Governor's Summer Reading Challenge Grades 5-6 - CT.gov
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Governor’s Summer Reading Challenge
Grades 5-6
A Week in the Woods by Andrew Clements Lumberjanes, Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten
Trying to prove himself while on a camping trip in the Holy by Noelle Stevenson
New Hampshire woods with a teacher who Friendship to the max! Jo, April, Mal, Molly,
doesn't like him, Mark gets in trouble for and Ripley are five best pals determined to
something he didn't do and so sneaks away in have an awesome summer together...and
protest. Yet, his teacher soon finds him and a they’re not gonna let any insane quest or an
lesson is learned for both after they must rely array of supernatural critters get in their way!
on one another to get back safely. Lexile: 390L
Lexile: 820L
You Choose: Can You Survive
Alone by Megan E. Freeman Collection
When twelve-year-old Maddie hatches a
scheme for a secret sleepover with her two
by Allison Lassieur, Matt Doeden,
best friends, she ends up waking up to a Rachael Hanel
nightmare. She's alone, and left behind in a Your survival depends on making the right
town that has been mysteriously evacuated choices in key moments. Which path to take?
and abandoned. With no one to rely on, no Readers use their wits and knowledge,
power, or internet access, Maddie learns to learning about survival skills in various
survive on her own. Her only companions are a settings, and making choices that will lead to
Rottweiler named George and all the books either survival or doom.
she can read. As months pass, she escapes natural
disasters, looters, and wild animals. But Maddie's most Wildfire by W.R. Philbrick
formidable enemy is the crushing loneliness she faces Flames race toward Sam Castine's summer camp as
every day. Can Maddie's stubborn will to survive carry evacuation buses are loading, but Sam runs back to
her through the most frightening experience of get his phone. Now a wall of fire separates Sam from
her life? | Lexile: 690L his bus, and there's only one thing to do, run
for his life. Then, when he least expects it, he
Three Bird Summer encounters Delphy, an older girl who is also
by Sara St. Antoine lost. Their unlikely friendship grows as they
For as long as he can remember, Adam and join forces to find civilization. | Lexile: 700L
his parents have spent their summers at his
grandmother’s rustic cabin on Three Bird Lake. Healer of the Water Monster
This year, the lake will belong just to Adam... by Brian Young
and, apparently, Alice, the girl next door. Alice When Nathan goes to visit his grandma, Nali,
seems to want Adam’s friendship, but she at her mobile summer home on the Navajo
looks just like the aloof, popular girls back reservation, he knows he's in for a pretty
home — what could they possibly have in uneventful summer, with no electricity or cell
common? When Adam's grandma starts to service. Still, he loves spending time with Nali
leave strange notes in his room — notes that and with his uncle Jet, though it's clear when
hint at a hidden treasure somewhere at the Jet arrives that he brings his problems with
lake and a love from long ago — Alice is the him. One night, while lost in the nearby desert,
one person he can rely on to help solve the Nathan finds someone extraordinary; a Holy
mysteries of Three Bird Lake. | Lexile: 720L Being from the Navajo Creation Story 'a Water Monster'
in need of help. Now, Nathan must summon all his
courage to save his new friend.
June 2022 Suggested summer reading compiled for the Connecticut State Department of Education 1
by Kymberlee Powe, Children’s and YA Consultant, Connecticut State Library.
Fiction Non Fiction
Efrén Divided by Ernesto Cisneros Accidental Archaeologists: True
Efrén Nava's Amá (Mom) is his Superwoman Stories of Unexpected Discoveries
or Soperwoman. Both Amá and Apá work by Sarah Albee
hard all day making sopes to provide for the Secret treasures are buried all around us—
family. But Efrén worries about his parents; you just have to look for them! Accidental
they’re undocumented. His worst nightmare Archaeologists takes you on an adventure
comes true one day when Amá doesn't return through time to relive some of the coolest
from work and is deported to Tijuana, México. surprise discoveries by totally ordinary people
Now more than ever, Efrén must channel his all over the world. | Lexile: 990L
inner Soperboy to help take care of and
reunite his family. Lexile: 710L
Race to the Bottom of the Earth
Finding Junie Kim by Ellen Oh by Rebecca E. F. Barone
Junie Kim just wants to fit in. So she keeps In 1910, Captain Robert Scott prepared his
her head down and tries not to draw attention crew for a trip that no one had ever
to herself. When Junie's history teacher completed: a journey to the South Pole. He
assigns a project, she interviews her grandparents vowed to get there any way he could. Then,
and learns about their unbelievable experiences as not long before he set out, another intrepid explorer,
kids during the Korean War. Junie comes to admire Roald Amundsen, set his sights on the same goal.
her grandma's fierce determination to overcome
impossible odds, and her grandpa's unwavering Graphic Novels
compassion during wartime.
Treasure in the Lake by Jason Pamment
Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds Grand adventures stories often begin where you least
This story was going to begin like all the best expect them! Iris knows this because she’s
stories. With a school bus falling from the sky. read them all. When Iris and her best friend,
But no one saw it happen. They were all too Sam, stumble upon an unusually dry river on
busy… making jokes, skateboarding, finding the outskirts of town, they’re led to a
comfort and more. What happens after the discovery beyond anything Iris has ever read
dismissal bell rings? | Lexile: 750L about.
One Kids Trash by Jamie Sumner Brain Camp by Susan Kim
Hugo is not happy about being dragged halfway Neither artistic Jenna nor surly Lucas
across the state of Colorado. It’d be different if expected to find themselves at an invitation-
Hugo weren’t so tiny, but here he is, the tiny only summer camp. And yet, here they both
new kid on his first day of middle school. When are at Camp Fielding. But strange
his fellow students discover his remarkable disappearances, spooky lights in the woods,
talent for garbology, the science of studying and a chilling alteration that turns the rowdiest
trash to tell you anything you could ever want to campers into zombie Einsteins, have Jenna
know about a person, Hugo becomes the cool and Lucas feeling more than a little
kid for the first time in his life. | Lexile: 700L suspicious…and a lot afraid.
Many of the listed books were recognized as exemplary books by one or more of the following organizations: American
Library Association (ALA), Children’s Literature & Reading and Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG), iRead, American Indian
Library Association (AILA), International Literacy Association (ILA), National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS),
National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), National Science
Teachers Association (NSTA), American Association of the Advancement of Science (AAAS), United States Board on
Books for Young People (USBBY). Other awards as noted.
2
Featured Connecticut Authors
Susan Ross Jerry Craft
A former trustee of the West- Jerry Craft is a Connecticut
port Connecticut Library, Su- author, a New York Times
san Ross divides her time be- bestseller, and winner of the
tween Westport, and her child- Newbery Medal. Craft is also
hood home of Lewiston- the creator of the award win-
Auburn, Maine. Susan began ning comic strip, Mama’s
her working career as a law- Boyz, which won the African
yer, and upon leaving law, be- American Literary Award five
gan teaching legal writing in times. Craft’s graphic novel,
Brooklyn and creative writing in Connecticut. New Kid, was the 2020 Connecticut Book Award
winner in the young readers fiction category.
Kiki and Jacques | Lexile: 640L
Searching for Lottie New Kid | Lexile: 320L
Class Act | Lexile: 340L
The Offenders: Saving the World, While Serv-
ing Detention!
Sarah Albee Michaela MacColl
Sarah lives in Connecticut Michaela grew up in
with her husband, who is a upstate New York. She
high school history teacher studied Russian and
and administrator. They Soviet history at Vassar
have three grown kids, and College and Yale
a dog, Rosie. Prior to University. She lived in
becoming a full-time writer, the south of France for
she worked at Children’s several years before
Television Workshop settling in Connecticut.
(producers of Sesame Her first book, Prisoners in the Palace, was
Street) for nine years. She played basketball in published in 2010. She has four enormous black
college, and a year of semi-professional cats who are very hard to tell apart from each
women’s basketball in Cairo, Egypt. She other.
especially loves writing about topics where
history and science connect. View from Pagoda Hill | Lexile Level: 660L
Rory’s Promise | Lexile: 630L
Poison: Deadly Deeds, Perilous Professions, Promise the Night
and Murderous Medicines | Lexile: 1080L
Accidental Archaeologist | Lexile: 990L
June 2022 3
Nutmegs Classics and Popular Titles
What are the Nutmeg Book Awards? Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
Anne, an eleven-year-old orphan, is sent by
The CT Nutmeg Book Award encourages mistake to live with a lonely, middle-aged brother and
children in grades 2-12 to read quality literature sister on a Prince Edward Island farm and proceeds to
make an indelible impression on everyone around her.
and to choose their favorite from a list of Lexile: 550L
nominated titles. Jointly sponsored by the
Connecticut Library Association and the A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park
Connecticut Association of School Librarians, Tree-ear, a thirteen-year-old orphan in medieval Korea,
the Nutmeg Committee is comprised of lives under a bridge in a potters’ village, and longs to
children's librarians and school library media learn how to throw the delicate celadon ceramics.
specialists who are members of sponsoring Lexile: 920L
organizations, as well as students.
Bridge to Terabithia
For more information, visit
by Katherine Paterson
www.nutmegaward.org The life of a ten-year-old boy in rural Virginia
expands when he becomes friends with a
Finding Langston newcomer who subsequently meets an untimely
by Lesa Cline-Ransome death trying to reach their hideaway, Terabithia,
during a storm. | Lexile: 810L
Saving Winslow by Sharon Creech
Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes
In New Orleans’ Ninth ward, twelve-year-old
The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez Lanesha, who can see spirits, and her adopted
by Adrianna Cuevas grandmother, have no choice but to stay and
weather the storm as Hurricane Katrina bears
A Galaxy of Sea Stars down upon them. | Lexile: HL470L
by Jeanne Zulick Ferruolo
Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan
Esperanza and her mother are forced to leave their life of
The Silver Arrow by Lev Grossman wealth and privilege in Mexico to go work in the labor
camps of Southern California. They must adapt to the
When Stars Are Scattered harsh circumstances facing Mexican farm workers during
by Victoria Jamieson & Omar Mohamed the Great Depression. | Lexile: 750L
From the Desk of Zoe Washington One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
In the summer of 1968, after traveling from Brooklyn,
by Janae Marks New York to Oakland, California to spend time with their
mother, eleven-year-old Delphine and her two younger
Just Like Jackie by Lindsey Stoddard sisters arrive to a cold welcome. Their mother, a
dedicated poet and printer, would rather send the girls to
Katie the Catsitter by Colleen AF Venable a nearby Black Panther summer camp. | Lexile: 750L
Nightbooks by J. A. White
June 2022 4
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