The explosion of graphic novels has made book recommendation a million times more exciting. The reading ability of 9-year-olds is all over the place, but their need for peer acceptance is pretty steady. Graphic novels bridge this gap in such a satisfying way. Books with impressive thickness and not-babyish illustration can be enjoyed by struggling readers, allowing them to immerse themselves in a story in a way that blocks of text might prevent. The graphic novel section is usually where we start, but I did not include graphic novels in this list. For some great graphic novel recs, start with this list of recent middle grade graphic novels. Beyond graphic novels, I’ve been curating read-alikes and book recs to keep all my upper students interested. It can be tricky to find the right fit, and to encourage patience in both the reader and myself. The categories below represent the most requested titles or genres I hear from students in 3rd through 5th grade. I hope you find something that piques your interest!
