Aside from food, water and love, I honestly believe the greatest thing you can give your kids is a love of reading. Sounds totally cheesy, I know. But it’s so dang true. Since they were young, I’ve always given my kids books as gifts. It’s like the gift that keeps on giving.
I’d rather give a book then some lousy toy that will be broken in a day. I’m not super mean mom and I’ve given them plenty of those lousy toys that were broken in a day, but The Girl still has some of the books I’ve given her growing up. I still catch her reading some of them. See, books trump lousy toy any day!
If you’re looking for an awesome gift idea for kids of any age, check out some of our favorite Children’s Book Series:
Lemony Snicket: Both of my kids loved this series centered around Lemony Snicket, a troubled writer and researcher falsely accused of felonies and continuously hunted by the police and his enemies. It’s a quirky, fast paced series that stretches the imagination and keeps you turning pages.
The Magic Tree House: This series is perfect for a 1st-time chapter book reader. There are 50 books that follow Jack and Annie as they confront mysteries all across the globe. These are easy-read books with fun storylines and very few vocabulary stumbling blocks. They are also fast-paced, so your seasoned reader won’t get bored and your new reader will want to stick with it.
The Hardy Boys: Sometimes sticking to the classics is best. This is one of the best children’s series ever written and easily crosses gender lines. Monkey Boy has read almost every book and is still a fan of the Hardy Boys to this day. Sometimes finding perfect reading material is as simple as reintroducing the books we loved as kids!
Junie B. Jones: Junie B. Jones is a bright, funny elementary aged girl your kids will fall in love with. She finds herself in laughable situations that most young kids can relate to. These are also easy reads and perfect for early chapter book readers.
Harry Potter: No list of great children’s book series would be complete without the Harry Potter series. But I honestly know just as many adults that love these books. I am certain these books will become the books our kids pass down to their kids. The storylines are genius and the characters are so believable in a world of such fantasy that you often forget Hogwarts isn’t real {cause if it was, I’d totally send my kids there!}.
Diary of A Wimpy Kid: I think of these books like comics in book form. Younger kids will like them because they are such a quick read, and older kids will like them because of the crazy plots and hilarious situations Greg Heffley finds himself in. The illustrations perfectly carry the story along and make for a light, easy read for a wide age range.
Percy Jackson: This adventure series is great for your teen or tween, but might cause nightmares for younger kids. The books are really well written and so creative. This is another series where adults might find themselves borrowing their kids’ books to read themselves.
Geronimo Stilton: Who knew a talking mouse could spawn a series of almost 100 books! Our little neighbor girl is obsessed with the Geronimo Stilton series and spends hours in her room reading book after book. The cool thing about this series is that it originated in Italy and has become one of the most popular children’s book series in the world after being translated into almost 40 different languages. Who knew?
Roald Dahl: While this set isn’t technically a series, it had to be included because his books are simply awesome. They are crazy and fun and totally imaginative. The BFG is one of my all-time favs, but Matilda, James and the Giant Peach and Charlie & the Chocolate Factory tie for a close 2nd.
Fancy Nancy: This girl is obsessed with tea parties so of course I’d love her! Seriously though these books are perfect for your little reader or even your non-reader who loves to be read to. Fancy Nancy is a larger than life personality, who adores all things fancy. If I ever decided to change up my wardrobe I’d go big or go home and adopt her extravagant style with boas, tutus, ruby slippers, fairy wings, and fuzzy slippers. She’s awesome.
Okay now I want to hear from you. What are your kids reading? Is there a must-buy or classic series I missed? Do you agree that books are the best gifts ever?
~Mavis
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stacy says
We like all of those. But my son also like the Dragons in our Midst by Bryan Davis.
http://www.daviscrossing.com/raising_dragons.shtml
Raven says
Oh missing so so many
Anne of Green Gables
Little House on the Prairie
Chronicles of Narnia
Judy Blume (Super Fudge)
Tamora Pierce has many many 4 book sets that are wonderful
These are just off the top of my head there are many many more I am sure … Perhaps I was a bit of an advanced reader but there are SO many good children series!
Penelope says
My kids devour books.
To name a few:
Narnia, Little House, Fablehaven, Noel Streatfield books (the shoes). My son loved the Ranger’s Apprentice series. We also really enjoyed the Tales of Magic by Edward Eager. Gail Carson Levine fairy tales were fun. Shannon Hales Princess Academy and Goose Girl. The Frog Princess books.
Julie says
My son really enjoyed the My Side of the Mountain series by Jean Craighead George. And my daughter is obsessed with the Warrior series by Erin Hunter. Both are geared more for middle/high school ages. And 2 of my kids (and me) were completely into the Twilight series.
Peggy Stenglein says
My daughter loved and was obsessed with My Side of the Mountain too, and she researched other Jean Craighead George books. Also, Julie of the Wolves. 🙂
Peggy Stenglein says
You can’t have a top 10 list without ‘The Little House on the Prairie’ series!!!
Rachel says
My six year old boy is enjoying the Samurai Kids series.
Cathy says
Yes, where are the Little House books? Anne of Green Gables, Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden (if you can find them), the Mandie series, In Grandma’s Attic series.
Evonne says
Anyone have suggestions for a good set for a 5 year old boy?
Mandy P says
Mine loves the Ralph S. Mouse books by Beverly Cleary. We get the books on tape too and he listens to them in the car all the time!
Sharon says
The Fly Guy series by Tedd Arnold…they are quite affordable as well!
Heidi says
My son loves the How to Train Your Dragon series. The later books get a little scary, but the first ones are fun.
Sharon says
The Fly Guy books are a perfect “first” series for kinder thru second grade readers; Henry and Mudge is a fantastic beginning reader series; Nate The Great is funny and silly and is another great series for second-third grade readers.
mona says
These are all great. I loved the Anne of Green Gables and the Baby Sitters club but I would read almost anything I could get my hands on. My nephew’s also really liked the Goosebumps series .
Alice T. says
My daughter loved the Judy Moody series. Both of my kids enjoyed a series from my childhood – The Boxcar Children. Of course, I agree with other posters about The Little House series. Spiderwick is an enjoyable series for both boys and girls. Charlie Bone is good for tweens (although I read them all, too!). For older kids, the Rot and Ruin series and the Forest of Hands and Teeth are both part of the very popular zombie/dystopian genre. My son LOVES R&R and my daughter FHT. So many to choose from! I really like to get my kids the book and the movie it spawned. It creates a good discussion about how books usually do it better, but what movies add.
Cecily says
The Sisters Grimm series is a good one
PonyRyd says
Junie B. Jones is our families all time favorite. My wife and my college senior still read them together. 🙂
Tamara Cullen says
Mavis you picked some fantastic books! Great finds for anyone’s gift list. My girls adore Fancy Nancy, as well as Magic Tree House. LIke other’s have mentioned, they really enjoy Little House, Nancy Drew (the originals) and the Bella Sara series. Thanks for the great list!!
-Tamara
Ellen in Clackamas says
Oh, don’t forget the Madeleine L’Engle books, especially “A Wrinkle in Time”. One of my all-time favorite books. First read about Meg Murray and Charles Wallace when I was 11 years old and passed the book to my kids who have now passed to their kids.
Marian Braithwaite says
Don’t forget Brandon Mull’s 2 series: Fablehaven and The Beyonders
Becky M. says
My young kids (preschool through early elementary) love Mo Willems books, Elephant and Piggie, and Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. They are simple and hilarious!
Marcia @Frugal Healthy Simple says
These are great lists. My 7 yo is mowing through the Magic tree house books, and I need new series!