Children’s Book Characters Named James

Here are just a few children’s books with characters named James. Please comment below if you know of one I missed. I hope this encourages your kiddo to read!

James and the Giant Peach By Roald Dahl  Illustrator: Quentin Blake

James Henry Trotter lives with two ghastly hags. Aunt Sponge is enormously fat with a face that looks boiled and Aunt Spiker is bony and screeching. He’s very lonely until one day something peculiar happens. . . At the end of the garden a peach starts to grow and GROW AND GROW. Inside that peach are seven very unusual insects – all waiting to take James on a magical adventure. But where will they go in their GIANT PEACH, and what will happen to the horrible aunts if they stand in their way? There’s only one way to find out . . .

• Ratings: Amazon:4.9  Goodreads:4.0
• 7-11 years old

Joshua James Likes Trucks by Catherine Petrie  Illustrator: Joel Snyder

Joshua James likes all kinds of trucks, big trucks, little trucks, trucks that go up, and trucks that go down.

• Other character names: No other names mentioned
• Ratings: Amazon-4.5  Goodreads-3.7
• 5-6 years old

The Miniature World of Marvin and James by Elise Broach (5 book series)  Illustrator: Kelly Murphy

James is going on vacation for a week. His best friend, Marvin the beetle, has to stay at home. Without James to keep him company, Marvin has to play with his annoying cousin, Elaine. Marvin and Elaine quickly find themselves getting into all sorts of trouble? Marvin misses James and starts to worry about their friendship. Will James still be Marvin’s friend when he gets home or will James have found a new best friend?

• Ratings: Amazon:4.6 Goodreads:3.7
• 6-7 year olds

The Baby Changing Station by Rhett Miller, illustrated by Dan Santat

James is NOT a fan of his new little brother, Joe. His parents adore Joe and don’t have time for James anymore. What is an older sibling supposed to do?! When James stumbles upon a baby-changing station that can exchange younger siblings for much more exciting things, he is faced with endless options. Should he choose the night-vision googles, a cool chemistry set, a guitar, or keep his baby brother? James is put through the ultimate test until he realizes that being a big brother is not so bad after all.

• Other character names: No other names mentioned
• Rating: Amazon-4.7  Goodreads-3.7
• 4-8 year olds or Preschool-3rd grade

I Have a Superpower by Stephen Curry  Illustrator: Geneva Bowers

Stephen Curry’s journey to the NBA wasn’t easy. Coaches and recruiters repeatedly told him he was too small to make it in the big leagues. ButStephen used their doubts to shape his ever-positive attitude and fuel his own underdog success story. Now, Curry pens an original story to inspire the next generation of go-getters and big dreamers.

• Includes characters: Hughes, Aliyah, Desmond, Owen, Mila, James, & Kaeden

• Ratings: Amazon-4.9  Goodreads-3.5

• 4-8 year olds or Preschool-2nd

• Lexile Measure: AD580L

Has Anyone Seen Jessica Jenkins? by Liz Kessler

Jessica Jenkins has always been a perfectly ordinary girl—until one day part of her arm vanishes in the middle of geography class! Jessica’s friends Izzy and Tom are determined to help her develop her newfound invisibility, though Jessica is more concerned with discovering where the ability came from. When it becomes apparent that there may be other kids developing strange powers of their own, Jessica marshals them into a slapdash band of “slightly superheroes.” But when an unscrupulous adult discovers the origin of their powers and kidnaps one of the team, the rest must put their heads—and all of their skills—together to avert disaster.

• Other characters include: James, Nancy, Max, Heather, Oscar, and Jessica’s nickname “Jess”.
• Ratings:  Amazon- 4.7  Goodreads- 4.1
• 8-12 year olds or 3rd-7th grade 
• Lexile measure: 620L

The Prince Warriors by Priscilla Shirer

As brothers, Xavier and Evan are used to battling each other. But now they’re discovering that there is a much bigger battle going on all around them. And it’s their turn to fight. The Prince Warriors is the first book in Priscilla Shirer’s epic new series that brings to life the invisible struggle ensuing in the spiritual realm. Xavier, Evan, and their friends have typical lives until they enter a mysterious land called Ahoratos. There they meet their guide, Ruwach, who offers wisdom and direction as the kids’ initial adventure begins—an adventure filled with armor and danger and a very real enemy.

• Also includes characters: Levi, James Arthur, Brianna Turner, Tony, Landon, and Manuel
• Ratings: Amazon- 4.8  Goodreads- 4.2
• 8-12 year olds or 3rd-7th grade

Who Was Daniel Boone? by S.A. Kramer

Called the “Great Pathfinder”, Daniel Boone is most famous for opening up the West to settlers through Kentucky. A symbol of America’s pioneering spirit Boone was a skilled outdoorsman and an avid reader, although he never attended school.

• Other characters- Rebecca Bryan (wife), James (son),  Sarah (Daniel’s mom), and John Findley
• Ratings: Amazon-4.7  Goodreads-4.0
• 7-10 year olds or 3rd-7th grade
• Lexile Measure: 620L

The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner, Illustrator: L. Kate Deal

Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny are brothers and sisters. They’re orphans too, and the only way they can stay together is to make it on their own. When the children find an abandoned boxcar in the woods, they decide to call it home—and become the Boxcar Children!

• Other characters: Mrs./Dr. Moore, James Henry Alden & “Henry James“
• Ratings: Amazon-4.7  Goodreads-4.1
• 6-9 year olds or 2nd-5th grade
• Lexile Measure: 580L

Mistakes That Worked by Charlotte Foltz Jones

SANDWICHES came about when an English earl was too busy gambling to eat his meal and needed to keep one hand free. POTATO CHIPS were first cooked by a chef who was furious when a customer complained that his fried potatoes weren’t thin enough. Coca-Cola, Silly Putty, and X rays have fascinating stories behind them too! Their unusual tales, and many more, along with hilarious cartoons and weird, amazing facts, make up this fun-filled book about everyday items that had surprisingly haphazard beginnings.

• Includes characters: Joe Gregor, Ruth Wakefield, John Pemberton, Hanson Gregory, Frank Epperson, George Crum, John Montagu, Shen Nung, Thomas Sullivan, Louis Pasteur, Charles Gerhardt, Dorothy Eustis, Alexander Fleming, Howard Florey, Ernst Chain, Norman Heatley, Wilhelm C. Roentgen, Walter F. Morrison, James Wright, Peter Hodgson, Richard James, Edouard Benedictus, James and David Gamble, Harley Procter, Arthur Scott, Spencer Silver, Joseph Priestley, Charles Goodyear, Rollin J. Reeves, George Custer, Daniel C. Major, Charles Perrault, George de Mestral, Nelson Hower, Jules Leotard, & Levi Strauss
• Ratings: Amazon-4.7  Goodreads-4.1
• 7-11 year olds or 3rd-7th grade
• Lexile Measure: 1040L

The True West: Real Stories About Black Cowboys, Women Sharpshooters, Native American Rodeo Stars, Pioneering Vaqueros, and the Unsung Explorers, Builders, and Heroes Who Shaped the American West by Mifflin Lowe

• Other characters: Levi Strauss, Bill Pickett, Annie Oakley, Nat Love, Patricia and Martin De Leon, Bass Reeves, Mamie Hafley, Jesse Stahl, Cathay Williams, Jackson Sundown, Mary Fields, James Butler Hickok, Martha Jane Canary, Charley Willis, Henry O. Flipper, William Frederick Cody, Fox Hastings, & Sam Steward
• Rating: Amazon- 4.6  Goodreads-3.9
• Age: 7-11 year olds or 3rd-4th grade
• Lexile Measure: 1160L

What’s Your Name? from Ariel to Zoe by Marilyn Sanders

Twenty-six children from around the world explain the origins of their names, in an A-to-Z format the reveals the individual meanings of names that were borrowed, passed down, or made up from special words.

• Rating: Goodreads- 4.2
• Ariel, Blakely, Charlotte, Diego, Eva, Fredron, Gabe, Hana, Ian, Jesse, Kossi, Lily, Meave, Nate, Orit, Preston, Quincey, Rebecca, Shandiin, Tess, Urai,, Veerta, Whitney, Xavier, Yuki, & Zoe. Other names mentioned: James, Rivera, Gabriel, Nathaniel, Jessica, John, Solomon, Lilium, Sophie, William, Mab, Sturges, Grace, Miguel, Gallagher, & Zo
• 5-8 year olds or 1st-2nd grade

Adding Soon…

Bible Stories

The Hallelujah Flight (includes a James)

Monsters Inc- James P Sullivan

The Fix-It Man by Susan Hood

Thomas the Train with his Friend James

Princesses to the Rescue by Cathy Hapka

What if Given From the Heart by Pat McKissack

A Couple of Boys have the Best Week Ever by Marla Frazee

The Sundae Scoop by Staurt Murphy

100 African Americans Who Shaped American History-James Forten, James Weldon Johnson, Or James Baldwin

What is given from the heart by Patricia see Mckissack

What James Said

Something for James by Shirley Isherwood

Also books about-