Fifth Grade Favorites
JUNIOR FICTION
Odder by Katherine Applegate
Odder spends her days off the coast of central California, practicing her underwater acrobatics and spinning the quirky stories for which she's known. But when Odder comes face-to-face with a hungry great white shark, her life takes a dramatic turn that will challenge everything she believes about herself – and about the humans who hope to save her.
The Relic of Perilous Falls by Raymond Arroyo
A thrill-seeking 12-year-old boy with a mysterious family heritage discovers ancient objects of rare power – and must protect them from the terrifying demons who will do anything to possess them.
Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty
In 1899, a 12-year-old rat catcher on North Carolina's Biltmore estate teams up with the estate owner's young nephew to battle a great evil and, in the process, unlocks the puzzle of her past.
Secret in the Stone by Kamilla Benko
Claire and her sister Sophie have decided to stay in Arden – the magical land they discovered by climbing up a chimney in their great-aunt's manor. If what they've learned is true, the sisters are the last descendants of the royal family, and only a true heir of Arden – with magic in her blood – can awaken the unicorns. Since Sophie does not have magic, the land's last hope rests on Claire.
Diary of an 8-Bit Warrior by Kid Cube
In this unofficial Minecraft adventure book, it's time for the 12-year-old hero to choose a vocation to study at the Minecraftia School. What he really wants is to be a warrior like his hero, Steve. So, when he learns that the five best students in school will get the chance to start warrior training, it's on.
Starfish by Lisa Fipps
Bullied and shamed her whole life for being fat, 12-year-old Ellie finally gains the confidence to stand up for herself, with the help of some wonderful new allies.
Clue by Clue by Cathy Hapka
Crack the code with Carmen Sandiego! The special clue-decoding wheel built right into the front cover allows readers to hunt for long-lost pirates’ treasure alongside the world's greatest thief.
How I Became a Spy: A Mystery of WWII London by Deborah Hopkinson
When a young woman goes missing, leaving behind a coded notebook, Bertie is determined to solve the mystery. With the help of Eleanor and his friend David, a Jewish refugee – and of course his trusty pup, Little Roo – Bertie must decipher the notebook in time to stop a double agent from spilling the biggest secret of all to the Nazis.
Stand Up, Yumi Chung! by Jessica Kim
When 11-year-old Yumi Chung stumbles into a kids' comedy camp, she is mistaken for another student – so she decides to play the part.
Midsummer’s Mayhem by Raini LaRocca
Can Mimi undo the mayhem caused by her baking in this retelling of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night’s Dream? It’s easy to feel invisible in such an impressive family, but Mimi’s dream of proving she’s not the least–talented member of her family seems possible when she discovers a contest at the new bakery in town.
A Soft Place to Land by Janae Marks
Twelve-year old Joy dreams of writing music for the movies, but first she has to survive her family's move into a small apartment when her father loses his job.
Caterpillar Summer by Gillian McDunn
Since her father's death, Cat has taken care of her brother, Chicken, for their hardworking mother. While spending time with grandparents they never knew, Cat has the chance to be a child again.
Welcome Back, Maple Mehta-Cohen by Kate McGovern
Maple is in fifth grade – again. Now everyone will find out she struggles with reading – or will they? This is an engaging read for anyone who has ever felt different.
Micah’s Got Talent? by Andy McGuire
Micah wants to win the big talent show prize. There's just one problem . . . he doesn't know his talent. So, he sets out to try just about everything (especially the things his friends are good at) in order to find “his thing.” Discouraged with the process, Micah struggles with his identity but finally learns to have confidence that, in time, he'll uncover his special gifts.
A Dash of Trouble by Anna Meriano
Wanting to be a part of her family's Dia de los Muertos preparations, Leonora sneaks out of school to discover her mother, aunt, and older sisters have been keeping a secret.
Straw into Gold: Fairy Tales Re-spun by Hilary McKay
Enjoy a collection of ten classic fairy tales reimagined with fresh perspectives and unexpected twists, giving glimpses into happily – and not as happily – ever-afters.
Do Not Open! by Mark Parisi
When Marty finds a cryptic message that claims he is being observed by aliens, he attempts to head off this threat to Earth, find his missing cat, and get his homework turned in on time, with help of his best friends.
Ghost and Bone by Andrew Prentice
Twelve-year-old Oscar Grimstone is cursed with killing things at a touch, and can also transform into a ghost, but a journey to the city of ghosts may lead him to discover his true identity.
The Boy Who Cried Werewolf by J. H. Reynolds
Max Bloodnight can't decide what's more terrifying about his weekend in Wolf County – the fact that he has to stay with grandparents he's never met before, or being stuck on a farm without cell service. If only that was all he had to fear. Determined to solve the mystery of his father's death, which occurred years before at the claws of a legendary werewolf, Max must hunt to uncover the truth before the full moon rises . . . and the werewolf strikes again.
Story Thieves by James Riley
When Owen discovers that his classmate Bethany can jump into fictional worlds, he's desperate to enter his beloved Kiel Gnomenfoot series. Bethany isn't interested in giving Owen a tour; she's busy looking for her father, a fictional character who disappeared into a book when she was young.
Don’t Judge Me by Lisa Schroeder
Inspired by a true story of girl empowerment, this novel explores trust, self-worth, and speaking up – especially when you're told to keep quiet.
Fast Pitch by Nic Stone
Shenice Lockwood dreams of leading the Fulton Firebirds to the U12 softball regional championship. But Shenice's focus gets shaken when her great-uncle Jack reveals that a career-ending and family-name-ruining crime may have been a setup. It's up to Shenice to discover the truth about her family's past, and fast – before secrets take the Firebirds out of the game forever.
My Life as a Cartoonist by Janet Tashjian
Twelve-year-old Derek wants to train his pet monkey to help Umberto, a new student who uses a wheelchair, but Umberto would rather steal Derek's cartoon ideas.
The Race to Chimney Rock by Jesse Wiley
A family makes the treacherous journey to Chimney Rock along the Oregon Trail in this book that enables the reader's choices to determine the outcome of the expedition.
NON-FICTION
Top Secret by Crispin Boyer
Read about top-secret spy codes, tricks, interesting spy gadgets and classified cases in this adventurous book. Learn the tricks magicians use, get up close with the world’s most mysterious places, and do tons of “How to Be a Spy” activities.
Two Truths and a Lie: It’s Alive! by Ammi-Joan Paquette
This book blends strange-but-true facts about the natural world with a handful of fictional accounts, challenging readers to discover which two out of every three stories are true.
Unseen Worlds by Helene Rajcak
This book offers an illustrated exploration of the microscopic and small-scale animal world, with large fold-out illustrations that depict diverse ecosystems and their tiny inhabitants to scale, and accompanying descriptions of what is depicted.
Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions by Chris Barton
This book chronicles the life and achievements of the NASA engineer and inventor, from his childhood to his accidental invention of the Super Soaker water gun.
Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women by Catherine Thimmesh
Learn the story of how women throughout the ages have responded to situations confronting them in daily life by inventing such items as correction fluid, space helmets and disposable diapers.
Accidental Archaeologists: True Stories of Unexpected Discoveries by Sarah Albee
Take a lighthearted but informative look at chance discoveries – made by ordinary people – of artifacts and treasures from the past. Many of these discoveries have led to leaps in our knowledge of history and science. Readers learn that potentially anyone – construction workers, farmers, the casual passersby, and even kids – can make discoveries like these.
GRAPHIC NOVELS
Nightlights by Lorena Alvarez
Every night, tiny stars appear out of the darkness in little Sandy's bedroom. She catches them and creates wonderful creatures to play with until she falls asleep, and in the morning brings them back to life in whimsical drawings. One day, Morfie, a mysterious pale girl, appears at school. And she knows all about Sandy's drawings.
El Deafo by Cece Bell
Cece adapts to life with a hearing aid by pretending to be a superhero named El Deafo. But even with a positive attitude, making friends is difficult.
Brave by Svetlana Chmakova
In this story about a kid named Jensen who gets bullied because of his weight, a boy faces bullies, middle school and all-around confusion, and realizes what it means to be brave.
Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibuishi
Emily’s and Narvin's mother is kidnapped and dragged into a strange and magical world where, it seems, the children's great-grandfather has been before. It's up to them to set things right and save their mother's life.
Lost in NYC: A Subway Adventure by Nadja Spiegelman
After getting separated from everyone during his first fieldtrip to the Empire State Building, Pablo, the new kid in school, learns to navigate the New York City subway system as well as his own feelings towards making new friends and living in a big city.