Fabulous Books for Fourth Graders

Juvenile Fiction

  • Amato, Mary. Stinky and Successful: the Riot Brothers Never Stop. 2007.
    This third book in the Riot Brothers series is chock-full of even more eye-popping, mouth-foaming missions, games and sayings. Orville and Wilbur can never be accused of being boring.
  • Arevamirp, Esile. Fred & Anthony Meet the Heinie Goblins from the Black Lagoon. 2008.
    Fred and Anthony are shipped off to Camp Plenty Wampum where, after unexpectedly stumbling upon a portal to the Netherworld, they encounter a friendly Heinie Goblin, whom they bring back to camp.
  • Barrett, Tracy. The 100-Year-Old Secret. 2008.
    Xena and Xander Holmes discover that Sherlock Holmes was their great-great-great grandfather when they are given his unsolved casebook, from which they attempt to solve the case of a missing painting.
  • Barrows, Annie. The Magic Half. 2008.
    Eleven-year-old Miri Gill feels left out in her family, which contains two sets of twins and her, until she travels through time to 1935 and discovers Molly, her own lost twin, and brings her back to present day.
  • Cabot, Meg. Moving Day. 2008.
    Allie Finkle has rules for everything and is even writing her own rule book, but her world is turned upside-down when she learns her family is moving across town.
  • Cammuso, Frank. Knights of the Lunch Table: the Dodgeball Chronicles. 2008. (graphic novel)
    Artie King is new to Camelot Middle School, but it isn't long before the scary principal doesn't like him and a band of bullies called the Horde is after him. Combine that with a magical locker that only opens for him and a do-or-die game of dodgeball and you have a funny book similar to Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
  • DiTerlizzi, Tony. Kenny and the Dragon. 2008.
    Book-loving Kenny the rabbit has few friends in his farming community, so when one, bookstore owner George, is sent to kill another, gentle dragon Grahame, Kenny must find a way to prevent their battle while satisfying the dragon-crazed townspeople. It's the battle of St. George vs. the dragon.
  • Elish, Dan. Attack of the Frozen Woodchucks. 2008.
    When extraterrestrial woodchucks attack, 10-year-old Jimmy, his two-and-a-half-year-old sister, friend William and an eccentric classmate who has built a flying saucer in her Manhattan brownstone, join forces to save the universe.
  • Hunter, Erin. Warriors: the Lost Warrior. 2007. (graphic novel)
    Graystripe must find his way back to his clan's forest home after being captured and taken to live in a twoleg nest far away.
  • Knudson, Mike. Raymond and Graham Rule the School. 2008.
    Best friends Raymond and Graham have looked forward to being the "oldest, coolest, toughest" boys at East Millcreek Elementary School, but from the start of fourth grade everything goes wrong, from getting the scary teacher to not getting the lead in the school play.
  • Martin, Patricia. Lulu Atlantis and the Quest For True Blue Love. 2008.
    Lulu Atlantis is peeved when her mother brings home little brother Sam, and she turns to her imaginary friend, Harry the daddy long-legs spider, for comfort, companionship, help and advice.
  • McGhee, Alison. Julia Gillian (and the Art of Knowing). 2008.
    Julia learns a lot about facing fear as she and her St. Bernard take long walks through their neighborhood one hot summer, and she seeks the courage to finish a book that could have an unhappy ending.
  • Morse, Scott. Magic Pickle. 2008. (graphic novel)
    Meet the world's greenest, bumpiest, briniest superhero, the Magic Pickle. With his feisty sidekick Jo Jo Wigman, the Magic Pickle faces his worst nightmare, the Brotherhood of Evil Produce.
  • Rees, Douglas. Uncle Pirate. 2008.
    Wilson is one of the most bullied fourth-graders at the chaotic Very Elementary School until his long-lost uncle, Desperate Evil Wicked Bob, arrives and begins making everything ship-shape.
  • Riddell, Chris. Ottoline and the Yellow Cat. 2008.
    Ottoline tries to solve the mystery of the missing pets with her friend Mr. Munroe.
  • Viau, Nancy. Samantha Hansen Has Rocks in Her Head. 2008.
    Ten-year-old Samantha must try to control her temper and get along with her older sister if she wants to take a trip to the Grand Canyon.

Juvenile Non-fiction

  • Frogs by Nic Bishop. 2008. [J 597.89 BIS]
    Nic Bishop's photographs show all different kinds of frogs-big ones, tiny ones, beautifully colored ones and one whose insides you can see.
  • How Strong Is It? a Mighty Book All About Strength by Ben Hillman. 2008. [J 620.112 HIL]
    Presents a visual guide to items and animals of various strength and substance, including such examples as spider webs, bulldozers, black holes, lasers, icebreakers and the Hercules beetle.
  • Balls! Round 2 by Michael Rosen. 2008. [J 796.3 ROS]
    Learn about the balls used in baseball, softball, bowling, bocce ball, croquet, billiards, the shot put and other "oddballs:" how they're made, why they look the way they do, some amazing facts about their history...and a bit about the games that use them, too.
  • Don't Bump the Glump! And Other Fantasies by Shel Silverstein. 2008. [J 811.54 SIL]
    Have you ever... seen a Gritchen in your kitchen, dared to dance with the One-Legged Zantz, declined to dine with the Glub-Toothed Sline? You haven't? Well then, step inside-but only if you are ready to be amazed, tickled, astonished and entertained by this most unusual bestiary of silly and scary creatures.
  • Frankenstein Takes the Cake by Adam Rex. 2008. [J 811.6 REX]
    Frankenstein wants to marry his undead bride in peace, but his best man, Dracula, is freaking out about the garlic bread, and the Headless Horseman wishes everyone would stop drooling over his pumpkin head.

revised May 2009