21 Best Chapter Books for 7 Year Olds

Inside: Our pick of 21 awesome chapter books for 7 year olds (that are each part of a series, so lots of awesome reading inspiration! Plus 8 year olds will them too love too!

Our seven year old is a voracious, independent reader. Keeping her in books can be a challenge, though we’re fortunate that she likes to re-read books she loves!

One way I keep up a constant supply of reading material is to keep on the lookout for series of age appropriate chapter books.  All of the 21 awesome chapter books for 7 year olds shared in this list are part of a series. Which means if your child enjoys the first in the series, there are plenty more pages to turn!

These are books enjoyed by our seven year old and her friends. They vary in difficulty, some are fairly easy to read and some are a little more challenging, some offer greater levels of support through graphics, overall however, as a general guide, these books are suitable for readers aged 7 to 9 years.

If your child is only just starting out with chapter books you might like to check out our previous collection, Best Chapter Book Series for Young Readers. The books on that list are generally easier to read, with greater levels of support from graphics and illustrations.

21 Best Chapter Books for 7 Year Olds

For more information about the titles listed below, each is linked to an online bookstore page where you can find reviews and age recommendations for titles you are unfamiliar with (these are affiliate links).

The Claude series by Alex T. Smith: Meet Claude, the ordinary dog with an extraordinary life. When Mr and Mrs Shinyshoes set off for work, Claude decides upon the adventure he and his best friend, Sir Bobblysock, will have that day! Available: Amazon | The Book Depository

Owl Diaries series by Rebecca Elliott: The perfect read for those who love friendship stories starring animal characters! In book one of the series, Eva Wingdale gets in over her head when she offers to organize a spring festival at school. Even with her best friend Lucy’s help, there is NO way she will get everything done in time. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository

Bink and Gollie series by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee: Meet Bink and Gollie, two friends – one tiny, one tall, and both utterly irrepressible. Setting out from their super-deluxe tree house and powered by plenty of peanut butter (for Bink) and pancakes (for Gollie), they share comical adventures involving everything from painfully bright socks to an impromptu trek to the Andes, and a most unlikely marvelous companion. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository

Ginger Green, Playdate Queen series by Kim Kane: A fun collection of sweet stories about friendship, social skills and problem solving featuring a clever and friendly fox, Ginger Green, and a host of friends – old and new. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository

Ivy and Bean series by Annie Barrows: Ivy and Bean books are regularly swapped at lunchtime at my daughter’s school. This fun series is about two very different girls who become firm friends. They combine imagination and bookish knowledge into tonnes of mischievous fun. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository

Lulu Bell series by Belinda Murrell: Lulu Belle is the eldest daughter of a family who lives behind the family’s vet… so as you can imagine there are lots of adventures involving lost ponies and such things. Great for kids who adore animals. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository

Olivia’s Secret Scribbles series by Meredith Costain: Featuring the lovely Olivia of the Ella and Olivia series featured on our chapter books for young readers list, each book in this series includes Olivia’s diary entries about events happening in her school and family – a great, relatable series for children in the early primary/elementary grades. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository

Ella Diaries series by Meredith Costain: Big sister, Ella, of Ella and Olivia fame, has her own diary series too – filled with all of her utterly biggest secrets! A few years older than Olivia (see her Secret Scribbles diaries above), Ella is in year five and shares her thoughts and feelings through experiences with friends and family that primary/elementary aged readers will easily relate to. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository

Zoey and Sassafras series by Asia Citro: Each story in the Zoey and Sassafras series highlights child-led inquiry science, featuring a new magical animal with a problem to be solved by clever, junior scientist, Zoey, and her cute sidekick, Sassafrass. Sometimes Zoey needs to run experiments, while other times she needs to investigate a mystery or conduct research. Zoey models how to keep a science journal and each story includes a glossary of the kid-friendly definitions for scientific terms used. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository

The Questioneers series by Andrea Beatty: Rosie Revere is no stranger to flops and fails, kerfuffles and catastrophes. After all, engineering is all about perseverance! But this time, Rosie has a really important project to tackle-one that feels much bigger than herself. Author Andrea Beaty writes her already popular picture book characters into a great series of new chapter book adventures. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository

Ninja Kid by Anh Do: Nelson is a nerd! Unfit, uncool and totally awkward! But when he wakes up on his tenth birthday, he discovers he is a NINJA! THE LAST NINJA ON EARTH! How is he going to save the world when he cannot even get his undies on the right way?! A very funny, new offering from Ahn Do. Available: The Book Depository

Zac Power series by H.I Larry: One of my daughter’s good friends is working his way through every Zac Power book ever written. Zac is a 12 year old secret agent for a fictitious intelligence agency… he goes on many missions and frequently saves the world! Available: Amazon | The Book Depository

Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey: My good friend described this series as ‘yuk’ but her 7 year old son loves it and it gets him excited about reading, yay! This book follows two prank-loving boys who create a superhero called Captain Underpants. I think the title said it all really. Interestingly, this is one of the most banned books in America, you can read the reasons why here and make your own judgment. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository

The Treehouse Series by Andy Griffiths, illustrated by Terry Denton: The Treehouse series starting with ‘the 13-Storey Treehouse’ is one great big amazing adventure with tonnes of cartoons that make the series super captivating for young readers. I know so many kids who love this series. If you haven’t already tried I urge to go out and find a copy. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository

Chicken Squad series by Doreen Cronin: They’re darling. They’re daring. Meet the Chicken Squad: Dirt, Sugar, Poppy, and Sweetie. These chicks are not your typical barnyard puffs of fluff, and they are not about to spend their days pecking chicken feed and chasing bugs. No sir, they’re too busy solving mysteries and fighting crime! Available: Amazon | The Book Depository For more chapter books that make kids laugh out loud, check out our collection – 15 Funny Chapter Book Series for 7-11 Year Olds.

Dotty Detective series by Clara Vulliamy: Dorothy Constance Mae Louise, or Dot as she prefers to be called, loves super-sour apple sherberts, running fast and puzzles – especially if they’re fiendishly tricky. And with the help of trusty sidekick, Beans, and her top dog, McClusky, she is always ready to sniff out a mystery. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository

Geronimo Stilton series by Geronimo Stilton: Enter the world of Geronimo Stilton, an adventure loving mouse author from Mouse Island – where funny adventures are always right around the corner. Each book features a fast-paced adventure with lively art, a unique text format and cheesy(!) humor kids aged 7-10 love. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository

Daisy and the Trouble with Life series by Kes Gray: Things never seem to quite go right for our cheeky heroine, Daisy who has a knack for getting herself into trouble in to all sorts of weird and hilarious situations. My seven year old loves this series (though I am personally not such a fan of the style of writing – as much as I love other work of author, Kes Gray). Available: Amazon | The Book Depository

Bindi Wildlife Adventures by Bindi Irwin (with other authors): My 7 year old loves Bindi and I think she is a fabulous role model for young people. I don’t think I need to tell you that this series is all about animals – some set at Australia Zoo and others in far flung places – with each book featuring an animal related adventure or problem to solve. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository

The Bad Kitty series by Nick Bruel: This hilarious series features a very funny black and white housecat who wreaks havoc around her owner’s home whenever she is in a bad mood – hence the series name. The series includes both picture books and chapter books which makes a great extension for children ready to take the next step into chapter books. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository

Magic Animal Friends series by Daisy Meadows: Join best friends Jess and Lily on their visits to the Friendship Forest, where animals can talk and magic exists! On their first adventure in Friendship Forest, Lily and Jess help rescue the adorable baby bunny, Lucy Longwhiskers, from the wicked witch, Grizelda. Available: Amazon | The Book Depository

See all of our chapter book recommendations, including collections across multiple age groups, genres and interests;