Author
Eoin Colfer
6 books here
Artemis Fowl and the Arctic Incident
Middle grade · ages 9–12 · 780L · 2003
A clever heist-and-rescue hybrid where a 12-year-old crime prodigy has to choose loyalty over profit; the wit and world-building reward rereading, though pacing flags in the middle.
The Last Guardian
Middle grade · ages 9–12 · 760L · 2014
A surprisingly moving capstone that earns its emotional weight—Artemis's arc from criminal mastermind to someone capable of genuine sacrifice feels earned, not sappy.
The Opal Deception
Middle grade · ages 9–12 · 780L · 2005
Smarter and darker than book one, with tighter plotting and real stakes — if your kid loves heist energy and morally gray protagonists, this is where the series fully lands.
Airman
Young adult · ages 10–14 · 820L · 2017
A historical adventure with real emotional stakes—Colfer trades his usual humor for a tighter plot about ingenuity and betrayal, and the switch works.
Artemis Fowl. The Lost Colony
Middle grade · ages 9–12 · 780L · 2008
The middle book of the series where the plot machinery gets visibly more complex and the humor sharpens; kids who loved books 1–3 will devour this, but it demands close reading and rewards rereading.
Artemis Fowl and the Eternity Code
Middle grade · ages 9–12 · 780L · 2006
A tight, fast heist with enough clever tech and fairy-world rules to reward re-reading; the third book is still standalone enough for newcomers, though series order matters for character stakes.