LibGuides: Summer Reading: Rising Seventh Grade

Requirements

The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton
ISBN: 9780140385724
Publication Date: 1988-09-01
9780140385724

Requirements: (total of 4 books)

The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton
Two books from this list.
One book of choice.

If students have a book they would prefer to read that is not on the list, they need to have permission from their English teacher.

Accountability

Students should complete a Middle School Summer Reading Form for The Outsiders, two books from this list, and one book of choice.

During the first weeks of school, there will be graded assignments on The Outsiders. One the first day of school, students should bring their four completed Middle School Summer Reading Forms and their copy of The Outsiders.

Middle School Summer Reading Form

Science Fiction/Fantasy

The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill
ISBN: 9781643750743
Publication Date: 2022-03-08
9781643750743
This captivating fantasy's multiple plotlines are expertly woven to incorporate thought-provoking aspects of what it means to belong to a community. Sometimes all is not as it seems...
Charlie Hernández and the League of Shadows by Ryan Calejo
ISBN: 9781534426597
Publication Date: 2019-10-22
9781534426597
The chase is on after Charlie Hernández wakes up mysteriously sporting horns and feathers. This leads him to reexamine his abuela’s Latin American “tall tales” in order to solve an ancient mystery that might be the reason for his parents’ disappearance
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
ISBN: 9780394820378
Publication Date: 1988-10-12
9780394820378
Milo is bored by everything until a mysterious tollbooth appears in his bedroom. Giving it a try takes him on an adventure that is full of twists and turns with a visit to the Island of Conclusions (you get there by jumping) and a quest to rescue Rhyme and Reason.
Out of the Silent Planet by C. S. Lewis
ISBN: 9780743234900
Publication Date: 2003-03-11
9780743234900
In this first volume of his space trilogy, Lewis creates an ethical struggle between man and nature within the Universe.
The Monster Missions by Laura Martin
ISBN: 9780062894397
Publication Date: 2022-05-03
9780062894397
Berkeley and her best friend, Garth, live on an old cruise ship and scavenge supplies from cities left behind on the ocean floor after the oceans covered the earth. After they accidentally awaken a hydra, they are sent to live on a submarine to study and hunt sea monsters.
Airborn by Kenneth Oppel
ISBN: 9780060531829
Publication Date: 2005-05-24
9780060531829
Matt Cruse is a cabin boy on the Aurora, a huge airship. This is a swashbuckling adventure, complete with pirates, and it is a Printz honor winner.
The Lord of the RIngs (trilogy) by J. R. R. Tolkien
ISBN: 9780345339706
Publication Date: 1986-08-12
9780345339706
Both groundbreaking and timeless, Tolkien’s epic recounts the Great War of the Ring in Middle Earth.
Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne
ISBN: 9781593082529
Publication Date: 2005-10-05
9781593082529
In this classic, three men discover many unusual things on their trip to the Earth’s mysterious core.
The Time Machine by H. G. Wells
ISBN: 9780451470706
Publication Date: 2014-11-04
9780451470706
Follow the Time Traveler as he travels more than 800,000 years into the future to discover what will happen to the human race.

Books in Verse/Poetry

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
ISBN: 9780544935204
Publication Date: 2019-03-05
9780544935204
Twins Josh and Jordan are junior high basketball stars in this Newbery Medal winner. Written in verse, this well-crafted story is full of energy, with elements of hip-hop and jazz, and a portrait of a strong family bond.
Unbound by Ann E. Burg
ISBN: 9781338282085
Publication Date: 2018-08-28
9781338282085
Grace and her family must escape into the Great Dismal Swamp after she speaks up for what is right. This award winner is written in verse and is based on actual narratives of the formerly enslaved collected by the Federal Writers’ Project.

Classics

The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
ISBN: 9780141327525
Publication Date: 2009-11-12
9780141327525
This small masterpiece was published in 1895 and features a young soldier caught up in an unnamed battle of the American Civil War.
The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain
ISBN: 9781593082185
Publication Date: 2004-11-25
9781593082185
It's 1547, and two boys in London meet by chance at the gates of a palace. The boys switch places, and young Prince Edward learns about the struggles of the commoners in England, while Tom learns what it's like to be a prince. Published in 1881, this was Mark Twain's first work of historical fiction.
Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne
ISBN: 9781593082529
Publication Date: 2005-10-05
9781593082529
In this classic, three men discover many unusual things on their trip to the Earth’s mysterious core.
The Time Machine by H. G. Wells
ISBN: 9780451470706
Publication Date: 2014-11-04
9780451470706
Follow the Time Traveler as he travels more than 800,000 years into the future to discover what will happen to the human race.

Historical Fiction

Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson
ISBN: 9780689848919
Publication Date: 2002-03-01
9780689848919
This book is based on the actual epidemic of yellow fever in Philadelphia that killed over 5,000 people in three months. Anderson’s novel is extremely well-researched and the female narrator and supporting characters bring history to life in a compelling and dramatic plot.
The Blackbird Girls by Anne Blankman
ISBN: 9781984837370
Publication Date: 2021-01-19
9781984837370
A reactor at the Chernobyl power plant has exploded. Valentina and Oksana have always been enemies but now find themselves on a train bound for Leningrad to stay with Valentina’s grandmother. The story is told in alternating perspectives among three girls: Valentina and Oksana in 1986, and Rifka in 1941.This is a Sydney Taylor Book Award winner and a National Jewish Book Award winner.
Refugee by Alan Gratz
ISBN: 9780545880831
Publication Date: 2017-07-25
9780545880831
This skillfully crafted narrative presents three interconnected stories about resilience and survival. Josef is a Jewish boy who must leave Nazi- controlled Germany with his family. Isabel and her family must escape Cuba on a raft in 1994. Mahmoud flees the ongoing war in Aleppo, Syria with his family in 2015. This action-packed novel tackles timeless topics like courage, perseverance, and hope.
Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata
ISBN: 9780689856402
Publication Date: 2006-12-26
9780689856402
Set in the 1950s, this 2005 Newbery Medal winner tells the story of two Japanese-American sisters whose family moves from Iowa to Georgia. Narrated by younger sister, Katie, this poignant novel describes the trials of racial discrimination, economic hardship, and terminal illness.
Ahimsa by Supriya Kelkar
ISBN: 9781620143568
Publication Date: 2017-10-01
9781620143568
Anjali lives in India. It's 1942, and she has just learned that her mother is going to risk her life for the freedom movement. This New Visions Award winner was inspired by the author's grandmother's experience working with Gandhi.
Number the Stars by Lowry Lois
ISBN: 9780547577098
Publication Date: 2011-05-02
9780547577098
This 1990 Newbery Medal winner is based on the true story of the evacuation of Jews from Nazi-held Denmark during World War II.
Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith
ISBN: 9780142417256
Publication Date: 2010-09-16
9780142417256
Ida Mae Jones is a young black woman in 1940's Louisiana, and all she wants to do is fly planes like her father did. This book incorporates extensive historical research about the WASP's – Women Airforce Service Pilots – during World War II.

Mystery/Detective Fiction

Poirot Investigates by Agatha Christie
ISBN: 9780062074003
Publication Date: 2011-09-27
9780062074003
This delightful collection of detective stories established the brilliant Belgian sleuth’s reputation in classic detective fiction.
Winterhouse (series) by Ben Guterson; Chloe Bristol (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9781250294197
Publication Date: 2018-10-30
9781250294197
In the first book of this trilogy, Elizabeth Somer’s aunt and uncle ship her off to the ominous Winterhouse Hotel. A magical book of puzzles Elizabeth finds in the library will begin to unlock a mystery that seems to connect her to Winterhouse.

Realistic Fiction

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper
ISBN: 9781416971719
Publication Date: 2012-05-01
9781416971719
Melody is the smartest kid in her whole school, but no one knows it because Melody can’t talk, walk, or write. Get ready to meet a girl whose voice you’ll never forget.
Coyote Lost and Found by Dan Gemeinhart
ISBN: 9781250292773
Publication Date: 2024-03-05
9781250292773
This book picks up a year after the events in The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise, and finds Coyote and her dad once again setting out on a rollicking cross-country trip. This time Coyote is searching for a book that supposedly contains her mother’s wishes for her final resting place.
In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse by Joseph Marshall; James Mark Yellowhawk (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9781419707858
Publication Date: 2015-11-10
9781419707858
Jimmy McClean is a part white and part Native American boy who embarks on a journey with his grandfather to learn more about his Lakota heritage while visiting places significant in the life of Crazy Horse, the 19th century Lakota leader and warrior.
The Schwa Was Here by Neal Shusterman
ISBN: 9780142405772
Publication Date: 2006-03-02
9780142405772
When Antsy and his friends meet Calvin Schwa, they are impressed by his ability to appear and disappear before their very eyes. This funny book is filled with charismatic characters and intriguing issues.
Counting By 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan
ISBN: 9780142422861
Publication Date: 2014-09-16
9780142422861
This is the moving story of Willow Chance, a twelve year old genius who finds it hard to connect with others. Her world is tragically changed, but Willow’s endearing story is one of endurance and the ties that unite a family
Dicey's Song by Cynthia Voigt
ISBN: 9781442428799
Publication Date: 2012-03-06
9781442428799
This Newbery Medal winner continues the story of the Tillerman family as Dicey and her siblings adjust to life on their grandmother’s farm.

Modern Classics

The Pearl by John Steinbeck
ISBN: 9780140177374
Publication Date: 1993-02-01
9780140177374
The classic tale of how a priceless pearl brings greed, treachery, and loss to a poor Mexican pearl diver and his family.

Drama

The Miracle Worker by William Gibson
ISBN: 9781416590842
Publication Date: 2011-05-31
9781416590842
This powerful play depicts the education of Helen Keller and her relationship with her extraordinary teacher, Anne Sullivan.
The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-In-the-Moon Marigolds by Paul Zindel
ISBN: 9780060757380
Publication Date: 2005-03-29
9780060757380
This Pulitzer Prize-winning play centers on Tillie Hunsdorfer and her family. Tillie studies the growth of flowers for a science project in an effort to escape the bitterness of her family and surroundings.

Sports

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
ISBN: 9780544935204
Publication Date: 2019-03-05
9780544935204
Twins Josh and Jordan are junior high basketball stars in this Newbery Medal winner. Written in verse, this well-crafted story is full of energy, with elements of hip-hop and jazz, and a portrait of a strong family bond.
Faster: How a Jewish Driver, an American Heiress, and a Legendary Car Beat Hitler's Best by Neal Bascomb
ISBN: 9780358508120
Publication Date: 2021-05-04
9780358508120
In this account of the 1930's Grand Prix races, Bascomb expertly recreates Europe's motorsport subculture against the backdrop of the rise of fascism led by Hitler and Nazi Germany. This book details the effort to challenge Hitler's dominance at the Grand Prix.

Biography/Memoir

Florence Nightingale: The Courageous Life of the Legendary Nurse by Catherine Reef
ISBN: 9780544535800
Publication Date: 2016-11-08
9780544535800
This biography explores the life of legendary nurse Florence Nightingale, including her long fight to become a nurse. Nightingale's determination helped to vastly improve conditions for patients, as well as perspectives on nursing in general.

Nonfiction/Narrative Nonfiction

Unbreakable: the Spies Who Cracked the Nazis' Secret Code by Rebecca E. F. Barone
ISBN: 9781250814203
Publication Date: 2022-10-25
9781250814203
Unbreakable tells the true story of the spies and codebreakers who helped to break the famous German military code. More than sixty historical photos add to the background provided here about the less well-known Polish, French, and British spies and mathematicians who aided this effort.
Faster: How a Jewish Driver, an American Heiress, and a Legendary Car Beat Hitler's Best by Neal Bascomb
ISBN: 9780358508120
Publication Date: 2021-05-04
9780358508120
In this account of the 1930's Grand Prix races, Bascomb expertly recreates Europe's motorsport subculture against the backdrop of the rise of fascism led by Hitler and Nazi Germany. This book details the effort to challenge Hitler's dominance at the Grand Prix.
A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riots of 1919 by Claire Hartfield
ISBN: 9780544785137
Publication Date: 2018-01-02
9780544785137
In 1919, a black youth was killed while swimming off the shore of Lake MIchigan. This Coretta Scott King Award winner explores how this act ignited tensions that had been building for decades and includes contemporary accounts, photos, and source notes.
Bomb: The Race to Build - and Steal - The World's most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin
ISBN: 9781250050649
Publication Date: 2018-01-09
9781250050649
This Newbery Honor book and winner of the Robert F. Sibert Medal begins in 1936 when a scientist in a German laboratory discovers how to split a uranium atom in two. That discovery sparked a race that would span three continents and include scientists, spies, and some of the world’s most ruthless dictators. This is the story of the atomic bomb.
Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown by Steve Sheinkin
ISBN: 9781250149015
Publication Date: 2021-09-07
9781250149015
This Newbery Honor Award and Sibert Honor Award book is a follow up to Sheinkin's book Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon. It takes readers into the Cold War years and the battle for dominance between the United States and the Soviet Union.
Deadly Aim by Sally M. Walker
ISBN: 9781250125255
Publication Date: 2019-07-30
9781250125255
More than 20,000 American Indians served in the Civil War, but their stories have seldom appeared in history books. This book explores the remarkable service of Michigan’s Anishinaabe sharpshooters and is filled with photographs, diagrams, and maps.