100+ Incredible Books for 5th Grade Girls

Today, I’m sharing our favorite 100+ books for 5th-grade girls that are both wholesome and engaging. As a mom of two daughters, I know how challenging it can be to find stories that truly capture their interest while also reflecting the values we want to reinforce at home. At this age, girls are ready for deeper stories and bigger ideas—but not every middle-grade book is the right fit.

This list of 100+ books for 5th-grade girls is filled with titles I would confidently hand to my own girls. These are stories that encourage kindness, courage, resilience, and strong character—without the content that makes you second-guess. From heartwarming realistic fiction and gentle mysteries to inspiring biographies and imaginative adventures, there’s something here for every kind of reader. I hope this list makes your search a little easier and helps your daughters discover stories that will stick with them for a lifetime.

NOTE: I also compiled a list of 100+ Top Books for Fifth Grade Boys. While there are still many overlaps between the two lists, I decided to separate them so I could add a few more entries with gender-specific protagonists to each list.

Choosing Good Quality Chapter Books for Fifth Graders

When selecting books for my kids around this age, I look for content that will be wholesome and engaging, with respectful relationships and generally positive themes. I prefer to avoid books with excessive potty language, bad words, romance, underlying negativity, scary-dark themes, or hidden agendas.

100+ Top Books for 5th Grade Girls

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A quick note before we get into the list: I tried to account for varied levels of ability and organized each category to contain a range of selections. Also, I did not write a snippet or review for each book; instead, I’ve linked each one to Amazon, where you can find more info, read reviews, and decide for yourself if it is a good fit for your daughter (affiliate links included).

Humor & Light Reads for 5th Grade Girls

1. The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright
2. The Four-Story Mistake by Elizabeth Enright
3. Then There Were Five by Elizabeth Enright
4. Spiderweb for Two by Elizabeth Enright
5. Ginger Pye by Eleanor Estes
6. Pinkie Pye by Eleanor Estes
7. It’s Raining Pigs and Noodles by Jack Prelutsky (Poetry)
8. Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
9. Mrs. Piggle Wiggle by Betty MacDonald
10. Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
11. The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling
12. Hotel Flamingo Series by Alex Milway
13. McBroom’s Wonderful One-Acre Farm by Sid Fleischman
14. The Moffats by Eleanor Estes
15. The Middle Moffat by Eleanor Estes
16. Rufus M. by Eleanor Estes
17. The Moffat Museum by Eleanor Estes
18. Stewart Little by E.B. White
19. Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
20. Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White

Historial Fiction Books for 5th Grade Girls:

21. Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan
22. Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Parks
23. The Cabin Faced West by Jean Fritz
24. A Lion to Guard Us by Clyde Robert Bulla
25. Race for the Prairie by Aileen Fisher
26. American Girl book Series
27. All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor
28. Eliza’s Freedom Road: An Underground Railroad Diary by Jerdine Nolan
29. Pheobe the Spy by Judith Berry Griffin
30. Rickshaw Girl by Mitali Perkins
31. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
32. Toliver’s Secret by Esther Wood Brady
33. The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare
34. A Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli
35. I Survived Five Epic Disasters by Laurn Tarshis
36. I Survived the Eruption of Mt. St Helens by Laurn Tarshis
37. A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus
38. Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
39. On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder
40. On the Shores of Silver Lake by Laura Ingalls Wilder
41. The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder
42. Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Mystery and Problem-Solving Books for 5th Grade Girls:

43. The Boxcar Children Series by Gertrude Stein Warner
44. The Imagination Station Series by Paul McCusker
45. The Secret of the Hidden Scroll Series by M.J. Thomas
46. Freddy The Detective (Series) by Walter R. Brooks
47. Clubhouse Mysteries Super Sleuth Collection by Sharon Draper
48. Lantern Lane Series by Tessa Green
49. Precious Ramotswe Mysteries by Alexander McCall Smith
50. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (Classic Starts) by Sir Arther Conan Doyle adapted by Chris Sisaki
51. The Father Brown Reader: Stories from Chesterton by Nancy Carpentier Brown
52. Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene
53. The Happy Hollisters by Jerry West

Adventure & Fantasy Books for Fifth Grade Girls:

54. The Complete Adventures of the Borrowers (Series) by Mary Norton
55. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh by Robert C. O’Brien
56. The Secret Seven (Series) by Enid Blyton
57. The Adventure Collection by Enid Blyton
58. Parable Port Series by Brock Eastman
59. Urchin of the Riding Stars by M.I. McCallister
60. The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic by Jennifer Trafton
61. The Green Ember by S.D. Smith
62. Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr
63. The Chronicles of Narnia Series by C.S. Lewis
64. Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers
65. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
66. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

“Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary.” — Jim Rohn

Friendship & Coming of Age Books for 5th Grade Girls:

67. Cobble Street Cousins (Series) by Cynthia Rylant
68. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell
69. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
70. The Canada Geese Quilt by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock
71. Beezus and Romona by Beverly Cleary
72. A Penny’s Worth of Character by Jesse Stuart
73. Gone Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright
74. Return to Gone Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright
75. Heidi by Johanna Spyri
76. Anne of Green Gables by L.M Montgomery
77. Little Women (Classic Starts) by Louis May Alcott, Adapted by Deanna McFadden
78. A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
79. Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorensen
80. Thimble Summer by Elizabeth Enright

Biography Books for 5th Grade Girls:

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81. The Story of Madame Curie by Alice Thorne
82. Musical Genius: A Story about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart by Barbara Allman
83. Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio by Peg Kehret
84. Who Was Amelia Earhart? by Kate Boehm Jerome
85. Who Was Rosa Parks?  by Yona Zeldis McDonough
86. Who Was Betsy Ross by James Buckley Jr.
87. Who Was Mother Teresa? by Jim Gigliotti
88. Who was Annie Oakley? by Stephanie Spinner
89. Helen Keller by Margaret Davidson
90. George Muller (Christian Heros Series) by Janet and Geoff Benge
91. Courageous World Changers by Shirley Raye Redmond

Non-Fiction Books for Fifth Grade Girls:

92. If You (Series) by Various Authors
93. DK Eyewitness (series) by DK
94. You Wouldn’t Want to be (Series) by Various Authors
95. National Geographic Readers by Various Authors
96. First Encyclopedia of Animals by Paul Dowswell
97. World Kitchen Celebrations by Abigail Wheatley
98. Not-Your-Everyday Theasaurus by James Maclaine
99. 100 Things to Know About Money by Alice James
100. See Inside New York City by Jonathan Melmoth
101. See Inside Ancient Greece by Rob Lloyd Jones
102. The Story of Inventions by Anna Claybourne
103. Questions and Answers About Music by Lara Bryan

“Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are.” — Mason Cooley

Nature & Animal Books for 5th Grade Girls:

104. Owls in the Family by Farley Mowat
105. The Appletree Animal Agency by Katya Balen
106. Horse Diaries Series by Catherine Hapka & Ruth Sanderson
107. Dog Diaries by Kate Klimo
108. Black Beauty (Classic Starts) adapted by Lisa Church
109. Riding Freedom by Pam Munoz Ryan
110. Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
111. Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry
112. Stormy, Misty’s Foal by Marguerite Henry
113. Justin Morgan Had a Horse by Marguerite Henry
114. Sea Star: Orphan of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry
115. The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford

More Booklists 

125+ Best Chapter Books for Boys Ages 6-18

25+ Fantastic Family Read Alouds

50 Best Books for Third Graders

60+ Chapter Books for 1st Graders

10 Books to Get You Started on Nature Study

Simple Ways to Build Your Home Library

I’m always on the lookout for great additions to my kids’ reading lists, and over time I’ve found a few easy ways to keep fresh recommendations coming:

• Keep a running list of favorite authors. When you discover one you enjoy, there’s a good chance they’ve written more books—or even full series—you can explore next.
• Look for book lists from sources you trust, whether that’s curated online lists, curriculum guides, or other reliable resources.
• Use recommendation tools on sites like Amazon or Goodreads—they often point you to similar titles that are just as enjoyable.
• Share ideas with friends and family who have similar values. Some of the best book finds come from simple conversations.

What titles would you add to this list for 5th-grade girls?