STMA Middle School
Summer Reading List
Genre: Biography
Berck,
Judith
No
Place to Be
The
poignant stories of more than thirty children living in shelters and
welfare hotels who explain what it means to be homeless.
Bober,
Natalie Abigail
Adams
Presents
a view of colonial life, revolutionary ferment, and the birth of a
new nation, as reported in the letters of the wife of John Adams.
Boom, Corrie
ten Hiding
Place
Tells
the story of two heroic Dutch women whose strong faith in Christ
impels them to risk their lives to save persecuted Jews during World
War II.
Brooks,
Polly Beyond
the Myth: the Story of Joan of Arc
An
excellent biography about Joan of Arc, the French heroine who led her
countrymen to victory over the invading English.
Choi,
Sook Nyul Echoes
of the White Giraffe
A
beautiful love story set in war-torn Korea during the early 1950's.
In it, Sookan adjusts to life in a refugee village but continues to
hope that the war will end soon.
Dahl,
Roald Boy
True
stories from the boyhood of this popular author.
Diaz,
David
Cesar:
Si, Se Puede! Yes, We Can!
Written
in an approachable, oral-tradition style, this book chronicles the
life and death of activist Cesar Chavez through a series of 19 poems.
Fleischman,
Sid Abracadabra
Kid: a Writer's Life
The
autobiography of the Newbery award-winning children's author who set
out from childhood to be a magician.
Fradin,
Dennis B.
Ida B. Wells
Describes
the life of the black woman journalist who conducted a lifelong
crusade for the civil rights of various minorities.
Freedman,
Russell Eleanor
Roosevelt: a Life of Discovery
A
photo-biography about the first wife of a president to have a public
life and career of her own. An inspiring woman.
Freedman,
Russell Martha
Graham: a Dancer's Life
A
photo-biography of the American dancer, teacher, and choreographer
who was born in Pittsburgh in 1895 and who became a leading figure in
the world of modern dance.
Giblin,
James Cross Charles
A. Lindbergh: a Human Hero
A
biography of the pilot whose life was full of controversy and
tragedy, but also fulfilling achievements.
Gibson,
Miracle
Worker
A
play based on the life of Helen Keller and her teacher, Annie
Sullivan.
Hautzig,
Esther Endless
Steppe
The
true story about a Jewish girl and her family who are deported to
Siberia during World War II.
Herriot,
James
All
Creatures Great and Small
A
very popular series about an English veterinarian who has a rare gift
for describing a life spent with his
animal patients. A must for animal lovers and future veterinarians.
Jackson,
Livia Bitton I
Have
Lived a Thousand Years
This
gripping story details the true experiences of a thirteen year old
girl imprisoned in a concentration camp
during World War II.
Jiang,
Ji-Li Red
Scarf Girl
A
true story of Ji-Li Jiang, a twelve year-old girl, whose family is
accused of capitalist crimes during China's
Cultural Revolution. An amazing story.
Kehret,
Peg Small
Steps: the Year I Got Polio
The
author describes her battle against polio when she was thirteen and
her efforts to overcome its debilitating effects.
Kherdian,
David Road
from Home
A
biography of the author's mother, concentrating on her childhood in
Turkey before the Turkish government
deported its Armenian population.
Kimmel,
Elizabeth Cody.
Ice Story: Shackleton's Lost Expedition
Describes
the events of the 1914 Shackleton Antarctic expedition, when the ship
The Endurance was crushed
in a frozen sea and the men made the perilous journey back to
inhabited land.
Krakauer,
Jon Into
Thin Air
A
personal account of the treacherous and deadly 1996 Mount Everest
Expedition.
Krull,
Kathleen
Lives
of the Presidents
Focuses
on the lives of presidents as parents, husbands, pet-owners, and
neighbors while also including humorous
anecdotes about hairstyles, attitudes, diets, fears, and sleep
patterns.
Krull,
Kathleen The
Book of Rock Stars: 24 Musical Icons that Shine
An
illustrated collection of twenty mini-biographies of rock music
legends such as Elvis Presley, The Beatles,
David Bowie, Joni Mitchell, and Bono of U2.
Krull,
Kathleen Lives
of the Athletes
Presents
twenty true stories of athletes, including Jim Thorpe, Duke
Kahanamoku, Babe Ruth, Johnny Weissmuller,
Gertrude Ederle, Sonja Henie, Jesse Owens and Jackie Robinson.
Lalicki,
Tom Spellbinder:
the Life of Harry Houdini
Chronicles
the renowned escape artist and magician's life and career, covering
his daring escapes, cinematic
escapades, Broadway career, and secretive personal life.
Lobel,
Anita No
Pretty Pictures: a Child of War
Children's
author Anita Lobel describes her experiences as a Polish Jew during
World War II and for years
in Sweden afterwards.
Lyons,
Mary Sorrow's
Kitchen
Describes
the life of the remarkable black author Zora Neale Hurston who was
involved in the Harlem Renaissance.
McKissack,
Patricia Young,
Black, and Determined
A
biography of the black playwright Lorraine Hansberry, who received
great recognition for her work at an
early age.
Meigs,
Cornelia Invincible
Louisa
A
Newbery Award winning biography about Louisa May Alcott.
Parks,
Rosa
Rosa
Parks: My
Story
An
inspiring biography about the African-American woman who refused to
give up her seat to a white man
on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955.
Partridge,
Elizabeth.
Restless
Spirit
A
biography of Dorothea Lange, whose photographs of migrant workers,
Japanese American internees, and
rural poverty helped bring about important social reforms.
Pinkney,
Andrea Davis Let
it Shine
The
lives these women led are part of an incredible story about courage
in the face of oppression and the challenges and triumphs of the
battle for civil rights.
Reef,
Catherine
Walt
Whitman
A
biography of one of America's greatest poets whose optimism about
America, love for humanity, pure joy
in living are captured in his poems.
Reiss,
Johanna The
Journey Back
After
spending three years hiding from the Nazis, a Jewish family is
reunited and begins the job of rebuilding their country and family.
Sender,
Ruth Cage
A
teenage girl recounts the suffering and persecution of her family
under the Nazis, in a Polish ghetto, during
deportation, and in a concentration camp. Also look for the sequel,
To
Life.
Sills,
Leslie Inspirations:
Stories about Women Artists
Full
color art reproductions illustrate these brief biographies of a
number of women artists.
Thomas,
Jane Resh Behind
the Mask: the Life of Queen Elizabeth I
A
biography about this rational and calculating queen who united her
nation, supported religious tolerance,
and was a great royal patron of the arts.
Uchida,
Yoshiko The
Invisible Thread: an Autobiography
Children's
author, Yoshiko Uchida, describes growing up in California as a
second generation Japanese American, and her family's internment in a
concentration camp during World War II.
Verhoeven,
Rian Anne
Frank: Beyond the Diary
Photographs,
maps, and illustrations help to tell the story of the young Jewish
girl and her family who went into hiding when the Nazis invaded
Holland.
Zindel,
Paul Pigman
& Me
An
account of Paul Zindel's teenage years on Staten Island, when his
life was enriched by finding his own personal pigman, or mentor.
Wiesel,
Elie Night
Elie
Wiesel's true story of his experiences in Nazi concentration camps
during World War II.
Yates,
Elizabeth Amos
Fortune, Free Man
Forty
years after he was brought from Africa to America, this slave is able
to buy his freedom and spend the
rest of his life helping other slaves.
Genre: Classics
Alcott,
Louisa May Little
Women
on't
miss this classic story about four sisters who struggle with the
problems of growing up in the 1860's.
Alcott,
Louisa May Rose
in Bloom
In
this sequel to Eight Cousins, Rose Campbell has grown into a lovely
young woman surrounded by admirers who are eager to marry her.
Austen,
Jane Sense
and Sensibility
The
classic 19th century story of two sisters, one rational and the other
passionate and impetuous, and their courtships with two men who win
their love. See other classics by this author.
Bagnold,
Enid National
Velvet
A
young English girl wants to be the first female to win the famous
Grand National steeplechase. A classic animal story.
Bradbury,
Ray Fahrenheit
451
First
published in 1953, Fahrenheit 451 is a classic novel set in the
future when books forbidden by a totalitarian regime are burned until
one man, himself a book burner, suddenly discovers that books are
very valuable.
Bronte,
Charlotte Jane
Eyre
The
classic story of a poor young governess who marries the wealthy, but
mysterious Mr. Rochester.
Cohen,
Barbara Canterbury
Tales
Four
outstanding tales adapted by Barbara Cohen and illustrated by Trina
Schart Hyman.
Coolidge,
Susan What
Katy Did
Twelve-year-old
Katy always planned to do a great many wonderful things but in the
end did something she never planned at all.
Gilbreth,
Frank Cheaper
by the Dozen
A
heart-warming story about the twelve Gilbreth children whose father,
an industrial "efficiency expert," attempts to apply the
same principles to the family with hilarious results.
Irving,
Washington Legend
of Sleepy Hollow
A
collection of tales including the legend of Rip Van Winkle who slept
a hundred years and of Ichabod Craine who was chased by a headless
horseman.
James,
Henry Daisy
Miller
An
American teenager causes scandals everywhere she goes on her European
holiday and doesn't care what society thinks.
Lord,
Walter A
Night to Remember
A
classic re-telling of the 1912 Titanic tragedy.
MacDonald,
George Princess
and the Goblin
Living
on a mountainside where horrid goblins also dwell, Princess Irene and
Curdie, a miner's son, have many adventures.
McCullers,
Carson
Heart
is a Lonely Hunter
A
sensitive teenage girl discovers the meaning of loneliness.
Rawlings,
Marjorie
Yearling
An
American classic about life in the Florida scrub forest where a young
boy must make a tragic decision concerning his beloved pet fawn.
Sandburg,
Carl Rootabaga
Stories
A
wonderful collection of nonsense and stories which are easy and fun
to read.
Stevenson,
Robert
Kidnapped
The
classic tale of adventure on the high seas in which young David
Balfour is abducted by a band of pirates.
Verne,
Jules
Around
the World in Eighty Days
The
classic story of the Englishman who wagers that he can travel around
the world in eighty days and succeeds in doing so in seventy-nine.
Vonnegut,
Kurt
Cat's
Cradle
This
apocalyptic story tells of Earth's ultimate end, and presents a
vision of the future that is both darkly fantastic and funny.
Wiggin, Kate Douglas Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm
Rebecca goes to live with her spinster aunts, one harsh and demanding, the other soft and sentimental, with whom she spends seven difficult but rewarding years.
Genre: Fantasy
Adams,
Richard
Watership
Down
A
long novel about a group of rabbits who endure many hazardous
adventures before finding a rabbit warren of their own.
Aiken,
Joan Nightbirds
of Nantucket
An
adventure story about a young girl who outwits evil whaling
townspeople.
Alexander,
Lloyd
Book
of Three
Taran,
assistant pig-keeper, undertakes many dangerous adventures to save
the kingdom of Prydain from evil. A fine series by a
Newbery winning author.
Barron,
T. A.
Lost
Years of Merlin
A
young boy who has no identity nor memory of his past washes ashore on
the coast of Wales and finds his
true name after a series of fantastic adventures. Part of a series.
Augarde, Steve The Various
Twelve-year-old Midge discovers that she has a special connection to the Various, a tribe of "strange, wild—and sometimes deadly" fairies struggling to survive in the woods nearby her uncle's farm.
Barry,
Dave Peter
and the Starcatchers
Soon
after Peter, an orphan, sets sail from England on the ship Never
Land, he befriends and assists Molly, a young Starcatcher, whose
mission is to guard a trunk of magical Stardust from a greedy pirate.
Billingsley, Franny Folk Keeper
Orphan Corinna disguises herself as a boy to pose as a Folk Keeper, one who keeps the Evil Folk at bay, and discovers her heritage as a seal maiden when she is taken to live with a wealthy family.
Bond,
Nancy String
in the Harp
Three
children aren't happy about a move to Wales for a year while their
father is on sabbatical until one of them finds an ancient harp key
that takes them back in time.
Brooks,
Terry Sword
of Shannara
An
epic fantasy of gnomes, trolls, dwarfs and elves in which a simple
man is pitted against the greatest power
of evil the world has ever known.
Christopher,
John
White
Mountains
The
Tripods are futuristic metal monsters who exert thought control by
capping all adolescents with a metal ring. A series.
Cooper,
Susan King
of Shadows
While
in London as part of an all-boy acting company preparing to perform
in a replica of the famous Globe
Theatre, Nat Field suddenly finds himself transported back to 1599.
DiCamillo,
Kate Tale
of Despereaux
The
adventures of Desperaux Tilling, a small mouse of unusual talents,
the princess that he loves, the servant
girl who longs to be a princess, and a devious rat determined to
bring them all to ruin.
Dickinson,
Peter Eva
A
young girl awakens from a coma to discover her parents have put her
brain into a chimpanzee's body.
Duane,
Diane. So
you Want to be a Wizard
Thirteen-year-old
Nita, tormented by a gang of bullies because she won't fight back,
finds the help she needs
in a library book on wizardry which guides her into a new dimension.
Series.
Farmer,
Nancy Ear,
the Eye and the Arm
In
2194 in Zimbabwe, three children are kidnapped and put to work in a
plastic mine, while three mutant
detectives use their special powers to search for them.
Funke,
Cornelia Inkheart
Meggie
learns that her father, who repairs and binds books for a living, can
"read" fictional characters to life
when one of those characters abducts them and tries to force him into
service.
Gaiman,
Neil Coraline
When
Coraline unlocks a door in her new apartment that was supposed to
have a brick wall behind it she
discovers an apartment that looks just like her own, but is
chillingly different.
Gopnik,
Adam The
King in the Window
Eleven-year-old
Oliver, an American boy residing in Paris, discovers, much to his
astonishment, that phantoms live within the windowpanes and have
selected Oliver to lead a war against the "soul-stealers."
Hale,
Shannon
The
Goose Girl
On
her way to marry a prince she's never met, Princess Anidori is
betrayed by her guards and her lady-in-waiting and must become a
goose girl to survive until she can reveal her true identity and
reclaim
Hesse,
Karen
Phoenix
Rising
After
a nuclear accident, Vermont farmers Nyle and her grandmother offer
refuge to a teenager and his mother,
both of whom are suffering from radiation poisoning.
Jacques,
Brian
Mossflower
Heroic
woodland creatures battle a cruel wildcat queen. A fantasy
adventure with unforgettable characters.
Jones,
Diana Wynne Cart
and Cwidder
When
their father, a traveling minstrel, is killed, three children inherit
a lute-like cwidder with more than musical powers.
Jones,
Diana Wynne
Lives
of Christopher Chant
A
young boy, who just happens to have nine lives and can travel from
world to world, soon lands himself
and his absent-minded parents in a heap of trouble. Part of a
wonderful series.
Kendall,
Carol Gammage
Cup
A
creative fantasy about a band of Small Ones, or Minnipins, who dare
to challenge the leading class and
are banished to the mountains.
Kindl,
Patrice Woman
in the Wall
Shy
Anna retreats into herself and her secret rooms where she attempts to
remain hidden from the outside world.
Klause,
Annette Silver
Kiss
A
depressed girl whose mother is dying meets a young vampire in the
park. As they become friends, they share their problems and come to
terms with them.
L'Engle,
Madeleine Many
Waters
Two
teenage twins are accidentally sent back to a strange Biblical time
in which a man named Noah is building
a boat in preparation for a great flood. One of the Wrinkle
in Time
series.
Le
Guin, Ursula Wizard
of Earthsea
A
young man training to become a wizard discovers the dangers of magic.
An excellent series.
Le
Guin, Ursula Gifts
When
a young man refuses his gift of "unmaking"-a violent talent
shared by members of his family—he upsets the balance of power
among feuding families, each of which has a deadly talent of its own.
McCaffrey,
Anne Dragonsong
Forbidden
by her father to indulge in music in any way, a girl on the planet
Pern runs away. An exciting trilogy.
McKinley,
Robin
Hero
and the Crown
Aerin
wins the birthright due her as the daughter of the Damarian king and
a witchwoman of the North.
McKinley,
Robin
Beauty
Beauty
grows to love the Beast holding her captive and releases him from a
spell which had turned him from
a prince into a beast. Look for other books by this author.
Meyer,
Kai Pirate
Curse
In
a place similar to the 1706 Caribbean, two fourteen-year-old
"polliwogs"—humans who can walk on water—rely on a
mysterious figure known as the Ghost Trader and a band of pirates to
help them escape.
Napoli,
Donna Jo. Beast
A
re-telling of the tale "Beauty and the Beast," told from
the point of view of the beast and set in Persia. See other fairy
tale re-tellings from this author.
Nixon,
Joan Lowery
Ghost
Town: Seven Ghostly Stories
A
collection of stories about eerie encounters in various ghost towns
across the United States. Each story is accompanied by an afterword
about the actual town on which the story is based.
Peck,
Richard Ghost
Belonged to Me
A
funny ghost story about four characters who share adventures from
exploding steamships to exorcizing a ghost.
Pierce,
Tamora Wild
Magic (Immortals Series, Vol. #1)
The
mage Numair, the knight Alanna, and Queen Thayet enlist
thirteen-year-old Daine's help to battle the
dreadful immortal creatures that have recently begun to attack the
kingdom of Tortall.
Pierce,
Tamora Alanna:
the First Adventure
Alanna,
who aspires to be a knight even though she is a girl, disguises
herself as a boy to become a royal
page. Part I of the Song of the Lioness series.
Rex,
Adam The
True Meaning of Smekday
Twelve-year-old
Gratuity Tucci has a hard time writing an essay on "The True
Meaning of Smekday" due to her complex life after Earth was
overtaken by aliens and her mother was kidnapped and taken to
Rowling,
J. K.
Harry
Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Rescued
from the outrageous neglect of his aunt and uncle, a young boy with a
great destiny proves his worth
while attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A series.
Stroud,
Jonathan The
Amulet of Samarkand
Nathaniel,
a magician's apprentice, summons up the djinni Bartimaeus and
instructs him to steal the Amulet
of Samarkand from the powerful magician Simon Lovelace. An intriguing
fantasy.
Swift,
Jonathan Gulliver's
Travels
The
remarkable voyages of a ship's surgeon to faraway lands inhabited by
miniature people.
Tolkien,
J.R.R The
Fellowship of the Rings
Frodo
Baggins must carry the Ring of Power to the one place it could be
destroyed before evil Sauron can use it to destroy all that is good
in Middle-earth.
Turner,
Megan Whalen Thief
Gen
flaunts his ingenuity as a thief and relishes the adventure which
takes him to a remote temple of the gods where he will attempt to
steal a precious stone.
Twain,
Mark
Connecticut
Yankee in King Arthur's Court
After
a blow on the head, a young man is transported back in time to King
Arthur's court.
Vande
Velde, Vivian Heir
Apparent
While
playing a virtual reality game, Giannine learns that demonstrators
have damaged the equipment to
which she is connected. She must win the game quickly or be damaged
herself.
White,
T. H.
Sword in the Stone
This
is the first book in a trilogy which retells the Arthurian legend
about a young boy who is trained by the Wizard Merlyn to become king
of Britain.
Wrede,
Patricia Dealing
with Dragons
Determined
not to be pushed into marrying a boring and proper prince, Princess
Cimerone flees her kingdom and becomes an assistant to the dragon
Kazul. Part of a humorous series.
Zevin,
Gabrielle Elsewhere
After
fifteen-year-old Liz Hall is hit by a taxi and killed, she finds
herself in a place that is both like and unlike Earth, where she must
adjust to her new status and figure out how to "live."
Genre: Folklore
Aesop Aesop's
Fables
A
collection of nearly sixty fables from Aesop, including such familiar
ones as "The Grasshopper and the
Ants," "The North Wind and the Sun," and "Androcles
and the Lion."
Carpenter,
Frances Tales
of a Chinese Grandmother
Grandmother
Lao Lao shares with her two young grandchildren tales about dragons,
unicorns, firebirds, and
other magical creatures.
Colum,
Padraic Golden
Fleece
A
stirring
story about the great Greek hero, Jason, and his search for the
golden fleece.
Courlander,
Harold
Cow-Tail
Switch
A
collection
of delightful folk tales full of humor which reveal a great deal
about the customs and ways of thinking of the West African people.
D'Aulaire,
Ingri Book
of Greek Myths
Learn
about mighty Zeus with his fistful of thunderbolts, mischievous
little Hermes, and other gods who ruled the world of the ancient
Greeks.
Hamilton,
Virginia Her
Stories
A
collection
of African-American folk tales, fairy tales and true tales.
Hamilton,
Virginia.
People
Could Fly: American Black Folktales
Retold
African-American folktales of animals, fantasy, the supernatural, and
desire for freedom, born of the sorrow of the slaves, but passed on
in hope.
Jiang,
Ji-Li The
Magical Monkey King: Mischief in Heaven
The
mischievous monkey king attempts to achieve immortality the easy way,
gains god-like powers, and wreaks havoc in heaven.
Krull,
Kathleen A
Pot O 'Gold
A
collection of stories, folklore, poetry, and songs from Ireland.
Lang,
Andrew Blue
Fairy Book
A
classic
collection of European fairy tales. Look for other color fairy books
by Andrew Lang.
Lester,
Julius Tales
of Uncle Remus
A
set
of Brer Rabbit stories retold in a contemporary tone by a
distinguished black writer.
Lister,
Robin Odyssey
An
illustrated adaptation of this ancient tale about the great hero
Ulysses and his travels.
Martin,
Rafe Mysterious
Tales of Japan
A
collection
of traditional Japanese tales.
Ness,
Caroline Ocean
of Story: Fairy Tales from India
A
beautifully illustrated collection of fairy tales from India.
Osborne,
Mary Pope American
Tall Tales
A
collection of tall tales about such American folk heroes as Paul
Bunyan, Pecos Bill, and John Henry.
Phelps,
Ethel Maid
of the North
A
good collection of stories from different cultures and historical
periods that emphasize interesting and clever heroines.
Philip,
Neil Horse
Hooves and Chicken Feet: Mexican Folktales
Gathers
15 traditional Mexican tales of lovers, princesses, magicians and
priests, illustrated in the style and fiesta-bright hues of Mexican
folk art.
Polacco,
Patricia I
can
Hear the Sun: A Modern Myth
Stephanie
Michelle, who cares for animals and listens to the sun, believes the
homeless child, Fondo, when
he tells her that the geese have invited him to fly away with them.
Seuss,
Dr.
The
Butter Battle Book
Engaged
in a long-running battle, the Yooks and the Zooks develop more and
more sophisticated weaponry as they attempt to outdo each other.
Seuss,
Dr.
The
Lorax
The
Once-ler describes the results of the local pollution problem.
Vande
Velde, Vivian
The
Rumpelstiltskin Problem
A
collection of variations on the familiar story of a boastful miller
and the daughter he claims can spin straw into gold.
Wood,
Douglas
Old
Turtle
A
fable about the earth and our relationship with all the beings who
inhabit it.
Genre: Historical
Anderson,
Laurie Halse Fever
In
1793 Philadelphia, Matilda Cook, separated from her sick mother,
learns about perserverance and self-reliance when she is forced to
cope with the horrors of a yellow fever epidemic.
Armstrong,
Jennifer Steal
A way
In
1855, two young girls, one white and one black, run away from a
southern farm and make the difficult journey north to freedom.
Barrett,
Tracy Anna
of Byzantium
In
the eleventh century the teenage princess Anna Comnena fights for her
birthright, the throne to the Byzantine Empire, which she fears will
be taken from her by her younger brother John.
Bios,
Gathering
of Days
The
journal of a young farm girl which records daily events in her small
New Hampshire town and tells of her father's remarriage and of her
best friend's death.
Buss,
Fran Journey
of the Sparrows
A
harrowing story about a young girl who tries desperately to keep her
family together when they flee north from political persecution in El
Salvador.
Gather,
Willa My
Antonia
Strong
and self-reliant Antonia is her family's main support when they leave
eastern Europe to settle on a Nebraska farm.
Choi,
Sook Nyul Year
of Impossible Goodbyes
During
the 1940's, a Korean girl survives the terrible Japanese and Russian
occupation of North Korea and escapes to South Korea.
Choldenko,
Gennifer
Al
Capone Does My Shirts
In
1935 Moose and his family, including his autistic sister who needs to
attend a special school, move to Alcatraz when his father gets a job
as a prison guard.
Clapp,
Patricia
Tamarack
Tree
An
eighteen-year-old English girl experiences the hardships of the
forty-seven day siege of Vicksburg during the Civil War.
Cohen,
Barbara Seven
Daughters and Seven Sons
A
retelling of a traditional Arabic tale in which a young woman
disguises herself as a man and opens a shop
in a distant city in order to help her impoverished family. An
intriguing romance.
Collier,
James My
Brother
Sam Is Dead
Tragedy
strikes the Meeker family during the American Revolution when one son
joins the rebel forces while
the rest of the family tries to stay neutral in a Tory town.
Collier,
James War
Comes to Willy Freeman
Willy's
life changes forever when she sees her father's death at the hands of
the Redcoats and returns home to find the British have taken her
mother prisoner.
Cooper,
James Last
of the Mohicans
A
classic
story of the American frontier.
Craven,
Margaret I
Heard the Owl Call My Name
A
young
missionary learns about life and death while living among modern-day
Indians.
Crew,
Linda Children
of the River
Sundara
flees Cambodia with her aunt's family to escape the Khmer Rouge army
and goes to live in Oregon
where she struggles to adjust to a new way of life.
Curtis,
Christopher Paul
The
Watsons Go to Birmingham –1963
The
everyday interactions and routines of the Watsons, an
African-American family living in Michigan, are drastically changed
after they go visit Grandma in Alabama in the summer of 1963.
Cushman,
Karen Catherine,
Called Birdy
The
young daughter of a country knight records the events of her days in
the year 1290, writing funny observations about her family, friends,
and would-be suitors.
Cushman, Karen Matilda Bone
Fourteen-year-old Matilda, an apprentice bonesetter and practitioner of medicine in a village in medieval England, tries to reconcile the various aspects of her life, both spiritual and practical.
Dalkey,
Kara
Little
Sister
The
young daughter of a noble family in twelfth century Japan enlists the
help of a shape-shifter and other
figures from Japanese mythology in order to save her older sister's
life.
Durrant, Linda Beaded Moccasins
After being captured by a group of Delaware Indians and given to their leader as a replacement for his dead granddaughter, twelve-year-old Mary Campbell is forced to travel with them to Ohio.
Enright,
Elizabeth
Thimble
Summer
An
award winning book about a girl on a Wisconsin farm during a time of
drought and the Depression.
Erdrich,
Louise
Birchbark
House
Omakayas,
a seven-year-old Native American girl of the Ojibwa tribe, lives
through the joys of summer and
the perils of winter on an island in Lake Superior in 1847.
Field,
Rachel
Calico
Bush
Left
orphaned and alone in the New World, young Marguerite Ledoux promises
to serve the Sargent family
for six long years in return for shelter, food, and clothing.
Fleischman,
Paul
Bull
Run
Northerners,
Southerners, generals, couriers, dreaming boys, and worried sisters
describe the glory, the horror, the thrill, and the disillusionment
of the first battle of the Civil War.
Forbes,
Esther
Johnny
Tremain
When
a hand injury causes Johnny to lose his job as a silversmith's
apprentice, he becomes involved in the
beginning of the American Revolution.
Forster,
E. M.
A
Room with a View
A
young
girl travels to Italy with her companion and learns many life
lessons.
Fox,
Paula
Slave
Dancer
Kidnapped
by the crew of an Africa-bound ship, a thirteen-year-old boy
discovers to his horror that he is on a slaver and his job is to play
music for the exercise periods of the human cargo.
Furlong,
Monica
Wise
Child
Abandoned
by her parents, Wise Child learns about herbs and magic from the
witch woman who takes her
in. A fascinating look at life in early Britain.
Giblin,
James Cross
When
Plague Strikes
Recounts
stories of three major diseases, the Black Death, smallpox, and AIDS,
that have ravaged humanity and changed the course of history.
Gray,
Elizabeth
Adam
of the Road
Thirteenth
century England as seen through the eyes of a boy. This author has
written other good historical novels.
Green,
Roger
King
Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table
Tales
of knights in armor in merry old England.
Holm,
Jennifer L.
Our
Only May Amelia
In
1899, May Amelia lives on the Nasel River in Washington with seven
brothers. Running around in overalls, she has no interest in being a
proper young lady. A wonderfully adventurous character.
Hudson,
Jan
Sweetgrass
A
Blackfoot Indian girl's courage during a smallpox epidemic proves to
her father that she is mature enough
to decide her own destiny.
Ibbotson,
Eva
Journey
to the River Sea
Sent
with her governess to live with the dreadful Carter family in exotic
Brazil in 1910, Maia endures many
hardships before fulfilling her dream of exploring the Amazon River.
Kadohata,
Cynthia
Kira-Kira
This
moving story chronicles the bond between two Japanese-American
sisters growing up in rural Georgia during the late 1950s and early
1960s, and the despair when one sister becomes terminally ill.
Kerr,
M. E.
Gentlehands
Buddy
tries to impress his beautiful new girlfriend with visits to his
aristocratic grandfather until he discovers that Grandpa Trenker has
a dark and sinister secret.
Kline,
Lisa Williams
Eleanor
Hill
Inspired
by a teacher and determined not to get married and stay trapped in
her North Carolina village, Eleanor
sets out to seek her chosen path of living as an independent woman.
Roller,
Jackie French
Primrose
Way
A
recent arrival to the New World in 1633, sixteen-year-old Rebekah
befriends a Native American woman and begins to question whether
these "savages" need saving after all.
Krisher,
Trudy
Uncommon
Faith
In
1837-38, residents of Millbrook, Massachusetts, speak in their
different voices of major issues of their day, including women's
rights, slavery, religious differences, and one fiery girl named
Faith.
L'Engle,
Madeleine
And
Both Were Young
Philippa
is miserable at an all girls' boarding school in Switzerland until
she forms a supportive friendship
with the mysterious Paul.
Laird,
Elizabeth Kiss
the Dust
Her
father's involvement with the Kurdish resistance movement in Iraq
forces thirteen-year-old Tara to flee with her family to Iran, where
they face an unknown future.
Lasky,
Kathryn Beyond
the Burning Time
A
courageous young girl confronts the hysterical townspeople of Salem
when her mother is accused of witchcraft and condemned to death.
Levine,
Gail Carson Dave
at Night
When
orphaned Dave is sent to the Hebrew Home for Boys where he is treated
cruelly, he sneaks out at night
and is welcomed into the music- and culture-filled world of the
Harlem Renaissance.
Lyons,
Mary Letters
From a Slave Girl
A
young
woman records her painful life in hiding from a cruel plantation
owner. This searing story is based
on an 1861 autobiography.
Magorian,
Michelle
Goodnight,
Mr. Tom
A
sad story about the growing love between a lonely old man and the
young abused boy he takes in during the World War II bombing of
London.
Markandaya,
Kamala Nectar
in a Sieve
A
beautiful story about a young girl living in India who struggles to
care for those she loves in a land ravaged by droughts, monsooons,
and insects.
Marshall,
Catherine
Christy
(unabridged version)
A
delightful story about a young teacher who goes to live and teach in
a remote area of the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.
Marshall,
Catherine Christy
This
classic follows the adventures of Christy Huddleston, whose dream of
helping underprivileged children in the Great Smoky Mountains becomes
a reality when she travels there as a missionary.
McGraw,
Eloise Mara,
Daughter of the Nile
A
romantic
adventure story set in ancient Egypt about a slave girl who becomes
involved in a dangerous plot to overthrow Queen Hatshepsut.
Meyer,
Carolyn Mary,
Bloody Mary
Mary
Tudor, who would reign briefly as Queen of England during the mid
sixteenth century, tells the story
of her troubled childhood as daughter of King Henry VIII.
Meyer,
L.A.
Bloody
Jack
Reduced
to begging and thievery in the streets of London, a thirteen-year-old
orphan disguises herself as
a boy and connives her way onto a British warship set for high sea
adventure in search of pirates.
Moore, Yvette
Freedom
Songs
When
Sheryl's uncle joins the Freedom Riders down South, she organizes a
gospel concert in Brooklyn to help him.
Morpurgo,
Michael
Waiting
for Anya
During
World War II, an entire French town becomes involved in trying to
save Jewish refugee children from the Nazis.
Nelson,
Theresa.
And
One For All
Geraldine's
close relationship with her older brother Wing and his friend Sam
changes when Wing joins the Marines and Sam leaves for Washington to
join a peace march.
O'Dell,
Scott
My
Name is Not Angelica
A
young
African girl is sold into slavery and shipped to the Caribbean island
of Saint John where she becomes
involved in the great slave rebellion of 1733.
O
'Dell, Scott
Serpent
Never Sleeps
Serena
Lynn, determined to be with the man she loves, travels to the New
World and comes to know the extraordinary Princess Pocahontas.
Orczy,
Emmuska
Scarlet
Pimpernel
A
daring young Englishman rescues French aristocrats from the
guillotine during the French Revolution.
Orgel,
Doris
Devil
in Vienna
A
Jewish girl and the daughter of a Nazi have been best friends since
they started school, but in 1938 they find their close friendship
difficult to maintain.
Paulsen,
Gary
Nightjohn
Twelve-year-old
Sarny's brutal life as a slave becomes even more dangerous when a
newly arrived slave offers to teach her how to read.
Peck,
Richard
Year
Down Yonder
When
Mary Alice moves in with her spicy grandmother for the year expect
moonlit schemes, romances, and
a whole parade of fools made to suffer in unusual (and always
hilarious) ways.
Peck,
Richard
Here
Lies the Librarian
Fourteen-year-old
Eleanor "Peewee" McGrath, a tomboy and automobile
enthusiast, discovers new possibilities for her future after the 1914
arrival in her small Indiana town of four young librarians.
Peck,
Robert
Day
No Pigs Would Die
A
thirteen-year-old boy takes on the duties of a man on a Shaker farm
in the 1920's.
Petry,
Ann
Tituba
of Salem Village
An
absorbing novel about a slave from Barbados who is sold into the
household of a Puritan minister and
endures the hysteria of the Salem witchcraft trials.
Rinaldi,
Ann
Time
Enough for Drums
A
story of romance and survival set during the American Revolution
about a young girl who can't believe
that her Rebel father is allowing a noted Tory tutor her.
Rinaldi,
Ann
Wolf
by the Ears
A
view of slavery at Jefferson's Monticello through the eyes of a young
girl named Harriet. This author has
many other historical novels with strong female heroines.
Rochman,
Hazel
Somehow
Tenderness Survives
A
collection of ten short stories about South Africa—five by black
South Africans and five by white South
Africans.
Ryan,
Pam Munoz
Esperanza
Rising
Esperanza
and her mother are forced to leave their life of wealth and privilege
in Mexico to go work in Southern
California, where they must adapt to very harsh circumstances.
Sebestyen,
Ouida
Words
by Heart
A
black family struggles to build a better life in Oklahoma Territory
in the 1890's.
Speare,
Elizabeth
Bronze
Bow
fter
his parents are killed by the Romans, Daniel loses all ability for
forgiveness until he gains a new understanding
through the teachings of Jesus.
Siegal,
Aranka
Upon
the Head of the Goat
The
heartrending story of a young Jewish girl living in Hungary during
World War II.
Speare,
Elizabeth
Calico
Captive
Captured
by Indians in 1754 and sold to the French, young Miriam Willard
refuses to marry a dashing Frenchman
in the hope of returning to her English sweetheart.
Spinelli,
Jerry
Milkweed
In
Warsaw in 1939, a boy wandering the streets and surviving by stealing
what food he can is befriended
by a band of orphaned Jewish boys.
Sutcliff,
Rosemary
Shining
Company
An
adventure story set in seventh century England which tells of the
struggle of the ancient Britains against
the invading Saxons.
Taylor,
Mildred
Let
the Circle Be Unbroken
A
black family living in the South during the 1930's is faced with
prejudice and discrimination which their
children don't understand.
Taylor,
Mildred
Road
to Memphis
The
Logan children, now teenagers, help a friend to flee the law. This
story, set in Mississippi in 1941, continues the saga begun in Roll
of Thunder. Hear My Cry.
Taylor,
Mildred
Land
After
the Civil War Paul, the son of a white father and a black mother
finds himself caught between the two worlds of colored folks and
white folks as he pursues his dream of owning land.
Temple,
Frances
Taste
of Salt: a Story of Modern Haiti
The
story of one boy's fight against military dictatorship in Haiti.
Twain,
Mark
Life
on the Mississippi
An
account of life on the Mississippi in the old steamboat days and
Twain's experiences as a pilot.
Uchida,
Yoshiko
Journey
to Topaz
A
moving story about a Japanese-American girl and her family who are
sent to a bleak desert concentration camp during World War II.
Walsh,
Jill
Grace
Her
act of heroism ends Grace's ordered life at the lighthouse and turns
her into an object of public adoration
and curiosity. A compelling story set in England.
Watkins,
Yoko Kawashima
My
Brother, My Sister, and I
This
story continues the autobiographical account begun in So
Far from the Bamboo Grove
of how the two sisters, reunited with their brother, try to survive
in postwar Japan.
Webster,
Jean
Daddy
Long-Legs
A
classic story about an orphaned girl who writes many delightful
letters to her guardian about her life in
school.
Westall,
Robert Blitzcat
During
World War II, a displaced cat searches England for her master and
affects the lives of those she meets.
Wolff,
Virginia Euwer
Bat
6
In
post-World War II Oregon, twenty-one 6th grade girls recount the
story of an annual softball game, during
which one girl's bigotry comes to the surface.
Genre: Mystery
Avi True
Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
A
scary story about a young girl who crosses the Atlantic on a sailing
vessel with a rebellious crew and a
murderous captain.
Blackwood,
Gary The
Shakespeare Stealer
A
young orphan boy is ordered by his master to infiltrate Shakespeare's
acting troupe in order to steal the script of "Hamlet," but
he discovers instead the meaning of friendship and loyalty.
Braun,
Lilian Jackson The
Cat Who Could Read Backwards
A
stabbing in an art gallery, vandalized paintings, and a fatal fall
from a scaffolding attract the attention of Jim Qwilleran and his two
crime-solving cats, Koko and Yum Yum.
Christie,
Agatha And
then there were None
Ten
strangers spend the weekend together unknowing each are marked for
murder.
Conrad,
Pam Stonewords
Zoe
discovers that her house is occupied by the ghost of an
eleven-year-old girl.
Cooney,
Caroline
Face
on the Milk Carton
A
photograph of a missing girl on a milk carton leads Janie on a search
for her real identity. Look for this book's sequels, Whatever
Happened to Janie?
and The
Voice on the Radio.
Cormier,
Robert I
Am The
Cheese
A
complex, suspenseful novel about Adam Farmer who bicycles to Vermont
to see his father.
Doyle,
Sir Arthur Conan
The
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
he
great genius of detection, Sherlock Holmes, attempts to solve
seemingly unsolvable mysteries, outwitting even the most cunning of
thieves and the most villainous of murderers.
Du
Maurier, Daphne Rebecca
Rebecca's
ghost seems to be everywhere in the huge old English mansion where
the young bride who has taken her place tries to find out the truth
about Rebecca.
Duncan,
Lois Don't
Look Behind You
When
death threats endanger her father, April and her family go into
hiding. Look for other chilling mysteries by this author.
Duncan,
Lois Stranger
with My Face
Laurie
begins to fear she is losing her mind when people keep telling her
that they have seen her in places where she has never been.
Lots of other chilling mysteries by this author.
Hamilton,
Virginia House
of Dies Drear
An
African American family tries to unravel the secrets of their new
home which was once a stop on the Underground Railroad.
Hoobler,
Dorothy In
Darkness, Death
In
eighteenth-century Japan, young Seikei becomes involved with a ninja
as he helps Judge Ooka, his foster father, investigate the murder of
a samurai.
Martin,
Ann Missing
Since Monday
The
kiddnapping of her 4 year-old half-sister forces Maggie to face some
hard truths about her mother.
Mazer,
Norma Taking
Terri Mueller
Thirteen-year-old
Terri puzzles over her father's frequent moves and discovers that her
mother who she thinks is dead is really alive.
Nixon,
Joan Lowery
Secret,
Silent Screams
Marti
is convinced that her friend Barry did not commit suicide but was a
murder victim. This author has written other good mysteries.
Nixon,
Joan Lowery
Specter
A
young orphan with Hodgkin's disease becomes involved with her
nine-year-old hospital roommate who insists that the man who killed
her father is trying to kill her.
Peacock,
Shane Eye
of the Crow
A
young Sherlock Holmes is compelled to solve a brutal murder but makes
himself a suspect in the process.
Poe,
Edgar Allen Tales
of Mystery and Terror
Wonderful
stories by the master of terrifying tales.
Raskin,
Ellen The
Tattoed Potato and Other Clues
The
mysterious death of an eccentric millionaire brings together an
unlikely assortment of heirs who must uncover the circumstances of
his death.
Van
Draanen, Wendelin Sammy
Keyes and the Hotel Thief
Sammy's
penchant for speaking her mind gets her in trouble when she
investigates a robbery at a "seedy"
hotel near the seniors' building where she lives with her
grandmother. Part of a series.
Genre: Poetry
Step Lightly:
Poems for the Journey
A
collection of poems celebrating the ordinary in an unordinary way, by
such authors as Emily Dickinson, Theodore Roethke, and D. H.
Lawrence.
Once
Upon a Poem: Favorite Poems that tell Stories
An
illustrated collection of poetry includes comments from some of
today's authors about how these poems have touched their lives.
Berry,
James Classic
Poems to Read Aloud
An
anthology of poems on many different topics by a variety of
authors—past and present.
Clinton,
Catherine I,
Too, Sing America
A
collection of poems by African-American writers, including Lucy
Terry, Gwendolyn Bennett, and Alice Walker.
Dickinson,
Emily Collected
Poems of Emily Dickinson
A
classic poet from Amherst, MA.
Dunning, Stephen
ed. Reflections
on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle
A
classic collection of modern verse for young adults.
Frost,
Robert You
Come Too
Fifty
of the better known poems of this well-loved American poet.
Hughes,
Langston Dream
Keeper and Other Poems
A
selection of poems by this talented and versatile African-American
poet.
Hughes,
Langston Selected
Poems of Langston Hughes
A
collection of poems selected by Langston Hughes shortly before his
death in 1967, representing work from his entire career.
Longfellow,
Henry Children's
Own Longfellow
Eight
well-known poems by this distinguished American poet.
Morrison,
Lillian More
Spice than Sugar
A
collection of poems celebrating high-spirited girls and women.
Nelson,
Marilyn.
Carver:
a Life in Poems
The
life of George Washington Carver told in poems.
Nye,
Naomi Shihab A
Maze Me
Poems
for girls, aged eleven, twelve, thirteen, and even older.
Panzer,
Nora Celebrate
America in Poetry and Art\
Classic
and contemporary poems are illustrated with full-color, fine-art
reproductions by famous American artists.
Prelutsky,
Jack A
Pizza the Size
of
the Sun
Another
collection of funny poems by this talented poet. Also look for The
New Kid on the Block.
Rosenberg,
Liz
The
Invisible Ladder
Features
such poets as Robert Ely, Allen Ginsberg, Nikki Giovanni, and Galway
Kinnell by including photos,
selections of their work, and comments on their poetry.
Shakespeare,
William
The
Sonnets
The
Bard waxes poetic in this collection of his sonnets.
Shinder,
Jason Lights,
Camera, Poetry!
A
collection of poems inspired by classic films.
Silverstein,
Shel Light
in the Attic
An
immensely popular collection of poems. Also look for Where
the Sidewalk Ends
by this poet.
Stepanek,
Mattie Heartsongs
This
is a collection of the early poems and artwork of this award-winning
poet. Some poems explore the reality
of living with muscular dystrophy and with losing his three siblings
to the same condition.
Willard,
Nancy Step
Lightly: Poems for the Journey
A
collection of poems celebrating the ordinary in an extraordinary way,
by such authors as Emily Dickinson, Theodore Roethke, and D. H.
Lawrence.
Wong,
Janet
Rainbow
Hand
A
collection of poems about mothers and their children, both from the
child's perspective and the mother's.
See other books of poems by this author.
Yolen,
Jane
Dear
Mother, Dear Daughter
A
mother and daughter touch on adolescent issues in a series of poems
paired together, one addressing the problem and the other offering
comfort and advice.
Genre: Realistic
Avi
Nothing
But the Truth
A
ninth-grader's suspension for singing "The Star-Spangled Banner"
during homeroom becomes a national news story.
Bauer,
Joan Rules
of the Road
Sixteen-year-old
Jenna gets a job driving an elderly woman from Chicago to Texas and
along the way finds the strength to face her alcoholic father.
Bauer,
Joan Thwonk
A
funny story about a girl who, finding herself with a personal cupid,
can't decide whether to use his power to help her with her
photographic talents or to attract the school's most popular boy.
Berry,
James Thief
in the Village
A
collection of nine short stories about life in contemporary Jamaica.
Blume,
Judy Tiger
Eyes
Resettled
in the southwest with her mother and brother, a young girl recovers
from the shock of her father's death during a holdup of his 7-Eleven
store in Atlantic City.
Bredsdorff,
Bodil
The
Crow-Girl
A
lonely orphan's long and difficult journey brings her new friends and
experiences and ultimately, a new
name.
Brinley,
Bertrand R.
The
Mad Scientists' Club
A
series of stories about the summertime adventures of a group of
slightly mischevious, very creative, and scientifically inclined boys
who meet in a barn for their club house.
Bunting,
Eve Jumping
the Nail
When
teenagers challenge each other to "jump the Nail"—leap
from dangerous cliffs into the ocean-group
pressure and manipulative relationships quickly drive the game out of
control.
Byars,
Betsy Pinballs
A
poignant story about three foster children who discover that they can
cope and even learn to love each other.
Cabot,
Meg. Princess
Diaries
Mia,
who is trying to lead a normal life as a teenage girl in New York
City, is shocked to learn that her father is the Prince of Genovia, a
small European principality, and that she is a princess.
Cameron,
Ann Colibri
Kidnapped
when she was very young by an unscrupulous uncle, a twelve-year-old
Mayan girl endures an abusive life, always wishing she could return
to the parents she can hardly remember.
Canfield,
Jack Chicken
Soup for the Preteen Soul
Stories
of changes, choices, and growing up for kids. A collection of true
stories written by children and teenagers, addressing issues such as
school violence, family, death, friendship and love.
Cleaver,
Vera Where
the Lilies Bloom
Resourceful
Appalachian orphans struggle to keep their family together.
Cole,
Brock Celine
With
a sense of humor and some teenage wisdom, Celine adjusts to life with
a stepmother who is only six years older than she.
Coman,
Carolyn. Many
Stones
After
her sister Laura is murdered in South Africa, Berry and her estranged
father travel there to participate
in the dedication of a memorial in her name.
Conly,
Jane Leslie
Trout
Summer
A
sister and brother spend a largely unsupervised summer in a cabin
near a river, where they befriend an elderly man with much to teach
them about life.
Cormier,
Robert Chocolate
War
A
high school freshman discovers the devastating consequences of
refusing to join in the school's annual
fund raising drive and arousing the wrath of the school bullies.
Creech,
Sharon Chasing
Redbird
Thirteen-year-old
Zinnia Taylor uncovers family secrets and self truths while clearing
a mysterious settler
trail that begins on her family's farm in Kentucky.
Creech, Sharon Granny Torrelli Makes Soup
With the help of her wise old grandmother, twelve-year-old Rosie manages to work out some problems in her relationship with her best friend, Bailey, the boy next door.
Creech, Sharon Wanderer
Thirteen-year-old Sophie and her cousin Cody record their transatlantic crossing aboard the Wanderer, a forty-five foot sailboat. They are on their way to England to visit their grandfather.
D'Adamo,
Francesco Iqbal:
A Novel
A
fictionalized account of the Pakistani child who escaped from bondage
in a carpet factory and went on
to help liberate other children like him before being gunned down at
the age of thirteen.
Danziger,
Paula Cat
Ate My Gymsuit
A
funny story about a girl's inability to be inconspicuous at school.
Follow with the sequel There's
a Bat in Bunk Five
where the heroine becomes a camp counselor and has a summer romance.
Dessen,
Sarah That
Summer
During
the summer of her divorced father's remarriage and her sister's
wedding, fifteen-year-old Haven comes
into her own by letting go of the myths of the past.
Farmer,
Nancy Girl
Named Disaster
While
fleeing an unwanted marriage, a young girl struggles to escape
drowning and starvation and in so doing comes close to the luminous
world of the African spirits.
Fenner,
Carol Yolonda's
Genius
After
moving from Chicago to Michigan, a feisty fifth grader named Yolonda
tries to prove that her younger
brother is not a slow learner but a true musical genius.
Ferris,
Jean Love
Among the Walnuts
Born
and raised in isolation in a wealthy, eccentric family, Sandy is
shocked when he, his parents, and their servants become victims of a
vicious plot by his greedy uncles to incapacitate them.
Fine,
Anne Tulip
Touch
Natalie,
who lives in the large hotel managed by her father, has a dangerous
friendship with Tulip, the wildly
uncontrollable girl on a neighboring farm.
Fleischman,
Paul Seedfolks
One
by one, a number of people of varying ages and backgrounds transform
a trash-filled inner-city lot into a productive and beautiful garden,
and in doing so, the gardeners are themselves transformed.
Fox,
Paula Moonlight
Man
Catherine
spends her summer vacation with her father and learns that, despite
his charm and wit, he is an alcoholic. A look at what it
is like to live with alcoholism.
Fox,
Paula The
Slave Dancer
Kidnapped
by the crew of an Africa-bound ship, a thirteen-year-old boy
discovers to his horror that he is on a slaver and his job is to play
music for the exercise periods of the human cargo.
Fusco,
Kimberly Tending
to Grace
When
Cornelia's mother runs off with a boyfriend, leaving her with an
eccentric aunt, Cornelia must finally
confront the truth about herself and her mother.
Gantos,
Jack Joey
Pigza Loses Control
Joey,
who is still taking medication to keep him from getting too wired,
goes to spend the summer with the
hard-drinking father he has never known. Part of a series.
Garland,
Sherry Song
of the Buffalo Boy
Shunned
because of her mixed heritage and determined to avoid an arranged
marriage, Loi runs away hoping
that she will be able to go the United States to find her American
father.
George,
Jean Julie
of the Wolves
A
thirteen-year-old Eskimo girl who is escaping from an arranged
marriage flees out onto the Arctic tundra
and is sheltered by a pack of wolves.
Giff,
Patricia Reilly
Pictures
of Hollis Woods
Hollis
Woods has been in so many foster homes she can hardly remember them
all. It is not until she meets
Josie, an elderly artist, that she wants to stay. But will Social
Services let her?
Greene,
Bette Philip
Hall Likes Me, I Reckon Maybe
The
story of a spirited girl, her life in rural Arkansas, and her
troubles with her friend Philip Hall.
Haddix,
Margaret Leaving
Fishers
After
joining her new friends in the religious group called Fishers of Men,
Dorry finds herself immersed in a cult from which she must struggle
to extricate herself.
Hahn,
Mary Downing
December
Stillness
A
sensitive
girl feels at odds with everyone around her until she becomes
involved in the plight of a homeless
Vietnam veteran who takes refuge in the town library.
Hamilton,
Virginia
Zeely
Geeder
has a special summer on her uncle's farm down south when she glimpses
a neighboring farmer's daughter,
who is as beautiful and regal as an African queen.
Hannigan,
Katherine
Ida
B
When
Ida B.'s world turns upside down, she becomes very angry but a
wonderful teacher helps her through the hard times.
Hautzig,
Deborah Second
Star to the Right
As
Leslie begins to shed the weight she feels makes her imperfect, she
finds it increasingly difficult to reach out for the help she knows
she needs. A story about anorexia.
Henkes,
Kevin Olive's
Ocean
On
a visit to her grandmother's cottage, Martha gains perspective on the
death of a classmate, her relationship with her grandmother, her
feelings for an older boy, and her plans to be a writer.
Higson,
Charles Silverfin
How
did James Bond become James Bond? Read this series that takes him
back to his days and adventures at Eton and see.
Hilton,
James Good-Bye,
Mr. Chips
The
classic story of a well-loved English schoolmaster.
Ho,
Minfong Clay
Marble
A
young Cambodian girl flees with her family from her war-torn country
to a refugee camp near the border of Thailand.
Holm,
Anne North
to Freedom
After
escaping from an Eastern European concentration camp where he has
spent most of his life, a young boy struggles to cope as he flees to
freedom in Denmark.
Holt, Kimberly
Willis.
When
Zachary Beaver Came to Town
During
the summer of 1971 in a small Texas town, thirteen-year-old Toby and
his best friend Cal meet the star of a sideshow act, 600-pound
Zachary, the fattest boy in the world.
Johnson,
Angela Toning
the Sweep
On
a visit to her dying grandmother Ola, fourteen-year-old Emmie hears
many stories about her family history and comes to a better
understanding of her relatives.
Konigsburg,
E.L.
The
Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place
Upon
leaving an oppressive summer camp, twelve-year-old Margaret Rose Kane
spearheads a campaign to preserve three unique towers her
great-uncles have been building in their backyard for
Konigsburg,
E.L.
Silent
to the Bone
Wrongly
accused of gravely injuring his baby sister, Branwell loses his power
of speech and only his friend Connor is able to reach him and uncover
the truth about what really happened.
Koss,
Amy Goldman
Girls
Each
of the girls in a middle-school clique reveals the strong,
manipulative hold one of the group exerts on the others, and the hurt
and self-doubt that it causes them.
Krumgold,
Joseph Onion
John
Andy
is a friend to Onion John until Andy's father and his friend decide
to change the strange fellow.
Levitin,
Sonia Return
An
Ethiopian Jewish girl is forced to leave her village and, with her
brother and sister, makes a long and dangerous journey to freedom in
Israel.
Lowry,
Lois Find
a Stranger, Say Good-Bye
A
beautiful seventeen-year-old girl who was adopted at birth begins a
journey to find her biological mother.
Lowry,
Lois Summer
to Die
Thirteen-year-old
Meg envies her sister's beauty and popularity, but soon she must cope
with Molly's strange illness and death.
Mahy,
Margaret Memory
A
young boy's friendship with an elderly Alzheimer's victim helps him
to cope with his sister.
Marsden,
Carolyn Silk
Umbrellas
Noi
worries that she will have to stop painting the silk umbrellas her
family sells at the market near their Thai
village and be forced to join her older sister in difficult work at a
factory instead.
Mazer,
Harry Island
Keeper
Longing
to disappear after the death of her beloved younger sister, Cleo runs
away from her overprotective
family and learns to survive in the wilderness.
McKay,
Hilary Saffy'
s Angel
After
learning that she was adopted, Saffron's relationship with her
eccentric, artistic family changes, until they help her go back to
Italy where she was born to find a memento of her past.
Montgomery,
Lucy Anne
of Green Gables
The
first of seven books about an impulsive, lovable orphan who comes to
a Prince Edward Island farm to live with an unmarried brother and
sister.
Montgomery,
Lucy Anne
of Avonlea
This
spirited young heroine is back again. The skinny, freckled redhead
has now grown into a beautiful young woman who teaches at the Avonlea
school.
Mori,
Kyoko One
Bird
Mourning
her parent's divorce, fifteen-year-old Megumi takes a part-time job
with a wise veterinarian and finds peace while helping to care for
sick birds.
Mori,
Kyoko Shizuko's
Daughter
The
story of a young Japanese girl who, after the suicide of her mother,
learns how to live with a father who doesn't love her and a
stepmother who treats her badly.
Murphy,
Jim Great
Fire
The
Great Chicago Fire of 1871 is presented by weaving personal accounts
of actual survivors with the history of the disaster.
Myers,
Walter Dean
Scorpions
When
his older brother goes to prison, Jamal reluctantly takes on the
leadership of a neighborhood gang.
Myers,
Walter Dean
The
Young Landlords
Five
devoted friends become landlords and try to make their Harlem
neighborhood a better place to live.
Na,
An Step
from Heaven
A
young Korean girl and her family find it difficult to learn English
and adjust to life in America.
Naylor,
Phyllis Reynolds
Agony
of Alice
Alice
goes to sixth grade in a new school, and keeps a check list of things
she does to see whether she is growing "forward" or
"backward." A funny series.
Naylor,
Phyllis Reynolds
Reluctantly
Alice
Alice
experiences the joys and embarrassments of seventh grade while
advising her father and older brother
on their love problems.
Nye,
Naomi Shihab
Habibi
When
Liyanne Abboud and her family move to a new home between Jerusalem
and the Palestinian village where her father was born, they face many
challenges and changes.
O'Dell,
Kathleen Ophie
Out of Oz
Fourth-grader
Ophelia Peeler has always felt that she was just like Dorothy in Oz,
skipping down the yellow brick road, until a move to Oregon, away
from her best friend, sends her on a different path.
O'
Hara, Mary My
Friend Flicka
A
boy whose father warns him that he will never be able to tame a wild
filly, eventually proves his father wrong.
Orr,
Wendy Peeling
the Onion
Following
an automobile accident in which her neck is broken, a teenage karate
champion begins a long and
painful recovery with the help of her family.
Park,
Linda Sue. Single
Shard
Tree-ear,
a thirteen-year-old orphan in medieval Korea, lives under a bridge in
a potters' village, and longs
to learn how to create the delicate celadon ceramics himself.
Paterson,
Katherine
Same
Stuff as Stars
When
Angel's mother leaves her and her brother with their
great-grandmother, the girl worries not only about
her family, but also about a mysterious man who begins to teach her
about the stars.
Paterson,
Katherine
A
Bridge to Terabithia
The
life of a ten-year-old boy in rural Virginia expands when he
befriends a newcomer who subsequently meets an untimely death trying
to reach their hideaway, Terabithia, during a storm.
RawIs,
Wilson Where
the Red Fern Grows
A
young boy living in the Ozarks achieves his heart's desire when he
becomes the owner of two redbone
hounds and teaches them to be champion hunters.
Roberts,
Willo Davis Sugar
Isn't Everything
When
Amy discovers that she has diabetes, she must learn to treat it, deal
with her anger, and accept that she can live with it.
Rylant,
Cynthia Missing
May
A
young orphan mourns the aunt who gave her a home and tries to help
her uncle overcome his grief.
Spinelli,
Jerry Stargirl
In
this story about the perils of popularity, the courage of
nonconformity, and the thrill of first love, an eccentric
student named Stargirl changes Mica High School forever.
Staples,
Suzanne Shabanu
A
nomad's daughter in modern-day Pakistan must follow custom and marry
a wealthy older man or bring
dishonor to her family. Also look for the sequel, Haveli.
Steinbeck,
John Red
Pony
A
moving story about a boy and his horse.
Stewart,
Trenton Lee The
Mysterious Benedict Society
After
passing a series of mind-bending tests, four children are selected
for a secret mission that requires them to go undercover at the
Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened.
Voigt,
Cynthia Dicey's
Song
A
well-written series about the four abandoned Tillerman children who
go to live with their grandmother.
Voigt,
Cynthia Izzy,
Willy-Nilly
When
Izzy loses a leg as a result of a terrible car accident, she is
forced to build a whole new life. In the process,
she learns a lot about friendship.
Whelan,
Gloria Homeless
Bird
When
thirteen-year-old Koly enters into an ill-fated arranged marriage,
she must either suffer a destiny dictated by India's tradition or
find the courage to oppose it.
White,
Ruth Belle
Prater's Boy
When
Woodrow's mother suddenly disappears, he moves to his grandparents'
home in a small Virginia town where, together, he and his cousin
learn to face their terrible losses and fears.
White,
Ruth Weeping
Willow
A
young teenager living in rural Virginia tells about the joys and
sorrows of her high school years.
Wolff,
Virginia Euwer
Make
Lemonade
In
order to earn money for college, fourteen-year-old LaVaughn babysits
for a teenage mother.
Woodson,
Jacqueline
I
Hadn't Meant to Tell You This
In
a quiet, beautiful friendship story, two young teenagers resist the
racism in their school and the sorrow in their families and help each
other find the strength to go on.
Yee,
Lisa Millicent
Min, Girl Genius
In
a series of humorous journal entries, child prodigy Millicent Min
records her struggles to learn to play volleyball, tutor her enemy,
and make friends over the course of a tumultuous summer.
Zindel,
Paul Pigman
Two
teenagers who befriend a lonely old man manage to wreck his prize
collection of pigs in a single thoughtless evening.
STMA Summer Reading Log for Middle School
Welcome to Summer Reading!
One goal of the STMA Middle School Language Arts program is to encourage students to become lifelong readers. Reading should be habitual, and if it is to become so for any reader, it must be enjoyable. One way to foster a positive attitude toward reading is to give students as many opportunities to choose for themselves what to read. If a reader is interested in a particular genre, author, or series, how fantastic! Not only is the student reading, which is the goal, but he/she gains confidence in his/her reading skills, leading to the exploration of other authors, genres, etc.
The main purposes for summer reading are to practice the reading/thinking skills acquired during the school year, to expose students to various genres, and to develop the love of reading. We live in a world where we place ever-increasing pressure on students to do more, to do faster, to do better, and to do it all earlier in life than ever before. Summer is often the only time to relax, read, and be a kid. In a perfect world, there would be no need for assigned summer reading because every student would naturally love to read!
However, since we do not live in that perfect world (yet!), STMA middle school students are required to read a selection for FOUR of the genres listed (there are eight) on the STMA Middle School Summer Reading List (located on-line) and record the title and author on the STMA Summer Reading Log. Students and parents are required to sign the log, verifying that the stated material has been read. This form is due on the first day of school. That is all you are asked to do – read and record what you read. No reports, no essays.
To saturate oneself in the interactive experience that reading creates is to delve into discovery – of self, of others, of creation! Enjoy the journey!
Middle School Summer Reading Log
Using the STMA Middle School Reading List (located on-line at http://www.stmamd.org) read and record one entry for four of the genres listed. Sign this form, verifying that you have read what you have listed, obtain a signature from one of your parents, and turn this in on the first day of school.
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Genre
|
Author |
Title |
|
Biography |
|
|
|
Classic |
|
|
|
Fantasy |
|
|
|
Folklore |
|
|
|
Historical |
|
|
|
Mystery |
|
|
|
Poetry |
|
|
|
Realistic |
|
|
|
Other? |
|
|
|
Other? |
|
|
|
Other? |
|
|
Please record any other books read in the “Other?” rows. Other titles by authors already on the list will be accepted.
Student signature: _____________________________________________
Parent signature: ______________________________________________
Date: ________________________