I wanted to pull together a collection of maze books that are perfect for kids aged 5-10 years old. None of these are traditional maze books but have mazes as part of the plot. We get Batman and Robin, Scooby-Doo, the boxcar Children, Once Upon a Tim, Buzz and Bingo, Thundertrucks and 2 Christian books. 2 corn mazes, 3 hedge mazes and 3 labyrinths.
And the final book is actually non-fiction. So if you are looking for an educational book, skip to the end !
Scarecrow's Nightmare Maze (2016) AMZN
by J. E. Bright, Luciano Vecchio, 88 Pages. Ages 7-12 years old
If I’m being honest when I saw this book I thought it was a comic. But it is not a comic, it is a young adult book of 88 easy to read pages. I found digitally from my local library. Our antagonist is Scarecrow and his very effective fear gas. In this story we have Scarecrow using a maze to confuse and scare his victims when it is effectively combined with his fear gas. Batman and Robin are on his trail and are trying to catch him and return him to Arkham Asylum. There are only a few illustrations in the book, but I think the few that there are are very good (Check out Batman and Robin walking in the corn maze below!). The story is good and reads like a Batman comic although the vocabulary is targeted at a younger audience. Overall, If you are fan of Batman and mazes, you will like this book.
Batman and Robin in a corn maze !
If you are a fan of Batman, check out my review of a maze centric episode from Batman the Animated Series called If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich? from way back in 1992.
The Mystery of the Maze Monster (2014) AMZN
by John Sazaklis; 112 Pages, Ages 7-11 years
First I need to mention that this is different from “choose” books I have read in the past. To me this this has longer passages between decisions, so you get more story before making that decision. As you can tell from the cover there are 10 different endings ! Personally I did the book 4 different times and I never caught the villain ! This is a Scooby-Doo book. I thought I would catch them each time like on the cartoon ! It is not a bad thing, just surprising.
This book is fun and does take you in many different directions after the initial set-up. That set-up is what made me read and do a review of the book. A minotaur appears to have stolen some valuable items and has escape into a hedge maze. Can the gang catch it ? (As I said before I went 0 for 4).
There are some nice illustrations in the book that made me nostalgic for the tv show. I also found myself hearing the different characters voices in my head as I read. I enjoyed the book and think you would too !
One other thing of note - If you enjoy this book, there appear to be a total of 14 Scooby-Doo ‘You Choose’ books available !
The Clue in the Corn Maze: The Boxcar Children Mysteries, Book 101 AMZN
by Gertrude Chandler Warner; 144 Pages from Albert Whitman & Company, for Ages 7-10 years
I am really glad that I decided to read this book. Of course I picked it up because I knew the story included a corn maze, but I was pleasantly surprised by the story. Yes, this book is meant for children 7-10 years old and I am an adult. I still appreciated the simple way the story was told. I am currently learning how to speak a second language and would love this kind of book in that language.
The story takes place on a farm that has a festival for the town which features a corn maze. Someone is vandalizing the maze each night and leaving notes to not hold the festival. Along the way a variety of people are shown to have motivations that may mean they are the perpetrators. The feel of the story reminded me of a Scooby-Doo episode. The short chapters pace in story just right and this is a good read. I also noticed some words that were meant to expand the vocabulary of the young reader which I liked. I don’t give a score for books, but this book is recommended.
Molly's Maze Discovery (2021) AMZN
by Carmen Allen. Own Image 57 Print Pages. Ages 6-10. Part 2 of the Molly Greenwood Adventures series
I came across this book, Molly's Maze Discovery, while browsing for something to read from the library. You know I can’t pass up a maze book no matter what age it is intended for. This book is about Molly (Greenwood) and her friends as they are tempted to enter a hedge maze despite being told they are not old enough by the King. I should mention that Molly is a princess (see book 1, this is book 2 in the series), thus the King.
After finding a map of the maze with an X hidden inside the children give in to their temptations and enter the maze. What follows is an adventure that includes 2 men chasing the children to try to get them into an orphanage. We have secret trap doors and secret rooms and a nice adventure for the kids. Without giving away too much of the story, we get a nice message (and a hidden message). This is a Christian book and suitable for ages 7-12.
You can find information on the complete series at the author’s website.
Baby's Labyrinth (2022) AMZN
by Bobby Holley, from Christian Faith Publishing, 44 Pages For ages 3 months to 10 years
The book is a bedtime story for kids about a book of bedtime stories that is lost. It is a quick read of 44 pages ( although that may depend on just how sleepy your children are!). The story is composed of 8 chapters and follows a group of five babies and their mother.
After the initial set-up we get into the main part of the story, and the part we are most interested in in Chapter 2, titled Into the Labyrinth. The kids have found their way into a colorful labyrinth (details are saved for the book). This starts our quest to find the book, and we meet a variety of characters along the way. It is in Chapter 4, titled Magic of the Maze where we learn that the children won’t be able to fall asleep without their book (oh no !). The quest continues and we eventually reach our conclusion (spoiler….any guess?). The book has a few illustrations, but is really a story to be read ( versus a bedtime story book that uses pictures and reading together). I would have liked more illustrations, but overall, a nice story.
The Labyrinth of Doom (2022) AMZN
by Stuart Gibbs, illustrated by Stacy Curtis; 157 Pages, for ages 7-10
The Labyrinth of Doom by Stuart Gibbs and Stacy Curtis, which is the second book in the "Once Upon a Tim" series. The story follows Tim, a knight-in-training, and his best friend Belinda, as they embark on a quest to save Princess Grace. The princess needs rescuing again (also in book 1 of the series), and Tim and Belinda must face a series of challenges as they traverse a labyrinth, including menacing beasts like the minotaur and treacherous obstacles like chasms filled with cave sharks. Yes, cave sharks. I enjoyed the writing style a lot (maybe I like kids books ?) and found the story to be engaging. The illustrations are also fun by Stacy Curtis.
This is a great book for kids, that I definitely would recommend.
Buzz and Bingo in the Monster Maze (2005) AMZN
by Alan Durant and Sholto Walker; 40 pages, for ages 6-7
I was able to borrow this book, Buzz and Bingo in the Monster Maze, online from my library. That meant I spent a portion of my time using the read along feature (fun, but a bit slow for me). The book follows the duo Buzz and Bingo as they take a walk through the forest on the night of a full moon. They find a sign for a monster party but they must arrive by solving a hedge maze. The story follows them as they encounter monsters lost in the maze ! I really enjoy the many illustrations. This is a fast read and would be a good bedtime read !
Monster Maze ! A Monster Truck Myth (2019) AMZN
by Blake Hoena (Author), Fern Cano (Illustrator) 50 pages, for ages 5-7
This is a really fun story to read…IF you already know the story of Theseus and the Minotaur. This is basically a version of that story but with monster trucks as all of the characters. You can read the book without that background and still enjoy it, but think of this as a movie sequel without seeing the original movie - you just miss a lot of creativity and nuance. I like the creativity used for this book and it is a quick, fun read.
OUR NON-FICTION BOOK:
The Book of Labyrinths and Mazes (2021) AMZN.
by Silke Vry (Author), Finn Dean (Illustrator), - 96 pages, recommended for Grade Levels 2-5, Ages 7-10 years
What you can expect in this book:
The book begins by defining the difference between mazes and labyrinths. Mazes are typically made up of a complex network of paths that can lead to dead ends or the center of the maze. Labyrinths, on the other hand, have a single path that leads to the center and back out again.
The book then goes on to explore the history of mazes and labyrinths. The earliest known mazes were found in ancient Egypt and Crete. These mazes were often associated with religious rituals and were seen as a way to represent the journey of life.
In the Middle Ages, mazes and labyrinths became popular as a form of entertainment. They were often found in gardens and courtyards, and people would enjoy walking through them for fun.
The book also discusses the symbolism of mazes and labyrinths. They are often seen as a symbol of the journey of life, with the center representing the goal or destination. They can also be seen as a symbol of the subconscious mind, with the twists and turns representing the different thoughts and emotions that we experience.
The book concludes by providing instructions on how to create your own maze or labyrinth. It also includes a number of puzzles and games that you can play with mazes.
What this book does best: Great overview of mazes for young readers that reviews many aspects of mazes and labyrinths.
Other blog posts you might like:
The 12 Best Maze and Labyrinth Movies Of All Time
