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Best Books for Fourth Graders

By fourth grade, 9- and 10-year-olds are not only devouring books, they're expanding their worldviews, too. They love reading about all kinds of families and kids in all kinds of situations and countries, living in their own time or other eras. We've selected some surefire titles in a variety of genres -- from mystery to mythology to middle school tales and more -- that we know click with kids at this age and stage of development. And some are series starts, so they keep on giving. Get ready to get hooked!

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City Spies, Book 1 Poster Image
BOOK

City Spies, Book 1

age 9+

Diverse young, skilled misfits team up in exciting spy romp.

By: James Ponti (2020)
Clean Getaway Poster Image
BOOK

Clean Getaway

age 9+

Boy and grandma's thrilling ride through U.S., family past.

By: Nic Stone (2020)
The Crossover Poster Image
BOOK

The Crossover

age 9+

Soaring, poignant, novel in verse hits all the right spots.

By: Kwame Alexander (2014)
Front Desk, Book 1 Poster Image
BOOK

Front Desk, Book 1

age 9+

Immigrant kid tackles racism, bullying in powerful tale.

By: Kelly Yang (2018)
The Hobbit Poster Image
BOOK

The Hobbit

age 9+

Brilliantly written, inventive pre-LOTR tale.

By: J.R.R. Tolkien (1937)
The Lightning Thief: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1 Poster Image
BOOK

The Lightning Thief: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1

age 9+

Greek myths meet fast-paced adventure in boy-demigod tale.

By: Rick Riordan (2005)
Mañanaland Poster Image
BOOK

Mañanaland

age 9+

Tween rescues refugees in moving magical realism tale.

By: Pam Munoz Ryan (2020)
Shuri: A Black Panther Novel, Book 1 Poster Image
BOOK

Shuri: A Black Panther Novel, Book 1

age 9+

Bold princess shines in African superhero adventure.

By: Nic Stone (2020)
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing Poster Image
BOOK

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

age 9+

Toddler antics bug brother, amuse readers in 1st Fudge book.

By: Judy Blume (1972)
The War That Saved My Life Poster Image
BOOK

The War That Saved My Life

age 9+

Abused girl finds courage, family in compelling WWII story.

When You Reach Me Poster Image
BOOK

When You Reach Me

age 9+

Perfectly voiced, mysterious sci-fi coming-of-age tale.

By: Rebecca Stead (2009)
"Who Could That Be at This Hour?": All the Wrong Questions, Book 1 Poster Image
BOOK

"Who Could That Be at This Hour?": All the Wrong Questions, Book 1

age 9+

Snicket in fine form as a 12-year-old solving noir mystery.

By: Lemony Snicket (2012)
As Brave As You Poster Image
BOOK

As Brave As You

age 10+

Poignant summer adventure brims with family love and hope.

By: Jason Reynolds (2016)
Becoming Kareem: Growing Up On and Off the Court Poster Image
BOOK

Becoming Kareem: Growing Up On and Off the Court

age 10+

Thoughtful memoir by basketball star and civil rights icon.

Becoming Muhammad Ali Poster Image
BOOK

Becoming Muhammad Ali

age 10+

Lyrical novel traces childhood, evolution of sports legend.

Booked Poster Image
BOOK

Booked

age 10+

Soccer player faces divorce, bullies in fast-paced novel.

By: Kwame Alexander (2016)
Brown Girl Dreaming Poster Image
BOOK

Brown Girl Dreaming

age 10+

Captivating poems depict coming-of-age in tumultuous 1960s.

By: Jacqueline Woodson (2014)
Count Me In Poster Image
BOOK

Count Me In

age 10+

Powerful, appealing story about 7th grader fighting racism.

By: Varsha Bajaj (2019)
The Ear, the Eye and the Arm Poster Image
BOOK

The Ear, the Eye and the Arm

age 10+

Amazing adventure about siblings lost in a future Zimbabwe.

By: Nancy Farmer (2014)
Echo Mountain Poster Image
BOOK

Echo Mountain

age 10+

Girl finds her strengths in rich, poignant Depression tale.

By: Lauren Wolk (2020)