Recommended Reading for Elementary
Suggested Reading for Elementary School Students
(Grades K–4)
K-1 Fiction for Beginning Readers
Author: Title
Avi Abigail. Takes The Wheel
Avi Finding Providence. The Story of Roger Williams
Baker, Barbara. Digby and Kate and the Beautiful Day
Bauer, Marion. Bear’s Hiccups
Bauer, Marion. Turtle Dreams
Bliss, Corinne. Shortest Kid in the World
Bliss, Corinne. Snow Day
Cazet, Denys. Minnie and Moo Go Dancing
Johnston, Tony. Sparky and Eddie: The First Day of School
Johnston, Tony. Sparky and Eddie: Wild Wild Rodeo
Krensky, Stephen. Lionel
Little, Jean. Emma’s Magic Winter
Lobel, Arnold. Frog and Toad
Lobel, Arnold. Mouse Tales
McDonald, Megan. Beezy at Bat
McDonald, Megan. Beezy Magic
Marshall, James. Fox Be Nimble
Rylant, Cynthia. Henry & Mudge
Rylant, Cynthia. Mr. Putter & Tabby
K-l Fiction Picture Books
Aardema, Verna. Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain
Adoff, Arnold. Flamboyan
Allard, Harry. Miss Nelson is Missing
Anno, Mitsumasa. Anno’s Journey
Barrett, H. Judi. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Brown, Margaret. Wise the Little Scarecrow Boy
Calhoun, Mary. Hot-Air Henry
Cichester, Clark. Emma I Love You, Blue Kangaroo
Conrad, Pam. Tub People
Ernst, Lisa C., Ginger Jumps
Fields, Julia. The Green Lion of Zion Street
Friedman, Ina. How My Parents Learned to Eat
Gelsanliter, Wendy. Dancin’ in the Kitchen
Golembe, Carla. Dog Magic
Hanson, Mary. Snug
Harper, Dan. Telling Time with Big Mama Cat
Heo, Yumi. One Afternoon
Howard, Elizabeth. Aunt Flossie’s Hats (and crab cakes later)
Hutchins, Pat. It’s My Birthday!
Johnson, Crockett. Harold and the Purple Crayon
Lester, Alison. Imagine
Martin, Bill. Chicka-Chicka-Boom-Boom
Mathers, Petra. Lottie’s New Beach Towel
McCloskey, Robert. Blueberries for Sal
Meddaugh, Susan. Martha Walks the Dog
Medearis, Angela. Poppa’s New Pants
Medearis, Angela. Rum-a-tum-tum
Murphy, Stuart. Lemonade for Sale
Nickle, John. The Ant Bully
Numeroff, Laura. If you give a Pig a Pancake
Porte, Barbara. Tale of a Tadpole
Rathman, Peggy. Officer Buckle and Gloria
Shannon, David. No, David!
Shulevitz, Uri. Snow
Sloat, Teri. There was an Old Lady who swallowed a Trout
Steig, William. Pete’s A Pizza
Steig, William. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble
Wells, Rosemary. Shy Charles
Wells, Rosemary. Yoko
Grades 2/3 Fiction
Avi Emily. Upham’s Revenge
Brenner, Barbara. Wagon Wheels
Byars, Betsy. Tornado
Carrick, Carol. Stay Away from Simon
Catling, Patrick. Chocolate Touch
Cazet, Denys. Minnie and Moo Go Dancing
Christopher, Matt. Peach Street Mudders
Cleary, Beverly. Ramona Forever
Dahl, Roald. Fantastic Mr. Fox
Danziger, Paula. Amber Brown
Erickson, Russell. Warton and Morton
Fowler, Susi. Albertina the Practically Perfect
Hoban, Lillian. Arthur’s Birthday Party
Howe, James. Bunnicula
Howe, James. Horace & Morris but Mostly Dolores
Howe, James. Pinky and Rex (series)
Kalman, Maira. Next Stop Grand Central
King-Smith, Dick. Martin’s Mice
Koller, Jackie. Dragonling
Krensky, Stephen. Louise Takes Charge
Landon, Lucinda. Meg Macintosh
Little, Jean. Emma’s Magic Winter
Moss, Marissa. Amelia Takes Command
Namioka, Lensey. Yang the Youngest and His Terrible Ear
Osborne, Mary Pope. Magic Tree House
Park, Barbara. Junie B. Jones
Rockwell, H. How to Eat Fried Worms
Rodowsky, Colby. Not My Dog
Rylant, Cynthia. Blue Hill Meadows
Rylant, Cynthia. Poppleton
Sanvoisin, Eric. The Ink Drinker
Say, Allen. Tea with Milk
Scieszka, Jon. Time Warp Trio
Scieszka, Jon. True Story of the Three Little Pigs
Smith, Doris. Taste of Blackberries
Sobol, Donald. Encyclopedia Brown
Stevenson, James. Mud Flat
Stoltz, Mary. Ballad of the Civil War
Warner, Gertrude. Boxcar Children
Grades 2/3 Fiction: Picture Books
Brisson, Pat. The Summer My Father was Ten
Dunrea, Olivier. The Trow-Wife’s Treasure
Garland, Sherry S. Lotus Seed
Hall, Donald. The Milkman‚s Day
Johnson, Dolores. Now Let Me Fly: The Story of a Slave Family
Lasky, Kathhryn. She’s wearing a Dead Bird on Her Head!
Lester, Julius. Black Cowboy, Wild Horses: A True Story
Levine, Arthur. Pearl Moscowitz’s Last Stand
McCully, Emily. Popcorn at the Palace
Mitchell, Margaree. Uncle Jed’s Barbershop
Polocca, Patricia. Thank you, Mr. Falker
Ratligen, Jama. Dumpling Soup
Say, Allen. Grandfather’s Journey
Stanley, Diane. Raising Sweetness
Thomas, Joyce. I Have Heard of a Land
Grades 4/5 Fiction
Dear America
My Name is America
Aliki Medieval Feast
Avi Perloo the Bold
Avi Poppy
Avi Something Upstairs
Avi S.O.R. Losers
Babbitt, Natalie. Kneeknock Rise
Bruchac, Joseph. The Arrow Over the Door
Burnford, Sheila. Incredible Journey
Byars, Betsy. Bingo Brown and the Language of Love
Byars, Betsy. Summer of the Swans
Chambers, Veronica. Amistad Rising: A Story of Freedom
Cleary, Beverly. Dear Mr. Henshaw
Clements, Andrew. Frindle
Coleman, M. Weirdo’s War
Cooper, Susan. Dark is Rising
Creech, Sharon. Bloomability
Fenner, Carol. The King of Dragons
Fenner, Carol. Yolanda‚s Genius
Fitzgerald, John. Great Brain (series)
Fleischman, Sid. Bandit’s Moon
Fletcher, Susan. Shadow Spinner
Forester, Sandra. Sound the Jubilee
Gantos, Jack. Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key
George, Jean C. My Side of the Mountain
Gordon, Sheila. The Middle of Somewhere
Greenfield, Eloise. Sister
Haas, Jessie. Unbroken
Haddix, Margaret. Among the Hidden
Haddix, Margaret. Running Out of Time
Hamilton, Virginia. Cousins
Harrah, Madge. My Brother, My Enemy
Hearne, Betsy. Listening for Leroy
Hearne, Betsy. Seven Brave Women
Hest, Amy. The Great Green Notebook of Katie Roberts: Who Just Turned 12 on Monday
Isaacs, Anne. Treehouse Tales
Johnson, Tony. The Wagon
Knight, Eric. Lassie Come Home
Konigsburg, E.L. View from Saturday
Lee, Milly. Nim and the War Effort
L‚Engle, Madeleine. Wrinkle in Time (series)
Lowry, Lois. Stay! Keeper‚s Story
McCaughrean, Gerald. The Pirate‚s Son
McKissack, Patricia. Run Away Home
Montgomery, L.M. Anne of Green Gables (series)
Morris, Gerald. The Squire‚s Tale
Neuberger, Anne. The Girl-Son
O‚Brien, Robert. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
Roberts, Willo D. The View from the Cherry Tree
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer‚s Stone (series)
Sachar, Louis. Holes
Schlein, Miriam. The Year of the Panda
Scieszka, Jon. Squids will be Squids
Scieszka, Jon. Summer Reading is Killing Me
Soto, Gary. Baseball in April
Speare, Elizabeth. Witch of Blackbird Pond
Staples, Suzanne. Shabanu
Stevenson, James. The Bones in the Cliff
Stevenson, James. Unprotected Witness (sequel)
Taylor, Mildred. The Friendship (series)
Wells, Rosemay. Mary on Horseback: Three Mountain Stories
Zemser, Amy. Beyond the Mango Tree
Poetry
Cole, Joanna. Miss Mary Mack and Other Children’s Street Rhymes
de Regniers, Beatrice. Sing a Song of Popcorn
Esbensen, Barbara. Echoes for the Eye
Florian, Douglas. In the Swim
Florian, Douglas. Insectlopedia
Florian, Douglas. Laugh-eteria
George, Kristine. Little Dog Poems
Greenfield, Eloise. Honey, I Love
Hall, Donald Oxford Book of Children’s Verse in America
Hopkins, Lee B. Sports! Sports! Sports!
Hughes, Lee B. Dream Keeper and Other Poems
Hughes, Lee B. I, Too, Sing America: Three Centuries of African – American Poetry
Isaacs, Anne. Cat up a Tree
Joseph, Lynn. Coconut Kind of Day
Myers, Walter Dean. Harlem: A Poem
Myers, Walter Dean. The Palm of My Heart: Poetry by African American Children
Prelutsky, Jack. Pizza the Size of the Sun
Prelutsky, Jack. Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young
Rand, Paul. Paul Revere’s Ride
Service, Robert. Cremation of Sam McGee
Shields, Carol. Lunch Money and Other Poems about School
Silverstein, Shel. Falling Up
Stevenson, James. Candy Corn
Stevenson, James. Popcorn
Whipple, Laura. Celebrating America: A Collection of Poems and
Images of the American Spirit
Fairy Tales, Folklore, Legends and Mythology
Andersen, Hans Christian. Thumbelina
Babbit, Natalie. Ouch! A Tale From Grimm
Bang, Molly. Wiley and the Hairy Man
Bodkin, Odds. The Crane Wife
Brett, Jan. The Mitten
Cullen, Lynn. The Mightiest Heart
Goble, Paul. Iktomi and the Coyote: A Plains Indian Story
Grifalconi, Anne. Village of Round and Square Houses
Hamilton, Virginia. A Ring of Tricksters: Animal Tales from America, the West Indies, and Africa
Hamilton, Virginia. In the Beginning: Creation Stories
Here is my Kingdom: Hispanic-American Literature and Art for Young People
Hickox, Rebecca. The Golden Sandal
Hodges, Margaret. St. George and the Dragon
Johnson, Tony. Bigfoot Cinderrrrrella
Kellogg, Steven. Pecos Bill (series)
Lurie, Alison. The Black Geese
Maddern, Eric. Fire Children
Mayo, Margaret. Magical Tales from Many Lands
Normandin, Christine. Echoes of the Elders: The Stories and Paintings of Chief Lelooska
Normandin, Christine. Spirit of the Cedar People: More Stories and Paintings of Chief Lelooska
People of Corn: A Mayan Story
Perrault, Charles. Cinderella
Pinkney, Jerry. The Ugly Duckling
Pyle, Howard. Story of King Arthur and his Knights
Roth, Susan. Fire Came to the Earth
San Souci, Robert Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella
San Souci, Robert. Even More Short & Shivery: Thirty Spine-Tingling Stories
San Souci, Robert. Fa Mulan: The Story of a Woman Warrior
San Souci, Robert. The Hired Hand
Snyder, Dianne. Boy of the Three Year Nap
Steig, Jeanne. A Handful of Beans: Six Fairy Tales
Steptoe, John. Story of Jumping Mouse
Winthrop, Elizabeth. Vasilissa the Beautiful
Yep, Laurence. The Man Who Tricked a Ghost
Biography and Autobiography
Accorsi, W. Rachel Carson
Adler, David. Picture Book Biographies
Alcott, Louisa May. Louisa May Alcott: Her Childhood Diary
Anderson, William. Laura’s Album: A Remembrance Scrapbook of Laura
Anderson, William. Pioneer Girl: Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder
Bail, Raymond. Where Lincoln Walked
Burchard, Peter. Charlotte Forten: A Black Teacher in the Civil War
Burleigh, Robert. Home Run: The Story of Babe Ruth
Coles, Robert. Story of Ruby Bridges
Cooney, Barbara. Eleanor
Cooney, Barbara. Emily
Cummings, Pat. Talking with Adventurers: Conversations with Christine A. Allen, Robert Ballard, Michael L. Blakey, Ann Bowles, David Doubilet, Jane Goodall, Dereck & Beverly Joubert, Michael Novacek, Johan Reinhard, Rick C. West, and Juris Zarins
Dahl, Roald. Boy
DePaola, Tomie. 26 Fairmount Avenue
Fisher, Leonard. E. Gandhi
Greene, Carol. Katherine Dunham
Fleischman, Sid. Abracadabra
Freedman, Russell. Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery
Johnson, Jane. My Dear Noel: The Story of a Letter from Beatrix Potter
Kent, D. Thurgood Marshall and the Supreme Court
Kwan, Michelle. Michelle Kwan, Heart of a Champion: An Autobiography
Lowry, Lois. Looking Back
Lyons, Mary. Catching the Fire: Philip Simmons, Blacksmith
Martin, Jacqueline. Snowflake Bentley
Matthews, Tom. Light Shining Through the Mist: a Photobiography of
Dian Fossey
Nickens, Bessie. Walking the Log: Memories of a Southern Childhood
Parks, Rosa. Rosa Parks: My Story
Pickney, Andrea. Duke Ellington
Say, Allen. Grandfather‚s Journey
Sis, Peter. Starry Messenger: Galileo Galilei
Stanley, Diane Joan of Arc
Szabo, Corrine. Sky Pioneer: A Photobiography of Amelia Earhart
Towle, Wendy. The Real McCoy
Townton, Evelyn. Frederick Douglas and the War against Slavery
Wells, Rosemary. Mary on Horseback: Three Mountain Stories
Winter, Jeanette. My Name is Georgia: A Portrait
Non-Fiction: Information
Go In and Out the Window: An Illustrated Songbook for Young People
Aliki. Corn is Maize
Aliki. Mummies Made in Egypt
Aliki. William Shakespeare & the Globe
Armstrong, Jennifer. Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World
Arnold, Caroline. El Nino: Stormy Weather for People and Wildlife
Cole, Joanna. The New Baby at Your House
Cole, Joanna. Rain & Shine Activity Book
Darlington, Kathy. Desert Babies
Dooley, Norah. Everybody Cooks Rice
Ehlert, Lois. Planting a Rainbow
George, Lindsay. Who’s Been Here?
Gerstein, Mordicai. The Wild Boy
Gibbons, Gail. Gulls, Gulls, Gulls
Giblin, James. The Mystery of the Mammoth Bones and How it was Solved
Goodall, Jane. With Love
Herbert, Janis. Leonardo da Vinci for Kids: His Life and Ideas: 21 Activities
Hoban, Tana. 26 Letters and 99 Cents
Jenkins, Steve. Hottest, Coldest, Highest, Deepest
Jenkins, Steve. The Top of the World: Climbing Mt. Everest
Johnson, Jinny. Simon & Schuster Children’s Guide to Insects and Spiders
Krull, Kathleen. Lives of the Presidents: Fame, Shame and What the Neighbors Thought
Lauber, Patricia. Be a Friend to Trees
Lauber, Patricia. Volcano
Maass, Robert. Tugboats
Macy, Sue. Winning Ways: A Photohistory of American Women in Sports
Markle, Sandra. Outside and Inside of Birds
Martin, Patricia. Animals That Walk on Water
Murphy, Jim. Gone a Whaling: The Lure of the Sea and the Hunt of the Great Whale
Maynard, Caitlin. Rain Forests and Reefs: A Kid’s Eye View of the Tropics
Onefulu, Ifeoima. Chidi Only Likes Blue
Peacock, Louise. Crossing the Delaware: A History in Many Voices
Perenyi, Constance. Wild, Wild West: Western Wildlife Habitat
Peterson, Chris. Harvest Year
Robbins, Ken. Autumn Leaves
Rounds, Glen. Beaver
Shattil, Wendy. City Foxes
Silcox-Jarreh, Diane. Heroines of the American Revolution: America’s Founding Mothers
Sturges, Philemon. Bridges Are To Cross
Swanson, Diane. Buffalo Sunrise: The Story of a North American Giant
Simon, Seymour. Volcano
Books for Families to Read Aloud
Adams, Richard. Watership Down
Atwater, Richard. Mr. Popper‚s Penguins
Burnett, Frances. Secret Garden
Curtis, Christopher Paul. The Watsons go to Birmingham – 1963
Dahl, Roald. James and the Giant Peach
Dodge, Mary. Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates
Graham, Kenneth. Wind in the Willows
Irving, Washington. Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Mowat, Farley. Owls in the Family
Norton, Mary. Borrowers
Paterson, Katherine. King‚s Equal
Prelutsky, Jack. Random House Book of Poetry
Rawlings, Marjorie. Yearling
Scieszka, Jon. Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales
Soto, Gary. Crazy Summer
Spryi, Johanna. Heidi
Taylor, Mildred. Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry
White, E.B. Stuart Little
Wilder, Laura. Little House in the Big Woods
Wyss, Johann. Swiss Family Robinson