Grade 1



Grade 2



Grade 3



Grade 4



Grade 5



These lists were curated by Ms. Pretz for ASIJ ES Students.
CLICK HERE TO ACCESS READING LISTS (print books)

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These lists were curated by Ms. Pretz for ASIJ ES Students.

With books you can go places! All it takes is a stack of great books and a commitment to read every day. Vacation reading will keep your child’s learning moving forward and there’s no better time for them to develop a lifelong habit of finding pleasure in books.
To support our students with their summer reading goals, the ASIJ Elementary Library allows returning students KG-Gr. 5 to check out books during summer vacation. If your child is interested in participating in summer checkout, please complete the summer checkout permission form below. All books are due on student orientation day in August. ( Rising 6th graders should bring their books on MS orientation day.)
This year homerooms will have a specified time the last week of school (M-T-W) for students to check out their summer reading books. 15 books/child will be the limit this year. If a parent is volunteering on campus during the last week of school (such as, for Field Day), the parent may check out an additional 10 books on the family account while on campus.
Recommended reading lists can be found on our catalog – Destiny Discover Collections or Destiny Home Page. Additionally, students and ASIJ families will also have 24/7 access to our incredible ebook and audiobook collection on the SORA app.
Students should bring a rolling suitcase or 2 cloth bags to carry their books home. The library will not be providing plastic bags for summer checkout.
This school year the elementary library had hundreds of books damaged due to water, pets, food, crayons, torn pages, and damaged book spines. Could you please remind your child that summer checkout is a unique privilege offered by ASIJ and that they should responsibly care for their library books over the summer vacation? Thank you for your support and understanding.
Please submit this form by June 6th if you would like your child to participate in summer checkout.
(click on hyperlink to view collection)

Thank You!
Ms. Tamara Pretz – ASIJ Elementary Librarian
March 3 – April 13, 2025
This challenge is an annual library challenge that takes place during the spring. The only rule is to make edible art that has something to do with books as shapes and/or content. This challenge is an opportunity for students to collaborate, create, problem-solve and most of all celebrate their favorite books! Over the past few years, students have made their edible art from cakes, cookies, pancakes, ice cream, fruit, fondant, mochi, rice, whipped cream, marshmallows, pretzels, vegetables, and there have even been a few “book bentos”.
You can enter your Books2Eat into one of the following categories:
Most Creative, Healthiest, Best Use of Materials, Most Kawaii (cutest), Best Use of Fondant, Most Original, Most Realistic Character(s), Best Replica of a Book Cover and Most Colorful
Photo #1 – A closeup of the edible art and the book.
Photo #2 – A photo of the edible art, the book, and the baker(s).
Photo submission example:
Check out the notable 2024 Best Books lists below:
Publishers Weekly’s Best Children’s and YA Books of 2024.
The New York Times Best Children’s Books of 2024.
School Library Journal’s Best Books of 2024.
Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books of 2024 list.
Booklist Editors’ Choice: Books for Youth 2024.
NPR’s 2024 Best Young Adult Books.
The Wall Street Journal’s Best Children’s Books of 2024.
The Guardian’s Best Children’s Books of 2024.
The New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Books Award for 2024.
NYPL’s Best Books for Kids 2024.
NYPL’s Best Books for Teens 2024.
Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best Books 2024.
Bank Street’s Best Children’s Books of the Year.
The Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature Best Books 2024.
American Indians in Children’s Literature Best Books of 2024.
Goodreads Readers’ Favorite Books 2024.
Book Riot‘s Best Children’s Books of 2024.
Amazon’s Best Children’s Books of 2024.
Barnes & Noble’s Best Picture Books of 2024.
Barnes & Noble’s Best Young Reader Books of 2024.
Barnes & Noble’s Best Teens & YA Books of 2024.
Waterstones’ Best Baby and Toddler Books.
Waterstones’ Best Children’s Fiction.
Waterstones’ Best Teenage & Young Adult.
The Globe and Mail’s Best Kids’ Books.
People’s Best Kids’ Books of 2024.
Good Housekeeping’s 2024 Kids’ Book Awards.
BookPage’s Best Picture Books of 2024.
BookPage’s Best Middle Grade of 2024.
BookPage’s Best Young Adult Books of 2024.
The National Science Teaching Association’s Best STEM Books for Young Readers.