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FOURTH GRADE READING LISTS
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The following lists of suggested books are from a variety of websites. Links to these websites can be found on the homepage of the Meridian Park website.
Author/Title/Summary
Appelt, Kathi. The Underneath. Illus. by David Small. Atheneum. (9781416950585). Intertwining stories of an embittered man, a loyal hound, an abandoned cat and a vengeful lamia sing of love, loss, loneliness and hope. (2009 Newbery Honor Book)
Bishop, Nic. Frogs. Photos by the author. Scholastic Nonfiction, an imprint of Scholastic. (9780439877558).
Bishop presents salient facts about frogs through clear text, augmented with fascinating photographs of species around the world. Even the frog-phobic will be fascinated.
Broach, Elise. Masterpiece. Illus. by Kelly Murphy. Holt/Christy Ottaviano. (9780805082708).
An artistic beetle with a yen for adventure and a lonely 11-year-old boy team up to catch the thief who has stolen a priceless Albrecht Durer from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Brown, Don. All Stations! Distress!: April 15, 1912, the Day the Titanic Sank. Illus. by the author. Flash Point/Roaring Brook. (9781596432222)
Selecting just the right amount of essential information, Brown artfully captures the drama of what happened to the unsinkable Titanic on that fateful night.
Bryant, Jen. A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams. Illus. by Melissa Sweet. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. (9780802853028).
Sweet’s mixed-media collage and primitive watercolors flow seamlessly with Bryant’s prose to reveal the important bits and pieces of Williams’ ordinary, yet extraordinary, life as a doctor and poet. (2009 Caldecott Honor Book)
Dowd, Siobhan. The London Eye Mystery. Random/David Fickling. (9780375849763). In a race against time, twelve-year-old Ted, with his sister Kat, uses his special skills and perceptions to discover how their cousin Salim disappeared while riding the London Eye, the world’s tallest observation wheel.
Elliott, Zetta. Bird. Illus. by Shadra Strickland. Lee & Low. (9781600602412).
A young boy, Mehkai, nicknamed Bird because he loves to draw birds, finds solace in his art work as his beloved grandfather dies and his admired older brother Marcus succumbs to drug addiction. (2009 Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award)
Erdrich, Louise. The Porcupine Year. HarperCollins. (9780060297879).
In this third in the Birchbark House series set in 1852, Omakayas, a young Ojibwa girl now 12, and her family face serious challenges as they move westward from land the U.S. government has claimed.
Fern, Tracey E. Buffalo Music. Illus. by Lauren Castillo. Clarion. (9780618723416).
Pioneer Mary Ann Goodnight saves her beloved Texas buffalo from extinction by shipping those that escape slaughter to Yellowstone to become part of a new national herd. Spare scenes of primitive abstract art create a stunning visual landscape.
Gaiman, Neil. The Graveyard Book. Illus. by Dave McKean. HarperCollins. (9780060530921).
A child marked for death by an ancient league of assassins escapes into an abandoned graveyard, where he is reared and protected by its spirit denizens. A delicious mix of murder, fantasy, humor and human longing, Gaiman’s tale is told in magical, haunting prose. (2009 Newbery Medal Book)
González, Lucía. The Storyteller’s Candle/La velita de los cuentos. Illus. by Lulu Delacre. Children’s Book Press. (9780892392223).
Text and sepia tone illustrations present the biographical story of Pura Belpré, the first Puerto Rican librarian hired by the New York Public Library, who introduces the public library to immigrants living in El Barrio and hosts the neighborhood’s first Three Kings’ Day fiesta. (2009 Belpré Author Honor Book and Illustrator Honor Book)
Greenberg, Jan and Sandra Jordan. Christo and Jeanne-Claude: Through the Gates and Beyond. Illus. with photographs. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter. (9781596430716)
Beginning with a description of the dramatic “Gates” project installed for two weeks in Central Park in 2005, readers are introduced to the extraordinary pair whose art, in its immense scope, has amazed and astounded the world.
Hale, Shannon and Dean Hale. Rapunzel’s Revenge. Illus. by Nathan Hale. Bloomsbury.(9781599900704).
In a vibrantly illustrated graphic novel set in a make-believe frontier land, an untraditional Rapunzel escapes the tower, uses her long braids as weapons, and takes revenge on the wicked Mother Gothel.
Hopkinson, Deborah. Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek: A Tall, Thin Tale (Introducing His Forgotten Frontier Friend). Illus. by John Hendrix. Random House/Schwartz & Wade. (9780375837685). Taking a boyhood story about Lincoln as inspiration, Hopkinson provides a lively, tongue-in-cheek telling with as many bends as Knob Creek. Hendrix’s broad, cartoony illustrations visually suggest several possible outcomes to the boys’ predicament.
Kerley, Barbara. What To Do About Alice? How Alice Roosevelt Broke the Rules, Charmed the World, and Drove Her Father Teddy Crazy! Illus. by Edwin Fotheringham. Scholastic. (9780439922319).
Growing up as the daughter of the President was not easy, but being the President and father of Alice Roosevelt was not easy either. Kerley’s playful use of language and Fotheringham’s rollicking illustrations converge to introduce energy and outrageousness. (2009 Sibert Honor Book)
Law, Ingrid. Savvy. Dial/Walden Media. (9780803733060).
This rich first-person narrative draws readers into a wild bus ride, winding through the countryside on a journey of self-discovery for Mibs Beaumont and her companions. (2009 Newbery Honor Book)
Lewin, Ted and Betsy. Horse Song: The Naadam of Mongolia. Illus. by the authors. Lee & Low Books. (9781584302773).
Alternating lavish watercolors and lively cartoon sketches, the artists document their travel to Mongolia, capturing the excitement and beauty of Naadam, the Summer Festival, where young boys and girls compete in horse racing.
McGill, Alice. Way Up and Over Everything. Illus. by Jude Daly. Houghton Mifflin. (9780618387960).
Stylized watercolors illustrate A storyteller’s account of the five newly purchased Africans who escaped the horrors of slavery by flying away from the Georgia plantation where her great-grandmama's mama lived and worked.
Nicholls, Sally. Ways to Live Forever. Arthur A. Levine, an imprint of Scholastic. (9780545069489).
Using clever lists, insightful questions, thoughtful journal entries and drawings, eleven-year-old Sam shares his perspective on his leukemia and his upbeat attitude as he faces the end of his life.
Nivola, Claire A. Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai. Illus. by the author. Farrar/Frances Foster. (9780374399184).
Naïf, charming pictures, and well-chosen details illuminate the life and work of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Wangari Maathai, who responded to the impending desertification of her native Kenya by instigating the planting of 30 million trees.
Nobleman, Marc Tyler. Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman. Illus. by Ross MacDonald. Knopf. (9780375838026).
Part picture book, part graphic novel, this is the fascinating story of how two high school friends created a superhero that endures to this day.
Parker, Robert Andrew. Piano Starts Here: The Young Art Tatum. Illus. by the author. Random House/Schwartz & Wade. (9780375839658).
Parker imagines renowned jazz pianist Tatum’s early years, employing a first person narrative that takes readers from his Toledo youth to big city clubs and concert halls. Luminous watercolors compellingly extend the text. (2009 Schneider Family Book Award)
Patent, Dorothy Hinshaw. When the Wolves Returned: Restoring Nature's Balance in Yellowstone. Photographs by Dan Hartman and Cassie Hartman. Walker. (9780802796868).
Lively photographs, capturing images of wildlife, and an easy text make it clear to young readers the beneficial impact to the ecosystem when wolves were reintroduced.
Preller, James. Six Innings: A Game in the Life. Feiwell & Friends. (9780312367633).
The heart stopping action of a little league baseball game frames a personal introduction to the players, the strategies, and twelve-year-old Sam, sidelined by cancer.
Ray, Deborah Kogan. Wanda Gág: The Girl Who Lived to Draw. Illus. by the author. Viking/Penguin. (9780670062928).
This intimate portrait of the creator of Millions of Cats combines Gág’s own words with more detailed text to describe a girl who never let go of her dream. Lush illustrations suggest Gág’s style and versatility.
Rumford, James. Silent Music: A Story of Baghdad. Illus. by the author. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter. (9781596432765).
Ali, a young boy in contemporary Baghdad, loves calligraphy and practices his art to shut out the sights and sounds of war. Mixed media illustrations contrast rich color, lush texture, bold silhouettes, and flowing calligraphy.
Scieszka, Jon. Knucklehead: Tall Tales & Mostly True Stories about Growing Up Scieszka. Illus. by author. Viking/Penguin. (9780670011063).
A hilarious saga of growing up in a household with five brothers during the 1950’s and 1960’s by the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, illustrated with candid pictures from the period.
Schulman, Janet. Pale Male: Citizen Hawk of New York City. Illus. by Meilo So. Alfred A. Knopf. (9780375845581).
Lush watercolors and personable narrative bring to life the story of Pale Male, a male hawk who nests atop a swanky Fifth Avenue apartment building and sparks a battle for his habitat among residents and conservationists.
Shulevitz, Uri. How I Learned Geography. Illus. by the author. Farrar Straus Giroux.(9780374334994).
Recounting memories of his family’s flight from the Warsaw Blitz and his years as a refugee during World War II, Shulevitz employs watercolor and ink to depict a boy liberated from his dreary existence through flights of fancy inspired by the map his father buys in the village market. (2009 Caldecott Honor Book)
Stone, Tanya Lee. Elizabeth Leads the Way: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the Right to Vote. Illus. by Rebecca Gibbon. Henry Holt. (9780805079036).
This introductory biography outlines Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s childhood realization of the secondary status of women and continues with her adult activism that lead to the right to vote for women. Folk art expands the text.
Thomas, Joyce Carol. The Blacker the Berry. Illus. by Floyd Cooper. HarperCollins/Amistad. (9780060253752).
A collection of twelve poems celebrating and affirming the variations in skin color and individuality of African American children, illustrated with richly colored paintings of children complementing the imagery of the free verse. (2009 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award and Author Honor Book)
Uehashi, Nahoko. Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit. Illus. by Yuko Shimizu. Tr. by Cathy Hirano. Arthur A. Levine, an imprint of Scholastic. (9780545005425).
Balsa, a female warrior, accepts the task of protecting a young prince from demons and his father’s assassins. Prince Chagum is the Moribito, the guardian of the sacred spirit. Together they must find in each other the source of strength they need to prevail. (2009 Batchelder Award Book)
Author/Title
Aliki Medieval Feast
Avi Perloo the Bold
Avi Poppy (series)
Avi Something Upstairs
Avi S.O.R. Losers
Babbitt, Natalie Kneeknock Rise
Bruchac, Joseph The Arrow Over the Door
Burnford, Sheila Incredible Journey
Byars, Betsy Bingo Brown and the Language of Love (series)
Byars, Betsy Summer of the Swans
Chambers, Veronica Amistad Rising: A Story of Freedom
Cleary, Beverly Dear Mr. Henshaw
Clements, Andrew Frindle
Coleman, M. Weirdo’s War
Cooper, Susan Dark is Rising (series)
Creech, Sharon Bloomability
Fenner, Carol The King of Dragons
Fenner, Carol Yolanda’s Genius
Fitzgerald, John Great Brain (series)
Fleischman, Sid Bandit’s Moon
Fletcher, Susan Shadow Spinner
Forester, Sandra Sound the Jubilee
Gantos, Jack Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key
George, Jean C. My Side of the Mountain (series)
Gordon, Sheila The Middle of Somewhere
Greenfield, Eloise Sister
Haas, Jessie Unbroken
Haddix, Margaret Among the Hidden (series)
Haddix, Margaret Running Out of Time
Hamilton, Virginia Cousins
Harrah, Madge My Brother, My Enemy
Hearne, Betsy Listening for Leroy
Hearne, Betsy Seven Brave Women
Hest, Amy The Great Green Notebook of Katie Roberts: Who Just Turned 12 on Monday (series)
Isaacs, Anne Treehouse Tales
Johnson, Tony The Wagon
Knight, Eric Lassie Come Home
Konigsburg, E.L. View from Saturday
Lee, Milly Nim and the War Effort
L‚Engle, Madeleine Wrinkle in Time (series)
Lowry, Lois Stay! Keeper’s Story
McCaughrean, Gerald The Pirate’s Son
McKissack, Patricia Run Away Home
Montgomery, L.M. Anne of Green Gables (series)
Morris, Gerald The Squire’s Tale (series)
Neuberger, Anne The Girl-Son
O‚Brien, Robert Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
Roberts, Willo D. The View from the Cherry Tree
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (series)
Sachar, Louis Holes
Schlein, Miriam The Year of the Panda
Scieszka, Jon Squids will be Squids
Scieszka, Jon Summer Reading is Killing Me
Soto, Gary Baseball in April
Speare, Elizabeth Witch of Blackbird Pond
Staples, Suzanne Shabanu
Stevenson, James The Bones in the Cliff
Stevenson, James Unprotected Witness (sequel)
Taylor, Mildred The Friendship (series)
Wells, Rosemay Mary on Horseback: Three Mountain Stories
Zemser, Amy Beyond the Mango Tree
Dear America (series)
My Name is America (series)
Fourth Grade Reading List
Berry, Dave Peter and the Secret of Rundoon JFIC BAR
Boniface, William The Return of Meteor Boy? JFIC BON
Clements, Andrew No Talking JFIC CLE
Colfer, Eoin The Legend of Spud Murphy JFIC COL
Curtis, Christopher Paul Mr. Chickee's Funny Money CD JFIC CUR
Cyrus, Kurt Hotel Deep: Light Verse From Dark Water J 811 C
French, Jackie Hitler’s Daughter JFIC FRE
Greenburg, Dan Attack of the Evil Elvises JSF GRE
Hunter, Erin Dark River JFIC HUN
Kessler, Liz The Tail of Emily Windsnap J FIC KES
Lasky , Kathryn The Capture JFIC LAS
Lin, Grace Year of the Dog JFIC LIN
Martin, Ann Welcome to Camden Falls JFIC MAR
Nicolas, Debon The Strongest Man in the World: Louis Cyr JB CYR
Schirripa, Steven Nicky Deuce Welcome to the Family JFIC SCH
Scieszka, Jon It’s all Greek to Me JFIC SCI
Silverstein, Shel Runny Babbit J811 S
Slavin, Bill Transformed: How Everyday Things Are Made J 670 S
Before Entering Fourth Grade
Birney: The World Acording to Humphrey c2005 fiction, humor Humphrey, a classroom hamster, surveys his surroundings and finds ways to help the children in the class.
Birney: The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs c2005 fiction Set in 1923, a 12 year old boy is inspired to find wonders in his small town after reading about the Seven Wonders of the World.
Clements: The Lunch Money c1994 school, humor Hart is a popular boy who sometimes "goofs off". When he hits the music teacher with a rubber band, he is put in charge of the holiday concert. Both Hart and his teacher learn lessons.
Curtis: Mr. Chickee's Funny Money c2005 mystery, ethnic diversity Is the quadrillion dollar bill with a picture of soul singer James Brown that Steven Carter receives as a gift from his elderly blind neighbor real money? Steven, his friend Russell, and Russell's dog Zoopy decide to investigate.
Duffey: Hey, New Kid! c1996 school story Jeremy worries about attending a new school, but he decides to make the best of it by reinventing himself in order to impress other students in his class.
Feelings: Soul Looks Back in Wonder c1993 poetry, ethnic diversity Thirteen African American poets celebrate their heritage in their words and colorful illustrations created by Tom Feelings.
Flemings: The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary School c2007 fiction, school Mr. Jupiter becomes the 4th grade teacher of an unruly class with surprising results.
Grimes: Talkin' About Bessie c2002 biography, ethnic diversity How Bessie Coleman became the first African-American woman to become a licensed pilot as told by her family and friends.
Gutman: My Weird School series c2006 school, humor A fun series of books about school life that appeal to reluctant readers.
Howe: It Came From Beneath the Bed c2002 humor, fantasy Uncle Harold, who wrote books about Bunnicula, helps Howie, his dachshund nephew to write a story in which he saves the world from a science experiment gone wrong.
Hurwitz: Fourth Grade Fuss c2004 school story Julio and his friends enjoy their fourth grade activities - the yard sale, ice skating, and a surprise party; but the students get serious when they have to study for end-of-the-year statewide tests.
Kehret: Shelter Dogs: Amazing Stories of Adopted Strays c1999 animals, non-fiction Tells the story of 8 dogs who were saved from the animal shelter and went on to better lives.
MacDonald: No More Nasty c2001 humor, school story An unruly fifth grade class receives a new perspective on learning from a substitute teacher who just happens to be Simon’s Great Aunt Matilda.
McDonald: Judy Moody c2000 humor, school story On the first day of school, third grader Judy snaps out of her bad mood when she receives an assignment to create a collage all about herself.
Noble: The Last Brother (Tales of Young America series) c2006 historical fiction Gabe becomes a bugler in the Civil War to protect his only surviving brother.
Pennypacker: Clementine c2006 fiction, series Clementine is a funny, energetic, third grader with a talent for getting in trouble and a heart of gold.
Roy: A to Z Mysteries series, mystery stories Elementary schoolers Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose work together to solve mysteries.
San Souci: The Dangerous Snake and Reptile Club c2004 friendship, fiction Brothers Bobby, Danny, and Mike decide to display the treasures they find on vacation and start a club with their friends.
Strickland: When Mack Came Back c2000 family, historical fiction During World War II in rural Georgia, Maury’s older brother Ben enlists in the army, leaving Maury to care for Ben’s injured puppy and deal with their angry father.
Various authors: My America series historical fiction These fiction stories are written in diary format and depict everyday children living during various time in American history.