Alice E. Grady
Elementary
School
Summer Reading List
2014
Grades 4, 5, and 6
Alice E. Grady Elementary School
Summer Reading List
2014
Dear Families:
Attached you will find a summer reading list chock full of suggestions for
great summer reads. Please note that the titles contained in this list are
merely suggestions; there are so many great books out there to read, and so
many different interests that it is impossible to include even a tiny fraction of
all the possibilities in one list. I encourage you and your children to go to the
public library or explore online to find just the right books for great summer
reads.
If you live in the Village of Elmsford and do not have a public library card,
you can get one from Elmsford’s home library, the Ardsley Public Library,
which is located in Ardsley at 9 American Legion Drive. The telephone
number
is
(914)693-6636,
and
the
website
address
is
www.ardsleylibrary.org. Once you have your public library card, you can
use it at any of Westchester County’s 38 public libraries.
I also encourage your children to participate in the Ardsley Public Library’s
Summer Reading Program. There are events all summer long, the
participants win prizes just for reading what they like, and all for free – what
a great deal!
For a relaxing holiday, try sitting in a comfy chair in the shade of a big tree
with a glass of lemonade and a good book. It doesn’t get much better than
that!
With wishes for a wonderful summer,
Ms. Sparber
Library media Specialist
neighbor, a boy who is better than a brother,
until her grandmother comes over to make
soup and pasta and tells her stories about her
own childhood friends.
REALISTIC FICTION
Alvarez, Julia. HOW TIA LOLA CAME
TO VISIT STAY. When Tia Lola comes
from the Dominican Republic to help out
Miguel’s family, at first she is an
embarrassment, but soon becomes a beloved
addition to the family and the town.
Applegate, Katharine. THE ONE AND
ONLY IVAN. When Ivan, a gorilla who has
lived for years in a down-and-out circusthemed mall, meets Ruby, a baby elephant
that has been added to the mall, he decides
that he must find her a better life.
Cabot, Meg. ALLIE FINKLE’S RULES
FOR GIRLS. Allie is 9 years old, and she
has rules for everything. Everything seems
to be under control until her family moves
across town and she faces all new rules.
Cleary, Beverly. RAMONA’S WORLD.
Read all about 4th grader Ramona and her
baby sister.
Clements, Andrew. A WEEK IN THE
WOODS. The fifth grade’s annual camping
trip in the woods tests Mark’s survival skills
and his ability to relate to a teacher who
appears to be out to get him.
Danzinger, Paula. AMBER BROWN IS
NOT A CRAYON. The year she is in third
grade is a sad time for Amber, because her
best friend Justin is getting ready to move.
Davies, Jacqueline. THE LEMONADE
WAR. Evan and his younger sister, Jesse,
are not happy about being in the same 4th
grade class; they battle it out through
lemonade stands and the race to make $100.
Includes tips for running a successful
lemonade stand.
DiCamillo, Kate. BECAUSE OF WINNDIXIE. Opal knows how it is to be
friendless in a new town with no mother for
comfort. Enter the solution: a mangy stray
dog with a big smile.
Draper, Sharon. OUT OF MY MIND. 11
year old Melody is smart, but nobody knows
it because she cannot speak. She finally
discovers a device that helps her to find her
voice.
Giff, Patricia Reilly. PICTURES OF
HOLLIS WOODS. A troublesome orphan
pursues her dream of finding a foster home
where she truly belongs. Now living with an
eccentric artist who she immediately bonds
with, she remembers the only other time she
was happy in a foster home, with a family
who truly seemed to care about her.
Clements, Andrew. NO TALKING. The
noisy fifth grade boys of Laketon
Elementary School challenge the equally
loud fifth grade girls to a "no talking"
contest.
Graff, Lisa. A TANGLE OF KNOTS.
Interwoven stories about 11 year old Cady,
who has a talent for baking, destiny, family,
and secrets.
Creech, Sharon. GRANNY TORRELLI
MAKES SOUP. Twelve year old Rosie is
furious at Bailey, her best buddy and
Hesse, Karen. MUSIC OF DOLPHINS.
After rescuing an adolescent girl from the
sea, researchers learn that dolphins have
raised her. The researchers attempt to
rehabilitate her to the human world.
be different, and is finally able to accept
both her brother and her friend.
McDonald, Megan. JUDY MOODY GETS
FAMOUS. When a third grade classmate
gets her picture in the paper for winning a
spelling bee, Judy is determined to find a
way to become famous herself.
Haiaasen, Carl. HOOT. Roy Eberhardt is
the new kid at Trace Middle School in
Coconut Grove, Florida. Mother Paula’s
All-American Pancake House is scheduled
to be built over a burrow of endangered
miniature owls. Roy is determined to save
the owls.
Horvath, Polly. EVERYTHING ON A
WAFFLE. Eleven-year-old Primrose lives
in a small fishing village in British
Columbia and has lost her parents at sea.
The story recounts her experiences and the
unpredictability of life as she learns about
human nature and copes with her loss
through friendship and love.
Konigsburg, E.L. FROM THE MIXED UP
FILES OF MRS. BASIL E.
FRANKWEILER. Claudia and her brother
run away to the Metropolitan Museum of
Art in NYC. In the museum, Claudia falls in
love with a statue and tries to unravel the
mystery surrounding it.
Korman, Gordon. NO MORE DEAD
DOGS. Wallace Wallace is an eigth grade
football hero who finds himself in trouble at
school. As punishment, he must attend play
rehearsals where, in spite of himself, he is
drawn into the production. Other books by
Gordon Korman include SCHOOLED,
FRAMED, JACKPOT, and HIDEOUT.
Lord, Cynthia. RULES. Catherine is a
twelve-year-old girl with an autistic younger
brother, who tries to make him understand
the world through a series of rules. Through
her relationship with Jason, a nonverbal boy
in a wheelchair who uses cards to
communicate, she realizes what it is like to
Martin, Ann M. A DOG’S LIFE: THE
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A STRAY. Told
from her own point of view, this is the story
of Squirrel, a stray dog, tracing her life from
birth to old age. It is a tale that will melt the
hearts of dog lovers, young or old.
Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. SHILOH. When
he finds a lost beagle in the hills behind his
West Virginia home, Marty, tries to hide it
from his family and the dog’s real owner,
who has mistreated the dog.
O’Dell, Scott. ISLAND OF THE BLUE
DOLPHINS. The story of young Karana,
who survives by herself for eighteen years
on a deserted island off the California coast.
Paulsen, Gary. HATCHET. When the pilot
of a small, two-person plane has a heart
attack and dies, 13 year old Brian has to
crash land in the forest of a Canadian
wilderness. He has little time to realize how
alone he is, because he is so busy just trying
to survive. (Series) If you like the Hatchet
series, try the DIVE and EVEREST series.
Palacio, R.J WONDER. August Pullman
was born with a facial deformity. This story
is about Auggie’s struggle to be accepted as
any other 5th grade student, and the
community’s efforts to treat him with
empathy and compassion.
Patterson, James. I FUNNY. Jamie Grimm
tries to win the Planet’s Funniest Kid Comic
Contest, but has to deal with a lot of other
stuff on the way.
Robinson, Barbara. THE BEST SCHOOL
YEAR EVER. This book contains the
adventures of the six Herdman kids, who
don’t bend the rules, but break them in a
series of hilarious incidents.
wanting to win the Scrabble Tournament.
Who will be the winner?
FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION
Banks, Lynn Reid. THE INDIAN IN THE
CUPBOARD. Action figures are brought to
life with one turn of the key, while another
turns them back into toys.
Sacher, Louis. HOLES. After being
wrongly accused of stealing sneakers,
Stanley Yelnats IV is sent to Camp Green
Lake, a juvenile detention home where the
boys are required to dig holes in the hot sun,
and Stanley finds out why.
Selznick,Brian. WONDERSTRUCK. The
tale of two children who each set out on a
quest to find people who are important to
them. Ben’s story is told in words, Rose’s in
pictures. By the same author as THE
INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET.
Spinelli, Jerry. JAKE AND LILY. When
twins Jake and Lily turn eleven, Jake begins
to spend time with a group of neighborhood
boys. Lily is devastated as she struggles to
make friends, and Jake is faced with a bully.
This is a story of growing up, growing apart,
and the difficult process of figuring out who
you really are. Also, try STARGIRL.
Winkler, Henry and Lin Oliver. THE
HANK ZIPZER SERIES. The protagonist
of this series, which is up to 15 humorous
novels, is an under-achieving and
misunderstood fourth grader who wants to
do the right thing, but often misses the mark
and gets himself into hilarious situations.
The first book in the series is NIAGARA
FALLS, OR DOES IT? If you like these
books, you may also want to try JOEY
PIGZA SWALLOWS THE KEY, by Jack
Gantos.
Wolitzer, Meg. THE FINGERTIPS OF
DUNCAN DORFMAN. Three middle
school students don’t have much in
common, but they all have their reasons for
Bacon, Lee. JOSHUA DREAD. Even
though Joshuas parents are evil
supervillains, when they are kidnapped he
must use his own powers to save them.
Baker, E.D. THE FROG PRINCESS. A
twist on the classic fairy tale, this story
follows the adventures of Princess Emeralda
and the talking prince-turned-frog that she
kisses one day in the swamp.
Babbitt, Natalie. TUCK EVERLASTING.
The Tuck family has eternal life Can they
keep the secret of the magic spring water
safe from outsiders?
Collins, Suzanne. GREGOR THE
OVERLANDER. The first in a series in
which 11-year old Gregor and his little sister
fall down the laundry chute into an
underground world of rats, giant insects, and
a beautiful princess. They find themselves in
battles and adventures while on a quest
foretold by an ancient prophecy. If you liked
GREGOR, try THE SPINDLERS, by
Lauren Oliver.
Dahl, Roald. CHARLIE AND THE
CHOCOLATE FACTORY. The fantastic
tale of a child’s dream come true. Charlie’s
golden ticket gives him the chance to won a
candy factory.
DiCamillo, Kate. THE TALE OF
DESPEREAUX. A small mouse with huge
ears falls in love with a princess, and is
banished by the Mouse Council to the
dungeon, where he is delivered wearing the
red thread of death, to be finished off by the
rats.
DiCamillo, Kate. THE MIRACULOUS
JOURNEY OF EDWARD TULANE.
Edward is a china rabbit who falls off of a
cruise ship and has many adventures as he
tries to get back to his rightful owner,
Abilene.
DiCamillo, Kate. FLORA AND ULYSSES.
Flora saves Ulysses, a superhero squirrel,
and together they protect the weak and
conquer villains.
D’Lacey, Chris. LAST DRAGON
CHRONCLES. In this series, college
student David discovers a collection of clay
dragons that come to life and have magical
powers. He and his friends set out to save
the dragons and unlock the fire within.
DuPrau, Jeanne. CITY OF EMBER. The
lamps that light Ember, an underground city
built 200 years ago to save the human race,
are starting to go out. Linda and her friend
Doon must decipher an ancient message
before the lights go out on Ember forever.
Ferris, Jean. ONCE UPON A
MARIGOLD. Cristian, raised in the forest
by a troll named Edric, decides its time to
see the world and find the princess that he
loves. Part adventure story, and part
modern-day fairy tale, this story is one to
read!
Funke, Cornelia. THE INKHEART
TRILOGY. The engrossing fantasy
adventure where a young girl and her father
have the ability to read the characters out of
books to form stories within the story. A
group of evil characters make for very
exciting reading.
Hale, Shannon. PRINCESS ACADEMY.
When it is announced that the prince will
choose a bride from their village, Mimi and
the other girls enter the Princess Academy to
learn how to be a princess.
Kessler, Liz. THE TAIL OF EMILY
WINDSNAP. During a swimming lesson,
seventh-grader Emily discovers a terrible
and wonderful secret – she is half mermaid!
Share her adventures.
Levine, Gail Carson. ELLA
ENCHANTED. The classic Cinderella
story is a springboard for this humorous
story about a young girl with a curse that
forces her to obey every command.
Lewis, C.S. THE LION, THE WITCH
AND THE WARDROBE. Four English
school children find their way through the
back of a wardrobe into the magic land of
Narnia and assist Asian, the golden lion, to
triumph over the White Witch, who has
cursed the land with eternal winter.
Martin, Ann M. THE DOLL PEOPLE. A
family of porcelain dolls that has lived in the
same house for one hundred years is taken
aback when a new family of plastic dolls
arrives and doesn’t follow the Doll Code of
Honor.
Ibbotson, Eva. ISLAND OF THE AUNTS.
The Aunts, Myrtle, Etta and Coral are
getting older, and it’s not easy taking care of
their island of needy, and sometimes
magical inhabitants; they kidnap two
children to help them.
Norton, Mary. THE BORROWERS.
Miniature people who live in an old country
house by borrowing things from the humans
are forced to emigrate from their home
under the clock.
Riordan, Rick. THE LIGHTNING THIEF.
The first book of the Percy Jackson and the
Olympians series, Percy and his friends
must find and return Zeus’ stolen property in
order to bring peace to Mount Olympus.
Rowling, J.K. HARRY POTTER AND
THE SORCERER’S STONE. Rescued
from the outrageous neglect of his aunt and
uncle, a young boy with a great destiny
proves his worth while attending Hogwarts
School for Wizards and Witches.
Scieszka, Jon. SUMMER READING IS
KILLING ME. Joe, Sam, and Fred are
trapped inside their summer reading list.
variety of stories told through letters,
memos, newspaper articles, journal entries,
legal documents and shopping receipts.
Mystery, friendship, environmental
awareness, humor and adventure.
Klise, Kate. DYING TO MEET YOU.
When writer I.B.Grumpy moves into the
Victorian mansion at 43 Cemetary Road, he
doesn’t bargain for his strange and ghostly
housemates.
Schlitz, Lauren Amy. SPLENDORS AND
GLOOMS. In this 2013 Newbery medal
winner, Clara vanishes after the puppeteer
Grisini and two orphaned assistants were at
her twelfth birthday party. Soon the two
orphans are caught in a trap set by Grisini's
ancient rival, a witch with a deadly
inheritance.
Martin, Ann M. and Paula Danziger. P.S.
LONGER LETTER LATER and SNAIL
MAIL NO MORE. Twelve year old best
friends Elizabeth and Tara*Starr are crushed
when one moves out of state. Their family
stories as well as their own growing and
changing relationship is told at first through
their frequent letters and later, in emails.
STARS WARS BOOKS. Various titles and
authors. A long time ago in galaxy far, far
away…. Follow the adventures of Luke
Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and others.
MY NAME IS AMERICA SERIES. By
various authors. Written in journal format,
this historical fiction series allow readers to
experience the daily lives of boys during our
nation’s history.
DIARIES, JOURNALS AND LETTERS
HISTORICAL FICTION
DEAR AMERICA SERIES. By various
authors. Written in diary format, this
historical fiction series allows readers to
experience the daily lives of girls during our
nation’s history.
Avi. THE TRUE CONFESSIONS OF
CHARLOTTE DOYLE. Prim and proper
Charlotte must make the long, transatlantic
from England to Rhode Island by herself on
a ship with a mutinous crew and a scary
captain, who puts her through many
hardships, including accusing her of murder.
Filipovic, Zlata. ZLATA’S DIARY: A
CHILD’S LIFE IN SARAJEVO. Zlata’s
personal narrative concerning her life before
and after the war in Bosnia provides insight
and questions about life, death, and the loss
of childhood.
Kinney, Jeff. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID.
Novels in cartoon that follow the problems
of Greg Heffley, alternating between home
and school.
Klise, Kate. REGARDING THE
FOUNTAIN, REGARDING THE
BATHROOMS, REGARDING THE
TREES, and LETTERS FROM CAMP. A
Choldenko, Jennifer. AL CAPONE DOES
MY SHIRTS. Moose Flanagan and his
family move to Alcatraz Island, where
Moose’s father works as an electrician in the
famous prison. Moose befriends Piper, the
warden’s daughter, who has a knack for
getting him in trouble, but also teaches him
some valuable life lessons. Also, AL
CAPONE SHINES MY SHOES, and AL
CAPONE DOES MY HOMEWORK.
Curtis, Christopher Paul. BUD, NOT
BUDDY. After escaping from an evil foster
family, Bud, a 10-year old orphan during the
Great Depression, sets off across Michigan
to find his father, and has lots of adventures
along the way.
Giff, Patricia Reilly. LILY’S CROSSING.
During the summer spent at the beach in
1944, Lily’s friendship with Albert, a young
Hungarian refugee, causes her to see the war
and her own world differently.
Giff, Patricia Reilly. NORY RYAN’S
SONG. When a terrible blight attacks
Ireland’s potato crop in 1845, twelve year
old Nory Ryan’s courage and ingenuity help
her family and neighbors survive.
Kelly, Jacqueline. THE EVOLUTION OF
CALPURNIA TATE. Callie Tate is an 11
year old girl growing up in Texas in 1899.
How can she learn to be a “lady” with six
brothers and an avid interest in the natural
world around her?
MacLachlan, Patricia. SARAH PLAIN
AND TALL. A widowed father of three in
Kansas advertises for a wife. Sarah, a
woman from Maine, responds to the ad.
Park, Linda Sue. WHEN MY NAME WAS
KEOKO. A brother and sister tell their
story of what their lives were like in the
1940’s during the Japanese occupation of
Korea. Each reacts differently, but both
resist the enemy. A SINGLE SHARD (U),
also by Linda Sue Park, is the story of Tree
Ear, a 13-year old orphan in medieval
Korea.
Paulsen, Gary. TUCKET’S GOLD.
Francis Tucket and his two young friends
brave the worst—outlaws, rattlesnakes, and
thunderstorms—to reach the Oregon Trail to
be reunited with family.
Philbrick, Rodman. MOSTLY TRUE
ADVENTURES OF HOMER P. PHIGG.
When mean Uncle Squinton sells off
Homer’s brother to the Union Army during
the Civil War, Homer takes off to find him
and rescue him, having many
“misadventures” along the way, but survives
with courage, some luck, and his ability to
tell “tall tales”.
Ryan, Pam Munoz. ESPERANZA
RISING. After fleeing from Mexico,
pampered thirteen year old Esperanza and
her mother end up in a 1930’s California
migrant camp. Esperanza’s response to this
fall from privilege transforms her from a
spoiled child into a strong adolescent.
Tarshis, Lauren. I SURVIVED … series.
Read about histories most exciting and
terrifying events through the eyes of
children who survived them. Books include
the sinking of the Titanic, the San Francisco
Earthquake of 1906, and many more.
SPORTS
Christopher, Matt. THE WINNING
STROKE. Twelve year old Kristy joins the
school swim team and triumphs after
swimming headfirst into the pool wall
during her first race. Look for other sports
books by this author.
Cohen, Barbara. THANK YOU, JACKIE
ROBINSON. An all consuming love for
the Brooklyn Dodgers and Jackie Robinson
unites a boy with an old man in the 1940’s.
Feinstein, John. LAST SHOT. After
winning a basketball reporting contest,
eighth graders Stevie and Susan Carol are
sent to cover the Final Four tournament
where they discover that a talented player is
being blackmailed into throwing the final
game.
Gutman, Dan. BABE AND ME. In this
baseball card series, 13 year-old Josh
Shostak travels back in time where he meets
sports stars of the past, and experiences both
history and adventure.
Hurwitz, Johanna. BASEBALL FEVER.
Ezra searches for a way to make his father
understand his obsession with baseball.
Lupica, Mike.UNDERDOGS. Small but
fast twelve-year-old Will Tyler, an avid
football player in the down-and-out town of
Forbes, Pennsylvania, takes matters into his
own hands to try and finance the city's
football team, giving the whole community
hope in the process.
DiTerlizzi, Tony. THE SPIDERWICK
CHRONICLES, BOOK 1; THE FIELD
GUIDE. In the first book of the series, 9
year old Jared and his twin Simon, and their
13 year old sister, Mallory, having just
moved with their mother to Great-aunt
Lucinda’s creepy old house, find a
mysterious poem and an old book, a field
guide to real faeries, that may help explain
all the malicious mischief that has been
going on in the house.
Ritter, John H. THE BOY WHO SAVED
BASEBALL. A modern baseball story
about the fate of the town of Dilliontown,
which will be based on the outcome of a
baseball game between the locals and a
well-equipped summer camp team.
Dixson, Franklin W. THE HARDY BOYS
MYSTERIES. Join Frank and Joe Hardy,
the dynamic brother detectives as they solve
action packed and suspenseful mysteries.
Also include Carolyn Keene’s detective
series, NANCY DREW.
Tocher, Timothy. LONG SHOT. When 11
year old Laurie learns that her dad has
accepted a job in another town, she is
disappointed and angry. She will have to
leave her best friend and star position on the
school basketball team Will she make the
basketball team in her new school?
Howe, James. BUNNICULA. The pet rabbit
sucks juice from vegetables, but only
Harold, the dog and Chester, the cat, know
about it.
MYSTERY
Balliet, Blue. CHASING VERMEER.
Petra and Calder, two sixth graders, meet
during a museum field trip and end up
working together to solve the mystery of a
missing Vermeer painting.
Bellairs, John. THE HOUSE WITH THE
CLOCK IN ITS WALLS. The first of a
chilling mystery series for those who want a
scary book.
Clements, Andrew. WE THE CHILDREN.
(The first in the new series, Benjamin Pratt
and the Keepers of the School, Ben and his
friend Jill discover the secret history of their
school. They must stop a developer from
turning it into an amusement park.
Selznick, Brian. THE INVENTION OF
HUGO CABRET. The orphan Hugo lives
in walls behind the clock in the busy Paris
train station. He has a secret, and his
survival depends on keeping it. Don’t be
discouraged by the length of this book, it is
half pictures and totally absorbing text. A
must-read if you haven’t already.
WONDERSTRUCK is another winner by
Selznick told in words and pictures.
Simon. Seymour. EINSTEIN
ANDERSON LIGHTS UP THE SKY.
The science sleuth solves ten puzzles related
to the solar system, the stars, the weather,
and the elements.
Stewart, Trenton Lee. THE
MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY.
After passing a series of mind-bending tests,
four genius children are selected for a secret
mission that requires them to go undercover
at the Learning Institute for the Very
Enlightened, where the only rule is that there
are no rules.
Various authors. 39 CLUES. Amy Cahill
and her brother Dan travel the world
collecting clues to solve the secrets of their
family history. Each book in the series is
written by a different author.
JUST FOR FUN
Bean, Raymond. BUILDING WEALTH
(AND SUPERPOWERED ROCKETS!).
Benji Franklin is a kid zillionaire inventor.
His great problem solving skills are put to
the test when the President calls on him to
stop a deadly meteorite headed for the earth.
Creech, Sharon. LOVE THAT DOG and
HATE THAT CAT. Jack knows one thing
that he hates, and that is poetry. He learns to
express himself in a whole different way and
tells the reader some wonderful stories on
the way.
Gorman, Carol. DORK IN DISGUISE and
DORK ON THE RUN. In his new school
can Jerry Flack shed his dork image and
become one of the “cool” kids? Does he
even want to?
Pascoe, Elaine. FOOLED YOU! FAKES
AND HOAXES THROUGH THE
YEARS. Included descriptions of 11
popular pranks and frauds from the 19th and
20th century. For those interested in Bigfoot,
here is the story!
Sacher, Louis. SIDEWAYS STORIES
FROM WAYSIDE SCHOOL. In a strange
school that was built one room wide and 30
stories high, very strange things happen,
especially on the 13th floor!
Sciezska, Jon. SPACEHEADZ. Michael K
begins 5th grade in a new school where his
friends turn out to be aliens who have come
to earth to convince kids to become Space
Heads.
Sciezska, Jon (editor). GUYS READ:
THRILLER. A collection of short stories
involving mystery, intrigue, horror, and
suspense.
Spinelli, Jerry. SCHOOL DAZE SERIES:
REPORT TO THE PRINCIPAL’S
OFFICE, WHO RAN MY
UNDERWEAR UP THE FLAGPOLE,
PICKLEMANIA. Series where four
oddball friends in a new school are trying to
fit in and find their places.
THE “OLOGY” BOOKS – hard to
describe; many different topics; most 4th-6th
graders know what they are!
NON-FICTION
Aronson, Marc. IF STONES COULD
SPEAK: UNLOCKING THE SERIES
OF STONEHENGE. A fascinating look
into the mysteries and secrets of the ancient
circle of stones.
Doeden, Matt. CRAZY CARS. Learn about
all types of one-of-a-kind moving
masterpieces, including cars that can fly,
float or drive on three wheels.
Janeczko, Paul. TOP SECRET: A
HANDBOOK OF CODES, CIPHERS,
AND SECRET WRITING. If you want to
know the difference between a code and a
cipher, and if you want to do some secret
writing this summer, this is the field guide
for you. It offers some very interesting
stories from history, too.
Kehret, Peg. SHELTER DOGS:
AMAZING STORIES OF ADOPTED
STRAYS. Eight short stories for animal
lovers about abandoned dogs and their
adoptions, and how they went on to become
service dogs, actors and heroes.
Lammers, Jeff and Ken Blackburn. THE
WORLD RECORD PAPER AIRPLANE
BOOK. Learn about why paper airplanes fly
and why they crash, learn how to make the
best models for the most fun flights and
competitions. What better time than summer
to fly with your friends?
MORE
Markle, Sandra. THE CASE OF THE
VANISHING HONEYBEES: A
SCIENTIFIC MYSTERY. Worker bees
are disappearing and nobody know why.
This book explores Colony Collapse
Disorder (CCD) and how it affects other
animals, humans, and the environment.
Biographies are great to read. At the library,
look up your favorite person in history or a
cool celebrity to find a book about his or her
life.
Graphic novels are wonderful for readers
who like the visual presentation of the comic
book style. Stories in all genres come in
graphic format, and are enjoyed by all levels
of reader.
Marrin, Albert. OH, RATS! THE STORY
OF RATS AND PEOPLE. Did you know
that, in addition to being annoying and
disgusting, rats are incredibly intelligent?
Find out everything you ever wanted to
know (maybe more) about rats!
McMullan, Kate. MYTH-O-MANIA series.
Humorous modern versions of the most
famous Greek myths.
St. George, Judith. SO YOU WANT TO
BE AN INVENTOR? A funny look at
history, focusing on inventors and their
inventions. Includes fascinating facts about
the origins of famous inventions. Great
illustrations.
YOU CHOOSE: SURVIVAL. Readers use
their wits and knowledge in these nonfiction
adventures, learning about survival skills in
various settings and making choices that will
lead to either survival or doom.
YOU WOULDN’T WANT TO . . . Series
based on the fact that history was pretty
awful sometimes, thus awesome to read
about, each book takes a small piece of
history and explores the gruesome and often
humorous details, from Ninja warriors, to
Egyptian mummies, to the Salem Witch
Trials, and much more.
Websites where you can download and
read an eBook:
wwwtextproject.org - SummerReads
Project - good for at-risk readers
National Summer Learning Assn; Sylvan
Learning’s Book Adventure
www.summerlearning.org
We Give Books
www.wegivebooks.org
Other great internet resources:
Scholastic Summer Challenge
http://www.scholastic.com/summer/
Guys Read – www.guysread.com
Remember!
Any books by the listed authors are good to read, and
many are parts of a series.
Books can take you places, so read, read, read and have
a wonderful vacation!!