‘Do you know the chameleons can look in two different directions at the same time?’ It was my almost 10-year-old’s response after I pointed to a chameleon while walking one day! She loves reading everything about animals. is continuously rattling many such interesting facts about all kinds of animals. And we parents are always in the hunt for good books.
Also Read: Dog books for 9-10 year-olds
Animal books for 4th & 5th graders (Age 9-10 years)
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Below are some of the best animal books recommended for 4th & 5th grades – both in nonfiction and fiction category. Scroll down to see the list and why we kids and parents like them.
Short on time? Here are the four books we absolutely love. Click on the picture to check.
Table of contents
Nonfiction Books
Below are the nonfiction animal books for 4th & 5th graders (9-10 years) that we love and suggest.
The Animal Book: A Visual Encyclopedia
The Animal Book: A Visual Encyclopedia. Welcome to the animal kingdom and meet 1500 different species of animals. Starting with microscopic amoebas, to giant predators, all types of fishes, birds – this book contains all kinds of animals your 4th,5th grader needs to learn.
Learn all about these animal habitats and other amazing facts. The photos are of high quality, making this book a visual delight. A must-purchase for your animal-loving child.
Cutest Animals on the Planet
Cutest Animals on the Planet. Learn about the most adorable animals of the world in this national geographic kids book. Along with the popular ones like hedgehogs and pandas, this book also features some of the lesser-known (and super cute) species such as tapirs, kakapos, pangolins, etc.
Gorgeous pictures, fun, and unique traits about each of the animals- make this nonfiction animal book super popular amongst 9-10 year-olds.
Science Comics: Coral Reefs
This gorgeous book about coral reefs is part of the popular 20 book series: Science Comics. Your child will get to learn all there is to know about these adorable coral reefs and their ecological importance.
The author, Maris Wicks, made a name for herself as a nonfiction comic genius. She has succeeded in making hardcore science interesting for kids, with her great writing and illustrations. It is a graphic novel, which kids can enjoy for hours on end.
125 True Stories of Amazing Animal Friendships
125 True Stories of Amazing Animal Friendships. This true stories book is for the animal-loving kids. Read about the lizard-loving cat, the dog who rides a horse, and more amazing true stories of the animal world.
Unusual animal facts and loads of fun pictures make this nonfiction animal book a delightful read. An inspiring read for 9-10 year-olds to know that friends come in all shapes and sizes.
Weird But True Animals
Weird But True Animals. If rattling out weird stats and trivia is your child’s thing, this book is the must-read. Did you know that slug have green blood or pigs love to paint? How about taking a Yoga class with goats?
All this and more in this wacky but true animal facts book. Filled with 300 such unusual and fun facts, this book promises to delight your young one for hours.
Ocean Animals for Kids: A Junior Scientist’s Guide
Ocean Animals for Kids. This book is for all the marine animal-loving 4th graders. It includes most marine animals such as – marine mammals, seabirds, fish, marine reptiles, marine invertebrates.
Starting with a general introduction about the animals and providing a deeper description inside each chapter, this book has enough information for a curious sea animal lover. Also included are some age-appropriate science experiments for your child to perform at home.
Horse Life
Horse Life. Do you have a future equestrian at home? This one is the perfect beginner guide to horse care and riding. Learn about how to read a horse’s body language and movement, all the necessary gears one needs to ride a horse, and different types of breeds of horses.
It also contains safety instructions detailing the best practices to follow during training, riding, grooming. The chapters are well organized for young readers to read and comprehend seamlessly.
Ultimate Predatorpedia
Ultimate Predatorpedia. Learn all about the animal predators forming the highest section of the food chain. Animals include – sharks, lions, tigers, bears, mites, spiders – each more ferocious than the other.
Scientific facts, diets, size, habitat, predatory techniques, defenses – everything you need to know about these animals – are present here. A nonfiction animal book – your child would not want to put down.
An Anthology of Intriguing Animals
This animal encyclopedia contains details about more than 100 animals, most of whom are lesser-known. Gorgeous vivid illustrations, intriguing and unique facts, and details make this book a favorite with children.
It has everything – starting with sea creates, to flying birds, big animals, tiny bugs. You can not go wrong with this book. Ideal for children from 4th grade and above. Though, younger children can read with little help.
Dino Dana: Dino Field Guide
This book is a perfect buy for the kids who love dinosaurs, history, science. Find out the timeline when these animals lived, how to pronounce them, where they lived or where they were found and how big they were.
It even contains the Dino experiments that were performed and the expected outcome.
Ultimate Bugopedia
Young children have always been intrigued by bugs. This National Geographic book ensures that all their curiosity is fulfilled. It is the most comprehensive imaginable book for bugs. This one includes information about all types of bugs– beetles, wasps, bees, ants, caterpillars, butterflies, dragonflies, spiders, flies, crickets, grasshoppers, centipedes, millipedes.
Fun facts, information about size, diet, etc accompany the bright pictures. Simple words and easy to read small sentences make this book an instant hit with children.
Fictional Books
Warriors: Omen of the Stars Box Set
This book set contains all six books of Erin Hunter’s national bestseller Warriors: Omen of the stars. The Warrior Cat series is a favorite with children from 4th grade and above. The books are easy to read and have elementary level plots.
The plots have fantasy, drama, humor, love and more. The battles are not too violent for a child. And the stories are captivating enough to turn a non-reader into a bookworm.
Dog Diaries #1: Ginger
If your child love puppies, the dog diaries series of books are the perfect buy. Each book has the story of a different breed, telling from the view of the dog.
This particular book focuses on Golden retriever. Ginger, the golden retriever, looks back at her life and remembers the various sets of people who owned her.
The narrative is descriptive enough for children to understand the difficulties and horror Ginger had to go through. Ideal read for children in 4th grade and above.
Meet Maya Cat
This book teaches children about inclusion through the metaphor of a cat. It explains the younger children about accepting and letting others be as they want to be.
The story is simple, light, and easy to follow. The silly illustrations perfectly complement the theme of the book.
The Big Bad Fox
A charming story about a big fox. It wants to be the predator of the jungle. However, ends up losing the fight with the chickens. Destined to live on the turnip forever, the fox turns to the ferocious wolf for help.
The wolf advises the fox to get eggs from the chicken and hatch and raise them to be his dinner. But the plan goes wrong when the cute chicks come out of the eggs and starts calling the fox Mommy. A hysterical read for the kids 10 and above.
E. B. White Box Set
This one is a giftable book set of three classic books of E.B. White – Charlotte’s Web, Stuart Little, The Trumpet of the Swan.
These chapter books with animal characters are the classics many generations have grown up reading. They are highly recommended as beginner chapter books.
The Search for Elephants in Thailand
Written by Deborah Haile and 5-year old co-author, Johan Seyum, this book is from the real-life experience of Jonah’s life. Adventurous Jonah goes to Thailand with his mother to see his favorite animal – elephant. But, things do not go as planned. However, Jonah accepted all the changes gracefully, setting a great example for young readers.
This book is an easy read with beautiful illustrations on every page. It does an excellent job of keeping the story fun while also being informational. Your child would love being part of Jonah’s adventurous journey.
Animal Books Series
- We love and recommend National Geographic Readers Series animal book. Each one is specific to a particular animal and full of fun facts along with stunning real pictures.
- The Secret Zoo Series by Bryan Chick is for kids who like animal fantasy books.
- Another well loved one is The Animal Kids’ Books Series. With titles ranging from Sea turtles to Light Horses – this series is detailed enough even for grown-ups reading.
Summary
All the above books are suitable for 4th & 5th graders. The pictures are big and bright, and the language is simple, making them easier to read and understand. Select the books based on your child’s interest and watch the learning start.
If your child is a reluctant reader, check out these animal books for 2nd and 3rd graders here.
For advanced 4th and 5th graders, check out theses middle grade animal books.
