# California Young Reader Medal reading list

**43** books referenced by California Young Reader Medal, a reading-program curriculum framework spanning applicable K-12 grade levels.

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.

**Framework type:** reading-program
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/curriculum/california-young-reader-medal
**Primary source:** https://californiayoungreadermedal.org/ (californiayoungreadermedal.org/)
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## California Young Reader Medal reading list

- [A Night Divided](https://readinglist.school/book/a-night-divided) by Jennifer A. Nielsen _(Grades 5–8)_
- [Among the Hidden](https://readinglist.school/book/among-the-hidden) by Margaret Peterson Haddix _(Grades 5–8)_
- [Ancestory: The Mystery and Majesty of Ancient Cave Art](https://readinglist.school/book/ancestory) by Hannah Salyer _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Because of Winn-Dixie](https://readinglist.school/book/because-of-winn-dixie) by Kate DiCamillo _(610L · Grades 3–5)_
- [Dadaji's Paintbrush](https://readinglist.school/book/dadajis-paintbrush) by Rashmi Sirdeshpande _(Grades K–3)_
- [Divergent](https://readinglist.school/book/divergent) by Veronica Roth _(Grades 8–12)_
- [Don't Think of Tigers](https://readinglist.school/book/dont-think-of-tigers) by Alex Latimer _(Grades K–3)_
- [Echo](https://readinglist.school/book/echo) by Pam Muñoz Ryan _(680L · Grades 5–8)_
- [Ella Enchanted](https://readinglist.school/book/ella-enchanted) by Gail Carson Levine _(Grades 4–7)_
- [Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library](https://readinglist.school/book/escape-from-mr-lemoncellos-library) by Chris Grabenstein _(Grades 4–6)_
- [Gibberish](https://readinglist.school/book/gibberish) by Young Vo _(Grades K–3)_
- [Good Different](https://readinglist.school/book/good-different) by Meg Eden Kuyatt _(Grades 6–9)_
- [Hope in the Valley](https://readinglist.school/book/hope-in-the-valley) by Mitali Perkins _(Grades 3–6)_
- [In the Beautiful Country](https://readinglist.school/book/in-the-beautiful-country) by Jane Kuo _(Grades 3–6)_
- [Keeper of the Lost Cities](https://readinglist.school/book/keeper-of-the-lost-cities) by Shannon Messenger _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Knight Owl](https://readinglist.school/book/knight-owl) by Christopher Denise _(Grades K–3)_
- [Matched](https://readinglist.school/book/matched) by Ally Condie _(Grades 6–8)_
- [Nothing's Fair in Fifth Grade](https://readinglist.school/book/nothings-fair-in-fifth-grade) by Barthe DeClements _(Grades 3–6)_
- [Out of My Mind](https://readinglist.school/book/out-of-my-mind) by Sharon M. Draper _(700L · Grades 4–7)_
- [Pax](https://readinglist.school/book/pax) by Sara Pennypacker _(760L · Grades 4–7)_
- [Refugee](https://readinglist.school/book/refugee) by Alan Gratz _(800L · Grades 5–9)_
- [Restart](https://readinglist.school/book/restart) by Gordon Korman _(730L · Grades 5–8)_
- [Ruby Holler](https://readinglist.school/book/ruby-holler) by Sharon Creech _(Grades 3–5)_
- [Ruby Lost and Found](https://readinglist.school/book/ruby-lost-and-found) by Christina Li _(Grades 6–9)_
- [Salt to the Sea](https://readinglist.school/book/salt-to-the-sea) by Ruta Sepetys _(560L · Grades 8–12)_
- [Scythe](https://readinglist.school/book/scythe) by Neal Shusterman _(Grades 7–12)_
- [Shut Up, This Is Serious](https://readinglist.school/book/shut-up-this-is-serious) by Carolina Ixta _(Grades 9–12)_
- [Stormbreaker](https://readinglist.school/book/stormbreaker) by Anthony Horowitz _(Grades 5–8)_
- [The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian](https://readinglist.school/book/the-absolutely-true-diary-of-a-part-time-indian) by Sherman Alexie _(600L · Grades 7–10)_
- [The Agathas](https://readinglist.school/book/the-agathas) by Kathleen Glasgow _(Grades 9–12)_
- [The Fire of Stars](https://readinglist.school/book/the-fire-of-stars) by Kirsten W. Larson _(Grades 4–8)_
- [The Hunger Games](https://readinglist.school/book/the-hunger-games) by Suzanne Collins _(810L · Grades 6–9)_
- [The Indian in the Cupboard](https://readinglist.school/book/the-indian-in-the-cupboard) by Lynne Reid Banks _(Grades 3–6)_
- [The Mystery of the Monarchs](https://readinglist.school/book/the-mystery-of-the-monarchs) by Barb Rosenstock _(Grades 4–8)_
- [The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise](https://readinglist.school/book/the-remarkable-journey-of-coyote-sunrise) by Dan Gemeinhart _(Grades 5–8)_
- [The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman](https://readinglist.school/book/the-tenth-mistake-of-hank-hooperman) by Gennifer Choldenko _(Grades 6–9)_
- [The Unwanteds](https://readinglist.school/book/the-unwanteds) by Lisa McMann _(Grades 4–6)_
- [The War That Saved My Life](https://readinglist.school/book/the-war-that-saved-my-life) by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley _(580L · Grades 4–7)_
- [Things Not Seen](https://readinglist.school/book/things-not-seen) by Andrew Clements _(Grades 6–8)_
- [Torch](https://readinglist.school/book/torch) by Lyn Miller-Lachmann _(Grades 9–12)_
- [Ursula Upside Down](https://readinglist.school/book/ursula-upside-down) by Corey R. Tabor _(Grades K–3)_
- [Wonder](https://readinglist.school/book/wonder) by R.J. Palacio _(790L · Grades 3–7)_
- [You Are Here: Connecting Flights](https://readinglist.school/book/you-are-here-connecting-flights) by Ellen Oh _(Grades 3–6)_

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