# Books written in the 1990s, assigned in US schools

Multicultural representation expands; Holes, The Giver, Speak — increasingly mainstream YA crossing into core syllabi.

**122** books written between 1990 and 1999 that US schools assign across state ELA standards, AP/IB syllabi, and Common Core exemplar lists.

**Decade window:** 1990–1999
**Lexile range:** 510L–1010L
**Grade span:** K–12
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/decade/1990s
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## Themes of the 1990s

- friendship (11)
- family (9)
- schools (6)
- identity (5)
- mystery and detective stories (5)
- courage (4)
- family life (4)
- imagination (4)

## Authors writing in the 1990s

- Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (4)
- Russell Freedman (4)
- Jerry Spinelli (3)
- Bruce Coville (2)
- Christopher Paul Curtis (2)
- Cynthia Rylant (2)
- Dav Pilkey (2)
- Gary Paulsen (2)

## Genres

- Children's (34)
- Realistic Fiction (22)
- Fantasy (6)
- Humor (6)
- Juvenile Fiction (6)
- Middle Grade Fiction (5)
- Science Fiction (5)
- Adventure (4)

## The 1990s canon

- [Black and White](https://readinglist.school/book/black-and-white) by David Macaulay _(Grades K–3 · pub 1990)_
- [Franklin Delano Roosevelt](https://readinglist.school/book/eleanor-roosevelt-a-life-of-discovery) by Russell Freedman _(Grades 4–10 · pub 1990)_
- [Franklin Delano Roosevelt](https://readinglist.school/book/eleanor-roosevelt) by Russell Freedman _(Grades 4–10 · pub 1990)_
- [Maniac Magee](https://readinglist.school/book/maniac-magee) by Jerry Spinelli _(820L · Grades 4–7 · pub 1990)_
- [Something Big Has Been Here](https://readinglist.school/book/something-big-has-been-here) by Jack Prelutsky _(Grades 3–5 · pub 1990)_
- [The Ghost Inside the Monitor](https://readinglist.school/book/the-ghost-inside-the-monitor) by Margaret Jean Anderson _(Grades 4–6 · pub 1990)_
- [The Tale of the Mandarin Ducks](https://readinglist.school/book/the-tale-of-the-mandarin-ducks) by Katherine Paterson _(Grades K–5 · pub 1990)_
- [The Things They Carried](https://readinglist.school/book/the-things-they-carried) by Tim O'Brien _(880L · Grades 11–12 · pub 1990)_
- [The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle](https://readinglist.school/book/the-true-confessions-of-charlotte-doyle) by Avi _(Grades 4–9 · pub 1990)_
- [The Wishing Spell](https://readinglist.school/book/the-wishing-spell) by Chris Colfer _(Grades 3–8 · pub 1990)_
- [Fourth Grade Rats](https://readinglist.school/book/fourth-grade-rats) by Jerry Spinelli _(Grades 4–6 · pub 1991)_
- [Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher](https://readinglist.school/book/jeremy-thatcher-dragon-hatcher) by Bruce Coville _(Grades 4–6 · pub 1991)_
- [Sharing Susan](https://readinglist.school/book/sharing-susan) by Eve Bunting _(Grades 2–8 · pub 1991)_
- [Shiloh](https://readinglist.school/book/shiloh) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor _(890L · Grades 3–6 · pub 1991)_
- [The Boy and the Samurai](https://readinglist.school/book/the-little-fishes) by Erik Christian Haugaard _(Grades 4–9 · pub 1991)_
- [The Boy's War](https://readinglist.school/book/the-boys-war-confederate-and-union-soldiers-talk-about-the-civil-war) by Jim Murphy _(Grades 4–10 · pub 1991)_
- [The Rain Catchers](https://readinglist.school/book/the-rain-catchers) by Jean Thesman _(Grades 4–9 · pub 1991)_
- [The River](https://readinglist.school/book/the-river) by Gary Paulsen _(Grades 5–8 · pub 1991)_
- [Tuesday](https://readinglist.school/book/tuesday) by David Wiesner _(Grades K–3 · pub 1991)_
- [Ajeemah and His Son](https://readinglist.school/book/ajeemah-and-his-son) by James Berry _(Grades 4–9 · pub 1992)_
- [Attaboy, Sam!](https://readinglist.school/book/attaboy-sam) by Lois Lowry _(Grades 4–6 · pub 1992)_
- [Chicken Sunday](https://readinglist.school/book/chicken-sunday) by Patricia Polacco _(Grades K–5 · pub 1992)_
- [Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House #1)](https://readinglist.school/book/magic-tree-house-dinosaurs-before-dark) by Mary Pope Osborne _(510L · Grades 1–4 · pub 1992)_
- [Flight #116 Is Down!](https://readinglist.school/book/flight-116-is-down) by Caroline B. Cooney _(Grades 3–8 · pub 1992)_
- [Goosebumps: Welcome to Dead House](https://readinglist.school/book/goosebumps-welcome-to-dead-house) by R.L. Stine _(Grades 3–7 · pub 1992)_
- [Jambo Means Hello](https://readinglist.school/book/jambo-means-hello) by Muriel Feelings _(Grades K–5 · pub 1992)_
- [Mirette on the High Wire](https://readinglist.school/book/mirette-on-the-high-wire) by Emily Arnold McCully _(Grades K–3 · pub 1992)_
- [Missing May](https://readinglist.school/book/missing-may) by Cynthia Rylant _(Grades 4–9 · pub 1992)_
- [Morning Girl](https://readinglist.school/book/morning-girl) by Michael Dorris _(Grades 4–7 · pub 1992)_
- [Stepping on the Cracks](https://readinglist.school/book/stepping-on-the-cracks) by Mary Downing Hahn _(Grades 4–7 · pub 1992)_
- [Terror at the Zoo](https://readinglist.school/book/terror-at-the-zoo) by Peg Kehret _(Grades 3–6 · pub 1992)_
- [The Long Road to Gettysburg](https://readinglist.school/book/the-long-road-to-gettysburg) by Jim Murphy _(Grades 4–10 · pub 1992)_
- [The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales](https://readinglist.school/book/the-stinky-cheese-man-and-other-fairly-stupid-tales) by Jon Scieszka _(Grades 4–8 · pub 1992)_
- [A Lesson Before Dying](https://readinglist.school/book/a-lesson-before-dying) by Ernest J. Gaines _(750L · Grades 8–12 · pub 1993)_
- [Aliens Ate My Homework](https://readinglist.school/book/aliens-ate-my-homework) by Bruce Coville _(Grades 3–8 · pub 1993)_
- [Bull Run](https://readinglist.school/book/bull-run) by Paul Fleischman _(Grades 5–8 · pub 1993)_
- [Junie B. Jones and Her Big Fat Mouth](https://readinglist.school/book/junie-b-jones-and-her-big-fat-mouth) by Barbara Park _(Grades 3–8 · pub 1993)_
- [Lawn Boy](https://readinglist.school/book/lawn-boy) by Gary Paulsen _(Grades 2–8 · pub 1993)_
- [The Boys Start the War](https://readinglist.school/book/the-boys-start-the-war) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor _(Grades 3–8 · pub 1993)_
- [The Giver](https://readinglist.school/book/the-giver) by Lois Lowry _(760L · Grades 6–8 · pub 1993)_
- [The Incredible Journey of Lewis and Clark](https://readinglist.school/book/incredible-journey-of-lewis-and-clark) by Rhoda Blumberg _(Grades 4–10 · pub 1993)_
- [The Name of the Game Was Murder](https://readinglist.school/book/the-name-of-the-game-was-murder) by Joan Lowery Nixon _(Grades 3–8 · pub 1993)_
- [The Secret Funeral of Slim Jim the Snake](https://readinglist.school/book/the-secret-funeral-of-slim-jim-the-snake) by Elvira Woodruff _(Grades 4–6 · pub 1993)_
- [Those who Love the Game](https://readinglist.school/book/the-moves-make-the-man) by Glenn Rivers _(Grades 4–9 · pub 1993)_
- [Catherine, Called Birdy](https://readinglist.school/book/catherine-called-birdy) by Karen Cushman _(Grades 4–9 · pub 1994)_
- [Dog Breath](https://readinglist.school/book/dog-breath) by Dav Pilkey _(Grades 2–8 · pub 1994)_
- [John Henry](https://readinglist.school/book/john-henry) by Julius Lester _(Grades K–5 · pub 1994)_
- [Kids at Work](https://readinglist.school/book/kids-at-work-lewis-hine-and-the-crusade-against-child-labor) by Russell Freedman _(Grades 4–10 · pub 1994)_
- [Loch](https://readinglist.school/book/loch) by Paul Zindel _(Grades 3–8 · pub 1994)_
- [Pink and Say](https://readinglist.school/book/pink-and-say) by Patricia Polacco _(Grades 4–8 · pub 1994)_
- [Shape-Changer](https://readinglist.school/book/shape-changer) by Bill Brittain _(Grades 3–8 · pub 1994)_
- [Sojourner Truth](https://readinglist.school/book/sojourner-truth-aint-i-a-woman) by Pat McKissack _(Grades 4–10 · pub 1994)_
- [The Christmas of the Reddle Moon](https://readinglist.school/book/the-christmas-of-the-reddle-moon) by J. Patrick Lewis _(Grades 3–5 · pub 1994)_
- [The Diary of a Killer Cat](https://readinglist.school/book/the-diary-of-a-killer-cat) by Anne Fine _(Grades 3–5 · pub 1994)_
- [Walk Two Moons](https://readinglist.school/book/walk-two-moons) by Sharon Creech _(770L · Grades 5–7 · pub 1994)_
- [Math Curse](https://readinglist.school/book/math-curse) by Jon Scieszka _(Grades 4–8 · pub 1995)_
- [Officer Buckle and Gloria](https://readinglist.school/book/officer-buckle-and-gloria) by Peggy Rathmann _(Grades K–3 · pub 1995)_
- [Piggie Pie!](https://readinglist.school/book/piggie-pie) by Margie Palatini _(Grades 3–5 · pub 1995)_
- [Running Out of Time](https://readinglist.school/book/running-out-of-time) by Margaret Peterson Haddix _(Grades 3–8 · pub 1995)_
- [Tarot Says Beware](https://readinglist.school/book/tarot-says-beware) by Betsy Cromer Byars _(Grades 3–8 · pub 1995)_
- [The Middle Passage](https://readinglist.school/book/the-middle-passage) by Tom Feelings _(Grades K–5 · pub 1995)_
- [The Midwife's Apprentice](https://readinglist.school/book/the-midwifes-apprentice) by Karen Cushman _(Grades 3–7 · pub 1995)_
- [The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963](https://readinglist.school/book/the-watsons-go-to-birmingham-1963) by Christopher Paul Curtis _(1000L · Grades 5–8 · pub 1995)_
- [101 Ways to Bug Your Parents](https://readinglist.school/book/101-ways-to-bug-your-parents) by Lee Wardlaw _(Grades 4–6 · pub 1996)_
- [Crash](https://readinglist.school/book/crash) by Jerry Spinelli _(Grades 3–8 · pub 1996)_
- [Drive-By](https://readinglist.school/book/drive-by) by Lynne Ewing _(Grades 3–8 · pub 1996)_
- [En Mi Familia](https://readinglist.school/book/family-pictures-cuadros-de-familia) by Carmen Lomas Garza _(Grades K–5 · pub 1996)_
- [Frindle](https://readinglist.school/book/frindle) by Andrew Clements _(830L · Grades 3–7 · pub 1996)_
- [Jip](https://readinglist.school/book/jip-his-story) by Katherine Paterson _(Grades 5–8 · pub 1996)_
- [Orphan Train Rider](https://readinglist.school/book/orphan-train-rider-one-boys-true-story) by Andrea Warren _(Grades 4–10 · pub 1996)_
- [Shiloh Season](https://readinglist.school/book/shiloh-season) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor _(Grades 3–6 · pub 1996)_
- [Small Steps](https://readinglist.school/book/small-steps-the-year-i-got-polio) by Peg Kehret _(Grades 4–10 · pub 1996)_
- [The View from Saturday](https://readinglist.school/book/the-view-from-saturday) by E. L. Konigsburg _(Grades 3–7 · pub 1996)_
- [Bone](https://readinglist.school/book/bone) by Jeff Smith _(Grades 2–8 · pub 1997)_
- [Ella Enchanted](https://readinglist.school/book/ella-enchanted) by Gail Carson Levine _(Grades 4–7 · pub 1997)_
- [Goldengrove ; Unleaving](https://readinglist.school/book/unleaving) by Jill Paton Walsh _(Grades 4–9 · pub 1997)_
- [Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone](https://readinglist.school/book/harry-potter-and-the-sorcerers-stone) by J.K. Rowling _(880L · Grades 4–7 · pub 1997)_
- [Home Place](https://readinglist.school/book/home-place) by Crescent Dragonwagon _(Grades K–5 · pub 1997)_
- [Out of the Dust](https://readinglist.school/book/out-of-the-dust) by Karen Hesse _(740L · Grades 5–8 · pub 1997)_
- [Smoky Mountain Rose](https://readinglist.school/book/smoky-mountain-rose) by Alan Schroeder _(Grades 3–5 · pub 1997)_
- [Tangerine](https://readinglist.school/book/tangerine) by Edward Bloor _(Grades 2–8 · pub 1997)_
- [The Adventures of Captain Underpants](https://readinglist.school/book/the-adventures-of-captain-underpants) by Dav Pilkey _(720L · Grades 2–5 · pub 1997)_
- [The Black Cauldron](https://readinglist.school/book/the-fortune-tellers) by Lloyd Alexander _(Grades K–5 · pub 1997)_
- [Verdi](https://readinglist.school/book/verdi) by Janell Cannon _(Grades 3–5 · pub 1997)_
- [A Bad Case of Stripes](https://readinglist.school/book/a-bad-case-of-stripes) by David Shannon _(Grades 2–8 · pub 1998)_
- [Among the Hidden](https://readinglist.school/book/among-the-hidden) by Margaret Peterson Haddix _(Grades 5–8 · pub 1998)_
- [Flying Solo](https://readinglist.school/book/flying-solo) by Ralph J. Fletcher _(Grades 4–6 · pub 1998)_
- [Forty Acres And Maybe A Mule](https://readinglist.school/book/forty-acres-and-maybe-a-mule) by Harriette Robinet _(Grades 4–7 · pub 1998)_
- [Holes](https://readinglist.school/book/holes) by Louis Sachar _(660L · Grades 4–7 · pub 1998)_
- [Martha Graham](https://readinglist.school/book/martha-graham-a-dancers-life) by Russell Freedman _(Grades 4–10 · pub 1998)_
- [Nova's Ark](https://readinglist.school/book/novas-ark) by Kirk, David _(Grades 2–8 · pub 1998)_
- [Old Elm Speaks](https://readinglist.school/book/old-elm-speaks-tree-poems) by Kristine O'Connell George _(Grades K–5 · pub 1998)_
- [Riding Freedom](https://readinglist.school/book/riding-freedom) by Pam Muñoz Ryan _(Grades 3–8 · pub 1998)_
- [Rules of the Road #1](https://readinglist.school/book/rules-of-the-road) by Joan Bauer _(Grades 4–9 · pub 1998)_
- [Snowflake Bentley](https://readinglist.school/book/snowflake-bentley) by Jacqueline Briggs Martin _(Grades K–3 · pub 1998)_
- [The Bird House](https://readinglist.school/book/appalachia-the-voices-of-sleeping-birds) by Cynthia Rylant _(Grades 4–10 · pub 1998)_
- [The Friends](https://readinglist.school/book/the-friends) by Kazumi Yumoto _(Grades 4–9 · pub 1998)_
- [The Friendship](https://readinglist.school/book/the-friendship) by Mildred D. Taylor _(Grades 4–9 · pub 1998)_
- [The Ghost of Fossil Glen](https://readinglist.school/book/the-ghost-of-fossil-glen) by Cynthia C. DeFelice _(Grades 3–8 · pub 1998)_
- [The Great Little Madison](https://readinglist.school/book/the-great-little-madison) by Jean Fritz _(Grades 4–10 · pub 1998)_
- [The Sixth Grade Nickname Game](https://readinglist.school/book/the-sixth-grade-nickname-game) by Gordon Korman _(Grades 4–6 · pub 1998)_
- [Virtually Perfect](https://readinglist.school/book/virtually-perfect) by Dan Gutman _(Grades 3–8 · pub 1998)_
- [Bud, Not Buddy](https://readinglist.school/book/bud-not-buddy) by Christopher Paul Curtis _(950L · Grades 4–7 · pub 1999)_
- [Counting to Tar Beach](https://readinglist.school/book/tar-beach) by Faith Ringgold _(Grades K–5 · pub 1999)_
- [Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban](https://readinglist.school/book/harry-potter-and-the-prisoner-of-azkaban) by J. K. Rowling _(Grades 4–8 · pub 1999)_
- [Joseph Had a Little Overcoat](https://readinglist.school/book/joseph-had-a-little-overcoat) by Simms Taback _(Grades K–3 · pub 1999)_
- [Monster](https://readinglist.school/book/monster) by Walter Dean Myers _(670L · Grades 8–11 · pub 1999)_
- [Off to School, Baby Duck!](https://readinglist.school/book/in-the-rain-with-baby-duck) by Amy Hest _(Grades K–5 · pub 1999)_
- [Ramona's World](https://readinglist.school/book/ramonas-world) by Beverly Cleary _(Grades 4–6 · pub 1999)_
- [Red-eyed Tree Frog](https://readinglist.school/book/red-eyed-tree-frog) by Joy Cowley _(Grades K–5 · pub 1999)_
- [Saving Shiloh](https://readinglist.school/book/saving-shiloh) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor _(Grades 4–7 · pub 1999)_
- [Secrets of the Mummies](https://readinglist.school/book/secrets-of-the-mummies) by Shelley Tanaka _(Grades 3–5 · pub 1999)_
- [Skeleton Key](https://readinglist.school/book/skeleton-key) by Anthony Horowitz _(Grades 3–5 · pub 1999)_
- [Speak](https://readinglist.school/book/speak) by Laurie Halse Anderson _(690L · Grades 8–10 · pub 1999)_
- [Stones in Water](https://readinglist.school/book/stones-in-water) by Donna Jo Napoli _(Grades 4–9 · pub 1999)_
- [The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events #1)](https://readinglist.school/book/the-bad-beginning) by Lemony Snicket _(1010L · Grades 4–7 · pub 1999)_
- [The Legend of Mackinac Island](https://readinglist.school/book/the-legend-of-mackinac-island) by Kathy-jo Wargin _(Grades 2–8 · pub 1999)_
- [The Perks of Being a Wallflower](https://readinglist.school/book/the-perks-of-being-a-wallflower) by Stephen Chbosky _(720L · Grades 9–12 · pub 1999)_
- [The Top of the World](https://readinglist.school/book/the-top-of-the-world-climbing-mount-everest) by Steve Jenkins _(Grades 4–10 · pub 1999)_
- [Weslandia](https://readinglist.school/book/weslandia) by Paul Fleischman _(Grades 3–8 · pub 1999)_
- [When Zachary Beaver Came to Town](https://readinglist.school/book/when-zachary-beaver-came-to-town) by Kimberly Willis Holt _(Grades 2–8 · pub 1999)_
- [Zach's Lie](https://readinglist.school/book/zachs-lie) by Roland Smith _(Grades 3–8 · pub 1999)_

---

_Generated from primary-source citations indexed on ReadingList.school. JSON API: https://readinglist.school/api/decade/1990s · HTML view: https://readinglist.school/decade/1990s._