12 Awesome Books I've Read in Fifth Grade

Not content to only share 5 books, Elsa brings you TWELVE awesome books plus six of her favorite graphic novels.

Looking for summer reading recommendations from real, live people? My 5th graders each compiled a #BestBookList, which could have an overall theme or not. You can see all of their recommendations at #BestBookList. For individual book recommendations, check out our  #iLoveMG posts. If you are looking for younger readers, #3rdfor3rd features recommendations from when I taught third grade.

12 Awesome Books I've Read in Fifth Grade

Recommended by Elsa

• Myth of Monsters series - After she freezes a kid in her class by glaring at him, Ava goes to a boarding school in Venice and finds out she is descended from a Greek “monster.” 

• Masterminds - Once Eli’s friend moves out of his town, he notices really weird – even screwy – things all around him. Plus, his dad is acting really weird… 

• Dreamslinger - Aria tries to destroy the league that killed her mother and make it through the DreamslingerTrials. 

• The Gauntlet: When her aunt accidentally gives them an ancient game that takes kids as prisoners, Farah, her friends, and her brother are sucked inside. 

• Witchlings: A story about three girls who must defeat the legendary nightbeast or be turned into frogs forever. 

• Star Crossed - A story about a girl navigating school, friends, and trying out for the Shakespeare play. 

• Dragon Fire: Ocean Mist - Jaxon and Alli become friends with the Shi Shi dragons, but they need to outsmart the mean dragon named Zorg. 

• Daughters of the Lamp - A girl named Sahara finds out that magic is real while in Egypt for a wedding. 

• Tear This Down - A story about a girl named Freya who finds out the truth about the person their town’s named after, and even sneaks out in the night in secret with her friend to put signs on his statue. 

• The Girl Who Drank The Moon - A story about a girl and her witch, monster, and dragon. 

• A Duet For Home - A sweet book about two kids who live at Huey House, which is a homeless shelter, and become friends (I didn’t include the ones for graphic novels.

Click here for all of our #BestBooks posts or click #iLoveMG for individual book recommendations. What is your favorite middle grade book for 5th graders?

Luck Uglies review

This is part of my continuing series, #iLoveMG , where I share middle grade books that my fifth graders recommend. (Please note that my fifth graders read a wide variety of books across a wide variety of genres, levels, and topics. Do not think that these books are "only" for fifth graders.) Or check out #3rdfor3rd for recommendations from when I taught third grade.

Luck Uglies

Recommended by Anonymous

My book is called The Luck Uglies, by Paul Durham. It is about tween Riley O’Chanter, AKA Rye, who needs to be told about her true family, and stop monsters who threaten the village she lives in. It is a very good book, and apparently, part of a trilogy. I rate this 5 stars out of 5, and please get the series if you like this book as much as i did. 

When mysterious monsters from the bogs threaten Rye’s village, it seems like the right time to call upon the old protectors , the Luck Uglies, to help, but the earl doesn’t want them back in the village. But if Rye can help, she must help. 

So She Does…

[Katie note: book two is called Luck Uglies 2: Fork-Tongued Charmers.]  

Click here for all of our #iLoveMG posts. What are your favorite middle grade books?

Inspired ... by books!

One of my fifth grade students, Ash, has been making a paper chain in honor of the people who died from WWII. “My grandfather was a veteran half a centimeter from death,” they say. “I’m making this chain in honor of him and who fought beside him.” Their idea came from one of their favorite books, Linked, and they decided to do something similar. [insert cheer]! #LinkProjectWI

Have you ever had students be inspired by a book and take action?