3rd Grade Summer Reading List (Ages 8 – 9)

What kind of books does your 3rd grader enjoy reading? Here are my recommendations for ages 8 and 9 (third grade) summer reading.

Find funny books, fantasy books, friendship stories, adventure stories, and books about animals. These books will get your kids engaged and reading all summer long!

Don’t forget that a summer reading program can be awesome motivation. Download my free printable summer reading packet to help your kids set goals and stay on track.

Make sure the book is at the “just right” reading level with the 5 Finger Test.

For book reviews, visit Best Books for 8-Year Olds Book Reviews.

More book lists:

2nd grade summer reading list
4th grade summer reading list
All reading lists by grade level

3rd Grade Summer Reading List (Ages 8 – 9)

SHOP this list.

3rd Grade Graphic Novels

If you like graphic novels, read these fantastic books:

• Cat Ninja by Matthew Cody
• Mr. Wolf’s Class: Mystery Club by Aron Nels Steinke
• Wallace the Brave by Will Henry
• Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke
• Simon and Chester: Super Detectives by Cale Atkinson
• Hound Heroes: Beware the Claw by Todd H. Doodler
• King of the Birds by Elise Gravel

3rd Grade Funny Books

If you like funny books, you’ll love:

• Doodle Adventures: The Search for Slimy Space Slugs! (series) by Mike Lowery
• The 13-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths
• Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face and the Badness of Badgers by John Dougherty
• Cat Kid Comic Club by Dav Pilkey
• Hamster Princess Harriet the Invincible by Ursula Vernon
• Real Pigeons Fight Crime by Ben Wood
• Monday into the Cave of Thieves (Total Mayhem #1) by Ralph Lazar

3rd Grade Realistic Books

If you like realistic stories, you’ll love:

• Sarai and the Meaning of Awesome (series) by Sarai Gonzalez and Monica Brown
• Stella Diaz has Something to Say (series) by Angela Dominguez
• Ellie, Engineer by Jackson Pearce
• STAT: Standing Tall and Talented: Home Court by Amar’e Stoudemire
• Mindy Kim and the Yummy Seaweed Business (series) by Lyla Lee
• Stink and the Shark Sleepover (series) by Megan McDonald

3rd Grade Adventure & Mystery Books

If you like adventure and mystery books, you’ll love:

• I Survived the San Francisco Earthquake (series) by Lauren Tarshis
• Trapped in a Video Game by Dustin Brady
• Mac Undercover (Kid Spy #1) by Mac Barnett
• Secret Agent Jack Stalwart (series) by Elizabeth Singer Hunt
• The Great Shelby Holmes by Elizabeth Eulberg
• Word Travelers and the Taj Mahal Mystery by Raj Haldar

3rd Grade Fantasy Books

If you like fantasy books, you’ll love:

• Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliott
• Whatever After (series) by Sarah Mlynowski
• Pip Bartlett’s Guide to Magical Creatures (series) by Jackson Pearce and Maggie Stiefvater
• Bob by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead
• A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying by Kelley Armstrong
• Pizazz by Sophy Henn

3rd Grade Animal Books

If you like animal books, you’ll love:

• Jenny and the Cat Club (series) by Esther Averill
• The Critter Club (series) by Callie Barkley and Marsha Riti
• Olga and the Smelly Thing From Nowhere by Elise Gravel
• Dolphin Rescue (Animal Planet Adventures #1) (series) by Catherine Nichols
• Who Would Win? Whale vs. Giant Squid by Jerry Pallotta
• What Makes a Monster? Discovering the World’s Scariest Creatures by Jess Keating
• Who Would Win: Ultimate Jungle Rumble by Jerry Pallotta

3rd Grade Nonfiction Books

If you like nonfiction books, you’ll want to read:

• Escape This Book Tombs of Egypt by Bill Doyle
• The Inventors of LEGO Toys by Erin Hagar
• The Toad: The Disgusting Critters Series by Elise Gravel
• Strange But True! Our Weird, Wild, Wonderful World DK
• Rocket to the Moon: Big Ideas That Changed the World by Don Brown

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Book Lists with Reviews

5- and 6- year olds
7-year olds
8-year olds
9-year olds
10-year olds
11-year olds
12-year olds
YA