Reading List, Middle School
Grade 6 GOR List
Avi: The Blue Heron, The Man Who Was Poe, Nothing But the Truth, Crispin, Cross of Lead, and others. Note: We will read The True Confessions of Charlo3e Doyle in Grade 6, so please DO NOT read this one on your own.
Lloyd Alexander: The Chronicles of Prydain (series) and others
Joan Aiken: The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, and others
Laurie Anderson: Chains
Natalie BabbiA: Tuck EverlasHng
Blue Balliet: Chasing Vermeer
Joan Bauer: Hope Was Here, and others
Gary Blackwood: The Shakespeare Stealer
Betsy Byers: Summer of the Swans, The Midnight Fox and others
Gennifer Choldenko: Al Capone Does My Shirts
Andrew Clements: Frindle, Things Not Seen
Susan Cooper: The Dark is Rising (series)
Padriac Collum: The Golden Fleece
Zizou Corder: Lion Boy
Sharon Creech: Walk Two Moons, Bloomability, The Wanderer, and others, but not her shorter stories
Christopher Paul CurLs: Bud, Not Buddy, The Watsons Go to Birmingham
Karen Cushman: Catherine Called Birdie, The Midwife’s ApprenHce
Roald Dahl: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The BFG, MaHlda, and others
Kate DiCamillo: The Tale of Despereaux, Because of Winn-Dixie, The Tiger Rising
Kathryn Erskine: Mockingbird
Paula Fox: Slave Dancer, One-Eyed Cat, Monkey Island
Cornelia Funke: The Thief Lord, Dragon Rider, Inkheart, Inkspell
Jack Gantos: Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, and sequels
Jean Craighead George: My Side of the Mountain, and sequels
Patricia Reilly Giff: Pictures of Hollis Woods, Lily’s Crossing
BeAe Greene: Summer of My German Soldier
Margaret Peterson Haddix: Among The Hidden
Karen Hesse: Out of the Dust, The Music of Dolphins, Stowaway, and others
Polly Horvath: Everything on a Waffle
Eva IboAson: The Secret of PlaWorm 13, and sequels
E.L. Konigsburg: From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, The View from Saturday, Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver, and others
Joseph Krumgold: Onion John, And Now Miguel
Cynthia Kadohata: Kira-Kira
Stephen Lawhead: The Dragon King Saga (series)
Madeleine L’Engle: A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, A SwiZly TilHng Planet, Meet the AusHns, and many more.
Gail Carson Levine: Ella Enchanted, Dave at Night (not her shorter fairy tales)
KrisLn Levine: The Best Bad Luck I Have Ever Had
Lois Lenski: Indian CapHve
C.S. Lewis: Note: You will be required to read The Magician’s Nephew during the summer before Grade 6 as part of the summer reading program. (If you would like to read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, or any of the other books in the Chronicles of Narnia series, these would be excellent choices for GOR.)
Lois Lowry: The Giver, Gathering Blue, The Messenger, Number the Stars, The Willoughbys, and others
Michelle Magorian: Goodnight Mr. Tom
Walter Dean Myers: Somewhere in the Darkness, and others ScoA O’Dell: Island of the Blue Dolphins
Linda Sue Park: A Single Shard, My Name Is Keoko, and others  Katherine Paterson: Bridge to Terabithia, Lyddie, Jip, and others
Gary Paulson: Hatchet, Dogsong, Brian’s Winter, and others
Richard Peck: A Long Way from Chicago, A Year Down Under
Rodman Philbrick: Freak the Mighty
Wilson Rawls: Where the Red Fern Grows, Summer of the Monkeys
Louis Sachar: Holes
Zilpha Snyder: The Bronze Pen
Elizabeth George Speare: The Witch of Blackbird Pond and others. Note: We will read The Bronze Bow together in Grade 6, so please DO NOT read this one on your own.
Armstrong Sperry: Call it Courage
Jerry Spinelli: Maniac Magee, Wringer, and others
J. R. R. Tolkien: The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings (series)
Yoshiko Uchida: Jar of Dreams
Cynthia Voight: Homecoming, Dicey’s Song, Jackaroo, and others
Virginia Euer Wolff: True Believer
Lawrence Yep: Dragonwings, The Star Fisher, and others
Jane Yolen: The Devil’s ArithmeHc and others
- There are many other wonderful authors to choose from, but any addiLons to this list must be approved by one of your English teachers in order to count for independent reading. One guideline is to first check if a book that you would like to read has won any significant awards.
- Not all books are appropriate for every sixth grader; a book’s appropriateness may depend on one’s level of maturity, understanding of the topic, and familiarity with English. If you have a quesLon about whether or not a book is appropriate for you, please check with one of your English teachers, with one of the CAJ librarians, or with your parents.
Grade 7
Required Reading: | Task: | Reviewed by: |
---|---|---|
1 book from the GOR list | Book Recommendation
Poster |
English Teacher |
Google Drive Survey | ||
1 book from content area
list (Bible, Math, Science, or Social Studies) |
2 Minute Presentation | Content Area
Teacher |
Google Drive Survey | ||
1 free choice (must be on
grade level) |
Google Drive Survey | Homeroom Teacher |
• Additional books read should also be recorded on the Google Drive Survey, in order to count toward the class goal.
• Book list & instructions will be posted on the CAJ website.
• Today we will practice using the google drive survey!
TASK #1 - GOR BOOK POSTER
You are going to design a Book Recommendation Poster that will persuade others to read the book.
Requirements for the poster:
- Title and Author (spelled correctly) must stand out clearly
- A summary in your own words – Write 5-7 sentences that sum up the main action or conflict going on in the book. Don't say "This book is about . . ." Get us right into the action!
- Your Personal Recommendation – Write 2-3 sentences telling your classmates why you recommend this book. Be specific!
- 2 Adjectives (Example: ACTION-PACKED!) describing the book must stand out clearly on the page.
- Visuals: Add pictures, graphics, etc. that relate to the book
- Size: B5 (250 x 176 mm or 9.84 x 6.93 inches) or half of a construction paper
- Due: the first day of class (to your English teacher)
TASK #2 - CONTENT AREA PRESENTATION
You are going to give a short presentation in a content area class to explain to your classmates what you learned about a particular topic.
Requirements for the presentation:
- Tell the title and author name
- Give a brief summary
- Explain the most interesting thing that you learned from reading the book
- Script or notecards written for the presentation
- Due: the first day of class (to your content area teacher)
Requirements:
- 1 book from the Guided Outside Reading (GOR) list
- Task: book recommendation
- Reviewed by: English Teacher
- 1 book from a content area (Bible, Math, Science, or Social Studies )
- Task: 2 minute presentation - Title and Author
- Brief summary
- What you learned
- Reviewed by: Content Area Teacher
- Task: 2 minute presentation - Title and Author
- 1 free choice (must be on grade level but does not have to be on one of the reading list)
Guided Outside Reading List
English 7 Guided Outside Reading (GOR) List
Alcott, Louisa M. | Little Women |
Alvarez, Julia | Before we were Free |
Avi | Nothing but the Truth |
The Secret School | |
Don’t you know there’s a War on? | |
Crispin: Cross of Lead | |
Balliett, Blue | Chasing Vermeer |
The Wright 3 | |
Bauer, Joan | Hope was Here |
Birdsall, Jeanne | The Penderwicks |
Chabon, Michael | Summerland |
Creech, Sharon | Walk Two Moons |
Chasing Redbird | |
The Wanderer | |
Ruby Holler | |
Heartbeat | |
Replay | |
Curtis, Christopher Paul | Bud, Not Buddy |
Elijah of Buxton | |
Cushman, Karen | Catherine called Birdy |
Midwife’s Apprentice | |
Matilda Bone | |
The Ballad of Lucy Whipple | |
DiCamillo, Kate | The Tale of Despereaux |
Dickens, Charles | A Christmas Carol |
Farmer, Nancy | The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm |
A Girl Named Disaster | |
The House of the Scorpion | |
The Sea of Trolls | |
Frederick, Heather Vogel | The Voyage of Patience Goodspeed |
Funke, Cornelia | The Thief Lord |
Inkheart | |
The Dragon Rider | |
Inkspell | |
Gantos, Jack | Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key |
Joey Pigza Loses Control | |
What would Joey Do? | |
Griff, Patricia R. | Pictures of Hollis Woods |
Grisham, John | Skipping Christmas |
Haddix, Margaret P. | Running Out of Time |
Among the Hidden | |
Among the Barons | |
Among the Betrayed | |
Among the Imposters | |
Escape from Memory | |
Among the Brave | |
Among the Enemy | |
The House on the Gulf | |
Double Identity | |
Among the Free | |
Hamilton, Virginia | The Mystery of Drear House |
Hannigan, Katherine | Ida B. |
Hiassen, Carl | Hoot |
Hesse, Karen | Out of the Dust |
Stowaway | |
Horvath, Polly | Everything on a Waffle |
The Vacation | |
Jacques, Brian | Mattimeo |
Mossflower | |
Pearls of Lutra | |
Redwall | |
Taggerung | |
The Bellmaker | |
Jimenez, Francisco | Breaking Through |
Kadohata, Cynthia | Kira-Kira |
Weedflower | |
Klass, David | You don’t know Me |
Konigsburg, E.L. | The Outcasts ot 19 Schulyer Place |
Korman, Gordon | Everest Series (I: Contest, II: Climb, III: Summit) |
Island Series (I: Shipwreck, II: Survival, III: Escape) | |
Lawhead, Stephen | various titles |
L’engle, Madeleine | A Ring of Endless Light |
A Wind in the Door | |
Many Waters | |
An Acceptable Time | |
Lewis, C.S. | The Voyage of the Dawn Treader |
Lisle, Janet Taylor | The Art of Keeping Cool |
Lobel, Anita | No Pretty Pictures |
Lowry, Lois | The Giver |
Gathering Blue | |
Silent Boy | |
Messenger | |
Myers, Walter Dean | The Glory Field |
Napoli, Donna Jo | Daughter of Venice |
Stones into Water | |
Sirena | |
Three Days | |
North | |
Bound | |
Park, Linda Sue | A Single Shard |
When my Name was Keoko | |
Paterson, Katherine | Jip |
Preacher’s Boy | |
The Same Stuff as Stars | |
Paulsen, Gary | Dogsong |
Hatchet | |
Brian’s Winter | |
Brian’s Return | |
The Transall Saga | |
Guts | |
Peck, Richard | A Long Way from Chicago |
A Year Down Yonder | |
Fair Weather | |
The River Between Us | |
Sachar, Louis | Small Steps |
Schmidt, Gary | Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster |
Boy | |
Smith, Roland | Peak |
Spinelli, Jerry | Stargirl |
Loser | |
Crash | |
The Library Card | |
Milkweed | |
Staples, Suzanne Fisher | Shabanu |
Haveli | |
Shiva’s Fire | |
St. John, Patricia M. | Twice Freed |
Taylor, Mildred D. | Let the Circle be Unbroken |
The Road to Memphis | |
The Land | |
Tolan, Stephanie S. | Surviving the Applewhites |
Ullman, James Ramsey | Banner in the Sky |
Voigt, Cynthia | Dicey’s Song |
Homecoming | |
The Runner | |
Weeks, Sarah | So B. It |
Wolff, Virginia Euwer | Make Lemonade |
True Believer | |
Yolen, Jane | Armageddon Summer |
“Dear America” Book series
“Heroes of the Faith” Book series (Biography) “Christian Heroes” Then & Now” (Biography) Trailblazer books
“Reel Kids Adventures” Book series
Bible Reading List
The book of Genesis (NIV Study Bible) | |
Harris, Alex&Brett | Do Hard Things |
Hoth, Iva | The Picture Bible, Old Testament |
Strobel, Lee |
Math Reading List
- Leonhard Euler and the Bernoullis: mathematicians from Basel by MBW Tent
- Emmy Noether: the mother of modern algebra by MBW Tent
- Mathematicians are people too: stories from the lives of great mathematicians, v. 1 & 2 by Luetta & Wilbert Reimer
- Charles Babbage and the engines of perfection by Bruce Collier
- Euclid: the great geometer by Chris Hayhurst
- Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz: the polymath who brought us calculus by MBW Tent - The life and times of Pythagoras by Susan Sales Harkins
- The prince of mathematics: Carl Friedrich Gauss by MBW Tent
- Archimedes and the door of science by Jeanne Bendick
Science Reading List
- Extreme physics: take a quantum leap to the edge of science by Dan Green (M 530 GRE)
- The book of blood: from legends and leeches to vampires and veins by HP Newquist (M 612.1 NEW)
- Invincible microbe: tuberculosis and the never-ending search for a cure by Jim Murphy & Allison Blank (M 616.9 MUR)
- An American plague: the true and terrifying story of the yellow fever epidemic of 1793 by Jim Murphy (M 614.5 MUR)
- Built to last: building America’s amazing bridges, dams, tunnels, and skyscrapers by George Sullivan (M 624 SUL)
- *Bones never lie: how forensics helped solve history’s mysteries by Elizabeth MacLeod
- *Bridges and tunnels: investigate feats of engineering by Donna Latham
- *Double helix: the quest to uncover the structure of DNA by Glen Phelan
- *The secrets of the universe (5-item series)
Social Studies Reading List
Available in Library
- Geology by Dr. John Morris - Weather by Michael Oard
- Exploring the World Around You by Gary Parker
- Our Living Earth by Isabelle Delannoy
- The Young Earth by John Morris
- Christian Heroes Then and Now by Janet Benge: Wilfred Grenfell (Canada), Elizabeth Elliot (Ecuador)
Available in classroom (204)
- Don’t Know Much About Planet Earth by Kenneth C. Davis (also in Library)
- Cool Geography by Jane Glicksman
- The Wild Colorado by Richard Maurer (2 copies)
- The Story of Canada by Isabel Barclay
- The Boys’ War by Jim Murphy
- Secrets in Stone by Laurie Coulter
- Rain Forests by Andrea Mertiny
- Volcanoes by Dr. Rainer Koethe
- The History News: Revolution by Christopher Maynard
- The History News: Explorers by Michael Johnstone
- The Usborne Book of Peoples of the World by Gillian Doherty and Anna Claybourne
- Everything You Need to Know About American History Homework by Anne Zeman and Kate Kelly
- Everything You Need to Know About World History Homework by Anne Zeman and Kate Kelly
- The Usborne Encyclopedia of Planet Earth by Anna Claybourne, Gillian Doherty and Rebecca Treays (2 copies)
- Usborne World History The Last 500 Years by Jane Bingham, Fiona Chandler and Sam Taplin (2 copies)
- Visual Factfinder: World History by Ken Hills
- Scholastic Atlas of Earth by Scholastic (2 copies)
- Horrible Geography: Odious Oceans by Anita Ganeri (2 copies)
- Horrible Geography: Perishing Poles by Anita Ganeri
- Horrible Geography: Violent Volcanoes by Anita Ganeri (2 copies)
- Hernando de Soto and the Explorers of the American South by Sylvia Whitman
SUMMER READING 8 GUIDELINES
8th Grade students: You must read 3 books as described below. Notice how you should submit each one:
1) ONE book from the 8th grade Summer GOR List
- Choose one question to answer in 2-3 paragraphs:
- Describe how the theme of Taking a Stand is seen in one of the characters.
- Describe how South East Asian history is a necessary part of the main plot.
- Explain your expectations at the beginning of the book and how/why you were satisfied or disappointed at the end.
- SUBMIT this as a pdf attachment, Word document or Open Office document (with your name and book title at the top), in an email to Ms. Fischer <jfischer@caj.or.jp> before the first day of school in August 2014. (DO NOT share this with me as a Google doc.)
2) ONE book from the Bible, Math, Science, Social Studies Content List
- To complete the Summer Reading #2 Content Book form:
- Create an A4 size electronic document similar to the template.
- Fill in the title and author of the book.
- Choose the number of stars that shows your opinion of the book (5=beyond my expectations-WOW! 4=excellent, 3=good, 2=OK), and put that number in the star.
- In the “Let Me Recommend...” box, write 4-5 sentences why you would recommend this book to other 8th grade students. e) Take a picture of you holding the book and insert it in the photo position like the template.
- Fill in your first and last name at the bottom. g) Print your A4 size color document.
- SUBMIT this by bringing your printed A4 size color copy to school during the first week, August 26-29, 2014.
3) ONE book of your choice, written in English at your own reading level, on or off the 8th grade Summer Reading List
- Complete the Summer Reading #3 Choice Book ticket by completing these:
- Fill in your first and last name.
- Fill in the title of the book and the author’s name.
- Ask your parent to sign after you finish reading the book.
- SUBMIT this by bringing it to school during the first week, August 26-29, 2014.
The 8th Grade Summer Reading List is attached, but you can also view it on the CAJ website, Life @ CAJ under Library. (Click on the Library icon, then the 8th Grade Summer Reading List.)
8th G. O. R. (2014-15)
*=audio version available
Abeel, S. | My 13th Winter |
Avi | Nothing But the Truth |
Avi | Seer of Shadows |
Avi | The Traitor’s Gate |
Baliett, B. | *Chasing Vermeer |
Baliett, B. | *The Wright 3 |
Balliet, B. | The Calder Game |
Baskin, N. | Anything But Typical |
Bauer, J. | Hope Was Here |
Bemis, J. | Nine Pound Hammer |
Bowen, A. | Wolf, the Journey Home |
Bradford, C. | Young Samurai: TheWay...Sword Things Not Seen |
Clements, A. | The Girl Who Threw Butterflies |
Cochrane, M. | Waiting for Normal |
Connor, L. | If the Witness Lied |
Cooney, C. | The Toymaker |
de Quidt, J. | The King of Dragons |
Fenner, C. | Reckless |
Funke, C. | *Thief Lord |
Funke, C. | *Inkheart |
Funke, C. | Inkspell |
Funke, C. | Out of the Woods |
Gardner, L. | Twenty Gold Falcons |
Gordon, A. | Little Princes: One Man’s Promise |
Grennan, C. | The Testament |
Grisham, J. | Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer |
Grisham, J. | Take Your Best Shot |
Gutwein, A. | Boom! |
Haddon, M. | Roy Morelli Steps Up to the Plate |
Heldring, T. | Olive’s Ocean |
Henkes, K. | *Flush |
Hiassen, C. | *Hoot |
Hiassen, C. | The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn |
Hoobler, D. | Paper Daughter |
Ingold, J. | *Kira-kira |
Kadohata, C. | Greetings From Planet Earth |
Kerley, B. | Death Cloud |
Lane, A. | Hawksmaid |
Lasky, K. | Byzantium |
Lawhead, S. | The Unfortunate Son |
Leeds, C. | Out of the Silent Planet |
Lewis, C. S. | Messenger |
Lowry, L. | Gossamer |
Lowry, L. | Son |
Lowry, L. | Good Night, Mr. Tom |
Magorian, M. McCaughrean | Cyrano |
Mone, G. | Fish |
Mortenson, G. | Three Cups of Tea |
Muchamore, R. | The Recruit |
Napoli, D. | Daughter of Venice |
Napoli, D. | The Wager |
Orr, W. | Peeling the Onion |
Peck, R. | The Teacher’s Funeral |
Peck, R. | Here Lies the Librarian |
Perkins, L. | As Easy As Falling Off...Earth |
Perkovich, O. | 8th Grade Super Zero |
Raskin, E. | The Westing Game |
Reeve, P. | Here Lies Arthur |
Sachar, L. | Small Steps |
Schlitz, L. | Splendors and Glooms |
Schmatz, P. | Bluefish |
Schmidt, G. | *Wednesday Wars |
Schusterman, N. | The Schwa Was Here |
Sensel, Joni | The Farwalker’s Quest |
Sheth, K. | Koyal Dark, Mango Sweet |
Shinn, S. | Gateway |
Shulman, P. | The Grimm Legacy |
Slade, A. | Jolted: Newton Starker’s Rules |
Smith, G. | The Forest in the Hallway |
Stratton, A. | The Grave Robber’s Apprentice |
Tashjian, J. | My Life as a Book |
Updale, E. | Montmorency: Thief,...Gentleman? |
Updale, E. | Montmorency: On the Rocks |
Updale, E. | Montmorency and the Assassins |
Van Draanen | The Running Dream |
Weeks, S. | So B. It |
Yolen, J. | Trollbridge |
SOCIAL STUDIES CONTENT BOOKS
Barakat, I. | Tasting the Sky |
Boyne, J. | *The Boy in the Striped Pajamas |
Bruchac, J. | Code Talker |
Burg, Ann | All the Broken Pieces |
Carmi, D. | Samir and Yonatan |
Chapman, F. | Is It Night of Day |
Compestine, Y. | Revolution is Not a Dinner Party |
Cushman, K. | The Loud Silence of Francine Green |
Gleeson, L. | Mahtab’s Story |
Gratz, A. | *Samurai Shortstop |
Gold, A. | A Special Fate |
Houston, J. | Farewell to Manzanar |
Hughes, D. | Missing in Action |
Kadohata, C. | A Million Shades of Gray |
Kadohata, C. | Weedflower |
Kidd, R. | Monkey Town |
Kim, H. | The Long Season of Rain |
Leyson, L. | The Boy on the Wooden Box |
Laird, E. | A Little Piece of Ground |
Li, C. | Mao’s Last Dancer |
Namioka, L. | Ties That Bind, Ties That Break |
Park, L. | *A Long Walk to Water |
Park, L. | *When My Name Was Keoko |
Paterson, K. | Master Puppeteer |
Perkins, M. | Bamboo People |
Preus, M. | Heart of a Samurai |
Salisbury, G. | Eyes of the Emperor |
Salisbury, G. | House of the Red Fish |
Salisbury, G. | Under the Blood-Red Sun |
Sepetys, R. | Between Shades of Gray |
Smith, R. | Elephant Run |
Spinelli, J. | Milkweed |
Uchida, Y. | Journey to Topaz |
Whelan, G. | Chu Ju’s House |
Wiles, D. | Countdown |
Yep, L. | Dragon’s Gate |
CONTENT BOOKS
for Summer Reading
SOCIAL STUDIES (NOT on the GOR list)
Benge J. | Douglas MacArthur |
Blumberg, R. | Commodore Perry in the Land of the Shogun |
Galloway, P. | Adventures on the Ancient Silk Road |
Grant, R. G. | Why Did Hiroshima Happen? |
Keat, N. | Alive in the Killing Fields |
Lekuton, J. | Facing the Lion |
Tunnell, M.. | Candy Bomber |
Turnbull, S. | The Most Daring Raid of the Samurai |
BIBLE
Benge, J.&G. | David Bussau: Facing the World Head On |
Benge, J.&G. | Jacob DeShazer: Forgive Your Enemies |
Benge, J.&G. | Lillian Trasher: The Greatest Wonder in Egypt |
Benge, J.&G. | Sundar Singh: Footprints Over the Mountains |
dcTalk | Jesus Freaks, v. 1:...The Ultimate Jesus Freaks |
dcTalk | Jesus Freaks, v. 2:...Fearing God, Not Man |
Jackson, D.&N. | Hero Tales |
McKissack, P. | Let My People Go |
Morimoto, T. | By Grace & Mercy |
Zhang, S. | A Little Tiger in the Chinese Night: An Autobiography in Art |
MATH
Bendick, J. | Archimedes and the Door of
Science |
Collier, B. | Charles Babbage and the Engines
of Perfection |
Harkins, S. | The Life and Times of Pythagoras |
Hayhurst, C. | Euclid: the Great Geometer |
Tent, MBW | Emmy Noether: The Mother of,Modern Algebra |
Tent, MBW | Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz: The,Polymath Who Brought Us,Calculus |
Tent, MBW | Leonhard Euler and the Bernoullis:
Mathematicians from Basal |
Tent, MBW | The Prince of Mathematics: Carl
Friedrich Gauss |
Reimer, L.&W. | Mathematicians are People Too |