New York Times Bestsellers: Books for Kids and Teens

Last updated: August 21, 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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The Pigeon HAS to Go to School! Poster Image
BOOK

The Pigeon HAS to Go to School!

age 3+

Fresh, wacky take on first-day-of school jitters.

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.

Sing the 50 United States! book cover: The Cat in the Hat stands on a map of the southeastern U.S. and appears to be singing a song
BOOK

Sing the 50 United States!

age 4+

Cat in the Hat "sings" each state in joyful, song style.

The Crayons Go Back to School book cover: A green, blue, and black crayon stand by a tape dispenser against a plain white background
BOOK

The Crayons Go Back to School

age 4+

Crayons are excited to return in fun back-to-school book.

Time for School, Little Blue Truck Poster Image
BOOK

Time for School, Little Blue Truck

age 4+

Blue helps a friend in need in cheerful school tale.

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.

Pocket Bear book cover: Small, hopeful-looking teddy bear being cuddled by a gray cat
BOOK

Pocket Bear

age 8+

Sweet, poignant tale of wartime survivors and who they lost.

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.

Sleepless book cover: Alert little dog in a sleeping cap, covered by blanket, with an analog clock behind
BOOK

Sleepless

age 9+

Wakeful tweens make unwelcome discoveries in wacky tale.

The Aftermyth book cover: From an ornate gold box, Pandora's gilded head peeks out and two green snakes slither around it
BOOK

The Aftermyth

age 10+

Mix of Percy Jackson and Harry Potter is fun but confusing.

The Lions' Run book cover: Boy on running horse, looking backward
BOOK

The Lions' Run

age 10+

Thrilling, poignant tale of teens vs. Nazis in France.

The Poisoned King book cover: Long-haired blonde girl and boy with short dark hair back to back with swords
BOOK

The Poisoned King: Impossible Creatures, Book 2

age 10+

Thrilling sequel pits kids and dragons against killer.

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.

Refugee Poster Image
BOOK

Refugee

age 11+

Harrowing page-turner sheds light on child refugees.

Rootbound book cover: Rapunzel with short, dark hair, surrounded by glowing butterflies
BOOK

Rootbound: A Tangled Novel

age 12+

Love, courage, problem-solving in lively princess sequel.

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.

Fake Skating book cover: Illustrations of a teen boy and girl in various poses including ice skating, reading, and piggy back
BOOK

Fake Skating

age 14+

Hockey, swearing in fun friends-to-sweethearts romance.

If Only I Had Told Her book cover: Red rose with flower broken off of stem
BOOK

If Only I Had Told Her

age 14+

Dramatic teen romance starts with tragedy, ends with hope.

Release Me book cover: A large blue eye with broad lashes surrounded by falling tear-shaped diamonds
BOOK

Release Me: The New Republic, Book 2

age 14+

Sci-fi page-turner has too much swooning, too little plot.

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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