It can be tough work buying books for kids. Maybe they’re picky readers. Maybe they’ve read everything. Or maybe the last time you saw them they were in nappies and now you have absolutely no idea what they like. If you’ve got some hard-to-buy-for kids in your life, we’ve got some suggestions for you.

Early readers

Here are some of our favourite picks for kids transitioning from picture books to their very first read-alone novels:

• Elephant and Piggie is a fantastic junior reader series by Mo Willems, author of the hysterical Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. You can start anywhere in the series, but we recommend There is a Bird on Your Head.
• Ballet Cat: The Totally Secret Secret by Bob Shea is a great choice for first-time-readers with its bright illustrations and quirky characters.
• Aaron Blabey’s The Bad Guys is the perfect thing for readers six and up looking to sink their teeth into their first longer book - funny, inventive and highly engaging.
• We first fell in love with Libby Gleeson and Freya Blackwood’s character Cleo last year, and now she’s back with two new stories in one volume, The Cleo Stories: A Friend and A Pet.

Tweens becoming teens

When kids are 12 going on 25, you’re probably looking for a book that will engage them, while still being content-appropriate. Luckily, there are lots to choose from.

• They Let Me Write a Book! is the immensely readable tale of YouTube star Jamie Curry’s rise to fame. Her message that the best thing you can be is yourself is an inspiring one for readers trying to navigate the treacherous waters of their teenage years.
• Dandelion Clocks by Rebecca Westcott is a story about loss that is ultimately uplifting, and perfect for fans of Jacqueline Wilson.
• Andy Mulligan, author of the thought-provoking Trash is back with Liquidator, a tale of a corporate cover-up that our reviewer called an ‘exciting, fast-paced adventure’.

Kids you don’t know very well

So, you’ve been tasked with buying a book for your boss’s nephew’s cousin’s kid. You don’t know his name, his age, what he likes, or even if he’s a he. Have no fear! These books are winners for every kind of reader (although don’t forget, we also do gift cards).

• Even if they’re not an animal lover, Kristjana S Williams’s The Wonder Garden will have readers of all ages enthralled with its beautiful full-page spreads of animals and their habitats.
• Illustrator Jim Kay has given Harry Potter a new makeover with Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone: Illustrated Edition. This stunning version is bound to become a collectible classic.
• Story of Life: Evolution is a museum-in-a-book by Katie Scott. Or, if history is more to your liking, grab a copy of the equally amazing Historium.

Children who don’t read

Would the kid in question rather be holding an iPad than a book? Can’t tear them away from the TV? This list is sure to appeal to even the most reluctant of readers.

• Rick Riordan is a superstar of children’s books, and his Percy Jackson series has made devout readers out of countless kids. Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer introduces readers to the world of Norse mythology, and is every bit as action-packed as the rest of his book.
• Ultimate Star Wars… really, the title says it all! If you have a Star Wars fan at home, it won’t take much to convince them to read this one.
• Think you’ve tried everything, and your kids just won’t read? Just Andy will fix that, a box set of eight of Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton’s hilarious books.
• And speaking of hilarious, Laugh Your Head Off is a collection of stories from some of the funniest children’s authors in the universe, like Andy Griffiths, Lollie Barr and Andrew Daddo.
• AL Tait’s Mapmaker series has gone from strength to strength, and the third entry, Breath of the Dragon is our favourite yet! If you haven’t discovered these thrilling adventures, be sure to start with book one.

Teenagers who don’t read

This is the older, slightly more sullen version of the non-reader suggestions above. Teens will think these books are cool, even if it is their parents giving it to them.

• Illuminae by Melbourne authors Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff is taking the young adult literature world by storm. Conspiracies and epic space battles abound in this tale told through a collection of transcripts and dossiers.
• Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs is the third and final volume in the Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children series which draws readers in with its chilling tale set around a series of eerie vintage photographs.
• YouTube personality and LGBT advocate Tyler Oakley has been named one of TIME magazine’s 30 Most Influential People on the Internet, and now you can get more of him in book form with the autobiographical Binge.
• Five years ago Charlie Higson brought us The Enemy, the first in his utterly gripping zombie apocalypse series. Now the series is finally coming to a close with the fittingly-titled The End, which is out later this month. This is one of those edge-of-your seat type series, so you’ll want to catch up on all of them.

Fact lovers

Some readers aren’t enticed by well-rounded characters or a thrilling plot; they just want the cold, hard facts. Here’s a selection of great non-fiction that’ll scratch that itch!

• Ripley’s Believe it or Not! Eye-Popping Oddities is a collection of the weirdest facts from around the world. Discover the man who juggles ping pong balls with his mouth, or the granny who celebrated her 99th birthday by abseiling down a building.
• Adam Spencer’s Enormous Book of Numbers is packed full of puzzles to decode and activies to make. It’s everything a maths-mad 9- to 12-year-old could want!
• Travel the world without ever leaving the house with Lonely Planet’s The Travel Book. Discover the food, the festivals, the animals and all the sights of other countries with this factual tour.

The reader who’s read everything

You know the type: their nose is always in a book, their book shelves are bursting, and every time you get them a book, they tell you they’ve already read it. These are some of the lesser-known books that our staff have read and loved.

• Molly and Pim and the Millions of Stars by Martine Murray is about Molly, who knows she’s different from her friends but doesn’t realise how different she is until her mother turns into a tree. A charming, original read for nine and older.
• Avid readers 13+ will have already read Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha series, but there’s a chance they don’t yet know about her new series. Six of Crows is a taut heist novel set in a Russian-inspired fantasy world.
• Prince of Afghanistan by Louis Nowra explores the bond between a young soldier and his dog in this powerful war story from one of Australia’s greatest playwrights.
• If you haven’t discovered her already, Frances Hardinge is an author to watch out for, whether it’s her darkly lyrical The Lie Tree or her British Fantasy Award-winning Cuckoo Song.
• ‘Everything about this novel demands attention,’ is how our reviewer described Jenn Bennett’s Night Owls. Girl meets mysterious, graffiti-artist boy in this modern romance for 13+.

Holly Harper