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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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.
Doctor De Soto
by William Steig"Doctor De Soto, the dentist, did very good work." With the aid of his able assistant, Mrs. De Soto, he copes with the toothaches of animals large and small. His expertise is so great that his fortunate patients never feel any pain.
Since he's a mouse, Doctor De Soto refuses to treat "dangerous" animals--that is, animals who have a taste for mice. But one day a fox shows up and begs for relief from the tooth that's killing him. How can the kindhearted De Sotos turn him away? But how can they make sure that the fox doesn't give in to his baser instincts once his tooth is fixed? Those clever De Sotos will find a way.
Doctor De Soto is a 1982 New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book of the Year and Outstanding Book of the Year, a 1983 Boston Globe - Horn Book Awards Honor Book for Picture Books, and a 1983 Newbery Honor Book.
The Dot
by Peter H. ReynoldsWith a simple, witty story and free-spirited illustrations, Peter H. Reynolds entices even the stubbornly uncreative among us to make a mark - and follow where it takes us. Her teacher smiled. "Just make a mark and see where it takes you. " Art class is over, but Vashti is sitting glued to her chair in front of a blank piece of paper. The words of her teacher are a gentle invitation to express herself. But Vashti can’t draw - she’s no artist. To prove her point, Vashti jabs at a blank sheet of paper to make an unremarkable and angry mark. "There!" she says. That one little dot marks the beginning of Vashti’s journey of surprise and self-discovery. That special moment is the core of Peter H. Reynolds’s delicate fable about the creative spirit in all of us.
Esperanza Rising (Scholastic Gold)
by Pam Muñoz RyanEsperanza Rising joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels. Includes exclusive bonus content!Esperanza thought she'd always live a privileged life on her family's ranch in Mexico. She'd always have fancy dresses, a beautiful home filled with servants, and Mama, Papa, and Abuelita to care for her. But a sudden tragedy forces Esperanza and Mama to flee to California and settle in a Mexican farm labor camp. Esperanza isn't ready for the hard work, financial struggles brought on by the Great Depression, or lack of acceptance she now faces. When Mama gets sick and a strike for better working conditions threatens to uproot their new life, Esperanza must find a way to rise above her difficult circumstances-because Mama's life, and her own, depend on it.
Everything Pets
by James Spears and Virginia MorellEverything Pets helps kids absorb layers of information and is made extra fun with its humor-infused presentation.
The Famous Story of Mookie and Gorbit
by Rupa MehtaMookie the ant and Gorbit the elephant are best friends. They eat together, they play together, and they both weigh 20,000 pounds! How can this be? Well, that's the Weight of Words mystery! Mookie and Gorbit have a lot to learn about what makes us feel heavy and light, both in our bodies and in our minds. Join these best buds on their journey to understanding emotional weight and how the words we use can weigh us down OR lift us up. As part of the Connect Collection, this book is intended to be illustrated by you-the reader! As a parent and/or teacher, encourage your child and/or student to imagine what the characters in the story look like and bring them to life. Through illustrating the book, your child and/ or student will personally understand the book's valuable lesson and have a keepsake forever. We encourage you to check out more books in the Connect Collection at connectcollection.com.
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.
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.
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.
The Great Greene Heist
by Varian JohnsonSaving the school -- one con at a time. Jackson Greene swears he's given up scheming. Then school bully Keith Sinclair announces he's running for Student Council president, against Jackson's former friend Gaby de la Cruz. Gaby wants Jackson to stay out of it -- but he knows Keith has "connections" to the principal, which could win him the presidency no matter the vote count. So Jackson assembles a crack team: Hashemi Larijani, tech genius. Victor Cho, bankroll. Megan Feldman, science goddess. Charlie de la Cruz, reporter. Together they devise a plan that will take down Keith, win Gaby's respect, and make sure the election is done right. If they can pull it off, it will be remembered as the school's greatest con ever -- one worthy of the name THE GREAT GREENE HEIST.
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.
Helen's Big World
by Doreen Rappaport and Matt TavaresThis picturebook biography is an excellent and accessible introduction for young readers to learn about one of the world's most influential luminaries. With her signature style of prose laced with stirring quotes, Doreen Rappaport brings to life Helen Keller's poignant narrative. Acclaimed illustrator Matt Tavares beautifully captures the dynamism and verve of Helen Keller's life and legacy, making Helen's Big World an unforgettable portrait of a woman whose vision for innovation and progress changed America-and the world-forever.
The Hello, Goodbye Window
by Norton JusterFrom the book: The kitchen window at Nana and Poppy's house is, for one little girl, a magic gateway. Everything important happens near it, through it, or beyond it. Told in her voice, her story is both a voyage of discovery and a celebration of the commonplace wonders that define childhood. It is also a love song devoted to that special relationship between grandparents and grandchild. The illustrations in this book look like pictures colored by a child. Pictures are described. This book received the Newberry Award.
Hello Ocean
by Pam Muñoz RyanSpend a day at the beach, and take in the ocean through the senses of sight, hearing, feeling, taste, and smell in this romp through sand and waves.
Heroes of the Environment
by Harriet Rohmer and Julie MclaughlinThis inspiring book presents the true stories of 12 people from across North America who have done great things for the environment. Heroes include a teenage girl who figured out how to remove an industrial pollutant from the Ohio River, a Mexican superstar wrestler who works to protect turtles and whales, and a teenage boy from Rhode Island who helped his community and his state develop effective e-waste recycling programs. Plenty of photographs and illustrations bring each compelling story vividly to life.
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.
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!
How You Got So Smart
by David MilgrimEvery stage in growing up has its own fun and challenges, and the adorable star of this book faces each one with gusto. As a baby, there's the taste-everything phase--whether it is meant to be eaten or not! And as a toddler, there's the question-everything phase. But all the while baby is growing up and becoming a curious kid whose exploration of the world leads to amazing places and discoveries. He's come so far and learned so much, and now everyone is so proud of him! This celebration of curiosity and creativity, with its funny, joyful illustrations full of kid-friendly details, is a great gift for any major milestone.
I Am Malala
by Malala Yousafzai and Patricia McCormickI Am Malala. This is my story. Malala Yousafzai was only ten years old when the Taliban took control of her region. They said music was a crime. They said women weren't allowed to go to the market. They said girls couldn't go to school.Raised in a once-peaceful area of Pakistan transformed by terrorism, Malala was taught to stand up for what she believes. So she fought for her right to be educated. And on October 9, 2012, she nearly lost her life for the cause: She was shot point-blank while riding the bus on her way home from school.No one expected her to survive.Now Malala is an international symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest ever Nobel Peace Prize winner. In this Young Readers Edition of her bestselling memoir, which includes exclusive photos and material, we hear firsthand the remarkable story of a girl who knew from a young age that she wanted to change the world -- and did. Malala's powerful story will open your eyes to another world and will make you believe in hope, truth, miracles and the possibility that one person -- one young person -- can inspire change in her community and beyond. With contributions by Patricia McCormick,
If the World Were a Village
by David J. Smith.This is the new paperback edition of a beautiful and unique book, which explains facts about the world's population in a simple and fascinating way. Instead of unimaginable billions, it presents the whole world as a village of just 100 people. We soon find out that 22 speak a Chinese dialect and that 17 cannot read or write. We also discover the people's religions, their education, their standard of living, and much much more...This book provokes thought and elicits questions. It cannot fail to inspire children's interest in world geography, citizenship and different customs and cultures, whether they read it at home or at school.