Dear Parents,
The Norwood Elementary School Librarians and the Children’s
Librarians from the Morrill Memorial Library have designed this
reading list to keep your child reading throughout the summer
months. Most parents understand how important it is that their
children continue to read throughout the summer but may have
difficulty finding the right books to inspire their children. Books that
spark a child’s curiosity, humor, and interests are more likely to keep
your child reading, so this list provides a sample of popular authors
and titles. Your public librarian can also help your child locate books
that are at the right reading level and are of interest to your child, so
don’t hesitate to come in and ask for help. These lists are available
online at the school library website, as well as on the public library
website: www.norwoodlibrary.org.
In addition, the public library runs a summer reading program
for children entering Kindergarten through 8th grade. This summer
the theme of the program is “Dig Into Reading” and will include arts
and crafts, poetry workshops, performers, picnic storytimes, campfire
storytimes, a Lego competition, and events and activities designed to
inspire and motivate children. There is also an online program for
children to keep track of the books they read, and where they can rate
the books and share book reviews. Sign-up for the program begins
June 10th, and the program starts on June 17th. Readers who join the
program will receive bookmarks, activity sheets, can enter a weekly
lottery for a free book, and attend a celebration at school in the Fall.
Please visit your public library for more information.
Sincerely,
The Norwood Elementary School Librarians:
Paula McMullen, Donna Miller,
Aaron Reuland, and Lora E. Roberts
The Morrill Memorial Library Children’s Librarians:
Kelly Unsworth, Jean Todesca, and Jane Bradley
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2013 Norwood Elementary School
Summer Reading Requirements
and Book Lists
A Letter from Your Teachers:
It is important that you keep reading and learning throughout the
summer in order to minimize “summer slide” and maximize summer
gain. Pick something that you will enjoy reading, and challenge
yourself to read as much as you can.
All students are expected to read three (3) books this summer
that they will discuss with their class in September. Each student is
required to read: one fiction, one non-fiction, and one free
choice book. Though only three books are required, we hope that
you will choose to read many more books to “grow your brain.”
To help you remember what you have read, consider doing one or
more of these projects for sharing with others in September when
you return to school.
 Draw a picture of or describe your favorite character.
 Draw a picture of or describe your favorite part.
 Make a poster of your favorite scene.
 Design a new book cover.
 Create a puppet of one or more of the characters.
 Design a bookmark to go with one of the books.
 Create a new ending for one of the books.
 Write a description of the main character from one of the books.
 Develop a comic strip summary for one of the books.
 Write a letter to the main character of a book.
 Write a letter to the author about what you did nor did not like
about one of the books.
Use the following summer reading lists to help you find books that
are fun and interesting to read. Join the Norwood Library Reading
Program to help keep track of all the books you are reading and
participate in the “We Are Readers” celebration in September at
school.
On the first day of school, please bring your completed reading
log that your teacher gave you in June (or your printed
Norwood Library online Summer Reading Program log), along
with whatever projects you may have done so you can share
with others the great reading you did over the summer.
2
Folklore
Bruchac, James j398 Indian
Rabbit's snow dance: a traditional
Iroquois story
Calcutt, David j398 Robin Hood
Robin Hood
Divakaruni, Chitra Banerjee j398
India
Grandma and the great gourd: a
Bengali folk tale
Don, Lari Picture Book
Little Red Riding Hood
Goble, Paul j398 Indian
The man who dreamed of elkdogs & other stories from the tipi
Grimm, Jacob j398 Germany
Sleeping Beauty
Gunderson, Jessica j292 Gunderson Jason and the Argonauts: a retelling
Hopkins, Jackie j398 U.S.
Prairie chicken little
McGrath, Barbara j398
The little gray bunny
Meister, Cari j292 Meister
The wooden horse of Troy: a retelling
Miller, Bobbi j398 U.S.
Miss Sally Ann and the panther
Moore, Emma j398 India
Manu's Ark: India's tale of the
Great Flood
Peck, Jan j398 Russia
Giant peach yodel
Pinkney, Jerry j398 France
Puss in Boots
Rodriguez, Beatrice j398 Germany
The gingerbread man
Wade, Mary Dodson j398
Treasury of Greek mythology
Williams, Marcia j398 India
The elephant's friend and other
tales from Ancient India
Williamson, Duncan j398 Scotland
The coming of the unicorn: Scottish folk tales for children
York, M.J. j398 Netherlands
The boy at the dike: a Dutch folktale
York, M.J. j398 Africa
How many spots does a leopard
have?: an African folktale
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Poetry
Picture Books
(j811)
African American poetry
Bingham, Kelly
Z is for moose
The arrow finds its mark
Cordell, Matthew
Hello! Hello!
Bauer, Marion Dane
Halloween forest
Fleming, Candace
Oh no!
Cushman, Doug
Pigmares: porcine poems of the
silver screen
Fogliano, Julie
And then it's spring
Farrar, Sid
The year comes around: haiku
through the seasons (j 895.6)
Hills, Tad
Rocket writes a story
Florian, Douglas
Shiver me timbers: pirate poems
& paintings
Hosford, Kate
Infinity and me
Frost, Helen
Step gently out
Jeffers, Oliver
This moose belongs to me
Gerber, Carole
Seeds, bees, butterflies, and
more!: poems for two voices
Joyce, William
Held, George
Neighbors: The yard critters too
The fantastic flying books of Mr.
Morris Lessmore
Lewis, J. Patrick
Edgar Allan Poe's pie: math puzzlers in classic poems
Klassen, Jon
This is not my hat
Leathers, Philippa
Black Rabbit
Lewis, J. Patrick
Face bug
Litwin, Eric
Lewis, J. Patrick
If you were a chocolate mustache: poems
Pete the cat and his four groovy buttons
Logue, Mary
Sleep like a tiger
Ode, Eric
When you're a pirate dog and
other pirate poems
Pinfold, Levi
Black dog
Prelutsky, Jack
Stardines swim high across the
sky and other poems
Reynolds, Aaron
Creepy carrots!
Singer, Marilyn
Follow follow: a book of reverso
poems
Reynolds, Peter H.
Sky color
Singer, Marilyn
The superheroe’s employment
agency
Rosenthal, Amy Krouse
Exclamation Mark
Stone, Tiffany
Rainbow shoes
Seeger, Laura
Green
VanDerwater, Amy Ludwig
Forest has a song: poems
Stead, Philip C.
Bear has a story to tell
Worth, Valerie
Pug and other animal poems
Watt, Melanie
Scaredy Squirrel goes camping
Yolen, Jane
Bug off!: creepy, crawly poems
Willems, Mo
That is not a good idea!
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3
Easy Readers
Biographies
Arnold, Tedd
Ride, Fly Guy, ride!
Adler, David
Picture book of Sam Houston
Bunting, Eve
Frog and friends
Asim, Jabari
Chaconas, Dori
Cork & Fuzz: the swimming lesson
DiCamillo, Kate
Bink and Gollie, two for one
Christensen, Bonnie
Fifty cents and a dream: young Booker T.
Washington
Electric Ben : the amazing life and times of
Benjamin Franklin
I, Galileo
Farber, Erica
Go, Huckle, go
Close, Chuck
Face Book
Farley, Robin
Mia and the dance for two
Codell, Esme Raji
Gilman, Grace
Dixie
Hayes, Geoffrey
A poor excuse for a dragon
Hayes, Geoffrey
Patrick in A teddy bear's picnic
Ferris, Jeri
Seed by seed : the legend and legacy of
John "Appleseed" Chapman
Barnum's bones : how Barnum Brown discovered the most famous dinosaur in the
world
Noah Webster and his words
Lin, Grace
Ling & Ting: not exactly the same
Hartland, Jessie
Bon appétit! :the delicious life of Julia Child
Hopkinson, Deborah
Annie and Helen
Meisel, Paul
See me run
O'Conner, Jane
Fancy Nancy (I can read series)
Jarrow, Gail
Ries, Lori
Aggie the brave
Rylant, Cynthia
Mr. Putter and Tabby ring the bell
The amazing Harry Kellar : great American
magician
Rachel Carson and her book that changed
the world
I and I : Bob Marley
Bryd, Robert
Fern, Tracey E.
Lawlor, Laurie
Medina, Tony
Montgomery, Sy
Scotton, Rob
Splat the cat and the duck with no
quack
Stoeke, Janet Morgan
Pip's trip
Schneider, Josh
Tales for very picky eaters
Rappaport, Doreen
Temple Grandin :how the girl who loved
cows embraced autism and changed the
world
Colorful dreamer : the story of artist Henri
Matisse
Hand in hand : ten black men who changed
America (j973)
Helen's big world : the life of Helen Keller
Parker, Marjorie Blain
Pinkney, Andrea Davis
Weeks, Sarah
Mac and Cheese and the perfect plan
Rubin, Susan Goldman
Jean Laffite : the pirate who saved America
Willems, Mo
Listen to my trumpet!
Rubin, Susan Goldman
Music was it : young Leonard Bernstein
Willems, Mo
I broke my trunk
Tavares, Matt
Becoming Babe Ruth
4
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Graphic Novels
(Graphic Children section)
How to Find a “Just Right Book”
That one spooky Night
STORIES Bar-El GC
Bird & Squirrel on the run
STORIES Burks GC
Need some help finding a book that is just right for you to
read? Follow these four easy steps:
Leo Geo and his miraculous
journey through…
STORIES Chad GC
(This method is based on a hundred-word selection)
Amelia Earhart :this broad ocean
jB EARHART GC
Amelia rules! (Series)
STORIES Gownley GC
Zita the Spacegirl (Series)
STORIES Hatke GC
Adventures of Tintin (Series)
STORIES Herge GC
Babymouse (Series)
STORIES Holm GC
Amulet (Series)
STORIES Kibuishi GC
Lunch Lady (Series)
STORIES Krosoczka GC
Annie Sullivan and the trials of
Helen Keller
J362.4 Lambert GC
Little White Duck: a childhood ...
J741.5 Liu GC
The city of Ember: the graphic novel STORIES Middaugh GC
The secret of the stone frog
STORIES Nytra GC
Olympians (series)
STORIES O’Connor GC
Big Nate: Here Goes Nothing
(Series)
STORIES Peirce GC
Bone (Series)
STORIES Smith GC
Binky the space cat (Series)
STORIES Spires GC
Drama
STORIES Telgemeier GC
Hamster and Cheese (series)
STORIES Venable GC
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http://www.nvnet.org/~wallk/S06E9EEC7.1/5_finger_test_poster.gif
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Bridge Books
Intermediate
Clements, Andrew
The whites of their eyes (series)
Cronin, Doreen
The Legend of Diamond Lil: a J. J.
Tully mystery
Davies, Jacqueline
The bell bandit (series)
Gibbs, Stuart
Spy school
Hiaasen, Carl
Chomp
Hopkinson, Deborah
A boy called Dickens
Horvath, Polly
Mr. and Mrs. Bunny -- detectives
extraordinaire!
(Between an Easy Reader and an Intermediate)
Bergen, Lara
Brown, Jeff
Sophie the zillionaire (series)
An African safari discovery (series)
Bruel, Nick
Bad Kitty for president (series)
Bunting, Eve
DiCamillo, Kate
Ballywhinney Girl
Bink & Gollie, two for one (series)
Gutman, Dan
Mr. Burke is berserk! (series)
Han, Jenny
Clara Lee and the apple pie dream
Harvey, Jacqueline
Alice-Miranda on vacation (series)
Kirby, Stan
Captain Awesome to the rescue!
(series)
Klein, Abby
Save the Earth! (series)
Krulik, Nancy
Going overboard! (series)
Lowry, Lois
Bless this mouse
Markel, Michelle
Brave girl : Clara and the Shirtwaist
Makers’ Strike of 1909
McDonald, Megan
Stink and the freaky frog freakout
(series)
O'Connor, Jane
Super sleuth (series)
Hunt, Lynda Mullaly
One for the Murphys
Korman, Gordon
Showoff
Lin, Grace
Dumpling days
Palacio, R.J.
Wonder
Peirce, Lincoln
Big Nate flips out (series)
Pennypacker, Sara
Summer of the gypsy moths
Prineas, Sarah
Winterling
Rose, Caroline Starr
May B. : a novel-in-verse
Simon, Coco
Mia's baker's dozen (series)
Osborne, Mary Pope
A crazy day with cobras (series)
Spinelli, Jerry
Hokey Pokey
Spinelli, Jerry
Third grade angels
Stewart, Trenton Lee
The extraordinary education of
Nicholas Benedict
Stern, A.J.
Funny business (series)
Vanderpool, Clare
Navigating Early
Voake, Steve
Daisy Dawson on the farm (series)
Vernon, Ursula
Nightmare of the iguana
White, Jamie
White House dog (series)
6
11
Goals of Summer Reading:
It is well documented that students who do not read over the
summer tend to lose academic gains made during the school
year.
What would you like to read this summer? Use this
page to brainstorm books and authors that you would
like to explore over the summer.
Experts agree that children who read during the summer
gain reading skills, while those who do not often slide
backward. According to the authors of a report from the
National Summer Learning Association: "A conservative
estimate of lost instructional time [due to not reading
over the summer] is approximately two months or
roughly 22 percent of the school year.... It's common for
teachers to spend at least a month re-teaching material that
students have forgotten over the summer. That month of
re-teaching eliminates a month that could have been spent
on teaching new information and skills."
http://www.rif.org/us/literacy-resources/articles/keeping-kids-off-thesummer-slide.htm)
By requiring all students to read this summer, we hope to:






Prevent the “summer slide" & loss of academic
readiness for school
Advance literary and academic performance
Encourage family reading experiences
Increase vocabulary, fluency & comprehension
Encourage students and parents to discuss what
they read and their favorite authors or characters
Foster a love of reading
Remember, you can add the books you have read, along with
your review (if you choose to write one), to your Summer
Reading website when you sign up for the Norwood Public
Library Summer Reading program.
10
7
Informational
Aston, Dianna Hutts
j725.97 Aston
Dream something big : the story of the Watts Towers
Bang, Molly
j571.4 Bang
Ocean sunlight : how tiny plants feed the seas
Becker, Helaine
j577.7 Becker
The big green book of the big blue sea
Bishop, Nic
j597.96 Bishop
Nic Bishop snakes
Chin, Jason
j508.866 Chin
Island : a story of the Galapagos
DeCristofano, Carolyn
J523.8 DeCristofano
A black hole is not a hole
Dyer, Hadley
j635.09 Dyer
Potatoes on rooftops : farming in the city
Fishman, Cathy
j796.357 Fishman
When Jackie and Hank met
Fletcher, Ralph
j808.06 Fletcher
Guy-write : what every guy writer needs to know
Freedman, Russell
j937.7 Freedman
Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass : the story
behind and American friendship
Goldstone, Bruce
j508 Goldstone
Awesome autumn
Heppermann, Christine
j636.5 Hepperman
City chickens
Hopkinson, Deborah
j910.4 Hopkinson
Titanic : voices from the disaster
Jenkins, Steve
j595.76 Jenkins
The beetle book
Leedy, Loreen
j516 Leedy
Seeing symmetry
Levinson, Cynthia
j323.11 Levinson
We've got a job: the 1963 Birmingham Children's March
Patent, Dorothy Hinshaw
j636.7 Patent
Dogs on duty : soldiers’ best friends on the battlefield
and beyond
Pringle, Laurence
j576.8 Pringle
Billions of years, amazing changes : the story of
evolution
Rusch, Elizabeth
j523.43 Rusch
The mighty Mars rovers : the incredible adventures of
Spirit and Opportunity
Spinner, Stephanie
j636.68 Spinner
Alex the parrot : no ordinary bird
8
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