Summer Reading Lower School 2024

Motivated by the realization of global inequities, a young boy embraces his dual identities as an artist and activist, becoming an "artivist" to make a difference by using his viral mural as a catalyst for positive change.

Finn is in a bad mood, so his grandfather takes him on a walk in the forest, and tells him about all the things that are beneath the surface of plants and animals--and even people.

"Praised for acting like a big girl when she is small, as a young girl grows, 'big' becomes a word of criticism, until the girl realizes that she is fine just the way she is"--Provided by publisher.

After losing the person in his life he loves more than anything, a young child holds onto a cape as a source of comfort and strength as he navigates the sadness and joy of his memories.

"Elena wants to ride her bike. She steadies, she readies. She wobbles, she bobbles... KA-BANG! Learning to ride a bike is hard. But Elena can do it. She just has to try, try again"--Provided by publisher.

To deliver her mother's delicious soup to her sick Granny Oak, Evergreen the squirrel must face her fears and make the journey, during which she meets other forest dwellers, including some who want to get their hands on her soup!

Henry, a first grader on the autism spectrum, attempts to navigate friendships, and sudden changes in classroom routines--like a parade on Friday instead of share time.

"The Indestructible Tom Crean reveals the incredible true stories of Crean's adventures on the Discovery, Terra Nova, and Endurance expeditions. When the Endurance becomes trapped in the frozen sea and sinks, it is up to Crean and several others to go for help"--Provided by publisher.

As a child approaches the diving board at a pool, she dreams about all the amazing things she might do when she is older.

"When a kindergarten class arrives for the first day at school, they are greeted only by the words 'Mr. S' on the chalkboard and a delicious-looking sandwich, resulting in merry mayhem as the kids wonder if the sandwich is their teacher"--OCLC.

A narrative nonfiction story detailing the long distance that dust from the Sahel in Africa travels across the Atlantic Ocean to replenish life in the Amazon Rainforest. Told from the perspective of dust, . . . takes readers on a journey through . . . illustrated landscapes, celebrating the power and wonder of Earth's ecosystems, and showing how these tiny particles are in fact key to the health of our planet"--Provided by publisher.

"Meet Randolph Caldecott, the artist who revolutionized picture book illustration and for whom the prestigious Caldecott medal is named! . . . a lively, humorous, and energetically informative biography that celebrates the spirit of storytelling in art. Quick! If you don't move fast, you're going to miss him - there he goes - Randolph Caldecott, future famous illustrator. His sketchbook is full of hurly burly: wild weather, frisky animals, and people so sprightly they can barely hold onto the pages. But in the 1850s, there are no children's books like that. Not yet. Many books are published, but their pictures look stiff, full of pretty poses and cluttered scenery. No one has imagined how much fun an illustrated book could be - because the future hero of children's book illustration is still just a lad."--Provided by publisher.

In a mix of Eastern and Western mythologies, a mother tells her child about two forests inhabited by different, but equally enchanting dragons that coexist within the child's heart.

"A reverent celebration of learning to swim among a diverse cast of children and families who each experience the mysterious joys of water in nature"--Provided by publisher.