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


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    Fun Day Fairies # 5: Felicity the Friday Fairy

    Fun Day Fairies # 5: Felicity the Friday Fairy

    by Daisy Meadows and Georgie Ripper

    No fun in Fairyland?

    The Fun Day Fairies are each responsible for adding spunk and sparkle to one day of the week! But when Jack Frost steals their magic, they need Rachel and Kirsty's help. Without the fairies' special flags, every day of the week will be gloomy and glum.

    Rachel's Gran has Felicity the Friday Fairy's special flag! She thinks it's a pretty new scarf. But now the goblins are after her! Rachel and Kirsty have to do something . . . before it's too late.

    Find the magic flag in each book, and help fill every day of the week with fun!

    $4.99
    books;paperback books;paperbacks | Ages 4-8
    Add To Cart
    Fun Day Fairies # 5: Felicity the Friday Fairy
    Ages 4-8 $4.99
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    Butterfly Meadow # 3: Three Cheers for Mallow

    Butterfly Meadow # 3: Three Cheers for Mallow

    by Olivia Monarch

    In 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!

    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?

    $4.99
    books;paperback books;paperbacks | Ages 4-8
    Add To Cart
    Butterfly Meadow # 3: Three Cheers for Mallow
    Ages 4-8 $4.99
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