At this age there’s a bit of a transition or a bridge happening with reading. And sometimes 9 year olds are still reading the funny, picture-heavy books alongside the long ones. Which is totally okay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What to expect from a book at 9<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The chapters stretch to fifteen or twenty pages. Drawings are a bit more sparse or not at all instead of evert page. The plot needs a little more attention, and the hero usually has a problem that takes the whole book to sort out rather than a chapter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So the five below are longer than anything on my chapter books for 8 year olds list. None of them is a doorstop though. A child who can manage a Beast Quest can manage all of these.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Five chapter books for 9 year olds<\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe Haunting of Aveline Jones by Phil Hickes<\/h3>\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/readingmate.co.uk\/littlereads\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1737557284_67910524264e3-196x300.jpg\")
<\/div>The Haunting of Aveline Jones<\/p>
Phil Hickes<\/span><\/span>Age 9<\/span><\/span>Mystery<\/span><\/div><\/div>›<\/span><\/a>\n\n\n\nFor a child who really does enjoy a good fright.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aveline loves reading ghost stories, so a dreary half-term becomes much more exciting when she discovers a spooky old book. It belonged to a girl called Primrose Penberthy, who vanished mysteriously and was never seen again. Aveline decides to investigate, with help from her new friend Harold. Now someone, or something, is stirring, and it’s looking for Aveline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Bewitching of Aveline Jones<\/a> is next, with a stone circle and a new friend who isn’t what she seems, and there’s a third after that. They are properly creepy. If they come out the other side wanting more, my ghost stories for tweens<\/a> list is the step up.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBoy Overboard by Morris Gleitzman<\/h3>\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/readingmate.co.uk\/littlereads\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ebookupload-1660123071021-195x300.jpeg\")
<\/div>Boy Overboard<\/p>
Morris Gleitzman<\/span><\/span>Age 9<\/span><\/span>Adventure<\/span><\/div><\/div>›<\/span><\/a>\n\n\n\nFootball, and a family who have to leave everything behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jamal wants to be a football star. His sister Bibi wants to play too, but in the Afghanistan they live in, girls aren’t allowed to join in. Their dream is to play for Australia, and getting there means a dangerous journey for the whole family, with threats on land and at sea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A refugee family’s journey told through a 9 year old’s eyes. It’s funny and frightening in equal measure, which is typical of a Morris Gleitzman book. There are six of his at this age, and Girl Underground<\/a> is the one I’d go to next. The Once books sit at 11 for later.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Smidgens by David O’Connell<\/h3>\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/readingmate.co.uk\/littlereads\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1737446117_678f52e54d1f2-194x300.jpg\")
<\/div>The Smidgens<\/p>
David O'Connell<\/span><\/span>Age 9<\/span><\/span>Adventure<\/span><\/div><\/div>›<\/span><\/a>\n\n\n\nA funny, British one with a Borrowers feel to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gafferty Sprout is a Smidgen. A Smidgen looks like a human, sounds like a human and loves chips with curry sauce like a human, if humans were three inches tall. Generations ago there were lots of them, living in a maze of tunnels under the village of Dundoodle. Now Gafferty, her parents and her little brothers Gobkin and Grub are the only ones left, and the tunnels are forbidden. Then Gafferty finds an old map.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In The Smidgens Crash-Land<\/a> a strange Smidgen steals her magical knife and sets off with it. It’s the second of three.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSpace Detectives by Mark Powers<\/h3>\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/readingmate.co.uk\/littlereads\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1737382211_678e594345436-196x300.jpg\")
<\/div>Space Detectives<\/p>
Mark Powers<\/span><\/span>Age 9<\/span><\/span>Sci Fi<\/span><\/div><\/div>›<\/span><\/a>\n\n\n\nA light, quick read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Connor and Ethan are spending their summer holidays aboard the world’s first orbiting city, Starville, which is bursting with celebrities and the mega-rich. But Connor and Ethan are too busy selling ice cream to see the sights, until they discover the space station is on a collision course with the moon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Extra Weird Creatures<\/a> is the second Space Detectives book, the one where boys grow two heads and dogs grow three tails. When they’ve made their way through both, Mark Powers also writes Spy Toys<\/a>, in which a teddy bear so strong he could crush a car teams up with a doll who has a very short temper.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMadame Pamplemousse and Her Incredible Edibles by Rupert Kingfisher<\/h3>\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/readingmate.co.uk\/littlereads\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1737100997_678a0ec54c69c-196x300.jpg\")
<\/div>Madame Pamplemousse and Her Incredible Edibles<\/p>
<\/div>The Haunting of Aveline Jones<\/p>
For a child who really does enjoy a good fright.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aveline loves reading ghost stories, so a dreary half-term becomes much more exciting when she discovers a spooky old book. It belonged to a girl called Primrose Penberthy, who vanished mysteriously and was never seen again. Aveline decides to investigate, with help from her new friend Harold. Now someone, or something, is stirring, and it’s looking for Aveline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Bewitching of Aveline Jones<\/a> is next, with a stone circle and a new friend who isn’t what she seems, and there’s a third after that. They are properly creepy. If they come out the other side wanting more, my ghost stories for tweens<\/a> list is the step up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Boy Overboard<\/p> Football, and a family who have to leave everything behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jamal wants to be a football star. His sister Bibi wants to play too, but in the Afghanistan they live in, girls aren’t allowed to join in. Their dream is to play for Australia, and getting there means a dangerous journey for the whole family, with threats on land and at sea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A refugee family’s journey told through a 9 year old’s eyes. It’s funny and frightening in equal measure, which is typical of a Morris Gleitzman book. There are six of his at this age, and Girl Underground<\/a> is the one I’d go to next. The Once books sit at 11 for later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Smidgens<\/p> A funny, British one with a Borrowers feel to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gafferty Sprout is a Smidgen. A Smidgen looks like a human, sounds like a human and loves chips with curry sauce like a human, if humans were three inches tall. Generations ago there were lots of them, living in a maze of tunnels under the village of Dundoodle. Now Gafferty, her parents and her little brothers Gobkin and Grub are the only ones left, and the tunnels are forbidden. Then Gafferty finds an old map.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In The Smidgens Crash-Land<\/a> a strange Smidgen steals her magical knife and sets off with it. It’s the second of three.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Space Detectives<\/p> A light, quick read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Connor and Ethan are spending their summer holidays aboard the world’s first orbiting city, Starville, which is bursting with celebrities and the mega-rich. But Connor and Ethan are too busy selling ice cream to see the sights, until they discover the space station is on a collision course with the moon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Extra Weird Creatures<\/a> is the second Space Detectives book, the one where boys grow two heads and dogs grow three tails. When they’ve made their way through both, Mark Powers also writes Spy Toys<\/a>, in which a teddy bear so strong he could crush a car teams up with a doll who has a very short temper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Madame Pamplemousse and Her Incredible Edibles<\/p>Boy Overboard by Morris Gleitzman<\/h3>\n\n\n
<\/div>The Smidgens by David O’Connell<\/h3>\n\n\n
<\/div>Space Detectives by Mark Powers<\/h3>\n\n\n
<\/div>Madame Pamplemousse and Her Incredible Edibles by Rupert Kingfisher<\/h3>\n\n\n
<\/div>