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Books for Kids

Suggested Books

The DC Public Library and the D.C. Public Schools have teamed up to suggest books students might enjoy. The lists include a variety of books, suggested by grade level from pre-kindergarten to 6th grade, to satisfy every reading interest.

Award Winners

Find an award-winning book to read by visiting the links below. Please note that the library may not always have every title available. Award lists are updated annually.

Suggested Books for Pre-K

  • Building a House by Byron Barton
  • Snip Snap! What’s That? by Mara Bergman
  • The Mitten by Jan Brett
  • The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
  • Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow
  • Llama, Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney
  • Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert
  • Time to Sleep by Denise Fleming
  • Possum Magic by Mem Fox
  • The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Paul Galdone
  • Chester’s Way by Kevin Henkes
  • Lilly’s Big Day by Kevin Henkes
  • Be Boy Buzz by Bell Hooks
  • Don’t Forget the Bacon by Pat Hutchins
  • The Fisherman and His Wife by Rachel Isadora
  • Whistle for Willie by Ezra Jack Keats
  • Jack and the Beanstalk by Steven Kellogg
  • The Wheels on the Bus by Maryann Kovalski
  • Queen of the Scene by Queen Latifah
  • Wave by Suzy Lee
  • Machines Go to Work by William Low
  • Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin
  • Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin
  • Is This a House for Hermit Crab? by Megan McDonald
  • I’m Bad! by Kate and Jim McMullan
  • Bread, Bread, Bread by Ann Morris
  • If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff
  • Joshua James Likes Trucks by Catherine Petrie
  • The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper
  • The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
  • These Hands by Hope Lynne Price
  • We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen
  • Black? White! Day? Night!: A Book of Opposites by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
  • Chicken Soup with Rice by Maurice Sendak
  • Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
  • Truck Song by Diane Siebert
  • Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
  • A Tree Is Nice by Janice May Udry
  • Paperwhite by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace
  • Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh
  • What a Wonderful World by George David Weiss and Bob Thiele
  • Noisy Nora by Rosemary Wells
  • Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems
  • King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub by Audrey Wood

Suggested Books for Kindergarten

  • I Love Saturdays y Domingos by Alma Flor Ada
  • Moongame by Frank Asch
  • What Did One Elephant Say to the Other? by Becky Baines
  • Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett
  • Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
  • A New Home by Tim Bowers
  • Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
  • Biscuit’s Day at the Farm by Alyssa Satin Capucilli
  • Get Up and Go by Nancy Carlson
  • Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
  • Bigmama’s by Donald Crews
  • For You Are a Kenyan Child by Kelly Cunnane
  • Jamela’s Dress by Niki Daly
  • Firefighters A to Z by Chris L. Demarest
  • Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola
  • Say Hola to Spanish by Susan Middleton Elya
  • Olivia Forms a Band by Ian Falconer
  • How to Heal a Broken Wing by Bob Graham
  • Honey, I Love by Eloise Greenfield
  • Benny and Penny in Just Pretend by Geoffrey Hayes
  • 26 Letters and 99 Cents by Tana Hoban
  • Wind Flyers by Angela Johnson
  • How a Seed Grows by Helene J. Jordan
  • The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster
  • Wolf’s Chicken Stew by Keiko Kasza
  • Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock by Eric A. Kimmel
  • Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen
  • We All Went on Safari by Laurie Krebs
  • Boy, Were We Wrong about Dinosaurs! by Kathleen V. Kudlinski
  • A Color of His Own by Leo Lionni
  • Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
  • Superhero ABC by Bob McLeod
  • Different Just Like Me by Lori Mitchell
  • Hewitt Anderson’s Great Big Life by Jerdine Nolen
  • Bee-Bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park
  • Max Found Two Sticks by Brian Pinkney
  • Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco
  • Martin’s Big Words by Doreen Rappaport
  • Yo! Yes? by Christopher Raschka
  • Little Panda by Joanne Ryder
  • Mama, I’ll Give You the World by Roni Schotter
  • Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss
  • About Reptiles by Cathryn P. Sill
  • Bunny Cakes by Rosemary Wells
  • The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams
  • Apple Pie 4th of July by Janet S. Wong
  • Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young

Suggested Books for First Grade

  • Who’s in Rabbit’s House? by Verna Aardema
  • Miss Nelson Is Missing! by Harry Allard
  • Hi, Fly Guy! by Tedd Arnold
  • Li’l Dan the Drummer Boy by Romare Bearden
  • Voices in the Park by Anthony Browne
  • Pop! A Book about Bubbles by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
  • Dinosaurs in Your Backyard by Hugh Brewster
  • Sid and Sam by Nola Buck
  • Otto’s Orange Day by Frank Cammuso and Jay Lynch
  • Emily’s Art by Peter Catalanotto
  • Minnie and Moo: Wanted Dead or Alive by Denys Cazet
  • The Meanest Thing to Say by Bill Cosby
  • Welcome to Zanzibar Road by Niki Daly
  • Johnny Appleseed by Patricia B. Demuth
  • The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein
  • Traction Man Is Here by Mini Grey
  • Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship by Isabella Hatkoff
  • Day of Ahmed’s Secret by Florence Parry Heide and Judith Heide Gilliland
  • Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman
  • Grandma Elephant’s in Charge by Martin Jenkins
  • Tsunami! by Kimiko Kajikawa
  • Harriet and the Promised Land by Jacob Lawrence
  • The Tooth Book by Theo. LeSieg
  • John Henry by Julius Lester
  • Two Feet Up, Two Feet Down by Pamela Love
  • Red Riding Hood retold by James Marshall
  • Messy Bessey by Patricia and Frederick McKissack
  • Way Up and Over Everything by Alice McGill
  • Martha Calling by Susan Meddaugh
  • Moses Goes to a Concert by Isaac Millman
  • A Kiss for Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik
  • Planting the Trees of Kenya by Claire A. Nivola
  • A Baby Panda Is Born by Kristin Ostby
  • Junie B., First Grader: Boss of Lunch by Barbara Park
  • Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish
  • The Family Book by Todd Parr
  • Duke Ellington by Andrea Pinkney
  • The New Girl…and Me by Jacqui Robbins
  • Peter and the Wolf retold by Chris Raschka
  • Dragonfly’s Tale by Kristina Rodanas
  • Mice and Beans by Pam Muñoz Ryan
  • Henry and Mudge Get the Cold Shivers by Cynthia Rylant
  • Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella by Robert D. San Souci
  • The Talking Eggs by Robert D. San Souci
  • Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto
  • I Will Surprise My Friend! by Mo Willems
  • Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson

Suggested Books for Second Grade

  • The Hidden Stairs and the Magic Carpet by Tony Abbott
  • A Picture Book of Helen Keller by David A. Adler
  • A Bear for Miguel by Elaine Marie Alphin
  • Abe Lincoln’s Hat by Martha Brenner
  • Little Beauty by Anthony Browne
  • Just for Elephants by Carol Buckley
  • Hoops by Robert Burleigh
  • George Washington’s Teeth by Deborah Chandra and Madeleine Comora
  • Inspector Hopper by Doug Cushman
  • One Potato, Two Potato by Cynthia DeFelice
  • Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride by Kate DiCamillo
  • In My Family/En mi Familia by Carmen Lomas Garza
  • Little Dog and Duncan by Kristine O’Connell George
  • Digby by Barbara Shook Hazen
  • Weaving a Dream by Marilee Heyer
  • Houndsley and Catina by James Howe
  • Swamp Angel by Anne Isaacs
  • How Many Ways Can You Catch a Fly? by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page
  • Lucy Rose: Here’s the Thing about Me by Katy Kelly
  • My Senator and Me: A Dog’s Eye View of Washington, D.C. by Edward Kennedy
  • The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins by Barbara Kerley
  • Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez by Kathleen Krull
  • Captain and Matey Set Sail by Daniel Laurence
  • Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel
  • Black and White by David Macaulay
  • Knots on a Counting Rope by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault
  • Mirette on the High Wire by Emily Arnold McCully
  • Tomás Rivera by Jane Medina
  • Capital! Washington, DC from A to Z by Laura Krauss Melmed
  • Magic Pickle and the Planet of the Grapes by Scott Morse
  • Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Greg and Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
  • Sitti’s Secrets by Naomi Shihab Nye
  • A Is for Africa by Ifeoma Onyefulu
  • Koko’s Kitten by Francine Patterson
  • Chicken Sunday by Patricia Polacco
  • Ruby the Copycat by Peggy Rathmann
  • Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold
  • Buttons for General Washington by Peter and Connie Roop
  • When Marian Sang by Pam Muñoz Ryan
  • Henry and Mudge in the Green Time by Cynthia Rylant
  • Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman by Alan Schroeder
  • Brave Irene by William Steig
  • Amazing Snakes by Sarah L. Thomson
  • The Stranger by Chris Van Allsburg
  • Amanda Pig and the Really Hot Day by Jean Van Leeuwen
  • Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford
  • The Warrior and the Wise Man by David Wisniewski
  • Basketball Legends by Mark Woods
  • Rapunzel by Paul O. Zelinsky

Suggested Books for Third Grade

  • Lou Gehrig by David A. Adler
  • Young Cam Jansen and the Baseball Mystery by David A. Adler
  • Teammates by Tiki and Ronde Barber
  • Nic Bishop Frogs by Nic Bishop
  • Ashley Bryan’s ABC of African American Poetry by Ashley Bryan
  • The Stories Julian Tells by Ann Cameron
  • The Dog That Stole Football Plays by Matt Christopher
  • Muggie Maggie by Beverly Cleary
  • When John and Caroline Lived in the White House by Laurie Coulter
  • Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl
  • The Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh
  • Rafi and Rosi: Carnival! by Lulu Delacre
  • Donavan’s Word Jar by Monalisa DeGross
  • The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
  • My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett
  • Rosa by Nikki Giovanni
  • A Young Dancer by Valerie Gladstone
  • The Village That Vanished by Ann Grifalconi
  • Meet Danitra Brown by Nikki Grimes
  • The Emperor Lays an Egg by Brenda Z. Guiberson
  • Babymouse by Jennifer Holm
  • From Slave to Soldier by Deborah Hopkinson
  • The Top of the World: Climbing Mount Everest by Steve Jenkins
  • A Sweet Smell of Roses by Angela Johnson
  • Goha the Wise Fool by Denys Johnson-Davies
  • Accidents May Happen: Fifty Inventions Discovered by Mistake by Charlotte Jones
  • Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream by Roslyn Jordan
  • George Did It by Suzanne Tripp Jurmain
  • What Bluebirds Do by Pamela F. Kirby
  • The Librarian Who Measured the Earth by Kathryn Lasky
  • Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid by Megan McDonald
  • The Doll People by Ann M. Martin and Laura Godwin
  • The Rough-Face Girl by Rafe Martin
  • Soccer Sam by Jean Marzollo
  • Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne
  • Clementine by Sara Pennybacker
  • Dear Benjamin Banneker by Andrea Davis Pinkney
  • The Outside Dog by Charlotte Pomerantz
  • And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson
  • Lebron James: I Love Challenges! by Michael Sandler
  • Fa Mulan: The Story of a Woman Warrior by Robert San Souci
  • The Stinky Cheese Man by Jon Sieszka
  • John, Paul, George and Ben by Lane Smith
  • The Bravest Dog Ever: The True Story of Balto by Natalie Standiford
  • The Patchwork Path by Bettye Stroud
  • Lincoln and His Boys by Rosemary Wells
  • The Three Pigs by David Wiesner
  • You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?! by Jonah Winter

Suggested Books for Fourth Grade

  • The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford
  • Celia Cruz, Queen of Salsa by Veronica Chambers
  • Frindle by Andrew Clements
  • Sahara Special by Esme Raji Codell
  • Sadako by Eleanor Coerr
  • James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
  • Space Station Rat by Michael J. Daley
  • Amber Brown Goes Fourth by Paula Danizger
  • Helen’s Eyes by Marfe Ferguson Delano
  • Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
  • The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman
  • The Story of the Washington Wizards by Aaron Frisch
  • The Chimpanzees I Love by Jane Goodall
  • Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope by Nikki Grimes
  • Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry
  • Paddle-to-the-Sea by Holling Clancy Holling
  • Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery by Deborah Howe
  • Birthday Surprises: Ten Great Stories to Unwrap edited by Johanna Hurwitz
  • I Have a Dream by Martin Luther King Jr.
  • Pigs Might Fly by Dick King-Smith
  • Ben and Me by Robert Lawson
  • Grant Wood: The Artist in the Hayloft by Deborah J. Leach
  • The Tales of Uncle Remus by Julius Lester
  • The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
  • Arithme-tickle by J. Patrick Lewis
  • The Bill Martin Jr. Book of Poetry edited by Bill Martin
  • Away West by Patricia C. McKissack
  • A Crazy Mixed-up Spanglish Day by Marisa Montes
  • Starting with Alice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
  • Joe and the Skyscraper by Dietrich Neumann
  • The Borrowers by Mary Norton
  • Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr
  • Sideway Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar
  • Grandfather’s Journey by Allen Say
  • How We Crossed the West by Rosalyn Schanzer
  • Knucklehead by Jon Scieszka
  • Summer Reading Is Killing Me! by Jon Scieszka
  • Abiyoyo by Pete Seeger
  • Starry Messenger: Galileo Galilei by Peter Sis
  • So You Want to Be President? by Judith St. George
  • Swish: The Quest for Basketball’s Perfect Shot by Mark Stewart
  • Go Fish by Mary Stolz
  • Adventures in Cartooning by James Sturm
  • Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-ins by Carole Boston Weatherford
  • Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White
  • Scooter by Vera B. Williams
  • The Tale of Pale Male by Jeanette Winter

Suggested Books for Fifth Grade

  • Gilda Joyce: Psychic Investigator by Jennifer Allison
  • How Tia Lola Came to Stay by Julia Alvarez
  • Whittington by Alan Armstrong
  • Something Upstairs by Avi
  • Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett
  • The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
  • The Crow-girl: The Children of Crow Cove by Bodil Bredsdorff
  • Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges
  • A Week in the Woods by Andrew Clements
  • Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
  • Sees Behind Trees by Michael Dorris
  • Story Painter by John Duggleby
  • The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich
  • Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
  • Coraline by Neil Gaiman
  • A Strong Right Arm by Michelle Y. Green
  • Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon Hale
  • M. C. Higgins, the Great by Virginia Hamilton
  • Bird Lake Moon by Kevin Henkes
  • Flush by Carl Hiaasen
  • Into the Wild by Erin Hunter
  • Zany Miscellany by Tom Jackson
  • A Foot in the Mouth: Poems to Speak, Sing and Shout selected by Paul B. Janeczko
  • The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler
  • Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
  • Lost Star: The Story of Amelia Earhart by Patricia G. Lauber
  • Porch Lies: Tales of Slicksters, Tricksters and Other Wily Characters by Patricia McKissack
  • Junebug by Alice Mead
  • Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
  • We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson
  • Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell
  • 101 Ways You Can Help Save the Planet Before You’re 12! by Joanne O’Sullivan
  • Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
  • Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco
  • Read a Rhyme, Write a Rhyme edited by Jack Prelutsky
  • Frankenstein Takes the Cake by Adam Rex
  • Safe at Home by Sharon Robinson
  • Becoming Naomi Leon by Pam Muñoz Ryan
  • Missing May by Cynthia Rylant
  • Math Curse by Jon Scieszka
  • George vs. George by Rosalyn Schanzer
  • The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
  • Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
  • Safari Journal by Hudson Talbott
  • Song of the Trees by Mildred D. Taylor
  • Robot Dreams by Sara Varon
  • The Castle in the Attic by Elizabeth Winthrop
  • Millicent Min, Girl Genius by Lisa Yee

Suggested Books for Sixth Grade

  • Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
  • Sounder by William H. Armstrong
  • Kids on Strike! by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
  • Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer
  • The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary Blackwood
  • Some Friend by Marie Bradby
  • Blood on the River: James Town, 1607 by Elisa Carbone
  • Samir and Yonatan by Daniella Carmi
  • Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko
  • Fire Bringer by David Clement-Davies
  • Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins
  • Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
  • Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party by Ying Chang Compestine
  • Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis
  • Fire From the Rock by Sharon M. Draper
  • Bull Run by Paul Fleischman
  • The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
  • The Eternal Spring of Mr. Ito by Sheila Garrigue
  • Hip Hop Speaks to Children edited by Nikki Giovanni
  • Zeely by Virginia Hamilton
  • Shug by Jenny Han
  • Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
  • Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
  • Redwall by Brian Jacques
  • The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place by E.L. Konigsburg
  • Kampung Boy by Lat
  • Savvy by Ingrid Law
  • Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
  • In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson by Bette Bao Lord
  • Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
  • Hidden Talents by David Lubar
  • Saffy’s Angel by Hilary McKay
  • Three Cups of Tea (Young Readers’ Edition) by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
  • Airborn by Kenneth Oppel
  • Our White House: Looking in, Looking Out
  • A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park
  • Alanna by Tamora Pierce
  • Night Boat to Freedom by Margot Theis Raven
  • The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
  • Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
  • The Wall by Peter Sis
  • Baseball in April and Other Stories by Gary Soto
  • The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
  • The Nine-Ton Cat: Behind the Scenes at an Art Museum by Peggy Thomson
  • Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman? by Eleanor Updale
  • Gladiator by Richard Watkins
  • So B. It by Sarah Weeks
  • Red Rose Box by Brenda Woods
  • After Tupac & D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson

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