2025 Summer Reading Program: Grades 3-5

Updated January 22, 2025
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Robots : explore the world of robotics and AI
Admoni, Henny, Dr
Paper Book
The future is here. Explore the world of robots and artificial intelligence in this kids' STEM book by robotics professor Dr. Henny Admoni. Hang out in a factory with a pizza-making robot, blast into the past to meet the robot statues in ancient Egyptian temples that spoke to...
Monster Locker
Aguirre, Jorge
Paper Book
A Kirkus Best Book of the Year In this first volume of a thrilling middle grade graphic novel series, a sixth-grader named Pablo discovers his locker is a portal to the realm of monsters! For hundreds of years, something in the basement of Glenfield...
Dogtown
Applegate, Katherine
Paper Book
Now a New York Times bestseller, an Indie bestseller, and an Amazon Best Children's Book! From beloved authors Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko and with illustrations by Wallace West, Dogtown is at once an uplifting story and a page-turning adventure, sure to find a...
Lost in the Empire City
Avi
Paper Book
Newbery Medalist Avi is back with a gripping exploration of the immigrant experience at the turn of the twentieth century. A must-read for fans of Moon over Manifest and Echo Mountain. When Santo's father left their tiny town in Italy for America, he made Santo promise to...
The cookie crumbles
Badua, Tracy
Paper Book
The Great British Bake Off meets Knives Out in this fun and propulsive middle grade novel following two best friends who must solve the mystery behind a baking competition gone awry. Laila gave Lucy a cupcake on the second day of kindergarten, and they've been...
Mountain of fire : the eruption and survivors of Mount St. Helens
Barone, Rebecca E. F.
Paper Book
Mountain of Fire is the narrative nonfiction account of the violent volcanic eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980, the story of the people who died, those who survived, and the heroes who fought to raise an alarm. For weeks, the ground around Mount St. Helens...
Race for the ruby turtle
Bramucci, Stephen
Ebook
The Hill : inside the secret world of the U.S. Capitol
Brower, Kate Andersen
Paper Book
#1 New York Times bestselling author Kate Andersen Brower shares a special look inside America's Capitol and highlights what the people who work there mean to the future of democracy. Perfect for readers of Brower's first middle grade book, Exploring the White House! ...
Finch house
Burch, Ciera
Paper Book
Encanto meets Coraline in this "supremely successful, atmospheric" (Kirkus Reviews) middle grade story that deals with family ties, fear of change, and generational trauma as it follows a girl who must convince an old, haunted house to release its hold on her and her family.<...
How to save a unicorn
Cannistra, Meg
Paper Book
To save a unicorn's life, Giada the Healer will have to risk it all. Giada Bellantuono has traveled all the way from Italy to New York City to follow her dreams: begin her official training as a magical veterinarian! It wasn't easy going against generations of family tradition, not to...
The other side of tomorrow
Cho, Tina
Paper Book
Booklist Editor's Choice of 2024: Books for Youth School Library Journal Best Book of 2024 Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2024 A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection Perfect for fans of Illegal and When Stars Are Scattered, this poignant and moving...
Gabby Torres Gets a Billion Followers
Dominguez, Angela
Paper Book
A new series that's perfect for emerging readers who love graphic novels and are ready to read chapter books! Join Gabby as she navigates the inevitable disasters of fourth grade and social media. Gabby Torres is nine years old and ready to conquer the world. She...
Buffalo dreamer
Duncan, Violet
Paper Book
Summer and her family always spend relaxed summers in Alberta, Canada, on the reservation where her mom's family lives. But this year is turning out to be an eye-opening one. First, Summer has begun to have vivid dreams in which she's running away from one of the many real-life residential schools...
The Flicker
Edgmon, H. E.
Perfect for fans of The Marrow Thieves, Hatchet and The City of Ember, H.E. Edgmon's middle grade debut offers a bittersweet tale of hope and survival, a modern classic for the climate change generation. One year ago, a solar flare scorched the Earth and...
The eyes & the impossible
Eggers, Dave
Paper Book
NEWBERY MEDAL WINNER * #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER An enthralling novel for all ages by award-winning author Dave Eggers, told from the perspective of one uniquely endearing dog--featuring beautiful artwork from Caldecott honoree Shawn Harris. ...
Next stop
Fong, Debbie
Paper Book
Get ready for a graphic novel road trip with more than just a few bumps in the road! Middle schooler Pia is dealing with grief as she finds herself on the biggest adventure of her life--a bus tour stopping at weird and wacky roadside attractions. Inspired by a real life road trip and...
Galapagos George
George, Jean Craighead
Paper Book
This is the story of the famous Lonesome George, a giant tortoise who was the last of his species, lived to be one hundred years old, and became known as the rarest creature in the world. His story gives us a glimpse of the amazing creatures inhabiting the ever-fascinating Galápagos Islands. ...
Cruzita and the mariacheros
Granillo, Ashley Jean
Paper Book
Praise for Cruzita and the Mariacheros by Ashley Granillo: Pura Belpré Children's Author Honor Book Cruzita is going to be a pop star. All she has to do is win a singing contest at her favorite theme park and get famous. But she can't go to the theme park this summer. Instead, she...
Heroes
Gratz, Alan
Paper Book
The instant #1 New York Times bestseller! From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Refugee, Ground Zero, and Two Degrees comes this heart-pounding, inventive, and powerful new novel about the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor... as only Alan...
Off the map
Hashimoto, Meika
Paper Book
From Meika Hashimoto, author of The Trail, comes an action-packed adventure about doing what it takes to survive--and realizing you can't do it alone. Amos and Marlo have always been best friends. From hiking trips to backyard camp-outs, from playing soccer at the park to sitting...
How it all ends
Hunsinger, Emma
The circuit : stories from the life of a migrant child
Jiménez, Francisco
Paper Book
El intenso relato del viaje de una familia a través de los campos de California viviendo una vida en constante movimiento, de campos de fresa a campos de algodón, y de campamentos a cobertizos de un ambiente. Narrada por un joven que anhela estudiar y obtener el derecho de elegir un hogar,...
Clairboyance
Kahakauwila, Kristiana
Paper Book
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection Perfect for fans of Debbi Michiko Florence and Lisa Greenwald, Clairboyance's heartfelt and sweet coming of age story with a touch of magic follows Clara as her life is turned upside down when she discovers that she has boy...
Summer vamp
Karim, Violet Chan
Paper Book
What happens when a very human kid ends up at the wrong summer camp-FOR VAMPIRES?! This quirky and heart warming graphic novel about making friends and getting in trouble is perfect for fans of Witches of Brooklyn. After a lackluster school year, Maya anticipates an even...
Sona and the golden beasts
LaRocca, Rajani
Paper Book
From Newbery Honor and Walter Award-winning author Rajani LaRocca comes a gripping middle grade fantasy perfect for fans of The Serpent's Secret and The Last Mapmaker. Though music is outlawed in the land of Devia, Sona hears it everywhere. Sona is a Malech, a member of the...
Ruby lost and found
Li, Christina
Paper Book
For fans of Kelly Yang and Rebecca Stead, this touching middle grade novel maps one girl's quest to remember her grandfather through his scavenger hunts; reconnect with her family; and fight for her community in her rapidly changing hometown. Winner of the APALA Youth Literature Award! ...
Lei and the fire goddess
Maunakea, Malia
Paper Book
"Lei and the Fire Goddess blends preteen angst and beloved Hawaiian moʻolelo in a way that hasn't been done before." --Auliʻi Cravalho, actress and voice of Disney's Princess Moana Curses aren't real. At least, that's what twelve-year-old...
Save the people! : halting human extinction
McAnulty, Stacy
Paper Book
"Save the People is engaging, funny, affecting and delightful. You'll never have more fun learning science." --Stuart Gibbs, bestselling author of the Spy School series "Serious science and great gags, with a bit of hope thrown in." --Steven Sheinkin, bestselling...
Onyx & beyond
McBride, Amber
Paper Book
Praised as "a story of perserverance and love" in a starred review by Kirkus, here is a story about keeping dreams alive. Onyx lives with his mother, who is showing signs of early-onset dementia. He doesn't want to bring attention to his home -- if Child Protective...
Magnolia Wu unfolds it all
Miller, Chanel
Paper Book
A Newbery Honor book and instant New York Times, USA Today, and indie bestseller! Award-winning author and artist Chanel Miller tells a fun, funny, and poignant story of friendship and community starring Magnolia Wu, a ten-year-old sock detective bent on...
Bad news for outlaws : the remarkable life of Bass Reeves, deputy U.S. marshal
Nelson, Vaunda Micheaux.
Paper Book
Coretta Scott King Author Award Read about the fascinating life of Bass Reeves, who escaped slavery to become the first African American Deputy US Marshal west of the Mississippi. Sitting tall in the saddle, with a wide-brimmed black hat and twin Colt pistols on his belt,...
Uprising
Nielsen, Jennifer A.
Ebook
Pink and Say
Polacco, Patricia.
Paper Book
A powerful and heartwarming look at a moment in American history--from master storyteller Patricia Polacco, author of Thank You, Mr. Falker. This Kindness Edition features discussion questions at the back of the book to help guide readers through conversations about its story...
The camping trip that changed America : Theodore Roosevelt, John Muir, and our national parks
Rosenstock, Barbara.
Paper Book
Caldecott medalist Mordicai Gerstein captures the majestic redwoods of Yosemite in this little-known but important story from our nation's history. In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt joined naturalist John Muir on a trip to Yosemite. Camping by themselves in the uncharted woods, the two men saw...
The Labors of Hercules Beal
Schmidt, Gary D.
Ebook
From award-winning author Gary D. Schmidt, a warm and witty novel in the tradition of The Wednesday Wars, in which a seventh grader has to figure out how to fulfill a seemingly impossible school assignment--and learns about friendship, community, and himself along the way. Herc...
The labors of Hercules Beal
Schmidt, Gary D.
Paper Book
From award-winning author Gary D. Schmidt, a warm and witty novel in the tradition of The Wednesday Wars, in which a seventh grader has to figure out how to fulfill a seemingly impossible school assignment--and learns about friendship, community, and himself along the way....
Any way you look
Siddiqui, Maleeha
Paper Book
What do you do with the wrong kind of attention? Dress Coded meets Amina's Voice in this must-read middle grade novel by Maleeha Siddiqui. Ainy is excited for summer! She plans on working at her mom's clothing store, having adventures with her best friend...
Sweetness all around
Supplee, Suzanne
Paper Book
An indomitable heroine who believes she is destined to find her kidnapped neighbor leads this warm, big-hearted story with irresistible characters and a captivating mystery. Almost-eleven-year-old Josephine is NOT pleased to be moving into the Happy World trailer park over the...
Timid
Todd, Jonathan
Paper Book
A semiautobiographical middle-grade graphic novel about frenemies, fitting in, and finding your voice.Cecil Hall and his family have just moved from Florida to Massachusetts, near Boston. Cecil is anxious about making friends because he doesn't know where he'll fit in. His older sister, Leah,...
Lulu Sinagtala and the city of noble warriors
Villanueva, Gail D.
Paper Book
In this fast-paced, thrilling middle grade fantasy rooted in Tagalog mythology, a young Filipino girl discovers realms beyond our own full of monsters and gods, a terrible evil who wants her magic, and even a talking duck! The first book in a duology from Gail D. Villanueva (My Fate According to...
The Ojja-wojja : a horror-mystery, or whatever
Visaggio, Magdalene
Paper Book
The first in a new graphic novel series from indie comic stars Magdalene Visaggio and Jenn St-Onge is a coming-of-age story about the transformative power of friendship. And an immortal demon with the power to take over the world. But mostly the friendship thing. Welcome to...
The collectors
West, Jacqueline
Paper Book
2019 Schneider Family Book Award Honor Book "Original, brave, and addictive."--Adam Gidwitz, bestselling author of the Newbery Honor Book The Inquisitor's Tale Fast-paced, witty, and riveting, this contemporary fantasy adventure has magic woven through every page. The...
Lunar boy
Wibowo, Jessica
Paper Book
For fans of The Witch Boy and Squished, Lunar Boy is a must-have heartwarming coming-of-age graphic novel about a young boy from the moon who discovers a home in the most unlikely places, from debut twin creators Jes and Cin Wibowo. Indu, a boy from the moon, feels like he...
Amazing immortals : a guide to gods and goddesses around the world
Williams, Dinah
Paper Book
A culturally diverse, fact-filled, and gorgeously illustrated introduction to over 80 gods and goddesses from around the world--a perfect introduction to mythology for young readers. With heroic deeds, family drama, pulse-pounding battles, and shape-shifting magic, mythology...
Gone fishing : a novel in verse
Wissinger, Tamera Will.
Paper Book
Nine-year-old Sam loves fishing with his dad. So when his pesky little sister, Lucy, horns in on their fishing trip, he's none too pleased: "Where's my stringer? / Something's wrong! / The princess doll does not belong!" All ends well in this winsome book of poems--each labeled with its proper...
Flying through water
Wolo, Mamle
Paper Book
For fans of A Long Walk to Water and Hatchet, this gripping journey from poverty to empowerment transports readers to modern-day Ghana, into the throes of an extraordinary story of survival. Sena treasures his life in rural Ghana-playing soccer, working the...
Heroes of the water monster
Young, Brian
Paper Book
An unmissable companion to Healer of the Water Monster, which won the American Indian Library Association Youth Literature Award, this novel by Navajo author Brian Young tells the story of two contemporary young Navajo heroes--and one water monster--who must learn to work together...
Shiny misfits
Zayid, Maysoon
Ebook

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