12 Book Series Your Child Will Want to Devour Over Summer Break
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A book series is a great way to foster a love of reading in a child of any age. Following the same characters through multiple adventures allows your child to become more attached to the stories, retain more information about the world within the book, and feel more invested in finishing the books to find out what happens next. Whether you read with them or they delve into a box set on their own, a series is a solid way to spend some Summer downtime (and it keeps their minds sharp between school years!).
Read through to find a book series that fits your child's age and interests.
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Harry Potter
The Harry Potter Series ($50) by J.K. Rowling
What They’re All About: Harry Potter discovers he's a wizard when he's 11 years old — one of the most famous wizards in the world. He attends Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with other young witches and wizards, and with the help of his friends and teachers, Harry fights to defeat the most evil wizard of all, Lord Voldemort.
How Many Books Are in the Series: 7
Age Range: 8+
Is there a movie series? Yes
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Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Diary of a Wimpy Kid ($69) by Jeff Kinney
What They’re All About: Greg Heffley, like most kids, struggles to fit in as he begins middle school.
How Many Books Are in the Series: 8 (plus a DIY book)
Age Range: 7+
Is there a movie series? The first three books have been adapted into films.
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Judy Moody Uber-Awesome Collection
Judy Moody Uber-Awesome Collection ($48) by Megan McDonald
What They’re All About: Judy Moody is always in a mood, but through every story learns how to make the most of every situation that's thrown at her.
How Many Books Are in the Series: 9
Age Range: 6+
Is there a movie series? Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer was made in 2011.
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The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games ($37) by Suzanne Collins
What They’re All About: In what was once North America, the citizens of Panem must fight against the Capitol, which hosts a fight to the death between children of the 12 districts every year.
How Many Books Are in the Series: 3
Age Range: 12+
Is there a movie series? Yes
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The Maze Runner
The Maze Runner ($22) by James Dashner
What They’re All About: When Thomas wakes up in a box, all he can remember is his name. Him and other boys — who only know their own names — work to figure out how to escape the maze they're trapped in to figure out what happened to their memories.
How Many Books Are in the Series: 4
Age Range: 12+
Is there a movie series? So far the first two books have been made into films.
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The Complete Ramona Collection
The Complete Ramona Collection ($45) by Beverly Cleary
What They’re All About: Ramona has a unique way of looking at the world as she tries to adjust to different life scenarios in a heartwarming and humorous way.
How Many Books Are in the Series: 8
Age Range: 7+
Is there a movie series? One film, Ramona and Beezus, was created based on the series.
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Divergent Series
Divergent Series ($52) by Veronica Roth
What They’re All About: Tris Prior lives in a world in which all people are divided into five factions — but she fits in all four, and that's a problem, called Divergence. Divergents are being hunted and killed, but she uses her status to protect everyone else from the ones trying to destroy the population.
How Many Books Are in the Series: 3 (plus a version of a book from another character's perspective)
Age Range: 13+
Is there a movie series? Yes
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The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants ($23) by Ann Brashares
What They’re All About: Four inseparable best friends — Lena, Tibby, Bridget, and Carmen — are about to spend their first Summer apart when a magical pair of jeans comes into their lives, turning their Summer upside down.
How Many Books Are in the Series: 5
Age Range: 10+
Is there a movie series? The first two books were adapted into films.
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The Chronicles of Narnia
The Chronicles of Narnia ($45) by C.S. Lewis
What They’re All About: During World War II, four siblings are sent to a safe house, in which the youngest child, Lucy, discovers a fantasy land called Narnia. The four siblings work to save Narnia from the evil White Witch.
How Many Books Are in the Series: 7
Age Range: 8+
Is there a movie series? The first four books of the series were adapted into films.
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The Complete Wreck: A Series of Unfortunate Events
The Complete Wreck: A Series of Unfortunate Events ($165) by Lemony Snicket
What They’re All About: Three siblings — Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire — deal with a disproportionate number of unfortunate events following the untimely death of their parents.
How Many Books Are in the Series: 13
Age Range: 8+
Is there a movie series? The first book was made into a movie, A Series of Unfortunate Events, in 2004.
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Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Percy Jackson and the Olympians ($35) by Rick Riordan
What They’re All About: Trouble-prone teenager Percy Jackson discovers that he's actually the son of the Greek god Poseidon. He learns to use and control his powers along with other children of deities and works to prevent a war between the Olympians that could destroy Earth.
How Many Books Are in the Series: 5
Age Range: 9+
Is there a movie series? The first two books, The Lightning Thief and Sea of Monsters, have both been made into movies.
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His Dark Materials
His Dark Materials ($18) by Philip Pullman
What They’re All About: This fantasy trilogy is about a young girl named Lyra who must fulfill a prophecy. It's a coming-of-age story in which Lyra must face her fears, make sacrifices, and confront her own ego.
How Many Books Are in the Series: 3
Age Range: 10+
Is there a movie series? The first book, The Golden Compass, was made into a movie in 2007.
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