Recommending books by age can be tricky because kids of the same age often have different reading levels and preferences. Still, in creating this list of books for 10 year olds, I focused on choosing stories with kids around the same age and those with an average subject matter maturity level. All the stories on this list are personal favorites with some being easier to read than others. You’ll find graphic novels, funny stories, science fiction, and some stories with a tinge of sadness.
If you’ve been on the hunt for new books that your 10-year-old will love, these are some winners to try.
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20 Excellent Books for 10 Year Olds to Read
Here are 20 wonderful books for 10 year olds:
Lety Out Loud
Published: February 26, 2019
Lety Out Loud is a CUTE and inspiring young middle grade book about the immigrant experience, pets, and building friendships.
Meet Lety Muñoz, whose parents are hardworking Mexican immigrants. She and her brother are also learning English, and she’s very self-conscious about speaking correctly in this new language. She doesn’t give herself enough credit for how much she’s made. Still, this summer is supposed to be fun. She’s volunteering at an animal shelter with her best friends. But it quickly becomes stressful when two boys set up a contest between Lety and another volunteer (who reads at the high school level) for the role of Shelter Scribe.
Where The Water Takes Us
Published: July 11, 2023
Ava’s mom is on bed rest about to have twins, so Ava’s been sent to her grandparents’ lake house. There, she witnesses the death of a bird, and after her Nonna unknowingly mentions that dead birds can signify a curse, Ava is convinced that something bad will happen to her mom unless she does a good deed of caring for two newly hatched chicks. This is a gentle, sensitive book, perfect for anxious kids desperate to control life’s many uncertainties.
Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen!
Published: February 25, 2020
Vivy Cohen is an autistic, baseball-obsessed girl who really wants to play the sport. Unfortunately, her mom is holding back because she’s a girl and she has autism. But when Vivy writes to a famous Black baseball player as part of her social skills homework, things start to change. For one, VJ Capello writes back, and the two become pen pals. Then, a Little League coach asks Vivy to join his team. As they overcome unique hurdles, Vivy and VJ soon realize that they’ll need to put up a fight for the sport they love. This is an endearing slice-of-life story written in epistolary format.
Mexikid
Published: August 1, 2023
Pedro Martin and his family of 11 (NINE kids!) decide to drive from the US to Mexico to pick up his aging Abuelo and bring him to the US with them. Along the way, they encounter corrupt border patrol officers, diarrhea-inducing milk, bad haircuts, stories of his Abuelo’s past, and plenty of family. The inclusion of Spanish words and touches of Mexican history among the funny hijinks of Pedro and his siblings make this book very accessible for younger readers.
Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet
Published: February 4, 2020
This is a charming chapter book about the life of a Muslim imaginative boy during Ramadan, adjusting to a new school, befriending a bully, and navigating family/sibling relationships. It’s told in prose with some illustrations, illustrated text, and speech bubbles (almost doodly like Wimpy Kid).
The Do-Over
Published: May 23, 2023
Mariana is a shy girl looking for friends in a new town. Things seem to be looking up when she befriends two creative kids, and they start running a salon together. Soon, though, they have more demand than they can keep up with. This is a great graphic novel for kids who are always thinking about starting a business, love being creative, or just love a good graphic novel.
Ruby Finley vs. the Interstellar Invasion
Published: September 27, 2022
Ruby is an 11-year-old future entomologist who loves studying insects and playing video games with her neighborhood friends. When she sees a strange bug in her bedroom and shares a picture of it on social media, suspicious agents appear at her door to re-capture the now missing insect.
Soon, all the metal in her neighborhood begins to disappear as Ruby and her friends realize there’s more to the strange bug. This was a lot of fun and will appeal to fans of STEM stories and books about robots.
Ginny Off the Map
Published: June 20, 2023
Ginny’s summer is thrown off when her dad gets a surprise redeployment in the middle of their family’s moving to another city. Then, her geography camp gets canceled. Her sister seems to be making new friends, but no one appears to like Ginny–even when she starts her own geography camp. This sweet, unique young middle grade book made my heart grow and ache for Ginny and her family as they navigated a season of change. Features illustrations and a new geography fact in each chapter.
The Rhythm of Time
Published: April 18, 2023
When Rahim’s friend Kasia gifts him her newest invention, he has no idea that it’s a time travel device. Rahim ends up in 1997 meeting his father as a tween before he became the strict dad he is. Can Kasia get him back in time for dinner–and before his actions change the future? Hand this funny, suspense-filled sci-fi release to fans of time travel stories.
Not An Easy Win
Published: February 28, 2023
Lawrence has had the odds stacked against him for so long. He and his mom and little sister went from living in Charlotte, NC to finally moving in with his grandma while his father is incarcerated. To make matters worse, Lawrence keeps getting picked on at school and getting into fights which results in his getting expelled. While he’s home, he starts going to the town’s rec center where he learns to play chess. But a boy there keeps trying to get Lawrence to fight. Not an Easy Win is a heartwarming, realistic, and satisfying book about poverty, having an incarcerated parent, and finding belonging in chess.
Match Point
Published: September 19, 2023
Rosie Vo is at odds with her dad. He pushes his racquetball hobby on to her to the point that she dreads ever spending time with him. Thankfully, new kid Blair moves to town and becomes fast friends with Rosie. She’s cool, a great listener, and even better, the best distraction from the tension Rosie feels at home.
Rosie’s convinced Blair is the answer to all her dad-problems. If only Blair could be the racquetball genius Rosie’s dad has always wanted! But Blair disagrees, hoping to show her that with a friend by her side, Rosie can face both her dad and racquetball. This is a fantastic graphic novel about sports, friendship, and family.
I Am Kavi
Published: September 19, 2023
It’s 1998 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. In the middle of the Sri Lankan Civil War, Kavi is dealing with her own personal upheavals. Her mother has remarried her father’s best friend after his death and is expecting a new baby.
Meanwhile, Kavi is getting sent to the city on a scholarship to an elite private school. There, she starts telling lies of a life of wealth and grandeur– small at first, then bigger and bigger — to fit in with the rich kids until she begins to lose herself.
Nothing Else But Miracles
Published: September 5, 2023
When 12-year-old Dory Byrne’s pop left New York City’s Lower East Side to fight Hitler, he promised her and her brothers that they’d be safe. Like he always said, “the neighborhood will give you what you need.” And at first, that’s enough to keep them going. But when their new landlord threatens to evict them unless he meets their dad, Dora shares her secret knowledge of an abandoned hotel that provides a haven for them. Kids who like historical fiction (WW II) and books set in New York will like this one — although it’s nowhere near as good as this author’s debut.
Four Eyes
Published: May 2, 2023
Sixth grade is off to a rocky start for Rex. His district moved most of his elementary school to another middle school, his best friend ditches him for the popular crew, and his blurry vision means he has to get clunky new glasses–the only kind his family can afford. This sweet graphic novel for fans of Telgemeier is an ode to middle school, family, and finding your people.
The Fifth Quarter
Published: May 25, 2021
Lori Block is dedicated to her fourth-grade basketball team, despite being relegated to an extra period before the real game starts, known as the fifth quarter, where the not-so-good kids play and the points don’t count. That doesn’t matter to Lori though, because working on her skills gives her hints of self-confidence, which is a nice break from feeling awkward and out-of-place in her daily life.
With athletic promise and a dogged determination to keep improving, Lori pursues her passion while navigating awkward social dynamics, her own expectations, and her first overnight away from home. Will her drive allow her to find true courage both on the court, in school, and at home?
We Still Belong
Published: August 1, 2023
We Still Belong follows young Wesley on one special Indigenous People’s Day, on which she plans to ask her crush to the Tolo dance. She’s also expecting the publication of her poem about Indigenous pride in the school newspaper. But suddenly, the day is not going to plan. Instead of her crush, she has a new lab partner, her English teacher doesn’t think her poem is all that great, and things may be changing at home. This is a deeply insightful, important, and engaging book about Indigenous pride, family, and self-confidence.
Half Moon Summer
Published: June 6, 2023
Drew and Mia were born on the same day in Half Moon Bay, California, but their lives have taken different paths. When Mia returns to Half Moon Bay where Drew still lives, both kids form a friendship and start training for a half-marathon together for different reasons. Mia wants to solve her family’s housing issues while Drew is doing it for his dad, who’s received a crushing diagnosis of ALS. This is a moving, insightful, and hopeful book about dealing with devastating life changes with the aid of strong friendships and a supportive community.
Hidden Truths
Published: October 31, 2023
Dani and Eric have been best friends since Dani moved next door in second grade. They bond over donuts, comic books, and camping on the Cape. But one summer, Eric saves Dani from a fire in his family’s camper. Unfortunately, the accident prevents Dani from doing what she loves the most: playing softball. It also drives a wedge between the friends as they discover the real reason behind the fire. Can Dani forgive her best friend? This is a moving middle grade book about passion, honesty, forgiveness, and living with ADHD.
Call Me Adnan
Published: June 13, 2023
Adnan loves table tennis, his family, and the aviation alphabet. He’s color blind, left-handed, and has a big sister and little brother, with another sibling on the way. When his family takes a summer trip so he can compete in a tennis tournament, an unbelievable tragedy occurs, shattering their life as they know it.
I don’t like sad stories. Life is hard enough, but the author drew me into this story and I couldn’t stop reading. The verse format is enjoyable and provides a wide enough window into the plot and characters. Most importantly, this story is very hopeful, despite the tragedy.
The Next Great Paulie Fink
Published: April 16, 2019
This is a great book that lends itself perfectly to the audio format since it’s written in part as interviews. When a new student arrives at a middle school, she discovers that the class can’t stop talking about a former classmate. As she tries to learn more about him, she and the other kids learn a lot about themselves, the many layers of a person, and how to be kinder to others. This one took a while to get into, but once I did, it was fantastic.
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There they are: 20 of the best books for 10 year olds! Which of these have you read and loved? Which ones did I miss?
More Books for 10 Year Olds
- Books for 10 year old boys
- Great books for 10 year old girls
- Graphic novels for 10 year olds
- Great books for 5th graders
Pin This Post – 20 Best Books for 10 Year Olds
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