Fort Lee Public Schools   

 

   

Summer Learning   and   

Summer Reading   2021  

 

     

   

Fort Lee Public Schools Summer Learning and Summer Reading 2021  

Dear Parents and Guardians,     All Fort Lee educators are committed to cultivating a passion for reading. According to the  National Institute of Education (1988), “…the amount of reading done out of school is  consistently related to gains in reading achievement.” Reading also enables us to expand  our horizons and develop new ideas. As this academic year comes to a close, we  encourage all students to read for fun over the summer break. With the assistance of our  school librarians, we’ve provided some recommendations here, but there are so many more  wonderful books for students of all ages to explore. With your guidance, students can select  anything they want to read (books, magazines, graphic novels, Ebooks, audio books, picture  books, etc ), even if they do not appear on this list. We do understand that some books might  be di�cult for some students to read independently at this time. This is a perfect opportunity  for you to read with your child, an experience we all loved and cherished in our childhood.  What we ask is for students to read and read often!      Summer reading is a valuable opportunity to demonstrate that reading is not just part  of school, but it is a key contributor to lifelong learning. This year you will notice that we  added an additional section titled “Summer Learning”. The summer learning section  includes a list of the various programs students have access to throughout the summer.  Students can utilize the summer learning activities that are provided to practice and deepen  their knowledge of reading, writing, languages, social studies, science, math, and the arts.  

 Students who submit documentation of their summer reading will receive a certificate for  their participation in the fall. Here’s how students can record their summer reading:  

1. Join the Fort Lee Public Library’s 2021 Summer Reading Program. It's as simple as:  Read Every Day! Everyone who logs the days they read this summer is eligible to win  one of our three grand prizes. Parents are encouraged to participate as well! Sign up  and log your reading at: https://fortleelibrary.beanstack.org/ .   

2. Print and fill out the summer reading log provided in this packet. Students must  return the completed reading log to their teacher by September 17th.    

  Have a safe, wonderful summer and HAPPY READING!  

 Sincerely,  Michele Carl� and Monique Kim  K-12 Supervisors of Instruction  

   

Fort Lee Public Schools Summer Learning and Summer Reading 2021  

Summer Learning     

 

Fort Lee Public Schools Summer Learning and Summer Reading 2021  

Content Areas   Just for Fun!  

K-12 students will have access to the  following tools throughout the summer.  Tools marked with an asterisk (*) will be  turned o� on August 25, so we can prepare  the tools for use in the new school yea r.  

● Scholastic BookFlix (PreK-3)  ● BrainPOP (K-8)  ● Flocabulary (5-8)  ● Generation Genius (K-8)  ● Go Math! (K-4)  ● IXL (K-12)  ● Newsela (5-12)  ● myON (K-4)  ● Raz-Kids* (K-4)  ● Sadlier Connect (K-6)  ● Sora by Overdrive (K-12)  ● World Book (K-12)  

Click here for information on how to access  the tools above:  

FLPS Digital Tools Log-in Credentials   

The following additional learning activities  are intended to provide optional and  engaging learning experiences for K-12  students throughout the summer.   

 ● K-4 Learning Activities  ● 5-8 Learning Activities  ● 9-12 Learning Activities  ● K-12 Virtual Tours  ● K-12 Social Emotional Learning and  

Movement Activities  ● World Languages  ● The Arts  

             

**Note to Parents: Please be sure to preview the  websites selected by your child for age and  content appropriateness. We do not represent  or endorse the accuracy or reliability of all of the  links as the content may change. Please  exercise your own informed judgment and  evaluation on their use.**  

Suggested Summer Reading 2021    

 

Fort Lee Public Schools Summer Learning and Summer Reading 2021  

Kindergarten - First Grade  

Fiction Books  ● Pete the Cat by Eric Litwin  ● Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister  ● Pout Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen  ● Corduroy by Don Freeman  ● No David! By David Shannon  ● Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Robert  

Southey  ● Strega Nona by Tomie DePaola  ● If You Give a Mouse A Cookie by Laura  

Numero�  ● Are We There Yet? by Dan Santat  ● The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt  ● A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin  ● Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett  ● Mac and Cheese by Sarah Weeks  ● Dear Juno by Soyung Pak  ● Sky Sisters by Jan Bourdeau Waboose  

 Popular Fiction Series  ● Charlie and Lola series by Lauren Child  ● Fly Guy series by Ted Arnold  ● Piggie and Elephant series by Mo Willems  ● Katie Woo by Fran Manushkin  ● Diary of a Worm, Spider, Fly by Doreen  

Cronin  ● You Read to Me, I Read to You by Maryanne  

Hoberman  

Popular Fiction Series (Cont.)  ● Mercy Watson by Kate Dicamillo  ● Flat Stanley Easy Reader by Je� Brown  ● Penny by Kevin Henkes  ● Froggy by Jonathan London  ● Frog and Toad by Anne Lobel  ● Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish  ● Henry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant  ● Olivia by Ian Falconer  ● Curious George by William H. Macy  ● I Spy Reader! by Jean Marzallo  ● Poppleton by Cynthia Rylant  ● The Perfect Gift by Paula Yoo  ● Rafi and Rosi by Lulu Delacre  ● Rafi and Rosi Carnival by Lulu Delacre  ● All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold  ● Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la  

Pena  ● Where Are You From by Yamile Saied Mendez  ● Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev  ● Over the Hills and Far Away a Treasury of  

Nursery Rhymes collected by Elizabeth  Hammill  

● Mommy’s Khimar by Jamilah  Thompkins-Bigelow  

● Cece Loves Science by Kimberly Derting and  Shelli R. Johannes  

● Moon! Earth’s Best Friend by Stacy McAnulty  ● Do Lizards Eat Ice Cream? by Etta Kaner  

Popular Authors  ● Steven Kellogg  ● Robert Munsch   ● Eric Carle   ● Mo Willems  ● Grace Lin  ● Jan Brett  ● Denise Fleming  ● Brad Meltzer  

Nonfiction Books/Series  ● Rookie Read About Science series  ● Nature Up Close series by Elaine Pasco  ● I am Sacagawea by Brad Meltzer  ● Welcome Books series   ● Let’s Read and Find Out Science series  ● Animal Diaries Life Cycle series by Ellen  

Lawrence  ● Animal Groups Categorical by Brian Cleary  ● We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell  

Fort Lee Public Schools Summer Learning and Summer Reading 2021  

Second Grade - Third Grade  

Fiction Books  ● 13 Story Treehouse by Andy Gri�ths  ● Pain and the Great One by Judy Blume  ● Freckle Juice by Judy Blume  ● Cricket in Times Square by George Selden  ● Friends of a Feather by Lauren Myracle   ● The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi  ● My New Team by Ryan Howard and Krystle  

Howard   ● Logan Pryce Makes a Mess by Grace Gilmore  ● The Best Friend Battle by Lindsay Eyre  ● Stowaway by Erin Soderberg  ● Dumpling Days by Grace Lin  ● Misty by Christine Dencer  ● Alvin Ho series by Lenore Look  ● Don’t Feed the Geckos by Karen English  ● Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la  

Pena  ● Drita, My Homegirl by Jenny Lombard  ● Ruby Lu by Lenore Look  ● King for a Day by Rukhsana Khan  ● Kunu’s Basket: A Story from Indian Island by  

Lee DeCora Francis    

Popular Fiction Series  ● Cam Jansen by David Adler   ● Geronimo Stilton by Elisabetta Dami  ● Ivy & Bean by Annie Barrows   ● A to Z Mysteries by Ron Roy   ● Horrible Harry by Suzie Klein   ● Junie B. Jones by Barbara Park   

Popular Fiction Series (Cont.)  ● Just Grace by Charise Harper  ● Captain Awesome by Stan Kirby  ● Lulu by Judith Viorst  ● Flat Stanley by Je� Brown  ● Clementine by Sarah Pennypacker  ● Katie Kazoo by Nancy Krulik  ● The Bad Guys In Mission Unpluckable by  

Aaron Blabey  ● My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett  ● The Carver Chronicles by Karen English  ● The Life of Ty by Lauren Myracle  ● Little Rhino by Ryan Howard  ● Tales from the Maple Ridge by Grace Gilmore  ● Sylvie Scruggs by Lindsay Eyre  ● Puppy Pirates by Erin Soderberg  ● Stanley & Me by Christine Dencer  ● My Weird School by Dan Gutman  ● Judy Moody & Stink by Megan McDonald  ● Captain Awesome Stan Kirby  ● The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammed  ● Skin Like Mine by LaTashia M. Perry  ● Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’o  ● We’re All Wonders by R.J. Palacio  ● Amazing Grace by Mary Ho�man  ● Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters by John  

Steptoe  ● How to code a Rollercoaster: A Girls Who  

Code Book by Josh Funk  ● Ready Freddy by Abby Klein   ● Rosco Riley Rules by Katherine Applegate   

Popular Authors  ● Roald Dahl  ● Tomie dePaola  ● Judy Blume  ● Grace Lin  ● Kevin Henkes  ● Dan Gutman  ● Steve Jenkins  ● Lenore Look  ● Shel Silverstein (Poetry)  

Nonfiction Books/Series  ● This Is How We Do It by Matt Lamothe  ● The Girl Who Thought in Pictures The Story of  

Temple Grandin by Julia Finley Mosca  ● Go Show the World: A Celebration of  

Indigenous Heroes by Wab Kinew  ● Little Leaders Bold Women in History by  

Vashti Harrison  ● Asian-Americans Who Inspire Us by Analiza  

Quiroz Wolf  ● Who Would Win by various authors  

 

Fort Lee Public Schools Summer Learning and Summer Reading 2021  

 

Nonfiction Books/Series (Cont.)  ● “The Picture Biography” series by David  

Adler  ● Exquisite: The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn  

Brooks by Suzanne Slade  ● Dream Builder: The Story of Architect Philip  

Freelon by Kelly Starling Lyons  ● When You Look Up by Chloe Garcia Roberts  ● “Let’s Read-and-Find-Out-Science” books by  

various authors (HarperCollins Publishers)  ● So You Want to Grow a Pizza? by Bridget  

Heos (“Grow Your Food” series)  

Fourth Grade - Fifth Grade  

Fiction Books/Series  ● Me and Marvin Gardens by Amy S. King  ● Sunny-Side Up by Jennifer Holm  ● The Guest by Michael Dorris  ● Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History  

by Vashti Harrison  ● Stella by Starlight by Sharon M. Draper  ● The Wild Robot by Peter Brown  ● Rollergirl by Victoria Jamieson  ● El Deafo by Cece Bell  ● Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate  ● I Funny by James Patterson  ● Pie by Sarah Weeks  ● Whatever After series by Sarah Mlynowski  ● The Penderwicks series by Jeanne Birdsall   ● Amulet Series by Kazu Kibuishi  ● I Survived series by Lauren Tarshis   ● The Babysitters Club series by Ann M. Martin  ● Nancy Drew series by Carolyn Keene  ● Tom Angleberger Origami Yoda series by  

Tom Angleberger  ● Encyclopedia Brown Cracks the Case by  

Donald J. Sobol  ● The Homework Machine by Dan Gutman  ● Hank Zipzer series by Henry Winkler  ● Paper Wishes by Lois Sepahban   ● Drita, My Homegirl by Jenny Lombard  ● Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin   

Fiction Books/Series (Cont.)  ● Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell  ● Unstoppable: How Jim Thorpe and the  

Carlisle Indian School Football Team  Defeated Army by Art Coulson  

● One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia  ● Rules by Cynthia Lord  ● Ways to Make Sunshine , by Renee Watson  ● Wishtree by Katherine Applegate  ● The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan  

Nonfiction Books/Series  ● Little Leaders Bold Women in History by  

Vashti Harrison  ● Scholastic Question and Answer series by  

Melvin and Gilda Berger  ● Who Was…? biography series by various  

authors  ● Where is…? Series by various authors  

(Published by Penguin Random House)  ● Animal Heroes: True Rescue Stories by  

Sandra Markle  ● Sports in Action series various authors  ● Harlem: A Poem by Walter Dean Myers  ● Let the Children March by Monica  

Clark-Robinson  ● Ida B. Wells Let the Truth B. Told by Walter  

Dean Myers  

 

Fort Lee Public Schools Summer Learning and Summer Reading 2021  

Popular Authors  ● Judy Blume  ● Beverly Cleary  ● J.K. Rowling  ● Louis Sachar  ● Jerry Spinelli  ● Andrew Clements  ● Linda Sue Park    

Sixth - Eighth Grades   

Fiction Books  ● Terrifying Tales edited by Jon Scieska  ● Walking Two Worlds by Joseph Bruchac   ● The Grand Plan to Fix Everything by Uma  

Krishnaswami  ● Dragonwings by Laurence Yep  ● The Flinkwater Factor by Pete Hautman  ● The Boy Who Crashed to Earth by Judd  

Winick   ● Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker  

Rhodes  ● Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga  ● Pippa Park Raises Her Game by Erin Yun  ● The Skin I’m In by Sharon G. Flake  ● The Thing About Luck by Cynthia Kadohata  ● Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia  

McCall  ● American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang  ● The House on Mango Street by Sandra  

Cisneros  ● Historium by Jo Nelson   ● Pax by Sarah Pennypacker  ● The One and Only Ivan by Katherine  

Applegate   ● Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan  ● Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper  ● Crossover by Kwame Alexander  ● The Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart  ● Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson  ● Loser by Jerry Spinelli  ● In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse by Joseph  

Marshall III  ● Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix  

Fiction Books (Cont.)  ● Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech  ● The Crossover by Kwame Alexander  ● I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter  

Changed Two Lives by Caitlin Alifrenka  ● The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin  ● The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell by  

Christ Colfer  ● Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell  ● Better Nate than Never by Sheila Garrigue  ● The Eternal Spring of Mr. Ito by Sheila  

Garrigue  ● Fish in A Tree by Lynda Hunt  ● Con Academy by Joe Schreiber  ● Rain Reign by Ann Martin  

The Skin I’m In by Sharon Flake  ● Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia  

McCall’  ● George by Alex Gino  ● Zeroes by S. Westerfeld, M. Lanagan and D.  

Biancotti  ● Middle School, the Worst Years of My Life by  

James Patterson and Chris Tebbets  ● One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia  ● Little Women by Louisa May Alcott  ● Out of Left Field by Ellen Klages  ● You Go First by Erin Entrada Kelly  ● The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson  ● The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin  ● The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora by Pablo  

Cartaya  ● The List of Things That Will Not Change by  

Rebecca Stead  

       

Fort Lee Public Schools Summer Learning and Summer Reading 2021  

Popular Series  ● Guys Read by Jon Scieska  ● Pathfinders by Joseph Bruchac  ● Flinkwater Chronicles by Pete Hautman  ● Hilo by Judd Winick   ● Welcome to the Museum by Jo Nelson  ● Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony  

Snicket  ● Dear America by various authors  ● Warriors by Erin Hunter  ● The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis  ● The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan  ● Horrible Histories by Terry Deary , Peter  

Hepplewhite and Neil Tonge  ● 39 Clues by Rick Riordan   ● Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick  

Riordan  ● Hidden Figures: Young Readers’ Edition by  

Margot Lee Shetterly    

Popular Authors  ● Brian Selznik  ● Rene Telemegier  ● Wendy Mass   ● Patricia Polacco  ● Mike Lupica  ● Kwame Alexander  ● Gary Paulsen  ● Roald Dahl  ● Jerry Spinelli  ● Laurence Yep  ● Jack Prelutsky (Poetry)  

Nonfiction Books/Series  ● I Will Always Write Back. How One Letter  

Changed Two Lives by Caitlin Alifirenka  ● “Scientists in the Field” Series (Published by  

Houghton Mi�in)  ● “Hazardous Tales” Series (Nathan Hale)  ● “Stem Trailblazers” Series by Lerner Books  ● Misty Copeland Life In Motion: Young  

Readers Edition by Misty Copeland and  Brandy Colbert  

● Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson  ● The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William  

Kamkwamba   ● Portraits of Hispanic American Heroes by  

Juan Felipe Herrera  ● I Am Malala How One Girl Stood Up for  

Education and Changed the World by Malala  Yousafzai , Patricia McCormick  

● LGBTQ+ Athletes Claim the Field: Striving for  Equality by Kirstin Cronn-Mills  

● My Corner of the Ring: The Middle Grade  Memoir of a Girl Boxer and Future Olympian  by Jesselyn Silva  

● It's Trevor Noah: Born a Crime by Trevor Noah  ● The Thrifty Guide to Medieval Times: A  

Handbook for Time Travelers by Jonathan W.  Stokes  

● Hidden Figures: Young Reader’s Edition by  Margot Lee Shetterly  

● One Thousand Paper Cranes: The Story of  Sadako and the Children’s Peace Statue by  Takayuki Ishii  

       

Fort Lee Public Schools Summer Learning and Summer Reading 2021  

Ninth-Twelfth Grades   

Fiction Books  ● Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo  ● The Young Elites by Mary Lu  ● The Story of Owen: Dragon Slayer by E.K  

Johnston  ● Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson  ● Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Mass   ● The Testing by Joel Charbonneau   ● The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta  ● The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski  ● The Crossover by Alexander Kwame   ● The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson  ● The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas  ● Jackaby by William Ritter   ● Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender  ● Divergent by Veronica Roth   ● Vango Between Sky and Earth by Timothee  

De Fombelle   ● We Were Liars by E. Lockhart  ● Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie by David Lubar   ● Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley  ● The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch  

Albom  ● Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol R. Brunt   ● The Ones We’re Meant to Find by Joan He  ● Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean  ● On the Come Up by Angie Thomas  ● Ready Player One by Ernest Cline   ● Room by Emma Donoghue  ● Midnight at the Electric by Jodi Lynn  

Anderson   ● Stay Gold by Tobly McSmith  ● Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum   ● Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi  

Nonfiction Books  ● The Glass Castle , Jeannette Walls   ● Behind Rebel Lines , Seymour Reit  ● Becoming, Michelle Obama  ● Grace, Gold, and Glory: My Leap of Faith ,  

Gabrielle Douglas  ● Smarter Than You Think: How Technology is  

Changing Our Minds for the Better, Clive  Thompson  

● Stamped, Jason Reynolds and Ibram X.  Kendi  

● The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in  Gander, Newfoundland, Jim DeFede   

● The Martian by Andy Weir  ● The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by  

Rebecca Skloot    

Popular Authors   ● Victoria Aveyard   ● Kiera Cass  ● Cassandra Clare   ● John Green   ● Jenny Han  ● Sandra J. Maas   ● Ransom Riggs   ● Nicola Yoon  

   

 **A reading program is a joint responsibility between school and family. Parents might very reasonably  disagree about what material constitutes suitable reading for children. The titles suggested are not Board of  Education approved texts. They are works that are recommended by organizations such as the American  Library Association, the New York Times, and the National Council for Teachers of English. They appear on  many reading lists across the nation. Nevertheless, certain titles may contain subject matter that some parents  may not want their children to read (whether Grimm’s Fairy Tales for young children or books with mature  themes and graphic language for older students). Only parents can determine appropriate choices for their  children. Check with teachers, local librarians, and book websites for reading levels and information about the  various titles.    

Fort Lee Public Schools Summer Learning and Summer Reading 2021  

Family Read-Alouds for All Ages   Here are some titles families can read together.  

Fiction  ● Charlotte’s Web by E.B.White  ● Stuart Little by E.B. White  ● James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl  ● Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald  

Dahl  ● The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson  

Burnett  ● Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling   ● Wonder by Raquel J. Palacio  ● Hatchet by Gary Paulsen  ● Chronicles of Narnia by C.S Lewis  ● Treasury of Egyptian Mythology by Donna Jo  

Napoli  ● Treasury of Greek Mythology by Donna Jo  

Napoli  ● The Little House on the Prairie by Laura  

Ingalls Wilder  ● The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum  ● The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by  

Kate DiCamillo  

Great Illustrated Classics Published by  Baronet Books  ● Aesop’s Fables  ● Heidi  ● The Call Of The Wild  ● King Arthur and the Knights of the Round  

Table  ● Frankenstein  ● Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm  ● The Last of the Mohicans   ● Captains Courageous  ● Robin Hood  ● Prince and the Pauper  ● Time Machine  ● Anne of Green Gables  ● Peter Pan  ● Black Beauty  ● The Phantom of the Opera  ● The Jungle Book  ● The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and the  

Case of the Hound of the Baskervilles  ● The Hunchback of Notre Dame  

K-12 Fort Lee Public Schools Summer Reading Log    

Student’s Full Name: ______________________________________________      

Entering Grade: ________ School:__________    

 

Fort Lee Public Schools Summer Learning and Summer Reading 2021  

Title   Author