There are plenty of terrific titles out there for third graders, but some of the very best ones will help them develop new skills while nurturing existing ones. Here are a few of Literati’s top picks for third graders:

Maze Quest History: Travel Through Time!

by Anna Brett

For George and his pup Milly, it’s just a normal day at the Natural History Museum—that is, until they’re suddenly rocketed into the past! To get home, they’ll need the help of your very own little history buff. You and your reader can help George and Milly navigate through the past in Maze Quest History: Travel Through Time! With over 48 mazes to solve, this interactive book sprinkles in historical facts across all major time periods, making it more educational than your typical book of mazes. The narrative format also helps readers engage with the story sequence as they memorize (and repeat) new fascinating facts!

National Parks of the USA

By Kate Siber

National Parks of the U.S.A. stuns with glossy, realistic illustrations that will introduce your child to diverse landscapes and animal species they might not realize are in our very own backyard! And they aren’t just pretty to look at—your child will learn bite-sized facts they can remember and recite back.

This book includes a crossword of predators, a bird word search, spot-the-difference games with insects, a pull-out poster map, and dozens of stickers. Safe to say there’s hours upon hours of fun to be found in this book—no travel necessary!

Roscoe Riley Rules #1: Never Glue Your Friends to Chairs

By Katherina Applegate

Accidental rulebreaker, Roscoe Riley, gets himself into a sticky situation when he tries to solve a problem for his teacher. But this little guy is so used to inadvertently getting into trouble that he’s got a list of “time-out activities” that are sure to keep your little one busy. Short, fast-paced chapters and funny sentences have been known to keep readers glued to their chairs!

Marge in Charge

by Isla Fisher

Marge is a one-of-a-kind babysitter with an over-the-top kind of attitude. This rowdy, rainbow-haired rule-breaker comes off as tame, but is quick to get siblings Jemima and Jake into all sorts of hilarious mischief. Third graders will get a kick of Marge’s wild antics, while building comprehension skills with longer dialogue and fewer pictures.

Your Very Own Robot

By R. A. Montgomery

Some kids want puppies. Some want hamsters. Some just really want a robot. In this choose-your-own-adventure book, readers get to “build” their own robot and go nuts (and bolts) with it throughout the fun story. The unique format is perfect for third graders who are developing a newfound sense of autonomy, while the subject matter may spark an interest in autonomous machines!

The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake

By Robin Newman

Miss Rabbit’s carrot cake has gone missing and Detectives Wilcox and Griswold are on the case! Mystery stories can help third graders understand how to use context clues and connect the dots between cause and effect. This delicious whodunnit is just desserts for readers who love stories that keep them guessing and giggling.

Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist: Lunch Walks Among Us

By Jim Benton

It’s hard fitting in, especially when you’re a mad scientist in grade school with a love for the creepier things in life. Jim Benton, the bestselling author of Dear Dumb Diary, is back with this lovable misfit who learns that the greatest power she contains is being herself. This book is delightfully different, just like Franny. If your third grader already loves science, silliness, and monsters, they’ll zoom through these pages.

Discover Personalized Picks with Literati Book Clubs

There you have it—a handful of stories that can help third graders continue on their reading journey with confidence. While these books are undeniable crowd favorites, the very best books for your child probably won’t come from a list. Literati curates books on an individual basis—Literati readers get a box of books that’s as unique as they are.

With Literati’s personalized kids book clubs, you’ll never have to worry whether your bookshelf is suited to support your child’s progress. Instead, you’ll get a box of books that match their reading level, align to their interests, and expand their love of learning. Take the Literati personalization quiz, and Literati’s curation experts will get to work finding extra-enriching books—stories your child simply won’t want to put down.

The post The Best Books for Third Graders appeared first on Literati.

By the time your little one is entering second, third, or fourth grade, the best books are ones that encourage independent exploration and creation. Reading is a tool to help your child discover how things work, and when it comes to new discoveries, it helps to be a little hands-on. 

Enter the world of interactive books: the perfect hybrid between reading and doing, where your child can draw, play, and sticker their way into the reading world. Interactive books and activity books are an exciting way to introduce new concepts and help readers develop a habit of focusing for longer periods of time. With interactive books, you get a kind of active play that your little one won’t find in games or screens, and Literati subscription boxes have the perfect one for every kind of reader. 

We’ve ranked our favorite interactive reads for every energetic second-grade, third-grade, or fourth-grade reader. Read on to discover the top five interactive books to distract, delight, and engage your 7-9 year old.

Maze Quest History: Travel Through Time!

By Anna Brett

Part maze activity, part storybook, Maze Quest tells the story of George and his puppy companion, Milly. During a visit to the Natural History Museum, they’re sent back in time with no way home! As your child completes and connects each maze, they get to experience history and send our protagonists back to the present.

Thanks to its exciting time travel theme, this maze book is rich with educational value far beyond the cognition skills needed to solve the mazes themselves. Maze Quest History is an ideal challenge for the budding problem solver.

Laugh-Out-Loud Ultimate Jokes for Kids

By Rob Elliott

This book, which holds the #2 spot on our list of best activity books, is jam-packed with jokes, puzzles, and goofy games. Getting acquainted with humor and joke structure is a great way for kids to learn literary devices—as wordplay and analogy pop up all over the place.

This book is a 2-in-1 collectible copy, combining Laugh-Out-Loud Awesome Jokes for Kids and Laugh-Out-Loud Road Trip Jokes for Kids into one side-splitting book. Rob Elliott includes tried-and-true jokes (think chickens crossing roads) with brand-new iterations, making this book a hilarious must-have for every household.

National Parks of the USA

By Kate Siber

National Parks of the U.S.A. stuns with glossy, realistic illustrations that will introduce your child to diverse landscapes and animal species they might not realize are in our very own backyard! And they aren’t just pretty to look at—your child will learn bite-sized facts they can remember and recite back.

This book includes a crossword of predators, a bird word search, spot-the-difference games with insects, a pull-out poster map, and dozens of stickers. Safe to say there’s hours upon hours of fun to be found in this book—no travel necessary!

Doodle Adventures: The Rise of the Rusty Robo-Cat!

By Mike Lowery

Has your child ever wanted to star in a book they were reading? Well, here’s their chance! This book goes beyond second-person storytelling to activate their imagination and encourage their creative side.

Doodle Adventures: The Rise of the Rusty Robo-Cat makes reading fun and interactive, working like a wacky game of Mad Libs, where your child can draw themselves into the story and all of its absurd adventures. They’ll complete prompts, doodles, and puzzles as they wind their way through their story.

STEM Starters for Kids: Science Activity Book

by Catherine Bruzzone and Vicky Barker

Is your child often asking questions about how the world works? You may have a mini scientist in your midst.

STEM Starters for Kids: Science Activity Book won’t just keep their hands busy—it’ll keep their brain activated for hours on end.They’ll race through a maze to make steam, draw sound waves, learn about light with shadow puppets, and more. At Literati, this sensational multi-sensory book gets top marks as one of the best books for 9-year-olds! Get ready for your child to have a reading experience that’s equal parts silly and scholarly.

Interactive Books for Ever-Learning Minds

With interactive books, readers are empowered to lead their own story. These healthy outlets for curiosity and creativity are also instrumental in building a lasting love of reading. 

With our Literati Kids book box subscription, you’ll help to fuel a passion for reading at any age. Every Literati box is personalized to fit your child’s interests, and adapts to challenge them as they grow.

A subscription book club for kids gets them excited about the amazing world of literature with books that are just-right for their pace of development. Keep your child reading, active, and ever-learning with Literati Kids.

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