Rising 5th Graders
Summer Homework
2015-2016
Dear 4th Graders,
We have enjoyed teaching you this year, and we want to help you remember all the reading and writing
skills you have learned as you prepare for 5th grade. Over the next few months, please independently read at least
TWO books – one fiction and one nonfiction book.
You may choose books from the following suggested summer reading list. These titles are available at your
local public library or for purchase at any local bookstore.
Several writing projects can help you reflect on your reading. For example, you may choose from
the following projects:
 Write and mail a letter to the author or publisher. Make a copy to share with your class.
 Write a sequel to the story.
 Write a summary with an illustration or visual model,
Though you are certainly not limited to the books on this list or the writing projects above, be
prepared to present your handwritten book reports during the first week of school in the fall. Your 5th grade
teacher will provide time for you to present your book reports. Have fun digging into the pages of your books.
Best Wishes,
Your English Teachers
The Hobbit
by J.R.R. Tolkien (320 pages)
In this classic prelude to the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, Bilbo
Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life,
rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his
contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a
company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him
away on an adventure. They have launched a plot to raid the
treasure hoard guarded by Smaug the Magnificent, a large and
very dangerous dragon. Bilbo reluctantly joins their quest,
unaware that on his journey to the Lonely Mountain he will
encounter both a magic ring and a frightening creature known
as Gollum.
Hatchet
by Gary Paulsen (192 pages)
After a plane crash, thirteen-year-old Brian spends fifty-four
days in the wilderness, learning to survive with only the aid
of a hatchet.
The BFG
by Roald Dahl (208 pages)
Soon to be a major motion picture directed by Steven Spielberg,
this tale is like no other! The BFG is no ordinary bone-crunching
giant. He is far too nice and jumbly. It's lucky for Sophie that he
is. Had she been carried off in the middle of the night by the
Bloodbottler, or any of the other giants—rather than the BFG—
she would have soon become breakfast. When Sophie hears that
the giants are flush-bunking off to England to swollomp a few
nice little chiddlers, she decides she must stop them once and for
all, and the BFG is going to help her!
Fiction/historical fiction
Buddy
by M.H. Herlong (320 pages)
This is a classic boy-and-dog tale in the tradition of “Old Yeller”.
Twelve-year-old Li’l T, his three-legged dog, Buddy, and a closeknit family face the hardship brought on by Hurricane Katrina.
Out of My Mind
by Sharon Draper (320 pages)
Eleven-year-old Melody is not like most people. She cannot
walk or talk, but she has a photographic memory; she can
remember every detail of everything she has ever experienced.
She is smarter than most of the adults who try to diagnose her
and smarter than her classmates in her integrated classroom—
the very same classmates who dismiss her as mentally
challenged, because she cannot tell them otherwise. But Melody
refuses to be defined by cerebral palsy. And she’s determined to
let everyone know it…somehow.
Number the Stars
by Lois Lowry (156 pages)
Ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen and her best friend Ellen Rosen
often think of life before the war. It's now 1943 and their life in
Copenhagen is filled with school, food shortages, and the Nazi
soldiers marching through town.
Nonfiction/Informational Text
Writer to Writer: From Think to Ink
Gail Carson Levine (304 pages)
Have you ever wanted to captivate readers with a great
opening, create spectacular and fantastical creatures, make
up an entire country, realize a dastardly villain, write an epic
love story, or make your characters leap off the page? If you
answered yes to any of these questions, Gail Carson Levine can
help you become a world-class author.
The Great Fire
by Jim Murphy (144 pages)
Chicago's Great Fire of 1871 was one of the most colossal
disasters in American History. Murphy uses primary sources to
tell the story through the eyes of survivors.
Randolph Caldecott: The Man Who Could Not Stop Drawing
by Leonard S. Marcus (64 pages)
Randolph Caldecott is best known as the namesake of the award
that honors picture book illustrations, and in this inventive
biography, leading children’s literature scholar Leonard Marcus
examines the man behind the medal. In an era when the steam
engine fueled an industrial revolution and train travel exploded
people’s experience of space and time, Caldecott was inspired by his
surroundings to capture action, movement, and speed in a way that
had never before been seen in children’s picture books.
Ripley Twists: Sports & Human Body
by Ripley Entertainment (96 pages)
by Michael Part (152 pages)
Ripley's Twists 2 in 1 - Sports & Human Body brings together two
awesome and fascinating books. From ultra marathons and
extreme kayaking to surfing dogs and a man with blue skin, you'll
be amazed at the astonishing facts, awesome photos and weird and
wonderful Ripley's stories on every page!
This is the gripping life story of a boy who rose from the streets of
Madeira to become one of the greatest soccer players ever. A
heartfelt, startling tale of his journey to glory and what made him
the man he is.
I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was
Shot by the Taliban
by Malala Yousafzai (368 pages)
Cristiano Ronaldo - The Rise of a Winner
When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, one
girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought
for her right to an education.