The most recommended books for 8 year olds

Who picked these books? Meet our 1,351 experts.

1,351 authors created a book list with books for 8 year olds, and here are their favorites.

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Book cover of The Secrets of Tutankhamun: Egypt's Boy King and His Incredible Tomb

Chris Barton Author Of Glitter Everywhere!: Where it Came From, Where It's Found & Where It's Going

From my list on for glitter-loving kids.

Why am I passionate about this?

Iā€™ve written nonfiction books for children on topics ranging from daylight fluorescence to Reconstruction, from The Nutcracker to the invention of the Super Soaker. What all those topics have in common is that I didnā€™t know much about them when I got started. Thatā€™s definitely true for my book Glitter Everywhere! While getting familiar with more than 150 sources of information, I learned a lot about glitter. But thereā€™s always more to know, and that also goes for the readers of my books. While mine may be the first books that someone reads about the topics Iā€™ve explored, thereā€™s no better feeling than knowing my books wonā€™t be the last.

Chris' book list on for glitter-loving kids

Chris Barton Why did Chris love this book?

For my research, I was in touch with Egyptologists who have studied the collection of sticks and staves that were buried with Pharaoh Tutankhamun.

Some of those artifacts were decorated with little pieces of iridescent beetle wingsā€”and ā€œthat glittery, beetle-y effect,ā€ as I put it, is still visible today! Tutankhamunā€™s tomb, however, included so much more, and this book puts into context not only the way that the pharaohā€™s life and death were honored but also how the treasures were discovered and what weā€™ve learned from them.

Kids who connect with this book may well be on their way to becoming Egyptologists themselvesā€¦

By Patricia Cleveland-Peck, Isabel Greenberg (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Secrets of Tutankhamun as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

Tutankhamun was born in a time of change. His father, Atakhenaten, instituted broad political and religious reform to Egypt, and his laws were controversial. By the time Tut turned nine, his whole family had died and he was named the youngest king Egypt had ever had. His rule was short and tumultuous, and around age nineteen, Tut died. More than three thousand years later, Howard Carter, a British archaeologist with a penchant for ancient history and a special skill for excavation in Egypt's Valley of the Kings, made a discovery that shocked the world: King Tut's tomb, long ago assumedā€¦


Book cover of Dorothea's Eyes: Dorothea Lange Photographs the Truth

Kaye Baillie Author Of Railroad Engineer Olive Dennis

From my list on girl-power picture book biographies.

Why am I passionate about this?

Iā€™m an award-winning childrenā€™s author who lives in Australia. I love reading and writing picture books, and although I mostly write fiction, I also love writing biographies. I am drawn to stories about women who have achieved something inspirational and unexpected and who may have not received wide recognition at the time or that any recognition has faded from public knowledge. I find it exciting to work with a team, that is the illustrator and the publisher, to create books that will find their way to children and allow them to imagine and feel another personā€™s life, and to see that everyday people do amazing things.

Kaye's book list on girl-power picture book biographies

Kaye Baillie Why did Kaye love this book?

The cover shows a woman peering into her camera. She holds the camera carefully, gently and with purpose. Inside, the attractive illustrations show Dorothea Lange who, as a child, was sick leaving her feeling invisible. But the world wasnā€™t invisible to her. She surprised everyone when she announced one day that she was going to be a photographer. Was it unladylike? What did that even mean? It didnā€™t matter to Dorothea, who refused to look away from the suffering of people. She used her photos to show that each person is special. Without Dorothea, the images she captured would remain invisible, when they all deserved to be visible. Actual photographs and timeline at the end of this book make it even more fascinating.

By Barb Rosenstock, Gerard Dubois (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Dorothea's Eyes as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 7, 8, 9, and 10.

What is this book about?

"An excellent beginner's resource for biography, U.S. history, and women's studies." -Kirkus Reviews

Here is the powerful and inspiring biography of Dorothea Lange, activist, social reformer, and one of the founders of documentary photography.

After a childhood bout of polio left her with a limp, all Dorothea Lange wanted to do was disappear.

But her desire not to be seen helped her learn how to blend into the background and observe. With a passion for the artistic life, and in spite of her family's disapproval, Lange pursued her dream to become a photographer and focused her lens on the previouslyā€¦


Book cover of Nicky & Vera: A Quiet Hero of the Holocaust and the Children He Rescued

Erik Christopher Martin Author Of The Case of the French Fry Phantom: Dotty Morgan Supernatural Sleuth Book One

From Erik's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Storyteller Social Worker Tabletop role playing gamer Reader Perpetual student

Erik's 3 favorite reads in 2023

Erik Christopher Martin Why did Erik love this book?

During World War Two, an Englishman named Nicholas Winton anonymously saved the lives of 669 Jewish children living in Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia by arranging visas and finding foster homes for each one.

The book tells the story through the experience of Vera, one of the children saved by Mr. Winton. While he never told anyone about his actions, years later, his wife found the records and arranged a surprise meeting between Nicholas and dozens of the children, now middle-aged adults, whose lives he saved. I was brought to tears reading it, not just the first time, but when I re-read it prior to writing this.

A heartwarming book and an amazing story about the good one compassionate person can do.

By Peter Sis,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Nicky & Vera as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 6, 7, and 8.

What is this book about?

In 1938, twenty-nine-year-old Nicholas Winton saved the lives of almost 700 children trapped in Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia-a story he never told and that remained unknown until an unforgettable TV appearance in the 1980s reunited him with some of the children he saved.

Czech-American artist, MacArthur Fellow and Andersen Award winner Peter Sis dramatises Winton's story in this distinctive and deeply personal picture book. He intertwines Nicky's efforts with the story of one of the children he saved-a young girl named Vera, whose family enlisted Nicky's aid when the Germans occupied their country. As the war passes and Vera grows up, sheā€¦


Book cover of Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos

Karlin Gray Author Of Anne and Her Tower of Giraffes

From my list on picture-book biographies for young animal lovers.

Why am I passionate about this?

I write picture-book biographies and my latest book focuses on the first giraffologist, Dr. Anne Innis Dagg. While researching this book, I learned about so many people who have dedicated their lives to studying and protecting animals. Almost always, their love of wildlife began in childhood. So why not inspire young animal lovers today with true stories about people who share their passion for wildlife?

Karlin's book list on picture-book biographies for young animal lovers

Karlin Gray Why did Karlin love this book?

I like biographies that approach a subject from a different angle and this book does that by focusing on the animals that influenced Frida Kahlo. By witnessing Fridaā€™s relationships with her petsā€”a parrot, eagle, fawn, cat, dogs, turkeys, monkeysā€”kids will get to know Frida and learn how she became one of the worldā€™s most beloved artists despite several challenges. The back matter explains that the artist often included her pets in her work. So when readers of this biography encounter one of Kahloā€™s animalito paintings (perhaps in a museum or in another book), they will delight in recognizing Fridaā€™s furry and feathered friends. A wonderful way to introduce kids to an artistā€™s work!

By Monica Brown, John Parra (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

Pura BelprƩ Illustrator Honor 2018
ALA Notable Children's Book 2018
New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children's Book of 2017
Barnes & Noble Best Book of 2017
Smithsonian Top Ten Best Children's Book of 2017
2018 Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year

Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos, written by Monica Brown and illustrated by John Parra, is based on the life of one of the world's most influential painters, Frida Kahlo, and the animals that inspired her art and life. 

The fascinating Mexican artist Frida Kahlo is remembered for her self-portraits, her dramatic works featuring boldā€¦


Book cover of Pilgrim Voices: Our First Year in the New World

Greg Shed Author Of Squanto's Journey: The Story of the First Thanksgiving

From my list on Native American history.

Why am I passionate about this?

Greg Shed is a self-taught California illustrator specializing in Americana. In addition to commercial work and portraits, he has illustrated more than a dozen childrenā€™s booksā€”several of which are about American history. A dedicated researcher, Greg has traveled from the Plymouth colony to the American prairie in search of authenticity and details. He has consulted with Native American craftsmen on the manufacture of native period attire. He is known for capturing golden light in his paintings, which often depict Native American cultures, wildlife, and landscapes.

Greg's book list on Native American history

Greg Shed Why did Greg love this book?

Pilgrim Voices provides a fascinating first-hand description of pilgrimsā€™ lives told through actual diaries and journals. Reading some of these 400-year-old accounts inspired me to visit the recreated 17th-century village of Plymouth Colony to gain a better sense of the environment as it once was in its wild and untamed state, along with the living conditions, customs, foods, and clothing of some of Americaā€™s first European settlers in the early 1600s.

By Connie Roop (editor), Peter Roop (editor), Shelley Pritchett (illustrator)

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Pilgrim Voices as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

A Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People and a C. S. Lewis Noteworthy book: A rich history of the pilgrim experience, as recorded in real diaries

Nearly four hundred years after the pilgrims left England in search of a better life, their stories still resonate with Americans today. In this account, the pilgrimsā€™ own writings of their adventures and hardships are brought to life for young readers.
 
This touching account shows the pilgrimsā€™ voyage on the Mayflower, their first meeting with the native people, and the hardships of hunger, illness, and death that they faced during their firstā€¦


Book cover of 100 Tales of Extraordinary Women

Salma Hasan Ali Author Of BenchTalk: Wisdoms Inspired in Nature

From my list on stories that make you feel connected to humanity.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm a ā€œstoryseekerā€ as much as a storyteller. I love hearing peopleā€™s ordinary and extraordinary stories; they inspire and motivate me and make me feel hopeful. I think our stories are the most precious things we have, and our greatest legacy. They help us understand each other better and connect us to people we may otherwise never get to meet. Thatā€™s why I wrote a book of personal stories called 30 Days: Stories of Gratitude, Traditions, and Wisdom and a 30 Days Journal that helps people record their own stories, by answering a prompt each day for a month. For a nonprofit I help lead called KindWorks, my title is CIOā€”Chief Inspiration Officer!

Salma's book list on stories that make you feel connected to humanity

Salma Hasan Ali Why did Salma love this book?

I love reading stories of how ordinary people achieve extraordinary things by overcoming challenges, believing in their dreams, and not accepting defeat.

The 100 stories of women featured in this book, along with exquisite portraits of each by female artists, start with the words of a traditional fairy tale ā€œOnce upon a timeā€¦ā€, but instead of tales of helpless princesses there are inspiring portraits of women with grit, smarts, and tenacity. Heroes in every sense of the word, for all of us, young and old, to admire.

By Elena Favilli, Francesca Cavallo,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked 100 Tales of Extraordinary Women as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 6, 7, 8, and 9.

What is this book about?

What if the princess didn't marry Prince Charming but instead went on to be an astronaut? What if the jealous step sisters were supportive and kind? And what if the queen was the one really in charge of the kingdom? Illustrated by sixty female artists from every corner of the globe, Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls introduces us to one hundred remarkable women and their extraordinary lives, from Ada Lovelace to Malala, Elizabeth I to Serena Williams. Empowering, moving and inspirational, these are true fairy tales for heroines who definitely don't need rescuing.


Book cover of The Children of Willesden Lane: A True Story of Hope and Survival During World War II

Adena Bernstein Astrowsky Author Of Living among the Dead: My Grandmother's Holocaust Survival Story of Love and Strength

From my list on Holocaust survivor true stories.

Why am I passionate about this?

Adena Astrowsky is the grandchild of two Holocaust survivors. Her grandmother often spoke to her about her experiences during the Holocaust, which had a profound impact on her life. She continues to honor her grandmother's life by speaking about her grandmotherā€™s survival and lessons learned from the Holocaust.

Adena's book list on Holocaust survivor true stories

Adena Bernstein Astrowsky Why did Adena love this book?

A beautiful read set otherwise on a very dark backdrop. Learning of Lisa Juraā€™s journey on the Kindertransport to a country sheā€™s never been to at the age of fourteen, really exemplifies the very difficult, and not fair, choices parents were forced to make during this time period. However, the memoir really demonstrates the power of music and hope to uplift and fulfill many human needs.

By Mona Golabek, Lee Cohen,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Children of Willesden Lane as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

A young readers' edition of an important and inspiring true story of hope and survival during World War II.

Fourteen-year-old Lisa Jura was a musical prodigy who hoped to become a concert pianist. But when Hitler's armies advanced on pre-war Vienna, Lisa's parents were forced to make a difficult decision. Able to secure passage for only one of their three daughters through the Kindertransport, they chose to send gifted Lisa to London for safety.

As she yearned to be reunited with her family while she lived in a home for refugee children on Willesden Lane, Lisa's music became a beaconā€¦


Book cover of What Did the Tree See?

Deborah Chancellor Author Of Milly Cow Gives Milk

From my list on picture books tell a story to explain true facts.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always loved writing and drawing, so the perfect combination of these two passions is creating picture books. I began my career as a nonfiction book editor, writing texts for illustrated childrenā€™s books. I soon became a freelance writer and have never looked back. I love writing on many subjects for readers from kindergarten to high schoolā€”but my favorite is writing narrative non-fiction picture books. I get a kick out of finding just the right story to communicate tricky information so the reader has fun while they learn. This is the best way to discover amazing truths about our incredible world.

Deborah's book list on picture books tell a story to explain true facts

Deborah Chancellor Why did Deborah love this book?

I love how this beautiful picture book teaches us to value trees as precious life forms that watch over and outlive us. I am fascinated by how the simple life story of a particular oak tree, from acorn to majestic ancient landmark, tells us so much about the passage of time and the changes our planet has seen over the centuries regarding farming, industrialization, and environmental damage.

Iā€™m simply blown away by the wonderful rhyming text and sensitive, detailed illustrations, which work together to present the young reader with a relatable timeline from the distant past stretching far ahead into a hopefully more positive future.

By Charlotte Guillain, Sam Usher (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked What Did the Tree See? as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 5, 6, 7, and 8.

What is this book about?

'This beautifully drawn book is a delightful launchpad for home learning' - Sunday Times

Told in gentle rhyming verse, this beautiful non-fiction picture book follows the story of an oak tree on a hilltop as it witnesses life changing around it over the course of hundreds of years. From the time when hunters chased deer through the woodland, to when trees were cleared for farmland, to the smog and factories emerging during the industrial revolution. One majestic oak has seen it all, and now we can too.

Accompanying pages at the end of the book include a timeline of eventsā€¦


Book cover of Let Me Play: The Story of Title IX: The Law That Changed the Future of Girls in America

Barbara Carroll Roberts Author Of Nikki on the Line

From my list on girls who love sports.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was a very active kid ā€“ the kind of kid who was constantly told to sit still and be quiet. Growing up in the 1960s, I had few opportunities to engage in athletics, other than neighborhood games of tag and kick-the-can. But when I got to high school, our school district had just begun offering competitive sports for girls. Finally, my energy and athletic ability were appreciated (at least by my coaches and teammates). So I guess it was inevitable that when I began writing books for young readers, I would start with a book about a girl who loves sports.

Barbara's book list on girls who love sports

Barbara Carroll Roberts Why did Barbara love this book?

Todayā€™s young readers canā€™t believe that when I was in high school, our basketball team was only allowed in the gym when the boys werenā€™t using it. They canā€™t believe there was a time when people thought girls shouldnā€™t play competitive sports. But really, who could believe it? Who could believe it would take an act of Congress ā€“ the 1972 law known as Title IX ā€“ to guarantee girls and women the right to equal opportunities in every academic field and in athletics? I love this book because it tells the story of Title IX, a law that mandated academic equity for girls and women, and changed the world for girls who love sports. 

By Karen Blumenthal,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Let Me Play as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

Can girls play softball? Can girls be school crossing guards? Can girls become lawyers or doctors or engineers? Of course they can... today. But just a few decades ago, opportunities for girls were far more limited, not because they weren't capable or didn't want to, but because they weren't allowed to. Ages 8-12.


Book cover of The Eternal Soldier: The True Story of How a Dog Became a Civil War Hero

Jonathan W. White Author Of My Day with Abe Lincoln

From my list on childrenā€™s books about Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War.

Why am I passionate about this?

Iā€™ve been writing books about Abraham Lincoln for 15 years. I also have two daughters, and I spend a lot of time at night telling bedtime stories. A couple of years ago, I decided to combine these two areas of my life by writing a Lincoln book for kids. But I didnā€™t want it to be another run-of-the-mill history book. So, I developed a story about a girl who travels back in time and meets a young Abe. Along the way, she learns a lot about his life. I like to tell people that everything about it is historically accurate . . . except the time travel!

Jonathan's book list on childrenā€™s books about Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War

Jonathan W. White Why did Jonathan love this book?

Ever since I was a teenager, I have been interested in the story of Sallie, a bullterrier who became the mascot of the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry. (I have an ancestor who fought with the 11th Pennsylvania, which is how I first became aware of Sallieā€™s story.)

The illustrations in this book are delightful as the author tells the story of when Sallie first joined the 11th until she was killed in battle in Virginia several years later. Today, she is memorialized at Gettysburg National Military Park. Visitors often leave dog biscuits at her statue.

By Allison Crotzer Kimmel, Rotem Teplow (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Eternal Soldier as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 6, 7, 8, and 9.

What is this book about?

This is the untold story of Sallie, a dog whose life as a soldier began in a basket and ended as a Civil War hero.

The pup barked and nearly tumbled out of the basket. We laughed, and immediately we knew--she was one of us already.

Brindle fur with streaks of brown and black swirled all over her like a patchwork quilt. She was as pretty as an apple tree in full bloom. We called her Sallie.

During the Civil War, Sallie came to the 11th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry as a gift from a townsperson, but she quickly became aā€¦


Book cover of The Secrets of Tutankhamun: Egypt's Boy King and His Incredible Tomb
Book cover of Dorothea's Eyes: Dorothea Lange Photographs the Truth
Book cover of Nicky & Vera: A Quiet Hero of the Holocaust and the Children He Rescued

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