GRADES 3 & 4
Each student reads 2 books from the list and completes a 4-step Summer Scrapbook on one of the books. The Summer Scrapbook consists of the following:
1. A photo of the student reading the book in his/her favorite place.
2. Pictures of the student dressed up as the main character or illustrations of the character drawn by the student.
3. A postcard drawn by the student depicting the setting, with a note to a friend on the back of the postcard telling about their book.
4. A letter to your teacher giving your opinion of the book.
The Tale of Despereaux - Kate DiCamillo
The adventures of Desperaux Tilling, a small mouse of unusual talents, the princess that he loves, the servant girl who longs to be a princess, and a devious rat determined to bring them all to ruin.
The Borrowers - Mary Norton
Miniature people who live in an old country house by borrowing things from the humans are forced to emigrate from their home under the clock.
The Mayor of Central Park - Avi
Oscar Westerwit, a squirrel who loves baseball and Broadway musicals, fights back when a gangster rat named Big Daddy Duds and his thugs move uptown in the year 1900, invade Central Park, and evict Oscar and his animal friends from their homes.
The Adventures of Ali Baba Bernstein - Johanna Herwitz
Eight-year-old David Bernstein discovers life is much more exciting when he calls himself Ali Baba Bernstein. Only Ali Baba would have dared to grab the class snail and escape to the boys' room for his own magic experiment. David would never have invited every David Bernstein in the phone book to his birthday party -- or find himself hailed as a great detective -- or discover adventures and misadventures everywhere he went. But Ali Baba Bernstein does!
The Whipping Boy – Sid Fleischman
A shout comes echoing up the stairway "Fetch the whipping boy!" A young orphan named Jemmy rouses from his sleep. "Ain't I already been whipped twice today? Gaw! What's the prince done now? It was forbidden to spank, thrash, or whack the heir to the throne. Jemmy had been plucked from the streets to serve as whipping boy to the arrogant and spiteful Prince Brat.
Dreaming of running away, Jemmy finds himself trapped in Prince Brat's own dream--at once brash and perilous. In this briskly told tale of high adventure, taut with suspense and rich with colorful characters, the whipping boy and Prince Brat must at last confront each other.
Shipwrecked! The True Adventures of a Japanese Boy – Rhoda Blumberg
In the 1800s, Japan's strict isolation laws prohibited foreigners from entering the island. So when fourteen-year-old Manjiro and four other fishermen were shipwrecked on an island far from shore, they wondered if they would ever be allowed to return home! Then a whaling ship from New Bedford arrives. Through a series of incredible events, Manjiro became the first Japanese person to arrive in the United States, where he experienced American culture and participated in the Gold Rush. He took part in one of the most important events of the nineteenth century, the opening of Japan, and became an honored samurai.
My Dog, My Hero – Betsy Byars
'My Hero' to Be Chosen: Eight finalists will compete tonight for the title My Hero. The winner will wear the coveted gold Hero medal. These brave and courageous dogs will each appear with their nominator who will tell their story. There's Smiley, who fought a giant bull. Bear used his giant paws to save the life of another dog. Munchkin warned a gardener of a poisonous snake about to strike. Old Dog helped find people buried under rubble after a tornado. Buster pulled a baby carriage out of the path of a careening truck. Blue, who had never been known to bark, used his voice to bring help to his wounded master. Dopey's constant barking saved the life of a baby left in a sweltering car. Little Bit brought love and companionship to a nursing home resident.
The Return of Meteor Boy – William Boniface
Uh-Oh! The super town of Superopolis is hiding a gigantic secret! Years ago, a young superhero named Meteor Boy mysteriously vanished during a dangerous mission. But what really happened to him? There may be more to the Meteor Boy secret than anybody suspected! As Ordinary Boy begins to investigate, he discovers that nobody knows where Meteor Boy came from in the first place . . . and clues start to indicate that he may in fact still be alive.
In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson – Bette Bao Lord
Shirley Temple Wong sails from China to America with a heart full of dreams. Her new home is Brooklyn, New York. America is indeed a land full of wonders, but Shirley doesn't know any English, so it's hard to make friends. Then a miracle -baseball- happens. It is 1947, and Jackie Robinson, star of the Brooklyn Dodgers, is everyone's hero. Jackie Robinson is proving that a black man, the grandson of a slave, can make a difference in America and for Shirley as well, on the ball field and off, America becomes the land of opportunity.
