# 5th grade books about growing up

**20** books commonly assigned to 5th grade students in US schools that explore growing up. Every title's grade range covers 5th grade, so each is grade-appropriate by curriculum placement. Sourced from Common Core exemplars, AP, IB, Cambridge, and 50 state ELA curricula.

**Reading difficulty:** the typical 5th grade band is 740–1010L (Common Core Appendix A). Of the 9 titles here with a Lexile score, 2 are grade-level, 6 more accessible, and 1 a stretch.

**Grade:** 5th grade  ·  **Theme:** growing up
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/grade/5/growing-up
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.
**Primary source — Common Core ELA exemplars:** https://achievethecore.org/page/2699

## 5th grade growing up reading list

- [A Corner of the Universe](https://readinglist.school/book/a-corner-of-the-universe) by Ann M. Martin _(Grades 5–8 · pub 2013)_
- [Charlotte's Web](https://readinglist.school/book/charlottes-web) by E.B. White _(680L · Grades 3–5 · pub 1952)_
- [Dear Mr. Henshaw](https://readinglist.school/book/dear-mr-henshaw) by Beverly Cleary _(Grades 4–6 · pub 1983)_
- [Diary of a Wimpy Kid](https://readinglist.school/book/diary-of-a-wimpy-kid) by Jeff Kinney _(950L · Grades 3–7 · pub 2007)_
- [El Deafo](https://readinglist.school/book/el-deafo) by Cece Bell _(420L · Grades 4–6 · pub 2014)_
- [Ferris](https://readinglist.school/book/ferris) by Kate DiCamillo _(Grades 3–6 · pub 2024)_
- [Guts](https://readinglist.school/book/guts) by Raina Telgemeier _(Grades 4–8 · pub 2019)_
- [Harriet the Spy](https://readinglist.school/book/harriet-the-spy) by Louise Fitzhugh _(Grades 4–7 · pub 1964)_
- [Hatchet](https://readinglist.school/book/hatchet) by Gary Paulsen _(1020L · Grades 5–8 · pub 1987)_
- [Mid-Air](https://readinglist.school/book/mid-air) by Alicia D. Williams _(Grades 5–8 · pub 2024)_
- [Old Yeller](https://readinglist.school/book/old-yeller) by Fred Gipson _(Grades 5–8 · pub 1956)_
- [Ramona Quimby, Age 8](https://readinglist.school/book/ramona-quimby-age-8) by Beverly Cleary _(860L · Grades 3–5 · pub 1981)_
- [Ramona and Her Father](https://readinglist.school/book/ramona-and-her-father) by Beverly Cleary _(Grades 4–6 · pub 1977)_
- [Rascal](https://readinglist.school/book/rascal) by Sterling North _(Grades 5–8 · pub 1963)_
- [Roller Girl](https://readinglist.school/book/roller-girl) by Victoria Jamieson _(440L · Grades 4–7 · pub 2015)_
- [Smile](https://readinglist.school/book/smile) by Raina Telgemeier _(410L · Grades 4–8 · pub 2010)_
- [Summer of the Monkeys](https://readinglist.school/book/summer-of-the-monkeys) by Wilson Rawls _(Grades 4–7 · pub 1976)_
- [Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing](https://readinglist.school/book/tales-of-a-fourth-grade-nothing) by Judy Blume _(470L · Grades 2–5 · pub 1972)_
- [The Cybil War](https://readinglist.school/book/the-cybil-war) by Betsy Byars _(Grades 3–6 · pub 1981)_
- [The Season of Styx Malone](https://readinglist.school/book/the-season-of-styx-malone) by Kekla Magoon _(510L · Grades 3–7 · pub 2018)_

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_Generated from primary-source citations indexed on ReadingList.school. HTML view: https://readinglist.school/grade/5/growing-up._