Third-Fifth Grade

Even though children's independent reading is growing, their listening abilities are still beyond their reading abilities. Whether they read extremely well or not, the family storytime should continue.

Children's picture books are wonderful at any age, and life would be very dreary without them. Picture books for older children are longer in length, contain more complex themes, and sophisticated artwork.

Depending on interest, children may enjoy comedy, mystery, adventure, fantasy, spellbinders, poetry, nonfiction, historical fiction, and science fiction books.

A good book has a deep sense of morality, not cheap, sentimental plots and shallow heroes. Great stories inspire the reader to a better life and draw out all that is noble within a person.


Current Notable
Books

Wooly Jumpers
Dodsworth in Toyko
Seagulls Don't Eat Pickles: Fish Finelli, Book 1
The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail The
Wednesdays In The Tower


Humor/Nonsense

It's hard to even the most resistant reader to say no to a book that is hilarious. Books that end on a note of despair are not suitable for this age group.

Authors should portray the world as a place where, despite all its serious problems, there is some hope. Slapstick humor is a way to attract readers, especially reluctant ones. Fractured fairy tales fit into this category. The stories slightly resemble the traditional tales, but they challenge readers to compare, contrast, and think while laughing.

Classics

Third through Fifth Graders should have the opportunity to hear as many of the classics as possible that are appropriate to their age level. We recommend the following stories that have endured over the years:

A Bear Called Paddington
Beauty and the Beast
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Charlotte's Web
East O' the Sun and West O' the Moon
The Firebird
Half Magic
Jonathan Swift's Gulliver
The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story
Mary Poppins
Peter Pan and Wendy
The Racketty Packetty House
The Roald Dahl Gift Set
The Secret Garden
Sleeping Beauty
The Snow Queen
The Story of the Treasure Seekers
Unwitting Wisdom: An Anthology of Aesop's Fables
Winnie-the-Pooh
The Wizard of Oz