Must-Read 5th Grade Books List for Easy Planning

What are the must-read 5^th grade books?   For most kids in America, 5^th grade is the end of the elementary school years!  It’s a huge transition time for many kids as well as a very exciting period of life.  A wonderful time to encourage kids to read! However, as a mom and a teacher, it is of great concern to me that I find quality literature that is wholesome and clean to put into my child’s hands. This list of upstanding 5th grade books reflects the best of children’s literature for this age to help you build your 5th grade summer reading list, develop a homeschool reading plan, or find supplemental literature your 5th grader is sure to love.

Touchy Subject Matter

Pre-teens in 5^th grade are beginning to understand many of the complexities and injustices in real life so the books geared for this age reflect the same conundrums.  A good book helps a child explore difficult concepts from a safe place.  Fifth grade books explore the contrast between good verses evil and dive into challenging topics such as poverty, war, and race issues.  Other touchy subjects include survival, illness, mistreatment, and even death.  Woah!  That’s some heavy stuff, but just right to challenge pre-adolescent learners and help them shape their moral compass!

Rich Vocabulary

Another key feature of 5th grade books is rich language that may be unfamiliar to young, modern readers. Some of the books include dialect where words are intentionally misspelled, foreign words borrowed from other languages, or archaic language of bygone eras. These are not reasons to shy away from these books but wonderful teaching opportunities!

What Reading Level are 5th Grade Books?

Fifth grade books typically include Fountas & Pinnell levels T-U-V and Lexile levels 800-900 as well as DRA levels 40-50.  Kids this age will still enjoy reading literature a tad too easy for them, so be sure to also check out this list of 4^th grade books.  If these books don’t seem challenging enough, level up to 6th grade books to keep your reader engaged.

If you’re not quite sure that your child is reading on grade level (or maybe above?), you can find out how to quickly and easily know your child’s reading level to determine the best fit for books.  Books are like shoes!  They need to fit just right in order to make a happy reader!

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Key Features of 5^th Grade Books:

• Pre-adolescent problems
• Multiple interpretations
• Conflict between good and evil
• Use of dialect
• Use of foreign words
• Mature issues such as race and war
• Complex narrative
• Topics that go beyond the reader’s experience
• Heavy content
• Focus on common human issues
• Flashbacks
• Symbolism
• Archaic language

Must-Read 5^th Grade Books (levels T-U-V)

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5th grade book list

• Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
• Amos Fortune Free Man by Elizabeth Yates
• Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
• By the Great Horn Spoon by Sid Fleischman
• Calico Bush by Rachel Field
• Follow My Leader by James B Garfield
• Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins
• Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell
• Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
• My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
• Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
• Sing Down the Moon by Scott O’Dell
• Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski
• The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
• The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
• The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
• The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Spear
• The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
• The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pene duBois
• The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis
• Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Breaking Down the 5^th Grade Books List

It can be quite the challenge to categorize these exceptional books! So many of them overlap and could fit into multiple categories. However, groups can be helpful if you are trying to reach for a certain type of book with a specific reader in mind! Also, don’t forget to tempt readers who are stuck in a rut of only one genre of literature. Encourage them to branch out into other genres! These won’t disappoint!

For a free, printable list of these 5th grade books, scroll down and subscribe. Immediate download!

5th Grade Books: Gripping Survival Stories

Survival stories remain a favorite of kids for so many reasons! Especially at this age, kids are drawn to these stories of independence, ingenuity, and resilience. They will be intrigued with Matt’s bravery in The Sign of the Beaver as he guards the family’s cabin alone in the woods. Running into unexpected trouble, he is rescued by a young Native American boy forging a surprising friendship.

Karana is abandoned alone on the Island of the Blue Dolphins for 18 years! This story of grief and endurance inspired by a true story is very inspirational!

Julie of the Wolves tells of an Eskimo girl who braves the chilling Alaskan wilderness alone and learns to survive by imitating the ways of the wolf pack.

My Side of the Mountain is a thrilling adventure of a runaway in search of solitude who finds the solace he’s craving in woodworking but also a great deal of danger. Several of these books are also historical in nature and work well alongside of history lessons if you are trying to coordinate reading with history.

5th Grade Books: Historical Fiction

I’m a sucker for historical fiction because it is such an enjoyable way to learn! While dates and names alone are often boring to young learners, fascinating characters and realistic historic stories have a way of bringing the past to life in memorable ways! In Calico Bush, readers will learn of the life of a young, French indentured servant during the colonial time period. She faces many great trials as an immigrant servant in Maine facing fear, hardship, and dealing with death.

By the Great Horn Spoon is a rollicking adventure telling the escapades of a young boy and his butler during the California Gold Rush! A fun, fast-paced read with some wonderful lessons learned along the way!

Strawberry Girl tells of a young girl on a strawberry farm in 1920s Florida. She and her family face some serious challenges and the book beautifully deals with themes such as animosity, friendship, perseverance, and overcoming trials. This one is a super sweet, wholesome read with a Christian perspective.

5th Grade Books: Diversity Books about Race & Ethnicity

By this age, sadly, many children have begun to see the disturbing injustices and inequalities of our past and present. While reading about race issues can be challenging, these books offer opportunity for young learners to explore good and evil, and right verses wrong as they develop a moral compass in light of compassion.

The story of Sing Down the Moon recites the account of the Navajo tribe of Native Americans who were forced by soldiers to relocate during the time of American’s expansion west.

Amos Fortune Free Man is the gripping story of an African tribal prince who is captured and sold as a slave at the age of 15. The positive and inspirational story follows his life-long quest for freedom.

In this gentle introduction to World War II, Number the Stars tells of a young girl from Denmark whose family hides the family of her best friend while the Germans attempt to relocate the Jews. It is a beautiful story of human decency in the midst of evil.

The Watsons Go to Birmingham 1963 is set against the backdrop of the Civil Rights movement where a family is impacted by the Birmingham bombings. It is a compelling story to explore race relations, however, there are some unnecessary words and references such as magazines with nudity. So, parents may want to read this one aloud and talk through some of the unnecessary additions.

All of these books explore these sensitive topics in mild ways with gentle narratives. None of these books use graphic detail, but rather explore these challenging topics of racial injustice with subtlety that is just right for 5th grade readers.

5th Grade Books: Overcoming Adversity

Another popular theme of 5th grade books is to explore the theme of overcoming adversity. One of my personal favorite books for this age is Follow My Leader. It’s an amazing, heart-warming story about an average boy, Jimmy, who tragically loses his eyesight in a fireworks accident. The book follows his journey of healing as he receives a guide dog that offers him freedom he never thought would be possible again. Super sweet!

Wonder, recently turned into a popular motion picture, tells the story of a disfigured boy mercilessly teased at school for his unusual face. It is a story about resilience, bravery, and kindness that will resonate strongly with your child.

The timeless classic, The Secret Garden, is an adversity tale that never grows old! Three children struggle independently with illness, grief, poverty, major life changes, and abandonment but find strength through nature and friendship that help them to overcome their struggles together.

Bridge to Terabithia is a tear-jerker! In this beloved story, a young boy Jesse finds an unlikely friend in the new girl at school. Together they build a beautiful imaginary world until an accident claims one of their lives.

And finally, The Tale of Despereaux, is an off-the-beaten-path, sometimes surprising story about a mouse, a rat, a princess, a servant, and a castle. Each character faces some grave difficulties, but ultimately overcomes.

5th Grade Books: Fantasy Worlds

Not all of the 5th grade books on the reading list are heavy or challenging! There are plenty of stories that explore the contrast between good and evil in stunning fantasy worlds! Other fantasy books are just silly and take us on a wild adventure!

A book to last the test of time is The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. You just can’t get any better than this! The author creates a thought-provoking fantasy world rich with talking animals, royalty, and magic. This beautiful tale makes for wonderful dialogue about right verses wrong and brings out many Christian teachings.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is another beloved classic! Alice has the craziest adventures with the strangest critters in a mad tea party, a caucus race, and an unusual game of cards. This is a classic no kid should miss! Just pure fun!

The Twenty-One Balloons is an imaginative figment about an eccentric Professor who goes on a wild ride in a balloon to a fictitious island. It is an absurdly fantastic tale and sure to be a fun read!

Finally, Gregor the Overlander is a favorite with my kids. Written by the best-selling author of The Hunger Games, this action-packed thriller tells the story of a young boy who accidentally falls into another world – one filled with giant cockroaches and enormous bats. It might not sound appealing, but I promise, your kids won’t want to put it down! Mine were riding imaginary giant bats for weeks.

5th Grade Books: Just Because

Sometimes, there are books that are simply great for their simplicity. Such is the case with The Penderwicks, the first in a series of stories about four sisters, two rabbits, and a very interesting boy. This light-hearted, witty story is an innocent celebration of childhood and normal life.  Being written in more recent years, however, there are a few modern references to crushes and kissing for the 12 year old as well as some white lies and taking God’s name in vain of which parents may want to be aware. All that aside, it is still a whimsical, sweet story of childhood.

So Many 5th Grade Books to Love!

With so many amazing choices for 5th grade books, it’s hard to decide where to begin! Vera Nazarian said, “The world is shaped by two things — stories told and the memories they leave behind.” It is so vitally important to put good books into the hands of young learners. Stories that help them develop into godly people who value truth, compassion, and kindness in our ever darkening world. Challenge their minds with beautiful thoughts! Put a good book into your child’s hands or read one yourself. You might just really enjoy it!

No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally – and often far more – worth reading at the age of fifty and far beyond.

C.S. Lewis, author of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

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• 3rd Grade Books List
• 4th Grade Books List
• 5th Grade Books List
• 6th Grade Books List
• 7th-8th Grade Books List
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