Skip to main content

Best School Stories

Description: These are books in which teachers and/or students are major characters and the school is a primary setting. From preschool to graduate school.

1 2 3

Rank Title Author Added

1

by Charlotte Brontë

67,806 members

1,017 reviews

4.2

10 Members: merrystar, sturlington, Selliers, thecoroner, Dilara86, starbox, al.vick, ahef1963, ReneeHorn, ManWithAnAgenda

2

Never Let Me Go

by Kazuo Ishiguro

26,703 members

1,014 reviews

3.8

9 Members: Aquila, goldenmoon, sturlington, Selliers, thecoroner, elkiedee, starbox, ahef1963, ManWithAnAgenda

3

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

by J. K. Rowling

121,952 members

1,079 reviews

½ 4.4

10 Members: hipdeep, goldenmoon, KimarieBee, merrystar, sturlington, Selliers, cej1027, al.vick, ahef1963, Rusty37,ManWithAnAgenda

4

A Wizard of Earthsea

by Ursula K. Le Guin

18,352 members

435 reviews

4

8 Members: aulsmith, merrystar, sturlington, Selliers, Dilara86, al.vick, ahef1963, ManWithAnAgenda

5

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

by J. K. Rowling

125,423 members

1,089 reviews

4.2

9 Members: goldenmoon, KimarieBee, merrystar, sturlington, Selliers, cej1027, al.vick, ahef1963, Rusty37,ManWithAnAgenda

6

26,140 members

522 reviews

½ 4.3

8 Members: merrystar, sturlington, thecoroner, elkiedee, Dilara86, ahef1963, Friederike.Geissler, ManWithAnAgenda

7

Goodbye, Mr. Chips

by James Hilton

2,607 members

63 reviews

3.8

7 Members: dara85, inge87, aulsmith, Selliers, thecoroner, starbox, Rusty37

8

by Dorothy L. Sayers

5,972 members

158 reviews

½ 4.3

8 Members: inge87, aulsmith, merrystar, sturlington, elkiedee, ahef1963, Rusty37, ManWithAnAgenda

9

A Little Princess

by Frances Hodgson Burnett

18,254 members

232 reviews

4.2

9 Members: Aquila, inge87, merrystar, Selliers, elkiedee, cej1027, ahef1963, Rusty37, ManWithAnAgenda

10

by Orson Scott Card

45,484 members

1,124 reviews

½ 4.3

8 Members: Aquila, goldenmoon, aulsmith, merrystar, sturlington, Selliers, al.vick, ahef1963,ManWithAnAgenda

11

The Secret History

25,130 members

644 reviews

4.1

7 Members: goldenmoon, sturlington, Selliers, thecoroner, Dilara86, ahef1963, ManWithAnAgenda

12

Up the Down Staircase

1,485 members

41 reviews

3.9

8 Members: hipdeep, dara85, aulsmith, merrystar, Selliers, thecoroner, ahef1963, ManWithAnAgenda

13

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

by Muriel Spark

5,866 members

189 reviews

½ 3.7

7 Members: aulsmith, sturlington, Selliers, thecoroner, elkiedee, ahef1963, ManWithAnAgenda

14

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

by J. K. Rowling

115,647 members

961 reviews

½ 4.4

8 Members: goldenmoon, KimarieBee, merrystar, Selliers, cej1027, al.vick, ahef1963, Rusty37,ManWithAnAgenda

15

Sophie's World: A Novel About the History of Philosophy

by Jostein Gaarder

20,727 members

316 reviews

3.8

6 Members: inge87, Selliers, Dilara86, cej1027, ahef1963, ManWithAnAgenda

16

Anne of Green Gables

by L. M. Montgomery

35,795 members

629 reviews

½ 4.3

6 Members: merrystar, Selliers, elkiedee, cej1027, ahef1963, ManWithAnAgenda

17

by Sylvia Plath

32,632 members

559 reviews

4

7 Members: goldenmoon, sturlington, Selliers, thecoroner, elkiedee, ahef1963, ManWithAnAgenda

18

To Sir, With Love

by E. R. Braithwaite

1,411 members

33 reviews

3.9

6 Members: dara85, KimarieBee, aulsmith, Selliers, elkiedee, ManWithAnAgenda

19

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

by J. K. Rowling

113,628 members

935 reviews

½ 4.3

7 Members: goldenmoon, KimarieBee, merrystar, cej1027, al.vick, ahef1963, Rusty37,ManWithAnAgenda

20

Daddy-Long-Legs

by Jean Webster

3,787 members

118 reviews

4.1

7 Members: goldenmoon, inge87, merrystar, Selliers, elkiedee, ahef1963, Rusty37

21

by Louisa May Alcott

9,178 members

73 reviews

3.8

7 Members: Aquila, goldenmoon, aulsmith, merrystar, thecoroner, ahef1963, Rusty37,Selliers
Explanations: Selliers : Even worse than "Little Women".

22

Brideshead Revisited

by Evelyn Waugh

14,082 members

286 reviews

4

6 Members: aulsmith, sturlington, Selliers, thecoroner, ahef1963, ManWithAnAgenda,merrystar

23

Anne of the Island

by L. M. Montgomery

12,673 members

142 reviews

4.2

5 Members: merrystar, Selliers, elkiedee, ahef1963, Rusty37

24

by Ludwig Bemelmans

13,060 members

273 reviews

4.2

6 Members: Aquila, merrystar, sturlington, cej1027, ahef1963, ManWithAnAgenda

25

Harriet the Spy

by Louise Fitzhugh

8,065 members

129 reviews

4

6 Members: merrystar, sturlington, Selliers, elkiedee, ahef1963, ManWithAnAgenda

26

by Charlotte Brontë

10,066 members

157 reviews

3.9

4 Members: inge87, Selliers, ahef1963, ManWithAnAgenda

27

by Diana Wynne Jones

2,059 members

45 reviews

3.9

4 Members: merrystar, elkiedee, Rusty37, ManWithAnAgenda

28

The School at the Chalet

by Elinor M. Brent-Dyer

562 members

14 reviews

3.8

4 Members: Aquila, merrystar, elkiedee, Rusty37

29

Miss Nelson Is Missing!

by Harry Allard

8,104 members

242 reviews

½ 4.3

5 Members: hipdeep, dara85, merrystar, cej1027, ManWithAnAgenda

30

These Happy Golden Years

by Laura Ingalls Wilder

10,440 members

79 reviews

4.1

5 Members: inge87, merrystar, elkiedee, ahef1963, ManWithAnAgenda

31

by Antonia Forest

313 members

8 reviews

4.1

3 Members: Aquila, elkiedee, Rusty37

32

A Separate Peace

by John Knowles

14,228 members

205 reviews

½ 3.6

4 Members: hipdeep, Selliers, ahef1963, ManWithAnAgenda

33

Unseen Academicals

by Terry Pratchett

7,140 members

204 reviews

3.9

3 Members: hipdeep, merrystar, ManWithAnAgenda

34

Ramona the Brave

by Beverly Cleary

7,548 members

59 reviews

4

5 Members: merrystar, sturlington, cej1027, ahef1963, ManWithAnAgenda

35

The Long Winter

by Laura Ingalls Wilder

11,960 members

110 reviews

4.2

5 Members: merrystar, elkiedee, cej1027, ahef1963, ManWithAnAgenda

36

In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson

by Bette Bao Lord

3,690 members

23 reviews

3.8

4 Members: hipdeep, merrystar, cej1027, ManWithAnAgenda

37

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

by J. K. Rowling

113,050 members

1,000 reviews

½ 4.4

5 Members: goldenmoon, merrystar, al.vick, ahef1963, Rusty37,ManWithAnAgenda

38

by Stephen King

17,183 members

341 reviews

½ 3.7

4 Members: goldenmoon, sturlington, ahef1963, ManWithAnAgenda

39

by E. M. Forster

4,869 members

90 reviews

4

4 Members: aulsmith, Selliers, thecoroner, ManWithAnAgenda

40

Picnic at Hanging Rock

by Joan Lindsay

2,240 members

70 reviews

3.8

4 Members: KimarieBee, sturlington, ahef1963, ManWithAnAgenda

41

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Book 1)

by J. K. Rowling

153,585 members

2,212 reviews

½ 4.3

5 Members: Aquila, merrystar, sturlington, al.vick, ahef1963,ManWithAnAgenda

42

Narcissus and Goldmund

by Hermann Hesse

7,014 members

85 reviews

4.1

3 Members: Selliers, thecoroner, Dilara86

43

What Katy Did at School

by Susan Coolidge

946 members

14 reviews

3.8

4 Members: merrystar, elkiedee, ahef1963, Rusty37

44

Nineteen Minutes

by Jodi Picoult

11,912 members

377 reviews

4

4 Members: dara85, Selliers, ahef1963, ManWithAnAgenda

45

Tom Brown's School Days

by Thomas Hughes

1,871 members

31 reviews

½ 3.3

3 Members: aulsmith, thecoroner, Dilara86

46

The Chocolate War

by Robert Cormier

5,403 members

206 reviews

½ 3.5

4 Members: sturlington, thecoroner, ahef1963, ManWithAnAgenda

47

Ramona Quimby, Age 8

by Beverly Cleary

11,720 members

140 reviews

4

4 Members: merrystar, cej1027, ahef1963, ManWithAnAgenda

48

by Andrew Clements

12,521 members

225 reviews

4

3 Members: cej1027, ahef1963, ManWithAnAgenda

49

by Tom Perrotta

1,024 members

36 reviews

½ 3.7

3 Members: sturlington, thecoroner, ManWithAnAgenda

50

by Lev Grossman

11,761 members

710 reviews

½ 3.4

2 Members: aulsmith, ManWithAnAgenda

51

Year of the Griffin

by Diana Wynne Jones

1,707 members

30 reviews

4

3 Members: merrystar, elkiedee, ManWithAnAgenda

52

Helen Keller's Teacher

by Margaret Davidson

1,141 members

6 reviews

3.9

3 Members: dara85, merrystar, elkiedee

53

Sideways Stories from Wayside School

by Louis Sachar

10,457 members

112 reviews

4

3 Members: merrystar, sturlington, ManWithAnAgenda

54

The World According to Humphrey

by Betty G. Birney

3,859 members

51 reviews

½ 4.3

3 Members: hipdeep, merrystar, ManWithAnAgenda

55

Looking for Alaska

22,826 members

801 reviews

4

3 Members: dara85, ahef1963, ManWithAnAgenda

56

The Hundred Dresses

by Eleanor Estes

8,325 members

141 reviews

4

3 Members: merrystar, cej1027, ahef1963

57

That Hideous Strength

9,379 members

102 reviews

3.8

3 Members: merrystar, cej1027, ahef1963

58

by R. J. Palacio

17,773 members

1,354 reviews

½ 4.4

2 Members: dara85, KimarieBee

59

The Mysterious Benedict Society

by Trenton Lee Stewart

10,854 members

299 reviews

4

3 Members: merrystar, cej1027, ManWithAnAgenda

60

Boy: Tales of Childhood

9,332 members

146 reviews

4

3 Members: cej1027, Rusty37, ManWithAnAgenda

61

by Michael Chabon

4,578 members

105 reviews

3.9

2 Members: hipdeep, sturlington

62

The Lark in the Morn

by Elfrida Vipont

131 members

4 reviews

4.1

2 Members: Aquila, inge87

63

The Wheel on the School

by Meindert DeJong

3,340 members

40 reviews

4

3 Members: merrystar, cej1027, ManWithAnAgenda

64

The Secret Language

by Ursula Nordstrom

350 members

8 reviews

3.9

2 Members: dara85, merrystar

65

Every Heart a Doorway

by Seanan McGuire

4,260 members

326 reviews

3.8

2 Members: Aquila, ManWithAnAgenda

66

3,206 members

266 reviews

4

2 Members: sturlington, elkiedee

67

by Rudyard Kipling

951 members

14 reviews

4

2 Members: Aquila, aulsmith

68

Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse

by Kevin Henkes

8,178 members

256 reviews

4.2

2 Members: merrystar, cej1027

69

by Stephen King

16,777 members

851 reviews

4.2

3 Members: goldenmoon, sturlington, ahef1963,ManWithAnAgenda

70

by Noel Streatfeild

3,995 members

80 reviews

4.2

2 Members: Aquila, elkiedee

71

Claudine at School

502 members

11 reviews

½ 3.7

2 Members: elkiedee, ManWithAnAgenda

72

The Confusions of Young Törless

by Robert Musil

2,415 members

44 reviews

½ 3.7

Member: thecoroner

73

by Sunny Decker

60 members

1 review

3.9

Member: dara85

74

Mrs. Toggle's Zipper

by Robin Pulver

1,011 members

5 reviews

½ 3.7

2 Members: merrystar, cej1027

75

Brighten the Corner Where You Are

by Fred Chappell

256 members

7 reviews

4

2 Members: goldenmoon, sturlington

76

Jo in the Middle

21 members

½ 4.3

2 Members: Aquila, Rusty37

77

Educating Esmé: Diary of a Teacher's First Year

by Esmé Raji Codell

801 members

26 reviews

3.8

2 Members: dara85, elkiedee

78

by Catherine Marshall

4,148 members

51 reviews

4.1

2 Members: dara85, ahef1963

79

by Kim Stanley Robinson

1,231 members

24 reviews

½ 3.7

2 Members: aulsmith, Selliers

80

The Naughtiest Girl in the School

755 members

11 reviews

3.9

2 Members: Aquila, thecoroner

81

Killing Mr. Griffin

1,312 members

41 reviews

½ 3.4

2 Members: dara85, ahef1963

82

by Angela Thirkell

328 members

10 reviews

4

2 Members: merrystar, Rusty37

83

by Carolyn Haywood

1,044 members

10 reviews

3.9

2 Members: merrystar, cej1027

84

by Curtis Sittenfeld

5,414 members

163 reviews

½ 3.5

2 Members: Selliers, elkiedee

85

by Antonia Forest

174 members

4 reviews

½ 4.4

2 Members: elkiedee, Rusty37

86

by Tobias Wolff

2,715 members

80 reviews

3.8

2 Members: Selliers, thecoroner

87

Gentlemen and Players

by Joanne Harris

2,527 members

103 reviews

3.9

2 Members: sturlington, Selliers

88

The Marrying of Chani Kaufman

372 members

22 reviews

3.8

2 Members: inge87, ahef1963

89

by Francine Prose

1,068 members

32 reviews

½ 3.3

2 Members: sturlington, Selliers

90

Death on the Cherwell

by Mavis Doriel Hay

339 members

16 reviews

3.2

2 Members: merrystar, Rusty37

91

The Rosemary Tree

by Elizabeth Goudge

300 members

3 reviews

4

Member: inge87

92

My Posse Don't Do Homework

by LouAnne Johnson

269 members

3 reviews

3.9

Member: dara85

93

No Ponies for Miss Pobjoy

by Ursula Moray Williams

19 members

1 review

4

Member: Aquila

94

A Song for Summer

by Eva Ibbotson

997 members

23 reviews

3.8

2 Members: merrystar, elkiedee

95

2,246 members

35 reviews

3.9

2 Members: elkiedee, ahef1963

96

Changing Places

2,088 members

40 reviews

½ 3.7

2 Members: elkiedee, ahef1963

97

3,681 members

134 reviews

½ 3.6

2 Members: sturlington, ManWithAnAgenda

98

Wayside School is Falling Down

by Louis Sachar

6,818 members

38 reviews

4.1

2 Members: merrystar, ManWithAnAgenda

99

by Jerry Spinelli

11,892 members

396 reviews

3.9

2 Members: Selliers, ahef1963

100

The Berenstain Bears Go to School

by Stan Berenstain

2,739 members

20 reviews

3.8

2 Members: merrystar, ahef1963

1 2 3

About This List

Started: sturlington
September 2013
Type: Numbered and unnumbered

Related Lists

Meditations on Death

Current Discussions

None

Related Tags

adventure (5,989) children (8,494) children's (15,758) children's literature (7,707) classic (8,840) classics (9,722) England (5,956) fantasy (80,447) fiction (106,930) friendship (5,766) Harry Potter (26,130) literature (6,588) magic (22,189) mystery (5,702) novel (12,158) own (6,149) read (17,890) romance (7,546) school (7,874) science fiction (13,866) series (12,116) to-read (35,022) wizards (8,419) YA (12,332) young adult (21,931)

Verdana Standard Verdana Small The Lorax System Standard System Large Georgia Large Text Atkinson