Books to Get Kids Excited About Reading This School Year

A new school year is a fresh start. New backpacks, new classrooms, new routines, and one of the best opportunities of the year to build, or rebuild, a reading habit at home.

If your child insists that reading is boring, here's some encouraging news: it usually just means they haven't found the right book yet. Kids who say they hate reading often turn out to love it once they discover a story that matches their interests, their humor, and their reading level. The trick is offering plenty of options and letting them choose. Research on reading motivation consistently finds that children who get to pick their own books tend to read more and enjoy it more. So think of the ideas below as a starting point, not a checklist.

For the youngest readers, roughly ages three to seven, read-alouds are pure magic. E.B. White's Charlotte's Web remains a gold-standard chapter book to read aloud together. It teaches empathy and friendship without ever feeling like a lesson, and many kids who hear it at five come back to read it on their own a few years later. For a newer choice with seasonal charm, Viola Vamp by Jessica Pitcaithly, arriving this October, follows a little vampire who can't grow her fangs like everyone else at school. It's spooky-cute and full of Halloween fun, and it opens gentle conversations about feeling different, kindness, and belonging. Kiko's Origami Adventure by Tessa Mellinger is another lovely pick, following a girl made of paper who learns that being brave means taking the next step even when you're scared.

For early independent readers, around ages six to nine, the jump from picture books to chapter books is a big one. Mary Pope Osborne's Magic Tree House series has helped generations of kids make that leap, with short, adventure-packed books that often teach a little history along the way. Kids who finish one usually want the next. Holly Carrington's Lost Soles: Kicking Up Trouble, out in late October, is a funny, heartfelt chapter book about a boy's lost shoe that comes to life and finds a new home on a farm full of living footwear. It's short enough to feel achievable and silly enough to keep kids turning pages. And for families who love to plan ahead, Hadley Beacham's picture book A Letter for Rock, coming next spring, is a gentle story about forest friends working together to help Rock read a mysterious note, perfect for classroom discussions about teamwork and empathy.

For middle-grade readers, roughly ages eight to twelve, humor and adventure are often the keys to getting hooked. Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief has turned countless reluctant readers into devoted ones with its fast pace, funny narrator, and modern spin on Greek mythology. Hilkka Wiesner's Jonas Pail is a great fit for the same crowd: a bullied twelve-year-old discovers his missing sister has been taken to another realm, and only he can rescue her. It's full of monsters, sarcasm, and heart.

For teens, stories that take their real lives seriously can make all the difference. Lois Lowry's The Giver has been a classroom staple for decades because it's short, powerful, and sparks serious discussion. For something new, Jordyn Frederick's The Average Life of a Teenage Superhero, arriving in November, follows Lisa, a teenager who secretly becomes a self-appointed superhero while also trying to support her best friend through depression. It's funny, heartfelt, and grounded in the real pressures of growing up. Fittingly, Frederick is a school librarian who spends her days helping young people fall in love with books.

A few simple habits can help any of these books land. Make reading time cozy and predictable, like a few minutes before bed. Keep books where kids can see and grab them. Visit the library together and let them wander. Read the same book they're reading and talk about it. And don't worry if they want to reread a favorite five times. That's a sign of a reader in the making.

The best back-to-school book isn't the one on a list. It's the one your child actually wants to read. Help them find it, and a whole year of reading can follow.