here are some of my favorite, recently-published...

Mrs.Salm’sSuggestedReadingListforSummer2016

Happy Summer Reading 2016! Hello, parents and readers: Here are some of my favorite, recently-published books for some summer reading suggestions -- 18 titles for each major grade division. This is a selection of some of the books that I have enjoyed reading this year – and I think that some of the students will enjoy these as well. Here’s to a restful and fulfilling summer -- happy reading! Please keep in touch during the summer. I love to hear what everyone is reading! Mrs. Salm, [email protected], Twitter and Instagram@fly_librarian, BCDS Library Instagram@bcdslibrary


Mrs.Salm’sTop18SummerReadingSuggestionsforK-3Non-Fiction/Concepts

DrumGirlDreambyMargaritaEngle:Followsagirlinthe1920sasshestrivestobecomeadrummer,despitebeingcontinuallyremindedthatonlyboysplaythedrums.

FindingWinniebyLindsayMattick:AnaccountofCaptainHarryColeburn'srelationshipwithabearcubin1914,whichherescuedduringWorldWarIandbecametheinspirationforA.A.Milne'sWinnie-the-Pooh.

HowtoSwallowaPigbySteveJenkins:AcleverandwhimsicalnonfictionbookaboutanimalbehaviordisguisedasaHow-to/Advicebook.

FlyGuyPresentsBatsbyTeddArnold:JoinFlyGuyoutsideashelearnsaboutbats

HipposareHugebyJonathanLondon:Textandillustrationsintroducehippopotamuses,exploringtheirphysicalcharacteristics,noises,behaviors,andhabitat.

HowtoReadaStorybyKateMessner:Apicturebookcelebrationoftheactofexploring--andsharing--abook.

IAmHelenKellerbyBradMeltzer:ThestoryofHelenKeller,wholearnedtoreadandwritedespitebeingdeafandblind,andbecameanactivistwhofoughtfortherightsofdisabledpeople.

OnePlasticBagbyMirandaPaul:IsatouCeesayfindsawaytorecyclediscardedplasticbagsthathaveaccumulatedindirtyheapsinherGambianvillage.

TrappedbyRobertBurleigh:Textandillustrationslookattherescueofahumpbackwhalethatgottrappedinafishingnet.


FictionSuggestedReadingforK-3

SidewalkFlowersbyJonArnoLawson:Alittlegirlcollectswildflowerswhileonawalkwithherdistractedfatherinthiswordlessbook.

IDon’tLikeKoalabySeanFerrell:Adamdoesnotlikehisstuffedkoala,buteachtimehetriestogetridofit,KoalacomesbackuntilAdamrealizesthatKoalaisonhisside.

ThunderBoyJr.byShermanAlexie:ThunderBoyJr.wantsanormalname...onethat'sallhisown.DadisknownasBigThunder,butLittleThunderdoesn'twanttoshareaname.

LittleOnebyJoWeaver:Followsanewbearcubandhismotherastheydiscovertheworldtogether,througheveryseason.

AreWeThereYet?byDanielSantat:Aboygoesonalongcarridetovisithisgrandmotheranddiscoverstimemovesfasterorslowerdependingonhowboredheis.

BloombyDoreenCronin:Whentheglasskingdombeginscracking,thekingandqueenfailintheirquesttogethelpfromthefairyBloom,whocanworkgreatmagicbutwasbanishedbecauseofhermuddybootsandmessiness.

FroggyGoestotheLibrarybyJonathanLondon:WhenFroggy,Mom,andPollywogilinasetoutforthelibrary,Froggybringsawheelbarrowtoholdallthebooksheplanstoborrowandforgetstousehisindoorvoice.

TheNightGardenerbytheFanBrothers:EveryoneonGrimlochLaneenjoystopiarymasterpiecesbytheNightGardener,butWilliam,alonelyboy,spotstheartist,followshim,andhelpswithhisspecialwork.

LastStoponMarketStreetbyMattdelaPena:Ayoungboyridesthebusacrosstownwithhisgrandmotherandlearnstoappreciatethebeautyineverydaythings.RidingHoodaloud,butDogkeepsinterruptingwithsillyquestions.


Mrs.Salm’sTop18BooksforGrades4-6Non-FictionBooksforGrades4-6(IncludesBiographyandPoetry)

IAmMalala:HowOneGirlStoodUpforEducationandChangedtheWorldbyMalalaYousafzai:Theyoungreader’seditionofMalalaYousafzai’s2013memoirforadultslosesnoneofitspowerinitstransitiontoanewaudience.

InsideofaDog:WhatDogsSee,SmellandKnowAlexandraHorowitz:Scientistanddog-ownerAlexandraHorowitzexplainshowdogsperceivetheirdailyworlds,eachother,andthatotherquirkyanimal,thehuman.

StephenCurrybyJonM.Fishman:ProfilesbasketballplayerStephenCurry,fromhischildhoodtohis2014-2015season.

TenDaysaMadwoman:TheDaringLifeandTurbulentTimesoftheOriginal"Girl"Reporter,NellieBlybyDeborahNoyes:AbiographyofNellieBly,thepioneeringjournalistwhoseshowybutsubstantivestuntsskyrocketedhertofame.

EnchantedAir:AMemoirbyMargaritaEngle:Inthispoeticmemoir,MargaritaEngle,thefirstLatinawomantoreceiveaNewberyHonor,tellsofgrowingupasachildoftwoculturesduringtheColdWar.

TheBoysoftheBoatbyGregoryMone:Theastonishingtaleofnineworking-classboysfromtheAmericanWestwhochallengedHitleratthe1936Olympics.

MinecraftCombatHandbookbyStephanieMilton:AhandbookforthevideoandcomputergameMinecraft,includinghowtobuildafort.FeaturestipsfromMinecraftexperts.

TerribleTyphoidMary:ATrueStoryoftheDeadliestinAmericabySusanBartoletti:Witharchivalphotographsandtextamongotherprimarysources,thisrivetingbiographyofMaryMallonlooksbeyondthetabloidscandalofMary'scontroversiallife.

ThingExplainerbyRandallMunroe:Useslinedrawingsandcommonwordstoprovidesimpleexplanationsforhowthingswork,includingmicrowaves,bridges,tectonicplates,thesolarsystem,theperiodictable,helicopters,andotheressentialconcepts


FictionSuggestedReadingforGrades4-6

The52-StoryTreehousebyAndyGriffiths:AndyandTerrylivetogetherina52-storytreehousewheretheytellstoriesandhavecrazyadventures.

TheExtraYardbyMikeLupica:TeddyhasbeentrainingallsummerwithhisnewfriendsJackandGustomakethenewtravelfootballteaminWalton,butwhenhislong-absentdadcomesbacktotownandintohislifeheisfacedwithamuchbiggerchallenge.

PaxbySaraPennypacker:AfterbeingforcedtogiveuphispetfoxPax,ayoungboynamedPeterdecidestoleavehomeandgethisbestfriendback.

TheWildRobotbyPeterBrown:Roztherobotdiscoversthatsheisaloneonaremote,wildislandwithnomemoryofwheresheisfromorwhysheisthere,andheronlyhopeofsurvivalistotrytolearnabouthernewenvironmentfromtheisland'shostileinhabitants.

CircusMirandusbyCassieBeasley:Whenherealizesthathisgrandfather'sstoriesofanenchantedcircusaretrue,MicahTuttlesetsouttofindthemysteriousCircusMirandus.

BookedbyKwameAlexander:Family,love,andfriendship,takecenterstageas12-year-oldNicklearnsthepowerofwordsashewrestleswithproblemsathome,standsuptoabully,andtriestoimpressthegirlofhisdreams.

SpaceCaseStuartGibbs:"DashiellGibson,wholivesonMoonBaseAlpha,hastosolveamurderofoneofthemoon'smostprominentdoctors.

TheThingAboutJellyfishbyAliBenjamin:12-year-oldSuzySwansonwadesthroughherintensegriefoverthelossofherbestfriendbyinvestigatingtherarejellyfishsheisconvincedwasresponsibleforherfriend'sdeath.

TheNestbyKennethOppelbyJoanneRocklin:WhenwaspscometoSteveinadreamofferingtofixhissickbabybrother,hethinksallhehastodoissayyes.ButyesmaynotmeanwhatStevethinksitmeans.


Mrs.Salm’sTop18SummerReadingSuggestionsfor7-8

Non-FictionBooksfor7-8(IncludedBiographyandPoetry)

WeWillNotBeSilent:TheWhiteRoseStudentResistanceMovementThatDefiedAdolfHitlerbyRussellFreedman:ThetruestoryoftheWhiteRose,agroupofstudentsinNaziGermanywhowereactiveundercoveragentsoftheresistancemovementagainstHitlerandhisregime.

FirstFlightAroundtheWorldbyTimGrove:DocumentstheeffortsoffourAmericanplanestobethefirsttocircumnavigatetheglobebyflightin1924.

ThisSideofWildbyGaryPaulsen:TheNewberyHonor-winningauthorofHatchetandDogsongsharessurprisingtruestoriesabouthisrelationshipwithanimals,highlightingtheircompassion,intellect,intuition,andsenseofadventure.

VoiceofFreedom:FannieLouHamerbyCaroleBostonWeatherford:Acollage-illustratedcollectionoffreeformpoemsdescribingthelifeandworkofcivilrightsadvocateFannieLouHamer.

MostDangerous:DanielEllsbergandtheSecretHistoryoftheVietnamWarbyStevenSheinkin:ThestoryofDanielEllsbergandhisdecisiontostealandpublishsecretdocumentsaboutAmerica'sinvolvementintheVietnamWar.

TheStrangeWilderness:TheLifeandArtofJohnJamesAudubonbyNancyPlain:Abiographyofornithologist,naturalist,andpainterJohnJamesAudubon.

TheBoysWhoChallengedHitler:KnudPedersenandtheChurchillClubbyPhillipHoose:TellsthestoryofagroupofboyresistancefightersinDenmarkaftertheNaziinvasionduringWorldWarII.

HotPink:TheLife&FashionsofElsaSchiaparellibySusanGoldmanRubin:AlookatthelifeandcareeroffashiondesignerElsaSchiaparelli,HighlightsthefashionsforwhichshewasrenownedandherongoingrivalrywithCocoChanel.

Untamed:TheWildLifeofJaneGoodallbyAnitaSilvey


FictionSuggestedReadingforGrades7-8

SixofCrowsbyLeighBardugo:Sixdangerousoutcasts.Oneimpossibleheist.Kaz'screwistheonlythingthatmightstandbetweentheworldanddestruction--iftheydon'tkilleachotherfirst.

TheDarkestPartoftheForestbyHollyBlack:Anexcitingfantasyinvolvingfaeries,humansandshiftingloyaltiesandbetrayals

WolfbyWolfbyRyanGraudinTheyearis1956,andtheAxispowersoftheThirdReichandImperialJapanrule.TocommemoratetheirGreatVictory,theyhosttheAxisTour:anannualmotorcycleraceacrosstheircombinedcontinents.Theprize?AnaudiencewiththehighlyreclusiveAdolfHitlerattheVictor'sballinTokyo.

BeastkeeperbyCatEllison:RetellingofBeautyandtheBeastfairytale.

IlluminaebyAmieKaufman:TheplanetKerenzaisattacked,andKadyandEzrafindthemselvesonaspacefleetfleeingtheenemy,whiletheirship'sartificialintelligencesystemandadeadlyplaguemaybetheendofthemall.

ShadowshaperbyDanielJoseOdler:WhenthemuralspaintedonthewallsofherBrooklynneighborhoodstarttochangeinfrontofher,Sierrarealizesthatsomethingstrangeisgoingon--thenshediscoversherfamilyareshadowshapersandfindsherselfinabattlewithanevilanthropologistforthelivesofherfamilyandfriends.

TheHiredGirlbyLauraAmySchlitz:Historicalfictionnovelinwhichayounggirlyearnsforabetterlifeandafuturebeyondcleaning.

TheBoyintheBlackSuitbyJasonReynolds:Soonafterhismother'sdeath,MatttakesajobatafuneralhomeinhisBrooklynneighborhoodand,whileattendingandassistingwithfunerals,beginstoacceptherdeathandhisresponsibilitiesasaman.

GoodbyeStrangerbyRebeccaStead:AsBridgemakesherwaythroughseventhgradeonManhattan'sUpperWestSidewithherbestfriends,Em,crusaderTab,andacuriousnewfriend,shefindstheanswersshehasbeenseeking.