2016-2017SummerReading
IncomingSixthGraders
Required Reading:
The Giver by Lois Lowry
The haunting story centers on twelve-year-old Jonas, who lives in a seemingly ideal, if colorless, world of
conformity and contentment. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory does he
begin to understand the dark, complex secrets behind his fragile community. Lois Lowry has written three
companion novels to The Giver, including Gathering Blue, Messenger, and Son.
AND
Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time she lands in a new school, she is able
to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions. She is afraid to ask for help;
after all, how can you cure dumb? However, her newest teacher Mr. Daniels sees the bright, creative kid
underneath the trouble maker. With his help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is
nothing to be ashamed of. As her confidence grows, Ally feels free to be herself and the world starts
opening up with possibilities. She discovers that there’s a lot more to her—and to everyone—than a label,
and that great minds don’t always think alike.
Dear Incoming Sixth Grade Student,
Over the summer you will be reading The Giver by Lois Lowry and Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly
Hunt. You may read these books in paperback or on your iPad. Remember, an active reader is an
engaged and successful reader. In addition to reading the book, please complete the following:
1. Annotate the book: Read your book with pen or highlighter in hand. If you are reading it on your
iPad, use your highlighter and notes tools. In order to demonstrate active reading, you need to highlight
in your book as well as take notes in the margins. For example, you could:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Highlight new vocabulary words
Highlight an important or a confusing passage
Highlight a quote (something a character says) that you think is important
Make a prediction about what you think is going to happen
Write down a question if you are confused by something
Underline new characters as they appear
Write down a note about a character’s behavior: were they selfish, brave, reckless?
You could also make notes in the book about any connections that you make:
1. Text to self:
Is there something in the book that you can connect to yourself? Make a note!
2. Text to world:
Is there something in the book that you can connect to what is going on in the world? Make a
note!
3. Text to text:
Is there something in this book that reminds you of another book or character? Make a note!
In addition to reading the two books, please complete the attached book summaries. Bring the
book summaries and your annotated books with you to class on the first day of school. The materials will
be checked and we will use them to complete a baseline writing assignment.
SummerReadingNovelAnalysis2016-2017
StudentName_______________________________________________________________________________________
Novel________________________________________________________Author_______________________________
Setting(s)______________________________________________________________________________________________
Whatdoyouthinkthethemeofthisbookmightbe?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CHARACTERS
1.Listthemaincharactersinthebookandchoosefouradjectivestodescribethem.
Characters Adjectives
_______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
2.SelectTWOofthemainproblemsfromthebook
Problem#1__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Solution#1__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Problem#2________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Solution#2_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3.SelectTWOimportantquotesfromthebook;(Aquoteiswhatacharactersays.)
Quote#1(foundonpage#_____)___________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Whydoyouthinkthisquoteisimportant?____________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Quote#2(foundonpage#_____)___________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Whydoyouthinkthisquoteisimportant?
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
QuestionsforDiscussion
Thinkofthreegoodquestionsforclassdiscussionfromthisnovel.Pleasewritethem
down.
Additional Recommended Reading Books:
The True Confessions Of Charlotte Doyl by Avi
Sailing un-chaperoned on a merchant ship in 1832; thirteen-year-old Charlotte is convicted of murder.
*Newbery Honor Book*
Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac
Native American
After being taught in a boarding school run by whites that Navajo is a useless language, Ned Begay and other
Navajo men are recruited by the Marines to become code talkers, sending messages in their native tongue
during World War II.
The Enders Game by Orson Scott Card
When “Buggers” insect-like aliens twice attack the earth and almost destroy the human race, the government
prepares for the next encounter with “art of war” training games. All focus is on the development and training
of military geniuses who can fight such a war and win. There is time to train these future commanders up
from childhood, forging them into an irresistible force in the high-orbital facility called the Battle School. The
book chronicles Andrew Enders Wiggins, the best of the best of these future commanders.
Al Cappone Does My Shirts by Choldenko, Gennifer
A twelve-year-old boy named Moose moves to Alcatraz Island in 1935 when guards' families were housed
there, and has to contend with his extraordinary new environment in addition to life with his autistic sister
Natalie.
Murder On The Orient Express by Agatha Christie
Considered one of Christie's most popular detective stories, this novel, centering around a group of train
travelers stranded in a Balkan snowdrift, draws upon several historical events including the Lindbergh
kidnapping and the stranding of the Simplon-Orient Express in 1929
The Boggart by Susan Cooper
After visiting the castle in Scotland, which her family has inherited and returning home to Canada, twelveyear-old Emily finds that she has accidentally brought back with her a boggart, an invisible and mischievous
spirit with a fondness for practical jokes. There are other books in The Dark is Rising series which you might
also want to read.
Coraline by Neil Gaiman.
Looking for excitement, Coraline ventures through a mysterious door in her new home into a world that is
similar, yet disturbingly different from her own. Ultimately, she must challenge a gruesome entity in order to
save herself, her parents, and the souls of three others.
Out Of The Dust by Karen Hesse
In a series of poems, fifteen-year-old Billie Jo relates the hardships of living on her family's wheat farm in
Oklahoma during the dust bowl years of the Depression.
And others by this author
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline, L’Engle.
It was a wild stormy night when the unearthly visitor arrived to change the lives of Meg, Charles-Wallace and
their mother. The first book of a trilogy. ***Newbery Medal Book***
Holes by Louis Sachar
Stanley Yelnats isn’t so surprised when a miscarriage of justice sends him to a juvenile detention center. After
all, his family has been ridden with bad luck ever since a one-legged gypsy put a curse o his great-great
grandfather. He is told that the hard labor he must perform…digging 5 foot holes in the dried up soil where
Green Lake once sat…is meant to build character. But it soon becomes clear to Stanley that the warden is
really using the boys to search for something very valuable. The story of the hidden treasure, alone with the
warden, Stanley’s friend Zero, and the curse on the Yelnats family are all part of a compelling puzzle that has
taken generations to unravel.
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
How can a fairy’s blessing be such a curse? At her birth, Ella of Frell was given a foolish fairy’s gift – the
“gift” of obedience. Ella must obey any order given to her, whether it’s hopping on one foot for a day or
chopping off her own head! But strong-willed Ella does not tamely accept her fate. She goes on a quest,
encountering ogres, giants, wicked stepsisters, fairy godmothers, and handsome princes, determined to break
the curse – and live happily ever after.
Eragon by Christopher Paiolini.
When fifteen-year-old Eragon comes to learn that he is a gifted Dragon Rider, he realizes that his destiny is to
fight the evil powers that will bring complete destruction to the Empire. He leaves his quiet life as a farm boy
to succeed in his one true mission in life. And others in this series
Hatchet by Paulsen, Gary
After a plane crash, thirteen-year-old Brian spends fifty-four days in the wilderness, learning to survive,
initially with only the aid of a hatchet. There are several sequels to Hatchet which you might also want to read.
A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park
The village of Ch'ulp'o is famous for its pottery in 12th century Korea. The orphan Tree-ear knows all of the
potters in the village and is especially drawn to Min. Tree-ear drops a piece of Min's precious pottery and must
work for him to pay off his debt. He stays on after the debt to create beautiful pots for himself. His own pottery
leads him on an exciting journey which ends up to be disastrous yet also teaches Tree-ear about true courage.
Newbery award winner.
A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck
In 1937, during the Depression, fifteen-year-old Mary Alice, initially apprehensive
about leaving Chicago to spend a year with her fearsome, larger-than-life grandmother in rural Illinois,
gradually begins to better understand and admire her grandmother's unusual qualities. And others in this series
The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare
Although he faces responsibility bravely, thirteen-year-old Matt is more than a little apprehensive when his
father leaves him alone to guard their new cabin in the wilderness. When a renegade white stranger steals his
gun, Matt knows he has no way to shoot game or to protect himself. Only after meeting the proud, resourceful
Indian boy Attean does Matt begin to understand the way of the Beaver clan and their growing problem in
adapting to the white man and the changing frontier.
When you Reach Me by Rebecca Stead.
As her mother prepares to be a contestant on the 1980s television game show, "The $20,000 Pyramid," a
twelve- year-old New York City girl tries to make sense of a series of mysterious notes received from an
anonymous source that seems to defy the laws of time and space.
The Red Pony by John Steinbeck
A story of Jody growing up on a farm in the mountains of California early in this century. There are four
separate stories in this short novel, two about Jody's horses, one about a stranger in their valley and one about
Jody's grandfather.
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
After passing a series of mind-bending tests, four children are selected for a secret mission that requires them
to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no
rules.