Books have the power to show kids how much they have in common with other kids their age even when they think they are alone and the only ones facing challenges. Being able to navigate obstacles in their lives and learning from characters in books, whether fictional or based on real individuals, can help kids navigate milestones in their childhood.
Keep reading to learn more about popular book series during kids’ milestone years.
Grades K-2
Don’t Let the Pigeon by Moe Williems
This comic-strip-style series teaches kids the importance of planning ahead and how shortcuts aren’t always the best solution to accomplishing tasks.
Dragan Masters by Tracey West
This magical series helps kids build the foundation for reading and gain success as independent readers through stories of magic and imagination.
Grades 3-5
Cat Kid Comic Club by Dav Pilkey
When Pilkey was a kid, he was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia. To bring focus to his thoughts and actions, he began writing comics at an early age, which turned into a career as a graphic novelist. This series teaches readers about exploring their literary and artistic voices when communicating can be challenging when understanding who they are as people.
Roald Dahl Collection
This timeless collection from Dahl explores such topics as how we should treat people, how we would like to be treated, and not judge people too harshly as well as how some people can appear other than they are. There’s a book in the collection sure to reach young readers with positive messages.
Raina Telgemeier Collection
As kids get closer to middle school age, they tend to have questions and thoughts about family, friendship, the highs and lows of growing up, and the rewards and challenges that come with it. Telgemeier’s collection presents universal lessons about the adolescent experience.
Middle School
Divergent Series by Veronica Roth
Divergent is a series about a society divided among assigned factions and a girl, Tris, who doesn’t fit into any of them. The primary message that Roth presents is the reminder that the reader should make decisions for themselves rather than letting society decide who they should be, think, and become.
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
While the premise of the series is centralized on war, Collins weaves in social, racial, gender, cultural, and environmental realities. Further, readers are forced to find the intersection of destruction while siding with what’s good for the betterment of all, not just some.
Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling
This long-time favorite has stood the test of teenage time over the past two decades. Rowling gives readers an experience of growing into understanding friendship, believing in oneself, standing up to fear, and the permission to forgive themselves for making mistakes.
High School
Dork Diaries by Rachel Renée Russell
Written by Russell and illustrated by her daughter, this graphic novel series follows a 15-year-old through the roller-coaster of emotions of being a teen. This coming-of-age journey involves personal, spiritual, moral, and emotional growth and developing maturity based on real-life experiences of high-school teens.
The Hate You Give and Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas
Thomas displays the raw experiences of Black teenage kids in America by using a relatable protagonist, Starr, who becomes a positive symbol for Black teens in her community. She becomes an unforgettable friend to the reader, regardless of race or background.
Maze Runner Series by James Dashner
This young adult dystopian science fiction book series shows teens what happens when you step outside of your comfort zone and find out the strength and courage that can come from within themselves.
The Crossover Series by Kwame Alexander
Through poetry, Alexander teaches students about the complexity of relationships between family members. Using themes centered around family relationships and loss, students are confronted with figuring out how the different relationships they have in life will affect them.
Of Blood and Bone Series by John Gwynne
Gwynne uses characters who are faced with obstacles that test their loyalty, truth, and courage. Teens face situations that test these characteristics daily and are internally seeking ways to understand which path to take.
Books help kids develop language skills and expand their vocabulary. In addition, book series can show kids how others navigate the same struggles they have and how they solved problems. While growing up may be hard, with confidence and characters they can relate to, kids can understand that hard doesn’t mean impossible. Lastly, moms can get in on the action as well with these 4 Winter Books for Mom!
If you would like to check out local bookstores that may carry some of the book series mentioned, check out this list of Atlanta-area bookstores to support.
