2021 Graded Reading Lists: Grades 5 & 6

"Introduced by a mysterious one-eyed cat, a bullied middle school student and a high school rock-band musician forge an unexpected friendship that helps them better understand themselves and what they really want from life"--

"Ruth Keller is brash and precocious; she argues with her dentist, her parents, and her teachers. So, when she discovers a strange black slime in the man-made lake of her suburban neighborhood, she decides to investigate. Fortified by the encouragement of those around her, Ruth seeks the truth at all costs, even if it means taking on the rich local country club owner, who she believes is responsible for the pollution. Between the teasing of former...

Brainy Brianna worries she has taken on too much when she agrees to learn a new language, give a speech, and organize a party while juggling drama at school and home.

Twelve-year-old goblin and witch-in-training Beetle enlists her former best friend, Kat Hollowbones, to help stop Kat's sorceress aunt from demolishing the mall where Beetle's friend Blob Ghost is trapped.

"Maureen and Francine Carter are twins and best friends. They participate in the same clubs, enjoy the same foods, and are partners on all their school projects. But just before the girls start sixth grade, Francine becomes Fran -- a girl who wants to join the chorus, run for class president, and dress in fashionable outfits that set her apart from Maureen. A girl who seems happy to share only two classes with her sister! Maureen and Francine are...

After moving to Seattle, Vega's dads send her to the very strange Camp Best Friend, where she discovers that one can make new friends without forgetting old ones.

"Effie moves to Brooklyn to live with her strange aunt and soon discovers that she might be a witch"--

"Eighth grader Drew Ellis recognizes that he is't afforded the same opportunities, no matter how hard he works, that his privileged classmates at the Riverdale Academy Day School take for granted, and to make matters worse, Drew begins to feel as if his good friend Liam might be one of those privileged kids and is finding it hard not to withdraw, even as their mutual friend Jordan tries to keep their group of friends together."--Provided by publisher....

"Meet Leonardo da Vinci, a curious little boy who closely examines the world around him -- gaining inspiration for beautiful paintings and wild machines of all kinds (even some that fly!). Little does he know he'll one day paint some of the world's greatest masterpieces like the "Mona Lisa" and even spur the great period of cultural rebirth known as the Renaissance!" -- Back cover.

""Black Heroes of the Wild West" celebrates the extraordinary true tales of three black historical figures in the Old West: Mary "Stagecoach" Fields, a cardplaying coach driver; Bass Reeves, the first black Deputy S Marshall west of the Mississippi; and Bob Lemmons, a cowboy famous for his ability to tame mustangs"--