Adventures and escapes abound in books for readers of this age. Some involve school. Some are about family. Some may involve creatures from other worlds! Whatever the case, these titles are sure to keep you interested.
 

Take the Mummy and Run by Mary Amato
Story shows that guts, brains, and a little slobber are all you need to have a ripsnorgling good time.

A Dog on His Own by Mary Jane Auch
After a daring escape from the animal shelter, Pearl, Peppy, and K-10--so named because he is one step above all the other canines--explore the outside world while moving from one adventure to another.

Howie Bowles and Uncle Sam by Kate Banks
When he finds out that he was born on Friday the thirteenth, third-grader Howie Bowles becomes convinced that bad luck is causing all his problems.

The Red Ghost by Marion Bauer
After Jenna gives her little sister an old doll dressed in red velvet as a birthday present, the occurrence of some very disturbing events make Jenna suspect the doll might be possessed.

Friend or Fiend? By Judy Blume
First-grader Jake "The Pain" and his sister, third-grader Abigail "The Great One" have more adventures, including visiting their cousins in New York and celebrating their cat Fluzzy's birthday.

Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary
The further adventures of the Quimby family as Ramona enters the third grade.

Legend of the Worse Boy in the World by Eoin Colfer
Every Saturday, while helping polish the lens of the lighthouse his grandfather tends, nine-year-old Will tells a tale he hopes will top Grandad's, but Grandad always wins until Dad reminds Will of a long-forgotten escapade with his brother.

King of the Kooties by Debbie Dadey
Nate's new friend Donald is being teased by the meanest girl in fourth grade, but after several failed attempts, he comes up with a plan to make her stop.

How to Be Cool in the Third Grade by Duffey
When Robbie York is marked as a target by a bully at school, he decides that the only way to survive the third grade is by being cool. 

Dessert First by Hallie Durand
Third-grader Dessert's love of treats leads to a change in her large family's dinner routine, then an awful mistake, and later a true sacrifice after her teacher, Mrs. Howdy Doody, urges students to march to the beat of their own drums.

The Show-Off by Stephanie Greene
Hildy looks forward to a visit from her cousin, Winston, but when he arrives he bores her and annoys all of her friends by declaring his superior intelligence and expertise on every subject, until Moose convinces him to try something different.

Just Grace Goes Green by Charise Harper
Grace can do a lot of things...but can she save the planet? Or at the very least, can she help her best friend Mimi get her favorite stuffed animal back?

Piper Reed Gets a Job by Kimberly Willis Holt
When she discovers the price of the coveted clubhouse, ten-year-old Piper and her fellow Gypsy Club members try to earn the money by creating a birthday-party-planning business.

Prince of Underwhere by Hal Bruce
When Zeke, his twin sister Stephanie, their neighbor Hector, and Hector's cat Fitz slide into the world of Underwhere, Zeke is hailed as a prince who will, according to an ancient prophecy, free the Undies from the evil UnderLord's rule by finding and destroying his throne.

School at Crooked Creek by Laurie Lawlor
Living on the 19th-century Indiana frontier with his parents and irritable older sister Louise, six-year-old Beansie dreads his first day of school, but his resilience surprises even his sister.

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping by Lenore Look, Lenore
When Alvin's father takes him camping to instill a love of nature, like that of their home-town hero Henry David Thoreau, Alvin makes a new friend and learns that he can be brave despite his fear of everything.

Curse of the Camp-Fire Weenies by David Lubar
Thirty-five creepy stories about pigeons, ancient predators, Girl Scouts, and other terrifying things. Includes author's notes on how he got his ideas for these stories.

Third Grade Wedding Bells? by Colleen McKenna
Third grade is a big disappointment for Gordie who dreads having to kiss Lucy in the class play and despairs that his favorite teacher, Miss Tingle, may be getting married.

Wall Ball by Kevin Markey
As the boys of the Rambletown Rounders get ready for another baseball season, spring training is taking place in the snowiest weather Rambletown has ever seen.

Being Teddy Roosevelt by Claudia Mills
When he is assigned Teddy Roosevelt as his biography project in school, fourth-grader Riley finds himself inspired by Roosevelt's tenacity and perseverance and resolves to find a way to get what he most wants--a saxophone and music lessons.

How Oliver Olson Changed the World by Claudia Mills
Afraid he will always be an outsider like ex-planet Pluto, nine-year-old Oliver finally shows his extremely overprotective parents that he is capable of doing great things without their help while his class is studying the solar system.

Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen
Things get out of hand for a twelve-year-old boy when a neighbor convinces him to expand his summer lawn mowing business.

Calvin Coconut: Dog Heaven by Graham Salisbury
When his teacher asks him to write a persuasive argument about something he really wants, fourth-grader Calvin creates a unique way to express his desire for a dog.

Case of the Dirty Clue by George Stanley
With the help of their third-grade teacher and classmates, Noelle and Todd discover who sent an anonymous letter to Amber Lee.

Something Slimy on Primrose Drive by Karen Wallace
When the strange Wolfbane family moves in next to the ultraconservative Rigid-Smythes, changes and misunderstandings flourish as the families attempt to track down a notorious thief.

Minn & Jake’s Almost Terrible Summer by Janet Wong
Ten-year-old Jake's summer starts off badly, goes downhill when his family visits Los Angeles, California, and his old friends are too busy for him, then gets even worse after he disagrees with Minn when her family joins his for a trip to Disneyland.

Nonfiction

Tsunamis by Judith Fradin
The words and photographs of people who have witnessed tsunamis, along with the science, history, and protection efforts surrounding this watery disaster.

Winter's Tail : How One Little Dolphin Learned to Swim Again by Juliana Hatkoff
Describes the rescue and rehabilitation of a young Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, named Winter, who received an artificial tail after being badly injured when caught in a crab trap.

Baseball: How It Works by David Dreier
"Describes the science behind the sport of baseball, including offense, defense, stadiums, and individual players who have mastered the sport"--Provided by publisher.

Blackbeard, The Pirate King by Patrick J. Lewis
This dramatically illustrated book combines history, adventure, geography, and poetry in a treasure trove of rhymes about Blackbeard and his bloodthirsty seadogs. While Lewis's swashbuckling verse celebrates Blackbeard's mystique, the author's extensive historical note recovers the facts of Edward Teach's life from time-encrusted layers of legend.

Chapter Books

Ivy & Bean (series) by Annie Barrows

Franny K. Stein by Jim Benton

The SOS Files by Betsy Byers

Jake Drake by Andrew Clements

Amber Brown by Paula Danziger

Minnie and Max by Patricia Giff

Rosy Cole by Sheila Greenwald

Horrible Harry by Suzy Kline

Gooney Bird Greene by Lois Lowry

Judy Moody by Megan McDonald

Pirates Drive Buses by Christopher Morgan

Some Good News by Cynthia Rylant

Wayside School by Loius Sachar

Maybelle in the Soup by Katie Speck

Junior Paperback Series

Secrets of Droon by Tony Abbott

Young Cam Jansen by David Adler

Bella Sara by Felicity Brown

Chet Gecko (series) by Hal Bruce

Keyholders by Debbie Dadey

Mercy Watson (series) by Kate DiC DiCamillo

Clues Brothers by Franklin Dixon

Tiara Club by Vivian French

Ghosthunters  by Comelia Funke

Andrew Lost by J.C Greenburg

My Weird School by Dan Gutman

Babymouse by Jennifer Holm

Nancy Drew Notebooks by Carolyn Keene

Katie Kazoo by Nancy Krulik

Stink by Megan McDonald

Magic Tree House by Mary Osborne

Junie B. Jones by Barbara Park

Clementine’s Letter by Sara Penneypacker

Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey

Jigsaw Jones Mysteries by James Preller

A to Z Mysteries by Ron Roy

Time Warp Trio by Jon Scieszka

Horrid Henry by Francesca Simon

Encyclopedia Brown by Donald J. Sobol

Third Grade Detectives by George E. Stanley

Geronimo Stilton by Geronimo Stilton

Boxcar Children by Gertrude Warner