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Summer 2019
#LVReads is a summer reading program for all students from preschool
through high school. The program’s main goal is to create confident and
capable readers who find JOY in reading. #LVReads has no reports. No tests.
No vocabulary lists. Just read!

The Research
JUST 10-15 BOOKS! SUMMER SLIDE
Elementary students who read only  10-15 books Students who do not read over Summer
at home over the summer gain as much in reading Break lose 2-3 months of reading
achievement as students who attend summer achievement. 
school.

HEALTHY AND HAPPY SOCIAL CONNECTIONS

Students who read books report feeling Reading promotes relaxation and sleep, helps
healthier and happier! with depression and increases social
connections.

#LVReads is a summer reading program that

promotes autonomy, independence, mindfulness,
thoughtfulness, and empathy in alignment with
our Student 360 initiative. Parents are encouraged
to join in and model reading through participation
in our Parent 360 Summer Series.

Sources: eric.ed.gov, scholar.harvard.edu, journals.sagepub.com, geediting.com

 Beginning Readers
This category, which includes picture books, is for children who are non-readers or just beginning to read.

Ther
There's
e's a Dinosaur on the The W
Wall
all in the M
Middle
iddle o
off
13th Floor the Book
by Wade Bradford by Jon Agee
An exhausted hotel guest travels A silly knight, standing firmly on one
from floor to floor in search of a side of a wall, believes his side to be
restful place to sleep, in a whimsical the safe one and fails to notice
tale that finds him navigating crocodiles and a growing sea of
noises, crowds and other disruptive water before he is rescued by
obstacles. someone from the other side.

Ar
Around
ound the W
World
orld in a
Don
Don't't T
Touch
ouch m
myy H
Hair!
air!
Bath
Bathtub
tub : Bathing All by Sharee Miller
Ov
Over
er the Globe A plucky youngster gets fed up and
by Wade Bradford imparts a lesson about the
.A look at bathtime around the importance of asking permission
world and explores the many when everyone she meets wants to
ways in which people bathe. touch her hair.

How Do I L
Loove Thee
Thee??
by Jennifer Adams
A lavish reimagining of Elizabeth Duck, Duck, Dinosaur
Barrett Browning's famous sonnet Noise at N
Nigh
ightt ((Series
Series))
that depicts three children by Kallie George
sharing the love and joy of Feeling big and brave on their first
friendship while exploring the night alone in their nest, duck-
wonders of nature. and-dino siblings Feather, Flap
and Spike are repeatedly
awakened by a frightening growl
The Girl with a M
Mind
ind ffor
or M
Math
ath that scares them into hiding.
by Julia Finley Mosca
Recounts the true story of Raye Tough Guys (H
(Hav
ave
eFFeelings
eelings
Montague, a gifted female African Too
oo))
American mathematician and
by Keith Negley
engineer whose perseverance in the
A series of tough wrestlers, ninjas,
face of sexism and racism during the
superheroes, and bikers let their
1940s-‘70s earned her praise.
sensitive sides show, in a book that
ensures readers that it is okay to let
AP
Par
arade
ade o
off Elephan
Elephants
ts feelings show
by Kevin Henkes
Five joyful elephants on a mission My H
Heart
eart
march up and over, over and under,
by Corinna Luyken
and through and around from dawn
An ode to self-love that explores
to dusk before arriving at a surprise
how the heart can be protectively
destination.
closed or wide open to love.

Las Virgenes Unified School District

4111 Las Virgenes Road
Calabasas, California 91302 | 818-880-4000
www.lvusd.org/read
 Transitional Readers
This category is for students who are moving from primary books to early chapter books.

The Day yyou

ou Begin Lyric M
McK
cKerrigan,
errigan, Secr
Secreet
by Jacqueline Woodson Libr
Librarian
arian
Other students laugh when by Jacob Sager Weinstein
Rigoberto, an immigrant from A super-secret operative saves the
Venezuela, introduces himself but world from a diabolical threat
later, he meets Angelina and through her ability to brandish just
discovers that he is not the only the right book at just the right time.
one who feels like an outsider.

The A
Adv
dven
entur
tures
es o
off Sophie
Tiger vs. N
Nigh
ightmar
tmaree Mouse : A N
New
ew F
Friend
riend ((Series
Series))
by Emily Tetri by Poppy Green
Tiger is best friends with Monster who
Sophie Mouse makes a new friend,
lives under her bed and scares
goes on a quest for some special
nightmares away so Tiger has only
emerald berries, and visits Forget-Me-
good dreams, but waiting in the
Not Lake with her friends.
darkness is a nightmare so big and
mean that Tiger and Monster will need
to work together to chase it away
Mary W
Wears
ears What She
In
Intterrup
errupting
ting Chick
Chicken
en Wan
ants
ts
by David Ezra Stein by Keith Negley
A tale inspired by a favorite joke Inspired by the true examples
follows the antics of a young of trailblazing 19th-century
chicken, whose discomfiting habit doctor and Medal of Honor
of interrupting bedtime stories is recipient Mary Edwards
corrected in an unexpected way. Walker who was arrested for
daring to wear pants.
Gir
Giraff
affe
e pr
problems
oblems
by Jory John Dr
Dreamers
eamers
An embarrassed giraffe tries to by Yuyi Morales
cover up the long neck he thinks is An illustrated picture book
absurdly different from those of autobiography in which award-
other animals before a turtle in a winning author Yuyi Morales tells her
bow tie helps him realize how own immigration story.
purposeful, and stylish, his long neck
can be.

Chick
Chicken
en T
Talk
alk
AH
Home
ome in the Barn
by Patricia MacLachlan
by Margaret Wise Brown The story of a clever flock of chickens
Animals seek shelter in a big, warm
who trigger chaos by scratching
barn during a cold, snowy night
messages around the farm for their
human caretakers.

Las Virgenes Unified School District

4111 Las Virgenes Road
Calabasas, California 91302 | 818-880-4000
www.lvusd.org/read
 Developing Readers
These selections are for growing readers who are building reading stamina.

Nigh
ightligh
tlights
ts A Bo
Boyy Called Bat
by Lorena Alvarez by Elana K Arnold
When a mysterious girl appears at When his veterinarian mom brings
school and learns of Sandy's drawings, home a stray baby skunk that needs
that she creates from the tiny stars that rehabilitation before it can be placed in
appear in her room at night, Morfie's a wild animal shelter, Bixby, a boy on the
fascination soon turns into something autism spectrum, resolves to prove that
sinister. he is up to the challenge of caring for
the skunk permanently.
Pashmina
by Nidhi Chanani Lulu and the Duck in the P
Park
ark
When Priyanka finds a mysterious (Series
Series))
pashmina in her house, she is by Hilary McKay
transported to an India which may or Lulu, who loves animals, brings an
may not be real, and goes in search of abandoned duck egg to school, even
the reason why her mother left her though her teacher has banned Lulu from
homeland and the father she has bringing animals to school ever again.
never met.

Knigh
Knights
ts vs. Dinosaurs
by Matt Phelan
With the realm at peace and few
dragons about, the Knights of the
Round Table don't have much to do,
prompting Merlin to send them on an
adventure to a world filled with the most
terrible lizards of all--dinosaurs.
Big Whopper ((Series
Series))
by Patricia Reilly Giff
Loving the activities at the Zigzag
Afternoon Center's after-school program,
Destiny Washington racks her brain to
think of something amazing to contribute
to Discovery Week and tells a lie.

The H
House
ouse with Chick
Chicken
en L
Legs
egs On the Dog ((Series
Series))
by Sophie Anderson by J. C. Greenburg
.Twelve-year-old Marinka lives in a When ten-year-old Andrew invents a
house on chicken legs and is being shrinking machine, he does not expect to
trained to be a Yaga, a guardian who be sucked into the machine along with his
guides the dead into the afterlife, but cousin Judy, only to end up in a dog's
when she breaks the rules to try and nose.
make a new friend, the consequences
are devastating Lola L
Leevine M
Meeeets
ts J
Jelly
elly and
Bean ((Series
Series))
Tales o
off B
Bunjitsu
unjitsu B
Bunn
unnyy ((Series
Series)) by Monica Brown
by John Himmelman Devastated when they have to find a
Although she can throw farther, kick different home for their new cat
higher, and hit harder than anyone else because of Ben's allergies, Lola
at school, Isabel, aka Bunjitsu Bunny, manages to find a wonderful home for
never hurts another creature, unless she the cat while unexpectedly finding her
has to. own happy furry ending.

Las Virgenes Unified School District

4111 Las Virgenes Road
Calabasas, California 91302 | 818-880-4000
www.lvusd.org/read
 Independent Readers
These selections are for stronger readers who can easily tackle a 150+ page book and successfully digest the content.

It W
Wasn
asn't't M
Mee Lif
Lifeboat
eboat 12 : Based on a T
True
rue
by Dana Alison Levy St
Story
ory
A middle-grade Breakfast Club tale by Susan Hood
finds six very different students In 1940, a group of British children, their
transcending stereotypes to work escorts, and some sailors struggle to
together during a mandated detention survive in a lifeboat when the ship taking
when they are wrongly blamed for a them to safety in Canada is torpedoed.
vandalism incident.

Rebound
The T
Truth
ruth as T
Told
old b
byy M
Mason
ason by Kwame Alexander
Buttle .In the summer of 1988, twelve-year-old
by Leslie Connor Chuck Bell is sent to stay with his
As he grieves his best friend Benny's grandparents, where he discovers jazz
death, Mason and his friend Calvin, who and basketball and learns more about
are targeted by the neighborhood bullies, his family's past.
create an underground haven.

Limitless : 24 R
Remark
emarkable
able Tigh
ightt
American W Women
omen ooff Vision, by Torrey Maldonado
Grit
Grit,, and Guts After his quick-tempered father gets in a
by Leah Tinari fight and is sent back to jail, sixth-grader
A collection of portraits introducing the Bryan, known for being quiet and
achievements and impact of 24 thoughtful, snaps and follows new friend
extraordinary women, including Louisa Mike into trouble.
May Alcott, Ellen Degeneres and
Sojourner Truth.
The Bridge H
Home
ome
by Padma Venkatraman
The P
Park
arker
er Inherit
Inheritance
ance Facing daunting prospects on the
by Varian Johnson streets of Chennai, two runaway sisters
Spending the summer in Lambert, South finds shelter and friendship on an
Carolina, Candice discovers the letter that abandoned bridge with two homeless
sent her grandmother on a treasure hunt, boys before an illness forces them to
and with her new friend Brandon, sets off choose between survival and freedom.
to expose the injustice once committed
against a local African American family.
The U
Unnteachables
Harbor M
Mee by Gordon Korman
by Jacqueline Woodson A notorious class of misfits
When six students are chosen to and underachievers embark on a
participate in a weekly talk with no adults year of unexpected changes with
allowed, they discover that when they're a burned-out teacher who has
together, it's safe to share the hopes and been shattered by a cheating
fears they have. scandal.

Las Virgenes Unified School District

4111 Las Virgenes Road
Calabasas, California 91302 | 818-880-4000
www.lvusd.org/read
 Young Adults
This category of books is for experienced high school readers who possess the maturity to tackle young adult and politically sensitive
issues. Parents are encouraged to review these titles. Consideration should be given to difficulty, subject matter and content.

Shout Sky Without St

Stars
ars
by Laurie Halse Anderson by Jessica Brody
A poetic memoir and urgent call- A futuristic reimagining of Les
to-action that blends free-verse Misérables tells the story of three teens
reflections with deeply personal from very different backgrounds who
stories to rally today's young are thrown together by the looming
people to stand up and fight the threat of revolution on a French planet
abuses, censorship and hatred. colony.

The Art o
off L
Losing
osing
by Lizzy Mason The Cold is in her Bones
Harley is overwhelmed by guilt when her by Peternelle Van Arsdale
sister is rendered comatose by a drunk- When Milla, sixteen, who has lived a
driving accident and learns challenging sheltered life on a farm near a cursed
but ultimately redemptive lessons in village, finally makes a friend, she
forgiveness and healing. learns of her connection to the curse's
originator.

I Will Alw
Always
ays W
Writ
rite
e Back An In
Invisible
visible Thr
Thread
ead : A
Adap
daptted
by Caitlin Alifirenka for Y
Young
oung RReaders
eaders
Traces the friendship between an by Laura Schroff
American girl and her pen pal from an Eleven-year-old Maurice must beg for
impoverished region of Zimbabwe. change in order to eat, but when Laura
stops to help, they begin a years-long
friendship that gives each a new
perspective and hope. Includes a list of
suggested acts of kindness

Cir
Circe
ce : A N
Noovel On the Come U
Upp
by Madeline Miller by Angie Thomas
Follows Circe, the banished witch, as
An ambitious young rapper pours her
she hones her powers and interacts
frustrations into a first song only to find
with famous mythological beings
herself at the center of a viral
before a conflict with one of the most
controversy that forces her to become
vengeful Olympians forces her to
the menace that her public reputation
choose between the worlds of the gods
has portrayed her to be.
and mortals.

Bloodleaf Pulp
by Crystal Smith by Robin Talley
Surrounded by spirits and banned from Two gay teens, one coming of age in the
using her magic, an unwanted heir to the closet in 1955 and the other who is
throne flees from an assassination openly out in the present day, are
attempt and finds unexpected unexpectedly connected by a shared
happiness and love . interest.

Las Virgenes Unified School District

4111 Las Virgenes Road
Calabasas, California 91302 | 818-880-4000
www.lvusd.org/read