More books like this: subsection fourth grade reading level

November 5, 2015 8:26 AM

My five year old is running out of books. Need recommendations for new chapter books series appropriate for a younger kid who reads at a fourth grade level. He likes: Captain Awesome, Captain Underpants, Big Nate, The Alphabet Mysteries, My Weird School, The Magic Treehouse, Superfly.
posted by bq to Society & Culture (18 answers total)

Best answer: He'd probably enjoy the Geronimo Stilton series. (There are multiple spinoff series as well, if he likes it.)
posted by belladonna at 8:43 AM on November 5, 2015

Best answer: The Notebook of Doom series is similar to the ones you mentioned and is a lot of fun. My daughter read them around five and really enjoyed them.
posted by ND¢ at 8:47 AM on November 5, 2015

It's old but Bunnicula is a great series. I think I was a little older (in 2nd grade) when I read it, but Scholastic rates it for 3rd-5th graders, so it should be in the right zone. It's just the tiniest bit scary, but only from suspense, not gore.
posted by snaw at 9:04 AM on November 5, 2015 [3 favorites]

My then-4yo loved Bunnicula, wasn't quite interested in the sequels yet. Bunnicula itself is a classic, though.
posted by telepanda at 9:35 AM on November 5, 2015 [1 favorite]

Best answer: My nephews with similar tastes like the Lunch Lady books.
posted by hydropsyche at 9:36 AM on November 5, 2015 [1 favorite]

The Boxcar Children solved mysteries and are about the right reading level.
posted by Night_owl at 9:37 AM on November 5, 2015 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Haunted Library.
posted by tilde at 9:54 AM on November 5, 2015

If he's at all interested in comics, I've found those are really helpful for the little guys who are confident readers because even though the language might be over their head, the pictures are engaging enough that they can get by until they pick up the vocab. The first two issues of Bone (Out from Boneville and The Great Cow Race) would be excellent for this - they're exciting and funny and just a little bit scary, but in those early books everything pretty much ends up okay. I will also use this opportunity to plug Chi's Sweet home (adorable manga about a kitten growing up in Japan), Squish, or Stone Rabbit.

If Bunnicula works, that also sounds like about the right reading level to enjoy Freckle Juice or the first Wayside School books.
posted by theweasel at 10:18 AM on November 5, 2015

I enjoyed Nancy McArthur's The Plant That Ate Dirty Socks at that age. It became a nine-book series after I grew out of it.
posted by infinitewindow at 10:31 AM on November 5, 2015

also old, but encyclopedia brown and the assorted beverly cleary books got me through at around that same age with a similar reading level.
posted by nadawi at 10:56 AM on November 5, 2015 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: Thank you for all the suggestions! He does like comics, but he likes chapter books better.

Encyclopedia Brown: surprisingly racist. :-(.
posted by bq at 11:40 AM on November 5, 2015

oh no!! i haven't gone back and read them since i was little. :(
posted by nadawi at 11:51 AM on November 5, 2015

Best answer: The How To Train Your Dragon series should be right up his alley.
posted by Mchelly at 12:30 PM on November 5, 2015

Best answer: Clementine and Ivy & Bean, if he's not picky about girl protagonists.

+1 to Geronimo Stilton, Bone, Squish, Wayside School.
posted by Flannery Culp at 12:57 PM on November 5, 2015

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
posted by SLC Mom at 1:26 PM on November 5, 2015

Sugar Creek Gang is a great series.
posted by shenkerism at 2:40 PM on November 5, 2015

The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett.
posted by aniola at 3:57 PM on November 5, 2015

How about magazines? They have them for all age ranges and interests, and it means he'll get something in the mail every month, always exciting.
posted by BoscosMom at 4:56 PM on November 5, 2015