Book Club Book Ideas for 4th Grade

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

Here, you’ll find book ideas for boys and girls who enjoy discussions and conversations. These recommended books will give children lots of themes to discuss, including racism, morality, friendship, and grief in the genres of fantasy, historical fiction, adventure, and more.

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:

Realistic

Historical Fiction

Fantasy

Mystery

Adventure

Scary

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.

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.

Elements of Genius: Nikki Tesla and the Ferret-Proof Death Ray by Jess Keating
Inventor Nikki Tesla joins a new school called the Genius Academy where she’s not the only genius and she’s supposed to start working well with others. (That will be hard!) When Nikki’s death ray is stolen from a locked safe, she and her classmates must collaborate to find it and hopefully save the world. They follow clues around the world, thwart plots to divide their group and capture the bad guy before he can use the death ray. Not only does this engrossing story feature smart kids who love STEM but the action and themes of friendship and growing up resonated and entertained me.

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.

Historical Fiction

Operation Happy: A World War II Story of Courage, Resilience, and an Unbreakable Bond written by Jenni L. Walsh
Jody’s marine dad moves their family to Hawaii in 1940. When the worst happens, and Pearl Harbor is bombed, Jody, her dog Happy, her sister, and her mom are evacuated to San Francisco. There, Jody’s mom stays in bed and is uncommunicative so it’s up to Jody and her sister to take care of themselves. But it’s too much, especially after Happy saves Jody from an attack. The loving relationship with Happy fills this story with sweetness despite the hardships they face. It’s a good historical fiction book that would appeal to lower grades and sensitive readers who don’t want to read about the violence of war.

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

Cress Watercress by Gregory Maguire, illustrated by David Litchfield 
ANIMAL FICTION
After the death of her father, Cress and her family move from their cozy burrow into the Broken Arms oak tree ruled by a cranky Owl with a noisy neighbor squirrel family. There, Cress helps her mom collect moths to pay their rent, leaving her mom time to work and gather ingredients for her sickly brother’s tea. As Cress navigates her new environment, the natural world, and the stories around her, it helps her understand her inner world, especially how grief waxes and wanes like the moon’s cycles. A beautiful story about family, community, and grief. 

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 is ultimately about human kindness and friendship.

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
Ellie is a girl who loves to bake. She has CP (cerebral palsy) and who rolls through life in a wheelchai. But 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.

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
Narrated by a gorilla named Ivan, this true story will immediately grab your heartstrings. Ivan is kept in a cage in a run-down mall for 27 years without seeing another gorilla. When his maltreated elephant friend dies there, she asks Ivan to help the new, younger elephant find a better life. With the help of the janitor’s daughter, he does just that.

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..

Restart by Gordon Korman
Chase has no memory of who he is or was. But he starts to get clues when straight out of the hospital when a strange girl dumps ice cream on his head. Chase soon realizes that he doesn’t like his former self. Now he’ll have to decide what kind of person he wants to be. Because he’s enjoying his new life in the film club and the new (“nerdy”) friends he’s made. This thought-provoking book for 4th grade will challenge kids to consider their choices, behavior, and life goals.

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.

Funny Book Club Book Ideas

Olga and the Smelly Thing From Nowhere by Elise Gravel
If you LOVE kooky books, this book fits the bill. Olga finds a most unusual, unknown creature whom she names “MEH” after the sound it makes. She uses her deductive reasoning to figure out what it is (something new!) and what it likes to eat (olives)! But what will she do when Meh disappears? Things I love about this book: 1) the illustrations — they rock! 2) the narrator’s voice — it’s believable and funny 3) the plot — especially the mean girls who aren’t so mean after all.

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.

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.

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