We think books make the perfect holiday gift, and at this stop you’ll find recommendations for every grade level! Here are some of the top choices for educational reading this year:
Best for Grades K–2
Written by Kelly Bingham, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky. $11.25 on Amazon.
Kids who are learning their ABCs will adore the impatient moose that keeps on showing up on the wrong page of this clever alphabet book, thinking that it’s finally his turn. All hope seems lost when “M” goes to Mouse instead of Moose, but the charming ending proves otherwise.
Written and illustrated by Jon Klassen. $10.01 on Amazon.
From the creator of “I Want My Hat Back” comes another ingenious tale of hat thievery, this one centered on a tiny fish who thinks he’s pulled off the perfect caper—your readers will no doubt be eager to point out his missteps in the illustrations.
Best for Grades 3–5
Written by Shelley Moore Thomas. $12.30 on Amazon.
The classic, episodic feel of this adventure makes it the perfect choice for holiday gift-giving and fireside reading. Young Trinket must collect seven stories in order to become a storyteller like her father, as well as discover the truth about what has happened to him.
Written by Jim Murphy. $14.39 on Amazon.
You wouldn’t think that today’s kids would be interested in a 19th-century scandal, but the master of nonfiction Jim Murphy quickly draws readers into the tale of a stone “giant” found in upstate New York that turned into the scam of the century.
Best for Grades 6–8
Written by Martin W. Sandler. $15.63 on Amazon.
The cold, bitter details in this account of three men sent to rescue a group of stranded whalers will have your students reaching for warm blankets—and for more information about this scary and miraculous 1897 Arctic rescue.
Written by Sheila O’Connor. $11.55 on Amazon.
Reminiscent of Cynthia Voigt’s “Homecoming,” this moving novel about an older sister struggling to raise her orphaned siblings is a powerful testament to family and self-reliance and a touching read for the holidays.
Best for Grades 9–12
Written by Catherine Reef. $12.91 on Amazon.
The literature-lovers on your list will enjoy this fascinating biography of the Bronte family, which details the personal and sometimes peculiar interests of the three sisters as well as the general struggle of women writers in the nineteenth century.
Written by Eric Greitens. $11.35 on Amazon.
Here Greitens, a former Navy SEAL, has successfully adapted his memoir “The Heart and the Fist” for teen readers, speaking to them candidly about his experiences in the military and asking young people to consider what they want from their lives and the wider world.