books for 5th graders

26 of the Best Books for 5th Graders

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P.N. Hinton

Born into a family of readers, P.N. gained a love reading as a sort of herd mentality. This love of reading has remained a life long passion, resulting in an English Degree from The University of Houston in Houston, Texas. She normally reads three to four books at any given time, in the futile Sisyphean hope of whittling down her ever growing to be read pile of no specific genre.

View All posts by P.N. Hinton

For me 5th grade is one of those precipice years, a time when books for 5th graders are so important. You’re about to move from elementary school to middle school. Sixth grade is arguably the first year where you are your own captain, as it’s up to you to get your assignments in on time, as your teachers won’t constantly remind you to turn in work, like they do in elementary school. You’re also thrown into a sea of like-minded peers who are swimming through the onslaught of being the small fish in a new pond of like-minded peers who are also dealing with the onslaught of new responsibilities and hormones.

It’s a lot.

My own experience was especially difficult due to going to a brand new school for my 5th grade year, which I do not recommend. As previously mentioned, though, books helped me through this as they have helped me through other difficult situations. There are books for 5th graders that can help your young ones enjoy their new position as the big people on campus, brief as though it may be. The ones that can help you prepare for the new world of middle school. Then there are books you just read to enjoy them. Below are a few books that may interest your own 5th grade book dragons.

As a quick side note, some of these books do have protagonists that are above 5th grade. My own tendency to read ‘above my grade level’ shone through in that regard. As I mentioned, I feel the 5th grade is a level that straddles a lot of lines. Some of the books for 5th graders mentioned here really highlight that. Ultimately, though, you know what reading material is best for the young book dragon in your life and can plan and gift accordingly.

General Fiction Books For 5th Graders

Nothing’s fair in fifth grade by barthe declements.

This book was first published 1981, although the more modern cover may lead you to think otherwise. However, it is still a relevant coming-of-age tale about Jenny and Elsie. Jenny has to learn a lesson about not judging by appearances alone. While many people compare this to Judy Blume’s Blubber , it stands out in that we get to know more about Elsie personally, which we didn’t get with Linda. There are other books in this series as well, but this one is a good choice for 5th graders as they prepare for the new world of middle school.

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President of the Whole Fifth Grade by Sherri Winston

Brianna has dreams of owning her own cupcake company. Her first step towards this is becoming her class president. When she is faced with competition for this role from her classmate Jasmine, she has to decide if she is going to win fairly or use underhanded tactics. This is a good moral lesson for all of us, regardless of age and shows that as determined as we may be, being a good person should overrule everything else.

Frindle by Andrew Clements

Nicholas Allen is a boy of many ideas that have gotten him a bit of hot water in the past. Fifth grade will be different though; until he decides to rename ‘pen’ to ‘frindle’. What started as an innocent decision eventually spreads through the school, the town, and eventually across the country. Can Nick stop it before it possibly spreads to the world?

Fantasy Books For 5th Graders

Tristan strong punches a hole in the sky by kwame mbalia.

Tristan is sent to his grandparents’ house in Alabama for the summer to process the loss of his best friend. He takes along his friend’s journal, full of the stories that he wrote. One night it gets stolen and in the tussle to get it back, he ends up punching a hole in the universe. It’s up to him, Black American folk heroes John Henry and Brer Rabbit, and trickster god Anansi to seal the chasm and save the world.

I’m putting this on the list because it sounds awesome. While technically the lead character is in 7th grade, if you have a 5th grader who reads above their level, they would enjoy this book.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

A mixture of fantasy and Chinese folklore, this book is about Minli who spends years listening to her father tell tales of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man in the Moon. She in inspired to go on her own quest to find the latter, who knows the answer to everything, to help turn her family’s luck around.

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Fair warning that Artemis is a bit of an antihero, and even that description is generous in my opinion. I mean, the first book involves him kidnapping a fairy for ransom to help store his family’s fortune and triggering a cross-species war. However, that doesn’t take away from the fact that the stories involving this criminal mastermind are extremely engaging, with their marriage of fantasy and technology. That is one of the many things that fascinated me since you typically only find books that lean hard one way or the other.

Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi

Aru Shah is a girl who has a tendency to exaggerate her stories when speaking to her classmates. This trait leads her to light the Lamp of Bharata, which is said to be cursed, after three classmates call her bluff. Doing so releases an entity known as the Sleeper, who is duty-bound to awaken the God of Destruction. It’s up to Aru to save her classmates, her mother, and the world by finding the five reincarnations of the legendary Pandava brothers and trekking through the Kingdom of Death.

Mystery Books For 5th Graders

Escape from mr. lemoncello’s library by chris grabenstein.

Kyle loves games, but reading? Not so much. But when he finds out that world-famous game maker Luigi Lemoncello has designed the town’s new library? And that opening night is an invitation-only lock in? He’s determined to be there. Only to discover that getting out of the library is going to be tricky due to a puzzle hunt game that the designer has implemented that must be won before the kids can leave.

Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

Another mystery that involves puzzles and books, this stars Emily and her new friend James. After her move to San Francisco, home city of literary idol Garrison Griswold, Emily discovers that he has been attacked and left in a coma. This is all without anyone knowing about the epic new game he was supposed to launch. When an old book is discovered that the kids think is tied to his new game, they are on the case to find out what it is and who his attackers were.

The Name of This Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch

This book is about Cass and Max Ernes, who somehow end up with a mysterious box of vials known as the Symphony of Smells. This sends them on the trail of a magician who has disappeared into thin (and stinky) air and onto the path of an adventure. That’s about all the information I can give you since the plot, much like the title, is a secret.

Graphic Novels For 5th Graders

The baby-sitter’s club graphix by ann m. martin and raina telgemeier.

I love that revitalization this series got with the release of these graphic novels. That plus the upcoming Netflix series? My inner child is squeeing hardcore. The first in this series is of course Kristy’s Great Idea , wherein Kristy correctly thinks how easier it would be for parents to call one number for a choice of multiple babysitters. The rest, as they say, is history.

Big Nate in a Class By Himself by Lincoln Peirce

The first book in a long-running series about Nate, a boy who is just trying to survive his dad’s toxic oatmeal and the pitfalls of schools. By no means the teacher’s pet, Nate is learning how to dodge bullies, his teachers, and his arch-nemesis Gina all while staying his pretty awesome self.

The Misadventures of Max Crumbly: Locker hero by Rachel Renee Russell

This is one of the books where the main character is a bit above the 5th grade level. However, he is also facing the challenge of going into middle school for the first time, something I feel that a lot of 5th graders can sympathize with. It also doesn’t help that the school bully seems to have Max directly in his line of sight as his new victim. This spin-off from the Dork Diaries author is something I feel will speak to young readers who have middle school anxiety.

Horror Books For 5th Graders

The jumbies by tracey baptiste.

Corinne LaMer is fearless; She’s not even scared of the Jumbies that her parents tell tales about. Heck, she doesn’t even believe they exist! However, when one appears to follow her home one night and insinuates themself into her life, she begins to change her mind. Corinne and her friends have to reach deep inside themselves for courage, as well as magical ability they didn’t know they had, to save their island home from these tricksters.

Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn

This ghost story was one of my favorites growing up! Molly and her brother Michael are finding it difficult to adjust to their new stepfather and bratty stepsister Heather. When the family moves to an old church turned house in the country, it comes complete with a ghostly friend for Heather. However, Helen is not a friendly ghost. Molly and Michael wait in fear of what will happen if she actually comes for them.

The Dark-Thirty:Tales of the Supernatural by Patricia C. McKissack

This collection of original short stories is inspired by African American history and take place from the time of slavery through the civil rights movement. It isn’t to be missed as it will make a lasting impression on the reader. This is one that I read and I thoroughly enjoy and recommend for all readers, regardless of age.

Historical Fiction Books For 5th Graders

Bud, not buddy by christopher paul curtis.

After his mother’s death, 10-year-old Bud (not Buddy) sets off on a road trip to find his father. Nothing will stop him from this task. Set in 1936 Flint Michigan, this story will help open up discussion for a difficult time in our country’s history, and may help kids to realize how fortunate they may be in comparison to others.

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

In 1943 Copenhagen, when Jewish people are being ‘relocated’, Ellen Rosen moves in with her friend Annemarie Johansen and pretends to be one of the family. Then Annemarie is tasked with a dangerous mission to help save her friend’s life. A staple of most elementary schools, this book will help to show the strength of friendship.

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

This book is the first in the series about Cassie Logan and her family. The debut takes place in Mississippi during the Depression. Throughout it, Cassie learns the importance of her family owning their own land as well as struggles in the ugly face of racism, oppression, and social injustice. This one is a hard read so you may want to pre-read or buddy read. It will create an opportunity to answer any questions these complex topics. This is a book every person should read at least once in their life.

Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan

This book is set during the Great Depression and tells the story of Esperanza, who lives a life of privilege on a Mexican ranch. After an unexpected tragedy, she and her mother move to a California Mexican Labor camp. Suddenly, her existence is unwelcome. Then her mother gets sick and the rest of the labor camp goes on strike for better working conditions. Esperanza has to discover her inner strength for both her mother and herself.

Funny Books For 5th Graders

There’s a boys in the girls’ bathroom by louis sachar.

Honestly, I wasn’t sure which Sachar book was going to the win a place on the list. All of them remind me of childhood. However I’m going with this one because it actually takes place in 5th grade. And I think kids will identify with Bradley, no matter what their personal circumstances are. Fifth grade can be a tough year. Especially if you’re the oldest in your class like Bradley is. And when it seems that everyone, except for the new school counselor, has given up on you. This book helps to show that believing in yourself, while difficult sometimes, is a great way to approach life.

11 Birthdays: A Wish Novel By Wendy Mass

Amanda was so excited for her 11th birthday, believing that the year was going to be so different from 10. Then she and her best friend Leo have a falling out. For the first time ever, they don’t celebrate their birthdays together. When she goes to sleep that night she’s happy that the day is over, only to wake up to her 11th birthday again! How long will this cycle go on and what is Amanda going to learn from it?

The Top Ten Ways to Ruin the First Day of School by Ken Derby

Anthony Madison, or Tony Baloney if you prefer, loves The Late Show with David Letterman . So much so that he will stop at nothing to get there. Putting his own spin on the Top Ten list, Tony goes all out with his antics in his desire to get to New York City. This book was originally titled The Top Ten Ways to Ruin the First Day of Fifth Grade.

Classic Books For 5th Graders

The westing game by ellen raskin.

A group of 16 people are gathered at the reading of Samuel W. Westing’s will. What follows is a puzzle hunt for his fortune in one final game from the eccentric millionaire. This one has been delighting readers for years and will no doubt continue to do so in the future.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg

Claudia and her brother Jamie decide to run away, and they have a very specific place in mind: the Metropolitan Museum in New York. They just happen to run away in the middle of the biggest mystery to make the headlines. This is a book most of us remember reading in 5th grade. I’m all for keeping the tradition alive.

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Patterson

I know. I know . This book is heartbreaking. However, there is a reason that it has stood the test of time since it was first published in 1977. It was also given new life with the big screen adaptation in 2007. This book deals with a very hard topic in a very good way that kids can understand. It’s one of the staples of childhood literature and will continue to be.

I hope that this helped you to think of some books for the 5th graders in your life. Once they progress past these books, check out our recommendations for the best middle grade graphic novels or fantastic middle grade books by black authors .

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5th Grade Books

Have a group of reluctant readers? Not sure which fifth grade books to recommend? Fifth graders can be tricky to please as they’re slowly moving away from their elementary school selves and beginning to see the world in a more mature way. They’re capable of understanding and questioning texts differently than in the past. We’ve compiled a list of books that will keep your fifth grade readers engaged and chatting with one another about the lessons, questions, predictions, and thoughts they have while they read. Check out this list of favorite fifth grade books to start creating a room full of great readers!

(Just a heads up, WeAreTeachers may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. We only recommend items our team loves!)

1. Smile by Raina Telgemeier

Book cover of Smile as an example of 5th grade books

When Raina trips and falls and injures her two front teeth, she’s forced to have surgery and wear braces, making sixth grade even wilder than it already was. This graphic novel, based on Telgemeier’s life, has everything from boy problems to a major earthquake.

Buy it: Smile at Amazon

2. Holes by Louis Sachar

Book cover of Holes

Moving and funny with an edge, Louis Sachar’s Newbery Medal–winning novel Holes revolves around Stanley Yelnats (his surname is Stanley spelled backwards), who has been sent to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention center, to dig holes. Soon after picking up the shovel, Stanley begins to suspect that they are doing more than just moving dirt.

Buy it: Holes at Amazon

3. Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Book cover of Esperanza Rising, as an example of 5th grade books

This is historical fiction at its finest. It’s the story of Esperanza, a wealthy girl living in Mexico, who must go with her family to the United States during the Great Depression. Esperanza’s life gets turned upside down, but she pushes through and learns that pleasant surprises can result from change.

Buy it: Esperanza Rising at Amazon

4. Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Book cover of Wonder as an example of 5th grade books

The hero of Wonde r is Auggie Pullman, who has an extremely rare medical facial deformity. After having undergone many facial surgeries, Auggie has been homeschooled by his mother, but soon he will be attending mainstream school for the first time. This lovely story of acceptance will have every preteen rooting for Auggie the “wonder.”

Buy it: Wonder at Amazon

5. Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick

Book cover of Freak the Mighty as an example of 5th grade books

”I never had a brain until Freak came along and let me borrow his for a while.” Freak the Mighty is the tale of the unlikely friendship between Max, a strong boy with a learning disability, and Freak, a brilliant, small boy with a heart condition. Together, they are Freak the Mighty: nine feet tall and ready to conquer the world!

Buy it: Freak the Mighty at Amazon

6. Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper

Book cover of Out of My Mind as an example of 5th grade books

Words always swirl around in Melody’s head. But due to her cerebral palsy, they remain stuck in her brain. Out of My Mind is the powerful story of an intelligent young girl with a photographic memory who cannot communicate her thoughts. No one believes Melody is capable of learning, but she eventually finds her voice.

Buy it: Out of My Mind at Amazon

7. Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko

Book cover of Al Capone Does My Shirts

Moose Flanagan isn’t growing up where most kids grow up. He is a resident of The Rock, also known as Alcatraz, the infamous prison where his father works as an electrician. In an effort to help his sister Natalie, who has autism, Moose gets help from an unlikely—and notorious—new friend.

Buy it: Al Capone Does My Shirts at Amazon

8. I Am Malala (Young Reader’s Edition) by Malala Yousafzai

Book cover of I Am Malala

Want to add memoirs to your collection of fifth grade books? The inspiring story of Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani teen who was shot by the Taliban and subsequently became an international symbol of peaceful protest, is a must. Every preteen should hear the wisdom in the words “When you’ve nearly lost your life, a funny face in the mirror is simply proof that you are still here on this earth.”

Buy it: I Am Malala at Amazon

9. Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli

Book cover of Maniac Magee

Jerry Spinelli’s classic Maniac Magee follows an orphan boy looking for a home in a fictional town in Pennsylvania. For his feats of athleticism and fearlessness and his ignorance to the racial boundaries around him, Jeffrey “Maniac” Magee becomes something of a local legend. This timeless book is essential reading for learning about social identity and finding your place in the world. If your students haven’t yet read this classic, it’s time to add it to your collection of fifth grade books.

Buy it: Maniac Magee at Amazon

10. Baseball in April and Other Stories by Gary Soto

Book cove of Baseball in April and Other Stories

Gary Soto uses experiences from his own life as a Mexican American growing up in California as the inspiration for 11 stellar short stories, each describing small moments that showcase bigger themes. Crooked teeth, girls with ponytails, embarrassing relatives, and karate class all are wonderful fabric for Soto to weave the beautiful tapestry that is young Gary’s world.

Buy it: Baseball in April and Other Stories at Amazon

11. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Book cover of The Secret Garden

Fifth graders will enjoy  Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic children’s novel  The Secret Garden . Mary Lennox is a spoiled orphan sent to live with her uncle at his mansion full of secrets. Generations young and old love this book, which showcases the true meaning of the word family .

Buy it: The Secret Garden at Amazon

12. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

Book cover of Bridge to Terabithia

Looking for more classic fifth grade books for students to read? In this story, Jess meets the smart and talented Leslie after she beats him in a race at school. Leslie transforms his world, teaching him how to have courage in the face of adversity. They create a kingdom for themselves called Terabithia, an imaginary refuge where their adventures take place. In the end, Jess has to overcome heartbreaking tragedy in order to stay strong.

Buy it: Bridge to Terabithia at Amazon

13. The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

Book cover of The City of Ember

The city of Ember was built as a last refuge for the human race. Two hundred years later, the lamps that light the city are beginning to die out. When Lina finds part of an ancient message, she’s sure it holds a secret that will save the city. This classic dystopian tale will light up your heart.

Buy it: The City of Ember at Amazon

14. The Giver by Lois Lowry

Book cover of The Giver

Lois Lowry’s classic The Giver begins as a utopian tale but is later revealed to be a dystopian story in every sense of the word. Jonas lives in a world where society has eliminated memories, pain, and emotional depth. When he becomes a Receiver of Memory, he struggles with new emotions he’s never before felt. And as you read, so will you!

Buy it: The Giver at Amazon

15. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Book cover of Number the Stars

Lois Lowry does it again! Be prepared to answer lots of questions while reading this classic must-read about Annemarie, a young girl who helps keep her Jewish friends safe during the Holocaust. The details are so precise, you will feel as if you are right in the middle of the story.

Buy it: Number the Stars at Amazon

16. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Book cover of Hatchet

This adventure tale is another classic for your list of fifth grade books. It’s also a great example of huge character growth. Brian must try to survive the wilderness after a plane crash, but he has only the clothes on his back, a windbreaker, and the titular hatchet. Brian learns how to fish, how to build a fire, and most importantly, patience.

Buy it: Hatchet at Amazon

17. The Watsons Go to Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis

Book cover of The Watsons Go To Birmingham

History unfolds in this book set during the Civil Rights Movement when the Watsons, a family from Flint, Michigan, take a road trip to Alabama. Chock-full of family dynamics, adolescent angst, and humor, this book will encourage much discussion about what Birmingham was like in 1963.

Buy it: The Watsons Go to Birmingham at Amazon

18. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

Book cover of Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

This classic diary documents the life of Anne Frank while she was in hiding with her family during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. The diary has since been published in over 60 languages. It’s a gripping and heartbreaking tale for kids and adults to read and discuss together.

Buy it: Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl at Amazon

19. Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

Book cover of Where the Red Fern Grows

Here’s another title that tops lists of classic fifth grade books. This story is an exciting tale of love and adventure that your fifth grader will never forget. Ten-year-old Billy raises hunting dogs in the Ozark Mountains. Throughout the story, young Billy encounters his share of heartbreak.

Buy it: Where the Red Fern Grows at Amazon

20. Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

Book cover of Walk Two Moons

Two heartwarming, compelling stories are woven together in this delightful tale. As 13-year-old Salamanca Tree Hiddle takes a cross-country trip with her grandparents, a story of love, loss, and the depth and complexity of human emotion is revealed.

Buy it: Walk Two Moons at Amazon

21. Restart by Gordon Korman

Book cover of Restart

Restart is the story of a boy whose messy past gets a second chance in middle school. After falling off a roof and losing his memory, Chase must live life again and relearn who he was before the accident. But does he want to return to that boy? Not only does he ask who he was , now the question is who he wants to be.

Buy it: Restart at Amazon

22. Wish by Barbara O’Connor

Book cover of Wish

If you’re looking for fifth grade books for animal lovers, check out this title. Eleven-year-old Charlie Reese spends her time making lists of her wishes. Not sure if they will ever come true, Charlie meets Wishbone, a stray dog who captures her heart. Charlie surprises herself in learning that sometimes the things we wish for may not be the things we actually need.

Buy it: Wish at Amazon

23. Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Book cover of Fish in a Tree as an example of 5th grade books

Ally is able to fool everyone in each of her new schools into thinking she can read. But her newest teacher, Mr. Daniels, sees right through her. Mr. Daniels helps Ally realize that being dyslexic is nothing to be ashamed of. As her confidence grows, Ally sees the world in a whole new way.

Buy it: Fish in a Tree at Amazon

24. Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate

Book cover of Home of the Brave, as an example of 5th grade books

This is a story about courage and challenges as Kek comes from Africa to the United States, where he has very little family. America is a strange place to him as he sees and learns about things like snow for the first time. Slowly, Kek builds new friendships and learns to love his new country as he toughs out the Minnesota winter.

Buy it: Home of the Brave at Amazon

25. The Journey That Saved Curious George by Louise Borden

Book cover of The Journey that Saved Curious George, as an example of 5th grade books

Fifth grade students might be too old to read Curious George picture books, but this nonfiction book about its authors is perfect for an older audience. In 1940, Hans and Margret Rey fled their Paris home as the German army advanced during World War II. This began their journey to safety all while carrying children’s book manuscripts among their few possessions. Read and learn about this amazing story that brought the beloved Curious George to the world, with original photos!

Buy it: The Journey That Saved Curious George at Amazon

26. Rules by Cynthia Lord

Book cover of Rules, as an example of 5th grade books

Twelve year-old Catherine just wants a normal life. Growing up in a home with a severely autistic brother makes things really difficult. Catherine is determined to teach her brother David the “rules of life” to prevent his embarrassing behaviors in public and make her life more “normal.” Everything changes during the summer when Catherine meets some new friends, and now she must ask herself: What is normal ?

Buy it: Rules at Amazon

27. Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea

Book cover of Because of Mr. Terupt, as an example of 5th grade books

One fifth grade class is about to embark on a year like no other as their teacher, Mr. Terupt, changes the way they view school. While Mr. Terupt helps each student achieve their fifth grade goals, the students learn it’s Mr. Terupt who needs their help the most. This book is the first of a three-book series your students will not want to put down!

Buy it: Because of Mr. Terupt at Amazon

28. Mixed Up by Gordon Korman

Book cover of Mixed Up, as an example of 5th Grade Books

NY Times bestselling author Gordon Korman has done it again! Just released in 2023, Korman tells the story of two boys who are having strange flashbacks of memories that don’t seem to belong to them. At the same time, their own memories seem to be vanishing! What could possibly be happening?

Buy it: Mixed Up at Amazon

29. Posted by John David Anderson

Book Cover of Posted, as an example of 5th Grade Books.

Fifth grade is a year of growth for students. Many kids start to deal with social issues in the classroom, at recess, and on social media. This story addresses the realities most of these kids face: bullying, broken friendships, and failures of communication between kids.

Buy it: Posted at Amazon

30. Eleven by Tom Rogers

Book Cover of Eleven, as an example of 5th Grade Books.

If you are looking to learn and read about the lessons of 9/11 with your students, you must check this out. Alex Douglas’ birthday is September 11. Little does he know that turning 11 on this day will be such a big deal. Never would he have imagined so much could happen on one day. Read how Alex Douglas, the boy who always wanted to be a hero, learns an unexpected lesson.

Buy it: Eleven at Amazon

31. Odder by Katherine Applegate

Book Cover of Odder, as an example of 5th Grade Books.

Looking for new Katherine Applegate titles (The One and Only Ivan , Crenshaw ) to add to your collection of fifth grade books? Released in 2022, this book quickly became a NY Times bestseller. This is the story of a fearless sea otter who spends her days twirling and spinning underwater off the coast of central California. When she suddenly comes to face to face with a great white shark, she must challenge everything she believes about herself and the humans trying to save her. Inspired by the true story of a Monterey Bay Aquarium program that pairs orphaned otter pups with surrogate mothers.

Buy it: Odder at Amazon

32. The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm

Book Cover of The Fourteenth Goldfish, as an example of 5th Grade Books.

Looking for something a bit more science- or STEM-related? Ellie is an 11-year-old who doesn’t like change. She misses her best friend, fifth grade, and even her last goldfish. One day, an odd boy shows up who reminds her of her grandpa Melvin, a quirky scientist. This book delves into the wonder of science and explores questions about life and death, family and friendship, and possibility.

Buy it: The Fourteenth Goldfish at Amazon

33. Best Nerds Forever by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein

Book Cover of Best Nerds Forever, as an example of 5th Grade Books.

One minute Finn is biking home from school and the next minute he is run off the road by a maniac in a big van. Now, Finn is a ghost and is enjoying doing lots of fun things that only ghosts can do. But he still has lots of questions: Who wanted him dead? Can he stop it from happening to others?

Buy it: Best Nerds Forever at Amazon

34. Shouting at the Rain by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Book Cover of Shouting at the Rain, as an example of 5th Grade Books.

This is a beautiful story of learning to love the family you have. Delsie lives with her grandmother and lately wishes she could have a “regular family.” After her old friend abandons her, Delsie befriends Ronan, who has endured trouble of his own. This book is a story of their adventures, where they learn what it means to be broken versus whole, abandoned versus loved, and much more.

Buy it: Shouting at the Rain at Amazon

35. The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore

Book Cover of The Stars Beneath Our Feet, as an example of 5th Grade Books

Lolly Rachpaul and his mom are still mourning the death of his older brother in a gang-related shooting just a few months earlier. Then, Lolly’s mother’s girlfriend brings him a gift that will change everything—bags and bags of LEGO bricks. When he is pressured to join a “crew” as his brother did, Lolly is faced with deciding what will be his safest choice. He falls back on his new gift to help him find an escape from the world he lives in.

Buy it: The Stars Beneath Our Feet at Amazon

36. The Worst Class Trip Ever by Dave Barry

Book Cover of The Worst Class Trip Ever, as an example of 5th Grade Books.

This is a hilarious adventure told in the voice of eighth grader Wyatt Palmer as he and his friends find themselves in huge trouble on their class trip to Washington, D.C. Not just trouble with their teachers, but from some mysterious men they meet on their flight. Hop on board as they try to stay out of danger and, oh … save the president of the United States!

Buy it: The Worst Class Trip Ever at Amazon

37. Linked by Gordon Korman

Book Cover of Linked, as an example of 5th Grade Books.

Link, Michael, and Dana live in a quiet town. One day, a swastika is found on the school property. Nobody can believe it. How could such a symbol of hate end up in their middle school? There are many suspects, and everyone is pointing fingers at everyone else. The students struggle to figure out a way to bring people together as opposed to dividing them even further.

Buy it: Linked at Amazon

38. Accidental Archaeologists: True Stories of Unexpected Discoveries by Sarah Albee

Book Cover of Accidental Archeologists, as an example of 5th grade books.

Science plus real-life mystery! Learn about incredible accidental finds that changed history. This book will take you on an adventure to find the most surprising discoveries made by ordinary people. You’ll find kings buried under parking lots, ancient skeletons, and a boy who found a bunch of old scrolls while searching for his lost goats!

Buy it: Accidental Archaeologists at Amazon

39. Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women by Catherine Thimmesh

Book Cover of Girls Think of Everything, as an example of 5th Grade Books.

You wouldn’t believe how many everyday items and foods were invented by women! What inspired them? How did they turn their ideas into reality? This book will take you through women inventors young and old with the most gorgeous illustrations! This nonfiction title geared toward girls is a perfect addition to your collection of fifth grade books.

Buy it: Girls Think of Everything at Amazon

40. When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller

Book cover of When You Trap a Tiger, as an example of 5th grade books.

A magical tiger arrives in Lily’s life—straight from the Korean folktales Lily’s heard over and over. She begins to unravel a secret family history and learns her grandmother’s health depends on a deal she must make with the tigers of the past. But deals with tigers are never what they seem! With the help of her sister, Lily must find a way to stand up to the tiger with courage.

Buy it: When You Trap a Tiger at Amazon

Love these fifth grade books? Check out our list of realistic fiction books that kids will love!

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5th grade books feature

20 Chapter Books To Inspire Fifth Graders

A good book can be life-changing. Continue Reading

Copyright © 2023. All rights reserved. 5335 Gate Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32256

Favorite books for 5th graders

by: The GreatSchools Editorial Team

Print book list

I am the ice worm

I Am the Ice Worm

by: MaryAnn Easley - (Boys Mill Press, 1996) 127 pages.

This book is sort of a girls’ version of Gary Paulsen’s classic Hatchet. In both stories, a teenage character is stranded in the wilderness following a plane crash. In I Am the Ice Worm , 14-year-old Allison is rescued from the Alaskan wild by an Inupiat trapper, who takes her to his village to stay until she can be reunited with her mother. Allison’s upbringing in an upper-class family in southern California certainly didn’t prepare her for this icy adventure, but she turns out to have courage and adaptability that she didn’t expect. Though Allison may initially seem too “girly” for boy readers, this novel has a great blend of adventure, wilderness and family matters that will captivate boys and girls alike.

Perfect for: Kids who like adventure stories.

Find I Am the Ice Worm at your local library.

Hatchet

by: Gary Paulsen - (Simon & Schuster, 1987) 192 pages.

The story is about Brian, 13, and how he manages to survive 54 days in the Canadian wilderness after a plane crash. Brian was flying to visit his father when the pilot dies of a heart attack in mid-flight. Brian crash lands the plane into a small lake and swims out of the wreckage. He has his clothing, a tattered windbreaker and a hatchet (a gift from his mother). The novel takes us through Brian’s days, how he learns patience through his experiences with failures and small successes: building a fire, fishing and hunting, making his shelter a safe one. He endures a porcupine attack, a tornado and being utterly alone for almost two months. This is a tale of adventure but, more importantly, it is a tale of character growth. This edition includes a new introduction and sidebar commentary by the author.

Find Hatchet at your local library.

Kit wilderness

Kit’s Wilderness

by: David Almond - (Delacorte Press, 2000) 229 pages.

Kit’s family moves to Stoneygate, an old coal-mining town where his family has lived for generations, to be near his ailing grandfather. Here, Kit is invited by an odd neighbor boy to play a game called Death. The game and the town’s haunted history get under Kit’s skin, while the lines between reality and fantasy begin to blur. This multi-generational tale is engrossing and chilling.

Find Kit’s Wilderness at your local library.

Peak

by: Roland Smith - (Harcourt, 2007) 246 pages.

When 14-year-old Peak Marcello is caught scaling a skyscraper to place his signature graffiti tag, he is offered a choice: spend three years in juvenile detention or climb Mt. Everest with his long-absent father. Though the choice might be easy, the journey is not. Peak is physically and emotionally challenged by the grueling climb, the weather, and the politics and drama of climbing culture. And the pressure is on, because if Peak can reach the summit before his 15th birthday, he’ll break a world record and gain glory and money. Peak is gripping and surprising, and though it’s written for a middle-grade audience, readers young and old will be sucked in by the sharp writing and memorable characters.

Find Peak at your local library.

Baseball in april

Baseball in April and Other Stories

by: Gary Soto - (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1990) 111 pages.

Alfonso is a seventh grader who wishes his teeth were straighter, his hair were cooler, and his abs were more muscular. His parents are preoccupied with earning a living and his older brother, Ernie, has girl troubles. Alfonso meets a girl with ponytails and invites her for a bike ride, but then his bike chain breaks. Will Ernie lend Alfonso his bike? The eleven short stories in this book explore family bonds, falling in love, fears, and insecurities — themes common to all kids as they grow up. They feature Mexican-American families and are full of colorful details from the author’s own experiences growing up in California’s Central Valley.

Perfect for: Tweens navigating life with friends, siblings, and crushes.

Find Baseball in April and Other Stories at your local library.

Light princess

The Light Princess

by: George McDonald , illustrated by: Maurice Sendak - (Farrar Straus Giroux, 1864) 110 pages.

Just when you think your child might be getting too old for fairy tales, along comes this amazing 19th-century princess story to change both of your minds. Chock-full of puns and mixed with just the right blend of whimsy and ethics lessons, The Light Princess deserves a fresh set of 21st-century eyes. Resoundingly recommended. In 1977 Maurice Sendak created illustrations for a rerelease of this 1864 book.

Perfect for: Kids who like classic stories.

Find The Light Princess at your local library.

Phantom tollbooth

The Phantom Tollbooth

by: Norton Juster , illustrated by: Jules Feiffer - (Random House, 1961) 255 pages.

Described by many children as “the best book ever,” this is fantasy at its best. Full of irony and insights, Juster created a masterpiece when he wrote The Phantom Tollbooth . Give this book to your child and let the wave of words and numbers sweep them into a fantastical world. A clever, almost indescribable book that you may already know about, but is too indispensable to keep from mentioning it here.

Find The Phantom Tollbooth at your local library.

Sir circumference

Sir Cumference and the First Round Table: A Math Adventure

by: Cindy Neuschwander , illustrated by: Wayne Geehan - (Charlesbridge Publishing, 1997) 32 pages.

This book is the perfect read-aloud to introduce the concepts of circumference, diameter and radius. Students will be exposed to many other geometric shapes as well. Children of all ages will enjoy this mathematical adventure. Sir Circumference and his Knight work to solve a mathematical dilemma. What would be the best-shaped table for Sir Circumference to gather his knights? Will it be a square, rectangle, parallelogram or circle? You must read to find out.

Perfect for: Kids who like numbers.

Find Sir Cumference and the First Round Table: A Math Adventure at your local library.

Bread roses too

Bread and Roses, Too

by: Katherine Paterson - (Clarion Books, 2006) 288 pages.

Life in Lawrence, Massachusetts, in 1912 wasn’t easy. … Born to Italian immigrants, Rosa’s parents and older sister work in the mills. After her father died in a mill accident, Rosa’s mother took in a family of boarders. Even though they needed the money, Rosa’s feisty mother insisted that 12-year-old Rosa attend school rather than work in the mill. … With her unfailing empathy for the young, Paterson combines the thoughts and feelings of a timid child who is torn between the admonitions of an admired teacher who talks against an unfolding mill strike and her earthy Italian mother who, along with Rosa’s older sister, participates wholeheartedly in the strike. … Once again, Paterson displays her gift for bringing the hard past to life for present-day readers.

Perfect for: Kids who like historical fiction.

Find Bread and Roses, Too at your local library.

The secret garden

The Secret Garden

by: Frances Hodgson Burnett - (J.B. Lippincott Company, 1911) 288 pages.

Mary is an orphan who is angry at the world when she arrives at a forsaken mansion on the British moors. As she slowly discovers the secrets of the mansion, including an invalid cousin, an abandoned garden, and a family’s sad history, she begins to hesitantly open her heart. She shows her cousin the garden and his ecstatic encounter with nature is as healing for him as it has been for Mary. The young people flourish along with the garden, as the lonely mansion becomes a loving home.

Want to see the movie? Check out the 1993 adaptation featuring Maggie Smith as Mrs. Medlock.

Find The Secret Garden at your local library.

Island of blue dolphins

Island of the Blue Dolphins

by: Scott O'Dell - (Yearling, 1971) 192 pages.

The Newbery Medal winner for 1961, this book could be seen as a precursor to Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet (see below). Karana is a 12-year-old Native American who refuses to abandon her 6-year-old brother when her island, Ghalas-at (off the Southern California coast) is evacuated. Shortly thereafter, he tragically dies after being attacked by wild dogs, and Karana begins her solitary wait for a ship to come for her. She waits 18 years. Karana survives by foraging, fishing in the ocean, defending herself from wild dogs and elephant seals, and hiding from the Aleut tribe. Told from her point of view, we share the details of her day-to-day life, watch the days turn into years, and wait for the ship to carry her off her lonely island. O’Dell based this novel on an actual historical figure, known as The Lost Woman of San Nicolas, who lived on the island from 1835-1853.

Find Island of the Blue Dolphins at your local library.

Mystery of rascal pratt

The Mystery of Rascal Pratt

by: Robbie Scott and Gary Cianciarulo - (Greenwich Mill Pub., 2007) 207 pages.

This is great historical fiction for children. The story takes place in 1866 at the tip of the Marin Headlands in Northern California. Shipwrecks, pirate adventure, bigotry, friendships, local flavor — this book has it all to hold the attention of the tween crowd. The protagonists are Emma, Sue and Harris (all 12 years old) and Rascal Pratt, a self-proclaimed pirate who is older than he looks. Achilles, Sue’s grandfather, a blind, Native American ranch worker, asks Rascal to find the long-lost treasure of Sir Francis Drake, so that he can buy his freedom from the ranch. The action takes place at a lighthouse and the nearby shoreline and ocean. Because of the wonderful period detail found here, this book is a perfect tie-in for “Talk Like a Pirate Day” on September 19!

Find The Mystery of Rascal Pratt at your local library.

Number the stars

Number the Stars

by: Lois Lowry - (Houghton Mifflin Co., 1989) 137 pages.

A brave Danish girl helps smuggle her Jewish friends to safety. Lowry’s sense of timing and choice of details put readers in the middle of the story. A riveting read, but your kids may have questions afterward.

Find Number the Stars at your local library.

On the wings of heroes

On the Wings of Heroes

by: Richard Peck - (Dial Books, 2007) 148 pages.

This book is a funny, poignant book about life on the home front during World War II. There is some violence: a father is knocked out with a wrench, a girl’s hand is caught in a rat trap, and an old lady likes to tell tales of gruesome injuries. Families can talk about the differences between life then and now. What aspects of Davy’s life sound similar to your own? Which are completely different? Does it sound like it was fun to grow up then? Is it more fun now? What else have you seen and read about World War II?

Find On the Wings of Heroes at your local library.

Shakespeare stealer

The Shakespeare Stealer

by: Gary Blackwood - (Puffin Books, 1998) 216 pages.

Fourteen-year-old orphan Widge works for a mean and unscrupulous master who goes by the name of Falconer. Ordered to steal the script for Hamlet, Widge is taken to London and forced to attend a performance of the play. Instead of concentrating on stealing the script, he becomes engrossed in the show. Reluctantly, Widge admits his failure to Falconer and is told to return until his mission is accomplished. Nothing goes as planned and a very surprised Widge finds himself an accepted member of the backstage crew. Once a lonely outcast, he has friends and a place to call home for the first time in his life. Will he have the moral integrity to disobey his master or will he betray his new family? Set in Elizabethan London, The Shakespeare Stealer introduces us to Shakespearean stagecraft, life on the streets of London and to the truth behind the youthful appearance of Queen Elizabeth I!

Find The Shakespeare Stealer at your local library.

Slave dancer

The Slave Dancer

by: Paula Fox - (Bradbury Press, 1973) 204 pages.

This moderately graphic depiction of the worst of the slave trade, told exclusively from a white boy’s point of view, will raise many questions, both historical and moral. Though the reading level is middle to upper elementary, sensitive children may find it very disturbing.

Find The Slave Dancer at your local library.

Wall

The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain

by: Peter Sis - (Farrar Straus & Giroux, 2007) 56 pages.

This award-winner shows a child’s view of the Cold War. This serious book deserves time and close attention. There are many big political and philosophical ideas, and mentions of events that may disturb some children, including a plane hijacking, imprisonments and deaths. Families can talk about and compare what was happening in America during that time. Are grandparents available to share their own memories of the Cold War era? Families can also explore the Western cultural touchstones that meant so much to Sis — the Beach Boys, the Beatles. Awards: Caldecott Honor, New York Times Best Illustrated Book Award, Kirkus Reviews Editors’ Choice, School Library Journal Best Book, Parents’ Choice Award Winner, Horn Book Fanfare.

Find The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain at your local library.

Canning season

The Canning Season

by: Polly Horvath - (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003) 208 pages.

Ratchet loves her selfish mother but receives little in return. Without warning or luggage of any sort, Ratchet’s mother ships her to Maine to spend the summer with two elderly relatives. Tilly and Penpen are un-identical twins who are tremendously eccentric; they are also kind and generous. A laugh-aloud, farcical story evolves from this unlikely premise. Winner of the 2003 National Book Award for Children’s Literature.

Perfect for: Kids who like humor stories.

Find The Canning Season at your local library.

Pepins and their problems

The Pepins and Their Problems

by: Polly Horvath , illustrated by: Marylin Hafner - (Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers, 2004) 192 pages.

Whether it’s waking up to find toads in their shoes or searching for cheese when their cow makes lemonade, the Pepin family’s endless tangles entertain the reader. Lucky for them they have the author, whose insight into their hilarious misfortunes helps guide them in problem solving.

Find The Pepins and Their Problems at your local library.

Top ten ways

The Top 10 Ways to Ruin the First Day of 5th Grade

by: Kenneth Derby - (Holiday House, 2004) 144 pages.

Tony Baloney is obsessed with David Letterman and is determined to be a guest on his show. This fast-paced, action-packed story is sure to keep the reader amused — top 10 lists and all!

Find The Top 10 Ways to Ruin the First Day of 5th Grade at your local library.

What would joey do

What Would Joey Do?

by: Jack Gantos - (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2002) 240 pages.

Now that Joey’s divorced mom has a new boyfriend, his dad has returned to town to buzz their house on his roaring motorcycle. The fact that his own sick, elderly mother is living with his son and former wife doesn’t deter him at all. When Joey’s mom sends him to be homeschooled with a bratty blind girl with a religious mother whose motto is “What Would Jesus Do?” Joey adopts this motto — with his own modifications. While the premises of Joey’s story – no allies except a small dog and a sick old lady — are harsh, the book is hilarious.

Find What Would Joey Do? at your local library.

Airborn

by: Kenneth Oppel - (Eos, 2004) 544 pages.

Matt is a cabin boy on board a luxurious airship, the Aurora. Matt meets Kate, who has arranged for a flight on the Aurora so that she can investigate diary entries her grandfather made regarding large, feline creatures with bat-like wings. Soon, the Aurora is attacked by pirates and forced by a storm to land on a tropical island. While exploring the island, Matt and Kate stumble across the bones of one of the “cloud cats” and observe one living in the treetops. But they are captured by the pirates, whose hideout is on the very same island. Will Matt and Kate be able to escape? You won’t want to stop turning the pages until you know the answer! Rich with action, the character development does not suffer. Matt and Kate are likable heroes, the pirates vile and even the airship, Aurora, takes on a personality of its own.

Perfect for: Kids who like mysteries.

Find Airborn at your local library.

Chasing vermeer

Chasing Vermeer

by: Blue Balliett - (Scholastic, 2004) 254 pages.

Mysterious letters, picture puzzles called “pentominoes,” and a stolen painting by the Dutch artist Vermeer unite unlikely friends, Petra Andalee and Calder Pillay, in an effort to solve a mystery.

Find Chasing Vermeer at your local library.

Encyclopedia brown cracks the case

Encyclopedia Brown Cracks the Case

by: Donald J. Sobol - (Dutton, 2007) 128 pages.

Children will enjoy beating Encyclopedia Brown to the solution in each of these 10 short stories. The cases require different knowledge to solve them, so this collection is good for budding history buffs and scientists.

Find Encyclopedia Brown Cracks the Case at your local library.

From the mixed-Up files

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

by: E.L. Konigsburg - (Simon & Schuster, 1967) 162 pages.

Twelve-year-old Claudia and her younger brother Jamie are running away from the tyranny of unappreciative parents and the drudgery of day-to-day living. Claudia has carefully hand-picked the beautiful Metropolitan Museum of Art as their new home. There they quite unexpectedly stumble upon an unknown statue by none other than Michelangelo…or is it? Winner of the 1967 Newbery Award.

Find From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler at your local library.

Homework machine

The Homework Machine

by: Dan Gutman - (Simon & Schuster, 2006) 160 pages.

Young readers will recognize their classmates and maybe themselves in the key witnesses who describe the events (interrogation-style) leading up to the discovery, use and destruction of a computer that was supposed to make kids’ lives easier. It didn’t.

Find The Homework Machine at your local library.

Lady grace mysteries

The Lady Grace Mysteries

by: Lady Grace Cavendish - (Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2004)

Series by various authors writing as Lady Grace Cavendish (Random House, 2004-2006). Lady Grace Cavendish is the Nancy Drew of the Elizabethan Age, an independent-minded teenager whose godmother just happens to be Elizabeth I. Court intrigues and rivalries, swashbucklers, unlikely friends and a mystery in each book make these very lively historical novels.

Find The Lady Grace Mysteries at your local library.

Spy force

Spy Force Mission: In Search of the Time and Space Machine

by: Deborah Abela , illustrated by: George O'Connor - (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, 2005) 240 pages.

An 11-year-old girl discovers boredom is the least of her problems during the summer she spends at her aunt’s farm. Her secret-agent stories take on a new reality when she happens upon a real spy ring. This story is the ultimate thriller for our age.

Find Spy Force Mission: In Search of the Time and Space Machine at your local library.

Time stops for no mouse

Time Stops for No Mouse

by: Michael Hoeye - (Putnam, 2002) 279 pages.

Hermux is a watchmaker who also happens to be a mouse. He is mostly content with his life of order and quiet nights curled up with some cheese and a good book, but that all changes when one Linka Perflinger, aviatrix and daredevil, enters and mysteriously exits the picture.

Find Time Stops for No Mouse at your local library.

Alabama moon

Alabama Moon

by: Watt Key - (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2006) 304 pages.

In the piney woods of south Alabama, 10-year-old Moon Blake has been raised by his survivalist father, a paranoid Vietnam veteran. When his father dies, Moon buries him beside his mother, who had softened their harsh existence while she lived. Not long before he died, Moon’s father told him to write him letters after his death — and if Moon burned the letters, the messages would reach him. Pap called these “smoke letters.” … With a wonderful villain and touches of distinctive humor, the author takes his wiry, tough, goodhearted hero through a residence in a boys’ “home,” a true friendship, assorted escapes and into a happy ending. … This debut novel is absolutely first-rate.

Perfect for: Kids who like realism.

Find Alabama Moon at your local library.

Becoming naomi leon

Becoming Naomi Leon

by: Pam Munoz Ryan - (Scholastic, 2004) 272 pages.

Naomi Leon Outlaw is many things: a great sister, a kind granddaughter, and an excellent soap carver, but she is having a harder time just being Naomi. Her journey to find her own true voice and reconnect with her father takes her from a trailer park in Lemon Tree, California, to a radish-carving festival in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Perfect for: Kids who have changed as they’ve grown up.

Find Becoming Naomi Leon at your local library.

Homeless bird

Homeless Bird

by: Gloria Whelan - (HarperCollins Publishers, 2000) 192 pages.

Set in India, this is a lyrical and compassionate portrait of a survivor. Thirteen-year-old Koly is getting married to someone she has never met. When her new husband turns out to be gravely ill, things take a turn for the worse. Koly finds herself widowed, hopeless and on the streets.

Find Homeless Bird at your local library.

The Liberation of Gabriel King

The Liberation of Gabriel King

by: K.L. Going - (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2005) 151 pages.

Frita Wilson works hard to help her friend Gabe to overcome the fear of bullies in fifth grade. This is an inspiring story about friendship and understanding between an African American girl and a white boy.

Find The Liberation of Gabriel King at your local library.

Maniac Magee

Maniac Magee

by: Jerry Spinelli - (Little, Brown, 1990) 184 pages.

A homeless orphan becomes a legend in a town divided by racism in this sometimes funny, sometimes moving, always exciting story. Jeffrey Magee’s exploits may have made him famous, but reconciling a town filled with hate and finding a decent life for himself may be more than even he can manage.

Find Maniac Magee at your local library.

No Talking

by: Andrew Clements , illustrated by: Mark Elliott - (Simon & Schuster, 2007) 146 pages.

This is an ear-to-ear-grinningly delightful school story. Parents need to know that there is nothing to be concerned about here and lots to cheer. It’s a story that even reluctant readers can love, about good-hearted children and adults who grow in compassion and understanding. Families can talk about silence and civil disobedience. Why does the silence seem so powerful? How does it change everyone’s perceptions? What do you think of the standoff between Dave and the principal?

Find No Talking at your local library.

Pollyanna

by: Eleanor Porter - (Simon and Schuster, 1913) 304 pages.

A tonic in cynical times, this book offers a philosophy of life that can have a big impact on younger children. Playing the Glad Game is worth a try for any family. Like other books of its time, Pollyanna contains a few comments that are considered racist by modern standards: a maid is referred to as “Black Tilly,” and there are several comments to the effect that little boys from India are “heathens” who “don’t know any more than to think that God was in that [idol].”

Find Pollyanna at your local library.

The Wednesday Wars

The Wednesday Wars

by: Gary Schmidt - (Clarion Books, 2007) 264 pages.

On Wednesday afternoons half of Holling’s class leaves school early for Catechism class. The other half leaves early for Hebrew School. That leaves Presbyterian Holling alone every Wednesday afternoon with his teacher, Mrs. Baker. Neither of them is happy at the prospect, and Holling is sure Mrs. Baker hates him as a result. At first, Mrs. Baker just has Holling clean erasers, but then decides to make better use of the time by introducing him to Shakespeare. And as events in the larger world during the 1967-68 school year unfold in the background, Holling begins to learn about himself, his family, friends and the mysterious adult world.

Find The Wednesday Wars at your local library.

The View From Saturday

The View From Saturday

by: E.L. Konigsburg - (Simon and Schuster, 1996) 163 pages.

Main characters not only compete in an academic contest (contest answers included at the back!) but also outwit the class bullies using brains, not brawn. Nadia, Noah, Ethan and Julian, so closely linked in friendship that they call themselves “the Souls,” each narrates a part of the book. Part of the pleasure comes from watching the foursome’s varied life experiences help them succeed as an Academic Bowl Team, and part comes from the suspense generated at the story’s beginning: How does Mrs. Olinski select the children for her team? Only Noah, Nadia, Ethan, and Julian know — and in alternating chapters, each one tells a different piece of the story of how they became friends. The calamitous wedding of Nadia’s grandfather and Ethan’s grandmother, where Noah fills in as best man, is just the beginning. Mrs. Olinski, a paraplegic, proves to be an indomitable coach as the foursome wins one victory after another.

Find The View From Saturday at your local library.

Davin

by: Dan and Zaki Gordon - (Delacorte Press, 1997) 170 pages.

Children are encouraged to interact with the exciting story. When melodramatically read aloud, it’s a sure success. The Bugle Boy models brave steadfast friendship. The toys are animated by the power of imagination, and represent characters from various other stories.

Perfect for: Kids who like science fiction and fantasy.

Find Davin at your local library.

The Emerald Wand of Oz

The Emerald Wand of Oz

by: Sherwood Smith , illustrated by: William Stout - (HarperCollins Children's Books, 2005) 272 pages.

This book transports the reader back to the enchanted land of Oz, but it is a much different Oz than the one to which Dorothy traveled. Two girls named Dori and Em will try to save Oz from yet another wicked witch.

Find The Emerald Wand of Oz at your local library.

The Five Ancestors- Snake

The Five Ancestors: Snake

by: Jeff Stone - (Random House, 2006) 208 pages.

Follow the adventures of 12-year-old Seh (snake), Fu (tiger) and Malao (monkey) in 17th-century China. With the many twists and turns in the plot, you never know who is friend or foe. Even family members are not always who they seem to be.

Find The Five Ancestors: Snake at your local library.

Haroun and the Sea of Stories

Haroun and the Sea of Stories

by: Salman Rushdie - (Granta Books in association with Viking, 1990) 224 pages.

Rushdie’s only children’s book begins somewhere in Western Asia. Drawing upon the folklore of India and Muslim cultures, the story takes its father and son heroes on a quest from our contemporary world into a magnificently conceived “other” world. In the real world, Rashid Khalifa, the father, has lost his remarkable ability to tell stories, earning the moniker the Shah of Blah. Simultaneously, in the fantasy world, stories are disappearing from the Sea of Stories. Haroun, Rashid’s son, searches for the mysterious cause of his father’s loss and remedy to restore his talent. He encounters situations and characters of great originality, humor and imagination in a fast-moving tale full of word play and clever dialogue.

Find Haroun and the Sea of Stories at your local library.

Molly Moon's Hypnotic Time Travel Adventure

Molly Moon’s Hypnotic Time Travel Adventure

by: Georgia Byng , illustrated by: Mark Zug - (HarperCollins, 2005) 400 pages.

Molly’s time travels take her to India in the late 1800s. The high-speed novel fascinates readers as the nasty maharaja of Waqt sets about kidnapping Molly at ages 10, 6 and 3, and as a baby.

Find Molly Moon’s Hypnotic Time Travel Adventure at your local library.

Ranger's Apprentice Book One- The Ruins of Gorlan

Ranger’s Apprentice Book One: The Ruins of Gorlan

by: John Flanagan - (The Penguin Group, 2005) 249 pages.

Will wants to attend Battleschool to serve the kingdom. His small size leads him to be assigned as a Ranger’s apprentice. His bravery and skills eventually fulfill his dream of protecting the kingdom.

Find Ranger’s Apprentice Book One: The Ruins of Gorlan at your local library.

The Scarecrow and His Servant

The Scarecrow and His Servant

by: Philip Pullman , illustrated by: Peter Bailey - (Random House, 2005) 229 pages.

This scarecrow is not from a cornfield in Oz. He is from a real cornfield, but he springs to life and goes on many dangerous adventures. The biggest danger is from a family that the reader is sure to find exciting.

Find The Scarecrow and His Servant at your local library.

The Sisters Grimm Book One- The Fairy-Tale Detectives

The Sisters Grimm Book One: The Fairy-Tale Detectives

by: Michael Buckley - (Scholastic, 2007) 284 pages.

Have you read the Brothers Grimm classic book of fairy tales? Did you think they were “just stories”? That is what sisters Sabrina and Daphne Grimm thought until their parents mysteriously disappeared one day. After being shuffled through several foster homes, they end up with a woman named Relda Grimm. Relda claims to be their grandmother and informs the sisters that the fairy tales are actually historical events collected by their ancestors, whose role has always been to maintain the fragile peace between the humans and the Everafters, the proper term for fairy-tale creatures. Daphne, the younger sister, loves Relda and their new life, while Sabrina is skeptical. Everything changes, however, when their grandmother and Mr. Canis, the butler, are kidnapped by a giant and the girls have no choice but to rescue their newfound family.

Find The Sisters Grimm Book One: The Fairy-Tale Detectives at your local library.

The Sisters Grimm Book Two- The Unusual Suspects

The Sisters Grimm Book Two: The Unusual Suspects

by: Michael Buckley - (Scholastic, 2007) 290 pages.

Now that Sabrina and Daphne Grimm are living with their grandmother Relda in Ferryport Landing, New York, the time to start school has arrived. Daphne is in second grade, with Snow White as a teacher, and school could not be more fun. Sabrina, on the other hand, is in sixth grade and quickly discovers that the entire sixth-grade teaching staff is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Not only that, but the majority of the students sleep through every class and have not done their homework. When Sabrina’s homeroom teacher, Mr. Grumpner, is found dead and dangling from a spider’s web, the Grimm family must step in and try to solve the crime before more people get hurt.

Find The Sisters Grimm Book Two: The Unusual Suspects at your local library.

Skellig

by: David Almond - (Random House, 1998) 182 pages.

Is the creature dying in Michael’s garage a man, a bird, an angel or all three? And what is his connection to Michael’s baby sister, who’s in the hospital with a heart problem? This gorgeously weird novel holds readers entranced in a spell woven of moonlight, owls and poetry. Among the many pleasures of this atmospheric and stunningly beautiful novel are the characters of Michael, a deeply empathetic boy, and Mina, who studies birds and William Blake (and who should be the poster child for home schooling) — and the tender and touching relationship Michael and Mina develop in caring for Skellig and worrying about his baby sister.

Want to see the movie? Check out the 2009 made-for-TV adaptation, Skellig: The Owl Man .

Find Skellig at your local library.

The True Meaning of SmekDay

The True Meaning of SmekDay

by: Adam Rex - (Hyperion, 2007) 423 pages.

A rollicking adventure told by young Gratuity Tucci, this is the story of the invasion of Earth by aliens known as the Boov. All Americans are relocated to Florida (but then to Texas, once the Boov figure out the joys of orange juice). Gratuity only wants to find her mom. She sets out on her own, joins forces with a renegade Boovian mechanic named J.Lo, has to figure out how to save the Earth, and then the Boov from the Gorg. Good grief, what a mess! But Gratuity Tucci is a heroine of the most invincible kind: a small, 12-year-old girl. And in the grand tradition of small, 12-year-old girls everywhere, she is completely underestimated by absolutely everyone!

Find The True Meaning of Smekday at your local library.

Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates

Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates

by: Mary Mapes Dodge - (TorBooks, 1999) 288 pages.

In this enduring winter classic, Hans and his sister Gretel must find a way to help their desperately poor family survive. Their chance to win the coveted silver skates in a race on the village’s frozen canals could save them all. Continuously in print since 1865, this is a timeless classic of love and loyalty to share with a new generation.

Perfect for: Kids who likes classic stories.

Find Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates at your local library.

Snow Wings

by: Jutta Goetze - (Allen & Unwin, 2006) 300 pages.

Snow Wings is a fantasy where evil forces have taken over the world. Six kids must learn to face their fears and work together to save the planet in this page-turner that takes its heroes on alpine adventures involving avalanche rescues, ski races, snow lizards, flying sleighs and magical snowmen. An engaging fantasy mixed with a modern-day thriller.

Find Snow Wings at your local library.

Gorilla Doctors- Saving Endangered Great Apes

Gorilla Doctors: Saving Endangered Great Apes

by: Pamela S. Turner - (Houghton Mifflin, 2005) 64 pages.

The veterinarians of Rwanda’s Mountain Gorilla Project make house calls — or rather, “forest calls” — tracking down and treating ailing gorillas in the wild. Short chapters present dramatic accounts of real incidents, such as an expedition to untangle a gorilla from an antelope snare or the rescue of an orphaned baby gorilla. Factual information about these endangered animals is included, as well as full-color photos of the gorillas and the doctors. This book will appeal to animal lovers and to kids thinking of careers as veterinarians or naturalists.

Perfect for: Kids who like nonfiction and animals.

Find Gorilla Doctors: Saving Endangered Great Apes at your local library.

Mythology

by: Lady Hestia Evans - (Candlewick, 2007) 332 pages.

The illustrations, maps and interactive pop-ups in this book will develop a child’s interest in mythology. Add to that a sidebar of mystery on every page, and they will learn the relationships between the characters in no time.

Find Mythology at your local library.

Show; Don't Tell! Secrets of Writing

Show; Don’t Tell! Secrets of Writing

by: Josephine Nobisso , illustrated by: Eva Montanari - (Gingerbread House, 2004) 40 pages.

This nonfiction text offers older students the chance to explore the genres of writing in an easy-to-use format. The characters and illustrations were found to be intriguing enough to make students want to finish the book.

Perfect for: Kids who like to write.

Find Show; Don’t Tell! Secrets of Writing at your local library.

The Grapes of Math

The Grapes of Math

by: Gregory Tang , illustrated by: Harry Briggs - (Scholastic, 2001) 40 pages.

Parents and teachers alike, if you want a fun and innovative way to motivate your math students, this book is for you! Tang cleverly teaches problem solving through the use of mind-stretching riddles. Don’t expect the ordinary with this book. Children are taught to look for patterns and solve problems in unexpected ways. In fact, your child will be so engrossed that he won’t even realize the educational value of this book.

Perfect for: Kids who like numbers.

Find The Grapes of Math at your local library.

Do Not Open- An Encyclopedia of the World's Best-Kept Secrets

Do Not Open: An Encyclopedia of the World’s Best-Kept Secrets

by: John Farndon - (DK Publishing, 2007) 256 pages.

The name of the book alone gets readers to pick it up. Once open, they’ll find weird and interesting facts. Readers engage in learning through rich illustrations of the world’s best-kept secrets. This book contains much more than just trivia.

Find Do Not Open: An Encyclopedia of the World’s Best-Kept Secrets at your local library.

Pick Me Up- Stuff You Need to Know...

Pick Me Up: Stuff You Need to Know…

by: Jeremy Leslie and David Roberts - (DK Publishing, 2006) 352 pages.

Longtime publisher of kid’s information-weighted books and software, Dorling Kindersley (DK) is trying to bring the computer-mesmerized, videogame-addicted, next-generation kids back to books. And this energetic, colorful, oddball compendium of info “you need to know” tackles that objective head-on. … True to DK’s approach, this plump collection of all and everything is illustrated to the extreme, some of its pages dominated with poignant or wacky photos and minimal explanations, others filled with words in the tiniest of type. … Unconventional, yes, but the book is fun and fascinating, and aptly titled. Young readers will pick it up again and again, and undoubtedly learn something they “need to know.”

Perfect for: Kids who like nonfiction and facts.

Find Pick Me Up: Stuff You Need to Know… at your local library.

Emeril's There's a Chef in My World! Recipes that Take You Places

Emeril’s There’s a Chef in My World! Recipes that Take You Places

by: Emeril Lagasse , illustrated by: Charles Yuen - (HarperCollins, 2006) 210 pages.

Star chef Emeril Lagasse takes readers’ taste buds on a trip around the world in this follow-up book to his two previous kids’ cookbooks (There’s a Chef in My Soup! and There’s a Chef in My Family!). Young chefs will enjoy this lively cookbook that includes more than 70 recipes from every region of the world. The format is friendly with clear ingredient lists and numbered directions. There are pronunciation guides for foreign names, interesting food and cultural facts (for instance, in Ireland, salmon is the most prized fish and thought to have magical powers), and bright and colorful illustrations of the dishes. This book would be a great way to get the whole family into the kitchen and cooking together.

Perfect for: Kids who like to cook.

Find Emeril’s There’s a Chef in My World! Recipes that Take You Places at your local library.

Roald Dahl's Even More Revolting Recipes

Roald Dahl’s Even More Revolting Recipes

by: Felicity Dahl and Roald Dahl , illustrated by: Quentin Blake and Jan Baldwin - (Viking/Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers, 2001) 64 pages.

If the Addams Family had a favorite cookbook, this would be it. Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake have teamed up again to create the companion volume to his first culinary compendium, Roald Dahl’s Revolting Recipes. Aficionados will recognize some of the dishes from Mr. Dahl’s other works, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. While some of the recipes may sound fairly disgusting, none of them really is. The titles alone are enough to fill young and mischievous cooks with glee as they look forward to presenting company with a plate of Soil with Engine Oil or some Boiled Slobbages. Parents, please note: While the dishes are calculated to appeal to younger appetites, the directions may get a bit overwhelming for junior chefs. Adult supervision is the rule rather than the exception here, so get a firm grip on your sense of humor and wade on in. Who knew lizard’s tails could be so tasty?

Find Roald Dahl’s Even More Revolting Recipes at your local library.

Everything Kids' Environment Book

Everything Kids’ Environment Book

by: Sheri Amsel - (Adams Media, 2007) 144 pages.

The books in Adams Media’s Everything Kids’ series provide encyclopedic yet entertaining introductions to their topics, and this volume on the environment is no exception. Perfect for the curious child, this guide — filled with eco-friendly activities and puzzles — shows them how to reduce waste, recycle materials and protect plants and animals.

Perfect for: Kids who like science and nature.

Find Everything Kids’ Environment Book at your local library.

A Hot Planet Needs Cool Kids- Understanding Climate Change and What You Can Do About It

A Hot Planet Needs Cool Kids: Understanding Climate Change and What You Can Do About It

by: Julie Hall , illustrated by: Sarah Lane - (Green Goat Books, 2007) 88 pages.

A great find, A Hot Planet Needs Cool Kids features the very latest information about the causes and effects of climate change without being heavy-handed. Through its hands-on activities, eco-hero stories and hopeful message, this book will inspire kids, families and schools to join the fight against global warming.

Find A Hot Planet Needs Cool Kids at your local library.

Hurricane Force- In the Path of America's Deadliest Storms

Hurricane Force: In the Path of America’s Deadliest Storms

by: Joseph B. Treaster - (Kingfisher, 2007) 128 pages.

The author of this book, longtime New York Times reporter Joseph Treaster, was in the New Orleans city hall when Hurricane Katrina hit the city in 2005. He draws on his experiences covering Katrina and its aftermath to provide younger readers with a first-hand look at the deadly storms we call hurricanes. Along with his eyewitness accounts, there is information about what scientists currently know about how and why hurricanes form, how they are tracked, and how they impact coastal areas. Precautions and planning for future storms are also discussed. Dramatic color photos enhance the solid information presented in this book.

Find Hurricane Force at your local library.

How Basketball Works

How Basketball Works

by: Keltie Thomas , illustrated by: Greg Hall - (Maple Tree Press, 2005) 64 pages.

Young readers who enjoy basketball will love this book. Beyond the usual retelling of the history of the game (the physical education teacher who nailed the peach baskets to the gymnasium balcony to give athletes something to do in the winter), this book provides information about the rules of the game, how to become a better player, anecdotes about legendary players, how equipment has evolved over time and tips on game strategy. Conversational text is interspersed with lively illustrations, diagrams and photographs. Even reluctant readers might actually take a break from shooting hoops to read this one.

Perfect for: Kids who like sports.

Find How Basketball Works at your local library.

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Amazing Leonardo da Vinci Inventions You Can Build Yourself

by: Maxine Anderson - (Nomad Press, 2006) 128 pages.

DIY kids will love this book. Parents will love what they’re learning. Amazing Leonardo da Vinci Inventions You Can Build Yourself begins with an introduction to the Renaissance and a biography of da Vinci, including excerpts from his notebooks and reproductions of his drawings. But the main attraction is the step-by-step instructions for making 19 of da Vinci’s inventions, including a perspectograph, a camera obscura, a hydrometer, invisible ink, walk-on-water shoes, and miniature versions of his helicopter and tank. Adult supervision is recommended where appropriate. For kids who like science and nature.

Perfect for: Kids who like building things.

Find Amazing Leonardo da Vinci Inventions You Can Build Yourself at your local library.

The dark is rising

The Dark Is Rising

by: Susan Cooper - (Simon and Schuster, 1973) 224 pages.

This is the second book in a five-book series and actually the best one to start with. Cooper convincingly combines fantasy elements with folklore and mythology. Events coincide with significant dates, such as Will’s birthday, which is close to Christmas and Twelfth Night, and the use of circles to create a link between the Six Signs and the power of the Light add to this story’s mystical aura. Will Stanton meets his destiny on his 11th birthday. He is the Sign-Seeker, last of the immortal Old Ones, who must find and guard the six great Signs of the Light that will overcome the ancient evil that is overpowering the land. This classic fantasy is a bit slow, but enthralling.

Perfect for: Kids who like fantasy stories.

Find The Dark Is Rising at your local library.

Pirateology

Pirateology

by: Captain William Lubber, Dugald A. Steer (Editor) , illustrated by: Anne Yvonne Gilbert, Ian Andrew and Helen Ward - (Candlewick Press, 2006) 32 pages.

The richly detailed Pirateology (the latest of the popular ‘Ology books) is a standout among pirate merchandise, and a treat for both children and adults. This hefty volume centers on the search for treasure left by the “notorious” (i.e., fictional) pirate Arabella Drummond and comes with a host of pirate gear: a compass, maps and scraps of flags, among others. Pirateology is loaded with envelopes to be opened, journals and letters to pore over, and codes to be deciphered. Along the way, children learn about navigation, history, zoology and more. Real pirate lore is seamlessly blended with fictional narrative (even the publishing credits are disguised so as not to break the mood), and the old-fashioned illustrations are top notch. Another notable feature is that the pirate pursued here is female, making this book appeal to readers of both genders.

Find Pirateology at your local library.

My Librarian Is a Camel- How Books Are Brought to Children Around the World

My Librarian Is a Camel: How Books Are Brought to Children Around the World

by: Margriet Ruurs - (Boyds Mills Press, 2005) 32 pages.

From camels to elephants to boats and trolleys, this is an inspirational look at the great lengths that some librarians go to to bring books to children around the world.

Perfect for: Kids who like nonfiction.

Find My Librarian Is a Camel: How Books Are Brought to Children Around the World at your local library.

Animals in the House- A History of Pets and People

Animals in the House: A History of Pets and People

by: Sheila Keenan - (Scholastic Nonfiction, 2007) 112 pages.

Fascinating facts, historical details, endearing animal photographs and some famous people with their pets are presented in a colorful and inviting format that provides young pet lovers with an abundance of reasons for why we love our furry or feathered friends.

Perfect for: Kids who like history.

Find Animals in the House: A History of Pets and People at your local library.

The Water Horse

The Water Horse

by: Dick King-Smith , illustrated by: David Parkins - (Crown Publishers, 1998) 118 pages.

The hook: Here is another sweet animal tale from the author of Babe. Aside from the Water Horse eating a swan, there is little to be concerned about here. Families who read this book could discuss the Loch Ness Monster. Do you think it could be real? Why or why not? How might a story like this have gotten started? Your children might be interested in doing a little research and seeing the supposed photos of the monster.

Want to see the movie? The 2007 adaptation, The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep , is loosely based on the book, but adds in a WWII plot line to lengthen the story.

Find The Water Horse at your local library.

Freak the Mighty

Freak the Mighty

by: Rodman Philbrick - (Blue Sky Press, 1993) 192 pages.

Max, who struggles with a learning disability, is big compared to other kids his age — though he’s not as big as his violent, convict father, who is in prison for killing Max’s mother. Brilliant, tiny Kevin suffers from a crippling disease that causes him to wear leg braces and keeps his body from growing. The two eighth grade outcasts form a powerfully symbiotic friendship, each drawing on the other’s strengths as they face bullies and more serious dangers together. This poignant, often funny book deals with intense subject matter and packs strong messages about friendship, bravery, and accepting those who are different.

Want to see the movie? Check out The Mighty (1998), starring Sharon Stone and Kieran Culkin as Kevin.

Perfect for: Kids who have ever felt different or left out.

Find Freak the Mighty at your local library.

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40+ Best Books for 5th Graders

books for 5th graders

I like finding books for 5th graders because, at this point, kids are starting to read middle grade books. For these kids who are around age 10 or so, it’s good to find engaging, relatable stories. Many of them may also enjoy funny books or even sprawling fantasies. Depending on their reading levels, they may find illustrated or graphic novels more enjoyable than more text-based stories. I recommend encouraging all kinds of reading as long as it’s age-appropriate.

Typically, I like to choose books where the main character is one year older than the target audience. I find that most kids like to read about older kids than they do younger ones. However, for fifth graders, I would say upper middle-grade books should still be off-limits.

In this list, I’ve included some of my favorite, most engaging, fun stories packed with action, real-life problems, adventure, humor, and, of course, friendship. I’ve also included a couple of my favorite graphic novels for kids who enjoy the genre.

4 great books for 5th graders - mexikid, misfits, alterations, lasagna means i love you

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50 Fantastic Books for 5th Graders

Camp (A Click Graphic Novel)

Olive is excited to be going to summer camp this year, especially since her best friend, Willow, is also going. She’s looking forward to doing camp things and making new friends. As soon as the girls arrive, Olive jumps right into the friend-making and activities, but Willow is as adept as making friends and instead wants to follow Olive everywhere. Worse still, she tries to hold Olive back from making other friends or joining different activities, becoming sulky and giving her the silent treatment when she does. At first, Olive handles things well, making compromises and forgoing opportunities to hang out with other campers just to keep Willow happy. Eventually, though, things start to get to her and the girls’ friendship becomes strained. Will this ruin camp for both girls? Camp by Kayla Miller is a realistic portrayal of a common friendship issue: clinginess.

Simon B. Rhymin' (Simon B. Rhymin’, 1)

Simon B. Rhymin’

11-year-old Simon Barnes (aka Notorious D.O.G.) is a shy kid who loves to rap. Simon is content to stay in the shadows until he meets his fifth-grade teacher, Mr. James, who wears funky bow ties and tennis shoes — and also RAPS. Mr. James gives the class an oral presentation project and tells them to speak on an issue (any issue) close to their heart. Moved by Sunny, a vivacious, homeless man in his neighborhood, Simon decides to look into homelessness and learn more about the people — beyond the “homeless” descriptor. This is a refreshing middle grade book with a shy, talented rapping protagonist.

Montgomery and the Case of the Golden Key

Montgomery and the Case of the Golden Key

Take Back the Block meets The Varian Inheritance in this funny, delightful middle grade novel. Monty Carver is a precocious 10-year-old who’s dying to get more freedom from his parents. He wishes they’d let him go past the yard in their small community, but they say he can’t until he’s older. When Monty presumptuously uses the metal detector his parents planned to surprise him with and breaks it in the process, they tell him that he has to work odd jobs for people in their apartment building/neighborhood to earn the money to repay them. Monty also becomes embroiled in learning about the golden key he found just before the metal detector broke — and all of this is happening in the summer of 2008 when Monty’s neighbors are campaigning for Barack Obama and debating whether their city should host the Olympics. There’s SO MUCH going on in this story, but I like the mix of history, adventure, family, and community dynamics.

Audrey Covington Breaks the Rules

Audrey Covington Breaks the Rules

Audrey is graduating from elementary school and struggling with having overprotective parents. She notices that her friends seem uninterested in hanging out with her (because she can’t do many of the things their parents allow them to — getting ice cream together alone, watching non-PG movies alone, and more). The breaking point comes when they officially uninvite from their much-anticipated graduation sleepover. Deeply upset, Audrey takes the opportunity to abscond with her celebrity grandmother (who’s desperate to get away for her own reasons). From escaping security on movie lots to crashing celebrity parties, the two have a hijinks-filled day. But how long can Audrey keep breaking the rules? This is an exciting, escapist, and insightful middle grade book about identity and finding balanced freedom as a tween.

Twins: A Graphic Novel (Twins #1) (1)

Twins Maureen and Francine Carter have always done everything together, but things have changed as they’re starting sixth grade. For one, they have nearly all their classes apart from each other, and Francine is dressing differently, trying to stand out from her twin Maureen. The girls are still figuring out their new dynamic when Francine decides to run for student council, and by some stroke of fate, her shy, terrified-of-public-speaking sister is also running for president. Despite the ground rules laid by their parents, things get a bit messy as both girls try to establish their personal identities while fighting to reconcile their relationship as twins and sisters. Varian Johnson’s new graphic novel is simply a delight! I loved following Maureen and Francine — and am really hoping we get a few more books about them.

It All Begins with Jelly Beans

It All Begins with Jelly Beans

Meg and Riley’s lives change when the two girls meet at the nurse’s office and bond over jelly beans. But the road to friendship isn’t without bumps. Meg’s mom has not been herself since Meg’s father died. She hardly gets out of bed and can’t hold a job or do food shopping. Meg wears slippers to school and a ratty t-shirt. Riley, on the other hand, has Type 1 Diabetes and has an insulin pump. Meg’s only friend, Ellie, ditched her for the popular crew, which Riley is now a part of since she was embraced when she joined the school as a new girl. But Riley quickly begins to realize that the group’s queen bee, Lina, isn’t so welcoming — or good for Riley. Especially when Riley can’t always come to sleepovers or ditch school for sweet treats. Plus, when Meg and Riley begin a tentative friendship, Lina is not pleased. Will their budding friendship survive? This is a sensitive middle grade book about unlikely friendships, living with Type 1 Diabetes, and coping with the loss of a parent.

Hide and Geek

Hide and Geek

Four friends, Gina, Elena, Edgar, and Kevin (or the GEEKs as they come to be known), and a dog named Sauce, must work together to find a treasure that will keep their small town from a major economic collapse. I loved the kids in this story (I recommend the audiobook!), their diverse interests, true platonic friendship, and their love for their community. I found this book to be truly funny, the mystery engaging (full of riddles), and the plot majorly believable. It’s a fun read for young mystery fans.

City Spies (1)

Twelve-year-old Sara Martinez is a hacker bouncing from foster home to foster home in Brooklyn, New York. After getting arrested for hacking into the NYC foster care system to expose her foster parents as criminals, she meets a man named Mother, who is not a lawyer but convinces her to take on her case. Mother somehow wins, and Sara gets released only to join a team of kid spies operating out of a base in Scotland. The kids get codenames (they’re basically renamed) to match their city of origin. On the team are five kids: a Black boy named Paris, a girl named Sydney, Brooklyn (formerly called Sara), a boy named Rio, and a girl named Kat (from a city in Nepal). As Sara adjusts, the team prepares for their first mission in Paris, France, even as Mother is working hard to find his two kids lost as a consequence of a previous mission. This is an excellent start to an exciting mystery series that both kids and adults can enjoy.

Camp Famous

Camp Famous

Eleven-year-old Abby is going to Camp Famous, but she has no idea. As far as she knows, her parents are sending her off to a sleepy sleep-away camp to (hopefully) make new friends. But when she arrives, she discovers it’s even better. She’s attending a fun summer camp with kid celebrities escaping the spotlight and constant paparazzi and new coverage. But as Abby starts to make friends at camp, she twists her personality and preferences to keep her camp friends interested in her. Plus, because she’s not a celebrity, finding and maintaining a cover story while being true to herself proves impossible. Will she make it? This is a fun, insightful look at the impact of fame on kids and what it means to be a real friend.

Across the Pond

Across the Pond

Calliope (Callie), her brother Jax, and her parents have moved across the pond to Scotland after they inherited a castle from an older woman whose small cottage they lived in as university students. But a trip to the secondary school convinces her that she’s better off being homeschooled. However, her parents insist that she must do one social activity with other kids. So when Callie hears from the town librarian, Esme, that a twitching (the term for bird watching) club meets at the library, Callie decides to join them. Readers follow along as Callie navigates the sexism in the twitching club, her parents renovating the castle, finding her place in the community, and her new friendships. This is a charming, sensitive middle grade book about moving to a new country and finding your tribe.

Lasagna Means I Love You

Lasagna Means I Love You

11-year-old Mo is facing a hard life moment. Her Nan (and sole guardian) has died, and her uncle (and only surviving relative) has decided to pass on caring for her in favor of enlisting in the military. So, Mo’s entering the foster care system. Her Nan’s last wish for Mo was that she find a hobby, but Mo isn’t sure about that — until she finds a book with family recipes. After one failed homing, she ends up in the home of a very well-to-do white couple who seem delighted to have her. There, Mo feels safe to try her hands out at recipes and even start a website to house all the family recipes she’s been collecting. But then, Mo’s world is turned upside down again. Will Mo ever find her own family? This is an achingly tender portrait of a girl searching — through food and recipes — for a family to belong to.

Tune It Out

Tune It Out

Lou and her mother live in their truck. Her mom believes Lou has a gift (her voice) and is determined to make it big with her. So she makes Lou sing everywhere, from cafes to karaoke bars to street corners. This is extra challenging for Lou because she hates the bright lights, and the sound of applause is physically painful. Lou gets some respite from the malnutrition and homelessness when an accident leads to her being taken in by Child Protective Services. Fortunately, she is sent off to live with her aunt and her husband in Nashville, Tennessee where she begins a new life until her mother can get her back. From private school, to new friends, and an assistant director role in the school’s musical, Lou begins to experience what it means to be a child again. But will her responses to sensory stimuli get in the way of her shot at “normal” life? I’m a huge fan of Sumner’s storytelling prowess and essentially read this book in one sitting.

Not All Heroes

Not All Heroes

11-year-old Zinnia Helinski’s family has recently moved to Maine after the death of her little brother, Wally, from brain cancer. Although they seem to have moved for a fresh start, Zinnia’s parents aren’t doing much to create new experiences. But Zinnia’s life is about to get interesting. One day, she sees the son of her new neighbors, Kris dressed in spandex and even a mask. She finds out that they call themselves Real Life Superheroes. She and her 19-year-old aunt, Willow join the team. This is a sweet, unique middle grade book about dealing with grief, helping out the community, and working through complex family issues.

A Soft Place to Land

A Soft Place to Land

Joy Taylor and her family have moved into an apartment complex because her dad lost his job, and their mortgage is too expensive to keep on one income. Now Joy has to share a room with her little sister and hear her parents fight every day about the work her dad chooses (or chooses not to do). Her only respite is the nice kids in the building and the hideout they introduce Joy to. One of the kids befriends Joy, and they even start a dog-walking business together. But when Joy finds a sad message on the hideout wall, she’s determined to find the person in need, but her good intentions cause more harm than good. This is a sweet, heartfelt story about finding friendship and community and handling financial difficulties as a family.

The Misfits #1: A Royal Conundrum

The Misfits #1: A Royal Conundrum

Olive Cobin Zang seems to keep running into trouble despite trying hard to be invisible. Her parents are always traveling, so after her grandmother dies, her mom drops her off at a school for reforming arts. At first, Olive is despondent, wondering whether she’ll ever find her place, but soon she finds a tribe of kids she clicks with, and they learn that they’re being recruited as secret agents (not spies!) to help fight crime. But just when Olive is getting comfortable, she learns that the school is going to be shut down, and she and her friends must band together to save the day. On the surface, this sounds like  City Spies , but it’s not as fast-paced and features more quirky characters. I think the illustrations are a nice touch for younger readers (ages 8-10) and kids who like eccentric spy stories may enjoy this one.

All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook

All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook

This is a fantastic middle grade book about a boy raised in a correctional facility — a plot I’ve never ever seen explored. Despite the setting, it’s so upbeat with a funny protagonist and engaging plot. This is such a wonderful examination of what family really means and the importance of seeing inmates as more than just wrongdoers. Would recommend!

Golden Ticket

Golden Ticket

After Ash McAnulty won the school-wide Quiz Bowl in the fifth grade, it was almost like she got a golden ticket. Although she’d been in the school’s Gifted and Talented program since first grade, now everyone viewed her as the smartest of the bunch. But now fifth grade is wrapping up, and Ash feels less gifted. She can’t seem to grasp the abstract concepts other kids in her class do, and she begins to feel like a fraud. If she asks for help and her teachers learn she’s struggling, she’ll no longer be “gifted,” will she? Then who will she be without her “gifted” identity? She resolves to prove herself in the upcoming Quiz Bowl, but her plan doesn’t go to plan, triggering a sequence of events that forces Ash to evaluate what matters most. This is a true-to-life middle grade book about intelligence, identity, and recovering from poor choices as a kid.

Karma Khullar's Mustache

Karma Khullar’s Mustache

I enjoyed this middle-grade book about a young girl dealing with facial hair and the change in friendships that come with middle school. This one is a slice of novel that will appeal to kids who love stories about evolving friendships and karma.

Hope Springs

Hope Springs

Jubilee and her Nan are always moving, on the search for their perfect place, and this time Jubilee has her heart set on Hope Springs, Texas. The small town is where her crafting heroine Arletta Paisely is from, and Jubilee is sure that if it’s good enough for Arletta, Hope Springs will immediately feel like home for them, too — because she’s honestly tired of moving and saying (or not saying) goodbyes. However, when the pair arrive the small town, things don’t get go as planned. Jubilee is quickly befriended by a girl, Abby, who likes to fish. She even finds a part time job in a craft store in town, and then her Momma tries to get back into her life. But then a mega-chain superstore threatens the town’s small businesses. Can Jubilee make Hope Springs her home? This is a charming middle grade debut novel about finding home in unexpected places and fighting hard to show up for those we love.

Ready, Set, Dough!

Ready Set Dough

Ambitious sixth grader Zoe Sparks loves to write and enjoys brainstorming ideas for her journalism class. There’s only one problem: Her at-home computer is so unreliable that it just stops working one day. Fortunately, her school is organizing a cookie dough fundraiser, and guess what the top seller prize is? A WordPro laptop — and orange (her favorite color) at that! Zoe is determined to outsell everyone, especially her nemesis Amaya. But soon, her ambition begins to impact her balance and her friendship with her BFF Felix. I adored the voice in this one and finished it in one day. Good for ages 9+ and also UNDER 200 pages! (The audiobook is narrated by Bahni Turpin!)

Swim Team: A Graphic Novel

After she and her dad move from Brooklyn to Florida, Bree is excited for her first day in middle school. But also, she’s super anxious about whether she’ll make friends and fit in. Thankfully, she makes a new friend in the housing complex where they live. Unfortunately, when Bree goes to choose her math club elective, it’s fully booked. As a math lover who can’t swim, she’s crushed to hear that the only elective left is swim 101. At first, Bree avoids getting in the water, but after a near-drowning in her housing complex, an elderly neighbor (who used to be part of her swim team) decides to coach Bree. Bree gets so good that she joins her swim team, but can the team get past the drama and win? Swim Team is a highly engaging graphic novel about swimming, Black history (and why many Blacks don’t swim), and friendship.

Annie's Life in Lists

Annie’s Life in Lists

Annie is a shy fifth-grader with a remarkable memory for people, their idiosyncrasies, and life’s moments in general. Things change for Annie after her knack for remembering seemingly leads her family to move from Brooklyn, NY, to a tiny town called Clover Gap. Now, Annie and her family have to adjust to a new town that is vastly different from the city living they’re used to. Her parents also have to cope with financial insecurity, and Annie and her brother struggle to make friends — each for different reasons. In honor of Annie’s love for lists, it’s only right that my favorite things about this book be in list format. I LOVED this book! This is a uniquely written, sweet portrayal of a young girl finding her voice and loving it.

Welcome Back, Maple Mehta-Cohen

Welcome Back, Maple Mehta-Cohen

Maple’s dreams of going to middle school with her best friends come crashing down when she’s held back in the fifth grade because she can’t read. Maple is Indian and Jewish (Hin-Jew as she calls herself) and constantly feels caught in between — never fully belonging on one side. On top of that, Maple gets caught in a web of lies when she tells a new fifth grader that she’s only in the class to support the new kids — and not because she’s a repeater. It doesn’t help that her friends Marigold and Aislin totally dump her because she didn’t move on to a new class with them. Can Maple find her place in the world? This is a realistic middle grade book about dealing with the social and emotional impact of learning difficulties like dyslexia.

No Matter the Distance

No Matter the Distance

This book is about Penny, a middle schooler with cystic fibrosis. Penny has to take digestive enzymes and do her breathing treatments to help her lungs get rid of mucus that affects her breathing. While her CF case is relatively mild-moderate, she still struggles with being chronically ill. One day a dolphin shows up in the lake near their house and Penny feels a strong connection with the animal. It turns out the dolphin (who Penny names Rose) is also sick and needs to return to her pod to get better. Penny may be the only one who can help the scientists take Rose back. But can she do that, when she feels so drawn to the animal? No Matter the Distance is a beautiful middle grade verse novel about living with cystic fibrosis and finding belonging in community.

Secondhand Dogs

Secondhand Dogs

Miss Lottie owns several “secondhand dogs” — dogs to whom she’s given a second chance. There’s Gus, the scraggly insecure pack leader, Tank the protective bulldog, nervous three-legged hunting dog, Roo, and the youngest pack member, Moonpie. She also has a cat named Ghost. When Miss Lottie brings home a new dog who wants to become the center of attention — and the only dog at home for that matter — the peace at home is threatened. The story is told from each of the dog’s perspectives — in the before (Miss Lottie) and after — as well as Miss Lottie’s and Quinn’s (the tween who cares for the dogs), also in the before and after. Secondhand Dogs is a sweet, heartwarming story about second chances and finding and protecting your pack — whether human and animal.

Sofía Acosta Makes a Scene

Sofia Acosta Makes a Scene

Sofia Acosta feels like the black sheep of her ballet-loving family. Her parents were professional dancers who emigrated from Cuba to the United States. Her sister, Regina is a ballet prodigy whose eyes are set on the American Ballet Theater (ABT) and even their little brother Manuel is an excellent ballet dancer. Sofia, though? She can’t stop stepping on people’s toes when she dances. What she loves the most is sewing the costumes for the dancers and hanging out with her best friend Tricia. But when a family friend visiting from Cuba hints at staying in the US long-term to dance for the ABT, Tricia’s response hints at prejudice that Sofia never saw coming. Will Sofia stand up for what’s right? This is a sweet, thought-provoking middle grade book about finding one’s path, recognizing inequality, and handling prejudice when it comes from unexpected places.

Join the Club, Maggie Diaz

Join the Club Maggie Diaz

New seventh-grader Maggie Diaz is not the most organized person. But she’s trying to become her best self this school year so she can win her parents’ trust and get a new phone by the end of the year. She soon finds out that getting on honor roll is not that easy. Worse still, Maggie’s dealing with so many changes. Her best friends have joined after-school clubs to pursue their interests and have little or no time for Maggie (who can’t seem to find her interests). Since her Abuelo died, her Abuela has become her roommate and Maggie just wants some alone time! Will Maggie find her place and “join the club”? This is a lively, engaging debut about finding your place and passions when everyone else seems to be miles ahead in the game.

Light and Air

Light and Air

As a non-fan of historical fiction, I was pleasantly surprised by this debut middle grade novel. Set in 1930s New York, where a tuberculosis epidemic is raging, it follows Halle, whose mother is diagnosed with the disease and sent off to JN Adams Sanatarium in Perrysburg. There, everyone, including people of all races, is welcome, and patients are treated with exposure to light and air. Soon, Halle ends up there to treat pneumonia. This book is accessible, plain-spoken, and truly written for kids without dumbing down or info dumping. The characters are richly drawn, and the subject matter is intriguing and rarely explored in books for kids. It’s impressive that the author has created a book all about tuberculosis with a rich, moving, adventurous, and tender plot balancing friendship, family, mystery, and history all at once.

The Lost Language

The Lost Language

The Lost Language centers around 6th grade Betsy and her best friend, Lizard (both girls are actually named Elizabeth!) who decide to save a disappearing language Guernsiais (spoken on the small Isle of Guernsey, off the coast of France). Betsy’s mom is a passionate linguist who — unbeknownst to Betsy — is also dealing with depression and anxiety. Lizard has always been a bit of a bossy, possessive friend, thanks to her assertive character. As the two girls work on the project together, cracks in their friendship begin to show, and a near-tragedy in Betsy’s family threatens to tear them apart. The Lost Language is a thoughtful, engaging look into a changing friendship as one friend grows into herself.

The Fresh New Face of Griselda

The Fresh New Face of Griselda

Jennifer Torres’s The Fresh New Face of Griselda follows young Geez (as Griselda is called by her family) as she adjusts to her family’s new socioeconomic situation. Her dad’s landscaping business recently shut down and the family lost their home. As a result, they’ve had to move in with her Nana. Griselda’s enterprising sister, Maribel has become a sales rep for cosmetic company Alma in order to save up for college. Griselda is embarrassed about the new changes — having to eat school lunch, being unable to afford things at the mall, etc. She’s even too ashamed to confide in her best friend Sophia, or hang out with her other friend, Logan. But for her, the saddest change is her dad moving to Los Angeles. So when she sees the ad to become an Alma Junior Associate, she sees it as a chance to earn some money. Geez hopes that if she makes enough, her dad won’t need to work so far away. That’s how she begins selling lip gloss at school — of course, some drama ensues. This is a thoughtful, sensitive book about a child coping with economic upheaval.

Elfie Unperfect

Elfie Unperfect

Elfie Oster is ready to leave Cottonwood Elementary. She doesn’t have any friends at the school and she’s tired of having to do group projects all by herself. It doesn’t help that her super popular cousin, Jenna, whom everyone likes, is also in Cottonwood — and also not Elfie’s friend. Thankfully, she’s been admitted at Hampshire Academy, a swanky private school where she knows everything will be different. Unfortunately, after a misunderstanding, Elfie is swiftly expelled from Hampshire and has to return to Cottonwood. This is a realistic, poignant, and funny middle grade book about letting go of perfectionism and embracing the messiness of real life.

The Unforgettable Logan Foster #1

The Unforgettable Logan Foster

The Unforgettable Logan Foster #1 is a fantasy middle grade debut by author Shawn Peters. Logan is a foster kid at a boys’ foster home. He’s on the autism spectrum, has a photographic memory, and isn’t the best at picking up on social cues. But just when Logan is sure that he’ll never be adopted, a new couple Margie and Gil show up. After a rocky start, Logan is settling in with his new foster parents when he starts noticing some weird things. Gil never seems to eat and are Margie’s tears silver? He’s only processing the fact that his new parents might be superheroes when they get kidnapped by a supervillain and it’s up to Logan to save them. This is a superb, fast-paced superhero fantasy about identity, self-worth, and finding community.

Alterations: A Graphic Novel

Alterations

It’s June 1994, and Kevin Lee is having a rough go at life. His parents are recently divorced and his dad is essentially absent from their lives. They live with their mom in the apartment above her alterations shop. His mom is always busy and rarely present for the kids because she’s trying to keep up with work as a single parent. Kevin’s Popo is fresh off the boat from mainland China and is now sharing their cramped apartment along with his sister Betty, with whom he shares a room. Kevin’s main escape is his imagination and his comics which he loves to read and draw. After a stinky incident with a centuries-old egg, his Popo makes him for lunch, and everyone at school starts teasing him and calling him egg boy, much to his dismay. Determined to change his image at their school field trip to Thrill Planet, he sneaks onto the most dangerous ride in the park with surprising results. Although slow at times this one has many funny scenes and will appeal to kids who love a good underdog story.

Clean Getaway

Clean Getaway

William “Scoob” Lamar is hoping to make a clean getaway with his white G-ma. Especially because his dad is mad at him after an unpleasant school incident and subsequent suspension. At first he’s happy to be spending time with this G-ma, but soon, he realizes that this isn’t quite the trip he expected. As Scoob and G-ma travel through the US South, G-ma lets him into family history: his grandfather’s life, G-ma’s misdeeds and what life was like when Black people needed the Green Book to move through the US. Clean Getaway , Nic Stone’s middle grade debut is a fast-paced, clever story full of twists and a sense of adventure.

Anybody Here Seen Frenchie?

Anybody Here Seen Frenchie?

11-year-old Aurora Petrequin’s life changes when she befriends Frenchie Livernois, a new neighbor her age who doesn’t speak. Frenchie is on the autism spectrum but immediately feels comfortable with Aurora who can’t seem to stop talking or control or impulse to interrupt others. Both kids enjoy nature and Frenchie is especially fond of birds. But when they move into a new grade, they’re placed in different classes and Frenchie is assigned an aide. Aurora starts to feel guilty as she makes new friends and can’t devote all her attention to her friendship with Frenchie. The guilt intensifies when Frenchie goes missing one day. This is a tender, heartwarming exploration of a friendship between two kids who seem wildly different on the surface.

Fish in a Tree

Fish in a Tree

This is one of the most moving books I’ve read in a long time. FISH IN A TREE addresses the issues of a young girl with dyslexia and highlights the importance of teachers who truly care. Excellent writing and characterization + great audiobook narration.

Always, Clementine

Always, Clementine

Clementine is a lab mouse who’s become a genius, thanks to an experiment. When one of the lab workers breaks her and another mouse out of the lab and dumps them at the home of an animal activist, Clementine’s world opens up wide. But the lab is looking for her and as she makes new friends, learns to play chess, and yearns for her best friend at the lab, she’ll need to fight to remain free and live on her own terms. I ADORED this story and it fantastic on audio! It will make for a sweet family readaloud.

Take Back the Block

Take Back the Block

Wes is getting ready to take back the block! Wes is your average sixth grader, except his style is fly. He may not win awards for being the best at math, but he will win the Best Dressed award. He also has a great crew of friends with whom he has lived in Kensington Oaks all his life. His parents believe in getting involved with social activism and are always dragging Wes to one protest after another. After initial major resistance to neighborhood activism, Wes is forced to dive in when developers threaten to tear down his neighborhood. The attempt at gentrification begins to divide the community as some members elect to sell their properties while others flat out refuse. Up close and personal with the effects of gentrification, Wes and his friends are moved to use their voices. This is an insightful, inspiring, and hearty middle-grade book about community, friendship, and speaking up.

Saving Sunshine

Saving Sunshine

This is a solid graphic novel about two siblings who’ve grown apart and can’t stop bickering. One is a NASA nerd/space head, while the other is a budding environmental activist. After their parents become fed up with their antics on a family trip to Florida for their mother’s job, their devices are confiscated until they can get along again. What finally turns the tide for them is a sick turtle they find on the beach. I love the illustrations in this one and the balanced way the author examines the public response to hijabs and cultural differences. Although slow initially and didactic at times, this is a great pick, especially for Muslim kids who want to see themselves in graphic novels written by Muslims or readers looking for environmental activism stories.

Honey and Me

Honey and Me

Honey is Milla’s best friend. She loves the warmth of Honey’s boisterous family and wants to spend every moment with them. That is, until Honey transfers to her school and suddenly, everyone seems to like Honey more than they do Milla. This  sweet slice-of-life story  grew on me with every chapter. Milla and Honey are both Orthodox Jews, so this book includes many details about the religion.

Smile: A Graphic Novel

Raina is just trying to enjoy being a sixth grader when an accident severely injures her two front teeth. Thus begins an unending series of visits to dentists and different treatment options. Throughout this process, Raina still has middle school to tackle. Her friends are sometimes insensitive toward the things that matter to her and she’s finding herself newly developing crushes on boys, even as she’s too embarrassed to smile, thanks to the braces, head gear, retainer, and other contraptions she has to wear throughout the course of this book. Smile follows Telgemeier from sixth grade until high school as each attempt to rectify the situation with her teeth is stumped and doctors are forced to try a different route. This coming-of-age memoir highlights several important themes include  body image issues ,  unhealthy friendships , crushes, and  bullying .

Front Desk (Front Desk #1) (Scholastic Gold)

Mia Tang is a 10-year-old Chinese immigrant who lives in a motel with her parents. They run the motel for its crooked owner, Mr Yao. Mia runs the front desk and enjoys it. I highly recommend this debut by Kelly Yang. I think it deals with heavier topics like racism, class prejudice, the value of diligence, and the struggles of immigrants in a dignified way that kids can relate to. Overall, a compelling, refreshing book for everyone!

Mexikid

In his debut memoir, Mexikid , author Pedro Martin relates a pivotal experience of his childhood. Pedro Martin and his family of 11 (NINE kids!) decide to drive from the US to Mexico to pick up his aging Abuelo and bring him to the US with them. Along the way, they encounter corrupt border patrol officers, diarrhea-inducing milk, bad haircuts, stories of his Abuelo’s past, and plenty of family. Mexikid is a lively, funny, and transporting middle grade graphic novel about family, Mexican history, and a life-changing family road trip.

Ms. Bixby's Last Day

Ms. Bixby’s Last Day

In this story, a young teacher is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. However, her illness isn’t the focus of the story. The author turns the focus on three of her students — Brand, Topher, and Steve. Each of these boys’ lives has been touched by Ms. Bixby in one way or another. The story alternates between past and present as the boys share their stories of their favorite teacher, Ms. Bixby. But, besides that, they also share stories about their unlikely friendship, their families, and life in middle school. The most action in this story, however, results from the adventure all three boys take to say goodbye to their teacher. I loved, loved, loved, and would highly recommend Ms. Bixby’s Last Day.

Ahmed Aziz’s Epic Year

Ahmed Aziz’s Epic Year

Ahmed Aziz’s Epic Year chronicles Ahmed’s experiences in the school year after he and his family move from Hawaii to Minnesota. Ahmed’s dad has hereditary chronic hepatitis (a liver disease) that has led to cirrhosis (permanent liver damage). He has come to Minnesota, where a clinical trial may be able to keep him from dying. There, Ahmed runs into a school bully who happens to live in his neighborhood and is in Ahmed’s class where their zealous English teacher makes them read and discuss three classic middle grade books, including Holes and The Bridge to Terabithia. During the course of the year, Ahmed finds parallels between his life and the stories and learns that sometimes, change isn’t the worst thing. This is a realistic, moving middle grade coming-of-age story  about moving to a new city , rediscovering your roots, and coping with parental illness.

Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus (Volume 1)

Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus

Aven Green loves to tell people that she lost her arms in an alligator wrestling match, or a wildfire in Tanzania, but the truth is she was born without them. And when her parents take a job running Stagecoach Pass, a rundown western theme park in Arizona, Aven moves with them across the country knowing that she’ll have to answer the question over and over again. Her new life takes an unexpected turn when she bonds with Connor, a classmate who also feels isolated because of his own disability, and they discover a room at Stagecoach Pass that holds bigger secrets than Aven ever could have imagined. It’s hard to solve a mystery, help a friend, and face your worst fears. But Aven’s about to discover she can do it all . . . even without arms.

The Great Wall Of Lucy Wu

The Great Wall of Lucy Wu

Lucy is a short Chinese-American girl caught between two cultures. Lucy plays basketball (very well) and would choose mac and cheese over most Chinese dishes. Her older siblings seem to fit the “perfect Chinese child” stereotype more than she does. Regina, her sister, started a Chinese club in high school and speaks flawless Chinese, while her brother Kenny, although a bookworm, loves and eats all Chinese food and is a Math whiz. Still Lucy perseveres with interests, eagerly anticipating her sister’s move to college so she can have their room all to herself, but that is not to be. Lucy’s dreams are intercepted when her parents insist she attend Chinese school instead of basketball practice. On top of that, her father returns from China with her late grandmother’s long-lost sister, Yi Po, who will now share Lucy’s room. Add to that the bullying she has to deal with from Sloane, a girl who competes with Lucy for a coveted basketball captain spot, and Lucy may just be having the worst year ever. This is a humorous, immersive middle-grade book with a memorable protagonist.

There they are: 40+ of the best books for 5th graders! I loved so many of the books on this list — many are actual favorites. I hope you find one or two that meet your needs.

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Which of these books for 5th graders have you read and loved? Which others would you recommend? I’d love to know! If you enjoyed this list, I would recommend this lists below.

  • Realistic fiction books for 5th graders
  • Nonfiction books for 5th graders
  • Mystery books for 5th graders

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  • About Afoma Umesi

Afoma Umesi is the founder and editor of Reading Middle Grade where she curates book lists and writes book reviews for kids of all ages. Her favorite genre to read is contemporary realistic fiction and she'll never say no to a graphic novel.

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October 23, 2020 at 11:26 am

I recently discovered you and your blog/newsletter after listening to What Should You Read Next? Podcast. And I am so glad I did! I have a 11-yr-old daughter who is a voracious reader. She would read for 10 hours a day if I let her. She lives fantasy and also real life drama type of books. I am always looking for books for her, but the book has to be the right one for her to get into. I tend to recommend books a bit more mature for her age, and she is not interested. So, your blog and the list like this is very helpful. Thank you so much!!

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October 23, 2020 at 5:51 pm

Hi Tomoko! This makes me so happy. And yay for voracious readers. I’m glad you could find books she might like here. Thanks so much for reading! 🙂

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October 23, 2020 at 7:41 pm

I’m a little frustrated that there aren’t more books with male protagonists. I know kids should read books with both male and female lead characters, but let’s face it a 10 or 11-year-old boy wants to read about other boys. I don’t think my grandson would want to read any of these.

October 24, 2020 at 1:17 am

Hi Debi, I have a whole list of 77 middle grade boy books here https://readingmiddlegrade.com/middle-grade-books-for-boys/ . I’m sure you’ll find something for your grandson there.

October 24, 2020 at 5:59 pm

Thank you! This is great for both of my MG grandsons!

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Home » Reading lists for Elementary School children » 5th grade reading books for children aged 10-11

5th grade reading books for children aged 10-11

Books for grade 5. This list of recommended reading books for grade 5 has been curated and compiled by teachers and librarians to appeal to elementary school children in the 5th grade, aged 10-11. There is a range of exciting and thought-provoking books to suit all abilities, including easy readers and more advanced texts. This list of 5th-grade reading recommendations contains titles by Erin Entrada Kelly, Jason Reynolds, Kate Messner, James Patterson, Madeleine L’Engle, Tod Olson, Christine Day, R.J Palacio, E.B. White, and more.

Books for 5th graders

Books for Grade 5 – our recommendations

We dream of space by erin entrada kelly.

Siblings Cash, Fitch, and Bird navigate the challenges of family turmoil, school and life in the midst of waiting for the exciting upcoming ‘teacher in space’ shuttle launch. Set against the backdrop of the Challenger disaster in 1986, this award-winning middle-grade novel explores themes of family, identity, and never giving up on your dreams. A memorable read.

We Dream of Space by Erin Entrada Kelly

Wretched Waterpark by Kiersten White

The Sinister-Winterbottom twins, Theo and Alexander, and their elder sister, Wil, spend the summer at Fathoms of Fun Waterpark in this creepy middle-grade horror. Strange things happen, park officials vanish, and the twins are plunged into danger. Will they solve the clues and unravel the mystery? It’s ideal for pupils who enjoy “A Series of Unfortunate Events.”

Wretched Waterpark by Kiersten White

Stamped (for Kids) by Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi

Through engaging storytelling, Stamped (for Kids) encourages young readers to talk about racism, social justice, and equality. It explores the history of racism and antiracism in the United States with clear arguments and examples, making complex concepts accessible for 5th graders. Ideal for book clubs.

Stamped (for Kids) by Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi

I Can Make This Promise by Christine Day

A middle-grade story of self-discovery. Edie finds a box in the attic – full of letters – and a photo of a woman that looks like her. But her mother, who was adopted, refuses to explain further. So begins a quest to find the truth, full of difficult moments, tragedy and revelations. An important book that provides a good starting point to discuss the 1978 Indian Child Welfare Act.

Historical | Diverse

I Can Make This Promise by Christine Day

The Red Tree by Shaun Tan

Filled with beautiful and evocative images, and sparing yet moving text, this picture book captures the sense of hopelessness and despair that children can sometimes feel. After walking through dark and disturbing landscapes, a beacon of hope appears in the shape of a red leaf. When dawn breaks, a red tree is revealed as a symbol of hope and renewal.

Picture book

The Red Tree by Shaun Tan

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

When a mysterious stranger arrives at the Wallace household, Meg and Charles’ world is changed forever and they set out on a quest to find their missing father. A great science fiction mystery story.

Science Fiction | Classic

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

A fascinating story told from the point of view of Ivan, a captive gorilla. One day, after years in a cave, Ivan sees life differently when a baby Elephant arrives at the zoo. A great story about friendship.

Animal story

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli

Magee is an orphan child who lives with his aunt and uncle. One day he decides to run away and start on a series of heroic and unexpected achievements which change his life and his town forever.

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli

Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren

The classic story of Pippi, who has wild hair and an even wilder, sassy outlook on life, getting up to all sorts of mischiefs. A very funny book and ideal for reluctant readers.

Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren

Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

A stunning set of stories about the orphaned Baudelaire children and the increasingly dark situations they manage to scrape through, including avoiding the money-grabbing clutches of the evil Count Olaf.

Adventure | Mystery

Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

An inventive and slightly scary graphic novel about a young girl looking for new adventures who gets caught up in a strange situation that requires all her courage to escape from.

Graphic novel

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

The Borrowers by Mary Norton

A modern classic about little people who live unnoticed in the walls and under the floors in a country house. Charming, this book is a great read full of twists and turns.

The Borrowers by Mary Norton

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

The original and timeless pirate adventure story, full of cliffhangers and plot turns. A thrilling read from start to finish and full of unforgettable characters.

Adventure | Classic

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

A classic fantasy and allegory story, written at the turn of the 20th century. The timeless story of Dorothy, The Cowardly Lion, the Tin Man, Scarecrow, Toto, The Wizard and the Wicked Witch of the West will still resonate with middle-grade children. There’s also a series of lesser-known sequels.

Classic | Fantasy

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L Frank Baum

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

When Jess and Leslie become friends through a shared love of track running, they spend time creating an imaginary world – Terabithia. But when Leslie goes there without Jess, something terrible happens and life will never be the same. A modern classic.

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

A touching and thought-provoking story about Auggie, who wants to be like everyone else but struggles with how the other fifth graders react to his unique face. A great book to help children empathize with differences and understand the importance of inclusion.

Wonder by RJ Palacio

Descendants series by Melissa de la Cruz

This gripping and imaginative spinoff from the Disney movies Sleeping Beauty and Maleficent is set in the world of Maleficent. High fantasy adventure and strong characters dominate this series which is great for reluctant readers who can watch the films first.

Fantasy | Adventure

Descendants series by Melissa de la Cruz

Narnia series by C.S. Lewis

C.S. Lewis’s classic series of children’s fantasy books – best known for The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe – has captivated young readers for generations. Fantasy, good vs evil, and adventure underpin these parallel world adventures where the lead characters are middle-grade children. This is an ideal 5th-grade reading book series for the classroom.

Fantasy | Classic

Narnia series by CS Lewis

A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park

This beautifully written novel flits between two characters and time periods – Nya, a girl in 2008 and Salva, a boy in 1985. Both live in Sudan, searching for their families and safety from war.

A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park

The Tapper Twins by Geoff Rodkey

Set in the modern digital world, the Tapper Twins Claudia and Reese are always looking to prank each other in school and online. A very funny and easy-to-read graphic/illustrated novel but also thought-provoking.

The Tapper Twins by Geoff Rodkey

The Water and the Wild by K.E. Ormsbee

Elliot is ill and gets more and more sick by the day. Lottie doesn’t know what to do until she discovers a route to another world through the roots of an old apple tree. Although there’s plenty of danger, she hopes to find a magic cure.

The Water and the Wild by KE Ormsbee

The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks

A must-read modern classic for middle-grade children. Omri was hoping for a little more than a cheap plastic toy for his birthday. But through unexpected and old magic, the toy is turned into a real person. Can Omri keep him secret?

The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks

Just My Luck by Cammie McGovern

Benny isn’t enjoying school. He doesn’t have a friend, isn’t good at bike tricks and blames himself for things that have gone wrong at home. When he thinks things can’t get any worse, he slowly realizes his caring nature is all that he needs to survive. A great book to inspire resilience.

School story

Just My Luck by Cammie McGovern

Lost in the Pacific by Tod Olson

A gripping survival story set in WW2. When a USAF bomber runs out of fuel over the Pacific Ocean, a great war hero on a top-secret mission is in great danger. The only option is to ditch in the sea. Can the crew survive? This is a great 5th-grade reading book for reluctant readers.

Historical | Adventure

Lost in the Pacific by Tod Olson

The Mechanical Mind of John Coggin by Elinor Teele

John Coggin runs away from home with sister Page to avoid a life in the family coffin-making business. But soon they find themselves in great danger. Darkly humorous, with strange and colorful characters. Ideal for grade 5 readers interested in science and making things.

Humor | STEM

The Mechanical Mind of John Coggin by Elinor Teele

Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorensen

When Mary’s family move from the city to a farmhouse in the country, her life changes completely, and she is drawn into a simpler, kinder world full of adventure and awe. Full of happiness, this book is ideal for children interested in the outdoors and wild places.

Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorensen

Treasure Hunters by James Patterson

Fast-paced, with short chapters and gripping plots, this series of adventures is ideal for reluctant readers in grade 5. Think Clive Cussler style page-turners for ten-year-olds in grade 5.

Treasure Hunters by James Patterson

Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy

A unique series of books about a skeleton private investigator with an attitude who solves mysteries and fights crime. Edgy, but fun and easy to read. A gripping series for grade 5 readers.

Horror | Mystery

Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy

The What on Earth Timeline Collection by Christopher Lloyd

These visually stunning and huge foldout books can either be used as wall charts or room-length friezes. They are full of facts and illustrations that children can walk around to read. Quite unique, the books cover history, nature and science topics in vast detail. This is an ideal 5th-grade reading book for the classroom.

Non fiction

The What on Earth Timeline Collection by Christopher Lloyd

Stuart Little by E.B. White

Stuart Little is a mouse who has lived with his family in New York his entire life. But when his best friend Margalo disappears, he ventures outside to search. By the author of Charlotte’s Web . Perfect to read aloud in grade 5.

Classic | Animal story

Stuart Little by EB White - a great 5th grade class reader

Call it Courage by Armstrong Sperry

Set in the Pacific islands of Polynesia, Maftu – the son of a great chief – is afraid of the ocean. When a storm comes, he is determined to show everyone his courage. Inspiring and timeless. A great 5th-grade class reader.

Call it Courage by Armstrong Sperry

Garden Princess by Kristin Kladstrup

Adela is a princess who would rather be a gardener than part of the royal family. When she visits the enigmatic Lady Hortensia’s spectacular garden, she realizes there’s something very strange about her plants – which flower even in fall and winter. An atmospheric and interesting novel.

Middle-grade novel

Garden Princess by Kristin Kladstrup

Half Upon a Time by James Riley

Jack, the son of Jack and the Beanstalk Jack, meets Princess May from the land of punk in his journey to fix his family’s bean-thieving reputation. A very funny and interesting fantasy world take on the classic children’s folk tale.

Fantasy | Fairy tale

Half Upon a Time by James Riley

Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers

Annabel cannot bear her mother, sister and brother; chores and being told off. Longing to be an adult, one day she wakes up as her mother! But her dreams of watching TV all the time and eating whatever she likes don’t quite work out as planned.

Humor | Middle-grade novel

Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers - A great 5th grade class novel

The Seventh Wish by Kate Messner

Charlie wishes she could catch a fish so big it would pay for an amazing dress for the next dance competition. But when she hooks a magical speaking fish that can grant wishes, things don’t go to plan at all in this hilariously funny family story of resilience and independence. A great story for grade 5 book clubs.

Fantasy | Humor

The Seventh Wish by Kate Messner

The Green Ember by S.D. Smith

Rabitts Heather and Picket live in a world of power struggles, good vs evil, dynasties, treachery, and revenge in this clever combination of aminals, fantasy and quest. An ideal 5th-grade reading book for children who like animals.

Animal story | Fantasy

The Green Ember by SD Smith

Almost Home by Joan Bauer

Sugar’s life is turned upside-down by the death of her grandfather and her father’s gambling. But when a new family and rescue dog Shush comes into her world, Sugar finds new and inspiring ways to survive. A heart-warming and fulfilling read.

Almost Home by Joan Bauer

Atlas Obscura by Joshua Foer

A stunning nonfiction guide to lesser-known wonders of the world. Stunning and vibrant illustrations make this bound to appeal to more reluctant readers. A great addition to every 5th-grade library.

Narrative non fiction

Atlas Obscura by Joshua Foer

Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter is an ideal series to hook a middle-grade child on reading. Easy to read and fast-paced, these gripping fantasy wizard school adventures develop in plot complexity and characterization throughout the seven books.

Harry Potter series by JK Rowling

Click the buttons below to purchase all of the books in this 5th-grade book list, as well as classroom sets of any of these books and many more, from Bookshop.org. Or buy the 20 most popular titles from this list from Amazon – ideal for gifts or stocking your school library. If you are ordering from outside the US, have a look at our ‘worldwide orders’ page which makes this process easy.

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  1. Best books for 5th graders. They include chapter books, fantasy

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    We’ve compiled a list of books that will keep your fifth grade readers engaged and chatting with one another about the lessons, questions, predictions, and thoughts they have while they read. Check out this list of favorite fifth grade books to start creating a room full of great readers!

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  5. 5th grade reading books for children aged 10-11

    This list of 5th-grade reading recommendations contains titles by Erin Entrada Kelly, Jason Reynolds, Kate Messner, James Patterson, Madeleine L’Engle, Tod Olson, Christine Day, R.J Palacio, E.B. White, and more. For prices, please click on the book covers. Worldwide orders click here