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.
- Suggested Books for Pre-K
- Suggested Books for Kindergarten
- Suggested Books for First Grade
- Suggested Books for Second Grade
- Suggested Books for Third Grade
- Suggested Books for Fourth Grade
- Suggested Books for Fifth Grade
- Suggested Books for Sixth Grade
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.
- Américas Book Award
- Caldecott Medal
- Capitol Choices: Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens
- Coretta Scott King Award
- Newbery Medal
- Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal
- Theodor Seuss Geisel Award
Suggested Books for Pre-K
- Let’s Play soccer! by Adamson, Heather
- Bear Shadow by Asch, Frank
- An Egg Is Quiet by Aston, Diana Hutts
- When Sophie Gets Angry—Really, Really Angry by Bang, Molly
- Building a House by Barton, Byron
- Snip Snap! What’s That? by Bergman, Mara
- The Mitten by Brett, Jan
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Carle, Eric
- Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Christelow, Eileen
- Yummy: Eight Favorite Fairy Tales by Cousins, Eileen
- Llama, Llama Red Pajama by Dewdney, Anna
- Leaf Man by Ehlert, Lois
- Polo’s Book: The Runaway Book by Faller, Régis
- Time to Sleep by Fleming, Denis
- Possum Magic by Fox, Mem
- The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Galdone, Paul
- Chester’s Way by Henkes, Kevin
- Mother Goose Picture Puzzles by Hillenbrand, Will
- Be Boy Buzz by Hooks, Bell
- The Fisherman and His Wife by Isadora, Rachel
- Jack and the Beanstalk by Kellogg, Steven
- The Wheels on the Bus by Kovalski, Maryanne
- Queen of the Scene by Latifah, Queen
- Machines Go to Work by Low, William
- Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Martin, Bill
- Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Martin, Bill
- I’m Bad! by McMullan, Kate
- Bread, Bread, Bread by Morris, Ann
- If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Numeroff, Laura
- Joshua James Likes Trucks by Petrie, Catherine
- The Little Engine That Could by Piper, Watty
- The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Potter, Beatrix
- These Hands by Price, Hope Lynne
- 3-D ABC by Raczka, Bob
- We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Rosen, Michae
- Black? White! Day? Night!: A Book of Opposites by Seeger, Laura
- Chicken Soup with Rice by Sendak, Maurice
- Where the Wild Things Are by Sendak, Maurice
- Caps for Sale by Slobodkina, Esphyr
- Chalk by Thomson, Bill
- Paperwhite by Wallace, Nancy
- Mouse Paint by Walsh, Ellen Stoll
- What a Wonderful World by Weiss, George
- Noisy Nora by Wells, Rosemary
- Knuffle Bunny by Willems, Mo
- King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub by Wood, Audrey
- Pecan Pie Baby by Woodson, Jacqueline
Suggested Books for Kindergarten
- I Love Saturdays y domingos by Ada, Alma Flor
- What Did One Elephant Say to the Other? by Baines, Becky
- Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Barrett, Judi
- Madeline by Bemelmans, Ludwig
- A New Home by Bowers, Tim
- Stellaluna by Cannon, Jannell
- Biscuit’s Day at the Farm by Capucilli, Alyssa S.
- Get Up and Go by Carlson, Nancy
- Redwoods by Chin, Jason
- Bigmama’s by Crews, Donald
- Jamela’s Dress by Daly, Niki
- Firefighters A to Z by Demarest, Chris L.
- Strega Nona by De Paola, Tomie
- On a Road in Africa by Doner, Kim
- Rubia and the Three Osos by Elya, Susan M.
- Can You Find It? America by Falken, Linda
- Olivia Forms a Band by Falconer, Ian
- How to Heal a Broken Wing by Graham, Bob
- Benny and Penny in Just Pretend by Hayes, Geoffrey
- 26 Letters and 99 Cents by Hoban, Tana
- Wind Flyer s by Johnson, Angela
- How a Seed Grow s by Jordan, Helene J.
- The Hello, Goodbye Window by Juster, Norton
- Wolf’s Chicken Stew by Kasza, Keiko
- Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock by Kimmel, Eric A.
- We All Went on Safari by Krebs, Laurie
- Boy, Were We Wrong about Dinosaurs! by Kudlinski, Kathleen
- Shadow by Lee, Suzy
- A Color of His Own by Lionni, Leo
- 123 I Can Sculpt! by Luxbacher, Irene
- Make Way for Ducklings by McCloskey, Robert
- Hewitt Anderson’s Great Big Life by Nolen, Jerdine
- Bee-Bim Bop! by Park, Linda Su
- Max Found Two Sticks by Pinkney, Brian
- The Lion and the Mouse by Pinkney, Jerry
- Thunder Cake by Polacco, Patricia
- Martin’s Big Words by Rappaport, Doreen
- Animals Home Alone by Riphagen, Loes
- Little Panda by Ryder, Joanne
- Mama, I’ll Give You the World by Schoffer, Roni
- Hop on Pop by Seuss, Dr.
- About Reptiles by Sill, Cathryn P.
- What’s under My Bed? by Stevenson, James
- Ballerina Dream by Thompson, Lauren
- Bunny Cakes by Wells, Rosemary
- The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Williams, Linda
- Apple Pie 4th of July by Wong, Janet S.
- Seven Blind Mice by Young, Ed
Suggested Books for First Grade
- Who’s in Rabbit’s House? by Aardema, Verna
- Miss Nelson Is Missing by Allard, Harry
- Hi, Fly Guy by Arnold, Tedd
- Mirror by Baker, Jeannie
- Li’l Dan the Drummer Boy by Bearden, Romare
- Voices in the Park by Browne, Anthony
- Pop! A Book about Bubbles by Bradley, Kimberly
- Dinosaurs in Your Backyard by Brewster, Hugh
- Sid and Sam by Buck, Nola
- Otto’s Orange Day by Cammuso, Frank
- Emily’s Art by Catalanotto, Peter
- Minnie and Moo: Wanted Dead or Alive by Cazet, Denys
- Dave the Potter by Carrick, Laban
- Johnny Appleseed by Demuth, Patricia B.
- The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Gerstein, Mordecai
- Spells by Gravett, Emily
- Traction Man Is Here by Grey, Mini
- Day of Ahmed’s Secret by Heide, Florence P.
- Amazing Grace by Hoffman, Mary
- Tsunami! by Kajikawa, Kimiko
- Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina… by Larson, Kirby
- Harriet and the Promised Land by Lawrence, Jacob
- The Tooth Book by LeSieg, Theo
- John Henry by Lester, Julius
- Ling and Ting: Not Exactly the Same! by Lin, Grace
- Two Feet Up, Two Feet Down by Love, Pamela
- Red Riding Hood by Marshall, James
- Martha Calling by Meddaugh, Susan
- Moses Goes to a Concert by Millman, Isaac
- A Kiss for Little Bear by Minarik, Else H.
- Planting the Trees of Kenya by Nivola, Claire
- A Baby Panda Is Born by Ostby, Kristin
- Junie B., First Grader: Boss of Lunch by Park, Barbara
- Amelia Bedelia by Parish, Peggy
- The Family Book by Parr, Todd
- Duke Ellington by Pinkney, Andrea
- Wiggling Worms at Work by Pfeffer, Wendy
- The New Girl…and Me by Robbins, Jacqui
- Peter and the Wolf by Raschka, Chris
- Dragonfly’s Tale by Rodanas, Kristina
- Mice and Beans by Ryan, Pam Munoz
- Henry and Mudge Get the Cold Shiver by Rylant, Cynthia
- Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella by San Souci, Robert D.
- The Talking Eggs by San Souci, Robert D.
- Madlenka by Sis, Peter
- Too Many Tamales by Soto, Gary
- We Are in a Book! by Willems, Mo
- Show Way by Woodson, Jacqueline
Suggested Books for Second Grade
- A Bear for Miguel by Alphin, Elaine Marie
- Abe Lincoln’s Hat by Brenner, Martha
- Little Beauty by Browne, Anthony
- Just for Elephants by Buckley, Carol
- Hoops by Burleigh, Robert
- The Story of Snow by Cassino, Mark
- George Washington’s Teeth by Chandra, Deborah
- Inspector Hopper by Cushman, Doug
- One Potato, Two Potato by DeFelice, Cynthia
- Bink and Gollie by DiCamillo, Kate
- Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride by Di Camillo, Kate
- In My Family/En mi Familia by Garza, Carmen
- Little Dog and Duncan by George, Christine O.
- Knut: How One Little Polar Bear Captivated the World by Hatkoff, Juliana
- Digby by Hazen, Barbara S.
- Weaving of a Dream by Heyer, Marilee
- Up We Grow! A Year in the Life of a Small Local Farm by Hodge, Deborah
- Houndsley and Catina by Howe, James
- Swamp Angel by Isaacs, Anne
- How Many Ways Can You Catch a Fly? by Jenkins, Steve
- Lucy Rose: Here’s the Thing about Me by Kelly, Katy
- My Senator and Me: A Dog’s Eye View … by Kennedy, Edward
- The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins by Kerley, Barbara
- Harvesting Hope by Krull, Kathleen
- Captain and Matey Set Sail by Laurence, Daniel
- Grant Wood: The Artist in the Hayloft by Leach, Deborah
- Frog and Toad Are Friends by Lobel, Arnold
- Black and White by Macaulay, David
- Knots on a Counting Rope by Martin, Bill
- Capital! Washington DC from A to Z by Melmed, Laura K.
- Magic Pickle and the Planet of the Grapes by Morse, Scott
- Sitti’s Secrets by Nye, Naomi Shihab
- A Is for Africa by Onyefulu, Ifeoma
- Koko’s Kittens by Patterson, Francine
- Chicken Sunday by Polacco, Patricia
- Ruby the Copycat by Rathman, Peggy
- Bad News for Outlaws by Nelson, Vaunda
- Tar Beach by Ringgold, Faith
- Buttons for General Washington by Roop, Peter
- When Marian Sang by Anderson Ryan, Pam Muñoz
- Henry and Mudge in the Green Time by Rylant, Cynthia
- Brave Irene by Steig, William
- Amazing Snakes by Thompson, Sarah L.
- The Stranger by VanAllsburg, Chris
- Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led… by Weatherford, Carole
- The Warrior and the Wise Man by Wisniewski, David
- Basketball Legends by Woods, Mark
- Rapunzel by Zelinsky, Paul O.
Suggested Books for Third Grade
- Lou Gehrig by Adler, David A.
- Young Cam Jansen and the Baseball Mystery by Adler, David A.
- Nic Bishop Frogs by Bishop, Nic
- Night Flight: Amelia Earhart Crosses the Atlantic by Burleigh, Robert
- Ashley Bryan’s ABC of African American Poetry by Bryan, Ashley
- Stories Julian Tells by Cameron, Ann
- Great Migrations by Carney, Elizabeth
- The Dog That Stole Football Plays by Christopher, Matt
- Muggie Maggie by Cleary, Beverly
- Love That Dog by Creech, Sharon
- Fantastic Mr. Fox by Dahl, Roald
- Rafi and Rosi: Carnival! by Delacre, Lulu
- Donavan’s Word Jar by De Gross, Monalisa
- The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Di Camillo, Kate
- Sipping Spiders through a Straw: Campfire Songs for Monsters by DiPucchio, Kelly
- My Father’s Dragon by Gannett, Ruth
- Rosa by Giovanni, Nikki
- A Young Dancer by Gladstone, Valerie
- First Garden: The White House Garden and How It Grew by Gourley, Robbin
- Meet Danitra Brown by Grimes, Nikki
- The Emperor Lays an Egg by Guiberson, Brenda Z.
- Zita the Spacegirl by Hatke, Ben
- Babymouse by Holm, Jennifer
- From Slave to Soldier by Hopkinson, Deborah
- The Top of the World: Climbing Mount Everest by Jenkins, Steve
- Denys Goha the Wise Fool by Johnson-Davies
- Accidents May Happen: Fifty Inventions by Jones, Charlotte
- Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit…by Jordan, Roslyn
- George Did It by Jurmain, Suzanne
- What Bluebirds Do by Kirby, Pamela
- The Librarian Who Measured the Earth by Lasky, Kathryn
- Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid by McDonald, Megan
- The Doll People by Martin, Ann
- The Rough-Face Girl by Martin, Rafe
- Winnie-the-Pooh by Milne, A. A.
- The Village That Vanished by Nelson, Kadir
- Clementine by Pennybacker, Sara
- Dear Benjamin Banneker by Pinkney, Andrea D.
- The Outside Dog by Pomerantz, Charlotte
- And Tango Makes Three by Richardson, Justin
- Lebron James: I Love Challenges! by Sandler, Michael
- Fa Mulan: The Story of a Woman Warrior by San Souci, Robert
- The Night Fairy by Schlitz, Laura Amy
- Stinky Cheese Man by Sieszka, Jon
- John, Paul, George and Ben by Smith, Lane
- The Bravest Dog Ever: The True Story of Balto by Standiford, Natalie
- Justin Case: School, Drool, and Other Daily Disasters by Vail, Rachel
- Lincoln and His Boys by Wells, Rosemary
- The Three Pigs by Wiesner, David
- You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?! by Winter, Jonah
Suggested Books for Fourth Grade
- Grow It Cook It by Bloomfield, Jill, ed.
- The Incredible Journey by Burnford, Sheila
- Celia Cruz, Queen of Salsa by Chambers, Veronica
- Frindle by Clements, Andrew
- Sahara Special by Codell, Esme Raji
- Sadako by Coerr, Eleanor
- James and the Giant Peach by Dahl, Roald
- Amber Brown Goes Fourth by Danizger, Paula
- Helen’s Eyes by Delano, Marfe
- Because of Winn-Dixie by Di Camillo, Kate
- The Whipping Boy by Fleischman, Sid
- The Story of the Washington Wizards by Frisch, Arron
- The Popularity Papers by Goldblatt, Lydia
- The Chimpanzees I Love by Goodall Goodall, Jane
- Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope by Grimes, Nikki
- Misty of Chincoteague by Henry, Marguerite
- Paddle-to-the-Sea by Holling, Holling C.
- Bunnicula by Howe, Deborah
- Birthday Surprises: Ten Great Stories to Unwrap by Hurwitz, Johanna, ed.
- I Have a Dream by King, Martin Luther
- Ben and Me by Lawson, Robert
- Tales of Uncle Remus by Lester, Julius
- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by Lewis, C. S.
- Arithme-tickle by Lewis, J. Patrick
- The Bill Martin Jr.Big Book of Poetry by Martin, Bill Jr., ed.
- Away West by McKissack, Patricia
- A Crazy Mixed-up Spanglish Day by Montes, Marisa
- Starting with Alice by Naylor, Phyllis
- Joe and the Skyscraper by Neumann, Dietrich
- The Borrowers by Norton, Mary
- Zeus: King of the Gods by O’Connor, George
- Big Nate: In a Class by Himself by Pierce, Lincoln
- The Unsinkable Walker Bean by Renier, Aaron
- The Red Pyramid by Riordan, Rick
- Sideway Stories from Wayside School by Sachar, Louis
- Grandfather’s Journey by Say, Allen
- How We Crossed the West by Schanzer, Rosalyn
- Knucklehead by Scieszka, Jon
- Summer Reading Is Killing Me by Scieszka, Jon
- Starry Messenger by Sis, Peter
- So You Want to Be President by St. George, Judith
- Swish: The Quest for Basketball’s Perfect Shot by Stewart, Mark
- Adventures in Cartooning by Sturm, James
- Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-ins by Weatherford, Carole
- Charlotte’s Web by White, E. B.
- Scooter by Williams, Vera
Suggested Books for Fifth Grade
- Gilda Joyce: Psychic Investigator by Allison, Jennifer
- How Tia Lola Came to Stay by Alvarez, Julia
- Whittington by Armstrong, Alan
- Something Upstairs by Avi
- Chasing Vermeer by Balliett, Blue
- Zora and Me by Bond, Victoria
- Through My Eyes by Bridges, Ruby
- A Week in the Woods by Clements, Andrew
- Dear Dr. King: Letters from Today’s Children… by Colbert, Jan, ed.
- Bud, Not Buddy by Curtis, Christopher
- Sees Behind Trees by Dorris, Michael
- Story Painter by Duggleby, John
- Birchbark House by Erdrich, Louise
- Mockingbird by Erskine, Kathryn
- Inkheart by Funke, Cornelia
- Coraline by Gaiman, Neil
- A Strong Right Arm by Johnson Green, Michelle Y.
- Rapunzel’s Revenge by Hale, Shannon
- Bird, Lake, Moon by Henkes, Kevin
- Flush by Hiaasen, Carl
- Into the Wild by Hunter, Erin
- Zany Miscellany by Jackson, Tom
- A Foot in the Mouth by Janeczko, Paul
- Tail of Emily Windsnap by Kessler, Liz
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Kinney, Jeff
- The Brooklyn Bridge by Mann, Elizabeth
- Return of the Dapper Men by McCann, Jim
- Porch Lies: Tales of Slicksters, Tricksters… by McKissack, Patricia
- Junebug by Mead, Alice
- Shiloh by Naylor, Phyllis
- We Are the Ship: … Negro League Baseball by Nelson, Kadir
- Black Elk’s Vision: A Lakota Story by Nelson, S.D.
- 101 Ways You Can Help Save the Planet… by O’Sullivan, Joanne
- Bridge to Terabithia by Paterson, Katherine
- Pink and Say by Polacco, Patricia
- Read a Rhyme, Write a Rhyme by Prelutsky, Jack, ed.
- Frankenstein Takes the Cake by Rex, Adam
- Safe at Home by Robinson, Sharon
- Becoming Naomi Leon by Ryan, Pam Muñoz
- Missing May by Rylant, Cynthia
- Math Curse by Scieszka, Jon
- George vs. George by Schanzer, Rosalyn
- The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Selznick, Brian
- Maniac Magee by Spinelli, Jerry
- Safari Journal by Talbott, Hudson
- Robot Dreams by Varon, Sara
- The Castle in the Attic by Winthrop, Elizabeth
- Millicent Min, Girl Genius by Yee, Lisa
Suggested Books for Sixth Grade
- Little Women by Alcott, Louisa May
- The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Angleberger, Tom
- Sounder by Armstrong, William
- Kids on Strike! by Bartoletti, Susan
- Hope Was Here by Bauer, Joan
- The Shakespeare Stealer by Blackwood, Gary
- Some Friend by Bradby, Marie
- How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous by Bragg, Georgia
- Blood on the River: James Town, 1607 by Carbone, Elisa
- Al Capone Does My Shirts by Choldenko, Gennifer
- Fire Bringer by Clement-Davies, David
- Gregor the Overlander by Collins, Suzanne
- Walk Two Moons by Creech, Sharon
- Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party by Compestine, Ying C.
- Elijah of Buxton by Curtis, Christopher
- Fire from the Rock by Draper, Sharon
- Bull Run by Fleischman, Paul
- The Graveyard Book by Gaiman, Neil
- The Eternal Spring of Mr. Ito by Garrigue, Sheila
- Hip Hop Speaks to Children by Giovanni, Nikki, ed.
- Shug by Han, Jenny Out of the Dust by Hesse, Karen
- Redwall by Jacques, Brian
- The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Kelly, Jacqueline
- The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place by Konigsburg, E.L.
- Kampung Boyby Lat
- Savvy by Law, Ingrid
- Ella Enchanted by Levine, Gail Carson
- In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson by Lord, Betty
- Bao Saffy’s Angel by McKay, Hilary
- Trash by Mulligan, Andy
- Airborn by Oppel, Kenneth
- Our White House
- A Single Shard by Park, Linda Sue
- Alanna by Pierce, Tamora
- The Lightning Thief by Riordan, Rick
- Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows by Rowling, J. K.
- The Little Prince by Sfar, Joann
- The Wall by Sis, Peter
- Witch of Blackbird Pond by Speare, Elizabeth
- When You Reach Me by Stead, Rebecca
- Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman? by Updale, Eleanor
- Gladiator by Watkins, Richard R.
- So B. It by Weeks, Sarah Red Rose Box by Woods, Brenda
- After Tupac and D Foster by Woodson, Jacqueline