Dear Families:
We are pleased to present the 2015 Plymouth Public Schools’ Elementary Summer Reading Program, offered
in conjunction with the Plymouth Public Library’s program, “Every Story Has a Hero.” We hope to
encourage our students to incorporate daily reading into their summer activities. Research shows that
frequent independent reading has a direct correlation to reading achievement and improves vocabulary and
writing skills. Students who do not read over the summer often experience a “summer slide,” dropping as
many as two or three reading levels. The more students read, the better readers they become – and it is just
plain fun too!
As a result, we are requesting that all incoming Grade 1-5 students read at least ONE book over the summer –
multiple books are highly encouraged! Students are asked to complete the elementary tracking sheet and
appropriate response form (primary or intermediate) for their favorite book read. These forms are available for
download on the Plymouth Public Schools’ webpage, and copies will be available at the Administration Building if
needed. Students will be given time to share their review with their classmates and teachers during the beginning
weeks of the new school year. All students who complete their reading and turn in their tracking sheet and
response form will receive a certificate of achievement from their school.
Students are encouraged to read ANY BOOK of their choice. The attached list has been compiled to give
RECOMMENDATIONS for students in Grades K-2 and 3-5. Rather than listing specific titles, we have chosen
to highlight popular series as well as children’s book authors who write in a variety of genres and represent
various reading levels and interests. Choice is a key element of fostering a love for reading, and it is our hope
that all students will find one or more books that will grab their attention and make summer reading an
enjoyable experience. We also encourage parents to read with their child, as reading aloud is another
powerful way to enhance vocabulary, model fluent and expressive reading, and build listening comprehension.
Thank you for your support of the 2015 Summer Reading Program. If you have any questions, please contact
your child’s building principal or Lisa White, English Language Arts Coordinator at 508-830-4477 or
[email protected]. Have a wonderful summer filled with books!
What heroes emerged from the pages of your books? Share your
summer reading adventures with us!
Who is the Hero
of your book?
SUMMER
READING
List the title and author of each book that you read or that has been
read to you this summer on the lines below. If your story had a hero,
list that below as well. Then rate your book by putting a checkmark
in one of the boxes.
Title: ________________________________________________________________________________
Author: ______________________________________ Hero: ____________________________
I
LIKED
IT!
O.K.
Title: ________________________________________________________________________________
Author: ______________________________________ Hero: ____________________________
I
LIKED
IT!
O.K.
Title: ________________________________________________________________________________
Author: ______________________________________ Hero: ____________________________
I
LIKED
IT!
O.K.
Title: ________________________________________________________________________________
Author: ______________________________________ Hero: ____________________________
I
LIKED
IT!
O.K.
For students entering Grades 1 and 2 in the fall:
Draw a picture of your favorite part of a summer reading book in the top
half of your shield. On the lines below tell what is happening in the
picture that you drew.
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NAME:
GRADE:
Students Entering Grades 3-5
NAME:_______________________________________________________GRADE:_______
Write at least 5-7 sentences about the book that you read. You should include what
happened in the story (for fiction) or what you learned/facts about the topic (for nonfiction). You should also include whether or not you would recommend this book to a
friend and why/why not.
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Recommended Books/Authors For Students Entering Grades 1 & 2 Traditional Literature and Poetry for Reading, Listening, and Viewing Aesop’s fables Rudyard Kipling’s Just So Stories Selected Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen fairy tales Selected French fairy tales Poetry Mother Goose nursery rhymes John Ciardi Rachel Field David McCord A.A. Milne Christina Rossetti Picture Book Authors and Illustrators Edward Ardizzone Tedd Arnold Judy Barrett Ludwig Bemelmans Margaret Wise Brown John Burningham Virginia Lee Burton Randolph Caldecott Alyssa Capucilla Edgar Parin and Ingri D’Aulaire Lois Ehlert Wanda Gág Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss) Kate Greenaway Shirley Hughes Crockett Johnson Ruth Kraus Robert Lawson Munro Leaf Robert McCloskey A.A. Milne Else Holmelund Minarik Jane O’Connor William Pène du Bois Beatrix Potter Alice and Martin Provensen H.A. and Margaret Rey John Scieszka Maurice Sendak Melanie Watt Series Books (Early Readers and Chapter Books) Amanda Pig (Jean Van Leewen) Amelia Bedelia (Peggy Parish) Arthur (Marc Brown) Bink and Gollie (Kate DiCamillo) Biscuit/Katy Duck (Alyssa Capucilli) Brownie and Pearl (Cynthia Rylant) Cam Jansen (David Adler) Elephant and Piggie (Mo Willems) Flat Stanley (Jeff Brown) Frog and Friends (Eve Bunting) Henry and Mudge (Cynthia Rylant) If You Give a Mouse…(Laura Numeroff) Junie B. Jones (Barbara Park) Katei Woo (Fran Manushkiin) Magic Treehouse (Mary Pope Osborne) Max (Rosemary Wells) Minnie and Moo (Denys Cazet) Nate the Great (Marjorie Sharmat) Penny/Lilly (Kevin Henkes) Pearl and Wagner (Kate McMullan) Pinkalicious (Victoria Kann) Trucktown (Jon Scieszka) Contemporary Folklore, Fiction, and Poetry Jon Agee (fiction, wordplay) Edward Ardizzone (multi-­‐genre) Molly Bang (folklore, easy readers) Jan Brett (fiction: animals) Norman Bridwell (fiction: Clifford) Raymond Briggs (fiction) Marcia Brown (multi-­‐genre, including folklore) Anthony Brown (fiction) Ashley Bryan (folktales: Africa, poetry) John Burningham (realistic fiction, fantasy) Eric Carle (fiction: animals) Lucille Clifton (poetry) Barbara Cooney (multi-­‐genre) Nina Crews (fiction) Doreen Cronin (fiction: humor) Tomie dePaola (multi-­‐genre) Leo and Diane Dillon (illustrators, folklore) Rebecca Kai Dotlich (poetry) Douglas Florian (poetry) Mem Fox (fiction) Marla Frazee (fiction) Don Freeman (fiction) Mordecai Gerstein (multi-­‐genre) Bob Graham (fiction) Eloise Greenfield (multi-­‐genre, including poetry) Mini Grey (fiction) Russell and Lillian Hoban (fiction) Mary Ann Hoberman (poetry) Shirley Hughes (realistic fiction) Trina Schart Hyman (folklore, illustrator) Rachel Isadora (folklore) G. Brian Karas (multi-­‐genre, illustrator) Ezra Jack Keats (fiction) Holly Keller (realistic fiction) Steven Kellogg (fiction) John Lechner Betsy Lewin (fiction) Leo Lionni (fiction: animal) Arnold Lobel (fiction: animal) Gerald McDermott (folklore) Patricia McKissack (multi-­‐
genre) Kate and Jim McMullan (fiction; humor) James Marshall (fiction, folktales, easy readers) Bill Martin Jr. (fiction) Emily Arnold McCully (historical fiction) David McPhail (fiction) Susan Meddaugh (fiction) Else Holmelund Minarik (fiction, easy readers) Lynne Rae Perkins (fiction, family stories) Jerry Pinkney (multi-­‐genre, multicultural folk tales) Patricia Polacco (fiction, multicultural family stories) Chris Raschka (fiction) Peggy Rathmann (fiction: humor) Faith Ringgold (fiction, multicultural) Glen Rounds (fiction: West) Allen Say (fiction, multicultural historical fiction) Alice Schertle (poetry) Amy Schwartz (fiction) Martha Sewall (multi-­‐
genre, fiction) David Shannon (fiction) Uri Shulevitz (multi-­‐
genre, including folklore) Judy Sierra (fiction, poetry, folktales) Marilyn Singer (multi-­‐genre, poetry) Peter Sis (fiction) William Steig (fiction) John Steptoe (fiction, multicultural family) Tomi Ungerer (fiction) Chris Van Allsburg (fiction: fantasy) David Wiesner (fiction) Vera Williams (fiction: realistic) Wong Herbert Yee (fiction, easy readers) Jane Yolen (multi-­‐genre) Ed Young (folktales) Paul Zelinsky (multi-­‐genre) Margot and Harve Zemach (folktales) Charlotte Zolotow (realistic fiction) Informational Texts/Multi-­‐genre Aliki (informational: science and history) Mitsumasa Anno (informational: concept books and history) Jim Arnosky (informational: science) Molly Bang (multi-­‐genre) Nic Bishop (informational: science) Vicki Cobb (informational: science) Joanna Cole (informational: science) Floyd Cooper (multi-­‐genre, illustrator) Donald Crews (multi-­‐genre, multicultural family stories) Ed Emberly (multi-­‐genre) Michael Emberly (multi-­‐genre) Brian Floca (informational) Gail Gibbons (science and history) Eloise Greenfield (multi-­‐genre) Tana Hoban (concept books; photography) Steve Jenkins (informational: animals) Patricia McKissack (informational) Margaret Miller (concept books; photography) Kadir Nelson (multi-­‐genre, multicultural history and biography) Jerry Pinkney (informational: Africa) James Ransome (multicultural history and biography) Anne Rockwell (multi-­‐genre) Allen Say (multi-­‐genre) Laura Vaccaro Seeger (concept books) Marcia Sewall (informational: colonial America) Peter Sis (biography and history) Peter Spier (informational: history) Recommended
Books/Authors
For Students
Entering
Grades 3-5
Fiction – Series
39 Clues (Gordon Korman)
Andy Shane (Jennifer Richard Jacobson)
Clementine (Sarah Pennypacker)
Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Jeff Kinney)
Gooney Bird Greene (Lois Lowry)
Hank Zipzer (Henry Winkler)
Humphrey (Betty G. Birney
Ivy and Bean (Annie Barrows)
Jamie and Angus (Anne Fine)
Judy Moody (Megan McDonald)
Magic Tree House (Mary Pope Osborne)
The Magic Thief (Prineas)
Mercy Watson (Kate DiCamillo)
Pinky and Rex (James Howe)
Ricky Ricotta (Dav Pilkey)
Secrets of Droon (Tony Abbott)
Stink (Megan McDonald)
Time Warp Trio (John Scieszka)
Zack Files (Dan Greenburg)
Enola Holmes (Nancy Springer)
Mysterious Benedict Society
(Trenton Lee Stewart)
The Sisters’ Grimm (Buckley)
Ranger’s Apprentice (John Flanagan)
Theodosia (R.L. LaFevers)
The Lemonade War (Jacqueline Davies)
The Spiderwick Chronicles (DiTerlizzi)
Alvin Ho/Ruby Lee (Lenore Look)
Junebug (Alice Mead)
Big Nate Lincoln (Peirce)
Series of Unfortunate Events (Lemony Snicket)
Scraps of Time (Patricia McKissack)
Charlie Bone (Jenny Nimmo)
The Book of Elsewhere (Jacqueline West)
Fiction – Graphic Novels
Babymouse (Jennifer and Matt Holm)
Frankie Pickle (Eric Wright)
Lunch Lady (Jarrett Krosoczka)
Magic Pickle (Scott Morse)
Sticky Burr (John Lechner)
Warriors (Erin Hunter)
Graphic Guide Adventure (Liam O’Donnell)
Fog Mound (Susan Schad)
Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword
(Barry Deutsch)
Robot City Wars (Paul Collicut)
Multi-Genre and Informational Texts
Susan Campbell Bartoletti (history)
Raymond Bial (historical photo‐essays)
Don Brown (biography, history)
Loree Griffin Burns
Matt Doeden (sports)
Candace Fleming (biography)
Russell Freedman (biography,
history)
James Cross Giblin (biography, history)
John Grogan (animals)
Deborah Heiligman (history)
Philip Hoose (biography, history)
Deborah Hopkinson (history)
Dick Houston (animals)
Steve Jenkins (informational: science)
Peg Kehret (multi‐genre)
Barbara Kerley (biography)
Elizabeth Cody Kimmel (history)
Kathleen Krull (biography)
Kathryn Lasky (multi‐genre)
Patricia Lauber (science, social studies)
David Macaulay (social studies, science)
Sandra Markle (science)
Albert Marrin (biography, history)
Milton Meltser (history, biography)
Jim Murphy (history)
Scott Reynolds Nelson
Elizabeth Partridge (biography, history)
Joyce Sidman (natural world)
Seymour Simon (science)
Diane Stanley (history)
Dan Shaughnessy (sports)
Steve Sheinkin (biography, history)
Tanya Lee Stone (biography, history)
Traditional Literature
Grimms’ fairy tales
Tales by Hans Christian Andersen
Aesop’s fables
Greek, Roman, or Norse myths
Stories about King Arthur, Robin Hood,
Myths and legends of indigenous peoples
of North, Central and South America
American folktales and legends
African American folktales and legends
Fourth and Fifth Graders are also encouraged to read books from the latest Massachusetts Children's Book Award List:
https://www.salemstate.edu/assets/images/ACA_soe/2016_MCBA_Master_List_and_Grade_Level_Guide.pdf.
Classic American/British Authors
and Poets
Louisa May Alcott
Lloyd Alexander
Natalie Babbitt
James Barrie
L. Frank Baum
Nathaniel Benchley
William Blake
Carol Ryrie Brink
Lucy Boston
Michael Bond
Frances Hodgson Burnett
Stephen Vincent and Rosemarie Carr Benét
Lewis Carroll
John Ciardi
Beverly Cleary
Elizabeth Coatsworth
Daniel Defoe
Mary Mapes Dodge
Elizabeth Enright
Eleanor Estes
Virginia Hamilton
Bret Harte
Rachel Field
Esther Forbes
Paula Fox
Robert Frost
Leon Garfield
Jean Craighead George
Kenneth Grahame
Langston Hughes
Dick King‐Smith
Rudyard Kipling
Edward Lear
C.S. Lewis
Myra Cohn Livingston
Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow
George MacDonald
David McCord
A.A. Milne
L.M. Montgomery
Ogden Nash
Edith Nesbit
Sterling North
Mary Norton
Scott O’Dell
Philippa Pearce
Edgar Allan Poe
Howard Pyle
Arthur Rackham
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
Laura Richards
Carl Sandburg
George Selden
Anna Sewell
Isaac Bashevis Singer
Louis Slodbodkin
Elizabeth Speare
Booth Tarkington
James Thurber
E.B. White
Richard Wilbur
Laura Ingalls Wilder
N.C. Wyeth
Contemporary Fiction/Poetry
Paul Adam (mysteries)
Joan Aiken (fiction: adventure/fantasy)
Jennifer Allison (mysteries)
David Almond (fantasy, fiction: realistic)
Julia Alvarez (fiction: realistic)
M. T. Anderson (fiction: historical, humor)
Tom Angleberger (fiction: realistic)
Kathi Appelt (fiction: realistic)
Avi
Paolo Bacigalupi (science fiction)
Dave Barry (fantasy)
Joan Bauer (fiction: realistic
Jeanne Birdsall (realistic fiction)
Betty G. Birney (chapter books)
Judy Blume (fiction: realistic)
Nancy Bond (fantasy)
Ann Brashares (fiction)
Herbie Brennan (adventure)
Elise Broach (mysteries)
Bruce Brooks (fiction: realistic)
Joseph Bruchac (fiction: historical, sports)
Ashley Bryan (folktales, poetry)
Michael Buckley (mysteries)
Betsy Byars (fiction: realistic)
Meg Cabot (realistic fiction)
Ann Cameron (realistic fiction)
Orson Scott Card (science fiction)
Ally Carter (fiction)
Gennifer Choldenko (mysteries)
John Christopher (science fiction)
Andrew Clements (realistic fiction)
Eleanor Coerr (historical fiction)
Mick Cochrane (sports fiction)
Fourth and Fifth Graders are also encouraged to read books from the latest Massachusetts Children's Book Award List:
https://www.salemstate.edu/assets/images/ACA_soe/2016_MCBA_Master_List_and_Grade_Level_Guide.pdf.
Eoin Colfer (fantasy, science fiction)
James and Christopher Collier (fiction:
historical)
Suzanne Collins (fantasy, science fiction)
Leslie Connor (fiction: realistic)
Caroline B. Cooney (mysteries)
Susan Cooper (fantasy)
Frank Boyce Cottrell (fiction: humor)
Bruce Coville (fantasy)
Sharon Creech (fiction: realistic)
Chris Crutcher (sports
fiction)
Christopher Paul Curtis
(fiction: historical)
Karen Cushman (fiction:
historical)
Roald Dahl (fiction)
Paula Danziger (realistic fiction)
Cynthia DeFelice (fiction: historical,
mysteries)
Daniel DeFoe (adventure)
Kate DiCamillo (realistic fiction, fantasy)
Siobhan Dowd (mysteries)
Frances O’Roark Dowell (fiction: realistic)
Sharon Draper (fiction: realistic)
Jeanne DuPrau (science fiction)
Marguerite Engle (fiction: historical,
poetry)
Louise Erdrich (historical fiction/folktale)
Walter Farley (fiction: horses)
Nancy Farmer (fantasy)
John Feinstein (sports fiction)
Jody Feldman (mysteries)
John Fitzgerald (historical fiction)
Louise Fitzhugh (fiction: realistic)
Paul Fleischman (poetry, fiction: realistic)
Sid Fleischman (fiction: humor)
Helen Fox (science fiction)
Jean Fritz (historical fiction)
Cornelia Funke (fantasy, adventure)
John Reynolds Gardiner (realistic
fiction) Kristine O’Connell George
(poetry)
Patricia Reilly Giff (fiction)
Paul Goble (Native American folktales)
Stephanie Greene (chapter books)
Nikki Grimes (realistic fiction,
multicultural)
Neil Gaiman (fantasy)
Jack Gantos (fiction: humor)
Kami Garcia (fantasy)
Adam Gidwitz (fantasy)
Theresa Golding (fiction: realistic)
Chris Grabensteing
(science fiction)
Tim Green (sports fiction)
Bette Greene (fiction:
historical)
Lissa Greenwald (fiction)
Dan Gutman (sports
fiction)
Rosa Guy (fiction: realistic)
Jesse Haas (realistic fiction, horse stories)
Margaret Peterson Haddix (science fiction)
Mary Downing Hahn (ghost stories, fiction:
historical)
Shannon Hale (fantasy, fiction: historical)
Charise Mericle Harper (chapter books)
Marguerite Henry (fiction, horse stories)
Karen Hesse (fiction: historical)
Carl Hiassen (fiction: humor, mysteries)
Betty Hicks (sports, chapter books
F.E. Higgins (mysteries)
S. E. Hinton (fiction: realistic)
Will Hobbs (fiction: realistic)
Alice Hoffman (fiction: historical)
Jennifer Holm (fiction: historical)
Kimberly Willis Holt (chapter books)
Lee Bennet Hopkins (poetry)
Anthony Horowitz (adventure)
James Howe (chapter books)
Irene Hunt (fiction: historical)
Johanna Hurwitz (multi‐genre)
Eva Ibbotson (fantasy)
Paul Janeczko (poetry)
Mark Jean (fantasy)
Angela Johnson (fiction: realistic)
Lynne Jonell (humor)
Diana Wynne Jones (fantasy)
Norton Juster (fantasy)
Cynthia Kadohata (fiction: historical)
X. J. Kennedy (poetry)
Jessica Scott Kerrin (chapter books)
Kate Klise (fiction: humor)
Watt Key (adventure)
Ellen Klages (fiction: historical)
Steve Kluger (humor)
Ron Koertge (fiction: humor, poetry)
E.L. Konigsburg (fiction: realistic)
Gordon Korman (humor)
R.L. LaFevers
Justine Larbalestier (fiction)
Fourth and Fifth Graders are also encouraged to read books from the latest Massachusetts Children's Book Award List:
https://www.salemstate.edu/assets/images/ACA_soe/2016_MCBA_Master_List_and_Grade_Level_Guide.pdf.
Ingrid Law
Iain Lawrence (fiction:
historical)
Madeleine L’Engle
(fantasy, fiction: realistic)
Ursula LeGuin (fantasy)
Gail Carson Levine
(fiction: realistic, fantasy)
Grace Lin
Robert Lipsyte (fiction: realistic)
Cynthia Lord (fiction: realistic)
Lois Lowry (fiction: realistic, science fiction)
David Lubar (humor)
Mike Lupica (mysteries, fiction: sports)
Jake Maddox (sports fiction)
Margaret Mahy (fantasy, fiction: realistic)
Ann M. Martin (fiction)
Wendy Mass (humor)
Norah McClintock (mysteries)
Hilary McKay (fiction: humor)
Robin McKinley (fantasy)
Claudia Mills (fantasy)
Walter Dean Myers (fiction: historical,
realistic)
Donna Jo Napoli (fiction: historical, fantasy)
Phyllis Reynold Naylor (fiction: realistic)
Marilyn Nelson (poetry)
Garth Nix (fantasy)
Naomi Shihab Nye (poetry)
Kenneth Oppel (fantasy, adventure)
Christopher Paolini (fantasy)
Coleen Paratore (fantasy)
Linda Sue Park (fiction: historical, realistic)
Katherine Paterson (fiction: historical,
realistic)
James Patterson (science fiction)
Sue Patron (fiction: realistic)
Gary Paulsen (fiction: humor, historical,
realistic)
Richard Peck (fiction: historical, realistic)
Mitali Perkins (fiction: realistic)
Susan Beth Pfeffer (science fiction)
Daniel Pinkwater (fiction: humor)
Ellen Potter (fiction: realistic)
Terry Pratchett (fantasy)
Margi Preus (fiction: historical)
Philip Pullman (fantasy)
Ellen Raskin (mysteries)
Wilson Rawls (fiction: realistic)
Philip Reeve (fantasy)
Rick Riordan (fantasy)
Nora Rock (sports fiction)
J. K. Rowling (fantasy)
Pam Munoz Ryan (fiction: historical,
realistic)
Chris Rylander (mysteries)
Cynthia Rylant (poetry, fiction: realistic)
Louis Sachar (fiction: realistic)
Angie Sage (fantasy)
Brian Selznick
Mark Shulman (fiction: realistic)
William Sleator (ghost
stories, science fiction)
Roland Smith
(adventure)
Jordan Sonnenblick
(fiction: realistic)
Gary Soto (fiction:
realistic, poetry)
Jerry Spinelli (fiction: realistic)
Nancy Springer
Suzanne Fisher Staples (fiction: historical,
realistic)
Rebecca Stead (science fiction)
Paul Stewart
Jonathan Stroud (fantasy)
Theodore Taylor (fiction: historical)
Kate Thompson (fantasy)
Kristen Tracy (fiction)
Megan Whalen Turner (fantasy)
Vivan Vande Velde (humor)
Clare Vanderpool (fiction, historical)
Cynthia Voigt (fiction: realistic, fantasy)
Sarah Weeks (fiction: realistic, mysteries)
Scott Westerfeld (science fiction)
Deborah Wiles (fiction: historical)
Rita Williams‐Garcia (fiction: historical,
realistic)
Jacqueline Woodson (fiction: realistic)
Tim Wynne‐Jones (fiction: realistic)
Laurence Yep (fiction: historical, fantasy)
Gabrielle Zevin (fantasy)
Markus Zusak (fiction, historical)
Fourth and Fifth Graders are also encouraged to read books from the latest Massachusetts Children's Book Award List:
https://www.salemstate.edu/assets/images/ACA_soe/2016_MCBA_Master_List_and_Grade_Level_Guide.pdf.