Fourth-graders are awesome. They have plenty of things they already love, but they’re still willing to give something new a chance. A classroom library full of fun, diverse choices will keep them exploring and growing as readers. We looked at tons of 4th grade books and chose our favorite 60+ to share with you. From beautiful picture books and poetry to hilarious tales to heart-wrenching coming-of-age stories, you’re sure to find something for every curious reader in your group.
Note: You know your students and their emotional maturity levels best. A few of these books may be best as read alouds so that you and your kids can discuss them 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!)
Best 4th Grade Books
1. Nightsong by Ari Berk
A beautiful picture book just waiting for a class read aloud. As Chiro, a young bat, is sent out into the night by himself for the first time, his mother gives him some good advice. Navigating the world around him will be easy, as long as he uses his good sense. Chiro soon realizes no matter how far away you go, with good sense, you can always find your way back home.
Buy it: Nightsong at Amazon | Nightsong at Bookshop
2. Crossover series by Kwame Alexander
In this Newbery Medal–winning middle grade novel in verse, twelve-year-old twins and basketball stars Josh and Jordan Bell must learn to deal with problems on and off the court as they navigate homework, first crushes, family, and, of course, basketball.
Buy it: Crossover series at Amazon | Crossover series at Bookshop
3. Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk
Historical fiction at its finest! Echo Mountain tells the story of Ellie, whose family moves to the wilderness of Echo Mountain after losing everything in the Great Depression. When her father falls ill, Ellie has to learn the secrets of the mountain to heal him. This book is a celebration of finding your own path and discovering your truest self.
Buy it: Echo Mountain at Amazon | Echo Mountain at Bookshop
4. 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 4th grade books with a contemporary Chinese twist.
Buy it: Front Desk series at Amazon | Front Desk series at Bookshop
5. Ghost by Jason Reynolds
Ghost. Lu. Patina. Sunny. Four kids from wildly different backgrounds with personalities that are explosive when they clash. But they are also four kids chosen for an elite middle school track team—a team that could qualify them for the Junior Olympics if they can get their acts together. They all have a lot to lose, but they also have a lot to prove, not only to each other, but to themselves.
Buy it: Ghost at Amazon | Ghost at Bookshop
6. 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 | City Spies series at Bookshop
7. Count Me In by Vasha Barjaj
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 | Count Me In at Bookshop
8. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
The classic tale of nine-year-old Peter, and his two-year-old brother, Fudge, is frequently listed as the book that made someone a reader. This makes it an easy choice to share with your collection of 4th grade books. (Check out more of our favorite Judy Blume books for the classroom!)
Buy it: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing at Amazon | Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing at Bookshop
9. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
In 1899, 11-year-old Calpurnia lives with her grumpy grandfather, six brothers, and a lot of curiosity about the world around her.
Buy it: The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate at Amazon | The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate at Bookshop
10. I Survived series by Lauren Tarshis
When there’s an action-packed series that kids find super-exciting, it’s great when the titles just keep coming. There’s no shortage of edge-of-your-seat moments in these historical fiction adventures.
Buy it: I Survived series at Amazon | I Survived series at Bookshop
11. Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
A beautiful collection of poems about the author’s life as a Black girl growing up in South Carolina and New York in the 1960s and 1970s.
Buy it: Brown Girl Dreaming at Amazon | Brown Girl Dreaming at Bookshop
12. Becoming Muhammad Ali 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, the book looks at his life from birth to seventeen. Becoming Muhammad Ali captures the budding charisma and youthful personality of one of the greatest sports heroes of all time.
Buy it: Becoming Muhammad Ali at Amazon | Becoming Muhammad Ali at Bookshop
13. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
A little bit sci-fi, a little bit whodunit, and a whole lot of fun. Your students will love this thought-provoking take about a sixth-grader who starts receiving anonymous notes that predict the future.
Buy it: When You Reach Me at Amazon | When You Reach Me at Bookshop
14. 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 4th grade books.
Buy it: Gold Rush Girl at Amazon | Gold Rush Girl at Bookshop
15. Toothpaste Millionaire by Jean Merrill
Sixth-graders Rufus and Kate develop and sell toothpaste to become millionaires in just one year! This fun, breezy story includes many real-life mathematical problems which the characters must solve to succeed in their budding business.
Buy it: Toothpaste Millionaire at Amazon | Toothpaste Millionaire at Bookshop
16. Shuri: A Black Panther Novel by Nic Stone
Add this to your 4th grade books list 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 | Shuri: A Black Panther Novel at Bookshop
17. The Bears of Hemlock Mountain by Alice Dalgliesh
A quick, fun historical fiction about a young man discovering that, unlike what he has been told throughout his life, there are definitely bears on Hemlock Mountain.
Buy it: The Bears of Hemlock Mountain at Amazon | The Bears of Hemlock Mountain at Bookshop
18. 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 4th grade students.
Buy it: Mañanaland at Amazon | Mañanaland at Bookshop
19. Matilda by Roald Dahl
Introduce your 4th grade students to characters they’ll never forget. The story of Matilda, the Trunchbull, and Miss Honey is a delight for a read aloud or to put into the hands of students to discover the story for themselves.
Buy it: Matilda at Amazon | Matilda at Bookshop
20. 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 | Weird Little Robots at Bookshop
21. The Little Mermaid by Jerry Pinkney
This is not Disney or the Hans Christian Andersen original! Jerry Pinkney’s breathtaking update to a classic tale stars a main character of color and has affirming themes of friendship, family, and identity.
Buy it: The Little Mermaid at Amazon | The Little Mermaid at Bookshop
22. 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 | Love at Bookshop
23. 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
24. Two Truths and a Lie books by Ammi-Joan Paquette
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 | Two Truths and a Lie books at Bookshop
25. 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
26. Dragons in a Bag series by Zetta Elliott
Want to breathe some new life into your classroom library? Try this diverse, young, urban fantasy series. The action-packed series begins in Dragons in a Bag, when Jaxon finds out the mean old lady next door is a witch who 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 | Dragons in a Bag series at Bookshop
27. Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg
Some of your students may have seen the old movie based on this classic book; others may have seen the new versions. Introduce your entire class to the book that started it all.
Buy it: Jumanji at Amazon | Jumanji at Bookshop
28. Sound: Shh…Bang…Pop…Boom! By Romana Romanyshyn
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: Shh…Bang…Pop…Boom! at Amazon | Sound: Shh…Bang…Pop…Boom! at Bookshop
29. 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 | She Was the First at Bookshop
30. Can I Touch Your Hair? Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship by Irene Latham & 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 | Can I Touch Your Hair? at Bookshop
31. 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 | Out of Wonder at Bookshop
32. 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.
