Summer Reading for Rising Sixth Graders
Casey O., who teaches in California, asked for some recommendations for summer reading for rising sixth graders. Below are great picks for graphic novels, adventure stories, and quick reads. All have bits that would foster interesting discussions once school resumes.
Would you like a personalized set of recommendations? Write me any time at lisasbookblog@gmail.com.
Pie in the Sky by Remy Lai (2019)
A graphic novel about how cooking can soothe the pain of relocation — and grief. After Jingwen’s father dies and the family immigrates to Austrialia, he plots to cook his father’s special recipes even though his mother forbids him to use the oven. Smart, beautiful, and touching. This makes for a great summer read on a picnic because with all the cooking in it, you are going to want snacks.
Attack of the Black Rectangles by Amy Sarig King (2022)
Mac’s sixth-grade English class is reading The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolan. But their copies have certain words blacked out. Mac and friends investigate what the school is keeping them from reading and start a campaign to replace the censored books with the complete text. A great book for budding activists, especially in this time of expansive book bans.
Ellen Outside the Lines by A. J. Sass (2022)
Ellen, who is on the autism spectrum, is going to Barcelona with her Spanish class, including her dad (as chaperone) and her best friend Laurel. Their exploration of the city is designed as a scavenger hunt, and when Ellen and Laurel aren’t on the same team, they are sorely disappointed. Ellen’s team, however, turns out to be pretty cool. They don’t mind helping Ellen when she is overwhelmed by noisy places, and they work well together to solve the clues. Bringing in elements of Judaism, neurodiversity, gender diversity, homosexuality, and more, this book covers a lot while embracing the joy of one’s first big trip.
The Conjureverse series by Dhonielle Clayton (started 2022)
Ella Durand is the first Conjuror to attend the Arcanum Training Institute. When a magical criminal escapes from prison, Ella’s family of Conjurors comes under suspicion. She and her friends are determined to solve the mystery and clear her name. The students at the institute are divided into five groups or “paragons”: touch, spirit, vision, sound, and taste. Ella and company take part in plenty of rule breaking for the greater good, a wish fulfillment I would have loved reading about on summer break.
Mexikid by Pedro Martín (2023)
This graphic novel won the 2024 Pura Belpré Youth Illustration Award and the Pura Belpré Children’s Author Award as well as being a Newbery Honor book. Martín has created a heartfelt and funny memoir of his childhood, chock full of stories about his grandfather’s legendary life in Mexico. Great book for starting a discussion about immigration, ancestors, and culture.
The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass (2023)
The book is told from multiple perspectives, including that of a cat, a ghost, and a kid. All of the characters love the small town where they live. The hamlet has been without a library for years since the building burned down in an accident. When a Little Free Library is set up with some of the books from the old library, the characters are drawn together and the story of what really happened that night years ago comes to light. This is a quick read, making it a great pick for summer.
Olivetti by Allie Millington (2024)
The narrator of this book is a typewriter. Yes, you read that correctly. Olivetti has been with the Brindle family for years and has learned about their lives and struggles through what they type. But Olivetti can also type to communicate with the family, a skill he reveals when the family is in crisis. To say more would be to risk ruining the pleasure of reading this gem.
Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell (2024)
In the fantasy, Christopher is told by his Grandfather never to go into a forbidden area in the woods, so of course he does. There he rescues a griffin who escaped from a hidden magical world. Mal lives in that world, and the two team up to stop the destruction of the environment and protect the magical creatures they both love. An entrancing fantasy to get lost in while prompting environmental discussion when school resumes in the fall.
Paper Dragons series by Siobhan McDermott (started 2024)
Zhi Ging’s dream is to train as an apprentice to the Immortals. Her rival is chosen instead, but Zhi Ging won’t give up — and magical forces seem to be helping her. When she gets a chance to join, she learns of the evil Fui Gwai and the danger it poses. Can Zhi Ging fit in with the other apprentices? Can she pass the tests needed to become an immortal? Will the Fui Gwai ruin the world she is beginning to love?