My kid's PTA is hosting a read-a-thon to raise money for the school. Full disclosure - I am the fundraising chair behind it. I am so excited for this fundraiser. So excited!
Reading and raising money to help support our school! What could be better!?!
I shared that my daughter is doing this on Facebook to get some ideas for books. I showed my bookworm the suggestions and she was underwhelmed. Many peaked her curiosity, but most she already read.
We decided to create a giant wish list of books that she would like to read that won't be, "boring." I prefer dull, but she insisted. And, this list includes many of the suggestions from our Facebook post. Turns out she can't judge a book by its title but can add it to the list after she saw the cover. Oh, kids.
This is her ultimate wish list of books. With any luck, she will be able to work through it this summer starting with the read-a-thon.
50 Books that Won't Bore Your Elementary School Kid
Classic-ish Books
Books that have a classic feel or are actual classics
1. Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
2. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
3. The Giving Tree Hardcover by Shel Silverstein
4. Harriet the Spy Paperback by Louise Fitzhugh
5. The Secret of the Old Clock (Nancy Drew, Book 1) by Carolyn Keene
6. The Tower Treasure Hardcover by Franklin W. Dixon
7. The Boxcar Children Books by Gertrude Chandler Warner
8. Encyclopedia Brown by Donald J. Sobol
9. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
10. My Brother Sam Is Dead by James Lincoln Collier
Fantasy
Science fiction, magic, and fantasy
12. The Universes Inside the Lighthouse: Balky Point by Pam Stucky
13. The Cowboy and the Unicorn by Kristyn Gansen
14. The Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris
15. A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd
Book to Movie or TV
16. Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein
17. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
18. The Bad Beginning: Or, Orphans! (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 1) by Lemony Snicket
19. Matilda by Roald Dahl
20. The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
Role Models
Kids and adults who make you want to be a better person
21. Stella by Starlight by Sharon M. Draper
22. Ban This Book: A Novel by Alan Gratz
23. I Am Enough by Grace Byers
24. I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark by Debbie Levy
25. Malala's Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzal
Science, Math, and Technology
People who make learning fun!
26. Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty
27. Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty
28. Suddenly Astronaut by Andrew J. Morgan
29. Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World by Rachel Ignotofsky
30. The Math Inspectors: Story One - The Case of the Claymore Diamond (Volume 1) by Daniel Kenney
Power of Friendship + Family
31. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
32. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
33. Echo the Copycat (Goddess Girls) by Joan Holub
34. Beatrice Zinker, Upside Down Thinker by Shelley Johannes
35. Bob by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead
36. Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks
37. The Feather Chase: (The Crime-Solving Cousins Mysteries Book 1) by Shannon L. Brown
38. Code 7: Cracking the Code for an Epic Life by Bryan R Johnson
39. Wish by Barbara O'Connor
40. Welcome to Wonderland #1: Home Sweet Motel by Chris Grabenstein
41. What Do You Do With a Chance? by Kobi Yamada
42. Sherlock Academy (Sherlock Academy Series) by F.C. Shaw
43. I Don't Want To Go To School by A.J. Cosmo
44. One Crazy Summer Paperback by Rita Williams-Garcia
45. The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
Animals with life lessons
46. My Fox Ate My Homework (Volume 1) by David Blaze
47. Princess the Cat versus Snarl the Coyote: A Cat and Dog Adventure by John Heaton
48. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
49. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Presents a Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo by Jill Twiss and Marlon Bundo
50. The Cricket in Times Square (Chester Cricket and His Friends) by George Selden
These are just 50 books that we found! There are ten more on our list that we found as we were putting our selections into categories. We hope that you check them out. I think we will continue to add to this list as we discover new reads.
