Sweet Dreams: Non-Scary Bedtime Books for Independent Readers
by Katherine Reynolds Lewis
There’s nothing like winding down with a book at bedtime to ease into a good night’s sleep. Unless the plot contains a nasty monster, unexpected death, or other spooky surprise that could send your little one — or even your bigger child — scrambling into your bedroom for a middle of the night cuddle.
Fortunately, there are plenty of wonderful books that will entertain your offspring without giving them nightmares, beyond the well-known crowd pleasers like Harry Potter, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Beverly Cleary, and Judy Blume. This list includes funny, suspenseful, thought-provoking reads that are kid-approved for a sound sleep.
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Growing Reader (Ages 6–8)
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Jada Jones Series
Available from:Science-loving Jada Jones always has a positive attitude and is willing to take on any challenge! She is an excellent reminder that, even if things seem scary at first, with hard work and determination, there isn’t anything that kids can’t do! With short chapters and two-color illustrations, this series is a great transition between picture books and chapter books.
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Mercy Watson to the Rescue
Available from:Your child will giggle over the escapades of Mercy the pig as she seeks the delights of buttered toast and sugar cookies, heedless of the chaos she leaves in her wake. If the first book is a hit, your child will enjoy the entire series featuring this porcine wonder.
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Mrs. Noodlekugel
Available from:The magical Mrs. Noodlekugel could go toe to toe with Mary Poppins, in the spells she casts and the adventures her charges embark upon.
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Juana and Lucas Series
Available from:Based on the author’s own childhood, this adorable series follows the playful Juana as she and her dog Lucas, her best amigo, go to school, play soccer, and try to learn English. Told with lots of humor and heart, readers are sure to love this spunky Colombian girl! This series is available both in English and in Spanish!
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Magic Tree House Series
Available from:Children who like adventure and suspense will enjoy following Jack and Annie through time and space, learning about history and other cultures through their enchanted tree house. The vast majority of the books in this series are tame enough for even the most squeamish reader, although some kids might want to skip the titles about ghosts and ghouls.
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Make Way for Fenway Series
Make way for this adorable little dog with a big personality! Kids will love following Fenway as he searches for his missing bone, meets a talkative parrot, and tries to convince his human, Hattie, to let him off the leash.
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The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary School
Available from:Just as ludicrous are the fourth and fifth graders of Aesop Elementary, whose capers always manage to teach a lesson. As children look ahead to the end of their elementary years, they’ll identify with this lively crew.
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Independent Reader (Ages 9–10)
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Planet Omar Series
Available from:Omar is a Muslim boy whose active imagination helps get him through life’s ups and downs. When Omar starts at a new school, he’s excited to make a new best friend. Too bad he also has to deal with a bully. Luckily, he gets creative to come up with a solution to his troubles. Readers will be excited to see where Omar’s imagination takes him next.
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The trials of bookish Matilda, the whimsical adventures of skinny Charlie, and the lovable Big Friendly Giant all became classics for a good reason. Just enjoy.
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The Famously Funny Parrott
Available from:If your child loves to laugh, eat waffles, and go on silly adventures, then have we got a story collection for you! Each laugh-out-loud tale in this chapter book follows Freddie Parrott and his butler, Peccary. No matter what mischief Freddie Parrott finds himself in, he knows he can always rely on the friendship of the loyal Peccary.
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The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy
Available from:The title sets up the story of four motherless sisters’ rambling misadventures centered on a Massachusetts estate whose owner’s son becomes their companion and partner in crime.
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After-School Superstars Series
Available from:This wholesome series features a cast of adorable characters and their after-school program activities. In Boogie Bass: Sign Language Star, Boogie discovers he has a hidden talent for American Sign Language!
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Alvin Ho Series
Available from:Life can be scary in elementary school. We all could use an alter ego like timid Alvin Ho’s creation: Firecracker Man.
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Tween and Early Teen Reader (Ages 11–13)
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Black Boy Joy
Available from:Seventeen acclaimed Black authors share the joy and wonders of Black boyhood. Readers will explore universal childhood themes through poems, comics, and space-travel adventures. This one should not be missed!
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The Rhythm of Time
Rahim's best friend, Kasia, is an incredible inventor. She has created X-ray glasses and a new cell phone that she gives to Rahim for his birthday. But when the phone accidentally transports him to 1997, he'll have to find a way home without changing history. The first in a new series, this thrill-a-minute adventure will become an instant classic!
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Scat
Available from:Miami Herald columnist Carl Hiaasen brings adult-like rollicking, Everglades capers to a teen audience with a quartet of animal-themed novels. In Scat, the school’s most feared biology teacher disappears during a school trip to the swamp, causing students Nick and Marta to investigate.
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The Ice Cream Machine
Available from:From the author of the fan-favorite Dragons Love Tacos comes a hilarious collection of six different stories, all called “The Ice Cream Machine.” Here you’ll find a boy who travels the world with his robot nanny searching for the world’s tastiest treat, stand alongside a penguin as he runs a beachside ice cream truck, and more! You’ll even read stories written by kids, hand-picked by the author.
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Savvy
Available from:This funny, gripping tale centers on Mibs Beaumont and her family, each of whom possesses a magical power that matures on their 13th birthday. But when an accident strands Mibs’s father in a hospital far from home, she sets out to save him, along with an odd collection of companions, in this 2009 Newbery Honor Book. The sequel, Scumble, focuses on Mibs’s cousin Ledge discovering his talent, and is just as enjoyable.
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Holes
Available from:Some authors can truly inhabit a child’s perspective. Louis Sachar brings that talent to the teen experience, following Stanley to Camp Green Lake on work duty, and through the adventure that follows.
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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2016 and updated in 2023.