Dyker Heights Intermediate School 201
Robert Ciulla, Principal
Grade 7 Summer Reading Assignment (2015)
“The more you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
--Dr. Seuss
Dear Parents and Students,
This summer, students must read 2 books. First, they are to choose 1 book from the
Fiction List and 1 book from the Non-Fiction list. Second, students must complete a writing task
for each book. Students need to write a five paragraph response (a paragraph is at least 5-8
sentences). If the response is typed, please double space and use 12 Font/ Times New Roman, or it
may be neatly handwritten. This Summer’s Reading Assignment will be collected during the first
week of school in September.
NOTE: The Summer reading assignment will also be posted on the school’s website.
7th Grade Fiction Titles
1. And Then There Were None, By Agatha Christie (Lexile level 975).
Book Summary: First, there were ten—a curious assortment of strangers summoned as
weekend guests to a private island off the coast of Devon. Their host, an eccentric millionaire unknown
to all of them, is nowhere to be found. All that the guests have in common is a wicked past they're
unwilling to reveal—and a secret that will seal their fate. For each has been marked for murder. One by
one they fall prey. Before the weekend is out, there will be none. And only the dead are above
suspicion.
2. Red Badge of Courage, By Stephen Crane
(Lexile level 775).
Book Summary: Young Henry Fleming had always dreamt of performing heroic deeds in battle.
But the reality, as a new recruit in the Civil War, is a mental and physical torment. And as Henry fights
inner battles with fear, self-doubt, and trauma throughout his first harrowing battle, he has no idea
whether war will make him a coward, a hero -- or a man.
3. The Good Earth, By Pearl S. Buck (Lexile level 1100)
Book Summary: In The Good Earth Pearl S. Buck paints an incredible portrait of China in the
1920s, when the last emperor reigned and the vast political and social upheavals of the twentieth
century were but distant rumblings. This moving, classic story of the honest farmer Wang Lung and his
selfless wife O-Lan is must reading for those who would fully appreciate the sweeping changes that have
occurred in the lives of the Chinese people during the last century.
7th Grade Nonfiction Titles
1. Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery , By Russell Freedom (Lexile level 1000)
Book Summary: In this Newbery Honor Book, acclaimed author and historian Russell Freedman
illuminates the life and achievements of one of the most extraordinary women of the 20th century. A
timid child from a dysfunctional family, Eleanor Roosevelt matured into a woman whose confidence,
self-reliance, and dedication propelled her to achievements well beyond what was thought possible for
a woman of her time. Confident of the importance of her own work, Roosevelt overcame difficult
obstacles to become the first First Lady with a true public life of her own.
2. Abraham Lincoln & Frederick Douglass:The story behind an American Friendship, By Russell Freedom
(Lexile Level 1050)
Book Summary: From the author of Lincoln: A Photo-biography, comes a clear-sighted, carefully
researched account of two surprisingly parallel lives and how they intersected at a critical moment in
U.S. history. Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass were both self-taught, both great readers and
believers in the importance of literacy, both men born poor who by their own efforts reached positions
of power and prominence—Lincoln as president of the United States and Douglass as the most famous
and influential African American of his time.
3. Photo by Brady: A Picture of the Civil War, By Jennifer Armstrong (Lexile level 1100)
Book Summary: (by Scholastic): Mathew B. Brady was already a famous photographer by the time the
Civil War began. But the war gave Brady something else: the chance to make a record of a war — "this
war" — in a way that had never been done before: with true-to-life pictures instead of just words.
Author Jennifer Armstrong tells Brady's story, as well as the haunting story of the war that divided a
nation as seen through the lenses of its recorders. It is a moving and elegant look at the brutal and
deadly time.
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7th Grade Writing Response Tasks
Directions: After reading 1 fiction and 1 nonfiction book from the list above, complete the following
writing tasks. Responses should be typed or neatly written. Responses should be in essay format (at least
5 paragraphs).
For Fiction: A Conflict is a problem the main character faces in a story. There are two types of conflict:
1. (Internal Conflict) Person vs. Self: An internal conflict takes place inside of the body/mind. The
main character is trying to overcome a fear or some serious issue.
2. (External Conflict): Is a conflict the main character has with other characters. There are 3 types
of external conflict:
A. Person vs. Person: Main character is fighting against one or more characters.
B. Person vs. Nature: Main character battles a natural force such as a flood, wild animal, or
disease.
C. Person vs. Society: Main character is fighting against the ideas or practices of a group of
people / government / society.
Writing Task: Provide 3- 5 examples of conflict throughout one of the novels and discuss how the main
character solves them.
For Nonfiction:
Writing Task: What is the main/central idea discussed in this book? Cite 3-5 details that support the
main/idea. Be sure to explain the details you cite.