As teachers work to develop strong readers, they must strive to help students avoid frustration and become confident readers. Fourth grade students enjoy humorous books. Children of this age level are often interested in stories that use a sophisticated play on words or have story lines that many adults would consider repulsive. Educators recognize the benefit of using humorous books to encourage students to read.
"The Adventures of Captain Underpants"
This beloved book for children of this age group is about two fourth grade boys who create their own superhero. Author Dav Pilkey uses a play on words and pictures with this humorous masterpiece. This book is of high interest to children. The title and cover artwork alone are enough to motivate students to continue reading this book. If students enjoy this book, they will easily be able to select future books of interest because this book is part of a series.
"Beezus and Ramona"
Beverly Cleary is an award-winning author. She has created a series of humorous books that are typically within a fourth grade reading level. These books have a sort of timeless humor that students and adults will enjoy. This particular book is about two sisters who encounter some hilarious situations during their everyday lives. This book will help students understand and appreciate family dynamics. If children appreciate the humor in this book, there are other books in the series and movies based around the books they will enjoy.
"The Night I Flunked My Field Trip"
Students will appreciate the humor in this book by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver. Winkler draws upon his experience with comedy and learning as he writes books children will adore. His series of books are easy to relate to and unpredictable. Each book is based upon experiences that Winkler had as a child. This book is about a fourth grader named Hank Zipzer who finds himself in loads of trouble during a field trip with his class. Students will be able to build their reading skills and comprehension as they journey along with Hank Zipzer. This book is number five in the series and will leave children laughing even after they finish reading.
"The Big One-Oh"
This humorous book by Dean Pitchford gives children a sense of how important the relationships between friends and family members really are. In this book, Charley Maplewood finds himself planning a big birthday party that will hopefully result in new friendships and an enjoyable event. Various disasters occur that will leave the reader sympathetic and laughing. Students will enjoy the viewpoint from which this book was written. The book ends on a happy note leaving readers feeling well-satisfied. This book will maintain student's attention as they read to find out just what happened on this special day.
