It's perfectly fine and normal for kids to have different reading levels and interests—and it's important for the adults in their life to grow the love of reading by honoring their reading choices.
However, if you're looking for help in identifying a book that is a perfect fit for your child, feel free to ask an MCPL staff member or try the 5 Finger Rule: Open the book to a full page of text. Read the page to yourself. Every time you come across a word you don’t know, hold up a finger. If you hold up five fingers before the end of the page, you should find another book. If you hold up four fingers or less, the book is right for you!
Take a look at some of our favorite books that typically work for ages 6–9.
Compiled by:
Children's Services Staff
The Big Cheese (Juvenile Picture Books - Ej Joh)
The Big Cheese is the best at everything, and brags about it, too. When the annual Cheese-cathlon comes around, the Big Cheese is prepared to win, as always. But what happens when the quiet new kid, Wedge Wedgeman, comes out on top? Is a slice of humility all the Big Cheese needs to discover that some things are better than being the best?
I Survived the Great Alaska Earthquake, 1964 (Juvenile Fiction - J Tarshis)
Series: I Survived
11-year-old Jack had grown up living happily with his parents in an off-the-grid cabin, miles from their closest neighbors. Jack had always thought of himself as strong—as "Alaska tough." But then, the most powerful earthquake in American history struck.
Big Foot and Little Foot(Juvenile First Chapter Books - J-FC Potter)
Series: Big Foot and Little Foot
Hugo is a young Sasquatch who longs for adventure. Boone is young boy who longs to see a Sasquatch. When their worlds collide, they become the unlikeliest pair of best friends.
Joan Procter, Dragon Doctor: The Woman Who Loved Reptiles(Juvenile Nonfiction - J 921 Procter Val)
Discover the inspiring story of Joan Procter, a pioneering female scientist who loved reptiles.
The Boy Who Grew Dragons(Juvenile Fiction - J Shepher)
When Tomas discovers a strange, old tree at the bottom of his granddad's garden, he doesn't think much of it. But he takes the funny fruit from the tree back into the house—and gets the shock and delight of his life when a tiny dragon hatches!
Mia Mayhem is a Superhero(Juvenile First Chapter Books - J-FC West)
Series: Mia Mayhem
Mia Macarooney is a regular 8-year-old girl who finds out that she’s a SUPERHERO! Her life literally goes from totally ordinary to totally super when she’s invited to attend the afterschool program for superheroes-in-training known as The Pits! And the crazy thing is, in a weird meant-to-be sort of way, all of this news somehow feels super right. Because all her life, Mia thought she was just super clumsy...but it turns out, she’s just super!
Cat on the Run(Juvenile Graphic Novels - J-GN Cat On The Run v. 1)
Series: Cat on the Run
What happens when the world's biggest cat video star gets accused of a crime she didn't commit? She becomes a cat on the run, that's what. But how do you avoid capture and prove your innocence when you are the most famous feline on the planet? Well, it ain't easy.
Sarai and the Meaning of Awesome (Juvenile Fiction - J Gonzalez)
Fourth grader Saraí Gonzalez can do anything; she can bake, dance, and run her own cupcake business. But when Saraí's grandparents are forced to move, even Saraí's not sure what to do. So she hatches a super awesome plan with her younger sisters and cousin to buy back the house. Will Saraí find a way to save the day?
Charlie & Mouse(Juvenile Early Reader - J-ER Sny)
Series: Charlie and Mouse
Four hilarious stories, two inventive brothers, one irresistible book! Join Charlie and Mouse as they talk to lumps, take the neighborhood to a party, sell some rocks, and invent the bedtime banana.
Sydney & Taylor Explore the Whole Wide World(Juvenile First Chapter Books - J-FC Davies)
Series: Sydney and Taylor
Sydney is a skunk and Taylor is a hedgehog, but no matter how odd the pairing may seem, their friendship comes naturally. They live happily in their cozy burrow...until the day Taylor gets his Big Idea to go see the Whole Wide World.
Dinosaurs Before Dark(Juvenile First Chapter Books - J Osborne)
Series: Magic Tree House
8-year-old Jack and his younger sister Annie find a magic tree house, which whisks them back to an ancient time zone where they see live dinosaurs.
A True Home(Juvenile Fiction - J George)
Series: Heartwood Hotel
Mona the Mouse is precisely the maid they need at the grandest hotel in Fernwood Forest, where animals come from far and wide for safety, luxury, and comfort.
Even Robots Aren’t Perfect(Juvenile Early Readers - J-ER Tho)
In three stories, best friends Red Robot and Blue Robot learn about how sometimes they can make mistakes or say the wrong things, yet still be friends with each other.
Unicorn & Yeti: Sparkly New Friends(Juvenile Early Readers - J-ER Bur)
Series: Unicorn and Yeti
Unicorn and Yeti run into each other (literally) while looking for sparkly things, and despite some differences, the two become friends over a shared love of hot chocolate with rainbow sprinkles.
Frankie Sparks and the Class Pet(Juvenile First Chapter Books - J-FC Blakemo)
Frankie Sparks, the self-proclaimed "best inventor in the third grade," does research and creates a tool to try to persuade her classmates that a rat would make the best class pet.
Willa the Wisp(Juvenile First Chapter Books - J-FC Auxier)
Series: Fabled Stables
One day, 8-year-old Auggie Pound, the caretaker of the rare animals in the Fabled Stables, ventures into the swamp to save a new rare creature, the wisp.
Fun at the Waterpark (Juvenile Early Readers - J-ER Koc)
Series: Jeet and Fudge
Jeet, his puppy Fudge, and their dad are at the local waterpark to volunteer for the animal shelter adoption event. After they're done helping, it's time for some rides, including THE ULTIMATE waterslide! But before they're able to take their turn, they'll need to learn the Sikh values of patience, compassion, and self-control.
The Year We Learned to Fly(Juvenile Picture Books - Ej Woo)
By heeding their wise grandmother's advice, a brother and sister discover the ability to lift themselves up and imagine a better world.
Humphrey’s Really Wheely Racing Day(Juvenile First Chapter Books - J-FC Birney)
Series: Humphrey’s Tiny Tales
When Mandy, one of the students from Classroom 26, brings a special hamster-sized racecar to class, it means just one thing—Humphrey is going to be in a hamster race.