This is a super exciting Adventure Mystery and the first book in a fun series. Twelve-year-old Emily has just moved to San Francisco, and although she doesn't love how often her parents move around, she's very excited about this move. San Francisco is the home of her literary idol Garrison Griswold, who created the Book Scavenger game. But when Griswold is attacked and a strange book clue is discovered, Emily finds herself in the middle of a high stakes race to solve an important mystery.

This is storytelling at its very best! Every year the people of the protectorate leave a baby outside the city walls as a sacrifice. And every year a kind witch saves the babies, feeds them starlight, and then gives them to a family who will love them and raise them. One year, however, the witch accidentally feeds a baby moonlight which gives the baby a unique kind of magic, so the witch decides to keep this baby girl and raise her. It's a beautiful, magical story that you won't be able to put down!

This is excellent Realistic Fiction about a sixth grade girl figuring out how to navigate two worlds - private school where she is a scholarship student, and her home life with her Cuban-American family who are struggling with their patriarch's dementia. A really well told story about honesty, friendship, and respect.

(This one is a really great audiobook too - read by Jim Dale!) I don't have enough words to describe how wonderful this book really is. It's the fantastically imagined backstory of Peter Pan and it will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. It's a must read book!

This is a classic that will never go out of style. A beautiful story of friendship, imagination, and loss. The film version of this one isn't half bad either if you want to read then watch, with a compare and contrast activity.

This is a brand new book, but it reminded me of Bridge to Terabithia without the tragedy story line. It's about an introverted boy who feels misunderstood and a young, tough girl trying to create a new life for herself. Joleen lives in "the real world," while Ware is a dreamer. It's an unlikely friendship, but when the two kids meet in the rubble of an abandoned church parking lot, they find themselves working together to turn the old lot into a magical space of their own.

This one needs little introduction. It's the powerful story of a boy born with a facial difference and his struggle to make friends and find acceptance. It's a perfect read aloud for fifth graders and a great way to open a conversation about bullying, kindness, and empathy. The movie version is wonderful too.

This is currently my fifth grader's favorite book! It's historical fiction set during World War II. Ada was born with a club foot and because of her mother's cruel ignorance, she hasn't left her London apartment since she was born. When Ada's brother Jamie is shipped off to the country to escape the war in London, Ada bravely decides to join him. The woman who take the children in is reluctant, but she has a good heart and for the first time ever, Ada experiences true kindness. Note: This book deals with some serious topics and you may want to preview.

During the Great Depression, Ellie's parents lose their jobs and the family has to move to Echo Mountain to homestead. But then an accident occurs and Ellie's father is in coma. Unfortunately, everyone blames Ellie. Determined to help her father, Ellie explores the mountain and meets an old hag with a lot of secrets and stories. It's an extremely compelling story and a wonderful read aloud!

This is for all the fifth graders out there that love a spooky, spine chilling story! When Molly's mom gets remarried, they move into a refurbished old church in rural Maryland. Molly is having a hard enough time getting along with Heather, her stepsister, but when Heather becomes friends with a malevolent ghost in the old church graveyard, things get downright terrifying. I loved this book as a kid and was so pleased when my kids fell in love with it too! It's more spooky than scary, but it's still a real page turner.

This is fantastic historical fiction set in Lithuania. When Audra's parents are arrested by the occupying Russian soldiers in Lithuania, she is tasked with delivering a mysterious package and ends up in an elaborate book smuggling ring.

Set on the harsh streets of Chennai, India, four orphans band together to survive. It's a beautiful, heart wrenching story about survival and friendship. Note: this one deals with some heavy themes and you may want to preview it.

An amazing story about a Jewish family and a Christian family living on the same street in Denmark during World War II and the Danish resistance effort during the Nazi occupation. It's won so many awards and it's easy to see why.

This book is so much fun! When Sarah Martinez is caught hacking into the NYC foster care system to expose her foster parent's misdeeds, she figures she'll end up in the juvenile detention center. However, after a strange sequence of events involving a British spy called "Mother," Sarah finds herself joining a secret MI6 spy agency based out of Scotland. This is a clever thriller with a diverse cast of kids from around the world.

This is the first in a witty and irreverent series based on the original Grimm fairy tales. Note: It's so clever and wickedly funny, but there are some frightening scenes and it can get a little gory, so be warned.

This is a funny and clever book about bullying and self acceptance told from four different points of view. Virgil is shy and feels out of place in his sports-loving family. Valencia is brave and adventurous, but she's also deaf and feels lonely much of the time. Kaori is a self proclaimed psychic who can't shake off her little sister. Chet is bothered by kids who are weird and different and wishes they weren't around so he could just play basketball. When Chet plays an unkind prank on Virgil, all four kids are drawn together to learn some important lessons.

This is a must read book, especially if you're reading aloud in a classroom! It's laugh out loud funny and a perfect example of fantastic storytelling. Between the years of 1929 and 1942, siblings Joey and Alice spend the summers with their wacky grandmother. The book is organized into 9 different stories about 9 unforgettable summer adventures.

This is the perfect blend of Science Fiction, Historical Fiction, and Mystery! Set at an elite school for people born with a gene that allows them to time travel, the story follows Regan and Elliot, two archenemies who have to team up to stop an epic time travel disaster. It's a fast paced read that will keep you guessing right up to the very end.

This is another spooky book (fifth grade is a great age for all the scary stories!). This is a Victorian ghost story (with a great moral to the story to discuss at the end too) about two orphaned Irish siblings who find work at a creepy, crumbling old manor house. But the longer they stay at the house, the more they realize that things are not what they seem. I LOVED reading this one aloud!

Bilbo Baggins' adventure is a timeless story that will most definitely capture and engage your fifth grade listeners! It's one of my favorite books to read aloud.

Six kids with unnamed learning differences meet weekly for a conversation together in a room they call the ARTT room (short for A Room To Talk) and when they get talking, they realize they have a lot to learn about each other. One student's father has recently been deported, another's father is in prison, and another student is worried about racial profiling. They tackle heavy topics, but it's beautifully done and it's inspiring to watch the bond develop between the kids.

In the spirit of the classic Little House on the Prairie books, Linda Sue Park has written a wonderful story about young Hanna and her father who head to the Dakota territories to open a shop in the 1880's. What makes the book unique is that Hanna is half Chinese. Although she has to navigate the town's prejudice and distrust of Asians, Hanna is the bold, ambitious character the Prairie needs. We LOVE this book!

When Donovan Curtis pulls a big prank at school, he thinks he's going to be in huge trouble. Instead, a mix-up causes his name to be put on a list of genius students heading to a new gifted school. The result is a laugh-out-loud funny story. Donovan is one of the most hilarious middle grade characters I've ever encountered.

Set in 1947, Pakistan has just separated from India, increasing tension between Muslims and Hindus. 12 year old Nisha is half Muslim and half Hindu and she feels torn and confused by the split. When her father decides it's too dangerous to stay in Pakistan, they embark on a journey to find a new and safer home. It's written diary style and it's a really wonderful, engaging story.

We buzzed through this book in just a few days because the kids kept begging for more chapters! It's a super fast paced read about two kids left behind when a summer camp evacuates due to nearby forest fires. Very exciting!