{"id":2194,"date":"2023-05-31T05:00:22","date_gmt":"2023-05-31T09:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/?p=2194"},"modified":"2023-06-01T14:25:36","modified_gmt":"2023-06-01T18:25:36","slug":"12-kid-approved-books-advanced-fourth-fifth-grade-readers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/12-kid-approved-books-advanced-fourth-fifth-grade-readers\/","title":{"rendered":"12 Kid-Approved Books for Advanced Fourth and Fifth Grade Readers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Finding the right book is a challenge for many kids. It can be especially hard for young, advanced readers who are capable of reading significantly above their grade level. Students in 4th or 5th grade who can read at a 7th, 8th, or even high school level may gravitate towards the latest Young Adult sensation like books by Colleen Hoover or Sarah J. Maas that cover themes or topics that are not necessarily a good fit for upper elementary school readers. <\/p>\n

Here are 12 books recommended as \u201cmust reads\u201d by other advanced 4th & 5th grade readers on Bookopolis.com<\/a>, an online community for young readers. These stories are engaging, thought provoking, and encourage young readers to learn more about the world — in an age appropriate way. Plus, they are great reads for adults, too. Read along with your young reader and help them dig deeper by making connections from the books they read to current events, history, and their own lives. <\/p>\n

PSA for parents<\/i>: Every reader and every family is different. If you\u2019re not sure if a book is appropriate or feel uncomfortable about a book your child may have read, check out reviews on sites like Bookopolis<\/a> or Common Sense Media<\/a>, and then engage in a healthy discussion about anything that may be mature or controversial. <\/p>\n

yes no Adventure-Filled Fantasy & Sci-Fi 9780385736008 The Alchemyst<\/i> by Michael Scott <\/p>\n

This first book in a much-loved fantasy series, The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel<\/i><\/a>, follows the adventures of Sophie and Josh Newman as they track down the greatest legend of all time, the elixir of life. Kai, 10, says \u201cIt is a classic fantasy book. It keeps you hanging on every page.\u201d <\/p>\n

9780394820378 The Phantom Tollbooth<\/em> by Norton Juster, illustrated by Jules Feiffer <\/p>\n

This fantastical tale of Milo and the watchdog, Tock, and their escapades in the Lands Beyond makes a great read aloud for the whole family. According to Beck, 8, \u201cIt\u2019s funny, adventurous, and the puns are pure awesomeness.\u201d <\/p>\n

9781536204957 The Last Mapmaker<\/i> by Christina Soontornvat <\/p>\n

This seafaring adventure story set in a Thai-inspired fantasy land is filled with excellent plot twists and endearing characters. It tackles deep themes such as the search for identity and the ethics of humans exploring new lands. Olivia, 11, says, \u201cIt hooked me in the moment I read it. I recommend this book to anyone [who] enjoys reading realistic fiction, fantasy, and adventure!\u201d <\/p>\n

9780142403303 The Twenty-One Balloons<\/i> by William P\u00e8ne du Bois <\/p>\n

Imagination and science blend perfectly in this classic adventure tale. Professor Sherman has been found three weeks after he embarked on a hot air balloon trip over the Pacific Ocean. He recounts the adventures he experienced with the eccentric inhabitants of the fantastical land of Krakatoa. Emily, 12, exclaims, \u201cI loved this book! It was definitely an adventure and I couldn’t put the book down.\u201d<\/p>\n

9781536219104 The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel<\/i> by Sheela Chari <\/p>\n

Based on an award-winning podcast, this sci-fi series follows rule-breaker Mars Patel and his group of loyal friends as they try to figure out why so many kids have recently gone missing from their school and around the world. It raises important questions about whether the benefits of futuristic technology are worth the potential risks. Prarthana, 11, adds that this book is good for \u201canyone who loves mystery and adventure.\u201d<\/p>\n

yes no Animal & Nature-Inspired Tales 9780142401118 My Side of the Mountain<\/i> by Jean Craighead George <\/p>\n

Tired of living in a small NYC apartment with his eight siblings, 12-year-old Sam runs away to his great-grandfather\u2019s property in the Catskills with only a handful of supplies. Perfect for fans of adventure-filled survival stories like Hatchet<\/i>. Winnie, 11, raves, \u201cThis is a book for those who really like nature and the beauty of animals. I recommend [it] to anyone who is looking for a book that you just can’t take you’re eyes off of!\u201d<\/p>\n

9780141336541 Call of the Wild<\/i> by Jack London <\/p>\n

A gripping, adventurous journey centered around Buck, a dog who must find his true nature in the wild. George, 10, says, \u201cIf you are into survival stories and action, this is the book for you. This is a fascinating book about survival and determination told through the eyes of a dog.\u201d<\/p>\n

9780399551239 Where the Red Fern Grows<\/i> by Wilson Rawls <\/p>\n

This emotion-filled classic about the deep love between a boy and his dogs holds up today. Anna, age 9, highly recommends it, \u201cOmg! I bawled my eyes out right in the middle of reading! Even though it is a sad book it is still a wonderful story, and anyone who likes sad books will absolutely love this!\u201d<\/p>\n

yes no Gripping Historical Fiction & Nonfiction 9780823447053 A Place to Hang the Moon<\/i> by Kate Albus <\/p>\n

Set in England during World War II, four siblings find themselves orphans after their grandmother passes away. They are thrown in with a group of children who are being evacuated from the city to the country due to the German bombings in London. As they bounce from home to home, they learn the value of family, home, and kindness from strangers. This is a great pick for fans of The War That Saved My Life<\/i><\/a>.<\/p>\n

9780823444205 Brother’s Keeper<\/i> by Julie Lee <\/p>\n

This is an intense and gripping story about the harrowing journey taken by 12-year-old Sora and her 8-year-old brother in 1950 as they attempt to escape from their home in the oppressive regime of communist North Korea to a more open-minded, capitalistic South Korea during the Korean War. It offers powerful insights into what many Koreans experienced during the \u201cForgotten War.\u201d Sensitive readers should know that is contains some gruesome survival scenes as well as the deaths of a few characters. <\/p>\n

9780147515827 Brown Girl Dreaming<\/i> by Jacqueline Woodson <\/p>\n

This captivating novel in verse shares the authors\u2019 experience growing up as an African American in the 1960s and 70s in a racially charged community in South Carolina and a diverse, urban neighborhood in New York City. It spotlights the impact of family, race, religion, and societal prejudices on one\u2019s search for identity and purpose. Morgan, 11, shares, \u201cThis book was so touching. It was well written, and it really made me think. I loved every minute of reading it!\u201d<\/p>\n

9780593306499 The Watsons Go to Birmingham<\/i> by Christopher Paul Curtis <\/p>\n

Any books by this Newbery Medalist author are a good fit for advanced readers to learn more about important moments in history. Riley, 9, loved, the story of a middle-class black family who move from Michigan to Birmingham in the middle of 1963. She says, \u201cI like this book because there are a lot of funny moments, as well as sad ones, and sweet ones.\u201d<\/p>\n

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2015 and updated in 2023.<\/small><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It can be hard for advanced readers to find that just right book. Check out these age-appropriate yet challenging books kids recommend as must-reads. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":97248,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[67,75,76,131,142,297,318,319,954,1023],"coauthors":[206],"class_list":["post-2194","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-mystery","tag-fantasy","tag-adventure","tag-history","tag-classic-lit","tag-fourth-graders","tag-kid-approved","tag-fifth-graders","tag-educators","tag-advanced-readers","ages_stages-tween"],"yoast_head":"\n12 Kid-Approved Books for Advanced 4th and 5th Grade Readers | Brightly<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Check out these age-appropriate yet challenging books that kids reading above grade level recommend as must-reads.\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/12-kid-approved-books-advanced-fourth-fifth-grade-readers\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"12 Kid-Approved Books for Advanced 4th and 5th Grade Readers | Brightly\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Check out these age-appropriate yet challenging books that kids reading above grade level recommend as must-reads.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/12-kid-approved-books-advanced-fourth-fifth-grade-readers\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Brightly\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-05-31T09:00:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-06-01T18:25:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/assets.readbrightly.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/advanced-4th-5th-grade-readers-HL-850x607-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"850\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"607\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Kari Ness Riedel\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Kari Ness Riedel\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"12 Kid-Approved Books for Advanced 4th and 5th Grade Readers | Brightly","description":"Check out these age-appropriate yet challenging books that kids reading above grade level recommend as must-reads.","canonical":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/12-kid-approved-books-advanced-fourth-fifth-grade-readers\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"12 Kid-Approved Books for Advanced 4th and 5th Grade Readers | Brightly","og_description":"Check out these age-appropriate yet challenging books that kids reading above grade level recommend as must-reads.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/12-kid-approved-books-advanced-fourth-fifth-grade-readers\/","og_site_name":"Brightly","article_published_time":"2023-05-31T09:00:22+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-06-01T18:25:36+00:00","og_image":[{"width":850,"height":607,"url":"https:\/\/assets.readbrightly.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/advanced-4th-5th-grade-readers-HL-850x607-1.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Kari Ness Riedel","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Kari Ness Riedel","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/12-kid-approved-books-advanced-fourth-fifth-grade-readers\/","url":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/12-kid-approved-books-advanced-fourth-fifth-grade-readers\/","name":"12 Kid-Approved Books for Advanced 4th and 5th Grade Readers | Brightly","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/12-kid-approved-books-advanced-fourth-fifth-grade-readers\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/12-kid-approved-books-advanced-fourth-fifth-grade-readers\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/assets.readbrightly.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/advanced-4th-5th-grade-readers-HL-850x607-1.jpg","datePublished":"2023-05-31T09:00:22+00:00","dateModified":"2023-06-01T18:25:36+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/#\/schema\/person\/d66412ae4edc023f9a009a9c2dc4d3d6"},"description":"Check out these age-appropriate yet challenging books that kids reading above grade level recommend as must-reads.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/12-kid-approved-books-advanced-fourth-fifth-grade-readers\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/12-kid-approved-books-advanced-fourth-fifth-grade-readers\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/12-kid-approved-books-advanced-fourth-fifth-grade-readers\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/assets.readbrightly.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/advanced-4th-5th-grade-readers-HL-850x607-1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/assets.readbrightly.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/advanced-4th-5th-grade-readers-HL-850x607-1.jpg","width":850,"height":607},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/12-kid-approved-books-advanced-fourth-fifth-grade-readers\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"12 Kid-Approved Books for Advanced Fourth and Fifth Grade Readers"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/","name":"Brightly","description":"Reading Is the Just the Beginning","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/#\/schema\/person\/d66412ae4edc023f9a009a9c2dc4d3d6","name":"Jennifer Clare","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/2348705ca7dfb856355c2ce836eaceef","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/118090b9fc01e77f84ae9dc424fa5d74?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/118090b9fc01e77f84ae9dc424fa5d74?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Jennifer Clare"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/penguinrandomhouse.com"],"url":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/contributor\/jclare\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2194"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2194"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2194\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/97248"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2194"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2194"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2194"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.readbrightly.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=2194"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}