Best Books, Children & Teen, Classics, Fiction & Literature, Kids, Literature, YA (Young Adult)

The Best Books About Or Featuring Orphans

“What are the best books about or featuring Orphans?” We looked at 333 of the top Orphan books, aggregating and ranking them so we could answer that very question!

The top 35 titles, all appearing on 2 or more “Best Orphan” book lists, are ranked below by how many lists they appear on. The remaining 275+ titles, as well as the lists we used are in alphabetical order at the bottom of the page.

Happy Scrolling!



Top 35 Orphan Books



35 .) A Dog of Flanders written by Ouida

A Dog of Flanders

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Wikipedia

Marie Louise de la Ramée (1839-1908) wrote many popular novels of adventure and romance in the 1870s and 80s under the pen name of Ouida. She also produced a number of captivating stories for youngsters. One of the best, A Dog of Flanders,. First published in 1872, A Dog of Flanders tells the moving story of Nello, a gentle boy with aspirations of becoming a painter, and Patrasche — his devoted Belgian work dog. The two, along with Nello’s grandfather, live in a little village near Antwerp where Nello’s idol, the artist Rubens, once worked. Nello and Patrasche suffer countless hardships — poverty, hunger, cruelty, and rejection. But they persevere in the face of adversity, up to their tragic, bittersweet end. Rich in the sentiment of its Romantic tradition, yet convincing in its portrayal of both human and animal nature, this touching classic has tugged at the heartstrings of readers and listeners alike for generations. It remains one of the nineteenth century’s most imaginative and arresting works of fiction for children.



34 .) A Little Princess written by Frances Hodgson Burnett

A Little Princess

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Wikipedia

Sara Crewe, an exceptionally intelligent and imaginative student at Miss Minchin’s Select Seminary for Young Ladies, is devastated when her adored, indulgent father dies. Now penniless and banished to a room in the attic, Sara is demeaned, abused, and forced to work as a servant. How this resourceful girl’s fortunes change again is at the center of A Little Princess, one of the best-loved stories in all of children’s literature. This unique and fully annotated edition appends excerpts from Frances Hodgson Burnett’s original 1888 novella Sara Crewe and the stage play that preceded the novel, as well as an early story, “Behind the White Brick,” allowing readers to see how A Little Princess evolved. In his delightful introduction, U. C. Knoepflmacher considers the fairy-tale allusions and literary touchstones that place the book among the major works of Victorian literature, and shows it to be an exceptionally rich and resonant novel.



33 .) Batman

Batman

Lists It Appears On:

  • Barnes And Noble
  • Wikipedia

Collects the earliest adventures of Batman and Robin as they battle a variety of villains including the Monk and the Joker.



32 .) Bloody Jack (Bloody Jack, #1) written by L.A. Meyer

Bloody Jack (Bloody Jack, #1)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Wikipedia

Life as a ship’s boy aboard HMS Dolphin is a dream come true for Jacky Faber. Gone are the days of scavenging for food and fighting for survival on the streets of eighteenth-century London. Instead, Jacky is becoming a skilled and respected sailor as the crew pursues pirates on the high seas.



31 .) Charmed Life written by Diana Wynne Jones

Charmed Life

Lists It Appears On:

  • The Guardian
  • Wikipedia

Cat doesn’t mind living in the shadow of his sister, Gwendolen, the most promising young witch ever seen on Coven Street. But trouble starts brewing the moment the two orphans are summoned to live in Chrestomanci Castle. Frustrated that the witches of the castle refuse to acknowledge her talents, Gwendolen conjures up a scheme that could throw whole worlds out of whack.



30 .) Cinderella written by Charles Perrault

Cinderella

Lists It Appears On:

  • Barnes And Noble
  • The Guardian



29 .) Daddy-Long-Legs (Daddy-Long-Legs, #1) written by Jean Webster

Daddy-Long-Legs (Daddy-Long-Legs, #1)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Wikipedia

When Jerusha Abbott, an eighteen-year-old girl living in an orphan asylum, was told that a mysterious millionaire had agreed to pay for her education, it was like a dream come true. For the first time in her life, she had someone she could pretend was “family.” But everything was not perfect, for he chose to remain anonymous and asked that she only write him concerning her progress in school. Who was this mysterious gentleman and would Jerusha ever meet him?



28 .) Dave At Night written by Gail Carson Levine

Dave At Night

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Wikipedia

When orphaned Dave is sent to the Hebrew Home for Boys and treated cruelly, he sneaks out at night and welcomed into the music- and culture-filled world of the Harlem Renaissance, where he discovers the power of friendship.



27 .) David Copperfield written by Charles Dickens

David Copperfield

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Wikipedia

David Copperfield is the story of a young man’s adventures on his journey from an unhappy and impoverished childhood to the discovery of his vocation as a successful novelist. Among the gloriously vivid cast of characters he encounters are his tyrannical stepfather, Mr Murdstone; his brilliant, but ultimately unworthy school-friend James Steerforth; his formidable aunt, Betsey Trotwood; the eternally humble, yet treacherous Uriah Heep; frivolous, enchanting Dora Spenlow; and the magnificently impecunious Wilkins Micawber, one of literature’s great comic creations. In David Copperfield – the novel he described as his ‘favourite child’ – Dickens drew revealingly on his own experiences to create one of the most exuberant and enduringly popular works, filled with tragedy and comedy in equal measure. This edition uses the text of the first volume publication of 1850, and includes updated suggestions for further reading, original illustrations by ‘Phiz’, a revised chronology and expanded notes. In his new introduction, Jeremy Tambling discusses the novel’s autobiographical elements, and its central themes of memory and identity.



26 .) Eight Cousins (Eight Cousins, #1) written by Louisa May Alcott

Eight Cousins (Eight Cousins, #1)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Wikipedia

When Rose Campbell, a shy orphan, arrives at “The Aunt Hill” to live with her six aunts and seven boisterous male cousins, she is quite overwhelmed. How could such a delicate young lady, used to the quiet hallways of a girls’ boarding school, exist in such a spirited home? It is the arrival of Uncle Alec that changes everything. Much to the horror of her aunts, Rose’s forward-thinking uncle insists that the child get out of the parlor and into the sunshine. And with a little courage and lots of adventures with her mischievous but loving cousins, Rose begins to bloom.



25 .) Emily of New Moon (Emily, #1) written by L.M. Montgomery

Emily of New Moon (Emily, #1)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Wikipedia

Emily Starr never knew what it was to be lonely — until her beloved father died. Now Emily’s an orphan, and her mother’s snobbish relatives are taking her to live with them at New Moon Farm. She’s sure she won’t be happy. Emily deals with stiff, stern Aunt Elizabeth and her malicious classmates by holding her head high and using her quick wit. Things begin to change when she makes friends: with Teddy, who does marvelous drawings; with Perry, who’s sailed all over the world with his father yet has never been to school; and above all, with Ilse, a tomboy with a blazing temper. Amazingly, Emily finds New Moon beautiful and fascinating. With new friends and adventures, Emily might someday think of herself as Emily of New Moon.



24 .) Escape to Witch Mountain written by Alexander Key

Escape to Witch Mountain

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Wikipedia

Some terrifying experience has blocked Tony and Tia’s memory of the past. But because they have supernatural powers, they are sure that they come from another world–and that their people still exist somewhere. Then Tony and Tia find that they must escape from men who want to use their special powers for evil. They begin a desperate search to find their true home–which leads them to the strange and mysterious Witch Mountain.



23 .) Gathering Blue written by Lois Lowry

Gathering Blue

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Wikipedia

In her strongest work to date, Lois Lowry once again creates a mysterious but plausible future world. It is a society ruled by savagery and deceit that shuns and discards the weak. Left orphaned and physically flawed, young Kira faces a frightening, uncertain future. Blessed with an almost magical talent that keeps her alive, she struggles with ever broadening responsibilities in her quest for truth, discovering things that will change her life forever. As she did in The Giver, Lowry challenges readers to imagine what our world could become, and what will be considered valuable. Every reader will be taken by Kira’s plight and will long ponder her haunting world and the hope for the future.



22 .) James and the Giant Peach written by Roald Dahl

James and the Giant Peach

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Wikipedia

When James accidentally drops some magic crystals by the old peach tree, strange things start to happen. The peach at the top of the tree begins to grow, and before long it’s as big as a house. When James discovers a secret entranceway into the fruit and crawls inside, he meets wonderful new friends–the Old-Green-Grasshopper, the dainty Ladybug, and the Centipede of the multiple boots. After years of feeling like an outsider in his aunts’ house, James finally found a place where he belongs. With a snip of the stem, the peach household starts rolling away–and the adventure begins! Roald Dahl’s first and most widely celebrated book for young people continues to thrill readers around the world. “This is a stunning book to be cherished for its story, a superb fantasy.”–Chicago Tribune “A beautifully written, fantastic book.”–Christian Science Monitor



21 .) Maniac Magee written by Jerry Spinelli

Maniac Magee

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Wikipedia

Jeffrey Lionel “Maniac” Magee might have lived a normal life if a freak accident hadn’t made him an orphan. After living with his unhappy and uptight aunt and uncle for eight years, he decides to run–and not just run away, but run. This is where the myth of Maniac Magee begins, as he changes the lives of a racially divided small town with his amazing and legendary feats.



20 .) Milkweed written by Jerry Spinelli

Milkweed

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Wikipedia

He’s a boy called Jew. Gypsy. Stopthief. Runt. Happy. Fast. Filthy son of Abraham. He’s a boy who lives in the streets of Warsaw. He’s a boy who steals food for himself and the other orphans. He’s a boy who believes in bread, and mothers, and angels. He’s a boy who wants to be a Nazi some day, with tall shiny jackboots and a gleaming Eagle hat of his own. Until the day that suddenly makes him change his mind. And when the trains come to empty the Jews from the ghetto of the damned, he’s a boy who realizes it’s safest of all to be nobody. Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli takes us to one of the most devastating settings imaginable—Nazi-occupied Warsaw of World War II—and tells a tale of heartbreak, hope, and survival through the bright eyes of a young orphan. From the Hardcover edition.



19 .) Orphans of Chaos (Chronicles of Chaos, #1) written by John C. Wright

Orphans of Chaos (Chronicles of Chaos, #1)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Wikipedia

For Amelia and her friends, the strict English boarding school she lives in is all she has ever known. The sprawling estate, bordered by unknown territory on all four sides, is both orphanage, academy, and prison. The school has a large staff, but only five students, none of whom know what their real names are, or even how old they are.



18 .) Peter and the Starcatchers (Peter and the Starcatchers, #1) written by Dave Barry

Peter and the Starcatchers (Peter and the Starcatchers, #1)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Wikipedia

Orphan Peter and his mates are dispatched to an island ruled by the evil King Zarboff. They set sail aboard the Never Land, a ship carrying a precious and mysterious cargo the “greatest treasure on earth” – but is it gold, jewels, or something far more mysterious and dangerous?



17 .) Pictures of Hollis Woods written by Patricia Reilly Giff

Pictures of Hollis Woods

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Wikipedia

In this Newbery Honor Book, a troublesome 12-year-old orphan, staying with an elderly artist who needs her, remembers the only other time she was happy in a foster home, with a family that truly seemed to care about her.



16 .) Pippi Longstocking written by Astrid Lindgren

Pippi Longstocking

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Powells

Tommy and his sister Annika have a new neighbor, and her name is Pippi Longstocking. She has crazy red pigtails, no parents to tell her what to do, a horse that lives on her porch, and a flair for the outrageous that seems to lead to one adventure after another! –back cover



15 .) Pollyanna (Pollyanna, #1) written by Eleanor H. Porter

Pollyanna (Pollyanna, #1)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Wikipedia

When orphaned 11-year-old Pollyanna comes to live with austere and wealthy Aunt Polly, her philosophy of gladness brings happiness to her aunt and other members of the community, somewhat to their surprise.



14 .) Tarzan written by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Tarzan

Lists It Appears On:

  • Barnes And Noble
  • Wikipedia

When a ship’s mutiny forces a young noble English couple out onto the remote African coast, their child is born into the wild. Their deaths a short time later leave the boy alone in the jungle wilderness–until a she-ape adopts him and raises him as her own. Reluctantly accepted into the tribe by its fierce leader, Kerchak, the baby Tarzan must prove himself by learning the ways of survival in the jungle: how to talk with animals, swing through the trees, and fight the great predators. In time, his strength, courage, and human intelligence earn him a place as Lord of the Jungle. But when civilized men enter the jungle, Tarzan is forced to choose between two worlds. Edgar Rice Burroughs’ classic tale is both a reflection on civilization from an outside point of view and an exploration of the primal force within us all. Narrated by Simon Prebble



13 .) The Boxcar Children (The Boxcar Children, #1) written by Gertrude Chandler Warner

The Boxcar Children (The Boxcar Children, #1)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Wikipedia

The Aldens begin their adventure by making a home in a boxcar. Their goal is to stay together, and in the process they find a grandfather.



12 .) The Jungle Book written by Rudyard Kipling

The Jungle Book

Lists It Appears On:

  • The Guardian
  • Wikipedia

The Jungle Books can be regarded as classic stories told by an adult to children. But they also constitute a complex literary work of art in which the whole of Kipling’s philosophy of life is expressed in miniature. They are best known for the ‘Mowgli’ stories; the tale of a baby abandoned and brought up by wolves, educated in the ways and secrets of the jungle by Kaa the python, Baloo the bear, and Bagheera the black panther. The stories, a mixture of fantasy, myth, and magic, are underpinned by Kipling’s abiding preoccupation with the theme of self-discovery, and the nature of the ‘Law’.



11 .) The Little White Horse written by Elizabeth Goudge

The Little White Horse

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Wikipedia

When orphaned young Maria Merryweather arrives at Moonacre Manor, she feels as if she’s entered Paradise. Her new guardian, her uncle Sir Benjamin, is kind and funny; the Manor itself feels like home right away; and every person and animal she meets is like an old friend. But there is something incredibly sad beneath all of this beauty and comfort—a tragedy that happened years ago, shadowing Moonacre Manor and the town around it—and Maria is determined to learn about it, change it, and give her own life story a happy ending. But what can one solitary girl do? A new-fashioned story that is as wonderful as the best fairy tales.



10 .) The Mysterious Benedict Society (The Mysterious Benedict Society, #1) written by Trenton Lee Stewart

The Mysterious Benedict Society (The Mysterious Benedict Society, #1)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Kids World

Dozens of children respond to this peculiar ad in the newspaper and are then put through a series of mind-bending tests, which readers take along with them. Only four children-two boys and two girls-succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and inventive children could complete. To accomplish it they will have to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. But what they’ll find in the hidden underground tunnels of the school is more than your average school supplies. So, if you’re gifted, creative, or happen to know Morse Code, they could probably use your help.



9 .) The Secret Garden written by Frances Hodgson Burnett

The Secret Garden

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Wikipedia

“One of the most delightful and enduring classics of children’s literature, The Secret Garden by Victorian author Frances Hodgson Burnett has remained a firm favorite with children the world over ever since it made its first appearance. Initially published as a serial story in 1910 in The American Magazine, it was brought out in novel form in 1911. The plot centers round Mary Lennox, a young English girl who returns to England from India, having suffered the immense trauma by losing both her parents in a cholera epidemic. However, her memories of her parents are not pleasant, as they were a selfish, neglectful and pleasure-seeking couple. Mary is given to the care of her uncle Archibald Craven, whom she has never met. She travels to his home, Misselthwaite Manor located in the gloomy Yorkshire, a vast change from the sunny and warm climate she was used to. When she arrives, she is a rude, stubborn and given to stormy temper tantrums. However, her nature undergoes a gradual transformation when she learns of the tragedies that have befallen her strict and disciplinarian uncle whom she earlier feared and despised. Once when he’s away from home, Mary discovers a charming walled garden which is always kept locked. The mystery deepens when she hears sounds of sobbing from somewhere within her uncle’s vast mansion. The kindly servants ignore her queries or pretend they haven’t heard, spiking Mary’s curiosity. The Secret Garden appeals to both young and old alike. It has wonderful elements of mystery, spirituality, charming characters and an authentic rendering of childhood emotions and experiences. Commonsense, truth and kindness, compassion and a belief in the essential goodness of human beings lie at the heart of this unforgettable story. It is the best known of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s works, though most of us have definitely heard of, if not read, her other novel Little Lord Fauntleroy.



8 .) Ballet Shoes (Shoes, #1) written by Noel Streatfeild

Ballet Shoes (Shoes, #1)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • The Guardian
  • Wikipedia

Pauline, Petrova and Posy are orphans determined to help out their new family by joining the Children’s Academy of Dancing and Stage Training. But when they vow to make a name for themselves, they have no idea it’s going to be such hard work! They launch themselves into the world of show business, complete with working papers, the glare of the spotlight, and practice, practice, practice! Pauline is destined for the movies. Posy is a born dancer. But practical Petrova finds she’d rather pilot a plane than perform a pirouette. Each girl must find the courage to follow her dream.



7 .) Great Expectations written by Charles Dickens

Great Expectations

Lists It Appears On:

  • Creative Cache
  • Goodreads
  • Wikipedia

In what may be Dickens’s best novel, humble, orphaned Pip is apprenticed to the dirty work of the forge but dares to dream of becoming a gentleman — and one day, under sudden and enigmatic circumstances, he finds himself in possession of “great expectations.” In this gripping tale of crime and guilt, revenge and reward, the compelling characters include Magwitch, the fearful and fearsome convict; Estella, whose beauty is excelled only by her haughtiness; and the embittered Miss Havisham, an eccentric jilted bride.



6 .) Heidi written by Johanna Spyri

Heidi

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Wikipedia
  • Wikipedia

Little orphan Heidi goes to live high in the Alps with her gruff grandfather and brings happiness to all who know her on the mountain. When Heidi goes to Frankfurt to work in a wealthy household, she dreams of returning to the mountains and meadows, her friend Peter, and her beloved grandfather.



5 .) The Graveyard Book written by Neil Gaiman

The Graveyard Book

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Goodreads
  • Wikipedia

After the grisly murder of his entire family, a toddler wanders into a graveyard where the ghosts and other supernatural residents agree to raise him as one of their own. Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn’t live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy. But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack—who has already killed Bod’s family… Beloved master storyteller Neil Gaiman returns with a luminous new novel for the audience that embraced his New York Times bestselling modern classic Coraline. Magical, terrifying, and filled with breathtaking adventures, The Graveyard Book is sure to enthrall readers of all ages.



4 .) Jane Eyre written by Charlotte Brontë

Jane Eyre

Lists It Appears On:

  • Barnes And Noble
  • Creative Cache
  • Goodreads
  • Wikipedia

Fiery love, shocking twists of fate, and tragic mysteries put a lonely governess in jeopardy in JANE EYRE Orphaned as a child, Jane has felt an outcast her whole young life. Her courage is tested once again when she arrives at Thornfield Hall, where she has been hired by the brooding, proud Edward Rochester to care for his ward Adèle. Jane finds herself drawn to his troubled yet kind spirit. She falls in love. Hard. But there is a terrifying secret inside the gloomy, forbidding Thornfield Hall. Is Rochester hiding from Jane? Will Jane be left heartbroken and exiled once again?



3 .) Oliver Twist written by Charles Dickens

Oliver Twist

Lists It Appears On:

  • Barnes And Noble
  • Creative Cache
  • Goodreads
  • Wikipedia

A gripping portrayal of London’s dark criminal underbelly, published in Penguin Classics with an introduction by Philip Horne. The story of Oliver Twist – orphaned, and set upon by evil and adversity from his first breath – shocked readers when it was published. After running away from the workhouse and pompous beadle Mr Bumble, Oliver finds himself lured into a den of thieves peopled by vivid and memorable characters – the Artful Dodger, vicious burglar Bill Sikes, his dog Bull’s Eye, and prostitute Nancy, all watched over by cunning master-thief Fagin. Combining elements of Gothic Romance, the Newgate Novel and popular melodrama, Dickens created an entirely new kind of fiction, scathing in its indictment of a cruel society, and pervaded by an unforgettable sense of threat and mystery. This Penguin Classics edition of Oliver Twist is the first critical edition to faithfully reproduce the text as its earliest readers would have encountered it from its serialisation in Bentley’s Miscellany, and includes an introduction by Philip Horne, a glossary of Victorian thieves’ slang, a chronology of Dickens’s life, a map of contemporary London and all of George Cruikshank’s original illustrations. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.



2 .) Anne of Green Gables written by L.M. Montgomery

Anne of Green Gables

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Powells
  • The Guardian
  • Wikipedia

As soon as Anne Shirley arrives at the snug white farmhouse called Green Gables, she is sure she wants to stay forever . . . but will the Cuthberts send her back to to the orphanage? Anne knows she’s not what they expected—a skinny girl with fiery red hair and a temper to match. If only she can convince them to let her stay, she’ll try very hard not to keep rushing headlong into scrapes and blurting out the first thing that comes to her mind. Anne is not like anyone else, the Cuthberts agree; she is special—a girl with an enormous imagination. This orphan girl dreams of the day when she can call herself Anne of Green Gables.



1 .) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Harry Potter, #1) written by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter, #1)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Barnes And Noble
  • Goodreads
  • Kids World
  • The Guardian
  • Wikipedia

Harry Potter’s life is miserable. His parents are dead and he’s stuck with his heartless relatives, who force him to live in a tiny closet under the stairs. But his fortune changes when he receives a letter that tells him the truth about himself: he’s a wizard. A mysterious visitor rescues him from his relatives and takes him to his new home, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.




The 275+ Additional Best Books About Orphans



#BooksAuthorsLists
36A Blessing from Above: Little Golden BookPatti HendersonLife Song
37A Brief History of Montmaray (The Montmaray Journals, #1)Michelle CooperGoodreads
38A Conspiracy of Kings (The Queen’s Thief, #4)Megan Whalen TurnerGoodreads
39A Deadly Secret Wikipedia
40A Drowned Maiden’s HairLaura Amy SchlitzGoodreads
41A Forest of Doors: An Orphan’s QuestL.A. MuseGoodreads
42A Little Life Wikipedia
43A Mother for ChocoKeiko KaszaLife Song
44A Murder for Her MajestyBeth HilgartnerGoodreads
45A Riddle of Roses Wikipedia
46A Series of Unfortunate Events Wikipedia
47Acorna: The Unicorn Girl (Acorna #1)Anne McCaffreyGoodreads
48Addie Pray Wikipedia
49Adoption Is For AlwaysLinda Walvoord GirardLife Song
50Akin to Anne: Tales of Other OrphansL.M. MontgomeryGoodreads
51Alone on a Wide, Wide Sea Wikipedia
52Amy’s Eyes Wikipedia
53Animal’s People Wikipedia
54Anne Shirley 
Barnes And Noble
55AnnieThomas MeehanGoodreads
56Any Roald Dahl protagonist. 
Barnes And Noble
57Ascent (novel) Wikipedia
58Astro City, Vol. 2: ConfessionKurt BusiekGoodreads
59Ayala’s Angel Wikipedia
60Ballad of the Desert Wikipedia
61BambiFelix SaltenGoodreads
62Barbary (novel) Wikipedia
63Bec (novel) Wikipedia
64Black Hearts in Battersea Wikipedia
65Black Mamba BoyNadifa MohamedGoodreads
66Blind Justice (novel) Wikipedia
67Blood Feud (novel) Wikipedia
68Books in A Series of Unfortunate Events Wikipedia
69Brothers (Yu novel) Wikipedia
70Bud, Not Buddy Wikipedia
71Butterfly (Forgotten Children, #1)Kyra GregoryGoodreads
72Buy a Bullet Macmillan
73Calico Bush (novel) Wikipedia
74Captains of the Sands Wikipedia
75Careful, He Might Hear You (novel) Wikipedia
76Celestina (novel) Wikipedia
77Chameleon (Forgotten Children, #2)Kyra GregoryGoodreads
78Child of the Ghosts (Ghost, #1)Jonathan MoellerGoodreads
79Clara Vaughan Wikipedia
80Coin Locker Babies Wikipedia
81Colors in the Dreamweaver’s Loom Wikipedia
82Cousin Kate Wikipedia
83Crocodile on the Sandbank Wikipedia
84Crow Lake (novel) Wikipedia
85Crown of Fire Wikipedia
86Curse of the Blue Tattoo Wikipedia
87Cutting for Stone Wikipedia
88Daenerys Targaryen 
Barnes And Noble
89Dancing Through the SnowJean LittleKids World
90Daniel X: Watch the Skies Wikipedia
91Dear Enemy (novel) Wikipedia
92Dragon and Thief Wikipedia
93Dutch Uncle (novel) Wikipedia
94Echohawk Wikipedia
95Eight Days of Luke Wikipedia
96Ella Enchanted (Ella Enchanted #1)Gail Carson LevineGoodreads
97Emergence (novel) Wikipedia
98Emily Climbs Wikipedia
99Emily’s Quest Wikipedia
100Escape from Genopolis Wikipedia
101Escape to Last Man Peak Wikipedia
102Eva Luna Wikipedia
103Explosion in a Cathedral Wikipedia
104Find Your Purpose Using ScienceGleb TsipurskyGoodreads
105Finding VerityFaith Friese NelsonGoodreads
106Fingersmith (novel) Wikipedia
107Fiona Thorn and the Carapacem SpellJen BartonGoodreads
108Flambards Wikipedia
109Flight of the Hawk Wikipedia
110Flowering Nettle Wikipedia
111Fly by NightFrances HardingeKids World
112Foundling Mick Wikipedia
113Frodo Baggins 
Barnes And Noble
114Frost Fever (Cloak Games, #2)Jonathan MoellerGoodreads
115Fugitive Pieces Wikipedia
116Furies of Calderon (Codex Alera, #1)Jim ButcherGoodreads
117God Found Us YouLisa Tawn BergrenLife Song
118Going the Wrong PathArthur WeissmannGoodreads
119Good-bye, My Lady Wikipedia
120GossamerLois LowryKids World
121Green Angel Wikipedia
122Hannah (Daughters of the Sea, #1)Kathryn LaskyGoodreads
123Hannibal Rising Wikipedia
124Happy Adoption Day!John McCutcheonLife Song
125Harnessing Peacocks Wikipedia
126Harriet the Spy Powells
127Hattie Big Sky Wikipedia
128Hawkes Harbor Wikipedia
129Heligoland (novel) Wikipedia
130Hellbent Macmillan
131His Dark Materials trilogyPhilip Pullman
The Guardian
132Homecoming (Tillerman Cycle, #1)Cynthia VoigtGoodreads
133HoodooRonald L. SmithGoodreads
134
How To Be Alone: If You Want To And Even If You Don’t
 Powells
135Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer Among the IndiansMark TwainGoodreads
136I Love You Like Crazy CakesRose A. LewisLife Song
137I Will Love YouAlyssa Satin CapucilliLife Song
138I Wished for YouMarianne RichmondLife Song
139I, CorianderSally GardnerGoodreads
140James Bond books Wikipedia
141Jessamy Wikipedia
142Jip, His Story Wikipedia
143Johnny TremainEsther ForbesGoodreads
144Josef Kavalier 
Barnes And Noble
145Journey to the End of the Whale Wikipedia
146Journey to the River Sea 
Creative Cache
147Just David Wikipedia
148KasparMichael MorpurgoGoodreads
149Kay the Left-Handed Wikipedia
150Kidnapped (novel) Wikipedia
151Kids Like Me in ChinaYing Ying FryLife Song
152Kim (novel) Wikipedia
153King Matt the First Wikipedia
154Kipps Wikipedia
155La joie de vivre Wikipedia
156Lane Moore Powells
157Le Rêve (novel) Wikipedia
158Lightning (novel) Wikipedia
159Little Foxes Wikipedia
160Little MenLouisa May AlcottGoodreads
161Little Orphan Annie 
Barnes And Noble
162Little Soldier (novel) Wikipedia
163Lolita Wikipedia
164
Love Among the Ruins. A Romance of the Near Future
 Wikipedia
165Luck in the Shadows Wikipedia
166Magician (Feist novel) Wikipedia
167Marianela (novel) Wikipedia
168Marjorie’s Quest Wikipedia
169Matilda Powells
170Mayoi Neko Overrun! Wikipedia
171Meet the Austins Wikipedia
172Meggy MacIntosh Wikipedia
173Mel Foster and the Demon Butler Wikipedia
174Memoirs of a Fox-Hunting Man Wikipedia
175Missing May Wikipedia
176Molly Moon’s Incredible Book of Hypnotism Wikipedia
177Mommy’s HeartAlexandra Maria ProcaGoodreads
178Mommy’s Heart Went PopChristina KyllonenLife Song
179Momo (novel) Wikipedia
180Monster Blood Tattoo: Foundling Wikipedia
181Moonfleet Wikipedia
182Mother of Pearl (novel) Wikipedia
183Motl, Peysi the Cantor’s Son Wikipedia
184Mountains are Free Wikipedia
185Mr. Vertigo Wikipedia
186My Adopted Child, There’s No One Like YouDr. Kevin LemanLife Song
187My Family Is ForeverNancy CarlsonLife Song
188Natasha’s StoryMichael NicholsonGoodreads
189Night Lamp Wikipedia
190No Place Like Home (novel) Wikipedia
191Nobody’s Girl Wikipedia
192Nothing Is Terrible Wikipedia
193Of Human Bondage Wikipedia
194One Day as a Tiger Wikipedia
195One-Way (novel) Wikipedia
196Orphan at My Door Wikipedia
197Orphan X Macmillan
198Otherworlds: The LostKatherine L. WalkerGoodreads
199Out of the Dark Macmillan
200Outcast (Sutcliff novel) Wikipedia
201Over the Moon: An Adoption TaleKaren KatzLife Song
202Peter and the Secret of Rundoon Wikipedia
203Peter and the Shadow Thieves Wikipedia
204Peter and the Sword of Mercy Wikipedia
205Peter PanJ M Barrie
The Guardian
206Plain Kate Wikipedia
207Plum & Jaggers 
Creative Cache
208Prince Caspian Wikipedia
209Prisoner in a Red-Rose Chain Wikipedia
210Q & A (novel) Wikipedia
211Queen Zixi of Ix: or the Story of the Magic CloakL. Frank BaumGoodreads
212Ramona Wikipedia
213Ranald Bannerman’s Boyhood Wikipedia
214Ranger’s Apprentice books Wikipedia
215Rebel Fist (Cloak Games, #3)Jonathan MoellerGoodreads
216Richard Sharpe stories Wikipedia
217Richter 10 Wikipedia
218Rose (Rose, #1)Holly WebbGoodreads
219Rosie’s Family: An Adoption StoryLori RosoveLife Song
220Ruby Holler Wikipedia
221Ruth (novel) Wikipedia
222Sans Famille Wikipedia
223Sea of Glass Wikipedia
224Shadow Jump (Cloak Games #4)Jonathan MoellerGoodreads
225Sharpe (novel series) Wikipedia
226Shatter Stone (Cloak Games, #5)Jonathan MoellerGoodreads
227Silas MarnerGeorge EliotGoodreads
228SistersJudith CaseleyLife Song
229Splendors and GloomsLaura Amy SchlitzGoodreads
230StormbreakerAnthony Horowitz
The Guardian
231Superman novels Wikipedia
232Tell Me Again About the Night I Was BornJamie Lee CurtisLife Song
233Ten Days and Nine Nights: An Adoption StoryYumi HeoLife Song
234The 39 Clues seriesVarious AuthorsKids World
235The Adventurer (novel) Wikipedia
236The Adventures of Huckleberry FinnMark TwainGoodreads
237The Adventures of James Bond Junior 003½ Wikipedia
238The Adventures of Tom SawyerMark TwainGoodreads
239The Animal Family Wikipedia
240The Apple Dumpling Gang Wikipedia
241The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #1)Lemony SnicketGoodreads
242The BFGRoald Dahl
The Guardian
243The Bloody Sun Wikipedia
244The Book of Three (The Chronicles of Prydain, #1)Lloyd AlexanderGoodreads
245The Brave Adventures of Lapitch Wikipedia
246The Cement Garden Wikipedia
247The Chronicles of Prydain Wikipedia
248The Cider House Rules Wikipedia
249The Contender (Lipsyte novel) Wikipedia
250The Dangerous Days of Daniel X Wikipedia
251The Daring Twins Wikipedia
252The Day We Met YouPhoebe KoehlerLife Song
253The Death of the Heart Wikipedia
254The Diamond of Drury Lane Wikipedia
255The Diddakoi Wikipedia
256The Dragon’s Familiar Wikipedia
257The Dressmaker (Bainbridge novel) Wikipedia
258The Dwarves (novel) Wikipedia
259The Eye of Zoltar (The Last Dragonslayer, #3)Jasper FfordeGoodreads
260The Fall of the Imam Wikipedia
261The Fires of Spring Wikipedia
262The Fish Can Sing Wikipedia
263The Gift (Douglas novel) Wikipedia
264The Girl With All the Gifts (The Girl With All the Gifts, #1)M.R. CareyGoodreads
265The Goblin Emperor (The Goblin Emperor, #1)Katherine AddisonGoodreads
266The Golden Goblet Wikipedia
267The Good Thief (novel) Wikipedia
268The Grass Harp Wikipedia
269The Green Years Wikipedia
270The Guardians (novel) Wikipedia
271The Heaven Shop Wikipedia
272The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber Wikipedia
273The Highwayman (novel) Wikipedia
274The House of Mirth 
Creative Cache
275The Intern Macmillan
276The Invention of Hugo Cabret Wikipedia
277The Jumping-Off Place Wikipedia
278The Keeper of the Isis Light Wikipedia
279The King’s Daughter Wikipedia
280The Last Dragonslayer (The Last Dragonslayer, #1)Jasper FfordeGoodreads
281The Last of the SpiritsChris PriestleyGoodreads
282The Life Before Us Wikipedia
283The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1)Rick RiordanGoodreads
284The Little Girl Who Was Too Fond of Matches Wikipedia
285The Loner (children’s novel) Wikipedia
286The Maze of Bones Wikipedia
287The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg Wikipedia
288The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow Wikipedia
289The Mystery of the Jewelled Moth Wikipedia
290The Nargun and the Stars Wikipedia
291The Nowhere Man Macmillan
292The Old Curiosity Shop Wikipedia
293The Orphan of Ellis Island Wikipedia
294The Orphan of the Rhine Wikipedia
295The Orphan Queen Wikipedia
296The Orphan’s Tales Wikipedia
297The Orphans series Wikipedia
298The Outsiders of Uskoken Castle Wikipedia
299The Palace of Laughter Wikipedia
300The Path to the Nest of Spiders Wikipedia
301The Physician Wikipedia
302The Queen of Attolia (The Queen’s Thief, #2)Megan Whalen TurnerGoodreads
303The Red BlanketEliza ThomasLife Song
304The Red Queen’s DaughterJacqueline KolosovGoodreads
305The Return of the Condor Heroes Wikipedia
306The Root Cellar Wikipedia
307The Ruby in the Smoke Wikipedia
308The Scarecrow and his Servant Wikipedia
309The Series of Unfortunate EventsLemony SnicketKids World
310The Song of the Quarkbeast (The Last Dragonslayer, #2)Jasper FfordeGoodreads
311The Stolen OneSuzanne CrowleyGoodreads
312The Storied Life of A.J. FikryGabrielle ZevinGoodreads
313The Story I’ll TellNancy Tupper LingLife Song
314The Thief (The Queen’s Thief, #1)Megan Whalen TurnerGoodreads
315The Thief LordCornelia FunkeKids World
316The Third WitchRebecca ReisertGoodreads
317The WanderessRoman PayneGoodreads
318The Whitby Witches (The Whitby Witches, #1)Robin JarvisGoodreads
319The Witch of Blackbird PondElizabeth George SpeareGoodreads
320The WitchesRoald DahlGoodreads
321The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (The Wolves Chronicles, #1)Joan AikenGoodreads
322The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Oz, #1)L. Frank BaumGoodreads
323The WonderlingMira BartokGoodreads
324Thief Trap (Cloak Games, #1)Jonathan MoellerGoodreads
325Thief! (The Queen’s Thief, #0.5)Megan Whalen TurnerGoodreads
326Understood BetsyDorothy Canfield FisherGoodreads
327VilletteCharlotte BrontëGoodreads
328Waiting for MayJanet Morgan StoekeLife Song
329We Belong TogetherTodd ParrLife Song
330Welcome Home Little BabyLisa HarperLife Song
331Welcome Home, Forever ChildChristine MitchellLife Song
332Wither (The Chemical Garden, #1)Lauren DeStefanoGoodreads
333Yes, I’m Adopted!Sharlie ZinnigerLife Song


9 Best Orphan Book Sources/Lists



SourceArticle
Barnes And Noble Our Favorite Fictional Orphans
Creative Cache Six Great Books about Orphans
Goodreads Best Books About Orphans
Kids World Tween and Teen Books about Orphans
Life Song 25 Kids Books About Adoption
Macmillan Macmillan: Series: Orphan X
Powells The Frankly Bizarre Magic of Children’s Books About Orphans
The Guardian Katherine Rundell’s top 10 orphans
Wikipedia Category:Novels about orphans