Guided Reading List: Juvenile Fiction and Juvenile Nonfiction Y

This book list was created using Guided Reading Levels provided by Fountas & Pinnell, and children’s publishers such as ABDO Publishing, Capstone Press, Cavendish Square, Children’s Press, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Random House and Scholastic.

Please note in this book list besides juvenile titles, you will find titles that are classified as Young Adult and Adult. A book is classified as Young Adult (YA) if it is written for a teen audience (typically ages 12-18), features a teenage protagonist, and deals with themes and concerns relevant to adolescence, such as finding one's place in the world, first experiences like love and responsibility, and navigating more mature topics like sexuality or independence. YA is an age-based category that encompasses various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, horror, and mystery, rather than being a specific genre itself. An Adult book is classified by its intended reading audience, typically readers over 18, and is differentiated from young adult (YA) by its sophistication of themes and emotional focus.

Updated September 24, 2025
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Sussex County Library System (NJ)
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Nothing else but miracles /
Albus, Kate
Paper Book
From the author of A Place to Hang the Moon comes a hopeful World War II story about three scrappy siblings on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. When 12-year-old Dory Byrne's pop left New York City's Lower East Side to fight Hitler, he promised her and her brothers that...
If you find this
Baker, Matthew
Paper Book
Mixing mystery and adventure in the tradition of Louis Sachar, Avi, and E.L. Konigsburg, If You Find This is the story of unlikely friendships, unexpected bravery and eleven-year-old Nicholas Funes's quest to prove his grandfather's treasure is real. Nicholas is a math and...
The bootlace magician /
Beasley, Cassie
Paper Book
Welcome back to Circus Mirandus . . . a place with magic so wondrous, you need to believe it to see it. Micah Tuttle--magician in training--lives and works at Circus Mirandus alongside his guardian, the ancient and powerful Lightbender. The circus is a place filled with...
Across so many seas /
Behar, Ruth,
Paper Book
NEWBERY HONOR WINNER SYDNEY TAYLOR BOOK AWARD HONOR WINNER "As lyrical as it is epic, Across So Many Seas reminds us that while the past may be another country, it's also a living, breathing song of sadness and joy that helps define who we are." --Alan Gratz, New York...
Code talker :
Bruchac, Joseph,
Paper Book
Throughout World War II, in the conflict fought against Japan, Navajo code talkers were a crucial part of the U.S. effort, sending messages back and forth in an unbreakable code that used their native language. They braved some of the heaviest fighting of the war, and with their code, they saved...
Because of Mr. Terupt
Buyea, Rob.
Paper Book
Seven students are about to have their lives changed by one amazing teacher in this school storysequel filled with unique characters every reader can relate to. It's the start of a new year at Snow Hill School, and seven students find themselves thrown together in Mr. Terupt's...
The Mona Lisa vanishes :
Day, Nicholas,
Paper Book
"The tale of a stunning art heist with a contagious love of stranger-than-fiction true stories!"--Steve Sheinkin, Newbery Honor-winning author of Bomb The true story of how Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece became the most famous painting in the world after being stolen from the...
Raymie nightingale
DiCamillo, Kate
Paper Book
A #1 New York Times bestseller! A 2016 National Book Award Finalist! As featured on The Today Show's Read with Jenna Jr. Book Club Two-time Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo returns to her roots with a moving, masterful story of an unforgettable summer...
Raymie nightingale /
DiCamillo, Kate
Paper Book
A #1 New York Times bestseller! A 2016 National Book Award Finalist! As featured on The Today Show's Read with Jenna Jr. Book Club Two-time Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo returns to her roots with a moving, masterful story of an unforgettable summer...
A game of Noctis /
Fagan, Deva
Paper Book
An "exciting, fast-moving" (School Library Journal) middle grade fantasy about a girl who must participate in a deadly game with a ragtag team of players to save her grandfather from a terrible fate--perfect for fans of James Riley and Shannon Messenger! In the opulent,...
The hungry ghosts :
Flores, Miguel
Paper Book
A tale of magic, found family, and the power of being yourself-even when the world asks you to change. Witches have been banned from Arrett for years. Which is why Milly has tried to ignore the tingling light that appears in her palm anytime she conjures up a wish. She has too...
Allies
Gratz, Alan
Audiobook
A New York Times bestseller!Alan Gratz, bestselling author of Refugee, weaves a stunning array of voices and stories into an epic tale of teamwork in the face of tyranny -- and how just one day can change the world.June 6, 1944: The Nazis are terrorizing Europe, on their evil quest to...
Allies /
Gratz, Alan,
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller!Alan Gratz, bestselling author of Refugee, weaves a stunning array of voices and stories into an epic tale of teamwork in the face of tyranny -- and how just one day can change the world.June 6, 1944: The Nazis are terrorizing Europe, on their evil quest to...
Redwall /
Jacques, Brian
Paper Book
The question in this first volume is resoundingly clear: What can the peace-loving mice of Redwall Abbey do to defend themselves against Cluny the Scourge and his battle-seasoned army of rats? If only they had the sword of Martin the Warrior, they might have a chance. But the legendary weapon has...
Redwall.
Jacques, Brian
Paper Book
The question in this first volume is resoundingly clear: What can the peace-loving mice of Redwall Abbey do to defend themselves against Cluny the Scourge and his battle-seasoned army of rats? If only they had the sword of Martin the Warrior, they might have a chance. But the legendary weapon has...
Messenger /
Lowry, Lois
Paper Book
Strange changes are taking place in Village. Once a utopian community that prided itself on its welcome to new strangers, Village will soon be closed to all outsiders. As one of the few people able to travel through the dangerous Forest, Matty must deliver the message of Village's closing and...
Messenger
Lowry, Lois.
Paper Book
Strange changes are taking place in Village. Once a utopian community that prided itself on its welcome to new strangers, Village will soon be closed to all outsiders. As one of the few people able to travel through the dangerous Forest, Matty must deliver the message of Village's closing and...
Freewater /
Luqman-Dawson, Amina
Paper Book
Winner of the John Newbery Medal Winner of the Coretta Scott King Author Award  An Indiebound Bestseller A New York Times Bestseller Award-winning author Amina Luqman-Dawson pens a lyrical,...
Freewater :
Luqman-Dawson, Amina/ Johnson, Sisi Aisha (NRT)/ Hite, Cary (NRT)
Paper Book
Winner of the John Newbery Medal Winner of the Coretta Scott King Author Award  An Indiebound Bestseller A New York Times Bestseller Award-winning author Amina Luqman-Dawson pens a lyrical,...
The firefly summer /
Matson, Morgan
Paper Book
Three starred reviews! "Heartfelt and hilarious, witty and wise, with indelible characters and laugh-out-loud humor. A fantastic read for any season of the year." --Stuart Gibbs, New York Times bestselling author In New York Times bestselling author...
Telephone of the tree /
McGhee, Alison,
Paper Book
An unforgettable story of grief and the support of community as a young girl, faced with aching loss, begins to understand that what we love will always be with us. Ayla and her best friend Kiri have always been tree people. They each have their own special tree, and neighbors...
The seventh most important thing /
Pearsall, Shelley
Paper Book
One Kid. One Crime. One Chance to Make Things Right. It was a bitterly cold day when Arthur T. Owens grabbed a brick and hurled it at the trash picker. Arthur had his reasons, and the brick hit the Junk Man in the arm, not the head. But none of that matters to the judge-he is ready to...
Packing for Mars for kids /
Roach, Mary
Paper Book
"America's funniest science writer" (Washington Post) asks the questions children ask in this young readers adaptation of her best-selling Packing for Mars. What is it like to float weightlessly in the air? What happens if you vomit in your helmet during a spacewalk...
Lolo's light /
Scanlon, Liz Garton
Paper Book
For readers who love The Thing About Jellyfish and Counting By 7s, Lolo's Light is a deeply honest middle grade novel about grief, redemption, and life as a kid facing both. This is a truth about growing up: Once in your life, sometime after...
Hokey Pokey /
Spinelli, Jerry
Paper Book
Welcome to Hokey Pokey. A place and a time, when childhood is at its best: games to play, bikes to ride, experiences to be had. There are no adults in Hokey Pokey, just kids, and the laws governing Hokey Pokey are simple and finite. But when one of the biggest kids, Jack, has his beloved bike stolen...
Leviathan /
Westerfeld, Scott
Paper Book
It is the cusp of World War I, and all the European powers are arming up. The Austro-Hungarians and Germans have their Clankers, steam-driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition. The British Darwinists employ fabricated animals as their weaponry. Their Leviathan is a whale airship,...
Wretched waterpark /
White, Kiersten.
Paper Book
A middle-grade mystery series that's spooky, creepy, and filled with gothic twists!Meet the Sinister-Winterbottom twins, who solve mysteries at increasingly bizarre summer vacation destinations in the hopes of being reunited with their parents-or at the very least finally finding a good churro....
Finally heard /
Yang, Kelly
Paper Book
From the New York Times bestselling author of Front Desk comes the sequel to Finally Seen "that tackles tweenhood and technology woes head-on" (School Library Journal, starred review) when Lina tries to navigate social media, only to discover not everything online is...
Kid confident.
Zucker, Bonnie,
Paper Book
"Smart and essential!"--Jeff Kinney, author of Diary of a Wimpy Kid series "They used to tell kids to chant 'sticks and stones' or 'just ignore it.' It didn't work. This book helps kids find the opposite approach: don't ignore it; understand it."--Tom Angleberger, Origami Yoda Do...

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