Adventure, Exploration & Escape:
7th GRADE SUMMER READING 2021
included here:
- Summer Reading Book Fair Information
- Rising 7th Grade English
- Rising 7th Grade LPA English
SUMMER READING BOOK FAIR HAS GONE VIRTUAL
Kindle Purchase Instructions
Rising 7th Grade
Welcome to Summer, dear readers!
Each middle schooler will read a total of three (3) books this summer. All reading and assignments (see below) should be completed by the first day of school.
Most books are available in several formats, including paperback, audio , and eBook. No matter which versions you choose, you must bring a print or digital copy of your books with you to class in August.
1. Required novel and annotation assignment (all 7th graders must read this book).
2. Visiting Author Book (choose to read ONE of the books below). There is no written assignment for this book. Please read and enjoy, and be prepared to discuss and to complete assignments on this book in class this August.
3. 7th grade choice book (choose to read ONE of the books below). There is no written assignment for this book. Please read and enjoy, and be prepared to discuss and to complete assignments on this book in class this August.
Required Novel
The Giver (The Giver Quartet bk. 1) by Lois Lowry
This haunting story centers on twelve-year-old Jonas, who 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.
7TH GRADE ANNOTATION ASSIGNMENT
Visiting Author, Jason Reynolds List (choose one)
Ghost, a naturally talented runner and troublemaker, is recruited for an elite middle school track team. He must stay on track, literally and figuratively, to reach his full potential. Ghost wants to be the fastest sprinter on his elite middle school track team, but his past is slowing him down. *If you have previously read Ghost in Mr. Fishman's class, please choose another title.
A newbie to the track team, Patina must learn to rely on her teammates as she tries to outrun her personal demons. Patina, or Patty, runs like a flash. As the stress builds up, it's building up a pretty bad attitude as well. Coach won't tolerate bad attitude. No day, no way. And now he wants Patty to run relay...where you have to depend on other people. How's she going to do that?
Sunny tries to shine despite his troubled past. Sunny is just that - sunny. Always ready with a goofy smile and something nice to say, Sunny is the chillest dude on the Defenders team. But Sunny's life hasn't always been sunbeamy-bright. It seems the only thing Sunny can do right in his dad's eyes is win first place ribbons, just like his mom did. But Sunny doesn't like running, never has. So he stops. Right in the middle of a race. Can Sunny stay on the track team with his only friends and not run?
Lu must learn to leave his ego on the sidelines if he wants to finally connect with others. He is your quintessential pretty boy athlete, complete with fancy cleats, sunglasses, and a lot of attitude. Lu is crazy talented. Because he’s albino his parents got him involved in sports to help with his confidence. But it sort of backfired - now Lu has confidence to spare, and the swagger hasn’t earned him any friends. Will his new teammates be the first kids to crack through his armor and see more to him than the cloak of peacock that hides his lack of color?
This story was going to begin like all the best stories. With a school bus falling from the sky. But no one saw it happen. They were all too busy—
Talking about boogers.
Stealing pocket change.
Skateboarding.
Wiping out.
Braving up.
Executing complicated handshakes.
Planning an escape.
Making jokes.
Lotioning up.
Finding comfort.
But mostly, too busy walking home.
This book has ten tales (one per block) about what happens after the dismissal bell rings, and brilliantly weaves them into one wickedly funny, piercingly poignant look at the detours we face on the walk home, and in life.
Choice List (choose one)
Game Changer by Tommy Greenwald
While thirteen-year-old Teddy fights for his life after a football injury at training camp, his friends and family gather to support him and discuss events leading to his coma. Told through dialogue, text messages, newspaper articles, transcripts, an online forum, and Teddy's inner thoughts.
Restart by Gordon Korman
Chase does not remember falling off the roof, in fact he does not remember anything about himself, and when he gets back to middle school he begins to learn who he was through the reactions of the other kids--trouble is, he really is not sure he likes the Chase that is being revealed, but can he take the opportunity amnesia has provided and restart his life?
This is Not the Abby Show by Debbie Reed Fischer
Abby lives with ADHD, and it gets her into trouble every day. Blurting out the wrong things and constant bruises make her feel like a walking disaster. When she flunks English and has to give up theater camp for summer school, she thinks her life is over. That is, until she meets a great teacher and new friends who not only accept and like her the way she is but understand that her goofiness and fast thinking are some of her best assets.
The Strangers (Greystone Secrets series, bk. 1) by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Chess, Emma, and Finn Greystone have always been happy living with their mom. But when they learn about reports of three kidnapped children, they’re shocked by the startling similarities between themselves and these complete strangers. Who, exactly, are these strangers? Before Chess, Emma, and Finn can question their mom about it, she takes off on a sudden work trip and leaves them in the care of Ms. Morales and her daughter, Natalie. But puzzling clues left behind lead to complex codes, hidden rooms, and a dangerous secret that will turn their world upside down.
When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed (graphic novel)
Omar and his younger brother, Hassan, have spent most of their lives in Dadaab, a refugee camp in Kenya. Life is hard there: never enough food, achingly dull, and without access to the medical care Omar knows his nonverbal brother needs. So when Omar has the opportunity to go to school, he knows it might be a chance to change their future . . . but it would also mean leaving his brother, the only family member he has left, every day.
The List of Things that Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead
After her parents’ divorce, Bea’s life became different in many ways. But she can always look back at the list she keeps in her green notebook to remember the things that will stay the same. When Bea’s Dad and his boyfriend Jesse are getting married, Bea is thrilled. She’ll finally (finally!) have what she’s always wanted–a sister. Even though she’s never met Jesse’s daughter, Sonia, Bea is sure that they’ll be “just like sisters anywhere.” As the wedding day approaches, Bea will learn that making a new family brings questions, surprises, and joy.
The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever by Jeff Strand
After producing three horror movies that went mostly ignored on YouTube, Justin and his filmmaking buddies decide it's time they create something epic. They're going to film the Greatest Zombie Movie Ever. They may not have money or a script, but they have passion. With only one month to complete their movie, a script that can't possibly get worse, and the hopes and dreams of Alicia on the line, Justin is feeling the pressure. Add to that a cast of uncooperative extras and incompetent production assistants, and Justin must face the sad, sad truth. He may actually be producing The Worst Zombie Movie Ever…
A Place at the Table by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan
Sixth graders Sara and Elizabeth could not be more different. Sara is at a new school that is completely unlike the small Islamic school she used to attend. Elizabeth has her own problems: her British mom has been struggling with depression. The girls meet in an after-school South Asian cooking class, which Elizabeth takes because her mom has stopped cooking, and which Sara, who hates to cook, is forced to attend because her mother is the teacher. The girls form a shaky alliance that gradually deepens, and they make plans to create the most amazing, mouth-watering cross-cultural dish together and win a spot on a local food show. They make good cooking partners . . . but can they learn to trust each other enough to become true friends?
Rising 7th Grade LPA
Welcome to Summer, dear readers!
Each LPA middle schooler will read a total of two (2) books this summer. All reading and assignments (see below) should be completed by the first day of school.
Most books are available in several formats, including paperback, audio , and eBook. No matter which versions you choose, you must bring a print or digital copy of your books with you to class in August.
1. 7th grade choice book and written assignment (choose ONE of the books below).
2. Visiting Author Book and assignment (choose ONE of the books below).
Choice List (choose one)
The Worst Class Trip Ever by Dave Barry
In this hilarious novel, Dave Barry takes us on a class trip to Washington, DC. Wyatt, his best friend, Matt, and a few kids from Culver Middle School find themselves in a heap of trouble…not just with their teachers, but from several mysterious men they first meet on their flight to the nation's capital. The kids try to stay out of danger and out of the doghouse while trying to save the president from attack…or maybe not.
Define “Normal” by Julie Anne Peters
Two girls--a "punk" and a "priss"--who find themselves facing each other in a peer-counseling program, discover that they have some surprising things in common.
The Sword of Summer (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard bk. 1): by Rick Riordan
Magnus Chase has always been a troubled kid. Since his mother's mysterious death, he's lived alone on the streets of Boston. One day he's tracked down by an uncle he barely knows, who tells him an impossible secret: Magnus is the son of a Norse god. The Viking myths are true. The gods of Asgard are preparing for war. To prevent Ragnarok, Magnus must search the Nine Worlds for a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years.
This is Not the Abby Show by Debbie Reed Fischer
Abby lives with ADHD, and it gets her into trouble every day. Blurting out the wrong things and constant bruises make her feel like a walking disaster. When she flunks English and has to give up theater camp for summer school, she thinks her life is over. That is, until she meets a great teacher and new friends who not only accept and like her the way she is but understand that her goofiness and fast thinking are some of her best assets.
Restart by Gordon Korman
Chase does not remember falling off the roof, in fact he does not remember anything about himself, and when he gets back to middle school he begins to learn who he was through the reactions of the other kids--trouble is, he really is not sure he likes the Chase that is being revealed, but can he take the opportunity amnesia has provided and restart his life?
Game Changer by Tommy Greenwald
While thirteen-year-old Teddy fights for his life after a football injury at training camp, his friends and family gather to support him and discuss events leading to his coma. Told through dialogue, text messages, newspaper articles, transcripts, an online forum, and Teddy's inner thoughts.
A Place at the Table by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan
Sixth graders Sara and Elizabeth could not be more different. Sara is at a new school that is completely unlike the small Islamic school she used to attend. Elizabeth has her own problems: her British mom has been struggling with depression. The girls meet in an after-school South Asian cooking class, which Elizabeth takes because her mom has stopped cooking, and which Sara, who hates to cook, is forced to attend because her mother is the teacher. The girls form a shaky alliance that gradually deepens, and they make plans to create the most amazing, mouth-watering cross-cultural dish together and win a spot on a local food show. They make good cooking partners . . . but can they learn to trust each other enough to become true friends?
The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever by Jeff Strand
After producing three horror movies that went mostly ignored on YouTube, Justin and his filmmaking buddies decide it's time they create something epic. They're going to film the Greatest Zombie Movie Ever. They may not have money or a script, but they have passion. With only one month to complete their movie, a script that can't possibly get worse, and the hopes and dreams of Alicia on the line, Justin is feeling the pressure. Add to that a cast of uncooperative extras and incompetent production assistants, and Justin must face the sad, sad truth. He may actually be producing The Worst Zombie Movie Ever…
Visiting Author, Jason Reynolds List (choose one)
Ghost, a naturally talented runner and troublemaker, is recruited for an elite middle school track team. He must stay on track, literally and figuratively, to reach his full potential. Ghost wants to be the fastest sprinter on his elite middle school track team, but his past is slowing him down.
A newbie to the track team, Patina must learn to rely on her teammates as she tries to outrun her personal demons. Patina, or Patty, runs like a flash. As the stress builds up, it's building up a pretty bad attitude as well. Coach won't tolerate bad attitude. No day, no way. And now he wants Patty to run relay...where you have to depend on other people. How's she going to do that?
Sunny tries to shine despite his troubled past. Sunny is just that - sunny. Always ready with a goofy smile and something nice to say, Sunny is the chillest dude on the Defenders team. But Sunny's life hasn't always been sunbeamy-bright. It seems the only thing Sunny can do right in his dad's eyes is win first place ribbons, just like his mom did. But Sunny doesn't like running, never has. So he stops. Right in the middle of a race. Can Sunny stay on the track team with his only friends and not run?
Lu must learn to leave his ego on the sidelines if he wants to finally connect with others. He is your quintessential pretty boy athlete, complete with fancy cleats, sunglasses, and a lot of attitude. Lu is crazy talented. Because he’s albino his parents got him involved in sports to help with his confidence. But it sort of backfired - now Lu has confidence to spare, and the swagger hasn’t earned him any friends. Will his new teammates be the first kids to crack through his armor and see more to him than the cloak of peacock that hides his lack of color?
This story was going to begin like all the best stories. With a school bus falling from the sky. But no one saw it happen. They were all too busy—
Talking about boogers.
Stealing pocket change.
Skateboarding.
Wiping out.
Braving up.
Executing complicated handshakes.
Planning an escape.
Making jokes.
Lotioning up.
Finding comfort.
But mostly, too busy walking home.
This book has ten tales (one per block) about what happens after the dismissal bell rings, and brilliantly weaves them into one wickedly funny, piercingly poignant look at the detours we face on the walk home, and in life.
7TH GRADE LPA ASSIGNMENTS
(click below)