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Cranston Public Schools: Elementary Summer Reading Suggestions 2024

Summer Reading Theme

 

 

 

Cranston Public Schools Summer Reading Suggestions

For Elementary Students

Presented by the Cranston Public School Libraries

in conjunction with The Cranston Public Library

 

Award Winners

2024 Kids Read Across RI 

The Lost Library   

by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass 

Kids Reading Across Rhode Island (KRARI), Rhode Island's One Book, One State community read program for kids, is offered by OLIS in partnership with the Rhode Island Center for the Book (RICB). The book is selected to appeal to kids in grades 4-6.

   RI Children’s Book Award

Every year Rhode Island students in grades 3-5 vote on a favorite book from a pre-selected list of twenty books.  Young readers will surely enjoy any past RICBA winner or current nominee.  Students who read three or more of the nominees will be eligible to vote for the next winner.  The 2025 Nominees list and past winners is available at this link or at the Cranston Public Library.

ALA Award Winners

Every year the American Library Association presents several awards for outstanding fiction and nonfiction books for young readers.  Any winner, past or present, is highly recommended.

 

 

 

Caldecott MedalThe Best Picture Books

Theodore Seuss Geisel AwardThe Best Early Readers

John Newbery MedalThe Best American Literature for Children

Coretta Scott King Award:  The Best African-American Book

Pura Belpré AwardThe Best Latino Author

Sibert Informational Medal: The Best Informational Book

ALA Notable BooksThe most notable books of the year.

Awesome Authors

Authors for the Primary Grades

From time-honored classics to current day sensations, books written by these authors entice children into the world of reading.  Books by these authors are perfect for family reading time.  

 

Social Emotional Learning

Stories that help children understand their social and emotional well-being.  

Todd Parr              Peter Reynolds          Susan Verde 

Picture Books

Stories that range from funny to heartfelt with outstanding illustrations for enjoyable family reading.  

Mac Barnett               Jan Brett                     Monica Brown

Peter Brown               Eve Bunting                Eric Carle

Lauren Child               Doreen Cronin           Tomie DePaola

Ame Dyckman            Lois Ehlert                  Ian Falconer

Denice Fleming           Kevin Henkes            Ezra Jack Keats

Grace Lin                    Leo Lionni                  Patricia McKissack

Robert Munsch           Jerry Pinkney             Christopher Raschka

Cynthia Rylant            David Shannon          Bob Shea

Chris Van Allsburg      David Wiesner           Mo Willems

 

Authors for the Intermediate Grades

From time-honored classics to current day sensations, books written by these authors entice children into the world of reading.

 

Realistic:  Authors that write about everyday experiences with friends and family.  

Judy Blume                   Andrew Clements            Audrey Couloumbis 

Sharon Creech             Jack Gantos                    Lisa Graff

Carl Hiaasen                 Kate Klise                       Kate Messner                   

Jerry Spinelli                 Eileen Spinelli                 Rebecca Stead               

Janet Tashjian               Jaqueline Woodson 

Fantasy: Authors that write stories with magical characters and mystical events. 

John Bellairs                 Holly Black                       Kate DiCamillo 

Gail Carson Levine       Rick Riordan                    Emily Rodda                    

Louis Sachar                 Tui Sutherland                 Debra Wiles

Historical:  Authors that write stories about events of the past. 

Avi                                Christopher Paul Curtis     Patricia Reilly Giff             

Pam Munoz Ryan        Deborah Wiles                   Rita-Williams-Garcia        

Mystery & Scary:  Authors that write stores that have a problem to solve; some are ghostly tales. 

William Alexander         Avi                                    Blue Balliett                       

Poetry:  Authors that write poetry for children about a variety of topics, funny to serious. 

Douglas Florian           Paul Janeczko                  Jack Prelutsky     

Shel Silverstien            Marilyn Singer 

Sports & Adventures:  Authors that write realistic and historic stories about sports and wild adventures. 

Tim Green                   Gordon Korman                 Mike Lupica 

Nonfiction

Nonfiction for the Primary Grades

Award winning nonfiction books are available at this link:  Sibert Informational Medal.

Books by these nonfiction authors provide excellent, kid-friendly readings of informational text:  

 

 

Biography Authors:  

Don Brown           Tracey Fern 

Science Authors: 

Jim Arnosky           Jason Chin         Maxwell Eaton 

Gail Gibbons          Steve Jenkins & Robin Page 

Nonfiction for the Intermediate Grades

Award winning nonfiction books are available at this link:  Sibert Informational Medal.

Books by these nonfiction authors provide excellent, kid-friendly readings of informational text:  

 

 

Series: 

Scientists in the Field

Who was...?  Who is...?  What was ...?  

Biography Authors:

Chris Barton                Jessie Hartland       Kathleen Krull

Doreen Rappaport      Diane Stanley

Science Authors: 

Nic Bishop                  Jason Chin             David Macauley

Seymour Simon

Social Studies Authors: 

Deborah Hopkinson   Megan McCarthy

Graphic Novels

Graphic Novel Series for the Primary Grades

Graphic novels combine text and pictures in a comic format to tell a story.  This genre offers appealing reading options to reluctant and advanced readers alike.

ALA Graphic Novel Recommended Reading List 

Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey

Babymouse by Jennifer L. Holm

Bean Dog and Nugget by Charise Mericle Harper

Benny & Penny by Geoffrey Hayes

Benjamin Bear by Philippe Coudray

Binky Adventures by Ashley Spires

The Flying Beaver Brothers by Maxwell Eaton III

Pet Shop Private Eye by Colleen A.F. Venable

     Squish by Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm

     El Touro and Friends by Raul the Third

Graphic Novel Series for the Intermediate Grades

Graphic novels combine text and pictures in a comic format to tell a story.  This genre offers appealing reading options to reluctant and advanced readers alike.

ALA Graphic Novel Recommended Reading List 

Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi

The Babysitters Club by Raina Telgemeier 

Bigfoot Boy by J. Torres

Bird & Squirrel by James Burks

Cleopatra in Space by Mike Maihack

Lunch Lady by Jarrett Krosoczka

Max and MidKnights by Lincoln Pierce

The Olympians by George O’Connor

Sardine in Outer Space by Emmanuel Guibert

      Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke   

Spectacular Series

Series for the Primary Grades

Reading multiple books in a series provides students with a sense of accomplishment and the momentum to read more.  The familiarity of characters and plot reinforces reading skills and comprehension.

 

Early Readers

Stories with text designed for emergent readers. 

Elephant and Piggie by Mo Willems

Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold

Fox and Chick by Sergio Ruzzier

Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel

Iris and Walter by Elissa Guest

King and Kayla by Dori Butler 

Minnie and Moo by Denys Cazet

My First Fox by Corey Tabor

Penny by Kevin Henkes

Beginning Chapter Books

Stories for independent readers organized by genre.  

Realistic:  Stories that relate to everyday experiences.  

Andy Shane by Jennifer Jacobson

Gooney Bird Greene by Lois Lowry

Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows

Owl Diaries by Rebecca Elliott

Ready, Freddy! by Abby Klein

Fantasy:  Stories with magical characters and mystical events. 

Dragon Masters by Tracey West

Unicorn Diaries by Rebecca Elliot 

Historical:  Stories that tell tales of the past. 

The Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne

Mystery:  Stories that involve problem solving.  

Cam Jansen by David Adler

Nate the Great by Marjorie Sharmat

Series for the Intermediate Grades

Reading multiple books in a series provides students with a sense of accomplishment and the momentum to read more.  The familiarity of characters and plot reinforces reading skills and comprehension.

 

Realistic: Stories that relate to everyday experiences with friends and family. 

Clementine by Sarah Pennypacker

Judy Moody or Stink by Megan McDonald

Just Grace by Charise Harper

Fantasy:  Stories with magical characters and mystical events. 

Goddess Girls and Heroes in Training by Joan Holub

The Sisters Grimm by Michael Buckley

The Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi

Spirit Animals by Various Authors

The Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins

Wings of Fire by Tui T. Sutherland

The Treehouse Series by Andy Griffiths

Historical:  Stories that imagine living in the past.  

Dear America by Various Authors

I Survived ... by Lauren Tarshis

My Name is America by Various Authors

Mystery:  Stories that involve problem solving.  

The 39 Clues by Various Authors

A – Z Mysteries by Ron Roy

Diamond Brothers Mysteries by Anthony Horowitz

N.E.R.D.S. by Michael Buckley

A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

More Reading Lists

Credits and Comments

All annotations courtesy of Follett. 

The statewide Rhode Island Summer Reading Program, is supported by the RI Office of Library and Information Services, with funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

The Rhode Island Children's Book Award titles are chosen by a statewide committee of teachers and librarians.  Please note that not all books are suitable for all readers; parents should assist in choosing appropriate content for their child.