Amazon.com
Equal parts droll and gorgeous nostalgia book and heartfelt plea for a renewed sense
of adventure in the lives of boys and men, Conn and Hal Iggulden's The Dangerous
Book for Boys became a mammoth bestseller in the United Kingdom in 2006.
Adapted, in moderation, for American customs in this edition (cricket is gone, rugby
remains; conkers are out, Navajo Code Talkers in), The Dangerous Book is a guide
book for dads as well as their sons, as a reminder of lore and technique that have
not yet been completely lost to the digital age. Recall the adventures of Scott of the
Antarctic and the Battle of the Somme, relearn how to palm a coin, tan a skin, and,
most charmingly, wrap a package in brown paper and string. The book's ambitions
are both modest and winningly optimistic: you get the sense that by learning how to
place a splint or write in invisible ink, a boy might be prepared for anything, even
girls (which warrant a small but wise chapter of their own).
Review
"One of the funniest and most likeable books around."-- Atlantic Monthly
"If there is any justice, All Creatures Great And Small will become a classic of its
kind...With seemingly effortless art, this man tells his stories with perfect timing and
optimum scale. Many more famous authors could work for a lifetime and not achieve
more flawless literary control."-- Chicago Tribune Book World
"Herriot charms because he delights in life, embraces it with sensitivity and gust and
writes with grace. All Creatures Great And Small may well be the happiest book of
the year."-- The New York Times Book Review
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
Here, for a change, is a fish tale that actually does honor to the author. In fact The
Old Man and the Sea revived Ernest Hemingway's career, which was foundering. It
also led directly to his receipt of the Nobel Prize in 1954. A half century later, it's still
easy to see why. This tale of an aged Cuban fisherman going head-to-head (or handto-fin) with a magnificent marlin encapsulates Hemingway's favorite motifs of
physical and moral challenge.
The Final Chapter
It's official! Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the seventh and final book in J.K.
Rowling's magical Harry Potter series, will be released on July 21, 2007. In the
February 1 announcement from the book's publisher, Lisa Holton, President of
Scholastic Children's Books, said, "We are thrilled to announce the publication date
of the seventh installment in this remarkable series. We join J.K. Rowling's millions
of readers--young and old, veterans and newcomers--in anticipating what lies
ahead." Save the date, and let the countdown begin!
By Joan Bauer
Amazon.com
Here's a book that's as warm and melty as a grilled Swiss on seven-grain bread, and
just as wholesome and substantial. Ever since the boss promoted her from bus girl
two and a half years ago when she was 14, Hope has been a waitress--and a darn
good one, too. She takes pride in making people happy with good food, as does her
aunt Addie, a diner cook extraordinaire. The two of them have been a pair ever since
Hope's waitress mother abandoned her as a baby, and now they have come to rural
Wisconsin to run the Welcome Stairways café for G.T. Stoop, who is dying of
leukemia. But he's not dead yet, as the kindly and greathearted restaurant owner
demonstrates when he decides to run for mayor against the wicked and corrupt Eli
Millstone.
As old-fashioned goodness lines up against the bad guys, the campaign leads Hope
in exciting new directions: a boyfriend who is a great grill man, a new sense of
herself and her mission as a waitress, and--when Addie and G.T. finally realize that
they are meant for each other--the father she has always wanted. And all of it
backed up with stuffed pork tenderloin, butterscotch cream pie, and the rhythm of
the short-order dance.
Welcome to 7th Grade English Class!!!
During the summer, you will be reading two novels One of the novels
is mandatory for everyone, and you may choose one from the other
two listed.
The MANDATORY novel for everyone is THE ANGEL EXPERIMENT by
James Patterson.
You will also read ONE of the following:
STORMBREAKER by Anthony Horowitz
ESPERANZA RISING by Pam Munoz Ryan
When you return in September, you will be asked to do a project about
the books, so you should take notes on the following as you read:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Main characters and their personalities
Setting(s)
Conflict(s)
Resolution
Plot
What the theme or purpose of the novel is
The style of the writer (told in flashbacks, written in first person,
etc)
The climax (or highest point)
These notes should all fit on ONE page, not fill a notebook!
For English class you will also need the following supplies:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
A binder (which can be shared with other classes)
Dividers
A whole box of highlighters
A whole box of red or green pens
Looseleaf paper
A paperback dictionary with your name on it (American Heritage
or Websters are good!)
By Betty Smith
Amazon.com
Francie Nolan, avid reader, penny-candy connoisseur, and adroit observer of human
nature, has much to ponder in colorful, turn-of-the-century Brooklyn. She grows up
with a sweet, tragic father, a severely realistic mother, and an aunt who gives her
love too freely--to men, and to a brother who will always be the favored child.
Francie learns early the meaning of hunger and the value of a penny. She is her
father's child--romantic and hungry for beauty. But she is her mother's child, too-deeply practical and in constant need of truth. Like the Tree of Heaven that grows
out of cement or through cellar gratings, resourceful Francie struggles against all
odds to survive and thrive. Betty Smith's poignant, honest novel created a big stir
when it was first published over 50 years ago. Her frank writing about life's squalor
was alarming to some of the more genteel society, but the book's humor and pathos
ensured its place in the realm of classics--and in the hearts of readers, young and
old. (Ages 10 and older)
By Wilson Rawls
In Where the Red Fern Grows, Billy and his precious coonhound pups romp
relentlessly through the Ozarks, trying to "tree" the elusive raccoon. In time, the
inseparable trio wins the coveted gold cup in the annual coon-hunt contest, captures
the wily ghost coon, and bravely fights with a mountain lion. When the victory over
the mountain lion turns to tragedy… (Read the book to find out what happens!!!!)