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Fourth & Fifth Grade



Last updated: February 2, 2011

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A Book about Design: Complicated Doesn't Make It Good A Book about Design: Complicated Doesn't Make It Good by Mark Gonyea
Design is all about the perception of size, shape and color; simpler is often better. Why is that? This book explains why making something complicated doesn't make it good.
Babymouse Queen of the World! Babymouse Queen of the World by Jennifer Holm
An imaginative young mouse dreams of being queen of the world, but will settle for an invitation to the most popular girl's slumber party.
Amulet: the Stonekeeper Amulet: the Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibuishi
After the tragic death of their father, Emily and Navin move with their mother to the home of her deceased great-grandfather, but the strange house proves to be dangerous. Before long, a sinister creature lures the kids' mom through a door in the basement. Em and Navin, desperate not to lose her, follow her into an underground world inhabited by demons, robots, and talking animals.
The Lifesaving Adventure of Sam Deal, Shipwreck Rescuer The Lifesaving Adventure of Sam Deal, Shipwreck Rescuer by Candice Ransom
In 1896, ten-year-old Sam Deal and Ginger, the wild horse he has tamed, assist an all-Black lifesaving crew as they attempt to rescue survivors of a shipwreck off North Carolina's Outer Banks.
Jellaby Jellaby by Kean Soo
Not long after Portia Bennett and her mother move to a new town to start their lives over, Portia discovers a huge purple monster she names Jellaby and enlists the help of fellow student Jason, as she searches for a way to find her new friend's true home.
The Invention of Hugo Cabret: a Novel in Word and Pictures The Invention of Hugo Cabret: a Novel in Word and Pictures by Brian Selznick
When twelve-year-old Hugo, an orphan living and repairing clocks within the walls of a Paris train station in 1931, meets a mysterious toyseller and his goddaughter, his undercover life and his biggest secret are jeopardized.
Adventures in Cartooning Adventures in Cartooning by James Sturm
The magic drawing elf assists a princess with her drawings as they hunt for dragons and adventure -- not just a great story, but a drawing manual as well!
Hamster and Cheese Hamster and Cheese by Colleen Venable
Sasspants, a guinea pig, reluctantly agrees to act as a private investigator when Hamisher the hamster begs for her help in discovering who is stealing sandwiches from the pet shop's befuddled owner.

Practically Unbelievable

Chicken Feathers Chicken Feathers by Joy Cowley
Josh spends the summer awaiting the birth of his baby sister while his best friend, a talking chicken, is almost killed by a red fox.
The BFG The BFG by Roald Dahl
Kidsnatched from her orphange by a BFG (Big Friendly Giant), who spends his life blowing happy dreams to children, Sophie concocts with him a plan to save the world from nine other man-gobbling cannybull giants.
Half Magic Half Magic by Edward Eager
Faced with a dull summer in the city, Jane, Mark, Katharine, and Martha suddenly find themselves involved in a series of extraordinary adventures after Jane discovers an ordinary-looking coin that seems to grant wishes.
The Graveyard Book The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Nobody Owens is a normal boy, except that he has been raised by ghosts and other denizens of the graveyard.
The Phantom Tollbooth The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
A journey through a land where Milo learns the importance of words and numbers provides a cure for his boredom.
A Wrinkle in Time A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Meg Murry and her friends become involved with unearthly strangers and begin a search for Meg's father, who disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government.
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
Minli, an adventurous girl from a poor village, buys a magical goldfish, and then joins a dragon who cannot fly on a quest to find the Old Man of the Moon in hopes of bringing life to Fruitless Mountain and freshness to Jade River.

Close to Home (or school)

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger
Sixth-grader Tommy and his friends describe their interactions with a paper finger puppet of Yoda, worn by their weird classmate Dwight, as they try to figure out whether or not the puppet can really predict the future. Includes instructions for making Origami Yoda.
Ashley Bryan: Words to My Life Song Ashley Bryan: Words to My Life's Song by Ashley Bryan
An introduction to the life and career of the writer and artist Ashley Bryan, a three-time winner of the Coretta Scott King Award.
No Talking No Talking by Andrew Clements
The noisy fifth grade boys of Laketon Elementary School challenge the equally loud fifth grade girls to a "no talking" contest.
Sassy: The Silver Secret Sassy: The Silver Secret by Sharon Draper
Because she has a terrible singing voice, fourth-grader Sassy must use a different talent to be part of her school's musical performance on the importance of saving our planet.
Mockingbird Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine
Ten-year-old Caitlin, who has Asperger's Syndrome, struggles to understand emotions, show empathy, and make friends at school, while at home she seeks closure by working on a project with her father.
The Other Half of My Heart The Other Half of My Heart by Sundee Frazier
Twin daughters of interracial parents, eleven-year-olds Keira and Minna have very different skin tones and personalities, but it is not until their African American grandmother enters them in the Miss Black Pearl Pre-Teen competition in North Carolina that red-haired and pale-skinned Minna realizes what life in their small town in the Pacific Northwest has been like for her more outgoing, darker-skinned sister.
The Misfits The Misfits by James Howe
Four students who do not fit in at their small-town middle school decide to create a third party for the student council elections to represent all students who have ever been called names.
Dogs and Cats Dogs and Cats by Steve Jenkins
Find out why cats and dogs act as they do. A book for dogs, cats and all the people who love them.
Shiloh Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
When he finds a lost beagle in the hills behind his West Virginia home, Marty tries to hide it from his family and the dog's real owner, a mean-spirited man known to shoot deer out of season and to mistreat his dogs.
The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis by Barbara O'Connor
In Fayette, South Carolina, the highlight of Popeye's summer is learning vocabulary words with his grandmother until a motor home gets stuck nearby and Elvis, the oldest boy living inside, joins Popeye in finding the source of strange boats floating down the creek.
Heart of a Shepherd Heart of a Shepherd by Rosanne Parry
Ignatius "Brother" Alderman, nearly twelve, promises to help his grandparents keep the family's Oregon ranch the same while his brothers are away and his father is deployed to Iraq, but as he comes to accept the inevitability of change, he also sees the man he is meant to be.
The Higher Power of Lucky The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron
Fearing that her legal guardian plans to abandon her to return to France, ten-year-old aspiring scientist Lucky Trimble determines to run away while also continuing to seek the Higher Power that will bring stability to her life.
Be Glad Your Nose Is on Your Face and Other Poems: Some of the Best of Jack Prelutsky Be Glad Your Nose Is on Your Face and Other Poems: Some of the Best of Jack Prelutsky by Jack Prelutsky
Hilarious poems provide children with all sorts of zany reasons to be thankful, thoughtful, and playful.

History: Real and Imagined

Zora and Me Zora and Me by Victoria Bond
A fictionalized account of Zora Neale Hurston's childhood with her best friend Carrie, in Eatonville, Florida, as they learn about life, death, and the differences between truth, lies, and pretending.
Mission Control, This Is Apollo: The Story of the First Voyages to the Moon Mission Control, This Is Apollo: The Story of the First Voyages to the Moon by Andrew Chaikin
Mission Control, This Is Apollo, by the acclaimed Andrew Chaikin recounts space history from the Mercury missions through Apollo 17 and beyond.
Al Capone Does My Shirts Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko
A twelve-year-old boy named Moose moves to Alcatraz Island in 1935 when guards' families were housed there, and has to contend with his extraordinary new environment in addition to life with his autistic sister.
The Watsons Go to Birmingham -- 1963 The Watsons Go to Birmingham -- 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis
The outrageous actions and everyday hijinks of the Watsons, an African American family living in Flint, Michigan, are drastically changed after they visit Alabama in the summer of 1963.
Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave by Laban Carrick Hill
Dave, an enslaved potter, produced beautiful pottery and clever rhymes at a time when most African-Americans were forbidden to read.
Albert Einstein Albert Einstein by Kathleen Krull
This biography profiles the life and times of German-born theoretical physicist Albert Einstein, whose contributions to the field earned him a Nobel Prize.
The New Way Things Work The New Way Things Work by David Macaulay
Text and numerous detailed illustrations introduce and explain the scientific principles and workings of hundreds of machines. Includes new material about digital technology.
Take Me with You Take Me with You by Carolyn Marsden
Raised in an Italian orphanage in the years following World War II, a biracial girl named Susanna and her best friend Pina want to be adopted but fear being separated.
Bonyo Bonyo: The True Story of a Brave Boy from Kenya Bonyo Bonyo: The True Story of a Brave Boy from Kenya by Vanita Oelschlager
"'When I was a boy in Kisumu, Kenya, I only dreamed of becoming a doctor and helping the people in my village. It happened to me. Now I can give back to my people. It can happen for you. When it does, remember to give back to your people too.'"--P.[4] of cover.
Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down by Andrea Davis Pinkney
Four brave friends insist on equal treatment at a Woolworths counter in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Esperanza Rising Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan
Esperanza and her mother are forced to leave their life of wealth and privilege in Mexico to go work in the labor camps of Southern California, where they must adapt to the harsh circumstances facing Mexican farm workers on the eve of the Great Depression.
Black Jack: The Ballad of Jack Johnson Black Jack: The Ballad of Jack Johnson by Charles R. Smith
Art and poetry combine to tell the story of boxer Jack Johnson, who became the first African-American world heavyweight boxing champion in the early part of the twentieth century.

Figure It Out

Chasing Vermeer Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett
When strange and seemingly unrelated events start to happen and a precious Vermeer painting disappears, eleven-year-olds Petra and Calder combine their talents to solve an international art scandal.
Harry Houdini for Kids: His Life and Adventures with 21 Magic Tricks and Illusions Harry Houdini for Kids: His Life and Adventures with 21 Magic Tricks and Illusions by Laurie M. Carlson
Harry Houdin, a man known for his quick getaways, was born poor and Jewish. Learn how he captured a nation with his magic, inventiveness and stunts.
Hoot Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
When Roy becomes the target of a school bully, he is befriended by Beatrice Leep, a spunky girl with enough nerve to stand up to Dana, and her brother Mullet Fingers. Beatrice and Mullet share a big secret with Roy: they have a hidden hideaway where they look after a flock of endangered owls.
Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves by Vaunda M. Nelson
Bass Reeves, a former slave who was recruited as a deputy United States Marshal in Oklahoma, brings home the bad guys.
The True Meaning of Smekday The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex
When her mother is abducted by aliens on Christmas Eve (or "Smekday" Eve since the Boov invasion), 11 year-old Tip hops in the family car and heads south to rescue her, meeting a Boov mechanic who agrees to help and saving the planet from disaster in the process.
Mirror Mirror: a Book of Reversible Verse Mirror Mirror: a Book of Reversible Verse by Marilyn Singer
A collection of short poems which, when reversed, provide new perspectives on the fairy tale characters they feature.
The Mysterious Benedict Society The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
After passing a series of mind-bending tests, four children are selected for a secret mission that requires them to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules.
Math Potatoes: Mind Stretching Brain Food Math Potatoes: Mind Stretching Brain Food by Greg Tang
"Delicious new riddles that make math fun." -- Front flyleaf

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