POPE JOHN PAUL II CATHOLIC SCHOOL
SUMMER 2008
READING LIST
June 2008
Dear Parents and Guardians:
We are once again looking forward to those fun-filled days of summer. There is no better way to spend summer days than with a good book! The summer reading books for every grade level are listed in this booklet. Many of the books selected are Newbery Medal and Caldecott Award winners. We believe each of these books will help your child to become a better reader and to develop an appreciation for quality literature.
Your child should try to read at least 30 minutes each day, with a goal of one to two books a week, depending on the size of the book and the age of your child. The most important thing is to keep your child reading on a consistent, regular basis over the summer. The more he/she reads, the better he/she gets!
Thank you for being our partner in this learning experience. It is a most worthwhile and rewarding one for our children.
Pope John Paul II Faculty
Students Entering Pre-Kindergarten
These are some recommended books to enjoy this summer!
Chrysanthemum, by Kevin Henkes
Off to School, Baby Duck!,
by Amy Hest
Corduroy, by Don Freeman
Horton Hatches the Egg, by
Dr. Seuss
Eating the Alphabet, by Lois Ehlert
Minerva Louis at School, by Janet
Morgan Stoeke
On Market Street, by Arnold Lobel
Students Entering Kindergarten
These are some recommended books that Kindergartens enjoy!
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault
Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?, by Bill Martin & Eric Carle
The Kissing Hand, by Audrey Penn
Whose Nose and Toes?, by John butler
From Head to Toe, by Eric Carle
If Kisses Were Colors, by Janet Lawler
The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle
If You Take a Mouse to School, by Laura Numeroff
Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten, by Joseph Slates
Ten Little Fish, by Audrey and Bruce Wood
Ten Little Sleepyheads, by Elizabeth Provast
Goodnight, My Duckling, by Nancy Tafuri
Twelve Days of Kindergarten, by Deborah Lee Rose
My Mom, by Anthony Browne
Students Entering 1st Grade
Each child should read (or have read to them) 10 books. Use this list as a guide, but children may make other choices.
Clifford Makes a Friend, by Norman Bridwell
The Lunch Box Surprise, by Grace Maccarone
Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me, by Eric Carle
Mister Seahorse, by Eric Carle
Can You Cuddle Like a Koala?, by John Butler
Chicka Chicka 1.2.3., by Bill Martin, Jr., Michael Sampson
There’s An Alligator Under My Bed, by Mercer Mayer
The Crayon Box that Talked, by Shane DeRolf
If You Give a Moose a Muffin, by Laura Joffe Numeroff
A Pocket Full of Kisses, by Audrey Penn
Kitten’s First Full Moon, by Kevin Henkes
Chuckle With Huckle, by Richard Scarry
Summer, by Alice Law (Dr. Seuss)
Students entering 2nd Grade
Each child is required to read Ira Sleeps Over, by Bernard Waber. There will be a test on Ira Sleeps Over on the second day of school. Also read 10 books from the list below. Please list the 10 books you read. The list is due on the first day of school. All of these books can be found in the New Castle County Public Library System.
Henry and Mudge, by Cynthia Ryland
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, by William Steig
Ira Says Goodbye, by Bernard Waber
Miss Nelson is Missing, by Harry G. Allard
Is Your Mama a Llama? By Deborah Guarino
Bread and Jam for Frances, by Russell Hoban
A Chair for My Mother, by Vera Williams
Stellaluna, by Janell Cannon
A Pizza the Size of the Sun, by Jack Prelutsky
The Rainbow Fish, by Marcus Pfister
The Doorbell Rang, by Maurice Sendak
The Tall, Tall Grass, by Denise Fleming
Strega Nona, by Tomie dePaola
Town Mouse, Country Mouse, by Jan Brett
Butterfly House, by Eve Bunting
Aaron’s Hair, by Robert Munsch
Students entering 3rd Grade
Please read three books from the attached reading list. You will need to use the enclosed book report forms for each book that you read. If you should need additional writing space, you may write your report on lined paper and attach it to the back of your book report. Please keep in mind good sentence structure (capital letters, where appropriate, punctuation, and complete sentences). You are more than welcome to write extra book reports. Please know that you must bring your summer reading reports with you on the first day of school, for they will count as your first reading grade! This listing of books offers book titles that are popular with boys and girls who are entering third grade. The list is a good place to start your summer reading, but it is only a beginning. Other titles by these authors or other authors offer enjoyable reading. Knowing how to choose a good book is part of being a good reader, you will also find a list of ways to enjoy reading. Have fun choosing and reading books this summer!
The Boxcar Children “series”,
by Gertrude Warner
Bunnicula, by Howe Daniel
Chocolate War, by Robert Smith
Freckle Juice, by Judy Blume
How to Eat Fried Worms, by
Thomas Rockwell
The Whipping Boy, by Sid Fleischman
Earthquake in the Third Grade, by Laurie Myers
Good Grief-Third Grade, by Colleen McKenna
Third Grade Ghouls, by Colleen McKenna
How to be Cool in the Third Grade, by Betsy Duffey
The Magic Tree House “series”, by Mary Pope Osborne
Jigsaw Jones “mysteries”, by James Preller
I was a Third Grade Science Project, by Mary Jane Auch
Little House “series books”, by Laura Wilder
Encyclopedia Brown “series”, by Donald J. Sobol
The Ramona “series”, by Beverly Cleary
Amber Brown Is Not a Crayon, by Ross Danziger
Mr. Popper’s Penguins, by Richard and Florence Atwater
My Father’s Dragon, by Ruth Gannett
Because of Winn Dixie, by Dicamillo
Students entering 4th Grade
Each child must read Farmer Boy, by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Students are required to create a list of new vocabulary words and their typed definitions to be turned in on the second day of school. There should be a minimum of 12 new words on the list. The list and definitions will be collected the second day of school. There will be a test on Farmer Boy on the second day of school. Students are required to read one other book on the list below:
Books from the Childhood of Famous Americans Series
The Hundred Dresses, by Eleanor Estes
Little House in the Big Woods, by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Encyclopedia Brown, by Donald Sobol
The Relatives Came, by Cynthia Rylant
The Patchwork Quilt, by Valerie Flournoy
Shiloh, by Phillis Reynold Naylor
Miss Hickory, by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey
Hitty: Her First Hundred Years, by Rachel Field
Cool as Ice, by Matt Christopher
Olympic Dream, by Matt Christopher
Stealing Home, by Matt Christopher
Football Nightmare, by Matt Christopher
Sarah Plain and Tall, by Patricia MacLachlan
Be A Perfect in Just Three Days, by Stephen Manes
Addie Across the Prairie, by Laurie Lawler
Charlotte’s Web, by E. B. White
Misty of Chincoteague, by Marguerite Henry
King of the Wind, by Marguerite Henry
Students entering 5th Grade
Each child is required to read The Cricket in Times Square, by George Selden.. A test will be given the second day of school. Students are also encouraged to read any other books listed below:
Any book from the Childhood of Famous Americans Series
The Indian in the Cupboard, by Lynne
Reid Banks
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, by Robert C. O’Brien
Nothing’s Fair in Fifth Grade, by Barthe
DeClements
Sideways Stories from Wayside School, by
Louis Sachar
Dear Mr. Henshaw, by Beverly Cleary
Fudge, by Charlotte Graeber
Slam Dunk, by Matt Christopher
Halfback Attack, by Matt Christopher
Miracle at the Plate, by Matt Christopher
The Midnight Fox, by Betsey Byars
Caleb’s Story, by Patricia MacLachlan
Gentle Annie – The True Story of a Civil War Nurse,
Students entering 6th Grade
Required reading:
The Cay, by Theodore Taylor
Surviving the Applewhites, by Stephanie S. Tolan
And your choice of one of the following:
Zlata’s Diary, by Zlata Filopovic
Egypt Game, by Zilpha Keatly Snyder
There’s a Girl in My Hammerlock, by Jerry Spinelli
My Side of the Mountain,
by Jean Craighead George
The Outsiders, by S. E. Hinton
Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls
Island of the Blue Dolphins, by Scott O’ Dell
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, by Avi
Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson
Sign of the Beaver, by Elizabeth George Speare
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis
The Giver, by Lois Lowry
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, by Mildred D. Taylor
Letters From Rifka, by Karen Hesse
Julie of the Wolves, by Jean Craighead George
The Incredible Journey, by Shelia Burnford
Dunk, by David Lubar
Students should keep a notebook with the following information for each book:
1. Title, author, publisher, and date published
2. List and brief description of the main characters
3. Setting
4. Brief summary including these elements of plot: conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, and conclusion
Students should bring this information with them on the first day of school. There will be a short test. Students may use their notebooks for the test.
Students entering 7th & 8th Grades
Required reading for Grade 7:
The Upstairs Room, by Johanna Reiss
Stealing South, by Katherine Ayres
Required reading for Grade 8:
Hatchet, by Gary Paulson
The Year of the Hangman, by Gary Blackwood
Grade 7 and Grade 8: Plus, your choice of one of the following books (the first nine titles are the favorites from the previous classes):
1. The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton
2. That Was Then, This Is Now, by S.E. Hinton
3. Tex, by S.E. Hinton
4. Rumblefish, by S. E. Hinton
5. Holes, by Louis Sachar
6. So Far from the Bamboo Grove, by Yoko Kawashima Watkins
7. My Brother, My Sister, and I, by Yoko Kawashima Watkins
8. The Giver, by Lois Lowry
9. Hoot, by Carl Hiaasen
Small Steps, by Louis Sachar
Other Books by Gary Paulsen: Brian’s Hunt, Brian’s Winter, Brian’s
Return, Woodsong, The River.
Far North, by Will Hobbs
Bearstone, by Will Hobs
Johnny Tremain, by Esther Forbes
A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeline L’Engle
Flush, by Carl Hiaasen
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, by Avi
Midnight Magic, by Avi
Walk Two Moons, by Sharon Creech
Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls
Students should keep a notebook with the following information for each book:
1. Title, author, publisher, and date published
2. List and brief description of the main characters
3. Setting
4. Brief summary including these elements of plot: conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, conclusion
Students should bring this information with them on the first day of school. There will be a short test. Students may use their notebooks for the test.
Ways to Enjoy Reading
Listen to a book being read aloud.
Take turns reading to a friend or parent.
Read the book by yourself and tell someone about your favorite parts.
Record yourself reading the book or parts of the book a second time. Listen to the tape.
Make a list of the books you have read. Use a code to indicate how you felt about each book.
Visit the library and explore the section with information books. Select those that interest you.
Check out a poetry book and make copies of your favorite poems.
Enjoy your summer . . . and read, read, read!
Be sure to check out our website throughout the
summer for important announcements and information!!
Be safe and have fun!
We will see you again on
Tuesday, September 2, 2008!
