35 Books Every Kid Should Read

The best way to teach kids about lasting friendships? Look to Wilbur and Charlotte. (P.S. Skip the 2006 film—the 1973 version is the one to watch.)

Two children create a magical forest kingdom and open your little one’s eyes to the boundlessness of imagination.

This shouldn’t be the only Seuss book they read (we’re also partial to The Cat in the Hat and How the Grinch Stole Christmas), but it’s a solid jumping-off point.

This 300-title series (which debuted in 1962) teaches important life lessons through the experiences of a family of anthropomorphic grizzly bears.

One of our favorite books of all time. (We were definitely too old to be its target audience, but oh well.)

This sweet story depicts the transformation of a caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly and is just really lovely to flip through.

Slightly controversial and impressively witty, this classic collection of poetry and illustrations is an absolute joy (and requires almost zero commitment).

Thirteen-year-old Meg’s father—a government scientist—goes missing while working on a mysterious project. Time travel ensues.

The first book in Cleary’s popular Ramona series, this 1995 book follows nine-year-old Beezus as she struggles to get along with her eccentric four-year-old sister.

Talking animals, mythical creatures and a White Witch make up the first installment of Lewis’s fantastical Chronicles of Narnia series.

Can you say iconic? Brown’s wildly popular picture book is a bedtime story for the ages. (Keep an eye on the mouse.)

In an old house in Paris that was covered in vines lived one of our favorite fictional heroines of all time: a quirky young girl named Madeline.

Harold, a precocious four-year-old, has the ability to create his own world by simply drawing it with a magical crayon.

There are, like, three bear protagonists on this list, but we’re just going to say it: Winnie-the-Pooh (and of course Christopher Robin) is our favorite.

We’d be lying if we said little Max’s adventurous exploits with the Wild Things didn’t make us feel a little bit braver as kids.

Soon to be a movie starring Jacob Tremblay, this middle grade novel tells the story of a ten-year-old boy with a facial deformity who goes to school for the first time.

Aside from having a terrific title, Barrett’s 1978 book is about the residents of a town called Chewandswallow, who receive their meals via weather.

He’s an adorable monkey with an insatiable thirst for knowledge…what more could you want from a children’s book?

Ferdinand is a bull who would rather sit and smell flowers than participate in bullfights, and is a pacifist hero if we’ve ever seen one.

Published in 1908, Montgomery’s book about an 11-year-old orphan has been adapted for film and TV countless times, but the original book still reigns supreme.

In addition to being sparkly and pretty, this special fish teaches invaluable lessons about the importance of sharing and the downfalls of vanity.

The first installment in an 11-book series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid follows Greg Heffley, a young boy struggling to fit in as he starts middle school.

A brilliant inventor dreams of becoming a brilliant engineer in this awesome book about bouncing back from failure (and girl power).

Name a more iconic fictional villain than Ms. Trunchbull. We’ll wait.

This lovable maid takes everything literally, getting her into all sorts of trouble. Luckily, she bakes really delicious pies to make up for it.

A classic of English children’s literature, Burnett’s 1911 novel tells the story of Mary Lennox, a spoiled young girl who, after being orphaned, must adjust to a new life.

Based on the author’s own Midwestern childhood in the late 1800s, this start to the Little House on the Prairie series will make kids realize how different things were before Snapchat and the Kardashians.

Today’s kids might not recognize the more dated references, but anyone on the brink of puberty will relate to Margaret’s struggles and triumphs.

Consider this first installment of Snicket’s (real name: Daniel Handler) Series of Unfortunate Events a funnier take on Dickens.

A department store teddy bear realizes he’s missing a button from his overalls. Thinking it will up his chances of finding a home, he sets out to find this missing piece.

This fun and colorful book features all 26 letters of the alphabet climbing a coconut tree, and is great for teaching ABCs. FYI, the audiobook is narrated by Ray Charles.

Pippi is a lovably disheveled nine-year-old with pigtailed red hair, a taste for adventure and a whole lot of spunk. Her escapades are ridiculous and utterly charming.

The concept of immortality might not be the first thing that comes to mind of when you think children’s books, but Babbitt’s novel is insightful and accessible to a younger reader.

Any of the books in this whimsical series will do. But be warned, your kids will probably be disappointed that their teacher isn’t more like Ms. Frizzle.

Eloise got to live at the Plaza Hotel and wear a pretty red bow in her hair every day, which is to say she was our hero from ages four to eight.