eading can be one of the many fun activities SUMMER children choose to fill their summer time. Research has shown it is also much more! Children READING who participate in public library summer reading programs make achievement leaps during the grades summer and score higher on fall reading achievement tests. LIST 6–8 The books on this list come highly recommended by kid readers from all over the country and may also be available in ebook, audio book, braille, and large print formats. This summer, take your child to participate in the summer programs happening at your library.

www.ala.org/alsc

The 2019 Summer Reading Book List was created by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). Titles on this list were selected by members of ALSC’s Quicklists Consulting Committee.

For more booklists, please visit www.ala.org/alsc/booklists.

© 2019 American Library Association. SUMMER READING LIST grades 6–8

All Summer Long Dove Arising Hidden Figures: Young student at her fancy private shares life lessons and advice for Lunchtime! Does Earth baker by Hope Larson by Karen Bao Readers’ Edition school, while at home, her overcoming obstacles. Peony have what it takes to win? beloved grandfather has begun to Farrar, Straus, & Giroux, 2018, Viking, 2015, ISBN: by Margot Lee Shetterly act strangely. Can Merci navigate ISBN: 9780374304850 9780451469014 HarperCollins, 2016, ISBN: all these changes? Bina’s expectations for summer Quiet, introverted Phaet Theta 9780062662385 Putting Peace First: 7 The Stars Beneath Our are upended, leading to new keeps to herself, but when her This is the young readers’ edition Commitments to Change Feet experiences and self-discovery. mother is arrested, she must of Shetterly’s acclaimed nonfiction the World by David Barclay Moore find her courage and enlist in the book about four African American The Night Diary by Eric Dawson Knopf Books, 2017, ISBN: Moon’s militia to free her mom women mathematicians at NASA by Veera Hiranandani Viking, 2018, ISBN: 9781524701246 and save her siblings. First in a whose work helped send the first Amal Unbound Kokila, 2018, ISBN: 9781101997338 A boy tries to find himself and series. astronauts into space. 9780735228511 by Aisha Saeed Learn how to make a difference in a community in his Harlem A gripping story of one family’s neighborhood in the wake of his Nancy Paulsen Books, 2018, the world NOW with this step-by- flight from Pakistan during the ISBN: 9780399544682 step guide to putting your visions brother’s death. Ghost partition of India in 1947, as told into practice. A powerful story about a It All Comes Down to This by Jason Reynolds by Karen English by twelve-year-old Nisha to her young Pakistani girl forced into diary. indentured servitude. Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, Clarion, 2017, ISBN: Us, in Progress: Short 2016, ISBN: 9781481450157 9780544839571 Sci-Fu Stories about Young Ghost is trying to outrun his In Los Angeles during the summer by Yehudi Mercado Latinos tumultuous past while winning of 1965, Sophie, an upper- Peasprout Chen, Future Oni Press, 2018, ISBN: by Lulu Delacre Ashes to Asheville races on his new track team; will middle-class African American Legend of Skate and 9781620104729 by Sarah Dooley he learn what it takes to succeed girl, learns some hard truths about Sword HarperCollins, 2017, ISBN: and overcome his troubles? First It’s 1980s Brooklyn, and Wax 9780062392145 Putnam, 2017, ISBN: her family, about friendship, and by Henry Lien 9780399165047 in a series. about racism. just scratched the perfect beat, Henry Holt, 2018, ISBN: attracting the attention of an evil Fella and her sister, Zany, take A collection of short stories 9781250165695 alien robot who transports his their deceased mother’s ashes offering a refreshing and nuanced Peasprout and her brother, family, best friend, and crush to and run away to Asheville—the depiction of young Latinxs Ghost Boys Cricket, are accepted into Pearl the planet Discopia, where Wax last place they were happy as Love, Ish growing up in the United States. Famous Academy of Skate and must master the art of Sci-Fu if a family—where they hope to By Jewell Parker Rhodes by Karen Rivers Sword to study Wu Liu, martial he wants to fight the bad guys, scatter them as per her wishes. Little, Brown, 2018, ISBN: Algonquin Young Readers, 2017, 9780316262286 ISBN: 9781616205706 arts figure skating. High-stakes save the universe, and get back competition, political intrigue, and to Earth. The Witch Boy Jerome, a twelve-year-old boy, Mischa “Ish” Love’s dreams of more await them. by Molly Knox Ostertag is killed by a police officer who escaping life in her small town Charlie Hernández and mistakes his toy gun for a real and living on Mars one day are Graphix, 2017, ISBN: 9781338089523 the League of Shadows weapon. As a ghost, Jerome threatened by a sudden illness. See You in the Cosmos by Ryan Calejo witnesses the calamity that In Aster’s family, boys are Piecing Me Together by Jack Cheng Aladdin, 2018, ISBN: comes to his community in the shapeshifters and girls are by Renée Watson Dial Books, 2017, ISBN: 9781534426580 aftermath of his death, and he witches—but Aster has always Marcus Vega Doesn’t Bloomsbury, 2017, ISBN: 9780399186370 been more interested in witchcraft Charlie is drawn into an ancient meets the ghost of Emmett Till, 9781681191058 Alex Petroski is on a mission to than shapeshifting. As Aster battle between good and evil who helps him understand better Speak Spanish Jade is an “at-risk” student from send a rocket into space with a tries to remain true to himself, when figures from the Latino the systematic racism that lead to by Pablo Cartaya a poor neighborhood in Portland, recording on his iPod of what it’s secrets about his family’s past are myths his abuela told him both of their deaths. Viking, 2018, ISBN: Oregon, who struggles to find her like to be human, just like his hero unearthed. First in a series. suddenly appear in the real 9781101997260 voice amid conflicting pressures. Carl Sagan. His journey takes him world—and his body begins to Marcus just wants to help his Allusions to collage art and the farther than he ever could have grow horns and feathers! Harbor Me single mom get by and protect themes of making yourself out of imagined. his brother from bullies, but he by Jacqueline Woodson the pieces of your life elevate this creates more problems than he coming-of-age story. Nancy Paulsen Books, 2018, solves. His mother decides a trip Countdown: 2979 Days ISBN: 9780399252525 to visit family in Puerto Rico is just Space Battle Lunchtime, to the Moon A group of middle-school the thing they need. Vol. 1: Lights, Camera, by Suzanne Slade, illustrated students come together under The Playbook: 52 Rules Snacktion by Thomas Gonzalez the direction of an inspiring to Aim, Shoot, and Score by Natalie Riess Peachtree, 2018, ISBN: teacher to share stories and in This Game Called Life Oni Press, 2016, ISBN: 9781682630136 appreciate their differences. Merci Suárez Changes by Kwame Alexander, 9781620103135 Follow the U.S. space program’s Gears photographs by Thai Neave The competition is fierce on the triumphs and setbacks, from by Meg Medina Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017, universe’s most popular reality President Kennedy’s challenge to Candlewick Press, 2018, ISBN: ISBN: 9780544570979 TV cooking show, Space Battle the nation in 1963 to its fulfillment 9780763690496 Mixing poetry, photography, and with the first man on the moon. Sixth-grader Merci faces inspiring stories from athletes challenges as a scholarship and other role models, this book