New York Times Bestsellers: Books for Kids and Teens

Last updated: October 8, 2026

Want to know about the biggest page-turners for kids and young adults before you buy? Check out our list of New York Times bestselling kids books. Not only will you find the hottest new arrivals, you'll also see the wildly popular books that stick around on the list for months (and sometimes years). Each week, we'll update our list with the New York Times' bestsellers for kids and teens that we've reviewed. So be sure to come back often, as new books come hot off the presses every week. And for older bestselling titles, check out our list of award-winning books.

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Creepy Carrots! book cover: Jasper Rabbit stands on a hill in front of three angry orange carrots
BOOK

Creepy Carrots!

age 3+

Fun veggie horror story is more silly than spooky.

An orange-brown squirrel grasps yellow and red leaves in it's arms, framed by two trees
BOOK

The Leaf Thief, Book 1

age 3+

Laugh-out-loud story has lessons on autumn, compassion.

The Pumpkin Thief book cover: Squirrel and Bird on a large pumpkin under trees
BOOK

The Pumpkin Thief

age 3+

Suspicious squirrel, missing pumpkins in fun seasonal tale.

The Wonderful Things You Will Be Poster Image
BOOK

The Wonderful Things You Will Be

age 3+

Sweet what-to-be-when-you-grow-up book taps parental hopes.

Growing Home book cover: A frowning goldfish wearing a hat swimming above a potted ivy plant that's smiling
BOOK

Growing Home

age 6+

Charming, engaging book has magical twist on friendship.

Building 903 book cover: Girl holding green book stands in a room lined with full bookshelves lit in pastel rainbow colors
BOOK

Building 903

age 8+

Disturbing dystopian tale about power of books, imagination.

Kiki and the New Magic book cover: Young witch in a black dress flying on a broomstick with a cat against a crescent moon backdrop
BOOK

Kiki and the New Magic: Kiki’s Delivery Service, Book 2

age 8+

Cozy witch sequel charms with wit and wisdom.

Really Rubie book cover: Cartoon girl with wide eyes on yellow book cover, surrounded by doodles
BOOK

Really Rubie, Volume 1

age 8+

Artsy tween has sweet adventures in fun summer camp tale.

Wombat Waiting book cover: Small dog in foreground with bat and baby owl in background
BOOK

Wombat Waiting

age 8+

Appealing verse tale of boy and dog in harrowing fire.

Ghost in the Night book cover: Black teen girl holding lantern
BOOK

Ghost in the Night

age 9+

Girl looks for ghosts, copes with grief, in thrilling novel.

Kiki's Delivery Service Poster Image
BOOK

Kiki's Delivery Service, Book 1

age 9+

Fun, adventurous tale of young witch has depth, kindness.

The Wild Zone book cover: Katie Kim holds her dagger ready to fight in scary woods with friends Benny, Zuri, and Harper
BOOK

The Wild Zone: Camp Half-Blood, Book 1

age 10+

Vexing loose ends in satisfactory Percy Jackson spin-off.

Wonder Book Cover: A white face, featureless except for one blue eye, against a light blue background
BOOK

Wonder

age 10+

Moving tale of facially different boy with inner beauty.

Barbie Dreamscape book cover: Barbie in pink armor with flowing blonde hair, surrounded by colorful swirls and flowers
BOOK

Barbie Dreamscape

age 12+

Exciting fantasy starring the pink icon has some scares.

Wings of Reverie book cover: Illustration of a Disney fairy with pale skin and white hair
BOOK

Wings of Reverie: Wings of Pixie Hollow: Book 2

age 12+

Nightmares threaten Pixie Hollow in sweet fairy romance.

Blightfall book cover: Two young people walking through a tunnel filled with alien plant life
BOOK

Blightfall: Riftwake, Book 1

age 13+

Skyward spinoff soars in exciting series opener.

Our Strange Duet book cover: The Phantom of the Opera's white half-mask covers a top corner of the cover adorned with roses
BOOK

Our Strange Duet

age 13+

Flat characters, same obsessive love in Phantom adaptation.

Anger is Only a Shadow book cover: Afro-Latina teen with curly hair, colorful paint on her face
BOOK

Anger Is Only a Shadow

age 14+

Deft prose poetry brings insight about troubled girl's life.

Falling Like Leaves book cover: Teen boy and girl smile at each other outside a cafe with autumn decor
BOOK

Falling Like Leaves: Bramble Falls, Book 1

age 14+

City girl meets small-town boy in sweet fall-themed romance.

Ruinous Ends book cover: Illustration of Blackwood Academy encased in three interlocking rings and tangled in gnarled tree branches
BOOK

Ruinous Ends: The Souls of Blackwood Academy, Book 2

age 14+

Flawed but ultimately satisfying purgatory-set sequel.

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Common Sense Media

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