# Garden State Children's Book Award reading list

**76** books referenced by Garden State Children's Book Award, a reading-program curriculum framework spanning applicable K-12 grade levels.

The Garden State Children's Book Award is New Jersey's statewide children's-choice book award, presented by the New Jersey Library Association since 1977. Each cycle, students across New Jersey read from official selection lists — from easy-to-read and picture books through younger fiction and nonfiction — and vote for their favorite titles. Its lists are read in New Jersey classrooms and libraries statewide and include widely loved middle-grade reading such as Wonder, The One and Only Ivan, Front Desk, Fish in a Tree, and New Kid.

**Framework type:** reading-program
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/curriculum/new-jersey-garden-state-childrens-book-award
**Primary source:** https://njla.org/garden-state-childrens-book-award (njla.org/garden-state-childrens-book-award)
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## Garden State Children's Book Award reading list

- [11 Birthdays](https://readinglist.school/book/11-birthdays) by Wendy Mass _(Grades 3–5)_
- [A Journey Under the Sea](https://readinglist.school/book/a-journey-under-the-sea) by Craig Foster _(Grades 2–5)_
- [A Lot to Like!](https://readinglist.school/book/a-lot-to-like) by Derek Anderson _(Grades 2–5)_
- [A Rover's Story](https://readinglist.school/book/a-rovers-story) by Jasmine Warga _(Grades 4–5)_
- [Amari and the Night Brothers](https://readinglist.school/book/amari-and-the-night-brothers) by B. B. Alston _(Grades 4–7)_
- [Are You Ready to Play Outside?](https://readinglist.school/book/are-you-ready-to-play-outside) by Mo Willems _(Grades K–2)_
- [Bad News for Outlaws](https://readinglist.school/book/bad-news-for-outlaws) by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson _(Grades 3–7)_
- [Balloons over Broadway](https://readinglist.school/book/balloons-over-broadway) by Melissa Sweet _(Grades 1–4)_
- [Benny and Penny in the Big No-No!](https://readinglist.school/book/benny-and-penny-in-the-big-no-no) by Geoffrey Hayes _(Grades K–2)_
- [Big Nate: In a Class by Himself](https://readinglist.school/book/big-nate-in-a-class-by-himself) by Lincoln Peirce _(500L · Grades 4–7)_
- [Bink and Gollie: Two for One](https://readinglist.school/book/bink-and-gollie) by Kate DiCamillo _(Grades K–2)_
- [Blue](https://readinglist.school/book/blue-brew-hammond) by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond _(Grades K–4)_
- [Charlie & Mouse Even Better](https://readinglist.school/book/charlie-and-mouse) by Laurel Snyder _(Grades K–2)_
- [Chickadee](https://readinglist.school/book/chickadee) by Louise Erdrich _(Grades 4–7)_
- [Class Act](https://readinglist.school/book/class-act) by Jerry Craft _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Dash (Dogs of World War II)](https://readinglist.school/book/dash-kirby-larson) by Kirby Larson _(Grades 4–7)_
- [Dead End in Norvelt](https://readinglist.school/book/dead-end-in-norvelt) by Jack Gantos _(Grades 4–7)_
- [Diary of a Wimpy Kid](https://readinglist.school/book/diary-of-a-wimpy-kid) by Jeff Kinney _(950L · Grades 3–7)_
- [Dog Man](https://readinglist.school/book/dog-man) by Dav Pilkey _(390L · Grades 2–5)_
- [Don't Throw It to Mo!](https://readinglist.school/book/dont-throw-it-to-mo) by David A. Adler _(Grades K–2)_
- [Duel](https://readinglist.school/book/duel) by Jessixa Bagley _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Elijah of Buxton (Scholastic Gold)](https://readinglist.school/book/elijah-of-buxton) by Christopher Paul Curtis _(Grades 5–8)_
- [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)_
- [Flora and Ulysses](https://readinglist.school/book/flora-and-ulysses) by Kate DiCamillo _(Grades 4–7)_
- [Four Eyes: A Graphic Novel](https://readinglist.school/book/four-eyes-graphic-novel) by Rex Ogle _(Grades 3–7)_
- [Fox Has a Problem](https://readinglist.school/book/fox-has-a-problem) by Corey R. Tabor _(Grades 2–5)_
- [Fox the Tiger](https://readinglist.school/book/fox-the-tiger) by Corey R. Tabor _(Grades K–2)_
- [Freewater](https://readinglist.school/book/freewater) by Amina Luqman-Dawson _(Grades 4–7)_
- [Frizzy](https://readinglist.school/book/frizzy) by Claribel Ortega _(Grades 4–5)_
- [Front Desk](https://readinglist.school/book/front-desk) by Kelly Yang _(640L · Grades 3–7)_
- [Full of Beans](https://readinglist.school/book/full-of-beans) by Jennifer L. Holm _(Grades 4–7)_
- [Good Different](https://readinglist.school/book/good-different) by Meg Eden Kuyatt _(Grades 6–9)_
- [Hidden Hope: How a Toy and a Hero Saved Lives During the Holocaust](https://readinglist.school/book/hidden-hope) by Elisa Boxer _(Grades 2–5)_
- [Jawbreaker](https://readinglist.school/book/jawbreaker) by Christina Wyman _(Grades 3–7)_
- [Juana and Lucas](https://readinglist.school/book/juana-and-lucas) by Juana Medina _(Grades K–3)_
- [Little Monarchs](https://readinglist.school/book/little-monarchs) by Jonathan Case _(Grades 4–5)_
- [Max and the Midknights](https://readinglist.school/book/max-and-the-midknights) by Lincoln Peirce _(Grades 3–6)_
- [New Kid](https://readinglist.school/book/new-kid) by Jerry Craft _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Other Words for Home](https://readinglist.school/book/other-words-for-home) by Jasmine Warga _(930L · Grades 4–7)_
- [P.S. Be Eleven](https://readinglist.school/book/ps-be-eleven) by Rita Williams-Garcia _(Grades 5–8)_
- [Parachute Kids](https://readinglist.school/book/parachute-kids) by Betty C. Tang _(Grades 3–7)_
- [Pie in the Sky](https://readinglist.school/book/pie-in-the-sky) by Remy Lai _(Grades 3–6)_
- [Please Write in this Book](https://readinglist.school/book/please-write-in-this-book) by Mary Amato _(Grades 3–5)_
- [Roll for Initiative](https://readinglist.school/book/roll-for-initiative) by Jaime Formato _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Roller Girl](https://readinglist.school/book/roller-girl) by Victoria Jamieson _(440L · Grades 4–7)_
- [See the Cat: Three Stories About a Dog](https://readinglist.school/book/see-the-cat-three-stories-about-a-dog) by David LaRochelle _(Grades K–2)_
- [Simon Sort of Says](https://readinglist.school/book/simon-sort-of-says) by Erin Bow _(Grades 6–8)_
- [Small Spaces](https://readinglist.school/book/small-spaces) by Katherine Arden _(Grades 3–5)_
- [Swim Team](https://readinglist.school/book/swim-team) by Johnnie Christmas _(Grades 3–7)_
- [Swindle](https://readinglist.school/book/swindle) by Gordon Korman _(Grades 4–7)_
- [The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza](https://readinglist.school/book/the-first-cat-in-space-ate-pizza) by Mac Barnett _(Grades 2–5)_
- [The Invention of Hugo Cabret](https://readinglist.school/book/the-invention-of-hugo-cabret) by Brian Selznick _(Grades 3–7)_
- [The Lost Year](https://readinglist.school/book/the-lost-year) by Katherine Marsh _(Grades 6–8)_
- [The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane](https://readinglist.school/book/the-miraculous-journey-of-edward-tulane) by Kate DiCamillo _(Grades 3–6)_
- [The One and Only Ivan](https://readinglist.school/book/the-one-and-only-ivan) by Katherine Applegate _(570L · Grades 3–7)_
- [The One and Only Ruby](https://readinglist.school/book/the-one-and-only-ruby) by Katherine Applegate _(Grades 2–5)_
- [The Season of Styx Malone](https://readinglist.school/book/the-season-of-styx-malone) by Kekla Magoon _(510L · Grades 3–7)_
- [The Skull: A Tyrolean Folktale](https://readinglist.school/book/the-skull) by Jon Klassen _(Grades 3–5)_
- [The Truth As Told by Mason Buttle](https://readinglist.school/book/the-truth-as-told-by-mason-buttle) by Leslie Connor _(Grades 4–7)_
- [The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street](https://readinglist.school/book/the-vanderbeekers-of-141st-street) by Karina Yan Glaser _(Grades 3–6)_
- [The Wall](https://readinglist.school/book/the-wall-peter-sis) by Peter Sís _(Grades 5–9)_
- [The War I Finally Won](https://readinglist.school/book/the-war-i-finally-won) by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley _(Grades 5–8)_
- [The War That Saved My Life](https://readinglist.school/book/the-war-that-saved-my-life) by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley _(580L · Grades 4–7)_
- [The Wild Robot](https://readinglist.school/book/the-wild-robot) by Peter Brown _(740L · Grades 4–6)_
- [There Is a Bird On Your Head! (An Elephant and Piggie Book)](https://readinglist.school/book/there-is-a-bird-on-your-head) by Mo Willems _(Grades K–2)_
- [Unspeakable](https://readinglist.school/book/unspeakable-the-tulsa-race-massacre) by Carole Boston Weatherford _(Grades 3–7)_
- [When Stars Are Scattered](https://readinglist.school/book/when-stars-are-scattered) by Victoria Jamieson _(Grades 5–8)_
- [When You Reach Me](https://readinglist.school/book/when-you-reach-me) by Rebecca Stead _(750L · Grades 4–8)_
- [When You Trap a Tiger](https://readinglist.school/book/when-you-trap-a-tiger) by Tae Keller _(Grades 4–7)_
- [Where the Mountain Meets the Moon](https://readinglist.school/book/where-the-mountain-meets-the-moon) by Grace Lin _(810L · Grades 4–7)_
- [Wish](https://readinglist.school/book/wish) by Barbara O'Connor _(Grades 3–5)_
- [Wishtree](https://readinglist.school/book/wishtree) by Katherine Applegate _(590L · Grades 3–6)_
- [Witchlings](https://readinglist.school/book/witchlings) by Claribel A. Ortega _(Grades 2–5)_
- [Wonderstruck](https://readinglist.school/book/wonderstruck) by Brian Selznick _(Grades 4–7)_
- [Yoshi, Sea Turtle Genius](https://readinglist.school/book/yoshi-sea-turtle-genius) by Lynne Cox _(Grades 2–5)_

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