summer reading activities for 5th graders

• Picture Book Brain

Summer Reading List for 5th Grade: The Ultimate List

• July 6, 2022

Check out this summer reading list for 5th grade. A list of books to share with families to read over the summer with some literature comprehension activities and ideas for picture books for 5th graders. Poetry, prose, fiction and nonfiction summer reading recommendations! Picture books and chapter books to interest any child!

If you’re a member of the  Picture Book Brain Trust Community , you already have access to EVERY lesson plan and activity for these books! Just click on the Lesson Plans button in the menu!

Picture books for 5th grade:, weslandia by paul fleischman.

Enter the witty, intriguing world of Weslandia! Now that school is over, Wesley needs a summer project. He’s learned that each civilization needs a staple food crop, so he decides to sow a garden and start his own — civilization, that is. He turns over a plot of earth, and plants begin to grow. They soon tower above him and bear a curious-looking fruit. As Wesley experiments, he finds that the plant will provide food, clothing, shelter, and even recreation. It isn’t long before his neighbors and classmates develop more than an idle curiosity about Wesley — and exactly how he is spending his summer vacation.

The Raft by Jim LaMarche

Nicky is convinced that his summer with his grandmother in the Wisconsin woods is going to be the worst summer ever. She cooks food that he doesn’t like, there’s an art studio where her living room should be, and he’s expected to do chores—including fishing, the most boring chore ever.

But one afternoon, while Nicky is trying to catch their dinner, a raft drifts down the river towards him. The raft has a calming magic about it, affecting both Nicky and the wildlife of the river and woods. Through the raft and the adventures it brings him on, Nicky finds new common ground with his grandmother, a fellow river rat, who encourages him to explore his newfound talent for art.

Crown by Derrick Barnes

The barbershop is where the magic happens. Boys go in as lumps of clay and, with princely robes draped around their shoulders, a dab of cool shaving cream on their foreheads, and a slow, steady cut, they become royalty. That crisp yet subtle line makes boys sharper, more visible, more aware of every great thing that could happen to them when they look good: lesser grades turn into As; girls take notice; even a mother’s hug gets a little tighter. Everyone notices. A fresh cut makes boys  fly .

A Stone For Sascha by Aaron Becker

This year’s summer vacation will be very different for a young girl and her family without Sascha, the beloved family dog, along for the ride. But a wistful walk along the beach to gather cool, polished stones becomes a brilliant turning point in the girl’s grief . There, at the edge of a vast ocean beneath an infinite sky, she uncovers, alongside the reader, a profound and joyous truth. In his first picture book following the conclusion of his best-selling Journey trilogy, Aaron Becker achieves a tremendous feat, connecting the private, personal loss of one child to a cycle spanning millennia — and delivering a stunningly layered tale that demands to be pored over again and again.

Manfish by Jennifer Berne

Before Jacques Cousteau became an internationally known oceanographer and champion of the seas, he was a curious little boy. In this lovely biography, poetic text and gorgeous paintings combine to create a portrait of Jacques Cousteau that is as magical as it is inspiring.

All Because You Matter by Tami Charles

Discover this poignant, timely, and emotionally stirring picture book, an ode to Black and brown children everywhere that is full of hope, assurance, and love.

Your Place in the Universe by Jason Chin

Most eight-year-olds are about five times as tall as this book . . . but only half as tall as an ostrich, which is half as tall as a giraffe . . . twenty times smaller than a California Redwood! How do they compare to the tallest buildings? To Mt. Everest? To stars, galaxy clusters, and . . . the universe?

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba

The inspiring story of how William Kamkwamba used discarded and recycled materials to save his home and his village in Africa by building a windmill.

Drawn Together by Minh Le

When a young boy visits his grandfather, their lack of a common language leads to confusion, frustration, and silence. But as they sit down to draw together, something magical happens—with a shared love of art and storytelling, the two form a bond that goes beyond words.

You Are Home by Evan Turk

Beneath the soaring doorways of stone, and peaks that pierce the ceiling of clouds, from every river, star, and stone comes the eternal refrain: you are home.

In simple, soaring language and breathtaking art, acclaimed author-illustrator Evan Turk has created a stirring ode to nature and nation. From the rugged coast of Maine to the fiery volcanoes of Hawaii,  You Are Home  reminds us that every animal, plant, and person helps make this land a brilliant, beautiful sanctuary of life.

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly

Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden were good at math…really good. They participated in some of NASA’s greatest successes, like providing the calculations for America’s first journeys into space. And they did so during a time when being black and a woman limited what they could do. But they worked hard. They persisted. And they used their genius minds to change the world.

The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander

Originally performed for ESPN’s The Undefeated, this poem is a love letter to black life in the United States. It highlights the unspeakable trauma of slavery, the faith and fire of the civil rights movement, and the grit, passion, and perseverance of some of the world’s greatest heroes. The text is also peppered with references to the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks, and others, offering deeper insights into the accomplishments of the past, while bringing stark attention to the endurance and spirit of those surviving and thriving in the present. Robust back matter at the end provides valuable historical context and additional detail for those wishing to learn more.

Overground Railroad by Lesa Cline-Ransome

Climbing aboard the New York bound Silver Meteor train, Ruth Ellen embarks upon a journey toward a new life up North– one she can’t begin to imagine. Stop by stop, the perceptive young narrator tells her journey in poems, leaving behind the cotton fields and distant Blue Ridge mountains.

Each leg of the trip brings new revelations as scenes out the window of folks working in fields give way to the Delaware River, the curtain that separates the colored car is removed, and glimpses of the freedom and opportunity the family hopes to find come into view. As they travel, Ruth Ellen reads from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, reflecting on how her journey mirrors her own– until finally the train arrives at its last stop, New York’s Penn Station, and the family heads out into a night filled with bright lights, glimmering stars, and new possiblity.

Queen of the Falls by Chris Van Allsburg

Annie Taylor, a short, plump and fussy sixty-two year old widow, runs a charm school, right by Niagara Falls. When this starts to fail, she resolves to find fame and fortune by being the first person ever to go over the thundering waters of Niagara Falls in a barrel. Readers of all ages will warm to this inspiring story of bravery, as they take the roller coaster ride of a lifetime over the falls.

Chester Nez and the Unbreakable Code by Joseph Bruchac

As a young Navajo boy, Chester Nez had to leave the reservation and attend boarding school, where he was taught that his native language and culture were useless. But Chester refused to give up his heritage. Years later, during World War II, Chester―and other Navajo men like him―was recruited by the US Marines to use the Navajo language to create an unbreakable military code. Suddenly the language he had been told to forget was needed to fight a war. This powerful picture book biography contains backmatter including a timeline and a portion of the Navajo code, and also depicts the life of an original Navajo code talker while capturing the importance of heritage. This book would be a great book to read for Indigenous Peoples Da y or for Veterans Day .

Grand Canyon by Jason Chin

Rivers wind through earth, cutting down and eroding the soil for millions of years, creating a cavity in the ground 277 miles long, 18 miles wide, and more than a mile deep known as the Grand Canyon. Home to an astonishing variety of plants and animals that have lived and evolved within its walls for millennia, the Grand Canyon is much more than just a hole in the ground. Follow a father and daughter as they make their way through the cavernous wonder, discovering life both present and past.

Weave in and out of time as perfectly placed die cuts show you that a fossil today was a creature much long ago, perhaps in a completely different environment. Complete with a spectacular double gatefold, an intricate map and extensive back matter. This is one of my favorite read aloud books for 5th grade because of the connections to science you can make as well as environmental studies for Earth Day .

Boxes For Katje by Candace Fleming

After World War II there is little left in Katje’s town of Olst in Holland. Her family, like most Dutch families, must patch their old worn clothing and go without everyday things like soap and milk. Then one spring morning when the tulips bloom “thick and bright,” Postman Kleinhoonte pedals his bicycle down Katje’s street to deliver a mysterious box – a box from America! Full of soap, socks, and chocolate, the box has been sent by Rosie, an American girl from Mayfield, Indiana. Her package is part of a goodwill effort to help the people of Europe. What’s inside so delights Katje that she sends off a letter of thanks – beginning an exchange that swells with so many surprises that the girls, as well as their townspeople, will never be the same.

Ada’s Violin by Susan Hood

Ada Ríos grew up in Cateura, a small town in Paraguay built on a landfill. She dreamed of playing the violin, but with little money for anything but the bare essentials, it was never an option…until a music teacher named Favio Chávez arrived. He wanted to give the children of Cateura something special, so he made them instruments out of materials found in the trash. It was a crazy idea, but one that would leave Ada—and her town—forever changed. Now, the Recycled Orchestra plays venues around the world, spreading their message of hope and innovation. This is a truly inspiring diverse picture book that works for a variety of topics like Hispanic Heritage Month or Earthy Day .

The Cat Man of Aleppo by Irene Latham

Alaa loves Aleppo, but when war comes his neighbors flee to safety, leaving their many pets behind. Alaa decides to stay–he can make a difference by driving an ambulance, carrying the sick and wounded to safety. One day he hears hungry cats calling out to him on his way home. They are lonely and scared, just like him. He feeds and pets them to let them know they are loved. The next day more cats come, and then even more! There are too many for Alaa to take care of on his own. Alaa has a big heart, but he will need help from others if he wants to keep all of his new friends safe.

The Next President by Kate Messner

Who will be the NEXT president ? Could it be you? When George Washington became the first president of the United States, there were nine future presidents already alive in America, doing things like practicing law or studying medicine. When JFK became the thirty-fifth president, there were 10 future presidents already alive in America, doing things like hosting TV shows and learning the saxophone.

And right now—today!—there are at least 10 future presidents alive in America. They could be playing basketball, like Barack Obama, or helping in the garden, like Dwight D. Eisenhower. They could be solving math problems or reading books. They could be making art—or already making change.

So Tall Within by Gary Schmidt

Sojourner Truth was born into slavery but possessed a mind and a vision that knew no bounds. So Tall Within traces her life from her painful childhood through her remarkable emancipation to her incredible leadership in the movement for rights for both women and African Americans. Her story is told with lyricism and pathos by Gary D. Schmidt, one of the most celebrated writers for children in the twenty-first century, and brought to life by award winning and fine artist Daniel Minter. This combination of talent is just right for introducing this legendary figure to a new generation of children.

The Wall by Peter Sis

“I was born at the beginning of it all, on the Red side―the Communist side―of the Iron Curtain.” Through annotated illustrations, journals, maps, and dreamscapes, Peter Sís shows what life was like for a child who loved to draw, proudly wore the red scarf of a Young Pioneer, stood guard at the giant statue of Stalin, and believed whatever he was told to believe. But adolescence brought questions. Cracks began to appear in the Iron Curtain, and news from the West slowly filtered into the country. Sís learned about beat poetry, rock ‘n’ roll, blue jeans, and Coca-Cola. He let his hair grow long, secretly read banned books, and joined a rock band.

Then came the Prague Spring of 1968, and for a teenager who wanted to see the world and meet the Beatles, this was a magical time. It was short-lived, however, brought to a sudden and brutal end by the Soviet-led invasion. But this brief flowering had provided a glimpse of new possibilities―creativity could be discouraged but not easily killed.

Funny Bones by Duncan Tonatiuh

Funny Bones tells the story of how calaveras came to be. The amusing figures are the creation of Mexican artist José Guadalupe (Lupe) Posada (1852–1913). Lupe learned the art of printing at a young age and soon had his own shop. In a country that was not known for freedom of speech, he drew political cartoons, much to the amusement of the local population but not that of the politicians. He continued to draw cartoons, but he is best known today for his calavera drawings. They have become synonymous with Mexico’s Día de Muertos festival.

Calaveras are skeletons performing all sorts of activities, both everyday and festive: dancing in the streets, playing instruments in a band, pedaling bicycles, promenading in the park, and even sweeping the sidewalks. They are not intended to be frightening, but rather to celebrate the joy of living as well as provide humorous observations about people.

Moses by Carole Boston Weatherford

I set the North Star in the heavens and I mean for you to be free…

Born into slavery, Harriet Tubman hears these words from God one summer night and decides to leave her husband and family behind and escape. Taking with her only her faith, she must creep through woods with hounds at her feet, sleep for days in a potato hole, and trust people who could have easily turned her in. But she was never alone. This one can get a little preachy at times, but that was how Harriet Tubman was. Certainly a book worth of being one of the best read aloud books for 5th grade.

Nasreen’s Secret School by Jeanette Winter

Young Nasreen has not spoken a word to anyone since her parents disappeared. In despair, her grandmother risks everything to enroll Nasreen in a secret school for girls. Will a devoted teacher, a new friend, and the worlds she discovers in books be enough to draw Nasreen out of her shell of sadness?

Based on a true story from Afghanistan, this inspiring book will touch readers deeply as it affirms both the life-changing power of education and the healing power of love. What I love about this book and what makes it one of the best read aloud books for 5th grade is how it helps students understand how Nasreen felt.

Pies From Nowhere by Dee Romito

Georgia Gilmore was a cook at the National Lunch Company in Montgomery, Alabama. When the bus boycotts broke out in Montgomery after Rosa Parks was arrested, Georgia knew just what to do. She organized a group of women who cooked and baked to fund-raise for gas and cars to help sustain the boycott. Called the Club from Nowhere, Georgia was the only person who knew who baked and bought the food, and she said the money came from “nowhere” to anyone who asked.

When Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested for his role in the boycott, Georgia testified on his behalf, and her home became a meeting place for civil rights leaders . This picture book highlights a hidden figure of the civil rights movement who fueled the bus boycotts and demonstrated that one person can make a real change in her community and beyond. It also includes one of her delicious recipes for kids to try with the help of their parents!

Thirty Minutes Over Oregon by Marc Tyler Nobleman

The devastating attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, drew the United States into World War II in 1941. But few are aware that several months later, the Japanese pilot Nobuo Fujita dropped bombs in the woods outside a small town in Oregon. This is the story of those bombings, and what came after, when Fujita returned to Oregon twenty years later, this time to apologize. This remarkable true story, beautifully illustrated in watercolor, is an important and moving account of reconciliation after war. This was a recent find that went straight to my list of the best read aloud books for 5th grade.

Game Changers by Lesa Cline-Ransome

Venus and Serena Williams. Two peas in a pod. Best friends. Sisters. Six days a week they awoke before the sun came up to practice their serves and returns, to learn to run faster and hit harder. They were unstoppable. At age fourteen, Venus played her first professional match. Three years later, it was Serena’s turn. It wasn’t easy. Some tennis fans cheered for these two fresh faces, while those who were unhappy to see two black girls competing in a nearly all-white sport booed and taunted them. But they didn’t let it stop them.

That Book Woman by Heather Henson

Cal is not the readin’ type. Living way high up in the Appalachian Mountains, he’d rather help Pap plow or go out after wandering sheep than try some book learning. Nope. Cal does not want to sit stoney-still reading some chicken scratch. But that Book Woman keeps coming just the same. She comes in the rain and in the snow. She comes right up the side of the mountain, and Cal knows that’s not easy riding. And all just to lend his sister some books. Why, that woman must be plain foolish—or is she braver than he ever thought? If you want to talk about the importance of libraries and reading , this book is perfect!

Middle Grade Novels and Chapter Books for 5th Graders:

Pax by sara pennypacker.

Pax and Peter have been inseparable ever since Peter rescued him as a kit. But one day, the unimaginable happens: Peter’s dad enlists in the military and makes him return the fox to the wild. At his grandfather’s house, three hundred miles away from home, Peter knows he isn’t where he should be—with Pax. He strikes out on his own despite the encroaching war, spurred by love, loyalty, and grief, to be reunited with his fox.

Meanwhile Pax, steadfastly waiting for his boy, embarks on adventures and discoveries of his own. . . .Pax is a wonderful choice for independent reading, sharing in the classroom, homeschooling, and book groups.

Pax Journey Home by Sara Pennypacker

It’s been a year since Peter and his pet fox, Pax, have seen each other. Once inseparable, they now lead very different lives. Pax and his mate, Bristle, have welcomed a litter of kits they must protect in a dangerous world. Meanwhile Peter—newly orphaned after the war, racked with guilt and loneliness—leaves his adopted home with Vola to join the Water Warriors, a group of people determined to heal the land from the scars of the war.

When one of Pax’s kits falls desperately ill, he turns to the one human he knows he can trust. And no matter how hard Peter tries to harden his broken heart, love keeps finding a way in. Now both boy and fox find themselves on journeys toward home, healing—and each other, once again.

The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo

Walking through the misty Florida woods one morning, twelve-year-old Rob Horton is stunned to encounter a tiger—a real-life, very large tiger—pacing back and forth in a cage. What’s more, on the same extraordinary day, he meets Sistine Bailey, a girl who shows her feelings as readily as Rob hides his. As they learn to trust each other, and ultimately, to be friends, Rob and Sistine prove that some things—like memories, and heartache, and tigers—can’t be locked up forever.

Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine

Caitlin has Asperger’s. The world according to her is black and white; anything in between is confusing. Before, when things got confusing, Caitlin went to her older brother, Devon, for help. But Devon was killed in a school shooting, and Caitlin’s dad is so distraught that he is just not helpful. Caitlin wants everything to go back to the way things were, but she doesn’t know how to do that. Then she comes across the word closure–and she realizes this is what she needs. And in her search for it, Caitlin discovers that the world may not be so black and white after all.

Linked by Gordon Korman

Link, Michael, and Dana live in a quiet town. But it’s woken up very quickly when someone sneaks into school and vandalizes it with a swastika. Nobody can believe it. How could such a symbol of hate end up in the middle of their school? Who would do such a thing? Because Michael was the first person to see it, he’s the first suspect. Because Link is one of the most popular guys in school, everyone’s looking to him to figure it out. And because Dana’s the only Jewish girl in the whole town, everyone’s treating her more like an outsider than ever.

The mystery deepens as more swastikas begin to appear. Some students decide to fight back and start a project to bring people together instead of dividing them further. The closer Link, Michael, and Dana get to the truth, the more there is to face-not just the crimes of the present, but the crimes of the past.

The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman

Life is harsh on the teeming streets of Chennai, India, so when runaway sisters Viji and Rukku arrive, their prospects look grim. Very quickly, eleven-year-old Viji discovers how vulnerable they are in this uncaring, dangerous world. Fortunately, the girls find shelter–and friendship–on an abandoned bridge that’s also the hideout of Muthi and Arul, two homeless boys, and the four of them soon form a family of sorts.

While making their living scavenging the city’s trash heaps is the pits, the kids find plenty to take pride in, too. After all, they are now the bosses of themselves and no longer dependent on untrustworthy adults. But when illness strikes, Viji must decide whether to risk seeking help from strangers or to keep holding on to their fragile, hard-fought freedom.

We’re Not From Here by Geoff Rodkey

The first time I heard about Planet Choom, we’d been on Mars for almost a year. But life on the Mars station was grim, and since Earth was no longer an option (we may have blown it up), it was time to find a new home.

That’s how we ended up on Choom with the Zhuri. They’re very smart. They also look like giant mosquitos. But that’s not why it’s so hard to live here. There’s a lot that the Zhuri don’t like: singing (just ask my sister, Ila), comedy (one joke got me sent to the principal’s office), or any kind of emotion. The biggest problem, though? The Zhuri don’t like us. And if humankind is going to survive, it’s up to  my  family to change their minds. No pressure.

Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling

Aven Green loves to tell people that she lost her arms in an alligator wrestling match, or a wildfire in Tanzania, but the truth is she was born without them. And when her parents take a job running Stagecoach Pass, a rundown western theme park in Arizona, Aven moves with them across the country knowing that she’ll have to answer the question over and over again. Her new life takes an unexpected turn when she bonds with Connor, a classmate who also feels isolated because of his own disability, and they discover a room at Stagecoach Pass that holds bigger secrets than Aven ever could have imagined. It’s hard to solve a mystery, help a friend, and face your worst fears. But Aven’s about to discover she can do it all . . . even without arms.

A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park

A Long Walk to Water  begins as two stories, told in alternating sections, about two eleven-year-olds in Sudan, a girl in 2008 and a boy in 1985. The girl, Nya, is fetching water from a pond that is two hours’ walk from her home: she makes two trips to the pond every day. The boy, Salva, becomes one of the “lost boys” of Sudan, refugees who cover the African continent on foot as they search for their families and for a safe place to stay.

Enduring every hardship from loneliness to attack by armed rebels to contact with killer lions and crocodiles, Salva is a survivor, and his story goes on to intersect with Nya’s in an astonishing and moving way. Includes an afterword by author Linda Sue Park and the real-life Salva Dut, on whom the novel is based, and who went on to found Water for South Sudan.

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown

Can a robot survive in the wilderness? When robot Roz opens her eyes for the first time, she discovers that she is all alone on a remote, wild island. She has no idea how she got there or what her purpose is–but she knows she needs to survive. After battling a violent storm and escaping a vicious bear attack, she realizes that her only hope for survival is to adapt to her surroundings and learn from the island’s unwelcoming animal inhabitants.

As Roz slowly befriends the animals, the island starts to feel like home–until, one day, the robot’s mysterious past comes back to haunt her.

The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown

Shipwrecked on a remote, wild island, Robot Roz learned from the unwelcoming animal inhabitants and adapted to her surroundings–but can she survive the challenges of the civilized world and find her way home to Brightbill and the island?

Ghost by Jason Reynolds

Running. That’s all Ghost (real name Castle Cranshaw) has ever known. But Ghost has been running for the wrong reasons—it all started with running away from his father, who, when Ghost was a very little boy, chased him and his mother through their apartment, then down the street, with a loaded gun, aiming to kill.

Since then, Ghost has been the one causing problems—and running away from them—until he meets Coach, an ex-Olympic Medalist who sees something in Ghost: crazy natural talent. If Ghost can stay on track, literally and figuratively, he could be the best sprinter in the city. Can Ghost harness his raw talent for speed, or will his past finally catch up to him?

Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo

It begins, as the best superhero stories do, with a tragic accident that has unexpected consequences. The squirrel never saw the vacuum cleaner coming, but self-described cynic Flora Belle Buckman, who has read every issue of the comic book  Terrible Things Can Happen to You!,  is just the right person to step in and save him. What neither can predict is that Ulysses (the squirrel) has been born anew, with powers of strength, flight, and misspelled poetry — and that Flora will be changed too, as she discovers the possibility of hope and the promise of a capacious heart.

Roll With It by Jamie Sumner

Ellie’s a girl with cerebral palsy who tells it like it is. That surprises some people, who see a kid in a wheelchair and think she’s going to be all sunshine and cuddles. The thing is, Ellie has big dreams: She might be eating Stouffer’s for dinner, but one day she’s going to be a professional baker. If she’s not writing fan letters to her favorite celebrity chefs, she’s practicing recipes on her well-meaning, if overworked, mother.

But when Ellie and her mom move so they can help take care of her ailing grandpa, Ellie has to start all over again in a new town at a new school. Except she’s not just the new kid—she’s the new kid in the wheelchair who lives in the trailer park on the wrong side of town. It all feels like one challenge too many, until Ellie starts to make her first-ever friends. Now she just has to convince her mom that this town might just be the best thing that ever happened to them!

Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea

It’s the start of a new year at Snow Hill School, and seven students find themselves thrown together in Mr. Terupt’s fifth grade class. There’s . . .  Jessica , the new girl, smart and perceptive, who’s having a hard time fitting in; Alexia, a bully, your friend one second, your enemy the next;  Peter , class prankster and troublemaker;  Luke , the brain;  Danielle , who never stands up for herself; shy  Anna , whose home situation makes her an outcast; and  Jeffrey , who hates school. They don’t have much in common, and they’ve never gotten along. Not until a certain new teacher arrives and helps them to find strength inside themselves—and in each other. But when Mr. Terupt suffers a terrible accident, will his students be able to remember the lessons he taught them? Or will their lives go back to the way they were before—before fifth grade and before Mr. Terupt?

The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Ten-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada’s twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn’t waste a minute—she sneaks out to join him.   Thus begins a new adventure for Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan—and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?

Rules by Cynthia Lord

Twelve-year-old Catherine just wants a normal life. Which is near impossible when you have a brother with autism and a family that revolves around his disability. She’s spent years trying to teach David the rules from “a peach is not a funny-looking apple” to “keep your pants on in public” — in order to head off David’s embarrassing behaviors.But the summer Catherine meets Jason, a surprising, new sort-of friend, and Kristi, the next-door friend she’s always wished for, it’s her own shocking behavior that turns everything upside down and forces her to ask: What is normal?

Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo

Raymie Clarke has come to realize that everything, absolutely everything, depends on her. And she has a plan. If Raymie can win the Little Miss Central Florida Tire competition, then her father, who left town two days ago with a dental hygienist, will see Raymie’s picture in the paper and (maybe) come home. To win, not only does Raymie have to do good deeds and learn how to twirl a baton; she also has to contend with the wispy, frequently fainting Louisiana Elefante, who has a show-business background, and the fiery, stubborn Beverly Tapinski, who’s determined to sabotage the contest.

But as the competition approaches, loneliness, loss, and unanswerable questions draw the three girls into an unlikely friendship — and challenge each of them to come to the rescue in unexpected ways.

Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo

When Louisiana Elefante’s granny wakes her up in the middle of the night to tell her that the day of reckoning has arrived and they have to leave home immediately, Louisiana isn’t overly worried. After all, Granny has many middle-of-the-night ideas. But this time, things are different. This time, Granny intends for them never to return.

Separated from her best friends, Raymie and Beverly, Louisiana struggles to oppose the winds of fate (and Granny) and find a way home. But as Louisiana’s life becomes entwined with the lives of the people of a small Georgia town — including a surly motel owner, a walrus-like minister, and a mysterious boy with a crow on his shoulder — she starts to worry that she is destined only for goodbyes.

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. In the water, she can stretch herself out like a starfish and take up all the room she wants. It’s also where she can get away from her pushy mom, who thinks criticizing Ellie’s weight will motivate her to diet.

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 starfish in real life–by unapologetically being her own fabulous self.

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Through the eyes of ten-year-old Annemarie, we watch as the Danish Resistance smuggles almost the entire Jewish population of Denmark, nearly seven thousand people, across the sea to Sweden. The heroism of an entire nation reminds us that there was pride and human decency in the world even during a time of terror and war.

Best Summer Reading List for 5th Grade

What are some of your favorite books for your summer reading list for 5th grade students? Are there any must read books that you have on your summer reading list for 5th graders that I left out? Let me know in the comments, and I’ll add it!

Download the Printable Summer Reading List for 5th Grade:

Other Great 5th Grade Read Aloud Stories

Looking for other great 5th grade read alouds? Here are a few more to explore:

30 Best 5th Grade Read Alouds

40 Narrative Nonfiction Books For 5th Grade

9 New Back to School Books for 5th Grade

27 Black History Month 5th Grade Books

32 Picture Books for 5th Graders

Books for 5th Grade Reading

Realistic Fiction Books For 5th Graders

20 Earth Day Projects For 5th Graders

Share with a Colleague:

Other posts you might like:.

Gingerbread Baby Resources

Inside Outside Resources

Those Shoes Resources

Hey there! I’m Josh from Picture Book Brain here to share only the best literature for you to use with your students. If you are looking for a specific book, use the search bar below to check my archives. Glad you’re here, and glad to help you!

find what you need

Become a member.

find books you need

Get free training

Have a question?

membership info

7,200+ Confident Readers and Spellers

5th-Grade Summer Reading Program At-Home · Online · Self-Paced

Summer Reading Program

Learning at Home Made Easy: 5th-Grade Summer Reading Curriculum

• S tep-by-step at-home and online lessons
• Carefully selected reading selections and questions
• Unlock the code to spelling through 8 simple phonetic patterns
• Research-proven reading fluency training
• 5th-grade r eading comprehension activities that improve memory skills
• Vocabulary building activities 
• Card games that get the whole family involved

Scholar Within’s Co-founder Bonnie Terry, M.Ed., BCET has been featured on

5th-Grade Summer Reading Curriculum

45-60 Minutes a Day

6 Week, 8 Week, or 10 Week Program

At-Home and Online

Video and Audio Lessons

Worksheets and Printables

Help and Support

Hand Selected 5th-Grade Reading Curriculum Selections

Each week, your child will read two engaging 5th-grade reading curriculum selections, both fiction and non-fiction. We’ve chosen the best reading selections that will open your son or daughter’s world of reading. Your child will learn how to talk about and summarize the stories they have read.

Tap to Read – Read-Aloud Technology from Scholar Within

Does your child ever get frustrated with trying to read or sound out a word that they are unfamiliar with? With Tap to Read , your child can instantly hear the proper pronunciations of words by simply tapping or clicking on the word to hear it aloud. They can also work on their reading fluency and speed by pressing play and following along.

Try Tap to Read

• Level 4 – The Harp
• Level 5 – Aspen Trees
• Level 6 – Antarctica

Note-taking and Writing Skills

One of the specific reading goals that should be in your 5th-grade reading curriculum program is to summarize and paraphrase information in a text. Your child will learn to take notes from what they have read and use those notes later. We have custom-made 5th-grade reading worksheets that are fill-in-the-blank graphic organizer note-taking forms. These forms make it easy to take notes and organize ideas. Your fifth-grader will become a better thinker as they improve their note-taking and writing skills.

Build Long Term Memory Skills

Your child will answer questions to the selections they have read in the program a day or two later. Your child will learn to remember and recall what they have read by reviewing their notes as well as writing summaries from them. In this 5th-grade reading curriculum, your child learns the process they will use for years to come to have success in school and in life.

Learn spelling through phonetic patterns.

Your fifth-grader will learn how to spell by spelling patterns through our interactive video lessons. Your kids will learn and practice the phonetic patterns of English through each lesson, spelling activity worksheets, puzzles, and games.

Many people think phonics is only for younger students. However, the listening skills required in phonics are critical for listening to instruction and lectures as you progress in school. This is one of the reasons we teach spelling with phonics in an auditory, visual, and tactile/kinesthetic way, even at the 5th-grade level. The process we use strengthens your child’s overall listening skills.

Additionally, we teach the structure of the language through 8 simple phonetic spelling patterns.

Reading Fluency Training

In addition to the text reading your 5th-grader does, we provide specific reading fluency training. Reading fluency training is one of the most important strategies used to build your child’s success with reading. This is your child’s ability to read with speed and accuracy without conscious attention to the mechanics of reading. This is a critical skill as your child moves into the upper grades and the reading material becomes longer and more complicated. 

Our research-proven reading fluency drills work on training your eyes to move more efficiently and smoothly left to right. They also improve your kids’ visual processing speed, or how fast they can retrieve and process what they see. You and your kids will love seeing their improvement each day.

Boost Word Attack Skills and Play Vocabulary Card Games

Each week your child will play a card game that will work on their word identification skills or comprehension and vocabulary skills. Your child will love these games and want to play them over and over again.

Develop Planning Skills that Stick

Your child will use fill-in-the-blank daily to-do worksheets and planning calendars to schedule out their days.

Your child will decide when they will do certain activities, and they will estimate how long each activity will take. After the activity is completed, they will reflect on how long it actually took and will start to build their time awareness and planning skills. Your child will strengthen their working memory, flexible thinking, and organization skills.

Research-Driven, Results-Proven Curriculum

Every component of our 5th-grade reading curriculum program is research-based and is specifically designed to boost your child’s reading skills. The program has been created by learning expert and board-certified educational therapist Bonnie Terry, M.Ed. She put together her 35+ years of working hands-on with children of all learning styles and abilities into this step-by-step program with custom-designed methods that you and your kids will see results each week.

Develop a Love of Reading

Your child will gain confidence and be excited about reading. Your child will make substantial gains with these effective research-based techniques. Your child will be able to complete their assignments more quickly and easily. They will gain confidence and develop a lifelong love or reading and learning. Your child will do a variety of activities that teach and strengthen all of these skills. Your child will love doing the activities in the program and will want to do them again and again.

Reviews from Parents

K Kelley B. October 17, 2023

My son and I have tried many reading programs; this one has made the most significant difference. It trains the brain to think of reading and spelling in ways beyond rote memorization. In addition, the summer program is enjoyable and effective. As a result, my son started the school year with increased confidence as a reader, and I feel better prepared to help him with his learning.

J Jennifer K. October 16, 2023

I started using this program after a TON of research. I needed a good fit for my 8 yr old dyslexic daughter. I’d say she 1.5-2 reading grades behind. We tried the summer program and loved it. This program was very simple and easy to acclimate to, which was a blessing bc these days I don’t have the time and energy to deep dive learning new programs. Scholar Within was instantly engaging and with the easy to follow step by step layout it made everything so approachable. I had to reach out through chat a few times and always received responses quickly and they were kind, helpful, and encouraging. 5 star customer service! I like how you can change the levels within the program (I started lower so that I could build her confidence) and the variety within lessons. You might see that some are saying there’s a lot of printing, I was at first concerned about this but it really wasn’t bad. I’d just print a few lessons ahead of time and keep them in the folder. It was actually pretty easy and only took 1-2 minutes. They also have an option for some of the weeks to buy pre-printed materials. Do what works for you 🙂 My daughter said she really liked the games too.

V Valerie K. October 9, 2023

My child was diagnosed with ASD (autism spectrum disorder) and it has been a difficult journey in getting her to develop phonemic awareness skills and reading fluency, among other reading deficits. After enrolling her in Scholar Within’s summer program, I have seen the improvement that I’ve been waiting for! I will definitely continue using this program throughout the school year.

J Jennifer A. October 7, 2023

Fabulous reading program! We enrolled our daughter over the summer. It was so wonderful we decided to continue using the program during the school year.

K Kimberly W. October 4, 2023

Wonderful program for children, especially for my child with ADHD and speech delay. I am so grateful that there is a program out here for children like this.

B Brandon T. July 22, 2023

I love this reading and spelling program! The lessons are complete and there is very little prep, especially if you purchase the printed material. The fluency lessons are fantastic and the kids love tracking their progress! We enjoyed the first six weeks so much that we purchased the material for the remainder of the year. So happy I found Scholar Within!

C Cloressa O. June 2, 2023

We tried Scholar Within for our student in the summer of 2022. Our student has ADHD and diagnosed learning disabilities. This program was just what we needed to keep our student engaged during the summer. The executive function focus that this program includes was so helpful especially for kids with ADHD. I highly recommend this for families that have students with reading and reading comprehension as an opportunity. This program covers spelling, reading comprehension, note taking, executive function, and has so many great brain games and virtual field trip ideas. We will be doing this program every summer going forward. Phenomenal program and the price points are so much better than a lot of the other programs out there. Keep in mind this is a team effort, this program has an online aspect but it also has worksheets and requires parent interaction. I absolutely love that it has text to speech and encourages the student to read aloud. I also love that it puts focus on writing and not just typing up stuff online. There are so many great things about this program I wish I could list them all.

K Kyle G. May 8, 2023

Our second grader is a great reader, but really struggled with spelling. This program offered everything he needed in order to begin spelling words correctly and with so much more understanding. The program is well organized and efficient, offering a great foundation to students. We couldn’t be happier!

E Emmanuelle R. May 4, 2023

The program is well organized and easy to follow. The program helped my son with dyslexia a lot for ready fluency. Nothing else had helped… It was like a game for him and we called it his “brain activity”. Very happy and totally recommend it.

C Crystal H. December 30, 2022

This program is absolutely different from everything we have tried in the past, it’s truly amazing !! I think the layout online is wonderful, it really helps that the kids see what is expected of them everyday (and a time estimate keeps them motivated). I love way they teach planning is a great life skill! The printed materials are beautifully done and organized! They make learning simple and fun. The reading lessons vary in topics keeping kids interested and they often tell dad at dinner what they have read because they’re actually retaining it. The spelling program is also amazing teaching VC patterns and going over phonic patterns. We also enjoy that the reading and spelling lessons can be at different grade levels to perfectly adapt to each child and their needs. 5 stars from me!

E Elizabeth W. October 4, 2022

My son was diagnosed as dyslexic at the end of third grade. I found this program online and thought we could try the 8 week summer program prior to him starting 4th grade. We did a lot of traveling that summer and were able to stay on track without any issue. My son really enjoyed the word games in the program. The few times I reached out to customer service, they were prompt and professional with their help. I could tell a difference in his reading by the end of the summer. The real proof was when 4th grade started; his first quarter ELA grade was a 95%!!!! (He ended 3rd grade with a 62%). This program is amazing, I cannot recommend it enough!

D Dr. Kimberly C. September 22, 2022

Great program, even for an older struggling reader with auditory processing disorder and possible dyslexia. I like the option of switching between grade levels as needed + customer service has been fast/useful so far.

K Kathleen B. September 18, 2022

After a recent diagnosis of dyslexia, we started our son on this 6-week summer program. He has taken to it so well and we have already seen such great improvement. We are looking forward to continuing the program year-round!

R Rachelle M. August 29, 2022

I have two children who just completed 8 weeks of the Summer Reading Program. My oldest is dyslexic and I’ve been looking for a spelling program that is geared towards older kids since she is in 8th grade and many of the other spelling programs we’ve done feel like they are for younger children. My daughter appreciated that the lessons were straightforward in teaching the patterns through sight, sound and writing. Her spelling confidence and ability grew tremendously. My youngest benefited from the Ready Fluency Drills and Reading Comprehension activities. Both enjoyed the games and puzzles. We look forward to continuing with the program into the fall as homeschoolers.

S Sarah S. August 11, 2022

This program kept my kids sharp over the summer. Thank you!

M Mary M. June 2, 2022

We love the summer program. My daughter has not only increased her words per minute but also has expanded her comprehension. She is learning valuable note taking strategies and has drastically improved her spelling. She also enjoys the content! We are excited to see her growth.

N Natalie M. May 23, 2022

Last summer, my husband and I enrolled our daughters (then entering grade 3 and entering grade 2) in the summer program. This program really helped them with reading comprehension! It gave us as parents the tools we needed to ask the right questions to help them too! Also, the games were really enjoyable! We even played them AFTER the lesson was over for the day. We were very impressed with the variety of activities and tools available with this program. We will be re-enrolling them this summer! Thank you!

A Amy D. May 7, 2022

My daughter is begging me to do your reading program again to strengthen her skills. The guides for note-taking and how to pick out important information was only second to the fun activities each day last year. We look forward to seeing what’s in store for this year!

M Melinda G. August 9, 2021

We are currently working on week 5 of our program. We really like it and are seeing benefits already. Thank you!

L Lisa G. August 2, 2021

Thank you for partnering with me to help my daughters improve their reading skills. They are really enjoying your program and are excited about becoming more confident readers. I am loving it already! I signed up my twin daughters, who are homeschooled.

W Wendi L. July 24, 2021

My children took the Scholar Within reading program. I was impressed with how user-friendly and intuitive the program is.

S Sabrina D. July 12, 2021

The Monday exercise of reading and taking notes followed with questions on those selections on Wednesday is a really great help for my kids. This lets them work on their comprehension skills. It has made a big difference! The whole program has been a good experience for us. Thank you very much!

N Niiro T. June 18, 2021

Even when I’m not sure how to reason/explain to my son about a reading comprehension answer, all I have to do is ask you. You are so good at giving quick replies that are easy for me to tell my son. Thank you!

C Calvin T. October 17, 2020

We really loved the program. Thanks so much for all of the neat assignments and games to enhance executive function skills.

K Kameron F. September 6, 2020

Thanks for your help throughout this process. You are so responsive whenever I have a question or concern. I see activities on the different levels for my kids which makes them easy to follow. This has been an awesome experience for our family.

J Jill G. August 25, 2020

This program really helped my daughter and we saw a difference in her reading and spelling fairly quickly. Plus, she enjoyed the lessons which, as a parent, is probably the most important thing as she was motivated every day to continue learning.

J Jennifer P. August 5, 2020

My son is doing well and shows improvements with the reading drills each day. He is also doing well with all the work that is presented. His overall work is improving too. He’s even able to find spelling errors now. Woohoo!

K Ketul P. August 1, 2020

This is great a summer reading program. My son has really improved his reading comprehension skills. Thank you, Bonnie Terry, for designing such a great course.

D Danielle D. July 24, 2020

Scholar Within has been an amazing resource for my 8-year-old twins this summer. I was so worried about what to do during this summer. It has been great to see how far they have come. They definitely enjoyed how interactive it has been, not just reading. I have recommended this to many of my friends.

C Cynthia B. July 18, 2020

I really do like the reading fluency drills. They are making a difference for my son. They are so easy to fit into our day. The thing we didn’t like was all the printing we had to do each week.

C Caroline L. July 10, 2020

I enrolled both my sons in the Reading Program this summer. It made such a huge difference for my son who has learning disabilities when we did the summer program two years ago. His teacher was amazed at the improvement in his fluency and comprehension (going into Grade 5). The team has been so flexible with “pausing” our program for a couple of weeks while we are away on vacation too. Note taking is such a key skill that is not really taught here in Ontario, Canada. I think this course will help my kids not fall behind from missing 3 months of school due to COVID 19. I am a poor substitute teacher, but I have confidence that Bonnie’s system is evidence-based, so I just have to follow instructions. Very glad to be able to access this course for homeschooling this summer!

R Regina A. June 20, 2020

The videos made all the difference in the world. The spelling videos showed me step by step the structure. You really made spelling easy for my kids. I just keep working with the video, the spelling, the way you explain it, they watch it over and over. It really sinks in. Your materials help build their self-esteem up. They’re short quick activities. You can get so much done in half an hour.

W Wendy F. June 12, 2020

We are really liking the summer reading program. I appreciate that you moved my daughter’s level to make the program even more effective for her. Thanks so much.

R Rachel C. June 5, 2020

This is a comprehensive program that can be implemented at home. I bought 5 folders and labeled them for each day of the week, plus an extra folder to hold copies of extra forms that are used regularly. You need a decent printer, lots of printer paper, and toner (though I hear they are making print material available for a separate purchase soon!). I prepped the whole week every Sunday evening and had the folders ready for my son and his grandmother to work on each day. It can be kind of overwhelming at first to figure out all the assignments and get it all prepped, but it’s worth it. This is a well thought out program with excellent customer service. We had several questions and adjustments throughout our time with the program and always got quick, helpful, personable replies. Unfortunately, my son’s school year has ramped up and we don’t have enough time to fit Scholar Within into his day. We hope to be back to do a summer program next summer!

M Megan W. May 22, 2020

I did find the videos and activities interesting. There was a bit too much printing for me.

C Cathy H. May 14, 2020

Jake is doing well and enjoying the program. I’m so pleased with how he has improved and that he likes doing our sessions! Thanks so much!

K Katherine W. May 5, 2020

My son’s first drill trend is definitely going in the right direction. His words per minute increased by 17%, and his mistakes decreased, and this is only the first week. I can’t believe he had that much progress already. Thank you for this program and thanks so much for being available for questions, too!

T Tricia L. September 5, 2019

Last summer my 3 kids were enrolled in both Scholar Within and another major summer reading program. Scholar Within had more fun activities and games and really focused on building the underlying skills to really prepare for the upcoming year. The other program didn’t build skills in the same way, and was less interactive in my home.

C Christine P. August 27, 2019

Your program has so many great things in it. The plan for an excursion was a brilliant idea! We made a trip to the Children’s Museum in Indianapolis and to the Science Museum in St. Louis. I have seen improvements and I have gained insight into how my daughter reads and processes (or lack thereof) the reading assignments. Thank you so very much! The whole-brain approach to improving reading has been very insightful.

Show All Reviews

Only logged in customers may leave a review. Log In

Included in the Program:

• Weekly Reading Selections
• Reading Comprehension Questions
• Reading Fluency Training Drills
• Phonics and Spelling Video Lessons
• Spelling Worksheets and Puzzles
• Video Instruction
• Graphic Organizer Forms
• Note-Taking Printables
• Executive Function Activities
• Brain-Body Activities
• Daily Emails

Get Started

'. $offerButtonText . '

Summer Reading Program by Grade Level

Learn more about what reading skills your kids will build in our summer reading program.

Entering Kindergarten Summer Program

Entering 1st Grade Summer Program

Entering 2nd Grade Summer Program

Entering 3rd Grade Summer Program

Entering 4th Grade Summer Program

Entering 5th Grade Summer Program

Entering 6th Grade Summer Program

Entering 7th Grade Summer Program

Entering 8th Grade Summer Program

How do I choose a grade or reading level?

After sign up, you will be asked what grade your child is currently and whether they are above grade level, at grade level, or below grade level by 1-3 years in their reading skills.

Give your best estimate. If the material you choose is too easy or too hard, contact us and we'll adjust your account.

Additionally, you can choose a couple of sample reading passages at the grade level you think your child is capable of reading proficiently.

Have them read aloud to you. Make a note of any repetitions, substitutions, omissions, or mispronunciations they make. Then ask them at least five comprehension questions.

Instructional level is reading without mistakes with a 93% accuracy and a minimum of 75% comprehension.

Is the reading and spelling program all online?

The program materials and teaching videos are delivered and accessed online. Each day you will print out a few pages of handouts to use with your kids. Most of the lessons and activities are done  offline  at a table or outside.

There are a lot of fun activities and games. With grades K-3, most of the activities are done with the parent and child together. For grades 4 and above, there are a couple of activities done with the parent and child together, and the rest the child can do independently.

Does it really only take 45-60 minutes a day?

The short answer is yes!

Each day there are a few handouts to print out and instructional videos to watch. Each day's actual activities should only take 45-60 minutes of actual work.

The first week takes a little bit of time and prep to get up to speed, but by the second week, the activities become second nature.

We often suggest breaking up some of the activities to different parts of the day.

What does a typical day look like?

• Print out the handouts
• Watch the short videos either by yourself or with your kids to know what to do (about 5 minutes)
• Do the fluency training with your kids (5 minutes)
• Activities for comprehension, phonics, brain-body, and executive function rotate throughout the week (20 – 40 minutes)

What if we have a vacation during the program?

Many families don’t have plans initially to miss any weeks, but we know that plans change. That is why with the 6-week program you get 8 weeks of access, with the 8-week program you get 10 weeks of access, and with the 10-week program, you get 12 weeks of access.

Are there live classes?

No. We currently do not have live classes.

We have designed this program to be step-by-step with bite-sized activities. You won't have to worry about missing a Zoom class, being late, or your kids being still in their pajamas. You can do the activities in the program on your schedule and make up missed days at your convenience.

We have video spelling instruction that your kids will follow along with their corresponding worksheets. If you want feedback on your child's work, send us a picture of it via email.

How is the program designed?

The program was designed by learning expert Bonnie Terry, M.Ed., BCET. The curriculum in the program was designed over the course of Bonnie Terry's 35+ years of teaching from hands-on in her former private learning center and now, in an at-home and online environment. Bonnie has worked with kids of all abilities, whether they are struggling, have learning challenges like dyslexia, auditory processing disorder (APD), and ADD/ADHD, or are just looking to advance faster.

The National Reading Panel has made it clear that the best approach to reading instruction is one that incorporates:

• Explicit instruction in phonemic awareness
• Systematic phonics instruction
• Methods to improve fluency
• Vocabulary instruction
• Ways to enhance comprehension

Scholar Within's summer reading program includes these components through short step-by-step multisensory activities. The program is Orton-Gillingham based and is the perfect way for your kids to not only keep their skills up over summer but to get ahead, make learning easier, and spend less time on homework come the fall.

Why is spelling included in the reading program?

Spelling is a critical component of our reading program as it enhances a student’s ability to sound out, read and spell words they are unfamiliar with.

Spelling is the process of encoding (pull the sounds apart within a word and match letters to the sounds). Reading is the opposite process, decoding words (sounding out words). With both processes, you match sounds with the letters they represent.

The specific multisensory method we use with spelling ensures that all students have a solid foundation of phonics and spelling as well as word structure.

Reading comprehension activities

Reading comprehension is your ability to understand and use what you have read, listened to, or watched.

In our summer reading program, your child will use our custom-designed graphic organizers to organize information of what they have read into a graphical display. This is a critical component in improving reading comprehension. These organizers make note-taking easy. 

Additionally, story structure, summarizing, question answering, and question generation are all critical pieces of comprehension. We also include these components of comprehension in our summer reading program.

Reading speed (fluency) activities

Reading Fluency is the ability to retrieve words automatically and easily, almost without thought. When you read nearly effortlessly and accurately, you are able to hold pieces of information (text) in your mind which improves your overall comprehension. 

Dr. Sally Shaywitz, the author of Overcoming Dyslexia , states, “Fluency Training is one of the most important things a parent can do to help their child improve their reading skills.” Improving your reading fluency is one of the easiest things you can do to improve your reading skills.

Our summer reading program includes short reading fluency activities that you will do each day. This activity only takes 5-minutes and your kids will see and chart their progress each day. These specific activities work on eye-tracking skills, visual processing, and rapid automatized naming. In other words, these activities help your kids learn to read faster. You can download the first fluency activity here for free.

Phonics activities

Phonics is the ability to match sounds with the letters that they represent. Our summer reading program improves this ability at all ages. Even older students use phonics skills when sounding out larger words they are not familiar with. 

These skills enhance a student's ability to both pull apart and blend together sounds within a word or syllable. Systematically manipulating phonemes (the smallest unit of sound in speech; e.g. the word hat has 3 phonemes /h/, /a/, and /t/) significantly improves reading and spelling abilities. 

Over the years, we have seen that adding this training at every level enhances the reading skills of all students, whether they are primary, middle, or upper-grade students. The National Reading Panel concludes that “phonics instruction produces significant benefits with reading.”

We work on improving phonics skills in several different ways. 

• Specific spelling, spelling pattern, and phonic activities
• Interactive spelling and phonics video lessons
• Reading fluency training that focuses on every phonemic component in the English language
• Weekly printable card game activities

Orton-Gillingham based

Research on teaching reading and spelling dates back to the early 1930s, first with Samuel Orton and then later with Anna Gillingham. They developed a teaching approach, the Orton-Gillingham method (OG), to help struggling readers and spellers. Their teaching methods include what is currently considered best practices: sequential, phonics-based systems that teach the basics of word formation before whole meanings.

Learning through all three senses (auditory, visual, and tactile-kinesthetic) is essential. This multisensory approach has been proven effective for students of all abilities, including those with dyslexia and other learning challenges. 

The Scholar Within Reading Program incorporates these OG principles and strategies along with the latest research on learning. 

Orton-Gillingham Instructional Components for Optimal Learning:

• Multisensory : Uses all of the senses (auditory, visual, and tactile-kinesthetic)
• Sequential : Proceeds step-by-step in a logical sequence
• Incremental : Each lesson builds upon prior learning
• Cumulative : Constantly and consistently reviews previously taught concepts
• Individualized : Meets each student’s individual needs
• Phonogram-Based : Words are based on combining letters and letter combinations known as phonograms (the sound-symbol relationship, also known as the Alphabetic Principle)
• Explicit : Stated clearly and in a detailed manner

What about learning disabilities, dyslexia, and ADHD?

Our at-home and online reading program integrates research-proven multisensory learning with the Orton-Gillingham approach to teaching reading in a way that will finally work for your child.

We accomplish this with a bite-sized, activity-based approach. Our short activities ensure all children’s success. It's perfect for those with dyslexia, ADHD, or other learning challenges.

This program has been designed by learning disabilities expert and board-certified educational therapist Bonnie Terry, M.Ed., BCET. Bonnie has worked with children and adults of all abilities for over 30 years and has discovered the code for the best way to teach reading and spelling.

In addition to improving reading skills, your children will also improve their overall auditory, visual, and tactile-kinesthetic processing skills to make overall learning easier.

Multisensory reading instruction

In this reading program, your child will learn through seeing, hearing, and doing. Learning to read through multiple senses builds stronger associations, improves retention and speeds up recall skills.

In other words, learning to read in this way makes reading easier and automatic. This at-home and online reading program is specifically designed with short activities that integrate hearing, seeing, and doing.

7-Day money-back guarantee

We are confident that you and your child will love our spelling program. Your child will make tremendous progress with spelling and they'll love the puzzles and the card games. They will become an accurate and confident speller. This is like having free admission for 7 days.

If you are, however, unsatisfied with the program during the first 7-days, just contact us and we will refund your payment.

Reserve Your Spot

Not quite ready to sign up? Reserve your spot for our at-home and online summer reading program.

Save Your Spot

Reading and Spelling Program

• Name (Required) First Last
• Email (Required)
• Kindergarten
• High School - Adult
• Monday, February 26th
• Monday, March 4th
• Monday, March 11th
• Monday, March 18th
• Monday, March 25th
• Monday, April 1st
• Phone Number (optional)
• Get a Text Message Reminder (US only)
• Comments This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Summer Reading Program 2024

• Kindergarten (5-6 years old)
• 1st Grade (6-7 years old)
• 2nd Grade (7-8 years old)
• 3rd Grade (8-9 years old)
• 4th Grade (9-10 years old)
• 5th Grade (10-11 years old)
• 6th Grade (11-12 years old)
• 7th Grade (12-13 years old)
• 8th Grade (13-14 years old)
• Monday, May 6th
• Monday, May 13th
• Monday, May 20th
• Monday, May 27th
• Monday, June 3rd
• Monday, June 10th
• Monday, June 17th
• Monday, June 24th
• Monday, July 1st
• Monday, July 8th
• Phone This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Reserve Your Spot: Homeschool Reading & Spelling Program

• Monday, January 1st
• Monday, January 8th
• Monday, January 15th
• Monday, January 22nd
• Monday, January 29th
• Monday, February 5th
• Monday, February 12th
• Monday, February 19th
• Name This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Free Best Practices Guide

Get this free e-book by joining Scholar Within’s newsletter:

• Name * First Name

Reserve Your Spot: At-Home Online Reading Program

With Spelling and Phonics

• Name * First Last

Secure Your Spot

Summer Reading Program 2021

• Monday, September 25th
• Monday, October 2nd
• Monday, October 9th
• Monday, October 16th
• Monday, October 23rd

Early Bird Special

Get $20 OFF

Scholar Within's Summer Reading Program

When You Sign Up for Our Summer and Learning Newsletter

• Name * First
• Email This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Winter Special

EXTRA $8 OFF

Scholar Within's Reading and Spelling Program

When You Sign Up for Newsletter Teaching Tips

Get weekly teaching tips.

When You Sign Up for Our Newsletter

You are on the list!

Use promo code:

LOVEREADING

to get $30 off After-School Reading Program. Enrollment is now open.

Top Summer Reading Lists for Grades 5-9

Did you know that research shows that students who report high levels of sense of belonging to the school environment experience positive educational outcomes? 

This means allowing students to see themselves in their learning is more important than ever. This summer, our favorite summer reading picks for 5-9th graders features authors of different backgrounds, books that explore relevant social issues, and tackle challenges that middle schoolers may face in their every day lives. Read on for our top picks for middle schoolers!

Looking for a specific grade? Skip ahead to our 5th grade, 6th grade , 7th grade , 8th grade and 9th grade reading lists.

5th Grade Reading List

What should our 5th graders be reading this summer? Don’t worry we have some recommendations!

Measuring Up, Lily LaMotte & Ann Xu

Twelve-year-old Cici has just made a major life change – her family has moved to Seattle from Taiwan.  The only thing she wants more than to fit into her new life is to celebrate her grandmother’s 70th birthday. Since Cici’s grandmother is still in Taiwan, she hatches a plan to surprise her parents by winning the grand prize in a kids’ cooking contest to help pay for her grandmother’s ticket!

Cici navigates the blending of her Taiwanese culture and her new American identity with heart and bravery and author Lila LaMotte explores the minority experience as well as theme of identity, racial insensitivity and dealing with microaggressions. Artfully written, this book lends itself to being the jumping off point to discuss deeper issues like racism, anti-Asian sentiments, and inclusion. 

You Don’t Know Everything, Jilly P.! by Alex Gino

Social justice is an increasingly relevant topic, and You Don’t Know Everything, Jilly P.! is an excellent introduction for 5th-grade students. Tackling big issues like deaf culture and white privilege, this book takes students on Jilly’s journey of discovering she doesn’t know everything, and how to learn from her mistakes to do better. This is definitely a book that will spark discussions on a variety of pertinent issues in a way that is relevant and relatable for students.

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

This #1 New York Times Best Seller follows the story of 10-year old August Pullman, a normal boy in every way, except for his facial anomalies. As “Auggie” enters 5th grade in a mainstream school for the first time, he faces some of the same challenges that any 5th grader would face – making friends, fitting in, and being themselves. 5th graders are sure to see themselves reflected in the characters in this moving, engaging and heartwarming book. Bonus – The book has been adapted into a movie that students can enjoy alongside the book.

Old Enough to Save the Planet by Loll Kirby (Author), and Adelina Lirius (Illustrator)

Inspire your 5th graders to get involved in saving the Earth with this beautifully illustrated book. Featuring the stories of 12 young activists from around the world from New York to Australia, this non-fiction book highlights how even kids can do their part to address the climate crisis. The gorgeous illustrations are a lovely addition and will surely captivate even reluctant readers. 

This Book Is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons on How to Wake Up, Take Action, and Do The Work by Tiffany Jewell

Another great social justice book for middle school readers, This Book is Anti-Racist is sure to inspire the acitvist in our students. Presented in an accessible manner that meets students at their level, this book explores identity, history, taking action and responding to racism, and working in solidarity with others in four sections. Activities included at the end of each chapter also encourage students to get involved in doing anti-racist work – this is not a book for students who want to sit back and do nothing!

Siha Tooskin Knows the Strength of His Hair by Charlene & Wilson Bearhead

Starting at a new school is always hard – even more so when your new classmates don’t know much about your culture, values and history. In this captivating story, students learn more about Nakota culture through 11-year-old Siha Tooskin as he deals with challenges in fitting in at his new school. Bonus – If your students enjoyed this, they will surely love reading about more of Siha Tooskin’s adventures in the rest of the series.

Rainbow Revolutionaries: Fifty LGBTQ+ People Who Made History by Sarah Prager

Representation matters, and it is important to introduce our students to diversity and inclusion even in the books they read. In this groundbreaking publication, author Sarah Prager shines the spotlight on fifty people from the LGBTQ+ community who have made a difference in history. It is a great introduction to the accomplishments and achievements of LGBTQ+ people, and a way to help young readers understand more about their contributions to our community.

Community in Crisis , Read to Lead

We’re cheating (just a little) with this recommendation, but if your students are struggling to even pick up a book during summer, Community in Crisis could change their mind about reading. Designed to meet anchor standards and supports Lexile range for 5th grade, Community in Crisis is the second series on the Read to Lead game-based learning platform. By working through each game in the series, students read the equivalent of 5,000 words, and interact with a diverse array of characters. Game-based learning is also a great way to drive student interest, and motivation. Sign up for a free account and get your students started with their summer reading program.

6th Grade Reading List

We believe belonging is the missing piece in the fight for diversity and inclusion. We know that research shows that students who report high levels of sense of belonging to the school environment experience positive educational outcomes. This means elevating Black and Brown voices, teaching culturally relevant content, and allowing students to see themselves in their learning is more important than ever. That’s why this summer, our favorite summer reading picks for 6th grade features authors of different backgrounds, books that explore relevant social issues, and tackle challenges that middle schoolers may face in their lives.

Now, let’s get to our recommendations for multicultural books for 6th grade summer reading!

Class Act by Jerry Craft

It’s never easy to be the new kid in school but what about one of the few kids of color in a prestigious private school?  Follow Drew in this laugh-out-loud funny and important coming of age story from New York Times bestselling author Jerry Craft. Bonus – this book follows Jerry Craft’s first book, New Kid, which follows Jordan around through similar struggles as a new kid at a private school. 

Efrén Divided by Ernesto Cisneros

Students may be aware of the issue of undocumented immigrants in the US, but in Efrén Divided , they see the reality that American-born children may face when someone in their family is deported. Giving readers insights about the many struggles Mexican-American families face in a way that is heartfelt and moving, this book is sure to spark many important and meaningful conversations among middle schoolers. Bonus – The author’s website includes a free comprehensive resource guide for Efrén Divided.

Kira-Kira, by Cynthia Kadohata

Kira-Kira tells the story of Katie’s experiences as a Japanese-American growing up in a small town in rural Georgia in the 1950s, where looking different comes with very real consequences. In this touching tale, author Cynthia Kadohata expertly explores themes such as racism, grief, prejudice through the lens of a young girl. This book can also serve as a launchpad for discussions around anti-Asian hate, workplace discrimination, and other similar contemporary issues.

Brown Girl Dreaming, by Jacqueline Woodson

A beautifully written memoir in verse form, Brown Girl Dreaming tells the story of Jacqueline Woodson growing up as a Black American in the 1960s. Through compelling poems, Jacqueline recounts grappling with the remnants of the Jim Crow laws and the impacts of the Civil Rights Movement. This book is both an excellent way to introduce students to poetry as a form of story-telling and dig into discussions around current social movements such as Black Lives Matter and social justice issues.

Greta’s Story: The Schoolgirl Who Went on Strike to Save the Planet, by Valentina Camerini (Author), and Veronica Carratello (Illustrator)

You are never too young to make a difference. That’s the main message in Greta’s Story: The Schoolgirl Who Went on Strike to Save the Planet , an unofficial biography of Greta Thunberg, a 15-year-old climate activist. An easy and inspiring read that will encourage young readers to start taking action to address climate change, this book includes a glossary of important dates in history related to environmental issues and a section on how students can get involved to save the planet.

Accidental Trouble Magnet: Book 1 (Planet Omar Series), by Zanib Mian

Approaching sensitive topics such as change and bullying with humor and innocence, Accidental Trouble Magnet is the first book in the Planet Omar Series. Featuring a young Muslim protagonist, this book takes readers on the ups and downs of navigating a new school, making friends, and more, all while sharing snippets of life as a Muslim. With superb illustrations that keep the story moving forward, this is a great option for reluctant readers. Bonus – Follow Omar on other adventures through the rest of the Planet Omar series.

Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes – Police Brutality

What happens when a 12-year-old Black boy is killed by a police officer for playing with a toy gun? Ghost Boys explores difficult but timely themes like racism, police brutality, and gun violence in a way that is honest yet age-appropriate for middle schoolers. This book is a poignant read that will prompt students to delve further into social justice issues. Bonus: This book included discussion questions for students to reflect on the story and relate it to their own lives.

Stonewall Riots: Coming Out in the Streets, by Gayle E Pitman

The Stonewall Riots are an important part of LGBTQIA+ activism, and this gorgeously illustrated book explores some of the events before, during, and after the riots. Presented in a unique way that features newspaper reports, objects, and pictures from the time, Stonewall Riots: Coming Out in the Streets shares information about the LGBTQIA+ movement in an easy-to-digest and informative way. A great introductory read for students which showcases an often marginalized community, this book is a must if you are looking for diverse books for middle school.

Community in Crisis, Read to Lead

Students struggling to even pick up a book during summer?  Read to Lead: Community in Crisis is an excellent way for students to keep reading while playing games. Designed to meet anchor standards and supporting Lexile range for 6th grade, Community in Crisis is the first series on the Read to Lead game-based learning platform. Students read 5,000 words and interact with diverse characters in each game in the series (there are 12 games in all!). Game-based learning is also a great way to drive student interest and motivation, especially during summertime. Sign up for a free account and get your students started with their summer reading program.

7th Grade Reading List

There are so many good choices out there for middle school summer reading this year! To help you cut through the clutter, here are our top choices for 7th grade summer reading.

A Place to Belong, by Cynthia Kadohata

In A Place to Belong, students have the opportunity to learn about a lesser known time in American and Japanese history following WW2. The book follows a young Hanako who is bewildered and hurt. America, the only home she’s ever known, has forced her family to move to Japan in a post WW2 world. The country is in shambles, making Hanako feel as though she could crack under the pressure of it all until she learns about the ancient tradition of kintsukuroi- fixing broken objects with gold lacquer, making them stronger and more beautiful than ever. Students will learn to understand and empathize with realities of war, and the power of overcoming adversity in this heart felt book. 

Counting by the 7s, Holly Goldberg Sloan

Sometimes you just have to swim against the tide. This story expertly weaves the struggles of neurodivergence, mental health, adoption, and loss in an engaging, digestible format for 7th graders. Twelve-year-old genius, Willow Chance is obsessed with nature and diagnosing medical conditions and finds it comforting to count by 7s. Her life was mostly quiet and happy alongside her adoptive parents until it was suddenly turned upside down with the death of her parents. Your class will learn from and celebrate with Willow as she learns to endearingly push through her grief to find a diverse surrogate family in the wake of her heartache.

Baseball in April and Other Stories, by Gary Soto

In this collection of eleven short stories, author Gary Soto draws on his own experiences as a Mexican-American growing up in California to share captivating anecdotes about life as an adolescent. These stories take readers through a whole gamut of emotions – some are funny, some sad, some dramatic – but they all have a lesson to share around themes such as growing up, dealing with challenges, and friendships. This book is excellent for students who are struggling to read longer novels!

Goodbye Stranger, by Rebecca Stead

7th grade can be a confusing time for kids – navigating friendships, having “first crushes,” discovering self-expression. Goodbye Stranger explores these themes and more through strong characters and authentic storytelling that will draw in readers. This book is also well-poised to kick off conversations with students about using social media and texting responsibly and the consequences that their actions have, not just for them but others around them as well.

George, by Alex Gino

The New York Times Book Review describes George as “timely, touching…[and] the most right-now book imaginable.” Following the journey of Melissa, a transgender girl whom the rest of the world sees as George, this book is an insightful read for anyone who has ever felt different. It is an excellent starting point to explore issues such as gender, acceptance, and the trans community and the struggles they face. A must-read!

One Earth: People of Color Protecting Our Planet, by Anuradha Rao

What does an environmental defender look like? Like any one of us! In One Earth: People of Color Protecting Our Planet , author Anuradha Rao highlights a diverse selection of youth activists worldwide working to save the environment. These stories of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color who are all doing their part to save the Earth are sure to inspire and motivate students to take action.

A Good Kind of Trouble, by Lisa Moore Ramee

Twelve-year-old Shayla just wants to get through 7th grade without getting into trouble, but she quickly realizes that some things are worth breaking the rules for. In this genuine and relatable novel, students explore complex themes like right and wrong, social justice, racism, and more — a coming of age story set against the backdrop of bigger societal issues. A Good Kind of Trouble is a suitable starting point for students to have deeper conversations about current events, the Black Lives Matter movement, and their own role in dismantling harmful systems.

I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban, by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb

Education is something most of us take for granted in the US, but not in Pakistan. In the autobiographical I Am Malala , the world’s youngest Nobel Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai recounts her experience of being shot by the Taliban when she stood up for her right to be educated. This book provides good context to the conflict and oppression in the Middle East while highlighting the importance of women’s rights and education. Students are sure to be inspired by Malala’s journey and her continual efforts to stand up for what she believes in!

When You Trap a Tiger, by Tae Keller

Winner of multiple awards, including the 2021 Newbery Medal, When You Trap a Tiger weaves Korean folklore with magical realism in this compelling read. Readers get glimpses into Korean culture and history while delving into themes like grief, identity, and family history. This is sure to be a favorite among students who enjoy fantasy, unique storytelling, and will leave them questioning what’s real and imagined!  

Vital Signs, Read to Lead

Some kids might have a hard time even picking up a book during summer, and that’s where Read to Lead: Vital Signs could come in handy. Designed to meet anchor standards and catered to the Lexile range for 7th grade, Vital Signs is the second series on the Read to Lead game-based learning platform. Not only do students read approximately 5,000 words by working through each game in the series, but they also interact with diverse characters and learn more about a variety of career options. Game-based learning is also a great way to drive student interest and motivation. Sign up for a free account and get your students started with their summer reading program.

8th Grade Reading List

It’s critical for students to “see themselves” in classroom materials, including in summer reading lists. That’s why, for our 8th grade reading picks, we’ve included books by people of color, and that feature diverse characters from a variety of backgrounds. We’ve also selected works that explore relevant social issues, and highlight the challenges that middle schoolers face in their lives.

Without further fan fare, our 8th grade summer reading recommendations!

Heartstopper,  Volume 1, Alice Oseman

This coming of age story follows two unlikely friends, shy and softhearted Charlie and the school’s rugby star, Nick. The pair become quick best friends, but Charlie starts to wonder if there might be something more between them or if he’s just imagining things. Students will recognize the different ways love and relationships interact through Charlie and Nick’s friendship. BONUS – This is a four part installment!

The Skin I’m In, by Sharon G. Flake

How do you fit in when the color of your skin makes you stand out? In this eye-opening book, author Sharon G. Flake explores themes of colorism, self-esteem, bullying, and trying to fit in from the perspective of a dark-skinned African American girl. An excellent coming of age story that is sure to resonate with anyone who has ever felt like they have been treated differently because of superficial characteristics, The Skin I’m In will definitely show readers what it means to love the skin you’re in.

The Year I Didn’t Eat, by Samuel Pollen

Eating disorders don’t just affect girls and women; boys and men can also suffer from them. In this important book, author Samuel Pollen writes from his own personal experiences about a boy who suffers from anorexia. Addressing serious issues like disordered eating and mental illness, The Year I Didn’t Eat is equal parts humorous, heartbreaking and hopeful. This book can serve as a springboard for timely conversations with students around diet culture, coping with mental illness, and the importance of having supportive networks.

Indian No More, by Charlene Willing Mcmanis

What do you do when your government decides that your identity no longer exists? Indian No More is set during the Civil Rights Era against the backdrop of the Indian Termination Policy, which aimed to “assimilate” Native Americans into mainstream American culture by dismantling tribal sovereignty. Exploring a part of history that is often overlooked, this book authentically portrays themes such as racism, identity, and heritage in an authentic and engaging way. A heartfelt story that will leave students pondering what it really means to be “American”.

American Born Chinese, by Gene Luen Yang 

Comic book lovers are sure to enjoy Gene Luen Yang’s graphic novel that masterfully weaves the stories of a Chinese-American, a Chinese immigrant student, and a character from Chinese fables together in an entertaining story. American Born Chinese takes on topics like racism, embracing one’s heritage, self-acceptance, and dealing with insecurities in a funny and enjoyable way, which will make it a hit among students. Bonus points for the unexpected twist that will take readers by surprise!

Color Me In, by Natasha Diaz

Being a teenager is tough enough, but things get even tougher for Nevaeh Levitz when her Black mom and Jewish dad split up, and she’s forced to confront her biracial identity. Author Natasha Diaz expertly tells the tale of a girl who has to confront the privilege she’s born with, how she finds her voice and uses it to advocate for people around her. This beautifully written novel is sure to tug at readers’ heartstrings and encourage them to reflect on their own positions in society.

The ABC’s of LGBT+: (Gender Identity Book for Teens, Teen & Young Adult LGBT Issues) by Ashley Mardell

Knowledge is the key to understanding and acceptance. The ABC’s of LGBT+ is a resource for anyone who wants to learn more about gender identity and sexuality. With its own dictionary and glossary, this book is a great starting point for LGBT+ people and allies seeking to better understand this marginalized community. Perfect for students who may be going through phases of exploration, self-discovery, or even just wanting to empathize and broaden their perspectives of people different from themselves.

The Teen Guide to Global Action: How to Connect with Others (Near & Far) to Create Social Change by Barbara A. Lewis 

There’s no rule that you have to be an adult to change the world – The Teen Guide to Global Action is just the book students need to get started on their journey to be changemakers in their communities. With a diverse collection of stories about real-life youth “Difference Makers”, this book is sure to inspire students. It also includes suggestions on how they can help solve community problems, and create a real impact in the world. The ideal summer read to motivate students to get involved in activism and social justice issues!

Our recommendation for reluctant readers is not really a book, but it’s a surefire way to get them reading! Read to Lead: Vital Signs, the second series on the game-based learning platform, is designed to meet anchor standards and is catered to the Lexile range for 8th grade. With each game completed, students rack up approximately 5,000 words read, all while interacting with diverse characters and learning more about different careers. Game-based learning is also a  fantastic way to drive student interest and motivation. Get your students started with their summer reading program by signing up for a free account !

We hope this summer reading list encourages students to explore diverse books, expand their minds, and open themselves up to new perspectives. These multicultural books for middle schoolers that feature diverse viewpoints will surely inspire and engage them to keep reading during summer.

9th Grade Reading List

Being a teenager is tough, even more so in 9th grade, when it feels like the adults “just don’t get it”. That’s why it’s critical for students to see themselves reflected in classroom materials, including in summer reading lists. 

Our summer reading list for 9th grade features a variety of BIPOC authors and diverse characters from a variety of backgrounds. We’ve also selected works that explore relevant social issues, and highlight the challenges that new high schoolers face in their lives (because who couldn’t use a little extra help navigating the first year of high school?)

Now, let’s get to the 9th grade summer reading recommendations!

Deepfake, Sarah Darer Littman

Deepfake explores the realities of cyber security and social media, challenging students to be critical of what they post, consume and believe online. The book centers around Dara and Will, Greenpoint High’s biggest overachievers. They’re in an intense competition for the title of ‘valedictorian’ until a video of Dara accusing Will of cheating on the SATs goes viral. The only problem? Dara swears she never said any of those things even though she’s clearly pictured in the video. Your students will learn the dangers and complexities of misinformation on the internet, making this a great jumping off point for critical thinking discussions.  

The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas

This timely and poignant read follows sixteen-year-old Starr Carter who lives her life between two worlds, her poor neighborhood and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. Starr finds it difficult to navigate with ease between these two alternate realities but her fragile balance is shattered when she witnesses the fatal shooting of a friend at the hands of a police officer. 

Students will get a narrative, first-hand account of everyday life and issues in current America. This book is a great class-wide conversation starter. 

The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano, by Sonia Manzano

The story of a Puerto Rican teenager set against the backdrop of the late-1960s civil rights movement for Latino self-determination, The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano brings to light the struggles of an often overlooked community. Author Sonia Manzano deftly explores themes such as activism and finding one’s voice while giving readers insight into the lives of the Puerto Rican community in the US. This is a great coming of age novel that is equal parts funny, poignant and inspiring – a must-read!

145th Street: Short Stories, by Walter Dean Myers

Life on 145th Street, Harlem isn’t what you’d expect. In this collection of ten stories, award-winning author Walter Dean Myers paints a multi-faceted picture of life as Harlem’s residents experience it. Different characters tell tales of struggle, love, injustice, bravery – the good and the bad laid bare for all to see. This book is sure to engage readers who struggle with longer novels, and is an excellent gateway for discussions about issues that affect marginalized communities.

The Magic Fish, by Trung Le Nguyen

A book that is sure to become a favorite of graphic novel lovers, The Magic Fish relates the story of Tiến, a Vietnamese-American boy who grapples with how to come out to his family. Author Trung Le Nguyen uses beautiful illustrations to seamlessly weave together past and present, and fairy tales and reality, in an enjoyable and poignant read. This novel explores themes of family, queerness, and love in a way that is heartfelt, meaningful and genuine, and bound to resonate with anyone who has ever struggled to connect with their family, or had a secret.

If I Ever Get Out of Here, by Eric Gansworth

Genuine and relatable characters, a captivating storyline, plus humor and heart thrown in – If I Ever Get Out of Here will be a hit among 9th graders, for sure! Readers follow Lewis “Shoe” Blake who lives on the Tuscarora Indian reservation as he navigates friendships, deals with bullies, and finds joy and connection in rock ’n’ roll. This is an engaging coming-of-age story that tackles a variety of issues like poverty, racism, and standing up for yourself, while educating readers about the complexities of life as a Native American.

This Is My America, by Kim Johnson

Life in America can be difficult, unfair and unjust, particularly if you’re Black. This page-turner opens with protagonist Tracy Beaumont trying to get her innocent father off death row, when her brother gets accused for the murder of a white girl. A powerful exploration of systemic racism, mass incarceration, and the failings of the criminal justice system, This Is My America will open students’ eyes to the world they live in. A relevant read, particularly in the context of social justice and BLM movements, this book is definitely a top recommendation.

Patron Saints of Nothing, by Randy Ribay

The gripping journey an American-Filipino teenager undertakes to discover the truth about his cousin’s murder, Patron Saints of Nothing will have readers hanging on to every page. Taking on difficult topics like grief, drugs, privilege and more, this book provides a glimpse into issues affecting the Philippines and the immigrant experience of being neither-here-nor-there. This is an impactful and meaningful read that 9th graders are sure to appreciate, and can be used to open discussions about more mature themes. 

Be a Changemaker: How to Start Something That Matters by Laurie Ann Thompson

Our youth can change the world, and this book tells them how. Be a Changemaker is a definitive guide for students who are interested in creating change in their communities and positively impacting others around them. Filled with inspiring stories of youth changemakers around the world, as well as practical tips on building teams, planning events and pitching ideas, this book is likely to become the handbook for youth changemakers everywhere. The ideal summer read to motivate students to get involved in activism and social justice issues!

After the Storm, Read to Lead

Struggling to get reluctant readers to even pick up a book? Read to Lead: After the Storm is not a book, but it sure will get students reading! After the Storm is the third series on the game-based learning platform, and with each game completed, students rack up approximately 5,000 words read. It’s designed to meet anchor standards and is catered to the Lexile range for 9th grade, in addition to allowing students to interact with diverse characters and learn more about different careers. Game-based learning is also a fantastic way to drive student interest and motivation. Get your students started with their summer reading program by signing up for a free account !

Inspiration and engagement are crucial to keeping students reading during summer. We hope these multicultural books encourage them to explore diverse books, expand their minds, and open themselves up to new perspectives.

Summer reading lists are a wonderful starting point to encourage students to explore diverse books, expand their minds, and open themselves up to new perspectives. We hope that these multicultural books for middle schoolers that feature diverse viewpoints will inspire and engage them to keep reading during summer.

What are your top picks for 5-9th graders this summer? We’d love to hear from you! Share your top picks below in the comments section.

About Read to Lead

Read to Lead uses the power of game-based learning to empower middle school students to build literacy, life, and career skills. Teachers can sign up for a free account to get started!

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share on Reddit
• Share on Pinterest

Teachers, sign up for free!

Ready to empower the next generation of readers and leaders? Sign up for a free account and start building your students' literacy, life, and career skills!

More in Blog Posts

Read To Lead Is Out Sick: Here Are Some Great Substitute Programs

You may have heard that we’re closing our doors on December 31, 2022. We know we are leaving big shoes to fill in 2023. Where else can you find a program that builds literacy, life, career, and SEL skills, with engaging online learning games and comes complete with all the lesson plans, wrap-around curricula, project-based learning, and real-time data reports? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! As educators, we look out for each other - so we won’t leave you in the lurch. We’ve curated a list of our favorite resources you can tap into in the coming year. Check them out!

Review Games To Make Test Prep Fun

Testing prep time can feel like a chore and a real drag - not just to middle schoolers, but to teachers too! Why not switch it up? Turn test prep into a time that students enjoy while reviewing important topics and concepts by bringing an element of fun into your classroom! 

Top Books to Promote Anti-Bullying

October is Bullying Prevention Month and as such we wanted to share a few reading resources to help students feel seen no matter what they’re going through. 

We don't support Internet Explorer

Please use Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge to view this site.

5th grade summer learning activities

We designed this fifth grade summer learning calendar to be a fun, easy way for your child to practice important skills over the summer. Fifth graders should be able to work independently on most of these worksheets and activities, but if you can, check on your child’s progress periodically throughout the day. As a study break, encourage your child to try the PE challenges or get some exercise. It will help them focus — and it’s a great study habit for middle school and beyond. For the science activities, an adult’s curiosity and assistance may be needed. Remember, kids this age respond more to positive reinforcement, so showing your enthusiasm at whatever your child accomplishes will give them motivation to keep trying! See more summer learning calendars .

A questionnaire: what do you like to read?

Generosity strikes

Adding fractions

Exercise and the human heart

PE challenge

Learning how to do a burpee!

Reading comprehension: Hard Times

Punctuating a paragraph

Adding fractions, uncommon denominators

Draw Baby Yoda in space (on Art Projects for Kids)

The nonstop dance challenge

Comparing two stories

Wounded pride

Subtracting fractions, uncommon denominators

Social studies

What Edison teaches us about success (on PBS)

Do the robot

Reading comprehension: dialects

Can’t live without it

Changing improper fractions to mixed numbers

Making the case for health (on PBS)

The side jump challenge

Poems: comparing rhythm and sound

Colons, semicolons, and dashes

Probability scale 0 to 1

Create a comic book

The grapevine challenge

Making metaphors

Rewriting a dialogue

Adding mixed numbers #1

Floating on salt water

Work out like a Jedi (on YouTube)

Simile or cliché?

Cosmic kids

Adding mixed numbers and fractions

Crazy captions

It’s time for split jumps

Malapropisms

Prepositions

Adding big numbers

Kentucky’s underground railroad (on PBS)

Hair UP! (on PE Central)

Poems: opposites

Adding decimals

Decomposing

100 jumping jacks!

Silly spoonerisms!

Which type of writing?

Subtracting decimals”

Unsung history makers: Maria Moreno (on PBS)

High knees are a breeze

Homophones and homographs

Dividing by larger numbers

How plants make food

Homophones: fun with puns

Write like a reporter!

Division of 3-digit decimals

How to draw a horse head (on Art Projects for Kids)

Work out like an Avenger (on YouTube)

Word-building riddles

Fame and fortune

Decimal place value (to the ten thousandths)

Parts of the food chain

Balancing stick

Finding key points

Writing a persuasive argument

Ordering sets of decimals

Create a family memory book

Advanced jumping jacks

Reading comprehension: David Copperfield

Analog world

Comparing and ordering decimals

The many phases of water

Prefixes micro- and mega-

Active and passive sentences

Coordinates

Why we should protect freshwater mussels (on PBS)

The push-up shuffle

Prefixes aplenty

Be prepared

Coloring a grid #2

Temperature and solubility

Boom Chicka Boom (on YouTube)

Subtracting suffixes

Compound sentences

Conversions: time

Reversible and irreversible changes in matter

Clauses: parts of a sentence

Career choices

Conversions: length

Draw the Statue of Liberty (on Art Projects for Kids)

The sprint-hop-walk challenge

Poems: The Rabbit

Storytelling with words and pictures (on PBS)

Conversions: capacity

Why parachutes work

Mountain climbers

We hope this 5th grade summer learning calendar is helpful. Check out the summer learning calendars for kindergarten , 1st grade , 2nd grade , 3rd grade , and 4th grade , too!

Yes! Sign me up for updates relevant to my child's grade.

Please enter a valid email address

Thank you for signing up!

Server Issue: Please try again later. Sorry for the inconvenience

Reading & Math for K-5

• Kindergarten
• Learning numbers
• Comparing numbers
• Place Value
• Roman numerals
• Subtraction
• Multiplication
• Order of operations
• Drills & practice
• Measurement
• Factoring & prime factors
• Proportions
• Shape & geometry
• Data & graphing
• Word problems
• Children's stories
• Leveled Stories
• Context clues
• Cause & effect
• Compare & contrast
• Fact vs. fiction
• Fact vs. opinion
• Main idea & details
• Story elements
• Conclusions & inferences
• Sounds & phonics
• Words & vocabulary
• Reading comprehension
• Early writing
• Numbers & counting
• Simple math
• Social skills
• Other activities
• Dolch sight words
• Fry sight words
• Multiple meaning words
• Prefixes & suffixes
• Vocabulary cards
• Other parts of speech
• Punctuation
• Capitalization
• Narrative writing
• Opinion writing
• Informative writing
• Cursive alphabet
• Cursive letters
• Cursive letter joins
• Cursive words
• Cursive sentences
• Cursive passages
• Grammar & Writing

Breadcrumbs

Download & Print Only $3.49

Fifth Grade Reading Comprehension Worksheets

Grade 5 stories and exercises.

Children's stories and comprehension exercises at a grade 5 level; all worksheets are pdf documents.

Reading worksheets - leveled stories

These levelled stories are taken from our series of leveled reading workbooks .  Each successive level provides increasing reading challenge.

Children's stories and reading worksheets

Over 20 free children's stories ; each 5th grade reading passage is followed by comprehension questions.

Historical reading worksheets & fables

Each kid's fable or historical passage is followed by four questions.  Questions focus on prediction, inference and character traits.

Reading comprehension exercises for grade 5

These worksheets focus on specific comprehension topics such as the "main idea" and "supporting details" of a text; sequencing events; story elements and so on.

What is K5?

K5 Learning offers free worksheets , flashcards  and inexpensive  workbooks  for kids in kindergarten to grade 5. Become a member  to access additional content and skip ads.

Our members helped us give away millions of worksheets last year.

We provide free educational materials to parents and teachers in over 100 countries. If you can, please consider purchasing a membership ($24/year) to support our efforts.

Members skip ads and access exclusive features.

Learn about member benefits

This content is available to members only.

Join K5 to save time, skip ads and access more content. Learn More

• Forgot Password?

• Try for free

Summer Reading List: 5th Grade

Featured Middle School Resources

Related Resources

17 Best Online Summer Reading Challenge Ideas for Kids

17 summer reading challenge ideas & summer reading programs for kids.

Ah, the dog days of summer. Memories of long, luxurious days in the warm sunshine with the pool sparkling and ready. I'm ready for popsicles, watermelon, and a beach vacation. Are you?

The nice thing about a day at the beach, by the pool, or inside with the air conditioner blasting is - they all go very well with a good book, and a summer reading challenge for our kids!

Here are some great ideas for summer reading programs - I hope one or all of them will work for you and your family as they have mine. Enjoy!

• Do summer reading programs work?

The dreaded summer reading slide is a big deal and yes - it's a real thing. When kids are not exposed to reading and learning over long breaks of school, such as over the summer months, they can backslide.

But the great thing about the summer months is the amazing amount of great learning opportunity all around you!

When you are on vacation, learn about the places around you. Search for facts about places you haven't been, even in your own hometown.

And of course - READ! Make sure your child's summer is full of reading and great books. This will give your child such a boost in their growth and education.

Here is a video I found on YouTube about a great mom who is not letting her kiddos take a vacation from learning, even though they are on vacation from school!

Planning a summer reading program  

Start in May or earlier to really have a great, solid reading plan in place to make your child's summer reading more successful. But of course, if you are reading this in June or July, just start today!

There are so many options for getting creative with summer reading challenges. You really only have to pick the program (or programs you want to do, print out whatever information is need, and go for it!)

If there are several programs you and your child choose to do, you can either do them at the same time and have books count for the same reading challenges, or plan to work the programs consecutively. You can't go wrong either way!

Don't forget your local public library for the reading programs they will put on, and you can always join or create a Kid's Reading Club too, for some added fun!

Get your Reading Summer Challenge here, plus all kinds of bookish freebies, like Popsicle bookmarks and Fourth of July bookmarks!

Online summer reading programs

I did a little research looking for online programs to get kids reading. Here is a list of options for choosing reading programs, although I'm sure you can find more! Lots of companies host reading programs as an incentive for customers and also to boost communities. 

• Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Program

The Barnes and Noble Summer Program is a great option to earn a free book! You can fill out this form to earn your book, and then take it into a Barnes and Noble store to redeem.

This is a great way to get your child reading this summer!

- Go here for more details.

• Feed Your Brain Summer Reading Program from Half Price Books.

Half Price Books has a great 15-minutes-a-day reading program to get kids and teens reading through the summer. Available are reading logs, online storytimes, weekly social giveaways, and free coloring sheets.

- Go here to find out more details.

• Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge

Here's a great way to keep kids engaged in summer reading - The Scholastic Summer Read-a-Palooza! Kids are encouraged to track their reading in a free online Scholastic-provided resource with books, games and events. As kids reach tracking goals, they receive rewards and unlock book donations for others. Double win!

Head here to find out more about this fun program.

• Coaching for Literacy Summer Reading Program

Not only does this one get your kiddo reading, but you are making an impact to increase literacy rates. Coaching for Literacy exists to raise awareness about the problem of illiteracy and funds for literacy programs serving students in grades K-3. They are connectors bringing individuals closer to the issue of illiteracy, with a core belief that literacy is a fundamental right of every individual. Here are the points to know about their summer reading program..

• This summer, Coaching for Literacy is challenging readers – young, old and in-between – to push their reading habits by committing to read as many books as they can having started May 31st – September 7th.
• Readers are invited to ask friends and family to support them by pledging per book read or by making a donation. This campaign is free and fundraising is optional.
• Everyone who signs up to challenge their reading habits automatically gets entered into a drawing for a Barnes & Noble gift card. PLUS, every 2 books a reader completes throughout the summer, their name automatically gets re-entered into the drawing!
• Every donation made will be matched 3x up to $5,000!
• Readers can join at any time and do not have to commit to the entire summer.

Go here to find out more.

• Join the Ultimate Book Adventure

Want your child to be independently reading? Then sign him up for this Ultimate Book Adventure - virtual delights await with this fun, free program.

Sort of a fun "gaming system" where kids who read at home log their reading, take little quizzes and make their way further into the game. A great positive reinforcement platform for encouraging kids to read. I particularly like the "virtual reading pet". Looks fun!

• Broncos Bookworms Summer Reading Program

Calling all football fans! The Denver Broncos have a fun summer reading program where kids get to log 10 books they read over the summer in their playbook.

Rewards include a certificate, bookmark, attendance at an event at Empower Field, plus other prize possibilities, presented by IHOP!

• Read Your Way to Fenway

Or.. maybe you are a Boston Red Sox fan? If you live in the area, or are traveling to the Boston area this summer, check out this deal for kids to read books and earn the chance to be entered into a drawing to win tickets to a baseball game!

This is a golden opportunity for baseball fans. Details look to be released in June.

Go here to find out more at the Boston Public Library.

• Books A Million Summer Reading Adventures

You know those funny Dog Man and Captain Underpants books that kids love? Well, last year the author Dave Pilkey teamed up with Books A Million to get kids reading in summertime. It will be interesting to see what they come up with in the summer of 2021~

• HEBuddy Summer Reading Club

I think you can do this one, even if you aren't from the great state of Texas! 

Use the available reading log on their website to record 10 books that your child reads, mail it in and get an awesome t-shirt!

Go here for more info.

• SYNC Summer Audiobooks for Teens

For teens ages 13+, this fun program gets teens reading with one free audiobook a week. That is a GREAT deal!

Go here to sign up and get more info.

• Showcase Cinema Bookworm Wednesdays

If you live near or will be by a Showcase Cinema, check out their Bookworm Wednesdays! Kids can show up with a written book report on Wednesdays to get a free movie ticket.

Movie lovers, this one is perfect for you!

• Free Online Outschool Summer Camps

Consider these amazing virtual (and free!) summer camps for your kids. There are just a ton to look over, and find out which one would fit your child.

This is a great way to keep learning over the summer, and to have fun doing it. 

• Lifeway Summer Reading Program

Get a free Bible and a free book with this summer reading program! 

Check out the page to find out when they update information for 2021.

• DOGObooks Summer Reading Adventure

This fun website is all about kids reading books and giving kid's book reviews. Join in on the fun by reading books, and giving as many book reviews as you can to be eligible to receive prizes.

Go here to find out more info.

• Reading Horizons Summer Reading

Check out the Reading Horizons summer reading program! Perfect for not only beginning readers, but older readers. Also great for anyone who struggles with reading to learn how or focus on strengthening skills.

Information for 2021 yet to be posted, but keep this page bookmarked for info soon!

• The Pizza Hut Book It Program

This program has been around for many years - I can even remember working on getting my pizza coupon as a kid back in the 80's! So you know it's a good program - and let's face it - pizza will never go out of style.

I'm calling this one a bonus because it's actually a Spring and Fall program. They also have a "Give Me 20" program for early readers to look into.

Go here to find out more about this deal.

• Braums Book Buddy Reading Program

Not a summer program, but a school-year program, like the Pizza Hut Book-It, the Braums Book Buddy Program is a great idea to keep kids reading, providing wonderful goal incentives to get lots of reading in, and being proud of book-reading accomplishments.

A great way to read good books, and enjoy up to 6 ice cream treats while doing it!

Go here for more info about the Braums Book Buddy Program.

• Local summer reading programs

Want to find a local summer reading challenge idea or program? Head over to your local public library to see what is available (or look for them online), or you can even Google it.

I can almost guarantee that your local library is going to have something fun planned for the summer, even if it is digital only!

Type it into the search bar of Google, check the map below, or click here >> Summer Reading Programs Near Me

More fun summer reading ideas:

~~ Reading Rewards Chart - Monthly Rewards Charts for the year!

~~ 1 2 Ways and Benefits of Reading with your Child - A Parent's MUST-READ!

• Summer reading challenge ideas

Come up with your own incentives at home to make up your own reading challenges, and/or try some of the local or online reading programs that you can find!

• Summer reading challenge printable

Come up with a challenge for your kiddo that is tailored to what she might like. Put up a reading chart or some kind of incentive to have a goal for reading a certain number of books or amounts of time.

The Great Summer Reading Challenge that I put together is sort of an "all the places you can read" challenge. It's free! Just print it out, tweak it, and use it to motivate your reader. That link signs you up for all sorts of free bookish goodies for your kids.

I also found a few other fun printable reading challenges for you! Check out:

25 Day Reading Challenge for Kids

Summer Reading Challenge

Highlights Summer Reading Bingo

Get your creative juices flowing to come up with your own ideas for a summer reading program!

As you can see there are lots of options that you can use for your own to create a reading program for your child. You can make one up at home, tape it onto the fridge and go for it, you can join online programs that help kids make great reading progress, or you can join local programs in your own community!

Whatever you choose for your summer reading challenges, be sure to MAKE IT FUN!

Let me know what your summer reading goals are in the comments and remember to download your Great Summer Reading Challenge printable for FREE!

Table of Contents

• Planning a summer reading program 

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Privacy Overview

Trending Post : Books Made Into Movies

2024 Free Summer Reading Programs for Kids

This post may contain affiliate links.

Want to keep your kids reading over the summer? How about joining a free summer reading program or two!? My kids loved the free books, so we participated in more than one program. I especially recommend programs that reward with BOOKS, not food.

But first, you might want to know about these Imagination Soup resources:

SUMMER READING LISTS BY GRADE LEVEL

SUMMER READING BINGO

FREE SUMMER READING PACKET

SUMMER READING TIPS FROM AUTHORS, TEACHERS, & LIBRARIANS

READING JOURNAL FOR KIDS

READING CHALLENGE FOR KIDS

Ready for the 2024 list of summer reading programs?

I will keep updating this list if any new summer reading programs are announced.

Plan for a summer reading program (or two) because it helps motivate kids with reading incentives as well as provides accountability. Here are all your options:

1. Your Public Library Make this your first stop for summer reading . Most public libraries will be kicking their summer reading program in May. They will often have the chance to get free books or prizes–even with the strange times in which we live. Hopefully, your local library will be open for storytime and other activities.

4. Amazon Summer Reading Challenge This program is a pretty lame reading challenge if you ask me– read 7 books and get a certificate and one free book from National Geographic Kids. Still waiting to get the 2022 details…

9. Pizza Hut’s Book It Program Register online for the next school year to earn prizes and pizza for reading.

10. Sonlight Summer Reading Challenge Try this reading challenge for many different ages and reading levels from the Sonlight homeschool curriculum.

Encourage your child to read this summer by participating in one of these programs. They may want to participate in a huge national program or maybe the local library summer reading program is more their speed. Maybe an individual challenge will motivate them the most.

For more help with  reading comprehension, visit this post .

Summer Reading Book Lists by Grade Level

Picture Book List for Pre-Readers

1st Grade Reading List (age 6 – 7)

2nd Grade Reading List (age 7 – 8)

3rd Grade Reading List (age 8 – 9)

4th Grade Reading List (age 9 – 10)

5th Grade Reading List (age 10 – 11)

6th Grade Reading List (age 11 – 12)

7th Grade Reading List (age 12 – 13)

8th Grade and High School Grade Reading List (age 13 and up)

Download these  printables for summer learning here .

More Summer Book Recommendations

Read Alike Book Lists

Adventure Books for Kids

Fantasy Books for Kids

Funny Books for Kids

Historical Fiction Books for Kids

Mystery Books for Kids

Nonfiction Books for Kids

Science Fiction Books for Kids

You Might Also Like:

Good Books About Summer Vacation

Indoor Scavenger Hunt for Words

Melissa Taylor, MA, is the creator of Imagination Soup. She's a mother, former teacher & literacy trainer, and freelance education writer. She writes Imagination Soup and freelances for publications online and in print, including Penguin Random House's Brightly website, USA Today Health, Adobe Education, Colorado Parent, and Parenting. She is passionate about matching kids with books that they'll love.

Similar Posts

38 Wonderful Children’s Animal Books

Video games and learning.

10 Excellent Children’s Martin Luther King Jr Books for Kids

Sight Word Walls and Ideas

10 Ways to Nurture Creativity by Peter H. Reynolds

Logic 3D Four-in-a-Row Game: Stratos Spheres

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

10 Comments

Where can you start turning in reading log for prizes

It depends on the program but usually, it’s the place you picked up the log.

Summer Vacation

5th grade | RL.5.3 | 10 minutes

In this reading comprehension game, 5th grade students exchange text messages with their dad and compare their abuelas' hometowns with a Venn diagram.

Share with your students

Unlock this activity and thousands more in eSpark’s playfully personalized learning environment.

What's popular right now

Froggy Feast

Read with Fluency, RF.3.4.b

Minute Hand 'Round the Clock

Tell and Write Time in Minutes, 3.MD.A.1

Color by Letters

Learn Letters, RF.PK.1.d

Related Activities

Comparing & Contrasting Characters, Settings, & Events

Comparing Story Elements

Dr. Chavez's Science Lab 5th Grade

Quotes and Direct Evidence

Making Inferences 5th Grade

Explicit Meaning and Inferences

Parker's Perfect Day

RL.4.9 and 1 more

Student Activities Administrators Pricing FAQs State Standards Alignment

Help Center Teachers District Stories Blog

Our Team Careers Press

Copyright 2021 © eSpark Learning | Terms of Use & Privacy Policy

31 Summer Reading Activities for Your Elementary Students (+ Free Download)

That’s So Montessori is reader-supported, contains affiliate links, and is a member of Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. When you buy through links on our site, you may be purchasing our products or we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Your support is much appreciated. Thank you!

As a Montessori teacher, I know the importance of finding fun and educational summer reading activities elementary students will love.

Here’s a secret that’s made summers with my students awesome – reading activities that aren’t just educational but also tons of fun!

We’ve put together a collection of 31 summer reading activities for elementary students that are sure to capture their imaginations and interests.

Whether you’re a parent looking to reap the benefits of games to keep kids engaged in learning or an educator in search of unique ideas to avoid the summer brain drain , this resource will be your go-to for fun activities!

✅ Teacher Tip: Save This Valuable List for Later! Be sure to bookmark this resource for quick reference. Save it to Pinterest or bookmark the page to access whenever you need it.

31 Summer Reading Activities for Elementary Students

Discover our collection of exciting activities designed to make reading an exciting experience for elementary students in the second plane of development . Adding just one of these activities to your summer schedule can keep kids engaged and excited about learning during their break.

1. A to Z Reading Scavenger Hunt

The A to Z Reading Scavenger Hunt is a fun summer reading activity for elementary students that encourages them to find and learn about all sorts of reading material.

All that’s needed to play is a list with all of the letters of the alphabet, something to write with, and a variety of things to read.

Get your FREE alphabet scavenger hunt now! Ideal for elementary-aged kids, this engaging reading activity combines learning and fun.

To get our A to Z Reading Scavenger Hunt printable for free, all you have to do is join our insightful bimonthly newsletter . You’ll enjoy both!

In this activity, students explore different types of reading by finding something to read for each letter of the alphabet. Examples of reading material include articles, brochures, cookbooks, dictionaries, e-books, food labels. You see how it goes.

It’s a fantastic way to introduce children to various reading practices, such as reading signs, labels, and instructions around their homes and neighborhoods.

Promoting a flexible timeframe, this activity is best enjoyed over the course of a month or more rather than completed in one sitting. Kids are encouraged to take their alphabet worksheet with them everywhere, jotting down any reading opportunities that come their way.

🧐 Are you thinking, “This sounds like a very ambitious task for elementary students.” or “Who has that much reading material laying around?” Then, you might want to get them reading outside the box, or should I say reading outside of the book! Here’s a sample A to Z list of reading examples: A – Adventure novel B – Biography C – Comic book D – Dictionary E – Encyclopedia F – Food labels G – Graphic novel H – History book I – Instruction manual J – Joke book K – Kids’ picture book L – Love You Forever M – Magazine N – Newspaper O – Oliver Twist P – Poetry Q – Question-and-answer book R – Reference book S – Science experiment T – Travel book U – User manual V – Volcanoes book W – World atlas X – X-Men comic Y – Yertle the Turtle Z – Zombie fiction It’s not as challenging as it seems! Some answers describe the genre, type, or style of a book, while others provide the actual title. Players are encouraged to explore their vocabulary within the alphabet’s framework, justifying their choices, which may include creative and obscure answers.

The goal isn’t to fill every letter but to immerse themselves in diverse reading materials, fostering a love for the process of discovery.

This activity not only hones reading skills but also introduces new words and ideas, emphasizing that reading can take many forms.

Teacher Tip: Take this game to the library! Going to the library and playing this game is even more fun because there is likely something there for every letter in the alphabet! Bonus Teacher Tip: Find a local Little Free Library . near you! Explore local Little Free Libraries, those charming book boxes outside homes.

They’re a nonprofit organization looking to make more books accessible and they have created a World Map of their locations . 📚🏠🌳

These libraries also offer a great opportunity to donate old books and share with the community. It’s a wonderful learning experience in disguise!

2. Family Book Club

Create an interactive family book club to inspire elementary students to read, understand, and foster discussion and critical thinking skills within the family.

Choose a book that everyone can read with assistance or independently, and schedule a weekly meeting to read together, discuss the story, share insights, and ask questions as a family.

The family book club encourages participation and teaches valuable skills like responsibility, time management, and collaboration. It’s also a chance for adults to demonstrate good reading habits and nurture a love of reading in children.

Engaging in this activity allows families to bond over a shared experience, learn from each other’s perspectives, and gain a deeper understanding of the book.

📚 Start a family book club now! Read how in our blog Your Guide to Starting a Family Book Club Now

Remember, the main goal is to foster a love for reading and create meaningful family bonding experiences.

💡BONUS IDEA: Expand your club! If you’re looking for something other than a family book club, have your kids bring their friends into the fun, or invite the grandparents and start a family and friends book club.

3. Virtual Book Club

For the elementary student who loves to read and is looking to connect with other book lovers their age, a virtual book club might be your best bet.

Similar to a family book club , participants read the same book but the discussion takes place online via video chat, allowing kids to connect with other children their own age, from different places around the world, and all in the comfort of their own homes.

Virtual book clubs not only motivate participants to read and understand a book, but they also promote social skills and the ability to share opinions and ideas with others.

This summer reading activity for elementary children is perfect for those who may not have access to or be interested in an in-person book club, or who prefer the flexibility of participating from home.

🧑🏼‍💻 Teacher Tip: Check out Outschool for great virtual book clubs! Outschool, an online platform filled with classes for kids aged 3-18, is a great place to find Online Book Clubs for Kids . 💸 USE OUR LINK for $20 USD FREE CREDIT with OutSchool! 💸

💡BONUS IDEA: Create your own virtual book club! Consider organizing your own virtual club. This could be with friends or family that don’t live close enough to connect with in person but want a way to stay connected and with purpose. This is also the perfect summer reading activity for kids to do with their grandparents and is super beneficial for both parties.

4. Read in 100 Places

The Read in 100 Places challenge is a popular summer reading activity for elementary students recommended by teachers and parents.

The goal is simple: encourage kids to read in various places, expanding their reading horizons and exploring new spots with a good book.

The challenge? Read in 100 different places over the summer, from park benches and library nooks to cars or even under a table, and make reading a fun adventure.

Discover 100 Places to Read with Our Exciting Checklist! Take their summer reading to new heights with this vocabulary development activity , where kids explore fascinating and unique places to read. Your kids will love our 100 Places to Read Checklist reading activity !

Our list of 100 captivating reading locations helps elementary-aged learners prevent summer learning loss and fosters a love for reading.

This activity is a favourite among elementary students I’ve worked with and tops their list of summer reading activities. It’s also a great way to throw in some moments of learning in disguise during the summer break.

💡 Teacher Tip: Get kids to carry a book everywhere they go! Encourage elementary students to tote their favourite books wherever they wander. And here’s why:

• It’s entertainment on the go.
• Fosters a love for reading.
• Improves reading skills.
• Books are great waiting activities for kids.
• Expands knowledge and imagination.
• It’s an excellent use of spare time.Develops focus and concentration.
• Provides an outlet for relaxation.
• It’ll help prevent the summer brain drain !

Encouraging kids to always have a book with them helps them enjoy reading more and learn new things as they go about their day.

5. Reading BINGO

Reading BINGO is a great summer reading activity for elementary learners because of its ability to promote a love for reading through a wide range of reading material.

By participating in Reading BINGO, students are motivated to explore different genres, authors, and topics, expanding their reading horizons and exposing them to new ideas and perspectives.

This activity prompts children to read a variety of books in various ways, such as by reading outside, reading a book recommended by a friend, or reading a book published in a different decade.

Not only does this add variety to their reading list but it also encourages them to step out of their comfort zone and discover reading materials that they may not have chosen otherwise.

🎯 Take a look at our Reading BINGO cards!

Our engaging Reading BINGO activity pages are specially crafted to captivate young elementary minds. It’s filled with fun prompts to keep young readers entertained! Ideal for tracking summer reading progress at home, our reading BINGO cards are simple for kids to use. With squares covering various reading materials like different book genres, song lyrics, and game instructions, they make reading fun and diverse. Don’t let the summer brain drain dampen your kids’ reading skills. Get your hands on our Reading BINGO activity now and watch as your elementary experience learning in disguise !

The goal of Reading BINGO is to complete a line of reading tasks on the card before summer ends. Kids can challenge themselves to fill the entire card too!

They pick tasks and colour or cross out squares when done, boosting reading skills, confidence, and pride. This fun summer reading activity motivates kids to explore different genres, making reading enjoyable and encouraging independent learning.

6. Bookshelf Scavenger Hunt

Encourage your elementary-aged kids to explore and learn while reading with a bookshelf scavenger hunt!

This is one of those reading activities for elementary students that does require a bit of prep, but let me tell you, it’s worth it!

You’ll need to create a list of questions, or clues, that students need to solve in order to know what books they are searching for on a bookshelf at home, at school, or at the library.

For example, the questions could guide children to find things in a bookshelf ranging from a dictionary to a book that is part of a series. Once they have completed a task, they can check it off on their scavenger hunt worksheet. Fun!

Here’s a list of clue ideas to inspire your bookshelf scavenger hunt:

🕵🏼 Clue: Search for a book that holds the secret key, to unlock recipes that make taste buds dance with glee. 📕 Answer : Cookbook

🕵🏼 Clue : I have pages filled with facts and knowledge galore, so if you need information come to me for more. 📕 Answer : Encyclopedia

🕵🏼 Clue : I’m a book of maps, so take a look, and discover places from every nook. 📕 Answer : Atlas

🕵🏼 Clue : I’m packed with puzzles, games, and things to do, and I keep boredom away, as you explore something new. 📕 Answer : Ac tivity book

🕵🏼 Clue : My cover is adorned with a creature, fierce not tame. Open my pages and learn about its name. 📕 Answer : Book with an animal on the cover

These are just a few examples, but the possibilities are endless when it comes to different types of reading materials on a bookshelf.

This activity makes reading more exciting and interactive by adding an element of challenge and exploration.

7. Listen to an Audiobook

Elementary-aged children can level up their summer with the joy of audiobooks !

Whether they’re embarking on a long car ride, getting through chores, taking a leisurely walk, chilling on the couch, or unleashing their creativity through drawing, audiobooks offer a fantastic way for kids to immerse themselves in captivating stories.

By embracing audiobooks, children not only enhance their literacy skills and develop keen listening abilities, but they also have the opportunity to explore new narratives and genres.

💡 Benefits of using audiobooks in the classroom:

Listening to an audiobook is an immersive and enjoyable activity that fuels a child’s imagination, nurtures their language abilities, and makes the summer break an exciting and enriching time for young readers.

Selecting an audiobook for the whole family to enjoy creates a chance for quality time and bonding over a shared love for literature. Additionally, listening to books enhances children’s comprehension and fluency, laying the foundation for future reading success.

You can discover numerous books read aloud on YouTube, offering a unique form of audiobook experience.

One of my favourite books for 5th graders is Wonder and here it is read by Michelle DiMeglio. I love the way she gives the character a voice as it makes the book even more fun to listen to.

Let audiobooks work their magic on your child’s summer reading activities, making learning effortless and enjoyable without them even realizing it!

8. Word Games

Word games make reading more enjoyable and less stressful while also helping expand vocabulary, improve spelling and grammar, and boost reading comprehension.

When selecting word games as a reading activity, look for ones that engage critical thinking and problem-solving skills, promote social interaction, and, most importantly, prevent summer learning loss .

Some of our favourite word games: 🔲 Crossword Puzzles 🔎 Word Searches 🧐 Brain Games for Clever Kids 🔡 Scrabble 🎲 Boggle 🟩 Wordle 🍏 Apples to Apples Junior 📚 Another Logic Workbook for Gritty Kids ✍🏽 Mad Libs Super Size Pack

💡 Discover the power of using games in the classroom! Explore our blog 15 Benefits of Using Games in the Classroom to learn why incorporating games is an effective way to engage elementary students and enhance their learning. Read all about how using games in the classroom or at home can:

It’s time to embrace the potential of game-based learning!

Incorporating games into language learning is a powerful tool for elementary children to enhance their language skills. With word games, they can expand their vocabulary, refine their spelling abilities, and deepen their comprehension in a playful and safe environment.

Beyond the educational benefits, games offer an enjoyable and interactive experience, keeping children engaged and fueling their passion for reading all summer long if it means playing word games.

💡 Teacher Tip: More Word Activities for Summer Learning! Discover a world of engaging word games with our awesome collection of The Ultimate 13 Vocabulary Development Activities for Kids ⬇️ You’ll also want to check out these rebus puzzle articles for fun: 8 Easy Rebus Puzzles 9 Unique Rebus Puzzles with Answers for Kids A Great Set of Tricky Rebus Puzzles With Answers Rebus Puzzles for Kids: A Comprehensive Riddle-Solving Guide

9. Story Writing & Storytelling

Summer is the perfect time to inspire young minds with the joy of storytelling and writing.

Encouraging elementary students to create and share their own stories not only sparks their imagination but also enhances their reading skills.

✏️ Start with Writing

To get started, provide students with guidance on how to start the writing process. Help them brainstorm ideas, develop characters, and create exciting plot lines. Encourage them to explore different genres, from adventure and fantasy to mystery and science fiction.

By giving them the freedom to express their ideas, you’ll witness their creativity flourish and their storytelling abilities evolve.

One engaging activity to ignite their imagination is using story prompts. These prompts can be simple sentences or pictures that act as springboards for storytelling.

For a more interactive and dynamic experience, consider using the Roll a Story Dice Game that we created!

In this game, there are eight printable dice, each featuring different pictures. Students roll the dice and use the images they roll to create a story, incorporating key elements such as main characters, setting, or antagonist.

The use of eye-catching imagery sparks their imagination and inspires them to create cohesive and imaginative stories.

💡 Teacher Tip: Get creative with our Roll A Story Dice Game! Discover endless possibilities with our Roll A Story Dice in this article outlining different ways to use this game ! Plus, check out our list of 15 Educational Games With Three Dice for Kids , including 5 language-based activities that involve story writing. Don’t miss out on these fun learning opportunities!

💬 End with Storytelling

Sure story writing is great, but storytelling is equally as awesome and beneficial. It promotes self-expression and boosts confidence in young learners.

When children share their stories with others, whether it’s friends, or family, they develop important communication skills, speaking in front of others, expressing their ideas, having pride in their work, and receiving valuable feedback and encouragement.

This sharing aspect creates a sense of community and appreciation for each other’s creativity.

Story writing and storytelling are ideal summer reading activities for elementary kids. Not only do they spark creativity and improve language skills, but they also let kids express themselves, think critically, communicate better, and feel proud of their achievements.

10. Library Scavenger Hunt

A library scavenger hunt is a fun way to get elementary students excited about visiting their local library and discovering all that it has to offer.

This type of scavenger hunt typically includes a list of clues or tasks that children must complete by finding books on specific topics or by locating certain sections of the library.

Use these clues to get your library scavenger hunt off the ground! 🗞 Magazines Find a September issue of a magazine. Locate a magazine with an animal on the cover. 📚 Picture Books Find a picture book with a cat as the main character. Discover a picture book about a holiday. 💥 Junior Fiction Adventure Find a graphic novel with a smile on the cover. You’re looking for a book that has a Newbery Award on the cover. 🎧 Audiobook Hunt Look for an audiobook with the word “the” in the title. Discover an audiobook that shares the life stories of remarkable individuals who have made a positive impact on the world. 📔 Book Cover Challenge Find a book with a red cover. Locate a book with an illustration of an animal on the cover. 📜 Nonfiction Quest Search for a biography about a famous woman. Find a craft book and choose a cool craft to make.

Alternatively, a library scavenger hunt can be done using the letters of the alphabet. Participants can search the stacks of the library for book titles and/or author names for each letter of the alphabet. Fun!

You could easily use our alphabet scavenger hunt product which includes room for filling in findings that start with each letter of the alphabet.

The focus of this type of scavenger hunt isn’t to read all the books written down, but rather the process of following directions, reading titles and author names, and categorizing items by the letter they start with.

Participating in this type of activity opens students up to learning about the different types of reading material available in the library. They also learn how to navigate the different areas of the library.

Scavenger hunts, regardless of their type, are an excellent way to teach children about reading and practice research skills without them even realizing it! It’s all about learning without them even noticing!

11. Vocabulary Building Scavenger Hunts

Scavenger hunts are the perfect blend of entertainment and learning. They engage children in reading, problem-solving, and observation skills, making them an ideal activity to boost vocabulary.

One exciting option is an alphabet scavenger hunt.

Equipped with our Alphabet Scavenger Hunt Printable , children can sharpen their observation skills and boost their word bank as they search for objects that start with each letter of the alphabet.

Another engaging choice for a vocabulary-enhancing scavenger hunt is our Parts of Speech Scavenger Hunt . In this reading activity for elementary students, participants are challenged to find items representing different parts of speech , such as nouns, verbs, and adjectives.

Teacher Tip: Boost grammar learning with fun educational videos. Refresh your students’ understanding of the parts of speech by exploring our curated collection of entertaining and educational videos in our blog, Parts of Speech Videos for Your Elementary Language Lessons .

By organizing words based on their functions, kids improve their understanding of grammar. They also stretch their vocabulary as they seek out descriptive and sentence-enhancing words.

What makes vocabulary-building scavenger hunts so exciting is kids learn without even realizing it. They are practicing their reading as they figuring out what they need to search for.

💡 Teacher Tip: Get Creative with Scavenger Hunts! Want to boost your kids’ reading skills? Try making a scavenger hunt! It’s easier than you think, and we’ll help you every step of the way. Check out our article on How to Make a Scavenger Hunt for Kids in 9 Steps . With our easy-to-follow guide, you’ll discover the secrets to crafting an exciting and educational adventure for your kids.

By designing a personalized scavenger hunt, you’ll engage children in active reading. It’s an opportunity for them to explore their surroundings, decipher clues, and enhance their literacy skills – and all while having a blast!

12. Create a Map of a Book Setting

Encourage your child to draw a map of the setting from a favourite book.

This fun activity not only helps them better understand the story but also boosts their spatial reasoning and research skills. Guide them to include important details from the narrative and explore map elements like creating a legend.

As they craft their map, chat with them about different parts of the story and how they relate to the map, making the book’s world come alive in a whole new way!

As children transform the world of a story into a visual representation as a map, they develop a deeper appreciation of how the story unfolded.

Kids can add their unique touch to their maps, making each one a reflection of their own creativity and individuality. It’s a chance for them to showcase their artistic skills and take pride in their accomplishments.

Book-themed arts projects provide a wonderful avenue for self-expression and personalization.

13. Write Book Reviews

For this activity, get readers to choose a book, read it, and write a review summarizing the story. They’ll also want to share their thoughts on characters, plot details, overall opinion, and a rating out of five stars.

Writing a book review helps children to think deeply about what they’ve read and consequently, it develops their reading and writing skills. It also encourages them to become more engaged with their reading material by paying closer attention to the story’s details and characters.

Here’s a great video that kids will love about how to write a book review:

Here’s why writing a book review is a rewarding reading activity:

✅ Reflection and Analysis Writing a book review prompts children to reflect on the plot, characters, themes, and overall reading experience. It encourages them to think deeper about the story, its messages, and the author’s craft.

✅ Language Development Crafting a book review helps children enhance their vocabulary and language skills. They learn to articulate their ideas, express their emotions, and provide clear descriptions of their favorite aspects of the book.

✅ Personal Expression Writing a book review gives children a platform to express their unique perspectives and preferences. It allows them to share their enthusiasm for a great book or discuss the elements that resonated with them.

✅ Empowering Voice Book reviews empower children to have a voice and be heard. It builds their confidence in their ability to communicate their thoughts and opinions effectively.

💡 Teacher Tip: Ask questions and you shall receive good book reviews! Prompt kids for engaging book reviews with these questions:

• Name your favourite character. What are some of their traits you admire?
• Did the book teach you anything new or give you a fresh perspective?
• Was there a particular message in the book that stood out to you?
• Would you recommend this book to others? Why or why not?
• What lessons or values can readers take away from this book?
• Was there anything you didn’t like about the book?
• On a scale of 1 to 5 stars, what rating would you give this book?

Encourage kids to write structured book reviews, including an introduction, spoiler-free plot summary, personal insights, and a thoughtful conclusion. Remind them to use specific examples and evidence from the book to support their opinions.

Have kids make a video book review .

Take book reviews to the next level by having your kids film video reviews. This exciting activity not only enhances their writing and presentation skills but also adds a dynamic and multimedia element to this assingment.

We’ve compiled a list of four remarkable YouTube videos where kids enthusiastically review the books they’ve read. These video book reviews not only showcase their genuine excitement but also provide valuable insights into their reading experiences.

Book reviews not only demonstrate the joy of reading but also showcase the power of storytelling and the impact books can have on young minds.

14. Comic Books

When it comes to summer reading activities for elementary kids, comic books are a hidden gem of excitement and learning.

They offer a one-of-a-kind reading experience that seamlessly blends captivating visuals with compelling storytelling.

While some may question the educational value of comic books, it’s important to recognize that reading is a skill that can be developed through various mediums.

Encouraging children to read all types of literature, including comic books, helps cultivate a love for reading by providing engaging and accessible content.

Embracing diverse reading materials, including comic books, expands children’s literary horizons and fosters a lifelong passion for reading.

Comic books are a perfect summer reading activity because they:

Provide Visual Storytelling Comic books combine captivating illustrations with concise text, making them visually appealing and easy to follow. Kids will love the dynamic artwork that brings the story to life, enhancing their reading experience.

Improve Reading Comprehension Reading comics requires interpreting both text and visuals, helping kids develop crucial reading comprehension skills. They learn to analyze visual cues, infer meaning, and make connections between dialogue and illustrations.

Expand Vocabulary Comic books introduce kids to a wide range of vocabulary words in context. They encounter new words through dialogue, narrative captions, and character interactions, enhancing their language skills.

Teach Sequencing and Story Structure Comics teach kids about sequential storytelling and the importance of story structure. As they follow the panels and read in a specific order, they develop an understanding of plot development, character arcs, and narrative pacing.

Increase Engagement and Motivation The colorful artwork and exciting storylines in comics capture kids’ attention and keep them engaged. This motivates them to read more and explore different genres and series, fostering a love for reading.

💡 Teacher Tip: Recycle old comic books for engaging adventures! Instead of letting those cherished comics gather dust, why not give them new life while inspiring a love for reading? Recycling and repurposing old comic books infuse the joy of creativity into the reading experience, making it a fun and memorable way for kids to explore the world of storytelling.

Teachable moments are sure to pop up while combining reading and art in a way that encourages both creativity and literacy skills. Check out this video on how to repurpose old comic books:

But before you start cutting up or repurposing those old comic books, it’s a good idea to do some research to see if any of them hold significant value in the collector’s market .

By embracing comic books as a summer reading activity, children embark on a thrilling journey that combines literacy with visual storytelling. They develop essential reading skills, ignite their imaginations, and cultivate a lifelong love for books.

15. A Book Report, But Make It Fun!

When it comes to engaging summer reading activities for elementary students, look no further than making book reports fun and unique!

Transforming traditional book reports into exciting and creative projects captures children’s imagination and enhances their engagement with the story.

Instead of the standard report, get them to choose from a variety of intriguing options like creating a diorama, designing a comic strip, filming a book trailer, or even organizing a book-themed art exhibition.

Here’s a video to inspire your kids to create unique book reports:

Try these creative book report ideas at home this summer:

🃏 Book Character Trading Cards 🎯 Write an Alternative Ending 📒 Create a Character Scrapbook 🎤 An Interview with the Main Character 🎬 Film a Book Trailer

Discover more ways to make book reports enjoyable for 5th graders here!

These alternative approaches to the common book report encourage children to think outside the box and showcase their understanding of the book in a unique and personalized way.

Let’s make book reports enjoyable for elementary students! By offering fun and unique options, we cultivate a lifelong love for reading.

16. Create a Book Nook or Fort to Read In

Creating a book nook or a reading fort is an exciting and imaginative project for elementary-aged kids.

By personalizing their own reading space, they create a magical world where they can escape into the pages of their favourite stories and enjoy countless hours of reading.

Their book nook transforms into a beloved space where engaging summer reading activities for elementary students thrive.

Here are some simple steps to help you create a cozy reading corner for kids:

Choose the perfect spot. Find a cozy corner or area in your home where a reading sanctuary can exist. It could be a quiet nook in a kid’s bedroom, a corner of the living room, or even a space in the backyard where children can enjoy nature while reading.

Find comfortable seating. Select comfortable seating options such as bean bag chairs , floor pillows , or a comfy reading pillow that will make your reading sessions cozy and relaxing.

Add cozy elements. Enhance the comfort factor by adding soft blankets , throws , soft teddy bears , or pillows that kids can snuggle up with as they dive into the pages of their favourite books.

Display their books neatly. Set up a small bookshelf or bookcase nearby to showcase their book collection and keep them organized. This will make it easy for them to browse through titles and choose their next reading adventure.

💡 Need book recommendations to fill your child’s bookshelf? Explore our blog featuring 31 great picture books for elementary students !

Personalize the space. Make their book nook unique and inviting by adding personal touches. Hang up posters, framed Montessori quotes that inspire peace , interesting posters about reading on the walls , or decorate with positive affirmation posters to create a magical ambiance.

Create a cozy atmosphere. Set the literary mood with soft lighting options like a reading lamp , fairy lights , or a lava lamp . The warm glow will create a soothing atmosphere that is perfect for diving into the pages of a book.

With their own personalized book nook, children have a peaceful and inviting space where they can fully immerse themselves in reading and let their imaginations soar.

💡 Teacher Tip: Involve the kids in creating their cozy book nook! To make the cozy book nook truly special for your kids, get them involved in the design process and encourage them to personalize it according to their preferences. By allowing them to customize their reading space, you empower them to take ownership and pride in their reading space. Let their imagination run wild as they choose their favorite colours, decorations, and elements that make the space uniquely theirs. This collaborative effort will not only foster a sense of ownership but also ignite their excitement and love for reading.

Have kids make a fort or reading den!

Fort building and den making are fun summer reading activities for elementary kids that involve creating a non-permanent, cozy space in your home or backyard as a special reading spot.

Children can use blankets, pillows, and other materials to construct their fort and then fill it with books and snacks for a fun reading experience. It just might be the perfect solution for rainy days or to beat the summer brain drain .

Not only is building a fort or a den a fun and creative activity for kids, but it also provides a unique and comfortable reading environment.

Here are some videos of how to build a reading fort or den!

Go ahead and gather the materials, unleash that creativity, and build the perfect reading fort with your kids for an enchanting and immersive summer reading experience!

17. Host a Book Tasting

This activity is a fun and engaging way for elementary students to explore different genres of literature.

A book tasting event, similar to a food tasting, allows students to explore a variety of books (complete with snacks!) at different stations in a room.

The aim is to give children a small taste of a variety of books in order to pique their interest.

Each station can feature a different genre, such as mystery, fantasy, or non-fiction. To make the activity more exciting, the stations can be decorated accordingly.

When hosting a book tasting at home or in a classroom setting, consider allotting enough time at each station for children to really dive into the book. Starting with 8-12 minutes at each station can help ensure that children have enough time to explore the book and eat the snacks.

I did this with my step-daughter Taylor and let me tell you, hosting a book tasting can be a great way to get children excited about reading and help them discover new books and genres they might not have otherwise discovered on their own.

⬇️ Watch as Jennuine Teaching sets up a book tasting for her classroom. So many great ideas here!

And here’s another look at what a book tasting can look like:

Indulge their literary palate and embark on a book-tasting adventure that will leave your kids hungry for more captivating stories!

18. Roll and Read

Level up your summer reading activities for elementary kids with the engaging Roll and Read game!

This exciting vocabulary development activity involves children rolling a die once a day and completing one of the six different tasks outlined.

Each roll of the die corresponds to a different reading task.

Here are 6 task ideas I’ve used with my upper elementary students: 🎲 Read 11 pages of a fiction book. 🎲 Use a dictionary to find a word you’re unfamiliar with for each letter of your name, write them down, and include their definition. 🎲 Read 3 pages of any book out loud. 🎲 Create a drawing inspired by a favourite scene or character from a book. 🎲 Research and share an interesting fact about the author of the book you’re reading. 🎲 Create a bookmark inspired by the book’s theme or cover design.

This activity is easy to set up and can be played individually or in a group. It encourages children to read a variety of materials every day and engage with the text in different ways.

By completing different reading tasks daily, students are able to develop their reading comprehension, vocabulary, and critical thinking skills in a fun and engaging way.

This activity is a great way to make reading more interactive and enjoyable for elementary students during the summer months.

💡 Teacher Tip: Evolve the Roll and Read challenge! With this game, you have the power to transform the reading tasks throughout the summer, infusing excitement and freshness into each session. Encourage your children to become co-creators of the game by involving them in brainstorming new and exciting reading tasks. Additionally, they can unlock the full potential of the game by revisiting familiar tasks with different books or reading materials, expanding their literary horizons, and strengthening their reading skills.

19. Create Personalized Bookmarks

Making personalized bookmarks is a hands-on, creative, and fun summer reading activity for elementary students.

This activity involves making bookmarks using different materials like coloured paper, beads, ribbons, or even natural items like leaves or flowers.

By making bookmarks, children get to showcase their creativity and create something unique that reflects their personalities.

This activity can encourage children to read more often as they will be proud to use their personalized bookmark with their current book.

They can also make bookmarks for their friends and family, which could lead to sharing and discussing favourite books with each other.

With this activity, the world of summer reading activities that elementary kids will love can be explored!

Get them crafting personalized bookmarks with the help of these video tutorials.

Let their summer reading adventure be marked with their very own unique and customized creations!

20. Summer Reading Log

A summer reading log is one of those reading activities for elementary students that empowers kids to document their reading journey during the summer break.

Not only does it foster a sense of responsibility and time management, but it also allows children to reflect on their reading progress.

Whether it’s a simple tally of books or a personalized journal capturing various aspects, we’re here to provide ideas to suit every reading enthusiast.

Let’s take a look at all those the possibilities!

Simple Book Tracking

You’ll find a lot of online resources offering a variety of printable reading logs that can easily be personalized with vibrant colours and creative designs.

Alternatively, you can encourage kids to unleash their imagination and creativity by designing their own unique book-tracking system. This Montessori-inspired approach not only adds a personal touch but also fosters a sense of ownership and pride in their reading accomplishments.

Here’s a great video to inspire some really fun ways to make reading logs so kids can keep track of the books they read!

Creating a Personal Book Journal

Encourage your kids to make their own personalized journal, like the one featured in the video below, and use it to keep track of their reading. This creative task can be really fun for kids, and they’ll be more inspired to fill it out if they’re the ones that made it.

Inside the journal, kids can design unique reading trackers, such as colourful progress charts, creative book lists, or even thematic sections for different genres.

They can personalize their journal further by adding space for reflections, jotting down memorable quotes, or expressing their thoughts and feelings about the books they read. And to make it even more personal, they can include drawings, stickers, and other details!

In their reading journal, they might want to include things like: ✅ Title and Author ✅ Date they started reading ✅ Date they finished reading ✅ Rating out of 5 stars ✅ Favourite quotes ✅ Lessons they learned ✅ Personal reflections

By keeping track of their reading using a reading log or personal journal, children develop important organizational skills, enhance their writing abilities, and cultivate a deeper connection with the books they explore.

21. Organize a Book Donation Drive

Participating in a book donation drive is a wonderful way for kids to enhance their love for reading and cultivate valuable life skills.

This meaningful experience is an excellent addition to our list of summer reading activities for elementary students. It instills a sense of empathy and generosity in children as they learn the importance of giving back and sharing resources with those in need.

By donating their own gently used books, students learn that they can make a difference in the lives of others, particularly those who may not have access to a wide range of books. This activity helps develop their understanding of social responsibility and the power of collective action.

A book donation drive also encourages children (and adults!) to declutter their own bookshelves and make space for new stories and adventures. It allows them to reflect on the value of the books they have enjoyed and share those experiences with others.

By passing on their cherished books to fellow readers, children learn the joy of sharing and the lasting impact of their actions.

This is one of my favourite book activities for elementary students because it aligns with the Montessori principle of allowing students to take an active role in helping the community, organize an event, and following through with their plans.

Wondering what it takes to put together a book donation drive ?Here are the steps I follow with my elementary students as well as my family: 💡 Choose a Cause Have children do some research to select a local cause or organization that aligns with what they believe in and that will benefit from the book drive, such as a library, school, shelter, or community center. 🗣 Spread the Word Empower children to spread the word among their friends, family, and school community. Engage their creativity and enthusiasm by suggesting they design eye-catching posters and flyers that promote the book drive and inspire everyone to donate their gently used books. 🥅 Set a Goal Guide kids in setting a realistic goal for the number of books they aim to collect. Turn it into an exciting challenge by having them create a vibrant donation drive thermometer. This visual tracker serves as a dynamic representation of progress, motivating everyone to contribute and reach new heights.

📥 Designate Drop-Off Points Ensure a seamless book donation process by designating easily accessible drop-off points within the community. Establish dedicated areas, such as local libraries, community centers, or even grocery stores, where families can conveniently contribute their book donations. Make it hassle-free by clearly labeling the collection bins or boxes, and providing clear instructions for donation drop-offs. 🙌🏼 Organize Sorting Sessions Schedule time for children to help sort and categorize the donated books based on age group, genre, or condition. 🫧 Spruce Up the Books Clean and repair any damaged books, ensuring they are in good condition before being distributed. 📝 Thank Donors Show appreciation to all the contributors by creating handwritten thank-you notes or certificates. 🚛 Deliver the Books Coordinate with the chosen cause or organization to deliver the collected books. Have kids witness the impact of their efforts and celebrate the positive difference they’ve made in their community.

Here’s an inspiring story about two young boys who put together a book drive for another school in need:

Spread the joy of reading while making a positive impact in the community and empowering young minds through the gift of books.

22. Read a Book and Then Watch the Movie Adaptation

This activity is an excellent way to encourage children to read books and get them interested in literature by providing an additional incentive of watching the movie based on the book afterward.

📽 Teacher Tip: Read First, Watch Later! By immersing themselves in the original story, they can unleash their imagination, develop a deeper understanding of the characters and plot, and bring their own unique interpretation to the big screen experience. Reading first enhances the joy of discovery and allows kids to appreciate the book-to-movie transformation even more.

Watching the movie adaptation of a book will help students practice comprehension skills by noting the differences between the book and the movie.

Over the summer break encourage kids to discuss their thoughts on how the movie adaptation relates to the book and get them to point out the differences or similarities between the two.

🎞 Lights, Camera, Read! Get the veggies and dip ready along with some popcorn, and gather the kids for a cinematic adventure! But first, get lost in the pages of these great summer reads and then watch their movie adaptations bring the book to life:

A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

Percy Jackson & The Olympians by Rick Riordan

Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl

The Tale of Despereaux by Timothy Basil Ering

Books-turned-movies ignite a love for reading in elementary kids but even better, they bring excitement to summer learning activities

Make this summer a blockbuster hit with a fantastic read and their on-screen adaptation!

💡 Teacher Tip: Ask kids questions like these after watching the movie! • Did the movie capture the same feelings and emotions as the book? • Were there any scenes in the movie that surprised you because they were not in the book? • Did the movie capture the same atmosphere or setting as described in the book? • How did the movie handle the ending compared to the book? Did you like one version more than the other?

23. Twenty Questions – Book Edition

Ignite the spirit of exploration with this interactive vocabulary game that is perfect for summer reading activities elementary students will love!

By combining the joy of reading with the thrill of guessing, Twenty Questions promotes critical thinking, comprehension, and a deep dive into various books and genres.

This activity involves children recalling details, characters, settings, and plotlines from the books they have read. It encourages them to reflect on their reading experiences and strengthens their connection to the stories and themes.

The game follows the classic format of 20 Questions. The person whose turn it is will think of a book while the others try to guess the book title by asking ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions. See the video below for easy instructions.

Playing 20 Questions with book titles fosters critical thinking skills while providing an enjoyable and interactive approach to summer reading activities elementary kids will appreciate. Encourage curiosity and enhance question-asking abilities in a fun and educational way!

Here are clear and easy instructions on how to play the classic version of 20 Questions:

Steps to playing the Twenty Questions Book Edition game:

Choose a Book One player secretly thinks of a book title in their mind but doesn’t tell the other players what it is.

Start the Game The player who thought of the book title is the ‘Answerer’, and the rest of the players are the ‘Guessers’. The Guessers take turns asking questions that can be answered with ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to figure out the title of the book.

Ask Good Questions Guessers should ask questions that help narrow down the possibilities and guide them to figure out the book title. For example, they can ask things like, “Is the book about animals?”, “Is the main character a boy?”, “Is the genre of the book fiction?”, “Is the cover of the book blue?”, or “Is the book part of a series?”. There are so many great, investigative questions they can formulate.

Track the Questions As the name of the game suggests, Guessers can ask the Answerer a maximum of 20 questions before the Answerer has to reveal the book’s title. The goal is for the Guessers to figure it out before using up all the questions. It’s important for players to listen carefully to the answers and keep track of the questions already asked, so they aren’t repeated.

Make A Guess After each question, the Guessers can make a guess if they want, but they should wait until they feel confident to make a final guess. If someone guesses the title of the book correctly before 20 questions, then they win and become the next player to choose a book title.

Take Turns Once the book has been correctly guessed, it’s another player’s turn to think of a book, and the game starts again.

Summer reading activities elementary students will enjoy don’t get much better than this exciting and educational game of 20 Questions using book titles and their main characters!

💡 Teacher Tip: Ask about the main character! Shake up the book version of 20 Questions by having the Answerers focus on the main characters from books instead of book titles. Watch as Guessers embark on an exhilarating quest to unravel the identity of the main characters through clever questions and deductive reasoning.

24. Choose Books that Have Follow-Up Activity Pages

If you’re looking for unique, brain-flexing summer reading activities for elementary kids, then you’ll want to seek out books with interactive activity pages!

From characters to colour to puzzles, mazes, and more, activity pages related to books bring the characters and adventures to life in an interactive way.

Unfortunately, there aren’t many books out there like this. That’s why we took matters into our own hands and created one ourselves!

Carl the Cantankerous Cat , our self-published picture book, is a charming story that is PURRR-fect for those lazy summer days.

And to enhance the already-loaded learning experience and to provide additional interactive fun, we created activity pages to accompany the picture book . These activity pages are designed to complement the story and engage children in various educational and entertaining activities, all while building their vocabulary.

It’s what we call learning in disguise !

By combining the joy of reading with interactive learning, Carl the Cantankerous Cat and its activity pages offer a well-rounded summer reading activity that will keep children engaged and entertained.

As they pounce into the wild world of Carl, they not only develop their reading comprehension skills but also enhance their creativity, critical thinking, and fine motor skills through a variety of interactive tasks.

You can also get our ebook and activity pack here! Kids can engage in interactive tasks and delightful exercises that complement the adventure of reading Carl, fostering a love for knowledge and exploration.

25. Recipe Reading

Engaging elementary kids in reading activities during the summer doesn’t have to be limited to storybooks and novels. One excellent and practical reading activity for elementary students is reading recipes.

Exploring the world of recipes introduces children to valuable life skills while enhancing their reading comprehension and vocabulary.

Reading recipes can be a fun and interactive way for children to learn about different foods and ingredients. It allows them to follow step-by-step instructions, practice using different measurements, and develop an understanding of cooking techniques.

By reading recipes, children also gain exposure to various culinary traditions and cultures, broadening their knowledge and appreciation for diverse cuisines.

Here’s a great video that clearly explains how to read a recipe.

So go ahead and spice up your list of summer reading activities for your elementary kids with the tantalizing practical life activity. It’s a recipe for educational fun and culinary adventure, that’s for sure!

26. Write Letters

One excellent activity that combines both reading and writing is writing letters.

Encouraging children to write letters not only strengthens their reading comprehension but also allows them to express themselves and develop communication skills.

As kids write letters, they get better at reading by rereading their own messages and understanding the ones they get back. Plus, reading letters from others exposes them to diverse writing styles and broadens their vocabulary.

Children can write letters to family members, friends, or even pen pals from different parts of the world. By exchanging letters, they develop a sense of empathy and understanding, as well as learn about different cultures and perspectives.

Share this information-packed video about writing a friendly letter with your kids :

Writing letters not only enhance reading and writing skills but also allows kids to create meaningful connections and opens the door to conversations about how mail travels around the globe.

During this summer break, encourage your elementary-aged kids to pick up a pen and write some letters.

💡 Teacher Tip: Try these fun letter-writing ideas for elementary kids! ✍🏽 Letter to an author 👯 Letter to a friend 👴🏼 Letter to a family member 👮🏾 Letter to a hero 🧑🏼‍🎓 Letter to future self

27. Write Lists

Making lists is an engaging activity that can help children strengthen their reading and writing skills.

As they jot down items for their summer bucket list or plan their favourite activities, they engage in reading and comprehension skills by deciphering their thoughts into written words. This process not only sharpens their literacy skills but also fosters creativity and organization, making it a valuable summer pastime for young learners.

By brainstorming words that fit specific categories, children are challenged to think creatively and critically, while also expanding their vocabulary and understanding of language.

Incorporating list-making into summer reading activities for elementary students adds an element of fun and personalization, empowering them to express their preferences while actively engaging with books.

📝 Teacher Tip: Get them to write all kinds of lists! Here are some list ideas that your elementary-aged child might enjoy writing: Things That Make You Happy Task elementary kids with creating a list of things that bring them joy and put a smile on their faces, such as spending time with loved ones, engaging in hobbies, or enjoying nature. Resources like our Printable Dream Board Activity for Kids are excellent tools for exploring what brings them joy. Bucket List This is a list of things they want to do or experience in their lifetime, such as visiting certain places, learning new skills, or achieving specific goals.

Favourite Foods When kids write a list of their favourite foods, encourage them to break their interests into different categories including snacks, desserts, and meals. They can also include any special recipes they enjoy or want to try. Favourite Quotes It’s always good to encourage kids to collect a list of inspirational and meaningful quotes that resonate with them. Things I’m Grateful For A gratitude list involves children noting things they are grateful for in life, such as family, friends, hobbies, or experiences. Dream Vacation Destinations Everyone should create this list! Kids can write out the dream vacation spots they would love to visit someday, including places near and far, and what they would like to see or do there. Fun Activities to Do with Friends Get kids to compile a list of fun activities or games they enjoy doing with their friends, such as playing sports, going on scavenger hunts, or having movie nights. This gives them something to reference when they say they don’t know what to play!

Life Lists These could be to-do lists, shopping lists, school or camp supply lists, lists of birthdays, or even a list of lists they need to make. These lists encourage self-reflection, creativity, and exploration. They also provide an opportunity for kids to practice their writing skills while having fun.

Encourage them to dream big with their lists and support them in the process!

Let our Dream Board Activity for Kids printable be your go-to resource to guide your elementary-aged kids to create a list of all the things they want in life.

With prompts, cute characters, and kid-friendly instructions, this is a great learning tool for any student learning about themselves.

Encourage kids to enhance their reading skills while fostering self-love by reading lists of positive affirmations aloud.

Our positive affirmation poster is filled with empowering words that inspire and uplift, helping kids develop a positive mindset and build resilience.

28. Read Everything!

Encouraging elementary students to read everything around them is another one of those dynamic and immersive summer reading activities that expands their literary horizons.

By cultivating an awareness of the written material that surrounds them in their daily lives, children develop a deeper appreciation for the power of language and the abundance of reading opportunities that exist beyond traditional books.

Engaging with a diverse range of text broadens their vocabulary and gain exposure to different writing styles. This exposure helps them develop their reading comprehension skills as they interpret and understand the information presented in different formats.

Through this engaging activity, kids encounter a diverse array of texts, such as: 🚸 Street signs 🛒 Labels at the grocery store ♟ Instructions for games and activities 🍽 Menus 🔖 Brochures 🪪 Business cards 🖼 Movie posters 🗺 Maps

Each encounter presents a chance to engage with different writing styles, expand vocabulary, and build reading comprehension skills.

By deciphering and interpreting information in various formats, children sharpen their critical thinking abilities and enhance their understanding of real-world applications of reading.

This is one of those easy summer reading activities elementary students are captivated by. They often don’t even realize how much they’re learning because they’re having such a good time.

29. Activity Books for the Win

When it comes to summer reading activities for elementary students, activity books that inspire creativity are always a good choice.

These types of books offer more than just reading directions – they provide a gateway to critical thinking, idea generation, and follow-through, all wrapped in a bundle of fun.

Within the pages of activity books, children have the opportunity to enhance their writing skills. By completing various fun activities, from drawing to filling in blanks or writing short stories, they not only refine their penmanship and letter formation but also strengthen their overall writing abilities.

Here are some outstanding activity books for elementary-aged kids:

Let these remarkable activity books accompany your child on a journey of discovery and joy, where learning and fun go hand in hand.

Discover Our Exciting Activity Book for Kids Hours of fun and purposeful learning await your elementary child!

We love activity books so much that we decided to create our very own that’s truly something special.

Our carefully crafted masterpiece: the Draw Doodle Scribble Think Create Activity Book was born out of our collaborative efforts.

Together we, a Montessori teacher and a creative designer, brought to life this remarkable 100+ page activity book with eye-catching images and engaging prompts. It’s a testament to our commitment to providing purposeful and engaging learning experiences for elementary children.

Designed to captivate and inspire, the Draw Doodle Scribble Think Create Activity Book is a boundless source of imaginative exploration, seamlessly blending reading, hands-on activities, and limitless possibilities.

Learn more about our activity book in this detailed article: Your Kids Need This Activity Book with Unique Drawing Prompts (+ Free Printable Activity!) .

This summer, get your kids to dive into the world of activity books, and watch as their imaginations soar, their writing skills flourish, and their love for reading grows. It’s a win-win for both learning and fun in the realm of summer reading activities for elementary kids.

30. Enjoy Screen time With Subtitles On and Sound Off

Pair the enjoyment of watching their favourite shows, movies, or educational YouTube channels with the opportunity to enhance their reading skills in a fun and interactive way by watching with subtitles on and sound off.

Watching programs with subtitles on and sound off is an unconventional yet highly effective approach to promoting reading fluency.

As children read the subtitles while following the visual storyline, they develop their reading speed and accuracy. They learn to quickly recognize words and comprehend their meanings in the context of the program.

Watching programs with subtitles also helps expand vocabulary and language comprehension. Subtitles expose children to a wide range of words, phrases, and expressions that may be new to them.

It also introduces them to different sentence structures and idiomatic expressions, contributing to their language development and improving their comprehension skills.

Incorporate subtitles into your child’s screen time this summer to provide an engaging platform for them to practice reading, expand their knowledge, and develop a love for diverse stories and cultures.

📺 Teacher Tip: Enhance their viewing experience with these programs! Here are some recommended programs to watch with subtitles on and sound off as part of summer reading activities for elementary kids: 🌿 Nature documentaries 🎞 Animated movies 😆 Sitcoms 🎨 Art and craft demonstrations 🧪 Science documentaries 🏈 Sports highlights 🥘 Cooking and baking shows With subtitles, children can embark on exciting adventures, broaden their horizons, and develop crucial reading skills, all while enjoying their favourite programs.

31. Tell Them About the Books You Love

Sharing the books you love with your elementary-aged children makes for a powerful addition to your list of summer reading ideas for elementary students.

By opening up about your favourite books, whether from your childhood or current reads, you have the opportunity to ignite curiosity, broaden literary horizons, and create meaningful connections with young readers.

Sharing the books you love makes you a reading role model for your children. Express your excitement, discuss your reading habits, and share the impact these books have had on you to inspire them to see reading as a pleasurable and enriching activity.

Moreover, when you share the books you love, you offer a glimpse into your reading experiences and interests. By sharing stories that resonate with you and explaining why they are special, you invite children to learn more about you and your passions.

📖 Here are some books we love! From timeless classics to insightful self-help, these literary gems have enriched our minds and hearts and sparked meaningful conversations with the elementary-aged kids in our lives.

Share the books you love during the break and make summer reading activities for elementary students a special bonding experience.

Engage in Summer Reading Activities Kids Will Love!

Studies have shown that students who don’t engage in reading during the summer months can experience the ‘ summer brain drain ‘ and lose some of the gains they made during the school year.

That’s why it’s crucial to provide elementary students with engaging and interactive reading activities during the summer break that they will actually enjoy doing. Not only will this help prevent the summer slide, but it will also show kids that reading comes in many different forms.

We love using summer reading activities elementary students love because they:

💡 enrich and expand a child’s knowledge base; 💡 develop language skills; 💡 promote the use of imagination and creativity; 💡 provide emotional and cognitive development; 💡 encourage independent learning and self-discovery; 💡 are opportunities for personal and social growth; 💡 prepare them for the school year ahead; 💡 make reading really fun!

Beat Summer Brain Drain with Summer Reading Activities for Elementary Kids

The summer brain drain , also known as summer learning loss or the summer slide, is a phenomenon where students experience a decline in academic skills and knowledge over the summer break.

This is especially prevalent in areas such as reading and math, where consistent practice and reinforcement are essential for building and retaining skills. Without the structure and routine of the school year, students may become less engaged in learning and miss out on opportunities for intellectual stimulation.

The summer brain drain can have a long-term impact on a student’s academic success. It is important for parents and educators to be aware of this phenomenon and take steps to prevent summer learning loss by providing engaging learning opportunities during the summer months.

Don’t let the summer brain get ahold of your child! Make sure some of the outlined summer reading activities for elementary kids are a part of your child’s summer plan.

The Wrap-Up: Fun Summer Reading Activities Elementary Students Will Love

Summer reading activities for elementary students are an incredible way to keep their minds engaged, foster a love for reading, and promote continuous learning during any break from the classroom.

By incorporating some of the activities listed into their summer routine, you can create a fun and enriching environment that sparks their imagination, expands their knowledge, and develops essential literacy skills.

Encourage your elementary kids to explore captivating stories, embark on literary journeys, and try new ways of enhancing their reading skills.

📰 Have You Read These Blogs Yet?

🎯 15 Benefits of Using Games in the Classroom 👀 How to Make a Scavenger Hunt for Kids in 9 Steps 🏃🏽‍♂️ The Best Neighborhood Walk Scavenger Hunt and 13 Different Ways to Use It 🧩 8 Easy Rebus Puzzles (with Answers!) 🔎 Rebus Puzzles for Kids: A Comprehensive Riddle-Solving Guide 📝 11 Ways to Use Our Roll A Story Dice Game 🎲 15 Educational Games With Three Dice for Kids 💡 Your Kids Need This Activity Book with Unique Drawing Prompts 🔢 21 Fun Math Games with Dice to Try With Kids 8-12 💬 11 Unique Vocabulary Development Activities for the Elementary Leve l 🧮 9 Montessori-Aligned Math Activities for Elementary Students

✨ Unlinked images in this blog were brought to you by “ www.freepik.com “✨

Donna Paul, with over 15 years as a certified Montessori teacher, is praised for her engaging teaching style. Beyond the classroom, she's a children's book author and spearheads two impactful blogs with her partner, Karen: thatssomontessori.com for Montessori insights at the elementary level and thenomadicstrays.com for simple road life living. Based in British Columbia, Canada, Donna's nomadic life allows her to share ideas and develop educational products with Karen as they travel. Donna can be found spreading smiles and knowledge wherever she roams.

• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

FREE Book Bracket Template. For March and Beyond!

Free Summer Reading Bundle for Use in the Classroom or at Home

Encourage kids to read all summer long with our reading log, goals worksheet, and bingo card!

The Week Junior magazine is a kid-friendly, unbiased current events news source. It’s a safe and trusted partner to help you explain to kids what’s happening in the world while providing fun reading content including puzzles, recipes, crafts, and more. 

Summer reading is one of the most valuable ways to help kids retain knowledge and build on their skills while not in the classroom. It helps create lifelong readers while improving vocabulary, literacy skills, reading stamina, and more. Together with The Week Junior , we’ve created a bundle that includes a summer reading log, bingo challenge, and goals worksheet that are great tools to keep kids reading both inside the classroom and at home.

Get Worksheets

It’s a great idea to diversify reading choices over the summer to keep kids engaged. The Week Junior is an awesome way to expose your readers to current events through a kid-friendly, unbiased magazine. There’s something for every kid, with sections on sports, culture, movies, crafts, recipes, and so much more! Get a free issue of The Week Junior , and watch kids dive into this interactive reading resource.

Check out what’s included in the summer reading log bundle:

Summer Reading Log Worksheet

Bingo Challenge and Goals Worksheet

Classroom Use:

• Before the school year ends, have students begin their goals worksheet to set expectations for summer reading. Then, send them home with the rest of the bundle to help them keep track of their progress.
• Use the reading log in your classroom to keep track of weekly reading assignments. There’s even a version with a section for parent signatures!
• The bingo card and reading goals worksheets make for great classroom tools to encourage reading throughout the school year.

At-Home Use:

• At the start of the summer, encourage your child to fill out the reading goals worksheet and aim big!
• Document progress on the reading log, which is a great way to make a list of the awesome reading they’re diving into or keep track of required summer reading.
• The bingo card is an awesome way to keep kids excited about reading this summer and encourage them to try new things!

Looking for some awesome summer reading choices? Check out 50 books recommended by kids for kids from The Week Junior ! Plus, receive the brand-new reading list in this summer’s edition of The Week Junior by subscribing now.

You might also like.

Is Summer Slide Real? (Plus Free Toolkit To Fight Summer Learning Loss)

Is it really as bad as they say? Continue Reading

Copyright © 2023. All rights reserved. 5335 Gate Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32256

Elementary Summer Reading 2024: 5th-6th Grade

• Picture Books, Half Day-2nd Grade
• Fiction, Half Day-2nd Grade
• Non-Fiction, Half Day-2nd Grade
• Biographies, Half Day-2nd Grade
• Fiction, 3rd-4th Grade
• Non-Fiction, 3rd-4th Grade
• Biographies, 3rd-4th Grade
• Picture Books, 3rd-4th Grade
• Fiction, 5th-6th Grade
• Non-Fiction, 5th-6th Grade
• Biographies, 5th-6th Grade
• Graphic Novels
• Ebooks and Audiobooks
• Elementary Library Website

Suggested Reading for 5th-6th Graders

For students in 5th and 6th grades, the lists include several books that deal with topics such as race, gender, bullying, and discrimination. Students this age are naturally curious about, and more often aware of, current events dealing with these issues. We encourage you to pre-read or read with your child if you are concerned about a book's topic. If you need more information about a book or have questions, please let us know. 

Non-Fiction

Biographies

• << Previous: Picture Books, 3rd-4th Grade
• Next: Fiction, 5th-6th Grade >>
• Last Updated: Mar 29, 2024 1:35 PM
• URL: https://paideiaschool.libguides.com/elemsummerreading2024

Literacy Centers

ELA / Reading

Math & Technology

Classroom Management

Teacher Tips

Holidays & Seasonal

Home » Blog Posts » ELA » Fun Summer Reading Activities for Kids

Fun Summer Reading Activities for Kids

• ELA , Holidays & Seasonal

With summer comes fun, play time, and sleeping in late. Unfortunately, it also means potential reading loss for kids. This post shares fun summer reading activities for kids in upper elementary grades . These engaging ideas are easy to use and help kids prepare to re-enter school in the fall stronger.

PLUS–you can grab some FREE summer reading challenges for kids!

This post may contain affiliate links to Amazon and other companies. These links are provided for your convenience. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, which do not cost any extra for you. Please see the  full disclosure here .

What is the Summer Slide?

His cheeks were so red and he could barely maintain eye contact with me.

When I walked over to ask him what happened, he sheepishly whispered, “I can’t read this.”

This was during the first week of school several years ago with a former 4th grade student. He already struggled with reading throughout 3rd grade, but became even more behind during the summer.

Why? Because of the dreaded summer slide.

Scholastic reports that 3rd through 5th grade students lose up to 20% of the reading skills they gained during the school year when they don’t read during the summer.

And this was pre-pandemic.

Kids, especially now, need engaging summer reading activities. And we have them for you here.

Summer Reading Challenges for Kids

By far my favorite fun way to keep kids engaged with reading is to use reading challenges.

Years ago, I ditched using reading logs in favor of challenges .

My students are way more motivated to complete a reading challenge than a chart or reading log that only lists what books they’ve read.

And you know how I keep kids from losing the challenge lists? Put them on bookmarks!

Having the challenges on bookmarks cuts down on students losing them because they are using the bookmark while they’re reading.

Here’s how I use Reading Bookmark Challenges instead of Reading Logs:

• Each week my students get a bookmark from me with five reading ideas on it. When they complete a reading assignment,  aka challenge , they color that space on their bookmark.
• For our 9-week grading period, this gives students 35 different reading ideas/challenges.
• I give reading awards during 3, 6, and 9 week intervals as a way to further motivate them to complete all the reading assignments/challenges.
• Some of these challenges can be completed at home and some can be completed at school. That allows flexibility for students.

I change the challenges depending on the season or activities happening in our class. This is what allows them to work so well during the summer.

Students get these from me the last week of school and if they bring them back to me during the following school year, I give them a prize!

If this seems like too much for you, ask your school’s librarian to help you manage the details.

There’s enough variety with each bookmark challenge that students don’t get bored keeping up with reading throughout the school year.

Interesting Nonfiction Passages and Magazines

If you’ve ever asked yourself, “How do I motivate my child to read during the summer?” then I strongly recommend using high-interest nonfiction texts themed for the summer.

Upper elementary kids love learning new random facts! Use this to your advantage by offering them magazines with really fun topics.

Most children’s magazines also offer games and activities aligned to the articles and stories kids read.

Any nonfiction passage you pick must be something big kids like to read. Having a variety of summer-related topics really helps if you don’t know what your kiddo likes to read.

Of course, you can always ask them what they like!

The quick-reads I enjoy using challenge students to color-code their answers, which forces them to refer back to the text.

This is such an important reading skill that kids don’t need to lose over the summer! You can see more details about these passages:

• May and June Passages
• July and August Passages

How Do I Find Affordable Books and Magazines for Students?

If you’re looking for cheap ways to stock your classroom library , then check out the post linked in this sentence.

But when it comes to finding books or magazines to use as summer reading activities, I recommend Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited .

This is a digital reading program, but you don’t have to have a Kindle reader to use it. You can download the free Kindle reading app on any device.

I’ve used it for years as a teacher and parent. I pay a flat fee every month of $9.99 with access to thousands of books and magazines.

There’s no additional costs to have up to 3 magazine subscriptions + up to 10 books in your “queue” at the same time.

The variety they offer to upper elementary students’ reading tastes is really good too.

You can try it here FREE for 30 days if you’d like.

EPIC or Vooks Animated E-Books

Speaking of digital reading, another option for fun summer reading activities for upper elementary kids relates to the apps EPIC and Vooks.

Both have a huge assortment of books just for kids. Even more than Kindle Unlimited, which offers adult reading material also by the way.

Vooks takes their digital reading to the next level with videos acting out the reading.

And they are awesome!

It’s an ad-free library of animated story books that turn read-alouds into video content. That’s where the name comes from: video + books= Vooks.

I especially like how the words to the story show up on the screen with the animations.

They even include lesson plans that can be helpful in saving time.

To me, there’s more content for elementary teachers rather than middle or high school.

This means you have lots of fun summer reading books for your 3rd through 5th graders.

So, if you want to spice up your virtual reading,  you can get 30 Days FREE here.   (affiliate link)

Public Library Reading Programs

In addition to the ideas above, you can make reading fun by participating in your local library’s public reading programs.

Of course the nitty gritty details of this depend on your library’s children’s department.

For instance, at my local library every summer they have summer reading activities for kids like:

• Author visits where kids meet children’s book authors
• Re-enactments or reader’s theater for certain stories
• “Read and Play Dates” where parents bring kids to partner read together

These are just a few options available; your local library may have more or less.

Even if they don’t have lots of options, ask your librarian for book recommendations or ideas on what your students can read during the summer.

You can also grab some ideas for different chapter books HERE .

Vocabulary & ELA Practice for Upper Elementary

Even though this post focuses on reading, many kids will also need general vocabulary practice this summer. Vocabulary and word-building is directly connected to reading success and interest.

If your kids struggle with reading, their interest in summer reading will naturally be low. Maybe your students need tutoring, but their families can’t afford that.

Then I recommend giving students the type of affordable, yet effective vocabulary and ELA workbook practice that will help them improve.

I wrote a book specifically for upper elementary kids who need simple and on-going vocabulary practice to strengthen their reading skills.

The exercises in this book are standards-aligned and rigorous, but also interesting enough to keep students engaged.

Not only that, but these exercises come with lesson examples and allow kids to complete each one independently.

Adding this to your list of summer reading activities will keep kids from losing ground due to the dreaded summer slide.

Summer Enrichment Learning Around the House

Last, but not least, you can make summer reading interesting with learning activities around the house .

Learning takes place in the everyday scenarios of life:

• Reading a recipe book to help cook
• Watching a movie that’s based on a children’s book, then reading the book to compare the two (maybe you want to do this in the reserve order!)
• Writing letters or journal entries
• Painting a picture, then writing a caption for it
• Enjoying a bedtime story together
• Reading newspapers and magazines
• Build a pillow or sheet fort in the house, grab some flashlights and have a “Living Room Reading Camp!”

I could go on and on with this list, but the point is to make teachable moments from your normal routine. These can really keep the learning going as you enjoy your summer days with kids.

Plus, these summer lesson activities require no additional prep work from adults. Just print and go!

For more ways to keep your kiddos engaged during the summer, check out the eight ideas mentioned in this post:

Answers to Common Questions about Reading Outside of School

Even with the ideas mentioned above, you may want to know more.

Whether you’re a teacher, homeschooling parent, or a parent who just wants to make sure your child doesn’t fall behind, here are answers to your most common questions:

• How can I make summer reading fun? Start with the summer reading challenges offered for free. Allow your kids to choose books with topics they enjoy.
• What are some fun ways to teach a child to read? Hands-on learning activities are my favorite for beginning readers. Check out the phonics and reading comprehension games that I recommend for 2nd grade readers here .
• How can I help my child with reading when I work full-time? Doing everything alone burns you out! If you are a full-time working parent, use engaging activities that kids can do independently or ask someone you trust with help.
• Is it ok for my kid to read e-books or should we only use printed books? The debate swirling around learning on devices is still pretty high. To e-book or not to e-book; the short answer: it depends on your kids’ ages and reading strengths. If you want the longer, research-based answer, we have it for you here in this post .
• My kid loves math, but hates reading. What should I do? Connect their love of math with reading by giving them these math read-alouds to enjoy this summer!

Free Summer Reading Activities for Upper Elementary

Kick off your kids’ reading with these FREE summer reading challenges!

Teachers can give these to students during the last days of school. Parents can keep them going throughout the summer.

Either way, they make summer reading fun!

What other ideas do you want to try from this post? Let us know in the comment below.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Find me on Instagram @tanyagmarshall

fifth grade summer reading

All Formats

Resource types, all resource types.

• Rating Count
• Price (Ascending)
• Price (Descending)
• Most Recent

Fifth grade summer reading

4th and 5th Grade Summer Reading Practice

Fun summer school activities- 4th & 5th grade summer review packet math, reading

(4th 5th 6th 7th Grade ) END OF THE YEAR SUMMER Word Search Worksheet Activity

• Easel Activity

FUN Summer Worksheets 5th Grade Math Reading Spiral Review ☀️

Summer Reading List - 4th grade entering 5th

• Word Document File

Summer Reading List - 5th grade entering 6th

Suggested Summer Reading List: 4th & 5th Grade

Summer Reading Challenge for fifth grade with book list EDITABLE Printable

5th Grade Back to School/ Summer Practice of 4th Grade Math/ Reading /ELA Skills

• Google Apps™

A Summer 's Trade Trifold - Reading Street 5th Grade Unit 2 Week 4

June Math and Reading Packet | 5th Grade Summer Activities | Review Worksheets

5th to 6th Grade Summer Reading Program: Boost Literacy & Comprehension!

5th Grade Summer Reading Passages Printable Version

Entering 5th Grade Summer Reading

Fun-filled Summer Activities: A Reading Comprehension summer for 5th Grade

Summer Reading Comprehension Passage 5th grade with Answers Key, Back to school

Kindergarten- 5th Grade Summer Reading List

A Summer 's Trade - 5th Grade Reading Street

Reading Street 5th Grade A Summer 's Trade Trifold

5th Grade Summer Reading Passages Digital Google Slides Version

Reading Street 5th Grade A Summer 's Trade vocab packet

Summer Reading 2019 Booktalks ( 5th - 7th grades )

• Supporting Information

5th Grade Summer Review Packet 5th Grade End of Year Math & Reading Review

Reading Comprehension Passages and Questions Year Long Bundle 3rd 4th 5th Grade

• We're hiring
• Help & FAQ
• Privacy policy
• Student privacy
• Terms of service
• Tell us what you think

• Share on Facebook
• Tweet This Resource
• Pin This Resource

Summer Reading Activities

This summer reading activities activity also includes:.

• Join to access all included materials

Provide parents with the tools they need to bridge the summer learning gap with this collection of fun activities. Whether it's creating an alphabet poster with illustrations for each letter, playing a game of sight word concentration, or writing a children's story book, this resource offers plenty of ways to extend children's education beyond the walls of the classroom.

Additional Tags

Instructional ideas.

• Send copies of this resource home to parents at any point during the year, providing them with ways to support their children's learning
• Use the ideas in this resource to develop learning centers or instructional activities that you can supplement into your curriculum

Classroom Considerations

• Though the title indicates these are reading activities, other subjects are also addressed including writing, spelling, math, and geography
• Dozens of activity ideas are provided that can be differentiated to meet the learning needs of children across the elementary grade levels
• Most of the included activities can be performed anywhere and with commonly available materials

Common Core

Start your free trial.

Save time and discover engaging curriculum for your classroom. Reviewed and rated by trusted, credentialed teachers.

• Collection Types
• Activities & Projects
• Assessments
• Graphics & Images
• Handouts & References
• Interactives
• Lab Resources
• Learning Games
• Lesson Plans
• Presentations
• Primary Sources
• Printables & Templates
• Professional Documents
• Study Guides
• Instructional Videos
• Performance Tasks
• Graphic Organizers
• Writing Prompts
• Constructed Response Items
• AP Test Preps
• Lesson Planet Articles
• Online Courses
• Interactive Whiteboards
• Home Letters
• Unknown Types
• Stock Footages
• All Resource Types

See similar resources:

Good versus evil: exploring popular children's animation, i can read sight words set #16, activities to build phonological awareness, active reading with american history, simple preparation can improve reading comprehension, university of cambridge: english: a2 level activities for children, university of cambridge: english: pre a1 level activities for children, university of cambridge: english: a1 level activities for children, happy birthday hans: how to celebrate international children's book day, learning disabilities 101.