Books for High Ability Readers

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Reading is often a favorite pastime for high ability students especially when reading is valued at home.  Books give children an opportunity to experience great adventures, feel deep emotions, and learn about the world and others.  Many lists are available to guide students and parents to books that offer interesting perspectives and stories that high- ability learners enjoy.   The biggest challenge for parents is finding books that are on a child’s reading level but are also age appropriate.  It is always helpful for parents to read the book first.  If time does not permit this, skimming through a book and finding information online may be helpful.  In the Advanced Readers at Risk project, books were chosen that were known to be interesting and challenging for students.  Book Catalysts were written around the four quadrants of the World Class Reader Model – Learning to Read; Reading to Learn; Reading to Serve; and Reading for Leisure.  A list of books with links to the Catalysts is listed below.  The Catalysts offer a summary of the book; criteria for selection; cautions for parents of words or events in the book that may be objectionable; and how the book may be used in the four quadrants listed above.   This list targets fourth through sixth graders.

Title Author Genre Level
Grade
Caddie Woodlawn Brink, Carol Ryrie HF 890L
4
Desert Is Theirs, The Baylor, Byrd Poetry AD520L
4
Ella Enchanted Levine, Gail Carson FF U/670L
4
Gooney Bird Greene Lowry, Lois Fiction 590L
4
Knee-Knock Rise Babbitt, Natalie RF S/760L
4
Magician's Nephew, The Lewis, C. S. FF T/790L
4
Man Who Walked Between the Towers Gerstein, Mordicai Biography--PB AD480L
4
Old Yeller Gipson, Fred HF V/910L
4
Peter Pan Barrie, J. M. FF 920L
4
Poetry for Young People: Emily Dickinson Bolin, Frances Schoonmaker, Ed Poetry & B
4
Young Man and the Sea, The Philbrick Rodman Fiction 800L
4
Bull Run Fleischman, Paul HF Y/810L
5
Call of the Wild, The London, Jack HF 1120L
5
Chimpanzees I Love Goodall, Jane Nonfiction & Autobio 990L
5
D is for Dahl Wendy Cooling, Ed Bio 990L
5
Esperanza Rising Ryan, Pam Munoz HF V/750L
5
Girl Who Spun Gold, The Hamilton, Virginia Fairy Tale - PB AD360L
5
Lincoln: A Photobiography Freedman, Russell Bio V/1110L
5
Lives of the Artists: Masterpieces, Messes… Krull, Kathleen Bio 1100L
5
Louisa May and Mr. Thoreau's Flute Dunlap, Julie & Lorbiecki, Marybeth Bio 620L
5
Out of the Dust Hesse, Karen HF X
5
Watsons Go to Birmingham, The - 1963 Curtis, Christopher Paul HF U/100L
5
Witch of Blackbird Pond Speare, Elizabeth George HF W/850L
5
Wringer Spinelli, Jerry RF U/690L
5
Blue Fingers: A Ninja's Tale Whitesel, Cheryl Alward HF 800L
6
Call of the Wild London, Jack F Y/1120L
6
Crispin: The Cross of Lead Avi HF W/780L
6
Dark Is Rising, The Cooper, Susan FF X/920L
6
Devil's Arithmetic, The Yolen, Jane FF & HF Y/730L
6
Golem Wisniewski, David Legend 690L
6
I Am David (North to Freedom) Holm, Anne HF 980L
6
Names Upon the Harp, The Heaney, Marie Myths & Legends 1050L
6
Pushcart War, The Merrill, Jean RF 1020L
6
Red Scarf Girl Jiang, Ji Li Bio Z/780L6
6
Sea of Trolls, The Farmer, Nancy FF & HF 670L
6
Stargirl Spinelli, Jerry RF V/590L
6
Treasure Island Stevenson, Robert Louis HF 1100 L
6
Weslandia Fleischman, Paul F AD820L
6

In addition, the College of William and Mary has developed "navigators" (resource guides for teachers, parents, and advanced readers) that help students develop higher order thinking skills.

A list of navigators for sale can be found at here.

Another great resource that provides guidance for parents  and educators in finding and discussing books with high ability readers is the book titled, Some of My Best Friends Are Books: Guiding Gifted Readers by Judith Wynn Halstead

Halstead, J.W. (2009). Some of My Best Friends Are Books: Guiding Gifted Readers. Scottsdale, AZ. Great Potential Press

Other sites with lists of books that high ability readers will enjoy:

http://parents.renzullilearning.com/LearningMaps.aspx?x=enrich&type=Fiction

http://parents.renzullilearning.com/LearningMaps.aspx?x=enrich&type=Nonfiction

http://parents.renzullilearning.com/LearningMaps.aspx?x=enrich&type=Howto

http://www.bertiekingore.com/book.htm

http://www.lexile.com/findabook/

http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/reading_lists.htm