7t and 8TH GRADERS
Recommended summer Reading
THE BOY IN THE STRIPPED PYGAMAS
by John Boyne
Berlin 1942. When Bruno returns home from school one day, he discovers that his
belongings are being packed in crates. His father has received a promotion and the
family must move from their home to a new house far, far away, where there is no one to
play with and nothing to do. A tall fence running alongside stretches as far as the eye
can see and cuts him off from the strange people he can see in the distance. But Bruno
longs to be an explorer and decides that there must be more to this desolate new place
than meets the eye. While exploring his new environment, he meets another boy whose
life and circumstances are very different to his own, and their meeting results in a
friendship that has devastating consequences.
THE BREADWINNER
by Deborah Ellis
Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan, 11-year-old Parvana has rarely been outdoors.
Barred from attending school, shopping at the market, or even playing in the streets of
Kabul, the heroine of Deborah Ellis's engrossing children's novel The Breadwinner is
trapped inside her family's one-room home. That is, until the Taliban hauls away her
father and Parvana realizes that it's up to her to become the "breadwinner" and disguise
herself as a boy to support her mother, two sisters, and baby brother. Set in the early
years of the Taliban regime, this topical novel for middle school readers explores the
harsh realities of life for girls and women in modern-day Afghanistan. Ellis based The
Breadwinner on the true-life stories of women in Afghan refugee camps.
THE OUTSIDERS
by S.E. Hinton
According to Ponyboy, there are two kinds of people in the world: greasers and socs. A
soc (short for "social") has money, can get away with just about anything, and has an
attitude longer than a limousine. A greaser, on the other hand, always lives on the
outside and needs to watch his back. Ponyboy is a greaser, and he's always been proud
of it, even willing to rumble against a gang of socs for the sake of his fellow greasers-until one terrible night when his friend Johnny kills a soc. The murder gets under
Ponyboy's skin, causing his bifurcated world to crumble and teaching him that pain feels
the same whether a soc or a greaser. This classic, written by S. E. Hinton when she was
16 years old, is as profound today as it was when it was first published in 1967.
I AM THE MESSANGER
by Markus Zusak.
If you liked The Book Thief, you might try this one by the same author. Nineteen-yearold Ed Kennedy has little to look forward to. He works as a cabbie and plays cards with
his friends. But then he stops a bank robbery and starts receiving anonymous
messages, written in code on playing cards. The cards send him on challenging tasks.
But who is sending them?
EVVY’S CIVIL WAR
by Miriam Brenaman
Evvy, oldest of five sisters, is shocked on her fourteenth birthday, when everyone
expects her to start acting like a "Southern Lady." Putting up her hair, wearing tight
corsets and dainty gloves;however, are soon overshadowed by the horror and death of
the Civil War, especially after her father goes to fight in the war, leaving Evvy in charge
of the plantation
THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGTH-TIME
by Mark Haddon
Mark Haddon's bitterly funny debut novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NightTime, is a murder mystery of sorts--one told by an autistic version of Adrian Mole.
Fifteen-year-old Christopher John Francis Boone is mathematically gifted and socially
hopeless, raised in a working-class home by parents who can barely cope with their
child's quirks. He takes everything that he sees (or is told) at face value, and is unable to
sort out the strange behavior of his elders and peers.
Late one night, Christopher comes across his neighbor's poodle, Wellington, impaled on
a garden fork. Wellington's owner finds him cradling her dead dog in his arms, and has
him arrested. After spending a night in jail, Christopher resolves--against the objection of
his father and neighbors--to discover just who has murdered Wellington. He is
encouraged by Siobhan, a social worker at his school, to write a book about his
investigations, and the result--quirkily illustrated, with each chapter given its own prime
number--is The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
HIS DARK MATERIALS TRILOGY (THE GOLDEN COMPASS; THE SUBTLE KNIFE;
THE AMBER SPYGLASS)
by Philip Pullman
In the epic trilogy His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman unlocks the door to worlds parallel
to our own. Dæmons and winged creatures live side by side with humans, and a
mysterious entity called Dust just might have the power to unite the universes--if it isn't
destroyed first. The three books in Pullman's heroic fantasy series, published as massmarket paperbacks with new covers, are united here in one boxed set that includes The
Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. Join Lyra, Pantalaimon,
Will, and the rest as they embark on the most breathtaking, heartbreaking adventure of
their lives. The fate of the universe is in their hands.
NIGHT
by Elie Wiesel
In Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel's memoir Night, a scholarly, pious teenager is wracked
with guilt at having survived the horror of the Holocaust and the genocidal campaign that
consumed his family. His memories of the nightmare world of the death camps present
him with an intolerable question: how can the God he once so fervently believed in have
allowed these monstrous events to occur? There are no easy answers in this harrowing
book, which probes life's essential riddles with the lucid anguish only great literature
achieves. It marks the crucial first step in Wiesel's lifelong project to bear witness for
those who died.
THE ROLLER BIRDS OF RAMPUR
by Indi Rana
Although Shehla was born in India, she grew up in London and thinks of herself as
English. But when her boyfriend drops her because she is Indian, Shehla begins to
wonder where she belongs.
Since her grandparents live in India, Sheila visits them to learn more about her native
land. From karma to Hinduism, Sheila discovers that India is a land of contradiction--and
a complex place where she learns about herself, her people, and the incredible
challenge of growing up proud of her heritage...
FINDING MIRACLES
by Julia Alvarez
Sixteen-year-old Milly Kaufman has always known she was adopted. Her family has
always been willing to talk about it, but not Milly. However, when Pablo Bolivar moves to
her small Vermont town and she discovers that he and his family are from the same
South American country as she, Milly starts to wonder about her country of origin. When
she sets off on an adventure to learn more about where she came from, she discovers a
history she never knew and learns that family is about more than blood ties.
HOMECOMING
by Cynthia Voight
When their mother abandons them somewhere in Connecticut, the Tillerman children—
Dicey, James, Maybeth, and Sammy—must figure out a way to stay together and find
their way to a permanent home. The responsibility for taking care of them all falls on
Dicey, the oldest, who tries to protect her brothers and sisters as she leads them on their
journey to find a safe haven. However, they encounter obstacles along the way, and as
their journey comes to an unexpected conclusion, they make surprising discoveries
about themselves.
THE UGLIES
by Scott Westerfield
The first book in a series that includes The Pretties, The Specials, and The Extras, this
novel is set in a time and place where everyone is ugly—until they turn sixteen, when
they undergo an operation to make them a “Pretty.” At fifteen, Tally Youngblood is still
an Ugly, and she is impatiently awaiting her operation—until her friend, Shay, runs away
to a rebel camp, the Smoke, where young people refuse to undergo the operation.
While Tally can’t understand why anyone would refuse the operation, she is forced by
the authorities to go in search of Shay, and along the way discovers the ugliness behind
the Pretty operation.
I AM THE MESSENGER
by Markus Zusak.
If you liked The Book Thief, you might try this one by the same author. Nineteen-yearold Ed Kennedy has little to look forward to. He works as a cabbie and plays cards with
his friends. But then he stops a bank robbery and starts receiving anonymous
messages, written in code on playing cards. The cards send him on challenging tasks.
But who is sending them?
IN THE TIME OF BUTTERFLIES
by Julia Alvarez
The four Mirabel sisters were called the Mariposas, or butterflies. Dede, the only
survivor, tells the story of courage that helps liberate the Dominican Republic from the
dictator Trujillo
Your 8th Grade Classmates read and recommend the following books:
Catherine Vickerstaff
All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot:
I loved this book. It’s a hilarious read about an English vet in the north of
England and his experiences. Herriot gives a personal and comical view of
people’s characters and how they act with animals.
All Things Bright and Beautiful by James Herriot - A funny sequel.
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden: (for more mature readers: 8th and up)
Interesting read into the lives of Geishas. The book follows the life of a young
girl’s path to becoming a Geisha.
Mireille Bejjani
The Circle of Magic series by Tamora Pierce (fiction) (6-7 grades)
In a fictional land, four children discover that they have magic powers and learn
how to develop them and use them wisely. The four become very close friends.
I liked this series because it’s interesting and the stories of the four children are
closely woven together. I like the use of magic in the series and Tamora Pierce
skillfully ties all the elements into relatively easy to read novel.
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card (fiction) (6-8 grades)
Buggers, an alien species, are going to attack Earth. An international
organization is recruiting young kids to become leaders of the fight against the
buggers. The kids are trained in schools in outer space.
I liked this book because of the use of children as future leaders. The kids
recruited are very smart, and the social conflicts add to the action.
The Runelords series by David Farland (fiction) (8th grade)
In this fictional world, people can give endowments to others, which means
someone can give his sight, strength, stamina, smell…to someone else.
Runelords are the people who receive these endowments. Gaborn, the main
character, is a prince who travels with his father to another country and
encounters a powerful King from the south, Raj Ahten.
I liked this series because of the concept of endowments. It’s original and the
story combines action, adventure, and ethical issues.
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie (historical fiction) (8th grade)
Two Chinese teenage boys are forced to go to the mountains in China for “reeducation” during the Cultural Revolution. The boys meet a seamstress, and one
of the boys has a relationship with her. The boys discover western literature while
they are in the mountains.
I like this book because it is based on historical events and the author’s life, but
the style is completely different from normal biographies or autobiographies. The
book offers a closer view at the Cultural Revolution. The personal story of the two
boys makes the reader feel like part of the book.
Emanuelle Rizk
Here are three books I absolutely loved.
A Dab of Dickens and a Touch of Twain by Elliot Engel
This book humanizes great classic authors. It's a collection of short biographies
of the authors of classic literature. It doesn't show us their flaws, which is unlike
many other biographies, and adds some humor to their stories. Even though at
first I thought this book would be boring, I ended up really enjoying it. I was sad
when I realized that was almost done with the book. I would classify it as
biographical humor. I would recommend this book for 8th grade students going
into 9th. But it can be easily read in 6th grade, though some of the hidden
sarcasm might be harder to get.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
I absolutely adored this book. It's about the lives of four sisters: Jo, Meg, Amy,
and Beth. It tells of their sorrows, heartbreaks, and "adventures" (as far as
adventures could go at that time). I recommend this book to students of all ages.
The language may be challenging for those that aren't used to old English.
Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery
This is the addictive story of a young orphan, Anne, who is finally adopted. The
later books describe what happens when she grows up and settles down in
Avalon. I loved this series, and though I think 6th graders can read it (for sure), I
think any grade would love it.
Belle Carroll
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
I loved this book for its twists, surprises and the famous Hercule Poirot. This
mystery will keep you wondering who is the killer till the end. The New York
Times wrote, “What more …can a mystery addict desire? “
Allegra Brochin
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.
My favorite book is The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins. It is a sciencefiction book that is well written, easy and pleasurable to read, not too long, and
well paced. I really enjoyed this book because l love science fiction, and a lot of
action; here, every chapter ends on a cliff-hanger. If you love science fiction and
want to read a book that you won’t want to put down, I suggest The Hunger
Games. Also, if you enjoyed the first book, the second and the third book of the
trilogy are equally great, and are just as thrilling.
Margaux Salz
Revolution, by Jennifer Donnelly
One of my favorite books is Revolution, by Jennifer Donnelly. It’s the story of a
troubled teen named Andi, a star guitar player, who is unwilling to conform to any
rules or the idea of seeing her father, a man who left her family after the death of
her brother. Yet she is forced to go with him to Paris where she finds the diary of
a young girl her age written during the French Revolution. Her words move Andi
to the point of obsession, and make her discover some of Paris’s greatest
mysteries…
I enjoyed this novel because it’s extremely interesting, blending music, history,
and drama into one book. Even though it’s around seven hundred pages long, it
only took me a few days to read (yes, it’s that good).
The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold
Another favorite book of mine is The Lovely Bones. It’s narrated by Susie
Salmon, a fourteen-year-old girl who was murdered by one of her neighbors. She
recounts the story of her family’s struggle to accept and cope with the loss of
their eldest daughter and sibling, while all the while trying to adapt to her new
home, her own personalized heaven. It is extremely well written and entertaining
because of the psychological side of the book and the evolution of all the
relationships throughout the novel. I also liked it because it’s narrated by a
fourteen year old and she brings an interesting side to the story showing us the
point of view of someone who has died, instead of that of the living. The Lovely
Bones, is one of the most entertaining and suspenseful books I have ever read,
and the fact that it is sometimes frightening helps a lot too.
Clemence Wassen
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
I really like Water for Elephants. It's a beautiful story about a boy name Jacob
who joins a traveling circus as a veterinarian in the 1930s, after his parents die in
a car crash. He then falls in love with his friend's wife. This begins a complicated
love story that includes a beautiful stubborn elephant.
I read it in just a couple of days because I liked it so much.
Eva Hachem
And Then there Were None, by Agatha Christie
I really enjoyed reading And Then there Were None, by Agatha Christie. This
mystery is about a group of ten people, invited by an anonymous host to stay on
an island. However, the host isn’t there when they arrive. One by one, the guests
disappear, each death strangely pertaining to a nursery rhyme in all of the
guests’ bedrooms. At the end, they are all somewhat driven insane by the
question of who, or what, is killing everyone. It is a combination of crime, magic,
suspense and basic humanity: Who do they trust, when they are the only people
on the island. I really adored this book, because, even though it was very
entertaining, it also questions the difference between good and evil, and takes
many unexpected turns.
Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, by Amy Chua.
Another book that I liked was Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, by Amy Chua.
The book encourages people to work harder to achieve their goals, and also to
value hard work. It is about a Chinese-American mother raising her children to be
successful people when they grow up. It is about making those who you love
sometimes hate you, but for it to be for the better in the long run (cliché!) She is
trying to make her daughters talented musicians and successful people in life.
She recount the struggles that she has had to go through, such as practicing
during vacations in Greece, or Paris, and holding up the whole family for a few
hours of practice in a bar with a piano. This was a very good book, and it also
inspired me, (having played the piano from a young age) to strive to reach my
goals.