No More Captain Underpants!
September 10, 2015 8:56 AM   Subscribe

Please help suggest books for my 4th grade son that he will actually read and like. A number of requirements inside.

I need a list of books for my 4th grade son to get him through his reading homework this fall. He's assigned to "free read" for 30 minutes per night (which he's happy to do) but we find that his tastes run strongly counter to what his father and I read, so I'm feeling like we've run out of the obvious choices, and he's rejected a lot of what his teacher has suggested and his peers love.

I'm looking for books that meet the following criteria:

- He has a very, very strong preference for fiction about kids his age in school (ie: Timmy Failure, Wimpy Kid, Captain Underpants). He has trouble socially in school, and I believe that he strongly relates to characters where he can see himself. (This is my theory and not anything he's told me.)

- He really, really does not like fantasy (even realistic books with fantasy elements). He has rejected a number of popular series (Percy Jackson, 39 Clues) because he doesn't enjoy the fantasy elements. About the closest we've gotten to realistic fantasy is the Origami Yoda series. (His father is an avid fantasy reader, but our son simply doesn't like it, not even Pratchett.)

- He is a very strong reader (level U; lexile around 775 - 875), but not emotionally mature enough to handle the topics in most YA fiction. He started to read Wonder but stopped almost immediately because idea of the main character's facial deformity upset him so much.

- He really hates "peril" in his media, and will become upset at books where the main characters are orphans or parents/caregivers are in life-threatening danger.

Thanks for any suggestions!
posted by anastasiav to Writing & Language (51 answers total) 17 users marked this as a favorite
 
Paula Danziger's Matthew books
Judy Blume's Fudge books
Beverly Cleary's Henry books
posted by brujita at 9:03 AM on September 10, 2015 [6 favorites]


Jack Gantos' books? In particular the Joey Pigza series.
posted by papayaninja at 9:03 AM on September 10, 2015 [2 favorites]


Has he read the Stick Dog books by Tom Watson?
posted by mogget at 9:04 AM on September 10, 2015


When I was his age, I enjoyed "Soup" and a few of the (many.. 9?) sequels by Robert Newton Peck. I probably read 3 of the later books in the series, and I don't know how far they got into Soup and young Peck growing up.

The books are a memoir from about 90 years ago, but the boys will still be relatable, at least if my 1980s boyhood is anything to go by.
posted by Sunburnt at 9:07 AM on September 10, 2015 [1 favorite]


Also perhaps Andrew Clement's "Frindle."
posted by papayaninja at 9:08 AM on September 10, 2015 [1 favorite]


My 4th grade boy plowed through the Fudge series this summer (starting with Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing.) It was the most fun I have seen him have while reading.

He also loves the Stick Dog series and the Big Nate series. And if it counts, Calvin and Hobbes anthologies. The kids got the whole series last Christmas and it was a giant hit.
posted by AgentRocket at 9:11 AM on September 10, 2015


I was going to suggest Fudge but be warned that I was flipping through one of them recently and there was a whole bit about Santa Claus being fake. So on the off chance your son still believes in Santa, might want to avoid those for a bit. They are hilarious and awesome, though.
posted by something something at 9:11 AM on September 10, 2015 [1 favorite]


Have a look at Gordon Kormans stuff. The Bruno and Boots stories are about boys a bit older, but are funny and several of his other books feature kids who are socially awkward to some extent. I don't know his newer stuff well, but his older books at least meet the criteria of not fantasy, feature young male characters, and while not babyish are not hugely mature in theme.
posted by Northbysomewhatcrazy at 9:14 AM on September 10, 2015 [6 favorites]


I liked The Great Brain books, and remember learning a lot of weird stuff about "the olden days" that I thought was fascinating at the time.
posted by fiercecupcake at 9:17 AM on September 10, 2015 [7 favorites]


Any chance he'd read books with girls as main characters? As a sensitive, literal little girl who was a strong reader, I really liked the 'striving' old fashioned books like Little Women, Little House on the Prairies (Farmer Boy?), Secret Garden, Little Princess.
posted by hydrobatidae at 9:17 AM on September 10, 2015 [1 favorite]


My son is like yours, in that he doesn't like fantasy stories, rather, he leans toward true life stories that involve animals (like the movie dolphin tales).
The One and Only Ivan is a favorite of his.
Chike and the River is also quite good, but you might want to screen it first to see if Chike's experiences involve too much peril. I like it because it gives a much different perspective on childhood than the average 'wimpy kid' tropes do.
posted by OHenryPacey at 9:20 AM on September 10, 2015


Comics:
I also recommend the Big Nate series (by Lincoln Peirce) and the Lunch Lady graphic novels by Jarrett J. Krosoczka.

A few more suggestions:
The Candymakers by Wendy Maas
Galactic Hot Dogs 1: Cosmoe's Wiener Getaway by Max Brallier
He might enjoy the Frank Enstein series by Jon Scieszka.
The Wayside School series by Louis Sachar is also popular with that age.

Also, go to Goodreads, put in the names of his favorite series, and click on the "readers also enjoyed" tab at the upper right, then make a list and take it to your local library. I've had a lot of success finding books for my daughter that way.
posted by mogget at 9:20 AM on September 10, 2015


Response by poster: Thank you, and keep them coming. For reference:

- Stick Dog seems right on target.
- I just requested the first Joey Pigza book from the library, but the amazon recap of it makes me think it might have a little too much family peril for him. I have also requested Soup and we'll see how that does.
- He did try the first Fudge book, but didn't finish it and I'm not sure why.
- I gave him a copy of Frindle, but he was not interested. That might be a retry.

I would love him to read books where the main character is a girl, but so far he won't bite. I read the first two little house books to him when he was younger, but I can't get him to bite on anything currently. I do keep trying, though.

Please more suggestions! I probably need 30-ish books in the hopper to get us through until break.
posted by anastasiav at 9:21 AM on September 10, 2015


The Sideways Stories from Wayside School series might be a good one for him - they're fantastical, but in much more of a silly way than a traditional fantasy way. I LOVED them at his age and the main characters are all grade school kids. He might also like the related "Sideways Arithmetic" books if he's puzzle-inclined as well - they were some of my absolute favorites as a 4th/5th grader and I think they had a lasting effect on my own love for puzzle-y math work.
posted by augustimagination at 9:27 AM on September 10, 2015 [11 favorites]


Perhaps From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler? Nothing fantastical (other than, you know, two kids managing to hide out in a big museum for several weeks), nothing too perilous. I recall really loving the book when I was about that age.
posted by erlking at 9:30 AM on September 10, 2015 [10 favorites]


The Tom Swift books were old fashioned 50 some years ago, when I was in fourth grade, but they might be suitable, if you can find them. The one I remember as being school related had Tom and his two friends, one boy and one girl, programming a computer to do their homework, which, of course, turned out to be much more difficult and much more of a learning experience than simply doing the homework. Sorry, I've completely forgotten the title.
posted by Bruce H. at 9:33 AM on September 10, 2015 [1 favorite]


Sounds a lot like my early reading. Agreed on Beverly Cleary and Farmer Boy. Harriet the Spy has a female-but-not-especially-feminine protagonist who seems to me like she'd get along just fine in the Wimpy Kid universe. How about the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil Frankweiler? Regular kids go on a fun adventure.

The Babysitters Club books hit all of your points except for the female POV, maybe start with a Logan-centric book. There are a bajillion of them so if he likes them you'd be set forever. Speaking of a bajillion books, the Hardy Boys! The peril is usually pretty mild.

Since you mention the library, have you asked your friendly local librarian? "The next level past Wimpy Kid and Captain Underpants" must be a question they get a bunch.
posted by tchemgrrl at 9:34 AM on September 10, 2015 [1 favorite]


Seconding Gordon Korman, who has written tons of great books along these lines.

It might be worth checking out this list to see if any of them fit your criteria -- it may be a little fantasy-heavy, though.
posted by cider at 9:34 AM on September 10, 2015


Ignoring the first criterion, but maybe Jean Merrill's The Pushcart War.

And Jean Craighead George's My Side of the Mountain.
posted by papayaninja at 9:42 AM on September 10, 2015 [3 favorites]


I read Daniel Pinkwater's The Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death around that age (and it was something I loved; see username), although there are non-realist elements that are not fantasy, per se.
posted by snarkout at 9:43 AM on September 10, 2015 [3 favorites]


Gah! No orphans means The Boxcar Children is out.

Does Hatchet have too much peril in it?

He probably wouldn't like Dear Mr. Henshaw because it deals with parents divorcing, but the main character reminds me of your son as you've described. He even gets a writing award in the book for being the only one in his class to write something about real life instead of a make believe story.
posted by Pearl928 at 9:47 AM on September 10, 2015


How about Holes by Louis Sachar?
posted by sevenofspades at 9:52 AM on September 10, 2015 [3 favorites]


Nthing Big Nate. I hate that my kid loves these, but I shut up and buy them all. (new Wimpy Kid and Big Nates coming out this fall . . . )

Holes by Louis Sachar
Danny, the Champion of the World - Roald Dahl

The Henry Higgins books by Beverly Cleary hold up surprisingly well.

My kid is also a very strong reader, intelligent and smart. But he just vastly prefers to read for mindless entertainment. I've heard this is a thing and may pass. I just try to keep him reading anything.
posted by peep at 9:55 AM on September 10, 2015 [2 favorites]


The Homer Price books and the Henry Reed books come to mind.
posted by listen, lady at 9:59 AM on September 10, 2015 [2 favorites]


If he likes "Star Wars," the Jedi Academy series might fit the bill.
posted by MonkeyToes at 10:09 AM on September 10, 2015


The Best Christmas Pageant Ever?
posted by kimberussell at 10:21 AM on September 10, 2015 [1 favorite]


The Magic Tree House series maybe? The reading will likely be beneath his level, but they're adventurous without being too upsetting.
posted by plinth at 10:21 AM on September 10, 2015


Russell Hoban's Emmet Otter?
posted by listen, lady at 10:22 AM on September 10, 2015


Response by poster: He's actually read every single Magic Tree House, many more than once. If I could find an expansive series like that but at his reading level, I'd be golden.
posted by anastasiav at 10:23 AM on September 10, 2015


Is Sci-Fi out as well as fantasy? If not, he might like the Animorphs books! They were my favorites from 3rd grade on and spurred a lot of excellent recess games.

Dear America has a companion series of historical fiction diaries "written" by boys - My Name Is America.

I loved Bud Not Buddy, and Christopher Paul Curtis has some other really good books. Some of them get dark (The Watsons Go To Birmingham, 1963), but they are all excellent.
posted by ChuraChura at 10:31 AM on September 10, 2015


Alvin Fernald, Mayor for a Day, (by Clifford Hicks) is an absolutely wonderful one at this age. A little amazoning tells me there is a whole series of Alvin books, but this one knocked my socks off and hits almost all the notes you mentioned above. Much less silly than Captain Underpants, but still fun and funny.
posted by Ausamor at 10:33 AM on September 10, 2015


How has nobody suggested Ellen Raskin? The Westing Game first, then The Mysterious Disappearance of Leon (I Mean Noel).
posted by The Bellman at 10:54 AM on September 10, 2015 [3 favorites]


Man, I was going to suggest the Boxcar Children, but that's straight up orphans right there. Though it's orphans devoid of peril... they have their stuff together, and they're really focused on solving crimes and whatsuch. There's also a ton of them, which makes them fun to get into.

I'd suggest:

Encyclopedia Brown
Hank the Cowdog (can't remember if this is advanced enough for this age)
Boxcar Children if he can get over the orphan-with-no-peril thing
My Side of the Mountain (though... runaway kid living in the mountain might be too perilous as well)
Little House on the etc Laura Ingalls Wilder stuff? It's a bit... dense... and sometimes boring, but...
posted by disillusioned at 10:54 AM on September 10, 2015 [1 favorite]


A View from Saturday by E.L Konigsburg and Report to the Principal's Office by Jerry Spinnelli are both about groups of very different sixth-graders who come together and form friendships.

Louis Sachar's Marvin Redpost books might be a good starting point if he isn't ready for Holes.

Griff Carver, Hallway Patrol by Jim Krieg is the kind of low-stakes childhood mystery that seems like it would work for him. It's also a pretty entertaining riff on the police procedural, so should be fun if you end up reading any of it with him. If he likes short, fun mysteries, Encyclopedia Brown and Cam Jansen are good options.

Animal Ark has lots of books and a bit of animals-in-danger that always gets resolved. The main character is a girl, but her male best friend also plays a central role. The series is somewhat similar to Magic Tree House in that if he likes one, he'll probably find the rest of the series enjoyable and familiar.
posted by earth by april at 11:04 AM on September 10, 2015


My son liked Chris Grabenstein's books at that age and still re-reads them as a sixth grader. Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library was a particular favorite.
posted by cheapskatebay at 11:11 AM on September 10, 2015


Andrew Clements has a bunch of books other than Frindle that also meet your criteria like Lunch Money, The Report Card, Lost and Found, and more. They are all good, and another strategy is to search for "school stories".

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart (this book is amazing)
Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko
Hidden Talents by David Lubar
Escape from Mr. Lemoncellos' Library by Chris Grabenstein
Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer by John Grisham

What about some books that aren't novels? My son has loved the Ken Jennings Junior Genius Guides (they are filled with fun facts and trivia on topics like Presidents, Greek Mythology, Maps, etc.) as well as the Worst Case Scenario books for kids. My son has also enjoyed things like Joke Books, Guinness Record books, etc.
posted by bove at 11:22 AM on September 10, 2015 [1 favorite]


Some books my son (also currently a 4th grader) has enjoyed that seem like they fit your criteria:

Snarf Attack, Underfoodle, and the Secret of Life: The Riot Brothers Tell All (and sequels) by Mary Amato
all the Middle School books by James Patterson
I Funny (and sequels) by James Patterson
Holes by Louis Sachar (could have too much peril for him)
101 Ways to Bug Your Parents (and sequels) by Lee Wardlaw
The Lemonade War (and sequels) by Jacqueline Davies
The Kid Who Ran for President by Dan Gutman

And a few that may have too much fantasy, though it's silly fantasy, not Percy Jackson type fantasy:

The 13-Story Treehouse (and sequels) by Andy Griffiths
The Awesome, Almost 100% True Adventures of Matt & Craz by Alan Silberberg
the Spaceheadz series by Jon Scieszka
Jacob Wonderbar and the Cosmic Space Kapow - Nathan Bransford
posted by Redstart at 11:41 AM on September 10, 2015


I don't have kids, and this is terribly old-school, but how about some Enid Blyton? The Famous Five, Secret Seven and Five Find-Outers series were delightful to me when I was his age. In a similar vein, perhaps the Hardy Boys series? All of these are available on Amazon and eBay for very little.
posted by Everydayville at 11:49 AM on September 10, 2015


I could barely read HOLES, found it too sad (abusive).

We loved Dan Greenburg's series The Zack Files.

Are various books by William Steig too young? They're great.

Has Roald Dahl been mentioned?
posted by DMelanogaster at 12:34 PM on September 10, 2015


The Mad Scientists' Club. The boys are a bit older than yours.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 12:44 PM on September 10, 2015


How to Eat Fried Worms
Mr. Popper's Penguins
Ten Kids, No Pets
Cheaper by the Dozen (This one is actually nonfiction but the stories are so vivid that it reads like fiction.)
Thirteen Ways to Sink a Sub (I think he'd love this one!)

Also Nthing Louis Sachar, esp. the Wayside School Stories.
posted by timestep at 1:43 PM on September 10, 2015 [1 favorite]


OK, I'll recommend this other thing that I had maybe repressed but remembered when I saw your comment on the Magic Tree House books.

When we were still reading to him as part of our nightly routine (even though he would/could read on his own) he was really into Diary of a Sixth Grade Ninja. I FUCKING HATE THESE BOOKS.

Again, I don't care what my son reads, but these things suck hard. But it's a series, there are at least 9 of them now. As long as you don't have to read them, fair warning . . .
posted by peep at 3:33 PM on September 10, 2015


The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4 by Sue Townsend is about 3 3/4 years ahead of your son, but he may enjoy the hilariously ordinary "tragedies" of Adrian's home and school life.
posted by Quietgal at 8:38 PM on September 10, 2015


The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4 by Sue Townsend is about 3 3/4 years ahead of your son, but he may enjoy the hilariously ordinary "tragedies" of Adrian's home and school life.

You know, I happened to read that for the first time in 5th grade. I thought it was funny but a ton of it went straight over my head, fwiw!
posted by listen, lady at 9:00 PM on September 10, 2015


Zilpha Keatley Snyder has books that aren't fantasy and might fit the bill for a kid who is struggling socially.

Polly Horvath writes books that are zany and entertaining and great. I'd skim them first, though... Her award-winning Everything on a Waffle has a lot of family issues. I haven't checked the others. Fun, independent child characters, weird aunts, adventures...

I also like the Joey Pigza books, but I found them pretty intense and upsetting, even as an adult. Joey's head is not really a happy place to be.

I also loved Swallows & Amazons.
posted by bibliotropic at 9:06 AM on September 11, 2015


Elvis and the Underdogs and it's sequel, Elvis and the Underdogs: Secrets, Secret Service, and Room Service.

Also, seconding The Great Brain series.
posted by alms at 12:34 PM on September 11, 2015


After consulting with my fourth grade son, I have a couple more recommendations.

The Baseball Card Adventure Book Series is similar to Magic Tree House but with a baseball setting. It has a similar handling of social issues.

In a similar vein, if your son has any interest in sports Matt Christopher has written dozens of novels about kids playing baseball, football, soccer, etc. You could start with The Kid Who Only Hit Homers. (MC's books are basically romance novels for 10 year old boys. Formulaic, engaging, available in great quantity.)

My son also recommended the Little House books, though I see now that you may have already ruled those out.
posted by alms at 12:45 PM on September 11, 2015


I thought I really liked YA fiction myself (yes, an adult), but lately I've been picking up basically random books off the "Middle Grade Fiction" shelves in our library, and they are uniformly pretty darn good. I generally skip the ones that obviously look fantasy-ish and read the cover and if it sounds decent, I grab it.

I'm sorry I'm not giving a specific book rec; I think you have many here. I just wanted to throw that term out there for you in case it helps in your searching. I'm sorry if you already knew that!
posted by freezer cake at 3:06 PM on September 11, 2015


Ramona Quimby. (Probably a great idea for him to read books that centre girls!)
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 9:59 AM on September 13, 2015


Likewise, anything by Judy Blume. Gordon Korman might also fit the bill.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 11:14 AM on September 13, 2015


Alvin Ho! He is socially awkward/painfully shy.
posted by bookworm4125 at 6:48 AM on March 5, 2016


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