Summer Reading List: Grade 8
All 8th grade students are asked to read the following narrative poems by Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow: “Evangeline,” “The Courtship of Miles Standish,” and “The Song of Hiawatha.”
(Please make sure you read the complete works. Many poetry books have only excerpts). The
school library has copies of these to be checked out for a limited time during the summer. They
should also be readily available at the libraries and bookstores. Study questions are shown
below, and students must turn in answers to these questions on the first day of school.
In addition, all 8th grade students are encouraged to read one or more of the following books:
Watership Down by Robert Adams
The Yearling by Marjorie K. Rawlings
Smoky the Cow Horse by Will James
The Fellowship of the Ring, Part 1 (Book 1 of Lord of the Rings) by
J. R. R. Tolkien
Students will receive extra credit for reading any of these books if a short summary of the book
is turned in at the beginning of the school year. These books are also available at the same
outlets mentioned above. Any student who reads all of the books will be eligible to receive a gift
certificate to The White Hart Café on Main Street (maximum 10 awarded). Please call Mrs.
Mitchell at school (847-8313) or at home (528-8504) if you have any questions about the
assignment.
Study questions for Evangeline, Song of Hiawatha, and Courtship of Miles Standish
Evangeline
1. What was the reason for Basil and Gabriel’s visit to Benedict and Evangeline?
2. How did Evangeline and Gabriel get separated when they had to leave?
3. What advice did people give Evangeline about what she should do, and how did she react?
4. When Evangeline reached Louisiana, what news did she get from Basil about Gabriel?
5. How long did Evangeline search for Gabriel? What did she finally decide to do with her life?
6. Describe the final meeting between Evangeline and Gabriel.
Hiawatha
1. Briefly describe each of the four winds.
2. Who raised Hiawatha? What kind of education did he receive?
3. Who was Hiawatha’s sweetheart? What does her name mean?
4. How long did Hiawatha fast? With whom did he wrestle during the time of his fasting?
5. Briefly describe Hiawatha’s battle with Megissogwon.
6. What three people entertained at Hiawatha’s wedding feast?
7. Why did Hiawatha paint pictures on birch bark?
8. What was the result of the famine? Why did Hiawatha leave?
The Courtship of Miles Standish
1. Why was John Alden upset when Miles Standish told him he wanted to marry Priscilla?
2. What did Miles ask John to do for him? What was Priscilla’s response to John?
3. How did Miles react when John reported back to him?
4. Why did Miles leave Plymouth? Why did John decide to stay when the Mayflower left?
5. Who won the first battle with the Indians? What sad news does a messenger later bring to
Plymouth?
6. What nickname does John give to Priscilla? What surprise do they get at their wedding?