Best 4th Grade Book List

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This 4th-grade book list was created for my son. Ben reads very well, but it is not something he enjoys doing. I’m trying to change that by assigning high-interest books.  My hope is that he will enjoy these books and want to read them without my needing to nag him about it.

I love reading, and I want my kids to love reading too. That is why I scour the internet, libraries, used book stores, and Goodreads looking for book recommendations. Life is too short to waste time reading bad books!

We will mostly follow this particular order, but it is flexible. If he wants to read a book out of order, I’m not going to stop him. When I created Hannah’s 7th grade reading list, my goal was to include a wide variety of books. She loves reading, though.  For Ben, my main priority was to choose highly enjoyable books.  We can work on increasing variety once he loves reading.

4th Grade Book List

Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing by Judy Blume

Last update on 2026-11-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Hannah recommended adding this book to the 4th-grade book list because she found it hilarious when she read it a few years ago.

Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing is the fictional story of a typical family in New York. Farley, aka Fudge, is full of hysterical little boy antics. Antics that annoy his big brother, Peter, to no end. Peter is enlisted to help control his wild little brother, but that is a big task for a 4th grader. The story begins with Peter telling Fudge not to touch his new pet turtle. Will Fudge listen?

Encyclopedia Brown Boy Detective by Donald J. Sobol

Last update on 2026-11-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Leroy Brown, aka Encyclopedia Brown, is a character Ben is sure to find relatable. Both are bright boys with a love of logic and solving puzzles. This book is divided into 10 chapters. Each chapter contains clues and one mystery to solve. Will the reader solve the case before Encyclopedia Brown?

This is a great book for reluctant readers because each chapter can stand alone. It is a high reward in a short amount of time. The mystery keeps readers engaged in the story.

The Worst Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

This hilarious best-seller tells the tale of the Herdman kids taking over the annual Christmas pageant. The Herdman kids are known as ‘the worst kids in the history of the world,’ so nothing goes smoothly.

I think Ben will enjoy this funny story as we wind down for Christmas break. This chapter book is also fairly short, which is a plus because December is a short school month for us.

Related: The Best Christmas Chapter Books

Mr Popper’s Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater

Last update on 2026-11-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

What would you do if you had penguins living in your refrigerator? This classic children’s novel follows the story of a house painter with a house full of penguins.  

There is enough humor and wacky behavior to hopefully keep Ben entertained. There is also a movie version of this story that we can watch after reading the book.

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Last update on 2026-11-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

This tale of a shopping mall gorilla is based on a true story. This book tells the story of an artistic gorilla who lives in a small zoo inside a shopping center.  Events unfold with other animals forcing Ivan to remember his life in the jungle. Will Ivan be able to be content living in confinement? What will happen to Ivan?

UPDATE: This was absolutely my son’s favorite book from this 4th-grade book list.

Knights of the Round Table, adapted by Gwen Gross

Last update on 2026-11-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Adapted books are a great way to introduce children to classic novels because the words and story are simplified, but the true plot remains. This classic story tells the tale of Camelot – complete with Merlin, Lancelot, King Arthur, and Queen Guinevere.

I think many little boys will enjoy reading Knights of the Round Table. It is full of wizards, witches, and magic.

Related: Unique History Books for Kids Who Hate History

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

Last update on 2026-11-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Is immortality a blessing or a curse? That is the question at the center of Tuck Everlasting. The Tuck family drank from a magical spring that gave them the ability to live forever. They know what everlasting life is really like and aim to keep the spring a secret.

This 4th-grade book list title is also a movie.

Superfudge by Judy Blume

Last update on 2026-11-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

This book is another Hannah recommendation. She has reread it many, many times over the years and is sure that Ben will love it too. Honestly, I love the idea of them bonding over Judy Blume.

Peter and Fudge are back! This time, they are a little older and are expecting a new baby…and a move. The characters deal with moving and annoying siblings. While Ben does not have a younger sibling, he and Hannah do argue enough that I think he will still relate to the main characters.

I am looking forward to rereading these childhood classics with Ben.

Keep reading . . .

• 4th Grade Homeschool Curriculum
• How to Start a Children’s Book Club
• 5th Grade Reading List
• Homeschool Book Club Books

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