boy opening a bookWalking into the bookstore’s children section a few years ago, I drew my breath in quickly. There were thousands of books surrounding me, and I was looking for that one book that was going to draw my son into its world. My son is a significantly advanced reader – but he’s, in my opinion, a little too reluctant to escape into a book unless he meets the right one. When he started reading, really full on reading, at four, I noticed him trudging through books. He was doing such a great job, yet somehow seemed so bored. He didn’t say he was bored. It just felt like reading was a chore for him. Something he had to do before he went to bed. Like brush his teeth. I realized that it was the books. The pre-school non-chapter books weren’t holding his attention. He needed more plot. More adventure! Looking for age-appropriate chapter books, I started experimenting with different genres. It was difficult to find more advanced reading that didn’t include words like “stupid” and “idiot”, contain a multitude of bathroom jokes, or involve kissing, until someone mentioned “The Magic Tree House Series”.  At 5, he would read an entire book to me every couple nights. He was actually interested in what he read!

In my journey to pique his literary interests, I have made mistakes along the way. When our guy was about to turn 6, I randomly picked up the first of the Hardy Boys books. I mean the ones written even before my time – Hardy Boys #1: The Tower Treasure by Franklin W. Dixon. “Nothing better than a classic detective story,” I thought. We started reading it together, and he was hooked (but I wasn’t). Personally, I couldn’t shake off some of the dated language and, well, subtle yet underlying racism and sexism of the times to appreciate the heart of the stories. I didn’t know what to do. These subtle offenses happily escaped our son, and he started doing something he had never done before: he was reading by himself, like he was actually enjoying it! After reading the first 30 of this seemingly endless series, I felt relieved that he was searching for a new literary journey.

A few years (and a couple more mistakes) later, I have amassed a collection of books that are great for advanced readers – meaning they are toned down in terms of language, violence and other adult scenarios that aren’t appropriate for our precocious yet still young boys.  Some of you might have a lower threshold for violence or a higher threshold for smoking or kissing. You’ll have to figure out your comfort level in presenting books to your child, but the following are some great books for your advanced reader at the suggested ages. Many of these books are a part of a series, so your child can really immerse himself in the adventures. A few of these recommendations are geared toward girls as well, but are still wonderful books for the boys (and really, to me, it’s not a bad thing for my little guy to see a strong girl as a protagonist). Added bonus for children who like film – many of them have been made into movies (for after he finishes the book of course!), and I have indicated those books with an asterisk.

Here are the recommendations:

Kindergarten:

  1. Commander Toad in Space by Jane Yolen – My easiest reading recommendation, this book is the first of the seven part series of Commander Toad, a fun, light adventure in which a space-traveling toad has a Star Wars – like mission into space. Boys will love the big boy feel of the book as well as the more subtle humor a more advanced reader can appreciate, while the content is quite mild and teaches teamwork and leadership.

  2. Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne – A 52-book series in which book-smart Jack and his adventurous sister Annie travel through time, solving puzzles and living moments of history. Children enjoy Jack and Annie’s suspenseful challenges, while learning about the world and its past.

  3. Nancy Drew and The Clue Crew by Carolyn Keene – A 47-book series that reintroduces a modernized, younger Nancy Drew. Nancy and her friends solve mysteries, using deductive reasoning to solve the cases. The characters are fun and sharp with loads of personality.

  4. Secrets of Droon by Tony Abbott – A 44-book series that follows the adventures of Neal, Julie and Eric who happen upon a mysterious staircase that leads them into the magical land of Droon. These fantasy books are filled with whimsical, exciting adventures in which the children open their minds and work together to battle an assortment of mild villains.

  5. Nim’s Island* by Wendy Orr – A tale of adventure in which Nim, a young survivalist, can start a fire with a piece of glass and wield a machete. Her scientist father leaves her on an island alone for a few days, and that’s where the adventure begins! Boys will learn about a spunky protagonist who overcomes not-too-scary villains and befriends an assortment of anthropomorphized wild animals. A fun dive into all that the natural world has to offer.

First Grade:

  1. The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Edwards – How could anything by Dame Julie Andrews be bad? The three Potter kids visit the zoo one rainy day and meet Professor Savant. He introduces them to a magical fantasy land of Whangdoodleland where the children use creative problem-solving skills and the help of some wonderful creatures to help the last surviving Whangdoodle.

  2. Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies – The first in a series of five books, the book features two ambitious siblings competing to see who can make the most money from their lemonade stands’ sales. The story is an entertaining introduction to marketing with math interwoven into the plot.

  3. Anything by Roald Dahl: Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory*, Big Friendly Giant, Matilda*, etc. –
    Roald Dahl is a master of fantasy interwoven with reality. He will transport your child into a “real world” where small, orange men help make chocolate (Willy Wonka) and enormous giants roam the streets at night looking for children to eat (Big Friendly Giant). His books are a wonderful outlet and catalyst for your child’s imagination.

  4. Babe: The Gallant Pig* by Dick King-Smith – A book made even more famous by its movie, the main character Babe is a sweet, sensitive pig who thinks he’s a sheep dog. Facing challenges that seem insurmountable, this heart-tugging pig is bound to make any boy root for the underdog, while teaching a valuable lesson about appearances and perseverance.

  5. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart – This is the first of a four book series. Four impressively gifted children are chosen to go on a secret mission for the Learning Institute. The children face extreme mental and physical challenges of which they never dreamed and learn the importance of friendship, bravery, and trust.

Second Grade:

  1. Phantom Toll Booth* by Nortun Juster – A classic from the 1960’s about a young boy named Milo. Incessantly bored, Milo drives his toy car through a toy tollbooth into the Kingdom of Wisdom where he learns he must rescue Princess Rhyme and Princess Reason. The novel is an entertaining adventure that incorporates a playful use of the English language, brilliantly weaving in puns throughout the story and poking fun at the literal meanings of old expressions.

  2. Wrinkle In Time* by Madeleine L’Engle – Another classic from the 1960’s, this slow-building story centers on a brilliant misfit named Meg whose father goes missing while working on a covert project. Can Meg, her brother, her friend Calvin and a myriad of other worldly characters save him and the world? The book showcases the growth of its characters while providing a storyline that slowly mesmerizes its reader.

  3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone*, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban* by J.K. Rowling – These are the first three of the universally adored series of five novels. The novels’ main character is the orphan turned wizard Harry Potter. Harry finds himself in a world of magic he didn’t know existed. In this world, he attends wizard school, meets his best friends, and faces mortal enemies who will challenge him emotionally and physically. Whereas all six novels have graphic fighting scenes and incorporate death as a theme, the first three are a bit less intense in their violence and more genial in tone than the later novels.

  4. The Chronicles of Narnia* by C.S. Lewis – A seven book series set in the fantasy world of Narnia. Replete with talking animals and epic struggles of good and evil, Narnia’s history unfolds through the eyes of several central children. Your young reader may not catch the complex layering of themes in these novels, which include religious references, mythological allusions, and race and gender issues, but they can be fascinating talking points for discussion at any age.

  5. Because of Winn Dixie* by Kate DiCamillo – After Opal’s mother leaves her family, Opal’s father moves them to a trailer park in Florida where Opal adopts a homeless dog named after the town’s grocery store, Winn Dixie. Through Winn Dixie, Opal overcomes her own feelings of loss, eventually befriending a new community and gaining closure and acceptance.  It is a touching and remarkably heart-felt story about the power of animals in our lives.

Third Grade:

  1. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien* – The epic adventure (and prequel to the series, Lord of the Ring) of Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit enjoying an ordinary life in the fantasy land of Middle-earth. Bilbo is most displeased when a wizard named Gandalf sweeps him into a world of danger and excitement. Beneath the battles and trials, the book highlights the wonder of finding extraordinary in the ordinary and bringing out the best in oneself in the direst of circumstances.

  2. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire* by J.K. Rowling – In this fourth volume of the Harry Potter series, dark forces mysteriously compel Harry to compete in a potentially lethal competition, the Goblet of Fire. This story feels darker and scarier than the stories that precede it, the children are growing up and dealing with dating issues, and a beloved Hogwarts student is murdered. Throughout it all, Harry maintains steadfast integrity and courage.

  3. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld – Categorized in the relatively new steampunk genre, this is the first of three in the Leviathan series and takes place immediately prior to World War 1. Moments before the war, Aleksandar, a fugitive Austro-Hungarian prince and Deryn, a British Air Servicewoman disguised as a young boy, meet aboard a warship named Leviathan and forge an unusual alliance as they face global dangers together. This historical fiction novel won the Locus Award for Best Young Adult Fiction, and Westerfeld includes a wonderful postscript, explaining which information in the novel is true.

  4. Castle Diary: The Journal of Tobias Burgess, Page by Richard Platt – This creative story takes place through the fictitious journal of an 11-year-old boy named Tobias living in 13th century England. Through his diary, Tobias takes his readers through his typical days as a page and introduces them to a whole gambit of characters – many of who bear striking resemblances to people we could meet today. The book is unique in its ability to entertain and educate its young readers about life in a medieval castle.

Fourth Grade:

  1. Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows (Volumes 5-7)* by J.K. Rowling – The final books in the Harry Potter series grapple with the more mature emotional themes of desperation and betrayal. They also contain more direct references to death and torture. The sixth and seventh volumes of the series focus almost exclusively on the war between Harry and Voldemort, and death and evil are pervasively present. Given the more adult content, these books and movies are more suited for a slightly older reader.

  2. Wonder by R.J. Palacio – The story tells the story of a ten-year-old boy named August, a boy born with severe facial deformities. He enters fifth grade at a regular school for the first time and meets new friends, faces bullying, and forces people to see beyond his external flaws into the real him. This book compels its readers to reflect on whom they are as people and what that means beyond how they look.

  3. Gregor The Overlander by Suzanne Collins – This novel is the first in the series of The Underland Chronicles, a critically acclaimed fantasy series of five books. Gregor is an eleven-year-old boy living in New York City with his mother and sisters. When one of Gregor’s sister wanders into her apartment’s basement and slips into a mysterious grate, Gregor dives in to save her, falling into the strange world of Underland. There, Gregor finds another world and plays a critical role in the raging conflict between humans and rats. Gregor is both believable and sympathetic as a character.

  4. Dragon’s Gate by Laurence Yep – This heart-rending novel tells the story of a wealthy Chinese boy named Otter who grows up in nineteenth century China during the oppressive Manchu dynasty. Tragedy strikes Otter, and he must flee to California where he finds employment digging tunnels for the Transcontinental Railroad. Recipient of the 1994 Newbery Honor Book, Yep uses Otter to demonstrate the harsh reality of many immigrants, and how one child must learn the meaning of forgiveness while standing up for his beliefs. Transcending its time, Dragon’s Gate offers your son a new perspective on how freedom means different things to different people.

  1. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly – This winner of the 2010 Newbery Honor award takes place in the summer of 1899. An almost twelve-year-old girl from Texas finds herself fascinated by the controversial book by Darwin, The Origin of Species. Unfortunately, she is unexceptional at what girls are supposed to be doing at the time, forcing Calipurnia to balance her brilliant scientific curiosity with her need to learn how to be a lady. A truly interesting read and a wonderful reminder for boys of our times of the restraints that the not so distant past placed on girls.

  2. The Lightning Thief* by Rick Riordan – The first in a series of five, this is a best-selling, heart pounding adventure in which twelve-year-old Percy, the son of a human woman and Poseidon, god of the sea, travels to a special camp for demigods where he and his friends must help stop a war brewing between the gods. The book offers our boys not only a wonderful introduction to Greek mythology, but also page-turning action.

Fifth Grade: I don’t have a fifth grader for another few years, but my understanding is that reading begins to get more “adult” at this stage. Advanced readers start exploring young adult books, which usually have even more direct references (in a spectrum of intensity) to language, violence, sex and/or drug use.

  1. The Nazi Hunter: How a Team of Spies and Survivors Captured the World’s Most Notorious Nazi by Neal Bascomb – A captivating piece of nonfiction about a team of spies who captured Adolf Eichmann, the operational leader of the Nazi’s Final Solution. Sixteen years after Eichmann escaped into the German mountainside in 1945, the elite team captures Eichmann at an Argentinean bus stop and smuggles him into Israel for trial for his horrific crimes. The story teaches its readers about the Holocaust in a fascinating piece of writing. An essential read for all children.

  2. The Maze Runner* by James Dashner – A dystopian science fiction page-turner that is the first of a three-part series. The reader meets a dazed Thomas who awakens at a strange place called Glade, having no recollection of his past other than his name. He soon learns that there is no way out of this world, other than a deadly maze that changes every night. Desperate to escape and suspicious of the other prisoners who surround him, Thomas must use ingenuity, bravery and a lot of intuition to try to make his way out of this bizarre prison.

  3. Ender’s Game* by Orson Scott Card – Meet Ender Wiggin – earth’s greatest soldier – who happens to be a young boy. The only one of his siblings to gain admissions to the elite Battle School, Ender becomes a leader in this futuristic space school where kids learn to battle alien attackers. While learning how to defend the earth, Ender must battle his own fears and loneliness. He is a hero who questions not only the battle, but also the victory.

  4. The Outsiders* by S.E. Hinton – Written by a teenage girl, this boys’ coming of age novel drops its readers into the lives of a group of teenage boys growing up in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the 60’s. The story, narrated through the eyes of a 14-year-old boy, follows the Socials and the Greasers, two rival gangs separated by socioeconomic status. Transcending its location and its era, The Outsiders introduces concepts of loyalty, inner-conflict, and becoming one’s own person no matter the cost.

  5. Code Talker: A Novel about the Navaho Marines of World War Two* by Joseph Bruchac – This historical fiction novel introduces Ned Begay, a young Navajo boy, who enlists in the Marines at 16 during World War II. He is trained as a code talker, using his native Navajo language to relay critical battle commands, a code kept secret until 1969. Sharing his tale of hardship through boarding school to war with his grandchildren, Ned teaches them about courage, integrity and a strong Navajo heritage that cannot be erased.

  6. Johnny Tremain* by Esther Forbes – Written in 1944, this is a period book that takes place in Boston a few years before the Revolutionary War. Johnny is a fourteen-year-old silversmith apprentice until his hand is maimed by molten silver.  Depressed by the sudden end to his career, Johnny finds new purpose serving as a vital messenger for the Sons of Liberty during the moments before our country’s fight for freedom. A beautifully written novel (recipient of the 1944 Newbery Medal) showing your reader the true meaning of perseverance and redemption.

I hope this list proves useful to your growing readers and that he finds a home with many of them. Enjoy!

boy opening a book

작가이자 변호사인 베벌리 콜스가 책 읽기에 뛰어난 수준을 가진 남자아이들에게 권장하는 책입니다.

Kindergarten:

  1. Commander Toad in Space by Jane Yolen – My easiest reading recommendation, this book is the first of the seven part series of Commander Toad, a fun, light adventure in which a space-traveling toad has a Star Wars – like mission into space. Boys will love the big boy feel of the book as well as the more subtle humor a more advanced reader can appreciate, while the content is quite mild and teaches teamwork and leadership.

  2. Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne – A 52-book series in which book-smart Jack and his adventurous sister Annie travel through time, solving puzzles and living moments of history. Children enjoy Jack and Annie’s suspenseful challenges, while learning about the world and its past.

  3. Nancy Drew and The Clue Crew by Carolyn Keene – A 47-book series that reintroduces a modernized, younger Nancy Drew. Nancy and her friends solve mysteries, using deductive reasoning to solve the cases. The characters are fun and sharp with loads of personality.

  4. Secrets of Droon by Tony Abbott – A 44-book series that follows the adventures of Neal, Julie and Eric who happen upon a mysterious staircase that leads them into the magical land of Droon. These fantasy books are filled with whimsical, exciting adventures in which the children open their minds and work together to battle an assortment of mild villains.

  5. Nim’s Island* by Wendy Orr – A tale of adventure in which Nim, a young survivalist, can start a fire with a piece of glass and wield a machete. Her scientist father leaves her on an island alone for a few days, and that’s where the adventure begins! Boys will learn about a spunky protagonist who overcomes not-too-scary villains and befriends an assortment of anthropomorphized wild animals. A fun dive into all that the natural world has to offer.

First Grade:

  1. The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Edwards – How could anything by Dame Julie Andrews be bad? The three Potter kids visit the zoo one rainy day and meet Professor Savant. He introduces them to a magical fantasy land of Whangdoodleland where the children use creative problem-solving skills and the help of some wonderful creatures to help the last surviving Whangdoodle.

  2. Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies – The first in a series of five books, the book features two ambitious siblings competing to see who can make the most money from their lemonade stands’ sales. The story is an entertaining introduction to marketing with math interwoven into the plot.

  3. Anything by Roald Dahl: Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory*, Big Friendly Giant, Matilda*, etc. –
    Roald Dahl is a master of fantasy interwoven with reality. He will transport your child into a “real world” where small, orange men help make chocolate (Willy Wonka) and enormous giants roam the streets at night looking for children to eat (Big Friendly Giant). His books are a wonderful outlet and catalyst for your child’s imagination.

  4. Babe: The Gallant Pig* by Dick King-Smith – A book made even more famous by its movie, the main character Babe is a sweet, sensitive pig who thinks he’s a sheep dog. Facing challenges that seem insurmountable, this heart-tugging pig is bound to make any boy root for the underdog, while teaching a valuable lesson about appearances and perseverance.

  5. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart – This is the first of a four book series. Four impressively gifted children are chosen to go on a secret mission for the Learning Institute. The children face extreme mental and physical challenges of which they never dreamed and learn the importance of friendship, bravery, and trust.

Second Grade:

  1. Phantom Toll Booth* by Nortun Juster – A classic from the 1960’s about a young boy named Milo. Incessantly bored, Milo drives his toy car through a toy tollbooth into the Kingdom of Wisdom where he learns he must rescue Princess Rhyme and Princess Reason. The novel is an entertaining adventure that incorporates a playful use of the English language, brilliantly weaving in puns throughout the story and poking fun at the literal meanings of old expressions.

  2. Wrinkle In Time* by Madeleine L’Engle – Another classic from the 1960’s, this slow-building story centers on a brilliant misfit named Meg whose father goes missing while working on a covert project. Can Meg, her brother, her friend Calvin and a myriad of other worldly characters save him and the world? The book showcases the growth of its characters while providing a storyline that slowly mesmerizes its reader.

  3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone*, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban* by J.K. Rowling – These are the first three of the universally adored series of five novels. The novels’ main character is the orphan turned wizard Harry Potter. Harry finds himself in a world of magic he didn’t know existed. In this world, he attends wizard school, meets his best friends, and faces mortal enemies who will challenge him emotionally and physically. Whereas all six novels have graphic fighting scenes and incorporate death as a theme, the first three are a bit less intense in their violence and more genial in tone than the later novels.

  4. The Chronicles of Narnia* by C.S. Lewis – A seven book series set in the fantasy world of Narnia. Replete with talking animals and epic struggles of good and evil, Narnia’s history unfolds through the eyes of several central children. Your young reader may not catch the complex layering of themes in these novels, which include religious references, mythological allusions, and race and gender issues, but they can be fascinating talking points for discussion at any age.

  5. Because of Winn Dixie* by Kate DiCamillo – After Opal’s mother leaves her family, Opal’s father moves them to a trailer park in Florida where Opal adopts a homeless dog named after the town’s grocery store, Winn Dixie. Through Winn Dixie, Opal overcomes her own feelings of loss, eventually befriending a new community and gaining closure and acceptance.  It is a touching and remarkably heart-felt story about the power of animals in our lives.

Third Grade:

  1. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien* – The epic adventure (and prequel to the series, Lord of the Ring) of Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit enjoying an ordinary life in the fantasy land of Middle-earth. Bilbo is most displeased when a wizard named Gandalf sweeps him into a world of danger and excitement. Beneath the battles and trials, the book highlights the wonder of finding extraordinary in the ordinary and bringing out the best in oneself in the direst of circumstances.

  2. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire* by J.K. Rowling – In this fourth volume of the Harry Potter series, dark forces mysteriously compel Harry to compete in a potentially lethal competition, the Goblet of Fire. This story feels darker and scarier than the stories that precede it, the children are growing up and dealing with dating issues, and a beloved Hogwarts student is murdered. Throughout it all, Harry maintains steadfast integrity and courage.

  3. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld – Categorized in the relatively new steampunk genre, this is the first of three in the Leviathan series and takes place immediately prior to World War 1. Moments before the war, Aleksandar, a fugitive Austro-Hungarian prince and Deryn, a British Air Servicewoman disguised as a young boy, meet aboard a warship named Leviathan and forge an unusual alliance as they face global dangers together. This historical fiction novel won the Locus Award for Best Young Adult Fiction, and Westerfeld includes a wonderful postscript, explaining which information in the novel is true.

  4. Castle Diary: The Journal of Tobias Burgess, Page by Richard Platt – This creative story takes place through the fictitious journal of an 11-year-old boy named Tobias living in 13th century England. Through his diary, Tobias takes his readers through his typical days as a page and introduces them to a whole gambit of characters – many of who bear striking resemblances to people we could meet today. The book is unique in its ability to entertain and educate its young readers about life in a medieval castle.

Fourth Grade:

  1. Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows (Volumes 5-7)* by J.K. Rowling – The final books in the Harry Potter series grapple with the more mature emotional themes of desperation and betrayal. They also contain more direct references to death and torture. The sixth and seventh volumes of the series focus almost exclusively on the war between Harry and Voldemort, and death and evil are pervasively present. Given the more adult content, these books and movies are more suited for a slightly older reader.

  2. Wonder by R.J. Palacio – The story tells the story of a ten-year-old boy named August, a boy born with severe facial deformities. He enters fifth grade at a regular school for the first time and meets new friends, faces bullying, and forces people to see beyond his external flaws into the real him. This book compels its readers to reflect on whom they are as people and what that means beyond how they look.

  3. Gregor The Overlander by Suzanne Collins – This novel is the first in the series of The Underland Chronicles, a critically acclaimed fantasy series of five books. Gregor is an eleven-year-old boy living in New York City with his mother and sisters. When one of Gregor’s sister wanders into her apartment’s basement and slips into a mysterious grate, Gregor dives in to save her, falling into the strange world of Underland. There, Gregor finds another world and plays a critical role in the raging conflict between humans and rats. Gregor is both believable and sympathetic as a character.

  4. Dragon’s Gate by Laurence Yep – This heart-rending novel tells the story of a wealthy Chinese boy named Otter who grows up in nineteenth century China during the oppressive Manchu dynasty. Tragedy strikes Otter, and he must flee to California where he finds employment digging tunnels for the Transcontinental Railroad. Recipient of the 1994 Newbery Honor Book, Yep uses Otter to demonstrate the harsh reality of many immigrants, and how one child must learn the meaning of forgiveness while standing up for his beliefs. Transcending its time, Dragon’s Gate offers your son a new perspective on how freedom means different things to different people.

  1. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly – This winner of the 2010 Newbery Honor award takes place in the summer of 1899. An almost twelve-year-old girl from Texas finds herself fascinated by the controversial book by Darwin, The Origin of Species. Unfortunately, she is unexceptional at what girls are supposed to be doing at the time, forcing Calipurnia to balance her brilliant scientific curiosity with her need to learn how to be a lady. A truly interesting read and a wonderful reminder for boys of our times of the restraints that the not so distant past placed on girls.

  2. The Lightning Thief* by Rick Riordan – The first in a series of five, this is a best-selling, heart pounding adventure in which twelve-year-old Percy, the son of a human woman and Poseidon, god of the sea, travels to a special camp for demigods where he and his friends must help stop a war brewing between the gods. The book offers our boys not only a wonderful introduction to Greek mythology, but also page-turning action.

Fifth Grade: I don’t have a fifth grader for another few years, but my understanding is that reading begins to get more “adult” at this stage. Advanced readers start exploring young adult books, which usually have even more direct references (in a spectrum of intensity) to language, violence, sex and/or drug use.

  1. The Nazi Hunter: How a Team of Spies and Survivors Captured the World’s Most Notorious Nazi by Neal Bascomb – A captivating piece of nonfiction about a team of spies who captured Adolf Eichmann, the operational leader of the Nazi’s Final Solution. Sixteen years after Eichmann escaped into the German mountainside in 1945, the elite team captures Eichmann at an Argentinean bus stop and smuggles him into Israel for trial for his horrific crimes. The story teaches its readers about the Holocaust in a fascinating piece of writing. An essential read for all children.

  2. The Maze Runner* by James Dashner – A dystopian science fiction page-turner that is the first of a three-part series. The reader meets a dazed Thomas who awakens at a strange place called Glade, having no recollection of his past other than his name. He soon learns that there is no way out of this world, other than a deadly maze that changes every night. Desperate to escape and suspicious of the other prisoners who surround him, Thomas must use ingenuity, bravery and a lot of intuition to try to make his way out of this bizarre prison.

  3. Ender’s Game* by Orson Scott Card – Meet Ender Wiggin – earth’s greatest soldier – who happens to be a young boy. The only one of his siblings to gain admissions to the elite Battle School, Ender becomes a leader in this futuristic space school where kids learn to battle alien attackers. While learning how to defend the earth, Ender must battle his own fears and loneliness. He is a hero who questions not only the battle, but also the victory.

  4. The Outsiders* by S.E. Hinton – Written by a teenage girl, this boys’ coming of age novel drops its readers into the lives of a group of teenage boys growing up in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the 60’s. The story, narrated through the eyes of a 14-year-old boy, follows the Socials and the Greasers, two rival gangs separated by socioeconomic status. Transcending its location and its era, The Outsiders introduces concepts of loyalty, inner-conflict, and becoming one’s own person no matter the cost.

  5. Code Talker: A Novel about the Navaho Marines of World War Two* by Joseph Bruchac – This historical fiction novel introduces Ned Begay, a young Navajo boy, who enlists in the Marines at 16 during World War II. He is trained as a code talker, using his native Navajo language to relay critical battle commands, a code kept secret until 1969. Sharing his tale of hardship through boarding school to war with his grandchildren, Ned teaches them about courage, integrity and a strong Navajo heritage that cannot be erased.

  6. Johnny Tremain* by Esther Forbes – Written in 1944, this is a period book that takes place in Boston a few years before the Revolutionary War. Johnny is a fourteen-year-old silversmith apprentice until his hand is maimed by molten silver.  Depressed by the sudden end to his career, Johnny finds new purpose serving as a vital messenger for the Sons of Liberty during the moments before our country’s fight for freedom. A beautifully written novel (recipient of the 1944 Newbery Medal) showing your reader the true meaning of perseverance and redemption.

I hope this list proves useful to your growing readers and that he finds a home with many of them. Enjoy!