Below are six read alouds, chosen from many, that I have read to my fifth graders through the years. These books, in no particular order, have been the best received by students. Some are probably not appropriate for younger than fifth, for instance, Thief of Always.
This may seem obvious, but I never read a book to the class that I have not read myself. One reason is that I choose standards that I want to model through the read aloud, so I need to see what standards the book best demonstrates. For instance, some books have stronger character development than others, lend themselves to prediction more than others, have more examples of figurative language, etc. If the book is not well written, there is nothing to model, and I do not read it aloud.
Another reason that I will not read aloud a book is if I know that it will make me cry. For instance, the beautifully written book Wonder , which would have caused me to be sobbing in front of my fifth graders, will be a great guided reading book instead. I cry very easily and at the end of a couple of the books listed below, I knew I would get choked up at the end. This led me to create the fun tradition of a student or students reading the last chapter or two of the read aloud. They even get to sit in my swivel chair! The end of Thief of Always gets me every time, but as long as I don't have to read it, I can control the tears!
Probably the most important reason to read the book first is because, otherwise, I run the risk of reading a boring or inappropriate book. I may realize it half way through and that is just not a great feeling. If I read a book and it is boring to me, I do not read it aloud. If I cannot enjoy the book, then I risk the chance that my students will also find it boring. Also, if I am bored, then my reading and instruction around the reading will not be interesting or dynamic. Also, if you have a student who has experienced a loss of some kind, you need to know the content of the book, so that you can make a judgment call about whether to read it or not. Lastly, some books in this list have some degree of violence. Fine for some classes, not for others. Depends on the maturity of your students from year to year. Beware of intriguing books that are high interest, but may be too violent and possibly provoke parent phone calls. For instance, Zach's Lie is very vivid and disturbing in parts. Know your read aloud so you can justify it if parents have questions or concerns. I can't stress it enough, read books yourself before you read them to your class!
A great quality about most of the books below is that fifth grade students have never read them before or even heard of them!
Thief of Always by Clive Barker
I usually start the year with this book as my read aloud. It grabs the kids and doesn't let go. It is a mix of fantasy and horror, as well as having a strong message and a sweet ending. Barker has written a book that is perfect for boys and girls, which is really important. Reluctant readers enjoy this book and it is a way to hook them into the value of stories and reading. Fantastic for modeling prediction and inferencing.
Crash by Jerry Spinelli
Also a terrific book to start the year, Crash is a fifth grade favorite. The class gets invested in the characters and cares about what will happen. They love how the character changes throughout the story and the book is a natural tool for open circle discussions.
Among the Hidden Margaret Peterson Haddix
What an amazing book! Another book that is equally popular with boys and girls. They strongly relate to the characters and root for them. Very cool concept, strong character development and nail biting plot. There is an entire series of books to follow this first one! Warning: Death of a main character at end.
By the Great Horn Spoon Sid Fleischman
What a clever, funny historical fiction book! So well written and chock full of figurative language. The structure of the book lends itself to studying plot. There is the major plot of the book, but then most chapters have a problem that is solved by the end of the chapter. Many years ago, Disney made a horrible version starring Roddy McDowall. Do not bother showing that to your class unless you want them to do a compare and contrast essay or persuasive essay about which was better.
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh Robert C. O'Brien
Classic story. Not much to say here, except it is long. It is an investment to get through it as a read aloud. Some years I use it for guided reading instead. Secret of Nimh , the animated film version is fun to watch after reading.
Skellig David Almond
This is a thought provoking book full of symbolism and metaphors. A lot of inferencing is required, so great for teaching that skill. Not a read aloud for every class, but when I have chosen to read it, the students become enthralled. Good one for boys and girls. Empathy and death are strong themes in this one. Throughout the book we discuss, "Is Skellig a man, bird or angel." Spoiler alert: the author leaves it for the reader to decide. I love this, but most fifth graders want closure. I have them write their own ending chapter to get the closure they want. :-) The movie version is slow paced and hard for the kids to understand in parts.
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