Suggested Summer Reading While Charlotte Lab School does not have a formal “summer reading list,” on the pages that follow you will find a list of “good reads” broken down by reading level. If you do not know your child’s reading level, you may want to start with a title of a book that your child can read independently and look for other books at that same level to use as a baseline. For parents of early readers, try some of these titles as read-aloud books. We encourage you to find some of these books at your local bookstores or libraries. Hopefully this list will give you a variety of books to get your children reading every night over the summer. Happy summer reading! Grade Level Fountas and Pinnell levels* Kindergarten A–D st 1 Grade C–J 2nd Grade I–M 3rd Grade L-P 4th Grade O-S *These levels represent the typical range of levels for each grade level
Title Best Friends Meat Pies A Family Picnic We Make Music Can I Have a Pet Big Snowball Fight Here Comes the Bus Batter Up Jump Rope Cleaning Day Everybody Wears Braids Fish Print Juicy Peach Laundry Day Where is My Puppy I Had a Hippopatamus I Play Soccer On Our Farm A Special Day Pinata Party We Eat Rice
Author
Tina Athaide Patricia M. Herbert Gaylia Taylor Dolores Johnson Gwendolyn Hooks D.H. Figueredo Anastasia Suen Sue Muller Hacking Mimi Chapra D.H. Figueredo Adjoa J. Burrowes Mary Cappellini Mary Dixon Lake Karen Hjembo Caroline Hatton Hector Viveros Lee Mary Cappellini Laura E. Williams Anne S. O'Brien Mimi Chapra Min Hong
Reading Level
A A A A A B B B B C C C C C C D D D D D D
Title Block Party Go Go Gumbo Ice Cream Money I Need to Ask You Something In the Mountains Seven Cookies Sister, Sister Car Wash Confetti eggs Pran's Week of Adventure Ruby's Whistle Twister's Tricks Pancakes Crunchy Munchy Francis Frog Meets a Space Snake I Love Cats Biscuit Guess How Much I Love You Moving Day Surprise Moose's Loose Tooth My Best Friend Going to School School Rules Wemberly Worried George Shrinks Hiccups How the Mouse Got Brown Teeth My Dad Is Awesome Mrs. Brice's Mice Clifford, We Love You 98, 99, 100! Ready or Not, Here I Come! What Do Roots Do? Play Ball! Little Bear's Friend Beezy at Bat City Mouse, Country Mouse and Two More Tales from Aesop Curious George Rides a Bike Fox and His Friends In My Backyard Winter Ice Is Nice Scooby Doo! Sea Monster Scare
Author
Anastasia Suen Adjoa J. Burrowes Anastasia Suen Miriam Marx Mary Cappellini Lorena Heydenburk Anne S. O'Brien Patricia Keeler Dani Sneed Lisa Cinelli Renee Londner Francis McCall Sandra Irvensen Brenda Parkes Murray Pile Marjorie-Mary Hurst Alyssa Capucilli Sam McBraney Tina Stolberg Jacqueline A. Clarke Marian Roadman Tommy Schlepp Larry Brimner Kevin Henkes William Joyce Marcia Vaughan Freda Ahenakew Nick Butterworth Syd Hoff Norman Bidwell Teddy Slater Kathleen V. Kudlinski Vanessa York Else Minarik Megan McDonald John Wallner H.A. Rey Edward Marshall John DeVries Norman Bidwell Gail Herman
Reading Level
E E E E E E E F F F F F G G G G G G G G H H H H H I I I I I I J J J J J J J J J J
Title The Cat in the Hat Ghosts! Ghostly Tales From Folklore Andy Shane and the Very Bossy Dolores Starbuckle Days With Frog and Toad Tricks and Traps Earthquakes Commander Toad In Space Babar and the Ghost Beauty and the Beast: Princess Stories The Great Ant Adventure The Leaf Man and the Brave Good Bugs Supertwins Meet the Bad Dogs from Outer Space Best Friends for Frances Houndsley and Catina Two Sweet Peas Clifford's Pals Sheila Rae the Brave Horrible Harry in Room 2B Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Stolen Diamonds Seed Soil Sun Looking Closely in the Rain Forest Homework Hassels Itching and Twitching The Boy with the Helium Head Custard the Dragon and the Wicked Knight The Magic Hat Pish and Posh The Witch's Walking Stick Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot Stuart Goes to School Judy Moody Saves the World! Growl! A Book About Bears Hurricanes and Tornadoes Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs Edward and the Pirates The Amazing Bone Another Day in the Milky Way Anyone But Me Katie Kazoo Wingman On Ice
Author
Dr. Seuss Alvin Schwartz Jennifer Richard Jacobson Arnold Lobel Lynette Evans Ellen J. Prager Jane Yolen Laurent de Brunhoff Elizabeth Mills Quinlan B. Lee William Joyce Brian James Russell Hoban James Howe Andria Rosenbaum Norman Bidwell Kevin Henkes Suzy Kline David A. Adler Cris Peterson Frank Serafini Abby Klein Patricia and Robert McKissak Phyllis Reynolds Naylor Ogden Nash Mem Fox Barbara Bottner Susan Meddaugh Dave Pilkey Sara Pennypacker Megan McDonald Melivin and Gilda Berger Kate Waters Judith Barrett David McPhall William Steig David Milgrim Nancy Krulik Matt Christopher
Reading Level
J J K K K K K K K K K K K K K K K L L L L L L L L L L L L M M M M M M M M M M
Title Paintbrush Kid Kids at Polk Street School Second Grade - Friends Again! Amber Brown Is Not a Crayon Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days Amazing Pet Records Ants, Bees, and Other Social Insects Hey, Al Matthew's Dragon Sylvester and the Magic Pebble Homework Hassles (Ready, Freddy!) Chocolate Fever Jake Drake, Bully Buster Germs Make Me Sick! Look What Came From Mexico Invisible Stanley The Case of the Missing Ruby and Other Stories (Sniffy Blue: Ace Crime Detective) Moon Power Koya DeLaney and the Good Girl Blues The Time Warp Trio: Knights of the Kitchen Table A Dinosaur Named Sue The Wizard of Oz Fantastic Mr. Fox Felita Jason Kidd Story Fourth Grade Rats The Jacket Antarctica Spring Into Action The Magician's Boy James and the Giant Peach Help! I'm Trapped in a Movie Star's Body Last Summer With Maizon Because of Winn-Dixie Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes The HIndenburg Disaster Everything Dog The Indian in the Cupboard Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator
Author
Clyde Robert Bulla Pat Riley Giff Miriam Cohen Paula Danzinger Stephen Manes Ryan Herndon Kris Hirschmann Arthur Yorinks Susan Cooper William Steig Abby Klein Robert Kimmel Smith Andrew Clements Melvin Berger Miles Harvey Jeff Brown Walter Dean Myers Lynette Evans Eloise Greenfield Jon Scieszka Fay Robinson L. Frank Baum Roald Dahl Nicholasa Mohr & Barbara Park David Moore Jerry Spinelli Andrew Clements Mel Friedman Janine Scott Susan Cooper Roald Dahl Todd Strasser Jacqueline Woodson Kate DiCamillo Eleanor Coerr Peter Benoit Marty Crisp Lynne Banks Roald Dahl Roald Dahl
Reading Level
M M M N N N N N N N N O O O O O O P P
P P P P P P Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q R R R R R R R
Title The Zippity Zinger Locomotion Taking Sides The Great Gilly Hopkins Mississippi Bridge A Cricket in Times Square The Borrowers Ancient Greece So You Want to Be an Inventor? Awake and Dreaming From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler Sahara Special Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key The Tiger Rising The Well Bridge to Terabithia If You Lived When There Was Slavery in America Wild Wetlands Cry of the Cat (Goosebumps) The Toothpaste Millionaire The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe Number the Stars Loser The Watsons Go To Birmingham - 1963 Bud, Not Buddy The Truth About Great White Sharks The Challenger Disaster Tangerine Ella Enchanted The Princess Diaries Becoming Naomi Leon Crash Immigrant Kids The Civil Rights Movement in America Passager: The Young Merlin Trilogy Esperanza Rising Freak the Mighty Home of the Brave Roll of My Thunder, Hear My Cry The Industrial Revolution Guilty by a Hair!
Author
Henry Winkler Jacqueline Woodson Gary Soto Katherine Paterson Mildred D. Taylor George Selden Mary Norton Sandra Newman Judith St. George Kit Pearson E.L. Konigsburg Esme Raji Codell Jack Gantos Kate DiCamillo Mildred D. Taylor Katherine Paterson Anne Kamma Janine Scott R.L. Stine Jean Merrill C.S. Lewis Lois Lowry Jerry Spinelli Christopher Paul Curtis Christopher Paul Curtis Mary Cerullo Tim McNeese Edward Bloor Gail C. Levine Meg Cabot Pam Munoz Ryan Jerry Spinelli Russell Freedman Elaine Landau Jane Yolen Pam Munoz Ryan Rodman Philbrick Katherine Applegate Mildred D. Taylor Melissa McDaniel Anna Prokos
Reading Level
R R S S S S S S S S S S T T T T T T T T T T U U U U U U U U V V V V V V W W W W W
Title Slam Drive-By Bronx Masquerade The Little Prince The Dark is Rising Bad Boy: A Memoir Monster The Giver Artemis Fowl Wintergirls, Catalyst, Speak, Fever Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution Darkness Before Dawn Stuck in Neutral The Golden Compass The Hobbit
Author
Reading Level
Walter Dean Myers Lynne Ewing Nikki Grimes A. De Saint-Exupery Susan Cooper Walter Dean Myers Walter Dean Myers Lois Lowry Eoin Colfer Laurie Hals Anderson Ji-li Jiang
W W W X X X Y Y Y Y
Sharon Draper Terry Trueman Phillip Pullman Tolkien
Z Z Z Z
Z
Below are books across a wide variety of reading levels for avid readers; this is by no means a comprehensive list - really just a place to get started. Not every book will be appropriate for every reader - some may be considered more of a family “read-aloud” book rather than an independent reading book. Enjoy! Title Wonder The Night Fairy Twig The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency Out of My Mind Stella By Starlight A Snicker of Magic Charlotte's Web Stuart Little Trumpet of the San Dear Mr. Henshaw One Dog and His Boy Tuesday at the Castle Wednesdays in the Tower Pie Mr. Popper's Penguins Tree Girl Night Gardener
Author R.J. Palacio Laura Amy Schiltz Elizabeth O. Jones Jordan Stratford Draper, Sharon Draper, Sharon Lloyd, Natalie E.B. White E.B. White E.B. White Beverly Cleary Eva Ibbotson Jessica Day George Jessica Day George Sarah Weeks Richard Atwater & Florence Atwater Ben Mikaelsen Jonathan Auxier
Flora and Ulysses The Penderwicks* True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle Coraline Elephant in the Garden The Year of Billy Miller Three Times Lucky Dragonborn Fireborn Doubleborn Ginger Pye* Tumtum and Nutmeg The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate* The Gollywhopper Games* The Pinballs
Kate DiCamillo Jeanne Birdsall Avi Neil Gaiman Michael Morpurgo Kevin Henkes Sheila Turnage Toby Forward Toby Forward Toby Forward Eleanor Estes Emily Bearn Jacqueline Kelly Jody Feldman Betsy Byars
Book Wish Lists As we begin to build our Commons’ Libraries, we are looking for some specific titles to use in lessons, as read-alouds, and for students to read independently or in book clubs. If you have any of these titles in your home libraries and would care to donate them to Charlotte Lab School, please let us know. Grades K-2 Caps for Sale - Esphyr Slododkina Owl Babies - Martin Waddell The Kissing Hand - Audrey Penn Cookie Store Cat - Cynthia Rylant Kitten's First Fully Moon - Kevin Henkes Max's Dragon Shirt - Rosemary Wells Bunny Mail - Rosemary Wells Kiss Good Night - Amy Hest You Can Do it Sam - Amy Hest Do Like Kyla - Angela Johnson Owl Moon - Jane Yolen The Three Billy Goats Gruff - Paul Galdone Big Al - Andrew Clements Corduroy - Don Freeman The Lion and the Little Red Bird - Elisa Kleven The Bird House - Cynthia Rylant My Father's Hands - Joanne Ryder Night At The Fair - Donald Crews One Of Three - Angela Johnson The Snail's Spell - Joanne Ryder Where's Spot? - Eric Hill
Flying - Donald Crews My Little Island - Frane Lessac School Bus - Donald Crews The Ginger Bread Boy - Paul Galdone Extraordinary Egg - Leo Lione Snowy Day - Ezra Jack Keats Apples - Gail Gibbons Snow Is Falling - Franklyn M. Branley Two Of Them - Aliki Apples and Pumpkins - Anne Rockwell Where the Wild Things Are - Maurice Sendak Bedtime Story - Mem Fox Koala Lou - Mem Fox Pet Show! - Ezra Jack Keats Shortcut - Donald Crews Biscuit - Alyssa Capucilli Guess How Much I Love You - Sam McBraney Moving Day Surprise - Tina Stolberg Moose's Loose Tooth - Jacqueline A. Clarke Grades K-4 Hansel and Gretel - James Marshall The Little Red Hen - Paul Galdone Jamaica Tag Along - Juanita Havill Stellaluna - Jannell Cannon The Giving Tree - Shel Silverstein Just Us Women - Jeannette Caines Everybody Needs A Rock - Byrd Baylor Honey, I Love And Other Poems - Eloise Greenfield Peter's Chair - Ezra Jack Keats City Mouse, Country Mouse and Two More Tales from Aesop - John Wallner Curious George Rides a Bike - H.A. Rey Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs - Judith Barrett Grades 2-4 The Story of Ruby Bridges - Robert Coles The Other Side - Jacqueline Woodsen Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day - Judith Viorst A Chair For My Mother - Vera B. Williams Bigmama's - Donald Crews The Other Way To Listen - Byrd Baylor Meanest Thing to Say - Bill Cosby When I'm Old with You - Angela Johnson Appalachia - Cynthia Rylant Night Shift Daddy - Eileen Spinelli Chicken Sunday - Patricia Polacco I Have A Dream - Martin Luther King
The Pain And The Great One - Judy Blume Sheila Rae the Brave - Kevin Henkes Grades 3-4 Because of Winn-Dixie - Kate DiCamillo Charlotte's Web - E.B. White Fireflies! - Julie Brinckloe Every Living Thing - Cynthia Rylant The Paperboy - Dav Pilkey Journey - Patricia MacLachlan Kid - Ralph Fletcher What You Know First - Patricia MacLachlan Chicken Soup For the Kid's Soul - Jack Canfield, et al The House on Mango Street - Sandra Cisneros Joshua By The Sea - Angela Johnson Butterflies And Moths - Bobbie Kalman I'm In Charge of Celebrations - Byrd Baylor Joshua's Night Whispers - Angela Johnson Fly Away Home - Eve Bunting One Green Apple - Eve Bunting The Wall - Eve Bunting Dreaming of America: An Ellis Island Story - Eve Bunting How to Lose All Your Friends - Nancy Carlson Paintbrush Kid - Clyde Robert Bulla The Wizard of Oz - L. Frank Baum Fantastic Mr. Fox - Roald Dahl James and the Giant Peach - Roald Dahl Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes - Eleanor Coerr The Indian in the Cupboard - Lynne Banks Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator - Roald Dahl Taking Sides - Gary Soto The Great Gilly Hopkins - Katherine Paterson Mississippi Bridge - Mildred D. Taylor A Cricket in Times Square - George Selden The Borrowers - Mary Norton The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe - C.S. Lewis Number the Stars - Lois Lowry Loser - Jerry Spinelli The Watsons Go To Birmingham, 1963 - Christopher Paul Curtis Bud, Not Buddy - Christopher Paul Curtis Grades 3-8 The Witch of Blackbird Pond - Elizabeth G. Speare Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories - Sandra Cisneros Been To Yesterdays - Lee Bennett Hopkins Childtimes: A Three-Generation Memoir - Eloise Greenfield Red Suitcase - Naomi Shihab Nye