After another exciting and busy year, Team Your Kid’s Next Read has consulted our brilliant members and compiled book lists based on their recommendations.
The Your Kid’s Next Read community now comprises 39,000+ members, connected via our Facebook group, the Your Kid’s Next Read website, our podcast and our monthly newsletter!
This year, we also added Facebook and Instagram for even more ways to spread the word about incredible books for kids and teens.
And when we asked the community to share their favourite reads of the previous 12 months, they did not hesitate!
As is the case each year, some of these books were published in 2025, some were not. There are new books that bubble to the top straight away, and there are always older books that are rediscovered by a new group of readers every year.
Once again, I’ve broken the lists into categories: picture books, early chapter books (5-7), junior reads (7-9), middle grade (9-13) and young adult (14+). (NB: There is always crossover in these lists, particularly across ages 7-10, as readers develop at their own pace and to their own level of interest, but I’ve done my best to place the books according to expected independent reading age.)
Stand by also for Team YKNR’s favourite reads in 2025, coming soon.
These lists are great starting points when you’re looking for the next great read for your kid/s and teens. Click the title to find out more about each book*.
Your Kid’s Favourite Read 2025: Junior Reads (7-9)
As nominated by the members of the Your Kid’s Next Read community
MOST NOMINATED
Detective Beans (series) by Li Chen (‘[This] was loved in our house. It’s a graphic novel with great vocab and Mr 7 and Miss 9 (and me!) found it hilarious!’ – Sarah)
Crookhaven (series) by J. J. Arcanjo
‘What Snail Knows’ by Kathryn Apel, illustrated by Mandy Foot (‘Very popular with this age group of students. A gorgeous verse novel with gentle illustrations.’ – Kath)
Wolf Girl (series) by Anh Do (‘Both my daughters love [this] series! – Jacqui)***
The Travelling Bookshop (series) by Katrina Nannestad, illustrated by Cheryl Orsini (‘[My 9yo girl]loved the adventures they went on and loves Nat and his quirkiness and their total acceptance and embrace of this.’ – Briony)
Keeper of the Lost Cities (series) by Shannon Messenger (‘Quote: The use of magic makes it feel like it’s real but not real!’ – LJ)***
Violet Mackerel (series) by Anna Branford, illustrated by Sarah Davis
‘Oceanforged: The Wicked Ship’ by Amelia Mellor (‘8yo liked how easy it was to read and wanted to wear a pirate hat.’ – Gisela)
‘Good Different’ by Meg Eden Kuyatt (‘This was [my 9yo boy’s] first introduction to poetry (the book is a novel in verse) and he read it on loop for a month (so far!), possibly 10 times right now. He can relate to the Autistic MC who loves dragons and learns to love herself just as she is.’ – Janet)
Miss Penny Dreadful (series) by Allison Rushby, illustrated by Bronte Rose Marando
Fluff (series) by Matt Stanton
Sleepovers (series) by Jacqueline Wilson, illustrated by Nick Sharratt (‘My daughter was 8 when she read it and loved it. It was the first proper book she read that she couldn’t put down. Not too long chapter book with the odd picture so good transition into chapter book in terms of length. There’s a couple of books in the series as well. She’s not read the third book yet but also loved the second one.’ – Amy)
The 13 Storey Treehouse (series) by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton
Diary Of A Wimpy Kid (series) by Jeff Kinney
The Wingfeather Saga (series) by Andrew Peterson (‘My 8 year old son and I have both thoroughly enjoyed the rollercoaster of adventure the Wingfeather kids go on and I’ve really enjoyed the deep threads of family loyalty and love, justice and wholesome nature of the books.’ – Jenny)
‘Orris and Timble: The Beginning’ by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Carmen Mok
Cat Kid Comic Club (series) by Dav Pilkey (‘A fav from my 8 year old – Zoe)
‘Losing The Plot’ by Annaleise Byrd (‘[This book] is a winner! Short chapters, fairytale with a twist. Humour and lots to love! Great to read to kids and kids love it too! – Natalie)
‘The Haunting of Hindmarsh Hall (The Secret Detectives Club #1)’ by Kate Gordon
‘Wurrtoo’ by Tylissa Elisara, illustrated by Dylan Finney
Real Pigeons (series) by Andrew McDonald and Ben Wood (‘The right amount of text and pictures, and lots of adventures.’ – Suzanne)
Warriors (graphic novel series) by Erin Hunter
‘Fox Goes North’ by Jeremy Strong (‘One of the most beautiful and meaningful books I read for this age group this year.’ – Katja)
Juliet Nearly A Vet (series) by Rebecca Johnson
Malamander (Eerie-On-Sea series) by Thomas Taylor (‘We were recommended Malamander late last year, and loved it. So this year kiddo has been catching up with the later books.’ – Nandi)
Dragon Girls (series) by Maddy Mara
Sherlock Bones (series) by Tim Collins, illustrated by John Bigwood (‘These are adored by my 7 year old and she’s read them over and over this year. I love the puzzles sprinkled into the story that bring math, etc into use.’ – Tara)
‘Max and the Midknights’ by Lincoln Peirce (‘Loved by 8 year old who found it funny (also has fantasy elements that he enjoys).’ – Megan)
Weirdo (series) by Ahn Do, illustrated by Jules Faber
‘Runt’ by Craig Silvey, illustrated by Sara Acton (‘This year’s favourite [readaloud] with both my 7 and 5 year olds. Such a gorgeous, heartwarming Australian story. I bawled my eyes out and kept wanting to read it after I tucked them in each night.’ – Chelsea)
‘Roller Girl’ by Victoria Jamieson (Graphic novel. Absolutely loved by both my girls (8ish). Friendship and roller skates. What’s not to love. – Amy)
Malory Towers (series) by Enid Blyton (‘Boarding school japes & friendships, helped by a TV series. A classic series for young girls! – Laura)
Stella and Marigold (series) by Annie Barrows and Sophie Blackall (‘Very popular with grade 1 and 2 at school. Beautiful illustrations and gorgeous stories about two sisters. Same creators as Ivy and Bean (also fantastic) – Maree)
The Imagination Station (series) by Paul McCusker and Marianne Hering (‘My 8yo loves the adventure element and also learning about historical events. – Sally)
‘Tawny Trouble’ by Deb Fitzpatrick
‘The Summer I Robbed A Bank’ by David O’Doherty (‘My 7yo loved the whimsical adventure and I appreciated the characters and relationships.’ – Danielle)
‘Everglade: Rise of the Witch’ by Kitty Black (‘This book had both myself and 6 year old in fits of laughter and waiting for the next chapter. We read multiple chapter a night because we just couldn’t put it down. It was so cleverly written that entertained both child and adult! Recommend 1000%’ – Candeece)
How To Train Your Dragon (series) by Cressida Cowell (‘[My 6yo boy] thinks they’re hillarious, especially the bits about how to speak dragonese. We’ve been enjoying the books and the audiobook version too.’ – Carly)
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Are you new here? Welcome to my blog! I’m Allison Tait, aka A.L. Tait, and I’m the author of middle-grade fantasy adventure series, The Mapmaker Chronicles, The Ateban Cipher, and the Maven & Reeve Mysteries.
My latest novels are contemporary middle-grade reads: ‘The First Summer of Callie McGee’, ‘Willow Bright’s Secret Plot’ and ‘Danger Road’. You can find out more about me here, and more about my books here.
If you’re looking for book recommendations for young readers, join the Your Kid’s Next Read Facebook community, tune in to the Your Kid’s Next Read podcast and sign up for the Your Kid’s Next Read newsletter.
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