Fifth Grade Summer Reading

Summer reading is a great way to get your child interested in books, on his or her own terms. For the best books for fifth grade summer reading, we turned to the nation’s finest independent bookstores to get their favorites, from classics to new releases, swashbuckling adventures to the just plain fun, silly or sweet. Here are their recommendations for a summertime full of fantastic books:

The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler by E. L. Konigsburg

Banished from camp, Margaret is free to spend the summer with her eccentric Hungarian great-uncles in their unique house, complete with three unconventional clock towers. To them, the towers are a symbol of beauty, but not everyone feels that same way. Can Margaret pull off her plan to save the towers? Recommended by Tattered Cover Book Store, Denver, CO. Where to buy.

The Time Travelers (Book 1 of the Gideon Trilogy) by Linda Buckley-Archer

When two 21st century kids fall through the sky into 18th century London, and the mysterious Tar Man takes off with their time travel device, they must ally with a thief to stave off disaster. Recommended by Powell’s Books, Portland, OR. Where to buy.

The Secret Book Club (Main Street Series) by Ann M. Martin

Flora and Ruby’s second summer living with their grandmother in Camden Falls brings anonymous gifts of books to them as well as their friend Olivia and Nikki. Recommended by Prairie Lights Books, Iowa City, IA. Where to buy.

A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban

I can't imagine the year without this delightful and wholesome story of little girl who fantasizes about being a child prodigy pianist. What ensues is a story you're not likely to forget and a book you'll want to share with every dreamer you know. Recommended by 57th Street Books, Chicago, IL. Where to buy.

Rinkitink in Oz by L. Frank Baum

Prince Inga, King Rinkitink, and Bilbil the talking goat travel underground where they must overcome the cruel Nome King, save the captives, and of course, travel to Oz. Recommended by Linden Tree Children’s Recordings and Books, Los Altos, CA. Where to buy.

The House of Power (Atherton) by Patrick Carman

In a unique world this science fiction adventure tells of a young boy who has to overcome adversity to save his people, both friend and foe, from destruction. Recommended by Kepler’s Bookstore, Menlo Park, CA. Where to buy.

Want to see more from Education.com’s book list? Here’s a collection of our favorite books for fifth grade:

 King Matt the First by Janusz Korczak (Algonquin Books, 2004)

A boy king attempts to run a country of children. Whether Matt is attempting a new reform involving the distribution of chocolate to all of his citizens, running to do battle on a war-torn front under a false name while a lifelike doll reigns in his stead, arranging for his population to attend summer camp or on a diplomatic mission to the land of the cannibals, every chapter ends with a cliffhanger. In my opinion, one of the best children’s books of all time.