Kindergarten Suggested Summer Reading List
Note: The following books are only suggestions. Please feel free to add any books that are appropriate for your
reader. The staff in the children’s section of the local library will also have many wonderful suggestions for you.
Research has shown that the single greatest factor in predicting reading success is whether a child is read to when
young. Here are some titles to get you started!
Books About Me
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I Like Me! by Nancy L. Carlson
• I Like to Be Little by Charlotte Zolotow
• Incredible You! 10 Ways to let your greatness shine
through by Dr. Wayne Dyer
• Leo the Late Bloomer by Rober Kraus
• My Five Senses by Aliki
• Owen by Kevin Henkes
• The Mixed-Up Chameleon by Eric Carle
• When I Get Bigger by Mercer Mayer
Family Stories
• Are you My Mother ? by P.D. Eastman
• Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
• Just Me Books by Mercer Mayer
• My Dad Loves Me! by Marianne Richmond
• Mama, do You Love Me? by Barbara M. Joossee
Color and Counting Books
• 26 Letters and 99 Cents by Tana Hoban
• Each Orange Had Eight Slices: A Counting Book
by Paul Giganti Jr.
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Caldecott Winners and Honor Books
• Color Zoo by Lois Ehleri
• Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
• Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
• More, More, More, Said the Baby by Vera B.
Williams
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Predictable Books
• 50 Below Zero by Robert Munsch
• Curious George by H.A. Rey
• Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
• Gregory the Terrible Eater by Mitchell Sharmat
• The Gingerbread Boy by Paul Galdone
• The Mitten by Jan Brett
Beginning, Middle, and End Concepts
• 3 Billy Goats Gruff by Glen Rounds
• Bony Legs by Jeanna Cole
• Its’ Mine by Leo Lionni
• Rosie’s Walk by Pat Hutchins
• The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown
Fabulous Science Books
• Cars and How they Go by Joanna Cole
• Eyewitness Juniors Amazing Frogs and Toads by
Barry Clarke
Fish Eyes by Lois Ehlert
Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni
Is it Red? Is it Yellow? Is it Blue? by Tana Hoban
Press Here by Hereve Tullet
Ten Little Fish by Audrey Wood
Swimmy by Leo Lionni
Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens
Mother Goose and Nursery Rhymes
• James Marshall’s Mother Goose by James
Marshall
•
My Very First Mother Goose by Iona Opie and
Rosemary Wells
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Tomie dePaola’s Mother Goose by Tomie
dePaola
Folktales and Fairy Tales
• Cinderella by Marcia Brown
• The Hare and the Tortoise by Brian Wildsmith
• The Little Red Hen by Margot Zemach
• The Three Little Bears by Paul Galdone
• Three Little Pigs by James Marshall
• The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Anderson
First Grade Suggested Summer Reading List
Note: The following books are only suggestions. Please feel free to add any books that are appropriate for your
reader. The staff in the children’s section of the local library will also have many wonderful suggestions for you.
Research has shown that the single greatest factor in predicting reading success is whether a child is read to when
young. Here are some titles to get you started! Please note that the reading level of the books suggested varies. If your
child is already reading have him or her read a page of the book aloud to you to see if it is a good fit. If they struggle
with more than a few words on the page, it is probably too difficult, but the book would still be a great book to read
aloud to your child.
Fun Books to Share
Alphabet Books
• Animals by Graeme Basese
• The Icky Bug Alphabet Book by Jerry
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And I Mean It, Stanley by Crosby Bonsall
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Arthur series by Marc Brown
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A Bad Case of the Stripes by David Shannon
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Berenstain Bear series by Jan and Stan Berenstain
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Clifford series by Norman Bridwell
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Dinosaur Time by Peggy Parish
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The Eye Book by Theo Lesieg
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Franklin series by Paulette Bourgeois
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Froggy series by Jonathan London
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Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Suess
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Hi! Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold
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How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long
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Junie B. Jones series by Barbara Park
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Little Critter series by Mercer Mayer
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Morris the Moose by Bernard Wiseman
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Nate the Great series by Marjoire Weinman Sharmat
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The Dot by Peter Reynolds
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The Jolly Postman by Allan Ahlberg
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The Secret Life of Squirrels by Nancy Rose
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The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle
Learning to Read Series
•
Hello Reader!
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I Can Read Books
•
Puffin Easy-to-Read
•
Step Into Reading Levels 1-4
Pallotta
•
Z Was Zapped by Chris Van Allsburg
Math in Picture Books
• How Much Is a Million? by David M.
Schwartz
•
Monster Math by Anne Miranda
One Potato: A Counting Book of Potato
Prints by Diana Pomeroy
When Sheep Cannot Sleep by Satoshi
Kitamura
Non-Fiction:
• National Geographic Little Kids First Big
Book of Animals by Catherine D. Hughes
Caldecott Awards and Honor Books
• Alphabet City by Stephen Johnson
• Click, Clack, Moo by Doreen Cronin
• The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton
Juster and Chris Raschka
•
Owen by Kevin Henkes
Entering Grade 2 Summer Reading List
Please Note: Fiction titles below are in order of increasing difficulty. Students are ONLY REQUIRED to
READ 1 Fiction title and 1 Non-Fiction title for a total of 2 REQUIRED READS.
Fiction:
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Froggy series, by Jonathan London (any in series)
•
Cork and Fuzz by Dori Chaconas (any in series)
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Pinky & Rex by James Howe (any in series)
Non-Fiction: Any non-fiction book about an animal
PA Core Challenge Optional:
• The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf
• Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik (any in series)
Suggested Titles
Please Note: The following books are only suggestions. Please feel free to add any books that are
appropriate for your reader. The staff in the children’s section of the local library will also have
many wonderful suggestions for you.
Research has shown that the single greatest factor in predicting reading success is whether a child is read to when young. Here are
some titles to get you started! Please note that the reading level of the books suggested varies. If your child is already reading have
him or her read a page of the book aloud to you to see if it is a good fit. If they struggle with more than a few words on the page, it is
probably too difficult, but the book would still be a great book to read aloud to your child.
School Stories
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Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman
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The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash by Trinka
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Fish Face by Patricia Reilly Giff
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Miss Nelson Is Missing by Harry Allard
Hakes Noble
Learning to Read Series
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Hello Reader!
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I Can Read Books
•
Puffin Easy-to-Read
•
Step Into Reading Levels 1-4
Caldecott awards and Honor Books
• The Funny Little Woman by Arlene Mosel
• Many Moons by James Thurber
• The Story of Jumping Mouse by John
Steptoe
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Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William
Steig
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What Do You Do With A Tail Like This? by
Robin Page
Fun to Read
• Dogku by Andrew Clements
• The Random House Book of Poetry for
Children by Arnold Lobel
Entering Grade 3 Summer Reading List
Please Note: Fiction titles are in order of increasing difficulty. Students are ONLY REQUIRED
to READ 1 Fiction title and 1 Non-Fiction title for a total of 2 REQUIRED READS.
Fiction:
•
A to Z Mysteries by Ron Roy (any in series)
•
Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls by Lenore Look(any in series)
•
I Survived… by Lauren Tarskis (any in series)
Non-Fiction: Any biography
PA Core Challenge Optional:
• Catwings by Ursula Le Guin
• Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
• The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
Please Note: The following books are only suggestions. Please feel free to add
any books that are appropriate for your reader. The staff in the children’s section
of the local library will also have many wonderful suggestions for you.
Research has shown that the single greatest factor in predicting reading success is whether a child is read to when young. Here are
some titles to get you started! Please note that the reading level of the books suggested varies. If your child is already reading, have
him or her read a page of the book aloud to you to see if it is a good fit. If they struggle with more than a few words on the page, it is
probably too difficult, but the book would still be a great book to read aloud to your child.
Animal Stories
• The Adventures of Paddington Bear by Michael Bond
• Babe: The Gallant Pig by Dick King-Smith
• The World According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney
Historical Fiction
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Ben and Me by Robert Lawson
If You Grew Up with George Washington by Ruth Belov
Gross
I Survived Hurricane Katrina 2005 by Lauren Tarshis
Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco
Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
Teammates by Peter Golenbock
Great Series Books:
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Amelia Bedelia series by Peggy Parish
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Arthur series by Marc Brown
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Eyewitness Science Explorers
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Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Great Reads:
• The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig
• The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley
spires
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•
Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
What Do You Do With An Idea? by Kobi
Yomada
Entering Grade 4 Summer Reading List
Please Note: Fiction titles are in order of increasing difficulty. Students are ONLY REQUIRED to
READ 1 Fiction title and 1 Non-Fiction title for a total of 2 REQUIRED READS.
Fiction:
•
The World According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney
•
My Life as a Book by Janet Tashjian
•
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Non-Fiction: Any non-fiction book about a state
PA Core Challenge Optional:
• The Borrowers by Mary Norton
• The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White
• Poppy by Avi
Suggested Titles
Please Note: The following books are only suggestions. Please feel free to add any books that are appropriate for
your reader. The staff in the local library will also have many wonderful suggestions for you.
School Stories
• 4B Goes Wild by Jamie Gilson
• Harriet, the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
• My Teacher Fried My Brains by Bruce Coville
Sports Stories
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Baseball Forever by Johanna Hurwitz
Benjy the Football Hero by jean Van Leeuwen
Bobby Baseball by Robert Kimmel Smith
Gold Medal Rider by Bonnie Bryant
Sliding into Home by Dori Hillestad Butler
Series Books
• The Babysitter’s Club by Ann M. Martin
• Goosebumps by R. L. Stine
• A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
Award Winners & Great Reads:
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The Cricket in Times Square by George
Seldon
El Deafo by Cece Bell
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian
Selznick
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James and The Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
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Journey or Quest by Aaron Becker
Last Stop On Market Street by Matt de
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Peria
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Math Curse by Jon Scieszka
Sidewalk Flowers by JoArno Lawson
Thank You Mr. Falker by Patricia Polaco
The Sweetest Fig by Chris Van Allsburg
Entering Grade 5 Summer Reading List
Please Note: Fiction titles are in order of increasing difficulty. Students are ONLY
REQUIRED to READ 1 Fiction title and 1 Non-Fiction title for a total of 2 REQUIRED
Fiction:
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Because of Mr. Terrupt by Rob Buyea
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Jake and Lily by Jerry Spinelli
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The Name of This Book is Secret (any in series) by Pseudonymous Bosch
Non-Fiction: Any non-fiction book about an explorer
PA Core Challenge Optional:
• Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
• The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S Lewis
• Half Magic by Edward Eager
Suggested Titles
Please Note: The following books are only suggestions. Please feel free to add any books that are appropriate
for your reader. The staff in the local library will also have many wonderful suggestions for you.
Great Reads
• DNA Detective by Tanya Lloyd Kyi
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Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
Holes by Louis Sachar
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
Wringer by Jerry Spinelli
Historical Fiction
• Bull Run by Paul Fleischman
• Encounter by Jane Yolen
• Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World
War Two by Joseph Bruchac
• Sarah Bishop by Scott O’Dell
Humorous Stories
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Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers
Matilda by Roald Dahl
Skinnybones by Barbara Park
Award Winners & Great Reads:
• A River of Words-The Story of William
Carlos Williams, a prize winning poet by
Jen Bryant and Melissa Sweet
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Locomotive by Brian Floca
The Right Word by Jen Bryant and Melissa
Sweet
Non-Fiction
• Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared
to Dream by Tanya Lee Stone
• Far from Shore: an Open Ocean Voyage by
Sophie Webb
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Genius! The Most Astonishing Inventions
of All Time by Deborah Kespert
The Great Fire by Jim Murphy