Best Books for 8-Year-Olds

By now your eight-year-old can read alone and for longer periods of time. They’ve also most likely developed their own strong interests and a preference for the types of books they enjoy reading. So whether they’re drawn to stories about hilarious heroes packed with friendship and adventure, or chapter books filled with wonder and mystery, the titles included in this list are guaranteed to keep your young reader captivated.     

As your child grows better comprehension skills and builds reading confidence, it’s important to make sure they have plenty of “just-right” books for their reading level. The best way to do this is to build out a home library that’s rich with choice and keeps them coming back to read every day, wherever they are on their reading journey.

Best-Selling Series 

When young readers fall in love with a book series, they’ll want to read every story to discover the fate of their favorite characters. Scholastic’s early chapter book line, Branches, is aimed at newly independent readers and designed to help them make the transition from picture books to traditional chapter books. These easy-to-read titles cover a whole array of genres — from mystery to humor to wild adventure with magical creatures — and are perfect for building comprehension and confidence. 

If your child is interested in dragons, try the Dragon Masters series. This fully-illustrated series follows the adventures of 8-year-old dragon, Drake, as he trains to become a dragon master in order to defeat an evil wizard. In the first book, Dragon Masters #1: Rise of the Earth Dragon, Drake is taken to King Roland’s castle where he must begin his training and uncover his special dragon power. 

One of the most beloved series of all time is Harry Potter, which has been captivating kids for generations with exciting adventures of friendship and wondrous tales of wizardry. Now there’s a whole world of Harry Potter books beyond the classic novels, like illustrated editions, coloring books, cookbooks, and sticker books — all ready to fully immerse your reader in the school of magic. The beautiful paperback boxed set is a must-have for every eight-year-old’s home library.  

Most Popular Nonfiction and STEAM 

If your child prefers nonfiction books, you can fuel their curiosity by filling your shelves with delightful books about history, sports, space, animals, and more!   

For cool kids fascinated by space, Discovering New Planets takes readers on an epic journey through the universe and explains how new technology has helped scientists to see further into space than ever before. 

The annually published Scholastic Year in Sports is back for 2024 with coverage of all the action from the previous year. Kids with an interest in sports will love getting up close and personal with the top athletes from the worlds of baseball, basketball, football, soccer, and more! (Be warned: This book may be meant for kids, but parents who love sports will also struggle to put this one down!) 

For young animal lovers, check out the teacher-approved series Who Would Win? which teaches kids amazing animal facts while developing their reading comprehension skills. Young readers will love learning about animals’ behavior and anatomy as they are pitted against each other in hypothetical battles. 

Top Graphic Novels 

Graphic novels are a great way for kids to improve their literacy skills while having fun at the same time. And, despite a popular myth that says otherwise, educators agree that graphic novels are a great way to give striving readers a boost.

One reason for this is that the comic-book-like illustrations help children to decode, analyze, and comprehend the text. In this way, graphic novels give the extra support that some kids need to help them get through a book. The fun pictures provide more context for stories that children might not understand otherwise, drawing the reader in and making them more likely to want to read. 

The action-packed adventures of Dog Man, featuring a hero who is part dog and part man, is full of hilarious antics and humor and is guaranteed to keep kids (and families) reading! The first book in the best-selling series introduces readers to the eponymous hero as he unleashes a new breed of justice around town. This book — and every one in the series — explores universally positive themes, like empathy, kindness, and the importance of being true to yourself.

The Baby-Sitters Club series by Ann M. Martin has been adored by young readers since 1986 and helped define children’s literature in the 1980s and 1990s. This beloved series about a group of friends who go into business together now includes graphic novels, which will appeal to both reluctant and avid readers, as well as parents who enjoyed the original books. When you give these incredible books to your child, you'll be fostering a lifelong love of reading.