Summer Reading Suggestions- Entering 2nd and 3rd grade
All these titles are available at the Wilmington Memorial Library
Early Reader Books
Find these books in the Early Readers section. Call numbers are Kids ER [Author’s Last Name].
*Indicates book is part of a series.
Fly Guy*
by Arnold, Ted
Boy and fly meet and so begins a beautiful friendship. Er, and so begins a very funny friendship.
Rabbit & Robot*
by Bell, Cece
Accessible for readers who are beyond Willems' Elephant and Piggie series but not quite ready for lengthier chapter books.
Monkey and Robot*
by Catalanotto, Peter
Monkey and Robot are the best of friends—and they have the best of adventures!
Cork & Fuzz*
by Chaconas, Dori
Meet Cork and Fuzz, a muskrat and a possum who happen to be best friends.
Poppy The Pirate Dog*
by Kessler, Liz
Inspired by her own dog, Poppy, Liz Kessler's early reader series about Poppy the Pirate Dog follows Poppy as she makes new friends and gets into trouble.
Zelda and Ivy*
by Kvasnosky, Laura McGee
Fun adventures of fox sisters with wild imaginations.
Frog and Toad*
by Lobel, Arnold
Each book contains five simple, often humorous, sometimes poignant, short stories chronicling the exploits of a frog and his friend, a toad.
Pearl and Wagner*
by McMullan, Kate
Follow the classroom adventures of best friends Pearl, a thoughtful rabbit, and Wagner, an impulsive mouse.
Three Stories You Can Read To Your Dog*
by Miller, Sara Swan
Does your dog sleep a lot? Maybe he or she is bored. Why not try reading these three stories to your dog? Accompanied by lively illustrations, they are all about the things dogs understand best – burglars, bones, and running free.
Mr. Putter & Tabby*
by Rylant, Cynthia
Mr. Putter and his cat, Tabby are at it again, and again, and again. Young readers love the winsome and warmhearted antics of these two best friends and constant companions.
Henry and Mudge*
by Rylant, Cynthia
Simple, sweet stories about a boy and his beloved dog.
The High-Rise Private Eyes*
by Rylant, Cynthia
From a high-rise "deep in the heart of a big city," unlikely animal pals Bunny Brown and Jack Jones run their busy detective agency.
Young Reader Fiction Chapter Books
Find these books in the Younger Fiction section. The call numbers are Kids Younger [Author’s Last Name].
*Indicates book is part of a series.
Cam Jansen*
by Adler, David
Cam, a fifth-grade sleuth with a photographic memory, solves mysteries with the help of her best friend, Eric.
Ivy and Bean*
by Barrows, Annie
A book series about friendship, silliness, pranks, adventure, getting in trouble, and challenges with siblings.
Freckle Juice
by Blume, Judy
Andrew wants freckles so badly that he buys Sharon’s freckle recipe for fifty cents.
Bad Kitty*
by Bruel, Nick
A book series books about a housecat named Kitty, who often wreaks havoc about her owner's home.
Lola Levine*
by Brown, Monica
Lola Levine likes writing in her diary, sipping her mom's cafe con leche, eating her dad's matzo ball soup, and playing soccer with her team. So what if she doesn't always fit in?
The Last Firehawk*
by Charman, Katrina
Early chapter book series with easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page.
The Trouble with Chickens
by Cronin, Doreen
A hard-bitten former search-and-rescue dog helps solve a complicated missing chicken case.
Owl Diaries*
by Elliot, Rebecca
Adorable series perfect for anyone who loves friendship stories starring animal characters.
The Carver Chronicles
by English, Karen
Funny series featuring the boys of Carver Elementary, a lost dog, a thieving bully, an annoying big sister, and skateboarding.
Fish Finelli*
by Farber, Erica
A classic small-town mystery series with a smart twist: quick sidebars and asides explain scientific ideas, history, and cool facts.
Jasmine Toguchi*
by Florence, Debbi Michiko
Series about a plucky, strong-willed girl whose family traditions may be new to many readers but whose frustrations will be familiar to all.
Princess in Black*
by Hale, Shannon
Humorous and action-packed series for young readers who like their princesses not only prim and perfect but also dressed in black.
Digby O'Day In The Fast Lane
by Hughes, Shirley
Digby O’Day and Percy are best friends. This daring canine duo can find adventure anywhere — even entering an All-Day Race!
Captain Pug: The Dog Who Sailed the Seas
by James, Laura
Pug is going on a seafaring adventure. He's had jam tarts for breakfast. He's wearing a smart sailor suit. There's just one problem. Pug is afraid of the water!
Ballpark Mysteries*
by Kelly, David
Mystery series where each book is set in a different American ballpark.
Captain Awesome*
by Kirby, Stan
Imaginative second-grader Eugene McGillicudy loves comic books and superheroes so much that he invents his very own superhero alter ego named Captain Awesome!
Shelter Pet Squad*
by Lord, Cynthia
In this charming illustrated chapter book series, the Shelter Pet Squad kids find the perfect homes for animals in need.
Jake Maddox: Best Selling Sports Stories*
by Maddox, Jake
Pumped-up stories with an emphasis on speed, skill, and fair play. The boys and girls in these books face obstacles on the gridiron, the court, the ice, or the half-pipe, and meet mental and social challenges as well.
Juana & Lucas
by Medina, Juana
A spunky young girl from Colombia loves playing with her canine best friend and resists boring school activities, especially learning English, until her family tells her that a special trip is planned to an English-speaking place.
Down Girl and Sit*
by Nolan, Lucy
A humorous series about a dog who thinks her name is Down Girl and her canine pal Sit.
Magic Tree House*
by Osborne, Mary Pope
Jack and Annie discover a tree house with magical books that take them back in time to many fascinating places.
Junie B. Jones*
by Park, Barbara
Meet the World’s Funniest Kindergartner—Junie B. Jones!
Clementine*
by Pennypacker, Sara
The books in this series follow the eccentric and lovable, yet unintentionally devious, eight-year-old Clementine through third grade.
A to Z Mysteries*
by Roy, Ron
Help Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose solve mysteries from A to Z in this chapter book.
Capital Mysteries*
by Roy, Ron
In these books, you will meet K.C. Corcoran and her pal, Marshall Li. They live near the White House and are friends with the President of The United States.
Princess Cora and The Crocodile
by Schlitz, Laura
Unhappy queen-in-training Cora receives a pet crocodile from her fairy godmother, who disrupts her mundane daily routine.
Sticker Girl
by Tashjian, Janet
Martina's always struggled to carve out her place at school, but she finds tremendous excitement in a treasure all her own: a sticker collection that comes to life!
Kickers*
by Wallace, Rich
Filled with on-the-field soccer scenes, black-and-white artwork, and sports statistics throughout, these novels follow nine-year-old Ben and his fourth-grade team, the Bobcats.
My Life In Pictures
by Zemke, Deborah
When budding artist Bea Garcia's best friend moves to Australia and a loud, rambunctious boy moves into her old house, Bea must learn to make new friends.
Fiction Chapter Books
Find these books in the Fiction section. The call numbers are Kids Fiction [Author’s Last Name].
*Indicates book is part of a series.
The Penderwicks*
by Birdsall, Jeanne
With over one million copies sold, this irresistible series of modern classics tells the story of the Penderwicks, a family that believes in truth and honor, yet can't seem to stay out of trouble.
The Wild Robot
by Brown, Peter
Roz the robot discovers that she is alone on a remote, wild island with no memory of where she is from or why she is there, and her only hope of survival is to try to learn about her new environment from the island's hostile inhabitants.
Jubilee
by Giff, Patricia
Judith stopped talking long ago when Mom left her in the care of beloved Aunt Cora. Going back into a regular fifth-grade classroom won't be easy, but she has her Dog and a new friend who will help her through.
Tiger Boy
by Perkins, Mitali
A tiger cub has escaped from a reserve in the Sunderbans in West Bengal, India, and Neel, a poor boy from the islands, is determined to find her in order to save her from being captured and sold on the black market by Mr. Gupta and his men.
Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin
by Shurtliff, Liesl
Relates the tale of Rumpelstiltskin's childhood and youth, explaining why his name is so important, how he is able to spin straw into gold, and why a first-born child is his reward for helping the miller's daughter-turned-queen.
Poetry Books
Find these books in the Poetry section.
Doodle Dandies: Poems That Take Shape
by Lewis, Patrick
A collection of poems each of which appears on the page in the shape of its subject so that the poem looks like whatever it's about.
Location: Kids Poetry Lewis
National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry: 200 Poems with Photographs That Squeak, Soar, and Roar!
by Lewis. Patrick
Combines photography with lyrical text celebrating the animal world, in a compilation that includes works by such poets as Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, and Rudyard Kipling.
Location: Kids Poetry Collection National
Once I Ate a Pie
by MacLachlan, Patricia
Captured here are accounts of happy days filled with squeaky toys, good smells, plenty of naps, and the very important jobs dogs do for the people they love to love.
Location: Kids Poetry MacLachlan
Every Thing On It: Poems and Drawings
by Silverstein, Shel
This collection includes more than one hundred and thirty never-before-seen poems and drawings completed by the cherished artist.
Location: Kids Poetry Silverstein
Feel The Beat: Dance Poems That Zing From Salsa To Swing
by Singer, Marilyn
Singer celebrates the joy of movement and the community of dance with a spirited collection of poems. When reading aloud, the rhythm of each dance is reflected in the meter of the poem.
Location: Kids Poetry Singer
Graphic Novels
Find these books in the Graphic Novels section. Call numbers are Kids Graphic [Title].
*Indicates book is part of a series.
Babymouse*
by Holm, Jennifer
Quick, lively graphic novels pack in the positivity.
The Big Bad Fox
by Renner, Benjamin
Who's afraid of the Big Bad Fox? No one, it seems. The fox dreams of being the terror of the barnyard, but no one is intimidated by him.
The Flying Beaver Brothers
Eaton, Maxwell Meet Ace, and Bub, the flying beaver brothers! Ace loves extreme sports and new adventures. Bub loves napping and, well, napping.
Hamster and Cheese
by Venable, Colleen
Guinea pig Sasspants agrees to be a private investigator when her hamster friend begs for help in finding who is stealing sandwiches.
Making Scents
by Yourinks, Arthur
Mickey isn't quite like his brothers and sisters. They're all stronger, faster, and have a much better sense of smell. That's because his "brothers and sisters" are dogs!
Narwahl and Jelly
by Clanton, Ben
Narwhal is a happy-go-lucky narwhal. Jelly is a no-nonsense jellyfish. The two might not have a lot in common, but they do they love waffles, parties, and adventures.
The Storm in the Barn
by Phelan, Matt
11-year-old Jack Clark struggles with everyday obstacles while his family and community contend with the challenges brought on by the Dust Bowl in 1937 Kansas.
Recess Warriors: Hero Is a Four-Letter Word
by Emerson, Marcus
When imaginations go wild in the schoolyard, anything can happen. Normal kids become world-saving heroes, girls become power-hungry pirates, and zombies take over the school after being infected by cooties!
Information Books
Unless otherwise noted, find these books in the Non-Fiction section.
Henry and the Cannons: An Extraordinary True Story of the American Revolution
by Brown, Don
An illustrated account of bookseller Henry Knox's heroic contributions during the Revolutionary War, describing how he dragged fifty-nine cannons to Boston across 225 difficult miles.
Location: Kids 973.3 Brown
How Long or How Wide? A Measuring Guide
by Cleary, Brian
A humorous introduction to measurement, providing a definition of length and discussing inches, feet, yards, millimeters, centimeters, decimeters, meters, and rulers.
Location: Kids 530.8 Cleary
The Punctuation Station
by Cleary, Brian
A family of giraffes journey to Punctuation Station, where they learn the rules for using periods, commas, apostrophes, question marks, hyphens, quotation marks, and exclamation points.
Location: Kids 428.2 Cleary
Energy Island: How One Community Harnessed the Wind and Changed Their World
by Drummond, Allan
Shares the true story of how the people on the Danish island of Samso reduced their carbon emissions by 140 percent over the course of ten years by harnessing wind power.
Location: Kids 333.9 Drummond
Her Right Foot
by Eggers, Dave
This fascinating, fun take on nonfiction investigates a seemingly small trait of America's most emblematic statue. What they find is about more than history, more than art. What they find in the Statue of Liberty's right foot is the powerful message of acceptance that is essential to an entire country's creation.
Location: Kids 974.71 Eggers
A Hundred Billion Trillion Stars
by Fishman, Seth
A look at the numbers that surround us, big and small, on earth and in outer space.
Location: Kids 513.55 Fishman
Fannie In The Kitchen: The Whole Story From Soup to Nuts of How Fannie Farmer Invented Recipes With Precise Measurements
by Hopkinson, Deborah
Marcia enjoys being her mother's helper, so she's hurt when Mother hires Fannie Farmer to prepare family's meals. But sure enough Fannie's charm (and griddle cakes!) win Marcia over, and she finds herself cooking up delights she never thought possible!
Location: Picture Book Hopkinson
Fireboat: The Heroic Adventures of the John J. Harvey
by Kalman, Maira
A fireboat, launched in 1931, is retired after many years of fighting fires along the Hudson but is saved from being scrapped and then called into service again on September 11.
Location: Kids 974.71 Kalman
Jackson and Bud’s Bumpy Ride America’s First Cross-Country Automobile Trip
by Koehler-Pentacoff, Elizabeth
Tells the story of the first cross-country automobile trip in 1903 by Dr. Horatio Jackson and mechanic Sewall J. Crocker.
Location: Kids 917.3 Keohler-Pentacoff
Sergeant Reckless: The True Story of the Little Horse Who Became a Hero
by McCormick, Patricia
Relates the true story of a brave little mare who carried artillery shells into battle numerous times with the U.S. Marines she supported throughout the Korean War.
Location: Kids 951.904 McCormick
Trout Are Made of Trees
by Sayre, April Pulley
Looks at trout as part of a vast food chain that begins when leaves fall into streams and rivers.
Location: Kids 577.16 Sayre
Biographies
Find these books in the Biography section.
Night Flight: Amelia Earhart Crosses the Atlantic
by Burleigh, Robert
An account of Amelia Earhart’s dangerous 1932 flight across the Atlantic from Newfoundland to Ireland, in which she survived bad weather and a malfunctioning airplane. Includes a brief biography of the aviator.
Location: Kids Biography Earhart
Before She Was Harriet: The Story of Harriet Tubman
by Cline-Ransome, Lesa
A lyrical biography of Harriet Tubman, written in verse and illustrated by an award-winning artist. We know her today as Harriet Tubman, but in her lifetime she was called by many names. As General Tubman, she was a Union spy. As Moses, she led hundreds to freedom on the Underground Railroad. As Minty, she was a slave whose spirit could not be broken.
Location: Kids Biography Tubman
Young Thomas Edison
by Dooling, Michael
Presents a short illustrated biography of inventor Thomas Edison, and chronicles his childhood and early interest in science, as well as his many inventions.
Location: Kids Biography Edison
A Boy, a Mouse, and a Spider: The Story of E.B. White
by Herkert, Barbara
A lyrical biography of E. B. White, beloved author of Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little.
Location: Kids Biography White
Looking At Lincoln
by Kalman, Maira
A young girl is curious about Abraham Lincoln and sets out to find out more about the life of the nation’s sixteenth president.
Location: Kids Biography Lincoln
Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist
by Keating, Jess
From her many discoveries to the shark-related myths she dispelled, Eugenie Clark's wide scientific contributions led to the well-earned nickname "Shark Lady.”
Location: Kids 597.3 Keating
Caroline's Comets: A True Story
by McCully, Emily
Caroline Herschel was the first woman to discover a comet and the first woman to be paid as a scientist.
Location: Kids Biography Herschel
Helen’s Big World: The Life of Helen Keller
by Rappaport, Doreen
An illustrated biography of Helen Keller, introducing young readers to her life and legacy and including quotations by Keller.
Location: Kids Biography Keller
Malala's Magic Pencil
by Yousafzai, Malala
This beautifully illustrated volume tells Malala's story for a younger audience and shows them the worldview that allowed Malala to hold on to hope even in the most difficult of times.
Location: Kids Biography Yousafzai
Mickey Mantle: The Commerce Comet
by Winter, Jonah
Traces the life and baseball career of the legend, discussing the records he set and some he still holds.
Location: Kids 796.357 Mantle