HKIS Upper PrimarySummer Reading 2014

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Dear Parents and Students,

Hooray we’ve made it to summer! We’ve put together this list of what we think are some of the best new books for kids. We’ve included suggested age levels for each of the books. Books with a &icon are available from our digital library powered by OverDrive. Many books suggested are series and will provide hours of great reading. You should be able to find most of these titles at your local library. If you are purchasing books please consider using an independent bookstore.

We hope that reading is a part of each day for you this summer. The best way to do this is to make reading fun! Pick books that interest you. Make a plan for what you’d like to read. You might even want to make your own summer book list!

Happy Reading!

Picture Books

Battle Bunny. Scieszka, Jon and Barnett, Mac. Simon & Schuster

Alex, whose birthday it is, hijacks a story about Birthday Bunny on his special day and turns it into a battle between a super villain and his enemies in the forest--who, in the original story, are simply planning a surprise party. Grade 3 and up

The Dark. Snicket, Lemony. Little Brown & Co.

We all have things we are afraid of. Laszlo is afraid of the dark. The dark lives in the same house as Laszlo but mostly stays in the basement. One day the dark comes to Laszlo’s room. This is the story of how Laszlo stops being afraid of the dark. Grade 3 and up

Mr. Tiger Goes Wild. Brown, Peter. Little, Brown & Co.

From Cadecott Honor artist Peter Brown comes a story that show’s there’s a time and place for everything. . . even going wild! Bored with city life and the proper behavior it requires, Mr. Tiger has a wild idea that leads him to discover his true nature. Grade 3 and up

Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great. Shea, Bob. Disney-Hyperion

Ever since Unicorn has moved to the neighborhood, poor goat is feeling upstaged. How can goat compete with a showy unicorn? When Goat and Unicorn share a piece of pizza, Goat learns that being a Unicorn isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. When Unicorn shares his admiration for Goat it looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Grade 3 and up

The Man With the Violin. Stinson, Kathy. Annick Press

Dylan enjoys the music of a man playing the violin in the metro station but cannot get his mother to stop to listen. This stunning picture book is based on the true story of Joshua Bell, the renowned violinist who played in a Washington D.C subway.Grade 3 and up

Fiction

After Iris. Farrant, Natasha. Dial Books for Young Readers

After Blue Gadsby’s twin sister dies, she documents her family’s heartache and healing in a sequence of film transcripts and diary entries that will make you laugh, cry and be thankful for your own family. Grade 5 and up

Journey. Becker, Aaron. Candlewick Press.

A lonely girl draws a magic door on her bedroom wall and escapes into another world. With red marker in hand she creates different vehicles to carry her on her amazing journey. Caldecott Honor Book 2014. G3 and up

Anna Was Here. Kurtz, Jane. Greenwillow

Anna’s worst nightmare comes true when she discovers that her father has accepted a new job and the whole family will be moving to Oakwood, Kansas. A new neighborhood, new friends and community await, and even worse is her new life is smack-dab in the middle of Tornado Alley. Grade 3 and up &

An Army of Frogs. Pryce, Trevor. Amulet Books

For years the frogs of Amphibilands have been protected by an elite group of poisonous frogs named the Kulipari. When the Kulipari are away for training, the Spider Queen and the leader of the scorpions take advantage of their vulnerability. Darel, a young frog who dreams of joining the Kulpari one day, and his motley group friends come to their cities defense. This action-packed adventure is sure to be a hit with Warrior and Redwall fans. Grade 4 and up

Better Nate Than Ever. Federle, Tim. Simon and Schuster

For as long as he can remember, Nate Foster has wanted to be a star on Broadway. But how is he supposed to make his big dreams come true when he is stuck in small town Jankburg, Pennsylvania where no one appreciates a good show tune? When he learns of an open casting call in New York, Nate plans an overnight escape to chase his dream. Series. Grade 4 and up

Bo at Ballard Creek. Hill, Kirkpatrick. Holt

Imagine growing up in the exhilarating time after the big Alaska gold rushes. Set in the 1920’s, Bo is headed for an Alaska orphanage when she wins the hearts of two tough gold miners who are determined to raise her. The people of a nearby Eskimo village offer support and Bo learns Eskimo, learns to polka and ride a dogsled. Grade 3 and up

Bowling Alley Bandit. Keller, Laurie. Christy Ottaviano Books

Arnie is thrilled to become Mr. Bing’s new “doughnut dog”. When Mr. Bing joins a bowling league Arnie gets to tag along to practices and competitions. But when Mr. Bing starts rolling uncharacteristic gutter balls, it is up to Arnie and his buddies to figure out if there is something behind all the madness. This mystery is filled with lots of charm and silly humor. Grade 3 and up.

The Boy on the Porch. Creech, Sharon. Joanna Cotler Books

One day John and Martha unexpectedly find a young boy asleep on their porch. The boy is unable to speak and explain who he is, so they choose to care for him and embrace his exuberant spirit and talents. Sharon Creech fans wont be disappointed! Grade 4 and up &

Counting by 7’s. Sloan, Holly Goldberg. Dial

This beautiful story about belonging is narrated by Willlow Chance, a 12-year old genius obsessed with nature, diagnosing medical conditions and counting by 7s. It has never been easy to connect with anyone but her adoptive parents. Suddenly her life is changed when both of her parents die in a car crash and Willow is forced to push through her grief and piece together a surrogate family. Read this before the movie comes out!Grade 6 and up

Doll Bones. Black, Holy. McElderry

Long time friends Zack, Alice and Poppy have always enjoyed playing games of pirate and thieves. Ruling over all is the Great Queen, a bone-china doll, cursing those who displease her. Now that they are in middle school, Zack has decided to quit this game of make believe. Their friendship appears to be over until Poppy declares she’s had several dreams about the bone-china doll and a dead girl who will not rest until the doll is buried in her empty grave. Grade 5 and up &

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library. Grabenstein, Chris. Random

Kyle wins a coveted spot to be one of the first kids in the new library designed by his hero, the famous game maker Luigi Lemoncello. They are in for an overnight of fun, food and lots of games. But when morning comes, the doors remain locked. Kyle and the other winners must solve a series of clues and puzzles to find the hidden escape route. Grade 4 and up &

The Flame of Olympus. O’Hearn, Kate. Aladdin

When a pegasus lands on her Manhattan rooftop, Emily is thrust into a battle between the Roman gods and a clan of stone warriors called the Nirads. Emily teams up with a thief named Paelen, the goddess Diana and a boy named Joel to return Pegasus to Olympus and rescue the gods. Series. Grade 3 and up

Flora and Ulysses. Dicamillo, Kate. Candlewick

After Flora saves Ulysses the squirrel from being eaten by the neighbor’s vacuum, they discover that he has been born anew with powers of strength, flight and even poetry. This laugh out loud funny story will melt your heart and make you believe in squirrels and little girls. Newbery Award Winner 2014. Grade 3 and up &

Hiding Out at the Pancake Palace. Marino, Nan. Roaring Brook Press Press

The talented Elvis Ruby was supposed to win the reality show, Tween Star but in the middle of the biggest performance of his life Elvis panicked. Millions of people watched as he completely froze on national TV. Elvis runs from the paparazzi camped out in his yard and spends the summer working with his aunt and cousin at Piney Pete’s Pancake Palace. It’s a perfect place to be anonymous at least until he meets a girl named Cecilia. An NPR Best Book of 2013.Grades 4 and up

Jasper John Dooley. Adderson, Caroline. Kids Can Press

Jasper is not at all happy about being paired with Isabel as class reading partners. Isabel showers Jasper with all kinds of unwanted attention. He wants nothing to do with her until he discovers she has a trampoline. Can Jasper figure out a way to continue using Isabel’s trampoline and get her to stop being in love with him? Series. Grade 3 and up &

Kelsey Green Reading Queen. Mills, Claudia. Farrar Straus Giroux

Kelsey is the best reader in her class. Or at least she is tied with Simon Ellis for the best reader. When a school-wide reading contest is announced, Kelsey is determined that her class will win. But getting all of her friends to participate at the same level is a bit of a challenge. Series. Grade 3 and up

Listening for Lucca. LaFleur, Suzanne. Wendy Lamb Books

In hopes of helping Siena’s little brother, Lucca, to speak, her family moves to a house on the coast of Maine. Siena quickly discovers that the house holds lots of secrets about a family that lived there long ago. As these secrets unfold, amazing parallels begin to appear, some of which might contain the key to unlocking Lucca’s voice. Grade 4 and up &

The Mouse with a Question Mark Tail. Peck, Richard. Dial Books for Young Readers

A very small mouse with no name runs away from school in the Royal Mews of Buckingham Palace shortly before the celebration of Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee. Fans of The Tale of Despereaux will love this fast-paced mystery. Grade 3 and up &

Paperboy. Vawter, Vince. Delacorte Press

An 11-year old boy living in Memphis in 1959 throws a mean fast ball, but struggles with saying a word without stuttering. When he takes over a friend’s paper route for the summer he encounters a neighborhood junkman, a bully and a thief, that stir up real trouble and put his life in danger. Grade 5 and up &

Pi in the Sky. Mass, Wendy. Little Brown & Co.

Joss is the seventh son of the Supreme Overlord of the Universe. His older brothers help his dad rule the cosmos while he is stuck delivering pies that “hold the secrets of the universe”. But when the earth suddenly disappears, Joss is charged with the task of bringing it back. With the help of Annika, an outspoken earthling, he sets out on the adventure of a lifetime. Grade 3 and up

Rooftoppers. Rundell, Katherine. Simon and Schuster

Everyone is certain that Sophie is an orphan. She isn’t so certain. In fact, she believes that her mother really is alive and looking for her. So when the Welfare Agency threatens to send her to an orphanage, Sophie flees to Paris to look for her mother. Evading the French authorities she meets Matteo and his network of rooftoppers. Together they scour the city in search of Sophie’s mother. Grade 5 and up

Secrets of Shakespeare’s Grave. Hicks, Deron R. Houghton Mifflin

Twelve-year old Colophon Letterford lives a quiet life with her family in Manchester, Georgia until a malicious distant relative conspires to take away their family’s publishing business. Along with her eccentric cousin, Julian, she follows clues found amongst family artifacts and hunts in England for the elusive family treasure, hidden since the 1600’s, to save her family’s business. Grade 4 and up &

The Show Must Go On! Klise, Kate. Algonquin Young Readers

When a kindly circus master becomes to old to travel with his show a greedy con artist named Barnabas Brambles steps in. More cities! More shows! No more free popcorn. Soon he’s made a mess of the circus. Can Leo, Elsa, Gert and Bert save the day? Series. Grade 3 and up &

A Snicker of Magic. Lloyd, Natalie. Scholastic

The Pickles are new to Midnight Gulch, Tennessee, a town which legend says was once magic. Felicity is convinced the magic is still there, and with the help of her new friend Jonah the Beedle she hopes to bring the magic back. Grade 4 and up &

The Thing About Luck. Kadohata, Cynthia. Atheneum Books

Summer knows that kouun means “good luck” in Japanese. and this year her family has none of it. Just when twelve-year-old Summer thinks nothing else can possibly go wrong in a year of bad luck, an emergency takes her parents to Japan, leaving Summer to care for her little brother while helping her grandmother cook and do laundry for harvest workers. National Book Award 2013. Grade 5 and up

The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp. Appelt, Kathi. Atheneum

Twelve-year-old Chap Brayburn, ancient Sugar Man, and his raccoon-brother Swamp Scouts Bingo and J'miah try to save Bayou Tourterelle from feral pigs Clydine and Buzzie, greedy Sunny Boy Beaucoup, and world-class alligator wrestler and would-be land developer Jaeger Stitch. National Book Award Finalist 2013. Grade 5 and up &

Sugar. Rhodes, Jewell Parker. Little, Brown & Co.

Ten-year old Sugar lives on the River Road plantation along the Mississippi. Slavery has ended, but working in the fields all day doesn’t make Sugar feel free. When Chinese workers are brought in to help harvest the cane some feel threatened, but Sugar sees it as an opportunity to learn about the world. She befriends Beau, the white son of the plantation owner and Master Liu and helps to bring her changing community together. Grade 5 and up

Graphic Novels

Dogs of War. Keenan, Sheila. Graphix

Three captivating stories about canine military heroes of World War I, World War II, and the Vietnam War inspired by historical battles and real military practice. Stunning art brings life to the faithful dogs who braved their lives to help countless soldiers. Grade 5 and up

Donner Dinner Party. Hale, Nathan. Amulet

Learn more about the Donner Party expedition and westward expansion by reading this informative graphic novel. From the preparation of the journey to each disastrous part of the trip, this book outlines specific bad decisions that led to the party’s tragedy in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Series. Grade 4 and up

Fairy Tale Comics. Duffy, Chris. First Second

Seventeen well-know fairytales are adapted and illustrated in comics by seventeen different cartoonists. Rediscover your favorite tales in a new genre! Grade 3 and up

Jedi Academy. Brown, Jeffery. Scholastic

Roan Novachez has always dreamed of going to Pilot Academy Middle School and becoming the greatest pilot in the galaxy, but the school rejected him. So, when a green guy named Yoda invites him to attend the Jedi Academy, he goes for it, but he soon discovers that going to school with aliens and robots and trying to learn how to use the Force is not as easy as it sounds. G3 and up

The Lost Boy. Ruth, Greg. Graphix

Nate has discovered a tape recorder hidden in the floorboards of his new room in his new house. The tapes are narrated by a lonely boy named Walt who disappeared from the town decades earlier. Nate joins forces with his neighorhood friend, Tabitha, and together they try to discover what exactly happened to Walt. Grade 4 and up

Non-Fiction

The Animal Book: A Collection of the Fastest, Fiercest, Toughest, Cleverest, Shyest--and Most Surprising--Animals on Earth. Jenkins, Steve. Houghton Mifflin

This richly detailed book includes information on over 300 different animals. Sections such as “Animal Senses,” “Animal Extremes,” and “The Story of Life” are full of fascinating facts and infographics that will have trivia buffs spouting off questions. Caldecott Honor artist Steve Jenkin’s illustrations are stunning! Grade 3 and up

Bird Watching in Your Own Backyard. Cate, Annette. Candlewick

This humorous introduction to bird watching encourages kids to get outdoors with a sketchbook and really make observations. Interactive and enjoyable tips bring this age-old hobby to new life for the next generation of bird watchers. Grade 3 and up

The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbable Life of Paul Erdös. Heiligman, Deborah. Roaring Brook

When you think of mathematicians you often think of people working alone. This wasn’t the case for well-known mathematician Pual Erdös who traveled and collaborated with mathematicians around the world. This is a great introduction to the world of math and a fascinating look at a unique and important mathematician. Grade 3 and up

Daredevil. McCarthy, Meghan. Simon and Schuster

In the 1930’s most girls were content playing with dolls. But one girl, Betty Skelton, liked playing with airplanes. She continued to live her life as one big adventure and was a pilot, a race car driver and trained to be an astronaut. This brave pioneer proved that girls can do anything! Grade 3 and up

Chop Chop: The Kid’s Guide to Cooking Real Food With Your Family. Sampson, Sally. Simon & Schuster

This cookbook is full of simple, healthy and delicious dishes for children and parents to make together. Cooking at home helps kids stay healthy, builds family relationships and teaches math, science and cultural literacy. The librarians would be happy to sample baked goods! Grades 3 and up with adult supervision

Fly Guy Presents Sharks. Arnold, Teds. Scholastic

One of our favorite fiction characters has moved to nonfiction! Learn all about sharks (and other nonfiction topics) with Buzz and Fly Guy in this early reader. “A first-rate sharkfest!” Series. Grade 3 and up

Frog Song. Guiberson, Brenda Z. Henry Holt

We hope you travel somewhere you can hear frog music this summer! This beautiful book explores the different variety of frogs from Chile to Nepal to Australia and their beautiful birrups and bellows. Grade 3 and up

Explore: the Most Dangerous Journeys of All Time. Kespert, Deborah. Thames & Hudson

Real-life stories of men and women explorers from Christopher Columbus and Lewis and Clark to Amelia Earhart, Jacques Cousteau and Yuri Gagarin. Great for adventure lovers! Grade 4 and up

Geek Dad: Awesomely Geeky Projects for Dads and Kids to Share. Denmead, Ken. Gotham Books

Stay busy together this summer! This book is full of detailed projects for fathers (or mothers) to do together. Get your geek on! Grade 3 and up with adult supervision

Gandhi. McGinty, Alice. Amazon’s Childrens

This beautifully illustrated biography recounts the March to the Sea, in which, Mohandas Gandi and seventy protesters marched from Ahmedabad to Dandi, in twenty-four days, to protest the laws and taxes that Great Britain levied on salt. Grade 3 and up

How to Speak Dog. Newman, Aline Alexander. National Geographic

Learn what your dog is trying to say to you through body language and behavior using this informative and engaging book. National Geographic knows how to make non-fiction that kids love and they’ve done it again with this great book. Grade 4 and up

Jasper’s Story. Robinson, Jill. Sleeping Bear Press

The true story of a moon bear named Jasper who was in a cage for 15 years so his bile could be extracted and used for traditional Asian medicine and how he was rescued and brought to live in the Moon Bear Rescue Centre in Chengdu, China. Grades 3 and up &

Leopard and Silkie. Peterson, Brenda. Henry Holt

Surviving in the animal kingdom is never easy. This informative book looks at baby seals in the Northwest United States and how volunteers are helping to keep them safe when their mothers leave them on the shore to hunt. Grades 3 and up

Locomotive. Floca, Brian. Atheneum Books

It is the summer of 1869, and trains, crews and families are traveling together on the brand new transcontinental railroad. This beautifully illustrated books details what the first passengers experienced as they traveled West. Caldecott Winner 2014. Sibert Honor Book 2014. Grade 3 and up

Martha Stewart’s Crafts for Kids. Stewart, Martha. Potter Craft, 2013.

Need something to keep kids busy this summer? Try one of these 175 clever projects or activities to do with kids. Written for kids ages 3-12, you’ll be able to find something for everyone! Grade 3 and up with adult supervision

Nelson Mandela. Kadir, Nelson. HarperCollins/Katherine Tegan

Award winning author and illustrator Nelson Kadir tells the story of Nelson Mandela. From a young boy determined to change South Africa to a man who eventually became the president of his country, Mandela’s belief in equality for all people regardless of their skin color changed the world. Grades 3 and up

On a Beam of Light: A Story of Albert Einstein. Berne, Jennifer. Chronicle

From a boy endlessly fascinated about the world around him, Albert Einstein grows up to be a genius that helps the world to see the universe in a new way. This book chronicles how someone with a big imagination and lots of curiosity can accomplish out of this world things. Grade 3 and up &

Toilet: How it Works. Macaulay, David. MacMillan

Everyone knows what a toilet is for but do you know how it works? In this series of easy readers Macaulay explains how things work in an engaging way. If you have a curious kid this is the series for you! Series. Grade 3 and up

The Tree Lady. Hopkins, Joseph H. Beach Lane

The true story of green-thumbed pioneer Kate sessions whose ingenuity and determination helped transform San Diego, California from a dry desert into a lush, leafy city known for its gardens and parks. Grade 3 and up

Treasury of Egyptian Mythology: Classic Stories of Gods, Goddesses, Monsters & Mortals. Napoli, Donna Jo. National Geographic.

Illustrated retellings of Egyptian myths including the stories of Ra, Isis, Osiris, Anubis, and Bastet with sidebars for each god, goddess, monster and mortal that link the tales to history, geography and culture. Grade 4 and up