Summer reading should include a variety of genres. Please keep in mind that each children develop at their own pace, so use the lists as a guide.
To help with book selection, parents may want to use web sites. Many sites offer book reviews and fun activities. Listed below are a few web sites to help you begin your search.
- americanfolklore.net :Retellings of American folktales, Native American myths and legends, tall tales, weather folklore, and ghost stories.
- bookhive.org : This site allows you to search for books by genre and reading level. Children are able to create a personalized reading list and write their own book reviews.
- bookwink.com : Video booktalks on a variety of themes for readers in grades 3-8.
- dropeverythingandread.com : Reading lists, downloadable activities author interviews, and other D.E.A.R. activities.
- kidsreads.com : Kids Reads is a great place on the web to find information about children’s favorite books, series, and authors. They include reviews of the newest titles and interviews with the coolest authors.
- kids.nypl.org : Sponsored by the New York Public Library, this website offers information in areas of science and technology, art, games, books, and reading.
- Marian Anderson by Eric Braun
- Marvelous Mattie by Emily Arnold McCully
- Patience Wright by Pegi Deitz Shea
Fantasy
- Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
- Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
- Peter and the Shadow Thieves by
- Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
Historical Fiction
- Eleven by Patricia Reilly Giff
- Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis
- Water Street by Patricia Reilly Giff
Mystery
- Found by Margaret Haddix Peterson
- Inkspell by Cornelia Funke
- The Keys to the Kingdom by Garth Nix
Poetry
- Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars by
- Douglas Florian
- A Kick in the Head by Paul Janesczko
- Rolling in the Aisle edited by Bruce Lasky
Realistic Fiction
- Scat by Carl Hiassen
- Paint the Wind by Pamela Munoz Ryan
Adventure Fiction
- All the Lovely Bad Ones by
- Mary Downing Hahn
- Gully’s Travels by Tor Seidler
- Man from the Sky by Avi
