2025 Summer Reading Program: Grades 3-5

Updated March 5, 2025
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Dogtown
Applegate, Katherine
Paper Book
The New York Times bestseller, Indie bestseller, and 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 forever home...
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...
Sea legs
Bakes, Jules
Paper Book
Set sail for adventure! Dive in to this hilarious and moving middle grade graphic memoir about friendship, growing up, and life at sea. Janey's family is about to set sail for the adventure of a lifetime! The only problem? Janey must leave her school, her life, her best friend, the entire...
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...
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! ...
Snow White and the dragon (or, Sleeping Beauty and the seven dwarfs)
Bussing, Kim
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * What would happen if Sleeping Beauty had to create a poisoned apple, and Snow White faced off against a dragon? Fairy tales meet Freaky Friday in this series, where there's a magical mix-up for every princess! As a baby, Rose was cursed...
The other side of tomorrow
Cho, Tina
Paper Book
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection Perfect for fans of Illegal and When Stars Are Scattered, this poignant and moving graphic novel in verse captures the dangers and hope that come with fleeing North Korea and reaching for a brighter future through the lives of...
Turn the tide
Dimopoulos, Elaine
Paper Book
Twelve-year-old Mimi Laskaris is inspired by the Wijsen sisters of Bali to turn her focus from classical piano to a new obsession: forming a grassroots, kid-led movement to ban plastic bags in her new island home in Florida. Written in accessible verse, this timely story of environmental activism...
The Flicker
Edgmon, H. E.
Paper Book
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. ...
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. ...
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
Paper Book
"Hilarious, inventive, smart, and silly." --Alice Oseman, bestselling author of Heartstopper "Emma Hunsinger's sharp wit and eclectic humor shines in this fantastic story about making new friends and surviving school." --Dan Santat, National Book Award winner for A First Time...
The circuit : stories from the life of a migrant child
Jiménez, Francisco
Ebook
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,...
Bringing back Kay-Kay
Kothari, Dev
Paper Book
Steeped in mystery and adventure, this brisk and beautifully crafted middle-grade debut set in modern-day India explores the complexities of the sibling bond. When her older brother, Karthik--Kay-Kay, the golden child of the family--heads to camp for two weeks, Lena's parents...
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! ...
Swimming with spies
Lucyk-Berger, Chrystyna
Paper Book
As war escalates between the Russians and Ukrainians in the port city of Sevastopol, can one girl and a pod of dolphins prove that communication is the greatest weapon of all? It's February of 2014 in the seaport city of Sevastopol in Crimea. Sofiya Oleksandrivna only wants two...
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, part...
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...
The lumbering giants of Windy Pines
Netz, Mo
Paper Book
In this debut spooky adventure, Jerry and her trusty wheelchair move into a creepy motel at the edge of the woods where nothing is as it seems. When her mom disappears, it's up to Jerry to brave the forest and its demons so she can save what's left of her family. Ever since her dad died,...
Uprising
Nielsen, Jennifer A.
Paper Book
#1 New York Times bestselling author of Iceberg, Jennifer A. Nielsen inspires readers with a brand-new thriller based on the remarkable true story of a young Polish girl who bravely fought, participating in the Warsaw city uprising, and took a stand in the name of freedom.<...
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.
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....
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....
Pearl
Smith, Sherri L.
Paper Book
With five starred reviews and numerous accolades, a beautifully crafted and captivating graphic novel from award-winning writer Sherri L. Smith and Eisner-nominated artist Christine Norrie about a Japanese-American girl who must survive years of uncertainty and questions of loyalty in Hiroshima...
The Unadoptables
Tooke, Hana.
Paper Book
A delicious fairy tale full of mysterious spirits, daring escapes, and a beautiful message about the power of found families. In all the years that Elinora Gassbeek has been matron of the Little Tulip Orphanage, not once have the Rules for Baby Abandonment been broken. Until the...
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 Bolingbroke. It...
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...
Gone fishing : a novel in verse
Wissinger, Tamera Will.
Ebook
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...

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