HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC SCHOOL SUMMER READING FOR GRADES 6-8
Dear Parents and Students,
You will be required to read 3 books this summer. One is a book chosen for you; the
other two you choose. You can choose the other 2 from the suggested reading list. All books
must be read by August 28, 2013. This is a total of 3 books for the program.
The purpose of the Summer Reading Program is to encourage students to enjoy quality
literature and to continue developing their independent reading skills. Parents may want to
discuss the stories with their children and identify virtues practiced.
The mandatory reading selections are listed below and work in connection with your
history units. You will be expected to have the mandatory reading selection and the 2 other
books of your choosing, completed by the first day of school.
Keep a list of suggested books read during the summer by maintaining the attached
Summer Reading Log (minimum of 2 extra books). If you wish to read a book not suggested,
just make sure it is on your reading level and appropriate. Have parents and/or guardians sign
your log to verify you read the work.
Please remember to visit the Prince William County Public Libraries; they have a
wonderful summer reading program.
Mandatory Reads:
*If you (the parent/guardian) do not wish for your child to read the mandatory book, then please
choose one that coincides with the grade-level curriculum being taught for the 2013-2014 school
year.
Grade 6: Ancient Civilizations: Sumer/Mesopotamia, Egypt, Hebrews, and Persia
Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. Scholastic. A young boy
discovers he's the descendant of a Greek god and sets out on an adventure to settle an on-going
battle between the gods.
Grade 7: U.S. History Part I (Exploration to Reconstruction) American Revolution
Ann Rinaldi’s Amelia’s War. Scholastic. As the Civil War rages, Amelia's Maryland town
(Hagerstown) is beset by divisions. Even she and her best friend Josh disagree. Amelia vows not
to take sides, until the Confederate troops march into town... led by Josh's uncle.
Grade 8: U.S. History Part II (Westward Expansion to Present Day)
William Bell’s Forbidden City: A Novel of Modern China. Laurel Leaf Books. Seventeenyear-old Alex Jackson comes home from school to find that his father, a CBC news cameraman,
wants to take him to China's capital, Beijing. Once there, Alex finds himself on his own in Tian
An Men Square as desperate students fight the Chinese army for their freedom. Separated from
his father and carrying illegal videotapes, Alex must trust the students to help him escape.
SUGGESTED READING LIST
READ AT LEAST 2 BOOKS; Catholic literature is an option as well; however, many do
not have an Accelerated Reader quiz. A written summary of a book, not in the Accelerated
Reader test bank, will be graded and used in place of an A/R book and quiz. All students
are required to read 2 A/R books per quarter.
The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle
The Road to Memphis by Mildred Taylor
Before We Were Free by Julia Alvarez
The Pearl by John Steinbeck
The Big Wave by Pearl S. Buck
Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series by Rick Riordan (It’s a series; start with The Lightning
Thief)
Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy by Tui T. Sutherland (It’s a series; start with this one)
Shakespeare’s Secret by Elise Broach
Missing May by Cynthia Rylant
The White Mountains by John Christopher
An American Plague by Jim Murphy
Harlem Stomp! By Laban Carrick Hill
Almost Astronauts by Tanya Stone
Ain’t Nothing but a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry by Scott Reynolds Nelson
with Marc Aronson
The Conch Bearer by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
The Red Scarf by Ji-Li Jiang
Voices from the Fields: Children of Migrant Workers by S. Beth Atkin
The Broken Bridge by Phillip Pullman
Portraits of African American Heroes by Tonya Bolden
Famous Hispanic Americans by Janet Nomura Morey
Just Like Martin by Ossie Davis
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
The 2013-2014 Battle of the Books Reading List
**These books can be read for the enjoyment of all middle school students, not just for those
competing in the Battle of the Books.
Classics
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell
From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
Historical Fiction
Red Moon at Sharpsburg by Rosemary Wells
Kizzy Ann Stamps by Jeri Watts
Humor
The Great and Only Barnum by Candace Fleming
The Journey That Saved Curious George by Louise Borden
Adventure
Peak by Roland Smith
Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson
Fantasy
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
Thane by K.R. Flanagan (She’s a local author)
Mystery
Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead
The Great Unexpected by Sharon Creech
Realistic Fiction
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Project Mulberry by Linda Sue Park
**For each book you read, provide the following information:
Student Signature
Parent Signature
Title
Author
Number of pages
Summary of story (several paragraphs) with a topic sentence stating author and title
The above information may be typed or written on loose leaf paper.