Teachers’ Choice: The Most Popular Books for Every Grade

This post was published in February 2020 and was updated in February 2023.

March is National Book Month, so what better time to uncover our teachers’ favorite books? Check out these five most requested books from each grade level, and learn why you should bring them into your home or classroom.

Grade PreK-2

Mrs. Norris’s goal is to give her students a book that “embodies the sense of love and unity we have in our classrooms, while also having beautiful and engaging artwork to inspire students." In her book Our Class is a Family, Shannon Olsen reminds students that classrooms are places where it’s safe to be yourself, okay to make mistakes, and be a friend to others. The top books on this list remind us all that kindness, self-esteem, and identity are at the heart of learning.

Our Class is a Family by Shannon Olsen
The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi
I Am Enough by Grace Byers
The Magical Yet by Angela DiTerlizzi
The Smart Cookie by Jory John

Grades 3-5

Mrs. Turner chose Wonder for her 25 students to practice creative and critical thinking. Wonder is a warm, uplifting story that stirs different emotions and teaches students about life, discovery, perseverance, and respect. “I picked this book for our book study because not only can we use it for reading strategies, but also for lifelong lessons.”

Wonder by R.J. Palacio
The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi
The Baby-sitters Club Graphic Novels by Ann M. Martin, adapted by Gale Galligan and Raina Telgemeier
Dog Man: The Supa Epic Collection by Dav Pilkey
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Grades 6-8

A Newbery award-winning graphic novel, New Kid drops students into a new school where diversity is low and the struggle to fit in is real. Ms. Dempsey loves it because “the realism effortlessly pivots readers and teachers into unexpected and profound topics of conversation. The story may be heartbreakingly accurate as it explores topics such as class, race, microaggressions, and self-identity.”

New Kid by Jerry Craft
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore
Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Grades 9-12

The Hate U Give has been one of the most requested books on our site for several years. Teachers like Mr. Perkins uses this book to empower their students to discuss shared experiences and envision social change.“ This novel has so many key pieces that they struggle with each day. My hope is to not only find something they can relate with but to allow them to feel comfortable and empowered to share those struggles to empower each other.”

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
They Called Us Enemy by George Takei

Teachers, today is the perfect day to get these books on your shelves! Create a project and bring these popular stories to your students.

If you want to help teachers put these books in students' hands, support a book project today!

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