8th Grade Summer Reading Project
This list includes a variety of books to appeal to the interests and reading levels of many students. Parents are
encouraged to review book selections with their children in order to help them make appropriate choices.
Language arts students should read one book from the list. Honors Language Arts students should read two
books from the list. Take notes to help you complete your project as you read. The project guidelines follow
this list. Be prepared to share your project and take a book quiz by Wednesday, August 26, 2015.
Alvarez, Julia. BEFORE WE WERE FREE. From terrorizing phone calls and disappearing relatives, Anita de la Torre endures
challenges teenagers should not have to face. Set in Dominican Republic in 1960, Anita's family members become
prominent leaders in the nation's various attempts to overthrow the dictator. While her family's political opposition invokes
violent disputes, Anita yearns to solve her own problems regarding her friendships, romances, and quest for liberation.
th
Austen, Jane. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. In this classic, 19 century English novel, Elizabeth Bennet, a spirited heroine, doesn’t
always agree with her opinionated beau, Mr. Darcy.
Flake, Sharon. THE SKIN I’M IN. Thirteen-year-old Maleeka, an excellent student who is choosing the wrong friends, meets a
new teacher who helps her discover who she is and what she believes.
Myers, Walter Dean. THE CRUISERS. While attending an academy for the gifted in New York City, eighth grader Zander Scott
and his co-workers on the school’s underground newspaper must find a creative way to stop the growing racial tensions at
their school.
Tolkien, J. R. R. THE HOBBIT. In this prelude to The Lord of the Rings, Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys his comfortable
life. Bilbo is the last person anyone would expect to head off on an adventure, but this is exactly what happens when the
wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep. The dwarves have a plan to return to their ancestral
home and reclaim a stolen fortune from the dragon Smaug and soon Bilbo is swept into a dangerous adventure complete
with giant spiders, hostile elves, and a creature named Gollum.
Zusak, Mark. THE BOOK THIEF. Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking novel is the story of
Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when
she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read
and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her
basement before he is marched to Dachau.
Part 1
Find 10 new vocabulary words while you are reading the book (Honors Language Arts students should find 10
words for each book you read—20 words total.) Make a poster or booklet with the following information for
each word.
Definition and Part of
Speech
Original Sentence
Word
Picture/Image
Synonyms and antonyms
clearly labeled
Part II
Now, pick two of the following options to complete:
Movie Trailer
Create a movie trailer for the book. You should
use actors and props to help your audience
understand the characters and plot of the book.
The purpose of a movie trailer is to encourage
people to go see the movie, so make the book look
good! The trailer should be 2-4 minutes.
(Please bring a typed script to accompany the
video. The video should be on a flash drive, cd or
uploaded to youtube.)
An Interview with a Character
Write a magazine article in which you interview
the main character. Ask them relevant and
thought-provoking questions. Use textual
evidence and inference skills to create the
answers. The interview should be at least two
pages typed and double spaced.
Artifact Collection
Create a box that contains 8-10 artifacts that
represent the novel. (The artifacts can be real or
homemade. For example, you could include a
baseball in the box or you can construct a 2D or 3D
baseball out of construction paper.) Write a
paragraph (5-8 sentences) to accompany each
artifact. The paragraph should explain why you
selected the artifact and how it is significant to the
character and plot of the novel.
Scrapbook
Create a scrapbook for the journey the protagonist
takes in the novel. Your scrapbook should be at
least 8-10 pages that clearly demonstrates you
have an understanding of character, plot and
setting. Include relevant pictures, decorations and
captions.
Language Arts students should complete both activities on the same book.
Honors Language Arts students should complete one activity on each novel read. For example, complete a
movie trailer for Pride and Prejudice and an artifact collection for The Skin I’m in.
Part III – Optional
Extra Credit Opportunity (5 points maximum): Create an advertisement poster that we can hang in the school
that will encourage other students to read the book. It should be attractive, easy to read and persuasive.
Be prepared to take a quiz on the book you read and share your project by
Wednesday, August 26, 2015.