Book Club Book Ideas for 4th Grade

Looking for a good book for your 4th-grade book clubs? (For kids around ages 9 and 10.)

Here, you’ll find book ideas as well as considerations for what kind of book to select.

When you’re picking a book, or a selection of books from which kids can choose, ask yourself what topics and themes you want to address and/or merit discussion.

Find book club books by TOPIC OR THEME using this list of topics or using the search bar at the top of the screen.

For example, you might want to find books about a topic or theme like:

Another way to choose books is to read books in a specific genre such as:

In some cases, it’s fun to read books with a specific format such as graphic novels or books in verse.

Finally, REMEMBER to let children CHOOSE the books. This gives ownership and motivation to read!

Many successful book clubs give kids a selection of books from which to choose by voting.

Look through this list of book ideas and see if you find books that will work for your 4h-grade book club.

Keep in mind that these books won’t work for all kids — and that if your readers are at different ability levels and interests, you’ll need to find a different selection of books.

PRINTABLE LIST

Book Club Book Ideas for 4th Grade

Adventure

Trapped in a Video Game by Dustin Brady, illustrated by Brady Jessee
Gamers and non-gamers alike who love exciting and dangerous stories won’t want to miss this excellent action-packed series. Jesse’s friend gets an early release of a video game — and it sucks both boys into the game. Inside the game, they meet a classmate who has been missing for weeks and is now a grown-up man in the game. They’re all trapped with no escape possible.

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
Roz is a robot alone on an island with only animals. To survive, she figures out how to live in the wild despite the animals seeing her as a monster. That changes when Roz adopts a gosling and makes a nest. It’s a meaningful story of family, love, and community that consistently garners love from readers.

Fantasy

The Royal Guide to Monster Slaying by Kelley Armstrong

Rowan wants to be a Monster Hunter instead of the future queen. When tragedy strikes her brother, she gets her chance to switch roles and become the Royal Monster Slayer with her aunt with her brother as king. Unfortunately, she must face and kill a gryphon soon or her scheming uncle will get the throne instead. The story is an exciting adventure filled with surprises, mythical creatures, moral questions, and new friendships. It’s not a cliff-hanger but it does leave the door open for the next book — which is also excellent.
Amazon

Historical Fiction

Indian No More by Charlene Willing McManis and Traci Sorell
Indian No More is an emotional, important story about when the U.S. government arbitrarily made certain Native American tribes no longer tribes without reservations or legal rights. It also shows the historical landscape of prejudice and stereotypes towards people of color. I love the close-knit, loving family based on the author’s own life, a family who values each other and their survival. This book is a must-read and must-own for all schools and libraries and would make an excellent book club selection.

Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park
Park writes a wonderfully touching multilayered story about a young half-Asian girl’s life during western expansion frontier times. After Hana’s mother dies, her father moves the two of them to a small midwestern town. Park sets the scene with care and you’ll see a realistic portrayal of life in the 1880s from the point of view of someone who is experiencing overt racism. Despite many unfair things, Hana stays resilient and determined to both graduate from school and help her father in his shop. This book is exceptional.

Realistic Books

Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q Raúf

Alexa and her friends learn that the new kid, Ahmed, was in a real war and has been separated from his family. So when Alexa and her friends hear that England is going to shut the borders, they decide they must go to the Queen to help Ahmed be reunited with his family. They go to the palace in person, tangling with the guards, and getting in big trouble but it eventually leads to media attention and a happy solution. Showing the power of individuals to make a difference, this moving novel for upper elementary and middle school ultimately is about human kindness and friendship.

The Loser’s Club by Andrew Clements
Ever been called a bookworm or a loser? Well, Alec has been called both — because he IS an avid reader. In fact, he gets in trouble for reading during class. As far as the loser comment? Alec decides to claim that word. He makes an after-school care club just for reading (not a book club because who wants to talk?), calling it the Loser’s Club. Surprisingly, the club attracts other kids (despite the name). As it does, Alec starts noticing life outside his stories — the cute girl, the needs of other kids, the feelings! Book lovers, you’ll want to read this genuine story with all your favorite books, relatable characters, and the growing pains that happen when we look up from a book.

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
Narrated by a gorilla named Ivan, this story about friendship, love, and compassion grabs your heart immediately. Making it even more compelling, it’s based on a true story! Ivan is kept in a cage in a run-down mall for 27 years without seeing another gorilla. He’s friends with the stray dog named Bob, a full-grown elephant named Stella, and Ruby, a newly purchased baby elephant. When Stella begs Ivan to make sure Ruby doesn’t grow old in their cages, Ivan finds his courage.

Bernice Buttman, Model Citizen by Niki Lenz
This genuinely sweet story about a girl who goes from a bully to a trying-to-do-better model citizen will make you laugh and warm your heart. When Bernice’s mom sends Bernice to live with her nun aunt, it’s a chance for this former bully without any friends except the town’s librarian, to reform her mean-spirited ways. Bernice makes a friend and finds an unexpected home with the nuns.

Roll with It by Jamie Sumner
Narrated by Ellie a girl who loves to bake, who has CP (cerebral palsy,) and who rolls through life in a wheelchair, she hates having an aid at school who’s supposed to help her with everything including going to the bathroom. When her mom moves them to Oklahoma to help care for her grandfather, she makes friends with other trailer park kids — the first friends ever. It’s a sweet story about taking risks, the importance of finding your tribe, and growing up.

Pie in the Sky by Remy Lai

Pie in the Sky is an insightful, funny, and poignant look at the struggles of immigrating to a new country (Australia) and the difficulties of learning English along with growing up and grieving the loss of a father. Jingwen’s observations and wit make him a likable main character and the illustrations capture the depth and flavors of his experiences. He likens learning English with becoming human. Because a big part of his life centers around baking cakes from growing up in a bakery and baking with his papa, after school with his brother, he bakes the cakes that his father wanted to include at his dream Pie in the Sky bakery. (Even though it’s against his mother’s rules.) Like Jingwen says about his new beginnings and sad losses, it’s a story that is both salty and sweet. (*If I remember correctly the word crap is used twice in this story.)

The Magical Reality of Nadia by Bassem Youssef and Catherine R. Daly, illustrated by Douglas Holgate
*MAGICAL REALISM
Funny, entertaining, and filled with important themes of friendship, growing up, and racism, this is one of my new favorite books! Nadia unexpectedly discovers an ancient Egyptian teacher (Titi) trapped in her hippo amulet. He comes out onto a paper and TALKS! Tita helps Nadia with problems she faces at school like the new kid who is rude and prejudice about her Egyptian culture and troubles with her friends who are working together on a school project. Totally wonderful, heartfelt, and relatable.

Bob by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead
*MAGICAL REALISM
In the sweetest story of friendship, 10-year-old Livy meets Bob, a green zombie-looking monster wearing a chicken costume living in the closet at her grandma’s house. He’s been waiting for her to return for the last 5 years. Only Livy can’t remember him at all. Even when she leaves the house for an errand, she forgets. But, she’s determined to help Bob find his way back home. Wherever that may be.

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.

Funny Book Club Book Ideas

FORTUNATELY the Milk Book Club Book Ideas for 4th Grade

Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman
If your kids like quirky humor, then this is your perfect SHORT book. You will never believe what happens when the kids’ father goes out to get more milk. He doesn’t even get the milk but he does run into pirates, aliens, and all sorts of incredible things! Totally hilarious and quite short–which is appealing to many readers.

The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett and Jory John, illustrated by Kevin Cornell
My daughter read this first and begged me to read it immediately because it’s SO funny! And, you can learn some valuable cow trivia. But, it’s mostly the hilarious adventure of two pranksters who eventually work together to pull off the biggest prank of all time — a prank that will ensure they get April Fool’s Day off from school.