Dear Parent/Guardian:The Chattanooga Public Library is proud to present its 2020 List ofrecommended Summer Reading Picks. Chosen by local expert librarians, these titles are great reads and are highly regarded in the bookcommunity, receiving many awards, excellent reviews and popular appeal. We hope that the 2020 List will help your family pick the best books for your child, grades K-12. All of the books on the List are available at your local library. Your local librarian can suggest additional titles.

Reading in the summer helps build on the skills obtained during the school year so that learning continues into the next grade year. We need thesupport and encouragement offamilies to ensure that all of ourchildren become excellent readers.

Happy Reading!

Corinne HillExecutive DirectorChattanooga Public Library

Scytheby Neal ShustermanWhen illness and death are eradicated on Earth, it is up to Scythes to decide who lives and who dies.Y Shu

FANTASY & SCI-FI

The Joy Luck Clubby Amy TanA mahjong game brings together four Chinese immigrant mothers to share stories of their lives with their American-raised daughters. F Tan

CLASSICS

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxyby Douglas AdamsJust before Earth is obliterated, Arthur Dent and his friend, an alien researcher, hitch a ride on a spaceship.F Ada

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen ChboskyA shy teenager navigates the intricacies of life during his freshman year of high school.Y Chb

A Lesson Before Dyingby Ernest GainesSentenced to death, a young African American finds strength while maintaining his dignity.F Gai

The Outsidersby E. S. HintonMisunderstood teens deal with gangs and violence in 1960s Oklahoma.Y Hin

CLASSICS

Children of Blood and Boneby Tomi AdeyemiA hero fights against the opression of the maji, magical people thought to be eradicated by an evil king.Y Ade

The Hazel Wood by Melissa AlbertAfter Alice’s mother goes missing, she enters a supernatural world to find answers.Y Alb

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil GaimanA man returning to his childhood home remembers the encounter he had with a strange girl and her family.F Gai

How Long ‘til Black Future Month? by N. K. JemisinIncredible collection of science fiction and fantasy stories.S-C Jem

The Hiveby Barry LygaAfter posting a tasteless joke, Cassie faces condemnation from a crowdsourced justice system.Y Lyg

Cinderby Marissa MeyerA cyborg meets the Prince and helps save Lunar from a deadly plague.Y Mey

FANTASY & SCI-FIThe War Outsideby Monica HesseTwo girls form a bond at an intern-ment camp during WWII.Y Hes

Let Me Hear a Rhymeby Tiffany D. JacksonAfter Steph’s murder, his friends come up with a way to let his music live on.Y Jac

The Tattooist of Auschwitzby Heather MorrisA Jewish man remarkably finds love under atrocious conditions.F Mor

The Bluest Eyeby Toni MorrisonA young African American girl longs for blond hair and blue eyes, believing they will protect her from the injuries of racism and abuse. F Mor

Esperanza Risingby Pam Muñoz RyanDuring the Depression, a family’s life changes and they are forced to move into a farm labor camp.J Rya

I Capture the Castleby Dodie SmithAn old English castle is brought to life, thanks to the imagination and wit of its young residents.F Smi

HISTORICAL FICTION

SUMMERREADING

PICKS 2019GRADES 3 » 5

SUMMERREADING

PICKS 2020GRADES 9 » 12

MODERN REALISM

Y 940.4724 Bas

Parkland: Birth of a Movement by David CullenHigh school students outraged by the mass shooting that killed their classmates start a worldwide movement.371.782 Cul

The Boys Who Challenged Hitlerby Phillip HooseYoung adults in Denmark sabotage Nazis occupying their country.J 940.5348 Hoo

Steal Like an Artistby Austin KleonObserve, study and transform the world around you while learning to be your creative self.153.35 Kle

What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questionsby Randall MunroeLaugh-out-loud, but accurate, answers to odd scientific questions.500 Mun

The 57 Busby Dashka SlaterThe true story about both the victim and offender of a violent hate crime.Y 364.1555 Sla

The Girl Who Smiled Beads by Clemantine WamariyaTwo young sisters flee the Rwandan genocide and journey together across Africa looking for safety.B Wam

NONFICTION

The Nickel Boys by Colson WhiteheadIn the Jim Crow South of the early 1960s, Elwood Curtis is sent to a hor-rific juvenile reformatory.F Whi

The Book Thiefby Markus ZusakRecognizing the power of words, a girl learns to read from books she steals from the Nazis.Y Zus

HISTORICAL FICTION

One Punch Man by Yusuke MurataSaitama, a different kind of superhero, has no problem punching out his opponents.Y Graphic One

The Prince and the Dressmakerby Jen WangA seamstress makes dresses for a Prince whose secret identity is Lady Crystallia.Y Graphic Pri

Pumpkinheadsby Rainbow RowellTwo friends spend their last shift at the pumpkin patch together before graduating high school and having to say goodbye.Y Graphic Pum

They Called Us Enemyby George TakeiTakei recalls his childhood experience living in an American concentration camp.Graphic The

GRAPHIC NOVELS

With the Fire on Highby Elizabeth AcevedoBecoming a mother while in high school has not stopped Emoni’s dream of becoming a chef.Y Ace

Sorry For Your Lossby Jessie Ann FoleyPup Flanagan, the youngest of 8 siblings, uses photography to help him through the grieving process after the sudden death of his older brother.Y Fol

Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib KhorramA teen visiting his family in Iran comes to terms with his identity while building his self-confidence. Y Kho

Slayby Brittney MorrisA high-schooler doubles as an honor student and online role-playing gamer.Y Mor

MODERN REALISM

Black Panther Part One: Avengers of the New Worldby Ta-Nehisi CoatesT’Challa searches for the gods of Wakanda.Graphic Bla

I am Alfonso Jonesby Tony MedinaAfter being killed, Alfonso wakes up on a ghost train filled with other victims of police shootings.Y Graphic I

GRAPHIC NOVELS

@chattlibrary | www.chattlibrary.org

Because this list includes books for a range of grades, please be aware that some titles may contain advanced content that might not be appropriate for everyone.If you need help making selections, ask your librarian for guidance.

Forward Me Back to You by Mitali PerkinsTwo teens from different backgrounds come together after one of them suffers a great trauma. Y Per

Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy RibayJay travels to the Philippines to find out how and why his cousin was murdered.Y Rib

On the Come Upby Angie ThomasBri aspires to follow in the footsteps of her famous father’s rap career.Y Tho

Frankly In Loveby David YoonFrank’s first love will upset his Korean parents, so he and a friend devise a complicated plan to keep them from disappointment.Y Yoo

Shout: A Poetry Memoir by Laurie Halse AndersonAn honest and raw look at women’s rights and the real-life struggles women are facing.Y 811.54 And

The Grand Escape: The Greatest Prison Breakout of the 20th Centuryby Neal BascombDuring WWI, a group of POWs plan their incredible escape from Holzminden.

NONFICTION

Make. Play. Read. Learn. 2020 Since closing to the public on March 14, the Chattanooga Public Library has been offering daily programming for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, school-aged kids and adults on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. With many followers and much success over the past two months, we have decided to take our MPRL Summer Learning Program virtual as well! We will be using a platform called the Great Reading Adventure, where kids and adults can earn virtual badges for attending programs and for completing challenges, similar to those in our passports last year. MPRL will consist of 11 weekly themes:

● May 18- 22 - Active Gaming ● May 25-29 - Cooking ● June 1- 5 - DIY ● June 8-12 - Hoopla Week ● June 15-19 - Art ● June 22 - 26 - STEM ● June 29 - July 3 - Trades ● July 6-10 - Travel ● July 13- 17 - Music ● July 20- 24 - Chattanooga ● July 27- 31 - Brain Games

Each weekday, our challenges and programs will be based on the the following daily themes:

● Monday - STEM ● Tuesday - Nature ● Wednesday - Art ● Thursday - History/Civics ● Friday - Creative Play

MPRL programming will take place on our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/c/chattlibrary. Our virtual programs will include 15-30 minute tutorial videos, 1-5 minute fun info-videos, social media challenges, and digital Escape Rooms for the kids to explore. In fact, we have the following two digital Escape Rooms available to access right now:

● What would happen if you were LOCKED IN THE LIBRARY? Test your knowledge of children's literature and solve puzzles to unlock the doors. Start your escape room adventure at tiny.cc/escapeCPL

● What would happen if you were LOCKED IN A CASTLE? Test your knowledge of children's literature and solve puzzles to unlock the doors. Start your escape room adventure at https://buff.ly/2S7zvui

We will also throw in some pop-ups that feature fun projects such as sewing, Spanish language acquisition and LARPing! We realize there are kids who may not have internet access or a device, so we’re hoping to address digital inequity by creating make-and-take craft/experiment options, as well as a printed poster of the badges that they can color in as they earn them. Distribution of physical items like these can take place when staff are able to go back to our libraries and when we are able to offer curbside service.

We want to support any HCDE efforts, so we will adapt our plans to include any initiatives or ideas in the same way we did to support your STEAM Day that took place on April 2. Please let us know how we can help you over the summer!