I got these ideas from NPR books, but all the books I chose were books that I personally read at that age. If you would like to check out more books I recommended visiting their The Ultimate Backseat Bookshelf article. It's definitely worth your time.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'EngleI was led onto this book when I was in third grade. My librarian was fantastic and was able to show me several great books, some of which are further down on this list. A Wrinkle in Time is a great fantasy book that has a dystopian society. If the children love fantasy with a little bit of a twist, this is a great book to include in the club.
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
Yet another book my librarian showed me when I was younger. When we read this in fifth grade I was quite happy to realize that I had previously read this book and knew what the other students did not! This book took place in Germany during the Holocaust and shows the two sides. The side of a Jewish child in that time and the side of the non-Jew. Definitely worth checking out.
Charlotte's Web was one of my childhood favorites. This could be an example of a book that may be too young for some readers of this age group. Just check into and decide what fits the group best. This follows a young girl and her runt pet pig as well as a spider who lives in the girl's barn named Charlotte. This is only one book on this list that the activity after the book is read is watching the movie! (Of course always discuss it before hand)
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
This is a fantastic book! One of my favorites for sure. This fantasy book gives children a sense of adventure, but adds emotion in as well. I don't want to spoil it for you, but it's great. Again, once it's read, the kids can watch the movie, which is also fantastic.
Old, but good, James and the Giant Peach is a classic. Yet another fantasy, but completely different from the rest. James sprinkles magic crystals on a peach tree and BAM!! A gigantic peach emerges. He then enters the peach where he meets several oversized insects and here is where the fun begins. Watch this movie at the end as well.
The Giver is another book I found around my third grade year and this is what actually got me loving Lois Lowry. Another dystopian fantasy and another movie to watch afterwards.
My class read this when I was in fourth grade. It follows the Watson family who are in the time period of segregation and are going through life as best they can. We get to see the life of an African American family in the 1960s from their point of view.
Holes is a classic. If you have not read this book, please pick it up along with your children. It is fantastic and one of my favorites. Stanley Yelnats is cursed by his family misfortune. He ends up going to summer camp to dig holes which supposedly builds character. He meets several new friends and finally realizes that the luck of his family is in his hands. Definitely watch this movie after reading. It is my favorite movie of all time.
To start off, I saw this movie in theaters one summer on a Thursday matinee and I just had to read the book because I thought the movie was great and I knew I had the book at home. Harriet wants to be an author someday so she always keeps a notebook with her to write everything down. Some crazy events happen and your child will definitely be entertained.
This has to be one of my favorites of all time. Because of Winn Dixie is a very sweet book that follows a girl and her dog. The reader gets to meet all the friends they make along the way of life and the emotional aspects that come along with it. I definitely recommend watching this movie as well!
This is my personal list of favorites from my third and fourth grade year and I would definitely recommend using any or all of these titles for your child's book club. It will be worth it. Do you have any favorites from your childhood? Let me know in the comments below!
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