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!
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