2009 SUMMER READING IDEAS Students entering into 4th grade TEXAS BLUEBONNET AWARD FLYING ANGELS AWARD Read and write reports on 10 books from this list, Read and write reports on 10 books from this list, then you will be awarded a certificate in the May then you will be awarded a certificate in the May 2010 Honors Assembly. Educational research 2010 Honors Assembly. Educational research supports a link between reading and writing. The supports a link between reading and writing. The more our students practice writing, the better readers more our students practice writing, the better readers they become; while practice in reading helps improve they become; while practice in reading helps improve writing skills. writing skills. Created by a committee of librarians from the Texas Created by Mrs. Tollefson, ESD Lower School Library Association. Librarian. 20 recently published books are on the list each year Each list consists of a core collection of classic and [the list changes every year.] contemporary books which are “too good to For 2009-2010, the ESD Lower School Library miss” for 3rd & 4th grades. I modify the lists each purchased 19 of the books, we decided one book was year, adding books published in the past year, and more appropriate for gr. 5-8. replacing some titles according to student, teacher and parent feedback and recommendations. The 20 books cover a variety of genres, including These are chapter books from the fiction section of picture books (32 pages,) short biographies, non- the ESD Lower School Library. Read from this list fiction, fiction & poetry. during the summer, but we are more flexible with additional titles during the school year. BUT ALL BOOKS READ FOR FLYING ANGEL CREDIT MUST BE IN THE ESD LOWER SCHOOL LIBRARY. 1 The purpose of this list is to encourage voluntary The purpose of this list is to encourage voluntary free reading of new books, and to vote for your free reading of a variety of old favorites as well as favorite book in January, so that the author gets new books in the ESD Lower School Library. a special award from the Texas Library Association. Every January, Texas students in grades 3-6 may vote for their favorite book if they have read at least 5 of the nominees (no reports required.) We encourage all of our students to at least vote for their favorite Bluebonnet. Additional information about the program is on the Texas Bluebonnet website at: http://www.txla.org/groups/tba/ ESD 3rd & 4th graders are reading books on the 2009 list over this summer and through the next school year until May 2010. [NOTE: the 2010 Texas Bluebonnet list will be published in early 2010; however, books from that list are not counted toward the requirement for the 2009 ESD award.] Required summer reading: A Week in the Woods by Andrew Clements When the fifth grade takes its annual camping trip in the woods, tests Mark's survival skills are tested as well as his ability to relate to the kids at his new school and a teacher who seems out to get him. The fourth grade teachers begin the school year with a book discussion of a common novel read by all students. Please come to school prepared to discuss this book, and complete a writing exercise. The ESD Lower School Library has multiple copies of this book for your convenience. Information on the two optional incentive reading programs, the “Flying Angels” and the “Bluebonnets” are included in this packet. 2009-2010 ESD Fourth Grade Flying Angel: “Too Good to Miss” These are OUR favorite books. Mrs. Tollefson and Mrs. Van Der Kar polled last year’s 4th grade, and we came up with a list that includes books that were recommended by multiple readers. Of course there are hundreds of wonderful books in our library, but if you start with this list you are sure to find something inspiring! 2 The “Flying Angel” Reading Award An optional program Third and Fourth grade students who choose to participate in the “Flying Angel” program are recognized with a certificate presented on the day of the Honors Assembly in May. Students may begin working on this project during the summer, but have a full 11 months to finish (May 2009.) Requirements: 1.) Read 10 books from the following “Flying Angel” list. ALL “Flying Angel” books read over the summer MUST be from this current 4th grade 2009-2010 list. However, we did not have space to list all titles from a series, so you may read any book in the series and receive credit. We trust that you are reading books that you did not read during previous years. 2.) You may read no more than two books by one author, or from a series with titles by different authors [such as “39 Clues” or “Royal Diaries,” ] since we are encouraging you to try a variety of literature. We also hope that once you find an author or series you love, that you will be inspired to read all of the books for fun. 3.) Write a short report (at least one paragraph) on the book. Be sure to include the author, title, genre and a brief summary (main characters and events) as well as a few sentences stating your opinion of the book (your favorite part, whether you recommend this book to others, or any criticism.) Reports may be hand-written or typed, but the reports must be in your own words! You may use the attached form. 4.) Turn in each report to your classroom teacher. Questions? Call Mrs. Tollefson (214-353-5714) or e-mail: [email protected] Adventure Hatchet by Gary Paulsen (1987) [Newbery Honor Award] After a plane crash, thirteen-year-old Brian spends fifty-four days in the wilderness, learning to physically survive with only the aid of a hatchet given him by his mother; but he also learns to emotionally survive his parents' divorce. Sequels: The River, Brian’s Return, Brian’s Winter, Brian’s Hunt. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell (1960) [winner of the Newbery Medal] Left alone on a beautiful but isolated island off the coast of California, a young Native American girl spends eighteen years, not only merely surviving through her enormous courage and self-reliance, but also finding a measure of happiness in her solitary life. Inspired by the true story of Juana Maria who lived alone on San Nicholas Island from 1835-1853. My Side of the Mountain by Jean George (1959) [Newbery Honor Award] Young Sam Gribley leaves New York City and spends a year living by himself in a remote area of the Catskill Mountains. The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke (2003) Orphaned brothers Prosper and Bo, having run away from their cruel aunt and uncle, decide to hide out in Venice where they fall in with the Thief Lord, a thirteen-year-old boy who leads a crime ring of street children. The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pene DuBois (1947) [winner of the Newbery Medal] Three weeks after leaving San Francisco in a balloon to fly across the Pacific, Professor Sherman is picked up in the Atlantic clinging to wreckage. Weasel Classics Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (1935) 3 Anne, an eleven-year-old orphan, is sent by mistake to live with a lonely, middle-aged brother and sister on a Prince Edward Island farm and proceeds to make an indelible impression on everyone around her. Sequels: Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island. Heidi by Johanna Spyri (1880) A Swiss orphan is heartbroken when she must leave her beloved grandfather and their happy home in the mountains to go to school and to care for an invalid girl in the city. Nancy Drew (by Carolyn Keene) and Hardy Boys (by Franklin W. Dixon) These mystery and detective stories originated in the 1920’s and 1930’s and continue to engage readers today. Every child should try at one from the series. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (1911) Ten-year-old Mary comes to live in a lonely house on the Yorkshire moors and discovers an invalid cousin and the mysteries of a locked garden. Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss (1812) Relates the fortunes of a shipwrecked family as they adapt to life on an island with abundant animal and plant life. Recommended by several 4th grade students as an exciting classic. Fantasy The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau (2003) In the city of Ember, twelve-year-old Lina trades jobs on Assignment Day to be a Messenger to run to new places in her decaying but beloved city, perhaps even to glimpse Unknown Regions. Sequels: The People of Sparks, The Prophet of Yonwood, The Diamond of Darkhold. Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins (2003) When eleven-year-old Gregor and his two-year-old sister are pulled into a strange underground world, they trigger an epic battle involving humans, bats, rats, cockroaches, and spiders while on a quest foretold by ancient prophecy. Sequels: Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane, Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods, Gregor and the Marks of Secret, Gregor and the Code of Claw. 4 Inkheart by Cornelia Funke (2003) Twelve-year-old Meggie learns that her father Mo, a bookbinder, can "read" fictional characters to life when an evil ruler named Capricorn, freed from the novel "Inkheart" years earlier, tries to force Mo to release an immortal monster from the story. Sequels: Inkspell, Inkdeath. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trent Lee Stewart (2007) After passing a series of mind-bending tests, four children are selected for a secret mission that requires them to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules.