Dale City Elementary School
Summer Reading Annotations


Kindergarten  Grade One   Grade Two   Grade Three  Grade Four  Grade Five


Kindergarten

AR beside the book indicates Accelerated Reader.

Title

Annotation

Black & White Rabbit's ABC

Travel through the alphabet with Black And White Rabbit during the course of his day.

Carl Goes Shopping

When mother asks Carl, a gentle rottweiler, to watch the baby while she shops in the department store, Carl and the baby have their own adventures.

Cat on the Mat

A rhyming book about what happen when a cat is resting on a mat and one by one several animals come along to join her. 

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

An alphabet rhyme that relates what happens when the whole alphabet tries to climb a coconut tree. 

Dr. Seuss's ABC

Alphabet book in silly rhyme.

Exactly the Opposite

Photographs depict opposites in a very clear manner for young children. 

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Lost in the woods, a tired and hungry girl finds the house of the three bears where she helps herself to food and goes to sleep.

Goodnight Moon

A story about saying goodnight to everything around you.(AR) 

Happy Birthday Moon

When a bear discovers that the moon shares his birthday, he buys the moon a beautiful hat as a present.(AR)

Harold and the Purple Crayon

Harold uses his fantastic purple crayon to draw himself some wonderful adventures.(AR) 

Have You Seen My Cat?

A boy tries to find a cat by asking people from all over the world. He sees some very interesting kinds of cats until he finally finds his own. 

Have You Seen My Cat?

A boy tries to find a cat by asking people from all over the world. He sees some very interesting kinds of cats until he finally finds his own. 

I Like Me

A spunky pig tells of all her special qualities and how she feels good about herself.

Is it Red? Is it Yellow? Is it Blue?

 

Milk & Cookies

While spending the night at Grandfather's house, a baby bear dreams of feeding milk & cookies to a dragon. (AR)

Moon Cake 

Bear decides he wants to see what the moon tastes like, so he builds a rocketship and takes off and thinks he lands on the moon and even gets a taste.(AR) 

Mouse Count

The story of a greedy snake catching mice one at a time and what happens when he wants just one more.

Mouse Paint

Three white mice discover jars of red, blue, and yellow paint and explore the world of color.

Of Colors and Things

A wordless book about colors and objects that usually come in that color. 

Rooster's Off To See the World

Rooster decides he wants to see the world and he asks animals he meets along the way to accompany him.

Rosie's Walk

Follow Rose as she takes an interesting walk around the farm.

School Bus

A simple story about a school bus going across town. 

Sheep in a Jeep

Records the misadventures of a group of sheep that go riding in a jeep.

Ten Black Dots

A colorful and fun way to count from 1 to 10 using dots that go together to make a picture.

Tomie dePaola's Mother Goose

An illustrated collection of 204 Mother Goose nursery rhymes, including well-known ones such as "Little Boy Blue".

Who Sank the Boat

An amusing story of five animals and their attempt to go for a ride on the bay.

 


Grade One

AR beside the book indicates Accelerated Reader.


 

Title

Annotation

Anno's Alphabet

An alphabet book.(A wordless book)

Brown Bear, Brown Bear What do You See?

A predictable story line reinforcing color words.

Carl Goes Shopping

 The family dog goes shopping and the events that happen.(A wordless book)

Carl Goes to Daycare

The family dog goes to daycare and the events that happen. (A wordless book)

Changes, Changes

The story of a boy and girl who use blocks to create different objects. 

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

The story of letters and their mishap in a coconut tree.

Color Zoo

A book about colors and shapes that makes zoo animals.

Deep in the Forest

A curious bear explores cabin in the forest with disastrous results. (A wordless book)

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

The story of a little girl who enters the bears house and the mischief she does.

Good Dog, Carl

The family dog takes good care of his human charge. (A wordless book)

Happy Birthday Moon

The story of a bear who wants to give the moon a birthday present.(AR)

Hickory Dickory Dock

A rhyme story of a mouse and the things that happen while climbing a clock.

Humpty Dumpty

A story about an egg named Humpty who meets a sad ending.

Jambo Means Hello

A book of common Swahili words and their English counterparts.

Little Miss Muffet

A story rhyme about a scary spider.

Mary had a Little Lamb

The story of a pet who follows Mary everywhere.

Old Black Fly

The story of a black fly on a hot summer day on a wild alphabetical romp.

Over in the Meadow

A story reinforcing counting. 

Pancakes for Breakfast

A story about making pancakes for breakfast. 

Ten Bears in my Bed

A story introducing subtraction to children. 

Ten Black Dots

A story about shapes within shapes.

House that Jack Built, The

The story of a man who built a house containing a variety of interesting characters.

Three Little Kittens, The

A story about 3 kittens who have to face the consequences after losing their mittens.

Three Little Pigs, The

A story about 3 pigs who have to live in the world with a wolf.

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

A nursery rhyme about looking at stars.

We're Going On a Bear Hunt

The story of children on a adventurous hunt for a bear.(AR)


 



Grade Two

AR beside the book indicates Accelerated Reader.
 

Title

Annotation

Abraham Lincoln

Picture book story of life of President Lincoln.

Amazing Grace 

Although classmates tell Grace she cannot play Peter Pan because she is black and a girl, she discovers she can do anything she sets her mind to.(AR) 

Amelia Bedelia

Amelia Bedelia starts to work as a maid but she gets a little confused by the Roger's list.(AR)

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus

A pigeon that longs to drive a bus sees a chance to make its dream come true when the bus driver takes a short break.

From Seed to Plant 

Simple text that describes growth of a plant. 

Helen Keller

Picture book story of the woman who overcame her handicaps of being both blind and deaf.

If Pigs Could Fly

A collection of humorous poems for children.

Knuffle Bunny

A trip to the laundromat leads to a momentous occasion when Trixie, too young to speak words, realizes that something important is missing and struggles to explain the problem to her father.

My Dog Ate My Homework

A collection of humorous poems for children, grouped in the categories of parents, brothers and sisters, pets, school, disasters, all mixed up , and advice.

Small Pig

Because the farmer's wife insists on cleaning his mud puddle, a little pig runs away to the city where he becomes permanently stuck in what he thought was a mud puddle. (AR)

Uncle Elephant

Uncle Elephant comes to the rescue when his nephew's parents are lost at sea and cares for him until they are found again.

 



Grade Three

AR beside the book indicates Accelerated Reader.
 

Title

Annotation

 All Night Near the Water

A story about mallard ducks. 

Angel Child, Dragon Child

A Vietnamese girl attending school in the U.S. makes a new friend who presents her with a wonderful gift. (AR)

Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the Sky

With Harriet Tubman as her guide, Cassie retraces the steps escaping slaves took on the Underground Railroad in order to reunite with her younger brother. (AR)

Chicken Sunday

To thank Miss Eula for her wonderful Sunday chicken dinners, three children sell decorated eggs to buy her a beautiful Easter hat. (AR)

Chipmunk Song 

A child lives the life of a chipmunk. 

Cuddley Dudley

Dudley penguin is tired of being surrounded by a family who cuddles him, but finds something worse than an affectionate family. 

Dinner at Aunt Connie's House 

 As Melody and Lonnie play hide-and -seek in Aunt Connie's the portraits of famous Afro-American women speak to them.

Honey, I Love

Afro-American poetry

Nathaniel Talking

The life of a nine-year old told in rap and verse

Relatives Came, The

The relatives come from Virginia and everyone has a wonderful time.(AR) 

Something Big has Been Here

A collection of humorous poems.

Tar Beach 

A young girl dreams of flying above her Harlem home(AR)

Tree Trunk Traffic 

The comings and goings of animals on and around a backyard maple tree. 

Where Butterflies Grow 

Describes what it feels like to change from a caterpillar into a butterfly. (AR) 

 



Grade Four

AR beside the book indicates Accelerated Reader.
 

Title

Annotation

A Taste of Blackberries 

This narrator guides the reader through his emotional reactions to the death of his friend Jamie. Jamie was a special child, full of surprises, one who had an answer for everything. Jamie would court danger and always escape; however, he couldn't escape his allergy to bees. AR 3.0 (2 points)

Annie and the Old One

Annie tries to stop time so her grandmother won't die. She comes to understand her American Indian heritage and the fact that time cannot be stopped.

Arthur for the Very First Time

Arthur spends the summer with his eccentric aunt and uncle. He is accused of being an observer rather than a doer. This story is full of warmth, humor, and quirky characters, both human and animal. AR 4.0 (3 points)

Black Snowman

Using the magical powers of the kente cloth (African scarf), a black snowman comes to life and helps young Jacob discover the beauty of his African American heritage as well his own self-worth. AR 3.5 (1 point)

Boy and the Ghost, The

In this folktale a poor boy spends a night in a haunted house and is rewarded for his bravery. AR 3.0 (.5 points)

Bunnicula 

What if a pet rabbit really is a vampire? Chester the Cat believes he has discovered one and sets out to prove to the human family that he is right. Told by laconic family dog Harold with doglike observations and concerns for food, this story in the series is humorous and fast moving.AR4.5 (2 points) 

Castle in the Attic, The

A gift of a toy castle, complete with silver knight, introduces William to an adventure involving magic and a personal guest. The sequel is Return to the Castle. AR 6.2 (6 points)

Dear Mr. Henshaw

Cleary's book is a portrayal of a child in a single-parent family. Readers must draw inferences from this story told completely in letters written by sixth-grader Leigh Botts to the author of his favorite books. AR 4.0 (3 points)

Encounter

Christopher Columbus's discovery of the new world is seen through the eyes of a Taino boy. The book shows Columbus discovering a people with an established culture and civilization, an encounter that changed the world forever. AR 3.9 (.5 points)

Freckle Juice

A hilarious tale of a boy who wants one thing more than anything else-freckles! But when a classmate sells him a secret juice formula, strange things begin to happen. AR 2.0 (.5 points)

Green Book, The

Vivid writing tells the story of a family from the future who must leave Earth to colonize a new planet. How do they survive? What is the importance of stories in a new land? This thought-provoking short novel begins and ends with the same sentence, a magical discovery for fourth graders. AR 6.5 (2 points)

Homer Price

McCloskey tells the humorous adventures of an irresponsible boy who comes up with ingenious solutions to strange dilemmas. AR 6.5 (4 points)

Julian, Secret Agent 

Twelve short chapters present the escapades of Julian, his brother Huey, and their friend Gloria when they become "crimebusters". AR 3.1 (1 point)

Mud Pony, The

A poor Indian boy becomes a powerful chief when Mother Earth turns his artistic creation of a clay pony into a real pony. This Pawnee legend conveys the spirit and wonder of faith and courage. AR 3.7 (.5 points)

Muggie Maggie

In eight short chapters, Maggie resists mastering cursive writing in the third grade until she discovers its advantages. AR 4.0 (1 point)

Shiloh 

This Newberry winner tells about an eleven-year old boy from West Virginia who discovers a lost, mistreated beagle. He tries to hide it from his family and the dog's real owner, a heartless man. This story of courage shows it's not always easy to separate right from wrong. AR 5.1 (3 points) 

Stone Fox

This touching story is based on a Rocky Mountain legend of a ten-year old boy who hopes to pay the back taxes on his Grandfather's farm with the prize from a dog sled race. The sad but successful ending makes this one heart-breaking winner. AR 3.5 (1 point)

Where was Patrick Henry on the 29th of May?

This short biography traces Virginian Patrick Henry's life from farmer to statesman. AR 4   (1 point)

Yeh-Shen

In this Chinese version of Cinderella, a fish replaces the fairy godmother. AR 4.5 (1 point)

 



Grade Five

AR beside the book indicates Accelerated Reader.
 

Title

Annotation

4B goes wild 

Fourth graders on a three-day camping trip with their teachers experience frights and delights. AR 5.2 

Call It Courage

A survival story in which Mafatu defies a taboo, steals a much needed spear from an idol, fights dangerous animals, and escapes from cannibals. Having proven himself, Mafatu returns to his former life. AR 5.0

Castle in the Attic, The

A gift of a toy castle, complete with silver knight, introduces William to an adventure involving magic and a personal guest. The sequel is Return to the Castle. AR 6.2

Celery Stalks at Midnight, The

This is the sequel to Bunnicula. Chester the Cat is more than ever convinced that Bunnicula is a vampire when there is a harvest of white vegetable on the morning after the night that Bunnicula was probably wandering through the neighborhood. AR 4.9

Encounter 

A Taino Indian boy on the island of San Salvado recounts the landing of Columbus and his men in 1492. AR 3.9 

From the mixed-up files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweileer

Two suburban children run away from their Connecticut home and go to New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, where their ingenuity enables them to live in luxury. AR 4.8 

In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson

In this story set in Brooklyn, 1947, a Chinese girl, Shirley Temple Wong, is a new immigrant. She starts to feel at home when she discovers baseball and the Brooklyn Dodgers. AR 4.7

Indian in the Cupboard

When a nine-year old boy receives a plastic Indian, a cupboard, and a key for his birthday, he discovers himself involved in an adventure when the Indian comes to life. This book is one in a series. AR 6.1

Little House on the Prairie

A classic story about a family who heads west from the big woods of Wisconsin. AR 4.8

Maniac Magee

An orphan, Maniac Magee, is accepted and well-liked by all who meet him, but he enjoys his independence so much that he has trouble accepting help from anyone. By the books end, Maniac Magee understands the importance of family as a support group. AR 5.0

My Side of the Mountain

In this stirring story about a fifth grade boy's survival in the Catskills, the author uses authentic details to present nature. AR 5.9

Number the Stars

Set in Denmark in 1943 during the German occupation, a ten-year-old girl discovers her bravery when she helps shelter her Jewish friend from the Nazis. This is a Newberry winner. (*Sensitive issue - deals with the Holocaust)

On My Honor

A young boy gives his word to his father, than bows to peer pressure. There is a swimming accident and his friend dies. This is a book about choices people make and the ones they refuse to make. (*Sensitive issue - deals with death) AR 5.3

Ramona Quimby, Age 8

This book shows the humor and seriousness about a loving family that has its problems but its shares of joy as well. The reader sees life through young Ramona's eyes and shows her young readers that they are not alone. AR 4.5

Rosa Parks, My Story 

When Parks refused to give up her seat to a white man on an Alabama bus in 1955, she sparked the entire Civil Rights Movement. AR 6.0

Runaway Ralph

A mouse named Ralph runs away looking for freedom but winds up a prisoner at a summer camp. AR 4.9

Soup 

The adventures and misadventures of two boys growing up in a small Vermont town. AR 4.5

Superfudge

Fudge loves to drive his brother, Peter, crazy. He is a human hurricane and creates many unforgettable surprises. AR 4.8

Tuck Everlasting

The Tuck family is confronted with an agonizing situation when they discover a ten-year-old girl and a stranger who know their secret about a spring whose waters prevent one from growing old. AR 6.3