2008 Summer Reading Lists for Pre-K to Third Grade Readers
Every year, New York libraries sponsor a Summer Reading program for children and teens. In keeping with the 2008 Summer Reading theme, "Catch the Reading Bug," the books listed below feature insects of various kinds.
Titles below are intended for children who read at the pre-school through grade 3 level. A list for Grades 3 – 7 is also available.
RC = Book on Cassette | BR = Braille
Pre-School - Grade 2 | K - Grade 3
BR 06117 |
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The napping house [braille] / Audrey Wood ; illustrated by Don Wood. |
A snoring granny, a dreaming child, a dozing dog, a snoozing cat, and a slumbering mouse in the napping house are disturbed by a wakeful flea. A cumulative tale. For preschool-grade 2.
BR 09909 |
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Old black fly [braille] / Jim Aylesworth ; illustrations by Stephen Gammell. |
A mean, old black fly--who knows every trick in the book--wreaks havoc on a family one hot summer day. He bothers the baby and makes her cry, coughs on the cookies, and drives the dog nearly out of his wits. The old black fly carries out his mischief rhythmically and in alphabetical order. PRINT/BRAILLE. For preschool-grade 2.
RC 25555 |
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The big sneeze [sound recording] / Ruth Brown. |
One lazy, quiet afternoon a farmer sneezes a fly off his nose and sets into motion a chain of events that lead to a barnyard commotion. For preschool-grade 2.
BR 06131 |
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The very busy spider [braille] / Eric Carle. |
All the farm animals try to divert a busy little spider from spinning her web. Raised line drawings of the web help the reader follow the progress of the web to its completion. For preschool-grade 2.
RC 41091 |
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Anansi and the talking melon [sound recording] / retold by Eric A. Kimmel. |
Anansi the Spider visits Elephant’s garden to have a taste of a ripe melon. But Anansi eats so much of the sweet, juicy fruit that he gets too fat to crawl out of the hole in the melon. While he waits to get thin, Anansi decides to have some fun. He tricks Elephant into thinking the melon can talk. Soon Elephant is off to show the talking melon to the king, but he’s in for a big surprise. For preschool-grade 2.
Grades K- 3
BR 05916 |
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Why mosquitoes buzz in people’s ears [braille] : a West African tale / retold by Verna Aardema ; pictures by Leo and Diane Dillon. |
An amusing, repetitive tale explains why mosquitoes buzz in people’s ears. For grades K-3. Caldecott Medal 1976.
RC 53568 |
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Sophie’s masterpiece [sound recording] : a spider’s tale / by Eileen Spinelli. |
Sophie the spider makes wondrous webs, but the residents of Beekman’s Boardinghouse do not appreciate her until at last, old and tired, she weaves her final masterpiece. For grades K-3. 2001.
BR 15279 |
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Inspector Hopper [braille] / by Doug Cushman. |
Inspector Hopper (a grasshopper) and his assistant detective McBugg, who is always hungry, solve three mysteries for their insect friends. Beginning chapter book. For grades K-3. 2000.
BR 15176 |
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Inspector Hopper’s mystery year [braille] / by Doug Cushman. |
The grasshopper detective Inspector Hopper and his partner McBugg solve four different mysteries--one in each season of the year. Beginning chapter book. For grades K-3. 2003.
BR 13493 |
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Oliver and Albert, friends forever [braille] / Jean Van Leeuwen. |
Albert, the new student in Oliver’s school, is taller than his pig classmates and he can read. But at recess Oliver and his friends realize that Albert can’t play kickball and that he likes bugs. Soon the whole class is studying the critters. For grades K-3. 2000.
RC 52117 |
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Oliver and Albert, friends forever [sound recording] / Jean Van Leeuwen. |
Albert, the new student in Oliver’s school, is taller than his pig classmates and he can read. But at recess Oliver and his friends realize that Albert can’t play kickball and that he likes bugs. Soon the whole class is studying the critters. For grades K-3. 2000.
BR 15790 |
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The end of the beginning [braille] : being the adventures of a small snail (and an even smaller ant) / Avi. |
After reading many books, Avon, a rather small snail, decides he needs adventures to be happy. As Avon sets out, he is joined by Edward, a take-charge ant, on a journey to no particular place in search of new experiences. For grades 2-4. 2004.
Visit the NYS Summer Reading Program