TAMPA, FL — If I were to take a hair off my head for how many times I’ve been told to read “Harry Potter,” I’d be bald. Every week we all love looking at the bestsellers list in our area or going to our local bookstore and grabbing the shiny new book we see showcased on a shelf. Don’t get me wrong, those books are great, but sometimes the books that don’t get as much attention are just as good and could even be better.
These top five, underrated, children’s books are some of the best I’ve read and are sure to have you hooked from start to finish. You may have to dig a little farther into the shelves for these, but it will be worth it!
1: My Family Divided by Diane Guerrero
This is my favorite autobiography of all time. We see deportation, racism and a fight for American citizenship all through a young Colombian girl’s eyes. This amazing journey of home, loss and hope is definitely one I’d recommend.
2: The Story Web by Megan Blakemore
If you’re looking for a nice, lighthearted read, this ones for you. Meet Alice, a carefree and wild girl left by her father when she was little. She rarely gets worried, but when animals in her town start acting up, she knows something is wrong. In this magical classic, Megan Blakemore shows how stories hold our world together.
3: The Camelot Code series by Mari Mancussi
Gamers, this one’s for you. Knights, dragons, round table, gamers and pizza. Who wouldn’t want to read this book? In this novel, gamers Sophie and Stu are in for a shock when King Arthur of the round table steps into the modern world. Can they get him back into his time without awakening his evil sister, Morgana? You will love this modern world meets 
4: The Rosewood Chronicles: Undercover Princess by Connie Glynn
Meet Lottie and Ellie who are polar opposites. Ellie is a rebel princess who longs for a regular life. Lottie is a normal girl who longs for adventure. When fate puts them in the same dorm room at Rosewood Hall they decide to swap identities and live each other’s dream life. Will they be caught? This one is great if you’re into mystery and/or fantasy books.
5: The Best at It by Maulik Pancholy
This book touched my heart in every way possible. The main character, Rahul, is going into seventh grade and is struggling to find his place in the world. The author also adds in a twinge of humor, which makes you laugh very hard while reading it. Grab this book and go with Rahul on his journey of discovering himself and what he truly is the BEST at.
All five of these books are amazing and definitely deserve more recognition. However, if none of them seem to interest you, here are my top three favorite best sellers that are amazingly written and even have movies made about them!
1: The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer
This is the book that first got me into fantasy novels. Alex and Conner are twins, but couldn’t be more different. Alex is book smart and Conner is people smart, two traits they wish they could trade. So when they are magically transported to the fairy tale world through their grandmother’s old storybook, they have to use each other’s talents to help get them out and back to their lives. If you like this book and want more, this is a seven-book series and each book gets better and better!
This is a great book series for children interested in learning about history. With content from Louis Armstrong to J.K. Rowling, this anthology is good if you are looking to brush up on some facts. It is also great for history assignments for school. For example, I was assigned to do a paper on Walt Disney and using his book in the series helped a lot. I even got an A!
3: Nancy Drew Diaries: The Haunting on Heliotrope Lane by Carolyn Keene
I used to love this series in elementary school! Nancy Drew is an ordinary girl who likes to sleuth and solve mysteries. In each book she is up to a new mystery and each one is more exciting than the last. If you like watching Scooby Doo but are looking for a similar book to read, this one is perfect for you!
