Realistic or historical fiction for a 5th grader

[Anonymous]

Has she read the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder? Still classics and given that the stories are largely fictionalized versions of her real life experience, I think they qualify. There are some negative stereotypes of native Americans included but that’s a teaching opportunity, not a reason to dismiss classic American literature.

Wilder’s books were my favorite at her age and earlier and I still love them and reread them today, but have added to my Wilder library by seeking out the modern scholarship revealing the truth behind the experiences as depicted in the book, including her annotated adult autobiography Pioneer Girl.

If you do get her the books, I highly recommend the box set edition that includes full color renditions of the excellent Garth Williams illustrations - they’re beautiful and add so much to the reading experience.

[Anonymous]

Here’s a link to the box set of the first 5 books; the other 4 books in the series are also available in the full color edition, but not as a box set. This edition is printed on high quality acid free paper, it’s really a bargain at the price and they’ll last for her to hand down to her own kids when the time comes.

https://www.amazon.com/Little-House-5-Set/dp/0060754281

[Anonymous]

Gone-Away Lake
The Pushcart War
Little Britches (does contain swearing)
Marguerite Henry books
Raymie Nightengale and other realistic fiction by Kate DiCamillo (not all of hers is realistic)
The Wheel on the School
My Side of the Mountain
Snow Treasure
Frindle (and other Andrew Clements)
Under the Egg
Chasing Vermeer
Cheaper by the Dozen
The View from Saturday
The Great Turkey Walk
Big Red
Summer of the Monkeys
The Toothpaste Millionaire
New Kid
Fly on the Wall
The Door in the Wall
Otto of the Silver Hand
A Long Walk to Water
Rickshaw Girl
Young Fu of the upper Yangtze
The master puppeteer
The Kite Fighters
The Birchbark House
The Shakespeare Stealer
Someplace to Call Home
The trumpeter of Krakow
Last in a long line of rebels
The upstairs room
Daughter of the mountains
Save Me a Seat
Breaking Stalin's Nose