50 Best Read Aloud Books For 4th Grade Your Students Will Love

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Check out the best fourth grade read aloud books your students will love, all of which would make great mentor texts!

Are you looking for the best read aloud books for fourth grade? look no further! here you will find a wide variety of books specially selected for 4th grade. There are picture books for all occasions from back to school to the end of the school year! a wide variety of diverse books your fourth graders will love.

You are reading: 4th grade read aloud picture books

If you’re a member of the community of picture book experts, you already have access to all the lesson plans and activities for these books! just click the lesson plans button in the menu!

I am a farmer for miranda and baptiste paul

Discover the true story of how environmentalist farmer Tantoh is transforming the landscape in his home country of Cameroon. When tantoh nforba was a child, his fellow students teased him for his interest in gardening. he today he is an environmental hero bringing clean water and bountiful gardens to the central african nation of cameroon. Authors Miranda Paul and Baptiste Paul share the inspiring story of Farmer Tantoh.

get the lesson plan and activities for i am a farmer here

the next president by kate messner

Who will be the next president? it could be you? By the time George Washington became the first president of the United States, there were already nine future presidents alive in America, doing things like practicing law or studying medicine. by the time jfk became the 35th president, there were already 10 future presidents alive in the united states, doing things like hosting television shows and learning to play the saxophone.

and right now, today!, there are at least 10 living future presidents in the united states. They could be playing basketball like Barack Obama or helping out in the yard like Dwight D. eisenhower could be solving math problems or reading books. they could be making art, or already making changes.

get the lesson plan and activities for the next president here

the woman in the book by heather henson

cal is not a read type. Living high in the Appalachian Mountains, I’d rather help plow or chase after wandering sheep than try to learn a book. No. Cal doesn’t want to sit still reading some chicken. but that book woman keeps coming back the same. she comes in the rain and snow. she climbs up the side of the mountain, and cal knows that it is not easy to ride a horse. and all to lend some books to his sister. well, that woman must be just dumb, or is she braver than she ever thought?

That Woman from the Books is a rare and moving tale that pays tribute to a special part of America’s history: the packhorse librarians, who helped untold numbers of children see the stories in between. from the scratch of the hen and thus made them lifelong readers. An excellent book to talk about the library and the love of reading!

get the lesson plan and activities for that book woman here

underground railway by lesa cline-ransome

boarding the silver meteorite train bound for new york, ruth ellen embarks on a journey to a new life up north, one she can’t imagine. Stop by stop, the insightful young narrator recounts her journey in poems, leaving behind cotton fields and distant Blue Ridge Mountains.

Each leg of the journey brings new revelations as scenes of people toiling in the fields through the window give way to the Delaware River, the curtain that separates the colored car is lifted, and a glimpse of freedom and opportunity is revealed. the family hopes to find. come to light. As they travel, Ruth Ellen reads the narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass, reflecting on how his journey mirrors her own, until finally the train reaches its final stop, New York’s Penn Station, and the family heads to a night filled with bright lights, sparkling stars, and new possibilities.

In addition to being one of my new favorite read-alouds for fourth grade, it’s also awesome for black history month, as it’s all about the great migration.

get the lesson plan and activities for the surface railway here

thirty minutes over oregon by marc tyler nobleman

The devastating attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, brought the United States into World War II in 1941. But few know that several months later, Japanese pilot Nobuo Fujita dropped bombs in the woods outside a small town. on the oregon coast. This is the story of those bombings, and what came after, when Fujita returned to Oregon twenty years later, this time to apologize. an amazing true story to read on veterans day.

get the lesson plan and activities for thirty minutes in oregon here

twenty one steps by jeff gottesfeld

Watching over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery are Sentinel Guards, whose step, every turn, honors and remembers America’s fallen. they protect fellow soldiers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice, making sure they are never alone. Being there—with absolute precision, in all kinds of weather, at every moment of the day, one in a line unbroken since midnight on July 2, 1937—is the ultimate privilege and the hardest job to win in the Army. everything these men and women do is at the service of the unknown. his standard is perfection.

This is one of the newest books on my 4th grade read aloud list, but my students were completely disgusted by this story and it would definitely make a heartwarming read for Memorial Day.

get the lesson plan and twenty-one step activities here

game changers by lesa cline-ransome

venus and serena williams are two of the best tennis players of all time. some say they are two of the greatest athletes of all time. Before they were world famous, they were little girls with big dreams.

Six days a week they woke up before sunrise to practice their serves and returns, to learn to run faster and hit harder. they were unstoppable. At fourteen, Venus played his first professional match. three years later, it was serena’s turn. It wasn’t easy. Some tennis fans cheered these two new faces, while those unhappy to see two black girls competing in an almost all-white sport booed and jeered. but they didn’t let him stop them. a great book to read during black history month if you’re looking for books about black athletes.

get the game-changing lesson plan and activities here

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cakes out of nowhere by dee romito

Georgia Gilmore was a cook at the National Lunch Company in Montgomery, Alabama. When bus boycotts erupted in Montgomery after Rosa Parks was arrested, Ella Georgia knew what to do. she organized a women’s cooking and baking group to raise money for gasoline and cars to help support the boycott. she called the club out of the blue, georgia was the only person who knew who baked and bought the food, and she said the money came from “out of the blue” to anyone who asked.

when martin luther king jr. He was arrested for his role in the boycott, Georgia testified on his behalf, and his home became a gathering place for civil rights leaders. This picture book spotlights a hidden figure in the civil rights movement who spurred bus boycotts and proved that one person can make real change in his community and beyond. It also includes one of her delicious recipes for kids to try with their parents’ help!

get the lesson plan and activities for cakes out of the blue here

malala’s magic pencil by malala yousafzai

When she was a child in Pakistan, Malala asked for a magic pencil. she would use it to make everyone happy, to erase the city’s garbage smell from her, to sleep an extra hour in the morning. but as she grew older, malala saw that there were more important things to want. she saw a world that she needed fixing. And even if she never found a magic pencil, Malala realized that she could still work hard every day to make her wishes come true.

This beautifully illustrated volume tells Malala’s story for a younger audience, showing them the worldview that allowed Malala to cling to hope even in the most difficult of times. a great book to read for women’s history month or to talk about activism and making a difference.

get lesson plan and activities for malala’s magic pencil here

meeting by jane yolen

a book about indigenous people meeting Europeans and Christopher Columbus for the first time told from the perspective of a young Taino. As many make the switch to recognize Indigenous Peoples Day instead of Columbus Day, this book provides a very comprehensive explanation of why the holiday was replaced.

get the lesson plan and activities for the gathering here

sonia sotomayor: a judge grows up in the bronx by jonah winter

The inspiring and timely story of Sonia Sotomayor, who rose from a childhood of poverty and prejudice to become the first Latino to be nominated to the United States Supreme Court.

before supreme court justice sonia sotomayor took her seat on our nation’s highest court, she was just a girl in the south bronx. Justice Sotomayor didn’t have much growing up, but she had what she needed: her mother’s love, her willingness to learn, and her own determination. she bravely became the person she wanted to be, and with hard work she made it. With little sunlight and only a modest plot to grow on, Justicia Sotomayor flourished for all the world to see. An inspiring story perfect for Hispanic Heritage Month.

get the lesson plan and activities for sonia sotomayor: a judge grows up in the bronx here

lillian’s right to vote for jonah winter

As Lillian, a 100-year-old African-American woman, makes the “long trek up a steep hill” to her polling place, she sees more than trees and sky—she sees her family’s history. she sees the passage of the fifteenth amendment and her great-grandfather voting for the first time. she sees her parents trying to register to vote. and she is seen marching in protest from selma to montgomery. Veteran bestselling picture book author Jonah Winter and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award winner Shane W. Evans vividly recalls America’s battle for civil rights in this lyrical and moving account of one woman’s fierce determination to reach the top of the hill and make her voice heard.

get lillian’s right to vote lesson plan and activities here

brothers in hope by mary williams

Based on heartbreaking yet inspiring true events in the lives of Sudan’s lost children, Brothers in Hope is a story of remarkable courage and an amazing testament to the unyielding power of the human spirit. Eight-year-old Garang is herding cattle away. from his family’s home in southern sudan when the war comes to his village. frightened but unharmed, he returns to find that everything has been destroyed.

Soon Garang meets other boys whose villages have been attacked. before long they become a moving gang of thousands, walking hundreds of kilometers in search of safety, first in ethiopia and then in kenya. The children face many difficulties and dangers along the way, but their faith and mutual support help keep the hope of finding a new home alive in their hearts.

a remarkable true story essential for any unit studying refugees or perseverance.

get the lesson plan and activities for brothers in hope here

four feet two karen lynn williams sandals

Keeping on the refugee theme, this is another one of my favorite read aloud books for fourth grade. when rescuers bring used clothing to the refugee camp, everyone scrambles to grab what they can. Ten-year-old Lina is excited when she finds a sandal that fits her foot perfectly, until she sees that another girl has the matching shoe. But soon Lina and Feroza meet and decide that it is better to share the sandals than for each of them to wear only one.

As the girls go about their routines—washing clothes in the river, waiting in long lines for water, and waiting for their names to appear on the list to go to America—the sandals remind them that friendship is the greatest thing. important .

get the lesson plan and activities for four feet and two sandals here

freedom in congo square by carole boston weatherford

as slaves toiled tirelessly under an unjust system in 19th century louisiana, they all counted down the days until sunday, when for at least half a day they were able to congregate briefly in congo square in new orleans. here they were free to set up an open-air market, sing, dance, and play music. they were free to forget their worries, their struggles, and their oppression. This story recounts the duties of slaves every day, from chopping logs on Mondays to baking bread on Wednesdays and plucking chickens on Saturdays, and is based on the freedom of Sundays and the special experience of an afternoon in the Congo Square. a really versatile book that could be used for black history month and then revisited during national poetry month.

get the lesson plan and activities for freedom in congo square here

the poppy lady by barbara elizabeth walsh

when american soldiers entered world war i, moina belle michael, a school teacher from georgia, knew she had to act. some of the soldiers were her students and friends. Almost single-handedly, Moina worked to establish the red poppy as the symbol to honor and remember soldiers. her and she dedicated the rest of her life to making sure the symbol would last forever. Thanks to her hard work, that symbol is still strong today. Author Barbara Elizabeth Walsh and artist Layne Johnson worked with experts, primary documents, and Moina’s great-nieces to better understand Moina’s determination to honor war veterans.

get the lesson plan and activities for the poppy lady here

duncan tonatiuh dance

As a child, Amalia Hernández saw a couple of dancers in the town square. the way they stomped and swayed to the beat of the beat inspired her. she knew that one day she would become a dancer.

amalia studied ballet and modern dance under the guidance of qualified teachers who had performed in world-renowned dance companies. but she never forgot the folk dance she had seen years before. She began traveling through the Mexican countryside, witnessing dances from many regions, and used her knowledge of ballet and modern dance to adapt traditional dances to the stage. He founded his own dance company, a group that became known as the Folkloric Ballet of Mexico.

get the lesson plan and activities for dance here

guitar genius by kim tomsic

A beautifully illustrated true story of rock and roll legend Les Paul: This is the story of how Les Paul created the world’s first solid body electric guitar, countless other inventions that changed modern music, and a truly epic career. in rock and roll. like making a microphone, a broom, a concrete block, a telephone, a radio. how to make an electric guitar the arm of a turntable, a speaker, a tape. how to make a legendary inventor? A few tools, a lot of curiosity, and an endless faith in what’s possible, this unforgettable biography will resonate with resourceful readers, young and old. one of my must read aloud books for fourth grade for anyone studying inventors.

get the lesson plan and activities for guitar geniuses here

emmanuel’s dream by laurie ann thompson

born in ghana, west africa, with a deformed leg, he was dismissed by most people, but not by his mother, who taught him to achieve his dreams. When he was a child, Emmanuel skipped school more than two miles each way, learned to play soccer, left home at thirteen to support his family, and eventually became a cyclist. in 2001 he rode an astonishing 400 miles across ghana, spreading his powerful message: disability is not disability. Today, Emmanuel continues to work for the disabled. an amazing story of perseverance despite disabilities.

get the lesson plan and activities for emmanuel’s dream here

elizabeth leads the way by tanya lee stone

elizabeth cady stanton stood up and fought for what she believed in. She knew from an early age that women did not have the same rights as men. But instead of accepting her inferior status, she went to college and then gathered other like-minded women to challenge the right to vote. This is the inspiring story of an extraordinary woman who changed America forever because she wouldn’t take “no” for an answer.

get the lesson plan and activities for elizabeth leads the way here

radiant boy by javaka steptoe

jean-michel basquiat and his unique collage-style paintings rose to fame in the 1980s as a cultural phenomenon unlike anything the art world had seen before. But before that, he was a little boy who saw art everywhere: in poetry books and museums, in games and in the words we speak, and in the pulsating energy of New York City. Now, award-winning illustrator Javaka Steptoe’s vivid text and bold artwork echoing Basquiat’s present young readers with the powerful message that art doesn’t always have to be neat or tidy, and definitely not within the lines, to be beautiful. one of my favorite read aloud books for fourth grade when studying art and artists.

get the lesson plan and activities for the radiant child here

margot lee shetterly’s hidden figures

dorothy vaughan, mary jackson, katherine johnson, and christine darden were good at math…very good. They participated in some of NASA’s greatest successes, such as providing the calculations for America’s first trips to space. and they did it at a time when being black and female limited what they could do. but they worked hard. they persisted. And they used their genius minds to change the world.

In this edition of a beautifully illustrated picture book, we explore the story of four African-American NASA mathematicians, known as “Colored Computers,” and how they overcame racial and gender barriers to succeed in a highly challenging career based in stems. an amazing book for black history month with black scientists.

get the lesson plan and activities for hidden figures here

grandpa’s journey by allen say

lyrical, impressive, splendid: words used to describe Allen Say’s grandfather’s journey when it was first published. This story of one man’s love for two countries and his constant desire to be in both places captured the attention and hearts of readers. fifteen years later, it’s as historically relevant and emotionally engaging as ever.

get the lesson plan and activities for grandpa’s trip here

an angel for solomon singer by cynthia rylant

solomon singer is a middle-aged man who lives in a men’s hotel in new york city. One night, his lonely wanderings lead him to a restaurant where he reads these words on the menu: “the coffee house of the west, where all your dreams come true”. a soft-spoken waiter (metaphorically called an angel) welcomes you and invites you back. Each night the singer returns, asks for food, and silently makes his wishes for the things he remembers from his childhood in Indiana.

get the lesson plan and activities for an angel for the singer of solomon here

mario and the hole in the sky by elizabeth rusch

the true story of how a scientist saved the planet from an environmental disaster.

Mexican-American Mario Molina is a modern-day hero who helped solve the ozone crisis of the 1980s. Growing up in Mexico City, Mario was a curious boy who studied hidden worlds through a microscope. When he was a young man in California, he discovered that CFCs, used in millions of refrigerators and aerosol cans, were burning a hole in the Earth’s protective ozone layer. Mario knew the world had to be warned, and quickly. Today Mario is a Nobel Prize winner and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. his inspiring story gives hope in the fight against global warming.

get the lesson plan and activities for mario and the hole in the sky here

barb rosenstock’s noisy paintbox

vasya kandinsky was a proper boy: he studied math and history, practiced the piano, sat up straight and was perfectly polite. and when his family sent him to art classes, they expected him to paint pretty houses and flowers, like a proper artist.

but when vasya opened his paintbox and started mixing the reds, yellows and blues, he heard a strange sound: the swirling colors vibrated like an orchestra tuning a symphony! and as she grew older, she continued to hear bright colors singing and see vibrant sounds dancing. but was vasya brave enough to put aside his own still lifes, portraits and painting. . . music?

get the lesson plan and activities for the noisy paint box here

leave it to abigail by barb rosenstock

everyone knew abigail was different.

Instead of staying quiet, she blurted out questions. Instead of settling down with a wealthy minister, she married a poor country lawyer named John Adams. Rather than flee the Revolutionary War, she ran a farm and fed starving soldiers. In order not to leave the government in the hands of men, she insisted that they “remember the ladies.” Instead of fearing the kings and queens of Europe, she boldly crossed the sea to represent her new country. And when John became President of the United States, Abigail became First Lady and a powerful advisor.

get the lesson plan and activities to leave it to abigail here

storm led by libby riddles

In 1985, libby riddles made history by becoming the first woman to win the 1,100-mile iditarod dog sled race. This new edition of Riddles’ timeless adventure story is complete with updated narrative details, sidebars on all aspects of the race, and all-new photography and illustrations by beloved illustrator Shannon Cartwright. An inspiration to children and adults everywhere, this is a compelling first-hand account of the arctic storms, sub-zero temperatures, loyal sled dogs, and sheer determination that defined puzzle-solving Iditarod victory. this is one of my favorite read aloud books for fourth grade in late winter.

get the lesson plan and activities for storm run here

rags: hero dog of the first world war by margot theis raven

During World War I, while stationed overseas in France with the United States Army, Private James Donovan literally stumbles upon a small cowering dog on the streets of Paris. Named Rags for his scruffy appearance, the little stray quickly finds a home with Donovan and a place in his heart. Although the Army did not have an official dog division, Rags accompanies Donovan to the battlefield, making him a useful companion for delivering messages and providing a much-appreciated morale boost to the soldiers.

The rag news spreads and soon the pup’s battlefield exploits become the stuff of legend. But during a fierce battle near the end of the war, both Rags and Donovan are injured. Seriously injured, Donovan is sent back to the United States. and the puppy with a big heart refuses to leave the side of his best friend.

get lesson plan and activities for rags: hero dog of wwi here

margot theis raven america white table

The white table is placed in many dining rooms as a symbol and remembrance of fallen, missing, or captive service members in the line of duty. lonely and solemn, it is the table where no one will ever sit. As a special gift to Ella’s Uncle John, Katie and Ella’s sisters are asked to help set the white table for dinner. As her mother explains the meaning of each item placed on the table, Katie comes to understand and appreciate the depth of sacrifice that her uncle, and every member of the military and her family, can be called to. to give.

get the lesson plan and activities for the white table of america here

pink and saying of patricia polacco

He was wounded in a fierce battle and left for dead in a pasture somewhere in Georgia when Pinkus found him. Pinkus’s skin was the color of polished mahogany, and he wore the union colors like the wounded boy, and picked him up from the field and brought him to where the black soldier’s mother lived, Moe Moe Bay. she had soft and tender hands and cared for him and his rose.

but the two boys were putting her in danger, two union soldiers in confederate territory! they had to go back to their outfits. Scared and unsure, the boys faced a difficult decision, and then marauding Confederate troops arrived.

In this story of the civil war that passed from great-grandfather to grandmother, to son, and finally to the author-artist herself, Patricia Polacco once again celebrates the shared humanity of the peoples of this world.

get the lesson plan and activities for pink and say here

an orange for frankie from patricia polacco

patricia polacco’s most touching christmas story!

the stowell family is full of holiday enthusiasm, and frankie, the youngest child, is the most excited of all. but there’s a cloud over the merry season: tomorrow is christmas eve, and daddy still hasn’t returned from his trip to lansing. he promised to bring the oranges for the mantelpiece. each year there are nine of them nestled among the evergreen trees, one for each of the children. but this year, heavy snowfall could mean no oranges. . . and, what is worse, no pa! This is a vacation story close to Patricia Polacco’s heart. Frankie was her grandmother’s younger brother, and every year she and her family remember this story of a little boy who learned, and taught, an important lesson in giving one Christmas long ago.

get the lesson plan and activities for an orange for frankie here

a different pond by bao phi

A Different Pond is an unforgettable story about a simple event: a long-ago fishing trip. Graphic novelist Thi Bui and acclaimed poet Bao Phi provide a powerful and honest look at the relationship between father and son, and between cultures, old and new. As a child, Bao and his father would wake up early, hours before his father’s long workday began, to fish on the banks of a small pond in Minneapolis. Unlike many other fishermen, Bao and his father fished for food, not for fun. a successful catch meant a family fed. Between casts full of hope, Bao’s father told him about a different pond in his homeland of Vietnam.

get the lesson plan and activities for a different pond here

the song of marti for the freedom of emma otheguy

bilingual biography of josé martí, who dedicated his life to the promotion of freedom, the abolition of slavery, the political independence of cuba and intellectual freedom. written in verse with extracts from martí’s seminal work, simple verses. an excellent inspiring story for hispanic heritage month with its connection to new york.

get the lesson plan and activities for martí por la libertad song here

seven and a half tons of steel by janet nolan

Following the events of September 11, 2001, a beam from the World Trade Center towers was delivered to the United States Navy. The beam was driven from New York to a foundry in Louisiana, where the seven and a half tons of steel, which had once been a beam in the World Trade Center, became the bow of a Navy ship.

get the lesson plan and activities for seven and a half tons of steel here

gittel’s journey by leslea newman

Gittel and her mother were supposed to emigrate to the United States together, but when the health inspector detains her mother, Gittel must make the journey alone. her mother writes her cousin’s address in new york on a piece of paper. However, when Gittel arrives at Ellis Island, she discovers that the ink has smudged and the address is illegible. How will she find her family? A moving and moving story at the same time, Gittel’s journey offers a new perspective on the immigration journey to Ellis Island. The book includes an author’s note explaining how Gittel’s story is based on Lesléa Newman’s grandmother and family friend’s trip to America.

get gittel’s trip lesson plan and activities here

hi, this is johnny cash from g. nery

there’s never been anyone like music legend johnny cash. His deep voice is instantly recognizable, and his soulful songs resonate with listeners of all ages and backgrounds. gram. neri captures johnny’s story in beautiful free verse, portraying an ordinary boy with extraordinary talent who grew up in abject poverty, faced incredible challenges, and ultimately found his calling by always being true to his gift of voice. a. gram. Ford’s exquisite paintings of the dramatic southern landscape of Johnny Cash’s childhood illuminate this portrait of a legend, taking us from his humble beginnings to his enormous success on the world stage.

get the lesson plan and activities for hello i’m johnny cash here

christmas in the trenches by john mccutcheon

an incredible story about the Christmas truces during the first world war.

get the lesson plan and activities for christmas in the trenches here

michelle markel nonsense

This fascinating and humorous illustrated biography chronicles the life of the first pioneer of children’s books: John Newbery himself. While most 18th-century children’s books contained lessons and rules, John Newbery envisioned them as filled with entertaining stories, science, and games. he believed that every book should be made for the reader’s enjoyment. Newbery, named after the prestigious Newbery Medal, became a celebrated author and publisher, changing the world of children’s books forever. this book about his life and legacy is as full of energy and delight as any young reader could wish for.

get the lesson plan and activities for balderdash here

mr. peabody apples from madonna

a child learns a lesson about the destructive power of gossip.

get the lesson plan and activities for mr. peabody apples here

I dissent for debbie levy

Meet celebrated Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, in the first illustrated book about her life, as she proves that disagreeing doesn’t make you nasty!

supreme court justice ruth bader ginsburg has spent her entire life at odds: taking issue with inequality, arguing against unfair treatment, and standing up for what’s right for people everywhere. This biographical picture book about the notorious RBG tells the judge’s story through the lens of her many famous dissents or disagreements.

get the lesson plan and activities for i dissent here

the cat man of aleppo by irene latham

Aleppo’s city center no longer resonates with the rich and exciting sounds of the banging of copper pots and the traditional sharpening of swords. your neighborhood is empty except for the many cats left behind.

alaa loves aleppo, but when war comes, her neighbors flee to safety, leaving their many pets behind. alaa decides to stay; she can make a difference by driving an ambulance, taking the sick and injured to safety. her one day she hears hungry cats calling her name on her way home. they are alone and scared, like him. he feeds and pets them to let them know they are loved. the next day more cats come, and then even more! there are too many for alaa to care for alone. Alaa has a big heart, but he will need the help of others if he wants to keep all of his new friends safe.

get the werecat of aleppo lesson plan and activities here

for the right to learn by rebecca langston-george

grew up in a world where women were supposed to be quiet. but malala yousafzai refused to be silent. She discovers Malala’s story through this powerful storytelling and come see how a brave girl named Malala changed the world.

get the lesson plan and activities for the right to learn here

the boy who tamed the wind by william kamkwamba

When fourteen-year-old William Kamkwamba’s Malawian village was hit by a drought, everyone’s crops began to fail. Without enough money for food, let alone school, William spent his days in the library. . . and he figured out how to bring electricity to his town. Persevering against all odds, William built a working windmill out of scrap metal scraps and thus became the local hero who harnessed the wind.

get the lesson plan and activities for the boy who harnessed the wind here

ada violin by susan hood

each rivers grew up in cateura, a small town in paraguay built on a landfill. She dreamed of playing the violin, but with little money for anything but the essentials, she was never an option…until a music teacher named Favio Chavez came along. he wanted to give the children of cateura something special, so he made them instruments with materials found in the garbage. It was a crazy idea, but one that would leave Ada, and her people, forever changed. now, the recycled orchestra plays in venues around the world, spreading its message of hope and innovation.

get ada’s violin lesson plan and activities here

nikki giovanni rose

Fifty years after her refusal to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama city bus, Mrs. Rosa Parks remains one of the most important figures in the American civil rights movement. this tribute to mrs. parks is a celebration of her brave deed and the events that followed.

get the lesson plan and activities for pink here

she made a monster for lynn fulton

On a stormy night two hundred years ago, a young woman sat in a dark house and dreamed of her life as a writer. She longed to follow the path that her own mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, had started, but young Mary Shelley had not yet been inspired.

As the night progressed, Maria became more anxious. the next day was the deadline her friend, the poet lord byron, had set for her to write the best ghost story. after much talk of science and the secrets of life, ella mary ella had gone to bed exhausted and frustrated that nothing she could think of was scary enough. but while she was asleep, she dreamed of a man who was not a man. he was a monster.

get the lesson plan and activities for she made a monster here

shot at the moon by brian floca

Simply put, lavishly displayed, and now with an additional eight pages of new art and more detailed information on the historic moon landing, here is the flight of Apollo 11. Here for a new generation of readers and explorers are the steadfast astronauts adjust their gloves and helmets and strap themselves into the side seats. here are his great machines in all their detail and monumentality, the roar of the rockets and the silence of the moon. a story of adventure and discovery, a story of departures and returns during the summer of 1969, and a story of home, seen in its entirety, from afar. an amazing book perfect for the study of space.

get the lesson plan and activities for moonshot here

brian floca locomotive

It’s the summer of 1869 and trains, crews and family are traveling together on America’s new transcontinental railroad. these pages come to life with the details of the journey and the sounds, speed and strength of the mighty engines; the work that keeps them moving; and the thrill of traveling from the plains to the mountains to the ocean.

Come listen to the whistle of the steam, feel the heat of the engine, watch the landscape run by. Come ride the rails, come cross the young country!

get the locomotive lesson plan and activities here

nadia’s hands by karen english

When Nadia is chosen to be the flower girl at Aunt Laila’s traditional Pakistani wedding, her hands are decorated with beautiful mehndi designs and she comes to understand the rich culture she has inherited.

get nadia’s hands-on lesson plan and activities here

pedal power by allan drummond

cycling rules the road in amsterdam today, but that wasn’t always the case. In the 1970s, Amsterdam was so overcrowded with vehicles that cyclists could barely get around, but mothers and children relied on their bikes to get around the city. pedal power is the story of the people who led the protests against unsafe streets and took over a vehicle-only tunnel on their bikes, showing what a little pedaling could do! Author and illustrator Allan Drummond returns with the story of the people who paved the way for safe bicycling around the world.

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green city by allan drummond

in 2007, a tornado destroyed greensburg, kansas, and residents didn’t know what to do next; they didn’t want to rebuild if their little town would simply be destroyed by another storm. so they decided they would not just rebuild the same thing; this time, they would build a city that could not only survive another storm, but would be built in an environmentally sustainable way. Told from the point of view of a boy whose family rebuilt after the storm, this Power Island Companion is the inspiring story of the difference a community can make – and includes plenty of rebuilding scenes and details for lovers! construction too!

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allan drummond energy island

Hold on to your hats! It’s windy on the danish island of samsø. Meet the eco-conscious people who are now proud to call their home an energy island. at a time when most countries are producing increasing amounts of co2, the ordinary citizens of samsø have achieved something extraordinary: in just ten years they have reduced their carbon emissions. by 140% and become almost completely energy independent. A narrative tale and science book in one, this inspiring true story proves that with a little hard work and a big idea, anyone can take a big step toward conserving energy.

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born on the island by junot diaz

all the kids at lola’s school were from somewhere else. his was a school from faraway places.

So when lola’s teacher asks the students to draw a picture of where their families immigrated from, all the kids get excited. except lola. she can’t remember the island, she left when she was just a baby. But with the help of her family and friends, and her joyous, fantastical, harrowing and terrifying memories, Lola’s imagination takes her on an extraordinary journey back to the island. As she gets closer to the heart of Ella’s family story, Ella Lola comes to understand the truth of Ella’s grandmother’s words: “Just because you don’t remember a place doesn’t mean it’s not in you.” /p>

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susan cooper’s shortest day

As the sun set on the shortest day of the year, early risers gathered to prepare for the long night ahead. They made fires and lit candles. they played music, bringing their own light into the darkness, wondering if the sun would ever rise again. written for a theatrical production that has become a ritual in itself, susan cooper’s poem “the shortest day” captures the magic behind the return of light, the longing for traditions that connect us with previous generations and the hope of peace that we carry into the future. Richly illustrated by Carson Ellis with a universality that spans centuries, this beautiful book evokes the joy and community found in life’s ongoing mystery as we celebrate light, thanksgiving, and festivity in a moment of rebirth. welcome yule!

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all because you matter by tami charles

tami charles writes a poetic and lyrical text that is part love letter, part anthem, assuring readers that they have always mattered and always will. This powerful, rhythmic lullaby assures readers that their matter and worth never diminish, no matter the circumstances: through the joy and wonder of their first steps and first laughs, through the hardships of struggles. of adolescents and the pain and anguish of current events. , have always mattered and always will matter. Accompanied with illustrations by renowned artist Bryan Collier, a four-time Caldecott Award winner and nine-time Coretta Scott King Award winner or honoree, All Because You Matter empowers readers with pride, joy, and comfort, reminding them of their roots and empowering them for days to come. to come.

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chester nez and the unbreakable code of joseph bruchac

as a navajo boy, chester nez had to leave the reservation and attend boarding school, where he was taught that his native language and culture were useless. But Chester refused to relinquish his inheritance. Years later, during World War II, Chester, and other Navajo men like him, were recruited by the US Marines to use the Navajo language to create an unbreakable military code. suddenly the language he had been told to forget was necessary to fight a war. This powerful illustrated biography contains background material including a timeline and a portion of the Navajo code, as well as describing the life of an original Navajo code talker while capturing the importance of legacy.

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voices in the park by anthony browne

Different characters tell the same story from their own perspectives in this timeless children’s storybook, which explores themes of alienation, friendship, and the strange amidst the mundane.

Four people walk into a park, and through their eyes we see four different visions. there’s the bossy woman, the sad man, the lonely boy, and the young woman whose warmth touches those she meets. as the story passes from one voice to another, their perspectives are reflected in the changing landscape and seasons. this is an intriguing, multi-layered, and hugely entertaining book that demands to be read again and again.

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a rock for sascha by aaron becker

A girl mourns the loss of her dog in an achingly beautiful, wordless epic from the Caldecott Honor-winning creator of journey.

This year’s summer vacation will be very different for a girl and her family without Sascha, the family’s beloved dog, on the trip. but a wistful walk along the beach to collect fresh, polished stones becomes a brilliant turning point in the girl’s grief. there, on the edge of a vast ocean under an infinite sky, she discovers, together with the reader, a deep and joyful truth. In his first picture book following the conclusion of his best-selling travel trilogy, Aaron Becker accomplishes a tremendous feat, connecting the private and personal loss of a child with a cycle spanning millennia, and delivering an astonishingly layered story that demands study. carefully over and over again. one of my favorite wordless read aloud books for fourth grade.

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in amazement by kwame alexander

In appreciation of the poet’s art form, newbery award winning author and poet kwame alexander, along with chris colderley and marjory goworth, present original poems that pay tribute to twenty famous poets who have touched the hearts of authors sing and their minds wonder. Stunning mixed media images by Ekua Holmes, winner of a Caldecott Honor and a John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award, round out the celebration and invite the reader to listen, wonder, and maybe even pick up a pen.

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best read aloud books for fourth grade

what are some of your favorite fourth grade read aloud books? Is there a required fourth grade read aloud book that you’ve left out? let me know in the comments and I’ll add it!

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