5th Grade Summer Reading List 2026
Curated books with comprehension questions and discussion guides to keep your 5th grade reader engaged and growing all summer long.
Summer Reading Books for 5th Grade
These books are perfect for summer reading at the 5th grade level. Each comes with comprehension questions to make reading time more meaningful.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
by Jules Verne
A Long Way From Chicago (Puffin Modern Classics)
by Richard Peck
A Year Down Yonder
by Richard Peck
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
by Lewis Carroll
Amal Unbound
by Aisha Saeed
American Born Chinese
by Gene Luen Yang
Artemis Fowl (Mass market edition)
by Eoin Colfer
Artemis Fowl and the Eternity Code
by Eoin Colfer
Artemis Fowl The Opal Deception
by Eoin Colfer
Artemis Fowl, the Arctic Incident
by Michael Moreci
Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony
by Eoin Colfer
Battle of the Labyrinth
by Rick Riordan
Before the Ever After
by Jacqueline Woodson
Belly Up
by Stuart Gibbs
Catching Fire
by Suzanne Collins
Catherine, Called Birdy
by Karen Cushman
Chains
by Laurie Halse Anderson
Criss Cross
by Lynne Rae Perkins
Dead End in Norvelt
by Jack Gantos
Divergent
by Veronica Roth
Divergent (3) - Allegiant
by Veronica Roth
Elijah of Buxton (Scholastic Gold)
by Christopher Paul Curtis
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library
by Chris Grabenstein
Fablehaven
by Brandon Mull
Fever, 1793
by Laurie Halse Anderson
Freak the Mighty (Scholastic Gold)
by Rodman Philbrick
Gathering Blue
by Lois Lowry
Ghost Boys: The Graphic Novel
by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!
by Laura Amy Schlitz
Harbor Me
by Jacqueline Woodson
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
by J. K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
by J.K. Rowling
Heroes of Olympus, The, Book Five: the Blood of Olympus, the Graphic Novel
by Rick Riordan, Robert Venditti
Heroes of Olympus, The, Book Three: The Mark of Athena, The Graphic Novel
by Rick Riordan
Hilo Book 1: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth
by Judd Winick
Hollow City: The Graphic Novel
by Ransom Riggs
Howl's Moving Castle
by Diana Wynne Jones
Insurgent
by Veronica Roth
Kira-Kira
by Cynthia Kadohata
Library of Souls
by Ransom Riggs
Long Way Down
by Jason Reynolds
Louisiana's Way Home
by Kate DiCamillo
Lyddie
by Katherine Paterson
Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish
by Pablo Cartaya
Messenger
by L. Lowry
Miles Morales
by Jason Reynolds
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
by Ransom Riggs
Missing May
by Cynthia Rylant
Mockingjay (Hunger Games, Book Three)
by Suzanne Collins
Moon Over Manifest
by Clare Vanderpool
Old Yeller
by Fred Gipson
One Crazy Summer
by Rita Williams-Garcia
Pashmina
by Nidhi Chanani
Percy Jackson and the Greek Gods
by Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson and the Greek Heroes
by Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
by Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters: The Graphic Novel (Book 2)
by Rick Riordan
Race to the Sun
by Rebecca Roanhorse
Real Friends
by Shannon Hale
Rick Riordan Presents: City of the Plague God
by Sarwat Chadda
Rise of the Evening Star
by Brandon Mull
Seedfolks
by Paul Fleischman
Son
by Lois Lowry
Sounder
by William H. Armstrong
Spy School
by Stuart Gibbs
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You
by Jason Reynolds, Ibram X. Kendi
Tangerine
by Edward Bloor
The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel Graphic Novel
by Michael Scott
The Death Cure
by James Dashner
The First Rule of Punk
by Celia C. Pérez
The Great Gilly Hopkins
by Katherine Paterson
The Heroes of Olympus, Book One The Lost Hero: The Graphic Novel
by Rick Riordan, Robert Venditti
The Heroes of Olympus, Book Two The Son of Neptune (new cover)
by Rick Riordan
The Higher Power of Lucky
by Susan Patron
The House of Hades (Heroes of Olympus Book 4)
by Rick Riordan
The Hunger Games (Hunger Games, Book One)
by Suzanne Collins
The Invasion (Animorphs #1)
by K. A. Applegate
The Last Kids on Earth and the Destructor's Lair
by Max Brallier
The Last Kids on Earth and the Forbidden Fortress
by Max Brallier
The Last Kids on Earth and the Monster Dimension
by Max Brallier
The Last Kids on Earth and the Skeleton Road
by Max Brallier
The Last Kids on Earth and the Zombie Parade
by Max Brallier
The Last Kids on Earth: June's Wild Flight
by Max Brallier
The Last Kids on Earth: Quint and Dirk's Hero Quest
by Max Brallier
The Last Kids on Earth: The Graphic Novel
by Max Brallier
The Last Kids on Earth: Thrilling Tales from the Tree House
by Max Brallier
The Last Olympian
by Rick Riordan
The Magician
by Michael Scott
The Maze Runner
by James Dashner
The Midwife's Apprentice
by Karen Cushman
The Name of this Book Is Secret
by Pseudonymous Bosch
The Night Diary
by Veera Hiranandani
The Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book Three: Titan's Curse
by Rick Riordan
The Scorch Trials
by James Dashner
The Seeds of America Trilogy (Boxed Set)
by Laurie Halse Anderson
Touching Spirit Bear
by Carol Alexander, Ben Mikaelsen
Where the Red Fern Grows
by Wilson Rawls
Charlie Thorne and the Curse of Cleopatra
by Stuart Gibbs
Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation
by Stuart Gibbs
Charlie Thorne and the Lost City
by Stuart Gibbs
Charlie Thorne and the Royal Society
by Stuart Gibbs
Featured Book Series
Series are great for summer reading -- once kids are hooked, they'll keep reaching for the next book.
Wings of Fire
by Tui T. Sutherland
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
by Jeff Kinney
The Last Kids on Earth
by Max Brallier
Harry Potter
by J.K. Rowling
Warriors
by Erin Hunter
The Chronicles of Narnia
by C.S. Lewis
Amulet
by Kazu Kibuishi
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
by Rick Riordan
Heroes of Olympus
by Rick Riordan
Summer Reading Tips for 5th Grade
- 1Set a daily reading goal of 15-30 minutes and track progress with a summer reading log or chart.
- 2Visit your local library for summer reading programs -- many offer prizes and activities to keep kids motivated.
- 3Use ReadBuddy to generate comprehension questions after each book to deepen understanding and make reading interactive.
- 4Mix up the reading list with different genres -- fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, and poetry all build different skills.
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