Swap social media scrolling for these page-turning Usborne books

When children stop scrolling, they don’t need better habits, they need better hooks. Social media is built to grab attention fast. One video turns into another. One post leads to ten more. It never really ends, it just resets.

Books work differently. They don’t refresh, they hold your attention. They pull readers into mysteries, friendships and secret worlds that don’t disappear after 30 seconds.

The best books don’t feel like an alternative to scrolling, they feel like a better reason to stop. Here are the books that prove it...

Everything you want to know about growing up (without Googling it) 

Growing Up by Sam Bear
Age 11+

For children who are starting to ask bigger questions about bodies, puberty, emotions, relationships and identity, Growing Up offers a clear and friendly guide to the changes puberty can bring. With whimsical artwork and diagrams, it’s designed for readers aged 11 and up who are beginning that stage of growing up.

This is a useful offline read because it gives young readers space to explore personal questions privately, at their own pace.

This summer camp drama is better than any TikTok feed 

The Summer My Wishes Came True by Radhika Sanghani
Age 9+

Ayesha can’t wait for summer camp with her best friend Nikki, but things feel different when Nikki comes back from New York with new clothes, a new boyfriend, and a desire to hang out with the popular girls. Ayesha later discovers that everything she wishes for starts coming true…What could possibly go wrong?!

This is a strong choice for readers who like friendship stories with a magical twist. It has the pull of “what would I wish for?” while navigating the relatable feeling of friendships shifting as children grow.

Forget the algorithm, this is the adventure they won’t want to put down! 

Dragonflare by Jamie Hammond
Age 8+

Dragonflare is an illustrated dragon-riding adventure by Jamie Hammond, packed with fun puzzles and epic fantasy energy. It’s a great story for readers who like action, illustration and adventures, and is especially great for those who like gaming, because the puzzles give them something to solve while following the story.  

Warning: This book makes screens feel boring! 

Escape from the Greek Myth Monsters by Russell Punter
Age 7+

Part of the Puzzle Adventures series, Escape from the Greek Myth Monsters follows Jade, Jack and Leo the dog through an adventure packed with interactive puzzles and comic strips.

Filled with puzzles, comic-strip storytelling and mythological monsters, this book is perfect for reluctant readers. 

Find more books like this here >

The most unforgettable house in children's fiction 

The House with Chicken Legs Runs Away by Sophie Anderson
Age 9+

Sophie Anderson returns to the world of The House with Chicken Legs in an adventurous story packed with fairy-tale magic. Marinka’s extraordinary house is in trouble, and when it pulls itself apart and runs away, Marinka and her friends must follow.

This is a rich, absorbing choice for readers who want to disappear into another world for a while. Full of enchanted lands, loyal friends, and a beloved magical house, this book will take you on a big emotional quest.

The fantasy adventure they'll wish had a sequel (good news, it does!) 

Adia Kelbara and the Circle of Shamans by Isi Hendrix
Age 9+

The first book in the Adia Kelbara series follows twelve-year-old orphan Adia, whose life in the Swamplands is tough. When mysterious powers begin to appear, Adia flees to the faraway Academy of Shamans, hoping someone there can help her understand what is happening. Instead, she stumbles into a much bigger danger involving deities, secrets and a threat to the kingdom.

For readers who like fantasy with humour, danger and big world-building, this gives them a bold series opener beyond the everyday.

This book makes overthinking feel less lonely

The Overthinkers’ Club: Happy List by Nat Luurstema
Age 9+

Nat Luurtsema’s The Overthinkers’ Club: Happy List follows Birdie, who is very good at overthinking, and her best friend Chloe, who understands that feeling too. Together, they create a Happy List.

This is one for readers who enjoy stories about friendship and feelings. It provides the comfort of meeting characters whose thoughts are just as busy and relatable.

It starts with a viral video... Then everything changes 

Princess (Apparently) by Siren Knight
Age 11+

Della is a normal teenage girl in London until a video of her protesting goes viral and she receives a royal invitation to a Caribbean palace. Soon she is caught up in love-triangle drama, royal secrets and questions about where she fits.

This is a great choice for readers who enjoy romance, coming-of-age stories and glamorous settings with something thoughtful underneath Princess (Apparently) offers a modern princess story with identity and social justice woven through it.

Everyone's a suspect. Good luck putting this down. 

Your Murder Next by Ravena Guron
Age 12+

From Ravena Guron, author of This Book Kills, Your Murder Next is a YA thriller full of murder, mystery and twists. When the most popular girl at her new school is found dead, wannabe journalist Myra is convinced that Scarlett was murdered, and that one of Scarlett’s friends is responsible.

For tweens who want page-turning suspense and a puzzle to untangle, this reads as a darker YA with a murder-mystery premise.

They'll say 'Just one more chapter'... At 2am 

It’s For Your Own Good by Kate Francis
Age 14+

It’s For Your Own Good is a YA thriller set around Camp Smiling Skies, a wilderness therapy camp for “troubled teens” that hides dark secrets. When people begin to die, Liv has to work out who she can trust.

This is a high-stakes thriller for older teen readers who like dark secrets, betrayal and a whole lot of locked-in tension.

Everyone in this family has something to hide...

The Heirs by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
Age 14+

The Heirs is an addictive YA murder mystery with siblinghood, pressure to succeed and lasting family effects at its heart.

Made for older readers who like their mysteries layered with family dynamics and ambition, this is an unforgettable read.

Why reading wins where scrolling fails

The point isn’t to compete with social media by being quieter or more “educational, it’s to replace the scroll with something stronger.

A book that makes them say “just one more chapter” does exactly what the feed does, it keeps attention but it does it with story, not noise. With characters, not content. With endings that matter, not endless swipes.

Because once a child finds a book that really hooks them, they don’t need convincing to log off, they just need the next chapter.