Kiwi Kids Love To Read And Books Featuring Animals Are Hugely Popular

What do dragons, phoenixes, Tūī, sheep, kunekune pigs, Kiwi and cats have in common? They all feature in new books by local authors to appear on the 2025 Whitcoulls Kids’ Top 50 Books List, announced today, Friday 19 September 2025, at 5:00am.

Compiled from thousands of votes by the nation’s younger readers, the Kids’ Top 50 has become a much-loved institution over nearly 30 years. Families across New Zealand use it to discover books for their children or to choose the perfect gift.

Whitcoulls Book Manager Joan Mackenzie says, “The Top 50 is a wonderful barometer of what kids like to read. Votes poured in again this year, showing that our children still love books and are keen to share their enthusiasm with others.”

This year’s list includes 18 titles by New Zealand authors, 15 newcomers, and almost half the books feature animals. Local highlights include Li Chen’s Detective Beans series (#11), James Russell’s Children of the Rush series (#12), and Graci Kim’s fantasy adventure Dreamslinger (#23).

At the very top, J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series returns to the number one spot, followed by Dav Pilkey’s Dog Man series (#2) and Lynley Dodd’s classic Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy (#3).

“Many of the books are part of a series – 17 in total – which is significant for children’s engagement. When kids love the first book, they’re motivated to keep reading through the whole series,” Mackenzie says.

Timeless favourites remain strong in 2025, with The Gruffalo (#8), The Very Hungry Caterpillar (#9) and The Little Yellow Digger (#17) still delighting new generations of readers.

Mackenzie notes that the list also reflects wider reading trends in New Zealand saying, “Despite the lure of digital devices, books continue to have a special place in children’s lives. National research shows that 84% of Kiwi eight-year-olds enjoy reading for pleasure, and most parents still read with their children weekly. The research also says that kids who read frequently not only feel more confident at school but are also more engaged in sport, the arts and other activities. It’s heartening to see that love of reading shine through in the votes for this year’s Top 50.”

Whitcoulls Kids’ Top 50 Books List 2025

(Aotearoa New Zealand authors in bold)

1 Harry Potter Series J.K.Rowling

2 Dog Man Series Dav Pilkey

3 Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy Lynley Dodd

4 Wings of Fire Series Tui T. Sutherland

5 Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series Jeff Kinney

6 Bluey Treasury

7 The Baby-Sitters Club Ann M.Martin

8 The Gruffalo Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler

9 The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eric Carle

10 Keeper of the Lost Cities Series Shannon Messenger

11 Detective Beans & the Case of the Missing Hat Li Chen

12 Children of the Rush Series James Russell

13 The World's Worst Series David Walliams

14 The Treehouse Series Andy Griffiths & Terry Denton

15 Aroha's Way Rebekah Lipp & Craig Phillips

16 The Wild Robot Peter Brown

17 The Little Yellow Digger Betty & Alan Gilderdale

18 Matilda Roald Dahl

19 Percy Jackson Series Rick Riordan

20 Wolf Girl Series Anh Do

21 Cat Kid Comic Club Series Dav Pilkey

22 Dragon Defenders Series James Russell

23 Dreamslinger Graci Kim

24 Warrior Cats Erin Hunter

25 We're Going On A Bear Hunt Michael Rosen & Helen Oxenbury

26 How do I Feel? Rebekah Lipp & Craig Phillips

27 Nee Naw the Little Fire Engine Deano Yippadee & Paul Beavis

28 Charlie & the Chocolate Factory Roald Dahl

29 The Ella Diaries Meredith Costain & Danielle McDonald

30 The Bad Guys Series Aaron Blabey

31 The Wonky Donkey Craig Smith & Katz Cowley

32 Where the Wild Things Are Maurice Sendak

33 Bunny vs Monkey Series Jamie Smart

34 Baa Baa Smart Sheep Mark & Rowan Sommerset

35 The Adventures of Captain Underpants Series Dav Pilkey

36 Room on the Broom Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler

37 The Cat in the Hat Dr Seuss

38 Dear Zoo Rod Campbell

39 I Survived Series Lauren Tarshis

40 Goat on a Trampoline Amy Harrop & Ross Hamilton

41 Guess How Much I Love You Sam McBratney & Anita Jeram

42 Tui Street Tales Anne Kayes

43 Smile Raina Telgemeier

44 Pippa and the Sheep Snatchers Lauren Middleton & Robyn Glendinning

45 Kuwi's First Egg Kat Quin

46 Oh, the Places You'll Go! Dr Seuss

47 You Can't Come in, Kunekune Amy Harrop & Ross Hamilton

48 Pee Wee the Kiwi Blair Cooper & Cheryl Smith

49 The Last Journey Stacy Gregg

50 Lottie Brooks Series Katie Kirby

Whitcoulls is a major national retailer, offering a wide selection of books, stationery, educational toys, puzzles, games, gifts, greeting cards and wrap. Whitcoulls was founded over 130 years ago when George Tombs, a printer and bookbinder, and George Whitcombe, a publisher and bookseller, combined their businesses to create a national publishing company. Whitcombe & Tombs merged with key competitor Coulls Somerville Wilkie and was renamed Whitcoulls in 1973. Whitcoulls is now proudly New Zealand owned by the James Pascoe Group which includes The Farmers Trading Co, Stevens, Pascoes the Jewellers, Stewart Dawson’s and Goldmark.

Notes:

• Reading for pleasure is thriving in New Zealand: According to the Growing Up in New Zealand study, 84% of eight-year-olds enjoy reading for pleasure, and about half say they enjoy it “very much”.

• Parental reading remains strong: The Read NZ National Reading Survey (2021) found that 82% of parents of young children read with them at least once a week, most often at bedtime.

• Confidence and wider engagement: Children who read frequently not only feel more confident about their schoolwork, but are also more likely to take part in extracurricular activities, such as arts, sports, and library visits.

• Digital distractions remain a challenge: A 2024 New Zealand study reported that over 80% of students feel distracted by digital devices in class, reinforcing the importance of maintaining a strong reading culture for focus and learning.

**The 2025 Kids’ Top 50 Books List will be published online at www.whitcoulls.co.nz and promoted instore.

Sources: Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ), Read NZ Te Pou Muramura National Reading Survey 2021, The Education Hub, University of Auckland PISA analysis

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