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Growing Reader

The 50 Best Books for
7- and 8-Year-Olds

by Melissa Taylor

At seven and eight, children can concentrate for longer periods of time and are developing strong interests. It’s a significant time of growth for a child’s reading life, too. Children gain better comprehension skills, vocabulary, reading strategies, and confidence. All this happens when kids are immersed in books. Every day. For sustained periods of time.

That being said, this is also a time when learning differences show up. If your child is not improving in reading, it’s important to determine why and get help. Public schools can evaluate your child for free, or you can get a private evaluation from an independent psychologist.

As with most skills, practice makes better. We want our 7- and 8-year-olds reading books that are just right for their reading level and that they love.

So, what books will keep your children reading voraciously? We’ve collaborated with experts across the children’s book industry to find the 50 best books for 7- and 8-year-olds — great books that will spark their interest and keep them engaged.

Heading out to your local library or bookstore? You can download the full version of the list here.

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The 50 Best Books for 7- and 8-Year-Olds
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Get the printable version of the list.

Explore our 50 Best series to get great recommendations for other ages.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2015 and updated in 2025.