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Summer Reading





Students:

These are possible choices for your summer reading books. Students, make sure you discuss with your parents(s)/guardian(s) what you choose to read remembering these are choices and some may have delicate material.  Please do not read something you have already read and remember to choose at your reading level. Junior high students may read up into the high school level if desired.  Don’t read something too easy for you. Challenge yourself as well as choose a book you will love. Some of these you may check out from the school, but you must return in the fall or you will be charged for it. 

If there is a listed book which is in a series, please remember you may read any book in that series that you have not already read.

The following are NOT choices because they are used in classes:

Les Miserables, Count of Monte Cristo, Frankenstein, Hound of the Baskervilles,   Black Like Me, Tale of Two Cities, Macbeth, A Separate Peace, The Scarlet Letter, Ethan Frome, My Antonia, Huckleberry Finn¸ The Crucible, Fahrenheit 451, The Giver, Night, Julius Caesar , Great Expectations, To Kill a Mockingbird, Anne Frank, I Heard the Owl Call My Name, Guts, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, Esperanza Rising ,Rent Collector

 

Grade Level Recommendation

Book

Author

Genre

School has this book for checkout if you desire

Junior High

Touching Spirit Bear

Ben Mikaelsen

fiction

          X (SR)

Every Soul a Star

Wendy Mass

fiction

 

Outsiders

S.E. Hinton

fiction

         X  (SR)

Summer of My German Soldier

Bette Greene

fiction

         X  (SR)

The Call of the Wild

Jack London

Adventure fiction

 

A Day No Pigs Would Die

Robert Newton Peck

Fiction

Library

The Sign of the Beaver

Elizabeth George Spear

Historical fiction

Library

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Mark Twain

Satire, Folklore, Adventure Fiction

       X (BR)

Bridge to Terabithia

Katherine Paterson

Realistic fiction

Library

Park’s Quest

Katherine Paterson

fiction

Library

The Pinballs

Betsy Byars

Fiction

 

The Crossing

Gary Paulsen

Fiction

Library

 

Sarny: A Life Remembered

 

Gary Paulsen

 

Historical fiction

 

Fablehaven Series

Brandon Mull

Fantasy

 

From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

E.L. Konigsburg

Fiction

 

Devil’s Arithmetic

Jane Yolen

Historical fiction

 

A Family Apart

Joan Lowery Nixon

Fiction

Library

Number the Stars

Lois Lowry

Historical Fiction

Library

Julie of the Wolves

Jean Craighead George

Fiction

Library

Harriet Tubman Conductor on Underground Railroad

Ann Petry

Biography

 

The Boys in the Boat(Abridged)

Daniel James Brown

Narrative nonfiction

          X(SR)

Finest Hours by Tougias and Sherman

Casey Sherman and Michael Tougias

Nonfiction-true story of coast guard’s daring rescue

 

Anne of Green Gables Books

L.M. Montgomery

Realistic fiction

 

Chronicles of Narnia Books

C.S. Lewis

Fantasy

 

The Hiding Place

Corrie Ten Boom

nonfiction

 

Junior high(continued)

Beneath A Scarlet Sky(series)

Mark Sullivan

Epic tale(based on true story)

 

Dragon’s Keep

Janet Lee Carey

Adventure/Fantasy

 

Candy Shop War

Brandon Mull

Fantasy Fiction

Library

The Brotherband Chronicles

John Flanagan

Fantasy Fiction

 

Wild Life

Richard Ford

nonfiction

 

The False Prince

Jennifer A. Nielsen

Fantasy fiction

 

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief

Rick Riordan

Fantasy, young adult, Greek mythology

 

The Ghost of Graylock

Dan Poblocki

Ghost story, paranormal fiction

 

The Quick and the Dead

Louis L’Amour

Western/fiction

 

Sounder

James Barkley/William Armstrong

fiction

 

Indian in the Cupboard

Lynne Reid Banks

fantasy

 

 

 

 

High school

Where I Belong

 

 

The Great Gatsby

Marcia Argueta Mickelson

Fiction

 

 

Realistic fiction

 

 

 

Library

Shane

Jack Schaefer

Western

 

A Lesson Before Dying

Ernest Gaines

Fiction but based on true story

 

The Alchemist

Paulo Coelho

Adventure, Fantasy

 

Lightning Thief

Rick Riordian

Fantasy, Greek Mythology

          X

Education of Little Tree

Forrest Carter

Historical Fiction

         X(a few)

Of Mice and Men

John Steinbeck

Realistic fiction/Tragedy

Library

The Book Thief

MarKus Zusak

Realistic/historical fiction

Library

Finest Hours by Tougias and Sherman

Casey Sherman and Michael Tougias

nonfiction

 

The Help

Kathryn Stockett

Realistic fiction

          X

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

Jamie Ford

Japanese American Experience WWII

           X

Orphan Keeper

Camron Wright

Suspense, Historical Fiction

            X

And Then There Were none

Agatha Christie

Mystery

Library

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Mark Haddon

Mystery

 

The Maltese Falcon

Dashielle Hammott

Mystery

 

Rebecca

Daphne du Maurier

Mystery

 

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Mystery

 

Murder on the Orient Express

Agatha Christie

Mystery

Library

The Turn of the Screw

Henry James

Mystery

Library

Michael Vey Series

Richard Paul Evans

Fantasy

          X

The Hunger Games Series

Suzanne Collins

Fantasy/Science Fiction

         X

The Lord of the Rings Series

J.R.R. Tolkien

Fantasy/Science Fiction

Library

Brave New World

Aldous Huxley

Fantasy/Dystopian-Science Fiction

Library

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Series

J.K.Rowling

Fantasy/Science Fiction

Library

 

Unwind(Series)

 

Neal Shusterman

 

Fantasy/Science Fiction

 

Enders Game

Orson Scott Card

Fantasy/Science Fiction

            X (SR)

The Things They Carried

Tim O’Brien

Historical Fiction-

Library

All Quiet on the Western Front

Erich Maria Remarque

Historical Fiction

 

Red Badge of Courage

Stephen Crane

Historical Fiction

          X  (SR)

Uncle Tom’s Cabin

Harriet Beecher Stowe

Anti-slavery novel

         X  (SR)

The Poisonwood Bible(longer book-slow read but good)

Barbara Kingsolver

Historical Fiction

 

The Secret Life of Bees

Sue Monk Kidd

Historical fiction

 

The Odyssey

Homer

epic

 

The Scarlet Pimpernel

Baroness Orczy

Historical fiction

 

The Boy on the Wooden Box

Leon Layson

Nonfiction

Library

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

Bryan Mealer and William Kamkwamba

Nonfiction

 

Life of Pi

Yann Martel

Adventure Fiction

 

The Chosen

Chaim Potok

Student recommended

 

The Glass Castle

Jeannette Walls

Biography

Library

Tuesdays With Morrie

Mitch Albom

Biography

Library

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Maya Angelou

Biography

 

The Other Wes Moore

Wes Moore

Biography

 

Angela’s Ashes

Frank McCourt

Biography

 

A Long Way Gone

Ishmael Beah

Biography

Library

Mountains Beyond Mountains

Tracy Kidder

Biography

 

Stiff

Mary Roach

Science

Library

Jurassic Park

Michael Crichton

Science

Library

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Rebecca Skloot

Science

 

Silent Spring

Rachel Carson

Science

Library

The Hot Zone

Richard Preston

Science

Library

Einstein’s Dreams

Alan Lightman

Science

 

Chesapeake

James A Michener

History

 

Long Walk to Freedom

Nelson Mandela

History

         X(BR)

Unbroken

Laura Hillenbrand

History/Biography

          X (SR)

Light in the Forest

Conrad Richter

Coming of Age

          X (SR)

A Farewell to Arms

Ernest Hemingway

Fiction

Library

Animal Farm

George Orwell

Satire

         X(BR) pretty rough shape)

Grapes of Wrath

John Steinbeck

Historical Fiction 

          X

The Good Earth

Pearl S. Buck

Historical Fiction

Library

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Betty Smith

Fiction

 

1984

George Orwell

Dystopian Fiction

         X

A Prayer for Owen Meany

John Irving

Fiction

 

Death of a Salesman

Arthur Miller

Tragedy

Library

East of Eden

John Steinbeck

Allegory/drama

Library

Hiroshima

John Hersey

War Account

Library

Pride and Prejudice

Jane Austen

Fiction

        Library

Jane Eyre

Charlotte Bronte

Romance, Classic Regency

Library

Wuthering Heights

Emile Bronte

Tragedy, Gothic Fiction

          X (BR)

The Canterbury Tales

Geoffrey

Fiction

Library

The House on Mango Street

Sandra Cisneros

Fiction

 

Roots

Alex Haley

Fiction

Library

The House of Seven Gables

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Gothic Fiction

Library

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

William Shakespeare

Fantasy Fiction

       X  (BR)

The Joy Luck Club

Amy Tan

Fiction

       X (BR)

Death on the Nile

Agatha Christie

Crime Fiction

        X (BR)

Three Cups of Tea

Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

Memoir

        X (BR)

Anthem

Ayn Rand

Science Fiction

        X (BR)

The Long Walk

Slavomir Rawicz

Fiction

        X (BR)

Laughing Boy

Oliver La Farge

Historical Fiction

        X (BR)

Fellowship of the Ring

J.R.R. Tolkien

Fantasy

        X(BR)

The Jungle

Upton Sinclair

Fiction

       X (BR)

The Pigman

Paul Zindel

Fiction

       X (BR)

April Morning

Howard Fast

Historical Fiction

       X(BR)

The Kite Runner

Khaled Hosseini

Fiction

       X

The Pearl

John Steinbeck

Parable, Fiction

       X (BR)

 

 

High School(continued)

 

 

The Fifth Wave(series)

 

 

Rick Yancy

 

 

Science fiction

 

Gathering Blue, Messenger, Son

Lois Lowry

Dystopian fiction

 

Sense and Sensibility

Jane Austen

romance

 

The Landry News

Andrew Clements

Nonfiction(history, journalism, government)

 

Steve Jobs Biography

Walter Isaacson

nonfiction

 

Heroes of Olympus Series-junior high and high school level

Rick Riordan

Fantasy/fiction

 

The Silent Storm

Sherry Garland

Adventure

 

Insignia

S.J. Kincaid

Nonfiction

 

The Selection(series)

Kiera Cass

Dystopian, young adult, romance

 

Doomed Queen Anne

Carolyn Meyer

Historical fiction, young adult fiction

 

Lunar Chronicles(series)

Marissa Meyer

Fantasy, fiction, dystopian

 

Bamboo People

Mitali Perkins

fiction

 

The Running Dream

Wendelin Van Draanen

fiction

 

Sammy’s Song

Alma Yates

fiction

 

If I Stay

Gayle Forman

fiction

 

The Captive Maiden

Melanie Dickerson

fiction

 

Escape from Camp 14

Blain Harden

biography

 

Where the Crawdads Sing

Delia Owens

fiction

 

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Aron Rolsten

nonfiction

 

The Shallows

Nicholas Carr

nonfiction

 

Between Shades of Gray

Ruta Sepetys

Historical

 

 


Name: __________________

English: _________________

Summer Reading Rubric and Reflection

Date: ___________________

 

Summer Reading Book of Choice Written Project

Please review the following rubric and give yourself an honest appraisal. Then answer the following questions.

Category

3 Proficient

2 Developing

1-Inadequate

Length -1 ½ to 2 pages(junior high)

                2-3 pages(high school)

Essay Format—beginning, middle, ending paragraphs

 

 

 

Introduction-introduce title and author of the book with a few engaging sentences about the book. Hook the reader.

 

 

 

Body-

Required components--Characterization: Who is the protagonist? Why has the writer used this character as the protagonist? Expound on how the protagonist changes or doesn’t change by using events. Explain protagonist’s traits. 

Resolution: How does the book end? Discuss if you liked or did not like the ending and why or why not. How did the climax resolve the conflict?

 

 

 

Body- Own choice component—two more for high school and one more for junior high(Follow guidelines-Expound)

 

 

 

Conclusion-Evaluate the storyline and reflect upon own reading of the book

 

 

 

BEST EFFORT was shown in written report. 

 

 

 

 

Did you complete your book by Wednesday, August 16 _____________________________________

If no, FINISH and let the teacher know when you are done because points are being given for completion as well as above categories on written essay.                                                                                                           (Over)

Reflect on your overall experience with reading your book. Consider strengths and weaknesses. What was the best part of the experience? What were some of your struggles? If you did struggle, what are some goals you can make to make the next reading assignment more successful? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


2023 Summer Reading Book of Choice Written Project

 Directions: All writing is due on Wednesday, August 16 except incoming seventh graders will write their projects in class the first two days of school. All students need to make sure their book is read before school starts. Grades for the writing project will be included in the fall 2023 grades. The typed assessment should be written in essay form following the outline. Use the outline for specifics

on what to discuss. Writing should expound on these points in paragraph format. Junior high needs to be one and a half pages minimum to two pages maximum which includes three components from Roman numeral two below. High school needs to be two pages minimum to three pages maximum which included four components from Roman numeral two below. Use different events to prove your answers. Line spacing is double but make sure there are no extra spaces between paragraphs. All books need to be read. Audio books are okay IF the students read with the audio book.

  I. Introduction Paragraph-Required

   A. Introduce the title and author of the book with a few original summarizing sentences about the book.            Hook the reader in introduction.

 II. Body Paragraphs-Required to do the A component and F component then choose other components(at least one more for junior high and two more for high school) for the body of your essay.

Remember to indent paragraphs each time you start a new component (A, B, C, etc.)

   A. Characterization

        1. Who is the protagonist?

        2. Why has the writer used this character as the hero/protagonist?

        3. Discuss if the protagonist (main character) is a dynamic (changes throughout the course

            of the book-Do not explain physical changes but internal) or static(does not

            change) character. Expound on how the protagonist changes or doesn’t change by using

            events which occur during the course of the novel and how these events affect the

            protagonist. Explain what traits this character possesses from beginning to ending.

            The same trait may be used throughout the whole book if applicable but use

            different events to prove the protagonist’s trait(s).

    B. Theme(moral to the story statement)

       1. What is the lesson learned from the novel? State this as a complete sentence.

       2. Discuss at least two different events from the beginning and ending of the book which

           give supporting evidence for the theme. Choose the best events to prove the theme.

     C. Conflict

        1. What is the conflict which drives the entire plot of the novel?

        2. Expound on this conflict and how it leads to other events throughout the novel.

    D. Point of View

       1. What point of view was the novel narrated in?

       2. What is the writer’s purpose for writing in this point of view?

       3. Share two events showing why this point of view was best in these events.

    E. Climax

      1. What was the most emotional turning point of the novel? Expound on it.

      2. Discuss what led up to it being the most emotional part.

   F. Resolution

     1. How did the book end?

     2. Discuss if you liked or did not like the ending and why or why not.

     3. How did the climax resolve the conflict?

  G. Facts vs. Opinions

      1. List three facts found in this book. To be a fact, one must be able to prove it.

      2. Expound on at least one of the facts and why it is important and/or startling.

      3. List three opinions about those facts.

      4. Expound on at least one of your opinions.

  H. Title Interpretation

     1. Why was the book given the title it was?

     2. Was it an effective or ineffective title?

     3. If you were to give it a new title, what would it be and why? Even if you like the title, think of a      

         different one.

  I. Relationships in the book

    1. Discuss at least one relationship in the book.

    2. How did the relationship change or stay the same throughout the novel? Show this through events.

 III. Concluding Paragraph-Required

      A. Evaluate and summarize the storyline

      B. Reflect upon your own reading of the book

Make sure you make your conclusion a strong paragraph and don’t announce that you are concluding.  Just do it.  Proofread and fix your own errors. Your grammar and mechanics matter in your grade.







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