Reading Lists for Summer and the School Year
Note to Parents: You and your student should enjoy reading any of the books on the lists, except: the books for in-class reading for their level and all higher levels. ‘
Additionally, if you want your student to have their own copy of in-class reading books for the coming year, begin shopping for those now. We have provided links to Amazon for convenience, but we encourage you to buy books second-hand from eBay and other sites. Please try to buy used books printed prior to 2020.
And now….
One exciting aspect of classical education is your child’s interaction with great works of literature. As part of our goal at CCCA, we desire children who are passionate readers, craving stories that inspire a love for noble deeds and beautiful worlds.
We hope you will discover that introducing these works to your children will bring you joy— joy in being there as your child’s world expands, and joy in discovering or rediscovering these great characters and stories for yourself.
The reading lists have been carefully chosen for their themes and their beautiful language. For each level, we give two lists: one for summer and afterschool reading, and one for in-class reading.
CCCA has some of these books in our library (marked with *). All of the books are in print and can be purchased online (direct links to Amazon are provided, although we often buy from other sites.) We highly recommend purchasing used books, and we are grateful for the donation of used books!
Please take notice that many books are being edited to make them more appealing to “modern readers.” We do not recommend these new editions. To buy the original versions, try to buy used books that were printed before 2020, when possible.
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For this level the summer and in-class reading lists are the same list. Your child will benefit from reading these books with your over, and over, and over. And over. Enjoy.
The Little Red Hen by Paul Galdone
The House That Jack Built illustrated by J.P. Miller *
Mr. Pine’s Purple House by Leonard Kessler *
Curious George by H.A. Rey *
Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
My Shadow by Robert Louis Stevenson, illustrated by Glenna Lang
Charlie Needs a Cloak by Tomie dePaola
Barndance by Bill Martin Kr. & John Archambault
Tikki Tikki Tembo retold by Arlene Mosel
Noah’s Ark by Barbara Shook Hazen & Diane Muldrow *
The Quilt Story by Tony Johnston & Tomie dePaola
In November by Cynthia Rylant
The Gingerbread Boy by Paul Galdone
The Little Drummer Boy by Ezra Jack Keats
The Friendly Beasts by Tomie dePaola
Color Kittens by Margaret Wise Brown*
The Mitten by Jan Brett *
Snow by Cynthia Rylant *
Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney *
Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann *
Never Tease a Weasel by Jean Conder Soule
The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown
The Golden Egg Book by Margaret Wise Brown *
Home for a Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown *
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss *
Corduroy by Don Freeman
One Fine Day by Nonny Hogrogian
Three Billy Goats Gruff by Paul Galdone
Andy and the Lion by James Daugherty
Chester’s Way by Kevin Henkes
The Story of Little Babaji by Helen Bannerman
Ten Little Rubber Ducks by Eric Carle *
The Empty Pot by Demi
The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant
The Song of Francis by Tomie dePaola *
The Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown
A Tree Is Nice by Janice May Udry
How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World by Marjorie Priceman
Frederick by Leo Lionni
Follow the Dream: The Story of Christopher Columbus by Peter Sis *
Ox-Cart Man by Donald Hall
Pumpkin Moonshine by Tasha Tudor *
The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf
Pancakes, Pancakes! by Eric Carle
Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban
This First Thanksgiving Day by Laura Krauss Melmed
The Little Fir Tree by Margaret Wise Brown
The Twelve Days of Christmas illustrated by Jan Brett
Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree by Robert Barry *
Stellaluna by Janell Cannon *
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen *
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening illustrated by Susan Jeffers *
Gregory’s Shadow by Don Freeman
Walter the Baker by Eric Carle
Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton
The Frogs and Toads All Sang by Arnold Lobel *
Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran
Cactus Hotel by Brenda Z. Guiberson
Hide and Seek Fog by Alvin Tresselt
All Things Bright and Beautiful by Cecil Frances Alexander *
A Tale for Easter by Tasha Tudor
What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? by Steve Jenkins & Robin Page
A House for Hermit Crab by Eric Carle
An Extraordinary Egg by Leo Lionni
The Seven Silly Eaters by Mary Ann Hoberman
Come On, Rain! by Karen Hesse *
Wonders of Nature by Eloise Wilkins *
Hubert’s Hair-Raising Adventure by Bill Peet
Abe’s Fish by Jen Bryant *
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These books will be read in class with students and will be used for phonics and writing lessons.
Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik and Maurice Sendak*
Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel
Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina*
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey*
StoryTime Treasures
Billy and Blaze by C.W. Anderson
Blaze and the Forest Fire by C.W. Anderson
The Story About Ping by Marjorie Flack
Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie
Stone Soup *
The Little House
Miss Rumphius
More StoryTime Treasures Student Guide
More StoryTime Treasures Teacher Guide
Christmas in the Big Woods
Winter on the Farm
Little House Christmas Treasury
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Repeated reading of these works is a good thing. Begin with reading to the student so that they can hear what fluent reading sounds like; then have the student read to you, with help if needed.
A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker
The Ink Garden of Brother Theophane by C. M. Millen
A House Is a House for Me by Mary Ann Hoberman
Miss Twiggley’s Tree by Dorothea Warren Fox
Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile by Bernard Waber
A Picture Book of Christopher Columbus by David A. Adler
Katy No-Pocket by Emmy Pane
Wynken, Blynken, and Nod by Eugene Field, Illustrated by Johanna Westerman
The Caboose Who Got Loose by Bill Peet
The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear
The Little Island by Margaret Wise Brown
The Very First Thanksgiving Day Rhonda Gowler Greene
Choo Choo by Virginia Lee Burton
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss *
Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
The Moon Shines Down by Margaret Wise Brown
Norman the Doorman by Don Freeman
Pickle-Chiffon Pie by Jolly Roger Bradfield
The Star-Spangled Banner Illustrated by Peter Spier
Abe Lincoln: The Boy Who Loved Books by Kay Winters
White Snow, Bright Snow by Alvin Tresselt
Patrick – Patron Saint of Ireland by Tomie de Paola
Doctor DeSoto by William Steig
Little Toot by Hardie Gramatky
Rechenka’s Eggs by Patricia Polacco
The Glorious Flight by Alice and Martin Provensen
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears by Verna Aardema
Fly High, Fly Low by Don Freeman
Millions of Cats by Wanda Ga’g
The Storm Book by Charlotte Zolotow
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton
A Time to Keep by Tasha Tudor
Saint Francis and the Wolf by Jane Langton, Illustrated by Ilse Plume
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These books will be read in class with students and will be used for phonics and writing lessons.
Prairie School by Avi
The Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh
Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Animal Folk Tales of America by Tony Palazzo
The Tale of Benjamin Bunny by Beatrix Potter
The Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse by Beatrix Potter
The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter *
The Tale of Tom Kitten by Beatrix Potter
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These books will be read aloud at school, but they are also good choices for at home reading. Repeated reading of these works is a good thing. Read them to your student so that they can hear what good, fluent reading sounds like, and let them read to you a bit.
Johnny Appleseed by Reeve Lindbergh
The Boy Who Drew Birds by Jacqueline Davies
The Monkey and the Crocodile by Paul Galdone
Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss *
The Ant and the Elephant by Bill Peet
One Morning in Maine by Robert McCloskey *
Amos and Boris by William Steig
Cinderella by Marcia Brown
A Picture Book of Amelia Earhart by David A. Adler
Ming Lo Moves the Mountain by Arnold Lobel
Wee Gillis by Munro Leaf
The Thanksgiving Story by Alice Dalgliesh
Lucy’s Christmas by Donald Hall
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski
The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams *
The Big Snow by Berta and Elmer Hader
The Emperor’s New Clothes by Hans Chrstian Andersen, illustrated by Virginia Lee Burton *
The Gardener by Sarah Stewart
Saint Valentine by Robert Sabuda
George Washington’s Breakfast by Jean Fritz
Farewell to Shady Glade by Bill Peet
Cyrus the Unsinkable Sea Serpent by Bill Peet
Emily by Michael Bedard
Sam, Bangs, & Moonshine by Evaline Ness
Island Boy by Barbara Cooney
The Easter Egg by Jan Brett
Paul Revere’s Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, illustrated by Ted Rand
Verdi by Janell Cannon
The Gift of the Tree by Alvin Tresselt
Maybelle the Cable Car by Virginia Lee Burton
A Visit to William Blake’s Inn by Nancy Willard
The Fourth of July Story by Alice Dalgliesh
Lucy’s Summer by Donald Hall
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These books will be read in class with students and will be used for writing lessons.
Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder *
Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White *
A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond*
Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard Atwater and Florence Atwater
Poetry for the Grammar Stage Anthology, Third Edition
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
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Casey at the Bat ill. by Katie Khan
Cupid and Psyche by M. Charlotte Craft
They Were Strong and Good by Robert Lawson
The Stranger by Chris Van Allsburg
Persephone by Sally Pomme Clayton
Chanticleer and the Fox by Barbara Cooney
Rikki Tikki Tavi by Rudyard Kipling, ill. by Jerry Pinkney
The Tale of the Firebird by Gennady Spirin
Over the River and Through the Wood by Lydia Maria Child, ill. by Christopher Manson
Why Christmas Trees Aren’t Perfect by Richard H. Schneider
An Orange for Frankie by Patricia Polacco
The Nutcracker by E.T.A Hoffmann
The Nutcracker by Stephanie Spinner
The Night Before Christmas ill. by Anita Lobel
Christmas Day in the Morning by Pearl S. Buck
Rapunzel by Paul O. Zelinsky *
King Midas and the Golden Touch by Charlotte Craft
Pegasus by Marianna Mayer
The Tale of the Three Trees by Angela Elwell Hunt *
The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen, ill. by Jerry Pinkney
The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen
Thomas Jefferson Builds a Library by Barb Rosenstock
Squanto & the Miracle of Thanksgiving by Eric Metaxas
Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne
Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers
D’Aulaires’ Book of Norse Myths by Ingri and Edgar Parin D’Aulaire *
American Tall Tales by Mary Pope Osborne
The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright
James Herriot’s Treasury for Children by James Herriot, ill. by Ruth Brown & Peter Barrett
A Day on Skates by Hilda van Stockum
The Magician’s Nephew by C. S. Lewis *
The Borrowers by Mary Norton *
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett *
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
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The Cricket in Times Square (Any edition prior to the 2020 rewrites, try to find this on ebay or in a used book store)
Heidi by (For 2023-2024 Heidi will replace Homer Price)
Selections from The Blue Fairy Book, Second Edition
Papa Panov’s Special Christmas
A Promise Kept
(Homer Price will return in 2024-2025)
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An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving by Louisa May Alcott
The Story of the Treasure Seekers by E. Nesbit
I Saw Three Ships by Elizabeth Goudge
Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie*
The Apple and the Arrow by Mary and Conrad Buff
Farmer Giles of Ham by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Black Stallion by Walter Farley
Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome
The Reluctant Dragon by Kenneth Grahame
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken
Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling
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The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe *
Heidi *
Lassie Come-Home
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Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
The Winged Watchman by Hilda Van Stockum
Call It Courage by Armstrong Sperry
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell *
Little Lord Fauntleroy by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell *
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Adam of the Road
The Door in the Wall
Robin Hood *
King Arthur *
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Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott *
Tales from Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
The Princess & the Goblin by George MacDonald *
I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth Borton de Treviño
Across Five Aprils Irene Hunt
The Story of the Other Wise Man by Henry Van Dyke
