Rising 7th grade Summer Reading
READING LIST FOR RISING 7TH GRADERS
TOTAL OF 3 BOOKS
REQUIRED FOR ENGLISH DEPARTMENT:
THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER - Twain, Mark
Classic Twain story of a boy’s adventures as he grows up in a sleepy Mississippi River town, where he faces a moral dilemma and must risk his life in the cause of justice.
REQUIRED FOR HISTORY DEPARTMENT:
THE BEDUIN’S GAZELLE - Temple, Frances
This lyrical story of young Halima and Atiyah is a magnificent word-picture of desert living in 1302 AD.
Plus one book chosen from the following list of Classics, Contemporary Fiction or Non-Fiction.
THE MERLIN SERIES (any choice) - Barron, T.A.
An area generally ignored in Merlin lore, this series is an intriguing perspective on the early years of Merlin’s youth, narrated by the future wizard himself. Great fantasy.
BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER KWAI - Boulle, Pierre
True story of a WWII Japanese prisoner of war camp in which Allied POW’s are forced to build a railroad bridge to benefit the Japanese war effort. The book served as the basis for the 1956 movie that won the Oscar for Best Picture that year.
AND THEN THERE WERE NONE - Christie, Agatha
Many readers considered this the best mystery novel ever written. This is the story of ten strangers, each lured to an Indian Island by a mysterious host. Once his guests arrive, the host accuses each person of murder. Unable to leave the island, the guests begin to share their secrets – until they begin to die.
THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES - Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan
Collection of Doyle’s stories in which his famous detective solves mysteries by means of deduction, outwitting Scotland Yard detectives.
THE THREE MUSKETEERS - Dumas, Alexander
Based around the character of D’Artagnan, a young man trying to enter the Musketeers, the personal body guard of the King of France, this is a swashbuckling tale of gallant heroes, fair damsels, magnificent settings, war, love, duels, nefarious villains, kings and queens.
JOHNNY TREMAIN - Forbes, Esther
Tells of the turbulent, passionate times in Boston just before the Revolutionary War. Johnny, a young apprentice silversmith, is caught up with Revere, Hancock, and John and Samuel Adams in the days leading up to the Boston Tea Party and the Battle of Lexington.
A RAISIN IN THE SUN - Hansberry, Lorraine
This play, originally produced in 1959, portrays a Chicago famiy steeped in issues ranging from generational conflicts to the Civil Rights and women’s movements.
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
This tale of an aged Cuban fisherman going head-to-head (or hand-to-fin) with a magnificent marlin encapsulates Hemingway’s favorite motifs of physical and moral challenge.
DRACULA - Stoker, Bram
The punctured throat, the coffin lid slowly opening, the unholy shriek as the stake pierces the heart – these are just a few of the chilling images Bram Stoker unleashed upon the world in the 1897 masterpiece. A timeless tale of gothic horror and romance that has enthralled and terrified readers ever since.
THE LORD OF THE RINGS - Tolkien, J.R.R.
This classic series, told with poetic language and vivid description of creatures and landscapes, has enjoyed the highest acclaim in the realm of fantasy writing in our century. Read THE HOBBIT as a prequel.
THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER - Twain, Mark
This is the classically moving story about the swapped identities of a poor cockney lad and the Prince of Wales.
JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH - Verne, Jules
A lovesick youth and his eccentric uncle prepare a subterranean expedition into the bowels of our planet. The men spend several months in an underground world of luminous rocks, antediluvian forests, and fantastic sea creatures. Verne’s ability to predict the future of science was remarkable, and even though he died in 1905, he predicted the submarine, television, guided missiles, satellites, and the airplane.
OUR TOWN - Wilder, Thornton
In this Pulitzer Prize winning play first published in 1938, Wilder portrays three periods in the history of the New Hampshire town of Grover’s Corners. This is Wilder’s most frequently performed play.
THE PIGMAN - Zindel, Paul
Two teenagers who lead unhappy lives at home form a strange relationship with a lonely old man.
GO AND COME BACK - Abelove, Joan
Set in a fictional tribe in a Peruvian jungle, this story, narrated in first person by a tribal girl, is about her encounters with two anthropologists from New York.
DIRK GENTLY’S HOLISTIC DETECTIVE AGENCY - Adams, Douglas
An ageless, absent-minded professor tries to outwit a billion-year-old ghost in this zany murder mystery.
THE ANYBODIES - Bode, N.E.
Fern Drudger, an imaginative misfit in her extraordinarily boring family, discovers that she and Howard Bone were switched at birth. The adults decide that the children will spend the summer with their birth parents and Ferm meets her father, the Bone. He is an “Anybody” – he can change into someone or something else. There’s laugh-out-loud humor, fantasy, mystery and real-life drama.
SECOND SIGHT - Gary Blackwood
A tale of espionage, conspiracy and political intrigue. It is 1864 and Cassandra Quinn, a young clairvoyant, realizes President Lincoln is in grave danger. Fictional characters and events are woven seamlessly with historcial anecdotes. For fans of historical fiction and thrilling narratives.
THE ILLUSTRATED MAN - Bradbury, Ray
This is a marvelous, if mostly dark, quilt of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. The narrator meets the Illustrated Man – a wanderer whose entire body is a living canvas of exotic tattoos, that come magically alive and predict the future. It is interesting to see how accurate Bradbury was about the “future,” because his book was written in 1951.
ENDER’S GAME, Series Card - Orson Scott
Ender Wiggin is a very bright young boy with a powerful skill. Bred to be a military genius and save Earth from an inevitable attack by aliens, known here as “buggers,” Ender becomes unbeatable in war games and is poised to lead Earth to triumph. But his brother and sister plot to wrest power from Ender. Twists, surprises, and interesting characters – a real page turner.
THE WISH LIST - Colfer, Eoin
When petty criminal Meg Finn dies at age fourteen, she is about to go straight to hell – except for one act of kindness she commits just before her death. Meg ends up in Limbo, and Saint Peter has explained that she must return to Earth and do one good thing before she can be allowed into heaven.
THE BOGGART - Cooper, Susan
When the Volnik family inherits a Scottish castle, one of the castle’s more notable inconveniences, the boggart – an ancient, mischievous spirit – is inadvertently packed into a desk and arrives, upset and annoyed, at Volnik’s home in Canada. Thrilled with modern conveniences, the boggart plays both comic and dangerous tricks.
IQBAL - D’Adamo, Francesco
The life of a Pakistani child forced to become a “carpetmaker slave” to settle a family debt. Based on real life.
UNDER THE SAME SKY - DeFelice, Cynthia
While trying to earn money for a motor bike, 14-year-old Joe Pedersen becomes involved with the Mexican migrant workers on his family's farm. Joe finally begins to understand the plight of the migrant worker and develops both passion and compassion for their cause.
THE BELGARIAD (any of the series) - Eddings, David
Introduces Garion, a farm boy who does not believe in magic, but then he did not know that soon he would be on a quest of unparalleled danger as the dread evil God Torak is reawakened.
HOUSE OF SCORPION - Farmer, Nancy
In a future where humans despise clones, Matt enjoys special status as the young clone of El Patron, the 142-year-old leader of a corrupt drug empire nestled between Mexico and the United States. Fans of Nancy Farmer should also read The Ear, the Eye and the Arm, and The Sea of Trolls.
TIME AND AGAIN - Finney, Jack
For mystery and romance, science fiction and nostalgia, this novel is a must read! One night, Si Morley steps out of his 20th century upper West Side apartment – right into the winter of 1882.
FAT KID RULES THE WORLD - Going, K.L.
Seventeen-year-old Troy, depressed, suicidal and weighing nearly 300 pounds, gets a new perspective on life when a homeless teenager who is a genius on guitar wants Troy to be the drummer in his rock band.
KING SOLOMON’S MINES - Haggard, H. Rider
One of the first African adventure stories, this novel recounts famed African explorer Allan Quatermain’s thrilling search for the fabled diamond mine of the biblical King Solomon, located deep in Africa’s “heart of darkness.”
OUT OF THE DUST - Hesse, Karen
Winner of the 1998 Newbery Award for Fiction, Hesse weaves a tale of 14-year-old Billie Jo, who lives in the Oklahoma Dust Bowl. Plagued by the grim realities of domestic life, this is a gut-wrenching, poignant, elegantly crafted novel.
WITNESS – Hesse, Karen
In spare verse, eleven characters tell of a Vermont town in 1924 and the impact of discrimination and the arrival of the Ku Klux Klan. Suspenseful and moving.
NEW BOY – Houston, Julian
Rob Garrett, 15, is the first African American to attend a prestigious Connecticut boarding school called Draper. It is the 1950’s and Rob must learn to balance his awareness of bigotry with his ambition to succeed – his desire to represent his race and stay in a place that will afford him the opportunities to make a difference. A mixture of historical fiction (Rob meets Malcolm X and experiences the Civil Rights Movement through his visits to Harlem) and personal narrative, this coming of age novel is an engrossing read.
SHOELESS - Joe Kinsella , W.P.
Classic story of dreams and baseball, where Kinsella plays with myth and fantasy in this lyrical novel adapted into the enormously popular movie, FIELD OF DREAMS. “If you build it, they will come.”
TRAVEL TEAM – Lupica, Mike
HEAT – Lupica, Mike
Sports writer Mike Lupica has found a new niche in young adult literature. For anyone who loves sports, and sports writing, these books are for you. As Mr. Lupica said during our assembly here, “If you stay with sports long enough, eventually, sports will break your heart.” Find out how the protagonists of these two books overcame their broken hearts against all odds.
HOW I FOUND THE STRONG: A NOVEL OF THE CIVIL WAR - McMullan, Margaret
McMullan's first novel about the Civil War packs the punch of a cannonball. Told in graphic detail is the struggle of ten-year-old Frank Russell, who is the man of the house when his father and older brother leave him with his grandparents, pregnant mother and the family slave. This book is amazingly brave in so many ways, not only in its complex tackling of slavery from a southern perspective but in its willingness to question, who really benefits from a war?
MONSTER - Myers, Walter Dean
The Young Adult Book of the Year (Prinz Award) winner tells a powerful story from the viewpoint of 16-year-old Steve Harmon, who has been accused of assisting a murder/robbery and is undergoing trial. The book takes the unusual form of Steve’s imaginary screenplay.
AIRBORN - Oppel, Kenneth
"This is a swashbuckling fantasy of a young boy on an airship and the events that occur during his journey to become a captain of one of these great ships, called theAurora. Pirates attack the dirigible and almost destroy it before crashing into the ocean. Matt and the passengers make their way to a deserted island and land on a beach. They discover a terrible killer on the island that might turn out to be a major scientific find and one of the biggest secrets that the authorities have been trying to uncover.” Read the action-packed sequel: SKYBREAKER. Reviewed by Edward Carroll 1/05
ESCAPE FROM WARSAW - Serraillier, Ian
Taken from true accounts, this novel reveals the plight of three orphaned children in 1942 as they escape from their native Poland with the Nazi Secret Police on their trail.
DONUTHEAD - Stauffacher, Sue
Franklin is afraid of everything, then tough-as-nails Sarah enters the fifth grade. Hilarious story of unexpected friendship.
THE AMULET OF SAMARKAND (BOOK 1, THE BARTIMAEUS TRILOGY) -Stroud, Jonathan
Nathaniel is a young magician’s apprentice in London. After he is humiliated by a wizard named Simon Lovelace, he decides to summon up the all-powerful djinni, Bartimaeus, to help him get revenge. Nathaniel sends Bartimaeus to steal the Amulet of Samarkand, but controlling the djinni is harder than he imagined.
Follow up this adventure with Book 2 in the trilogy: THE GOLEM'S EYE and Book 3, Ptolemly's Gate.
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LARRY - Tashjian, Janet
Seventeen-year-old Josh, a loner-philosopher who wants to make a difference in the world, tries to maintain his secret identity as the author of a Web site that is receiving national attention.
THE LAND - Taylor, Mildred
In a prequel to the Newbery medal winner ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY, Cassie Logan’s grandfather, Paul Edward, tells of his heartbreaking but ultimately triumphant struggle to acquire the land that would become the Logan family legacy.
TO THE EDGE OF THE WORLD - Torrey, Michele
A cabin boy’s voyage with Magellan. A riveting adventure.
MONTMORENCY: THIEF, LIAR, GENTLEMAN - Updale, Eleanor
Montmorency is a small-time thief in 19th-century England. He falls through a glass roof in a getaway from the police, and after his body is mended, he starts his life over. He adopts two personas: Scarper, a thief who enters posh apartments through the sewer system, and Montmorency, a gentleman. But Montmorency must always be careful that his real way of life is never discovered.
THE THIEF - Turner, Megan Whelan
Tales of gods and goddesses are woven throughout this story of Gen, a master thief, who is on an adventurous journey for his king to steal a precious stone. 1997 Newbery Honor Book.
HOUDINI: MASTER OF ILLUSION - Cox, Clinton
A wonderful biography of the man who became famous as an escape artist. As his fame grew, so did the seemingly impossible challenges: diving underwater in shackles, being buried alive, the Chinese Water Torture Cell, and making an elephant disappear.
A DANGEROUS ENGINE: BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, FROM SCIENTIST TO DIPLOMAT – Dash, Joan
A lively and fascinating biography of Ben Franklin that combines the well known facts of his life with more obscure tidbits. His well-known interest in invention and science is further illuminated by information on his transatlantic correspondence with scientists in Europe. Some personal anecdotes are revealed as well, making this an exciting and vivid account of Franklin’s life.
JACK LONDON: A BIOGRAPHY - Dyer, Daniel
The story of London, a fearless explorer whose struggles to become a successful writer filled his short life. London’s life and job experiences, from a sea captain to a Klondike searcher for gold, have always made his fiction detailed and wonderfully real.
PHINEAS GAGE: A GRUESOME BUT TRUE STORY ABOUT BRAIN SCIENCE - Fleischman, John
When a thirteen-pound iron rod was shot through his brain in 1848, Phineas Gage survived another eleven years; yet he “was no longer Gage,” and his case is still a fascination and revelation to brain scientists today.
GOOD BROTHER, BAD BROTHER: THE STORY OF EDWIN BOOTH AND JOHN WILKES BOOTH - Giblin, James Cross A thoroughly engrossing account of the complex and agonizing relationship of the Booth brothers. Edwin’s support of the North during the civil War, and John’s devotion for the South caused a great rift in the family. The story of Lincoln’s assassination is told with haunting clarity and with full support of historical documents. Recommended for Civil War buffs as well as any reader who appreciates the “story” found in history.
MY OLD MAN AND THE SEA - Hayes, David and Daniel
David and Daniel Hays, father and son, designed and built a small boat together, then set out to sail it around the tip of South America, a journey that David had dreamed of ever since childhood.
TOP SECRET: A HANDBOOK OF CODES, CIPHERS AND SECRET WRITING - Janeczko, Paul B.
A wonderful guide to secret writing, Janeczko relates how different codes came to be and why they were needed, and gives some historical examples. The book also contains information and exercises (with answers) on deciphering codes and provides readers with the tools to make their own field kit. In addition to numerous codes and ciphers, invisible ink recipes and a number of concealment techniques are included.
THE BOYS OF SUMMER - Kahn, Roger
Classic narrative of growing up within shouting distance of Ebbets Field and the Brooklyn Dodgers. In the 1950’s this was the team of Robinson, Snyder, Hodges, and Reese, a team of great triumph and historical import composed of men whose fragile lives were filled with dignity and pathos.
INTO THIN AIR - Krakauer, Jon
A botched summit attempt on Mount Everest leaves ten climbers facing the greatest challenge of their lives…to make it down alive.
SEASON OF LIFE: A FOOTBALL STAR, A BOY, A JOURNEY TO MANHOOD – Marx, Jeffrey
Pulitzer-winning reporter Marz tells the story of Joe Ehrmann, a star defensive lineman for the Baltimore Colts in the 1970’s. The death of Ehrmann’s younger brother led Ehrmann to become a minister and a volunteer football coach. Life lessons abound through the lens of the football team’s spirit. A moving and inspirational story.
THE GREATEST: MUHAMMED ALI - Myers, Walter Dean
In this riveting portrayal of Ali’s spirit and courage, award-winning author Myers not only illustrates the story of Ali’s childhood, rise as a champion, politics, and battle with Parkinson’s disease, but also exposes the hazards of boxing, the sport Ali loved that also ultimately damaged him beyond repair.
BASHER FIVE-TWO: THE TRUE STORY OF F-16 FIGHTER PILOT CAPTAIN SCOTT O’GRADY - O’Grady/French
O’Grady was a wholesome, devout, patriotic 29-year-old when, as a member of the UN’s peacekeeping force, his F-16 was shot down over Bosnia. Considered an American hero because of his skill, faith, and courage, O’Grady fulfilled his duties as a member of the Air Force, enabling him to return safely home.
APOLO ANTON OHNO: MY STORY - Ohno, Apolo Anton
The autobiography of the controversial young American who won gold and silver medals in speed skating at the 2002 Winter Olympics.
ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE: BEYOND BAKER STREET- Pascal, Janet B.
There is no other author who has been more overshadowed by his own character than Arthur Conan Doyle. Although he is best known for his Sherlock Holmes stories and novels, Doyle considered them only a small part of his literary output. He expected to be remembered for his historical fiction. He also wrote science fiction, short stories, and horror tales. This bio provides a lively account of the writer’s fascinating life.
HOW ANGEL PETERSON GOT HIS NAME - Paulsen, Gary
Gary Paulsen gives us “slapstick, wacky, daring” tales of extreme sports straight from his own boyhood. Do not try these stunts at home.
THE MAN WHO WENT TO THE FAR SIDE OF THE MOON: THE STORY OF APOLLO 11 ASTRONAUT MICHAEL COLLINS - Schyffert, Bea and Uusma, Bea
Seldom mentioned astronaut Michael Collins stayed aloft while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon. Photographs, handwritten passages from Collins’ notes, mission snapshots, spacesuit diagrams, and lists of personal items the Apollo astronauts brought to the moon, give this account a first hand, human touch. For any reader interested in space exploration, past of future.
THE IMPORTANCE OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE - Thrasher, Thomas
Biography of the greatest author who ever wrote in the English language. This slim volume is notable for its very manageable treatment of Shakespeare from early years through his fame as a playwright. It is peppered with a wide variety of pictures, primary and secondary sources. Helpful for preparation in reading JULIUS CAESAR in 7th grade.
THE PIGMAN AND ME - Zindel, Paul
This is a fast-paced, humorous autobiography by the author of THE PIGMAN, who had a little help from his own “pigman.”
