Illinois State Reading Lists

Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation

“Fast-paced, smart, and action-packed...a real page-burner.” —Chris Grabenstein, #1 New York Times bestelling author of the Mr. Lemoncello’s Librar...

Alone

A New York Times bestseller! Perfect for fans of Hatchet and the I Survived series, this harrowing middle grade debut novel-in-verse from a Pushcar...

Sleepy

Surprising Ways Animals Snooze

From award-winning author Jennifer Ward and Caldecott Honor illustrator Robin Page, this “real eye-opener” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) nonfict...

Cloud Puppy

Narwhal and Jelly meets The Amazing World of Gumball in this first book in a delightful graphic novel chapter book series about Cloud Puppy—part pu...

Wrath of the Rain God

Twins coping with moving to a new city get swept back in time by a magical book in this first book in the Legendarios chapter book series that’s Ma...

Remembering

Three starred reviews! A Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor Book A Chicago Public Library Best Book A family remembers their beloved pet dog through the...

There Was a Party for Langston

(Caldecott Honor & Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor)

A Caldecott Honor Book A Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Jason Reynolds’s debut pictu...

Finally Seen

From the New York Times bestselling author of Front Desk comes a “involving, realistic” (Booklist, starred review) middle grade novel about a young...

A Work in Progress

A young boy struggles with body image in this poignant and “perceptive” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) middle grade journey to self-acceptance...

A Stone Is a Story

A National Science Teaching Association Outstanding Science Trade Book Follow a stone’s journey through time as it faces ice, water, wind, and scor...

Whose Prints?

Go on a snowy adventure through the woods and match animals to their tracks in this beautiful board book with die-cuts throughout!Who tiptoed acros...