Remember curling up with your favorite Nancy Drew, Little House on the Prairie, or Boxcar Children Mystery? Once you finished it, you begged your parents to take you to the local bookstore or library to get the next book in the series. Series are still a wonderful way to get children hooked on reading.
While Harry Potter is a great example of the power series books can have on young readers, there are literally hundreds of series books available. Here are some of the more popular series books – both new and old – that keep children coming back for more.
Junie B. Jones
By Barbara Park
Random House
Ages 4-8
It’s never too early to get the youngest readers interested in series books, and Junie B. Jones is a great place to start. The silly and funny antics of this kindergartner-turned-first grader will keep your young reader longing for more. The short chapters are ideal for early readers as well.
Amelia Bedelia
By Peggy Parish and Herman Parish
HarperTrophy
Ages 4-8
Since 1963, Amelia Bedelia has been entertaining young readers with her mind-boggling antics. Although Peggy Parish, the original author of the Amelia Bedelia series died in 1988, her nephew Herman Parish has continued sharing the stories of much-loved Amelia and her literal mind.
Judy Moody
By Megan McDonald
Candlewick
Ages 4-8
While Junie B. Jones may appeal to the early elementary age readers, second and third graders looking for more oddball adventures will delight in Judy Moody and her sarcastic wit and charming humor.
Andrew Lost
By J.C. Greenburg
Random House
Ages 4-8
Looking for a way to make science exciting for your child? Try the Andrew Lost series. Shrunk down to microscopic size, Andrew and his buddies alternately get caught on the Great Barrier Reef, are whisked away in a time machine, and find themselves in prehistoric times, surrounded by huge and hungry dinosaurs.
Magic Tree House
By Mary Pope Osborne
Random House
Ages 4-8
Children love adventure, and that is just what siblings Jack and Annie discover in the pages of the books found in a mysterious tree house. With every book they open and page they turn, they are transported to exotic locales and have unforgettable experiences.
A to Z Mysteries
By Ron Roy
Random House
Ages 9-12
This 26-book series is a favorite among super sleuths and children looking for adventure-filled reads. The books’ main characters work diligently to solve mysteries in their hometown and throughout the world – introducing readers to faraway places, as well as small-town America.
Nate the Great
By Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
Yearling
Ages 4-8
Who wouldn’t want to search for clues and solve mysteries with their favorite dog by their side? Early elementary school readers will enjoy the mysteries that unfold for Nate the detective and his faithful sidekick, Sludge. The author’s skillful storytelling, using just a few words, is ideal for early readers.
Spiderwick Chronicles
By Holly Black
Simon and Schuster
Ages 9-12
A hidden room, a yellowed parchment, and menacing creatures from the Faerie world turn the lives of three young children upside down in the Spiderwick Chronicles. After moving into a large estate, three siblings begin to explore their surroundings, and mysterious and strange incidents unfold.
American Girls
Various Authors
American Girl
Ages 9-12
Who wouldn’t love history when it’s told through the entertaining lives of their favorite American Girl characters? Each book showcases a different girl and her own specific period in American history, in this historically accurate and intriguing series.
The Boxcar Children Mysteries
By Gertrude Chandler Warner
Albert Whitman & Company
Ages 9-12
Having recently celebrated its 60th anniversary, the Boxcar Children Mysteries are still as inviting today as they were decades ago. While the earlier books in the series are still good reads, the series has evolved over the years to include adventures and mysteries that appeal to today’s young reader.
A Series of Unfortunate Events
By Lemony Snicket (AKA Daniel Handler)
HarperCollins
Ages 9-12
Thirteen books are planned for Lemony Snicket’s series (he’s up to number 12 now), which features the hilarious adventures and misfortunes of the Baudelaire children. Snicket’s grim sense of humor is a fresh and welcome change from the usual children’s book tone.
Dear America
Various authors
Scholastic, Inc.
Ages 9-12
Each of the two-dozen books in the Dear America series is written through the experiences of a young girl living during a particular time in American history. The fictional stories provide wonderful backgrounds for the factual information included in each book, making American history that much more interesting for young readers.
All-of-a-Kind Family
Sydney Taylor
Yearling
Ages 9-12
Ella, Henny, Sarah, Charlotte, and Gertie are growing up on New York’s Upper East Side just before World War I. Their family doesn’t have much, but they make Purim baskets for all their neighbors, eat Mama’s delicious fish on the Sabbath, and save their daily pennies for special treats at the market. The five-book series follows the girls (and their new brother) from elementary school through first loves.
