Guest post by Rebecca Redinger, Redwood’s Librarian

The previous post, Recommended Book List: Middle Grades, was a list of reading materials suggested for students in middle grades, 3rd-8th. This final list in the series provides suggested books for the upper grades, 7th-12th. In most libraries and booksellers this age is called Young Adult, and is distinctly separate from the children’s section. While the reading levels on this upper grade list are not that different from those on the middle grade list, you will find that the subject matter is more mature. Depending on a student’s reading level and interests, some young adults have already begun reading books in the main adult collection. The books on this list, however, have been selected because many fall into a unique category we call high/low.

High/low refers to books that are high interest and low readability. These are books that often won’t overwhelm students reading below their grade level, but will provide engaging stories and content. This is a perfect solution for students with dyslexia, and great resource to keep in mind as your Redwood students grow in both age and reading ability.

Below you will find fiction and nonfiction books that fall into a wide range of subjects and formats. As we mentioned in the Middle Grade Book List, some of these topics can be heavier than others. Use these as opportunities to talk with the young adults in your life about what they are reading and how it relates to the world around them. As you laugh at witty dialogue, wonder at hard questions, cheer on the champions, and grieve the oppressed, look back at how far your child has advanced as a confident reader. We are so proud of you!

And finally, a note about the leveling: as before, the books are listed in order according to their Lexile numbers (the most common leveling used by library catalogs and online retailers). The Lexile numbers with HL denote High/Low books. The records also include their corresponding Fountas & Pinnell letters and the general subject categorization. As you dig deeper and discover your child’s favorite books and authors, refer to the Reading A-Z correlation chart to switch between leveling systems. Enjoy, and happy reading!

FICTION

Title, Author, Lexile Range, Fountas & Pinnell, Subject/Format

Drama
Raina Telgemeier
GN 320  
F-G  
Graphic Novel/Comics

Nimona  
Noelle Stevenson  
GN 350  
F-G  
Graphic Novel/Comics      

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe  
Benjamin Alire Sáenz    
HL   380  
F-G  
Realistic Fiction        

LumberJanes  
Noelle Stevenson  
GN 390-790  
F-O  
Graphic Novel/Comics      

Miss Marvel Volume 1: No Normal  
G.   Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona  
GN 420  
F-G  
Graphic Novel/Comics      

Hey, Kiddo  
Jarrett J. Krosoczka  
HL 510  
I-J  
Graphic Novel/Comics      

American Born Chinese  
Gene Luen Yang  
GN 530  
J-L  
Graphic Novel/Comics      

Fight  
Sherman Alexie  
550  
J-M  
Fantasy      

Salt to the Sea  
Ruta Sepetys  
HL 560  
J-M  
Historical Fiction      

Crash  
Jerry Spinelli  
HL 560  
J-M  
Realistic Fiction - Sports      

M.C. Higgins the Great  
Virginia Hamilton  
560  
J-M  
Historical Fiction      

Fangirl  
Rainbow Rowell  
HL 570  
J-M  
Realistic Fiction      

Eleanor & Park  
Rainbow Rowell  
HL 580  
K-M  
Realistic Fiction      

The Hate U Give
Angie Thomas  
HL 590  
L-M  
Realistic Fiction          

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian  
Sherman Alexie  
600  
K-M  
Realistic Fiction      

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants  
Ann Brashares  
HL 600  
K-M  
Realistic Fiction      

We Were Liars  
E. Lockart  
HL   600  
K-M  
Realistic Fiction      

Lifeboat 12  
Susan Hood  
610  
K-M  
Historical Fiction      

Of Mice and Men  
John Steinbeck  
630  
L-M  
Classic Fiction      

To All the Boys I've Loved Before  
Jenny Han  
630  
L-M  
Realistic Fiction      

Mockingbird  
Kathryn Erskine  
630  
L-M  
Realistic Fiction      

Harbor Me  
Jacqueline Woodson  
630  
L-M  
Realistic Fiction      

Alex Rider series  
Anthony Horowitz  
630-780  
L-M  
Mystery      

I am Alfonso Jones  
Tony Medina, John Jennings, and Stacey Robinson  
GN 640  
L-M  
Graphic Novel/Comics      

Fake ID  
Lamar Giles  
HL   640  
L-M  
Realistic Fiction      

The Sun is Also a Star  
Nicola Yoon  
HL 650  
L-M  
Realistic Fiction      

House of the Scorpion  
Nancy Farmer  
660  
L-N  
Science Fiction      

The Color Purple  
Alice Walker  
HL 670    
L-N  
Classic Fiction      

Children of Blood and Bone  
Tomi Adeyemi  
HL 670  
L-N  
Fantasy      

The True Meaning of Smekday  
Adam Rex  
670  
L-N  
Science Fiction      

An Ember in  the Ashes series  
Sabaa Tahir  
HL 670-680  
L-N  
Fantasy      

Twilight series  
Stephanie Meyer  
670-720  
L-N  
Fantasy        

City of Ember  
Jeanne DuPrau  
680  
L-N  
Fantasy/Science Fiction      

Piecing Me Together  
Renee Watson  
680  
L-N  
Realistic Fiction          

Matched  
Ally Condie  
HL 680  
L-N  
Science Fiction      

The Selection series  
Kiera Cass  
HL 680  
L-N  
Fantasy/Science Fiction      

All the Broken Pieces  
Ann E. Burg  
HL 680  
L-N  
Historical Fiction      

Speak  
Laurie Halse Anderson  
690  
L-N  
Realistic Fiction      

American Street  
Ibi Zoboi  
HL 690  
L-N  
Fantasy/Magic Realism      

Shadowshaper  
Daniel José Older  
HL 690  
L-N
Fantasy      

The Raven Cycle  
Maggie Stiefvater  
HL 690-760  
L-N  
Fantasy        

A Great and Terrible Beauty  
Libba Bray  
700  
L-N  
Fantasy      

Fresh Ink  
(various authors)  
HL 700  
L-N  
Realistic Fiction          

The Night Diary  
Veera Hiranandani  
700  
L-N  
Historical Fiction      

Divergent series  
Veronica Roth  
HL 700-830  
L-Q  
Fantasy/Science Fiction      

Miles Morales  
Jason Reynolds  
HL 710  
L-N  
Science Fiction      

Eragon  
Christopher Paolini  
710  
L-N  
Fantasy      

Seedfolks  
Paul Fleischman  
710  
L-N  
Realistic Fiction      

Long Way Down  
Jason Reynolds  
HL 720  
L-N  
Realistic Fiction - Poetry      

The Perks of Being a Wallflower  
Stephen Chobosky  
720  
L-N  
Realistic Fiction          

A Long Walk to Water  
Linda Sue Park  
720  
L-N  
Historical Fiction      

Pick-Up Game: A Full Day of Full Court  
(various authors)  
720  
L-N  
Realistic Fiction      

The Missing series  
Margaret Peterson Haddix  
720-750  
L-N  
Science Fiction      

Graceling  
Kristin Cashore  
730  
L-N  
Fantasy      

The Book Thief  
Markus Zuzak  
730  
L-N  
Historical Fiction      

I am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter  
Erika L. Sánchez  
HL 730  
L-N  
Realistic Fiction      

The Devil's Arithmetic  
Jane  Yolen  
730  
L-N  
Historical Fiction      

The Diviners    
Libba Bray  
HL 730  
L-N  
Fantasy      

A Monster Calls  
Patrick Ness  
730  
L-N  
Fantasy        

Auma's Long Run  
Eucabeth A. Odhiambo  
740  
L-N  
Realistic Fiction      

Orbiting Jupiter  
Gary D. Schmidt  
740  
L-N  
Realistic Fiction      

Kira-Kira  
Cynthia Kadohata  
740  
L-N  
Realistic Fiction      

The Outsiders  
S.E. Hinton  
750  
L-N  
Classic Fiction      

Peak  
Roland Smith  
760  
L-N  
Adventure      

Some Kind of Courage  
Dan Gemeinhart  
760  
L-N  
Adventure - Historical      

The Truth About Forever  
Sarah Dessen  
770  
L-N  
Realistic Fiction - Romance      

Tuck Everlasting  
Natalie Babbitt  
770  
L-N  
Fantasy/Science Fiction

The Maze Runner  
James Dashner  
HL 770    
L-N  
Science Fiction      

All American Boys  
Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely  
HL 770  
L-N  
Realistic Fiction    

York: The Shadow Cipher  
Laura Ruby  
HL 780  
M-N  
Science Fiction      

Ender's Game  
Orson Scott Card  
780  
M-N  
Science Fiction      

Leviathan  
Scott Westerfeld  
790  
M-O  
Fantasy/Science Fiction      

The Green Glass Sea  
Ellen Klages  
790  
M-O  
Historical Fiction      

Cinder  
Marissa Meyer  
790  
M-O  
Fantasy      

Wolf Hollow  
Lauren Wolk  
800  
M-P  
Historical Fiction      

The Poet X  
Elizabeth Acevedo  
HL 800  
M-P  
Realistic Fiction          

Refugee  
Alan Gratz  
800  
M-P  
Historical Fiction      

Inside Out & Back Again  
Thanhha Lai  
800  
M-P  
Historical Fiction      

A Night Divided  
Jennifer Nielsen    
810  
M-P  
Historical Fiction      

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn  
Betty Smith  
810  
M-P  
Classic Fiction      

Monster  
Walter Dean Myers  
810  
M-P  
Realistic  
Fiction        

Austin Family Chronicles  
Madeleine L'Engle  
810-1010  
M-S  
Realistic Fiction      

The Graveyard Book  
Neil Gaiman  
820  
M-Q  
Fantasy        

All the Bright Places  
Jennifer Niven  
830  
M-Q  
Realistic Fiction - Romance      

Wonderstruck  
Brian  Selznick  
830  
M-Q  
Historical Fiction      

Turtles All the Way Down  
John Green  
840  
M-Q  
Realistic Fiction          

Cloud and Wallfish  
Anne Nesbet  
850  
M-R  
Historical Fiction      

Looking for Alaska  
John Green
850  
M-R  
Realistic Fiction      

Fault in Our Stars  
John Green  
850  
M-R  
Realistic Fiction      

The House on Mango Street  
Sandra Cisneros  
870  
N-S  
Classic Fiction      

To Kill a Mockingbird  
Harper Lee  
870  
N-S  
Classic Fiction      

Midnight Without a Moon  
Linda Williams Jackson  
870  
N-R  
Historical Fiction      

All the Light We Cannot See  
Anthony Doerr  
880  
N-S  
Historical Fiction      

Jacob Have I Loved  
Katherine Paterson  
880  
N-S  
Historical Fiction      

Harry Potter series  
J.K. Rowling  
880-950  
N-S  
Fantasy      

Our Only May Amelia  
Jennifer L. Holm  
900  
N-T  
Historical Fiction      

Dead End in Norvelt  
Jack Gantos  
920  
N-T  
Historical   Fiction      

The Golden Compass  
Phillip Pullman  
930  
N-X  
Fantasy      

The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg  
Rodman Philbrick  
950  
Q-T  
Historical Fiction      

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas  
John Boyne
1000  
R-X  
Historical Fiction      

Hatchet  
Gary Paulsen  
1020  
R-Y  
Adventure      

Code Name Verity  
Elizabeth E. Wein  
1020  
R-X  
Historical Fiction      

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time  
Mark Haddon  
1090  
Y  
Mystery      

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing: Pox Party  
M.T. Anderson  
1090  
Y-Z  
Historical Fiction      

Pride and Prejudice  
Jane Austen  
1100  
Z  
Classic Fiction    

NON-FICTION

Title, Author, Lexile Range, Fountas & Pinnell, Subject/Format

Persepolis series
Marjane Satrapi  
GN 380-500  
F-J  
Biography      

Shackleton  
Nick Bertozzi  
620  
K-M  
History - Biography      

Loving vs. Virginia: A Documentary Novel of the Landmark Civil Rights Case    
Patricia Hruby Powell and Shadra Strickland  
HL 720  
L-N  
History      

March series  
John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell  
GN 760-850  
L-R  
History      

Turning Fifteen on the Road to Freedom  
Lynda Blackmon Lowery  
780  
M-N  
History      

The Industrial Revolution  
Lewis Hefland  
GN 800      
Graphic Novel/Comic - History      

They Changed The World: Edison, Tesla, Bell  
Lewis Hefland  
GN 820      
Graphic Novel/Comic - Science      

I Am Malala (Young Readers Edition)  
Malala Yousafzai  
830  
M-Q  
Biography      

Unbroken (Young Adult Adaptation)  
Laura Hillenbrand  
850  
M-R  
History      

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Young Readers Edition  
William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer  
860  
N-R  
Science - Biography      

Survivors Club: The True Story of a Very Young Prisoner of Auschwitz    
Michael Bornstein and Debbie Bornstein Holinstat  
890  
N-S  
History      

Vincent and Theo      
900  
N-T  
Biographical      

Code Talker  
Joseph Bruchac  
910  
N-T  
History        

Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina And New Orleans  
Don Brown  
920  
N-T  
Geography      

Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon
Steve Sheinkin  
920  
N-T  
History - Military      

Really, Really Big Questions About Space and Time    
Mark Brake and Nishant Choksi    
930      
Science      

Flags of Our Fathers  
James Bradley and Ron Powers  
950  
Q-T  
History      

The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia  
Candace Fleming  
950  
Q-T  
History - Biography      

True Stories  
(various authors)  
970  
R-X  
History - Biography      

The Boys Who Challenged Hitler: Knud Pedersen and the Churchill Club  
Phillip Hoose  
970  
R-X  
History - Biography      

Women in Science
Rachel Ignotofsky      
990
Q-T  
Science - Biography      

The Glass Castle  
Jeanette Walls  
1010  
R-W  
Biography      

When I Was Puerto Rican  
Esmerelda Santiago  
1020
S-W  
Biography      

Inventions in 30 Seconds  
Mike Goldsmith  
1020  
S-W  
Science/Technology      

How to be a Math Genius  
Mike Goldsmith  
1020  
S-W  
Mathematics      

Inventors, Makers, Barrier Breakers  
Pendred Noyce  
1030    
S-Y  
Science/Technology      

Farewell to Manzanar: A True Story of Japanese American Experience During and After the World War II Internment    
Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston  
1040  
T-X  
History - Biography      

Just Mercy (Adapted for Young Adults)  
Bryan Stevenson  
1040  
T-X  
Biography      

This Land is Our Land  
Linda Barrett Osborne  
1080  
U-X  
History      

1968: Today's Authors Explore a Year of Rebellion, Revolution, and Change  
Marc Aronson  
1100  
Y-Z  
History      

The Wondrous Workings of Planet Earth  
Rachel Ignotofsky  
1140  
Z  
Science/Technology    

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