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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When The Beat Was Born
by Laban Carrick Hill and Theodore TaylorBefore there was hip hop, there was DJ Kool Herc. On a hot day at the end of summer in 1973 Cindy Campbell threw a back-to-school party at a park in the South Bronx.
Her brother, Clive Campbell, spun the records. He had a new way of playing the music to make the breaks--the musical interludes between verses--longer for dancing. He called himself DJ Kool Herc and this is When the Beat Was Born.
From his childhood in Jamaica to his youth in the Bronx, Laban Carrick Hill's book tells how Kool Herc came to be a DJ, how kids in gangs stopped fighting in order to breakdance, and how the music he invented went on to define a culture and transform the world.
A John Steptoe New Talent Award Winner
2017 Texas Bluebonnet Award
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.
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.
Owen and Mzee
by Isabella Hatkoff and Graig Hatkoff and Paula KahumbuThe inspiring true story of two great friends, a baby hippo named Owen and a 130-yr-old giant tortoise named Mzee (Mm-ZAY). When Owen was stranded after the Dec 2004 tsunami, villagers in Kenya worked tirelessly to rescue him. Then, to everyone's amazement, the orphan hippo and the elderly tortoise adopted each other. Now they are inseparable, swimming, eating, and playing together. Adorable photos e-mailed from friend to friend quickly made them worldwide celebrities. Here is a joyous reminder that in times of trouble, friendship is stronger than the differences that too often pull us apart.
Hope For Winter
by Craig Hatkoff and David Yates and Juliana Hatkoff and Isabella HatkoffThe true story of a baby dolphin named Hope who was rescued against all odds. Exactly 5 years and 1 day after Winter, the tailless dolphin who inspired a major motion picture featuring Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, and Harry Conick Jr. , was rescued, something pretty amazing happened. Just feet from where Winter was found, appeared another injured dolphin, orphaned from her mother and struggling to survive. The Clearwater Marine team quickly went to work, attempting to nurse this new dolphin back to health. After a tough fight fought by the little dolphin and by the Clearwater team, the dolphin grew strong and healthy. She now lives with Winter and crowds flock to the aquarium to see them play. Her tale is one of courage and triumph. She was named Hope and this book tells her story.
Perfect Square
by Michael HallA perfect square is transformed in this adventure story that will transport you far beyond the four equal sides of this square book.
The Adventures of Marco Polo
by Russell FreedmanWas he the worlds greatest explorer? Or was he the worlds biggest liar? Who was Marco Polo a heroic explorer or a charlatan? The author shares Marco Polos extraordinary tale with todays readers.
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.
The Matchbox Diary
by Paul Fleischman and Bagram IbatoullineWhen a little girl visits her great-grandfather at his curio-filled home, she chooses an unusual object to learn about: an old cigar box. What she finds inside surprises her: a collection of matchboxes making up her great-grandfather’s diary, harboring objects she can hold in her hand, each one evoking a memory. Together they tell of his journey from Italy to a new country, before he could read and write — the olive pit his mother gave him to suck on when there wasn’t enough food; a bottle cap he saw on his way to the boat; a ticket still retaining the thrill of his first baseball game. With a narrative entirely in dialogue, Paul Fleischman makes immediate the two characters’ foray into the past. With warmth and an uncanny eye for detail, Bagram Ibatoulline gives expressive life to their journey through time — and toward each other.
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.
The Rainbow Mystery
by Jennifer DusslingTwo curious kids conduct experiments and build a prism in order to figure out how rainbows form.
Because of Winn-Dixie
by Kate DiCamilloRecalling the fiction of Harper Lee and Carson McCullers, here is a funny, poignant, and utterly genuine first novel from a major new talent.
The summer Opal and her father, the preacher, move to Naomi, Florida, Opal goes into the Winn-Dixie supermarket--and comes out with a dog. A big, ugly, suffering dog with a sterling sense of humor. A dog she dubs Winn-Dixie. Because of Winn-Dixie, the preacher tells Opal ten things about her absent mother, one for each year Opal has been alive. Winn-Dixie is better at making friends than anyone Opal has ever known, and together they meet the local librarian, Miss Franny Block, who once fought off a bear with a copy of WAR AND PEACE. They meet Gloria Dump, who is nearly blind but sees with her heart, and Otis, an ex-con who sets the animals in his pet shop loose after hours, then lulls them with his guitar.Opal spends all that sweet summer collecting stories about her new friends and thinking about her mother. But because of Winn-Dixie or perhaps because she has grown, Opal learns to let go, just a little, and that friendship--and forgiveness--can sneak up on you like a sudden summer storm.
Newbery Medal Honor book
The Yellow Star
by Carmen Agra Deedy and Henri SorensenWithout the yellow star to point them out, the Jews looked like any other Danes. For centuries, the Star of David was a symbol of Jewish pride. But during World War II, Nazis used the star to segregate and terrorize the Jewish people. Except in Denmark. When Nazi soldiers occupied his country, King Christian X of Denmark committed himself to keeping all Danes safe from harm. The bravery of the Danes and their king during that dangerous time has inspired many legends. The most enduring is the legend of the yellow star, which symbolizes the loyalty and fearless spirit of the king and his people. Award-winning author and storyteller Carmen Deedy has poignantly recreated this legend, which is accompanied by Danish illustrator Henri Sørensen's arresting full-color portraits. The result is a powerful and dignified story of heroic justice, a story for all people and all times.
For You are a Kenyan Child
by Kelly CunnaneIn this lyrical story, rich in detail, the reader is asked to imagine that he or she is a child living in a small Kenyan village who must take his grandfather's cows out to pasture. Although life in the boy's African village is very different from life in America in some ways, in other ways this Kenyan child is like children you know.
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
by Judith Viorst and Ray CruzAlexander knew it was going to be a terrible day when he woke up with gum in this hair. And it got worse... His best friend deserted him. There was no dessert in his lunch bag. And, on top of all that, there were lima beans for dinner and kissing on TV! Judith Viorst's classic picture book is sure to charm readers of all ages. Images and image descriptions available.
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.
The Mud Pony
by Caron Lee CohenThe Mud Pony is one of a number of ancient boy-hero stories told among the Skidi band of the Pawnee Indians of the American Plains.
Big Al
by Andrew ClementsIn an age of such obsession with appearance, this simple tale of a big, gentle fish and the qualities that make friendship real will touch children and encourage them to look again.
Mice and Beans
by Pam Munoz Ryan and Joe CepedaRosa Maria loves to cook big meals for her big family. "When there's room in the heart, there's room in the house, Except for a mouse". That's what her mother always said, so for one week, as she meticulously prepares for her youngest grandchild's birthday party, she takes extra care in tidying her kitchen. But strangely, important items -- like her wooden spoon, her big bolsa for grocery shopping, and even her mousetraps -- keep disappearing!
An Angel For Solomon Singer
by Cynthia Rylant and Peter CatalanottoSolomon Singer is a middle-aged man who lives in a hotel for men in New York City. One night his solitary wanderings take him into a restaurant where he reads these words on the menu: ``The Westway Cafe -- where all your dreams come true. '' A soft-voiced waiter (metaphorically named Angel) welcomes him and invites him back. Each night Singer returns, ordering food and, silently, ordering his wishes for the things he remembers from an Indiana boyhood.
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.