Students: Looking for something new to read? Have you hit a reading slump?  Want some ideas for books to check out for Summer Reading? Check out these lists below they were created by your librarian, teachers, and even fellow students to give you some examples of great books at your level that you might enjoy! Many of these books are available at our library or Back Mountain Memorial Library.

Parents:/Guardians If you are looking for some ideas of recommended Summer Reading or AR books for the School Year you’ve found the right place. The lists below were created by classroom teachers, myself, and students to help come up with some ideas for your child….especially if they are stuck and need help branching out past reading the same series over and over (I’m talking to you Diary of a Wimpy Kid! haha) These are just suggestions based on content and readability. 

Kindergarten:  Authors, Series and Books

(recommended by Mrs. Dunn and Miss Chrusch)

  Jez Alborough

  Jan Brett

  Eric Carle

  Leo Lionni

  Mercer Mayer

  Little Critter series

  Tomie de Paola  

  David Shannon  

Mo Willems

  Pigeon books

  Knufflebunny books

  “Go Away Big Green Monster” by Ed Emberly

  “Corduroy” by Dan Freeman

  “Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp” by Carol Diggory Shields

  “King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub” by Audrey Wood

  “Alphabet Adventure” by Audrey Wood  

  “Mrs. Wishy Washy’s Fram” by Joy Cowley

  “Owl Babies” by Martin Waddell  

  “Big Al” by Andrew Clements

  “The Rainbow Fish” by Marcus Pfister

  “Unlovable” by Dan Yaccarino

  “Caps for Sale” by Esphyr Slobodkina

  “Jack and the Beanstalk” retold by Steven Kellogg

  “The Three Little Pigs” retold by Margot Zemach

  “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” by Beatrix Potter

  “The Great Gracie Chase” by Cynthia Rylant

  “Who is the Beast?” by Keith Baker

  “Anansi and the Talking Melon” by Eric Kimmel

  “Anansi and the Moss Covered Rock” by Eric Kimmel

4th Grade Authors and Series:

(recommended by Mrs. Hummer)

Jerry Spinelli

“Maniac Magee” 4.7-5pts.

“Loser” 4.3-5pts.

“Pickelmania” 4.3-3pts.

“Who Put The Hair In My Toothbrush” 3.5-7pts.

“The Library Card” 4.3-4pts.

“Report to the Principal’s Office” 4.5-4pts.

“Do The Funky Pickel” 4.0-3pts.

Andrew Clements

“Room One” 5.1-4pts.

“The Janitor’s Boy” 5.4-4pts.

“The Last Holiday Concert” 5.4-4pts.

“Lost and Found” 5.0-4pts.

“The School Story” 5.2-5pts.

“Frindle” 5.4-2pts.

“The Landry News” 6.0-4pts.

“No Tallking” 5.0-4pts.

“Lunch Money” 5.2-6pts.

“A Week In The Woods” 5.5-7pts.

“The Report Card” 4.9-5pts.

“The Jacket” 4.1-1pt.

Gordon Korman

“Swindle” 4.9-5pts.

“Schooled” 4.9-6pts.

“The Sixth Grade Nickname Game” 4.3-3pts.

Dive series

Everest series

Island series

Kidnapped series

Barbara Robinson

“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” 5.1-2pts.

“The Best School Year Ever” 5.4-3pts.

“The Best Halloween Ever” 5.4-2pts.

Gary Paulsen

“Hatchet” 5.7-7pts.

“The River” .5.-4pts.

“The Cookcamp” 5.0-3pts.

“Brian’s Hunt” 5.9-3pts.

“Brian’s Return” 5.5-4pts.

“Brian’s Winter” 5.9-5pts.

“Lawn Boy” 4.3-2pts.

“The Winter Room” 5.0-3pts.

“Woodsong” 5.6-5pts.

Patrick Carman- 

the Elyon series

Skeleton Creek Series

Eve Bunting

“Nasty Stinky Sneakers” 3.3-2pts.

“S.O.S. Titanic” 4.5-6pts.

“Coffin in a Case” 3.7-2pts

AVI

“True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle” 5.3-8pts.

“Who Stole The Wizard Of Oz” 3.6-2pts.

“Iron Thunder” 4.3-4pts.

“The Barn” 3.9-2pts.

“The Fighting Ground” 4.2-4pts.

“Don’t You Know There’s A War On?” 3.6-4pts.

“The Secret School” 4.1-3pts.

“Smuggler’s Island” 4.0-5pts.

Poppy series

Crispin series

Henry Winkler

Hank Zipzer series

Dan Gutman

“The Homework Machine” 4.8-4pts.

“The Edison Mystery” 4.8-4pts.

“Babe and Me” 4.3-4pts.

“Abner and Me” 4.2-5pts.

“Honus and Me” 4.3-3pts.

“Jackie and Me” 4.3-4pts.

“Satch and Me” 4.1-5pts.

“Shoeless Joe and Me” 4.3-4pts.

Betty Ren Wright

“The Dollhouse Murders” 4.3-5pts.

“Crandall’s Castle” 4.6-5pts.

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

“Shiloh” 4.4-4pts.

“Saving Shiloh” 4.9-6pts.

“Shiloh Season” 4.8-5pts.

“Beetles Lightly Toasted” 5.7-5pts.

Bernie Magruder series

James Howe

Bunnicula series

Pinky series

E.B.White

“Charlotte’s Web” 4.4-5pts.

“The Trumpet & The Swan” 4.9-6pts.

“Stuart Little” 6.0-3pts.

The 39 Clues series

various authors

Jeanne DuPrau

“Car Trouble” 4.7-6pts.

The City of Ember series

“The City of Ember” 5.0- 9 pts.

“The People of Sparks” 4.9-11 pts.

“The Prophet of Yonwood” 4.9-9pts.

“The Diamond of Darkhold” 5.2-10pts

5th Grade Books as recommended previous 5th grade students and Miss Chrusch

Summer School: What Genus Thought that up?

Stuck in summer school while his friends enjoy a “Passport to Hawaii,” Hank needs to earn an A on an oral report about Einstein in order to participate in Magik 3′s talent show act at the luau extravaganza. The coauthor is Lin Oliver. Book #8

Recommended by Miss C.

Hank Zipzter series (written by “The Fonze” Henry Winkler…ask your parents who is is…) is a great series for those starting 5th grade!

Dear Dumb Diary Series

by Jim Benton

Middle school student Jamie Kelly writes all the strange and sometimes not-so-wonderful things that happen to her in her diary and promises that everything she writes is as true as it needs to be.

Gina M says : “It is very funny and can relate to real life.”

Percy Jackson Series

by Rick Riodan

Twelve-year-old Percy Jackson learns he is a demigod, the son of a mortal woman and Poseidon, god of the sea. His mother sends him to a summer camp for demigods where he and his new friends set out on a quest to prevent a war between the gods.

Nicholas K Says: “They are funny, yet exciting to read.”

Patrick Carman Books:

Trackers Series:

Adam, Finn, Lewis, and Emily use their computer coding skills and high-tech equipment to catch criminals, but things do not play out as easily as the four Trackers predict.

Skeleton Creek Series:

Although housebound following an eerie accident, teenaged Ryan continues to investigate the strange occurrences in Skeleton Creek, recording his findings in a journal and viewing e-mail video clips sent by fellow detective, Sarah

Marissa R: Says: “It is a book that is really fun to read when you are looking forward to a scary part. It is like a mystery, and I think you, the new 5th graders, would like that!”

Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography:

The elusive author provides a glimpse into his mysterious and sometimes confusing life, using fanciful letters, diary entries, and other miscellaneous documents, as well as photographs and illustrations.

Series of Unfortunate Events 1-13

byLemony Snickek

Laura S Says: It is a lot of A.R. points if you read all of the series. Also they are really funny!”

Lily’s Crossing

by Patricia Reilly Giff

During a summer spent at Rockaway Beach in 1944, Lily’s friendship with a young Hungarian refugee causes her to see the war and her own world differently.

Kiara says: “This book was very interesting and I really loved it! Maybe you will like it too.”

P.S. Mr. Traver’s  Oldest daughter was a  big fan of this author when she was in 5th grade!

Harry Potter Series

Olivia S Says: “because those books are the right grade level and they are really interesting!”

Bud, not Buddy

Christopher Paul Curtis

Ten-year-old Bud, a motherless boy living in Flint, Michigan, during the Great Depression, escapes a bad foster home and sets out in search of the man he believes to be his father–the renowned bandleader, H.E. Calloway of Grand Rapids.

Tony says:  “It is a great book and it is AR”

Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls Series

by Meg Cabot

Nine-year-old Allie has rules for everything and is even writing her own rule book, but her world is turned upside down when she learns that her family is moving across town, which will mean a new house, school, best friend, and plenty of new rules.

Rena says: “This book series is good for new 5th graders because it relates to real life.”

Stone Child

by Dan Poblocki

When friends Eddie, Harris, and Maggie discover that the scary adventures in their favorite author’s fictional books come true, they must find a way to close the portal that allows evil creatures and witches to enter their hometown of Gatesweed.

Mark says: “This book is good for 5th graders because it is scary!”

Sahara Special

by Esme Codell

Struggling with school and her feelings since her father left, Sahara gets a fresh start with a new and unique teacher who supports her writing talents and the individuality of each of her classmates.

Recommended by Miss C.: “Recommended for all 5th graders, this book talks about how we all learn differently, and what makes us all special.” 

A dog’s Life

Ann M. Martin

Squirrel, a stray puppy, tells her life story, from her nurturing mother and brother to making her own way in the world, facing busy highways, changing seasons, and humans both gentle and brutal.

Recommended by Miss C : “Ann M. Martin, author of the Babysitters Club, writes of the adventure, and loneliness of a stray dog’s road trip.”

Artemis Fowl Series

by Eoin Colfer

Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is a brilliant criminal mastermind, but even he does not know what he has taken on when he kidnaps a fairy, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit. These fairies are armed and they are dangerous.

Recommended by Miss C :”Like your fantasy and science fiction combined? this is a great read for a mix of both!”

Books by Andrew Clements

Example: The Landry News

A fifth-grader starts a newspaper with an editorial that prompts her burnt-out classroom teacher to really begin teaching again, but he is later threatened with disciplinary action as a result.

Recommended by Miss C.: “Set in a 5th grade classroom, this book by Andrew Clements is highly recommended”

Island of the Blue Dolphins

by Scott O’Dell

This book portrays the courage and self-reliance of an Indian girl who lived alone for eighteen years on an isolated island off the California coast when her tribe emigrated and she was left behind.

Recommended by Miss C : “Scott O’Dell has an award named after him, an award that is given yearly to the best historical fiction book…..check out why he is the historical fiction master by reading this classic tale of survival this summer!”

Tiger, Tiger

by Lynne Reid Banks

Two tiger cub brothers are taken from the jungle to ancient Rome, where one becomes the pampered pet of Caesar’s daughter and the other becomes a man-eating “entertainment act” at the Colosseum.

Recommended by Miss C: Great Historical Fiction series by the author of the Indian in the Cupboard series (which is also great summer reading!)

May Bird Series

by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Lonely and shy, ten-year-old May Ellen Bird has no idea what awaits her when she falls into the lake and enters the Ever After, home of ghosts and the Bogeyman.

Recommended by Miss C : “Maybird is the only living girl in the land of the dead, follow her adventures in this series!”

The Doll in the Garden

Hahn

After Ashley and Kristi find an antique doll buried in old Miss Cooper’s garden, they discover that they can enter a ghostly turn-of-the century world by going through a hole in the hedge.

Recommended by Miss C “Check out Hahn’s other books for a good scare!”

Writing Magic

by Gail Carson Levine

Newbery Honor author Gail Carson Levine shares the secrets of her writing success including how to get ideas, creating beginnings and endings, writing great dialogue, developing memorable characters, and more.

Recommended by Miss C: “ Want to be an author? You can practice your craft over the summer/school year with this book by Ella Enchanted Author, Gail Carson Levine.”

P.S. Check out her fiction books if you are interested in magical tales!

Ranger’s Apprentice Series

John Flanagan

Will wants to attend Battleschool to serve the kingdom. His small size leads him to be assigned as a Ranger’s apprentice. His bravery and skills eventually fulfill his dream of protecting the kingdom.

Recommended by Miss C: “Great Series…an action packed way to spend your Summer, or School year!”

Eon

by Allison Goodman

In an ancient kingdom, twelve dragons rule the energy world, and twelve Dragoneyes rule the dragons. Every year, twelve boys compete to become a Dragoneye. This year, however, a girl, Eon, formerly Eona, secretly competes among them.

Audrey A Says:  “For advanced students, it is a good start because it has higher levels of vocabulary and higher levels of literary ideas than most other books. It is highly exciting and will promote students toward other high level books they must read for middle school.”