(almost all books picture – minus the one someone walked off with)

The primary goal this year for our 4th grader was to instill a love for reading in the boy. While we read a lot out loud together, picking up a book independently isn’t something he does for fun. When we head to the library, he tends to be the kiddo that wanders around, asks to play the computers constantly, and comes back with a stack of books somehow related to Star Wars, but well below his reading level.

Keep in mind, he CAN read, but there’s something in his head that has convinced him that he cannot – and definitely won’t enjoy it. My encouragement tends to fall on deaf ears, and it can be incredibly frustrating.

The Boxcar Children was the first book on our list, and can I tell you how EXCITED Zachary was when he finished it (and one more since??). It’s helped him do a complete turn around in his approach to reading, and that makes a mom super happy too!

Our primary reading program is All About Reading 4, and the boy has been flying through the lessons already (yay!). We both love the new program, and these additional books below will round out his reading list for the year.

Books to Go-Along with our Language Arts Program

We switched out our language program to use Learning Language Arts Through Literature (Orange) this year, because there are five book studies built into the yearly program. Each of the books includes more detailed study with our language program.

One thing I found this summer – Zachary like autobiographies, and two of the books in the program are focused on historical characters.

• The Boxcar Children – Warner
• Wilbur and Orville Wright: Young Fliers – Stevenson
• Benjamin Franklin: Young Printer – Stevenson
• The Sign of the Beaver – Speare

A Peek at Additional Reading

Since four books isn’t quite enough to cover the year, I added several other books based on recommendations from the Reading Roadmaps guide from the Center for Lit. These are books that we will complete more detailed studies of, including filling out book reports, literature summaries, early story charts, and character studies. Adding these books will essentially put him on pace to finish one book (plus a little more) a month and give us plenty of time for the study activities.

• All About Reading Level 4 – lessons and readers
• Billy Graham – Janet Benge (his book choice)
• Albert Einstein – Stevenson
• The Mouse and the Motorcycle – Cleary
• Henry Huggins – Cleary
• Charlotte’s Web – E. B. White
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Dahl
• Pippi Longstocking – Lindgren
• Kenny and the Dragon – DiTerrlizzi
• Snow Treasure – McSwigan

What books are on your kid’s reading list for this year?

Homeschool Reading Lists for our Other Children

Interested in seeing reading lists for our other kids as well? Check out our reading choices for this year by clicking on the images below.

(not all books pictured – because someone still has ordering to do!)

Out of all of the book lists, I think our 6th graders reading list is the one that I am looking forward to the most this year. Much of that is because of the time that McKenna and I are spending sitting down to talk about the various books and discussing in-depth the story lines.

Her reading list alternates between her assigned list and the additional reading list, typically finishing two books a month. The below lists do not include those that we will be reading aloud as a family or the books that she chooses to read for fun.

A Peek at the Assigned Reading List

All of the books on this list are based on the Ready Readers 2 guide that we are using this year for literature and reading. During the week we are using Ready Readers to look at our current book and take a comprehensive look at the conflict, plot, setting, characters, theme, literary devices and author of the stories. The guide provides us with a fabulous set of questions (and answers) to get us started – and it has already been great!

• The Cricket in Times Square – George Selden
• The Trumpet of the Swan – E. B. White
• Misty of Chincoteague – Marguerite Henry
• Miracles on Maple Hill – Virginia Stevenson
• The Door in the Wall – Marguerite de Angeli

Additional Reading

Along with the above books, I’ve pulled together some additional books using the  Reading Roadmaps guide (also put out by Center for Lit). Overall, I’m really appreciating the book suggestions it offers for grades K – 12. Although it doesn’t offer the same in-depth questions and comprehension as Ready Readers 2, it does provide some basic information for discussion (theme, plot, and conflict) for all of the recommended stories.

We’ll be filling out a book report form, story chart, or creating a simple literature summary for the below books (including plot, characters, setting, theme/conflict, and one literary device used in the story).

• The Indian in the Cupboard – Banks
• The Penderwicks series (3 books) – Birdsall
• The Tale of Despereaux – DiCamillo
• The Gardener – Stewart
• Paul Revere’s Ride – Longfellow
• Tuck Everlasting – Natalie Babbitt
• Little Women – Louisa May Alcott
• At the Back of the North Wind – George MacDonald
• I Am David – Anne Holm
• Clara Barton – Heroes of History series

Since a few of the books also have movies to go along, we’re going to have some fun with that aspect as well – comparing the book to the movie version and just spending some fun time together! While this isn’t a huge list, the main goal for this year is learning more about various aspects of literature and assuring that McKenna has a firm grasp on key lit terms, literary devices, and knows how to look for those things in her reading.

What books are on your kid’s reading list for this year?

Our Other Reading Lists

Interested in seeing our 9th Grade Reading List as well? You can check out our reading choices for this year.