Historical Fiction Books for 5th Graders
27 books in the historical fiction genre commonly assigned to 5th grade students — every title’s grade range covers 5th grade, so each is grade-appropriate by curriculum placement. Each links to its reading level, themes, and the curricula that cite it.
Most assigned 5th grade historical fiction book
Refugee
Alan Gratz · on 15 reading lists
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Reading difficulty: the typical 5th grade text-complexity band is 740–1010L (Common Core Appendix A). Of the 8 historical fiction titles here with a Lexile score, 4 are grade-level, 4 are more accessible, and 0 are stretch texts. Match a book to your reader’s measured Lexile rather than to the grade alone.
27 5th grade historical fiction books
Reading the whole 5th grade Historical Fiction books? Kids who struggle with the print versions often finish the assigned books by listening.
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RefugeeAlan Gratz · 800L
Bud, Not BuddyChristopher Paul Curtis · 950L
A Night DividedJennifer A. Nielsen
AlliesAlan Gratz
EchoPam Muñoz Ryan · 680L
One Crazy SummerRita Williams-Garcia · 750L
Fever 1793Laurie Halse Anderson
Pink and SayPatricia Polacco
Projekt 1065Alan Gratz
The War I Finally WonKimberly Brubaker Bradley
The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963Christopher Paul Curtis · 1000L
A Corner of the UniverseAnn M. Martin
A Long Walk to WaterLinda Sue Park · 720L
A Season of GiftsRichard Peck
Barbed Wire BaseballMarissa Moss
Code Name KingfisherLiz Kessler
I Survived the Great Chicago Fire, 1871Lauren Tarshis
IcebergJennifer A. Nielsen
Lewis and Clark and MeLaurie Myers
Nothing Else But MiraclesKate Albus
The Cats in Krasinski SquareKaren Hesse
The Downstairs GirlStacey Lee
Rifles for WatieHarold Keith
The Fighting GroundAvi
Show all 27 titles
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- I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912 · Lauren Tarshis
- The Cay · Theodore Taylor
- The Devil's Arithmetic · Jane Yolen
Historical Fiction books at other grades
3rd grade · 4th grade · 6th grade · 7th grade · 8th grade · 9th grade · 10th grade · 11th grade
Other 5th grade genres
Children's · Realistic Fiction · Science Fiction & Fantasy · Middle Grade Fiction · Juvenile Fiction · Picture Book · Fantasy · Humor
← Full 5th grade reading list · All historical fictionbooks →
Frequently asked questions
What historical fiction books are good for 5th grade students?
27 historical fiction books have a grade range that covers 5th grade and are assigned across US-school curricula — Common Core exemplars, AP, IB, Cambridge, and state ELA standards. Each title on this page links to its full curriculum citations and reading level.
Are these historical fiction books grade-appropriate for 5th grade?
Every title's grade range covers 5th grade. The typical 5th grade text-complexity band is 740–1010L (Common Core Appendix A); of the 8 books here with a Lexile score, 4 are grade-level, 4 more accessible, and 0 a stretch. Match a book to your reader's measured Lexile rather than to the grade alone.
How many historical fiction books are on the 5th grade list?
This page lists 27 5th grade historical fiction titles, most-assigned first (ties alphabetical). The list expands as more curriculum references are verified.
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