CurriConnects Book List - Adventures in Summer

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Adventures in Summer
Summertime brings many adventures: vacations, camp, wild weather, fireworks, and more! Travel aboard a cruise ship, explore a mysterious island, learn about summer weather, meet some tiny creatures living in hotels, and make this a summer reading adventure to remember. This collection of books offers both fiction and information texts. Allow students (or partners) to choose their own book. Share this book list with students (and families) prior to the summer break. Keep minds fresh during the summer.

Preschool and Picture Books

The Park Our Town Built - Diane Gonzales Bertrand, (978-1936299126), Fiction
Interest level: K-2
In this circle story, the pages repeat and grow as a town builds a park and then celebrates.

Olivia Opens a Lemonade Stand - Kama Einhorn, (978-1416999324), Fiction
Interest level: K-1, Lexile: 490
Olivia's lemonade stand goes so well she wants to open a complete restaurant.

Summer Beat - Betsy Franco, (978-1442443396), Fiction
Interest level: K-2
A girl and her friend feel jubilant about all summer events, sights, and especially, its sounds.

Corduroy's Fourth of July - Don Freeman, (978-0670061594), Fiction
Interest level: K-1
Corduroy enjoys the entire 4th of July day, from picnics to parades to food to fireworks.

It's Summer - Linda Glaser, (978-0761317579), Fiction
Interest level: K-2, Lexile: 510
Enjoy the activities, weather, natural phenomena, and animals of summer along with the child in this book.

How Do You Know It's Summer? - Lisa M. Herrington, (978-0531225776), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-2
Learn more about the seasonal effects and causes of summer around the world.

Hooray for Summer! - Kazuo Iwamura, (978-0735822856), Fiction
Interest level: K-1, Lexile: 420
Three squirrel friends are frightened of a sudden summer thunderstorm, but they find new friends in a cave where they take shelter.

Caterina and the Lemonade Stand - Erin Eitter Kono, (978-0803739031), Fiction
Interest level: K-1
Caterina tries to figure out a way her lemonade stand can be different than the other similar ones.

The Ball of Clay that Rolled Away - Elizabeth Lenhard, (978-0761461425), Fiction
Interest level: K-1
Instead of making some clay into camp menorahs, mezuzahs, and other craft items, it rolls away with all the campers chasing behind in this tale reminiscent of the Gingerbread Man story.

Froggy Goes to Camp - Jonathan London, (978-0142416044), Fiction
Interest level: K-3, Lexile: 590
Froggy creates a lot of mischief when he tries sleep-away camp for the first time.

Let's Count Summer - Alina Niemi, (978-1937371043), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-1
Children learn numbers and practice counting lots of summer objects.

The Story of America's Birthday - Patricia Pingry, (978-0824918941), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-2
Learn about the history of America behind today's 4th of July celebrations in easy language.

Fourth of July Mice - Bethany Roberts, (978-0544226050), Fiction
Interest level: K-1, Lexile: 290
Four mouse friends celebrate with a parade, food, noisemakers, and other festive events on the 4th of July.

Hello Ocean - Pam Munoz Ryan, (978-0881069884), Fiction
Interest level: K-2
Enjoy the reactions of your five senses as you travel to an ocean with a young girl and share what she sees, hears, smells, and feels.

Summer Beach Day - Liesbet Siegers, (978-1605371665), Fiction
Interest level: K-1
Children learn objects associated with summer including beach toys, summer clothes, and ice cream in this board book.

Ice Cream Summer - Peter Sis, (978-0545731614), Fiction
Interest level: K-3
Readers see ice cream and ice cream cones everywhere in this delightful and also educational look at summer treats and activities!

Eloise and the Big Parade - Kay Thompson, (978-1416935230), Fiction
Interest level: K-1, Lexile: 240
Eloise really gets into the festive spirit of the Fourth of July celebrations when she attends a parade.

Red, White, and Boom! - Lee Wardlaw, (978-0805090659), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-2
All across the country, many different kinds of people celebrate the 4th of July in this poetic rendition.

Early Elementary Books

Flag Day - Kelly Bennett, (978-0516277554), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-2
Children learn about the meaning behind the Flag Day summer holiday.

The Berenstain Bears' Lemonade Stand - Stan Berenstain, (978-0062075451), Fiction
Interest level: 1-2
Brother and Sister Bear try to make money by selling their mother's lemonade at a neighborhood stand.

Five Little Monkeys Go Shopping - Eileen Christelow, (978-0547744513), Fiction
Interest level: K-2, Lexile: 600
Mama tries to keep control, but when she takes the five monkeys shopping at the end of summer for back to school items, chaos results.

The Fourth of July Story - Alice Dalgliesh, (978-0689718762), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-3, Lexile: 790
Learn the real story of the Fourth of July, Independence Day.

The Fourth of July - Dorothy Goeller, (978-1598451757), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-2
Learn all about the meanings, activities, and symbols surrounding the Fourth of July holiday.

Danny and the Dinosaur Go to Camp - Syd Hoff, (978-0064442442), Fiction
Interest level: 1-3, Lexile: 290
Danny enjoys camp with his dinosaur friend.

Pinkalicious and the Pink Drink - Victoria Kann, (978-0061927324), Fiction
Interest level: K-3, Lexile: 380
Pinkalicious adds various ingredients to make her pink lemonade different and delicious!

Sadie, Ori, and Nuggles Go to Camp - Jamie Korngold, (978-1467704243), Fiction
Interest level: K-2
Ori is unsure if he should bring his favorite stuffed animal to summer camp when he goes with his older sister.

Walter the Farting Dog Goes on a Cruise - William Kotzwinkle, (978-0142411421), Fiction
Interest level: 1-2
Walter (Walter the Farting Dog series) saves the day despite his odor when the computer breaks down on a cruise with his family.

Lionel in the Summer - Stephen Krensky, (978-1439551356), Fiction
Interest level: K-3, Lexile: 270
Lionel's summer activities include playing on the longest day of the year, enjoying the 4th of July, and going on vacation with his family.

Lunch Lady and the Summer Camp Shakedown - Jarrett Krosoczka, (978-0375860959), Fiction
Interest level: 2-5, Lexile: 390
The regular lunch lady, now employed at summer camp, relies on a few campers to help her solve the mystery of a reputed monster living in the swamp nearby.

Why Is It Summer? - Sara Latta, (978-1598453904), Non-fiction
Interest level: 1-4, Lexile: 580
Learn about summer changes, summer activities, and animal activities during summer; also, learn about why seasons occur.

F is for Flag - Wendy Cheyette Lewison, (978-0448428383), Non-fiction
Interest level: K-2
Readers learn about the flag, its meanings and symbols, in this simply written book.

Red, White, and Blue, Katie Woo! - Fran Manushkin, (978-1404863644), Fiction
Interest level: 1-2, Lexile: 420
Katie Wood celebrates American Independence Day with her friends and family.

Time of Wonder - Robert McCloskey, (978-0140502015), Fiction
Interest level: K-3, Lexile: 940
A family experiences many wonders as they summer in Maine.

Fun and Festive Summer Crafts - Randel McGee, (978-1464405839), Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-5, Lexile: 910
Enjoy getting some suggestions about simple crafts for summer fun

Messey Bessey's Family Reunion - Patricia McKissack, (978-0516265520), Fiction
Interest level: 1-2
Messey Bessey's family group is careful to pick up everything after their summer picnic in the park at their family reunion.

Wolf Camp - Katie McKy, (978-1933718255), Fiction
Interest level: K-3, Lexile: 440
Maggie's parents are concerned when she returns home from camp acting more like a wolf than a little girl.

Flag Day - Robin Nelson, (978-0761350262), Non-fiction
Interest level: 9-2
Children learn about the meaning behind the Flag Day summer holiday.

Summer Camp Queen - Marci Bales Peschke, (978-1404875838), Fiction
Interest level: 1-2, Lexile: 600
Miley's determination to spoil Kylie Jean's summer camp experience has a reason, Kylie finds out.

The Longest Day: Celebrating the Summer Solstice - Wendy Pfeffer, (978-0147515568), Non-fiction
Interest level: 1-4
Learn about the history, effects, and changes of the summer solstice.

Henry and Mudge in the Family Trees - Cynthia Rylant, (978-0689823176), Fiction
Interest level: K-3, Lexile: 460
Henry is excited about going to a family reunion but worried about his dog Mudge's habit of major drooling.

Summer Bridge Activities - Summer Bridge Activities, (?978-1620576090), Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-3
This series, all called Summer Bridge Activities, offers educational support activities and projects for parents who wish to help their children maintain their school learning during the summer.

Summer Fit - Kelly Terrill, (978-0976280057), Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-3
This series, all called Summer Fits, offers educational support activities and projects for parents who wish to help their children maintain their school learning and physical fitness during the summer.

Amanda Pig and the Really Hot Day - Jean Van Leeuwen, (978-0142407752), Fiction
Interest level: K-2, Lexile: 290
Amanda Pig tries to think of as many ways as she can to keep cool during a heat wave.

Freedom Summer - Deborah Wiles, (978-0689878299), Fiction
Interest level: K-3
During an abnormal summer when a white friend and a black friend learn that all things that are open to the white child are now in theory open to his African American friend, the town responds harshly at first to the new law of desegregation.

Upper Elementary to Middle School Books

Summer According to Humphrey - Betty Birney, (978-0142418185), Fiction
Interest level: 3-5, Lexile: 700
Room 26's pet school hampster, Humphrey, gets to go to summer camp along with the children.

The Ship of Adventure - Enid Blyton, (978-1447262800), Fiction
Interest level: 4-6
A group of siblings confront a group of evil men as they try to find a lost treasure while on a pleasure cruise to the Greek islands.

The Summer of the Swans - Betsy Byars, (978-0140314205), Fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 830
When a teen girl's brother gets lost, the girl realizes she looks differently at her entire family.

Cooking in a Can - Debra Spina Dixon, (978-1586858148), Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-6
Add more fun to camping with these helpful, simple family recipes designed for cooking items in cans.

Stepping Up - Mark Fink, (978-1934813584), Fiction
Interest level: 6-9, Lexile: 730
Ernie struggles to keep up with other players at a stressful basketball camp, but his self-confidence and also his esteem in camp changes when he helps out with a tragedy.

Campfire Mallory - Laurie Friedman, (978-1580138413), Fiction
Interest level: 2-5
Mallory has a lot of anxiety about her upcoming camp experience despite the fact her friends assure her all the activities will be great fun.

Mallory on Board - Laurie Friedman, (978-0822590231), Fiction
Interest level: 2-5, Lexile: 740
Mallory hopes to enjoy her cruise, although she feels left out since it's for a wedding of parents of two of her friends.

One Crazy Summer - Rita Williams Garcia, (978-0060760908), Fiction
Interest level: 4-7
Three sisters travel to California to find a mother who abandoned them for radical politics; their reunion is filled with unexpected knowledge and developments.

Summer in the City - Marie-Louise Gay, (978-1554981779), Fiction
Interest level: 4-6
Charlie finds the "staycation" at home in Montreal with his family just as exciting as a real summer camp would have been.

Summer: Signs of the Season around North America - Valerie Gerard, (978-1404808232), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-8, Lexile: 690
Learn how summer weather affects people and nature.

Spy Camp - Stuart Gibbs , (978-1442457546), Fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 740
Ben is threatened by the dastardly organization SPYDER as he prepares to leave his school at the CIA academy and go to spy school summer camp.

Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Summer Vacation - Tommy Greenwald, (978-1626720312), Fiction
Interest level: 3-8, Lexile: 800
Charlie tries to subvert his summer camp, intended for teaching writing and grammar, to a real camp for non-academic purposes.

Back to School: Weird Kids Rule - Dan Gutman, (978-0062206862), Fiction
Interest level: 2-5, Lexile: 520
Andrea and friends must go to a special summer camp to get them ready for school in the fall, but after they organize the other attendees, the summer turns out to be good after all.

Deep and Dark and Dangerous - Mary Downing Hahn, (978-0547076454), Fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 650
Even before Ali got to the family's summer place, she knew there was something mysterious about a picture of her mother and her aunt she found, one with another person's face ripped off.

Alice-Miranda at Sea - Jacqueline Harvey, (978-0385743754), Fiction
Interest level: 3-4
Alice-Miranda's anticipated cruise for the wedding of her aunt ends up with mysterious questions and a possible jewel thief.

Blue Autumn Cruise - Lisa Williams Kline, (978-0310726173), Fiction
Interest level: 3-6
Stepsisters Stephanie and Diana find a cruise with their mixed family challenging but excitement mounts as they find out animal smuggling is going on aboard the boat.

Going Overboard! - Nancy Krulik, (978-0448456812), Fiction
Interest level: 3-4, Lexile: 520
Katie looks forward to a normal vacation with her friend Suzanne on a cruise ship but a magic wind makes her into a sea creatuer and a chef.

Summer Ball - Mike Lupica, (978-0142411537), Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 910
Although Danny is short for basketball, he is determined to make a name for himself at summer basketball camp.

Amelia's Itchy-Twitchy, Lovey-Dovey Summer at Camp Mosquito - Marissa Moss , (978-1416947226), Fiction
Interest level: 5-7
Amelia enjoys summer camp but feels conflicted when she and her best friend develop crushes on the same boy.

Daisy's Summer Essay - Marci Peschke, (978-1616411145), Fiction
Interest level: 2-4
Daisy is determined to write a great essay about her summer with her Mexican American family.

Rain is Not My Indian Name - Cynthia Leitich Smith, (?978-0688173975), Fiction
Interest level: 4-9, Lexile: 860
A young Native American woman tries to use a job photographing happenings at at Native American summer camp as a way to take her mind off her grieving the death of her friend.

Three Bird Summer - Sara St. Antoine, (978-0763665647), Fiction
Interest level: 3-7
Adam's new summer friend Alice adds to his summer at his grandmother's cottage on a lake.

My Life as a Book - Janet Tashjian, (978-0312672898), Fiction
Interest level: 3-8, Lexile: 880
Derek learns more at summer "learning" camp than how to read other than comic books; his new friendships, adventures, and discoveries about himself surpass his expectations.

Justin Case: Shells, Smells, and the Horrible Flip-Flops of Doom - Rachel Vail, (978-1250027238), Fiction
Interest level: 1-5, Lexile: 920
Justin finds day camp challenging despite the fact that his sister seems to be having a marvelous time.

Sammy Keyes and the Killer Cruise - Wendelin Van Draanen, (978-0307930620), Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 780
Sammy is at her detective best when she solves a mystery in a closed environment, that of a cruise ship.

Heat Wave - Cassie Waters, (978-1442441460), Fiction
Interest level: 3-4
Christina's plan to get a boy interested in her backfires when he falls for her friend instead.

Cooking on a Stick - Linda White, (978-0879057275), Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-6
Add more fun to camping with these helpful, simple family recipes designed for cooking items on sticks or skewers.

Middle School to Young Adult Books

Camp All-Star - Michael Coldwell, (978-1552776704), Fiction
Interest level: 6-9, Lexile: 840
Jeff's plan to make the all-star team at summer camp has challenges that include strange roommates and other excellent players.

Breakfast Served Any Time - Sarah Combs, (978-0763667917), Fiction
Interest level: 6-12
Gloria's summer camp experience is crowded by her reaction to the recent death of her grandmother.

True Blue - Deborah Ellis, (978-0986949500), Fiction
Interest level: 5-12, Lexile: 710
Can Jess stay friends with her BFF Casey after the latter is accused of murder at summer camp in Ontario?

Summer of My German Soldier - Bette Greene, (978-0142406519), Fiction
Interest level: 7-9, Lexile: 800
A young Jewish girl befriends a German soldier who is being held in a prisoner of war camp in her small town, and her life changes forever.

Camping Actiivity Book for Families - Linda Hamilton, (978-1493013340), Non-fiction
Interest level: 6-12
Read this helpful guide for suggestions of what to do when camping with the family.

Five Summers - Una LaMarche, (?978-1595146731), Fiction
Interest level: 6-12
Four best friends reunite every summer at the same camp, enjoying the closeness that has helped them face the perils and joys of growing up.

Off Point - Leanne Lieberman, (978-1459802803), Fiction
Interest level: 5-12
Meg's summer plans to study more ballet in the summer change when the class is cancelled and she has to learn other types of dance at a camp for dancers.

One Fat Summer - Robert Lipsyte, (978-0064470735), Fiction
Interest level: 7-12, Lexile: 670
A heavy teen uses his summer job mowing grass as part of his new program to lose weight and gain self confidence despite the non-support of other acquaintances.

Summer Break - Sophia Lowell, (?978-0316123600), Fiction
Interest level: 10-12
When Rachel participates in helping younger children in summer camp, she finds she experiences more than just assisting the other members of her Glee Club.

Harlem Summer - Walter Dean Myers, (978-0439368445), Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 910
Mark's dreams of playing saxophone well enough to get on with jazz impressario Fats Waller go up in smoke when a small job he is supposed to do for Fats finds him with a gangster in hot pursuit.

The Down and Dirty Guide to Camping with Kids - Helen Olsson, (978-1590309551), Non-fiction
Interest level: 6-12
Read this helpful guide for suggestions of what to do when camping with the family.

This One Summer - Mariko Tamaki, (978-1596437746), Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 300
Rose's summer at the beach house turns out to be less than idyllic due to family problems and the tempting activities of older teen residents.

Sleeping in a Sack - Linda White, (978-0879058302), Non-fiction
Interest level: 6-12
Read this helpful guide for suggestions of what to do when camping with the family.

Camp - Elaine Wolf, (978-1616086572), Fiction
Interest level: 6-10
The disaster of Amy's arrival at summer camp wearing the nerdy camp uniform is compounded by her experiences with a camp bully.

Armageddon Summer - Jane Yolen, (?978-0152022686), Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 820
Teens Marina and her brother Jed wait for the end of time with their parents, members of a religious cult, while trying to figure out if their own belief systems difer from the fanatical members present.