Summer Reading: Books for Older Readers
As readers get older, they can begin to forge more complex and meaningful relationships with the books they read. We’ve gathered together a list of coming-of-age stories, historical novels, and acclaimed classics that provide insight into the big picture issues and the everyday growing pains faced by this age group.
Dicey’s Song (4–7)
by Cynthia Voigt
In this Newbery winner, keeping her family together is what 13-year-old
Dicey does best. But now that all four Tillerman children have found
a new home with their grandmother, Dicey has to learn the hard lesson
of letting go.
Esperanza Rising (4–8)*
by Pam Munoz Ryan
Thirteen-year-old Esperanza's world changes completely when she
and her mother are forced to leave their comfortable life in Mexico
and work in a labor camp in California.
Island of the Blue Dolphins (4–8)
by Scott O’Dell
Based on a true story, this classic tells the story of a young Indian
girl who lives alone on a Pacific island for 18 years. This fictionalized
account brings to life the adventures that follow her as she perseveres
to survive.
Dogsong (4–8)
by Gary Paulsen
Russell, a 14-year-old Eskimo boy, longs for the old ways and traditions
of his forefathers, and begins a journey of self-discovery across
the tundra.
The Outsiders (5–7)
by S.E. Hinton
Ponyboy and his gang are tough. What will happen when things go
wrong? When it was first published in 1967, The Outsiders defied
convention. Thirty years later, it speaks to teenagers as powerfully
as ever.
The Moves Make the Man (5–9)
by Bruce Brooks
In this Newbery Honor book, two boys form an unlikely, and sometimes
precarious, friendship centered on the basketball court.
Sounder (6–8)
by William H. Armstrong
Winner of the Newbery Medal and an acknowledged landmark in children's
literature, Sounder traces the keen sorrow and abiding faith of
a poor African-American boy in the 19th-century South.
The Dark Is Rising series (6–8)
by Susan Cooper
In this acclaimed series about good versus evil, a group of childen
must find and guard the six great Signs of Light in order to overcome
the forces of the Dark.
Fallen Angels (6–9)*
by Walter Dean Myers
This critically acclaimed novel tells the story of one young man's
tour of duty in Vietnam.
My Brother Sam Is Dead (8–9)
by Christopher Collier and James Lincoln Collier
During the troubled times of the Revolutionary War, Tim Meeker is
thrust into a conflict that raises the issue of loyalty within himself,
his family, and his country.
*These titles are available online in The Scholastic Store: www.scholasticstore.com
- Scholastic Store
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Butterfly Meadow # 3: Three Cheers for Mallow
The Scholastic Store 
Butterfly Meadow # 3: Three Cheers for Mallow
by Olivia MonarchIn Butterfly Meadow, colorful butterflies dance through the air, glowworms inch through the grass, and bumblebees buzz around every flower. It's a place where friendships and adventures take flight!
$4.99
Mallow is organizing a sports day in the field. All of the different insects and animals are going to participate! Dazzle is happy to cheer on her friends. But when one of the butterflies can't compete, can Dazzle take her place?
books;paperback books;paperbacks | Ages 4-8
Ages 4-8 $4.99
- Scholastic Store
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Is That a Dead Dog In Your Locker?
The Scholastic Store 
Is That a Dead Dog In Your Locker?
by Todd StrasserThe Tardy Boys, Wade and Leyton, are always getting into trouble, especially when they're dealing with the school bully, Barton Slugg. When their friend Daisy brings her neighbor's old dog Wheezy to school, the boys have to help her hide him. Not only does the school have a no-furry-animals-allowed policy, but the class crybaby, Fibby Mandible, is horribly allergic to animal fur. Barton is trying everything to uncover Wheezy's hiding place and get the boys in hot water. It will take the ingenious work of the Tardy Boys to outsmart him, with some hilarious results.
$4.99
books;paperback books;paperbacks | Ages 9-12
Ages 9-12 $4.99
UNIT PLAN
