Here Are the 50 Books Your Child Should Read Before They Turn 12

1 Don't Let The Pigeon Drive the Bus!

age 2+

Silliness that appeals to preschoolers.

1 / 50

2 Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site

age 2+

Charming bedtime book is magic for truck lovers.

2 / 50

3 Goodnight Moon

age 2+

The ultimate going-to-bed book.

3 / 50

4 The Very Hungry Caterpillar

age 2+

Carle brings humor to caterpillar's development.

4 / 50

5 Where the Wild Things Are

age 2+

Classic all-ages masterpiece has a wild imagination.

5 / 50

6 Harold and the Purple Crayon

age 3+

Imagination reigns in timeless classic about drawing boy.

6 / 50

7 The Tale of Peter Rabbit

age 3+

Beatrix Potter's first and one of her best.

7 / 50

8 The Cat in the Hat

age 4+

A kids' classic that put Dr. Seuss on the map.

8 / 50

9 Frog and Toad Are Friends

age 4+

Engaging stories spotlight charming, relatable characters.

9 / 50

10 Madeline

age 4+

Rhyming classic is a sure winner with kids.

10 / 50

11 The Complete Tales and Poems of Winnie-the-Pooh

age 5+

Beloved, classic stories and poems in one volume.

11 / 50

12 Mercy Watson to the Rescue

age 5+

Funny, silly pig story great for early readers.

12 / 50

13 Ramona the Pest

age 7+

Ramona tale helps young kids build empathy.

13 / 50

14 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

age 6+

Classic morality tale is highly entertaining.

14 / 50

15 Ivy and Bean

age 6+

A sure hit with kids starting chapter books.

15 / 50

16 Stuart Little

age 6+

Excellent bridge from chapter books to novels.

16 / 50

17 Where the Sidewalk Ends

age 6+

Irresistible collection of clever, hilarious poems.

17 / 50

18 Charlotte's Web

age 7+

Gentle, much-loved classic delights all ages.

18 / 50

19 Coraline

age 8+

Strange, surreal tale sure to creep kids out.

19 / 50

20 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

age 8+

Magical start of bestselling Potter phenomenon.

20 / 50

21 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

age 8+

Classic Narnia chronicle has Christian themes.

21 / 50

22 The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread

age 8+

Brave mouse adventure a modern classic; great read-aloud.

22 / 50

23 Alice's Adventure's in Wonderland

age 9+

A classic that both adults and kids love.

23 / 50

24 Anne of Green Gables

age 9+

Beloved classic features lovable, imaginative heroine.

24 / 50

25 The Bad Beginning: A Series of Unfortunate Events

age 9+

A cliff-hanging adventure wrapped in black humor.

25 / 50

26 Big Nate: In a Class by Himself

age 9+

Milder than Wimpy Kid, and a sure hit with boys.

26 / 50

27 Bridge to Terabithia

age 9+

Honest, moving story of friendship and loss.

27 / 50

28 Bud, Not Buddy

age 9+

Well-crafted tale of an orphan's search for home.

28 / 50

29 Diary of a Wimpy Kid

age 9+

Laugh-out-loud-funny series start tucks lessons in stories.

29 / 50

30 The Hobbit

age 9+

Brilliantly written, inventive pre-LOTR tale.

30 / 50

31 The Lightning Thief: Percy Jackson and the Olympians

age 9+

Modernized Greek myths meet fast-paced adventure.

31 / 50

32 Little House in the Big Woods

age 9+

Classic view of pioneer life through a little girl's eyes.

32 / 50

33 Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

age 9+

Toddler antics bug brother, amuse readers in 1st Fudge book.

33 / 50

34 A Wrinkle in Time

age 9+

Classic sci-fi story still inspires and gets kids thinking.

34 / 50

35 Esperanza Rising

age 10+

Historical fiction at its best in book on '30s farmworkers.

35 / 50

36 Hold Fast

age 10+

Touching story of resourceful girl solving a family mystery.

36 / 50

37 I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World

age 10+

Inspiring memoir of teen Nobel laureate shot by Taliban.

37 / 50

38 Inside Out and Back Again

age 10+

Inspiring, educational immigrant story told in free verse.

38 / 50

39 My Side of the Mountain

age 10+

Gripping, inspiring wilderness-survival adventure.

39 / 50

40 Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party

age 10+

Gripping story, great intro to China's Cultural Revolution.

40 / 50

41 Walk Two Moons

age 10+

Dramatic, complex tale has rich characters, emotional depth.

41 / 50

42 Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

age 11+

Inspiring wartime journal reveals teen's inner life.

42 / 50

43 Wonder

age 11+

Moving, uplifting tale of disfigured boy with inner beauty.

43 / 50

44 Ender's Game

age 12+

Boy genius trains to crush alien invasion in sci-fi classic.

44 / 50

45 The Fellowship of the Ring

age 12+

Spectacular fantasy classic is where Frodo's journey begins.

45 / 50

46 The Hunger Games

age 12+

Exciting, provocative tale of lethal reality show.

46 / 50

47 Legend

age 12+

Stylish dystopian thriller in a not-so-future Los Angeles.

47 / 50

48 March: Book One

age 12+

Powerful graphic novel captures spirit of desegregation.

48 / 50

49 The Outsiders

age 12+

Story of ostracized kid a timeless fave of teens, preteens.

49 / 50

50 To Kill a Mockingbird

age 12+

Stunning classic examines racism -- and justice.

50 / 50