Charlie May Simon 2016-2017 Reading List

1. Charlie May Simon 2016-2017 Reading List

2. Guidelines • For students in grades four, five and six • Students must have read three books or have heard three books • Students vote for one book.

3. Criteria Books on the 2016-2017 must have been published in 2014. The author must reside in the United States. Books published in a previous year or a foreign country will not be considered Adaptations, retellings and translations will not be considered The author must be living Books that children will read anyways are generally not included.

4. The Crossover by Kwame Alexander • Summary: Fourteen-year-old twin basketball stars Josh and Jordan wrestle with highs and lows on and off the court as their father ignores his declining health.

5. The Crossover Genre – Realistic Fiction, Poetry Accelerated Reader RL 4.3 Points 2.0 Reading Counts RL 4.6 Points 7 Lexile 750 Guided Reading Z 237 pages 2015 John Newbery Medal2015 Coretta Scott King Author Honor2015 NCTE Charlotte Huck Award Honor for Outstanding Fiction for Children 2015 Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts by the NCTE YALSA 2015 Best Fiction for Young Adults

6. El Deafoby Cece Bell • Summary: A hearing aid grants "superpowers" to a deaf student who moves from a school for the deaf to a school of those who hear in this funny graphic novel.

7. El Deafo Genre – Autobiography, Graphic novel memoir Accelerated Reader RL 2.7 Points 2.0 Reading Counts RL 3.4 Points 7 Lexile 420 Guided Reading Q 233 pages Newbery Honor Award IRA Notable Books for a Global Society 2015 Notable Children's Books

8. He has shot the President by Don Brown • Summary: Gives readers a chronological account of the events and also captures the emotion of the death of America's greatest president.

9. He has shot the President Genre – Nonfiction Accelerated Reader RL 5.8 Points 1.0 Reading Counts RL 7.3 Points 4 Lexile 940 63 pages

10. The Map Trap by Andrew Clements • Summary: Sixth-grader Alton Barnes loves maps, and when his portfolio of secret maps is stolen, he begins getting notes with orders that he must obey to get the maps back, but with the help of a popular classmate, he just might succeed before his teacher, principal, or someone else learns he has been studying and mapping things about them.

11. The map trap Genre – Realistic fiction, School story Accelerated Reader RL 5.3 Points 3.0 Reading Counts RL 6.2 Points 7 Lexile 900 144 pages

12. Under the Egg by Laura Marx Fitzgerald • Summary: Her grandfather's dying words lead thirteen-year-old Theodora Tenpenny to a valuable, hidden painting she fears may be stolen, but it is her search for answers in her Greenwich Village neighborhood that brings a real treasure.

13. Under the egg Genre – Realistic fiction, mystery Accelerated Reader RL 5.5 Points 7.0 Reading Counts RL 5.2 Points 11 Lexile 790 272 pages 2015 Notable Children's Books

14. Winter Skyby Patricia Reilly Giff • Summary: Almost twelve-year-old Siria, who chases firetrucks in the middle of the night to ensure her fire fighter dad's safety, learns about bravery one winter as she tries to mend a broken friendship.

15. Winter sky Genre – Realistic fiction Accelerated Reader RL 3.8 Points 3.0 Reading Counts RL 3.1 Points 7 Lexile 520 Guided Reading T 152 pages

16. Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff • Summary: Ten-year-old Albie has never been the smartest, tallest, best at gym, greatest artist, or most musical in his class, as his parents keep reminding him, but new nanny Calista helps him uncover his strengths and take pride in himself.

17. Absolutely Almost Genre – Realistic fiction Accelerated Reader RL 4.7 Points 7.0 Reading Counts RL 4.6 Points 11 Lexile 750 288 pages 2015 Notable Children's Books NCTE Charlotte Huck Honor Book for Outstanding Fiction for Children

18. Courage for Beginners by Karen Harrington • Summary: Twelve-year-old Mysti Murphy of Texas wishes she were a character in a book. If her life were fiction, she'd know how to solve her problems at school; take care of her family when her dad has to spend time in the hospital; and deal with her family's secret: that her mother is agoraphobic and never leaves the house.

19. Courage for Beginners Genre – Realistic fiction Accelerated Reader RL 4.4 Points 7.0 Reading Counts RL 5.3 Points 14 Guided Reading W 289 pages

20. The Secret Hum of a Daisy by Tracy Holczer • Summary: After 12-year-old Grace's mother's sudden death, Grace is forced to live with a grandmother she's never met. Then she discovers clues in a mysterious treasure hunt--one that will help her find her true home.

21. The Secret Hum of a Daisy Genre – Realistic fiction Accelerated Reader RL 5.2 Points 10 Reading Counts RL 5.2 Points 17 Lexile 820 Guided Reading T 312 pages

22. Rain Reignby Ann M. Martin • Summary: Rose Howard is obsessed with homonyms, which is why she named her stray dog Rain, a name with two homonyms, which makes the name very special in Rose's mind. After recovering Rain from being lost in a severe thunderstorm, she discovers Rain has an implanted microchip and must face losing the dog once again.

23. Rain Reign Genre – Realistic fiction Accelerated Reader RL 4.3 Points 5.0 Reading Counts RL 4.4 Points 9 Lexile 720 226 pages 2015 Notable Children's Books 2015 Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts by the NCTE 2015 Schneider Family Book Award

24. What the Moon Saidby Gayle Rosengren • Summary: When Esther's family moves to a farm during the Great Depression, she soon learns that there are things much more important than that her superstitious mother rarely shows her any affection.

25. What the Moon Said Genre – Historical fiction Accelerated Reader RL 4.2 Points 7.0 Reading Counts RL 3.4 Points 11 Lexile 600 217 pages • http://www.gaylerosengren.com/moon-discussion-questions.html

26. Another Day as Emilyby Eileen Spinelli • Summary: Susie is jealous when her brother is deemed a town hero, so she finds solace in the poetry and reclusive lifestyle of Emily Dickinson.

27. Another Day as Emily Genre – Realistic fiction, Poetry Accelerated Reader RL 3.2 Points 3.0 Lexile 420 Guided Reading Q 224 pages

28. Eliza Bing is (not) a Big Fat Quitter by Carmella Van Vleet • Summary: After learning she cannot take a cake decorating class with her best friend, partly because her parents consider her a quitter, eleven-year-old Eliza tries to prove herself by sticking with a taekwondo class all summer.

29. Eliza Bing is (not) a Big Fat Quitter Genre – Realistic fiction Accelerated Reader RL 4.1 Points 5.0 Reading Counts RL 3.4 Points 9 Lexile 600 165 pages 2015 Christopher Award Winner

30. Middle-School Cool by Maiya Williams • Summary: Reporters for an experimental middle school's student newspaper face an ethical dilemma when they uncover a shocking secret about their eccentric principal that could tarnish the reputation of their beloved Kaboom Academy if revealed. Paperback

31. Middle-School Cool Genre – School stories Accelerated Reader RL 5.7 Points 9.0 Lexile 810 Guided Reading V 236 pages

32. Arcady’s Goal by Eugene Yelchin • Summary: When twelve-year-old Arcady is sent to a children's home after his parents are declared enemies of the state in Soviet Russia, soccer becomes a way to secure extra rations, respect, and protection but it may also be his way out if he can believe in and love another person--and himself.

33. Arcady’s Goal Genre – Historical fiction Accelerated Reader RL 4.0 Points 3.0 Reading Counts RL 3.5 Points 8 Lexile 630 Guided Reading T 234 pages Notable Books for a Global Society 2015 Notable Children's Books