Harry Potter topples Hunger Games from the top of the book charts but New Zealand authors edge out some world classics.

Lynley Dodd's classic Hairy Maclary was fifth on the kids' book charts.
Lynley Dodd's classic Hairy Maclary was fifth on the kids' book charts.
Wizards and witches, vampires and the tale of a one-eyed donkey are what Kiwi children love to read about.

 The annual Whitcoulls Kids' Top 50 books chart is released today, showing what New Zealand kids are picking up from the bookshelves.

 The Harry Potter series is at the top of the list; bumping Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games series - which was rated number one last year - to second place.
Three New Zealand authors made the top 11, with Dame Lynley Dodd's classic Hairy Maclary in fifth place, Mark Sommerset's Baa Baa Smart Sheep in ninth and Craig Smith's The Wonky Donkey at number 11.

 Smith, whose books are all songs as well, said mixing reading with music was a great way to get kids excited about books.
"The books are quirky and they're fun. The fact that they've got the music with them helps as well. Some kids hear better than they read to learn. Because the song is a book as well, they can actually pick up the book and learn twice as fast. It gets kids to read."
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