SUMMER READING LIST¡Olinguito, de la A a la Z! Descubriendo el bosque nublado / Olinguito, from A to Z! Unveiling the Cloud Forest by Lulu DelacreChildren’s Book Press, 2016, ISBN: 9780892393275

Explore the cloud forest of the Andes in Ecuador in this bilingual alphabetical book in verse.

Power Down, Little Robotby Anna Staniszewski Illustrated by Tim ZeltnerHenry Holt, 2015, ISBN: 9781627791250

This little robot has no plans to go to bed!

Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett Illustrated by Jon KlassenCandlewick Press, 2014, ISBN: 9780763662295

Sam and Dave do not find what they expect when they dig a hole, but they still end up having a pretty good day.

Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev Illustrated by Taeeun YooSimon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, 2015, ISBN: 9781481416474

Pets—and friends—come in all shapes and sizes.

Surf’s Upby Kwame Alexander Illustrated by Daniel MiyaresNorthSouth Books, 2016, ISBN: 9780735842205

Frog friends Bro and Dude hilariously debate whether surfing or reading is a better way to spend a day at the beach.

Ten Rules of Being a Superheroby Deb Pilutti Henry Holt, 2014, ISBN: 9780805097597

Anyone can be a superhero as long as they follow these ten important rules!

Treatby Mary SullivanHoughton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, ISBN: 9780544472709

Learn the many things this dog does in order to get a treat to eat in this light tale filled with humor.

Are We There Yet? by Dan SantatLittle, Brown, 2016, ISBN: 9780316199995

On a seemingly endless car trip, hours move so slowly that a boy imagines that time is actually moving backwards, sending him into a past full of pirates, dinosaurs, and adventure.

Ballet Cat: Dance! Dance! Underpants!by Bob SheaDisney-Hyperion, 2016, ISBN: 9781484713792

Ballet Cat is simply manic for ballet and tries to get her friend Butter Bear to join in the dance.

Beastly VerseIllustrated by JooHee YoonEnchanted Lion Books, 2015, ISBN: 9781592701667

Text and art are interwoven to bring to life sixteen animal-related poems in this award-winning book.

Duck, Duck, Dinosaurby Kallie George Illustrated by Oriol VidalHarperCollins, 2016, ISBN: 9780062353085

Just when the game was getting to be fun, in came trouble—in this twist on the child’s game.

Earmuffs for Everyone! How Chester Greenwood Became Known as the Inventor of Earmuffs by Meghan McCarthySimon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, 2015, ISBN: 9781481406376

Learn about the invention of earmuffs by prolific inventor

and successful businessman Chester Greenwood in this humorous picture book.

8: An Animal Alphabet by Elisha CooperOrchard Books, 2015, ISBN: 9780545470834

In this counting alphabet book, Cooper delivers a unique gamelike quality to his story as readers learn about animals—both familiar and exotic—in this alphabetically arranged book that contains eight illustrations of each animal on its pages.

Flowers Are Callingby Rita Gray Illustrated by Kenard PakHoughton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015, ISBN: 9780544340121

Playful rhyming text alternates with factual callouts that describe flowers and the pollination process. The watercolor illustrations are gorgeous and sure to inspire young naturalists everywhere!

Freedom in Congo Squareby Carole Boston Weatherford Illustrated by R. Gregory Christielittle bee books, 2016, ISBN: 9781499801033

Because of the unjust system of nineteenth-century Louisiana, the slaves are forced to work all week long, so they look forward to Sunday, when they can gather in New Orleans’ Congo Square to dance, sing, and enjoy an afternoon of freedom.

Gastonby Kelly DiPucchio Illustrated by Christian RobinsonSimon & Schuster/Atheneum, 2014, ISBN: 9781442451025

What does it take for a bulldog to fit in with his proper poodle family? It turns out to be something simple: love.

Get a Hit, Mo!by David A. Adler Illustrated by Sam RicksPenguin, 2016, ISBN: 9780670016327

Mo is used to striking out, but when the bases are loaded, he may just finally hit a home run.

The Grasshopper & the Ants by Jerry PinkneyLittle, Brown, 2015, ISBN: 9780316400817

The third in his retellings of Aesop’s Fables, Pinkney shows the grasshopper why the ants have worked so hard, and the ants learn the value of sharing.

Hi, Koo! A Year of Seasons by Jon J. MuthScholastic, 2014, ISBN: 9780545166683

Koo the panda is back and discovering each season through poetry.

Ice Cream Summer by Peter SísScholastic, 2015, ISBN: 9780545731614

Get the scoop on some fun history, math, new vocabulary, and much more in this entertaining book all about ice cream.

I Don’t Want to Be a Frog by Dev Petty Illustrated by Mike BoldtDoubleday Books, 2015, ISBN: 9780385378666

A frog imagines what it would be like to be a rabbit, a cat, and other animals in this silly story.

I Got the Rhythm by Connie Schofield-Morrison Illustrated by Frank MorrisonBloomsbury, 2014, ISBN: 9781619631786

A neighborhood walk becomes so much more as a little girl explores the music and sound of everyday urban life.

Lenny & Lucy by Philip C. Stead Illustrated by Erin E. SteadRoaring Brook Press, 2015, ISBN: 9781596439320

Peter uses his imagination and pillows to create Lenny, the Guardian of the Bridge, and realizes that something is missing—a friend for Lenny.

My New Friend Is So Fun! by Mo WillemsDisney-Hyperion, 2014, ISBN: 9781423179580

Will a new friend break apart Piggie and Gerald’s friendship?

The Night Gardener by Terry Fan and Eric FanSimon & Schuster, 2016, ISBN: 9781481439787

William and an elderly gardener help transform their town by creating anonymous topiary artwork.

Grades K-2

Battle Bunny by Jon Scieszka and Mac Barnett, illustrated by Matthew Myers

Simon & Schuster, 2013 ISBN: 9781442446731.

Gran Gran gave Alexander a beautiful book about Birthday Bunny, but Alexander decides to “create” his own book about Battle Bunny, which suits his tastes much better.

Binny for Shortby Hilary McKay, illustrated by Micah Player

Simon & Schuster/Margaret K. McElderry, 2013, ISBN: 9781442482753.

Binny’s family moves to a cottage by the seaside, where she finds adventure, a nemesis—and maybe even her long-lost dog. First in a series.

Bluffton: My Summers with Buster by Matt Phelan

Candlewick Press, 2013, ISBN: 9780763650797.

Muskegon, Michigan, is an ordinary town until a band of vaudeville performers, including young Buster Keaton, decide to spend the summer there.

The Chicken Squad: The First Misadventureby Doreen Cronin, illustrated by Kevin Cornell

Simon & Schuster/Atheneum, 2014, ISBN: 9781442496767.

Daring crime-solving chicks are out to solve a mystery. First in a series.

Dory Fantasmagory by Abby Hanlon

Dial, 2014, ISBN: 9780803740884.

Dory shows how much fun having an overactive imagination can be as she keeps herself entertained over the summer.

A Dragon’s Guide to the Care and Feeding of Humansby Laurence Yep and Joanne Ryder

Crown Books, 2015, ISBN: 9780385392280.

A story about dragons with a twist: Miss Drake (the dragon) has a new human pet!

Eddie Red, Undercover: Mystery on Museum Mile by Marcia Wells, illustrated by Marcos Calo

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014, ISBN: 9780544238336.

Sixth-grader Eddie is called on by the NYPD to help bust a gang of art thieves by using his photographic memory and talent for drawing. First in a series.

El Deafo by Cece Bell

Abrams/Amulet Books, 2014, ISBN: 9781419710209.

This graphic novel is both funny and realistic as it shares the story of going to school and making friends while wearing a large hearing aid.

Honeyby Sarah Weeks

Scholastic, 2015, ISBN: 9780545465571.

When she realizes her dad may have a secret girlfriend, Melody sets out to find out who it is.

House of Robotsby James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein, illustrated by Juliana Neufeld

Little, Brown; 2014; ISBN: 9780316405911.

Sammy’s genius mom creates a robot and decides Sammy should take him to school so he can learn to be a student. First in a series.

Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales: One Dead Spyby Nathan Hale

Abrams/Amulet Books, 2012 ISBN: 9781419703966.

Just before Nathan Hale is hung as a spy in the Revolutionary War, he tells a British soldier and the hangman a bit of American history.

Neighborhood Sharks: Hunting with the Great Whites of California’s Farallon Islands by Katherine Roy

David Macaulay Studio, 2014, ISBN: 9781596438743.

This book investigates the mystery surrounding the great white shark.

Nightmares! by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller, illustrated by Karl Kwasny

Random House/Delacorte, 2014, ISBN: 9780385744256.

Twelve-year-old Charlie must save the day when nightmares start creeping into waking life. First in a series.

Project Blastoffby Mark Kelly with Martha Freeman

Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman, 2015, ISBN: 9781481415453.

Twins Mark and Scott Kelly are about to embark on an adventure of epic proportions as they build and engineer their own rocket ship. First in a series.

Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskinby Liesl Shurtliff

Alfred A. Knopf, 2013 ISBN: 9780307977939.

Twelve-year-old Rump goes on a quest to discover his true identity and to break a magical curse in this humorous take on the classic fairy tale.

The Sasquatch Escape by Suzanne Selfors, illustrated by Dan Santat

Little, Brown; 2013; ISBN: 9780316209342.

Ben and his friend Pearl discover the new veterinarian office in their small town treats magical creatures, and they have the adventure of their lives as they track down a Sasquatch. First in a series.

Serafina’s Promise by Ann E. Burg

Scholastic, 2013 ISBN: 9780545535649.

Serafina, who lives in Haiti, longs to become a doctor, but how will she find the money and the time, when her family needs her help with chores, and earthquakes and floods keep setting them back?

The Tapper Twins Go to War (with Each Other) by Geoff Rodkey

Little, Brown; 2015; ISBN: 9780316297790.

Fraternal twins Reese and Claudia take sibling rivalry to a new level with their prank war. First in a series.

The Terrible Twoby Mac Barnett and Jory John, illustrated by Kevin Cornell

Abrams/Amulet Books, 2015, ISBN: 9781419714917.

Two pranksters team up for the greatest prank ever. First in a series.

The 13-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths, illustrated by Terry Denton

Feiwel and Friends, 2013 ISBN: 9781250026903.

Join Andy and Terry for adventures in their amazing treehouse, complete with bowling alley, see-through swimming pool, lemonade fountain, and man-eating-shark tank! First in a series.

Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made by Stephan Pastis

Candlewick Press, 2013 ISBN: 9780763660505.

Introducing Total Failure, Inc., the best detective agency in town, run by eleven-year-old Timmy Failure and his partner, Total, a 1,500-pound polar bear. First in a series.

Tommysaurus Rex by Doug TenNapel

Graphix, 2013, ISBN: 9780606319652.

Eli finds a full-grown T. rex on his grandpa’s farm and decides he would make the perfect pet.

Tuesdays at the Castleby Jessica Day George

Bloomsbury, 2011 ISBN: 9781599906447.

On Tuesdays, Castle Glower takes on a life of its own, magically rearranging itself. When the castle is ambushed, it’s up to Princess Celie to save the day. First in a series.

Weird but True: 300 Outrageous Facts National Geographic Children’s Books, 2010 ISBN: 9781426305948 (PB).

These facts are outrageous, wacky, funny, weird . . . and all true! You won’t be able to stop flipping through this incredible book. First in a series.

Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy by Tui T. Sutherland

Scholastic, 2012 ISBN: 9780545349185.

Five young dragons from different tribes must face treachery and deceit and work together to fulfill the prophecy that will bring an end to the dragon wars. First in a series.

GRADES 3–5

Summer Reading List

SUMMER READING LISTMasterminds by Gordon KormanBalzer + Bray, 2015, ISBN: 9780062299963

After living in a perfect town his whole life, Eli discovers there are secrets that will change everything. First in a series.

Me & Miranda Mullalyby Jake GerhardtViking, 2016, ISBN: 9780451475404

Three boys all trying to gain the attention of the same girl become rivals in this hilarious tale of misunderstandings.

Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War by Steve Sheinkin Roaring Brook Press, 2015, ISBN: 9781596439528

From the Oval Office to the editor’s office of the New York Times, Sheinkin tells a gripping tale of government secrecy and manipulation that is still relevant today.

The Night Gardener by Jonathan AuxierAbrams/Amulet Books, 2014, ISBN: 9781419711442

Molly and Kip are orphaned and must find a way to take care of themselves. Molly finds work as a maid but soon discovers the family is being haunted, and she and her brother are soon targeted by the Night Gardener as well.

The Night Parade by Kathryn TanquarySourcebooks/Jabberwocky, 2016, ISBN: 9781492623243

Saki Yamamoto does not want to spend her summer vacation visiting her grandma’s small village. Things get more interesting than she expected when she unintentionally invokes a death curse, and she must enter the dangerous spirit world at the Night Parade to break the curse.

Serafina and the Black Cloakby Robert BeattyDisney-Hyperion, 2015, ISBN: 9781484709016

At the turn of the century, a twelve-year-old secretly living in the basement of the Biltmore Estate solves an ancient evil and unravels her family history.

Some Kind of Courage by Dan GemeinhartScholastic, 2016, ISBN: 9780545665773

Bears, bandits, and raging rapids can’t stop Joseph from searching for what’s left of his family— his beloved horse, Sarah—across the American Northwest frontier.

Tesla’s Atticby Neal Shusterman and Eric ElfmanDisney-Hyperion, 2014, ISBN: 9781423148036

When Nick holds a yard sale to get rid of the junk in the attic of his new home, he realizes too late that all the objects have mysterious powers and he needs to get them back. First in a series.

Beetle Boyby M. G. Leonard Illustrated by Julia SardaScholastic/Chicken House, 2016, ISBN: 9780545853460

A giant talking beetle and cast of crazy characters help Darkus search for his missing father, a famous entomologist. First in a series.

The Bitter Side of Sweetby Tara SullivanPutnam, 2016, ISBN: 9780399173073

Amadou and his brother, Seydou, are modern-day child slaves on a cacao plantation, until Khadija arrives. The three band to make their escape from the Ivory Coast to freedom.

Bookedby Kwame AlexanderHoughton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, ISBN: 9780544570986

The thrill of a soccer tournament, the pressure of family expectations, the social minefield of crushes and bullies, and the beauty of words are all explored in this exciting, extraordinary novel in verse.

The Boys Who Challenged Hitler: Knud Pedersen and the Churchill Club by Phillip HooseFarrar, Straus and Giroux, 2015, ISBN: 9780374300227

A group of teenagers in Denmark resist the Nazi invasion of their country and inspire others to follow suit in this award-winning nonfiction book.

Dead to Meby Mary McCoyDisney-Hyperion, 2015, ISBN: 9781423187127

Veronica Mars meets L.A. Confidential as sixteen-year-old Alice tries to piece together the events that lead to her older sister winding up in a coma.

Dream On, Amberby Emma ShevahSourcebooks/Jabberwocky, 2015, ISBN: 9781492622505

Amber’s father left when she was little, so now she fills in the frustrating gap in her life with imagined conversations to help her deal with art projects, bullies, and little sisters.

Fatal Fever: Tracking Down Typhoid Maryby Gail JarrowCalkins Creek, 2015, ISBN: 9781620915974

Learn about this dreaded disease that ravaged our country early in the twentieth century in this nonfiction title that reads like a medical mystery.

Fearsome Creatures of the Lumberwoods by Hal Johnson Illustrated by Tom MeadWorkman Publishing, 2015, ISBN: 9780761184614

This reworking of American tall tales features stories of fearsome legendary creatures of the wooded wilds of early North America, including the snoligoster, the hodag, and the hoop snake. Glow-in-the-dark illustrations add to the alternately fun and creepy tone of this collection of stories.

Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly HuntPenguin/Nancy Paulsen Books, 2015, ISBN: 9780399162596

Ally struggles to hide her dyslexia by continually getting into trouble, until a substitute teacher discovers what she is really hiding.

The Great Greene Heist by Varian JohnsonScholastic/Arthur A. Levine, 2014, ISBN: 9780545525527

Jackson Greene vowed never to get involved in another middle-school con, but he is put to the test when the girl of his dreams runs for class president.

Grounded: The Adventures of Rapunzel by Megan MorrisonScholastic/Arthur A. Levine, 2015, ISBN: 9780545638265

After leaving her tower for the first time, Rapunzel joins Jack Beanstalker on a perilous journey through the lands of Tyme. First in a series.

Hour of the Bees By Lindsay EagarCandlewick Press, 2016, ISBN: 9780763679224

Carol is stuck in the New Mexican desert one summer with her family and her grandfather, who suffers from dementia. Her world is rocked by the stories he tells her during that time.

I Kill the Mockingbirdby Paul AcamporaRoaring Brook Press, 2014, ISBN: 9781596437425

Over summer break, Lucy, Elena, and Michael launch a

campaign to make a beloved teacher’s favorite book “go viral.”

The Iron Trialby Holly Black and Cassandra ClareScholastic, 2014, ISBN: 9780545522250

Despite his father’s warnings about the dangers of magic, Callum enrolls in the Magisterium and begins to learn about himself and his own bewildering powers.

Lost in the Sun by Lisa GraffPhilomel Books, 2015, ISBN: 9780399164064

Trent blames an unfortunate event for his misfortunes and tries to turn things around. He is able to make that turn when he meets Fallon, and together they help him find the healing and redemption he seeks.

The Mark of the Dragonfly by Jaleigh JohnsonRandom House/Delacorte, 2014, ISBN: 9780385376150

When plucky machinist Piper saves Anna after a meteor shower, both girls stow away on an armored train to escape the man chasing them.

Mark of the Thief by Jennifer A. NielsenScholastic, 2015, ISBN: 9780545561549

Nic, a slave in the mines of ancient Rome, escapes after discovering a magical amulet. First in a series.

Grades 6-8

The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak

(2006)

A young girl living in Nazi Germany

during World War II steals books and

shares them with neighbors as well as

with the Jewish refugee hiding in her

foster family's basement.

The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara

Kingsolver (1998)

A Baptist family travels to the Belgian

Congo in 1959 for missionary work,

kicking off this sprawling story told over

three decades in Africa.

The Things They Carried, by Tim

O'Brien (1990)

Vietnam veteran O'Brien based this

stirring collection of intertwined short

stories on his own war experience.

The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan (1989)

In San Francisco, a close-knit group of

women — four Chinese immigrants

and their American-born daughters —

gathers for a regular game of mah-

jongg over a span of 40 years.

The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold (2002)

A murdered teenager watches from the

afterlife as her family struggles to deal

with her death and her father hunts for

her killer.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the

Night-Time, by Mark Haddon (2003)

The novel's 15-year-old narrator with

an autism spectrum condition is also its

protagonist, searching to unravel the

mysterious death of a neighborhood

pup.

The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini

(2003)

A young boy in Kabul lives through a

tumultuous period in Afghan history,

from the fall of the monarchy to the rise

of the Taliban. Hosseini's follow-up,

2007's A Thousand Splendid Suns, is

also a popular summer reading list

choice.

The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins

(2008)

The dystopian, futuristic tale of a 16-

year-old girl competing in a televised

battle to the death in what was once

North America.

Blink, by Malcolm Gladwell (2005)

The pop scientist examines the wisdom

of spontaneous decisions.

All the Pretty Horses, by Cormac

McCarthy (1992)

The first novel in McCarthy's Border

Trilogy follows a young Texas cowboy

who drifts across the Mexican border

after his father's death.

Friday Night Lights, by H.G. Bissinger

(1990)

A year in the life of the Permian

Panthers high school football team

illuminates the lives of residents in a

tiny, football-obsessed Texas town.

Fast Food Nation, by Eric Schlosser

(2003)

An unflinching piece of long-form

investigative journalism examines the

practices and proliferation of the

American fast food industry.

Wintergirls, by Laurie Halse Anderson

(2009)

A teenage girl comes to terms with her

eating disorder and the resulting

strained relationships with family and

friends after her best friend dies of

bulimia.

The Help, by Kathryn Stockett (2009)

Racial fissures of the early 1960s in the

Deep South are revealed and explored

in this story of African American maids

in Mississippi and the privileged white

women for whom they work.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson, by John

Green and David Levithan (2010)

This novel of two identically named

teenagers living parallel, briefly

intertwining lives explores themes of

identity, sexuality and friendship.

Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer (1996)

The true story of Christopher

McCandless, an idealistic young

college grad who hiked on his own into

the frozen Alaskan wilderness, with

deadly consequences.

Water for Elephants, by Sara Gruen

(2006)

An elderly man living out his days in a

nursing home recalls his life as a

veterinarian for a traveling circus in

a story about the human heart, and the

bond it can develop with animals and

people alike.

Life of Pi, by Yann Martel (2001)

After a cargo ship full of zoo animals

sinks at sea, an Indian boy is trapped

on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger — or is

he? A meditation on, among other

things, religion and spirituality and how

they fit into modern life. Winner of the

2002 Booker Prize.

The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk

Kidd (2002)

During the civil rights movement of the

mid-'60s, a young white Southern girl

goes on the lam with her family's

African American housekeeper, hoping

to solve the mystery of the mother who

abandoned her.

Room, by Emma Donoghue (2010)

A woman and her 5-year-old son are

held captive in a tiny room in which

young Jack, who narrates the story,

has lived his entire life.