Summer Reading

Book Suggestions

Grades K-3

Entering Kindergarten

Read Alouds

Arnold: Fly Guy series c2005

Buzz finds and befriends a fly, which he names Fly Guy. Fly Guy impresses Buzz by buzzing,

which Buzz interprets as Fly Guy's saying his name.

Bang: When Sophie Gets Angry - Really, Really Angry... c1999 character

Sophie expresses her anger when she must surrender a toy to her sister.

Barrett: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs c1978 fiction, fantasy

The tiny town of Chewandswallow was very much like any other tiny town except for its

weather. It rained things like soup and juice. It snowed things like mashed potatoes. And

sometimes the wind blew in storms of hamburgers.

Crews: The Neighborhood Mother Goose c2004 nursery rhymes, diversity

This collection of nursery rhymes features the familiar and unfamiliar, all set in the city.

Eastman: Are You My Mother? c1960 fiction, animal story

A baby bird is hatched while his mother is away. Fallen from his nest, he sets out to look

for her and asks everyone he meets -- including a dog, a cow, and a plane -- "Are you my

mother?"

Ehlert: Pie in the Sky c2004 family fiction

As a father and his child view the cherry tree in their backyard, they refer to it as a pie

tree. Includes a recipe.

Fox: Koala Lou c1994 fiction, animal story

When Koala Lou’s mother becomes so busy that she forgets to tell her firstborn how

much she loves her, Koala Lou enters the Bush Olympics, intending to win an event and

her mother’s love all at one time.

Gehl: One Big Pair of Underwear c2014 counting, rhyming

Progressively larger groups of animals try to share a limited number of scooters, cookbooks, nap

mats, and underwear.

Harris: When Lions Roar c2013 emotions, fear, noise

Sometimes the world seems scary--too scary. But what if you shout, "GO AWAY!" Will the sun

come out? Will a flower bloom?

Hoban: 26 Letters and 99 Cents c1994 number and letter concepts

If you know the 26 letters of the alphabet and can count to 99 -- or are just learning --

you'll love Tana Hoban's brilliant creation.

Hutchins: Rosie’s Walk c1971 fiction animal story

Rosie the hen leaves the chicken coop and sets out for a little walk. Right behind her is

the fox, slyly trying to catch up with her. The fox tries -- unsuccessfully -- to navigate the

obstacle course that Rosie has led him through.

LeSieg: Ten Apples Up On Top c1988 counting concepts

Learning to count has never been more fun than in this crazy tale of a dog, a lion and a

tiger all showing off how many apples they can balance on their heads as they skip, walk the

tightrope and roller skate their way through the book.

Novak: The Book with no Pictures c2014 humor

You might think a book with no pictures seems boring and serious. Except . . . here's how books

work. Everything written on the page has to be said by the person reading it aloud.

Pinkney: The Lion & the Mouse c2009 wordless, fairy tale

Wordless retelling of an Aesop fable, an adventuresome mouse proves that even small

creatures are capable of great deeds when he rescues the King of the Jungle.

Pinkwater: Bear and Bunny c2015 bears fiction, humor

A bear and a bunny search for a pet.

Portis: Not a Stick c2008 pig, animal fiction

An imaginative young pig shows some of the many things that a stick can be.

Shannon: David Goes to School c1999 humor

David's school behavior needs to be improved.

Sierra: Counting Crocodiles c1997 counting, rhyming

A monkey outsmarts ten crocodiles that stand between her and a banana tree by using her ability

to count.

Sierra: Wild About Books c2004 animals, humor

A librarian accidentally drives her bookmobile to the zoo and subsequently reads a Dr.

Seuss book to the animals.

Slate: Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten c2003 school

Introduces the letters of the alphabet as Miss Bindergarten and her students get ready for

kindergarten.

Willems: There’s a Bird on Your Head c2007 animal story, friendship

Gerald discovers that there is something worse than a bird on your head—two birds on

your head! Can Piggie help her best friend?

Willems: City Dog, Country Frog c2010

In spring, City Dog runs free in the country and spots Country Frog sitting on a rock,

waiting for a friend. They play Country Frog games. In summer, they meet again and play City

Dog games. In winter, things change for City Dog and Country Frog. Come spring, friendship

blooms again, a little different this time.

Willems: Piggie & Elephant series c2008 friendship

Elephant and Piggie are best friends who have many adventures together.

Willems: Pigeon series c2003 pigeon stories

Wilson: Bear Snores on c2002, animal story, humorous

One by one, a whole host of different animals and birds find their way out of the cold and into

Bear's cave to warm up. But even after the tea has been brewed and the corn has been popped,

Bear just snores on! See what happens when he finally wakes up and finds his cave full of

uninvited guests -- all of them having a party without him!

Wood: Alphabet Adventure c2001 alphabet

The letters of the alphabet join the search to help "i" find her dot in order to continue their

journey in this colorful alphabet book.

Wood: The Napping House c1984 sleep, fiction

While a number of creatures sleep, a flea causes a commotion among them with just one bite.

Entering First Grade

Read Alouds

Arnold: Lost. Found. c2015 animals fiction When a bear loses his bright red scarf in the woods, it is found--and lost again--by a series of animals that use it to keep warm or to have fun, but they disagree over who really owns it and cause a problem that only the scarf's true owner can fix.

Bailey: Stanley’s Party c2003 dogs, humor

When a dog’s owners leave for the evening, he gets into a lot of mischief.

Brett: Mossy c2012 animals

Mossy, a turtle with a garden growing on her shell, is taken from her home and

new friend to become an exhibit in a museum, until the director's niece, Tory,

notices how sad Mossy is and helps arrange for her to go home.

Bang: Ocean Sunlight: How Tiny Plants Feed the Sea c2012 Nonfiction, marine animals and

plants

Introduces the reader to a sweeping view of our ever-changing oceanic world.

Barnett: Extra Yarn c2012 humorous fiction

With a supply of yarn that never runs out, Annabelle knits for everyone and everything in town

until an evil archduke decides he wants the yarn for himself.

Bloom: A Splendid Friend Indeed c2005 friendship

A polar bear and a goose learn to get along and be friends.

Bourgeois: Franklin in the Dark c1986 fear, fiction

A turtle afraid of small dark places, and therefore of crawling into his shell, asks a variety of

animals for advice, only to find out that each has a fear of its own.

Bruel: Bad Kitty c2005 alphabet

Finding there is no food in the house, a kitty chooses to be very bad.

Buzzeo: One Cool Friend c2012 humorous fiction

Elliot, a very proper young man, feels a kinship with the penguins at the aquarium and wants to

take one home with him.

Carle: Mister Seahorse c2004 animals, fiction

Mrs. Seahorse lays her eggs, after which Mr. Seahorse carries the eggs through the sea, greeting

other fish fathers.

Cousins: Yummy: Eight Favorite Fairy Tales c2009 fairy tales

Simple text and bold illustrations tell eight classic fairy tales.

Cronin: Dooby, Dooby, Moo c2004 animal humor

Duck organizes the farm animals for a talent show at the county fair. The first prize is a

trampoline.

Daywalt: The Day the Crayons Quit The Day the Crayons Came Home c2015 crayons fiction, humor

One day, Duncan is happily coloring with his crayons when a stack of postcards arrives in the

mail from his former crayons, each of which has run away or been left behind, and all of which

want to come home.

Ehlert: Market Day: A Story Told with Folk Art c2000 stories in rhyme, fiction

While keeping a diary, the young fly records how hard it is to be an insect.

Klassen: I Want my Hat Back c2011 fiction, Animal story

When Bear loses his hat, he patiently ask the animals he come across if they have found it, and

just as he is about to give up his search, a deer helps him remember exactly where he left his

beloved hat.

Lester: Hooway for Wodney Wat c1999 fantasy, abilities awareness

Students in Rodney’s class make fun of him, because he can’t pronounce his name

properly; but it is his speech problem that helps to punish the class bully.

Lionni: Inch by Inch measurement concepts

A small green inchworm is proud of his skill at measuring anything—a robin’s tail, a

flamingo’s neck, a toucan’s beak. Then one day a nightingale threatens to eat him if he

cannot measure his song.

Lionni: Swimmy c1991 fish stories

A small black fish, finds a way to protect a school of small red fish from their natural

enemies.

Mattick: Finding Winnie: the true story of the World’s Famous Bear c2015 narrative

fiction, bears, action and adventure

A fictionalized account of Captain Harry Coleburn's relationship with a bear cub in 1914, which

he rescued while on his way to care for soldiers' horses during World War I and became the

inspiration for A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh.

Mayer: There’s a Nightmare in My Closet c1992 fiction, fears

Childhood fear of the dark and the resulting exercise in imaginative exaggeration are

given that special Mercer Mayer treatment in this dryly humorous fantasy.

McKinley: One Smile c2002 kindness

While walking through the park with her mother, a child smiles at a discouraged stranger and

sets off a chain of events that spreads kindness and comes full circle.

Numeroff: Beatrice Doesn't Want To c2004 realistic fiction, humor

Beatrice Doesn't Like to Read, but a librarian changes her attitude during a story session in this

humorous, well-illustrated book.

Prelutsky: Me I Am c2007 poetry

A book of poem for children celebrating being an individual.

Rathmann: Ruby the Copycat c1991 school, fiction

Ruby wants to fit in on her first day at school, so she begins to copy her classmate

Angela; but then Ruby's teacher shows her how much fun it is to just be herself.

Rossiter: Widget c2006 fiction, animal story

Widget, a little stray dog, stumbles through a flap door into the home of Mrs. Diggs. He

sees six cats, six bowls of food, and six warm beds. Widget meows, purrs and plays with a toy

mouse, and uses the litter box. Having eventually convinced his new family of his felinity,

Widget is soon living happily. When Mrs. Diggs takes a fall and doesn't get up, it's up to Widget

to save the day with a particularly canine solution.

Santat: The Adventures of Beekle: an Unimaginary Friend c2014 friendship fiction

An imaginary friend waits a long time to be imagined by a child and given a special name, and

finally does the unimaginable--he sets out on a quest to find his perfect match in the real world.

Shannon: A Bad Case of Stripes c1998 individuality, fiction

A girl who is always concerned about what others think of her wakes up one day to

discover she is covered with stripes.

Sendak: In the Night Kitchen c1971 fiction, fantasy

Mickey’s dream about his journey through his house at night

Sharmat: Gregory, the Terrible Eater fiction, animal story

A very picky eater, Gregory the goat refuses the usual goat diet staples of shoes and

tincans in favor of fruits, vegetables, eggs, and orange juice.

Independent Reading

Capucilli: Biscuit series

Gelman: More Spaghetti I Say

Guest: Iris and Walter series

Hoff: Danny and the Dinosaur

Hoff: Sammy the Seal

Kessler: Kick, Pass, and Run

McClintock: A Fly Went by

O’Connor: Fancy Nancy series (I can read)

Rylant: Puppy Mudge

Wells: Max and Ruby series

Willems: Elephant and Piggy series

Wiseman: Morris the Moose

Entering Second Grade

Read Alouds

Adler: Things that Float and Things that Don’t c2013 nonfiction, hydrodynamics

Explains to children why some objects float and some sink.

Barrows: Ivy and Bean series c2006 fiction, friends

The moment Ivy and Bean saw each other they knew they wouldn’t be friends. Then Bean plays

a joke on her sister and Ivy come to the rescue.

Brown: Flat Stanley series c2009 humor

After a bulletin board falls on Stanley while he is sleeping, he finds that being flat

has its advantages.

Applegate: Roscoe Riley Rules c2008 fiction, series

If the kids can't sit still for the class performance, Roscoe's teacher could be in big

trouble. Fortunately Roscoe has a plan to save her—a super, mega, gonzo plan! What

could go wrong?

Brett: Town Mouse, Country Mouse c1994 fable

After trading houses, the country mice and the town mice discover there's no place like

home.

Bunting: Best Summer Ever c2012 animal fiction

Frog enjoys a summer with his friends as he compares himself to a bat, takes a vacation, and

meets a Starman who helps him to see the night sky in a new way.

Cannon: Crickwing, Pinduli, Stellaluna, Verdi, insects, fiction

Picture books about unappreciated and fascinating creatures

Cox: Elizabeth, Queen of the Seas c 2014 elephant seals

Relates the story of an elephant seal named Elizabeth that was transferred from the Avon River

in Christchurch, New Zealand, to the ocean, but found her way back to the city.

Gehrmann: Goose the Bear c2014 humor, animals

A little goose hatches out of an egg and starts following a bear around. The bear

becomes more and more convinced that the gosling is actually a bear.

Gutman: My Weird School Series c2004 fiction school stories

This series follows the character A.J., his dislike for school and how his teachers, Miss Daisy

isn’t like any teacher he has had before.

Hoberman: You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read Together c2001 stories in rhyme

This collection of short, rhythmic stories and cheerful art is designed to be read out loud

by both child and adult.

Hoffman: Amazing Grace c1991 diversity, fiction

Although a classmate says that she cannot play Peter Pan in the school play because she is black,

Grace discovers that she can do anything she sets her mind to do.

McKissack: The Honest-to-Goodness Truth c2000 character, ethnic diversity

A young girl promises not to ever lie but then discovers that there are times that one

actually should not tell the entire truth.

Kline: Horrible Harry Series c1998 school fiction

The adventures of Horrible Harry and his classmates in room 2B.

McNaughton: Once Upon an Ordinary School Day c2004 school story

Mr. Gee, the new teacher, changes "ordinary" when he challenges all the children to use their

imaginations.

O’Connell: A Baby Elephant in the Wild c2014 African Elephant, Narrative Nonfiction

In this intimate account for preschool through elementary readers, find answers to questions such

as: What do newborn elephants look like? How big are they? What threatens them in the wild?

Do they bully each other? Are they stalked by lions? What happens if they don't get enough food

or water? Are they at risk of extinction?

O’Connor: Fancy Nancy c2006 friendship, schools

A young girl who loves fancy things helps her family to be fancy for one special

night.

Orloff: I Wanna Iguana c2004 letters, fiction

Alex and his mother write notes back and forth in which Alex tries to persuade her to let

him have a baby iguana for a pet.

Osborne: Magic Tree House c1992 fantasy, time travel

Eight-year-old Jack and his younger sister Annie find a magic tree house, which whisks them

back in time.

Park: Junie B. Jones series fiction

Adventures of the outrageously sassy Junie B. Jones

Pallotta: Dory Story c2000 sea story, fiction

Danny's ocean adventures are completely enchanting, even if they take place in the

bathtub.

Pennypacker: Clemintine c2006 fiction, friendship, humor

Clemintine is an ingenious third-grader with a talent for trouble and a good heart.

Peet: The Ant and the Elephant c1972 animals, fiction

Of all the animals the elephant rescues, only the tiny ant returns the favor..

Pilkey: Rickey Ricotta Series Adventures of Ricky Ricotta and his Mighty Robot

Primavera: Louise the Big Cheese c2011 fiction

Louise the Big Cheese is determined to make the grade in school this year and that means

straight As. But she's stuck with the toughest teacher ever. Will Louise make the grade?

Rocco: Blizzard c2014 Blizzard, Weather

After a massive blizzard, a boy becomes a hero when he manages to walk to the local store and

bring supplies back to his neighborhood which has been snowed in for days.

Schachner: Skippyjon Jones c2003 humor

This Siamese kitten spends his "time-out" imagining himself as "El-Skippito" who comes

to the rescue of some Chihuahuas.

Stevens: And the Dish Ran Away With the Spoon c2001 nursery rhymes

Concerned about the fate of the rhyme, Cat, Cow and Dog set out to find them.

Independent Reading

Adler: Young Cam Jansen Series

Bradman: After Happily Ever After series

Blume: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Superfudge

Cooper: Absolutely Lucy series

Crews: Below

Harley: Charlie Bumpers series

Hurwitz: Elisa Michaels, Bigger and Better

Hurwitz: Busybody Nora

Johnston: Alien and Possum: Friends No Matter What

Kerrin: Martin Bridge Series

Lionni: Little Blue and Little Yellow

Lobel: Frog and Toad series

Lubar: Punished, Numbed

Osborne: Magic Tree House

Prulutsky: The New Kid on the Block

Rylant: Henry and Mudge series

Rylant: Mr. Putter and Tabby series

Sharmat: Nate the Great series Silverman: Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa series .

Yolen: Commander Toad Series

Nonfiction Reading

Bishop: Butterflies

Bishop: Spiders

Davies: Bat Loves the Night

Hatkoff: Owen & Mzee: The Language of Friendship

Scholastic News: Nonfiction Readers, various authors

Thales: First Facts

Winter: The Tale of Pale Male: A True Story

Entering Third Grade

Read Alouds

Bridges: Ruby’s Wish c2002 historical fiction, ethnic diversity

During the 1800s in China, when few girls learn to read and write, Ruby fervently desires to

attend university with all the males in her family.

Curtis: The Bat Boy and His Violin c1998 sports, music, ethnic diversity

Reginald loves to play his violin, but Papa wants him to be outdoors more and enlists him as the

bat boy for the baseball team Papa manages. Reginald plays his violin in the

dugout, and the team improves.

Independent Reading

Adler: Bones series mystery

Everyone needs bones — Detective Jeffrey Bones that is. With his bag of detective tools in hand,

read how Jeffrey can solve any mystery.

Bishop: Nonfiction books

Naturalist Nic Bishop provides an in-depth examination of snakes, marsupials,

spiders, frogs and lizards.

Barton: The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer's Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors c 2009. Nonfiction

Brothers Bob and Joe Switzer had different interests and ambitions but worked together on the

dazzling creation of fluorescent colors.

Beccia: I Feel Better With A Frog In My Throat: History’s Strangest Cures. c2010 nonfiction

Many of today's most reliable cure-alls have their roots in some very peculiar practices, and so

relevant connections can be drawn from what they did then to what we do now.

Birney: Humphrey Series Stories about a likeable hamster named Humphrey

Bourke: Christian the Lion: Based on the True Story of Anthony (Ace) Bourke, John Rendall

and Christian the Lion c2009 nonfiction

Details the experiences of Anthony Bourke and John Rendall, who bought a lion cub

from a department store, raised him as a pet, reintroduced him to the wild in Kenya and

years later received a warm welcome from the grown lion.

Bunting: Snowboarding on Monster Mountain c2003

For Callie, with her serious fear of heights, the name Monster Mountain says it all. Why

did she ever agree to a weekend of snowboarding with her best friend Jen? What she

learned about snowboarding, the hard way, lends authentic detail to this story about

friendship and fear.

Byars: My Dog, My Hero c2000

'My Hero' to Be Chosen: Eight finalists will compete tonight for the title My Hero. The

winner will wear the coveted gold Hero medal. These brave and courageous dogs will

each appear with their nominator who will tell their story.

Byars: The SOS File c2004 Have you ever needed to call 9-1-1, but you couldn't get to a phone? Have you ever

needed to run, but your legs were like spaghetti? Have you ever needed to yell "help!" but your

throat was dry with fear? Laugh, cry, and panic with Mr. Magro's class as they listen to twelve

exciting SOS tales.

Cleary: Math is CATegorical series stores in rhyme, mathematics

Mathematical functions are explained in rhyming text and simple, silly cartoons.

Clements: Frindle c1996 school fiction

When he decides to turn his fifth grade teacher’s love of the dictionary around on her, clever,

Nick Allen invents a new word and begins a chain of events that quickly moves beyond his

control.

Cowell: How to Train Your Dragon c2003 fantasy, humor, series

In this silly chapter book, the Viking boy Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, son of the chief, finds

himself needing to find and train a dragon as becomes an unlikely hero in

the process.

Cronin: Diary of a Fly c2007 animal fiction

A young fly discovers, day by day, that there is a lot to learn about being an insect,

including the dangers of flyswatters and that heroes come in all shapes and sizes.

Dadey: Ghostville Elementary School Series fiction

Stories about a ghost class.

Danziger: Amber Brown Series fiction

Adventures of the spunky Amber Brown

DeFelice: One Potato, Two Potato c2006 fairy tale

A very poor, humble couple live so simple a life they share everything, until the husband

discovers a pot with magical powers buried under the very last potato in the garden.

DiCamillo: Mercy Watson series animal, fantasy, humor

Welcome to the wry and endearing world of Mercy Watson, the beloved "pig wonder" of

the Watson household.

DiCamillo: Because of Winn-Dixie c2010 fiction, dog

Ten year old Opal Buloni describes her first summer in the town of Naomi, Florida and all the

good things that happen to her because of her dog Winn-Dixie.

Elliot: The Transmogrification of Roscoe Wizzle c2004 fantasy

Roscoe Wizzle used to be a normal ten-year-old kid. But that was before a sign reading

COMING SOON! GUSSY'S! sprang up in a vacant lot. Roscoe Wizzle, hamburger fan,

was a normal kid all right . . . until he started turning into a bug!

Foxworthy: Dirt On My Shirt c2008 poetry

Comedian Jeff Foxworthy presents more than thirty illustrated poems for children on

such topics as friends, bugs, family members and pretending.

Friedman: Mallory Series fiction

Adventures of 8 year old Mallory, an appealing character

Griffen: Witch Twins Series fiction

Claire and Luna are identical twins -- and witches.

Hale: Chet Gecko Mysteries mystery

Chet Gecko, schoolyard sleuth, solves mysteries.

Harper: Just Grace Series fiction Funny and enthusiastic girl, learning lessons along the way.

Holm: Babymouse series c2005 graphic fiction, friendship, imagination

An imaginative mouse learns life lessons while living her life.

Hood: The Treasure Chest series c2013 action and adventure

Time travelers Maisie and Felix meet different famous people in history and each book leads to a

different adventure.

Hopkinson: Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek: A Tall, Thin Tale (Introducing His Forgotten Frontier Friend) c2008 historical fiction

In Knob Creek, Kentucky, in 1816, seven-year-old Abe Lincoln falls into a creek and is

rescued by his best friend.

Jenkins: Creature Features: 25 Animals Explain why they look the way they do c2014

Narrative Nonfiction, Anatomy & Physiology

Text and illustrations examine unusual animal facial features and how they help the animals

survive.

Johnson: Just Like Josh Gibson c2007 sports fiction, historical fiction

A grandmother recounts the story of the day she was allowed to play in a baseball game, even

though she was a girl.

Kerrin: Martin Bridge: Ready for Takeoff! c2005 fiction

Martin means well, but his ideas don’t always turn out as expected. In three stand-alone

chapters, Martin deals with issues at home and school.

McDonald: Judy Moody series c2011 Fiction, humor

This series follows the antics and adventures of a third grader named Judy Moody.

National Geographic Kids: c2014 animals, nonfiction

Informational books about different animals.

Pallotta: Who Would Win series 2010 nonfiction

What would happen if two animals met each other? What if they had a fight? Who would win?

Pinkney: The Ugly Duckling c1999 fairy tale

This adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen classic portrays an unhappy year for an

ugly duckling who eventually grows up and transforms into a beautiful swan.

Sachar: Marvin Redpost series fiction

Marvin Redpost encounters hilarious problems with school, family and friends.

Scieszka: Summer Reading is killing me c1998 magic fiction

At the beginning of summer vacation Joe, Sam, and Fred find themselves trapped inside their

summer reading list, involved in a battle between good and evil characters from well-known

children’s books.

Stilton: The Geronimo Stilton series mice, fantasy, mystery

Geronimo Stilton is a mouse newspaper editor and journalist who travels the world to

chase important interviews but winds up in the middle of adventures that involve solving

intriguing mysteries.

Tarshis: I Survived series, c2014 historical fiction

Each book in the series tells a story that involves a famous historical event.

Tunnell: Mailing May c1997 historical fiction

Five-year-old May wishes to visit her grandmother, but the train is too expensive. May's

father and cousin concoct a clever means of sending the child after all.

Warner: Only Emma c2005 fiction

Emma’s mother loses her job, so Emma becomes the new kid in the school and

neighborhood. An only child, Emma’s life changes when a four year old comes for a visit.

Who was/ Who is….? Series:

A series of biographies that deal with the lives of people from the past and present.