Revised 6/13/2016
(Grade 7)
Somers Public Schools
Somers, CT 06071
2016
Summer Reading List
Grades PreK–12
www.somers.k12.ct.us
Links on each of the school’s web pages
The Somers Summer Reading List is revised each year in late spring. The
updated list will be published on the web site in May of each year.
The Somers Public Schools is committed to equal opportunity for all students, applicants and employees. The District does not discriminate
in any employment practice, education program, or educational activity on the basis of race, color, religious creed, sex, age, national origin,
ancestry, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability (including, but not limited to, intellectual disability, past or
present history of mental disorder, physical disability or learning disability), genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by Connecticut
state and/or federal nondiscrimination laws. In addition, it provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.
Inquiries regarding the District’s nondiscrimination policies should be directed to Dr. Irene Zytka, Title IX Coordinator, 1 Vision Boulevard,
Somers, CT 06071, (860) 749-2270 x2039
Should an accommodation for a disability be required, please contact Dr. Denise Messina, Director of Pupil Services and Section 504
Coordinator, 1 Vision Boulevard, Somers, CT 06071, (860) 749-2270 x2052. (Revised April 13, 2016)
Summer Reading
“Who I am, what I am, is the culmination of a lifetime of reading, a lifetime of stories. And there are so
many more books to read. I’m a work in progress.” Sarah Addison Allen, NY Times Best selling Author
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Attached please find the Somers Summer Reading List put together by the teachers of Somers. Much time and
effort was put into the selection of books that will not only challenge student’s thinking but also stimulate their
creativity.
340 × 250 clipartoday.com
Much research has been done over the years which substantiate the fact that summer reading has a direct impact
on the achievement gap. Students can lose over 3 months of learning over the summer. This effect becomes
more pronounced as students get older and advance through the grades. Children who don’t read over the
summer tend to lose literacy skills while children who do read during the summer actually improve their reading
ability. Summer learning losses accumulate over several years and are an important contributor to the
achievement gap.
But….those students who continue to read over the summer also scored higher on reading achievement tests at
the beginning of the next school year.
The best ways to keep your child from becoming a “rusty reader” over the summer are:
1. Encourage your children to read books they enjoy for at least 20-30 minutes per day. The schools have
provided a list of both required and optional books.
2. Provide incentives for reluctant readers. For example, if your child enjoys
340basketball,
× 250 - agree to take them
to the local court if they do their “daily reading.”
clipartoday.com
3. Make reading a social act. Establish a time during the day when all members of the family gather and
read on their own, or take turns reading the same book aloud.
4. Connect your reading to family outings. If you take your kids to an aquarium, consider reading a book
about fish or the ocean with them later that day. The outing can help place the reading into a broader
context.
5. Read before going to bed. This is something we have been doing in my household since my daughter
was little. Studies have shown that it relaxes the brain and allows for a deeper sleep. It’s always good to
take a break from electronics as well.
So, I encourage you to read with your children, to your children and for your children.
Sincerely,
Dr. Irene H. Zytka
Director of Curriculum
“You can find magic wherever you look. Sit back and relax. All you need is a book.” Dr. Seuss
2
Somers Elementary School
Dear Parents:
This summer invite your child into a world of adventure, journeys and discovery through the
enjoyment of reading books. We encourage your support of literacy and hope that you will engage
your child's interest in any of the following books or the thousands of others at your library or
bookstores. These are some suggestions and guidelines that you may find helpful.
Reading aloud to your young children is very beneficial. As Joseph Addison said: “Reading is to the
mind what exercise is to the body.”
Guidelines for Choosing Books for Children
Preschool and Kindergarten
Children at this age:
•
Are delighted by Mother Goose and rhyming stories and love to hear them over and over. They
will begin to recite verses by themselves.
•
Enjoy pop-up books and books with flaps to flip which provide opportunities for active participation
and storytelling.
•
Are stimulated by wordless books which allows them to creativity tell stories and provides them
with opportunities for expression and conversation.
Grade 1
Children at this age:
•
Read aloud picture books with good storylines.
•
Enjoy alphabet and counting books, fairy tales, and easy informational books.
•
Are attracted to books with vibrant pictures that support the storyline and have repetitive patterns.
Grade 2
Children at this age:
•
Enjoy listening to chapter books of some complexity.
•
Start to read easy chapter books.
•
Continue to enjoy having parents share picture books with them.
•
Begin to enjoy particular authors or series books.
Grade 3
Children at this age:
•
Read chapter books independently.
•
Begin to explore books from various genres such as mysteries, historical fiction and science
fiction.
•
Continue to enjoy being read aloud to several times per week.
•
Like to select their own reading material at school and public libraries.
•
Take pride in showing off their reading skills.
•
Understand more complex stories and chapter books than they can read themselves.
•
Continue to enjoy having chapter books read to them.
Grade 4
Children at this age:
•
Are fascinated with unusual facts, record books, and biographies.
•
Prefer tall tales over fairy tales.
•
Enjoy realistic fiction with happy endings.
•
Select sports stories and stories about heroes.
•
Enjoy animal stories and nonfiction animal fact books.
•
Find science fiction interesting.
•
3
Grade 5
Children at this age:
•
Enjoy biographies.
•
Appreciate funny books and have a well-developed sense of humor.
•
Like adventure, spine-tingling and fantasy stories.
•
Like historical fiction stories.
•
Like statistical collections (sports).
•
Enjoy how-to books for parent-child projects.
4
Summer Reading List
Entering Preschool
Arnold, Marsha. Quick, Quack, Quick!
Aylesworth, Jim. Country Crossing
Barrett, Judi. Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing
Berenstain, Stan & Jan. The Berenstains' B Book
Berenstain, Stan & Jan. Inside Outside Upside Down
Berenstain, Stan & Jan. Old Hat New Hat
Bianco, Margery Williams. The Velveteen Rabbit
Brett, Jan. Gingerbread Baby
Brett, Jan. The Mitten
Brown, Marc. Wings on Things
Brown, Margaret Wise. Goodnight Moon
Bunting, Eve. The Mother's Day Mice
Carle, Eric. Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too?
Carle, Eric. The Grouchy Ladybug
Carle, Eric. The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Degen, Bruce. Jamberry
Demi. The Empty Pot
Ets, Marie Hall. Play With Me
Ezra, Mark. The Prickly Hedgehog
Flora. Feathers Like a Rainbow
Hoban, Russell. Bread and Jam for Frances
Hutchins, Pat. The Wind Blew
Jackson, Kathryn. Tawny Scrawny Lion
Kent, Jack. Round Robin
LeSieg, Theo. Ten Apples Up On Top!
Lionni, Leo. Inch by Inch
Lionni, Leo. Little Blue and Little Yellow
London, Jonathan. Wiggle Waggle
Lopshire, Robert. Put Me in the Zoo
Lowrey, Janette Sebring. The Poky Little Puppy
Maccarone, Grace. Cars! Cars! Cars!
Martin, Bill, Jr. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
Martin, Bill, Jr. and Michael Sampson. Rock it, Sock it, Number Line
McFarlane, Sheryl. A Pod of Orcas: A Seaside Counting Book
Minarik, Else Holmelund. A Kiss For Little Bear
Palmer, Helen. A Fish Out of Water
Piper, Watty. The Little Engine That Could
Rey, H.A. Curious George
Rosenberry, Vera. Who Is in the Garden?
Seuling, Barbara. Spring Song
Seuss, Dr. Dr. Seuss's ABC
Seuss, Dr. The Foot Book
Seuss, Dr. Great Day for Up
Seuss, Dr. Hop on Pop
Smith, William Jay. Ho for a Hat!
Spence, Rob & Amy. Clickety Clack
Spicer, Maggee and Richard Thompson. Fishes in the Ocean
Steig, William. Dominic
Williams, Sue. I Went Walking
Wood, Don & Audrey. The Napping House
Wood, Audrey. Quick as a Cricket
5
Summer Reading List
Entering Kindergarten
Action Alphabet by Marty Neumeler and Byron Glazer
Alphabatics by Suse MacDonald
Annabelle Swift, Kindergartner by Amy Schwartz
Anno's Alphabet by Mitsumasa Anno
Carl books by Alexandra Day
Corduroy by Dan Freeman
Curious George by H.A. Rey and Margret Rey
Dinotrux Books by Chris Gall
Fairy Tales
First Discovery books by Scholastic
Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker
Good Night Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
Hungry Thing (The) by Jon Slepian and Ann Seidler
If You Give A Mouse A Cookie (series) by Laura Numeroff
Little Bear by Elsa Manklin
M&M Counting Book by Barbara Barbieri McGrath
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten by Joseph Slate
Mother Goose by Tomie dePaola
Olivia by Ian Falconer
Pete the Cat Books by James Dean
Read Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young edited by Jack Prefutsky
Ten Black Dots by Donald Crews
Ten, Nine, Eight by Molly Brown
We're Going On A Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen
Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Whistle for Willie by Ezra Jack Keats
Suggested Authors
Jan Brett
Eric Carle
Jamie Lee Curtis
Anna Dewdney
Lois Ehlert
Mem Fox
Gail Gibbons
Kevin Henkes
Tana Hoban
Pat Hutchins
Bill Martin
Mercer Mayer
Bernard Most
Robert Munsch
Dr. Seuss
David Shannon
Nancy Elizabeth Wallace
Mo Willems
Audrey and Dawn Wood
6
Summer Reading List
Entering Grade 1
Note: Raz-Kids accounts will remain active over the summer. Please visit this website for
additional titles: www.raz-kids.com
Here are some titles to get your summer reading off to a great start! Please note that the reading
level of the books suggested varies. If your child is already reading, have him or her read a page of
the book aloud to you to see if the book is a good fit. If they struggle with more than a few words on
the page, the book is probably too difficult for independent reading, but would make a great readaloud! The librarian in the children's section of the public library is another wonderful resource to help
with your child's summer reading journey!
Read Aloud & Read Together
A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon
A Pizza the Size of the Sun by Jack Prelutsky
Bark, George! by Jules Pfeffer
Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type by Doreen Cronin
Go Away, Big Green Monster by Ed Emberley
How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long
Leo the Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus
Make Way for Ducklings by Rober McCloskey
My Tooth is About to Fall Out by Grace Maccarone
Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann
Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner
The Big Orange Splot by Daniel Pinkwater
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper
The Three Little Pigs by David Wiesner
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka
We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen
Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
Book Series to Read with Your Child
Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish
Biscuit series by Alyssa Satin Capucilli
Clifford books by Norman Bridwell
Fancy Nancy series by Jane O’Connor
Froggy books by Jonathan London
Geronimo Stilton by Elisabetta Dami
Hello Reader series
Henry and Mudge series by Cynthia Rylant
I Can Read books
Little Bear books by Elsie Minarik
Little Critter books by Mercer Mayer
Pigeon series by Mo Willems
Pinkalicious series by Victoria and Elizabeth Kann
Pinky and Rex by James Howe
Step into Reading books
The Bunny series by Kathryn Lasky
7
Non-Fiction
Books by Gail Gibbons
Books by Jerry Pallotta
Books by Tana Hoban
Books by Martin Jenkins
I Spy books by Walter Wick and Jean Marzollo
Other Favorite Authors: Jan Brett, Eric Carle, Nancy Carlson, Donald Crews, Tomie dePaola,
Lois Ehlert, Kevin Henkes, Ezra Jack Keats, Bruce Lansky, Helen Lester, Leo Lionni, Robert Munsch,
Laura Numeroff, Dr. Seuss, Audrey Wood
8
Summer Reading List
Entering Grade 2
Note: Raz-Kids accounts will remain active over the summer. Please visit this website for
additional titles: www.raz-kids.com
Leveled Reading Books
If you want to find out if a book your child chooses is a “Just Right” book, you can go to Scholastic Book
Wizard at www.scholastic.com/bookwizard/ to find the book level.
Reading Level
D
D
D
E
E
F
F
F
F
G
G
G
G
G
G
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
I
I
I
I
Reading Level
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
Approaching Grade Level
Bears on Wheels by Jan and Stan Berenstain
Chick and the Duckling (The) by Mirra Ginsbury
Feathers for Lunch by Lois Ehlert
All By Myself by Mercer Mayer
Morris the Moose by Bernard Wiseman
Here Are My Hands by Bill Martin
Just Like Daddy by Frank Asch
Octopus Under the Sea by Connie Roop
Rosie’s Walk by Pat Hutchins
Biscuit Goes To School by Allyssa Satin Capucilli
Biscuit’s New Trick by Allyssa Satin Capucilli
Biscuit Wins a Prize by Allyssa Satin Capucilli
Each Peach Pear Plum by Alan Ahlberg
Ten Red Apples by Pat Hutchins
Titch by Pat Hutchins
Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown
Circus Shapes by Stuart J. Murphy
Danny and the Dinosaur Go to Camp by Syd Hoff
Flying Bats by Faye Robinson
From Caterpillar to Moth by Jan Kottke
Happy Birthday, Danny & the Dinosaur by Syd Hoff
Just Me and My Babysitter by Mercer Mayer
Just Shopping by Mercer Mayer
Living Near a River by Joanne Winne
Which Witch is Which? By Pat Hutchins
Are You My Mother? By Philip D. Eastman
Froggy Goes to School by Jonathon London
Happy Birthday Sam by Pat Hutchins
Leo the Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus
Grade Level
Clifford’s Christmas by Norman Bridwell
Clifford’s Puppy Days by Norman Bridwell
Clifford’s Thanksgiving Visit by Norman Bridwell
Curious George and the Pizza by Margaret Rey
Froggy’s Day with Dad by Jonathon London
Froggy Gets Dressed by Jonathon London
Froggy Goes to the Doctor by Jonathon London
Henry and Mudge Series by Cynthia Ryland
9
Reading Level
K
K
K
K
K
K
K
K
K
K
K
K
K
K
K
K
Click, Clack, Moo by Doreen Cronin
Clifford, the Big Red Dog by Gene Zion
Duck for President by Doreen Cronin
Franklin and the Tooth Fairy by Bourgeois & Clark/Scholastic
Franklin Goes to School by Bourgeois & Clark/Scholastic
Franklin Rides a Bike by Bourgeois & Clark/Scholastic
Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel
Giggle, Giggle, Quack by Doreen Cronin
Golly Sisters Go West by Betsy Byars
Golly Sisters Ride Again (The) by Betsy Byars
Manatee Winter by Kathleen Zoefeld
Molly the Brave and Me by Jane O’Connor
Noisy Nora by Rosemary Wells
Orca Song by Michael C. Armour
Pied Piper of Hamelin (The) by Deborah Hautzig
Veteran’s Day by J.Cotton
Reading Level
L
L
M
M
M
N
N
O
Grade Level
Above Grade Level – Can be a good read aloud.
Berenstain Bears by Jan and Stan Bereinstain
Going Home by Eve Bunting
A-Z Mysteries by Ron Roy
Jane Martin Dog Detective by Eve Bunting
Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne
Chalk Box Kid (The) by Clyde Robert Bulla
Dive: A Book of Deep Sea Creatures by Melvin Berger
Mr. Maxwell’s Mouse by Frank Asch
Book Series
Title
Level
Henry and Mudge Series by Cynthia Rylant
J
Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel
K
Nate the Great by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
K
Berenstain Bears by Jan and Stan Berenstain
L
Arthur and D.W. by Marc Brown
Curious George by H.A. Rey
I,J,K,L,M
H,I,J,K
Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne
M/N
N/Double Orange Dots
A-Z Mysteries by Ron Roy
M/N
Who Was Series Illustrated by Nancy Harrison Different Authors for Different Books.
Different Levels for Different Books
10
Read Aloud and Read Together
Title
Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman
Charlotte's Web by E. B. White
Great Kapok Tree (The) by Lynne Cherry
Ira Sleeps Over by Bernard Waber
Lon Po Po by Ed Young
Mary Marony and the Snake by Blanche Sims
Miss Nelson Is Missing by Harry Allard
Monarch Butterfly by Gail Gibbons
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
Polar Express (The) by Chris Van Allsburg
Popcorn Book (The) by Tomie dePaola
Random House Book of Poetry For Children (The) edited by Jack Prelutsky
Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
Suggested Authors
Harry Allard
Frank Asch
Marc Brown
Eve Bunting
Norman Bridwell
Eric Code
Donald Crews
Doreen Cronin
Tomie dePaolo
Mem Fox
Kevin Henkes
Sid Hoff
Pat Hutchins
Steven Kellog
Arnold Lobel
Bernard Most
Mercer Mayer
Cynthia Rylant
Maurice Sendak
Dr. Seuss
11
Summer Reading List
Entering Grade 3
Note: Raz-Kids accounts will remain active over the summer. Please visit this website for
additional titles: www.raz-kids.com
If you want to find out if a book your child chooses is a “Just Right” book, you can go to Scholastic Book
Wizard at www.scholastic.com/bookwizard/ to find the book level.
Reading Level
I
J,K,L
J/K
K
K
K
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
L/M
Reading Level
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
N
N
N
N
Approaching Grade Level
Dragon series by Dav Pilkey
DK Readers (Level 2): Beginning to Read Alone (nonfiction titles) by various
authors
Henry and Mudge series by Cynthia Rylant
Commander Toad series by Jane Yolen
Frog and Toad series by Arnold Lobel
Joe and Sparky Series by Jamßie Michalak
All Aboard Reading (Level 2) various nonfiction titles by various authors
Bunnicula: Ready to Read series by James Howe
Cam Jansen Mystery series by David Adler
Herbie Jones series by Megan McDonald
Horrible Harry series by Suzy Kline
Judy Moody series by Megan McDonald
Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne
Marvin Redpost series by Louis Sachar
Splat the Cat Series by Rob Scotton
See More Readers (Level 1) various nonfiction titles by Seymour Simon
Rainbow Fairies by Daisy Meadows
Grade Level
Bad Kitty Series by Nick Bruel
Bailey School Kids series by Debbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton Jones
Jake Drake series by Andrew Clements
Junie B. Jones series by Barbara Park
Katie Kazoo series by Nancy Krulik
Littles (The) series by John Peterson
Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne
Matt Christopher series (sport themes) by Matt Christopher
Rescue Princesses (The) by Paula Harrison
Pete the Cat Series by James Dean
A to Z Mysteries series by Rob Roy
Magic Finger, The Enormous Crocodile (The) by Roald Dahl
Notebook of Doom by Troy Cummings
Secrets of Droon series by Tony Abbott
12
Reading Level
M/O
M-Q
N-Q
O
O
O
O
P
P
P
Q
Q
Q
R
Above Grade Level – Can be a good read aloud.
Nonfiction: Eyewitness Books, Ranger Rick, Sports Illustrated for Kids
and National Geographic for Kids magazines
Any nonfiction book by Gail Gibbons
Big Nate Series by Nick Bruel
Clementine series by Sara Pennypacker
Gooney Bird Greene series by Lois Lowry
Socks; Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary ß
Who Would Win? series by Jerry Pallotta
Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl
Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys Series
Puppy Patrol Series- Jenny Dale
Bunnicula Series- James Howe
Fudge; Double Fudge by Judy Blume
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
Big Nate Series by Lincoln Peirce
13
Summer Reading List
Entering Grade 4
Note: Raz-Kids accounts will remain active over the summer. Please visit this website for
additional titles: www.raz-kids.com
If you want to find out if a book your child chooses is a “Just Right” book, you can go to Scholastic Book Wizard
at www.scholastic.com/bookwizard/ to find the book level.
Reading
Level
K
L
M
M
M
M
M
Easy
N
N
N
N
N
O
O
O
Two Foolish Cats (The) by Yoshiko Uchida
Free Throw by Jake Maddox
Alligator Alley by Irene Shultz
Art Lesson (The) by Tomie dePaola
Copper Lady (The) by Alice and Kent Ross
Moongobble and Me series by Bruce Coville
Talking Eggs: A Folktale from the America South (The) by Robert D.
San Souci
Andrew Lost series by J.C. Greenburg
Bozo the Clone by Dan Greenburg
My Dog, My Hero by Betsy Byars
Secrets of Droon series by Tony Abbot
Wagon Wheels by Barbara Brenner
Gloria's Way series by Ann Cameron
Muggie Maggie by Beverly Cleary
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
P
P
Q
Q
R
R
Average
Arctic Tundra by Michael Forman
My America series by Patricia Hermes
Funny Frank by Dick King-Smith
Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard Atwater
Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Birdbrain Amos series by M.C. Delaney
S
S
S
S
S
T
T
V
Challenging
Bear Named Trouble by Marion Dane Bauer
Ben and Me by Robert Lawson
I Was a Sixth Grade Alien by Bruce Covill
Million Dollar Shot (The) by Dan Gutman
Mummies and Their Mysteries by Charlotte Wilcox
Baseball Card Adventure series by Dan Gutman
Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
Ann of Green Gables by Lucy Maude Montgomery
14
Other Book Series
Reading Level
O
S
S/T
Easy
Reading Level
Boxcar stories by Gertrude
Chandler Warner
Step Into Reading series
(Level 4-easy
J/P
P/Q
Q
R
Challenging
Lightning Thief Series
Time for Kids Biography
Series
Average
Encyclopedia Brown stories
by Donald J. Sobol
History Maker Biographies
Series
American Girls Collection
Strawberry Girl by Lois
Lenski
Suggested Authors
The Public Library does not have all authors, but they do have some of the series books. Feel free to
substitute books by the same author.
Series Books
Beverly Cleary,
Ronald Dahl,
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Sports
Matt
Christopher
Adventure
Avi
Funny Stories
Judy Blume
Biographies
Jean Fritz
Biographies
Poetry
Jack
Prelutsky
Joanna Cole
Dean Hughes
Peg Kehret
Paula Danziger
Barthe DeClements
Alfred Slote
Gary Paulsen
Barbara Dillon
Bill Wallace
Johanna Hurwitz
Suzy Kline
Patricia Polacco
Jerry Spinelli
.
15
Summer Reading List
Entering Grade 5
Required Summer Reading For All Incoming 5th Graders!
Each student entering 5th grade in the fall of 2016 is required to read one of the sequel books from
Jacqueline Davies’ Lemonade War series.
Evan Treski is people-smart. His sister Jessie is math-smart. With just five days left of
summer vacation, Evan and Jessie launch an all-out war to see who can sell the most
lemonade before school starts. As the battleground heats up, there really is no telling who
will win — or if their fight will ever end.
All fourth graders read the first book, The Lemonade War in fourth grade this year. Mrs. Davies
recommended at her presentation to read the books in order. Please read The Lemonade Crime or
another book in the series. Complete the Story Map, Question and Bookmark for that book.
Task: Each student must come to school the first day having read the book AND
completed the following items:
Story Map, Response Question & Student Created Bookmark
These handouts can also be downloaded from the fifth grade teachers’ websites or picked up at the
SES school office. See attached.
Have a great summer!
The Grade Five Teachers
16
Fifth Grade Summer Reading Tasks
These 3 tasks go with any of the Lemonade War series books you read.
Task 1- Story Map (The map may be in list format.)
Title
Author
Setting
(time of
year,
place)
Main
Characters
Problem
Solution
Please continue to the next page.
17
Task 2 Literature Response
Choose one of the following questions to write a response. Use specific events from the story to
explain your response.
Question 1: Choose one character from the story and explain how the character changed throughout
the story.
Question 2: Choose one important event and explain why the author included this event in the story.
How did this event effect the characters and the problem of the story?
Question 3: What was an important theme or lesson addressed in this book? Explain.
Continue on to the next page.
18
Task 3- Bookmark
Create a bookmark for the book you read. Creatively illustrate your bookmark to represent the book.
Below are the required parts of the bookmark. Check off as they are completed.
Title____
Author of the book____
Creative Illustration _____
Rating in Stars_____ (1 to 5 stars, 5 being an excellent book)
Reason for the rating ______ (Explain why you rated the book the way you did. Give 1-2 specific
examples from the story to support your reason.)
Name (Do not forget to put your name on the bookmark.)______
19
Fifth Grade Suggested Summer Reading
(For students entering grade 5)
If you want to find out if a book your child chooses is a “Just Right” book, you can go to Scholastic Book Wizard
at www.scholastic.com/bookwizard/ to find the book level.
Reading
Level
N
O
O/P
R
R
R/S
R/S
R/S
S
S
T
T
U
U
V
V
V
V
V
W
W
W
W
Magic Finger (The) by Roald Dahl
Mouse and the Motorcycle (The) by Beverly Cleary
Ramona (The) series by Beverly Cleary
Iggie’s House by Judy Blume
Report Card (The) by Andrew Clements
Dive, Everest and Shipwreck (The) series by Gordon Korman
Hate That Cat by Sharon Creech
On the Run series by Gordon Korman
Matlida by Roald Dahl
Mississippi Bridge by Mildred D. Taylor
Blubber by Judy Blume
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Patterson
BFG (The) by Roald Dahl
Loser by Jerry Spinelli
Crash by Jerry Spinelli
Holes by Louis Sachar
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
Swindle by Gordon Korman
Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements
Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai
Crispin by Avi
The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
The Black Pearl by Scott O'Dell
20
NEWBERY MEDAL AWARD BOOKS
For students entering grades 4 and 5
YEAR
1936
1941
1946
1951
1954
1959
1960
1961
1963
1968
1970
1971
1972
1973
1975
1977
1978
1980
1981
1984
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
TITLE
Caddie Woodlaw
Call It Courage
Strawberry Girl
Amos Fortune, Free Man
…And Now Miguel
The Witch Of Blackbird Pond
Onion John
Island Of The Blue Dolphins
A Wrinkle In Time
From The Mixed-Up Files Of Mrs. Basil E.
Frankweiler
Sounder
Summer Of The Swans
Mrs. Frisby And The Rats Of Nimh
Julie Of The Wolves
M.C. Higgins The Great
Roll Of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Bridge To Terabithia
A Gathering Of Days
Jacob Have I Loved
Dear Mr. Henshaw
Sarah, Plain And Tall
The Whipping Boy
Lincoln
Joyful Noise: Poems For Two Voices
Number The Stars
Maniac Magee
Shiloh
Missing May
The Giver
Walk Two Moons
The Midwife’s Apprentice
The View From Saturday
Out Of The Dust
Holes
Bud, Not Buddy
A Year Down Yonder
A Single Shard
Crispin: The Cross of Lead
The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of
a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a
Spool of Thread
Kira-Kira
Criss Cross
The Higher Power of Lucky
AUTHOR
Carol Ryrie Brink
Armstrong Sperry
Lois Lenski
Elizabeth Yates
Joseph Krumgold
Elizabeth George Speare
Joseph Krumgold
Scott O’Dell
Madeleine L’Engle
E.L. Konigsburg
William Armstrong
Betsy Byars
Robert C. O’Brien
Jean Craighead George
Virginia Hamilton
Mildred D. Taylor
Katherine Paterson
Joan W. Blos
Katherine Paterson
Beverly Cleary
Patricia Maclachlan
Sid Fleischman
Russell Freedman
Paul Fleischman
Lois Lowry
Jerry Spinelli
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Cynthia Rylant
Lois Lowry
Sharon Creech
Karen Cushman
E.L. Konigsburg
Karen Hesse
Louis Sachar
Christopher Paul Curtis
Richard Peck
Linda Sue Park
Avi
Kate DiCamillo
Cynthia Kadohata
Lynne Rae Perkins
Susan Patron
21
NEWBERY MEDAL AWARD BOOKS
For students entering grades 4 and 5
YEAR
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
TITLE
Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a
Medieval Village
The Graveyard Book
When You Reach Me
Moon Over Manifest
Dead End in Norvelt
The One and Only Ivan
Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures
The Crossover
Last Stop on Market Street
AUTHOR
Laura Amy Schlitz
Neil Gaiman
Rebecca Stead
Clare Vanderpool
Jack Gantos
Katherine Applegate
Kate DiCamillo
Kwame Alexander
Matt de la Peña
22
Summer Reading List
Entering Grade 6
During the long, hot summer you will need to find a cool, comfortable place to curl up with a good
book. You must read TWO books over the summer. Select ONE book from the 2015 Nutmeg Award
Intermediate Nominees list or the 2016 Nutmeg Award Teen Nominees list. The second book that
every student will read is Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbit. Copies of this book were distributed at
the end of the year along with the book chat assignment on Step-Up Day. Additional copies are
available in the Mabelle B. Avery Middle School Office, as well as, on the sixth grade team website.
These two books need to be completely read before you return to school in August. During the first
two weeks of school you will be required to participate in class discussions about each of the books
you have read. The teachers will collect the assignment on the first day of school.
2016 NUTMEG BOOK AWARD
TEEN NOMINEES
Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle
Nate is a thirteen-year-old boy who feels out of place in his small town, and who
dreams of performing on Broadway. He decides that “E.T.: The Broadway Musical
Version” is his ticket out of Jankburg, Pennsylvania, and he concocts a plan to
go to the auditions all by himself in New York City.
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
In this futuristic retelling of Cinderella. Cinder is both a gifted mechanic and a cyborg, living on a
plague-ravaged Earth that is threatened by a ruthless lunar queen. She becomes involved with a
prince and must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect the fate of the world.
Counting by 7’s by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Willow is a twelve-year-old genius, preoccupied with plants, counting by 7’s, and diagnosing medical
conditions. It is difficult for her to relate to people from outside her family, but now she must figure out
how to connect with other people and find another family for herself after her parents are killed in a
car accident.
Golden Boy by Tara Sullivan
Habo is a Tanzanian albino boy who suffers from vicious prejudice for his pale skin, blue eyes, and
yellow hair. While seeking refuge, he is hunted by a poacher who wants to kill him and sell his body
parts on the black market to superstitious buyers in search of good luck.
23
I Have a Bad Feeling About This by Jeff Strand
Henry Lambert loves video games and could be described as a bit of a nerd. His father decides to
send him off to survival camp in order to toughen him up, but everything the nonathletic sixteen-yearold was dreading turns out to be true- and even worse- when criminals show up at camp and survival
takes on a whole new meaning for the campers.
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
On the Eve of St. Mark’s Day, Blue’s clairvoyant family keeps watch over the churchyard at night to
watch the ghosts of those that will be passing over in the coming year. Blue has never been able to
see any of the ghosts, but this year she sees a Raven Boy from Aglionby Academy named Gansey.
This means he is either Blue’s true love or that she will be the one to kill him.
Reboot by Amy Tintera
Seventeen-year-old Wren rises from the dead as a Reboot and is trained as an elite crime fighting
soldier until she is given an order she is unable to follow. Her newest trainee Callum’s big heart
makes him a huge liability, and Wren is ordered to eliminate him. To save him, Wren will have to risk
it all.
The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson
Wild Chalklings threaten the American Isles and Rithmatists are humanity’s only defense, but Joel can
only stand back and watch as students practice the magical art that he would do anything to learn.
When Rithmatic students begin disappearing, Joe manages to help in the investigation, and perhaps
get another chance at becoming one of them.
Shadow on the Mountain by Margi Preus
Swept up by the Norwegian Resistance when Nazi German troops invade his home, 14-year-old
Espen performs forbidden courier services before becoming a Gestapo-dodging spy. Over the course
of five years he loses friends, falls in love, and plots a daring escape on skis over the mountains to
Sweden.
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Eighteen-year-old assassin Celaenahas served a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for
her crimes. Prince Dorian offers her an opportunity for early release if she joins the competition to be
the King’s Champion, a challenge that is marked by grueling training and the murders of fellow
contestants.
24
2015 NUTMEG BOOK AWARD
INTERMEDIATE NOMINEES
Walls Within Walls by Maureen Sherry
When the Smithfork children move into a Manhattan apartment, they discover clues to a hidden
fortune behind the walls of their new home. Unraveling the mystery leads to a race through New York
City to uncover hidden secrets of the past.
White Fur Flying by Patricia MacLachlan
Philip, a boy who will not speak, comes to live with his aunt and uncle, next door to Zoe whole dogloving parents rescue Great Pyrennes. Afraid of the larger dogs Philip befriends, Jack, the newest
rescue. Will Jack help Philip find his voice and his way home?
The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann
When you become Unwanted you die…everyone knows that. So when Alex is dubbed Unwanted, he
expects the same fate. Alex is brought to Artime where creative talent is shaped into magic. Alex and
the Unwanteds must use their training to protect themselves.
Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George
Castle is very unusual – it can add rooms or passageways as it wishes. When the King and Queen
go missing, the youngest princess, Celie, teams up with her siblings, the servants, and even the
castle itself to thwart an evil plot against the royal family.
Spy School by Stuart Gibbs
Ben is a klutzy nerd who is mistakenly accepted into the junior CIA academy where he must uncover
a plan that is threatening the school. The stakes are high, the laughs are loud, the twists are many,
and the girl is smart.
Shadow by Michael Morpurgo
Shadow, a British bomb-sniffing dog, is separated from Sergeant Brody, a British soldier serving in
Afghanistan. Shadow is adopted by Aman, an Afghan boy who ultimately finds refuge in England.
This is a touching tale of coincidence, courage, friendship and loyalty.
Saint Louis Armstrong Beach by Brenda Woods
Saint lives in New Orleans and loves the clarinet and the neighborhood dog, Shadow. When
Hurricane Katrina roars through New Orleans, it is up to Saint to save Shadow and his elderly
neighbor, Miz Morgan, but he wonders if he will every see his parents again.
25
King of the Mound by Wes Tooke
Recovering from polio, Nick believes he will never play baseball again. He spends his summer
helping his father, a minor league baseball coach. A visiting team player, Satchel Paige, one of the
greatest pitchers of all time, teaches Nick that the impossible just might be possible.
Joshua Dread by Lee Bacon
The son of supervillains and the daughter of a superhero team up in this action-packed adventure. As
the friends begin to realize their own superpowers, they wonder whether they can win the battle
against the mysterious smoke monsters.
Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead
Seventh-grader Georges does not have an easy life. He faces things alone until he meets Safer who
“recruits” him to spy on other tenants. While Georges likes the intrigue, he wonders just how far he
should go for a friend.
26
Name
6th Grade Summer Reading
Book Talk
Select ONE book from the 2015 Nutmeg Award Intermediate Nominees list or the 2016 Nutmeg
Award Teen Nominees list and prepare a “Book Talk” for your arrival to the middle school. Please
use the chart below to help create and present a successful Book Talk.
Use the following chart and the Checklist for Success (on the back) to help you prepare for your
presentation. Select and circle at least two from each row for your presentation.
Brief synopsis of the
plot… What he story
was about.
What was your
favorite part? Read a
short excerpt from the
text.
Was there anything in
the book that was
confusing or you
didn’t like?
Setting. Where does
the story take place?
When does the story
take place? Past,
present, or future?
Point of View.
How is the story
written? First person
point of view or third
person narrator?
Did you have any
predictions that came
true?
Twists and surprises.
Explain some of the
unexpected twists in
the plot.
Author’s style. What
is it about the author’s
writing that sets
him/her apart from
other writers?
Personal
connections. Give
specific examples of
times you felt a deep
connection with the
story, the characters,
or the plot.
Book to book
connections. What
other books does this
remind you of? Is there
something in your book
that has happened in
another book you’ve
read?
Book to world
connections. Can you
make a connection with
something that is
happening in the world
today? In our country
or around the world.
Conflicts. How did the
main character
overcome the conflict?
What do you
characters WANT?
Follow the main and
supporting characters
in the story and share
what they WANT. Do
they ever get what they
desire?
Colorful language.
Share some examples
of similes, metaphors,
figurative language, or
alliteration.
Unanswered
questions. If you could
ask the author any
question, what would it
be?
Rate the book from 110. Explain why you
have given the score
you have selected.
Is it effective?
27
Checklist for Success
_____ I have read ONE book from the 2015 Nutmeg Intermediate or 2016 Nutmeg Teen Nominee
List.
_____ I have selected at least two of the suggested talking points from each row
(at least 8 of the 16 must be used).
_____ I have written my talking point notes on 4 x 6 inch index cards.
_____ I have practiced reading my Book Talk to myself in a mirror or to a friend
to help prepare for my oral presentation.
_____ I have timed my Book Talk, and it is approximately two and a half minutes long. (Between 2-3
minutes).
_____ Project your voice to the back of the room.
_____ Be expressive, use hand gestures.
_____ Have confidence in your abilities.
I have followed the Checklist for Success and shared my Book Talk with my parents. (Sign and return
on the first day of school.)
Student Signature
Parent Signature
28
Summer Reading List
Entering Grade 7
2016
Revised 6/13/16
Keep cool this summer and choose TWO summer reading books from the list below.
Summer Reading 2016 /Baker’s Dozen (Nevins/Wilson)
One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt - One for the Murphy’s is the moving story about a foster
child learning to open her heart to a family's love. Carley uses humor and street smarts to keep her
emotional walls high and thick. But the day she becomes a foster child and moves in with the
Murphys, she's blindsided. This loving, bustling family shows Carley the stable family life she never
thought existed, and she feels like an alien in their cookie-cutter-perfect household.
Ungifted by Gordon Korman - Ungifted is an entertaining story about a struggling troublemaker who
is accidentally transferred to a school for highly-gifted genius-level students. To say he doesn't fit in
would be an understatement. But while Donovan Curtis in no way belongs, he does find things he can
contribute. How long will it take for the school to realize he doesn't belong?
Paperboy by Vince Vawter - An 11-year-old boy living in Memphis in 1959 throws the meanest fastball in
town, but talking is a whole different ball game. He can barely say a word without stuttering, not even his own
name. So when he takes over his best friend’s paper route for the month of July, he knows he’ll be forced to
communicate with the different customers, including a housewife who drinks too much and a retired merchant
marine who seems to know just about everything. The newspaper route poses challenges, but it’s a run-in with
the neighborhood junkman, a bully and thief, that stirs up real trouble–and puts the boy’s life, as well as that of
his family’s devoted housekeeper, in danger.
The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen - The story's main character, Jessica, thinks her life
is over when she loses a leg in a car accident. She's not comforted by the news that she'll be able to
walk with the help of a prosthetic leg. Who cares about walking when you live to run? As she
struggles to cope with crutches and prosthetic, people who don't know what to say, act like she's not
there. She could handle her situation better if she weren't so aware of how she has done the same
thing to a girl with cerebral palsy named Rosa who is now going to tutor her through all the math she's
missed.
The Young Man and the Sea by Rodman Philbrick - Twelve-year-old Skiff Beaman's mom just died,
and his fisherman dad is too depressed to drag himself off the couch and go to work. So these days
Skiff has to take care of everything himself. But when his dad's boat sinks, Skiff discovers it will cost
thousands to buy a new engine. Skiff's lobster traps won't earn him enough, but there are bigger fish
in the sea -- bluefin tuna. If he can catch one of those monster fish, Skiff just might save the boat -and his family.
29
Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelson - Cole Matthews has been fighting, stealing, and causing
trouble for years. So his punishment for beating Peter Driscal senseless is harsh. Given a choice
between prison and Native American Circle Justice, Cole chooses Circle Justice: He'll spend one year
in complete isolation on a remote Alaskan island. In the first days of his banishment, Cole is mauled
by a mysterious white bear and nearly dies. Now there's no one left to save Cole, but Cole himself.
Close To Famous by Joan Bauer-When twelve-year-old Foster and her mother land in the tiny town
of Culpepper, they don't know what to expect. But folks quickly warm to the woman with the great
voice and the girl who can bake like nobody's business. Soon, Foster who dreams of having her own
cooking show one day, lands herself a gig baking for the local coffee shop and gets herself some
much-needed help in overcoming her biggest challenge - learning to read.
Chasing Lincoln’s Killer by James L. Swanson - A riveting account of the chase for Abraham
Lincoln's assassin. Chasing Lincoln’s Killer is a fast-paced thriller about the pursuit and capture of
John Wilkes Booth: a wild twelve-day chase through the streets of Washington, D.C., across the
swamps of Maryland, and into the forests of Virginia.
“The President Has Been Shot!”: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy by James L. SwansonA riveting account of the Kennedy assassination. Readers are transported back to one of the most
shocking, sad, and terrifying events in American history to experience the story of the JFK
assassination as it has never been told before.
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan-In Mary's world there are three simple truths. The
Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the
fence that surrounds the village, the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and
Teeth. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between
her village and her future—between the one she loves and the one who loves her.
Michael Vey-Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans - To everyone at Meridian High School,
fourteen-year-old Michael Vey is nothing special, just the kid who has Tourette’s syndrome. But in
truth, Michael is extremely special—he has electric powers. Michael thinks he is unique until he
discovers that a cheerleader named Taylor has the same mysterious powers. Their investigation into
their powers soon brings them to the attention of a powerful group who wants to control the electric
teens—and through them, the world.
The 11th Plague by Jeff Hirsch - In the aftermath of a war, America’s landscape has been ravaged
and two-thirds of the population left dead from a vicious strain of influenza. Fifteen-year-old Stephen
Quinn and his family were among the few that survived and became salvagers, roaming the country in
search of material to trade. But when Stephen’s grandfather dies and his father falls into a coma after
an accident, Stephen finds his way to Settler’s Landing, a community that seems too good to be true.
The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart - In all the ways that matter, Mark is a normal kid. But in one
important way, Mark is not like other kids at all. Mark is sick. The kind of sick some people never get
better from. So Mark runs away. He leaves home with his camera, his notebook, his dog, and a plan
to reach the top of Mount Rainier--even if it's the last thing he ever does. The Honest Truth is a rare
and extraordinary novel about big questions, small moments, and the incredible journey of the human
spirit.
30
2016 SUMMER READING
Grade 7
As you read each summer reading book, fill in the chart below to get ready to make your
Farcebook Page.
Novel:
Author:
Main character’s name:
Physical appearance:
THREE words that
describe him/her:
1.
2.
Page #
Artist:
Page #
Choose a “theme song” for him/her
Setting
(Where?):
Setting
(When?)
3.
Page #
Title:
LIKE OR DISLIKE (Circle one)
Interests of main character:
Friends (name three):
#1
#2
#3
What lesson is learned?
What is the theme or moral of the story?
Favorite quotation (as you read, look
for a quote that you find interesting,
inspiring, etc.)
Quote:
Write down THREE new words you learned
(with definitions):
1.
2.
3.
Definition:
Definition:
Definition:
What was the PROBLEM in the novel?
What was the SOLUTION in the novel?
31
Summer Reading List
Entering Grade 8
2016
“A man practices the art of adventure when he breaks the chain of routine and renews his life through
reading new books, traveling to new places, making new friends, taking up new hobbies, and adopting
new viewpoints.” Abraham Lincoln
Select and read two books from the following list of titles. Use specific story details to
complete the 5 W’s organizers attached. The charts will be used to complete a test on one of
the readings and to write an essay on the other.
Fiction
Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain - Mischief is Tom Sawyer's middle name. There is
nothing he likes better than playing hookey from school, messing about on the Mississippi with his
best friend, the hobo Huckleberry Finn, or wooing the elusive beauty Becky Thatcher. Lazy and
reckless, he is a menace to his Aunt Polly But the innocent adventures end suddenly when Tom and
Huck witness a murder in the graveyard. Should they tell of what they saw under the moonlight, when
Injun Joe slipped the bloodstained knife into the hands of Muff Potter? Or should they 'keep mum' and
risk letting an innocent man go to the gallows?
The Secret of Sarah Revere by Ann Rinaldi - Thirteen-year-old Sarah Revere knows her father is a
hero. But she also knows that Paul Revere guards a secret about the start of the Revolutionary War
that he'll tell no one--not his new wife, not his best friend, not even his trusted daughter. It seems
everyone in her family has secrets. Sarah's even got one of her own--and it's tearing her apart.
The Clockwork Three by Matthew J. Kirby - Three ordinary lives are changed forever when they
become hopelessly entangled due to a series of coincidences- or are they? Giuseppe is a young
street musician who dreams of sailing back to Italy; and after finding a green violin that it much more
than it appears, he find himself embroiled with conflicts involving treasure, clockwork automatons, and
perilous danger. Also pulled into this tumult of events are Hannah and Frederick, the former a hotel
maid struggling to make ends meet, while the other is a talented clockmaker with a secret project.
These three strangers soon discover that their aspirations are nearly in reach, but only after
overcoming the dangers and pitfalls of living in late 19th century America. Challenging
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke, - 12 year-old Meggie learns that her father Mo, a bookbinder, can
“read” fictional characters to life when an evil ruler named Capricorn, freed from the novel Inkheart
years earlier, tries to force Mo to release an immortal monster from the story. Challenging
Also consider the sequels: Inkspell or Inkdeath
Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt - Fourteen-year-old Doug Swieteck has just moved to a small town.
With the help of an unlikely new friend, Lil, and a local librarian, Doug struggles to prove to the town
that he is not just another thug. He learns to deal with his abusive father and survive the return of a
brother scarred by Vietnam. Easy
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys - Based on a real life tragedy, this fictionalized World War II story
is told in alternating narratives as four different teens grapple with the bitter cold, the ever-present
danger of falling bombs, and their own dark secrets. There's Joana, a pretty and empathetic
Lithuanian nurse who harbors a heavy guilt; Florian, a mysterious young man struggling to hide his
true identity; Amelia, a pregnant Polish girl; and Alfred, a sociopathic Nazi sailor with an inferiority
complex. This small band of refugees slowly makes their way through the frozen and battle-scarred
Prussian countryside determined to get aboard the Wilhelm Gustloff, a German military ship
32
evacuating civilians and wounded soldiers at the end of the war. This is a rich, page-turning story that
brings to vivid life a terrifying-and little known moment in World War II history. This novel is
recommended for mature readers.
Stones in Water by Donna Jo Napoli - After being taken away by German soldiers from a local
movie theater along with boys including his Jewish friend, Roberto is forced to work in Germany,
escapes into the Ukrainian winter, before desperately trying to make his way back home. Easy
Sequel: Fire in the Hills
Sunrise Over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers - Robin, a young man from Harlem enlists in the army
after 9/11, much to his father’s angry disapproval. His unit is supposed to follow the fighting troops
and help win the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people. But in the confusion Robin finds himself in
combat. This book is very realistic and contains rough language and violence. It would be rated PG13. Moderate
The Wave by Todd Strasser - This novel dramatizes an incident that took place in a California school
in 1969. A teacher creates an experimental movement in his class to help students understand how
people could have followed Hitler. The results are astounding. The highly disciplined group, modeled
on the principles of the Hitler Youth, has its own salute, chants, and special ways of acting as a unit
and sweeps beyond the class and throughout the school, evolving into a society willing to give up
freedom for regimentation and blind obedience to their leader. All will learn a lesson that will never be
forgotten.
Non Fiction
Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two by Joseph Bruchac - 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 during
World War II in their native tongue. Moderate
Outcasts United: The Story of a Refugee Soccer Team that Changed a Town by Warren St.
John - Just a few miles from Atlanta, the city of Clarkston became a settlement for families of
refugees from war-torn countries. Soccer coach Luma Mufleh formed the Fugees, a soccer team
consisting of boys from various countries and backgrounds. This inspiring book explores the array of
challenges the team faced on and off the field and how determination prevailed. Moderate.
Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial America by Sally Walker - This book
is the work of forensic scientists who are excavating grave sites in James Fort in Jamestown, Virginia,
to understand who lived in the Chesapeake Bay area in the 1600s and 1700s. It uncovers the lives of
a teenage boy, a ship's captain, a colonial officer, an African slave girl, and others. Nearly every page
has at least one illustration, a color photo or helpful diagram, a map, or a period document. Moderate
Soldier’s Heart by Gary Paulsen- Eager to enlist, fifteen year-old Charley has a change of heart
after experiencing both the physical horrors and mental anguish of Civil War combat. Easy (May be
read only with Resource Room teacher recommendation)
33
Summer Reading List
Entering Grade 8
2016
Graphic Organizer for Fiction
Review the following questions and take notes as you read. You may use a bullet format. Your notes
should be concrete with specific details, as you will be allowed to use these notes for the in-class
assessments on the books you have read. Use additional paper if needed.
Name:
Title:
Author:
5 W’s and How Question Frame
WHO: (Physical and personality characteristics) Main characters:
WHAT:
Main problems or conflicts (include main events of plot.)
Message or theme: (What is the message the author wants us to understand about the character’s
change?)
Setting: WHERE:
Setting (place): (Use descriptive details.)
WHEN:
Setting (time):
HOW:
•
•
How does the main character deal with each of the conflicts he/she faces?
Are the conflicts resolved in the end?
WHY: (connections)
•
•
Does the book remind you of any other books (or movies, TV shows, etc.) you have read?
Does it remind you of a situation you or someone you know has been in?
SUMMARY: Write a summary of the plot in 10 sentences.
WHO: (people):
WHERE: (place):
WHAT: (challenges):
WHAT: WHY: (choices):
HOW: (changes):
34
Graphic Organizer for Nonfiction
Review the following questions and take notes as you read. You may use a bullet format. Your notes
should be concrete with specific details, as you will be allowed to use these notes for the in-class
assessments on the books you have read. Use additional paper if needed.
Name:
Title:
Author:
Learn about People, Places, Events
Topic:
ORGANIZE TO UNDERSTAND
Determine the Central Idea and Main Ideas of the text. Summarize the key supporting details
and ideas.
One MAIN IDEA from the text that helps to explain the central idea:
Supporting information for this idea:
Supporting information for this idea:
Write a short summary of the text.
Another MAIN IDEA from the text that helps to explain the central idea:
Supporting information for this idea:
Supporting information for this idea:
35
SOMERS HIGH SCHOOL
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
2016 SUMMER READING LIST
Entering Grade 9
Honors English 9: Please read the 2 required texts and 1 text of your choice. You must select a
book of appropriate reading level that you have not previously read. For each text, complete the
summer reading worksheet and bring them to English class during the first week of school.
Required Text 1: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens – Dickens spins a
suspenseful tale of young Pip who desires greatness in pursuit of the beautiful but
elusive Estella.
Required Text 2: Into Thin Air by John Krakauer - A bank of clouds was assembling
on the not-so-distant horizon, but journalist-mountaineer Jon Krakauer, standing on the
summit of Mt. Everest, saw nothing that "suggested that a murderous storm was bearing
down." He was wrong. The storm, which claimed five lives and left countless more--including
Krakauer's--in guilt-ridden disarray, would also provide the impetus for Into Thin Air,
Krakauer's epic account of the May 1996 disaster.
****Only the novel should be used to complete this assignment. No outside sources should be used,
under any circumstances. Do not copy work from friends either. Work will be checked for plagiarism.
Summer Reading Worksheet: https://goo.gl/ndi65v
≈
College English 9: Select and read a book of your choice. You must select a book of appropriate
reading level that you have not previously read. Complete the following summer reading worksheet
and bring it to English class during the first week of school.
****Only the novel should be used to complete this assignment. No outside sources should be used,
under any circumstances. Do not copy work from friends either. Work will be checked for plagiarism.
Summer Reading Worksheet: https://goo.gl/ndi65v
36
Entering Grade 10
Honors English 10: Please read the 2 required texts and 1 text of your choice. You must select a
book of appropriate reading level that you have not previously read. For each text, complete the
summer reading worksheet and bring them to English class during the first week of school.
Required Text 1: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain - Of all the
contenders for the title of The Great American Novel, none has a better claim than
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Intended at first as a simple story of a boy's
adventures in the Mississippi Valley - a sequel to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer –
the book grew and matured under Twain's hand into a work of immeasurable richness
and complexity. More than a century after its publication, the critical debate over the
symbolic significance of Huck's and Jim's voyage is still fresh, and it remains a major
work that can be enjoyed at many levels: as an incomparable adventure story and as
a classic of American humor.
Required Text 2: The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger - Since his debut in 1951
as The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield has been synonymous with "cynical adolescent."
Holden narrates the story of a couple of days in his sixteen-year-old life, just after he's
been expelled from prep school, in a slang that sounds edgy even today and keeps this
novel on banned book lists. His constant wry observations about what he encounters,
from teachers to phonies (the two of course are not mutually exclusive) capture the essence
of the eternal teenage experience of alienation.
****Only the novel should be used to complete this assignment. No outside sources should be used,
under any circumstances. Do not copy work from friends either. Work will be checked for plagiarism.
Summer Reading Worksheet:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/18yrsqJEruvcDXSgDOahggyPvWV9wb2faFMTrIoqq64U/edit?us
p=sharing
≈
College English 10: Select and read a book of your choice. You must select a book of appropriate
reading level that you have not previously read. Complete the following summer reading worksheet
and bring it to English class during the first week of school.
****Only the novel should be used to complete this assignment. No outside sources should be used,
under any circumstances. Do not copy work from friends either. Work will be checked for plagiarism.
Summer Reading Worksheet:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/18yrsqJEruvcDXSgDOahggyPvWV9wb2faFMTrIoqq64U/edit?us
p=sharing
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Entering Grade 11
Honors English 11: Please read the 2 required texts and 1 text of your choice. You must select a
book of appropriate reading level that you have not previously read. For each text, complete the
summer reading worksheet and bring them to English class during the first week of school.
Required Text 1: Brave New World by Aldous Huxley--A fantasy of the future,
which sheds a blazing, critical light on the present. The government’s motto in
Brave New World is COMMUNITY~IDENTITY~STABILITY. What price is society
willing to pay for such a social order? Brave New World is a dystopian novel about
a society that has abolished human individuality, feelings, creativity, thinking, and
authentic learning.
Required Text 2: 1984 by George Orwell--A chilling, prophetic vision of a totalitarian
“future” which, in many respects, has come to pass. 1984 is about an oppressed
people who are persecuted for any independent thinking or rebellion against Big
Brother. In this society the government controls what people read and by extension
what they think. In 1984 war is peace, freedom is slavery, and ignorance is strength.
Summer Reading Worksheet: https://goo.gl/qmIQZD
≈
College English 11: Select and read a book of your choice. You must select a book of appropriate
reading level that you have not previously read. Complete the following summer reading worksheet
and bring it to English class during the first week of school.
****Only the novel should be used to complete this assignment. No outside sources should be used,
under any circumstances. Do not copy work from friends either. Work will be checked for plagiarism.
Summer Reading Worksheet: https://goo.gl/qmIQZD
≈
Academic English 11: Select and read a book of your choice. You must select a book of appropriate
reading level that you have not previously read. Complete the following summer reading worksheet
and bring it to English class during the first week of school.
****Only the novel should be used to complete this assignment. No outside sources should be used,
under any circumstances. Do not copy work from friends either. Work will be checked for plagiarism.
Summer Reading Worksheet: https://goo.gl/qmIQZD
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Entering Grade 12
Advanced Placement English 12: Please read the 2 required texts and 1 text of your choice. You
must select a book of appropriate reading level that you have not previously read. For each text,
complete the summer reading worksheet and bring them to English class during the first week of
school.
Required Text 1: Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison - One of the lasting masterpieces
of American literature. It chronicles the existential journey of an unnamed black man
attempting to discover his identity and role in a hostile and confusing world that refuses
to acknowledge his existence.
Required Text 2: Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton - The most famous and
important novel in South Africa's history, an impassioned novel about a black man's
country under white man's law. It is the deeply moving story of the Zulu pastor Stephen
Kumalo and his son Absalom set against the background of a land and a people driven
by racial injustice. The novel is a classic work of love and hope, courage and endurance,
born of the dignity of man.
Summer Reading Worksheet:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fCDlhEPjtw41ukXzJs6Sy_IzdVK5LX06MIW4yLFnIUI/edit?usp=
sharing
≈
College English 12: (Reading Requirement): Select and read a book of your choice. You must
select a book of appropriate reading level that you have not previously read. Complete the following
summer reading worksheet and bring it to English class during the first week of school.
****Only the novel should be used to complete this assignment. No outside sources should be used,
under any circumstances. Do not copy work from friends either. Work will be checked for plagiarism.
Summer Reading Worksheet:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fCDlhEPjtw41ukXzJs6Sy_IzdVK5LX06MIW4yLFnIUI/edit?usp=
sharing
≈
College English 12 (Writing Requirement): 1 draft of College Essay according to Common App.
prompts (listed below):
1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe
their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
2. The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or
time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
3. Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you
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make the same decision again?
4. Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual
challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma-anything that is of personal importance, no
matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to
identify a solution.
5. Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood
to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.
≈
Academic English 12: Select and read a book of your choice. You must select a book of appropriate
reading level that you have not previously read. Complete the following summer reading worksheet
and bring it to English class during the first week of school.
****Only the novel should be used to complete this assignment. No outside sources should be used,
under any circumstances. Do not copy work from friends either. Work will be checked for plagiarism.
Summer Reading Worksheet:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fCDlhEPjtw41ukXzJs6Sy_IzdVK5LX06MIW4yLFnIUI/edit?usp=
sharing
40