Best Chapter Books for Kids
The fifth graders at my kids’ elementary school are challenged to try to read all the books for the Massachusetts Book Award. I’ve noticed many of them have won Newbery awards so it’s a great list. I found a breakdown for age appropriateness and have organized the books that way. I am excited about this list because there are beloved and acclaimed authors on the list as well as some who are new to me.
What about you? Have you or your child read any of these books? Please share what you thought about these books as well as any other book you’d recommend for 5th grade (plus or minus two grades!).
p.s. If you like this post, you might like:
Predicting the Newbery and Caldecott 2012
Predicting the Newbery/Caldecott from ex_Newbery Judge Amanda Stuckmeyer
Award Winning Books: Caldecott, Newbery 2011
Recommended for Low 4th Grade
Ruth McNally Barshaw, Ellie McDoodle: Have Pen, Will Travel. (Grades 3-6)
Coleen Paratore, Sunny Holiday. (Grades 3-4)
My 6th grader and I didn’t love this book.
Claudia Mills. How Oliver Olson Changed the World. (Grades 2-4)
Frank Cammuso. The Dodgeball Chronicles (Knights of the Lunch Table, No.1).
Recommended for 4th Grade
Andrew Clements, Lost and Found.
Grace Lin. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. (Newbery Honor!) (Grades 3-6)
My 4th grader and 6th grader (who read it in 5th grade) loved this book. Review here.
Kate Klise. Dying to Meet You: 43 Cemetery Road. (Grades 4-6)
Robert Paul Weston. Zorgamazoo. (Grades 4-6)
Jody Feldman. The Gollywhopper Games.
Mike Lupica. Long Shot.
Recommended for 5th Grade
Kate DiCamillo, The Magician’s Elephant. (Grades 4-6)
Pseudonymous Bosch, If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late. (Grades 4-6)
Susannah T. French, Operation Redwood. (Grades 4-7)
Kathryn Fitzmaurice, The Year the Swallows Came Early. (Grades 4-7)
K. A. Nuzum, The Leanin’ Dog. (Grades 4-7)
Recommended for 6th Grade
Julia Alvarez, Return to Sender. (Grades 4-7)
Julianna Baggott, The Prince of Fenway Park. (Grades 5-7)
Carl Hiassen, Scat. (Grades 5-7)
Rodman Philbrick, The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg. (Grades 5-8)
Lynne Jonell, The Secret of Zoom.
Rec0mended for Advanced 6th
Rebecca Stead. When You Reach Me. (Newbery Winner!) (Grades 5-8)
Jacqueline Kelly. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate. (Newbery Honor!) (Grades 5-8)
Roland Smith. I, Q: Independence Hall (I, Q. The Series). (Grades 5-8)
Cynthia Kadohata. Cracker: The Best Dog in Vietnam. (Grades 5-8)
Mick Cochrane. The Girl Who Threw Butterflies (Grades 5-9)
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My books:
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Massachusetts Book Award Long List
- Selected as one of 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023 by dPICTUS and featured at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
- Starred review from School Library Journal
- Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
- 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
- Green Earth Book Award Long List
- Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids
Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Scholastic / Signed or Inscribed by Me
