Books about making friends and loneliness
Making a friend, keeping one, falling out and making up: friendship is a skill children learn one story at a time. These books are about reaching out, being kind, feeling left out and finding your people.
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Pia's Pet Club: Puppy Problem
by Serena Patel
Ages 7–9Indian author
Pia has always dreamed of owning a pet. She trains her friend's new puppy and forms a local pet club to prove her credentials.
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Mallipoo, Where Are You?
by Radhika Chadha
Ages 3–6Indian author
Mallipoosundari the baby piglet goes missing! Her elephant friends try to find her in this warm, funny tale about caring for others.
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The Susu Pals
by Richa Jha
Ages 4–7Indian author
A breezy urban picture book with a real take on friendship challenges — what happens when friends don't always agree or play fair?
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Moin and the Monster
Ages 6–9Indian author
Moin and his friends navigate school and life with the help of an unlikely monster companion. Funny, warm, and very Indian.
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Talking of Muskaan
by Himanjali Sankar
Ages 12–15Indian author
When Muskaan disappears from school, four friends piece together why — and confront difficult truths about belonging and acceptance. A groundbreaking Indian YA novel on LGBTQ+ identity, widely praised and taught in progressive schools.
Heads-up: Suicide & self-harm, Homophobic bullying
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The Grand Plan to Fix Everything
Ages 10–12Indian author
Dini's family moves from Maryland to India for a year. She's devastated — until she discovers her Bollywood idol lives nearby. A warm, funny story about belonging and unexpected happiness.
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Letters to Krisha
by Parinita Shetty
Ages 7–10Indian author
A gentle story told through letters, about friendship and staying connected across distance.
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The Room on the Roof
by Ruskin Bond
Ages 11–15Indian author
Ruskin Bond's coming-of-age classic about a teenage orphan finding freedom and friendship in Dehradun — written when the author was seventeen.
Heads-up: Teen crushes & romance, Death & grief
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Mohini Made Friends
by Shruthi KP
Ages 5–8Indian author
A sweet story of Mohini making new friends at school, written by a Mohiniyattam dance performer and woven through with the spirit of classical Indian dance.
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What's Up with Me? Puberty, Periods, Pimples, People, Problems and More
by Tisca Chopra
Ages 10–14Indian author
Actor Tisca Chopra answers the questions Indian tweens are too shy to ask — bodies, periods, skin, crushes, friendships and feelings — in a warm, funny voice.
Heads-up: Puberty & sexuality
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List-O-Mania
Ages 4–8Indian author
Kimaya makes lists for everything — until a playdate goes wrong and she learns that some fun can't go by the list.
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Girls on Wheels
Ages 4–8Indian author
Inspired by India's girls' skateboarding revolution: three friends cheer each other through the falls and triumphs of learning to skate.
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American as Paneer Pie
Ages 8–12Indian author
Lekha, the only Indian American kid in her small town, hides who she is — until a new girl arrives who's proud of her roots, and Lekha finds her own voice.
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Roohi and Nate Are Not on the Same Page
by Supriya Kelkar & Jarrett Lerner
Ages 8–12Indian author✈️ Import only (pricey)
Two unlikely friends team up to save the library that brought them together.
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Rain Holiday
by Shreya Ramachandran
Ages 10–13Indian author
During a Mumbai monsoon break, eleven-year-old Rekha tries to find out why her best friend Latisha has stopped seeing anyone. A tender story about friendship, mental health and caring for the people we love.
Heads-up: Mental illness
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Kitabon Wala Ghar
by Jasbir Bhullar (illus. Chandramohan Kulkarni; trans. Rakesh Pankaj)
Ages 9–13Indian author
Childhood stories from rural Punjab in 1946–49, told through young Veer: a dying plant brought home, a stray dog, a dozing teacher, an open-air film, and the fear that spreads through the village during Partition. Translated from Punjabi into Hindi.
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A Home of Our Own
by Meghaa Aggarwal (illus. Habib Ali)
Ages 4–8Indian author
Sunehri and her friends, who live on the city streets, decide to play house with old plates, empty chip packets, plastic bottles and a broken helmet they have collected. A tender look at play, friendship and what makes a home.
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Petu Pumpkin: Tiffin Thief
Ages 6–9Indian author
Petu Pumpkin is always hungry, and when he starts emptying his friends' tiffin boxes they form a secret society to save their lunches. Magic potions flop and super glue goes wrong in this laugh-out-loud school story. The first Petu Pumpkin book and a winner of the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award. Duckbill's hOle Books series.
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Petu Pumpkin: Tooth Troubles
Ages 6–9Indian author
The Gap Club has challenged the Fourth Standard to a football match, but they can't practise without a ball, and the ball depends on Petu's wobbly tooth falling out in time. A funny chapter book about friendship, teamwork and losing your first teeth. hOle Books series.
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Petu Pumpkin: Cheater Peter
Ages 6–9Indian author
When Petu starts cheating, his friends are sure he is headed for a life of crime. They try hypnosis, a home-baked truth serum and a DIY lie detector to set him straight. A funny story about honesty and friendship. hOle Books series.
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Petu Pumpkin: Freedom Fighter
Ages 9–12Indian author
When games periods are cancelled and their playground is threatened by land grabbers, Petu and his friends take inspiration from India's freedom fighters and protest. Along the way they face misleading media, credit-stealing politicians and scary security guards. A funny, timely story about standing up for what's fair, illustrated by Shilpa Ranade.
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A Forest Calls
by Shalini Srinivasan
Ages 10–14Indian author
Raksha moves to Basavakere, beside a forest that is waking up. When her friend Pol is kidnapped, she and Savitha brave magical creatures and a vengeful monarch to bring him home.
Heads-up: Mild peril
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Run, Ravi, Run!
by Kiran Vazir Nair (illus. Shubhshree Mathur)
Ages 6–9Indian author
Moments before his school 400-metre race, Ravi realises he has packed his big brother's shorts. Can his best friend Vikram help him make it to the starting line?
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The Book Ghosts
by Varsha Seshan
Ages 9–12Indian author
Five friends who secretly slip 'banned' books into their school library take on a bigger mission when a smear campaign threatens their town's free mobile library.
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The War Elephants of Trigarta
by Sarita Mandanna
Ages 9–13Indian author
In 326 BCE, Mili, daughter of the general in charge of war elephants, befriends a rare white elephant called Nathu who obeys only her. Together they are swept into the battle on the Vitasta river.
Heads-up: War & battle violence
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Bird/Dog
by Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan & Mrinalini Levin-Srinivasan
Ages 6–9Indian author
Bird roams the skies and wonders what a home would feel like; Dog has a home and longs for freedom. Their adventures bring them together in an unlikely friendship.
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Hugs Are (Not) for Everybody
by Ella Russell
Ages 3–7
At a birthday party, the guests discover that not everyone enjoys a hug, and try waves, high-fives and handshakes instead. A cheerful first book about asking before touching.
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Same Love, Different Hug
Ages 3–7
Different people like different kinds of hugs, and some would rather wave or shake hands. A gentle look at all the ways we can show love while respecting each other.
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Doug Unplugged
by Dan Yaccarino
Ages 4–8
Doug the robot downloads facts all day, until he unplugs and explores the city with a real friend, learning far more than any download.
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Unplugged
by Steve Antony
Ages 3–6
Blip the robot is always plugged in, until a power cut sends her outside to discover friends, fresh air and fun.
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Nerdy Birdy Tweets
by Aaron Reynolds
Ages 5–8
Nerdy Birdy loves a social media game, but when he posts an embarrassing photo of his best friend, he learns about kindness online and off.
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Unplugged (Gordon Korman)
by Gordon Korman
Ages 9–13
Jett, the son of a tech billionaire, is sent to a wellness retreat with no phones or screens, and stumbles into a mystery.
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Bilal Cooks Daal
by Aisha Saeed
Ages 4–7
Bilal invites his friends to help cook his favourite dish, daal. As they wait for it to simmer, the friends learn about patience, sharing and each other's cultures.
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Handa's Surprise
by Eileen Browne
Ages 3–5
Handa carries seven fruits in a basket on her head to her friend Akeyo, but along the way animals sneak them away one by one. A funny, much-loved read-aloud set in Kenya.
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My Friend Isabelle
by Eliza Woloson
Ages 3–6
Charlie and Isabelle are best friends. Isabelle has Down syndrome, and the two of them are alike in some ways and different in others. A simple story about friendship and difference.
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Grumpy Monkey
by Suzanne Lang
Ages 3–6
Jim Panzee is grumpy for no reason, and everyone keeps telling him to cheer up. A funny book about letting yourself feel what you feel.
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The Tour at School
by Katie Clapham
Ages 4–7
A child joins a new school and gets a whirlwind tour; the confident guide doesn't need a tour guide — he needs a friend.
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The Bear and the Hare and the Fair
by Em Lynas
Ages 4–5
A lovely book about friendship, trying something new, and going out of your comfort zone. Full of rhyming, fun language.
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I'm Going to Make a Friend
by Darren Chetty
Ages 5–7
A child who moves to a new area decides to build their own friend but in helping each other they make a real friend after all.
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Blue Barry & Pancakes: Beach Ball Bedlam
by Dan Abdo & Jason Patterson
Ages 5–9
Join three unlikely friends in a hilarious, wacky adventure packed with silliness and heart.
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The Moonlight Mystery Agency
by Vashti Hardy
Ages 5–9
Can Hana and her cat friend solve the mystery of the stolen unicorn's birthday cake? Dyslexia-friendly.
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Destiny Ink: Birthday Secret
by Adeola Sokunbi
Ages 5–9
Destiny is feeling left out at her cousin's birthday party. Can a talking teddy bear help her enjoy it?
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Ava Spark: Hello, I'm Here!
by Alex Field
Ages 5–9
Ava and her friends concoct a plan to welcome the new girl to their class. Features a protagonist with a disability.
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Goal!
by Mina Javaherbin
Ages 5–8
Six boys play soccer in a South African township with a ball made from plastic bags, racing to finish before a rival gang interrupts their game. Joyful and hopeful.
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Frog and Toad Are Friends
by Arnold Lobel
Ages 4–7
Five timeless stories about optimistic Frog and grumpy Toad — borrowing a button, finding a lost list, waiting for letters. A landmark classic about loyal, imperfect friendship.
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Charlotte's Web
by E.B. White
Ages 7–9
Wilbur the pig and Charlotte the spider form an extraordinary friendship that must face life's greatest questions. Possibly the most beloved children's novel in English.
Heads-up: Death & grief
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Enemy Pie
by Derek Munson
Ages 5–7
Jeremy's dad has a recipe for enemy pie — but first Jeremy has to spend a whole day with his enemy. A warm, funny story about turning rivals into friends.
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Each Kindness
Ages 5–8
Chloe refuses to befriend the new girl Maya — and when Maya disappears, Chloe must live with the regret. A profound, bittersweet story about what kindness left undone costs us.
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The Recess Queen
by Alexis O'Neill
Ages 4–7
Mean Jean rules the playground — until small new girl Katie Sue isn't the least bit afraid. A lively rhyming story about courage and the most unexpected friendship.
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Diary of a Wimpy Kid
by Jeff Kinney
Ages 8–9
Greg Heffley navigates the terrors of middle school in this hilarious illustrated diary. A global phenomenon that has turned millions of children into readers.
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New Kid
by Jerry Craft
Ages 8–9
Jordan Banks is a Black kid from Washington Heights who wins a scholarship to a fancy private school — and has to navigate two very different worlds. Newbery Medal winner. Honest and funny.
Heads-up: Racism & discrimination
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Big Nate: In a Class by Himself
by Lincoln Peirce
Ages 7–9
Nate Wright is convinced today is the greatest day of his life — and sets a school record for detentions trying to prove it. A hugely fun comic-strip novel for reluctant readers.
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Wonder
by R.J. Palacio
Ages 10–12
Auggie Pullman, born with a facial difference, starts school for the first time at age ten. Told from multiple perspectives, it is one of the most important books about empathy ever written for young people.
Heads-up: Death & grief
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Front Desk
by Kelly Yang
Ages 10–12
Ten-year-old Mia Tang manages a motel front desk while her Chinese immigrant parents work and she secretly helps hide undocumented guests. Inspiring, funny, and deeply felt.
Heads-up: Racism & discrimination, Violence
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Merci Suárez Changes Gears
by Meg Medina
Ages 10–12
Merci navigates a full scholarship at a private school, her first crush, and a grandfather with dementia — all while being the only scholarship kid in her friend group. Newbery Medal winner.
Heads-up: Teen crushes & romance, Serious illness
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The One and Only Ivan
by Katherine Applegate
Ages 10–12
Ivan, a gorilla in a shopping mall, has lived there so long he no longer thinks about freedom — until a baby elephant arrives. Based on a true story. Newbery Medal winner.
Heads-up: Death & grief, Animal cruelty
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Holes
by Louis Sachar
Ages 10–12
Stanley Yelnats is sent to Camp Green Lake — a dry lake bed where boys dig holes all day. A wildly original, funny, and profound novel about fate, justice, and friendship. Newbery Medal winner.
Heads-up: Racism & discrimination, Violence
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Hilo: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth
by Judd Winick
Ages 8–12
A robot boy crashes to Earth and befriends D.J. and Gina, who must help him battle the alien robots following him. A riotously fun, action-packed graphic novel series for all readers.
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El principito / The Little Prince
by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Ages 8–12
The pilot who crashes in the Sahara meets a small prince who has visited many planets. One of the most translated books in history — a meditation on love, loneliness, and what matters.
Heads-up: Death & grief
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The BFG
by Roald Dahl
Ages 7–10
Sophie is snatched from her orphanage bed by a Big Friendly Giant who takes her to Giant Country. Wildly inventive, endlessly funny, and absolutely original — Roald Dahl at his most magical.
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James and the Giant Peach
by Roald Dahl
Ages 6–9
James escapes his horrible aunts inside a giant peach, sailing across the Atlantic with a cast of marvellous insects. One of Roald Dahl's most surreal and joyful adventures.
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Five on a Treasure Island (Famous Five #1)
by Enid Blyton
Ages 7–10
Julian, Dick, Anne, George, and Timmy the dog discover a mysterious island with an ancient shipwreck and a secret treasure. The very first Famous Five adventure — the series that defined children's adventure fiction.
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The Secret Seven
by Enid Blyton
Ages 6–9
Peter, Janet, and five friends form a secret society with a password, a badge, and a shed to meet in — and find themselves solving real mysteries. A perfect gateway mystery series for young readers.
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The Bear and the Wildcat
by Kazumi Yumoto (illus. Komako Sakai)
Ages 4–7
A bear grieving his best friend — a small bird — meets a wildcat carrying a caged bird. What starts warily becomes a tender friendship. A beloved Japanese picture book about loss, love, and companionship.
Heads-up: Death & grief
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Truthwitch
by Susan Dennard
Ages 13–17
Two best friends — one who can sense truth from lies, one who can control water — flee treacherous forces in a magical world at war.
Heads-up: Violence, War & battle violence
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The Boy with Flowers in His Hair
by Jarvis
Ages 4–8
Elliot's hair is made of beautiful flowers, but one day the flowers start to fall — and his best friend Michael finds a way to help him feel like himself again. A gentle story about friendship, difference and self-expression.
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What Happened To You?
by James Catchpole
Ages 4–8
Joe just wants to play pirates in the park, but every new child who meets him asks the same question about his missing leg. A funny, honest, practical picture book, written by an author with a limb difference himself.
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Number the Stars
by Lois Lowry
Ages 9–12
Ten-year-old Annemarie helps hide her Jewish best friend Ellen from the Nazis in occupied Denmark, risking everything for family and courage. Newbery Medal winner.
Heads-up: Holocaust & genocide, War & battle violence, Death & grief
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The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
by John Boyne
Ages 11–14
Bruno, the son of a Nazi commandant, befriends a boy named Shmuel who lives on the other side of a fence — not realizing what that fence really means. A devastating modern classic.
Heads-up: Holocaust & genocide, Death & grief
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City of Ghosts
by Victoria Schwab
Ages 8–12
After a near-drowning leaves her able to see ghosts, Cassidy moves to famously haunted Edinburgh, where she and her ghost best friend Jacob must face something much older and darker.
Heads-up: Scary / horror
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The Sign of the Beaver
by Elizabeth George Speare
Ages 9–12✈️ Import only (pricey)
Left alone in the Maine wilderness in 1768 while his father goes for the rest of the family, young Matt must learn to survive — with crucial help from a Penobscot boy his own age. Newbery Honor.
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The Cay
by Theodore Taylor
Ages 10–13
Torpedoed during WWII, young Phillip is shipwrecked on a tiny Caribbean island with an elderly sailor named Timothy — who teaches him to survive after Phillip is blinded in the blast.
Heads-up: War & battle violence, Racism & discrimination, Death & grief
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Kensuke's Kingdom
by Michael Morpurgo
Ages 8–12
Washed up alone on a remote Pacific island after falling overboard, Michael slowly discovers he's not alone — a mysterious old Japanese man named Kensuke has been living there since WWII.
Heads-up: War & battle violence
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Booked (Graphic Novel)
by Kwame Alexander & Dawud Anyabwile
Ages 10–13
Twelve-year-old Nick loves football more than anything, but a divorce, a crush and a bully get in the way — the Newbery winner's verse novel as a graphic novel.
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Rebound
by Kwame Alexander & Dawud Anyabwile
Ages 10–13
The prequel to The Crossover: after his father dies, Charlie finds his way back through basketball, family and friendship, told in verse.
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The Kicks: Saving the Team
by Alex Morgan
Ages 8–12
New in town, Devin joins a struggling school football team and helps turn them into real teammates. Book one of the series by the US World Cup winner.
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Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
by J.K. Rowling
Ages 8–12
On his eleventh birthday, Harry learns he's a wizard and heads to Hogwarts, where friendship, courage and a hidden mystery await. Book one of the series that turned a generation into readers.
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Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
by Rick Riordan
Ages 9–13
Twelve-year-old Percy discovers he's the son of a Greek god and sets off on a quest to find Zeus's stolen lightning bolt. Funny and fast, with a hero who has ADHD and dyslexia.
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The Mysterious Benedict Society
Ages 9–13
Four gifted children pass a series of strange tests and are sent undercover to a mysterious school to stop a sinister plot — a puzzle-filled celebration of teamwork and different kinds of smart.
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The Mystery of the Burnt Cottage (The Five Find-Outers)
by Enid Blyton
Ages 7–11
Fatty, Larry, Daisy, Pip, Bets and Buster the dog team up to find out who burned down a cottage — and outwit the village policeman.
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Murder Most Unladylike
by Robin Stevens
Ages 10–14
At a 1930s English boarding school, Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong — a Hong Kong-born student — set up a secret detective society and find a real murder to solve.
Heads-up: Crime & murder
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Chasing Vermeer
by Blue Balliett
Ages 9–12
Two Chicago sixth-graders use patterns, puzzles and pentominoes to track down a stolen Vermeer painting.
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A to Z Mysteries: The Absent Author
by Ron Roy
Ages 6–9
Dink and his friends Josh and Ruth Rose search for a famous mystery writer who never showed up for his book signing. Book one of 26.
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Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy
by Tui T. Sutherland
Ages 8–12
Five young dragons raised in secret to fulfil a prophecy escape to find their own destinies. Book one of the hugely popular dragon series.
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All the Blues in the Sky
by Renée Watson
Ages 10–14📱 eBook only in India
Told in poetry and prose, a girl learns to carry her grief after the death of her best friend. A gentle, honest book about loss and healing.
Heads-up: Death & grief
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Evie and Maryam's Family Tree
by Janeen Hayat
Ages 9–12
A school project reveals that two very different girls had great-grandmothers in 1920s Delhi, and the story moves between present-day England and pre-independence India. A warm look at friendship, family roots and prejudice.
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My Name Is Samim
by Fidan Meikle
Ages 10–14✈️ Import only (pricey)
Thirteen-year-old Samim, a gifted chess player from Afghanistan, must tell the story of his perilous journey to the UK to be allowed to stay, while starting school and making new friends.
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Winged Tales
by Vladislav Krapivin (tr. Jan Yevtushenko)
Ages 8–12📱 eBook only in India
Two magical stories from Russia: fifth-grader Alyoshka flies off to the city of Vetrogorsk to find a model clipper ship for his friend Masha, and a ten-year-old and his best friend soar over their town on a flying carpet. Warm tales of kindness, courage and friendship.
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Those Shoes
by Maribeth Boelts (illus. Noah Z. Jones)
Ages 4–8
Jeremy longs for the shoes everyone at school is wearing, but Grandma says there's no room for 'want', only 'need'. When he finally gets a pair that's too small, he makes a kind choice.
