Summer Reading Lower School 2024

"Harrison Beck is reluctantly joining his travel-writer Uncle Nat for the last journey of the royal train, The Highland Falcon. But as the train makes its way to Scotland, a priceless brooch goes missing, and things suddenly get a lot more interesting. As suspicions and accusations run high among the passengers, Harrison begins to investigate and uncovers a few surprises along the way. Can he solve the mystery of the jewel thief and catch the culprit before they reach the end of the line?"--Provided by publisher.

Own Voices author Nizrana Farook makes her middle grade debut in a daring tale of friendship, risk, and reward, all set against the lush backdrop of Sri Lanka. - From the Publisher

When quiet, nine-year-old Ahmet arrives in their classroom, a boy and his friends fail to draw him out but try a new plan after learning he is a Syrian refugee.

In this children's classic, Lucy finds that an old wardrobe in a professor's country house is a gateway to a magical land of fauns, centaurs, nymphs and talking animals - but also of the beautiful but evil White Witch who has held the land of Narnia in eternal winter for a hundred years.

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, the quiet and thoughtful son of the Chief of the Hairy Hooligans, tries to pass the important initiation test of his Viking clan by catching and training a dragon. Can Hiccup do it without being torn limb from limb?

om Gates is the master of excuses for late homework: dog attacks, spilt water, lightening. Tom's exercise book is full of his doodles, cartoons and thoughts, as well as comments from his long-suffering teacher, Mr Fullerton. After gaining five merits for his 'Camping Sucks' holiday story, Tom's work starts to go downhill, which is a pity, as he's desperate to impress Amy Porter, who sits next to him.

"Finn has always been different and in the tiny Scottish fishing village of Stromhead, he sticks out like a sore thumb. One day he dives into the sea and finds that, swimming with the dolphins, feels completely like home. But his new friends are in danger of being injured by the rubbish that floats out into the water and now a supermarket is going to release thousands of balloons that could drift out to sea and cause even more damage. Desperate to help the dolphins, Finn goes to the Lighthouse Crew, a group of kids who have always left Finn out. Will they be able to set aside their differences to save the dolphins? And what will Finn discover about his past along the way?"--Provided by publisher.

Follow the life of a street, seeing it develop from a small Stone Age camp - changing over thousands of years - into a bustling riverside thoroughfare in the heart of a metropolis * This beautifully illustrated book brings fourteen key periods in history to life. You'll find out how people lived long ago - the tools they used, what they wore, what they ate and what they did all day.

"When mean, selfish Monkey is sent into space, his spaceship crash-lands in Bunny's peaceful forest home, and Monkey, believing he is on a new planet, tries to claim it for his own."--OCLC.

In a world built for Perfect Pets, Barnabus is a Failed Project, half mouse, half elephant, kept out of sight until his dreams of freedom lead him and his misfit friends on a perilous adventure. Deep underground beneath Perfect Pets, where children can buy genetically engineered 'perfect' creatures, there is a secret lab. Barnabus and his friends live in this lab, but none of them is perfect. They are all Failed Projects. Barnabus has never been outside his tiny bell jar, yet he dreams of one day seeing the world above ground that his pal Pip the cockroach has told him about.

Matilda applies her untapped mental powers to rid the school of the evil, child-hating headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, and restore her nice teacher, Miss Honey, to financial security.

Follows the eccentric residents of a small town, including an obnoxious old man who tries to poison a popular dog.

"Mr. Wolf has just started teaching at Hazelwood Elementary. He wants the first day of school to go well, but he's got his hands full with his new class. Some of his students include: Margot, who is new in town and is trying to make friends. Sampson, who brought something special to school for show-and-tell. Aziza, who just wants everyone to be quiet and do their work. And Penny, who is very sleepy because she has a new baby brother at home, goes missing!"--Provided by publisher.

"When Arthur and Rose were little, they were heroes in theLand of Roar, an imaginary world that they found by climbing through the folding bed in their grandad's attic. Roar was filled with things they loved--dragons, mermaids, ninja wizards and adventure--as well as things that scared them (including a very creepy scarecrow). Now the twins are eleven, Roar is just a memory. But when they help Grandad clean out the attic, Arthur is horrified as Grandad is pulled into the folding bed and vanishes. Is he playing a joke? Or is Roar--real?"--OCLC.

When a child has a "bad speech day" at school, his father gives him a new perspective on his stuttering.

Lara is fascinated by the rare white snowy owl she’s spotted flying near her grandparent’s cottage.
And when she follows the beautiful bird into the woods, it leads her on a magical adventure back in time…

"Baker by day, spy by night -Alice Eclair leads an exciting double life! A fast-paced adventure full of daring action and delicious cakes! Inventors and artists from all nations have gathered in Paris for the World Fair. All eyes are on the aeroplane exhibition - these incredible machines will take humanity to new heights! Alice suspects that some of these inventors are in terrible danger, but no one will believe her. Surrounded by enemy spies, Alice will need to use every trick in the recipe book if she's to keep her friends safe and stop France's greatest invention from falling into the wrong hands. With a half-baked plan and a dash of daring, Alice must foil the enemy's plot before the whole thing boils over"--Publisher's description.

"Around the world, our ancient ancestors' mysterious art is left behind on cave walls, in rain forests, and with ink made from charcoal and crushed clay. These people told their stories in magnificent drawings that still speak to us today, echoing across generations. In her own . . . artwork that features the deserts of North America to the caves of Papua New Guinea, Hannah Salyer showcases ancient rock paintings, drawings, and etchings and invites us to add to the ongoing story--our ancestory"--Provided by publisher.

When Lily joins the local girls' football team has she finally found a place where she fits in? A shy but talented footballer navigates challenging friendships and anxiety at school.

I'm Silvia Fortuna Juno De Luca: half schoolgirl, half goddess. Yes actual Roman goddess. But it all starts with Dad. He was messing about, re-enacting battles at Hadrian's Wall, when pow! he's transported to Ancient Rome. I go after him because someone has to. And now, the fate of my whole family rests on me.

Cousins Middy and Nathan love magic. The on-stage, cape-swirling, bunny-out-of-a-hat kind. For Middy, it’s all about patience and practice. She uses magic skills to help her out of tricky situations. Nathan is a show-off and a total danger magnet, he is drawn to the sensation, spectacle and audience. So when the famous Blackpool Tower dramatically vanishes the night of the Grand Lights Switch-On, showman Nathan announces live on TV that they will magic it back home. With a stick of rock, a spangly cape, and a bit of misdirection, they end up lost in Las Vegas, home to the grand master of illusion, Perplexion, ‘Legend of Magic’.