1. art and entertainment
2. books and literature

NoveList
NoveList is an online
database that contains
summaries and published
reviews of more than
150,000 fiction titles for all
ages, as well as Lexile levels, book discussion
guides and lists of award-winning books. Visit
NoveList at http://search.ebscohost.com. Enter
the username “dps” and the password “ebsco.”
Scholastic Teacher Book Wizard
Build a great reading list by visiting this free site
at http://bookwizard.scholastic.com.The
“BookAlike” feature allows you to identify one
of your child's favorite books, and then it shows
you other books similar to it.You can even
adjust the reading difficulty level up or down. In
the “List Exchange,” children can browse the
reading lists of their best friends — or even
their favorite authors! Check out the “Summer
Reading Buzz” link for lots more.
Durham Public Schools
Media Services Division
2107 Hillandale Road
Durham, North Carolina 27705
[email protected]
Tel: 919.560.3704
www.dpsnc.net
This summer, be sure and explore these online
Destiny Online Catalog
Summer Reading Book Lists
Access your school’s media center
The following lists are suggestions of books for summer reading enjoyment, compiled and reviewed
collection anytime, anywhere by visiting
by Durham Public Schools Media Coordinators. For most books listed in school and public library
http://destiny.dpsnc.net. Destiny provides a
online catalogs there are publishers’ suggested reading levels, Lexile™ levels and/or interest levels
view of the book cover next to the catalog
that can assist readers in book selection.
resources from home, from any public library branch,
or from a nearby Community Learning Center.
Find a Book with Lexiles
Message from the Superintendent
Young readers can build a list of
record and includes published reviews when
books they'll actually want to
available. In addition to catalog information on
read by using the “Find a Book with Lexiles”
all media center materials, Destiny provides
Website at www.lexile.com/findabook.This
access to educator approved Websites on
site makes it easy for young people to find
all topics through a special feature called
books at their reading level, whether they’re
“Webpath Express.” For more information,
reading for school or for pleasure.
contact your school’s media coordinator.
It's easy to get started:
❚ Check off topics about which you are
We want every student to develop a habit of reading both for learning and for
pleasure. Research has shown that reading over the summer months helps students
retain the valuable gains they have made during the regular school year.
interested in reading.
❚ Fill a BookBag with books about those
topics at your reading level.
❚ Print out your list and take it to your local
TumbleBook Library is an online collection of
library or bookstore to get those books.
animated, talking picture books for elementary
❚ You can even look up the books in the
Durham County Library.
Again this summer, Durham Public Schools is joining with the Durham County
Library, Durham Communities in Schools, and MetaMetrics, developers of The Lexile
Framework for Reading, to promote summer reading. Public Library staff members
are eager to assist students with book selection and have a variety of fun and exciting
programs for children and youth. This year’s theme for the Summer Reading Program
at Durham County Library is “Catch the Reading Bug.” Look for details in the summer
edition of Branching Out, available at any Durham County Library branch. Programs
are also listed on the DCL Website at www.durhamcountylibrary.org.
Join this summer’s reading program at the Durham County Library and make full use
of the school media center throughout the school year. Let’s all read!
Carl E. Harris, Ed.D.
Superintendent
TumbleBooks and TumbleReadables
school students in an electronic format which
It is important to recognize that reading levels serve as a general guide and do not always reflect
the suitability of a particular book for every child. School library media coordinators and public
librarians are trained to provide reader’s advisory services, and are always willing to help you locate
books that are interesting and written at an appropriate level.
Lower Elementar y Titles
Author
Henkes, Kevin
Lindeen, Carol
McKissack, Pat
Osborne, Mary Pope
Soto, Gary
Stevens, Janet
Wells, Rosemary
Willems, Mo
Title
Chrysanthemum
Life in an Ocean
Messy Bessey
Lions at Lunchtime
Chato’s Kitchen
The Great Fuzz Frenzy
Bunny Cakes
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus
Grade Levels
K-3
K-2
K-3
2-3
K-3
K-3
K-3
K-3
Lexile
460L
290L
140L
370L
740L
420L
550L
120L
Other favorite authors include Marcia Brown, Eric Carle, Gail Haley, Ezra Jack Keats, Arnold Lobel, Gerald
McDermott, David McPhail,William Steig, and David Weisner
children can read or have read to them.
❚ Have fun reading!
❚ TumbleBooks includes puzzles, games and a
Upper Elementary and Middle School Titles
book report template for many of these
Lexile Chart of Average Reader Ranges
Grade
K&1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11 & 12
Lexile Ranges
10L to 270L
275L to 575L
390L to 690L
500L to 800L
630L to 905L
700L to 975L
780L to 1040L
830L to 1090L
880L to 1125L
930L to 1155L
945L to 1165L
e-books.
❚ TumbleReadables is an online collection of
chapter books,YA/Teen novels, and classics
for elementary, middle and high school
students which features adjustable online
text and complete audio narration.
To access TumbleBooks, go to
www.tumblebooks.com. Enter “dpsnc” as the
Author
Balliett, Blue
Choldenko, Gennifer
Curtis, Christopher
Draper, Sharon
Johnson, Angela
Selznick, Brian
Snicket, Lemony
Wiles, Deborah
Title
Chasing Vermeer
Al Capone Does My Shirts
Bud, Not Buddy
Lost in the Tunnel of Time
Heaven
The Invention of Hugo Cabret
The Bad Beginning
Love, Ruby Lavendar
Grade Levels
4-5
5-8
5-8
3-6
6-9
3-6
4-8
3-6
Lexile
770L
600L
950L
610L
790L
820L
1010L
570L
Other favorite authors include Beverly Cleary, Eoin Colfer, Cornelia Funke,Virginia Hamilton, Carl
Hiaasen, Karen Hesse, E.L. Konigsburg, Lois Lowry, Richard Peck, and Mildred Taylor
username, and “books” as the password.
Middle and High School Titles
Author
Alvarez, Julia
Cabot, Meg
Card, Orson Scott
Grimes, Nikki
Martel,Yann
Myers,Walter Dean
Osa, Nancy
Paulsen, Gary
Title
Before We Were Free
All-American Girl
Ender’s Game
Jazmin’s Notebook
Life of Pi
Monster
Cuba 15
Brian’s Winter
Grade Levels
6-10
6-12
6-10
6-10
10-12
7-12
6-10
5-10
Lexile
890L
880L
780L
980L
830L
670L
750L
1140L
Other favorite authors include Laurie Halse Anderson, Joan Bauer, Chris Crutcher, Karen Cushman,
Sharon Draper, Angela Johnson, Robin McKinley, Ben Mikaelsen, and Tamora Pierce