California Young Reader Medal

California Young Reader Medal references 221 books assigned across applicable K-12 grade levels in US schools.

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The California Young Reader Medal is California's statewide student-choice reading program, jointly sponsored by the California Reading Association, the California School Library Association, the California Library Association, and the California Association of Teachers of English since 1974. Students across the Intermediate, Middle School/Junior High, and Young Adult divisions read from annual nominee lists and vote for their favorite. Its winners are read in California classrooms and libraries statewide and span many of the most-loved middle-grade and YA titles, from Because of Winn-Dixie, Out of My Mind, and Wonder to Pax, Refugee, Restart, The Hunger Games, and The Fault in Our Stars.

Primary source: californiayoungreadermedal.org

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17 books on the 2026-27 nominee lists

Past California Young Reader Medal winners (204)

The book California students voted their favorite each year, by category, from the program's complete list of past winners. Each card shows the year and category.

Show all 204 titles

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About this curriculum framework

This curriculum is one of dozens of named English Language Arts frameworks tracked across US public-school districts. Frameworks differ in scope (district-level vs state-level vs national), in mandate (required vs recommended vs elective), and in how prescriptive their reading lists are (single fixed text list vs broad reading-pool selection).

The book list below represents titles cited as required, recommended, or commonly assigned within this framework, sourced from the framework's primary documentation (or, where the framework is administered at district level, from public district curriculum pages). Each book's detail page links the specific source document for that citation.

How to use this California Young Reader Medal reading list

The book list above represents titles ReadingList has confirmed as referenced by California Young Reader Medal— either through the framework’s own published documentation, through audited classroom syllabi citing the framework, or through US state and district curriculum guides that map their reading expectations to it. Each book’s detail page links the specific primary source so parents, teachers, and students can verify the citation and locate the official document.

Reading lists evolve. California Young Reader Medal citations on ReadingList are reviewed on a rolling basis as primary sources publish updates. If you teach or learn under this framework and a title on this page is no longer used (or you know of one that should appear), the ReadingList methodology page explains how to submit a correction with a citation.

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Copy + paste this snippet into any school newsletter, classroom blog, library site, or homeschool resource page. The embed shows the top 12 titles and links back to the full list. Updates automatically when ReadingList’s data changes.

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Frequently asked questions

What books does California Young Reader Medal include?

221 books are referenced by California Young Reader Medal across applicable K-12 grade levels. Each book page cites the primary source assignment (the official curriculum standard, exemplar list, or syllabus where the title appears).

What grades does California Young Reader Medal cover?

California Young Reader Medal is a reading-program curriculum spanning applicable K-12 grade levels via the standards framework. Browse by grade using the grade-filter links on this page or visit /grade for the full grade index across all curricula.

Where does California Young Reader Medal data come from?

Primary source: californiayoungreadermedal.org/. Cross-referenced with Common Core exemplars at achievethecore.org. Every book page on ReadingList.school cites the standards origin for that assignment.

Is California Young Reader Medal required reading?

California Young Reader Medal provides recommended exemplars + assignments — adoption varies by district and teacher. Always check with your school's English department for the specific required vs recommended list at your grade level.

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Citations to California Young Reader Medal are based on the publicly available course framework, reading list, or prescribed text list. Each book page links to the specific source document. Last reviewed: 2026-09-11.

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