St Tim summer reading program 2016

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St. Timothy Middle School
Summer Reading 2016
Summer Reading List for Students entering Grade 6
Choose three books to read, only one per series.
Complete St. Tim’s Summer Reading Book Report for all three.
Buckley-Archer, Linda. The Time Travelers, The Time Thief, The Time Quake
(The Gideon Trilogy) When an attempt to bring Peter and Kate back to their own time is
bungled, Peter finds himself stranded in 1763 while The Tar Man, a villainous eighteenthcentury criminal returns with Kate to twenty-first-century London.
Babbitt, Natalie. Tuck Everlasting
Doomed to—or blessed with—eternal life after drinking from a magic spring, the Tuck family
wanders about trying to live as inconspicuously and comfortably as they can. When ten-year-old
Winnie Foster stumbles on their secret,
Bosch, Pseudonymous. The Name of This Book is Secret, If You're Reading This, It's Too
Late; This Book is Not Good For You, This Isn't What It Looks Like
Cassandra and Max find a missing magician's notebook and start to investigate the fire which
burnt down his house and his mysterious "symphony of smells."
Burnett, Francis Hodgson. The Secret Garden
This timeless classic is a poignant tale of Mary, a lonely orphaned girl sent to a Yorkshire
mansion at the edge of a vast lonely moor. At first, she is frightened by this gloomy place until
she meets a local boy, Dickon, who's earned the trust of the moor's wild animals, the invalid
Colin, an unhappy boy terrified of life, and a mysterious, abandoned garden.
Comerford, Lynda. Rissa Bartholomew’s Declaration of Independence
Having told off all of her old friends at her eleventh birthday party, Rissa starts middle school
determined to make new friends while being herself, not simply being part of a "herd."
Connor, Leslie. Waiting for Normal
Addie is waiting for normal. But Addie's mother has an all-or-nothing approach to life: a food
fiesta or an empty pantry, her way or no way. All-or-nothing never adds up to normal, and it
can't bring Addie all to home, where she wants to be with her half sisters. But Addie never stops
hoping that one day, maybe, she'll find normal.
Conrad, Pam. My Daniel
Ellie and Stevie learn about a family legacy when their grandmother tells them stories of her
brother's historic quest for dinosaur bones on their Nebraska farm.
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Summer Reading
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Fleischman, Sid. Escape! The Story of the Great Houdini
Born Ehrich Weiss into a poor and struggling family, Harry Houdini sought out fame and went
on to perform some of the world’s most astonishing magic tricks. Houdini’s story is a classic
rags-to-riches story with plenty of personality to spare.
Gantos, Jack. Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, Joey Pigza Loses Control, What Would Joey
Do? I Am Not Joey Pigza (series)
To the constant disappointment of his mother and his teachers, Joey has trouble paying attention
or controlling his mood swings when his prescription medications wear off and he starts getting
worked up and acting wired.
George, Jean Craighead. My Side Of The Mountain
Terribly unhappy in his family's crowded New York City apartment, Sam Gribley runs away to
the solitude-and danger-of the mountains, where he finds a side of himself he never knew.
Grisham, John. Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer.
Thirteen-year-old Theodore Boone, who knows every judge, police officer, and court clerk in the
small town of Strattenburg, finds himself involved in a murder trial because of knowledge he
might have about a cold-blooded killer. (Series )
Hale, Shannon. Princess Academy
Miri lives on a mountain where, for generations, her ancestors have quarried stone and lived a
simple life. Then word comes that the king's priests have divined her small village the home of
the future princess. In a year's time, the prince himself will come and choose his bride from
among the girls of the village. The king's ministers set up an academy on the mountain, and
every teenage girl must attend and learn how to become a princess.
Hesse, Karen. The Music of the Dolphins
After rescuing an adolescent girl from the sea, researchers learn she has been raised by dolphins
and attempt to rehabilitate her to the human world
Hiaasen, Carl. Flush
Noah and his sister, Abbey, are more understanding of their volatile dad's latest arrest than their mother,
who begins talking of divorce. Dad sank the Coral Queen, a casino boat on a Florida Key because, he
alleges, its owner, Dusty Muleman, has been illegally dumping raw sewage into the local waters. Soon the
kids begin trying to gather proof that will vindicate their father and put the casino out of business.
Hiaasen, Carl. Hoot
Roy Eberhardt is the new kid--again. This time around it's Trace Middle School in humid Coconut Grove,
Florida. But it's still the same old routine: table by himself at lunch, no real friends, and thick-headed
bullies like Dana Matherson pushing him around. But if it wasn't for Dana Matherson mashing his face
against the school bus window that one day, he might never have met tall, tough, bully-beating Beatrice.
And if he had never met Beatrice, he might never have discovered the burrowing owls living in the lot on
the corner of East Oriole Avenue. And if he had never discovered the owls, he probably would have
missed out on the adventure of a lifetime. Apparently, bullies do serve a greater purpose in the scope of
the universe.
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Kelly, Jacqueline. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate
Calpurnia struggles with growing up as she spends more of her free time with her grandfather, an
avid naturalist, examining the beauty of nature, while at the same time her mother wants to teach
her the responsibilities of a young woman during the turn of the century in Central Texas.
Newbery Honor, 2010
Kerr, Judith. When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit
Anna is not sure who Hitler is, but she sees his face on posters all over Berlin. Then one
morning, Anna and her brother awake to find her father gone! Her mother explains that their
father has had to leave and soon they will secretly join him. Anna just doesn’t understand. Why
do their parents keep insisting that Germany is no longer safe for Jews like them? Because of
Hitler, Anna must leave everything behind.
Levine, Gail Carson. Ella Enchanted
At birth, Ella is inadvertently cursed by an imprudent young fairy named Lucinda, who bestows
on her the "gift" of obedience. Anything anyone tells her to do, Ella must obey. Another girl
might have been cowed by this affliction, but not feisty Ella: "Instead of making me docile,
Lucinda's curse made a rebel of me. Or perhaps I was that way naturally."
Lewis, CS. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
Four adventurous siblings—Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie—step through a wardrobe
door and into the land of Narnia, a land frozen in eternal winter and enslaved by the power of the
White Witch. But when almost all hope is lost, the return of the Great Lion, Aslan, signals a
great change . . . and a great sacrifice.
Lin, Grace. Where the Mountain Meets The Moon
This Newbery Honor book features magic, adventure, friendship, and even a dragon who can't
fly!
Lowry, Lois. The Birthday Ball
When a bored Princess Patricia Priscilla makes her chambermaid switch identities with her so
she can attend the village school, her attitude changes and she plans a new way to celebrate her
sixteenth birthday.
Lowry, Lois. Number The Stars
This Newbery Medal Book describes how a ten-year-old Danish girl's bravery is tested when her
best friend is threatened by Nazis in 1943.
O’Dell, Scott. Island of the Blue Dolphins
In the Pacific there is an island that looks like a big fish sunning itself in the sea. Around it, blue
dolphins swim, otters play, and sea elephants and sea birds abound. Once, Indians also lived on
the island. And when they left and sailed to the east, one young girl was left behind.
Pearson, Ridley. The Kingdom Keepers
In this fantastical thriller, five young teens tapped as models for theme park "guides" find
themselves pitted against Disney villains and witches that threaten both the future of Walt
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Disney World and the stability of the world outside its walls. This gripping high-tech tale will
thrill every kid who has ever dreamed of sneaking into Walt Disney World after hours and
wondered what happens at night, when the park is closed. (Series, Any Book from series)
Peck, Richard. A Long Way From Chicago
A rollicking celebration of an eccentric grandmother and childhood memories. Set in the 1930s,
the book follows Joe and Mary Alice Dowdel as they make their annual August trek to visit their
grandmother who lives in a sleepy Illinois town somewhere between Chicago and St. Louis. A
woman with plenty of moxie, she keeps to herself, a difficult task in this small community.
However, Grandma Dowdel uses her wit and ability to tell whoppers to get the best of
manipulative people or those who put on airs.
Peck, Richard. A Year Down Yonder
Grandma Dowdel's back! She's just as feisty and terrifying and goodhearted as she was in
Richard Peck's A Long Way from Chicago, and every bit as funny.
Papademetriou, Lisa. Sixth-Grade Glommers, Norks, and Me
Allie Kimball discovers that middle school is a very different place than fifth grade and struggles
to learn ways to fit in.
Rowling, JK. Harry Potter and the Sorcers Stone (any book from series)
Harry Potter has never been the star of a Quidditch team, scoring points while riding a broom far
above the ground. He knows no spells, has never helped to hatch a dragon. All he knows is a
miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley—
a great big swollen spoiled bully. Harry's room is a tiny closet at the foot of the stairs, and he
hasn't had a birthday party in eleven years. But all that is about to change when a mysterious
letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to an incredible place that Harry—and
anyone who reads about him—will find unforgettable.
Rawlings, Marjorie Kinnan. The Yearling
A young boy living in the Florida backwoods is forced to decide the fate of a fawn he has
lovingly raised as a pet.
Rawls, Wilson. Summer of the Monkeys
Jay Berry Lee is happy until the summer he is 14 years old and discovers monkeys living in the
creek bottoms near his parents' homestead. Set in the late 1800s, Summer of the Monkeys traces
the boy's adventures as he attempts to capture 29 monkeys that have (it turns out) escaped from
the circus. Jay discovers that monkeys are much smarter and harder to catch than he thought
possible.
Sage, David. Adzul (The Heirs of The Medallion). (or another book in the series: Cuto, Lita)
Juan and Sophia, 12 year old twins in southern Colorado learn that they are the latest in a series
of heirs to an ancient silver medallion which holds a great secret. Adzul, the first book in the
series, is the story of their ancestor who first comes into possession of the medallion and risks his
life to save it.
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Summer Reading
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Sewell, Anna. Black Beauty.
Black Beauty is a handsome, sweet-tempered colt with a strong spirit. As a young colt he is free
to gallop in the fresh green meadows, but when his owners are forced to sell him, Black Beauty
goes from a life of comfort and kindness to one of hard labor and cruelty. Bravely he works as
hard as he can, suffering at the hands of men who treat animals badly.
Spinelli, Jerry. Maniac Magee
Maniac Magee is a folk story about a boy, a very excitable boy. One that can outrun dogs, hit a
home run off the best pitcher in the neighborhood, tie a knot no one can undo. "Kid's gotta be a
maniac," is what the folks in Two Mills say. It's also the story of how this boy, Jeffrey Lionel
"Maniac" Magee, confronts racism in a small town, tries to find a home where there is none and
attempts to soothe tensions between rival factions on the tough side of town. Maniac Magee won
the 1991 Newbery Medal.
Spinelli, Jerry. Loser
Just like other kids, Zinkoff rides his bike, hopes for snow days, and wants to be like his dad
when he grows up. But Zinkoff also raises his hand with all the wrong answers, trips over his
own feet, and falls down with laughter over a word like "Jabip." Other kids have their own word
to describe him, but Zinkoff is too busy to hear it. He doesn't know he's not like everyone else.
And one winter night, Zinkoff's differences show that any name can someday become "hero."
Stewart, Trenton Lee. The Mysterious Benedict Society, The Mysterious Benedict Society and
the Perilous Journey, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma. (series)
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.(Series)
Verne, Jules. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Science-fiction tale about a French professor and his companions who are trapped aboard a
futuristic submarine with a mad sea captain and come face to face with exotic ocean creatures
and strange sights hidden from the world above.
Winthrop, Elizabeth. Counting On Grace
..
After twelve-year-old Grace is forced to leave school to work in a textile mill, she and her friend
Arthur work with their teacher to have the laws changed. Miss Lesley, their teacher, helps them
write a letter to the National Child Labor Committee about underage kids, as young as eight,
working in their mill. Grace understands the dilemma a response will cause. If the children don’t
work, the families won’t have enough money to survive.
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Summer Reading
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St. Timothy Middle School
Summer Reading 2016
Summer Reading List for students entering Grade 7
Choose three books to read, only one per series.
Complete St Tim’s Summer Reading Book Report for all three.
You may also read ANY book written by an author we have studied during sixth grade
Avi. Crispin: the Cross of Lead. (Newbery Medal winner), Crispin: The End of Time,
Crispin:at the Edge of the World
Falsely accused of theft and declared a "wolf's head" (whom any man may kill) after his mother's
death, humble, pious Crispin flees the feudal village where he was raised and the steward who
wants him dead. Taken in as an apprentice by Bear, Crispin learns about music and mummery,
about freedom and questioning fate, and about his own mysterious parentage that seems to be the
reason behind the steward's continuing pursuit of him. Newbery Award 2002
Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women
The classic story of Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy in nineteenth-century New England.
Anderson, Laurie Halse. Chains.
As the Revolutionary War begins, thirteen-year-old Isabel wages her own fight...for freedom.
Promised freedom upon the death of their owner, she and her sister, Ruth, in a cruel twist of fate
become the property of a malicious New York City couple, the Locktons, who have no sympathy
for the American Revolution and even less for Ruth and Isabel
Anderson, Laurie Halse. Fever, 1793
In 1793 Philadelphia, sixteen-year-old Matilda Cook, who is separated from her sick mother,
learns about perseverance and self-reliance when she is forced to cope with the horrors of a
yellow fever epidemic
Anderson, Laurie Halse. Forge
The Patriot Army was shaped and strengthened by the desperate circumstances of the Valley
Forge winter. This is where Curzon the boy becomes Curzon the young man. In addition to the
hardships of soldiering, he lives with the fear of discovery, for he is an escaped slave passing for
free.
Balliett, Blue. Chasing Vermeer
When seemingly unrelated and strange events start to happen and a precious Vermeer painting
disappears, eleven-year-olds Petra and Calder combine their talents to solve an international art
scandal.
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Choldenko, Gennifer. Al Capone Shines My Shoes, Al Capone Does My Homework.
More escapades of Moose Flanagan and his life on Alcatraz!!
Colfer, Eoin. Airman
This is a fast-paced, highly entertaining tale of flying machines, criminals, martial arts,
swordplay, princesses, poisons, and evil villains, mixed with themes of justice, revenge,
romance, good triumphing over evil, realizing one's dreams, blackmail, conspiracy, corruption,
and betrayal. From the author of Artemis Fowl.
Creech, Sharon. The Wanderer
Thirteen-year-old Sophie hears the sea calling, promising adventure and a chance for discovery
as she sets sail for England with her three uncles and two cousins. Sophie's cousin Cody isn't
sure he has the strength to prove himself to the crew and to his father. Through Sophie's and
Cody's travel logs, we hear stories of the past and the daily challenges of surviving at sea.
Gardner, Sally. Summer of My German Soldier
The summer that Patty Bergen turns twelve is a summer that will haunt her forever. When her
small hometown in Arkansas becomes the site of a camp housing German prisoners during
World War II, Patty learns what it means to open her heart. Even though she's Jewish, she begins
to see a prison escapee, Anton, not as a Nazi, but as a lonely, frightened young man with feelings
not unlike her own.
Green, Tim. Football Genius, Football Champ, Football Hero, The Big Time, Baseball Great
Rivals, Best of the Best.
Troy, a sixth-grader with an unusual gift for predicting football plays before they occur, attempts
to use his ability to help his favorite team, the Atlanta Falcons, but he must first prove himself to
the coach and players. Tim Green, is the author of the exciting Football Genius series and
Baseball Greats series.
Konigsburg, E.L. The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place.
Upon leaving an oppressive summer camp, twelve-year-old Margaret Rose Kane spearheads a
campaign to preserve three unique towers her grand uncles have been building in their back yard
for over forty years.
Korman, Gordon. No More Dead Dogs.
Eighth-grade football hero Wallace Wallace is sentenced to detention attending rehearsals of the
school play where, in spite of himself, he becomes wrapped up in the production and begins to
suggest changes that improve not only the play but his life as well.
Korman, Gordon. Pop.
Lonely after a midsummer move to a new town, sixteen-year-old high school quarterback
Marcus Jordan becomes friends with a retired professional linebacker who is great at training
him, but whose childish behavior keeps Marcus in hot water.
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London, Jack. The Call of the Wild.
Buck, who is half St. Bernard and half Scotch shepherd, is abducted and taken to the Klondike
where he reverts to the wild and becomes a leader of a pack of wolves.
London, Jack. White Fang.
A classic adventure novel detailing the savagery of life in the northern wilds. Its central character
is a ferocious and magnificent creature, half dog, half wolf, through whose experiences we feel
the harsh rhythms and patterns of wilderness life among animals and men.
Lupica, Mike. Travel Team, Summer Ball. (series)
After he is cut from his travel basketball team--the very same team that his father once led to
national prominence--twelve-year-old Danny Walker forms his own team of cast-offs that might
have a shot at victory.
Lupica, Mike. Heat.
Pitching prodigy Michael Arroyo is on the run from social services after being banned from
playing Little League baseball. Rival coaches doubt he is only twelve years old, but he has no
parents to offer them proof
Mercado, Nancy. Baseball Crazy: Ten Short Stories That Cover All the Bases.
A collection of ten short stories from popular, contemporary authors that celebrate the joys of
America's favorite pastime and the wonder, frustration, and delight of its fans.
Montgomery, L.M. Anne of Green Gables.
The first book starts when the 10-year-old orphan Anne is adopted. Sequels take readers through
Anne's years in school, at college, as a teacher and as a wife and mother. These are books to read
and reread.
Murphy, Jim. Truce: the Day the Soldiers Stopped Fighting
Tells the story of the December 25, 1914, truce between German and British soldiers as they laid
down their weapons and met in No Man's Land to celebrate Christmas
Paulsen, Gary. Harris and Me: a Summer Remembered
Sent to live with relatives on their farm because of his unhappy home life, an eleven-year-old
city boy meets his distant cousin, Harris, and is given an introduction to a whole new world.
Peck, Richard The Teacher’s Funeral: a Comedy in ThreeParts
In rural Indiana in 1904, fifteen-year-old Russell's dreams of quitting school and joining a wheat
threshing crew are disrupted when his older sister takes over the teaching at his one-room
schoolhouse after mean old Myrt Arbuckle "hauls off and dies."
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Riordan, Rick. The Lost Hero
Or any book from the Heroes of Olympus series, which follows Riordan’s popular Percy
Jackson and the Olympians series and includes some of the same characters in minor roles. The
new cast features Jason, Piper, and Leo, teen demigods who are just coming to understand and
use their unique abilities as they learn how much depends upon their wits, courage, and fastdeveloping friendship.
Riordan, Rick. The Red Pyramid. Siblings Carter and Sadie Kane, who have been living apart
the six years since their mother’s death, are reunited with their Egyptologist father who takes
them to the British Museum where he disappears in a fiery explosion, leaving the children to
save him by embarking on a dangerous pursuit, bringing them to the source of a secret
order that goes back to the time of the Pharaohs. (Any Book from the Kane Chronicles Series)
Sage, David. Adzul (The Heirs of The Medallion). (or another book in the series: Cuto, Lita)
Juan and Sophia, 12 year old twins in southern Colorado learn that they are the latest in a series
of heirs to an ancient silver medallion which holds a great secret. Adzul, the first book in the
series, is the story of their ancestor who first comes into possession of the medallion and risks his
life to save it.
Schmidt, Gary D. Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy
In 1911, Turner Buckminster hates his new home of Phippsburg, Maine, but things improve
when he meets Lizzie Bright Griffin, a girl from a poor, nearby island community founded by
former slaves that the two fathers – and Turner’s – want to change into a tourist spot. Newbery
Honor Book.
Stead, Rebecca. When You Reach Me Newbery Award Winner
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.
Taylor, Theodore. The Cay
Phillip is excited when the Germans invade the small island of Curaçao. War has always been a
game to him, and he’s eager to glimpse it firsthand–until the freighter he and his mother are
traveling to the United States on is torpedoed
Stevenson, Robert Louis. Treasure Island
While going through the possessions of a deceased guest who owed them money, the mistress of
an inn and her son find a treasure map that leads them to a pirate's fortune
Verne, Jules. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Science-fiction tale about a French professor and his companions who are trapped aboard a
futuristic submarine with a mad sea captain and come face to face with exotic ocean creatures
and strange sights hidden from the world above.
Yancey, Richard. The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp
Alfred Kropp is just trying to survive high school when his guardian uncle ropes him into a
suspicious get-rich-quick scheme that changes his life forever: stealing Excalibur-the legendary
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sword of King Arthur. But when Alfred unwittingly delivers the sword into the wrong hands, he
undertakes an unlikely quest to right his wrong and save the world from imminent
destruction. (Series)
Yee, Lisa. Millicent Min, Girl Genius, Stanford Wong Flunks Big Time, So Totally Emily
Ebers. In a series of journal entries, eleven-year-old child prodigy Millicent Min records her
struggles to learn to play volleyball, tutor her enemy, deal with her grandmother's departure, and
make friends over the course of a tumultuous summer.
Saint Timothy Middle School
Summer Reading
2016
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St. Timothy Middle School
Summer Reading 2016
Summer Reading List for students entering Grade 8
Choose three books to read, only one per series.
Complete St. Tim’s Summer Reading Book Report for all three.
You may also read ANY book written by an author we have studied during seventh grade
*Reports must be typed! (Times New Roman 12 Font)*
Anderson, Laurie Halse. Fever 1793
Sixteen-year-old Matilda Cook, separated from her sick mother, learns about perseverance and
self-reliance when she is forced to cope with the horrors of the yellow fever epidemic in
Philadelphia in 1793
Avi. The Seer of Shadows
In this intriguing historical ghost story, which is set in New York City in 1872, Horace Carpetine
becomes an apprentice to a local society photographer and learns more about deception, ghosts,
and photography than he could ever have imagined.
Avi. Nothing But the Truth: A Documentary Novel
A ninth-grader's suspension for singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" during homeroom becomes
a national news story. Newbery Honor Book.
Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Acclaimed author Sherman Alexie packs a punch in this absorbing novel about a Native
American boy searching for a brighter future. At once humorous and stirring, Alexie's novel
follows Junior, a resident of the Spokane reservation who transfers out of the reservation's school
-- and into a nearby rich, all-white farm school -- in order to nurture his desire to become a
cartoonist. A National Book Award Winner for Young Adult Literature.
Beals, Melba. Warriors Don’t Cry : a Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock's
Central High.
Beals chronicles her harrowing junior year at Central High where she underwent the
segregationists' brutal organized campaign of terrorism, which included telephone threats,
vigilante stalkers, economic blackmailers, rogue police, and much more.
Bloor, Edward. Tangerine
Paul Fisher sees the world from behind glasses so thick he looks like a bug-eyed alien. But he’s
not so blind that he can’t see there are some very unusual things about his family’s new home in
Tangerine County, Florida. Adjusting to life in Tangerine isn’t easy for Paul—until he joins the
soccer team. In Tangerine, it seems, anything is possible.
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Bradley, James. Flags of Our Fathers: Heroes of Iowa Jima.
In February 1945, American Marines plunged into the surf at Iwo Jima and into history. The son
of one of the flag raisers has written a powerful account of six very different men who came
together in the heroic battle for the Pacific's most crucial island
Bruchac, Joseph. Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two
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.
Dumas, Alexandre. The Count of Monte Cristo
After escaping from the island fortress where he has been imprisoned for treason, Edmund
Dantes sets out to discover the treasure of Monte Cristo and seek revenge against the people who
falsely accused him.
Fleischman, John. Phineas Gage: a Gruesome but True Story about Brain Science
The true story of Phineas Gage, whose brain had been pierced by an iron rod in 1848, and who
survived and became a case study in how the brain functions.
Haddix, Margaret Peterson. Missing Series ( Sent, Found , Sabatoged)
Haddix's latest science fiction series starts off with a bang in this nail-biter...This book's exciting
premise and cliff-hanger ending will leave readers on the edge of their seats and begging for
more."--School Library Journal
Haddix, Margaret Perterson. Among the Hidden Series
Imagine a world where families are allowed only two children. Illegal third children—shadow
children—must live in hiding. If they are discovered, there is only one punishment: Death.
Among the Hidden, Among the Impostors, Among the Betrayed, Among the Barons, Among the
Brave,Among the Enemy, and Among the Free.
Hamilton, Bethany. Soul Surfer They say Bethany Hamilton has saltwater in her veins. How
else could one explain the passion that drives her to surf? How else could one explain that
nothing not even the loss of her arm could come between her and the waves?
Korman, Gordan. Schooled
Capricorn (Cap for short) had lived every day of his life on Garland Farm growing fruits and
vegetables. He was homeschooled by Rain, the only person he knew in the world. Life was
simple for Cap. But when Rain falls out of a tree while picking plums and is hospital-ridden, he
has to attend the local middle school and live with his new guidance counselor and her
irritable daughter. No amount of formal education could ready him for the trials and tribulations
of public middle school.
Lord, Cynthia. Rules.
Twelve-year-old Catherine just wants a normal life. Which is near impossible when you have a
brother with autism and a family that revolves around his disability. She's spent years trying to
teach David the rules from" a peach is not a funny-looking apple" to "keep your pants on in
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public"-in order to stop his embarrassing behaviors. But the summer Catherine meets Jason, a
paraplegic boy, and Kristi, the next-door friend she's always wished for, it's her own shocking
behavior that turns everything upside down and forces her to ask: What is normal? Newbery
Honor Book
Mazer, Harry. A Boy at War: a Novel of Pearl Harbor While fishing with his friends off
Honolulu on December 7, 1941, teenaged Adam is caught in the midst of the Japanese attack,
and through the chaos of the subsequent days, tries to find his father, a naval officer who was
serving on the U.S.S. Arizona when the bombs fell.
Meyers, Walter Dean. Any Title, (Excluding Monster. 8th grade novel for the upcoming year )
Mortenson, Greg. Three Cups of Tea
An American nurse unsuccessfully attempted to climb K2, the world's second tallest mountain.
Dangerously ill when he finished his climb in 1993, Mortenson was sheltered for seven weeks by
the small Pakistani village of Korphe; in return, he promised to build the impoverished town's
first school, a project that grew into the Central Asia Institute, which has since constructed more
than 50 schools across rural Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Murphy, Jim. The Long Road to Gettysburg
A description of the Battle of Gettysburg as seen through the eyes of nineteen-year-old
Confederate lieutenant John Dooley and seventeen-year-old Union soldier Thomas Galway.
Pfeffer, Susan Beth. Life As We Knew It
High school sophomore Miranda’s disbelief turns to fear in a split second when an asteroid
knocks the moon closer to Earth, like "one marble hits another." The result is catastrophic. How
can her family prepare for the future when worldwide tsunamis are wiping out the coasts,
earthquakes are rocking the continents, and volcanic ash is blocking out the sun?
Sacher, Louis. Cardturner
Alton Richards is resigned to spending a slow summer on his own and he finds himself with no
money and no job. Unfortunately, his mother insists that he become his blind great-uncle's
chauffeur and cardturner at local bridge tournaments. What transpires is an intriguing glimpse
into a crazy family full of secrets and unusual quirks.
Schmidt, Gary. Ok For Now
In this companion novel to The Wednesday Wars, Doug struggles to be more than the "skinny
thug" that some people think him to be. He finds an unlikely ally in Lil Spicer, who gives him
the strength to endure an abusive father, the suspicions of a town, and the return of his oldest
brother, forever scarred, from Vietnam. Schmidt expertly weaves multiple themes of loss and
recovery in a story teeming with distinctive, unusual characters and invaluable lessons about
love, creativity, and survival.
Smith, Betty. A Tree Grows In Brooklyn.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a poignant and moving tale filled with compassion and cruelty,
laughter and heartache, crowded with life and people and incident. The story of young, sensitive,
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and idealistic Francie Nolan and her bittersweet formative years in the slums of Williamsburg
has enchanted and inspired millions of readers for more than sixty years.
Spinelli, Jerry. Stargirl
From the day she arrives at quiet Mica High in a burst of color and sound, the hallways hum with
the murmur of “Stargirl, Stargirl.” She captures Leo Borlock’s heart with just one smile. She
sparks a school-spirit revolution with just one cheer.
Stevenson, Robert Louis. Kidnapped
In 1751, David Balfour, a Scottish boy, is cheated out of his inheritance by his uncle, who has
him kidnapped, sold as a slave, and thrown onto a ship--but with the help of a fugitive, David
fights his captors, makes a daring escape amidst a shipwreck, and hopes to survive a treacherous
journey home.
Swanson, James L. Chasing Lincoln’s Killer
Much more than just Lincoln’s killing went on that night of the Ford Theater assassination, this
book will inform and entertain you with the gory details
Tolkein, JRR. The Hobbit,
Bilbo Baggins, a respectable, well-to-do hobbit, lives comfortably in his hobbit hole
until the day the wandering wizard Gandalf chooses him to take part in an adventure from which
he may never return.
Tolkein, JRR. The Fellowsip of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King. (The
Lord of the Rings( trilogy).
The story of a grand quest to keep the Ring of Power from falling into the hands of the evil
Sauron.
Wells, H.G. War of The Worlds
A science fiction novel by H. G. Wells, first published in 1898. It is the first-person narrative of
the adventures of an unnamed protagonist and his brother in Surrey and London as Earth is
invaded by Martians. Written between 1895 and 1897, it is one of the earliest stories that detail a
conflict between mankind and an extraterrestrial race.
Wiles, Deborah. Countdown
As eleven-year-old Franny Chapman deals with drama at home and with her best friend in 1962,
she tries to understand the larger problems in the world after President Kennedy
announces that Russia is sending nuclear missiles to Cuba.
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***ALSO***
Choose and read one of the following four books for History.
Complete St. Tim’s Summer Reading Book Report on book.
Fast, Howard. April Morning. When you read this novel about April 19, 1775, you will see the
British redcoats marching in a solid column through your town. Your hands will be sweating and
you will shake a little as you grip your musket because never have you shot with the aim of
killing a man. But you will shoot, and shoot again and again while your shoulder aches from
your musket's kick and the tight, disciplined red column bleeds and wavers and breaks and you
begin to shout at the top of your lungs because you are there, at the birth of freedom—you're a
veteran of the Battle of Lexington, and you've helped whip the King's best soldiers..
Rinaldi, Ann. The Secret of Sarah Revere 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.
Rinaldi, Ann. The Fifth of March Through the eyes of Rachel Marsh, an indentured servant in
the household of John Adams, Rinaldi shows readers the events leading up to the Boston
Massacre. Rachel is an orphan in search of a "place," and in the course of her duties as
nursemaid to the Adams's children, she comes in contact with many of the movers and shakers of
colonial Boston. She also meets a young British soldier who ultimately will stand trial for his life
as a participant in the massacre.
Saint Timothy Middle School
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