New York Times Bestsellers: Books for Kids and Teens

Last updated: July 9, 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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It's My Bird-Day! book cover: Bird in a muliticolored birthday hat casts his big eye at the viewer against a background of lavender polka dots
BOOK

It's My Bird-Day!

age 3+

Pigeon wants his birthday all alone in funny sharing 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.

Dragons Love Tacos Poster Image
BOOK

Dragons Love Tacos

age 4+

Taco party has fiery consequences in funny dragon tale.

Little Blue Truck and Racer Red book cover: Blue truck and red race car side by side on country road, looking at each other as barnyard animals cheer
BOOK

Little Blue Truck and Racer Red

age 4+

Race car and Blue become fast friends in winning story.

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.

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.

Unsettling Salad book cover: A badger and a possum, in black and white, making sad faces at neon green salad in front of them
BOOK

Unsettling Salad!: Jasper Rabbit's Creepy Tales!, Book 2

age 6+

Funny-spooky story about vegetables' dangers.

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.

War Games book cover: A girl looking toward Berlin’s torchlit Brandenburg Gate. Two lines of Nazis soldier are marching toward her
BOOK

War Games

age 9+

Teen Olympian takes on Nazis in exciting, twisty heist tale.

The Court of the Dead book cover: Asterion the minotaur struggles in chains as Nico, Will, and Hazel try to save him; the Mist swirls all around them
BOOK

The Court of the Dead: A Nico di Angelo Adventure

age 10+

Queer demigods' emotionally intelligent second quest.

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.

The Way Things Work Now Poster Image
BOOK

The Way Things Work Now

age 11+

Captivating look at the things that power our world.

Change of Plans book cover: A White woman from nose to chest with brown hair wearing a blue apron and sunglasses
BOOK

Change of Plans

age 12+

Lovely coming-of-age tale of family, friends, and breakfast.

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.

The Escape Game book cover: Illustration of a dark room with a coffin, flashlight, skull, overturned chair, bookshelves, handcuffs, and chess board
BOOK

The Escape Game

age 14+

Teens solve reality show murder in page-turning thriller.

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