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Great Books for 3rd & 4th Grade: |
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Baseball Ballerina
by Kathryn Cristaldi
A die-hard tomboy discovers team spirit at the barre when her mother forces her to drop her baseball mit and don a leotard for ballet class.
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Gus and Grandpa
by Claudia Mills
Gus and his lively grandfather enjoy a wonderful relationship in a trio of tales that finds Gus making a terrible mess while trying to feed Grandpa's dog, Grandpa losing his car in the mall parking lot, and the pair sharing a special birthday party.
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Nate the Great
by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
Nate the Great solves the mystery of the missing picture.
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The Whipping Boy
by Sid Fleischman
A bratty prince and his whipping boy have many adventures when they inadvertently trade places after becoming involved with dangerous outlaws.
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Betsy-Tacy and Tib
by Maud Hart Lovelace
The story of two little girls from early twentieth-century Minnesota continues when they are joined by a third companion. By the author of Betsy Was a Junior and Betsy and Joe. Reissue.
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Sarah, Plain and Tall
by Patricia MacLachlan
When their father invites a mail-order bride to come live with them in their prairie home, Caleb and Anna are captivated by their new mother and hope that she will stay.
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All-of-a-Kind Family
by Sydney Taylor
The adventures of five sisters growing up in a Jewish family in New York in the early twentieth century.
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Poppy
by Avi
Reissued to coincide with the publication of its hardcover sequel, Poppy and Rye, an award-winning novel follows a timid dormouse's attempts to win her and her fellows' freedom by toppling a tyrannical owl. Reissue.
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Tuck Everlasting
by Natalie Babbitt
A 40th anniversary edition of the beloved classic that tells the story of the Tuck family and their secret fountain of youth features an introduction from Wicked author Gregory Maguire and additional bonus materials.
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The Dog That Pitched a No-Hitter
by Matt Christopher
Mike's telepathic dog Harry is able to send him secret signals about the opposing players on the baseball field, but Mike's weak pitching arm requires them to find another plan to save the game.
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The Tale of Despereaux
by Kate DiCamillo
An illustrated fairy tale tells the adventures of Despereaux Tilling the mouse and his two associates, Roscuro the rat and Miggery Sow, who happen upon a journey together to a castle where their destiny awaits. Reader's Guide available. 15,000 first printing.
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The Wolves in the Walls
by Neil Gaiman
Lucy is sure there are wolves living in the walls of her house, although others in her family disagree, and when the wolves come out, the adventure begins.
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Three Tales of My Father's Dragon
by Ruth Stiles Gannett
Celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the original publication of My Father's Dragon, an omnibus edition presents the award-winning fantasy trilogy--My Father's Dragon, Elmer and the Dragon, and The Dragon's of Blueland--in a beautiful commemorative edition.
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Bunnicula
by James Howe
Though scoffed at by Harold the dog, Chester the cat tries to warn his human family that their foundling baby bunny must be a vampire. Presented in comic book format.
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The Secret of Platform 13
by Eva Ibbotson
Cornelius the wizard, Gurkintrude the fey, Hans the ogre, and Odge Gribble the hag only have nine days to search London, locate the kidnapped prince, and return him to the Island before the passageway to their magical kingdom will close, and they will not be able to return for nine years. Reissue.
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The Phantom Tollbooth
by Norton Juster
Discovering a large toy tollbooth in his room, bored ten-year-old Milo drives through the tollbooth's gates and begins a memorable journey to the Kingdom of Wisdom with a watchdog named Tuck.
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Lady Lollipop
by Dick King-Smith
Johnny Skinner, a quick-witted swineherd, and a pig named Lollipop are royally rewarded after they reform a spoiled princess named Penelope.
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Catwings
by Ursula K. Le Guin
Four young cats with wings leave the city slums in search of a safe place to live, finally meeting two children with kind hands.
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The Princess Test
by Gail Carson Levine
In this humorous retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Princess and the Pea," Lorelei must pass many difficult tests in order to prove that she is a true princess and win the hand of Prince Nicholas.
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The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
by C. S. Lewis
Four English schoolchildren find their way through the back of a wardrobe into the magic land of Narnia and assist Aslan, the golden lion, in triumphing over the White Witch, who has cursed the land with eternal winter.
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The Haunted House Next Door
by Andres Miedoso
Fearless 8-year-old Desmond Cole runs his own ghost-hunting service to investigate monsters, spirits and other otherworldly mischief makers and is assisted by his sidekick best friend, Andres, who struggles with chronic fears.
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Dinosaurs Before Dark
by Mary Pope Osborne
When he and his younger sister discover a tree house that travels through time, Jack and his younger sister, Annie, begin an adventure that takes them to the era of dinosaurs.
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The Adventures of Captain Underpants
by Dav Pilkey
When George and Harold hypnotize their principal into thinking that he is the superhero Captain Underpants, he leads them to the lair of the nefarious Dr. Diaper, where they must defeat his evil robot henchmen.
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Knights of the Kitchen Table
by Jon Scieszka
Joe receives a magic book for his birthday present from his uncle. Joe, Fred, and Sam are transported to a time when evil knights, fire-breathing dragons, and vile-smelling giants roamed the land.
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The Cricket in Times Square
by George Selden
The adventures of a country cricket who unintentionally arrives in New York and is befriended by Tucker Mouse and Harry Cat.
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The Bad Beginning
by Lemony Snicket
After the sudden death of their parents, the three Baudelaire children must depend on each other and their wits when it turns out that the distant relative who is appointed their guardian is determined to use any means necessary to get their fortune.
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Little Wolf's Haunted Hall for Small Horrors
by Ian Whybrow
In a series of letters to his parents, Little Wolf describes his attempts to create "the scariest school in the world" and convince his ghostly Uncle Bigbad to teach a magic class.
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Andy Russell, NOT Wanted by the Police
by David A. Adler
Andy and Tamika are watching their neighbor's house while they are away, but when strange and troubling things start happening inside the house, the police do not believe the children.
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Good Luck, Anna Hibiscus!
by Atinuke
"Anna Hibiscus lives in Africa. Amazing Africa. She can't wait to fly across the world and visit her granny in Canada. But can she find enough warm clothes for the cold winter weather? And will her family miss her?"
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Ivy + Bean
by Annie Barrows
When seven-year-old Bean plays a mean trick on her sister Nancy, she finds unexpected support for her antics from Ivy, the new neighbor, who is less boring than Bean first suspected.
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The Stories Julian Tells
by Ann Cameron
Relates episodes in seven-year-old Julian's life which include getting into trouble with his younger brother Huey, planting a garden, what he did to try to grow taller, losing a tooth, and finding a new friend.
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Ramona Quimby, age 8
by Beverly Cleary
The further adventures and misadventures of Ramona Quimby feature the heroine as she copes with her family, friends, and turning eight.
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Jake Drake, Know-It-All
by Andrew Clements
Desperately wanting to win the grand prize at the school's science fair, Jake knows he has to beat out the third-grade hot-shots Marsha McCall and Kevin Young, but in planning to do so, Jake has to turn his whole life inside out and may end up losing more than he could win in the end. Reissue.
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Danny, the Champion of the World
by Roald Dahl
A motherless boy, who lives in a gypsy caravan behind his father's filling station, records the adventures he shares with his beloved parent.
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Amber Brown is Not a Crayon
by Paula Danziger
Third grade is a sad time for Amber because her best friend Justin is getting ready to move to a distant state.
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The Hundred Dresses
by Eleanor Estes
As a poor immigrant, a young girl is teased about wearing the same faded dress to school everyday and so tells a great lie that she has one hundred dresses at her home, yet when the fib results in even more teasing, an event suddenly takes place that teaches them all an important lesson about friendship and compassion. A Newbery Honor Book.
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Runaway Radish
by Jessie Haas
Radish, an endearing yet stubborn and spirited pony, who loves teaching Judy and Nina how to ride, how to go fast, and how to fall, becomes sad and lonely after Judy and Nina outgrow him and decides to run away, in an adorable story that will delight little riders.
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Dory Fantasmagory
by Abby Hanlon
Dory, the youngest in her family, is a girl with a very active imagination, and she spends the summer playing with her imaginary friend, pretending to be a dog, battling monsters, and generally driving her family nuts.
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The Year of Billy Miller
by Kevin Henkes
The Caldecott Medal-winning creator of Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse follows the second-grade year of young Billy Miller, who struggles to navigate the pitfalls of elementary school, appreciate a pesky younger sibling and help his busy parents. 100,000 first printing.
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From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
by E. L. Konigsburg
Having run away with her younger brother to live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, twelve-year-old Claudia strives to keep things in order in their new home and to become a changed person and a heroine to herself.
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Gooney Bird Greene
by Lois Lowry
A most unusual new student who loves to be the center of attention entertains her teacher and fellow second graders by telling absolutely true stories about herself, including how she got her name.
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The Quigleys
by Simon Mason
Four funny and fabulous stories told by each member of the unforgettable Quigley family--Dad, Mum, Will, and Lucy--show their hilarious exploits and are sure to be enjoyed by young and old alike. Reprint.
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Judy Moody
by Megan McDonald
Unhappy with her new surroundings at school, thirdgrader Judy feels removed from the happenings of her class, yet when her teacher assigns a project that is right up her alley, Judy becomes very interested and is soon deeply involved with her new class.
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Juana & Lucas
by Juana Medina
A spunky young girl from Columbia loves playing with her canine best friend and resists boring school activities, especially learning English, until her family tells her that a special trip is planned to an English-speaking place. By the creator of One Big Salad.
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7 x 9 = Trouble
by Claudia Mills
Finding it difficult to learn his multiplication tables, Wilson tries to do other things that he enjoys to take his mind off his difficult work, but with the help of his younger brother and the support of the class hamster, Wilson struggles on in the hopes of passing his upcoming test.
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Amelia Works It Out
by Marissa Moss
In pursuit to own a pair of high-tech sneakers, Amelia embarks on a variety of funny business ventures before learning that success lies in drawing upon her own natural talents.
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Shiloh
by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
When he finds a lost beagle in the hills behind his West Virginia home, Marty tries to hide it from his family and the dog's real owner, a mean-spirited man known to shoot deer out of season and to mistreat his dogs.
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Bridge to Terabithia
by Katherine Paterson
Jess copes with tragedy by going to a secret kingdom in the woods invented by newcomer Leslie Burke.
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Clementine
by Sara Pennypacker
Armed with attitude, individuality, and a penchant for disaster, Clementine, a wonderfully wacky girl who is the inventor of the world's first pair of bologna glasses, makes her first appearance in this hilarious chapter book. Reprint.
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Rickshaw Girl
by Mitali Perkins
In her Bangladesh village, ten-year-old Naimi excels at painting designs called alpanas, but to help her impoverished family financially she would have to be a boy--or disguise herself as one.
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How to Eat Fried Worms
by Thomas Rockwell
A small boy is challenged by a friend to eat fifteen worms in fifteen days for fifty dollars.
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Wedding Flowers
by Cynthia Rylant
When Aunt Lucy announces she is getting married to Michael, Lily, Rosie, and Tess take on the task of taking care of all the arrangements and so must work closely together to ensure that everything goes perfectly during the special affair on Cobble Street.
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Secret Identity
by Wendelin Van Draanen
After Mr. Green assigns everyone the task of becoming reporters, Nolan Byrd decides to go undercover and do an exposé via a web site on Bubba and the bullies at his school--giving them a dose of their own medicine by showing what they really are and what their classmates really think of them.
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Charlotte's Web
by E. B. White
Fern raises the little runt pig, Wilbur, only to have her father give him away.
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The Absent Author
by Ron Roy
Dink Duncan and his two friends investigate the apparent kidnapping of famous mystery author Wallis Wallace.
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The Big Nap
by Bruce Hale
Someone is turning the students at Emerson Hickey Elementary into zombies, and it is up to fourth-grade private eye Chet Gecko to find out who. Reprint. 50,000 first printing.
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Regarding the Fountain
by Kate Klise
A hilarious tale of cross purposes is told in a series of letters between a no-nonsense suburban school principal and an especially creative designer of drinking fountains who dreams of building the grandest fountain ever.
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The Egypt Game
by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
A group of children, entranced with the study of Egypt, play their own Egypt game, are visited by a secret oracle, become involved in a murder, and befriend the Professor of the local junk shop.
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Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective
by Donald J. Sobol
Fifth-grader "Encyclopedia" Leroy Brown solves ten mysteries and, by putting the solutions at the back of the book, challenges the reader to do the same.
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The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales
by Jon Scieszka
A revisionist storyteller provides his mad, hilarious versions of children's favorite tales in this collection that includes "Little Red Running Shorts," "The Princess and the Bowling Ball," "Cinderumpelstilskin," and others.
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Not One Damsel in Distress
by Jane Yolen
An uplifting collection of strong-heroine folktales from around the world features artwork by the award-winning illustrator of Chato's Kitchen and includes the stories of medieval knight Bradamante, Chinese serpent slayer Li Chi and Sioux warrior Makhta. 20,000 first printing.
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Lon Po Po
by Ed Young
Three sisters staying home alone are endangered by a hungry wolf who is disguised as their grandmother.
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The Undefeated
by Kwame Alexander
Originally performed for ESPN's The Undefeated, this poem by the Newbery Award-winning author of The Crossover and artwork from a two-time Caldecott Honoree is a love letter to black life in the United States, highlighting the unspeakable trauma of slavery; the faith and fire of the Civil Rights Movement; and the grit, passion and perseverance of some of the world's greatest heroes. Illustrations.
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Insectlopedia
by Douglas Florian
Rhythmic verses, accompanied by bright illustrations, enhance an informative reference guide for young readers that reviews twenty-one types of insects, including the whirligig beetle, dragonfly, and more.
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A Poke in the I
by Paul B. Janeczko
A boldly illustrated picture book offers young readers of all ages a collection of poetry from numerous visual poets, including Maureen W. Armour and John Hollander. 25,000 first printing.
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Read a Rhyme, Write a Rhyme
by Jack Prelutsky
Segmented into ten subjects, a collection of "poemstarts" provides amusing beginnings to a series of poems and challenges readers to complete the tale in their own special way, enhanced with large text and bold illustrations.
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Where the Sidewalk Ends
by Shel Silverstein
A boy who turns into a TV set and a girl who eats a whale are only two of the characters in a collection of humorous poetry illustrated with the author's own drawings. Come in - for where the sidewalk ends, Shel Silverstein's world begins. The Unicorn and the Bloath live there, and so does Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout who will not take the garbage out. It is a place where you wash your shadow and plant diamond gardens, a place where shoes fly, sisters are auctioned off, and crocodiles go to the dentist.
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Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera
by Candace Fleming
Describes the life of a typical worker bee, as she emerges from her cell, does different jobs around the hive while growing big enough and strong enough to fly, and flies far and wide to search for nectar.
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Locomotive
by Brian Floca
The award-winning creator of Moonshot presents a richly detailed visual exploration of America's early railroads that examines the sounds, speed and strength of the fledgling transcontinental locomotives and the experiences of pioneering travelers.
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The Youngest Marcher
by Cynthia Levinson
An inspirational picture book portrait of 9-year-old Audrey Faye Hendricks describes how, in 1963 Alabama, she became the youngest known child to be arrested for participating in a civil rights protest, for which she was imprisoned for picketing against Birmingham segregation practices. By the author of We've Got a Job.
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El Deafo
by Cece Bell
A poignant graphic tale based on the creator's own experiences with hearing loss follows the adventures of young Cece, who develops "superpowers" to manage the challenges of making friends while wearing a bulky hearing aid that sometimes lets her hear things she shouldn't. By the Geisel Honor-winning creator of Rabbit & Robot.
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Squish, Super Amoeba
by Jennifer L. Holm
Squish, a meek amoeba who loves the comic book exploits of his favorite hero, "Super Amoeba," tries to emulate him when his best friend is threatened by a bully.
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Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute
by Jarrett Krosoczka
The school lunch lady--who is a secret crime fighter--uncovers an evil plot to replace all the popular teachers with robots.
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Dog Man
by Dav Pilkey
Dog Man, a crimefighter with the head of a police dog and the body of a policeman, faces off against his archnemesis Petey the Cat.
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