Summer is a great time for children to dive into chapter books, especially as they advance in their reading level! Third to sixth grade is when students start being able to read and understand more advanced books, and the world of reading and chapter books is completely open to them! The only question now is: what should they read? Listed below are 35 of the best chapter books for third to sixth grade reading levels that your children will love.
Beginning Chapter Books
Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan: Similar to Little House on the Prairie, this book tells the story of young Anna living on the frontier with her Papa and younger brother Caleb. This is a great book for newly independent readers.
Stuart Little by E.B. White: From the author of Charlotte’s Web is Stuart Little, a book about a small mouse living with a human family in the big city of New York. Follow Stuart’s adventure when his best friend goes missing.
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White: This classic story of friendship between a girl, a pig, and a spider is great for children ready to read on their own. With vivid illustrations to assist the storytelling, this story is a classic chapter book.
Cam Jansen Series by David A. Adler: This mystery series, very similar to Nancy Drew, is great for third to fourth grade readers, and is a great transition into chapter books.
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster: This novel follows Milo’s adventures through the Island of Conclusions and is an imaginative novel perfect for third grade level readers.
The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner: This mystery series is great for third to fifth grade level readers, and is a classic tale of four siblings who solve the mysteries they come across.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl: This classic story is a great chapter book for younger readers, and Roald Dahl has many other amazing books for elementary readers, like BFG, Matilda, and more!
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle by Betty MacDonald: This is another classic story about a woman who can cure any child’s ailment! This Mary Poppins-esque story is entertaining for readers young and old!
The Trouble with Chickens by Doreen Cronin: This is a charming story about a retired search-and-rescue dog named Tully, who must help the chicken family find their missing sibling.
The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail by Richard Peck: Follow the story of a little mouse in London who accidentally makes his way into Buckingham Palace and meets the Queen in this easy-to-read chapter book.
The Magic Treehouse by Mary Pope Osborne: This series follows siblings Jack and Annie on their adventures through time and history. It is a classic series with many titles to keep your child busy!
Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard Atwater: Another children’s classic, this book follows Mr. Popper as he finds penguin after penguin, taking each of them in, and is led on a great adventure!
Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar: All kinds of funky things happen at Wayside School, a thirty-story-tall building! Follow the characters’ silly stories and adventures with this chapter book.
More Advanced Chapter Books
Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan: This coming of age novel follows Esperanza and her family, who are forced to flee their family ranch in Mexico and travel to California. With their new home comes harsh challenges and bad working conditions, which Esperanza must rise above.
The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks: Omri is shocked when he discovers his great-grandmother’s old medicine cabinet can bring toys to life! This charming chapter book is always a favorite for more advanced readers, and there are two more books in the series that expand the adventure.
Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper: This book tells the story of Melody, an eleven-year-old genius who has cerebral palsy and a photographic memory. Despite being the smartest kid in the school, Melody can’t show or tell anybody this fact, despite being desperate to do so.
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry: View the world of 1940s Denmark from ten-year-old Annemarie’s eyes, as her family takes part in Demark’s country-wide campaign to save the Jewish people and smuggle them to safety in Sweden.
Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George: In a fantastical world of dragons, knights, and princesses, Creel is placed in a difficult position. To save her family and her kingdom, she must face a dragon.
I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai: This incredible true story shows the heroism of Malala, a young girl who stood up to the Taliban for women’s rights, including women’s education. Malala tells her story in all its inspirational glory, just a girl who wants to learn.
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis: This seven-book series follows four siblings’ entry into a fantastical world. They must become the kingdom’s heroes to battle evil, travel oceans, and ensure that good prevails.
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery: Follow Anne, a vibrant and energetic eleven-year-old girl who travels to a charming farm on Prince Edward Island. The family who sent for her actually wanted a boy, but she wins them over too quickly for them to think twice.
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen: Thirteen-year-old Brian is stranded in the wilderness when his two-man plane goes down in the Canadian woods. With only a hatchet, he must fight to survive and hope for rescue.
Fablehaven Chronicles by Brandon Mull: To prevent the extinction of mythical creatures, they have been gathered in a place called Fablehaven. Kendra and Seth discover their grandfather is the caretaker of this place, and when things go wrong they must save themselves, their family, and the world.
Wonder by R.J. Palacio: Auggie has never been to a regular school…born with facial constructive differences that set him apart, Auggie struggles to fit in. This story, told from multiple points of view, is an incredible children’s story about being yourself.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle: Meg and Charles, brother and sister, are put to the test when their father is captured by the “dark thing.” They must travel through time to mysterious locations and worlds in order to save him.
Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan: This series takes readers into the world of modern day Greek mythology and follows protagonist Percy as he embarks on adventures to save the world! This series has many spinoffs that are just as entertaining!
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling: This series brings magic to life for all ages! The books get longer as you go, so start with the first one, The Sorcerer’s Stone. This is a classic series (and my personal all-time favorite book series) that the whole family will love.
Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene: Another classic mystery series follows Nancy Drew, hometown detective, as she solves each mystery she comes across with the help of her friends. This series has so many titles your child will need the whole summer to enjoy them all!
The Hardy Boys by Franklin W. Dixon: Similar to Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys are two mystery-solving brothers named Frank and Joe who work together to solve mysteries.
The Glass Sentence by S.E. Grove: The first in the Mapmakers Trilogy, this chapter book presents a world where each continent is stuck in a different time period, and Sophia must travel to each of them to find her parents.
Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman: This is an exciting tale of two friends (who love books and puzzles), Emily and James, who embark on a journey through San Francisco to crack the code their favorite author left behind before he disappeared.
Spy School by Stuart Gibbs: Nerdy and awkward Ben is placed in a middle school that focuses on science and math…or at least that’s what they think. Ben soon discovers it is a school for junior C.I.A. agents, his dream job, and adventure ensues.
Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger: This fantasy series follows 12-year-old Sophie, who can read people’s minds! Readers will learn with Sophie as she discovers she’s from a magical world.
Flying Lessons and Other Stories edited by Ellen Oh: This is a collection of engaging and entertaining short stories of all genres, for children who prefer shorter storylines.
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett: When young Mary moves into a giant manor in England, she hates it. That is until she and two friends discover a key to a secret garden…
These 35 books are some of the best for elementary readers who love reading! Create a reading log with sticker charts or other tracking systems so your children can keep track of how many books they’re reading. This can also be a reward system if your children need a little extra motivation to dive into these amazing chapter books. Evan-Moor’s Daily Summer Activities for grades PreK-8 includes a reading log for each week of summer break.
Download a free sampler of Daily Summer Activities here!
- For a book list for grades K–2, view 30 Recommended Summer Reading Books for Grades K–2.
- For more great learning tips and free activities, subscribe to Evan-Moor’s monthly e-newsletter!
Christine Wooler has experience working with children as a youth soccer coach and summer camp counselor. She is currently studying English Literature and journalism in college. She enjoys exploring educational topics that help students have fun while learning.