BREAKING NEWS: Announcing Better Reading’s 2022 Top 50 Kids’ Books!

We are thrilled to announce Better Reading’s 2022 Top 50 Kids’ Books, and it’s a stellar list!

Each year, Australians have their say about which children’s books and authors they love to read. The Better Reading Top 50 Kids is a well-loved annual event that readers vote for, celebrate and then discuss. It’s a true reflection of what Australian kids read. We’re thrilled with this year’s list and look forward to sharing it with our readers.

So without further ado, the 2022 top spot goes to… drumroll please… Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling! Coming in at number one for the second year in a row, it’s clear Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is still capturing the hearts and minds of readers everywhere, and is a rite of passage for all budding bookworms.

Better Reading Director Cheryl Akle states, “This year’s list is a strong one. Each story distinctively elevates everyday life into something fantastical. J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone at number one again emphasises its timelessness and its relatability 25 years on. These same elements appear in recently released titles, including A.F. Steadman’s Skandar and the Unicorn Thief and Eliza Vanda’s Button Box by Emily Rodda making the list for the first time.”

Other notable mentions go to Aussie favourite Mem Fox with three beloved picture books, Amelia Mellor, whose book The Grandest Bookshop in the World makes the list for the second year in a row, and let’s not forget the popular Aaron Blabey with two books on the list.

Some other noteworthy observations:

8 of the top 10 books are written by women
10 books are part of a series
17 of the authors are Australian, and they account for 22 of the books on the list!

Here is the Top 10, as voted by you:

The Top 50 Kids books are available in Big W stores nationwide, bookshops and libraries. All over the country, readers use the Top 50 kids as their annual book list, counting down their reads alone, with friends, in libraries and school classrooms and on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter using the hashtags #Top50Kids2022 #BRTop50Kids.

Thank you to everyone who voted in this year’s Top 50 Kids! We are pleased to announce the following seven winners who will receive a copy of all 50 books: