8thgrsummerreading2013

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Libraries

Summer Reading for Rising 8th Graders

2013

Dear Rising Eighth Grader, I hope you have lots of time to read books this summer. Reading for pleasure is one of the most important things you can do over the summer to be ready for school in the fall. You gain vocabulary, learn more about writing, and get better at reading, all while enjoying the books you read. ,I \RX DUHQ¡W HQMR\LQJ WKH ERRN \RX DUH UHDGLQJ SXW LW GRZQ DQG Ă€QG RQH WKDW \RX OLNH 3OHDVH NHHS D UHDGLQJ ORJ WKLV VXPPHU There is an example at the end of this booklet. This allows you to UHFRUG ZKDW \RX UHDG RYHU WKH VXPPHU <RX ZLOO WXUQ LQ \RXU UHDGLQJ ORJ LQ (QJOLVK FODVV GXULQJ WKH Ă€UVW ZHHN of classes. 1) 3OHDVH UHDG a book for our book discussion groups. You should have chosen one already and know what group you are in. If you start reading your book, and don’t like it, you can choose to switch. Just email tvahlsing@abingtonfriends.net to work that out. This year’s choices are listed on the next two pages. 2 :H HQFRXUDJH \RX WR UHDG D ERRN E\ RXU YLVLWLQJ DXWKRU -RVK %HUN $ OLVW DQG GHVFULSWLRQ RI VRPH RI KLV ERRNV DUH LQ WKLV ERRNOHW 3) <RX VKRXOG UHDG D WRWDO RI DW OHDVW IRXU ERRNV WKLV VXPPHU. Following is a list of my suggestions if you need ideas. For these books, you should be prepared to write a brief review of the book for our library catalog. Other students will be able to read your reviews. We will write the reviews in the fall, but you may want to write some notes on your reading log for the summer so you have an easier time remembering what happened in the book.

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. If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to contact me by email. Sincerely, Toni Vahlsing Director of Libraries Abington Friends School (215) 576-3976 'LVWLQJXLVKHG 6XPPHU 5HDGLQJ For those of you who want an additional challenge, aim to become a “Distinguished Reader.â€? To earn this recognition, you must do the following: 1) Read 2400 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 RIĂ€FLDO VFKRRO WUDQVFULSW DQG ZLOO EH recognized in other ways as well.

Read one of these books for our book discussion groups. The choices are below. Remember, if you don’t like one, you can switch to another book. Just email tvahlsing@abingtonfriends.net to let me know. Don’t Turn Around E\ 0LFKHOOH *DJQRQ Imagine waking up in a strange hospital with no memory of how you got there. You notice a VWUDQJH VFDU LQ WKH PLGGOH RI \RXU FKHVW DQG DQ ,9 LQ \RXU KDQG 1RD ÀQGV KHUVHOI LQ VXFK D VLWXation. Instinct tells her to get out of there, so she does. Don’t Turn Around is an adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat! Models Don’t Eat Chocolate Cookies by Erin Dionne When Celeste’s aunt enters her in the Husky Peach modelling contest, she doesn’t want to do it. Anything bad that could happen to Celeste usually does in this funny, yet heartbreaking look at what it feels like to be a larger sized person in middle school. Leviathan E\ 'DYLG :HVWHUIHOG This alternative history looks at the beginning of World War I, but one side has developed animals to use them as weapons. The other side has amazing machines. In the middle of this, we meet the prince whose parents’ death has started the war, and a girl who wants to be part RI WKH UR\DO DLU IRUFH EXW QHHGV WR SUHWHQG WR EH D ER\ LQ RUGHU WR à \ RQ DQ DLUVKLS 7KHVH WZR unlikely companions meet and many adventures ensue. Divergent E\ 9HURQLFD 5RWK 3HRSOH ERUQ LQ WKH QHDU IXWXUH DUH ERUQ LQWR RQH RI ÀYH IDFWLRQV HDFK GHGLFDWHG WR WKH FXOWLYDWLRQ RI D SDUWLFXODU YLUWXH &DQGRU WKH KRQHVW $EQHJDWLRQ WKH VHOà HVV 'DXQWOHVV WKH EUDYH $Pity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). When people turn 16, they can choose to switch to another faction. For Beatrice, the choice to switch is between staying with her family or being true to herself. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t read this quickly. A page-turner. Maze Runner E\ -DPHV 'DVKQHU Thomas wakes up in a grey box, not remembering anything but his name. He is then deposited LQ DQ DUWLÀFLDO ZRUOG ÀOOHG ZLWK ER\V ZKR DUH WU\LQJ WR JHW RXW 7KLV LV D JUHDW VWRU\ RI WHHQDJHUV trying to break the system that the adults have put them into. Lots of action and suspense, as well as intrigue. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn E\ %HWW\ 6PLWK Francie Nolan is growing up in the slums of Williamsburg in the early 1900’s. Her family is unforgettable. If you’re in the mood for a classics, this is the book for you.

Last Chance to See E\ 'RXJODV $GDPV Douglas Adams is very funny. You will laugh as you read this book. Adams got a chance to go see many animals who were on the brink of extinction. So if you like funny books, or if you like animals (and who doesn’t?), then this book is for you! If you get a chance to ask Justin about this book, he will rave about it. Staying Fat for Sarah ByrneV E\ &KULV &UXWFKHU Sarah Byrnes and Eric have been friends for years. When they were children, his fat and her terrible scars made them both outcasts. Later, although swimming slimmed Eric, she stayed his closest friend. Now Sarah Byrnes -- the smartest, toughest person Eric has ever known -- sits silent in a hospital. Eric must uncover the terrible secret she’s hiding, before its dark currents pull them both under.

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.

Strike Three You’re Dead E\ -RVK %HUN I laughed out loud three times before I got to page 10! Three middle school friends attempt to solve a mystery. The boys live in the Philadelphia suburbs and cheer for the Phillies. Though one of the boys is more into fantasy books than baseball, 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.

The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin E\ -RVK %HUN Awesome mystery starring a deaf high school student who’s attending D UHJXODU VFKRRO IRU WKH ÀUVW WLPH ,W·V UHDOO\ LQWHUHVWLQJ WR EH LQ WKDW world. The main character pokes fun at himself constantly, also pointing out how the world is geared for the hearing, even our language. His new friend asks him, “Did you hear (some piece of juicy gossip)?” No he didn’t. Good work Josh Berk!

Did you know? If you participate in your public library’s summer reading program, you can get all sorts of free stuff? Some libraries enter teenagers into drawings for BIG prizes! Go to your public library. Another advantage of going... they will have many of these books and you won’t have to buy them!

5HDG DW OHDVW WKUHH DGGLWLRQDO ERRNV RI \RXU FKRLFH Here are some suggestions- you can read what you want to read. The point of summer reading is to enjoy it. The Apothecary E\ 0DLOH 0HOR\ An invisibility potion only works on your body, not your clothes. So of course, you need to take them off. What happens when the potion runs out? Jane’s family has moved to London and she meets an apothecary and his son and becomes involved in a world of potions that leave her and Benjamin in some uncomfortable positions. This is a funny adventure/ fantasy story. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks E\ ( /RFNKDUW 2Q WKH Ă€UVW SDJH )UDQNLH¡V OHWWHU RI FRQIHVVLRQ ZLOO JUDE \RX )UDQNLH D JLUO LQ D ERDUGLQJ VFKRRO LQĂ€OWUDWHV DQ H[FOXVLYH FOXE RI ER\V 7KH FOXE SXOOV SUDQNV DQG )UDQNLH EHFRPHV WKH leader without the boys suspecting. A very fun read.

Sorta Like a Rock Star by Matthew Quick Amber’s only home is the school bus her mother drives, Hello Yellow. Amber still manages to do lots of good in the world, befriending a loveable but strange cast of characters along the way. She teaches English to a church group of Korean women, befriends a Vietnam vet who writes poetry and works in a nursing home as well as dealing with the life of being a WHHQDJHU ZKR QHHGV WR ÀQG D SODFH WR WDNH D VKRZHU :KHQ WUDJHG\ VWULNHV $PEHU LV VHQW into a downward spiral. The cast of characters that she has been helping turns around to help her. All These Things I’ve Done E\ *DEULHOOH =HYLQ In New York in 2083, paper is hard to get. Caffeine and chocolate are illegal, but beer for minors is okay. (Why would you waste precious water making beer, anyway?) In the bathroom at school, you need to insert quarters to get water to wash your hands. Anya Ballachine is the daughter of a criminal who used to head a chocolate company before he was shot and killed, making Anya an orphan. Anya has got a lot on her hands. Her grandmother is dying, her older brother is simple-minded, her boyfriend is a jerk and she has to take care of her little sister. Good action. Good premise, but scary, because you could see how NYC could end up this way.

I Am Number Four E\ 3LWWDFXV /RUH $FWLRQ SDFNHG DQG GLIĂ€FXOW WR SXW GRZQ ,I \RX¡YH HYHU ZRQGHUHG ZKDW LW ZRXOG EH OLNH WR be an alien living in the United States, then this is the book for you. Then there is the mysterious author, Pitticus Lore, who is mentioned in the story, but we know nothing about. 7KLV LV WKH Ă€UVW LQ WKH VHULHV

Marcelo in the Real World E\ )UDQFLVFR ; 6WRUN Marcelo has attended a special school for years, and he’d like to work with his beloved horses over the summer at his school. His father has other ideas. He wants him to get a job in the “real world”. Marcelo doesn’t think he can do it. Marcelo is charming, but his $VSHUJHU OLNH FRQGLWLRQ JHWV LQ WKH ZD\ RI KLV QHZ MRE LQ KLV IDWKHU·V ODZ ÀUP PDLOURRP He is faced with ethical dilemmas and the complications of making new friends.

Numbers E\ 5DFKHO :DUG Jem has the unique ability of seeing a number whenever she looks into another human’s eyes. It is the date of their death that she sees. When visiting the London Eye, she notices that everyone around here has today’s date in their eyes. She panics and runs away. Of course, there is a terrorist attack at the Eye, and now Jem is a suspect. She and her friend Spider are on the run.

Ender’s Game E\ 2UVRQ 6FRWW &DUG Ender has been bred to be a leader in the war against the buggers, an alien race that wants to take over the earth. He is sent to battle school at a much younger age than usual and LV VPDOOHU WKDQ WKH RWKHU RIÀFHUV LQ WUDLQLQJ <RX ZLOO HQMR\ UHDGLQJ DERXW WUDLQLQJ DW WKLV off-planet battle school. This gets the Toni award for the best ending ever.

As Easy as Falling off the Face of the Earth E\ /\QQH 5DH 3HUNLQV Ry gets stuck in the middle of Montana with no cell phone, no ride, no luggage, and only one shoe. His parents are in the Caribbean and his grandfather seems to be missing. I laughed out loud numerous times while reading this one. Great characters, even if they only are around for a cameo. I read it in one sitting.

Unwind E\ 1HDO 6KXVWHUPDQ This is set in the future in the USA after a civil war over the issue of abortion. There has been a truce in which no fetuses or children may be killed until they turn 12 years old. Then they may be “unwound” and all of their body parts given to someone who needs them. There are all sorts of unintended consequences from this compromise like an underground of children who escape from being unwound and babies being left on doorsteps. You’ll never know what to expect in this adventure.

The Skin I’m In E\ 6KDURQ )ODNH Maleeka is relentlessly teased at school, not only for her good grades and her hand-made clothes, but for the darkness of her skin. When a new teacher arrives at school who has a white birthmark across her dark skin, Maleeka is sure there will be trouble for her, too. She is surprised by Miss Saunders’ attitude. Can Maleeka be proud of the skin she’s in, like Miss Saunders?

The Adventures of Blue Avenger E\ 1RUPD +RZH On his 16th birthday, David legally changes his name to Blue Avenger. In addition, he sets a very odd assortment of goals for himself, like abolishing handguns as well as creating the perfect lemon meringue pie and winning the heart of the new girl in school. Along the way, he lives up to his superhero name. This is one of those books where all RI WKH SLHFHV ÀW WRJHWKHU LQ WKH HQG

Does My Head Look Big in This? E\ 5DQGD $EGHO )DWWDK Australian eleventh grader Amal is a devout Muslim who decides to wear the hijab, or head covering, full time. Get an interesting peek into life in an Australian private school through Amal’s eyes. Her sense of humor keeps it light, but the things she discovers about herself are anything but. Anahita’s Woven Riddle E\ 0HJKDQ 1XWWDOO 6D\UHV Anahita lives in Persia in the early 20th century. She has been promised to the khan of her tribe, whose previous three wives have died mysteriously. Anahita convinces her father to let her weave a riddle into a rug. Whichever man can solve her riddle will be the one she will marry. Along the way, you’ll meet many of the men who will try to solve the riddle. Their stories are skillfully woven into Anahita’s. I was as confused as Anahita about which suitor to cheer for. (Anybody but the khan, anybody but the khan, anybody but the khan‌.) Childhood friend? Intriguing new suitor? Who will win? What will it mean for Anahita’s life? Dairy Queen E\ &DWKHULQH *LOEHUW 0XUGRFN D.J. Schwenks’ family doesn’t talk much. They don’t talk about the fact that D.J. is doing most of the work on the family’s dairy farm since her dad got hurt and her older brothers went off to college. They don’t talk about the fact the D.J. is training (and crushing on) the rival team’s quarterback. When D.J. tries out for her high school’s football team, that gets everyone talking.

Along for the Ride E\ 6DUDK 'HVVHQ Auden decides to escape her control-freak mom by spending the summer with her dad, his new wife, and their baby. Along the way she helps manage her step-mother’s store, learns to ride a bike, and has a complicated romance.

Bloody Jack E\ / $ 0H\HU 7KLV LV WKH Ă€UVW LQ D VHULHV WKDW , FRPSDUH WR SRWDWR FKLSV <RX FDQ¡W UHDG MXVW RQH , KDYH to know what happens next to this orphan girl who escapes every possible scrape by crossGUHVVLQJ DV D ER\ Ă€JKWLQJ RU XVLQJ KHU FRQVLGHUDEOH ZLWV DQG OXFN 0RVW RI KHU HVFDSDGHV happen at sea on various kinds of sailing vessels. Lots of fun.

Someone Like Summer E\ 0 ( .HUU Tall, blue-eyed Annabel is in love with Esteban, who turns out to be an undocumented worker from Columbia. Racial tensions and prejudices run wild in the town. Annabel’s father, who will employ undocumented workers because he can pay them less, won’t let KLV GDXJKWHU GDWH RQH (VWHEDQ¡V EURWKHU FDOOV $QQDEHO Ă RXU IDFH DQG WKLQNV DOO ZKLWH girls are loose. This is an intense romance with today’s issues.

Runaway E\ :HQGHOLQ 9DQ 'UDDQHQ Holly has run away from an abusive foster family. She writes in a journal as she VWUXJJOHV HYHU\ GD\ WR ÀQG IRRG VKHOWHU DQG ZDUPWK :H IROORZ KHU ÀYH PRQWK ORQJ journey to Los Angeles. After reading this book, you will never look at the issue of homelessness in the same way.

The Last Shot: A Final Four Mystery E\ -RKQ )HLQVWHLQ Two students win a journalism contest and win a trip to the Final Four in New Orleans. When 8th graders Susan and Thomas are touring the Superdome, they overhear someone being blackmailed into deliberately losing a game. Basketball, journalism, and action are all packed into this awesome mystery. Ironman E\ &KULV &UXWFKHU Bo Brewster has been placed in Anger Management class, and what a cast of characters he meets there. Bo attempts to compete in an Ironman competition, trying to win in three sports. If you like this one, you will want to read all of Crutcher’s other books.

Nation by Terry Pratchett A tsunami has wiped out everyone on Mau’s island except him. The same tsunami maroons a ship leaving one girl, Daphne, as the only survivor. Refugees from other islands arrive and Daphne and Mau help them. When raiders arrive, Mau must use all of his ingenuity to outsmart their leader.

Murder on the Orient Express E\ $JDWKD &KULVWLH Agatha Christie is the master of mystery telling. This mystery seems impossible to solve even though it is about a murder that has taken place on a train. There aren’t that many suspects and they are all stuck on the train. Luckily, the brilliant detective Hercules Poirot is on board, too. You will be amazed at the solution to this one.

The Reformed Vampire Support Group E\ &DWKHULQH -LQNV Nina Harrison has been 15 years old since 1973. That’s because she is a vampire. She makes her living making up glamorous vampire books, but her life is anything but glamorous. She is trapped by her inability to go out during the day. She attends the reformed vampire support group meeting. These vampires survive on the blood of guinea pigs that they breed to eat. It is not a pretty sight. When one member of their group is found with a silver bullet in him and a stake through the heart, the group thinks there might be someone hunting them. It takes Nina a lot of courage to leave home to investigate. When she does, she goes on the biggest adventure of her life.

Beauty Shop for Rent E\ /DXUD %RZHUV Abbey and her great-grandmother have been running a beauty shop together, but Granny Po wants to retire, renting out her shop. When Gena arrives and turns it into D GD\ VSD DW Ă€UVW $EEH\ LV UHOXFWDQW EXW WKHQ VWDUWV HDUQLQJ PRUH PRQH\ $EEH\¡V mom, who has a history of substance abuse, shows up and Abbey gives her mom her hard-earned savings so they can get a house and live together. Of course, things don’t turn out the way you’d want them to.

Monster E\ :DOWHU 'HDQ 0\HUV Was Steve Harmon really the lookout for a convenience store robbery, or was he just in the wrong place at the wrong time? Now he’s in prison, on trial for murder because the VWRUH RZQHU ZDV NLOOHG 6WHYH LV DQ DVSLULQJ ÀOP PDNHU DQG KH WHOOV KLV VWRU\ LQ D VFUHHQplay format.

Mismatch E\ /HQVH\ 1DPLRND When Sue, a Chinese American, and Andy, a Japanese American meet in orchestra and start dating, the rest of the orchestra members think it is a perfect match. Are all Asians the same? At home, it’s a different matter. Sue’s grandmother won’t forgive the Japanese for invading China and Andy’s father has prejudices about the “dirty back-water� Chinese.

Birthmarked E\ &DUDJK 0 2¡%ULHQ A dystopian novel about a walled city and the area that surrounds it. Caia is a midwife outside the wall. There are rules about the babies all midwives deliver, though Caia has been taught a special marking system that proves to be the key to the survival of her people.

This is a sample reading log. You can turn this in, or make your own.

Reading Log Title

Name_________________ Author

# pages

Reviewed?

Total pages

To sum up: 1)Read the book for your discussion group. 2)Read at least three other books of your choice. 3)Keep a reading log.

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