Here are the top 30 bestselling mysteries & detectives books for 6 year olds. Please click Read Review to read book reviews on Amazon. You can also click Find in Library to check book availability at your local library. If the default library is not correct, please follow Change Library to reset it.
1. The Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew Collection: Sleepover Sleuths; Scream for Ice Cream; Pony Problems; The Cinderella Ballet Mystery; Case of the Sneaky Snowman
by: Carolyn Keene, Macky Pamintuan Release date: Jul 08, 2014 Number of Pages: 480 Find in Library Read Review |
The first five books in the Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew chapter book series are now available in a collectible boxed set, perfect for aspiring sleuths!
This clue-filled boxed set includes:
Sleepover Sleuths
Scream for Ice Cream
Pony Problems
The Cinderella Ballet Mystery
The Case of the Sneaky Snowman
2. Nate the Great
by: Marjorie Weinman Sharmat, Marc Simont Release date: Apr 15, 1977 Number of Pages: 80 Find in Library Read Review |
Nate the Great has a new case! His friend Annie has lost a picture. She wants Nate to help her find it. Nate the Great must get all the facts, ask the right questions, and narrow the list of suspects so he can solve the mystery.
Check out the Fun Activities section in the back of the book!
Visit Nate the Great and Sludge!
NatetheGreatBooks.com
*“Marc Simont has dressed Nate the Great in Sherlock Holmes garb, and Marjorie Weinman Sharmat has perfectly reduced Sam Spade sentences to fit primary grade sleuths. Adults won’t mind reading this aloud again and again. Kids will like Nate the Great. Kids will want to read more of his books.” —School Library Journal, Starred
“The illustrations capture the exaggerated, tongue-in-cheek humor of the story.” —Booklist
3. Sleepover Sleuths (Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew #1)
by: Carolyn Keene, Macky Pamintuan Release date: Jun 01, 2006 Number of Pages: 96 Find in Library Read Review |
Nancy and her two best friends, George and Bess, are so excited! They have been invited to Deirdre’s sleepover party! There will be pizza, cake, and even a pajama fashion show. But the most exciting thing is that the party has a City Girls doll theme. All of the guests are bringing their dolls with them!
But then Deirdre’s City Girls doll — Hollywood Heather — goes missing. Is her sleepover ruined? Or is there a detective in the room who can make sense of this mystery?
4. Nate the Great Goes Undercover
by: Marjorie Weinman Sharmat, Marc Simont Release date: Feb 15, 1978 Number of Pages: 80 Find in Library Read Review |
Beginning readers are introduced to the detective mystery genre in these chapter books. Perfect for the Common Core, kids can problem-solve with Nate, using logical thinking to solve mysteries!
Somebody has been raiding Oliver’s garbage can each night. How can Nate narrow the long list of suspects down to one? Nate the Great might just have to go under cover . . . under cover of the garbage can lid, that is!
Check out the Fun Activities section in the back of the book!
Visit Nate the Great and Sludge!
NatetheGreatBooks.com
*“Marc Simont’s charcoal and pastel illustrations provide the perfect backdrop for this clever case.” —School Library Journal, Starred
“First graders’ favorite private eye solves the case of Oliver’s scattered garbage in those short, easy sentences that Sharmat transforms into crisp, tough-guy humor.” —Kirkus Reviews (A Kirkus Reviews Editor’s Choice)
5. The Hardy Boys Secret Files Collection Books 1-5: Trouble at the Arcade; The Missing Mitt; Mystery Map; Hopping Mad; A Monster of a Mystery (Hardy Boys: The Secret Files)
by: Franklin W. Dixon, Scott Burroughs Release date: Aug 05, 2014 Number of Pages: 496 Find in Library Read Review |
When there’s trouble brewing in Bayport, brothers Frank and Joe Hardy are the go-to guys for solving cases. Help crack the first five cases in the Hardy Boys chapter book series!
This boxed set includes:
Trouble at the Arcade
The Missing Mitt
Mystery Map
Hopping Mad
Monster of a Mystery
6. Ballpark Mysteries #1: The Fenway Foul-up (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))
by: David A. Kelly, Mark Meyers Release date: Feb 22, 2011 Number of Pages: 112 Find in Library Read Review |
Thanks to Kate’s mom, a sports reporter, cousins Mike Walsh and Kate Hopkins have tickets to the Red Sox game and All Access passes to Fenway Park. But as they’re watching batting practice before the game, the lucky bat of Red Sox star slugger Big D is stolen . . . right in front of dozens of people. Without the bat, Big D can’t seem to hit a thing. Can Kate and Mike figure out who pinched the bat before Big D and the Sox chalk up a loss?
The Fenway Foul-Up includes a fun fact page about Boston’s Fenway Park.
Cross Ron Roy’s mystery series with Matt Christopher’s sports books and you get the Ballpark Mysteries: fun, puzzling whodunnits aimed right at beginning readers.
7. Nate the Great and the Crunchy Christmas
by: Marjorie Weinman Sharmat, Craig Sharmat Release date: Oct 06, 1997 Number of Pages: 80 Find in Library Read Review |
Annie’s dog is unhappy. When Fang is unhappy, everyone is unhappy. Especially Nate the Great. So Nate agrees to sniff out Fang’s mysteriously missing Christmas mail. It’s cold and snowy. But Nate the Great and his dog, Sludge, will try to solve this holiday case in time for Fang to have a crunchy, munchy Christmas.
Check out the Fun Activities section in the back of the book!
Visit Nate the Great and Sludge!
NatetheGreatBooks.com
“All the usual characters, Sharmat’s wry humor, and Simont’s lively, appealing watercolors are packed into this easy reader that’s sure to be popular all year long.”–School Library Journal
“Nate uncovers some snowy clues to deliver a lip-smacking holiday greeting to Fang and his owner. Simont’s loose, humorous chalk and watercolor spots help turn this beginning reader into a page-turner.”–Publishers Weekly
8. Nate the Great and the Snowy Trail
by: Marjorie Weinman Sharmat, Marc Simont Release date: Dec 01, 1983 Number of Pages: 80 Find in Library Read Review |
Nate the Great has his work cut out for him. Rosamond has lost his birthday present! But how can Nate find his missing present when Rosamond won’t tell him what it is?
Check out the Fun Activities section in the back of the book!
Visit Nate the Great and Sludge!
NatetheGreatBooks.com
“Brisk and bright as always, with pictures of a lovably scowling Nate and a voguishly strange Rosamond . . . for added appeal.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Readers will have a dandy time following the case and will sympathize with Nate’s wish that he had failed to solve it when he finds the dismaying ‘present’.”—Publishers Weekly
“The tongue-in-cheek mystery unfolds briskly. Simont’s . . . cartoons are in tune with Sharmat’s comic touch.”—Booklist
9. Ballpark Mysteries Super Special #1: The World Series Curse (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))
by: David A. Kelly, Mark Meyers Release date: Sep 13, 2016 Number of Pages: 144 Find in Library Read Review |
Red Sox versus Cubs. Game five. It looks like Mike and Kate are about to watch the Cubs win it all. But then someone starts messing with the team—ruining equipment, getting Cubs players in trouble, and even stirring up an old baseball curse. Now the Red Sox are coming back! Who will win the ultimate baseball trophy? And can Mike and Kate make sure it’s won fair and square?
Ballpark Mysteries are the all-star matchup of fun sleuthing and baseball action, perfect for readers of Ron Roy’s A to Z Mysteries and Matt Christopher’s sports books, and younger siblings of Mike Lupica fans. Each Ballpark Mystery also features Dugout Notes, with amazing baseball facts.
10. Ballpark Mysteries: The Dugout boxed set (books 1-4)
by: David A. Kelly Release date: Sep 27, 2016 Number of Pages: 112 Find in Library Read Review |
Team up with baseball super-fans Mike and Kate as they knock their first four mysteries out of the park! From a stolen baseball bat to a haunted stadium, there’s no mystery that these cousins can’t solve with their sharp detective skills and their love of the game. Includes Ballpark Mysteries #1: The Fenway Foul-Up, Ballpark Mysteries #2: The Pinstripe Ghost, Ballpark Mysteries #3: The L.A. Dodger, and Ballpark Mysteries #4: The Astro Outlaw. Batter up!
11. The Absent Author (A to Z Mysteries)
by: Ron Roy, John Steven Gurney Release date: Sep 23, 1997 Number of Pages: 96 Find in Library Read Review |
Help Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose solve mysteries from A to Z!
Kids love collecting the entire alphabet and super editions! With over 8 million copies in print, the A to Z Mysteries® have been hooking chapter book readers on mysteries and reading for years. Now this classic kid favorite is back with a bright new look!
A is for Author . . . A famous writer is coming to Green Lawn! Dink rushes to the bookstore to meet his favorite author, Wallis Wallace, and get all his books signed. But the author never shows up! Where is Wallis Wallace? It’s up to Dink and his friends Josh and Ruth Rose to track him down.
12. The Miss Nelson Collection
by: Harry G. Allard Jr., James Marshall Release date: May 06, 2014 Number of Pages: 112 Find in Library Read Review |
The three classic school stories. Accept no substitute.
More than forty years ago Viola Swamp slinked into Room 207 at Horace B. Smedley School and whipped Miss Nelson’s terrible, rude, worst-class-in-the-whole-school students into shape. In the intervening generations since the publication of Miss Nelson Is Missing!, millions of children have been fascinated by the legend of Miss Swamp. A diabolical creation from the minds of Harry G. Allard and James Marshall, Miss Nelson’s alter ego illuminates the folly of misbehavior through amazing feats of disguise. And she’s never been more hilarious than now!
For the first time ever, Miss Nelson Is Missing!, Miss Nelson Is Back, and Miss Nelson Has a Field Day are available in one volume. This comical, collectable treasury of stories is a must-have for teachers and their mischievous students everywhere.
13. Ballpark Mysteries #6: The Wrigley Riddle (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))
by: David A. Kelly, Mark Meyers Release date: Feb 26, 2013 Number of Pages: 112 Find in Library Read Review |
Next up to the plate—book #6 in our early chapter book mystery series, where each book is set in a different American ballpark!
Ivy-covered walls—they’re the most famous part of the Chicago Cubs’ historic ballpark, Wrigley Field. Mike and Kate can’t wait to get down on the field to see the ivy for themselves. But when they do, they’re horrified to discover patches of the ivy have been ripped away! Who would want to sabotage the stadium? Is it someone trying to curse the Cubs? Or is the rumor of a treasure hidden under the ivy tempting greedy fans? The Wrigley Riddle includes a fun fact page about Chicago’s Wrigley Field.
Cross Ron Roy’s A to Z Mystery series with Matt Christopher’s sports books and you get the Ballpark Mysteries: fun, puzzling whodunits aimed at the younger brothers and sisters of John Feinstein’s fans.
Amazon Best Books of the Year 2013 (So Far): Chapter Books
14. Nate the Great and the Monster Mess
by: Marjorie Weinman Sharmat, Martha Weston Release date: Sep 11, 2001 Number of Pages: 80 Find in Library Read Review |
Beginning readers are introduced to the detective mystery genre in these chapter books. Perfect for the Common Core, kids can problem-solve with Nate, using logical thinking to solve mysteries!
Nate the Great loves his mother’s Monster Cookies. But now her Monster Cookie recipe is missing! Nate and his dog, Sludge, get to work. They find lots of clues. But which ones count? Will Nate ever eat those wonderful cookies again?
Check out the Fun Activities section in the back of the book!
Visit Nate the Great and Sludge!
NatetheGreatBooks.com
“The short chapters and quick resolution of the mystery will be appreciated by beginning readers. Nate’s many fans will eagerly sink their teeth into this treat.”–School Library Journal
15. The Mystery of the Stolen Statue (Third-Grade Detectives)
by: George E. Stanley, Salvatore Murdocca Release date: Nov 01, 2004 Number of Pages: 80 Find in Library Read Review |
The police quickly find the statue — smashed into pieces and thrown in a Dumpster. Why would someone steal the statue only to destroy it? It looks like a new case for the Third-Grade Detectives — even if the museum director doesn’t seem to want their help.
16. Scholastic Reader Level 3: Pony Mysteries #1: Penny and Pepper: Penny & Pepper
by: Jeanne Betancourt, Kellee Riley Release date: Jan 01, 2011 Number of Pages: 48 Find in Library Read Review |
Penny is visiting her grandparents out in the country for the summer. They have a surprise for her–a pony named Pepper! Along with their new friends, Tom and Tina, Penny and Pepper solve mysteries in the neighborhood, and rescue a frightened kitten!
17. Ghost Island (Choose Your Own Adventure – Dragonlark) (Choose Your Own Adventure. Dragonlarks)
by: Shannon Gilligan Release date: Aug 30, 2013 Number of Pages: 80 Find in Library Read Review |
This book is different than every book you’ve ever read.
Don’t believe me?
Have you ever read a book that’s about you? This book is!
YOU get to choose what happens next – and even how the story will end.
You are on a sailing trip with your family and two of your friends in the Caribbean. One night you stop on the island of Antigua. Some children who live there tell you that the island is haunted by a ghost. They are going to spy on the ghost as soon as the sun sets.
Should you go with them, or go by yourself to meet this ghost?
Should you steal away to the cemetery in the middle of the night?
Are you brave enough for Ghost Island?
YOU choose what happens next! Good luck…
18. Inspector Flytrap
by: Tom Angleberger, Cece Bell Release date: Aug 02, 2016 Number of Pages: 112 Find in Library Read Review |
Inspector Flytrap in the Da Vinci Cold introduces kids to the humorous and wacky world of Inspector Flytrap’s Detective Agency, home to the world-renowned solver of BIG DEAL mysteries. The plant detective works tirelessly with his assistant Nina the Goat on his community’s unsolved cases. There’s no case too big, but there are definitely cases too small for this endearingly self-important plant detective.
Celebrating the disabled yet enabled, the character of Inspector Flytrap is wheeled everywhere (on a skateboard, of course) by his goat sidekick as this mystery-solving duo works on cases such as “The Big Deal Mystery of the Stinky Cookies” and “The Big Deal Mystery of the Missing Rose.”
On his first caper, Inspector Flytrap heads to the Art Museum’s Secret Lab to discover what important message lies in a mysterious glob on a recently discovered Da Vinci flower painting. The ingenious solution: Da Vinci was allergic to flowers, and the glob is, er, evidence of that ancient sneeze.
Combining wacky humor and a silly cast of characters with adventure, friendship, and mystery, the powerhouse team of Tom Angleberger and Cece Bell have created a uniquely engaging series that is perfect for newly independent readers and fans of Ricky Ricotta, Captain Underpants, and the Galaxy Zack series. Also included in these books are some graphic novel–style pages that will attract reluctant readers.
19. The Doll in the Garden: A Ghost Story
by: Mary Downing Hahn Release date: Jun 18, 2007 Number of Pages: 128 Find in Library Read Review |
When Ashley discovers a turn-of-the-century doll it is just the first of several puzzling events that lead her through the hedge and into a twilight past where she meets Louise, an ailing child whose beloved doll has mysteriously disappeared.
20. The Cul-de-sac Kids Books 1-6 (Boxed Set)
by: Beverly Lewis Release date: Oct 01, 1995 Number of Pages: 480 Find in Library Read Review |
21. Ivy and Bean Take the Case (Book 10)
by: Annie Barrows, Sophie Blackall Release date: Aug 12, 2014 Number of Pages: 136 Find in Library Read Review |
22. Scream for Ice Cream (Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew #2)
by: Carolyn Keene, Macky Pamintuan Release date: Jun 01, 2006 Number of Pages: 96 Find in Library Read Review |
Nancy and her friends think there is nothing more fun than ice cream in the summer. So when they find out that the owners of the local ice-cream factory are hosting a contest, the Clue Crew can’t wait to enter! Contestants must come up with brand-new flavors. And they can use whatever ingredients they want! Nancy is sure that her entry — Clue Berry — will win!
But when a friend’s secret recipe goes missing, Nancy suspects that someone not-so-sweet is up to no good.
23. The Bald Bandit (A to Z Mysteries)
by: Ron Roy, John Steven Gurney Release date: Sep 23, 1997 Number of Pages: 71 Find in Library Read Review |
Help Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose solve mysteries from A to Z!
Kids love collecting the entire alphabet and super editions! With over 8 million copies in print, the A to Z Mysteries® have been hooking chapter book readers on mysteries and reading for years. Now this classic kid favorite is back with a bright new look!
B is for Bandit . . . There’s a bank robber in Green Lawn! A red-haired kid took a video of the crime, but nobody can find him. Without the video, will the robber go free? Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose must track down that kid—before the bandit does!
24. Junie B. Jones and Some Sneaky Peeky Spying (Junie B. Jones, No. 4)
by: Barbara Park, Denise Brunkus Release date: May 24, 1994 Number of Pages: 66 Find in Library Read Review |
Meet the World’s Funniest Kindergartner—Junie B. Jones! Junie B. is the bestest spier in the world. That’s ’cause she has sneaky feet. And her nose doesn’t whistle when she breathes. But guess what? Junie B. might be real sneaky. And real peeky. But when she spies on Mrs., she could get into real trouble!
USA Today:
“Junie B. is the darling of the young-reader set.”
Publishers Weekly:
“Park convinces beginning readers that Junie B.—and reading—are lots of fun.”
Kirkus Reviews:
“Junie’s swarms of young fans will continue to delight in her unique take on the world. . . . A hilarious, first-rate read-aloud.”
Time:
“Junie B. Jones is a feisty six-year-old with an endearing penchant for honesty.”
25. The Canary Caper (A to Z Mysteries)
by: Ron Roy, John Steven Gurney Release date: Mar 03, 1998 Number of Pages: 96 Find in Library Read Review |
Help Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose solve mysteries from A to Z!
Kids love collecting the entire alphabet and super editions! With over 8 million copies in print, the A to Z Mysteries® have been hooking chapter book readers on mysteries and reading for years. Now this classic kid favorite is back with a bright new look!
C is for Canary . . . Green Lawn has a pet problem! Dink’s neighbor can’t find her canary. Ruth Rose’s cat, Tiger, has also disappeared. Then the kids hear about two more missing critters. Is there a pet-napper in town? Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose are on the case!
26. Pony Problems (Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew #3)
by: Carolyn Keene, Macky Pamintuan Release date: Aug 01, 2006 Number of Pages: 96 Find in Library Read Review |
A new petting zoo has opened in River Heights. Nancy, George, and Bess can’t wait to check it out — the zoo has the cutest shetland pony named Buttons. And it looks like the Clue Crew won’t have to wait very long to get a glimpse of Buttons — he keeps escaping from his pen and showing up all over town! He’s getting pretty famous for eating the flowers in everyone’s front lawns. As much as Nancy secretly wishes Buttons would turn up on her lawn, she knows it’s important to make sure he stays put. The only trouble is, no one knows how he’s getting out. Sounds like it’s time for the Clue Crew to saddle up and settle this pony problem!
27. Detective Camp (A to Z Mysteries Super Edition, No. 1)
by: Ron Roy, John Steven Gurney Release date: May 09, 2006 Number of Pages: 144 Find in Library Read Review |
Z was just the beginning! With A to Z Mysteries® Super Editions, chapter book readers keep on collecting clues and solving mysteries with Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose. Now with over 8 million copies in print, this classic kid-favorite series is back with a bright new look!
Welcome to summer camp for detectives! The kids can’t wait to spend a week following clues and learning about the science of crime solving. Soon all the campers are working on a mystery. But while Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose are figuring out their part of the puzzle, they stumble onto something suspicious. Could a real crime be happening at detective camp?
Look for hidden messages inside A to Z Mysteries® Super Editions!
28. Fancy Nancy: Nancy Clancy, Star of Stage and Screen
by: Jane O’Connor, Robin Preiss Glasser Release date: Feb 09, 2016 Number of Pages: 144 Find in Library Read Review |
Now in paperback—Nancy Clancy is ready for her close-up in the fifth installment in the Nancy Clancy chapter book series by New York Times bestselling team Jane O’Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser!
It’s Nancy’s time to shine as she takes center stage in the school play! There’s no way Nancy will get stuck in the chorus again this year—she’s been practicing guitar for months and her audition was superb. So when Nancy gets a callback, she’s overwhelmed with joy! But after Nancy’s performance during the play is captured on video and gets posted on YouTube, it seems her stardom has gone viral. Will Nancy’s humiliation get the best of her, or will she find a way to embrace her newfound fame?
Fans of Nancy Clancy will enjoy watching Nancy sparkle in the spotlight in her latest chapter book. The central theme of all the Nancy Clancy books shines through, showing the power of positive thinking.
29. Ballpark Mysteries #3: The L.A. Dodger (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))
by: David A. Kelly, Mark Meyers Release date: Jul 26, 2011 Number of Pages: 112 Find in Library Read Review |
It’s spring break and Kate and Mike are off to Los Angeles to visit Kate’s dad, a scout for the Dodgers. But all is not sunny in L.A.—strange things have been happening to Kate’s dad. Pages have gone missing from his clipboard. He’s gotten threatening phone calls. And he thinks he’s being followed! Is someone after Mr. Hopkins’s top secret scouting reports?
The L.A. Dodger includes a fun fact page about Los Angeles’s Dodger Stadium.
Cross Ron Roy’s A to Z mystery series with Matt Christopher’s sports books and you get the Ballpark Mysteries: fun, puzzling whodunnits aimed at the younger brothers and sisters of John Feinstein’s fans.
30. The Pinstripe Ghost (Ballpark Mysteries)
by: David A. Kelly, Mark Meyers Release date: Feb 22, 2011 Number of Pages: 112 Find in Library Read Review |
Mike and Kate are waiting for Kate’s mom at a boring press conference in Yankee Stadium when the team official says something that makes Mike perk up his ears. There are rumors that the ghost of Babe Ruth is haunting the new stadium! A chill air blasts down a service hallway before every home game, along with various thumps and bumps. Is the Bambino really searching for his missing locker?
The Pinstripe Ghost includes a fun fact page about New York’s Yankee Stadium.
Cross Ron Roy’s mystery series with Matt Christopher’s sports books and you get the Ballpark Mysteries: fun, puzzling whodunnits aimed right at beginning readers.
Best Selling Books for 6 year olds:
- Action & Adventure
- Activities, Crafts & Games
- Animals
- Biographies
- Classics
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Early Learning
- Education & Reference
- Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths
- History
- Holidays & Celebrations
- Humor
- Literature & Fiction
- Mysteries & Detectives
- Religions
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Science, Nature & How It Works
- Sports & Outdoors
- Computers & Technology
Recommended Books for 6 year olds:
- Action & Adventure
- Activities, Crafts & Games
- Animals
- Biographies
- Classics
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Early Learning
- Education & Reference
- Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths
- History
- Holidays & Celebrations
- Humor
- Literature & Fiction
- Mysteries & Detectives
- Religions
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Science, Nature & How It Works
- Sports & Outdoors
- Computers & Technology
Best Selling Mysteries & Detectives Books for:
- 3 Year Olds
- 4 Year Olds
- 5 Year Olds
- 6 Year Olds
- 7 Year Olds
- 8 Year Olds
- 9 Year Olds
- 10 Year Olds
- 11 Year Olds
- 12 Year Olds
- Teen & Young Adults
Recommended Mysteries & Detectives Books for:
- 3 Year Olds
- 4 Year Olds
- 5 Year Olds
- 6 Year Olds
- 7 Year Olds
- 8 Year Olds
- 9 Year Olds
- 10 Year Olds
- 11 Year Olds
- 12 Year Olds
- Teen & Young Adults
Last updated: Monday, December 5, 2016 5:13 AM