Alice E. Grady Elementary School

Summer Reading List 2015 Grades 4, 5, and 6 Check out the last page to learn about our new eBook collection!!

Alice E. Grady Elementary School Summer Reading List 2015

Dear Families:

Attached you will find a summer reading list chock full of suggestions for great summer reads. Please note that the titles contained in this list are merely suggestions; there are so many great books out there to read, and so many different interests that it is impossible to include even a tiny fraction of all the possibilities in one list. I encourage you and your children to go to the public library or explore online to find just the right books for great summer reads. Don’t forget to help your child learn to use our new collection of eBooks! Instructions are included on the last page of this list.

If you live in the Village of Elmsford and do not have a public library card, you can get one from Elmsford’s home library, the Ardsley Public Library, which is located in Ardsley at 9 American Legion Drive. The telephone number is (914)693-6636, and the website address is www.ardsleylibrary.org. Once you have your public library card, you can use it at any of Westchester County’s 38 public libraries.

Both the Ardsley Public Library and the Greenburgh Public Library host exciting summer reading programs. There are events all summer long, and the participants win prizes just for reading what they like, and all for free – what a great deal!

Thank you so much for your help in keeping our students reading over the summer holidays. I can’t wait to see everyone in September, and to hear about all the great books they read in July and August!

With wishes for a wonderful summer,

Ms. Sparber Library media Specialist

REALISTIC FICTION

Alvarez, Julia. HOW TIA LOLA CAME TO VISIT STAY. When Tia Lola comes from the Dominican Republic to help out Miguel’s family, at first she is an embarrassment, but soon becomes a beloved addition to the family and the town.

Applegate, Katharine. THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN. When Ivan, a gorilla who has lived for years in a down-and-out circus-themed mall, meets Ruby, a baby elephant that has been added to the mall, he decides that he must find her a better life.

Cabot, Meg. ALLIE FINKLE’S RULES FOR GIRLS. Allie is 9 years old, and she has rules for everything. Everything seems to be under control until her family moves across town and she faces all new rules.

Cleary, Beverly. RAMONA’S WORLD. Read all about 4th grader Ramona and her baby sister.

Clements, Andrew. A WEEK IN THE WOODS. The fifth grade’s annual camping trip in the woods tests Mark’s survival skills and his ability to relate to a teacher who appears to be out to get him.

Clements, Andrew. NO TALKING. The noisy fifth grade boys of Laketon Elementary School challenge the equally loud fifth grade girls to a "no talking" contest.

Creech, Sharon. GRANNY TORRELLI MAKES SOUP. Twelve year old Rosie is furious at Bailey, her best buddy and neighbor, a boy who is better than a brother, until her grandmother comes over to make soup and pasta and tells her stories about her own childhood friends.

Danzinger, Paula. AMBER BROWN IS NOT A CRAYON. The year she is in third grade is a sad time for Amber, because her best friend Justin is getting ready to move.

Davies, Jacqueline. THE LEMONADE WAR. Evan and his younger sister, Jesse, are not happy about being in the same 4th grade class; they battle it out through lemonade stands and the race to make $100. Includes tips for running a successful lemonade stand. Don’t forget to read the rest of the series.

DiCamillo, Kate. BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE. Opal knows how it is to be friendless in a new town with no mother for comfort. Enter the solution: a mangy stray dog with a big smile.

Draper, Sharon. OUT OF MY MIND. 11 year old Melody is smart, but nobody knows it because she cannot speak. She finally discovers a device that helps her to find her voice.

Giff, Patricia Reilly. PICTURES OF HOLLIS WOODS. A troublesome orphan pursues her dream of finding a foster home where she truly belongs. Now living with an eccentric artist who she immediately bonds with, she remembers the only other time she was happy in a foster home, with a family who truly seemed to care about her.

Graff, Lisa. A TANGLE OF KNOTS. Interwoven stories about 11 year old Cady, who has a talent for baking, destiny, family, and secrets.

Hesse, Karen. MUSIC OF DOLPHINS. After rescuing an adolescent girl from the sea, researchers learn that dolphins have raised her. The researchers attempt to rehabilitate her to the human world.

Haiaasen, Carl. HOOT. Roy Eberhardt is the new kid at Trace Middle School in Coconut Grove, Florida. Mother Paula’s All-American Pancake House is scheduled to be built over a burrow of endangered miniature owls. Roy is determined to save the owls.

Horvath, Polly. EVERYTHING ON A WAFFLE. Eleven-year-old Primrose lives in a small fishing village in British Columbia and has lost her parents at sea. The story recounts her experiences and the unpredictability of life as she learns about human nature and copes with her loss through friendship and love.

Konigsburg, E.L. FROM THE MIXED UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E. FRANKWEILER. Claudia and her brother run away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. In the museum, Claudia falls in love with a statue and tries to unravel the mystery surrounding it.

Korman, Gordon. NO MORE DEAD DOGS. Wallace Wallace is an eigth grade football hero who finds himself in trouble at school. As punishment, he must attend play rehearsals where, in spite of himself, he is drawn into the production. Other books by Gordon Korman include SCHOOLED, FRAMED, JACKPOT, and HIDEOUT.

Lord, Cynthia. RULES. Catherine is a twelve-year-old girl with an autistic younger brother, who tries to make him understand the world through a series of rules. Through her relationship with Jason, a nonverbal boy in a wheelchair who uses cards to communicate, she realizes what it is like to be different, and is finally able to accept both her brother and her friend.

McDonald, Megan. JUDY MOODY GETS FAMOUS. When a third grade classmate gets her picture in the paper for winning a spelling bee, Judy is determined to find a way to become famous herself.

Martin, Ann M. A DOG’S LIFE: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A STRAY. Told from her own point of view, this is the story of Squirrel, a stray dog, tracing her life from birth to old age. It is a tale that will melt the hearts of dog lovers, young or old.

Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. SHILOH. When he finds a lost beagle in the hills behind his West Virginia home, Marty, tries to hide it from his family and the dog’s real owner, who has mistreated the dog.

O’Dell, Scott. ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS. The story of young Karana, who survives by herself for eighteen years on a deserted island off the California coast.

Paulsen, Gary. HATCHET. When the pilot of a small, two-person plane has a heart attack and dies, 13 year old Brian has to crash land in the forest of a Canadian wilderness. He has little time to realize how alone he is, because he is so busy just trying to survive. (Series) If you like the Hatchet series, try the DIVE and EVEREST series.

Palacio, R.J WONDER. August Pullman was born with a facial deformity. This story is about Auggie’s struggle to be accepted as any other 5th grade student, and the community’s efforts to treat him with empathy and compassion.

Pastis, Stephen. TIMMY FAILURE: MISTAKES ARE MADE. Total Failure, Inc. is a detective agency run by 11 year old Timmy and his partner, Total, a 1500 pound polar bear.

Patterson, James. I FUNNY. Jamie Grimm tries to win the Planet’s Funniest Kid Comic Contest, but has to deal with a lot of other stuff on the way.

Robinson, Barbara. THE BEST SCHOOL YEAR EVER. This book contains the adventures of the six Herdman kids, who don’t bend the rules, but break them in a series of hilarious incidents.

Sacher, Louis. HOLES. After being wrongly accused of stealing sneakers, Stanley Yelnats IV is sent to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention home where the boys are required to dig holes in the hot sun, and Stanley finds out why.

Selznick, Brian. WONDERSTRUCK. The tale of two children who each set out on a quest to find people who are important to them. Ben’s story is told in words, Rose’s in pictures. By the same author as THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET.

Soup, Cuthbert. A WHOLE NOTHER STORY. The Cheeseman children, their father and their psychic dog are on the run from the CIA, criminals and business people who want to steal their time travel machine, resulting in a crazy chase. Fans of Lemony Snickett should read this.

Spinelli, Jerry. JAKE AND LILY. When twins Jake and Lily turn eleven, Jake begins to spend time with a group of neighborhood boys. Lily is devastated as she struggles to make friends, and Jake is faced with a bully. This is a story of growing up, growing apart, and the difficult process of figuring out who you really are. Also, try STARGIRL.

Winkler, Henry and Lin Oliver. THE HANK ZIPZER SERIES. The protagonist of this series, which is up to 15 humorous novels, is an under-achieving and misunderstood fourth grader who wants to do the right thing, but often misses the mark and gets himself into hilarious situations. The first book in the series is NIAGARA FALLS, OR DOES IT? If you like these books, you may also want to try JOEY PIGZA SWALLOWS THE KEY, by Jack Gantos.

Wolitzer, Meg. THE FINGERTIPS OF DUNCAN DORFMAN. Three middle school students don’t have much in common, but they all have their reasons for wanting to win the Scrabble Tournament. Who will be the winner?

Woodson, Jacqueline. BROWN GIRL DREAMING. Woodson’s memoir in verse about what it was like growing up in the 1960’s during the Civil Rights movement.

FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

Banks, Lynn Reid. THE INDIAN IN THE CUPBOARD. Action figures are brought to life with one turn of the key, while another turns them back into toys.

Bacon, Lee. JOSHUA DREAD. Even though Joshua’s parents are evil supervillains, when they are kidnapped he must use his own powers to save them.

Baker, E.D. THE FROG PRINCESS. A twist on the classic fairy tale, this story follows the adventures of Princess Emeralda and the talking prince-turned-frog that she kisses one day in the swamp.

Babbitt, Natalie. TUCK EVERLASTING. The Tuck family has eternal life Can they keep the secret of the magic spring water safe from outsiders?

Collins, Suzanne. GREGOR THE OVERLANDER. The first in a series in which 11-year old Gregor and his little sister fall down the laundry chute into an underground world of rats, giant insects, and a beautiful princess. They find themselves in battles and adventures while on a quest foretold by an ancient prophecy. If you liked GREGOR, try THE SPINDLERS, by Lauren Oliver.

Dahl, Roald. CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY. The fantastic tale of a child’s dream come true. Charlie’s golden ticket gives him the chance to won a candy factory.

DiCamillo, Kate. THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX. A small mouse with huge ears falls in love with a princess, and is banished by the Mouse Council to the dungeon, where he is delivered wearing the red thread of death, to be finished off by the rats.

DiCamillo, Kate. THE MIRACULOUS JOURNEY OF EDWARD TULANE. Edward is a china rabbit who falls off of a cruise ship and has many adventures as he tries to get back to his rightful owner, Abilene.

DiCamillo, Kate. FLORA AND ULYSSES. Flora saves Ulysses, a superhero squirrel, and together they protect the weak and conquer villains.

D’Lacey, Chris. LAST DRAGON CHRONCLES. In this series, college student David discovers a collection of clay dragons that come to life and have magical powers. He and his friends set out to save the dragons and unlock the fire within.

DuPrau, Jeanne. CITY OF EMBER. The lamps that light Ember, an underground city built 200 years ago to save the human race, are starting to go out. Linda and her friend Doon must decipher an ancient message before the lights go out on Ember forever.

Ferris, Jean. ONCE UPON A MARIGOLD. Cristian, raised in the forest by a troll named Edric, decides its time to see the world and find the princess that he loves. Part adventure story, and part modern-day fairy tale, this story is one to read!

Funke, Cornelia. THE INKHEART TRILOGY. The engrossing fantasy adventure where a young girl and her father have the ability to read the characters out of books to form stories within the story. A group of evil characters make for very exciting reading.

George, Jessica Day. TUESDAYS AT THE CASTLE. Castle Glower has a special power, on Tuesdays it rearranges itself to help those it loves and stop the bad guys. After her father is kidnapped and the castle is ambushed by enemies, can Princess Celia and the Castle save the Day?

Gidwitz, Adam. A TALE DARK AND GRIMM. The first in a trilogy where Grimm’s fairy tale characters walk out of their own stories and have new creepy and funny adventures. This one stars Hansel and Gretel.

Hale, Shannon. THE STORYBOOK OF LEGENDS. The first book in the Ever After High series, about an enchanting boarding school where the children of fairytale legends prepare to fulfill their destinies.

Kessler, Liz. THE TAIL OF EMILY WINDSNAP. During a swimming lesson, seventh-grader Emily discovers a terrible and wonderful secret – she is half mermaid! Share her adventures.

Levine, Gail Carson. ELLA ENCHANTED. The classic Cinderella story is a springboard for this humorous story about a young girl with a curse that forces her to obey every command.

Lewis, C.S. THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE. Four English school children find their way through the back of a wardrobe into the magic land of Narnia and assist Asian, the golden lion, to triumph over the White Witch, who has cursed the land with eternal winter.

Martin, Ann M. THE DOLL PEOPLE. A family of porcelain dolls that has lived in the same house for one hundred years is taken aback when a new family of plastic dolls arrives and doesn’t follow the Doll Code of Honor.

Mercer, Sienna. MY SISTER THE VAMPIRE: SWITCHED. Olivia moves to a new town, only to discover that she has a twin, Ivy, who is a vampire, and not the only one in town.

Mull, Brandon. SPIRIT ANIMALS: WILD BORN. Four children find out that they are protected by their spirit animals; they must defend their world, but which side of the fight will they be on?

Ibbotson, Eva. ISLAND OF THE AUNTS. The Aunts, Myrtle, Etta and Coral are getting older, and it’s not easy taking care of their island of needy, and sometimes magical inhabitants; they kidnap two children to help them.

Norton, Mary. THE BORROWERS. Miniature people who live in an old country house by borrowing things from the humans are forced to emigrate from their home under the clock. Riordan, Rick. THE LIGHTNING THIEF. The first book of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, Percy and his friends must find and return Zeus’ stolen property in order to bring peace to Mount Olympus.

Rowling, J.K. HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE. Rescued from the outrageous neglect of his aunt and uncle, a young boy with a great destiny proves his worth while attending Hogwarts School for Wizards and Witches.

Scieszka, Jon. SUMMER READING IS KILLING ME. Joe, Sam, and Fred are trapped inside their summer reading list.

Schlitz, Lauren Amy. SPLENDORS AND GLOOMS. In this 2013 Newbery medal winner, Clara vanishes after the puppeteer Grisini and two orphaned assistants were at her twelfth birthday party. Soon the two orphans are caught in a trap set by Grisini's ancient rival, a witch with a deadly inheritance.

STARS WARS BOOKS. Various titles and authors. A long time ago in galaxy far, far away…. Follow the adventures of Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and others.

DIARIES, JOURNALS AND LETTERS

DEAR AMERICA SERIES. By various authors. Written in diary format, this historical fiction series allows readers to experience the daily lives of girls during our nation’s history.

Filipovic, Zlata. ZLATA’S DIARY: A CHILD’S LIFE IN SARAJEVO. Zlata’s personal narrative concerning her life before and after the war in Bosnia provides insight and questions about life, death, and the loss of childhood. Kinney, Jeff. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID. Novels in cartoon that follow the problems of Greg Heffley, alternating between home and school.

Klise, Kate. REGARDING THE FOUNTAIN, REGARDING THE BATHROOMS, REGARDING THE TREES, and LETTERS FROM CAMP. A variety of stories told through letters, memos, newspaper articles, journal entries, legal documents and shopping receipts. Mystery, friendship, environmental awareness, humor and adventure.

Klise, Kate. DYING TO MEET YOU. When writer I.B.Grumpy moves into the Victorian mansion at 43 Cemetary Road, he doesn’t bargain for his strange and ghostly housemates.

Martin, Ann M. and Paula Danziger. P.S. LONGER LETTER LATER and SNAIL MAIL NO MORE. Twelve year old best friends Elizabeth and Tara*Starr are crushed when one moves out of state. Their family stories as well as their own growing and changing relationship is told at first through their frequent letters and later, in emails.

MY NAME IS AMERICA SERIES. By various authors. Written in journal format, this historical fiction series allow readers to experience the daily lives of boys during our nation’s history.

Sonneborn, Scott. THE FRANKENSTEIN JOURNALS: FEET FIRST. When J.D. discovers that his dad was Frankenstein’s monster, he sets out to find his long lost relatives, descendants of people whose body parts were used to make his dad.

HISTORICAL FICTION

Avi. THE TRUE CONFESSIONS OF CHARLOTTE DOYLE. Prim and proper Charlotte must make the long, transatlantic from England to Rhode Island by herself on a ship with a mutinous crew and a scary captain, who puts her through many hardships, including accusing her of murder.

Choldenko, Jennifer. AL CAPONE DOES MY SHIRTS. Moose Flanagan and his family move to Alcatraz Island, where Moose’s father works as an electrician in the famous prison. Moose befriends Piper, the warden’s daughter, who has a knack for getting him in trouble, but also teaches him some valuable life lessons. Also, AL CAPONE SHINES MY SHOES, and AL CAPONE DOES MY HOMEWORK.

Curtis, Christopher Paul. BUD, NOT BUDDY. After escaping from an evil foster family, Bud, a 10-year old orphan during the Great Depression, sets off across Michigan to find his father, and has lots of adventures along the way.

Giff, Patricia Reilly. LILY’S CROSSING. During the summer spent at the beach in 1944, Lily’s friendship with Albert, a young Hungarian refugee, causes her to see the war and her own world differently.

Giff, Patricia Reilly. NORY RYAN’S SONG. When a terrible blight attacks Ireland’s potato crop in 1845, twelve year old Nory Ryan’s courage and ingenuity help her family and neighbors survive.

Kelly, Jacqueline. THE EVOLUTION OF CALPURNIA TATE. Callie Tate is an 11 year old girl growing up in Texas in 1899. How can she learn to be a “lady” with six brothers and an avid interest in the natural world around her?

MacLachlan, Patricia. SARAH PLAIN AND TALL. A widowed father of three in Kansas advertises for a wife. Sarah, a woman from Maine, responds to the ad. Park, Linda Sue. WHEN MY NAME WAS KEOKO. A brother and sister tell their story of what their lives were like in the 1940’s during the Japanese occupation of Korea. Each reacts differently, but both resist the enemy. A SINGLE SHARD (U), also by Linda Sue Park, is the story of Tree Ear, a 13-year old orphan in medieval Korea. Paulsen, Gary. TUCKET’S GOLD. Francis Tucket and his two young friends brave the worst— outlaws, rattlesnakes, and thunderstorms—to reach the Oregon Trail to be reunited with family.

Philbrick, Rodman. MOSTLY TRUE ADVENTURES OF HOMER P. PHIGG. When mean Uncle Squinton sells off Homer’s brother to the Union Army during the Civil War, Homer takes off to find him and rescue him, having many “misadventures” along the way, but survives with courage, some luck, and his ability to tell “tall tales”.

Ryan, Pam Munoz. ESPERANZA RISING. After fleeing from Mexico, pampered thirteen year old Esperanza and her mother end up in a 1930’s California migrant camp. Esperanza’s response to this fall from privilege transforms her from a spoiled child into a strong adolescent.

Tarshis, Lauren. I SURVIVED … series. Read about histories most exciting and terrifying events through the eyes of children who survived them. Books include the sinking of the Titanic, the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, and many more.

SPORTS

Christopher, Matt. THE WINNING STROKE. Twelve year old Kristy joins the school swim team and triumphs after swimming headfirst into the pool wall during her first race. Look for other sports books by this author.

Cohen, Barbara. THANK YOU, JACKIE ROBINSON. An all consuming love for the Brooklyn Dodgers and Jackie Robinson unites a boy with an old man in the 1940’s.

Feinstein, John. LAST SHOT. After winning a basketball reporting contest, eighth graders Stevie and Susan Carol are sent to cover the Final Four tournament where they discover that a talented player is being blackmailed into throwing the final game.

Gutman, Dan. BABE AND ME. In this baseball card series, 13 year-old Josh Shostak travels back in time where he meets sports stars of the past, and experiences both history and adventure.

Hurwitz, Johanna. BASEBALL FEVER. Ezra searches for a way to make his father understand his obsession with baseball.

Lupica, Mike.UNDERDOGS. Small but fast twelve-year-old Will Tyler, an avid football player in the down-and-out town of Forbes, Pennsylvania, takes matters into his own hands to try and finance the city's football team, giving the whole community hope in the process.

Ritter, John H. THE BOY WHO SAVED BASEBALL. A modern baseball story about the fate of the town of Dilliontown, which will be based on the outcome of a baseball game between the locals and a well-equipped summer camp team.

Tocher, Timothy. LONG SHOT. When 11 year old Laurie learns that her dad has accepted a job in another town, she is disappointed and angry. She will have to leave her best friend and star position on the school basketball team Will she make the basketball team in her new school?

MYSTERY

Balliet, Blue. CHASING VERMEER. Petra and Calder, two sixth graders, meet during a museum field trip and end up working together to solve the mystery of a missing Vermeer painting.

Bellairs, John. THE HOUSE WITH THE CLOCK IN ITS WALLS. The first of a chilling mystery series for those who want a scary book.

Clements, Andrew. WE THE CHILDREN. (The first in the new series, Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School, Ben and his friend Jill discover the secret history of their school. They must stop a developer from turning it into an amusement park.

DiTerlizzi, Tony. THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES, BOOK 1; THE FIELD GUIDE. In the first book of the series, 9 year old Jared and his twin Simon, and their 13 year old sister, Mallory, having just moved with their mother to Great-aunt Lucinda’s creepy old house, find a mysterious poem and an old book, a field guide to real faeries, that may help explain all the malicious mischief that has been going on in the house.

Dixson, Franklin W. THE HARDY BOYS MYSTERIES. Join Frank and Joe Hardy, the dynamic brother detectives as they solve action packed and suspenseful mysteries. Also include Carolyn Keene’s detective series, NANCY DREW.

Howe, James. BUNNICULA. The pet rabbit sucks juice from vegetables, but only Harold, the dog and Chester, the cat, know about it.

Selznick, Brian. THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET. The orphan Hugo lives in walls behind the clock in the busy Paris train station. He has a secret, and his survival depends on keeping it. Don’t be discouraged by the length of this book, it is half pictures and totally absorbing text. A must-read if you haven’t already. WONDERSTRUCK is another winner by Selznick told in words and pictures.

Simon. Seymour. EINSTEIN ANDERSON LIGHTS UP THE SKY. The science sleuth solves ten puzzles related to the solar system, the stars, the weather, and the elements.

Stewart, Trenton Lee. THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY. After passing a series of mind-bending tests, four genius children are selected for a secret mission that requires them to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules.

Various authors. 39 CLUES. Amy Cahill and her brother Dan travel the world collecting clues to solve the secrets of their family history. Each book in the series is written by a different author.

JUST FOR FUN

Barnett, Mac. THE TERRIBLE TWO. When Miles moves to a new town, he finds that his usual role of prankster extraordinaire is already taken by Niles. When they can’t beat each other, they join forces to take the town together.

Bean, Raymond. BUILDING WEALTH (AND SUPERPOWERED ROCKETS!). Benji Franklin is a kid zillionaire inventor. His great problem solving skills are put to the test when the President calls on him to stop a deadly meteorite headed for the earth.

Creech, Sharon. LOVE THAT DOG and HATE THAT CAT. Jack knows one thing that he hates, and that is poetry. He learns to express himself in a whole different way and tells the reader some wonderful stories on the way.

French, Vivian. THE FIVE KINGDOMS: THE ROBE OF SKULLS. A wacky fairy tale with witches, talking bats, princes and princesses, zombies and more, all journeying through enchanted woods until their fortunes collide to create a zany story.

Gorman, Carol. DORK IN DISGUISE and DORK ON THE RUN. In his new school can Jerry Flack shed his dork image and become one of the “cool” kids? Does he even want to?

Pascoe, Elaine. FOOLED YOU! FAKES AND HOAXES THROUGH THE YEARS. Included descriptions of 11 popular pranks and frauds from the 19th and 20th century. For those interested in Bigfoot, here is the story!

Sacher, Louis. SIDEWAYS STORIES FROM WAYSIDE SCHOOL. In a strange school that was built one room wide and 30 stories high, very strange things happen, especially on the 13th floor!

Sciezska, Jon. SPACEHEADZ. Michael K begins 5th grade in a new school where his friends turn out to be aliens who have come to earth to convince kids to become Space Heads.

Sciezska, Jon (editor). GUYS READ: THRILLER. A collection of short stories involving mystery, intrigue, horror, and suspense.

Spinelli, Jerry. SCHOOL DAZE SERIES: REPORT TO THE PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE, WHO RAN MY UNDERWEAR UP THE FLAGPOLE, PICKLEMANIA. Series where four oddball friends in a new school are trying to fit in and find their places.

THE “OLOGY” BOOKS – hard to describe; many different topics; most 4th-6th graders know what they are!

NON-FICTION

Aronson, Marc. IF STONES COULD SPEAK: UNLOCKING THE SERIES OF STONEHENGE. A fascinating look into the mysteries and secrets of the ancient circle of stones.

Doeden, Matt. CRAZY CARS. Learn about all types of one-of-a-kind moving masterpieces, including cars that can fly, float or drive on three wheels.

Janeczko, Paul. TOP SECRET: A HANDBOOK OF CODES, CIPHERS, AND SECRET WRITING. If you want to know the difference between a code and a cipher, and if you want to do some secret writing this summer, this is the field guide for you. It offers some very interesting stories from history, too.

Kehret, Peg. SHELTER DOGS: AMAZING STORIES OF ADOPTED STRAYS. Eight short stories for animal lovers about abandoned dogs and their adoptions, and how they went on to become service dogs, actors and heroes. Lammers, Jeff and Ken Blackburn. THE WORLD RECORD PAPER AIRPLANE BOOK. Learn about why paper airplanes fly and why they crash, learn how to make the best models for the most fun flights and competitions. What better time than summer to fly with your friends?

Markle, Sandra. THE CASE OF THE VANISHING HONEYBEES: A SCIENTIFIC MYSTERY. Worker bees are disappearing and nobody know why. This book explores Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) and how it affects other animals, humans, and the environment.

Marrin, Albert. OH, RATS! THE STORY OF RATS AND PEOPLE. Did you know that, in addition to being annoying and disgusting, rats are incredibly intelligent? Find out everything you ever wanted to know (maybe more) about rats!

McMullan, Kate. MYTH-O-MANIA series. Humorous modern versions of the most famous Greek myths.

St. George, Judith. SO YOU WANT TO BE AN INVENTOR? A funny look at history, focusing on inventors and their inventions. Includes fascinating facts about the origins of famous inventions. Great illustrations.

YOU CHOOSE: SURVIVAL. Readers use their wits and knowledge in these nonfiction adventures, learning about survival skills in various settings and making choices that will lead to either survival or doom.

YOU WOULDN’T WANT TO . . . Series based on the fact that history was pretty awful sometimes, thus awesome to read about, each book takes a small piece of history and explores the gruesome and often humorous details, from Ninja warriors, to Egyptian mummies, to the Salem Witch Trials, and much more.

MORE

Biographies are great to read. At the library, look up your favorite person in history or a cool celebrity to find a book about his or her life.

Graphic novels are wonderful for readers who like the visual presentation of the comic book style. Stories in all genres come in graphic format, both fiction and non-fiction, and are enjoyed by all levels of reader. Your public library will have whole sections of graphic novels for you to browse.

Websites where you can download and read an eBook:

www.westchesterlibraries.org; if you have a public library card, choose Listen and Read, then Overdrive, set up an account and take advantage of the great eBook collection.

We Give Books www.wegivebooks.org

Other great internet resources:

Scholastic Summer Challenge http://www.scholastic.com/summer/

Guys Read – www.guysread.com BEST NEWS EVER! THE GRADY LIBRARY NOW HAS A GREAT COLLECTION OF EBOOKS THAT YOU CAN READ 24/7 FROM ANY DEVICE WITH INTERNET ACCESS. HERE’S HOW YOU DO IT:

Go to the Grady homepage at www.eufsd.org/grady; then click on the link for the Grady library. If you are anywhere other than at school, use the external link for the library online catalog, which brings you to the catalog’s homepage. Choose Alice E. Grady Elementary School, and you will be on the catalog search page. On the left of the page, you will see an icon for Follett Shelf. If you click on that, you will see all of our available eBooks! When you click on a book, you will be asked to log in. Please use your school network username (first initial, last name) and your network password (the one you use to log in to the Chromebooks) to access the eBook collection. Once you are logged in, you can check out books, put books on hold, bookmark pages, and take notes. When you are reading, you can click anywhere on the page and you will see the icons for bookmarks, your notebook, and to close the book. The first time that you click on close, you will be asked if you want to check the book out. You don’t have to finish reading the book in one session. The next time you log in, the book will open to the page where you left off.

The books with a green infinity sign can be checked out by multiple users at the same time; if there is no infinity sign, only one person at a time can check the book out. Once you check out a book, it will automatically be returned in 21 days. If you finish the book before its due date, you can go in to your bookbag (on the task bar at the top of the Follett Shelf Homepage) and click on the blue arrow below the picture of the book. A message box will pop up asking if you are sure you want to return it early. If you haven’t finished the book when it is returned, you can check it out again and the book will open to where you left off.

These directions sound complicated, but once you have done it once or twice, it’s really easy and fun! Remember you can check out an eBook from our library 24/7 from anyplace in the world, as long as you have internet access. Try it!

By the way, when you go to the library home page, you can also read eBooks on TrueFlix and FreedomFlix just by clicking on the links.

So have a great summer, and remember – get cozy under a shady tree and READ, READ, READ!!!