12 children's and young adult books to get hooked on reading

BarcelonaIt is always a good time to foster the reading habit. We recommend several titles for all ages and tastes so that your children get hooked on reading. This is a selection made by Marta Gil, bookseller at El Gat Pelut in Barcelona, ​​specializing in children's and young adult literature.

With whiskers and boundless curiosity, Àgata Crispy is a very feline and very brilliant detective. Through cases full of enigmas, clues, and irresistible illustrations, young readers can test their wits alongside this observant and fun cat. A perfect game-book for restless minds who are beginning to enjoy solving mysteries, with the humor and good design that are the hallmark of Blackie Books.

From 7 years old.

When two friends start to argue, it might seem like the world is falling apart... but perhaps all it takes is to lift a flap to see what's hidden behind all the squabbling. With her ability to turn emotions into visual art, Clotilde Perrin has created an album full of movement, wonder, and sensitivity. A book for talking about conflict, reconciliation, and how, even when we fight, affection is still there, waiting to be discovered.

From 3 years old.

When the master of horror, Stephen King, delves into a classic like Hansel and Gretel, the result is as fascinating as it is unsettling. This version combines King's intense and dark narrative style with Maurice Sendak's powerful and character-rich illustrations, created for an opera based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale. The result is a wonderful and timeless edition, as evocative as it is nostalgic, inviting us to venture into a forest where the path may not be so easy to find... but is worth the journey.

Ages 6 and up.

Narwhal and Jelly leave the panels and enter the album format with a new adventure full of humor and underwater madness. It all begins when we open the book and it's that... it might be dangerous! Between laughs, surprises, and lots of bubbles, Ben Clanton once again gives us his infallible combination of tenderness and absurdity. Ideal for early readers and for all ages who still know how to laugh with their eyes wide open.

From 5 years old.

A child wakes up in an unknown forest and to find the way home can only follow a mysterious yellow path. Swedish author Sven Nordqvist, creator of the mythical Pettson and Findus, invites us to explore a world full of details, strange creatures and colorful landscapes reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland. With vignettes that provide rhythm and humor, and great visual richness, this album is a wonderful journey that invites you to look, imagine and discover. A book that will be enjoyed by both children and adults.

From 5 years old.

The craziest and most unpredictable family in literature is back! In this second installment, the Swift Enigma must decipher new family secrets, a mysterious murder, and heists so ingenious they seem like works of art. With humor, intrigue, and a lot of pace, Beth Lincoln gives us a story full of powerful words, redefining identities, and unexpected twists. An ideal read for young detectives with an adventurous spirit.

From 9 years old.

Centella and her ferret, Lisa, are crossing a forest full of secrets and dangers to fulfill a mission that could change their world forever. With a precise and poetic style, Frances Hardinge – one of the most prominent voices in British young adult fiction – builds a powerful story about the relationship between humans and nature, between light and darkness. Emily Gravett's illustrations underscore its mysterious and captivating atmosphere. A deep and fascinating adventure for young readers seeking excitement and meaning.

Ages 12 and up.

Adèle is one of those irresistible characters: intelligent, sharp-tongued, and capable of turning any boring day into a festival of mischief. Now the protagonist of the popular comics jumps to the novel format with Adéle. Terrible One Day, Terrible Forever!, where she presents her new invention: the terribility detector! A story full of humor, extravagant ideas, and overflowing energy that will delight readers who already love Adèle – and those who don't know her yet.

For ages 8 and up.

Verònica Fabregat once again captivates us with a new wordless album that concludes the collection Akimira. The book Vamos al bosque is an invitation to get lost among trees, animals, and small details that ask to be discovered. A book to look at and re-examine that awakens the imagination and invites the creation of shared stories. Ideal for early readers or to enjoy together, letting the images speak with our own voice.

From 3 years old.

A visual and narrative journey through Greek mythology as never seen before. For centuries, mythical tales have given voice to heroes, while their female counterparts remained in the background. Invisibles breaks that silence with an original and impactful proposal: through a play of colors – red for men, blue for women – and a filter that reveals the hidden, readers can rediscover the stories from their perspective. A book that combines art, history, and gender perspective to give voice to those who were always there but no one saw.

From 8 years old.

A summer of discoveries, magic, and endless adventures. When the Wilson siblings spend a season in the countryside, they can't imagine that their neighbor, Miss Price, is nothing less than a witch apprentice! Between mail-order spells and failed attempts to fly a broom, the three siblings will end up living an extraordinary adventure when they discover that the bed can transport them wherever they wish. First published in 1943, Mary Norton's novel combines humor, fantasy, and tenderness in a story that is already a modern classic. Viena recovers it in the The Secret Garden collection, in an impeccable edition to keep flying the imagination of new readers.

From 9 years old.

The naughtiest skeletons in children's literature are back at it! The big skeleton and the little skeleton can't help but bump, fall, or trip again and again, while the patient (and increasingly exasperated) Doctor Ossos tries to fix them with bandages and plasters. With its unmistakable humor and an aesthetic that combines panels and speech bubbles as if it were a comic, Bumps in the Middle of the Night plays with the contrast between the darkness of the night and the vivid colors of the scenes, full of movement and details. A new adventure of these unforgettable skeletons that will make both young and old laugh in equal measure.

From 3 years old.