LibraryAware 4th Grade Realistic Fiction

A long pitch home
by Natalie Dias Lorenzi

When Bilal's family suddenly moves to America, his father stays in Pakistan, and Bilal embraces baseball, an unexpected friend, and a new language. But this new way of life does not feel so special without Baba--will he ever get to America to see Bilal pitch a game?

Lexie's little lie
by Emma Shevah

When a jealous lie tears apart her family and threatens her bond with her cousin best friend, Lexie endures calamitous escapades while learning about different kinds of truths and lies, including some truths that can be hurtful.

Save me a seat
by Sarah Weeks

Two boys, one white, one Indian-American, gain strength from each other from afar as they struggle to navigate middle school, family relationships and friendships. Co-written by the award-winning author of Pie. Simultaneous eBook.

Almost a world record breaker
by Molly B Burnham

Ten-year-old Teddy Mars is determined to stand out in a house bursting with siblings by earning a listing in the Guinness Book of World Records. Simultaneous eBook. 40,000 first printing.

Absolutely almost
by Lisa Graff

Ten-year-old Albie has never been the smartest, tallest, most athletic, greatest artist, or most musical in his class, as his parents keep reminding him, but new nanny Calista helps him uncover his strengths and take pride in himself. Simultaneous eBook.

Another day as Emily
by Eileen Spinelli

Feeling overshadowed by her brother's heroics and a best friend winning a coveted role in the school play, 11-year-old Suzy immerses herself in a summertime school project about Emily Dickinson by imitating the classic author's reclusive ways. By the author of The Dancing Pancake. Simultaneous eBook.

The waffler
by Gail Donovan

Routinely getting into trouble for his indecisiveness, fourth-grader Monty bonds with a small group of misfit kindergarteners and struggles with the conflicting demands of his teachers and parents before his pet rat's escape forces him to make up his mind. By the award-winning author of In Memory of Gorfman T. Frog.

Anna was here
by Jane Kurtz

When her father returns the family to the tornado-alley Kansas community of his youth to become its minister, dismayed 10-year-old Anna struggles to make friends in a new school and finds her faith and pride tested by dangerous regional storms. By the award-winning author of River Wild. 15,000 first printing.

The friendship matchmaker
by Randa Abdel-Fattah

Lara Zany is her middle school's official Friendship Matchmaker, but a new student, Emily Wong, has her own ideas on the subject and they vie to match two "hopeless cases" with their perfect best friend

Ready to wear
by Chloe Taylor

Inspired to design and sew her own wardrobe when her middle school no longer requires uniforms, fashion-loving Zoey embarks on a creative summer with her best friends Kate and Priti and starts a blog that earns the admiration and enmity of her peers until her principal asks her to design a dress for a school fundraiser. Simultaneous.

33 minutes
by Todd Hasak-Lowy

Threatened by a former best friend that he will be beaten up at recess, Sam Lewis endures a grueling half-hour before the fated time while wondering how a former video game partner became such a formidable adversary. A first children's book.

Lula Bell on geekdom, freakdom + the challenges of bad hair
by C. C. Payne

Ten-year-old Lula Bell Bonner of White House, Tennessee, tries to fade into the background to avoid a bully, but after her beloved grandmother's death Lula Bell understands about letting her light shine in the darkness

A whole lot of lucky
by Danette Haworth

When 12-year-old Hailee's family wins the lottery, her life changes in unexpected--and not necessarily good--ways.

Eighth grade is making me sick : Ginny Davis's year in stuff
by Jennifer L. Holm

An illustrated, scrapbook-style tale told through journal entries, notes and report cards traces a year in the life of eighth grader Ginny, whose ambitions to become a cheerleader and fall in love are challenged by the loss of her stepfather's job and the imminent birth of a sibling. By the Newbery Honor-winning author of Turtle in Paradise.

Cool down
by Cassie Waters

Sharing the last days of summer with carefree new friend Nikki at the community pool after clashing with her friend Grace, Christina becomes alarmed by Nikki's inclination to bend the rules, a situation that tests Christina's resolve and makes her wonder about the nature of true friendship. Simultaneous.

Home court
by Amar'e Stoudemire

A captain of the New York Knicks and six-time NBA All-Star describes events from his childhood that inspired his athletic career, describing how he used his basketball skills to defend his friends from a group of bullies and overcame difficult obstacles to achieve his professional ambitions. Simultaneous.

About average
by Andrew Clements

Tiring of her average appearance and normal grades when she sees evidence of more remarkable, talented and beautiful people in the media and at her school, Jordan resolves to discover an extraordinary talent before the end of the year. By the Edgar Award-winning author of Frindle.

Monica and the sweetest song
by Diana G. Gallagher

Because of their boyfriends, Monica and Claudia are cheering for competing bands in the Battle of the Bands--will this competition damage their friendship?

Bye for now : a Wishers story
by Kathleen Churchyard

While blowing out the candles on her birthday cake, eleven-year-old Robin wishes she were someone else, and wakes up to find herself in the body of an eleven-year-old British actress

Chocolate fever
by Robert Kimmel Smith

From eating too much chocolate, Henry breaks out in brown bumps that help him foil some hijackers and teach him a valuable lesson about self-indulgence.

Loser
by Jerry Spinelli

Zinkoff is unlike other kids in school and so doesn't worry about coming in last place or always having the wrong answers, despite the teasing and comments he gets from those around him, in a tale about maintaining individuality amidst pressures of fitting in with the crowd. 75,000 first printing.

No talking
by Andrew Clements

With the boys and girls of Laketon Elementary at definite odds, Dave's single insult to Lynsey is the final straw that leads to a competition of silence between the two groups, causing a quiet chaos within the school and a confused principal who has no idea how to get things back to normal. 100,000 first printing.

11 birthdays
by Wendy Mass

After celebrating their first nine same-day birthdays together, Amanda and Leo, having fallen out on their tenth and not speaking to each other for the last year, prepare to celebrate their eleventh birthday separately but peculiar things begin to happen as the day of their birthday begins to repeat itself over and over again.

Confetti girl
by Diana López

Trying to be many things all at once to many people while coping with the loss of her mother and a father who seems to be completely uninterested in her life, Lina Flores learns to becomes an expert in adaption in order to satisfy all the roles she needs to play in her complicated life.

Eleven
by Lauren Myracle

Having turned eleven-years-old in March, Winnie finds that being a pre-teen has its challenges as she deals with different issues through the course of the year, such as her sister's mood swings, a change in her friendship with her best friend, and the arrival of an unlikable new girl at school.

The kind of friends we used to be
by Frances O'Roark Dowell

Twelve-year-olds Kate and Marylin, friends since preschool, draw further apart as Marylin becomes involved in student government and cheerleading, while Kate wants to play guitar and write songs, and both develop unlikely friendships with other girls and boys. By the author of The Secret Language of Girls.

Flat Stanley : His Original Adventure
by Jeff Brown

After a bulletin board falls on Stanley while he is sleeping, he finds that being flat has its advantages, in a reillustrated, chapter-book version of a classic. Simultaneous.