Captain Isaac Paine Elementary School
ENTERING GRADE 5
SUMMER READING SUGGESTIONS
JUNE 2015
MOST CHALLENGING
Wait Till Helen Comes: A Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn
Molly and Michael dislike their spooky new stepsister, Heather, but realize that they must try to save her
when she seems ready to follow a ghost child to her doom.
Stealing Home: The Story of Jackie Robinson by Barry Deneberg
Stealing Home is a moving and poignant account of a man who was determined to play baseball regardless
of the color of his skin. This biography tells the story of Jackie Robinson, the first black man to play in
baseball's major leagues in the United States.
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
In Alagaesia, a fifteen-year-old boy of unknown lineage called Eragon finds a mysterious stone that weaves
his life into an intricate tapestry of destiny, magic, and power, peopled with dragons, elves, and monsters.
No More Dead Dogs by Gordon Korman
Eighth-grade football hero Wallace is sentenced to detention attending rehearsals of the school playwhere, in
spite of himself, he becomes wrapped up in the production and begins to suggest changes that improve not
only the play but his life as well.
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
In this novel based on the story of Cinderella, Ella struggles against the childhood curse that forces her to
obey any order given to her.
The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke
Two brothers, having run away from the aunt who plans to adopt the younger one, are sought by a detective
hired by their aunt, but they have found shelter with and protection from, Venice's "Thief Lord."..
MORE CHALLENING
Runt by Marion Dane Bauer
Runt, the smallest wolf cub in the litter, seeks to prove himself to his father King and the rest of the pack and
to earn a new name.
Erupts! by Frances O'Roark Dowell
Fourth-grade science whiz Phineas MacGuire is forced to team up with the new boy in class on a science
fair project, but the boy's quirky personality causes Phineas to wonder if they have any chance of winning.
The Lemonade War by Jaqueline Davies
Evan and his younger sister, Jesse, react very differently to the news that they will be in the same class for
fourth grade and as the end of summer approaches, they battle it out through lemonade stands, each trying
to be the first to earn 100 dollars. Includes mathematical calculations and tips for running a successful
lemonade stand.
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg
Two suburban children run away from their Connecticut home and go to New York's Metropolitan Museum
of Art, where their ingenuity enables them to live in luxury.
The Amazing Life of Benjamin Franklin by James Cross Giblin
A biography of the eighteenth-century printer, inventor, and statesman, who played an influential role in the
early history of the United States.
Honus and Me by Dan Gutman
Joey, who loves baseball but is not very good at it, finds a valuable 1909 Honus Wagner card and travels
back in time to meet Honus.
LESS CHALLENGING
The Castle in the Attic by Elizabeth Winthrop
A gift of a toy castle, complete with silver knight, introduces William to an adventure involving magic and a
personal quest.
Justin Morgan had a Horse by Marguerite Henry
An unusual workhorse raised in Vermont and known originally as "Little Bub" becomes the sire of a famous
American breed and takes the name of his owner, Justin Morgan.
Granny Torrelli Makes Soup by Sharon Creech
With the help of her wise old grandmother, twelve-year-old Rosie manages to work out some problems in
her relationship with her best friend, Bailey, the boy next door.
Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree by Lauren Tarshis
A quirky and utterly logical seventh-grade girl named Emma-Jean Lazarus discovers some interesting
results when she gets involved in the messy everyday problems of her peers.
The Penderwicks : A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by
Jeanne Birdsall
While vacationing with their widowed father in the Berkshire Mountains, four lovable sisters, ages four
through twelve, share adventures with a local boy, much to the dismay of his snobbish mother. (S)
Lily's Crossing by Patricia Reilly Giff
During a summer spent at Rockaway Beach in 1944, Lily's friendship with a young Hungarian refugee
causes her to see the war and her own world differently.
It is recommended that ALL incoming fifth grade students should read at
least one book from this list.
2016
RHODE ISLAND CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD NOMINATIONS
Auxier, Jonathan. The Night Gardener Irish orphans, Molly and Kip, travel to England to work as servants in
a crumbling manor house where nothing is quite what it seems to be. Soon the siblings are confronted by a
mysterious stranger and secrets of the cursed house. Suspense
Bell, Cece. El Deafo
All the other students at Cece's old school were deaf and didn't care about her Phonic Ear. At her new school,
the device she needs seems to be repelling the one thing she really wants: a friend. This graphic novel
chronicles the author's experience with hearing loss. Graphic Novel
Booth, Coe. Kinda Like Brothers Jarrett's life is disrupted when his mom takes in a 12-year-old foster child.
Jarrett's summer at the Youth Center is also being ruined by the foster "brother" who seems to excel in
everything. The friction between the boys escalates and threatens both of them as they grow to understand the
other's pain. Realistic Fic.
Clements, Andrew. The Map Trap According to map obsessed Alton Ziegler, maps can be used to chart
human behavior, effects of cafeteria food, clothing choices, and cliques. But Alton finds himself in uncharted
territory when one of his “secret” maps is stolen and he has to discover how to undo the potential damage to
his middle school reputation. Realistic Fic.
Davis, Kathryn Gibbs. Mr. Ferris and His Wheel This fully illustrated picture book biography sheds light on
how the American inventor George Ferris defied gravity and seemingly impossible odds to invent the world's
most iconic amusement park attraction, the Ferris wheel. Non-Fiction
Egan, Kate. The Vanishing Coin Fourth-grader Mike Weiss isn’t a bad kid, but he’s always in trouble. Mike
and his new neighbor Nora (who is good at everything) find the White Rabbit Magic Shop, which is owned by a
real magician. They begin to discover that magic might be the thing Mike is really good at. Fantasy
Gephardt, Donna. Death By Toilet Paper Have you ever dreamed of entering a sweepstakes and winning the
big cash prize? That’s exactly Benjamin’s plan to fulfill his promise to his Dad and to save himself and his mom
from being evicted. Plans never go smoothly especially when you are being bullied at school and your
grandfather with Alzheimer’s moves in. Realistic Fic.
Graff, Lisa. Absolutely Almost It's hard not to be good at anything. Just ask ten-year-old Albie, who is failing
math and is the target of the school bully. His parents hire a tutor/babysitter for him and insist that he" just
needs to try harder in school.” Albie learns to cope with the stress of a new school while learning to stand up to
the bully and make new friends. Realistic Fic.
Harrell, Rob. Life of Zarf: The Trouble With Weasels Love fractured fairy tales? Zarf is a troll who lives
among fairy tale characters. After the King goes missing, Zarf’s arch nemesis, Prince Roquefort, takes over
the kingdom. Zarf must team up with his best friends to save the day.
Fantasy
Keplinger, Kody. The Swift Boys and Me Nola has been friends with the boys next door her whole life. That is
until one night when the boys’ father leaves without saying goodbye. Nola just wants things to go back to
normal, but will things ever be normal again? Realistic Fic
Martin, Ann M. Rain Reign Rose is a special 12 year-old year who is obsessed with homophones and prime
numbers. During a terrible storm, her dog goes missing and it is up to her to find him with help from her uncle.
However, when she finds her dog, her reunion does not go exactly as planned. Realistic Fic.
Mata, Julie. Kate Walden Directs the Night of the Zombie Chickens Kate Walden wants to be a famous
film director. However, she has to deal with her mother's job of raising back yard chickens as well as a best
friend who has recently been hanging with the popular girls in school. Without her main actress, and crazy
chickens in the way, can she accomplish her movie making dreams? Realistic Fic.
Pinkney, Andrea Davis. The Red Pencil
Set during the tragic genocide in Darfur, Sudan, 12 year old Amira witnesses the brutal storming of her village
and death of her beloved father. Amira tells her story in symbolic verse, as she journeys to hope in the Kamal
refugee camp and dreams of an education beyond the expectations of a girl. Novel In Verse
Roy, Katherine. Neighborhood Sharks Ever wondered why sharks can never stop swimming? Or why
sharks are seal hunting machines? Find out about sharks from the inside out in this great non-fiction book!
Non-Fiction
Sidman, Joyce. Winter Bees Animals have different ways of coping with the winter. Along with great
illustrations, this book of poems will teach you how different animals and plants survive in the winter. Poetry
Sisson, Stephanie. Star Stuff Ever look up at the night sky and wonder about the stars and planets? As a
boy, Carl Sagan’s curiosity about the universe took him on a life long journey of imagination, exploration and
discovery to understand what lies beyond our world. Star Stuff tells the story of how Carl Sagan became a
renowned scientist who shared with us the fascinating field of astronomy. Non-Fiction
Smith, Greg Leitich. Little Green Men at the Mercury Inn Aidan’s family runs a motel near Cape Canaveral,
Florida that attracts guests with an interest in space shuttle launches. When a UFO is sighted and a
prosthetic limb starts picking up alien radio transmissions, Aidan begins to realize that some of the guests of
the Mercury Inn might know more about inter-galactic travel than he thought. Science Fic.
Spinelli, Eileen. Another Day As Emily Eleven year-old Suzy has been having a run of bad luck and hurt
feelings – especially with the attention her little brother is getting for making a heroic 911 call. Suzy decides that
she’ll be better off becoming a reclusive poet like Emily Dickinson. How hard can it be to spend the summer in her
room, writing poetry, with no friends, no visitors and none of the usual summer fun? Novel In Verse
Watson, Jude. Loot Twelve-year-old March has spent his life traveling the world with his father, a renowned
cat burglar, learning the family business. This all ends when his father dies during their last heist, leaving
March alone and caught by the authorities. On his way to a group home in the United States, March meets his
twin sister Jules, whom he never knew existed. March and Jules must work together to break their family
curse before they die on their thirteenth birthday. Mystery
Winter, Jonah. Joltin’ Joe Dimaggio When he was only nineteen years old, Giuseppe Paolo DiMaggio, Jr.,
an Italian immigrant from San Francisco, stepped into the retiring shoes of Babe Ruth on the Yankees
baseball team. Joe was quiet and shy, yet he fought prejudice and made headlines for his 56-game hitting
streak. Non-Fiction