Students Entering Grade 5
Summer Reading List
Tornado by Betsy Byars A tornado appears in the distance, and Pete, the farmhand, gathers everyone into the storm cellar. While they wait for the storm to pass,he tells the family about the dog dropped down by a tornado when Pete was a boy. Named Tornado, Pete′s pet was no ordinary dog -- he played card tricks, saved a turtle′s life, and had a rivalry with the family cat. By the time Pete tells all of Tornado′s lively stories, the storm has passed, and another family has been entertained by this very special dog.
The Homework Machineby Dan Gutman
Meet the D Squad, a foursome of fifth graders at the Grand CanyonSchool made up of a geek, a class clown, a teacher's pet, and a slacker. They are bound together by one very big secret: the homework machine. Because the machine, code-named Belch, is doing their homework for them, they start spending a lot of time together, attracting a lot of attention. And attention is exactly what you don't want when you are keeping a secret. Before long, things start to get out of control, and Belch becomes much more powerful than they ever imagined. Now the kids are in a race against their own creation, and the loser could end up in jail...or worse!
A Week in the Woodsby Andrew Clements
Mark Chelmsley (the fourth) appears to be a spoiled rich kid with a bad attitude, or at least that is what the students and teachers believe at HardyElementary School. It takes Mark some time, but eventually he realizes that his new school, the students and the teachers aren’t so bad. As Mark finds an interest in camping, he slowly changes his attitude. This story is about testing one’s character, learning about the kind of person you are and deciding about the kind of person you want to be.
The Boy Who Saved Baseball by John H. Ritter
Tom Gallagher is in a tight spot. The fate of the Dillontown team rests on theoutcome of one baseball game, winner take all. If Tom's team loses, they lose their field too. But how can they possibly win? Just when everything seems hopeless, a mysterious boy named Cruz de la Cruz rides into town and claims to know the secret of hitting. Not to mention the secrets of Dante Del Gato, Dillontown's greatest hitter ever. Since he walked away from the game years ago, Del Gato hasn't spoken a word to anyone. But now he might be Tom's only hope for saving his hometown.
A Tale of Despereaux by Katie DiCamillo
Welcome to the story of Despereaux Tilling, a mouse who is in love with music, stories, and a princess named Pea. It is also the story of a rat called Roscuro, who lives in the darkness and covets a world filled with light. And it is the story of Miggery Sow, a slow-witted serving girl who harbors a simple, impossible wish. These three characters are about to embark on a journey that will lead them down into a horrible dungeon, up into a glittering castle, and, ultimately, into each other's lives.
2013