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End-of-summer reading list

Another school year is almost upon us. That means it's back to the books for North Shore students and there is a crop of stellar new picks for kids and teens.
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Another school year is almost upon us.

That means it's back to the books for North Shore students and there is a crop of stellar new picks for kids and teens. As reading levels can vary drastically between different students, the grade assignments below are only suggestions. Keep in mind that any reading material that piques your child's interest and keeps them engaged is a worthwhile choice.

Kindergarten

Number One Sam by Greg Pizzoli, Disney Hyperion

After bursting onto the scene with his award-winning storytime favourite The Watermelon Seed, Greg Pizzoli is back with the story of a racecar-driving dog who learns an important lesson about competition.

Grade 1

Spark by Kallie George, illustrations by Genevieve Cote, Simply Read Books

Vancouver-based author Kallie George brings us an easy reader with the warm, classic feel of Frog and Toad and Little Bear, but starring a dragon who needs to control his fire-breathing abilities.

Grade 2

Battle Bunny by Jon Scieszka and Mac Barnett, illustrations by Matthew Myers, Simon Schuster

A two-layered story, one sweet and saccharine and the other raucous and pell-mell, that make this the perfect pick for an energetic child who is feeling confident about reading independently.

Grade 3

Bowling Alley the Bandit (The Adventures of Arnie the Doughnut #1) by Laurie Keller, Henry Holy and Company

This chapter book/comic hybrid in the same vein as Frankie Pickle and Diary of a Wimpy Kid is pure silliness starring a doughnut named Arnie who acts as a faithful pet (or a "doughnut-dog").

Grade 4

Circus Dogs of Prague by Rachelle Delaney, Puffin Canada

This sequel to The Metro Dogs of Moscow is a terrific pick for animal-crazy kids who have graduated from the Critter Club series or enjoyed E.B. White's animal stories. It also makes a superb family read-aloud.

Grade 5

A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd, Scholastic

Magic unmelting ice cream, a precocious heroine who sees words in the air, and a small-town mystery make this one of the most feel-good, delicious stories of the year. Fans of The Penderwicks and Wonder will love this one.

Grade 6

Mouseheart by Lisa Fiedler, illustrations by Vivienne To, Margaret K. McElderry Books

A young pet store mouse named Hopper barely escapes the jaws of a hungry snake and runs away to find himself in a complex society of rats, mice, cats and other creatures far beneath the New York City subway system. An epic, adventure-filled tale for kids who love the Silvering saga, Redwall and the Warriors series.

Grade 7

The Boundless by Kenneth Oppel, HarperCollins Canada

Kenneth Oppel is one of our nation's premiere storytellers and this fast-paced story based on laying CPR's last spike mixes history, fantasy, Canadiana and bloodlust into one of the best reads of the entire year.

Grade 8

City of Death by Sarwat Chadda, Arthur A. Levine Books

This sequel to The Savage Fortress is what all Rick Riordan fans should read next. Based in Hindu mythology, the body count is a little higher than in the Percy Jackson series but is an ideal pick for kids and teens who like blockbuster reads.

Grade 9

The Story of Owen: Dragon Slayer of Trondheim by E.K. Johnston, Lerner

One of the most original, thought-provoking books out this year, new author E.K. Johnston dazzles with this story about dragons living in modern-day Canada. Adult Canadian history buffs will also get a big kick out of this one.

Grade 10

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner, Hyperion

Mix Star Trek, Survivor, and Lost with a healthy heaping of teen romance and you have one of the most popular teen reads out now. The second in the trilogy is due out late December (and a television series based on the books in the works).

Grade 11

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. Delacorte.

Four teens and one accident. The ending is a total and complete shocker. For fans of John Green, Gayle Forman, and anyone who likes a cataclysmic twist a few pages from the end.

Grade 12

This One Summer by Mariko and Jillian Tamaki, Groundwood

Seniors can take one last trip to the lake in this masterful graphic novel that perfectly captures a summer in those strange “in-between” years when adolescents are struggling out of their childhood cocoons.

Shannon Ozirny is head of Youth Services at West Vancouver Memorial Library. This list originally appeared in the North Shore News spcial section called Back to Class, which featured back-to-school topics.