42 Top Books for Kids Ages 5-7

I have a 7-year-old that has really blossomed as a reader this year. He loves it and I want to fuel that love.

Getting books from the library and the school is awesome. But, I also want to create a nice little home library for him and the other siblings to enjoy, so I’m loving this list of book recommendations!

We polled you, our readers, about the best books for children ages 5-7 and we got some great ideas! One very important tip (that many of you mentioned) is to offer books and other reading materials about things that interest YOUR child!

If you happen to be in your child’s classroom every now and then, you know that there is quite a range of reading levels. This list is intended to give you some great ideas of books in a variety of reading levels typical for this age, so not every book will be the best for every child.

Start with books that you know will be fun for your child! Build their confidence! Then continue to provide more reading materials in subjects and genres that your child seems to enjoy.

In no particular order…

Here are 42 of the best books out there for kids ages 5-7:

1. Captain Underpants – This series came highly recommended by many of you. It’s a fun imaginative one full of laughs and interaction.

2. Magic Tree House – Fun series to get them started on! 

3. Nate the Great – These books are great for mystery-loving children and will get them thinking!

4. Junie B. Jones – My son’s second-grade teacher introduced him to these and he loved them. He thought they were so funny. Another great series.

5. Fly Guy – These short books are full of humor and great illustrations.

6. Flat Stanley – Follow the exciting adventures of a boy who has been flattened by a bulletin board.

7. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie – Watch new events unfold from the simple act of giving a mouse a cookie in this illustrated series.

8. Pete the Cat – There are several Pete the Cat adventures to read through, all with illustrations to help the little ones stay entertained!

9. Minecraft Books – Good way to get your video game loving kids interested in reading.

10. A to Z Mysteries – If your child enjoys these mystery books, they’ll have tons to read! There are 26 books in total in the series.

11. Diary of a Wimpy Kid – This series is a favorite at my house. You can get them interested in the books by renting the movie on amazon prime or buying the DVD.

12. The Book With No Pictures – It may sound boring at first, but this is a silly book that will show your kids, not all books need pictures. Give it a try!

13. Frog and Toad – This is a great series to learn about friendships by following the adventures of the loveable characters Frog and Toad.

14. My Weird School – This is another long series (21 books total) and each one is full of adventure and fun characters.

15. Don’t Let the Pigeon Books – This should be a relatable series for all kids, with a funny Pigeon character they’ll love.

16. Lego Books – If your kids like LEGO they’ll surely enjoy reading about their favorite toy characters going on adventures!

17. Curious George – This is a classic series that I’m sure you all know and love.

18. Bad Kitty – Read about a cat who goes on all sorts of adventures from joining a sports team to taking school tests, all with fantastic lessons at the end.

19. The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh – Another classic series full of loveable characters.

20. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – If your kids have seen any of the movies they may be even more excited to read this one!

21. Where the Sidewalk Ends – I loved Shel Silverstein as a kid, I was thrilled to find that my boys like his poems too.

22. Charlotte’s Web – Another great story about friendship and loyalty.

23. Make Way for Ducklings – Another classic about a mom and her ducklings making their way through the busy streets of Boston.

24. The Velveteen Rabbit – Follow a toy rabbit that gets turned into a real rabbit in this classic illustration from 1922.

25. Where the Wild Things Are – If your kids have large imaginations they’ll love this one.

26. Judy Moody Books – This is a great relatable series for kids, full of adventure and education.

27. National Geographic Kids Chapters – Follow true stories of exciting and unbelievable wild animals!

28. My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish – Follow the funny and exciting adventures of Tom and his Zombie pet goldfish!

29. Fancy Nancy Books – These stories are quick 5-minute reads great for young girls.

30. The Day the Crayons Quit – This is a great imaginary and humorous tale of crayons who are tired of coloring.

31. Dr. Seuss’s Beginner Book Collection – Can never go wrong with Dr. Seuss books!

32. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs – If your kids have seen the movie, they’ll love this illustrated version of food falling from the sky.

33. The Boxcar Children – The Boxcar children go on adventures and solve mysteries together.

34. The Classic Treasury of Aesop’s Fables – Great for children who love wildlife. Hear stories from various illustrated animals!

35. The Tale of Despereaux

36. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble – A Donkey finds a magic stone that can grant his wishes. What could go wrong?

37. The BFG – The Big Friendly Giant is a classic and exciting tale.

38. Pippi Longstocking

39. The True Story of the Three Little Pigs – A twist on the original three little pigs story with humor and illustration.

40. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day – A great one to show your kids that not every day is going to be perfect, and that’s ok.

41. Tikki Tikki Tembo – A book about a child who falls down a well, and his brothers attempt to save him.

42. The Giving Tree – This book is filled with great lessons on generosity.

Final Thoughts

There are so many great books for children, I couldn’t include them all. So please feel free to share your favorites in the comments!

If your child is considered a beginner reader, I recommend the BOB books. Great way to start them out! You might also try introducing comic books or graphic novels since they include a lot of engaging pictures.

My son’s school teachers have utilized the free Raz-Kids app and he really enjoys that too. There are lots of eBooks on there with audio and interactive comprehension quizzes at all reading levels. I just hand over the tablet and he starts listening to and reading all sorts of books.

Some of you have suggested turning on the subtitles on your TV and encouraging reading on video games as more ways to encourage reading. Whatever works!

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