Rising First and Second Grade Summer Reading - 2018  At HTS, we would like to inspire a joy of reading among our students, so have compiled a list of some of our favorite books for your reference. Summer reading should be fun! (Actually, for our youngest students, reading all year long should be fun!)    Having said that, reading with your child is serious business. Be sure to make time to read with your child every day. It’s a wonderful time to slow down and connect.. Be sure to let your child choose books they want to read. What is read is not as important as just reading - even if you read the same book over and over again!   To underscore the importance of reading aloud with your child, we would like to share a few points from the Family Literacy Foundation: 

● Children's self-esteem grows as they experience the security of having a parent or other caring person read aloud with them. ● Children experience increased communication with parents and other family members. ● Children are introduced to new concepts such as colors, shapes, numbers, and alphabet, in a fun, age appropriate way. ● Children build listening skills, vocabulary, memory, and language skills. ● Children develop imagination and creativity. ● Children learn information about the world around them. ● Children develop individual interests in special subjects like dinosaurs, cats, or cars. ● Children learn positive behavior patterns and social values. ● Children learn positive attitudes towards themselves and others. ● CHILDREN LEARN THE JOY OF READING! 

 The list below is merely a starting point. Over the summer, we encourage you to visit libraries and independent bookstores - our favorite is Politics and Prose in Northwest DC, which has a wonderful children’s section, and will offer a 10% discount on books purchased from this list.  If you buy your books on Amazon, please consider using the HTS Smile program (link is on the main page of the HTS website).  Happy Reading! Mrs. Julie Ingoglia and Mrs. Mary Beth Morell, HTS Media Specialists, and the rest of the HTS Early Childhood Team  Assignments:  There is one required book for rising 1st graders to read this summer: Rosie’s Walk by Pat Hutchins. During the first of week of school, 1st graders will enjoy working on a project with their teachers related to Rosie’s Walk.   We would like our Holy Trinity rising 2nd graders to read, read, and read some more, either alone or with an adult, so we’ve compiled this extensive list of tried and true HTS favorites - and some new titles to explore - for your reference.      

    

 

  HTS Favorite Picture Books 2017-8 

● Thunder Boy Jr. (Sherman Alexie) ● Ada Twist, Scientist; Rosie Revere, Engineer; and Iggy 

Peck, Architect (Andrea Beatty) ● Beatrice Spells Some Lulus and Learns to Write a Letter 

(Cari Best) ● Imaginary Fred (Eoin Colfer) ● Antoinette; Gaston; Everyone Loves Cupcakes; and 

Everyone Loves Bacon (Kelly DiPucchio) ● The Snail and the Whale and The Highway Rat (Julia 

Donaldson) ● Wolfie the Bunny (Ame Dyckman) ● It’s NOT Jack and the Beanstalk (Josh Funk) ● You Get What You Get (Julie Gassman) ● Mother Bruce, Bruce’s Big Move and Hotel Bruce (Ryan 

T. Higgins) ● Shark Lady: the true story of how Eugenie Clark became 

the ocean's most fearless scientist (Jess Keating) ● My Awesome Summer by P. Mantis (Paul Meisel) ● Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners (Laurie Keller) ● Wanted! Ralphy Rabbit, Book Burglar (Emily MacKenzie) ● Nerdy Birdy and Creepy Carrots (Aaron Reynolds) ● Dragons Love Tacos and Dragons Love Tacos 2 (Adam 

Rubin) ● John, Paul, George, and Ben (Lane Smith) ● Who Says Women Can’t Be Doctors? (Tanya Lee Stone) ● Cake Kingdom (Kayla Trinh) ● The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig (Eugene 

Trivizas) ● Cookie Fiasco (Mo Willems and Dan Santat) 

 A few Favorite Authors (with book cover samples below) Lauren Childs (Charlie and Lola, The New Small Person) Doreen Cronin (Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type) Tomie De Paola (Strega Nona) Don Freeman (Courdory) Arnold Lobel (Frog and Toad Are Friends) Robert McCloskey (Make Way for Ducklings, Blueberries for Sal) Robert Munsch (The Paper Bag Princess) Laura Numeroff (If You Give A Mouse A Cookie) Amy Krouse Rosenthal (Chopsticks, Little Pea) David Shannon (A Bad Case of Stripes) Mo Willems (Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus!) 

Karma Wilson (Bear Snores On)  

 

  

      

Travel 

Little Kids First Big Book of the World by National Geographic. This book introduces young readers to the wider world by exploring languages, landscapes, weather, animals, capital cities, mountains, deserts, other landscapes and landforms, and more. It encourages kids to play with activities such as creating a mini-rainforest in 

a bottle and singing a simple song in Spanish.   This is...book series by M. Sasek. Fostering curiosity for people, places, and things they wouldn’t necessarily experience in reality, the This Is travel series is an amazing way to introduce a child to some of the most beautiful and historically important cities, states, and countries in the world. (Greece, London, New York, Paris, Rome, San Francisco, Washington, DC, Munich, Venice, 

Edinburgh, Australia, Texas, The World)  A Walk in London (also New York and Paris) by Salvatore Rubbino. London is calling! Come along on a mother-daughter day trip as they wend their way past the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, through Trafalgar Square, and on to Covent Garden. Cheerful, sophisticated illustrations and abundant trivia! 

 The Dodsworth series by Tim Egan. This takes kids to on a different adventure in each book, led by the titular mouse and his sarcastic duck sidekick. In Dodsworth in Rome, the duo toss coins in the Trevi Fountain, compete in a pizza-throwing contest, and come dangerously close to repainting the Sistine Chapel. (Dodsworth travels to 

London, Tokyo, Paris and New York City.) 

Urban Animals of Washington DC by Isabel Hill. From the US Capitol Building to the National Cathedral to the National Zoo and everywhere in between there is an amazing menagerie of animals. A buffalo, bald eagle, turtle, owl, and snake are a few of the amazing creatures 

that young readers can discover on this photographic safari. 

How to Bake an Apple Pie and See the World by Marjorie Priceman. An apple pie is easy to make...if the market is open. But if the market is closed, the world becomes your grocery store. This deliciously silly recipe for apple pie takes readers around the globe to gather ingredients.  

A Ticket Around the World by Natalia Diaz and Melissa Owens. Join a young boy as he hops around the globe, visiting friends in 13 different countries spanning all six populated continents. Along the way, he introduces us to each friend’s environment and customs, and shares 

interesting facts about each country’s culture, language, food, geography, wildlife, landmarks and more. 

 Friendship, Kindness and Perspectives 

The Journey by Francesca Sanna. This is actually a story about many journeys, and it began with the story of two girls in a refugee center in Italy. Almost every day on the news we hear the terms "migrants" and "refugees" but we rarely ever speak 

to or hear the personal journeys that they have had to take. This book is a collage of all those personal stories and the incredible strength of the people within them. 

 Lost and Found Cat by Doug Kuntz and Amy Shrodes. This heartwarming true story about one lost cat's journey to be reunited with his refugee family gently introduces children to a difficult topic and shows how ordinary people can help with compassion and hope.  

Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller. When Tanisha spills grape juice all over her new dress, her classmate wants to make her feel better, wondering: What does it mean to be kind? From asking the new girl to play to standing up for someone being bullied, this moving story explores 

what kindness is, and how any act, big or small, can make a difference―or at least help a friend. 

 Rude Cakes by Rowboat Watkins. A story about a rude cake, who never says please or thank you or listens to its parents, and a Giant Cyclops who is polite.  

The Big Umbrella by Amy June Bates. The eponymous rain protection is a big, red, friendly, helpful umbrella that sits near the front door and "likes to spread its arms wide" when it rains. As the pages turn, the umbrella grows in size, its smile ever widening, "to give shelter."  

Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed by Emily Pearson. This story is about an average girl who decides to pick some blueberries for her neighbor. The neighbor bakes blueberry muffins and gives plates of them to five other people. This good deed turns into a chain of strangers doing kind things for other strangers.   Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry and Tom Lichtenheld. Stick and Stone are both lonely until Pinecone's teasing causes one to stick up for the other, and a solid friendship is formed.  

Chester’s Way by Kevin Henkes. Chester and Wilson share the same exact way of doing things, until Lilly moves into the neighborhood and shows them that new ways can be just as good.  Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson. Each Kindness deals with a real life problem – things don’t always have happy endings and our actions (positive and negative) have consequences. Students will learn that their actions spread like ripples into the world! 

 Enemy Pie by Derek Munson. What a great message about friendship in Enemy Pie! Kids sometimes are so quick to judge. The dad in this story is very wise and knew if they just gave it a chance, they could be great friends!  

 Dear Pope Francis: The Pope Answers Letters from Children Around the World by Pope Francis.   Gathered from more than 250 submissions, 30 letters from children to Pope Francis are answered in a picture book that feels akin to sitting in on a series of intimate 

conversations.  

The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig. This book is so incredible for teaching kids to include everyone. So often the “new kid” or the “quiet kid” or the “creative kid” gets left out. There is nothing worse in elementary school than the isolation of being left out. You know that awkward moment 

when the teacher says to find a partner?  Kindness is Cooler, Mrs. Ruler by Margery Cuyler. Mrs. Ruler teaches her students that “kindness is cooler!” The class quickly learns how easy it is to fill up their “kindness board” ‘with acts of kindness. “Okay, hooray!” shouted Mrs. Ruler when they met their goal of 100 acts of kindness.  

 Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun by Maria Dismondy. This book has an incredible message for kids on the importance of taking care of ourselves by having the courage to be who we are and stand up for what we believe in. It also teaches us the importance of taking care of others by treating others with kindness. 

 Kindness Counts by Bryan Smith. When Cade's and his family find out their ice cream order was paid for by another patron, they continue paying it forward, and so start the discussion of random acts of kindness. Cade takes this idea and runs with it, showing unexpected kindnesses to others. Will Cade be able to learn the importance of being kind to others, even when it isn't 

easy? 

Problem-Solving and Bravery 

What Do You Do With A Problem by Kobi Yamada. Yamada follows What Do You Do with an Idea? with the story of a boy plagued by a problem. The boy wanders through a medievalesque town, accompanied by sleek, silvery flying fish that dart about like swallows. Soon the cloud grows into a storm: “The more I avoided my problem, the more I saw it everywhere...My problem 

held an opportunity!”  

My Pictures After the Storm by Eric Veille. With its funky format, clever rhymes and funny images, My Pictures after the storm is a witty and inventive take on "before" and "after. 

 How to Get Your Teacher Ready by Jean Reagan. A class of adorable students gives tips and tricks for getting a teacher ready—for the first day of school, and all the events and milestones that will follow (picture day, the 100th day of school, field day!). And along the way, children will see that getting their teacher ready is 

really getting themselves ready.  

 Princess Cora and the Crocodile by Laura Amy Schlitz. Princess Cora is sick of boring lessons. She’s sick of running in circles around the dungeon gym. She’s sick, sick, sick of taking three baths a day. And her parents won’t let her have a dog. But when she writes to her fairy godmother for help, she doesn’t expect that help 

to come in the form of a crocodile—a crocodile who does not behave properly.  

 On a Magical Do Nothing Day by Beatrice Alemagna.  All I want to do on a rainy day like today is play my game. My mom says it’s a waste of time, but without my game, nothing is fun! On the other hand, maybe I’m wrong about that…This picture book with startlingly beautiful words and pictures will spur imagination and 

a break from boredom or screen time.   

Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall. Working up the courage to take a big, important leap is hard, but Jabari is almost absolutely ready to make a giant splash. Jabari is definitely ready to jump off the diving board. He needs to figure out what kind of 

special jump to do anyway, and he should probably do some stretches before climbing up onto the diving board.  

 I Used To Be Afraid by Laura Vaccaro Seeger. Bright, bold illustrations and subtle cut-outs show a young girl overcoming her fears. A surprise ending lets the reader know that it is okay to be afraid sometimes.  

The Quickest Kid in Clarksville by Pat Zietlow Miller. Alta is the quickest kid just like Wilma Rudolph, three-time Olympic gold medalist. The Quickest Kid in Clarksville is a timeless story of dreams, determination, and the power of friendship. 

Caring for Our Environment 

The Curious Garden, by Peter Brown. Liam is a curious boy living in a drab, gray city. One day, he finds a few dying plants growing through an old railroad track. Liam waters and prunes the plants until they grow into a lush garden. By the end of the book, greenery covers rooftops and pops up in the most unexpected places.   

10 Things I Can Do To Help My World by Melanie Walsh. Do you remember to turn off the tap while you brush your teeth? How about using both sides of the paper when writing and drawing? Or planting seeds and nurturing the new plants as they grow? Gentle reminders of the easy, everyday ways we can be kinder to the earth fill the pages. 

The Tree Lady, by H. Joseph Hopkins. This is a beautiful picture book biography of Kate Sessions, the woman who transformed dry San Diego into a beautiful, tree-covered city.   

Wangari’s Trees of Peace, by Jeanette Winter. Wangari, an amazing woman who made a difference, was an environmentalist from Kenya who became the first woman from East Africa to earn a PH.D. When she saw the deforestation of her country, Wangari enlisted local women to help her plant more trees.  

 The Adventures of Otto By David Milgrim. Extremely simple text and humorous, energetic illustrations bring to life, with surprising emotional complexity, this tale of Otto the robot who is building a spaceship to take him home.   

The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires. A little girl has a wonderful idea. With the help of her canine assistant, she is going to make the most magnificent thing! She knows just how it will look and work. But making the most magnificent thing turns out to be harder 

than she thinks.   Non-Fiction 

 Sergeant Reckless by Patricia McCormick. A group of US Marines fighting in the Korean War found a horse and wondered if she could be trained to carry supplies. They had no idea that the skinny, underfed horse had one of the biggest and bravest hearts they’d ever known. And one of the biggest appetites! 

 Lesser Spotted Animals by Martin Brown. What are a numbat, a zorilla, an onager, a gaur, and a hirola? Readers learn about these unusual animals in this playfully written and witty guide to creatures unknown.   The Disgusting Critters by Elise Gravel. This is a series of hilarious non-fiction books about disgusting creatures, including toads, frogs, spiders, slugs, flies, worms and rats. 

Fly Guy Presents by Tedd Arnold. Trademark whimsical artwork, real-life photographs and easily accessible facts about everything from bugs to space keeps kids laughing and learning in this collection. (Bats, Dinosaurs, Firefighters, Insects, Sharks, Snakes, Weather) 

    

  Creaturepedia by Adrienne Barman. Provides illustrations of and facts about more than 600 creatures from all over the world, grouped by characteristics such as "The Night Owls," "The Pack Animals," and "The Voyagers."  

A Second is a Hiccup by Hazel Hutchins. How long is a second? Minute? Hour? Year? This book gives real examples kids can understand.  American Museum of Natural History Easy Readers. The books in this series introduce the amazing world of natural history. Each book ends with a “Meet the Expert” page which introduces a scientist in that field from the museum.  Funny Food: 365 Fun, Healthy, Silly, Creative Breakfasts by Bill & Claire Wurtzel. They’re easy. They’re silly. They’re healthy. They’re clever. They’re artistic. They’re delicious. They’re fun. They’re a great way to start the day. One 

breakfast at a time, Bill and Claire Wurtzel are determined to make you laugh and eat and play and laugh some more. 

 National Geographic Science Readers Series. These science inquiry books have an exciting and easy-to-read format and fall into one of five reading levels. The simple, fun text with pull-quotes is only the beginning: National Geographic photography and kid-friendly diagrams draw kids in and get them reading about their favorite subjects. 

 Throw Your Tooth on the Roof by Selby B. Beeler. An eye opening account of how children around the world celebrate the loss of a baby tooth. Turns out the tooth fairy has a lot of competition in the variety of traditions and cultural 

differences described in this global coming of age experience.  Up in the Garden, Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner. Fun, understandable illustrations in this new book for gardening enthusiast.   Zero the Hero by Jean Holub. Zero proves his worth in this funny and cartoon-like math book. 

 Trudy’s Big Swim by Sue Macy. On the morning of August 6, 1926, Gertrude Ederle stood in her bathing suit on the beach at Cape Gris-Nez, France, and faced the churning waves of the English Channel. Twenty-one miles across the perilous waterway, the English coastline beckoned.  Caroline’s Comets by Emily Arnold McCully. Caroline Herschel was not only one of the greatest astronomers who ever lived but also the first woman to be paid for her scientific work. She and her brother shared a passion for stars, and together they built the greatest telescope of their age. Using their telescope, Caroline discovered 

fourteen nebulae and two galaxies, was the first woman to discover a comet, and became the first woman officially employed as a scientist―by no less than the King of England! 

A few Favorite Series Fly Guy - Tedd Arnold Berenstain Bears - Stan and Jan Berenstain  Biscuit - Alyssa Satin Capucilli 

Bread and Jam for Frances and others - Russell Hoban  Fancy Nancy - Jane O’Connor Amelia Bedelia - Herman Parish Elephant and Piggy - Mo Willems Harry The Dirty Dog and others - Gene Zion 

  

  Favorite Chapter Books (series) Ramona Quimby (and Henry Huggins) - Beverly Cleary Ivy and Bean - Annie Barrows Clementine - Sara Pennypacker King and Kayla - Dori Hillestad Butler Eerie Elementary - Jack Chabert Mercy Watson - Kate DiCamillo 

 Bink and Gollie - Kate DiCamillo and Allison McGhee Owl Diaries - Rebecca Elliott Arnie the Doughnut - Laurie Keller Dragon Masters - Tracey West Haggis and Tank - Jessica Young Magic Tree House - Mary Pope Osborne Magic Bone - Nancy Krulick The Notebook of Doom - Troy Cumming 

 

  Other Chapter Book Series 

 Lola Levine series by Monica Brown. Lola Levine likes writing in her diario, sipping her mom's cafe con leche, eating her dad's matzo ball soup, and playing soccer with her team, the Orange Smoothies. So what if she doesn't always fit in?  

  Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things by Lenore Look. A young boy in Concord, Massachusetts, who loves superheroes and comes from a long line of brave Chinese farmer-warriors, wants to make friends, but first he must 

overcome his fear of everything.   A-Z Mysteries: The Absent Author by Ron Roy. Dink Duncan and his friends Josh and Ruth Rose investigate the apparent kidnapping of famous mystery author Wallis Wallace.   Benny and Penny in The Toy Breaker : a Toon Book by Geoffrey Hayes. Benny and Penny try to hide their toys from cousin Bo so he will not break them, but the trio then struggle to find something fun to do. 

Claude series by Alex T. Smith. Claude is no ordinary dog – he leads an extraordinary life with his best friend, Sir Bobblysock (who is both a sock and very bobbly). Quirky, delightfully odd, and positively surreal, this illustrated early chapter book series promises giggle-filled bedtime reading 

and a laugh-out-loud option for readers transitioning from picture books to chapter books. 

 Captain Awesome to the Rescue! by Stan Kirby. Eugene’s the new kid in Sunnyville who loves comics and superheroes. Inspired by his heroes, he solves problems and saves his town from “bad guys” by transforming into Captain Awesome! (Also look for Super Turbo.) 

  Lucy’s Lab by Michelle Houts. On Lucy’s first day of second grade, she’s excited to meet her new teacher, Miss Flippo, and find out everything’s she’s going to learn about this year in school. And when Miss Flippo tells the class that they’re going to have their very own science lab, complete 

with lab coats and goggles, Lucy can’t wait to start exploring.   

Inspector Flytrap by Tom Angleberger. Inspector Flytrap’s Detective Agency is home to the world-renowned solver of BIG DEAL mysteries. The plant detective works tirelessly with his assistant Nina the Goat on his community’s unsolved cases. There’s no case too big, but there are 

definitely cases too small for this endearingly self-important plant detective.  

 Narwhal and Jelly by Ben Clanton. Narwhal is a happy-go-lucky narwhal. Jelly is a no-nonsense jellyfish. The two might not have a lot in common, but they do they love waffles, parties and adventures. Join Narwhal and Jelly as they discover the whole wide ocean together. 

 Little Rhino: My New Team by Ryan and Krystle Howard. Every day when Little Rhino comes home from school, he finishes his homework, grabs his bat, his glove, and runs outside to meet Grandpa James. They always practice catching and hitting in the backyard. Playing baseball with grandfather is Little Rhino's favorite thing to do, 

especially when he pretends to be a real Major League homerun hitter.  Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same! by Grace Lin. Ling and Ting are identical twins that people think are exactly the same, but time and again they prove to be different.  Lulu and the Duck in the Park by Hilary McKay. Lulu, who loves animals, brings an abandoned duck egg to school, even though her teacher has banned Lulu from bringing animals to school ever again. 

  Lulu and the Brontosaurus by Judith Viorst. Having not received the pet brontosaurus she demanded for her birthday, Lulu packs her bag and sets off to find the elusive animal.   

The Princess in Black by Shannon & Dean Hale. Princess Magnolia has a secret: when her glitter stone rings, she sneaks off to transform into her alter ego, the Princess in Black, who helps protect the kingdom’s goats from hungry monsters.  Project Droid: Science No Fair! by Nancy Krulik. When Logan Applebaum's mother invents a robotic cousin for him, Logan thinks this may give him an edge in the third grade science fair but the Silverspoon twins have other ideas. 

Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid by Megan McDonald. The shortest kid in the second grade, James Moody, also known as Stink, learns all about the shortest president of the United States, James Madison, when they celebrate 

President’s Day at school.   Who Cloned the President? by Ron Roy. KC discovers that the President of the United States has been replaced by a clone and sets out with her friend Marshall, on a dangerous mission to set things right. The first book of the Capital Mysteries Series, all set in the Washington DC area.