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Kids > Reading and writing > Booklists > Shorter Books for Taller Readers Grades 4-5

Shorter Books for Taller Readers Grades 4-5

Use this booklist to find fun, quick books to read. Each book's reading level is included at the end of the description.

jE SCHOOL
This Reading Rainbow book has short stories by your favorite authors. RL 2–2.5
Abbott
Secrets of Droon #1
j ABBOTT
Eric, Julie and Neal have just found something amazing in Eric's basement — a staircase to another world! RL 3
Alphin
jE Reader ALPHIN
In war-torn El Salvador, Maria and her family must barter their possessions for food. Left in charge at the market, Maria is brave, even trading a precious item of her own. RL 2.5
Bailer
jE Reader BAILER
Snoopy imagines himself chasing the German World War I pilot, the Red Baron. RL 2
Bang-Campbell
jE Reader BANGCAMPB
With a little courage and a lot of practice, Little Rat overcomes her fear of sailing. RL 3.5
Bottner
jE Reader BOTTNER
When Pish and Posh discover fairy magic, they face a series of wacky surprises. RL 3
Brown
jE Reader BROWN
After Stanley Lambchop goes flat once again, he uses his flatness to help win a sailboat race and to rescue a classmate from a collapsed building. RL 3.5
Bunting
j BUNTING
Callie tries to hide her extreme fear of heights on a snowboarding trip to Mammoth Mountain with best friend Jen. RL 3.5
Chigna
j811.5 G423a 1999 Beginning Facts
“It’s easy to laugh, at the tall giraffe…” This collection of short poems captures the personalities of different animals, from crocodiles to monkeys to goats. RL 2
Christopher
j CHRISTOPH
When his family moves into his grandmother's old house, Charlie meets another boy who likes to skateboard, but then finds that his own special skateboard is missing. RL 3.5
Duffey
j DUFFEY
When a small fuzzy alien appears at their school, J.P. and Lexie accidentally direct his powers against Bruce, the bully, and things get out of control. RL 2.5
Greenburg
j GREENBURG
After hearing stories that a Bigfoot-like monster is haunting Camp Weno-wanna-getta-wedgee, Zack begins to find evidence that the legend may be true. RL 3
Hanel
jE Reader HANEL
Paul wants a dog and proves himself worthy when he bravely rescues a dog stranded in a fishing boat during a storm. RL 3.5
Jordan
jE JORDAN
Young Michael Jordan, who is smaller than the other players, learns that determination and hard work are more important than size when playing good basketball. RL 3.5
Little
jE Reader LITTLE
Emma is allergic to animals with fur, but because she and her adopted brother Max really want a pet, they decide to try a lizard. RL2
Little
jE Reader LITTLE
Tells how the Greeks used a wooden horse to win the Trojan War. RL 3.5
Maitland
jE MAITLAND
Mr. Brown has a bookstore. But this is not just any old bookstore: This one is haunted by ghosts. RL 2
McMullan
j MCMULLAN
Wiglaf is off to Dragon Slayers' Academy, little knowing they will ask him to slay a dragon on his first day of school! Can you slay a dragon with bad jokes? RL 3.5
Milgrim
jE Beginning Reader MILGRIM
When Pip the mouse floats off with Otto the robot's balloon, Otto and Zee the Bee go to the rescue. RL 1.5
Monjo
jE Reader MONJO
Sent home alone for misbehaving in church, Tommy discovers that his house is a station for the underground railroad. RL 3
Pennypacker
j PENNYPACK
Stuart is totally bored — until he makes a cape out of 100 old neckties and begins having weird adventures, like flying (but he can’t land!) and growing toast. RL 3
Pinkwater
j PINKWATER
Kelly, who has wanted a pet dog for a long time, runs into a highly-educated, mushamute dog from the planet Growf-Woof-Woof. RL 3
Rockwell
j ROCKWELL
Billy bet he could eat 15 worms in 15 days! The worms are readily supplied by his opponent, whose motto seems to be the bigger and juicier the better! RL 3.5
Sachar
j SACHAR , CASSETTE Children SACHAR
Read funny episodes from the classroom on the 30th floor of Wayside School, which was accidentally built sideways with one classroom on each story. RL 3.5
Shefelman
jE SHEFELMAN
Although his father thinks that Young Wolf is still too young to join in the tribe's buffalo hunt, Young Wolf tries to prepare himself, his horse and a friend to take part. RL 2.5
Steig
j813.54 S818w 2003 Beginning Facts
The author tells about what life was like when he was a boy, almost 100 years ago. RL 2.5
Stille
j629.228 S857r 2002
Read all about different kinds of race cars and how they’re put together. RL 3
Thiesing
jE Reader THIESING
Peggy receives a mysterious call from the Viper, who warns that he is coming her way! RL 1.5
Thomas
jE THOMAS
Shows people all over the world helping to bring about peace by doing things to help and care for one another and our world. RL 2.5
Wheeler
jE WHEELER
The Emperor loves new clothes and for his birthday two clever tailors make him a new suit. Find out what the Emperor ends up wearing. RL 3
Yaccarino
jE YACCARINO, CASSETTE Children YACCARINO
Johnny Smith, a student from Earth, and Blorp Glorp, a student from the newly discovered planet Meep, change places. RL 3.5
Yolen
jE Beginning Reader YOLEN
The space ship Star Warts encounters a black hole that threatens the ship with doom. RL 3