Fantastic books for fourth graders also need to be a whole lot of fun. Capturing a reader’s attention is no small feat—your reader needs excitement, intrigue, and hands-on engagement. To help you find those just-right reads, we’re sharing titles that cleverly combine educational and entertaining elements. Here are a few reading adventures they’re sure to love:

The Entirely True Story of the Unbelievable FIB

by Adam Shaughnessy

Classic mythology, meet contemporary mystery-solving. This delightful, race-to-the-finish read is everything we want from a young-reader mystery novel: clever, satisfying, and intriguing to the last page. Packed with Norse and Russian mythology, this fantasy is a major departure from your average middle-school whodunnit—a little bit of genre-blending can go a long way for a budding bookworm!

Pashmina

by Nidhi Chanani

Priyanka has a lot of questions about her family’s past, but her mother refuses to answer them. One day, Pri finds a magical pashmina that transports her to a mysterious world. Is this the key to her family’s history—or something more sinister? This graphic novel is a beautiful story about juggling two cultures. Not only can it mesmerize any young reader, but it’s packed with lessons in empathy and creative inspiration.

The Good Thieves

by Katherine Rundell

It’s 1920s Manhattan. A crooked real estate mogul has stolen Vita’s grandfather’s mansion. But Vita has hatched a plan—break into the mansion, take back what’s rightfully theirs, and expose the villain. With complex emotions of justice, hope, and grief, this enthralling story helps fourth-graders learn more about their world, and develop a love for independent reading.

Write Your Own Story Book

By Louie Stowell

Sometimes all a curious storyteller needs is a springboard! Write Your Own Story Book is a guided workbook to get every rookie wordsmith excited about writing. With whimsical illustration and engaging prompts, readers can channel their inner Shakespeare and learn the foundational skills to go above and beyond as writers.

Copycat Science

By Mike Barfield

Turns out you don’t need impressive gray facial hair to feel like Einstein or Darwin for an afternoon. Grab your lab coats and protective goggles, this graphic novel-style guide lets your reader step into the shoes of famous scientists and recreate experiments at home! This informative, interactive read can help nurture a budding interest in STEM, but comes packed with facts to excite young history buffs, too!

Discover Personalized Picks with Literati Book Clubs

There you have it—a handful of stories that can help fourth graders continue on their reading journey with confidence. While these books are undeniable crowd favorites, the very best books for your child probably won’t come from a list. Literati curates books on an individual basis—Literati readers get a box of books that’s as unique as they are.

With Literati’s personalized kids book clubs, you’ll never have to worry whether your bookshelf is suited to support your child’s progress. Instead, you’ll get a box of books that match their reading level, align to their interests, and expand their love of learning. Take the Literati personalization quiz, and Literati’s curation experts will get to work finding extra-enriching books—stories your child simply won’t want to put down.

The post The Best Books for Fourth Graders appeared first on Literati.

The Okay Witch

by Emma Steinkellner

Middle school means a lot of changes for everybody—but for Moth Hush, it means discovering her wild magical powers and uncovering a dark secret at the heart of her hometown’s history. In the face of all that change, it’s not easy to be a top-notch witch! Sometimes, it’s okay to just be okay.

Emma Steinkellner brings us a lovable protagonist in Moth, a budding young witch. Your magic-loving fourth-grader will adore this illustrated tale about finding family and your inner self.

A Wolf Called Wander

By Rosanne Parry

When rival wolves attack home, Swift is separated from his pack. Will he survive the journey to his new home? Watch your young reader become engrossed with a story of courage that perfectly captures the wonder of nature. Fact-seekers will be very happy here, too: A Wolf Called Wander is based on a true story and includes information and maps of the real wolf’s journey!

Odd Gods

by David Slavin

You may have heard of Zeus, the all-powerful king of Olympus: but what about Mathena, Germes, Puneus, and … Gaseous? In this wacky twist on Greek mythology, we follow Oddonis, son of Zeus. Will he be able to beat his beloved brother Adonis for class president?

Equal parts educational and silly, Odd Gods takes school drama to the next level. As your fourth grader builds their understanding of wordplay and metaphor, they’ll love reading about middle-grade deities with pint-sized powers.

Ungifted

by Gordon Korman

Donovan Curtis has just pulled the biggest prank of his middle school career. This time, he’s certain he’s gone way too far. But thanks to an administrative mix-up, he’s not punished. Instead, he’s sent to the Academy of Scholastic Distinction, a special school for gifted students. Full of robot fights, middle school dances, and risky experiments, Ungifted entertains from start to finish—while teaching that everyone has their own gifts to share.

Out of My Mind

by Sharon M. Draper

Imagine being the smartest kid in your whole school—maybe even your whole town—but nobody knows it. Your photographic memory allows you to absorb everything you’ve ever seen in high-def detail. Meanwhile, your peers, doctors, and classmates dismiss you completely.
That’s life for 11-year-old Melody, who lives with cerebral palsy. But Melody refuses to be defined by her disability. This stunning story helps middle-grade readers learn empathy, inclusion, and acceptance, while they get more comfortable with longer dialogue.

Framed!

by James Ponti

Florian Bates is the only 12-year-old on the FBI director’s speed dial—for good reason. Using TOAST, or the Theory of All Small Things, Florian and his friend Margaret have to solve their biggest mystery yet. Can they save the National Gallery from an intimidating crime organization?

Framed! is a must for middle graders enthralled by thrillers. Watch your child eat up this mystery novel like a double-cheese pizza, scarfing it down as quickly as possible to reach the twist ending.

The Last Human

by Lee Bacon

Lee Bacon’s post-apocalyptic middle-grade novel starts from the perspective of a 12-year-old robot (sent to destroy the human race) who’s just discovered the last human on earth. Will he question his original programming and take a risky journey for friendship? Packed with action, laughs, and lessons, The Last Human is one of the best fourth-grade books for budding sci-fi lovers.

The Good Thieves

by Katherine Rundell

It’s 1920s Manhattan. A crooked real estate mogul has stolen Vita’s grandfather’s mansion. But Vita has hatched a plan—break into the mansion, take back what’s rightfully theirs, and expose the villain. With complex emotions of justice, hope, and grief, this enthralling story helps fourth-graders learn more about their world, and develop a love for independent reading.

Liesl & Po

by Lauren Oliver

Liesl is a lonely girl locked in her stepmother’s attic, and her only friend is a ghost named Po. One night, a boy named Will messes up a simple delivery and accidentally causes a cataclysmic magical adventure.

Will’s mistake creates ripples across time and space that reach Liesl and Po, sending the three on an unforgettable adventure. Send your young reader along with them, and enjoy as they discover the magic of a compelling narrative.

Pashmina

by Nidhi Chanani

Priyanka has a lot of questions about her family’s past, but her mother refuses to answer them. One day, Pri finds a magical pashmina that transports her to a mysterious world. Is this the key to her family’s history—or something more sinister? This graphic novel is a beautiful story about juggling two cultures. Not only can it mesmerize any young reader, but it’s packed with lessons in empathy and creative inspiration.

Discover Personalized Book Boxes from Literati

Strong reading skills do more than set kids up for classroom success—they set the stage for a lifelong love of reading. Books allow kids to spread their wings and learn more about themselves and the world we live in.

With Literati kids book clubs, readers can discover books that are perfectly suited to support reading development, and venture into independent reading with confidence. Each box comes filled with vibrant books picked to challenge your reader’s skills and keep their progress on track.

Take the Literati personalization quiz and get your very first box of perfectly-curated picks!

The post Top 10 Books of 2020 for 4th Grade appeared first on Literati.

By the time your little one is entering second, third, or fourth grade, the best books are ones that encourage independent exploration and creation. Reading is a tool to help your child discover how things work, and when it comes to new discoveries, it helps to be a little hands-on. 

Enter the world of interactive books: the perfect hybrid between reading and doing, where your child can draw, play, and sticker their way into the reading world. Interactive books and activity books are an exciting way to introduce new concepts and help readers develop a habit of focusing for longer periods of time. With interactive books, you get a kind of active play that your little one won’t find in games or screens, and Literati subscription boxes have the perfect one for every kind of reader. 

We’ve ranked our favorite interactive reads for every energetic second-grade, third-grade, or fourth-grade reader. Read on to discover the top five interactive books to distract, delight, and engage your 7-9 year old.

Maze Quest History: Travel Through Time!

By Anna Brett

Part maze activity, part storybook, Maze Quest tells the story of George and his puppy companion, Milly. During a visit to the Natural History Museum, they’re sent back in time with no way home! As your child completes and connects each maze, they get to experience history and send our protagonists back to the present.

Thanks to its exciting time travel theme, this maze book is rich with educational value far beyond the cognition skills needed to solve the mazes themselves. Maze Quest History is an ideal challenge for the budding problem solver.

Laugh-Out-Loud Ultimate Jokes for Kids

By Rob Elliott

This book, which holds the #2 spot on our list of best activity books, is jam-packed with jokes, puzzles, and goofy games. Getting acquainted with humor and joke structure is a great way for kids to learn literary devices—as wordplay and analogy pop up all over the place.

This book is a 2-in-1 collectible copy, combining Laugh-Out-Loud Awesome Jokes for Kids and Laugh-Out-Loud Road Trip Jokes for Kids into one side-splitting book. Rob Elliott includes tried-and-true jokes (think chickens crossing roads) with brand-new iterations, making this book a hilarious must-have for every household.

National Parks of the USA

By Kate Siber

National Parks of the U.S.A. stuns with glossy, realistic illustrations that will introduce your child to diverse landscapes and animal species they might not realize are in our very own backyard! And they aren’t just pretty to look at—your child will learn bite-sized facts they can remember and recite back.

This book includes a crossword of predators, a bird word search, spot-the-difference games with insects, a pull-out poster map, and dozens of stickers. Safe to say there’s hours upon hours of fun to be found in this book—no travel necessary!

Doodle Adventures: The Rise of the Rusty Robo-Cat!

By Mike Lowery

Has your child ever wanted to star in a book they were reading? Well, here’s their chance! This book goes beyond second-person storytelling to activate their imagination and encourage their creative side.

Doodle Adventures: The Rise of the Rusty Robo-Cat makes reading fun and interactive, working like a wacky game of Mad Libs, where your child can draw themselves into the story and all of its absurd adventures. They’ll complete prompts, doodles, and puzzles as they wind their way through their story.

STEM Starters for Kids: Science Activity Book

by Catherine Bruzzone and Vicky Barker

Is your child often asking questions about how the world works? You may have a mini scientist in your midst.

STEM Starters for Kids: Science Activity Book won’t just keep their hands busy—it’ll keep their brain activated for hours on end.They’ll race through a maze to make steam, draw sound waves, learn about light with shadow puppets, and more. At Literati, this sensational multi-sensory book gets top marks as one of the best books for 9-year-olds! Get ready for your child to have a reading experience that’s equal parts silly and scholarly.

Interactive Books for Ever-Learning Minds

With interactive books, readers are empowered to lead their own story. These healthy outlets for curiosity and creativity are also instrumental in building a lasting love of reading. 

With our Literati Kids book box subscription, you’ll help to fuel a passion for reading at any age. Every Literati box is personalized to fit your child’s interests, and adapts to challenge them as they grow.

A subscription book club for kids gets them excited about the amazing world of literature with books that are just-right for their pace of development. Keep your child reading, active, and ever-learning with Literati Kids.

The post The Best Interactive Books for 7 to 9-Year-Olds appeared first on Literati.