CHERRY CREEK ACADEMY
REQUIRED AND
RECOMMENDED BOOKS
SUMMER 2015
What follows is a list of recommended and required reading
designed to inspire and stretch young minds at Cherry Creek
Academy. It is important students consistently read over the
summer at the grade level they will start in the fall.
Most of the selected books are available in your local library and
can also be purchased at any retail or online store.
To learn to read is to light a fire, every
syllable that it spells out is a spark. - Victor Hugo
HOW TO USE THIS LIST
Books are grouped by grade, first through eighth, using the Accelerated Reader ATOS
readability level and by content and grade appropriateness. An “L” designates the
ATOS readability level after every entry. For example:
Brown, Margaret Wise. Goodnight Moon. A little bunny bids goodnight to all
the objects in his room before falling asleep. L=1.8
The L=1.8 indicates that this books is appropriate for students with reading skills
ranked at a first grade, eighth month level. Cherry Creek Academy uses the STAR
Reading test to determine student skill levels. Some books may be listed with higher or
lower ATOS readability levels than for the grade they are recommended. This is for two
reasons. First there are diverse reading levels within each grade. Second, the ATOS
readability level is not always an indicator of the appropriateness of content or interest
for a given grade. For example, The Outsiders has a 4.7 reading level, but the
content is appropriate for middle school students, not for fourth grade students.
Children may select recommended books from lists outside their grade level based on
reading skill. For instance, a second grader may choose books from the first grade or
third grade lists. However, students in fourth grade or lower should not read books
recommended for fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grade students since the content of
these books may not be appropriate. Fifth grade students should only read young adult
books with parental permission.
FIRST GRADE
REQUIRED READING
1. Students entering first grade are required to read any version of three Core Knowledge fairy tales.
Parents may read to the student or assist with reading. Choose from:
•
•
•
•
•
The Frog Prince
Jack and the Beanstalk
Hansel and Gretel
Rumpelstiltskin
Rapunzel
2. Students are also required to read one book per week this summer and keep a list of these books.
Please return the list to the student’s teacher at the beginning of the school year.
RECOMMENDED READING
Allard, Harry. Miss Nelson is Missing! The kids in Room 207 take advantage of their
teacher's good nature until she disappears and they are faced with a vile substitute L=2.7
Arnold, Tedd. Buzz Boy and Fly Guy. Buzz creates a comic book that features Buzz Boy
and Fly Guy as the superheroes. L=1.3
Barrett, Judi. Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing. Pictures of animals
wearing clothes show why this would be a ridiculous custom for them to adopt. L=2.0
Berenstain, Stan. The Berenstain Bears and the Missing Dinosaur Bone. The
three Bear Detectives search for a dinosaur bone that is missing from the Bear Museum. L=1.8
Brett, Jan. Hedgie’s Surprise. Hedgie, the hedgehog, helps Henny, the speckled hen trick
the Tomten who has been eating all of Henny’s eggs for breakfast. L=3.5
Brett, Jan. The Mitten. Several animals sleep snugly in Nicki's lost mitten until the bear
sneezes. L=3.9
Bridwell, Norman. Clifford the Big Red Dog. Emily Elizabeth describes the activities she
enjoys with her very big, very red dog and how they take care of each other. L=1.2
Brown, Margaret Wise. Goodnight Moon. A little bunny bids goodnight to all the objects in
his room before falling asleep. L=1.8
Bruel, Nick. Bad Kitty When a kitty discovers there is no cat food in the house, she decides to
become very, very bad. L=2.2
Bruel, Nick. Bob and Otto. Otto the worm is shocked to discover that his best friend Bob is
actually a caterpillar who emerges one day as a butterfly. L=2.6
Bruel, Nick. Poor Puppy. When Bad Kitty won't play with him, Poor Puppy has to amuse
himself with an alphabetical list of toys and dreams of playing in an alphabetical list of countries.
L=1.5
Buckingham, Matt. Bright Stanley. Having overslept on the day his school swims to cooler
waters for the summer, a little fish sets off on an adventure as he tries to catch up with his bright,
glittery friends. L=2.5
Carle, Eric. The Grouchy Ladybug. A grouchy ladybug, looking for a fight, challenges
everyone she meets regardless of their size or strength. L=2.8
Carle, Eric. The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Follow the progress of a hungry little caterpillar
as he eats his way through a varied and very large quantity of food until, full at last, he forms a
cocoon around himself and goes to sleep. L=2.9
Carle, Eric. The Very Quiet Cricket. A very quiet cricket that wants to rub his wings together
and make a sound, as do so many other animals finally achieves his wish. L=3.0
Cronin, Doreen. Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type. When Farmer Brown's cows find a
typewriter in the barn they start making demands, and go on strike when the farmer refuses to give
them what they want. L=2.3
Cronin, Doreen. Diary of a Worm. A young worm discovers, day by day, that there are some
very good and some not so good things about being a worm in this great big world. L=2.8
DePaola, Tomie. Bill and Pete. Bill the crocodile and his toothbrush, Pete the plover, set out
to save Bill's cousin, who has been captured along with other endangered animals and taken from
Egypt to the Bad Guy's Big Bad Brother's Exotic Animal Farm near New Orleans, Louisiana. L=2.8
Dewdney, Anna. LLama LLama Red Pajama. At bedtime, a little llama worries after his
mother puts him to bed and goes downstairs. L=2.0
Donaldson, Julia. The Gruffalo. A mouse invents stories of the Gruffalo in order to scare
other animals away from eating him. When a real Gruffalo shows up, what will he do? L=2.3
Eastman, P.D. Are You My Mother? A baby bird has a number of adventures while looking
for its mother after falling out of its nest. L=1.6
Eastman, P.D. Go Dog Go. A story for beginning readers about busy dogs of all sizes and
colors, engaged in all manner of silly activities. L=1.2
Falconer, Ian. Olivia and the Fairy Princesses. "Olivia is having an identity crisis! There
are too many ruffly, sparkly princesses around these days, and Olivia has had quite enough. She
needs to stand out! She has to be special! What will she be? Join Olivia on a hilarious quest for
individuality in this latest book of the OLIVIA series, and rest assured, you won't find THIS pig in
pink!"-- Provided by publisher. L=2.9
Guarino, Deborah. Is Your Mama a Llama? A young llama asks his friends if their mamas
are llamas and finds out, in rhyme, that their mothers are other types of animals. L=1.6
Hoff, Syd. Danny and the Dinosaur. A little boy is surprised and pleased when one of the
dinosaurs from the museum agrees to play with him. L=2.3
Johnson, Crockett. Harold and the Purple Crayon. Harold goes for an adventurous walk
in the moonlight by stepping into the picture he has drawn with his purple crayon. L=3.0
Keats, Jack Ezra. The Snowy Day. A small boy experiences the joys of a snowy day. L=2.5
Kirk, David. Little Miss Spider. On her very first day of life, Little Miss Spider searches for her
mother and finds love in an unexpected place. L=2.8
Lord, Jonathan. Froggy Gets Dressed. Rambunctious Froggy hops out into the snow for a
winter frolic but is called back by his mother to put on some necessary articles of clothing. L=1.8
Mayer, Mercer. Just Me and My Dad. Father and son go camping, but who is really taking
care of whom? L=1.4
Numeroff, Laura Jaoffe. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Relating the cycle of requests a
mouse is likely to make after you give him a cookie takes the reader through a young child's day.
L=2.7
Parish, Peggy. Amelia Bedelia. series. L=1.8 to 3.2
Park, Barbara. Junie B. Jones series. L=2.0 to 3.0
Rylant, Cynthia. Henry and Mudge series. L=2.1-2.8
Scotton, Rob. Splat the Cat. A nervous Splat finds his first day at Cat School much better than
he expected. L=1.9
Seuss, Dr. The Cat in the Hat. Two children sitting at home on a rainy day are visited by the
Cat in the Hat who shows them some tricks and games. L=2.1
Seuss, Dr. Green Eggs and Ham. It takes much effort before Sam-I-am can convince another
person to eat green eggs and ham. L=1.5
Shaw, Nancy. Sheep in a Jeep. Records the misadventures of a group of sheep that go riding
in a jeep. L=1.0
Slobodkina, Esphyr. Caps for Sale. A band of mischievous monkeys steals every one of a
peddler’s caps while he takes a nap under a tree. L=3.1
Taback, Simms. Joseph had a Little Overcoat. A very old overcoat is recycled numerous
times into a variety of garments. L=1.7
Willems, Mo. Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. When a bus driver takes a break from
his route, a very unlikely volunteer springs up to take his place. L=0.9
Willems, Mo. Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale. A trip to the laundromat leads to a
momentous occasion when Trixie, too young to speak words, realizes that something important is
missing and struggles to explain the problem to her father. L= 1.6
SECOND GRADE
REQUIRED READING
1. Students entering second grade are required to read books about any two of the following tall tale
characters. Please read these stories with your child.
•
•
•
•
•
Paul Bunyan
Johnny Appleseed
John Henry
Pecos Bill
Casey Jones
2. Students are also required to read one book per week this summer and keep a list of these
books. Please return the list to the student’s teacher at the beginning of the school year.
RECOMMENDED READING
Barrett, Judy. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. Inventor Flint Lockwood's food
machine starts acting up, so he must return to Swallow Falls to save the day. L=4.3
Bemelmans, Ludwig. Madeline. Madeline, smallest and most naughty of the twelve little
charges of Miss Clavel, wakes up one night with an attack of appendicitis. L=3.1
Birney, Betty. The World According to Humphrey. Humphrey, pet hamster at Longfellow
School, learns that he has an important role to play in helping his classmates and teacher. L=4.2
Blume, Judy. Freckle Juice. Andrew wants freckles so badly that he buys Sharon's freckle
recipe for fifty cents. L=3.1
Byars, Betsy. Tornado. As they wait out a tornado in their storm cellar, a family listens to their
farmhand tell stories about the dog that was blown into his life by another tornado when he was a
boy. L=3.2
Cannon, Janell. Verdi. A young python does not want to grow slow and boring like the older
snakes he sees in the tropical jungle where he lives. L=3.4
Dadey, Debbie. Bailey School Kids series. L=3.4 to 4.4
Dahl, Roald. Fantastic Mr. Fox. Three farmers, each one meaner than the other, try all-out
warfare to get rid of a fox and his family. L=4.1
DePaola, Tomie. Strega Nona. Grandma Concetta heals everyone with her remedies and
advice, and when she retires, she leaves Nona her magic pasta pot with its secret ingredient. L=3.7
DiCamillo, Kate. Bink and Gollie. Recounts the adventures of two roller-skating best friends,
one short and one tall. L=2.5
Dodd, Lynley. Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy. A small black dog and his canine
friends are terrorized by the local tomcat. L=3.3
Ga’g, Wanda. Millions of Cats. How can an old man and his wife select one cat from a choice
of millions and trillions? L=3.5
Henkes, Kevin. Chrysanthemum. Chrysanthemum loves her name, until she starts going to
school and the other children make fun of it. L=3.3
Henkes, Kevin. Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse. Lilly loves everything about school, especially
her teacher, but when he asks her to wait a while before showing her new purse, she does something
for which she is very sorry later. L=3.1
Hoban, Russell. Bread and Jam for Frances. Frances decides she likes to eat only bread
and jam at every meal--until to her surprise- -her parents grant her wish. L=3.4
Howe, James. Pinky and Rex series. L=2.9 to 3.6
Kimmel, Eric A. Anansi and the Moss Covered Rock. Anansi the Spider uses a strange
moss-covered rock in the forest to trick all the other animals, until Little Bush Deer decides he needs
to learn a lesson. L=2.4
Kimmel, Eric A. Anansi Goes Fishing. Anansi the spider plans to trick Turtle into catching a
fish for his dinner, but Turtle proves to be smarter and ends up with a free meal. Explains the origin of
spider webs. L=2.3
Lobel, Arnold. Frog and Toad are Friends. Five tales recounting the adventures of two
best friends, Frog and Toad. L=2.9
Martin, Jacqueline Briggs. Snowflake Bentley. A biography of a self-taught scientist who
photographed thousands of individual snowflakes in order to study their unique formations L=4.4
McCourt, Lisa. I Love You Stinky Face. A mother and child discuss how the mother’s love
would remain constant even if her child were a stinky skunk, scary ape, or bug-eating green alien.
L=4.2
McKee, David. Elmer. All the elephants of the jungle were gray except Elmer, who was a
patchwork of brilliant colors until the day he got tired of being different and making the other
elephants laugh. L=3.2
McMullan, Kate. Dragon Slayer’s Academy series. L=2.7 to 3.7
Munsch, Robert. Love You Forever. As her son grows up from little boy to adult man, a
mother secretly rocks him each night as he sleeps. L=3.4
Osborne, Mary Pope. Magic Tree House series. L= 2.6 to 5.1
Parish, Peggy. Amelia Bedelia. A literal-minded housekeeper causes chaos in the Rogers
household when she attempts to make sense of some instructions. L=2.5
Roy, Ron. A to Z Mysteries series. L=3.2 to 4.0
Schanchner, Judith Byron. Skippyjon Jones: Class Action. Skippyjon Jones, a
Siamese cat who would rather be his Chihuahua alter ego, is determined to attend dog obedience
school. L=4.0
Sendak, Maurice. Where the Wild Things Are. Max is sent to bed without supper and
imagines sailing away to the land of Wild Things, where he is made king. L=3.4
Sharmat, Marjorie Weinman. Nate the Great series. L=2.0 to 3.2
Slobodkina, Esphyr. Caps for Sale. A band of mischievous monkeys steals every one of a
peddler’s caps while he takes a nap under a tree. L=3.1
Steig, William. Doctor De Soto. Dr. De Soto, a mouse dentist, copes with the toothaches of
various animals except those with a taste for mice, until the day a fox comes to him in great pain.
L=3.6
Steig, William. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. In a moment of fright, Sylvester the
donkey asks his magic pebble to turn him into a rock but then cannot hold the pebble to wish him
back to normal again. L=4.0
Stevens, Janet. Cook-a-Doodle-Doo. With the questionable help of his friends, Big Brown
Rooster manages to bake strawberry shortcake, which would have pleased his great-grandmother,
Little Red Hen. L=2.7
Stilton, Geronimo. Geronimo Stilton series. L=2.6 to 5.1
Van Allsburg. Polar Express. A magical train ride on Christmas Eve takes a boy to the North
Pole to receive a special gift from Santa Claus. L=3.8
Viorst, Judith. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. On
a day when everything goes wrong for him, Alexander is consoled by the thought that other people
have bad days too. L=3.9
Yolen, Jane. Owl Moon. On a winter’s night under a full moon, a father and daughter trek into
the woods to see the Great Horned Owl. L=3.2
THIRD GRADE
REQUIRED READING
1. Students are also required to read one book from the following list. They will complete a school
activity based on this reading, after returning to school.
Dahl, Roald. The Twits. Twits are the smelliest, nastiest, ugliest people in the world. They hate
everything–except playing mean jokes on each other, catching unsuspecting birds to put in their bird
pies, and making their caged monkeys, the Muggle-Wumps, stand on their heads all day. But the
Muggle-Wumps have had enough. With the help of Roly-Poly Bird, they set out to get some welldeserved revenge. L=4.4
DiCamillo, Kate. Because of Winn-Dixie. One summer day, Opal goes into a supermarket
and comes out with a scraggly dog that she names Winn-Dixie. Because of Winn-Dixie, her preacher
father finally tells her ten things about her absentee mother, and Opal makes lots of unusual friends in
her quirky Florida town. And because of Winn-Dixie, Opal grows to learn that friendship -- and
forgiveness -- can sneak up on you like a sudden storm. L=3.9
Rockwell, Thomas. How to Eat Fried Worms. Billy is in the uncomfortable position of
having to eat fifteen worms in fifteen days because of a bet. The worms are supplied by his opponent,
whose motto is "The bigger and juicier, the better!" At first Billy's problem is whether or not he can
swallow the worm placed before him, even with a choice of condiments from peanut butter to
horseradish. But later it looks as if Billy will win, and the challenge becomes getting to the worm to eat
it. Billy's family, after checking with the doctor, takes everything in stride. They even help Billy through
his gastronomic ordeal, which twists and turns with each new day, leaving the outcome of the bet
continually in doubt. L=3.5
2. Students are also required to read one book per week this summer and keep a list of these books.
Please return the list to the student’s teacher at the beginning of the school year.
RECOMMENDED READING
Aldrin, Buzz. Reaching for the Moon. An illustrated biography of American astronaut Buzz
Aldrin, who landed on the moon with Neil Armstrong during the Apollo 11 expedition. L=5.1
Atwater, Richard. Mr. Popper's Penguins. The unexpected delivery of a large crate
containing an Antarctic penguin changes the life and fortunes of Mr. Popper, a house painter
obsessed by dreams of the Polar regions. L=5.6
Barrows, Annie. Ivy & Bean. When seven- year-old Bean plays a mean trick on her sister, she
finds unexpected support for her antics from Ivy, the new neighbor, who is less boring than Bean first
suspected. L=3.2
Cannon, Janell. Crickwing. A lonely cockroach named Crickwing has a creative idea that
saves the day for the leaf-cutter ants when their fierce forest enemies attack them. L=4.2
Cannon, Janell. Stellaluna. After she falls headfirst into a bird's nest, a baby bat is raised like
a bird until she is reunited with her mother. L=3.5
Cleary, Beverly. Muggie Maggie. Maggie resists learning cursive writing in the third grade,
until she discovers that knowing how to read and write cursive promises to open up an entirely new
world of knowledge for her. L=4.5
Colfer, Eoin. The Legend of Spud Murphy. When their mother starts dropping them off at
the library several afternoons a week, nine-year-old William and his brother dread boredom and the
overbearing librarian, but they are surprised at how things turn out. L=3.8
Dahl, Roald. The BFG. Kidsnatched from her orphanage by a BFG (Big Friendly Giant), who
spends his life blowing happy dreams to children, Sophie concocts with him a plan to save the world
from nine other man-gobbling cannybull giants. L=4.8
DiCamillo, Kate. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. Edward Tulane, a coldhearted and proud toy rabbit, loves only himself until he is separated from the little girl who adores
him and travels across the country, acquiring new owners and listening to their hopes, dreams, and
histories. L=4.4
Funke, Cornelia. Igraine the Brave. The daughter of two magicians, twelve-year-old Igraine
wants nothing more than to be a knight, and when their castle is attacked by a treacherous neighbor
bent on stealing their singing magic books, Igraine has an opportunity to demonstrate her bravery.
L=5.6
Gutman, Dan. My Weird School series. L=3.5 to 3.7
Harper, Charise. Just Grace. Misnamed by her teacher, seven-year-old Just Grace prides
herself on being empathetic, but when she tries to help a neighbor feel better, her good intentions
backfire. L=4.8
Hobbs, Valerie. Sheep. After a fire destroys the farm where he was born, a young border collie
acquires a series of owners and learns about life as he seeks a home and longs to fulfill his life's
purpose of shepherding sheep. L=4.0
Huck, Charlotte S. Princess Furball. A princess in a coat of a thousand furs hides her
identity from a king who falls in love with her. L=4.7
Le Guin, Ursula. Catwings. Four young cats with wings leave the city slums in search of a safe
place to live, finally meeting two children with kind hands. L=4.3
Lester, Julius. John Henry. Retells the life of the legendary African American hero who raced
against a steam drill to cut through a mountain. L=4.0
Lindgren, Astrid. Pippi Longstocking. Escapades of a lucky little girl who lives with a horse
and a monkey--but without any parents--at the edge of a Swedish village. L=5.2
Lowry, Lois. The Birthday Ball. When a bored Princess Patricia Priscilla makes her
chambermaid switch identities with her so she can attend the village school, her attitude changes and
she plans a new way to celebrate her sixteenth birthday. L=5.2
MacLachlan, Patricia. Sarah Plain and Tall (Sarah Plain and Tall, #1). When their
father invites a mail-order bride to come live with them in their prairie home, Caleb and Anna are
captivated by their new mother and hope that she will stay. L=3.4
Mahy, Margaret. The Seven Chinese Brothers. Seven Chinese brothers elude execution
by virtue of their extraordinary individual qualities. L=4.8
Manes, Stephen. Be a Perfect Person in Just three Days!. Milo, tired of problems with
his sister, parents, and classmates, finds a book in the library which promises to make him perfect in
just three days. L=4.2
My America series. L=3.0 to 5.3
Osborne, Mary Pope. Magic Tree House Research Guides series. L=4.2 to 5.3
Pennypacker, Sara. Clementine. Third-grader Clementine's school field trip to Plimoth
Plantation leads to all kind of discoveries, from fourth grade eating rules to the source of the stink on
the bus.
L=4.5
Peterson, John. The Littles They live in the walls of the Bigg family house where they get
everything they need. In return they make sure the Bigg house is always in good repair. When the
Biggs go away for the summer the Newcombs come to stay in their house. And the Newcombs are
slobs! L=3.3
Pinkney, Jerry. Rikki-Tikki-Tavi. A version of the original Rudyard Kipling book in which a
courageous mongoose thwarts the evil plans of Nag and Nagaina, two big black cobras who live in
the garden. L=4.4
Porter, Connie Rose; Shaw, Janet; Tripp, Valerie and others. The American Girl
Collection series. L=2.5 to 6.9
Rappaport, Doreen. Eleanor, Quiet No More. A biography of Eleanor Roosevelt, the most
socially and politically active -- and controversial -- First Lady America had ever seen. Ambassador,
activist, and champion of civil rights, Eleanor Roosevelt changed the soul of America forever.
Includes selected quotes from Eleanor's own writings. L=4.2
Rathman, Peggy. Officer Buckle and Gloria. The children at Napville Elementary School
always ignore Officer Buckle’s safety tips, until a police dog named Gloria accompanies him when he
gives his safety speeches. L=3.4
Roy, Ron. A to Z Mysteries series. L=3.2 to 4.0
Sobol, Donald J. Encyclopedia Brown series. L=3.9 to 5.3
Steptoe, John. Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters. Mufaro’s two beautiful daughters, one badtempered, one kind and sweet, go before the king, who is choosing a wife. L=4.3
Stilton, Thea. Thea Stilton series. L=4.0 to 5.3
Tanner, Lian. Museum of Thieves. Goldie, an impulsive and bold twelve-year-old, escapes
the oppressive city of Jewel, where children are required to wear guardchains for their protection, and
finds refuge in the extraordinary Museum of Dunt, an ever-shifting world where she discovers a useful
talent for thievery and mysterious secrets that threaten her city and everyone she loves. L=4.6
Teague, Mark. Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School. Gertrude LaRue
receives typewritten and paw-written letters from her dog Ike, entreating her to let him leave the Igor
Brotweiler Canine Academy and come back home. L=3.6
Warner, Gertrude Chandler. T he Boxcar Children series. L =2.9 to 4.4
White, E.B. Charlotte’s Web. In this endearing story, a little girl and Charlotte, a beautiful grey
spider, struggle to save Wilbur the pig from being butchered. L=4.4
White, E.B. Stuart Little. The adventures of the debonair mouse Stuart Little as he sets out in
the world to seek out his dearest friend, a little bird who stayed a few days in his family's garden.
L=3.0
FOURTH GRADE
REQUIRED READING
1.Students entering Fourth Grade are required to read one book from the following list. Students will
complete an assignment, upon returning in the fall, based on the reading.
Avi. Book Without Words: A Fable of Medieval Magic. The Book Without Words
appears to be a volume of blank parchment pages. But for a green-eyed reader filled with great
desire, it may reveal the forgotten magical arts of making gold and achieving immortality. For
generations, its magic has been protected from those who would exploit it. But on a terrible day of
death and destruction, the Book Without Words falls into the hands of a desperate boy. L=4.4
Hobbs, Will. Go Big or Go Home. Fourteen-year-old Brady and his cousin Quinn love
extreme sports, but nothing could prepare them for the aftermath of Brady’s close encounter with a
meteorite after it crashes into his Black Hills, South Dakota, bedroom. L=4.4
Couloumbis, Audrey. The Misadventures of Maude March, or, Trouble Rides a
Fast Horse. After the death of the stern aunt who raised them, eleven-year-old Sallie and her
fifteen-year-old sister escape their self- serving guardians and begin an adventure resembling those
in the dime novels Sallie loves to read. L=5.1
2. Students are also required to read one book per week this summer and keep a log of these books.
Please return the log to the student’s teacher at the beginning of the school year. The log will be
provided before school is recessed for the summer.
RECOMMENDED READING
Applegate, Katherine. The One and Only Ivan. When Ivan, a gorilla who has lived for
years in a down-and-out circus-themed mall, meets Ruby, a baby elephant that has been added to
the mall, he decides that he must find her a better life. L=3.6
Banks, Lynne Reid. The Indian in the Cupboard (The Indian in the Cupboard,
#1). A nine-year-old boy receives a plastic Indian, a cupboard, and a little key for his birthday and
finds himself involved in adventure when the Indian comes to life in the cupboard and befriends him.
L=4.6
Blume, Judy. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (Fudge, #1). Living with his little
brother, Fudge, makes Peter Hatcher feel like a fourth grade nothing. Whether Fudge is throwing a
temper tantrum in a shoe store, smearing smashed potatoes on walls at Hamburger Heaven, or
scribbling all over Peter's homework, he's never far from trouble. He's a two-year-old terror who gets
away with everything, and Peter's had enough. When Fudge walks off with Dribble, Peter's pet turtle,
it's the last straw. Peter has put up with Fudge too long. How can he get his parents to pay attention
to him for a change? L=3.3
Cleary, Beverly. The Mouse and the Motorcycle. A reckless young mouse named Ralph
makes friends with a boy in room 215 of the Mountain View Inn and discovers the joys of
motorcycling. L=5.1
Clements Andrew. Frindle. When he decides to turn his fifth grade teacher's love of the
dictionary around on her, clever Nick Allen invents a new word and begins a chain of events that
quickly move beyond his control. L=5.4
Dahl, Roald. James and the Giant Peach. When a mysterious old man gives James some
magical, tiny green things, he certainly never imagines that they will grow into an enormous peach.
L=4.8
Dahl, Roald. Matilda. Matilda applies her untapped mental powers to rid the school of the evil,
child-hating headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, and restore her nice teacher, Miss Honey, to financial
security. L=5.0
Dahl. Roald. The Witches. A young boy and his Norwegian grandmother, who is an expert on
witches, together foil a witch's plot to destroy the world's children by turning them into mice. L=4.7
DiCamillo, Kate. Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures. Rescuing a
squirrel after an accident involving a vacuum cleaner, comic-reading cynic Flora Belle Buckman is
astonished when the squirrel, Ulysses, demonstrates astonishing powers of strength and flight after
being revived. L=4.3
DiCamillo, Kate. The Tale of Despereaux. The adventures of Despereaux Tilling, a small
mouse of unusual talents, the princess that he loves, the servant girl who longs to be a princess, and
a devious rat determined to bring them all to ruin. L=4.7
DiTerlizzi, Tony. The Field Guide (Spiderwick Chronicles, #1). When the Grace
children go to stay at their Great Aunt Lucinda's worn Victorian house, they discover a field guide to
fairies and other creatures and begin to have some unusual experiences. L=4.2
Dixon, Franklin W. The Hardy Boys Mystery Stories series. L=4.3-6.7
DuPrau, Jeanne. City of Ember (Book of Ember, #1). In the year 241, twelve-year-old
Lina trades jobs on Assignment Day to be a Messenger to run to new places in her decaying but
beloved city, perhaps even to glimpse Unknown Regions. L=4.9 to 5.2
Frederick, Heather Vogel. Mother-Daughter Book Club. When the mothers of four
sixth-grade girls with very different personalities pressure them into forming a book club, they find, as
they read and discuss "Little Women," that they have much more in common than they could have
imagined. L=4.6
Friedman, Laurie. Mallory on the Move (Mallory, #1). After moving to a new town, eightyear-old Mallory keeps throwing stones in the "Wishing Pond" but things will not go back to the way
they were before, and she remains torn between old and new best friends. L=3.1
Gardiner, John Reynolds. Stone Fox. Little Willie hopes to pay the back taxes on his
grandfather's farm with the purse from a dog sled race he enters. L=4.0
Keene, Carolyn. Nancy Drew Mystery stories. L=3.8 to 6.4
Kerr, P.B. The Akhenaten Adventure (Children of the Lamp, #1). Meet John and
Philippa Gaunt, twelve-year-old twins who one day discover themselves to be descended from a long
line of djinn. All of a sudden, they have the power to grant wishes, travel to extraordinary places, and
make people and objects disappear. Luckily, the twins are introduced to their eccentric djinn-uncle
Nimrod, who will teach them how to harness their newly found power. And not a moment too soon . . .
since John and Philippa are about to embark on a search to locate a monstrous pharaoh named
Akhenaten and his eerie tomb. L=5.7
Kinney, Jeff. Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, #1). Greg records his sixth
grade experiences in a middle school where he and his best friend, Rowley, undersized weaklings
amid boys who need to shave twice daily, hope just to survive, but when Rowley grows more popular,
Greg must take drastic measures to save their friendship. L=5.2
Kjelgaard, Jim. Big Red. Danny and his Irish setter roam the Wintapi Wilderness and
eventually track down a great outlaw bear. L=5.6.
Konigsburg, E.L. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Having run
away with her younger brother to live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, twelve-year-old Claudia
strives to keep things in order in their new home and to become a changed person and a heroine to
herself. L=4.7
Levine, Gail Carlson. Ella Enchanted. In this novel based on the story of Cinderella, Ella
struggles against the childhood curse that forces her to obey any order given to her. L=4.6
Lewis, C.S. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia, #2).
Four English school children find their way through the back of a wardrobe into the magic land of
Narnia and assist Aslan, the golden lion, to triumph over the White Witch, who has cursed the land
with eternal winter. L=4.9 Martin, Ann M. The Doll People (Doll People, #1). A family of porcelain dolls that has
lived in the same house for one hundred years is taken aback when a new family of plastic dolls
arrives and doesn’t follow The Doll Code of Honor. L =4.0 Mull, Brandon. Fablehaven (Fablehaven, #1). When Kendra and Seth go to stay at their
grandparents’ estate, they discover that it is a sanctuary for magical creatures and that a battle
between good and evil is looming. L=4.8
Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. Shiloh. When he finds a lost beagle in the hills behind his West
Virginia home, Marty tries to hide it from his family and the dog’s real owner, a mean-spirited man
known to shoot deer out of season and to mistreat his dogs. L =4.4
Nimmo, Jenny. Midnight for Charlie Bone (Children of the Red King, #1). When an
ancient enchanter is released from the grounds of Bloor’s Academy, threatening both of Charlie
Bone’s parents, the only way Charlie and his friends can defeat him is by finding the Red King
himself. L=4.8 O’Brien, Robert C. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. Having no one to help her with
her problems, a widowed mouse visits the rats whose former imprisonment in a laboratory made
them wise and long lived. L =5.1
O'Dell, Scott. Island of the Blue Dolphins (Island of the Blue Dolphins, #1). Left
alone on a beautiful but isolated island off the coast of California, a young Indian girl spends eighteen
years, not only merely surviving through her enormous courage and self-reliance, but also finding a
measure of happiness in her solitary life. L=5.4
Sachar, Louis. Holes (Holes, #1). As further evidence of his family's bad fortune which they
attribute to a curse on a distant relative, Stanley Yelnats is sent to a brutal correctional camp in the
Texas desert where he finds his first real friend, a treasure, and a new sense of himself. L=4.6
Sutherland, Tui. The Dragonet Prophecy (Wings of Fire, #1). Clay has lived his whole
life under the mountain. The Mud Wing dragonet knows war is raging between the dragon tribes in
the world outside - a war that he and four other dragonets are destined to end, according to the
mysterious prophecy they have been taught. The five "chosen" dragonets were stolen from their
homes while they were still in their eggs - and hidden away for years - all to fulfill the prophecy. But
not every dragonet wants a destiny. And when danger threatens one of their own, Clay and his
friends may choose freedom over fate ... leave the mountain ... and set the dragon world on a course
that no one could have predicted. L=5
Wilder, Laura Ingalls. Little House in the Big Woods (Little House, #1). A year in
the life of two young girls growing up on the Wisconsin frontier, as they help their mother with the
daily chores, enjoy their father's stories and singing, and share special occasions when they get
together with relatives or neighbors. L=5.3
Wilson, N.D., 100 Cupboards. After his parents are kidnapped, timid twelve-year-old Henry
York leaves his sheltered Boston life and moves to small-town Kansas, where he and his cousin
Henrietta discover and explore hidden doors in his attic room that seem to open onto other worlds. L=4.2 FIFTH GRADE
REQUIRED READING
1. Students entering Fifth Grade are required to read:
L’Engle, Madeleine. A Wrinkle in Time (Time Quintet, #1). Meg Murry and her friends
become involved with unearthly strangers and a search for Meg’s father, who has disappeared while
engaged in secret work for the government. L =4.7
Incoming fifth graders may check this book out from Mrs. Koenig and use it over the summer.
Students are required to return it when they come back to CCA in the fall. 2. Also, choose two books from the following recommended reading list.
RECOMMENDED READING
Angleberger, Tom. The Strange Case of Origami Yoda (Origami Yoda, #1). Sixthgrader Tommy and his friends describe their interactions with a paper finger puppet of Yoda, worn by
their weird classmate Dwight, as they try to figure out whether or not the puppet can really predict the
future. Includes instructions for making Origami Yoda. L=4.7
Avi. Crispin: The Cross of Lead (Crispin, #1). Falsely accused of theft and murder, an
orphaned peasant boy in fourteenth-century England flees his village and meets a larger-than-life
juggler who holds a dangerous secret. L=5.3
Avi. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. As the lone "young lady" on a transatlantic
voyage in 1832, Charlotte learns that the captain is murderous and the crew rebellious. L=5.3
Babbitt, Natalie. Tuck Everlasting. The Tuck family is confronted with an agonizing situation
when they discover that a ten-year-old girl and a malicious stranger now share their secret about a
spring whose water prevents one from ever growing any older. L=5.0
Baum, Frank L. The Wizard of OZ. After a cyclone transports her to the land of Oz, Dorothy
must seek out the great Wizard in order to return to Kansas, accompanied on her journey by the
Scarecrow, the Tin Woodsman, and the Cowardly Lion. L=8.1
Clements, Andrew. No Talking. The noisy fifth grade boys of Laketon Elementary School
challenge the equally loud fifth grade girls to a "no talking" contest. L=5.0
Creech, Sharon. Walk Two Moons. After her mother leaves home suddenly, thirteen-year-old
Sal and her grandparents take a car trip retracing her mother’s route. Along the way, Sal recounts the
story of her friend Phoebe, whose mother also left. L=4.9
Davidson, Margaret. Jackie Robinson: Bravest Man in Baseball. Examines the life
of the talented black athlete who broke the color barrier in major league baseball by joining the
Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. L=5.4
Dixon, Franklin W. The Hardy Boys Mystery Stories series. L=4.3 to 6.7
Funke, Cornelia. Inkheart (Ink World Trilogy, #1). When Dustfinger finds a crooked
storyteller who can read him back to Inkscape, he leaves his apprentice Farid behind. Farid seeks out
Meggie and the two follow him back into the enchanted book. L=5.4
Gantos, Jack. Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key. Joey has trouble paying attention or
controlling his mood swings when his prescription medications wear off and he starts getting
worked up and acting wired. L=4.9
Hale, Shannon. Princess Academy. While attending a strict academy for potential
princesses with the other girls from her mountain village, fourteen-year-old Miri discovers unexpected
talents and connections to her homeland. L=6.0
Henry, Marguerite. King of the Wind. Sham and the stable boy Agba travel from Morocco to
France to England where, at last, Sham's majesty is recognized and he becomes the "Godolphin
Arabian," ancestor of the most superior Thoroughbred horses. L=5.4
Henry, Marguerite. Misty of Chincoteague. Two youngsters' determination to own a
Chincoteague pony is greatly increased when the Phantom and her colt are among those rounded up
for the yearly auction. L=5.3
Hess, Karen. Out of the Dust. In a series of poems, fifteen-year-old Billie Jo relates the
hardships of living on her family's wheat farm in Oklahoma during the dust bowl years of the
Depression. L=5.3
Hiaasen, Carl. Hoot. Roy, who is new to his small Florida community, becomes involved in
another boy's attempt to save a colony of burrowing owls from a proposed construction site. L=5.2
Juster, Norton. Phantom Tollbooth. Milo, a young boy with little interest in anything, takes a
trip through the Phantom Tollbooth to the Lands Beyond where he meets an enchanting cast of
characters that teaches him the importance of words, numbers, ideas, creativity, and enthusiasm for
life. L=6.7
Keene, Carolyn. Nancy Drew Mystery stories. L=3.8 to 6.4
Korman, Gordon. Swindle. After unscrupulous collector S. Wendell Palamino cons him out of a
valuable baseball card, sixth-grader Griffin Bing puts together a band of misfits to break into
Palomino's heavily guarded store and steal the card back, planning to use the money to finance his
father's failing invention, the SmartPick fruit picker. L=4.9
Lai, Thanhha. Inside Out & Back Again. Through a series of poems, a young girl chronicles
the life-changing year of 1975, when she, her mother, and her brothers leave Vietnam and resettle in
Alabama. L=4.8
Law, Ingrid. Savvy (Savvy, #1) Recounts the adventures of Mibs Beaumont, whose thirteenth
birthday has revealed her "savvy"--a magical power unique to each member of her family--just as her
father is injured in a terrible accident. L=6.0
L’Engle, Madeleine. A Ring of Endless Light (Austin Family). During the summer
when her grandfather is dying of leukemia and death seems all around, 15-year-old Vicky finds
comfort with the pod of dolphins with whom she has been doing research. L=5.2
Lord, Cynthia. Rules. Frustrated at life with an autistic brother, twelve-year-old Catherine longs
for a normal existence, but her world is further complicated by a friendship with a young paraplegic.
L=3.9
Lowry, Lois. Number the Stars. In 1943, during the German occupation of Denmark, tenyear-old Annemarie learns how to be brave and courageous when she helps shelter her Jewish friend
from the Nazis. L=4.5
Paolini, Christopher. Eragon (Inheritance Cycle, #1). In Alagaesia, a fifteen-year-old
boy of unknown lineage called Eragon finds a mysterious stone that weaves his life into an intricate
tapestry of destiny, magic, and power, peopled with dragons, elves, and monsters. L=5.6
Paulsen, Gary. Hatchet. After a plane crash, thirteen-year-old Brian spends fifty-four days in
the Canadian wilderness, learning to survive with only the aid of a hatchet given him by his mother,
and learning also to survive his parents’ divorce. L=5.7
Paterson, Katherine. Bridge to Terabithia. The life of ten-year-old Jess in rural Virginia
expands when he becomes friends with newcomer Leslie, and they create the imaginary land of
Terabithia where they rule as king and queen, until a terrible tragedy occurs. L=4.6
Raskin, Ellen. The Westing Game. The mysterious death of an eccentric millionaire brings
together an unlikely assortment of heirs who must uncover the circumstances of his death before they
can claim their inheritance. L=5.3
Rawls, Wilson. Where the Red Fern Grows. Billy trains his two dogs in the dark hills and
river bottoms of Cherokee country to be the finest hunting team in the valley proving loyalty and
bravery in the face of danger. L=4.9
Riordan, Rick. The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1). After
learning that he is the son of a mortal woman and Poseidon, god of the sea, twelve-year-old Percy is
sent to a summer camp for demigods like himself, and joins his new friends on a quest to prevent a
war between the gods. L=4.7
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Harry Potter, #1). Rescued
from the outrageous neglect of his aunt and uncle, a young boy with a great destiny proves his worth
while attending Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. L=5.5
Ryan, Pam Munoz. Esperanza Rising. Esperanza and her mother are forced to leave their
life of wealth and privilege in Mexico to go work in the labor camps of Southern California, where
they must adapt to the harsh circumstances facing Mexican farm workers on the eve of the Great
Depression. L=5.4
Sage, Angie. Magyk (Septimus Heap, #1). After learning that she is the Princess, Jenna is
whisked from her home and carried toward safety by the Extraordinary Wizard, those she always
believed were her father and brother, and a young guard known only as Boy 412--pursued by agents
of those who killed her mother ten years earlier. L=6.0
Selznick, Brian. Wonderstruck: A Novel in Words and Pictures. Having lost his
mother and his hearing in a short time, twelve-year-old Ben leaves his Minnesota home in 1977 to
seek the father he never knew in New York City, and meets there Rose, who is also longing for
something missing from her life. Ben's story is told in words; Rose's in pictures. L=5.4
Sewell, Anna. Black Beauty. A horse in nineteenth-century England recounts his experiences
with both good and bad masters. L=7.3
Snicket, Lemony. The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #1). After
the sudden death of their parents, the three Baudelaire children must depend on each other and their
wits when it turns out that the distant relative who is appointed their guardian is determined to use
any means necessary to get their fortune. L= 6.4
Snyder, Zilpha Keatley. The Egypt Game. A group of children, entranced with the study
of Egypt, play their own Egypt game, are visited by a secret oracle, become involved in a murder,
and befriend the Professor before they move on to new interests, such as Gypsies. L=6.4
Spinelli, Jerry. Maniac Magee. After his parents die, Jeffrey Lionel Magee's life--and his
name--changes. Maniac Magee appears looking ragged and undernourished, and the kids make fun
of him until they see him on the football field. But somehow, despite his own problems, Maniac
Magee manages to bring a new direction to everyone he encounters along his path. L=4.7
Stead, Rebecca. When You Reach Me. As her mother prepares to be a contestant on the
1970s television game show, "The $20,000 Pyramid," a twelve-year-old New York City girl tries to
make sense of a series of mysterious notes received from an anonymous source that seems to defy
the laws of time and space. L=4.5
Stewart, Trenton Lee. The Mysterious Benedict Society (The Mysterious
Benedict Society, #1). After passing a series of mind-bending tests, four children are selected
for a secret mission that requires them to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very
Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. L=5.6
Taylor, Mildred D. Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry. A black family living in Mississippi
during the depression of the 1930s is faced with prejudice and discrimination which its children do
not understand. L=5.7
Van Draanen, Wendelin. Sammy Keyes and Hotel Thief. Thirteen-year-old Sammy's
penchant for speaking her mind gets her in trouble when she involves herself in the investigation of a
robbery at the "seedy" hotel across the street from the seniors' building where she is living with her
grandmother. L=5.9
SIXTH GRADE
REQUIRED READING
1. Students entering Sixth Grade are required to read a total of three books. One must be:
Twain, Mark. The Prince and the Pauper (Graphic Novel). When young Edward VI of
England and a poor boy who resembles him exchange places, each learns something about the
other’s very different station in life.
Incoming sixth graders may check this book out from Mrs. Koenig and use it over the
summer. Students are required to return it when they come back to CCA in the fall.
2. Also, choose two books from the following recommended reading list.
RECOMMENDED READING
Carter, Ally. I'd Tell You I love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You (Gallagher
Girls, #1). As a sophomore at a secret spy school and the daughter of a former CIA operative,
Cammie is sheltered from "normal teenage life" until she meets a local boy while on a class
surveillance mission. L=5.9
Chima, Cinda Williams. The Demon King (A Seven Realms Novel, #1). Relates the
intertwining fates of former street gang leader Han Alister and headstrong Princess Raisa, as Han
takes possession of an amulet that once belonged to an evil wizard and Raisa uncovers a conspiracy
in the Grey Wolf Court. L=5.3
Chima, Cinda Williams. Warrior Heir (An Heir Chronicles Novel, #1). After learning
about his magical ancestry and his own warrior powers, sixteen-year-old Jack embarks on a training
program to fight enemy wizards. L=5.3
Cleaver, Vera. Where the Lilies Bloom. This is a tough and tender novel about an
orphaned mountain family and the courageous fourteen-year-old, Mary Call, who keeps them
together and alive. The coauthor is Bill Cleaver. L=5.2
Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games (Hunger Games, #1). In a future North America,
where the rulers of Panem maintain control through an annual televised survival competition pitting
young people from each of the twelve districts against one another, sixteen-year-old Katniss’s skills
are put to the test when she voluntarily takes her younger sister’s place. L=5.3
Curtis, Paul. Bud, Not Buddy. Ten-year-old Bud, a motherless boy living in Flint, Michigan,
during the Great Depression, escapes a bad foster home and sets out in search of the man he
believes to be his father-- the renowned bandleader, H.E. Calloway of Grand Rapids. L=5.0
Curtis, Paul. The Watsons Go to Birmingham. The ordinary interactions and everyday
routines of the Watsons, an African American family living in Flint, Michigan, are drastically changed
after they go to visit Grandma in Alabama in the summer of 1963. L=5.0
Cushman, Karen. The Midwife's Apprentice. In medieval England, a nameless, homeless
girl is taken in by a sharp-tempered midwife, and in spite of obstacles and hardship, eventually gains
the three things she most wants: a full belly, a contented heart, and a place in this world. L=6.0
Farmer, Nancy. Sea of Trolls. After Jack becomes apprenticed to a Druid bard, he and his
little sister Lucy are captured by Viking Berserkers and taken to the home of King Ivar the Boneless
and his half-troll queen, leading Jack to undertake a vital quest to Jotunheim, home of the trolls.
L= 4.7
Funke, Cornelia. Dragon Rider. After learning that humans are headed toward his hidden
home, Firedrake, a silver dragon, is joined by a brownie and an orphan boy in a quest to find the
legendary valley known as the Rim of Heaven, encountering friendly and unfriendly creatures along
the way, and struggling to evade the relentless pursuit of an old enemy. L=4.9
Funke, Cornelia. The Thief Lord. Escaping the aunt who wants to adopt only one of them,
two orphaned brothers run away from Hamburg to Venice, finding shelter with a gang of street
children and their leader, the thirteen-year-old "Thief Lord," while also eluding the detective hired to
return them to Germany. L=4.8
Gates, Doris. Blue Willow. Janey and her family settle in a real home after spending years as
migratory workers. L=6.5
George, Jean Craighead. Julie of the Wolves. While running away from home and an
unwanted marriage, a thirteen-year-old Eskimo girl becomes lost on the North Slope of Alaska and is
befriended by a wolf pack. L=5.8
George, Jean Craighead. My Side of the Mountain. A young boy relates his adventures
during the year he spends living alone in the Catskill Mountains including his struggle for survival, his
dependence on nature, his animal friends, and his ultimate realization that he needs human
companionship. L=5.2
Haddix, Margaret Peterson. Found (The Missing, #1). When thirteen-year-olds Jonah
and Chip, who are both adopted, learn they were discovered on a plane that appeared out of
nowhere, full of babies with no adults on board, they realize that they have uncovered a mystery
involving time travel and two opposing forces, each trying to repair the fabric of time. L=5.0
Haddix, Margaret Peterson. Among the Hidden (Shadow Children, #1). In a future
where the Population Police enforce the law limiting a family to only two children, Luke has lived all
his twelve years in isolation and fear on his family's farm, until another "third" convinces him that the
government is wrong. L=4.8
Hickam, Homer. October Sky. Homer Hickam, the introspective son of a mine superintendent
and a mother determined to get him out of Coalwood, West Virginia nurtures a dream to send rockets
into outer space – an ambition that changes his life and the lives of everyone living in Coalwood in
1957. L=5.9
Hinton, S.E. The Outsiders. The struggle of three brothers to stay together after their parent’s
death and their quest for identity among the conflicting values of their adolescent society. L=4.7
Jacques, Brian. Redwall (Redwall, #1). When the peaceful life of ancient Redwall Abbey is
shattered by the arrival of the evil rat Cluny and his villainous hordes, the young mouse novice
Matthias is called on to find the legendary sword of Martin the Warrior and help save his home and
community. L=5.6
Kipling, Rudyard. The Jungle Book. Meet the most unforgettable characters and embark on
a thrilling adventure with Mowgli as he journeys deep into the jungle and learns 'The Bare
Necessities' of life from happy-go-lucky Baloo the bear. Meet Bagheera, the wise old panther, and
crazy King Louie, the orangutan. But watch out for the cunning tiger Shere Khan and Kaa, the
sneakiest snake in the jungle! It is an extraordinary adventure and a heartwarming tale that
celebrates the true meaning of friendship. L=7.4
Korman, Gordon. Ungifted. Due to an administrative mix-up, troublemaker Donovan Curtis is
sent to the Academy of Scholastic Distinction, a special program for gifted and talented students,
after pulling a major prank at middle school. L=5.2
Lord, Cynthia. Rules. Frustrated at life with an autistic brother, twelve-year-old Catherine longs
for a normal existence but her world is further complicated by a friendship with a young paraplegic.
L=3.9
Montgomery, L.M. Anne of Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables, #1). Anne, an
eleven-year-old orphan, is sent by mistake to live with a lonely, middle-aged brother and sister on a
Prince Edward Island farm and proceeds to make an indelible impression on everyone around her.
L=7.3
Philbrick, Rodman. Freak the Mighty. At the beginning of eighth grade, learning disabled
Max and his new friend Freak, whose birth defect has affected his body but not his brilliant mind, find
that when they combine forces they make a powerful team. L=5.5
Rawls, Wilson. Where the Red Fern Grows. Billy trains his two dogs in the dark hills and
river bottoms of Cherokee country to be the finest hunting team in the valley proving loyalty and
bravery in the face of danger. L=4.9
Stevenson, Robert Louis. Treasure Island. An innkeeper's son finds a treasure map
An innkeeper's son finds a treasure map that leads him to a pirate's fortune. L=8.0
Tolkien, J.R.R. The Hobbit. Bilbo Baggins, a respectable, well-to-do hobbit, lives comfortably
in his hobbit-hole until the day the wandering wizard Gandalf chooses him to take part in an
adventure from which he may never return. L=6.6
Tolkien, J.R.R. Fellowship of the Ring (Lord of the Rings Trilogy. #1). Following
Bilbo's 111th birthday, Frodo Baggins and his companion Sam Gamgee, set off along the same East
Road down which Bilbo the Hobbit had accompanied Thorin Oakenshield and his dwarves all those
years before. L=6.1
Wiggin, Kate Douglas. Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. Kate Douglas Wiggin's classic
story of talkative, ten-year-old Rebecca's adventures after she leaves her home at Sunnybrook Farm
to go live in town with her spinster aunts, one harsh and demanding, the other soft and sentimental.
L=8.9
SEVENTH and EIGHTH GRADES
SEVENTH GRADE REQUIRED READING
1. Students entering Seventh Grade are required to read a total of three books.
Frank, Ann. The Diary of a Young Girl. (unabridged: One good edition has an ISBN of
0671690094. This number can be used to find it in most libraries or online.) “Anne Frank kept a diary
from 1942 to 1944. Initially she wrote it strictly for herself. Then, one day in 1944, a member of the
Dutch government in exile announced in a radio broadcast from London that after the war he hoped
to collect eyewitness accounts of the suffering of the Dutch people under the German occupation ...
As an example, he specially mentioned letters and diaries ... Anne's diary ends abruptly when she
and her family were betrayed.” L=6.5
Incoming seventh graders may check this book out from Ms. Lyons and use it over the
summer. Students are required to return it when they come back to CCA in the fall. Lowry, Lois. The Giver (Giver Quartet, #1). Given his lifetime assignment at the
Ceremony of Twelve, Jonas becomes the receiver of memories shared by only one other in his
community and discovers the terrible truth about the society in which he lives. L=5.7
Taylor, Theodore. The Cay. When the freighter on which they are traveling is torpedoed by a
German submarine during World War II, an adolescent white boy, blinded by a blow on the head, and
an old black man are stranded on a tiny Caribbean island where the boy acquires a new kind of
vision, courage, and love from his old companion. L=5.3
EIGHTH GRADE REQUIRED READING
1. Students entering Eighth Grade are required to read a total of three books. One must be:
Smith, Betty. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. The story of young, sensitive, and idealistic
Francie Nolan and her bittersweet formative years in the slums of Williamsburg. L=5.8
Incoming eighth graders may check this book out from Ms. Lyons and use it over the summer.
Students are required to return it when they come back to CCA in the fall.
2. Also, choose two of the following:
Asimov, Isaac. I Robot (Robot Series). The three laws of Robotics: 1) A robot may not
injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm 2) A robot must obey
orders given to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. 3) A
robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or
Second Law. With these three, simple directives, Isaac Asimov changed our perception of robots
forever when he formulated the laws governing their behavior. In I, Robot, Asimov chronicles the
development of the robot through a series of interlinked stories: from its primitive origins in the
present to its ultimate perfection in the not-so-distant future--a future in which humanity itself may be
rendered obsolete. Here are stories of robots gone mad, of mind-read robots, and robots with a sense
of humor. Of robot politicians, and robots who secretly run the world--all told with the dramatic blend
of science fact and science fiction that has become Asmiov's trademark. L=6.1
Card, Orson Scott. Ender’s Game.
The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general
has been underway for almost as long. Ender's two older siblings are every bit as unusual as he is,
but in very different ways. Between the three of them lie the abilities to remake a world. If, that is, the
world survives. L=5.5
Zusak, Markus. The Book Thief. Trying to make sense of the horrors of World War II, Death
relates the story of Liesel--a young German girl whose book-stealing and story-telling talents help
sustain her family and the Jewish man they are hiding, as well as their neighbors. Includes readers’
guide. L=5.1
RECOMMENDED READING FOR THE SEVENTH AND EIGHTH
GRADES
Anderson, Laurie Halse. Fever 1793. Sixteen-year-old Matilda Cook, separated from her
sick mother, learns about perseverance and self-reliance when she is forced to cope with the horrors
of the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia in 1793. L=4.4
Antony, John. Elemental. In a dystopian colony of the United States where everyone is born
with powers of the elements, water, wind, earth, and fire, sixteen-year-old Thomas, the first and only
child born without an element seems powerless, but is he? L=4.2
Baggott, Julianna. Pure. In a post-apocalyptic world, Pressia, a sixteen-year-old survivor with a
doll's head fused onto her left hand meets Partridge, a "Pure" dome-dweller who is searching for his
mother, sure that she has survived the cataclysm. L=4.4
Bloor, Edward. Tangerine. Twelve-year-old Paul, who lives in the shadow of his football hero
brother Erik, fights for the right to play soccer despite his near blindness and slowly begins to
remember the incident that damaged his eyesight. L=4.3
Buck, Pearl S. The Good Earth. A poignant tale about the life and labors of a Chinese farmer
during the sweeping reign of the country's last emperor. L=6.8
Carriger, Gail. Etiquette & Espionage. In an alternate England of 1851, spirited fourteenyear-old Sophronia is enrolled in a finishing school where, she is surprised to learn, lessons include
not only the fine arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but also diversion, deceit, and espionage. L=5.4
Choldenko, Gennifer. Al Capone Does my Shirts. A twelve-year-old boy named Moose
moves to Alcatraz Island in 1935 when guards’ families were housed there, and has to contend with
his extraordinary new environment in addition to life with his autistic sister. L=3.5
Clare, Cassandra. City of Bones (Mortal Instruments, #1). Suddenly able to see
demons and the Darkhunters who are dedicated to returning them to their own dimension, fifteenyear-old Clary Fray is drawn into this bizarre world when her mother disappears and Clary herself is
almost killed by a monster. L=5.0
Clare, Cassandra. Clockwork Angel (Infernal Devices series, #1). Sixteen-year-old
Tessa Gray travels to England in search of her brother only to be abducted by the Dark Sisters,
residents of London's Downworld, home to the city's supernatural folk, and she becomes the object of
much attention--both good and bad--when it is discovered she has the power to transform at will into
another person. L=5.6
Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games (Hunger Games, #1). In a future North America,
where the rulers of Panem maintain control through an annual televised survival competition pitting
young people from each of the twelve districts against one another, sixteen-year-old Katniss’s skills
are put to the test when she voluntarily takes her younger sister’s place. L=5.3
Condie, Ally. Matched (Matched Trilogy, #1). All her life, Cassia has never had a choice.
The Society dictates everything: when and how to play, where to work, where to live, what to eat and
wear, when to die, and most importantly to Cassia as she turns 17, whom to marry. When she is
Matched with her best friend Xander, things couldn't be more perfect. But why did her neighbor Ky's
face show up on her match disk as well? L=4.8
Dashner, James. Maze Runner (Maze Runner, #1). Sixteen-year-old Thomas wakes up
with no memory in the middle of a maze and realizes he must work with the community in which he
finds himself if he is to escape. L=5.3
Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan. The Hound of the Baskervilles. “Dr. Mortimer looked
strangely at us for an instant and his voice sank almost to a whisper as he answered, ‘Mr. Holmes,
they were the footprints of a gigantic hound. The luminous, ghostly, and spectral hound of family
legend has been seen roaming the moors at night. Sir Charles Baskerville has recently died, and it
appears that the new baronet, Sir Henry, has inherited not only the vast wealth and property of his
family but also a terrible destiny...’ “ L=8.3
Dunkle, Clare B. The Hollow Kingdom (Hollow Kingdom Trilogy, #1). In
nineteenth-century England, a powerful sorcerer and King of the Goblins chooses Kate, the elder
of two orphan girls recently arrived at their ancestral home, Hallow Hill, to be his bride and queen.
L=5.6
Farmer, Nancy. The House of Scorpion. In a future where humans despise clones, Matt
enjoys special status as the young clone of El Patroln, the 142-year-old leader of a corrupt drug
empire nestled between Mexico and the United States. L=5.1
Flanagan, John. Rangers of Gorlan (Ranger’s Apprentice, #1). When fifteen-year-old
Will is rejected by battle school, he becomes the reluctant apprentice to the mysterious Ranger Halt,
and winds up protecting the kingdom from danger. L=5.8
Funke, Cornelia. Reckless. Jacob and Will Reckless have looked out for each other ever since
their father disappeared, but when Jacob discovers a magical mirror that transports him to a warring
world populated by witches, giants, and ogres, he keeps it to himself until Will follows him one day,
with dire consequences. L=5.4
Gantos, Jack. Dead End in Norvelt. In the historic town of Norvelt, Pennsylvania, twelveyear-old Jack Gantos spends the summer of 1962 grounded for various offenses until he is assigned
to help an elderly neighbor with a most unusual chore involving the newly dead, molten wax, twisted
promises, Girl Scout cookies, underage driving, lessons from history, typewriting, and countless
bloody noses. L=5.7
Green, John. The Fault in Our Stars. Sixteen-year-old Hazel, a stage IV thyroid cancer
patient, has accepted her terminal diagnosis until a chance meeting with a boy at cancer support
group forces her to reexamine her perspective on love, loss, and life. L=5.5
Greenwald, Tommy. Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to Not Reading. Middle schooler
Charlie Joe is proud of his success at avoiding reading, but eventually his schemes go too far. L=5.4
Hartman, Rachel. Seraphina. In a world where dragons and humans coexist in an uneasy
truce and dragons can assume human form, Seraphina, whose mother died giving birth to her,
grapples with her own identity amid magical secrets and royal scandals, while she struggles to accept
and develop her extraordinary musical talents. L=6.0
Herbert, Frank. Dune (Dune Chronicles, #1). The story of a young prince and his great
journey from boy to warrior to ruler to the very dying planet destined to be reborn. L=5.7
Hiaasen, Carl. Chomp. The difficult star of the reality television show "Expedition Survival"
disappears on location in the Florida Everglades, where they were filming animals from the wildlife
refuge run by Wahoo Crane's family, and Wahoo and classmate Tuna Gordon set out to find him, but
they must avoid Tuna's gun-happy father. L=5.2
Hinton, S.E. Rumble Fish. Junior high tough guy Rusty-James learns life's real problems can't
be solved with fists. L=4.1
Hinton, S.E. Tex. The love between two teenage brothers helps to alleviate the harshness of
their usually parentless life as they struggle to grow up. L=4.7
Hinton, S.E. That Was Then, This Is Now. Sixteen-year-old Mark and Bryon have been like
brothers since childhood, but now, as their involvement with girls, gangs, and drugs increases, their
relationship seems to gradually disintegrate. L=4.6
Horowitz, Anthony. Stormbreaker (An Alex Rider Adventure, #1). After the death of
the uncle who had been his guardian, fourteen-year-old Alex Rider is coerced to continue his uncle's
dangerous work for Britain's intelligence agency, MI6. L=5.1
Jones, Diana Wynne. Howl's Moving Castle. Eldest of three sisters in a land where it is
considered to be a misfortune, Sophie is resigned to her fate as a hat shop apprentice until a witch
turns her into an old woman and she finds herself in the castle of the greatly feared wizard Howl.
L=5.4
Kirby, Matthew. Icefall. Princess Solveig and her siblings are trapped in a hidden fortress
tucked between towering mountains and a frozen fjord, along with her best friend and an army of
restless soldiers, all awaiting news of the king's victory in battle, but as they wait for winter's end and
the all-encompassing ice to break, acts of treachery make it clear that a traitor lurks in their midst.
L=4.3
London, Jack. White Fang. Born in the wilds of the freezing cold Yukon, the wolf cub White
Fang soon learns the harsh laws of nature, growing fiercer and more independent in his struggle to
survive. Yet buried deep inside him are distant memories of affection and love. Can he learn to trust
man again? L=8.4 Lu, Marie. Legend (Legend Novel, #1). In a dark future, when North America has split into
two warring nations, fifteen- year-olds Day, a famous criminal, and prodigy June, the brilliant soldier
hired to capture him, discover that they have a common enemy. L=4.8
Matson, Morgan. Second Chance Summer. "Taylor Edwards' family might not be the
closest-knit--everyone is a little too busy and overscheduled--but for the most part, they get along just
fine. Then Taylor's dad gets devastating news, and her parents decide that the family will spend one
last summer all together at their old lake house in the Pocono Mountains. Crammed into a place
much smaller and more rustic than they are used to, they begin to get to know each other again. And
Taylor discovers that the people she thought she had left behind haven't actually gone anywhere. Her
former best friend is still around, as is her first boyfriend...and he's much cuter at seventeen than he
was at twelve. As the summer progresses and the Edwards become more of a family, they're more
aware than ever that they're battling a ticking clock. Sometimes, though, there is just enough time to
get a second chance--with family, with friends, and with love"-- Provided by publisher. L=6.0
Meyer, Carolyn. Mary, Bloody, Mary. Mary Tudor, who would reign briefly as Queen of
England during the mid sixteenth century, tells the story of her troubled childhood as daughter of King
Henry VIII. L=6.3
Meyer, Marissa. Cinder (Lunar Chronicles, #1). As plague ravages the overcrowded
Earth, observed by a ruthless lunar people, Cinder, a gifted mechanic and cyborg, becomes involved
with handsome Prince Kai and must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect the world in
this futuristic take on the Cinderella story. L=5.8
Montgomery, L.M. Anne of Green Gables. Anne, an eleven-year-old orphan, is sent by
mistake to live with a lonely, middle-aged brother and sister on a Prince Edward Island farm and
proceeds to make an indelible impression on everyone around her. L=7.3
Mowll, Joshua. Operation Red Jericho. The posthumous papers of Rebecca MacKenzie
document her adventures, along with her brother Doug, in 1920s China as the teenaged siblings are
sent to live aboard their uncle's ship where they become involved in the dangerous activities of a
mysterious secret society called the Honourable Guild of Specialists. L=6.0
Patterson, James. The Angel Experiment (Maximum Ride, #1). After the mutant
Erasers abduct the youngest member of their group, the "birdkids," who are the result of genetic
experimentation, take off in pursuit and find themselves struggling to understand their own origins and
purpose. L=4.6
Riordan, Rick. The Maze of Bones (The 39 Clues, #1). Amy and Dan, members of the
powerful Cahill family, try to uncover the thirty-nine clues which will reveal the secrets of their lineage
and find out what really happened to their parents. L=4.3
Roth, Veronica. Divergent (Divergent, #1). In a future Chicago, sixteen-year-old Beatrice
Prior must choose among five predetermined factions to define her identity for the rest of her life, a
decision made more difficult when she discovers that she is an anomaly who does not fit into any one
group, and that the society she lives in is not perfect after all. L=4.8
Schmidt, Gary D. The Wednesday Wars. During the 1967 school year, on Wednesday
afternoons when all his classmates go to either Catechism or Hebrew school, seventh-grader Holling
Hoodhood stays in Mrs. Baker's classroom where they read the plays of William Shakespeare and
Holling learns much of value about the world he lives in. L=5.6
Scott, Michael. The Alchemyst. (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel,
#1). While working at pleasant but mundane summer jobs in San Francisco, fifteen-year-old twins,
Sophie and Josh, suddenly find themselves caught up in the deadly, centuries-old struggle between
rival alchemists, Nicholas Flamel and John Dee, over the possession of an ancient and powerful book
holding the secret formulas for alchemy and everlasting life. L=6.4
Stevenson, Robert Louis. Kidnapped. The adventures of a sixteen-year-old orphan who
was kidnapped by his villainous uncle but later escaped and became involved in the struggle of the
Scottish highlanders against English rule. L=7.8
Stroud, Jonathan. Screaming Staircase. Follows three young operatives of a Psychic
Detection Agency as they battle an epidemic of ghosts in London. L=5.1
Verne, Jules. Around the World in Eighty Days. In 1872 Phileas Fogg wins a bet by
traveling around the world in seventy-nine days, twenty-three hours, and fifty-seven minutes. L=9.6
Verne, Jules. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. This nineteenth-century tale of an electric
submarine, its eccentric captain, and the undersea world, anticipated many of the scientific
achievements of the twentieth century. The adventures of a French scientist and his companions who
travel the seven seas as prisoners in the submarine of the mysterious Captain Nemo. L=10
Westerfeld, Scott. Leviathan (Leviathan Trilogy, #1). In an alternate 1914 Europe,
fifteen-year-old Austrian Prince Alek, on the run from the Clanker Powers who are attempting to take
over the globe using mechanical machinery, forms an uneasy alliance with Deryn who, disguised as a
boy to join the British Air Service, is learning to fly genetically- engineered beasts. L=5.3
Westerfeld, Scott. Uglies (Uglies, #1). Just before her sixteenth birthdays, Tally will be
transformed into a beauty whose only job is to have a great time, but the beauty and fun come at a
cost. L=5.2