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BOOK LIST

17 Best Read-Aloud Books for Grades 4-5

These favorite read-alouds for older students provide opportunities to laugh together, and feature topics that might introduce new ideas for discussion.


March 30, 2021

Reading aloud to your students is one of the biggest gifts you can give to your class as a teacher.

Here's why: Read-alouds provide an opportunity for your class to relax, unwind, and listen as they discover the joy in hearing a story. They also help boost vocabulary and increase fluency. The 17 read-aloud books on this list are perfectly suited for students in grades 4–5.

Use these titles to spark class discussions, encourage students to make predictions, and help young readers "think aloud" as you work your way through the story.

Shop classroom read-alouds for grades 4 and 5 below! As an educator, you get at least 25% off the list price when you shop books and activities at The Teacher Store.

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Paperback Book

Clementine

Grades 2 - 3
$4.46$5.95
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In this first book of the series, Clementine tries to help out her friend Margaret, but ends up in a lot of trouble for it.

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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Grades 5 - 7
$6.71$8.95
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The first installment of C.S. Lewis' renowned series, The Chronicles of Narnia.

Paperback Book

Molly's Pilgrim

Grades 3 - 4
$4.46$5.95
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Molly and her family emigrated from Russia to the United States, and Molly is the only Jewish child in third grade. When her teacher assigns her a project to make a Pilgrim doll, Molly's mother helps out and dresses it in Russian clothes. Soon Molly learns that it takes all kinds of "pilgrims" to make a Thanksgiving.

Paperback Book

My Brother Charlie

Grades K - 3
$5.96$7.95
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In this story, told from a sister's point of view, we meet a family whose oldest son teaches them important lessons about togetherness, hope, tolerance, and love.

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Salsa Stories

Grades 5 - 6
$5.21$6.95
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Carmen Teresa's house rocks to the beat of Salsa music as grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and neighbors from all over Latin America arrive in their Silver Spring, Maryland home. Together they cook, gossip, play dominos, dance, and enjoy the warmth of this special New Year's Day celebration.

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Inkheart

Grades 5 - 8
$8.24$12.99
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Meggie lives a quiet life alone with her father, a book-binder. But her father has a deep secret—he possesses an extraordinary magical power.

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The Tale of Despereaux

Grades 4
$7.46$9.95
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Welcome to the story of Despereaux Tilling, a mouse who is in love with music, stories, and a princess named Pea.

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The Lightning Thief

Grades 6 - 8
$6.71$8.95
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Follow Percy's mythic adventures as he travels from this world to the Underworld to Mount Olympus in a heart-pounding modern odyssey.

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The Parker Inheritance

Grades 6 - 8
$6.71$8.95
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A mysterious old letter leads two friends deep into their town's history, full of ugly deeds, forgotten heroes, and one great love; and deeper into their own families, with their own unspoken secrets.

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The Hobbit

Grades 7 - 12
$6.74$8.99
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A great modern classic and the prelude to The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit was met with instant critical acclaim when first published in the 1930s.

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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Grades 4 - 6
$9.74$12.99
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The book that started it all... Full of sympathetic characters, wildly imaginative situations, and countless exciting details, the first installment in the Harry Potter series assembles an unforgettable magical world and sets the stage for many high-stakes adventures to come.

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Frindle

Grades 4 - 5
$5.96$7.95
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Fifth grader Nick Allen knows just how to make school more cool with his crazy ideas. But now, in fifth grade, clever Nick has come up with his most ingenious idea yet—to change the word "pen" to "frindle"!

$5.99$7.99
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On the morning of her twelfth birthday, Kiranmala is just a regular sixth grader living in Parsippany, New Jersey, until her parents mysteriously vanish and a drooling rakkhosh demon slams through her kitchen, determined to eat her alive. 

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Brown Girl Dreaming

Grades 7 - 12
$8.24$10.99
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Jacqueline Woodson, one of today's finest writers, tells the moving story of her childhood in mesmerizing verse.

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Bayou Magic

Grades 4 - 7
$5.96$7.95
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This book follows a young girl who leaves the city to experience the enchantment of the bayou and realizes she may have a magical legacy.

Paperback Book

Thank You, Mr. Falker

Grades 3 - 5
$5.21$6.95
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In this autobiographical story, Little Trisha, overjoyed at the thought of learning how to read struggles when she finds that all the letters and numbers get jumbled up.  Finally, in fifth grade, she has a teacher who recognizes Trisha's incredible artistic ability, understands her problem, and takes the time to lead her to the magic of reading.