Summer Reading 2010
This is the working list. It is not yet finalized (as of March 2010). There are currently 21 books on this list. It is likely that 1-3 books will be cut.
For Students Entering 7th/8th Grade
1. The Alchemyst
978-0385736008 - $8.99
86K words, AR 6.4, 890L
While working at pleasant but mundane summer jobs in San Francisco, fifteen-year-old twins, Sophie and Josh, suddenly find themselves caught up in the deadly, centuries-old struggle between rival alchemists, Nicholas Flamel and John Dee, over the possession of an ancient and powerful book holding the secret formulas for alchemy and everlasting life. Movie rights have been optioned, but not in production yet.
Book #1 in series of the Secrets of the Immortal Nicolas Flamel
Audiobooks: Amazon, iTunes
ebooks: kindle
2. Ask Me No Questions - Marina Budhos
9781416949206 - $8.99 list
37K words, AR 4.8, 790L
Fourteen-year-old Nadira, her sister, and their parents leave Bangladesh for New York City, but the expiration of their visas and the events of September 11, 2001, bring frustration, sorrow, and terror for the whole family.
Amazon has kindle
3. Big Field, The - Mike Lupica
9780142419106 - $7.99 list
55K words, AR 5.3, 970L
When fourteen-year-old baseball player Hutch feels threatened by the arrival of a new teammate named Darryl, he tries to work through his insecurities about both Darryl and his remote and silent father, who was once a great ballplayer too.
Audiobooks: Amazon, iTunes
4. Eleven Seconds - Travis Roy
9780446521888 - $20 list
Roy spoke at Briscoe this winter. This is only available in hardcover - typically the list does not include books not out in paper.
- "Eleven Seconds and Ten Years" - Boston Globe 10/20/05
- Travis Roy Foundation
- Download ebook or read an excerpt - Hachette (Publisher)
5. Fire Within - Chris d'Lacey
978-0439672443 - $7.99
50K words, AR 4.1, 630L
When college student David Rain rents a room in an unusual boardinghouse full of clay dragons, he has no idea that one of the dragons, along with some lively squirrels, will help jumpstart his writing career. Book #1 in The Last Dragon Chronicles.
- Author biography - Scholastic
- Author website
- Last Dragon Chronicles Series
- Booktalk - Scholastic
- Scholastic description
6. Found - Margaret Peterson Haddix
9781416954217 - $6.99 list
59K words, AR 5.0, 750L
First book in The Missing series (Sent is #2). When thirteen-year-olds Jonah and Chip, who are both adopted, learn they were discovered on a plane that appeared out of nowhere, full of babies with no adults on board, they realize that they have uncovered a mystery involving time travel and two opposing forces, each trying to repair the fabric of time.
Audiobook: iTunes
- Margaret Peterson Haddix website
- About the author
- Common Sense Media review
- Kidsreads.com review
- Scholastic description
- Booktalk @ Nancy Keane
7. Ghost in the Tokaido Inn - Hoobler - 1999
9780142405413 - $6.99 list
46K words, AR 5.1, 740L
While attempting to solve the mystery of a stolen jewel, Seikei, a merchant's son who longs to be a samurai, joins a group of kabuki actors in eighteenth-century Japan.
Audiobook: iTunes (9.99)
8. Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City - Kirsten Miller - 2006
9781599900926 - $7.95 list
100K words, AR 5.7, 890L
Life becomes more interesting for Ananka Fishbein when, at the age of twelve, she discovers an underground room in the park across from her New York City apartment and meets a mysterious girl called Kiki Strike who claims that she, too, wants to explore the subterranean world.
9. London Calling - Edward Bloor - 2006
9780375843631 - $8.99
68K words, AR 4.0, 640L
Seventh-grader Martin Conway believes that his life is monotonous and dull until the night the antique radio he uses as a night-light transports him to the bombing of London in 1940.
Audiobook: iTunes
- Reading Guide Questions from Book Browse
- Random House info and questions
- Nancy Keane's booktalk
- Edward Bloor author site
- Scholastic description
10. London Eye Mystery - Siobhan Dowd - 2008
9780385751841 - $7.50
54K words, AR 4.1, 640L
When Ted and Kat's cousin Salim disappears from the London Eye ferris wheel, the two siblings must work together--Ted with his brain that is "wired differently" and impatient Kat--to try to solve the mystery of what happened to Salim.
Audiobook: iTunes
11. A Mango-Shaped Space - Wendy Mass - 2003
9780316058254 - $7.99
58K words, 220 p., AR 4.7, 770L
Afraid that she is crazy, thirteen-year-old Mia, who sees a special color with every letter, number, and sound, keeps this a secret until she becomes overwhelmed by school, changing relationships, and the loss of something important to her.
12. My Life in Dog Years - Gary Paulsen - 1998
9780440414711 - $6.50
21K words, 137 p., AR 5.6, 1150L
The author describes some of the dogs that have had special places in his life, including his first dog, Snowball, in the Philippines; Dirk, who protected him from bullies; and Cookie, who saved his life.
- Book Rags study guide (must pay to get whole thing)
- About this book - Kids @ Random
- Author site - on Random House site
13. Night of the Howling Dogs - Graham Salisbury - 2007
9780440238393 - $6.50
38K words, 190 p., AR 3.5, 530L
In 1975, eleven Boy Scouts, their leaders, and some new friends camping at Halape, Hawaii, find their survival skills put to the test when a massive earthquake strikes, followed by a tsunami.
Audiobook: iTunes
14. The Other Side of the Island - Allegra Goodman - 2008
9781595141965 - $8.99
64K words, 280 p., AR 4.5, 650L
Born in the eighth year of Enclosure, ten-year-old Honor lives in a highly regulated colony with her defiant parents, but when they have an illegal second child and are taken away, it is up to Honor and her friend Helix, another "Unpredictable," to uncover a terrible secret about their Island and the Corporation that runs everything.
15. PrettyTough - Liz Tigelaar - 2007
9781595141125 - $8.99
53K words, 246 p., AR 4.6, 690L
First in series.
Two feuding sisters from Malibu, California, take their rivalry to the soccer field when both girls make the high school team.
16. Raven's Gate - Anthony Horowitz - 2005
9780439680097 - $7.99
67K words, 254 p., AR 4, 620L
First book in the Gatekeepers Series
Sent to live in a foster home in a remote Yorkshire village, Matt, a troubled fourteen-year-old English boy, uncovers an evil plot involving witchcraft and the site of an ancient stone circle.
Audiobook: iTunes
- The Power of Five website (this is the name of the series in England)
- Gatekeepers series website
- Author website
- Scholastic booktalk
- Scholastic description
17. Sea of Monsters - Rick Riordan - 2006
9781423103349 - $7.99
64K words, 279 p., AR 4.6, 740L
Second in Percy Jackson series
Demi-god Percy Jackson and his friends must journey into the Sea of Monsters to save their camp. But first Percy will discover a secret that makes him wonder whether being claimed as Poseidon's son is an honor or a cruel joke.
Audiobook: iTunes
- Discussion Guide - Scholastic
- Sea of Monsters Extension Activity
- About the Author - Riordan
- Author website
18. Scepter of the Ancients - Derek Landy - 2007
9780061231179 - $7.99 (Scepter of the Ancients)
67K words, 392 p., AR 4.9, 760L
First in Skulduggery Pleasant series.
When twelve-year-old Stephanie inherits her weird uncle's estate, she must join forces with Skulduggery Pleasant, a skeleton mage, to save the world from the Faceless Ones. Movie supposedly in development but not in production.
19. Shark Girl - Kelly L. Bingham - 2007
978-0763646271 - $8.99 (PB out in April)
27K words, 276 p., AR 3.5
On a sunny day in June, at the beach with her mom and brother, fifteen-year-old Jane Arrowood went for a swim. And then everything — absolutely everything — changed. Now she’s counting down the days until she returns to school with her fake arm, where she knows kids will whisper, "That’s her — that’s Shark Girl," as she passes.
20. Three Cups of Tea - Young Readers' Edition - Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin ; adapted by Sarah Thomson - 2009
978-0142414125 - $8.99
43K words, 209 p., AR 6.1, 910L
In 1993 Greg Mortenson tried to climb K2. On the way down he became lost in the mountains of Pakistan and stumbles into a poor village. The villager chief offers him three cups and tea and his villages nurse Mortenson back to health. Moved by their kindness, he promises to return and build a school for their children. Despite death threats, a kidnapping and more, Mortenson has built over sixty schools, especially for girls, in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Audiobook: iTunes
- Three Cups of Tea website
- Pennies for Peace
- Discussion Guide for original version of book
- Central Asia Institute
21. Witch Child - Celia Rees - 2001
9780763642280 - $8.99
53K words, 261 p., AR 6.0, 760L
In 1659, fourteen-year-old Mary Newbury keeps a journal of her voyage from England to the New World and her experiences living as a witch in a community of Puritans near Salem, Massachusetts.
Audiobook: iTunes
Sequel:
- Official site for book
- WebQuest for Witch Child
- Publisher info - Candlewick Press
For Students Entering 6th Grade
This list is likely to be cut to 10 titles.
- Airball
- All of the Above
- The Boy Who Spoke Dog
- Crackback
- Deep and Dark and Dangerous
- Escape
- Fire from the Rock
- Into the Wild
- Peak
- Schooled
- All Alone in the Universe
- Secret Language of Girls
- The Seer of Shadows - Avi
Most were on the 7th/8th grade list last year, but have subject matter that would work OK for the younger kids too.
You can see descriptions as well as lexile, word count, and AR reading level here
http://sites.google.com/site/briscoesr09/Home/book-choices-gr7-8
discusssion guides
Rhode Island Teen Book Award Discussion Modules
Book Lists
Discussion Questions (general)
Booktalks