20 Books to Add to a 6th Grade Reading List
I’ve been compiling the best books for a 6th grade reading list! If you would like the printable list, pop in your email address below and I’ll send it right to your inbox.
Throughout this school year, I’ve been working on book lists by grade.
This started when I decided in the fall that as part of homeschool this year, I wanted to make book lists for my 3rd and 5th graders to work their way through (these aren’t all required – I just didn’t want to be scrambling every time they said “what should I read next??”).
Of course, after the 3rd and 5th grade lists, lots of people asked for other grades too! (You can see all of them here).
Here are the 20 books I would choose for 6th graders (roughly 2 per month during the school year) with a mix of classics and newer titles and a wide range of genres!
20 Books Your 6th Grader Will Love Reading
Holes by Louis Sachar
Holes is one of my favorite Newbery winners and since my girls love the Wayside School books, I was excited to read this to them a few years back. It was just as good as I remembered and when we finished, we had a special outdoor movie night with our giant screen to watch the film version.
The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
When Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin get together to co-write a book about WWII codebreakers, you know that’s a book you aren’t going to want to miss. This story takes place in the summer of 1940 with two siblings who love riddles and puzzles. And they live in the right place for that since they live at Britain’s top secret codebreaking factory, Bletchley Park, where the brightest minds work together to crack the Nazi’s infamous Enigma cipher. My 12 year old and I listened to this together on a trip and we were both gripped.
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
Ella (like so many readers before her) was completely absorbed by this story of a boy alone in the wilderness trying to survive after a plane crash.
The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen
I read this nearly a decade ago and then again for the Everyday Reading Book Club a couple of years ago and LOVED it so much both times! Ella is also such a huge fan that she begged Bart to listen to it after she finished and had the best time listening to him make predictions about the story.
Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan
I read this in one of my children’s lit classes in grad school and just seeing the cover takes me right back to 2009. Esperanza never thought she would leave her incredibly nice ranch, beautiful dresses and all of the help around her home. Unfortunate events strike her family hard and force her and her mom to flee to California and make a home on a Mexican labor camp. Esperanza has to grow up quickly and adjust to her new lifestyle especially when her mom falls ill.
The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
I read this Newbery winner about six years ago and absolutely loved it (and my oldest daughter also thoroughly enjoyed it). Josh and his twin brother Jordan are 12 years old and incredible basketball players. But Josh also loves rhythms and beats and his free-styling makes up the verse in this book about family dynamics and sibling changes. This one is just phenomenal (don’t miss the companion title, Booked).
Framed by James Ponti
Another book by James Ponti and Ella blew through this series in a week! This book follows Florian Bates who is the only kid that the FBI Director has on speed dial (and a kid that a whole lot of criminals want taken care of). After a move to DC, Florian and his new friend Margaret uncover a mystery that involves a major crime ring, the FBI and the National Gallery. It’s up to them to solve the mystery AND get their homework done.
Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper
I read this years ago and it just about ripped my heart out – then I read it aloud to my kids and we blew through it because we were all so into it. Melody is born with some severe handicaps and many people believe she has no mental abilities at all, but she’s actually extremely bright, just unable to communicate much. When she finally gets a computer that allows her to express her thoughts, her whole world is opened up, but she quickly realizes that her peers might not be as thrilled as she is that she can now speak.
The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
I read this book as an elementary schooler when we were doing a unit on Egypt and was fully prepared to hate it and then devoured the whole thing. Melanie Ross and April Hall think they have nothing in common when they first meet. But when they discover they both are obsessed with ancient Egypt, they quickly invent “the Egypt Game” in a deserted storage yard, complete with costumes and secret codes. But then strange things start to happen.
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
My mom did the majority of the reading aloud when I was growing up, but this one my dad read to me (and only me!) and I’ll forever have fond memories of it. Plus, it’s just so darn clever. I read it aloud to my kids about five years ago and it was so fun to revisit.
Ground Zero by Alan Gratz
Alan Gratz is a master of historical fiction and his books are always high action through famous moments in history. My 13 year old has read probably 6 of his books over the past year – she loves him!
Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink
This is of my favorite books from my childhood and I re-read it aloud to my girls last summer and it was just as good as I remember! Caddie Woodlawn, a strong-willed and brave 11-year-old is growing up on the Wisconsin frontier. This Newbery winner is a fun classic that is reminiscent of Little House on the Prairie. The strong family relationships and realistic AND positive sibling dynamics makes this an excellent book for this age group!
The Mona Lisa Vanishes by Nicholas Day
This one of my nonfiction picks for the 2024 Everyday Reading Summer Reading Guide. It was the perfect book to read before our family trip to Paris, and it made the visit to the Louvre more fun (not only does it talk about the theft of the Mona Lisa but also about the painting of it, Leonardo da Vinci, and other famous artists). I had no idea about a lot of this history and it’s fast paced and well done! It’s fun for adults and kids alike!
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
I read this book back when I was a school librarian and have been a fan ever since. We listened to the whole 13+ hour audiobook in the car and my two older girls both LOVED it. As soon as we finished, Ella checked out the rest of the series and listened to them in a week (oh, to have that much listening time. . . ). The book begins with a strange ad in the newspaper asking super smart children to apply and when four children pass the test put before them. Now their job is to go on a secret mission at a mysterious school called the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, and puzzles, tests, and riddles will be everywhere they turn.
Bomb by Steve Sheinkin
This book about the development of the atomic bomb during WWII was so good that I read it by flashlight when the power went out. I read it again when we did it for Everyday Reading Book Club and it was just as good the second time. When I ask for nonfiction books for kids suggestions, this is always the MOST recommended title, but it’s equally amazing for adults. (Full review here)
The View from Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg
This is the first book I remember reading as a kid and being like “ohhhhhh, this is an incredibly well-written book.” I re-read it to the girls a few years ago and loved it just as much as I did as a child. The story of an unusual quiz bowl team and how they all ended up together is just an absolute delight. In fact, just writing about it here makes me want to re-read it!
The Rover’s Story by Jasmine Warga
Resilience is a rover built to explore and discover Mars. As he’s being developed by NASA scientists, the unexpected happens. – he starts developing human emotions. This one sounds like a great one to pick up if you’ve enjoyed The Wild Robot!
Restart by Gordon Korman
After Chase falls off the roof, he comes back to middle school not remembering anything about himself. He has to learn who he was through the reactions of the other kids, but he is not sure he likes the Chase that is being revealed. Will he be able to restart his life and introduce a new Chase? (His other books Ungifted and Supergifted came highly recommended as well!).
A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck
I love this book, and the sequel, A Year Down Yonder, about a brother and sister that go to spend the summer and then a full year with their unusual grandmother in the country. (Full review here)
Mexikid by Pedro Martin
This graphic memoir about a family road trip (in an RV) from California to Mexico was so well done. The author and his family are headed to Mexico to bring his grandfather back to live with them in the US and does a great job exploring the dynamics between siblings, family generations, and family history. I loved it so much – it made my top 10 books of the year in 2023!
And if you’d like a printable copy of this 6th grade reading list that you can take to your library or screenshot on your phone for easy access, just pop in your email address below and it’ll come right to your inbox!
