Bartley C of E Junior School

Book Study

In Year 4, we study the following books throughout the year.  We kindly ask that you avoid reading these in advance to ensure the most can be made out of in-school activities related to these texts.

If your child enjoyed these books, click on the image to go to the lovereading4kids site where you may find further reading suggestions that your child might enjoy.

Year 4 Recommended Reads

Here you can find some great suggestions for books to read this year.  Let us know which ones you have read and enjoyed or if you have any recommendations to add:

Adventure

• 'The Girl Who Stole an Elephant' by Nizrana Farook - an exciting story set in Sri Lanka, filled with atmosphere, suspense and adventure with elements of Robin Hood and Arabian Nights.
• 'Race to the Frozen North' by Catherine Johnson - for those inspired by the story of Shackleton, Scott, Amundsen etc, this story explores a lesser known explorer, Matthew Henson.  In a fictionalised retelling of his story, Johnson explores how Henson's achievements were unfairly suppressed because of the colour of his skin! A highly accessible read.

Fantasy Adventure

• 'How to Train Your Dragon' by Cressida Cowell - a familiar text from Year 3 Book Study and the first in a fantastic series of books filled with dragons, vikings and hilarious silliness. 
• 'The Land of Roar' by Jenny McLachlan and Ben Mantle - an instantly gripping portal story where childhood games become a reality for two twins.
• 'Starfell' by Dominique Valente - a young witch, who has the power to find missing things (socks, spectacles etc), is asked by the most powerful witch in the world to help to find last Tuesday which has mysteriously gone missing.  Together, can they save the universe?

Animal Magic 

• 'The Queen's Nose' by D.K. Smith - a treasure trail which disappointingly ends in finding a 50p piece. But the coin is a magic one, and when you rub the queen's nose, your wishes will come true! 
• 'When the Mountains Roared' by Jess Butterworth - set in the mountains of India, a girl grieving the loss of her mother sets out to protect the wild leopards of the mountain from poachers. But first, she must overcome her fears!  An enticing and atmospheric animal rescue story that explores the important theme of preservation. 

Mystery and Detective

• 'The Highland Falcon Thief' by M. G. Leonard & Sam Sedgman - a mystery story set on a steam train. A brilliantly funny story with lots of clues and red-herrings.
• 'Clifftoppers: The Arrowhead Moor Adventure' by Fleur Hitchcock - the first in a series of adventure mystery books. On holiday at their grandparent's cottage, a group of children find themselves overhearing a conversation which leads them on a trail of missing royal diamonds, stolen sheep and jewel thieves. Sharing the same sense of adventure as 'The Famous Five' but with a more modern flavour.
• 'Solve Your Own Mystery: The Monster Maker' by Gareth P. Jones - a choose-your-own-adventure story.  In this imaginative detective story, filled with zombie clowns, ghosts, werewolves and vampires, readers take on an exciting and interactive adventure, with hundreds of paths to choose from. 

Myths and Legends

• 'Greek Heroes: Top Ten Myths and Legends' by Marcia Williams - a brilliant graphic text filled with magical myths and the legendary heroes of Ancient Greece.  It's lively and humorous cartoon style makes this a fun read. A favourite of Mr Baker's.
• 'Odd and the Frost Giants' by Neil Gaiman - gods, magic, Vikings.  What's not to like?  A brilliantly told tale of a runaway boy who bumps into some extraordinary animals who need his help to save their city, Asgard, from the invading Frost Giants.

School

• 'Matilda' by Roald Dahl - a classic Dahl story in which an extraordinary girl with a magical mind has had enough of her unsupportive parents and awful head teacher.  Watch out adults; Matilda is going to teach you a lesson you'll never forget!
• 'The Boy at the Back of the Class' by Onjali Q. Rauf - a positive and uplifting story which brings a child's perspective to the refugee crisis.  The story does a great job of highlighting the importance of friendship and kindness in a world that doesn't always make sense.
• 'Call Me Lion' by Camilla Chester - Leo wants to talk but he can't.  He knows what he wants to say but fear stops him.  A sensitive exploration of a relatable issue to many children, this story - set over a long, hot summer - explores one boys journey to achieve his dream with the help of a new friend.
• 'The Brilliant World of Tom Gates' by Liz Pichon - the first of an incredibly popular series of books (the school library often runs out).  Tom always has an excuse for not having done his homework and his work seems to be going downhill, which is a shame as he is desperate to impress Amy Porter who sits next to him. A funny and entertaining graphic novel presented as a diary containing Tom's doodles.

Science Fiction

• 'Brand New Boy' by David Almond - a new boy, George, joins a class but there is something strange about him.  Can his new friends help set him free?  A warm and thought-provoking tale.