Rising 5th Grade Summer Learning

Scroll to the bottom of this page to find printable Choice Book lists and discussion questions for Required Books.
Required Math Practice
This summer we are offering two options for students to reinforce their math proficiency over the summer months. Practicing 1 to 1.5 hours a week consistently every week of the summer (10 to 15 hours total) will help ensure a smooth transition back to school in August. If your child wants to do more, all the better! Review the following options with your child to determine which is preferred.
Keyboarding Practice
For students entering grade 5, computer keyboarding is an essential skill that will benefit students greatly. Students are expected to type assignments and complete and submit assignments in Google Classroom in each of their classes. Depending on your student's current technology exposure and typing skills, we strongly recommend summer practice to increase typing skills and computer literacy to ease their transition. Typing.com offers fun, helpful, and free keyboarding practice. Students should create an account to keep track of their progress (not for teachers to monitor) and aim to complete the beginner course to establish correct finger and hand positioning and touch typing skills. Students are welcome to advance beyond the beginner level if time and interest allow.
Required Books
Read BOTH books and answer associated discussion questions.
Picture
A Long Walk to Water 
by Linda ​Sue Park 
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Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein 
Choice Books
Choose at least TWO, preferably from different genres; as well, select titles you have NOT read previously.
​Printable lists available below.
ADVENTURE/SURVIVIAL FICTION
96 Miles by J. L. Esplin 
A great choice for lovers of Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet or Roland Smith’s Peak.
The Lockwood brothers can survive just about anything. Their dad, a hardcore believer in self-reliance, has stockpiled enough supplies to last for months. But when they are robbed during a massive blackout while their dad is away, John and Stew must walk 96 miles in the stark desert sun to get help. Along the way, they’re forced to question their dad’s insistence on self-reliance and ask what we owe our neighbors, our kin, and ourselves.

​Beast: Face-to-face With the Florida Bigfoot by Watt Key
Jason says he can't remember where he was for the two months he went missing in the swamps. That's not true. He does remember. The truth: He was driving with his parents, and the car crashed when his father swerved to avoid colliding with a 12-foot Sasquatch-like creature. Haunted by his parents disappearance and presumed deaths, hounded for claiming to have seen Bigfoot, Jason sets off into the deadly wilderness on a hunt for answers, and the creatures he finds are more terrifying--and fascinating--than he could have imagined.

The Canyon's Edge by Dusti Bowling
One year after their family is changed forever, Nora and her father are exploring a slot canyon deep in the Arizona desert, hoping it will help them find peace. But when they reach the bottom, a flash flood rips across their path, sweeping away Nora's father and all of their supplies. If Nora is going to save herself and her father, she must conquer her fears and find the courage to live her new life.

My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
Every kid thinks about running away; few get far. Sam Gribley gets all the way from NYC to the mountains of upstate New York. There he sets up house in a hollowed-out tree, with a falcon and a weasel for companions and his wits as his tool for survival. Blizzards, hunters, loneliness, and fear all battle to drive Sam back, but his desire for freedom, independence, and adventure is stronger.

​FANTASY/DYSTOPIAN FICTION
Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix (or any in series)
In a future where the Population Police enforce the law limiting a family to only two children, Luke, a third child, has lived all his twelve years in isolation and fear. That is until another "third" convinces him that the government is wrong.

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer (or any in series)
When a twelve-year-old evil genius tries to restore his family fortune by capturing a fairy and demanding a ransom in gold, the fairies fight back with magic, technology, and a particularly nasty troll.

​The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (or any in series)
Percy Jackson is no ordinary teenager. He's the son of Poseidon and is accused of stealing Zeus' lightning bolt, the most powerful weapon ever created! With storm clouds brewing, Percy embarks on an incredible cross-country journey to prove his innocence, recover the bolt, and prevent a war among the gods that could destroy our world!

Medusa (Myth of Monsters, Book 1) by Katherine Marsh
A Percy Jackson meets Wednesday Addams adventure!
Ava Baldwin has always tried to keep her anger in check, but when know-it-all classmate Owen King tries to speak over her yet again, Ava explodes and Owen freezes, becoming totally unresponsive. Although Owen recovers, Ava's parents whisk her off to her mother’s alma mater, the Accademia del Forte, a mysterious international boarding school in Venice. There, Ava and her brother, Jax, discover that the Olympian gods founded the Accademia to teach the descendants of mythological monsters how to control their emotions and their powers. But not everything at the Accademia is as it seems. Ava soon realizes the school is hiding a dangerous secret. To uncover the truth, Ava and her new friends embark on an adventure that could change the way they view history, mythology and themselves.

Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder
Nine orphans live by themselves on an island which provides everything they need as long as they follow a few rules: learn to swim, learn to read, and there can never be more than nine children on the island. Each "year" a boat arrives with a new youngest child and departs with the oldest. When Jinny rebels and refuses to leave, the island responds in kind, and when disaster strikes, Jinny has only one choice if the rest are to survive.

​Stowaway by John David Anderson (or any in series)
For readers who like Star Wars and Gibb's Moon Base Alpha series.
 When scientists discover a mysterious mineral buried in the Earth’s crust, they have no idea that it is the most valuable substance in the entire universe. Before long, aliens show up offering protection, new technology, and entry into the intergalactic coalition in exchange for this resource. A material so precious that the ongoing war over it, soon makes its way to Earth. When tragedy strikes, Leo and his family, including his Coalition scientist father, decide to leave Earth behind. When tragedy strikes again, Leo's only chance to survive is to stow away on a ship of mercenary space pirates and beg the captain to help him. On a mission to reunite with his family, Leo discovers that the universe isn't full of simply good and bad people, but beings who, like him, are just trying to survive.

HISTORICAL FICTION
​Amil and the After by Veera Hiranandani
A companion novel to The Night Diary
At the turn of the new year in 1948, Amil and his family are trying to make a home in India, now independent of British rule. Both Muslim and Hindu, 12-year-old Amil is not sure what home means anymore. The memory of the difficult journey from their hometown in what is now Pakistan lives with him. And despite having an apartment in Bombay to live in and a school to attend, life in India feels uncertain. Nisha, his twin sister, suggests that Amil begin to tell his story through drawings meant for their mother, who died when they were just babies. Through Amil, readers witness the unwavering spirit of a young boy trying to make sense of a chaotic world, and find hope for himself and a newly reborn nation.

Boys Without Names by Kashmira Sheth
Eleven-year-old Gopal and his family leave their rural Indian village for life with his uncle in Mumbai, but when they arrive his father goes missing and Gopal ends up locked in a sweatshop from which there is no escape.

Heroes by Alan Gratz
December 6, 1941: Frank and Stanley have it good. With their dads stationed at the Pearl Harbor naval base in Hawaii, the boys get to soak up the sunshine while writing and drawing their own comic books. World War II might be raging overseas, but so far America has stayed out of the fight. December 7th, 1941: Everything implodes. Frank and Stanley are touring a battleship when Japanese planes attack. Frantically, the boys struggle to find safety. But disaster and danger are everywhere--from torpedoes underwater to bullets on the beach to the shocking cruelty that their friends and neighbors show Stanely. Because his mom is Japanese-American, Stanely is suddenly seen as the "enemy." And Frank, who is white, cannot begin to understand what his friend is now facing.

The Lost Year: A Survival Story of the Ukrainian Famine by Katherine Marsh
Thirteen-year-old Matthew is miserable. His journalist dad is stuck overseas, and his mom has moved in with his 100-year-old great-grandmother to ride out the pandemic, adding to his stress and isolation. But when Matthew finds a tattered black-and-white photo in his great-grandmother’s belongings, he discovers a clue to a hidden chapter of her past, one that will lead to a life-shattering family secret. 

Set in alternating timelines that connect the present-day to the 1930s and the US to the USSR, this novel sheds fresh light on the Holodomor – the horrific famine that killed millions of Ukrainians, and which the Soviet government covered up for decades.

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
Eleven-year-old Delphine is like a mother to her two younger sisters, Vonetta and Fern, ever since their mother, Cecile, left for a radical new life in California. When the girls arrive from Brooklyn to spend the summer with Cecile, she sends them to a day camp run by the Black Panthers. Unexpectedly, Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern learn much about their family, their country, and themselves during one truly crazy summer.

Words on Fire by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Danger is never far from Audra's family farm in Lithuania. The occupying Russian soldiers have banned Lithuanian books, religion, culture, and even the language. In June 1893, when soldiers arrive at their door, Audra's parents insist that she flee, taking with her a package and instructions for where to deliver it. As Audra embarks on a journey to deliver the package, she faces unimaginable risks, and becomes caught up in a growing resistance movement.

LEGENDS and FABLES
The Beatryce Prophecy by Kate DiCamillo
​In a time of war, a mysterious child appears at the monastery of the Order of the Chronicles of Sorrowing. Gentle Brother Edik finds the girl, Beatryce, curled in a stall, wracked with fever, coated in dirt and blood, and holding fast to the ear of Answelica the goat. As the monk nurses Beatryce to health, he uncovers her dangerous secret, one that imperils them all—for the king of the land seeks just such a girl, and Brother Edik, who penned the prophecy himself, knows why. And so the girl with her head full of stories ventures into a dark wood in search of the castle of one who wishes her dead. But Beatryce knows that, should she lose her way, those who love her will never give up searching for her, and to know this is to know everything.

Holes by Louis Sachar
As further evidence of his family's bad fortune which they attribute to a curse on a distant relative, Stanley Yelnats is sent to a horrible correctional camp in the Texas desert where he finds his first real friend, a treasure, and a new sense of himself.

The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill 
Stone-in-the-Glen, once a lovely town, has fallen on hard times. A variety of calamities have caused the people to lose their library, their school, and even their neighborliness. The people put their faith in the Mayor, who promises he alone can help. Only the children of the Orphan House and the kindly Ogress at the edge of town can see how dire the town’s problems are. Then one day a child goes missing. At the Mayor’s suggestion, all eyes turn to the Ogress. The Orphans know this can’t be, but how can the Orphans tell the story of the Ogress’s goodness to people who refuse to listen? And how can they make their deluded neighbors see the real villain in their midst?

When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller 
Lily and her family must move in with her sick grandmother, Halmoni. Soon after arriving, a magical tiger, straight out of Korean folklore, arrives and tells Lily that Halmoni stole something from the tigers. Now they want it back. When one of the tigers offers Halmoni's health in exchange for what her grandmother stole, Lily is tempted. But deals with tigers are never what they seem! With help from family and friends, Lily must find her voice and face the tiger.

MYSTERY
Framed! by James Ponti (or any in series)
In Washington, D.C., twelve-year-old Florian Bates, a consulting detective for the FBI, and his best friend Margaret help thwart the biggest art heist in United States history.

The Lion of Mars by Jennifer L. Holm
​Bell has spent his whole life on Mars. He's still just a regular kid--he loves cats and cake, and is curious about the secrets the adults in the US colony are keeping. Like, why don't they have contact with the other Mars colonies? When a virus breaks out and the grown-ups all fall ill, it’s up to Bell and his friends to uncover the truth and save the colony and possibly unite an entire planet.
​MYSTERY (cont'd)
Misfits: A Royal Conundrum by Lisa Yee
For fans of Spy School by Stuart Gibbs!
Olive  has issues. Though she often slips under the radar, problems have a knack for finding her. So, imagine her doubts when she’s suddenly dropped off at the strangest boarding school ever: a castle turned prison turned “reforming arts school”! But nothing could’ve prepared Olive for RASCH. There, she’s lumped with a team of other kids who never quite fit in, and discovers that the academy isn’t what it seems. In fact, RASCH is a cover for an elite group of misfits who fight crime and Olive has arrived just in time. Turns out that RASCH is in danger of closing, unless Olive’s class can stop the heist of the century. And as Olive falls in love with this wacky school, she realizes it’s up to her new team to save the only home that’s ever welcomed them.

NONFICTION/BIOGRAPHY 
The Boy on the Wooden Box by Leon Leyson
This, the only memoir published by a former Schindler’s list child, perfectly captures the innocence of a small boy who goes through the unthinkable.  

The Curse of the Mummy: Uncovering Tutankhamun's Tomb by Candace Fleming
During the reign of the New Kingdom of Egypt, the boy pharaoh Tutankhamun ruled and died tragically young. In order to send him on his way into the afterlife, his tomb was filled with every treasure he would need after death. And then, it was lost to time, buried in the sands of the Valley of the Kings. His tomb was also said to be cursed. Centuries later, as Egypt-mania gripped Europe, two Brits worked for years to rediscover and open Tutankhamun's tomb. But once it was uncovered, would ancient powers take their revenge for disturbing and even looting the pharaoh's resting place?
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​Gods and Heroes: Mythology Around the World by Korwin Briggs
Before Wonder Woman or Black Panther, there was Indra, Hindu king of gods, who battled a snake to save the world. And Athena, the powerful Greek goddess who could decide the fate of battles. Featuring more than 70 characters from 23 cultures around the world, this is a who's who of gods and goddesses, warriors and kings, whose stories have been passed down since the beginning of time.

The Thrifty Guide to Ancient Greece OR The Thrifty Guide to Ancient Rome by Jonathan W. Stokes
These entertaining and informative travel guides contain information vital to the sensible time traveler. Filled with humorous maps, reviews of places to stay, and the top attractions in the area–if you had a time travel machine and could take a vacation anywhere in history, these are the only guidebooks you would need.
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REALISTIC FICTION
Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea (or any in series)
It’s the start of fifth grade for seven kids at Snow Hill School and only Mr. Terupt seems to know how to deal with them all.  He makes the classroom a fun place, even if he doesn’t let them get away with much until the snowy winter day when an accident changes everything—and everyone.

Born Behind Bars by Padma Venkatraman
​Kabir has been in jail since the day he was born, because his mom is serving time for a crime she didn't commit. When the new warden decides he's too old to still be living there, Kabir ends up living on the streets. Fortunately, he befriends Rani, another street kid. But plotting their next move is hard in a world that cares little for low caste children. This is not the world Kabir dreamed of, but he is ready to show the world that he--and his mother--deserve a place in it.

Clean Getaway by Nic Stone
When eleven-year-old Scoob, who is grounded, is invited on a road trip with his G'ma, he's grateful to get away. The pair follow the route through the formerly segregated south that G'ma, who is white, once traveled with Scoob's grandfather, who was Black. As the trip progresses, G'ma's behavior becomes stranger and stranger. She calls Scoob by her deceased husband's name, ditches and dines at a restaurant, and shoplifts jewelry. When she throws her phone away so their movements can't be traced, Scoob officially is worried.

A Dog Like Daisy by Kristin Tubb (or any of the dog books by Kristin Tubb)
Daisy has only ten weeks to prove her usefulness or else be sent back to the pound. Yet if she goes back, who will protect Colonel Victor from his PTSD attacks? Or save the littler human, Micah, from those infernal ear muzzles he calls earphones? What if no one ever adopts her again? Determined to become the elite protector the colonel needs, Daisy vows to ace the service dog test. She’ll accept the ridiculous leash and learn to sit, heel, shake, when told to. But Daisy must first learn how to face her own fears from the past or risk losing the family she’s so desperate to guard—again.

Front Desk by Kelly Yang (or any in series)
Mia Tang has a lot of secrets. Number 1: She lives in a motel and, every day, her immigrant parents clean the rooms while Mia manages the front desk. Number 2: Her parents hide immigrants. And if the motel owner finds out, the Tangs will be doomed. Number 3: She wants to be a writer. But how can she when her mom thinks she should stick to math. It will take all of Mia's courage, kindness, and hard work to get through this year. 

Gracie Under the Waves by Linda Sue ParkGracie loves snorkeling! She loves it so much, she convinces her parents to let her plan a family vacation to Roatán, Honduras, where they can all snorkel together. She even makes a new friend there. If only her irritating little brother would leave her alone, everything would be perfect. Then Gracie hurts her leg, and all her carefully made plans start to come apart. Worse still, she learns the reef itself is in serious danger. Gracie wants to help the reef, but she's just a kid. What can she do to make a difference? Fortunately, her new friend has a few ideas!

The Labors of Hercules Beal by Gary D. Schmidt
Herc Beal knows who he's named after, but he's no hero. He's the smallest kid in his class. So when his homeroom teacher at his new middle school gives him the assignment of duplicating the mythical Hercules's amazing feats in real life, he's skeptical as there are no Nemean Lions on Cape Cod and not a single Hydra in sight. As Herc figures out how to take his first steps along the road that Hercules once walked, new friends begin helping him. And though his mythical role model performed his twelve labors by himself, Herc begins to see that he may not have to go it alone.

Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks by Jason Reynolds
An inside look at one day’s walk home from school. Ten tales (one per block) about what happens after the dismissal bell rings. A funny, poignant look at the detours we face on the walk home, and in life. Through this format, we see a range of experiences, highlighting what binds us as well as what makes us and our lives unique.

​Millionaires for the Month by Stacy McAnulty
$5,368,709.12. The value of a penny doubled every day for thirty days. Think you could spend that much in just 30 days? Felix Rannells and Benji Porter are challenged to do just that when they find a wallet that belongs to billionaire Laura Friendly. They can't tell anyone. And there are LOTS of other rules. But if they succeed, they each get ten million dollars. Challenge accepted! They rent cool cars, go to Disney World, buy pizza for the whole school-and that's just the beginning! But money can't buy everything or fix every problem. And spending it isn't always as easy and fun as they thought it would be.

The Only Game by Mike Lupica (or any in series)
Can a young baseball star maintain his love of the game after the loss of his brother?

Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper
Eleven-year-old Melody can't walk, talk, or write. All because she has cerebral palsy. She also has a photographic memory; she can remember every detail of everything she has ever experienced. She's the smartest kid in her whole school, but NO ONE knows it. Most people dismiss her, but Melody refuses to be defined by her disability. And she's determined to let everyone know it!

Shelter by Christie Matheson
​5th grade can be tough for anyone. There are cliques and mean kids and homework and surprise math tests. But after tragedy strikes her family, almost-eleven-year-old Maya has a painful secret that makes many days feel nearly impossible. And today might be Maya's toughest yet. Her family is on edge, she needs to travel alone across the city, a bully is out to get her, and Maya has to face this winter's biggest rainstorm without a coat or an umbrella. But even on the rainiest days, there's hope that the sun will come out soon.

Something Like Home by Andrea Beatriz Arango
Laura Rodríguez Colón has a plan: no matter what the grown-ups say, she will live with her parents again. Can you blame her? It’s tough to make friends as the new kid at school. And while staying at her aunt’s house is okay, it just isn’t the same. So when Laura finds a puppy, it seems like fate. If she can train the puppy to become a therapy dog, then maybe she’ll be allowed to visit her parents. Maybe the dog will help them get better and things will finally go back to the way they should be. After all, how do you explain to others that you’re technically a foster kid, even though you live with your aunt? And most importantly . . . how do you explain that you’re not where you belong, and you just want to go home?

Spy School by Stuart Gibbs (or any in series)
Ben Ripley may only be in middle school, but he’s already pegged his dream job: CIA or bust. Unfortunately for him, his personality doesn’t exactly scream “secret agent.” In fact, Ben is so awkward, he can barely get to school and back without a mishap. Because of his innate nerdiness, Ben is not surprised when he is recruited for a magnet school with a focus on science—but he’s entirely shocked to discover that the school is actually a front for a junior CIA academy. Could the CIA really want him?

Starfish by Lisa Fipps
Ever since Ellie wore a whale swimsuit and made a big splash at her fifth birthday party, she's been bullied about her weight. To cope, she tries to live by the Fat Girl Rules—like "no making waves," "avoid eating in public," and "don't move so fast that your body jiggles." And she's found her safe space—her swimming pool—where she feels weightless in a fat-obsessed world and can take up all the room she wants. It's also where she can get away from her critical mom. Fortunately, Ellie has allies in her dad, her therapist, and her new neighbor, Catalina, who loves Ellie for who she is. With this support buoying her, Ellie might finally be able to cast aside the Fat Girl Rules and be, unapologetically, her own fabulous self.

Thirst by Varsha Bajaj
Minni lives in the poorest part of Mumbai, where access to water is limited to a few hours a day and the communal taps have long lines. Lately, though, even that access is threatened by severe water shortages and thieves who are stealing this precious commodity—an act that Minni accidentally witnesses one night. Meanwhile, in the high-rise building where she just started to work, she discovers that water streams out of every faucet and there’s even a rooftop swimming pool. Then one day, Minni encounters the water mafia boss and faces her biggest dilemma yet—should she expose him even if it means risking her job and maybe her life?

Wonder by R. J. Palacio
August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid--but his new classmates can't get past Auggie's extraordinary face. Beginning from Auggie's point of view and expanding to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others, the perspectives converge to form a portrait of one community's struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance. In a world where bullying among young people is an epidemic, this is a refreshing new narrative full of heart and hope.
Rising 5th Grade Summer Reading List (alpha by title)

Rising 5th Grade Summer Reading List (alpha by genre; includes summaries)

​Discussion Questions for Required Reading
Answer the discussion questions in complete sentences. You may type or write your responses. We will discuss them as a class in August.

Summer Reading Record​ ​