Entering Grades Seven and Eight
Dear Parents, Guardians, and
Students,
The
Salem School District believes summer reading is a valuable experience for all
students and an important extension of our educational programs. Reading is one of the most important factors
in academic success, a skill that is basic to all areas of the curriculum, a
skill that improves with practice.
Summer reading is intended to be an enjoyable experience. While helping to keep students connected to
learning during the summer vacation, it supports our objective that each
student becomes a life-long reader and learner.
Below
you will find a suggested list of books and magazines appropriate for middle
school students. This is by no means a
definitive list; there are many good books available at the Kelley Library and
the neighborhood bookstores. Also, many
of the authors have written other novels that may interest young adults.
The Kelley Library runs a summer reading
program, and they will have a copy of this list. We encourage as many students as possible to become involved in
this program. This is a great way to
improve reading skills.
The Woodbury staff suggests
that every seventh and eighth grader read a minimum of one book during the
summer. The book does not have to be on
this list, and there is no required project or report. ENJOY!!!
If there are any questions, please call me at the Woodbury School
(893-7055), or contact me at the Salem School District website (pmaestranzi@SAU57.org).
Happy
reading,
Patricia
Maestranzi (Literacy Specialist, Woodbury
School)
Almond,
David. Skellig. NY: Delacorte Press, 1999. 182p.
Unhappy about his baby sister’s illness and the chaos of moving into a
dilapidated old house, Michael retreats to the garage and finds a mysterious
stranger who is something like a bird and something like an angel.
Alvarez,
Julia. Finding Miracles. NY: Alfred A. Knopf,
2004. 264p. Milly Kaufman was adopted from a Latin American island. When a young man named Pablo arrives at her
Vermont high school, she is forced to come to terms with the adoption and her
life.
Avi. Nothing But the Truth. NY: Orchard, 1991. 177p. A ninth-grader’s
suspension for singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” during homeroom becomes a
national news story.
Bauer,
Joan. Hope Was Here. NY:
GP Putnam’s Sons, 2000.
185p. Hope has to move again. This time they will be living on top of the
restaurant where her aunt works. Hope
settles in and even becomes involved in a political campaign. Funny!!
Bauer,
Joan. Rules of the Road. NY:
G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1998.
201p. Jenna Boller has only had her
driver’s license for six months when her boss at Gladstone’s Shoe Store hires
her to drive to Texas. Jenna learns
more than the “Rules of the Road” as she helps Mrs. Gladstone face her
retirement.
Bruchac,
Joseph. The Warriors. OH:
Darby Creek Publishing, 2003.
117p. Jake is forced to move
from the reservation when his mom gets a job in Maryland. At his new boarding school, the principal
expects him to play lacrosse under Coach Scott. Jake is a fantastic player, but he’s offended by the Coach’s
Indian stories. (easier reading)
Budhos,
Marina. Ask Me No Questions. NY: Simon Pulse, 2006. 162p. This novel tackles
the issue of prejudice after 9/11.
Nadira and her family are illegal immigrants in NY who want to remain in
the US. What can they do?
Bunting,
Eve. Blackwater. NY: Harper Collins, 1999. 145p.
What happens when you lie??? It
becomes more and more difficult to tell the truth. When two teens die in the river, Brodie gets caught up in a web
of lies.
Cabot,
Meg. All American Girl. NY: Harper Trophy, 2002. 398p.
When Samantha Madison, a high school sophomore, saves the president of
the United States from a would-be assassin, her entire life changes. She has never had a boyfriend and now, the
boy who notices her is the president’s son.
This book by the author of The Princess Diaries is an enjoyable
read.
Choldenko,
Gennifer. Al Capone Does My Shirts. NY:
Scholastic, 2004. 214p. This Newbery Honor Book is about a family
who moves to Alcatraz Island when the dad takes job as a guard. Twelve-year-old Moose Flanagan must make a
new life for himself without his baseball friends.
Colfer,
Eion. Artemis Fowl. The Eternity Code. NY:
Scholastic, Inc., 2003.
309p. Artemis Fowl is back; he
has developed a cube that will revolutionize the world’s technology. His plans to sell it backfire, and his
friend Butler is seriously hurt. This
third book in the fantasy series is as exciting as the first two. Reviewers have compared this series to Harry
Potter.
Cooney,
Caroline B. Code Orange. NY: Delacorte Press, 2005. 200p.
Mitty Blake has a school biology assignment to do. In an old book, he finds some scabs from the
VM epidemic in Boston from 1902. This
will be his project!
Creech,
Sharon. Love That Dog. NY:
Scholastic, Inc. 2001. 86p. Jack comes to terms with the loss of his dog
through his teacher’s encouragement and poetry. (Easier reading) Other
books by Sharon Creech for the more advanced reader are Heartbeat and Replay.
Cummings,
Priscilla. A Face First. NY: Dutton Children’s Books, 2001. 197p.
Twelve-year–old Kelley must learn to live again after she and her mom
are involved in a terrible car accident.
Cummings,
Priscilla. Saving Grace. NY: Dutton Children’s books, 2003. 288p.
Grace’s dad loses his job in 1932.
Grace and her brothers, Owen and Iggy, are sent to a mission until their
parents get back on their feet. Grace
is taken home for the Christmas holiday by the Hammond family. Grace must chose between her family and the
Hammonds who want to adopt her.
Cushman. Karen.
Matilda Bone. NY:
Clarion Books, 2000. 167p. Matilda is left as an apprentice to a
bonesetter (Medieval doctor). The book describes her adventures in her new
life.
DiCamillo,
Kate. The Tale of Despereaux. MA: Candlewick
Press, 2003. 270p. This is the tale of a tiny, big-eared mouse,
a rat who enjoys light, and a princess.
The three tales are connected by the kidnapping of Princess Pea. This book won the 2003 Newbery Award. (Easier reading)
DiSalvo,
Dyanne. The Sloppy Copy Slipup. NY: Holiday House. 2006. Brian Higman
doesn’t complete his sloppy copy, and the General (teacher) is going to punish
him. He begins to “tell” his “excuse”
which is really his story. (Easier
reading)
DuPrau,
Jeanne. The City of Ember. NY: Random House, 2003. 270p.
Futuristic story about two adolescents trying to find a way out of their
dying city. Winner of the Great Stone
Face Award.
DuPrau,
Jeanne. People of Sparks. NY: Random House, 2004. 338p.
This is the continuation of Lina and Doon’s story after they escape from
the city of Ember. They succeed in
leading a group of people from Ember to the city of Sparks where they need to
learn to survive in a different type of society.
Fogelin,
Adrian. The Big Nothing. Georgia: Peachtree Publishers, 2004. 234p.
Justin Riggs’ life is changing, and he is zoning out more frequently
(the big nothing). Dad has left, and
big brother, Duane, is being shipped to Iraq.
His best friend, Ben, has discovered girls. What can he do?
Friend,
Natasha. Perfect. NY:
Scholastic, Inc., 2006.
172p. Isabelle Lee is an eighth
grader with a problem – Bulimia Nervosa.
Her dad has recently died, and her mom is having trouble coping with
life. (mature readers)
Gantos,
Jack. What would Joey Do? NY: Farrer, Straus, and Giroux, 229p. Joey Pigza is at it again, but he is pulling his life together. In this continuation of Joey Pigza’s story,
Joey begins to take Grandma’s advice; he starts taking care of himself and
learns to be responsible for his actions.
Very funny. (Easier reading)
Gauthier,
Gail. Happy Kid. NY: Penguin Young Readers Group, 2006. 230p.
Kyle is concerned about going into seventh grade. His mom thinks a book will help him
adjust. Unbelievably, the self-help book
guides Kyle in this funny story about middle school.
Green,
Michelle Y. A Strong Right Arm – The Story of Mamie “Peanut” Johnson. NY:
Puffin Books, 2002. 111p. Mamie Johnson was one of the only women who
played in the Negro Baseball League.
This book follows her struggles in a male dominated sport, and in a
country still plagued with race issues.
(Easier
reading)
Green,
Tim. Football Genius. NY:
Harper Collins, 2007. 244p. Troy White ‘s single mom gets a job with the
Atlanta Falcons, and Troy gets a chance to use his special gift. Written by a star linebacker for the
Falcons, this book will inform and entertain the reader.
Haddix,
Margaret Peterson. Among the
Barons. NY: Simon and Schuster, 2003. 182p.
This is the fourth book in the Shadow Children series. Luke, now Lee Grant, is surprised to hear
his “brother,” Smits, is coming to the Hendrix School with his bodyguard,
Oscar. Oscar tries to recruit Luke/Lee
for an uprising against the Population Police.
Life is dangerous, but Luke/Lee is up to the challenge.
Hiaasen,
Carl. Flush. NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 2005. 263p.
Noah’s dad, Paine Underwood, knows Dusty Muleman’s casino boat is
polluting the Florida Keys. He is
jailed for sinking the boat. Noah and
his sister, Abbey, set out to prove that Paine is right about the
pollution. How they do it involves
“flushing toilets.”
Hiaasen,
Carl. Hoot. NY: Alfred A. Knopf,2002. 292p.
Roy Eberhardt is constantly moving.
His new home is in Florida, and he is very unhappy until he gets
involved in a mystery involving a boy whom he sees running away from the school
bus. (also a movie)
Lord,
Cynthia.
Rules. NY:
Scholastic Press, 2006.
200p. Twelve year old Catherine
has an autistic brother, David.
Catherine has difficulty explaining to others about his disability so
she sets up rules to help him be “normal.”
These rules make for many funny situations for both David and
Catherine. (positive ending) (Nominated for Great Stone Face Award for
2006)
Lowry,
Lois. Messenger. Boston:
Houghton Mifflin, 2004.
169p. This book unites
characters from The Giver and Gathering Blue in a tale about a
utopian society. People become evil,
and a young boy learns about his special gift that will save them.
Lubar,
David. Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie. NY:
Penguin Group, 2005. 279p. Scott Hudson and his best buddies are
starting high school. Scott knows
things will change, but little does he dream that life will change so much for
him. Told in journal form, this is a
laugh out loud book. (Mature readers)
Lupica,
Mike. Heat. NY: Philomel Books, 2006. 220p.
Michael Arroyo is a terrific pitcher.
His goal is to go to the Little League World Series. Everything changes when his dad dies, and
the other baseball coaches question his age.
MacLachlin,
Patricia. Caleb’s Story. NY:
Joanna Cotler Books, 2001.
116p. This is a continuation of
the story of the Witting family made famous in the book Sarah Plain and Tall. Caleb, the younger brother, writes about the
mysterious visitor who comes to the farm in his journal. (Easier reading)
MacPhail,
Catherine. Dark Waters. NY and London: Bloomsbury, 2003.
175p. If you liked Red Kayak
by Priscilla Cummings, you will enjoy this book, too. Col saves a young boy, Dominic, from drowning. Col’s brother, Mungo, is a criminal and
wants no attention from the authorities.
Col must make some decisions.
Martin,
Ann M. A Dog’s Life. NY: Scholastic Press, 2005. 182p. “I can’t speak for all dogs. Not all dogs are alike. And most certainly, not all dogs have the
same experiences…” So begins Squirrel’s story.
Told in the voice of a stray dog, this book follows her life, and the
humans that affect it. (Easier reading)
Mazer,
Harry. A Boy No More. NY:
Scholastic, 2004. 132p. Adam Pelko watched as his dad’s ship, the
Arizona, was bombed by the Japanese.
Now his mother has moved his sister and him to California. His Japanese friend from Hawaii asks Adam
to help contact his dad at the internment camp. (connection to eighth grade social studies)
Mikaelson,
Ben. Touching Spirit Bear. Harper Collins,
2001. 241p. After his anger erupts into violence, fifteen-year-old Cole, in
order to avoid going to prison, agrees to participate in a sentencing
alternative based on the native American Circle Justice. He is sent to a remote Alaskan island where
an encounter with a huge Spirit Bear changes his life. (mature readers)
Myers,
Walter D. Handbook for Boys. NY:
Harper Collins, 2002. 179p. Sixteen-year-old Jimmy is on probation. The judge sentences him to work in an
old-fashioned barber shop in Harlem in lieu of going to jail. There Duke and two other senior citizens
share life’s experiences with him.
(mature readers)
Myers,
Walter Dean. 145th
Street Short Stories. NY:
Delacorte Press, 2000.
151p. This is a collection of
ten short stories about events on one street in Harlem, NY.
Nimmo,
Jenny. Midnight for Charlie Bone. NY:
Orchard Books. 2002. 401p.
This is the first book in the Children of the Red King series; it is a
novel in the fantasy tradition of Harry Potter. Charlie Bone is endowed so his Grandma Bone enrolls him at
Bloor’s Academy. Strange things begin
to happen to Charlie. One of his jobs is to find a baby who was given away by
her inventor dad.
Paulsen,
Gary. Lawn Boy. NY;
Wendy Lamb Books, 2007.
88p. “Gary Paulsen’s comic
story about a summer job becomes a slapstick lesson in business as one boy
turns a mountain of grass into a mountain of cash.” (from the book flap)
(easy reading)
Peck,
Richard. The River Between Us. NY: Dial Books, 2003. 164p. Before the US
enters World War 1, a fifteen-year-old boy travels to Cairo, IL, with his dad
to meet his Dad’s parents. His Grandma
Tilly tells him a story of two young girls who arrive at her house in 1861. This is the story of how a person affects
another person and how society can shape someone’s life. (mature readers; historical fiction)
Peck,
Richard. A Year Down Yonder. NY:
Dial Books. 2000. 130p.
Mary Alice will be spending the summer with Grandma Dowdel who is known
for shaking up her little town. This
novel about growing up is funny and heart-warming.
Pfeffer,
Susan. Life As We Knew It. NY:
Scholastic. 2006. 337p.
Told in diary form, Miranda and her family try to cope with the changes
brought about when a meteor hits the moon.
This book keeps readers on the edge of their seat. (mature readers)
Roy,
Jennifer. Yellow Star. NY:
Marshall Cavendish Corp. 2006.
227p. Told from the perspective of a young girl, this is the story of
the Lodz ghetto. Sylvia, her sister
Dora, Mom, and Dad struggle to survive the Nazi occupation. This is a Great Stone Face Book written in
free verse. (Easier reading)
Sachar,
Louis. Small Steps. NY: Delacorte Press, 2006. 257p.
By the author of Holes, this novel follows one of the characters,
Armpit, as he tries to make a life for himself after Camp Green Lake.
Schlitz,
Laura Amy. Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press, 2007. Newbery Award Winner-2007. Written entirely in poetry, this book gives
information about the Middle Ages from the young adults who lived during this
time period. It is funny, yet
historically accurate.
Scieszka,
Jon. (editor). Guys Write
for Guys Read. NY: Penguin Young Readers Group, 2005. 272p.
A collection of short stories written by published male authors and
artists for young adult males.
Selznick,
Brian. The Invention of Hugo Cabret. NY:
Scholastic Press, 2007.
Caldecott Winner-2007.
This
graphic novel follows the adventures of a young orphan in Paris.
Simmons,
Michael. Pool Boy. CT: Roaring Book Press, 2003,. 164p.
Fifteen–year-old Brett Gerson takes a job as an assistant pool cleaner
to a 70 something old man named Alfie after his Dad loses all of the family’s
money in an insider trading scandal.
While Alfie teaches Brett how to clean pools and drive, he also gives
him life lessons on forgiveness and the importance of family. (Mature readers)
Sonnenblick,
Jordan. Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie. NY:
Scholastic, Inc., 2004.
273p. Steven has a pretty normal
life until his little brother Jeffrey gets sick. How his parents, Jeffrey and he cope with the big “C” is the
focus of this book.
Smith,
Roland. Peak. NY: Scholastic, 2007. 246p. Peak loves to
climb, but climbing skyscrapers causes him to get into big trouble. This story tells how a spoiled kid becomes a
responsible loving son.
Testa,
Maria. Some Kind of Pride. NY:
Random House Children’s Books, 2001.
117p. This is a poignant story
about an eleven-year-old girl who loves baseball. Sophia Babe DiMarco is interviewed by Sports Illustrated about her skill in baseball, but now she is
confused. Her friend Ellie and her dad
try to help her. (Easier reading)
Timberlake, Amy. That Girl Lucy Moon. NY: Hyperion Books for Children, 2006.
294p. Lucy is an activist, but when she
moves on to the junior high many events conspire to have her change. When Wiggins Hill, the best sledding hill in
town is fenced, she mounts a campaign that leads to detentions, youth action
service, and losing her best friend.
Follow Lucy’s struggles by reading this heart-warming book!
Wiles, Deborah. Each Little Bird that Sings. NY:
Harcourt, Inc. 2006. (Great
Stone Face Book) Comfort’s parents are
funeral directors, but when two relatives die within six months, Comfort finds
that dealing with death is a difficult, and challenging experience. She finds
out what is most important in life.
(Easier reading)
Nonfiction:
Chapman, Garry. Extreme Sports – Mountains. PA:
Chelsea House Publishers, 2001.
32p. This is a series covering
sports on snow, streets, air, rivers, and surf.
Covey, Sean. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens. NY:
Fireside, 1998. 254p. Sean Covey
discusses the issues facing teens and how young adults can succeed in the
twenty-first century.
Dowswell, Paul. Tales of Real Survival.
London: Usborne
Publishing, 1995. 64p. Read what it is like to survive natural and
manmade disasters in this real life adventure book.
Dowswell, Paul. True Stories of the Second World War. NY:
Scholastic, Inc. 2003. 170p.
Find out about the women who flew in the Soviet air force. Read about the hunt for Adolf Eichmann. Get first person insight into what war is
really like.
Hayhurst, Chris. Stay Cool – A Guys’ Guide to Handling Conflict. NY:
Rosen Central, 2000. 48p. One in a series of books about issues facing
guys in the twenty-first century.
Hazell, Rebecca. Heroes–Great Men through the Ages. New York:
Abbeville Press Publishers.1997.
79p. Short biographies from
Socrates to Martin Luther King, Jr. are included in this beautifully
illustrated book.
Krause, Peter. Fundamental Golf. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications Co., 1998. This series of books gives instructions and
information on many different sports.
Lineker, Gary. Superguides–Soccer. NY: DK Publishing, Inc. 2000.
45 p. This series of books
highlights the positions and skills needed for various sports and
activities. Ballet, basketball,
gymnastics, ice-skating, martial arts, swimming, and tennis are also available.
Lobosco, Michael L. Mental Math Challenges. NY: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 1999. This colorful book contains fun and exciting
math games.
Lowry, Lois. Looking Back. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1998. 181p.
In pictures and words, Lois Lowry, author of The Giver and many
other young adult novels, gives the readers many memories of her life.
Masoff, Joy. Oh, Yikes! History’s Grossest, Wackiest Moments. NY:
Workman Publishing, 2006. 307p. The title says it all!
Murphy, Claire Rudolf. Children of Alcatraz. NY: Walker and Company, 2006. 64p. This interesting book is full of
pictures and stories about this famous island that was not only a prison, but
home to many youngsters. It contains
first person accounts of childhood on Alcatraz.
Packard, Mary. Ripley’s Believe It or Not! World’s Weirdest Gadgets. NY: Scholastic Press, 2002. 85p.
This is one of a series of books containing odd, weird, bizarre, and
mysterious, but true facts.
Smith, Erica. Write It
Down! A Girls’ Guide to Keeping a
Journal. NY: Rosen Central, 1999. 48p.
One in a series of books written to advise girls on different issues and
topics, it is fun to read. (Easier
reading)
Van Cleave, Janice. Food and Nutrition for Every Kid – Easy Activities That
Make Learning Science Fun. NY: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1999. 220p.
This nonfiction book includes information, activities and practice
exercises about nutrition.
The following is a list of magazines appropriate for middle
school students.
Boys’ Life (www.boyslife.com)
Calliope -
Exploring World History, A Cobblestone
Publication
Cobblestone – Discover American History (www.cobblestonepub.com)
Current Health 2 (The
Continuing Guide to Health Education)
Discover (Science and Technology)
Muse - from the
publishers of Cricket and Smithsonian Magazine (Articles on all areas of
interest to young adults)
(www.musemag.com)
Motor Trend (www.motortrend.com)
New Moon – The magazine for Girls and their Dreams (www.newmoon.org)
Odyssey – Adventures in Science (A Cobblestone Publication) (www.odysseymagazine.com)
Zoobooks (www.zoobooks.com)
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