42 Books for 5th Graders (That Our Kids Recommend)

Our crowdsourced list of the best books for 5th graders keeps growing as 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!

As an Amazon Associate, Upparent may earn commission from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com.


 
    Keeper of the Lost Cities Series

    Alexandra F.:  There's a lot about this bestselling series that would appeal to anyone looking for more books like Harry Potter. Like our favorite boy wizard, the main character also suddenly discovers her place in a fantastical world that secretly co-exists with our non-magical one, and her subsequent adventures are filled with magic, danger and friendship, mostly starring teen protagonists with special powers. Our family started reading these as part of a family book club when our kids were nine and 11, and have been hooked ever since!

    The Land of Stories Series

    Dawn Denning:  My son recently started reading this series and he LOVES it...and so do I. Written by Chris Colfer (Kurt Hummel from Glee), these are are good books for middle schoolers and older elementary school kids about the adventures of a set of twins that leave our world and 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!

    Harry Potter Series

    Alexandra F.:  Harry Potter is a personal favorite (which I first read in college!), so we introduced it when our kids were pretty young, in early elementary school. I love that it can be enjoyed (and read and reread) at all ages, though, so that my kids loved it as much in middle school as they did in third grade, and as much as I do as an adult.

    Wonder

    Auggie was born with a severe facial deformity that leaves him looking a lot different than the other kids, and Wonder chronicles his first experience attending school.

    Ghosts

    Beth Wood:  This graphic novel by Raina Telgemeier has been read and re-read numerous times by my fifth grader. She loved the story of a family who has to move in order to help one of their children, who has cystic fibrosis. After the family's relocation, two sisters Catrina and Maya learn a secret about their new town...there are ghosts there!

    Pax

    A boy and his pet fox are separated due to war and experience new adventures while trying to be reunited.

    The Mysterious Benedict Society Series

    Alexandra F.:  My 10-year-old daughter just started reading this, and I love looking over while she is completely engrossed in the book, and watching her giggle to herself over it. A real winner!

    Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series

    Katie G.:  My current 5th grader started reading this series in 3rd grade, but still loves these books and has re-read them this year. He loves graphic novels and this one is definitely at the top of the list!

    Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

    Alexandra F.:  One of my childhood favorites, and now my daughter's as well. Although Roald Dahl wrote so many chapter books that have become beloved children's classics, my family thinks this one is his absolute best.

    Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series

    Katie G.:  My son LOVED this series! He is going around the house telling us all about Zeus, Poseidon, Athena and all the other Greek gods. I didn't think anything could top Harry Potter, but I think this one has.

    A Series of Unfortunate Events

    Vanessa M.:  Great series! I love that these books teach kids great vocabulary words in a fun way. Lemony Snicket is so amusing as the narrator, and I adore the Baudelaire orphans (I'm not ashamed to admit I've read this series several times myself!). Netflix has an original series based off these books that my kids and I enjoyed watching together.

    A Wrinkle in Time

    Alexandra F.:  This was my introduction to science fiction as a child and I remember being absolutely captivated and drawn to fantasy and sci fi ever since. I was thrilled when my daughter finally agreed to give it a try. It was an unmitigated success!

    Tuck Everlasting

    Kelly R:  This story about eternal life was a quick 2 day read for my son in the summer after 6th grade, and he really enjoyed it.

    When You Reach Me

    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...

    Serafina Series

    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!

Primary photo:   Upparent

Upparent collects community-submitted recommendations and reviews, and any ideas that are shared reflect the opinions of individual contributors.