2015 SUMMER READING LIST

GRADES 3-4

This year we asked our students in each classroom as well the Aspengrove School Library Exploratory class (consisting of students from Grade 5 to the end of the middle years program) to recommend their favourite books for our summer reading lists. The students in Grades 3 and 4 were passionate about their favorite books. A wonderful surprise among their first choices was the classic authors, particularly Roald Dahl.

FICTION

Abbot, Tony. When Monsters Escape (Book 2). From the Underworld series. Rescuing Dana from the Underworld after making a dangerous pact with Hades, Owen, John, and Sydney tackle mythological Cyclopes who have taken over the power plant in Owen's hometown with the intention of building a monster army. (Follett Book Summary)

DiCamillo, Kate. Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures. Rescuing a squirrel after an accident involving a vacuum cleaner, comic-reading cynic Flora Belle Buckman is astonished when the squirrel, Ulysses, demonstrates astonishing powers of strength and flight after being revived. (Follett Book Summary)

Ellis, Sarah. That Fatal Night: The Titanic Diary of Dorothy Wilton. Dear Canada Series. In the aftermath of the Titanic disaster, a young girl must come to terms with haunting memories from the voyage. It is May 1912, one month after the horrific sinking of the Titanic, and 12-year-old survivor Dorothy Wilton is sent home from school in disgrace when she strikes another student. Although she's expelled, her sympathetic teacher encourages Dorothy to write an account of her experience on the ship, with the hopes that it will help Dorothy come to terms with her trauma. (Follett Book Summary)

Gibson, Julia Mary. Copper Magic. The year is 1906, and 12-year-old Violet Blake unearths an ancient talisman--a copper hand--beside the stream where her mother used to harvest medicine. Violet's touch warms the copper hand and it begins to reveal glimpses of another time. Violet is certain that the copper hand is magic--and if anyone is in need of its powers, it's Violet. Her mother and adored baby brother are gone, perhaps never to return. Her heartbroken father can't seem to sustain the failing farm on the outskirts of Pigeon Harbor, on the shores of Lake Michigan. Surely the magic of the copper hand can make things right for Violet and restore her fractured family. (Follett Book Summary)

Kibuishi, Kazu (editor). Explorer: The Mystery Boxes. New Graphic Anthology from the creator of The Amulet. Funny, fantastic, spooky, and suspenseful, each of the seven unique graphic stories revolves around a central theme: mysteries, marvels, or mayhem inside. (Follett Book Summary)

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NON-FICTION

 

Jones, Charlotte. Mistakes That Worked. Popsicles, potato chips, Silly Putty, Velcro, and many other familiar things have fascinating stories behind them. In fact, dozens of products and everyday items had surprisingly haphazard beginnings. Mistakes That Worked offers forty of these unusual tales, along with hilarious cartoons and weird and amazing facts. Readers will be surprised and inspired! (Amazon Book Summary)

Scagell, Robin. Children’s Night Sky Atlas. Featuring up-to-the-minute discoveries and state-of-the-art space photography, an atlas illustrates all that science has revealed about constellations, the evolution of stars and galaxies, and the planets in the solar system. (Follett Book Summary)

Gifford, Clive. Cool Tech: Gadgets, Games, Robots, and the Digital World. How many times a day do you connect to the digital world? You text, tweet, stream songs, watch videos, and play games. But do you know how it all works? Leap inside to discover the technology behind the coolest gadgets and meet the people with the big ideas. Find out what robots are up to, how a video game is made, and how the internet affects your life. (Google Books Review)

Ross, Stewart. Moon. Provides a factual account of man's first historic walk on the moon while exploring the impact the moon has had on the human race throughout history in relation to science, art, and literature. (Follett Book Summary)

Time. Time For Kids Big Book Of How 501 Facts Kids Want to Know. This book answers the questions that kids commonly ask and adults can rarely answer. Why do we have eyebrows? What's a black hole and what happens if you fall into one? What's the fastest a human is capable of running? Why do wet fingers stick to metal in the freezer? Where is the deepest point on Earth? (Amazon Book Summary)

ASPENGROVESCHOOL STUDENTS’ CHOICE AND FAVOURITES

Dahl, Roald. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Each of five children lucky enough to discover an entry ticket into Mr. Willy Wonka's mysterious chocolate factory takes advantage of the situation in his own way. (Follett Book Summary)

Dahl, Roald. Matilda. Matilda applies her untapped mental powers to rid the school of the evil, child-hating headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, and restore her nice teacher, Miss Honey, to financial security. (Follett Book Description)

Dahl, Roald. The Twits. The misadventures of two terrible old people who enjoy playing nasty tricks and are finally outwitted by a family of monkeys.

   Hergé  (Rémi, Georges). The Adventures of Tintin. Tintin, the series of classic comic books created by the Belgian artist Georges Rémi--or Hergé, as he became better known. Translated into 80 languages, Tintin's adventures have taken him to the far reaches of the planet and into the void of space. From the snow-capped isolation of Tibet to the jungles of South America and beyond. He's a young Belgian reporter who is kind, brave, decent and dogged to the end when he has a mystery to grapple with. With his faithful Fox Terrier Snowy and eccentric roster of supporting characters--from the cantankerous but noble Captain Haddock to the incompetent detectives Thomson and Thompson--his escapades are timeless. Such is the strength of Hergé's vision, the warmth of his characters, and the wonder of his art and signature ligne claire style. (Biographies Reference Collections)

Horowitz, Anthony. Stormbreaker. (Alex Rider series) Ten years ago, Anthony Horowitz introduced the world to Alex Rider…. and now his debut mission is back in a special fully-loaded anniversary edition! Packed with bonus material--including a brand new Alex Rider short story, a letter from Anthony Horowitz, and much more! (Amazon Book Review)        

 Hunter, Erin. Midnight. (first book in the Warriors: The New Prophecy series) Darkness, air, water, and sky will come together . . . and shake the forest to its roots. All the signs point to young warrior Brambleclaw as the cat with the fate of the forest in his paws. But who are the other cats mentioned in the prophecy? (Amazon Book Review)

Kibuishi, Kazu. Amulet. Book One : The Stonekeeper. After chasing after the tentacled monster that kidnapped their mother, Emily and Navin find themselves in a magical but dangerous world of man-eating demons and shadowy enemies, where they must learn to control a powerful amulet given to them by their inventor grandfather. (Follett Book Description)

Kinney, Jeff. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Greg Heffley’s Journal. It’s a new school year, and Greg Heffley finds himself thrust into middle school, where undersized weaklings share the hallways with kids who are taller, meaner, and already shaving. The hazards of growing up before you’re ready are uniquely revealed through words and drawings as Greg records them in his diary. (Amazon Book Summary)

Milton, Stephanie. Minecraft. Beginner’s Handbook. You're alone in a mysterious new world, full of hidden dangers. You have only minutes to find food and shelter before darkness falls and the monsters come looking for you. What do you do? This book might just save your life. You can learn how to make a shelter, find resources, craft tools, armour and weapons, and protect yourself from monsters. With tips from Minecraft experts, as well as creator Notch himself, this is the definitive guide to how to survive your first few days in Minecraft. (Follett Book Summary)

Pierce, Lincoln. Big Nate Lives It Up. Principal Nichols wants Nate to be buddies with new kid Breckenridge Puffington III and show him around. But that's no easy task when Breckenridge is a plant-doodling total fun-sponge. There's also something strangely familiar about this guy… What in the world could it be? (Amazon Book Summary)

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. An adult edition of the hugely popular book. Find out how Harry discovers his true heritage at Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft, the reason behind his parents’ mysterious death, who is out to kill him, and how he uncovers the most fabled secret of all time. (Titlepeek Follett Book Summary)

Russel, Rachel Renee. Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-so-fabulous Life. Fourteen-year-old Nikki Maxwell writes in her diary of her struggle to be popular at her exclusive new private school, then of finding her place after she gives up on being part of the elite group. (Follett Book Description)

Tui, T. The Dragon Net Prophecy. (first book in the Wings of Fire series). The seven dragon tribes have been at war for generations, locked in an endless battle over an ancient, lost treasure. A secret movement called the Talons of Peace is determined to bring an end to the fighting, with the help of a prophecy—a foretelling that calls for great sacrifice. (Follett Book Descriptor)

 

Sewell, Anna. .Black Beauty. A horse in nineteenth-century England recounts his experiences with both good and bad masters. (Follett Book Description.) This book was recommended by a student who loves horses, who described it as follows: “Black Beauty by Anna Sewell (1820-1878) was one of my favourite stories when I was young, and it is still read and loved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stilton, Geronimo (Dami, Elisabetta). Following the Trail of Marco Polo. In this full-color graphic novel adventure, Geronimo has to face his worst enemies the pirate cats who have discovered a way to travel back in time and change history. Will Geronimo be able to put the kibosh on the cats’ mysterious plans?  (Follett Book Summary)

Stilton, Jeronimo (Dami, Elisabetta). The Quest for Paradise: The Return to the Kingdom of Fantasy. Invited by the Queen of the Fairies to return to her kingdom and help in the quest for the true heart of happiness, Geronimo soon finds himself on an adventurous journey riding on the wings of a rainbow-colored dragon through seven fantastic lands. (Follett Book Summary)

Wilson, Jaqueline. Lily Alone. Lily isn't home alone--but she sort of wishes she was; looking after her three younger siblings is a lot of responsibility. When Mum goes off on holiday with her new boyfriend and her stepdad fails to show up, Lily is determined to keep the family together and show they can cope without any grown-ups. (Titlepeek Summary-Follett)