12 Best Books For 8 Year Olds

Looking for some of the best books for 8 year olds to read and enjoy? These 12 children’s books are a great place to start!

Eight-year-olds are in a bit of a transitional phase when it comes to reading. They may be able to read longer books independently and can handle more complex sentences and fewer illustrations.

Their reading skills develop rapidly at this point. They’re learning a lot at school, and not all of it may be enjoyable for all children.

Finding fun, absorbing books for home – particularly for reluctant readers – becomes super important.

Whether you’re looking for chapter books children can steadily work through alone or books that you can enjoy together, here are 12 amazing books for 8 year olds to choose from.

These books for eight year olds are action-packed, super funny, and usually, have fun illustrations to accompany the text.

They range in complexity, with some (like Emerald and the Ocean Parade) being suitable for younger eight-year-olds, while others (like The Girl With The Sharks Teeth) being better for those closer to nine.

12 Best Books For 8 Year Olds

Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas (Dogman #5) by Dav Pilkey

The Dog Man series of books is an excellent choice for fans of Captain Underpants.

These books are pretty similar in tone – they’re silly, funny, and clever, perfectly pitched for this age group. However, these books for 8 year olds focus on a different character, a superhero named Dog Man.

In this entry to the series, Dog Man (along with his allies, a robot, and a kitten) takes on Petey, The World’s Most Evil Cat.

Any of the Dog Man books are worth picking up for young readers who love to laugh, but this one is particularly dramatic and readable, with the over-the-top character of Petey adding a fun twist. All the books have excellent illustrations, too.

There are 17 books in the Dog Man series, so if your kid gets on well with this one, they’ll have a rich trove of stories to dig into!

The Nothing To See Here Hotel by Steven Butler

If your child loves a bit of magic in their stories, The Nothing To See Here Hotel could be just the series they’re looking for.

Mixing magical creatures and a fantastical setting with a remarkably silly sense of humour, it appeals to both fantasy fans and lovers of series like Captain Underpants.

It’s an imaginative story with plenty of twists and turns to keep your young reader up past their bedtime!

The hotel itself is non-stop chaos, with a rotating array of guests, from Stink Demons to trolls to witches. Frankie is a fairly ordinary boy, living here with his parents and helping to run the hotel.

When the horribly spoiled goblin prince Grogbah arrives for a stay, things begin to unravel, leaving Frankie and his parents trying to pick up the pieces.

There are 4 stories in the series, and the box set would make a great gift for a young bookworm.

Horrible Histories: Awful Egyptians by Terry Deary and Martin Brown

If you’ve been wanting to get your kids into the Horrible Histories series, this is a good place to start. Awful Egyptians is the first book in the series (although you can read them in any order), and it’s bursting with disgusting, fascinating facts about ancient Egypt.

At this age, kids will likely be learning about ancient Egypt at school so you can give them a headstart on their next project by reading this first.

Like the other Horrible Histories books, Awful Egyptians doesn’t shy away from the grosser, stranger aspects of ancient Egyptian life, from dung beetles to mummies and everything in between.

These books are an excellent way to nurture a fascination with history from a young age, and the jokes and illustrations make them extremely readable.

Plus, once you’ve read the books, you can enjoy the TV show too, which is hilarious for all ages.

Everest: The Remarkable Story of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay by Alexandra Stewart and Joe Todd-Stanton

This is another good choice for children who like non-fiction books as an incredibly beautiful book packed with the most gorgeous illustrations.

It tells the real story of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, the first people to climb to the top of Mount Everest.

The men dealt with many challenges, including dangerously low temperatures, ice rocks, and steep, terrifying ridges. Learning about their adventures is a thrill for adults and kids alike.

This is the perfect book for kids who are fascinated by real-life adventures. It’s a rollercoaster story with many ups and downs, and their eventual triumph is an inspiration.

It’s written perfectly for eight-year-olds and upwards, and the illustrations add another layer of fun for kids.

This would be a great gift for a curious child, and it’s a fun one for parents and children to read together.

Mr Penguin and the Lost Treasure by Alex T Smith

The Mr Penguin series is an excellent mash-up of silly humour and enthralling mystery.

Perfect for adventure-loving kids, it’s a beautifully designed book with striking illustrations, and may just be the thing you’re looking for if your little one is stuck in a reading rut.

Mr Penguin is an Indiana-Jones-style character, waiting at his desk for a new adventure to arrive.

When he receives a phone call, he heads off with his sidekick Colin (a silent, steadfast spider) to find missing treasure from The Museum of Extraordinary Objects.

To find the treasure, Mr Penguin and Colin will have to solve puzzles, face up to enemies, and dig around underground.

The follow-up books, The Fortress of Secrets, The Catastrophic Curse, and The Tomb of Domb are similarly funny and action-packed. The perfect present for gutsy, thrill-seeking kids.

The Girl With the Sharks Teeth by Cerrie Burnell

This is one for children who have ever wondered about the hidden world under the sea.

Minnow is an interesting main character: she has a series of scars under her ears, and she longs to be near the water.

Once she goes down into the ocean depths, her body glows. When her mother goes missing, Minnow must sail across the ocean to Reykjavik, going out on her first adventure alone.

Burnell has created an incredibly evocative story with a vivid setting and a splash of magic. Minnow is a relatable character for any child who has ever felt a little awkward or different from other kids.

It’s a story about self-reliance, self-discovery, and a voyage across a tumultuous ocean. Gorgeously written, this is a beautiful story for children eight years or older.

Hubert Horatio: How to Raise Your Grown-Ups by Lauren Child

Lauren Child is well-known for the Charlie and Lola series, and many younger children have enjoyed these humorous stories and quirky illustrations.

Hubert Horatio: How to Raise Your Grown-Ups is the perfect book for older kids who sometimes miss their Charlie and Lola days.

With a similar sense of humour, kids will love giggling along with this story, and it has plenty of Child’s signature illustrations to enjoy.

In this story, Hubert Horatio Bartle Bobton-Trent comes from an extravagantly wealthy family. Hubert’s parents aren’t always responsible with this money, however, and they’re known for their excessive spending.

Hubert is a surprisingly sensible kid, and it’s his job to constantly stop his adults from doing silly things. It’s a fun responsibility flip for kids to enjoy, and they’ll enjoy Hubert’s attempts to rein in his adults and their mad antics.

The Wildmeadow Hare by Holly Webb

Holly Webb is a popular author for this age group. The Wildmeadow Hare book is slightly more mature than some of Webb’s other work (her puppy and kitten books, for example, are better suited for younger children), and this makes the perfect ‘next step’ for children ready for more drama in their bedtime stories.

Just like Webb’s other work, The Wildmeadow Hare centres around an animal (a hare in this case). The main character, Ellie, is desperately grieving for her mother.

She takes herself to a meadow, where she used to spend a lot of time with her mum, and finds a connection with a baby hare.

Nursing the injured hare back to health is just what Ellie needs to find some inner healing of her own. It’s a sweet and poignant story with some pretty illustrations.

Aziza’s Secret Fairy Door by Lola Morayo

A beautifully designed book, Aziza’s Secret Fairy Door follows Aziza, a young girl who receives a mysterious birthday gift of a fairy door.

This door opens up a pathway to Shimmerton, an incredible magical world with fairies and unicorns aplenty.

Aziza finds herself stuck there, and she must hunt down the magical doorknob that will allow her to return to the regular world.

It’s a fun and sweet adventure featuring a plucky main character, and there are several books in the series, so kids will have plenty of choices if they enjoy the world of Shimmerton.

If your child read and enjoyed the Isadora Moon books, chances are they’ll love this magical world, too. It’s at the lower end of the age spectrum at 6-8 years old, so it’s a good choice for kids who need a bit of extra help with their reading.

The Magnificent Moon Hare by Sue Monroe and Birgitta Sif

If your child loves magical stories, chances are they’ll enjoy this one!

With dragons, castles and a fantastical kingdom, this series of books is perfect if your child has outgrown traditional fairy tales but longs for the wonder and excitement of an imaginary world.

The Magnificent Moon Hare series is Dahl-esque, so if you’ve exhausted his works, this is a great next step.

Moon Hare is a fun, gutsy character, full of life and joy, and the books themselves are fast-paced and full of twists and turns.

The first book also includes ‘book club’ style questions to get children thinking about the story, as well as a funny extract from the author, former CBeebies presenter Sue Monroe.

Emerald and the Ocean Parade by Harriet Muncaster

From the author of the incredibly popular Isadora Moon series comes Emerald, a brand-new character ready for adventure.

Emerald is a mermaid princess, but she doesn’t exactly relish the ‘princess’ part: she’s not cut out for a life of quietly waving at adoring crowds, and she much prefers tumbling around in the ocean with her pet octopus Inkibelle.

Emerald must find her own way to be a princess, but she’ll have to get around her family first.

This is a lovely book, packed with illustrations all in green and black. Muncaster includes extras in her books, like crafts and recipes, and her books are perfect for creative little ones.

The writing is pretty straightforward, so if your child is in a reading slump or needs a bit of extra support, it’s a good choice.

Luna by Holly Webb

Luna is a beautiful story and a lovely choice for animal lovers. The main character, Hannah, purchases a wooden bear cub from a Christmas market. She treasures this bear cub, but when it gets broken, she’s devastated.

One morning, she wakes up in a strange place, wearing old-fashioned clothes, face-to-face with a real-life bear cub. Hannah must find her way home, back to her own time, and save the cub by releasing it into the wild.

It’s a magical, wintery story, perfect for snuggling up on a cold night and reading together. It’s also a good step up from Holly Webb’s younger books, and the hardback is particularly lovely to look at.

It would make a great Christmas gift for children or a stocking filler for keen readers.

If your child has enjoyed books by Michael Morpurgo, chances are they’ll enjoy this story too.

Hopefully, this guide will help you to find the best book for your eight-year-old! Whether you’re shopping for a gift or just need ideas to keep your bookworm happy, any of these books will make a good choice for this age.

If you liked this post, check out these:
Best Books for 1-year-olds
Best Books for 2-year-olds
Best Books for 3-year-olds
Best Books for 4-year-olds
Best Books for 5-year-olds
Best Books for 6-year-olds
Best Books for 7-year-olds
Best Books for 9-year-olds
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