Do you wonder how to help your 3rd grader build upon their 2nd grade reading skills and build their overall knowledge bank? Before we get into the particulars, let me just state that reading is one of the most important exercises to encourage brain development, expand vocabulary and deepen the understanding of the world. [To read more about the benefits of reading, please visit Why Read?]
You will find third grade to be a huge jump in reading skills for your child. In general, third grade is considered to be a year of reading mastery. Children learn to read fluently and accurately on their own and by the end of the year, they are able to read independently without much help from the adults. They are able to read simple chapter books and be comfortable doing so. However, remember that read-aloud practice is still very much needed.
After you have chosen your preferred reading curriculum for your 3rd grader, you may wonder: What should my child read outside of the school hours in order to enhance their reading skills and knowledge? If your family is similar to ours, you have probably discovered by now that it is not very easy to find wholesome books on the market that encourage the life values you wish to impart into your children. But don’t lose heart, good books are still available! Following please find a list of a few titles (with both Christian and non-Christian themes) that we have collected in the third grade and consider them worth reading and re-reading.
[Note: Some of the book descriptions below are copied directly from the publisher.]
Are you wondering how to encourage your not-so-keen-on-reading child to spend time in the world of books? We have you covered! Check out our
8 Ways to Encourage Your Children to Read.
New Friends (1 of 2) – Pathway Reading Series by Pathway Publishers
This book is the first volume of a 3rd grade reader in the Pathway Reading Series by Pathway Publishers. It includes lessons to live by, feathered friends, surprises, the Kauffman boys, and life on a farm. If you do not use this series for your reading program, I highly recommend it as an additional independent reading.
More New Friends (2 of 2) – Pathway Reading Series by Pathway Publishers
This book is the second volume of a 3rd grade reader in the Pathway Reading Series by Pathway Publishers. It includes animal friends, chore time, living and learning, growing up, and stories from long ago. If you do not use this series for your reading program, I highly recommend it as an additional independent reading.
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
“Some Pig. Humble. Radiant.” These are the words in Charlotte’s Web, high in the barn. Her spider web tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, as well as the feelings of a little girl named Fern who loves Wilbur, too. Their love has been shared by millions of readers.
Julian’s Glorious Summer by Ann Cameron
Bicycles – shiny, whizzing, wobbly bicycles – scare Julian more than lions or tigers. But how can he tell that to his best friend, Gloria? She can already ride with no hands. So instead of telling the truth, Julian makes up a little fib. And he almost gets away with it but his little fib backfires and Julian finds himself in the biggest, most confounding fix ever.
The Big Bike Race by Lucy Jane Bledsoe
Hoping that he will get a new bike for his birthday despite poor family finances, Ernie is crushed when he receives a clunky, secondhand bike. However, through perseverance and friendship he is able to enter a race.
The Secret Valley by Clyde Robert Bulla
The Davis family is unhappy with life in Missouri. So they decided to strike out for a new life in the rich gold fields of California. But life in the crowded tent city of prospectors is harder than they thought, and soon, with little gold to be found, the Davises decide to leave. With the help of a good friend, the family discovers that gold can be anywhere…and that true happiness is waiting in a secret place where their dreams have room enough to come true.
God Leads His People (Units 1, 2 & 3) – Rod & Staff Publishers Bible Nurture and Reader Series
This book contains the first three units of a 3rd grade reader in the Bible Nurture and Reader Series by Rod & Staff publishers. It includes stories about David, Solomon, Rehoboam all the way to Jehoram, and the last kings and prophets. If you do not use this series for your reading program, I highly recommend it as an additional independent reading.
God’s People Follow Him (Units 4 & 5) – Rod & Staff Publishers Bible Nurture and Reader Series
This book contains the fourth and fifth units of a 3rd grade reader in the Bible Nurture and Reader Series by Rod & Staff publishers. It includes God’s people during and after the captivity and stories about Jesus from the gospel of Luke. If you do not use this series for your reading program, I highly recommend it as an additional independent reading.
Riding the Pony Express by Clyde Robert Bulla
Dick Park is the son of a Pony Express rider, Katy Kelly is the daughter of a way station master, and Little Bear is an Indian boy who lives nearby. How three friends keep the mail moving is just part of this fast-moving tale about the great experiment in transcontinental communication.
Buffalo Bill and the Pony Express by Eleanor Coerr
Bill Cody was only fifteen years old when he joined the Pony Express. Even though riders had to weather storms, wild animals, and outlaws on the trail, Bill just knew he could do the job. But he never imagined he would someday become famous – as Buffalo Bill, the bravest rider on the Pony Express.
Five True Dog Stories by Margaret Davidson
This book presents wonderful stories about real dogs:
- Dox, the greatest dog detective in the world
- Grip, the dog who was a thief
- Wolf, the dog who saved other dogs
- Barry, the dog who saved people
- Balto, the dog who save Nome
Ten True Animal Rescues by Jeanne Betancourt
These ten stories are about animals that saved the lives of their owners or complete strangers. Read about a dog that saves a family from a burning house, a cat who saves a baby girl, and much more! These animals are more than just cute and lovable – they save lives!
Balto, the Bravest Dog Ever by Natalie Standiford
Balto leads the dogsled team that is carrying medicine for very sick children in Nome, Alaska. He is their only hope. Will he make it through the blizzard in time? Find out in this exciting true story!
Meet the Pilgrim Fathers by Elizabeth Payne
This book beautifully portrays the Pilgrims’ voyage to America. Follow the Pilgrims journey as they depart Scrooby where they lived in England; as they travel to Amsterdam and Leyden where they lived in Holland; as they board the Mayflower in Southampton; as they arrive to Provincetown where they first landed in America; explore with them Plymouth, their home on the new continent; and build with them Jamestown, the first English town in America.
Meet Christopher Columbus by James T. de Kay
When Christopher Columbus was young, he worked for his father making cloth. But he did not want to be a cloth maker all his life. He wanted to see new lands and have adventures. He wanted to be a sailor! By the time he was twenty-five, Christopher had sailed to France, Africa, and Greece. He had seen strange cities and had many adventures. But his greatest adventure would come when he set out for China and found a whole new world instead.
Meet George Washington Joan Heilbroner
George Washington grew up in the English colony of Virginia. He was tall and strong, fair in judgment, and respected by his friends as a good leader. As he grew older, George saw how England took advantage of the American colonies – and he didn’t like it. When the colonies declared their independence, George was chosen to lead their army as its general. And when the colonies won their freedom, George was elected to lead the new nation as its first president.
Meet Abraham Lincoln by Barbara Cary
When Abraham Lincoln was born, slavery was an everyday part of life. Even so, Abe didn’t like it. As he grew older, he worked to aid his countrymen regardless of their color. As a surveyor, Abe helped people map their land. As a lawyer, he made sure people were treated fairly in court. But he wanted to do even more. After years of hard work, he became president of the United States and ended slavery forever.
Meet Thomas Jefferson by Marvin Barrett
When Thomas Jefferson was young, Virginia was still a colony of England. Jefferson thought that many English laws and taxes were unfair, so he studied hard to become a lawyer and help make better laws. Soon he and others came to believe that the colonies should become a new country, and Jefferson was chosen to write the Declaration of Independence. As the third president of the United States, he focused on exploring the country and making it grow. His fairness and love of learning made him one of the most beloved presidents of all time.
Meet Robert E. Lee by George Swift Trow
Meet Robert E. Lee is a story of a great American leader forced to make a terrible decision. Robert E. Lee the Virginian, son of a Revolutionary hero, served in the U.S. Army as America moved towards Civil War. Loving his country, he hated to see the Union split, but he could not fight against the South. His agonizing decision, his brilliant military leadership, and the fine example he set when the battle was done, are all recounted in this thoroughly researched and richly illustrated book.
Meet Benjamin Franklin by Maggi Scarf
This book takes young readers through a life of Benjamin Franklin highlighting his inventions, his newspaper and almanac, his work on the Declaration of Independence, and his diplomatic trips to England and France on behalf of the colonies.
The Adventures of Lewis and Clark by Ormonde de Kay, Jr.
This exciting, action-packed story features two great American explorers, who lead an expedition to explore the new acquisition the Louisiana Territory from France, as well as other lands of the West. The book chronicles the daily challenges these men faced — from encounters with indigenous people, snake-infested waterways, prairie fires, floods, heat, and thirst, to illness, famine, and frigid mountain passes.
The Men Who Sailed the Seas by John Dyment
This enjoyable story brings young readers into the lives of legendary sailors from the Phoenicians through Joshua Slocum. It features famous explorers, like Francis Drake, Ferdinand Magellan, Captain Cook, Marco Polo, who risked their lives for knowledge and adventure.
Captain James Cook by Ruth Harley
This book outlines Captain Cook’s, the famous English navigator’s, adventures on the high seas. It takes the reader to the time when he discovered the Hawaiian Islands and circled the world three times in the course of his explorations.
Do you have any 3rd grade books recommendations? Please let us know in the comment section below. We would love to hear from you!
RELATED: 4th Grade Reading List: Books for Ages 9-10
You Might Also Like
