Reading with the Huskies - Summer 2025

Welcome!

Reading with the Huskies Summer 2025 connects Harrison High School students with emerging student readers in our elementary schools. Our high school students are looking forward to leading book talks with rising 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students, and are especially excited to meet your child and share their love of reading. Take a look at the schedule of all the book talk sessions listed below and choose the book that interests you. Learn more about the books and hear from our Husky Readers by clicking the bar with the name of the book - each Husky Reader has recorded a welcome video!

Here's how to Read with the Huskies...sign up now!

Check out the book summaries below and select a book that interests you.
Sign up for the book talk session by signing up on Family ID
READ!
You will receive a Zoom link for your book talk with a Husky Reader before your scheduled session.
Registration will close on June 25th.

Enrollment is on a first come first served basis and limited to 7 students per session. Sessions will be held July 7-10 and July 14-17, each book talk is 30 minutes and begins at 4:30 pm or 5:15pm. A complete schedule of sessions is listed below.

Reading with the Huskies is developed by the HCSD English Language Arts Department as a way to increase opportunities for students to read over the summer and create positive experiences around independent reading.

Click the Husky to enjoy a special Reading with the Huskies jingle written by HHS alumni Jack Gessner and performed by Justin Suozzo

Meet our Husky Readers and learn about their book choices!

Bug Scouts, Out in the Wild

Matt McCoy, Marco Marisi

Date: July 7

Time: 4:30-5:00 pm

Recommended Reader: 3rd grade

Summary: "Raise your leg or antenna, and make the BUG SCOUT pact: "I promise to fly, I promise to crawl Or make a cool web, or roll into a ball. I pledge to be brave and adventurous too. And do all of the things that bugs like to do!" Meet Doug, Abby, and Josh: the BUG SCOUTS! Doug and Abby love everything about being Bug Scouts: their super-duper top-secret headquarters, earning bug badges, wearing scout gear, and, of course, snacks. Josh, meanwhile, is a grump and doesn't like anything (except the snacks). The Bug Scouts begin to work on earning the "foraging" bug badge, which they can only get if they successfully find an edible plant. Together, they head into the woods in search for adventure and something to eat. But will they be able to avoid the poisonous plants and manage to not get eaten by a clever frog?!

Super Turbo Saves the Day

Jacob Burack, Aldo Buonocore

Date: July 7

Time: 5:15-5:45 pm

Recommended Reader: 3rd grade

Summary: You know Turbo as the crime-fighting hamster from the Captain Awesome books. But ever wonder what actually goes on when the last school bell rings and Turbo is left to his own devices? After all, what do you think your class pets do all day? You think they sleep, eat, and wait for you to play with them? Well, think again, because Turbo isn’t just any hamster. He’s SUPER TURBO and he’s here to fight evil in and out of the classroom! Along with his superpet companions, Turbo battles everyday evils at Sunnyview Elementary, such as flying ninja squirrels, a gang of evil rats, giant Eraser Dude, and more!

In this first book, Turbo realizes that he’s not the only superpet in town (or in school). As he meets fellow superpets, such as Angelina the guinea pig (a.k.a. Wonder Pig) and Frank the rabbit (a.k.a. Boss Bunny), he also encounters a super VILLAIN: a rat who goes by the name of Whiskerface. Can Turbo and the Superpet Superhero League save the school from Whiskerface and his rat pack?

The Kingdom of Wrenly

Anabel Zihenni, Nicole Gjonaj

Date: July 8

Time: 4:30-5:00 pm

Recommended Reader: 4th Grade

Summary: Meet Lucas, the eight year-old prince, and Clara, the daughter of the queen’s seamstress. Lucas is an only child who longs to make friends and go on adventures. Clara knows the kingdom well, so she and Lucas team up and explore the lands of Wrenly!

In The Lost Stone, Lucas and Clara search for Queen Tasha’s missing emerald. On their exciting adventure, they travel to all the main attractions of Wrenly: Primlox (the island of fairies), Burth (the island of trolls), Crestwood (the island of dragons), Hobsgrove (the island of wizards), and the beautiful Mermaid’s Cove. King Caleb has promised to reward the person who finds the precious stone, and Lucas and Clara are determined to search the entire kingdom until they find it!

With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, The Kingdom of Wrenly chapter books are perfect for beginning readers.

Upside Down Magic

Emily Salemo

Date: July 8

Time: 5:15-5:45 pm

Recommended Reader: 5th Grade

Summary: Nory Horace is nine years old. She's resourceful, she's brave, she likes peanut butter cookies. Also, she's able to transform into many different animals. Unfortunately, Nory's shape-shifting talent is a bit wonky. And when she flunks out of her own father's magic academy, Nory's forced to enter public school, where she meets a group of kids whose magic is, well, different.

This new, offbeat series from hit authors Sarah Mlynowski, Lauren Myracle, and Emily Jenkins chronicles the misadventures of Nory and her oddball friends, who prove that upside-down magic definitely beats right side up.

The Homesick Kitten

Augusta Pinkowitz

Date: July 9

Time: 4:30-5:00 pm

Recommended Reader: 4th Grade

Summary: Zoey discovers a glowing photo and learns an amazing secret. Injured magical animals come to their backyard barn for help! When a sick baby dragon appears, it’s up to Zoey and Sassafras to figure out what’s wrong. Will they be able to help little Marshmallow before it’s too late?

The Year of the Book

Laura Novak

Date: July 10

Time: 4:30-5:00 pm

Recommended Reader: 4th Grade

Summary: In Chinese, peng you means friend. But in any language, all Anna knows for certain is that friendship is complicated. When Anna needs company, she turns to her books. Whether traveling through A Wrinkle in Time, or peering over My Side of the Mountain, books provide what real life cannot—constant companionship and insight into her changing world.

Books, however, can’t tell Anna how to find a true friend. She’ll have to discover that on her own. In the tradition of classics like Maud Hart Lovelace’s Betsy-Tacy books and Eleanor Estes’ One Hundred Dresses, this novel subtly explores what it takes to make friends and what it means to be one.

Best Wishes

Paige Bianchini

Date: July 10

Time: 5:15-5:45 pm

Recommended Reader: 5th grade

Summary: Becca Singer is having the Worst Day Ever. Her best friend, Harper, dumped her, and Becca is totally friendless and alone. Then the box arrives in the mail. Inside the box? One bracelet, plus a mysterious note telling Becca to make a wish. So Becca puts on the bracelet-why not, right?-and wishes to have friends. Lots of friends. So many friends. And just like that, the magic works. Suddenly, EVERYONE wants to be Becca's BFF, from all the kids at school to the teachers (!) to her own mom (!!).As things spin out of control, Becca starts to wonder: Is this wish a curse?

This series is perfect for fans of Whatever After, Real Friends, The Baby-Sitters Club, and all stories told with warmth and sparkle. And keep an eye out for Books 2 and 3, where the magic bracelet gets mailed to new girls with new wishes (with each book co-written by Sarah Mlynowski and a different author!)

The Zack and Zoe Mysteries: The Missing Baseball

Jordanna Cohen

Date: July 14

Time: 4:30-5:00

Recommended Reader: 3rd Grade

Summary: There’s nothing eight-year-old twins Zach and Zoe Walker love more than playing sports and solving mysteries. And when those two worlds collide . . . well, it doesn’t get any better than that. So when a baseball signed by Zach’s favorite major league player suddenly goes missing–the search is on! Luckily, amateur sleuths Zach and Zoe are on the case. Can they solve the mystery and find the ball before it’s lost for good? In this first book of the Zach and Zoe Mysteries, bestselling author Mike Lupica begins a series for a new and younger audience, introducing readers to a sports-loving detective duo who can swing for the fences and catch the culprit in one fell swoop.

Out of My Mind

Ella Zamek

Date: July 14

Time: 5:15-5:45 pm

Recommended Reader: 5th Grade

Summary: Eleven-year-old Melody is not like most people. She can’t walk. She can’t talk. She can’t write. All because she has cerebral palsy. But she also has a photographic memory; she can remember every detail of everything she has ever experienced.

She’s the smartest kid in her whole school, but NO ONE knows it. Most people, including her teachers, her doctors, her classmates, dismiss her as mentally challenged because she can’t tell them otherwise. But Melody refuses to be defined by her disability. And she’s determined to let everyone know it…somehow.

Craftily Ever After

Camila Torres

Date: July 15

Time: 4:30-5:00 pm

Recommended Reader: 3rd Grade

Summary: Emily Adams, Maddie Wilson, Bella Diaz, and Sam Sharma are eight-year-olds with one special thing in common: they love to create. They each have unique talents, too! Emily is great at constructing and building; Maddie has an eye for fashion, fabrics, and sewing; Bella is a gadget whiz; and Sam is a gifted artist. Together, these four crafty friends dream up new projects to design, build, and create and through their experiences, they’ll learn how to handle various obstacles at school and in their everyday eight-year-old lives.

Game Changers

Olivia Vasti

Date: July 15

Time: 5:15-5:45 pm

Grade Level Suggested: 5th grade

Summary: New York Times bestselling author Mike Lupica scores a touchdown with his new middle-grade sports series! Ben McBain is every football team's dream player. He's a jack-of-all-trades guy that can handle almost any position. When the game is on the line, Ben's number is the one being called for the final play. But Ben wants to be the starting quarterback, and the one thing standing in his way is the coach's son. Shawn O'Brien looks the part. He has been groomed by his father, a former professional quarterback. But despite his size and arm strength, Shawn is struggling. Ben is torn between being a good teammate and going after his own dream. As Ben finds out, Shawn isn't the easiest person to help. And when Ben gets an unexpected opportunity, the entire game will change for the both of them.

Secret Agent Jack Stalwart: The Escape of the Deadly Dinosaur

Kailah Hunter

Date: July 16

Time: 4:30-5:00

Recommended Reader: 4th grade

Summary: An eager young scientist has brought to life a dangerous flesh-eating dinosaur by crossing its DNA with that of his pet dog, Freddie. Can Secret Agent Jack Stalwart capture the dinosaur before it destroys New York City?

Dragon Girls

Rihanna Mota

Date: July 16

Time: 5:15-5:45 pm

Recommended Reader: 3rd grade

Summary: Dragon Girls is a super collectible new series that celebrates the inner fire of everyday girls. We are Dragon Girls, hear us roar! Azmina, Willa, and Naomi are thrilled to learn they're Glitter Dragon Girls. Summoned to the Magic Forest by its magnificent ruler, the Tree Queen, the girls quickly find out their dragon-selves have unbelievable abilities. They can soar above the treetops, breathe glitter-y bursts of fire, and roar loud enough to shake the ground. With this newfound magic comes a big responsibility, however. As Dragon Girls, they are sworn protectors of the forest and must help keep it safe from the troublesome Shadow Sprites, who are determined to take the forest's magic for their own.

Flora and Ulysses

Sophie Olsey

Date: July 17

Time: 4:30-5:00 pm

Recommended Reader: 6th Grade

Summary: It begins, as the best superhero stories do, with a tragic accident that has unexpected consequences.

The squirrel never saw the vacuum cleaner coming, but self-described cynic Flora Belle Buckman, who has read every issue of the comic book Terrible Things Can Happen to You!, is the just the right person to step in and save him. What neither can predict is that Ulysses (the squirrel) has been born anew, with powers of strength, flight, and misspelled poetry—and that Flora will be changed too, as she discovers the possibility of hope and the promise of a capacious heart.

From #1 New York Times best-selling author Kate DiCamillo comes a laugh-out-loud story filled with eccentric, endearing characters and featuring an exciting new format—a novel interspersed with comic-style graphic sequences and full-page illustrations, all rendered in black-and-white by artist K. G. Campbell.

Book Talk Sessions Schedule

Date	Time (PM)	Book	Husky Reader
Monday July 7	4:30-5:00	Bug Scouts, Out in the Wild	Matt McCoy Marco Marisi
	5:15-5:45	*Super Turbo Saves the Day*	Jacob Burack Aldo Buonocore
Tuesday July 8	4:30-5:00	*The Kingdom of Wrenly*	Anabel Zihenni Nicole Gjonaj
	5:15-5:45	*Upside Down Magic*	Emily Salemo
Wednesday July 9	4:30-5:00	*The Homesick Kitten*	Augusta Pinkowitz
Thursday July 10	4:30-5:00	The Year of the Book	Laura Novak
	5:15-5:45	Best Wishes	Paige Bianchini
Monday July 14	4:30-5:00	The Zack and Zoe Mysteries: The Missing Baseball	Jordanna Cohen
	5:15-5:45	Out of My Mind	Ella Zamek
Tuesday July 15	4:30-5:00	*Craftily Ever After*	Camila Torres
	5:15-5:45	Game Changers	Olivia Vasti
Wednesday July 16	4:30-5:00	Secret Agent Jack Stalwart: The Escape of the Deadly Dinosaur	Kailah Hunter
	5:15-5:45	Dragon Girls	Rihanna Mota
Thursday July 17	4:30-5:00	Flora and Ulysses	Sophie Olsey