Cheesie Mack Series by Steve ColterRonald "Cheesie" Mack is not a genius or anything, but he remembers everything that happened before, during, and after fifth-grade graduation, and he's written it all down in his own unique and hilarious way-with lots of lists, drawings, and splenderful (that's splendid plus wonderful!) made-up words. Cheesie-with a little help from Steve Cotler-writes about family, friendship, and tough choices in an unforgettable voice that will have kids laughing out loud. Readers of Diary of a Wimpy Kid will love both the clever humor and the black-and-white illustrations throughout.
Reading Level: 4.0
Interest Level: 8 - 12 years old
Lexile Level: 770
Big Nate Series by Lincoln Peirce
Big Nate is in a class by himself! But things don't always go your way just because you're awesome.- Nate barely survives his dad's toxic oatmeal before rushing off to school -- minus his lunch.
- He body slams the no-nonsense principal.
- He accidentally insults his least favorite teacher, the horrifying Mrs. Godfrey (aka Godzilla).
- And school has barely started!
Nate keeps his cool. He knows he's destined for greatness. A fortune cookie told him so. For fans of the ever popular, ever hilarious Diary of a Wimpy Kid series: Get ready to meet Big Nate!
Reading Level: 4.0
Interest Level: 8 - 12 years old
Lexile Level: 500
Dear Dumb Diary Series by Jim Benton
Middle school student, Jamie Kelly, writes all the strange and sometimes not so wonderful things that happens to her or she sees during school in her diary and promises that everything she writes is as true as she wants it to be.Reading Level: 6.2
Interest Level: 8 - 12 years old
Lexile Level: 1120
Riot Brothers Series by Mary AmatoContains three stories in which brothers and best friends Wilber and Orville Riot catch a thief, overthrow a king, and find a treasure, and includes rules to some of their made-up games.
Reading Level: 4.2
Interest Level: 9 - 12 years
Lexile Level: 550
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda Series by Tommy AnglebergerSixth-grader Tommy and his friends describe their interactions with a paper finger puppet of Yoda, worn by their weird classmate Dwight, as they try to figure out whether or not the puppet can really predict the future. Includes instructions for making Origami Yoda.
Reading Level: 4.4
Interest Level: 8 - 12 years old
Lexile Level: 770
The Ellie McDoodle Diaries Series by Ruth McNally BarshawAlways observing, always drawing, always thinking. That’s Ellie. She loves to keep track of her adventures, her awesome friends and her crazy family in a sketch journal. Follow along, play the games she describes in her journal, retell the jokes, create the crafts, try the recipes -- each book is chock full of fun and humor.
Reading Level: 4.5
Interest Level: 8 - 12 years old
Lexile Level: 510
Alvin Ho Series by Lenore Look
ALVIN HO IS an Asian American second grader who is afraid of everything—elevators, tunnels, girls, and, most of all, school. He’s so afraid of school that, while he’s there, he never, ever, says a word. But at home he’s a very loud superhero named Firecracker Man, a brother to Calvin and Anibelly, and a gentleman-in-training, so he can be just like his dad.Reading Level: 3.8
Interest Level: 6 - 10 years old
Lexile Level: 600
Amelia's Notebook Series by Marissa Moss
When Amelia's mom givs her a journal for her ninth birthday, Amelia has a place to share her truest feelings at last! The hand-lettered contents of a nine-year-old girl's notebook, in which she records her thoughts and feelings about moving, starting school, and dealing with her older sister, as well as keeping her old best friend and making a new one.Reading Level: 3.8
Interest Level: 7 - 10 years old
Lexile Level: 680
Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls Series by Meg Cabot
Allie Finkle is a fourth grader who enjoys subjects like science and math--they have specific rules to follow in order to get a correct answer or result. Other subjects such as English and…well…friendship are hard because there are not any set rules to make a good English paper or the perfect friend. That is why Allie has decided to come up with a book of rules for girls (such as "don't stick a spatula down your best friend's throat" or "don't put your cat in a suitcase"). If Allie writes down the rules, then she might be able to figure out how to be a good friend. The only problem is that her parents have decided that their family is moving. Now Allie has to juggle trying to sabotage the move (i.e. stopping the sale of their house) and try to keep up with her best friend, who hates her guts (she did stick the spatula down her throat). Allie's adventures are both humorous and entertaining. Reviewer: Joella Peterson, Children's LiteratureReading Level: 5.4
Interest Level: 8 - 12 years old
Lexile Level: 850
EllRay Jakes Series by Sally WarnerEllRay Jakes is tired of being bullied by fellow classmate Jared Matthews. But when EllRay tries to defend himself, he winds up in trouble. Then his dad offers him a deal: If he stays out of trouble for one week, they'll go to Disneyland! EllRay says he can do it. But saying it and doing it are two very different things.
Reading Level: 4.8
Interest Level: 6 - 10 years old
Lexile Level: 840
Schooling Around Series by Andy GriffithsMeet Henry McThrottle, a fifth-grader at Northwest Southeast Central School. Henry has an extremely active imagination--sometimes it's hard to tell where his imagination stops and the real world begins. His flights of fancy lead to adventures of the sort only Andy Griffiths could dream up: always hilarious, never predictable, sure to keep kids laughing and reading!
Reading Level: 3.8
Interest Level: 8 - 12 years old
Lexile Level: 580
Frankie Pickle Series by Eric WightLike most kids, Frankie Pickle hates cleaning his room. But what happens when his mom says he never has to clean it again? For Frankie and his unstoppable imagination, it means he and his sidekick, Argyle, can become explorers swinging on vines, forging paths through piles of clothes, and scooting past lava pits. They can perform flawless surgery on a broken action figure. They can spend time in the big house. They can even become superheroes. But when junk piles grow too high, will all this imagining be enough to conquer . . . the closet of DOOM?
Reading Level: 3.5
Interest Level: 7 - 10 years old
Lexile Level: 530
Regarding the... Series by Kate Klise
The Dry Creek Middle School drinking fountain has sprung a leak, so principal Walter Russ dashes off a request to Flowing Waters Fountains, Etc....We need a new drinking fountain. Please send a catalog.
Designer Flo Waters responds: "I'd be delighted...but please understand that all of my fountains are custom-made."
Soon the fountain project takes on a life of its own, one chronicled in letters, postcards, memos, transcripts, and official documents. The school board president is up in arms. So is Dee Eel, of the water-supply company. A scandal is brewing, and Mr. Sam N.'s fifth grade class is turning up a host of hilarious secrets buried deep beneath the fountain. When the principal asks a fifth-grader to write a letter regarding the purchase of a new drinking fountain for their school, he finds that all sorts of chaos results.
Reading Level: 4.8
Interest Level: 8 - 12 years old
Lexile Level: 830
Nathan Abercrombie, Accidental Zombie Series by David Lubar
Ten-year-old Nathan Abercrombie is having a really bad day. First, Shawna Lanchester, the prettiest girl in his class, doesn’t invite him to her party. Then he gets picked last in gym class. Things couldn’t get any worse…until he gets doused with an experimental serum that turns him into a half-dead zombie!
Nathan soon discovers that being half dead isn’t all bad. He doesn’t need any sleep, so he can stay up all night and play games online. He doesn’t feel any pain, so there’s no need to worry about Rodney the bully anymore. Still, Nathan would rather be human. Will he find a cure? Or will Nathan be half-dead forever?
Reading Level: 4.2
Interest Level: 8 - 12 years old
Lexile Level: 540
Fudge Series by Judy BlumeTwo is a crowd when Peter and his four-year-old brother, Fudge, are in the same room. Grown-ups think Fudge is absolutely adorable, but Peter and his pet turtle, Dribble, know the truth. Fudge is actually a tiny terror in disguise, causing mischief everywhere he goes. With each day and each hilarious adventure. Peter finds his demanding two-year-old brother an ever increasing problem.
Reading Level: 4.9
Interest Level: 8 - 11 years old
Lexile Level: 470
Creature from My Closet Series by Obert Skye
Twelve-year-old underachiever Rob has better things to do than read. His parents give him lots of books but most of them just end up in the messy pile of junk he keeps locked in his closet that once doubled as a makeshift science laboratory. One day, Rob hears weird sounds coming from behind his closet door and discovers a funny little creature that seems to be a cross between two characters from books he’s tried to ignore. He names him Wonkenstein.
Keeping track of “Wonk” is hard work. But with help from friends and a little off-the-wall magic, Rob and Wonkenstein’s crazy adventures set the stage for great laughs . . . and Rob might even read some good books along the way.
Reading Level: 6.0
Interest Level: 10 - 12 years old
Lexile Level: 860
Dork Diaries Series by Rachel Renée Russell
Dork Diaries follows eighth grader Nikki Maxwell as she chronicles through text and sketches her move to a snooty new school; her epic battle with her mom for an iPhone; her enthusiasm for drawing and art; and a love/hate fascination with the new school’s queen bee, a girl named Mackenzie, who becomes Nikki’s rival in a schoolwide art competition. Nikki writes about friendships, crushes, popularity, and family with a unique and fresh voice that still conveys a universal authenticity. Nikki’s sketches throughout her diary add humor and spunk to the book, a surefire hit with tween girl readers.Reading Level: 4.8
Interest Level: 10 - 12 years old
Lexile Level: 890
Journal of a Cardboard Genius Series by Frank AschSelf-proclaimed genius inventor Alex is convinced that his little brother Jonathan is evil. The kid never shuts up. He's a klutz, and he drools on his pillow when he sleeps. Jonathan's specialty, though, is sticking to Alex like glue — and sticking his nose into his big brother's business. That's why Alex has to leave Earth and fly so far away that no one will ever be able to find him. Using cardboard, duct tape, old odds and ends and his amazing scientific imagination, Alex builds Star Jumper, a spaceship that will deliver him from his rotten little brother forever! It's a plan only a cardboard genius could ever hope to pull off. But Jonathan has other ideas — and a secret that ultimately brings forth Alex's most brilliant creation ever!
Reading Level: 4.1
Interest Level: 7 - 10 years old
Lexile Level: 640
Ordinary Boy Series by William BonifaceIn the town of Superopolis, everyone has a superpower. Everyone, that is, except Ordinary Boy. But things are not so super in Superopolis these days with the evil Professor Brain-Drain on the loose! To make matters worse, Ordinary Boy and his friends are thrown into the middle of a baffling mystery. Forget the regular superheroes. In a city where everyone is extraordinary, this just might be a job for... Ordinary Boy.
Reading Level: 4.9
Interest Level: 8 - 12 years old
Lexile Level: 890
Will and Marty Series
When their parents become fed up with their boisterous behavior during summer vacation, Will and Marty Woodman are forced to do something educational: "Reading. It's perfect. How can you get into trouble reading a book?" The brothers will spend time at the library, despite their worries about the librarian, Mrs. "Spud" Murphy, who is feared by all children. According to the rumors, she uses a gas-powered gun to shoot potatoes at kids who make too much noise. When Mom drops them off later that afternoon, Mrs. Murphy leads them to the children's section and warns them that they are not to venture off of the carpet. Readers will immediately pick up that Marty has a problem following the rules and trouble ensues when he steps off the rug to cause some mischief. However, he has met his match in Spud, who silently appears on the scene like a "ninja librarian." -Christine McGinty, Albany Public Library, NY Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.Reading Level: 3.4
Interest Level: 7 - 11 years old
Lexile Level: 580
Stink (Judy Moody's little brother) Series by Megan McDonald
Shrink, shrank, shrunk!
Every morning, Judy Moody measures Stink and it's always the same: three feet, eight inches tall. Stink feels like even the class newt is growing faster than he is. Then, one day, the ruler reads — can it be? — three feet, seven and three quarters inches! Is Stink shrinking? He tries everything to look like he’s growing, but wearing up-and-down stripes and spiking his hair aren't fooling anyone into thinking he's taller. If only he could ask James Madison — Stink's hero, and the shortest person ever to serve as President of the United States.
Reading Level: 2.9
Interest Level: 6 - 9 years old
Lexile Level: 480
Dear Max Series by Sally GrindleyDear D.J. Lucas, My uncle bought me one of your books for Christmas. It's called Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Boy? I want to be a writer. I want to write a story now. Please will you help me? Love from Max
And so begins Max's funny correspondence with his favorite author, the world-famous D.J. Lucas. What follows is a tale about imagination, friendship, storytelling, and sharing secrets.
Reading Level: 4.8
Interest Level: 6 - 9 years old
Lexile Level: 820
My Life As... Series by Janet Tashjian
Summer’s finally here, and Derek Fallon is looking forward to pelting the UPS truck with water balloons, climbing onto the garage roof, and conducting silly investigations. But when his parents decide to send him to Learning Camp, Derek’s dreams of fun come to an end. Ever since he’s been labeled a “reluctant reader,” his mom has pushed him to read “real” books—something other than his beloved Calvin & Hobbes.
As Derek forges unexpected friendships and uncovers a family secret involving himself (in diapers! no less), he realizes that adventures and surprises are around the corner, complete with curve balls.
Reading Level: 4.7
Interest Level: 9 - 12 years old
Lexile Level: 880
The author and illustrator talk about My Life as a Book
My Life a Cartoonist video book trailer
Secrets of a Lab Rat Series by Trudi TrueitFourth grader and budding inventor Scab McNally will do anything to persuade his parents to get him a dog. Unfortunately, Scab's irresponsibility and constant knack for getting into trouble are not winning him any points with his parents. When Scab perfects his latest invention, Isabelle's Smell, a sister-repellent spray named for his twin sister, all the boys at school want a bottle. Scab realizes that by selling Isabelle's Smell he will earn enough money to buy a dog on his own. When money starts rolling in and Scab is only a few sales away from having enough money to buy his dog, disaster strikes, hurting not only the entire school's nostrils but also his best friend and his sister. - Melissa Joy Adams, Children's Literature
Reading Level: 3.9
Interest Level: 8 - 12 years old
Lexile Level: 480
Justin Case Series by Rachel VailIt’s the start of the school year, and nothing feels right to Justin. He didn’t get the teacher he wanted, he’s not in the same class as his best friend, and his little sister, Elizabeth, is starting kindergarten at his school. Elizabeth doesn’t seem nervous at all. Justin is very nervous about third grade. And to top it off, he’s lost his favorite stuffed animal, but he can’t tell anyone, because technically he’s too old to still have stuffed animals. Right? Here is third grade in all its complicated glory—the friendships, the fears, and the advanced math.
Reading Level: 5.2
Interest Level: 8 - 12 years old
Lexile Level: 790
Cinderella (As If You Didn't Already Know the Story) by Barbara Ensor
I know, I know. You've heard the story a million times before. Mean stepmother. Lots of sweeping. Fancy ball. You remember. Or doyou? Did you remember that Cinderella was such a nice girl-so smart and funny? You probably would've liked her. Did you know that "Cinderella" was just a nickname? And that her handsome prince loved Jell-o and was a wonderful dancer? Readers will delight in following Cinderella through all the usual happenings, presented in a most unusual way. And they'll finally see what becomes of her aftershe marries the prince. So maybe you should hear the story one last time. Because it's actually way different than you might have thought. . . . Reading Level: 5.8
Interest Level: 8 - 12 years old
Lexile Level: 880
Doodlebug: A Novel in Doodles by Karen Romano Young
Moving is tough. Being the new kid in school is even tougher. But the hardest thing of all about the move that Doreen “Dodo” Bussey’s family is making is that she suspects it might be because of her. She got into trouble at her last school.
On the drive to their new home, her mother gives Dodo a blank notebook, which she uses to chronicle the move, the first days in a new city, and the ups and downs of starting a new school and making new friends. In the process, she reinvents herself as the Doodlebug. Her little sister seems to adjust to everything so easily—why is it so hard for Dodo?
Reading Level: 3.3
Interest Level: 8 - 12 years old
Lexile Level: 520
Stanford Wong Flunks Big Time by Lisa YeeStanford Wong is having a bad summer. If he flunks his summer-school English class, he won't pass sixth grade. If that happens, he won't start on the A-team. If *that* happens, his friends will abandon him and Emily Ebers won't like him anymore. And if THAT happens, his life will be over. Soon his parents are fighting, his grandmother Yin-Yin hates her new nursing home, he's being "tutored" by the world's biggest nerdball Millicent Min--and he's not sure his ballpoint "Emily" tattoo is ever going to wash off.
Reading Level: 5.3
Interest Level: 8 - 12 years old
Lexile Level: 650
School!: Adventures at the Harvey N. Trouble Elementary School by Kate McMullan
Welcome to the Harvey N. Trouble Elementary School! Meet Ron Faster and his tippy toppy friends: Adam Up, Viola Fuss, Sid Down, Chuckie Upkins, the principal, Miss Ingashoe, and the school secretary, Miss Celia Seeyalater. Every morning, Ron Faster takes off for school running - fast. He runs out of his big, old, full-of-junk, tumble-down house. He runs all the way to the bus stop. And then the real fun begins . . . What happens at school between a Hotsy Totsy Monday and a Yowie-ka-Zowie Friday will turn Ron's world upside down!
Reading Level: 3.8
Interest Level: 6 - 10 years old
Lexile Level: 660
The 13-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths
Andy and Terry live in a treehouse. But it’s not just any old treehouse, it’s the most amazing treehouse in the world!
This treehouse has thirteen stories, a bowling alley, a see-through swimming pool, a secret underground laboratory, and a marshmallow machine that follows you around and automatically shoots marshmallows into your mouth whenever you are hungry.
Life would be perfect for Andy and Terry if it wasn’t for the fact that they have to write their next book, which is almost impossible because there are just so many distractions, including thirteen flying cats, giant bananas, mermaids, a sea monsters pretending to be mermaids, enormous gorillas, and dangerous burp gas-bubblegum bubbles!
Reading Level: 5.0
Interest Level: 8 - 12 years old
Lexile Level: 560
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