Whether you’re going on a long car trip this summer or staying inside with the AC blasting in your face, picking up the first book in a good series is a great way to spend your time when summer starts to drag. Fantasy or fiction, historical or humor, we have you covered with this first in series list!
*Many of these are available in multiple formats including downloadable options, perfect for that car trip!
General Fiction
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- The Strange Case of Origami Yoga (Origami Yoga series) by Tom Angleberger [6 books]
- The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy (Penderwicks series) Jeanne Birdsall [5 books]
- The 13-Storey Treehouse (Treehouse series) by Andy Griffiths [9 books]
- Miss Daisy Is Crazy! (My Weird School series), etc. by Dan Gutman [21 books]
- Judy Moody (Judy Moody series) by Megan McDonald [15 books]
- Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus (Junie B. Jones series) by Barbara Park [28 books]
- Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life (Middle School series) by James Patterson [14 books]
- Clementine (Clementine series) by Sara Pennypacker [7 books]
- Big Nate: In a Class by Himself (Big Nate series) by Lincoln Peirce [8 books]
Fantasy
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- Beast Keeper (Beasts of Olympus series) by Lucy Coats, Brett Bean [8 books]
- The Creature of the Pines (Unicorn Rescue Society series) by Adam Gidwitz [5 books]
- Mighty Meg and the Magical Ring (Mighty Meg series) by Sammy Griffin, Micah Player [5 books]
- Into the Wild (Warriors series, first of four sets of six books each) by Erin Hunter [6 books in this set, 24 books in all Warriors total]
- Redwall: The Wall (Redwall series) by Brian Jacques [26 books]
- The Capture (Guardians of Ga’Hoole series) by Kathryn Lasky [16 books]
- Urchin of the Riding Stars (The Mistmantle Chronicles series) by M.I. McAllister [5 books]
- Fablehaven (Fablehaven series) by Brandon Mull [5 books]
- Midnight for Charlie Bone (The Children of the Red King series) by Jenny Nimmo [8 books]
- Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House series) by Mary Pope Osborne [58 books]
- Forest of Wonders (Wing & Claw series) by Linda Sue Park [3 books]
- The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson & the Olympians series) by Rick Riordan [5 books in this set, plus others set in the same world, with some of the same characters]
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter series) by J.K. Rowling [7 books]
- Magyk (Septimus Heap series) by Angie Sage [8 books]
- The Dragonet Prophecy (Wings of Fire series) by Tui T. Sutherland [15 books]
- Rise of the Earth Dragon (Dragon Masters series) by Tracey West
Mystery
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- Dragons and Marshmallows (Zoey and Sassafras series) by Asia Citro [8 books]
- The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog (Hank the Cowdog series) by John R. Erickson [73 books]
- Home Sweet Motel (Welcome to Wonderland series) by Chris Grabenstein [4 books]
- Greenglass House (Greenglass House series) by Kate Milford [4 books]
- The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events series) by Lemony Snicket [13 books]
- The Mysterious Benedict Society (The Mysterious Benedict Society series) by Trenton Lee Stewart [4 books]
Science Fiction
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- Star Wars Jedi Academy (Jedi Academy Series) by Jeffrey Brown [9 books]
- NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society (NERDS series) by Michael Buckley [5 books]
- Science No Fair! (Project Droid series) by Nancy E. Krulik [6 books]
- Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot (Ricky Ricotta series) by Dav Pilkey [9 books]
Horror
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- The School is Alive! (Eerie Elementary series) by Jack Chabert [10 books]
- Midnight Reynolds and the Spectral Transformer (Midnight Reynolds series) by Catherine Holt [2 books]
- Home Sweet Horror (Scary Tales series) by James Preller [6 books]
- Welcome to Dead House (Goosebumps series) by R.L. Stine [67 books]
- The Screaming Staircase (Lockwood & Co. series) by Jonathan Stroud [5 books]
Adventures
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- The Princess in Black (The Princess in Black series) by Shannon Hale [9 books]
- Super Turbo Saves the Day (Super Turbo series) by Lee Kirby [9 books]
- The Door in the Alley (The Explorers series) by Adrienne Kress [3 books]
Historical Fiction
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- Anne of Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables series) by L.M. Montgomery [9 books]
- Little House in the Big Woods (Little House series) by Laura Ingalls Wilder [11 books]
- The Race to Chimney Rock (The Oregon Trail series) by Jesse Wiley [8 books]