Summer Reading Ideas for Rising Sixth Graders at Oak Hill School
They are Classics for a Reason:
● Anne of Green Gables​
by L.M. Montgomery -- In this charming classic, Marilla and Matthew
​
Cuthbert wanted a strong boy to help out with the hard work around the house. Instead, the
elderly brother and sister living on Canada’s remote Prince Edward Island, ended up with wild
and passionate Anne Shirley. It turns out this skinny, fiery redhead may be exactly what they
needed.
● The Hound of the Baskervilles​
by Arthur Conan Doyle -- Something evil and murderous is
​
stalking the moors of Devonshire. Legend has it that a terrifying beast that once terrorized
the area has returned. Detective Sherlock Holmes is called in to discover what truth there is
to the legend, and to catch the villain before he...or it...kills again.
● The Hobbit​
/“Lord of the Rings”​
Trilogy​
​
by J.R.R. Tolkien -- The legendary fantasy that
follows a group of Hobbits, dwarves, elves, and wizards as they journey and fight to save the
lives of all the citizens in the idyllic Middle Earth.
● Call of the Wild​
by Jack London -- ​
The adventures of an unusual dog, part St. Bernard, part
Scotch shepherd, that is forcibly taken to the Klondike gold fields where he eventually
becomes the leader of a wolf pack.
● Shane ​
by Jack Shaefer -- The Starrett family’s life forever changes when a mysterious, yet
loyal man named Shane rides out of the great glowing West and up to their farm in 1889.
● I Capture the Castle ​
by Dodie Smith -- Seventeen-year-old Cassandra lives in a crumbling
old castle and dreams of becoming a writer. When a handsome, wealthy American moves
into the neighborhood things begin to change for Cassandra and her slightly-odd family.
Fun Fantasy
● The Alchemyst​
by Michael Scott -- This is first in The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas
Flamel series. A more mature, but natural follow-up to the Rick Riordan series, The
Alchemyst takes a brother and sister in modern day San Francisco, throws in a mysterious
(and very, very old) bookstore owner, as well as creatures and characters from a wealth of
different cultures’ mythologies to create an exciting adventure.
● Ranger’s Apprentice​
by John Flanagan -- The secretive and shadowy Rangers have always
creeped Will out. But at the age of 15, he is summoned to train as a Ranger’s Apprentice and
take his place as a protector of the kingdom.
● The Grimm Legacy​
by Polly Shulman -- The New York Circulating Materials Repository is not
your typical library. It circulates historical objects, such as hats and tea sets, for one.
Elizabeth, a new page at the Repository, realizes right away that there is even more to this
library than meets the eye. After another page mysteriously disappears, and a giant bird
stalks the regulars, Elizabeth and her friends set out to solve the mystery and discover the
magic that is hidden inside this most amazing place.
● Nightbird​
by Alice Hoffman -- ​
Twig is practically ignored by classmates and other residents
of Sidwell, Massachusetts, which is for the best since her brother is the victim of an old curse
and his presence must be kept secret. Everything changes though when descendants of the
witch who cursed her family move in next door and want to be her friends.
● The Book of a Thousand Days​
by Shannon Hale -- ​
Fifteen-year-old Dashti is sworn to obey
her sixteen-year-old mistress, the Lady Saren, and must share Saren's years of punishment
locked in a tower. When Lady Saren breaks down under the stress of their imprisonment, it is
up to Dashti to hatch a plan to for survival and, hopefully, escape.
● Alistair Grim’s Odditorium​
by Gregory Funaro -- ​
In Victorian England, Grubb, an orphan,
escapes his life of drudgery as a chimney sweep's apprentice and finds himself in a very
strange house filled with magical objects and creatures, but soon he learns that there are dark
forces seeking his new master.
Heroic Historical Fiction
● The Apothecary​
by Maile Meloy -- In this gripping Cold War-era mystery, the Scott family
has just moved from Los Angeles to London. Janie meets an apothecary and his son,
Benjamin Burrows - a fascinating boy who's not afraid to stand up to authority and dreams of
becoming a spy. When Benjamin's father is kidnapped, Janie and Benjamin must uncover the
secrets highly sought-after book in order to find him..
● Inside Out and Back Again​
by Thannha Lai -- “Hà has only ever known Saigon: the thrills of
its markets, the joy of its traditions, and the warmth of her friends close by. But now the
Vietnam War has reached her home. Hà and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and
they board a ship headed toward hope—toward America”
● Between Shades of Gray​
by Ruta Septys -- A harrowing heartbreaking story following a
young girl named Lina, who is deported alongside her mother, and her brother from their
home in Lithuania to a forced-labor camp in Siberia in 1939. Lina’s only hope for survival and
escape lies with her father, who was arrested by the secret police and is most likely in another
labor camp. When all else fails, Lina must find solace and dignity in the beautiful artwork she
creates in secret.
● Stay Where You Are and then Leave​
by John Boyne -- ​
Four years after Alfie Summerfield's
father left London to become a soldier in World War I he has not returned. Alfie, now nine, is
shining shoes at King's Cross Station when he happens to learn that his father is at a nearby
hospital being treated for shell shock.
● I Lived on Butterfly Hill ​
by Marjorie Agosin -- ​
When her beloved country, Chile, is taken over
by a militaristic, sadistic government, Celeste is sent to America for her safety and her parents
must go into hiding.
● Stella by Starlight​
by Sharon Draper -- ​
When a burning cross set by the Klan causes panic
and fear in 1932 Bumblebee, North Carolina, fifth-grader ​
Stella​
must face prejudice and find
​
the strength to demand change in her segregated town.
Harrowing Horror​
:
● Constable & Toop ​
by Gareth Jones -- Young Sam Toop has the gift (or curse?) of being able
to speak with the dead. It ends of falling on him to solve the terrifying mystery behind the
sudden disappearance of the ghosts in Victorian London.
● Doll Bones​
by Holly Black -- Three friends, dealing with the discomfort of growing up, take
one last journey as a team to satisfy an unquiet spirit inhabiting a creepy doll.
● All the Lovely Bad Ones ​
by Mary Downing Hahn -- Travis and Corey are all set to stir up
some trouble by pretending to be ghosts at their grandmother’s historical country inn. Little
do they know that their pranks will awake something far more dark and sinister than anything
they could have imagined.
Marvelous Mysteries
● “Heist Society”/”The Gallagher Girls”​
series by Ally Carter -- Ally Carter is a master at
creating fun, engaging series featuring smart and brave heroines. Heist Society sees her
characters travelling the world in search of stolen art, and the Gallagher Girls takes place in a
top-secret boarding school for teen girls who are training to be CIA operatives. Throw in
adventure, friendship, and a couple of love stories and what is there not to like?
● Wild Boy​
by Rob Lloyd Jones -- Wild Boy is covered in hair and has been travelling with a
Victorian carnival as a sideshow “freak” his entire life. Ostracized by other children and
abused by the evil showrunner, Wild Boy has spent his time developing keen skills of
observation. When a murder occurs at the carnival, Wild Boy has the opportunity to using his
skills, which just might help to save his life, as it turns out he is the prime suspect.
● Knightley and Son​
by Rohan Gavin -- ​
A father and ​
son​
detective team investigates the
mystery surrounding a book that that makes its readers commit terrible crimes, and a sinister
organization known as the Combination.
● “Spy School”​
series by Stuart Gibbs -- ​
Twelve-year-old Ben Ripley leaves his public middle
school to attend the CIA's highly secretive Espionage Academy, which everyone is told is an
elite science school.
● The Boundless ​
by Kenneth Oppel -- "The Boundless," the greatest train ever built, is on its
maiden voyage across the country, and Will Everett is about to embark on the adventure of
his life When Will ends up in possession of the key to a train car containing priceless
treasures, he becomes the target of sinister figures from his past. In order to survive, Will
must join a traveling circus, enlisting the aid of Mr. Dorian, the ringmaster and leader of the
troupe, and Maren, a girl his age who is an expert escape artist. With villains fast on their
heels, can Will and Maren reach Will's father and save "The Boundless" before someone
winds up dead?
Relatable Realistic Fiction
● Out of My Mind​
by Sharon Draper -- Melody was born with severe cerebral palsy. She
cannot walk or talk, but she has a photographic memory; she can remember every detail of
everything she has ever experienced. Melody is looked down upon by her classmates, but
refuses to simply give in when faced with difficulties.
● The Thing about Luck​
by Cynthia Kadohata -- Summer and her brother Jaz are sent to live
with their grandparents for the summer after their parents are called away to care for elderly
relatives in Japan. To top off what already sounds like will be a crummy summer, Summer is
suffering from malaria and has to help out with her grandparents’ wheat harvesting business.
Little does Summer know, she is in for an experience that will change her life.
● Counting by 7’s​
by Holly Goldberg Sloan -- Willow Chance, socially awkward child genius,
has been different all her life. When her parents are killed in a freak accident, Willow finds
acceptance and community in the most unexpected places.
● The Breadwinner​
by Deborah Ellis -- This is the first book in a series revolving around a
young girl named Parvana who is growing up in Kabul, Afghanistan. After her father is
arrested by the Taliban, Parvana takes on the wildly dangerous task of disguising herself as a
boy in order to get a job and save her family.
● Zebra Forest​
by Adina Gewirtz -- ​
Annie and her younger brother are being raised by their
Gran and are surrounded by family secrets. Everything changes, though, when an escaped
criminal shows up at their house and takes them all hostage.
● The Red Pencil ​
by Andrea Davis Pinkney -- ​
After her tribal village is attacked by militants,
Amira, a young Sudanese girl, must flee to safety at a refugee camp, where she finds hope
and the chance to pursue an education in the form of a single red pencil and the friendship
and encouragement of a wise elder
● Mockingbird​
by Kathryn Erskine -- ​
Caitlin, who has Asperger's Syndrome, struggles to
understand emotions, show empathy, and make friends at school, while at home she seeks
closure by working on a project with her father.
● Paper Things​
by Jennifer Jacobson -- Before Gage and Ari’s mother died she had two
wishes for her children: that they stay together and that Ari would attend the school for gifted
students. However, four years later Gage and Ari do not have a place to live and Ari is finding
it difficult to keep up with her school work amidst all the turmoil. Will they be able to fulfill the
promises they made to their mother?
● Reign Rain​
by Ann M. Martin -- R​
ose shares a special bond with her beloved dog, Rain.
When Rain goes missing during a storm, Rose is forced to confront the limits of her comfort
levels , even if it means leaving her routines in order to search for her pet
Spectacular Sci-fi
● Uglies​
by Scott Westerfield -- Tally thrilled to be nearing her 16th birthday, because in her
world, at 16, all people undergo massive head-to-toe plastic surgery turning them from Uglies
to Pretties, leading her. However in the days before her birthday, she meets another Ugly
who makes her question the seemly perfect world, looks, and future she has always dreamed
about.
● The Always War​
by Margaret Peterson Haddix -- In this action-packed futuristic adventure,
Tessa realizes that her war hero neighbor, Gideon, and the world that she thinks she knows
may not be quite what they seem.
● Leviathan​
by Scott Westerfield -- In a bizarre, but completely engaging mix of technology
and history (often referred to as steampunk) this story looks at an alternate history of World
War I in which one group that draws strength through genetically altered men and beasts
fights against another group that has gained power with the use of cutting edge steam-based
technology.
Super Sports Fiction
● The Crossover​
by Kwame Alexander -- Josh and JB are twins who were reared by a
superstar basketball player father. The brothers have always been inseparable, both on and
off the basketball court. Things are changing though, and Josh doesn’t like it. His father is
acting strangely and JB has been focusing more on girls than the game. One bad decision
throws Josh’s whole season off. Suddenly, everything he thought was secure is on shaky
ground.
● The Last Shot: A Final Four Mystery ​
by John Feinstein -- Eighth-grader Stevie Thomas has
won the prize of his dreams: a chance to cover the NCAA Final Four as a real sports reporter!
Almost immediately after arriving at the tournament, though, Stevie overhears a conversation
that sounds like blackmail. Alongside his fellow contest winner, Susan Carol Anderson,
Stevie investigates what he has heard. They uncover a series of crimes that just might rock
the tournament -- and college sports world -- their cores.
Great Graphic Novels
● Smile​
by Raina Telgemeier -- Sixth-grader Raina just wants to fit in, but one evening she trip
and severely damages her two front teeth. What follows is years of painful dental work (and
possibly even more painful social situations.)
● Little White Duck: A Childhood in China​
by Na Liu -- The world is changing for Da Qin and
Xiao Qin, two sisters living in China in the 1970s. For years and years, China had isolated
itself from the rest of the world. After China’s leader Chairman Mao dies, though, a wealth of
new opportunities open up for the girls.
Neat Non-fiction
● Brown Girl Dreaming ​
by Jacqueline Woodson -- Raised in South Carolina and New York,
Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like
to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim
Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and powerful, each
poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse into a child’s soul as
she searches for her place in the world.
● The Boy on the Wooden Box​
by Leon Leyson -- Leon Leyson grew up in Poland as the
youngest of five children. As WWII breaks out, Leyson’s ingenuity and bravery, combined with
the kindness of strangers and a bit of serendipity, save his life, time and again.
● Bomb: The Race to Build -- and Steal -- the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon​
by Steve
Sheinkin -- This non-fiction text gives a detailed, suspenseful account of developing the first
atom bombs, and the consequences of inventing and dropping The Bomb that effectively
ended World War II and led to the Cold War/arms race between the United States and Russia.
● Freedom Walkers by Russell Freedman​
-- After Rosa Parks was arrested for politely
refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus, racial tensions ran high. A
public transit boycott ensued. This powerful and gripping account of the ways in which
thousands of everyday citizens, of all races, participated in the non-violent protest is a
must-read!
● Chasing Lincoln’s Killer​
and ​
The President Has Been Shot​
by James Swanson -- Swanson
has a gift for writing non-fiction that reads like a thriller. His accounts of the assassinations of
two Presidents are major page turners that should not be missed by any U.S. history buffs.
● I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World (Young
Readers Edition)​
by Malala Yousafzai and Patricia McCormick -- Nobel Peace Prize winner
Malala ​
Yousafzai describes her heroic fight for education for girls under Taliban rule.
● First Flight Around the World: the Adventure of the American Fliers Who Won the Race
by Tim Grove -- This exciting ​
book documents the efforts of four American planes to be the
first to fly around the world in 1914.
● Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights ​
by Steve Sheinkin -- On
July 17, 1944, a massive explosion rocked the segregated Navy base at Port Chicago,
California, killing more than 300 sailors who were at the docks, critically injuring off-duty men
in their bunks, and shattering windows up to a mile away. On August 9th, 244 men refused to
go back to work until unsafe and unfair conditions at the docks were addressed. When the
dust settled, fifty were charged with mutiny, facing decades in jail and even execution. This
gripping, award-winning book takes a look at this little-known historical event and how it
influenced the fight for racial equality in America.
● I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives ​
by Caitlin Alifirenka and
Martin Ganda -- It started as an assignment. Everyone in Caitlin's class wrote to an unknown
student somewhere in a distant place. Martin was lucky to even receive a pen-pal letter.
There were only ten letters, and forty kids in his class. But he was the top student, so he got
the first one. That letter was the beginning of a correspondence that spanned six years and
changed two lives. In this compelling dual memoir, Caitlin and Martin recount how they
became best friends --and better people--through their long-distance exchange.