2011 Burlington Twp. Schools’ Summer Reading Selections

1. 2011 Burlington Twp. Schools’ Summer Reading Selections Students Entering Grade 2 Consider some of the following books when making your summer reading selections…

2. Hattie and the Fox by Mem Fox Hattie the Hen spots danger — but the goose and the pig and the sheep and the horse and the cow don't seem to care! Young children will enjoy happy shivers of anticipation as this cumulative tale builds, and they'll be delighted by the final surprise, when everyone sees that what Hattie has been saying is true!

3. The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carl This beloved Eric Carle classic returns once again in a colorful new board book format. For generations, The Grouchy Ladybug has delighted readers of all ages with the story of a bad-tempered bug who won't say "please" or "thank you," won't share, and thinks she is bigger and better than anyone else. As children follow the Grouchy Ladybug on her journey, they will learn the important concepts of time, size, and shape, as well as the benefits of friendship and good manners.

4. Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert Lois Ehlert uses watercolor collage and pieces of actual seeds, fabric, wire, and roots in this innovative and rich introduction to the life of a tree. A special glossary explains how roots absorb nutrients, what photosynthesis is, how sap circulates, and other facts about trees. “Children will beg to share this book over and over.”—American Bookseller

5. Zack at School by Jonathan London Zack is anxious about his first day of school because he is afraid of doing something wrong. But when he has as much fun as his parents had promised he would, Zack is only too happy to show them what he has learned.

6. Ben Franklin and the Magic Squares by Frank Murphy A funny, entertaining introduction to Ben Franklin and his many inventions, including the story of how he created the "magic square." A magic square is a box of nine numbers arranged so that any line of three numbers adds up to the same number, including on the diagonal! Kids will love finding out about this popular teaching tool that is still used in elementary schools today!

7. Arthur Babysits by Marc Brown Arthur takes on a tough baby-sitting job that starts out rocky but goes smoothly once he figures out how to handle the Tibble twins.  Arthur's trials and tribulations will strike a chord with youngsters who surely share his hopes and fears in the face of challenges such as siblings, illness, and school, among others.

8. The Washington Monument by Kristin L.Nelson Discover the Washington Monument, a simple but powerful symbol of our first president's resolve to build a strong country.

9. Independence Day by Helen Frost Independence Day, a holiday that is celebrated in honor of the United States of America's fight for freedom, is explained in this book with color photographs.

10. Baseball Brothers by Jean Marzollo Timmy would love to be a great ball player like his brother Ben, but he always has trouble keeping his mind on the game. Luckily, Ben is right there to bring him back to, earth -- and put him back in the game!

11. Curious George Visits the Zoo by Margret Rey When a hungry Curious George visits the zoo, he snatches a pail of bananas from the zookeeper. Though he shouldn't have taken the bananas, the zookeeper praises him for his clever and helpful ways.

12. Class Pet From The Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler It's another scary day at the Black Lagoon. . . . Mrs. Green tells her students that they're going to have a class pet! Hubie's imagination goes wild. Will the new class pet have fangs, horns, or headlights? Will it be vicious? Who knows what kind of monster Mrs. Green will bring in? Hubie's worst fears are nearly realized, when Mrs. Green brings in a big cage. What could be inside?

13. Goldie by Ellen Miles Charles and Lizzie Peterson love puppies. They want a puppy of their own more than just about anything. They know dogs are a lot of work. But their mom still doesn't think their family is ready for a puppy. Then, Goldie arrives. She is a sweet golden retriever that needs a home. Goldie is very young. She doesn't know how to be a good puppy yet. Will Charles and Lizzie be able to help her?

14. Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel The inseparable Frog and Toad are introduced to readers through five wonderfully silly adventures. Like an innocent Laurel and Hardy, the two amphibians show the true meaning of friendship - Toad tells stories to Frog when Frog is sick, Frog helps search for Toad's lost button, and Frog writes a letter to Toad because he never receives any mail. These marvelous tales touch both the heart and the funny bone.

15. Junie B. Jones by Barbara Park

16. Horrible Harry's Secret by Suzy Kline Harry's in love, and his best friend, Doug, is disgusted -- Harry won't even throw snowballs at girls anymore. Will Harry ever go back to being his horrible self? Kline captures perfectly the crowd scenes and private moments in the classroom.

17. Camping Catastrophe by Abby Klein Freddy Thresher and his best friend, Robbie, are going to spend the night in the wilderness with Freddy's dad. What could be more fun than going fishing, learning to pitch a tent, and building a campfire? Come along and join the fun as Freddy's trip becomes a camping catastrophe!

18. The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster The kitchen window at Nanna and Poppy’s house is, for one little girl, a magic gateway. Everything important happens near it, through it, or beyond it. Told in her voice, her story is both a voyage of discovery and a celebration of the commonplace wonders that define childhood. It is also a love song devoted to that special relationship between grandparents and grandchild. The world for this little girl will soon grow larger and more complex but never more enchanting or deeply felt.

19. Yikes! Bikes! by Abby Klein In this book, Freddy and his classmates participate in a Bike-A-Thon to help raise money for a local animal shelter. After Freddy and Max make a bet to see who can do the most laps, Freddy needs to learn how to ride a two-wheeler fast!

20. Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears by Verna Aardema This book is about a mosquito who tells an iguana a tall tale, so the iguana puts sticks in his ears so he won’t hear the mosquito’s nonsense. Which in affect causes a chain reaction that gets all the animals upset.

21. You may have tangible wealth untold: Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold. Richer than I you can never be– I had someone who read to me. by Strickland Gillilan **Special thanks to our BTHS students who read the synopses, which were featured on Barnes and Noble and Amazon websites.