42 Books for 5th Graders (That Our Kids Recommend)
Our ultimate list of the best books for 5th graders keeps growing as fellow parents submit their own kids' favorites! It can be hard to find books that kids will want to read from start to finish, so we want to hear from you, the experts, about the books your 10 and 11-year-old fifth graders have loved.
Like and submit reviews for your family's favorite chapter books for 5th graders below. You'll find more parent recommendations on our lists for 3rd grade, 4th grade and middle school, too!
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Harry Potter Series
Age 9-12
Erin P.:
One of the most famous children's book series of all time revolves around orphan Harry Potter and his trials and tribulations as he learns of his wizard powers, learns to control them, makes friends and comes to grips with his future. Fifth graders who have read and loved the 7 book series might enjoy discovering some of the supplemental books as well.
Pax
Age 8-11
Beth Wood:
A boy and his pet fox are separated due to war and experience new adventures while trying to be reunited.
Wonder
Age 9-11
Kelly R.:
A 10-year-old boy with an extraordinary appearance enters 5th grade for his first year in a traditional school. It's a powerful book that teaches empathy, acceptance, and to look beyond outward appearances. My kids especially loved that it's told from the perspective of a variety of different characters.
The Mysterious Benedict Society Series
Age 9-12
Erin P.:
Children respond to an ad in the newspaper looking for extraordinary kids who enjoy tests and puzzles. The series has 4 great books for 5th graders, with each book following the children around as they take on a different mission and puzzle to solve, and the last book focused on the story of the namesake of the society.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Age 8-12
Alexandra F.: One of my childhood favorites, and now my daughter's as well. Who hasn't been absolutely swept away by the story of young Charlie Bucket and his extraordinary adventures upon winning entry into Willy Wonka's mysterious and wonderful chocolate factory? In fact, you really can't go wrong with any of Roald Dahl's excellent stories.
A Series of Unfortunate Events
Age 8-12
Erin P.: There are thirteen books in this series about the Baudelaire orphans, starting (quite appropriately!) with The Bad Beginning. The series is engrossing, even though it is often described as scary, funny, sad, and weird.
A Wrinkle in Time
Age 9-12
Alexandra F.: I had such fond memories of this book from my own childhood that I was thrilled when my daughter finally agreed to give it a try. It was an unmitigated success! She loved it, and was as captivated as I had been by this classic in children's fantasy, and the adventures of high school-aged Meg Murry and her little brother as they travel through space and time to rescue their father, who has been imprisoned on another planet.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series
Age 10-14
Erin P.:
A series by Rick Riordan about kids who find out that they are the descendants of Greek gods, and face off against various mythological monsters as they learn to hone their skills.
Serafina Series
Age 8-12
Beth Wood:
Serafina and the Black Cloak is the first in a series about a girl who lives in the basement of the Biltmore Estate with her grandfather, the maintenance man, in secret. Serafina and a friend go on quite the adventure to solve a mystery at the estate when children start disappearing. These are wonderful and entertaining books for 5th graders interested in mystery and magic!
Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series
Age 8-12
Alexandra F.:
If you have any elementary- or middle-school-aged kids, then you are certainly familiar with this series by Jeff Kinney. The books recount the hilarious stories of a boy trying to make his way through middle school, and transition often between writing and pictures to make them a fun and absorbing read even for those who may not otherwise be drawn to reading.
When You Reach Me
Age 10-12
Tracy Snyder Molina: My 5th grade boy read this book in school and he loved it so much he wanted his own copy to read to me at home. It's a mystery about sixth-grader Miranda and her best friend Sal who live in New York City. One day Sal gets punched by a new kid for what seems like no reason and Miranda starts receiving mysterious notes. Whoever is sending them seems to know a lot about Miranda and even things that haven't happened yet. She begins to believe only she can prevent a tragic death until the final message has her wondering if it is too late...
The Zoo at the Edge of the World
Age 8-12
Beth Wood: Adventurous story about a boy with a stutter who finds it difficult to communicate with others. Then he befriends an animal at his father's zoo and figures out he has a very special gift.
The Land of Stories Series
Age 8-12
Dawn Denning: My son recently started reading The Land of Stories series and he LOVES these books... and so do I. Written by Chris Colfer (Kurt Hummel from Glee), they are about the adventures of a set of twins that travel into the world of fairytales. The fairytale worlds include Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Mother Goose and more! The stories are engaging, suspenseful and funny, so my son and I both look forward to reading time!
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
Age 8-12
Kelly R.:
This Newbery Medal winner is all at once an animal adventure tale, a page turner, and a good introduction for kids to mystery reading. The book centers around the mouse Mrs. Frisby, who needs help from the rats of NIMH to save her son. This is a classic and still relevant for any child who loves a bit of fantasy.
Dork Diaries Series
Age 9-12
Brittany Kozielski: The Dork Diaries series is written from the diary perspective of eighth grader Nikki Maxwell, and are funny, light and quick books for fifth graders.
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Upparent collects community-submitted recommendations and reviews, and any ideas that are shared reflect the opinions of individual contributors.
