Children's Book Suggestions | Classics

Are you a parent or grandparent looking for a childhood favorite to share with kids in your life? Here are a few of our most frequently-requested classic children's books for readers in Grades 3-7.

If you're looking for picture books for younger readers, check out the Classics shelf in our Picture Book Topics section.

A note for caregivers: Some adults are surprised when they return to old favorites and discover forgotten elements that are out-of-step with their modern values. It's often helpful to revisit classic books by re-reading or doing a little research online before sharing them with your child, so you're prepared to answer questions any questions they may have and provide historical context when necessary.

Updated August 21, 2024
LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County) Oregon City Public Library
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Tuck everlasting
Babbitt, Natalie
Paper Book
Doomed to - or blessed with - eternal life after drinking from a magic spring, the Tuck family wanders about trying to live as inconspicuously and comfortably as they can. When ten-year-old Winnie Foster stumbles on their secret, the Tucks take her home and explain why living forever at one age...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

The wonderful Wizard of Oz
Baum, L. Frank
Paper Book
Robert Ingpen's lush interpretation of L. Frank Baum's beloved classic transports children to the magical kingdom of Oz. Ingpen captures all the memorable moments and characters in his gorgeous illustrations, from the cyclone that whisks Dorothy out of Kansas to her encounters with the...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

The secret garden
Burnett, Frances Hodgson
Paper Book
Celebrate an unforgettable classic with this gorgeously repackaged edition, featuring the timeless art of Tasha Tudor. This beautiful hardcover edition includes Tasha Tudor's iconic illustrations in full color, making it the perfect collector's edition or a wonderful gift for young...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Alice's adventures in Wonderland
Carroll, Lewis
Paper Book
Sterling Publishing welcomes our new partnership with the legendary artist Robert Ingpen. For his first title in a brand-new affiliation with Sterling, renowned children's artist Robert Ingpen presents a lush new edition of one of the world's most famous stories: Alice's...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

The mouse and the motorcycle
Cleary, Beverly.
Audiobook
Ralph is not like the other mice at the Mountain View Inn. He is always looking for adventure. It is Ralph's lucky day when a young guest named Keith arrives with a shiny miniature motorcycle. Right away, Ralph knows that the motorcycle is special--made to be ridden by an adventurous mouse. And...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Harriet, the spy
Fitzhugh, Louise.
Paper Book

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

The wind in the willows
Grahame, Kenneth
Audiobook
The adventures of Toad and his friends Mole, Rat and Badger.

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Misty of Chincoteague
Henry, Marguerite
Paper Book
On an island off the coasts of Virginia and Maryland lives a centuries-old band of wild ponies. Among them is the most mysterious of all, Phantom, a rarely seen mare that eludes all efforts to capture her--that is, until a young boy and girl lay eyes on her and determine that they can't live without...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

The lion, the witch, and the wardrobe
Lewis, C. S.
Paper Book
A beautiful hardcover edition of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, book two in C. S. Lewis's classic fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia.  The full-color jacket features art by three-time Caldecott Medal-winning illustrator David Wiesner. The interior includes ...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Sarah, plain and tall
MacLachlan, Patricia.
Paper Book
This beloved Newbery Medal-winning book is the first of five books in Patricia MacLachlan's chapter book series about the Witting family. Set in the late nineteenth century and told from young Anna's point of view, Sarah, Plain and Tall tells the story of how Sarah Elisabeth...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Winnie-the-Pooh
Milne, A. A.
Paper Book
Celebrating 100 years of one of the most beloved icons of children's literature, Winnie-the-Pooh! The adventures of Pooh and Piglet, Kanga and tiny Roo, Owl, Rabbit, and the ever doleful Eeyore are timeless treasures of childhood. In this beautiful edition of Winnie-the-Pooh<...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Shiloh
Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds.
Paper Book
Marty will go to any lengths to rescue the sweet beagle Shiloh from his cruel owner in this Newbery Medal-winning perennial bestseller by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, the first in a series. Marty Preston is exploring the hills behind his family's home when he chances upon a beagle-...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

The Borrowers
Norton, Mary.
Paper Book
This is the classic story--read and loved by children all over the world--of Pod, Homily, and their daughter, Arrietty, who live under the kitchen floor in a quiet, half-empty house and get their livelihood by borrowing from the "human beans." "Delectable fantasy."--Booklist

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Island of the Blue Dolphins
O'Dell, Scott
Paper Book
A young Indian girl learns the art of survival when she is stranded on an isolated Pacific island.

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Bridge to Terabithia
Paterson, Katherine.
Paper Book
The classic Newbery Award-winning title by beloved author Katherine Paterson, with brand-new bonus materials including an author's note by Katherine herself, and a foreword by New York Times bestselling author Kate DiCamillo.  Jess Aarons has been practicing all summer so he can...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Pilgrim's progress
Schmidt, Gary D.
Paper Book
National Book Award finalist and two-time Newbery Honor-winning author Gary D. Schmidt recaptures the classic tale of one man's spiritual journey in this contemporary retelling of John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, masterfully illustrated with watercolors by artist Barry Moser.

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

The Westing game
Raskin, Ellen.
Paper Book
When an eccentric millionaire dies mysteriously, 16 very unlikely people are gathered together for the reading of the will--and what a will it is. A Newbery Medal-winning novel.

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Where the red fern grows
Rawls, Wilson
Paper Book
A loving threesome, they ranged the dark hills and river bottoms of Cherokee country. Old Dan had the brawn. Little Ann had the brains, and Billy had the will to make them into the finest hunting team in the valley. Glory and victory were coming to them, but sadness waited too. Where the Red Fern...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Esperanza rising
Ryan, Pam Muñoz.
Paper Book
**CELEBRATING 25 YEARS IN PRINT!** A modern classic for our time and for all time―this beloved, award-winning bestseller resonates with fresh meaning for each new generation. Perfect for fans of Kate DiCamillo, Christopher Paul Curtis, and Rita Williams-Garcia. ...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

The little prince
Saint-Exupéry, Antoine de
Paper Book
OVER 140 MILLION COPIES SOLD The beloved classic story about a young prince's travels through space--a profound philosophical tale about loneliness and loss, and love and friendship. A pilot crashes in the Sahara Desert and...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

All-of-a-kind family
Taylor, Sydney
Paper Book
Meet the All-of-a-Kind  Family -- Ella, Henny, Sarah, Charlotte, and Gertie -- who live with their parents in New York City at the turn of the century. Together they share adventures that find them searching for hidden buttons while dusting Mama's front parlor and visiting with the peddlers in Papa...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

The boxcar children
Warner, Gertrude Chandler
Paper Book
Four brave siblings were searching for a home - and found a life of adventure! Join the Boxcar Children as they set out on their own in the first book in this illustrated chapter book series beloved by generations of readers. Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny are brothers and...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Charlotte's web
White, E. B.
Paper Book
Don't miss one of America's top 100 most-loved novels, selected by PBS's The Great American Read. This beloved book by E. B. White, author of Stuart Little and The Trumpet of the Swan, is a classic of children's literature that is "just about perfect." This hardcover edition includes...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Little house in the big woods
Wilder, Laura Ingalls
Paper Book
Based on the real-life adventures of Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House in the Big Woods is the first book in the award-winning Little House series, which has captivated generations of readers. This edition features the classic black-and-white artwork from Garth Williams. Little House in...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Little women
Alcott, Louisa May
Paper Book
The beautiful 150th anniversary edition of Louisa May Alcott's classic tale of the four March sisters, featuring new illustrations and an introduction by New York Times bestselling author J. Courtney Sullivan For generations, children around the world have come of age...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

A wrinkle in time
L'Engle, Madeleine.
Paper Book
As seen on Stranger Things, discover the ground-breaking, bestselling science fiction and fantasy classic that has delighted readers for over 60 years! NEWBERY MEDAL WINNER * TIME MAGAZINE'S 100 BEST FANTASY BOOKS OF ALL TIME * NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE FROM...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

Anne of Green Gables
Montgomery, L. M.
Paper Book
Anne Shirley is unforgettable, and this beautifully packaged edition of L.M. Montgomery's classic novel is as memorable as its heroine. When Anne Shirley arrives at Green Gables, she surprises everyone: first of all, she's a girl, even though Marilla Cuthbert and her brother...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

Hatchet
Paulsen, Gary.
Paper Book
Celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the Newbery Honor-winning survival novel Hatchet with a pocket-sized edition perfect for travelers to take along on their own adventures. This special anniversary edition includes a new introduction and commentary by author Gary Paulsen, pen-and-ink...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

Holes
Sachar, Louis
Paper Book
A darkly humorous tale of crime and punishment Stanley Yelnat's family has a history of bad luck, so he isn't too surprised when a miscarriage of justice sends him to a boys' juvenile detention center, Camp Green Lake. There is no lake - it has been dry for over a hundred years - and it...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)


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