9 Children's Books to Recommend for Read Across America Day
Did you know that March 3, 2025 is Read Across America Day?
As the name suggests, Read Across America Day is an occasion for promoting reading, particularly among children and young adults. It was started by the National Education Association and was first held on March 2, 1998.
Places like schools, libraries and community centers celebrate by holding events such as book fairs and live readings in order to foster a new generation of bookworms.
In honor of the day, we'd like to highlight nine books — ranging from classic to more modern — to recommend to young readers (or to their parents).
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (1950) - C.S. Lewis
This fantasy novel is part of a larger series of works called The Chronicles of Narnia. It tells the story of four British children in a world of magical creatures and talking animals. The children struggle to save the land from the control of the evil White Witch.
This novel is included in several lists of the best books of all time for young adults.
The Phantom Tollbooth (1961) - Norton Juster
In this fantasy novel, a boy named Milo uses a magic tollbooth to travel to a place called the Kingdom of Wisdom. There he has many strange experiences that give him a new appreciation for the power of letters and numbers.
Because one of the major themes of The Phantom Tollbooth is the importance of learning and the enjoyment that can come from it, this 1961 novel is a solid recommendation.
A Wrinkle in Time (1962) - Madeleine L'Engle
When her scientist father mysteriously disappears, 13-year-old Meg starts on an incredible journey through time and space to find him.
A Wrinkle in Time contains elements of fantasy as well as science-fiction. When it was completed in 1960, many companies refused to publish the book because of its female protagonist and the story's scientific and spiritual themes. In spite of this, it has gone on to be considered a classic, winning several awards and being adapted into two Disney films.
A Wizard of Earthsea (1968) - Ursula K. Le Guin
A Wizard of Earthsea's protagonist, Ged, has a magical duel with another student that results in the release of a powerful and dangerous creature. The story deals with themes such as responsibility, balance in nature, and the power of language to affect reality.
This book was noteworthy for its time for featuring a hero with dark skin, making it very rare among other fantasy novels.
Charlotte Sometimes (1969) - Penelope Farmer
Charlotte Sometimes is a unique story about a young girl named Charlotte who mysteriously travels back in time every night and switches places with another girl named Clare. The two girls use a diary to communicate with each other, but the exchanges soon result in Charlotte struggling to keep control of her identity.
The Golden Compass (1995) - Philip Pullman
The original name of this young adult novel is Northern Lights. It's the first in a trilogy of books focusing on a character named Lyra Belacqua, who travels the Arctic in search of her missing friend.
The story has many fantastical elements, including "dæmons," human souls that exist outside of the body and take the shape of animals.
This book was adapted into the 2019 TV series His Dark Materials.
Holes (1998) - Louis Sachar
Holes tells the story of a teenager named Stanley who is accused of theft and is sent to a special boot camp in the desert. Digging holes as punishment, Stanley gradually begins to learn the truth behind the mysterious curse of the town.
Holes won several awards for children's literature, and in 2012 was ranked sixth among the best children's novels by the American magazine School Library Journal.
Artemis Fowl (2001) - Eoin Colfer
This is the first in a series of 11 novels written for young adults by the Irish author Eoin Colfer.
Although it is a fantasy story involving fairies and a master criminal who is only 12 years old, students may be surprised to learn that a big inspiration for the story was the 1988 Hollywood action film Die Hard!
The True Meaning of Smekday (2007) - Adam Rex
This story focuses on a 12-year-old girl named Tip who tries to find her missing mother after Earth is invaded and taken over by space aliens called "the Boov."
Some students may be more familiar with the 2015 animated adaptation known as Home in the West, although the two versions have major differences.
Wrap-Up
Of course, this is only a very small sample of the many excellent books written for young readers. However, depending on your students' age, interests and skill level, there's a good chance that something from this list will grab their attention.
If you're looking for even more recommendations, be sure to read 10 of the Most Translated Books to Recommend to Students.
