LZMSN Summer Reading Assignment
(for students entering Grade 7 in August 2013)
April 24, 2013
Dear Students and Parents,
For the upcoming 2013-2014 school year, it is a 7th grade expectation that all 6th grade students read at
least one book from the attached list during the summer prior to entering 7th grade. We have chosen
to use the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award 2014 Nominees as the basis for our book list of
summer reading novels.
We will evaluate the summer reading during the first two weeks of school. All students must have read
their book prior to the first day of school so teachers can assign an early project/assessment. This
beginning of the year assessment provides a model of expectations for the student, creates a method
for the teachers to share expectations for the year, and allows teachers to see an early example of each
child’s work. Similarly, these novels provide a common literary experience when discussing classroom
novels, enrich background knowledge, and generate points of comparison and analysis throughout the
year.
Some students may wish to check a book out of the library (Ela or other public library) while others may
wish to purchase the book. If you would like to purchase one of these books, Mrs. Chaffee, our MSN
Librarian, makes the novels available to students at a great price.
Purchased books will be distributed to students before the last day of 6th grade. All listed books can be
found at bookstores, online, and the public library. (Purchase of these novels is NOT expected. This is
simply an option for your child.) If you do wish to purchase one from our MSN Library, please have your
form turned in to Mrs. Chaffee or Mrs. Malone no later than Friday, May 10th.
In addition, on your child’s fall, winter, and spring MAP results, you will find a Lexile Score which may
assist you in finding books from the summer reading list that are appropriate to his/her reading level.
For more information about Lexile Scores and how to use them in selecting appropriate reading
material, please refer to www.lexile.com . (Keep in mind that the Lexile Scores given on the summer
reading list pertain more to the level of the words used than to the content.)
We hope to make this an enjoyable experience for all. Thank you in supporting us in this integral
program to help keep our kids reading and learning all year long.
Sincerely,
The 7th Grade Literature Teachers
*Please contact Shirli Kubiak (Shirli.kubiak@lz95.org), Jennifer Lippert (Jennifer.Lippert@lz95.org), or Kristyn
Lakiotis if you have any further questions about summer reading or have questions about access to these books.
Questions will be answered immediately if asked prior to June.
2014 Master List
Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award
Illinois Children's Choice Award
Title
I, Emma Freke
Author(s)
Atkinson,
Elizabeth
Publisher
Carolrhoda
Year Pub Lexile
2010
750L
“Life wasn't always like this. In fact, when I was younger and shorter and dumber I usually had one or two friends to play with at
recess. My grades were good, but nothing special. Then my height and brains took off one summer as if someone watered me with too
much fertilizer. Even my dull hair turned redder. To make matters worse--to make matters impossibly worse--my name is Emma Freke.
Like, if you say it slowly, Am a Freak.”
Emma is resigned to the seeming reality that her name, spoken aloud, is her identity. Just 12, bright and nearly six
feet tall, she feels invisible at schoolHer mother, Donatella, owns a bead shop, and the many beads in her shop, with
individual shapes, colors, and origins, are an apt metaphor for the novel's cast of varied characters. Quiet Emma, for
instance, keeps lists to organize her life and often feels like the adult to her short, round Italian mother, who dresses
and acts like a teenager. She wonders if she's adopted like her friend, Penelope. Then she receives an invitation to the
Freke Family Reunion and flies out to meet the clan of Walter Freke, the father she's never met. The reunion proves to
be a life-changing weekend, for Emma connects with cousins who look like her, gains a sense of belonging Yet, upon
seeing the rigid control enforced by the reunion organizer, she begins to appreciate her unstructured home life and
confidently stands up against the culture of intolerance aimed at her eccentric, odd-looking cousin, who, like her old
self, just doesn't fit in. A well-paced story told with heart and humor.
Close to Famous
Joan Bauer
Viking
2011
540L
Twelve-year-old Foster McFee and her mother leave Memphis in the middle of the night, fleeing the mother’s abusive
boyfriend. Foster has a severe learning disability, a pillowcase full of mementos of her dead father, and a real gift for
baking. When she and her mother relocate to a tiny, rural West Virginia town, they discover a friendly and welcoming
population of delightfully quirky characters. Foster finally learns to read from a reclusive, retired movie star; markets
her baked goods at Angry Wayne’s Bar and Grill; helps tiny but determined Macon with his documentary; and
encourages her mother to become a headliner rather than a backup singer, all the while perfecting her baking
technique for the time when she gets her own cooking show like her TV idol, Sonny Kroll. Bauer gently and effortlessly
incorporates race (Foster’s mother is black; her father was white), religion, social justice, and class issues into a
guaranteed feel-good story that dodges sentimentality with humor.
The Outcasts
Flanagan, John
Philomel
2011
780L
They are outcasts. Hal, Stig, and the others - they are the boys the others want no part of. Skandians, as any reader of
Ranger's Apprentice could tell you, are known for their size and strength. Not these boys. Yet that doesn't mean they
don't have skills. And courage - which they will need every ounce of to do battle at sea against the other bands, the
Wolves and the Sharks, in the ultimate race. The icy waters make for a treacherous playing field . . . especially when
not everyone thinks of it as playing. John Flanagan, author of the international phenomenon Ranger's Apprentice,
creates a new cast of characters to populate his world of Skandians and Araluens, a world millions of young readers
around the world have come to know and admire. Full of seafaring adventures and epic battles, Book 1 of The
Brotherband Chronicles is sure to thrill readers of Ranger's Apprentice while enticing a whole new generation just now
discovering the books.
Ghetto Cowboy
Neri, G.
Candlewick
2011
660L
When Cole’s mom dumps him in mean streets of Philly to live with the dad he’s never met, the last thing Cole expects
to see is a horse—let alone a stable full of them. He may not know much about cowboys, but what he knows for sure is
that cowboys ain't black and they don’t live in the inner city! But on Chester Avenue, horses are a way of life, and soon
Cole’s days of goofing off and skipping school in Detroit have been replaced by shoveling muck and trying not to get
stomped on.
Crazy as it may seem, the lifestyle grows on Cole, and he starts to think that maybe life as a ghetto cowboy isn’t so
bad. But when the City threatens to shut down the stables—and take away the horse that Cole has come to think of as
his own—he knows that he has to fight back.
Inspired by the real-life inner-city horsemen of Philadelphia and Brooklyn, Ghetto Cowboy is an timeless urban western
about learning to stand up for what’s right—the Cowboy Way.
A Tale Dark and Grimm
Gidwitz, Adam
Dutton
2010
690L
As if Hansel and Gretel didn’t already have it tough in their original fairy tale, Gidwitz retrofits a handful of other
obscure Grimm stories and casts the siblings as heroes. Connecting the dots, he crafts a narrative that has the twins
beheaded (and reheaded, thankfully), dismembered, hunted, killed, brought back to life, sent to hell, and a number of
other terrible fates en route to their happily ever after. Some adults will blanch at the way Gidwitz merrily embraces
the gruesomeness prevalent in the original tales, but kids won’t mind a bit, and they’ll get some laughs out of the way
he intrudes on the narrative (“This is when things start to get, well . . . awesome. But in a horrible, bloody kind of
way”). The author also snarkily comments on the themes, sometimes a bit too heavy-handedly. The question many
readers might have about the Grimms’ tales is perfectly pondered by the long-suffering twins: “Are there no good
grown-ups anymore?” Not in these forests, kiddos.
Mockingbird: (Mok'ing-bûrd)
Erskine, Kathryn
Philomel
2010
630L
From inside Caitlin's head, readers see the very personal aftermath of a middle school shooting that took the life of the
older brother she adored. Caitlin is a bright fifth grader and a gifted artist. She also has Asperger's syndrome, and her
brother, Devon, was the one who helped her interpret the world. Now she has only her father, a widower who is
grieving anew and whose ability to relate to his daughter is limited. A compassionate school counselor works with her,
trying to teach her the social skills that are so difficult for her. Through her own efforts and her therapy sessions, she
begins to come to terms with her loss and makes her first, tentative steps toward friendship. Caitlin's thought
processes, including her own brand of logic, are made remarkably clear. The longer readers spend in the child's world,
the more understandable her entirely literal and dispassionate interpretations are.
The Lions of Little Rock
Levine, Kristin
Putnam
2012
630L
In Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1958, as politicians rage for and against the struggle to integrate schools, Marlee, 13, is a
math whiz but she has a personal problem with mutism—she’s terrified to say things aloud in public. Then she makes
friends—and more importantly, talks—with Lizzie, the new girl in her middle school, who encourages Marlee to even do
an oral presentation in class together. Then one day Lizzie is thrown out of school. It turns out that she is a lightskinned black passing for white, and the locals refuse to follow the federal integration order. (Several kids and rabid
adults use the n-word.) Marlee and Lizzie meet secretly, until it becomes too dangerous, with threatening phone calls
and the KKK always around. Marlee discovers dynamite in a classmate’s car, and yet still the police do nothing.
Marlee’s first-person narrative brings home the standoffs with classmates, family, and officials, but what is most
moving is that while most do not change, some do.
The Apothecary
Meloy, Maile
Putnam
2011
740L
It's 1952 and the Scott family has just moved from Los Angeles to London. Here, fourteen-year-old Janie meets a
mysterious apothecary and his son, Benjamin Burrows - a fascinating boy who's not afraid to stand up to authority and
dreams of becoming a spy. When Benjamin's father is kidnapped, Janie and Benjamin must uncover the secrets of the
apothecary's sacred book, the Pharmacopoeia, in order to find him, all while keeping it out of the hands of their
enemies - Russian spies in possession of nuclear weapons. Discovering and testing potions they never believed could
exist, Janie and Benjamin embark on a dangerous race to save the apothecary and prevent impending disaster.
The Hunt for the Seventh
Morton-Shaw,
Christine
HarperCollins
2008
660L
"Find the Seventh." That whispered phrase haunts Jim in this eerie mystery of death, ghosts, family secrets, and
ancient rites and prophecy. Jim has moved with his father and sister Sal to Minerva Hall, a vast estate of lush gardens
with more than 100 statues. It is occupied by grumpy Lord Louis Minerva III, a disagreeable man who restricts areas of
the Hall and grounds and closely monitors them with closed-circuit televisions. Curious about his new home, where his
father has taken a position as Head Gardener, Jim begins to explore. As he does, he meets a mysterious boy he calls
Einstein, who speaks to him in riddles. The ghostly whispers and encounters with Einstein send Jim on a quest to
discover the estate's secrets. He finds an old schoolroom, and listed on the board are the names of the Minerva
children, each followed by "deceased." At the bottom it reads, "Follow the Statues." And as Jim uncovers clues, he is
haunted by the ghosts of the children and sees the details of their deaths, and he knows that he must pursue the trail
to prevent some further tragedy.
Ways to Live Forever
Nicholls, Sally
Aladdin
2008
580L
Eleven-year-old Sam knows that he is dying from leukemia. He has decided to write a book that includes his thoughts
on the matter as well as his lists and his questions, particularly those that no one ever answers like, "Why does God let
kids get ill?" Through his writing, Nicholls has drawn a portrait of a family coping with a child's terminal disease.
Readers meet Sam's mother, father, and younger sister, each of whom is dealing in a different way with his illness.
Sam knows that his father rushes off to work each day because he cannot admit to himself that his son is dying. He
knows that his mother keeps Ella home from school during an unexpected snowstorm in March so they can have one
last sledding day together. He does not verbalize this knowledge, just as his parents and Ella don't speak of his death.
Sam is a child whom readers would want as a friend and he will be missed when the book is done.
Wonder
Palacio, R.J.
Knopf
2012
790L
“I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.”
August Pullman was born with a facial deformity that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream
school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new
classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. WONDER begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon switches
to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one
community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance.
In a world where bullying among young people is an epidemic, this is a refreshing new narrative full of heart and hope.
Every reader will come away with a greater appreciation for the simple courage of friendship. Auggie is a hero to root
for, a diamond in the rough who proves that you can’t blend in when you were born to stand out.
Bamboo People
Perkins, Mitali
Charlesbridge
2010
680L
Two teens on opposing sides of ethnic conflict in modern-day Burma (Myanmar) tell an intertwined story that
poignantly reveals the fear, violence, prejudice, and hardships they both experience. Chiko, a quiet, studious student
whose medical doctor father has been arrested as a traitor, is seized by the government and forced into military
training. Chiko is groomed for guerrilla warfare against the Karenni, a Burmese minority group living in villages and
refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border. After he and his patrol stumble into land mines, Tu Reh, an angry Karenni
and rebel fighter, must decide whether or not to save him. Tu Reh's home was destroyed by Burmese soldiers, and he
struggles with his conscience and his desire for revenge and independence. Both Chiko and Tu Reh are caught in a
conflict that neither fully understands. Family, friendships, and loyalty have shaped their lives. But as young soldiers,
they face harrowing situations, profound suffering, and life-and-death decisions. Both boys learn the meaning of
courage. Perkins has infused her narrative with universal themes that will inspire readers to ponder humanitarian
issues, reasons for ethnic conflict, and the effects of war.
Okay for Now
Schmidt, Gary D.
Clarion
2011
850L
As a fourteen-year-old who just moved to a new town, with no friends and a louse for an older brother, Doug Swieteck
has all the stats stacked against him. As Doug struggles to be more than the “skinny thug” that his teachers and the
police think him to be, he finds an unlikely ally in Lil Spicer—a fiery young lady who “smelled like daisies would smell if
they were growing in a big field under a clearing sky after a rain.” In Lil, Doug finds the strength to endure an abusive
father, the suspicions of a whole town, and the return of his oldest brother, forever scarred, from Vietnam. Together,
they find a safe haven in the local library. In this stunning novel, Schmidt expertly weaves multiple themes of loss and
recovery in a story teeming with distinctive, unusual characters and invaluable lessons about love, creativity, and
survival.
Words in the Dust
Reedy, Trent
Scholastic
2011
670L
Zulaikha's life in Afghanistan is not easy. She is teased constantly for a facial deformity and although the Taliban is no
longer in power, it has violently taken her mother from her, and the 13-year-old is left keeping house for a busy,
traditional father and his bad-tempered wife. She is trapped by the confines of her culture as well as by her own fears,
but things begin to change when she meets a mysterious woman who wants to work with her on her writing and teach
her about poetry. When American soldiers roll into town and offer her the chance to fix her cleft palate, Zulaikha allows
herself to wish for a better and different future. Reedy was inspired by a girl he met during his tour of duty in
Afghanistan, and Zulaikha's character is based loosely on her experiences. Infused with poetry, and wrought with
hardship, the story gives a bleak, but ultimately hopeful, portrayal of girlhood in Afghanistan.
Breaking Stalin’s Nose
Yelchin, Eugene
Holt
2011
670L
Sasha Zaichik has known the laws of the Soviet Young Pioneers since the age of six:
The Young Pioneer is devoted to Comrade Stalin, the Communist Party, and Communism.
A Young Pioneer is a reliable comrade and always acts according to conscience.
A Young Pioneer has a right to criticize shortcomings.
But now that it is finally time to join the Young Pioneers, the day Sasha has awaited for so long, everything seems to
go awry. He breaks a classmate's glasses with a snowball. He accidentally damages a bust of Stalin in the school
hallway. And worst of all, his father, the best Communist he knows, was arrested just last night. This moving story of
a ten-year-old boy's world shattering is masterful in its simplicity, powerful in its message, and heartbreaking in its
plausibility.
The Running Dream
Van Draanen,
Wendelin
Knopf
2011
HL650
Jessica has run her personal best at a track meet-then there's a tragic bus accident and the high school junior loses her
leg as well as her future dreams. From waking up in the hospital and coping with the trauma, to her return home, then
school, she tries to grab her life back. On one level the story offers inspiration to those dealing with physical changes in
their own lives and the stages of recovery, fight, survival, and victory as Jessica reaches deep to push past her wall of
self-pity and loathing, and moves beyond the "finish line." On a deeper level, there is her blind discrimination toward a
fellow classmate who has cerebral palsy. Rosa is hard to understand and easy to ignore. She learns that the girl is
smart, wise, and friendly. They pass notes and share lunch. Jessica challenges herself to help her friend be seen. How
Jessica orchestrates putting Rosa in the forefront of a community race and pushing her wheelchair across a finish line
is a study in faith and determination.
How They Croaked: The
Awful Ends of the Awfully
Famous
Bragg, Georgia
Walker
2011
950L
Over the course of history men and women have lived and died. In fact, getting sick and dying can be a big, ugly
mess-especially before the modern medical care that we all enjoy today. How They Croaked relays all the gory details
of how nineteen world figures gave up the ghost. Readers will be fascinated well past the final curtain, and feel lucky to
live in a world with painkillers, X-rays, soap, and 911. The author tucks quick notes on at least marginally relevant
topics, such as leeching, scurvy, presidential assassins, and mummy eyes (if mummy eyeballs are rehydrated, they
return to almost normal size), between the chapters.. O’Malley’s cartoon portraits and spot art add just the right notes
of humor to keep the contents from becoming too gross. Usually.
Book Order Form
7th Grade Summer Reading 2013
(for students entering 7th grade in August 2013)
ORDERING DEADLINE: FRIDAY, MAY 10, 2013
Author
Title (paperback unless indicated)
Cost
Meloy
Apothecary (7.99 list)
6.00
Perkins
Bamboo People (8.95 list)
7.00
Walker
Blizzard of Glass (hardcover only, 18.99 list)
14.00
Sheth
Boys Without Names (6.99 list)
5.00
Yelchin
Breaking Stalin’s Nose (hardcover only, 15.99 list)
12.00
Tunnell
Candy Bomber (9.95 list)
8.00
Bauer
Close to Famous (6.99 list)
5.00
Neri
Ghetto Cowboy (hardcover only, 15.99 list)
12.00
Bragg
How They Croaked (9.99 list)
7.00
Morton-Shaw
Hunt for the Seventh (6.99 list)
5.00
Atkinson
I, Emma Freke (9.95 list)
8.00
Levine
Lions of Little Rock (7.99 list)
6.00
Erskine
Mockingbird (6.99 list)
5.00
Schmidt
Okay for Now (6.99 list)
5.00
Flanagan
Outcasts (Brotherband Chronicles) (8.99 list)
7.00
Van Draanen
Running Dream (9.99 list)
7.00
Gidwitz
Tale Dark & Grimm (6.99 list)
5.00
Nicholls
Ways to Live Forever (6.99 list)
5.00
Palacio
Wonder (hardcover only, 15.99 list)
12.00
Reedy
Words in the Dust (hardcover only, 17.99 list)
13.00
TOTAL_________
Name________________________________________________
Current Lit Teacher_____________________________ Per._____
AMOUNT ENCLOSED_____________________
cash
check #___________ (payable to LZMSN)