Diverse Books for Guided Reading Levels S-V

Allie Velasco wants to be a winner, and when a prestigious school contest is announced, Allie's biggest competition is her ex-best friend.

This powerful novel documents the struggle young people face as they simultaneously assert their independence and yearn for guidance.

Nikki Grimes offers a glimpse into the inspiring lives of Susan B. Anthony and Harriet Tubman, with breathtaking illustrations by Michele Wood.

The moving story of a Japanese-American girl who is separated from her dog upon being sent to an incarceration camp during WWII.

Neftalí finds beauty and wonder everywhere, and he overcomes his authoritarian father and his own painful shyness to become one of the most widely read poets in the world.

Esperanza thought she'd always live with her family on their ranch in Mexico, but a sudden tragedy forces her to flee to California during the Great Depression and settle in a camp for Mexican farm workers.

Fiesty and resilient Mia Tang works and lives at the motel with her parents, who secretly help immigrants, while she pursues her dream of being a writer.

This powerful middle-grade novel explores a friendship between a small-town girl and the daughter of migrant workers.

This remarkable tale of daring and danger explores the way a community defines itself, the power of art to show truth, and what it really means to be home.

Twelve-year-old Caroline develops a crush on the new girl at school, and their bond grows when they set out in a Caribbean storm to locate Caroline's absent mother.

When Luna Ramos's cousin Claudia transfers to her school, mischievous Luna finds herself in trouble and must decide what matters more: family or her reputation.

The story of Malala's incredible journey to becoming a world-famous advocate of girls' rights and education, as well as the youngest-ever Nobel Prize winner.

In this accessible "keep-it-real" guide, Marley explores activism, social justice, volunteerism, equity and inclusion, and using social media for good. 

A rich embroidery of visions, musical cadence, and deep emotion depict the final months of Martin Luther King's life, and of his assassination.

A powerful novel about a teen boy and girl, each tackling disabilities, who discover that their greatest weaknesses can turn into the assets that forever change them.

Carmen Teresa's house rocks to the beat of Salsa music as relatives, friends, and neighbors from all over Latin America arrive for a special New Year's Day celebration.

With insight and humor, this book explores the many aspects of teen autism while daring to address issues and feelings nobody talks about.

Joe and Ravi might be from very different places, but they're both stuck in the same place: school.

Written in Southern patois, this historical adventure about runaway slaves in the Great Dismal Swamp reads like a testimony. 

Chloe's parents won't talk about her Korean American heritage, and when she finally gets to explore her family history, what she unearths is light-years away from what she expected.

Anxious to be given a name as strong and brave as that of his father, a proud Lakota Sioux grows into manhood, and eventually earns his new name: Sitting Bull.

This story of a motherless boy looking for his father during the Great Depression is full of laugh-out-loud humor and wonderful characters.

Inspired by the author's own childhood experience of fleeing Vietnam as a refugee and immigrating to Alabama, this award-winning book is sure to capture young readers' hearts and open their eyes.

In 1963, the Watson family heads south to Birmingham, Alabama...toward one of the darkest moments in America's history.

In the valley of Fruitless Mountain, a young girl named Minli sets off on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man of the Moon and change her family's fortune. 

A Choctaw boy tells the story of his tribe's removal from their land, and how their journey to Oklahoma gave him the ability to help those he left behind.

Steve's new neighbor is his hero Jackie Robinson! This is going to be the best baseball season yet!

A big, bad wolf is no a match for a clever girl with a plan in this exciting Red Riding Hood story. 

A heart-wrenching and suspenseful novel about an unforgettable struggle to survive the Great Depression.

Martha Tom is a Choctaw girl who becomes friends with Little Mo, a slave boy who lives on the other side of the Bok Chitto River in the 1800s.

This beautifully illustrated, award-winning book shows how Martin Luther King, Jr. used words to fight for equal rights for black people.