Wheeler and Hamilton School Summer Reading List 2014

Describes how whales live and some different types of whales.

++ IMPORTANT: Students are required to draw a picture by hand (8 ½” by 11”) of their favorite whale. They must use four colors to fill the page. In addition, students must write three sentences about their favorite whale underneath the picture. ++

When he is assigned Teddy Roosevelt as his biography project in school, fourth-grader Riley finds himself inspired by Roosevelt's tenacity and perseverance and resolves to find a way to get what he most wants--a saxophone and music lessons.

When a hurricane causes the river near his Hawaiian home to flood, a boy named Calvin Coconut makes a daring rescue.

The shortest kid in the second grade, James Moody, also known as Stink, learns all about the shortest president of the United States, James Madison, when they celebrate Presidents' Day at school.

When Oy and her Thai American family move to a new neighborhood, her third-grade classmates tease and exclude her because she is different.

Frustrated at her seeming lack of talent for anything, a young Taiwanese American girl sets out to apply the lessons of the Chinese Year of the Dog, those of making best friends and finding oneself, to her own life.

Lulu's parents refuse to give in when she demands a brontosaurus for her birthday and so she sets out to find her own, but while the brontosaurus she finally meets approves of pets, he does not intend to be Lulu's.

As the youngest in her family, seven-year-old Violet identifies with small creatures in the natural world, but when she tries to help a special ladybug, she learns an important lesson about animal habitats.

Stanley, a boy flattened by a bulletin board, sets off for Mt. Rushmore, where he and his brother team up with cowgirl Calamity Jasper for an exciting adventure.

Once upon a time, American children couldn't borrow library books. Reading wasn't all that important for children, many thought. Luckily Miss Anne Carroll Moore thought otherwise! This is the true story of how Miss Moore created the first children's room at the New York Public Library, a bright, warm room filled with artwork, window seats, and most important of all, borrowing privileges to the world's best children's books in many different languages.

When fourteen-year-old William Kamkwamba's Malawi village was hit by a drought, everyone's crops began to fail. Without enough money for food, let alone school, William spent his days in the library . . . and figured out how to bring electricity to his village. Persevering against the odds, William built a functioning windmill out of junkyard scraps, and thus became the local hero who harnessed the wind.

Dave was an extraordinary artist, poet, and potter living in South Carolina in the 1800s. He combined his superb artistry with deeply observant poetry, carved onto his pots, transcending the limitations he faced as a slave. Laban Carrick Hill's elegantly simple text and award-winning artist Bryan Collier's resplendent, earth-toned illustrations tell Dave's story, a story rich in history, hope, and long-lasting beauty.

Thoroughly researched and filled with intricate and beautiful paintings, this extraordinary book by Award-winning author and artist Jason Chin is an epic saga of the life of an island—born of fire, rising to greatness, its decline, and finally the emergence of life on new islands.

Describes how whales live and some different types of whales.









+++ PLUS READ TWO (2) BOOKS LISTED BELOW TO READ BY YOURSELF (OR WITH A PARENT) +++:

Two roller-skating best friends--one tiny, one tall--share three comical adventures involving outrageously bright socks, an impromptu trek to the Andes, and a most unlikely marvelous companion.

Join in the fun of cracking cases with Cam Jansen, the red-headed detective with the photographic memory.

Meet old Mr. Putter and his cat Tabby! Tabby loves it when Mr. Putter gets a great idea, and you will too! Well-written with colorful illustrations, these short chapter books are perfect for young readers, ages 5-9.

Jack and his little sister Annie are just two regular kids from Frog Creek, Pennsylvania. Then they discover a mysterious tree house packed with all sorts of books...and their lives are never the same! Soon they are traveling through time and space in the magic tree house and having amazing adventures. Whether it's watching baby dinosaurs hatch, finding a secret passage in a castle, helping a ghost queen in an Egyptian pyramid, or finding pirate treasure, readers won't want to miss a single story!

Welcome to the world of Biscuit… the small yellow puppy who always wants one more hug! This is a great series for beginning readers.

Ivy and Bean are very different. Bean is loud and wild and goofy. She loves to be involved in games and poke her nose in other people’s business. Ivy is quiet and full of ideas. She spends most of her time learning how to be a witch. Each girl thinks the other one is weird. Each girl thinks she could never be friends with the other, but they fast become best friends.

The shortest kid in the second grade, James Moody, also known as Stink, learns all about the shortest president of the United States, James Madison, when they celebrate Presidents' Day at school.

The Boxcar Children tells the story of four orphaned children, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny. They create a home for themselves in an abandoned boxcar in the forest.