Top 5 Mystery Books For Young Readers

Are you the parent of a curious child who loves to read, or do you know one?

Are you looking for that perfect book to satisfy their appetite for books and mystery? Or even one to enjoy along with them?

If so, stick around for our countdown of the top 5 of classical mystery books written specifically for children between the ages of 8-12, and find out what constitutes the cream of the crop in children’s curiosities.

1. The Famous Five

By Enid Blyton

This is the first in a series that is dear to many people's hearts; the Famous Five is typically remembered fondly by those who read it in their youth. Introducing us to Julian, Dick, Ann, their cousin George (who is actually a girl called Georgina, but she is a tomboy who prefers George) and their dog Tim.

This first adventure sees the Famous Five on holiday on Kirrin Island, upon which they find a shipwreck and learn about the legend of the gold ingots. The Five embark on an adventure to find the treasure, but with others also on the trail, it's a race for the gold.

This is an enthralling and mysterious first venture, and easy to see why the books became so well-loved. Great for children to read alone, the descriptions of outdoor activities and beautiful and interesting locations may even inspire your young reader to venture outside themselves once in a while and have some adventures of their own.

2. The Boxcar Children 

by Gertrude Chandler Warner

In the first book of Boxcar Children series the Aldens begin their adventure by making a home in a boxcar. Their goal is to stay together, and in the process they find a grandfather.

The book tells the story of four orphaned children, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny. They create a home for themselves in an abandoned boxcar in the forest. They eventually meet their grandfather, who is a wealthy and kind man (although the children had believed him to be cruel). The children decide to live with the grandfather, who moves the beloved boxcar to his backyard so the children can use it as a playhouse.

The Boxcar Children is a children's literary franchise originally created and written by the American first-grade school teacher Gertrude Chandler Warner. Today, the series includes well over 100 titles. The series is aimed at readers in grades 2–6.

Based on a 2007 online poll, the National Education Association named the original book one of its "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children". In 2012 the original novel was ranked among the all-time "Top 100 Chapter Books", or children's novels, in a survey published by School Library Journal.

3. The Secret of the Old Clock

By Carolyn Keene

Nancy Drew is a children’s mystery classic, most specifically a girls' classic. In her first outing the socially adept Miss Drew, whilst running errands for her father meets a series of people who are connected to a man who has recently passed away and there is some contention over the will. The will which is found is not quite what was expected and Nancy now sets out to find the (real) missing will.

This book is a suspenseful, risky adventure that of course culminates in Nancy saving the day.

The biggest allure of the Nancy Drew Mysteries is the woman herself, a smart and spunky young woman who drives a convertible and is a perfect young lady. Nancy is considerate and a social butterfly, with a strong sense of morality and a highly inquisitive nature. These qualities make the female flatfoot a fantastic role model for young girls, and this is how she is often remembered by her fans.

Nancy Drew inspires curiosity, a sense of adventure and altruism. The mystery itself is both highly suspenseful and completely predictable, but wonderful because of it. Whilst the books are not likely to be enjoyed by young boys (it's not impossible, but still unlikely), but definitely a series that smart young girls will love.

4. The Happy Hollisters 

by Jerry West (Pseudonym)

The Happy Hollisters is a series of books about a family who loves to solve mysteries. The series was published by the Stratemeyer Syndicate and entirely written by Andrew E. Svenson (1910–1975) under the pseudonym Jerry West.

This series recounts the adventures of a young American middle-class family solving mysteries from their home on Pine Lake in the city of Shoreham (no state is ever provided). The Hollister family includes five children, their parents, a family of cats, a dog and a burro. Pete is the oldest of the Hollister children and is 12 years old. Pam, or Pamela, is 10 years old and very adventurous. Ricky is a red-headed, rambunctious 7-year-old and Holly is a 6-year-old tomboy. The youngest is Sue, age 4.

Their father, Mr. John Hollister, owns a general store named The Trading Post, where he sells hardware, sporting goods, and toys. Mrs. Elaine Hollister tries to help her children solve mysteries and is always ready with handy tips for solving cases.

Joey Brill and Will Wilson appear as rivals of the Hollister family in most books. While not actually villains, they appear as obstacles and annoyances to the Hollisters' mystery-solving efforts in most plots. Usually their disruptive actions are shown to be the result of lack of awareness, apathy, or indifference, rather than malicious motives.

5. The Mystery of Smugglers Cove 

by Paul Moxham

Are you up for a thrilling adventure? This is book 1 in The Mystery Series. The adventure novel will suit people who enjoy Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys or the Famous Five.

The author Paul Moxham is best known for his middle grade mystery series which follows four children having adventures in 1950's Britain.

When twelve year old Joe Mitchell, along with his two younger sisters, visits Smugglers Cove for the summer holidays, they get caught up in a thrilling adventure that is beyond their wildest imagination.

Follow the children as they flee down a river, are chased by ferocious dogs, locked up in an old manor, get lost at sea, expose a spy, and more!