Author

Title

Publisher

Publication Year

Annotation

Blume, Judy

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

Dell

1972

Peter finds his demanding two-year-old brother an ever-increasing problem.

Cleary, Beverly

Dear Mr. Henshaw

Morrow

1983

In his letters to his favorite author, ten-year-old Leigh reveals his problems in coping with his parents' divorce, being the new boy in school, and generally finding his own place in the world.

Dakos, Kalli

If You’re Not Here Raise Your Hand

Four Winds

1990

An illustrated collection of poems about a variety of elementary school experiences.

Etra, Virginia

Aliens for Breakfast

Random House

1988

Finding an intergalactic special agent in his cereal box, Richard joins the extraterrestrial in a fight to save Earth from the Dranes, one of whom is masquerading as a student in Richard's class.

Hamilton, Virginia

The People Could Fly: American Black Folk Tales

Knof

1985

Stories told in a voice that echoes the slaves and fugitives from American black ancestry. Here are the spirited trickster tales where the wily Bruh Rabbit outwits larger and stronger animals as well as robust tall tales filled with riddles and laughter.

Howe, James and Deborah

Bunnicula: a rabbit tale mystery

Atheneum

2004

Though scoffed at by Harold the dog, Chester the cat tries to warn his human family that their foundling baby bunny must be a vampire.

King-Smith, Dick

Babe the Gallant Pig

 Crowell

2001

A piglet destined for eventual butchering arrives at the farmyard, is adopted by an old sheep dog, and discovers a special secret to success.

MacLachlan, Patricia

Arthur for the Very First Time

Harper

1994

Arthur spends a summer with his unconventional aunt and uncle and begins to look at life, his family, and himself differently.

McCloskey, Robert

Homer Price

Viking

1980

Six episodes in the life of Homer Price including one in which he and his pet skunk capture four bandits and another about a donut machine on the rampage.

Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds

The Fear Place

Dial

1996

When he and his older brother Gordon are left camping alone in the Rocky Mountains, twelve-year-old Doug faces his fear of heights and his feelings about Gordon--with the help of a cougar.

Nelson, Vaunda Micheaux

Mayfield Crossing

Putman

1993

The school in Mayfield Crossing is closed and the students are sent to the larger Parkview school where the African-Americans students encounter racism for the first time; however, they all stick together and find that baseball just might be the thing that brings them all together.

Parks, Barbara

Skinnybones

Knopf

1997

Alex's active sense of humor helps him get along with the school braggart, make the most of his athletic talents, and simply get by in a hectic world.

Paton Walsh, Jill

The Green Book

Farrar

1982

As their small stock of essential supplies dwindles, a group of refugees from Earth struggles to make their strange new planet provide life's necessities.

Schroeder, Alan

Minty: a Story of a Young Harriet Tubman

Dial

1996

Young Harriet Tubman, whose childhood name was Minty, dreams of escaping slavery on the Brodas plantation in the late 1820s.

Spinelli, Jerry

Fourth Grade Rats

Scholastic

1991

Suds learns that his best friend is wrong. You don't have to be a tough guy, a "rat," to be a grown up fourth grader.

Steig,William

Abel’s Island

Farrar

1976

Castaway on an uninhabited island, Abel, a very civilized mouse, finds his resourcefulness and endurance tested to the limit as he struggles to survive and return to his home.

Van Allsburg, Chris

The Mysteries of Harris Burdick

Houghton Miffin

1984

Presents a series of loosely related drawings each accompanied by a title and a caption which the reader may use to make up his or her own story.

Winthrop, Elizabeth

The Castle in the Attic

Holiday

1985

A gift of a toy castle, complete with silver knight, introduces William to an adventure involving magic and a personal quest.

Biography

Select any biography about Thomas Jefferson

Select and read a biography about Thomas Jefferson, a famous Virginian.

Carol Marsh

Select any mystery

These fun, educational mysteries take place at real places across America. In addition to real boy and girl characters, each story incorporates much history, geography, and cliff-hanger chapters that keep readers begging for more.