Books for Fourth & Fifth Graders
Recent picks for upper elementary readers! (Updated November 2019)
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Song for A Whale
As the deaf child of hearing parents, twelve-year-old, Iris, often feels stuck between communities—until, she learns about Blue 55, a whale who sings songs other whales can’t understand.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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Step up to the Plate, Maria Singh
When Maria Singh's family is on the brink of losing their farm due to prejudice and discriminatory laws, Maria must decide if she has what it takes to find her voice in an unfair world.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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Pie in the Sky
Brothers Jingwen and Yanghao have just moved to Australia with their mom. And…things could be better.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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Scarlet Ibis
When a fire leaves twelve-year-old Scarlet in a different foster home than her autistic little brother, she does everything she can to find her way back to him--even if it means sacrificing a better life for herself.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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Save the People!
An illustrated book about previous extinctions and possible threats to humans; from volcanoes, to asteroids, to pollution and diseases.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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Sanctuary
A story of social activist Kip Tiernan and her efforts to open Rosie's Place, the nation's first homeless shelter for women, in Boston.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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Birdie and Me
Ever since their free-spirited mama died, twelve-year-old Jack and her gender creative nine-year-old brother, Birdie, have been living with their fun-loving Uncle Carl, but that’s over now. And things look decidedly less colorful.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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Halfway to Harmony
Ten-year-old Walter is grieving the death of his beloved older brother, Tank, when a sassy girl named Posey moves in next door. Then they meet Banjo, a hot-air balloonist, who sets the pair loose on an adventure.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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Free Lunch
Sixth grader Rex loves school. His friends are there. He’s pretty smart. And while at school, he can forget how hard life is at home. That is until his mom signs him up for the free lunch program.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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Every Leaf A Hallelujah
When seven-year-old Mangoshi's mother becomes ill, she goes alone on a quest into the nearby forest, communes with trees to better understand people's effect on nature, and finds the special flower that will help her mom.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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