MS Summer Reading 2020
Recommendations from the Becker Library Staff
Chill out with great reads this summer!
Below are selections for fun summer reads that take you on fantastic journeys near and far.
2020 Texas Lone Star Reading List
This reading list is chosen by youth librarians across Texas specifically for
Middle School students.
Below are some notable suggestions from this list as chosen by SSES Library Staff.
The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane
by Julia Nobel
When Emmy's mother, a parenting expert, gets her own reality TV show, she ships her daughter off to Wellsworth, a boarding school in England. At first apprehensive, Emmy becomes excited when she realizes that her father, who disappeared when she turned three, also went to Wellsworth. After receiving a mysterious box, Emmy begins to piece together his story with the help of two new school friends. (APL Bibliocommons)
The Season of Styx Malone
by Kekla Magoon
Summertime in small-town Indiana only heightens Caleb's frustrations with feeling ordinary. When he and his older brother, Bobby Gene, meet smooth-talking 16-year-old Styx Malone, a whole new world of excitement, and its frequent companion trouble, opens up. (APL Bibliocommons)
Sal and Gabi Break the Universe
by Carlos Hernandez
Sal Vidón is attending a new school, with new bullies and new teachers who don't understand the needs of a student with Type 1 diabetes. He also causes rips in time and space by transporting objects from other universes. When Sal meets Gabi Reál, student body president and all-around firebrand, they begin a friendship that may break the universe-or save it. (APL Bibliocommons)
Additional Reading Recommendations
Below are some of our current favorites to read all summer long.
Look Both Ways
by Jason Reynolds
Ten short stories paint a picture of what happens one particular afternoon after the dismissal bell at Latimer Middle School. Each tale focuses on one student or group of friends. The magic of this book is Reynolds's ability to weave the same teachers and various students in and out of the ten stories. (APL Bibliocommons)
The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise
by Dan Gemeinhart
Twelve-year-old Coyote and her father rush to Poplin Springs, Washington, in their old school bus save a memory box buried in a park that will soon be demolished.A Thousand Sisters
by Elizabeth Wein
This well-written, nonfiction book documents the contributions of Soviet airwomen during World War II, examining the formation, obstacles, missions, and legacy of Russia's female combat pilot regiments.
Kingdom of Back
Desperate to be forever remembered for her music, Nannerl Mozart makes a dangerous pact with a mysterious stranger from a magical land, which may cost her everything. (APL Bibliocommons)
Normal
In alternating narratives, mother and son team Magdalena and Nathaniel, tell the story of Nathaniel's birth and young life with Treacher Collins syndrome. Magdalena describes the ways their lives have changed as awareness of Treacher Collins grew following the publication of R.J. Palacio's Wonder. (APL Bibliocommons)
This Was Our Pact
A group of boys on bikes sets out to learn whether the lanterns cast down the river in their town's annual ceremony actually turn into stars like the legends say. The titular pact: no turning back from their quest. Who ends up breaking the pact and who doesn't is only one element of this richly imagined and complexly emotional story.
MORE Resources for Great Reads!
NoveList Plus Database
This online database searches for read-alike titles based on your most loved books.
(User: ststephens, Password: spartans1950!)
Ask a Librarian
Contact Ms. Bartek (cbartek@sstx.org) or Ms. Andrews (mandrews@sstx.org) for more great summer reads.
Or visit your local library online or (hopefully) in person!