5th Grade Summer Reading 2014

Libraries

Summer Reading for Rising 5th Graders

2014

Dear Rising Fifth Grader, It’s time to think about summer reading! I hope you have lots of time to read books this summer. We want you to read books that you will enjoy, so we’ve included a lot of choice in your requirements. I realize that this is the first time you have had required summer reading, but we try to keep it fun.

Please keep a reading log this summer. There is an example at the end of this booklet. This allows you to record what you read over the summer. You will turn in your reading log in English class during the first week of classes.

1) Please read a book for our book discussion groups. You should have chosen one already and know what group you are in. If you need to start to read your book, and just don’t like it, you can switch to another book, just email tvahlsing@abingtonfriends.net, telling me you are doing so. You can find the other choices on the summer reading website, where you found this guide.

2)We encourage you to read a book by our visiting author, Matt Phelan. Even if you don’t choose his book for your book group, you will get more out of the author visit if you’ve read a book that he has written.

3)In all, you should read at least four books this summer- one for the discussion group and three others.

At the end of this booklet is a list of my suggestions if anyone is stuck for what to choose.

Students will be able to check out books from the Faulkner Library for summer reading. Of course any books not returned in the fall will be billed.

I look forward to reading your reviews in the fall. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email me.

Sincerely, Toni Vahlsing Director of Libraries Abington Friends School (215) 576-3976 tvahlsing@abingtonfriends.net

Distinguished Summer Reading: For those of you who want an additional challenge, aim to become a “Distinguished Reader.” To earn this recognition, you must do the following: 1)Read 1000 pages during the summer months.

2)Total the pages that you read on your reading log.

Students who rise to this challenge will receive a notation on their official school transcript and will be recognized in other ways as well.

We highly suggest that you read a book by our visiting author, Matt Phelan, a graphic novelist and illustrator. If you can, read one of his books over the summer so that you are familiar with his work when he comes to visit:

Bluffton by Matt Phelan This gorgeous graphic novel follows two boys during the summers in Bluffton, Michigan when the Vaudvillian actors would come to have a vacation. It is a sweet story, well told.

The book is based on some real Vaudville actors, which you may want to learn more about after reading this.

Around the World by Matt Phelan This graphic novel retells and reinterprets three journeys around the world. One tale is of a former coal miner who travelled around the world on a bicycle. The second is the story of Nellie Bly, a female reporter who wanted to beat the record of going around the world in 80 days. The third story is about a man who sailed around the world by himself. In the third tale, it is difficult to tell what is real and what is inside the sailor’s head.

The Storm in the Barn by Matt Phelan A suspenseful tall tale set in the time of the Dust Bowl, Jack Clark faces the normal problems of most eleven year olds, plus the fact that it never rains. What is the face he sees in the barn? Is it real or is he seeing things?

Here are some of the books that Matt Phelan illustrated:

Did you know? If you participate in your public library’s summer reading program, you can get all sorts of free stuff? Some libraries enter teenagers into drawings for BIG prizes! Go to your public library. Another advantage of going... they will have many of these books and you won’t have to buy them!

Read at least four books this summer. You should already have chosen one for your book group. If not, email Toni.

Here are some suggestions- you can read what you want to read. The point of summer reading is to enjoy it.

Shredderman: Secret Identity by Wendelin Van Draanen Nolan wears his pants too short and is good with computers. Bubba Bixby starts calling him “Nerd”. When Bubba Bixby tells people to do something, they do it. So everyone calls Nolan “Nerd”. Nolan sees Bubba bully almost everyone else and finds a way to call him out on his bullying. You will love Mr. Green, Nolan’s teacher and sidekick.

You will love hating Bubba. You will want to read the rest of the series.

Close to Famous by Joan Bauer Foster and her mom are on the move and accidentally end up in a small town. Foster has never learned to read, a fact that she tries to hide. She dreams of one day having her own cooking show. The cast of characters that help Foster and her mom get back on their feet is truly memorable.

Small Acts of Amazing Courage by Gloria Whelan Rosalind is a British 15 year old, living in India, who was not packed off to England to go to boarding school like most other Brits. She is a really interesting character who does not do what is expected of her, but in a good way. Gandhi is a force in India at the time, and in Rosalind’s life. The book is almost too short, though it leaves me imagining what will happen to Rosalind next.

11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass Two former best friends share the same birthday and have celebrated the first 10 of them together. After a fight, they are having separate 11th birthdays. When each wakes up the next day, it is still their birthday. They have to relive their birthdays until they do something right, but they don’t know what to do differently.

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos Joey can’t keep still. He can’t help it that he does whatever pops into his head, especially when his meds aren’t working. Whether getting into mischief on his school field trip or swallowing his house key, Joey can’t seem to get it right. His teachers are threatening to send him to the special ed school in the middle of town.

Mr. Tucket by Gary Paulsen Francis Tucket is on a wagon train headed west when he gets a rifle for his birthday. He wanders too far from the wagon train and gets captured by Pawnees. It takes wild horses, hostile tribes, and a mysterious one armed-man to save him. What an adventure!

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia Delphine and her sisters travel to Los Angeles to visit a mother they barely know. She resents that they are there and sends them to a summer camp run by the Black Panthers.

Delphine has always taken care of her sisters and now her worries are heightened. Can she keep her sisters safe?

About Average by Andrew Clements If you haven’t read anything by Andrew Clements, I highly recommend his books, especially Frindle. If you’ve read Frindle, read About Average, his newest book. Jordan Johnson is a C student, and average at almost everything, except for a few things she stinks at. She hopes to find a way to end the school year in an extraordinary way.

This story takes place over the course of one day, and what an unusal day it turns out to be!

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine Don’t judge a book by its movie! This book is fantastic, while the movie is not. Ella is cursed by a fairy as a baby to always do as she is told. Wisely, Ella keeps this a secret so other people will not exploit her. Her stepsister finds out eventually and keeps commanding her to do worse and worse things. How can Ella break the spell?

Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George The castle Glower isn’t just any ordinary castle. It can add rooms whenever it becomes bored! The castle can give opinions on people by how it decorates their rooms. Princess Celie’s parents disappear and suddenly other kingdoms are trying to take over. Read how the castle tries to help. What fun!

Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix Luke has never been to school because he is never allowed out of his house. No one must know that Luke is alive. He is a third child and families are only allowed to have two children. Luke thinks he sees the signs of another third child in the new housing development next door. Does he dare try to contact her?

As Simple as it Seems by Sarah Weeks Verbena makes the shocking discovery that she is not the biological child of the people who raised her. The more she finds out about her biological parents, the more she does not want to be like them. It’s summer and her best friend is gone. A new boy moves in next door, but Verbena can’t seem to do anything right when he is around.

Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat by Lynne Jonell Emmy’s life changes dramatically when her loving parents suddenly inherit a great deal of money and leave her with the dreaded nanny, Miss Barmy. To make matters worse, Emmy feels invisible at school until...she is bitten by the class rat and can suddenly understand everything he says. Then she discovers that Joe, the cool kid, is in the same boat. These two embark on an adventure filled with mystery, suspense, and lots of humor. Once you are done, you can enjoy the next two books in the series.

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall It is hard not to fall in love with the Penderwick sisters. After losing their mother to cancer, their father takes them on a summer adventure where they meet the incredibly interesting Jeffrey. You’ll laugh as you read about their escapades as they attempt to evade Jeffrey’s tyrannical mother. Curl up with a glass of lemonade on the hammock and enjoy this great summer read.

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick Two stories; One told in words, one completely in pictures. They are set in two different time periods, so you might wonder how the stories will connect, but they do! Mystery, adventure, friendship, exploring a museum, plus great illustrations. What could be better?

Million Dollar Throw by Mike Lupica Nate Brody has a great arm. He is an 8th grade quarterback who wins the chance to win a million dollars. Unfortunately, just when he needs it, his arm starts to fail him.

His dad loses his job, and his best friend Abby is going blind. All Nate feels is a lot of pressure. Will he be able to make the throw?

I, Emma Freke by Elizabeth Atkinson Emma, has a really unfortunate name. As she says, her mother didn’t say it aloud before naming her. She is super tall, really pale, and nothing like her mother’s Italian family, the only family she knows. Emma gets an invitation to her father’s family reunion in Wisconsin. She never met her father, and he is not there, but she finds a lot about herself in her adventure to get to the reunion on her own.

Floors by Patrick Carmen This fun adventure story is set in the craziest, best, hotel imaginable. Who wouldn’t want to stay in the Pinball room or the cake room.?There are some rooms in the hotel that no one knows about! The creator of the hotel has been missing for 100 days and Leo has a mystery to solve that involves adventures in many of these crazy rooms and the secret passageways between them.

These books are recommended by current 5th graders: Title The Apothecary Wonderstruck The Invention of Hugo Cabret Chomp Any book from the Sisters Grimm series The Goddess Girls series

Claws The Warrior series The Unicorn Chronicles series A Percy Jackson and the Olympians book

Author Maile Meloy Brian Selznick Brian Selznick Carl Hiaasen Michael Buckley Joan Holub

Michael and Rachel Grinti Erin Hunter Bruce Coville Rick Riordan

Did you know that if you sign up for your public library’s summer reading program, you can win prizes for bringing them a reading log?

You can also get a free book from Barnes and Noble!

This is a sample reading log. You can turn this in, or make your own.

If you read eight books this summer and fill out a log from Barnes and Noble, you can get a free book at B&N. You can make a copy of that form to count as your reading log.

Reading Log Name_________________ Title

Author

# pages

Date completed

Total pages

To sum up: 1) Read a book for our book discussion groups.

2) Read at least three other books of your choice.

3) Keep a reading log.

Would you like some free audiobooks? Sync gives away two free audiobooks per week!

Visit audiobooks.sync.com!