Lacey Branch
Ocean County Library
10 East Lacey Road
Forked River, NJ 08731
609.693.8566
www.theoceancountylibrary.org
Great Reads!
A note for parents and caregivers:
• The titles on this recommended reading list are all available at the Lacey Branch along
with other Ocean County Library branches. Many are also available as ebooks through
one of our digital platforms, either hoopla or Libby by Overdrive. You can access them
at http://theoceancountylibrary.org/downloads.
• If you or a family member is in need of a library card, you can visit the Lacey Branch or
apply online at https://theoceancountylibrary.org/library-card-application, and pick up
the card at your convenience.
• You may also register the entire family for the Adventure Begins at Your Library
Summer Reading Challenge at https://theoceancountylibrary.beanstack.org/reader365.
Earn virtual badges by completing reading and activity challenges.
• Titles listed by grade level are suggestions for appropriate reading levels, but reading
levels vary widely by grade and you may find great books for your child on lists for other
grades. For additional assistance in finding age-appropriate and engaging books, please
stop into the library.
• The Lexile score is added (ex. 640L) for titles, when it is available. Some teachers
provide this readability score to their students. For more information on Lexile visit
https://lexile.com.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at
cmeys-cronin@theoceancountylibrary.org. Happy reading!
Corinne Meys-Cronin
Youth Services Librarian
Lacey Branch of the Ocean County Library
Lacey Branch
Ocean County Library
10 East Lacey Road
Forked River, NJ 08731
609.693.8566
www.theoceancountylibrary.org
Entering Grade 1
Read to Child
Any beginning reader or picture book. Below are some suggestions:
Archer, Micha. Wonder Walkers
Blackall, Sophie. Hello Lighthouse
Carzoo, Breanna. Lou
Daywalt, Drew. The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors
Denise, Christopher. Knight Owl
Hest, Amy. Sometimes it’s Nice to Be Alone
Higgins, Ryan. We Don’t Eat Our Classmates!
John, Jory. The Bad Seed
Martin, Bill. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
Martin, Bill. Bing! Bang! Chugga! Beep!
Cronin, Doreen. Click, Clack, Moo
de la Pena, Matt. Last Stop on Market Street
Lanan, Jessica. Jumper: a Day in the Life of a Backyard Jumping Spider
Maillard, Kevin Noble. Fry Bread: a Native American Family Story
Martinez-Neal, Juana. Alma and How She Got Her Name
Medina. Meg. Evelyn Del Rey is Moving Away
Mora, Oge. Thank You, Omu!
Penfold, Alexandra. All Are Welcome
Pizzoli, Greg. Mister Kitty is Lost
Salati, Doug. Hot Dog
Scanlon, Liz Garton Scanlon. The World’s Best Class Plant
Shannon, David. Duck on a Bike
Tabor, Corey R. Mel Fell
Wheeler, Lisa. Dino-Baseball (any in series)
Lacey Branch
Ocean County Library
10 East Lacey Road
Forked River, NJ 08731
609.693.8566
www.theoceancountylibrary.org
Entering Grade 1
Guided or Independent Reading
Arnold, Tedd. Fly Guy (any in series) 170L-470L
Barton, Chris. Mighty Truck (any in series)
Capucilli, Alyssa. Biscuit Goes Camping 230L (any in series)
Dean, James. Pete the Cat (any in “My First Reading” or “Level 1” series)
DK Readers (any books in the Pre-Level or Level 1 series) Example – Save the Bees by
Ruth Musgrave
Dunrea, Olivier. Gideon & Otto 280L (or other beginning readers by author)
George, Kallie. Duck, Duck, Dinosaur: Bubble Blast (any in series)
Hale, Bruce. Clark the Shark (any in series)
Hills, Tad. A Gift for Goose 370L (or other beginning reader by author)
Iwai, Melissa. Gigi and Ojiji (any in series)
John, Jory. The Bad Seed Goes to the Library
LaRochelle, David. See the Ghost; Three Stories About Things You Cannot See
Lerner, Jarrett. Nat the Cat Takes a Nap (any in series)
Lobel, Arnold. Frog and Toad All Year 300L (any in series)
Madan, Vikram. Bobo and Pup-Pup: Let’s Make Cake!
Meadows, Michelle. How to Love a Pony
Medina, Juana. Elena Rides
McCully, Emily Arnold. Little Ducks Go 170L (or any book in the “I Like to Read” Series)
National Geographic Readers (any book in the Level 1 series)
O’Connor, Jane. Fancy Nancy Sees Stars 270L (any in series)
Palatini, Margie. Kitty-Cam (any in series)
Rylant, Cynthia. Henry and Mudge 370L – 480L (any in series)
Tabor, Corey R. Fox the Tiger 240L (any in series)
Willems, Mo. Elephant & Piggie (any in series) 170L – 330L
Yoon, Salina. Duck, Duck, Porcupine! 390L or My Kite is Stuck! 340L
Lacey Branch
Ocean County Library
10 East Lacey Road
Forked River, NJ 08731
609.693.8566
www.theoceancountylibrary.org
Entering Grade 2
Adler, David. Young Cam Jansen (any in series) 330L – 540L
Arnold, Tedd. Fly Guy (any in the series) 280L – 420L
Birney, Betty G. Humphrey’s Tiny Tales (any in series) 490L – 520L
Blabey, Aaron. The Bad Guys (any in series) 530L
Blume, Judy. Freckle Juice 400L
Clanton, Ben. Narwhal and Jelly (any in series)
Coven, Wanda. Heidi Heckelbeck and Henry Heckelbeck Series 500L – 700L
Derling, Kimberly. Cece Loves Science 550L
DiCamillo, Kate. Mercy Watson (any in series) 380L – 450L
DK Readers (any books in the Level 2 or 3 series) Example –Snakes Slither and Hiss by
Fiona Lock
Hale, Shannon. The Princess in Black (any in series) 340L – 430L
Jarvis. Bear and Bird: the Stars and Other Stories
Kline, Suzy. Horrible Harry (any in series) 410L – 540L
Levine, Ellen. Henry’s Freedom Box AD490L
Lobel, Arnold. Frog and Toad All Year 300L (any in series)
McDonald, Megan. Judy Moody and Friends (any in series) 390L – 520L
National Geographic Readers (any in the Level 1 or 2 series) 200L – 650L
Osborne, Mary Pope. Magic Tree House (any in series) 230L - 750L
Pennypacker, Sarah. Clementine (any is series) 580L – 720L
Quigley, Dawn. Jo Jo Makoons: the Used-to-Be Best Friend
Romito, Dee. Fort Builders, Inc.; The Birthday Castle 530L (any in series)
Rylant, Cynthia. Mr. Putter and Tabby (any in series) 410L- 540L
Sharmat, Marjorie Weinman. Nate the Great (any in series) 110L – 510L
Thomas, Jan. Even Robots Can Be Thankful
Lacey Branch
Ocean County Library
10 East Lacey Road
Forked River, NJ 08731
609.693.8566
www.theoceancountylibrary.org
Entering Grade 3
Barrows, Annie. Ivy + Bean (any in series) 490L – 590L
Beaty, Andrea. Rosie Revere and the Raucous Riveters (any in series) 520L
Blabey, Aaron. The Bad Guys (any in series) 530L
Brown, Jeff, Greenhut, Josh or Pennypacker, Sara. Flat Stanley’s Worldwide Adventures
(any in series) 580L – 700L
Cameron, W. Bruce. Lily to the Rescue (any in series) 580L – 770L
Castillo, Lauren. Our Friend Hedgehog: the Story of Us 600L
Cleary, Beverly. Beezus and Ramona (any in series) 780L
Curran-Bauer, Christee. The Case of the Missing Tarts (any in series) 540L
DiCamillo, Kate. Mercy Watson (any in series) 380L – 450L
DK Readers (any books in the Level 3 or 4 series) Example – Shark: Apex Predator by
Ruth Musgrave
Dominguez, Angela. Stella Diaz Has Something to Say 650L
Elliott, Rebecca. Owl Diaries (any in series) 530L – 620L
Gutman, Dan. My Weird School or My Weird School Daze (any in series) 510L -
770L
Hodgson, Rob. When Moon Became the Moon 630L
Kline, Suzy. Horrible Harry (any in series) 410L – 540L
MacLachlan, Patricia. Sarah, Plain and Tall 560L
McDonald, Megan. Judy Moody (any in series) 390L – 590L
Osborne, Mary Pope. Magic Tree House (any in series) 230L – 750L
Pennypacker, Sarah. Clementine (any in series) 580L – 720L
Pilkey, Dav. Dog Man (any in series) 390L
Quigley, Dawn. Jo Jo Makoons: the Used-to-Be Best Friend (any in series) 570L
Rex, Adam. The Story of Gumluck the Wizard
Stilton, Geronimo. Geronimo Stilton (any in series) 450L – 810L
Warner, Gertrude Chandler. The Boxcar Children (any in series) 510L – 640L
Lacey Branch
Ocean County Library
10 East Lacey Road
Forked River, NJ 08731
609.693.8566
www.theoceancountylibrary.org
Entering Grade 4
Applegate, Katherine. The One and Only Ivan 570L
Blume, Judy. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing 470L
Cham, Jorge. Oliver’s Great Big Universe
Clements, Andrew. The Loser’s Club 860L
Cline-Ransome, Lesa. Finding Langston 760L
Craft, Jerry. New Kid 320L
Dahl, Roald. Matilda 840L
DiCamillo, Kate. Flora & Ulysses 520L
DK Readers (any books in the 4 series) Example – Hope for the Elephants by Patricia J.
Murphy
Glaser, Karina Yan. The Vanderbeekers of 141
st
Street (any in series) 810L
Gutman, Dan. My Weird School, My Weird School Daze (any in series) 470L – 770L (Libby
and hoopla)
Kinney, Jeff. Diary of a Wimpy Kid (any book in the series) 910L – 1060L
Leigh, Lindsey. The Deep! Wild Life at the Ocean’s Darkest Depths
L’Engle, Madeleine. A Wrinkle in Time 740L
Lin, Grace. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon 810L
National Geographic Readers (any in the Level 2 or 3 series) 200L – 650L
Soontornvat, Chrstina. The Guardian Test (any in series)
Stilton, Geronimo. Geronimo Stilton (any in series) 450L – 810L
Virst, Terry. The Astronaut’s Guide to Leaving the Planet
Tarshis, Lauren. I Survived (any in series) 590L – 970L
Who was...? Who is…? What is…? (any in series) 510L – 920L
Yang, Kelly. Front Desk (any in series) 640L
Lacey Branch
Ocean County Library
10 East Lacey Road
Forked River, NJ 08731
609.693.8566
www.theoceancountylibrary.org
Entering Grade 5
Applegate, Katherine. The One and Only Ivan (any in series) 570L
Chokshi, Roshani. Aru Shah and the End of Time (any in series) 630L
Curtis, Christopher Paul. Bud, Not Buddy 950L
DiCamillo, Kate. Because of Winn-Dixie 610L
Glaser, Karina Yan. The Vanderbeekers of 141
st
Street (any in series) 810L
Gutman, Dan. Houdini and Me
Hale, Nathan. Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales (any in series) GN200L – GN400L
Johnson, Varian. The Parker Inheritance 610L
Kelly, Erin Entrada. Hello Universe 690L
Khan, Hena. Amina’s Voice 800L
Konigsburg, E.L. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler 700L
Lai, Thanhha. Inside Out & Back Again 800L
Lewis, C.S. The Chronicles of Narnia (any in series) 790L
Lowry, Lois. Number the Stars 670L
Medina, Meg. Merci Suarez Changes Gears 700L
Messner, Kate. History Smashers (any in series), ex. Pearl Harbor 950L – 1000L
Nielsen, Jennifer. Iceberg
Pennypacker, Sara. Leeva at Last
Schmidt, Gary D. The Labors of Hercules Beal
Soontornvat, Christina. All Thirteen: the Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys Soccer
Team 1020L
Tarshis, Lauren. I Survived (any in series) 590L – 970L
Virst, Terry. The Astronaut’s Guide to Leaving the Planet
Who was...? Who is…? What is…? (any in series) 510L – 920L
Yang, Kelly. Front Desk (any in series) 640L
