Books for Young Children
- Books for Preschoolers: Classics [pdf] • New Favorites [pdf]
- Off to School: for young children getting ready to start school [pdf]
- Read to Me: Early Chapter Books to Read Aloud [pdf]
Booklists for Grades K - 8
Kindergarten [pdf] • 1st grade [pdf] • 2nd grade [pdf] • 3rd grade [pdf] • 4th grade [pdf] • 5th grade [pdf] • 6th grade [pdf] • 7th grade [pdf] • 8th grade [pdf]
What's New for 2nd Grade Fall 2016 2017 2018 2019 Find more early chapter book suggestions in Novelist Lists
Orca Two Read books - phonics stories for ages 6-9, with additional resources
Targeted Phonics books
Orca Currents: short, high-interest novels with contemporary themes written specifically for middle-school students reading below grade level. Reading levels from grade 2.0 to 5.0. Interest level ages 10–14.
Summer reads 2016 K-3 2016 2017 grK-1 2017 gr2-3 2017 gr 4-5 2018 2019 2021 K-1 2021 2-3 2021 4-5
Hoopla
Hoopla ebooks and eaudiobooks are always available. No holds, no waiting! You can borrow up to 12 items per month. Borrowing times are 21 days for all resources, including ebooks, eaudiobooks, music, and more! Thousands of items are available in Hoopla.
Here you will find book suggestions from a friendly neighborhood Berkeley Public Library children's librarian! Click on the image of the book cover to directly access that title in Hoopla.
- Emergent readers: series for grades K-2. Books for young beginning readers.
- Emergent readers grades K-4 Readers in this stage are still learning the basic mechanics of reading but are also able to pay attention to comprehension. Beginning chapter books and early non-fiction are included here. Many books included here will appeal to the slightly older beginning reader.
- Early fluent readers grades K-4 Readers in this stage are fairly comfortable with reading and can focus on comprehension. Stories are longer and more complex.
- Animal stories: grades 3-6 Animal stories can appeal to kids in a wide range in ages
- Adventure: mystery, time travel, superheroes: grades 4-8 Fast-paced stories that hold the reader's interest
- Humor: live, love, laugh: grades 4-8
- Being a friend: friendship and school stories for grades 4-8
- When Magic Meets the Real World
- Science fiction and fantasy for grades 4-8
- Who am I? Stories about finding out about yourself for grades 5-8
- Strange things: stories for horror fans
Hoopla audiobook suggestions Browse Hoopla audiobook categories : choose a category; then once in that category check the box "Children's Titles Only"
Berkeley Unified School District lists
- BUSD Mock Newbery Book List 2022-2023 • Mock Newbery Book list 2021-2022 • 2021 Mock Newbery Award • 2020 Mock Newbery books
- Winter Reads 2020
- 2020 Summer Reading List (grade at the end of the just finished school year)
Award Winners
- Complete list of American Library Association (ALA) awards
- Newbery Medal --ALA award for literature for children
- Caldecott Medal -- ALA award for picture books for children
- Sibert Medal -- ALA award for informational books for children
- Coretta Scott King Book Award -- ALA award for outstanding African American authors and illustrators of books that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values
- Stonewall Book Award -- ALA award for books relating to the LGBTQIA+ experience
- Rainbow Book List -- ALA list of books with significant and authentic LGBTQIA+ content
- Schneider Family Book Award -- ALA award for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences
- Pura Belpré Award -- ALA award to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience
- American Indian Youth Literature Award -- American Indian Library Association award identifies and honors the very best writing and illustrations by Native Americans and Indigenous peoples of North America
- Asian/Pacific American Literature Award -- Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association award to honor and recognize individual work about Asian/Pacific Americans and their heritage
Novelist Lists*
- African American Girls' Lives: Books for readers age 9-13
- African American Boys' Lives: Books for readers age 9-13
- Latinx Kids' Lives: Books for readers age 9-13
- Asian American Kids' Lives: Books for readers age 9-13
- Muslim Kids' Lives: Books for readers age 9-13
*Berkeley Public Library card needed to access Novelist from home