5th Grade

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis
Edmund and Lucy return to Narnia aboard a magnificent sailing ship bound for the edge of the world. One of the most magical and imaginative entries in the Chronicles of Narnia.

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
A boy in the Ozarks saves up for two hunting dogs and forms an unbreakable bond with them. One of the most beloved — and heartbreaking — stories ever written for young readers.

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
A lonely, disagreeable girl discovers a hidden garden and finds that tending it changes everything. A timeless story about healing, hope, and the power of nature.

Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt
A young boy watches his family torn apart by the Civil War as brothers fight on opposite sides. Beautifully written and deeply moving.

The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
A boy raised by wolves in the Indian jungle faces adventure, danger, and the question of where he truly belongs. The original is richer and more complex than any adaptation.

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
A bored boy drives through a magical tollbooth into a world where words and numbers are at war. Endlessly clever, genuinely funny, and loved by every curious child who reads it.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Meg Murry travels through time and space to rescue her father from a dark force threatening the universe. A landmark of children's literature.

The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis
The origin story of Narnia — how a magic wardrobe came to be and how the lion Aslan sang a world into existence. Essential for any Narnia reader.

My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
A boy runs away from his New York City home to live alone in the Catskill Mountains, surviving entirely off the land. A remarkable survival story and a quiet celebration of self-reliance.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
The four March sisters navigate poverty, love, loss, and growing up during the Civil War. A cornerstone of American literature and a book that has shaped generations of readers.

Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
Alice steps through a mirror into a topsy-turvy world of chess pieces and impossible logic. A worthy sequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

Tales from the Odyssey by Mary Pope Osborne
Homer's epic retold for young readers — Odysseus battles monsters, escapes gods, and fights his way home across a dangerous sea. The perfect introduction to the greatest adventure story ever told.

Tales from Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb
Shakespeare's greatest plays retold in language young readers can actually enjoy. The perfect introduction to the greatest writer in the English language.