Reading Takes You Places!!! 2014-2015 4th Grade Summer Reading List St. Philip’s School & Community Center At St. Philip’s School and Community Center, one of our many goals is to inspire a life – long love of reading within the hearts of each of our students. Toward that goal, we have devised a summer reading program with activities that will be interwoven throughout the coming school year. ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ Required summer reading: 4th grade students will read TWO REQUIRED BOOKS! Students are required to read The Castle in the Attic by Elizabeth Winthrow (An IRA-CBC Children’s Choice) William has just received the best present of his life. It’s an old, real-looking stobe and wooden model of a castle, with a drawbridge, moat, and a finger-high knight to guard the gatews. It’s the mysterious castle his housekeeper has told him about, and even though William is sad she’s leaving, now the castle is his! *There are copies of Castle in the Attic on site, so if you are interested in using one, please email Ms. Wesson – [email protected], and a copy will be checked out to you. The book must be returned the first day of school. Students should choose ONE of the following books by the Newbery Award winning author, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. 1) Shiloh [winner of the 1991 Newbery Medal] Marty finds a lost beagle in the hills behind his West Virginia home, and tries to hide it from his family and the dog’s real owner, a mean-spirited man known to shoot deer out of season and to mistreat his dogs. [This is the first book in a series.] 2) Roxie and the Hooligans Roxie Warbler, the niece of a famous explorer, follows Uncle Dangerfoot’s advice on how to survive any crisis when she becomes stranded on an island with a gang of school bullies and a pair of murderous bank robbers. 3) The Grand Escape After years of being strictly house cats, Marco and Polo escape into the wonderful, but dangerous outside world and are sent on three challenging adventures by a group of cats known as the Club of Mysteries. [This is the first book in a series.] ____________________________________________________________________________ The fourth grade teachers will begin the school year with a book discussion of the common themes found in Ms. Naylor’s books. As you read your book, think especially about the choices different characters make. A written assignment (both will be assessed) will also be given. We want reading to be a positive experience, so choose the book which appeals to your interest. Students may read the book independently, listen to it read aloud by a parent, or listen to the audio version. Students should come to school prepared to discuss the book, and complete a writing exercise. It is hoped that students will not restrict their reading to just two books, but rather enjoy reading all summer! .