Books About Crime · 86 titles considered

The Best Crime Books for Kids

By the Bookroo Editors

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Explore our editor-reviewed guide to Law and Crime, featuring 15 favorites and recommendations by age.

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Looking for excellent children's books about crime? This collection brings together Bookroo's highest-rated and most useful picks in one place.

Start with our editorial favorites, then browse recommendations organized by reading stage to find the right book for your reader.

The Shortlist

Our 10 Favorite Books About Crime

Six of Crows
Sale price
$1498
Chapter Book · Ages 14–18 · 2015

Six of Crows

By Leigh Bardugo · Book #1 in the Six of Crows series

Six outcasts. One impossible heist. Can they survive each other and save the world?

465 pages· 134,876 words· Est. 12.5 hour read
4.5 Goodreads · 1,222,999 ratings
$15.99Save 6%
Paperback
Summary: In the bustling city of Ketterdam, criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker assembles a crew for a heist that promises untold riches. Joined by a vengeful convict, a gambling sharpshooter, a runaway, a stealthy spy, a magical Heartrender, and a cunning thief, Kaz faces a mission fraught with danger. As tensions rise, can these six outcasts pull off the impossible without tearing each other apart? Dive into a world where the stakes are high, and the line between survival and destruction is razor-thin. Will they succeed, or will their differences lead to their downfall?
Greetings from Witness Protection!
Sale price
$1697
Chapter Book · Ages 9–13 · 2017

Greetings from Witness Protection!

By Jake Burt

An orphan joins a family in witness protection, facing danger and secrets from her past.

368 pages· 81,251 words· Est. 9 hour read
4.3 Goodreads · 6,242 ratings
$17.99Save 6%
Hardcover
Summary: Nicki Demere, a street-smart orphan, is recruited by U.S. Marshals to join a family in witness protection. As they evade notorious criminals, Nicki must juggle school, dodge threats, and confront her own past. Can she keep the family safe while hiding in plain sight? With hitmen on their trail and secrets lurking, Nicki's new life is anything but ordinary. Balancing her new identity and the dangers that come with it, she discovers that the greatest challenges might be closer than she thinks. Will her skills be enough to protect her new family and herself?
The Tell-Tale Heart
Sale price
$958
Chapter Book · Ages 12–18 · 1843

The Tell-Tale Heart

By Edgar Allan Poe

Dive into chilling tales of murder, madness, and mystery.

224 pages· 2,188 words· Est. 13 min read
4.2 Goodreads · 246,003 ratings
$9.99Save 4%
Paperback
Summary: Enter a world of suspense with tales like 'The Tell-Tale Heart,' where guilt drives a man to madness, and 'The Cask of Amontillado,' a chilling story of revenge. Meet a detective who outsmarts all in 'The Murders in the Rue Morgue.' Each story, from haunted houses to sinister plots, promises to captivate and terrify. Discover the genius of Poe, the master of Gothic horror and suspense, through these timeless, mind-bending narratives.
Monster
Sale price
$1498
Chapter Book · Ages 12–18 · 1999

Monster

By Walter Dean Myers · Book #1 in the Monster series

Teen on trial for murder questions identity and truth.

Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor (1999)Coretta Scott King Honor (2000)National Book Award for Young People's Literature Finalist (1999)Michael L. Printz Award (2000)
281 pages· 28,057 words· Est. 2.5 hour read
3.7 Goodreads · 76,470 ratings
$15.99Save 6%
Paperback
Summary: Sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon faces a harrowing trial for murder, accused of being a lookout in a fatal robbery. As he navigates the courtroom and the harsh realities of juvenile detention, Steve copes by scripting his life as a movie. But as the lines between reality and fiction blur, he must confront the truth about himself and the choices that led him here. Will he find clarity, or will the system define him as a monster forever? Dive into this gripping tale of identity, justice, and the power of perception.
Baby's First Bank Heist
Sale price
$1697
Picture Book · Ages 3–6 · 2019

Baby's First Bank Heist

By Jim Whalley, Stephen Collins (Illustrator)

A baby plans a bank heist to buy a pet. Chaos ensues.

32 pages· 622 words· Est. 5 min read-aloud
6.5/7 Bookroo·3.7/5 Goodreads · 261 ratings
$17.99Save 6%
Hardcover
Summary: Baby Frank is on a mission: rob a bank to afford a pet his parents refuse to buy. This adorable yet audacious plan leads to a hilarious adventure. Will Frank succeed in his fluffy quest, or will his criminal caper be foiled? Discover the mischief and mayhem as this pint-sized mastermind takes on the world of crime, proving that even the smallest among us can dream big.
Jude
Sale price
$1597
Chapter Book · Ages 14–17 · 2004

Jude

By Kate Morgenroth

After his father's murder, a teen is pulled into a crime he didn't commit.

277 pages
4.2 Goodreads · 1,617 ratings
$16.95Save 6%
Hardcover
Summary: After Jude watches his drug-dealer father get gunned down at the kitchen table, he is taken from his dangerous neighborhood to a comfortable home and an elite private school with the mother he never knew. But his new life soon falls apart when he is accused of a crime, and Jude must decide whom he can trust.
Hunting the Hunter
Sale price
$574
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2006

Hunting the Hunter

By Gordon Korman · Book #6 in the On The Run series

Two siblings must outsmart a killer to free their parents.

160 pages· 26,493 words· Est. 3.5 hour read
4.2 Goodreads · 2,365 ratings
$5.99Save 4%
Paperback
Summary: Aiden and Meg Falconer are on a desperate mission to clear their parents' names. They've tracked down Hairless Joe, the dangerous man who framed them. But capturing a professional killer is no easy task. As they close in, the stakes rise—will they succeed, or will Joe escape, leaving their family in ruins? The ultimate showdown awaits, and only one side can prevail.
November
Sale price
$1049
Chapter Book · Ages 10–13 · 2010

November

By Gabrielle Lord · Conspiracy 365 series

A teen fugitive races against time to uncover a deadly secret and survive a year on the run.

179 pages· 34,974 words· Est. 4 hour read
4.2 Goodreads · 1,783 ratings
$10.99Save 5%
Hardcover
Summary: Fifteen-year-old Cal is thrust into a perilous race against time after a chilling warning: survive the next 365 days or face death. With his father's mysterious death shrouded in secrets, Cal becomes a fugitive, pursued by both the law and relentless criminals. As he navigates a world where trust is scarce, Cal must unravel a history-changing secret that could save him and a friend. With enemies closing in and the clock ticking, every second could be his last. Can Cal uncover the truth before it's too late?
Crooked Kingdom
Sale price
$1398
Chapter Book · Ages 12–18 · 2016

Crooked Kingdom

By Leigh Bardugo · Book #2 in the Six of Crows series

A crew's survival hinges on outsmarting powerful foes in a city of secrets.

536 pages· 160,962 words· Est. 15 hour read
4.6 Goodreads · 813,632 ratings
$14.99Save 7%
Paperback
Summary: Kaz Brekker and his crew, fresh from a daring heist, find themselves betrayed and vulnerable. With powerful forces closing in on Ketterdam, they must navigate treacherous streets to uncover secrets of a potent drug. As old rivals and new foes test their fragile loyalties, a battle for revenge and redemption looms, threatening the fate of the Grisha world. Can Kaz outwit his enemies and protect his team, or will the city's shadows consume them all?
The Odds of Getting Even
Sale price
$958
Chapter Book · Ages 10–+ · 2015

The Odds of Getting Even

By Sheila Turnage · Book #3 in the Mo & Dale Mysteries series

A trial turns chaotic as a kidnapper escapes, leaving a town in lockdown.

368 pages· 64,301 words· Est. 9 hour read
4.3 Goodreads · 2,953 ratings
$9.99Save 4%
Paperback
Summary: In Tupelo Landing, young detectives Mo and Dale face chaos when a trial against Dale's father, a confessed kidnapper, goes awry. As the town locks down and Dale's brother's life is at risk, the Desperado Detectives, with new intern Harm, must solve the case. But their toughest client yet complicates matters, challenging their skills and resolve. Can they bring justice and safety back to their town?
The Bookroo Book Club

Great books, picked for their age.

Books worth reading again and again, delivered to your door every month.

BoardAges 0–3PictureAges 3–6Junior ChapterAges 7–10Middle GradeAges 9–12
Books from a Bookroo book club in their box
Browse by age

Crime Picture Books

Illustrated read-alouds about crime for preschool and elementary-age readers.

Grandpa's Teeth
Series
Sale price
$899

Grandpa's Teeth

Ages 4–8 · 1997

Grandpa's teeth are stolen, and now the whole town can't stop smiling. Can the thief be caught?

SWAT
Series
Sale price
$3422

SWAT

Ages 10–14 · 2012

Discover the high-stakes world of SWAT teams and their life-saving missions.

Belle Starr
Series
Sale price
$2693

Belle Starr

Ages 10–14 · 2008

A biography of the infamous outlaw Belle Starr, from her childhood to her death, and the myths surrounding her life.

View all crime picture books
Browse by age

Crime Chapter Books & Middle Grade

Longer stories about crime for developing and independent readers.

Stolen Children
Sale price
$799

Stolen Children

Ages 8–12 · 2008

Babysitting turns into a race against time as Amy faces a kidnapping plot.

February
#2 in Series
Sale price
$1099

February

Ages 10–13 · 2010

A teen must survive a year on the run to uncover his father's deadly secret.

Warcross
#1 in Series
Sale price
$1899

Warcross

Ages 12–17 · 2017

A hacker enters a virtual game, uncovering a dangerous conspiracy.

Empty Envelope (Turtleback School & Library)
Sale price
$1725

Empty Envelope (Turtleback School & Library)

Ages 7–9

A boy receives mysterious letters meant for someone else, leading to a hidden stamp worth fifty thousand dollars and a scheme involving stolen mail and impersonation.

The Canary Caper
#3 in Series
Sale price
$699

The Canary Caper

Ages 7–9 · 1998

Three friends try to solve the mystery of a missing cat and a canary, which leads them to uncover a string of burglaries in their town.

The Lucky Lottery
#12 in Series
Sale price
$699

The Lucky Lottery

Ages 7–9 · 2000

Three friends try to solve a mystery involving a stolen lottery ticket worth seven million dollars.

View all crime chapter books
Keep exploring
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