Do you remember what you read as a child? For me, it was (a lot of) Harry Potter, with some Tamora Pierce and Laura Ingalls Wilder novels sprinkled in.
Nowadays, though, children’s tastes seem to have changed quite a bit. According to a report by Renaissance Learning, based on data collected from almost ten million students in the United States, children heavily gravitate toward books that they can finish quickly. On average, most students read for fewer than 15 minutes a day.
The most popular children’s books by grade are thus a mix of books assigned by teachers and books that contain a lot of pictures, graphics, and simple vocabulary words. Check them out below:
Kindergarten: Biscuit Goes to School by Alyssa Satin Capucilli
Specifically targeted toward children learning to read, Biscuit Goes to School tells the tale of a lovable dog, Biscuit, who is determined to go to school. But what happens when the teacher finds him there?
Source: Amazon
First Grade: Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
The classic story of Sam-I-Am and his quest to convince his friend to eat questionable foodstuffs, Green Eggs and Ham is a childhood staple.
Source: Amazon
Second Grade: Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin
Farmer Brown’s cows find a typewriter and teach themselves to use it–of course, Farmer Brown is less than pleased when the cows start sending him notes about all the improvements they want done.
Source: Amazon
Third Grade: Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
A beautiful tale of love, discovery, and friendship, Charlotte’s Web tells the story of a spider named Charlotte and the little pig she befriends and protects.
Source: Amazon
Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, And Seventh Grade: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Old School by Jeff Kinney
The tenth book in Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, this book is incredibly popular with young students. Greg, the protagonist, has all sorts of adventures when his grandpa comes into town; his dad tells him scary stories about the crazy farmer who lives in the woods, and his mom decides that the whole town should unplug their electronic devices for the weekend.
Eighth Grade: The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton
A classic coming-of-age novel, The Outsiders follows the drama of two rival gangs, the Greasers and the Socs, as they try to make friends, survive vicious attacks, and figure out their place in the world.
Source: Amazon
Ninth Grade: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
It’s no surprise this Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is so popular–Harper Lee’s masterpiece is an astonishingly poignant tale of courage, humor, and justice.
Source: Amazon
Tenth Grade: Night by Elie Wiesel
Night is actually based on Wiesel’s own experience during the Holocaust. In just over 100 pages, he recounts how he was forced to care for his shattered father while still a teenager himself, how he became increasingly disgusted with humanity, and how everything he’s ever valued seems gradually destroyed.
Source: Amazon
Eleventh Grade: The Crucible by Arthur Miller
A dramatized and partially fictionalized account of the Salem Witch Trials, The Crucible is marked by betrayal, loss, hope, and the disturbing power of cruelty and pettiness.
Source: Amazon
Twelfth Grade: Macbeth by William Shakespeare
One of Shakespeare’s masterworks, Macbeth is actually one of my favorite plays. Despite the gore, murder, crushing paranoia, and epic tragedy, it remains a gripping and eerily delightful drama.
Source: Amazon
Which books were you reading in the above grades? Share below!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXiwRvnSqb4
YouTube Channel: BookTV
Featured image via Pic Photos
h/t Chicago Tribune
