10 of the best kids books ever!

Which books would you say are the BEST kids books ever?

Everybody has their favourites – the books they read as kids that have stayed with them throughout their lives. Reading opens up a child’s world to a million possibilities, helping them to grow and inspiring them to dream big. So, from beloved classics that have withstood the test of time through to trailblazing new bestsellers that sparked major publishing trends, here are just some of the best kids books ever, for readers of all ages!

Baby & Toddler Books

Possum Magic by Mem Fox & Julie Vivas

For 35 years Possum Magic has captivated and enchanted children and adults alike. Mem Fox’s lovable characters, little Hush and Grandma Poss, together with Julie Vivas’ exquisite illustrations, weave a story of pure magic.

I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen

The bear’s hat is gone, and he wants it back. Patiently and politely, he asks the animals he comes across, one by one, whether they have seen it. Each animal says no, some more elaborately than others …

Primary Books

Tashi: The Book of Giant Adventures by Barbara Fienberg, Anna Fienberg (Illustrator) and Kim Gamble (Illustrator)

Tashi always has daring adventures. Like the time he meets Chintu, the giant as big as a mountain, or the time that Chintu’s Only Brother wants to eat everything in the village, or the time when the demons sneak onto the new bus and kidnap the driver’s son. But clever Tashi always knows what to do: stay calm, think hard and move fast!

Billie B. Brown: The Bad Butterfly by Sally Rippin

Billie has started ballet classes. She is sure she’ll be a great dancer! But is Billie really cut out to be a ballerina?

Tween Books

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Grown-up Meg, tomboyish Jo, timid Beth, and precocious Amy. The four March sisters couldn’t be more different. But with their father away at war, and their mother working to support the family, they have to rely on one another.

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement.

Teen Books

Mao’s Last Dancer by Li Cunxin

The extraordinary biography of a young Chinese peasant boy who emerged from abject poverty, defected to the USA, and became principal dancer for the Houston ballet, a star in the US, and a star of the Australian ballet as well. Is a condensed edition for children.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still. By her brother’s graveside, Liesel’s life is changed when she picks up an object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger’s Handbook, and it is her first act of book thievery.

Young Adult Books

Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta

Josephine Alibrandi is seventeen and in her final year at a wealthy girls’ school. This is the year she meets her father, the year she falls in love, the year she searches for Alibrandi and finds the real truth about her family – and the identity she has been searching for.

Laurinda by Alice Pung

Laurinda is an exclusive school for girls. At its secret core is the Cabinet, a trio of girls who wield power over their classmates – and some of their teachers. Entering this world of wealth and secrets is Lucy Lam, a scholarship girl with sharp eyes and a shaky sense of self.

Find more of the Best Kids Books Ever in our collection!

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