3rd Grade

Some Suggestions for Summer Reading
Rising Third Grade
2008
Dear Rising Third-Graders,
This is a list of some suggested titles for your summer reading. I hope that you will enjoy reading many.
I also encourage you to find books to read that are not on this list. Explore the collections of the public
libraries, get recommendations from friends and parents, try a "teacher favorite," or select things you might not
normally pick. VOTE FOR BOOKS, and read for the fun of reading!
Favorites, Old and New
You may also read other books for your age by these authors. * Indicates books that are part of a series
Adler American Girl series *
Adler Picture Book biographies *
Aliki Gods and Goddesses of Olympus
Atwater Mr. Popper’s Penguins
Avi Great Good Thing
Avi Ragweed, Poppy *
Benton Franny K. Stein *
Blume Super Fudge *
Bodie Revolutionary War Swamp Fox *
Bond Paddington Bear *
Bunting Nasty, Stinky Sneakers
Byars My Dog, My Hero
Calmenson Gator Girls *
Carlson Family Under the Bridge
Christian Sebastian, Super-Sleuth *
Christopher Soccer Scoop *
Cleary Ramona’s World *
Cleary Ralph S. Mouse
Clifford Help, I’m a Prisoner in the Library
Clifford Flatfoot Fox *
Conford Jenny Archer *
Coville World’s Worst Fairy Godmother
Creech Love That Dog
Dahl The Twits
Dalgliesh Courage of Sarah Noble
Danziger Amber Brown Turns Green With Envy*
DeGroat Annie Pitts, Swamp Monster
DiTerlizzi Spiderwick Chronicles *
Dixon Hardy Boys
Duffey Gadget War
Eager Half Magic
Erickson Hank the Cowdog *
Estes Pinky Pye *
Fradin Who Was Benjamin Franklin *
Fritz And Then What Happened, Paul
Revere *
Funke Invisible Lightning Ghost *
(Ghost Hunters series)
Geras The Cats of Cuckoo Square *
George How to Talk to Your Dog
Gilson It Goes EEEEEEEE!
Greene Owen Foote, Money Man *
Haas Beware the Mare *
Haywood B is for Betsy *
Hinton Puppy Sister
Howe Bunnicula *
Howe Howie Monroe, Doghouse of Doom *
Hunter Into the Wild * (Warrior series)
Hurwitz Aldo Applesauce *
Jacobsen Truly Winnie*
Keene Nancy Drew *
Keene Nancy Drew Notebooks
King-Smith School Mouse, Mercy Watson to the
Rescue *
Kline Horrible Harry Goes to Sea *
Lawson Mr. Revere and I
Lenski Strawberry Hill
Levy Hare Raising Tale *
Lindgren Pippi Longstockings
Lowry See You Around, Sam *
Lowry Gooney Bird Greene and the Room
Mother *
Manes How to be a Perfect Person In Just
Three Days
McCall-Smith Harriet Bean and the League of Cheats *
MacLachlan Sarah, Plain and Tall
McMullen Revenge of the Dragon Lady *
(Dragon Slayers Academy)
Mills 7 X = Trouble
Napoli Prince of the Pond
Naylor The Grand Escape *
Osborne Magic Treehouse*
Pennypacker Clementine
Petersen The Sub
Peterson The Littles Go to School *
Prior Lily Quench & Dragons of Ashby *
Rockwell How to Eat Fried Worms
Roy Unwilling Umpire * (A to Z)
Ryan Riding Freedom

Rylant Gooseberry Park
Sacher Wayside School is Falling Down*
Scieszka It’s All Greek to Me * (Time Warp)
Seldon Cricket in Times Square *
Shields Lunch Money
Sobol Encyclopedia Brown *
Spinelli Fourth-Grade Rats
Stilton I’m Too Fond of My Fur*
Titus Basil of Baker Street
Wallace Snot Stew *
Wallace Goosed, Backyard Bird Dog
Warner Boxcar Children *
White Stuart Little
Wilder Little House on the Prairie *
Winkler I Got a D in Salami *
Wojciechowski Beany, Not Beanhead
SC Children’s Book Award Nominees
Notable Non-Fiction for Curious Minds
You’re Aboard Spaceship Earth and other
titles in the Let’s Read and Find Out Science
series.
Ableman Swampland
Diffily Jurassic Shark
Fredericks Under One Rock
Goldsmith Solar System (Kingfisher
Young Knowledge series)
Hatkoff Owen and Mzee
Jenkins Actual Size
Jermain George Did It
Kerley Dinosaurs of Waterhouse
Hawkins
Packard Big Numbers
Thompson Who Was Helen Keller and
others in Who Was series
Truss Eats, Shoots & Leaves
(children’s version)
Each year, South Carolina students have the opportunity to participate in the SC Children’s Book
Award contest. Each student who reads a minimum of 5 of the 20 nominated books may vote for his or
her favorite in early February. The list is compiled by a committee of teachers, librarians, university
faculty members, parents, and students from across the state of South Carolina. Because the contest is
for students in grades 3 through 6, a wide rage of reading materials is represented on the list. Titles
in bold print are especially recommended for rising third-graders. A brief synopsis of each title will
help you assist your child in choosing other titles from this list.
Babbit, Natalie Jack Plank Tells Tales
Jack Plank is fired as a pirate, is dropped in a small town, and takes a room in a boarding house where
each night one of the boarders suggests a possible occupation. Jack always has a reason why that job
couldn't be right for him.
Clements, Andrew Room One, a Mystery or Two
Ted sees a girl's face in the window of an abandoned house on his paper route, and he can't resist
investigating this mystery.
Corbett, Sue Free Baseball
Felix knows his dad was a famous baseball player in Cuba and that his father risked everything to send
Felix to America. His mother won't reveal anything else, and Felix becomes determined to learn the story
of his father's life while pursuing his own dream to play baseball.
DeFelice, Cynthia Bringing Ezra Back
In this sequel to Weasel, Nathan, accompanied by a peddler, journeys to Pennsylvania townships
searching for the mountain man, Ezra, who had once saved him from Weasel's savagery.

DiCamillo, Kate Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
Edward Tulane is an exceedingly vain, cold-hearted china rabbit, but 10-year-old Abilene loves him
dearly. Edward's adventure begins when he falls overboard on the family's ocean journey, and he begins
to change.
Gutman, Dan The Homework Machine
Fifth-grader Brenton is a computer genius, but the other members of his work group think he's a nerd.
So when he tells them that he has invented a homework machine, they challenge him to demonstrate. He
does, AND IT WORKS!
Haddix, Margaret Peterson Dexter the Tough
Dexter's first day at a new school turns disastrous when he is laughed at, and he punches a schoolmate.
Hanson, Mary Elizabeth How to Save Your Tail*If You Are a Rat Nabbed by Cats Who
Really Like Stories About Magic Spoons, Wolves with Snout Warts,
Big Hairy Chimney Trolls…and Cookies Too
A rat's twin passion for books and baking bail him out of serious trouble when he is nabbed by the
palace cats.
Lombard, Jenny Drita, My Homegirl
Drita is a refugee from Kosovo who becomes friends with African-American Maxie. Both girls are
struggling with trying to deal with a lot of problems. Can they help each other and become friends?
Lowry, Lois Gossamer
Dream-givers are benevolent beings who visit humans (and pets too) at night. They gather memories
and give them back in the form of happy dreams that comfort and help those they are assigned to. The
wicked Sinisteeds bring nightmares.
Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds Roxie and the Hooligans
Roxie has been chosen as a victim by a group of bullies at school. They chase her into the dumpster, fall
into it themselves, and everyone is soon spilled onto a garbage barge being pulled out to sea.
O'Connor, Barbara How to Steal a Dog
One day Georgina has a home, a best friend, and plenty to eat. The next, she's living in a car with her
mother and brother. One day she sees a sign offering a reward for a lost dog, and she hatches a plan to
help her family.
Osborne, Mary Pope Pompeii: Lost and Found
What were the residents of the ancient city of Pompeii doing just before Mount Vesuvius erupted? This
book explores how scientists learn about their lives from the objects, buildings, and art recovered from
the preserved site.
Park, Linda Sue Archer's Quest
Sixth-grader Kevin is home alone when an arrow flies through the air, pinning his hat to the wall.
Imagine his surprise when he finds the Great Archer, a time-traveler from the first century BC, standing
in his living room!

Patterson, Nancy Ruth Winner's Walk
Nine-year-old Case fears that he's the only one in his family not cut out to be a winner. Then he rescues
a lost dog that is very, very smart and persuades his family to take it in. He promises to look for the
owner, but does he?
Pennypacker, Sara Clementine
"Spectacularful ideas are always sproinging up in my brain." Clementine is like Junie B. Jones…a thirdgrader
with a talent for trouble and a big heart.
Pitchford, Dean Big One-Oh
Charley decides to throw a 10th birthday party for himself with a House of Horrors theme…but he will
have to make friends fast so he will have people to invite.
Trine, Greg Melvin Beederman Superhero: Curse of the Bologna Sandwich
Melvin, an imperfect superhero, and Candace work together to take on the evil McNasty brothers.
Woodson, Jacqueline Feathers
Frannie is confused by the arrival of a pale boy to her predominantly black middle school in 1971.
Yep, Laurence The Earth Dragon Awakes, The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906
The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 is described by Chin, a young Chinese immigrant and Henry, a
banker's son
Faculty Favorites
The following books were listed by teachers as some of their favorites.
Author Title Teacher
Atwater Mr. Popper’s Penguins Mrs. Neeley
Haywood B is for Betsy Mrs. Hart
Henry Misty of Chincoteague Mrs. Bryan
Juster Phantom Tollbooth Mrs. Herring
Keene Mystery of the Tolling Bell (Nancy Drew series) Mrs. Whiteman
O’Hara My Friend Flicka Mrs. Hubbard
The following books are all about third grade:
Auch I Was a Third Grade Science Project
Cleary Ellen Tibbets, Ramona Forever
Cuyler Invisible in Third Grade
Delton Kitty from the Start
Duffey How to be Cool in Third Grade
Hiller Rent a Third-Grader
Books With Class
Hurwitz Class Clown
Kline Herbie Jones *
Lawler How to Survive Third Grade
McKenna Good Grief, Third Grade
Myers Earthquake in Third Grade
Stanley Third Grade Detectives