8 Engaging Titles Kids Won't Want to Put Down

These 8 great books will hook your kids on reading, even while they eagerly await the release of their favorite series& next installment.

By Maggie McGuire
Oct 11, 2013

Ages

8-12


Oct 11, 2013

When my boys are really into a book series, they can't wait for the next one to come out. Choosing books while they wait can send us on a hunt for just the right book that's going to connect with them as much as the book they loved and the one they're waiting for – and it's important they connect with what they're reading.  

So, since we have so much experience with waiting in our house, we've come up with a list of 8 books that'll connect with your kids and keep them laughing, spellbound, wondering and, well, non-stop reading.  (Yes!)


Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling – Book #1 in this spellbinding, wonderous series! You likely already know this one – but I had to put it on the list. It's an absolute FAVORITE in our house!


Swindle by Gordon Korman – Fun and funny!


Amulet #1: The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibuishi – Fantastic graphic novel series. My boys have read all 5 – and can't wait until #6 comes out!! See the series book list for information on the other books.


Dear Dumb Diary #1: Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jim Benton – Laugh out loud funny. See the series book list for more information.


Smile by Raina Telgemeier – Humorous, true story about a 6th grade girl who trips and falls and injures her two front teeth and the ensuing drama that follows.


The Loser List by Holly Kowitt – A humorous, diary-based story that includes drawings, doodles, and handwritten text about the ups and downs faced by a 12-year-old middle schooler named Danny Shine.


The Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey – The first in a series of George-and-Harold adventures with mean old principal Mr. Krupp, who doesn't like the pair's pranks or their comic books. And he's cooked up a plan to catch George and Harold and stop their shenanigans — once and for all! Hilarious pictures on every page, The Adventures of Captain Underpants is great for both beginning and chapter-book readers.


Star Wars: Jedi Academy by Jeffrey Brown – Told through the journals, scribbles, and diaries of a middle school boy named Roan, this story is a middle school journey to a galaxy far, far away…filled with the humor, awkwardness, fun, and frustration of the middle school years.

Happy Reading!!

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