These books are all set in the real world and involve events that could happen to real kids. If there are sequels I have read and recommend, I mention them. If sequels exist but are not mentioned, I either have not read them or cannot recommend them. Links are still being added to my reviews here on the blog and on Goodreads. Books on this list all received four- or five-star ratings at the time that I read them, and they were chosen specifically to suit Catholic audiences. With few exceptions, these are appropriate for ages 8-12 and many make excellent read-alouds for younger listeners as well.
Adventure
- All Alone by Claire Huchet Bishop
- The Disaster Days by Rebecca Behrens
- Baby Island by Carol Ryrie Brink
- Missing on Superstition Mountain by Elise Broach (and sequels)
- The Turn of the Tide by Rosanne Parry
- Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome (and sequels)
Animals
- Sticks Across the Chimney by Nora Burglon
- Socks by Beverly Cleary
- The Wheel on the School by Meindert de Jong
- Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
- Different Dragons by Jean Little
- Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin
- Julia Gillian (and the Art of Knowing) by Alison McGhee (and sequels)
- Owls in the Family by Farley Mowat
- Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
- Steering Toward Normal by Rebecca Petruck
Coming of Age
- The Best of Enemies by Nancy Bond
- Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher
- Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin
Death
- On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
- Remembering Mrs. Rossi by Amy Hest
- Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
- The Taste of Blackberries by Doris Buchanan Smith
Entrepreneurs
- The Toothpaste Millionaire by Jean Merrill
- Crunch by Leslie Connor
- Henry Reed Inc. by Keith Robertson (and sequels)
- The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies
Family Life
- The Cartoonist by Betsy Byars
- The Night Swimmers by Betsy Byars
- The Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars
- Mitch and Amy Beverly Cleary
- Where the Lilies Bloom by Vera and Bill Cleaver
- Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
- The Davenports are at Dinner by Alice Dalgliesh (and sequel)
- Linnets and Valerians by Elizabeth Goudge
- Ten Kids, No Pets by Ann M. Martin
- Father's Arcane Daughter by E.L. Konigsburg (also published as My Father's Daughter)
- The Worry Week by Anne Lindbergh
- Flying the Dragon Natalie Dias Lorenzi
- Nancy and Plum by Betty MacDonald
- The Railway Children by E. Nesbit
- Astrid the Unstoppable by Maria Parr
- Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson
- Come Sing, Jimmy Jo by Katherine Paterson
- The Same Stuff as Stars by Katherine Paterson
- Mary-Mary Stories by Joan G. Robinson
- The Open Gate by Kate Seredy
- The Great Wall of Lucy Wu by Wendy Wan-Long Shang
- Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorenson
- Summerhouse Time by Eileen Spinelli
- Moonpenny Island by Tricia Springstubb
- Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild
- The Sparrow Child by Meriol Trevor
- Spettecake Holiday by Edith Unnerstad
Family Series Starters
- The Not-Just-Anybody Family by Betsy Byars
- The Happy Orpheline by Natalie Savage Carlson
- The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright
- The Family from One End Street by Eve Garnett
- The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser
- Meet the Austins by Madeleine L'Engle
- The Year of the Dog by Grace Lin
- All About Sam by Lois Lowry
- Saffy's Angel by Hilary McKay
- The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron
- A Lemon and a Star by E.C. Spykman
- The Mitchells: Five for Victory by Hilda van Stockum
- The Cottage at Bantry Bay by Hilda van Stockum
Friends
- Battle of Darcy Lane by Tara Altebrando
- The Year of the Book by Andrea Cheng (and sequels)
- Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo (and sequels)
- You Go First by Erin Entrada Kelly
- Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley and Me, Elizabeth by E.L. Konigsburg
- Mission Mumbai by Mahtab Narsimhan
- Adventures with Waffles by Maria Parr
- All Alone in the Universe by Lynne Rae Perkins
- Quinny and Hopper by Ariana Brad Schanen
- The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
- Noonday Friends by Mary Stolz
Home
- Ramshackle Roost by Jane Flory
- The Children of Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren
- The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
- Dandelion Cottage by Carroll Watson Rankin
- Bright Island by Mabel Robinson
- One Day and One Amazing Morning on Orange Street by Joanne Rocklin
- Rosetown by Cynthia Rylant
- Last in a Long Line of Rebels by Lisa Lewis Tyre
- Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt
Humor
- How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
- Homer Price by Robert McCloskey (and sequel)
- School, Drool, and Other Daily Disasters by Rachel Vail (and sequels)
School
- About Average by Andrew Clements
- The Landry News by Andrew Clements
- The Map Trap by Andrew Clements
- No Talking by Andrew Clements
- Molly's Pilgrim by Barbara Cohen
- Bright April by Marguerite de Angeli
- The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
- The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg
- Prairie School by Lois Lenski
- Word After Word After Word by Patricia Maclachlan
- Write This Down by Claudia Mills
- The Cruisers by Walter Dean Myers (and sequels)
- The Secret Language by Ursula Nordstrom
- The Flip Flop Girl by Katherine Paterson
Sports
- The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
- Soar by Joan Bauer
- Double Reverse by Fred Bowen
- Lucky Enough by Fred Bowen
- Out of Bounds by Fred Bowen
- Speed Demon by Fred Bowen
- About the B'nai Bagels by E.L. Konigsburg
- A Long Pitch Home by Natalie Dias Lorenzi
- Pay Attention, Carter Jones by Gary D. Schmidt
- Dancing Shoes by Noel Streatfeild
- The Aurora County All-Stars by Deborah Wiles (and sequels)
- Gone Fishing by Tamera Will Wissinger
Summer
- The Goodbye Summer by Crosby Bonsall
- Gone Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright (and sequel)
- Thimble Summer by Elizabeth Enright
- Dump Days by Jerry Spinelli
- The Magic Summer by Noel Streatfeild
- Canadian Summer by Hilda van Stockum
Winter
- Far Out the Long Canal by Meindert de Jong
- Twelve Kinds of Ice by Ellen Bryan Obed
- A Day on Skates by Hilda van Stockum
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