St. Bridget School

Rising First Grade

Summer Reading 2012

Summer is a time for children to run, swim, play...and read. Not only is summer reading fun, but it

can help keep reading skills sharp during vacation. This can make it easier for a child to adjust

when he or she returns to school in August. Summer reading should be a relaxing experience.

Some of the following tips might help you to encourage your child to read during the summer:

Read to your child

Be a reader yourself

Discuss what your child has read

Visit the public library

Read together as a family

Provide books and magazines

which your child will enjoy

Encourage your child to join a

summer reading club

At the beginning of school, we will spend time celebrating summer reading. Activities and discussions

related to the required book will take place at this time. You may read the required book aloud to your

child while encouraging him/her to read along with you. Practice reading with expression, make a

word list of difficult vocabulary, and discuss the main ideas of the story. Most of all, have fun with it!

There are several excellent television shows on PBS that promote reading and the love of books that

you may wish to watch with your child. Of course, you are familiar with SESAME STREET and

ARTHUR. We also recommend BETWEEN THE LIONS, which is also found on PBS. The purpose

of this show is to reinforce the process of reading and decoding words for children in preschool

through grade two. The Lion family live in a library and each show highlights a particular book, and

emphasizes certain phonetic sounds and combinations of sounds. You can find a great site on the

Internet to connect and extend what your child sees on the show. That address is

http://pbskids.org/lions/. We hope that you enjoy these great shows together.

The following book is available in paperback. Your child will need to bring a copy of the

REQUIRED reading book to school during the first week.

REQUIRED BOOK:

LEO THE LATE BLOOMER by Robert Kraus

Please also read daily with or to your child. The following website is a great tool for finding first

grade appropriate books: http://www.greatschools.org/cgi-bin/showarticle/623. We look forward to

sharing other books that students read over the summer!

Happy Reading!

Ms. Crawford and Mrs. Dingus

St. Bridget School

Rising Second Grade

Summer Reading 2012

Your children have grown to be great readers this year. They have gained many reading

skills that should be practiced over the summer. Summer reading can bridge the end of

one school year and the beginning of the next. Ideally, your child should read at least

15 minutes each day in order to keep skills sharp.

Rising second graders are asked to keep a record of their summer reading on a reading

log. Students may create their own log or download one from the Internet. We

encourage students to read a variety of books from different genres (fiction,

nonfiction, fantasy, poetry, mysteries, etc.) The completed reading logs should be

returned to school on book day. This will be a part of our school bulletin board to

celebrate summer reading.

Also, we ask that you take a picture of your child enjoying a good book over the summer.

This picture could be taken on vacation or in your own backyard under a favorite tree.

Be creative and have fun!

We are including some tips to make summer reading fun and a valuable experience for

you and your child. Also, you will find many wonderful grade-appropriate books listed by

authors and genre. We hope this list will help you and your child begin your summer

reading adventure.

Happy Reading,

Mrs. Butler and Mrs. O’Grady

Rising Second Grade

Parent Tips for Summer Reading

Read aloud to your child each day. Research has shown that reading aloud to children is the “single most

important activity for building knowledge required for eventual success in reading”. (Becoming a Nation of

Readers)

Set a good example! Parents must be willing to model behavior for their children. Keep lots of reading

material around the house. Turn off the TV and have each person read his or her book, including mom and

dad.

Join your local public library and participate in a summer reading program. Go to the library often and

browse for books. Check the library calendar for special summer reading activities and events. Libraries also

provide age-appropriate lists for summer reading.

Help your child select books on topics he is

interested in and on his reading level. A simple rule of

thumb for helping your child select books at his reading

level is to have them choose a page in the book (not the

first one) and read it. If he doesn’t know five or more of

the words, then the book is too hard for independent

reading.

Keep books in the car. Make sure a good

book gets tucked into sports bags and camper’s backpacks.

Encourage children to keep a summer scrapbook. Tape

souvenirs of your family’s summer activities, pictures,

postcards, ticket stubs, and photos. Have your children

write the captions and read them aloud as you read the

book together.

Grade 2 Suggested Authors/Books

Great Authors of Illustrated Books

Allard, Harry

Brett, Jan

Bunting, Eve

Dorros, Arthur

Hopkinson, D.

Howard, Elizabeth

Peet, Bill

Polacco, Patricia

Rand, Gloria

Say, Allen

Sendak, Maurice

Seuss, Dr.

Steig, William

Van Allsburg, Chris

Yolen, Jane

Authors Not To Miss

Adler, David

Bunting, Eve

Christopher, Matt

Cleary, Beverly

Cooney, Barbara

Demi

dePaola, Tomie

Duffey, Betsy

Gibbons, Gail

Haas, Jessie

Hest, Amy

Hurwitz, Johanna

Kinsey-Warnock, N.

Kline, Suzy

Krensky, Stephen

Lisle, Janet

McCloskey, Robert

Pinkney, Jerry

Warner, Sally

Mystery, Fantasy, Adventure, and Science

A to Z Mysteries (Ray, Ron)

The Bailey School Kids (Dadey, Debbie)

The Boxcar Children (Warner, G. C.)

Cam Jansen (Adler, David)

Dolphin Diaries (Baglio, Ben)

Frog and Toad (Lobel, Arnold)

Magic School Bus Chapter Books (Cole, Joanna)

Magic Tree House (Osborne, Mary Pope)

The Secrets of Droon (Abbott, Tony)

The Zack Files (Greenburg, Dan)

Friends and Family Series

Adam Joshua (Smith, Janice Lee)

The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes (Mazer, Anne)

Amber Brown (Danziger, Paula)

Angel Park Sports (Hughes, Dean)

Arthur Chapter Books (Brown, Marc)

The Berenstain Bears (Berenstain, S. and J.)

Baskitt Family (Ahlberg, Allan)

Horrible Harry (Kline, Suzy)

Jenny Archer (Conford, Ellen)

Junie B. Jones (Park, Barbara)

Little House Chapter Books (Wilder, Laura I.)

Marvin Redpost (Sachar, Louis)

Mr. Putter and Tabby (Rylant, Cynthia)

Owen Foote (Greene, Stephanie)

Petsitters’ Club (Krailing, Tessa)

Pinky and Rex (Howe, James)

Redfeather Books

Spider Storch (Wilner-Pardo, G.)

Stepping Stone Books

Folktales by

Andersen, Hans

Christian

Demi

Ginsburg, Mirra

Goble, Paul

Kellogg, Steven

Kimmell, Eric

San Souci, Robert

Yolen, Jane

Young, Ed

Poetry by

Florian, Douglas Lee, Dennis Merriam, Eve Silverstein, Shel

Hoberman, M. Livingston. M. C. Prelutsky, Jack Stevenson, R.

St. Bridget School

Rising Third Grade

Summer Reading 2012

Dear Third Grader,

We are looking forward to seeing you in the fall. To help you get ready,

we would like for you to read some special books from the local library.

Make this the summer that you get your OWN library card. Be involved in

choosing the books you want to read! Local libraries have several sections

in their Children’s area. You can choose books from the Fiction, Nonfiction,

Easy, or Biography sections. Feel free to ask the children’s librarians for

their advice. Consider joining your local library’s “Summer Reading

Program” and you may earn some fun prizes for the books you read!

Each student is asked to keep a reading log of each book they read

during the summer. These reading logs can be found on the third grade

teacher’s websites. Please bring these reading logs on the first day of

school.

We encourage each student to read throughout the summer. Look below

for a recommended reading list, but students are NOT required to choose

from only this list. Challenge yourself to see how many different books you

can read! We cannot wait to meet you in August! Happy Summer!

Mrs. Fahed and Ms. Smith

Grade 3 Recommended Books

Recommended by Former Third Graders!

True Blue by Jeffrey Lee

Alice in Wonderland by Martin Powell

The Mystery of the Missing Red Mitten by Steven Kellogg

Stellaluna by Janell Cannon

How to be Cool in the Third Grade by Betsy Duffey

The Big Fat Cow That Goes Kapow by Andy Griffiths

Tornado by Betsy Byars

The Littles by John Peterson

Stink and Judy Moody Series by Megan McDonald

Clementine Series by Sara Pennypacker

Sophie Series by Lara Bergen

Recommended Series:

1. Flat Stanley

2. Magic Tree House

3. Cam Jansen

4. American Girl

5. Junie B. Jones

6. Matt Christopher (sports books)

7. Bailey School Kids

8. Amber Brown

9. Nancy Drew Clue Crew

10. Horrible Harry

11. Katie Kazoo

12. Gooney Bird

13. Clementine

14. Encyclopedia Brown

15. Geronimo Stilton

Nonfiction

See what books you can find and read on the following topics:

1. Ancient Greece/Ancient Rome

2. United States Government

3. Explorers

4. Various ecosystems (deserts, oceans, etc.)

5. Plants and animals

6. Planets

7. Machines and how they work

St. Bridget School

Rising Fourth Grade

Summer Reading 2012

Dear Rising Fourth Graders,

This summer you are required to read two books of your choice.

The books must come from different genres, and should not be

written by the same author.

A list of reading responses, the form to record your responses,

and a list of suggestions for summer reading are below. Please

choose a different reading response for each book. Write the

information about the books you read on the provided form.

Give this form to your teacher when you return in August.

We are looking forward to a great year of learning on the

second floor. Have a wonderful summer!

Sincerely,

The Fourth Grade Teachers

Rising Fourth Grade

Reading Responses

What do you know now that you didn’t know before you read this?

How is a character in your book similar to a character in another book,

movie, or someone you know?

If you could ask the author about this book, what questions would you

ask?

What does this book remind you of in your own life? Why?

What advice would you give a particular character? Why?

Which character would you like (or not like) to be your friend? Why?

If you could change one thing in the book, what would it be? Why?

What was one of your favorite lines (or sentences) in the book? Why did

you like it?

What character did you like the most in the book? Why?

Rising Fourth Grade

Summer Reading 2012

Title ________________________________________________________________________________ Author _______________________________________________________________________________ Type of reading material (genre): ______ Mystery _______ Adventure ______ Traditional Literature ______ Historical Fiction _______ Humor ______ Biography ______ Science Fiction _______ Fantasy ______ Realistic Fiction ______Other _______________________________________________________________________________________________

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Title ________________________________________________________________________________ Author _______________________________________________________________________________ Type of reading material (genre): ______ Mystery _______ Adventure ______ Traditional Literature ______ Historical Fiction _______ Humor ______ Biography ______Science Fiction _______ Fantasy ______ Realistic Fiction ______Other _______________________________________________________________________________________________

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Suggestions for Summer Reading – Rising Fourth Graders

Avi - Who Stole the Wizard of Oz?, Poppy , The Secret School

Babbit, Natalie - Tuck Everlasting

Baker, Deidre - Becca at Sea

Barrows, Maggie -The Magic Half

Blume, Judy - Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Fudge-a-Mania, and sequels

Borgenicht, David- The Worst Case Scenario Ultimate Adventure: Everest

Brittan, Bill - The Wish Giver: Three Tales of Coven Tree

Bunting, Eve - The Summer of Riley

Byars, Betsy - The T.V. Kid , The Dark Stairs, McMummy

Christopher, Matt - Soccer Halfback, others

Cleary, Beverly - Ramona Quimby, Age 8; Ramona, Forever, Ramona’s World

Clements, Andrew – Frindle, School Story, The Report Card, Lost and Found

Cox, Judy, - That Crazy Eddie and the Science Project of Doom

Dahl, Roald - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach

Dahlberg, Maurine - The Story of Jonas

Dale, Anna - Spellbound

Fleischman, Sid - The 13th Floor - A Ghost Story

Fleming, Candace- The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary School

Greenwood, Barbara - The Last Safe House

Gutman, Dan - The Get Rich Quick Club, The Homework Machine, The Million Dollar Strike

Henry, Marguerite - Misty Of Chincoteague, King of the Wind

Holt, Kimberly Willis - My Louisiana Sky, Dancing in Cadillac Light

Kehret, Peg - Earthquake Terror, Searching for Candlestick Park

King-Smith, Dick - Harry's Mad, The School Mouse

Levine, Gail - Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg

Lin, Grace- Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

Lisle, Janet - Afternoon of the Elves

Lowry, Lois - Stay: Keeper's Story

Maguire, Gregory - Seven Spiders Spinning , Six Haunted Hairdos

Markey, Kevin - The Super Sluggers:Slumpbuster, Super Sluggers: Wallball

Martin, Ann - The Doll People, and sequels

Mass, Wendy- The Candymakers

McKissack, Patricia - Abby Takes a Stand, A Song for Harlem

Morpugo, Michael - Kensuke's Kingdom

Naylor, Phyllis - Shiloh, Grand Escape and sequels

Osborne, Mary Pope - Favorite Greek Myths

Pullman, Phillip - The Firework-Maker's Daughter

Robinet, Harriette – Walking to the Bus – Rider Blues

Santopolo, Jill - Alec Flint, Super Sleuth

Sleator, William - Into The Dream

Smith, Alexander - The Five Lost Aunts of Harriet Bean

Sutherland, Tul - Who was Harry Houdini? and others

Taylor, Theodore - The Trouble with Tuck

Tolan, Stephanie - Wishworks, Inc

Van de Velde - Smart Dog

Voight, Cynthia - Angus and Sadie

Yep, Lawrence - The Earth Dragon Awakes

St. Bridget School

Rising Fifth Grade

Summer Reading 2012

It’s almost time for summer and lots of relaxing and good reading! Some of the best relaxing can

be done by losing yourself in a good book. By the beginning of school, you need to read:

The Missing Manatee by Cynthia DeFelice

I hope you will find it full of excitement and adventure! The

first week back at school, we will do some activities based on

the book, so make sure you have completed it by the time we

begin in August.

Read at least TWO other books of your choice! On an index

card, list the title and author of the book. Then compare yourself to the

main character in the book. What do you have in common and what

is different?

Some other suggestions:

Windcatcher by Avi

Rasco and the Rats of Nimh by Jane Leslie Conly

The Dark Stairs by Betsy Byars

My Teacher is an Alien by Bruce Coville

Nothing’s Fair in Fifth Grade by Barth DeClements

The Twinkie Squad by Gordon Korman

Shiloh by Phyllis R. Naylor

Dogtag Summer by Elizabeth Partridge

True (…Sort of) by Katherine Hannigan

The Silver Bowl by Diane Stanley

Raider’s Ransom by Emily Diamond

The Shadows of Elsewhere by Jacqueline West

The Fizzy Whiz Kid by Maiya Williams

Looking for Me by Betsy Rosenthal

Castle of Shadows by Ellen Renner

The Black Book of Secrets by F. E. Higgins

Gifts from the Gods by Lise Lunge-Larsen

You may also enjoy the work of these authors:

Betsy Byars Sheila Greenwald Johanna Hurwitz

Tim Green Ellen Conford Suzy Kline

Paula Danzinger John D. Fitzgerald Lois Lowry

Jack Gantos Marissa Moss Jamie Gilson

Wendy Mass Margaret Peterson Haddix Andrew Clements

Don’t forget these series either! You can really get into these!

Harry Potter Little House on the Prairie

39 Clues Dear America

Orphan Train Children My Name is America

St. Bridget School

Rising Sixth Grade

Summer Reading 2012

Summer is here and it is time for fun, relaxing, and reading. This summer you are required to read

two books of your choice. The two books should be written by two different authors. Some

suggested authors are: Avi, Andrew Clements, E.L. Konigsburg, Katherine Paterson, Richard

Peck, Louis Sachar, and Jerry Spinelli.

You will need to have your own copy of the two books you chose to read over the summer, and

one copy of Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson and Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred

Taylor. We will read and discuss these books in Language Arts. Do not read Fever 1793 or Roll

of Thunder, Hear My Cry over the summer. All four books need to be at school on the first day

of class.

For one choice book, write a friendly letter to your Language Arts teacher, Mrs. Johnson,

indicating that you have read the book. The purpose of this letter is to introduce yourself as a

reader and a writer. This letter will be turned in the first week of school.

Your one-page letter should be written in your best cursive writing and include the

following:

1st paragraph: Introduce yourself, tell me what you enjoy doing, etc….Also, tell me what you

believe to be your strengths and weaknesses as both a reader and a writer. What would you like to

work on this year?

2nd

paragraph: Tell me when you finished the book, the title and author of the book, a description of

one or two of the main characters, the setting, and a summary of the book.

3rd

paragraph: Your personal rating of the book, from 1-5, with 5 being the highest, plus your

reasons for the rating.

For your other choice book, just take some brief notes on an index card. This card will be your

own personal notes to help your remember the story.

The card should include:

Title and author

Genre- type of book (for example: mystery, historical fiction, fantasy, realistic fiction, adventure,

etc…)

Who-main characters

What- short summary of the story

When- time period of the story

Where- setting of the story

Your personal rating of the book, from 1-5, with 5 being the highest, plus your reasons for the

rating.

St. Bridget School

Rising Seventh Grade

Summer Reading 2012

Mrs. Hess

Over the summer, all rising 7th grade students are required to read at least two

books by two different authors. Upon returning to school, students will complete

a classroom activity on both books. To prepare, write the following information

on a note card(s):

*State the title and author.

*Identify three elements, such as setting, conflict, and theme.

*Explain why you liked or disliked the book.

Note cards will be collected the first week of school.

The following books will be needed and read during the school year:

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick

Tangerine by Edward Bloor

St. Bridget School

Rising Eighth Grade

Summer Reading 2012

Mrs. Hess

Over the summer, all rising 8th grade students are required to read at least two

books by two different authors. Upon returning to school, students will complete

a classroom activity on both books. To prepare, write the following information

on note card(s).

*State the title and author.

*Identify three elements, such as setting, conflict, and theme.

*Explain why you liked or disliked the book.

Note cards will be collected the first week of school.

The following book will be needed and read during the school year:

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Huck Fin by Mark Twain

*other selections will be determined by next school year and may be

available at the fall book fair.