Introducing a child to the joys reading is one of the most rewarding things in life. But different children like different things, and sometimes, it can be difficult to pick books that you’re a child will enjoy.
In a children’s book series, the child already knows the characters, making it very easy to get into the story. When a child likes one book in a series, it’s also almost a guarantee that they’ll enjoy the author’s writing style, so they’ll probably enjoy the other books in the series too.
Some children’s series are episodic in nature: each book can be a stand-alone story, perhaps exploring the lives of different characters.
Others progress in a connected storyline, with each book building upon the one before it. Either way, both are still great ways for children to be immersed in a fictional world, becoming intimate friends with the characters as though they were real people.
22 Best Children’s Book Series to Gift a Youngster
Here are our top picks for children’s book series you can gift to a young reader in your life:
For Children Five and Under
These series consist mostly of picture books and are ideal for ages five and under.
1. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr., Illustrated by Eric Carle
This classic picture book helps children identify colors and different animals, and it comes with several spin-offs, so you can add to your collection and continue to enjoy the same familiar patterns that children love!
After this book, you can learn about different animal sounds in Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? Or, read about different endangered animals in Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See? A third book, Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See? talks about animals in North America and the bond between parents and child.
2. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Series by Laura Numeroff, Illustrated by Felicia Bond
This set of books starts with If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Children love the circular format used in showing a long chain of events! Through this book series, kids can learn about different animals as well as the concept of cause and effect.
3. The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson, Illustrated by Axel Scheffler
This picture book told in poem form is fun and engaging for young kids as they discover the story of a little mouse who encounters a Gruffalo in the woods. The second book is The Gruffalo’s Child, but the author also has a spin-off of sticker books called the Gruffalo Nature Trail for each season of the year.
4. Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
Another picture book told in poem form, this series follows the daily adventures of a little girl named Madeline who goes to a boarding school in Paris. Ludwig Bemelmans wrote six books in this series, and later installments are written by John Bemelmans Marciano.
5. Curious George by H.A. Rey and Margret Rey
The adventures of this curious little monkey will have your kids in a fit of laughter! George always gets into scrapes because of his curiosity, but thankfully he always gets rescued before anyone is seriously hurt—except for some instances when he ends up with a broken leg!
We recommend finding the original seven books, as they are told in more detail than adapted versions. These are: Curious George, Curious George Takes a Job, Curious George Rides a Bike, Curious George Gets a Medal, Curious George Flies a Kite, Curious George Learns the Alphabet, and Curious George Goes to the Hospital.
For Beginner Readers
These series are great for kids just starting to read.
6. Billy and Blaze Books by Clarence William Andersen
The Billy and Blaze books are great for beginning readers, and its theme of Billy and his horse Blaze will likely be a quick favorite for children who love animals, especially horses.
The good thing is that those who are just starting to read can already read this independently, and they’ll gain the confidence to keep going!
7. Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel
The adventures of this pair of friends, Frog and Toad, are sure to delight young readers, and the fact that these books are easy enough for beginning readers to read are a definite plus!
They go through normal moments that every child can relate to while learning about the value of friendship.
8. Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish, Illustrated by Fritz Siebel
Amelia Bedelia is a hired housekeeper who has one serious flaw: she always takes her mistress and master’s words literally, resulting in lots of hilarious escapades!
These books are great for teaching children how we use idioms in daily conversation.
For Lower Elementary Grades
The following series are ideal for grades 2–5, but both younger and older readers can enjoy them.
9. Betsy Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace
This book series is a semi-autobiographical account that details the day-to-day adventures of Betsy Ray and her best friend Tacy Kelly, starting from the time Betsy is five years old.
Set in a fictional town in Minnesota, the books tell of real-life activities that children can relate to.
10. Milly-Molly-Mandy books by Joyce Lankester Brisley
This series of six books follows the adventures of Milly-Molly-Mandy, a little girl who grows from four years old to eight from the first book to the last.
Little girls can relate to her everyday activities, such as going to school, running errands, going on picnics, making presents, and many more.
11. Ramona Books by Beverly Cleary
No little girl captures our hearts quite like Ramona Quimby, who first charms us in Beezus and Ramona.
We follow her escapades and adventures in school and with her family, as the younger sister of Beezus, the perfect older sister.
12. The Wimpy Kid Diaries by Jeff Kinney
This funny book series tells of Greg Heffley’s struggles and triumphs as he tries to make it through middle school.
Through Greg’s diary, readers witness his attempts to become popular in school. Subsequent books focus on different characters around Greg.
13. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Children of all generations love the antics and adventures of the Tin Woodman, the Scarecrow, and the many other fantastical creatures in L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz! Dorothy gets whisked off to the Land of Oz in a whirlwind, and she goes through numerous adventures in her quest to return home.
14. The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
The four orphaned Alden children do whatever they can to survive, even living in an old box car.
But what happens when they learn that their old grandfather, whom they had been trying to avoid, actually wants them to live with him?
15. The Borrowers by Mary Norton
The Borrowers are little people who live off of the little items that human beings leave behind: pins, paperclips, bits of cloth.
Follow their adventures from living inside a clock case, to building a new home in the fields, and many other scrapes and challenges!
16. The Great Brain series by J.D. Fitzgerald
These books tell a semi-autobiographical account of J.D. and his older brother Tom. Tom is known as the town swindler who cheats everyone in the neighborhood with his schemes.
These books are told from the perspective of the poor younger brother who keeps getting tricked!
For Middle Grades
These books are ideal for grades 5-9.
17. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
This fantasy series first introduces us to the land of Narnia through the enchanted wardrobe in the spare room, where Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy find themselves the promised kings and queens of Narnia.
But this also means they must defeat the White Witch and restore Narnia from its everlasting winter to its former glory.
18. Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Children of all generations love Laura, the little girl who tells about their life as pioneers in the West, starting when they live in the Big Woods.
In Book 2 the family moves to the prairie, then live along Silver Lake and Plum Creek. The series also includes Farmer Boy, about the boyhood of Almanzo, who later becomes Laura’s husband in real life.
19. My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
In this book series, Sam Gribley explores the outdoors and learns to survive on his own. In the process, he builds his own house, hunts his own food, and even trains a baby eagle!
This is a great series to introduce to kids who love the outdoors.
20. Logan Family Saga by Mildred D. Taylor
This book series leans more toward historical fiction, and is a great way to teach children about the struggles with racism and the struggle to survive during the years around the Great Depression.
Set in Mississippi, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is the most popular book in this series and is a great place to start.
21. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
Kids and adults alike love Harry Potter, the orphaned boy wizard who had to endure living with his uncle and aunt.
Upon being sent to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he discovers that the evil Lord Voldemort has had his sights on him from the time he was a baby.
22. Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
This fantasy children’s book series contains eight books written by Irish author Eoin Colfer, all about the different members of the Fowl family. This book series also has a film adaptation released in 2020.
Book Series for Kids
Book series are a great way to keep children reading. Sometimes, it may not be easy to find what a particular child will like; hopefully, this list covers a wide range of interests that might meet your child’s fancy!
If you haven’t tried some of the series mentioned in this list, give them a shot. You can try buying the first book in the series first, or gifting the whole set.
Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!
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Yen Cabag is the Blog Writer of TCK Publishing. She is also a homeschooling mom, family coach, and speaker for the Charlotte Mason method, an educational philosophy that places great emphasis on classic literature and the masterpieces in art and music. She has also written several books, both fiction and nonfiction. Her passion is to see the next generation of children become lovers of reading and learning in the midst of short attention spans.
