4th grade reading list
4th grade students in US schools are commonly assigned 380 books across Common Core Appendix B, AP, IB, Cambridge, and state ELA curricula. Each title links to its grade citations.
Reading difficulty: the typical 4th grade text-complexity band is 740–1010L (Common Core Appendix A). Of the 73 titles here with a Lexile score, 37 are grade-level, 36 are more accessible (often chosen for theme over reading challenge), and 0 are stretch texts. Match a book to your reader’s measured Lexile rather than to the grade alone.
380 books with a 4th grade citation
Titles whose grade range covers 4th grade in a state ELA curriculum or a national reference (Common Core Appendix B, AP, IB).
11 BirthdaysWendy Mass- A Bird Will SoarAlison Green Myers
A Boy Called BatElana K. Arnold- A Dog Called HomelessSarah Lean
A First Time for EverythingDan Santat
A Game of NoctisDeva Fagan
A Journey Under the SeaCraig Foster
A Lot to Like!Derek Anderson
A Million Ways HomeDianna Dorisi-Winget
A Plate of Hope: The Inspiring Story of Chef José Andrés and World Central KitchenErin Frankel
A Rover's StoryJasmine Warga
A Royal ConundrumLisa Yee
A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry HallJasmine Warga
A Tale Dark and GrimmAdam Gidwitz
A Week in the WoodsAndrew Clements
A Work in ProgressJarrett Lerner
AbductionPeg Kehret
AloneMegan E. Freeman
Amari and the Night BrothersB. B. Alston
America is Under Attack September 11 2001Don Brown
Amir and the Jinn PrincessM. T. Khan
Ancestory: The Mystery and Majesty of Ancient Cave ArtHannah Salyer
Artemis FowlEoin Colfer- As Brave As YouJason Reynolds
Bad News for OutlawsVaunda Micheaux Nelson- Balloons over BroadwayMelissa Sweet
Ban This BookAlan Gratz
Basket BallKadir Nelson
Bea and the New Deal HorseL. M. Elliott
Beanie the BansheenieEoin Colfer
Because of Mr. TeruptRob Buyea
Because of Winn-DixieKate DiCamillo · 610L
Because of You, John LewisAndrea Davis Pinkney- Becoming Naomi Leon (Scholastic Gold)Pam Muñoz Ryan
Belly UpStuart Gibbs
Between Two BrothersCrystal Allen
Big Nate: In a Class by HimselfLincoln Peirce · 500L
BlendedSharon M. Draper · 610L
BlubberJudy Blume
BlueNana Ekua Brew-Hammond- Bo at Ballard CreekKirkpatrick Hill
Boy 2.0Tracey Baptiste
Bridge to TerabithiaKatherine Paterson · 810L
Bud, Not BuddyChristopher Paul Curtis · 950L
BunniculaDeborah Howe
Call Me Roberto!: Roberto Clemente Goes to Bat for LatinosNathalie Alonso
ChampMarcia Thornton Jones
Charlie and the Chocolate FactoryRoald Dahl · 810L
Charlotte's WebE.B. White · 680L- ChickadeeLouise Erdrich
Chronicles of a Lizard NobodyPatrick Ness
City of GhostsVictoria Schwab
Class ActJerry Craft- Close to FamousJoan Bauer
Code Name KingfisherLiz Kessler- Cotorras Sobre Puerto RicoSusan L. Roth
Countdown to YesterdayShirley Marr
CrenshawKatherine Applegate
CurveballPablo Cartaya- Dash (Dogs of World War II)Kirby Larson
Dead End in NorveltJack Gantos
Dear Mr. HenshawBeverly Cleary
Deep and Dark and DangerousMary Downing Hahn
Diary of a Wimpy KidJeff Kinney · 950L
Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House #1)Mary Pope Osborne · 510L
Dog ManDav Pilkey · 390L
Dog Man UnleashedDav Pilkey
Dog Trouble: A Graphic NovelKristin Varner
DogtownKatherine Applegate & Gennifer Choldenko
Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous LifeRachel Renée Russell · 890L
Doña Quixote: Rise of the KnightRey Terciero
DuelJessixa Bagley- Efren DividedErnesto Cisneros
El DeafoCece Bell · 420L
ElevenPatricia Reilly Giff
Ella EnchantedGail Carson Levine
Ernö Rubik and His Magic CubeKerry Aradhya
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's LibraryChris Grabenstein
Escaping the Giant WavePeg Kehret
Esperanza RisingPam Muñoz Ryan · 750L
Evidence! How Dr. John Snow Solved the Mystery of CholeraDeborah Hopkinson
FablehavenBrandon Mull
FarmhouseSophie Blackall
FerrisKate DiCamillo
Final Word (The Winterton Deception #1)Janet Sumner Johnson- Finding LangstonLesa Cline-Ransome
Finding Winnie: The Story of the Real Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-PoohLindsay Mattick
Fish in a TreeLynda Mullaly Hunt · 550L
Flora and UlyssesKate DiCamillo
FlotsamDavid Wiesner
FlushCarl Hiaasen- Forty Acres And Maybe A MuleHarriette Robinet
FoundMargaret Peterson Haddix
Four Eyes: A Graphic NovelRex Ogle
Fowl PlayKristin O'Donnell Tubb
Fox Has a ProblemCorey R. Tabor
FreewaterAmina Luqman-Dawson
FrindleAndrew Clements · 830L
FrizzyClaribel Ortega
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. FrankweilerE.L. Konigsburg · 700L
Front DeskKelly Yang · 640L
Fudge-a-ManiaJudy Blume- Full of BeansJennifer L. Holm
- Funny BonesDuncan Tonatiuh
Geronimo Stilton: Lost Treasure of the Emerald EyeGeronimo Stilton · 530L
Ghost BoysJewell Parker Rhodes · 360L
Goblin SecretsWilliam Alexander
Good Masters Sweet LadiesLaura Amy Schlitz
Goosebumps: Welcome to Dead HouseR.L. Stine
Gregor the OverlanderSuzanne Collins
GroundedAisha Saeed, S.K. Ali, Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow & Huda Al-Marashi
Growing HomeBeth Ferry
Guinea DogPatrick Jennings
GutsRaina Telgemeier
Haiku, Ew! Celebrating the Disgusting Side of NatureLynn Brunelle
Hand in HandAndrea Davis Pinkney- Handbook for Dragon SlayersMerrie Haskell
Hannah Sharpe, Cartoon DetectiveJanet Tashjian
Harriet the SpyLouise Fitzhugh
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's StoneJ.K. Rowling · 880L
Heart and SoulKadir Nelson
Hello, UniverseErin Entrada Kelly · 690L
Hidden Hope: How a Toy and a Hero Saved Lives During the HolocaustElisa Boxer
HolesLouis Sachar · 660L
HoopsMatt Tavares
HootCarl Hiaasen · 760L
Hope in the ValleyMitali Perkins
How to Eat Fried WormsThomas Rockwell
How to Eat a BookMacLeod
How to Steal a DogBarbara O'Connor
I Am a TornadoDrew Beckmeyer
I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912Lauren Tarshis · 590L
IcebergJennifer A. Nielsen
Impossible CreaturesKatherine Rundell
In the Beautiful CountryJane Kuo
Inside Out & Back AgainThanhha Lai · 800L
Insignificant Events in the Life of a CactusDusti Bowling
Introducing Sandwina: The Strongest Woman in the World!Vicki Conrad
Invisible IsabelSally J. Pla
Island of the Blue DolphinsScott O'Dell · 1000L
It Came from the TreesAlly Russell
Ivy and BeanAnnie Barrows · 580L
J vs. KKwame Alexander & Jerry Craft
Jackie and MeDan Gutman
James and the Giant PeachRoald Dahl · 870L
JawbreakerChristina Wyman
John's TurnMac Barnett
Just Keep WalkingErin Soderberg Downing
Just a Pinch of MagicAlechia Dow- Kakapo RescueSy Montgomery
Kareem BetweenShifa Saltagi Safadi
Keeper of the Lost CitiesShannon Messenger
Kira-KiraCynthia Kadohata
Legendarios: Wrath of the Rain GodKarla Arenas Valenti
Life on MarsJennifer Brown
LikeAnnie Barrows
Little MonarchsJonathan Case
LocomotiveBrian Floca- LolaKarla Arenas Valenti
- Macy McMillan and the Rainbow GoddessShari Green
Magnolia Wu Unfolds It AllChanel Miller
Malcolm at MidnightW. H. Beck
Maniac MageeJerry Spinelli · 820L
MatildaRoald Dahl · 840L
Max and the MidknightsLincoln Peirce
Merci Suárez Changes GearsMeg Medina · 700L
Midnight and MoonKelly Cooper
Millionaires for the MonthStacy McAnulty
Milloo's MindReem Faruqi
Misfit MansionKay Davault
Moon Over ManifestClare Vanderpool- Morning GirlMichael Dorris
Mountain of Fire: The Eruption and Survivors of Mount St. HelensRebecca E. Barone
Mr. Popper's PenguinsRichard Atwater · Florence Atwater · 910L
Mr. SMonica Arnaldo
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMHRobert C. O'Brien · 790L
My Father's DragonRuth Stiles Gannett · 990L
My Teacher Is an AlienBruce Coville
Narwhal: Unicorn of the ArcticCandace Fleming
New KidJerry Craft
Nic Blake and the RemarkablesAngie Thomas
Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor ProphecyAngie Thomas
NimbusJan Eldredge
Not All Sheep Are Boring!Bobby Moynihan
Not NothingGayle Forman
Nothing Else But MiraclesKate Albus
Nothing's Fair in Fifth GradeBarthe DeClements
Number the StarsLois Lowry · 670L
OdderKatherine Applegate
Oh No, the Aunts Are HereAdam Rex
Oliver's Great Big UniverseJorge Cham
Once They See You: 13 Stories to Shiver and ShockJosh Allen
One for SorrowMary Downing Hahn
Onyx & BeyondAmber McBride
Operation Final NoticeMatthew Landis- Ophie's GhostsJustina Ireland
Other Words for HomeJasmine Warga · 930L
Out of My MindSharon M. Draper · 700L
Parachute KidsBetty C. Tang
PaxSara Pennypacker · 760L
Pedro's Yo-Yos: How a Filipino Immigrant Came to America and Changed the World of ToysRob Peñas
Picture Purrfect (Bodega Cats #1)Hilda Eunice Burgos
Pie in the SkyRemy Lai- Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble MagnetZanib MianPlanet Omar: Accidental Trouble MagnetZanib Mian · 820L
Please Write in this BookMary Amato
PopcornRob Harrell- Popcorn: A hilarious and moving story about coping with anxietyRob Harrell
PowerlessMatthew Cody
PunycornAndi Watson
PuzzleheartJenn Reese
Race for the Ruby TurtleStephen Bramucci
Radiant ChildJavaka Steptoe
Ralph S. MouseBeverly Cleary
Ramona ForeverBeverly Cleary
Ramona Quimby, Age 8Beverly Cleary · 860L
Ramona the PestBeverly Cleary · 750L
RememberToni Morrison
RewindLisa Graff
Rodrick RulesJeff Kinney
Roll for InitiativeJaime Formato
Roller GirlVictoria Jamieson · 440L
Ruby HollerSharon Creech- RulesCynthia Lord
RulesCynthia Lord
Runaway TwinPeg Kehret
Sal and Gabi Break the UniverseCarlos Hernandez
Sarah, Plain and TallPatricia MacLachlan · 660L
Save Me a SeatSarah Weeks · 780L
Saving ShilohPhyllis Reynolds Naylor
Scare School Diaries: Welcome to Scare SchoolJarrett Lerner
Scritch ScratchLindsay Currie- Shades of GrayCarolyn Reeder
ShilohPhyllis Reynolds Naylor · 890L- Show Me a Sign (Show Me a Sign, Book 1)Ann Clare LeZotte
Six Feet Below ZeroEna Jones
Smack Dab in the Middle of MaybeJo Watson Hackl
Small SpacesKatherine Arden
SmileRaina Telgemeier · 410L
Something, SomedayAmanda Gorman- Song for A WhaleLynne Kelly
Spooky Lakes: 25 Strange and Mysterious Lakes that Dot Our PlanetGeo Rutherford
Stand Up, Yumi ChungJessica Kim
StellaMcCall Hoyle- Stepping on the CracksMary Downing Hahn
Stolen ChildrenPeg Kehret
Stone FoxJohn Reynolds Gardiner · 550L
Stuart LittleE.B. White · 920L
Stuntboy, In-Between TimeJason Reynolds
Summer of the MonkeysWilson Rawls
SuperfudgeJudy Blume
Swim TeamJohnnie Christmas
SwindleGordon Korman
Tales from Cabin 23: The Boo Hag FlexJustina Ireland
Tales of a Fourth Grade NothingJudy Blume · 470L
That's Not My Name!Anoosha Syed
The 13-Story TreehouseAndy Griffiths · 560L
The Adventures of Captain UnderpantsDav Pilkey · 720L
The BFGRoald Dahl · 720L
The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events #1)Lemony Snicket · 1010L
The Bees of Notre-DameMeghan Browne
The Best School Year EverBarbara Robinson
The Boxcar ChildrenGertrude Chandler Warner · 490L
The Boy at the Back of the ClassOnjali Q. Raúf
The Boy on the PorchSharon Creech
The City of EmberJeanne DuPrau
The Cricket in Times SquareGeorge Selden · 780L
The Cursed MoonAngela Cervantes
The Cybil WarBetsy Byars
The Dark!: Wild Life in the Mysterious World of CavesLindsey Leigh- The Dollhouse MurdersBetty Ren WrightThe Dollhouse MurdersBetty Ren Wright
The Dragonet ProphecyTui T. Sutherland- The DreamerPam Muñoz Ryan
The Eyes and the ImpossibleDave Eggers
The Fire of StarsKirsten W. Larson- The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinnSally J. Pla
The Firefly SummerMorgan Matson
The First Cat in Space Ate PizzaMac Barnett- The Game of SilenceLouise Erdrich
The Girl Who Drank the MoonKelly Barnhill
The Girl Who Figured It OutMinda Dentler
The Girl in the LakeIndia Hill Brown
The Giving TreeShel Silverstein · 530L
The Great Gilly HopkinsKatherine Paterson
The Guardian Test (Legends of Lotus Island #1)Christina Soontornvat
The Hidden KingdomTui T. Sutherland
The Higher Power of LuckySusan Patron
The House at the Edge of MagicAmy Sparkes
The Hundred DressesEleanor Estes · 870L
The Indian in the CupboardLynne Reid Banks
The Invention of Hugo CabretBrian Selznick
The Labors of Hercules BealGary D. Schmidt
The Land of Stories: The Wishing SpellChris Colfer
The Last CuentistaDonna Barba Higuera
The Last Dragon on MarsScott Reintgen
The Last MusketeerStuart Gibbs
The Last StrawJeff Kinney
The Liars SocietyAlyson Gerber
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1)Rick Riordan · 740L
The Lion, the Witch and the WardrobeC.S. Lewis · 940L
The Longest Shot: How Larry Kwong Changed the Face of HockeyChad Soon & Amy Maranville
The Lost HeirTui T. Sutherland
The Lost LibraryRebecca Stead & Wendy Mass
The Lumbering Giants of Windy PinesMo Netz
The Million Dollar ShotDan Gutman
The Miraculous Journey of Edward TulaneKate DiCamillo
The Mouse and the MotorcycleBeverly Cleary · 860L
The Mysterious Benedict SocietyTrenton Lee Stewart
The Mystery of the MonarchsBarb Rosenstock
The Mystery of the Radcliffe RiddleTaryn Souders
The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. TolkienJohn Hendrix
The Night TrainLorelei Savaryn
The Old Willis PlaceMary Downing Hahn
The One and Only IvanKatherine Applegate · 570L
The One and Only RubyKatherine Applegate
The Partition ProjectSaadia Faruqi
The PenderwicksJeanne Birdsall- The People's PainterCynthia Levinson
The Phantom TollboothNorton Juster · 1000L
The Sea of MonstersRick Riordan- The Season of Styx MaloneKekla MagoonThe Season of Styx MaloneKekla Magoon · 510L
The Sherlock SocietyJames Ponti- The Sign of the BeaverElizabeth George Speare
The Skull: A Tyrolean FolktaleJon Klassen- The Storm in the BarnMatt Phelan
The Superteacher ProjectGordon Korman
The Tale of DespereauxKate DiCamillo · 670L
The Terrible TwoMac Barnett
The ThiefMegan Whalen Turner
The Thief LordCornelia Funke
The Thing About LeftoversC.C. Payne
The Trumpet of the SwanE.B. White- The Truth As Told by Mason ButtleLeslie Connor
The UnwantedsLisa McMann
The Vanderbeekers of 141st StreetKarina Yan Glaser
The War That Saved My LifeKimberly Brubaker Bradley · 580L
The Way I Say ItNancy Tandon
The Whipping BoySid Fleischman
The Wild Journey of Juniper BerryChad Morris
The Wild RobotPeter Brown · 740L
The Wild Robot EscapesPeter Brown
The Witching WindNatalie Lloyd
The World According to HumphreyBetty G. Birney
The Wrong Way HomeKate O'Shaughnessy
There's a Boy in the Girls' BathroomLouis Sachar
Three Times LuckySheila Turnage
To Catch a ThiefMartha Brockenbrough
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the SkyKwame Mbalia
Tuck EverlastingNatalie Babbitt · 770L- Twelve Days in MayLarry Dane Brimner
Two DogsIan Falconer- Una niña llamada Rose / Rain ReignAnn M. Martin
UnspeakableCarole Boston Weatherford
VolcanoesNell Cross Beckerman
Wait Till Helen ComesMary Downing Hahn
Watch Out for the Lion!Brooke Hartman
WatercressAndrea Wang
Wayside School Gets a Little StrangerLouis Sachar
Wayside School Is Falling DownLouis Sachar
We Are Water ProtectorsCarole Lindstrom
We Are the ShipKadir Nelson
Wenny Has WingsJanet Lee Carey
When Sea Becomes SkyGillian McDunn
When You Reach MeRebecca Stead · 750L
When You Trap a TigerTae Keller
Where the Mountain Meets the MoonGrace Lin · 810L
Where the Red Fern GrowsWilson Rawls · 700L
White BirdR.J. Palacio
WildfireRodman Philbrick
WildfulKengo Kurimoto- WildoakC.C. Harrington
Willa of the WoodRobert Beatty
Wings of Fire: The Dragonet ProphecyTui T. Sutherland · 720L
WishBarbara O'Connor
WishtreeKatherine Applegate · 590L
WitchlingsClaribel A. Ortega
Wombat Said Come InCarmen Agra Deedy
WonderR.J. Palacio · 790L- WonderstruckBrian Selznick
Yoshi, Sea Turtle GeniusLynne Cox
You Are Here: Connecting FlightsEllen Oh
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Frequently asked questions
What books do 4th grade students read in US schools?
380 books are commonly assigned to 4th grade students across US schools — sourced from Common Core exemplars, AP, IB, Cambridge, and 50 state curricula. Each title on this page links to its full curriculum citations.
How many books are on the 4th grade reading list?
This page lists 380 4th grade titles, of which 380 have a verified state or national curriculum citation at the 4th grade level.
Are these 4th grade books in Common Core?
Many 4th grade books on this list appear in the Common Core State Standards Appendix B exemplar texts. Each book card links to its full citation history including which states + curricula reference it. Look for the "Common Core" tag on individual book pages.
How do I pick a 4th grade book for my student?
Filter by curriculum using the pivots above (Common Core, AP, IB, Cambridge, state-specific). Each book page shows its grade range, themes, and which curricula list it. For homeschool or differentiation, books with overlapping grade ranges (±2 grades) work for 4th grade students.
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