7Th Grade Summer Reading List

ROBERT E. ELLIS MIDDLE SCHOOL 7TH GRADE SUMMER READING LIST

In order to prepare students for the rigors of 7th grade literature, students will read two (2) books this summer. All of these books are available at the Hendersonville Public Library, as well as various

booksellers in the area. All students are required to read any two (2) books on the following list.

In the fall, students will be required to submit a Reading Analysis for 2 of the following novels.

The books and Reading Analyses should be completed by September 1, 2017. Choose two of the following: Title Author Genre John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, March: Book One Graphic Novel and Nate Powell Legend Marie Lu Science- Fiction A Monster Calls Patrick Ness Fantasy The Graveyard Book Neil Gaiman Fantasy The Face on the Milk Carton Caroline Cooney Fiction The Giver Lois Lowry Fiction True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle Avi Historical Fiction The Boy Who Dared Susan Campbell Bartoletti Historical Fiction The Berlin Boxing Club Robert Sharenow Historical Fiction And Then There Were None Agatha Christie Mystery Bruiser Neil Schusterman Mystery Crash Jerry Spinelli Sports Fiction Hoops Walter Dean Myers Sports Fiction The Final Four Paul Volponi Sports Fiction Unforgettable Loretta Ellsworth Young Adult The Raft S.A. Bodeen Young Adult A Day No Pigs Would Die Robert Newton Peck Young Adult Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek Maya Van Wagenen Young Adult Anne of Green Gables L.M. Montgomery Classic The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and Fight for Civil Rights Steve Sheinkin Non-Fiction The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of the Candace Fleming Non-Fiction Imperial Russia A Warrior’s Heart: Becoming a Man of Compassion and Eric Greitens Non-Fiction Courage

SUMMER READING IS DUE SEPTEMBER 1, 2017! Legend by Marie Lu

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem. June and Day uncover the truth of what has brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

At seven minutes past midnight, thirteen-year-old Conor wakes to find a monster outside his bedroom window. But it isn’t the monster Conor’s been expecting-- he’s been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he’s had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments. The monster in his backyard is different. It’s ancient. And wild. And it wants something from Conor. Something terrible and dangerous. It wants the truth.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Bod is an unusual boy who inhabits an unusual place—he's the only living resident of a graveyard. Raised from infancy by the ghosts, werewolves, and other cemetery denizens, Bod has learned the antiquated customs of his guardians' time as well as their ghostly teachings—such as the ability to Fade so mere mortals cannot see him. Can a boy raised by ghosts face the wonders and terrors of the worlds of both the living and the dead? And then there are being such as ghouls that aren't really one thing or the other.

The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney

No one ever really paid close attention to the faces of the missing children on the milk cartons. But as Janie Johnson glanced at the face of the ordinary little girl with her hair in tight pigtails, wearing a dress with a narrow white collar--a three-year-old who had been kidnapped twelve years before from a shopping mall in New Jersey-- she felt overcome with shock. She recognized that little girl--it was she. How could it possibly be true?

True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi

Thirteen-year-old Charlotte Doyle is excited to return home from her school in England to her family in Rhode Island in the summer of 1832. But when the two families she was supposed to travel with mysteriously cancel their trips, Charlotte finds herself the lone passenger on a long sea voyage with a cruel captain and a mutinous crew. Worse yet, soon after stepping aboard the ship, she becomes enmeshed in a conflict between them! What begins as an eagerly anticipated ocean crossing turns into a harrowing journey, where Charlotte gains a villainous enemy . . . and is put on trial for murder!

The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti When 16-year-old Helmut Hubner listens to the BBC news on an illegal short-wave radio, he quickly discovers Germany is lying to the people. But when he tries to expose the truth with leaflets, he's tried for treason. Sentenced to death and waiting in a jail cell, Helmut's story emerges in a series of flashbacks that show his growth from a naive child caught up in the patriotism of the times, to a sensitive and mature young man who thinks for himself.

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

“Ten . . ." Ten strangers are lured to an isolated island mansion off the Devon coast by a mysterious "U. N. Owen."

"Nine . . ." At dinner a recorded message accuses each of them in turn of having a guilty secret, and by the end of the night one of the guests is dead.

"Eight . . ." Stranded by a violent storm, and haunted by a nursery rhyme counting down one by one . . . as one by one . . . they begin to die.

"Seven . . ." Which among them is the killer and will any of them survive?

Bruiser by Neal Shusterman

Tennyson is not surprised, really, when his family begins to fall apart, or when his twin sister, Brontë, starts dating the misunderstood bully, Brewster (or The Bruiser, as the entire high school calls him). Tennyson is determined to get to the bottom of The Bruiser's reputation, even if it means gearing up for a fight. Brontë, on the other hand, thinks there's something special underneath that tough exterior. And she's right…but neither she nor Tennyson is prepared for the truth of what lies below the surface. Told through Tennyson, Brontë, and Bruiser's points of view, this dark, twisting novel explores friendship, family, and the sacrifices we make for the people we love.

Crash by Jerry Spinelli

Cocky seventh-grade super-jock Crash Coogan got his nickname the day he used his first football helmet to knock his cousin Bridget flat on her backside. And he has been running over people ever since, especially Penn Webb, the dweeby, vegetarian Quaker kid who lives down the block. Through the eyes of Crash, readers get a rare glimpse into the life of a bully in this unforgettable and beloved story about stereotypes and the surprises life can bring.

Hoops by Walter Dean Myers All eyes are on seventeen-year-old Lonnie Jackson while he practices with his team for a city-wide basketball Tournament of Champions. His coach, Cal, knows Lonnie has what it takes to be a pro basketball player, but warns him about giving in to the pressure. Cal knows because he, too, once had the chance—but sold out. As the tournament nears, Lonnie learns that some heavy bettors want Cal to keep him on the bench so that the team will lose the championship. As the last seconds of the game tick away, Lonnie and Cal must make a decision. Are they willing to blow the chance of a lifetime?

Unforgettable by Loretta Ellsworth

Baxter Green isn't like everyone else. While most people would forget about the little details of everyday life, Baxter never forgets-not pain, not hurt, not embarrassment. In fact, Baxter never forgets anything-including a string of account numbers, flashed before his eyes by his mother's criminal boyfriend, Dink, for use in a credit card scam. Years after his testimony has locked Dink away, Baxter and his mother are in a new town, trying to forget the danger Dink brought into their lives. Baxter wants to hide his unique ability, but it becomes increasingly more difficult when he reconnects with Hallie, a girl from his childhood who has lived on in his memory long after she has forgotten him. Can Baxter win Hallie's heart?

The Raft by S.A. Bodeen

Robie is an experienced traveler. She's taken the flight from Honolulu to the Midway Atoll, a group of Pacific islands where her parents live, many times. When she has to get to Midway in a hurry after a visit with her aunt in Hawaii, she gets on the next cargo flight at the last minute. She knows the pilot, but on this flight, there's a new co- pilot named Max. All systems are go until a storm hits during the flight. The only passenger, Robie doesn't panic until the engine suddenly cuts out and Max shouts at her to put on a life jacket. They are over miles of Pacific Ocean. She sees Max struggle with a raft.

And then . . . she's in the water. Fighting for her life. Max pulls her onto the raft, and that's when the real terror begins. They have no water. Their only food is a bag of Skittles. There are sharks. There is an island. But there's no sign of help on the way.

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Twelve-year-old Jonas lives in a seemingly ideal, if colorless, world of conformity and contentment. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory does he begin to understand the dark, complex secrets behind his fragile community.

The Warrior’s Heart: Becoming a Man of Compassion and Courage by Eric Greitens

Readers will share in Eric’s evolution from average kid to globe-traveling humanitarian to warrior, training and serving with the most elite military outfit in the world: the Navy SEALs. Along the way, they’ll be asked to consider the power of choices, of making the decision each and every day to act with courage and compassion so that they grow to be tomorrow’s heroes.

The Final Four by Paul Volponi

March Madness is in full swing, and there are only four teams let in the NCAA basketball championship. The heavily favored Michigan Spartans and the underdog Troy Trojans meet in the first game in the seminfinals, and it's there that the fates of Malcolm, Roko, Crispin, and M.J. intertwine. As the last moments tick down on the game clock, you'll learn how each player went from being a kid who loves to shoot hoops to a powerful force in one of the most important games of the year. Which team will leave the Superdome victorious?

March: Book One by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell

Before he became a respected Congressman, John Lewis was clubbed, gassed, arrested over 40 times, and nearly killed by angry mobs and state police, all while nonviolently protesting racial discrimination. He marched side-by- side with Martin Luther King as the youngest leader of the Civil Rights Movement that would change a nation forever. BOOK ONE spans John Lewis' youth in rural Alabama, his life-changing meeting with Dr. King, the birth of the Nashville Student Movement, and their battle to tear down segregation through nonviolent sit-ins, building to a stunning climax on the steps of City Hall. (There are three books in this graphic novel series---you may read Book Two as your second reading choice.)

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Marilla Cuthbert and Matthew Cuthbert, middle-aged siblings who live together at Green Gables, a farm in Avonlea, on Prince Edward Island, decide to adopt a boy from an orphan asylum in Nova Scotia as a helper on their farm. Through a series of mishaps, the person who ends up under their roof is a precocious girl of eleven named Anne Shirley. Anne is bright and quick, eager to please but dissatisfied with her name, her pale countenance dotted with freckles, and with her long braids of red hair. Being a child of imagination, however, Anne takes much joy in life, and adapts quickly, thriving in the environment of Prince Edward Island.

A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck

While skipping school one day, twelve-year-old Rob Peck finds himself assisting a neighbor's cow through the delivery of a pair of calves, an action that earns him a piglet he names Pinky. Pinky quickly becomes Rob's best friend and closest companion save for his father, Haven, a butcher working to save money to pay off the Peck family's farm. Rob raises Pinky to be a prize-winning animal, while learning lessons about hard work, acceptance, and the importance of education from his family and friends in rural Vermont during the late 1920s. Ultimately, tragic circumstances force Rob to learn that life is heartbreakingly impermanent and that wealth should never be measured in material goods alone.

The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights by Steve Sheinkin

On July 17, 1944, a massive explosion rocked the segregated Navy base at Port Chicago, California, killing more than 300 sailors who were at the docks, critically injuring off-duty men in their bunks, and shattering windows up to a mile away. On August 9th, 244 men refused to go back to work until unsafe and unfair conditions at the docks were addressed. When the dust settled, fifty were charged with mutiny, facing decades in jail and even execution. This is a fascinating story of the prejudice that faced black men and women in America's armed forces during World War II, and a nuanced look at those who gave their lives in service of a country where they lacked the most basic rights.

The Berlin Boxing Club by Robert Sharenow

Karl Stern has never thought of himself as a Jew. But the bullies at his school in Nazi-era Berlin, don't care that Karl has never been in a synagogue or that his family doesn't practice religion. Demoralized by attacks on a heritage he doesn't accept as his own, Karl longs to prove his worth.So when Max Schmeling, champion boxer and German national hero, makes a deal with Karl's father to give Karl boxing lessons, A skilled cartoonist, Karl has never had an interest in boxing, but now it seems like the perfect chance to reinvent himself.

But when Nazi violence against Jews escalates, Karl must take on a new role: protector of his family. And as Max's fame forces him to associate with Hitler and other Nazi elites, Karl begins to wonder where his hero's sympathies truly lie. Can Karl balance his dream of boxing greatness with his obligation to keep his family out of harm's way?

The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of the Imperial Russia by Candace Fleming

Here is the tumultuous, heartrending, true story of the Romanovs—at once an intimate portrait of Russia's last royal family and a gripping account of its undoing. Using captivating photos and compelling first person accounts, award-winning author Candace Fleming (Amelia Lost; The Lincolns) deftly maneuvers between the imperial family’s extravagant lives and the plight of Russia's poor masses, making this an utterly mesmerizing read as well as a perfect resource for meeting Common Core standards.

Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek by Maya Van Wagenen

Stuck near the bottom of the social ladder at “pretty much the lowest level of people at school who aren’t paid to be here,” Maya has never been popular. But before starting eighth grade, she decides to begin a unique social experiment: spend the school year following a 1950s popularity guide, written by former teen model Betty Cornell.

The real-life results are hilarious, painful, and filled with unexpected surprises. Told with humor and grace, Maya’s journey offers readers of all ages a thoroughly contemporary example of kindness and self-confidence, along with a better understanding of what it means to be popular.

*Each synopsis was found on Amazon.com.

ROBERT E. ELLIS MIDDLE SCHOOL 7TH GRADE SUMMER READING: CHOICE BOOKS YOU MAY USE A SEPARATE PIECE OF PAPER INSTEAD, SHOULD YOU SO CHOOSE. Title: What is the full title of the book? If it has a subtitle, what is it? (1 point) Author: Who all is responsible for writing the text of the book you read? If it’s more than three people, who is the editor? (1 point) Overview: How would you describe the entire text – including title, author, genre, type of text, and brief synopsis – in one sentence? (1 point) Point of View: Is a character telling the story (1st Person) or does a narrator tell it (3rd Person)? If 3rd, what kind (Limited, Omniscient? Objective, Subjective?)? (1 point) Plot Summary:

Given more time and space, how would you explain the bulk of the story? (1 point) How does it end? (1 point) Setting: Where does the majority of the story take place? (1 point) Approximately when does the story take place? (1 point) Conflict: What page(s) is it on? (1 point)

Explain a memorable example of conflict in the story. (1 point) Would it be considered Person vs. Self, Person vs. Person, Person vs. Nature, etc.? (1 point) Climax: What page(s) is it on? (1 point)

What is the highest point of the major conflict? (1 point) How is it the last big decision the protagonist makes, and how does he/she grow as a result? (1 point) Protagonist: Who is the main character of the story? Which one person goes through the most profound change as a result of the action in the story? (1 point) Antagonist: Who is the villain of the story? What one character is responsible for the primary conflict of the text? Who is the protagonist facing off against? (1 point) Quality:

Did you like the book? (1 point) Why or why not? (1 point) On a separate piece of paper, draw what you think the cover of this book should have been (1 point) and explain your choice (1 point).

Explain a memorable example of conflict in the story. (1 point) Would it be considered Person vs. Self, Person vs. Person, Person vs. Nature, etc.? (1 point) Climax: What page(s) is it on? (1 point)

Did you like the book? (1 point) Why or why not? (1 point) On a separate piece of paper, draw what you think the cover of this book should have been (1 point) and explain your choice (1 point).