The Keystone State Literacy Association has proclaimed April as Families and Reading Month

ksla.wildapricot.org Providing Leadership in Literacy and Education for the Commonwealth "Children develop a love of stories and poems when they read or are read to on a regular basis. These experiences enrich and expand their world and encourage imagination."

Debbie Urso Keystone State Literacy Association Families and Reading Chair A special message to our families

March 2021

Dear Families, Let’s read! Children develop a love of stories and poems when they read or are read to on a regular basis. These experiences enrich and expand their world and encourage imagination. At the same time, you will be building family memories to last a lifetime.

With this in mind, the Keystone State Literacy Association (KSLA) – which is committed to developing a love of reading in all children across Pennsylvania, – is proclaiming the month of April as Families and Reading Month. Throughout the month, families all across the state will be sharing the joys of reading at home. We hope you will join in the fun by reading with your child each day in April.

Throughout Families and Reading Month, we encourage families to engage in reading or reading activities for 15 minutes each day during the month of April. Attached you will find a calendar of ideas and activities to promote reading. The activities are suggestions that can also be incorporated into a reading schedule throughout the year.

As a thank-you for your support and encouragement, we ask, at the end of April, that you sign the attached calendar and return it to your child’s teacher. In return, you and your child will receive a Certificate of Achievement. We hope you will take time to create some special memories during April. Now, let’s read! Sincerely,

Debbie Urso KSLA Families and Reading Committee Chair

Providing Leadership in Literacy and Education for the Commonwealth A special message to our families

Marzo 2021

Queridas Familias, !Vamos a leer! Los niños desarrollan un amor a los cuentos y poemas cuando leen o les leen regularmente. Estas experiencias enriquecen y amplía su mundo y fomentar la imaginación. Al mismo tiempo, se le construyen recuerdos familiares que durarán toda la vida.

Con esto en mente, La Asociación Estatal de Lectura Keystone de Pensilvania (KSLA)- que se compromete a desarrollar un amor por la lectura en los niños a través de Pensilvania - proclama el mes de abril como el Mes de las Familias y la Lectura. Durante todo el mes, las familias en todo el estado va a compartir las alegrías de la lectura en casa. Esperamos que se unan a la diversión de la lectura con su hijo(a) todos los días en abril.

Por medio de las familias y Mes de Lectura, animamos a las familias a participar en la lectura o las actividades de lectura por 15 minutos cada día durante el mes de abril. Adjunto encontrará un calendario de ideas y actividades para promover la lectura. Las actividades son sugerencias de que también se pueden incorporarse en un horario de lectura durante todo el año.

Como agradecimiento por su apoyo y ánimo, nos le pedimos que a finales de abril firme el calendario adjunto y devolverlo al profesor(a) de su hijo(a). A cambio, usted y su hijo(a) recibirán un Certificado de Aprovechamiento. . Nosotros espermaos que usted crea memorias especiales durante el mes de abril. ¡Ahora vamos a leer! Sinceramente,

Debbie Urso KSLA Families and Reading Committee Chair Reading Aloud to your Children

Reading aloud is a gift you can give to your children from the day they are born until the time they leave the nest. Children’s reading experts agree that reading aloud offers the easiest and most effective way to help children become lifelong readers. It will be as much fun for you as it is for your children. A child whose day includes listening to lively stories is more likely to grow up loving books and wanting to read them. To spark this desire in your children, you may want to try some of these suggestions offered by Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), a national nonprofit organization that inspires youngsters to read. • Set aside a special time each day to read aloud to your children. Fifteen minutes a day is an ideal time. • Vary your selections. For very young children, look for picture books with illustrations or photographs and print that is simple and clear. Once your child enters elementary school, consider picture books, magazines, and even chapter books. • Read slowly and with expression. The more you ham it up, the more your children will love it. Try substituting your child’s name for a character in the story. • Have your children sit where they can see the book clearly, especially if it is a picture book or magazine. • Allow time for your children to settle into the story, as well as time afterwards to talk about it. • As you read aloud, encourage your children to get in on the act. Invite them to describe pictures, read bits of text, or predict what will happen next. It is even fun to dramatize the roles in the story or read lines of dialogue. • Children like a sense of completion, so finish what you begin. If the book is too lengthy to finish in one sitting find an appropriate stopping point, such as the end of a chapter, and visit it later in the day or the next day. • Continue to read aloud to your children even after they begin school and are independent readers. There is no age limit to reading to your children. • Older children may enjoy reading aloud to a younger sibling. They often like to revisit some of their old favorites.

Fun Fact: A child whose day includes listening to lively stories is more likely to grow up loving books and wanting to read them.

Providing Leadership in Literacy and Education for the Commonwealth Leyendo en Voz Alta a sus Niños

Leer en voz alta es un regalo que le puede dar a sus hijos desde el día que nacen hasta que dejan el nido. Los expertos en la lectura de los niños están de acuerdo que leer en voz alta ofrece la manera más fácil y efectiva de ayudar a los niños a convertirse en lectores de por vida. Será tan divertido para usted, así como para sus niños. Un niño cuyo día incluye escuchar historias animadas es más probable que crezca amando los libros y queriendo leerlos. Para despertar este deseo en sus hijos, es posible que desee probar algunas de estas sugerencias que ofrece Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) (Leer Es Fundamental), una organización sin fines de lucro que inspira a los jóvenes a leer. • Reserve un tiempo especial cada día para leer en voz alta a sus hijos. Quince minutos al día es un tiempo ideal. • Varíe sus selecciones. Para los niños muy pequeños, busque libros con ilustraciones o fotografías, y que la letra sea simple y clara. Una vez que su niño ingrese a la escuela elemental, considere libros con dibujos, revistas, y hasta libros de capítulos. • Lea lentamente y con expresión. Mientras más lo exagere, más les gustará a sus niños. Trate de sustituir el nombre de su hijo por el de un personaje de la historia. • Haga que sus niños se sienten en un lugar donde puedan ver el libro claramente, especialmente si es un libro con dibujos o revistas. • Dele tiempo a sus niños para que se adapten a la historia, así como tiempo después de la historia para hablar de ella. • Mientras lee en voz alta, anime a sus niños a participar. Invítelos a describir las imágenes, leer fragmentos del texto, o predecir lo que pasará después. Es hasta divertido dramatizar los roles en la historia o leer líneas del diálogo. • A los niños les gusta un sentido de finalización, entonces termine lo que empezó. Si el libro es demasiado largo para terminarlo en una sola vez, busque un punto apropiado para parar, así como el final de un capítulo, y visítelo más tarde en el día, o al día siguiente. • Continúe leyendo en voz alta a sus niños incluso hasta después de empezar la escuela y sean lectores independientes. No hay límite de edad para leer a sus niños. • Los niños mayores pueden disfrutar de leer en voz alta a su hermano menor. A menudo les gusta revisar sus libros viejos favoritos.

DatoReading curioso: Aloud es más to probable your Children que un niño cuyo día incluya escuchar historias animadas crezca amando los libros y queriendo leerlos. Tips for Selecting & Using Literature With Children

With so many books to choose from, how do you select the right ones for your child? How do you know if your child is enjoying or understanding what you’re reading together? May you find these suggestions useful as you discover the wonderful world of books with your family! • Select books that appeal to your child’s interest. • Take your child to the local public library. If he/she doesn’t already have a library card, get him/her one. Browse the bookshelves and borrow some new titles that you can read together. • Talk to your child about what you are reading together. • Ask questions about what is happening and why. • Encourage him to ask questions to clarify what is happening or wonder about something that isn’t clear. • Ask questions that begin with why or how to promote deep thinking. • Use the Internet to research answers to unanswered questions or to extend learning about a certain topic from a book. • Help your child summarize a story using these questions: • Who or what is the story about? • When or where does the story take place? • What happens first? • What happens next? • How does the story end? • What lesson did the character learn? • Read books aloud to your child on a regular basis. No matter your child’s age, reading aloud to him/her is a great bonding experience. • Use the five-finger rule to help your child select books appropriate for his/her independent reading level. Encourage your child to choose a book that looks interesting, open it to any page, and read. Each time your child comes to an unknown word, a finger is raised. Five unknown words on a page indicate that the book is too difficult for independent reading. Save the book for him/her to read at a later time or read it to your child. • Provide opportunities for shared reading. In a shared reading, you take turns reading aloud with your child. This could be taking turns reading a page or a paragraph. • Invite your child to read a favorite book to a younger sibling, friend, or even a family pet. • Record your child reading a favorite book or part of a book. Email the video to a relative or friend. • Invite your child to draw a picture illustrating a favorite scene or character from a book. Encourage your child to write a descriptive paragraph about the scene or character. Ask your child to read it to you. • Encourage your child to create an advertisement for a favorite book or create a skit about it. •

Providing Leadership in Literacy and Education for the Commonwealth Consejos para Seleccionar y Usar Literatura con Niños

Con tantos libros que se puede elegir, ¿cómo seleccionas los adecuados para tu niño? ¿Cómo sabes si tu niño está disfrutando o entendiendo lo que están leyendo juntos? ¡Ojalá encuentre útiles estas sugerencias a medida que descubre el maravilloso mundo de los libros con su familia! • Seleccione libros que atraigan el interés de su niño. • Lleve a su niño a la biblioteca pública local. Si él o ella no tiene todavía una tarjeta de la biblioteca, consíganle una. Busque en las estanterías y pida prestados algunos títulos nuevos que puedan leer juntos. • Hable con su niño acerca de lo que están leyendo juntos. • Haga preguntas acerca de lo que está pasando y por qué. • Motívelo a que haga preguntas para clarificar lo que está pasando o cuestione algo que no está claro. • Haga preguntas que empiecen con por qué o cómo para promover el pensamiento profundo. • Utilice el internet para buscar respuestas a preguntas sin respuesta o para ampliar el aprendizaje acerca de un tema determinado de un libro. • Ayude a su niño a resumir la historia utilizando las siguientes preguntas: • ¿De quién o de qué se trata la historia? • ¿Cuándo o dónde se desarrolla la historia ? • ¿Qué pasa primero? • ¿Qué pasa después? • ¿Cómo termina la historia? • ¿Qué lección aprendió el personaje? • Lea libros en voz alta regularmente. No importa la edad de su niño, leer libros en voz alta es una gran experiencia de unión. • Utilice la regla de los cinco-dedos para ayudar a su niño a seleccionar libros para su nivel de lectura independiente. Motive a su niño a elegir un libro que se vea interesante, ábralo en cualquier página y léalo. Cada vez que su niño se encuentre con una palabra desconocida, se levanta un dedo. Cinco palabras desconocidas en una página indica que el libro es muy difícil para la lectura independiente. Guarde el libro para que él o ella lo lea después, o para que usted se lo lea. • Brinde oportunidades para la lectura compartida. En la lectura compartida, se turnan con su niño para leer en voz alta. Esto podría ser turnarse leyendo una página o un párrafo. • Invite a su niño a leer su libro favorito a un hermano menor, amigo, o incluso a la mascota de la familia. • Grave a su niño leyendo su libro favorito o parte de un libro. Mande por correo el video a un familiar o amigo. • Invite a su niño a dibujar ilustrando su escena o personaje favorito de un libro. • Anime a su niño a escribir un párrafo describiendo la escena o personaje. Pídale a su niño que se lo lea a usted. • Anime a su niño a crear un anuncio o una parodia de su libro favorito. 9 Families and Reading Month Primary Grades April 2021 *Ensure your child completes the suggested activity or reads for 15 minutes each day. Initial the box for that day. If you skip a day, read for 30 minutes the following day and initial 2 days. At the end of the month, sign this calendar and return it to your child's teacher. Activities listed are not required for the Certificate of Achievement. SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 Child's Name & Grade Family Member Signature Visit a library. Get a Watch a nature Go outside and write card for your child. program on TV. Talk words with your child Check out some about what you see. using sidewalk chalk books. on the blacktop or a stick in the mud.

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Cut a comic strip Page through a family Cut words out of the Have your child Read a new book or Start reading a story Have a treasure hunt. apart. Have your child photo album and talk newspaper. Glue practice his address an old favorite to and stop before the Leave picture or word put it together in the about the memories them on paper to and important phone your child. end. Ask your child to clues to follow to right order. the photos have make a new numbers. predict the ending. reach the treasure. captured. sentence.

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Help your child create Have your child Take a walk. Close Help your child plant Have your child write Start telling a familiar Sing favorite songs or a map of your home. describe a family your eyes and listen flower or vegetable a note or an email to story. Have your child compose a new one member or friend. for the sounds of seeds. Make a graph a friend or relative. write a new ending. together. Guess who it is. spring. Make a list of to chart their growth. the sounds.

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Help your child write Have your child plan a Have fun reading and Read a story. Make Read a poem. Let Go on a letter, Go on a walk with and illustrate a story fun family activity. writing with your puppets out of small your child guess what number, or color hunt your child and play about a favorite child. paper bags or socks the next rhyming with your child. Follow the Leader. animal. and act out the story. word will be.

25 26 27 28 29 30 Say a word to your Choose a new recipe. Play a board game Find a cozy place to When driving with Read directions for a child and ask him for Read it together and after reading the read a favorite story. your child, turn off project. Work a word that rhymes have fun making it. directions together. Have your child retell the music and talk together to create the or create tongue the story. about the day's project. twisters together. events.

Prepared by the Families and Reading Committee of the Keystone State Literacy Association

Providing Leadership in Literacy and Education for the Commonwealth MES DE FAMILIAS Y LECTURA Grados Primarios Abril 2021 * Asegúrese de que su hijo termine la actividad sugerida o lee durante 15 minutos cada día. Inicial de la caja para ese día. Si se olvida de un día, leer durante 30 minutos al día siguiente y sus iniciales en ambos cuadros. Al final del mes, el calendario firma y regresr a la maestra de su hijo. Actividades enumeradas no son necesarios para el Certificado de Logro. domingo lunes martes miércoles jueves viernes sabado 1 2 3 Nombre del Estudiante & Grado Nombre del Padre Visitar una biblioteca. Ver un programa de Salga afuera a escribir Obtener una tarjeta la naturaleza en la palabras con su hijo o para su hijo. Echale televisión. Hablar de hija usando tiza sobre un vistazo a unos lo que ves. el asfalto o con un libros. palo en el barro.

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Cortan una tira Página a través de un Corte palabras del Haga que su hijo Leer un nuevo libro o Empezar a leer un Tengan una caza de cómica. Haga que su álbum de fotos periódico. Pegarlos en practique su dirección un favorito a su hijo cuento y pare antes tesoro. Dejar imagen hijo o hija lo coloquen familiar y hablar de papel para hacer una y números de o hija. del final. Pídale a su o palabra pistas a en el orden correcto. los recuerdos las nueva frase. teléfono importantes. hijo o hija para seguir para alcanzar fotos han capturado. predecir el final. el tesoro.

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Ayude a su hijo a Pida a su hijo o hija Dar un paseo. Cierra Ayude a su hijo o hija Pregunte a su hijo o Empezar a contar una Cantar canciones crear un mapa de su que describa a un los ojos y escuche los a plantar una flor o hija de escribir una historia familiar. Haga favoritas o componer casa. familiar o amigo. sonidos de la semillas de hortalizas. nota o correo que su hijo escriba un juntos una nueva. Adivina quién es. primavera. Haga una Hacer una gráfica electrónico a un nuevo final. lista de los sonidos. para trazar su amigo o pariente. crecimiento.

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Ayude a su hijo Haga que su hijo o Trate de diviértirse Leer un cuento. Hacer Leya un poema. Deje Ir en una caza de Vay a un paseo con su escribir e ilustrar una hija plane una leyendo y escribiendo títeres de bolsas de que su hijo o hija letras números o hijo o hija y juegen de historia sobre un actividad divertida con su hijo o hija. papel pequeñas o adivine cuál será la colores con su hijo o seguir al líder. animal favorito. para la familia. medias y actuar fuera próxima palabra rima. hija. de la historia.

25 26 27 28 29 30 Decirle a su hijo o hija Elija una nueva Jugar un juego de Encontrar un lugar Cuando esten Lea las instrucciones de pedir una palabra receta. Léanlo juntos mesa después de leer acogedor para leer un manejando un carro y su para un proyecto. que rima o crea y divertirse las indicaciones cuento favorito. Haga hijo o hija este con Trabajar juntos para usted, apagar la música y trabalenguas juntos. haciéndolo. juntos. que su niño contar la crear el proyecto. hablar de los historia. acontecimientos del día.

Preparado por las Familias y el Comité de Lectura de la Asociación de Keystone State Literacy Families and Reading Month Intermediate Grades April 2021 *Ensure your child completes the suggested activity or reads for 20 minutes each day. Initial the box for that day. If you skip a day, read for 40 minutes the next day and initial both boxes. At the end of the month, sign the calendar and return it to your child's teacher. Activities listed are not required for the Certificate of Achievement. SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 Child's Name & Grade Parent's Name Visit the library. Play a word game Have your child write Explore a new topic such as Scrabble, a letter or email to a to learn about and Password, or Boggle friend or relative. Be read together. with your child. sure to mail it!

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Visit a historical Read several books by Explore a new Give your child Ask your child to list Look at an atlas Write a message to landmark in your the same author. magazine with your written directions to things that a person together to find all your child. Encourage area. Write about the Discuss similarities child. find a hidden object. can do now that the places your family your child to write experience. and differences. couldn't be done 100 has visited. back. years ago.

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Have a scavenger Create a poster or Have your child make Complete a Cut off the last frame Have your child use a Help your child create hunt. poem about spring a list of ways to save crossword puzzle or of a cartoon strip. Ask map to plan an a collage that with your child. electricity in the Sudoku with your your child what will imaginary trip. Find represents what home. child. happen next. the shortest route. he/she likes to do.

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Help your child start a Help your child write Write tongue twisters Have fun reading and Play 20 questions Watch a science Begin to keep a collection of captions for family together. writing with your with your child. Pick program together on journal. Encourage something natural photos. child. an object and see if TV. Discuss what was your child to write in like leaves or flowers. he can guess your learned and it everyday. Find a book about object asking only yes interesting. them. or no questions. 25 26 27 28 29 30 Let your child plan a Have your child tell Find a cozy place to Look at the weather Ask your child to Read directions for a meal. Look for sales how two holidays are read a book together. map. Compare your notice ten details project with your and coupons and go alike and different. Have your child retell weather with other about his/her route child. Create the grocery shopping a chapter or two. regions. to school. project together. together.

Prepared by the Families and Reading Committee of the Keystone State Literacy Association

Providing Leadership in Literacy and Education for the Commonwealth MES DE FAMILIAS Y LECTURA Grados Intermedios Abril 2021 * Asegúrese de que su hijo termine la actividad sugerida o lee durante 20 minutos cada día. Inicial de la caja para ese día. Si se olvida de un día, leer durante 40 minutos al día siguiente y sus iniciales en ambos cuadros. Al final del mes, el calendario firma y regresr a la maestra de su hijo. Actividades enumeradas no son necesarios para el Certificado de Logro. domingo lunes martes miércoles jueves viernes sabado 1 2 3 Nombre del Estudiante & Grado Nombre del Padre Visite la biblioteca. Juegue un juego de Haga que Explora un nuevo palabras como su niño(a) escriba una tema para conocer y Scrabble, Password, o nota a un amigo o leer juntos. Boggle con su niño. miembro de la familia. ¡Esté seguro de enviarlo!

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Visite un lugar Lean varios libros por Explora una nueva Déle a su niño(a) Pida que su niño(a) Mire un atlas para Escribir un mensaje a histórico en su área. el mismo autor. revista con su hijo. direcciones escritas liste las cosas que una encontrar juntos su hijo. Anime a su Escribe acerca de la Hablen de las donde encontrar un persona puede hacer todos los lugares que hijo a escribir de experiencia. similares y las objeto escondido. ahora que no se su familia ha visitado. nuevo. diferencias. podría hacer hace 100 años.

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Tener una búsqueda Crear un cartel o un Haga que a su niño(a) Completar un Corte el último marco Deje que a su niño(a) Ayude a su niño(a) del tesoro. poema sobre la liste maneras de crucigrama o Sudoku de un dibujo cómico. utilice un mapa para crea un dibujo que primavera con su hijo. economizar con su hijo. Pídale a su niño(a) planear un viaje representa lo que a electricidad en el que le diga lo que va imaginario. Busquen él/ella le gusta hacer. hogar. pasar. la ruta más corta.

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Ayúdele a Ayude a su niño(a) Escribe trabalenguas Diviértete lectura y Juega 20 preguntas Ver un programa de Comience a mantener su niño(a) empezar escribir títulos para juntos. la escritura con su con su hijo. Elige un ciencia en televisión un diario. Motive a su una colección de algo fotos de la familia. hijo . objeto y ver si juntos. Discuta lo niño(a) a escribir en el natural como hojas o puede adivinar el aprendido e diario. flores. Busquen un objeto que pide sólo interesante. libro acerca de ellos. preguntas "sí o no." 25 26 27 28 29 30 Deje que su niño Pídale a su niño(a) Encuentren Miren el mapa de Pídale a su hijo a Lea las direcciones planee una comida. que le diga cómo dos un lugar cómodo y clima en el periódico. notar diez detalles de para un proyecto con Busque las ofertas y días festivos son lean unos libros Compare su clima con su / su camino a la su niño(a). Crean los cupones e ir de iguales y diferentes. juntos. Deje que a su otras regiones. escuela. proyectos juntos. compras juntos. niño(a) le cuente de nuevo un capítulo o dos.

Preparado por las Familias y el Comité de Lectura de la Asociación de Keystone State Literacy Special thanks

Many people have contributed to the Families & Reading resources. Their book recommendations and suggestions for improvement of the materials were invaluable.

• Susan Berrier, Chambersburg Area School District • Katie Miller, Chambersburg Area School District • Kelly Cote, Chambersburg, PA • Sara Moser, Chambersburg Area School District • April Ledeber, Chambersburg Area School District • Stacy Musick, Chambersburg Area School District • Marybeth Maloskey, Chambersburg Area School • Tracy Panzer, Cumberland Valley School District District • Concetta Velasquez, Marana Unified School • Craig McFeely, Chambersburg Area School District District, AZ • Caitlyn McGee, Chambersburg Area School District • Terri Vetock, Shippensburg Area School District • Bethann McCain, Pennsylvania State University • Linda Werley, Chambersburg Area School District

Also, thank you to all of the families who submitted photographs of themselves reading together. The response was overwhelming! It makes my heart smile to see so many adults inspiring life-long readers. Happy reading! Debbie Urso, KSLA Families and Reading Committee Chair

Providing Leadership in Literacy and Education for the Commonwealth Preschool reading list

The Families and Reading resources are created to give families suggestions of new books, magazines, and apps to share. The information presented in these books and magazines represents the thoughts and opinions of the authors and does not necessarily represent the viewpoints of the Keystone State Literacy Association.

For more resources, visit your local library or one of the following sites: • Power Library (www.powerlibrary.org) A PA library collaboration of shared materials and resources. Click on the links at the top of the homepage to view recommendations or to visit Power Kids. • Unite for Literacy (http://www.uniteforliteracy.com) Access a free digital library. • Visit Scholastic (www.scholastic.com/parents) and Amazon (www. amazon.com) for more book options. Preschool Reading List

Classics: exploration of animal outerwear. It also • Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown includes supplemental information about • The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise each of the animals. Brown • Who Eats Orange? by Dianne White - An exploration of colors and animals’ favorite • The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle foods. It includes familiar, as well as exotic • Corduroy by Don Freeman animals from around the world, with lots of • Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett additional information. Johnson • Thank You, Bees by Toni Yuly - Nature’s • Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You gifts are celebrated in this simply stated See? by Bill Martin book. • Guess How Much I Love You by Sam Newer Picture Books: McBratney • Rumble Grumble…Hush by Kate Banks - • Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey This rhyming book follows a child through • The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney the sounds of his day. • Just Because by Mac Barnett - It’s time for • Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice bed, but this little one is full of questions. Sendak • The Big Umbrella by Amy and Juniper • The Napping House by Audrey Wood Bates - A simple book with a powerful message – there is room for everyone in Newer Concept and Informational Books: our world. • A Number Slumber by Suzanne Bloom - • Hedgehog Needs a Hug by Jen Betton Countdown to bedtime as each group of - Hedgehog needs a hug to make him animals prepares for bed. feel better, but none of his animal friends • Let’s Go ABC! Things That Go, from A to Z are eager to wrap their arms around his by Rhonda Gowler Greene - Zoom through prickles. the alphabet with different vehicles. • I Just Like You by Suzanne Bloom - A sweet group of young animals shows • Who Am I? An Animal Guessing Game by readers that even though others might look, Steve Jenkins and Robin Page - Use clues talk, or walk differently, we can like each to guess which animal will be revealed on other just as we are. the next page. • The Little Guys by Vera Brosgol - Even • Whose Footprint Is That? by Darrin Lunde though they are small, the Little Guys work - In this book, seven pairs of animal tracks together to accomplish their goals. are paired with information about the • Camp Tiger by Susan Choi - Every animals' locomotion, asking kids to guess year, a boy and his family go camping. which animal left which tracks behind. Usually, they see things like an eagle, a • Trains Run! by George Ella Lyon and Benn salamander, and chipmunks but this year, Lyon - This rhyming story explores many there’s a tiger. aspects of trains including how they are • Love by Matt de la Peña - Celebrate love powered, the sounds they make, and the from a newborn’s eyes all the way through people who ride and work on them. childhood and beyond. • One Dark Bird by Liz Garton Scanlon - One • Pippa & Percival, Pancake & Poppy: Four dark bird is perched up high with a view of Peppy Puppies by Deborah Diesen - Four the town. Count along as she’s joined by puppies meet and have a great time two, then three, then four. together until they get frightened and race • Fantastic Flowers by Susan Stockdale - back to their homes. Stop and smell the roses with rhythm and • Good Dog by Cori Doerrfeld - Puppy lands rhyme while learning about different types himself into all sorts of trouble. He gets of flowers and what they resemble. lost. He’s nearly run over. He gets chased • Feathers and Hair: What Animals Wear by out of a bakery for being a “bad dog.” How Jennifer Ward - This book is a delightful can he redeem himself?

Providing Leadership in Literacy and Education for the Commonwealth Preschool Reading List

• Bulldozer Helps Out by Candace Fleming - takes it to the park just like he would if it Bulldozer wants to help at the construction were a real puppy. site but the other trucks think he is too • Truman by Jean Reidy - Truman the turtle small. Finally, he gets the chance to prove loves spending his days with Sarah. Then how rough and tough he is. one day Sarah puts on her backpack and • If I Was the Sunshine by Julie Fogliano - leaves. Truman waits and waits, wondering Snuggle up to enjoy a poetic book about if Sarah will return. the nature of relationships, love, and • Mighty, Mighty Construction Site by Sherri connection. Duskey Rinker - The construction vehicles • How Do You Dance? by Thyra Heder - team up for their biggest job yet. Jiggle, wiggle, stomp, and laugh your way • Stretchy McHandsome by Judy Schachner through reading this book. - As Stretchy prowls the neighborhood, • Hello, Door by Alastair Heim - A thieving fox he discovers a young girl who convinces makes his way through an empty house, him that he’s missing something--a loving greeting the goodies he snatches along the person’s lap. way. Then he comes face-to-face with the • Good Night, Little Blue Truck by Alice homeowners. Schertle - A storm is brewing and Little Blue • Puddle by Richard Jackson - A puddle Truck and his friends need to get home to sits despairingly as she is trampled on by bed. humans and animals alike until something • Hibernate with Me by Benjamin Scheuer miraculous happens that makes her feel - Big Bear and Small Bear share a story worthwhile. of love and caring through the seasons. • Can I Keep It? by Lisa Jobe - A young boy Based on a song, the book offers a gentle is searching for the perfect pet. When he reminder that when feeling sad or scared asks to keep them, his mom says no. The there is always love. boy starts to wonder if there is an animal • A Perfect Day by Lane Smith - It is a that is right for him. perfect day for the animals in Bert’s • The Good Egg by Jory John - The Good backyard until Bear steps in. Then, it Egg is very good, but sometimes it’s hard becomes his perfect day. to be good when everyone around you is • Tiny T. Rex and the Impossible Hug by rotten. Jonathan Stutzman - Tiny T. Rex’s friend • I Say Ooh, You Say Aah by John Kane - Pointy needs a hug, but with his short Listen carefully, pay attention, and follow stature and teeny T. Rex arms, Tiny has to the directions. work hard to find a way to help. • A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin • The Neighbors by Einat Tsarfati - As a - Little Star loves the delicious mooncake young girl climbs the steps to her seventh that she bakes with her mama, and she floor apartment, she imagines what her learns about phases of the moon, too. neighbors and their apartments are like. • The Little Red Fort by Brenda Maier - One Her imagination runs wild. day, Ruby decides to build a fort. She • Dreaming of You by Amy Ludwig invites her brothers to help, but they just VanDerwater - Have you ever imagined laugh and tell her she doesn't know how what animals dream? to build. Ruby builds her fort, but will she • The Pigeon HAS to Go to School! by Mo allow her brothers to play in it? Willems - Pigeon already knows everything, • Saturday by Oge Mora - A little girl and her so why must he go to school? mom look forward to spending Saturday together, but everything is going wrong. Is Magazines: the day completely ruined? • Big Backyard • Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’o - Sulwe just • Chickadee wants to look like everyone else until she • CLICK discovers to love the skin she’s in. • Highlights for Children • Puppy Truck by Brian Pinkney - Carter • Humpty Dumpty wants a puppy, but he gets a truck instead. • Ladybug: The Magazine for Young Children So he pets it, puts a leash around it, and • National Geographic Little Kids Preschool Reading List

• Sesame Street Magazine • Thomas & Friends • Turtle Magazine for Preschool Kids • Zootles

Educational Apps: • ABC Mouse - leveled learning of letters, numbers, colors, songs, and stories • ABC Ninja - slash through given letters • Curious World (iOS) - features games, books, and videos for reading, math, and science • Duck Duck Moose Reading (iOS)- teaches letters, sounds, and words • Endless Alphabet - teaches letters, letter sounds, and vocabulary • Endless Reader - teaches sight words (like a sequel to Endless Alphabet) • iStoryTime (iOS) - narrated children’s storybooks • LumiKids Park by Lumocity - cognitive games • Phonics Island (iOS) - levels of letter and phonics games • Read Me Stories - introduces a new book everyday • Reading Raven HD (iOS) - teaches letters and sounds • Sky Fish Phonics - teaches letter/sound correspondence, blending sounds, and phoneme substitution • Starfall - teaches sounds, letters, words, and sentences with interactive games • Teach Your Monster to Read - match letters to sounds, blend, segment, and read

Providing Leadership in Literacy and Education for the Commonwealth Grades K-1 reading list

The Families and Reading resources are created to give families suggestions of new books, magazines, and apps to share. The information presented in these books and magazines represents the thoughts and opinions of the authors and does not necessarily represent the viewpoints of the Keystone State Literacy Association.

For more resources, visit your local library or one of the following sites: • Power Library (www.powerlibrary.org) - A PA library collaboration of shared materials and resources. Click on the links at the top of the homepage to view recommendations or to visit Power Kids. • Unite for Literacy (http://www.uniteforliteracy.com) - Access a free digital library. • Visit Scholastic (www.scholastic.com/parents) and Amazon (www.amazon.com) for more book options. Grades K-1 Reading List

Classics: Octopus Found His Way Home by Sy • The Mitten by Jan Brett Montgomery - Inky achieved worldwide • Are You My Mother? by Phillip D. Eastman fame after escaping from New Zealand’s • Make Way for Ducklings by Robert National Aquarium via a floor drain. McCloskey • If You Were the Moon by Laura Purdie • The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh by Salas - Learn about all the things the A. A. Milne moon does through lyrical text with lots of • Love You Forever by Robert Munsch explanatory information provided. • The Little Engine That Could by Watty • Kitten Lady’s Big Book of Little Kittens by Piper Hannah Shaw - Learn how the Kitten Lady • The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter from Youtube and Instagram helps orphan • Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice kittens grow up, get adopted, and become Sendak healthy, happy cats. • The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss • Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers: • The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein Celebrating Animal Underdogs by Melissa • The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg Stewart - Some animal characteristics Newer Informational Books: might seem like weaknesses, but they are • Birds of Every Color by Sneed B. Collard critical for finding food and staying safe in III - For birds, colors serve important an eat-or-be-eaten world. purposes. They send messages, attract • Skulls! by Blair Thornburgh - This story mates, answer questions, and much more. dispels any fears kids might have about • The Curious Guide to Things that Aren’t their skeletons, flipping our view of skulls by John and James Fixx - Read and solve from a spooky symbol to a fascinating and riddles--one for each letter of the alphabet. crucial part of our bodies. • Terrific Tongues! by Maria Gianferrari - Some animals use their tongues in Newer Fiction Books: unusual ways to find food, eat, and clean • Sofia Valdez, Future Prez by Andrea themselves. Beaty - Sofia’s abuelo gets hurt at the local • The One and Only Wolfgang: From Pet landfill, and Sofia wants to transform the Rescue to One Big Happy Family by Steve dangerous landfill into a park. She’s told Greig and Mary Rand Hess - A real-life she’s too young, but she is determined to family of dogs, chickens, rabbits, and a pig make a difference. share favorite foods, cuddles, and love for • Lion and Mouse by Jairo Buitrago - In this each other no matter what. updated fable, the mouse marches into the • The Wonders of Nature by Ben Hoare - lion’s den without an invitation. Before the lion can eat him for breakfast, the mouse Discover the wonders of planet Earth and begs for mercy. learn about some of the most amazing • Camp Tiger by Susan Choi - Every animals, plants, rocks, minerals, and year, a boy and his family go camping. microscopic life that live here. Usually, they see things like an eagle, a • Who Am I? An Animal Guessing Game by salamander, and chipmunks but this year, Steve Jenkins and Robin Page - Use clues there’s a tiger. to guess which animal will be revealed on • The Hippo at the End of the Hall by Helen the next page. More facts are shared about Cooper - When Ben receives a mysterious each of the animals, as well. invitation to an odd museum, he’s swept • This Is How We Do It: One Day in the Lives into a peculiar world of forgotten secrets of Seven Kids from around the World by and wild magic. Matt Lamothe - Follow one day in the real • Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings lives of seven kids from around the world— - Arfy, a homeless dog, writes letters to Italy, Japan, Iran, India, Peru, Uganda, and members of his community, hoping to be Russia. adopted. • Inky’s Amazing Escape: How a Very Smart • Badger’s Perfect Garden by Marsha Diane

Providing Leadership in Literacy and Education for the Commonwealth Grades K-1 Reading List

- Arnold Badger and his friends plant rows • Be a Maker by Katey Howes - Celebrate of perfect flowers and vegetables, but then creativity through beautiful rhyming verse a rainstorm comes and washes away the about the many things we can make, beautiful seeds, and Badger thinks his including making a difference in the world. perfect garden is ruined. But is it? • The Good Egg by Jory John - The Good • Dandy by Ame Dyckman - When Daddy spots Egg is very good, but sometimes it’s hard a weed in his lawn, he's appalled. However, to be good when everyone around you is his daughter Sweetie has fallen in love with rotten. the beautiful flower, even going so far as to • The Thing About Bees: A Love Letter by name it. What will happen to the beloved Shabazz Larkin - Written as a love poem to weed? his two sons, a father shares the important • The Scarecrow by Beth Ferry - Everyone facts about bees and their importance as knows not to mess with Scarecrow, but when pollinators. a small crow falls from midair, Scarecrow does the strangest thing. He saves the tiny baby • See the Cat: Three Stories About a Dog by crow, and soon a bond grows between them. Davis LaRochelle - Max is not a cat. Max is • Field Trip to the Moon by John Hare - During a dog. But much to Max’s dismay, the book the field trip, one student takes a break and keeps instructing readers to “see the cat.” falls asleep. When he wakes up, he discovers How can Max get through to the book that that the rest of the class and the spaceship he is a DOG? are gone! • Chapter Two is Missing by Josh Lieb - A • Nobody Hugs a Cactus by Carter Goodrich - hopelessly lost narrator, an unqualified Hank is a cactus who is prickly inside and out. detective, and a very sneaky janitor are But when he starts feeling lonely and decides all surprised to discover that the second a hug might be good, no one wants to give chapter of the very book of which they are him one. No one, that is, until Rosie tumbles a part is--gasp--missing! by. • A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin • Rumple Buttercup: A Story of Bananas, - Little Star loves the delicious mooncake Belonging, and Being Yourself by Matthew that she bakes with her mama, and she Gray Grubler - Rumple has crooked teeth, learns about phases of the moon, too. straggly hair, green skin, and his left foot is • The Little Red Fort by Brenda Maier - One slightly bigger than his right. He is unusual, day, Ruby decides to build a fort. She but he understands the importance of being invites her brothers to help, but they just unique and loving yourself. laugh and tell her she doesn't know how • Friends Stick Together by Hannah Harrison - to build. Ruby builds her fort, but will she Rupert and Levi are unlikely friends, tolerating allow her brothers to play in it? each other’s unique qualities. • Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story • How Do You Dance? by Thyra Heder - Jiggle, by Kevin Noble Maillard - Told in verse, wiggle, stomp, and laugh your way through learn what fry bread means to modern reading this book. Native American families. • Hello, Door by Alastair Heim - A thieving fox • Alma and How She Got Her Name by makes his way through an empty house, Juana Martinez-Neal - Alma has six names greeting the goodies he snatches along the and her dad explains the story behind each way. Then he comes face-to-face with the of her namesakes. homeowners. • Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away by Meg • We Don’t Eat Our Classmates! by Ryan Medina - Evelyn and Daniela are more than Higgins - It's the first day of school for neighbors. They are best friends. But now, Penelope Rex, and she can't wait to meet her Evelyn is moving away. As moving day classmates. They're just so delicious! looms nearer, the girls make a plan to keep • Elmore by Hollie Hobby - Elmore is a in touch because friends are special. porcupine desperate to make friends, but it • Saturday by Oge Mora - A little girl and her is hard to seek closeness with others when mother look forward to spending Saturday you're covered with spikes that shoot off your together, but everything is going wrong. Is back. the day completely ruined? Grades K-1 Reading List

• A Boy Like You by Frank Murphy - There's no idea who the mystery reader is. more to being a boy than sports, feats of • The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson daring, and keeping a stiff upper lip. Be - A heartwarming book about finding the unique and celebrate all the wonderful courage to connect, even when you feel ways to be a boy. scared and alone. • Tallulah the Tooth Fairy CEO by Tamara • A Kite for Moon by Jane Yolen and Heidi Pizzoli - Tallulah knows practically Stemple - A little boy flying his kite notices everything about being a tooth fairy. She a sad moon. He sends up kites to her, knows how to collect teeth, dispense writing notes promising he will come see her money, and even train other fairies. someday. Will he keep his promise? • My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel • The Boring Book by Shisuke Yoshitake - “I’m Quintero - When Daisy Ramona zooms bored!” Every child says it and so does this around her neighborhood with Papi on book’s main character. He soon realizes that his motorcycle, she sees the people and boredom is a portal into exciting experiences. places she's always known, like her dad’s love. Series Books: • ¡Vamos! Let’s Go to the Market by Raúl • Clifford, the Big Red Dog by Norman the Third - Little Lobo and his dog Bridwell Bernabe deliver supplies to a variety of • Arthur by Marc Brown vendors, selling everything from sweets to • Narwhal and Jelly by Ben Clanton sombreros, portraits to piñatas, and carved • Pete the Cat by James Dean masks to comic books. • Pinkalicious by Victoria Kann • Truman by Jean Reidy - Truman the turtle • I Wonder series of nonfiction books by DK loves spending his days with Sarah. Then, one day Sarah puts on her backpack and Publishing leaves. Truman waits and waits, wondering • Jada Jones by Kelly Starling Lyons if Sarah will return. • What If You Had by Sandra Markle • Nerdy Birdy Tweets by Aaron Reynolds - • Ordinary People Change the World by Brad Nerdy Birdy joins Tweetster to make new Meltzer friends, but how will his best friend Vulture • The Adventures of Otto by David Milgrim feel about this? • Fancy Nancy by Jane O’Connor • Who Would Win? by Jerry Pallotta • The Quiet Boat Ride and Other Stories by • Dog Man by Dav Pilkey Sergio Ruzzier - Fox and Chick are off on • Elephant & Piggie by Mo Willems new adventures involving a boat ride, a mysterious box, and an early morning trip Poetry Books: to see the sunrise. This contradictory duo • How to Read a Book by Kwame Alexander always manages to have fun together. - Experience the joy of reading through a • Kate, Who Tamed the Wind by Liz Garton poem all about it. Scanlon - A wild wind blows on the top of a • I’m Just No Good at Rhyming: And Other steep hill, turning everything upside down Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and for the man who lives there. Luckily, Kate Immature Grown-Ups by Chris Harris - Pour comes up with a plan. over the text and illustrations as you read • Mommy’s Khimar by Jamilah Thompkins- these laugh-out-loud poems for the young and old. Bigelow - A young girl plays dress up with • Boom! Bellow! Bleat! Animal Poems for her mother’s headscarves, feeling her Two or More Voices by Georgia Heard - A mother’s love with every one she tries on. collection of poems based on research about • The Pigeon HAS to Go to School! by Mo animal sounds. Willems - Pigeon already knows everything, • Cricket in the Thicket by Carol Murray - so why must he go to school? Playful poems about the world of insects. • Who Is the Mystery Reader? by Mo Facts about each insect appear on the pages Willems - Zoom Squirrel tries out a new along with additional information in the back superpower with help from a mysterious matter. mystery reader, but even the squirrels have Magazines:

Providing Leadership in Literacy and Education for the Commonwealth Grades K-1 Reading List

• Big Backyard • Kids Discover • National Geographic Little Kids • Nickelodeon • Zoobooks

Educational Apps: • ABC Mouse - leveled learning of letters, words, and stories • Curious World (iOS) - features games, books, and videos for reading, math, and science • Endless Alphabet - teaches letters, letter sounds, and vocabulary • Endless Reader - teaches sight words (like a sequel to Endless Alphabet) • Epic - build an unlimited library of children’s books • iStoryTime - narrated children’s storybooks • Little Bird Tales (iOS) - take photos and record audio and use them to create a story • My Story (iOS) - create a book with visuals and text • ABC Phonics Make a Word - increase phonics skills by building short vowel words • Reading Raven HD (iOS) - teaches letters and sounds • Sight Words: Kids Learn - different interactive activities to learn sight words • Sight Word Ninja - slash through given sight words • Sushi Scramble - make words from the given letter tiles • Teach Your Monster to Read - match letters to sounds, blend, segment, and read • The Word Monsters: Learn to Read - phonics-based books with activities based on the books • Word Wizard - phonics and word building Grades 2-3 reading list

The Families and Reading resources are created to give families suggestions of new books, magazines, and apps to share. The information presented in these books and magazines represents the thoughts and opinions of the authors and does not necessarily represent the viewpoints of the Keystone State Literacy Association.

For more resources, visit your local library or one of the following sites: • Power Library (www.powerlibrary.org) - A PA library collaboration of shared materials and resources. Click on the links at the top of the homepage to view recommendations or to visit Power Kids. • Visit Scholastic (www.scholastic.com/parents) and Amazon (www.amazon.com) for more book options.

Providing Leadership in Literacy and Education for the Commonwealth Grades 2-3 Reading List

Classic Books: learn about some of the most amazing • The Mitten by Jan Brett animals, plants, rocks, minerals, and • The BFG by Roald Dahl microscopic life that live here. • Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by • United Tastes of America: An Atlas of Mem Fox Food Facts and Recipes from Every • Bunnicula by James Howe State by Gabrielle Langholtz - A full- • Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco spread introduction to each state features • Chocolate Fever by Robert Kimmel Smith background about its culinary culture with • Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White illustrated food facts, maps, and an easy- • The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams to-follow recipe with a photograph of the finished dish. Newer Informational Books: • Inky’s Amazing Escape: How a Very Smart • She Persisted Around the World: 13 Octopus Found His Way Home by Sy Women Who Changed History by Chelsea Montgomery - Inky achieved worldwide Clinton - Celebrate women in history who have spoken out for what's right, even fame after escaping from New Zealand’s when they have to fight to be heard. National Aquarium via a floor drain. • Birds of Every Color by Sneed B. Collard • Little Libraries, Big Heroes by Miranda III - For birds, colors serve important Paul - Thanks to Todd Bol and thousands purposes. They send messages, attract of volunteers, many of whom are kids, mates, answer questions, and much more. millions of books in Little Free Libraries • Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño have been enjoyed around the world. Played the Piano for President Lincoln • Seashells: More Than a Home by Melissa by Margarita Engle - After moving from Stewart - Learn about characteristics Venezuela to America, Teresa practiced specific to each shell and how seashells and continued to play the piano until she provide more than a protective home. became famous. She became so famous • Skulls! by Blair Thornburgh - This story that President Lincoln invited her to play at dispels any fears kids might have about the White House. their skeletons, flipping our view of skulls • Bat Count: A Citizen Science Story by from a spooky symbol to a fascinating and Anna Forrester - A young girl and her family crucial part of our bodies. count the bats that appear in their yard. • You Are Home: An Ode to the National They send the numbers to scientists who Parks by Evan Turk - The beauty and study bats and look for ways to help the bat importance of the National Parks is population. showcased in this book that takes readers • The Boy Who Grew a Forest: The True on an amazing tour across the United Story of Jadav Payeng by Sophia Gholz States. - Jadav was distressed by the destruction • Full Moon Lore by Ellen Wahi - This book of deforestation on his island home, so he takes us through the calendar as we learn began planting trees. What began as a about the name of each month’s moon and small thicket of bamboo turned into much the reason for that name. more. • Terrific Tongues! by Maria Gianferrari Newer Fiction Books: • Badger’s Perfect Garden by Marsha Diane - Some animals use their tongues in Arnold - Badger and his friends plant rows unusual ways to find food, eat, and clean of perfect flowers and vegetables, but then themselves. a rainstorm comes and washes away the • Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black beautiful seeds. Badger thinks his perfect History by Vashti Harrison - The legends garden is ruined. But is it? in this book span centuries and continents, • Lion and Mouse by Jairo Buitrago - In this but what they have in common is that each updated fable, the mouse marches into the one has blazed a trail for generations to lion’s den without an invitation. Before the come. lion can eat him for breakfast, the mouse • The Wonders of Nature by Ben Hoare - begs for mercy. Discover the wonders of planet Earth and • Crown: Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Grades 2-3 Reading List

Barnes - Celebrate the magnificent feeling Friendship by Jessica Krensky - Jessica that comes from walking out of the barber needs Rescue by her side to help her shop with newly-cut hair. accomplish everyday tasks. Rescue can • SumoKitty by David Biedrzycki - A stray kitty help Jessica find a way forward, one step gets a job in a sumo stable, chasing mice at a time. in exchange for food. But when eating like a • The King of Bees by Lester Laminack - sumo wrestler slows the feline hero down, Henry can't wait until he can have a bee he realizes he must train like a wrestler, too. suit of his own so he can help his Aunt Lilla • The Ring Bearer by Floyd Cooper - Jackson with the sister bees. Then, he finds himself is to be the ring bearer in his mama’s alone when the bees are ready to swarm. wedding, but he’s worried that something • The Rough Patch by Brian Lies - Evan and may go wrong. When he helps his new his dog do everything together, including stepsister avoid a fall, Jackson becomes a caring for their garden. When Evan’s hero. dog dies, Evan destroys the garden and • Saving Winslow by Sharon Creech - Louie everything in it. But beauty grows in the doesn't have the best luck when it comes darkest of places. to nurturing small creatures, but when his • We Are Water Protectors by Carole father brings home a sickly newborn mini Lindstrom - When a metaphorical black donkey, he's determined to save him. snake threatens to destroy the Earth and • Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings poison her people’s water, one young water - Arfy, a homeless dog, writes letters to protector takes a stand to defend Earth’s members of his community to become most sacred resource. adopted. • Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story • All the Way to Havana by Margarita Engle - by Kevin Noble Maillard - Told in verse, A boy and his family drive to Havana, Cuba learn what fry bread means to modern in their old family car. They experience many Native American families. things along the way, making the book a • Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away by Meg celebration of the Cuban people and their Medina - Evelyn and Daniela are more than innovative spirit. neighbors. They are best friends. But now, • Common Threads: Adam’s Day at the Evelyn is moving away. As moving day Market by Huda Essa - When Adam gets looms nearer, the girls make a plan to keep separated from his Mom and Dad at the in touch because friends are special. Eastern Market, he mistakes a friendly, • Rolling Thunder by Kate Messner - Told diverse cast of characters in their traditional in rhyme, this story honors the Rolling Muslim clothing for his parents. The story Thunder Ride for Freedom where more shows that we all have more in common than a million veterans and supporters than you might think. gather in Washington, DC each Memorial • Nobody Hugs a Cactus by Carter Goodrich Day to pay tribute to fallen heroes. - Hank is a cactus who is prickly inside • Chippy Chipmunk Feels Empathy by Kathy and out. When he starts feeling lonely, he Miller - When Chippy Chipmunk meets decides a hug might be good, but no one a unique chipmunk, he learns to feel wants to give him one. No one, that is, until empathy and show kindness. His friends Rosie tumbles by. help him understand that there is diversity • Be a Maker by Katey Howes - Celebrate in every species. creativity through beautiful rhyming verse • The Proudest Blue: The Story of Hijab and about the many things we can make, Family by Ibtihaj Muhammad with S.K. including making a difference in the world. Ali - Faizah knows the first day of school is • Puma Dreams by Tony Johnston - A going to be special. It's the start of a brand girl visiting her grandmother longs for a new year and, best of all, it's her older sister glimpse of the rarely seen puma. Finally, Asiya's first day of hijab. she sees the animal and knows it is everyone’s responsibility to protect these • Blue Sky White Stars by Sarvinder increasingly threatened animals. Naberhaus - Wonderfully simple verses pair • Rescue and Jessica: A Life-Changing with rich paintings to celebrate the iconic imagery of our nation, beginning with the

Providing Leadership in Literacy and Education for the Commonwealth Grades 2-3 Reading List

American flag. Planets by Jon Scieszka - AstroWolf and • A Fist for Joe Louis and Me by Trinka Hakes LaserShark are some of the animals that Noble - Gordy's father teaches him how to have been hybridized to find other planets box, and Gordy becomes friends with a boy for humans to live on once we've ruined who shares a love of boxing. During the 1938 Earth. Fight of the Century, Gordy learns what it • The Real McCoys: Wonder Undercover by means to make a stand for a friend. Matthew Swanson - Moxie, fourth grade • All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold - detective, goes undercover in the Wonder Follow a group of children through a day in Scouts to see who is sabotaging the badge their school, where everyone is welcomed competition. with open arms. A school where kids in • Blacksmith’s Song by Elizabeth Van patkas, hijabs, and yarmulkes play side-by- Steenwyk - The son of an enslaved side with friends in baseball caps. blacksmith learns that his father is using the • Cat Kid Comic Club by Dav Pilkey - With rhythm of his hammering to communicate lots of persistence, the Cat Kid Comic Club with travelers on the Underground Railroad. creates a comic book. When Pa falls ill, who will help them? • Truman by Jean Reidy - After his best friend • The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson Sarah leaves for her first day of school, - A heartwarming book about finding the a tortoise named Truman goes on an courage to connect, even when you feel adventure across the living room and learns scared and alone. to be brave. • A Kite for Moon by Jane Yolen and Heidi • Nerdy Birdy Tweets by Aaron Reynolds - Stemple - A little boy flying his kite notices Nerdy Birdy joins Tweetster to make new a sad moon. He sends up kites to her, friends, but how will his best friend Vulture writing notes promising he will come see her feel about this? someday. Will he keep his promise? • The Turtle Ship by Helena Ku Rhee - The • The Boring Book by Shisuke Yoshitake - “I’m king announced a contest to design a new bored!” Every child says it, and so does this battleship to defend Korea. Determined to book’s main character. He soon realizes win, young Sun-sin attempts to build an that boredom is a portal into exciting indestructible battleship inspired by his pet experiences. turtle. • Dear Girl, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal - This Series books: letter is written for the special girl in your life; • The Bailey School Kids by Debbie Dadey a gentle reminder that she’s powerful and • Owl Diaries by Rebecca Elliott strong, and she holds a valuable place in the • The Treehouse Books by Andy Griffiths world. • Extreme Animals by Steve Jenkins • Tricky by Kari Rust - The Duke and his dog, Tricky, spend their days making trouble, • Ballpark Mysteries by David Kelly but one day, somebody new comes to • I Wonder series of nonfiction books by DK town and gives Tricky a treat that melts his Publishing mischievous heart. • Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi • Snowman - Cold = Puddle: Spring Equations • The Zack and Zoe Mysteries by Mike by Laura Purdie Salas - Each clever equation Lupica is a tiny poem that prompts readers to look • Jada Jones by Kelly Starling Lyons at the ordinary and see the miraculous. • What If You Had by Sandra Markle Information in the sidebars reveals the • The Baby-Sitters Club Graphic Novels by science behind the signs of spring. Ann Martin • Kate, Who Tamed the Wind by Liz Garton • Ordinary People Change the World by Brad Scanlon - A wild wind blows on the top of a Meltzer steep hill, turning everything upside down for • The Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne the man who lives there. Luckily, Kate comes • The Magic Tree House Fact Tracker by up with a plan. Mary Pope Osborne • AstroNuts Mission One: The Plant • Weird But True by National Geographic Grades 2-3 Reading List

Kids Educational Apps: • Junie B. Jones by Barbara Park • Adobe Spark - create graphics, web pages, • Clementine by Sara Pennypacker and video stories • Who Would Win? by Jerry Pallotta • Adventure Academy - learning games and • Dog Man by Dav Pilkey books for reading, math, and science • HiLo by Judd Winick • Chicktionary - create as many possible words from seven letters Poetry Books: • Curious World (iOS) - features games, • I’m Just No Good at Rhyming: And Other books, and videos for reading, math, and Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and science Immature Grown-Ups by Chris Harris - • Epic – build an unlimited library of Pour over the text and illustrations as you children’s books read these laugh-out-loud poems for the • Jumbline 2 – word games young and old. • Kodable (iOS) - a fuzzy character follows • Boom! Bellow! Bleat! Animal Poems for sequenced directions that you write to Two or More Voices by Georgia Heard - A complete mazes collection of poems based on research • Little Bird Tales (iOS) - take photos and about animal sounds. Includes additional record audio and use them to create a nonfiction information in the back matter. story • Keep a Pocket in Your Poem: Classic • Mad Libs - like the paper-pencil version, Poems and Playful Parodies by J. Patrick create stories using various parts of speech Lewis - J. Patrick Lewis honors thirteen • My Story (iOS) - create a book with visuals classic poems by a variety of poets by and text writing a parody of his own. • Novel Effect - bring your stories to life with • Earth Verse: Haiku from the Ground Up by music, sound effects, and character voices Sally Walker - A combination of haiku and • Sushi Scramble - make words from the art encourages readers to think about the given letter tiles processes of our planet. • That’s Baloney - quiz-like game for all content areas Magazines: • Word Wizard - phonics and word building • Highlights for Children • ZooBurst (iOS) - create 3D pop-up books • Kids Discover • National Geographic for Kids • Nickelodeon • Ranger Rick • Sports Illustrated for Kids • Stone Soup: The Magazine by Young Writers and Artists • Zoobooks

Providing Leadership in Literacy and Education for the Commonwealth Grades 4-5 reading list

The Families and Reading resources are created to give families suggestions of new books, magazines, and apps to share. The information presented in these books and magazines represents the thoughts and opinions of the authors and does not necessarily represent the viewpoints of the Keystone State Literacy Association.

For more resources, visit your local library or one of the following sites: • Power Library (www.powerlibrary.org) - A PA library collaboration of shared materials and resources. Click on the links at the top of the homepage to view recommendations or to visit Power Kids. • Visit Scholastic (www.scholastic.com/parents) and Amazon (www.amazon.com) for more book options. Grades 4-5 Reading List

Classic Books: one has blazed a trail for generations to • Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy come. Blume • Torpedoed: The True Story of World War • The Watsons Go to Birmingham by II Sinking of the “Children’s Ship” by Christopher Paul Curtis Deborah Heiligman - Amid the constant • James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl rain of German bombs and the escalating • The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman violence of World War II, British parents by • From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. the thousands chose to send their children Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg out of the country through a government • A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle relocation program. • Number the Stars by Lois Lowry • Leading the Way: Women in Power by • Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia Janet and Theresa Howell - This collection MacLachlan of biographies highlights the actions, • Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor struggles, and accomplishments of more • The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin than fifty of the most influential leaders in • Holes by Louis Sachar American political history. • United Tastes of America: An Atlas of Newer Informational Books: Food Facts and Recipes from Every • The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander - State by Gabrielle Langholtz - A full- This poetic book highlights contributions spread introduction to each state features made by some of the world’s greatest background about its culinary culture with Black American heroes throughout history illustrated food facts, maps, and an easy- to more recent events. to-follow recipe with a photograph of the finished dish. • Game Changers: The Story of Venus and • Hidden Wonders: A Guide to the Planet’s Serena Williams by Lesa Cline-Ransome - Wildest, Weirdest Places by Lonely Planet Venus and Serena Williams beat the odds Kids - Take a journey into the unknown to play in a white-dominated sport, but they and discover the planet's wildest and most did not let challenges stop them. • She Persisted Around the World: 13 wonderful sights that you never knew Women Who Changed History by Chelsea existed. Clinton - Celebrate women in history who • Lost in Outer Space: The Incredible have spoken out for what's right, even Journey of Apollo 13 by Tod Olson - From when they have to fight to be heard. "Houston, we've had a problem" to the final • Baking Class: 50 Fun Recipes Kids Will tense moments at Mission Control, go on Love to Bake by Deanna Cook - Enjoy 50 the unbelievable journey of Apollo 13 and easy-to-follow recipes with photos every inside the minds of its famous and heroic step of the way. astronauts. • The Boy Who Grew a Forest: The True • Little Libraries, Big Heroes by Miranda Story of Jadav Payeng by Sophia M. Gholz Paul - Thanks to Todd Bol and thousands - Jadav was distressed by the destruction of volunteers, many of whom are kids, that deforestation was causing on his millions of books in Little Free Libraries island home, so he began planting trees. It have been enjoyed around the world. began as a small thicket of bamboo, but it • Americans by Douglas Wood - Americans turned into much more. are different from one another in many • Overview, Young Explorer’s Edition: A New ways. Despite these differences, Americans Way of Seeing Earth by Benjamin Grant share certain ways of doing and being that and Sandra Markle - Discover Earth as hold us all together. you've never seen it before, in this stunning and unique collection of satellite images Newer Fiction Books: that offer an unexpected look at our planet. • The One and Only Bob by Katherine • Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black Applegate - We first met Bob the dog in History by Vashti Harrison - The legends in this book span centuries and continents, The One and Only Ivan. This is Bob’s story. but what they have in common is that each Bob sets out on a dangerous journey in

Providing Leadership in Literacy and Education for the Commonwealth Grades 4-5 Reading List

search of his long-lost sister with the help Friendship by Jessica Kensky and Patrick of his two best friends, Ivan and Ruby. Downes - Rescue gets the news that he’s • Goodbye, Mr. Spalding by Jennifer Robin better suited to being a service dog than a Barr - Set in Philadelphia during the Great Seeing Eye dog. Then, he meets Jessica, a Depression, a twelve-year-old boy and girl whose life is turning out differently than his best friend attempt to stop a wall from the way she'd imagined it, too. being built at Shibe Park that would block • Puma Dreams by Tony Johnston - A the view of the baseball field from their girl visiting her grandmother longs for a rooftops. glimpse of the rarely seen puma. Finally, • New Kid by Jerry Craft - Jordan loves she sees the beautiful animal and knows drawing cartoons. Instead of sending him it’s everyone’s responsibility to protect to the art school of his dreams, his parents these animals. enrolled him in a private school known for • When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller - its academics, where Jordan is one of the Would you make a deal with a magical few kids of color. tiger? This uplifting story brings Korean • Saving Winslow by Sharon Creech - Louie folklore to life as a girl goes on a quest to doesn't have the best luck when it comes unlock the power of stories and save her to nurturing small creatures, but when his grandmother. father brings home a sickly newborn mini • Restart by Gordon Korman - Chase doesn't donkey, he's determined to save him. remember falling off the roof. He doesn't • Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo - When Louisiana‘s granny wakes her up in remember hitting his head. He doesn't, in the middle of the night to tell her that they fact, remember anything. He wakes up and have to leave home immediately, Louisiana suddenly has to learn his whole life all over isn’t overly worried. After all, Granny has again. many crazy ideas. • The King of Bees by Lester Laminack - • Zap! by Martha Freeman - Luis and Maura Henry can't wait until he can have a bee try to discover why their city has no power. suit of his own so he can help his Aunt Lilla They discover that there’s more to the story with the sister bees. Then, he finds himself and there’s someone out there who wants alone when the bees are ready to swarm. to keep their city in the dark. • A Handful of Stars by Cynthia Lord - When • The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Lily's blind dog, Lucky, slips his collar and Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart - For five runs away, it's Salma who manages to years, Coyote and her dad have lived catch him. Together the girls tackle the on the road in an old school bus, criss- themes of prejudice and friendship, loss crossing the nation. It's also how long ago and love. Coyote lost her mom and two sisters in a • Batting Order by Mike Lupica - Matt and car crash. Ben couldn’t be more different on and off • Lion Down by Stuart Gibbs - For once, the ballfield, but now they need to work operations at the enormous zoo/theme together to help their team. park appear to be running smoothly, but • Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwama Mbalia - Trisitan is visited by then a local lion is accused of killing a a strange creature. An adventure ensues famous dog. Teddy finds his detective but it turns into a battle. Can Tristan save skills wrapped up in the middle of his most himself and the world with the help of some bizarre, hilarious, and dangerous case yet. famous folk heroes and gods? • Best Friends by Shannon Hale - Sixth • The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy grade is supposed to be perfect. Shannon’s McAnulty - Lucy’s life was changed forever got a sure spot in the in-crowd, and her when she was struck by lightning. The zap best friend is their leader and the most popular girl in school. The rules to be cool gave her genius-level math skills, and she’s are always changing though. technically ready for college. She just has to • Rescue and Jessica: A Life-Changing pass one more test - middle school! Grades 4-5 Reading List

• Straw into Gold: Fairytales Re-spun by • Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Hilary McKay - Revisit a collection of fairy Woodson - ZJ understands that his dad’s tales respun with modern twists. head injuries, sustained during his football • Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg career, have caused ZJ’s dad to become Medina - Sixth-grader Merci Suarez forgetful, but forgetting his own son’s name navigates difficult changes with friends, really hurts. family, and everyone in between. • Wish by Barbara O’Connor - Charlie has Series Books: been making the same secret wish every • According to Humphrey by Betty Birney day since fourth grade. After many heart • The Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier aches, Charlie is discovering that what she • A Dog’s Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron thought she wanted may not be what she • The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer needs at all. • Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris • Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds - Told Grabenstein in a short story format, readers learn what • The Treehouse Books by Andy Griffiths happens after the dismissal bell rings. Then • Horse Diaries by Catherine Hapka and the stories are woven together into one Ruth Sanderson funny look at the detours we face on the • Goddess Girls by Joan Hulab and Suzanne walk home and in life. Williams • The Oddmire, Book 1: Changeling by • Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi William Ritter - To renew the fading magic, • Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney goblins must perform a rare, ancient ritual • Swindle by Gordon Korman • The Baby-Sitters Club Graphic Novels by involving one of their young, but something Ann Martin goes wrong. Now their young goblin looks • Lunar Chronicle by Marissa Meyer like a human and is being raised by them. • Next Time You See…nonfiction series by • Birdie by Eileen Spinelli - Twelve-year- Emily Morgan old Birdie is still grieving for her father, a • 39 Clues by Rick Riordan firefighter killed in the line of duty, as she • The (Fairly) True Tales by Liesl Shurtliff struggles to adjust to many changes in her • Bone Collection by Jeff Smith life. • The Wings of Fire by Tui Sutherland • Roll with It by Jamie Sumner - Ellie isn’t just • I Survived… by Lauren Tarshis the new kid at school. She’s the new kid in • Predator Vs. Prey by various authors the wheelchair who lives in the trailer park • Who Was…? by various authors • HiLo by Judd Winick on the wrong side of town. As an aspiring • Ten True Tales by Allan Zullo baker, Ellie cooks up a plan to make her life better. Poetry: • The Real McCoys: Wonder Undercover by • I’m Just No Good at Rhyming: And Other Matthew Swanson - Moxie, fourth grade Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and Immature detective, goes undercover in the Wonder Grown-Ups by Chris Harris - Pour over the Scouts to see who is sabotaging the badge text and illustrations as you read these laugh- competition. out-loud poems for the young and old. • Guts by Raina Telgemeier - Raina wakes • Keep a Pocket in Your Poem: Classic Poems up one morning with a stomach ache. She and Playful Parodies by J. Patrick Lewis - thinks it’s just a bug, but maybe it has to do Lewis honors thirteen classic poems by a variety of poets by writing a parody of his own. with what she is worrying about at school. • Earth Verse: Haiku from the Ground Up by • Blacksmith’s Song by Elizabeth Van Sally M. Walker - A combination of haiku and Steenwyk - The son of an enslaved art encourages readers to think about the blacksmith learns that his father is using the processes of our planet. rhythm of his hammering to communicate with travelers on the Underground Railroad. When Pa falls ill, who will help them?

Providing Leadership in Literacy and Education for the Commonwealth Grades 4-5 Reading List

Magazines: • Highlights for Children • Kids, Codes, and Computer Science • Kids Discover • National Geographic Kids • Owl Kids • Ranger Rick • Sports Illustrated for Kids • Zoobooks

Educational Apps: • Adobe Spark - create graphics, web pages, and video stories • Adventure Academy - learning games and books for reading, math, and science • Bloxels - build, play, and share your own video games • Chicktionary - create as many possible words from seven letters • Duolingo (iOS) - learn another language • Epic - build an unlimited library of children’s books • Four Letters - given four letters, build the word • GoodReader (iOS) - can open content from many sources and allows students to annotate the text • Google Arts and Culture: People, places, and events that shaped our world (also a website) • Jumbline 2 - word games • Little Bird Tales (iOS) - take photos and record audio and use them to create s story • Mad Libs - like the paper-pencil version, create stories using various parts of speech • My Story (iOS) - create a book with visuals and text • News-O-Matic - interactive, subscription based newspaper app • Novel Effect - bring your stories to life with music, sound effects, and character voices • OverDrive or Libby by OverDrive - borrow eBooks from your local library • Sushi Scramble - make words from the given letter tiles • That’s Baloney - quiz-like game for all content areas Grades 6-8 reading list

The Families and Reading resources are created to give families suggestions of new books, magazines, and apps to share. The information presented in these books and magazines represents the thoughts and opinions of the authors and does not necessarily represent the viewpoints of the Keystone State Literacy Association.

For more resources, visit your local library or one of the following sites: • Power Library (www.powerlibrary.org) - A PA library collaboration of shared materials and resources. Click on the links at the top of the homepage to view recommendations or to visit Power Kids. • Visit Scholastic (www.scholastic.com/parents) and Amazon (www.amazon.com) for more book options.

Providing Leadership in Literacy and Education for the Commonwealth Grades 6-8 Reading List

Classics: Kids - Take a journey into the unknown • Little Women by Louisa May Alcott and discover the planet's wildest and most • The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson wonderful sights that you never knew Burnett existed. • The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster • Locked in Ice: Nansen’s Daring Quest for • The View from Saturday by E. L. the North Pole by Peter Lourie - Fridtjof Konigsburg Nansen contributed tremendous amounts • A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle of new information to our knowledge about • Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by the Polar Arctic. At a time when the North Robert O’Brien Pole was still undiscovered territory, he • Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell attempted the journey in a way that most • Hatchet by Gary Paulsen experts thought was crazy. • Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson • Chasing King’s Killer: The Hunt for Martin Rawls Luther King Jr.’s Assassin by James L. • Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling Swanson - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a • The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth mass movement for Civil Rights. As violent Speare threats cast a dark shadow over Dr. King's life, Swanson hones in on James Earl Ray Newer Informational Books: who ends King's life. • Overview, Young Explorer’s Edition: A New Way of Seeing Earth by Benjamin Grant Newer Fiction Books: and Sandra Markle - Discover Earth as • The Line Tender by Kate Allen - To survive you've never seen it before in this stunning the grief of losing her mom, Lucy must and unique collection of satellite images grab the line that connects her depressed that offer an unexpected look at our planet. father, a stubborn fisherman, and a curious • Torpedoed: The True Story of World War old widower, to her mother's unfinished II Sinking of the “Children’s Ship” by research on the Great White shark. Deborah Heiligman - Amid the constant • This Was Our Pact by Ryan Andrews - At rain of German bombs and the escalating the town festival, Ben and his classmates violence of World War II, British parents by are determined to find out where those the thousands chose to send their children paper lanterns really go. They've made a out of the country through a government pact with two simple rules: No one turns for relocation program. home. No one looks back. • Leading the Way: Women in Power by • Count Me In by Varsha Bajaj - Karina could Janet and Theresa Howell - This collection have never imagined becoming friends of biographies highlights the actions, with the boy next door, but one afternoon struggles, and accomplishments of more something unimaginable happens. than fifty of the most influential leaders in • The War I Finally Won by Kimberly American political history. Brubaker Bradley - Ada finally had surgery • Women in Sports: 50 Fearless Athletes to fix her club foot. Now she and her Who Played to Win by Rachel Ignotofsky - brother need to move into another family’s Learn about the achievements and stories home with their guardian. Ada is at war of fifty notable women athletes from the within herself as World War II rages on 1800s to today, including trailblazers, around her. Olympians, and record-breakers in more • The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle than forty sports. by Leslie Connor - Mason’s learning • Mythologica: An Encyclopedia of Gods, disabilities make him the target of bullies. Monsters, and Mortals from Ancient Greece If that’s not bad enough, his best friend by Stephen Kershaw - Uncover the colorful is found dead on his family’s property lives of fifty powerful gods and goddesses, and Mason is the prime suspect in the earth-dwelling mortals, and terrifying investigation. monsters from Greece. • New Kid by Jerry Craft - Jordan loves • Hidden Wonders: A Guide to the Planet’s drawing cartoons. Instead of sending him Wildest, Weirdest Places by Lonely Planet Grades 6-8 Reading List

to the art school of his dreams, his parents are captured and forced to work as slave enrolled him in a private school known for labor on an alien planet. None of them are its academics and where Jordan is one of certain they will make it out of this alive. the few kids of color. • Best Friends by Shannon Hale - Sixth • Saving Winslow by Sharon Creech - Louie grade is supposed to be perfect. Shannon’s doesn't have the best luck when it comes got a sure spot in the in-crowd, and her to nurturing small creatures, but when his best friend is their leader and the most father brings home a sickly newborn mini popular girl in school. The rules to be cool donkey, he's determined to save him. are always changing though. • Maybe He Just Likes You by Barbara Dee - • The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani - For seventh-grader Mila, it starts with some Nisha doesn't know where she belongs boys giving her an unwanted hug on the when India and Pakistan become two school blacktop. Mila begins to find solace countries. Nisha searches for home, for her in a new place: karate class. own identity, and for a hopeful future. • Beverly, Right Here by Kate DiCamillo - • Lifeboat 12 by Susan Hood - Nazis are Beverly has run away from home plenty of bombing London, so Ken must escape. times, but that was when she was just a He is lucky enough to get placed on a ship kid. At this point in her life, it’s not running headed to safety in Canada, but it’s not that away. It’s leaving. She’s leaving behind her safe when it is torpedoed in the middle of dog, best friend, and mother. the night. • The Ambrose Deception by Emily Ecton - • Shouting at the Rain by Lynda Mullaly Hunt Melissa is a nobody. Wilf is a slacker. Bondi - Delsie loves tracking the weather--lately, is a show-off. At least that's what their though, it seems the squalls are in her own middle school teachers think. life. She's always lived with her kindhearted Grammy, but now she's looking at their life • Zap! by Martha Freeman - Luis and Maura with new eyes and wishing she could have try to discover why their city has no power. a "regular family." They discover there’s more to the story and • Song for a Whale by Lynee Kelly - Iris is there’s someone out there who wants to the only deaf person in her school. When keep their city in the dark. she learns about Blue 55, a real whale • The Remarkable Journey of Coyote who is unable to speak to other whales, Iris Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart - After the comes up with a plan to communicate with death of her two sisters and mother, him. Coyote and her dad leave home to embark • Deep Water by Watt Key - After her father on a road trip. When Coyote discovers that falls ill, twelve-year-old Julie must take over her childhood park is going to be torn up, and lead two of his more reckless clients on a dive miles off the coast of Alabama, she decides it’s time to go home. while her father stays behind in the boat. • Lion Down by Stuart Gibbs - For once, • A World Below by Wesley King - Mr. operations at the enormous zoo/theme Baker’s eighth grade class thinks they park appear to be running smoothly. Teddy are in for a normal field trip to Carlsbad is finally able to give detective work a rest, Caverns in New Mexico. But when an but then a local lion is accused of killing a earthquake hits, their field trip takes a famous dog. terrifying turn. • Allies by Alan Gratz - Three young adults • Restart by Gordon Korman - Chase doesn't from different countries perform dangerous remember falling off the roof. He doesn't top-secret missions as the Allied nations remember hitting his head. He doesn't, in come together to storm German-occupied fact, remember anything. He wakes up and suddenly has to learn his whole life all over France on D-Day. again. • Children of Jubilee by Margaret Peterson • The Not So Boring Letters of Private Haddix - Since the Enforcers raided Nobody by Matthew Landis - When the Refuge City, Rosi, Edwy, and the others last assignment of seventh-grade history

Providing Leadership in Literacy and Education for the Commonwealth Grades 6-8 Reading List

is a project on the Civil War, Oliver is over a thrilling and perilous medieval treasure the moon until he's partnered with Ella hunt. Berry and they’re assigned some no-name • Dear Sweet Pea by Julie Murphy - Patricia soldier. wasn’t sure what to expect when her • Code Word Courage by Kirby Larson - parents divorced. She never imagined Billie has so many questions about missing splitting her time between two houses and her father and losing her best friend, then splitting up with her best friend at the same she also finds herself caring for an injured, time. stray dog. • Free Lunch by Rex Ogle - Rex often went • Five Feet Apart by Racheal Lippincott - hungry, wore secondhand clothes, and Stella’s been in the hospital most of her life, was short of school supplies. If that’s not and Will is ready to forego hospital visits so enough, Rex has to announce his poverty he can see the world. As children with CF, they need to stay away from one another, everyday when he receives his free lunch but is five feet apart really that dangerous? at school. • Batting Order by Mike Lupica - Matt and • Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds - Told Ben couldn’t be more different on and off in a short story format, readers learn what the ballfield, but now they need to work happens after the dismissal bell rings. Then together for the sake of their baseball team. the stories are woven together into one • The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla wickedly funny look at the detours we face Magoon - Brothers Caleb and Bobby meet on the walk home, and in life. their new neighbor Styx. He promises the • Ghost Boys by Jewel Parker Rhodes - brothers that together, the three of them Twelve-year-old Jerome is shot by a police can achieve their wildest dreams, but there officer who mistakes his toy gun for a are secrets that could ruin everything. real threat. As a ghost, he observes the • Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky devastation in his family and community in by Kwama Mbalia - Trisitan is visited by a the wake of his death. strange creature and an adventure ensues. • Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed - Amal is It quickly turns into a battle. Can Tristan forced into indentured servitude and puts save himself and the world with the help of her dreams of being a teacher on hold as some famous folk heroes and gods? she works to bring the message of hope • The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by and positive change that can come from Stacy McAnulty - Lucy’s life was changed struggle. forever when she was struck by lightning. • Just Like Jackie by Lindsey Stoddard - For The zap gave her genius-level math skills, as long as Robbie can remember, it’s just and she’s technically ready for college. She been her and Grandpa. But Grandpa’s just has to pass one more test - middle memory has been fading and Robbie is school! fading from it. • Straw into Gold: Fairytales Re-spun by • Roll with It by Jamie Sumner - Ellie isn’t Hilary McKay - Revisit a collection of fairy just the new kid at school. She’s the new tales respun with modern twists. kid in the wheelchair who lives in the trailer • Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg park on the wrong side of town. An aspiring Medina - Sixth-grader Merci Suarez baker, Ellie cooks up a plan to make her life navigates difficult changes with friends, better. family, and everyone in between. • The Seventh Wish by Kate Messner - • Guts by Raina Telgemeier - Raina wakes Charlie feels like she's always coming in up one morning with a stomach ache. She last and unable to get her family's attention. thinks it’s just a bug, but maybe it has to do She comes across a big surprise when a with what she is worrying about at school. fish offers to grant her a wish in exchange • The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman for its freedom. - Life is harsh in Chennai's streets for • The Book of Boy by Catherine Gilbert runaway sisters Viji and Rukku. Very Murdock - A young outcast is swept up into quickly, eleven-year-old Viji discovers Grades 6-8 Reading List

how vulnerable they are in this uncaring, Educational Apps: dangerous world. • Adobe Spark - create graphics, web pages, • Some Places More Than Others by Renée and video stories Watson - All Amara wants for her birthday • Bloxels - build, play, and share your own is to visit her father's family in New York video games City--Harlem, to be exact. Maybe this • Book Creator - create, publish, and share books that you make will help her understand her family--and • Comic Life 3 (iOS) - create comic books herself--in new way. • Duolingo (iOS) - learn another language • Before the Ever After by Jacqueline • Four Letters - given four letters, build the Woodson - ZJ understands that his dad’s word head injuries, sustained during his football • GoodReader (iOS) - can open content career, have caused ZJ’s dad to become from many sources and allows readers to forgetful, but forgetting his own son’s name annotate the text really hurts. • Google Arts and Culture: People, places, and events that shaped our world (also a Series: website) • The Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier • Jumbline 2 – word games • A Dog’s Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron • OverDrive or Libby by OverDrive - borrow • Skeleton Creek by Patrick Carman eBooks from your local library • The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer • Show Me - create voice over whiteboard • The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins tutorials and share them online • The Maze Runner by James Dashner • Sparkle Fish - (iOS) audio story completion • Guinness World Record books by game similar to Mad Libs Guinness World Records • Study Stack - find or create flash cards for • The Shadow Children by Margaret any subject Peterson Haddix • Swift Playground - learn coding • The Warriors by Erin Hunter • Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi • Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney • Masterminds by Gordon Korman • Vietnam by Chris Lynch • Lost by Tod Olson • Middle School by James Patterson • Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix • Magnus Chase by Rick Riordan • Percy Jackson & the Olympians by Rick Riordan • Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling • Bone Collection by Jeff Smith • I Survived by Lauren Tarshis

Magazines: • Calliope • Cobblestone: The History Magazine for Young People • Kids, Codes, and Computer Science • Kids Discover • National Geographic Kids • Owl Kids • Ranger Rick • Sports Illustrated for Kids

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