Best mystery books for kids
The best mystery books for kids include Ada Twist, Scientist, Quest and Encyclopedia Brown. Mysteries are one of the easiest ways to keep a child reading: every chapter ends with a question they want answered.
12 books, checked for age-appropriate content. Updated .
Content checked by Dhiraj Bodade, co-founder of Bookstaken.
- 1
Ages 6–8
Ada Twist, Scientist
by Andrea Beaty
Curious Ada investigates a mysterious smell through questions and experiments, learning that failed attempts are part of discovery.
- 3
Ages 6–11
Encyclopedia Brown
by Donald J. Sobol
Boy detective Encyclopedia Brown solves seemingly impossible neighborhood cases by noticing tiny contradictions in suspects’ stories.
- 4
Ages 6–8
Cam Jansen
by David A. Adler
Fifth-grader Cam uses her photographic memory and mental “clicks” to solve mysteries with her best friend Eric.
- 5
Ages 6–11
The Boxcar Children
by Gertrude Chandler Warner
Four orphaned siblings create a home in an abandoned boxcar before finding family, security, and many mysteries to solve.
- 6
Ages 6–8
Real Pigeons Fight Crime
by Andrew McDonald
A secret squad of city pigeons solves bizarre crimes involving missing breadcrumbs, kidnapped bats, and other neighborhood mysteries.
- 7
Ages 6–8
King & Kayla
by Dori Hillestad Butler
Kayla and her enthusiastic dog King work together to solve gentle mysteries, although readers understand King better than Kayla does.
- 8
Ages 6–8
Nate the Great
by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
Young detective Nate investigates small mysteries with careful clues, deadpan confidence, and occasional pancake breaks.
- 9
Ages 6–8
A to Z Mysteries
by Ron Roy
Friends Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose follow clues across twenty-six alphabet-themed mysteries involving disappearances, thefts, and suspicious strangers.
- 10
Ages 9–11
George's Secret Key to the Universe
by Lucy & Stephen Hawking
George travels through cosmic portals with scientist Eric, exploring space while protecting a powerful supercomputer from danger.
- 11
Ages 6–11
Geronimo Stilton (series)
by Geronimo Stilton (created by Elisabetta Dami)
Mouse journalist Geronimo Stilton reluctantly travels into dangerous mysteries and comic adventures while trying to meet publishing deadlines.
- 12
Ages 9–14
Sammy Keyes
by Wendelin Van Draanen
Thirteen-year-old Sammy Keyes investigates crimes around her California town while hiding her unusual home life.
More book lists for kids
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