Dear Rising 1st Grade Students,

We are looking forward to welcoming you to our 1st grade class next year! We hope that you enjoy a fun-filled summer full of new adventures and will come back to school ready for an exciting year in 1st grade!

We want you to love reading as much as we do, so we ask that you take time during the summer and spend a day at the library! Go and explore a world full of books...you may even visit a library at your favorite vacation destination! Tell us about your experience when you return!

The one book we would like everyone to read is “Harold and the Purple Crayon” by Crockett Johnson. We will read it together during the first week of school and make a

special project in class.

The most important thing for you to do to prepare for First grade next year is to read!!! Read anything that peaks your interest. Have someone read to you and then you can practice reading back to them. Read to 3! Three friends, three stuffed animals...just have fun and read!

Have a wonderful safe and happy summer and...Happy Reading!!

Your First Grade Teachers

We want you to read a lot so here is a list of series and authors to get you started. Read every day whatever you like. What is important is to read, read, and read some more. Making a list of the books you and your parents read is fun, too. You can bring your list to share when you come to 1st grade.

Series

• Adler, David A. - Cam Jansen : the mystery of the dinosaur bones

  • Cam Jansen relies upon her photographic memory to help her solve the mystery of who is taking bones from the dinosaur exhibit at the museum. One of the many titles in the Cam Jansen series.

• American Museum of Natural History Easy Readers

  • A Beginning reader series about insects, dinosaurs, whales, and sharks.

• Capucilli, Allyssa - Biscuit

  • stories are perfect for young readers who won't be able to resist reading about this adorable puppy.

• Brown, Jonathan A. - My Favorite Sport

  • In each book, carefully matched text and photos of participants--ranging from kids to college players and the pros--animate the history, objectives, exciting plays, and championships that characterize each sport. Series covers football, hockey and tennis.

• Gantos, Jack – Rotten Ralph

  • 1st book in series - Sarah's difficult cat, Ralph, mends his ways after she sends him to a Feline finishing school, but his current change in behavior may not reflect a permanent change of heart. 

• Harper, Charise Mericle - Just Grace

  • 1st book in series Grace Stewart gets stuck with the name "Just Grace" when she tries to distinguish herself from the three other Graces in her class. Grace is plenty different, though. She has a "teeny-tiny superpower," for instance—she can tell ifsomeone is unhappy and often tries to fix it.

• Hoff, Syd - Danny and the Dinosaur, Duncan the Dancing Duck

  • and many more titles with different main characters .

• McKay, Hilary – Lulu and the Duck in the Park

  • 1st book in series - Lulu loves animals. When Lulu finds a duck egg that Has rolled out of its nest, she takes it to class to keep it safe. Lulu isn't allowed to bring pets to school. But she's not really breaking the rules because it's just an egg. Surely nothing bad will happen... A fun-filled series for early readers and animal lovers alike.

• Osborne, Mary Pope - Magic Tree House Series

  • With its strong characters, imaginative plots, and just the right dose of history and science, this series is perfect for early chapter-book readers.

• Parish, Peggy - Amelia Bedelia

  • Meet Amelia Bedelia and enjoy her literal take on the world around her.

• Park, Barbara - Junie B. Jones Series

  • Amusing stories about June B., a lovable, mischievous youngster, as she adjusts to school and to life in general!

• Van Leeuwen, Jean – Amanda Pig and the Wiggly Tooth

  • When Amanda has her first loose tooth, she is reluctant to pull it.

• Willems, Mo - Elephant and Piggie Series

  • Delightful interaction between two lovable and funny characters, an optimistic and sometimes reckless pig and a cautious, pessimistic elephant.

Favorite Authors

• Aliki

  • author of many fiction and non-fiction books

• Berenstain, Stan and Jan

  • writers and illustrators best known for creating the series The Berenstein Bears.

• Brown, Marc

  • writes as well as illustrates the Arthur series

• Carle, Eric

  • author and illustrator of many books. Animals and nature are reoccurring themes and his art work is created using a collage technique.

• DePaola, Tomie

  • author and illustrator of books of many genres including Religious and holiday stories, legends and folk tales, family stories and a series about Strega Nona and her many adventures.

• Dr. Seuss

  • known and loved by all.

• Munsch, Robert

  • most of his books are stories he first told to children and later wrote.

• Numeroff, Laura 

  • best known for her series If You Give....

• Polacco, Patricia

  • her books include Thunder Cake and Bee Tree as well as many others

• Rylant, Cynthia

  • author and illustrator of many books and several series including Henry and Mudge and Annie and Snowball

• Silverstein, Shel

  • author of poetry books; the best known is Where the Sidewalk Ends

• Van Allsburg, Chris

  • author and illustrator best known for The Polar Express but you will enjoy his other titles too

• Willems, Mo

  • become acquainted with his many other titles besides Elephant and Piggie