READING LIST FOR ENTERING 4TH GRADE

READ-ALOUD LIST
FOR PARENTS OF STUDENTS ENTERING 4th GRADE
These books have been recommended by Tenafly teachers and top national
reading and writing experts. Recent award-winners have also been included.

J 917.8 ADL Adler, David. A Picture Book of Lewis and Clark.
Aliki. Marianthe’s Story: Painted Words and Marianthe’s Story: Spoken Memories.
J 578.77 ARN Arnosky, Jim. Parrotfish and Sunken Ships: Exploring a Tropical Reef.
J P Bunting, Eve. One Green Apple.
J 324.9 CHR Christelow. Eileen. Vote!
Collins, David E.B.White: To the Point
Cone, Molly. Come Back, Salmon: How a Group of Dedicated Kids Adopted Pigeon Creek and Brought It Back to Life.
J FIC Dahl, Roald. BFG.
J FIC Dahl, Roald. Danny the Champion of the World.
J FIC Dahl, Roald. James and the Giant Peach.
J Poetry Dakos, Kalli. Mrs. Cole on an Onion Roll and Other School Poems.
J FIC Dalgliesh, Alice. The Courage of Sarah Noble.
J FIC DiCamillo, Kate. The Tale of Desperaux.
J Paper Dixon, Franklin W. The Hardy Boys series. **Shelved by Poetry
Feigenbaum, Aaron. American Alligators: Freshwater Survivors.
J Poetry Fleischman, Paul. Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices.
J P Garland, Sherry. The Lotus Seed.
J 791.3 GER Gerstein, Mordicai. The Man Who Walked Between the Towers.
Giovanni, Nikki. Spin a Soft Black Song.
Graves, Donald. Baseball, Snakes, and Summer Squash – Poems About Growing Up.
J P Grimes, Nikki. Thanks A Million.
Heard, Georgia. This Place I Know: Poems of Comfort.
Heide, Florence Parry. The Shrinking of Treehorn.
Holiday, Laurel. Children of Israel, Children of Palestine; Our Own True Stories.
Janeczko, Paul See the Blue Between (Poetry)
J Poetry Hopkins, Lee Bennett. Extra Innings – Baseball Poems.
J Paper Keene, Carolyn. Nancy Drew series. **Shelved near Poetry
Kennedy, X. J. Knock at a Star: A Child’s Introduction to Poetry.
Landau, Elaine. Big Snakes: Alligators and Crocodiles: Hunters of the Night.
J Bio Lasky, Kathryn. The Librarian Who Measured the Earth.
J FIC MacLachlan, Patricia. Sarah, Plain and Tall.
J FIC MacLachlan, Patricia. Skylark.
Marton, Jirina. You Can Go Home Again.
Michelson, Richard. Across the Alley.
J Poetry Myers, Christopher. Jabberwocky.
Nye, Naomi Shahib. The Space Between Our Footsteps: Poems and Paintings from the Middle East.
J FIC Peck, Richard. A Year Down Yonder.
Potts, Aidan. Uneversaurus.
J P Pulver, Robin. Punctuation Takes a Vacation.
Rushby, Pamela. Discovering SuperCroc.
Ryder, Joanne. Toad on the Road.
Siebert, Diane. Tour America: A Journey Through Poems and Art.
Silverstein, Shel. Lafcadio: The Lion Who Shot Back.
J BIO Sis, Peter. Starry Messenger.
J FIC Steig, William. Abel’s Island.
Thomas, Patricia. Nature’s Paintbox: A Seasonal Gallery of Art and Verse.
J E Turner, Priscilla. The War Between the Vowels and Consonants.
J POETRY Viorst, Judith. If I Were in Charge of the World and Other Worries.
Williams, Vera B. Stringbean’s Trip to the Shining Sea.
Wing, Natasha. Jalapeno Bagels.
J FIC Wise, William. Christopher Mouse.
Yolen, Jane. Shape Me a Rhyme: Nature’s Forms in Poetry.
J P Young, Ed. Lon Po Po: A Red Riding Hood Story from China.
Books for Students to Read
(If a book is too difficult for your child to read, please begin by using it as a read aloud. Refer to the leveled book list to find more individual titles at your child’s June reading level)

Popular series and authors for Students Entering 4th Grade:
FICTION
Smith, Janice Lee - Adam Joshua Capers series
J R AND J E Paula Danziger – Amber Brown series
J E Donald & Rose Sobol – Encyclopedia Brown series
J E Betsy Duffey – Cody series
J E Jon Scieszka – The Time Warp Trio series
J E Mary Pope Osborne – Magic Tree House series
J E Patricia Reilly Giff - Polk Street Kids series
J E AND J FIC Matt Christopher – sport series books
J PAPER Bruce Colville – Alien series
J E Louis Sachar – Marvin Redpost series
BY AUTHOR Books by Eve Bunting, Beverly Cleary, Roald Dahl, DyAnne Di Salvo-Ryan, Lois Lowry, and Cynthia Rylant

NONFICTION – MUST BE LOOKED UP INDIVIDUALLY
David Adler – biography series
Smithsonian Oceanic Collection.
Rookie Biographies - series by Children’s Press
Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith - cultural biography series
Crinkleroot’s Nature Guides series by Simon & Schuster Publishers
National Geographic History Chapters series
A First Discovery Book – series by Scholastic Publishers
Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out - science series by HarperCollins Publishers
Step into Reading – series by Random House Publishers
The Water Cycle – series by Delta Science Readers
Scholastic Question and Answer Series – by Scholastic Publishers
Peter Reilly - Food Chains – series by Franklin Watts Publishers
Our Universe Series-The Planets, Solar System, and the Moon –Lerner Publishers
Who Was…(Einstein, Twain, etc.) –Grosset and Dunlap Series (biographies)


List of Individual Titles for Students to Read
J R *Alberto, Daisy. Pete for President. Kane Press, 2004. An award-winning book that introduces the reader to how voting works by using a third-grade class election for class president.
*Aldrin, Buzz. Reaching for the Moon. HarperCollins Publishers, 2005. This book won an award from the National Science Teachers Association. It is a fascinating portrayal of the life of Buzz Aldrin, featuring the goals that he set that eventually led him to his trip to the moon. He dared to dream, and his dreams came true.
*Arnosky, Jim. Crinkleroot’s Guide to Knowing the Birds. Simon & Schuster, 1992. This is part of the Crinkleroot’s Nature Guides. It is an informational text on birds that will fascinate and be easily understood by readers.
J 629.477 BRA *Branley, Franklyn M. Floating in Space. New York: HarperCollins, 1998. This book explains about astronauts in a space shuttle and their activities. It is part of a science series called Let’s -Read-and Find-Out.
*Brown, Don. Odd Boy Out: Young Albert Einstein. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2004. An award-winning book… The School Library Journal reports that Don Brown’s “well-crafted picture-book biography focuses on Einstein's hard-to-classify brilliance, which led to awesome scientific discoveries, but all too often left him a misunderstood outsider.”
J P *Bunting, Eve. Butterfly House. New York: Scholastic, 1999. A girl and her grandfather make a home for larvae and then release butterflies.
J E *Byars, Betsy Tornado New York: Scholastic, 1996. An amazing dog that survives after a terrible tornado.
J BIO *Carlson, Laurie. Boss of the Plains: The Hat That Won the West. New York: DK Inc., 1998. A picture book biography about hat-maker, John Stetson
*Cherry, Lynn and Plotkin, Mark. The Shaman’s Apprentice: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest. San Diego: Harcourt/Gulliver Green, 1998. Based on a true story, a boy recounts how a shaman cures ailments.
J BIO *Christensen, Bonnie. The Daring Nellie Bly: America’s Star Reporter. Random House, 2003. This is an award-winning book about Nellie Bly, a woman ahead of her time, who became a well-known newspaper correspondent. Nellie was famous for doing things unheard of for women in the late 1800’s.
J FIC *Christopher, Matt. Sport series books, Little Brown. Many sports books are in the Matt Christopher collection.
J FIC *Cleary, Beverly. The Ramona series, Avon Books. Beverly Cleary’s entertaining Ramona books delight third-grade readers!
J 973.7 CLI *Clinton, Catherine. When Harriet Met Sojourner. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2007. Recommended by The Horn Book Guide, this book fascinates readers by portraying the exciting and noteworthy accomplishments of two famous African-American women.
J 621.3 COL *Cole, Joanna. The Magic School Bus and the Electric Field Trip. New York: Scholastic, 1997. This is a well-written text that offers students a humorous way to explore electricity and power plants. It is part of the Magic School Bus series.
J BIO *Cooney, Barbara. Eleanor. New York: Viking Penguin, 1996. This is a precisely written text about Eleanor Roosevelt.
J FIC *Creech, Sharon Love That Dog . New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2003. Jack doesn’t like to write poetry but while writing entries in his writer’s notebook, he learns the potential and power of the medium.
J E *Danziger, Paula. Amber Brown Is Not A Crayon. New York: Putnam Books, 1994. This book is part of the popular Amber Brown series. It the story about how a third-grade student copes when her best friend moves away.
J FIC *DeFelice, Cynthia. Weasel. William Morrow Publishers, 1991. An Indian fighter sent by the government to drive off the land, Weasel, has now turned on the settlers. Nathan, against the wishes of his family, decides to take the law into his own hands to protect them.
*Demi. Gandhi. Simon & Schuster Children’s: New York, 2001. A beautifully illustrated picture book detailing the life of Gandhi
*Gibbons, Gail. Marshes and Swamps. Holiday House, 1998. Gail Gibbons is a phenomenal nonfiction author who has captivated readers in this comparison/contrast text. This book contains elaborate and clear drawings.
*Griffey, Harriet. Volcanoes and Other Natural Disasters. New York: Dorling Kindersley/Eyewitness Readers, 1998. A number of natural disasters are explained in this informative text.
J POETRY *Grimes, Nikki. Thanks a Million. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2006. Award-winning author, Nikki Grimes received the Teachers’ Choice for 2007 Award from the International Reading Association for this beautiful collection of poetry about being thankful for small pleasures and simple things.
*J 636.75 GRO Grogan, John. Marley. San Francisco: HarperCollins West, 2007. A librarian in Tenafly told me that she cannot keep this book on her shelf! It is the story about a lovable Labrador retriever named Marley. This text makes readers roar with laughter as they witness shenanigans that get him into trouble.
*Guthrie, Donna, Nancy Bentley, & Katy Keck Arnsteen. Young Author’s Do-It-
Yourself Book: How to Write, Illustrate, and Produce Your Own Book. Millbrook, 1994. This book helps young authors learn how to write a story and/or informational piece from the beginning of choosing a topic to marketing the text.
J P *Hest, Amy. When Jesse Came Across the Sea. Candlewick, 1997. This is an inviting book about immigration that offers families the chance to discuss their roots.
*Hest, Amy Love You Soldier Puffin Books, New York, 1991. A child must cope with the absence of her father when he leaves to serve in World War 2.
J POETRY *Hopkins, Lee Bennett. Sports! Sports! Sports! A Poetry Collection. HarperCollins, 1999. This book offers readers an assortment of sports poems.
J 551.563 *Hopping, Lorraine Jean. Wild Weather: Tornadoes. New York: Scholastic, 1993. This is an informational text that explores how tornadoes affect America. It is an excellent opportunity to practice using nonfiction text supports, such as diagrams.
*Hoyt-Goldsmith, Diane. Biography series. New York: Holiday Press. Ms. Hoyt-Goldsmith has written an entire cultural biography series in photo essays that feature different children and cultures in the United States.
J POETRY *Issa, Kobayashi, Today and Today. New York: Scholastic, 2007. This poetry book is recommended by Booklist. Beautiful poems follow a family across the year. A gentle, lovely book of poetry
*Jenner, Caryn. First Flight: The Story of the Wright Brothers. DK Publishing, 2003. This is an award-winning biography about the Wright Brothers that contains primary documents, authentic photographs, and sidebars that help the reader.
J 591.5 JEU *Jeunesse, Gallimard & Pascale de Bourgoing. Night Creatures. New York: Scholastic, 2004. This book is part of a wonderful series called A First Discovery Book. Children will love the design features in this text that allow readers to watch the night creatures change as they turn the pages.
J R *Kramer, S.A. To the Top! Climbing the World’s Highest Mountain. New York: Random House, 1993. This exciting book about a climb to Mount Everest is one of a popular series, called Step into Reading.
J BIO RUD *Krull, Kathleen. Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World’s Fastest Woman. San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1996. This is a touching picture book biography about a world-class runner.
*Krull, Kathleen. Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez. New York: Harcourt, 2003. An award-winning book with a clear message about the persistence of Cesar Chavez… He learned that by working together he could accomplish great changes.
*Kuskin, Karla. Dogs & Dragons, Trees & Dreams. New York: Harper Collins, 1992. This is a representative collection of Karla Kuskin’s poetry with introductory notes on poetry writing.
*Lattimore, Deborah. The Winged Cat. New York: Harper Trophy, 2003. Fabulous historical fiction short stories based in Egypt
J 398.2 LES *Lester, Julius. John Henry. New York: Dial Press, 1995. This is an African-American tall tale about John Henry that is beautifully written.
J FIC *Lowry, Lois. All About Sam. New York: Random House, 1988. A funny story from Sam’s point of view from birth to his toddler years
J FIC *MacLachlan, Patricia. Cassie Binegar. New York: Harper Collins, 1987. During the summer, Cassie learns to accept change and to find her own space.
*MacLeod, Elisabeth. Helen Keller: A Determined Life. Kids Can Press, 2004. An award-winning book...The Carter Woodson Book Awards report that “details beyond the well-known story of Helen Keller’s life create a full image for young students of her extraordinary life.”
*Makris, Katherine. The Eco-Kids. New York: Avon Books, 1994. A great series with the five cats who are concerned about the environment
*Manieri, Sarah A. The Water Cycle. Delta, NH:Delta Science Readers, 2004. An excellent nonfiction series based on the materials that third-grade teachers use in the classroom
J 595.7 MIC *Micucci, Charles. The Life and Times of the Honeybee. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 1995. Noted nonfiction expert, Dr. Nell Duke enthusiastically says, “This book is a real treasure. Break it into pieces like a chapter book, or read it for general interest.”
*Moore, Terry. The Watchers. Author House, 2007. Tenafly teacher, Terry Moore, has done an outstanding job with this beautifully written and sensitive novel. It has been endorsed by the New Jersey Academy of Aquatic Sciences. “Terry Moore’s moving, timely story shows us the plight of the horseshoe crab, and their importance to the health of the planet, through the eyes of children.” Your child will love it!
*O’Sullivan, Robyn. Jackie Robinson Plays Ball. National Geographic Society, 2007. The Horn Book Guide recommends this wonderful book that details the personal strengths and athletic accomplishments of the legendary baseball player, Jackie Robinson.
J E *Pennypacker, Sara. Clementine. New York: Hyperion Books, 2007. This book is recommended by Book Links. It is a great book about a third-grader named Clementine, who is sure to win readers’ hearts as well as tickle their funny bones.
J P *Polacco, Patricia. Chicken Sunday. New York: Philomel, 1992. A famed author crafts a tale about her childhood with a theme of intergenerational understanding and friendship.
*Polacco, Patricia. The Keeping Quilt. Aladdin Publishers, 2001. A homemade quilt ties together the lives of four generations of an immigrant Jewish family, remaining a symbol of their enduring love and faith.
*Reilly, Peter. Food Chains. London: Franklin Watts Publishers, 1997. Another great series that supplements the units that third-grade students do in the classroom
*Ryder, Joanne. A Pair of Polar Bears: Twin Cubs Find a Home at the San Diego Zoo. New York: Simon Schuster, 2006. Award-winning author, Joanne Ryder, has done it again! This book is the recipient of the Teachers’ Choices for 2007 Award from the International Reading Association. It is a touching story of the rescue of twin polar bear cubs and chronicles their care at the San Diego Zoo. A poetic text and exquisite photos make this book a winner!
*Schanzer, Rosalyn. How Ben Franklin Stole the Lightning. HarperCollins Children’s Books, 2002. This is an award-winning biography about Ben Franklin’s whimsical inventions that are portrayed with humorous illustrations.
*Scholastic Question and Answer Series. New York: Scholastic Publishers, 2001. Students are immediately intrigued to find out the answers to the interesting questions in this series. Each book is on a topic that interests third-graders, such as Can Snakes Crawl Backward? - a book by Melvin and Gilda Berger.
*Scieszka, Jon & Lane Smith. Squids will be Squids: Fresh Morals & Beastly Fables. New York: Viking Penguin Publishers, 1998. A series of quirky fables about responsibility, safety, table manners & self-importance
J E *Sciezska, Jon. The Time Warp Trio series. New York: The Penguin Group. A very popular humorous fantasy series for third-grade students.
J POETRY *Silverstein, Shel. Where the Sidewalk Ends. New York: HarperCollins, 1974. Students chuckle continually when they read this book of poetry.
J BIO DAR *Sis, Peter. The Tree of Life. Francis Foster Books, 2003. An exquisitely illustrated book on the life and theories of Darwin
J E *Smith, Doris Buchanan. Taste of Blackberries. New York: HarperCollins, 1988. A sudden tragedy forces a boy to question life and friendship. This is a difficult and sensitive subject that is treated with taste and honesty.
MULTIPLE *Smithsonian Oceanic Collection. Numerous nonfiction titles of books that are supported with beautiful illustrations on a variety of nonfiction topics
J E *Sobol, Donald & Rose. Encyclopedia Brown Boy Detective Series. Bantam Doubleday Dell. This is a wonderfully written detective series which students love.
J 641.3 SOL *Solheim, James. It’s Disgusting – and We Ate It! True Food Facts From Around the World – and Throughout History. NY: Simon and Schuster Children’s, 2001. Nonfiction expert and author, Dr. Janice Kristo, recommends this fascinating book about the strange things that people from around the world enjoy.
J 398.2 STE *Steig, Jeanne. A Handful of Beans: Six Fairy Tales Retold. New York: HarperCollins, 1998. A funny retelling of six traditional fairy tales
J BIO *Stauffacher, Sue. Nothing but Trouble: The Story of Althea Gibson. New York: Random House Children’s Books, 2007. This wonderful biography is recommended by The Horn Book Guide. “This spirited picture biography tells about the first black tennis player to win Wimbledon. Stauffacher’s colloquial tone and lively language are the ideal match for her subject.”
J BIO *Walker, Alice. Langston Hughes, American Poet. Harper Collins, 2002. An excellent extended picture book that captures the life, times and craft of Langston Hughes, a poet most accessible to children and adults – written by Alice Walker, a renowned poet herself
J FIC *Warner, Gertrude. The Boxcar Children: Mystery Behind the Wall. Albert Whitman Publishers, 1973. This is a mystery that is part of the Boxcar series. ** SHELVED BY POETRY.
*Whelan, Gloria Indian School. New York: Scholastic, 1996. An Indian child in a mission school in 1839 most cope with being forced fit into the white man’s culture.
*Wyckoff, Edwin Brit. The Man Who Invented Basketball: James Naismith and His Amazing Game. Enslow Publishers, 2007. A book recommended by The Horn Book Guide that explains how James Naismith invented basketball. It is part of the Great Inventor Biographies series.
*Yolen, Jane. Sleeping Ugly. Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, 1981. This is a wonderful book that is a parody about a traditional tale.


Resources Consulted: Tenafly teachers and lists of national award-winning books