Treasury · Merit

NY Public Library

The New York Public Library's staff picks for children — a large library system's answer to what a child should read next.

99 books in the catalog stand on this list. The list itself (opens the list's own website) ↗

A reader aged

38 of these books cover age 8. The 4 that name no age at all are left off rather than guessed at — choose any age to bring them back.

• A Chair For My Mother by Vera B. Williams, 1982 · ages 6–8 · Lexile 530L · AR 3.4 · AR Interest: LG (K–3)
  Remember
• All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor, 1951 · ages 8–10 · Lexile 520L · AR 4.9 · AR Interest: MG (4–8)
  also on Mensa Kids, The Good & The Beautiful
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• A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip Stead, 2010 · ages 4–8 · Lexile 580L · AR 3.0 · AR Interest: LG (K–3)
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• Ben’s Trumpet by Rachel Isadora, 1979 · ages 4–8 · Lexile 530L · AR 2.2 · AR Interest: LG (K–3)
  also on Halsted - Best Friends
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• Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban, 1964 · ages 4–8 · Lexile 490L · AR 3.4 · AR Interest: LG (K–3)
  also on Deep Roots Grade
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• Charlotte's Web by E.B. White, 1952 · ages 8–12 · Lexile 680L · AR 4.4 · AR Interest: MG (4–8)
  also on Davidson Gifted, Mensa Kids, The Good & The Beautiful, TJEd Early Recommended
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• Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say, 1993 · ages 8–10 · Lexile 650L · AR 3.6 · AR Interest: LG (K–3)
  also on Beautiful Feet, Halsted - Best Friends
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• Green Eggs and Ham by Theodore Seuss Geisel, 1960 · ages 5–8 · Lexile 210L · AR 1.5 · AR Interest: LG (K–3)
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• Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, 1989 · ages 8–17 · Lexile 1020L · AR 5.7 · AR Interest: MG (4–8)
  also on Mensa Kids
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• Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg, 1981 · ages 5–9 · Lexile 620L · AR 3.9 · AR Interest: LG (K–3)
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• Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story From China by Ed Young, 1989 · ages 4–8 · Lexile 670L · AR 3.5 · AR Interest: LG (K–3)
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• Matilda by Roald Dahl, 1988 · ages 8–12 · Lexile 840L · AR 5.0 · AR Interest: MG (4–8)
  also on Davidson Gifted, Mensa Kids
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• Meet Danitra Brown by Nikki Grimes, 1994 · ages 8–10 · AR 3.4 · AR Interest: LG (K–3)
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• Millions of Cats by Wanda Gág, 1928 · ages 4–8 · Lexile 580L · AR 3.5 · AR Interest: LG (K–3)
  also on Halsted - Best Friends, Mensa Kids
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• Miss Nelson is Missing! by Harry Allard, 1977 · ages 5–8 · Lexile 340L · AR 2.7 · AR Interest: LG (K–3)
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• Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater, 1938 · ages 8–10 · Lexile 910L · AR 5.6 · AR Interest: MG (4–8)
  also on Deep Roots Grade, Mensa Kids
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• My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett, 1948 · ages 8–10 · Lexile 970L · AR 5.6 · AR Interest: LG (K–3)
  also on Davidson Gifted
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• Pierre: A CAUTIONARY TALE by Maurice Sendak, 1962 · ages 4–8 · Lexile 410L · AR 2.2 · AR Interest: LG (K–3)
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• Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco, 1994 · ages 8–10 · Lexile 600L · AR 3.8
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• Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren, 1950 · ages 8–10 · Lexile 870L · AR 5.2 · AR Interest: MG (4–8)
  also on Halsted - Best Friends, Mensa Kids
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• Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary, 1968 · ages 8–10 · Lexile 850L · AR 5.1 · AR Interest: MG (4–8)
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• Rickshaw Girl by Mitali Perkins, 2007 · ages 8–10 · Lexile 730L · AR 4.3 · AR Interest: MG (4–8)
  also on The Good & The Beautiful
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• Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin, 2012 · ages 8–10 · Lexile 810L · AR 5.4 · AR Interest: MG (4–8)
  also on The Good & The Beautiful
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• Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola, 1975 · ages 4–8 · Lexile 730L · AR 3.9
  also on Beautiful Feet, Mensa Kids
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• Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig, 1969 · ages 5–8 · Lexile 780L · AR 4.0 · AR Interest: LG (K–3)
  also on Halsted - Best Friends, Mensa Kids
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• Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume, 1972 · ages 8–10 · Lexile 470L · AR 3.3 · AR Interest: MG (4–8)
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• Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold, 1991 · ages 7–8 · Lexile 790L · AR 3.4 · AR Interest: LG (K–3)
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• The Borrowers by Mary Norton, 1953 · ages 8–10 · Lexile 780L · AR 5.3 · AR Interest: MG (4–8)
  also on Deep Roots Grade, Mensa Kids
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• The Bossy Gallito/El Gallo De Bodas by Lucía M. González, 1994 · ages 6–8 · Lexile 1020L · AR 3.4 · AR Interest: LG (K–3)
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• The Cat in the Hat by Theodore Seuss Geisel, 1957 · ages 5–9 · Lexile 430L · AR 2.1 · AR Interest: LG (K–3)
  also on Mensa Kids
  Remember
• The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, 1950 · ages 8–13 · Lexile 940L · AR 5.7
  also on Davidson Gifted, Deep Roots Grade, Mensa Kids, The Good & The Beautiful, Time Magazine 1923-2005, TJEd Youth Recommended
  Remember
• The People Could Fly by Virginia Hamilton, 1985 · ages 8–10 · Lexile 480L · AR 2.9
  also on Halsted - Best Friends
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• The Stories Julian Tells by Ann Cameron, 1981 · ages 8–9 · Lexile 520L · AR 3.4
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• The Tales of Uncle Remus: The Adventures of Brer Rabbit by Julius Lester, 1987 · ages 5–8 · Lexile 760L
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• The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka, 1989 · ages 7–9 · Lexile 510L · AR 3.0 · AR Interest: LG (K–3)
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• Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, 1963 · ages 4–8 · Lexile 740L · AR 3.4 · AR Interest: LG (K–3)
  also on Mensa Kids
  Remember
• Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears by Verna Aardema, 1975 · ages 4–9 · Lexile 770L · AR 4.0 · AR Interest: LG (K–3)
  Remember
• Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne, 1926 · ages 5–9 · Lexile 790L · AR 4.6 · AR Interest: MG (4–8)
  also on Deep Roots Grade, Halsted - Best Friends, Mensa Kids, TJEd Early Recommended
  Remember