Book Lists by Grade/Age
Listed below are some of our favorite books for each grade/age range.* These books feature diverse characters and encourage resilience, kindness, and community. We’ve included both the English and Spanish editions wherever possible.
Have a book you’d like to recommend? Email us at info@napabookmineliteraryfoundation.org and let us know!
*Lexile measure has been included in parenthesis () wherever applicable.
Pre-K
Age 0-4
Antiracist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi - English
Love Makes a Family by Sophie Beer - English
Kindness Makes Us Strong by Sophie Beer (AD140L) - English
Pokko and the Drum/Pokko y el tambor by Matthew Forsythe (AD520L) - English, Spanish
The Very Hungry Caterpillar/La oruga muy hambrienta by Eric Carle (AD460L) - English, Spanish
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?/Oso pardo, oso parado, que ves qu ves ah? by Eric Carle (AD200L) - English, Spanish
Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall (AD490L) - English
The Circus Ship by Chris Van Dusen (AD600L) - English
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom/Chica chica bum bum by Bill Martin Jr + John Archambault, illustrated by Lois Ehlert (AD530L) - English, Spanish
Our Rainbow by Little Bee Books - English
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems (280L) - English, Chinese
Snail Crossing by Corey R. Tabor (AD480L) - English
The Family Book/El libro de la familia by Todd Parr (AD200L) - English, Spanish
It’s Okay to Be Different by Todd Parr (NP) - English
Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle, illustrated by Jill McElmurry (AD390L) - English
She Persisted Around the World by Chelsea Clinton, illustrated by Alexandra Boiger (AD1080L) - English
Crocodiles Need Kisses Too by Rebecca Colby, illustrated by Penelope Dullaghan - English
Kindergarten
Age 5
Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal (490L) - English
All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold, illustrated by Suzanne Kaufman (AD370L) - English
¡Vamos! Let's Go To the Market by Ill Raúl the Third (AD610L) - English/Spanish
The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Rafael López (AD980L) - English, French
Swashby and the Sea by Beth Ferry (AD620L) - English
Love is Powerful by Heather Dean Brewer, illustrated by LeUyen Pham - English
Thank You Omu/¡Gracias, Omu! by Oge Mora (AD630L) - English, Spanish
Islandborn/Lola by Junot Díaz, illustrated by Leo Espinosa (AD600L) - English, Spanish
Grade 1
Age 6
Baabwaa and Wooliam: A Tale of Literacy, Dental Hygiene, and Friendship by David Elliot, illustrated by Melissa Sweet (AD530L) - English
Ada Twist, Scientist/Ada Magnífica, científica by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts (AD550L) - English, Spanish
Iggy Peck, Architect/Pedro Perfecto, arquitecto by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts (AD750L) - English, Spanish
Sofia Valdez, Future Prez/Sofía Valdez, presidenta tal vez by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts (AD680L) - English, Spanish
I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C. James - English
Between Us and Abuela: A Family Story from the Border by Mitali Perkins, illustrated by Sara Elena Palacios Gutiérrez - English
Mango, Abuela, and Me by Meg Medina, illustrated by Angela Dominguez (AD560L) - English
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein (530L) - English, Spanish
And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson + Peter Parnell, illustrated by Henry Cole (AD520L) - English
La Princesa and the Pea by Susan Middleton Elya, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal (AD530L) - English
The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf, illustrated by Robert Lawson (AD760L) - English, Spanish
Grade 2
Age 7
Abuela by Arthur Dorros (510L) - English
Dreamers/Soñadores by Yuyi Morales (AD480L) - English, Spanish
My Papi Has a Motorcycle/Mi papi tiene una moto by Isabel Quintero, illustrated by Zeke Peña (AD750L) - English, Spanish
Carmela Full of Wishes/Los deseos de Carmela by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson (630L) - English, Spanish
Milo Imagines the World/Milo imagina el mundo by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson - English, Spanish
Last Stop on Market Street/Ultima Parada de la Calle Market by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson (AD610L) - English, Spanish
Just Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You/¡Solo Pregunta!: Sé Diferente, Sé Valiente, Sé Tú by Sonia Sotomayer, illustrated by Rafael López - English, Spanish
The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Kadir Nelson - English
Sometimes It’s Bright by Annie Ruygt (AD380L) - English
Grade 3
Age 8
Stamped (For Kids): Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds + Sonja Cherry Paul - English
Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney (950L-1060L) - English
The Dog Man series by Dav Pilkey (GN260L-GN690L) - English
The Phantom Tollbooth/La caseta mágica by Norton Juster (1000L) - English, Spanish
New Kid by Jerry Craft (GN320L) - English
Class Act by Jerry Craft - English
How High the Moon by Karyn Parsons (680L) - English
Who Was Frida Kahlo? by Sarah Fabiny + Who HQ, illustrated by Jerry Hoare (840L) - English
The Girl Who Thought In Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin by Julia Finley Mosca, illustrated by Daniel Rieley (AD680L) - English
Grade 4
Age 9
Land of the Cranes/La tierra de las by Aida Salazar - English, Spanish
Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina (700L)- English
The First Rule of Punk/La primera regla del punk by Celia C. Peréz (670L) - English, Spanish
Esperanza Rising/Esperanza renace by Pam Muñoz Ryan (750L) - English, Spanish
The Girl Who Drank the Moon/La niña que bebió la luna by Kelly Barnhill (640L) - English, Spanish
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate Dicamillo (700L) - English
The Brave by James Bird (620L) - English
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone/Harry Potter y la piedra filosofal by J.K. Rowling (880L) - English, Spanish
Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets by Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Ekua Holmes - English
Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag by Rob Sanders, illustrated by Steven Salerno - English
George by Alex Gino - English
Grade 5
Age 10
Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds (750L) - English
Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes (HL360L) - English
A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket (1010L) - English
Smile/¡Sonrie! by Raina Telgemeier (GN410L) - English, Spanish
Guts/Agallas by Raina Telgemeier (GN480L) - English, Spanish
Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret by Judy Blume (570L) - English
Holes by Louis Sachar (660L) - English
Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling (700L) - English
The Ramona series by Beverly Cleary (780L) - English
The Nancy Drew series by Caroyln Keene (710L) - English
Grade 6
Age 11-12
From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks (660L) - English
The Season of Styx Malone by Kekia Magoon (510L) - English
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson (990L) - English
Wonder by R.J. Palacio (790L) - English
The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora by Pablo Cartaya (750L) - English
Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish by Pablo Cartaya (HL580L) - English
The Percy Jackson books by Rick Riordan (680L) - English
Every Shiny Thing by Cordelia Jensen and Laurie Morrison (860L) - English
Ghost by Jason Reynolds (730L) - English
A Wrinkle In Time by Madeline L’Engle (740L) - English
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt (770L) - English
Grade 7
Age 12-13
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds + Ibram X. Kendi (1000L) - English
Just Mercy: A True Story of the Fight For Justice by Bryan Stevenson (1040L) - English
The Giver by Lois Lowry (760L) - English, Chinese
Never Look Back by Lilliam Rivera - English
The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen (HL400L) - English
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz (HL380L)- English
Shadow & Bone Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo (800L) - English
Slay by Brittney Morris (930L) - English
Grade 8
Age 13-14
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo (HL800L) - English
With the Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo (810L) - English
The Night Diary by Veera Hirandandani (700L) - English
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (990L) - English
Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline (1010L) - English
Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson (HL790L) - English
Anger is a Gift by Mark Oshiro (HL710L) - English
Each of Us a Desert by Mark Oshiro - English
Flying Lessons and Other Stories by Multiple Authors (800L) - English
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (HL570L) - English
Highschool: Grades 9-12
Age 14-18
Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From by Jennifer de Leon (HL590L) - English
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter/Yo no soy tu perfecta hija mexicana by Erika L. Sánchez (HL730L) - English, Spanish
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo (HL800L) - English
The Hate U Give/El odio que das by Angie Thomas (HL590L) - English, Spanish
All Boys Aren’t Blue: A Memoir-Manifesto by George M. Johnson (890L) - English
The House on Mango Street/La casa en mango street by Sandra Cisneros (870L) - English, Spanish
Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel by Jason Reynolds, illustrated by Danica Novgorodoff (HL630L) - English
Dear Martin by Nic Stone (HL720L) - English
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell (HL580L) - English, Spanish
Hidden Figures (YA Edition) by Margot Lee Shetterly (1120L) - English
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson (990L) - English
I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World by Malala Yousafzai (830L) - English
We Contain Multitudes by Sarah Henstra (HL830L) - English
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi (GN380L) - English
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (810L) - English
The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon (HL650L) - English
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green (840L) - English
Stay Gold by Tobly McSmith - English
Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera (HL760L) - English
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli (HL640L) - English
A Queer History of the United States for Young People by Michael Bronski - English
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune - English