Summer Strive
“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.”
-Joseph Addison
Strive is defined as “to devote serious effort or energy” by the Merriam Webster Dictionary.
DIRECTIONS: You will choose one fiction book and one non-fiction book to read from the
lists. Next, you will complete the assignments for each book. All assignments are due the
first day of school.
Fiction Assignment:
Choose one of the following books to read:
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak. Trying to makes sense of the horrors of World War II, Death
relates the story of Liesel- a young German girl whose book stealing and story-telling talents help sustain her
family and the Jewish man they are hiding.
Call of the Wild by Jack London. The Call of the Wild tells the story of a dog named Buck. He is stolen
from his home in the Santa Clara Valley of California, and taken to the Alaskan gold fields to be a sled dog. This
story tells the life of Buck as he is passed from owner to owner. He eventually finds a kind master, John Thornton.
Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson. After being sold to a cruel couple in New York City, a slave named
Isabel spies for the rebels during the Revolutionary War.
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier. Does Jerry Renault dare to disturb the universe? You wouldn't
think that his refusal to sell chocolates during his school's fundraiser would create such a stir, but it does; it's as
if the whole school comes apart at the seams. To some, Jerry is a hero, but to others, he becomes a scapegoat--a
target for their pent-up hatred. And Jerry? He's just trying to stand up for what he believes, but perhaps there is
no way for him to escape becoming a pawn in this game of control; students are pitted against other students,
fighting for honor--or are they fighting for their lives?
Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers. Richie Perry, a sensitive seventeen year old, enlists in the Army
in order to postpone a dead-end life in Harlem. He doesn’t understand what awaits him in Vietnam.
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein. Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit, is a peaceful sort of cozy hole in the Shire, a
place where adventures are uncommon and rather unwanted. So when the wizard Gandalf whisks him away on a
treasure hunting expedition with a troop of rowdy dwarves, he's not entirely thrilled. Encountering ruthless trolls,
beastly orcs, gigantic spiders, and hungry wolves, Bilbo discovers within himself astonishing strength and courage.
And at the ultimate confrontation with the fearsome dragon Smaug, the hobbit will brave the dangers of dark and
dragon fire alone and unaided.
The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer. At his coming-of-age party, Matteo Alacrán asks El
Patrón's bodyguard, "How old am I?...I know I don't have a birthday like humans, but I was born." "You were
harvested," Tam Lin reminds him. "You were grown in that poor cow for nine months and then you were cut out of
her." To most people around him, Matt is not a boy, but a beast. A room full of chicken litter with roaches for
friends and old chicken bones for toys is considered good enough for him. But for El Patrón, lord of a country
called Opium -- a strip of poppy fields lying between the U.S. and what was once called Mexico -- Matt is a
guarantee of eternal life. El Patrón loves Matt as he loves himself for Matt is himself. They share identical DNA.
Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Patterson. Sara Louise Bradshaw is sick and tired of her beautiful
twin Caroline. Ever since they were born, Caroline has been the pretty one, the talented one, the better sister.
Even now, Caroline seems to take everything: Louise's friends, their parents' love, her dreams for the future. For
once in her life, Louise wants to be the special one. But in order to do that, she must first figure out who she is . . .
and find a way to make a place for herself outside her sister's shadow.
The Lottery Rose by Irene Hunt. Abused by his mother and her boyfriend, Georgie Burgess learns to
hide his hurt. When Georgie wins a small rosebush in a grocery store lottery, he gives it all the love and caring he
never had. His life begins to change when the courts send him to a home for boys where he will be safe. Slowly,
and not without pain, Georgie learns to give and receive love.
Pigman by Paul Zindel. For sophomores John and Lorraine, the world feels meaningless; nothing is
important. They certainly can never please their parents, and school is a chore. To pass the time, they play pranks
on unsuspecting people. It's during one of these pranks that they meet the "Pigman"--a fat, balding old man with a
zany smile plastered on his face. In spite of themselves, John and Lorraine soon find that they're caught up in Mr.
Pignati's zest for life. In fact, they become so involved that they begin to destroy the only corner of the world
that's ever mattered to them.
A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park. In this tale of courage and devotion, a single shard from a celadon
vase changes the life of a young boy and his master. In 12th-century Korea, the village of Ch'ulp'o is famous for its
pottery. The orphan Tree-ear spends his days foraging for food for himself and Crane-man, a lame straw weaver
who has cared for him for many years. Because of his wanderings, Tree-ear is familiar with all of the potters in the
village, but he is especially drawn to Min. When he drops a piece Min has made, Tree-ear begins to work for him to
pay off his debt, but stays on after the debt is paid because he longs to learn to create beautiful pots himself.
Sent to the royal court to show the king's emissary some new pottery, Tree-ear makes a long journey filled with
disaster and learns what it means to have true courage.
Small Steps by Louis Sachar. This sequel to Holes focuses on Armpit, an African-American former
resident of Tent D at Camp Green Lake. It's two years after his release, and the 16-year-old is still digging holes,
although now getting paid for it, working for a landscaper in his hometown of Austin, TX. He's trying to turn his
life around, knowing that everyone expects the worst of him and that he must take small steps to keep moving
forward.
Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Green. The story focuses on the friendship and
consequences of Patty and an escaped German POW named Anton. Patty first meets Anton when a group of German
POW’s visits her father's store. Anton teaches her that she is a person of value. In return, she protects Anton by
temporarily hiding him above her father's garage, without her family's knowledge.
That Was Then, This Is Now by S.E. Hinton. In this novel, S. E. Hinton paints a richly textured
portrait of two boys at a crossroads in their friendship. With careful, intimate strokes, Hinton reveals a boy
struggling over whether to protect his best friend or whether to follow his own beliefs about right and wrong. The
ending will surprise readers, challenging them to puzzle over Bryon's dilemma in their own hearts.
Choose an assignment to complete from #1 AND #2 below.
1. Choose one of the following:
a. As you read, pay close attention to new vocabulary words.
Create a list of 15 words that are
unfamiliar to you. Type or neatly write out the definitions for these words.
b.
If you are familiar with the vocabulary, choose 10 advanced words from your book and write
down the sentence with the word and the page number from the book. Next, write a great
sentence that shows your understanding of the word.
2. Choose one of the following:
a. Interview a character from the book.
Write questions the interviewer asks and write the answers given by the character.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Create a map of the setting of the story.
Design the map as you see fit.
Write a personal letter to one of the characters in the book.
Make a new book jacket.
It should include an attractive picture or cover design, an original summary of the
book, information on the author and illustrator, and information about other books by
the author.
Discuss, in depth, the relevance of the title.
Choose an assignment to complete from #1 AND #2 below.
Non-Fiction Assignment:
Choose one of the following books to read:
Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston. Jeanne Wakatsuki was seven years old in
1942 when her family was uprooted from their home and sent to live at Manzanar internment camp--with 10,000
other Japanese Americans. Along with searchlight towers and armed guards, Manzanar ludicrously featured
cheerleaders, Boy Scouts, sock hops, baton twirling lessons and a dance band called the Jive Bombers who would
play any popular song except the nation’s #1 hit: "Don't Fence Me In."Farewell to Manzanar is the true story of one
spirited Japanese-American family's attempt to survive the indignities of forced detention . . . and of a nativeborn American child who discovered what it was like to grow up behind barbed wire in the United States.
Bad Boy: A Memoir by Walter Dean Myers. This superb memoir begins simply with an account of
Myers's family history and his boyhood. Vivid detail makes the Harlem of the '40s come alive, from the music and
children's games to the everyday struggle for survival.
Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser. What McDonaldization has done to our health, economy, and
culture.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. This memoir traces Maya Angelou's
childhood in a small, rural community during the 1930s. Filled with images and recollections that point to the dignity
and courage of black men and women, Angelou paints a sometimes disquieting, but always affecting picture of the
people--and the times--that touched her life.
Brian’s Song by William Blinn. Gale Sayers joins the Chicago Bears and is befriended by Brian Piccolo, an
over-achieving running back. Although they compete for the same spot on the team, and despite the fact that
Sayers is black and Piccolo white, they become roommates on the road and very close friends, especially when
Sayers is injured and Piccolo helps his recovery.
Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin. The author tells of his experiences after he darkened his skin
and traveled through the South in order to find out how it feels to be black.
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom. A Detroit Free Press journalist and best-selling author
recounts his weekly visits with a dying teacher who years before had set him straight.
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. In April 1992 a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to
Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley. His name was Christopher Johnson McCandless.
He had given $25,000 in savings to charity, abandoned his car and most of his possessions, burned all the cash in
his wallet, and invented a new life for himself. Four months later, his decomposed body was found by a moose
hunter. How McCandless came to die is the unforgettable story of Into the Wild
1. Create a Glossary:
a. As you read, pay close attention to new vocabulary words.
Create a list of 15 words that are
unfamiliar to you. Type or neatly write out the definitions for these words.
b.
If you are familiar with the vocabulary, choose 10 advanced words from your book and write
down the sentence with the word and the page number from the book. Next, write a great
sentence that shows your understanding of the word.
2. Choose one of the following:
a. Top Ten List
Write 10 facts you learned from this book in complete sentences.
b.
Favorite Passage
Choose your favorite passage from the book. Copy it down and discuss what you found
appealing about it.
BE PREPARED TO SHARE THESE WITH YOUR NEW CLASSMATES!