Best Books for 9-Year-Olds

When kids turn nine, they’re experiencing a lot of development in both their social-emotional learning and their personal reading journey. It’s so wonderful to watch as young readers develop their own unique interests — and a preference for the types of books they enjoy. But keep in mind that these preferences often vary greatly amongst middle-graders!

A lot of children at this age gravitate towards graphic novels, while others prefer to get lost in a book series full of characters they can relate to. Some nine-year-olds may even be ready to dive into their first novel. 

So whether your child likes illustrated stories about friends who set up a baby-sitting business or nonfiction books about animals, we’ve got you covered whatever your child’s reading level. 

Top Graphic Novels and Comics

Graphic novels are a great way for kids to sharpen their reading comprehension skills, ignite their imagination, and develop their critical thinking. By telling stories through both words and images, this format is a great way to turn a striving reader into an avid one. 

The Dog Man series from best-selling author Dav Pilkey follows the hilarious adventures of the eponymous title character who’s part-dog, part-man, and all hero! This crime-biting protagonist will have kids howling with laughter throughout the entire series — while helping to grow reading skills along the way.  

For readers who are drawn towards tales of friendship and responsibility, the classic Baby-Sitters Club series is now available in graphic novel form. For developing readers, check out the Baby-Sitters Little Sister series, a delightful spin-off centering on Kristy Thomas’ seven-year-old stepsister, Karen Brewer. 

Must-Read Chapter Books 

Chapter books come in many different formats and vary in the type of content. For example, some include illustrations, while others are text only. But what they all have in common is that they introduce more complex plots that build awareness of an arc of storytelling. So when your child reads a chapter book, they are developing inferential reading skills, which means they are comprehending implied information as opposed to stated. 

For fans of historical fiction, the best-selling series I Survived from Lauren Tarshis brings history to life through the eyes of the main child character. The first book in the collection, I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912, tells the story of ten-year-old George Calder, who can’t believe his luck when he gets to experience the maiden voyage of the famous ship. However, it quickly turns into a terrifying event that transports readers right into the heart of the action! 

The magic world of Harry Potter has been captivating readers for more than a quarter of a century. This beloved series of fantasy and adventure follows young Harry as he learns the ways of wizardry along with his friends, Hermione and Ron. No home library is complete without these classics!    

And don’t forget — just because your nine-year-old can read independently it doesn’t mean family reading time has to stop! Reading chapter books aloud is the perfect way to continue enjoying family storytime together. 

Best-Selling Series

When your child gets hooked on a series, they get hooked on reading! Discovering incredible stories and intriguing characters will make them want to continue exploring that world to see what becomes of the characters. It’s the perfect way to foster a love of reading while helping their imagination and vocabulary to grow. 

Fans of mythical creatures and epic adventures will love soaring through the pages of the best-selling Wings of Fire series. The stories tell the tales of dragon tribes and their friendships, battles, and prophecies. Most of the books are written from the point of view of young dragons with humanlike emotions, which make them relatable to young readers. Once your young reader discovers this world of dragons, they won’t stop until they’ve devoured every single book in the series.    

In the Who Would Win? series, kids learn about the animal kingdom and discover which creature will reign supreme in hypothetical head-to-head battles between species. For example, in Who Would Win?: Ultimate Small Shark Rumble, kids can predict the winner based on the engaging information, colorful photos, charts, and illustrations.     

Explore more children’s books by age and shop all the best books and activities at The Scholastic Store.