Special Collections
District List: NYC Summer in the City Reading List
Description: A list of books from New York City's summer reading for #kids
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Little Red Writing
by Joan Holub and Melissa SweetAcclaimed writer Joan Holub and Caldecott Honoree Melissa Sweet team up in this hilarious and exuberant retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, in which a brave, little red pencil finds her way through the many perils of writing a story, faces a ravenous pencil sharpener (the Wolf 3000)... and saves the day.
Crossing Bok Chitto
by Tim TingleThere is a river called Bok Chitto that cuts through Mississippi. In the days before the War Between the States, in the days before the Trail of Tears, Bok Chitto was a boundary. On one side of the river lived the Choctaws. On the other side lived the plantation owners and their slaves. If a slave escaped and made his way across Bok Chitto, the slave was free.
How Strong Is It?
by Ben HillmanHOW STRONG IS IT? A Mighty Book All About Strength. How strong is a spiderweb? Spider silk is one of the most amazing materials found on the planet--natural or human-made. In fact, if each strand was as thick as a pencil, a spiderweb could stop a Boeing 747 in mid-flight!
Long Shot (A Comeback Kids Novel)
by Mike LupicaPedro Morales loves playing basketball, but he's more of a team guy than a star - that would be Ned Hancock, the best player in their entire town. The two boys get along well, but their friendship is threatened when Pedro decides to run against Ned for class president. The election starts to affect their team, and Pedro learns who his real friends are and the best way to work together on and off the court.
Weslandia
by Paul FleischmanWESLANDIA honors the misfits--and the creators--among us. Enter the witty, intriguing world of Weslandia! Now that school is over, Wesley needs a summer project.
He's learned that each civilization needs a staple food crop, so he decides to sow a garden and start his own - civilization, that is. He turns over a plot of earth, and plants begin to grow. They soon tower above him and bear a curious-looking fruit. As Wesley experiments, he finds that the plant will provide food, clothing, shelter, and even recreation. It isn't long before his neighbors and classmates develop more than an idle curiosity about Wesley - and exactly how he is spending his summer vacation.
Chrysanthemum
by Kevin HenkesWritten and illustrated by Kevin Henkes, the nationally bestselling and celebrated creator of Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, Owen, and Kitten's First Full Moon, Chrysanthemum is a funny and honest school story about teasing, self-esteem, and acceptance to share all year round.
Chrysanthemum thinks her name is absolutely perfect—until her first day of school. "You're named after a flower!" teases Victoria. "Let's smell her," says Jo. Chrysanthemum wilts. What will it take to make her blossom again?
This popular picture book has sold more than a million copies and was named a Notable Book for Children by the American Library Association.
Fire! Fuego! Brave Bomberos
by Susan Middleton ElyaAt the station, sirens sound. Corazones start to pound. "House fire!" says el capitán. "Fuego! Get your helmets on!" So begins a rollicking race to save a burning casa from the roaring flames-and these bomberos are up to the task, with hoses ready and sirens blaring. Spanish words sprinkled throughout the lively text-plus a glossary at the end-will enrich young readers as they cheer for the firefighters to save the day.
Yo! Yes?
by Chris RaschkaThis book captures the street poetry between two boys-one black, one white, one shy, one outgoing, one nerdy, one street-smart. At first the boys are shy and awkward but in the end their friendship explodes off the page.
Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon
by Patty LovellBe yourself like Molly Lou Melon no matter what a bully may do. Molly Lou Melon is short and clumsy, has buck teeth, and has a voice that sounds like a bullfrog being squeezed by a boa constrictor. She doesn't mind. Her grandmother has always told her to walk proud, smile big, and sing loud, and she takes that advice to heart. But then Molly Lou has to start in a new school. A horrible bully picks on her on the very first day, but Molly Lou Melon knows just what to do about that.
Book Fiesta!
by Pat MoraThis Pura Belpré Award–winning picture book is a bilingual ride through the joyous history of Children’s Day/El día de los niños. Children’s Day/Book Day; El día de los niños/El día de los libros has been observed on April 30th for over twelve years. Founder Pat Mora’s jubilant celebration of this day features imaginative text and lively illustrations by award-winning illustrator Rafael López that will turn this bilingual fiesta into a hit for story time! Toon! Toon! The book includes a letter from the author and suggestions for celebrating Children’s Day /El día de los niños.
Blackout
by John RoccoOne hot summer night in the city, all the power goes out. The TV shuts off and a boy wails, "Mommm!" His sister can no longer use the phone, Mom can't work on her computer, and Dad can't finish cooking dinner. What's a family to do? When they go up to the roof to escape the heat, they find the lights--in stars that can be seen for a change--and so many neighbors it's like a block party in the sky! On the street below, people are having just as much fun--talking, rollerblading, and eating ice cream before it melts. The boy and his family enjoy being not so busy for once. They even have time to play a board game together. When the electricity is restored, everything can go back to normal . . . but not everyone likes normal. The boy switches off the lights, and out comes the board game again. Using a combination of panels and full bleed illustrations that move from color to black-and-white and back to color, John Rocco shows that if we are willing to put our cares aside for a while, there is party potential in a summer blackout.
Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great
by Bob SheaEver since Unicorn moved into the neighborhood, Goat has been feeling out of sorts. Goat thought his bike was cool-until he saw that Unicorn could fly to school! Goat made marshmallow squares that almost came out right, but Unicorn made it rain cupcakes! Unicorn is such a show-off, how can Goat compete? When Goat and Unicorn share a piece of pizza, Goat learns that being a unicorn might not be all it's cracked up to be. And when Unicorn shows his admiration for Goat, it looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Bucket Filling From A to Z
by Carol Mccloud and Caryn Butzke and Glenn ZimmerBucket Filling from A to Z uses the letters of the alphabet to help young and old see the many, simple ways that they can fill buckets and fill their own buckets in return. When you help children become bucket fillers, you give them the key to happiness...for it is in friendship, love, and good will to others that we are truly happy. Yes, bucket filling is the moment by moment choice to be kind and caring. Teaching and encouraging children to be bucket fillers is one of the greatest gifts you can give to them.
Stone Soup
by Jon J MuthIn this inspiring story about the strength people possess when they work together, Muth takes a simple, beloved tale and adds his own fresh twist.
The Tree Lady
by H. Joseph HopkinsWhen Kate Sessions came to San Diego in 1883, she discovered drought-resistant native plants flourishing in the region's Mediterranean climate. She also found nonnative tropical plants, such as poinsettia and bougainvillea, growing outdoors under the city's sunny skies. Kate saw that the landscape, running as it does from the seashore to the mountains and farther east into the desert, included many subclimates. This made the area perfect for growing a great variety of trees and plants. Yet San Diego's City Park was dry, dusty, and all but barren. Kate wanted to change that.
Come On, Rain
by Karen Hesse"Come on, Rain!" Tess pleads to the sky as listless vines and parched plants droop in the endless heat. Then the clouds roll in and the rain pours. And Tess, her friends, and their mothers join in together in a rain dance to celebrate the shower that renews both body and spirit.
Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King
by Jean MarzolloAn eloquent and powerful introduction to the life and death of Martin Luther King, Jr. This simplified summation leaves out most of the details, while bringing the essence of his life and work to young readers. A foreword offers options for softening the facts surrounding his murder for preschoolers.
Suki's Kimono
by Chieri UegakiSuki's favorite possession is her blue cotton kimono. A gift from her obachan, it holds special memories of her grandmother's visit last summer. And Suki is going to wear it on her first day back to school -- no matter what anyone says.
When it's Suki's turn to share with her classmates what she did during the summer, she tells them about the street festival she attended with her obachan and the circle dance that they took part in. In fact, she gets so carried away reminiscing that she's soon humming the music and dancing away, much to the delight of her entire class! Filled with gentle enthusiasm and a touch of whimsy, Suki's Kimono is the joyful story of a little girl whose spirit leads her to march -- and dance -- to her own drumbeat.
What If You Had Animal Teeth?!
by Sandra Markle and Howard McwilliamRead about all your favourite animal friends! What If You Had Animal Teeth takes children on a fun, informative, and imaginative journey as they explore what it would be like if their own front teeth were replaced by those of a different animal. Featuring a dozen animals (beaver, great white shark, narwhal, elephant, rattlesnake, naked mole rat, hippopotamus, crocodile, and more), this book explores how different teeth are especially adapted for an animal's survival. At the end of the book, children will discover why their own teeth are just right for them. And they'll also get a friendly reminder to take good care of their teeth, because they're the only teeth they'll ever have. Each spread features a photograph of the animal using its specialized teeth on the left and a humorous illustrated image of a child using that animal's teeth on the right.
What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?
by Steve JenkinsA nose for digging? Ears for seeing? Eyes that squirt blood? Explore the many amazing things animals can do with their ears, eyes, mouths, noses, feet, and tails in this beautifully illustrated interactive guessing book by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page.
Winner of the Caldecott Honor
Diary of a Spider
by Doreen CroninFrom the book: This is the diary ... of a spider. But don't be worried--he's more scared of you and your gigantic shoe! Actually, he's a lot like you. He goes to gym class and has grandparens Day at school. But he also spins sticky webs, scales walls, and takes wind-catching lessons. Lucky for him, his best friend is a fly. Includes picture descriptions. Other clever books by Doreen Cronin are available from Bookshare. This book contains picture descriptions.
Big Mama's
by Donald CrewsIn his dynamic tale of family togetherness, an African American man recalls boyhood summers spent at his grandmother's rural home in Florida. Each year the vacation began with an adventurous three-day train ride to Bigmama's ("Not that she was big, but she was Mama's mama") in Cottondale. The hot, hazy months that followed were filled with relatives, fishing and good times. A backyard coop "where Sunday dinner's chicken spent its last days," the barn and pond all begged to be explored by rambunctious visitors. Even the stars shone brighter in the night sky at this wondrous place.
Library Lion
by Michelle KnudsenAn affectionate storybook tribute to that truly wonderful place: the library. Miss Merriweather, the head librarian, is very particular about rules in the library. No running allowed. And you must be quiet. But when a lion comes to the library one day, no one is sure what to do. There aren't any rules about lions in the library. And, as it turns out, this lion seems very well suited to library visiting. His big feet are quiet on the library floor. He makes a comfy backrest for the children at story hour. And he never roars in the library, at least not anymore. But when something terrible happens, the lion quickly comes to the rescue in the only way he knows how. Michelle Knudsen's disarming story, illustrated by the matchless Kevin Hawkes in an expressive timeless style, will win over even the most ardent of rule keepers. From the Hardcover edition.
Frog and Toad All Year
by Arnold LobelGo sledding with Frog and Toad and see what happens when Frog tumbles off and Toad has to steer by himself. See how frog cheers Toad up on a rainy day when it feels as if spring will never come. See why Frog and Toad go to bed happy after raking yards all day even though the wind scatters the leaves all around until it looks as if the leaves were never raked up at all. Toad the ice-cream monster may be the funniest Toad you've seen yet. On Christmas Eve find out how worries can grow and grow even when there's nothing to worry about. Two of the four Frog and Toad books by Lobel have won major awards. In Frog and Toad All Year, the third book in this hilarious series of easy to read chapter books about best friends, children will laugh and cheer at the five stories: one for each season and one about Christmas Eve. The pictures are carefully and humorously described.
Sonia Sotomayor
by Jonah WinterBefore Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor took her seat in our nation's highest court, she was just a little girl in the South Bronx. Justice Sotomayor didn't have a lot growing up, but she had what she needed -- her mother's love, a will to learn, and her own determination. With bravery she became the person she wanted to be. With hard work she succeeded. With little sunlight and only a modest plot from which to grow, Justice Sotomayor bloomed for the whole world to see.