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Fifth & Sixth Grade Book Recommendations
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Fiction
Return to Sender
by Julia Alvarez
After his family hires migrant Mexican workers to help save their Vermont farm from foreclosure, eleven-year-old Tyler befriends the oldest daughter and learns an important lesson about friendship.
The Underneath
by Kathi Appelt
An old hound that has been chained up at his hateful owner's run-down shack, and two kittens born underneath the house, endure separation, danger, and many other tribulations in their quest to be reunited and free.
No Talking
by Andrew Clements illustrations by Mark Elliott
The noisy fifth grade boys challenge the equally loud fifth grade girls to a "no talking" contest.
The Broken Bike Boy and the Queen of 33rd Street
by Sharon Flake illustrations by Colin Bootman
A spoiled, conceited girl makes friends with a new boy in her class.
The Road to Paris
by Nikki Grimes
Separated from her older brother, Paris reluctantly begins to trust her new foster family.
Evolution of Calpurnia Tate
by Jacqueline Kelly
In central Texas in 1899, eleven-year-old Callie learns about love from three of her six brothers and studies the natural world with her grandfather which leads to an important discovery.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
by Jeff Kinney
An ordinary boy named Greg wishes to do the right thing but is stymied by his quest for girls and status, his well-meaning parents, his brothers, and his friends.
The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place
by E.L. Konigsburg
When the three towers built by her eccentric uncles are to be demolished, Margaret tries to save them.
Ways to Live Forever
by Sally Nicholls
Eleven-year-old Sam Mcqueen, who has leukemia, writes a book during the last three months of his life, in which he tells about what he would like to accomplish, how he feels, and things that have happened to him.
How to Steal a Dog
by Barbara O'Connor
Georgina concocts a plot to help her family move out of their car and into a real home.
The Boy Who Saved Baseball
by John H. Ritter
The fate of a small California town rests on the outcome of one baseball game.
The Maze of Bones (39 Clues series)
by Rick Riordan
Amy and Dan, members of the powerful Cahill family, try to uncover the thirty-nine clues which will reveal the secrets of what really happened to their parents.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
by Rick Riordan
After learning that he is the son of a mortal woman and Poseidon, god of the sea, twelve-year-old Percy is sent to summer camp, and joins his new friends on a quest to prevent a war between the gods.
When You Reach Me
by Rebecca Stead
As her mother prepares to be a contestant on a 1970s television game show, a twelve-year-old New York City girl tries to make sense of some mysterious notes that seem to defy the laws of time and space.
Way Down Deep
by Ruth White
Ruby, who has been living with the kind proprietor of a boarding house since she was abandoned as a toddler, learns about her past.
Feathers
by Jacqueline Woodson
A white boy who joins Frannie's all-black sixth grade class is the catalyst for her exploration of spiritual and philosophical issues.
Nonfiction
The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer's Bright Ideas and Brand New Colors
by Chris Barton, Illustrated by Tony Persiani
Illustrations and easy-to-follow text describe how brothers Bob and Joe Switzer invented fluorescent paint and colors; and explains how fluorescence works.
Pocket Babies and Other Amazing Marsupials
by Sneed B. Collard III
Learn about the marsupials of the world, including opossums, kangaroos, and koalas.
Bodies from the Ice
by James Deem
This book looks at some of the discoveries of the past as glaciers moved and melted, including the preserved frozen remains of Otzi, the oldest human mummy ever found in ice.
Helen's Eyes: A Photobiography of Annie Sullivan, Helen Keller's Teacher
by Marfe Ferguson Delano
Annie Sullivan distinguished herself as the successful teacher of Helen Keller, a blind and deaf student who became famous.
Anne Frank: Her Life in Words and Pictures from the Archives of the Anne Frank House
by Menno Metselaar
A photographic introduction to the life and experiences of Anne Frank who lived in hiding from the Nazis during World War II.
Truce: The Day the Soldiers Stopped Fighting
by Jim Murphy
This is the moving story of the December 25, 1914 truce between German and British soldiers as they laid down their weapons and met in No Man's Land to celebrate Christmas.
Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman
by Marc Tyler Nobleman illustrated by Ross MacDonald
This book tells the true story of how two teenagers developed the comic-book character of Superman in the 1930s.
Promises to Keep: How Jackie Robinson Changed America
by Sharon Robinson
Told by his daughter, this biography relates the life and career of baseball legend Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play in the major leagues.
Adventures in Cartooning
by James Sturm
This book uses a story about a magical elf to present techniques for and advice about drawing comics.
Ask your librarian to help you find more books you would like.
Last updated: December 7, 2010