Book Club Book Ideas for 5th Grade

Find a good middle grade book to read for your 5th-grade book club. (Or kids in the upper elementary grades, around age 10.) Here, you’ll find book ideas for boys and girls who enjoy discussions and conversations. These recommended books will give children lots of themes to discuss, including grief, friendship, sickness, and growing up in the genres of fantasy, historical fiction, adventure, and more.

Remember the importance of choice for buy-in!

In other words, let your readers choose the book that they’d most like to read.

When you’re picking a book or a selection of books from which kids can choose, consider books with topics and themes that merit discussion.

Find book club books by TOPIC OR THEME using this list of topics or using the search bar at the top of the screen.

For example, you might want to find books about a topic or theme like:

Or, you might want to read books in a specific genre, such as:

Realistic

Magical Realism

Fantasy

Mystery

Science Fiction / Dystopian

Look through this list of book ideas and see if you find books that will work for your 5th-grade book club.

5th Grade Book Club Books

Realistic Book Club Book Ideas

Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson
Written in verse with precise text, this is an important book to bring awareness to CTE as well as show families in grief. ZJ’s professional football player dad is changing. He’s stopped playing, gets terrible headaches, has surprising anger outbursts, and forgets ZJ’s name. ZJ contrasts this with memories of his dad before the ever after. It’s real, raw, and profoundly sad to watch ZJ slowly lose the dad he once knew. Readers are thankful for ZJ’s friends and family who have his back as he deals with the difficulties of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) that is only recently being researched and seen as a devastating result of too many head injuries.

Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo
What a luminous, sparkling gem of a book with quirky, complex characters! Granny drags Louisiana out of bed in the middle of the night, insisting that they leave their home to confront the family curse. Not only does Louisiana not want to leave her friends and home, but things get even worse when Granny abandons Louisiana at a motel along the way. Forced to fend for herself, Louisiana figures out how to survive miles from home while worrying that the family curse has destined her for an unhappy life.  Kids in 5th grade will find this an enthralling, emotionally resonant story.

Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper
A wonderful book club book! Narrated by Melody, we learn what it’s like for her, trapped in a body with cerebral palsy that doesn’t allow her to speak or take care of herself. No one except her parents think that she’s smart. Then one day, she gets a chance to use a keyboard to communicate– and it changes everything. Heartbreaking. Real. Inspiring. Beautifully written.

All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook by Leslie Connor
A heartbreaking coming of age story that is also filled with hope. Perry is well-loved by his mother and her friends; they all live in prison. In fact, that’s where Perry has lived since he was born eleven years ago. But in an unexpected and unpleasant turn of events, his best friend’s stepfather, the new District Attorney, forces Perry to leave the prison. Not only that, the DA tries to stall Perry’s mother’s parole hearing. Perry discovers the stories behind the inmates’ lives, hoping that they’ll be helpful in reuniting him with his mother. This story will stay with you long after you read the last page.

From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks
On her 12th birthday, Zoe discovers a letter to her from her incarcerated biological father, Marcus. She decides to write him back, even daring to ask him about the murder he’s in jail for — did he really do it? Marcus writes to Zoe that he’s innocent and he can prove it which sets Zoe on a quest to find out the truth for herself, even if her mom and dad forbid it. She enlists the help of her Grandma and her best friend, Trevor. You won’t be able to put down this winsome story with a heroine you can’t help but adore; a story that illuminates social justice with themes of family, friendship, and love.

Finally Seen by Kelly Yang
This middle-grade novel explores the importance of books as mirrors and doors, the challenges of immigration, the realities of racism, and book banning. Lina’s lived with her Lao Lao for the last five years but she moves to join her dad, mom, and little sister in LA, leaving her beloved Lao Lao behind in a nursing home. But, it’s not what she expected and she’s embarrassed when she struggles with English words and surprised at her family’s financial struggles. Even still, Lina’s bright spots are a kind ESL teacher, the graphic novels she reads and writes, and her new friends, Finn and Carla. 

Isaiah Dunn is My Hero by Kelly J. Baptist
With themes of grief, family, poverty, poetry, the power of writing, and friendship — this beautiful story captures your heart with a struggling, heroic main character whose hopeful journey makes you believe in humanity again. After Isaiah’s dad dies, his mother stops working and starts drinking too much. The family of three now lives in a smokey motel where Isaiah watches his 4-year-old sister when his mom is passed out. He finds strength and inspiration in his father’s journaled stories about Isaiah Dunn Superhero and eventually, begins to write poems again in his own journal…poems that he and a new friend named Angel sell as a business, money he wants to give to his mom for a new place.

No Fixed Address by Susin Nielsen
Felix doesn’t want to tell anyone that he’s been living in a van for months and months. His mom, Astrid, is worried about social services taking him, so he keeps quiet even though he really wants a bathroom. His hope is that he can win his favorite TV game show so they’ll finally have enough money to get an apartment. this story depicts homelessness as circumstances beyond a child’s control — which is something most kids don’t consider. This well-written book is beautiful, important, and highly recommended for discussion.

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser
Like The Penderwicks, you’ll fall in love with this quirky, wonderful family from the first page. The Vanderbeekers’ landlord wants them out by the end of December but the Vanderbeeker kids are determined to change his mind, even though he hates noise, kids, and their family. But it’s almost Christmas and their efforts are only making things worse. What will they do? Charming and heart-warming.

Fantasy Books

Snow & Rose by Emily Winfield Martin
Snow and Rose are two sisters who moved with their mother from their fancy home to a cabin in the woods after their father disappeared. The girls befriend both a young boy from a mushrooming family as well a large bear. But danger arrives with the lurking Huntsman and a sinister Little Man who seeks to enchant or kill them. Surprisingly, this is a Grimm story with a happy ending . . . which I won’t spoil. Marvelous, heart-warming storytelling!

Sweep by Jonathan Auxier
Set in Victorian London, this is a beautiful, bittersweet story about a plucky girl and her protector golem which in the telling, illuminates the horrifying lives of chimney sweep kids as well as the world’s anti-semitism. Young Nan’s Sweep father-figure is gone so she works for a cruel chimney sweep who uses children to make himself richer. When another sweep tries to burn Nan alive, a charcoal golem, formerly a piece of charcoal left to her by Sweep, emerges to save her. She and her growing protector golem, Char, find a new place to live but must stay vigilant so her old master doesn’t find them. On their own, they are helped by a street boy and a kind Jewish teacher. It’s an irresistible story that will expand your heart…and your definition of what makes a monster.

Medusa (The Myth of Monsters, 1) written by Katherine Marsh
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR MEDUSA.
Ava and her brother are forced to attend a special boarding school, Accademia del Forte, for descendants of the Greek monsters meant to reform them and the other monstrous students. When the school takes away Ava’s new friend Fia’s voice, Ava, a descendant of Medusa, starts to question who the monsters really are…and if the stories of the gods and goddesses are true. To help her friend Fia get back her voice, Ava and their fury friend Arnold travel to meet Medusa, then Hecate, Hestia, and Metis. They learn that Zeus retold the stories to favor him and to oppress powerful women. Get ready for a twisty, exciting feminist mythological adventure that will make you think twice about accepting the stories you are told.

The School for Wicked Witches written by Will Taylor
FANTASY
Ava comes from a large, poor brick moss farming family, so when she gets sent to the West Oz Witch Academy, she’s excited. But not for long, because the school, she’s dubbed “wicked” after her magic gets out of control and sent to the school for wicked witches. She and her roommate who is also good, decide to escape the school that won’t let them leave– at least not for many years. After I got about 3/4 of the way through, I noticed the echoes of the original story, which I loved.  Ava knows what she wants but will she get it — and will it be everything she’s hoped?

Historical Fiction Books

Refugee by Alan Gratz
Follow three distinct, alternating stories about being displaced from your country, on the run, and in danger. First is a young Jewish boy who escapes from Nazi Germany on a ship to Cuba, only to be turned away from the Cuban port and sent back to Europe. Next is a Cuban girl in the 1990s who, with her family and neighbors, flees in a homemade raft to the United States at great peril. Finally is a Syrian boy whose home is bombed in a country at war. He and his family travel a great distance to find a country that will allow them shelter. Gatz skillfully connects all three stories with a satisfying, realistic conclusion.

Max in the House of Spies: A Tale of World War II written by Adam Gitwitz
Suspense, excitement, danger, and a dash of humor, this is the story of Max, a super-smart Jewish boy sent from Germany during WWII to safety in England on the Kindertransport. He’s joined by two personality-filled mythical creatures, a dybbuk and a kobold, living on his shoulders. Once in England, Max’s sole focus is returning to Germany to help his parents. But first, he must convince the British government to train him as a spy. But the mythical creatures DON’T want to return to Germany, so they try to thwart Max’s spy training efforts!

Adventure / Mystery

The Liar’s Society written by Alyson Gerber
Wetherby is a girl whose sailing skills land her a scholarship at the prestigious Boston School, the school her deceased father attended Boston School. But she gets in on a lie. At the school, Jack is a rich kid whose driven, perfectionist father owns everything, including an island. He and Weatherby get paired up in a sailing team. Both kids are invited to be part of a secret society, which turns out to be made up of other kids who’ve lied, cheated, and stolen, like Jack and Wetherby. Is it the school’s infamous secret society? Excellent pacing, a compelling story, and rising tension make this a page-turner filled with secrets, truths, and danger. A must-read!

The Unforgettable Logan Foster by Shawn Peters
Logan is a neurodivergent, orphan in foster care with a friendly couple, Gil and Margie. Then, Logan and his neighbor, a super cool older girl named Elena, discover that his foster parents are actually superheroes who get double-crossed and captured by an evil villain. In an exciting, fast-paced adventure, Logan and Elena use their wits and strength to save his foster parents and other supes from the villains and the traitor.

Science Fiction Books

First State of Being written by Erin Entrada Kelly
It’s 1999 and Michael is an anxious and lonely kid in the projects who meets a strange boy named Ridge from the future. Ridge tells Michael and his babysitter, and that he accidentally used a time travel invention without permission. As they learn more about Ridge, they become very worried when Ridge gets a cold, a germ that doesn’t exist in his time period, and he gets sicker and sicker. How can they help Ridge get home and get help? It’s a unique coming of age story that zips along as you try to imagine yourself in Michael’s and Ridge’s situations.

The Shape of Time (Rymworld Arcana) by Ryan Calejo
SCI-FI / TIME TRAVEL
Our hero, Antares, is kidnapped and taken to a prison in another world. He meets two other prisoners who explain that his world is flat and surrounded by a world outside the edges called Rymworld. Rymworld is in peril from a group of mystics who seek to control time. Antares escapes prison with his friend, Magdavellía. They race to find the mysterious star artifact and, possibly, Antares’ missing parents. Detailed, creative world-building, this is a thrilling adventure that many kids will love.

Masterminds by Gordon Korman
Eli and his friends discover that their utopian town is a large-scale, illegal science experiment to determine if kids cloned from criminal masterminds can be good when raised in the right environment. Eli and his cloned friends know they can’t stay in their town of lies anymore but how can they escape when the minute they reach the border, they experience violent pain and guards surround them? And if they do escape, what will they do next? My kids and I couldn’t put this book down –it’s an amazing, action-packed adventure.

Also Read:

Best Scary Stories for Kids (Chapter Books)

Best Fantasy Chapter Books for Kids