Book Suggestions for Fourth Graders

Note:  List taken and adapted from teachersfirst.com. 

The View from Saturday - by E. L. Konigsburg

Learn how the sixth graders beat out the older kids to win the championship quiz contest. A Newbery winner. 

And One for All - by Theresa Nelson

Three friends differ in their beliefs about war and peace. 

The Bad Beginning - by Lemony Snicket

The first book in "A Series of Unfortunate Events" helps prove that stories about sadness and badness can be both funny and popular. 

Bat 6 - by Virginia Euwer Wolff

A girl's baseball team learns about prejudice. 

Because of Winn-Dixie - by Kate DiCamillo

Opal's dog helps her learn about her new home town and the characters who live there. 

Beezus and Ramona - by Beverly Cleary

Beezus and her little sister Ramona Quimby just can't seem to get along. 

Bud, Not Buddy - by Christopher Paul Curtis

In the 1930s, an orphan boy sets off in search of his musician father. A Newbery winner. 

Cat Crafts - by Linda Hendry

If you're a cat fancier, here's a collection of craft ideas that can entertain your child or make your pet's life more interesting. Most of these projects are also suitable for younger children with adult supervision. 

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - by Roald Dahl

Charlie discovers that the truth about Mr. Willy Wonka's chocolate factory is even better than the rumors. 

Charlotte's Web - by E.B. White

Charlotte the spider and Wilbur the pig learn about farmers and life in this children's classic. 

Dog Crafts - by Linda Hendry

Here's a book that offers lots of craft ideas for dog loves, including many projects for pet owners. Many of these craft projects are suitable for younger children with adult supervision. 

Field Trips - by Jim Arnosky

More than field trips, this little books is a guide to the best strategies for birdwatching, a stroll at the beach, tracking an animal, or collecting insects. Children can learn how to create their own field guides, collections, and lots more. 

A Giraffe and a Half - by Shel Silverstein

Giraffes aren't the only characters in this collection of great Shel Silverstein poems. See what you can find! 

The Great Gilly Hopkins - by Katherine Paterson

Habibi - by Naomi Shihab Nye

A girl moves to a new home and encounters the Israeli-Palestinian conflict first-hand. 

Half Magic - by Edgar Eager

Four children discover that their magical coin must be used very, very carefully. 

Harriet the Spy - by Louise Fitzhugh

Harriet discovers that keeping a diary can sometimes backfire. 

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - by J. K. Rowling

Harry learns more about Hogwarts and its secrets. 

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - by J. K. Rowling

Potter and his friends compete for the golden goblet and learn much in doing so. 

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - by J. K. Rowling
Harry and friends continue to explore at Hogwarts, and more puzzles emerge.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - by J. K. Rowling
The famous Mr. Potter begins his career at Hogwarts. 

Holes - by Louis Sachar

Stanley Yelnats goes to camp Green Lake instead of juvenile detention. Did he make the right choice? A Newbery Award winner. 

The House of Sixty Fathers - by Meinder DeJong

The Incredible Journey - by Sheila Burnford

Follow three lost family pets as they make their way home. A book no one should miss. 

The Indian in the Cupboard - by Lynn Reid Banks 

Island of the Blue Dolphins - by Scott O'Dell

Jackie and Me - by Dan Gutman

A young boy uses his baseball card collection to travel through time and meet famous players from the past. 

James and the Giant Peach - by Roald Dahl

Dahl's great read-aloud book features a great cast of improbable characters. 

Jumanji - by Chris Van Allsburg

Award winning illustrations lead readers through this story about a jungle game that comes to life. 

A Light in the Attic - by Shel Silverstein

Shel Silversteins poems are sometimes silly, sometimes wonderful. These are great poems to read with a child. 

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - by C.S. Lewis

Three children discover their own fantasy world while prowling through an attic, but the discoveries are only beginning. History, magic and a classic story of good and evil. Before Harry Potter, this book was the most magical! 

Little House in the Big Woods - by Laura Ingalls Wilder

This is the first book in Laura Ingalls Wilder's series about life in Wisconsin and the plains during the late 1800s. 

Little House on the Prairie - by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Laura and her family move from Wisconsin to Kansas, and build the house on the prairie. 

The Little Princess - by Francis Hodgson Burnett

Little Town on the Prairie - by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Laura is growing up, and new opportunities await. 

Maniac Magee - by Jerry Spinelli

The 1991 Newbery Award winner about an energetic boy who confronts racism and tries to make peace in a troubled part of town. 

The Midwife's Apprentice - by Karen Cushman

Set in medieval England, this Newbery medal winner tells the tale of a young girl who must make her own way in the world, and what she learns in the process. 

Missing May - by Cynthia Rylant

Summer's discoveries in learning about her various family members. A Newbery medal winner. 

The Monument - by Gary Paulsen

A young boy reacts to the arrival of an artist with a special mission. 

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH - by Robert O'Brien

Out of the Dust - by Karen Hesse

Fourteen year-old Billy Jo writes a journal about her experiences during the dust bowl days in Oklahoma. 

The Phantom Tollbooth - by Norton Juster

Ramona the Pest - by Beverly Cleary

Ramona Quimby enters Kindergarten and asks LOTS of questions. 

Ramona's World - by Beverly Cleary

Here we meet Ramona at age 9, ready to tackle 4th grade, and lots more! 

The Reptile Room - by Lemony Snicket

The second episode of "A Series of Unfortunate Events" continues the adventures. 

Shiloh - by Phyllis Naylor

An 11 year old boy must decide how to help an abused beagle named Shiloh. 

The Sign of the Beaver - by Elizabeth Speare

Superfudge - by Judy Blume

In the sequel to Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Peter discovers his mother is pregnant. 

These Happy Golden Years - by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Laura begins working as a teacher, finding new adventures. 

The Trumpet of the Swan - by E.B. White

Tuck Everlasting - by Natalie Babbitt

Winnie Foster has to make a life and death decision in truly different circumstances. 

Under the Blood-Red Sun - by Graham Salisbury

A Japanese-American boy's life changes after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. 

Where the Sidewalk Ends - by Shel Silverstein

Stanley the Fierce and the entire cast of Silverstein characters are a great way for children to learn about poetry, whether on their own or with a parent or grandparent. 

The Wide Window - by Lemony Snicket

The third installment of "A Series of Unfortunate Events" that has young readers clamoring for more. 

A Year Down Under - by Richard Peck

Fifteen year-old Mary Alice must spend a year in a small town with her grandmother. Along the way, there are lots of interesting adventures. A Newbery award winner.