Books for Advanced Young Readers
I think one of the hardest readers to find books for are the kids who are still quite young, but are also just really strong readers. While they can easily read middle grade and YA text, they are just not there in terms of appropriate content. So, what do you do? Often, you come to the library and ask for some help. It’s not an easy question for even library staff because it can be very dependent on each individual child and also what each family deems to be appropriate.
And while there is very much an argument for encouraging kids to keep reading the books that are geared toward their age group, I know that some families are looking for that appropriate challenge. So that’s what I have here – books that are marketed often as middle grade novels, but would still be content-appropriate for younger readers in first or second grade.
Suggestions
As I said, each child and family is unique, so please take these suggestions with a grain of salt. You can also suggest the dive into some nonfiction on a subject matter they’re interested in as nonfiction text is often written at a slightly higher level. You can also check out the Reading Beyond book lists curated by the Children’s Book Council. Unfortunately, they are no longer creating these lists, but the backlist titles are still great options.
While some of these are more recently published, you’ll also find a few more “classic” titles on this list as classic titles are sometimes written with a higher level of vocabulary, but still content-wise work really well for a younger reader. A number of these titles have also been turned into movies which would make a great tie-in for young readers. Read the book first, then watch the movie together.
Don’t Forget
And finally, if you’re young reader is reading at whatever level is right for them, this is also a great book list of read aloud stories. Just because your young reader can read on their own, doesn’t mean that reading aloud should fall by the wayside. Reading aloud is a great option to introduce young readers to longer text, more complex storylines, and new and interesting characters. Regardless of how you use this list, I hope you find something that piques your interest!
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Books for Advanced Young Readers
A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold
For Bixby Alexander Tam (nicknamed Bat), life tends to be full of surprises—some of them good, some not so good. Today, though, is a good-surprise day. Bat’s mom, a veterinarian, has brought home a baby skunk, which she needs to take care of until she can hand him over to a wild-animal shelter.
But the minute Bat meets the kit, he knows they belong together. And he’s got one month to show his mom that a baby skunk might just make a pretty terrific pet.
The Candymakers by Wendy Mass
Four children have been chosen to compete in a national competition to find the tastiest confection in the country. Who will invent a candy more delicious than the Oozing Crunchorama or the Neon Lightning Chew? Logan, the Candymaker’s son, who can detect the color of chocolate by touch alone?Miles, the boy who is allergic to merry-go-rounds and the color pink? Daisy, the cheerful girl who can lift a fifty-pound lump of taffy like it’s a feather? Or Philip, the suit-and-tie wearing boy who’s always scribbling in a secret notebook?This sweet, charming, and cleverly crafted story, told from each contestant’s perspective, is filled with mystery, friendship, and juicy revelations.
Creaky Acres by Calista Brill and Nilah Magruder
Nora is a prize-winning horseback rider in a suburban area, with a tight-knit circle of best friends. But when her mom gets a prestigious new job in a poor, rural area, she has to adjust to a lot of change: to being the only Black kid in a new class and to a new barn called Creaky Acres, where her beloved horse, Hay Fever, will make his new home.
It’s there she meets sweet and geeky Laura, goofy and fun-loving Wilson, and fearless Dolores (aka Dizzy). With her ragtag team of equestrians, Nora learns it’s okay to stand out and steps into her power as a leader, realizing that being a rider isn’t just about winning—or maybe that winning just might look different than what she’d thought.
Frindle by Andrew Clements
Is Nick Allen a troublemaker? He really just likes to liven things up at school—and he’s always had plenty of great ideas. When Nick learns some interesting information about how words are created, suddenly he’s got the inspiration for his best plan ever…the frindle. Who says a pen has to be called a pen? Why not call it a frindle?
Things begin innocently enough as Nick gets his friends to use the new word. Then other people in town start saying “frindle.” Soon the school is in an uproar, and Nick has become a local hero. His teacher wants Nick to put an end to all this nonsense, but the funny thing is “frindle” doesn’t belong to Nick anymore. The new word is spreading across the country, and there’s nothing Nick can do to stop it.
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
Orphan, clock keeper, and thief, Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. But when his world suddenly interlocks–like the gears of the clocks he keeps–with an eccentric, bookish girl and a bitter old man who runs a toy booth in the station, Hugo’s undercover life and his most precious secret are put in jeopardy. A cryptic drawing, a treasured notebook, a stolen key, a mechanical man, and a hidden message from Hugo’s dead father form the backbone of this intricate, tender, and spellbinding mystery.
Matilda by Roald Dahl
Matilda is a sweet, exceptional young girl, but her parents think she’s just a nuisance. She expects school to be different but there she has to face Miss Trunchbull, a kid-hating terror of a headmistress. When Matilda is attacked by the Trunchbull she suddenly discovers she has a remarkable power with which to fight back. It’ll take a superhuman genius to give Miss Trunchbull what she deserves and Matilda may be just the one to do it!
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
This summer the Penderwick sisters have a wonderful surprise: a holiday on the grounds of a beautiful estate called Arundel. Soon they are busy discovering the summertime magic of Arundel’s sprawling gardens, treasure-filled attic, tame rabbits, and the cook who makes the best gingerbread in Massachusetts. But the best discovery of all is Jeffrey Tifton, son of Arundel’s owner, who quickly proves to be the perfect companion for their adventures.
The icy-hearted Mrs. Tifton is not as pleased with the Penderwicks as Jeffrey is, though, and warns the new friends to stay out of trouble. Which, of course, they will—won’t they? One thing’s for sure: it will be a summer the Penderwicks will never forget.
Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff
In a magic kingdom where your name is your destiny, 12-year-old Rump is the butt of everyone’s joke. But when he finds an old spinning wheel, his luck seems to change. Rump discovers he has a gift for spinning straw into gold. His best friend, Red Riding Hood, warns him that magic is dangerous, and she’s right. With each thread he spins, he weaves himself deeper into a curse.
To break the spell, Rump must go on a perilous quest, fighting off pixies, trolls, poison apples, and a wickedly foolish queen. The odds are against him, but with courage and friendship—and a cheeky sense of humor—he just might triumph in the end.
Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan
Joe and Ravi might be from very different places, but they’re both stuck in the same place: SCHOOL.
Joe’s lived in the same town all his life, and he was doing just fine until his best friends moved away and left him on his own.
Ravi’s family just moved to America from India, and he’s finding it pretty hard to figure out where he fits in.
Joe and Ravi don’t think they have anything in common — but soon enough they have a common enemy (the biggest bully in their class) and a common mission: to take control of their lives over the course of a single crazy week.
The Secret Zoo by Bryan Chick
Noah, his sister Megan, and their best friends, Richie and Ella, live next door to the zoo. Megan is the first to notice the puzzling behavior of some of the animals. One day Megan disappears, and her brother and their friends realize it’s up to them to find her. Their only choice is to follow a series of clues and sneak into the zoo. But once inside, they discover there’s much more to the Clarksville City Zoo than they could ever have guessed…
The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
Welcome to the story of Despereaux Tilling, a mouse who is in love with music, stories, and a princess named Pea. It is also the story of a rat called Roscuro, who lives in the darkness and covets a world filled with light. And it is the story of Miggery Sow, a slow-witted serving girl who harbors a simple, impossible wish. These three characters are about to embark on a journey that will lead them down into a horrible dungeon, up into a glittering castle, and, ultimately, into each other’s lives. What happens then? As Kate DiCamillo would say: Reader, it is your destiny to find out.
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
Can a robot survive in the wilderness?
When robot Roz opens her eyes for the first time, she discovers that she is all alone on a remote, wild island. She has no idea how she got there or what her purpose is–but she knows she needs to survive. After battling a violent storm and escaping a vicious bear attack, she realizes that her only hope for survival is to adapt to her surroundings and learn from the island’s unwelcoming animal inhabitants.
