New Haven Public Schools
Summer Reading List 2004 - Grades 5-8
The $66 Summer by John Armistead
(Mystery/Fiction)
Thirteen-year-old George, spending the summer of 1955 working in his
grandmother's store in Obadiah, Alabama, becomes involved with helping his
African-American friends, Esther and Bennett, solve the mystery of their
father's disappearance. (Follett)
(Grades 5-8)
Aleutian Sparrow by
Karen Hesse (Historical Fiction)
The
government moved five Aleut villages to a camp in Southeast Alaska after
the Japanese bombed and occupied islands in America’s farthest northwest.
Returning after three years, they found their villages in
ruins. The historical
facts are unforgiving. (Kirkus)
(Grades 6 and up)
– Also by this author: Out of the Dust (Grades 5
and up) and Witness (Grades 6 and up)
American Plague: The
True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 by Jim
Murphy
(Non- Fiction)
A portrait of the rampant Yellow Fever plague that devastated
Philadelphia in 1793. (BTSB) (Newbery Honor Book 2004)
(Grades 6 and up)
Ashes of Roses by Mary Jane Auch (Historical
Fiction)
When 16-year-old Rose Nolan arrives
on Ellis Island in 1911, she sees before her a land of opportunities. But
after part of her family is sent back to Ireland, unable to set foot on
American soil, Rose is left to fend for herself and her younger sister.
(book jacket)
(Grades 7 and up)
Babe and Me by Dan Gutman (Fiction) –
This novel is about a boy named Joe Stoshack and his Dad. They are big
Babe Ruth fans, and like most other fans, they are dying to know if he
really did call his famous home run on October 1, 1932. Unlike others,
they have a secret. Joe can travel to any time on a baseball card by
holding the card for 30 seconds! (Amazon)
(Grades 4-7)
Also by this author:
Qwerty Stevens Back In Time: The Edison Mystery (see
annotation below)
Baseball In April And
Other Stories by Gary Soto (Fiction/Short Stories)
A
collection of short stories about love, friendship and growing up as
Latino youths. Events from daily life are
shared, including both successes and failures, as experienced by
vulnerable kids with big dreams and desires.
(ALA
Best Book for Young Adults, Booklist Editor's Choice, Horn Book Fanfare
Selection)
(Grades 5-8)
Bicycle Stunt Riding!:
Catch Air by Kristine Eck (Non-fiction)
An
up-close look at extreme freestyle bicycle stunts. Tricks by freestyle
cyclists are only limited by their imagination.
(Grades 5 and up)
The Birchbark House by Louise
Erdrich (Historical Fiction)
This novel centers on young Omakayas and her Ojibwa family who live on
an island in Lake Superior in 1847.
(Notable/Best Books ALA) (Grades 4-6)
The Boy Who Saved Baseball by John H. Ritter
(Fiction)
The fate of a small California town rests on the outcome of one baseball
game, and Tom Gallagher hopes to lead his team to victory with the secrets
of the now disgraced player, Dante Del Gato.
(Grades 5-8)
Brainboy and the
Deathmaster by Tor Seidler (Science Fiction)
Twelve-year old Darryl, is
adopted by a techno-geek and discovers that he is the star of a deadly
video game. (Grades 5-7)
Bud, Not Buddy by
Christopher Paul Curtis (Historical Fiction)
Set during the Great Depression, this book portrays 10-year-old orphan
Bud, as he escapes a bad foster home and sets out in search of the man he
believes to be his father. (Newbery Award 2000)(Grades
4-7)
–
Also by this author: The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963 (Grades 5-8)
Castle in the Attic by Elizabeth Winthrop
(Fantasy)
William receives a present - an old wooden model of a castle, with a
miniature knight to guard the gates. It’s the mysterious castle his
housekeeper has told him about, and now it’s his! (Children’s Choice
Book) (Grades 4-6)
The Circuit: Stories
from the Life of a Migrant Child by Francisco Jimenez (Short Stories)
Mexican-American life is explored in these 12 autobiographical stories
of families struggling to survive as migrant workers in California.
Despite the hardships endured, a sense of hope is always present.
(Grades 5-8)
Colibri by Ann Cameron
(Fiction)
The narrator, a 12-year-old girl, navigates an uncertain, mysterious world
in bits and pieces. This novel invites readers to sample both savory and
bitter flavors of the Guatemalan culture. (Kirkus)
(Grades 5-8)
Commodore Perry in
the Land of the Shogun by Rhoda Blumberg (Non-Fiction)
Admiral
Matthew Perry’s expedition to open Japan to American trade is chronicled.
This 1986 Newbery Honor Book gives an excellent account of the cultural
differences that the Japanese and the Americans had to overcome while this
important mission was accomplished.
(Newbery Honor Book 1986)
(Grades 5 and up)
The
Conch Bearer: A Novel by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (Fantasy)
Poor and fatherless, 12-year-old Anand is approached by an elderly
healer who entrusts him with a conch shell possessing mystical powers.
Together they embark on a perilous journey to return the shell to a proper
home.
(Grades 5-8)
Cousins by
Virginia Hamilton (Fiction)
Eleven-year-old Cammy learns to rely on the love of her father and
grandmother as she tries to cope with the death of her cousin. (Grades
5-8) – Also by this author:
M. C. Higgins the Great (Grades 6 and up)
Dogsong by Gary Paulsen (Fiction)
A 14-year-old Eskimo boy goes on a 1,400-mile journey by dog sled across
the tundra seeking meaning for his life.(newbery Honor Book 1986)
(Grades
7 and up) – Also
by this author: The Foxman (see annotation below)
The Dream Bearer by
Walter Dean Myers (Fiction)David
Curry befriends an ancient, shamanlike gentleman named Moses Littlejohn
while shooting hoops in his Harlem neighborhood with his 12-year-old
friend, Loren. Although Mr. Moses imparts his dreams with exciting
storytelling finesse, they have a compelling effect on David’s
relationship with
his abusive father and delinquent brother. (SLJ)
(Grades 5-8)
The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm by Nancy
Farmer (Science Fiction)
This novel takes place in Zimbabwe in 2194 and centers on the kidnapping
of 3 children who are forced to work in a plastic mine. As three mutant
detectives use their special powers to search for them the tension builds
creating a book which blends high adventure and science fiction. (Newbery
Honor Book 1995) (Grades 7 and up)
- Also by this author: The House of the
Scorpion (see annotation below)
Fair Weather by Richard Peck (Historical Fiction)
In 1893, thirteen-year-old Rosie and members of her family travel from
their Illinois farm to Chicago to visit Aunt Euterpe and attend the
World's Columbian Exposition which, along with an encounter with Buffalo
Bill and Lillian Russell, turns out to be a life-changing experience for
everyone.
(Notable/Best Books ALA) (Grades 5-8)
Floodland by
Marcus Sedgwick (Science Fiction)
This book tells the story of Zoe,
a 10-year girl searching for her parents after global warming has covered
most of her native England with water. (Grades 4-6)
Following Fake Man by Barbara Ware Holmes
(Mystery Fiction)
During his summer in Maine, twelve-year-old
Homer, together with his new friend Roger, is determined to find the truth
about himself, his long-dead father, and a mysterious costumed man.
(Grades 5-7)
The
Foxman by Gary Paulsen
(Fiction)
A town boy, sent to live on a remote
wilderness farm, forms a friendship with an elderly, disfigured man who
teaches him many things. (Grades 5-8)
Girl of
Kososvo by Alice Mead (Fiction)
Zana, an 11-year-old Albanian
girl, lives through the carnage of war in her native Kosovo, yet honors
her father’s wish that she not let hate and anger overcome her.
(Grades 5 and up)
Going Through the Gate by
Janet S. Anderson (Mystery/Fiction)
The five sixth-grade students in a small
town prepare for their teacher's annual graduation ceremony, a mysterious
ritual that several generations of students have experienced but no one
can discuss. (Grades 5-7)
The Great Blue
Yonder by Alex Shearer (Fiction)
A moving story in which a
12-year-old finds himself wandering the “Other Land”, when he is killed by
a truck. He can not move to the peace of the “Great Blue Yonder” until he
is able to settle the unfinished business of his former life.
(Grades 5-8)
The Great Mystery:
Myths Of Native America by Neil Philip (Folklore)
This book deals with Native American mythologies as they have reference
to death and life, the beginning and the expected end
of this world.
(Grades 6 and up)
Holes by Louis Sachar (Fiction)
Wrongfully accused of theft,
middle-school student Stanley Yelnats is sent to a correctional camp in
the Texas desert. As part of their sentence, Stanley and his fellow
inmates must dig a single five-by-five hole each day. Although the warden
claims that this punishment is meant to build character, she hopes the
inmates’ digging will unearth a buried treasure. Stanley succeeds not
only in secretly finding the treasure, but in finding friendship and a
stronger sense of himself as well. (Newbery Medal 1999) (Grades 5-8)
Homeless Bird by
Gloria Whelan (Fiction)
Thirteen-year-old Koly enters into an
unhappy arranged marriage and must decide whether to remain true to her
native Indian cultural tradition, or remain true to herself and oppose it.
(National Book Award Winner; Notable/Best Books ALA) (Grades 5-8)
Houdini: Master Of
Illusion by Clinton Cox
(Biography)
Houdini transformed himself into a master
illusionist and is still well known many years after his death. This is a
well-balanced biography that includes his failures and successes.
(Grades 5 and up)
The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer (Science
Fiction)
In a future where humans despise clones, Matt enjoys special status as
the young clone of El Patrâon, the 142-year-old leader of a corrupt drug
empire nestled between Mexico and the United States. (Newbery Honor
Book 2003) (Grades 6 and up)
Hush by Jaqueline
Woodson (Fiction)
After Toswiah and her family enter the witness protection program, the
12-year-old must cope with the dramatic changes in her life. B
I, Juan de Pareja by
Elizabeth Borton De Trevino (Historical Fiction)
Through the eyes of Juan, slave and assistant to the Spanish painter
Velasquez, we observe 17th century Spain with all of its beauty
and cruelty. Although there is a prohibition against slaves learning to
paint, Juan becomes an accomplished artist.
(Newbery Honor Book
1966) (Grades 6 and up)
The Incredible Journey
by Shelia Burnford (Fiction)
In this dramatic and charming tale, A Siamese cat, a Bull Terrier and a
Labrador Retriever travel together through 250 miles of the Canadian
wilderness and all of its peril while making their way back home to their
loving families.
(Notable/Best Books ALA) (Grades 5-8)
It’s Like This, Cat
by Emily Cheney Neville (Fiction)
An adolescent boy growing up in New York
City begins to understand a lot about himself and his family through the
rescue of Cat. (Newbery Honor Book 1964) (Grades 5-8)
The Journey by Sarah Stewart
A young Amish girl tells her "silent friend," her diary, about all the
wonderous experiences she has on her first trip to a city, Chicago.
(Grades 3-5)
Keeper of the Doves by Betsy
Byars (Historical Fiction)
In the late 1800s in Kentucky, Amie McBee and her four sisters both
fear and torment the reclusive and seemingly sinister Mr. Tominski, but
their father continues to provide for his needs.
(Grades 5-8)
–
Also by this author: The Moon and I (see annotation below)
Leap into Poetry: More
ABCs Of Poetry by Avis Harley (Poetry)
Every
alphabet letter becomes the topic of a poem that exemplifies the poetry
terms with meaningful definitions at the bottom of each page.
(Grades 5-8)
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
(Fiction)
Jeffrey Lionel Magee’s life changes when his parents die, and so does
his name. He becomes an orphan who has to make decisions for his own
survival. Maniac Magee becomes a legend in his own time. In this story
he brings together people who live on opposite sides of town, people who
despise each other.
(Newbery Honor Book 1991) (Grades 6 and up)
My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier (Historical Fiction)
Set in Connecticut in 1770, this novel tells of the tragedy that strikes
the Meeker family during the Revolution when one son joins the rebel
forces while the rest of the family tries to stay neutral.
(Newbery Honor Book 1975) (Grades 5 –8)
My Brother, The Robot by Bonny Becker (Science Fiction)
After his father’s purchase of a
robot, which is considered to be "the perfect son," main character Chip
feels threatened. Fortunately, the family learns that perfection is not a
realistic goal. (Grades 3-6)
The
Moon and I by Betsy Byars
(Biography)
Moon, of Betsy Byars's The Moon and I, is a six-foot blacksnake.
As Ms. Byars shares the parts of her life that have to do with it, she
explains exactly how she writes. When you next complain about your
teachers’ requests for rewrites, remember that the author rewrote this
book approximately 18 times before her publisher accepted it.
(Notable/Best Books ALA)
(Grades 5-8)
My Daniel by Pam Conrad (Fiction)
Ellie and Stevie learn about a family legacy when their grandmother tells
them stories of her brother's historical quest for dinosaur bones on their
Nebraska farm. (Notable/Best Books ALA) (Grades 5-8)
The Night Journey by Kathryn
Lasky (Historical Fiction)
A young girl ignores her parents' wishes
and persuades her great-grandmother to relate the story of her escape from
czarist Russia.
(Notable/Best Books ALA) (Grades 7 and up)
Nothing but the Truth: A
Documentary Novel by Avi (Fiction)
A 9th-grader's suspension for singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" during
homeroom becomes a national news story. Students, teachers, parents, and
the national media become involved when ninth-grader Philip Malloy is
suspended from school for singing "The Star Spangled Banner.
(Newbery Honor Book 1992) (Grades 7 and up)
Parents Wanted by
George Harrar (Fiction)
Andy
has been turned over to the state for being too difficult to handle by his
mother and jailed father. Will an attempt to test his new parents go too
far causing him to lose the happiness he has found in his new home?
(Grades 5-8)
Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff (Fiction)
This novel tells the story of Hollis
Woods, a 12-year old girl, who has spent
most
of her life living in foster homes. The
book delves into Hollis’s artistic talent, as well her relationship with
her new foster mother, who is also an artist.
(Newbery Honor Book 2003) (Grades 4-7)
Playing the Field by Janette Rallison (Fiction)
Thirteen-year-old McKay discovers that
despite his status as a star on the baseball field, he’s going to fail if
he doesn’t pull up his algebra grade. He befriends Serena, a pretty girl
who agrees to tutor him and discovers that, at their age, it’s easier to
be friends than boyfriend and girlfriend.
(Grades 5-8)
Qwerty Stevens Back in
Time: The Edison Mystery by Dan Gutman (Science Fiction)
Robert Stevens,
13-years-old, was digging in his back yard when he discovers a large
unusual wooden box with Thomas Edison’s name inscribed. His adventure
begins when he comes to realize that he has in his possession Edison’s
time machine along with written directions for operation.
(Grades 4-8)
The Skin I’m In by
Sharon Flake (Fiction)
Insecure and timid about her very dark skin, thirteen-year-old Maleeka
Madison rejects the support of Miss Saunders, the new teacher. Tired of
being embarrassed and harassed in the hallways because of her skin tone
and homemade clothes, Maleeka latches on to tough and mouthy classmate
Charlese, for protection, although the price is
very high. (Kirkus) (Notable Best Books ALA)
(Grades 6-8)
Shoeless Joe and Me by Dan Gutman (Fiction)
In this latest Baseball Card Adventure, Shoeless Joe & Me by Dan Gutman,
Joe "Stosh" Stoshack travels back to 1919 but will he be in time to
prevent Shoeless Joe Jackson from being implicated in a conspiracy to
throw the World Series? (Publisher's Weekly)
(Grades 4-7)
The Slightly True Story
Of Cedar B. Hartley by Martine Murray
A
coming-of-age story about 12-year-old, Cedar B. Hartley, who misses her
older brother who ran away from home, wonders about the circumstances of
her father’s death 11 years ago, and nurtures a friendship with
Kite, boy acrobat. (Kirkus)
(Grades 5-8)
Stolen
By The Sea by Anna Myers (Fiction)
A
story about Maggie, a 12-year-old girl who happens to be rich and an
orphan boy named Felipe who would love to return to Mexico. They tell
their version of the horrendous hurricane in Galveston.
(Grades 5-8)
Storm
Warriors by Elisa Carbone (Historical Fiction)
In 1895, after his mother's death, 12-year-old Nathan moves with his
father and grandfather to Pea Island off the coast of North Carolina,
where he hopes to join the all-black crew at the nearby lifesaving
station, despite his father's objections.
(Notable/Best Books ALA) (Follett) (Grades 5-8)
The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some
Soup, and a Spool of Thread by Kate DiCamillo (Fairy Tale)
This fairy tale tells the
story of, Desperaux Tilling, a small, but talented, mouse, the princess
who he loves. the servant girl who wishes to be princess, and the
villainous rat. (Newbery Honor Book 2004) (Grades 4 and up)
Three Days by Donna Jo
Napoli (Fiction)
Jackie, 11-years-old, takes a business trip to Italy with her father who
suddenly dies behind the wheel of their car while returning to their
hotel. In a plea to get help, she gets into a car with two Italian
men and soon realizes
that she has been kidnapped.
(Grades 4-7)
Touching Spirit Bear by
Ben Mikaelsen (Fiction)
Fifteen year-old Cole’s angry and violent behavior earns him a prison
sentence, however, he is sent to a remote Alaskan Island as part of a
sentencing alternative program based on Native American culture. While
there, his experiences help him reshape his troubled life.
(Notable/Best Books
ALA) (Grades 6-8)
Traitor: The Case of Benedict
Arnold by Jean Fritz (Biography)
A study of the life and character of the brilliant Revolutionary War
general who deserted to the British for money.
(Notable/Best Book ALA) (Grades 5-8)
The View from Saturday
by E.L. Konigsburg (Fiction)
This book tells the interwoven stories of four 6th-grade
students, their amazing success on an “Academic-Bowl” team, and their
teacher, who has recently been confined to a wheelchair.
(Newbery Medal 1996) (Grades 4-6)
Village by the Sea by Paula Fox (Fiction)
When her father enters the hospital to have open-heart surgery,
ten-year-old Emma is sent to Peconic Bay to live with her tormented aunt
and finds the experience painful until she meets a friend who suggests
making a miniature village in the sand.
(Grades 7 and up)
Walk Two Moons by Sharon
Creech (Fiction)
After her mother leaves home,
thirteen-year-old Sal drives west with her grandparents to find her.
Throughout the course of their journey, Sal tells the story of her friend
Phoebe, whose mother disappeared. (Newbery Medal 1995) (Grades 6 and
up)
Way
To Go by Lillian Morrison (Poetry)
A
book of poems covering a wide array of sports such as, track and field,
ball sports, winter, wheel and water sports. Simple pen and ink
illustrations are
included.
(Grades 4-8)
When My Name was Keoko
by Linda Sue Park (Historical Fiction)
This historical novel covers the 1940-1945 Japanese military occupation
of Korea. A Korean brother and sister, living with their parents and
uncle face the injustice of the oppression with courage while their uncle
becomes a member of the resistance.
(Grades 6-9)
When
Zachary Beaver Came to Town by Kimberly Willis Holt (Fiction)
When a 600-pound boy moves to their small Texas town, thirteen-year-old
Toby and his best friend Cal begin to question their view of the world.
The book confronts the heavy subjects of death, love, and compassion, but
a touch of humor make it a joy to read. (Notable/Best Books ALA)
(Grades 5-8)
Where the Ground Meets
the Sky by Jacqueline Davies (Historical Fiction)
During World War II, twelve-year-old Hazel is forced to move with her
family from her quiet New Jersey life to an army post in New Mexico where
her father, a scientist, is working on a top secret project—the atomic
bomb. The secrecy and intensity of this project brings tension and
complications into their lives.
(Grades 5-8)
Where you Belong: A Novel by Mary Ann McGuigan. (Fiction)
In 1963, when 13-year-old Fiona runs away from home and ends up reunited
with her former classmate Yolanda in an all-black neighborhood of the
Bronx, their interracial friendship gives rise to both comfort and
controversy.
(Grades 5-8)
Wishes, Kisses, and Pigs
by Betsy Hearne (Fiction)
Eleven-year-old Louise wishes
on a star and turns her brother into a pig. Throughout the rest of the
book Louise entertains the reader while she tries to turn him back into a
boy. (Grades 3-6)
Zlata’s Diary: A
Child’s Life in Sarajevo by Zlata Filipovic (Autobiography/Diary)
The diary of a thirteen-year-old girl living in Sarajevo, begun
just before her 11th birthday when there was still peace in her homeland.
(Follett) (Grades 5-8)
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