Shorter Stories
(The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease)
Junie B. Jones
Patricia Polacco books
The Garden of Abdul Gasazi - Chris van Allsburg
The Sweetest Fig - Chris van Allsburg
Pink and Say
Weslandia
Princess Hynchatti by Tanith Lee
The Magic Finger by Roald Dahl
Stories Julian Tells by Cameron
Favorite African Folktales - Nelson Mandela
Eve Bunting has quite a few picture books with themes for older kids.
Bigbeard's Hook by Evan Solomon
"Three Stories You Can Read to Your Cat" books by Sara Miller
Longer Stories
Shel Silverstein poems
Jack on the Tracks by Jack Gantos (182 p.)
The Tale of Deperaux by Kate DiCamillo--Newberry winner, very engaging
Night of the Twisters--suspenseful
Hatchet--suspenseful, easy to follow
Running Out of Time--good twist, don't share it ahead of time
Number the Stars--historical fiction
The Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
Frindle--might be better at fourth grade
Shiloh--might be better at fourth grade
Holes
The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree
Miss Rumphius
Edward the Emu
anything by Phoebe Gilman
The War with Grandpa (more 4th grade)
How I Survived Fifth Grade by Magan Stine and H. William Stine
The Hundred Dresses
Because of Winn Dixie
Hatchet
Sounder
BFG (Big Friendly Giant) by Roald Dahl
Chicken Soup for the Kid's Soul
The Money Pit
Run
Stone Fox
Joshua's Song
There's a Boy in the Girls Bathroom
Superfudge by Judy Blume
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Sideways Stories From Wayside School
The Phantom Tollbooth
My Side of the Mountain
Rascal
Number the Stars
Bunnicula
Lion Witch and Wardrobe
Maniac Magee
Tuck Everlasting
Lily's Crossing
The Secret School
On My Honor
Loser
What Child is This
The Mixed Up Files of Basil E. Frankweiler
The Classroom at the End of the Hall
Saraha Special by Esmé Raji Codell (a new favorite)
The Kid in the Red Jacket
Chet Gecko series
The Kid Who Ran for President
Where the Red Fern Grows
Island of the Blue Dolphins
A Wrinkle in Time
The Forgotten Door
Dan Gutman baseball series (Babe and Me, Honus and Me,...)
Night of the Twisters (an all time favorite)
The Color of My Words --It is one of the most beautifully written novels ever-the descriptive language just flows
Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief by Wendelin Van Draanen [series]
The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink
Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science by John Fleischman [non-fiction]
Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone
Molly Moon’s Incredible Book of Hypnotism by Georgia Byng [series]
New Kid on the Block by Jack Prelutsky [poetry]
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
Regarding the Sink: Oh Where, Oh Where Did the Waters Go? by Kate Klise
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
The Landry News by Andrew Clements
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levin
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Jack Plank Tells Tales by Natalie Babbitt
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
The 13th Floor: A Ghost Story by Sid Fleischman
Scrambled States of America by Laurie Keller