GRADE 4 SUMMER READING LIST
Summer 2006

Grade 4 Summer Reading

A House Called Awful End: Book One in the Eddie Dickens Trilogy by Philip Ardagh Published 2002 by Henry Holt & Company Hardcover, English. Find this book in our catalog Jacket Notes: When both Eddie Dickens' parents catch a disease that makes them turn yellow, it's agreed he should go and stay with relatives at their house, Awful End. This hilarious historical spoof, the first in the Eddie Dickens trilogy, has been called "a scrumptious cross between Dickens and Monty Python." Illustrations.

The Fighting Ground by Avi Published 1984 by HarperCollins Publishers Library Binding, English. Find this book in our catalog Jacket Notes: "At thirteen, Jonathan dreams of fighting in the American Revolution. Almost by accident, he is recruited into a fighting unit and experiences the reality of war, including being taken prisoner and coming to grips with his feelings about shooting to kill".--School Library Journal. 1984 ALA Notable Children's Book; NCSS/CBC Notable 1984 Children's Trade Book in Social Studies; 1984 ALA Best Books for Young Adults.

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall Published 2005 by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers Hardcover, English. Find this book in our catalog Jacket Notes: This summer the Penderwick sisters have a wonderful surprise: a holiday on the grounds of a beautiful estate called Arundel. Soon they are busy discovering the summertime magic of Arundel's sprawling gardens, treasure-filled attic, tame rabbits, and the cook who makes the best gingerbread in Massachusetts. But the best discovery of all is Jeffrey Tifton, son of Arundel's owner, who quickly proves to be the perfect companion for their adventures. The icy-hearted Mrs. Tifton is not as pleased with the Penderwicks as Jeffrey is, though, and warns the new friends to stay out of trouble. Which, of course, they will--won't they? One thing's for sure: it will be a summer the Penderwicks will never forget. Deliciously nostalgic and quaintly witty, this is a story as breezy and carefree as a summer day.

The Legend of Spud Murphy by Eoin Colfer Published 2004 by Hyperion Books Hardcover, English. Find this book in our catalog Jacket Notes: The bestselling author of the Artemis Fowl series introduces a brilliant new chapter book series for younger readers. Acclaimed cartoonist McCoy lends his wickedly funny illustrations to take readers on an unforgettable trip through the world of a "kindly" librarian with a secret.

Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis Published 1999 by Delacorte Press Hardcover, English. Find this book in our catalog Jacket Notes: It's 1936, in Flint, Michigan. Times may be hard, and ten-year-old Bud may be a motherless boy on the run, but Bud's got a few things going for him: 1. He has his own suitcase filled with his own important, secret things. 2. He's the author of Bud Caldwell's Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself. 3. His momma never told him who his father was, but she left a clue: flyers of Herman E. Calloway and his famous band, the Dusky Devastators of the Depression!!!!!! Bud's got an idea that those flyers will lead him to his father. Once he decides to hit the road and find this mystery man, nothing can stop him--not hunger, not fear, not vampires, not even Herman E. Calloway himself. Bud, Not Buddy is full of laugh-out-loud humor and wonderful characters, hitting the high notes of jazz and sounding the deeper tones of the Great Depression. Once again Christopher Paul Curtis, author of the award-winning novel The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963, takes readers on a heartwarming and unforgettable journey.

Hoot by Carl Hiaasen Published 2002 by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers Library Binding, English. Find this book in our catalog Jacket Notes: Unfortunately, Roy's first acquaintance in Florida is Dana Matherson, a well-known bully. Then again, if Dana hadn't been sinking his thumbs into Roy's temples and mashing his face against the school-bus window, Roy might never have spotted the running boy. And the running boy is intriguing: he was running away from the school bus, carried no books, and-here's the odd part-wore no shoes. Sensing a mystery, Roy sets himself on the boy's trail. The chase introduces him to potty-trained alligators, a fake-fart champion, some burrowing owls, a renegade eco-avenger, and several extremely poisonous snakes with unnaturally sparkling tails.

Babymouse Our Hero by Jennifer L. Holm Published 2005 by Random House Books for Young Readers Paperback, English. Find this book in our catalog Jacket Notes: For Babymouse, school is a constant battle between good (Babymouse), evil (Felicia Furrpaws), and more evil (gym class!). Can things get any worse? Yup. Because it's time for the annual dodgeball tournament. What's a mouse to do? Don't miss the excitement in "Babymouse: Our Hero"!

The Pepins and Their Problems by Polly Horvath Published 2004 by Farrar Straus Giroux Hardcover, English. Find this book in our catalog Jacket Notes: Whether it's waking up to find toads in their shoes, becoming trapped on the roof, or searching for cheese when their cow makes only lemonade, the Pepin family always seems to get into the most bizarre scrapes. Illustrations.

Regarding the Fountain: A Tale, in Letters, of Liars and Leaks by Kate Klise Published 1998 by HarperCollins Publishers Hardcover, English. Find this book in our catalog Jacket Notes: The hilarious chronicle, in letters, cards, transcripts, and other documents, of the nefarious doings in the town of Dry Creek, as collected by Mr. Sam N.'s fifth-grade class. A highly original work of middle-grade fiction that's a visual and verbal delight on every page, from the cast of characters to a variety of subplots.

Stay!: Keeper's Story by Lois Lowry Published 1997 by Walter Lorraine Books Hardcover, English. Find this book in our catalog Jacket Notes: Born between a fence and a set of trash cans, a lowly stray dog is abandoned at an early age by his mother and separated from his siblings. His journey out of puppyhood is a story of perseverance in a world of danger and unexpected opportunity.

I Was a Rat! by Philip Pullman Published 2000 by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers Hardcover, English. Find this book in our catalog Jacket Notes: "I was a rat!" So insists a scruffy boy named Roger. Maybe it's true. But what is he now? A terrifying monster running wild in the sewers? The Daily Scourge newspaper is sure of it. A lucrative fairground freak? He is to Mr. Tapscrew. A championship wriggler and a budding thief? That's the hope of Billy and his gang. A victim of "Rodent Delusion"? So says the hospital doctor. Or just an ordinary small boy, though a little ratty in his habits? Only three people believe this version of the story. And it may take a royal intervention--and a bit of magic--to convince the rest of the world. . . . Set against the backdrop of a royal wedding--with a pertinent parody of the press--here's Philip Pullman's youngest, funniest novel to date: a magical weaving of humor, fairy tale, and adventure.

Under the Blood Red Sun by Graham Salisbury Published 1994 by Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers Hardcover, English. Find this book in our catalog Jacket Notes: REVIEW: Publisher's Weekly 10/31/1994 Salisbury (Blue Skin of the Sea) again invokes a Hawaiian setting for this novel, which chronicles the trials of a Japanese American boy and his immigrant family in 1941. Tomi's fisherman father and housekeeper mother work hard to support Tomi, his younger sister and grandfather in their cramped servants' house. While he embraces everything about being American, including a passion for baseball, Tomi struggles to find some middle ground between his modern life and the nationalism and traditional values his parents and Grandpa try to impart. But as WWII intensifies and Pearl Harbor is bombed, Tomi's family faces racism, violence and hardship at every turn. Tomi's father and grandfather are taken away and incarcerated, leaving Tomi to worry if he can perform honorably as man of the house. Salisbury skillfully describes Tomi's emotional highs and lows, and has a particular knack for realistically portraying the camaraderie and dialogue between boyhood chums.

The Man Who Went to the Far Side of the Moon: The Story of Apollo 11 Astronaut Michael Collins by Bea Uusma Schyffert Published 2003 by Chronicle Books Hardcover, English. Find this book in our catalog Jacket Notes: Reminiscent of a scrapbook, this book chronicles what Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins did, saw, and thought about in space while Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin landed on the moon. Photos. Illustrations.

ER Vets: Life in an Animal Emergency Room by Donna M. Jackson Published 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company Hardcover, English. Find this book in our catalog Jacket Notes: They can surgically remove an arrow in a cat"s abdomen, repair a bird"s broken wing, even save a tiny foal that is in a coma. How? With high-tech x-rays, endoscopes, and electrocardiographs--but most important, with a love of science and animals. Twenty-four hours a day, with a team of anesthesiologists, cardiologists, ophthalmologists, nurses, internists, residents, and a healthy dose of adrenaline, emergency room veterinarians try to heal these little--and large--creatures we consider part of our families. Filled with full-color behind-the-scenes photographs, this book captures the drama, excitement, and courage of being an ER vet.

Traveling Man: The Journey of Ibn Battuta, 1325-1354 by James Rumford Published 2001 by Houghton Mifflin Company Hardcover, English. Find this book in our catalog Jacket Notes: In the 14th century, an age when most believed the world to be flat, explorer Ibn Battuta made an incredible journey from Morocco to China, from the steppes of Russia to the shores of Tanzania, traveling around 75,000 miles. This retelling of Battuta's story includes ancient Arab maps and Arabic calligraphy. Full-color illustrations.

How High Can We Climb?: The Story of Women Explorers by Jeannine Atkins Published 2005 by Farrar Straus Giroux Hardcover, English. Find this book in our catalog Jacket Notes: Enhanced by thoughts and dialogue imagined by the author, the stories of 12 female explorers--sailors, mountain climbers, and deep-sea divers--are brought to life with clever pictures that celebrate these remarkably brave women.

After the Last Dog Died: The True-Life, Hair-Raising Adventure of Douglas Mawson and His 1911-1914 Antarctic Expedition by Carmen Bredeson Published 2003 by National Geographic Society Hardcover, English. Find this book in our catalog   01/01/2004 REVIEW: School Library Journal Gr 5 Up-About a century ago, Australian Douglas Mawson's interest in glaciers led him to become a member of Ernest Shackleton's 1908 expedition to Antarctica. The geologist and two others made their way to the magnetic South Pole and back, gathering valuable scientific data. Mawson subsequently met with Robert Scott but decided not to join that ill-fated trip to the Pole. Instead, he organized his own Australasian Antarctic Expedition. Double-page duo-tone photos are one of several adept design details that suggest the vastness of the terrain, while the text describes how Mawson and two companions, Lt. Belgrave Ninnis and Dr. Xavier Mertz, set out to explore the ice shelf with sled dogs. Five difficult weeks out from base camp, Ninnis was lost to a crevasse along with most of the food. Over the next few days the remaining dogs were shot and butchered. Both men suffered greatly during the treacherous journey back to camp, and Mertz died. Mawson barely survived, but recovered and eventually returned home. An appendix explains that the men had inadvertently been poisoned by a surfeit of Vitamin A from the dogs' livers. A resources list includes books, interviews, and Internet sites. An enticing, attractive, and inspiring addition to adventure/exploration collections.-Joel Shoemaker, Southeast Junior High School, Iowa City, IA