The Very Best Books for 9-Year-Olds
Choosing a book for a child can be a tricky proposition; and with so many popular authors, genres, and styles out there, knowing what the 9-year-old you’re buying for will love is even harder. We can help! Use our guide to the very best books for 9-year-olds to select a gift that they’ll love reading for years to come.
So, whether they’re into the latest must-read series that all their friends are talking about, or would prefer a non-fiction treasure trove of fascinating facts, you’ll find the perfect present among the titles listed below.
Contents:
- Best Books for 9-Year-Old Girls
- Best Books for 9-Year-Old Boys
- Classic Children’s Books
- Best Chapter Books for 9-Year-Olds
- Top Book Series for 9-Year-Olds
- Funny Books for 9-Year-Olds
- Need More Inspiration? Other Interesting Books for 9-Year-Olds
Best Books for 9-Year-Old Girls
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Here’s our pick of the top books for 9-year-old girls—each is perfect for curling up and getting lost in, and for nourishing young minds in the most entertaining way possible.
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
The winner of the 2017 Newbery Medal, The Girl Who Drank the Moon is a very special book that’s loved by young readers the world over. The story is set in a fantasy realm in which, every year, a community leaves a baby as a sacrificial offering to the witch who lives in the forest, hoping that this gift will appease her and prevent her from terrorizing the village.
However, all is not as it seems: the witch is a kind soul, who rescues these abandoned babies and takes them to a new home on the other side of the forest, feeding them with starlight on the way.
Children will love the adventure and beauty of this novel, as well as its cast of compelling characters—highly recommended.
Fizzlebert Stump and the Girl Who Lifted Quite Heavy Things by A.F. Harrold
Fizzlebert needs to find a new circus act quickly after the lion from his The Boy Who Puts His Head in a Lion’s Mouth act retires—and that’s where the self-titled strongest girl in the world comes in! Kids who love Lemony Snicket’s novels will enjoy this tale of circus rivalry and learning how to be comfortable in your own skin.
Plus, if she enjoys this title, she can go on to read the other books in the Fizzlebert Stump series.
Wish by Barbara O-Connor
Any young animal lover will adore this heartwarming story about a girl and her dog. When Charlie is sent to North Carolina to live with a family she hardly knows, she resigns herself to the fact that the secret wish she’s been making for years will never come true. But then she meets a stray dog, Wishbone, and Howard, a neighbor, and suddenly it looks as if Charlie may get her wish despite everything that’s happened—but does she really want it after all?
A beautifully told tale from the pen of award-winning author Barbara O-Connor, this book is certain to become a much-loved title in your child’s collection.
Best Books for 9-Year-Old Boys
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Choose a title from the list below to give the present of a page-turning good read!
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
This popular novel was first published in 2007 and remains a favorite with kids all over the country. The book tells the story of Peter and his little brother Fudge; all the grown-ups think Fudge is as cute as can be, but Peter has a very different point of view!
Readers—especially those with a younger sibling—will love the way that the author captures the frustrations of being a kid, and the wacky, but entirely believable, disasters that occur as the story unfolds.
The Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier
Told using a combination of text and black and white illustrations, this best-selling book will be a sure-fire hit with any nine-year-old reader. After a monster apocalypse hits his hometown, Jack Sullivan takes to living in his treehouse. From this base, the 13-year-old assembles a team that includes his best friend, the reformed middle school bully, and June, the fiercest girl he knows!
The Last Kids on Earth is one of the very best books for 9-year-old boys: full of fun, adventure, and more than a little humor, kids will find it irresistible.
Never Stop Dreaming by Ellen Mills
If you’re looking for an inspirational and uplifting read for a special little boy in your life, then this is a great option—the book features ten unique short stories written to promote self-esteem, courage, inner strength, and self-love.
Each piece of short fiction is designed to help boys develop the tenacity, bravery, and self-belief to recognize and follow their dreams. As a bonus, readers can also download a Dream Journal and a Motivational Phrases Coloring Book PDF from the publisher’s website—both are good resources that can be used to consolidate the book’s messages.
Classic Children’s Books
No list of the best books for 9-year-olds would be complete without a selection of classic tales that have been loved by kids throughout the ages. Here are our recommended title.
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson-Burnett
Mary Lennox, the young protagonist of the story, struggles to settle into her new home on the moors when she’s bought to live with her uncle following the death of her parents. However, she soon discovers friendship and magic after stumbling on the key to the secret garden, and her life changes forever.
What makes kids continue to fall in love with this book, despite the fact that it was first published almost a century ago, is the ease with which they can identify with the characters, as they follow the adventures of Mary, Dickon, and her newly-discovered cousin.
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
This 100th-anniversary edition of the famous tale comes in a stunning hardback cover that’ll look fabulous in any young reader’s collection! The Hound of the Baskervilles has got just enough of the creepy factor to make it a sure-fire hit with young readers, who will be spellbound as they accompany Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson on their investigations.
This special anniversary publication also features sixteen beautiful illustrations taken from early-run prints of the book, making it even more of a treasure.