2015 Summer Reading Assignments – Rising 5th Grade
Dear Middle School Parents and Students:
The summer reading program is designed to continue to develop students’ reading skills and to help foster a love of
reading. Rising 5th grade students are required to read two books. After the list, you will see a short summary for each
book (adapted or copied from scholastic) as well as a reading level for that book. Please help your child to choose a book
that would be appropriate for their reading ability as well as their interests as a reader.
For each of the books, students are asked to complete an annotated bibliography. The format for the annotated
bibliography is attached. Students should bring their annotated bibliographies and their copies of the books when they
return to school in August. We will be doing several follow-up activities during the first two weeks of the school year. I
hope you enjoy your summer and keep reading!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Mitchell
5th Grade: Read one selection from EACH of the following lists:
Read one selection from this list of historical fiction books:
The Looking Glass Wars, by Frank Beddor
True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, by Avi (aka Edward Irving Wortis)
Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson
Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
Worth by A.LaFaye
My America: My Face to the Wind by Jim Murphy
Kira Kira by: Cynthia Khadota
Read one Classical Fiction book. You can chose from the list below or choose your own.
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
The Sword and the Stone by T.H. White
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss
Heidi by Johanna Spyri
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
Peter Pan by James Matthew Barrie
The Black Stallion by Walter Farley
Historical fiction books:
The Looking Glass Wars, by Frank Beddor (7.3)
The Looking Glass Wars, takes the original Alice in Wonderland story and gives it an interesting twist. In the original story, Alice was an
ordinary girl who stepped through the looking glass and entered a fairy-tale world invented by Lewis Carroll in his famous storybook.
The truth is that Wonderland is real, and Alyss Heart is the heir to the throne, until her murderous aunt Redd steals the crown and kills
Alyssa’s parents. To escape Redd, Alyss and her bodyguard, Hatter Madigan, must flee to our world through the Pool of Tears. But in
the pool Alyss and Hatter are separated and Alyss is lost and alone in Victorian London. Alyss meets a young author to whom she tells
the violent, heartbreaking story of her young life. Yet he gets the story all wrong. Hatter Madigan knows the truth only too well, and he is
searching every corner of our world to find the lost princess and return her to Wonderland so she may battle Redd for her rightful place
as the Queen of Hearts.
True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, by Avi (aka Edward Irving Wortis) (6.9)
Thirteen-year-old Charlotte Doyle is excited to return home from her school in England to her family in Rhode Island in the summer of
1832. But when the two families she was supposed to travel with mysteriously cancel their trips, Charlotte finds herself the lone
passenger on a long sea voyage with a cruel captain and a mutinous crew. Worse yet, soon after stepping aboard the ship, she
becomes enmeshed in a conflict between them! What begins as an eagerly anticipated ocean crossing turns into a harrowing journey,
where Charlotte gains a villainous enemy and is put on trial for murder!
Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson (7.6)
During the summer of 1793, Mattie Cook lives above the family coffee shop with her widowed mother and grandfather. Mattie spends
her days avoiding chores and making plans to turn the family business into the finest Philadelphia has ever seen. But then the fever
breaks out. Disease sweeps the streets, destroying everything in its path and turning Mattie's world upside down. At her feverish
mother's insistence, Mattie flees the city with her grandfather. But she soon discovers that the sickness is everywhere, and Mattie must
learn quickly how to survive in a city turned frantic with disease.
Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick (5.4)
Ben and Rose secretly wish their lives were different. Ben longs for the father he has never known. Rose dreams of a mysterious
actress whose life she chronicles in a scrapbook. When Ben discovers a puzzling clue in his mother's room and Rose reads an enticing
headline in the newspaper, both children set out alone on desperate quests to find what they are missing. Set fifty years apart, these
two independent stories — Ben's told in words, Rose's in pictures — weave back and forth with mesmerizing symmetry. How they
unfold and ultimately intertwine will surprise you, challenge you, and leave you breathless with wonder. Rich, complex, affecting, and
beautiful — with over 460 pages of original artwork — Wonderstruck is a stunning achievement from a uniquely gifted artist and
visionary.
Worth by A.LaFaye (5.0)
In this award-winning book, eleven-year-old Nate's bitterness over a permanent injury begins to dissipate when he realizes that the
orphan boy brought to do his farm chores has also experienced great loss. The author's accurate depiction of the story's nineteenth
century setting, as well as her deep understanding of human nature makes this book a must read.
My America: My Face to the Wind by Jim Murphy (4.9)
In the late 1870s many young teachers traveled West to earn money and make a new life for themselves. However, the schools were
inadequate at best. Some returned home, unable to endure the hardships of prairie life, but others were more committed. Jim Murphy's
Sarah Jane Price stayed, braving the rough conditions of the West and the daily tasks that ensued.
Kira Kira by: Cynthia Khadota(4.9)
Glittering. That's how Katie Takeshima's sister, Lynn, makes everything seem. The sky is kira-kira because its color is deep but seethrough at the same time. The sea is kira-kira for the same reason. And so are people's eyes. When Katie and her family move from a
Japanese community in Iowa to the Deep South of Georgia, it's Lynn who explains to her why people stop them on the street to stare.
And it's Lynn who, with her special way of viewing the world, teaches Katie to look beyond tomorrow. But when Lynn becomes
desperately ill, and the whole family begins to fall apart, it is up to Katie to find a way to remind them all that there is always something
glittering — kira-kira — in the future.Luminous in its persistence of love and hope, Kira-Kira is Cynthia Kadohata's stunning debut in
middle-grade fiction.
Classical Fiction book. You can chose from the list below or choose your own.
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery (7.1)
A nameless little prince from the asteroid known as B-612 who is encountered by an airplane pilot in the Desert of Sahara. The
stranded pilot has crashed thousands of miles from human habitation. He must repair his plane before his small supply of water runs
out. Amazingly, it is here in the middle of nowhere that the pilot is met by this little boy, dressed in high boots and a long, regal cape
and claiming to be a little prince from another world. During their time together in the desert, the little prince recounts to the pilot how he
has managed to leave his tiny world of asteroid B-612 and eventually make his way to the planet Earth.
Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss (8.3)
A terrible storm strands a Swiss pastor and his family on a tropical island. Luckily, the Robinsons are optimistic and inventive; with what
they salvage from the wrecked ship, and the island's abundant fruits, plants, and animals, they soon adapt each day discovering new
dangers, skills, and delights in their strange new life.
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (8.3)
This beloved classic of literature has touched the hearts of young readers for over three generations. First published in 1908, this book
began as a series of bedtime stories written especially for the author's son. Four friends — Toad, Mole, Rat, and Badger — are always
having exciting adventures. While each has their own distinctive personality — Mole is cautious, Rat is sweet, Toad is a braggart, and
Badger can't stand society — their friendship is only enhanced by their differences.
The Sword and the Stone by T.H. White (6.9)
This book relates the story of young Arthur's training to become king, under the guidance of Merlyn the magician.
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (6.9)
What secrets lie behind the doors at Misselthwaite manor? Recently arrived at her uncle's estate, orphaned mary Lennox is spoiled,
sickly, and certain she won't enjoy living there. Then she discovers the arched doorway into an overgrown garden, shut up since the
death of her aunt ten years earlier. Mary soon begins transforming it into a thing of beauty--unaware that she is changing too.
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett (5.5)
When Sara Crewe comes to stay at Miss Minchin's school for girls, she is treated like a little princess. She has a room of her own, a
maid to wait on her, and beautiful clothes to wear. Then Sara gets some dreadful news about her father. Now she has no money and
no place to go. The cruel Miss Minchin takes away all of Sara's lovely things and makes her work in the kitchen. Sara Crewe has spirit
on her side, but will it be enough?
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell (6.4)
Black Beauty's story, as told by himself, is the fascinating tale of the life of a horse a hundred years ago, when horses were a part of
daily life. Although his colthood and early life are happy, Black Beauty tastes the bitterness of cruel handlers and indifferent masters as
he passes from hand to hand, progressing from the country to London and back again.
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren (5.2)
Tommy and Annika have always wished someone would come to live in the ramshackle house next door, and one day, someone does:
Pippi Longstocking, an irrepressible nine-year-old girl with a unique way of doing things. Soon the three are inseparable friends. With a
horse on the porch, a monkey on her shoulder, and no parents to tell her when to go to bed, Pippi makes everything into an adventure,
whether she's climbing inside a hollow tree or taking her friends "thing-finding" around the village.
Peter Pan by James Matthew Barrie (6.0)
Second to the right and straight on til morning - that's the way to Neverland, an island filled with adventure and hidden danger. It's home
to beautiful mermaids and fairies...as well as dastardly pirates ruled by the evil Captain Hook. It's a place for lost boys, hungry
crocodiles, and, most of all, people who don't want to grow up. The Darling children don't know anything about Neverland - until a
magical boy named Peter Pan shows up and leads the way.
The Black Stallion by Walter Farley (6.0)
From Alec Ramsay and the Black's first meeting on an ill-fated ship to their adventures on a desert island and their eventual rescue, this
beloved story will hold the rapt attention of readers new and old. While he is returning home after visiting his uncle in India, Alec
Ramsay nearly loses his life when his ship sinks during a storm. Follow the adventures of Alec and the stallion that saves his life as
they prepare to enter a horse race to determine the fastest horse in the world.
Little House on the Prairie (4.3) Any in the series
Laura Ingalls likes her little house in the big woods, which she shares with Ma and Pa, and her two, sisters Mary and Carrie. Winter is
coming, and their log house is snug and warm. But the big woods are becoming crowded. Everyday, they hear the thud of an axe on a
tree, and Pa wants to leave. In fact, he wants to move the entire family west, to Indian country. The family prepares a covered wagon
and Laura leaves her home in the woods forever. The trip west is not easy, but Laura's spirited curiosity is heightened by the
adventures they have along the way
Annotated Bibliography
Students must complete an annotated bibliography for each book that they read for summer reading.
1. Title
2. Author
3. Genre (nonfiction, historical fiction, fiction, fantasy, etc.)
4. Publication Date (copyright date)
5. Describe the setting fully (time and place)
6. Briefly, in 5 sentences or less, summarize the plot of the book in your own words (not the words on the back of the
book.)
7. Choose any one character and write a descriptive paragraph about that character. Some things to consider: What is
he or she like? What is important to this character? What are the character’s strengths? What makes this character
interesting? (You don’t have to write about the protagonist or main character—choose any character that interests
you.)
8. Write a one paragraph reaction to this book. Did you love it? Hate it? Have a mixed reaction? Why? Give your
opinion about whether this is a good book or not. Be sure to explain your opinion.
9. Find one sentence from the book that you think is significant or important. Make sure to give the page number.
10. Give one word that sums up this book.