GRADE 2 SUMMER READING LIST
Summer 2006

Grade 2 Summer Reading

Radio Rescue by Lynne Barasch Published 2000 by Frances Foster Books Hardcover, English. Find this book in our catalog Jacket Notes: In 1923, a young boy, itching to get involved in the new wireless radio craze, buys a secondhand receiver and earphones, and studies hard to learn Morse code so that he can pass the test to qualify as an amateur radio operator. Then one night he picks up a distress signal from Florida. Based on the author's father's experiences as a young ham operator in the 1920s. Readers can tap along with Morse code to follow in the pictures. Full-color illustrations.

Marven of the Great North Woods by Kathryn Lasky Published 1997 by Harcourt Children's Books Hardcover, English. Find this book in our catalog Jacket Notes: When the great influenza epidemic strikes Duluth, Minnesota, in 1918, Marven's parents know they must send their son far away to keep him safe from the disease. So the ten-year-old boards a train headed for a logging camp, not knowing if he will ever see his family again. In the great north woods, Marven finds a new world of towering trees, endless expanses of snow, and lumberjacks as big as grizzly bears. He feels very alone among the enormous woodsmen--until he meets Jean-Louis, the burliest jack of all, and they become fast friends.

The Pirate Meets the Queen by Matt Faulkner Published 2005 by Philomel Books Hardcover, English. Find this book in our catalog Jacket Notes: Although a woman, Granny O'Malley becomes the captain of her own pirate ship and plunders every English merchant ship that she can. But the Queen of England aims to put a stop to it. When she imprisons Granny's son, the pirate and the Queen come face to face. Full color.

Thunder Rose by Jerdine Nolen Published 2003 by Silver Whistle Books Hardcover, English. Find this book in our catalog Jacket Notes: This new tall tale introduces a powerful new African-American heroine: Thunder Rose, who drinks her milk straight from the cow and prefers the company of her bull, Tater, to any puppy or kitten. Full color.

Rumpelstiltskin's Daughter by Diane Stanley Published 1997 by HarperCollins Publishers Hardcover, English. Find this book in our catalog Jacket Notes: In Diane Stanley's witty retelling of the classic fairy tale, the miller's daughter married Rumpelstiltskin to escape the greedy king. Sixteen years later, their only daughter is trapped by the same cruel king. How she outwits the gold-bedazzled king and sets things to rights in a troubled kingdom while achieving a unique place for herself makes for a deliciously entertaining and timely tale. Full color.

The High-Rise Private Eyes #4: The Case of the Troublesome Turtle by Cynthia Rylant Published 2001 by Greenwillow Books Library Binding, English. Find this book in our catalog 07/01/2001 REVIEW: School Library Journal Gr 1-2-Bunny Brown, a rabbit, is attempting to paint a portrait of Jack Jones, a raccoon, when the owner of the toy store across the street enlists their help. Mr. Paris is troubled by the repeated theft of the balloons that he keeps tied outside his shop. Private eyes Bunny and Jack diligently follow the trail of clues, which leads them to a school football game. There they find the culprit and tie up loose ends so that everyone is happy and no one gets into trouble. This is a fast-moving introduction to the mystery genre. Emerging readers will be interested in how Bunny and Jack find, interpret, and follow up on clues. They will also get a chuckle from the solution. Karas's acrylic, gouache, and pencil illustrations have a simple, angular quality that suits the book's urban setting. Visible pencil strokes show movement, capturing Bunny's and Jack's exuberant personalities and the plot's swift pace. These characters are not as sweet or as endearing as Rylant's Mr. Putter and Tabby, Henry and Mudge, or Poppleton, but the story is driven more by plot than characters and is a good choice for libraries with a big demand for mysteries.-Devon Gallagher, Grace Day School, Massapequa, NY

The Chameleon Wore Chartreuse: A Chet Gecko Mystery by Bruce Hale Published 2000 by Harcourt Children's Books Hardcover, English. Find this book in our catalog Jacket Notes: Meet Chet Gecko-intrepid private eye, smart-aleck fourth grader, and star of a hilarious new mystery series. Chet Gecko loves a mystery. Almost more than he loves his fee--stinkbug pie. So when fellow fourth grader Shirley Chameleon asks him to find her missing brother, Chet expects the case to be as easy as pie. Illustrations.

The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright Published 2002 by Henry Holt & Company Hardcover, English. Find this book in our catalog Jacket Notes: The Melendys live with their father, who is a writer, and Cuffy, their beloved housekeeper. Enright's Melendy Quartet captures the lively adventures of a family as they move from the city to the country. Illustrations.

The Sweetwater Run: The Story of Buffalo Bill Cody and the Pony Express by Andrew Glass Published 1996 by Doubleday Books for Young Readers Hardcover, English. Find this book in our catalog REVIEW: Publisher's Weekly 10/07/1996 As he did in Folks Call Me Appleseed Johnny, Glass adopts a full-bodied conversational first-person voice, instantly allying readers with a legendary historical figure. The tale opens in 1860, when 13-year-old Cody, helping to support his widowed mother and his sisters, spies an ad for Pony Express riders and jumps at the chance to earn 25 dollars a week. Too young to snare a job as rider, Will becomes a stablehand, caring for exhausted ponies and preparing fresh mounts for the mail carriers. But Cody gets his big break when he is tapped to sub for two injured riders, and he gallops westward with a mailbag containing top-secret information: the results of the Presidential election that brought Abraham Lincoln to Washington. While this dramatic episode is the focus of Glass's informal biographical sketch, the author also briefly refers to Cody's adult achievements, which included running the world-famous Wild West Show. An informative concluding note fills in details of the short-lived Pony Express and Cody's diverse experiences. Featuring broad, abundantly textured strokes, Glass's dynamic oil paintings suggest the tale's energetic movement and Cody's fierce determination, also portraying the rugged, expansive terrain of a West that was wild. Ages 6-10. (Oct.)

The Titanic: Lost and Found by Judy Donnelly Published 1987 by Random House Books for Young Readers Paperback, English. Find this book in our catalog Jacket Notes: "Exciting nonfiction books for kids just beyond the beginner stage can be hard to come by, and the story of the sinking of the "Titanic" and its subsequent rediscovery will be the ticket for both hard-to-please young 'real stuff' buffs and older reluctant readers."--"School Library Journal." Full color.

How to Talk to Your Dog by Jean Craighead George Published 2000 by HarperCollins Publishers Library Binding, English. Find this book in our catalog   02/01/2000 REVIEW: School Library Journal Gr 2-5-An easy-to-read, conversational, humorous, and informative guide that will help young dog owners communicate with their pets. (However, the author warns, "it is not very rewarding to bark at your dog. He doesn't understand your bad accent, and may twist his head and look at you in confusion.") The illustrations depict George interacting with various cartoon canines whose expressive and varied postures, faces, and actions are irresistible in a Jules Feifferesque way. They begin with a demonstration of how to get the dog's attention and show who's the boss. (George is shown on all fours, "tail" in air, nose-to-nose with a yellow mixed-breed in the same posture.) The book then explains tail talk, facial expressions, sniffing behaviors, eye language, and sounds. The author's affectionate understanding of dogs is very apparent, and makes this book one that can be read just for pleasure by any dog lover, as well as for information by any child curious as to what certain actions may mean-or how to stop a dog from doing them. The final picture of George sitting on a park bench with dogs on and around her-goofy dogs, adoring dogs, stolid dogs, sleepy dogs-is a perfect portrayal of good communication.-Marian Drabkin, Richmond Public Library, CA

The Grapes of Math by Greg Tang Published 2001 by Scholastic Press Hardcover, English. Find this book in our catalog Jacket Notes: This innovative book challenges children and their parents to open their minds and solve problems by looking for patterns, symmetries, and familiar number combinations displayed within eye-catching pictures. Full color.

A Pizza the Size of the Sun by Jack Prelutsky Published 1996 by Greenwillow Books Library Binding, English. Find this book in our catalog Jacket Notes: From the creators of the outrageously popular The New Kid on the Block and Something Big Has Been Here comes yet another wondrously rich, varied, clever--and always funny--collection of poems destined to become favorites. B&W illustrations.

George Washington's Teeth by Deborah Chandra Published 2003 by Farrar Straus Giroux Hardcover, English. Find this book in our catalog Jacket Notes: From battling toothaches while fighting the British, to having rotten teeth removed by his dentists, readers get a tongue-in-cheek dental history of the Father of His Country, who suffered all his life with tooth problems.

The Librarian Who Measured the Earth by Kathryn Lasky Published 1994 by Little Brown and Company Hardcover, English. Find this book in our catalog Jacket Notes: Lasky pens this colorfully illustrated biography of the Greek philosopher and scientist Eratosthenes, who compiled the first geography book and accurately measured the globe's circumference.

So You Want to Be an Explorer? by Judith St George Published 2005 by Philomel Books Hardcover, English. Find this book in our catalog Jacket Notes: This newest installment in the series that began with the Caldecott Medal-winning "So You Want to Be President?" looks at some of the world's most renowned--and some not so well-known--explorers. Full color.