Best Children's Books for:
Guided Reading Level M
and D.R.A. Level 24
Below are books that are perfect for kids reading on Guided Reading Level M / DRA Level 24. (It's the same level--just some schools use the one book leveling system and others use the other.) In general, kids read books on level M / DRA 24 at the end of second grade and beginning of third grade (although every child is different). We hope this list will help you get your reader stocked up for hours of reading fun, and as always, if you know of a good book you think we should include, just let us know.
All of the book titles below are linked to that book on Amazon (or to our review page of that book, which also includes a link to buy on Amazon). Please note that if you purchase an item from Amazon, they give us a small referral fee. (This helps pay for site hosting costs, thus allowing us to keep the site going.)
A Couple of
Boys Have the
Best Week Ever
(two friends have
a great summer day
--Caldecott winner)
DRA 24 / Guided Rdg M
Unicorn Thinks
He's Pretty Great
(hilarious friendship tale
about a goal who's
jealous of a unicorn)
DRA 24 / Guided Rdg M
What Pete Ate
from A to Z
(fun ABC list of what
this cute dog eats--
New Yorker illustrator)
DRA 24 / Guided Rdg M
Chrysanthemum
(a cute little mouse
learns to value her
unique name -- super
adorable illustrations
by Kevin Henkes)
DRA 24 / Guided Rdg M
The Gardener
(Depression-era story
about a girl who
spreads cheer in her
new surroundings
--Caldecott winner)
DRA 24 / Guided Rdg M
Last Stop on
Market Street
(a boy's heartwarming
Sunday morning
routine with his nana
--Caldecott winner)
DRA 24 / Guided Rdg M
I Stink
(a spunky little trash
truck explains all
the many reasons why
he loves his job)
DRA 24 / Guided Rdg M
A Sick Day for
Amos McGee
(when a zoo keeper is
home sick, his animal
friends come to visit
--Caldecott winner!)
DRA 24 / Guided Rdg M
Tops & Bottoms
(a funny, clever
trickster tale about
a rabbit outwitting
a rich, lazy bear
--Caldecott winner!)
DRA 24 / Guided Rdg M
One Cool Friend
(after a visit to an
aquarium, a boy takes
home a pet penguin!
--Caldecott winner!)
DRA 24 / Guided Rdg M
A Chair for My Mother
(touching story of a familysaving for a new chair--Caldecott winner!)
DRA 24 / Guided Rdg M
Giraffes Can't
Dance
(a gawky giraffe learns
that he can dance
after all...he "just needs
a different song")
DRA 24 / Guided Rdg M
Scaredy Squirrel
at the Beach
(the cute, hyper-
vigilant squirrel
now wants to go
to the beach!)
DRA 24 / Guided Rdg M
The Day the
Crayons Quit
(crayons are sick of
being 'stereotyped';
they want to color
new things--funny!)
DRA 24 / Guided Rdg M
Meanwhile Back
at the Ranch
(while a bored rancher
seeks excitement in the
city, big events happen
back on the ranch)
DRA 24 / Guided Rdg M
Red Riding Hood
(funny and unique
retelling of the
classic Grim Brothers
tale -- must have!
DRA 24 / Guided Rdg M
Batman: The
Story of Batman
(early chapter book
about Batman came
to be a Super Hero)
DRA 24 / Guided Rdg M
Leroy Ninker
Saddles Up
(funny tale of a cowboy
and his new horse--
by Kate DiCamillo!)
DRA 24 / Guided Rdg M
Nat Geog Kids
Readers: Penguins
(clear and interesting
informational text--
great pictures of course)
DRA 24 / Guided Rdg M
Puss in Boots
(beautifully illustrated
version of a classic [note:
Amazon's look inside
links to the wrong book])
DRA 24 / Guided Rdg M
Owl Diaries: Eva's
Treetop Festival
(a little owl keeps
a diary of her life--
cute, popular series!)
DRA 24 / Guided Rdg M
Nat Geog Kids
Readers: Lizards
(great informational
text about sizes,
food, habitat,etc...)
DRA 24 / Guided Rdg M
The Teacher from
the Black Lagoon
(wild rumors lead a
student to conjure
horrific fears on his
first day of school)
DRA 24 / Guided Rdg M
Junie B Jones books: Many (but not all) of the books in this series are written at DRA Level 24 / Guided Reading Level M, including: Junie B. Jones Has a Monster Under Her Bed, Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus, Junie B. Jones Is a Beauty Shop Guy, Junie B. Jones Smells Something Fishy, and Junie B. Jones and Her Big Fat Mouth. Click here to see Junie B. Jones books on Amazon
Magic Tree House books: The vast majority of the many, many books in this series are written at DRA Level 20-24 and Guided Reading Level M. We've shown a few of them above, but basically all the books in this series are on this level except High Time For Heroes and Soccer On Sunday [both Q], Shadow of the Shark [R], and Mummies in the Morning [N]). Click here to see Magic Tree House books on Amazon
Fancy Nancy books: Many (but not all) of the books in this series are written at DRA Level 24 / Guided Reading Level M, including: Fancy Nancy (the original book that launched the series!), Fancy Nancy: Bonjour Butterfly, Fancy Nancy And The Late Late Late Night, and Fancy Nancy: Fancy Day in Room 1-A. Click here to see Fancy Nancy books on Amazon
Stink books: Many of the books in this series are written at DRA Level 24 / Guided Reading Level M, including: The Incredible Shrinking Kid, Stink and the Incredible Super-Galactic Jawbreaker, The Ultimate Thumb-Wrestling Smackdown, and Stink and the Midnight Zombie Walk. (There are other books in the series, but they are written at levels N and O.) Click here to see Stink books on Amazon
Judy Moody books: Many (but not all) of the books in this series are written at DRA Level 24 / Guided Reading Level M, including: Judy Moody Saves the World, Judy Moody Mood Martian, Judy Moody Gets Famous, Judy Moody Predicts the Future, and Judy Moody Declares Independence. Click here to see Judy Moody books on Amazon
Ivy + Bean books: Many (but not all) of the books in this series are written at DRA Level 24 / Guided Reading Level M, including: Ivy + Bean, Ivy + Bean: Make the Rules, and Ivy + Bean and the Ghost That Had to Go. Click here to see Ivy + Bean books on Amazon
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