Must-Read Realistic Fiction for Every Age

Realistic fiction books are often set in today’s world. Sometimes, readers find their own lives reflected in the pages of the book. Other times, realistic chapter books introduce kids to new ideas or cultures. At any age, readers will enjoy curling up with a compelling novel that takes place in the real world.

1. Elementary Readers: The Pirate Tree

Young kids are masters of imagination, and pirates are a favorite subject for their games of pretend. As they read Brigita Orel’s picture book The Pirate Tree, your elementary children can set sail with Sam in her gnarled-tree-turned-pirate ship. Will they explore the high seas? Will they swipe cargo from ships? They may, but they’ll also learn a powerful lesson about opening your world to others and making new friends.

2. Elementary Readers: Life According to Dani

In Life According to Dani by Rose Lagercrantz, readers are invited into the fast friendship between Dani and her best friend Ella. When Dani’s world is shattered by the news that her father has a girlfriend, Ella is the only person who truly understands. Together, the girls discover that having someone new in their lives might not be so bad. 

Many young readers will relate to Dani’s worries about handling big life changes. Plus, short chapters and simple illustrations make this a perfect chapter book for blossoming readers.

3. Middle School Readers: Fly Back, Agnes

Junior high kids often find themselves wishing that they could change everything about their lives. In Fly Back Agnes by Elizabeth Atkinson, the title character does just that. Away from anyone who knows her for the summer, she picks a new name and invents a fictional backstory. 

In time, however, Agnes learns the value of friends who truly know you and the importance of honesty. Set in the summer between Agnes’ sixth- and seventh-grade years, this is a story that will ring true for many kids as they make their way toward the teen years.

4. Middle School Readers: Auma’s Long Run

What if you had to choose between your dreams and your family? Auma’s Long Run, an award-winning book by Eucabeth Odhiambo, grapples with that question. Auma, a 13-year-old girl in a Kenyan village, has big plans for her life, but her father’s serious illness threatens to change everything. Can Auma help her family while also achieving great things?

5. High School Readers: Like Spilled Water

Older students can travel to the other side of the world in Like Spilled Water by Jennie Liu, a story about a 19-year-old girl in China. In this book, Na finds her world flipped upside down when her brother dies. 

Suddenly, she’s faced with new expectations from her family and questions for which there are no easy answers. Although this book has a Lexile measure of 830L (approximately sixth- to eighth-grade level), dark and mature themes make this novel best for teenage readers.

6. High School Readers: The Truth Is

Teenagers are exploring who they are, and they may often feel like no one else could possibly understand their struggles. Then, in the pages of a book, they find characters with whom they connect. NoNieqa Ramos’ The Truth Is could be just the book that clicks with your adolescent. On HipLatina’s list of the best YA Latinx books of 2019, this novel addresses topics like the death of a friend, relationships with parents, gender identity, and cultural heritage.

Explore LightSail’s library for these and other realistic fiction books. You’ll find relatable stories for every age. These compelling novels will draw young readers into their pages and invite them to see the world through a character’s eyes.