A huge collection of our pick of the best books for 10 year olds! With suggestions across a wide range of book genres, these titles are sure to keep your fifth graders turning the pages.
40+ Best Books for 10 Year Olds
As with all of the titles in our Best Books for Kids collection, each of our best books for 10 year olds picks is linked to both Amazon and The Book Depository (these are affiliate links) where you can find reviews and age recommendations for any titles you are not familiar with.
Realistic Fiction & Books About Social Issues
 Wonder by RJ Palacio: Auggie wants to be an ordinary ten-year-old. But ordinary kids don’t make other ordinary kids run away screaming in playgrounds. Ordinary kids aren’t stared at wherever they go. Born with a terrible facial abnormality, Auggie has been home-schooled by his parents his whole life. Now, for the first time, he’s being sent to a real school – and he’s dreading it. All he wants is to be accepted but can he convince his new classmates that he’s just like them, underneath it all?Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 Because of Mr Terupt by Rob Buyea: Their fifth grade classroom is full of different personalities but teacher Mr Terupt knows how to deal with them all. He makes the classroom a fun place, even if he doesn’t let them get away with much until the snowy winter day when an accident changes everything—and everyone.Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 Paper Planes by Steve Worland: When Dylan discovers he has a talent for folding and flying paper planes, Dylan begins a journey to reach the World Junior Paper Plane Championships in Japan. Along the way he makes unlikely new friends, clashes with powerful rivals and comes to terms with his family’s past before facing his greatest challenge – to create a paper plane that will compete with the best in the world.Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper: Melody is not like most people. She can’t walk. She can’t talk. She can’t write. All because she has cerebral palsy. But she also has a photographic memory; she can remember every detail of everything she has ever experienced. She’s the smartest kid in her whole school, but no one knows it. But Melody refuses to be defined by her disability. And she’s determined to let everyone know it…somehow.Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 Hitler’s Daughter by Jackie French: Mark, Anna, Ben and Tracy like to keep themselves entertained by inventing stories while waiting for the bus to take them to school. They all take turns in the story telling but all agree that Anna has the best imagination. On this particular morning, it’s Anna’s turn to make up a story. She begins by telling them of a young girl named Heidi. Heidi is Hitler’s daughter. The story raises lots of questions for the children – if Hitler had a daughter, would that make her evil? Should we judge a person by behaviour and actions of their parents?Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 How to Bee by Bren MacDibble: In a world where real bees are extinct, the quickest, bravest kids climb the fruit trees and pollinate the flowers by hand. You see, in a world without bees everything starts to fall apart. 9-year-old Peony lives with her grandfather and sister on one of the fruit farms where she is employed as a ‘pest.’ The duties of a ‘pest’ are to pick insects from the fruit, but Peony so longs to be a ‘bee’ and pollinate the flowers. A wonderful story of family, friendship and bravery, even in the most difficult of circumstances.Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 Front Desk by Kelly Yang: An empowering story of empathy, courage, and hope – Mia’s family immigrated from China to the US for a better life, but so far, it’s a life where Mia has to run the front desk of a motel while her parents clean rooms. And she’s not even allowed to use the swimming pool!Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 When Mischief Came to Town by Katrina Nannestad: When Inge Maria’s mother dies she is sent to the tiny island of Bornholm in Denmark to live with her grandmother. Her grandmother is stern – after all, children are supposed to be seen and not heard. But no matter how hard Inge tries to be good, mischief has a way of finding her! A wonderful story about grief, acceptance, change, friendship and love.Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
Historical Fiction & Biographical Non Fiction
 The War That Saved My Life and The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley: Ada has never left her one-room flat. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada’s club foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada sneaks out to join him. The children are sent to live with Miss Susan Smith, who is forced to take in the two children. Once afraid of her monstrous mother, in the country Ada learns to calm the fear that has grown inside her for so long. But what will happen when the war ends?Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr: The story of family forced to leave their home in 1933, when Hitler rises to power in Germany. Anna and her family must leave Berlin in a hurry – being Jewish and with a father who is politically active against the Nazis. They move first to Switzerland, then Paris, and finally to England. Anna and her brother need to adapt to new countries, new surroundings and, even more difficult, new languages over and over again. But the only thing that matters to Anna is that her family stays together.Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr: Sadako is lively and athletic – the star of her school’s running team. And then the dizzy spells start. Soon gravely ill with leukemia, Sadako recalls a Japanese legend- that if a sick person folds one thousand cranes, the gods will grant her wish and make her healthy again.Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 The Great Trouble: A Mystery of London, the Blue Death and a Boy Called Eel by Deborah Hopkinson: Orphan Eel spends his days hunting for treasures he can sell along the River Thames when a deadly disease hits London. Everyone believes cholera spreads through the air but Dr Snow has a different theory. Can Eel and his friend, Florrie, help Dr Snow prove his theory and halt the spread of the disease?Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko: 12-year-old Moose Flanagan’s family moves to Alcatraz in the 1930s when his dad takes a job as a prison guard. His sister has special needs and Moose struggles to accept Natalie’s differences and his role in helping to care for her as his parents work. Then there is Piper, the warden’s conniving daughter whose antics threaten to get Moose into serious trouble. A heartfelt coming of age story of family and responsibility.Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 Number the Stars by Lois Lowry: Shared through the experiences of a 10 year old girl, we learn how the Danish people, after their country’s invasion by Germany, smuggled nearly the entire population of Jews (7000 people) across the sea to Sweden, saving them from deportation and almost certain death.Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
Humour: Books That Make Kids LOL
 The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett: Miles doesn’t want to move. And he certainly doesn’t want to start at a new school. In his old school, everyone knew Miles as the town’s best prankster, but Miles quickly discovers that his new school already has a prankster…and a great one at that! It’s prankster against prankster in an epic war of trickery.Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 The Twits by Roald Dahl: Mr. and Mrs. Twit are the smelliest, nastiest, ugliest people in the world. They hate everything- except playing mean jokes on each other, catching innocent birds to put in their Bird Pies, and making their caged monkeys, the Muggle-Wumps, stand on their heads all day. But the Muggle-Wumps have had enough. They don’t just want out, they want revenge!Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 Charlie Changes Into a Chicken by Sam Copeland: Charlie McGuffin has an incredible secret – he can change into animals. All sorts of animals: a flea, a pigeon, even a rhino. But he can’t decide when – it happens when he gets worried! And right now, Charlie has quite a lot to worry about! Even though every kid wants a superhero power, he really needs to find a way of dealing with his crazy new power…fast!Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 Fing by David Walliams: Myrtle Meek has everything she could possibly want. But everything isn’t enough. She wants more, more, more! When Myrtle declares she wants a FING, her perfectly nice parents will do anything to find their rather monstrous daughter. There’s only one problem….what is a FING?Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 I Swapped My Brother On the Internet by Jo Simmons: Everyone has dreamed of being able to get rid of their brother or sister at one time or another – but for Jonny, the dream is about to become a reality with SiblingSwap.com! What could be better than someone awesome to replace Ted, Jonny’s obnoxious older brother. But finding the perfect brother isn’t easy, as Jonny discovers when Sibling Swap sends him a line of increasingly bizarre replacements:Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 The Tapper Twins Go to War (With Each Other) (book 1 in the series) by Geoff Rodkey: When Claudia eats Reese’s pop-tart (the last one, no less!), he retaliates by making fun of her in the school cafeteria. Claudia gets her revenge by hiding a dead fish in Reese’s backpack! Needless to say, the Tapper twins are now at war with each other. But will their pranks and tricks go too far and get them both into trouble?Available: Amazon |
For even more humour books, check out our collection
of funny chapter books series for 7-11 year olds.
Masterful Mystery Books for 10 Year Olds
 Holes by Louis Sachar: Stanley Yelnats is falsely accused of stealing a pair of sneakers and set to Camp Green Lake for criminal boys. To build character, the boys get up at 4:30 every morning and dig big holes. If they find anything unusual, they are supposed to report it. But the warden isn’t looking for fossils or pretty rocks. Something is going on other than character building, and Stanley starts to wonder what they are actually looking for!Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 The Candymakers by Wendy Mass: In the town of Spring Haven, four children have been selected to compete in the national candymaking contest of a lifetime. Who will win? Logan – who can detect the color of chocolate by feel alone? Miles – the boy allergic to rowboats and the color pink? Daisy – who can lift a fifty-pound lump of taffy as if it were a feather? Or Philip – who’s always scribbling in a secret notebook?Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 At the Bottom of the World (book 1 of Jack and the Geniuses series) by Billy Nye: Jack, Matt and Ava are geniuses…at least Matt and Ava are, Jack just likes to read a lot. They’re also orphans. When s<cientist, Hank Witherspoon, invites them to accompany him to Antarctica to help out with a contest for a new invention, the arrive to discover that one of the resident scientists is missing, along with all traces of her research. Can they find her before it’s too late?Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 Mystery in the Mansion (book 1 in Case Closed series) by Lauren Magaziner: Carlos Serrano, his friend Eliza, and her little brother set out to solve a case for his mother’s failing detective agency in this fun, choose-your-own adventure style mystery. The trio set out to find who is sending sending eccentric millionaire Guinevere LeCavalier death threats – could it be her butler, or the next door neighbor or even her own daughter?Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 Tilly and the Book Wanderers (book 1 in the series )by Anna James: Imagine being able to walk within the pages of your favourite stories, or getting to know your favourite book characters in person! 11 year-old Tilly has lived above her grandparents’ bookshop ever since her mother disappeared. One day in the bookstore, Tilly realises that classic book characters are crossing over from their book pages into real life! With the help of some of her favourite characters, Tilly is on a mission to uncover what happened to her mother all those years ago.Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart: Orphan Reynie Muldoon doesn’t think of himself as extraordinary – he’s more weird and awkward. When he spots a newspaper advertisement that reads, “ARE YOU A GIFTED CHILD LOOKING FOR SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES?” his tutor convinces him to respond to the advertisement and as a result Reynie becomes a member of The Mysterious Benedict Society – a group of gifted children charged with the dangerous task of infiltrating the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened in order to stop the evil Mr Curtain from his dastardly plan to rule the world.Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 Space Case (book one in space series) by Stuart Gibbs: 12 year old Dashiell is famous the world over for being one of the first humans to live on the moon. And he’s bored out of his mind! Kids aren’t allowed on the lunar surface, meaning they’re trapped inside the tiny moon base with next to nothing to occupy their time. When Moon Base Alpha’s top scientist turns up dead Dash senses there’s foul play afoot, but no one believes him. Will Dash be able to uncover what really happened to Dr Holtz?Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
Books for Fantasy & Adventure Lovers
 The Dragonet Prophecy (book 1 of the Wings of Fire series) by Tui T Sutherland: The seven dragon tribes of Pyrrhia are at war. Raised in seclusion, five dragonets (young dragons) from five different tribes have been prophesied to finally restore peace to Pyrrhia, but not every dragonet seeks a heroic destiny. Will they choose to follow the path of the prophecy or will they attempt to change their fate> And will they be able to bring peace to their world?Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
| Find out more about the Wings of Fire series in our post, Why We Love the Wings of Fire Books. |
 The Capture (book 1 of the Guardians of Ga’hoole series) by Kathryn Lasky: When baby owl, Soren, is pushed out of the nest by his nasty older brother he is kidnapped and taken to an orphanage, St Aggies – a creepy and outright dangerous place. Soren finds a friend in Gylfie and together the two work to find allies to help them escape St Aggies. Once they escape, Soren and Gylfie tourney towards Ga’Hoole in an attempt to find the Guardians to warn them of the evil brewing at St Aggies.Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow (book 1 of the series) by Jessica Townsend: Morrigan Crow is cursed, destined to die on her eleventh birthday. But, as the clock strikes midnight, she’s mysteriously whisked away to the secret city of Nevermoor. There she’s invited to join the Wundrous Society. Mystery, magic and protection are hers – if only she can pass four impossible trials, using an exceptional talent. Which, unfortunately, she doesn’t have!Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 The Ruins of Gorlan (book 1 of the Ranger’s Apprentice series) by John Flanagan: 15 year old Will’s past is a mystery. As a baby he was found in a basket with a note saying only that his mother died giving birth and his father was a hero. On the day that all of the skilled masters choose their apprentices, Will is rejected by the Battle Dchool. But he passes a test he was unaware of, and becomes and apprentice to the local Ranger. Highly trained in the skills of battle and surveillance, the Rangers are the true protectors of the kingdom. And, unbenownst to them, there is a large battle brewing!Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 The Wizards of Once (book 1 of the series) by Cressida Cowell: Set in ancient times amongst magical forests, giants, sprites and scary witches, Wizards of Once introduces Xar, a son of the King of Wizard whose magic has not arrived at the expected age, and a warrior girl named Wish who is desperate to hide her interest in magical objects. Destined to hate each other, the two must in fact work together to overcome a dangerous magic of their own creation.Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 Book Scavenger (book 1 of the series) by Jennifer Chambliss Bertram: Emily isn’t thrilled about her family moving again. But she is excited to be moving to San Francisco, home of Garrison Griswold, the founder of the Book Scavenger Game – a game where books are hidden around the country and clues to find them revealed through puzzles. Her new neighbour, James, is a fan too and they work together to in an attempt to solve Griswold’s puzzle.Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff: Rump is a young boy and orphan. In a world where your name is your destiny, Rump believes he is not bound to accomplish anything in his life – until he discovers he can spin straw into gold and starts questioning his name and past. His best friend, Red Riding Hood, warns him that magic is dangerous, and she’s right. With each thread he spins, he weaves himself deeper into a curse that could make Rump the most despised of names in the kingdom.Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 The Menagerie (book 1 of the series) by Tui T. Sutherland: In a small town in Wyoming lies the Menagerie, a top secret facility filled with unicorns, dragons, phoenixes, and other fairy tale creatures. At least, it was a secret—until six griffin cubs escaped. If Logan and Zoe don’t get the cubs back fast, the entire Menagerie will be shut down.Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 Gamer Army by Trent Reedy: 12-year-old Rogan is one of the world’s best young gamers and he’s just been invited to compete in the ultimate gaming experience! Flown to the Laser Viper headquarters to test cutting edge virtual-reality gaming equipment in digital battles with four other gamers, Rogan will battle with the others as powerful fighting robots. But Rogan and his rivals sense not all is as it seems and they must summon the collective power of their Gamer Army in a dangerous world where video games succeed in invading reality.Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
Chapter Books for Animal Lovers
 Checked by Cynthia Kadohata: There are very few things Conor and his dad love more than Hockey, and one of those things is their Doberman, Sinbad. When Sinbad is diagnosed with cancer, Conor chooses to put hockey on hold so they can pay for Sinbad’s chemotherapy. But without, the one thing that makes him feel special, is Conor really special at all?Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 Shadow by Michael Morpurgo: The moving story of a British Army sniffer dog, Shadow, who is separated from her unit and a 14-year old boy, named Aman, who trying to escape the Taliban and war-ridden Afghanistan by travelling to England.Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 The Unlikely Story of a Pig in the City by Jodi Kendall: When Josie’s brother brings home a piglet at Thanksgiving her parents insist that it has to go, but Josie isn’t willing to give up on the little guy. She strikes a deal- she can keep Hamlet until she finds him a temporary home. But taking care of a pig, especially in a small, crowded house in the city, proves to be more difficult than Josie ever imagined.Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 Rebel Cats! Brave Tales of Feisty Felines by Kimberlie Hamilton: Profiles over 30 real-life felines, including WWII heroes, courageous adventurers, a Guinness World Record holder and even an astrocat that travelled in space!Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
 The Great Escape by Megan Rix: Rix’s series of animal stories share insight into some of the most important events in history through the eyes of animals who lived through them. The Great Escape tells the story of Robert and Lucy’s evacuation from London during World War II. They are heartbroken to leave their dogs, Buster and Rose, and their ginger tomcat, Tiger, behind. When the faithful trio are sent to be put down they pets make a daring escape. With danger lurking round every corner, can they make their way across the country and find Lucy and Robert again?Available: Amazon | The Book Depository |
Find even more fun reads for your 10 year old in our collection of graphic novels for 9-12 year olds and 50 great read alouds to enjoy with older children. We also have a great big list of fabulous chapter books for 9 year olds!
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Christie Burnett is a teacher, presenter, writer and the mother of two. She created Childhood 101 as a place for teachers and parents to access engaging, high quality learning ideas.
