Reading Beyond

for Children in Grades K-1 reading at a 3rd Grade level

25 books chosen by the American Library Association & Children’s Book Council Joint Committee to provide guidance to parents, caregivers, teachers, librarians, and others interested in discovering books for children who read at an advanced level and are seeking more challenging, but still age-appropriate, books.

We suggest the following sites for more book titles: www.cbcbooks.org www.ala.org/alsc

Questions?

2020-2021 *Ada Twist, Scientist *Detective Gordon: Flora and Ulysses: by Andrea Beaty. Illus by The First Case The Illuminated David Roberts by Ulf Nilsson. Illus. by Gitte Adventures Abrams Books for Young Spee by Kate DiCamillo. Illus. by K. Readers, 2016 Gecko Press, 2016 G. Campbell A wonderful story told in A chapter book mystery Candlewick Press, 2013 rhyme, Ada asks questions starring Detective Gordon, Flora rescues Ulysses from and performs experiments a toad searching for the a vacuum cleaner and to understand the world thieves behind a stolen discovers he has incredible around her. Just like a stash of nuts in a woodland magical powers. He’s also scientist! ▲ Spanish. setting. ▲ Spanish. a squirrel. *Anna Hibiscus by Atinuke. Illus by Lauren Tobia Do Not Lick This Book I Dissent: Ruth Bader Kane Miller Books, 2010 by Idan Ben-Barak. Illus. by Ginsburg Makes Her The charming, fascinating Julian Frost Mark stories about the spunky Macmillan Children’s by Debbie Levy. Illus. by Publishing Group / Roaring Anna detailing her Elizabeth Baddeley Brook Press, 2018 urban, middle-class life Simon & Schuster Children’s Told from the point of view in contemporary Africa, Publishing, 2016 of Min the microbe, this is a joyfully celebrate family The first Jewish woman perfect introduction to the and everyday life while to sit on the United States microscopic world around gently exploring social Supreme Court, Ginsburg’s us. justice issues in such a life story and fight for equal way as to captivate young rights for all is the subject readers. of this biographical picture Echo Echo: Reverso book. Chef Roy Choi and Poems about Greek the Street Food Remix Myths by Jacqueline Briggs Martin by Marilyn Singer. Illus. by Insect Superpowers and June Jo Lee. Illus by Man Josée Masse by Kate Messner. Illus. by One Random House Children’s Jillian Nickell Readers to Eaters, 2017 Books / Dial, 2016 Chronicle Books, 2019 A successful food truck Mirror poems that Using a comic-book cook’s life story and are meant to be read style, this book cleverly how he decided what he backwards and forwards introduces 18 various wanted to do with his life. present two sides of classic insects and their Greek Myths. “superpowers” in action. The Day the Universe Exploded My Head: Poems to Take You Firebird *Mr. Wolf’s Class into Space and Back by Misty Copeland. Illus. by by Aron Steinke Again Christopher Myers Scholastic / Graphix, 2018 by Allan Wolf. Illus. by Anna Penguin Young Readers / G.P. A 4th grade first time Raff Putnam’s Sons, 2014 teacher is anxious to have Candlewick Press, 2019 Written by the American the first day of school go Blast off into space with Ballet Theater dancer Misty smoothly in this graphic a wide variety of space Copeland, this beautifully novel. poems, from silly pun-filled illustrated story encourages verses to serious poems; a young ballet dancer to notes on the poems and a not let her low self-image glossary of space terms are and lack of confidence get included. in her way. National Geographic The Roots of Rap: 16 Trombone Shorty Book of Nature Bars on the 4 Pillars by Troy Andrews. Illus. by Poetry of Hip-Hop Bryan Collier by J. Patrick Lewis by Carole Boston Weatherford. Abrams Books for Young National Geographic Kids, Illus. by Frank Morrison Readers, 2015 2015 Little Bee Books, 2019 The true story of a musician A broad variety of nature The history of hip-hop, who bucked the odds to poetry paired with including its roots in achieve his dreams. breathtaking photographs folktales, spirituals and that celebrate how poetry, and the art and inspiring nature can be. dance that co-evolved *Weekends with Max with it. and His Dad by Linda Urban. Illus. by Katie *Sam Wu is Not Kath One Proud Penny HMH Books for Young by Randy Siegel. Illus. by Serge Afraid of Ghosts Readers, 2018 Bloch by Katie Tsang and Kevin Third-grader Max pursues Macmillan Children’s Tsang. Illus. by Nathan Reed neighborhood adventures Sterling Children’s Books, Publishing Group / Roaring with his dad as they both 2018 Brook Press, 2017 adjust to recent changes in A zany boy has one An interesting their family. anthropomorphic penny problem after another travels from his birthplace trying to convince his in Philadelphia around the classmates that he isn’t a country, recounting his scaredy-cat. Wet Cement: A Mix of adventures. Concrete Poems Snowman - Cold = by Bob Raczka. Illus. by Puddle Theodore Taylor III by Laura Purdie Salas. Illus by Macmillan Children’s *The Princess in Black Micha Archer Publishing Group / Roaring by Shannon and Dean Hale. Charlesbridge, 2019 Brook Press, 2016 Illus. by LeUyen Pham A collection of seasonal Concrete poetry is always Candlewick Press, 2014 poems that creatively popular because it is so The prim and perfect incorporate math language visually pleasing. This book princess has an alter ego and concepts. won’t disappoint. who dresses all in black and saves the kingdom The Stuff of Stars from various threats. ▲ by Marion Dane Bauer. Illus. Spanish. Whoosh!: Lonnie by Ekua Holmes Johnson’s Super- Candlewick Press, 2018 Soaking Stream of Gorgeously illustrated, this Inventions *Pugs of the Frozen book explores nothing less by Chris Barton. Illus. by Don North than the formation of the universe. Tate by Philip Reeve. Illus. by Sarah Charlesbridge, 2016 McIntyre This biography of the NASA Random House Children’s The Thing about Bees engineer who accidentally Books / Yearling, 2016 by Shabazz Larkin invented one of the best A lively step up from early Readers to Eaters, 2019 toys of all time is inspiring chapter books, Not-So- A love letter to the author/ and engaging. ▲ Spanish. Impossible Tales are illustrator’s two sons that packed with big adventure, describes how important quirky misfits, and two- bees are. color art on almost every page.

* asterisk denotes one book of a series. ▲ denotes Spanish edition available for Children in Grades 2-3 reading at a 5th Grade level

We suggest the following sites for more book titles: www.cbcbooks.org www.ala.org/alsc

Questions?

2020-2021 Amelia Lost : The Life Go for the Moon: The One and Only and Disappearance of A Rocket, a Boy, Ivan Amelia Earhart and the First Moon by Katherine Applegate. Illus. by Candace Fleming Landing by Patricia Castelao Random House Children’s by Chris Gall HarperCollins Children’s Books / Yearling, 2019 Macmillan Children’s Books, 2012 A riveting look at the life, Publishing Group / Roaring Inspired by the true story of disappearance, and search Brook Press, 2019 a captive gorilla who spent for legendary aviatrix A boy creates his own 27 years in an enclosure in Amelia Earhart. adventures to accompany a shopping mall. the Apollo 11 astronauts in this picture book filled with scientific details and fun The Parker Echo facts. by Pam Muñoz Ryan Inheritance Scholastic, 2015 by Varian Johnson In a story that blends Her Own Two Feet: A Scholastic, 2018 folktale and realism, a Rwandan Girl’s Brave A multigenerational family harmonica connects three Fight to Walk story set in South Carolina musically-talented children by Meredith Davis & Rebeka explores the history of from different periods in Uwitonze racism in a mystery with history. Scholastic / Focus, 2019 elements of The Westing A Rwandan girl born with Game. clubfeet moves to America and endures numerous Genius!: The surgeries in this story of Most Astonishing faith and perseverance. A Place to Belong Inventions of All Time by Cynthia Kadohata. Illus. by by Deborah Kespert Julia Kuo Thames and Hudson, 2015 Simon & Schuster Children’s Young readers are Migrations: Open Publishing / Atheneum, 2019 introduced to the stories of Hearts, Open Borders Story illuminating the the thinkers and inventors by ICPBS (various authors). history of post-WWII Japan, that helped shape our Illus. by various told through a Japanese- modern world, such as Candlewick Studio, 2019 American girl whose family Archimedes, da Vinci, Postcard images of birds was expatriated and had to Gutenberg, James Watt, (and words) by 50+ join her grandparents on a the Wright brothers, and creators from all over the farm outside Hiroshima. Tim Berners-Lee. world send messages of hope for human migration.

Mountain Dog The Poetry of Us by J. Patrick Lewis The Girl Who Drew by Margarita Engle. Illus. by National Geographic Kids, Butterflies: How Aleksey and Olga Ivanov 2018 Macmillan Children’s Maria Merian’s Art A wide variety of old Changed Science Publishing Group / Henry Holt and Co, 2013 and new poets, poetic by Joyce Sidman A novel in verse told techniques, forms, and HMH Books for Young topics covering life in the Readers, 2018 from two points of view: Tony, whose mother is United States, from large A biography of Maria cities to rural areas. Sibylla Merian, a pioneering incarcerated, and Gabe, 17th-century scientist and a search-and-rescue dog artist who documented who helps Tony learn about the metamorphosis of life in the wilderness. butterflies. Random Body Parts: *The Serpent’s Secret What Elephants Know Gross Anatomy by Sayantani DasGupta by Eric Dinerstein Riddles in Verse Scholastic Press, 2018 Little, Brown Books for Young by Leslie Bulion. Illus. by Mike A New Jersey sixth grader Readers, 2016 Lowery discovers that she might A renowned scientist Peachtree Publishing be an Indian princess who depicts the complexities Company, 2015 must solve riddles and of life in the Nepalese Anatomy riddles with high- battle demons to save the Borderlands during the level vocabulary and a world. 1970s and the delicate Shakespeare theme. relationship between man and nature. The Right Word: Smile When the Sea Turned Roget and His by Raina Telgemeier Thesaurus Scholastic / Graphix, 2010 to Silver by Grace Lin by Jen Bryant. Illus. by Melissa Based on the author’s own Sweet Little, Brown Books for Young experiences, this graphic Readers, 2016 Eerdmans Books for Young memoir addresses the Readers, 2014 In a fantasy inspired by pain and embarrassment Chinese folklore, a girl Roget is more than the of years of orthodontia creator of the thesaurus, goes on a quest to save following an accident. ▲ her grandmother’s life. this extensive biography Spanish. shows many aspects of his life, from his list-loving *The Wild Robot childhood to his inventions. by Peter Brown ▲ Spanish. The Way Things Work Little, Brown Books for Young Now Readers, 2016 *Science Comics: by David Macaulay Robot Roz is marooned HMH Books for Young on a desert island and Trees: Kings of the becomes part of the Forest Readers, 2016 Clever illustrations and wildlife family, but her new by Andy Hirsch text explain how the life is threatened when her Macmillan Children’s creator discovers her new Publishing Group / First technological wonders of Second, 2018 the past and present work. home. A personified acorn (and its woodland friends) teach *Wings of Fire: The us about phototropism, Graphic Novel What Do You Do with by Tui Sutherland. Illus. by the mycorrhizal network, a Voice Like That? and other science details Mike Holmes by Chris Barton. Illus. by Ekua behind the growth of a tree. Scholastic / Graphix, 2013 Holmes Graphic novel adaptation of Simon & Schuster Children’s *Secret Coders the popular fantasy series Publishing / Beach Lane shows the world of warring by Gene Luen Yang. Illus. by Books, 2018 dragons in full color. Mike Holmes This celebration of Macmillan Children’s Congresswoman and Publishing Group / First African-American pioneer Women in Science: 50 Second, 2015 Barbara Jordan contains Fearless Pioneers Who In this graphic novel, rich back matter that asks Changed the World Hopper is a new student readers to think about by Rachel Ignotofsky at a school filled with how to use their own gifts Ten Speed Press, 2016 secrets. She and friend Eni toward a greater good. Profiles of 50 women use the magic of coding leaders in STEM, as well to figure out what’s been as an illustrated scientific hidden, but will they be glossary and supplemental discovered? information.

* asterisk denotes one book of a series. ▲ denotes Spanish edition available for Children in Grades 4-5 reading at a 7th Grade level

We suggest the following sites for more book titles: www.cbcbooks.org www.ala.org/alsc

Questions?

2020-2021 The Best at It Girl Rising: Changing journeys to Europe to reunite by Maulik Pancholy the World One Girl at with his siblings. ▲ Spanish. HarperCollins Children’s a Time Books / Balzer+Bray, 2019 by Tanya Lee Stone The Inquisitor’s Tale: An Indian American Random House Children’s Or, The Three Magical boy in Indiana, nervous Books / Wendy Lamb, 2017 Children and Their about entering middle A compelling collection of Holy Dog school, tries to follow his stories of girls around the by Adam Gidwitz. Illus. by grandfather’s advice and world who managed to Hatem Aly become the best. get an education despite Penguin Young Readers / efforts to keep them from Dutton, 2016 attending school. A medieval tale, told from The Boy Who multiple points of view, Gracefully Grayson about three children with Harnessed the Wind: extraordinary gifts on an Young Reader’s by Ami Polonsky Little, Brown Books for Young incredible journey. Edition Readers, 2014 by William Kamkwamba and Sixth-grader Grayson feels Internment Bryan Mealer stuck in the wrong gender’s by Samira Ahmed Penguin Young Readers / body but hopes to be cast Little, Brown Books for Young Puffin Books, 2016 as the female lead in the Readers, 2019 The memoir of William school play. An emotional This cautionary tale takes Kamkwamba, who created and courageous journey of place in an internment a windmill to bring lighting self-discovery to be one’s camp in California for to his family home in true self. ▲ Spanish. Muslim Americans, with a Malawi. A true story about teen leading a revolution ingenuity from a pioneering against the camp’s director spirit. ▲ Spanish. Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson and guards. ▲ Spanish. Penguin Young Readers / Nancy Paulsen Books, 2018 The Journey of Little The Bridge Home Six sixth graders meet Charlie by Padma Venkatraman weekly to talk about by Christopher Paul Curtis Penguin Young Readers / personal and global issues, Scholastic Press, 2018 Nancy Paulsen Books, 2019 providing safe harbors for Set in 1858, a boy from Four homeless children in each other. South Carolina tries India form a chosen family to settle a debt for his and support each other Hurricane Child sharecropper family by through difficult times in by Kacen Callender accompanying a plantation this debut novel. Scholastic Press, 2018 owner on a journey to Set in the Caribbean Canada to capture a (the U.S. Virgin Islands), fugitive slave. ▲ Spanish. this coming-of-age *Front Desk novel explores topics of Legends, Icons & by Kelly Yang loneliness, abandonment, Scholastic / Arthur A. Levine Rebels: Music that friendship, and love. Books, 2018 Changed the World A resourceful Chinese by Robbie Robertson et al. immigrant girl makes Illegal Tundra Books, 2013 friends and solves by Eoin Colfer and Andrew The lives of 27 musicians mysteries while working at Donkin. Illus. by Giovanni Rigano are showcased in the front desk of the motel Sourcebooks, 2018 thoughtful biographies, that her parents manage A graphic novel exploring gorgeous artwork, and CDs for an exploitive owner. the plight of undocumented of their music. immigrants in which a Ghanian refugee child The Lightning Queen One Last Word: Sachiko: A Nagasaki by Laura Resau Wisdom from the Bomb Survivor’s Scholastic Press, 2016 Harlem Renaissance Story A glimpse of the encounter by Nikki Grimes by Caren Stelson between two fascinating Bloomsbury Children’s Books, Lerner / Carolrhoda Books, but marginalized mexican 2017 2016 cultures—the Rom and Using the Golden Shovel After surviving the bombing the Mixtec Indians— poetic form, Nikki Grimes of her hometown of while sharing an unlikely shares classic poetry and Nagasaki, Sachiko Yasui’s friendship that spans her own poems to bring the story of the aftermath and generations. Harlem Renaissance to life her journey of healing is for young readers. captured by biographer Caren Stelson. Lincoln’s Grave Samurai Rising: The Robbers Pathfinders: The Epic Life of Minamoto by Steve Sheinkin Journeys of 16 Yoshitsune Scholastic Press, 2013 Extraordinary Black A counterfeiting ring by Pamela S. Turner. Illus. by Souls Gareth Hinds plotted to ransom Lincoln’s by Tonya Bolden body to secure the release Charlesbridge, 2016 Abrams Books for Young Gareth Hinds’s stylish of their imprisoned Readers, 2017 graphic adaptation of the ringleader. Then the Secret A collection of sixteen Bard’s romantic tragedy Service conducted a mini-biographies of African- offers modern touches— daring election night sting American trailblazers, including a diverse cast operation. brought to life with detailed that underscores the histories and illustrations. Moonbird: A Year on story’s universality. the Wind with the Promise of Change: The Watch that Ends Great Survivor B95 One Girl’s Story in by Phillip Hoose the Night: Voices the Fight for School from the Titanic Macmillan Children’s Equality Publishing Group / Farrar, by Allan Wolf by Jo Ann Allen Boyce and Straus and Giroux, 2012 Candlewick Press, 2013 Debbie Levy This book shows the The Titanic story, told in Bloomsbury Children’s Books, verse (24 voices), with obstacles that shorebirds 2019 extensive back matter, called rufa red knots In 1956, Jo Ann Allen was including coded messages face as a worldwide one of twelve African- to decipher and historical team of scientists and American students who documents. conservationists try to save broke the color barrier and them before it’s too late. integrated Clinton High School in Tennessee. We Will Not Be Silent by Russell Freedman HMH Books for Young The Night Diary Readers / Clarion Books, by Veera Hiranandani Refugee 2016 Penguin Young Readers / by Alan Gratz The true story of the White Kokila, 2018 Scholastic Press, 2017 Rose student resistance In 1947, as India was A hopeful novel tying movement that defied Nazi divided into two countries— together the stories of Germany. India (for Hindus) and three refugee children: a Pakistan (for Muslims)—a boy in 1930s Nazi Germany, half-Muslim, half-Hindu girl a girl in Castro’s Cuba in wonders where she will be 1994, and a boy in Syria in safe. 2015. ▲ Spanish. * asterisk denotes one book of a series. ▲ denotes Spanish edition available We suggest the following sites for more book titles: www.cbcbooks.org www.ala.org/alsc

Questions?

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