Book challenges and awards
America's Battle of the Books Standard 28 list for grades 4-6, 2026-27 (used in Kern County, California)
A 28-book list for fourth to sixth graders in Kern County, California. It mixes older classics with recent books such as Maya and the Robot and Front Desk.
Copied from America's Battle of the Books (battleofthebooks.org) 'Standard 28 Book List 4-6 Grades 2026-27', the official list page; Kern County, California's 2026-27 letter tells its 4th-6th grade teams to read 20 of these 28 titles. Oct 2026. Checked 2026-10-25. Nobody paid to be here. The buy links are plain search links, not affiliate links, so Peabody earns nothing from them.
The One and Only Ivan
Katherine Applegate · Ages 9-12
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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Your Place in the Universe
Jason Chin · Ages 9-12
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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Aru Shah and the End of Time
Roshani Chokshi · Ages 9-12
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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The Loser's Club
Andrew Clements · Ages 9-12
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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New Kid
Jerry Craft · Ages 9-12
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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Because of Winn-Dixie
Kate DiCamillo · Ages 9-12
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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Maya and the Robot
Eve L. Ewing · Ages 9-12
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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By the Great Horn Spoon!
Sid Fleischman · Ages 9-12
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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Once Upon a Tim
Stuart Gibbs · Ages 9-12
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library
Chris Grabenstein · Ages 9-12
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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Lion of Mars
Jennifer Holm · Ages 9-12
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer
Kelly Jones · Ages 9-12
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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Masterminds
Gordon Korman · Ages 9-12
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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Ella Enchanted
Gail Carson Levine · Ages 9-12
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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Allergic
Megan Wagner Lloyd · Ages 9-12
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things
Lenore Look · Ages 9-12
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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Number the Stars
Lois Lowry · Ages 9-12
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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What If You Had Animal Eyes?
Sandra Markle · Ages 9-12
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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Bob
Wendy Mass · Ages 9-12
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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Wonder
R.J. Palacio · Ages 9-12
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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A Wolf Called Wander
Rosanne Parry · Ages 9-12
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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Hatchet
Gary Paulsen · Ages 9-12
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
Watch for: Survival after a plane crash; the pilot dies.
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Clementine
Sara Pennypacker · Ages 9-12
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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Esperanza Rising
Pam Muñoz Ryan · Ages 9-12
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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Infinity's Secret
Kevin and Katie Tsang · Ages 9-12
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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I Survived the American Revolution, 1776
Lauren Tarshis · Ages 9-12
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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Front Desk
Kelly Yang · Ages 9-12
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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A Royal Conundrum
Lisa Yee · Ages 9-12
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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More lists
How to run a Battle of the Books at home or school
A Battle of the Books is a team quiz on a shared reading list.
Newbery Medal winners, 2017 to 2026
The Newbery Medal goes each year to the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children, chosen by a committee of librarians.
Newbery Honor Books, 2023 to 2026
Honor books are the runners-up the Newbery committee also names.
Newbery Medal winners worth reading before middle school
Newbery winners go back to 1922, and many older ones feel dated.
Caldecott Medal winners, 2017 to 2026
The Caldecott Medal honors the most distinguished American picture book for children, judged on the illustrations.
Caldecott Honor Books, 2022 to 2026
Honor books are the Caldecott committee's runners-up, and many of them are the ones children ask to hear again.
Caldecott Medal winners from 1980 to 2016 that are still shelf favorites
Older Caldecott winners are the ones many families already own.
Theodor Seuss Geisel Award winners, 2019 to 2026
The Geisel Award goes to the best book for beginning readers each year.