Chapter Books for Confident Readers (Grade 5 - 8)

Kids that choose the books they read are much more likely to finish reading their book, so kids that are confidently reading on their own should select books on topics that interest them. Fiction, non-fiction, and graphic novels are all great choices that can help support literacy.

Updated May 29, 2025
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Weird but true! World 2024 : incredible facts, awesome photos, and weird wonders -- for this year and beyond!
Paper Book
The blockbuster kid-favorite series Weird But True! is back with another annual volume of new, true, mind-blowing oddities for 2024 ... and beyond! Discover Earth's strangest natural wonders, animals, festivals, ancient architecture, news, and more in this annual compendium of...
The history book
Ahmed, Sufiya.
Paper Book
From ancient history to modern times, journey through the past with this picture-packed encyclopedia of curiosities. A museum in a book, this collection of treasures from the past brings history to life, from Stone-Age tools to smartphones. Children will love to explore galleries...
Stephen Biesty's incredible cross-sections of everything
Biesty, Stephen
Paper Book
How many rivets and bolts hold the wings of a Boeing 777 plane together? Why does an astronaut's space suit have a layer of liquid-cooled underwear? Who puts the jam in doughnuts? Find out the answers to these questions and much, much more in Stephen Biesty's...
The last kids on Earth
Brallier, Max.
Paper Book
A Netflix Original series! The first book in the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling series, with over 7 million copies in print! "Terrifyingly fun! Delivers big thrills and even bigger laughs."--Jeff Kinney, author of the #1 ...
Be prepared
Brosgol, Vera
Paper Book
Already love Vera's work? Don't miss her first novel Return to Sender! "Beautifully drawn, brutally funny, brilliantly honest. Vera is such a good cartoonist I almost can't stand it." --Raina Telgemeier, author of Smile In Be Prepared, all...
The wild robot
Brown, Peter
Paper Book
Now a DreamWorks movie available on Prime Video! This #1 New York Times bestselling illustrated middle grade novel from a Caldecott Honor winner tells an extraordinary story full of action and thought-provoking questions as a robot learns to survive--and...
The wild robot escapes
Brown, Peter
Paper Book
In this second book in the #1 New York Timesbestselling The Wild Robot series by award-winning author Peter Brown, Roz tries to escape home to Brightbill and the island! Shipwrecked on a remote, wild island, Robot Roz learned from the unwelcoming...
Flunked
Calonita, Jen.
Paper Book
Dive into book one of the best selling Fairy Tale Reform School series, from award-winning author Jen Calonita! What happens to the villains after happily ever after? 12 year old Gilly isn't so sure that she needs reforming for the (former) villains in Enchantasia... Gilly...
Sniffer dogs : how dogs (and their noses) save the world
Castaldo, Nancy F.
Paper Book
Anyone who has ever spent time with a dog knows that dogs love sniffing! They sniff out hidden food, dirty socks, and the visitor who comes to the door.  But some dogs work with police officers, soldiers and even scientists to put their "sniffers" to work.  Sniffer dogs make use of the...
The Marvellers
Clayton, Dhonielle.
Ebook
Avengers : the ultimate character guide
Cowsill, Alan
Paper Book
Meet the World's Mightiest Super Hero Team- The Avengers! This comprehensive guide to the characters of Earth's mightiest Super Hero team features in-depth profiles on every Avenger - their powers, their allies, their key storylines, and their foes. ...
Ferris
DiCamillo, Kate.
Paper Book
The masterful Kate DiCamillo has outdone herself with a hilarious and achingly real love story about a girl, a ghost, a grandmother and growing up. It's the summer before fifth grade, and for Ferris Wilkey, it is a summer of sheer pandemonium. Her little sister, Pinky, has...
The last cuentista
Higuera, Donna Barba.
Paper Book
Winner of the John Newbery Medal Winner of the Pura Belpré Award From Pura Belpré Award winner and Newbery Medalist, Donna Barba Higuera--a brilliant journey through the stars, to the very heart of what makes us...
Science comics : human spaceflight: rockets and rivalry.
Hirsch, Andy
Paper Book
Strap in! Science Comics: Human Spaceflight is a new volume in First Second's STEM graphic novel series! Once humans figured out how to launch rockets into orbit, the Space Race between the US and USSR began! Who will be the first to fly outside of Earth's atmosphere,...
The Swifts: a Gallery of Rogues
Powell, Claire
Paper Book
Shenanigan Swift hates burglars . . . So when the famous criminal gang Ouvolpo target Swift House and swap a valuable painting for an exploding inflatable bird, Shenanigan sets off in pursuit, determined to make them pay. The trail leads to Paris, home of her eccentric...
The Swifts
Lincoln, Beth
Paper Book
On the day they are born, each Swift is brought before the sacred Family Dictionary. They are given a name and a definition, and it is assumed they will grow up to match. Unfortunately, Shenanigan Swift has other ideas. So what if her relatives all think she's destined to turn out as a...
Allergic
Lloyd, Megan Wagner
Paper Book
A coming-of-age middle-grade graphic novel featuring a girl with severe allergies who just wants to find the perfect pet! At home, Maggie is the odd one out. Her parents are preoccupied with getting ready for a new baby, and her younger brothers are twins and always in their own world....
Squished
Lloyd, Megan Wagner
Paper Book
From the Eisner-nominated duo behind the instant bestseller Allergic comes a fun graphic novel about finding your own space... especially when you're in a family of nine! Eleven-year-old Avery Lee loves living in Hickory Valley, Maryland. She loves her neighborhood, school, and the...
Wonder
Palacio, R. J.
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * A PARADE BEST KIDS BOOK OF ALL TIME * Millions of people have fallen in love with Auggie Pullman, an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face--who shows us that kindness brings us together no matter how far apart we are. Read the book that...
Bridge to Terabithia
Paterson, Katherine.
Paper Book
The classic Newbery Medal-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...
The Sherlock society
Ponti, James.
Paper Book
In the tradition of Nancy Drew, four kids and one grandfather in Miami tackle a decades-old mystery in this first book full of "atmosphere, history, and lively humor" (Publishers Weekly, starred review) in the Sherlock Society middle grade series from New York Times bestselling,...
Impossible creatures
Rundell, Katherine
Paper Book
''There was Tolkien, there is Pullman and now there is Katherine Rundell. Wondrous invention, marvellous writing.'' - Michael Morpurgo ''Rundell''s first foray into fantasy is both a deft, rich homage to the greats of children''s literature and an...
Spooky lakes : 25 strange and mysterious lakes that dot our planet
Rutherford, Geo.
Paper Book
Dive into the most mysterious waters around the world (if you dare) in Spooky Lakes, an illustrated nonfiction book from TikTok star and educator Geo Rutherford Some of Earth's strangest--and creepiest--wonders lie deep below the surface. There's Lake Natron, a...
Willodeen
Santoso, Charles.
Paper Book
From #1 New York Times bestselling author of Odder and The One and Only Ivan, a heartfelt story about a girl named Willodeen who risks everything to help a magical, endangered creature. The earth is old and we are not, and that is all you...
The bad beginning
Snicket, Lemony.
Paper Book
NOW A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES In the tradition of great storytellers, from Dickens to Dahl, comes an exquisitely dark comedy that is both literary and irreverent, hilarious and deftly crafted. Never before has a tale of three likeable and unfortunate children been quite so...
The last mapmaker
Soontornvat, Christina
Paper Book
A Newbery Honor Book A Walter Dean Myers Honor Book  From Christina Soontornvat, the visionary and versatile author of three Newbery Honor Books, comes a high-seas adventure set in a Thai-inspired fantasy world. In a fantasy adventure every bit as...
The tryout
Soontornvat, Christina
Paper Book
Could anything be more mortifying than trying out for cheerleader in front of your whole grade? This hilarious, highly relatable story will make you laugh, cry, and cheer! Perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier. An Instant #1 Bestseller! "A captivating middle...
The Atlas Obscura explorer's guide for the world's most adventurous kid
Thuras, Dylan.
Paper Book
This New York Times bestseller is a thrilling expedition to 100 of the world's most surprising, mysterious, and weird-but-true places, offering a "delectable sampler of wonders" (Kirkus) perfect for any curious kid fascinated by science, geography, and adventure.
The trials of Morrigan Crow
Townsend, Jessica
Paper Book
A breathtaking, enchanting new series by debut author Jessica Townsend, about a cursed girl who escapes death and finds herself in a magical world--but is then tested beyond her wildest imagination. Morrigan Crow is cursed. Having been born on Eventide, the unluckiest day for any...
Slow down
Williams, Rachel
Paper Book
All around us, nature is turning, growing...and working. Every day, hour by hour, magical transformations happen right in front of you. But it's not always easy to see them... Discover 50 nature stories, paused just long enough for you to watch them unfold. Then go outside and explore... and see...
A royal conundrum
Yee, Lisa.
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER .When a notorious thief is out for priceless treasure (gems! cats! general decorum!)-who're you gonna call? An elite team of crime-fighting underdogs, that's who! The Misfits are on the case in this hilarious illustrated series from Newbery Honoree Lisa Yee and...

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