Ani Approved: Books for Sixth Graders
If you are looking for some excellent books for 6th graders, pop in your email address and I’ll send the list right to your inbox!
I feel like this is the year that Ani has REALLY caught the reading bug! A few weeks ago, she spent hours on a Saturday in front of the fire reading to herself.
Back when she was in first grade and any reading practice at all was a huge struggle, I couldn’t have imagined that she’d be plowing through hundreds of pages for fun!
Here are five books she’s loved recently:
Ani Approved: Books for Sixth Graders
Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson
320 pages
My in-laws always give my kids a book for their birthday and this was the one they gave Ani when she turned 12 in December. I listened to this one years and years ago but I hardly remember it! She blew through this one really quickly.
What Ani has to say: This book was super fun. From the very beginning it is very action packed. The way Brandon Sanderson narrates it is really funny because he’ll stop the story and talk to you about what is happening and how you are understanding what is happening. I’m planning to pick up the next book in the series!
The View from Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg
176 pages
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!
What Ani has to say: I love books that have multiple points of views and then they start to connect and you see how it is all going to come together. It was nice to have a book that wasn’t quite so crazy action-packed and intense and just a book that’s calm but still interesting and engaging.
Lines of Courage by Jennifer A. Nielsen
416 pages
I first discovered Jennifer Nielson with her False Prince series (which is FANTASTIC) but historical fiction has really become her calling card since then. This is the story of five different children living during WWI and how their lives intertwine.
What Ani has to say: This was another book that has different characters that all come together in the end. It was fun throughout the book to stop and think “oh, this character has met this other character!” I haven’t read or learned that much about WWI so it was super interesting to learn more about it and realize more about what it was like while still being a really engaging story.
Two Degrees by Alan Gratz
384 pages
I’ve only read one Alan Gratz book but he’s quickly become one of Ani’s favorite authors and she’s been blowing through his books for the past year. This one is about three different natural disasters and the kids trying to survive them – if you have a child who loves the I Survived books, don’t miss this one!
What Ani has to say: This book is all about kids experiencing different effects of global warming and it is really interesting to see how various people think about it and how it plays out. This book keeps you on your toes but doesn’t freak you out too much.
Pizza, Pigs, and Poetry: How to Write a Poem by Jack Prelutsky
208 pages
I read this aloud to my elementary schoolers years ago when I worked as a school librarian and it was hugely popular. This year, as part of our poetry study in homeschool, I read it aloud to my girls and it was a delight to revisit it. It does such a great job not only introducing poetry in a fun and funny way, but also helping you understand WHY a poem works and how it is written with lots of encouragement to write your own!
What Ani has to say: This book was super funny listening to all the different stories and how you can use real life experiences as you write your own poetry. Each chapter was really unique which is very fun and you get to hear about his stories and connect them to your own life.
If you’d like a printable copy of this list of 6th grade books so 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!
