The Best Books For Kids in 2018, as Voted by Actual Kids and Parents Who Read Them

What it's about: "The formerly glorious god Apollo, cast down to earth in punishment by Zeus, is now an awkward mortal teenager named Lester Papadopoulos. In order to regain his place on Mount Olympus, Lester must restore five Oracles that have gone dark. But he has to achieve this impossible task without having any godly powers and while being duty-bound to a confounding young daughter of Demeter named Meg. Thanks a lot, Dad."

Ages it's aimed at: 10-13 years

The Trials of Apollo: The Burning Maze by Rick Riordan ($13, originally $20)

What it's about: "Ever since Cass almost drowned (okay, she did drown, but she doesn't like to think about it), she can pull back the Veil that separates the living from the dead . . . and enter the world of spirits. Her best friend is even a ghost. So things are already pretty strange. But they're about to get much stranger."

Ages it's aimed at: 9-12 years

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab ($13, originally $18)

What it's about: "When street magician Carter runs away, he never expects to find friends and magic in a sleepy New England town. But like any good trick, things change instantly as greedy B.B. Bosso and his crew of crooked carnies arrive to steal anything and everything they can get their sticky fingers on. After a fateful encounter with the local purveyor of illusion, Dante Vernon, Carter teams up with five other like-minded illusionists. Together, using both teamwork and magic, they'll set out to save the town of Mineral Wells from Bosso's villainous clutches. These six Magic Misfits will soon discover adventure, friendship, and their own self-worth in this delightful new series."

Ages it's aimed at: 9-12 years

The Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris ($13, originally $17)

What it's about: "Aru Shah has a tendency to stretch the truth in order to fit in at school. While her classmates are jetting off to family vacations in exotic locales, she'll be spending her autumn break at home, in the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture . . . One day, three schoolmates show up at Aru's doorstep to catch her in a lie. They don't believe her claim that the museum's Lamp of Bharata is cursed, and they dare Aru to prove it. . . But lighting the lamp has dire consequences. She unwittingly frees the Sleeper, an ancient demon whose duty it is to awaken the God of Destruction. Her classmates and beloved mother are frozen in time, and it's up to Aru to save them."

Ages it's aimed at: 9-12 years

Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi ($14, originally $17)

What it's about: "Life is quiet and ordinary in Amal's Pakistani village, but she had no complaints, and besides, she's busy pursuing her dream of becoming a teacher one day. Her dreams are temporarily dashed when — as the eldest daughter — she must stay home from school to take care of her siblings. Amal is upset, but she doesn't lose hope and finds ways to continue learning. Then the unimaginable happens — after an accidental run-in with the son of her village's corrupt landlord, Amal must work as his family's servant to pay off her own family's debt. . . When it becomes clear just how far they will go to protect their interests, Amal realises she will have to find a way to work with others if they are ever to exact change in a cruel status quo, and if Amal is ever to achieve her dreams."

Ages it's aimed at: 10-13 years

Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed ($9, originally $18)

What it's about: "Twelve-year-old Jerome is shot by a police officer who mistakes his toy gun for a real threat. As a ghost, he observes the devastation that's been unleashed on his family and community in the wake of what they see as an unjust and brutal killing. Soon Jerome meets another ghost: Emmett Till, a boy from a very different time but similar circumstances. Emmett helps Jerome process what has happened, on a journey towards recognising how historical racism may have led to the events that ended his life. Jerome also meets Sarah, the daughter of the police officer, who grapples with her father's actions."

Ages it's aimed at: 9-12 years

Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes ($8, originally $17)

What it's about: "It's summertime, and 11-year-old Lydia is dancing at the bus stop, waiting for big sister Batty to get home from college. This is a very important dance and a very important wait because the two youngest sisters are about to arrive home to find out that the Penderwicks will all be returning to Arundel this summer, the place where it all began. And better still is the occasion: a good old-fashioned, homemade-by-Penderwicks wedding."

Ages it's aimed at: 8-12 years

The Penderwicks at Last by Jeanne Birdsall ($12, originally $17)

What it's about: "To Willa, a young night-spirit, humans are the murderers of trees. She's been taught to despise them and steal from them. She's her clan's best thief, creeping into the log cabins of the day-folk under cover of darkness and taking what they won't miss . . . When Willa's curiosity leaves her hurt and stranded in the day-folk world, she calls upon the old powers of her beloved grandmother, and the unbreakable bonds of her forest allies, to survive. Only then does she begin to discover the shocking truth: that not all of her human enemies are the same."

Ages it's aimed at: 10-13 years

Willa of the Wood by Robert Beatty ($12, originally $17)

What it's about: "Lucy Callahan was struck by lightning. She doesn't remember it, but it changed her life forever. The zap gave her genius-level maths skills, and ever since, Lucy has been homeschooled. Now, at 12 years old, she's technically ready for college. She just has to pass 1 more test — middle school!"

Ages it's aimed at: 8-12 years

The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty ($14, originally $17)

What it's about: "It's been five years since Livy and her family have visited Livy's grandmother in Australia. Now that she's back, Livy has the feeling she's forgotten something really, really important about Gran's house. It turns out she's right. Bob, a short, greenish creature dressed in a chicken suit, didn't forget Livy, or her promise. He's been waiting five years for her to come back, hiding in a closet like she told him to. He can't remember who ― or what ― he is, where he came from, or if he even has a family. But five years ago Livy promised she would help him find his way back home. Now it's time to keep that promise."

Ages it's aimed at: 8-12 years

Bob by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead ($11, originally $17)

What it's about: "Mia Tang has a lot of secrets. Number 1: She lives in a motel, not a big house. Every day, while her immigrant parents clean the rooms, ten-year-old Mia manages the front desk of the Calivista Motel and tends to its guests. Number 2: Her parents hide immigrants. And if the mean motel owner, Mr. Yao, finds out they've been letting them stay in the empty rooms for free, the Tangs will be doomed. Number 3: She wants to be a writer. But how can she when her mom thinks she should stick to maths because English is not her first language? It will take all of Mia's courage, kindness, and hard work to get through this year. Will she be able to hold on to her job, help the immigrants and guests, escape Mr. Yao, and go for her dreams?"

Ages it's aimed at: 8-12 years

Front Desk by Kelly Yang ($12, originally $17)

What it's about: "Ghost. Patina. Sunny. Lu. Four kids from wildly different backgrounds, with personalities that are explosive when they clash. But they are also four kids chosen for an elite middle school track team — a team that could qualify them for the Junior Olympics. They all have a lot of lose, but they all have a lot to prove, not only to each other, but to themselves."

Ages it's aimed at: 10+ years

Sunny by Jason Reynolds ($10, originally $17)

What it's about: "Twelve-year-old Charlotte Lockard and 11-year-old Ben Boxer are separated by more than a thousand miles. On the surface, their lives seem vastly different — Charlotte lives near Philadelphia, PA, while Ben is in the small town of Lanester, LA . . . During the course of one week, Charlotte and Ben — friends connected only by an online Scrabble game — will intersect in unexpected ways as they struggle to navigate the turmoil of middle school."

Ages it's aimed at: 8-12 years

You Go First by Erin Entrada Kelly ($11, originally $17)

What it's about: "It's 1947, and India, newly independent of British rule, has been separated into two countries: Pakistan and India. The divide has created much tension between Hindus and Muslims, and hundreds of thousands are killed crossing borders. Half-Muslim, half-Hindu twelve-year-old Nisha doesn't know where she belongs, or what her country is anymore . . . Told through Nisha's letters to her mother, The Night Diary is a heartfelt story of one girl's search for home, for her own identity . . . and for a hopeful future."

Ages it's aimed at: 8-12 years

The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani ($12, originally $17)

What it's about: "On the morning of her twelfth birthday, Kiranmala is just a regular sixth grader living in Parsippany, NJ . . . until her parents mysteriously vanish and a drooling rakkhosh demon slams through her kitchen, determined to eat her alive. Turns out there might be some truth to her parents' fantastical stories — like how Kiranmala is a real Indian princess and how she comes from a secret place not of this world."

Ages it's aimed at: 8-12 years

The Serpent's Secret by Sayantani DasGupta ($13, originally $18)

What it's about: "When Louisiana Elefante's granny wakes her up in the middle of the night to tell her that the day of reckoning has arrived and they have to leave home immediately, Louisiana isn't overly worried. After all, Granny has many middle-of-the-night ideas. But this time, things are different. This time, Granny intends for them never to return. Separated from her best friends, Raymie and Beverly, Louisiana struggles to oppose the winds of fate (and Granny) and find a way home."

Ages it's aimed at: 10 and up

Louisiana's Way Home by Kate DiCamillo ($12, originally $17)

What it's about: "Callum Hunt has been a hero and an outcast, a force of good and a portent of evil. While the doors of the Magisterium have been open to him, he has never felt entirely welcome. If anything, he has felt others' resentment . . . and fear. Now, as he begins his final year at the magical school, his place is less certain than ever."

Ages it's aimed at: 8-12 years

The Golden Tower (Magisterium #5) by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare ($12, originally $18)

What it's about: "After a humiliating defeat at the hands of Kendra and Seth, Celebrant, King of Dragons, prepares to unleash his fury and take control of his native preserve. Two of the seven dragon sanctuaries have already fallen. Will Wyrmroost be next? Armed with secret information from a new ally, Celebrant seeks a talisman that will guarantee victory in the war against the humans. With a cursed castle and traitorous creatures standing in the way, Kendra and Seth must attempt to foil Celebrant's plan and beat him to his prize."

Ages it's aimed at: 8-12 years

Dragonwatch: Wrath of the Dragon King by Brandon Mull ($13, originally $19)

What it's about: "After suffering a tragic loss, 11-year-old Ollie only finds solace in books. So when she happens upon a crazed woman at the river threatening to throw a book into the water, Ollie doesn't think — she just acts, stealing the book and running away. As she begins to read the slender volume, Ollie discovers a chilling story about a girl named Beth, the two brothers who both loved her, and a peculiar deal made with 'the smiling man,' a sinister specter who grants your most tightly held wish, but only for the ultimate price. Ollie is captivated by the tale until her school trip the next day to Smoke Hollow, a local farm with a haunting history all its own. There she stumbles upon the graves of the very people she's been reading about. Could it be the story about the smiling man is true? And with that, a deliciously creepy and hair-raising adventure begins."

Ages it's aimed at: 10-12 years

Small Spaces by Katherine Arden ($12, originally $17)

What it's about: "A 10-year-old girl is determined to find her missing neighbour, but the answers lead her to places and people she never expected — and maybe even one she's been running away from."

Ages it's aimed at: 8-12 years

The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Clair by Amy Makechnie ($12, originally $18)

What it's about: "An important book for all ages, Little Leaders educates and inspires as it relates true stories of forty trailblazing black women in American history. Illuminating text paired with irresistible illustrations bring to life both iconic and lesser-known female figures of Black history such as abolitionist Sojourner Truth, pilot Bessie Coleman, chemist Alice Ball, politician Shirley Chisholm, mathematician Katherine Johnson, poet Maya Angelou, and filmmaker Julie Dash."

Ages it's aimed at: 8-11 years

Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison ($12, originally $17)

What it's about: "Petra is a little rock who believes she is a mighty mountain . . . until a dog fetches her for its owner, and she is tossed into a bird's nest. A mountain? No, Petra is now an egg! An egg of the world in a world of possibility. Until she's flung into a pond, and becomes an amazing island . . . and, eventually, a little girl's pet rock. What will she be tomorrow? Who knows? But she's a rock, and this is how she rolls!"

Ages it's aimed at: 3-7 years

Petra by Marianna Coppo ($13, originally $18)

What it's about: "Watch the days and seasons pass as the wind blows, the fog rolls in, and icebergs drift by. Outside, there is water all around. Inside, the daily life of a lighthouse keeper and his family unfolds as the keeper boils water for tea, lights the lamp's wick, and writes every detail in his logbook."

Ages it's aimed at: 4-8 years

Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall ($15, originally $19)

What it's about: "In this heartfelt celebration of love, Newbery Medal-winning author Matt de la Peña and bestselling illustrator Loren Long depict the many ways we experience this universal bond, which carries us from the day we are born throughout the years of our childhood and beyond. With a lyrical text that's soothing and inspiring, this tender tale is a needed comfort and a new classic that will resonate with readers of every age."

Ages it's aimed at: 4-8 years

Love by Matt de la Peña ($16, originally $18)

What it's about: "Who is Baby Monkey? He is a baby. He is a monkey. He has a job. He is Baby Monkey, Private Eye! Lost jewels? Missing pizza? Stolen spaceship? Baby Monkey can help . . . if he can put on his pants!"

Ages it's aimed at: 4-8 years

Baby Monkey, Private Eye by Brian Selznick and David Serlin ($13, originally $17)

What it's about: "When a young boy visits his grandfather, their lack of a common language leads to confusion, frustration, and silence. But as they sit down to draw together, something magical happens — with a shared love of art and storytelling, the two form a bond that goes beyond words."

Ages it's aimed at: 4-7 years

Drawn Together by Minh Le ($11, originally $18)

What it's about: "Every kid in Lola's school was from somewhere else. Hers was a school of faraway places. So when Lola's teacher asks the students to draw a picture of where their families immigrated from, all the kids are excited. Except Lola. She can't remember The Island — she left when she was just a baby. But with the help of her family and friends, and their memories — joyous, fantastical, heartbreaking, and frightening — Lola's imagination takes her on an extraordinary journey back to The Island. As she draws closer to the heart of her family's story, Lola comes to understand the truth of her abuela's words: 'Just because you don't remember a place doesn't mean it's not in you.'"

Ages it's aimed at: 5-8 years

Islandborn by Junot Díaz ($18)

What it's about: "Everyone thinks Lulu is a bulldog, but she knows that can't be true, because Lulu is a Rhinoceros — that is what she sees staring back at her when she looks in the mirror. But sometimes, being yourself can be a difficult road to walk. And just when all hope seems lost, Lulu finds a small friend that makes a big difference in her life when she realises that the courage to be herself has been inside of her all along."

Ages it's aimed at: 4-8 years

Lulu Is a Rhinoceros by Jason Flom and Allison Flom ($12, originally $17)

What it's about: "There are many reasons to feel different. Maybe it's how you look or talk, or where you're from; maybe it's what you eat, or something just as random. It's not easy to take those first steps into a place where nobody really knows you yet, but somehow you do it."

Ages it's aimed at: 5-7 years

The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson ($19)

What it's about: "Wherever she is, whatever the day,
She only has one kind of thing to say.
Just as cats go miaow and cows go moo,
The Truth Pixie can only say things that are true."

Ages it's aimed at: 4+ years

The Truth Pixie by Matt Haig ($13)

What it's about: "Luna's best friend, Franklin, is a dragon. Together, they love to read stories about everything from trampolining to deep-sea diving. One day, while they are reading about fascinating creatures and their origins, Franklin begins to wonder where he is from. He is 605 years old and has no idea where to find other dragons. Luna suggests that they go on an adventure to find his family."

Ages it's aimed at: 4-8 years

Franklin and Luna Go to the Moon by Jen Campbell ($12, originally $18)