Learn about our suggested and required summer reading lists for each grade and reading level.
Summer Reading
Picture Books of the Twenty-First Century for Parents to Read with their Children
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Level E
Alicia's Happy Day by Meg Starr
Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow
The Foot Book by Dr. Seuss
Gus Grows a Plant by Frank Remkiewicz
I like Fish by Margaret Wise Brown
It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles Shaw
Jack and Rick by David McPhail
Monkey See, Monkey Do by Marc Gave
My Five Senses by Aliki
Purple is Part of a Rainbow by Carolyn Kowalczyk
Saving Money by Tanya Thayer
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Level E - Series
Puppy Mudge Wants to Play by Cynthia Rylant
Gossie and Friends by Oliver Dunrea
Gossie and Friends - Gemma and Gus by Oliver Dunrea
Gossie and Friends - Gideon by Oliver Dunrea
Gossie and Friends - Gideon and Otto by Oliver Dunrea
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Level F
Bread, Bread, Bread by Ann Morris
A Bug, a Bear, and a Boy by David McPhail
Catch Me if you Can by Bernard Most
Cookie's Week by Cyndy Ward
Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother Too? by Eric Carle
Have You Seen the Crocodile? by Colin West
Ice-Cold Birthday by Maryann Cocca-Leffler
It Started as a Seed by Alden Kelley
Itchy, Itchy Chicken Pox by Grace Maccarone
Just Like Daddy by Frank Asch
Mac and Cheese by Sarah Weeks
Maple Trees by Marcia Freeman
Pizza Party by Grace Maccarone
Soccer Game! by Grace Maccarone
Who Will be my Friends? by Syd Hoff
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Level F - Series
Biscuit by Alyssa Capucillil
Mouse by Lauren Thompson
Gossie and Friends by Oliver Dunrea
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Level G
Caring for our Lizards by Anne Richards
The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss
Cat and Dog by Else H. Minarik
Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs by Byron Barton
First Grade, Here I Come by Nancy Carlson
Giant Pandas by Marcia Freeman
I’m a Caterpillar by Jean Marzollo
Marco's Run by Wesley Cartier
Mine’s the Best by Crosby Bonsall
Nicky Upstairs and Down by Harriet Ziefert
Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw
Spider’s Lunch by Joanna Cole
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Level G - Series
Llama Llama by Anna Dewdney
Harry by Harriet Ziefert
Little Critter by Mercer Mayer
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Level H
Daniel’s Mystery Egg by Alma Ada
A Day in the Life of a Firefighter by Linda Hayward
Johnny Appleseed by Jane Kurtz
A Kiss for Little Bear by Else Minarik
Ming Goes to School by Deirdre Sullivan
The Night Before First Grade by Natasha Wing
Pete the Cat’s Train Trip by James Dean
Pete’s a Pizza by William Steig
Put Me in the Zoo by Robert Lopshire
Ready, Set, Go! by John Stadler
Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert
Surprise Puppy! by Judith Hodge
Tale of a Tadpole by Karen Wallace
We are Best Friends by Aliki
Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes
You’ll Soon Grow Into Them, Titch by Pat Hutchins
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Level H - Series
Max by Adria Klein
Elephant and Piggie by Mo Willems
Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold
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Level I
All the Colors of the Rainbow by Allan Fowler
Are You My Mother? by Philip D. Eastman
Big Dog, Little Dog by Philip D. Eastman
Brave Norman: A True Story by Andrew Clements
Butterflies by Fran Howard
Charlie Needs a Cloak by Tomie dePaola
Children Around the World by Donata Montanari
A Color of his Own by Leo Lionni
Father Bear Comes Home by Else Minarik
Go Away Dog by Joan Nodset
The Good Egg and the Talent Show by Jory Jon
How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? by Jane Yolen
I Love Our Earth by Bill Martin, Jr.
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
Leo the Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus
Monarch Butterfly by Gail Gibbons
My Best Friend by Pat Hutchins
My Tooth is About to Fall Out by Grace Maccarone
Napping House by Audrey Wood
Noisy Nora by Rosemary Wells
There’s a Nightmare in my Closet by Mercer Mayer
The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle
When I was Little by Jamie Lee Curtis
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Level I - Series
Dragon by Dav Pilkey
Messy Bessy by Patricia McKissick
Pinkalicious by Victoria Kann
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Level J
Bugs for Lunch by Margery Facklam
Curious George Goes to an Ice Cream Shop by Margaret and H.A. Rey
Danny and the Dinosaur by Syd Hoff
Detective Dinosaur by James Skolfield
The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins
The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle
Harriet Tubman by Catherine Nichols
Harry and the Lady Next Door by Gene Zion
The Horse in Harry’s Room by Syd Hoff
How a Seed Grows by Helene Jordan
Ish by Peter H. Reynolds
Jamberry by Bruce Degen
Just Enough Carrots by Stuart Murphy
Last One in is a Rotten Egg by Leonard Kessler
Milton the Early Riser by Robert Kraus
Mouse Soup by Arnold Lobel
Mr. Putter and Tabby Pour The Tea by Cynthia Rylant
No More Monsters for Me by Peggy Parish
Norma Jean, Jumping Bean by Joanna Cole
Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann
Oliver by Syd Hoff
Our Tree Named Steve by Alan Zweibel
Milton the Early Riser by Robert Kraus
Mouse Soup by Arnold Lobel
No More Monsters for Me by Peggy Parish
Norma Jean, Jumping Bean by Joanna Cole
Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann
Oliver by Syd Hoff
Our Tree Named Steve by Alan Zweibel
Owl at Home by Arnold Lobel
Peter’s Chair by Ezra Jack Keats
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
Stagestruck by Tomie dePaola
There’s an Alligator Under my Bed by Mercer Mayer
The Stray Dog by Marc Simont
There's An Alligator Under my Bed by Mercer Mayer
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Level J - Series
Annie and Snowball by Cynthia Rylant
Clifford by Norman Bridwell
Fox by James Marshall
Henry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant
Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik
Minnie and Moo by Denys Cazet
Morris by Bernard Wiseman
Mr. Putter and Tabby by Cynthia Rylant
Poppleton by Cynthia Rylant
Young Cam Jansen by David Adler
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Level K
The Blind Men and the Elephant by Karen Backstein
Bones and the Cupcake Mystery by David Adler
Bootsie Barker Bites by Barbara Bottner
Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin
The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash by Trinka Hakes Noble
Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay up Late by Mo Willems
Edwina the Dinosaur Who Didn’t Know She Was Extinct by Mo Willems
Frog and Friends by Ever Bunting
Get Ready for Second Grade, Amber Brown by Paula Danziger
Greg’s Microscope by Millicent E. Selsam
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
Ibis: A True Whale Story by John Himmelman
Little Witch Goes to Witch School by Deborah Hautzig
Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
Manatee Winter by Kathleen Zoehfield
Moses Goes to a Concert by Isaac Millman
Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs by Tomie DePaola
Nate the Great by Marjorie W. Sharmat
Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs by Tomie dePaola
One Hundred Angry Ants by Elinor J. Pinczes
Ruby the Copycat by Peggy Rathman
Sea Turtles by Laura Marsh
Sheila Rae, the Brave by Kevin Henke
Slinky, Scaly Snakes by Jennifer Dussling
Sun by Stacy McNulty
Surf's Up by Kwame Alexander
Tell Me Again About the Night I was Born by Jamie Lee Curtis
Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe by Vera B. Williams
Tigers by Laura Marsh
Zach’s Alligator by Shirley Mozelle
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Level K - Series
Andy Shane by Jennifer Jacobson
Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel
Don’t Let the Pigeon…. by Mo Willems
Houndsley and Catina by James Howe
Iris and Walter by Elissa Haden Guest
Katie Woo by Fran Manushkin
Mercy Watson by Kate diCamillo
Nate the Great by Marjorie Weinman
Zelda and Ivy by Laura Kvasnosky
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Level L
Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman
Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish
Astronaut Living in Space by Kate Hayden
The Bubbly Factory by Tomie dePaola
Chang’s Paper Pony by Eleanor Coerr
A Day in the Life of a Zookeeper by Nate Boutillier
Dolphin by Robert Ada Morris
The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds
Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin
If You Ever Want to Bring an Alligator to School, Don’t!by Elise Parsley
Emma's Rug by Allen Say
The Emperor and the Nightingale by Hans Christian Anderson
The Flight of the Union by Tekla White
Gemma the Gymnastic Fairy by Daisy Meadows
Gregory the Terrible Eater by Mitchell Sharmat
Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King by Jean Marzollo
Home Lovely by Lynne Rae Perkins
How I Became a Pirate by David Shannon
Hungry, Hungry Sharks! by Joanna Cole
I am Abraham Lincoln by Brad Meltzer
Ira Sleeps Over by Bernard Waber
Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino
Judy Moody Saves the World by Megan McDonald
Little Nino’s Pizzeria by Karen Barbour
The Long Way to a New Land by Joan Sandin
One Duck Stuck by Phyllis Root
Pierre the Penguin by Jean Marzollo
Plants that Eat Animals by Allan Fowler
The Quilt Story by Tony Johnston and Tomie dePaola
The Schoolchildren’s Blizzard by Marty Figley
The Secret of Foghorn Island by Geoffrey Hayes
Six-Dinner Sid by Inga Moore
The Snow Walker by Margaret K. and Charles M. Wetterer
The Story About Ping by Marjorie Flack
Three Cheers for Tacky by Helen Lester
The True Story of Balto by Natalie Standiford
Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes
Whales: The Gentle Giants by Joyce Milton
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Level L - Series
Cam Jansen by David Adler
George and Martha by James Marshall
Horrible Harry by Suzy Kline
Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows
Minnie and Moo by Denys Cazet
Pinky and Rex by James Howe
Stink by Megan McDonald
Entering Grades 3 - 4 Required Summer Reading
Grade 3 students are required to read a total of THREE books
Students entering Grade 4 students are required to read a total of THREE books
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Level M
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
Junie B. First Grader: Aloha-ha-ha by Barbara Park
Junie B. First Grader: Aloha-ha-ha by Barbara Park
Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena
Leroy Ninker Saddles Up by Kate DiCamillo
Soccer on Sunday (#52) by Mary Pope Osborne
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Level M - Series
Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown
Heidi Hecklebeck by Wanda Coven
Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows
Judy Moody by Megan McDonald
Junie B. Jones by Barbara Park
Magic Treehouse by Mary Pope Osborne
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Level N
Chicken Sunday by Patricia Polacco
Donavan’s Word Jar by Monalisa DeGross
How to be Cool in 3rd Grade by Betsy Duffey
The Librarian from the Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler
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Level N - Series
A to Z Mysteries by Ron Roy
Amber Brown by Paula Danzinger
Ballpark Mysteries by David A. Kelly
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Level O
Clementine by Sara Pennypacker
A Day's Work by Eve Bunting
Justin Case, School, Drool, and Other Daily Disasters by Rachel Vail
Mallory in the Spotlight by Laurie Friedman
What’s the Big Idea, Ben Franklin? by Jean Fritz
The World According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney
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Level O - Series
Dragon Masters by Tracey West
Geronimo Stilton by Geronimo Stilton
Henry Huggins by Beverly Clearly
The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Clearly
Ramona by Beverly Clearly
Who Would Win? by Jerry Pallotta
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Level P
Adventure According to Humphrey by Betty Birney
Bermuda Triangle by Andrew Donkin
Dog Days by Karen English
Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl
The Giraffe, and the Pelly, and Me by Roald Dahl
An Orange for Frankie by Patricia Polacco
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Level P - Series
Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel
Dragonbreath by Ursula Vernon
My Weird School Daze by Dan Gutman
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Level Q
Anastasia Krupnik by Lois Lowry
Babe by Dick King-Smith
Bunnicula and Friends Scared Silly by James Howe
Double Play at Short by Matt Christopher
Fight for Life by Laurie Halse Anderson
Last Summer with Maizon by Jacqueline Woodson
The Peculiar Pumpkin Thief by Geronimo Stilton
Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater
Power Forward by Hena Khan
Superfudge by Judy Blume
The Talented Clementine by Sara Pennypacker
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Level Q - Series
Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi
Bunnicula by Deborah and James Howe
If You Lived... by various authors
I Survived by Lauren Tarshis
Power Forward by Hena Khan
Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi
A Wicked History by Various Authors
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Level R
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
Clarice Bean Spells Trouble by Lauren Child
The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson
Frindle by Andrew Clements
Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier
Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen
No Talking by Andrew Clements
Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
Sisters by Raina Telgemeier
Sun and Spoon by Kevin Henkes
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
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Level R - Series
Dog Man by Dav Pilkey
I Survived by Lauren Tarshis
Kidnapped by Gordon Korman
The Sisters Grimm by Michael Buckley
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Level S
The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden
Escaping the Giant Wave by Peg Kehret
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsberg
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies
Long Shot by Mike Lupica
Long-Arm Quarterback by Matt Christopher
Lon Po Po: A Red Riding Hood Story from China by Ed Young
My Teacher Is an Alien by Bruce Coville
New Kid by Jerry Craft
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
Out of Darkness by Russell Freedman
Taking Sides by Gary Soto
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Level S - Series
The Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier
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Level T
Blubber by Judy Blume
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
The Building of the Transcontinental Railroad by Nathan Olson
I Survived The American Revolution by Lauren Tarshis
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
The Penderwicks on Gardam Street by Jeanne Birdsall
Smile by Raina Telgemeier
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger
The Strongest Man in the World by Louis Cyr
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Level T - Series
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Wings of Fire (Graphic Novels) by Tui T. Sutherland
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Books to Read Aloud With Your Children
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Level VThe Aurora County All-Stars by Deborah Wiles
Level VEach Little Bird That Sings by Deborah Wiles
Level UThe Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Katie DiCamillo
Level URunning Out of Time by Margaret Peterson
Level WTuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
Level WThe View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg
Level U
Entering Grades 5 - 8 Required Summer Reading
Students entering Grade 5 are required to read THREE books:
Students entering Grade 6 are required to read the following THREE books:
Students entering Grade 7 are required to read the following THREE books:
Students entering Grade 8 are each required to read the following THREE books. Each student is also required to complete a graphic organizer for his or her Eighth Grade Speech, following the guidelines provided by Ms. Ready in the spring of Seventh Grade.
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Realistic Fiction
Blended by Sharon Draper
Booked by Kwame Alexander
Camp Sunshine by Jarrett Krosoczka
The Christmas Pig by J.K. Rowling
Class Act by Jerry Craft
Clean Getaway by Nic Stone
Counting by Sevens by Holly Goldberg Sloan
The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
Forget Me Not by Ellie Terry
Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick
Front Desk by Kelly Yang
A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramee
Insignificant Events of a Cactus (Series) by Dusti Bowling
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos
Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina
Middle School (series) by James Patterson
Quintessence by Jess Redman
Rivals by Tommy Greenwald
Rules by Cynthia Lord
Starfish by Lisa Fipps
Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer by John Grisham
Wildfire by Rodman Philbrick
Wild River by Rodman Philbrick
Words on Fire by Jennifer Nielson
You Go First by Entrada Kelly
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Historical Fiction & Nonfiction
Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
Child of the Dream (A Memoir of 1963) by Sharon Robinson
Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos
I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levin
On the Horizon by Lois Lowry
The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson
The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman
Pashmina by Nidhi Chanani
Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park
Refugee by Alan Gratz
They Called Us Enemy by George Takei
Towers Falling by Jewell Parker Rhodes
When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson & Omar Mohamed
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Fantasy & Sci-Fi
The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott
Curse of the Night Witch by Alex Aster
The Firefly Code by Megan Blakemore
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins
Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard by Rick Riordan
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia
Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott
Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster and Jules Fieffer
Pixie Pushes On by Tamara Bundy
Savvy by Ingrid Law
Scythe by Neal Shusterman
The Trials of Apollo by Rick Riordan
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
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Realistic Fiction
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
Death Be Not Proud by John Gunther
Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez
The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson
Jackpot by Nic Stone
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson
Pride by Ibi Zoboi
Swing by Kwame Alexander
They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
The Wheel on the School by Meindert DeJong
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Historical Fiction, Non-Fiction, & Memoir
Bud Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
Chains by Laurie Haise Anderson
Code of Honor by Alan Gratz
Fever by Laurie Haise Anderson
Ground Zero by Alan Gratz
I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
It’s Trevor Noah: Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood (Adapted for Young Readers) by Trevor Noah
I Will Always Write Back by Martin Ganda and Caitlin Alifirenka
On The Horizon by Lois Lowry
The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
Refugee by Alan Gratz
Salt To The Sea by Ruta Sepetys
Taste of Salt: A Story of Modern Haiti by Frances Temple
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
Uprising by Margaret Peterson Haddix
When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohammed
White Rose by Kip Wilson
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Fantasy & Sci-Fi
The Chronicles of Narnia (Series) by C.S. Lewis
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Scythe (Book One in The Arc of a Scythe series) by Neal Shusterman
The Serpent's Secret by Sayantani DasGupta
Thunderhead (Book Two in The Arc of a Scythe series) by Neal Shusterman
The Toll (Book Three in The Arc of a Scythe series) by Neal Shusterman
Warcross by Marie Lu
Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed by Laurie Halse Anderson
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Mystery & Thriller
City Spies by James Ponti
Framed by James Ponti
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
Greenglass House by Kate Milford
One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus
One of Us is Next by Karen M. McManus
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Adventure & Survival
Call of the Wild by Jack London
The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Icefall by Matthew J. Kirby
Overboard by Elizabeth Fama
Peak by Roland Smith
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
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Poetry & Novels In Verse
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
Home Is Not a Country by Safia Elhillo
The Red Pencil by Andrea Davis Pinkney
A Time To Dance by Padma Venkatraman