Books in English or Spanish for your 4th grader

When Amalia’s best friend moves away, Amalia is so upset she can’t say goodbye. Her Abuelita comforts her, but when her grandmother dies suddenly, Amalia must cope with two big losses and two missed chances to say goodbye to a loved one. Elements of Mexican culture and tradition, including recipes for Abuelita’s favorite desserts, make this story of adolescence and loss come to life.

Perfect for: Kids who are devoted to their friends and family.

Find Love, Amalia at your local library.

Meg, an awkward girl who doesn’t quite fit in, has a lot to worry about. Her beloved father has suddenly disappeared, and neighbors are beginning to gossip that he’s run off with another woman. It turns out that his disappearance is connected with his scientific work, and Meg, her brilliant little brother, and her friend Calvin set out to find him — a search that takes them on an exciting but dangerous galactic adventure.

Want to see the movie? Check out the 2006 adaptation, which dramatizes the struggle between good and evil, or the new release coming spring 2018.

Perfect for: Kids who like science fiction and fantasy.

Find A Wrinkle in Time at your local library.

When Catrina’s new neighbor, Carolos, says there are ghosts in their new town, her little sister, Maya, is excited to meet one. But Cat is frightened. Cat’s family has just moved to Bahía de la Luna, a coastal town in Northern California, because Maya has an incurable lung disease and her parents hope the sea air will help her breathe better. As Day of the Dead approaches, Cat faces her fears for her sister’s sake. This fantastic graphic novel deals with complex, real-life issues of fear and loss in an engaging comic-book style.

Perfect for: Brave and sensitive kids.

Find Ghosts at your local library.

With his hallmark wit and humor, Dahl tells the tale of Matilda, a child prodigy who defends her sweet teacher against the terrible school principal, Mrs. Trunchbull. Children will love learning about Matilda and her extraordinary powers.

Want to see the movie? The 1996 film sets the action in America instead of England but stays fairly true to the book’s plot.

Perfect for: Kids who like school.

Find Matilda at your local library.

Hugo is an orphan who tends the clocks in a Paris train station. He lives a lonely existence in the shadows of the station, stealing food and dodging the Station Inspector. One day he encounters a flinty old man who has even more secrets than he does. With the support of his friend, Isabelle, Hugo discovers the key to his past and the old man’s — and both find a measure of happiness. This powerful story is beautifully illustrated to create the pace and visual effects of a movie.

Want to see the movie? Check out Martin Scorsese’s 2011 Hugo, which won five Academy Awards.

Perfect for: Kids who like historical fiction.

Find The Invention of Hugo Cabret at your local library.

This children’s classic makes heroes of two of the most maligned members of the animal kingdom: the spider and the pig. Charlotte, a spider, and a little pig Wilbur form a barnyard friendship that eases Wilbur’s loneliness — and ultimately saves his life. Both kids and adults will be moved by these animals’ courage and devotion to each other, and the power of empathy, no matter how humble the package.

Want to see the movie? The 2006 live-action adaptation features Julia Roberts as the voice of Charlotte.

Perfect for: Kids who like classics.

Find Charlotte’s Web at your local library.

The main character, Greg, is a kid who usually doesn’t do the right thing the first time around. His cluelessness about what would keep him out of trouble and why parents, teachers and friends are upset with him is part of the book’s humor, which leads the reader to any lesson Greg should be learning. Parents will appreciate that his friend’s dad looks up video games on a parent Web site to see if they have too much violence. Also, you can tell that Greg’s mom is working hard to raise respectful sons. When a bikini picture from her oldest son Rodrick’s heavy metal magazine ends up in her youngest son’s hands for show-and-tell, she makes Rodrick apologize to all women on paper. Parents will also be thrilled to know that despite the fact that the book is written in less-formal journal style with fun cartoons, everything is spelled correctly (i.e., no texting slang in sight!).

Want to see the movie? The 2010 film version tells the story of Greg’s quest to become popular and features lots of goofy lowbrow jokes about bodily functions.

Perfect for: Kids who like humor stories.

Find Diary of a Wimpy Kid at your local library.

When Winnie Foster is kidnapped she’s terrified at first, but she soon realizes her kidnappers, the Tuck family, are kind people with an astonishing secret. The Tucks will never die, which turns out to be less of a blessing than one might think. The situation — and Winnie’s choices — grows complicated when a stranger shows up, hoping to profit off of the spring water that made the Tucks immortal. A gentle but powerful reflection on mortality, and on what constitutes a meaningful life.

Want to see the movie? Check out the 2002 adaptation, in which the character Winnie is 15 instead of 10.

Perfect for: Kids who like fantasy stories.

Find Tuck Everlasting at your local library.

Meggie’s life changed forever one rainy night when she looked out the window and saw a stranger standing outside her window. This was her first sighting of Dustfinger, one of many colorful characters that her father brought to life from the pages of the book Inkheart. Meggie’s father, Mo, has a special talent — when he reads aloud, characters from the book switch places with people from the outside world. In fact, Meggie does not know this yet, but this is how her own mother disappeared nine years before. Now, the evil Capricorn wants another character brought to life, and is determined to have Mo read aloud. This fascinating multi-layered story is an enjoyable but dark read for anyone who loves a good story within a story.

Want to see the movie? The 2009 adaptation stars Brendan Fraser and Helen Mirren and stays fairly close to the book’s storyline.

Perfect for: Kids who like science fiction and fantasy.

Find Inkheart at your local library.

Classic fantasy story for kids. Parents need to know that the plot and writing, although superior, are somewhat dated, and the art is small and simplistic. The language is simple but precise, and the main characters act valiantly to help save Narnia from the White Queen’s enchantment (though one is initially caught under her sway). Contains bits of British culture and Christian allegory.

Want to see the movie? The lavish 2005 adaptation stays fairly true to the book.

Perfect for: Kids who like classic stories.

Find The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe at your local library.

Sensitive, shy Naftali spends most of his childhood in Chile reading, writing, and daydreaming. Moved by the beauty of his natural environment and the injustices he witnesses, Naftali defies the wishes of his cruel, authoritarian father to become the poet Pablo Neruda. This book weaves biography, poetry, and magical realism to tell the emotional story of the poet’s early life.

Perfect for: Creative kids and dreamers.

Find The Dreamer at your local library.