6th Grade Recommended Summer Reading List
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Wonder by RJ Palacio
I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.
August Pullman was born with a facial deformity that, up until now, has prevented him from
going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than
to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can't get past Auggie's extraordinary
face. WONDER, now a #1 New York Times bestseller and included on the Texas Bluebonnet
Award master list, begins from Auggie's point of view, but soon switches to include his
classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of
one community's struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance.
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The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper.
And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse-Percy could have sworn his prealgebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy's mom finds out, she
knows it's time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one
place he'll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long
Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a
mystery unfolds and together with his friends -- one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter
of Athena -- Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the
Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war
between the gods.
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The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
ORPHAN, CLOCK KEEPER, AND THIEF, Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where
his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. But when his world suddenly interlocks with an
eccentric, bookish girl and a bitter old man who runs a toy booth in the station, Hugo's
undercover life and his most precious secret are put in jeopardy. A cryptic drawing, a treasured
notebook, a stolen key, a mechanical man, and a hidden message from Hugo's dead father form
the backbone of this intricate, tender, and spellbinding mystery.
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Zane and the Hurricane by Rodman Philbrick
Zane Dupree is a charismatic 12-year-old boy of mixed race visiting a relative in New Orleans
when Hurricane Katrina hits. Unexpectedly separated from all family, Zane and his dog
experience the terror of Katrina's wind, rain, and horrific flooding. Facing death, they are
rescued from an attic air vent by a kind, elderly musician and a scrappy young girl--both African
American. The chaos that ensues as storm water drowns the city, shelter and food vanish, and
police contribute to a dangerous, frightening atmosphere, creates a page-turning tale that
completely engrosses the reader. Based on the facts of the worst hurricane disaster in U.S.
history, Philbrick includes the lawlessness and lack of government support during the disaster as
well as the generosity and courage of those who risked their lives and safety to help others.
Here is an unforgettable novel of heroism in the face of truly challenging circumstances.
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Revenge of the Witch (The Last Apprentice Series) by Joseph Delaney
For decades, Old Gregory has been the county's resident Spook and protector; but now his time
is coming to a close. To replace this aging guardian against evil, 30 apprentices are tested.
Twenty-nine of them fail; some flounder; some flee; some even perish during the trial. Only one
remains: Thomas Ward. Timid and uncertain, he worries that he might not pass his test or
perhaps not even survive.
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Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha 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.
This moving story of one girl's year of change, dreams, grief, and healing received four starred
reviews, including one from Kirkus which proclaimed it "enlightening, poignant, and
unexpectedly funny."
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Ms. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh by C.O’Brien
Some extraordinary rats come to the aid of a mouse family in this Newbery Medal Awardwinning classic by notable children's author Robert C. O'Brien.
Mrs. Frisby, a widowed mouse with four small children, is faced with a terrible problem. She
must move her family to their summer quarters immediately, or face almost certain death. But
her youngest son, Timothy, lies ill with pneumonia and must not be moved. Fortunately, she
encounters the rats of NIMH, an extraordinary breed of highly intelligent creatures, who come
up with a brilliant solution to her dilemma. And Mrs. Frisby in turn renders them a great service.
Having no one to help her with her problems, a widowed mouse visits the rats whose former
imprisonment in a laboratory made them wise and long lived.
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From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
When suburban Claudia Kincaid decides to run away, she knows she doesn't just want to run
from somewhere, she wants to run to somewhere -- to a place that is comfortable, beautiful,
and, preferably, elegant. She chooses the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
Knowing that her younger brother Jamie has money and thus can help her with a serious cashflow problem, she invites him along.
Once settled into the museum, Claudia and Jamie find themselves caught up in the mystery of
an angel statue that the museum purchased at auction for a bargain price of $225. The statue is
possibly an early work of the Renaissance master, Michelangelo, and therefore worth millions. Is
it? Or isn't it? Claudia is determined to find out. Her quest leads her to Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler,
the remarkable old woman who sold the statue, and to some equally remarkable discoveries
about herself.
Having run away with her younger brother to live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, twelveyear-old Claudia strives to keep things in order in their new home and to become a changed
person and a heroine to herself.
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The Isle of the Lost (Descendents Series) by Melissa de la Cruz
Evil tree. Bad Apple?
Twenty years ago, all the evil villains were banished from the kingdom of Auradon to the Isle of
the Lost--a dark and dreary place protected by a force field that makes it impossible for them to
leave. Stripped of their magical powers, the villains now live in total isolation, forgotten by the
world.
Mal learns from her mother, Maleficent, that the key to true darkness, the Dragon's Eye, is
located inside her scepter in the forbidden fortress on the far side of the island. The eye is
cursed, and whoever retrieves it will be knocked into a deep sleep for a thousand years. But Mal
has a plan to capture it. She'll just need a little help from her "friends." In their quest for the
Dragon's Eye, these four kids begin to realize that just because you come from an evil family
tree, being good ain't so bad.
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I Funny: A Middle School Story by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein
Jamie Grimm is a middle schooler on a mission: he wants to become the world's greatest
standup comedian--even if he doesn't have a lot to laugh about these days. He's new in town
and stuck living with his aunt, uncle, and their evil son Stevie, a bully who doesn't let Jamie's
wheelchair stop him from messing with Jamie as much as possible. But Jamie doesn't let his
situation get him down. When his Uncle Frankie mentions a contest called The Planet's Funniest
Kid Comic, Jamie knows he has to enter. But are the judges only rewarding him out of pity
because of his wheelchair, like Stevie suggests? Will Jamie ever share the secret of his troubled
past instead of hiding behind his comedy act?