Entering the pre-teen years is a significant milestone for any child, and their reading preferences will likely evolve with them. As 10-year-olds start to expand their horizons and become more independent readers, they may be searching for books that are challenging and engaging.
Luckily, there are plenty of great books that cater to this age group, from classic novels to contemporary graphic novels. With so many options available, it can be overwhelming for parents to know where to start. But don’t worry, we’ve compiled a list of the best books for 10-year-olds that are sure to capture their imagination and keep them hooked.
In This Article
HappyBabyHub’s Best Books For 10-Year-Olds Picks
1. Roller Girl
Astrid has spent most of her twelve years doing everything with her best friend Nicole. Nicole chooses to attend dance camp instead after Astrid enrolls in roller derby camp after falling in love with the sport. Astrid faces her toughest summer yet as she tries to keep up with the older campers, hold on to the buddy she believes is losing her, and cautiously start a new friendship.
As the end of the summer approaches, Astrid realizes that perhaps she has the strength to bear the bout, a broken friendship, middle school, and junior high—in other words, the strength to be a roller girl.
2. Belly Up (FunJungle)
Teddy Fitzroy, a 12-year-old with murder on his hands, is being pursued by trouble. Henry, the hippopotamus at the brand-new FunJungle, has allegedly been murdered, according to Teddy. Top zoo officials declare that the hippo died naturally, but Teddy and his feisty buddy Summer McCraken disagree.
Could the company’s animal-hating CEO be the culprit? Or is the owner of FunJungle, Summer’s father, a man who cares far more about financial gain than the welfare of animals? Since the truth cannot be contained when it comes to hippo homicide, the more Teddy and Summer dig, the more danger they face.
3. You are an Amazing Girl
You are truly unique. Out of all the billions of people in the world, you are the only one. You should never forget that you are witty, intelligent, brave, and different. No one else can provide the incredible light you bring to this world, and only you know how to shine.
You’ll meet a bunch of girls in this book who experience the same things that you do on a daily basis. They are anxious and terrified, and occasionally they don’t succeed right away. They put forth a lot of effort, are willing to admit their errors, and never give up.
These ladies experience discouragement, have doubts about their skills, and occasionally are on the verge of giving up, yet deep down, they still have a light. To achieve their ultimate objectives, they muster up the fortitude and confidence to persevere through challenging times.
4. The One and Only Ivan
This classic book by renowned author Katherine Applegate honors the transforming potential of chance friendship. This picture book, which is presented from the perspective of Ivan the gorilla, is based on the true story of a captive gorilla by the name of Ivan.
Ivan has become accustomed to people staring at him after spending 27 years enclosed behind glass walls at a mall. He hardly ever considers his time spent living in the woods. Ivan prefers to pass his time watching television, hanging out with his buddies Stella and Bob, and painting. But when he meets Ruby, an orphaned young elephant, he is compelled to view both his work and their home with fresh eyes.
5. Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer
When Sophie Brown, 12, and her parents relocate from Los Angeles to the property they have inherited from a great-uncle, Sophie feels like a fish out of water. But when a grumpy chicken shows up, farm life becomes more exciting when Sophie learns the hen has the ability to move objects with the strength of her tiny chicken brain, including jam jars, the lock to her henhouse, and the entire henhouse.
And more of her great-eccentric uncle’s chickens start to come home to roost. Determined and resourceful Sophie learns how to take care of her flock while also gathering eggs and making money to buy chicken feed. But when a reputable local farmer tries to take them, Sophie has to come up with a plan to protect them—as well as their superpowers.
6. Out of My Mind
Melody, who is eleven years old, is not like most people. Unable to walk, she is also speechless. She is illiterate, all as a result of her cerebral disability. She also possesses a photographic memory, which allows her to recall every little nuance of every encounter.
Nobody is aware that she is the smartest student in her entire school. Because she is unable to tell them otherwise, the majority of people—her instructors, doctors, and classmates—dismiss her as mentally handicapped. Melody, however, refuses to let her impairment define her. And she’s determined to find a way to let everyone know it.
7. All Four Stars
Gladys Gatsby has been creating fine cuisine since she was seven years old, but her fast food-loving parents are unaware of this. At the age of eleven, Gladys was no longer allowed access to the kitchen due to a crème brûlée accident (a little fire) (and her allowance).
Though she was heartbroken, she soon discovered the ideal way to make amends for her parents when she was unintentionally asked to write a restaurant review for one of the biggest publications in the world.
Gladys, however, needs to sneak into New York City and cook her way into the heart of her archenemy from sixth grade if she wants to fulfill her deadline and keep her dream job, all while hiding her identity. Like a piece of pie, right?
8. Holes
Stanley Yelnats is under a curse. His no-good, filthy, rotten, pig-stealing great-great-grandfather started the curse that has since befallen the Yelnats family throughout the years. Stanley has now been unjustly transferred to Camp Green Lake, a facility for boys where the inmates develop their character by working all day, every day, to dig holes that are precisely five feet wide and five feet deep. At Camp Green Lake, there is no lake. However, there are a ton of gaps.
Stanley quickly understands that Camp Green Lake is about more than just character development. The warden is looking for something, so the boys begin digging holes. But what might lie beneath a dried-up lake? In this creative and darkly funny story of crime, punishment, and redemption, Stanley seeks to uncover the truth.
9. Where the Red Fern Grows
Billy has long wanted to have two dogs of his own. He is therefore thrilled when he is eventually able to save enough money to buy Old Dan and Little Ann, two puppies he can name as his own. Even though things are difficult, they will still traverse the Ozarks’ hills together.
Billy and his hounds quickly rise to the top of the valley’s hunting parties. The region is abuzz with tales of their outstanding accomplishments, and Old Dan’s strength, Little Ann’s intelligence, and Billy’s pure willpower seem invincible. However, catastrophe strikes these tenacious hunters—who are now friends—and Billy discovers that hope may emerge from despair and that the scars of the past can yield the seeds of the future.
10. Addison Cooke and the Treasure of the Incas
Addison Cooke, 12, just wants something amazing to happen to him. While Addison spends the day in class, his aunt and uncle, who are both well-known researchers, search the globe for undiscovered riches while avoiding hazardous criminals.
Fortunately for Addison, adventure always manages to track down the Cookes. A mysterious organization’s members kidnap his uncle when he discovers the first old Incan clue required to locate a massive cache of lost treasure. If Addison and his companions can outsmart the captors and figure out the code before them, the bandits will be able to interpret the ancient hints and steal the riches.
11. Smile
Raina merely desires to be a typical sixth-grader. After Girl Scouts, she trips and falls, breaking both of her front teeth. What comes next is a protracted and frustrating journey that includes surgery, embarrassing headgear, on-again, and off-again braces, and even a retainer with false teeth attached. Additionally, there are still other issues to deal with, including a significant earthquake, boy confusion, and unfriendly friends.
12. The Mysterious Benedict Society
Do you have what it takes to be a part of something special? After responding to a classified ad in the newspaper, dozens of kids are put through a series of difficult exams that readers can also participate in. Only four kids succeed in the end, two boys and two girls. Their mission: To go on a secret operation that only the most intelligent and resourceful kids could complete.
They will have to pose as somebody else at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules, in order to finish the mission. But they’ll discover more than just school supplies in the institution’s secret underground tunnels. So, if you’re talented, imaginative, or know Morse code, they definitely could use your help.
13. The Girl Who Looked Beyond The Stars
Sheena Meyer is the young lady who always brings an extra lunch to school in case someone forgets to eat. Additionally, she is the girl who constantly asks questions and conducts research, which irritates her parents and teachers. She waits for some significant event to occur and transform her life most days, but she won’t have to wait for much longer. Because of a gift, she is unaware she possesses, the Murk is pursuing her.
14. Rules (Scholastic Gold)
Catherine, a 12-year-old girl, wants nothing more than a regular existence, which is almost impossible when your family is focused on your autistic sibling and his disability. In an effort to stop David’s embarrassing actions, she has spent years attempting to teach him the rules, such as “a peach is not a funny-looking apple” and “keep your pants on in public.”
But when Catherine meets Kristi, the neighbor she’s always wanted to have, and Jason, a startling new sort of friend, that summer, it’s her own stunning conduct that throws everything upside down and makes her wonder: What is normal? Rules are the newest addition to the acclaimed and well-liked Scholastic Gold range of books.
15. The Tapper Twins Go to War (With Each Other)
Claudia and Reese are identical 12-year-old twins who couldn’t be more dissimilar—except for their steadfast desire to win a violent prank war. However, when the rivalry turns into a full-fledged fight that spans their private school cafeteria in New York City and the virtual world of an online video game, the twins must determine whether it is worth it to destroy one another.
16. The War That Saved My Life
Ada, 10, has never ventured outside of her studio apartment. Ada’s twisted foot has her mother too ashamed to let her go outside. She doesn’t waste any time and sneaks out to join her little brother Jamie as he is forced to flee London because of the war.
Ada and Susan Smith, the woman who is taking in the two children, now embark on a new adventure. Ada starts to believe Susan, and Susan starts to care about Ada and Jamie as they learn to read, ride a pony, and keep an eye out for German spies. Will their relationship ultimately be strong enough to keep them together during the war? Or will Ada and her brother once again be subjected to their mother’s mistreatment?
17. El Deafo
Starting at a new school might be intimidating, especially if you have a huge hearing aid on your chest. Everyone in Cece’s class at her previous school was deaf. She’s different here. She is confident that the youngsters are gazing at the Phonic Ear, the potent tool that will enable her to hear her teacher. Unfortunately, it seems to automatically turn off new friends.
Then Cece makes an unexpected finding. She can hear her teacher with the Phonic Ear not just in the classroom but also anywhere they are in the school—in the hallway, the teacher’s lounge, the restroom, and more! This is even her own superpower! Eventually, Cece will become El Deafo, Listener for All. Being a superhero is just another way to feel different and alone, which is what makes it so amusing. Can Cece use her abilities to locate the one thing she truly wants—a true friend—in the world?
18. Front Desk (Front Desk #1) (Scholastic Gold)
Instead of a large home, she resides in a motel. Mia, 10, runs the Calivista Motel’s front desk and attends to its customers as her immigrant parents clean the rooms. Her parents obstruct immigration. The Tangs will be doomed if the nasty hotel owner, Mr. Yao, discovers that they have been letting them live in the empty rooms for free.
She aspires to be an author, but her mother believes that she should stick to math because English is not her first language. How can she? Mia will need to exert all of her bravery, generosity, and diligence to get through this year. Will she be able to keep her position, assist the visitors and immigrants, get away from Mr. Yao, and pursue her dreams?
19. The Girl Who Drank the Moon
The inhabitants of the Protectorate present a newborn as an offering to the Forest witch each year. With this sacrifice, they intend to stop her from tormenting their community. But Xan, the witch in the forest, is a good person. A sage Swamp Monster and a perfectly tiny dragon live with her in her house. The infants are fed by starlight as Xan rescues them and transports them to welcome relatives on the other side of the jungle.
Inadvertently feeding a baby moonlight instead of stars one year, Xan imbues the common infant with tremendous magic. Xan makes the decision that she must raise this young lady, whom she calls Luna, as her own. As Luna approaches her thirteenth birthday, her magic starts to manifest—with potentially harmful effects.
In the meantime, a young man from the Protectorate is resolved to murder the witch in order to set his people free. A group of dead birds with ambiguous motives is nearby. A volcano that has lain dormant for ages is still active. The hunt is on for the woman who has the Tiger’s heart.
20. Wish
Since the fourth grade, eleven-year-old Charlie Reese has made the same daily secret wish. She even has a list of all the different methods one may make a wish, including cutting off the pointy end of a slice of pie and saying a wish as she eats the last bit. But it seems doubtful that her wish will come true after she is forced to live with family she hardly knows in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.
This is until she encounters Wishbone, a scrawny stray puppy who wins her heart, and Howard, a neighbor kid who turns out to be a lot more surprising than she anticipated. Charlie is suddenly in grave danger of realizing that what she initially believed she wanted might not actually be what she needs.
How To Choose Books For 10-Year-Olds?
- Reading Level: Make sure to choose books that are at the child’s level or slightly higher so they can be successful readers. Books would usually have a recommended age guideline.
- Interests: Choose books that the child will be interested in reading. If you’re not sure what the child is interested in, ask their teacher or parents for suggestions.
- Understanding: 10-year-olds don’t require explanations of what they read. They can decipher the significance of what they’ve read and come up with their own conclusions (1). They can now be exposed to stories with greater complexity. To promote critical thinking, talk to your child about what they’ve read.
- Different Format: Your 10-year-old isn’t just able to comprehend books. They can comprehend stories in a variety of formats, including written instructions, audio, video, emails, and websites. Introduce children to various story mediums without hesitation, such as podcasts.
- Type Of Story: Try to mix up the kinds of books you select, including fiction, nonfiction, and even comics or graphic novels. By doing this, you’ll be sure to find something that your child will enjoy and that will help them continue to develop their love of reading.
Should I Force My 10-Year-Old Reading?
If your child is struggling to read on their own, you may want to consider helping them to develop their skills by providing guidance and support. However, if your child is enjoying reading and progressing well, then you may want to let them continue at their own pace. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide what is best for your child.
Should I Still Read To My 10-Year-Old?
Absolutely! Reading to your 10-year-old can have many benefits. This is because reading aloud to children has many benefits, including promoting literacy, fostering a love of reading, and enhancing language development. Additionally, reading aloud together can be a bonding experience for both parent and child.
Can 10-year-Olds Read Chapter Books?
While some kids might be prepared by age 10, others might not be until a little later. It depends on a number of variables, including the child’s maturity, interests, and reading proficiency. Some chapter books may be too difficult for some 10-year-olds, while too-easy books may bore others. Allowing your child to select their own books and monitoring their performance is the greatest approach to determining if they are ready for chapter books. You can always assist them if they appear to be having trouble or pick a new book.
How Much Should A 10-Year-Old Read Daily?
A good rule of thumb is to aim for around 20-30 minutes of reading per day (2). This can be broken up into shorter periods of time if needed, and readers can also choose to read more on some days and less on others. The most important thing is to encourage a love of reading in your 10-year-old and to help them find reading material that they enjoy (3).
