1 of 18

Sponsored by the Oregon Association of School Libraries in conjunction with a Library Services and Technology Act grant.

2 of 18

Grades 3-5

Titles for 2025-26

3 of 18

Better With Butter by Victoria Piontek

A girl with anxiety disorder finds an unlikely friend -- and emotional support animal -- in the form of an adorable fainting goat.

REALISTIC FICTION

4 of 18

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

In the year 241, twelve-year-old Lina trades jobs on Assignment Day to be a messenger, to run to new places in her decaying but beloved city, perhaps even to glimpse Unknown Regions.

SCIENCE FICTION

5 of 18

Elf Dog and Owl Head by M. T. Anderson

From the moment the elegant little dog with the ornate collar appears like an apparition among the trees, Clay sees something uncanny in her. Each day the mysterious Elphinore leads Clay down paths he never knew existed, deeper into the unknown. But they aren’t alone in their surreal adventures.

FANTASY

6 of 18

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein

Kyle wins a coveted spot to be one of the first 12 kids in the library for an overnight of fun, food, and lots and lots of games. But when morning comes, the doors remain locked. Kyle and the other winners must solve every clue and every secret puzzle to find the hidden escape route. And the stakes are very high.

MYSTERY

7 of 18

Finding Langston by Lesa Cline-Ransome

When 11-year-old Langston's mother dies he and his father leave rural Alabama for Chicago as a part of what came to be known as the Great Migration. It's lonely with just the two of them, and at school Langston is bullied. But his new home has one fantastic thing. Unlike the whites-only library in Alabama, the local public library welcomes everyone.

HISTORICAL

FICTION

8 of 18

Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhhà Lại

For all the ten years of her life, Hà has only known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, and the warmth of her friends close by. But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. Hà and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed toward hope. In America, Hà discovers the foreign world of Alabama: the coldness of its strangers, the dullness of its food . . . and the strength of her very own family.

HISTORICAL FICTION, NOVEL IN VERSE

9 of 18

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Brian is on his way to Canada to visit his estranged father when the pilot of his small prop plane suffers a heart attack. Brian is forced to crash-land the plane in a lake--and finds himself stranded in the remote Canadian wilderness with only his clothing and the hatchet his mother gave him as a present before his departure.

ADVENTURE

10 of 18

The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass

When a mysterious little free library (guarded by a large orange cat) appears overnight in the small town of Martinville, eleven-year-old Evan plucks two weathered books from its shelves, never suspecting that his life is about to change. Evan and his best friend Rafe quickly discover a link between one of the old books and a long-ago event that none of the grown-ups want to talk about. The two boys start asking questions whose answers will transform not only their own futures, but the town itself.

MYSTERY

11 of 18

Just Like Click by Sandy Grubb

Nick Townley has lived his entire life— all eleven years— at Black Butte Ranch, nestled in the foothills of the snow-capped Cascade Mountains. While his parents push him to study, practice sports, and make friends, Nick prefers to retreat into his superhero universe and create exciting Adventures of Click comics. When a string of robberies threatens Dad’ s job, forcing them to move across the country, Nick’ s world implodes.

REALISTIC FICTION

12 of 18

The Million Dollar Race by Matthew Ross Smith

Follow a speedy kid from an unconventional family who will do whatever it takes to win an international track contest.

REALISTIC

FICTION

13 of 18

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

It's 1943 and life in Copenhagen is filled with school, food shortages, and the Nazi soldiers marching through town. When the Jews of Denmark are "relocated," Ellen moves in with the Johansens and pretends to be one of the family. Soon Annemarie is asked to go on a dangerous mission to save Ellen's life.

HISTORICAL FICTION

14 of 18

Odder by Katherine Applegate

Inspired by the true story of a Monterey Bay Aquarium program that pairs orphaned otter pups with surrogate mothers.

ANIMAL ADVENTURE, NOVEL IN VERSE

15 of 18

The Remarkable Rescue at Milkweed Meadows by Elaine Dimopoulos

Butternut lives in the burrows of Milkweed Meadow with her nine rabbit brothers and sisters. Together they practice strategies for survival and tell stories. With disastrous scenarios blooming in her mind, Butternut embraces the lesson of her families’ stories: stick to your own rabbit-kind. But after befriending an incorrigible robin and a wounded deer, Butternut begins to question what she has been taught.

ANIMAL FANTASY

16 of 18

The Secret Garden on 81st Street by Ivy Noelle Weir and Amber Padilla

The Secret Garden with a twist! In this full-color graphic novel Mary Lennox moves to a New York City brownstone, where she and her very first group of friends restore an abandoned rooftop garden...and her uncle's heart.

MYSTERY

GRAPHIC NOVEL

17 of 18

Avery Lee loves living in Hickory Valley, Maryland. She loves her neighborhood, school, and the end-of-summer fair she always goes to with her two best friends. But she's tired of feeling squished by her six siblings! And when Avery finds out that her family might move across the country, things get even more complicated.

REALISTIC FICTION, GRAPHIC NOVEL

18 of 18

The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler

A young girl learns she’s half mermaid and plunges into a scheme to reunite with her father in this entrancing, satisfying tale that beckons readers far below the waves.

FANTASY