20 Quintessential Books for 6-8 Year Olds

Books for 6-8 year olds. Books for elementary-age children that they will love to read. These make great read alouds or great books for your kid to read alone. There are picture books and chapter books. These quintessential books are classics that have stood the test of time again and again.

Boy reading books

If your child is six to eight years old, you probably find him/her waffling between picture books and chapter books. As your child gets older, graphic novels will work their way in.

The reality is, there is no reason to choose one type of book and stick to it. It is perfectly fine for your child to read multiple types of books.

Classic Books for 6-8 Year Olds

Here are 20 quintessential books for your 6-8 year old to read. These are great books to add to your home library.

We love to give books as gifts, so every Easter, Birthday, and Christmas, each of our children gets a book.

You can of course always access books through your public library, also. I also love doing books on Kindle Paperwhite. They are very portable and do not take up a lot of space.

Books for 6-8 year olds. Books for elementary age children.

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

This book is a poem that talks about the joy in the journey. It shows how children see things differently than adults. It is often nonsensical and fun for young readers.

Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot

This is another collection of poems and is all about cats. This will be a favorite of cat-lovers. It tells the story of different cats and their secret lives. It share amusing antics of the cats.

Paddington by Michael Bond

This is a classic picture book about a bear who is discovered by Mr. and Mrs. Brown at the Paddigton train station and taken home with them. This story focuses on concern for relationships.

Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel

This is a collection of four classic Frog and Toad books. Frog and Toad are best friends who have adventures together. These are sweet stories of friendship.

Penny and her Marble by Kevin Henkes

This award winning book is actual the third in a series. It explores the difficulty of finding something you like that does not belong to you.

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle by Betty MacDonald

The Piggle-Wiggle stories are very funny and perfect for kids who love to laugh. She is a wise woman who children love and parents turn to for advise. There are a lot of Piggle-Wiggle books, so if your child loves this one, you will be able to get more!

My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett

This is a fun fantasy novel about a boy who travels to an island to save a dragon hatching. This particular book has the three Dragon books all in one!

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

This story takes place on a farm. The story brings together Wilbur, a pig, Charolette the girl, and a spider who saves Wilbur’s life. This is one of America’s Top 100 novels.

Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard Atwater

This is a chapter book that is about a housepainter, Mr. Popper, who lives in Stillwater. He is sent a penguin and life is full of adventure from that point forward. It is funny and fun for kids.

Betsy-Tacy book 1 by Maud Hart Lovelace

This is the first book in a series. This book follows Betsy and her best friend Tacy. It follows their first year as friends.

>>>Read: Book Series: Beneficial or Harmful to Reading Skills?

Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne

This is a classic story of a bear trying to get honey from a tall tree. There are many books featuring Tigger, Piglet, Kanga, Roo, Owel, Rabbit, and Eyore, so if your child loves this one, there are many more to read!

The Borrowers by Mary Norton

This is the story of little people who live under the kitchen floor. This is a Carnegie Medal winner.

Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary

Beezus has a little four-year-old sister named Ramona. Roman can make it hard for Beezus to be responsible. Ramona seems to love chaos. There are many more Ramona books in this series if your child loves it!

>>>Read: 15 Fall Picture Books Kids Will Love

Jenny and the Cat Club by Esther Averill

This is a collection of short stories about cats. Jenny is the heroine of the story, and there are many more if it becomes a hit!

Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren

This is a funny tale of a girl whose mother died when she was young and father is out at sea. There are many Pippi books that will delight the kiddo who loves to laugh.

The Field Guide (The Spiderwick Chronicles Book 1) by Holly Black

This is the story of siblings finding a world parallel to our own. This series is a New York Times bestseller.

Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown

This book follows the adventures of Stanley after he is squashed flat. He learns to make the best of being flat.

A Lighthouse Family Series by Cynthia Rylant

This is a sweet story that is an especially good read-aloud. This is the tale of a cat, dog, and mouse children who come together to be the lighthouse family. This is a boxed set of their adventures.

Nate the Great by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat

This is the first book in a long series of books about Nate, the great kid detective. If your child likes mysteries, this will b ea fun series.

Judy Moody by Megan McDonald

Judy is a girl of many moods, circumstances, and friends. This is the first three books in the Judy Moody series.

See these other great book lists:

20 classic books for 6-8 year olds

This post originally appeared on this blog in March 2018

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