Everybody loves a story that makes them feel like they know the main characters just like their own friends. A story where you follow real people on a real journey? These kinds of books are called "realism." In realistic fiction, a story that could have happened to people or animals in a realistic setting is called "realistic fiction." These stories are like real life, and the fictional characters in these stories act like real people do.

The stories are about real people who have real problems in the real world, and how they solve them. Not a single story in these books is filled with magic or mystical creatures! The characters aren't real, but they could be, so they aren't real.

This list has Wonder at number three. It's not true that August Pullman and his family are real people, but they're written in a way that makes them seem real to you. Real-life problems come up in the story that happens in New York City. It's a story about people who live in the real world right now. That's real fiction.

This blog post includes 9 other books for 5th graders that are based on real-life events. Let's start now!

Realistic Fiction for 5th Graders

Surviving the Applewhites by Stephanie S. Tolan

"Jake Semple is well-known. People say he went to all the schools in Rhode Island and was kicked out of each one. He also allegedly burned each one down to the ground. One place will take him now, and that place is a home school run by the Applewhites, a chaotic and hilarious family of artists. The only person that doesn't fit in with the Applewhites is a smart and sensible girl named E.D., who right away doesn't like Jake. Jake thinks he'll be able to make it through this new school with ease. Is he really as tough or bad as he looks?

The Way of the Warrior Kid by Jocko Willink

Marc had the worst year of his life in fifth grade. In gym class, he didn't do very well. He can't swim, and he doesn't know how to do his times table. The worst thing about fifth grade? Kenny Williamson is the class bully, and he calls himself the King of the Jungle Gym because he likes to fight. After his mother tells him that Jake, Marc's uncle, is coming to stay for the whole summer, Marc can't wait. Uncle Jake is a real Navy SEAL. Uncle Jake has a plan, too. He's going to make Marc into a strong person. As you become a warrior, it isn't going to be easy. You have to do a lot of pull-ups, sit-ups, push-ups and squats. You also have to swim, eat well, and study more than you ever have before! The King of the Jungle Gym doesn't like Marc very much. Can Marc change into a warrior before school starts in the fall so that he can finally fight him?

Wonder by R. J. Palacio

It was August Pullman's facial difference that has kept him from going to school with other kids. Beecher Prep is his new school. He wants nothing more than to be treated like a normal kid. His new classmates can't get past Auggie, who has a very different look than the other kids. WONDER, which starts with Auggie's point of view, soon moves on to his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and more. These perspectives come together to show how one community struggles with empathy, compassion, and acceptance."

The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall

Four Penderwick sisters get to stay at a beautiful estate called Arundel for their summer vacation. They can't wait to see the beautiful, sprawling grounds. Jeffry, the son of Arundel's owner, is even better. He's the best friend for their summer adventures. His mother, on the other hand, doesn't like the Penderwick sisters. She tells the new friends to stay out of trouble. Isn't that the case? Will they?

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper

The 11-year-old Melody isn't like most people. She is very different." She can't move. She can't speak. A: She doesn't write. Because she has cerebral palsy, she can't do everything she used to be able to do. Then, she also has a photographic memory, which means she can remember every single detail of everything she has ever seen or done in her whole life. Her whole school doesn't know that she is the smartest person there. It's because she can't tell them that she's not mentally ill that most people think she is. Her teachers, doctors, and classmates don't believe her. But Melody doesn't want to be defined by her disability. And she wants everyone to know about it "somehow."

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli

'Maniac': Jeffrey Lionel Magee could have had a normal life if a freak accident hadn't made him a child. Having lived with his aunt and uncle for eight years, he decides to leave them and run away. And not just run away, but run away, too. It's where the story of "Maniac Magee" starts. He does things that are both amazing and legendary in a racially divided small town.

Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos

Dead End in Norvelt is a book about a kid named Jack Gantos who has an amazing two months, even though his parents are feuding and he is "grounded for life." He also has bad blood coming out of his nose when he gets a little shock. However, there will be a lot of excitement and surprises for Jack when his mom lets him help a feisty old neighbor write obituaries filled with stories about the people who built his utopian town. It all starts with an obituary. "Jack is sent on a strange journey that includes Molten Wax and Eleanor Roosevelt," says the teacher. "He goes on a strange journey that includes Molten Wax and Eleanor Roosevelt."

Blubber by Judy Blume

Caroline wrote a note about Linda that said: "Blubber is a good name for her," she said. Jill rolled it up and put it on the corner of her desk at school. She didn't want to think about Linda or her report on whales at that time, so she didn't. It was Halloween that made Jill want to think. That didn't stop Robby from taking the note. Before Linda finished talking, the note had gone half way around the room. Everything starts there. There was something about Linda that made a lot of kids in her fifth-grade class want to see how far they could go. Nobody, not even Jill, thought the fun would end where it did.

Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

"Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of people who are very smart." In every new school she goes to, she comes up with clever but disruptive distractions to hide her poor reading skills. How can you make someone smart again? She may be a troublemaker, but her new teacher, Mr. Daniels, sees the bright, creative child beneath. She learned to stop being so hard on herself and that dyslexia isn't something to be ashamed of. As Ally's confidence grows, she starts to feel more free to be herself and the world starts to look a lot more interesting. A label doesn't tell the whole story about a person, and great minds don't always think the same.

Rules by Cynthia Lord

Cathy, 12, just wants to live a normal life. Having a brother with autism and a family that cares about him is almost impossible. For years, she's been trying to teach David the rules, from "a peach is not a funny-looking apple" to "keep your pants on in public." This is to stop David from behaving in a bad way in public. However, it is Catherine's own shocking behavior that turns everything upside down and forces her to ask: "What is normal?"

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