5th grade Realistic Fiction books
38 books in the realistic fiction genre commonly assigned to 5th gradestudents — 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.
Reading difficulty: the typical 5th grade text-complexity band is 740–1010L (Common Core Appendix A). Of the 8 realistic fiction titles here with a Lexile score, 5 are grade-level, 3 are more accessible, and 0 are stretch texts. Match a book to your reader’s measured Lexile rather than to the grade alone.
38 5th grade realistic fiction books
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A Boy Called BatElana K. Arnold
Amal UnboundAisha Saeed
Ban This BookAlan Gratz
Black Brother, Black BrotherJewell Parker Rhodes
BlubberJudy Blume
CrenshawKatherine Applegate
Dear Mr. HenshawBeverly Cleary
DogtownKatherine Applegate & Gennifer Choldenko
Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous LifeRachel Renée Russell · 890L
FerrisKate DiCamillo
Front DeskKelly Yang · 640L
Genesis Begins AgainAlicia D. Williams
GhostJason Reynolds · 730L
Ghost BoysJewell Parker Rhodes · 360L
HootCarl Hiaasen · 760L
Hope in the ValleyMitali Perkins
Invisible IsabelSally J. Pla
Look Both WaysJason Reynolds
Magnolia Wu Unfolds It AllChanel Miller
Mick Harte Was HereBarbara Park
Pie in the SkyRemy Lai
RulesCynthia Lord
Save Me a SeatSarah Weeks · 780L
ShilohPhyllis Reynolds Naylor · 890L
Smack Dab in the Middle of MaybeJo Watson Hackl
So B. ItSarah Weeks
Stand Up, Yumi ChungJessica Kim
Stuntboy, In-Between TimeJason Reynolds
Surviving the ApplewhitesStephanie S. Tolan
The Boy at the Back of the ClassOnjali Q. Raúf
The Cybil WarBetsy Byars
The Honest TruthDan Gemeinhart
The Remarkable Journey of Coyote SunriseDan Gemeinhart
The Thing About LeftoversC.C. Payne
The Vanderbeekers of 141st StreetKarina Yan Glaser
UngiftedGordon Korman
Walk Two MoonsSharon Creech · 770L
You Are Here: Connecting FlightsEllen Oh
Realistic Fiction books at other grades
3rd grade · 4th grade · 6th grade · 7th grade · 8th grade · 9th grade · 10th grade
Other 5th grade genres
Middle Grade Fiction · Middle Grade Fantasy · Fantasy · Middle Grade Graphic Novel · Historical Fiction · Picture Book · Nonfiction · Adventure
← Full 5th grade reading list · All realistic fictionbooks →
Frequently asked questions
What realistic fiction books are good for 5th grade students?
38 realistic 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 realistic 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, 5 are grade-level, 3 more accessible, and 0 a stretch. Match a book to your reader's measured Lexile rather than to the grade alone.
How many realistic fiction books are on the 5th grade list?
This page lists 38 5th grade realistic fiction titles, ordered alphabetically. The list expands as more curriculum references are verified.
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