Hartford School Summer 2026 Reading Suggestions

The titles in this list are merely suggestions. Students may choose to read any middle grade book for summer reading!

Updated May 13, 2026
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From the desk of Zoe Washington
Marks, Janae
Paper Book
  From debut author Janae Marks comes a warm, wise and captivating mystery full of heart, as one girl searches for the truth in the face of great opposition. 'Truly a must-read.'ANGIE THOMAS, author of THE HATE U GIVE 'When Marcus tells Zoe he is innocent, and her...
Front desk
Yang, Kelly
Paper Book
Holes
Sachar, Louis
Paper Book
'You want to run away?' Mr Sir asked him. Stanley looked back at him, unsure what he meant. 'If you want to run away, go ahead, start running. I'm not going to stop you.' Stanley didn't know what kind of game Mr Sir was playing. 'We don't need a fence. Know why? Because we've got the...
The dragonet prophecy
Sutherland, Tui
Audiobook
The lightning thief
Riordan, Rick
Paper Book
The first book in the bestselling Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. Now with a new cover look! Discover the story behind the Disney+ series. HALF BOY - HALF GOD - ALL HERO. Look, I never asked to be the song of a Greek god, I was just a...
The wishing spell
Colfer, Chris
Audiobook
The first book in Chris Colfer's #1 New York Times bestselling series The Land of Stories about two siblings who fall into a fairy-tale world! Alex and Conner Bailey's world is about to change, in this fast-paced adventure that uniquely combines our modern day world with...
The one and only Ivan
Applegate, Katherine.
Ebook
Now a major motion picture available on Disney+! Inspired by a true story, this is the beautifully written tale of how a mighty gorilla wins his freedom. A winning blend of humour and poignancy that will appeal to fans of Michael Morpurgo. This #1 New York Times bestselling and...
The Last Kids on Earth
Brallier, Max
Paper Book
The first book in the New York Times bestselling series with over ten million copies in print! 'Terrifyingly fun! Max Brallier's The Last Kids on Earth delivers big thrills and even bigger laughs.' Jeff Kinney, author of Diary of a Wimpy Kid Now an award-winning Netflix show! ...
Ali Cross
Patterson, James
Paper Book
Alex Cross The brilliant DC detective who never gives up on a case. Ali Cross The tenacious kid who's determined to follow in his father's footsteps. The case that finally gives him a chance Ali knows Gabe Qualls better than anyone, so...
The Last Resort
Kelly, Erin Entrada
Paper Book
  Enter the world of The Last Resort! Ghosts from the story will emerge from the pages of the book, allowing readers to talk to spirits from the past and help solve the mystery! Twelve-year-old Lila has two goals for the summer: Win back the friends who ditched...
The wild robot
Brown, Peter
Paper Book
A gloriously illustrated story of a robot's adventures in the wild
Dogtown
Applegate, Katherine
Paper Book
From beloved authors Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko, Dogtown is an uplifting story and a page-turning adventure. Dogtown is a shelter for stray dogs, misbehaving dogs, and discarded robot dogs, whose owners have outgrown them. Chance, a real dog...
Odder
Applegate, Katherine
Paper Book
A touching and lyrical tale about a remarkable sea otter, from Newbery Medalist Katherine Applegate, author of Wishtree. Meet Odder, the Queen of Play: Nobody has her moves. She doesn't just swim to the bottom, she...

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