June 2011 Dear Students and Parents, Here is a list of new books to assist you in your quest for engaging and intriguing literature to read this summer. All books will be available at the Hanscom Air Force Base Library during the summer and at the school library during the school year.

The HAFB library will not only house the books but will also offer a fabulous series of events as part of their summer reading program “A Midsummer Knight’s Read.” Parents need to register children and make sure they have a library card for the first visit. Families are also welcome at any summer events at the local public libraries in Lincoln and Bedford. Past reading lists and links to other sources of recommended books may be found on the HMS Library website. Parents wanting guidance in choosing, reading, and sharing children’s literature will enjoy the latest book by Horn Book Editors, Roger Sutton and Martha Parravano, entitled A Family of Readers. For further inspiration, the library and reading departments recommend The Reading Promise: My Father and the Books We Shared by Alice Ozma.

The love of reading is our gift to our children. Have a wondrous book-filled summer! Sincerely, Erich Ledebuhr, Principal Nancy Rote, Librarian Laura Tierney, Assistant Librarian

“...Treat books as invitations in the reading life.” Roger Sutton. A Family of Readers. 2010

HMS Grade 4 Summer Reading 2011

Anderson, Laurie Halse. Vet Volunteers series. (realistic fiction)

Pet lovers will enjoy this series about young veterinary clinical volunteers who help solve problems and save

many different animals that are in trouble. (Fight for Life, Storm Rescue, Manatee Blues).

Auch, Mary Jane. The Plot Chickens (humorous, picture book)

Henrietta the chicken decides to write a book herself, but she has trouble finding someone to publish it. When she

publishes the book herself she gets a terrible review in "The Corn Book" and Henrietta is devastated.

Beccia, Carlyn. I Feel Better with a Frog in My Throat: History's Strangest Cures (history, picture book)

Explores the history of medicine, looking at some of the unusual methods that have been used to try to make

people feel better, and traces links between the medicine of the past and modern-day treatments.

Coy, John. Eyes on the Goal (Top of the Order was the 1st book in this series) (sports fiction)

Soon-to-be-sixth-grader Jackson is thrilled to go to soccer camp with his three best friends. However, the novice

player starts to sour on the sport when he finds himself struggling during practices.

Freeman, Martha. The Case of the Rock 'n' Roll Dog (fiction, mystery)

Daughters of the first female president and owners of a very rambunctious dog play detective when a baton

belonging to the director of the Marine Band goes missing at the White House.

George, Jean Craighead. There’s an Owl in the Shower (environmental, family fiction)

Laws protecting the spotted owls in the old growth forest of northern California cost Borden's father his logging

job. Angry, Borden vows to kill any spotted owl he sees, but soon has a change of heart.

Halpern, Monica. Explore & Draw (Big Dogs; Big Cats; Motorcycles) (nonfiction, art)

Learn basic art techniques through step-by-step directions, while also learning interesting facts.

Holt, Kimberly Willis. Piper Reed, Campfire Girl (realistic, family fiction)

Fifth-grader Piper and her sisters are thrilled about their first-ever camping trip until they learn it will be at

Halloween, but other Navy families join them, including an annoying new member of the Gypsy Club.

Scheunemann, Pam. Cool Jobs for Young Pet Lovers: Ways to Make Money Caring for Pets (nonfiction)

Learn ways to make money caring for pets and consider what you can do with your money.

Shiga, Jason. Meanwhile (graphic novel)

In this choose-your-own adventure graphic novel, a boy stumbles on the laboratory of a mad scientist who asks

him to choose between testing a mind-reading device, a time machine, and a doomsday machine.

Singer, Marilyn. Mirror Mirror: a Book of Reversible Verse (nonfiction, poetry)

A collection of short poems which, when reversed, provide new perspectives on featured fairy tale characters.

Tashjian, Janet. My life as a book (family, animals fiction)

Dubbed a "reluctant reader" by his teacher, twelve-year-old Derek spends summer vacation learning important

lessons even though he does not complete his summer reading list.

Woog, Adam. Scratchbot (nonfiction, science & engineering)

Meet the robot rat and consider why helicopters could have touch sensitive “skin.”

Wilson, Nathan D. 100 Cupboards (fantasy)

Twelve-year-old Henry York and his cousin Henrietta discover 100 hidden portals to other worlds in the bedroom

wall of his aunt and uncle's house.

A Midsummer

Knight’s Read

HMS Grade 5 Summer Reading 2011

Cottrell Boyce, Frank. Cosmic (space exploration fiction)

Twelve-year-old Liam, who looks like he is thirty, decides he is going to pose as the adult chaperone on the first

spaceship to take civilians into space. When no adults go on the journey, he must think fast to make things right.

Draper, Sharon. Out of My Mind (realistic fiction)

A brilliant, impatient fifth-grader with cerebral palsy discovers a technological device that will allow her to speak

for the first time.

Lord, Cynthia. Touch Blue (realistic fiction)

Families in a small island in Maine take in foster children, but it isn’t an easy adjustment for anyone.

Holm, Jennifer. Turtle in Paradise (family fiction)

In 1935, when her mother gets a job housekeeping for a woman who does not like children, eleven-year-old

Turtle is sent to stay with relatives she has never met in far away Key West, FL.

O’Connor, Barbara. Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester (adventure fiction)

Owen captures a huge bullfrog (Tooley Graham) and then has to release it. Owen and two friends try to use a

small submarine that fell from a passing train to search for Tooley in the pond from where he came.

Rhodes, Jewell Parker. Ninth Ward (disaster, fiction)

In New Orleans' Ninth Ward, twelve-year-old Lanesha, who can see spirits, and her adopted grandmother have no

choice but to stay and weather the storm as Hurricane Katrina bears down upon them.

Jones, Jen. Cool Crafts with Newspapers, Magazines, and Junk Mail. (nonfiction, crafts)

Provides photo-illustrated, step-by-step instructions for craft projects made from newspapers, magazines, and junk

mail, such as wrapping paper, a notepad, and paper flowers.

Lewis, J. Patrick. Skywriting: Poems to Fly (poetry, picture book)

A collection of thirteen illustrated poems that celebrates the history of flight.

Parker, Steve. Robots in Dangerous Places (nonfiction, technology)

Discusses how robots are used to explore and work in dangerous places and examines advances in robotics and

how people benefit them.

Paulson, Gary. Woods Runner (historical fiction)

From his 1776 Pennsylvania homestead, thirteen-year-old Samuel, who is a highly-skilled woodsman, sets out

toward New York City to rescue his parents who were kidnapped by the British.

Newsome, Richard. Billionaire’s Curse (mystery fiction)

Thirteen-year-old Gerald inherits twenty billion pounds, an island, a yacht, and three estates from his unknown

great aunt, but a letter explains she was murdered and Gerald must solve the crime.

Peters, Lisa Westberg. Volcano Wakes Up! (poetry, natural science)

The influence of a volcanic eruption on the nearby land and forms of life is examined from many perspectives.

A Midsummer

Knight’s Read

HMS Grade 6 Summer Reading 2011

Champion, Neil. Survive Alive series (In an Emergency, Making Shelter, etc.) (nonfiction)

This series gives practical information on all aspects of surviving in the wild and includes amazing true stories!

Frazier, Sundee Tucker. The Other Half of My Heart (sisters, prejudices, fiction)

Twin daughters of interracial parents, eleven-year-olds Keira and Minna have very different skin tones and

personalities but share deep bonds of love that are challenged while visiting their grandmother.

Funke, Cornelia. Reckless (fantasy, adventure)

Jacob discovers a magical mirror that transports him to a warring world populated by witches, giants, and ogres.

He keeps it to himself until his brother Will follows him one day, with dire consequences.

Gidwitz, Adam. A Tale Dark & Grimm (fantasy)

Hansel and Gretel leave their own story to enter eight other of Grimm’s bloodiest stories.

Grayson, Robert. Military (Working Animals series) (nonfiction, animals, war)

Describes animals, including elephants, dogs, horses, mules, sea lions, dolphins, rats, and homing pigeons, which

provide valuable service to the military.

Grisham, John. The Abduction (legal fiction)

Theodore Boone finished working on a murder case; now a new case comes up that requires his unique skills.

Hawkins, Aaron. The Year Money Grew on Trees (historical fiction)

In early 1980s New Mexico, thirteen-year-old Jackson Jones recruits his cousins and sisters to help tend a

neighbor's neglected apple orchard for the chance to make big money and to perhaps own the orchard.

Hirschmann, Kris. HDTV: High Definition Television (A Great Idea series) (nonfiction, technology)

Chronicles the development and availability of high-definition televisions (HDTVs), and provides explanations of

how HDTV works, difficulties with its development, and future applications.

LeBoutillier, Nate. The Ultimate Guide to Pro Baseball Teams (nonfiction, sports)

A Sports Illustrated Kids series. Also, Ultimate Guide to Pro Football Teams by Shane Frederick.

McCurdy, Michael. Walden Then & Now: an Alphabetical Tour of Henry Thoreau's Pond (nonfiction)

An alphabet book showing aspects of naturalist Henry David Thoreau's time at nearby Walden Pond

(in Concord, MA) and discusses how things have changed over time. Read then visit Walden Pond!

Riordan, Rick. Throne of Fire (Kane Chronicles, Book 2) (adventure, fantasy)

Carter and Sadie must outsmart the House of Life and the gods of chaos in order to complete their worldwide

search for an ancient Egyptian book.

Sidman, Joyce. Ubiquitous: Celebrating Nature's Survivors (poetry, nature)

Collects poems that examine survival in nature, and includes information about a number of plants and animals.

Wiles, Deborah. Countdown (historical fiction)

As eleven-year-old Franny Chapman deals with drama at home and with her best friend in 1962, she tries to

understand world problems after President Kennedy announces that Russia is sending nuclear missiles to Cuba.

Wood, Maryrose. The Mysterious Howling (Incorrigible children of Ashton Place: bk 1) (fantasy, humor)

Fifteen-year-old Miss Penelope Lumley is hired as governess to three young children who have been raised by

wolves and must teach them to behave in a civilized manner quickly, in preparation for a Christmas ball.

A Midsummer

Knight’s Read

HMS Grades 7 & 8 Summer Reading 2011

Connor, Leslie. Crunch (realistic fiction, family).

Fourteen-year-old Dewey juggles the management of the family's bicycle repair business while sharing the

household and farm duties with his siblings after a sudden energy crisis strands their parents far from home.

Gilpin, Daniel & Pang, Alex. Military Vehicles (Machines Close-up series) (nonfiction, military)

Discusses the internal workings of many military fighting machines, such as the M2 Bradley IFV.

Golio, Gary. Jimi: Sounds Like a Rainbow, a Story of the Young Jimi Hendrix (picture book)

A biography of rock musician Jimi Hendrix, focusing on his childhood, his unique vision, and artistic talents.

Parker, Steve. Robots for Work and Fun (nonfiction, technology)

Discusses how robots are used for recreation and work and examines many advances in robotics.

Paulsen, Gary. Liar, liar: the theory, practice, and destructive properties of deception (realistic fiction)

Fourteen-year-old Kevin is very good at lying and doing so makes life easier, but when he finds himself in big

trouble with his friends, family, and teachers, he must find a way to end his lies forever.

Perkins, Mitali. Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins (adventure fiction)

Two Burmese boys, one a refugee and the other the son of an imprisoned doctor, meet in the jungle and in order

to survive they must learn to trust each other.

Preus, Margi. Heart of a Samurai: Based on the True Story of Nakahama Manjiro (survival tale)

Fourteen-year-old Manjiro is rescued by an American whaler after a shipwreck in 1841. He then learns new laws

and customs as he becomes the first Japanese person to set foot in the U.S.

Ryan, Pam Muñoz. Dreamer (Fiction, Chile history)

A fictionalized biography of the Nobel Prize-winning Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, who grew up a painfully shy

child, ridiculed by his overbearing father, but who became one of the most widely-read poets in the world.

Schmidt, Gary D. Okay for Now (Fiction)

Fourteen-year-old Doug Swieteck faces many challenges, including an abusive father and suspicious teachers.

However, he develops a close relationship with a girl named Lil Spicer and finds a safe place at the local library.

Stamaty, Mark. Shake, Rattle & Turn That Noise Down!: How Elvis Changed Music, Me, and Mom

(music, comics)

Stamaty recounts how the music of Elvis Presley changed his life and how his mother did not appreciate his love

for rock n’ roll until his performance at a talent show helps her see Mark's passion for music.

Townsend, Michael. Michael Townsend's Amazing Greek Myths of Wonder and Blunders

(Graphic Novel, Greek Myths)

A collection of comics that interpret Greek myths depicting stories about King Midas, Pandora, Arachne, etc.

Vanderpool, Clare. Moon over Manifest (Historical Fiction)

Twelve-year-old Abilene Tucker is the daughter of a drifter who, in the summer of 1936, sends her to stay with an

old friend in Manifest, Kansas, where he grew up, and where she hopes to find out some things about his past.

Ziefert, Harriet. Lights on Broadway: A Theatrical Tour from A to Z (Nonfiction, Drama, Music)

Presents an illustrated dictionary of theater terms, with quotes from Broadway actors, facts about backstage duties

and logistics, and more, with an audio CD of "I Was Here," performed by Brian Stokes Mitchell.

Williams-Garcia, Rita. One Crazy Summer (realistic fiction)

In the summer of 1968, eleven-year-old Delphine and her two younger sisters spend a month in California with

their mother they barely know and who wants them to attend a nearby Black Panther summer camp.

A Midsummer

Knight’s Read