Looking for book ideas for your tween? Reading is one of the best pastimes for kids of any age — it stimulates their imagination, builds vocabulary, and keeps them happily occupied for hours. The real trick is finding a series by the same author, because nothing keeps a reluctant reader turning pages like knowing there’s another book waiting once they finish this one.
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Here are 10 brilliant book series for kids aged 8 to 12, all guaranteed page-turners.
10 Brilliant Book Series For Kids Aged 8-12 Years
#1. Harry Potter
The best-selling Harry Potter series continues to be a huge hit with kids — and plenty of grown-ups too.
The series follows Harry Potter, a teenage wizard who must come to terms with his newfound magic while facing the darkest wizard of all, who wants to take over everything. With seven books, a blockbuster film series, and a devoted worldwide fanbase, this is one collection every young reader should have on their bookcase.
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#2. Percy Jackson
Rick Riordan’s classic series Percy Jackson and the Olympians, based on ancient Greek mythology, has enchanted young readers for years and shows no sign of slowing down.
All five books in the series — The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters, The Titan’s Curse, The Battle of the Labyrinth, and The Last Olympian — are also available together in a paperback boxed set fit for demigods.
Whether your child is meeting Percy for the first time or wants to devour the saga again, this series appeals across a wide age range.
#3. The Mysterious Benedict Society Trilogy
The Mysterious Benedict Society is the first book in a trilogy. When a peculiar advertisement appears in the newspaper calling for children to take part in a secret mission, children everywhere sit a series of mysterious tests. In the end, just four succeed: Reynie, Kate, Sticky and Constance.
They have three things in common — they’re all honest, all remarkably talented, and all orphans. They must go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules, and work as a team to save not only themselves, but the world outside the walls.
The story continues in The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey and The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner’s Dilemma.
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#4. Kingdom Keepers: Disney After Dark
This is a series of seven books by Ridley Pearson about five teens tapped as theme park “guides”, who find themselves pitted against Disney villains threatening both the future of Disney World and the stability of the world outside.
Disney After Dark is the first in the series, telling the tale of Finn Whitman, an Orlando teen, and four other kids, who are transported into the Magic Kingdom at night. Is it real, or is he dreaming?
Finn’s confusion only grows when he meets Wayne, an elderly Imagineer who tells him the park is in grave danger. Led by the scheming Maleficent, a mysterious group called the Overtakers is plotting to destroy Disney’s beloved realm — and maybe more. Each book works as a satisfying adventure in its own right, so kids can dip in and still follow along.
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#5. His Dark Materials
Philip Pullman’s classic trilogy His Dark Materials — made up of The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass — is a fantastic read for this age group.
Acclaimed as a modern masterpiece and a multiple award-winner in children’s literature, the series follows Lyra and her daemon on a journey into another world that will keep young readers enthralled for hours. It’s also available as a bind-up edition containing all three books.
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#6. David Walliams
Not strictly a series, but we had to include David Walliams — the comedian who reinvented himself as a hugely popular children’s author. All his books are fun, funny standalone capers that go down brilliantly with this age group.
Start with The Boy in the Dress, then work your way through his other titles:
- Mr Stink
- Billionaire Boy
- Gangsta Granny
- Ratburger
- Demon Dentist
- Awful Auntie
- Grandpa’s Great Escape
- The Midnight Gang
- Bad Dad
- The Ice Monster
- Fing
- The Beast of Buckingham Palace
Any of his books will keep your tween entertained and laughing while they read — a real win-win.
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#7. Artemis Fowl
The Artemis Fowl series is a hugely popular run of eight fantasy novels by Irish author Eoin Colfer, following the criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl II.
In the first book, Artemis Fowl, twelve-year-old genius Artemis kidnaps Holly Short, a fairy and captain of the Lower Elements Police Reconnaissance force (LEPRecon), holding her for a gold ransom to exploit the magical Fairy People and restore his family’s fortune.
The series introduces Artemis as a villain and the fairies’ enemy, but as the books progress his character develops and changes — evolving into an antihero who helps the People resolve conflicts with worldwide consequences.
#8. The Underland Chronicles
The Underland Chronicles is a critically acclaimed series of five epic fantasy novels by Suzanne Collins, author of The Hunger Games.
In the first book, Gregor the Overlander, a boy embarks on a dangerous quest to find his father and fulfil his destiny. Young Gregor falls through a grate in the laundry room of his apartment building and hurtles into the dark Underland — a strange world on the brink of war. A prophecy foretells that Gregor has a role to play in its uncertain future, though Gregor wants no part of it.
#9. Dork Diaries
Dork Diaries is a humorous children’s book series written and illustrated by Rachel Renée Russell. Written in diary format and packed with drawings, doodles, and comic strips, it chronicles the daily life of Nikki Maxwell in and outside of middle school.
In the first book, Dork Diaries, Nikki isn’t thrilled when her father arranges a scholarship for her at a private school called Westchester Country Day, as part of a deal for his bug extermination services. Nikki has never been popular, but starting at a new school gives her a chance to leave her old dorky ways behind — or so she hopes.
#10. The Chronicles of Narnia
And finishing with a true classic — The Chronicles of Narnia belongs on every tween’s bookshelf.
The series has enchanted generations of readers, taking them to a world where a witch decrees eternal winter, where talking animals outnumber people, and where battles are fought by Centaurs, Giants, and Fauns. The full collection of seven books is available as a boxset or as a combined one-book edition.
Over to you! What book series do your tweens have on their bookshelves? What would you recommend? We’d love to hear in the comments below.
Frequently Asked Questions
What age group is this book list best suited to?
These series work well for confident readers roughly aged 8 to 12, though many families find younger or older siblings enjoy them too. Every child reads at their own pace, so use age as a rough guide rather than a rule.
Why are book series good for tweens specifically?
A series gives a child a reason to keep reading once they’ve finished a book — they already know and love the characters and world, which builds reading confidence and habit far more easily than starting fresh each time.
How do I choose the right series for my child?
Think about what your child already enjoys watching or listening to — humour, magic, adventure, mythology — and pick a series in that vein. Starting with the first book in a series (rather than jumping in mid-way) usually gives the best experience.
Are these series suitable for reluctant readers?
Yes — series with strong characters, humour, or fast-paced plots (like David Walliams’ books or Dork Diaries) are often a great way to hook a reluctant reader, since the familiar format and characters lower the barrier to picking up the next book.
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Want More Reading Ideas?
Browse more of our book recommendations and reading round-ups for kids of every age, and bookmark this page to come back to next time your tween needs something new to read.
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