After you and your child read a story together (it is age-appropriate for you to read aloud to your child), we'd like you and your child to fill in a reading log for each book. Complete/submit the log online. Children may use invented spelling or dictate their ideas to you.

Students should attempt some independent reading only if they are ready. Please do not pressure your child into reading on their own. Let it be their idea. Books read for the Bernard Zell Summer Reading Program can be used for the Chicago Public Library Summer Reading Program, too.

All students entering second grade should try to read 10 picture books or five chapter books and complete a reading log for each book. 

Complete/submit the log online. Books read for the Bernard Zell Summer Reading Program can be used for the Chicago Public Library Summer Reading Program, too.

All students entering third grade should try to read five chapter books and complete a reading log for each book. 

Complete/submit the log online. Books read for the Bernard Zell Summer Reading Program can be used for the Chicago Public Library Summer Reading Program, too.

All students entering fourth grade should try to read five chapter books and complete a reading log for each book. 

Complete/submit the log online. Books read for the Bernard Zell Summer Reading Program can be used for the Chicago Public Library Summer Reading Program, too.

Required Summer Reading for Incoming Fifth Graders:

Your Task:
Incoming fifth graders need to read two books this summer. There is no required text for incoming fifth graders; however, please refer to the suggested list below for some 5th grade summer favorites! All incoming fifth graders will need to fill out the online reading log on the BZ website for the two books they read. Students are welcome to read more than two books and fill out logs for each extra book they read as well.

Purpose:
Daily reading is one of the best ways to improve students’ reading comprehension, critical thinking skills, and general success in school. By reading at least two books over the summer, incoming fifth graders will retain the reading skills they learned in fourth grade and be prepared for fifth grade content and skills.

Suggested Books:

• The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart

• Falling Short by Ernesto Cisneros

• Maya and the Robot by Eve Ewing

• A Rover's Story by Jasmine Warga

• Me and Marvin Gardens by A.S. King

• Hoot by Carl Hiassen 

Required Summer Reading for Incoming Sixth Graders:

Your Task:
Incoming sixth graders need to read two books this summer. There is no required text for incoming sixth graders; however, please refer to the list below for suggestions. All incoming sixth graders will need to fill out the online reading log on the BZ website for the two books they read. Students are welcome to read more than two books and fill out logs for each extra book they read as well.

Purpose:
Daily reading is one of the best ways to improve students’ reading comprehension, critical thinking skills, and general success in school. By reading at least two books over the summer, incoming sixth graders will retain the reading skills they learned in fifth grade and be prepared for sixth grade content and skills.

Suggested Books:

• A Place at the Table by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan

• A Work in Progress by Jarrett Lerner

• Becoming Muhammad Ali by James Patterson and Kwame Alexander

• Clean Getaway by Nic Stone

• El Deafo by Cece Bell

• Maizy Chen’s Last Chance by Lisa Yee

• Save Me a Seat by Gita Varadarajan and Sarah Weeks

• Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli 

• Sydney A. Frankel’s Summer Mix Up by Danielle Joseph 

• When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jameson & Omar Mohamed

Required Summer Reading for Incoming Seventh Graders:

All incoming seventh graders are required to read two books.

All students must read The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Students also need to choose one of the following books to read:

• The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden

• All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brandon Kiely

• House Arrest by K.A. Holt

• Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky

• Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga

• The Wednesday Wars (or its sequel, Okay for Now) by Gary Schmidt

• Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle

• Maybe He Just Likes You by Barbara Dee

• Letters from Cuba by Ruth Behar

• Ungifted by Gordan Korman

• Ellen Outside the Lines by A. J. Sass

 

Required Summer Reading for Incoming Eighth Graders:

All students must read The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank.