Diverse Summer Reading Recommendations for Grades 3-5

As we continue our “For Fans Of” Summer Reading blog series, we’ll spotlight books for children in grades 3 through 5 in this post. In order to keep kids thinking critically about the books they’re reading during the summer months, it’s great to pose a few questions to engage in a conversation about books in a low-stakes discussion:

• How were the main characters similar? How were they different?
• What kinds of problems did the characters face in both of the books? Were any of their problems similar? Why or why not?
• Would you recommend this book to a friend? What would you tell them about it? Why did you enjoy it?

See our Diverse Summer Reading List for the full list of titles from grades PreK to grade 8.

For fans of Esperanza Rising: try The Wind Called My Name

Similarly set during the Great Depression, fans of Esperanza Rising will love The Wind Called My Name and the similar themes and issues presented in both books. Margarita Sandoval and her family navigate the shifting winds of belonging in their new Wyoming town in this heartwarming historical fiction novel set in the 1930s.

For fans of Who Was? try The Story Of series

Do you have kids or kids you work with that tear through the Who Was? series? Fear not, because The Story Of series will keep them reading and learning about new, important historical figures that may not be covered in traditional school curricula! Check out our new chapter-book biographies focused on historical figures of color that feature informative sidebars, highlighted vocabulary words, a timeline, a glossary, bibliography, and recommended reading. Nonfiction lovers will devour these new titles!

For fans of The Birchbark House: try Stone River Crossing

The Birchbark House, a wonderful middle-grade title written by Anishinaabe Native author Louise Erdrich, is a great title that complements our newest release, Stone River Crossing. From Tim Tingle, the award-winning Choctaw author of How I Became a Ghost, Stone River Crossing is a tale of unlikely friendship and miracles. When Martha Tom helps Lil Mo and his family escape from the plantation across the river, it’s just the beginning of a Choctaw adventure of a lifetime.

For purchasing information, you can also view our complete collections from the Summer Reading List below:

Summer Reading Collection Grades PreK-2
Summer Reading Collection Grades 3-5
Summer Reading Collection Grades 6-8

More in this series:

Diverse Summer Reading Recommendations for Grades PreK-2
Diverse Summer Reading Recommendations for Grades 6-8

Let us know in the comments section what diverse books your kids are enjoying this summer and if there are others that you can recommend for this age group!