2025 Fourth Grade to Fifth Grade Summer Reading Book List Fourth Grade to Fifth Grade Summer Reading Book List Enigma GirlsCandace FlemingDuring WWII, teen girls at Bletchley Park’s secret Station X decoded Nazi messages, helping win the war. Chosen for skills in math and languages, they ran complex machines and kept vital secrets. Candace Fleming’s gripping narrative reveals their crucial yet little-known role in history and wartime efforts.Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia EarhartCandace FlemingExplore Amelia Earhart’s daring life and mysterious disappearance in this acclaimed biography featured in National Geographic’s Expedition Amelia. In 1937, Earhart attempted a 27,000-mile flight around the world but vanished over the Pacific. This well-researched book honors America’s legendary aviatrix and enduring mystery.Enormous SmallnessMatthew BurgessEnormous Smallness is a lively nonfiction picture book about poet E.E. Cummings. It shares his life and poems to inspire curiosity and wordplay in children. Emphasizing courage and individuality, it offers a spirited introduction to Cummings’ unique voice and the bravery it takes to be yourself.The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, Young Reader’s EditionChris GrabensteinThis inspiring memoir tells how William Kamkwamba, a young inventor from Malawi, built a windmill from scrap to bring electricity and water to his drought-stricken village. Retold for young readers, it shows how one brilliant idea can change lives, featuring photos, illustrations, and an updated epilogue.Rad American Women A-Z: Rebels, Trailblazers, and Visionaries who Shaped Our History . . . and Our Future!Kate SchatzThis A-Z book highlights 26 radical American women, from activists like Angela Davis to athletes like Billie Jean King. Spanning centuries and fields, it inspires readers with stories of courage and change. Featuring an introduction, afterword, and resource guide, it’s perfect for students grades 3–8 and beyond.Through My EyesRuby BridgesIn November 1960, all of America watched as a tiny six-year-old black girl, surrounded by federal marshals, walked through a mob of screaming segregationists and into her school. An icon of the civil rights movement, Ruby Bridges chronicles each dramatic step of this pivotal event in history through her own words.Sadako and the Thousand Paper CranesEleanor CoerrThe star of her school’s running team, Sadako is lively and athletic…until the dizzy spells start. Then she must face the hardest race of her life—the race against time. Based on a true story, Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes celebrates the courage that makes one young woman a heroine in Japan.Mountain of Fire: The Eruption and Survivors of Mount St. HelensRebecca BaroneAs Mount St. Helens rumbled ominously, scientists scrambled to predict its eruption, and Governor Dixie Lee Ray faced the tough call of evacuating residents. Despite warnings, no one was fully prepared for the devastation ahead. This gripping account captures the tension, science, and human drama of nature’s explosive power.The Mona Lisa VanishesNicholas DayThe Mona Lisa Vanishes recounts the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre, turning the painting into a global icon. Blending true crime and art history, it explores da Vinci’s strange genius, the mystery of the heist, and how the world’s most famous painting nearly didn’t exist.Bee Fearless: Dream Like a KidMikaila UlmerAfter two bee stings, Mikaila Ulmer turned fear into action, starting Me & the Bees Lemonade to save endangered bees. From a backyard stand to Shark Tank and the White House, her story shows how passion and entrepreneurship can make a difference in the world.Kid Presidents: True Tales of Childhood from America’s PresidentsDavid StablerEvery president started out as a kid! Forget the legends, tall tales, and historic achievements—before they were presidents, the future leaders of the United States had regular-kid problems just like you.Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the WorldRachel IgnotofskyWomen in Science showcases 50 trailblazing women in STEM with striking portraits and facts. It includes infographics on lab tools, STEM careers, and a glossary. Featuring pioneers like Jane Goodall and Katherine Johnson, this inspiring book celebrates the achievements that inspire future female scientists, engineers, and explorers. The Lemonade WarJacqueline DaviesEvan is great with people, while his sister Jessie excels at math but struggles with feelings. With five days left of summer, they compete in a lemonade-selling contest. As the rivalry grows, it’s unclear who will win…or if their sibling fight will ever end.A Wrinkle in TimeMadeleine L’EngleA Wrinkle in Time, winner of the Newbery Medal in 1963, is the story of the adventures in space and time of Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin O’Keefe (athlete, student, and one of the most popular boys in high school). They are in search of Meg’s father, a scientist who disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government on the tesseract problem.14 GoldfishJennifer L. HolmWith a lighthearted touch and plenty of humor, Jennifer Holm celebrates the wonder of science and explores fascinating questions about life and death, family and friendship, immortality . . . and possibility.WonderR. J. PalacioAuggie Pullman, born with a facial difference, starts fifth grade wanting to be treated normally. Told from multiple viewpoints, this heartfelt story explores kindness, empathy, and acceptance in a world battling bullying. R.J. Palacio’s bestseller inspires readers to embrace courage, friendship, and standing out with pride.Because of Mr. TeruptRob BuyeaSeven students are about to have their lives changed by one amazing teacher in this school story sequel filled with unique characters every reader can relate to.The Phantom TollboothNorton JusterWith nearly 5 million copies sold over 60 years, this beloved classic follows Milo’s adventures in the Lands Beyond. Norton Juster’s witty, wise story, enhanced by Jules Feiffer’s illustrations, continues to charm generations with its clever wordplay and timeless fantasy.Esperanza RisingPam Muñoz RyanEsperanza’s privileged life on her family’s Mexican ranch ends after tragedy. Forced to flee to a California labor camp during the Great Depression, she faces hardship, illness, and struggle. With her mother’s life at risk, Esperanza must find strength to overcome challenges and protect their future.The Lion the Witch and the WardrobeC. S. LewisFour adventurous siblings—Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie—step through a wardrobe door and into the land of Narnia, a land frozen in eternal winter and enslaved by the power of the White Witch. But when almost all hope is lost, the return of the Great Lion, Aslan, signals a great change, and a great sacrifice.Front DeskKelly YangMia Tang, a ten-year-old motel manager, keeps big secrets: her family lives in a motel, hides immigrants from the mean owner, and she dreams of being a writer. Facing challenges, Mia must use courage and kindness to protect her family, help others, and pursue her dreams.HatchetGary PaulsenThirteen-year-old Brian survives a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness. Alone with only a hatchet, he learns to build shelter, find food, and make fire, growing stronger and braver even after a tornado destroys his camp.Number the StarsLois LowryLois Lowry’s Newbery Medal-winning Number the Stars follows ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen as her family hides her Jewish friend Ellen during Nazi occupation. Witness the Danish Resistance’s heroic effort to save nearly seven thousand Jews by smuggling them to Sweden—a timeless story of courage, hope, and humanity amid war.HolesLouis SacharWrongly sent to a detention camp, Stanley Yelnats digs endless holes under a family curse and a suspicious warden, uncovering surprising truths about his past. About VSA Future Learning CenterFounded in 2015, VSA Future Learning Center offers engaging academic enrichment to students in Kindergarten through 12th grade. In Reading & Writing, Math, Public Speaking, SAT, and more, they’ve developed active learning models in their classrooms, where students have the chance to engage with new concepts, participate in meaningful group discussions, and build confidence in small-group settings, both virtually and in person. Between 2021 and 2025, 118 VSA students have earned regional and national awards in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. VSA enrollment is open for its summer camp, summer evening classes in ELA, Vocabulary, and Reading Comprehension, and its full slate of 2025–26 school year classes in English, Math, Reading & Writing, and Public Speaking. Learn more at www.vsafuture.com, call 973-951-9600, and visit at 600 S. Livingston Ave, Ste 105, Livingston, NJ 07039.
