Packer Collegiate Institute Summer 2014

2014 Summer Reading List Incoming

Third Grade

The Lemonade War* By Jacqueline Davies Evan and his younger sister, Jesse, react very differently to the news that they will be in the same class for fourth grade and as the end of summer approaches, they battle it out through lemonade stands, each trying to be the first to earn 100 dollars. The Year of Billy Miller By Kevin Henkes Seven-year-old Billy Miller starts second grade with a bump on his head and a lot of worries, but by the end of the year he has developed good relationships with his teacher, his little sister, and his parents and learned many important lessons.

Chapter Books The Blue Ghost* By Joan Bauer During a visit to her grandmother’s log cabin in the woods, Liz comes in contact with a ghost from her family’s past, and finds herself transported back in time to help her. The World According to Humphrey* By Betty G. Birney Humphrey, pet hamster at Longfellow School, learns that he has an important role to play in helping his classmates and teacher.

* Look for more books in the series

Packer Collegiate Institute

Packer Collegiate Institute Incoming Third Grade, Summer 2014

Bunnicula* By James Howe Harold the dog and Chester the cat try to uncover the truth about the newest pet in their household: a mysterious-looking bunny with suspicious habits and fangs. Zapato Power: Freddie Ramos Takes Off* By Jacqueline Jules Freddie finds a mysterious package outside his apartment containing sneakers that allow him to run faster than a train, and inspire him to perform heroic deeds. Guinea Dog* By Patrick Jennings When his mother brings home a guinea pig instead of the dog he has always wanted, fifth-grader Rufus is not happy--until the rodent starts acting exactly like a dog. Dragon in the Sock Drawer* By Kate Klimo Cousins Jesse and Daisy are amazed when they discover that Jesse’s mysterious “thunder egg” is a genuine dragon egg. Before long, the children realize that the dragon egg is about to hatch and they find themselves on a fantastic adventure. Super Burp* By Nancy Krulik Always known as the class clown, George Brown is determined to make a fresh start at his new school. But when George realizes that he has a magic burp that grants wishes, the possibilities for mischief are too tempting to resist.

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things* By Lenore Look At home with his family, Alvin is a chatterbox, but at school he is so shy that he never says a word. But with a little inspiration from the superheroes he loves, and his family’s long line of brave Chinese farmer-warriors, Alvin begins to conquer his fears. White Fur Flying By Patricia MacLachlan A sad and silent nine-year-old boy finds his voice when he moves next to a family that rescues dogs. Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made* By Stephan Pastis Meet Timmy Failure, the founder, president, and CEO of the best detective agency in town, probably the nation. And his lazy sidekick, Total, a 1,500-pound polar bear. Clementine* By Sara Pennypacker Eight-year-old Clementine is having “not so good a week.” It starts when she’s sent to the principal’s office for cutting her friend Margaret’s hair. It gets worse when Margaret stops speaking to her. Clementine tries to help her father keep the pigeons away from the front of their apartment building and repair her fractured friendship, doing it all in her unique Clementine style. The Houdini Box By Brian Selznick A chance encounter with Harry Houdini leaves a small boy in possession of a mysterious box--one that might hold the secrets to the greatest magic tricks ever performed.

Chapter Books Continued

When their usual hang-out (the local basketball court) is vandalized, Ziggy and his friends decide to build a clubhouse in Ziggy’s backyard. But when they uncover a pile of buried bones, the friends find themselves in the midst of a mystery.

Look for more books in the Clubhouse Mysteries

The Buried Bones Mystery By Sharon Draper

* Look for more books in the series

Packer Collegiate Institute Incoming Third Grade, Summer 2014

Chapter Books Continued

Chocolate Fever

By Robert Kimmel Smith Henry Green really, really loves chocolate. He eats it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He eats chocolate cake, chocolate candy, chocolate milk, chocolate ice cream, and any other form of chocolate he can find. Then, on what seems like a normal day, Henry begins to feel very strange. Before long he realizes he is coming down with a bad case of a brand new illness: Chocolate Fever!

Stella Batts Needs a New Name* By Courtney Sheinmel When a classmate makes fun of her name, eight-year-old Stella picks a new one for herself, but discovers that the name she abandoned suits her just fine.

Look for other books in the Stella Batts series

The Great Cake Mystery: Precious Ramotswe's Very First Case* By Alexander McCall Smith Before becoming the first female private investigator in Botswana, eight-year-old Precious Ramotswe tracks down a thief who has been stealing her classmates' snacks. Frankly, Frannie* By A.J. Stern Frannie Miller, who cannot wait to grow up and work in an office with a swivel chair and her own assistant, causes havoc when she tries to help out while on a school field trip to the local radio station. Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie* By Julie Sternberg When nine-year-old Eleanor's beloved babysitter Bibi moves away to care for her ailing father, Eleanor must spend the summer adjusting to a new babysitter while mourning the loss of her old one. Dragonbreath* By Ursula Vernon Danny Dragonbreath and his friend Wendell get an up-close underwater tour of the Sargasso Sea from Danny's sea-serpent cousin, encountering giant squid and mako sharks--and learn about standing up to bullies in the process. Stick Dog* By Tom Watson Stick Dog and his four friends - Stripes, Mutt, Poo-Poo and Karen - will do anything to steal some sweet-smelling hamburgers from a family at Picasso Park!

* Look for more books in the series

Packer Collegiate Institute Incoming Third Grade, Summer 2014

* Look for more books in the series

Books to Read Together The Penderwicks*

By Jeanne Birdsall Four sisters spend a memorable summer vacation with their father in the Berkshires. Their adventures bring them in contact with a very interesting boy, some rabbits, and a lot of fresh air. Matilda By Roald Dahl The classic story of a special girl with amazing gifts. Matilda’s self-absorbed parents and cruel principal don’t understand her. But with support from her teacher, Matilda uses her mental powers to bring a little justice to an often unjust world. Because of Winn Dixie By Kate Di Camillo Ten-year-old India’s first summer in Florida takes a turn for the better when she finds a big, loveable, lug of a dog at the local supermarket.

Obi, Gerbil on the Loose* By M.C. Delany Obi’s family goes on vacation and forgets to tell the pet sitter about the gerbil. To survive, Obi must escape her cage and face many dangers. Can Obi be as brave as her namesake, Jedi knight, Obi-Wan Kenobi? The Last of the Really Great Wangdoodles By Julie Edwards An eccentric professor takes three siblings on a fantastic quest to another world. Their goal is to locate the last surviving Wangdoodle, an exotic and magical creature. Half Magic* By Edgar Eager Four children find a magic coin that grants half-wishes. By double-wishing they conjure up some amazing adventures for themselves.

The Doll People* By Ann M. Martin A family of traditional porcelain dolls is amazed and horrified when a family of rebellious, new, plastic dolls moves into their home. The Invention of Hugo Cabret By Brian Selznick This Newberry Award Winning book combines pictures and words to tell the amazing story of a boy secretly living in a train station in Paris in 1933. Lucky: Maris, Mantle, and my Best Summer Ever By Wes Tooke Louis spends the summer of 1961 as a batboy for the NY Yankees. He gets to know some of the greats, learns a lot about baseball, and even more about coping with life.