10 Terrific Books for Minecraft Fans

Minecraft: Exploded Builds: Medieval Fortress: An Official Mojang Book, by Craig Jelley
Minecraft fans who long to build, defend, and rule over a medieval castle, rejoice! Exploded Builds: Medieval Fortress features full-color illustrations and detailed instructions on how to design a customized castle—from dank dungeons to sleepy surrounding villages—along with fascinating facts about medieval life. It’s sure to inspire your industrious young Minecrafter to build the kingdom of their dreams.

Attack of the Shadow-Crafters: An Unofficial Minecrafter’s Adventure (Gameknight999: The Birth of Herobrine Series #2), by Mark Cheverton
Kids who love to play Minecraft will be stoked for this second installment in the exciting Gameknight999: The Birth of Herobrine series. Gameknight999 is trapped 100 years in Minecraft’s past and must keep his true identity concealed from the villagers as he prepares them for battle. And Herobrine is furious at Gameknight’s unexpected meddling, causing new horrors to be unleashed into the world of Minecraft.

The Unofficial Overworld Adventure series, by Danica Davidson
When Stevie discovers a mysterious portal in Escape from the Overworld, he decides to take his chances and steps into the real world, where he meets and befriends a sixth-grade girl named Maison. But before long, they discover Stevie isn’t the only one using the portal—he has been followed by zombies, creepers, and even giant spiders! Can Stevie and Maison work together to shove those creatures back into Minecraft before they wreak havoc on a world that has no way to combat them? This exciting series brings a unique twist to the genre, one that continues in book 2, Attack on the Overworld, and book 3, The Rise of Herobrine.

Trayaurus and the Enchanted Crystal, by DanTDM
Celebrity YouTuber DanTDM brings to life a new graphic novel series for Minecraft fans. When a crystal falls to earth and shatters, sending its five pieces in five different directions, one of the shards is found by DanTDM and Trayaurus. The two quickly realize the piece they hold possesses great power…but they’re not the only ones who now hold that power, and not everyone intends to use the shards for good. It’s up to DanTDM and Trayaurus to collect every piece of the crystal before it’s too late.

Diary of an 8-Bit Warrior: From Seeds to Swords: An Unofficial Minecraft Adventure, by Cube Kid
What do you get when you combine Minecraft and Diary of a Wimpy Kid? The Diary of an 8-Bit Warrior series by Cube Kid! In this second installment, 12-year-old Runt, a villager who dreams of becoming a Minecraft warrior, is continuing his battle preparation, all while dealing with a new nemesis at school and a weird girl who keeps following him around everywhere. Plus, his school has recently been hit by a series of mob attacks. How will Runt and his pals face this new challenge? Find out in this exciting 8-bit adventure!

The Unofficial Minecrafters Academy Series, by Winter Morgan 
Hogwarts meets Minecraft in Zombie Invasion, the first novel in a three-book series that spins off of The Unofficial Minecraft Gamers Adventure Series. Lucy has been recruited to the legendary Overworld Academy, where she makes new friends, Jane and Phoebe, who help her protect the school from a zombie attack. But all is not right at the Overworld Academy, and what Lucy discovers about it causes her to be kicked out! When she returns home to ask Henry and Max for help, there’s a terrible surprise waiting for her.

Invasion of the Overworld: An Unofficial Minecrafter’s Adventure (Gameknight999 Series #1), by Mark Cheverton
You know your littles love Minecraft if griefing, creepers, and all things pixelated are part of your daily life. In this literary Minecraft trek, Gameknight999 is accidentally transported by one of his father’s experiments into the game he loves to play. Now a pixelated character himself, he must navigate the universe he formerly liked to grief (mess up other players’ experience). What will happen to him when he meets monsters, zombies, and other players—is this life or death? Experiences that were once just a game are now real, and Gameknight999 has to face the world he helped build. This addictive series is super fun to read, as are The Elementia Chronicles and the Diary of a Minecraft Zombie books.

Modding Minecraft, by Stephen Foster
Steampunk barn? Sure. Postapocalyptic submarine? Why not! A loop-de-loop castle in the sky? Build it, you crazy maker! The megagame Minecraft has been shown to improve abstract thinking, spatial reasoning, and creativity in players young and old. If the builders in your house are obsessed, they’ll love this book. It’s packed with ideas and pro tips to help kids design their own totally unique mods, and it’s available only at Barnes & Noble.

Jokes for Minecrafters: Booby Traps, Bombs, Boo-Boos, and More, by Michele C. Hollow, Jordon P. Hollow, and Steven M. Hollow
Why did the slime stay home? He had no place to goo! Get it? Goo?? Because slime is gooey??? This is exactly the kind of humor your young Minecraft fan will get and giggle at for hours. Fun illustrations of skeleton mobs, zombie pigmen, and more add to the fun.

The Big Book of Hacks for Minecrafters: The Biggest Unofficial Guide to Tips and Tricks That Other Guides Won’t Teach You, by Megan Miller
Kids will relish this comprehensive guide to the art of Minecraft hackery. From tips on how best to use potions and enchantments, to advice on domesticating animals and fighting off mobs of every variety (Zombie Pigmen, anyone?), this book is chock full of cheats, hacks, and expert guidance every Minecraft fan can use. There’s even a section that explains exactly how some of the most fantastical structures in Minecraft—like Japanese pagodas and underwater domes—are created. When your Minecraft geniuses ask how you knew about this guide, just play it cool. Your secret is safe with us.