Rank 1CrocoAzul López, illustrated by Azul López, Kit MaudeAfter Croco becomes trapped in a hole, friends offer advice, but the young crocodile ultimately finds a solution through resilience and self-reliance.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book detailsCBC Favorites Awards 2026
Annual favorites chosen by children, teachers, and librarians from books submitted by publishers.
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Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th Grade
40 selections
Rank 1CrocoAzul López, illustrated by Azul López, Kit MaudeAfter Croco becomes trapped in a hole, friends offer advice, but the young crocodile ultimately finds a solution through resilience and self-reliance.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Rank 2Biggest Fake in the UniverseJohan Rundberg, Eva ApelqvistAn Outstanding International Book (USBBY)A 2026 KIDS FAVORITE!The bluff of a lifetime...It started off innocently enough.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Rank 3Swap-A-Word! Fun with a Sound-Alike-WordsMarvin Terban, illustrated by Andreas WittmannA must-have reference book for every classroom, this game-like homophone book takes a visually imaginative look at the many sound-alike words in the English language!The "Master of Children's Wordplay", author Marvin Terban, introduces young readers to the world of homophones in this playful picture book.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Rank 4George Washington's Spectacular Spectacles: The Glasses That Saved AmericaSelene Castrovilla, illustrated by Jenn HarneyAt the Newburgh crisis, George Washington's unexpected use of reading glasses helps calm angry officers and defuse a confrontation that threatened the young United States.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeLexile 530LView book details
Rank 5Dog Man: Big Jim Believes: A Graphic Novel (Dog Man #14)Dav Pilkey, illustrated by Dav PilkeyJoin the journey as our heroes discover the influence of belief and find truth from within. With threads of self-awareness, confidence, and integrity, Dav Pilkey masterfully crafts a humorous and heartfelt adventure, weaving together the importance of truth, goodness, and believing in yourself.The celebration comes to a halt for our heroes in Dog Man: Big Jim Believes when…Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeATOS 3.2AR interest Middle Grades (MG 4-8)View book details
Rank 6Why We Eat Fried Peanuts: A Celebration of Family and Lunar New Year TraditionsZed Zha, illustrated by Sian JamesCelebrate Lunar New Year through a story of ancestral bravery while learning about Chinese history, language, and food.Join Meng, a Chinese American girl, as she prepares for the Lunar New Year festivities with her family and discovers the significance of ancestral stories and the history behind the Mandarin language and traditional foods eaten during the holiday.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Rank 7Zero! The Number That Almost Wasn'tSarah Albee, illustrated by Chris HsuA nonfiction picture book that traces the development of zero and explains why the number became essential to mathematics.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeATOS 5.0AR interest LG K-3View book details
Rank 8Duck and Moose: Moose's Bad Hair Day!Kirk Reedstrom, illustrated by Kirk ReedstromQuiet-loving Moose's life is turned upside down by free-wheeling Duck. The two will need to put their differences aside if they're ever going to be neighbors...or friends!Moose is having a bad hair day, so Duck offers to give his pal a haircut.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Rank 9Snips: A Bad Buzz Day, TheRaúl the Third, illustrated by Raúl the ThirdA GNCRT Outstanding Comics Award Honor Book For readers of Dog Man and The Bad Guys comes a fun and zany early graphic novel series starring a crew of scissor-wielding hairdresser superheroes saving the city from evildoers bent on creating havoc and bad haircuts.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Rank 10Paw & Order Vol. 1Jason Platt, illustrated by Jason PlattCrime-solving has never been this cheesy!The annual Grilled Cheese Festival is ruined when someone steals all the sandwiches, and it's up to Paw & Order detectives, Purrlock and Marlowe, to figure out who did it!Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Rank 11So Rude!: Animals Behaving BadlyJessica Fries-GaitherGrownups say, “Be on your best behavior." But in the animal world, rudeness sometimes rules the day! Scarlet kingsnakes lie; they pretend to be venomous coral snakes to scare off predators.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeFountas & Pinnell OView book details
Rank 12Operation: Cover UpTate GodwinOperation Cover-Up is full of humor and characters that any kid can relate to!” — John Patrick Green, New York Times bestselling author of the InvestiGATORS series“Featuring a lively, nonstop narrative arc and precise pastel cartoon art, this humorous graphic novel conveys complex truths about loyalty, identity, and honesty.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Rank 13Cake Problem: Equivalent and Simplified Fractions, TheBill Wise, illustrated by Davilyn LynchFarmer Ed brings Sheep, Chicken, and Goat a chocolate cake. But hold on; it’s not a circle or rectangle, like most cakes.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Rank 14Gabby Torres Gets a Billion FollowersAngela DominguezGabby Torres Gets a Billion Followers follows a determined nine-year-old who launches a social-media page for her environmental club despite her parents' warnings and then faces the consequences of online cruelty.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeLexile 490LATOS 3.5View book details
Rank 15Adventures of Penguin and Panda: In the Dark (Vol 4), TheBrenda Maier, illustrated by Fanni MézesFour early graphic stories follow Penguin through a first campout and a rivalry with a new neighbor, while Panda’s habit of procrastinating threatens a planned Fun Friday. Their friendship helps them manage strong feelings and mistakes.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
CaringKobi YamadaThis empowering children’s book is a celebration of the impact we can have when we choose to care—and how even the smallest act of kindness can grow into something extraordinary.Have you ever wondered if what you do matters?This is the story of leaning in, digging deep, believing it’s possible, and making the effort.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Chicken PredicamentMary Rand Hess and Randy Preston, illustrated by Marilena PerilliDr. Preston's class works together to find runaway hen Lady Cluckery before the bell rings, reuniting with her just as her chicks hatch.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Dinosaur PieJen Wallace, illustrated by Alan O'RourkeFeatured in the Children's Book Council's 2025 Building a Home Library listA hilarious and heart-warming story about a boy with ADHD who is transformed into a dinosaur.Rory is having a weird week.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Einstein the PenguinIona Rangeley, illustrated by David TazzymanIn the classic tradition of Paddington, comes this wonderfully witty, heartwarmingly humorous madcap adventure series for reading aloud or reading alone. Quirky illustrations perfectly capture the mood of the stories and the endearing, eccentric, and unforgettable characters.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Family for Zoya: The True Story of an Endangered Cub, ADebra Kim Wolf, illustrated by Annalisa Durante and Marina Durante2026 Green Earth Book Award: Recommended Reading (Picture Book Intermediate)2026 Kids Favorites: Kid Read, Kid Chosen (Grades 3-5)The heartwarming true story of Zoya, the only surviving cub of critically endangered Amur tigers at the Philadelphia Zoo.When her mother rejects her, the dedicated staff at the Philadelphia Zoo race to find Zoya a new family, and they discover Lola…Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Fight for the Right to Read: Samuel Wilbert Tucker and the 1939 Sit-Down Strike for Library Reading EqualityJeff Gottesfeld and Michelle Y. Green, illustrated by Kim HoltIn 1939, lawyer Samuel Wilbert Tucker organizes a peaceful sit-in at a segregated Virginia library and begins a long legal fight for equal access to public reading spaces.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Growing HomeBeth Ferry, illustrated by Terry Fan, Eric FanA team of talking plants, a spider, and a goldfish uses newfound magic to defend the Tupper family from a greedy intruder.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeATOS 4.3AR interest Lower Grades (LG K-3)View book details
How Do Seeds Grow Into Gardens?: A Hands-On Book about GardeningClayton Grider, illustrated by Srimalie BassaniHave you ever wondered how entire gardens can grow from teeny tiny seeds? A basic explanation of growing popular vegetables, the plant life cycle, and unique gardening methods is explored through simple diagrams, hilarious illustrations, and informative and engaging text in this exciting gardening adventure.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
I Am the SunJanessa Parker, illustrated by Beverly BlacksheepElevate your spirit and let your soul sing with I Am the Sun, a sweeping picture book portraying modern Native American values, history, traditions, and struggles.Featured in CBCBook’s The Heart Remembers Spring 2026 ShowcaseIn this moving tale about present-day life for many Native Americans, breathtaking art and poignant prose tell of the hardships, the triumphs, and the resilience…Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Jellyfish Scientist: Maude Delap and Her Mesmerizing MedusasMichelle Cusolito, illustrated by Ellen RooneyThis biography recounts Maude Delap's pioneering observations of jellyfish and the patient experiments that helped explain their life cycle.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Kwesi and Nana Ruby Learn to SwimKobina Commeh, illustrated by Bárbara QuintinoKwesi and Nana Ruby face their shared fear of water together, drawing strength from the West African legend of Mami Wata and from their family history.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Let's Get SpookyŠtěpánka Sekaninová, illustrated by Lukáš FigeľA Halloween Seek-and-Find Adventure!Get ready for some spine-tingling fun with Let’s Get Spooky! This fun Halloween seek-and-find book takes brave young explorers on a thrilling journey through six spooktacular haunted locations.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Museum of Shapes, TheSven Völker, illustrated by Sven VölkerAlma is the curator of the museum. She decides which shapes should go where.Triangles have three sides and three angles.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Mythology Land: 12 Classic Legends ReimaginedClaire Cock-Starkey, illustrated by Pham Quang PhucMythology Land opens the gates to the magical lands of all the characters and creatures of myth. These expertly retold stories are perfect for bedtime, and each tale is followed by an exquisitely illustrated map of its world.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Rachel Carson's Wonder-Filled World: How the Scientist, Writer, and Nature Lover Changed the Enviornmental MovementKate Hannigan, illustrated by Kate HickeyRachel Carson's lifelong attention to the natural world leads her to combine science and writing and help transform the environmental movement.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Return of the Terns: How Scientists Are Saving Island BirdsJennifer Keats Curtis and Kim Abplanalp, illustrated by Phyllis SaroffDiscover the inspiring, true story of how scientists are helping Common Terns. Scientists in a partnership between Maryland Coastal Bays Program, Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources Wildlife and Heritage Program, and Audubon Mid-Atlantic are building huge rafts to serve as nesting areas for these birds whose nesting habitats have disappeared due to climate change and erosion.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Shadow Warrior (Spider-Man: Original Manga)Shogo Aoki, illustrated by Shogo AokiA cool new manga format for Spider-Man, one of the most iconic characters of all time! A reimagined Peter Parker, Miles Morales, and Gwen Stacy travel to feudal Japan to take on the Kingpin in this original manga from Japanese writer/illustrator Shogo Aoki!Travel to a parallel universe where the shogunate still rules Japan and the evil Kingpin, Wilson…Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Shape FamiliesLynn Parrish Sutton, illustrated by Jake Tebbit"Meet a young cylinder who lives with his sphere grandmother. A hexagon with two trouble-making twin trapezoid sisters.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
She Speaks: The Women of Norse Myths in their Own WordsHonor Cargill-Martin, illustrated by Pauliina HannuniemiClassicist Honor Cargill-Martin once again puts women at center stage in this beautiful collection of eight illustrated Norse myths and legends.A Children's Book Council's…Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
SketchJacques Goldstyn, illustrated by Jacques GoldstynHis imagination runs wild and he is more rambunctious and creative than most kids his age. As the doctors say, he’s "not drawn like other people.”In a perfectly ordered town, where everything has its place and everyone behaves properly at all times, Sketch stands out.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Supernavigators: How Animals Find Their Way (Young Readers Edition)David Barrie; adapted by Rebecca Stefoff, illustrated by Qu LanHow does a bird leave its nest to find food? How does a humpback whale follow an arrow-straight course while it crosses an entire ocean?Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Ultimate Book of Silly Jokes for Kids, TheHighlights, illustrated by HighlightsWhy did the chicken cross the road? To get his hands on The Ultimate Book of Silly Jokes for Kids, of course!This 256-page joke book is a real knee-slapper with hundreds of kids jokes, tongue twisters and tricky riddles all in one jam-packed collection.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
We're All Gonna Die-nosaur!Kon Tan, illustrated by Kon TanA 2026 Kids FavoritePterry the pterodactyl has lots of nightmares—and they always come true! Can Pterry face his fear of flying?Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
When a Tree Falls: Nurse Logs and Their Incredible Forest PowerKirsten PendreighThe perfect read for exploring nature with children, this beautiful nonfiction picture book offers an awe-inspiring look at the forest’s life cycle. A tree suns and sways in the forest.Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book details
Witches of Anderson House: A Spell for Disaster, TheJennie Poh and Dave Lowe, illustrated by Jennie PohEnter the spellbinding world of a retirement home for witches in this tale of mischief and magic for children. Grab your broom and get ready for an adventure like no other, because things do go bump in the night - and they live at Anderson House!Kids Favorites — 3rd–5th GradeView book detailsKids Favorites — 6th–8th Grade
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Rank 1ChickenpoxRemy LaiChickenpox is a contemporary middle-grade graphic novel about eldest sister Abby, who is quarantined at home with her four younger siblings and must reconsider her feelings about family while everyone recovers.Kids Favorites — 6th–8th GradeATOS 3.0AR interest MG 4–8View book details
Rank 2Blood in the WaterTiffany D. JacksonBlood in the Water is a middle-grade mystery about twelve-year-old Kaylani McKinnon, whose summer on Martha’s Vineyard turns into an investigation after a popular local teenager is found dead.Kids Favorites — 6th–8th GradeATOS 4.3View book details
Rank 3J vs. KKwame Alexander, Jerry CraftA New York Times and IndieBound bestseller!Created by real-life rivals and #1 New York Times bestselling authors Kwame Alexander and Jerry Craft this hilarious…Kids Favorites — 6th–8th GradeATOS 4.8AR interest Middle Grades (MG 4-8)View book details
Rank 4CovenSoman Chainani, illustrated by Joel GennariNeed your magical crime solved?Call the Witch Coven.Hester, Anadil, and Dot are legendary across the Endless Woods as vigilante detectives and protectors of the peace. The famed trio are not only talented witches but also ride-or-die friends who’ve never left a case unsolved.That is, until the Coven answers a call for help from a mysterious new world—Red Isle…Kids Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Rank 5Creaky AcresCalista Brill, Nilah Magruder, illustrated by Nilah MagruderBut when her mom gets a prestigious new job in a poor, rural area, she has to adjust to a lot of change: to being the only Black kid in a new class and to a new barn called Creaky Acres, where her beloved horse, Hay Fever, will make his new home.It’s there she meets sweet and geeky…Kids Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Rank 6Aarzu All AroundMarzieh AbbasLiving with her aunt and patriarchal uncle in Karachi, Pakistan, recently orphaned twelve-year-old Aarzu detests the way she and her younger sister get treated like extras and excluded from all the fun stuff.Kids Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Rank 7Dial If You DareAlexandre Côté-Fournier, illustrated by Geneviève BiguéDo you know any scary stories?It's Halloween and Alex is excited to be watching horror movies and telling ghost stories with his cousins. When it's Alex's turn to share, he tells the terrifying tale of Jack Hatchett, local hardware store owner and serial killer.Kids Favorites — 6th–8th GradeLexile 580LView book details
Rank 8Billions to BurnTaylor BanksZeus discovers that his grandfather’s stories about Harlem Renaissance magazine Burn! and a hidden fortune are true. When his grandfather disappears, Zeus and his friends solve map riddles while uncovering Black history and family secrets.Kids Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Rank 9Isle of EverJen CalonitaBenny has just two weeks to find it.Everly "Benny" Benedict and her mom have always managed to get by, though they're broke most of the time. Benny's just learned she's the sole heir to the vast fortune of Evelyn Terry, a mysterious ancestor from the 1800s!There's a catch, though.Kids Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Rank 10Trouble With Heroes, TheKate MessnerThe Trouble with Heroes is a novel in verse about Finn, who must hike all forty-six Adirondack High Peaks after damaging a tombstone and gradually confronts grief and trauma connected to his father’s death.Kids Favorites — 6th–8th GradeATOS 5.1AR interest MG 4–8View book details
Rank 11Climate Is Just the StartMikaela LoachA guide to tackling the climate crisis from a prominent activist working on the front lines! From their parents, from their teachers, on social media, and in the news, there is no escaping it.Kids Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Rank 12Donutella Hamachi and the Library AvengersKim Chi and Stephan Lee, illustrated by UtomaruFrom drag sensation and star of RuPaul’s Drag Race Kim Chi and the acclaimed author of the K-Pop Confidential books comes a contemporary superhero series about a community coming together, fabulously, to save a local library.For twelve-year-old Korean immigrant Jae Han, the library is more than a place to check out books.Kids Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Rank 13Cosmo ParkMadeleine Finlay, illustrated by Tom DearieThis rollercoaster ride through the galaxy is a bright and thrilling comic, following a narrative that is packed full of fascinating science facts and concepts about cosmology within a exciting and funny adventure story.The Universal Nature Park is a place of wonder and scientific adventure, but watch out – there are mysterious and nefarious plots afoot, and it’s…Kids Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Rank 14AnotherPaul TremblayAnother is a middle-grade horror novel by Paul Tremblay about an isolated boy named Casey whose unsettling new sleepover guest, Morel, appears to be replacing him in his own family.Kids Favorites — 6th–8th GradeATOS 5.9AR interest MG 4–8View book details
Rank 15Adorable Empire: A Graphic NovelLaura Terry, illustrated by Laura TerryAfter her parents’ divorce, Jinx moves to an unfamiliar apartment and receives a mysterious crystal that attracts a band of magical creatures called the Adorables. Trying to remove them brings her closer to a new neighbor and helps her adjust to change.Kids Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Adi of Boutanga: A Story from CameroonAlain Serge DzotapThirteen-year-old Adi lives among the Mbororo people in western Cameroon and wants to keep learning, but a powerful uncle declares that she is old enough to marry. Her family seeks a way for her to live and study without fear.Kids Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Adventures of the Flash Gang, Episode Three: Berlin Breakout, TheM.M. Downing and S.J. WaughIn 1936, twelve-year-old Lewis Carter and his friend Pearl travel through Nazi Berlin in search of Lewis’s missing father. They discover that the professor is tied to a plot that could affect the coming war.Kids Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
All the Blues in the SkyRenée WatsonAll the Blues in the Sky is a 2025 children's novel written in prose and free verse by American author Renée Watson.Kids Favorites — 6th–8th GradeLexile NPATOS 5.0View book details
At the Edge of LostMartha BrockenbroughAfter a family emergency separates middle-schooler Caleb from his aging dog Ronan, each sets out to find the other. A dangerous storm and predators complicate their parallel journeys home.Kids Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details
Athlete is AgenderKatherine Locke and Nicole MellebyProfiles and first-person accounts explore LGBTQ+ athletes across sports and levels, including Adam Rippon, CeCé Telfer, Megan Rapinoe, Billie Jean King, and coauthor em dickson. The collection examines identity, participation, and barriers in sport.Kids Favorites — 6th–8th GradeView book details