6thgrsummerreading2013

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Libraries

Summer Reading for Rising 6th Graders

2013

Dear Rising Sixth Grader, It’s time to think about summer reading! I hope you have lots of time to read books this summer. We want you to read books that you will enjoy, so we’ve included a lot of choice in your requirements. Please keep a reading log this summer. There is an example at the end of this booklet. This allows you to record ZKDW \RX UHDG RYHU WKH VXPPHU <RX ZLOO WXUQ LQ \RXU UHDGLQJ ORJ LQ (QJOLVK FODVV GXULQJ WKH ÀUVW ZHHN RI classes. 1) Please read a book for our book discussion groups. You should have chosen one already and know what group you are in. If you need to start to read your book, and just don’t like it, you can switch to another book, just email tvahlsing@abingtonfriends.net, telling me you are doing so. 2)We encourage you to read a book by our visiting author, Josh Berk. Even if you don’t choose his book for your book group, you will get more out of the author visit if you’ve read a book that he has written. 3)In all, you should read at least four books this summer- one for the discussion group and three others. At the end of this booklet is a list of my suggestions if anyone is stuck for what to choose. When you return to school, you will be writing a review of your free choice book, that will be posted in our library catalog so other students can see if they would be interested in reading the book that you read. On your reading log, you should make some notes so that it will be easier to write the review. Students will be able to check out books from the Faulkner Library for Summer Reading. Of course any books not returned in the fall will be billed. I look forward to reading your reviews in the fall. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email me. Sincerely, Toni Vahlsing Director of Libraries Abington Friends School (215) 576-3976 tvahlsing@abingtonfriends.net Distinguished Summer Reading: For those of you who want an additional challenge, aim to become a “Distinguished Reader.” To earn this recognition, you must do the following: 1) Read 1400 pages during the summer months, including the books required above. 2) Write an additional review for our catalog in the fall. 3) Total the pages that you read on your reading log. 6WXGHQWV ZKR ULVH WR WKLV FKDOOHQJH ZLOO UHFHLYH D QRWDWLRQ RQ WKHLU RIÀFLDO VFKRRO WUDQVFULSW DQG ZLOO EH recognized in other ways as well.

We highly suggest that you read a book by Josh Berk. He is the visiting author in the fall. If you like books that are funny, I think you will like his books. This is also one of the choices for our book discussion groups.

Read one of these books for our book discussion groups. The choices are on this page and the next. Remember, if you don’t like one, you can switch to another book. Just email tvahlsing@abingtonfriends.net to let me know.

Strike Three You’re Dead by Josh Berk I laughed out loud three times before I got to page 10! Three middle school friends attempt to solve a mystery. Set in the Philadelphia suburbs with a baseball theme, I think most of you will like this book. Josh Berk will be our visiting author in the fall. It would be great if you would read this book before he comes. If you buy a copy this summer, he can sign it when he comes.

Flush by Carl Hiaasen Noah’s dad is convinced that a casino boat is illegally dumping sewage into the harbor. He takes matters into his own hands by sinking the boat. Unfortunately the boat is pumped out and back in action and Noah’s dad ends up in jail. Now Noah is determined to prove that the boat is polluting the harbor. He and his strange crew of helpers try to solve a mystery and get his dad out of jail!

Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan Esperanza is a rich girl in Mexico until a tragedy forces her mother and her to escape to California. They end up in a migrant workers camp. Esperanza is not ready to work hard or face hardship, until her life depends on it.

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech Sal entertains her grandparents by telling them the strange story of Phoebe Winterbottom. While that story unfolds, we learn of Sal’s own story and her desire to be reunited with her missing mother. These two stories are woven beautifully together.

More book group choices. Choose one of our 8 books:

Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper Told from the point of a girl with Cerebral Palsy who cannot talk or make other complicated bodily movements, this is a book that everyone should read. It will make you sad, touched, and angry as well as make you re-think any interactions you have had with kids in wheelchairs. Wow.

Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass At Moon Shadow, an isolated campground, thousands have gathered to catch a glimpse of a rare and extraordinary total eclipse of the sun. It’s also where three lives are about to be changed forever. Told in alternating perspectives,

Knucklehead by Jon Scieszka Remember The Stinky Cheese Man and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs? Those are just some of the funny books written by Jon Scieszka. How did he get to be so funny, anyway? This biography told in short vignettes tells us of his adventures in his house full of brothers. Even the back cover is funny. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling Magic, Friendship, evil guardians, adventure... this book has it all. There is good reason this is a best seller. If you haven’t read it because you saw the movie, you should read it. There are many things the movie cannot portray: more shops in Diagon Alley, a different meeting with Malfoy, and much more.There is much the movie cannot portray.

Reminder! You can get most of these books from your public library at no cost to you. Sign up for their summer reading program while you are there to get prizes.

Suggestions for your other books: Here are some suggestions- you can read what you want to read. The point of summer reading is to enjoy it. Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements What would happen if you woke up and were invisible? What would you do? Fifteen year-old Bobby has to decide whether to attend school and face all sorts of questions or to GLVDSSHDU IURP OLIH WR WU\ WR ÀJXUH RXW ZKDW LV KDSSHQLQJ WR KLP

Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson Lonnie’s story is told through 60 poems that he has written. While trying to express KLPVHOI FUHDWLYHO\ KH JUDGXDOO\ WHOOV XV DERXW WKH ÀUH WKDW OHIW KLP RUSKDQHG DV ZHOO DV KLV sister who has been adopted. Lonnie is still in foster care. If you have trouble writing poetry, you might identify with Lonnie as he struggles to convey his feelings. Milo: Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze by Alan Silberberg If you enjoyed reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid, you’ll love Milo. Not only does he deal with the day-to-day life of being a seventh grader, but also being without his mom, who died a few years before this story. The cartoon illustrations that are interspersed throughout the book are hilarious in their own right, not just illustrating the story. This is laugh-outloud funny. I loved it so much that I read it at the circulation desk in the library because I couldn’t put it down!

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau When the generators fail in the city of Ember, it is totally dark. The generators are failing more and more often and the city is running out of supplies. Lina and Doon team up WR ÀJXUH RXW ZKDW LV KDSSHQLQJ WR WKHLU FLW\ DQG WR ÀQG RXW ZKDW LV EH\RQG WKH FLW\ OLPLWV You will want to read the next in the series, too. Amalee by Dar Williams Amalee has been raised by her father and his four friends from college. When Amalee’s father gets sick, it is his friends that help Amalee deal with her father’s sickness as well as the PHDQ JLUOV DW VFKRRO <RX ZLOO FKHHU IRU $PDOHH DV VKH QDYLJDWHV WKLV GLIÀFXOW WLPH LQ KHU OLIH

Wonder by R.J. Palacio Wonder is a book that everyone should read. Auggie was born with multiple disorders that UHVXOWHG LQ KLV IDFH EHLQJ H[WUHPHO\ GLVĂ€JXUHG ,Q WKLV ERRN KH DWWHQGV VFKRRO IRU WKH Ă€UVW WLPH LQ Ă€IWK JUDGH 7KLV LV D KHDUW EUHDNLQJ EXW SRVLWLYH ERRN WKDW ZLOO VWUHWFK DQ\ UHDGHU¡V sympathy for people with differences.

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke Meggie’s father is so good at reading books aloud that when he does, characters from the books appear in our world. Unfortunately a person from this world goes into the book to take that character’s place. Meggie’s mother has been missing for years. Guess where she is? In a book, that only has a few copies left in the world. Meggie’s father QHHGV WR ÀQG WKH ERRN EHIRUH VRPHRQH HOVH GRHV

Smiles to Go by Jerry Spinelli Did you enjoy reading Maniac McGee? If so, you will love Smiles to Go. Will Tuppence is a ninth grader in the middle of a love triangle. As he is grappling with this, something KDSSHQV ZLWK KLV DGRUDEOH ÀYH \HDU ROG VLVWHU WKDW SXWV KLV OLIH LQWR SHUVSHFWLYH <RX ZLOO not forget Will or his sister anytime soon. The Secret of Platform 13 by Eva Ibbotson A doorway between two worlds only opens every nine years for nine days. A prince from one world has been lost in ours when he was a baby. The king and queen have had nine years to plan. Which magical creatures will they send? A very odd but endearing rescue team is put together. Mistaken identity, magic, and friendship make this fantastical adventure a great read.

Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo Charlie Bone discovers that he has special powers and has to go to a special school. No, this is not Harry Potter, but if you are a Harry Potter Fan, give this a try. Charlie DQG WKH RWKHU FKLOGUHQ ZLWK VSHFLDO SRZHUV FDQ HDFK GR RQH VSHFLÀF WKLQJ &KDUOLH FDQ hear voices through paintings and photographs. There is a battle going on and Charlie lives at home on the weekend with family members taking different sides. The evil characters are pure evil, including one of Charlie’s grandmothers. I certainly wouldn’t want to live with her! This book starts a long series that you will continue to want to read. Rules by Cynthia Lord Catherine has an autistic younger brother whom she loves, but sometimes feels embarrassed by his behavior. She makes rules for him, about who he should hug and other things “normal” people know. When Catherine gets to know a boy who communicates with a ZRUG ERDUG DQG LV FRQÀQHG WR D ZKHHOFKDLU GHÀQLQJ ´QRUPDOµ LV QRW LPSRUWDQW DQ\PRUH

Sea Legs by Alex Shearer If your dad were a steward on a cruise ship would you stowaway to be with him? These twin boys do just that. Hanging out by the pool, sneaking to their hideout, it is all a great adventure. They just don’t want to get caught.

The Boxes by William Sleator Annie’s mysterious Uncle Marco gives her two boxes for safekeeping, instructing Annie not to open them. Of course she does, and the consequences are quite extreme. Time itself is not safe when the boxes are opened and near each other.

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart Put four very different, but brilliant, children together and you can conquer almost anything. That is the theory of Mr. Benedict, anyway. He gets a crack team of children WR LQÀOWUDWH D VFKRRO WKDW VHHPV WR EH WKH FHQWHU RI HYLO 7KH WHVWLQJ WKDW HDFK FKLOG JRHV WKURXJK LV YHU\ VWUDQJH 2QFH \RX UHDG WKLV RQH \RX ZLOO ZDQW WR ÀQLVK WKH VHULHV WR IROlow the further adventures of these endearing characters. Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George The castle Glower isn’t just any ordinary castle. It can add rooms whenever it becomes bored! The castle can give opinions on people by how it decorates their rooms. Princess Celie’s parents disappear and suddenly other kingdoms are trying to take over. Read how the castle tries to help. What fun!

Sammy Keyes series by Wendelin Van Draanen Sammy lives illegally in a high rise apartment for seniors with her Grandmother. She also solves a lot of mysteries. The intersection of these two things makes her life interesting, i.e. she can’t let the police know where she lives. Sammy’s archenemy, Heather, and her brother (a romantic interest of Sammy’s) make her life even more complicated. Full of characters who get more complex as the series continues, give this great series a try. Anything but Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin Jason’s autism gets in the way of making friends. His greatest talent is writing stories. He posts them to an online group and meets “Phoenixbirdâ€? virtually. She likes his writing and PD\ EH -DVRQ¡V Ă€UVW IULHQGV :KHQ D FKDQFH WR PHHW LQ SHUVRQ DULVHV -DVRQ LV ZRUULHG WKDW she will only see his autism and not the writer that she knows. This is a fascinating look through Jason’s eyes.

Stealing Air by Trent Reedy 2Q KLV Ă€UVW GD\ OLYLQJ LQ ,RZD %ULDQ PDNHV DQ HQHP\ 7XUQV RXW )UDQNLH LV WKH PHDQHVW kid in town, and has a sister that Brian would love to hang out with. Brian needs to be ´FRROÂľ EXW KLV QHLJKERU 0D[ LV D VFLHQFH ZL] +DQJLQJ ZLWK 0D[ ZRQ¡W KHOS KLP Ă€W LQ but Max has a secret, a small plane that he has been building, Awesome story about being a boy and trying to do what is right.

These books are recommended by current 6th graders: Title Small as an Elephant Mockingbird Bud, Not Buddy Eight Keys 11 Birthdays A Tangle of Knots Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet The Lightning Thief Fever 1793 Locomotion (reviewed above)

Author Jennifer Richard Jacobson Kathryn Erskine Christopher Paul Curtis Suzanne LeFleur Wendy Mass Lisa Graff Erin Dionne Rick Riordin Laurie Halse Anderson Jacqueline Woodson

To sum up: 1) Read a book for our summer book groups. 2) Read at least three other books of your choice. 3) Keep a reading log. Did you know that if you sign up for your public library’s summer reading program, you can win prizes for bringing them a reading log? You can also get a free book from Barnes and Noble!

This is a sample reading log. You can turn this in, or make your own. Only write down the title of the book after you have read it, not everyday that you read. ,I \RX UHDG HLJKW ERRNV WKLV VXPPHU DQG ÀOO RXW D ORJ IURP %DUQHV DQG 1REOH \RX can get a free book at B&N. You can make a copy of that form to count as your reading log.

Reading Log Title

Name_________________ Author

# pages

Total pages

Date completed

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