Swing into Summer Reading

Dear Parents,

We invite your child to participate in the Bear Branch Summer Reading Program. We believe that summer reading is an integral part of our program at Bear Branch. Reading during the summer should increase your child’s enjoyment of reading and enhance his/her reading skills. The attached list has been carefully developed to help your child prepare for the next grade level.

All children who turn in a completed reading record will be invited to a special summer readingcelebration in the fall and will have their picture placed on a special bulletin board displayed in the library. Children in grades 1-5 will be allowed to check out an extra book each time they visit the library next year.

You can find books at the Kingwood or Atascocita Public Libraries, or local bookstores. Your child may count the same books for other summer reading clubs as well as the Bear Branch program (i.e. Barnes and Noble, Harris County, Astros reading).

Please work with your child on book selection. Reading capabilities of children on the same grade level vary widely. We want your child to be challenged without being frustrated. If the books on the list are too difficult or too easy, or if you are unable to locate books on the list, make selections that you feel are appropriate for your child.

The attached reading record should be filled out completely and turned in during the first week of school in September. Also, please snap a picture of your child readingand send that in for the bulletin board too.

Happy Reading!

Ms. Summer and the

Bear Branch Teaching Staff

S

Entering 3rd, 4th, 5th Grade Swing into Summer Reading Summer 2016

Read 8 fiction or nonfiction books: Please encourage your child to read some of each type.

Suggestions for fiction:

Harry Potter books Magic Treehouse Series

Unfortunate Events books Judy Moody Series / Stink

Dear America books Judy Blume books: Fudge/ Superfudge

Rick Riordan books Gary Paulsen: Hatchet

Hardy Boys mysteries Bailey School Kids Series

Nancy Drew mysteries Calvin Coconut series by

Matt Christopher sports series Carl Haissen books: HOOT, SCAT, FLUSH

Amber Brown series by Paula Danziger Andrew Clements books: Frindle

Animorphs Mary Downing Hahn (Ghost Stories)

Beverly Cleary books: Animal Ark books

Hank the Cowdog books by John Erickson Meg Cabot ~ for girls

C. S. Lewis books Mike Lupica ~ for boys

Warriors series by Erin Hunter

Hank Zipzer series by Henry Winkler

The Boxcar Children mysteries

Bill Wallace books: animal stories

WaysideSchool stories by Louis Sachar

Joan Lowry Nixon books

Junie B. Jones books by Barbara Park

Nate the Great mysteries by Marjorie Sharmat

Horrible Harry series by Suzy Kline

Nonfiction topics:

MachinesWeatherHuman BodyRiversRocks

PlantsEnergy Lights PlanetsAnimals

Ecology Sound Space Continents

Read one biography. We suggest 3rd –Inventors, 4th-Famous Texan, 5th Famous American

Read one poetry book.

Read one mystery book.

Read one 2016-2017 Texas Bluebonnet book this list is available at

Entering 3rd, 4th, or 5th Swing into Summer Reading Summer 2016

Name:______Grade:_____ Teacher:______

Parent’s Signature:______

Author Title

Fiction or Nonfiction books: Please read some of both types!!

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Biography: (3rd-Inventor, 4th -Famous Texan, 5th-Famous American)

1.

Poetry:

1.

Mystery book:

1.

Texas Bluebonnet book 2016-2017:

1.

What was your favorite book? Why?

What was your least favorite book? Why?

I have read every book listed on this sheet.

Student’s Signature:______

* Return this completed reading record with a picture of you reading to the Bear Branch library during the first week of school.

Entering 1st Grade Swing into Summer Reading @ BBE Summer 2016

Read 10 fiction books. (Parents may read aloud to children who cannot read alone.)

Picture Book Suggestions:

Corduroy books by Don Freeman

Clifford books by Norman Bridwell

Fly Guy books by Tedd Arnold

Scaredy Squirrel books by Melanie Watts

Llama, Llama books

Jan Brett books

Rosemary Wells books

Lois Ehlert books

Fancy Nancy books by Nancy O’Connor

Miss Nelson books by Harry Allard

Eric Carle books

Tomie DePaola books

Leo Lionni books

Mo Willems books: Knuffle Bunny or Pigeon books

George and Martha books by James Marshall

Curious George books by Margaret or H. A. Rey

Dr. Seuss books

Audrey Wood books

Suggestions for Beginning Readers:

Early I Can Read books

Frog and Toad books by Arnold Lobel

Amelia Bedelia books

Stan and Jan Berenstain books

P. D. Eastman books

Theo LeSieg books

Henry & Mudge

Katie Woo

Read 2 Caldecott Award winner or honors books.

The Caldecott Medal is given each year to the best illustrated children’s book. Winners include: A Sick Day for Amos McGee, My Friend Rabbit, Owl Moon, and Officer Buckle and Gloria, Knuffle Bunny, Kitten’s First Full Moon, Interrupting Chicken. A complete list is available at

Read 2 nonfiction books.

The following subjects are suggested.

Plants The Five Senses Animals Sound

Light Stars Earth Seasons

Insects Dinosaurs The Human Body Weather

Sun Space Robots Continents

Entering 1st Grade Swing into Summer Reading @ BBE Summer 2016

Name______Grade:____ Teacher:______

Parent’s Signature:______

Fiction books: Author Title______

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Read 2 Caldecott Award winners or honor books. (Best illustrations)

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2 Nonfiction books:

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2.

What was your favorite book?

What was your least favorite book?

I have read every book listed on this sheet.

Student’s Signature______

*Return this completed reading record with a picture of you reading to the Bear Branch library during the first week of school.

Entering 2nd Grade Swing into SummerReading @ BBE Summer 2016

Read 10 fiction books.

Fiction suggestions:

Author: Title:

Marc Brown………Arthur books

Peggy Parish……………………Amelia Bedelia books

Bernard Wiseman……..Morris and Boris series

Edith Thacher Hurd ……..I Can Read books

James Marshall………..George and Martha series

Marjorie Shamart………Mitchell is Moving, Nate the Great series

Arnold Lobel…….Frog and Toad series

Sid Hoff ………any titles

Miriam Cohen…….. any titles

Crosby Bonsall……… I Can Read Mysteries

Barbara Park…….Junie B. Jones series

Ron Roy……..A to Z Mysteries

Joanna Cole…….. Magic School Bus series

Debbie Dadley…….. Bailey School Kids series

Judy Delton……..Pee Wee Scouts series

American Girl series Flat Stanley

Magic Treehouse Series

(Any other easy readers are fine.)

Read 2 Caldecott Award winner or honors books.

The Caldecott Medal is given each year to the best illustrated children’s book. Winners include: A Sick Day for Amos McGee, My Friend Rabbit, Owl Moon, and Officer Buckle and Gloria, Knuffle Bunny, Kitten’s First Full Moon, Interrupting Chicken. A complete list is available at

Read 2 nonfiction books.

The following subjects are suggested:

PlantsAnimals Continents Dinosaurs

LightSoundHeartMuscles

MachinesWeatherSunBrain

SkeletonsGerms Fossils Electricity

EyesAirBonesPlanets

Entering 2nd Grade Swing into Summer Reading @ BBE Summer 2016

Name______Grade:____ Teacher:______

Parent’s Signature:______

Fiction books: Author Title

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10.

Read 2 Caldecott Award winners or honor books.

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2.

Read 2 nonfiction books:

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2.

What was your favorite book?

What was your least favorite book?

I have read every book listed on this sheet.

Student’s Signature______

*Return this completed reading record with a picture of you reading to the Bear Branch library during the first week school.