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
The beloved children's classic with more than more than 10 million copies sold. From Newbery Honor and E. B. White Award-winning author Natalie Babbitt, Tuck Everlasting is a spellbinding modern-day masterpiece about immortality, friendship, and growing up that's...

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
After losing her parents, young Mary Lennox is sent from India to live in her uncle's gloomy mansion on the wild English moors. She is lonely and has no one to play with, but one day she learns of a secret garden somewhere in the grounds that no one is allowed to enter. Then Mary uncovers an old key...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Alice's adventures in Wonderland
Carroll, Lewis
Paper Book
On an ordinary summer's afternoon, Alice tumbles down a hole and an extraordinary adventure begins. In a strange world with even stranger characters, she meets a rabbit with a pocket watch, joins a Mad Hatter's Tea Party, and plays croquet with the Queen! Lost in this fantasy land, Alice finds...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

The mouse and the motorcycle
Cleary, Beverly.
Paper Book
In this imaginative adventure from Newbery Medal-winning author Beverly Cleary, a young mouse named Ralph is thrown into a world of excitement when a boy and his shiny toy motorcycle check in to the Mountain View Inn. When the ever-curious Ralph spots Keith's red toy motorcycle, he vows to...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

The Watsons go to Birmingham--1963 : a novel
Curtis, Christopher Paul.
Paper Book
During one of the most important times in the civil rights movement, one unforgettable family goes on a road trip in this Newbery and Coretta Scott King Honoree, from author Christopher Paul Curtis, recipient of the Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. ...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Charlie and the chocolate factory
Dahl, Roald.
Paper Book
From the author of The BFG and Matilda! Willy Wonka's famous chocolate factory is opening at last! But only five lucky children will be allowed inside. And the winners are: Augustus Gloop, an enormously fat boy whose hobby is eating; Veruca Salt, a spoiled...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Harriet, the spy
Fitzhugh, Louise.
Paper Book
Soon to be an Apple TV+ animated series starring Golden Globe nominee Beanie Feldstein and Emmy Award winner Jane Lynch, it's no secret that Harriet the Spy is a timeless classic that kids will love! Harriet M. Welsch is a spy. In her notebook, she writes down...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

The wind in the willows
Grahame, Kenneth
Paper Book
Another beautiful book by renowned artist Robert Ingpen in the popular Union Square Kids Illustrated Classics children's books series, one of the most beloved and widely read classic books of all time--The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. For more than a century, this...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Misty of Chincoteague
Henry, Marguerite
Paper Book
Paul and Maureen Beebe want to own the beautiful mare and and her colt, Misty.

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

From the mixed-up files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Konigsburg, E. L.
Paper Book
A Time Best YA Book of All Time (2021) Run away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art with E. L. Konigsburg's beloved classic and Newbery Medal­-winning novel From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler! When Claudia decided to run away, she...

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)

Pippi Longstocking
Lindgren, Astrid
Paper Book
Tommy and Annika have a new neighbor: red-haired, freckle-faced Pippi Longstocking, who has upside-down braids and no parents to tell her what to do. The three children have the most rollicking adventures on their own, with horses and monkeys, the circus, and more! "A...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Sarah, plain and tall
MacLachlan, Patricia.
Paper Book
"Did Mama sing every day?" Caleb asks his sister Anna. "Every-single-day," she answers. "Papa sang, too." This 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...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Winnie-the-Pooh
Milne, A. A.
Paper Book
One of the most beloved icons of children's literature, Winnie-the-Pooh!   Since 1926, Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends--Piglet, Owl, Tigger, and the ever doleful Eeyore--have endured as the unforgettable creations of A.A. Milne, who wrote this book for his son, Christopher...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Shiloh
Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds.
Paper Book
Marty will do anything to save his new friend Shiloh in this Newbery Medal-winning novel from Phillis Reynolds Naylor. When Marty Preston comes across a young beagle in the hills behind his home, it's love at first sight--and also big trouble. It turns out the dog, which Marty...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

The Borrowers
Norton, Mary.
Paper Book
A enchanting and enduring children's classic, The Borrowers is the award-winning tale of three tiny people who are big heroes. The Clock family--Homily, Pod, and their fourteen-year-old daughter, Arrietty--are tiny people who live underneath the kitchen floor of an...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Island of the Blue Dolphins
O'Dell, Scott
Paper Book
This is the story of Karana, the Indian girl who lived alone for years on the Island of the Blue Dolphins. Year after year, she watched one season pass into another and waited for a ship to take her away.

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Bridge to Terabithia
Paterson, Katherine.
Paper Book
Now a major motion picture from Disney, starring Josh Hutcherson and Zooey Deschanel! Discover the beloved Newbery Medal-winning story by bestselling author Katherine Paterson, a modern classic of friendship and loss.  Jess Aarons has been practicing all summer so he can be the...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Pilgrim's progress
Schmidt, Gary D.
Ebook
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
A Newbery Medal Winner For over thirty-five years, Ellen Raskin's Newbery Medal-winning The Westing Game has been an enduring favorite. The Westing Game Deluxe Anniversary Edition Before writing The Westing Game, Ellen Raskin...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Where the red fern grows
Rawls, Wilson
Paper Book
Read the beloved classic that captures the powerful bond between man and man's best friend. This edition also includes a special note to readers from Newbery Medal winner and Printz Honor winner Clare Vanderpool. Billy has long dreamt of owning not one, but two, dogs. So when...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Esperanza rising
Ryan, Pam Muñoz.
Paper Book
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. Esperanza Rising joins the Scholastic...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

The little prince
Saint-Exupéry, Antoine de
Paper Book
This beloved, world-famous allegorical classic about a young prince on a quest for knowledge is an essential read for every home library. Combining Richard Howard's translation with restored original full-color art, this definitive English-language edition of The Little Prince will capture...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

All-of-a-kind family
Taylor, Sydney
Audiobook
It's the turn of the century in New York's Lower East Side and a sense of adventure and excitement abounds for five young sisters-Ella, Henny, Sarah, Charlotte and Gertie. Follow along as they search for hidden buttons while dusting Mama's front parlor, or explore the basement warehouse of Papa's...

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 paper-over-board edition ...

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
For generations, children around the world have come of age with Louisa May Alcott's March girls: hardworking eldest sister Meg, headstrong, impulsive Jo, timid Beth, and precocious Amy. With their father away at war, and their loving mother Marmee working to support the family, the four sisters...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

The Black Cauldron
Alexander, Lloyd.
Paper Book
Henry Holt Books for Young Readers is proud to publish this 50th Anniversary Edition of Lloyd Alexander's classic Newbery Honor winnerThe Black Cauldron, the second book in the Chronicles of Prydain, with a new introduction by fellow Newbery Honor winner Rebecca Stead. In the land...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

A wrinkle in time
L'Engle, Madeleine.
Paper Book
NEWBERY MEDAL WINNER * TIME MAGAZINE'S 100 BEST FANTASY BOOKS OF ALL TIME * NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE FROM DISNEY Read the ground-breaking science fiction and fantasy classic that has delighted children for over 60 years! "A Wrinkle in Time<...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

Anne of Green Gables
Montgomery, L. M.
Paper Book
Anne is a young orphan who finally finds a home at Green Gables, but it's not exactly smooth sailing. Anne always seems to find herself getting into scrapes! This easy-to-read adaptation of L.M. Montgomery's classic is guaranteed to hook beginning readers not yet ready to tackle the original.

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

Hatchet
Paulsen, Gary.
Paper Book
This award-winning contemporary classic is the survival story with which all others are compared--and a page-turning, heart-stopping adventure, recipient of the Newbery Honor. Hatchet has also been nominated as one of America's best-loved novels by PBS's The Great American Read....

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

Holes
Sachar, Louis
Paper Book
10th Anniversary Edition Louis Sachar received great recognition for his groundbreaking story of Stanley Yelnats - a boy with a history of bad luck. AsSchool Library Journalpredicted in their starred review of the book when it was first published, "Kids will loveHoles." A...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

Roll of thunder, hear my cry
Taylor, Mildred D.
Paper Book
The stunning repackage of a timeless Newbery Award Winner, with cover art by two-time Caldecott Honor Award winner Kadir Nelson! With the land to hold them together, nothing can tear the Logans apart. Why is the land so important to Cassie's family? It...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)


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