5th grade books about History
18 books commonly assigned to 5th grade students explore history— every title’s grade range covers 5th grade, so each is grade-appropriate by curriculum placement. Each links to its reading level, themes, and the curricula that cite it.
Reading difficulty: the typical 5th grade text-complexity band is 740–1010L (Common Core Appendix A). Of the 3 history titles here with a Lexile score, 1 is grade-level, 2 are more accessible, and 0 are stretch texts. Match a book to your reader’s measured Lexile rather than to the grade alone.
18 5th grade books about history
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Ancestory: The Mystery and Majesty of Ancient Cave ArtHannah Salyer
Because of You, John LewisAndrea Davis Pinkney
Code Name KingfisherLiz Kessler
Evidence! How Dr. John Snow Solved the Mystery of CholeraDeborah Hopkinson
Hidden Hope: How a Toy and a Hero Saved Lives During the HolocaustElisa Boxer
HoopsMatt Tavares
I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912Lauren Tarshis · 590L
IcebergJennifer A. Nielsen
Mountain of Fire: The Eruption and Survivors of Mount St. HelensRebecca E. Barone
Not NothingGayle Forman
Nothing Else But MiraclesKate Albus
The Devil's ArithmeticJane Yolen · 730L
The Fire of StarsKirsten W. Larson
The Longest Shot: How Larry Kwong Changed the Face of HockeyChad Soon & Amy Maranville
The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. TolkienJohn Hendrix
The Partition ProjectSaadia Faruqi
The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963Christopher Paul Curtis · 1000L
VolcanoesNell Cross Beckerman
History books at other grades
2nd grade · 3rd grade · 4th grade · 6th grade · 7th grade · 8th grade · 9th grade · 10th grade
Other 5th grade themes
Family · Friendship · Courage · Identity · Humor · Adventure · Nature · Perseverance
← Full 5th grade reading list · All historybooks →
Frequently asked questions
What history books are good for 5th grade students?
18 books exploring history have a grade range that covers 5th grade and are assigned across US-school curricula — Common Core exemplars, AP, IB, Cambridge, and state ELA standards. Each title on this page links to its full curriculum citations and reading level.
Are these history books grade-appropriate for 5th grade?
Every title's grade range covers 5th grade. The typical 5th grade text-complexity band is 740–1010L (Common Core Appendix A); of the 3 books here with a Lexile score, 1 is grade-level, 2 more accessible, and 0 a stretch. Match a book to your reader's measured Lexile rather than to the grade alone.
How many history books are on the 5th grade list?
This page lists 18 5th grade titles about history, ordered alphabetically. The list expands as more curriculum references are verified.
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