Mrs. Upton's Book List
Below are suggestions for reading. These books are by no means required. The goal is to read—whatever you have available to you is good enough.
–Mrs. Upton, Tower School Librarian
For a printable copy, download the pdf, below.
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Pre-K to Grade 2
Camp Tiger by Susan Choi, Illus. by John Rocco
When Aidan Became a Brother by Kyle Lukoff, Illus. by Kaylani Juanita
Saturday by Oge Mora, (Author, Illustrator)
Giraffe Problems by Jory John, Illus. by Lane Smith
All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold, Illus. by Suzanne Kaufman
The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld
The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family
by Ibtihaj Muhammad with S.K. Ali, illus. by Hatem Aly
My Papi Has a Motorcycle
by Isabel Quintero, illus. by Zeke Peña
Another
by Christian Robinson, (Author, Illustrator)
The Little Guys
by Vera Brosgol, (Author, Illustrator)
A Stone Sat Still
by Brendan Wenzel, (Author, Illustrator)
Hey, Water!
by Antoinette Portis, illus. by Antoinette Portis
The Pigeon HAS to Go to School!
by Mo Willems, (Author, Illustrator)
Who is the Mystery Reader?
by Mo Willems, (Author, Illustrator)
Jabari Jumps
Cornwall, Gaia
Fox the Tiger
By Corey R.Tabor
Dragon Masters (series)
By Tracey West
We Are in a Book! (An Elephant and Piggie Book)
by Mo Willems (Author, Illustrator)
Duck! Rabbit!
by Amy Krouse Rosenthal & Tom Lichtenheld
I Can Only Draw Worms
by Will Mabbitt
The Princess in Black (series)
By Shannon & Dean Hale, LeUyen Pham (illus.)
Magic Treehouse (series)
By Mary Pope Osborne
Ricky Ricotta’s Might Robot (series)
By Dav Pilkey & Dan Santat
Ivy & Bean (series)
By Annie Barrows & Sophie Blackall
Zoey and Sassafras (series)
By Asia Citro
Mercy Watson (series)
By Kate DiCamillo, Chris Van Dusen (ill)
The Bad Guys (series)
By Aaron Blabey
Grade 3
Wishtree by Katherine Applegate
Ranger in Time (series)
By Kate Messner
Frank Einstein (series)
By Jon Scieszka
I survived (series)
By Lauren Tarshis
The Chicken Squad (series)
By Doreen Cronin
The Last Firehawk (series)
By Katrina Charman
Unicorn Rescue Society
By Adam Gidwitz
Be You!
By Peter Reynolds
Honeybee: The busy life of Apis Mellifera
By Candace Fleming and Eric Rohmann
Eerie Elementary (series)
By Jack Chabert
The 13-Story Treehouse (series)
By Andy Griffiths
Wayside School (series)
By Louis Sachar
Bad Kitty (series)
By Nick Bruel
Lunch Lady (series)
By Jarrett Krosoczka
The Terrible Two (series) by Jory John & Mac Barnett
Kid Spy (series)
By Mac Barnett
My Weird School (series)
By Dan Gutman
Judy Moody (series)
By Megan McDonald
Stink (series)
By Megan McDonald
Alvin Ho (series)
By Lenore Look
The Miniature World (series)
By Elise Broach
Toys Go Out (series)
By Emily Jenkins
The Doll People (series)
By Ann M. Martin
The Fantastic Mr Fox
By Roald Dahl
Flora & Ulysses
By Kate DiCamillo
The Tales from Deckawoo Drive (series)
By Kate DiCamilo
Sisters
by Raina Telgemeir
A Boy Called Bat
By Ellen Arnold
The Important Thing About Margaret Wise Brown
By Mac Barnett
The Wild Robot
By Peter Brown
Grade 4
Front Desk, By Kelly Yang
Solving for M, By Jennifer Swender
The Land of Stories, By Chris Colfer
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library, By Chris Grabenstein
Amulet (series), By Kazu Kibuishi
The Lightning Thief, By Rick Riordan
Restart, By Gordon Korman
Fortunately, The Milk, By Neil Gaiman
Space Case, By Stuart Gibbs
The Last Last Day of Summer, By Lamar Giles
A Wolf Called Wander, By Rosanne Parry
The Lemonade War, By Jacqueline Davis
Bunnicula, By Deborah and James Howe
Raymie Nightingale, by Kate DiCamillo
A Tale Dark & Grimm, By Adam Gidwitz
Guts, By Raina Telgemeier
The Lost Girl, By Anne Ursu
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky,
By Kwame Mbalia
Fish in a Tree
By Lynda Mullaly Hunt
The One and Only Ivan
By Katherine Applegate
The Crossover
By Kwame Alexander
Swindle
By Gordon Korman
Harry Potter
By J.K. Rowling
Save Me a Seat
By Sarah Weeks & Gita Varadarajan
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
By Kate DiCamillo
11 Birthdays
By Wendy Mass
Hoot
By Carl Hiassen
Because of Winn-Dixie
By Kate DiCamillo
The One and Only Bob
By Katherine Applegate
The Wild Robot
By Peter Brown
Stanley Will Probably Be Fine
By Sally J. Pla
The List of Things That Will Not Change
By Rebecca Stead
Rocket to the Moon! Big Ideas that Changed the World
By Don Brown
Grade 5
Merci Suarez Changes Gears
By Med Medina
Pay Attention Carter Jones
By Gary Schmidt
The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise
By Dan Gemeinhart
Songs for a Whale
By Lynne Kelly
Front Desk
By Kelly Yang
Other Words for Home
By Jasmine Warga
To Night Owl from Dogfish
By Holly Sloan & Meg Wolitzer
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky
By Kwame Mbalia
Guts
By Raina Telgemeier
Lalani of the Distant Sea
By Erin Entrada Kelly
The Lost Girl
By Anne Ursu
The War the Saved my Life
By Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Solving for M
By Jennifer Swender
The Lightning Thief
By Rick Riordan
The One and Only Bob
By Katherine Applegate
The Season of Styx Malone
By Kekia Magoon
Raymie Nightingale (series)
By Kate DiCamillo
Fish in a Tree
By Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Knights vs. DInosaurs
By Matt Phelan
The Book of Boy
By Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Rain Reign
By Ann M. Martin
Mañanaland
By Pam Muñoz Ryan
Sweeping Up The Heart
By Kevin Henkes
Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster
By Jonathan Auxier
Grade 6
The Bridge Home
By Padma Venkatraman
Look Both Ways
By Jason Reynold
New Kid
By Jerry Craft
Pay Attention Carter Jones
By Gary Schmidt
The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise
By Dan Gemeinhart
Songs for a Whale
By Lynne Kelly
The Night Diary
By Veera Hiranandani
Keeper of the Lost Cities
By Shannon Messenger
The Girl Who Drank the Moon
By Kelly Barnhill
Scar Island
By Dan Gemeinhart
Storm Breaker (Alex Rider series)
By Anthony Horowitz
The Inquisitor’s Tale
By Adam Gidwitz
Allies
By Alan Gratz
Ghost (Track series)
By Jason Reynold
Out of my Mind
By Sharon Draper
The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
The Tapper Twins Go to War (with each other)
By Geoff Rodkey
Middle School, the WORST Years of My Life
By James Patterson
Be Prepared
By Vera Brosgol
Guts
By Raina Telegemeir
Nimona
By Noelle Stevenson
The Lumberjanes (series)
By Noelle Stevenson
Holes
By Louis Sachar
When you Reach Me
By Rebecca Stead
Counting by 7’s
By Holly Goldberg Sloan
The LIghtning Thief (Percy Jackson series)
By Rick Riordan
The Red Pyramid (series)
By Rick Riordan
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky
By Kwame Mbalia
Refugee
By Alan Gratz
Bridge to Terebithia
By Katherine Patterson
The Giver (series)
By Lois Lowry
A Long Walk to Water
By Linda Sue Park
The Hunger Games
By Suzanne Collins
March (series)
By John Lewis
Grade 7
The Bridge Home
By Padma Venkatraman
The Book Thief
By Markus Zusak
New Kid
By Jerry Craft
Amal Unbound
Aisha Saeed
They Called Us Enemy
By George Takei
Wolf Hollow
By Lauren Wolk
Echo
Pam Munoz Ryan
Star Girl
Jerry Spinelli
Ranger’s Apprentice
By John Flanagan
Loot: How to Steal a Fortune
By Jude Watson
Harbor Me
By Jaqueline Woodson
The Inquisitor’s Tale
By Adam Gidwitz
Allies
By Alan Gratz
Ghost (Track series)
By Jason Reynold
The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise
By Dan Gemeinhart
The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
The Line Tender
By Kate Allen
White Bird: A Wonder Story
By R.J. Palacio
Be Prepared
By Vera Brosgol
Guts
By Raina Telegemeir
Nimona
By Noelle Stevenson
The Olympians, series
by George O’Connor
Almost American Girl
By Robin Ha
The Lumberjanes (series)
By Noelle Stevenson
Holes
By Louis Sachar
When you Reach Me
By Rebecca Stead
Counting by 7’s
By Holly Goldberg Sloan
The LIghtning Thief (Percy Jackson series)
By Rick Riordan
The Red Pyramid (series)
By Rick Riordan
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky
By Kwame Mbalia
Refugee
By Alan Gratz
Bridge to Terebithia
By Katherine Patterson
The Giver (series)
By Lois Lowry
A Long Walk to Water
By Linda Sue Park
The Hunger Games
By Suzanne Collins
March (series)
By John Lewis
Grade 8
It’s Trevor Noah: Born a Crime
By Trevor Noah
Speak
By Laurie Halse Andersen
We are Displaced
By Malala Yousafazai
Children of Blood and Bone
Aisha Saeed
They Called Us Enemy
By George Takei
PET
By Akwaeke Emezi
Echo
By Pam Munoz Ryan
Ready Player One
By Ernest Cline
Scythe (The Arc of Scythe)
By Neal Shusterman
One of Us is Lying (series)
By Karen McManus
Harbor Me
By Jaqueline Woodson
Renegades
By Marissa Meyer
Long Way Down
By Jason Reynolds
Turtles All The Way Down
By John Green
The Hate U Give
By Angie Thomas
The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
The Line Tender
By Kate Allen
White Bird: A Wonder Story
By R.J. Palacio
A Night Divided
By Jennifer Nielsen
The Book Thief
By Markus Zusak
Between Shades of Gray
By Ruta Sepetys
Nimona
By Noelle Stevenson
Almost American Girl
By Robin Ha
The Olympians, series
by George O’Connor
New Kid
By Jerry Craft
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
By Jenny Han
Warcross
By Marie Lu
Divergent (series)
By Veronica Roth
The LIghtning Thief (Percy Jackson series)
By Rick Riordan
The Red Pyramid (series)
By Rick Riordan
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky
By Kwame Mbalia
Refugee
By Alan Gratz
Bridge to Terebithia
By Katherine Patterson
The Giver (series)
By Lois Lowry
A Long Walk to Water
By Linda Sue Park
The Hunger Games
By Suzanne Collins
March (series)
By John Lewis