If you want to turn your child into a reader, these 4th-grade book series are must-reads! These books have hooked my fourth and fifth-grade students, and they will have your kids reading ’til dawn. Check them out!
4th-grade book series are so good, you’ll love them as much as your child!
As a school librarian, I will forever love my fourth-grade students. This is the age when I begin to see huge leaps in my kids. They are becoming fluent and proficient readers. They begin venturing out of their comfort zones and are more willing to accept a book recommendation from friends, teachers, and me (the school librarian!)
Most importantly, though, they are becoming more mature. That means they are finally ready for some more meaty middle-grade novels, and I love watching their excitement as they experiment with these phenomenal books.
There is something truly special about books for 4th graders. Now that they can read middle-grade novels, they will find plots that are more thought-provoking, complex, suspenseful, and fun. The novels they seek out offer such great springboards for discussion! Kids begin to analyze how they may relate to the characters in the stories they read, and they start to think about their own responses or behaviors if they ever find themselves in situations similar to those in the book.
4th-grade book series hook readers!
If you can get your child hooked on a series, it will go a long way toward encouraging your kids to read. Why?
Because once your kid is excited about the first book in a series, they will be eager to get the next one… and then the next one… Do you get where I’m going with this?
When a child reads and loves the first book, they will want to immediately devour the rest of the books in the series! It’s a win-win!
Reading series can build momentum, and it also builds confidence. When readers are familiar with characters and settings, it not only helps them with comprehension as they begin to predict patterns and plot structure, but also with stamina and focus. Kids love this element of predictability.
So what are you waiting for? We’ve got a list of some of the very best 4th-grade book series that we know your readers will love. Check them out below!
Happily Ever Elephants participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read more about these links in my disclosure policy.
Frequently asked questions
Fourth graders should read anything age appropriate that piques their interest! Middle-grade books are perfect for this age group, and there are so many options to ensure your child finds something he loves. From stand-alone novels to series, realistic fiction to fantasy, the options are endless. Just take them to the library and let them roam and choose!
My biggest suggestion is to give your reader a choice over the books they read for pleasure! Take them to the bookstore or the library and give them free rein. Let them pick what they think looks fun and/or interesting! Choice is so important when it comes to reading for enjoyment, especially as many kids are told what books to read in school. If your child is not already an avid reader, having to slog through a book they aren’t interested in class makes them think reading is boring. Once they realize how many amazing options there are out there, we can begin to change this attitude! And getting them hooked on a series? The best! If they love the first book, they will be eager for the others!
Absolutely! Check out this list of some of the best books for fourth graders.
We love these 4th-grade book series!
If your children love adventure, mystery, and globe-trotting, they will fall in love with this series because it is the perfect combination of all three! My fourth grader and I devoured these brilliantly plotted novels (we actually listened to the audiobooks because the narration is fabulous!), and we were both hooked on the stories of five tweens from around the world who operate as the “City Spies,” working with Mother, a British spy, and the secret MI6 agency. Each of the kids has a special skill, from hacking to sleight of hand to observation, and their unique talents allow them to enter the depths of espionage where no kid has ever traveled before. Will they be able to successfully accomplish their missions? Either way, these books are hot, and your readers will be a go. This is hands down our favorite 4th-grade book series! For more phenomenal mystery books for 4th and 5th graders, click the link!
BUY THIS BOOK FROM:
This is the middle-grade fantasy series that flies off the shelves in our school library as fast as the books come in. This captivating series stars Sophie, a telepathic girl who has never felt she fit into her life. She’s skipped grades but doesn’t connect with her older classmates, and she’s not even comfortable with her family. But then one day she meets a boy named Fitz, and Sophie discovers Fitz is a telepath too. It’s through Fitz that Sophie learns a shocking and important truth – a truth that forces her to leave her family behind for a new world that’s unlike anything she has ever known. Don’t miss this one, friends. Your readers will be hooked from the very first page and won’t stop reading these novels until they have finished the entire series!
BUY THIS BOOK FROM:
The Vanderbeeker family has lived in a Harlem brownstone on 141st Street forever. When their reclusive landlord tells them they have mere days to move out as their lease will not be renewed, the siblings take matters into their own hands. The five Vanderbeeker kids act quickly, coming up with one crazy antic after another. They will stop at nothing to convince their landlord just how special their family is and why they need to remain in their home. Will the Vanderbeekers be forced to leave nonetheless? Though set in the present day, these wonderful novels have an old-fashioned, throwback feel, featuring authentic characters and heartfelt storylines. This series is a gem, and they are on my list of favorite books for tween girls!
BUY THIS BOOK FROM:
After listening to my school book club rave about this series every session for an entire school year, I went ahead and purchased it for the library. And let me tell you — boys and girls alike rave about this series and find it absolutely mesmerizing! It’s also a super fun series to read aloud as a family. Twins Alex and Conner leave their modern world and find themselves in a land of stories, wonder, and mystery, where they come face to face with the very classic fairy tale characters they grew up reading about. How to get home again? Let’s just say it will be much more challenging than the twins ever anticipated.
BUY THIS BOOK FROM:
If you have a reader who loves all things books, they will be mesmerized by the delightful Pages and Co. series. Ever since her mother disappears, Tilly has found comfort and solace in the stories of her grandparents’ bookshop. But when Anne of Green Gables and Alice from Wonderland keep popping in for a visit, Tilly discovers that she can “bookwander” into any story in the shop. Tilly’s new adventures are exciting– and at times, they are also dangerous. Will Tilly’s new escapades lead her to unravel the mystery of her mother’s disappearance so many years ago? There is nothing better than a book-loving hero, and we adore this wonderful series!
BUY THIS BOOK FROM:
Amari is a tween from the housing projects who believes her big brother, Quinton, is still alive — even if no one else agrees. When Amari one day discovers a ticking briefcase in Quinton’s closet containing a nomination for her tryout to the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, she suddenly knows there is a lot to discover behind her brother’s sudden disappearance. Was there more to Quinton than meets the eye? Is there more to Amari herself? Most importantly, is magic actually real? Amari is a strong Black girl who is witty, persistent, and smarter than she realizes. Her story brilliantly tackles issues of racism, classism, poverty, and profiling, all wrapped up in a fast-paced fantasy. For more fantastic tween novels with Black main characters, click here!
BUY THIS BOOK FROM:
Ben Ripley is an undercover nerd. Can he also be a superstar spy? When he is recruited to the CIA’s Academy of Espionage, his life may just depend on it… if only he can survive. But Ben is awkward. And uncoordinated. And it seems he can barely get to and from school without encountering a challenge or mishap. This 4th-grade book series is so much fun, combining humor and sarcasm resulting in readers young and old rooting for Ben as his misadventures and spy hijinks take him around the globe.
BUY THIS BOOK FROM:
Percy Jackson is a good kid — but he sometimes has trouble controlling his temper, and his time at boarding school seems to be going from bad to worse. When he thinks his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster who wants to kill him, Percy’s mom decides it’s time he learns the truth about who he really is… and that’s when his true journey begins. Mythical, magical, and masterful, this is one series you won’t forget! After all, Percy is a demigod. And with a father like Poseidon, there’s no debating that they mystery, mythology, and magic within these pages will enthrall tween readers!
BUY THIS BOOK FROM:
The Penderwicks tells the story of a widower and his four daughters who have a wonderful surprise in store for them this summer — a holiday at Arundel, a beautiful estate in the Berkshires. While in Massachusetts, the girls embark on one adventure after another, from scrounging through treasure-filled attics to taming gardens to taming rabbits. But not all is fun and games at Arundel, because Mrs. Tifton, the owner of the estate, does not approve of the Penderwick girls and warns them to stay out of trouble. A modern classic, this charming story will have young readers eager for the next installment in this witty series!!
BUY THIS BOOK FROM:
This is another series my big one read through ferociously, and he still doesn’t stop asking me when the newest installment will be published! Mac Barnett can do no wrong, and in this hilarious and fun spy series, readers follow a young Mac on various adventures — because before he was a famous author, Mac Barnett was a kid spy, of course! Mac’s shenanigans lead him on some daring quests. In the first book, he must help the Queen of England to save parts of history, return the Crown Jewels to their rightful owner, and even navigate secret tunnels underneath the Berlin Wall. Fun, smart and oh-so-wacky, this series is beloved by my third-grade students as well as older ones!
BUY THIS BOOK FROM:
Roz wakes up for the very first time alone on a remote island. Who is she? How did she get here? She doesn’t know how to answer these questions. The only thing she knows for sure is that she is a robot, and she is programmed to survive. How, though, when no one in the wild is like her? Roz must learn to adapt to her surroundings, but the only ones she can learn from are the island’s animals… and the animals aren’t so welcoming of the “monster” in their midst. Will an orphaned gosling help Roz save herself? This is one of our favorite 4th-grade book series, and my students are anxiously awaiting book three!
BUY THIS BOOK FROM:
RELATED: If you have a reader who loves survival books like Hatchet, click the link for awesome read-a-like books!
This is another series I cannot keep on the shelf in my school library! After an ad runs in the newspaper calling for “gifted children looking for special opportunities,” two boys and two girls pass the mind-bending tests and succeed. Their mission? A secret challenge that only the most innovative and intelligent children can complete. Yet, they’ll have to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened to do so, where, surprisingly, there is only one rule: there are no rules. Will the four kids succeed? This is one to add to your child’s “must-read” list!
BUY THIS BOOK FROM:
At the start of fifth grade, seven kids with nothing in common are thrown into Mr. Terupt’s class. There’s the new girl, of course, as well as the bully, the brain, and the outcast. Mr. Terupt seeks to foster connection, bring these students together, and help them discover their own courage and strength. But when Mr. Terupt suffers a terrible accident, his students must remember the lessons he taught them lest their lives go back to the way they were before his powerful class.
BUY THIS BOOK FROM:
Mia Tang and her parents leave China and arrive in America in search of the American Dream. But their hard work and determination don’t mean life will be easy. When Mia’s family finds themselves operating a motel for a cruel and exploitative owner, life is anything but what they had imagined. Mia runs the front desk at the motel, and the tougher her days are, the more she longs for an easier life. With the help of a new friend, the motel’s “weeklies,” her devoted parents, and a lucky pencil, Mia may find that she can achieve her American dreams with a hefty amount of perseverance and a whole lot of heart. This is the first story in a cherished 4th-grade book series in our school library, beloved by students and teachers alike!
BUY THIS BOOK FROM:
Ghost wants to be the fastest runner. In fact, running is all he knows. Yet Ghost is running for the wrong reasons, especially from a past that makes his stomach clench. Then Ghost meets Coach, who brings Ghost to the middle school track team along with Lu, Sunny, and Patina. And if Ghost can stay on track, both literally and figuratively, he could be the best sprinter in his city — and maybe even qualify for the Junior Olympics. Powerful, explosive, and a National Book Award Finalist, this is the first book in the brilliant Track series that kids won’t soon forget. This is an absolute must-read 4th-grade book series and one that hooks many of my reluctant readers – especially boys.
BUY THIS BOOK FROM:
What happens when the world’s most prominent game maker designs the new library in town? Kyle does his best to get invited to the invitation-only opening night, of course. But once he succeeds and actually attends opening night? Well, that’s the tricky part. Because when morning comes the doors are still locked. And getting in to the library wasn’t nearly as challenging as finding the way out! Will Kyle and his new friends be able to solve the puzzles and clues that will lead them to the hidden escape route?
BUY THIS BOOK FROM:
Leave a Reply