Third Grade Favorites

From mice to motorcycles, this list includes all different types of books geared for third-grade readers.

Colored pencils against a blue background.

Fiction

Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate
A story about a homeless boy and his imaginary friend that proves in unexpected ways that friends matter, whether real or imaginary.

The World According to Humphrey by Betty Birney
Humphrey, pet hamster at Longfellow School, learns that he has an important role to play in helping his classmates and teacher.

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
Living with his little brother, Fudge, makes Peter Hatcher feel like a fourth grade nothing. Whether Fudge is throwing a temper tantrum in a shoe store, smearing smashed potatoes on walls at Hamburger Heaven, or scribbling all over Peter's homework, he's never far from trouble.

Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
A reckless young mouse named Ralph makes friends with a boy in room 215 of the Mountain View Inn and discovers the joys of motorcycling.

Annabel the Actress Starring in "Gorilla My Dreams" by Ellen Conford
Though a little disappointed that her first acting part is to be a gorilla at a birthday party, Annabel determines to really get into the role.

Stella Diaz has Something to Say by Angela Dominguez
Stella Diaz wants to be friends with the new boy in class, but sometimes she accidentally speaks Spanish instead of English and pronounces words wrong, which makes her turn roja. In addition, she has to get over her fear of speaking in front of the class.

Ghosthunters and the Incredibly Revolting Ghost by Cornelia Funke
A timid boy named Tom reluctantly agrees to help professional ghostbuster Hetty Hyssop dispel an IRG (Incredibly Revolting Ghost) from an old house.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Greg Heffley’s Journal by Jeff Kinney
Greg is happy to have Rowley, his sidekick, along for the ride. But when Rowley’s star starts to rise, Greg tries to use his best friend’s newfound popularity to his own advantage, kicking off a chain of events that will test their friendship in hilarious fashion.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg
Having run away with her younger brother to live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, twelve-year-old Claudia strives to keep things in order in their new home and to become a changed person and a heroine to herself.

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things by Lenore Look
A young boy in Concord, Massachusetts, who loves superheroes and comes from a long line of brave Chinese farmer-warriors, wants to make friends, but first he must overcome his fear of everything.

Long Shot by Mike Lupica
Pedro, an avid basketball player, decides to run for class president, challenging a teammate who is also one of the most popular boys in school.

Accidental Trouble Magnet by Zanib Mian
Imaginative Omar goes through the ups and downs of starting a new school and making new friends with the help of his wonderful (and silly) Muslim family.

When Guinea Pigs Fly! by James Proimos
Three guinea pigs lost in a big city try to make their way back home to the pet store, with help from some very unlikely characters.

Clean Getaway by Nic Stone
An 11-year-old boy is about to discover that the world hasn't always been a welcoming place for kids like him, and things aren't always what they seem—his G'ma included.

Daisy Dawson Is on Her Way! by Steve Voake
One day when Daisy is late for school, an encounter with a butterfly leaves her suddenly able to communicate with animals, and when Boom, a stray dog, is caught by the pound, she enlists the help of a host of other animals to rescue him.

Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea by Ben Clanton
A happy-go-lucky, waffle-loving narwhal and a cynical, no-nonsense jellyfish forge an unlikely friendship and share adventures while exploring the ocean together.

Dog Man by Dav Pilkey
George and Harold create a new comic book hero in Dog Man, a crimefighter with the head of a police dog and the body of a policeman, who faces off against his archnemesis Petey the cat.

Baby-sitters Club: Kristy’s Great Idea by Raina Telgemeier
Follows the adventures of Kristy and the other members of the Baby-sitters Club as they deal with crank calls, uncontrollable 2-year-olds, wild pets, and parents who do not always tell the truth. This is a graphic novel based on the 1988 book by the same name.

Nonfiction

Weird but True by National Geographic Kids
This book offers a collection of facts about animals, food, science, pop culture, outer space, geography and weather.

The Scary Places Map Book: Seven Terrifying Tours by B. G. Hennessy
Take a tour of seven spooky places, among them the Wicked Woods, a Ghostly Galleon, and the Western Terror-tories. Along the way, avoid booby traps, search for hidden objects and learn basic map reading skills!

Secrets of the Deep Revealed by Frances Dipper
Peel back the layers of Cleopatra's sunken palace or search for treasure on the seabed in this revealing book. Integrated see-through acetate pages uncover detailed images and impart a wealth of information.

Animals that Changed the World by Keltie Thomas
This book outlines the way different types of animals, including livestock, pets, creatures such as silkworms that sparked trade, working beasts, noxious animals, and those that inspire the imagination have influenced human civilization.

Giant Dose of Gross by Andy Seed
Nature's most disgusting creatures take center stage in this humorous but enlightening collection of downright disgusting creatures.

Who Would Win: Tarantula vs Scorpion by Jerry Pallotta
This book contains facts about the tarantula and the scorpion, comparing such aspects as their sizes, brain structure and abilities.

Wild Vet Adventures by Gabby Wild
This book takes young readers on a journey around the world to discover amazing animals and how to care for them.

Lego Awesome Ideas by Daniel Lipkowitz
Learn how to make a Wild West train, outer space aliens, a realistic-looking mobile phone and much, much more. Create your own amazing models with step-by-step guides that unlock the secrets of great LEGO building!

Minecraft Beginners Guide by James Zeiger
Learn what it takes to get started in the world of Minecraft, from gathering resources to building your first structures.

Titanic by Anna Claybourne
This book offers a vivid retelling of a major historical catastrophe written in an engaging narrative style with direct speech and speech bubbles. It brings to life the gripping story of the "unsinkable" Titanic and its doomed maiden voyage.

Popular Series

Cam Jansen by David Adler

Magnificent Mya Tibbs by Crystal Allen

Ivy & Bean by Annie Barrows

Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel

Jeanie and Genie by Trish Granted

My Weird School by Dan Gutman

Heroes in Training by Joan Holub

Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene

Mindy Kim by Lyla Lee

Magic Treehouse by Mary Pope Osborne

Junie B. Jones by Barbara Parks