“Librarian of the Year” Recommend Summer Reading List of Elementary School Kids

This is Felicia! Summer is here and my girls will read quite a few books during their time off. This year, instead of doing the Name That Book list or the Barnes and Noble list, I asked the Assistant Principal at our school, who was awarded the Houston ISD “Librarian of the Year” a few years back, what she would recommend for my girls (5 and 7) this summer.

She generously composed this list for me, for which I have added a few notes.

1. The Tale of Despereaux– We have read it and like it enough to read the 200+ pages again. Either that, or reread The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.

2. James and the Giant Peach– If you have seen the movie, your kids will love the book!

3. Matilda – The librarian strongly urged that Roald Dahl “should be read and reread often”. I agree. We have almost all of his books. Currently, my older daughter is reading The Witches. Remember that movie as a kid?

4. Bud, Not Buddy – This book has won a Newberry Honor medal and it’s on the way to our house now!

5. Esperanza Rising – It’s written by a Mexican author, which I can appreciate since I am always struggling to infect with my children with our heritage and it has snagged a Pura Belpré Medal.

6. Pink and Say –It is short little book about the Civil War that invokes powerful feelings!

7. The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making –  The Librarian described this book as “a modern version Alice in Wonderland with amazing language”.

8.  May Bird – A creepy little series with an odd, misfit heroine. I cannot wait to dig into this series.

9.  Gregor the Overlander – An action and adventure series by the creator of “The Hunger Games”. The book flap boasts of giant rats and bats and it is about a boy who embarks on a dangerous journey to find his father. It’s also a series! YEY!

10. Princess Academy – I’m told that it is girly, but in a good way, and that it is very suspenseful.

11. The Fairy Tale Detectives:The Sisters Grimm – Another fun series for the list. I absolutely love any book with female heroines.

12. The Mysterious Benedict Society – I’ve seen this series before and have always wanted to read it.
The fact that the librarian put this on the list was all the push I needed to order them! The Amazon reviews point out that it is fun read and also about friendship.

13.  Septimus Heap: Magyk – She describes this as fun to read as the “Harry Potter” series, but a much easier read.

14.The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling – The School Journal Book describes this as Jane Eyre meets Lemony Snicket. FUN!

15.  Artemis Fowl – An exciting book with humorous moments. It’s part of a fairy series so my girls will be excited to check it out.

16.  The Grimm Legacy – A huge library full of fairy tale artifacts. What could be better?

17.  Chasing Vermeer – A great mystery novel involving art and unexplainable occurrences!

18.  The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy – An award winning book about sisters and summer time magic.

19.  Bliss – The librarian describes this book as “fun summer reading – magic and cooking all in one.”.

Well, that is our very ambitious summer reading list since many are over 200 pages! I hope to at least read a third of the books this summer and read the entire list with my girls by next summer!