We recently went to Edgewood Elementary School in Greenfield, Wisconsin, to talk to the fourth grade students there about what they’ll be reading over the summer. They gave us some superb recommendations, so we wanted to share them with you, too. From books about hiking the Appalachian Trail to a Judy Blume classic, take a look at some of their top picks. Watch the video right here, and then read more about their reviews below.
Annabelle
Nature Girl by Jane Kelley
“The main girl, Megan, gets stuck on the Appalachian Trail with only her dog. She was taking a hike in the woods, and then she gets lost from her big sister. There are twists and turns through the whole book.”
Alina
Counting By 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan
“Willow is an extraordinary girl with an extraordinary family. I think she’s special because she does what she wants. And when Willow feels like everything is horrible, she escapes by going to the library.”
Sydney
Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel
“Bad Kitty always makes me laugh. Whenever I feel sad or down, I know I can get one of my books, and Bad Kitty is always going to make me smile.”
Tanner
Hatchet by Gary Paulson
“I love Hatchet because it’s a survival story. He gets dropped off in the wilderness with nothing but his hatchet, and he has to build his own shelter and fish for his own food. You don’t really know how he’s going to do it!”
Suha
The Book of Dares for Lost Friends by Jane Kelley
“This book is mysterious, adventurous, and magical. It always had me wondering what was going to happen next.”
Brenna
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
“I can relate to the main character, Margaret Simon. She has a hard decision to make because both of her parents are different religions, but she doesn’t want to have to choose. Sometimes she wonders if she even needs God. Margaret is really independent, and I like this about her a lot.”
Kaitlyn
11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass
“Amanda, the main character, keeps having her 11th birthday over and over again. You think its would be awesome to have 11 birthdays all in a row, but it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.”
