The MMS Summer Reading List

01

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom
By Christopher Healy

Unfortunately, ‘happily ever after’ didn’t really happen. The four princes, Gustav, Liam, Frederic, and Duncan, are apparently not considered as charming by their princesses as by the bards who wrote those songs that called them all by the unspecific ‘Prince Charming’. But they’ve got bigger problems than that. The four--very different--princes have discovered a plot that puts all of their kingdoms in danger. 
 

02

The Fairytale Detectives (Sisters' Grimm Series)

By Michael Buckley

When Sabrina and Daphne Grimm’s parents are kidnapped, a crime so flawless that it stumped the police, the two girls are shipped off to multiple horrid foster homes. Finally, after the girls’ many daring escapades from the homes, the girls’ evil caseworker finds them a secure home with their grandmother, who was supposed to be dead, in a town that no one has ever heard of. During their adventure, Sabrina and Daphne discover a family secret kept from the outside world, let alone themselves.

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03

The Kane Chronicles

By Rick Riordan

After their mother’s mysterious death, two young siblings—Carter and Sadie Kane—are split up, Sadie to live with their maternal grandparents in London, Carter to live with their father (an Egyptologist) and assist him with his studies. On the one day where the three can be together as a family, Carter and Sadie’s father takes them to see the Rosetta Stone, where he releases the five main Egyptian gods, then gets trapped by the evil one, Set. Determined to free their father and uncover the mysteries he left behind, Carter and Sadie use their wits to defeat the evil god Set.

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04

Operation Redwood

By S. Terrell French

When Julian Carter-Li finds out that his Uncle Sibley’s company is out to destroy a grove of ancient redwoods in California, he and his friends set out to save the beautiful trees. Through protests, phone calls, and much, much more, Operation Redwood begins. Will Julian be able to save this grove and the stories of the trees that lie within it from the cruel hands of his very own uncle?

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05

The 13-Story Treehouse

By Andy Griffiths

The first book in an ongoing series, lovers of comical-cartoony literature will devour the unreal, yet somehow real novel, following the adventures of two best friends-Terry and Andy and of course, their treehouse. Terry and Andy’s self-built thirteen story treehouse is the best—with marshmallow-shooting machines, thirteen flying cats, bowling alleys, see through swimming pools, an underground laboratory (shh, it’s secret) Join Terry and Andy as they battle the many distractions of their awesome treehouse  in order to write their book.

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06

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library

By Chris Grabenstein

Kyle Keeley is a fan of all games, board games, word games and especially video games! He is one of the 12 lucky children who are chosen to spend the night at Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, Mr Lemoncello is the wackiest game inventor in the world and happened to open his cool, new library in Kyle’s town. After the night is over, the twelve children find the doors to the library shut, and they have to use every inch of cunning they have to… escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library!

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07

No Talking

By Andrew Clements

Dave Packer hates girls. He thinks they’re annoying, stupid, and useless. Especially Lyndsey Burgess. She is the worst girl ever. But when they get in a contest of no talking for a whole day, then he learns that she isn’t actually that bad, and that girls are actually very persistent and (gasp!!) even very smart.

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08

The Candymakers

By Wendy Mass

Four children have been chosen to compete in the national candy making contest, a once in a lifetime chance. Logan is trying to live up to his father and grandfather’s grand history. Daisy is a girl who has a secret. Philip is seemingly a child businessman, but has a secret sweet spot. Miles is a boy who never goes anywhere without a book. Will this ragtag group of kids be able to bond together and face the upcoming challenges in store for them?

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09

Flora & Ulysses 

By Kate DiCamillo

Flora is a cynic who spends her time reading comic books and trying to understand her parents’ divorce. When the neighbors’ vacuum almost kills a squirrel, Flora takes the squirrel under her wing and names it Ulysses after the vacuum that almost killed it. Miraculously the squirrel’s brush with death gives him new superpowers and Flora explains to Ulysses that he must use his powers to right wrongs and fight against injustice. Flora tries to find her original happy self, one that she lost after the divorce.  

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10

Ella Enchanted

By Gail Carson Levine

Ella has been cursed since birth to be obedient and it has affected her in a bad way. Her mother and Mandy, her cook, are the only ones who know about the curse. When her mother dies, she goes to find the fairy who gave her the curse.

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11

My Life As a Book
​By Janet Tashjian

Derek has his perfect summer plan laid out, throwing water balloons at the UPS truck, climbing onto the garage roof, conducting silly investigations etc. But, his plan is foiled when his parents decide to send him to Learning Camp. When Derek was labeled a reluctant reader, his mom has been pushing him to give up his loved Calvin and Hobbes, and read ‘real’ books. But, Derek forges unexpected friendships as he learns a big secret about his own early life.

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12

Fantastic Mr. Fox, George’s Marvelous Medicine, and the Twits

By Roald Dahl

These "fantastic and marvelous" books are full of lively characters and evil villains. Will the Fantastic Mr. Fox be able to escape the three evil farmers, can the Twits’ trained monkeys outwit the Twits? Will George's grandmother survive his marvelous medicine? Read one, two, or all three of these humorous short novels!

 

13

The True Meaning of Smekday
By Adam Rex

This book inspired the recent movie Home! After an alien invasion by the Boov species on planet Earth, eighth grader Gratuity’s mom gets taken by the Boov to go with all other humans to a restricted area. Gratuity needs to find her mom but here's the catch: She needs the help of another Boov. Gratuity finds it hard to trust a Boov to help her. ​

 

14

I Funny
​By James Patterson

Jamie Grimm is a boy with one major strength, comedy. Once he hears his Uncle Frank talking about a Funny Kid contest he immediately knows he has to go join and win. Will he win the a million dollar prize or will he continually be bullied by his cousin Stevie? Is telling jokes at his uncle's diner enough experience to make him win?

 

15

The London Eye Mystery

By Siobhan Dowd

Ted and Kat, two siblings who don’t get along, are put in charge of their cousin, Salim. When Salim disappears atop the London Eye, the two siblings have to put aside their differences and combine their wits to save their cousin.