Have a group of reluctant readers? Not sure which 5th 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 5th 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 5th grade books to start creating a room full of great readers!
Plus, be sure to fill out the form on this page to get your free printable list of books for 5th graders.
1. Accidental Archaeologists: True Stories of Unexpected Discoveries by Sarah Albee
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! Perfect for nonfiction lovers.
Buy it: Accidental Archaeologists
2. Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko
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
3. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
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. This is a great read to introduce children to heavy but important Holocaust information.
4. Baseball in April and Other Stories by Gary Soto
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. This book can be used to teach students how to summarize important ideas from a text and make connections to their own lives.
5. Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea
One 5th 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 5th 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! It’s a great book for teaching theme—there are so many characters involved in conflicts and learning serious lessons that students will learn to identify and describe themes.
Buy it: Because of Mr. Terupt
6. Best Nerds Forever by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein
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
7. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Looking for more classic 5th 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. This book lends itself well to having students make predictions and learn how to prove their predictions from the text.
Buy it: Bridge to Terabithia
8. The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
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 kids’ hearts.
Buy it: The City of Ember
9. Eleven by Tom Rogers
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. This book will help lead your class in a discussion about what it means to be a hero and show up with courage when times are tough.
Buy it: Eleven
10. Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan
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. Use this book to teach ideas like determination, resilience, the American Dream, and hope.
Buy it: Esperanza Rising
11. Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
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. This story is a great read-aloud for your classroom to have students discuss things like bullying, social status, and friendships—things everyone can connect to.
Buy it: Fish in a Tree
12. The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm
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, 5th 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
13. Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick
”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: 9 feet tall and ready to conquer the world!
Buy it: Freak the Mighty
14. Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women by Catherine Thimmesh
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? Women inventors young and old are depicted with the most gorgeous illustrations. This nonfiction title geared toward girls will make a perfect addition to your collection of 5th grade books.
Buy it: Girls Think of Everything
15. The Giver by Lois Lowry
Lois Lowry’s classic book 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 emotions he’s never felt before. And as you read, so will you!
Buy it: The Giver
16. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
This adventure tale is another classic for your list of 5th grade books. It’s also a great example of huge character growth. Brian must try to survive in 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
17. Holes by Louis Sachar
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. Use this book to teach character development and plot structure.
Buy it: Holes
18. Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate
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. So many things can be taught through this book: figurative language, theme, and character development are just a few!
Buy it: Home of the Brave
19. I Am Malala (Young Readers Edition) by Malala Yousafzai
Want to add memoirs to your collection of 5th 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.” This important book can be used to teach students how anyone, no matter their age, can become a role model and create change around the world.
Buy it: I Am Malala
20. The Journey That Saved Curious George by Louise Borden
Fifth grade students might be too old to read Curious George picture books, but this nonfiction book about the books’ 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.
21. Linked by Gordon Korman
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. This book lends itself to important classroom discussions about community, bullying, and the effects of social media.
Buy it: Linked
22. Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
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 5th grade books.
Buy it: Maniac Magee
23. Mixed Up by Gordon Korman
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
24. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
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. This is a great read to introduce children to heavy but important Holocaust information.
Buy it: Number the Stars
25. Odder by Katherine Applegate
Looking for new Katherine Applegate (The One and Only Ivan, Crenshaw) titles to add to your collection of 5th 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
26. Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper
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. This book is a must-read for your next classroom read-aloud as it discusses an important concept: Being different or having a disability doesn’t mean you should be discriminated against or treated as “lesser.”
Buy it: Out of My Mind
27. Posted by John David Anderson
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
28. Restart by Gordon Korman
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
29. Rules by Cynthia Lord
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 behavior 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? This book is a great way to introduce students to autism and the challenges that individuals with autism face.
Buy it: Rules
30. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
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
31. Shouting at the Rain by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
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
32. Smile by Raina Telgemeier
When Raina trips and falls and injures her two front teeth, she’s forced to have surgery and wear braces, making 6th grade even more dramatic than it already was. This graphic novel, based on Telgemeier’s life, has everything from boy problems to a major earthquake.
Buy it: Smile
33. The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore
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 his safest choice will be. 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
34. Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
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
35. The Watsons Go to Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis
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
36. When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller
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
37. Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
Here’s another title that tops lists of classic 5th grade books. This story is an exciting tale of love and adventure that your 5th 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. This book lends itself well to teaching students how to summarize.
Buy it: Where the Red Fern Grows
38. Wish by Barbara O’Connor
If you’re looking for 5th 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
39. Wonder by R.J. Palacio
The hero of Wonder 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.” Along with kindness, this book can be used to teach themes like anti-bullying, acceptance, having compassion, and empathy for others.
Buy it: Wonder
40. The Worst Class Trip Ever by Dave Barry
This is a hilarious adventure told in the voice of 8th grader Wyatt Palmer. 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
41. Ferris by Kate DiCamillo
This book is for the child who loves a whole bunch of quirky characters providing humor on every page. Meet Ferris, a girl heading into 5th grade as she navigates a summer filled with pandemonium. Follow along as she tries to deal with a little sister who only wants to make trouble, a grandmother who claims to see ghosts, an aunt and uncle who cause family drama, and a family of raccoons. Hang on for this wild ride!
Buy it: Ferris
42. Fish Farts: And Other Amazing Ways Animals Adapt by Joanne Settel
Every classroom has some nonfiction lovers, and this book tells you all about the amazing, hilarious, and astounding ways animals survive, thrive, and adapt to their environments. Some trick, some trap, some slime, and some even eat others’ poop! You will not want to miss this book that’s perfect for 5th graders.
Buy it: Fish Farts
43. Four Eyes by Rex Ogle & Dave Valeza
Where are my students who love graphic novels? There isn’t one kid who can’t relate to Rex, a 6th grader who’s just trying to survive. His family is so cringe and he cannot figure out how to just make a friend. And now he finds out he has to wear glasses? How will he ever make it through?
Buy it: Four Eyes
44. Top Marks for Murder by Robin Stevens
The newest release in the “A Murder Most Unladylike Mystery” collection for students who love a good murder mystery. Daisy and Hazel are back at school and everybody is planning a big celebration for the 50th anniversary. Amid all the excitement, the two witness a crime that must be solved to save their hometown! Can the girls solve the case?
Buy it: Top Marks for Murder
45. It’s the End of the World and I’m in My Bathing Suit by Justin A. Reynolds
This is a hilarious book that even your most reluctant reader won’t turn down. Join this group of five unsupervised kids as they suddenly find themselves in the apocalypse. Where has everyone gone? Where are their families? Is there anyone even left in the rest of their town? The state? The world?! ANYWHERE?! This book is written to crack you up and keep you wanting more.
Buy it: It’s the End of the World and I’m in My Bathing Suit
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