Year 4 Books

Year 4 book club

Children are expected to begin to explore different books in a variety of genres within this school year. They are also expected to start reading more difficult books and explore language and grammar more in-depth. With this in mind, our Year 4 books collection aims to make selecting their next read a little easier and give you some guidance as to what your child may want to try next. 

Year 4 curriculum highlights the importance of active participation in conversations, asking appropriate questions and imagination. Meaning their reading level and reading material may begin to change and broaden their reading genres. Offering them a wide selection of books with different subject matters, narrators and writing styles. 

Finding your child’s next read 

Have they already read Roald Dahl? If so they may want to enter the world of David Walliams. You may have seen the adaptations of his novels on TV, however, there is nothing like reading the original text. Illustrated by Tony Ross and Quentin Blake, the man who brought Roald Dahl’s classics to life, these books bring hilarious humour and unique stories into the heart of the reader's imagination. 

Diary of a Wimpy Kid has become a household name. With the live-action and animated adaptations of the infamous series, it is impossible to miss them. They are brilliantly animated and have important messages and relatable characters. The first in the series is set around the main character, Greg, starting middle school and juggling with the fear of older students and the stress of growing up all told through drawings and diary entries. If your child has read Diary of a Wimpy Kid and enjoyed it, they should check out Planet Omar. 

Diverse year 4 books 

Planet Omar follows 9-year-old Omar as he moves house and changes school in the first instalment of the series. The book not only has a similar writing style to Diary of a Wimpy Kid but it also educates young readers on other cultures, for example in the first book Omar talks about his excitement for Eid. This title is a fantastic example of diverse children’s books, as it does educate some readers about other cultures but it also is very important for children to be able to read about characters that may have the same beliefs and cultural background as them. 

The No.1 Car Spotter by Atinuke is another example of diverse and beautifully written children’s literature. Set in Nigeria, these stories are very highly entertaining but also important for young readers based outside of Africa to introduce them to different cultures and different childhoods as well as children or their families that may have had a similar lived experience as the narrator, No.1. The books are also set out in short chapters which is a great introduction to reading chapters to young readers. 

Anisha, Accidental Detective follows 10-year-old Anisha as she has to solve the case of her missing Uncle Tony before his wedding to Aunty Bindi. This hilarious and fast-paced series follows Anisha’s adventures with her multi-generational British Indian family and her best friend Milo. 

Horrible Histories

Horrible Histories is now a well-known TV series in its own right, however, the original books by Terry Deary are still fantastic. The combination of gruesome unusual facts presented with comedic delivery has made these books so enjoyable to read. Often the facts included in the books aren’t something children would learn at school, the facts are delivered in memorable and gory ways which are bound to keep most children and adults entertained. The books are excellent as they are captivating and interesting to read but they’re also historically accurate. Starting to read Deary’s books may spark an interest in history that they may not have felt from their school history lessons alone. Our Horrible Histories Savage Collection contains eight books including Awful Egyptians, Rotten Romans and Vicious Vikings and many more. Take a look at our Terry Deary Collection for our full selection of Horrible History titles. 

DK Find Out

If they have enjoyed Horrible Histories, or maybe they enjoy learning the facts but not the gruesome details, we have a DK Find out Collection. This collection delves deep into the animal kingdom, science, space and more. As well as the clear and informative information, these books are set out with lots of photos and visual elements to help them to picture the details it is teaching them about. DK has been publishing detailed reference books for children for many years. Meaning that they have a unique style and highly knowledgeable content aimed directly at young readers. 

Also from DK is our First Encyclopaedia, this two-book collection contains lots of information to keep the reader occupied for hours. One book is about how things work, from magnets to sound waves and from search engines to what makes rockets fly. The other encyclopaedia covers geography including human, physical and geology. Explaining how our planet works, including weather, different environments and other important skills and facts like how to use maps and global warming. 

Children’s Classics 

At this age, children may want to explore some classics like E.B. White’s Charlotte's Web or Stuart Little. Both have well-known film adaptations which, if they have seen them, could inspire them to read the books. Our Collection contains three classic children’s literature titles but E.B. White, they are a great introduction to longer books with more grown-up themes. 

Another childhood classic is The Magic Faraway Tree Collection by Enid Blyton. Our collection contains the four books from the series by one of the world’s best-loved children’s authors. Blyton’s books have been bestsellers for over eighty years with titles like The Famous Five and Malory Towers. They have provided hours of entertainment for adults and children alike. For more Enid Blyton books, see our full collection here. 

Study Guides

A lot of children will be feeling exam pressure ready for their SATS in year 6. We have a selection of KS2 revision guides and exam practice exercise books to help prepare them and allow them to feel more confident working in exam conditions. Our Quick 10 Minute Test books will help them practise their Maths and English skills, particularly focusing on verbal and non-verbal reasoning as well as core topics within their key stage. 

We also have individual CGP year 4 KS2 revision books and practise papers available to order. We have CGP KS2 Maths and English SATS practise papers or Practise KS2 English and Maths Activity Books specifically aimed at year 4 students. 

Here at Books2door we take pride in our passion for Children’s Literature and encouraging children to read. This collection aims to suggest the best year 4 books that might suit your child's interests.