Yesterday afternoon, Scholastic hosted a live Twitter chat related to the research we released last week titled "What Kids Want in Books" -- a "sneak peek" from our upcoming Kids and Family Reading Report™ (set to debut in January 2015).
We know what kids want in books (when reading for fun), but we took it one step further with specific book lists – perfect for the holiday season.
We asked parenting expert Maggie McGuire (Scholastic Parents & Kids Online) and book expert David Allender (Scholastic Reading Club) for their personal picks on some hot topics related to the Kids and Family Reading Report™ such as "books that make me laugh" and age-specific lists.
We hope this helps guide you for your holiday gift shopping.
Happy Holidays and share your ideas now! #KFRR
FUNNY READS
- DATA: 70% of children (ages 6-17) want books that “make me laugh” when reading for fun
Maggie's picks:
- Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey
- Fly Guy series by Tedd Arnold
- I Funny by James Patterson
- Elephant & Piggie series by Mo Willems
- Smile by Raina Telgemeir
David's picks:
- Pete the Cat Saves Christmas by Eric Litwin / illustrated by James Dean
- Waiting is Not Easy: An Elephant & Piggie Book by Mo Willems
- Junie B., First Grader: Turkeys We Have Loved and Eaten (and Other Thankful Stuff) by Barbara Park/ illustrated by Denise Brunkus
- Roald Dahl's Whipple-Scrumptious Chocolate Box (box set of the "Charlie and the..." series)
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul by Jeff Kinney
- Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett / illustrated by Jon Klassen
- The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak
- Emperor Pickeltine Rides the Bus: An Oragami Yoda Book by Tom Angleberger
- Sisters by Raina Telgemeir
HOLIDAY-THEMED READS
Maggie's picks:
- Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore **great read aloud**
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss**great read aloud**
- Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost (illustrated edition)
- The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett
David's picks:
- The Last Christmas Tree by Stephen Krensky #DiverseReads
- The Seven Days of Kwanzaa by Angela Shelf
- Simon and the Bear: A Hanukkah Tale by Eric Kimmel
- The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
OUR READING GROWTH CHART
Ages 6-8 – want books with “characters that look like them”
Maggie’s picks:
- Wonder by R.J. Pacio
- If Kids Ran the World by Diane Dillon
- Under the Same Sun by Sharon Robinson
- The Great Greene Heist by Vairan Johnson
- Gold Medal Winter by Donna Freitas
David’s picks
- Annie: The Junior Novel by Lexi Ryals
- Weird School series by Dan Gutman
Ages 9-11 – want books with a “mystery of problem to solve:
Maggie’s picks:
- Cam Jansen series by David Adler
- Goosebumps series by R.L. Stine
David’s picks:
- The Angel Tree by Daphne Benedis-Grab
- Greenglass House by Kate Milford
- The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier
Ages 12-14 – want books with “smart, strong or brave characters”
Maggie’s picks:
- Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo
- Ranger’s Apprentice series by John Flanagan
- Brotherband Chronicles series by John Flanagan
- Redwall series by Brian Jacques
David’s picks
- Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan
- Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
- I Survived series by Lauren Tarhis
- Fantasy League by Mike Lupica
- The Boundless by Kenneth Opal
- Alex Rider: Russian Roulette by Anthony Horwitz
Ages 15-17 – want books that “let them forget real life for a while”
Maggie’s picks:
- Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
- The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
- The Raven Boys series by Maggie Stiefvater
- The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
David’s picks:
- The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins
- Divergent by Veronica Roth
- Maze Runner series by James Dashner
- Skink No Surrender by Carl Hiassen
- Half Bads by Sally Green
- Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer
Scholastic
