When does back-to-school reading start?

Most US schools begin assigned reading for the new year in late August or early September, and many publish a required or recommended list in the weeks before the first day. Some schools fold a summer-reading title into the first unit, so the back-to-school list and the summer list often overlap. Check your child's school website or first-day packet for the exact titles and dates.

What books will my child read this school year?

It depends on the grade, state, and curriculum, but most grades have a recognizable core of commonly assigned titles. Pick your child's grade below to see the books US public schools assign most often at that level, each with its reading level and the source it's drawn from. Use it as a head start — then confirm the specific titles with your child's teacher.

How is back-to-school reading different from summer reading?

Summer reading is assigned over the break to keep skills sharp and is usually a short list of choices. Back-to-school (assigned) reading is what students read during the school year as part of the curriculum — typically more titles, tied to grade-level standards and specific units. Our summer-reading lists and grade reading lists are separate views of the same sourced database.

What reading level should my child be at for the new grade?

Common Core sets text-complexity (Lexile) bands by grade: Grades 2–3 = 420L–820L, Grades 4–5 = 740L–1010L, Grades 6–8 = 925L–1185L, Grades 9–10 = 1050L–1335L, and Grades 11–12 = 1185L–1385L. Strong readers comfortably handle 100–200L above their measured level; readers who are still building fluency do well with books about 100L below. Every book page on this site shows its Lexile measure so you can match it to your child.

Where do these reading lists come from?

Every assignment is sourced from a primary, public reference — state departments of education, district curriculum pages, Common Core exemplar lists, and AP/IB course-audit documents — and each book's detail page links to its source. We don't invent assignments or recommendations; the lists reflect what schools publicly assign.

How can I prepare my child for the school year's reading?

Get the grade-level books a few weeks early so your child can start at their own pace, read together and talk about the story, and match the first books to a comfortable Lexile so the school year opens with a win rather than a struggle. Pairing a required title with a fun series in the same range keeps momentum going.

Back to school reading lists

The books US public schools commonly assign for the new school year, grade by grade. Find your child’s grade for the fall, see what they’ll likely read, and get the right titles — at the right reading level — before the first day.

Browse by grade

Grades K-2

Grades 3-5

Grades 6-8

Grades 9-12

Heading into summer instead? See the summer reading lists by rising grade.

Commonly assigned books

A cross-section of the titles US schools assign most often. Each book page shows its reading level, grade range, and source.

What reading level should each grade be?

Common Core sets text-complexity (Lexile) bands by grade. Use them to match books to your child — every book page lists its Lexile measure.

Grade band	Lexile range (CCSS)
Grades 2–3	420L–820L
Grades 4–5	740L–1010L
Grades 6–8	925L–1185L
Grades 9–10	1050L–1335L
Grades 11–12	1185L–1385L

Back-to-school reading: common questions

When does back-to-school reading start?: Most US schools begin assigned reading for the new year in late August or early September, and many publish a required or recommended list in the weeks before the first day. Some schools fold a summer-reading title into the first unit, so the back-to-school list and the summer list often overlap. Check your child's school website or first-day packet for the exact titles and dates.
What books will my child read this school year?: It depends on the grade, state, and curriculum, but most grades have a recognizable core of commonly assigned titles. Pick your child's grade below to see the books US public schools assign most often at that level, each with its reading level and the source it's drawn from. Use it as a head start — then confirm the specific titles with your child's teacher.
How is back-to-school reading different from summer reading?: Summer reading is assigned over the break to keep skills sharp and is usually a short list of choices. Back-to-school (assigned) reading is what students read during the school year as part of the curriculum — typically more titles, tied to grade-level standards and specific units. Our summer-reading lists and grade reading lists are separate views of the same sourced database.
What reading level should my child be at for the new grade?: Common Core sets text-complexity (Lexile) bands by grade: Grades 2–3 = 420L–820L, Grades 4–5 = 740L–1010L, Grades 6–8 = 925L–1185L, Grades 9–10 = 1050L–1335L, and Grades 11–12 = 1185L–1385L. Strong readers comfortably handle 100–200L above their measured level; readers who are still building fluency do well with books about 100L below. Every book page on this site shows its Lexile measure so you can match it to your child.
Where do these reading lists come from?: Every assignment is sourced from a primary, public reference — state departments of education, district curriculum pages, Common Core exemplar lists, and AP/IB course-audit documents — and each book's detail page links to its source. We don't invent assignments or recommendations; the lists reflect what schools publicly assign.
How can I prepare my child for the school year's reading?: Get the grade-level books a few weeks early so your child can start at their own pace, read together and talk about the story, and match the first books to a comfortable Lexile so the school year opens with a win rather than a struggle. Pairing a required title with a fun series in the same range keeps momentum going.