Summer Reading
Summer Reading List 2022
June/May 2022
Dear Village School Families,
We've made it to the end of another unusual school year! How wonderful this year was because, although some smiles were under a mask, at least we knew they were there and we could see our students in person.
This year we have read some great books and shared our favorite suggestions with each other. In addition, after a few rocky school years, we are reestablishing our love of reading and finding what books are best for us. With that being said, our Summer Reading List is only a list of suggestions for students. If there are books not on the list that a student would like to read then, YES, go ahead and read it. We can’t emphasize enough that reading helps students in all academic areas, as well as, with their social and emotional well-being. We can learn so much about how other people live and experience life through the books we read. In addition, students who read during the summer are better prepared for the next school year. Studies have shown that students who do not read during the summer can slide backwards in the academic progress they have made during the school year.
This summer, students need to read three books this summer including a whole grade read. The whole grade reads are as follows:
Incoming fourth graders will read Because of the Rabbit by Cynthia Lord.
Our rising fifth graders and rising sixth graders will read Linked by Gordon Korman.
Our all grade reads will be used as mentor texts next year in readers and writers workshops, as well as in other areas. We hope that our students enjoy reading these great books this summer.
In addition to the whole grade read, students should read at least two more books of their choice. Below you will find a list of suggested books to read that have been compiled with something for everyone. Giving your child choice in selecting a book that interests them most is extremely important. Let them find a book they can get lost in!
If you have a child who struggles with reading or is still trying to find their love of reading, there are a couple of different reading options. You can have your child follow along to the story while listening to the book as an audiobook. You can also read together by taking turns reading each page or chapter (or maybe you are doing most of the reading), and TALK. Talk about the books you are reading! When we share our ideas about a book, we grow our ideas and better understand the books we are reading, and the world around us.
The following link is to an article about the importance of summer reading: Kids & Family Reading - The Summer Reading Imperative
If you have any questions, please let me know.
Happy Reading!
Liz Pruett
SUMMER READING LIST 2022
**Students are required to read their all grade read and at least two additional books from this list or of their own choice.
4th Grade All Grade Read: Because of the Rabbit by Cynthia Lord
5th and 6th Grade All Grade Read: Linked by Gordon Korman
The Summer Reading List is a list of suggestions for summer reading for our Village School students and families. If a student would like to read something that is not on the list, they should go ahead and read it. We strongly encourage that students are reading books that they have not read before.
Graphic Novels
El Deafo by Cece Bell (Memoir)
Class Act by Jerry Craft (Realistic Fiction)
New Kid by Jerry Craft (Realistic Fiction) 2020 Newbery Medal Winner
Hazardous Tales Series by Nathan Hale (Historical Fiction)
Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson (Realistic Fiction)
Measuring Up by Lily LaMotte (Realistic Fiction)
Smile by Raina Telgemeier (Memoir)
Guts by Raina Telgemeier (Memoir)
Realistic Fiction
Becoming Muhhamad Ali by Kwame Alexander and James Patterson
Born Behind Bars by Padma Venkatraman
Crossover by Kwame Alexander Winner 2020 Massachusetts Children Book Award
All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook by Leslie Connor
Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo
Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo
Blended by Sharon Draper
The Great Treehouse War by Lisa Graff Honorable Mention 2020 Massachusetts Children Book Award
Wink by Rob Harrell
House Arrest by K. A. Holt
Restart by Gordon Korman Honorable Mention 2020 Massachusetts Children Book Award
Ungifted by Gordon Korman
From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks
Rain, Reign by Ann M. Martin Honorable Mention 2019 Massachusetts Children Book Award
The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty Honorable Mention 2020 Massachusetts Children Book Award
Ghost by Jason Reynolds Honorable Mention 2019 Massachusetts Children Book Award
Wonder by RJ Palacios
Planet Earth is Blue by Nicole Panteleakos
Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan
Amal Unbound by Aisha Saed
The List of Things Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead
Clean Getaway by Nic Stone
The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman
Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga 2020 Newbery Honor Winner
Genesis Begins Again by Alicia Williams 2020 Newbery Honor Winner
Clayton Byrd Goes Underground by Rita Williams-Garcia
Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson
Front Desk by Kelly Yang Winner 2020-2021 Massachusetts Children Book Award
Starfish by Lisa Fipps
Historical Fiction
Refugee by Alan Gratz (anything by Alan Gratz)
A Night Divided by Jennifer Nielsen Winner 2019 Massachusetts Children Book Award
The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani
War Stories by Gordon Korman
Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk
Fantasy
The One and Only Bob by Katherine Applegate
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
Peter Nimble by Jonathan Auxier
Sweep by Jonathan Auxier
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
Last Kids on Earth Series by Max Brallier
Aru Shah Series by Roshani Chokshi
The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera 2022 Newbery Medal Winner
The Button Box by Bridget Hodder & Fawzia Gilani-Williams
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown 2022 Massachusetts Childrens’ Book Award Winner
The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown
Ophie’s Ghost by Justina Ireland
Pages & Co by Anna James
How to Catch a Tiger by Tae Keller 2021 Newbery Medal Award
Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls by Kaela Rivera
Daughters of the Deep by Rick Riordan
A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat 2021 Newbery Honor Winner
The Wings of Fire Series by Tui Sutherland
Survival Adventure/ Mysteries
City Spies Series by James Ponti
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein
Framed by James Ponti Honorable Mention 2019 Massachusetts Children Book Award
Scar Island by Dan Gemeinhart
Spy School Series by Stuart Gibbs
Nonfiction
Animals, Facts at Your Fingertips by DK Publishing
Pink is for Blobfish by Jess Keating (Picture book)
The Playbook by Kwame Alexander
What Makes a Monster by Jess Keating (Picture book)
Cute as an Axolotl by Jess Keating (Picture book)
The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander (Poetry/Picture book) 2020 Newbery Honor WInner
Two Truths and a Lie: It's Alive!
What's the Issue: Climate Change
Recommendations for 4th graders (but 4th graders can read from any list or choose their own books to read):
A Boy Called Bat by Elana Arnold (realistic fiction chapter book)
A Puppy Tale Series by W. Bruce Cameron
J.D. and the Great Barber Battle by J. Dillard (realistic fiction)
A Mouse Called Miika by Matt Haig
The Button Box by Bridget Hodder & Fawzia Gilani-Williams (fantasy)
Planet Omar Series (realistic fiction) by Zanib Mian
Clayton Byrd Goes Underground by Rita Williams-Garcia (realistic fiction chapter book)
How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O’Connor (realistic fiction chapter book)
Lulu Walks the Dog by Judith Viorst (realistic fiction chapter book)
Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat Series by John Bemelmans Marciano, Emily Chenoweth (humor)
Knights vs. Dinosaurs by Matt Phelan (humor)
My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish Series by Mo O’hara (humor)
Dragons in a Bag Series by Zeta Elliott (fantasy)
Inspector Flytrap by Tom Angleberger and Cece Bell (fantasy/mystery)
Mr. Wolf’s Class Series by Aron Nels Steinke (graphic novel)
Stargazing by Jen Wang (graphic novel)
The Cardboard Kingdom Series by Chad Sell (graphic novel)
Guts by Raina Telgemeier (graphic novel)
Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson (graphic novel)
I Survived the Great Molasses Flood by Lauren Tarshis (historical fiction)
I Survived Series by Lauren Tarshis (historical fiction)
Finding Langston by Lesa Cline-Ransome (historical fiction)
She Persisted Series (nonfiction)
Who Was Series (nonfiction)
Wishes by Barbara O’Connor
History Smashers Series by Kate Messner
Branches Book Series
Literacy tips for readers:
Talk to your child about what he or she is reading. Ask open-ended questions such as "What do you think about that story?" "What would you have done if you were that character?"
Make reading and writing a regular part of your daily home activities. Let your child see you using reading and writing for real purposes.
Visit the public library. Help your child to get his or her own library card.
Read to your child regularly, even after your child is able to read some books independently.
Listen to your child read. Use strategies to help your child with tricky words. For example, when your child comes to an unfamiliar word, you might say, "Skip it and read to the end of the sentence. Now try again – what makes sense and looks like the word that you see?"
Praise your child's efforts at reading.
Play word games such as thinking of different words to describe the same things.
Support your child's writing. Have writing materials such as paper, markers, and pencils available. Read what your child writes.
Set reasonable limits for television viewing.
Adapted from Mraz, Padak, & Baycich (2002).
Retrieved from: http://www.readingrockets.org/article/summer-reading-loss