10 Recommended Fictional Chapter Books for 4th Grade Boys
As your children progress from first to third grade, they’ve built a solid foundation in reading—pronouncing correctly, reading fluently, building a strong vocabulary, and understanding words in context. Now, entering fourth grade, they’re transitioning from learning to read to reading to learn. Fourth-grade reading materials step up the complexity with more challenging vocabularies, intricate details, more characters to follow, and fewer graphics (or none at all). This shift aims to enhance their reading comprehension, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills while broadening their vocabularies. It’s no longer just reading; it’s about exploring, decoding, and analyzing the stories to solve puzzles and learn about friendship, companionship, and family values.
Below are the ten recommended fictional chapter books for your 4th graders. While these are suitable for all kids, they are wonderful alternative choices if your child isn’t into Roald Dahl or Unicorn Academy. Some of these have been adapted into movies, TV series, or cartoons available on various media platforms. Some are consequential series, and some are collections with standalone stories, but each offers exciting and relatable tales that will capture your kids’ attention. I hope your children enjoy them as much as my boy has.
A list of recommended books for third grade can be found here.
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1. Key Hunters by Eric Luper
Total 7 Books – ATOS 3.9 – 4.1
With bigger font and just a little over 100 pages each book, this fictional series is a great choice for young readers who are stepping up to the next level from third grade. Key Hunters features two main characters, Cleo and Evan, who are transported into a magical world of books, and solving mysteries to rescue their librarian who’s been locked up by the evil villain. From gadget-packed spy kids to fang-fiercing werewolves, each book Cleo and Evan jump into carries a different theme of stories, time, and place. Each is followed by unique challenges and obstacles that they must overcome before time runs out. From the famous Titanic to dragon kingdom, spies to werewolves, this series is for those that want to explore different genres within one captivating seri
2. Erec Rex by Kara Kingsley
Total 5 Books – ATOS 3.9 – 4.3
For readers seeking a magical realm filled with mystical beings and newly devised games and rules, Kara Kingsley’s series is a must-try. Follow the journey of Erec Rex, an ordinary boy whose life takes an extraordinary turn when his adoptive mother mysteriously disappears. As he takes on a quest to find her, Erec discovers a surreal realm where he must conquer twelve life-threatening tasks to become the next ruler of one of the magical kingdoms, all for the sake of his mother and the entire realm. This adventure-packed series is woven with magic, trickery, the value of friendship, encounters with bullies, and twists that gradually unveil the mystery of Erec’s own identity. While the first three novels average 300 pages, the last two, The Three Furies and The Secret of Ashona are over 500 pages each. Despite the intimidating length, the stories maintain a fast-paced rhythm with abundant details to keep readers thoroughly engaged.
3. The Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black
Total 8 Books – ATOS 3.9 – 4.4
“The Spiderwick Chronicles” is about the adventures taken by the three siblings, Jared, Simon and Mallory, after they moved in to the Spiderwick estate and discovered a hidden world of fairies. While they are still grasping the reality of this magical world, they must work together to protect Field Guide, a book that documents the details on different kind of fairy creatures that live in the surrounding forests, from the goblins and their master, Malgarath, the ogre. This fantasy series is an absolute joy to read, bringing a magical world that coexisting with ours. The only way to see these fairy creatures is through a Seeing Stone, unless of course, a hogsqueal spits in your eyes, granting the ability to see without the stone. The original “The Spiderwick Chronicles” consists of five books, each spanning well over 100 pages. Once your children finish the series and wanting for more, the authors have released a sequel, Beyond The Spiderwick Chronicles, that continues the same enchanting fairy world but with new settings and characters.
4. Stick Dog by Tom Watson
Total 12 Books – ATOS 4.1 – 4.6
Have you ever seen the sparkle in a dog’s eyes when they spot food? Imagine the tricks dogs would pull to overcome the obstacles just to reach those tempting human treats. Well, meet Stick Dog, a resourceful stray that leads his canine pack on hilarious quests for a bite of pizza, donuts, ice cream, spaghetti, or anything they lay their eyes on. With simple stick and yet vivid illustrations, the stories are not only amusing but also capture the essence of friendship, teamwork, and the pursuit of delicious snacks. This entertaining series is perfect for young readers who are after a read that’ll keep them chuckling throughout the way.
5. Original Adventure of Hank The Cowdog by John R. Erickson
Total 79 Books – ATOS 3.6 – 4.8
To my surprise, I never expected my son to take an interest in this four-decade-old series, yet he’s read into several of its books. Debuting in 1982, the ongoing series has released over 79 books, each averaging about 100 pages and featuring minimal black and white illustrations. The storyline revolves around Hank the Cowdog, who declares himself as the Head of Ranch Security, taking on adventures and solving mysteries alongside other characters and his “useless” assistant, Drover, in the lively setting of a Texas ranch. Readers get to experience the highs and lows through Hank’s perspective, a resourceful yet slightly misguided cowdog. These books are hilarious and entertaining to read, for young children as well as adults.
6. The Last Kids On Earth by Max Brallier
Total 9 Books – ATOS 3.9 – 4.7
If your kids are into the whole spooky zombie and world-destroying monsters scene, then this series is a must-read. The books follow Jack Sullivan and his besties as they try to fend off monsters and zombies after a crazy outbreak, all while living in a treehouse and surviving on video games and loads of junk food. Despite the scary blood-hungry zombies, the stories are surprisingly entertaining and downright hilarious. I mean, who’d enjoy video games with flesh-craving zombies lurking around? But beyond the action-packed scenes, the stories deliver a moral lesson about friendship and sticking together through thick and thin. The series includes total of 9 books with 4 standalone stories. If your kids enjoyed Eerie Elementary and Notebook of Doom, this is the leveled-up adventure they won’t want to miss.
7. Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan
Total 6 Books – ATOS 4.2 – 5.1
This well-known classic, a personal favorite of mine, bases off the story on a fascinating world of Greek mythology set in the 21st century. The series centers around Percy Jackson, a troubled 12-year-old who discovers he’s a demigod and the son of Poseidon. Alongside with his friends, Percy navigates the challenges of being a demigod and strives to prevent catastrophic events in both mortal and immortal realms. Total of six books and each averaging 350-400 pages with zero illustrations, this series boasts a captivating storyline. It’s the perfect addition for those intrigued by Greek mythology or anyone on the lookout for fast-paced fantasy books.
8. The 39 Clues by Rick Riordan
Total 5 Series – 11 Books In First Series – ATOS 4 – 5.3
If you are searching for an extensive book series with complex storyline with ongoing suspense and mysteries, then you cannot miss The 39 Clues. Written by a collaboration of various authors, this interactive series invite the readers to join the characters in following the clues and piecing together the puzzles. The storyline revolves around two siblings, Amy and Dan Cahill, as they take on adventures around the globe to find the 39 clues that hold the key to discovering the source of the Cahill family’s power and the secret behind their prominence throughout the history. Start the journey with the first series, The Clue Hunt, and continue the adventures with the 4 spin-off series, Cahills vs. Vespers, Unstoppable, and Doublecross.
9. The Menagerie by Tui T. Sutherland & Kari H. Sutherland
Total 3 Books – ATOS 4.6 – 5.2
For the fans of the Spiderwick Chronicles and Wings of Fire, this series is a must read. Written by the same author of Wings of Fire, Tui T. Sutherland, along with co-author, Kati H. Sutherland, The Managerie trilogy brings you into a magical world with unicorns, dragons, phoenixes and other mythical creatures. The story begins with Logan, a 13-year-old boy whose life takes on a magical twist after discovering a lost griffin cub in his bedroom. Teaming with his friends, Zoe and Blue, they race against time to find the rest of the griffins before something horrible happens and restoring order to a top-secret facility that Zoe’s family has guarded for centuries, the Menagerie. The authors did an awesome job describing the mythical creatures and bring them to live to the readers as they read along. Despite the lengthy 300 pages, these books are fast-paced and easy to dive in.
10. LEGO Ninjago Series by various authors
Total 15 Books – ATOS 3.6 – 5.2
For Lego Ninjago enthusiasts, this series of 15 chapter novels is a fantastic reading choice. The stories dive into the vast world of Ninjago universe, with each book packed with actions and adventures for each of the characters. My son loves this series, but the drawback is that they aren’t available in a single complete pack; instead, they can only be purchased individually through different book-selling websites. Many of the books we were able to get our hands on are from the nearby libraries or the school libary. The stories are not sequentially connected, so no matter which book you manage to get your hands on, it will be as exciting as the rest.
