing society today; from environmental damage to waste and the polluting of our oceans. This series introduces issues to a young audience in a gentle way and highlights how they too can make a difference. There are also follow-up activities and ideas at the back of each book.
Violet Mackerel, Anna Branford
Violet Mackerel is a character that you can’t help but love. She is imaginative and determined and full of ideas. A charming series where we learn all about Violet’s “theories of small things”. With a few more words per page and beautiful illustrations, this series is aimed at a relatively competent younger reader looking for their next series to escape into.
Zoe’s Rescue Zoo, Amelia Cobb
Zoe’s Rescue Zoo is a great series for children who love animals. Great-Uncle Horace brings homeless and injured animals from all over the world to the rescue zoo where Zoe and her vet mum care for them. Not only is Zoe excellent at caring for the animals, she can talk to them too. With text aided by lovely illustrations, this is a perfect series for any child who would love to live in a house surrounded by animals (I know my middle daughter would!).
Clementine Rose, Jacqueline Harvey
Clementine Rose is delivered to Penberthy House as a baby, in a basket of bread rolls. She lives with Lady Clarissa and the butler, Digby Pertwhistle in the fairly isolated village of Penberthy Floss. The series follows the sweet young girl as she ventures through childhood with her teacup pig, Lavender, by her side. For readers at the upper-end of this age group, a lovely series exploring the everyday experiences through which young children might navigate.
Little Lunch, Danny Katz
A hilarious and fun series about the antics of a group of school kids and everything they get up to in a short 15-minute lunch break! Lots of illustrations, large text and activities give this series wide appeal.
Eco Rangers, Candice Lemon-Scott
Eco Rangers, Ebony and Jay, set out to help animals in danger in their community. A series for animal lovers who enjoy a bit of mystery and adventure along the way and a great one for raising environmental awareness in young readers.
Hotel Flamingo, Alex Milway
A highly illustrated series about young Anna who inherits a dilapidated hotel that is run by animals. There’s a cast of loveable characters and Anna shows determination in her bid to restore the hotel to its former glory. Young readers are sure to want to book a room at this quirky establishment after reading the amusing four-book series.
Magic Treehouse Series, Mary Pope Osborne
I have been reading the Magic Treehouse series to my two youngest daughters over time. Jack and Annie discover a magic tree house in the woods near their house. In each book they travel back in history and must accomplish a task before returning home. My children have learned so much from these books. For a while my youngest was obsessed with Egyptian mummies after reading “Mummies in the Morning”. A highly recommended series for those who might enjoy the blend of non-fiction in a narrative text.
Kate on the Case, Hannah Peck
A light-hearted mystery series for young readers who enjoy a bit of an adventure. Kate is a reporter-in-training who solves mysteries with her trusty sidekick, Rupert the mouse. From a train ride enroute to the Arctic, to a jungle and a big city scoop, readers join Kate on her exciting journeys in this highly illustrated series.
Polly and Buster, Sally Rippin
A regularly recommended series for this age group. You can’t go past anything written by Sally Rippin, who just knows how to engage readers through her storytelling. Polly and Buster is a series full of emotion that touches on the complexity of friendship and the connections we share.
Etta and the Octopus, Zana Fraillon
A stand-alone book that my seven-year-old and her friends recently read for their junior bookclub. They had much praise for Etta and the Octopus. We enjoyed a wonderful discussion about the peculiarity of finding an octopus in your bathtub. A sweet story about friendship, loyalty and overcoming evil. The book is light on text with plenty of engaging illustrations.
Fish Kid, Kylie Howarth
Another series for those who love animals and nature. A narrative text which is accompanied by facts and illustrations, Fish Kid is a great series for kids who enjoy stories but also love to learn a fact or two along the way. Join Bodhi as he sets out to save himself and the world and discovers a super-power along the way.
Babysitters Little Sister, Ann Martin
In a house of three girls, someone was bound to take up the Babysitter’s Club books. Do they every get old? Clearly not, as there are now graphic novels and a TV series based on the original series. Babysitter’s Little Sister is the younger version of the series and focusses on Karen, the younger stepsister of Kristy from the main Babysitter’s Club. There is a graphic novel version of this series too which makes it accessible to a wide range of readers.
The Tindims of Rubbish Island, Sally Gardner
The Tindims live on an island of recycled debris, turning our everyday rubbish into treasure. Now their home is under threat from the deluge of plastic in the ocean and they want to teach young readers how they can properly care for their planet. A fabulous series with a cast of the sweetest characters. I’m a big fan of children’s series that weave social responsibility into their stories.
The Questioneers, Andrea Beaty
A chapter book series based on the popular Ada Twist, Scientist picture book series. The original picture book became popular for the way it encouraged children to develop an interest in STEM and later received a television adaption. Join Ada and her friends as they discover how science is part of our everyday live.
Lemonade Jones, Davina Bell
Lemonade Jones reminds me a lot of my youngest daughter, who believes rules should always be questioned. She is spirited and feisty but also incredibly endearing (Lemonade and my daughter!). A collection of stories full of fun. This series is likely to appeal to fans of Billie B Brown and Ella and Olivia, looking for a slightly lengthier read.
Heartwood Hotel, Kallie George
A heartwarming series that follows Mona the Mouse as she connects with the inhabitants and guests of the Heartwood Hotel. Working at the luxury hotel is a grand affair but danger is never far and Mona must overcome it to protect the place she has come to call home. A sweet and cosy read – with lovely illustrations – for those who like animal tales. There is also this gorgeous website to accompany the series.
Juno Jones, Kate Gordon
If you are trying to encourage your reluctant reader to pick up a book, Juno might be the girl for them. Juno hates to read. And this is exactly what she has to do to save her school. Will she rise to the challenge? A humorous series with lots of illustrations and plenty of action to move the stories along.
Spellbound Ponies, Stacy Gregg
A charming series for any young pony-lovers out there. All the ponies from Pemberley Stables have been trapped in time by a magic spell and Olivia and Eliza must rescue them all. Sweet illustrations and plenty of excitement, fantasy and adventure for a young reader looking for their next series to get caught up in.
Be sure to check back regularly as I will update this list as we discover more books (which we do quite regularly thanks to my book buying problem!).
What books are your six to eight-year olds reading? Comment below if you think others need to be on this list. We love finding new reads and hearing your recommendations.
And be sure to check out some of our other favourite book posts!
Early Chapter Book Series for Five to Seven-Year-Olds
Favourite Read-Aloud Books for Six to Nine Year Olds
How to Encourage Your Child to Read More Books
