6th grade books do not need to be a challenge to find for your students. Use this 6th-grade books booklist to help your students find their next great read. I have other great middle school book lists on my blog as well.
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Fantastic 6th Grade Books
The Everest Trilogy by Gordon Korman
Four kids are competing to be the youngest climber to reach the top of Mount Everest, but it is not an easy feat and survival is not guaranteed.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
Siblings discover a wardrobe is a portal to the magical land of Narnia. Check out the Common Sense Media review.
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
This story is told from the point of view of Ivan, a gorilla who has spent 27 years in an enclosure in a shopping mall. Ivan doesn’t think of his old life in the jungle until a baby elephant arrives. Check out the Common Sense Media review.
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Milo thinks everything is boring until a tollbooth appears in his room. Milo drives through the tollbooth to a different world where he learns life is far from dull. Check out the Common Sense Media review.
The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin
Suzy is not willing to accept that her friend, a good swimmer, could have drowned and sets out to prove it was the result of a jellyfish sting.
The Unteachables by Gordon Korman
A teacher who has given up on teaching is assigned to a class with a group of students with various issues and discovers he once again cares about teaching.
The Wild Robot (The Wild Robot, #1) by Peter Brown
A robot wakes for the first time on a deserted island. The robot doesn’t know how she arrived on the island or what she is supposed to do other than survive.
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
A millionaire devises one last game to be played at the reading of his will.
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
The Tuck family has a big secret that they are hiding from everyone, eternal life. One day Winnie Foster discovers their secret, the Tucks need to explain why eternal life isn’t the blessing she thinks it is. To further complicate things a stranger follows Winnie who wants to sell the eternal life spring water.
Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere by Julie T. Lamana
Armani Curtis is excited for her tenth birthday until Hurricane Katrina strikes and her world is forever changed.
Wave by Eric Walters
A family travels to Thailand in December 2004 to escape winter and finds themselves trying to survive a tsunami.
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
Billy saves his money to buy two dogs and they become the best hunting team around. Check out the Common Sense Media review.
Wishtree by Katherine Applegate
People in the neighborhood write their wishes on a piece of material and tie it to the wishtree that watches over the neighborhood and has seen everything. The wishtree becomes even more important when a new family moves in and is not welcomed.
Wringer by Jerry Spinelli
Palmer is soon going to be ten and is not happy about it. In his town ten-year-olds become wringers, someone that wrings the necks of pigeons in the annual pigeon shoot. Check out the Common Sense Media review.
I hope your students can use this 6th grade book list to help them find engaging books that help them love reading.
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Check Out These Other Grade 6 Resources
For more great middle school books, check out this blog post – Best Middle School Book Recommendations. Also, check out some fantastic YA books in this blog post – High School Book Recommendations.
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