For Younger Readers (Elementary):
* Everyday Life:
* *The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963* by Christopher Paul Curtis (African American family traveling during the Civil Rights era)
* *The Lemonade War* by Jacqueline Davies (two siblings competing in a lemonade stand business)
* *Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type* by Doreen Cronin (farm animals learn to use a typewriter)
* Friendship & Family:
* *The Best Man* by Richard Peck (a young boy struggles with the arrival of his father's new wife and her son)
* *Because of Winn-Dixie* by Kate DiCamillo (a lonely girl befriends a stray dog)
* *Shiloh* by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (a young boy hides a dog from his abusive father)
For Middle Grade Readers:
* Historical Fiction:
* *Number the Stars* by Lois Lowry (two young girls help a Jewish family escape Nazi-occupied Denmark)
* *Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry* by Mildred D. Taylor (an African American family in the Mississippi Delta during the Great Depression)
* *The Boy in the Striped Pajamas* by John Boyne (a young boy's innocent friendship with a Jewish boy in a concentration camp)
* Coming-of-Age:
* *Wonder* by R.J. Palacio (a boy with facial differences navigates the challenges of attending a new school)
* *Bridge to Terabithia* by Katherine Paterson (two children create a magical world to escape the realities of their lives)
* *The Outsiders* by S.E. Hinton (a group of teenagers struggle with poverty, violence, and societal prejudice)
* Social Issues:
* *The Hate U Give* by Angie Thomas (a teenage girl witnesses the fatal shooting of her best friend by a police officer)
* *The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian* by Sherman Alexie (a Native American boy attends an all-white high school)
* *Brown Girl Dreaming* by Jacqueline Woodson (a memoir of a young African American girl growing up in the 1960s)
For Young Adult Readers:
* Romance:
* *The Fault in Our Stars* by John Green (two cancer patients fall in love)
* *To All the Boys I've Loved Before* by Jenny Han (a teenage girl's secret love letters are accidentally sent to their recipients)
* *The Summer I Turned Pretty* by Jenny Han (a girl spends her summers at a beach house with her family and a boy she's secretly in love with)
* Contemporary Issues:
* *The Perks of Being a Wallflower* by Stephen Chbosky (a shy freshman navigates the complexities of high school)
* *Eleanor & Park* by Rainbow Rowell (a shy girl and a popular boy find solace in each other)
* *The Raven Boys* by Maggie Stiefvater (a group of boys search for a mythical Welsh king)
* Mystery/Thriller:
* *Gone Girl* by Gillian Flynn (a husband becomes the prime suspect in his wife's disappearance)
* *The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo* by Stieg Larsson (a journalist and a hacker team up to investigate a decades-old murder)
* *The Silent Patient* by Alex Michaelides (a psychotherapist tries to uncover the secrets of his patient, a mute woman accused of murdering her husband)
Please note: This is just a small sample of the many great realistic fiction books out there.
Tips for finding realistic fiction:
* Consider the age and interests of the reader: Are they looking for a book about friendship, family, or a specific historical event?
* Browse book lists and recommendations: Websites like Goodreads, Common Sense Media, and the American Library Association offer excellent resources.
* Talk to librarians and educators: They are experts on finding the perfect books for different ages and reading levels.