Summer Reading Suggestions for Children Entering 2nd Grade

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1 Summer Reading Suggestions for Children Entering 2nd Grade Summer is a great time for reading! There s lots of great literature for kids today. Research says that children who read during the summer avoid the summer slide and are better ready for the new school year. Summer reading provides practice of important skills that support learning and thinking. It fosters confidence and independence and, ultimately, leads to success. And, of course, reading is fun! Here are some thoughts to encourage your readers: Visit the library! Encourage your children to read for pleasure. Make choices together. Children may have favorite authors, characters and topics of interest. They may like the pictures. It s okay to reread old favorites and try new ones. Books that are just right, not too hard and not too easy are best for independent reading. Remember, reading is a meaning making process so if your child can t read and understand most of what is on the page, save it for the future. Read aloud to your children. Here s an opportunity to enjoy some books that may be too difficult to read alone. Reading to children builds background knowledge, encourages vocabulary development and fosters critical thinking. Besides, what s better than cuddling with your child and a good book! Most importantly, have a great summer and make reading part of the fun! From Cheryl Miller and the CTA Library 2017 Great for Reading Aloud and independently, too! Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty Ada has imagination and lots of curiosity. She s in search of discovery and uses science to find answers. This book shows girls that science is for them! Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst 1987 Alexander will keep you laughing as he tells you about his terrible day! Anansi and the Talking Melon by Eric Kimmel 1994 Anansi, that clever spider, tricks elephant into thinking the melon he s hiding in can talk. Arthur series by Marc Brown Enjoy the everyday and extraordinary situations of this loveable aardvark and his friends. Aunt Chip and the Triple Creek Dam Affair by Patricia Polacco 1996 How much TV is too much? The people of Triple Creek watch too much TV but Aunt Chip shows them something better to do. Beauty and the Beast by Jan Brett 2011 reprint of this classic fairy tale that s beautifully illustrated. Chester s Way by Kevin Henkes 1988 Chester and Wilson are best friends, like two peas in a pod until Lily moves into the neighborhood. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judy Barrett 1978 The town of Chewandswallow has unusual weather that comes three times a day at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Diary of a Fly by Doreen Cronin 2008 Fly wants to be a superhero, and why not? She walks on walls, sees in all directions at once, and can already fly. Read Diary of a Worm, too. Doctor DeSoto by William Steig 1983 Newbery Honor Dr. DeSoto is a mouse and a dentist extraordinaire! His patients are animals big and small. But not ones who like mice for dinner until fox!

2 Everything On It by Shel Silverstein 2011 Funny poems from the author of Where the Sidewalk Ends. Published posthumously, this book will have kids and adults laughing out loud. Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World s Most Famous Bear by Lindsay Mattick 2016 Caldecott Medal From the true story of Captain Harry Coleburn and a bear cub he rescued during WW I while traveling to the front, which later became the inspiration for A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh. The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest by Lynne Cherry 1990 A man falls asleep after trying to chop down a kapok tree. Those living in the forest whisper in his ear about the importance of trees and how all living things depend on each other... Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg 1982 Caldecott Medal Bored boys get more excitement than they expected when they find and play a mysterious jungle board game. The 30 th anniversary edition includes a CD of Robin Williams reading the story. Leave Me Alone by Vera Brosgol 2016 Grandmother needs to be left alone to do her knitting. Will she find peace and quiet? Leo the Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus 1994 Leo s dad is worried that he isn t doing things that other kids can do. But his mother knows he will in his own time. The Lorax by Dr. Seuss 1971 Dr. Seuss cautionary tale about protecting the earth s natural beauty. Mirette on the High Wire by Emily McCully 1972 Caldecott Medal Mirette learns tightrope walking from Monsieur Bellini, a famous performer. Miss Nelson is Missing! by Harry Allard 1977 The kids in Room 207 don t listen to their nice, sweet teacher Miss Nelson. But when Miss Viola Swamp substitutes, things change! Miss Smith's Incredible Story Book by Michael Garland 2005 When Miss Smith reads from her storybook, characters pop out! Cool! The New Kid on the Block by Jack Prelutsky 1984 More than 100 hilarious poems to make you laugh. Stellaluna by Jannell Cannon 1997 After an owl attack separates him from his mother, Stellaluna is adopted by a family of birds. Strega Nona by Tomi de Paola 1976 Caldecott Honor Strega Nona s magical pot makes the best pasta. Big Anthony loves pasta but when he says the magic words what happens is not what he expected! Town Mouse and Country Mouse by Jan Brett Reprint 2003 Classic fable of two mice who trade homes only to learn that there s no place like home. Beautifully illustrated by a favorite author. The Way Meat Loves Salt by Nina Jaffe In this Jewish Cinderella Tale from Eastern Europe a rabbi s youngest daughter is sent away in disgrace but with some special help, good things eventually happen. Fairy Tales Fairy tales and folk tales make great read alouds. Here are a few. Chicken Little by Steven Kellogg Stone Soup by Marcia Brown Gingerbread Man by Eric A. Kimmel or Jim Aylesworth The Little Red Hen by Margot Zemach The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

3 Early Readers Annie and Snowball and the Book Bugs Club by Cynthia Rylant 2011 Annie and Henry join the library s summer reading club. Series Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel 2005 Kitty s favorite foods are gone and all that s left are an alphabetical array of Asparagus, Beets, Cauliflower and 21 more, all unappealing. So she misbehaves, alphabetically! Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa series by Erica Silverman Two new wranglers have hit the ranch. Read how the west will never be the same again! Fox on the Job by James Marshall 1988 Fox wants to earn money so he tries different jobs. Series Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel 1971 Caldecott Honor This all-time favorite features two best friends, Frog and Toad. Great series. Henry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant Henry is lonely and he really wants a pet. So his parents let him get a huge, loveable dog named Mudge. Popular series Ling & Ting: Twice as Silly by Grace Lin 2014 Identical twins Ling & Ting like to be silly, tell jokes and laugh together. Series Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik what happens next. Classic series. A sweet story that will have young ones excited to find out Mr. Putter and Tabby by Cynthia Rylant Series about Mr. Putter and his cat. Series Nate the Great by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat 1977 Nate the Great is an extraordinary boy detective! Penny and Her Marble by Kevin Henkes 2014 Geisel Honor Book Penny finds a beautiful marble on her neighbor s lawn and can t decide if it s ok to keep it. Also read Penny and Her Song 2012 The Story of Diva and Flea by Mo Willems and Tony DiTerlizzi 2016 Diva, a small but brave dog, and Flea, a street smart cat become friends as they explore the sites of Paris. Tales for Very Picky Eaters by Josh Schneider 2011 Geisel Award James dad has to be creative to get his very picky eater to eat nutritious food. Chapter Books These books vary as children at this age do in interests and reading ability. Some children entering Gr. 2 may read them independently now, others later. They re also great for reading aloud. 26 Fairmont Ave. by Tomie de Paola 1999 Learn about this well-loved children s author s boyhood. Amelia Bedelia Means Business by Herman Parish 2013 Amelia wants a new bike but her parents will only pay half. She needs to find a job. First in young Amelia s chapter books! Bink & Gollie by Kate Di Camillo 2012 Two girls, one tiny and one tall, powered by peanut butter for Bink and pancakes for Gollie have 3 comical adventures Caldecott Cam Jansen and the Tennis Trophy Mystery David A. Adler 2005 The gym teacher s tennis trophy is missing. Can Cam and her friend Eric solve the mystery of what happened to it? Series Charlotte s Web by E.B. White 1953 Newbery Medal Classic story about Wilbur, the pig, and his spider friend, Charlotte. Another by this author is Stuart Little. Most will enjoy these read aloud.

4 The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling 1952 Everything John Midas touches turns to chocolate. When is a good thing too much! Flat Stanley s Worldwide Adventure: The Mount Rushmore Calamity by Sara Pennypacker 2009 Popular character, created by Jeff Brown, in a new series about his adventures around the world. Get Ready for Second Grade, Amber Brown by Paula Danziger 2003 Amber Brown is ready for 2 nd grade but a little nervous, too. Gooney Bird Greene by Lois Lowry 2004 Gooney Bird arrives at a new school in pajamas and cowboy boots. She wants to be in the center of everything and tells the 2 nd grade absolutely true stories. You ll love this modern day Pippi! Ivy + Bean by Annie Barrows 2006 Bean and her new neighbor seem to have little in common. But sometimes best friends come when you least expect it. Series Junie B. Jones series by Barbara Park The hilarious exploits of that sassy kindergartener and eventual first grader. Her take on things is often like no one else s! Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne Jack and his sister Annie discover a mysterious tree house packed with books Soon they re traveling through time and space and having amazing adventures. Learn lots of facts in this series. Mercy Watson Thinks Like a Pig by Kate DiCamillo 2008 Eugenia and Baby Lincoln live next door to a pig who loves the smell (and taste) of the flowers they ve planted. Series Nancy Clancy, Super Sleuth by Jane O Connor 2013 When one of Nancy s classmates prize possessions disappears it s up to Detective Nancy to solve the mystery. The Notebook of Doom: Rise of the Balloon Goons by Troy Cummings 2013 Alexander s new is held at the hospital morgue due to construction. There he finds a strange notebook. Series. Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid by Megan McDonald 2013 reprint Judy Moody s little brother has his own series. In this first book we meet Stink, the shortest kid in 2 nd grade. Stink and the Attack of the Slime Mold is the newest. The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes 2014 Newbery Honor Book When 7 year old Billy starts school with a bump on his head and a lot of worries he can t imagine just how great 2 nd grade can be. Young Cam Jansen & The Lost Tooth by David Adler 1997 Cam's friend has lost a tooth in art class and to her dismay it disappears. Series Non-fiction All the Water in the World by George Ella Lyon 2001 Lyrical verse explores and informs about the water cycle. Beautiful illustrations. By My Brother s Side by Tiki & Ronde Barber 2004 These twin brothers work hard to overcome obstacles and become NFL stars. Fly Guy Presents Dinosaurs by Tedd Arnold 2014 Fly Guy and Buzz Boy visit a natural history museum to learn about dinosaurs. Check out other Fly Guy informational books, too.

5 Giant Squid by Candace Fleming 2017 Explore the fascinating life of this mysterious sea creature. Beautifully illustrated Sibert Honor If You Decide to Go to the Moon by Faith McNulty 2005 Go with a boy on a trip to the moon. What will you pack? What will the trip be like? Jane Goodall: Friend of the Apes by Mary Lindeen 2009 Learn about the scientist and her work with gorillas. How Much Is a Million? by David M. Schwartz & Steven Kellogg 2004 See how big a bowl you d need to hold a million goldfish, or how many years it takes to count to a million. Monarch Butterflies by Gail Gibbons 1989 Learn what they look like and about its life cycle. Includes information on how to raise a monarch. Great nonfiction author for kids. The Noisy Paintbox: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky s Abstract Art by Barb Rosenstock 2015 Caldecott Honor He heard sounds as colors and saw colors as sounds and made beautiful art. A Picture Book of Jackie Robinson by David A. Adler 1997 A look at the life of baseball great Jackie Robinson. Adler explores others famous people in this series, too. The Remarkable True Story of a Shopping the Mall Gorilla by Katherine Applegate 2014 The real story about a gorilla rescued from years of captivity in a shopping mall by concerned citizens. The facts behind the Newbery winning novel, The One and Only Ivan. Spiders by Nic Bishop 2007 Sibert Honor Book An introduction to different spiders through words and photos. Some others by the author: Snakes; Marsupials; Lizards; Frogs Train by Elisha Cooper 2013 Learn about life on the rails. There s the commuter, passenger, freight, overnight trains and more as you travel the country. Who Says Women Can t Be Doctors? By Tanya Lee Stone 2013 The story of Elizabeth Blackwell. Who is/ Was.. series by various authors Readable biographies from Johnny Appleseed to Steve Jobs that really engage children. There s lots more great nonfiction. Let your readers interests guide selections.