Entering Fourth Grade Summer Reading

Entering Fourth Grade Summer Reading Why is summer reading so important for children? Research shows that reading aloud to young children assists with building phonemic awareness and in developing early literacy skills. Research shows summer reading helps students maintain and further reading fluency and comprehension skills during the months school is not in session. Frequent reading exposes children to new concepts and ideas, increases background knowledge, and builds vocabulary; leading to greater reading comprehension. In this digital era, what can parents do to encourage more reading? Although formats for enjoying great literature change—whether bound or downloaded— great literature opens minds, inspires the imagination, allows diversion, and perpetuates a lifelong thirst for knowledge. What’s more, for a child’s active and developing brain, research shows summer reading reduces skill loss and increases readiness for the entering school year. A greatly paired and interest based book read in a quiet spot will balance out a young learner’s time with technology. What goals are appropriate to set for my child’s dedicated summer reading? Your child’s individual reading goals should be developmentally appropriate. However, it is recommended for students of all grade levels to read or be read to at least 15 minutes each day. What are grade equivalencies? How do I select a book matched to my child’s individual needs? A grade level equivalency indicates a book’s difficulty based on the equivalent grade level. For example, 4.0 would indicate a book’s grade level of readability and/or difficulty is that of beginning 4th grade year. 4.5 would indicate 4th grade mid-year, and so forth. Grade level equivalencies are noted next to the books listed below so that you can select books that are a close match to your child’s reading ability and skills. Selecting books that are just right assist in promoting a reader’s success and overall reading enjoyment.

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Summer Reading Rising fourth graders are to select at least two books from the list below to read this summer. During the first week of school, students will be required to take an online, multiple choice test on one of those books. They may decide the book on which they will be tested. Happy Reading! Fantasy and Science Fiction              

Always October by Bruce Coville, 4.5 Spaceheadz by Jon Scieszka, 3.3 The BFG by Roald Dahl, 5.8 Earthling! by Mark Fearling, 4.5 Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine, 5.1 The Fire Within by Chris D’Lacey, 5.3 Igraine the Brave by Cornelia Funke, 5.7 Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher by Bruce Coville, 5.9 The Magician’s Boy by Susan Cooper, 4.2 The Sasquatch Escape (Imaginary Veterinary Book #1) by Suzanne Selfors, 3.5 Magyk by Angie Sage, 4.8 The Secret of Platform 13 by Eva Ibbotson, 5.6 The Water Horse by Dick King-Smith, 5.2 The Book of Story Beginnings by Kristin Kiadstrup, 4.4

Realistic Lunch Money by Andrew Clements, 5.0 Bobby vs. Girls (Accidentally) by Lisa Yee, 3.7 Chocolate Fever by Robert Kimmel Smith, 4.8 Moving Day by Meg Cabot, 5.5 Ungifted by Gordon Korman, 4.7 Melonhead by Katy Kelly, 3.5 Ellie McDoodle: Best Friends Fur-Ever by Ruth McNally Barshaw , 3.3  Top Secret by John Reynolds Gardiner, 4.5       

Sports     

Snowboard Maverick by Matt Christopher, 4.1 Baseball Fever by Johanna Hurwitz, 5.1 Athlete vs Mathlete by W.C. Mack, 3.4 Baseball Flyhawk by Matt Christopher, 3.9 Coach Hyatt is a Riot by Dan Gutman, 3.1

Adventure    

Holes by Louis Sachar, 5.0 Shipwreck (Island Book #1) by Gordon Korman, 4.1 Paint the Wind by Pam Munoz Ryan, 4.5 Swindle by Gordon, 4.4

Historical Fiction Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder, 4.4 Little House on Rocky Ridge by Roger MacBride, 4.9 Mummies in the Morning by Mary Pope Osborne, 3.5 Meet Molly by Valerie Tripp, 4.2 Changes for Molly by Valerie Tripp, 4.1 Crossing the Starlight Bridge by A. Mead, 5.5 Pedro’s Journal by Pam Conrad, 5.8 Edison Mystery, Back in Time with Thomas Edison by Dan Gutman, 5.1  Duke by Kirby Larson, 3.2  Shipwreck by Gordon Korman, 4.1        

Mystery    

Ghost of Fossil Glen by Cynthia DeFlice, 5.1 The Trouble with Chickens by Doreen Cronin, 3.3 Chasing the Falconers by Gordon Korman, 3.7 Missing on Superstition Mountain by Elise Broach, 3.5

Popular Series           

The 39 Clues series (various authors), 3.0-6.0 Bunnicula series by Deborah & James Howe, 4.9 Capital Mysteries series by Ron Roy, 3.0-4.5 The Comeback Kids series by Mike Lupica, 5.0-6.5 Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary, 4.1 A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snickett. 5.0 The Sisters Grimm by Michael Buckley, 4.5 The Spiderwick Chronicles series by Tony DiTerlizzi, 4.0 Time Warp Trio by Jon Scieszka, 2.0-3.5 My Weird School by Dan Gutman, 3.3 Who Was/Is series (various authors), 2.9-5.7

Non Fiction/Informational/Biography  The Animal Book by Steve Jenkins, 5.3  Animals Up Close by Igor Siwanowicz , 5.9  Knucklehead: Tall Tales and Almost True Stories of Grow-

ing Up Scieszka by Jon Scieszka, 4.6  Look Up! Bird Watching in Your Own Backyard

by Annette LeBlanc Cate, 5.3  Seabiscuit the Wonder Horse by Meghan McCarthy, 2.6  El Chino by Allen Say, 4.9  Brown Angels: An Album of Pictures and Verse by Walter

Dean Myers, 4.8  Great Migration by Jacob Lawrence, 5.0

Happy reading and happy summer! page 2 of 2