Now that we’ve covered learning to read, Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 readers, it’s time to roll out some favorite Level 4 readers! By this point in your child’s reading life, he or she should be able to devour lots of early chapter books. So why stick with Level 4 readers? I have found that they really pack in a lot of information into a short amount of text and are particularly great for non-fiction learning at this level.
Penguin Readers
The best “bridge” books from Level 3 to Level 4 are (certain) Penguin Level 4 readers. Honestly, the levels are particularly confusing! Some Penguin Level 4 readers were adapted from early editions and read almost like Level 3 readers, like these:
Other Penguin Level 4 readers are much longer and more difficult in depth, language, and content, like these:
Confusing, right? My best recommendation is to preview the pages either at the library or online before buying to make sure you know exactly which “Level 4” you’re really getting.
I Can Read Series
As with Level 3 readers, my personal favorite leveled readers come from the I Can Read series. While there are tons of wonderful choices at Level 3, there aren’t nearly as many options for Level 4. However, they are all still wonderful, historical, and engaging:
Step Into Reading Series
If you’re looking for a series with lots of options, the Step Into Reading Level 4 books probably have more history- and science-based options than any other series. Here are some recommendations by category:
Step Into Reading Science
Step Into Reading Biography
Step Into Reading History
Scholastic/Hello Readers
Our kids have also enjoyed some Level 4 Hello Readers, but these too can be confusing! Some are labeled as Level 4 Hello Readers, while others are rebranded as Scholastic Level 3 Readers. They do generally tend to read easier and are probably closer to Level 3 than the rest of the Level 4 recommendations listed above. Here are some of our favorites by category:
Scholastic/Hello Readers Science
Scholastic/Hello Readers History
I was also really fascinated by Scholastic’s Great Black Heroes series. There were so many people discussed that I had never even heard of, but I thought each of these books was very well done:
Great Black Heroes
If you’d like more leveled readers that deal specifically with black history, I have lots of recommendations you can find here.
Ready to Read Series (Level 3)
The Ready to Read series is another one with some great options, but again there is a pretty significant discrepancy in levels. The Level 3 Ready to Read books are pretty equivalent to the rest of the Level 4 readers in this post, so those are really the ones I would recommend:
DK Readers (Level 3)
Like the Ready to Read Series above, DK Readers tend to run at least a full level ahead, meaning DK Level 3 readers are more equivalent to the rest of the Level 4 books in this post. Here are a handful that we have enjoyed:
I sincerely hope these Level 4 recommendations are helpful as your child continues to progress as a young reader!