A Sixth Grade Reading List

Read any good books lately? Use this list to make sure your child can answer with an enthusiastic, “Yes!” rather than the more commonly encountered blank stare and shrug.

What You Need to Know: 

For students reading at an advanced level, the following are recommended books that target a 6th grade interest level, but are written at a reading level higher:

• A Gathering of Days, by Joan W. Blos

An 1830s New England farm girl keeps a journal of the year she turned 14 – the year her father remarried, the year she helped a runaway slave, and the year her best friend died.

• The Incredible Journey, by Sheila Burnford

An elderly bull terrier, Labrador retriever, and Siamese cat embark upon a long journey home, fighting off wild animals, hunger, illness, and wilderness along the way.

• The Boggart, by Susan Cooper

After visiting a Scottish castle her parents inherited, 12-year-old Emily observes strange  happenings, including disappearing food and objects that move on their own. Turns out, she's   returned home with a boggart – a spirit that enjoys playing tricks.

• The View from Saturday, by E.L. Konigsburg

Mrs. Glinski returns to 6th grade teaching after a car accident leaves her paralyzed. Dedicated  members of her Academic Bowl team make her whole again as she observes their personal  growth.

• The Giver, by Lois Lowry

In a world devoid of war or suffering – but also absent of individual choice – Jason waits for his  12th birthday, when he is finally told what his life's work shall be: a giver, who holds on to the  community's memories. After experiencing both joy and sorrow, he aims to escape to a fuller  life.

• Call it Courage, by Armstrong Sperry

After nearly drowning and losing his mother, Maftu develops a fear of the sea, which causes  teasing by other boys on his island, and disappointment in his father. When he sets out to  conquer his fear, he winds up on a desert island, where he kills a shark, giant octopus, wild  boar, and escapes cannibals, among other adventures.

• Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, by Kate Douglas Wiggin

Rebecca moves to Sunnybrook farm to live with two elderly aunts after her father passes away. One is very kindly, and the other is difficult and sharp-tongued; but Rebecca uses her imagination to adjust to her new life.

How You Can Help:

Make reading a family affair by starting a parent-child book club, a great opportunity for both bonding and instilling invaluable critical reading, thinking and communication skills using these books as a basis for discussion. Take turns choosing a book of the month, and schedule a special breakfast each weekend to discuss plot points, favorite moments, and what might happen next.

For more on this topic, please see the full article:

http://www.education.com/reference/article/sixth-grade-books-challenging-reading/