Classic children’s novels are loved by all ages and continue to be popular in print along with TV and film adaptations by each successive generation. Many people learn to read with these timeless classics and read them to their own children and grandchildren. There are many children’s classics that continue to be among the best-selling books of all time.
There is a reason these classic novels continue to captivate every generation. Times change but important morals, virtues, values, and standards will never change. These books help to foster young children to be good, decent, and honorable citizens; to learn how to deal with real world issues and responsibilities; to develop relationships and friendships; and to grow up to be confident and self-sufficient.
Below are some of the most popular novels appropriate for tween readers ages 8 to 12.
“Little Women”, by Louisa May, Alcott, 1868
A delightful coming-of-age novel for both young and old. It follows the lives of four sisters from childhood to womanhood during and after the troubled times of the U.S. Civil War. The story deals with virtue, struggling to maintain a family home, the value of hard work, and learning about true love. The book was an immediate success and has numerous translations, as well as several film and stage adaptations. (Louisa May Alcott, U.S, 1832-1888)
“Peter Pan”, by J.M. Barre, 1911
A beloved tale for all ages. It tells the story of a mischievous elf like boy who can fly and will never grow up. He has magical adventures in Neverland with his fairy sidekick Tinker Bell and his tribe of Lost Boys encountering mermaids, pirates, fairies, and redskins. Peter invites three children to travel to Neverland with him where they learn valuable life lessons of honor, courage, and principle. (J.M. Barre, Britain, 1860-1937)
“The Hobbit”, by J.R.R. Tolkien, 1937
Set in the mythological land of Middel Earth, a popular fantasy adventure story with a successful film series. About a Hobbit, a small person, Bilbo Baggins on a dangerous adventure with the Wizard Gandalf and a band of dwarves who want to rescue their gold treasure from a dangerous dragon. They encounter wizards, shapeshifters, elves, goblins, trolls, orcs, dragons, giant wolves, giant spiders, and more. It is one of the best selling novels of all time. (J.R.R. Tolkien, Britain, 1892-1973)
“20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”, by Jules Verne, 1871
A popular classic science fiction adventure tale for all ages. About a group of sailors and scientists held hostage by the mysterious Captain Nemo and experiencing fantastic adventures. With his powerful submarine the Nautilus, Nemo is at war with certain imperial empires that destroyed his country and family. (Jules Verne, France, 1828-1905)
“Charlotte’s Web”, by E.B. White, 1952
A popular heartfelt fantasy story enjoyed by all ages. About a pig named Wilbur, his friend Charlotte a barn spider, Fern the farmer’s daughter who adopts Wilbur, and other barnyard animals. Fern and Charlotte work to save Wilbur from slaughter. It is one of the most beloved novels of all time. (E.B. White, U.S., 1899-1985)
“The Wizard of Oz”, by L. Frank Baum, 1900
A popular fantasy adventure about Dorothy and her dog Toto who are swept up by a tornado to the magical land of Oz ruled by wizards and witches. She is told to see the Wizard of Oz to get back home to Kansas. On the journey she makes friends with the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and the Lion. Together they go through several adventures and troubles to achieve their dreams. (L. Frank Baum, U.S., 1856-1919)
“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”, by Mark Twain, 1876
A classic adventure tale about Tom Sawyer, a mischievous 12 year old boy who gets involved with wild adventures and crazy schemes with his friend Huckleberry Finn in the 1830s Missouri. (Mark Twain, U.S., 1835-1910)
“Heidi”, by Johanna Spyri, 1881
A beloved tale of young orphan girl Heidi who is cheerful and optimistic despite tough circumstances. She is sent to live with her grandfather in the Swiss Alps. Various issues cause her to live with another family, but she journeys to get back with her loving grandfather. (Johanna Spyri, Switzerland, 1827-1901)
“The Swiss Family Robinson”, by Johann D. Wyss, 1812
A family survives a shipwreck in the East Indies and find themselves stranded on a hostile tropical island. They have nothing but supplies from their ship but continue with innovation and perseverance. They face dangers, pirates, and wild animals in their struggle to build a home and survive. (Johann D. Wyss, Switzerland, 1743-1818)
“The Secret Garden”, by Frances Hodgson Burnett, 1900
A young orphan Mary is sent to live with her widowed uncle. She is sad and lonely until one day she finds a key to a magical garden which begins a healing journey of the heart. (Frances Hodgson Burnett, British-American, 1849-1924)
“Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”, by Lewis Carroll, 1865
One of the most popular books of all time. A fantasy adventure of Alice who falls through a rabbit hole into a bizarre fantasy world. Alice has encounters with some of the most colorful characters in literature – Mad Hatter, Queen of Hearts, White Rabbit, Caterpillar, Cheshire Cat, March Hare, Dormouse, and others. (Lewis Carroll, Britain, 1832-1898)
“Through the Looking Glass”, by Lewis Carroll, 1871
The sequel to “Alice in Wonderland”. Alice travels through a mirror into a bizarre fantasy world full of marvelous characters – Tweedledee, Tweedledum, Red Queen, White Queen, White Knight, Humpty Dumpty, and others. (Lewis Carroll, Britain, 1832-1898)
“Treasure Island” by Robert Louis Stevenson, 1883
A classic adventure story with colorful characters. Young Jim Hawkins obtains a map to a pirate treasure and ends up on a ship on a treasure hunt. The ship is secretly manned by a band of pirates who mutiny to take control of the ship and a race for the treasure ensues. (Robert Louis Stevenson, Scotland, 1850-1894)
“Black Beauty”, by Anna Sewell, 1977
One of the best-selling books of all time. A story about the life hardships and times of kindness of a horse named Black Beauty. It teaches lessons about the kindness, sympathy, and understanding treatment of horses. (Anna Sewell, Britain, 1820-1878)
“The Jungle Book”, by Rudyard Kipling, 1894
A popular fantasy adventure about a boy Mowgli raised by wolves in a jungle in India. He has exciting adventures with his friends – a bear, black panther, python, wolves, and others. (Rudyard Kipling, Britain, 1865-1936)
“The Little Prince”, by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, 1943
Charming tale about a boy who leaves his planet to travel the universe. He learns and matures through a series of extraordinary encounters. (Antoine de Saint-Exupery, France, 1900-1944)
“The Call of the Wild”, by Jack London, 1903
An exciting adventure tale with powerful themes of redemption and survival. It tells of the life of a pack dog Buck in the frozen Alaskan wilderness. He is lured away from humans to lead a pack of wild wolves. (Jack London, U.S., 1876-1916)
“The Wind in the Willows”, by Kenneth Grahame, 1908
An imaginative fantasy adventure by lovable animal characters. It tells the story of Mole, Ratty, and Badger who try to save Mr. Toad from his ill fated outlandish follies. (Kenneth Grahame, Britian, 1859-1932)
“Kidnapped”, by Robert Louis Stevenson, 1886
An orphaned boy is sold into slavery by his uncle who plans to steal the boy’s inheritance. Bound on a ship, the boy befriends a soldier who rescues and helps him gain back his estate. Robert Louis Stevenson, Scotland, 1850-1994)
“Anne of Green of Gables”, by Lucy Montgomery, 1908
A coming-of-age tale of an 11-year-old orphan girl Anne. She is sent by mistake to two middle-aged siblings in Canada. She must learn to deal with her unrealistic expectations and fantasies. She comes to terms with her life, school, family, and the town. (Lucy Montgomery, Canada, 1874-1942)
“The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”, by C.S. Lewis, 1950
The first book in the Narina series. Four children are transported to a magical world of witches, mythical creatures, and talking animals. They embark on an adventure with Asian the Lion to save Nardia from the evil White Witch. (C.S. Lewis, Britain, 1898-1963)
“Journey to the Center of the Earth”, by Jules Verne, 1864
A spectacular science fiction adventure tale. A team of explorers climb down volcanic tunnels in Iceland to reach the center of the Earth. They discover a lost primeval world with dinosaurs, oceans, volcanic eruptions, and hurricane-level storms. They then struggle to get back to the surface under extreme dangers. (Jules Verne, France, 1828-1905)
Addendum: Classic novels for teens and young adults
- Illiad, Homer, 8th Century BC
- Odyssey, Homer, 8th Century BC
- Greek Tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophicles, and Euripedes, 6th to 5th Centuries BC
- Divine Comedy, Dante Alighieri, 1321
- The Decameron, Giovanni Boccacio, 1353
- The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer, 1400
- Doctor Faustus, Christopher Marlowe, 1592
- Great Tragedies (Hamlet-1601, Macbeth-1606, Othello-1603, King Lear-1606) William Shakespeare
- Don Quixote, Miguel Cervantes, 1615
- Paradise Lost, John Milton, 1667
- Gulliver’s Travels, Jonathan Swift, 1726
- The History of Tom Jones, Henry Fielding, 1749
- Tristan Shanty, Laurence Stone, 1767
- Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen, 1811
- Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen, 1813
- Mansfield Park, Jane Austen, 1814
- Emma, Jane Austen, 1816
- Rob Roy, Walter Scott, 1817
- Frankenstein, Mary Shelley, 1818
- Tales, Washington Irving
- The Last of the Mohicans, James Fenimore Cooper, 1826
- The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Victor Hugo, 1831
- Eugene Onegin, Alexander Pushkin, 1832
- Faust, Johann von Goethe, 1832
- Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens, 1838
- The Count of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas, 1844
- The Three Musketeers, Alexandre Dumas, 1844
- Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte, 1847
- Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte, 1847
- Vanity Fair, William Thackerey, 1848
- The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne, 1850
- David Copperfield, Charles Dickens, 1850
- House of the Seven Gables, Nathaniel Hawthorne, 1851
- Moby Dick, Herman Melville, 1851
- Tales, Edgar Allan Poe
- Madame Bovary, Gustav Flaubert, 1856
- A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens, 1859
- Silas Marner, George Eliot, 1861
- Great Expectations, Charles Dickens, 1861
- Les Miserables, Victor Hugo, 1862
- Tales of Sherlock Holmes, Conan Doyle
- Tales of O.Henry
- The Brothers Karamazov, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, 1880
- The Portrait of a Lady, Henry James, 1881
- Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain, 1885
- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson. 1886
- The Picture of Dorian Grey, Oscar Wilde, 1890
- The Time Machine, H.G. Wells, 1895
- The Red Badge of Courage, Stephen Crane, 1895
- Dracula, Bram Stoker, 1897
- The War of the Worlds, H.G. Wells, 1898
- Turn of the Screw, Henry James, 1898
- Sister Carrie, Theodore Dreser, 1900
- Ethane Frome, Edith Wharton, 1911
- A Death In the Family, James Agee, 1915
- The Age of Innocence, Edith Wharton, 1920
- The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1925
- An American Tragedy, Theodore Dresser, 1925
- The Sun Also Rises, Ernest Hemingway, 1926
- The Bridge of San Luis Rey, Thornton Wolder, 1928
- A Farewell to Arms, Ernest Hemingway, 1929
- The Sound and the Fury, William Faulkner, 1929
- Look Homeward Angel, Thomas Wolfe, 1929
- The Good Earth, Pearl S. Buck, 1932
- Brave New World, Aldous Huxley, 1932
- Gone With the Wind, Margaret Mitchell, 1936
- Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck, 1937
- Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier, 1938
- And Then There Were None, Agatha Christie, 1939
- The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck, 1939
- The Big Sleep, Raymond Chandler, 1939
- The Yearling, Marjorie Rawlings, 1939
- Farewell My Lovely, Raymond Chandler, 1940
- The Power and the Glory, Graham Greene, 1940
- Native Son, Richard Wright, 1940
- Zorba the Greek, Nikos Kazanzakis, 1940
- A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, Betty Smith, 1943
- Animal Farm, George Orwell, 1945
- All the King’s Men, Robert Penn Warren, 1947
- The Naked and the Dead, Norman Mailer, 1948
- 1984, George Orwell, 1949
- The Catcher In the Rye, J.D. Salinger, 1951
- The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway, 1952
- Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison, 1952
- Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury, 1953
- Lord of the Flies, William Golding, 1954
- Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien, 1955
- The Fountainhead, Ayn Rand, 1957
- On the Road, Jack Kerouac, 1957
- Breakfast At Tiffany’s, Truman Capote, 1958
- To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee, 1960
- Stranger In a Strange Land, Roberrt Heinlein, 1961
- One flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Ken Kesey, 1962
- Catch 22, Joseph Heller, 1961
- A Clockwork Orange, Anthony Burgess, 1962
- Dune, Frank Herbert, 1965
- In Cold Blood, Truman Capote, 1966
- Slaughterhouse Five, Kurt Vonnegut, 1969
