April 2014 Dear Royster Families, As summer approaches, we know that our students will be breaking away from their shared experiences at school to have wildly varied adventures in the summer months. They will come back to school in the fall eager to share stories about camps and travel and afternoons on the beach, richer for the experiences they’ve had while we’ve been apart. However, as we pursue our individual summer adventures, there’s one experience that we will share - our community will be tied together by the books we read. Each middle school student will choose three titles from the faculty-sponsored list provided and read them at his or her leisure over the summer. In August, we will not only share stories of ziplining and archery, we will recount the excitement of reading about Soviet spies in Bomb, island survival in Hatchet, and hikes down the Appalachian Trail in Navigating Early. The 2014 Royster Summer Reading List is comprised of books chosen by the middle school faculty. We love that summer reading is a chance for every teacher in our middle school to share a book that he or she cares about with our students. We hope that in this list our students will discover new authors, genres, and series, which will spark in them a desire to keep reading throughout the school year and beyond.
When students return to school in August, they will participate in an activity related to each book they’ve selected for summer reading. First, they will engage in a discussion and group project with the students and faculty member who read one of their books. For their second book, they will do a writing activity for English class, and for the third, they will work on a project with their advisee group. Through these exercises, students will have the opportunity to reflect on the reading they’ve done and to enjoy conversations about good books as a school community. Whether they will be reading about an expedition in the Antarctic, a scrappy, small-town baseball team, or a journey on the Oregon Trail, we know that our summer reading books will be welcome companions on our students’ summer adventures. We hope that your family will consider reading a few of these books together this summer-there’s something on the list for everyone. Happy Reading, Royster Summer Reading Advisory
Royster Summer Reading Program Royster Middle School students are required to read three titles from the selections provided. The 2014 selections are titles faculty members have chosen to sponsor; students and parents should review the selections together to evaluate age appropriateness, subject matter and readability. Students should choose books i) within their grade level, ii) that they have not read before and iii) that appeal to their personal reading interests. Follow the instructions on the sign-up sheet carefully. Each of the students’ three Summer Reading titles will be used within the first month of school. Book 1 – Group Discussion Selection: In August, students who read the same book will meet with the sponsoring faculty member for a discussion and an activity based around the book. The number of students in each discussion group is limited; assignments to groups will be made on a first-come, firstserved basis. Book 2 – English Class Activity Selection: When they return to school, students will complete a writing exercise in English class based on their second summer reading book. The specifics of the assignment will vary depending on the student’s class. Any of the books on the list will work for this activity. Book 3 – Advisee Group Selection: During their first advisee meeting in September, students will participate in a group activity based on their third summer reading book. (It will not be necessary for all members of the advisee group to read the same book for this meeting.) This activity is new for the 2014 school year, and details will be unveiled in the fall. We’re excited to be bringing a new twist to the program this year. Any of the books on the list will work for this activity.
Summer Reading Photo Submissions! One small favor that we’ll ask of families is to take a picture of your student reading one of these books over the summer. Whether students are reading in a backyard hammock or an exotic destination, we love to have these pictures of them for slideshows and posterity. Please email your summer reading photo to summerreading@norfolkacademy.org.
This year we are offering a prize for the three most creative summer reading photos that are submitted by email!
Frequently Asked Questions How many books do I have to read? Three. You’re welcome to read as many of them as you’d like, but we’ll use only three in an academic setting. Does it matter whether I consult the digital or paper Summer Reading packet? No—they are both the same. In an effort to conserve paper, we are encouraging everyone to use the online packet available at http://tiny.cc/roystersummerreading. A benefit of the online version is that it contains links to book trailers or reviews for each book. Copies of the paper packet are available in the Middle School Office. If you use the digital packet, be sure to bring your sign-up sheet with parent signature on the day you sign up. The book list states the book is for certain grade levels. What does this mean? Many of the books are open to multiple grade levels. If you are a rising 7th grader you may only choose titles with Grade Level 7-9; a rising 8th grader may select titles with Grade Level 7-9 or 8-9. Rising 9th grade students may read any book on the list. Can I choose a book that I have already read? No. Please choose books that are new to you. Does it matter what kind of books I choose for the English assignment and the Advisee group project? No. All of the books on the list will work well for both. I really want to be in the discussion group for a certain book; what should I do to have the best chance at getting in? Sign-ups for rising 7th graders will be done by random lottery. Be sure to return your signed sign-up sheet to your homeroom teacher by April 14th to have the best chance of getting the book you want. For rising 8th and 9th graders, discussion group sign-ups are first-come, first-served beginning during tutor bell May 12-13th. Discussion groups may fill up fast! Carefully read and follow the instructions on the sign-up sheet. If the discussion group is full when I go to sign up, can I still read that book? Of course! If a particular discussion group is full, just use the book for either the English assignment or the Advisee Group project. Will the Summer Reading list books be sold at the NA bookstore? Yes! You are also welcome to purchase them elsewhere or borrow them from a library. Am I allowed to read my book on a Kindle, Nook, iPad, or other e-reader? Absolutely. Keep in mind, however, that some English projects might require you to know the page numbers of your book, which aren’t always available on e-readers. You could read the book on your e-reader and then check out the hard copy from the library when it comes time to do your English assignment. If I’m not doing anything cool this summer, should I still email a photo of me reading? Definitely. We want to have as many pictures of reading middle schoolers as possible. Even if you’re just reading on your living room couch, send us a picture. If you’re going surfing in Costa Rica, though, be sure to bring your book along for a photo. We’re offering a prize this year for the three most creative photos! I saw several different versions of my book at the bookstore. How do I know which one to get? Consult the ISBN number listed in the packet. I have a question about Summer Reading that is not answered here. What should I do? Contact the Middle School Office at 461-2223 and we will help you find an answer!
Title Anthem Bomb The Book Thief Coraline Counting by 7s David and Goliath The Devil’s Paintbox The Diviners Endurance Far, Far Away Fire in the Ashes Gathering Blue The Golden Compass The Great Escape Hatchet I am Malala Introducing Plato An Invisible Thread Island Out of Time The Last Lecture The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe Little Princes Lone Survivor Looking for Alaska Mandela’s Way The Maze Runner
Author Ayn Rand Steve Sheinkin Markus Zusak Neil Gaiman Holly Sloan Malcolm Gladwell Victoria McKernan Libba Bray Alfred Lansing Tom McNeal Jonathan Kozol Lois Lowry Philip Pullman Paul Brickhill Gary Paulsen Malala Yousafzai Dave Robinson Laura Schroff Tom Horton Randy Pausch C.S. Lewis
ISBN 978-1434440891 9781596434875 978-0375842207 978-0380807345 978-0803738553 978-0449816554 978-0449816554 978-0316126106 978-0786706211 978-0375849725 978-1400052479 978-0547904146 978-0440418320 978-0393325799 978-1416936473 978-0316322409 978-1848311770 978-1451648973 978-0393331462 978-1401323257 978-0064404990
Grades 9* 7,8,9 7,8,9 7,8,9 7,8,9 7,8,9 7,8,9 8,9* 7,8,9 7,8,9 9* 7,8,9 7,8,9 7,8,9 7,8,9 8,9* 8,9* 9* 7,8,9 7,8,9 7,8,9
Conor Grennan Marcus Luttrell John Green Nelson Mandela James Dashner
978-0061930065 978-0316324069 978-0142402511 978-0307460684 978-0385737951
7,8,9 9* 9* 7,8,9 7,8,9
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children Monument 14: Sky on Fire My Dance with Grace Navigating Early One Shot at Forever A River Runs Through It The Selection Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Learn The Sports Gene Take a Shot Trash Top Secret America A Walk in the Woods
Ransom Riggs
978-1613822395
7,8,9
Emmy Laybourne
978-0312569044
8,9*
Weldon Bradshaw Clare Vanderpool Chris Ballard Norman Maclean Kiera Cass John Maxwell
978-1939930163 978-0385742092 978-1401312664 978-0226500669 978-0062059949 978-1455576111
7,8,9 7,8,9 8,9* 8,9* 7,8,9 7,8,9
David Epstein Jake Steinfeld and Dave Morrow Andy Mulligan Dana Priest Bill Bryson
978-1617230127 978-1401940270
7,8,9 7,8,9
978-0385752169 978-0316182201 978-0307279460
7,8,9 9* 8,9*
*Contains mature language or content suitable for more mature readers
April 2014 Dear Royster Families, As summer approaches, we know that our students will be breaking away from their shared experiences at school to have wildly varied adventures in the summer months. They will come back to school in the fall eager to share stories about camps and travel and afternoons on the beach, richer for the experiences they’ve had while we’ve been apart. However, as we pursue our individual summer adventures, there’s one experience that we will share - our community will be tied together by the books we read. Each middle school student will choose three titles from the faculty-sponsored list provided and read them at his or her leisure over the summer. In August, we will not only share stories of ziplining and archery, we will recount the excitement of reading about Soviet spies in Bomb, island survival in Hatchet, and hikes down the Appalachian Trail in Navigating Early. The 2014 Royster Summer Reading List is comprised of books chosen by the middle school faculty. We love that summer reading is a chance for every teacher in our middle school to share a book that he or she cares about with our students. We hope that in this list our students will discover new authors, genres, and series, which will spark in them a desire to keep reading throughout the school year and beyond.
When students return to school in August, they will participate in an activity related to each book they’ve selected for summer reading. First, they will engage in a discussion and group project with the students and faculty member who read one of their books. For their second book, they will do a writing activity for English class, and for the third, they will work on a project with their advisee group. Through these exercises, students will have the opportunity to reflect on the reading they’ve done and to enjoy conversations about good books as a school community. Whether they will be reading about an expedition in the Antarctic, a scrappy, small-town baseball team, or a journey on the Oregon Trail, we know that our summer reading books will be welcome companions on our students’ summer adventures. We hope that your family will consider reading a few of these books together this summer-there’s something on the list for everyone. Happy Reading, Royster Summer Reading Advisory
Royster Summer Reading Program Royster Middle School students are required to read three titles from the selections provided. The 2014 selections are titles faculty members have chosen to sponsor; students and parents should review the selections together to evaluate age appropriateness, subject matter and readability. Students should choose books i) within their grade level, ii) that they have not read before and iii) that appeal to their personal reading interests. Follow the instructions on the sign-up sheet carefully. Each of the students’ three Summer Reading titles will be used within the first month of school. Book 1 – Group Discussion Selection: In August, students who read the same book will meet with the sponsoring faculty member for a discussion and an activity based around the book. The number of students in each discussion group is limited; assignments to groups will be made on a first-come, firstserved basis. Book 2 – English Class Activity Selection: When they return to school, students will complete a writing exercise in English class based on their second summer reading book. The specifics of the assignment will vary depending on the student’s class. Any of the books on the list will work for this activity. Book 3 – Advisee Group Selection: During their first advisee meeting in September, students will participate in a group activity based on their third summer reading book. (It will not be necessary for all members of the advisee group to read the same book for this meeting.) This activity is new for the 2014 school year, and details will be unveiled in the fall. We’re excited to be bringing a new twist to the program this year. Any of the books on the list will work for this activity.
Summer Reading Photo Submissions! One small favor that we’ll ask of families is to take a picture of your student reading one of these books over the summer. Whether students are reading in a backyard hammock or an exotic destination, we love to have these pictures of them for slideshows and posterity. Please email your summer reading photo to summerreading@norfolkacademy.org.
This year we are offering a prize for the three most creative summer reading photos that are submitted by email!
Frequently Asked Questions How many books do I have to read? Three. You’re welcome to read as many of them as you’d like, but we’ll use only three in an academic setting. Does it matter whether I consult the digital or paper Summer Reading packet? No—they are both the same. In an effort to conserve paper, we are encouraging everyone to use the online packet available at http://tiny.cc/roystersummerreading. A benefit of the online version is that it contains links to book trailers or reviews for each book. Copies of the paper packet are available in the Middle School Office. If you use the digital packet, be sure to bring your sign-up sheet with parent signature on the day you sign up. The book list states the book is for certain grade levels. What does this mean? Many of the books are open to multiple grade levels. If you are a rising 7th grader you may only choose titles with Grade Level 7-9; a rising 8th grader may select titles with Grade Level 7-9 or 8-9. Rising 9th grade students may read any book on the list. Can I choose a book that I have already read? No. Please choose books that are new to you. Does it matter what kind of books I choose for the English assignment and the Advisee group project? No. All of the books on the list will work well for both. I really want to be in the discussion group for a certain book; what should I do to have the best chance at getting in? Sign-ups for rising 7th graders will be done by random lottery. Be sure to return your signed sign-up sheet to your homeroom teacher by April 14th to have the best chance of getting the book you want. For rising 8th and 9th graders, discussion group sign-ups are first-come, first-served beginning during tutor bell May 12-13th. Discussion groups may fill up fast! Carefully read and follow the instructions on the sign-up sheet. If the discussion group is full when I go to sign up, can I still read that book? Of course! If a particular discussion group is full, just use the book for either the English assignment or the Advisee Group project. Will the Summer Reading list books be sold at the NA bookstore? Yes! You are also welcome to purchase them elsewhere or borrow them from a library. Am I allowed to read my book on a Kindle, Nook, iPad, or other e-reader? Absolutely. Keep in mind, however, that some English projects might require you to know the page numbers of your book, which aren’t always available on e-readers. You could read the book on your e-reader and then check out the hard copy from the library when it comes time to do your English assignment. If I’m not doing anything cool this summer, should I still email a photo of me reading? Definitely. We want to have as many pictures of reading middle schoolers as possible. Even if you’re just reading on your living room couch, send us a picture. If you’re going surfing in Costa Rica, though, be sure to bring your book along for a photo. We’re offering a prize this year for the three most creative photos! I saw several different versions of my book at the bookstore. How do I know which one to get? Consult the ISBN number listed in the packet. I have a question about Summer Reading that is not answered here. What should I do? Contact the Middle School Office at 461-2223 and we will help you find an answer!
Title Anthem Bomb The Book Thief Coraline Counting by 7s David and Goliath The Devil’s Paintbox The Diviners Endurance Far, Far Away Fire in the Ashes Gathering Blue The Golden Compass The Great Escape Hatchet I am Malala Introducing Plato An Invisible Thread Island Out of Time The Last Lecture The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe Little Princes Lone Survivor Looking for Alaska Mandela’s Way The Maze Runner
Author Ayn Rand Steve Sheinkin Markus Zusak Neil Gaiman Holly Sloan Malcolm Gladwell Victoria McKernan Libba Bray Alfred Lansing Tom McNeal Jonathan Kozol Lois Lowry Philip Pullman Paul Brickhill Gary Paulsen Malala Yousafzai Dave Robinson Laura Schroff Tom Horton Randy Pausch C.S. Lewis
ISBN 978-1434440891 9781596434875 978-0375842207 978-0380807345 978-0803738553 978-0449816554 978-0449816554 978-0316126106 978-0786706211 978-0375849725 978-1400052479 978-0547904146 978-0440418320 978-0393325799 978-1416936473 978-0316322409 978-1848311770 978-1451648973 978-0393331462 978-1401323257 978-0064404990
Grades 9* 7,8,9 7,8,9 7,8,9 7,8,9 7,8,9 7,8,9 8,9* 7,8,9 7,8,9 9* 7,8,9 7,8,9 7,8,9 7,8,9 8,9* 8,9* 9* 7,8,9 7,8,9 7,8,9
Conor Grennan Marcus Luttrell John Green Nelson Mandela James Dashner
978-0061930065 978-0316324069 978-0142402511 978-0307460684 978-0385737951
7,8,9 9* 9* 7,8,9 7,8,9
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children Monument 14: Sky on Fire My Dance with Grace Navigating Early One Shot at Forever A River Runs Through It The Selection Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Learn The Sports Gene Take a Shot Trash Top Secret America A Walk in the Woods
Ransom Riggs
978-1613822395
7,8,9
Emmy Laybourne
978-0312569044
8,9*
Weldon Bradshaw Clare Vanderpool Chris Ballard Norman Maclean Kiera Cass John Maxwell
978-1939930163 978-0385742092 978-1401312664 978-0226500669 978-0062059949 978-1455576111
7,8,9 7,8,9 8,9* 8,9* 7,8,9 7,8,9
David Epstein Jake Steinfeld and Dave Morrow Andy Mulligan Dana Priest Bill Bryson
978-1617230127 978-1401940270
7,8,9 7,8,9
978-0385752169 978-0316182201 978-0307279460
7,8,9 9* 8,9*
*Contains mature language or content suitable for more mature readers
Royster Summer Reading 2014 Anthem by Ayn Rand Genre: Literary Fiction ISBN: 978-1434440891
Grade 9*
"Anthem" is a classic dystopian fiction novella by Ayn Rand, written in 1937. In the future, mankind has entered another dark age characterized by irrationality, collectivism, and socialistic thinking and economics. Technological advancement is now carefully planned, and the concept of individuality has been eliminated. Get the ebook
Listen to the beginning of the audiobook
Bomb by Steve Sheinkin Genre: Action/Non-Fiction ISBN: 9781596434875
Grades 7-9
Harry Gold is a spy for the Soviets. Robert Oppenheimer is the leader of the Manhattan Project. Knut Haukelid is a Norwegian saboteur. It’s a true story that reads like a spy thriller. Three men’s lives collide as the United States strives to invent the atomic bomb, the Soviet Union attempts to steal it, and the Norwegian Resistance attempts to sabotage the US and the Soviets. Watch an author interview
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak Genre: WWII Fiction ISBN: 978-0375842207
Grades 7-9
It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still. Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. As Liesel builds a life with her new foster family, she is ever aware that living in WWII Germany means danger could be right around the corner. Get the ebook
Watch a Trailer
*Contains mature language or content suitable for more mature readers
Coraline by Neil Gaiman Genre: Fantasy/Horror Fiction ISBN: 978-0380807345
Grades 7-9
Coraline has just moved to a new house. She finds a locked door. Then she finds a key, and a passage to a different world. There is delicious food and magical toys, and an “other” mother and an “other” father who love her. But soon they become reluctant to let her return to her real house, her real mother, and her real life. Things start to get creepy, and she soon discovers that she wouldn’t be the first child to get trapped in this “other” world forever. Get the ebook
Watch the Trailer
Counting by 7’s by Holly Sloan Genre: Fiction ISBN: 978-0803738553
Grades 7-9
Willow Chance is a twelve-year-old genius, obsessed with nature and diagnosing medical conditions. It’s never been easy for her to connect with anyone other than her adoptive parents, but she’s always been happy . . . until now. When her parents die in a car crash, she’s left alone. But this book is not a tragedy. This extraordinarily odd, but extraordinarily endearing, girl manages to push through her grief and find joy in her continuing life. Read an Excerpt
David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell Genre: Non-Fiction ISBN: 978-0449816554
Grades 7-9
In David and Goliath, Malcolm Gladwell challenges how we think about obstacles and disadvantages, offering a new interpretation of what it means to be discriminated against, or cope with a disability, or lose a parent, or attend a mediocre school, or suffer from any number of other apparent setbacks. Get the ebook
Read a Review
The Devil’s Paintbox by Victoria McKernan Genre: Action/Western Fiction ISBN: 978-0449816554
Grades 7-9
Orphans Aiden and Maddy Lynch are struggling to survive. When trail rider Jefferson Jackson offers an escape, they know it’s their only choice. They’ll trek the Oregon Trail. They’ll face 2,000 miles of wolf attacks, rattlesnakes, river crossings, and Indians. Through it all, one question haunts them: who will survive the journey? Get the ebook
Read a Review
The Diviners by Libba Bray Genre: Fantasy Fiction ISBN: 978-0316126106
Grades 8-9*
Evie O'Neill has been exiled from her hometown and shipped off to New York City--and she is thrilled. New York is glamourous. New York is exciting. The only catch is that Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult. When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the middle of the investigation. And Evie has a secret: a mysterious power that could help catch the killer--if he doesn't catch her first. Watch a Trailer
Endurance by Alfred Lansing Genre: Adventure/Non-Fiction ISBN: 978-0786706211
Grades 7-9
This book has a five star rating from 890 reviews on Amazon. Ernest Shackleton set off aboard the Endurance with the goal of crossing the Antarctic, but his ship was trapped in ice and crushed. For five months Shackleton and his crew survived on drifting ice in one of the most savage regions of the world. This is their story. Get the ebook
Watch a Trailer
*Contains mature language or content suitable for more mature readers
Far Far Away by Tom McNeal Genre: Fantasy Fiction ISBN: 978-0786706211
Grades 7-9
When Ginger Boultinghouse takes a bite of a cake so delicious it’s rumored to be bewitched, she falls in love with the first person she sees: Jeremy. In any other place, this would be a turn for the better for Jeremy, but not in the town of Never Better, where someone has been watching and waiting, waiting and watching for just this moment. Watch a Trailer
Fire in the Ashes by Jonathan Kozol Genre: Non-Fiction ISBN: 978-1400052479
Grades 9*
Jonathan Kozol spent twenty-five years with some of the poorest children in the United States. Some of them never recovered from the battering they underwent in their early years, but many more fought back with fierce determination to overcome the obstacles they faced. Here he tells their stories, stories that every American should know. Listen to the Author
Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry Genre: Fantasy/Sci-Fi ISBN: 978-0547904146
Grades 7-9
Civilization has fallen. Poverty is rampant. People with physical flaws are cast out of society to die. This is the world Kira was born into. Kira was born with a crippled leg, but she has always been protected by her mother, a revered artist. When her mother dies, Kira fears for her life. Get the ebook
Watch a Trailer
The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman Genre: Science Fiction ISBN: 978-0440418320
Grades 7-9
Children have been disappearing from Lyra’s town. Kidnappers are stealing them to experiment upon them. When Lyra’s best friend goes missing, she’s determined to save him, but she’ll risk her own life in the process. Don’t bother with the movie…the book is totally different and SO much better! Get the ebook
Read Reviews
The Great Escape by Paul Brickhill Genre: Adventure/Non-Fiction ISBN: 978-0393325799
Grades 7-9
They were American and British air force officers in a German prison camp. With only their bare hands and the crudest of homemade tools, they sank shafts, forged passports, faked weapons, and tailored German uniforms and civilian clothes. They developed a security system to protect themselves from surveillance. For more than a year, they plotted their great escape. Read Reviews
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen Genre: Adventure Fiction ISBN: 978-1416936473
Grades 7-9
Brian Robeson is on his way to visit his father when the singleengine plane in which he is flying crashes. Suddenly, Brian finds himself alone in the Canadian wilderness with nothing but a tattered Windbreaker and the hatchet his mother gave him as a present. But now Brian has no time for anger, self pity, or despair -- it will take all his determination, and more courage than he knew he possessed, to survive. Watch a Trailer
I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai Genre: Non-Fiction ISBN: 978-0316322409
Grades 8-9*
When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, one girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education. On October 9, 2012, when she was fifteen, she was shot in the head at point-blank range while riding the bus home from school. She survived. Malala's miraculous recovery has taken her on a journey from a remote valley in northern Pakistan to the United Nations in New York. Watch an Interview with Malala
Introducing Plato by Dave Robinson Genre: Non-Fiction/Philosophy ISBN: 978-1848311770
Grades 8-9*
Want to dip your toes in the world of philosophy? This is your book. Get a taste of Plato, one of the most famous philosophers of all time. His ideas are broken down to be understandable to first-time philosophers and are illustrated like a comic book on every page. Read Reviews
An Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff Genre: Non-Fiction ISBN: 978-1451648973
Grade 9*
She was a successful ad sales rep in Manhattan. He was a homeless, eleven-year-old panhandler on the street. He asked for spare change; she kept walking. But then something stopped her in her tracks, and she went back. And she continued to go back, again and again. They met up nearly every week for years and built an unexpected, life-changing friendship that has today spanned almost three decades. Watch an Interview
*Contains mature language or content suitable for more mature readers
An Island Out of Time by Tom Horton Genre: Nature Non-Fiction ISBN: 978-0393331462
Grades 7-9
Find out how different life is on a small island right in the Chesapeake Bay. There are no police, high schools, or hospitals. People live off of the water, making their livelihoods crabbing and fishing. They speak with accents from Shakespeare’s time. As sea levels rise and the island is slowly being covered by water, this way of life could disappear forever. Watch a Video about the Island
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch Genre: Inspirational Non-Fiction ISBN: 978-1401323257
Grades 7-9
Randy Pausch was a professor at Carnegie Mellon when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. But his last lecture at the college-"Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams"--wasn't about dying. It was about the importance of overcoming obstacles, of enabling the dreams of others, of seizing every moment. It was a summation of everything Randy had come to believe. It was about living. Get the ebook
Watch a Snippet of the Author
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis Genre: Fantasy Fiction ISBN: 978-0064404990
Grades 7-9
Four children find a portal to the land of Narnia. There, they discover that the White Witch has set a curse upon the land, leaving it forever covered in snow. With a faun as their guide, they fall in love with the creatures of Narnia - talking beavers, badgers, and lions - and they become determined to save Narnia from the evil that entraps it. Get the ebook
Watch a Trailer
Little Princes by Conor Grennan Genre: Non-fiction ISBN: 978-0061930065
Grades 7-9
Conor Grennan will be our visiting author next year! A few years after college, Conor spent a few weeks volunteering at an orphanage in Nepal. When he discovered that the children there weren’t really orphans, that they had been taken from their families by child traffickers, he became determined to reunite the kids with their families and to fight child trafficking in Nepal. Watch a Trailer
Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell Genre: Action/Military Non-Fiction ISBN: 978-0316324069
Grade 9*
Four US Navy SEALS departed one clear night in July 2005 for a reconnaissance mission at the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Their task was to document the activity of an al Qaeda leader rumored to be close to Bin Laden. Five days later, only one of the Navy SEALS made it out alive. This is the story of the only survivor of Operation Redwing and the extraordinary firefight that led to the largest loss of life in American Navy SEAL history. Get the ebook
Watch an Interview with the Author
Looking for Alaska by John Green Genre: Fiction ISBN: 978-0142402511
Grade 9*
Miles heads off to the sometimes crazy and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young. She is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart. Then. . . .After. Nothing is ever the same. Read a Review
*Contains mature language or content suitable for more mature readers
Mandela’s Way by Richard Stengel Genre: Non-Fiction ISBN: 978-0307460684
Grades 7-9
We long for heroes and have too few. Nelson Mandela was a hero. He liberated a country from a system of violent prejudice and helped unite people who had been locked in hatred. This book covers Mandela’s essential life lessons: why we should keep our rivals close, why the answer isn’t always either/or but often “both,” how important it is to discover what gives us pleasure and satisfaction. Woven into these lessons are remarkable stories— Mandela’s childhood as the protégé of a tribal king, his days as a freedom fighter, the 27 year imprisonment that couldn’t break him. Read a Review
The Maze Runner by James Dashner Genre: Science Fiction ISBN: 978-0385737951
Grades 7-9
Thomas wakes up in an elevator, and the only thing he can remember is his own name. He gets hauled out of the elevator to find that he’s trapped inside a maze along with 60 other teenage boys. They live in a clearing called the glade in the middle of the maze. Every day they search for an escape from the maze. Every night they hide from the Grievers. They’re running out of time, and they have to find a way out. Get the ebook
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Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs Genre: Science Fiction ISBN: 978-1594746031
Grades 7-9
As a kid, Jacob formed a special bond with his grandfather over his bizarre tales and photos of levitating girls and invisible boys. Now at 16, he is reeling from his grandpa’s unexpected death. Then Jacob is given a mysterious letter that propels him on a journey to the remote Welsh island where his grandfather grew up. There, he finds the children from the photographs--alive and well--despite the islanders’ assertion that all were killed decades ago. As Jacob begins to unravel more about his grandfather’s childhood, he begins to suspect that whatever killed his grandfather is after him as well. Get the ebook
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Monument 14: Sky on Fire by Emmy Laybourne Genre: Science Fiction ISBN: 978-0312569044
Grades 8-9*
You must have read Monument 14 if you select this book. In Monument 14, you spent a book with 14 kids trapped in a supercenter as the world fell apart outside. It wasn’t easy for them trying to survive on their own as threats emerged outside and inside as well. What will their next steps be? Read a Review
*Contains mature language or content suitable for more mature readers
My Dance with Grace by Weldon Bradshaw Genre: Non-Fiction/Inspirational ISBN: 978-1939930163
Grades 7-9
Weldon Bradshaw was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis, an incurable, autoimmune liver condition. His doctor informed him that if he didn't receive a transplant, he'd be dead within the week. Weldon remained determined to be there to dance at his granddaughter's wedding. A lifelong athlete, Weldon was accustomed to tests of endurance, spirit, and drive. But nothing prepared him for this-the race of his life, a race for a miracle. Read Reviews
Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool Genre: Fiction ISBN: 978-0385742092
Grades 7-9
When his mother unexpectedly passes away and his father returns from serving in World War II, Jack Baker's life is turned upside down. He's moved from his home in Kansas to a boy's boarding school in Maine. He meets a unique boy named Early Auden who has an obsession with pi, seeing an unending story in the mathematically significant number. The boys take a chance during a school break to head off on a quest along the Appalachian Trail. Read a Review
One Shot at Forever by Chris Ballard Genre: Non-Fiction/Sports ISBN: 978-1401312664
Grades 8-9*
This is the story of a small town baseball team and its coach, Lynn Sweet, a dreamer who brought big ideas to Macon, Illinois. Beloved by students but not administrators, Sweet reluctantly took over the ragtag team, teaching the boys as much about life as baseball. Inspired by Sweet's unconventional methods, the Macon Ironmen embarked on an improbable postseason that buoyed a town in desperate need of something to celebrate. Get the ebook
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A River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean Genre: Fiction ISBN: 978-0226500669
Grade 8-9*
This book IS about fly fishing: but more than that it is about life, family, love, brotherhood, and growing up. The book’s author writes "in my family, there is no clear line between religion and fly-fishing." Nor is there a clear line between family and fly-fishing. It is the one activity where brother can connect with brother and father with son. In Maclean's autobiographical novella, it is the river that makes them realize that life continues and all things are related. Read an Author Interview
The Selection by Kiera Cass Genre: Fiction/Fantasy ISBN: 978-0062059949
Grade 7-9
In the future the U.S. is a monarchy, and Prince Maxon is preparing to take the throne. 35 young women are randomly selected to compete to be his queen. America Singer, who lives on the cusp of poverty is chosen as one of the contestants. But she has no desire to become queen. She’s in love with Aspen, her friend next door. In this world, her feelings don’t matter. She must compete. Get the ebook
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Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Learn by John Maxwell Genre: Non-Fiction/Sports ISBN: 978-1455576111
Grade 7-9
Leadership guru John Maxwell gives you a roadmap for turning any setback into an opportunity to learn and to overcome problems, failures, and losses. With chapters on topics such as humility, reality, and responsibility, this is a great book for anyone who wants to become a great Bulldog. Listen to the Author
*Contains mature language or content suitable for more mature readers
The Sports Gene by David Epstein Genre: Non-Fiction/Sports ISBN: 978-1617230127
Grade 7-9
Do superstar athletes like Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps owe their success to genetic luck? Or are they basically normal people who overcame their biological limits through sheer force of will and obsessive training? Watch an Author Interview
Take a Shot by Jake Steinfeld and Dave Morrow Genre: Non-Fiction/Sports ISBN: 978-1401940270
Grades 7-9
Three unlikely partners broke all the rules and beat all the odds to create Major League Lacrosse. From the earliest inspiration to the wild search for investors and owners, to the insane setbacks that nearly derailed the league time and time again, to the emotional and triumphant debut of Major League Lacrosse, Take a Shot! is a great story. Watch an Author Video
Trash by Andy Mulligan Genre: Adventure ISBN: 978-0385752169
Grades 7-9
Raphael, Rat and Gordo spend their days picking through trash to try to find anything of value that they might be able to sell. Then Raphael finds a bag filled with a map, a key, and money, enough money to feed his family for a month. When the police come looking for the pouch, Raphael realizes that the map and key must be more valuable than he’d imagined, and he’s determined to find out why. Get the Ebook
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Top Secret America by Dana Priest Genre: Non-Fiction ISBN: 978-0316182201
Grade 9*
After 9/11, the United States government embarked on an unprecedented effort to protect America. The result has been calamitous: after ten years of unparalleled spending and growth, the result is that a system put in place to keep America safe may in fact be putting us in even greater danger-but we don't know because it's all Top Secret. Get the ebook
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A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson Genre: Non-Fiction/Outdoors ISBN: 978-0307279460
Grades 8-9*
The Appalachian Trail stretches from Georgia to Maine and covers some of the most breathtaking terrain in America–majestic mountains, silent forests, sparking lakes. Bill Bryson walked much of the trail himself, and this is the story of the people he met and the places he saw and all of his misadventures on a trip where he had no idea what he was getting himself into. Get the ebook
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*Contains mature language or content suitable for more mature readers