Realistic Fiction

Gordan Korman http://gordonkorman.com/-An adventure author writes at an interest level for grades 3 to 5. He has written over 50 books for young people (and actually wrote his first book when he was 12!) He also has several series sets which is great because if your child can get hooked into one, they'll have many more books to continue with.

Grade Level Equivalent-4.0-4.5

• Macdonald Hall series: 7 books (The first of this series is the one he wrote when he was 12.)
• On The Run series: 6 total books in the series
• Kidnapped trilogy
• Dive trilogy
• Everest trilogy
• Island triology
• Slapshots series: 4 books
• Nosepickers series: 4 books
• Monday Night Football Club series: 6 series

In addition to having stock characters, exaggeration, funny one-liners, and the eventual resolution of all major and minor conflicts, Korman's best novels are successful because of the originality of the conflicts and the absurdity of the characters’ motivations, which often push the boundaries of realistic fiction. Beginning with Don’t Care High (1985), Korman has adapted his formula for a number of young adult titles, many of which have been voted ALA Best Books for Young Adults. ~The Oxford Encyclopedia of Children's Literature

Andrew Clements writes realistic fiction with mostly 5th/6th grade characters surviving school situations. They are typically clever kids who get into mischief but always learn a lesson by the end. He's a popular writer for kids whose written many books but here are a few of my favorites.
Frindle - Nick plays a trick on his teacher by inventing a new word and he eventually has to deal with the consequences. GE: 5.4
The Last Holiday Concert - Because of a poor decision, Hart's music teacher puts him in charge of putting together the holiday concert. He must unite the class, gain respect for his teacher, and learn how to be a leader. GE: 5.4
Lunch Money - Greg teams up with his rival in order to write comic books and sell them at school. GE: 5.2
The Report Card - Nora is a genius and doesn't want anyone to know. Her goal? To teach people that grades aren't important. GE: 4.9





Kneeknock Rise, by Natalie Babbit is a mystery set in a small town that lies just underneath a cliff. The cliff is called Kneeknock Rise, and there are mysterious things that happen there. The townsfolk are always aflutter with talk of the famous Megrimum who they say lives in the Kneeknock Rise. The main character, Eagan, comes to the town to visit his relatives. The book follows Eagan on his journey to discover the Megrimum, and what it is really all about. It is very well written, and a quick read. This book would be a great starting point for other mysteries.

Grade Level Equivalent: 4.3


Blue Heron by Avi is a story about a girl named Maggie, who lives in Seattle, but travels to the East Coast to visit her father, her father's wife, and her new baby sister. Maggie loves magic, and she has an extremely active imagination. She uses magic as a sort of escape from her family life. When Maggie spots a blue heron in the marsh near the vacation house they are staying in, things start happening, some not so good, and she wonders if it's because of the beautiful, magical heron. I like this story because it is very well written, and I could see girls really liking it, and even finding some of Maggie that they identify with. Maggie's life wasn't always happy, but she dealt with it, and she was able to escape from it in her own way.


Grade Level Equivalent: 4.9