Top Children’s books of all time by age Group
Reading to young children is so important to creating a love of books and reading. Reading a little bed time story to your child at night is a lovely way to finish off a day and settle little ones down and get a much loved cuddle.
Reading to them from a young age will encourage them to start reading and build a love of reading for them to enjoy for the rest of their lives.
Children who are read to from a young age tend to read earlier learn faster and understand concepts better than children who haven’t had the opportunity to have books in their lives from a young age.
My children love to have their favourite books read to them over and over and even from a very young age when they could barely talk they would say “again” “again”. It’s hard to resist when they get so much joy out of the story and the pictures. Books are such a great way to grow their imaginations and spend some quality time together.
I have compiled a list of top children’s books of all time, so there are some classics and some new ones in here too.
It’s hard to narrow it down as there are so many fantastic books to choose from, here is a selection by age categories:
0-5 years olds
Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers
The Cat in the Hat by Dr Seuss
Where the Wild Things Are By Maurice Sendak
The Gruffalo By Julia Donaldson
6-8 year olds
The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton
The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy
Horrid Henry by Francesca Simon & Tony Ross
Charlotte's Web by E B White
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Five on a Treasure Island by Enid Blyton
The BFG by Roald Dahl
9-11 years olds
The Witches by Roald Dahl
Matilda by Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake
The Adventures of Tintin by Hergé
Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C S Lewis
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J K Rowling
Holes by Louis Sachar
The Story of Tracy Beaker by Jacqueline Wilson
The Hobbit by J R R Tolkien
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
12-14 year olds
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time By Mark Haddon
Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz
The Lord of the Rings by J R R Tolkien
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff
Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magoria
Anne of Green Gables L M Montgomery
Boy By Roald Dahl
Claudine at St Clares By Enid Blyton