Summer Reading (Grades K-2)

It's not easy for duck parents to find a safe place to raise their ducklings, but during a rest stop in Boston's Public Garden, Mr. and Mrs. Mallard think they just might have found the perfect spot. When Mrs. Mallard and her eight ducklings are stuck at a busy street in downtown Boston, their policeman friend Michael rushes in to stop traffic and make way for them.
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“La la la . . . la.” A little girl stands alone and sings, but hears no response. Gathering her courage and her curiosity, she skips farther out into the world, singing away to the trees and the pond and the reeds — but no song comes back to her. Day passes into night, and the girl dares to venture into the darkness toward the light of the moon, becoming more insistent in her singing, climbing as high as she can, but still there is silence in return. Dejected, she falls asleep on the ground, only to be awakened by an amazing sound. . . . She has been heard. At last. With the simplest of narratives and the near absence of words, Kate DiCamillo conveys a lonely child’s yearning for someone who understands. With a subtle palette and captivating expressiveness, Jaime Kim brings to life an endearing character and a transcendent landscape that invite readers along on an emotionally satisfying journey.
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Award-winning author-illustrator Katherine Roy's How to Be an Elephant delves into the intricate family dynamics at play in a typical African herd. Drawing upon the latest scientific research and Roy's own expedition to Kenya, and brimming with lush watercolor illustrations and detailed diagrams, this book vividly portrays the life and development of an elephant from an uncertain newborn into a majestic adult. As informative as it is beautiful, Roy's unique portrait of an elephant's life will captivate young explorers and animal lovers alike.
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Ruben feels like he is the only kid without a bike. His friend Sergio reminds him that his birthday is coming, but Ruben knows that the kinds of birthday gifts he and Sergio receive are not the same. After all, when Ruben’s mom sends him to Sonny’s corner store for groceries, sometimes she doesn’t have enough money for everything on the list. So when Ruben sees a dollar bill fall out of someone’s purse, he picks it up and puts it in his pocket. But when he gets home, he discovers it’s not one dollar or even five or ten—it’s a hundred-dollar bill, more than enough for a new bike just like Sergio’s! But what about the crossed-off groceries? And what about the woman who lost her money? Presenting a relatable story told with subtlety and heart, the creative team behind Those Shoes pairs up again for a satisfying new picture book.
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A Caldecott Honor winner, The Garden of Abdul Gasazi charms readers with its engaging storyline and brilliant pencil drawings. The adventure begins when Alan loses Fritz, the dog he is sitting for. Fritz wanders into a garden owned by a former magician. Alan hopelessly looks for Fritz and to his dismay thinks that the dog has been turned into a duck by the old magician.
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When life gives them a problem to solve, Peg and Cat make lemonade — and get a lesson in bartering — in a refreshing new math adventure.
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When a tiny fish shoots into view wearing a round blue topper (which happens to fit him perfectly), trouble could be following close behind. So it’s a good thing that enormous fish won’t wake up. And even if he does, it’s not like he’ll ever know what happened. . . . Visual humor swims to the fore as the best-selling Jon Klassen follows his breakout debut with another deadpan-funny tale.
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If You Give a Mouse a Cookie is a wonderful tale of a boy who tries to meet the demands of a very needy mouse. Young readers will come away smiling at the mischief in this delightful picture book.
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Katie is an ordinary third-grader -- except for one very extraordinary problem! She accidentally wished on a shooting star to be anyone but herself, and what Katie soon learns is that wishes really do come true -- and in the strangest ways.
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This book teaches the numbers one through ten in Swahili as well as various aspects of east African culture. Your students will enjoy the rich pictures and information presented.
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This touching picture book is about a little boy and the heroes he loves to pretend to be - Big Frank the firefighter, Officer Dave the policeman, Dan the construction worker. He loves to rescue people at sea, help the sick, and put out fires. What the little tough guy doesn't have time for is hugging his mom - until she convinces him that even heroes hug their moms.
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