Children's Classic Books

Classic books for grades 1 - 6

Updated June 18, 2026
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City of Mission Viejo Library City of Mission Viejo Library
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Children's Classic Books

Classic books for grades 1 - 6

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The adventures of Tom Sawyer
Twain, Mark
Paper Book
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain is a novel about a young boy growing up in the fictional small town of Hannibal, Missouri along the Mississippi River during the 1840s. Tom Sawyer lives with his Aunt Polly and his half-brother Sid. Life for Tom is a series of grand adventures that include...

AR: 8.1

Lexile: 950

Alexander and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day
Viorst, Judith.
Paper Book
Alexander knew it was going to be a terrible day when he woke up with gum in his hair. His best friend deserted him. There was no dessert in his lunch bag. And, on top of all that, there were lima beans for dinner and kissing on TV This handsome new edition of Judith Viorst's classic picture book is...

AR: 3.9

Lexile: 970

Amelia Bedelia
Parish, Peggy.
Paper Book
Learn to read with the classic Amelia Bedelia! Ever since Amelia Bedelia made her debut in 1963, young readers have been laughing out loud at the antics of this literal-minded but charming housekeeper.  From dressing the chicken to drawing the drapes, Amelia Bedelia...

AR: 2.5

Lexile: 120

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.

AR: 7.3

Lexile: 970

Ballet shoes
Streatfeild, Noel.
Audiobook
Three orphan girls. A pair of pink slippers. A lifetime in the spotlight. Read the classic that has captivated generations! A PARADE BEST KIDS BOOK OF ALL TIME Pauline, Petrova, and Posy love their quiet life together. They are orphans who have been raised as...

AR: 5.7

Lexile: 930

The black stallion
Farley, Walter
Paper Book
Discover all the adventure, thrills, and tenderness of the beloved classic that introduced the world to "the most famous fictional horse of the century" (The New York Times). "There was no place to seek cover. Here was the wildest of all wild animals." ...

AR: 5.2

Lexile: 680


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...

AR: 5.3

Lexile: 780

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...

AR: 3.9

Lexile: 470

The call of the wild
London, Jack
Paper Book
Life is good for Buck in Santa Clara Valley, where he spends his days eating and sleeping in the golden sunshine. But one day a treacherous act of betrayal leads to his kidnap, and he is forced into a life of toil and danger. Dragged away to be a sledge dog in the harsh and freezing cold Yukon, Buck...

AR: 8.0

Lexile: 1120

The cat in the hat
Seuss, Dr.
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * The classic picture book that introduced the world to the iconic, mischievous Cat in the Hat and the beloved characters Thing One and Thing Two! Dr. Seuss makes reading fun for kids of all ages. COMING IN 2026 AS A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE...

AR: 1.2

Lexile: 260

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...

AR: 4.8

Lexile: 810

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 ...

AR: 4.9

Lexile: 680

Cloudy with a chance of meatballs
Barrett, Judi.
Paper Book
The classic children's book and inspiration behind a hit animated film, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is a whimsical and imaginative picture book that has delighted generations of readers. The tiny town of Chewandswallow was very much like any other tiny town--except...

AR: 3.2

Lexile: 730

Corduroy
Freeman, Don
Paper Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER * The treasured childhood classic that tells the heartwarming story of a little bear and a little girl finding the friend they have always wanted in each other. "Freeman's tender tale bursts with quiet yearning, indelible images and the pure satisfaction of...

AR: 3.2

Lexile: 600

Frog and toad are friends
Lobel, Arnold.
Paper Book
Celebrate the power of friendship in these five adventurous stories starring Frog and Toad--a Caldecott Honor Book!  From writing letters to going swimming, telling stories to finding lost buttons, Frog and Toad are always there for each other--just as best friends should be. ...

AR: 2.9

Lexile: 400

The hundred dresses
Estes, Eleanor
Paper Book
A 1945 Newbery Honor Book Eleanor Estes's The Hundred Dresses won a Newbery Honor in 1945 and has never been out of print since. At the heart of the story is Wanda Petronski, a Polish girl in a Connecticut school who is ridiculed by her classmates for...

AR: 5.4

Lexile: 870

If you give a mouse a cookie
Numeroff, Laura Joffe.
Paper Book
If a hungry little mouse shows up on your doorstep, you might want to give him a cookie. And if you give him a cookie, he'll ask for a glass of milk. He'll want to look in a mirror to make sure he doesn't have a milk mustache, and then he'll ask for a pair of scissors to give himself a trim....<...

AR: 2.7

Lexile: 410

Little house on the prairie
Wilder, Laura Ingalls
Paper Book
Based on the real-life adventures of Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House on the Prairie is the third 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.  Laura Ingalls...

AR: 5.3

Lexile: 930

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...

AR: 5.0

Lexile: 710

Madeline
Bemelmans, Ludwig
Paper Book
A CALDECOTT HONOR BOOK * OVER 8 MILLION COPIES SOLD! The cherished childhood classic starring a fearless little girl and her eleven lovable housemates. One of The Atlantic's 65 Essential Children's Books "Perhaps the best bedtime book ever written."--The New...

AR: 3.1

Lexile: 480

The magician's nephew
Lewis, C. S.
Paper Book
Narnia . . . a land frozen in eternal winter . . . a country waiting to be set free Witness the creation of a magical land in The Magician's Nephew, the first title in C. S. Lewis's classic fantasy series, which has captivated readers of all ages for over sixty years. This beautiful...

AR: 5.4

Lexile: 790

Mary Poppins
Travers, P. L.
Paper Book
A stunning, full-color illustrated edition of the classic novel about the magical nanny who has delighted children and adults the world over. Experience the fantastical adventures of the magical nanny who inspired the classic film, stage show, and young imaginations the...

AR: 6.1

Lexile: 830

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...

AR: 4.1

Lexile: 860

Mr. Popper's penguins
Atwater, Richard.
Paper Book
The classic Newbery Honor book that inspired the hilarious Jim Carrey movie--and a childhood favorite book for generations. Mr. Popper's Penguins is one of the handful of American books for children that has attained the status of a classic. A humble...

AR: 5.6

Lexile: 910

My father's dragon
Gannett, Ruth Stiles.
Paper Book
NEWBERY HONOR BOOK * The beloved tale of a boy on a daring quest to rescue a dragon, featuring the original black-and-white illustrations "Irresistible . . . a real delight."--The New Yorker Now a Netflix animated film featuring the voices of Jacob...

AR: 4.8

Lexile: 990

Peter Pan
Barrie, J. M.
Paper Book
Acclaimed illustrator Robert Ingpen takes readers on a magical, unforgettable trip to Neverland in this sumptuous edition of the classic story, complete with a foreword by the great-great grand nephew of J.M. Barrie himself. Like Peter Pan himself, Barrie's timeless tale never...

AR: 7.2

Lexile: 980

The phantom tollbooth
Juster, Norton
Paper Book
It has been fifty years--and millions of readers--since the world was first introduced to Milo and his adventures in the Lands Beyond with Tock, the Humbug, and the captive princesses Rhyme and Reason. Now we have a remarkable 50th anniversary edition to honor this universally adored and...

AR: 6.7

Lexile: 1000

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...

AR: 5.2

Lexile: 870

The Saturdays
Enright, Elizabeth
Audiobook
Meet the Melendys!Mona, the eldest, is thirteen. She has decided to become an actress and can recite poetry at the drop of a hat. Rush is twelve and a bit mischievous. Miranda is ten and a half. She loves dancing and painting pictures. Oliver is the youngest. At six, he is a calm and thoughtful...

AR: 5.5

Lexile: 820

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...

AR: 6.3

Lexile: 970

The secret of the old clock
Keene, Carolyn.
Paper Book
A special treat for Nancy Drew fans, and any reader who's new to the series! We're releasing a stunning new edition of an old favorite: The Secret of the Old Clock, the first book in the incredibly popular, long-running series. It's the same exciting mystery that readers have fallen in...

AR: 5.4

Lexile: 760

Strega Nona : an old tale
DePaola, Tomie
Paper Book
Now celebrating its 50th anniversary! When Strega Nona leaves him alone with her magic pasta pot, Big Anthony is determined to show the townspeople how it works in this classic Caldecott Honor book from Tomie dePaola. Strega Nona--"Grandma Witch"--is the...

AR: 4.4

Lexile: 800

The tale of Peter Rabbit
Potter, Beatrix
Paper Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER * One of the best-loved children's picture books of all time, available as a mini hardcover for little hands! A classic tale that teaches the importance of making smart decisions, this edition features restored and never-before-seen illustrations! Once upon...

AR: 4.2

Lexile: 660

Tales of a fourth grade nothing
Blume, Judy.
Paper Book
The #1 New York Times bestselling author's first book in her classic Fudge series. "As a kid, Judy Blume was my favorite author, and Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing was my favorite book."--Jeff Kinney, author of the bestselling Wimpy Kid series ...

AR: 3.3

Lexile: 470

The tower treasure
Dixon, Franklin W.
Paper Book
A dying criminal confesses that his loot has been stored "in the tower." Both towers of the looted mansion are searched in vain. It remains for the Hardy boys to make an astonishing discovery that clears up the mystery and clears the name of a friend's father.

AR: 5.4

Lexile: 740

Treasure Island
Stevenson, Robert Louis
Paper Book
Following the demise of bloodthirsty buccaneer Captain Flint, young Jim Hawkins finds himself with the key to a fortune. For he has discovered a map that will lead him to the fabled Treasure Island. But a host of villains, wild beasts and deadly savages stand between him and the stash of gold. Not...

AR: 8.3

Lexile: 1100

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...

AR: 5.0

Lexile: 770

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! 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...

AR: 4.6

Lexile: 790

The wonderful Wizard of Oz
Baum, L. Frank
Paper Book
Dorothy thinks she's lost forever when a tornado whirls her and her dog, Toto, into a magical world. To get home, she must find the wonderful wizard in the Emerald City of Oz. On the way she meets the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion. But the Wicked Witch of the West has her own...

AR: 7.0

Lexile: 980

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https://librarian.syndetics.com/syndeticsunbound/lp/374.603/list/7077

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