Kindergarten

Look for these books in the Picture Book section, shelved alphabetically by the author’s last name. Other titles by these authors are also recommended. Paper copies of this list are available at any Library agency.

Beaton, Clare (E Bea) How Big Is a Pig?
Bell, Babs (E Bel) The Bridge Is Up!
Bermiss, Aamir Lee (E Ber) I Hate to be Sick!
Bowers, Tim (E Bow) A New Home
Brown, Margaret Wise (E Bro) I Like Stars
Capucilli, Alyssa (E Cap) Biscuit
Cohen, Caron Lee (E Coh) Three Yellow Dogs
Coxe, Molly (E Cox) Hot Dog
Crews, Donald (E Cre) Cloudy Day, Sunny Day
Godwin, Laura (E God) Happy and Honey and Honey Helps
Goodman, Susan (E Goo) What Do You Do at the Zoo?
Gordh, Bill (E Gor) Want a Ride?
Hall Kirsten (E Hal) Who Says?
Hayward, Linda (E Hay) Tails
Herman, Gail (E Her) There is a Town
Hood, Susan (E Hoo) Look! I Can Read! and The New Kid
Hubbell, Patricia (E Hub) Pig Parade
Keller, Holly (E Kel) What I See
Ketteman, Helen (E Ket) Grandma’s Cat
Lascaro, Rita (E Las) Down on the Farm
Leonard, Marcia (E Leo) Get the Ball, Slim; I Like Mess; and My Pal Al
Levinson, Nancy (E Lev) Say Cheese
Lucas, Sally (E Luc) Dancing Dinos
Maccarone, Grace (E Mac) “What Is That?” Said the Cat
Matthias, Catherine (E Mat) Out the Door
McDonnell, Flora (E Mat) Splash!
McKay, Sindy (E McK) My Day
McPhail, David (E McP) Big Pig and Little Pig and Big Brown Bear
Medearis, Angela Shelf (E Med) We Play on a Rainy Day
Milgrim, David (E Mil) See Pip Point
Rau, Dana Meachen (E Rau) My Red Rowboat
Reese, Bob (E Ree) Drops of Water
Rylant, Cynthia (E Ryl) Puppy Mudge Takes a Bath
Schaefer, Lola (E Sch) Loose Tooth
Scott, Steve (E Sco) Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
Spohn, Kate (E Spo) Turtle and Snake At Work
Sutherland, Tui (E Sut) Fun with Mo and Ella
Weeks, Sarah (E Wee) Splish, Splash
West, Tracey (E Wes) Me and My Robot
Wilhelm, Hans (E Wil) I Love Colors!

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1st Grade

Alborough, Jez (E Alb) Duck in a Truck
Arnold, Marsha (E Arn) Quick, Quack, Quick and The Tail of Little Skunk
Barkan, Joanne (E Bar) That Fat Hat
Berenstain, Stan and Jan (E Ber) The Berenstain Bears  Big Bear, Small Bear; Inside Outside Upside Down; and Old Hat, New Hat
Bourgeois, Paulette (E Bou) Franklin Stays Up
Buck, Nola (E Buc) Oh, Cats and Sid and Sam
Capucilli, Alyssa (E Cap) Biscuit Finds a Friend
Carlstrom, Nancy White (E Car) Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear?
Cobb, Annie (E Cob) Wheels!
Cox, Phil Roxbee (E Cox) Shark in the Park
DeRubertis, Barbara (E DeR) Bitty Fish and Bouncy Mouse
Doudna, Kelly (E Dou) Hello and Please
Driscoll, Laura (E Dri) The Bravest Cat! the True Story of Scarlett
Dunrea, Olivier (E Dun) Gossie and Gertie
Eastman, P.D. (E Eas) Are You My Mother?
Edwards, Frank (E Edw) Trouble with Bubbles
Feiffer, Jules (E Fei) Bark, George
Fleming, Denise (E Fle) Mama Cat Has Three Kittens
Floyd, Lucy (E Flo) Rabbit and Turtle Go to School
Ford, Miela (E For) Sunflower
Glass, Julie (E Gla) Counting Sheep
Hayes, Sarah (E Hay) This is the Bear and the Bad Little Girl
Hazen, Barbara Shook (E Haz) Road Hog and Digby
Heling, Kathryn (E Hel) Mouse Makes Magic: A Phonics Reader
Herman, Gail (E Her) Lucky Goes to School
Herman, R.A. (E Her) Pal the Pony and Pal and Sal
Holub, Joan (E Hol) Pajama Party
Lukas, Catherine (E Luk) New Shoes
Maccarone, Grace (E Mac) “What is That?” Said the Cat
Martin, Bill (E Mar) Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?
Marzollo, Jean (E Mar) I’m a Seed
Masurel, Claire (E Mas) That Bad, Bad Cat!
McKissack, Robert (E McK) Try Your Best
McPhail, David (E McP) The Day the Sheep Showed Up
Medearis, Angela Shelf (E Med) Lights Out!
Meister, Cari (E Mei) Tiny’s Bath
Miles Betty (E Mil) The Tortoise and the Hare
Moncure, Jane (E Mon) Word Bird Makes Words with Cat
O’Connor, Jane (E OCo) Snail City
Oxenbury, Helen (E Oxe) It’s My Birthday
Parks, Carmen (E Par) Farmers Market
Rockwell, Anne (E Roc) Sweet Potato Pie
Schade, Susan (E Sch) Pig at Work
Seuss, Dr. (E Seu) Hop on Pop
Shannon, David (E Sha) Duck on a Bike
Shaw, Charles (E Sha) It Looked Like Spilt Milk
Smith, Joanne (E Smi) Show and Tell
Stoeke, Janet Morgan (E Sto) Minerva Louise at School
Tolstoy, Aleksey (E Tol) The Enormous Turnip
VanLaan, Nancy (E Van) Busy, Busy Moose
Wallace, Karen (E Wal) Big Machines
Ward, Cindy (E War) Cookie’s Week
Wells, Rosemary (E Wel) McDuff’s New Friend
West, Colin (E Wes) “I Don’t Care!” Said the Bear
Wheeler, Cindy (E Whe) Bookstore Cat
Wiseman, Bernard (E Wis) Morris Goes to School
Wood, Audrey (E Woo) The Napping House
Ziefert, Harriet (E Zie) Little Red Hen; So Hungry; and The Three Little Pigs (retold)

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2nd Grade

Look for these books in the Picture Book (E) or Juvenile (J) sections, shelved alphabetically by the author’s last name. Other titles by these authors are also recommended. Paper copies of this list are available at any Library agency.

Adler, David (E Adl) Young Cam Jansen and the Pizza Shop Mystery Young Cam Jansen series
Adler David (J Adl) Cam Jansen and the Birthday Mystery Cam Jansen series
Allard, Harry (E All) Miss Nelson is Missing
Arnold, Tedd (E Arn) Parts
Bechtold, Lisza (E Bec) Buster: The Very Shy Dog
Best, Cari (E Bes) Shrinking Violet
Blume, Judy (J Blu) Freckle Juice
Brisson, Pat (E Bri) Bertie’s Picture Day
Brown, Marc (E Bro) Arthur’s Underwear 
Byars, Betsy (E Bya) My Brother Ant
Byars, Betsy (J Bya) Little Horse
Cameron, Ann (J Cam) Gloria’s Way
Cannon, Janelle (E Can) Stellaluna
Christopher, Matt (J Chr) The Dog That Stole Football Plays
Cole, Joanna J612.8/Col) The Magic School Bus Explores the Senses Magic School Bus series
Cole, Joanna (E Rea) Ready, Set, Read . . . and Laugh
Cosby, Bill (E Cos) The Meanest Thing to Say Little Bill series
Cronin, Doreen (E Cro) Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type
Dadey, Debbie (J paperback/Dad) Vampires Don’t Wear Polka Dots Bailey School Kids series
Danziger, Paula (E Dan) It’s Justin Time, Amber Brown A is for Amber series
DePaola, Tomie (E DeP) Strega Nona: An Old Tale
DeRubertis, Barbara (E DeR) Lulu’s Lemonade
Falconer, Ian (E Fal) Olivia Saves the Circus
Gantos, Jack (E Gan) Practice Makes Perfect for Rotten Ralph
Giff, Patricia Reilly (J paperback/Gif) The Beast in Ms. Rooney’s Room Kids of the Polk Street School series
Guest, Elissa Haden (E Gue) Iris and Walter
Haas, Jessie (J Haa) Runaway Radish
Harold, Jerdine Nolen (E Har) Raising Dragons
Henkes, Kevin (E Hen) Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse
Hoban, Lillian (E Hob) Arthur’s Birthday Party
Hoberman, Mary Ann (E Hob) You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read Together
Hoffman, Mary (E Hof) Amazing Grace
Karas, G. Brian (E Kar) Atlantic
Kasza, Keiko (E Kas) Dorothy and Mikey
Keller, Laurie (E Kel) Scrambled States of America
Kline, Suzy (J Kli) Horrible Harry in Room 2B; Marvin and the Mean Words; and Mary Marony and the Chocolate Surprise
Laurence, Daniel (E Lau) Captain and Matey Set Sail
Lester, Helen (E Les) Hooway for Wodney Wat
Little, Jean (E Lit) Emma’s Yucky Brother
Lobel, Arnold (E Lob) Frog and Toad Together
Lowry, Lois J(/Low) Gooney Bird Greene
Lum, Kate (E Lum) What! Cried Granny: An Almost Bedtime Story
Marshall, James (E Mar) Fox on the Job
Martin, Bill (J323.6/Mar) I Pledge Allegiance: The Pledge of Allegiance
Mathews, Judith (J398.21/Mat) Nathaniel Willy, Scared Silly
Medearis, Angela Shelf (E Med) The Ghost of Sifty-Sifty Sam
Miller, Sara Swan (E Mil) Three Stories You Can Read to Your Dog
Mills, Claudia (E Mil) Gus and Grandpa at Basketball
Minarik, Else Holmelund (E Min) Little Bear
Munsch, Robert (E Mun) Stephanie’s Ponytail
O’Connor, Jane (E OCo) Nina, Nina Ballerina
Osborne, Mary Pope (J Osb) Dinosaurs Before Dark Magic Tree House series
Parish, Peggy (E Par) Teach Us, Amelia Bedelia
Park, Barbara (J Par) Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus
Peterson, John (J paperback/Pet) The Littles
Pilkey, Dav (J Pil) Ricky Ricotta’s Giant Robot
Preller, James (J paperback/Pre) The Case of the Mummy Mystery Jigsaw Jones series
Rathman, Peggy (E Rat) Officer Buckle and Gloria
Rodowsky, Colby (E Rod) Not My Dog
Rylant, Cynthia (E Ryl) High-Rise Private Eyes: The Case of the Climbing Cat; Henry and Mudge;  Poppleton; and Mr. Putter and Tabby Feed the Fish
Scieszka, Jon (E Sci) The True Story of the Three Little Pigs
Sharmat, Marjorie Weinman (E Sha) Nate the Great
Sis, Peter (E Sis) Madlenka’s Dog
Smith, Janice Lee (E Smi) Wizard and Wart in Trouble
Steig, William (E Ste) Sylvester and the Magic Pebble
Stern, Maggie (E Ste) Singing Diggety
Stevens, Janet (E Ste) Tops and Bottoms
Stevenson, James (J811.54/Ste) Candy Corn: Poems
Thomas, Shelley Moore (E Tho) Good Night, Good Knight
Van Leeuwen, Jean (E Van) Oliver and Albert, Friends Forever
Wetterer, Margaret (J Wet) Kate Shelley and the Midnight Express
Wick, Walter (E Wic) I Spy School Days: A Book of Picture Riddles
Wiseman, Bernard (E Wis) Morris Goes to School
Yolen, Jane (E Yol) Commander Toad in Space

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3rd Grade

Look for these books in the Picture Book (E) or Juvenile (J) sections, shelved alphabetically by the author’s last name. Other titles by these authors are also recommended. Paper copies of this list are available at any Library agency.

The Babe and I (E Adl) by David A. Adler. A boy meets Babe Ruth during the Great Depression.
I Was a Third Grade Science Project (J Auc) by Mary Jane Auch. When trying to hypnotize his dog for the third grade science fair, Brian accidentally makes his best friend Josh think he is a cat.
Howie Bowles, Secret Agent (J Ban) by Kate Banks. Third-grader Howie Bowles copes with having to change schools twice in one year by pretending to be a secret agent named Agent Bean Burger.
Chocolate Touch (J Cat) by Patrick Skene Catling. A boy acquires a magical gift that turns everything his lips touch into chocolate.
The Key Collection (J Che) by Andrea Cheng. A 10-year-old boy in the Midwest misses his Chinese grandmother, who always lived next door until her health caused her to move.
Ramona Quimby, Age 8 (J Cle) by Beverly Cleary. The further adventures of the Quimby family as Ramona enters the third grade.
Molly’s Pilgrim (J Coh) by Barbara Cohen. Told to make a Pilgrim doll for the Thanksgiving display at school, Molly is embarrassed when her mother tries to help her out by creating a doll dressed as a Russian immigrant.
Abraham Lincoln (J921 Linco,A Coh) by Amy L. Cohn. A simple biography of the Illinois lawyer who served the country as President during the Civil War.
Buttons (E Col) by Brock Cole. When their father eats so much that he pops his buttons off his britches, each of his three daughters tries a different plan to find replacements.
Amber Brown Is Not a Crayon (J Dan) by Paula Danziger. Amber’s best friend is getting ready to move to a distant state.
The Boy Who Drew Birds: The Story of John James Audubon (J921 Audub, J Dav) by Jacqueline Davies. An account of Audubon’s early observations of birds nesting near his Pennsylvania childhood home.
King Midas: The Golden Touch (E Dem) by Demi. A king bitterly regrets his wish that everything he touches turns to gold.
Georgie Lee (J Den) by Sharon Phillips Denslow. A young boy and his grandmother share all sorts of adventures on her farm.
26 Fairmount Avenue (J DeP) by Tomie dePaola. Children’s author/illustrator Tomie dePaola describes his own experiences at home and in school when he was a boy.
Cody Unplugged (J Duf) by Betsy Duffey. Concerned that his television/video habits are out of control, Cody’s parents send him to Camp Bear where he experiences real life rather than virtual reality.
The Hundred Dresses (J Est) by Eleanor Estes. Students are puzzled by Wanda who wears the same dress to school every day but claims to have a hundred dresses at home.
Elsie Piddock Skips in her Sleep (J Far) by Eleanor Farjeon. Elsie Piddock has such a talent for skipping rope that the fairies on nearby Mount Caburn award her a magical rope.
Weslandia (E Fle) by Paul Fleischman. Wesley’s garden produces a crop of huge, strange plants which provide him with clothing, shelter, food, and drink.
Lowji Discovers America (J Fle) by Candace Fleming. When Lowji and his family move from India to suburban Illinois, he thinks things will be better, but he still can’t have a pet, he misses his best friend, and it seems he’ll never meet anyone his own age.
Stone Fox (J Gar) by John Reynolds Gardiner. Little Willie hopes to pay the back taxes on his grandfather’s farm with the prize money from a dog sled race he enters.
Owen Foote, Mighty Scientist (J Gre) by Stephanie Greene. Owen Foote believes that the only way to get into Mr. Waszak’s fourth-grade glass, where science rules, is to win first prize in the school science fair, but Owen’s projects have other ideas.
Rosy Cole’s Worst Ever, Best Yet Tour of New York City (J Gre) by Sheila Greenwald. Rosy Cole plans to show her small-town cousin, all the amazing sights that make New York City such a great place to live, but things do not go as she had hoped.
A Band of Angels: A Story Inspired by the Jubilee Singers (E Hop) by Deborah Hopkinson. The daughter of a slave forms a gospel singing group to save Fisk University.
The Black Bull of Norroway (J398.209 Huc) by Charlotte Huck. In this traditional Scottish tale, a courageous girl sets out to seek her fortune and ultimately finds true love.
A Mouse Called Wolf (J Kin) by Dick King-Smith. A mouse with an unusual name shares his musical gift with a widowed concert pianist.
Lenny and Mel (J Kra) by Erik P. Kraft. Twin brothers observe a year’s worth of holidays in some very unusual ways.
Outside and Inside Dinosaurs (J567.9 Mar) by Sandra Markle. Describes the anatomy, diet, and behavior of dinosaurs.
Judy Moody Predicts the Future (J McD) by Megan McDonald. After Judy obtains a mood ring, she tries to convince classmates that she can predict the future.
Sarah, Plain and Tall (J Mac) Patricia MacLachlin. When a mail-order bride comes to live with them in their prairie home, Caleb and Anna hope that she will stay.
7 x 9 = Trouble (J Mil) by Claudia Mills. A third grader struggles with his multiplication tables in order to beat the class deadline.
Beethoven Lives Upstairs (E Nic) by Barbara Nichol. Christoph’s feelings for an eccentric boarder change from anger to admiration.
Big Jabe (E Nol) by Jerdine Nolen. Momma Mary tells stories about a special young man who does wondrous things, especially for the slaves on the Plenty Plantation.
Plantzilla (E Nol) by Jerdine Nolen. A boy, his science teacher, and his parents discuss the progress of a very unusual plant as the summer progresses.
Fat Camp Commandos (J Pin) by Daniel Pinkwater. Escaping from a fat camp, Ralph, Sylvia and Mavis begin a crusade to change fat-prejudice.
Pink and Say (J Pol) by Patricia Polacco. A young white Union soldier meets a black soldier during the Civil War and both are captured by Southern troops. Based on a true story.
Dirt on Their Skirts (E Rap) Doreen Rappaport. Margaret experiences the excitement of the 1946 championship game of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.
Sequoyah: The Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing (J921 Sequo, Rum) by James Rumford. The story of Sequoyah and his successful effort to create a writing system for the Cherokee Indians in spite of great hardship.
Marvin Redpost: Super Fast, Out of Control (J paperback/Sac) by Louis Sachar. Afraid of his new mountain bike, a third grader finds himself in a desperate situation when he accepts a challenge to ride down Suicide Hill.
Four Ugly Cats in Apartment 3D (J Sac) by Marilyn Sachs. After her neighbor dies, ten-year-old Lily tries to find homes for his noisy cats.
Tea with Milk (E Say) by Allen Say. A young Japanese woman returns to Japan after having grown up near San Francisco but feels foreign and out of place.
The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales (E Sci) by Jon Scieszka. Madcap revisions of familiar fairy tales.
Summer Reading is Killing Me! (J Sci) by Jon Scieszka. Joe, Sam and Fred become trapped inside their summer reading list, in a battle between good and evil characters from well-known children’s books.
So You Want to Be President? (J973.099 StG) by Judith St. George. An assortment of facts about the qualifications and characteristics of U.S. presidents, from George Washington to Bill Clinton.
The Journey (E Ste) by Sarah Stewart. A young Amish girl tells her diary about all the wondrous experiences of her first trip to a city.
Jack and the Seven Deadly Giants (J Swo) by Sam Swope. While hoping to find his mother, Jack encounters seven deadly giants and proves himself braver, smarter and better than he ever suspected.
Jumanji (E Van) by Chris Van Allsburg. Two bored children find more excitement then they bargained for in a mysterious and mystical jungle adventure board game.
Boxcar Children (J War) by Gertrude Chandler Warner. Four orphaned siblings make a home for themselves in an abandoned red boxcar they discover in the woods.
Charlotte’s Web (J Whi) by E.B. White. A warm-hearted pig finds a clever friend in his barnyard pen.
Little House in the Big Woods (J Wil) by Laura Ingalls Wilder. A year in the life of two girls growing up on the Wisconsin frontier.
Amber Was Brave, Essie Was Smart (J811.54 Wil) by Vera B. Williams. A series of poems tell how two sisters help each other while their mother is working and their father is in jail.
Secret Identity (J Van) by Wendelin Van Draanen. Fifth-grader Nolan Byrd, tired of being called names by the class bully, has a secret identity—Shredderman!

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4th Grade

Look for these books in the Juvenile (J) section, shelved alphabetically by the author’s last name. Other titles by these authors are also recommended. Paper copies of this list are available at any Library agency.

Poppy (J Avi) by Avi. A brave deer mouse triumphs over Mr. Ocax, a great horned owl and the bully of Dimwood Forest. Sequel: Poppy and Rye.
Tuck Everlasting (J Bab) by Natalie Babbitt. The Tuck family is in danger when others learn their secret about a spring whose water prevents them from aging. 
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (J Blu) by Judy Blume. Peter must deal with his brother Fudge’s ability to complicate his life.
Ramona’s World (J Cle) by Beverly Cleary. Follows the adventures of Ramona at home with sisters Beezus and Roberta and at school in Mrs. Meacham’s class. 
The Jacket (J Cle) by Andrew Clements. An incident at school forces sixth-grader Phil Morelli to confront his prejudices.
Bud, Not Buddy (J Cur) by Christopher Paul Curtis. Ten-year-old Bud escapes a bad foster home and sets out to find the man he believes is his father.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (J Dah) by Roald Dahl. Each of five children lucky enough to discover an entry ticket into Mr. Willy Wonka’s mysterious chocolate factory takes advantage of the situation in his own way.
P. S. Longer Letter Later (J Dan) by Paula Danzinger. Best friends Elizabeth and Tara continue their friendship by letter after Tara’s family moves. Sequel: Snail Mail No More.
Because of Winn-Dixie (J DiC) by Kate DiCamillo. Ten-year-old India Opal describes her first summer in a new town and all the good things that happen because of her dog, Winn-Dixie.
The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread (J DiC) by Kate DiCamillo. The adventures of Despereaux Tilling, a mouse of unusual talents, the princess that he loves, the servant girl who longs to be a princess, and a devious rat determined to bring them all to ruin.
The Black Stallion (J Far) by Walter Farley. Alec Ramsay and the horse he befriends face adventures and victory in a great race.
The Great Brain (J Fit) by John D. Fitzgerald. The exploits of Tom Fitzgerald (a.k.a. the Great Brain) described by his younger brother who is often a victim of Tom’s schemes.
Harriet the Spy (J Fit) by Louise Fitzhugh. Wanting to be a famous author, Harriet follows a “spy route” and writes down her observations in a secret notebook. 
Who is Stealing the 12 Days of Christmas? (J Fre) by Martha Freeman. When parts of outdoor Christmas displays go missing from neighborhood yards, 9-year-old Alex and his friend Yasmeen investigate.
Jack Adrift: Fourth Grade without a Clue (J Gan) by Jack Gantos. When his father rejoins the Navy and moves the family to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, 9-year-old Jack wrestles with a crush on his teacher, contradictory advice from his parents, and a very strange neighbor.
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key (J Gan) by Jack Gantos. Joey has trouble paying attention and controlling his mood swings. Sequel: Joey Pigza Loses Control.
Stone Fox (J Gar) by John Reynold Gardiner. Willie must win the dog sled race he enters in order to pay his grandfather’s back taxes.
King of the Wind (J Hen) by Marguerite Henry. The life and triumphs of the Arabian stallion that becomes the founding sire of Thoroughbred horses and of the young Arabian boy who tended him as long as he lived.
Out of the Dust (J Hes) by Karen Hesse. In a series of poems, fifteen-year-old Billie Jo describes the hardships of her family’s Depression-era life during the Dust Bowl years in Oklahoma.
The Pepins and Their Problems (J Hor) by Polly Horvath. The reader is invited to help solve unusual problems like having a cow that gives lemonade rather than milk and a competitive neighbor.
The Hot & Cold Summer (J Hur) by Johanna Hurwitz. Two inseparable ten-year-old boys find room in their friendship for another person. Sequel: The Cold & Hot Winter.
Earthquake Terror (J Keh) by Peg Kehret. When an earthquake hits, 12-year-old Jonathan must find a way to keep himself, his younger sister, and their dog alive until help arrives.
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi (J Kip) by Rudyard Kipling. A brave mongoose saves his human family from two black cobras that live in the garden.
Ella Enchanted (J Lev) by Gail Carson Levine. In this story based on Cinderella, Ella struggles against a childhood curse.
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (J Lew) by C. S. Lewis. Four children enter the magic land of Narnia and help Aslan the golden lion to defeat the White Witch who has cursed the land with eternal winter. Book 2 of The Chronicles of Narnia series.
In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson (J Lor) by Bette Lord. A Chinese immigrant comes to Brooklyn where she becomes Americanized at school, at home, and by her love of baseball.
On the Trail of Lewis and Clark: A Journey Up the Missouri River (J978.02 Lou) by Peter Lourie. A present day journey that follows the trail of the Corps of Discovery up the Missouri River. Companion title: On the Trail of Sacagawea.
Journey (J Mac) by Patricia MacLachlan. Two children feel they have lost their past until their grandfather helps them find it.
Snowflake Bentley (J551.57 Mar) by Jacqueline Briggs Martin. The biography of the self-taught scientist who photographed snowflakes to study their unique formations.
Alice in Blunderland (J Nay) by Phyllis Naylor. Alice McKinley, who is definitely not enamored with the fourth grade, must try to make things right when a string of humiliating events leads to an even greater disaster involving her older brother.
Shiloh (J Nay) by Phyllis Naylor. Marty finds a lost beagle and tries to hide it from his family and the owner, a man known to mistreat his dogs. Sequels: Shiloh Season and Saving Shiloh.
The Borrowers (J Nor) by Mary Norton. Tiny people who live in an old house and survive by “borrowing” things from humans are forced to move from their home under the clock.
Bridge to Terabithia (J Pat) by Katherine Paterson. The story of the friendship of Jess and Leslie and the hideaway they build in their small town.
Harris and Me: A Summer Remembered (J Pau) by Gary Paulsen. Sent to live with relatives on their farm, an eleven-year-old meets a cousin and is introduced to a new world.
Bill Peet: An Autobiography (J921 Pee, Pee) by Bill Peet. The author illustrator of many much-loved books tells the story of his life.
The Indian in the Cupboard (J Rei) by Lynne Reid Banks. The adventures of a boy whose birthday gift, a plastic Indian, comes to life and befriends him. Sequel: The Return of the Indian.
How to Eat Fried Worms (J Roc) by Thomas Rockwell. Two boys set out to prove worms can be a delicious meal.
Rowan of Rin (J Rod) by Emily Rodda. Because he can read a map, Rowan joins others from his village as they climb a mountain to try to restore the village water supply. Sequel: Rowan and the Travelers.
Falling Up: Poems and Drawings (J811.5 Sil) by Shel Silverstein. Humorous poems and drawings by the author of A Light in the Attic.
If the World Were a Village: A Book About the World’s People (J304.6 Smi) by David J. Smith. Surprising statistics about religion, food, water, nationalities, language and education around the world are unveiled by narrowing down the world’s population to a village of 100 people.
The Sign of the Beaver (J Spe) by Elizabeth George Speare. Left alone to guard his family’s home in the wilderness, a boy struggles to survive until Indians teach him the skills he needs.
The Green Dog: A Mostly True Story (J Sta) by Suzanne Fisher Staples. During the summer before fifth grade, a daydreaming loner who likes to fish and walk through the woods, talks her parents into keeping a stray dog with a nose for trouble.
Farmer Boy (J Wil) by Laura Ingalls Wilder. A young boy grows up on a farm in upstate New York in the 1870s.
The Castle in the Attic (J Win) by Elizabeth Winthrop. With the gift of a toy castle and knight William is introduced to adventure and a personal quest.

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5th Grade

Look for these books in the Juvenile (J) section, shelved alphabetically by the author’s last name. Other titles by these authors are also recommended. Paper copies of this list are available at any Library agency.

Crispin: the Cross of Lead (J Avi) by Avi. Falsely accused of theft and murder, an orphaned peasant boy flees his village and meets a larger-than-life juggler who holds a dangerous secret.
Child of the Dark (J Bar) by T. A. Barron. In accordance with prophecy, Avalon’s existence is threatened in the year that stars stop shining and at the time when both the dark child and Merlin’s heir are to be revealed.
Something Very Sorry (J Boh) by Arno Bohlmeijer . After a serious traffic accident, 9-year-old Rosemyn must cope with her family’s injuries and come to terms with the death of their mother. 
Tell All the Children Our Story (J973 Bol) by Tonya Bolden. Memories and mementos of being young and black in America.
Al Capone Does My Shirts (J Cho) by Gennifer Choldenko. Twelve-year-old Moose moves to Alcatraz Island in 1935 when guards’ families were housed there, and has to contend with his extraordinary new environment in addition to life with his autistic sister.
A Week in the Woods (J Cle) by Andrew Clements. The 5th grade annual camping trip tests Mark’s surival skills and his ability to relate a teacher who seems out to get him.
Gregor and the Prophecy Bane (J Col) by Suzanne Collins. In his second adventure, 11-year-old Gregor returns to the world beneath New York City to rescue his kidnapped sister and fulfill a prophecy that will restore peace to the people, bats, rats, and cockroaches. Sequel to Gregor the Overlander.
Granny Torrelli Makes Soup (J Cre) by Sharon Creech. With the help of her wise old grandmother, 12-year-old Rosie works out problems with her best friend, the boy next door.
Ruby Holler (J Cre) by Sharon Creech. Thirteen-year-old fraternal twins Dallas and Florida find their lives changed forever when an eccentric older couple invites them on an adventure to a magical place.
Iqbal: A Novel (J Dam) by Francesco D’Adamo. A fictionalized account of the Pakistani child who escaped from bondage in a carpet factory and went on to liberate other children like him before being gunned down at the age of thirteen.
Spider-Man: The Ultimate Guide (J741.5 DeF) by Tom DeFalco. The ultimate guide to everything a Spider-Man fan would ever want to know.
The Field Guide (J DiT) by Tony DiTerlizzi. When the Grace children go to stay at their Great Aunt Lucinda’s worn Victorian house, they discover a field guide to fairies and other creatures.
Eager (J Fox) by Helen Fox. Unlike Grumps, their old-fashioned robot, the Bell family’s new robot, Eager, is programmed to not merely obey but to question, reason, and exercise free will.
Inkheart (J Fun) by Cornelia Caroline Funke. Twelve-year-old Meggie learns that her father, who repairs and binds books for a living, can “read” fictional characters to life when one of those characters abducts them and tries to force her father into service.
Dork in Disguise (J Gor) by Carol Gorman. Starting middle-school in a new town, brainy Jerry Flack changes his image from “dork” to “cool.” 
Fifth Grade Fever (J Gra) by Michele Granger. Marty and her best friend Nina set out to impress their handsome new teacher.
Ida B…and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly Save the World) (J Han) by Katherine Hannigan. A fourth-grader in Wisconsin spends happy hours being home-schooled until her mother begins treatment for breast cancer, they sell part of the family apple orchard and send her to public school.
Letters from Rifka (J Hes) by Karen Hesse. A young Jewish girl tells of her family’s flight from Russia to America in 1919 through letters to her cousin.
Busted! (J Hic) by Betty Hicks. Anxious to distract his overly strict mother, 12-year-old Stuart and a girl named Mack attempt to fix her up with Mack’s Uncle Joe.
What Happened in Mr. Fisher’s Room (J Hop) by Nancy J. Hopper. Lanie has lots to deal with in eighth grade—a new friend, boys, and most of all, Mr. Fisher’s out-of-control science class.
The Star of Kazan (J Ibb) by Eva Ibbotson. After a 12-year-old foundling living in 19th-century Vienna inherits a trunk of costume jewelry, a woman claiming to be her aristocratic mother arrives and takes her to live in a strangely decrepit mansion in Germany.
Rakkety Tam (J Jac) by Brian Jacques. Two warrior squirrels lead the battle against a bloodthirsty wolverine who will stop at nothing to recover the Walking Stone that will give him the authority to rule the lands of ice beyond the Great Sea. A tale from Redwall.
Top Secret: A Handbook of Codes, Ciphers, and Secret Writing (J652 Jan) by Paul B Janeczko. A handbook for the budding cryptographer including codes and ciphers, invisible inks, concealment techniques, spy stories and some history.
Spy Cat (J Keh) by Peg Kehret. A series of burglaries in their quiet community upsets the family, but the bad guys are no match for the very protective family cat and Benjie’s “spy” skills.
Children of the Lamp, Book One, The Akhenaten Adventure (J Ker) by P. B. Kerr. 
When twelve-year-old twins Phillipa and John discover that they are descended from a long line of djinn, their mother sends them away to Cairo to learn about their extraordinary powers.
The Chicken Doesn’t Skate (J Kor) by Gordon Korman. Wild things happen at the South Middle School when Milo’s science project, Henrietta the chicken, becomes the hockey team’s mascot and their only chance for a winning season.
Bicycle Madness (J Kur) by Jane Kurtz. In the late 1800s, Lillie gains friendship and help with a spelling bee from a neighbor, who braves criticism to speak about women’s rights and learns to ride a bicycle. Includes historical notes.
In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson (J Lor) by Bette Bao Lord. In 1947 a Chinese child comes to Brooklyn where she becomes Americanized at school, in her apartment building, and by her love for baseball.
Dog Friday (J McK) by Hilary McKay. Ten-year-old Robin is determined to keep the abandoned dog he finds on the beach.
Memories of Sun: Stories of Africa and America (J Mem) edited by Jane Kurtz. 
A collection of short stories and poems from both continents about life in Africa and the impressions of Americans in Africa and of Africans in America.
Mick Harte Was Here (J Par) by Barbara Park. Thirteen-year-old Phoebe recalls her younger brother Mick and his death in a bicycle accident.
Familiar and Haunting: Collected Stories (J Pea) by Philippa Pearce. A collection of 37 previously published stories including tales of animals, ghosts, and everyday life.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (J398.2 Sch) by Alvin Schwartz. Stories of ghosts and witches, “jump” stories, scary songs, and modern-day scary stories collected from American folklore. 
Brainboy and the Deathmaster (J Sei) by Tor Seidler. When a 12-year-old orphan is adopted by a technology genius, he finds himself the star of his very own life-threatening video game.
On Board the Titanic: What It Was Like When the Great Liner Sank (J Tan) by Shelley Tanaka. Details 16-year-old Jack Thayer’s exploits aboard the Titanic before and after the encounter with the iceberg.
Numbskulls (J Tay) by William Taylor. Tricked by his horrid neighbor Alice, Charlie submits to her experimental learning machine.
Sammy Keyes and the Search for Snake Eyes (J Van) by Wendolin Van Draanen.
When 13-year-old Sammy finds herself with an abandoned baby on her hands, she sets out to find the young mother and accidentally jeopardizes her position on the softball team.
Bad Girls (J Voi) by Cynthia Voigt. Margalo and Mikey, two troublemakers, are drawn together after meeting on the first day in Mrs. Chemsky’s fifth grade class. First in the Bad Girls series.
Orphan Train Rider: One Boy’s True Story (J362.734 War) by Andrea Warren. Discusses the placement of over 200,000 orphaned or abandoned children in homes throughout the Midwest from 1854 to 1929 by recounting the story of one boy and his brother.
Belle Prater’s Boy (J Whi) by Ruth White. When Woodrow’s mother suddenly disappears, he befriends his cousin and together they find the strength to face the terrible losses and fears in their lives.
The Worry Web Site (J Wil) by Jacqueline Wilson. Mr. Speed creates a website where students can anonymously type their worries and get feedback from their classmates, helping them sort out everything from pimples to stepfamily problems.
The Hunchback (J Wri) by Randall Wright. Thirteen-year-old Juffa, a hunchback orphan living in Castle Marlby, dreams of serving a prince and becomes embroiled in adventure and intrigue when his wish comes true.
The Traitor: Golden Mountain Chronicles, 1885 (J Yep) by Laurence Yep. An unlikely friendship between two boys develops in the midst of prejudices and racial tensions in the coal mining town of Rock Springs, Wyoming.

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6th Grade

Look for these books in the Juvenile (J) and Young Adult (YA) sections, shelved alphabetically by the author’s last name. Other titles by these authors are also recommended. Paper copies of this list are available at any Library agency.

Chasing Vermeer (J Bal) by Blue Balliett. Eleven-year-olds Petra and Calder combine their talents to solve an international art scandal when a priceless Vermeer painting disappears. 
What Every Girl (Except Me) Knows (J Bas) by Nora Raleigh Baskin. Believing she needs a mother to help her grow into a woman, Gabby sets off for the last place she remembers seeing her own mother.
The Trial (J Bry) by Jennifer Bryant. A series of poems describe the effect of the ongoing trial of Bruno Hauptmann for the kidnapping and murder of Charles Lindbergh’s baby son in Flemington, New Jersey, 1935.
Notes from a Liar and Her Dog (J Cho) by Gennifer Choldenko. Stuck in a family that she does not like, 8-year-old Ant copes by pretending that her “real” parents are coming to rescue her, by loving her dog, volunteering at the zoo, and bending the truth and telling lies.
Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code (J Col) by Eoin Colfer. After Artemis uses stolen fairy technology to create a powerful microcomputer that is snatched by a dangerous American businessman, Artemis, Juliet, Mulch, and the fairies join forces to retrieve it.
Heartbeat (J Cre) by Sharon Creech. Annie ponders the many rhythms of life the year that her mother becomes pregnant, her grandfather begins to falter, and her best friend and running partner becomes distant.
Catherine Called Birdy (J Cus) by Karen Cushman. Thirteen-year-old Catherine keeps an amusing journal of her thoughts regarding life in medieval England including her parents repeated attempts to marry her off.
The Ghost of Cutler Creek (J DeF) by Cynthia DeFelice. When Allie is contacted by the ghost of a dog, she and Dub investigate the surly new boy at school and his father, who may be running a puppy mill.
Beekman’s Big Deal (J DeG) by Michael De Guzman. Tired of moving from place to place and school to school in New York City, Beekman O’Day makes a deal with his wheeler-dealer father Leo.
The Secret Language of Girls (J Dow) by Frances O’Roark Dowell. Marylin and Kate have been friends since nursery school, but when Marylin becomes a middle school cheerleader and Kate begins to develop other interests, their relationship is put to the test.
The Oracle Betrayed (J Fis) by Catherine Fisher. After she is chosen to be “Bearer-of-the-god,” Mirany questions the established order and sets out to find the legitimate heir.
Inkheart (J Fun) by Cornelia Funke. Meggie learns that her father, who repairs and binds books for a living, can “read” fictional characters to life when one of those characters abducts them.
Tending Grace (J Fus) by Kimberly Newton Fusco. After years of caring for an emotionally unstable mother, Cornelia’s life is turned upside-down when her mother suddenly takes off with a boyfriend and leaves her with an aunt who doesn’t need nor want any help at all.
Coraline (J Gai) by Neil Gaiman. Looking for excitement, Coraline ventures through a mysterious door into a world that is similar yet disturbingly different from her own.
Pictures of Hollis Woods (J Gif) by Patricia Reilly Giff. A troublesome 12-year-old orphan, staying with an elderly artist who needs her, remembers the only other time she was happy in a foster home, with a family that truly seemed to care about her.
The Truth about Twelve (J Gol) by Theresa Martin Golding. Tremendously burdened by a secret guilt, 12-year-old Lindy uses her skill at baseball to help her cope with a new school, scornful classmates, and complicated family problems.
Mickey and Me: A Baseball Card Aventure (J Gut) by Dan Gutman. Using his time-traveling powers, Joe Stoshack attempts to go back in time to save Mickey Mantle from an injury that will forever alter his baseball career, but when he ends up seven years too early and in the wrong stadium, Joe finds himself wrapped-up in the surprise of his life.
Among the Barons (J Had) by Margaret Petersen Haddix. Forced to hide for most of his life because he is a third child in a society that only permits two children per family, Luke Garner adopts a new identity as a member of the elite until his jealous brother arrives. 
Hoot (J Hia) by Carl Hiaasen . Roy, newly arrived in Florida, becomes involved with a renegade fellow teen bent on saving an endangered owl habitat.
I Am David (J Hol) by Anne Holm. Having escaped from the eastern European concentration camp where he has spent most of his life, David struggles to cope with an entirely strange world of freedom in Denmark. 
When Zachary Beaver Came to Town (J Hol) by Kimberly Willis Holt. During the summer of 1971 in a small Texas town, Toby and his best friend Cal meet the star of a sideshow act, 600-pound Zachary, the fattest boy in the world.
Loamhedge: A Novel of Redwall (J Jac) by Brian Jacques. The latest Redwall adventure explores the mysteries of the Abbey’s ancient origins when it is realized that wheelchair-bound Martha might be cured by a formula buried at the deserted Loamhedge, a quest that is complicated by an attack by the Searats. 
Unexpected Magic (J Jon) by Diana Wynne Jones. A collection of 16 spellbinding fantasies including The Plague of Peacocks, Aunt Bea’s Day Out, The Fat Wizard, No One, and Everard’s Ride.
No More Dead Dogs (YA paperback Kor) by Gordon Korman. Eighth-grade football hero Wallace Wallace is sentenced to detention attending rehearsals of the school play where, in spite of himself, he becomes wrapped up in the production.
The Giver (J Low) by Lois Lowry. Given his lifetime assignment when he is 12, Jonas becomes the receiver of memories and discovers the terrible truth about the society in which he lives.
Travel Team (J Lup) by Mike Lupica. After being cut from his travel basketball team, 12-year-old Danny Walker forms his own team of cast-offs that might have a shot at victory.
Here Today (J Mar) by Ann M. Martin. When her mother abandons the family, Ellie takes charge of her younger siblings, while trying to cope with her outcast status in school and frightening acts of prejudice on her street. 
An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 (J614.5 Mur) by Jim Murphy. Recounts the devastation by an incurable disease, detailing the major social and political events as well as the medical beliefs and practices in 1793 Philadelphia.
Midnight for Charlie Bone (J Nim) by Jenny Nimmo. Charlie Bone’s life undergoes a dramatic change when he discovers that he can hear people in photographs talking.
Hatchet (J Pau) by Gary Paulsen. After a plane crash, 13-year-old Brian spends 54 days surviving in the wilderness.
The River Between Us (J Pec) by Richard Peck. During the early days of the Civil War, the Pruitt family takes in two mysterious young ladies who have fled New Orleans to come north to Illinois.
Esperanza Rising (J Rya) by Mary Munoz Ryan. Esperanza and her mother are forced to exchange their life of wealth and privilege in Mexico for work in the labor camps of Southern California, on the eve of the Great Depression.
Holes (J Sac) by Louis Sachar. Convicted of a crime he didn’t commit, Stanley Yelnats is sent to a nightmarish juvenile detention camp where he finds his first real friend, a treasure and a new sense of self.
Marco’s Millions (J Sle) by William Sleator. Marco’s love for travel and for his psychic younger sister leads him on a journey to other universes, gaining the ability to go wherever he wishes without growing old.
Milkweed (J Spi) by Jerry Spinelli. The hardship and cruelty of life in the ghettos of Warsaw during the Nazi occupation of WW II is captured through the eyes of a young Jewish orphan who uses his wits and courage to survive the unimaginable. 
What a Great Idea! Inventions that Changed the World (J609 Tom) by Steve Tomecek. An entertaining look at inventions that have changed history from the hand ax to the spear, to the modern rocket and computer.
So B. It (J Wee) by Sarah Weeks. Living with her mentally disabled mother who suddenly repeats a new word, Heidi suspects it might be a key to a secret past about which she knows so little.
The Revealers (J Wil) by Doug Wilhelm. Tired of being bullied and picked on, three seventh-grade outcasts join forces and, using scientific methods and the power of the Internet, begin to create a new atmosphere at Parkland Middle School. 
Hush (J Woo) by Jacqueline Woodson. Toswiah finds her life changed when her family enters the witness protection program.
Dealing with Dragons (J Wre) by Patricia Wrede. A bored princess becomes a dragon’s princess by choice and saves the dragons from an evil wizard. 

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