The books on the 7th grade summer reading list meet the needs of students at a variety of reading levels and cover a wide range of topics.  Students entering the 7th grade are expected to read the ‘’required’’ book and 2 additional books of ‘’choice’’ from the list below.  The required novel will be discussed in class and students will also be assessed with a fact-based test on this novel.  Students will be responsible for writing about one of their “choice” books and for completing a creative project for the second “choice” book. Options for the creative project will be shared with students once school begins.

REQUIRED READING

The Bean Trees (Bring to English class the first day of school)
Barbara Kingsolver
All 7th graders will discuss this text in the first few days of school.
All 7th graders will take a test on this book.

WRITING ASSIGNMENT: (Select one of your "choice reading" books to write about and then complete all the assignments below based on that book.)

1. A CHARACTER SHEET.  Create a neat, presentable list of characters from your book.  Distinguish between major and minor characters.  Identify a.) relationship between characters b.) specific personality traits of each character  c.) important facts to know about each characters (2-3 significant facts)
2. PLOT LINE.  Make a “time line” that is actually a plot line.  It should identify—in order—the key events of the story from beginning to ending.  HINT:  You can tell a key event from a minor one if you ask yourself, “If this did not occur, would the outcome of the story be the same?”  If the answer is “no,” then it is probably a key event. 
3. THEMES/ISSUES.  Write a neat, presentable list of themes/issues which are raised in your book.  Write 2-3 sentences about how each theme is presented and what the author’s message is about that theme or issue.
4. QUOTES TO NOTE.  For the protagonist, identify 3-4 significant passages said or thought by that character.  Copy those passages down, and then provide an explanation of why each passage is significant.  What does it reveal about the person?  How does it relate to a theme raised in the book?  Your explanation should be no less than 5 sentences.

This written assignment is due on the first or second day of classes in September.  It will be marked late if you submit it on the following Monday.

"Choice" Reading Books for students entering 7th grade:
Choose two books from this list. Students may read additional titles from this list if they choose. *Book summaries marked with an asterisk are quoted from www.barnesandnoble.com.

Caves of Steel
Isaac Asimov
*A millennium into the future, two advancements have altered the course of human history: the colonization of the galaxy and the creation of the positronic brain. Isaac Asimov's Robot novels chronicle the unlikely partnership between a New York City detective and a humanoid robot who must learn to work together.

Gathering Blue
Lois Lowry
*Kira, an orphan with a twisted leg, lives in a world where the weak are cast aside. When she is given a task that no other community member can carry out, Kira soon realizes that she is surrounded by many mysteries and secrets. No one must know of her plans to uncover the truth about her world—and to find out what exists beyond it.

Hoops
Walter Dean Myers
A teenage basketball player from Harlem is befriended by a former professional player who, after being forced to quit because of a point shaving scandal, hopes to prevent other young athletes from repeating his mistake.

Homeless Bird
Gloria Whelan
When thirteen-year-old Koly enters into an ill-fated arranged marriage, she must either suffer a destiny dictated by India's tradition or find the courage to oppose it.

Hush
Jacqueline Woodson
Twelve-year-old Toswiah finds her life changed when her family enters the witness protection program.

Owl in Love
Patrice Kindl
A fourteen-year-old girl, who can transform herself into an owl at will, discovers interesting new relationships with both humans and owls when she develops a crush on her science teacher.

Spider’s Web
Agatha Christie
*Clarissa…delights in… playing a game she calls "supposing"-imagining a difficult situation and finding out how people would respond. But Clarissa's lighthearted game becomes deadly serious when she discovers the body of an unknown person in her own drawing room.

The books on the 8th grade summer reading list meet the needs of students at a variety of reading levels and cover a wide range of topics.  Students entering the 8th grade are expected to read the ‘’required’’ book and 2 additional books of ‘’choice’’ from the list below.  The required novel will be discussed in class and students will also be assessed with a fact-based test on this novel. Students will complete the writing assignment below for one of their “choice” books; there will be a creative project to complete for the second “choice” book.  

REQUIRED READING for all students entering 8th grade:

The Wizard of Earthsea (Bring to English class on the first day)
Ursula LeGuin
All 8th graders will discuss this text in class.
All 8th graders will have a test on this book.

WRITING ASSIGNMENT: (Select one of your free "choice" reading books, and then complete the following assignment for that book only.)

CHARTING CHARACTER GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. 

• In a coherent, multi-paragraph essay, carefully examine the protagonist in your story. 
• In your introduction paragraph, provide a brief summary of the book, explaining the setting and the chief conflict for the main character. Also, identify the people in the novel who are key to your protagonist’s life, whether in a positive or negative way.
• In your body paragraphs, you need to answer the following questions in an organized manner. Remember that a paragraph should be about one focused topic (expressed in the topic sentence).
  1. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the protagonist?
  2. How do the strengths aid him/her?
  3. How do the weaknesses create obstacles for him/her?
  4. Which relationships are key to his/her life? In what ways?
  5. Identify the pivotal moments for the protagonist. What does s/he learn from these moments? Does s/he make good choices in these pivotal moments?
  6. Overall, how has the character changed from the way s/he was in the beginning of the text to the end of the novel? Be specific and use examples.
• In your conclusion paragraph, consider which theme (lesson) the character represents. What can you learn from him/her and his/her experience?

This written assignment should be a minimum of 3 pages, typed and double-spaced; it will be due on the first or second day of class in September. Assignments submitted on the following Monday will be marked late.

"Choice" Reading Books for students entering 8th grade:
Choose two books from the list below. Students may read additional titles from this list if they choose.

Little Women
Louisa May Alcott
A story of family, of hope, of dreams, and of growing up as four devoted sisters search for romance in Civil-War era 19th century New England.

Fahrenheit 451
Ray Bradbury
A classic novel set in the future when books are forbidden and burned. The hero, a book burner, suddenly discovers that books are flesh, blood, and ideas that cry out when put to the torch.

Sugar Cage
Connie May Fowler
*Set amid the sand dunes of Florida in the 1960s, and overflowing with supernatural magic and realistic humor, this is a tale of two families, best friends and best enemies for 20 years, whose lives are touched by a woman with a spirit much greater than her role as a maid.