Summer Reading:

It’s a Page Turner

By Anna Hodge

 It has been said that reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. For the students of Newtown, whether in elementary school, high school or in-between, reading lists have been compiled to suit any reading level. Programs have also been created to ensure that this summer students will not only exercise their bodies, but exercise their minds as well.

Although summer reading lists are offered, not every child will necessarily follow the suggestions and choose a book off of the list.

C.H. Booth Librarian Alana Bennison says that when it comes to summer reading lists, “There are lots of lists out there, but I think the best recommendation is that children should read what they like.”

The summer reading program offered at the C.H. Booth Library allows kids to read whatever genre suits them, but still “encourages children to read every day throughout the summer,” Ms Bennison said.

While many schools in the Newtown school district have required summer reading books, the librarians at Reed Intermediate School tend to shy away from them.

“We don’t believe one size fits all, especially since we have a wide range of reading skills and interests,” said librarian Virginia Snowden.

Instead, the school offers a summer reading program, already consisting of 220 kids, according to Ms Snowden, which begins July 1 and ends July 31 in the Reed Intermediate School Library. For those who are interested though, a list is offered, which includes Nutmeg Award Books.

Unlike Reed, however, Newtown High School and Newtown Middle School both have summer reading lists that are used to help guide students toward choosing the right book. The following are just a few books that are on the schools’ summer reading logs.

 

Newtown High School

 Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer

After the author is assigned to write an article about climbing Mount Everest for a magazine, he unknowingly joins the most disastrous Mount Everest expedition in history. Readers will learn about the March 1996 expedition through a firsthand account that ended with the deaths of eight climbers.

Waitingby Ha Jin

A novel about a Chinese army doctor who is struggling with the fact that he is in an arranged marriage, yet he is in love with another woman and must wait 18 years for a divorce.

One True Thing by Anna Quindlen

When a daughter comes home to take care of her mother who is afflicted with cancer, both women learn about each other, the choices they have made, and themselves.

White Teeth by Zadie Smith

This novel details the friendship and bond formed between two soldiers in the trenches of World War II, that lasts through the transformation of society after the war, and the decades that follow.

The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

A bold and moving memoir about a young girl is growing up in a dysfunctional household who is able to find the ability to overcome the struggles and triumph against all odds.

 

Newtown Middle School

Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements

After waking up and finding himself to be invisible, 15-year-old Bobby must try to find a way to reverse his condition along with the help of his parents and his new friend, Alicia.

Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson

When three teenage girls are brought together to pick peaches in an orchard in Georgia, they create a bond that is made through meeting boys, finding their true identity, and learning to accept each other’s different backgrounds.

Once Upon A Marigold by Jean Ferris

After a young man who is living in a cave falls in love with a princess by spying on her through a telescope, he decides that he must embark on a journey to finally meet her. However, what will happen when he discovers a scheme to take over the kingdom and bump the princess out of her throne?

Soldier’s Heart by Gary Paulsen

Once an eager 15-year-old ready to enlist in the army, Charley has a change of heart and mind when he experiences the physical and mental hardships of the Civil War.

Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinesella

A farmer in the heart of Iowa makes a baseball stadium in his cornfield with hopes that his baseball hero, Shoeless Joe Jackson, will one day play in it. This novel was made into the 1989 movie Field of Dreams.

 

Reed Intermediate School

The following is suggested reading from Reed Intermediate School library/media specialist Virginia Snowden. The school does not compile a required summer reading list for students, but, instead, holds a summer program open from July 1 through July 31 for student readers.

Lemonade Wars by Jacqueline Davies

After his sister Jessie skips the third grade and ends up in his fourth grade class, Evan wants to determine which sibling is smarter. To do so, Evan challenges his sister to a lemonade war, where they will see who can run the best lemonade stand over a five-day period.

Swindle by Gordon Korman

After a collector cheats Griffin Bing, the “man with a plan,” out of a valuable baseball card, Griffin enlists his group of friends to help to try to get the card back, in an adventure that involves high tech security and even a frozen turkey.

The Thing About George by Lisa Graff

Georgie is a 42-inch dwarf who is leading a not-so-wonderful life. He struggles with his everyday life and as the story unfolds, readers will wonder, “What else can go wrong for this character?”

No Talking by Andrew Clements

When the loud mouthed fifth grade boys at Laketon Elementary Schools challenge the equally noisy girls to a “no talking contest,” some interesting things take place.

One-handed Catch by MJ Auch

When a sixth grader loses his hand in an accident, he must find a way to cope with his disability and try to succeed in sports.

Ms Bennison’s Personal Favorites For Grades K–5

Abuela by Arthur Dorros

A picture book about a girl who is riding a bus with her grandmother, and begins to image that the bus is being carried into the sky, and over New York City.

Amber Brown by Paula Danziger

A series of books about an impressionable young girl who will leave a lasting impression even after the story has been finished.

 Rules by Cynthia Lord

After spending years trying to teach her autistic brother certain rules, 12-year-old Catherine just wants to have a normal life. But in the summer, she meets two impressionable people who make her ask herself, “What is normal?”

Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan

Esperanza Ortega is the girl who has everything in her small town in Mexico. After tragedy strikes, however, Esperanza and her mother must move to California where she learns many valuable lessons.

Thunder From the Sea by Joan Hiatt Harlow

After finally finding a dog, 13-year-old Tom Campbell feels that nothing bad can happen to him. Just as all seems well, however, Tom learns that his Newfoundland’s owner may have been found. Will Tom be forced to give up his dog?