biography books for grade 4

• Projects & Ideas
• Arts & Crafts
• Books & Reading
• Glue & Glitter
• Home Decor & Garden
• Jewelry & Beads
• Origami & Paper
• Teacher Gear & Apparel

Best Biography Books for 4th Graders

• by Jenna Boyer
• August 8, 2023

Students in 4th grade, like all children, are very inquisitive, and by that age, they are also starting to look a little deeper at the world around them. They want to learn why things are the way they are. So, for those curious and ambitious students, we have listed the best biography books for 4th graders.

These books will guide them to make sense of people’s actions. These books will satisfy their curiosity, inspire them and teach them many lessons about the ups and downs of real life.

Best Biography Books for 4th Graders – Our List

1.  manfish.

Manfish is a biography about the life of Jacques Cousteau , a famous explorer best known for his obsession with the ocean. The book contains beautiful illustrations of the underwater world that your 4th graders will dive right into.

French naval officer turned underwater explorer; Jacques co-invented the Aqua-Lung. This is a device that has allowed millions of people across the world to enjoy the delights of what lies beneath the ocean’s surface. His device has allowed many scientists and oceanographers to make important discoveries about ocean life and has transformed the sport of diving.

The words in the book can be poetic in parts and challenging in others. Despite being a non-fiction text, it is told in narrative form. Jacques’s life becomes a beautifully described story that readers can immerse themselves in.

The vivid language used in the book is an excellent example of descriptive writing , making the book a great choice to study when teaching 4th graders about descriptive techniques.

2. Henri’s Scissors

This is a picture book with few words but that doesn’t mean it’s not suitable for 4th graders . The picture book format is actually a refreshing change from the usual prose-style books that 4th graders are most used to.

The artwork in the book is important because this biography is about the life of artist, Henri Matisse. The book would be an excellent book to share at the start of an art project on a famous artist.

The biography gives an explanation as to why Matisse’s style of art changed from painting to collage. Presented in pictures with a few lines of text on each page, the book delicately tells the story of the hardships Matisse faced in his final years. It also holds an important message about overcoming life’s challenges to achieve great things.

The illustrations are a visual treat and are sure to inspire creativity in any 4th grader.

3. Kid Scientists: True Tales of Childhood from Scientist Superstars

This is a collection of biographies about famous scientists . The cool thing is that the biographies start by focusing on the lives of these scientists during their childhood.

For 4th grade readers, there is a lot to gain from hearing about the lives of these successful scientists before they were famous. It teaches them that despite coming from humble beginnings, great things can be achieved. And, conveys the message that these great scientists were once regular kids, just like the readers.

With 15 biographies including those of, Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, and Jane Goodall, there are plenty of science greats to capture the attention of students. Ranging from physicists, chemists, biologists, and environmentalists, the book covers a wide variety of scientific topics.

The illustrations are also worthy of mention too. Most of the pages contain amusing illustrations which is a big appeal to many 4th grade readers.

4. Who Was Anne Frank?

An age-appropriate biography for 4th grade, that covers the life of Anne Frank, a young girl famous for the diary she wrote during World War 2. It covers everything from her early childhood to her time in hiding and the impact her diary has had on the world since the second world war.

The biography gives the reader an insight into what life was like during wartime and shares the unbelievable story of Anne and her family who went into hiding.

Fourth graders will be intrigued, by her secret life and in awe of her strength and resilience.

Amongst the text are illustrations and maps, which give the reader a visual picture of what Anne’s life was like in the attic behind the bookcase where she and her family lived for 2-years.

5. The Boy Who Invented TV

This biography is a challenging read for 4th graders compared to the other books we have suggested so far. So, if you are looking for a biography to stretch and develop the reading skills of fourth grade readers, certainly consider this one. 

It is about the life of Philo Farnsworth, the boy who invented TV. The book provides more than enough detail about his life to fully satisfy curious 4th grade students.

Throughout the book, readers will come across highlighted words. These highlighted words direct readers to the glossary, where they will find easy-to-understand definitions. We love this feature in the book as it helps develops vocabulary and aids comprehension.

It’s a detailed book and one that teachers may decide to use as a read-along-text in class. The stop checks at the bottom of some pages are a useful tool for teachers. They can be used to assess students’ understanding of the text and encourages them to pay attention whilst reading.

6.  Sisters: Venus & Serena Williams

A sporting biography about Serena and Venus Williams, the tennis champions. Written by the famous author Jeanette Winter who is renowned for her child biographies, this book is a tale of perseverance and determination.

It is a picture book, but the text gives enough detail and challenge for 4th graders readers. The topics covered are also thought-provoking for children of this age.

It follows the lives of the two Williams sisters as they grow up with a dream of winning trophies and rising to the top of their game.

Brought up in a tough part of Los Angeles, California, the girls trained hard and overcame the challenges they faced within the community. Teaching fourth graders that despite everything dreams can be reached.

The book also discusses the problems the sisters had with injuries during their careers. A lesson to 4th graders on how to look after their bodies.

This biography is a brilliant choice for budding athletes, and sports fans and particularly teaches girls that they can succeed in sports too.

7.  Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Martin Luther King

It is hard not to feel moved when reading about the life of Martin Luther King. This man’s powerful and ever-important words have been captured in this wonderful biography all about his life.

Growing up, Martin experienced the negative effects words could have and the divisions they could cause. Making the decision to use words to change the world for the better , Martin Luther King made some of the most powerful and influential speeches in history.

The pages of this book focus on some of his most inspiring moments. They display empowering quotes and illustrations that bring his words to life once again.

The text in the book is not lengthy but everything that is written is important, Martin’s big words.

The illustrations alone are great for stimulating class discussions and debates.

This book holds the potential to teach 4th graders a lot about tolerance, equality, and how our words can affect others, we highly recommend it.

Best Biography Books for 4th Graders – Final Thoughts

Yes, biographies are a great way to satisfy those inquisitive and curious students that want to know about the lives of others. But more than that, biographies hold the potential to educate and inspire.

We have listed biographies of great people that have achieved great things in a variety of different areas. From artists, scientists, political speakers, sports people, and activists. There is bound to be something in this list of best biography books for 4th graders , that will suit your readers. And if you (or they) really can’t decide then the biography collection books are a handy option.

We hope our list inspires you as much as these biographies will inspire your students!

2 thoughts on “Best Biography Books for 4th Graders”

#6 Sisters the book written about is not the book you have pictured- I almost bought my fourth grade niece the wrong one from the picture…Opps- good thing I read the book description before purchasing 🙂

Thanks for calling that out Jennifer. The post is updated!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Privacy Overview

Shop the 2024 Back-to-School Guide

You are about to leave our Parents site. Are you sure you want to leave?

By clicking continue, your current session will end.

• Level a Book
• Build a Collection
• Create a Quote
• Purchase Order
• Back-to-School Guide
• New Programs
• Collections
• ClassroomsCount™ Campaigns
• eGift Cards
• ESSER Funding
• Education Solutions
• Teaching Tools
• Back to School Solutions
• Customer Service
• Order Lookup

Select Your Partner Organization

If you are already registered on our website, you can sign in by selecting your partner organization below, then entering your email address and password on the next screen.

• SELECT ORGANIZATION
• FACE MEMBERSHIP
• LITERACY PARTNERSHIPS

Biographies & Autobiographies for Kids

This item is temporarily out of stock. Our order for this product is expected on .

Please enter a valid e-mail

Thank you! We will contact you when the item is available.

To be notified when this item is available, please click the "Notify Me" button below.

Item is on backorder and will ship when available.

Your order will ship on or around the release date.

Key Features

Description.

Online Resources

Teacher tips, user benefits.

Discover More

Read The Article

About the author, product details.

• File Format:
• Weston Woods ID:
• Manufacturer:
• Lexile® Measure:
• Reading Level:
• Spanish Lexile Measure:
• Spanish Reading Level:
• Funding Type:

Also included in Collections

SHOP RESOURCES

6 Amazing Biography Book Series Teachers and Students will Love

I love having my students read biographies.  Not only does this expose them to a new genre of writing, but there is quite often a great social studies or history connection too!  And . . . if that wasn’t enough, there are so many amazing people that can inspire our students to do anything, go anywhere, be all they can dream of being!  I’m excited to share some of my favorite biographies for elementary students and activities we use when studying this genre.

Amazing Biographies for Kids

1. ordinary people change the world by brad meltzer.

2. You Should Meet . . . by Ready to Read

3.  Step into Reading Biographies

4. The Story Of . . .  A Biography Series for New Readers

5.  Easy Reader Biographies by Scholastic

6. National Geographic Kids Biographies

You Can’t Go Wrong with Biographies

• Not all books with illustrations are fiction
• Real-life events and people can be engaging and entertaining like a story
• Books can help us learn and inspire us

Biography Activities

1. fact and opinion, 2. non-fiction text features.

Many of these biographies series I love to use are written with a variety of non-fiction text features.  This is a great way to teach students about how these text features can help them improve their understanding of the non-fiction books they read.  

• Headings & Sub-Headings
• Photos & Captions
• Table of Contents

3. Introductory Research and Note Taking

Grab these free biography note taking templates.

Biography Research Project

Save these Biography Books and Teaching Ideas

You May Also Enjoy...

JOIN THE EXCLUSIVE ISLAND CLUB TODAY!

Grab 4 weeks of my challenge phonics today for free.

• Classroom Management
• Teaching Ideas
• Online Catalogue
• 2024 Elementary Island
• Site design by Laine Sutherland Designs
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use

• Books for 1-Year-Olds
• Books for 2-Year-Olds
• Books for 3-Year-Olds
• Books for 4-Year-Olds
• Books for 5-Year-Olds
• Books for 6-Year-Olds
• Books for 7-Year-Olds
• Books for 8-Year-Olds
• Books for 9-Year-Olds
• Books for 10-Year-Olds
• Books for 11-Year-Olds
• Books for 12-Year-Olds
• Books for 13-Year-Olds
• Preschool Books
• Kindergarten Books
• Books for 1st Grade
• Books for 2nd Grade
• Books for 3rd Grade
• Books for 4th Grade
• Books for 5th Grade
• Books for 6th Grade
• Books for 7th Grade
• Books for 8th Grade
• Books for 9th Grade
• Early Picture Books
• Picture Books
• Read Aloud Chapter Books
• Easy Reader Books
• Early Chapter Books
• Chapter Books
• Young Adult Books
• Autobiography / Biography
• Children's Poetry
• Fables / Fairy Tales
• Fantasy / Folklore
• Legends / Myths

The Best Autobiography & Biography Books for Kids

As kids begin to understand the larger world around them, there’s nothing more expansive than learning about the lives of others. So it’s no wonder biographies are a hit with curious young readers. Learning about amazing people who shaped the world through bravery and dedication isn’t just a way to inspire your child’s own dreams—it’s a path to building stronger empathy and relationships. 

That’s why we’ve created this list of the best biographies for kids of all ages and reading levels, from preschool to middle school. Featuring stories of dreamers and doers from all walks of life, these books will have your reader thinking big about their boundless potential!

Mahatma Gandhi: My First Mahatma Gandhi (Little People, Big Dreams)

By Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara

This picture book is a gentle introduction for babies and toddlers to the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. The charmingly illustrated tale tells the story of young Mohandas and his upbringing in India under British rule. All the while, Mohandas dreamed of a world where all living beings were treated with kindness—and dared to chase it into reality. Your toddler or preschool reader will light up as they learn from Gandhi about nonviolence, peace, and unwavering kindness.

David Bowie (Little People, Big Dreams)

This one’s for all the diaper-dancers and future rockstars. Even the youngest baby learners will be inspired by the one-of-a-kind Starman and his message of fearless individuality. Young David Jones may have looked like an ordinary boy on the outside, but on the inside, he was full of dreams, music, and creativity. Show your child that gigantic dreams are as close as the karaoke microphone in this motivational depiction of David Bowie’s story. The board book format is sturdy enough for little readers to thumb through on their own—and with the bold, bright illustrations, they’ll want to!

Where’s Jane?

By Jaye Garnett

If your growing reader is a naturalist-in-training, this wonderfully engaging board book is just what the biologist ordered. Designed for children ages 3 to 5, this board book is a lighthearted introduction to Jane Goodall’s fascinating chimpanzee research. Your reader will be so busy searching for hidden pictures in the illustrations that they won’t realize they’re learning facts well beyond their science curriculum. Vocabulary words and questions on every page also help encourage discussion and develop more advanced communication skills.

Dinosaur Lady: The Daring Discoveries of Mary Anning, the First Paleontologist

By Linda Skeers

Got an up-and-coming paleontologist in the family? Then this is the biography you’re looking for! Mary Anning was a true scientific pioneer. Every young dino fan will be enraptured by the story of how her earth-shaking scientific career began by hunting for fossils in her own backyard. This fully illustrated picture book invites 4- to 9-year-olds to turn over pages and stones as they advance their exploratory skills .

Who Was Ruth Bader Ginsburg? (Who Is/Was)

By Patricia Brennan Demuth

The Who Was … books are among the best biographies for kids, presenting accurate history in an easy-to-read style. Who Was Ruth Bader Ginsburg? introduces kids to one of the renowned legal minds of our time while making her feel accessible, relatable, and wholeheartedly human. This story of Ginsburg’s advocacy for gender equality and women’s rights will empower readers from ages 8 to 11 to stand up for what they believe in as they learn to read independently and think critically.

Women Who Dared: 52 Stories of Fearless Daredevils, Adventurers, and Rebels

If your 10- to 13-year-old reader loves adventure-packed stories, this book is a must-have. They might’ve heard about Amelia Earhart in school, but they’ll marvel at the lesser-known stories of Russian astronaut Valentina Tereshkova, stuntwoman Helen Gibson, and oceanographer Sylvia Earle in this riveting collection. Each profile is short and readable, yet brimming with value and heart. Try reading one profile with your child before bed each night and watch as they gravitate toward certain adventurers, navigate moral complexities, and relate the stories to their own lives.

Help Your Child Dream Big With Biographies From Literati Book Clubs

Once your kids start learning about the real lives of influential people like the ones above, they’ll realize how endless their own potential really is. You can make sure your reader is always stocked up with the best biographies for kids—along with all the other genres they love—by becoming a Literati Kids Book Club member. We’ll send your child the best-in-class literature suited perfectly to their reading level and interests. The result? A passion for reading, a thirst for learning, and ideas that flow as freely as David Bowie’s melodies. To get started, complete our quick personalization quiz and open the gates to your young reader’s literary adventure today.

LITERATI NEWSLETTER

Free Reading Resources & Activities

We’ve made it easy to support your reader at home. Literati’s newsletter provides parents with free, research-backed reading resources, activities, and more! Sign up today to get started.

Explore Related Articles

Literati’s First Annual Kids’ Favorite Book Awards

The Best Fun and Engaging Nonfiction Books For Kids

The Best Fantasy & Folklore Books For Kids

Biographies for 4th grade readers

AR, 4th grade reading level biographies

Popular Collections

The Leading Digital Reading Platform for Kids

The only kids' eBook subscription service that offers thousands of high-quality books from well known publishers like HarperCollins, National Geographic and others.

Javascript required.

Whoops! We're sorry but Epic doesn't work properly without JavaScript enabled. Check your web browser's settings to make sure it's enabled.

• Character Traits
• Compare and Contrast
• Read Alouds
• Point of View
• Reading Response Ideas
• Summarizing
• Text Features
• Text Structures
• Find the Fib
• Reusable Ideas
• Disclosure Policy
• Dollar Deals
• Lifetime Access

Best Biographies, Autobiographies, and Memoirs for Upper Elementary

3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students don't often automatically grab biographies and autobiographies off the classroom library shelf.  But the inspiring biographies below will have your upper elementary students begging for more!

Written by guest blogger Cindy Koopmans

In my classroom I’ve often found that biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs are a bit of a hard sell.  Besides selecting only the best nonfiction books for my classroom shelves to begin with, this is how I’ve made it work...

Tips for Encouraging Students to Read Biographies, Autobiographies, and Memoirs

When students are looking for a new book to read, I go to the shelves and hand pick a stack of books for them to peruse.  I’ll start the process by asking them what they’ve read lately and what they liked about those books.  This strategy works because it is built on choice and trust.  I’m enthusiastic about books and I never force a book on a kid.  They get to choose what to read.

And when that happens, the conversation I have with one of my lovies goes something like this: “Mrs. K.  This really happened?  This story is like, for real?” 

Me, “Yup.”   

This is the truth:  no matter who we are or how old we are, we are always looking for someone to light the way forward on this dark road called life.  

Even the most jaded of students have the propensity to be inspired by the stories of people who have survived and thrived.  

And that’s why it is so critical to give our students the gift of great nonfiction and allow them a glimpse into other people’s worlds.  When we see how other people navigate the not insubstantial bumps in their personal roads it gives us hope.  

So here you will find a nicely balanced list of great nonfiction books that are tried and true winners for upper elementary students.  There is great variety in this role call.  I’ve included books written about or by creatives, trailblazers, and a few so-called “ordinary” people, who when called upon by fate, did not back down.  They met the challenges they faced head on and triumphed.  

These people found themselves in extraordinarily difficult and, in some cases, harrowing life situations.  The stories are unique, multi-faceted and...well...true!  

As an added bonus, you can trust that these nonfiction books are incredibly well-written.  

Sometimes, just to hook some of my more reluctant student readers, I take a minute out of our precious instructional time.  I’m not doing anything too fancy, I simply introduce a new book and read the first page or two enthusiastically.

If I’m with a particularly apathetic class I’ve been known to climb up on a chair and use lots of over the top hand gestures.  Hey! Whatever it takes, right?  

Anyway, I’m never sorry about taking the time because there is absolutely nothing more exciting than hearing numerous kids blurt out an enthusiastic, “I want to read that one!” 

What just happened here? A waiting list?  Awesome.

These are good books.  Many of these books are showing the wear and tear of being well-loved in my fifth grade classroom.  Others have gotten a thorough vetting before they made this list and are now on an Amazon wish list until I get two nickels to rub together.  You and your students will find them to be deeply satisfying reads.  Get ready for a cupcake shop moment, because you are not going to know which one to pick! 

12 Biographies, Autobiographies, and Memoirs for 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade Students

Anne frank: the diary of a young girl by anne frank, b.m. mooyaart (translator), eleanor roosevelt (introduction).

It is July 6, 1942, the setting is Amsterdam, and Anne Frank has just received a diary for her birthday.  The rest is history. 

Every year I have at least one student who loves Laurie Halse Anderson's historical fiction books.  If you have students like that in your class, then Anne Frank will absolutely blow their minds.  Introduce them to this classic read, then share the link to the full length movie.   

Some books introduced to students are gifts that they will remember the rest of their lives.  Be that teacher that gives that gift.  Here I just want to say thank you to Mrs. Barclay.  I still have my original copy.

Unbroken: An Olympian's Journey from Airman to Castaway to Captive  by Laura Hillenbrand

This book begins with an excruciating description of three men who are floating on a raft in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.  Suffice it to say that sharks are predominant in the narrative of the first chapter.  Fifth grade boys?  Gotcha.  Add to the sharks stuff the fact that the main character, Louis Zabarelli, is a former Olympian and you just set the hook.

This recommendation of the young adult adaptation of Louis Zabarelli’s story, but that shouldn’t be a cause for hesitation.  This book graces the shelf of my classroom library, but it isn’t on the shelf very often.  That and it’s worn condition testifies that Louis Zabarelli’s story does hold appeal for upper elementary aged students.  I’ve included the movie trailer for you in case you want more evidence.

Hidden Figures  by Margot Lee Shetterly

This is another worn book in my classroom library.  In fact, I have three copies because it has been that popular. 

You can find some extra resources here if you’re that smart teacher that seeks to intertwine some science lessons into your literature.  If you haven’t seen the movie that was released a few years ago, you can watch the trailer here.

Save time and stress this school year with these   Nonfiction Reading Response Activities that can be used over and over throughout the school year with ANY nonfiction text.   

3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students will respond through reading, writing, poetry, speaking, listening, drawing, interviewing, and more.    This is a must have   for any upper elementary teacher that does not want to have to constantly recreate the wheel.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind  by William Kamkwamba

You may want to watch the movie on Netflix, but don’t tell your students it is there until after they read the book.  (And you could use some of these questions and activity ideas for comparing movies to books.)   Another recommendation from my classroom shelves.

I Am Malala  by Malala Yousafzai with Patricia McCormick

Look up the word inspiring in the dictionary and you may find Malala Yousafzai’s picture there.  Malala Yousafzai is internationally famous because she and her family stood up to the Taliban’s edict that girls were not allowed to receive an education.  Malala’s father taught her not to back down from what she believed in, even though she knew she was in danger, Malala continued to attend school.  As a result, Malala almost lost her life when she was shot riding the bus home from school. 

Here’s a short video about how Malala, the youngest ever winner of the Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 17, continues her mission to make a difference in the lives of young women around the world.

A biography of Malala also made this list of books about overcoming obstacles.

Ugly  by Robert Hoge

Do we have a choice in what we allow to define us?  Robert Hoge’s memoir answers this question with a resounding, “Yes!” 

Bullied and misunderstood because of a facial tumor and other disabilities he was born with, Robert Hoge teaches us how to live wholeheartedly and fearlessly despite how we might be judged and treated by the world.  This is the very best kind of story, honestly and simply told by the person who lived through it all. 

Robert was born with disfigurements that made him a baby only a mother could love, except his own mother didn’t want him and still, he made it.  I know I have students who need to hear his story and I’m sure you do too.

Mountains Beyond Mountains  by Tracey Kidder

I was beyond excited when I learned that Tracey Kidder’s book about Dr. Paul Farmer and his work with Partners in Health had been adapted for young readers. 

Tracey Kidder shadows Dr. Paul Farmer whose mission is to provide quality healthcare to the most economically disadvantaged people in the world’s most impoverished populations.  Dr. Farmer’s father exemplified altruism and expected his children to participate in his passion. 

Even though the family didn’t have money, Dr. Farmer made a decision to attend college and pursue medicine.  It was a high school guidance counselor that helped him take the first steps. 

This is a book that I challenge students to read, because it’s...well...challenging!  But a student who  choses to tackle it has not been disappointed.  

My Thirteenth Winter  by Samantha Abel

Samantha Abel was a straight A student with a secret.  She couldn’t remember her locker combination or tell time.  The disconnect caused her to suffer from anxiety attacks.  In her thirteenth winter, Samantha found the strength and the courage to confront her problems.  Consequently, Samantha learned that she had a learning disability called dyscalculia.   Once the disability is discovered and addressed, Samantha’s life begins to change. 

As teachers know, learning disabilities are a discrepancy between intelligence and academic struggle.  It is in that often agonizing struggle that a learning disability is  forced to the surface.  We know what they are, but we don’t really know what causes them. 

A Long Walk to Water  by Linda Sue Park

Linda Sue Park lays out the story in two distinct sections, intermingling fiction and nonfiction.  The book tells the story from the point of view of a young girl, Nya, as she walks all day long to procure water for her family’s needs:  hence the title.  But it is Salva’s point of view story that is truly central to the book.  Salva is one of the “Lost Boys” of Sudan who is walking to escape the violence and constant threat of being conscripted into the Sudanese army.  Spoiler...the two stories come together at the end of the book. 

I spend a lot of time convincing those kiddos who read ahead not to give away the ending and wreck the book for their classmates.  This link will take you to a short video about Salva.

Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina by Misty Copeland

Misty Copeland is the first African-American principal dancer in American Ballet Theatre history.  Adapted for young readers, the adult version of this book made the New York Times best-seller list.  This is another excellent autobiography I’ve had to purchase in multiples because it is in demand with my girls. 

Misty Copeland’s grit and determination, added to her passion, led her to a successful career in dance.  It all began so simply. 

She writes,  “My family didn't have very much money, so ballet wasn't even on my radar; I just found it randomly when I was 13 at a Boys & Girls Club. We were practicing on a basketball court in gym clothes with some old socks on. Even though it terrified me at first, I found that I really liked it.”  Find something you love and pursue it with all your heart.  Yes.

Check out these other inspirational biographies of African-Americans.

Lion: A Long Way Home  by Saroo Brierley

An incredible true story that just proves the point that life is often stranger than anything anyone could make up in a million years. 

His book chronicles his struggle to remember where he came from and to reconnect with his family, which he does when he is 25 years old.  You can watch a trailer for the Hollywood Version here.

Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers by Deborah Heiligman

Vincent’s younger brother Theo is the pragmatist in the relationship, but still an art lover—he works as an art dealer, which on the face of it could be immensely helpful for Vincent.  But Vincent’s artistic style, that of the Impressionist school, is simply not in fashion and Theo can’t change that fact. 

Despite their personality differences and all the drama Vincent brings to the relationship these brothers remain loyal to the core.  This is a beautiful and touching story of brotherly love and devotion. 

You’ll find it special as a direct result of Deborah Heilgman’s efforts to get the details right: she carefully gleaned information from more than 600 letters Vincent wrote to his brother Theo over his lifetime. 

Deborah Heiligman is the award winning author of Charles and Emma and many other books for children and young adults.

Find more book suggestions for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students here.  

Never Stress Over Sub Plans Again!

Make copies, find a fiction book, and you'll be ready for any emergency that comes your way!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

Teach students checking vs. savings accounts!

57 Awesome 4th Grade Books You’ll Want To Share With Students

Titles to inspire each one of your fourth graders!

Fourth grade is an exciting time to share books with kids. Whether it’s reading aloud a fascinating nonfiction picture book or compelling personal narrative, hooking a reluctant reader with a new graphic novel, or matching a kid with just the novel they need right now, your fourth grade classroom library should be where it’s at. Old favorites are awesome, but when you’re looking to update the choices on your shelves, check out this big list of recent fourth grade books recommended by educators.

Note: There’s such a huge range of emotional maturity in fourth grade, and you know your students best. A few of these books may be best read aloud and discussed together.

(Just a heads up, WeAreTeachers may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. We only recommend items our team loves!)

1. Paradise Sands: A Story of Enchantment by Levi Pinfold

Four siblings visit a creepy desert hotel and plunge into a haunting adventure. This mesmerizing and mysterious picture book is guaranteed to get your fourth graders talking, wondering, flipping back to check text evidence, and making inferences.

Buy it: Paradise Sands: A Story of Enchantment at Amazon

2. Heart Berry Bling by Jenny Kay Dupuis

Maggie visits her grandmother for a delicious fry bread lunch and cozy afternoon beading together. Through this relatable personal narrative, kids can learn about Anishinaabe beading and culture, as well as the impact of the Indian Act on First Nations women and families in Canada. This is a fantastic upper elementary picture book—so much to learn and discuss together!

Buy it: Heart Berry Bling at Amazon

3. Noticing by Kobi Yamada

Add this beauty to your fourth grade books to encourage mindfulness . A girl and an artist learn together how to notice both the familiar and the unknown.

Buy it: Noticing at Amazon

4. The Little Mermaid retold by Jerry Pinkney

Jerry Pinkney’s breathtaking update to a classic, high-interest tale stars a main character of color and has affirming themes of friendship, family, and identity.

Buy it: The Little Mermaid at Amazon

5. Love by Matt de la Peña

This moving title is ageless, but we particularly love how it can get fourth graders talking in more depth about a complex topic.

Buy it: Love at Amazon

6. Bringing Back the Wolves: How a Predator Restored an Ecosystem by Jude Isabella

This book is a science unit unto itself! In systematic sections, it explores what happened when wolves disappeared from—and then came back to—Yellowstone National Park. Build kids’ understanding of vocabulary about relationships within an ecosystem with this memorable real-world story.

Buy it: Bringing Back the Wolves at Amazon

7. How Do You Spell Unfair? MacNolia Cox and the National Spelling Bee by Carole Boston Weatherford

This is the nonfiction account of African American eighth grader MacNolia Cox and her trip to the 1936 National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. It puts experiences with racism into relatable contexts for all kids and would be great to spark additional learning and discussion about kids’ experiences with discrimination.

Buy it:   How Do You Spell Unfair? MacNolia Cox and the National Spelling Bee at Amazon

8. Glitter Everywhere! Where It Came From, Where It’s Found, and Where It’s Going by Chris Barton

The awesome thing about sharing nonfiction picture books with fourth graders is how everyone can learn something new. From teaching vocabulary words like “iridescent” to looking at the environmental impact of its microplastic composition, this author answers every imaginable question about glitter! We love how this title shows kids an unconventional nonfiction writing topic too.

Buy it: Glitter Everywhere! at Amazon

9. Stand as Tall as the Trees: How an Amazonian Community Protected the Rain Forest by Patricia Gualinga and Laura Resau

This inspiring story highlights the activism of Kichwa people to stop rainforest deforestation. It reminds us of Lynne Cherry’s The Great Kapok Tree but with more in-depth factual information. It’s a perfect complement to rainforest or ecosystem studies or as part of an exploration of indigenous cultures. The author’s note “Standing Up for Land Around the World” would be a fantastic springboard for small-group research projects on indigenous movements to protect land.

Buy it: Stand as Tall as the Trees at Amazon

10. Becoming Muhammad Ali: A Novel by James Patterson and Kwame Alexander

Before he was a household name, Cassius Clay was a kid with struggles like any other. Written in prose and verse, this book looks at his life from birth to age 17. It captures the budding charisma and youthful personality of one of the greatest sports heroes of all time.

Buy it: Becoming Muhammad Ali at Amazon

11. Sound: Shhh … Bang … POP … BOOM! by Romana Remanyshyn and Andriy Lesiv

Here’s a perfect example of artistry in informational writing. A neon color scheme and tons of visual features give readers a primer on the topic of sound. Share as part of a science unit on sound or to simply help students up the cool factor in their own nonfiction writing.

Buy it: Sound: Shhh … Bang … POP … BOOM! at Amazon

12. She Was the First! The Trailblazing Life of Shirley Chisholm by Katheryn Russell-Brown

This biography chronicles the bold achievements of the first Black person to run for president as a major party candidate. While short in stature, Shirley Chisholm was a strong, influential leader and advocate who made a lasting impact. Your students deserve to be inspired by her!

Buy it: She Was the First! at Amazon

13. Can I Touch Your Hair? Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship by Irene Latham and Charles Waters

When an unlikely pair works on a poetry project together, they think they have nothing in common. The effective back-and-forth format will get kids thinking.

Buy it: Can I Touch Your Hair? at Amazon

14. Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets by Kwame Alexander, Chris Colderley, and Marjory Wentworth

Award-winning authors Kwame Alexander, Chris Colderley, and Marjory Wentworth have compiled this collection of poems that celebrates poets who have touched their lives and influenced their work.

Buy it: Out of Wonder at Amazon

15. I’m Trying To Love Math by Bethany Barton

After convincing arguments heralding bees and spiders in her previous titles, Bethany Barton uses her powers of persuasion to demonstrate the wide reach, usefulness, and coolness of math. Read this to quell any groans about the relevance of math in the real world.

Buy it: I’m Trying To Love Math at Amazon

16. Pass Go and Collect $200: The Real Story of How Monopoly Was Invented by Tanya Lee Stone

It’s a history lesson from a completely unique angle. Add this to your fourth grade books to use as nonfiction writing mentor texts. Of course, after reading, you’ll need to break out the board game during indoor recess or invite your students to design their own.

Buy it: Pass Go and Collect $200 at Amazon

17. Between the Lines: How Ernie Barnes Went From the Football Field to the Art Gallery by Sandra Neil Wallace

This isn’t your typical athlete’s biography. Everyone thought Ernie Barnes should play professional football, but he never gave up on his dream of being an artist.

Buy it: Between the Lines at Amazon

18. So Tall Within: Sojourner Truth’s Long Walk Toward Freedom by Gary D. Schmidt

Introduce students to this fascinating and influential woman who worked tirelessly to fight against both racial and gender inequality.

Buy it: So Tall Within at Amazon

19. Flight for Freedom: The Wetzel Family’s Daring Escape From East Germany by Kristen Fulton

A family secretly builds a hot-air balloon for a nighttime crossing over the Berlin Wall. This compelling story is a perfect-sized slice of history to captivate students. The information provided about the actual construction of the hot-air balloon, both in the text and extensive back matter, could also spark interesting STEM conversations about the design process.

Buy it: Flight for Freedom at Amazon

20. The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian’s Art Changed Science by Joyce Sidman

Maria Merian was a brave and passionate scientist who was well ahead of her time. This beautifully written and illustrated chapter book biography offers so many discussion opportunities.

Buy it: The Girl Who Drew Butterflies at Amazon

21. Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You! by Marley Dias

Marley Dias, creator of the #1000blackgirlbooks movement, is an amazing peer role model to teach kids about activism.

Buy it: Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You! at Amazon

22. Bat Citizens: Defending the Ninjas of the Night by Rob Laidlaw

Great nonfiction challenges readers’ thinking with a clear focus. This fascinating title about bat conservation does just that.

Buy it: Bat Citizens at Amazon

23. Two Truths and a Lie books by Ammi-Joan Paquette and Laurie Ann Thompson

Make discussions about responsible research practices memorable and fun. This innovative series asks readers to separate fact from fiction in short sections ideal for classroom discussion.

Buy it: Two Truths and a Lie books at Amazon

24. You Choose series by various authors

Hopefully you already have a few titles from this longstanding “Choose Your Own Adventure”–style series mixed into your fourth grade books, but did you know they keep coming out with cool new titles? We love this series for getting kids thinking and talking about their reading. After all, they have to make the decisions about how they’d react when faced with dangerous animals, infamous monsters, and plenty more! Great for small-group or partner reads.

Buy it: You Choose: Wild Encounters at Amazon

Buy it: You Choose: Monster Hunter at Amazon

25. I Survived Graphix series by Lauren Tarshis

These popular nonfiction chapter book adventures are now fast-paced graphic novels! You’ll want the entire series for sure.

Buy it: I Survived Graphix at Amazon

26. Grace Needs Space! by Benjamin A. Wilgus and Rii Abrego

We were glad to add this futuristic, inclusive graphic novel to our fourth grade book offerings. Grace can’t wait to travel on her own to visit one of her moms, who works on a space station on a distant moon. Despite the out-of-this-world setting, kids will have lots of connections to how hard it can feel when a highly anticipated experience doesn’t quite go as expected.

Buy it: Grace Needs Space! at Amazon

27. When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed

This unparalleled graphic novel shares the true story of Somali brothers’ life growing up in a refugee camp. Put this at the top of your stack of fourth grade books to build kids’ background knowledge about the experiences of refugees. We’ve seen many kids finish it and then immediately start it over again!

Buy it: When Stars Are Scattered at Amazon

28. Paws series by Nathan Fairbairn

This graphic novel series is ideal for kids who like the Baby-Sitters Club graphic novels . Four best friends who love animals but aren’t allowed to have pets come up with a masterful plan to start a dog-walking business.

Buy it: Paws series at Amazon

29. Squished by Megan Wagner Lloyd

Avery Lee is one of seven siblings, and she wishes she could just have some of her own space! This graphic novel shares all the drama, chaos, and love that happens in a big family. It’s perfect for kids who live in large families themselves or have wondered what it would be like. We adore this author-illustrator team—also check out Allergic —and hope they keep creating together.

Buy it: Squished at Amazon

30. Witches of Brooklyn series by Sophie Escabasse

When Effie moves in with her aunts in Brooklyn and finds out she’s part of a family of witches, everything changes. This graphic novel series has an appealing balance of fantasy and realistic themes about growing up.

Buy it: Witches of Brooklyn series at Amazon

31. Front Desk series by Kelly Yang

This delightful series follows the adventures of Mia Tang, who lives in a motel with her immigrant parents. As her parents clean the motel and help other immigrant families, Mia dreams of being a writer. A timely collection of fourth grade books that honors Chinese culture and experiences.

Buy it: Front Desk series at Amazon

32. New From Here by Kelly Yang

Just go ahead and stock your fourth grade bookshelves with every title Kelly Yang writes! Kids especially love this pandemic-themed story. Ten-year-old Knox has to move suddenly from Hong Kong to California when COVID-19 first begins to spread. The racism he faces in his new home is an unexpected challenge.

Buy it: New From Here at Amazon

33. City Spies series by James Ponti

In this thrilling series that Stuart Gibbs called “a must-read,” Edgar Award winner James Ponti brings together five kids from all over the world and transforms them into real-life spies. It’s wonderful for fans of Spy School and Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls .

Buy it: City Spies series at Amazon

34. Count Me In by Varsha Bajaj

An uplifting story, told through the alternating voices of two middle schoolers, in which a community rallies to reject racism.

Buy it: Count Me In at Amazon

35. A Rover’s Story by Jasmine Warga

Mars rover Res (short for Resilience) is not designed to have feelings—but as he observes the humans around him, emotional responses seem to start creeping in. When his Mars mission launches, he has to dig deep to live up to his name. Quick chapters and varying formats and points of view keep readers hooked on this story. It would be a huge hit as a class read-aloud or for coding- and robotics-loving kiddos.

Buy it: A Rover’s Story at Amazon

36. Welcome to Wonderland series by Chris Grabenstein

Kids will race through this zany series about ambitious P.T. Wilkie, who goes to desperate creative lengths to save his grandfather’s Florida motel. It has a perfect blend of humor and inspirational kid power winning over greedy adults. Plus, kids will learn a bit about business. Add these to your fourth grade books to energize reluctant readers.

Buy it: Welcome to Wonderland series at Amazon

37. The Many Fortunes of Maya by Nicole D. Collier

Maya has a lot on her mind. She loves soccer, music, and her family. But this summer, it feels like things aren’t right. Fresh, readable, and relatable, kids who have experience with parental separation will connect with Maya and appreciate the feel-good ending. The fortune cookie fortunes at the start of each chapter are a fun detail.

Buy it: The Many Fortunes of Maya at Amazon

38. Speculation by Nisi Shawl

When Winna breaks her glasses by mistake, her grandfather gives her a pair that used to belong to her great aunt. She’s in for a huge surprise when it turns out the glasses are magic! They can transport her back in time to learn more about her ancestors—and now it’s up to Winna to solve a crucial mystery. Fantasy-lovers will blaze through this enthralling story, but you can also add this title to your fourth grade books that build kids’ background knowledge about slavery.

Buy it: Speculation at Amazon

39. The Firefly Summer by Morgan Matson

For as long as Ryanna can remember, it’s just been her and her movie-director dad living a quiet, organized life in California. Then her dad gets a letter from her maternal grandparents on the East Coast inviting Ryanna to spend the summer at their camp. She plunges into a wild extended-family scene and a family mystery, complete with a mysterious treasure map to decipher. Share this fun story with fourth graders as they anticipate summer break, or anytime they need a dose of summer family fun.

Buy it: The Firefly Summer at Amazon

40. The Probability of Everything by Sarah Everett

This recent title gets rave reviews from educators for good reason—it’s breathtaking. Eleven-year-old Kemi shares her experiences and reflections as a catastrophic asteroid approaches Earth. This would make a powerful class read-aloud. Be sure to preview it: You’ll love savoring it solo but also because the ending is a surprise, and the book includes themes you’ll want to know about before sharing with students.

Buy it: The Probability of Everything at Amazon

41. Gold Rush Girl by Avi

Wanting to stay with her father, Tory stows away on a ship heading west to search for gold in 1848. Spot-on details and high suspense make this a vivid, absorbing historical adventure for your collection of fourth grade books.

Buy it: Gold Rush Girl at Amazon

42. Shuri: A Black Panther Novel by Nic Stone

Add this to your fourth grade books for students who love the Marvel Universe. This story, written by award-winning YA author Nic Stone, takes readers on an adventure with Shuri, the younger sister of T’Challa (aka the Black Panther).

Buy it: Shuri: A Black Panther Novel at Amazon

43. Mañanaland by Pam Muñoz Ryan

A beautifully written fantasy novel about a young man setting out on a perilous quest. This book, written by the author of Esperanza Rising , is sure to be well loved by your fourth grade students.

Buy it: Mañanaland at Amazon

44. New Kid by Jerry Craft

Winner of the Newbery Medal, the Coretta Scott King Author Award, and the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature, this is a graphic novel about the struggles of being the new kid in school.

Buy it: New Kid at Amazon

45. Weird Little Robots by Caroline Crimi

When two science-savvy girls create an entire robot world, they don’t expect the robots to come alive. But life may be a bit more magical than they thought.

Buy it: Weird Little Robots at Amazon

46. Pumpkin Falls Mysteries by Heather Vogel Frederick

These stories follow the adventures of Truly Lovejoy, a young girl whose family has moved from Texas to a tiny town in New Hampshire to take over their family’s century-old bookstore. Left largely to her own devices, Truly finds herself chasing down clues found in old books.

Buy it: Pumpkin Falls Mysteries at Amazon

47. Pax books by Sara Pennypacker

Included on the National Book Award Longlist, this poignant tale follows the growing pains of a relationship between a boy and his fox.

Buy it: Pax series at Amazon

48. Dragons in a Bag series by Zetta Elliott

This urban fantasy series begins when Jaxon finds out the mean old lady next door is a witch, and she asks him for his help delivering baby dragons to a magical world where they’ll be safe.

Buy it: Dragons in a Bag series at Amazon

49. Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi

Inspired by her childhood love of classic books like A Secret Garden and The Chronicles of Narnia , bestselling author Tahereh Mafi crafts a spellbinding new world where color is currency, adventure is inevitable, and friendship is found in the most unexpected places.

Buy it: Furthermore at Amazon

50. Clean Getaway by Nic Stone

There are so many levels to this story of an 11-year-old boy and his grandmother’s unconventional road trip. The story packs in tons of background about the Civil Rights era without being preachy.

Buy it: Clean Getaway at Amazon

51. The One and Only series by Katherine Applegate

Endearing animal characters and perspectives, relatable emotions—this series of instant fourth grade book classics is a delight to kids and teachers alike!

Buy it: The One and Only series at Amazon

52. The Nerviest Girl in the World by Melissa Wiley

Pearl lives on a cattle-and-ostrich ranch and dreams of following in her brothers’ footsteps as a stunt double in silent films. This historical fiction title is full of fun and spunk and is great for learning about a storyteller’s voice.

Buy it: The Nerviest Girl in the World at Amazon

53. On These Magic Shores by Yamile Saied Méndez

When Minerva’s mother doesn’t come home from her night shift, Minerva takes care of her younger sisters. Amid grave uncertainty, unexplained events bring bits of comfort. This Peter Pan spinoff layers magical thinking with real themes of resilience, responsibility, and family bonds. It’s a fantastic class discussion novel or one to add to a list of fourth grade books to push independent readers toward deeper comprehension.

Buy it: On These Magic Shores at Amazon

54. Pie in the Sky by Remy Lai

Jingwen has lots to cope with between his recent move to Australia and his father’s death, but there’s still room for plenty of humor in this highly readable Own Voices graphic novel. It will particularly resonate with ELL students and those who’ve had to navigate a move to a new place.

Buy it: Pie in the Sky at Amazon

55. Step Up to the Plate, Maria Singh by Uma Krishnaswami

Part sports novel, part World War II–era historical fiction—with a strong dose of girl power—readers will be cheering for Maria.

Buy it: Step Up to the Plate, Maria Singh at Amazon

56. Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster by Jonathan Auxier

We’re predicting it here: This will become a new classic for kids. It’s a fable that stars a young chimney sweep girl during Victorian times who meets tragic circumstances, but the themes of friendship, acceptance, and resilience are timeless. If you have sensitive kiddos, preview it first before reading aloud.

Buy it: Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster at Amazon

57. We’re Not From Here by Geoff Rodkey

This book asks students to imagine they were sent to a completely different planet where they were the outcasts. When it happens to the main character, the situations range from funny to potentially dangerous, but the overall message is timely and meant to make your students think. And isn’t that what the best fourth grade books do?

Buy it: We’re Not From Here at Amazon

Plus, check out our other elementary grade–level book lists:

Best kindergarten books, best 1st grade books, best 2nd grade books, best 3rd grade books, best 5th grade books, which recent fourth grade books are your favorites let us know in the comments, looking for more great book lists subscribe to our newsletters to receive notifications when we post new ones .

We Are Teachers

You Might Also Like

60 3rd Grade Books To Add to Your Classroom Library

Third grade should be a year of awesome books. Continue Reading

Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. 5335 Gate Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32256

A great way to teach about history and content-area topics, biographies highlight famous figures, inventors, scientists, civil rights leaders, sports legends, and heroes. Many of these mini-books, plays, and passages feature question/response activities, biography worksheets, teaching guides, lesson ideas, and graphic organizers.

TRY US RISK-FREE FOR 30 DAYS!

ADD TO YOUR FILE CABINET

THIS RESOURCE IS IN PDF FORMAT

Printable Details

• Number of pages:
• Guided Reading Level:
• Common Core:

Biography Graphic Organizers

Use this collection of biography graphic organizers to help your fourth and fifth grade students explore biographies during reading workshop.

These biography graphic organizers will be a helpful tool for you as you are planning your biography unit of study.

This is another free resource for teachers and homeschool families from The Curriculum Corner.

Planning for a study of biographies

As you plan for your unit of study, your first action should be gathering high interest biographies for your students to explore.

These mentor texts should be good, clear examples of biographies. Include your favorites and be sure to include books that will interest your students as well.  It’s also a good idea to gather a stack of informational text books that fall under that category of narrative nonfiction.  Throughout the unit, you might want to refer to these as nonexamples of biographies.

There are many informational text picture books that are written at a fourth to sixth grade level. This means that you should be able to find some shorter texts that will still challenge your readers. This can be helpful when you want students to explore multiple biographies.

As you work to gather your books, ask students who they would be most interested in learning about. Try to find books that match their requests to keep them engaged in the unit.

If you have a student interested in a subject but are unable to find a book to share, you can turn this into a follow up project. Have the student write their own biography about the subject. You can add this to your classroom librarym .

About these biography graphic organizers

This collection contains a variety of biography graphic organizers. You can choose to use the ones that fit your students best.

As always, I encourage you to model these organizers as you introduce them. This will help students to fully understand the expectations.

Lesson 1  Expository or Narrative Nonfiction?

Begin by helping students understand that there is a different between expository nonfiction and narrative nonfiction. Biographies fall under the category of narrative nonfiction and tell a story. Narrative nonfiction may also tell about an event. Expository nonfiction provides an explanation or directions.

This first lesson is designed to help students develop an understanding of the difference between a biography (which is narrative nonfiction) and expository nonfiction.  

Share the stack of mentor texts along with the nonexamples of biographies (which should be expository nonfiction.)

Allow students time to look through these books and “notice” differences.  Encourage them to make notes on post-its and mark the spots in the text.

These differences will help students begin to develop an understanding of the differences. When students have completed their noticings, pull them together as a class and give them time to share what they found.  

Create an anchor chart for students to refer to that is titled “Noticings” and contains the student observations.   Observations for biographies might include: tells a story, tells about a person’s life, includes dates, has bold words, has a table of contents, includes a glossary, has an index.  

Observations for expository nonfiction might include: gives directions, tells all about an object or animal, explains something, includes dates, has bold words, has a table of contents, includes a glossary, has an index.

Noticings Exit Ticket  To check student understanding, have students complete this exit ticket.  Students find a biography and an example of expository nonfiction. They then include their choices and reasoning on their exit ticket.

Lesson 2 Biography Story Map

A biography can be similar to a fiction book which tells a story.  

It includes a main character, setting, time and often problems.

Have students choose a biography to read and complete this story map.  

You might choose to model this lesson by reading aloud a biography one day and completing the story map together.

The next day, students will use their silent reading time to read a different biography they are interested in and then complete the story map.

Lesson 3 Character Traits

Just like when reading fiction, students reading biographies should be trying to determine the character traits of the subject of the biography.  

It is important for students to understand that character traits are different from what the person looks like. These resources can be used to help students develop an understanding of the difference: Character Traits . 

We suggest using a biography that can be shared during class in order to model the differences for students.  Once students have developed an understanding, they can complete their own graphic organizer after reading a just right book during silent reading time.

Lesson 4 Influences

Every person has others who influence his or her life.  

These people have positive and negative effects on the character in a book.  

For this lesson, focus on how other people in the biography have had an impact on the person.  

Students will identify what influence the person had and if the influence was positive, negative or both.  

It will be necessary for you to model this with the class in order for students to understand the expectations.  

Once a model has been completed with the class, you can have students complete their own graphic organizer during independent reading time.

Lesson 5 Taking Notes While Reading

When reading a biography, it is sometimes important for the reader to take notes so that they remember the important facts.  

This organizer can be used for a tool that helps students record the facts in the book.

Lesson 6 Reflections

An important part of reading is thinking about what is being read.  

Use these cards to encourage students to think about the person they are reading about.  

You can print the page on cardstock and then laminate for durability.

Or, you can print on regular paper and have students choose a question. They can record their response on the back like an exit ticket.

Lesson 7 Asking and Answering Questions

Readers ask and answer questions in their heads as they read to help them create meaning.  

This graphic organizer gives students practice with this skill while asking them to record their thoughts.  

You may choose to have students answer their own questions or to trade with a peer who is reading the same book.

Lesson 8 Cause & Effect

This is a concept which will take a great deal of modeling.  

Students must understand that events in a person’s life lead to outcomes.  

As you read a biography, work with the class to find important events in a person’s life and the impact those events had on the person.  

As part of this work, help students identify where the answers are.  

When students practice this skill independently, you might choose to have them use a post-it note to mark the evidence found in the text.

Lesson 9 Life Lessons

Sometimes reading a biography might teach us lessons we can apply to our own lives.  

Encourage students to look at the book they are reading and determine what they can learn from their character.  

These lessons might be positive or negative.

You can download this set of biography graphic organizers here:

Reading Download

CCSS Standards Addressed:

Preparing Your Reading Workshop - The Curriculum Corner 123

Thursday 20th of June 2019

[…] Biographies Collection for 4th and 5th Grades […]

Biography Unit of Study for Reading - The Curriculum Corner 123

Monday 27th of May 2019

[…] you need additional resources for enrichment or differentiation you might want to check out the Biographies –  Resources from our 456 […]

Monday 14th of April 2014

This is a fabulous post! I hope you don't mind, I'm going to link to this page on Wednesday when I share about biographies on my blog, too! :) :)

Biographies

Back to Ducksters Home Page

Trending Post : Books Made Into Movies

80 Best Chapter Books for 4th Graders (Age 9)

This post may contain affiliate links.

Find the best chapter books and  middle grade books  for 4th graders. These books for 9-year-old boys and girls in 4th grade are book recommendations that I’ve personally read and reviewed using my background as an educator and parent . They’re in every genre and are about many different age-appropriate themes and topics that appeal to kids in this upper elementary grade. All of these books are excellent.

Who am I to recommend good books to young readers? I’m a former teacher and teacher trainer with a Master’s Degree in Education, a teaching license, a Bachelor’s in English, and a parent of two. I’m also a writer and avid reader. (As you probably can guess.) I read ALL the books and share the best of the best with you. Plus, I continually update this list with the most recently published books.

Funniest Books for 4th Grade Boys & Girls

• First Cat in Space  by Mac Barnett (graphic novel)
• The Diary of a Wimpy Kid  by Jeff Kinney
• The Last Kids on Earth  by Max Brallier
• The Terrible Two  by Mac Barnett and Jory John
• Fortunately, the Milk  by Neil Gaiman
• Pie in the Sky  by Remy Lai
• Big Nate Welcome to My World   by Lincoln Peirce (graphic novel)
• Phoebe and Her Unicorn: A Heavenly Nostrils Chronicle  by Dana Simpson (graphic novel)
• Crabgrass Comic Adventures  by Tauhid Bondia (graphic novel)

Fourth graders are leaving chapter books and entering the world of younger  middle grade books . The difference between the two is that  chapter books are usually shorter, illustrated, and about less complex topics.  They will overlap in themes like friendship and family or animals and identity.

However, middle grade books are about twice as long, if not three times longer, and usually don’t have illustrations. (Although you  can  find good  illustrated middle grade books .) The topics will be more complex — about bullying and divorce and death.

SHOP THIS LIST

If you want the BEST BOOKS for 9-year-olds in 4th grade, I’d love to send you a free printable pdf!

You might also like these book lists for 9-year-olds:

• The best books in a series  for 4th graders
• Summer reading list for 4th graders
• Good nonfiction books for 4th graders
• Graphic novels for 4th graders

Most Heartwarming Books for 4th Graders

• The One and Only Ivan  by Katherine Applegate
• The Wild Robot  by Peter Brown
• Boy at the Back of the Class   by Onjali Q Raúf
• Bernice Buttman, Model Citizen  by Niki Lenz
• Cress Watercress  by Gregory Maguire
• Your Pal Fred  by Michael Rex  (graphic novel)
• Bob  by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead
• Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures  by Kate DiCamillo

If you need harder books, go to my Best Books for 5th Graders .

If you need easier books, go to my Best Books for 3rd Graders .

Also read:  Gifts for 9 Year Old Girls and  Gifts for 9 Year Old Boys

Best Books for 4th Graders (9 Year Olds)

First Cat in Space  by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Shawn Harris  SCI-FI / GRAPHIC NOVEL Absurdly hysterical, this is a bizarrely perfect adventure in  space ! When rats eat a second of the moon, the world’s leaders send their secret weapon– a cat and a stowaway toenail-clipping robot.  The two adventurers meet the Queen of Moonopolis, who leads them beneath the moon’s surface through the mine tunnels, where they have more silly adventures until they GET CAPTURED. But don’t worry — somehow, they’ll escape. Right?

Amulet   by Kazu Kibuishi FANTASY / GRAPHIC NOVEL This popular graphic novel series is about two siblings trying to save their mom who was taken to an underground world of elves, demons, robots, and talking animals . Beautiful artwork with compelling characters and an adventurous plot make this a sure-fire hit with young readers.

Leeva at Last by Sara Pennypacker, illustrated by Matthew Cordell REALISTIC Leeva’s horrible Matilda-like parents ask her sarcastically, What are people for? And Leeva, who isn’t allowed to go to school and does the chores, cooking, and other tasks to help her parents become rich and famous, decides to investigate the question. She discovers the library and books — but more than that, she discovers kind new friends, including the librarian and her grandson and two kids her age. She realizes that people help you not be lonely because they share life with you…and hugs are a nice bonus, too. I love the writing and the message of kindness and good things from books!

Nancy Spector : The Case of the Missing Spot written by Stephen W. Martin, illustrated by Linh Pham FANTASY GRAPHIC NOVELS 208 pages The invisible man has lost his invisible dog, so 8-year-old detective Nancy and her dog Jinx take the case! Where is Spot? Get ready for chipmunk unicorns, dragons, monsters, and a hamster funeral! This is an entertaining, adventurous mystery with beautiful art.

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney FUNNY One of the most popular book series ever, The Diary of a Wimpy Kid , shares the hilarious story of Greg, in his own words and drawings. Life in middle school is not easy. And Greg is here to prove it! One thing you’ll notice about these books is that kids will read them more than once, which is great if you have them all.

The One and Only Ivan  by Katherine Applegate REALISTIC Narrated by a gorilla named Ivan, this true story will immediately grab your heartstrings.  Ivan is kept in a cage in a run-down mall for 27 years without seeing another gorilla.  When his maltreated elephant friend dies there, she asks Ivan to help the new, younger elephant find a better life. With the help of the janitor’s daughter, he does just that.

The Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier, illustrated by Douglas Colgate SCIENCE FICTION / PARANORMAL This hilarious book makes the   zombie apocalypse seem fun . Because that’s how Jack approaches life and zombie fights. He and his best friend, Quint, live in an upgraded, well-defended treehouse where they plan for rescuing his crush June (she doesn’t need rescuing being quite capable) and fighting zombies. Illustrations throughout make this even more appealing to read and imagine. Delightful. Who would have thought?! BOXED SET HERE.

Link + Hud Heroes by a Hair by Jarrett Pumphrey and Jerome Pumphrey REALISTIC / FUNNY Jarrett and Jerome are brothers with BIG imaginations. When they go on imaginary adventures, read those in a graphic novel format. They also use their creative powers to get rid of babysitters. Currently, they’re working on terrorizing their older babysitter, Ms. Joyce. But she’s smart–and isn’t fooled by the boys’ behavior. In fact, she saves their dad’s failing hair product business by turning it into a cleaning product. Kids will love the action, humor, and fun of this illustrated adventure book for 4th graders!

I Survived  by Lauren Tarshis HISTORICAL FICTION These are excellent, fast-paced adventure books for 4th graders set during significant historical events that are perfect for elementary-age kids just getting comfortable with chapter books. Kids will zip through these incredible adventures, learning history in the process. The I Survived books always are about a young person trying to survive a historically significant, life-changing event such as Pompeii, the Titanic, Pearl Harbor, or the Battle of Gettysburg.

Worst Week Ever: Monday written by Matt Cosgrove FUNNY In this hilarious, illustrated chapter book , engaging writing zips along to tell the story of…MONDAY. On this day, literally, all the bad things happen to this poor kid named Justin, but I like that you never feel despair or get frustrated because of the way it’s written. The funny yet tragic events include a new school, the wrong suitcase of clothes, crochet swimtrunks, and explosive diarrhea.

Reading Journal for Kids

102 pages of fun!

Write reviews for books! Draw, imagine, and write more about the books you read. This is a wonderful journal to get kids excited about what they read!

Things in the Basement by Ben Hatke FANTASY / GRAPHIC NOVEL This beautifully drawn and narrated clever adventure is set in the world of…the basement. When Milo’s baby sister loses her special pink knit sock, he searches for it in the basement. The basement leads Milo to another basement, and then another basement, and to a whole labyrinth of basement worlds. He befriends a friendly skull named Chuckles, an eyeball creature named Weepie, and a ghost named Belle. Milo uses the sock’s yarn, help from his ghost friend, and his problem-solving skills to rescue his friends from the Gobbler and return home with the pink sock. This is a fantastical, magical journey of friendship, kindness, and secret worlds!

Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All  written and illustrated by Chanel Miller REALISTIC /  ILLUSTRATED In this charming, illustrated story, Magnolia’s parents own a laundromat in New York City. A new girl named Iris from California suggests that Magnolia find the owners of the lost socks on the (slightly embarrassing) lost sock bulletin board so that’s how the girls spend their days. Magnolia uses her knowledge of their customers to seek out the owners. They learn the backstories and secrets of many people, as well as introduce Iris to the city of New York.  Magnolia experiences growing pains in her new friendship but also growth in other relationships in her beautiful, diverse, and kind community.

Land of Stories by Chris Colfer FANTASY Fairy tales become very real when Alex and Conner (a brother and sister) find themselves transported to the fairy tale world. To get home, they’ll need to find the ingredients for a Wishing Spell. Finding the items will be dangerous, mysterious, and life-changing. All the books in this series are compelling, magical adventures about characters you will ADORE . My kids and I couldn’t put these down.

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown REALISTIC (ish) Roz is a robot alone on an island with only animals. If she wants to survive, she must figure out how to live in the wild where the animals see her as a monster. That slowly changes when Roz adopts a gosling and makes a nest. It’s a meaningful story of family, love, and community that consistently garners love from teachers and students.

The Sasquatch Escape   by Suzanne Selfors FANTASY Ben doesn’t think his summer could be any more boring–until he rescues a baby dragon. He and his new friend, Pearl Petal, learn that the town has a secret veterinarian for… imaginary creatures. That’s when they accidentally let a Sasquatch escape. Whoops. Now the pair must lure the big guy back to the veterinarian. (Which is easier said than done.) This is one of the best book series for 4th graders — a delightful page-turner.

Legends of Lotus Island: The Guardian Test  by Christina Soontornvat, illustrated by Kevin Hong FANTASY Plum is thrilled with the opportunity to go to a Guardian school where she hopes she’ll turn into a Guardian to protect the natural world.  At the Academy, she struggles to focus; she worries that she’ll never get her animal bond like the other students. But she learns how to fight, talk to animals, and hopes she can prove herself. Readers will love the cool world-building, the captivating illustrations, and the engaging story!

Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q Raúf REALISTIC / IMMIGRATION Alexa and her friends learn that the new kid, Ahmed, was in a real war and has been separated from his family. So when Alexa and her friends hear that England is going to shut the borders, they decide they must go to the Queen to help Ahmed be reunited with his family. They go to the palace in person, tangling with the guards, and getting in big trouble but it eventually leads to media attention and a happy solution. 

Bernice Buttman, Model Citizen by Niki Lenz REALISTIC A genuinely sweet story about a girl who goes from a bully to a trying-to-do-better model citizen that will make you laugh and warm your heart. When Bernice’s mom sends Bernice to live with her nun aunt, it’s a chance for this former bully to reform her mean-spirited ways. And Bernice does it — she makes a friend, becomes nicer, and finds an unexpected home with the nuns. One of my favorite books for 4th graders!

Trapped in a Video Game  by Dustin Brady, illustrated by Brady Jessee SCIENCE FICTION Gamers and non-gamers alike who love exciting and dangerous stories won’t want to miss this excellent series . Jesse’s friend gets an early release of a video game — and it sucks in both he and his friend while they’re playing. They’re literally trapped in the video game! Inside the game, they meet a missing classmate who is a grown-up man in the game. Because there’s no way out. Or is there?

Cress Watercress  by Gregory Maguire, illustrated by David Litchfield  ANIMAL FICTION After the death of her father, Cress and her family move from their cozy burrow into the Broken Arms oak tree ruled by a cranky Owl with a noisy neighbor squirrel family. There, Cress helps her mom collect moths to pay their rent, leaving her mom time to work and gather ingredients for her sickly brother’s tea. As Cress navigates her new environment, the natural world, and the stories around her, it helps her understand her inner world, especially how grief waxes and wanes like the moon’s cycles.  A beautiful story about family, community, and grief .  

The Magical Reality of Nadia by Bassem Youssef and Catherine R. Daly, illustrated by Douglas Holgate Nadia unexpectedly discovers an ancient Egyptian teacher (Titi) trapped in her hippo amulet. He comes out onto a paper and TALKS! Tita helps Nadia with problems she faces at school like the new kid who is rude and prejudiced about her Egyptian culture and troubles with her friends who are working together on a school project. Totally wonderful, heartfelt, and relatable– don’t miss this new book for fourth graders.

The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett and Jory John, illustrated by Kevin Cornell HUMOR If you like funny books , you’ll LOVE these books for 4th graders, 9-year-olds! Plus, in this first book, you’ll learn valuable cow trivia. But, it’s mostly the hilarious adventure of two pranksters who start out as rivals but eventually work together to pull off the biggest prank of all time — a prank that will ensure they get April Fool’s Day off from school.

Your Pal Fred  by Michael Rex  SCI-FI  / GRAPHIC NOVEL Fred is a robot who brings kindness (and STICKERS!) to a dystopian world he makes better in this funny, warmhearted, and interesting story.  When Fred discovers that two warlords are capturing innocent people to fight as soldiers for them, Fred knows what he has to do–ask the two bad guys to try peace. He irritates and surprises everyone he meets with his cheerfulness and positive attitude, even when he’s caught and “tortured” with drumming, which, of course, he loves. His character oozes charm, you can’t help but love him–along with the other curious characters that he meets.

Operation Happy :  A World War II Story of Courage, Resilience, and an Unbreakable Bond   written by Jenni L. Walsh HISTORICAL FICTION   WWII Jody’s marine dad moves their family to Hawaii in 1940. When the worst happens, and Pearl Harbor is bombed, Jody, her dog Happy, her sister, and her mom are evacuated to San Francisco. There, Jody’s mom stays in bed and is uncommunicative so it’s up to Jody and her sister to take care of themselves. But it’s too much, especially after Happy saves Jody from an attack.  The loving relationship with Happy fills this story with sweetness despite the hardships they face.  It’s a good historical fiction book that would appeal to lower grades and sensitive readers who don’t want to read about the violence of war.

Dungeoneer Adventures  by Ben Costa, illustrated by James Parks FANTASY /  ILLUSTRATED Coop is the only human at the Dungeoneer Academy. He feels alone and fears failure but it’s his lifelong dream to be an explorer. Luckily, his best friend Oggie (a bugbear) and two other new friends on his team stick together to survive the bullying Coop faces at school and the life-or-death jungle trial in which they experience trouble with their team, unexpected attacks, and a monster spider. The stakes are high–if they fail the trial, they’ll be kicked out of the school forever.  It’s a fun-to-read, illustrated, and fast-paced fantastical book for 4th graders!

Allergic by Megan Wagner Lloyd and Michelle Mee Nutter REALISTIC A well-done middle-grade graphic novel about a child with allergies! Maggie is devastated that she’s allergic to the puppy she’s finally allowed to get. But, she befriends a new girl next door who becomes a fun, safe solace in her life…until that friend gets a puppy which Maggie interprets this her new friend not wanting to be friends anymore. Eventually, the two friends work out a solution for hanging out that won’t be a problem for Maggie’s allergies. The story ends with Maggie helping with her new baby sister and feeling like she doesn’t need an animal pet anymore.

Mythics: Marina and the Kraken written by Lauren Magaziner, illustrated by Mirelle Ortega FANTASY What an exciting start to what is sure to be a smash-hit series of adventure, girl power, and mythical creatures ! When Marina doesn’t get matched with a familiar like the other kids, she and four other 10-year-old girls discover their familiars aren’t everyday animals but mythical creatures and together, they’re destined to save Terrafamiliar. The girls start their search by boat to look for Marian’s familiar. But they’re chased by a golden jumpsuit lady who wants to steal their mythical powers. As they evade their pursuer, Marina discovers that her familiar is a kraken– a kraken who accidentally capsizes their ship. Now, she and her kraken must save her friends from drowning and escape the sinister lady.

Elements of Genius: Nikki Tesla and the Ferret-Proof Death Ray by Jess Keating ADVENTURE — STEM Inventor Nikki Tesla joins a new school called the Genius Academy where she’s not the only genius and she’s supposed to start working well with others. (That will be hard!) When Nikki’s death ray is stolen from a locked safe, she and her classmates must collaborate to find it and hopefully, save the world. They follow clues around the world, thwart plots to divide their group and capture the bad guy before he can use the death ray. Not only does this engrossing story feature smart kids who love STEM but the action and themes of friendship and growing up resonated and entertained me.

Molly and the Bear : An Unlikely Pair written by Bob Scott and Vicki Scott with art by Bob Scott and color by Vicki Scott When Bear breaks into Molly’s house for cookies, she learns he’s an anxious bear with many fears. Molly agrees to hide Bear in her house. And when it’s time for Molly to go back to school, she brings Bear along. The kids love him, but the teachers FREAK OUT! Then, her parents discover Bear — and things get really complicated! This is a fantastic friendship adventure with Calvin and Hobbes vibes.

Indian No More by Charlene Willing McManis and Traci Sorell HISTORICAL FICTION Indian No More is an emotional, important story about when the U.S. government arbitrarily made certain Native American tribes no longer tribes without reservations or legal rights. It also shows the historical landscape of prejudice and stereotypes towards people of color. I love the close-knit, loving family based on the author’s own life, a family who values each other and their survival. This book is a must-read and must-own for all schools and libraries and would make an excellent book club selection.

The Great Zoodini  written by PJ Gardner ANIMAL ADVENTURE ,  ILLUSTRATED Zoodini is a fennec fox who’s been abandoned and rejected many times. This time, he gets sent to another sanctuary, but the girl who runs it is actually kind, and the variety of animals are friends with each other — both of which are surprising to Zoodini. When the girl’s cousin tricks her and plans to sell the animals in her absence, Zoodini knows he must plan his greatest escape with ALL the animals. But he gets caught in a lie, and his escape doesn’t go as planned. He’s feeling regretful, lonely, and worried. Now what will he do?  This is the charming story of finding your home and your family.

Kristy’s Great Idea Babysitter’s Club  Full-Color Graphix Novel by Ann M. Martin, illustrated by Raina Telgemeier REALISTIC We’re loving these updated Babysitter’s Club graphic novels by the uber-talented Raina Telegemeier. It’s a good idea to start with book 1 since the stories are told in sequential order. These are funny and fun to read, maybe even more than once. BOX SET HERE.

Sparks  by Ian Boothby, illustrated by Nina Matsumoto SUPERHERO After escaping the evil laboratory, cats August and Charlie help others in a “Super Dog” dog disguise.  But their evil scientist nemesis, a diaper-wearing baby named Princess, will stop at nothing to recapture the escaped cats…and conquer the entire world. These books for 4th graders are filled with adventure, friendship, and humor!

Sports Superheroes Stephen Curry written by Josh Bycel and Rich Korson, illustrated by Damion Scott INFORMATIONAL FICTION GRAPHIC NOVEL SPORTS When they’re at a basketball game, Maya and Jesse get a text that leads them to a secret throne room of sports superheroes. The masked and hooded judges ask Maya and Jessee to help them decide on who will be the next generation of sports superheroes. With humor and excitement, the kids and the heroes talk about Stephen Curry’s life and career, including his defining moments, stats, being an underdog and underrated who was overlooked in high school and college, his habits and practices, joining the NBA, marriage, and kids. It’s informative, funny (farts and butts included), and excellent!

Once Upon a Tim  by Stuart Gibbs FANTASY Hilarious, illustrated, and perfect for fantasy and adventure fans!  Tim and his sister Belinda are peasants who hope to improve their lot in life, so they sign up as knights for a not-very-brave prince and his so-called magician sidekick to find and rescue Princess Grace from a monster. Helpful foreshadowing, a strong narrative voice, and humor throughout plus helpful life lessons from Belinda about the patriarchy and great vocabulary words (which are helpfully indicated so your parents will know the IQ benefits).

Dungeon Runners written by Kieran Larwood, illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton FANTASY There are underdogs, and then there are under-underdogs –small, young, and inexperienced! Two kid gnorfs (dwarf gnomes) and a vampire enter as a team in the Dungeon Running League. The other teams are experienced, older, and well-trained. Their new team has no training, skills, or even height. What could go wrong –besides everything? Readers will love cheering on this hapless team whose kindness, teamwork, and luck might just make all the difference!

Chupacarter  by George Lopez and Ryan Calejo  FANTASY Fast-paced, exciting, well-written, and dynamically illustrated about friendship and monsters!  Jorge gets sent to New Mexico to live with his abuelos, but he is miserable. Bullied at his school by other kids and a mean big-game-hunting principal, Jorge unexpectedly makes a friend outside of school –with a  chupacabra  named Carter.But Carter ISN’T a monster and they have a lot in common like candy and climbing trees and playing hide-and-seek. Even still, Carter needs to reunite with his family especially because Jorge’s school principal is hunting him. Jorge and his two school friends come up with an ingenious plan to get Carter to safety–but will they be too late? 

Bad Kitty Supercat  by Nick Bruel  HUMOR  / GRAPHIC NOVEL Bad Kitty’s owner tells Bad Kitty to get off screens and play with some other cats.  But Bad Kitty isn’t happy about having playdates. Eventually, Playdate Candidate #4 (Strange Kitty) brings imagination and comic books and Strange Kitty helps Bad Kitty find his  superhero  persona –just in time to meet the supervillain! Playful, imaginative, and hilarious–this is my new favorite Bad Kitty book and his first graphic novel.

Olga and the Smelly Thing From Nowhere  by Elise Gravel HUMOR   If you LOVE kooky books, this book fits the bill.   Olga finds a most unusual, unknown creature whom she names “MEH” after the sound it makes.  She uses her deductive reasoning to figure out what it is (something new!) and what it likes to eat (olives)! But what will she do when Meh disappears? Things I love about this book: 1) the illustrations — they rock! 2) the narrator’s voice — it’s believable and funny 3) the plot — especially the mean girls who aren’t so mean after all.

Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Skottie Young HUMOR   If you like quirky humor, then this is your perfect book. Because you will never believe, except you totally will, what happens when the kids’ father goes out to get more milk. He doesn’t even get the milk but he does run into pirates, aliens, and all sorts of incredible things! Totally hilarious and quite short–which is appealing to many readers.

Boo Hag Flex written by Justina Ireland SCARY / SHORT MIDDLE GRADE After Tasha’s mom dies, she’s sent to stay with her grandmother and deadbeat dad. Mostly Tasha hangs out with her new friend Ellie. The girls soon realize that a boo hag is killing the old folks at the trailer park and Tasha’s grandmother is next. They read in a hoodoo legends book how to stop the boo hag but they could never imagine who the boo hag is. Tasha will need her wits and bravery to save her grandmother and stop the murderous creature trying to live forever.

Pie in the Sky  by Remy Lai REALISTIC /  IMMIGRATION Pie in the Sky is an insightful, funny, and poignant look at the struggles of immigrating to a new country (Australia) and the difficulties of learning English, along with growing up and grieving the loss of a father. He misses baking with his papa so after school with his brother,  he breaks his mom’s rules against using the kitchen and bakes the cakes  that his father wanted to include in his dream Pie in the Sky bakery.  Like Jingwen says about his new beginnings and sad losses, this is a story that is both salty and sweet.

Bob  by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead MAGICAL REALISM In the sweetest story of friendship,   10-year-old Livy meets Bob, a green zombie-looking monster wearing a chicken costume  living in the closet at her grandma’s house. He’s been waiting for her to return for the last 5 years. Only Livy can’t remember him at all. Even when she leaves the house for an errand, she forgets. But she’s determined to help Bob find his way back home. Wherever that may be. We love this story!! This is a great  family   read-aloud  choice!

It’s the End of the World and I’m in My Bathing Suit  by Justin A. Reynolds ADVENTURE When he’s forced to stay home from the beach party because he needs to do his laundry since every single stinky piece of clothing, is dirty, Eddie hurries through the washing with quick cycles–until the power unexpectedly goes out.  Eddie leaves the house to investigate and finds four other kids but NO ONE ELSE. No parents. No kids. NO ONE.  It’s all very mysterious and suspenseful, especially when the street lights turn back on — without the electricity coming back on. What is going on? Cliff hanger alert!

Crabgrass Comic Adventures  by Tauhid Bondia  FUNNY   /  GRAPHIC NOVEL You will LOVE the  friendship adventures of Kevin and Miles.  These stories are fun, hilarious, relatable, and entertaining. If you like Calvin and Hobbes, you’ll love this good book for 4th graders.

Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan HISTORICAL FICTION Forced to flee a dangerous situation in Mexico, Esperanza and her mother arrive in California and start working as migrant farm workers. The back-breaking work is only part of their new, challenging life. In this beautifully written, soulful novel, Esperanza learns to thrive no matter what her circumstances.

Legendarios :  Wrath of the Rain God  written by Karla Arenas Valenti, illustrated by Vanessa Morales FANTASY  /  MYTHOLOGY Although the publisher is suggesting this is a chapter book, the reading level feels more middle grade to me so I’d say it’s short middle grade. Twins Emma and Martin travel back to ancient Mexico during Aztec times where they meet an indigenous girl whose village is flooding due to torrential rain.  To save the village, they must stop the angry rain god, Tlloc.  But he won’t stop until the twins return his stolen lightning bolt.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan FANTASY This series is amazing! Greek gods still exist and so do their kids, demigods, who have incredible abilities. Unfortunately for these kids, monsters are out to kill them. But, they are also the only ones who can save the world from a war between the Greek gods the Titans. Percy goes to Camp Half-Blood where he gets trained to protect himself… that is until he’s sent on a dangerous quest. Betrayal, adventure, plot twists, and incredible mythological world-building make these stories that kids can’t put down.

Dragon Slippers  trilogy by Jessica Day George FANTASY We can’t recommend this book series enough! Young and brave Creel wants nothing more than to own her own seamstress shop. In her pursuit of this dream, she befriends a special dragon who, along with magical dragon slippers, changes her life.

Who Would Win? Whale vs. Giant Squid by Jerry Pallotta, illustrated by Rob Bolster NONFICTION Kids can’t get enough of the Who Would Win? books that pit two ocean carnivores against each other. In this book, read facts about each creature then compare with a face-off. See if you can you predict who will win! See all the addicting informational books in the Who Would Win series .

Big Nate Welcome to My World   by Lincoln Peirce GRAPHIC NOVELS / FUNNY BOOKS I think the Big Nate comics are even better than the novels — they are just so stinking funny! Lincoln Peirce “gets” kids and their struggles — the episodes will keep both you and your kids cracking up.

Phoebe and Her Unicorn: A Heavenly Nostrils Chronicle by Dana Simpson FUNNY / GRAPHIC NOVELS Sarcastic and hilarious, this is a laugh-out-loud story about a precocious young girl and her reluctant unicorn “best friend”. BOXED SET

Timid written and illustrated by Jonathan Todd REALISTIC GRAPHIC NOVEL I love Jonathan Todd’s art style — it feels crisp, appealing, and easy to follow–especially with the size of his text. The slice-of-life story is semiautobiographical about a boy named Cecil moving to a new town. He’s navigating friendships at his new school, including a not-so-good friend he eventually decides isn’t for him, going to church with his family, and reading and drawing his own comics. It’s an honest depiction of the challenges of moving, especially when you’re a quiet kid.

Dying to Meet You 43 Cemetary Road by Kate Klise, illustrated by M. Sarah Klise HUMOR The 43 Old Cemetery Road books are funny and punny adventures with a kid, a cat, a grumpy ghost, and a really cool writing style in letters, emails, newspaper clippings, jokes, and more. These books are addictive!

Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures  by  Kate DiCamillo MAGICAL REALISM Quirky and delightful, this is the  tale of a girl named Flora who rescues a squirrel and keeps it as a friend . Together, they experience the world in a unique, funny, and wonderful way and straighten it out, too — especially Flora’s mother.

Restart  by Gordon Korman REALISTIC Chase has no memory of who he is or was.  But he starts to get clues when straight out of the hospital when a strange girl dumps ice cream on his head. Chase soon realizes that he doesn’t like his former self. Now he’ll have to decide what kind of person he wants to be. Because he’s enjoying his new life in the film club and the new (“nerdy”) friends he’s made. This thought-provoking book for 4th grade will challenge kids to consider their choices, behavior, and life goals.

Killer Species   by Michael P. Spradlin ADVENTURE (SCI-FI) Get ready for a fast-paced adventure series about a mad scientist who creates a hybrid crocodile-dinosaur-bird killer creature to stop visitors from entering the Everglades. Emmet and his father arrive to investigate but when his father is kidnapped, Emmet and his friend, Calvin, know it’s up to them to find where the kidnapper is holding Emmet’s father. GREAT for reluctant readers — and anyone who loves an action-packed sci-fi mystery!

Garvey’s Choice: The Graphic Novel written by Nikki Grimes, art by Theodore Taylor III REALISTIC / GRAPHIC NOVEL Garvey’s dad wants him to play sports instead of reading. Making life even worse, everyone seems to make fun of Garvey’s size, calling him names like chunky and little piggy. Then, a new foodie friend helps Garvey enjoy food and not feel guilty about eating. That same friend also encourages Garvey to join the chorus, which he does secretly and loves it. Singing makes Garvey feel more like himself. This sweet coming-of-age story is written in tanka poetry, so it reads like a graphic novel in verse with some dialogue. It’s fast, mesmerizing, and emotion-filled.

Harry Potter series  by J.K. Rowling FANTASY The best-selling children’s book of all time, this is a MUST READ for many reasons: the brilliant storytelling, a complex and entertaining plot, relatable characters, rich language, essential life lessons about friendship and bravery , and more. ( See all my reasons for reading Harry Potter. )

The Great Shelby Holmes   by Elizabeth Eulberg MYSTERY What a lovely surprise! This  Sherlock Holmes  inspired book for 4th graders is well-written with a great plot. John Watson moves with his mom who has recently left both the military and John’s dad to Harlem. There he meets a very unique girl named Shelby Holmes who reluctantly allows him to tag along with her as she solves her latest crime —  the mystery of a missing show-dog stolen from a classmate’s secure house.

Area 51 Files  by Julie Buxbaum, illustrated by Lavanya Naidu SCIENCE FICTION Sky moves to Area 51, a sanctuary for aliens, where her new guardian, her uncle. She’s sad that she can’t ever leave Area 51 or see her beloved grandma again but she makes friend with an alien boy at school. When a group of aliens is abducted, all clues point to Sky’s uncle. She and her friends try to solve who the culprit really is.  It’s a funny mystery, adventure, and friendship story with aliens and illustrations!

Belly Up by Stuart Gibbs MYSTERY / FUNNY BOOK (series) Was the FunJungle’s hippo murdered? Teddy and Summer think so. Mystery, adventure, and humor will keep your readers on the edge of their seats in this unique story with lovable, quirky characters. This was one of my daughter’s favorite books for 4th graders.

Ride On by Faith Erin Hicks REALISTIC / GRAPHIC NOVEL Norrie loves horses and the low-key stables where she works and rides. She welcomes the new girl, Victoria, who rejects her offer of friendship because Victoria has decided that no friends means no drama. But another friend at the stables connects to Victoria about their friend group with a favorite science fiction show. They find common ground, forgiveness, and mutual support. It’s a beautifully knit-together, relatable story of friendship, horses, being yourself, and growing in confidence.

The Familiars  series by Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson FANTASY My kids and I are big fans of this fantasy series. Do you know about familiars? They are the magical animal companions to wizards. And, in this first story, the kids and their familiars must save the world when the wizards’ powers are taken away.  Great books for 4th graders who love animals and magical adventures.

Two-Headed Chicken  by Tom Angleberger  FUNNY Hilarious!!  If you like wacky, bizarre humor then this is your next favorite read.  This is a story about the multiverse in which you are a two-headed chicken being chased by a moose…and it’s laugh-out-loud funny. Follow the two-headed chicken through the multiverse, take funny quizzes, meet a fish with deep feelings as well as a lawyer, and learn about so much more! 

Rez Dogs  by Joseph Bruchac  REALISTIC /  VERSE Because of the pandemic, Malin is sent away to live with her grandparents on the Wabanaki reservation.  A rez dog named Malsum adopts her, becoming her ally and friend, which helps her adjust to living without her parents.  Her grandparents teach Malin about the history of Native kids taken away by the government. Her grandparents share many other stories of their beliefs and history which help Malin connect to her heritage. 

Nick and Tesla’s High-Voltage Danger Lab  by Science Bob Pflugfleder and Steve Hockensmith SCI-FI /  MYSTERY BOOK Siblings Nick and Tesla are shipped off to live with their mad-scientist Uncle Newt for the summer while their parents are . . . doing something with soybeans in Uzbekistan? When left to fend for themselves, the siblings discover something very suspicious at the old mansion down the street. Throughout the story, these STEM wizards invent gadgets and gizmos and give you directions to do the same.  This adventurous STEM series makes science and technology fun!

Voyage of the Frostheart  by Jamie Littler BEST FANTASY BOOKS A   fantastic, illustrated adventure book for 4th grade about an orphan boy with forbidden musical powers.  4th-grade readers meet sentient creatures like the vulpi, a walrus and a yeti, not just human-kin, who live in Strongholds to stay safe from the monstrous Lurkers and Leviathans. After Ash’s Pathfinder parents disappear, Ash moves in with a strict guardian Yeti named Tobu. Unfortunately, they’re banished from their home when Ash uses his forbidden Song Weaver magic. They leave the village with a Pathfinder crew and Ash realizes that he can find his parents using the words in his childhood lullaby. 

The Pear Affair  by Judith Eagle, illustrated by Jo Rioux MYSTERY Nell can’t wait to tag along with her horrid and neglectful parents to Paris so she can search for her beloved former nanny Pear, who she’s convinced is missing since Pear hasn’t written in months. While in Paris, Nell learns about the strange moldy bread problem plaguing the city’s bakeries. She meets new friends who guide her around the underground tunnels of Paris. They help her find Nell and uncover the truth about her parents and their connection to the moldy bread.  A page-turning mystery with a perfect ending!

Join other teachers, parents, librarians, and grandparents who receive my newsletter of book reviews and learning resources.

One and Only Ruby by Katherine Applegate ANIMAL STORY Ruby is dreading Tuskday because she associates tusks with pain. She tells her uncles (Bob and Ivan) about her life before, her life in Africa when she was happy and loved until hunters slaughtered her herd. After that, Ruby was rescued, then captured again by greedy black-market animal traders, and sent to the zoo in the mall. Also, Ruby misses her beloved auntie Stella. Ruby’s new aunties help her to honor Stella, and it helps Ruby realizes that Stella was with her all along…and that she IS ready for the Tuskday growing up ceremony.

Minerva Keen’s Detective Club by James Patterson and Keir Graff MYSTERY Has there ever been an exciting kid-appropriate murder mystery? Not often, that’s for sure! In this murder mystery story, amateur detective Minerva finds one person after another who has been poisoned! She is intent on helping the police detective solve the case, so she, her brother Heck, and her new school friend Santos investigate every possibility. It’s fast-paced, interesting, and engaging.

The Remarkable Rescue of Milkweed Meadow by Elaine Dimopoulos ANIMAL ADVENTURE Butternut grows up in a close-knit rabbit family with lessons, rules, and storytelling. Although, when he ignores his family’s rules, everything changes for the better. Breaking the rules, Butternut befriends a talkative, kind-hearted robin and a wounded fawn. When they discover coyote cubs without their mother, Butternut must decide how far his kindness toward others will extend — will it include predators? Metafiction elements about stories, plotting, and narrative twists add extra playful fun to this story as well. This is a sweet story of kindness, friendship, and community.

Book Lists By Age

Easy Reader Books for 5- and 6- year olds  Beginning / Easy Chapter Books for 6- and 7- Year Olds Books for 8-year olds Books for 9-year olds Books for 10-year olds Books for 11-year olds Books for 12-year olds YA Books

Read Aloud Books by Grade Level

Read Aloud Books for 1st Grade

Read Aloud Books for 2nd Grade

Read Aloud Books for 3rd Grade

Read Aloud Books for 4th Grade

Read Aloud Books for 5th Grade

Read Aloud Books for 6th Grade

Book Lists By Genre

Adventure Books for Kids Fantasy Books for Kids Funny Books for Kids Historical Fiction Books for Kids Mystery Books for Kids Nonfiction Books for Kids Realistic Books for Kids Science Fiction Books for Kids ALL Picture Book Reviews

Book List By Topic

See all children’s books (picture books, nonfiction, and chapter books) organized by topic .

Melissa Taylor, MA, is the creator of Imagination Soup. She's a mother, former teacher & literacy trainer, and freelance education writer. She writes Imagination Soup and freelances for publications online and in print, including Penguin Random House's Brightly website, USA Today Health, Adobe Education, Colorado Parent, and Parenting. She is passionate about matching kids with books that they'll love.

Similar Posts

My son isn’t sick. he’s different and so are you.

Children’s Books About India and Indian Culture

Entertaining and Wise, The Inquisitor’s Tale Is a Must-Read

11 Meaningful Children’s Books About Pollution

13 Dead End Drive is a Diabolically Fun Family Strategy Game

Pyramix Game of Strategy

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

18 Comments

Are there any books that feature diverse characters and mythical creatures that can inspire young readers to explore different cultures and beliefs?

Yes! These books are exploding onto the market. That being said, most of them aren’t written at a 4th grade reading level. Good readers who are even one grade level above have more options. Here are some suggestions — https://imaginationsoup.net/middle-grade-mythological-books/ . Legendarios: Wrath of the Rain God written by Karla Arenas Valenti is short which might work well for 4th grade. Also try: You The Dragon Warrior by Katie Zhao or Tristen Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia.

Thank you for this list! My 4th grader has loved every single book so far you have recommend! We are halfway through the list.

That makes me so happy to hear! Thanks, Paige!

How does someone order one of these?

Click on the book title and it will take you to Amazon where you can order.

Hi Melissa,

My son is 9 years old. We read a lot of these books already. I am wondering if you could help me identify some books or authors that handle the following things well.

What books do you recommend for kids only living with one parent? There are a lot of books about missing Dad, but I can’t seem to find books about Mom’s that left. When there are, the Mom is dead. I know social-cognitive therapy is best, but if he could read about another kid, a story, I feel like my son would feel just a bit more normal.

What are some books that focus on empathy and non-violent solutions? There are a lot of books that practice the hero’s journey, but there is always violence. It would be great if we could have something more complex. What if instead of the hero fighting his/her way to a solution, he/she built a solution with their friends and foes. There are a lot of great examples in younger kids books, but I am just not seeing them for my son’s age range – especially for boys! Everything seems to be fight, fight, fight!

Are there healthy masculinity books for boys? I am not an expert, but there seems to be a particular dearth of literature for developing boys in how to treat women. Sure, we have books on how to be a gentleman, but even those books create love stories where the female character is so overwhelmed by the male character’s kindness he still wins the girl. There are a lot of “nice guys” out there in this world. They didn’t just start doing this. They learned it from somewhere, TV or books and I find both to set weak moral compasses on this. At least the popular ones.

Are there books that handle race and social justice well? Ok, maybe you’re not the best person to answer this. I don’t know. However, I know my white son is growing up in a more racial and gender diverse world. It’s happening and it is a reality. I want my son to feel way more comfortable than me in addressing race and social justice and know that he too has a role to play.

I really want my son to learn to respect people who are not like him. To ask way more questions than to assume answers and to work with other people to build solutions. However, I’m finding a lot of the literature, from a Diary of a Wimpy Kid to Percy Jackson to just be far short of helpful.

Thanks in advance, A single parent just trying to find the right books.

I’m going to send you an email– if you don’t get it, let me know!

Melissa @imaginationsoup.net

Hey Jeremy,

In my humble opinion, the Wings of Fire series is pretty incredible. The characters are dragons, raised away from their families. They slowly return to each tribe to find their respective families and discover every tribe is drastically different as are the family constructs within them. It deals with racism, how to try to handle difficult situations with your mind and compassion before brute force or physical fights- though some physical interaction does occur. Bad people do bad things, but the main characters make a point of clarifying which decisions were well thought out and which were hasty or cruel. The themes covered in this series really blow my mind and the thoughtful, compassionate ways that issues are worked out by the heros and heroins is fabulous too. Later in the series, the author even takes on ideas of slavery, genocide, varying sexual identities, refugees & immigrants, caring for one’s environment, etc… The main characters shift every few books to give perspective from another tribe of dragons, or time in dragon history, or place in the world of dragons. At some point the new main characters come in contact with the previous heros and heroins and they all work together for a safe/kind/loving/just resolution to whatever huge issue they are trying to concur in the world. It may be a book for young adults, but I can’t wait for the book next in the series! I know this is just one series, but hopefully it leads you to more!

Walk with Gandhi

The Life Story of Ayrton Senna

Sindiwe and the fireflies, kali wants to dance – biography of kali veerapathiran, what is love – children’s biography of helen keller, the story of my life – helen keller’s autobiography up to age 21, the world i live in and optimism – helen keller, tine and the faraway mountain – children’s biography, a story of determination, benjamin franklin – interactive biographies for kids, dipa karmakar – in perfect balance, biography for children, recieve updates – follow us, make a difference, submit a book, subscribe to fkb newsletter.

25 Must-Read Books for 4th Graders

This list of books for 4th graders aims for the nine- and ten-year-old's sweet spot. Not too old, not too young; not too serious, not too silly.

M. Lynx Qualey

M. Lynx Qualey is the founder of ArabLit.org, a website that brings together translators, authors, publishers, critics, academics, and readers around discussions of Arabic literature in translation. She works as a book critic, reader, editor, and ghostwriter. You can follow her at @arablit .

View All posts by M. Lynx Qualey

This list of the best books for 4th graders aims for the 9- and 10-year-old’s sweet spot. Not too old, not too young; not too serious, not too silly.

1) Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

This award-winning novel is a book for all ages. It’s a perfect road-trip fantasy, and it’s a crowd-pleaser for kids and adults.

The novel is inspired by Chinese folklore. It opens in the Village of Fruitless Mountain, where 10-year-old Minli lives with her family. Minli sets off from home in a series of nested adventures, something like a journey through  1001 Nights , but for kids.

Grace Lin is worth following anywhere.

My fourth grader also recommends Lin’s  2)  When the Sea Turned to Silver   and 3)  Starry River of the Sky . All are family favorites.

4)  Keeper of the Lost Cities  by Shannon Messenger

My 4th grader can’t stop reading this series. In the opening book, a telepathic 12-year-old has never quite fit in. Finally, she meets Fitz and discovers a different world. She must leave her old life and figure out a new one before things go very wrong.

There are currently eight books in this compulsively readable series.

5) Camp by Kayla Miller

This book would make a fun gift for a kid going off to summer camp for the first time.

It follows Miller’s popular Click, and it sees protagonists Olive and Willow nervously head off to camp.

Olive makes friends right away, but Willow struggles. This book gets both the stress and the excitement of sleep-away camp.

6) Encyclopedia Mythologica: Fairies and Magical Creatures Pop-Up by Matthew Reinhart (Author) and Robert Sabuda (Illustrator)

“Open this entrancing book and meet Shakespeare’s Queen Titania, springing up with her silver wings aflutter.” This is a delight for fans of elves, castles, hobgoblins, and trolls. It is a 3D book with both facts and fancy, brownies and menfolk, and more.

7) Wildwitch: Wildfire by Lene Kaaberbøl, Translated by Charlotte Barslund

Eleven-year-old Clara is an ordinary girl, so-called. But everything changes after an encounter with a huge and frightening black cat. It scratches her, and Clara is wracked with fever. Clara’s mother knows there is only one solution, and it’s with Aunt Isa in the wild woods. A wondrous Danish fantasy, now in English.

There are currently four  Wildwitch  books.

8) Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliot

After his mom leaves him in Brooklyn with grouchy “Ma,” 9-year-old Max finds a mysterious package on her table. This sets in motion a series of magical events.

As it turns out, Ma just might be a real witch who must return three dragons to their magical realm.

This is an enthralling city-based fantasy for kids.

9) Ana Maria Reyes Does Not Live in a Castle by Hilda Eunice Burgos

Ana Maria is living in a two-bedroom in Washington Heights with her parents and three sisters. Then her parents announce a new baby is on the way! All Ana Maria wants is to practice piano and get good enough for a new school. But it’s not easy to practice with so many competing needs in one small space.

10) Wolf and Dog by Sylvia Vanden Heede, Translated by Bill Nagelkerke

Wolf and Dog are cousins. Wolf is wild and lives in a forest on top of a hill. Dog is tame and has a basket and an owner. In these nine funny short stories by the popular Flemish children’s writer Sylvia Vanden Heede, Dog and Wolf discuss the important things in life. Food, for instance, and also family and fleas.

11) The Magnificent Mya Tibbs: Mya in the Middle by Crystal Allen and Eda Kaban

This third and final book in a series focuses on middle child Mya.

Like many middle children, Mya struggles to get the attention of her sleep-deprived parents. Mya’s baby sister is too cute, and her older brother is too smart. Her struggles will be familiar to many middle kids.

12) Who Can Crack the Leonardo da Vinci Code? By Thomas Brezina, Translated by Hannah Sartin

This an excellent book for the mystery-oriented 4th grader! It’s a children’s adventure book. In it, accompanied by a little dog Pablo, readers start their journey in a Museum of Adventures. From there, they travel back in time to meet the artist himself.

Using the tools provided, readers can solve seven riddles hidden inside Da Vinci’s paintings. When they do, they can save the museum from cunning villains.

13) Each Tiny Spark by Pablo Cartaya

Emilia is having a tough time. At school, she can’t focus. At home, her dad is newly home from deployment. He’s spending a lot of time alone in his studio, welding.

Eventually, Emilia and her father begin to weld together. The shared experience brings them together and helps them heal.

14) Pie in the Sky by Remy Lai

This book is a heartbreaker. In it, Jingwen has immigrated to Australia after the death of his father, along with his mother and brother. Jingwen struggles to learn English and feel motivated in class. The only thing that still makes him happy is baking pies, something he shared with his bakery owner father.

15) The Last-Last Day of Summer by Lamar Giles and Dapo Adeola

This is a quirky adventure novel about cousins Sheed and Otto Alston, legendary heroes in their hometown. This book has everything that you might for a rollicking adventure: time travel, robots, time freezing, magic mirrors, and familial bickering. Overall, this strange tale kept me on my toes and left me with a smile on my face.

16) Max & The Midknights by Lincoln Peirce

This half-book, half-comic hybrid is set in the Middle Ages. In it, Max is a troubadour wandering 14th-century Europe in the hopes of finding an epic quest. He needs just such a quest to make him a knight.

17) Blended by Sharon M. Draper

Isabella is struggling to deal with her parents’ divorce. She’s torn between the worlds of her white waitress mother and her Black lawyer father.

Both are in serious relationships with other people and have a hard time being around each other.

Isabella’s parents finally find a way to make common cause after Isabella and her half-brother are stopped by police.

18)  The Case of the Missing Auntie by Michael Hutchinson

On the list of the American Indians in Children’s Literature list of “ Best Books of the Year ” in 2019.

In The Case of Windy Lake , Hutchinson introduced four mystery-solving Cree cousins: Atim, Chickadee, Samuel, and Otter. The four of them are known as the Mighty Muskrats. In this book, the Muskrats head for the city to visit even more cousins.

19) The Gauntlet by Karuna Riazi

In this book, a trio of friends find themselves trapped inside a mechanical board game, something like a giant Rubik’s cube. They must take it apart, and defeat the game’s architect, to save themselves and other children.

More than anything, 12-year-old Farah and her two best friends must save Farah’s baby brother Ahmed.

They do this with the help of a lizard guide named Henrietta Peel and an aeronaut Vijay. They battle camel spiders, red scorpions, grease monkeys, and sand cats.

20)  Farah Rocks Fifth Grade by Susan Muaddi Darraj

Farah is finding 5th grade difficult. A new girl shows up and starts bullying Farah’s younger brother. Farah decides she wants to deal with it on her own.

For 4th graders who are looking forward to 5th, and especially those who enjoy cooking. This book also includes the author’s recipe for hummus.

21) The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani

“ The first kidnappings happened two hundred years before. Some years it was two boys taken, some years two girls, sometimes one of each. But if at first the choices seemed random, soon the pattern became clear. One was always beautiful and good, the child every parent wanted as their own. The other was homely and odd, an outcast from birth. An opposing pair, plucked from youth and spirited away.”

This is the first book in a best-selling series, and it follows Sophie and Agatha as they make their way into their new lives. Sophie thinks she’ll be headed for the School for Good. Agatha, it seems, will be going to the School for Evil. The two girls are surprised as their assignments are reversed.

22) Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke

One of the many delights by Funke, along with her  Inkheart   series and her wonderful  The Thief Lord .

In this book, a young dragon named Firedrake gets a frightening warning. Humans are planning to destroy his valley. All the dragons must flee, and Firedrake needs to help them look for a new home. With a lonely boy named Ben on his back, Firedrake might have a chance.

23) Lumberjanes: Unicorn Power! by Mariko Tamaki (Author) and Brooklyn Allen (Illustrator)

The  Lumberjanes  is a fun adventure series. In this book, April leads her friends up a mountain. Except…they didn’t plan to run into the Cloud People.

The characters are bright and quirky, and fun to spend time with, both for 4th graders and their adults.

24) The Unicorn Quest by Kamilla Benko

“Claire Martinson still worries about her older sister Sophie, who battled a mysterious illness last year. But things are back to normal as they move into Windermere Manor…until the sisters climb a strange ladder in a fireplace and enter the magical land of Arden.

“There, they find a world in turmoil. The four guilds of magic no longer trust each other. The beloved unicorns have gone, and terrible wraiths roam freely. Scared, the girls return home. But when Sophie vanishes, it will take all of Claire’s courage to climb back up the ladder, find her sister, and uncover the unicorns’ greatest secret.”

25)  Arnica, the Duck Princess by Ervin Lazar, Translated by Anna Bentley

A classic Hungarian children’s story. In it, clever Princess Arnica loves Poor Johnny. Both are cursed by the Witch of a Hundred Faces. One must always be a duck, one must be human.

The Seven-Headed Fairy must help them, but will she come in time?

A story of friendship for children of all ages.

Find even more books for 4th graders in our list of the best chapter books for kids .

You Might Also Like

• Children's Books
• Biographies

Sorry, there was a problem.

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required .

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

Image Unavailable

• To view this video download Flash Player

Follow the authors

Black History Biographies 4 Book Box Set: Inspiring People Who Changed the World for Kids Ages 8-12 (Biographies for Kids) Paperback – October 4, 2022

Discover how these Black pioneers persevered and inspired the world―for kids ages 8 to 12

Build the confidence to blaze your own trail by learning about the remarkable stories in the Black History Biographies series for kids. Celebrate the extraordinary triumphs of brilliant inventors, courageous civil rights leaders, and the Black men and women whose contributions to scientific discovery will never be forgotten.

• Black Women in Science ―Find role models in astronaut Mae Jemison and forensic scientist Gina Presley.
• Black Men in Science ―Meet talented Black men like geneticist Rick Kittles and physicist Edward Bouchet.
• Black Inventors ―Learn about Marie Van Brittan Brown, who created the first home security system, and Mark Dean, who invented the personal computer.
• Black Leaders in the Civil Rights Movement ―See how leaders like Bobby Seale and Ella Baker never gave up the fight for justice and equality.

Get this box set of Black history books for kids today and learn about 60 impressive people who used their talents, intelligence, and dedication to help change the world.

• Language English
• Dimensions 6.2 x 1.7 x 9.3 inches
• Publisher Callisto Kids
• Publication date October 4, 2022
• ISBN-13 979-8886087246
• See all details

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

“ Black Women in Science earns two A’s―one for accuracy and one for authenticity! As an education professor, I can't emphasize enough how important those two characteristics are in quality children's literature. Dr. Pellum delivers facts about noteworthy historical figures in a relatable voice and an easy-to-read text. Young readers will enjoy making connections between themselves and the women in the book, while also being inspired to explore STEM topics in their daily life. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to increase interest and engage a child in STEM development.”  ―Dr. Sylvia Y. Cain, Professor of Education

About the Author

ROCKRIDGE PRESS creates content that inspires, engages, and educates. Our mission is to understand what customers need and to provide well-researched and empathetic solutions. We strive to improve our customers' lives by publishing books that make a difference.

Product details

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0B1234B2W
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Callisto Kids (October 4, 2022)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8886087246
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 6 - 10 years, from customers
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.1 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.2 x 1.7 x 9.3 inches
• #835 in Children's Multicultural Biographies

Videos for this product

Click to play video

Customer Review: Amazing find

Paul/Marina

About the authors

Rockridge press.

ROCKRIDGE PRESS is dedicated to producing content that motivates, captivates, and enlightens people of all ages across the globe. Our primary objective is to identify our customers' requirements and offer reliable, thoroughly researched, and compassionate solutions. We are committed to publishing books that genuinely enhance the lives of our readers and strive to make a positive difference in the world.

Bryan Patrick Avery

Bryan Patrick Avery is an award-winning poet and author of more than twenty books for children including the middle grade collective biography, BLACK MEN IN SCIENCE, illustrated by Nikita Leanne, and THE FREEMAN FIELD PHOTOGRAPH, illustrated by Jerome White. Bryan’s other publications include the middle-grade story, “The Magic Day Mystery”, which appears in SUPER PUZZLETASTIC MYSTERIES, the Jake Maddox JV Mysteries OFF BASE and SOCCER SUSPICIONS, the early chapter book series, MR. GRIZLEY’S CLASS, illustrated by Arief Putra, and the picture books EARL LEARNS A LESSON and MAX’S MAGIC CHANGE, both illustrated by Roman Diaz. He is the 2021 recipient of the SCBWI Work in Progress Award for his chapter book mystery THE ROBOT IN THE LIBRARY.

Bryan serves on the Board of Directors of the Northern California Chapter of Mystery Writers of America and is an Amplify Black Stories Fellow, a joint program presented by the Brown Bookshelf and the Highlights Foundation.

He lives in Northern California with his family.

Related books

Customer reviews

• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 5 star 91% 9% 0% 0% 0% 91%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 4 star 91% 9% 0% 0% 0% 9%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 3 star 91% 9% 0% 0% 0% 0%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 2 star 91% 9% 0% 0% 0% 0%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 1 star 91% 9% 0% 0% 0% 0%

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Reviews with images

Outstanding stories, facts and book quality. Very interesting reading for everyone.

• Sort reviews by Top reviews Most recent Top reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. please try again later..

• About Amazon
• Investor Relations
• Amazon Devices
• Amazon Science
• Sell products on Amazon
• Sell on Amazon Business
• Sell apps on Amazon
• Become an Affiliate
• Advertise Your Products
• Self-Publish with Us
• Host an Amazon Hub
• › See More Make Money with Us
• Amazon Business Card
• Shop with Points
• Reload Your Balance
• Amazon Currency Converter
• Amazon and COVID-19
• Your Account
• Your Orders
• Shipping Rates & Policies
• Returns & Replacements
• Manage Your Content and Devices

• Conditions of Use
• Privacy Notice
• Consumer Health Data Privacy Disclosure
• Your Ads Privacy Choices