Top 20 children’s books right now

This page follows the bestselling children’s books in the list we checked on 7 November 2026. For every title you will find a plain-English summary, an age guide, tips for reading it together and suggestions for what to read next. We do not reproduce book covers, so the pictures here are our own illustrations.

Rankings change weekly, so treat the numbers as a snapshot. If you are buying for Christmas, our Christmas book guides will help you plan, and our books by age pages cover the classics.

1. 1Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Fight or FlightJeff Kinney
2. 2Gruffalo GrannyJulia Donaldson
3. 3Bunny vs Monkey: Day of the HeroesJamie Smart
4. 4Lottie Brooks’s Twelve Disasters of ChristmasKatie Kirby
5. 5Disaster Dad: Animal AnticsDonncha O’Callaghan
6. 6Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Spooky Stories 2Jeff Kinney
7. 7Donut Squad: Destiny of the Donuts!Neill Cameron
8. 8Squad GirlsEvanne Ní Chuilinn
9. 9Milly McCarthy and the Doggy Daycare DramaLeona Forde
10. 10Ghost and Toast: Slice to Meet You!Phil Corbett
11. 11The Seriously Epic Holiday of Lottie BrooksKatie Kirby
12. 12Tom Gates Is Not Famous (Yet)Liz Pichon
13. 13Camp Half-Blood: The Wild ZoneRick Riordan
14. 14Rabbit and Bear: The Bog of FrogsJulian Gough
15. 15Nina Peanut: Major Drama AlertSarah Bowie
16. 16The Catastrophic Friendship Fails of Lottie BrooksKatie Kirby
17. 17Dog Man: 10th Birthday EditionDav Pilkey
18. 18Detective Thingy MajiggyCecelia Ahern
19. 19The Danger GameTom Fletcher
20. 20Classic Football Heroes: BestMatt Oldfield

Meet the authors behind the top 20, with a short biography of each.

How to use this list

• Choose by format. Comics and diaries (Dog Man, Wimpy Kid, Tom Gates, Donut Squad) suit fast, funny reading. Picture books such as Gruffalo Granny suit reading aloud. Longer novels such as Camp Half-Blood and The Danger Game suit confident readers.
• Check the age. Each page gives a suggested age. Remember that children can enjoy stories well above their own reading level when you read to them.
• Try before you buy. Many of these books are available from the library. See our guide to children’s books and your local library.
• Mix it up. A bestseller is a good start, but pair it with an old favourite so reading stays a pleasure, not a chase.

Irish authors and Irish interest

Seven titles on the list have an Irish link. They are a handy place to start if you want to support Irish writers and illustrators.

• Disaster Dad: Animal AnticsDonncha O’Callaghan: Dad’s class trip to a wildlife park turns into chaos when he tries to get a newborn giraffe named after him.
• Squad GirlsEvanne Ní Chuilinn: Four friends balance school, friendship, sport and dance in the first book of a new Irish series.
• Milly McCarthy and the Doggy Daycare DramaLeona Forde: Milly wants her own dog, and a dog-walking business grows into chaotic doggy daycare.
• Rabbit and Bear: The Bog of FrogsJulian Gough: Rabbit wonders what stars are made of and feels very small, until some new friends in a bog show him the bigger picture.
• Nina Peanut: Major Drama AlertSarah Bowie: Nina wants the lead in the school play of Romeo and Juliet, but a new boy and an old rival are in the way.
• Detective Thingy MajiggyCecelia Ahern: Mia can talk to everyday objects, and they talk back, which makes her a very useful new detective.
• Classic Football Heroes: BestMatt Oldfield: The story of George Best, the Belfast boy who was told he was too small and became a Manchester United legend.

Frequently asked questions

What are the bestselling children’s books in Ireland right now?

The list we checked on 7 November 2026 was led by Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Fight or Flight, Gruffalo Granny and Bunny vs Monkey: Day of the Heroes. The full top 20 is on this page, with a guide to each book.

How often does this list change?

Bestseller lists move every week, especially in the run-up to Christmas. The rankings here are a snapshot, and we update the page when we refresh it.

Which of these books suit reluctant readers?

Comic and illustrated titles such as Dog Man, Bunny vs Monkey, Donut Squad, Ghost and Toast and Diary of a Wimpy Kid are popular with children who find long text a barrier. See our guide to helping a reluctant reader.

Are any of these books by Irish authors?

Yes. Disaster Dad, Squad Girls, Milly McCarthy, Rabbit and Bear, Nina Peanut, Detective Thingy Majiggy and Classic Football Heroes: Best all have an Irish link through their author or subject.