# William Allen White Children's Book Award reading list

**97** books referenced by William Allen White Children's Book Award, a reading-program curriculum framework spanning applicable K-12 grade levels.

The William Allen White Children's Book Award is Kansas's statewide children's-choice book award, administered by Emporia State University Libraries since 1952 — one of the oldest state reader's-choice programs in the United States. Each year a committee selects nominees (in grades 3-5 and 6-8 divisions); students across Kansas read from the list and vote for their favorite. Its decades-long winner list is read in Kansas classrooms and libraries statewide and features widely loved reading such as Old Yeller, Island of the Blue Dolphins, Hatchet, The Giver, Holes, Because of Winn-Dixie, Frindle, and Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library.

**Framework type:** reading-program
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/curriculum/kansas-william-allen-white-award
**Primary source:** https://wawchildrensbookaward.com/ (wawchildrensbookaward.com/)
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## William Allen White Children's Book Award reading list

- [11 Birthdays](https://readinglist.school/book/11-birthdays) by Wendy Mass _(Grades 3–5)_
- [96 Miles](https://readinglist.school/book/96-miles) by J. L. Esplin _(Grades 6–8)_
- [A Dog's Life](https://readinglist.school/book/a-dogs-life-the-autobiography-of-a-stray) by Ann M. Martin _(Grades 4–6)_
- [A Light in the Attic](https://readinglist.school/book/a-light-in-the-attic) by Shel Silverstein _(Grades 4–8)_
- [A Million Ways Home](https://readinglist.school/book/a-million-ways-home) by Dianna Dorisi-Winget _(Grades 4–6)_
- [Airball: My Life in Briefs](https://readinglist.school/book/airball-my-life-in-briefs) by L.D. Harkrader _(Grades 6–8)_
- [America is Under Attack September 11 2001](https://readinglist.school/book/america-is-under-attack-september-11-2001) by Don Brown _(Grades 3–5)_
- [Amos Fortune, Free Man](https://readinglist.school/book/amos-fortune-free-man) by Elizabeth Yates _(Grades 3–7)_
- [Because of Winn-Dixie](https://readinglist.school/book/because-of-winn-dixie) by Kate DiCamillo _(610L · Grades 3–5)_
- [Brighty of the Grand Canyon](https://readinglist.school/book/brighty-of-the-grand-canyon) by Marguerite Henry _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Bristle Face](https://readinglist.school/book/bristle-face) by Zachary Ball _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Bud, Not Buddy](https://readinglist.school/book/bud-not-buddy) by Christopher Paul Curtis _(950L · Grades 4–7)_
- [Buddy](https://readinglist.school/book/buddy) by M. H. Herlong _(Grades 6–8)_
- [Clementine](https://readinglist.school/book/clementine) by Sara Pennypacker _(Grades 3–8)_
- [Confetti Girl](https://readinglist.school/book/confetti-girl) by Diana López _(Grades 6–8)_
- [Cracker Jackson](https://readinglist.school/book/cracker-jackson) by Betsy Cromer Byars _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Cracker The Best Dog in Vietnam](https://readinglist.school/book/cracker-the-best-dog-in-vietnam) by Cynthia Kadohata _(Grades 6–8)_
- [Daphne's Book](https://readinglist.school/book/daphnes-book) by Mary Downing Hahn _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Dominic](https://readinglist.school/book/dominic) by William Steig _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Donuthead](https://readinglist.school/book/donuthead) by Sue Stauffacher _(Grades 3–8)_
- [Dovey Coe](https://readinglist.school/book/dovey-coe) by Frances O'Roark Dowell _(Grades 6–8)_
- [Eleven](https://readinglist.school/book/eleven) by Patricia Reilly Giff _(Grades 3–5)_
- [Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library](https://readinglist.school/book/escape-from-mr-lemoncellos-library) by Chris Grabenstein _(Grades 4–6)_
- [Fish in a Tree](https://readinglist.school/book/fish-in-a-tree) by Lynda Mullaly Hunt _(550L · Grades 4–7)_
- [Flaming Arrows](https://readinglist.school/book/flaming-arrows) by William O. Steele _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Frindle](https://readinglist.school/book/frindle) by Andrew Clements _(830L · Grades 3–7)_
- [From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler](https://readinglist.school/book/from-the-mixed-up-files-of-mrs-basil-e-frankweiler) by E.L. Konigsburg _(700L · Grades 4–6)_
- [Ghost](https://readinglist.school/book/ghost) by Jason Reynolds _(730L · Grades 5–8)_
- [Ghost Boys](https://readinglist.school/book/ghost-boys) by Jewell Parker Rhodes _(360L · Grades 4–7)_
- [Ghost Dog Secrets](https://readinglist.school/book/ghost-dog-secrets) by Peg Kehret _(Grades 6–8)_
- [Ground Zero](https://readinglist.school/book/ground-zero) by Alan Gratz _(Grades 6–8)_
- [Guinea Dog](https://readinglist.school/book/guinea-dog) by Patrick Jennings _(Grades 3–5)_
- [Harry Cat's Pet Puppy](https://readinglist.school/book/harry-cats-pet-puppy) by George Selden _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Hatchet](https://readinglist.school/book/hatchet) by Gary Paulsen _(1020L · Grades 5–8)_
- [Henry Reed's Babysitting Service](https://readinglist.school/book/henry-reeds-babysitting-service) by Keith Robertson _(Grades 4–6)_
- [Henry Reed, Inc.](https://readinglist.school/book/henry-reed-inc) by Keith Robertson _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Hidden](https://readinglist.school/book/hidden) by Helen Frost _(Grades 6–8)_
- [Holes](https://readinglist.school/book/holes) by Louis Sachar _(660L · Grades 4–7)_
- [How to Steal a Dog](https://readinglist.school/book/how-to-steal-a-dog) by Barbara O'Connor _(Grades 3–5)_
- [Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus](https://readinglist.school/book/insignificant-events-in-the-life-of-a-cactus) by Dusti Bowling _(Grades 3–5)_
- [Island of the Blue Dolphins](https://readinglist.school/book/island-of-the-blue-dolphins) by Scott O'Dell _(1000L · Grades 4–7)_
- [Kavik the Wolf Dog](https://readinglist.school/book/kavik-the-wolf-dog) by Walt Morey _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Landry News](https://readinglist.school/book/the-landry-news) by Andrew Clements _(Grades 3–8)_
- [Life on Mars](https://readinglist.school/book/life-on-mars) by Jennifer Brown _(Grades 3–5)_
- [Little Vic](https://readinglist.school/book/little-vic) by Doris Gates _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Loser](https://readinglist.school/book/loser) by Jerry Spinelli _(Grades 4–6)_
- [Malcolm at Midnight](https://readinglist.school/book/malcolm-at-midnight) by W. H. Beck _(Grades 3–5)_
- [Maniac Magee](https://readinglist.school/book/maniac-magee) by Jerry Spinelli _(820L · Grades 4–7)_
- [Mick Harte Was Here](https://readinglist.school/book/mick-harte-was-here) by Barbara Park _(Grades 5–8)_
- [Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH](https://readinglist.school/book/mrs-frisby-and-the-rats-of-nimh) by Robert C. O'Brien _(790L · Grades 4–6)_
- [Odder](https://readinglist.school/book/odder) by Katherine Applegate _(Grades 3–5)_
- [Old Yeller](https://readinglist.school/book/old-yeller) by Fred Gipson _(Grades 5–8)_
- [On My Honor](https://readinglist.school/book/on-my-honor) by Marion Dane Bauer _(Grades 4–7)_
- [Pax](https://readinglist.school/book/pax) by Sara Pennypacker _(760L · Grades 4–7)_
- [Peppermints in the Parlor](https://readinglist.school/book/peppermints-in-the-parlor) by Barbara Brooks Wallace _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Rascal](https://readinglist.school/book/rascal) by Sterling North _(Grades 5–8)_
- [Restart](https://readinglist.school/book/restart) by Gordon Korman _(730L · Grades 5–8)_
- [Sasha, My Friend](https://readinglist.school/book/sasha-my-friend) by Barbara Corcoran _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Scritch Scratch](https://readinglist.school/book/scritch-scratch) by Lindsay Currie _(Grades 3–5)_
- [Shiloh](https://readinglist.school/book/shiloh) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor _(890L · Grades 3–6)_
- [Small Spaces](https://readinglist.school/book/small-spaces) by Katherine Arden _(Grades 3–5)_
- [So B. It](https://readinglist.school/book/so-b-it) by Sarah Weeks _(Grades 5–8)_
- [Socks](https://readinglist.school/book/socks) by Beverly Cleary _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Stella](https://readinglist.school/book/stella) by McCall Hoyle _(Grades 3–5)_
- [Summer of the Monkeys](https://readinglist.school/book/summer-of-the-monkeys) by Wilson Rawls _(Grades 4–7)_
- [Surviving the Applewhites](https://readinglist.school/book/surviving-the-applewhites) by Stephanie S. Tolan _(Grades 5–8)_
- [The Author's Guide to Surviving Hitler](https://readinglist.school/book/surviving-hitler-a-boy-in-the-nazi-death-camps) by Andrea Warren _(Grades 3–8)_
- [The Boy Who Dared](https://readinglist.school/book/the-boy-who-dared) by Susan Campbell Bartoletti _(Grades 6–8)_
- [The Boy on the Porch](https://readinglist.school/book/the-boy-on-the-porch) by Sharon Creech _(Grades 3–5)_
- [The City of Ember](https://readinglist.school/book/the-city-of-ember) by Jeanne DuPrau _(Grades 4–6)_
- [The Cursed Moon](https://readinglist.school/book/the-cursed-moon) by Angela Cervantes _(Grades 3–6)_
- [The Doll in the Garden](https://readinglist.school/book/the-doll-in-the-garden-a-ghost-story) by Mary Downing Hahn _(Grades 4–6)_
- [The Fort](https://readinglist.school/book/the-fort) by Gordon Korman _(Grades 6–8)_
- [The Ghost Sitter](https://readinglist.school/book/ghost-sitter) by Peni R. Griffin _(Grades 3–8)_
- [The Ghost of Fossil Glen](https://readinglist.school/book/the-ghost-of-fossil-glen) by Cynthia C. DeFelice _(Grades 3–8)_
- [The Giver](https://readinglist.school/book/the-giver) by Lois Lowry _(760L · Grades 6–8)_
- [The Great Christmas Kidnaping Caper](https://readinglist.school/book/the-great-christmas-kidnaping-caper) by Jean Van Leeuwen _(Grades 4–8)_
- [The Great Gilly Hopkins](https://readinglist.school/book/the-great-gilly-hopkins) by Katherine Paterson _(Grades 4–6)_
- [The Grizzly](https://readinglist.school/book/the-grizzly) by John Johnson Craighead _(Grades 4–8)_
- [The Headless Cupid](https://readinglist.school/book/the-headless-cupid) by Zilpha Keatley Snyder _(Grades 4–8)_
- [The Helen Keller Story](https://readinglist.school/book/the-helen-keller-story) by Catherine Owens Peare _(Grades 4–8)_
- [The Incredible Journey](https://readinglist.school/book/the-incredible-journey) by Burnford Sheila _(Grades 4–7)_
- [The Magic of the Glits](https://readinglist.school/book/the-magic-of-the-glits) by Carole S. Adler _(Grades 4–8)_
- [The Man Who Loved Clowns](https://readinglist.school/book/the-man-who-loved-clowns) by June Rae Wood _(Grades 4–6)_
- [The Mouse and the Motorcycle](https://readinglist.school/book/the-mouse-and-the-motorcycle) by Beverly Cleary _(860L · Grades 2–4)_
- [The Penguin of Ilha Grande: From Animal Rescue to Extraordinary Friendship](https://readinglist.school/book/the-penguin-of-ilha-grande-from-animal-rescue-to-extraordinary-friendship) by Shannon Earle _(Grades 3–5)_
- [The Pinballs](https://readinglist.school/book/the-pinballs) by Betsy Cromer Byars _(Grades 4–6)_
- [The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise](https://readinglist.school/book/the-remarkable-journey-of-coyote-sunrise) by Dan Gemeinhart _(Grades 5–8)_
- [The Report Card](https://readinglist.school/book/the-report-card) by Andrew Clements _(Grades 3–8)_
- [The Trumpet of the Swan](https://readinglist.school/book/the-trumpet-of-the-swan) by E.B. White _(Grades 3–6)_
- [The War with Grandpa](https://readinglist.school/book/the-war-with-grandpa) by Robert Kimmel Smith _(Grades 4–7)_
- [Time for Andrew](https://readinglist.school/book/time-for-andrew) by Mary Downing Hahn _(Grades 4–6)_
- [Took](https://readinglist.school/book/took) by Mary Downing Hahn _(Grades 6–8)_
- [White Falcon](https://readinglist.school/book/white-falcon) by Elliott 1912-1980 Arnold _(Grades 4–8)_
- [White Water](https://readinglist.school/book/white-water) by P. J. Petersen _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Wildfire](https://readinglist.school/book/wildfire) by Rodman Philbrick _(Grades 3–5)_
- [Yellow Star](https://readinglist.school/book/yellow-star) by Jennifer Roy _(Grades 6–8)_

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