What’s better than disappearing into a good book? Finding out that your new fave is the first of a whole series of reads that will make time melt away.
But there’s an experience that’s even better than that — helping your kids find their new favorite series of children’s books. (Or maybe sharing your beloved childhood favorites with the next generation!)
We reached out to our readers on Facebook and Instagram to ask them for their recommendations. Their favorite titles spanned everything from superhero stories for elementary school students to dystopian fantasy for young adult readers.
Committed readers of children’s books will recognize many of these titles, either from their kids’ to-be-read pile or from fond memories of their favorite books growing up.
Silly Superheroes
Secret identities! Canine crime fighters! Epic amounts of heroism (and giggles)!
If you (and your kids) want superheroes with a side of silliness, Dav Pilkey’s graphic novels are right up your alley.
Start with Captain Underpants, whose identity is so secret, it’s hidden even from himself. Continue with the adventures of Dog Man, who is part dog, part man, and all hero! Kids and parents will both appreciate the emphasis on positive themes like empathy, kindness, and persistence.
Mysteries and Adventures
Let’s start this section strong with a wave of nostalgia: commenters on Scholastic’s Facebook page name-checked a favorite for many parents.
Commenter Christina L. calls out one of our favorite tween detectives: “Encyclopedia Brown mystery series, which I always failed to solve! Those were my brother's books, and I just had a chance to read them. They were fun to read, but hard to solve, so I never tried to solve them. I just tried to understand. I would've loved to keep them because they were good books.”
Got an adventure-loving reader who has aged out of elementary-aged titles? You might also try middle-grade survival stories Wildfire and Wild River, both by Newbery Honor Winner Rodman Philbrick.
The Baby-sitters Club
Many, many readers gave a shout-out to The Baby-sitters Club.
“I still read the ones on hold from the Brooklyn Public library,” writes a reader. “I read this new graphic novel, Mallory and the Trouble With Twins.”
If you’re a fan, you’ll know why this series is still so popular. What kid wouldn’t want to have a club with their friends, a way to make money, and a series of adventures? (Kristy’s private landline probably meant more to parents in their childhood than it does today, but hey, it’s a great way to give your kids the old “back in my day” speech. They love it!)
Plus, as the reader mentions, there are new graphic novel versions to enjoy.
Beloved YA Authors
Many of our social media users mentioned their favorite authors of young adult literature — and a few names popped up again and again.
“Judy Blume, Beverly Cleary, Paula Danziger,” writes another Facebook user
Many of your favorite YA authors have whole series to enjoy, including Judy Blume (The Complete Set of Fudge) and Beverly Cleary (The Complete Ramona Box Set). The timeless stories from these beloved authors are still being enjoyed by young readers today.
Harry Potter and Other Magical Tales
As you might have predicted, Harry Potter made a number of appearances on our feeds. The saga of everyone’s favorite boy wizard offers plenty of magic, friendship, and page-turning adventure. No wonder this series is perennially popular with readers of all ages.
Dive back into the original series or round out your collection with the Hogwarts Library, which includes Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Quidditch Through the Ages, and The Tales of Beedle the Bard.
Scary Stories and Dystopian Tales
Some of the best children’s books help young readers process scary stuff in a constructive way. On the other hand, some kids are just born horror and sci-fi fans and love spooky stories.
To that point, several readers mentioned how much they love the Goosebumps series. If your kids are ready to join the R.L. Stine fan club, we have excellent news: there are a whopping 62 titles in the original Goosebumps series. The Goosebumps Starter Pack makes a great introduction and includes titles like Night of the Living Dummy, Planet of the Lawn Gnomes, and (shudder) Slappy Birthday to You.
Kids in middle school and high school may get interested in dystopian sci-fi like The Hunger Games, which also received repeated mentions on our socials. Dig into Katniss’s adventures in the original series via the box set or illustrated edition. Or go back to the beginning of Haymitch Abernathy’s story in the recently published prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
Whether your young readers are into mystery and magic, friendship and adventure, or scary stories for all ages, there’s a series out there for them. Just be prepared to supply the next volume in the set. Once they’re hooked on the first installment, they’ll want to move on to the next … and the next … and the next!
Finally, we have to include our favorite quote from our socials. When asked about a favorite series, one Instagram follower said, “Everything! Books are an escape.” We couldn't agree more.
Ready to find your kids' (and family's) next series that will make the hours zoom by? Visit The Scholastic Store and browse by series, character, subject, and more.
