4th grade reading list
4th grade students in US schools are commonly assigned 43 books across Common Core Appendix B, AP, IB, Cambridge, and state ELA curricula. Each title links to its grade citations.
Reading difficulty: the typical 4th grade text-complexity band is 740–1010L (Common Core Appendix A). Of the 42 titles here with a Lexile score, 25 are grade-level, 17 are more accessible (often chosen for theme over reading challenge), and 0 are stretch texts. Match a book to your reader’s measured Lexile rather than to the grade alone.
Narrow by curriculum
- AP English Language & Composition
- AP English Literature & Composition
- AP European History
- AP Psychology
- AP US Government & Politics
- AP United States History (APUSH)
- AP World History: Modern
- Cambridge AS & A-Level English Literature (9695)
- Cambridge IGCSE English Literature (0475)
- Common Core State Standards (ELA)
Browse 4th grade by theme
43 books with a 4th grade citation
Titles whose grade range covers 4th grade in a state ELA curriculum or a national reference (Common Core Appendix B, AP, IB).
Because of Winn-DixieKate DiCamillo · 610L
Bridge to TerabithiaKatherine Paterson · 810L
Bud, Not BuddyChristopher Paul Curtis · 950L
Charlotte's WebE.B. White · 680L
Esperanza RisingPam Muñoz Ryan · 750L
Fish in a TreeLynda Mullaly Hunt · 550L
FrindleAndrew Clements · 830L
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. FrankweilerE.L. Konigsburg · 700L
Hello, UniverseErin Entrada Kelly · 690L
HolesLouis Sachar · 660L
HootCarl Hiaasen · 760L
Inside Out & Back AgainThanhha Lai · 800L
Island of the Blue DolphinsScott O'Dell · 1000L
James and the Giant PeachRoald Dahl · 870L
Maniac MageeJerry Spinelli · 820L
MatildaRoald Dahl · 840L
Mr. Popper's PenguinsRichard Atwater · Florence Atwater · 910L
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMHRobert C. O'Brien · 790L
My Father's DragonRuth Stiles Gannett · 990L
New KidJerry Craft
Number the StarsLois Lowry · 670L
Out of My MindSharon M. Draper · 700L
PaxSara Pennypacker · 760L
Ramona the PestBeverly Cleary · 750L
Sarah, Plain and TallPatricia MacLachlan · 660L
ShilohPhyllis Reynolds Naylor · 890L
Stone FoxJohn Reynolds Gardiner · 550L
Stuart LittleE.B. White · 920L
Tales of a Fourth Grade NothingJudy Blume · 470L
The BFGRoald Dahl · 720L
The Boxcar ChildrenGertrude Chandler Warner · 490L
The Cricket in Times SquareGeorge Selden · 780L
The Hundred DressesEleanor Estes · 870L
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1)Rick Riordan · 740L
The Mouse and the MotorcycleBeverly Cleary · 860L
The One and Only IvanKatherine Applegate · 570L
The Phantom TollboothNorton Juster · 1000L
The Tale of DespereauxKate DiCamillo · 670L
The War That Saved My LifeKimberly Brubaker Bradley · 580L
Tuck EverlastingNatalie Babbitt · 770L
When You Reach MeRebecca Stead · 750L
Where the Red Fern GrowsWilson Rawls · 700L
WonderR.J. Palacio · 790L
▸Embed this list on your site
Copy + paste this snippet into any school newsletter, classroom blog, library site, or homeschool resource page. The embed shows the top 12 titles and links back to the full list. Updates automatically when ReadingList’s data changes.
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Frequently asked questions
What books do 4th grade students read in US schools?
43 books are commonly assigned to 4th grade students across US schools — sourced from Common Core exemplars, AP, IB, Cambridge, and 50 state curricula. Each title on this page links to its full curriculum citations.
How many books are on the 4th grade reading list?
This page lists 43 4th grade titles, of which 43 have a verified state or national curriculum citation at the 4th grade level.
Are these 4th grade books in Common Core?
Many 4th grade books on this list appear in the Common Core State Standards Appendix B exemplar texts. Each book card links to its full citation history including which states + curricula reference it. Look for the "Common Core" tag on individual book pages.
How do I pick a 4th grade book for my student?
Filter by curriculum using the pivots above (Common Core, AP, IB, Cambridge, state-specific). Each book page shows its grade range, themes, and which curricula list it. For homeschool or differentiation, books with overlapping grade ranges (±2 grades) work for 4th grade students.
Browse by another angle
Canonical URL: https://readinglist.school/grade/4