• PB = Picture Book: Illustrations support or extend the text.  Picture books are generally of a vocabulary and interest level appropriate for primary grade readers.  Picture Books can also be used effectively across the grade levels.

 
• PBOR = Picture Book Older Readers: Illustrations accompany text to support or extend the book.  Includes more challenging vocabulary or content intended for older readers.  Picture Books for Older Readers can be used effectively across grade levels depending on students' abilities and interests.

 
• ER = Early Reader: Illustrations on every page or every other page accompany text in limited chapters.  Early Reader books serve as a transition from picture books to chapter books for primary grade readers.

 
• EC = Easy Chapter Book: Illustrations are limited as written content becomes more dominant.  Easy Chapter Books are flexible in use across grade levels, offering more in-depth content for younger readers, as well as shorter, more accessible text for older readers.

 
• CH = Chapter Book: Books organized by chapters; appropriate for independent readers in the intermediate and middle school grades, and for capable readers in the primary grades.

 
• YA = Young Adult: Chapter books with more challenging vocabulary and/or more mature content appropriate for older readers.

 Return to Good Books for Literature Circles

Picture Books

Angel Child, Dragon Child by Michelle Maria Surat
An Angel for Solomon Singer by Cynthia Rylant
Arctic Stories by Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak
Chesterís Way by Kevin Henkes
Don't Need Friends by Carolyn Crimi
Good Luck, Mrs. K! by Louise Borden
Horace and Morris but Mostly Delores by James Howe
Ira Sleeps Over by Bernard Waber
Just Kids: Visiting a Class for Children with Special Needs by E. B. Senisi
Let's Talk About It: Extraordinary Friends by Fred Rogers
Lottie's New Friend by Petra Mathers
Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
Mrs. Katz and Tush by Patricia Polacco
Next Spring an Oriole by Gloria Whelan
Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann
Old Henry by Joan Blos
The Old Woman Who Named Things by Cynthia Rylant
Ruby the Copycat by Peggy Rathmann
Sam Johnson and the Blue Ribbon Quilt by Lisa Campbell Ernst
The Shy Little Girl by Phyllis Krasilovsky
Sing to the Stars, by Mary Brigid Barrett
Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch by Eileen Spinelli
Stellaluna by Janelle Cannon
Swimmy by Leo Lionni
Uncle Willie and the Soup Kitchen by Dianne DiSalvo Ryan
Yoko by Rosemary Wells

Picture Books for Older Readers

Jingle Dancer by Cynthia Leitich Smith
When Willard Met Babe Ruth by Donald Hall

Early Readers

Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel (series)
George and Martha by James Marshall (series)
The Golly Sisters Go West by Betsy Byars
Henry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant (series)
Mouse Tales by Arnold Lobel
Poppleton by Cynthia Rylant (series)
Mr. Putter and Tabby by Cynthia Rylant (series)

Easy Chapter Books

Ant Plays Bear by Betsy Byars
Esio Trot by Roald Dahl
The Final Game by William Roy Brownridge
Jacob Two-Two and the Dinosaur by Mordecai Richler
A Lion to Guard Us by Clyde Robert Bulla
Marvin Redpost: Alone in His Teacher's House by Louis Sachar (series)
Owen Foote, Frontiersman by Stephanie Greene (series)
Stay Away from Simon by Carol Carrick

Chapter Books

Charlotte's Web by E. B. White
Stuart Little by E. B. White

 

Intermediate: Reaching Out to Others/Friendship

Picture Books for Older Readers

Be Good to Eddie Lee by Virginia Fleming
Collector of Moments by Quint Buchholz
Drylongso by Virginia Hamilton
Flags by Maxine Trottier
Josepha: A Prairie Boy's Story by Jim McGugan
Just Like New by Ainslie Manson
Nadia's Hands by Karen English
Nobiah's Well by Donna Guthrie
The Orphan Boy by Tololwa M. Mollel
Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco
Smoky Night by Eve Bunting
Tomas and the Library Lady by Pat Mora

Chapter Books

Absolutely Normal Chaos by Sharon Creech
Anastasia Krupnik by Lois Lowry
Babe: The Gallant Pig by Dick King-Smith
Bandit's Moon by Paul Fleischman
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
The Best School Year Ever by Barbara Robinson
The BFG by Roald Dahl
Bingo Brown and the Language of Love by Betsy Byars
The Boys Start the War by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Building a Bridge by Lisa Shook Begaye
Daphne's Book by Mary Downing Hahn
Don't Call Me Beanhead by Susan Wojchiechowski
Finding Buck McHenry by Alfred Slote
The Flip-flop Girl by Katherine Paterson
Freckle Juice by Judy Blume
The Girls Get Even by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Henry and Ribsy by Beverly Cleary
Loudmouth George by Nancy Carlson
Next-Door Neighbors by Sarah Ellis
The Pennywhistle Tree by Doris Buchanan Smith
The Pinballs by Betsy Byars
Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary
Runaway Home by Patricia McKissack
The Secret Life of Amanda K. Woods by Ann Cameron
Solo Girl by Andrea Davis Pinkney
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
Thank You, Jackie Robinson by Barbara Cohen
To JayKae: Life Stinks by Jean Davies Okimoto
What's a Daring Detective like Me Doing in the Doghouse? by Linda Bailey

 

Upper Intermediate/Middle School: Reaching Out to Others/Friendship

Picture Books for Older Readers

Be Good to Eddie Lee by Virginia Fleming
Bonesy and Isabel by Michael Rosen
Collector of Moments by Quint Buchholz
Drylongso by Virginia Hamilton
Flags by Maxine Trottier
Josepha: A Prairie Boy's Story by Jim McGugan
Just Like New by Ainslie Manson
Nadia's Hands by Karen English
Nobiah's Well by Donna Guthrie
The Orphan Boy by Tololwa M. Mollel
Smoky Night by Eve Bunting
Tomas and the Library Lady by Pat Mora

Chapter Books

Almost a Hero by John Neufeld
Alone in the Universe by Lynne Rae Perkins
Angel Square by Brian Doyle
The Apprenticeship of Lucas Whitaker by Cynthia DeFelice
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Belle Prater's Boy by Ruth White
Bloomability by Sharon Creech
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
The Cay by Theodore Taylor
The Champion by Maurice Gee
Crash by Jerry Spinelli
Dear Mr. Sprouts by Errol Broome
Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick
The Friendship by Mildred Taylor
The Gold Cadillac by Mildred Taylor
Harper and Moon by Ramon Royal Ross
Here's to You, Rachel Robinson by Judy Blume
Holes by Louis Sachar
Incident at Hawk's Hill by Allan W. Eckert
Jazmin's Notebook by Nikki Grimes
Lilyís Crossing by Patricia Reilly Giff
The Maze by Will Hobbs
Next-Door Neighbors by Sarah Ellis
The Pool Party by Gary Soto
Return to Hawk's Hill by Allan W. Eckert
The Secret Life of Amanda K. Woods by Ann Cameron
Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman
The Sky is Falling by Kit Pearson
Spying on Miss Muller by Eve Bunting
Summer of the Mad Monk by Cora Taylor
Timothy of the Cay by Theodore Taylor
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbit
The View from Saturday by E. L. Konigsberg
What Happened on Planet Kid by Jane Leslie Conly
Words of Stone by Kevin Henkes
When Zachary Beaver Came to Town by Kimberly Willis Holt

Young Adult

Alida's Song by Gary Paulsen
Arly by Robert Newton Peck
Bad Girls by Cynthia Voigt
Bat 6 by Virginia Euwer Wolff
Crazy Weekend by Gary Soto
Dangerous Skies by Suzanne Fisher Staples
The Exchange Student by Kae Gilmore
Go and Come Back by Joan Abelove
The Goats by Brock Cole
Heart of a Champion by Carl Deuker
Ironman by Chris Crutcher
Joyride by Gretchen Olson
Kissing Tennnessee by Kathi Appelt
Letters from Inside by John Marsden
Letters to Julia by Barbara Ware Holmes
Lord of the Fries and Other Stories by Tim Wynne Jones
The Maestro by Tim Wynne-Jones
Make Lemonade by Virginia Euwer Wolff
Music from a Place Called Half Moon by Jerrie Oughton
The Ornament Tree by Jean Thesman
Phoenix Rising by Karen Hesse
Revolutions of the Heart by Marsha Qualey
Slot Machine by Chris Lynch
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher
Tears of a Tiger by Sharon Draper
Two Suns in the Sky by Miriam Bat-Ami
The Wild Children by Felice Holman
The Wish by Gail Carson Levine

Sample Genre: Fantasy

Intermediate

A.  Fantasy

Picture Books for Older Readers
The Tale I Told Sasha by Nancy Willard

Easy Chapter Books
Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl
The Time Warp Trio by Jon Scieszka (series)

Chapter Books
The BFG by Roald Dahl
A Brush with Magic by William Brooke
The Castle in the Attic by Elizabeth Winthrop (series)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
The Dragonís Boy by Jane Yolen
The Fairy Rebel by Lynne Reid Banks
The Forest by Janet Lisle
Georgeís Marvelous Medicine by Roald Dahl
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
A Glory of Unicorns edited by Bruce Coville
Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher by Bruce Coville
Matilda by Roald Dahl
Song of the Wanderer by Bruce Coville
Time Cat by Lloyd Alexander
Totally Disgusting by Bill Wallace
The Twits by Roald Dahl
Wizardís Hall by Jane Yolen
The Wizardís Map by Jane Yolen (series)
 

B.  Fantasy (Talking Animals)

Chapter Books
Babe the Gallant Pig by Dick King-Smith
Bunnicula by Deborah and James Howe (series)
Charlotteís Web by E. B. White
Cricket in Times Square by George Selden
Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl
The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
Mr. Popperís Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater
Poppy by Avi
Poppy and Rye by Avi
Stuart Little by E. B. White
Three Terrible Trins by Dick King-Smith
 

C.  Fantasy (Ghost Stories)

Chapter Books
Pleasing the Ghost by Sharon Creech
School Spirits by Michael Tunnell
Time for Andrew by Mary Downing Hahn
Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn

 

Sample Time Period: Great Depression
Upper Intermediate/Middle School

Picture Books for Older Readers
The Babe and I by David Adler
The Dust Bowl by David Booth
The Gardener by Sarah Stewart
Home to Medicine Mountain by Chiori Santiago
Uncle Jedís Barbershop by Margaree King Mitchell

Chapter Books
The Bamboo Flute by Gary Disher
The Barn Burner by Patricia Willis
Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
Children of the Dustbowl by Jerry Stanley
Dave at Night by Gail Carson Levine
Francie by Karen English
Hiding Mr. McNulty by Bernice Rabe
A Jar of Dreams by Yoshiko Uchida
Let the Circle Be Unbroken by Mildred Taylor
Nowhere to Call Home by Cynthia DeFelice
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor
Song of the Trees by Mildred Taylor
Summer of the Mad Monk by Cora Taylor

Young Adult
Hiding Mr. McNulty by Bernice Rabe
Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
Road to Memphis by Mildred Taylor

 

Themes, Genres, and Time Periods in the Literature Circles Resource Guide
 

THEMES

1. Reaching Out to Others/Friendship
2. Family Issues
3. Generations Learning from One Another
4. Challenges
5. Courage
6. Standing Up for Your Beliefs
7. Justice
8. Survival
9. Respecting Nature
10. Caring for Animals
 

GENRES

1. Fiction (FIC)
2. Historical Fiction (HF)
3. Biography (BIO)
4. Mystery (MYS)
5. Fantasy (FAN)
6. Science Fiction (SF)
7. Traditional Literature (TL)
8. Nonfiction (NF)
9. Poetry (POE)

 TIME PERIODS (Historical Fiction and Nonfiction)

1. Looking into the Ancient Past
2. Middle Ages and Renaissance
3. Early Colonial
4. Revolutionary War
5. Immigration and New Beginnings
6. Westward Expansion
7. Slavery and the American Civil War
8. Gold Rush
9. Turn of the Century
10. Womenís Rights Movement
11. Great Depression
12. World War II
13. Japanese Internment
14. Civil Rights Movement
15. Conflict in Vietnam and Southeast Asia
16. Contemporary Challenges in Other Countries