Summer Reading for the Elementary Division

Dear summer readers, we are wishing you the happiest, healthiest, most fun summer with a lot of time lying on the grass reading (or inside, in the air conditioning).
If you read with a device, remember that you still have access to our MackinVIA and Sora collections any time- new titles added weekly. On Mondays through Fridays, 8am to 4pm, you can also access our Epic and Pinna collections of books, audiobooks, and podcasts for kids. Your Epic class code is SNY9020 and your Pinna code is 6S1LJ9.
If you prefer a print book, don’t forget to get your MyLibraryNYC card that allows FINE-FREE BORROWING(!!) for Rodeph Sholom Students from the New York Public Library. Check out their summer reading goodies, too! Most NYPL locations are now open for curbside pickup and limited browsing. If you are going to buy, we highly recommend indie locals WORD bookstores and Books of Wonder for your ordering needs- and be sure to check out their summer book programming for author visits, book clubs, and more.
Slidebrary will remain open for business through the beginning of next school year. You can use Slidebrary to get to different websites for music, art, science, math, and coding. Slidebrary is now student-edited, so if you want to be an editor and add different sites that you enjoy over the summer, please email Ms. Shaw at eshaw@rssnyc.org.
Now for the big question: What should you read?!?! The linked lists below will get you off to a great start. Parents, you can use your students’ login to access MackinVIA lists, or login with username rodeph and password sholom.
Student Recommendations – Rodeph Sholom’s Favorites
Dare To Be Scared Spooky stories to chill your bones
Falling for Sports Books for sports fanatics of all genders
Fantasy Magic, spells, witches and myths.
Funny Illustrated Fiction Like Big Nate or Dog Man? Try these funny illustrated books.
Graphic Novels For fans of Smile and El Deafo.
1st Grade Recommendations Great books for a range of interests and a range of 1st grade reading levels
2nd Grade Recommendations Great books for a range of interests and a range of 2nd grade reading levels
3rd Grade Recommendations Great books for a range of interests and a range of 3rd grade reading levels
Great Middle Grade Novels for Middle Schoolers Great books for fully launched readers with more middle-school themes.
Word Bookstore’s Summer Picks for Kids
The first books I’m reading? Not Your All-American Girl by Madelyn Rosenberg and Wendy Wan-Long Shang and All Thirteen: The incredible cave rescue of the Thai boys’ soccer team by Christina Soontornvat.
For any account issues or password resets for current or former students, please contact Ms. Shaw at eshaw@rssnyc.org! Happy reading and…

2nd Grade DL Recommendations
The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak (A.D.R.S.)

Saturday by Oge Mora
This gentle story about expectation, disappointment, and gratitude is perfect for teaching about Shabbat, special days, and dealing with unexpected challenges. -Elizabeth Shaw
Weslandia by Paul Fleischman and Kevin Hawkes
This is a fantastic book to talk about the activities that make up culture and civilizations. It’s a long one for little kids to sit through, but the vibrant illustrations make it delightful to pore over or use with older kids. -Elizabeth Shaw
Yo? Yes! by Chris Raschka
I love the simplicity of this book and have found it to be a powerful tool with children who present with emerging language. The illustrations are emotive and the friendship has a universal feeling. -Zubeida Ullah-Eisenberg
Mock Newbery II: The Sequel
After this year’s Mock Newbery Club was a roaring success, we can’t wait any longer to get started on the next one!
Who It’s For
The Mock Newbery club is open to current, former, and future Rodeph Sholom Students who will enter the 4th, 5th, or 6th grade in Fall 2020.
What It Is
Every year, the American Library Association awards the John Newbery Medal to the most distinguished book for children published in America in the past year. A Mock Newbery Club is a group of students and teachers who read the books we think are most likely to win, talk about them, and vote on which one WE would give the medal to.
What Do Mock Newbery Club Members Do?
To participate in the club, you should try to read at least three books from the list below by November 3rd, 2020, and an additional two before January 22nd, 2021.
RSS librarians will host optional social meetings over the summer every Thursday from 3:30-4:30 at the RSS Virtual Library for anyone who is dying to talk about the book they just finished or get help deciding which to read next. After finishing a book, readers can post about it in an online forum or record a conversation with a friend or librarian about the book.
Between September and January we will have a monthly lunch or break meeting to discuss and deliberate on which books we think should win.
The week of January 27th, we will have a party to celebrate the reading we’ve done and kibitz about the ALA’s decision.
Benefits of Mock Newbery Club
Mock Newbery participants can use their Mock Newbery reading to count for summer reading and independent reading requirements. They also have priority on checking out these high-interest titles from the Rodeph Sholom School Library on MackinVIA and on site at 79th street.
What are the books?

How do I sign up?
Fill out the form below:
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