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Ages 6-8

Captain Underpants and the Preposterous Plight of the Purple Potty People by Dav Pilkey

George and Harold have entered an absurd alternate reality where teachers are nice, kids are allowed to read banned books, and the cafeteria food doesn't smell like dirty diapers. Even worse, they've discovered alternate versions of themselves--Evil George and Evil Harold--who plan to unleash some preposterous plans on Piqua, Ohio. Now it's up to George and Harold to defeat the evil twins and their superhero, Captain Blunderpants.

First Day Jitters by Julie Dannenberg

Sarah Jane is worried about going to a new school. She refuses to get out of bed because she keeps imagining all the bad things that can happen. Readers will understand and sympathize with Sarah's feelings and laugh when they discover the surprise ending to this delightful story.

Hooray for Diffendoofer Day! By Dr. Seuss and Jack Prelutsky

This story stars an unsinkable teacher named Miss Bonkers and quirky little Diffendoofer School, which must prove it has taught its students how to think.

Horrible Harry and the Purple People by Suzy Kline

Harry has always had a vivid imagination, but now he's saying there are Purple People in the classroom that only he can see. No one believes Harry, but then strange and unexplainable things start happening in Room 2B. Is Harry playing a horrible trick, or are the Purple People real?

How Do Dinosaurs Go to School? by Jane Yolen

Everyone's favorite dinosaurs are back—and this time they are going to school. More fun dinosaur antics await. These prehistoric pupils are in a class of their own!

I Hate Rules by Nancy E. Krulik

When Katie gets caught breaking the rules, first passing a note, and later with a cell phone (that isn't even hers!), she loses her recess for the day. She's had it with the school rules! When she turns into the principal, Mr. Kane, she makes a new rule—that there are no rules! Things get out of hand and Katie turns back into herself before she can fix things. The real Mr. Kane loses his job because the parents and teachers are so angry. Will Katie be able to make things right and get Mr. Kane his job back?

Junie B. First Grader (at last!) by Barbara Park

Hurray, hurray for a brand-new school year! Only, for Junie B. Jones, things are not actually that pleasant. ’Cause first grade means having to get used to a whole new classroom. And a whole new teacher. And a whole new bunch of strange children. But here’s the worst thing of all: when Junie B. tries to read words on the chalkboard, she can’t seem to see what everyone else is seeing! Is it possible she might actually end up wearing glasses?

The New Kid at School by Kate McMullan

When a traveling minstrel foretells that he is to become a hero, Wiglaf sets out to fulfill his destiny: he signs up at the Dragon Slayers' Academy. But how can he ever hope to be a dragon slayer when he can't even stand the sight of blood?

Ages 9-12

The Austere Academy by Lemony Snicket

For the Baudelaires, school turns out to be another miserable episode in their unlucky lives. Truth be told, within the chapters that make up this dreadful story, the children will face snapping crabs, strict punishments, dripping fungus, comprehensive exams, violin recitals. S.O.R.E., and the metric system.

Frindle by Andrew Clements

Is Nick Allen a troublemaker? He really just likes to liven things up at school—and he's always had plenty of great ideas. When Nick learns some interesting information about how words are created, suddenly he's got the inspiration for his best plan ever...the frindle. Things begin innocently enough as Nick gets his friends to use the new word. Then other people in town start saying frindle. Soon the new word is spreading across the country, and there's nothing Nick can do to stop it.

Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

Harriet M. Welsch is a spy. In her notebook, she writes down everything she knows about everyone, even her classmates and her best friends. Then Harriet loses track of her notebook, and it ends up in the wrong hands. Before she can stop them, her friends have read the always truthful, sometimes awful things she’s written about each of them. Will Harriet find a way to put her life and her friendships back together?

The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes

Wanda Petronski, an immigrant girl in an American school, is ridiculed for wearing the same faded blue dress every day. When she tells her classmates that she has one hundred dresses at home, she unwittingly triggers a game of teasing that eventually ends in a lesson for all.

Lose, Team, Lose! by R.L. Stine

Jennifer Ecch is so tough...she's at Rotten School on an Arm Wrestling scholarship! Bernie Bridges calls her Nightmare Girl. But she'll do anything to get him to be her boyfriend. That's why she joined the all-boys football team. With Jennifer playing, they can't lose. But wait. If they win, they have to play the National Champion team—the Bone Breakers! Someone's got to stop the attack of the Ecch—or else Bernie and his teammates will be in the hospital by halftime!

The Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

Miri lives on a mountain where, for generations, her ancestors have quarried stone and lived a simple life. Then word comes that the king's priests have divined her small village the home of the future princess. In a year's time, the prince himself will come and choose his bride from among the girls of the village. The king's ministers set up an academy on the mountain, and every teenage girl must attend and learn how to become a princess.

Sixth Grade Nickname Game by Gordon Korman

Best friends Jeff and Wiley are nickname addicts. It's only when a spunky red-haired environmentalist named Cassandra enters their lives that they begin to doubt their nicknaming prowess. No name seems to say it all. On top of everything, some of the nicknames that Jeff and Wiley have invented are backfiring on them. Will the nicknamers be able to get it together before it's too late?

Wayside School is Falling Down by Louis Sachar

There'd been a terrible mistake. Wayside School was supposed to be built with thirty classrooms one on top of the other...thirty stories tall! (The builder said he was very sorry.) That may be why all kinds of funny things happen at Wayside School...especially on the thirteenth floor. You'll meet Mrs. Gorf, the meanest teacher of all, terrible Todd, who always gets sent home early, and John who can read only upside down—along with all the other kids in the crazy mix-up school that came out sideways.

Ages 13 and up

Bloomability by Sharon Creech

When 13-year-old Dinnie Doone is plucked out of her troubled life by her aunt and uncle and whisked away to an international school in Switzerland, her world is turned upside down. Suddenly surrounded by different cultures, languages, and beliefs, Dinnie struggles to hold on to her past life. Gradually, through friendships and experiences she could have nowhere else, she learns to trust herself and discovers the beautiful "bloomabilities" her new life has to offer.

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Miles “Pudge” Halter is done with his safe life at home. His whole life has been one big non-event, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave “the Great Perhaps” (François Rabelais, poet) even more. He heads off to the sometimes crazy and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, self-destructive, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young. She is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart.

Maizon at Blue Hill by Jacqueline Woodson

Maizon Singh takes the biggest step of her life when she accepts a scholarship to boarding school and leaves her grandma and her best friend, Margaret, behind on Madison Street. There are only five black seventh graders among them. Blue Hill is beautiful and Maizon has excellent teachers, small classes, and a friendly roommate. Yet something is missing. What is it that makes white people strange to her; that makes other black students threatening and safe at the same time? Maizon's not sure she belongs at Blue Hill after all. She worries about letting Grandma down. What if she doesn't succeed here? Can she go back to her old life on Madison Street?

Point Blank by Anthony Horowitz

When an investigation into a series of mysterious deaths leads agents to an elite prep school for rebellious kids, MI6 assigns Alex Rider to the case. Before he knows it, Alex is hanging out with the sons of the rich and powerful, and something feels wrong. These former juvenile delinquents have turned well-behaved, studious—and identical—overnight. It's up to Alex to find out who is masterminding this nefarious plot, before they find him.

The Queen of Second Place by Laura Peyton Roberts

No matter how hard she tries, Cassie is always second best—in school, in life, and especially in love. And lately, Sterling Carter is always one pedicured step ahead of her. Cassie is used to it. Mostly. The problem is, right now she and Sterling both want Kevin Matthews. He's only the hottest new student ever to grace their high school halls. And for the record, Cassie saw him first. But, naturally, Sterling wants him. So Cassie might as well just give up now.

Except who says Cassie can't have an equal chance too? Just because she's been in second place all her life doesn't mean things can't change...

Slam by Walter Dean Myers

Sixteen-year-old "Slam" Harris is counting on his noteworthy basketball talents to get him out of the inner city and give him a chance to succeed in life, but his coach sees things differently.

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

From the day she arrives at quiet Mica High in a burst of color and sound, the hallways hum with the murmur of “Stargirl, Stargirl.” She captures Leo Borlock’s heart with just one smile. She sparks a school-spirit revolution with just one cheer. The students of Mica High are enchanted. At first. Then they turn on her. Stargirl is suddenly shunned for everything that makes her different, and Leo, panicked and desperate with love, urges her to become the very thing that can destroy her: normal.

The Wish by Gail Carson Levine

There's nothing wrong with Wilma Sturtz. She's perfectly nice. But nobody cares about nice at Claverford, her middle school. Wilma is left out, forgotten, ignored—until she meets an extraordinary old lady who grants a wish: for Wilma to be the most popular kid in school. Presto! Everything changes. Now Wilma has more best friends than she can keep track of and forty dates to the Graduation Night Dance; and someone is writing her love poetry. What more could she want? Nothing! But will it last? How can Wilma make sure she is never unpopular again?

*Booklist originally published by the Reading Is Fundamental.