Published annually by the
Fourth Grade Literary Think Tank
at the Saint Ann's School
for Wizardly Children
This Can't Be Happening at Macdonald Hall
by Gordon Korman
It's about two boys who go to boarding school and they are friends but they are always getting into trouble , so the principal separates them and they do all this bad stuff to be roommates again. I would recommend this book because it's a fun book about what could really happen.
Review contributed by Genevieve Hanft.
The Long Secret
by Louise Fitzhugh
Who has been leaving those notes all over town? Harriet and Beth Ellen (her best friend in the summer) are determined to find out. Meanwhile, Beth Ellen's mother is coming home from Europe, and is driving her crazy. In the end, the answer to the question of who's leaving the notes is going to surprise everyone. I would recommend this book to fans of Harriet the Spy. It's funny, entertaining, and good. I liked it a lot.
Review contributed by Katherine Dutko.
The Empire Strikes Back
by Donald F. Glut
Luke Skywalker sees a vision that Han Solo and Princess Leia, and also C-3PO are in trouble. Can Luke save them? I love the book more than the movie. There is a lot of action.
Review contributed by Max Lebowitz-Nowak
Catherine Called Birdy
by Karen Cushman
Catherine Called Birdy is a diary of a knight's daughter, who is unmarried but is bombarded with suitors. I would recommend this book to any person in the world.
Review contributed by Sam L. Shainberg
My Brother Sam is Dead
by James Lincoln Collier
It's a book about a boy in time of war. It's about his family and all of the horrible things that happen to them. Would I recommend it to other fourth graders? Yes and no. If you don't like sad, depressing-but interesting-books, don't read it. If you like blood and gore, you'll like it.
Review contributed by Kate Sticklor
The Girl with the Silver Eyes
by Willo Roberts
It is about a girl who has silver eyes (Duh) and can use them to move things around. She has silver eyes because of a drug her mother took when she was pregnant. I would recommend this book 100%. It is the best book I've ever read.
Review contributed by Diana Bowers
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
by Roald Dahl
A poor boy named Charlie gets a gold ticket (a pass to get into Willy Wonka's mysterious chocolate factory). He meets the little oompa loompas and watches all of the other nasty little kids disappear one by one. I would recommend it to other fourth graders because it is funny and it has a good plot.
Review contributed by Miss Mena Cammett
Mr. Henshaw
by Beverly Cleary
It's about a kid who has no father. Kids like him because he has good lunches. He writes in his diary, I think. I would recommend it to 3rd and 4th graders; if someone is about to read this book and doesn't they are dumb. P. S. It's a great book!
Review contributed by Hudson Gaines-Ross
Island of the Blue Dolphins
by Scott O'Dell
It's about a girl who lives on an island with her family and friends and one day a man goes out to find a place where he lived once because it was a better place and one day a ship comes to take them to the place and the girl and her brother get left behind. I think it is a good book because it's exciting and it's never ever boring and you can really feel what's happening to the characters.
Review contributed by Devika Jutagir
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar
by Roald Dahl
Henry Sugar is a group of stories. Some are strange, some are funny, some aren't, and they are all good. Yes, I would recommend this book to other 4th graders. I think Roald Dahl is one of the best authors.
Review contributed by Andrew Zimmerman
The Collected Plays of Neil Simon, Volume 2.
The book has lots of different plays. The plays are "Little Me", "The Sunshine Boys", "Chapter Two", "The Gingerbread Lady", "Prisoner of Second Avenue", and "California Suite". They are Broadway plays. "Little Me" is about a girl's life and for her whole life she wants to marry someone. "Sunshine Boys" is about two actors who hate each other because of their past and when they work together again. They are all different plays. "California Suite" is about a lot of things that happen in Suite 203. "Prisoner of 2nd Avenue" is about a man that gets mad about everything. He and his wife have lots of problems. They are great plays because they are funny, exciting, and surprising.
Review contributed by Jamie Spitzer
Monster Blood
by R. L. Stine
Some children find a blue container with a green glob of stuff and it grows. It has a bad ending and I do not recommend this book.
Review contributed by Eric Zimmerman.
Matilda
by Roald Dahl
It's about a girl named Matilda whose parents don't appreciate her. I would recommend it to everybody no matter what age.
Review contributed by Tess Moskowitz Riester
On the Other Side of the Door
by Jeff Moss
This book has different poems that are good. Yes, I would recommend this book to other 4th graders. It is an interesting book with funny poems. It has very good pictures too!
Review contributed by Hana Sackler
A Light in the Attic
by Shel Silverstein
It is a book of extremely funny poems. Like "Fancy Dive" is about Melissa of Coconut Grove, who dives into a pool that doesn't have any water. It's a funny book for all ages.
Review contributed by Lucy Pollack
Tuck Everlasting
by Natalie Babbitt
A young girl finds a spring that makes you live forever, and a magical family. Does she drink the water? And a few other surprises. Yes, I recommend it because it is action packed.
Review contributed by Maxim Lebowitz-Nowak
Letters from Phillipa
by Anne Graham Estern
It is about a girl who wants to find out about her great aunt. This book is really good. I loved it.
Review contributed by Diana Bowers
The Buffalo Knife
by William O. Steel
This book is about a boy and his family, along with some friends, moving from a town they have lived in all their lives to a new settlement called the “French Salt Lick.” I would recommend this book to people who like adventure, excitement and surprises.
Review contributed by Gregory R. Keilin
The BFG
by Roald Dahl
The BFG is about a girl named Sophie helping an old nice giant conquer many other mean people eating giants. I would recommend this book to fourth graders because it is an easy book to read, although it's a long one.
Review contributed by Anjenay Bowden Schwartz
Class Clown
by Barbra Park
It's about a boy who always acts like a class clown and it's about how he always gets in trouble. Yes! Because it was very funny.
Review contributed by Olivia Scheck
Momo
by Michael Ende
A girl named Momo and her friends Beppo and Guido go on and discover more about time. If you like confusion this is the book for you.
Review contributed by Jesse Barocas
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing
by Judy Blume
Fudge makes Peter Hacher feel like a fourth grade nothing. Fudge is Peter's younger brother, who is a menace in Peter's eyes. I would recommend this book to anybody who likes comedies.
Review contributed by Sam L. Shainberg
The Ramsay Scallop
by Frances Temple
A girl named Elenor is a good friend of a person named Father Gregory, and he says, and agrees with everybody in Elenor's family, that she should marry a boy named Thomas who she really dislikes and so Father Gregory says that Elenor and Thomas should go on a pilgrimage. So they go and they meet some funny, grouchy characters. Yes, I would recommend it to other fourth graders, and why, because it's a very good and adventurous book and if you like to laugh, be serious, or mean, you'll love this book!
Review contributed by Shoneackwa Hallten
Around the World in Eighty Days
by Jules Verne
It is about a man who made a bet and is traveling around the world and he's always late because of his watch. I would recommend this to fourth grade and up.
Review contributed by Pekipoka Lipfat (T. J. Tullo)
Catherine Called Birdie
by Karen Cushman
Catherine's father is determined to marry her off to a rich man.
Review contributed by Rebecca Pisciotta.
The Thief of Always
by Clive Barker
It's about a boy who has a lame life. When he goes with someone named Rictus to a land of everything, he wishes for something and he gets it. But it gets him in trouble. I would recommend it to everybody from 4th grade up to 12th grade and college, because it has a lot of adventure and you find out something neat at the end.
Review contributed by Pekipoka Lipfat
Bridge to Terebithia
by Katherine Paterson
It is about a boy and a girl who become best friends. They find a good place to make a secret meeting place. It's about them and their imaginary land. It's really sad, fun, and interesting. I think it is a great book.
Review contributed by Kate Sticklor
George's Marvelous Medicine
by Roald Dahl
It's about a boy named George who instead of giving his grandma her medicine, he made a poison. Yes, I recommend it. It's a good book.
Review contributed by Matt Taranto
Moominsummer Madness
by Tove Jansson
A book about the Moomin family. The Moomin family discovers their new home with a little adventure, and a lot of new characters. I liked the monkey the best and I liked the book because it has adventure.
Review contributed by Maxim Lebowitz-Nowak
The Pushcart War
by Jean Merrill
The pushcarts get together and start a war against the trucks. Yes! I recommend it because it was a great book.
Review contributed by Olivia Scheck
Catherine Called Birdy
by Karen Cushman
Catherine's father is determined to marry her off to a rich man. Some are so disgusting that she has to act so very much disgusting to scare them off. I would recommend this book so much. It's very funny. This book is a great diary.
Review contributed by Rebecca Pisciotta
Welcome to Dead House
by R. L. Stine
Amanda and Josh just moved to Dark Falls and they think it's really strange and possibly haunted. But their parents don't believe them. The parents say "make some friends" but their friend is really strange. Yes! I recommend it because it gets really exciting. Beware! You're in for a scare.
Review contributed by Julie Makower Yap
Stuart Little
by E. B. White
Stuart Little is a mouse that lives with an American family, the Littles. He has an older brother, George. In the book he runs into a lot of adventures. I would definitely recommend this book to anybody, no matter what age.
Review contributed by Sam L. Shainberg
The Courtship of Princess Leia
by Dave Wolverton
Including all the regular characters plus some new ones. They go on a fun-filled adventure. I would recommend this book because it is a very well-written action adventure.
Review contributed by Eamon O'Rourke
Alfred Hitchcock's Yourself Mysteries
by Alfred Hitchcock
It has a lot of different mysteries for you to solve and the solutions are at the end of the story. I really recommend this book.
Review contributed by Diana Bowers
So Far from the Bamboo Grove
by Yoko Kawashima Watkins
Yoko and her mother are escaping from Northern Korea to Seoul the capital and take a boat to Japan. They try to get to Japan alive. I loved the book, and recommend it to kids because it is like an action movie. But way better
Review contributed by Max Lebowitz-Nowak
Boy
by Roald Dahl
It's about the school he goes to. I give it the highest rank because I like it.
Review contributed by Natalie Schirmer
Anamorphs, the Message
by A. K. Applegate
It's about aliens that come and try to hypnotize everyone but five kids are trying to stop them and they can turn into any animal. I recommend it because it's exciting and at times it's fun.
Review contributed by Sarah O'Brien
The Witches
by Roald Dahl
It's about a Grandma and a child who his grandmother was telling him how to spot a witch, when he sees outside... I would recommend it to anybody because it is adventurous.
Review contributed by Pekipoka Lipfat
A Wizard of Earthsea
by Ursula K. LeGuin
A book about a young boy who becomes a wizard. He looses an evil shadow on the world, and his adventures are many as he goes to find and destroy the evil he has created. A book for imaginative readers. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes magic and mythology.
Review contributed by Jonah Lichtash
Alfred Hitchcock's Ghostly Gallery
by Alfred Hitchcock
It has lots of different scary stories from different authors. I do recommend this book. I love Alfred Hitchcock.
Review contributed by Diana Bowers
Alice in Wonderland
by Lewis Carroll
Alice is sitting around and bored, until she sees a white rabbit, and she follows it, and the fun begins! If you have a sense of humor, and love any book with lots of details, I recommend it.
Review contributed by Helene Golay
Many Adventures of Two People
by Jesse Barocas
Two really dumb people who have weird adventures. If you like laughter come to me.
Review contributed by Jesse Barocas
The Courtship of Princess Leia
by Dave Wolverton
This is a book about the relationship between Leia and Solo and Prince Isolder. Leia needs help with the new republic so she calls the Hapes Cluster for help. They bring many riches and Isolder is the last gift. He must marry Leia. Solo doesn't like this so he takes her to a planet called Dathomin, where they have many adventures. I recommend it to anyone who likes Star Wars. Just because.
Review contributed by Anjelay Bowden Schwartz
How to Kiss
It's about a girl who gets a book on how to kiss for her birthday. It's funny; the story moves along.
Review contributed by Sarah Zatlin
Romeo and Juliet
by William Shakespeare
It's good, but it is boring if you don't know what's happening. OLD English. I would recommend it to real Shakespeare lovers; they've probably read it already.
Review contributed by Madeleine Barenholtz
The Story of Mozart
by Helen L. Kaufman
It's about Mozart's life and what bad and good stuff happened to his life too. I would recommend this to any grade who is interested in composers and Mozart.
Review contributed by Arielle Guterman
Dealing with Dragons
by Patricia Wrede
A girl wants to be eaten by a dragon but instead marries a stupid prince. Yes, I would recommend the book because it has a lot of imagination.
Review contributed by Christian Adams
Anne of Green Gables
by L. M. Montgomery
It's about an orphan named Anne who gets adopted by Marilla and Matthew. Many strange things happen to her. I would recommend the book because it's funny and sad.
Review contributed by Lenny Sheppard
Danny, the Champion of the World
by Roald Dahl
t is about a little boy who has a very good father, and they poach pheasants. I liked this book a lot! It was very funny and good.
Review contributed by Diana Bowers
Time Windows
by Katherine Reiss
Time Windows is about a thirteen-year old girl named Miranda who moves from New York to Garnet, Massachusetts. She finds a dollhouse in her attic in their new house, and by looking in the windows can see into the past. Since the dollhouse is an exact replica of her new house, she sees only the people who lived there before. In one of the families she can see, there is a little girl called Dorothy who is trying to give her an important message. Can she figure it out in time to save the little girl's life? Read the book to find out! I would recommend the book to fourth graders who like ghosts, horrible secrets, and books you can not put down. It doesn't take long to read because it seems to pull you in.
Review contributed by Katherine Dutko
The Jungle Book
by Rudyard Kipling
The Jungle Book is about this boy who, when he was a baby, was dropped by a wolf cave, and grew up thinking he was a wolf. He has many adventures. One of them is when he was being carried by two strong monkeys in the trees. I recommend this book to anyone who has a good imagination. I think people would need an imagination because the animals talk. People need to take this book non-literally because you wouldn't have fun with this book if you took it literally. I really liked this book.
Review contributed by Reid Henkel
Matilda
by Roald Dahl
A small girl who has horrible parents learns to read and write by herself. I would recommend this book to fourth graders, though they probably read it already.
Review contributed by Kelsey Turbeville
The Hobbit
by J. R. R. Tolkien
This book is about a hobbit who goes away with a wizard and some dwarves on an adventure and he has to fight goblins and other evil creatures. For people who like adventure and fiction then it is a good book. I recommend this book. I say this book is 5 stars out of 5 stars.
Review contributed by Shelby Garner
Fantastic Mr. Fox
by Roald Dahl
3 farmers and a fox. A fox sneaks into each farmer's house at night. The fox's family and he go on an adventure. I would recommend it to other fourth graders but it depends on what kind of book they like.
Review contributed by Hana Sackler
Ramona the Pest
by Beverly Cleary
Ramona is a pest who gets stuck in the mud. Other things happen but you'll have to read the book to find out what they are. I would recommend this book because I think it's funny.
Review contributed by Emma Hollister
Charlotte's Web
by E. B. White
It is about a girl named Fern and she decides to take the pig (Wilbur) because he's a runt and her father was going to kill it. So she takes care of Wilbur and they become good friends. I would recommend this book because it is funny and there are many exciting adventures.
Review contributed by Molly Dince
The BFG
by Roald Dahl
It is about a big friendly giant who steals a girl in the night and has lots of adventures and catches dreams. I would recommend this book to everybody even you or you and you. It is about the best book I ever read.
Review contributed by Pekipoka Lipfat
Phone Call from a Ghost
by Daniel Cohen
It it about some very creepy experiences regular people have. I would recommend this book very much. It it very scary.
Review contributed by Diana Bowers