My Summer Reading List
By Lisa Von Drasek

There is no question of the value of summer reading. We want our students, whatever their reading level, to continue to develop and maintain their literacy skills. Therefore, I would urge you not to assign a limited list of four to five dated novels, but instead to encourage students to explore their own interests. Summer is a time of renewal, and if there's a student whose goal it is to read all of the Boxcar Children books in order or reread the entire oeuvre of J.K. Rowling, let's encourage parents to support these whims.

Here are some of my summer reading recommendations – many of these titles are newly-released in paperback.

PreK-Kindergarten
The Baby Beebee Bird by Diane Redfield Massie (HarperTrophy, 2003, ISBN: 0-060-51784-0). The animals in the zoo can't get any sleep because of the annoying song of this nocturnal bird.

Whistle for Willie by Ezra Jack Keats (Puffin, 1976, ISBN: 0-140-50202-5). Peter longs to whistle for his dachshund Willie, but finds it takes practice.

Miss Bindergarten Plans A Circus With Kindergarten by Joseph Slate (Puffin, 2005, ISBN: 0-142-40273-7). Another alphabetical adventure from our favorite pre-school teacher.

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback (Puffin, 2005, ISBN: 0-140-56358-X). Joseph loved his coat, so when it wore out, he transformed it into a vest. Witty collage and paint illustrations won the Caldecott medal.

We're Going On A Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen (Aladdin, 2002, ISBN: 0-689-85349-1). "We're going to catch a big one… we're not scared…" and so begins this delightful repetitious romp.

McDuff Comes Home by Rosemary Wells (Hyperion, 2005, ISBN: 0-786-81192-7). McDuff wanders but do not fear, he does find his way.

Grades 1-2
Abiyoyo by Pete Seeger (Aladdin Paperbacks, 2005, ISBN: 0-689-87825-7). This singer/songwriter tells the story of a magician and his son who save a village from a horrible giant.

Albert by Donna Jo Napoli (Voyager Books, 2005, ISBN: 0-152-05249-6). A man finds himself stuck with his arm reaching out a window. While he's trying to free himself, a bird builds a nest and lays eggs in his hand.

Sunshine Makes the Seasons by Franklyn Mansfield Branley (HarperCollins, 2005, ISBN: 0-060-59205-2). Children who are more interested in information than stories may enjoy this entry into the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out series.

Mr. Putter & Tabby Write The Book by Cynthia Rylant (Harcourt, 2004, ISBN: 0-152-00242-1). Writing and reading are intertwined. We can all sympathize with Mr. Putter's procrastinating activities in this early chapter book.

When Everybody Wore A Hat by William Steig (HarperCollins, 2005, ISBN: 0-060-09702-7) A charming memoir of a long ago time when the author was eight years old and fire engines were pulled by horses, movies were five cents and there was no TV.

America's Champion Swimmer: Gertrude Ederle by David A. Adler (Voyager Books, 2005, ISBN: 0-152-05251-8). This is a thrilling picture book biography of the first woman to swim across the frigid waters of the English Channel.

Grades 3-4
Iris and Walter, Lost and Found by Elissa Haden-Guest (Gulliver, 2005, ISBN: 0-152-05245-3). If you need an early chapter book for a kid who has read all of Henry and Mudge, look no further than this terrific new series about best friends.

Mutton Soup: More Adventures Of Johnny Mutton by James Proimos (Harcourt, 2005, ISBN: 0-152-16778-1). The wacky humor and graphic format of this early reader will engage even the most reluctant readers.

Lizards, Frogs, and Polliwogs by Douglas Florian (Silver Whistle, 2005, ISBN: 0-152-05248-8). Rambunctious reptilian and amphibian rhymes from the man with a poetic license.

Murder My Tweet - Chet Gecko by Bruce Hale (Harcourt, 2005, ISBN: 0-152-05219-4). This noir mystery series is a laugh-aloud read-aloud.

It's Raining Pigs and Noodles by Jack Prelutsky (HarperTrophy, 2005. ISBN: 0-060-763906). Don't forget the humor and wordplay of poetry for summer fun.

Grades 5-6
Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson (Puffin, 2005, ISBN: 0-142-40149-8) Lonnie Collins Motion, a New York City fifth grader, tells his story in this novel composed of 60 poems.

If there's a student whose goal it is to read all of the Boxcar Children books in order or reread the oeuvre of J.K. Rowling, let's encourage parents to support these whims.

Saffy's Angel by Hilary McKay, (Aladdin, 2003, ISBN: 0-689-84934-6). Meet the eccentric Casson family. The children are all named after paint pigments. The title character, Saffron, is on a journey to find her past.

Surviving The Applewhites by Stephanie S. Tolan (HarperTrophy, 2003, ISBN: 0-064-41044-7). More unconventional family members here as this family of home-schoolers takes on the case of Jake, who may or may not have burned down his last school.

The Wish by Gail Carson Levine (HarperTrophy, 2001, ISBN: 0--064-47361-9). Being popular isn't the only thing one could hope for.

Grades 7-8
The River Between Us by Richard Peck (Puffin, 2005, ISBN: 0-142-40310-5). A historic novel set at the beginning of the Civil War gives a unique glimpse at the society of that time.

Olive's Ocean by Kevin Henkes (HarperTrophy, 2005, ISBN: 0-060-53545-8). A quiet summer read from the point of view of Martha, who finds herself searching for a way to fulfill a girl's (whose life was cut short) dreams.

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke (Scholastic, 2005, ISBN: 0-439-70910-5). What if the characters in a book could come to life? What if they were no one you would ever want to meet alone in the dark? What if you couldn't get rid of them?

101 Ways to Bug Your Teacher by Lee Wardlaw (Dial, 2004, ISBN: 0-803-72658-9). Steve "Sneeze" Wyatt, age 13, has a reputation for ingenious inventions. Unfortunately, he's blocked.

East by Edith Pattou (Magic Carpet Books, 2005, ISBN: 0-152-05221-6). A retelling of the northern folk tale, East of the Sun, West of the Moon that captures the passion and adventure of a thrilling quest.

Buy these books today!

Lisa Von Drasek is Children's Librarian at the Bank Street College of Education in New York, NY.