Directions: Every student entering the 6 th grade in the fall must read one book from the following list.
Students, choose a book that will both interest and challenge you. Make sure you fill out the notes form as you read. Be prepared to both discuss the book and write about it when you return in the fall.
Parents & Students, the website that follows each synopsis will further help you decide whether a particular book is the right one for you.
by Maile Meloy (mystery/adventure)
It's 1952 and the Scott family has just moved from Los Angeles to London. Here, fourteen-yearold 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.
For more information click on the following link: commonsensemedia.org
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(& its sequel: The Ghost of Tupelo Landing) by Sheila Turnage
(realistic fiction)
Rising sixth grader Miss Moses LoBeau lives in the small town of Tupelo Landing, NC, where everyone's business is fair game and no secret is sacred. She washed ashore in a hurricane eleven years ago, and she's been making waves ever since. Although Mo hopes someday to find her "upstream mother," she's found a home with the Colonel--a café owner with a forgotten past of his own--and Miss Lana, the fabulous café hostess. She will protect those she loves with every bit of her strong will and tough attitude. So when a lawman comes to town asking about a murder, Mo and her best friend, Dale Earnhardt Johnson III, set out to uncover the truth in hopes of saving the only family Mo has ever known.
For more information click on the following link: commonsensemedia.org
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by Katherin Rundell (mystery/adventure)
On the morning of its first birthday, a baby was found floating in a cello case in the middle of the
English Channel. Sophie may have survived a shipwreck as a baby, but her life really began when an eccentric but loving bachelor brought her home. Charles uses toast as a bookmark and welcomes Sophie writing on the walls. But when a child services organization threatens to remove Sophie to an orphanage, she and Charles flee to Paris to search for the one thing that might save her: her long-lost mother. In Paris, Sophie soon meets Matteo and his band of rooftoppers.”
For more information click on the following link: commonsensemedia.org
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by Mike Lupica (sports)
Twelve-year-old Will Tyler and his widowed dad don't have much, and their small Pennsylvania town is fading since the athletic-shoe factory closed down several years earlier. But Will has football-until he finds out that the town council can't come up with the funds to keep the youth teams going. In a desperate Hail Mary move, he sends a heartfelt letter to the New Balance CEO asking for funds. When he gets word that the company is going to sponsor the team, Will thinks their troubles are over-until he discovers that several families are leaving Forbes for towns with more promise of jobs. Suddenly, there's a real possibility that there might not be enough players to make a team. Will encourages his dad to sign on as coach, and together they convince the guys to take a chance on Hannah, a new girl who has a killer kick. The Bulldogs (or Underdogs, as Will fondly calls them) are on the roster, but it's still an uphill battle.
For more information click on the following link: kidsread.com
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by Margaret Peterson Haddix (science fiction)
If they have already read Found, students may also read a subsequent book in this series.
Combining suspense, mystery, and science fiction with a lot of action, Margaret Peterson Haddix has once again created a story to keep readers on the edge of their seats. A plane suddenly appears with 36 unattended babies. All are adopted and grow up in contemporary America.
When 13-year-old adoptees Chip and Jonah receive mysterious letters, they search for clues about their origins. Together with Jonah's sister Katherine, they find ties to the FBI and unexplained characters that disappear right before their eyes. In the climatic ending, some of the more confusing story elements come together and we understand the role of time travel in the story. With fully developed characters and strong relationships and conversational dialog, this book takes you into the immediate lives of the young teens. The fascinating twists and turns of the plot, chapter-ending cliff-hangers, and strong, positive portrayal of adoption will keep all readers hooked until the end. Although the conclusion leaves the reader with more questions than answers, they will eagerly anticipate the next installment in the series.
For more information click on the following link: commonsensemedia.org
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 Book Descriptions from Publishers and Follett Titlepeek
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