7th Grade Summer Reading list & Resources
“And those who were seen dancing, were thought to be crazy, by those who could not hear the music.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche
“It is a narrow mind which cannot look at a subject from various points of view.” ― George Eliot, Middlemarch
“What we see depends mainly on what we look for.” ― John Lubbock
How could seeing the world from a different perspective change the way you think and act?
This year, we are focusing on perspectives – the unique way each one of us sees the world and the powerful impact it has on our choices and actions. I have revised the reading lists to reflect a variety of perspectives and encourage you to reflect on the books as you read them. Instead of focusing on the differences, what similarities can you find between your worldview and those of the author, characters, and subjects in the books?
Students must read at least two books – one historical fiction and one modern fiction – over the summer. You are welcome to read more and I have included the complete list here (7th grade Summer Reading List 2020 -2021), in case you want to check each book off as you read it!
Students – you will practice writing and presentation skills at the beginning of the school year using these texts, so make sure they are fresh in your mind. As you read, pay particular attention to your perspective and that of the characters. Did you find any connections? How was your personal perspective impacted by what you read? You can also take notes, keep a reading journal, or record your thoughts as you read!
If you have trouble finding a copy of the book you want to read, please contact me and I will help however I can.
Select and read at least one book from the following list:
- Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two, by Joseph Bruchac
- Uprising, by Margaret Petersen Haddis
- Inside Out and Back Again, by Thanhha Lai
- Ties That Bind, Ties That Break, by Lensey Namioka
- Chains, by Laurie Halse Anderson
- Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, by Jamie Ford
- Esperanza Rising, by Pam Muñoz Ryan
- When My Name Was Keoko, by Linda Sue Park
- This Is Just a Test, by Madelyn Rosenburg and Wendy Wan-Long Shang
- The Night Diary, by Veera Hiranandani
Select and read at least one book from the following list:
- Song for a Whale, by Lynne Kelly
- The Honest Truth, by Dan Gemeinhart
- Darius the Great Is Not Okay, by Adib Khorram
- Mockingbird, by Kathryn Erskine
- The Crossover, by Kwame Alexander
- Does My Head Look Big in This?, by Randa Abdel-Fattah
- A Mango-Shaped Space, by Wendy Mass
- How the García Girls Lost Their Accents, by Julia Alvarez
- Wonder, by R. J. Palacio
The best way to have a successful school year is to stay sharp over the summer.
Check out the Summer Bingo Board for fun ways to practice and build your skills (and to win prizes)!
8th Grade Summer Reading List & Resources
“And those who were seen dancing, were thought to be crazy, by those who could not hear the music.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche
“It is a narrow mind which cannot look at a subject from various points of view.” ― George Eliot, Middlemarch
“What we see depends mainly on what we look for.” ― John Lubbock
How could seeing the world from a different perspective change the way you think and act?
This year, we are focusing on perspectives – the unique way each one of us sees the world and the powerful impact it has on our choices and actions. I have revised the reading lists to reflect a variety of perspectives and encourage you to reflect on the books as you read them. Instead of focusing on the differences, what similarities can you find between your worldview and those of the author, characters, and subjects in the books?
Students must read at least two books – one fiction and one non-fiction – over the summer. You are welcome to read more and I have included the complete list here (8th grade Summer Reading List 2020 -2021), in case you want to check each book off as you read it!
Students – you will practice writing and presentation skills at the beginning of the school year using these texts, so make sure they are fresh in your mind. As you read, pay particular attention to your perspective and that of the characters. Did you find any connections? How was your personal perspective impacted by what you read? You can also take notes, keep a reading journal, or record your thoughts as you read!
If you have trouble finding a copy of the book you want to read, please contact me and I will help however I can.
Select and read at least one book from the following list:
- Monster, by Walter Dean Myers
- Children of Blood and Bone, by Tomi Adeyemi
- Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, by Jamie Ford
- Elijah of Buxton, by Christopher Paul Curtis
- Jefferson’s Sons: A Founding Father’s Secret Children, by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
- Anything But Typical, by Nora Raleigh Baskin
- Counting by 7’s, by Holly Goldberg Sloan
- The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
- A Single Shard, by Linda Sue Park
- How the García Girls Lost Their Accents, by Julia Alvarez
Select and read at least one book from the following list:
- A Long Walk to Water, by Linda Sue Park
- Free Boy: A True Story of Slave and Master, by Lorraine McConaghy
- They Called Us Enemy, by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott, Harmony Becker
- I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot By the Taliban, by Malala Yousafzai and Christine Lamb
- Brown Girl Dreaming, by Jacqueline Woodson
- Just Mercy (Adapted for Young Adults): A True Story of the Fight for Justice, by Bryan Stevenson
- If you and your parents/guardians are comfortable with it, you can also read the original version
- It’s Trevor Noah: Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood (Adapted for Young Readers), by Trevor Noah
- If you and your parents/guardians are comfortable with it, you can also read the original version
- The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, by William Kamkwamba
- This is the link to the Young Reader’s Edition – either one is acceptable, so choose the one that will challenge your reading level
- We Are Displaced, by Malala Yousafzai
The best way to have a successful school year is to stay sharp over the summer.
Check out the Summer Bingo Board for fun ways to practice and build your skills (and to win prizes)!