SUMMER READING
INCOMING 8th GRADE
Reading time should be a regular part of each student's day.
Pick two of the books from the list below.
Students should complete an Elements of a Novel sheet (attached) for one
novel. In addition, students are required to keep a reading log that lists
additional books read and time spent reading verified by parental signature.
Thirty hours of reading is required in addition to the two required books.
The books listed below are recommended for this purpose;
Airport, Barker *
The Wizard of Oz, Baum
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry,
Mildred Taylor
The Contender,
Robert Lipsyte
The Prince and the Pauper, Twain
Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury
Found ,Margaret Haddix
Slam,Walter Dean Myers
Canyons, Paulson
Runs With Horses, Burks
Witness, Karen Hesse
Snow in August, Hamill *
The Music of the Dolphins, Hesse
The Barn, Avi
That Was Then, Hinton
Banner in the Sky, Ullman *
Life of Pi, Yann Martel
Nothing but the Truth, Avi
A Tree Grows In Brooklyn,
Betty Smith
Lance Armstrong, Gutman
A Shining Season, Buchanan
Gone With the Wind, Mitchell *
I Have Lived a Thousand Years,
Bitton-Jackson
Chinese Cinderalla, Mah
My Brother Sam is Dead,James
Collier
Bill Gates, Lesinski *
Ghandi: His Life and Message for
the World, Fischer *
* More Challenging
Find books that help you have fun and read more!
Elements of a Novel
Title/Author
1. Point of View (1st or 3rd person, Who?)
2. Setting:
3. Characters:
4. Theme/Lesson:
5. Plot
A. Exposition (Background you need to understand the plot):
B. Conflict (What is the problem the characters are dealing with?):
C. Rising Action (Events leading to high point):
D. Climax (The peak of the action/events in a story):
E. Falling Action (Events that result from the climax):
F. Resolution (How it all comes out in the end):
NAME:
Title
Date
Hours Read
Parent’s Signature
Title
Date
Hours Read
Parent’s Signature