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Middle Division English Department
Summer/Independent Reading List 2011
All incoming sixth, seventh, and eighth graders are required to read at least two
books from this list over the summer. Books not on this list may be substituted with
parental approval.
This list is meant to serve as a starting place as you search for books. There are far too
many wonderful books to list them all, and great new books appear every year. The
reading levels provided are just suggestions. Students may read any of these books
with parental approval.
RECOMMENDED FOR STUDENTS ENTERING SIXTH and SEVENTH GRADES:
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
Earth’s destruction is only twelve minutes away when Arthur Dent meets Ford Prefect, in this
funny and insightful fantastic tale.
Little Women, Louisa May Alcott
With their father away fighting in the Civil War, the four March girls and their mother confront
hardships and experience the joys and travails of sisterhood and first love in a small New
England town. Jo March, the plucky heroine, decides to forge an unusual path for a woman of
her time.
Crispin: The Cross of Lead, Avi
This is an engaging and wonderfully written adventure of a poor orphaned boy in medieval
England. He is simply named "Asta's Son" and has only one physical clue to his real identity: his
dead mother's cross of lead inscribed with his true name, Crispin. Why was his identity kept
secret and who is he that warrants the pursuit of soldiers for a crime he never committed?
Crispin flees his village for his life, and he encounters a juggler named Bear who becomes his
master, tutor, and protector. As Crispin journeys toward the truth of his identity the plot twists
and turns to carve out the strength of character he must possess to save his life and that of
Bear's. A great read!
I, Juan de Pareja , Elizabeth Berton de Trevino
This book offers a view into the life and art of the great Spanish painter Velasquez, seen through
the eyes of his slave.
Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury
In the future, books are the greatest evil, and it is the job of firemen to burn them out of
existence. But one day, a young fireman named Montag begins to question this world of
censorship and ultimately to fight against it.
The Martian Chronicles, Ray Bradbury
Mars is colonized by Earth, and will the earthlings understand and protect what they have
found there?
March, Geraldine Brooks
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For those readers who can’t get enough of Alcott’s Little Women, Brooks wrote this piece of fan
fiction that expands on the novel. March tells the story of the March family during the year that
Father is off to war.
The Sword of Shannara (Series), Terry Brooks
This rich fantasy series chronicles the adventures of elves, kings, sorcerers, trolls, and other
heroic and terrifying creatures.
Summerland, Michael Chabon
Creatures called ferishers care for a magical, perfect place called Summerland, but when an
enemy threatens this utopia, they must recruit a struggling Little League player named Ethan
Feld to lead their fight.
Lydia Cassatt Reading the Morning Paper, Harriet Scott Chessman
This small book is an intimate account of Lydia and Mary Cassatt during their stay in Paris in
the late 1870’s early 1880’s. Lydia and Mary are sisters, one model and one artist, one sick and
one ambitious. This story is generously illustrated with color plates of Cassatt’s portraits of her
sister and portrays the intense hold they had on one another.
Over Sea, Under Stone, Susan Cooper
The first installment in the beautifully told The Dark is Rising fantasy series, in which three
siblings spending the summer in Cornwall, on the English coast, discover an ancient map that
leads them to delve into the mystery of the Holy Grail and to join the battle between the Light
and the Dark forces.
The Chocolate War, Robert Cormier
Jerry Renault’s act of refusing to sell chocolate for a school fund-raiser disturbs the universe as
he and fellow students know it. Read this book to find out how this defiant act sets in motion a
war of minds and a fight for honor.
Walk Two Moons, Sharon Creech
Walk Two Moons is the story of 13 year-old Salamanca’s journey from Ohio to Idaho with her
grandparents. Sal’s life unfolds as she recounts stories of her friend Phoebe’s experiences to her
grandparents along the way. This is a story of questions, the most unthinkable one being “Why
did she leave?” (Sal’s mother), and if not answers, at least understanding on the way to
forgiveness.
Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton
An idea we would all love to see come true, the creation of a modern amusement park
populated by (very!) real dinosaurs, goes horribly wrong in this suspenseful story about science
used for the wrong ends.
Waiting for Dolphins, Carole Crowe
Molly resents her mother for wanting to sell their sailboat home that was so dear to her newly
deceased father, while also dealing with her own guilt feelings over his death. The emotional
storm she is battling within is paralleled by the intensity of the hurricane building without.
Human nature and physical nature come together in a story about confronting one’s fears.
Catherine, Called Birdy, Karen Cushman
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The time period is the Middle Ages, 13th century England. Fourteen year-old Catherine’s father
seeks to marry her off to a well-paying suitor, and her mother has her hemming and mending to
become an “accomplished” lady. Catherine feels like a caged bird that yearns for independence
and the excitement of experiences outside of the home. In willful and entertainingly clever
ways, she contrives to sabotage her father’s attempts to “sell” her to odious prospective
husbands. Catherine’s determination to control her own destiny can be likened to the dynamic
of contemporary coming-of-age novels.
The Midwife’s Apprentice, Karen Cushman
In this book, Brat, a 13 year old homeless girl in medieval England, becomes an apprentice to a
woman who delivers babies, but must grow in terms of her own identity before she can become
a midwife in her own right.
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
A book of beloved short stories featuring the brilliant and eccentric Holmes and his trusted
companion Dr. Watson, who solve mysteries in 19th Century London and beyond.
The Hound of the Baskervilles, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
A family curse haunts the Baskervilles, and at their country manor a wild hound lurks and
murders. Are these innocent victims, and what exactly are the origins and motives of this
hound of Hell?
Rebecca, Daphne DuMaurier
When a young woman marries the handsome and wealthy Maxim deWinter and arrives at
Manderley, his grand country estate, she is haunted by the presence of his beautiful dead first
wife, Rebecca. What secrets does this house hold, and can she ever be rid of Rebecca’s memory?
Jim the Boy, Tony Earley
This novel traces the story of a young boy named Jim who grows up in a small town in North
Carolina during the Great Depression. Just as society struggles to reach out of its dark period,
Jim, under the tutelage of his caring uncles and loving mother, reaches past his innocence to
understand his place in the world.
Life Lists for Teens: Tips, steps, hints and how-to’s for growing up, getting along, learning, and
having fun, Pamela Espeland
This book contains hundreds of lists as diverse as “7 Good Times—and 7 Bad Times —to Ask
Your Parents for Something You Want” to “12 Tips for Making and Keeping Friends” that are
pertinent to young adult lives. There are lists of helpful toll-free numbers, essential vocabulary,
and lots of suggestions for teen survival. This is a great resource.
A Girl Named Disaster, Nancy Farmer
Nhamo, a girl faced with an unwanted arranged marriage to a man with three wives, leaves for
Zimbabwe to find her father.
Middle School: The Real Deal From Cafeteria Food to Combination Locks, Julianna Farrell and
Beth Mayall
For students just entering Middle School, this book answers a myriad of questions ranging from
“What Am I Going to Wear?” and “Who Do I Sit with at Lunch?” to “How Do I Navigate My
New Independence?” and “How Do I Deal with My Teachers?” This is a valuable book for
entering sixth graders and for any Middle Schooler starting at a new school.
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Zlata’s Diary, Zlata Filipovic
A young girl in the war torn former Yugoslavia recounts her experiences.
The Thief Lord, Cornelia Funke
Two runaway boys, facing being separated from each other by their cruel aunt and uncle, end
up in Venice, where they take shelter in an abandoned theater under the protection of the
masked and mysterious “Thief Lord.” But will his true identity be revealed, and will a detective
hired to find the boys succeed?
When the Plague Strikes: The Black Death, Smallpox, AIDS, James Cross Giblin
This book looks at these three terrible diseases, the human reactions to them, and the ways they
changed societies.
Pictures of Hollis Woods, Patricia Reilly Giff
Hollis Woods is a foster child who struggles to find her place in the world by drawing. When
asked to bring in a picture to first grade for the letter H, Hollis drew a family for Happiness,
and was reprimanded for not following directions. She carries that family portrait in her
backpack from one foster home to another until her life begins to change.
Cheaper by the Dozen, Frank Gilbreth
The challenges and delights of being part of a family with twelve children are detailed in this
funny book.
The Princess Bride, William Goldman
Buttercup, the most beautiful girl in the world, is in love with a poor farm hand but destined to
marry the terrible Prince Humperdink. Or is she? A wild tale of giants and duels, with lots of
humor too.
Death Be Not Proud, John Gunther
A teenager comes to terms with his relationships and his life’s meaning after he is diagnosed
with an incurable brain tumor.
Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse
Out of the Dust is a novel written in verse. Told through the narrative voice of fourteen year old
Billie Joe, a gifted piano player, each poem is a dated entry that chronicles her life between the
winter of 1934 and the winter of 1935. As the Oklahoma land dries up and farms foreclose,
everyone heads west. Billie Joe and her family stay behind, but after a horrible accident changes
Billie Joe's life forever, she is forced to find a way through the dust of the landscape of her heart
to forgiveness and healing.
Hoot, Carl Hiaasen
In a small Florida town, new arrival Roy becomes involved in an attempt to save a colony of
burrowing owls from a site slated for a new pancake restaurant.
Goodbye, Mr. Chips, James Hilton
A brief and sweetly comic novel about a Latin teacher at a public school (what we would call an
independent school) in England from the late 1800s through World War I.
The Outsiders, S.E. Hinton
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Teenagers struggle with their desire for belonging while facing the risks of joining a gang.
No Promises in the Wind, Irene Hunt
Fifteen year old Josh and his younger brother Joey leave their Chicago home in 1932 when the
strains of unemployment and hunger stretch their family to the breaking point. They hit the
rails and head off for fame and fortune hoping to peddle Josh's considerable musical talent, but
encounter considerable struggles and roadblocks to their dreams along the way.
Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution, Ji-Li Jang
A memoir of a 13 year old girl in Mao’s China.
The Perfect Storm, Sebastian Junger
Would it surprise you to learn that fishing is the most dangerous profession in America today?
Read this true story, in which a group of Massachusetts men aboard a commercial fishing vessel
are caught out in the Atlantic in what many meteorologists called “the storm of the century.” If
you are into weather phenomena and life on the open seas, this is an action-packed, engrossing
book that you will love.
Flowers for Algernon, Daniel Keyes
Charlie Gordon, a mentally retarded adult, undergoes an experimental brain operation to
reverse his mental disability. Flowers for Algernon is the journal of Charlie’s emotional and ironic
drama that will tug at your heartstrings.
A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver, E.L. Konigsburg
This book chronicles the life of Eleanor of Aquitaine, the remarkable female sovereign in 12th
century Medieval Europe. It depicts her marriages to King Louis VII of France and King Henry
II of England, her lively court of poets and troubadours (inspiring the romantic legends of King
Arthur and the concept of courtly love), and the assertion of her strong will to influence her
times. Eleanor’s intelligence, nobility, courage, creativity, and passion make for the liveliest of
characters.
The Girls, Amy Golden Koss