Best Books for 9 Year Olds

Here is a long list of the best chapter books for fourth grade 9-year old boys and girls that I have reviewed and recommend.

If you need harder books, go to my Best Books for 10-Year Olds.

If you need easier books, go to my Best Books for 8-Year Olds.

Best Books for 9 Year Old Boys and Girls (4th Graders)

I Survived by Lauren Tarshis – HISTORICAL FICTION / ADVENTURE
Wow – these are one of my favorite discoveries this year! They’re excellent, fast-paced adventures set during significant historical events. Your kids will zip through these fascinating adventures. The books always are about a young boy trying to survive the historically important, life-changing event.

The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer FANTASY
Fairy tales come alive when Alex and Conner (brother and sister) find themselves in the fairy tale book given to them by their grandmother. Their only way home is to find the ingredients for a Wishing Spell. Finding them will be dangerous, mysterious, and life changing. A wonderful adventure!!!

Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Skottie Young HUMOR
If you like quirky humor, then this is your perfect book. Because you will never believe, except you totally will, what happens when the kids’ father goes out to get more milk. He doesn’t even get the milk but he does run in to pirates, aliens, and all sorts of incredible things! Totally hilarious.

Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling FANTASY
The best selling children’s book of all time, this is a MUST READ for so many reasons: the brilliant storytelling, a complex and entertaining plot, relatable characters, rich language, essential life lessons about friendship and bravery, and more. (See all my reasons for reading Harry Potter.) Harry Potter gets kids excited about reading; it’s compelling and amazing. I can’t say enough good things about it!!

Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George FANTASY
Every Tuesday, the castle where Princess Celie and her family live, adds on a new room, or turret, or wing. Celie loves her castle, and it’s living ways. So, when robbers attack her parents carriage, and they are never seen again, Celie takes comfort that their room is exactly the same, hoping the castle knows they are still alive. But, can the castle and Celie stop the Royal Council and the foreign prince from taking over the kingdom? LOVE this series!

Doodle Adventures: The Search for Slimy Space Slugs! by Mike Lowery HUMOR SCI-FI
This book not only hooks the reader with it’s space-adventure plot and hilarious narrator Carl the Duckbut it invites YOU to find the missing priceless artifact requiring bravery, heroism and drawing. Yes, drawing. Along the journey to retrieve the artifact from Captain Sleezoog (he’s a slug), you’ll be tasked with doing your part. So you’ll make sure (by drawing) that you’ve got a spacesuit, you’ve packed everything you need to bring, the rocket design is perfect plus has some silly (bandages!?) extras, and lots more as the adventure ensues. It may sound contrived but it’s an engaging adventure any kid, artist or not, will love. And there is MORE in the series! Also read: The Pursuit of the Pesky Pizza Pirate!

Dragon Slippers trilogy by Jessica Day George FANTASY
We can’t recommend it enough. Young and brave Creel wants nothing more than to own her own seamstress shop but in her pursuit of this dream, she encounters and befriends a few dragons which will change the course of her life. Especially because she’s given a pair of magical dragon slippers that can help her speak / control to her most esteemed dragon friend.

Killer Species by Michael P. Spralin ADVENTURE (SCI-FI)
I enjoyed this fast-paced adventure series about a mad scientists who creates a hybrid crocodile-dinosaur-bird killer creature to stop visitors from entering the Everglades. Emmet and his father arrive to investigate but when his father is kidnapped, Emmet and his friend, Calvin, know it’s up to them to find where the kidnapper is holding Emmet’s father. GREAT for reluctant readers — and anyone who loves a crazy sci-fi who-done-it!

Olga and the Smelly Thing From Nowhere by Elise Gravel HUMOR

The Great Shelby Holmes by Elizabeth Eulberg MYSTERY
What a lovely surprise this Sherlock inspired book is– it’s so well, written and tells a great story that kids will enjoy as much as me. John Watson moves with his mom who has recently left both the military and John’s dad to Harlem. There he meets a very unique girl named Shelby Holmes who reluctantly allows him to tag along with her as she solves her latest crime — who took a posh, show-dog from a classmate’s secure house.

Nick and Tesla’s High-Voltage Danger Lab by Science Bob Pflugfleder and Steve Hockensmith SCI-FI / MYSTERY
A Mystery with Electromagnets, Burglar Alarms, and Other Gadgets You Can Build Yourself 
You don’t need to be a science geek for this story because by the time you get done, you’ll want to be one anyway. Siblings Nick and Tesla are shipped off to live with their mad-scientist Uncle Newt for the summer while their parents are . . . doing something with soy beans in Uzbekistan. (Or so they say.) When left to fend for themselves, they discover something very suspicious happening at the old mansion down the street, more than just losing their rocket in that yard. And of course, they must invent more gizmos to get it back. And discover why a girl in the window holds up a sign to go away. I love this fun, adventurous STEM series!

Big Nate Welcome to My World by Lincoln Peirce GRAPHIC NOVEL HUMOR
I think the Big Nate comics are even better than the novels — they are just so stinking funny! Lincoln Peirce “gets” kids and their struggles — the episodes will keep both you and your kids cracking up.

 
The Familiars series by Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson FANTASY
I’m a big fan of this series. Do you know about familiars? They are the magical animal companions to wizards. And in this first story, they’ll have to save the world when the wizard’s powers are taken away. Great for kids who love animals and magical adventures. One of the best books for 9 year olds.

The Curious Cat Spy Club by Linda Joy Singleton MYSTERY
What a fantastic new book series — my daughter and I devoured this first book. (She’s currently enjoying the 2nd.) Three kids from seemingly different social circles band together to rescue kittens they found in a dumpster — and solve the mystery of who would try to kill the kittens.

Galactic Hot Dogs: Cosmoe’s Wiener Getaway by Max Brallier, illustrated by Rachel Maguire and Nichole Kelley HUMOR SCI-FI
Non-stop action and danger, potty humor, space adventures, zombie aliens, mutant worm wrestling, a misunderstood evil princess, good friends, video games, and a diabolical, hunting-them-down evil queen al make for a kid-favorite new series. Not to mention the loads of cartoon illustrations throughout and hilarious writing with a kagillion exclamation marks!!!! I see what kids are loving now — and see why it’s totally up some kids reading alleys. (Book 2, The Weiner Strikes Back is also available.)

The Sasquatch Escape by Suzanne Selfors FANTASY
Ben doesn’t think his summer could be any more boring. Until the baby dragon. When Ben and Pearl Petal discover a veterinarian for imaginary creatures, instead of helping the dragon, they accidentally let a sasquatch escape. Big whoops. Now the pair must lure him back to the vets. (Easier said than done.) Lots of fun!

King of the Bench No Fear! by Steve Moore HUMOR / SPORTS
You’ll laugh out loud, no joke, at the musings and life of Steve, our narrator. He’s totally hilarious as he shares about life getting on the baseball team but developing a fear of the baseball. His coach (Coach Earwax dubbed thusly because of well, you can imagine) calls everyone babe, a cool girl named Becky tries out and gets on the team, and all Steve’s teammates have the most interesting stories. Fantastically funny  illustrations.

Everyday Angel  by Victoria Schwab REALISTIC
My daughter loves these stories about an angel named Aria who is earning her wings by helping girls who are struggling in some way. In the first book, she helps Gabby. Gabby’s brother is hospitalized indefinitely and her mom is totally focused on her brother. It’s up to Aria to help Gabby at her new school and discover who she is. These are sweet, uplifting stories.

Unicorn on a Roll by Dana Simpson HUMOR
Remember the vain unicorn Marigold Heavenly Nostrils from the book, Phoebe and Her Unicorn? The two friends are back in this hilarious sequel with more funniness and fantastic growing-up poignant life lessons. My kids and I adore these characters and love this new book. It’s one we’ll read over and over again.

Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon Hale & Dale Hale FAIRY TALE
One of my favorite books, not just graphic novels, EVER! This Rapunzel story is set in the wild west — she uses her braids to lasso bad guys while searching for her mother with her sidekick Jack.

Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan HISTORICAL FICTION
Forced to flee a dangerous situation in Mexico, Esperanza and her mother arrive in California and start working as migrant farm workers. The back-breaking work is only part of their new, challenging life. In this beautifully written, soulful novel, Esperanza learns to thrive no matter what her circumstances.

Heartwood Hotel: a True Home by Kallie George, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin REALISTIC (pub 7/2017)
Lost in a storm, with no home or destination, Mona the Mouse discovers a beautiful hotel for forest animals. There she works as a maid to earn her room and board. But more than that, she helps solve problems and learns about her family connection to the lovely hotel where she’s invited to stay as long as she wants. This is a sweet, warm-hearted adventure of resiliency and friendship.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan FANTASY
Did you know that there are really still Greek gods and sometimes they have kids with humans and those kids are half-bloods with unique powers? Unfortunately for these kids, monsters are out to kill them and they are the only ones who can save the world from war between the gods and in a later book, between the Titans and the gods.

Liberty Porter, First Daughter  by Julia DeVillers REALISTIC
This is a light-hearted series about a girl whose dad becomes the President. We follow along as she adjusts to living in the White House, having a bodyguard, and experiences being the First Daughter.

 
Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy by Karen Foxlee FANTASY
Stuck in a museum with her sister and father who is working on a sword exhibit, Orphelia’s curiosity leads her to a locked room where a boy has been trapped for thousands of years. But Orphelia doesn’t believe in that kind of thing. Except she kind of does. She remembers her mother used to tell her those stories . . . This is a breathtaking journey of loss, acceptance, hope and friendship. I just loved it!

Missing! A Cat Called Buster (Rainbow Street Shelter)  by Wendy Orr MYSTERY
Josh always sees the orange cat, Buster, sitting on the porch with his owner, Mr. Larsen. When Mr. Larsen is taken to the hospital, Buster runs away from home. Josh and his family search for Buster everywhere. Will he end up at the Rainbow Street Animal Shelter? And who will he live with now? A nice story of animal love and family closeness.

Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis FANTASY
I think you already know about these books but if you don’t, they’re absolutely engaging fantasy adventures that will hook your kids. We recently listened to the series on audio book which was even more fun to hear it read in a British accent. (Since we’re American.)

The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo by Drew Weing FANTASY

Brilliant illustrations and an action-packed plot make this a must-read graphic novel. Charles isn’t thrilled with his family’s move to a run down art-deco building in a big city. Making matters worse, the place is haunted. Fortunately, he meets Margo Maloo, monster mediator. Margo finds the basement troll who promises not to bother Charles anymore. But there’s more! After Charles goes poking around looking for more monsters, a group of ogres believe he stole an ogre baby and they’re prepared to dismember him. Now what is he going to do?

Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate REALISTIC
Crenshaw is the new book from the author of The One and Only Ivan, Katherine Applegate, and it’s another amazing story dealing with poverty. I read this book after my 10-year old who loved it as much as me. After having lost their home and living in their van for 3 months, the family is now about to lose their apartment. Although Jackson’s parents don’t tell him this, he knows the signs. He knows why they’re having a yard sale. He knows it’s not his dad’s fault for having MS but he’s mad and worried and alone. It isn’t until Crenshaw shows up and pushes Jackson to speak the truth to his parents that Jackson learns that he’s not facing this alone. Oh, and who is Crenshaw? He’s Jackson’s large, imaginary cat friend from when he was little returned to help Jackson in his time of need. I felt like it was a God metaphor. I wonder what you’ll think?

The Seven Tales of Trinket by Shelley Moore Thomas FANTASY
Trinket’s storyteller father disappeared years ago. Now that her mother has died, Trinket decides to take the map her father left behind and try to find him. Her friend, Thomas the Pig Boy, travels with her. Each place on the map gives Trinket a new story to tell and she imagines she could learn to be a storyteller like her father. Amazing adventures ensue but when Trinket learns the fate of her father in the seventh story, she must make a very hard decision.

Teddy Mars Almost a World Record Breaker by Molly B. Turnham REALISTIC
Teddy is a boy who loves world records, has six siblings, and is so fed up with his destructive little brother that he moves to his tent in the backyard. He gets the chance to help his grumpy neighbor feed and care for his pigeons which turns into an interesting subplot. You’ll enjoy Teddy’s adventures trying to set world records and be as surprised as me when the record he sets, isn’t what he was even going for.

The Worst Class Trip Ever by Dave Barry HUMOR
Hilarious. Of course. While on a class trip to Washington D.C., Wyatt and his best friend, Matt, are positive they’ve discovered a plot to blow up the White House. Wyatt’s crush, Suzanna, helps the friends make a plan, and as you can imagine, disaster and hilarity strike. I totally loved this book and know your kids (especially those who like humor) will as well.

The Misadventures of Max Crumbly by Rachel Renee Russell ADVENTURE / HUMOR
If you like slapstick, will-you-never-learn stories, then this is for you. Max is always opening his big mouth and getting in trouble. Currently, he’s writing and drawing his life story from the inside of his locker after a bully stuffed him in there FOR THE SECOND TIME of the day. No cell phone, a three day weekend, a lie to his parents who think he’s staying with someone overnight, and Max doesn’t know how he’ll survive!

Race the Wild series by Kristin Earhart ADVENTURE
Starting with #1 Rain Forest Relay and now with the latest, #4 Savanna Showdown, this adventure series is quick to read and constant action. Plus, each book is filled with interesting facts about the ecosystem the the creatures who live there. Savanna Showdown ends the reality adventure race with Team Red winning on the last leg in Africa.

Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo MAGICAL REALISM
Quirky and delightful, this is the tale of a girl named Flora who rescues a squirrel and keeps it as a friend. Together they experience the world in a unique, funny, and wonderful way, and straighten it out, too — especially Flora’s mother.

Unicorn vs. Goblins Another Phoebe and her Unicorn Adventure by Dana Simpson HUMOR
My family thinks I’m nuts because this book had me laughing out loud LOUDLY. (I think I’m turning into a cackler!?!) And when my daughter read it, she couldn’t help but share every few pages — because it’s just so darn funny. Simpson perfectly entertains readers with her sparkly illustrations and witty dialogue. You’ll love the vain unicorn, Marigold, and her best friend, Phoebe. Add this to your must-own book list. It’s meant to be reread multiple times.

The Curse of the Were-Hyena (A Monstertown Mystery) by Bruce Hale FANTASY
Your kids will love this new action-packed fantasy adventure series from the talented Bruce Hale. In this first book, that comes out in July 2016, Carlos and Benny notice strange behaviors from their favorite teacher. They’re convinced he is changing into a were-something-or-other. Using their comic book store owner friend, brains, and courage to save their teacher, they must must stop the original were-hyena from making more, before it’s too late. Absolutely fantastic and funny, this is a new must-read book.

What the Moon Saw by Laura Resau MAGICAL REALISM
Mexican-American Clara Luna doesn’t know anything about her father’s Mexican heritage until she spends the summer with her grandparents in rural Mexico. There, she discovers the beauty of her grandparents life and culture, and grows into her own identity. This is a beautiful, important book, one that I’ve read several times and highly recommend.

Of Giants and Ice by Shelby Bach FANTASY
When Rory finds out that her new after school club, Ever After School, is a fairy tale training school for characters. In fact, her first day she fights a real dragon! We learn that all the kids will be assigned their own character in a familiar tale – and the chance to prove themselves. It’s also the beginning of acceptance for Rory – finding friends for the first time, and learning about herself. Love it. (First in a series.)

Anyone But Ivy Pockets by Caleb Krisp
You are going to ADORE Ivy and this story entirely. Ivy’s totally clueless and just so very, Ivy. Who else would say this to her future employer, the Duchess: “You poor deluded creature . . . dying has sapped the strength from your eyes. I’m remarkably pretty, and that’s a genuine fact.” I read many parts out loud to my kids while I was reading this book – they were just so funny!! Well, it’s the Duchess who entrusts Ivy to carry the most precious Clock Diamond necklace from France to give to a particular English girl for her birthday. We follow Ivy as she travels and arrives at the girl’s home. We soon wonder about the unusual people surrounding Ivy — are they after the Diamond? And why does Ivy have to wait to give the gift until a precise time? Loved it!

The Zombie Chasers by John Kloepfer and Steve Wolfhard ADVENTURE
Filled with cartoon illustrations, this early chapter book series highlights the bravery of a group of friends (and siblings) who will save the world from zombies. A fun adventure of kid-power.

Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat by Lynne Jonell FANTASY
Emmy was a good girl. At least she tried very hard to be good. She did her homework without being told. She ate all her vegetables, even the slimy ones. And she never talked back to her nanny, Miss Barmy, although it was almost impossible to keep quiet, some days. She really was a little too good. Which is why she liked to sit by the Rat. The Rat was not good at all . . . Loved this book!

The Croc Ate My Homework by Stephan Pastis HUMOR
This book is so funny I can hardly stand it. My kids LOVED this book, as did I. It’s from the author of the Timmy Failure books and the Pearls Before Swine comic strip which curated especially for younger readers. The crocs are not the smartest and their stupidity will keep you thoroughly entertained. You’ll be sharing page after page with your family, friends, and neighbors.

Plants vs. Zombies by Paul Tobin and Ron Chan HUMOR / GRAPHIC NOVEL
I wasn’t expecting these books to be so funny in an ironic way that you don’t see in children’s books.  Yes, there are zombies and kids with plants trying to kill the zombies (just like the video game) but you’ll be surprised (as I was) to read comic panels like these: a man calling the police saying, “This is a mysterious call” or a woman reading her notebook with the words “no choice” and remarking, “This leaves me no choice,” HA. If your child likes these graphic novels, there are TONS of books in the series.

Big Nate by Lincoln Peirce HUMOR
You’ll be happy to know that not only are the Big Nate books hilarious, it’s a series with LOTS of books! These will crack your 9-year kids up!

Diary of a 6th Grade Ninja by Marcus Emerson ADVENTURE
I thought this was not just a great story but I loved that the main character (the ninja) was a girl! And it’s written in combo of text and comics. Great for 9-year old readers.

Lunch Lady by Jarrett J. Krosoczka HUMOR
If you haven’t read these addictive and hilarious graphic novels, they are a must — anyone who has eaten lunch in school will appreciate the humor, even parents love these books.

Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi FANTASY
This popular graphic novel series tells about two siblings trying to save their mom in an underground world of elves, demons, robots, and talking animals.

Mighty Jack by Ben Hatke FANTASY
My 11-year old and I devoured this book by one of our favorite graphic novelists only to discover IT HAS A CLIFF-HANGER! (We only rage because we love.) While Jack’s single mom works, Jack takes care of his his little sister, Maddy. And like the other Jack, this Jack, at the prompting of his sister who doesn’t talk, also trades the family’s one valuable thing, his mom’s car, for seeds. It all goes downhill from there: The seeds turn in to a freaky, monster-growing garden which attack; their neighbor friend secretly steals some 0f the seeds; a dragon appears with a dire warning; and, Maddy is kidnapped by one of the monsters! Action, adventure, intrigue, . . . I almost forgive the cliff-hanger.

Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon Hale & Dale Hale HISTORICAL FAIRY TALE
One of the BEST books, not just graphic novels, EVER! Great for 9 year olds.

Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen REALISTIC
Paulsen’s summer job was mowing lawns. As his business grew, so did his profits, especially after advice from Arnold the stockbroker who helps Paulsen invest his money in a prizefighter!

The Genius Files Mission Unstoppable by Dan Gutman ADVENTURE
Coke and Pepsi McDonald didn’t want to jump off a cliff. They didn’t want to get hit by poisoned darts from blowguns either. And they certainly don’t want to get locked in their burning school, thrown into a pit at the top of a sand dune, or drowned in a vat of liquified SPAM. But what are you supposed to do when you’re being chased across the country by your insane health teacher and two guys in bowler hats who are trying to kill you? One thing’s for sure, it’ll be a snap for Coke and Pep to write their essays on “How I Spent My Summer Vacation.”

Hera: The Goddess and her Glory by George O’Conner MYTH
Both my kids love O’Conner’s graphic novels and can’t wait for his next book, Hades. If you’re big Greek mythology fans, check out his other books, Athena and Zeus: King of the Gods.

Secret Coders: Get with the Program by Gene Luen Yang and Mike Holmes SCI-FI GRAPHIC NOVEL
What’s happening at Hopper’s new school? She and her friends discover something very amazing about the birds — they’re robotic and can be controlled by numbers. Which leads the kids to go up against the scheming, evil janitor.  Readers learn some basics of how to use the programming language Logo with sequence, iteration, and selection, and must apply their knowledge to help the characters. I love the interactivity, the diverse main characters, and the progressive way the authors teach the logical thinking of programming. Very well-done!

All the Answers by Kate Messner REALISTIC
Ana’s pencil can tell her answers — to things like tests, and if boys like her friend Sophie. She discovers that her grandfather, who is in a rest home, wants forgiveness from Ana’s mother; that Ana’s mother is mad about her grandfather’s gambling problem. Ana realizes that she doesn’t want to know all the answers, even if she is just trying to help. I love the story and the issues it brings up — this would be a great book club pick for 9 year olds!

Storybound by Marissa Burt FAIRY TALE
Una falls into the land of stories of heroes and villians but something is very wrong. No new stories are being written. So how did she get written in and who is she? We read this for bedtime and my kids and I looked forward to it every night. A great adventure!

Wing & Claw: Forest of Wonder by Linda Sue Park FANTASY
Step into the world of a talented apothecary named Raffa. He’s horrified to discover that someone in the capital city is using the rare plant he and his cousin found to forcefully control animals. Not only that, whoever is doing this is removing baby animals from their mothers and training a bear to be a killer. When Raffa discovers who is behind it, he, his friend, and the animals he saves must escape from the city and the horrible truth. CLIFF-HANGER!

Jonny Jakes Investigates: The Hamburgers of Doom by Malcolm Judge SCI FI
Johnny is the anonymous reporter for the tell-the-truth secret school newspaper, The Woodford Word. His latest investigation is the unusual principal, an alien who is somehow brainwashing the whole school and the parents and turning them into chubby zombies. (The title is a BIG hint.) He pairs up with a girl named Julie, his friend Norris, and an unusual drama teacher to find a way to stop the alien principal from fattening up the students to eat them all. This sounds weird but it’s actually a great story of perseverance, friendship, and old-fashioned investigative journalism just right for fourth grade readers.

A Girl’s Best Friend  CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE
You think a pet is in danger at your new volunteer job, Pet-Palooza, a pet daycare center near campus. It’s up to you to protect and help the animals, and to find out who you can trust.

The Secret Destiny of Pixie Piper by Annabelle Fisher FAIRY TALE
This book is light-hearted and fun to read for 9 year olds. It’s about a girl who loves to write poetry and discovers she’s a descendant of Mother Goose — which she initially rejects because she wants to be more normal. Eventually, she accepts her destiny when she raises a goose she names Destiny and then must rescue Destiny from an malicious kidnapper.

Timmy Failure by Stephan Pastis HUMOR
Timmy is a clueless detective with a polar bear sidekick and his adventures will make you laugh out loud!

The Sky’s the Limit: My Journey with Mary Ellen (American Girl) by Valerie Tripp CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE
Enter Maryellen’s world during the 1950s. Wear poodle skirts and head to a school dance (they were called sock hops back then!), enter a contest, or take a trip in a streamlined silver camper that looks like a rocket ship. This is a fun series that my kids enjoyed.

continue . . . 

. . . MORE book recommendations for 9 year olds

. . . nonfiction books for 9 year olds

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