Dear middle school students,

One of the things we love most about summer is time.  Summer affords us a break from the busy pace of the school year and the opportunity to capitalize on increased time – time to play, relax, travel, explore, “just be” with friends and family. And, most importantly, time to read.  At Trinity, we read because that’s what readers do. And we believe that reading – for comprehension and for pleasure – is at the heart of one’s education. 

This summer, 6^th and 7^th graders are expected to select and read a minimum of two of the books on the list below.  Please consider your just right book level* as you make your choice and a way to capture your thinking about your reading as you go.  Sticky notes, text coding, written reflections, etc. are some options to get you started.

8th graders are expected to select and read a minimum of two texts from our list as well as SLOB by Ellen Potter. SLOB will serve as our first common text for the class of 2012. Winner of a Library Guild award, SLOB explores the themes trust, disappointment, and life as a middle school student.  As you read, pay particular attention to questions that pop into your mind as you read and notice how the author answers them – often in ways you may not expect.  Also notice how the main character uses humor in his descriptions – what purpose does this serve for him?

All middle school students should be prepared to share their thinking about summer reading on the first day of school and in faculty and staff led book groups – more to come on this in August.  

Once you complete a text, please visit http://stellarsurvey.com/s.aspx?u=1D6C7030-A2A5-451F-87FD-54A87466BC32&  to tell us about your reading.  Completing these responses will count as your first quiz grades and also allow us to form book groups in the fall. 

We trust that you will be reading well beyond this assignment – finding texts that capture your interests and heart. Our hope is that these texts will intrigue you, engage you, challenge you, and make you smile.

Happy summer, happy reading,

Mr. Dia and Mrs. Rietz

* Libraries at Trinity Episcopal School are “leveled” in accordance with the Fountas and Pinnell text gradient.  The gradient also guides reading level benchmarks for the TCRWP at Columbia University. A level is described by a cluster of characteristics; no text will have every characteristic listed for the level. In the gradient, the letter A indicates the easiest books to read and the letter Z identifies the most challenging books. Middle school students should be reading independently from levels T/U/V in sixth grade to level Z by the end of eighth grade.

** Text contains mature content for some readers

Middle School 2011 Summer Reading List

Please select at least two books from the list below and read them over the summer. 

Be prepared to discuss and reflect on your reading when school resumes in August!

REALISTIC FICTION

Artichoke’s Heart by Suzanne Supplee, 2008 SC Young Adult Book Award **

 

Becoming Naomi Leon by Pam Munoz Ryan,                       

2005 America’s Award (Level V)

Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick (Level W)

Guys Read: Funny Business edited by Jon Scieska (Level Z)

Heart of a Samurai written by Margi Preus, 2011

           Newbery Honor

Olive’s Ocean by Kevin Henkes (Level V)

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia, 2011

Newbery Honor and 2011 Coretta Scott King Award

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson ** (Level Z)

American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults; Michael L. Printz Award - Honor; National Book Awards – Finalist

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (Level X),

     2009 Newbery Winner

HISTORICAL FICTION

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson (Level Z),

2008 National Book Nominee

Letters From Rifka by Karen Hesse (Level S),

      ALA Best Book, 2009

Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool, 2011 Newbery Winner

FANTASY

Airborne by Kenneth Oppell, Printz Award Honor Book

Gone by Michael Grant

Graceling by Kristen Cashore, 2008 ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher, 2011 ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, YALSA Award Winner

The Hound of Rowan by Henry Neff (Level X)

I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore, Agatha Award Winner

Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements (Level V)

NONFICTION AND MEMOIR

Unbroken: A WWII Story of Survival… by Laura Hillenbeard, National Book

Critics Circle

Award finalist

Lay-Ups and Long Shots by Joseph Bruchac (Level U/V), 2009 Booklist Top 10

Shelf Life: Stories by the Book, edited by Gary Paulsen (Level Y),

The Arrival by Shaun Tan, a New York Times Notable Children’s Book of 2007, ALA Notable and Top Ten Best Books 2008

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly, 2011 ABA Young Adult Book of the Year

Witness by Karen Hesse ** (Level Z)