6th grade reading list
6th grade students in US schools are commonly assigned 426 books across Common Core Appendix B, AP, IB, Cambridge, and state ELA curricula. Each title links to its grade citations.
Reading difficulty: the typical 6th grade text-complexity band is 925–1185L (Common Core Appendix A). Of the 82 titles here with a Lexile score, 13 are grade-level, 69 are more accessible (often chosen for theme over reading challenge), and 0 are stretch texts. Match a book to your reader’s measured Lexile rather than to the grade alone.
426 books with a 6th grade citation
Titles whose grade range covers 6th grade in a state ELA curriculum or a national reference (Common Core Appendix B, AP, IB).
96 MilesJ. L. Esplin- A Bird Will SoarAlison Green Myers
A Corner of the UniverseAnn M. Martin- A Dog Called HomelessSarah Lean
A First Time for EverythingDan Santat
A Game of NoctisDeva Fagan
A Long Walk to WaterLinda Sue Park · 720L- A Mango-Shaped SpaceWendy Mass
A Million Ways HomeDianna Dorisi-Winget
A Night DividedJennifer A. Nielsen
A Plate of Hope: The Inspiring Story of Chef José Andrés and World Central KitchenErin Frankel
A Royal ConundrumLisa Yee- A Sea of Lemon TreesMaría Dolores Águila
A Single ShardLinda Sue Park · 920L
A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry HallJasmine Warga
A Tale Dark and GrimmAdam Gidwitz
A Week in the WoodsAndrew Clements
A Work in ProgressJarrett Lerner
A Wrinkle in TimeMadeleine L'Engle · 740L
AbductionPeg Kehret- After Ever AfterJordan Sonnenblick
- All He KnewHelen Frost
All the Lovely Bad OnesMary Downing Hahn
AlliesAlan Gratz- Almost AstronautsTanya Lee Stone
AloneMegan E. Freeman
Amal UnboundAisha Saeed
Amari and the Night BrothersB. B. Alston
Amir and the Jinn PrincessM. T. Khan
Among the HiddenMargaret Peterson Haddix- An American PlagueJim Murphy
Ancestory: The Mystery and Majesty of Ancient Cave ArtHannah Salyer- Anything But TypicalNora Raleigh Baskin
Artemis FowlEoin Colfer- As Brave As YouJason Reynolds
Bad News for OutlawsVaunda Micheaux Nelson
Ban This BookAlan Gratz
Basket BallKadir Nelson- Becoming Naomi Leon (Scholastic Gold)Pam Muñoz Ryan
Before the Ever AfterJacqueline Woodson- Behave Yourself, Bethany BrantPatricia Beatty
Between Two BrothersCrystal Allen- Beyond the Bright SeaLauren Wolk
Big Nate: In a Class by HimselfLincoln Peirce · 500L
Black Brother, Black BrotherJewell Parker Rhodes- Black PotatoesSusan Campbell Bartoletti
BlendedSharon M. Draper · 610L
BlubberJudy Blume- Bo at Ballard CreekKirkpatrick Hill
Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous WeaponSteve Sheinkin · 920L
BookedKwame Alexander
Boy 2.0Tracey Baptiste
Breathing RoomMarsha Hayles
Brick Dust and BonesM.R. Fournet
Bridge to TerabithiaKatherine Paterson · 810L
Brown Girl DreamingJacqueline Woodson · 990L
Bud, Not BuddyChristopher Paul Curtis · 950L
BuddyM. H. Herlong- Bull RunPaul Fleischman
BunniculaDeborah Howe
ChainsLaurie Halse Anderson · 780L
Charlie and the Chocolate FactoryRoald Dahl · 810L- ChickadeeLouise Erdrich
Chronicles of a Lizard NobodyPatrick Ness
City of GhostsVictoria Schwab
Class ActJerry Craft
Claudette ColvinPhillip Hoose- Close to FamousJoan Bauer
Code Name KingfisherLiz Kessler
Confessions of a Class ClownArianne Costner
Confetti GirlDiana López
Control FreaksJ.E. Thomas
Countdown to YesterdayShirley Marr
Cracker The Best Dog in VietnamCynthia Kadohata
CrenshawKatherine Applegate
Cryptid HuntersRoland Smith- Dash (Dogs of World War II)Kirby Larson
Dead End in NorveltJack Gantos
Dear Mr. HenshawBeverly Cleary
Deep and Dark and DangerousMary Downing Hahn
Diary of a Wimpy KidJeff Kinney · 950L
Dog Man UnleashedDav Pilkey
Dog Trouble: A Graphic NovelKristin Varner
DogtownKatherine Applegate & Gennifer Choldenko
Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous LifeRachel Renée Russell · 890L
Doña Quixote: Rise of the KnightRey Terciero
DragonwingsLaurence Yep · 870L
DramaRaina Telgemeier
Drums, Girls & Dangerous PieJordan Sonnenblick
DuelJessixa Bagley
EchoPam Muñoz Ryan · 680L- Efren DividedErnesto Cisneros
El DeafoCece Bell · 420L
Elijah of Buxton (Scholastic Gold)Christopher Paul Curtis
Ella EnchantedGail Carson Levine- Enchanted AirMargarita Engle
Ender's GameOrson Scott Card · 780L
EragonChristopher Paolini
Ernö Rubik and His Magic CubeKerry Aradhya
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's LibraryChris Grabenstein
Escaping the Giant WavePeg Kehret
Esperanza RisingPam Muñoz Ryan · 750L
Evidence! How Dr. John Snow Solved the Mystery of CholeraDeborah Hopkinson
FablehavenBrandon Mull
Farther Than the MoonLindsay Lackey
FerrisKate DiCamillo
Final Word (The Winterton Deception #1)Janet Sumner Johnson- Finding LangstonLesa Cline-Ransome
Fish in a TreeLynda Mullaly Hunt · 550L
Flora and UlyssesKate DiCamillo- Forty Acres And Maybe A MuleHarriette Robinet
FoundMargaret Peterson Haddix
Four Eyes: A Graphic NovelRex Ogle
Fowl PlayKristin O'Donnell Tubb
FreewaterAmina Luqman-Dawson
FrindleAndrew Clements · 830L
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. FrankweilerE.L. Konigsburg · 700L
Front DeskKelly Yang · 640L
Fudge-a-ManiaJudy Blume- Full of BeansJennifer L. Holm
Gaither Sisters Trilogy CollectionRita Williams-Garcia
Game ChangerTommy Greenwald
Genesis Begins AgainAlicia D. Williams
GhostJason Reynolds · 730L
Ghost BoysJewell Parker Rhodes · 360L
Ghost Dog SecretsPeg Kehret
GlobalEoin Colfer & Andrew Donkin
Goblin SecretsWilliam Alexander
Good DifferentMeg Eden Kuyatt
Good Masters Sweet LadiesLaura Amy Schlitz
Goosebumps: Welcome to Dead HouseR.L. Stine
Gregor the OverlanderSuzanne Collins
Ground ZeroAlan Gratz
GroundedAisha Saeed, S.K. Ali, Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow & Huda Al-Marashi
GutsRaina Telgemeier
Haiku, Ew! Celebrating the Disgusting Side of NatureLynn Brunelle
Hand in HandAndrea Davis Pinkney- Handbook for Dragon SlayersMerrie Haskell
HandsTorrey Maldonado
Hannah Sharpe, Cartoon DetectiveJanet Tashjian
Harriet the SpyLouise Fitzhugh
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's StoneJ.K. Rowling · 880L
HatchetGary Paulsen · 1020L
Heart and SoulKadir Nelson
Hello, UniverseErin Entrada Kelly · 690L
HeroesAlan Gratz
HiddenHelen Frost
HolesLouis Sachar · 660L
HootCarl Hiaasen · 760L
Hope in the ValleyMitali Perkins
How to Eat Fried WormsThomas Rockwell
I Am Malala (Young Readers Edition)Malala Yousafzai · 830L- I Lived on Butterfly HillMarjorie Agosín
IcebergJennifer A. Nielsen
Impossible CreaturesKatherine Rundell
In the Beautiful CountryJane Kuo
Inside Out & Back AgainThanhha Lai · 800L
Invisible IsabelSally J. Pla
Island of the Blue DolphinsScott O'Dell · 1000L
It Came from the TreesAlly Russell
Jackie and MeDan Gutman
James and the Giant PeachRoald Dahl · 870L
JawbreakerChristina Wyman- JipKatherine Paterson
Just Keep WalkingErin Soderberg Downing
Just a Pinch of MagicAlechia Dow- Kakapo RescueSy Montgomery
Kareem BetweenShifa Saltagi Safadi
Keeper of the Lost CitiesShannon Messenger
King and the Dragonflies (Scholastic Gold)Kacen Callender
Kira-KiraCynthia Kadohata
LegendMarie Lu
Legendarios: Wrath of the Rain GodKarla Arenas Valenti
LocomotiveBrian Floca- LolaKarla Arenas Valenti
Look Both WaysJason Reynolds- Lucky Broken GirlRuth Behar
- Macy McMillan and the Rainbow GoddessShari Green
Magnolia Wu Unfolds It AllChanel Miller
Maniac MageeJerry Spinelli · 820L
MatchedAlly Condie
MatildaRoald Dahl · 840L
Max and the MidknightsLincoln Peirce
Merci Suárez Changes GearsMeg Medina · 700L
MexikidPedro Martín
Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25Richard Paul Evans
Mick Harte Was HereBarbara Park
Mid-AirAlicia D. Williams
Million-Dollar ThrowMike Lupica
Millionaires for the MonthStacy McAnulty
MockingbirdKathryn Erskine
Moon Over ManifestClare Vanderpool- Morning GirlMichael Dorris
Mountain of Fire: The Eruption and Survivors of Mount St. HelensRebecca E. Barone
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMHRobert C. O'Brien · 790L
My Teacher Is an AlienBruce Coville- Mystery FishSally M. Walker
Narwhal: Unicorn of the ArcticCandace Fleming
New KidJerry Craft
Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor ProphecyAngie Thomas
NimbusJan Eldredge
Not NothingGayle Forman
Not an Easy WinChrystal Giles
Nothing Else But MiraclesKate Albus
Nothing's Fair in Fifth GradeBarthe DeClements
Number the StarsLois Lowry · 670L
Old YellerFred Gipson
Oliver's Great Big UniverseJorge Cham
Once They See You: 13 Stories to Shiver and ShockJosh Allen
One Crazy SummerRita Williams-Garcia · 750L
One for SorrowMary Downing Hahn
One for the MurphysLynda Mullaly Hunt
Onyx & BeyondAmber McBride
Operation Final NoticeMatthew Landis- Ophie's GhostsJustina Ireland
Other Words for HomeJasmine Warga · 930L
Out of My MindSharon M. Draper · 700L
Out of the DustKaren Hesse · 740L
P.S. Be ElevenRita Williams-Garcia
Parachute KidsBetty C. Tang
PaxSara Pennypacker · 760L
Pedro's Yo-Yos: How a Filipino Immigrant Came to America and Changed the World of ToysRob Peñas
Pie in the SkyRemy Lai- Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble MagnetZanib MianPlanet Omar: Accidental Trouble MagnetZanib Mian · 820L
PopcornRob Harrell- Popcorn: A hilarious and moving story about coping with anxietyRob Harrell
PostedJohn David Anderson
PowerlessMatthew Cody
Projekt 1065Alan Gratz
PuzzleheartJenn Reese
Race for the Ruby TurtleStephen Bramucci
Ralph S. MouseBeverly Cleary
Ramona ForeverBeverly Cleary
RascalSterling North
ReboundKwame Alexander · 780L
RefugeeAlan Gratz · 800L
RememberToni Morrison
ResistanceJennifer A. Nielsen- RestartGordon KormanRestartGordon Korman · 730L
RewindLisa Graff
Rodrick RulesJeff Kinney
Roll for InitiativeJaime Formato
Roll of Thunder, Hear My CryMildred D. Taylor · 920L
Roller GirlVictoria Jamieson · 440L
Ruby Lost and FoundChristina Li- RulesCynthia Lord
RulesCynthia Lord
Runaway TwinPeg Kehret
Sal and Gabi Break the UniverseCarlos Hernandez
Save Me a SeatSarah Weeks · 780L
Saving ShilohPhyllis Reynolds Naylor
Scare School Diaries: Welcome to Scare SchoolJarrett Lerner- Seen and UnseenElizabeth Partridge
- Shades of GrayCarolyn Reeder
ShilohPhyllis Reynolds Naylor · 890L
Shinji Takahashi and the Mark of the CoatlJulie Kagawa- Show Me a Sign (Show Me a Sign, Book 1)Ann Clare LeZotte
Simon Sort of SaysErin Bow
Six Feet Below ZeroEna Jones
SkyridersPolly Holyoke
Smack Dab in the Middle of MaybeJo Watson Hackl- Small StepsLouis Sachar
SmileRaina Telgemeier · 410L
So B. ItSarah Weeks
Something Like HomeAndrea Beatriz Arango- Song for A WhaleLynne Kelly
Spooky Lakes: 25 Strange and Mysterious Lakes that Dot Our PlanetGeo Rutherford
Stand Up, Yumi ChungJessica Kim
StargirlJerry Spinelli- Stepping on the CracksMary Downing Hahn
Stolen ChildrenPeg Kehret
StormbreakerAnthony Horowitz- Streams to the River, River to the SeaScott O'Dell
Stuntboy, In-Between TimeJason Reynolds
Summer of the MonkeysWilson Rawls
SuperfudgeJudy Blume
Surviving the ApplewhitesStephanie S. Tolan
Swim TeamJohnnie Christmas
SwindleGordon Korman
Tales from Cabin 23: The Boo Hag FlexJustina Ireland- Team MoonCatherine Thimmesh
- Tending to GraceKimberly Newton Fusco
The Adventures of Tom SawyerMark Twain · 950L- The Art of Keeping CoolJanet Taylor Lisle
The BFGRoald Dahl · 720L
The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events #1)Lemony Snicket · 1010L
The Best School Year EverBarbara Robinson
The Boy Who DaredSusan Campbell Bartoletti
The Boy at the Back of the ClassOnjali Q. Raúf
The Call of the WildJack London · 1120L
The CayTheodore Taylor
The City of EmberJeanne DuPrau
The CrossoverKwame Alexander · 750L
The Cursed MoonAngela Cervantes
The Cybil WarBetsy Byars
The Dark!: Wild Life in the Mysterious World of CavesLindsey Leigh
The Devil's ArithmeticJane Yolen · 730L- The Dollhouse MurdersBetty Ren WrightThe Dollhouse MurdersBetty Ren Wright
The Doom StonePaul Zindel
The Door of No ReturnKwame Alexander
The Dragonet ProphecyTui T. Sutherland- The DreamerPam Muñoz Ryan
The Eyes and the ImpossibleDave Eggers
The False PrinceJennifer A. Nielsen
The Fire of StarsKirsten W. Larson- The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinnSally J. Pla
The Firefly SummerMorgan Matson
The First State of BeingErin Entrada Kelly
The FortGordon Korman- The Game of SilenceLouise Erdrich
The Ghost of GraylockDan Poblocki
The Girl Who Drank the MoonKelly Barnhill- The Girl Who Drew ButterfliesJoyce Sidman
The Girl Who Figured It OutMinda Dentler
The Girl in the LakeIndia Hill Brown
The GiverLois Lowry · 760L
The Graveyard BookNeil Gaiman · 820L
The Great Gilly HopkinsKatherine Paterson- The Green Glass SeaEllen Klages
The Hidden KingdomTui T. Sutherland
The Higher Power of LuckySusan Patron
The Honest TruthDan Gemeinhart
The Hunger GamesSuzanne Collins · 810L
The Indian in the CupboardLynne Reid Banks
The Invention of Hugo CabretBrian Selznick
The Labors of Hercules BealGary D. Schmidt
The Land of Stories: The Wishing SpellChris Colfer
The Last CuentistaDonna Barba Higuera
The Last Dragon on MarsScott Reintgen
The Last Hope in HopetownMaria Tureaud
The Last MusketeerStuart Gibbs
The Last StrawJeff Kinney
The Liars SocietyAlyson Gerber
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1)Rick Riordan · 740L
The Lion, the Witch and the WardrobeC.S. Lewis · 940L
The Longest Shot: How Larry Kwong Changed the Face of HockeyChad Soon & Amy Maranville
The Lost HeirTui T. Sutherland
The Lost HeroRick Riordan
The Lost LibraryRebecca Stead & Wendy Mass
The Lost YearKatherine Marsh
The Lumbering Giants of Windy PinesMo Netz
The Mark of AthenaRick Riordan
The Million Dollar ShotDan Gutman
The Miraculous Journey of Edward TulaneKate DiCamillo
The Mona Lisa VanishesNicholas Day
The Mysterious Benedict SocietyTrenton Lee Stewart
The Mystery of the MonarchsBarb Rosenstock
The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. TolkienJohn Hendrix
The Night TrainLorelei Savaryn
The Old Willis PlaceMary Downing Hahn
The One and Only IvanKatherine Applegate · 570L- The Parker InheritanceVarian JohnsonThe Parker InheritanceVarian Johnson · 610L
The Partition ProjectSaadia Faruqi
The PearlJohn Steinbeck · 1010L
The PenderwicksJeanne Birdsall
The Phantom TollboothNorton Juster · 1000L
The Remarkable Journey of Coyote SunriseDan Gemeinhart
The RiverGary Paulsen
The Sea of MonstersRick Riordan- The Season of Styx MaloneKekla MagoonThe Season of Styx MaloneKekla Magoon · 510L
The Sherlock SocietyJames Ponti- The Sign of the BeaverElizabeth George Speare
- The Storm in the BarnMatt Phelan
The Superteacher ProjectGordon Korman
The Tale of DespereauxKate DiCamillo · 670L
The Tenth Mistake of Hank HoopermanGennifer Choldenko
The ThiefMegan Whalen Turner
The Thief LordCornelia Funke
The Thing About LeftoversC.C. Payne
The Thing About LuckCynthia Kadohata
The Trumpet of the SwanE.B. White- The Truth As Told by Mason ButtleLeslie Connor
The UnwantedsLisa McMann
The Vanderbeekers of 141st StreetKarina Yan Glaser- The Voice That Challenged a NationRussell Freedman
- The WallPeter Sís
The War I Finally WonKimberly Brubaker Bradley
The War That Saved My LifeKimberly Brubaker Bradley · 580L
The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963Christopher Paul Curtis · 1000L
The Westing GameEllen Raskin · 750L
The Whipping BoySid Fleischman
The Wild Journey of Juniper BerryChad Morris
The Wild RobotPeter Brown · 740L
The Wild Robot EscapesPeter Brown
The Witch of Blackbird PondElizabeth George Speare · 850L
The Witching WindNatalie Lloyd
The World According to HumphreyBetty G. Birney
The Wrong Way HomeKate O'Shaughnessy
There's a Boy in the Girls' BathroomLouis Sachar
Things Not SeenAndrew Clements
Three Times LuckySheila Turnage
TookMary Downing Hahn- Touching Spirit BearBen MikaelsenTouching Spirit BearBen Mikaelsen
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the SkyKwame Mbalia- Trouble Don't LastShelley Pearsall
Tuck EverlastingNatalie Babbitt · 770L- Twelve Days in MayLarry Dane Brimner
Two DegreesAlan Gratz
Two TribesEmily Bowen Cohen- Una niña llamada Rose / Rain ReignAnn M. Martin
- Under the Blood-Red SunGraham Salisbury
UngiftedGordon Korman
UnspeakableCarole Boston Weatherford
VolcanoesNell Cross Beckerman
Wait Till Helen ComesMary Downing Hahn- Waiting for NormalLeslie Connor
Walk Two MoonsSharon Creech · 770L
Wayside School Gets a Little StrangerLouis Sachar
We Are the ShipKadir Nelson
Wenny Has WingsJanet Lee Carey
What Happened to Rachel Riley?Claire Swinarski
When Sea Becomes SkyGillian McDunn
When Stars Are ScatteredVictoria Jamieson
When You Reach MeRebecca Stead · 750L
When You Trap a TigerTae Keller
Where the Mountain Meets the MoonGrace Lin · 810L
Where the Red Fern GrowsWilson Rawls · 700L
White BirdR.J. Palacio
WildfulKengo Kurimoto- WildoakC.C. Harrington
Willa of the WoodRobert Beatty
Wings of Fire: The Dragonet ProphecyTui T. Sutherland · 720L
WishtreeKatherine Applegate · 590L
WonderR.J. Palacio · 790L- WonderstruckBrian Selznick
You Are Here: Connecting FlightsEllen Oh
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Frequently asked questions
What books do 6th grade students read in US schools?
426 books are commonly assigned to 6th grade students across US schools — sourced from Common Core exemplars, AP, IB, Cambridge, and 50 state curricula. Each title on this page links to its full curriculum citations.
How many books are on the 6th grade reading list?
This page lists 426 6th grade titles, of which 426 have a verified state or national curriculum citation at the 6th grade level.
Are these 6th grade books in Common Core?
Many 6th grade books on this list appear in the Common Core State Standards Appendix B exemplar texts. Each book card links to its full citation history including which states + curricula reference it. Look for the "Common Core" tag on individual book pages.
How do I pick a 6th grade book for my student?
Filter by curriculum using the pivots above (Common Core, AP, IB, Cambridge, state-specific). Each book page shows its grade range, themes, and which curricula list it. For homeschool or differentiation, books with overlapping grade ranges (±2 grades) work for 6th grade students.
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Canonical URL: https://readinglist.school/grade/6