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There are many opportunities
for parents and young children to enjoy unforgettable books together. Before
entering each grade, a Brookview Elementary student should read (or hear, for
the younger students) at least three of the books listed for that grade. If
substitutions are needed, parents should try other titles by the recommended
authors. This list is just a suggested list. You may wish to check your
local Jacksonville Public Library for books on
this list.
Duval County's Suggest Summer Reading List: Kindergarten through 2nd Grades ~ 3rd through 5th grades (Word Documents)
Ideas to help you Read with your Child (PDF)
Quick Find: Kindergarten 1st Grade 2nd Grade 3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade

Aylesworth: Naughty
Little Monkeys c2003 alphabet
books
Twenty-six monkeys get into mischief when their parents go out for the evening
in this rhyming alphabet book.

Bang: When
Sophie Gets Angry - Really, Really Angry... c1999 character
Sophie expresses her anger when she must surrender a toy to her sister.

Crews: The
Neighborhood Mother Goose c2004 nursery
rhymes, diversity
This collection of nursery rhymes features the familiar and unfamiliar, all
set in the city.

DePaola: Stagestruck c2005 school
story
When Tommy is disappointed that he doesn’t land the lead in the
kindergarten play, he tries to steal the show anyway.

Drachman: A
Frog Thing c2005 humor
Frank the frog learns self-acceptance.

Ehlert: Pie
in the Sky c2004 family
fiction
As a father and his child view the cherry tree in their back yard, they
refer to it as a pie tree. Includes a recipe.

Ehlert: Mole’s
Hill: A Woodland Tale c1994 folklore
In this Native American folk tale, Mole looks for a way to save her
underground home when Fox tells her she has to move.

Ernst: The
Gingerbread Girl c2006 fairy
tale
The gingerbread girl outsmarts that doggone fox and triumphs.

Kimmel: The
Gingerbread Man c1993 fairy
tale
This familiar fairy tale features a gingerbread man who runs away from the
woman who bakes him and meets other animals along the way, including a clever
fox.

Penn:The Kissing Hand c1993 family
story
Chester Raccoon is afraid to attend kindergarten until his mother shows him
a special way to take her love along.




Pfister: Rainbow
Fish stories animal
stories
The most beautiful fish in the ocean with the shimmering silver scales discovers
the beauty of sharing.

Prelutsky: Read-Aloud
Rhymes for the Very Young c1986 poetry
This collection of 200 short poems is designed for young children and includes
illustrations that correlate with the poems.

Shannon: David
Goes to School c1999 humor
David's school behavior needs to be improved.

Sierra: Counting
Crocodiles c1997 counting,
rhyming
A monkey outsmarts ten crocodiles that stand between her and a banana tree by
using her ability to count.

Sierra: Wild
About Books c2004 animals,
humor
A librarian accidentally drives her bookmobile to the zoo and subsequently reads
a Dr. Seuss book to the animals.

Taback: Joseph
Had a Little Overcoat c1999 diversity
Joseph starts out with an overcoat and ends with a button.

Thompson: Little
Quack c2003 animal
story
Mama Duck encourages her four ducklings to leave the nest. The youngest and
smallest, Little Quack, proves to be the most reluctant.

Williams: ‘More
More More’ said the Baby: 3 Love Stories c1990 family
fiction
Father, Mother and Grandmother playfully and lovingly toss three babies in the
air.

Wood: Alphabet
Adventure c2001 alphabet
book
The letters of the alphabet join the search to help "i" find her dot in order to
continue their journey in this colorful alphabet book.

Wood:The Napping House c1984 sleep,
fiction
While a number of creatures sleep, a flea causes a commotion among them with
just one bite.

Asher: Too
Many Frogs c2005 animals,
humor
Each night Froggie interrupts Rabbit's cozy home for a read-aloud story.

Bailey: Stanley’s
Party c2003 dogs,
humor
When a dog’s owners leave for the evening, he gets into a lot of mischief.

Bloom: A
Splendid Friend Indeed c2005 friendship
A polar bear and a goose learn to get along and be friends.

Brett: Goldilocks
and the Three Bears c1987 fairy
tale
This favorite fairy tale features a young girl who enters the home of three
bears who are not at home.

Bruel: Bad
Kitty c2005 alphabet
book
Finding that there is no food in the house, a kitty chooses to be very bad.

Carle: Mister
Seahorse c2004 animals,
fiction
Mrs. Seahorse lays her eggs, after which Mr. Seahorse carries the eggs through
the sea, greeting other fish fathers.

Cronin: Dooby,
Dooby, Moo c2004animal
humor
Duck organizes the farm animals for a talent show at the county fair. The first
prize is a trampoline.

Cronin: Diary
of a Fly c2005 insect,
humor
While keeping a diary, the young fly records how hard it is to be an insect.

Fleming: The
First Day of Winter c2005 counting,
rhyming, diversity
In the first ten days of winter a child brings a snowman to life in a style similar
to The Twelve Days of Christmas.

Hoffman: Amazing
Grace c1991 ethnic
diversity
Grace is told by a fellow classmate that she can’t play Peter Pan in the school
play because of her black skin color, but she learns she can do anything she
tries to do.

Lester: Hooway
for Wodney Wat c1999 fantasy,
abilities awareness
Students in Rodney’s class make fun of him, because he can’t pronounce his name
properly; but it is his speech problem that helps to punish the class bully.

McKinley: One
Smile c2002 kindness
While walking through the park with her mother, a child smiles at a discouraged
stranger and sets off a chain of events that spreads kindness and comes full
circle.

Numeroff: Beatrice
Doesn't Want To c2004 realistic
fiction, humor
Beatrice Doesn't Like to Read, but a librarian changes her attitude during a
story session in this humorous, well illustrated book.

Prelutsky: Me
I Am c2007 poetry
A book of poem for children celebrating being an individual.

Rathmann: Officer Buckle
and Gloria c1995 safety,
fiction
When Officer Buckle delivers safety speeches at a local elementary school, the
students don’t listen until his police dog Gloria accompanies him.

Scotton: Russell
the Sheep c2005 animals,
fiction
Russell experiments with many different ways to fall asleep.

Seuss: The
Cat in the Hat c1957 classic
On a rainy day, two children are visited by a cat who shows them games and
tricks.

Shannon: A
Bad Case of Stripes c1998 individuality,
fiction
A girl who is always concerned about what others think of her wakes up one day
to discover she is covered with stripes.

Silverman: Cowgirl
Kate and Cocoa: School Days c2007
(series chapter book) fiction
Kate wants to go to school, but her horse wants to go too!

Cannon: Crickwing c2000 insects,
fiction
Crickwing the cockroach saves the day for the leaf-cutter ants when their forest
enemies attack them.

Crews: Below c2006 fiction
When Jack drops his action figure into a mysterious hole, he has to devise a
rescue.

Ernst: Sylvia
Jean, Drama Queen c2005 fantasy
animals, humor
Although Sylvia Jean owns plenty of costumes, she struggles to come up with a
costume for the big party.

Hoberman: You
Read to Me, I’ll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read Together c2001 rhyming
stories
This collection of short, rhythmic stories and cheerful art is designed to be
read out loud by both child and adult.

James: Dear
Mr. Blueberry c1991 letter
writing
A teacher and his young student correspond with each other concerning an
imaginary whale in the little girl’s pond.




Lobel: Frog
and Toad stories classics
Each of the frog and toad stories include several short tales about two very
good friends.


Mayer: Little
Critter stories fantasy,
animals
Little Critter is a small creature who is amazingly like a young human boy. His
adventures take place with different members of his family who expose him to
daily life experiences.

McKissack: Flossie
and the Fox c1986 folklore,
ethnic diversity
In this African American folk tale, a fox who is known for stealing eggs
encounters a young girl who continues to deny that he is a fox without a lot of
proof.

McKissack: The
Honest-to-Goodness Truth c2000 character,
ethnic diversity
A young girl promises not to ever lie but then discovers that there are times
that one actually should not tell the entire truth.

McNaughton: Once
Upon an Ordinary School Day c2004 school
story
Mr. Gee, the new teacher, changes "ordinary" when he challenges all the children
to use their imaginations.

Numeroff: If
You Give a Mouse a Cookie and
sequels c1985 cumulative
tales
When a mouse requests a cookie, a cycle of events occurs that brings the reader
full circle.

Pallotta: Dory
Story c2000 sea
story, fiction
Danny's ocean adventures are completely enchanting, even if they take place in
the bathtub.




Parish: Amelia
Bedelia stories classics, fiction
Amelia Bedelia, who is a housekeeper, is very literal minded when others give
her directions; the results are hilarious.

Pearson: Ordinary
Mary’s Extraordinary Deed c2002 kindness,
fiction
When young Mary secretly leaves berries on a lady’s porch, the kindness is
multiplied many times over by others.

Peterson: Don't
Forget Winona c2004 historical
fiction
In the 1930s during the days of the dust bowl in Oklahoma and the Great
Depression, a young girl tells about her family’s experiences on Route 66
heading toward California.

Polacco: Aunt
Chip and the Triple Creek Dam Affair c1996 TV,
reading, fiction
Since the invasion of television, no one can remember how to read.




Rylant: Henry
and Mudge stories family,
dogs, humor
A young boy named Henry and his dog Mudge share many adventures with Henry’s
parents and other important people in his life.

Schachner: Skippyjon
Jones c2003 humor
This Siamese kitten spends his "time-out" imagining himself as "El-Skippito" who
comes to the rescue of some Chihuahuas.

Stevens: And
the Dish Ran Away With the Spoon c2001 nursery
rhymes
From the Mother Goose nursery rhyme, Dish and Spoon run away. Concerned about
the fate of the rhyme, Cat, Cow and Dog set out to find them.

Waber: The House On East
88th Street c1962 crocodiles,
classic
When Lyle the Crocodile appears in the bathtub of the Primm family, the family
is very upset; but Lyle soon wins their hearts.
Woodson: The
Other Side c2001 friendship,
ethnic diversity
A fence divides a town where two girls - one white and one black - sit and
gradually become acquainted.

Banks: Max's
Words c2006 fiction
Max wants to start a collection since his brothers collect coins and stamps. Max
decides to collect words and discovers the importance of how words are put
together to create stories.

Bridges: Ruby’s
Wish c2002 historical
fiction, ethnic diversity
During the 1800s in China, when few girls learn to read and write, Ruby
fervently desires to attend university with all the males in her family.

Bunting: One
Green Apple c2006 historical
fiction, ethnic diversity
Farah is new to the U.S. and her class. She feels alone until she goes on a
field trip and realizes things are alike everywhere.

Christelow: Where’s
the Big Bad Wolf c2002 folk
and fairy tale
Every time the three pigs get in trouble the big bad wolf is nowhere to be
found.

Cox: Butterfly
Buddies c2001 friendship,
school story
In this transition to chapter book story, two students working together on a
project study the metamorphosis of a caterpillar to a butterfly and learn how
important it is to feel accepted.
Curtis: The
Bat Boy and His Violin c1998 sports,
music, ethnic diversity
Reginald loves to play his violin, but Papa wants him to be outdoors more and
enlists him as the bat boy for the baseball team Papa manages. Reginald plays
his violin in the dugout, and the team improves.

Demi: One
Grain of Rice: A Mathematical Folktale c1997 folklore,
math
A clever village girl outsmarts a selfish raja as one grain of rice doubles each
day and becomes millions of grains of rice.

DiCamillo: Mercy
Watson to the Rescue c2005 animal,
fantasy, humor
Cute little pig Mercy is happy until the lights turn off at night, and she
decides to join her owners in their bed.

Goble: The
Girl Who Loved Wild Horses c1978 folklore,
ethnic diversity
In this folk tale, a Native-American girl prefers to live with the wild horses
with which she feels happy and free, even though she loves her people.

Grindley: Dear
Max c2004 fiction
Max begins writing letters to his favorite author, D. J. Lucas. Together they
share the problems of being a 9-year-old who is being bullied and a famous
author who is having trouble with her next book.

Holm: Babymouse c2005 graphic
fiction, friendship, imagination
A little mouse with a big imagination learns about true friendship and
popularity.

Johnson: Just
Like Josh Gibson c2007 sports
fiction, historical fiction
A grandmother recounts the story of the day she was allowed to play in a
baseball game, even though she was a girl.

Kerrin: Martin
Bridge: Ready for Takeoff! c2005 fiction
Martin means well, but his ideas don’t always turn out as expected. In three
stand-alone chapters, Martin deals with issues at home and school.

Pinkney: The
Ugly Duckling c1999 fairy
tale
This adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen classic portrays an unhappy year
for an ugly duckling who eventually grows up and transforms into a beautiful
swan.




Preller: Jigsaw
Jones series mystery
Jigsaw Jones and his friend Mila put together pieces of information to solve
various mysteries.



Stilton: The
Geronimo Stilton series mice,
fantasy, mystery
Geronimo Stilton is a mouse newspaper editor and journalist who travels the
world to chase important interviews but winds up in the middle of adventures
that involve solving intriguing mysteries.

Tunnell: Mailing
May c1997 historical
fiction
Five-year-old May wishes to visit her grandmother, but the train is too
expensive. May's father and cousin concoct a clever means of sending the child
after all.

Warner: Only
Emma c2005 fiction
Emma’s mother loses her job, so Emma becomes the new kid in the school and
neighborhood. An only child, Emma’s life changes when a four year old comes for
a visit.
Willey: Clever
Beatrice c2001 folklore
In this folk tale, a clever young girl matches her wits against a rich giant and
wins all his gold, saving her family from poverty.

Wyeth: Something
Beautiful c2002 fiction
A young girl finds just how many different forms beauty can take when she
searches her urban neighborhood.

Birney: The
World According to Humphrey c2005 fiction,
humor
Humphrey, a classroom hamster, surveys his surroundings and finds ways to help
the children in the class.

Birney: The
Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs c2005 fiction
Set in 1923, a 12 year old boy is inspired to find wonders in his small town
after reading about the Seven Wonders of the World.

Clements: Lunch
Money c1994 school,
humor
Hart is a popular boy who sometimes "goofs off". When he hits the music teacher
with a rubber band, he is put in charge of the holiday concert. Both Hart and
his teacher learn lessons.

Curtis: Mr.
Chickee's Funny Money c2005 mystery,
ethnic diversity
Is the quadrillion dollar bill with a picture of soul singer James Brown that
Steven Carter receives as a gift from his elderly blind neighbor real money?
Steven, his friend Russell, and Russell's dog Zoopy decide to investigate.

Duffey: Hey,
New Kid! c1996 school
story
Jeremy worries about attending a new school, but he decides to make the best of
it by reinventing himself in order to impress other students in his class.

Feelings: Soul
Looks Back in Wonder c1993 poetry,
ethnic diversity
Thirteen African American poets celebrate their heritage in their words and
colorful illustrations created by Tom Feelings.

Fleming: The
Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary School c2007 fiction,
school
Mr. Jupiter becomes the 4th grade teacher of an unruly class with surprising
results.

Grimes: Talkin'
About Bessie c2002 biography,
ethnic diversity
How Bessie Coleman became the first African-American woman to become a licensed
pilot as told by her family and friends.




Gutman: My
Weird School series school,
humor
A fun series of books about school life that appeal to reluctant readers.

Howe: It
Came From Beneath the Bed c2002 humor,
fantasy
Uncle Harold, who wrote books about Bunnicula, helps Howie, his dachshund nephew
to write a story in which he saves the world from a science experiment gone
wrong.

Hurwitz: Fourth Grade
Fuss c2004 school
story
Julio and his friends enjoy their fourth grade activities - the yard sale, ice
skating, and a surprise party; but the students get serious when they have to
study for end-of-the-year statewide tests.

Kehret: Shelter
Dogs: Amazing Stories of Adopted Strays c1999 animals,
non-fiction
Tells the story of 8 dogs who were saved from the animal shelter and went on to
better lives.

MacDonald: No
More Nasty c2001 humor,
school story
An unruly fifth grade class receives a new perspective on learning from a
substitute teacher who just happens to be Simon’s Great Aunt Matilda.

McDonald: Judy
Moody c2000 humor,
school story
On the first day of school, third grader Judy snaps out of her bad mood when she
receives an assignment to create a collage all about herself.

Noble: The
Last Brother (Tales of
Young America series) c2006 historical
fiction
Gabe becomes a bugler in the Civil War to protect his only surviving brother.

Pennypacker: Clementine c2006 fiction,
series
Clementine is a funny, energetic, third grader with a talent for getting in
trouble and a heart of gold.




Roy: A to Z
Mysteries series,
mystery stories
Elementary schoolers Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose work together to solve mysteries.

San Souci: The
Dangerous Snake and Reptile Club c2004 friendship,
fiction
Brothers Bobby, Danny, and Mike decide to display the treasures they find on
vacation and start a club with their friends.

Strickland: When
Mack Came Back c2000 family,
historical fiction
During World War II in rural Georgia, Maury’s older brother Ben enlists in the
army, leaving Maury to care for Ben’s injured puppy and deal with their angry
father.




Various authors: My
America series historical
fiction
These fiction stories are written in diary format and depict everyday children
living during various time in American history.

Collins: Gregor
the Overlander c2003 fantasy
fiction
Gregor and his two-year sister fall down a shaft in the basement and find a
world of giant insects and rats. They become part of a huge battle.

DiCamillo: The
Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane c2006 fantasy
Edward Tulane is a selfish, thoughtless toy rabbit until he loses the little
girl who loves him.

Foreman: Summer
of the Skunks c2002 historical
fiction
Ten-year-old Jill lives with her family on a southern farm in the late 1940s.

Gorman: Dork
in Disguise c1999 school
story
When highly intelligent Jerry moves to a new town, he sets out to change his
image from “dork” to “cool.”




Gutman: Baseball
Card Adventure sports,
historical fiction
A series of books where Joe travels back in time and meets famous players.
Hannigan: Ida
B: --and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the
World c2004 realistic
fiction, school story
Happy fourth grader Ida, who is home-schooled, enjoys playing in her family's
apple orchard, until her mother is diagnosed with breast cancer and the
financially strapped family must sell part of the orchard and enroll Ida in
public school.

Hunter: Into
the Wild c2003 animal
fiction
Four clans of wild cats share a forest. One clan decides to change “hunting
rites” and their peace is challenged

Lasky: The
Capture (Guardians
of Ga'Hoole series) c2003 fantasy
Soren, a barn owl, is knocked from his nest by his older brother and taken to
St. Aggie's, a school for orphaned owls. He befriends Gylfie, an elf owl, and
the two set out to save all owls from the perils of the school.



Martin: Main
Street series realistic
fiction
A series about two young girls orphaned when their parents die in a car
accident. They go to live with their grandmother in Camden Falls, Mass., a small
town filled with a variety of characters.

Norman: My
Feet Are Laughing c2006 poetry
16 poems told by a young girl about her Harlem neighborhood.

Peck: A
Year Down Yonder c2000 humor,
historical fiction
In 1937, during the Great Depression, Mary Alice lives with her very unusual
grandmother in rural Illinois.

Seidler: Toes c2004 animals,
fiction
Ridiculed because of his seven toes on each paw, this kitten runs away and finds
a struggling musician who needs him.

Smith: Bone c2004 graphic
novel
Three cousins leave their home of Boneville. On their journey they meet royalty,
dragons, and monsters as they try to return home.

Soto: Baseball
in April and Other Stories c1990 ethnic
diversity
These short stories focus on young Hispanics growing up in California.



Strasser: Help!
series fantasy, humor
Jake Sherman switches bodies with various people and creatures, including his
gym teacher, principal, the family dog and even the first day of summer camp!

Stewart: The
Mysterious Benedict Society c2007 fiction,
adventure
Four children are secretly spies as students in the Learning Institute for the
Enlightened. They have to avoid being brainwashed by Mr. Curtain, one of the
owners of the school. This is a mystery you will be eager to see unfold.

Wright: The
Wish Master c2000 realistic
fiction
Corby and his mother travel to Wisconsin for the summer to take care of his sick
grandmother; then, he meets a local boy who takes him to the Wish Master.




Various authors: Dear
America series historical
fiction




Skurzynski: Mysteries
in Our National Parks series mystery,
adventure
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