When you hear the word classic, you might think of books like Little Women or Moby Dick. But in the early 2000s, young readers were shaping their minds with modern books that hold up even today—just don’t call them retro. Here, we asked kids’ book expert Kate Newman to share some top books kids loved in the aughts that are just as inspiring today. “It was hard to narrow it down, but these books truly brought me back,” she says. “I dove into the most nostalgic part of my brain to recall the books that made me laugh, cry, dream, and swoon back in the day.” Read on for her picks.
1
Holes
by Louis Sachar
Stanley Yelnats is unjustly sent to Camp Green Lake, where youngsters are forced to dig holes. But what exactly are they digging for? An award-winning mystery for middle-grade readers and beyond.
2
Encouraging reluctant readers since its debut, this entertaining graphic novel series follows the adventures of two fourth-grade pranksters and the hilarious superhero they create: Captain Underpants.
3
A young Silverwing bat is on a journey to reunite with his family when he encounters a cast of interesting characters—some friends, some enemies.
4
Cue the smiles and giggles with this beloved picture book, which takes little readers through various LOL-inducing scenarios that snowball out of control.
5
Set in an absurd world, this satirical dark comedy series follows the orphaned Baudelaire children, who are faced with trials but stick together. Kids will also love the hidden vocab lessons within its pages.
6
Magic, mystery, and time travel come together in these chapter books about a magic treehouse that transports Jack and Annie to the dinosaur age, the pyramids, and more.
7
It’s Junie B.’s first day of school and she’s too scared to go on the school bus—so, at the end of the day, she doesn’t!
8
A mix of sci-fi and fantasy, this novel chronicles the adventures of 12-year-old criminal mastermind Artemis—guaranteed to keep kids laughing and guessing.
9
Emily and Navin find themselves in a fantastical world of robots, strange plants, and talking animals when they search for their mom, who was lured into the basement.
10
Arthur seems to be the only kid wearing glasses, and he gets teased about it. So he stops wearing them, and finds himself in some sticky situations.
11
Featuring five bestsellers from the iconic Goosebumps series, these novels are sure to give young readers a thrill (and some chills).
12
Inkheart
by Cornelia Funke
An evil ruler from a fictional book appears in Meggie’s living room sparking an adventure that Meggie has only ever read about in her books.
13
Set in Depression-era Flint, Mich., 10-year-old orphan Bud sets out to find his father and is met with fun, kindness, and love along the way.