6th Grade Chapter Books
These Books are the best chapter books, suitable for the 6th grade reading level. This list is intended for independent readers.
[1]
Elijah Of Buxton
chapter book
Grade Reading Level 6
audiobook CD
See also the review for Bud, Not Buddy. Before the Civil War, there was a town in Canada founded by former slaves. Elijah is the first free born freeman.
[2]
Mockingbird
chapter book
Grade Reading Level 6
Warning: the parent or teacher should read this book in full before reading it aloud to the child. This is one of those great books that may be a little hard to digest. The main characters are a child with Asperger's syndrome, and her father. Two years ago the mother died of cancer, and now, the older brother just died in a random school shooting. The book doesn't describe the shooting in much detail; rather, how the child and father deal with the loss of the brother. It is a great book for introducing autism, but the school shooting component might be too troubling for a young child.
[3]
Have Space Suit Will Travel
chapter book
Grade Reading Level 6
audiobook CD
I learned about this book from my favorite author, George R.R. Martin. When he was a kid, this book opened his eyes to the universe. It starts small, a boy wins a space suit and wants to go to the moon. By the time it is over, the fate of the human race is at stake. Heinlein is great for learning real science. Did you know he was the official commentator when men first walked on the moon. Books like his can really make young kids interested in science. It is a shame that today kids are only interested in Harry Potter.
[4]
Scat
chapter book
Grade Reading Level 6
audiobook CD
The characters in this books are unforgettable and very original. My favorite is Wendell Waxmo, a substitute teacher who, every Monday, only teaches a certain page of the textbook, no matter the subject. The story, a mystery, centers around the endangered Florida panther.
[5]
Scary School
illus. Fischer, Scott M.
chapter book
Grade Reading Level 6
This book is a silly horror book. The story is told by the ghost of a student who died in a class science experiment. Kids get eaten by monsters but come back as baby monsters. When you first read the book, you might think it is inappropriate, but I think the goriness desensitizes you. Each chapter is a short story, but the chapters are tied together pretty strongly, though each is from the point of view of someone different.
[6]
A Wrinkle in Time
chapter book
Grade Reading Level 6
If a star could talk, what would it say? This is a book about good and evil, a war, that takes place on the galactic level. The good guys are the entities that want to bring light to the universe, while the bad guys want only darkness. A good book for those smart kids who don't fit in so well.
[7]
Harry Potter (Series)
illus. GrandPre, Mary
chapter book
Grade Reading Level 6
audiobook CD
While it is true that Harry Potter is a boy wizard, it is not what makes the book good. This is apparent by the multitude of new young adult fantasy books recently published. Harry Potter is good because it is witty, well written, emotional, strongly plot driven, and most of all: because so many of the characters are so lovable.