HVS Summer Reading
Enclosed in this mailing is your summer reading requirement
(see below) and instructions for your summer reading. You
must complete the #1 book report (attached) for one of your
selections. For your second and third books you can choose
from the options listed on the “#2 and #3” book-reporting
sheet.
As you finish each of your summer reading books, you should
complete one of the attached options immediately while the
book is still fresh in your mind.
Entering 8th Graders
Summer Reading Requirement:
You are required to read a total of THREE books over the summer.
Select two classics from the list below. Then choose one
additional book
either from the Classics List or the 8th
Grade Suggested Reading List:
8th Grade CLASSICS List:
Little Women or Little Men, by
Louisa May Alcott
Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by
Betty Smith
The Illustrated Man, by Ray
Bradbury
Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley
A Separate Peace, by John
Knowles
1
SUMMER
8th Grade
Suggested Reading List:
The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk
Kidd
Fever 1793, by Laurie Halse Anderson
The Outsiders, by S. E. Hinton
The Sword and the Circle:
King Arthur and the Knights of
the Round
Table, by Rosemary Sutcliff
Name:
Shackleton’s Stowaway, by Victoria
McNernan
Code Talker, by Joseph Brucha
READING
The REPORTING
Book Thief, by Markus Zusak
Life of Pi, by Yann Martel
Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie, by David
Lubar
Criss Cross, by Lynne Rae Perkins
Title of Book: __________________________________________
Author of Book: ________________________________________
Number of Pages: _______________________________________
Main Characters
Minor Characters:
What kind of a character were they? Give
three characteristic descriptive words
about them
What was the main theme (message about life) of your book?
(example: Family togetherness helps overcome obstacles.)
What was the setting of your book? (Where did it take place?)
Briefly summarize the plot structure – use bullet points
(plot structure – the series of events, the conflict, the crisis point of highest point of
tension, and the resolution.)
Did you like the book? Why or why not?
#2 and #3
For your two other summer reading
books, choose from the reporting types
from the list below.
For each book you must accumulate at
least 50 points worth of reporting…
- Write a biography of the author (2 para. min., 10 pts)
- Create 3 poems based on a character (15 pts)
- Make a visual representation from a chapter & explain
significance (10 pts)
- Research the setting (if it is an actual place) - 2
pages, double-spaced, with bibliography (25 pts)
- Discuss 5 important quotes, who said it, and why it is
important ( 1 para. per quote) (20)
- Create a new book cover (10)
- Write a newspaper article about an event in the book
(who, what where, why, how; 3 para. min) (15 pts)
- Create a timeline of important events; 5 event minimum
(15 pts)
- Write three diary entries from the point of view of
character (1 para per entry) (15)
- 10 years after - where are three of the characters now?
(1 para per character ) (20 pts)
- Re-write the end of the novel (min 3 para) (20)
- Create a vocabulary sheet with difficult words, including
definitions and an original sentence ( 5 word minimum) (15
pts)
- Condense the novel into 100 words - include major plot
points (10 pts)
- Create a movie poster for the novel (15 pts)