Summer means more time for reading! To create excitement for summer reading, I created a list of newly released books (organized by grade level and genre) and promoted these amazing titles with my K-5 students.
Summer Reading Recommendations
for Kindergarten & 1st Grade
PICTURE BOOKS
A New Day by Brad Meltzer & Dan Santat Sunday quit, just like that. She said she was tired of being a day. And so the other days of the week had no choice but to advertise: "WANTED: A NEW DAY. Must be relaxing, tranquil, and replenishing. Serious inquires only." Soon lots of hopefuls arrived with their suggestions, such as Funday, Bunday, Acrobaturday, SuperheroDay, and even MonstersWhoResembleJellyfishDay! Things quickly got out of hand . . . until one more candidate showed up: a little girl with a thank-you gift for Sunday. The girl suggested simply a nice day--a day to be kind. And her gratitude made a calendar's worth of difference to Sunday, who decided she didn't need to quit after all. | |
The Ramble Shamble Children by Christina Soontornvat & Lauren Castillo Merra, Locky, Roozle, Finn, and little Jory love their ramble shamble house. It's a lot of work taking care of the garden, the chickens, and themselves, but they all pitch in to make it easier--even Jory, who looks after the mud puddles. When they come across a picture of a "proper" house in a book, they start wondering if their own home is good enough. So they get to work "propering up" the garden, the chickens, and even the mud puddles. But the results aren't exactly what they expected, and when their now-proper household's youngest member goes missing, they realize that their ramble shamble home might be just right for their family, after all. | |
Blue Floats Away by Travis Jonker & Grant Snider Little Blue lives at the North Pole with his parents until, one day, he floats away and strikes out on his own. Along the way, Blue encounters new things (sharks) and beautiful things (sailboats). He starts to wonder which way is home when something unexpected starts to happen. Little Blue is getting smaller and smaller until . . . he transforms! After mixing with the warm ocean water, Blue reappears as a cloud. He encounters new things (airplanes) and beautiful things (birds). He charts a course for home. As it gets colder and colder, Blue gets bigger and bigger until . . . hey, is that a snowflake? A story about the water cycle, Blue Floats Away explores the power of transformation and growing up. | |
The Rock From the Sky by Jon Klassen Here comes The Rock from the Sky, a hilarious meditation on the workings of friendship, fate, shared futuristic visions, and that funny feeling you get that there’s something off somewhere, but you just can’t put your finger on it. Merging broad visual suspense with wry wit, celebrated picture book creator Jon Klassen gives us a wholly original comedy for the ages. | |
Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn by Shannon Hale & LeUyen Pham Kitty thinks she might be a unicorn.
She feels so perfectly unicorn-y! “Neigh!” says Kitty.
But when Unicorn clop clop clops over, sweeping his magnificent tail and neighing a mighty neigh, Kitty feels no bigger than a ball of lint.
Can this unlikely pair embrace who they are, and truly see one another? | |
Peace Train by Cat Stevens & Peter H. Reynolds Readers are invited to hop on the PEACE TRAIN and join its growing group of passengers who are all ready to unite the world in peace and harmony. Featuring the timeless lyrics of Cat Stevens’s legendary song and illustrations by New York Times bestselling artist Peter H. Reynolds, this hopeful picture book inspires tolerance and love for people of all cultures and identities. | |
The Bruce Swap by Ryan T. Higgins Bruce is a bear who struggles with fun. When Bruce says no to fun one too many times, Nibbs, Thistle, and Rupert secretly wish Bruce was more fun. And the geese secretly wish for sandwiches. The next morning, all their wishes come true. Bruce is cheerful. Bruce is adventurous. Bruce has pizzazz . . . and a basket of sandwiches. Except Bruce is not exactly Bruce. He’s Kevin, Bruce’s fun cousin. Nobody knows that Bruce has gone fishing. Nobody knows that Kevin is coming. Nobody even knows who Kevin is. But, everyone quickly learns one thing: Kevin LOVES fun. | |
I’m On It! by Andrea Tsunami & Mo Willems In the newest book from the Elephant & Piggie Like Reading! Series, Goat likes to lead. Goat also likes Frog to follow. When Goat jumps on it, Frog does, too. Soon Goat and Frog are on it, along it, above it, inside it, beside it, around it, and under it―phew! How can their friendship get through it? | |
Summer Camp Critter Jitters by Jory John & Liz Climo There's a duck afraid everyone will find out he can't swim, a bear afraid of noises in the woods, and a sloth who worries he'll have to catch his own lunch. But can they get over their nerves to have some fun and make new friends? * Publishes on June 1, 2021 | |
The New Kid Has Fleas by Ame Dyckman & Eda Kaban There's a new kid in class, and they're . . . different. They dress different. Talk different. Eat different. And the word on the playground is: they have fleas. But, one of their classmates wonders, what if we got to know the new kid? Visited their home (wolves' den)? Met their parents (wolves)? Shared a snack (squirrels)? Maybe then the new kid wouldn't be so bad after all. * Publishes on June 15, 2021 | |
Bloop by Tara Lazar & Mike Boldt Bloop is a little green alien. In his quest to become the next Emperor of Planet XYZ, Bloop makes too many bloopers. So he’s sent to Earth to conquer that crazy planet first. Who’s in charge there? One visit to the park and Bloop knows: dogs, of course! Bloop tries to master these maddening mutts and prove that he’s top dog. But once Bloop gets a taste of the good life on Earth, what will he do when he’s summoned back to XYZ? Readers will cheer as the little pug-like alien realizes the love of family makes Earth his real home. * Publishes on July 6, 2021 | |
Tiny Barbarian by Ame Dyckman & Ashley Spires When Tiny and his family walk by a retro movie theater poster, Tiny realizes he wants to be: “A BARBARIAN!” Just like ’80s fantasy movie character BOB THE BARBARIAN! Tiny doesn’t have Bob’s shining helmet, sturdy club, fuzzy cape, etc. But Tiny does have: A colander. A paper towel tube. That little rug that goes around the toilet. And a MIGHTY imagination! Tiny puts them all together, looks in the mirror, and… He is TINY BARBARIAN! With his Battle Kitty by his side, Tiny Barbarian defends his realm, protects his family, and defeats “A DRAGON!” “A TROLL!” And even, “GIANT BROCCOLI!” But at bedtime, our brave Tiny Barbarian meets his most challenging foe of all: “THE DARK!” Can Tiny conquer THIS?! * Publishes on July 13, 2021 | |
Vampenguin by Lucy Ruth Cummins On a Saturday morning, baby Dracula visits the zoo with his family, where baby Penguin lives with hers. But these intrepid young adventurers are not content with staying in their proper places. Instead, baby Dracula slips into the Penguin House to spend the day eating, swimming, and hanging around, while baby Penguin waddles into the stroller to explore the rest of the zoo. Dracula’s family doesn’t even notice the switch—will they bring the right baby home? * Publishes on July 20, 2021 | |
Cat Problems by Jory John & Lane Smith Just like most cats, this cat lives an extremely comfortable life. But he has his problems too! The sun spot he's trying to bathe in won't stop moving. He keeps getting served dry food instead of wet. And don't even get him started on the vacuum--it's an absolute menace!--and the nosy neighbor squirrel that just can't seem to mind its own business. Will this cat ever find the silver lining? * Publishes on August 3, 2021 |
CHAPTER BOOKS
Bunbun & Bonbon #2: Hoppy Go Lucky by Jess Keating A bad-luck day turns into an epic quest in the second book in this graphic novel series starring a chipper young bunny and a fancy talking candy. Will the plucky pair replenish their luck? Or will they stumble upon something even more magical? | |||
#1 A Frog and Dog Book: Frog Meets Dog by Janee Trasler Dog wants to play. Can Dog play with Frog, Frog, and Frog? The frogs hop... but Dog just FLOPS. Will the frogs ever play with Dog? Then a hungry bear comes along! Can Dog find a way to help the frogs? | |||
Fitz and Cleo by Jonathan Stutzman & Heather Fox Fitz and Cleo are siblings by chance, but best friends by choice. Oh, and they also happen to be ghosts! Join Cleo, a happy-go-lucky kind of gal, and Fitz, her science-minded brother, as they laugh their way through eleven gut-busting stories, including exploring the beach with a new friend, enjoying some ice cream, playing baseball, and gazing at the stars. | |||
Press Start #10: Super Rabbit Boy’s Team Up Trouble! by Thomas Flintham King Viking, his robot army, and Miss Business are working together to create a perfect storm of trouble in Underland. It's up to Super Rabbit Boy and Mega Mole Girl to team up and save the day. But these two heroes are used to flying solo... Will they be able to save the day? Or will their squabbles spell disaster for Underland? | |||
Unicorn Diaries #5: Bo and the Merbaby by Rebecca Elliott Unicorn Bo and friends set out to help merbaby Flo, who was born unable to swim on her own. On their journey to find legendary demigod, The Golden Fish, to help them help Flo, they meet a friendly werewolf and learn some cool new water tricks! At the end of the day, they learn that merbaby Flo is perfect just the way she is. * Publishes on August 3, 2021 | |||
Aven Green Sleuthing Machine by Dusti Bowling Third-grader Aven Green has been solving mysteries for a whole month—cracking such cases as The Mystery of the Cranky Mom. But can this perceptive detective solve two cases at the same time? First her teacher’s lunch bag disappears. Then Aven’s great-grandma’s dog goes missing. Fortunately, since Aven was born without arms, all the “arm” cells went to her super-powered brain instead. Well, that’s her theory! | |||
Hound Heroes #1: Beware the Claw! by Stephen Todd Goldman Meet the Hound Heroes: fearless Captain Chihuahua, the big-hearted Great, Great Dane, super-speedy Poodle Girl, cyborg pup Power Pug, and the lovable yet irritating Super Sheep Dog. Together they make up a crack team of earth's furriest heroes! In this first adventure, the Hound Heroes' origin story is revealed when a spaceship crashes in their backyard, giving them superpowers! But they aren't the only ones who benefit -- neighborhood alley cat The Claw also gains powers, and she only wants one thing: to destroy the Hound Heroes! | |||
DJ Funkyfoot: Butler for Hire! by Tom Angleberger & Heather Fox Meet DJ Funkyfoot! He’s not actually a DJ—he’s a chihuahua and a butler! Meet ShrubBaby! She’s an adorable baby shrub with a taste for thrills, fertilizer, and fame. Finding a butler gig is hard these days, so DJ Funkyfoot takes a job that’s ALMOST like being a butler . . . He becomes a nanny for ShrubBaby! A nanny might say no to this baby’s whims, but a good butler always says yes. So when adventure calls and ShrubBaby says, “Let’s go!”, DJ Funkyfoot says, “Very good, m’lady, I’ll fetch your stroller.” | |||
Magic Tree House Graphic Novel #1: Dinosaurs Before Dark by Jenny Laird The #1 bestselling chapter book is now a graphic novel! Magic. Mystery. Time-travel. Get whisked back in time in the magic tree house with Jack and Annie! Where did the tree house come from? Before Jack and Annie can find out, the mysterious tree house whisks them to the prehistoric past. Now they have to figure out how to get home. Can they do it before dark...or will they become a dinosaur's dinner? * Publishes on June 15, 2021 | |||
Dragon Kingdom of Wrenly #1: The Coldfire Curse by Jordan Quinn As the pampered pet dragon of the Prince of Wrenly, Ruskin has never known life beyond the walls of the palace. Until the day a young dragon from Crestwood comes to the palace to plead for help. An evil curse has been unleashed in Crestwood and threatens to destroy all of Wrenly. Ruskin has a choice to make: stay safe at home in the palace, or try to help save his kingdom. For Ruskin, there is no choice. He knows he has to try and help if he can. What Ruskin and his new dragon friends don’t yet realize is that the curse was awoken for one reason only—to put Ruskin in harm’s way. The mission to reverse the curse is far more dangerous than anyone realizes…in fact, it’s seemingly impossible. Why is Ruskin the target of these shadowy forces? And how far is Ruskin willing to go to save his kingdom? Also check out Book #2 and Book #3 . . . . | |||
Baby-Sitters Little Sister #4: Karen’s Kittycat Club by Ann Martin & Katy Farina Karen's best friend Hannie just got an adorable new kitten. Their neighbor Amanda has a cat, too, and Karen has grumpy old Boo-Boo. Now that they all have cats, Karen comes up with a great idea. She wants to start a Kittycat Club! What will the club do? Karen can't baby-sit like her big sister Kristy... but she can cat-sit! Will anyone want to hire Karen and her friends? * Publishes on July 6, 2021 | |||
Dog Man #10: Mothering Heights by Dav Pilkey Dog Man is down on his luck, Petey confronts his not so purr-fect past, and Grampa is up to no good. The world is spinning out of control as new villains spill into town. Everything seems dark and full of despair. But hope is not lost. Can the incredible power of love save the day? | |||
Investigators #3: Off the Hook by John Patrick Green The InvestiGators are the best crime-fighting duo in the world. But not even their hi-tech training programs can prepare them for the return of their greatest nemesis, Crackerdile, in a shocking new form! Even worse, he’s creating a team of super villains! Faced with the choice between saving themselves or catching the crooks, can Mango and Brash make sure the gator good prevails? | |||
Grumpy Unicorn #2: Saves the World by Joey Spiotto Grumpy Unicorn is back home after hitting the road in his first graphic novel. There's nothing that this Unicorn would love better than to just stay in, watch some TV, and veg out. But when his house is dirty, Grumpy decides to buy a cool self-cleaning robot... that due to a factory defect, is determined to conquer the world! It's up to Grumpy to save the day in this hilarious, action-packed, ridiculous adventure! * Publishes on July 6, 2021 |
DOODLE BOOKS
Give This Book a Title by Jarrett Lerner & You This collection of fun, open-ended writing and drawing prompts will challenge kids to think and create in new ways with every turn of a page. In the Finish This Comic section, young writers are inspired to write and illustrate a six-panel story. Following How to Draw instructions will encourage kids to find their own drawing styles. Every fun activity and silly prompt will keep young readers engaged and entertained! | |
Give This Book a Cover by Jarrett Lerner & You This collection of fun, open-ended writing and drawing prompts will kick-start creativity and challenge kids to be imaginative in new ways with every turn of a page. The Finish This Comic section features a variety of scenarios and characters to inspire kids to write and illustrate a six-panel story. How to Draw instructions encourage kids to find their own drawing styles. Drawing and writing prompts and a smorgasbord of other activities add to the fun perfect for home, road trips, school, and anywhere! |
Summer Reading Recommendations
for Grades 2nd & 3rd
PICTURE BOOKS
A New Day by Brad Meltzer & Dan Santat Sunday quit, just like that. She said she was tired of being a day. And so the other days of the week had no choice but to advertise: "WANTED: A NEW DAY. Must be relaxing, tranquil, and replenishing. Serious inquires only." Soon lots of hopefuls arrived with their suggestions, such as Funday, Bunday, Acrobaturday, SuperheroDay, and even MonstersWhoResembleJellyfishDay! Things quickly got out of hand . . . until one more candidate showed up: a little girl with a thank-you gift for Sunday. The girl suggested simply a nice day--a day to be kind. And her gratitude made a calendar's worth of difference to Sunday, who decided she didn't need to quit after all. | |
The Ramble Shamble Children by Christina Soontornvat & Lauren Castillo Merra, Locky, Roozle, Finn, and little Jory love their ramble shamble house. It's a lot of work taking care of the garden, the chickens, and themselves, but they all pitch in to make it easier--even Jory, who looks after the mud puddles. When they come across a picture of a "proper" house in a book, they start wondering if their own home is good enough. So they get to work "propering up" the garden, the chickens, and even the mud puddles. But the results aren't exactly what they expected, and when their now-proper household's youngest member goes missing, they realize that their ramble shamble home might be just right for their family, after all. | |
The Rock From the Sky by Jon Klassen Here comes The Rock from the Sky, a hilarious meditation on the workings of friendship, fate, shared futuristic visions, and that funny feeling you get that there’s something off somewhere, but you just can’t put your finger on it. Merging broad visual suspense with wry wit, celebrated picture book creator Jon Klassen gives us a wholly original comedy for the ages. | |
Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn by Shannon Hale & LeUyen Pham Kitty thinks she might be a unicorn. She feels so perfectly unicorn-y! “Neigh!” says Kitty.
But when Unicorn clop clop clops over, sweeping his magnificent tail and neighing a mighty neigh, Kitty feels no bigger than a ball of lint.
Can this unlikely pair embrace who they are, and truly see one another? | |
The Bruce Swap by Ryan T. Higgins Bruce is a bear who struggles with fun. When Bruce says no to fun one too many times, Nibbs, Thistle, and Rupert secretly wish Bruce was more fun. And the geese secretly wish for sandwiches. The next morning, all their wishes come true. Bruce is cheerful. Bruce is adventurous. Bruce has pizzazz . . . and a basket of sandwiches. Except Bruce is not exactly Bruce. He’s Kevin, Bruce’s fun cousin. Nobody knows that Bruce has gone fishing. Nobody knows that Kevin is coming. But, everyone quickly learns one thing: Kevin LOVES fun. | |
The New Kid Has Fleas by Ame Dyckman & Eda Kaban There's a new kid in class, and they're . . . different. They dress different. Talk different. Eat different. And the word on the playground is: they have fleas. But, one of their classmates wonders, what if we got to know the new kid? Visited their home (wolves' den)? Met their parents (wolves)? Shared a snack (squirrels)? Maybe then the new kid wouldn't be so bad after all. * Publishes on June 15, 2021 | |
Vampenguin by Lucy Ruth Cummins On a Saturday morning, baby Dracula visits the zoo with his family, where baby Penguin lives with hers. But these intrepid young adventurers are not content with staying in their proper places. Instead, baby Dracula slips into the Penguin House to spend the day eating, swimming, and hanging around, while baby Penguin waddles into the stroller to explore the rest of the zoo. Dracula’s family doesn’t even notice the switch—will they bring the right baby home? * Publishes on July 20, 2021 | |
Hardly Haunted by Jessie Sima House has a problem. She’s a little spooky. She’s a little cobwebby. Oh, no! What if she’s haunted? She’s not sure, but…her hinges creak. Her pipes bang. And on windy days, the branches scritch-scratch at her windows. She tries to hold her breath and be as still as possible. If she’s on her best behavior, maybe a family will move in. How will House ever find a family that doesn’t mind being haunted? * Publishes on July 20, 2021 |
FANTASY
Dragon Kingdom of Wrenly #1: The Coldfire Curse by Jordan Quinn As the pampered pet dragon of the Prince of Wrenly, Ruskin has never known life beyond the walls of the palace. Until the day a young dragon from Crestwood comes to the palace to plead for help. An evil curse has been unleashed in Crestwood and threatens to destroy all of Wrenly. Ruskin has a choice to make: stay safe at home in the palace, or try to help save his kingdom. For Ruskin, there is no choice. He knows he has to try and help if he can. What Ruskin and his new dragon friends don’t yet realize is that the curse was awoken for one reason only—to put Ruskin in harm’s way. The mission to reverse the curse is far more dangerous than anyone realizes…in fact, it’s seemingly impossible. Why is Ruskin the target of these shadowy forces? And how far is Ruskin willing to go to save his kingdom? Also check out Book #2 and Book #3 . . . . | |||
Whatever After #14: Good as Gold by Sarah Mlynowski Guess where we are this time? The magic mirror has sent me and my brother, Jonah (plus our puppy, Prince), into the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Fun! There's porridge to taste, chairs to sit on, and beds to nap in. But Goldilocks is in a LOT of trouble, and if we can't help her, we might get stuck here forever! Now we have to: 1) skateboard down a mountain 2) convince the bear family NOT to eat us 3) get one hundred gold coins 4) escape the royal jail and 5) find the one fairy tale character who can turn straw into gold. |
ANIMAL FICTION
Cooper’s Story by W. Bruce Cameron When Cooper ― a Malamute-Great Dane puppy ― is taken to an adoption fair, he finds the perfect forever home with a boy named Burke. Soon Cooper discovers his very important purpose: to help Burke by pulling his wheelchair, fetching things for him, and assisting him in and out of his chair. | |
Stella by McCall Hoyle Ever since she was a puppy, Stella was trained to use her powerful beagle nose to sniff out dangerous chemicals and help her handler keep people safe. But during a routine security inspection, Stella misses the scent of an explosive. The sound of the blast is loud and scary. Unable to go back to work because of her anxiety, Stella is retired as a working dog.
When a young girl named Cloe wants to adopt Stella, the beagle knows this is her last chance to prove her worth. But how? When Stella smells a strange chemical inside Cloe's body, a scent that surges just before the girl has a seizure, Stella's nose makes the connection. But how can Stella warn her new family without them thinking she's having an anxiety attack? How can she convince others that she can be a new kind of service dog and hopefully save Cloe's life? |
MYSTERY
Aven Green Sleuthing Machine by Dusti Bowling Third-grader Aven Green has been solving mysteries for a whole month—cracking such cases as The Mystery of the Cranky Mom. But can this perceptive detective solve two cases at the same time? First her teacher’s lunch bag disappears. Then Aven’s great-grandma’s dog goes missing. Fortunately, since Aven was born without arms, all the “arm” cells went to her super-powered brain instead. Well, that’s her theory! | |
Katie the Catsitter by Colleen Venable & Stephanie Yue Katie is dreading the boring summer ahead while her best friends are all away at camp--something that's way out of Katie and her mom's budget, UNLESS Katie can figure out a way to earn the money for camp herself. But when Katie gets a job catsitting for her mysterious upstairs neighbor, life get interesting. First, Madeline has 217 cats and they're not exactly . . . normal cats. Also, why is Madeline always out EXACTLY when the city's most notorious villain commits crimes?! Is it possible that Katie's upstairs neighbor is really a super villain? Can Katie wrangle a whole lot of wayward cats, save a best friendship, AND crack the biggest story in the city's history? Some heroes have capes . . . Katie has cats! | |
Investigators #3: Off the Hook by John Patrick Green The InvestiGators are the best crime-fighting duo in the world. But not even their hi-tech training programs can prepare them for the return of their greatest nemesis, Crackerdile, in a shocking new form! Even worse, he’s creating a team of super villains! Faced with the choice between saving themselves or catching the crooks, can Mango and Brash make sure the gator good prevails? |
SPOOKY STORIES
Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Kid #3: Spooky Stories by Jeff Kinney Grab a flashlight, crawl under the covers, and dive into the twisted, unexpectedly hilarious world of Rowley Jefferson’s imagination. You’ll meet zombies, vampires, ghosts, and much more in these comically terrifying tales. Rowley’s spooky stories might leave you laughing, but beware—you could end up sleeping with the lights on! |
SCIENCE FICTION
Hound Heroes #1: Beware the Claw! by Stephen Todd Goldman Meet the Hound Heroes: fearless Captain Chihuahua, the big-hearted Great, Great Dane, super-speedy Poodle Girl, cyborg pup Power Pug, and the lovable yet irritating Super Sheep Dog. Together they make up a crack team of earth's furriest heroes! In this first adventure, the Hound Heroes' origin story is revealed when a spaceship crashes in their backyard, giving them superpowers! But they aren't the only ones who benefit -- neighborhood alley cat The Claw also gains powers, and she only wants one thing: to destroy the Hound Heroes! | |
The Lion of Mars by Jennifer L. Holm Bell has spent his whole life - all eleven years of it - on Mars. But he's still just a regular kid - he loves cats, any kind of cake, and is curious about the secrets the adults in the US colony are keeping. Like, why don't have contact with anyone on the other Mars colonies? Why are they so isolated? When a virus breaks out and the grown-ups all fall ill, Bell and the other children are the only ones who can help. It's up to Bell - a regular kid in a very different world - to uncover the truth and save his family ... and possibly unite an entire planet. |
REALISTIC FICTION
Allergic by Megan Wagner Lloyd & Michelle Mee Nutter At home, Maggie is the odd one out. Her parents are preoccupied with the new baby they're expecting, and her younger brothers are twins and always in their own world. Maggie thinks a new puppy is the answer, but when she goes to select one on her birthday, she breaks out in hives and rashes. She's severely allergic to anything with fur! Can Maggie outsmart her allergies and find the perfect pet? | |
Billy Miller Makes a Wish by Kevin Henkes On his birthday, Billy Miller wishes for something exciting to happen. But he immediately regrets his wish when an ambulance rushes to his neighbor’s house. Is Billy responsible? Award-winning author Kevin Henkes delivers a short, funny, and emotionally complex novel complete with misplaced love letters, surprising critters, art projects, misguided tattoos—and another surprise for Billy and his family, maybe the best one yet! | |
The Baby-Sitters Club #9: Claudia and the New Girl by Ann M. Martin & Gabriela Epstein At home, Maggie is the odd one out. Her parents are preoccupied with the new baby they're expecting, and her younger brothers are twins and always in their own world. Maggie thinks a new puppy is the answer, but when she goes to select one on her birthday, she breaks out in hives and rashes. She's severely allergic to anything with fur! Can Maggie outsmart her allergies and find the perfect pet? | |
Baby-Sitters Little Sister #4: Karen’s Kittycat Club by Ann M. Martin & Katy Farina Karen's best friend Hannie just got an adorable new kitten. Their neighbor Amanda has a cat, too, and Karen has grumpy old Boo-Boo. Now that they all have cats, Karen comes up with a great idea. She wants to start a Kittycat Club! What will the club do? Karen can't baby-sit like her big sister Kristy... but she can cat-sit! Will anyone want to hire Karen and her friends? * Publishes on July 6, 2021 |
HUMOR
Dog Man #10: Mothering Heights by Dav Pilkey Dog Man is down on his luck, Petey confronts his not so purr-fect past, and Grampa is up to no good. The world is spinning out of control as new villains spill into town. Everything seems dark and full of despair. But hope is not lost. Can the incredible power of love save the day? | |
The 130-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths & Terry Denton Andy and Terry live in a 130-story treehouse. It has a soap bubble blaster, a time-wasting level, a 13-story igloo, the GRABINATOR (it can grab anything from anywhere at any time), a toilet paper factory, and an extraterrestrial observation centre for observing aliens. As it turns out, though, it’s Andy, Terry and Jill who are being observed―and then abducted―by a giant flying eyeball from outer space! At first they're excited to be going on an intergalactic space adventure, but when they arrive on Planet Eyeballia, they discover it's not at all a friendly place. Will the gang be able to escape and get back to Earth and write their book before time runs out? | |
Grumpy Unicorn #2: Saves the World by Joey Spiotto Grumpy Unicorn returns in this laugh-out-loud graphic novel! Grumpy Unicorn is back home after hitting the road in his first graphic novel. There's nothing that this Unicorn would love better than to just stay in, watch some TV, and veg out. But when his house is dirty, Grumpy decides to buy a cool self-cleaning robot... that due to a factory defect, is determined to conquer the world! It's up to Grumpy to save the day in this hilarious, action-packed, ridiculous adventure! * Publishes on July 6, 2021 |
DOODLE BOOK
Give This Book a Cover by Jarrett Lerner & You This collection of fun, open-ended writing and drawing prompts will kick-start creativity and challenge kids to be imaginative in new ways with every turn of a page. The ‘Finish This Comic’ section features a variety of scenarios and characters to inspire kids to write and illustrate a six-panel story. ‘How to Draw’ instructions encourage kids to find their own drawing styles. Drawing and writing prompts and a smorgasbord of other activities add to the fun perfect for home, road trips, school, and anywhere! |
Summer Reading Recommendations
for Grades 4th & 5th
ANIMAL FICTION
Cooper’s Story by W. Bruce Cameron When Cooper ― a Malamute-Great Dane puppy ― is taken to an adoption fair, he finds the perfect forever home with a boy named Burke. Soon Cooper discovers his very important purpose: to help Burke by pulling his wheelchair, fetching things for him, and assisting him in and out of his chair. | |
Stella by McCall Hoyle Ever since she was a puppy, Stella was trained to use her powerful beagle nose to sniff out dangerous chemicals and help her handler keep people safe. But during a routine security inspection, Stella misses the scent of an explosive. The sound of the blast is loud and scary. Unable to go back to work because of her anxiety, Stella is retired as a working dog.
When a young girl named Cloe wants to adopt Stella, the beagle knows this is her last chance to prove her worth. But how? When Stella smells a strange chemical inside Cloe's body, a scent that surges just before the girl has a seizure, Stella's nose makes the connection. But how can Stella warn her new family without them thinking she's having an anxiety attack? How can she convince others that she can be a new kind of service dog and hopefully save Cloe's life? |
SCIENCE FICTION
The Overthrow Series #3: Thrive by Kenneth Oppel The alien invasion of Earth is imminent. But maybe not all the aliens are united. A rebel faction has reached out to Anaya, saying there's a way to stop the larger invastion--a way for humans and hybrids and cryptogens to work together. Can they be trusted? Or is this a trap? It's not even clear if Anaya, Petra, and Seth are united--some of the hybrids think they'd be better off if the aliens won... With everything on the line, these three teens will have to decide who they are at their core--alien or human, enemy or friend. | |
The Lion of Mars by Jennifer L. Holm Bell has spent his whole life - all eleven years of it - on Mars. But he's still just a regular kid - he loves cats, any kind of cake, and is curious about the secrets the adults in the US colony are keeping. Like, why don't have contact with anyone on the other Mars colonies? Why are they so isolated? When a virus breaks out and the grown-ups all fall ill, Bell and the other children are the only ones who can help. It's up to Bell - a regular kid in a very different world - to uncover the truth and save his family ... and possibly unite an entire planet. |
FANTASY
Wings of Fire #14: The Dangerous Gift by Tui T. Sutherland Snowfall didn't expect to be queen of the IceWings at such a young age, but now that she is, she's going to be the best queen ever. All she has to do is keep her tribe within IceWing territory, where it's safe -- while keeping every other tribe out, where they belong. It's a perfect and simple plan, backed up by all the IceWing magic Snowfall can find. That is, until a storm of unidentified dragons arrives on her shore, looking for asylum. The foreigners are completely strange and, Snowfall is certain, utterly untrustworthy. But as she escorts the miserable new tribes out of her kingdom, Snowfall is forced to reconsider her plan. Maybe she can only keep her tribe safe . . . if she's willing to risk everything. | |
Forge Your Dragon World: A Wings of Fire Creative Guide by Tui T. Sutherland & Mike Holmes Do you love to draw or write? Do you have your very own dragon stories to tell? In this official Wings of Fire journal, you'll design awesome characters, imagine new adventures, and forge YOUR fantasy world! Spread your dragon wings and create your very own graphic story creation! |
HISTORICAL FICTION
Rescue by Jennifer A. Nielsen Six hundred and fifty-seven days ago, Meg Kenyon's father left their home in France to fight for the Allies in World War II, and that was the last time Meg saw him. Recently, she heard he was being held prisoner by the Nazis, a terrible sentence from which Meg fears he'll never return. All she has left of him are the codes he placed in a jar for her to decipher, an affectionate game the two of them shared. But the codes are running low, and soon there'll be nothing left of Papa for Meg to hold on to at all. Suddenly, an impossible chance to save her father falls into Meg's lap. After following a trail of blood in the snow, Meg finds an injured British spy hiding in her grandmother's barn. Captain Stewart tells her that a family of German refugees must be guided across Nazi-occupied France to neutral Spain, whereupon one of them has promised to free Meg's father. Captain Stewart was meant to take that family on their journey, but too injured to complete the task himself, he offers it to Meg, along with a final code from Papa to help complete the mission -- perhaps the most important, and most difficult, riddle she's received yet. As the Nazis flood Meg's village in fierce pursuit, she accepts the duty and begins the trek across France. Leading strangers through treacherous territory, Meg faces danger and uncertainty at every turn, all the while struggling to crack her father's code. The message, as she unravels it, reveals secrets costly enough to risk the mission and even her own life. Can Meg solve the puzzle, rescue the family, and save her father? | |
I Am Defiance by Jenni L. Walsh Brigitte tries not to ask questions. They don't seem very welcome at her League of German Girls meetings, where she and her friends learn about their duties to Hitler's war effort. But she can't help asking questions when a mysterious pamphlet appears in her mailbox: a pamphlet full of words like resistance and freedom, from a group that calls itself the White Rose. Brigitte's father and older sister, Angelika, seem to agree with the forbidden papers -- an opinion that is dangerous even to whisper at home. And when Angelika becomes involved with secret resistance efforts, Brigitte's questions only bloom. Could Angelika be connected to the White Rose? Is Brigitte's family in danger of being arrested? And if she chooses a side, will Brigitte be able to take a stand? |
HUMOR
Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Kid #3: Spooky Stories by Jeff Kinney Grab a flashlight, crawl under the covers, and dive into the twisted, unexpectedly hilarious world of Rowley Jefferson’s imagination. You’ll meet zombies, vampires, ghosts, and much more in these comically terrifying tales. Rowley’s spooky stories might leave you laughing, but beware—you could end up sleeping with the lights on!
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The 130-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths & Terry Denton Andy and Terry live in a 130-story treehouse. (It used to be a 117-story treehouse, but they added another 13 stories.) It has a soap bubble blaster, a time-wasting level, a 13-story igloo, the GRABINATOR (it can grab anything from anywhere at any time), a toilet paper factory, and an extraterrestrial observation centre for observing aliens. As it turns out, though, it’s Andy, Terry and Jill who are being observed―and then abducted―by a giant flying eyeball from outer space! At first they're excited to be going on an intergalactic space adventure, but when they arrive on Planet Eyeballia, they discover it's not at all a friendly place. Will the gang be able to escape and get back to Earth and write their book before time runs out? |
MYSTERY
FunJungle Series #7: Bear Bottom by Stuart Gibbs Teddy Fitzroy, his family, and some other FunJungle employees have been invited to visit a bison ranch just outside Yellowstone National Park that FunJungle’s owner, J.J. McCracken, is considering purchasing. But as usual, trouble isn’t far behind. The ranch’s endangered bison have been mysteriously disappearing. Then a massive local grizzly bear named Sasquatch breaks into the house, causing chaos. In the aftermath, Kandace McCracken discovers that her exceptionally expensive sapphire necklace has vanished. Was it stolen? Or did Sasquatch eat it? (And if so, can it be recovered?) And what’s been happening to the bison? With over a dozen suspects, it’s up to Teddy to detangle this hairy situation, before his family or friends—or any more expensive objects—become dinner. | |
Linked by Gordon Korman Link, Michael, and Dana live in a quiet town. But it's woken up very quickly when someone sneaks into school and vandalizes it with a swastika. Nobody can believe it. How could such a symbol of hate end up in the middle of their school? Who would do such a thing? Because Michael was the first person to see it, he's the first suspect. Because Link is one of the most popular guys in school, everyone's looking to him to figure it out. And because Dana's the only Jewish girl in the whole town, everyone's treating her more like an outsider than ever. The mystery deepens as more swastikas begin to appear. Some students decide to fight back and start a project to bring people together instead of dividing them further. The closer Link, Michael, and Dana get to the truth, the more there is to face-not just the crimes of the present, but the crimes of the past. * Publishes on July 20, 2021 |
SURVIVAL
Alone by Megan E. Freeman When twelve-year-old Maddie hatches a scheme for a secret sleepover with her two best friends, she ends up waking up to a nightmare. She’s alone—left behind in a town that has been mysteriously evacuated and abandoned. With no one to rely on, no power, and no working phone lines or internet access, Maddie slowly learns to survive on her own. Her only companions are a Rottweiler named George and all the books she can read. After a rough start, Maddie learns to trust her own ingenuity and invents clever ways to survive in a place that has been deserted and forgotten. As months pass, she escapes natural disasters, looters, and wild animals. But Maddie’s most formidable enemy is the crushing loneliness she faces every day. Can Maddie’s stubborn will to survive carry her through the most frightening experience of her life? | |
Wild River by Rodman Philbrick Daniel Redmayne is fast asleep on the first night of a white water rafting trip, when he's awoken by screams. The dam has failed. The river is surging, and their camp will be underwater in a matter of moments. As the shrieking roar of the river rushes closer, the kids scramble to higher ground. They make it; their counselors do not. Now they're on their own, with barely any food or supplies, in the middle of the Montana wilderness. Do Daniel and his four classmates have what it takes to stay alive until they can get rescued? Alone in the wild, they forge powerful bonds -- but develop dangerous disagreements. If nature doesn't break them, they might just destroy each other. |
GRAPHIC NOVELS
Dog Man #10: Mothering Heights by Dav Pilkey Dog Man is down on his luck, Petey confronts his not so purr-fect past, and Grampa is up to no good. The world is spinning out of control as new villains spill into town. Everything seems dark and full of despair. But hope is not lost. Can the incredible power of love save the day? | |
The Baby-Sitters Club #9: Claudia and the New Girl by Ann M. Martin & Gabriela Epstein At home, Maggie is the odd one out. Her parents are preoccupied with the new baby they're expecting, and her younger brothers are twins and always in their own world. Maggie thinks a new puppy is the answer, but when she goes to select one on her birthday, she breaks out in hives and rashes. She's severely allergic to anything with fur! Can Maggie outsmart her allergies and find the perfect pet? | |
Allergic by Megan Wagner Lloyd & Michelle Mee Nutter At home, Maggie is the odd one out. Her parents are preoccupied with the new baby they're expecting, and her younger brothers are twins and always in their own world. Maggie thinks a new puppy is the answer, but when she goes to select one on her birthday, she breaks out in hives and rashes. She's severely allergic to anything with fur! Can Maggie outsmart her allergies and find the perfect pet? | |
Big Nate #24: In Your Face by Lincoln Peirce When you're a sixth-grade dynamo like Nate Wright, life comes at you fast. Whether it's a soccer ball to the head or another teacher tirade, surprises lurk around every corner. In the latest Big Nate collection, Nate's friends issue the ultimate insult: they point out all the ways he resembles his arch-nemesis, Gina. Nate also scores a new job as an intern at Klassic Komix, and his master plan to carpet-bomb the school with Valentine's Day cards goes seriously sideways. And when Nate gets dragged into a cringe-worthy party for the dreaded Mrs. Godfrey, what could possibly go wrong? | |
Katie the Catsitter by Colleen Venable & Stephanie Yue Katie is dreading the boring summer ahead while her best friends are all away at camp--something that's way out of Katie and her mom's budget, UNLESS Katie can figure out a way to earn the money for camp herself. But when Katie gets a job catsitting for her mysterious upstairs neighbor, life get interesting. First, Madeline has 217 cats and they're not exactly . . . normal cats. Also, why is Madeline always out EXACTLY when the city's most notorious villain commits crimes?! Is it possible that Katie's upstairs neighbor is really a super villain? Can Katie wrangle a whole lot of wayward cats, save a best friendship, AND crack the biggest story in the city's history? Some heroes have capes . . . Katie has cats! | |
I Survived Graphic Novel #4: I Survived the Attacks of September 11, 2001 by Lauren Tarshis & Corey Egbert The only thing Lucas loves more than football is his Uncle Benny, his dad's best friend at the fire department where they both work. Benny taught Lucas everything about football. So when Lucas's parents decide the sport is too dangerous and he needs to quit, Lucas has to talk to his biggest fan.The next morning, Lucas takes the train to the city instead of the bus to school. It's a bright, beautiful day in New York. But just as Lucas arrives at his uncle's firehouse, everything changes -- and nothing will ever be the same again. * Publishes on August 3, 2021 | |
Click Graphic Novel #4: Clash by Kayla Miller There’s a new kid in town! From the moment Natasha sets foot in class, it’s clear she’s one of the coolest kids in sixth grade. Everyone wants to be her friend, including Olive . . . but things might not be so easy.
Olive tries her best to befriend Nat, but it seems like the only thing they have in common is that they both want to hang out with Olive’s friends! Watching as Natasha gets closer with some of her best buds, Olive can’t help but worry that they’re starting to like Nat more than they like her . . . and who could blame them? Nat is just that cool . . . and Olive is, well, just Olive. * Publishes on July 6, 2021 |
