SUMMER READING REQUIREMENTS AND RECOMMENDED BOOKS 2016
LOWER SCHOOL SUMMER READING 2016 Summer is right around the corner and much excitement abounds. We feel that this list will offer your child exposure to many different styles of writing, as well as flexibility in choosing books for a variety of interests. We hope this offers you more breadth and depth in the selections of books for enjoyable summer reading. Our hope is that the use of this list continues into next school year. Set a goal with your child to read 30 minutes each day. If your child reads 200+ minutes a week and you are inclined, go out for an ice cream cone, and spend extra time at the local library or bookstore. You may want to gather with a few friends and establish a summer parent/child book club! This is our fifteenth year of the lower school “Summer Family Read Aloud.” Over the past fourteen summers, we have read Seaman’s Journal: On the Trail with Lewis and Clark, The Secret School, Because of WinnDixie, Any Small Goodness, The Year of Miss Agnes, The Year of the Dog, The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs, Punished!, Donavan’s Word Jar, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, The Van Gogh Café, The Gardener, Grow: A Novel In Verse, and When I Went to the Library.
Your Assignment This year, the lower school faculty selected One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference written by Katie Smith Milway and illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes for students in grades K5 as the 2016 Summer Family Read Aloud book. We are thrilled to expose families to this book, introducing our students to a global issue like microfinance and how Kwabena Darko inspired thousands of kids around the world to become social entrepreneurs, raising money to help others.
Your Challenge Ask your family for a small loan ($5 to $20) to start a small business this summer and see how much profit you can raise for social good! Whether it is running a lemonade stand, babysitting, holding a car wash, or watering your neighbor’s plants, we believe you can change the world by using small business activities to help others around the world! You have two months to raise as much as you can and then choose a nonprofit organization to donate the money to. Document your process through a journal, photos, video, etc., and be ready to share your documentation with your classmates and teachers when we return to school in August. We all hope you have a wonderful summer filled with much reading! Sincerely, The Lower School Faculty VMS Lower School Summer Reading 2016 | Page 1
“To read a writer is for me not merely to get an idea of what he says, but to go off with him and travel in his company.” ~Andre Gide “We read to know we are not alone.” ~C.S. Lewis “A truly good book teaches me better than to read it. I must soon lay it down, and commence living on its hint. What I began by reading, I must finish by acting.” ~Henry David Thoreau “It is not enough to simply teach children to read; we have to give them something worth reading. Something that will stretch their imaginations – something that will help them make sense of their own lives and encourage them to reach out toward people whose lives are quite different from their own.” ~Katherine Patterson “The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go!” ~Dr. Seuss
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INTRODUCTION As the end of the school year approaches, the members of the Vail Mountain School faculty wish to reaffirm their belief in the importance of summer reading for students. The teachers have again prepared an extensive and exciting list of choices. Most of the books we have recommended are readily available in paperback. Review the reading list early in the summer to make sure that you can obtain copies of your choices. Many of these titles are also available at your local library.
READING TIPS FOR FAMILIES ● Read to your child. Try to establish a daily routine that includes a time to read together. Bedtime is a traditional favorite, but any time will work that is convenient for you and your family. ● Be a good role model. Let your child see you reading for pleasure as well as for information. Let them know that you value reading. ● Give your child the opportunity to read aloud to you, a friend, another family member or another child. Make the experience a chance for your child to share his or her new reading skills. Have them read the book silently before asking to read it aloud. Correct mistakes only when the mistake changes the meaning of the sentence and then supply the word without making them feel badly for having made a mistake. ● Include your child in your daytoday reading experiences. Share recipes, the newspaper, magazines, maps, cereal boxes, menus, road signs, etc. Our world is full of things to read if we are aware of our surroundings. ● Talk to your child about the books they are reading. Tell them about books you enjoyed when you were a child and ones that you are reading now. ● Provide your child with books. Help them select books on interesting topics at their reading level. A simple rule of thumb is to have your child choose a page in the book (not the first one) and read it. If they don’t know five or more of the words, then the book is too hard for pleasure reading. ● If you are planning a vacation this summer, write to the visitors’ bureau of places you will be visiting and ask for information on the area and any special attractions. Check out books from the library to get background information, or request brochures from your travel agent. Share this information with your child; ask for input on what activities they would enjoy. Hang a map of the places you will be visiting and/or traveling through and chart your route. These techniques will work after travel too. ● Carry a bag with books and activities to keep your child occupied whenever you have to wait. ● Get your child his or her own library card. Take them to go to the library often and browse for books and enjoy special activities. Join the local library summer reading program. This summer’s theme is “Dig into Reading!” The program celebrates all things underground sure to be FUN! ● Subscribe to children's’ magazines for your child. Ranger Rick, In Your Own Backyard, Cricket, Highlights for Children, American Girl, Owl, Highlights High Five, Zoobooks, Time for Kids, Kids National Geographic, and Sports Illustrated for Kids are all good choices. Many of these are available at your local library and available for check out. ● Allow your child to choose his/her own books. This will encourage them to read and allow them to pursue their own interests. ● Keep paper, pencil and crayons on hand to give your child opportunities to write. Help them write letters to friends and family, keep a journal of special events and new experiences, or write stories and poems. Writing practice helps develop reading skills. ● Find books that tie into experiences that your child has. If you are going fishing or boating, find a book on the subject to share. This will help to learn more about a new experience, develop their interests, and increase their vocabulary. VMS Lower School Summer Reading 2016 | Page 3
BOOKS FOR KINDERGARTEN The following list contains predictable books. Repeated readings are both fun and beneficial in establishing the necessary connection between story and print. ● Asch, Frank. Just Like Daddy. A very young bear describes all the activities he does during the day that are just like his daddy's. ● Brown, Ruth. A Dark Dark Tale. Journeying through a dark, dark house, a black cat surprises the only inhabitant of the abandoned residence. ● Campbell, Rod. Dear Zoo. Each animal arriving from the zoo as a possible pet fails to suit its prospective owner, until just the right one is found. Movable flaps reveal the contents of each package. ● Cuyler, Margery. That's Good! That's Bad! A little boy has a series of adventures and misadventures with a bunch of wild animals. ● Fox, Mem. Hattie and the Fox. Hattie, a big black hen, discovers a fox in the bushes, which creates varying reactions in the other barnyard animals. ● Ginsburg, Mirra. Across the Stream. A hen and three chicks are saved from a bad dream by a duck and three ducklings. ● Hill, Eric. Where's Spot? A mother dog finds eight other animals hiding around the house before finding her lost puppy. Flaps conceal the animals. ● Kraus, Robert. Come Out and Play, Little Mouse. Big Brother saves Little Mouse from a cat's treacherous invitation to come out and play ● Mayer, Mercer. There's a Nightmare in My Closet. Sequel: There's an Alligator Under my Bed. ● Neitzel, Shirley. The Jacket I Wear in the Snow. A young girl names all the clothes that she must wear to play in the snow. ● Rosen, Michael. We're Going on a Bear Hunt. Brave bear hunters go through grass, a river, mud, and other obstacles before the inevitable encounter with the bear forces a headlong retreat.
BOOKS FOR FIRST & SECOND GRADE *Easy readers are marked with an asterisk. ● Auch, Mary Jane. Bantam of the Opera. Luigi the rooster assumes the leading role in the Cosmopolitan Opera Company, when the star and understudy come down with the chicken pox. ● *Avi. Abigail Takes the Wheel. When the first mate of the freight boat Neptune falls ill, it is up to Abigail, the captain's daughter, to steer the ship up the Hudson River from New Jersey to New York City. ● *Baker, Barbara. One Saturday Morning. One Saturday morning, a family enjoys each other as they work and play together. ● Brown, Marc. Arthur’s Teacher Moves In. Arthur thinks having his teacher stay at his house will be a horrible experience. (Series) ● Bunting, Eve. Butterfly House. A young girl and her grandfather rescue a caterpillar from a hungry jay, raise it to a butterfly, and release it to the wild. ● Calmenson, Stephanie. Frog Principal. The classic story of "The Frog Prince" is given new life when a bumbling magician auditioning for a school assembly accidentally turns Mr. Bundy, the principal, into a frog. ● Christopher, Matt. The Dog that Pitched a NoHitter. W hen Mike's pitching goes wild, Harry, the amazing Airedale with ESP, finds a hilarious solution to the problem. VMS Lower School Summer Reading 2016 | Page 4
● *Cohen, Miriam. SecondGrade Friends. If only Jacob (who worries a lot) knew how much his good friends from second grade really liked him. (Series) ● *DePaola, Tomie. On My Way. A memoir in which children's author Tomie De Paola recalls his baby sister's frightening bout with pneumonia, and the exciting events of the summer between kindergarten and first grade. (Series) ● Henkes, Kevin. Chester’s Way. Chester and Wilson share the same exact way of doing things, until Lilly moves into the neighborhood and shows them that new ways can be just as good. ● Hobbie, Holly. Toot and Puddle: A Present for Toot. W hen he just about gives up trying to find the right birthday gift for Toot in Pip's Pet Shop, Puddle needs to look no further because the special present finds him. (Series) ● * Hoff, Syd. Danny and the Dinosaur Go To Camp. W hen Danny brings his favorite dinosaur to camp, they enjoy boating, hiking, and roasting marshmallows. (Series) ● Krasnosky, Laura McGee. Zelda and Ivy. W hether they're performing a circus act, fashioning their tails in the latest style, or working wonders with "fairy dust", Zelda and Ivy are sisters with a flair for the dramatic. ● *Lobel, Arnold. Frog and Toad Are Friends. Lobel’s classic short, delightful tales about best friends Frog and Toad. (Series) ● *Marshall, James. Fox on the Job. Fox tries several different jobs to earn money. (Series) ● McCloskey, Robert. Blueberries for Sal. On a summer day in Maine, a little girl and a bear cub wander away from their blueberrypicking mothers and mistake the other mother for their own. ● McMillan, Bruce. Jelly Beans for Sale. This colorful book explains jelly bean manufacturing and shows how different combinations of coins are used to buy varying amounts of jelly beans. ● *Miller, Sara Swan. Three Stories You Can Read to Your Dog. Stories addressed to dogs and written from a dog’s point of view, featuring such topics as a burglar, bones, and running free. ● Napoli, Donna Jo. Albert. Albert seems to have opted out of life until one day, when he puts his hand out through the grill of the window to check the weather, a pair of cardinals builds a nest and deposits four eggs in it. ● *Osborne, Mary Pope. Earthquake in the Early Morning. Jack and Annie travel back in time through the magic tree house to the morning of the great San Francisco earthquake, where they meet a reporter and help get some kids to safety. (Series) ● *Parish, Peggy. Amelia Bedelia. A literalminded housekeeper causes a ruckus in the household when she attempts to make sense of some instructions. (Series) ‘ ● *Park, Barbara. Junie B. Jones is a Graduation Girl. Junie B. Jones has just turned six and is looking forward to her kindergarten graduation, but when grape juice stains the white gown she couldn't resist trying on, she is afraid graduation is ruined. (Series) ● Rathmann, Peggy. Officer Buckle and Gloria. Dog Gloria becomes a star when she accompanies Officer Buckle on visits to elementary schools. ● *Rylant, Cynthia. Henry and Mudge and Annie’s Perfect Pet. Although Henry's cousin, Annie, likes his dog Mudge, when she gets her own pet, Annie decides that a bunny will be perfect for her. (Series) ● Van Leeuwen, Jean. Amanda Pig and her Best Friend. A manda Pig and her friend Lollipop share fun times at each other's houses and experience their very first sleepover party. (Series) ● Whatley, Bruce. Wait! No Paint! Full of surprises, interaction between the illustrator and the characters, and hilarious wordplay, this quirky retelling of "The Three Little Pigs" encourages readers to look at this favorite story in a whole new way.
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BOOKS FOR THIRD & FOURTH GRADE *Indicates a classic, listed here as a suggested readaloud
Recommended Series ● Katie Kazoo Switcheroo ● Judy Moody ● Encyclopedia Brown ● The Sherlock Files ● The Pain and the Great One Series by Judy Blume ● Geronimo Stilton ● The Penderwicks ● Recommended Authors ● Judy Blume ● Beverly Cleary ● Andrew Clements ● Roald Dahl ● Grace Lin ● E.B. White ● Avi. Ereth's Birthday. Feeling neglected on his birthday, Ereth, the cantankerous old porcupine, sets out looking for his favorite treat but instead finds himself acting as "mother" to three young fox kits. (Series) ● Blume, Judy. Superfudge. Twelveyearold Peter describes the highs and lows of life with his little brother, Fudge. (Series) ● Borden, Louise. The Day Eddie Met the Author. Thirdgrader Eddie has a question to ask a visiting author. ● Bunting, Eve. Dreaming of America: An Ellis Island Story. Annie Moore cares for her two younger brothers on board the ship sailing from Ireland to America, where she becomes the first immigrant processed through Ellis Island on January 1, 1892, her fifteenth birthday. ● Carroll, Lewis. *Alice in Wonderland and *Through the Looking Glass. First published 1865 and 1872. This is the enchanting fantasy of Alice, who falls down the rabbit hole and meets strange characters such as the Mad Hatter. ● Cleary, Beverly. Ramona’s World. Enjoy the adventures of nineyearold Ramona as she experiences the ups and downs of fourth grade, tries to be a good role model for her new baby sister, Roberta, and delights in her new best friend, Daisy. (Series) ● Clements, Andrew. Jake Drake, Teacher’s Pet. Jake’s attempts to change his goodygoody reputation are aided by the least likely suspect. ● Dahl, Roald. *James and the Giant Peach. A contemporary fairy tale starring the heroic little James, a group of overgrown garden insects that become his friends, and a peach the size of a house. ● Danziger, Paula. Amber Brown is Feeling Blue. After Amber’s parents’ divorce, her father moves back from Paris, and Amber has to decide with which of her parents she will spend the Thanksgiving holidays. (Series) ● Farley, Walter. *The Black Stallion. After surviving a shipwreck, a boy and a horse exist on an uninhabited island. (Series) ● Gardiner, John R. Stone Fox. Willie hopes to win the purse in a dog sled race in order to pay the back taxes on his grandfather's farm. VMS Lower School Summer Reading 2016 | Page 6
● Ibbotson, Eva. Which Witch? Deciding that he must sire a child to carry on his tradition of Loathing Light and Blighting the Beautiful, the Great Wizard Arriman announces a competition among the witches of Todcaster, one of whom will marry him. ● Kline, Suzy. Horrible Harry goes to the Moon. Inspired by his thirdgrade class' study of the moon, Harry announces that he is going there. (Series) ● Lindgren, Astrid. *Pippi Longstocking. Pippi is an irresistible nineyearold who lives alone and manages to get involved in numerous humorous escapades. (Series) ● MacDonald, Betty. *Mrs. PiggleWiggle. Loved by both children and their parents, Mrs. PiggleWiggle always knows just the right way to solve any problem. (Series) ● Mowat, Farley. *Owls in the Family. Owls, Wol and Weeps, c ause trouble galore at the house where they live and in the neighborhood beyond. ● Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. Shiloh. Marty must make some painful decisions about returning a dog to his abusive owner. Newbery Medal. (Series) ● Norton, Mary. *The Borrowers. A human boy befriends one of the “little people” in a fascinating miniature world where the inhabitants skillfully “borrow” what they need. (Series) ● Park, Barbara. Skinnybones. Alex is the smallest kid on the baseball team but very good at wisecracking in this funny story. ● Polacco, Patricia. Mr. Lincoln’s Way. W hen Principal Lincoln discovers that Eugene, the school bully, knows a lot about birds, he uses this interest to help Eugene overcome his intolerance. ● Smith, Robert K. Chocolate Fever. Henry loves chocolate until he makes medical history with the only case of chocolate fever ever, in this case of “too much of a good thing.” ● Stanley, Diane. Roughing it on the Oregon Trail. Twins Liz and Lenny, along with their timetraveling grandmother, join a group of pioneers journeying west on the Oregon Trail in 1843. (The Time Traveling Twins series)
BOOKS FOR FIFTH GRADE ● ● ● ● ●
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Avi. S.O.R. Losers. Each member of the South Orange soccer team has his qualities of excellence, but not out on the soccer field. Babbitt, Natalie. Tuck Everlasting. A family discovers the “fountain of youth” and others try to uncover their secret. Barron, T. A. The Lost Years of Merlin. A young boy with no memory of his past washes ashore on the coast of Wales and finds his true name after a series of adventures. (Series) Clements, Andrew. The Janitor’s Boy. When fifthgrader Jack finds himself the target of ridicule at school for being the son of one of the janitors, he turns his anger toward his father. Creech, Sharon. Love That Dog. A young student, who comes to love poetry through a personal understanding of what different famous poems mean to him, surprises himself by writing his own inspired words. Curtis, Christopher Paul. Bud, Not Buddy. Tenyearold Bud, a motherless boy living in Flint, Michigan, during the Great Depression, escapes a bad foster home and sets out in search of the man he believes to be his father: the renowned bandleader, H. E. Calloway of Grand Rapids. Newbery Medal 2000. DiCamillo, Kate. Because of WinnDixie. Tenyearold, India Opal Buloni, describes her first summer in the town of Naomi, Florida, and all the good things that happen to her because of her big ugly dog WinnDixie. George, Jean Craighead. Julie of the Wolves. While running away from home and an unwanted marriage, Julie, a thirteenyearold Eskimo girl becomes lost on the North Slope of Alaska and is befriended by a wolf pack. Newbery Medal 1973 VMS Lower School Summer Reading 2016 | Page 7
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Giff, Patricia Reilly. Lily’s Crossing. Lily spends the summer of 1944 with her grandmother at Rockaway Beach and learns special lessons about loss, separation and friendship. Newbery Honor Book 1998 Grahame, Kenneth. The Wind in the Willows. The classic story of four animal friends, Toad, Rat, Mole and Badger, who live along a river in the English countryside. Haddix, Margaret. Running Out of Time. W hen a diphtheria epidemic hits her 1840 village, Jessie discovers the village is actually a 1995 tourist site under observation by heartless scientists who don't want her to escape and find a cure Hahn, Mary Downing. Time for Andrew: A Ghost Story. While spending the summer with his greataunt in the family’s old house, elevenyearold Drew is drawn eighty years into the past to trade places with his greatgreatuncle who is dying of diphtheria. Horvath, Polly. Everything on a Waffle. 11yearold Primrose, who lives in a small fishing village in British Columbia, recounts her experiences and all that she learns about human nature and the unpredictability of life in the months after her parents are lost at sea. Ibbotson, Eva. Island of the Aunts. 3 aging aunts who need help caring for their magical animals resort to kidnapping suitable young people and taking them to their secluded island. Konigsberg, E.L. From the MixedUp Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Claudia and Jamie have a wonderful time when they run away to live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Newbery Medal 1968. Lord, Bette. In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson. In 1947, a Chinese girl moves to Brooklyn and becomes Americanized by her new love of baseball. Lowry, Lois. Anastasia Krupnick. 10 year old Anastasia copes with a new baby brother, and enjoys getting to know her grandma and falling in love. O’Dell, Scott. Black Star, Bright Dawn. After her father is injured, Bright Dawn must face the challenge of the Iditarod dog sled race alone. Paterson, Katherine. Bridge to Terabithia. During a storm, Jess’ new friend Leslie meets an unexpected tragedy while trying to reach their secret kingdom of Terabithia. Newbery Medal 1978 Paulsen, Gary. Hatchet. After his plane crashes in the Canadian wilderness, thirteenyearold Brian must survive with only the aid of a hatchet. Newbery Honor 1988. Companion books are The River, Brian’s Winter, a nd Brian’s Return. Peck, Richard. Fair Weather. In 1893 thirteenyearold Rosie and members of her family travel from their Illinois farm to Chicago to visit Aunt Euterpe and attend the World’s Columbian Exposition which, along with an encounter with Buffalo Bill and Lillian Russell, turns out to be a life changing experience for everyone. Pierce, Tamora. Magic Steps. When drawn into the investigation of murders perpetrated on a powerful family in Summersea, Sandry and her student Pasco undertake the dangerous mission of entrapping the invisible killers. (The Circle Opens series) Spinelli, Jerry. Maniac Magee. A fter his parents die, Jeffrey Magee's life becomes legendary as he accomplishes inspirational feats which awe his friends. Newbery Medal winner. A wellliked contemporary author Sutcliffe, Rosemary. Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of the Iliad. The Wanderings of Odysseus: the Story of the Odyssey. These two companion books are illustrated retellings of the Trojan War and the adventures of Odysseus on his long voyage home from the war. Yolen, Jane. The Wizard’s Map. Three children visiting Scotland become involved in the plans of a diabolical wizard. VMS Lower School Summer Reading 2016 | Page 8
MIDDLE SCHOOL SUMMER READING 2016 Summer vacation is for spending quality time with family and friends and enjoying less structure and routine in your lives. However, it is imperative to read as much and as often as you can. The intent of VMS’ Middle School Summer Reading is to fit reading into your normal summer life in a natural and fun (not stressful) way. Over the summer, all incoming middle school students should have an active reading life. Summer is a perfect time to develop personal reading interests and maintain and enrich literacy skills. You are expected to read often (at least 20 minutes each day) and to keep track of summer reading The Summer Reading Log (signed by parent) & Blog will be your 1st Humanities grades of 201617 for 6th grade. The Summer Reading Log and project will be your 1st English grade in th th 7 and 8 grades.
8th GRADE SUMMER READING EXPECTATIONS
8th Grade Required Read This summer we will build on our experience reading Maus by reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. This book, which was recently made into a movie, uses an interesting narrator to explore the beauty and destruction that occurs in a young girl’s life during World War II. Because we don’t cover World War II or the Holocaust in the middle school curriculum, it’s important that we approach the subject matter through the books that we read. Please note: The Book Thief is a challenging book. Please be sure to leave enough time to complete it, along with two other books. In addition to your reading logs, you will have a reading quiz (with questions the movie doesn’t cover) when you return.
8th Grade Free Read Option 1: Read anything of your choice (a minimum of 2 books) and keep track of your reading using: ● A traditional reading log list what you read, when you read it, and brief notes about your thinking (see attached example) or ● A journal of short notebook entries about what you read (see attached suggestions) Option 2: If you need more specific structure, choose this option: ● Read at least one fiction book and one nonfiction book ● Write a concise, clear, 57 sentence summary of each book VMS Middle School Summer Reading 2016 | Page 1
7th GRADE SUMMER READING EXPECTATIONS Option 1: Read anything of your choice (a minimum of 3 books) and keep track of your reading using: ● A traditional reading log list what you read, when you read it, and brief notes about your thinking (see attached example) or ● A summer reading timeline or ● A journal of short notebook entries about what you read (see attached suggestions) Option 2: If you need more specific structure, choose this option. ● Read at least one fiction book, one nonfiction book, and one freechoice book ● Write a concise, clear, 57 sentence summary of each book
6th GRADE SUMMER READING EXPECTATIONS Sixth graders are required to choose one of the two options below AND keep a blog following the guidelines below. Option 1: Read anything of your choice (a minimum of 3 books) and keep track of your reading using: ● A traditional reading log list what you read, when you read it, and brief notes about your thinking (see attached example) or ● A summer reading timeline (the one you created in your summer journal) or ● A journal of short notebook entries about what you read (see attached suggestions; these entries can also be part of your 3 blog entries—see below) Option 2: If you need more specific structure, choose this option. ● Read at least one fiction book, one nonfiction book, and one freechoice book ● Write a concise, clear, 57 sentence summary of each book th Blog: Required for 6 graders only, to build on your work this past year: Using your Google account blog that you created at school this year, you need to write at least 3 blog entries. They can be related to your adventures this summer, your summer reading, any creative writing you might wish to do, etc. Be sure to edit and revise your entries before publishing! ● Read a variety of genres for a variety of purposes to: learn something new, escape into a great book, find a great new vacation spot, discover new activities around town, learn more about a new movie, etc. ● Find things that engage you: a great classic, a funny “beach read”, an interesting website about places to visit, the latest dystopian or fantasy novel, a moving historical fiction, the newspaper, Sports Illustrated articles, poetry, or picture books you read to siblings or neighborhood kids. Anything “counts”. ● Use attached forms or create your own. Be creative.
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SUMMER READING LOG Name___________________________________________________ Grade (201617) ________ Date(s)
Title
Author
Genre
Thinking
June
“Have Superheroes Replaced Athletes as Heroes of Choice?” SportsIllustrated.com
Steve Rushin
nonfiction, article
Wow! Really made me think about how competitive I am!
July 420th
“Wonder”
R.J. Palacio
realistic fiction
One of my alltime favorites.Loved the different voices and the quotes!
July
“Discover Mesa Verde”
Nps.gov
website
researched our trip to Mesa Verde and planned route
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SUGGESTIONS FOR READING LOG/JOURNAL ENTRIES (*not required*)
Author’s Choices ● Why do you think the author wrote the book/text? (author’s intent) ● What can you infer about the author? What did he/she need to know to write it? ● Discuss some interesting choices the author made. ● How did you feel (mood) when you read this? What did the author do to make you feel this way? How did the mood change? ● Discuss author’s style or tone (attitude)? How do you know? ● Find examples of figurative language and explain how the author made choices about language that impacted the story/message. ● Pick three powerful words the author used. Include how the word was used and an explanation of what it means. How did this word choice help/hurt the message?
Theme/Big Idea/Message ● What message was the author trying to send about life? What was the life lesson the author wanted you to learn? How do you know? ● What was the text really about? ● What does this text teach you about the world? ● Does it matter if people read this story? Why or why not?
Characters ● Discuss the main characters in detail. Describe his or her positive and negative character traits. Was he/she true to life? Or not? Why? ● How did the characters change? Why? How did you know? ● Why were the supporting characters important to your story? ● Discuss a choice the main character made and why he/she made that choice. ● Did a character remind you of anyone in real life? Who? Why? Be specific. ● Did a character remind you of any other character? Who? Why? ● Discuss a life lesson the main character learned? How did you know? ● Discuss the pointofview/perspective included? Which perspective was left out?
Plot ● Discuss the main problem in the story? How was it will resolved? ● Discuss the turning point of the story? How do you know? ● Explain the most important thing that happened in the book? Why? ● What surprised you in the text? Why? ● What was the funniest/saddest/strangest thing that happened? Why?
Setting ● What was the role of the setting (describe it in great detail)? Was it important? ● How much time passed in the text? How did you know? ● Which part of the story best describes the setting?
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Personal Connections/Reflection ● What does this book mean to your life? How will you live differently after reading it? ● What would you have done if you were the main character? Would you have made the same choices? How are you alike/different from the character? ● What kind of relationship would you have with the main character (or other character from the story)? Would you be friends? Why or why not? ● From what you have read, what conclusions can you draw about what life was like in the time period you are reading about? ● How did the author keep you interested? ● List 3 questions you would ask the author if you were to meet him/her. ● Compare your book to others you have read.
Art or Musical Interpretation ● Draw or paint a picture of an important scene or the main setting from the text. Include captions to clarify. Use color and detail to show mood. ● Create a playlist to accompany the text.Explain your choices. ● Draw or paint a portrait of a character. Include relevant details from the text so character, setting and plot elements are recognizable.Include props and details.
Metacognitive (Thinking About Yourself as a Reader) ● Discuss your book/text choices for your summer reading. What genres did you chose most often? What genres were missing from your reading diet? How many books did you read this summer? Think about your stamina. Could you read more? ● How have you changed as a reader since last school year? List three goals you have between now and next June? What will you do to meet your goals? ● How would you describe yourself as a reader to a new teacher at VMS?
RECOMMENDED BOOKS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL Please find a list of recommendations for 6th8th graders to read over the summer. Note that because this list is intended for all middle schoolers, some books may be more appropriate for older students vs. younger students and vice versa. Parents are encouraged to research and/or preview books if concerned about maturity. *We have labeled some books with asterisks to indicate known mature content due to language, violence, topic, etc.*
Realistic Fiction ● *Anderson, Laurie H. Twisted ● Applegate, Katherine. Crenshaw and The One and Only Ivan ● Bauer, Joan. Almost Home ● Bell, Cece. El Deafo ● Bloor, Edward. Tangerine ● Benjamin, Ali. The Thing About Jellyfish ● Cohn, Rachel. It's Kind Of a Funny Story ● Cormier, Robert. The Rag and Bone Shop ● Cormier, Robert . I Am the Cheese ● Dessen, Sarah Just Listen ● Draper, Sharon. Copper Sun and Out of My Mind VMS Middle School Summer Reading 2016 | Page 5
● Erskine, Kathryn. Mockingbird ● Forman, Gayle. If I Stay ● Gipson, Fred. Old Yeller ● Goldblatt, Mark. Twerp ● Graff, Lisa. Lost in the Sun ● * Green, John. The Fault in Our Stars, Paper Towns, Looking for Alaska ● Harrington, Karen. Courage for Beginners ● Hiassen, Carl. Flush and Hoot ● Hinton, S.E. That Was Then, This is Now ● Howe, James. The Misfits, Addie on the Inside, and Totally Joe ● Holm, Jennifer. The Fourteenth Goldfish ● Hunt, Linda. Mullaly Fish in a Tree ● Kennedy, Jacqueline. Curious World of Calpurnia Tate. ● Korman, Gordon Schooled. Son of the Mob, Ungifted, a nd Born to Rock ● LaFleur, Suzanne. Love, Aubrey, a nd Eight Keys ● Littlewood, Kathryn. Bliss ● Mass, Wendy. Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life, A MangoShaped Space (review), Finally, 11 Birthdays, Candymaker, Leap Day, Heaven’s a Lot Like the Mall, The Lost Present, and 13 Gifts ● Myers, Walter Dean. Monster ● Nowra, Louis. Into That Forest ● Palacio, R.J. Wonder and Auggie and Me ● * Rowell, Rainbow. Eleanor & Park ● Ryan, Pam Munoz. Echo, Becoming Naomi Leon, The Dreamer, and Esperanza Rising ● * Scheider, Robin. The Beginning of Everything ● Shusterman, Neal. Downsiders ● Sloan, Holly Goldberg. Counting by 7s ● Spinelli, Jerry. Stargirl ● Spinelli, Jerry. Milkweed ● *Stead, Rebecca. Goodbye Stranger ● Stockett, Kathryn. The Help ● Telgemeir, Raina. Smile, Sisters, and Drama ● Watson, Jude. Loot ● * Whaley, John Corey. Noggin
Adventure/Action/Thriller ● Barraclough, Lindsey. Long Lankin ● Card, Orson Scott. Ender’s Game ● *Cooney, Caroline B. Flight #116 is Down ● Dashner, James. The Maze Runner t rilogy and Eye of Minds ● Farmer, Nancy. A Girl Named Disaster ● Haddix, Margaret Peterson. The Shadow Children s eries ● Hirsch, Jeff. The Eleventh Plague ● Lore, Pittacus. The I Am Number Four series ● Lu, Marie. The Legend series ● P atterson, James. Maximum Ride series ● Paulsen, Gary. Hatchet series & The Woods Runner VMS Middle School Summer Reading 2016 | Page 6
● Roth, Veronica. Divergent a nd Insurgent ● Stewart, Trenton Lee, The Mysterious Benedict Society ● *Yancey, Rick. The Fifth Wave ● *Martel, Yann. The Life of Pi
Sports ● Alexander, Kwame. The Crossover a nd Booked ● Green, Tim. Football Genius series and Baseball Great ● Lupica, Mike. QB1, True Legend, a nd Fantasy League ● Deuker, Carl. High Heat
Fantasy/Science Fiction/Dystopian ● *Adams, Douglass. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ● *Anderson , M. T. Feed ● Bergin, Virginia. H20, The Storm ● Cameron, Bruce. A Dog’s Journey ● Cass, Kiera. The Selection series ● Clarke, Arthur C. 2001: A Space Odyssey ● Collins, Suzanne. Gregor and the Overlander series and The Hunger Games series ● Condie, Ally. The Matched series ● Duprau, Jeanne. City of Ember ● Farmer, Nancy. House of the Scorpion ● Fisher, Catherine. Incarceron ● Hautman, Pete. Godless ● Hunter, Erin. Seekers series ● Juster, Norton. The Phantom Tollbooth ● Kessler, Liz. The Tail of Emily Windsnap series ● Lewis, C.S. Chronicles of Narnia ● Lore, Patticus. Lorien Legacies s eries ● Lowry, Lois. The Giver, Gathering Blue, and The Silent Boy ● McKenzie, Paige. The Haunting of Sunshine Girl ● Meyer, Stephenie. The Twilight Saga series ● Riordan, Rick. The Lightning Thief, Sea of Monsters, Titan’s Curse, The Lost Hero, The Son of Neptune, The Mark of Athena, The Kane Chronicles, Magnus Chase, and the Percy Jackson series ● Mull, Brandon. Fablehaven series and Beyonders series ● Sanders, Ted. The Keeper s series ● Selznick, Brian. The Invention of Hugo Cabret, The Marvels, and Wonderstruck ● Sutherland, Tui. The Wings of Fire series ● Tolkien, J.R.R. Lord of the Rings series ● Yancey, Rick. The 5th Wave
Historical Fiction ● Anderson, Laurie. Halse Chains and Fever 1973 ● Boyne, John. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas ● Curtis, Christopher. Paul Bud, Not Buddy, a nd The Watsons Go to Birmingham ● Doyle, Arthur. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes VMS Middle School Summer Reading 2016 | Page 7
● Hilton, K.C. The Magic of Finkleton ● Knowles, John. A Separate Peace ● Lai, Thanhha. Inside Out and Back Again ● Maclean, Norman. A River Runs Through It ● Park, Linda Sue. A Long Walk to Water ● Rhodes, Jewell. Parker Sugar ● Ryan, Pam Munoz. Echo and Esperanza Rising ● Sepetys, Ruta. Between Shades of Gray ● Woodson, Jacqueline. Brown Girl Dreaming ● Zusak, Markus. The Book Thief
NonFiction ● Armstrong, Jennifer. Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and The Endurance ● Blumenthal, Karen. Steve Jobs: The Man Who Thought Different ● Brown, Daniel James. The Boys in the Boat (Young Reader’s Edition): The True Story of an American Team’s Epic Journey to Win Gold at the 1936 Olympics ● Fleischman, John. Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science ● Hillenbrand, Laura. Unbroken (Young Adult Adaptation): An Olympian’s Journey from Airman to Castaway to Captive ● Krakauer, Jon. Into Thin Air ● Mortenson, Greg. Three Cups of Tea ● Romero, John. No Summit out of Sight: The True Story of the Youngest Person to Climb the Seven Summits ● Webb, Brandon and John David Mann. The Making of a Navy Seal: My Story of Surviving the Toughest Challenge and Training the Best ● Yousafzai, Malala. I Am Malala (Young Reader’s Edition)
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UPPER SCHOOL SUMMER READING 2016
REQUIREMENTS VMS hopes to inspire all of its students to love to read. To that end, we provide a structured summer reading program that will allow students to enjoy a variety of books based on personal choice, grade level preparation, and US divisional expectations. Any or all of these books can be read either in book, electronic, or audio format. Please read EACH of the following directives. 1) You will be asked to read one book of your own choosing. You may use the recommended books provided below or find a book on your own. This book should be interesting, ageappropriate, enjoyable, and a new book that you have not already read. You can choose fiction, nonfiction, short stories, or poetry. By the end of the summer, create some sort of artistic interpretation or written response to this book: it can be a picture, sculpture, short paragraph, etc. An artistic rendering can embody the book as a whole or depict a specific component. A written response can address the reasons you liked or didn’t like the book. These will be shared in English class within the first week of school and assessed based on completion of the assignment and quality of presentation. 2) You will also be asked to read a book listed below specific to your grade level. This book has been selected for its relevance to your study in English for the upcoming year. You should read with a pen, and have a clear understanding of themes and specific events. You will be required to complete an inclass assessment on this book within the first few days of English class. • Entering 9th Grade: Tuesdays With Morrie, Mitch Albom • Entering 10th Grade: About a Boy , Nick Hornby • Entering 11th Grade: Glass Castle, Jeanette Walls • Entering 12th Grade: The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien 3) Additionally, you will choose to read one of two books as a part of the US division (see below). You can pick whichever book more appeals to you, or if you so desire, you can read both! These books have been selected for their appropriateness for grades 912. You will all attend a “book club” held at school during 7th period on the first day back from orientation trips, in which you will take a short assessment to ensure you have read the book, and then discuss the book in small groups. Credit for this book club and short assessment will provide you with a bonus grade that will be applied in your English class.
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UPPER SCHOOL DIVISIONAL BOOKS (PICK ONE) NONFICTION: The Emerald Mile: The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon, Kevin Fedarko . From one of Outside magazine’s “Literary AllStars” comes the thrilling true tale of the fastest boat ride ever, down the entire length of the Colorado River and through the Grand Canyon, during the legendary flood of 1983. In the spring of 1983, massive flooding along the length of the Colorado River confronted a team of engineers at the Glen Canyon Dam with an unprecedented emergency that may have resulted in the most catastrophic dam failure in history. In the midst of this crisis, the decision to launch a small wooden dory named “The Emerald Mile” at the head of the Grand Canyon, just fifteen miles downstream from the Glen Canyon Dam, seemed not just odd, but downright suicidal. The Emerald Mile, at one time slated to be destroyed, was rescued and brought back to life by Kenton Grua, the man at the oars, who intended to use this flood as a kind of hydraulic slingshot. The goal was to nail the alltime record for the fastest boat ever propelled—by oar, by motor, or by the grace of God himself—down the entire length of the Colorado River from Lee’s Ferry to Lake Mead. Did he survive? Just barely. Now, this remarkable, epic feat unfolds here, in The Emerald Mile . FICTION: All the Light We Cannot See , Anthony Doerr Winner of the Pulitzer Prize. From the highly acclaimed, multiple awardwinning Anthony Doerr, the beautiful, stunningly ambitious instant New York Times bestseller about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of WWII. MarieLaure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where he works as the master of its thousands of locks. When she is six, MarieLaure goes blind and her father builds a perfect miniature of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of SaintMalo, where MarieLaure’s reclusive greatuncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel. In a mining town in Germany, the orphan Werner grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments, a talent that wins him a place at a brutal academy for Hitler Youth, then a special assignment to track the resistance. More and more aware of the human cost of his intelligence, Werner travels through the heart of the war and, finally, into SaintMalo, where his story and MarieLaure’s converge. Doerr’s “stunning sense of physical detail and gorgeous metaphors” ( San Francisco Chronicle) are dazzling. Deftly interweaving the lives of MarieLaure and Werner, he illuminates the ways, against all odds, people try to be good to one another. Ten years in the writing, a National Book Award finalist, All the Light We Cannot See is a magnificent, deeply moving novel from a writer “whose sentences never fail to thrill” ( Los Angeles Times) . Vail Mountain School would like to thank The Bookworm in Edwards for offering a 20% discount to VMS students who choose them for their summer reading needs when purchasing books. Bring your VMS student ID to take advantage of this offer.
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FACULTY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR UPPER SCHOOL
Travis Aldrich, Upper School Division Director Courtenay, Bryce. The Power of One . "No stranger to the injustice of racial hatred, fiveyearold Peekay learns the hard way the first secret of survival and selfpreservation the power of one. An encounter with amateur boxer Hoppie Groenewald inspires in Peekay a fiery ambition to be welterweight champion of the world." This was one of my favorite books in high school and I remember not wanting to put it down.
Andrew Behrendt, Upper School Spanish Stein, Garth. Art of Racing in the Rain . Written from the dog's point of view, sad but amazing. Gaarder, Jostein. Sophie's World . An Introduction to Philosophy for young readers
Carson Blumenreich, Kindergarten Michener, James. Centennial . Centennial is an historical fiction novel set in the Western United States about how everything came to be, including the land, animals, and people. I loved this novel when I read it in my high school A.P. English class.
Katie Forrestal, Upper School English ● Sofer, Dalia. Septembers of Shiraz . A multiperspective novel about a family torn apart by the Iranian Revolution. This pageturner is filled with high drama and political suspense, and you will learn a lot about Iran in the process of reading it. ● Russell, Karen. Swamplandia! This story takes place in an aging gator attraction park in the Florida everglades, but it takes you on a journey into the world of the weird and supernatural. Not a conventional read, but this novel sticks with you for some odd, haunting reason. ● Dubner, Stephen J. and Levitt, Steven D. Freakonomics. These economists explore a variety of social topics, from baby names to the testcheating scandals. Their theories have sometimes been controversial, making reading this book that much more exciting. You're going to want to talk about this book, so make a friend read it, too.
Steve Gordon, Upper School Spanish ● Nichols, John. Milagro Bean Field Wars. A farmer in New Mexico battles a large landowner over water rights to his bean field. I liked all of the cultural references and Spanish sprinkled throughout the book.
Steph Lewis, Upper & Middle School Science ● Kean, Sam. The Tale of Dueling Neurosurgeons. "Early studies of the functions of the human brain used a simple method: wait for misfortune to strikestrokes, seizures, infectious diseases, lobotomies, horrendous accidentsand see how the victim coped" ( Good Reads) . A fascinating history of how we learned about the functions of different parts of the brain. ● Plotkin, Mark. Tales of a Shaman's Apprentice. An ethno botanist (a scientist who studies how cultures use plants) travels through the remote Amazon jungles to learn how isolated tribes use plants for medicines, holy experiences, and everyday life. A rare look into "ancient" cultures who potentially hold the key to many modern afflictions and diseases. ● Roach, Mary. Gulp. In her book, Roach explores the history and culture behind how we understand our digestive tract. From stories about the origin of taste (our nose!) to how Elvis died (constipation), she takes us through the world of our alimentary canal and its misadventures through time. VMS Upper School Summer Reading 2016 | Page 3
Doug Litowitz, Upper School History ● Chabon, Michael. Gentlemen of the Road. Great adventure book that follows two men as they travel through the Middle East in the 10th century. Lots of humor, adventure. A quick, pretty easy read for MS and US. ● Wilson, E.O. Anthill. The most epic story ever told about an ant colony. Guaranteed that you will never look at ants in the same way. ● Pollen, Michael. Omnivore’s Dilemma. Nonfiction. Pollan looks at how we eat food in the U.S. and his writing is very clear and accessible.
Julia Littman, Middle School English ● Kotlowitz, Alex. There Are No Children Here. This is an inside look at an America that we never see. The kids are lovable yet tough, and the things they experience are unfathomable. I like this book because it introduced me to a world within our own country that I was not previously aware of.
Laurie Mortensen, Upper School English ● Duncan, David James. The River Why. This book is ostensibly about flyfishing but really more of a philosophical exploration into love, journeys, water, humor, war, and one man’s quest to figure out why it’s all worth it. This is one of the funniest and also most moving books I have read. ● Heller, Peter. Dog Stars . This postapocalyptic book takes place in CO by a CO author. The writing is gripping and spare, but also poetic and moving at the same time. Follow Hig through his attempt to make sense of a world that doesn’t seem to have much meaning as he makes his own path into a new life.
Anne Verratti, Student Support Services ● Doerr, Anthony. All the Light We Cannot See. Pulitzer Prize winner for 2015 in fiction. ● McBride, James. The Color of Water . A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother. This memoir, which I read as a young mother, inspired me to do whatever it takes to provide my children the best possible education.
OTHER GREAT UPPER SCHOOL SUMMER READS ● Adams, Douglas and Mark Carwardine. Last Chance to See. A noted science fiction writer examines the plight of many of the earth's endangered species. ● Alexander, Bruce. Death of a Colonial. Blind eighteenthcentury magistrate Sir John Fielding investigates the mystery surrounding the claimant to the vast estate of the late Lord Laningham. ● Allende, Isabel. Paula. At the bedside of her dying daughter, Allende spins tales of childhood, of ancestors, and of becoming a novelist. ● Ambrose, Stephen E. Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson and the Opening of the American West. Based on their journals, this account captures the remarkable adventures of the Lewis and Clark expedition along the Missouri River from St. Louis to the Pacific in the early 1800's. ● Angelou, Maya. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. An African American writer, poet, and actress traces her coming of age. ● Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a PartTime Indian. Talented Arnold Spirit leaves the reservation school to go to an academically superior one located many miles away. How he copes with this change, both at school and on the reservation, is realistic, thoughtprovoking, and laughoutloud funny. ● Austen, Jane. Emma. Emma’s overzealous attempts at matchmaking have unexpected results. ● Beckett, Wendy. The Story of Painting. The irrepressible nun journeys through art history, making the subject accessible to the novice as well as the expert. ● Benford, Gregory. The Eater. The Eater, a mysterious and vastly intelligent entity from outer space, offers the people of Earth knowledge but holds a frightening secret. VMS Upper School Summer Reading 2016 | Page 4
● Bennett, James W. Blue Star Rapture. While attending a basketball camp, T.J. reconsiders his motivations for guiding his star athletic friend, Tyron, through the college recruitment process. ● Bissinger, H. G. Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream. The author penetrates the culture of high school football as it is lived in Odessa, Texas. ● Bodanis, David. The Secret Family: TwentyFour Hours Inside the Mysterious World of Our Minds and Bodies. Follow an ordinary family through a single day’s activities, learning amazing secrets about our bodies and the food we eat. ● Bragg, Rick. All Over But the Shoutin’. Pulitzerprize winning reporter Rick Bragg remembers his years of growing up in povertystricken Alabama and how football became the vehicle for his success. ● Branford, Henrietta. The Fated Sky. Ran, a sixteenyearold Viking girl, struggles to control the events of her life and escape from the death that is supposed to be her destiny. ● Brokaw, Tom. The Greatest Generation. The stories of individual men and women who came of age during the Great Depression and the Second World War, then went on to build modern America.’ ● Brontë, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Jane finds terror and romance when she becomes governess in a mysterious mansion. ● Brontë, Emily. Wuthering Heights. This story of intense and frustrated lives, of hate and revenge, is set in the wild moors of England. ● Capote, Truman. In Cold Blood. A True Account of a Multiple Murder and Its Consequences. The shocking story of the murder of a family by two psychotic young men. ● Canfield, Jack, ed. Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul: 101 Stories of Life, Love, and Learning. The hugely popular Chicken Soup for the Soul series, contains stories, poems, and cartoons relating to the specific troubles that upset teenagers everywhere. ● Card, Orson Scott. Ender’s Game series. Bean begins life as an illegal experiment and ends up a disciple and safety net for Ender Wiggins in the battle to save Earth from the Buggers. ● Card, Orson Scott. Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus. T hree time travelers from a doomed Earth journey to the time of Columbus’ landing, hoping to alter events. ● Carter, Jimmy. An Hour Before Daylight: Memories of a Rural Boyhood. Former President Jimmy Carter recreates his Depressionera boyhood on a Georgia farm, before the civil rights movement that changed it and the country. ● Cather, Willa. My Antonia. Antonia, a Bohemian girl, comes to the prairie of Nebraska, visits the city, and returns to find peace in her roots. ● Chevalier, Tracy. Girl with a Pearl Earring. Sixteenyearold Griet is hired to work as a maid in the home of the renowned painter Johannes Vermeer in 17thcentury Delft. ● Chbosky, Stephen. Perks of Being a Wallflower. Charlie, a freshman in high school, explores the dilemmas of growing up through a collection of letters he sends to an unknown receiver. ● Christie, Agatha. The ABC Murders. Hercules Poirot must stop a ruthless murderer who kills his victims in alphabetical order. ● Cisneros, Sandra. Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories. Colorful stories from life on both sides of the Mexican border. ● Conarroe, Joel, ed. Six American Poets. An Anthology. This anthology contains the most enduring works of Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, Wallace Stevens, William Carlos Williams, Robert Frost, and Langston Hughes. ● Conway, Jill. The Road from Coorain. The former president of Smith College tells of growing up on a sheep station in Australia. ● Copley, Robert E. The Tall Mexican: The Life of Hank Aquirre, Allstar Pitcher, Businessman, Humanitarian. A biography of the Hispanic allstar pitcher who founded Mexican Industries to provide economic opportunities to innercity Detroit. ● Covey, Sean. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens, The Ultimate Teenage Success Guide. A stepbystep guide to help teens improve selfimage, build friendships, resist peer pressure, achieve their goals, get along with their parents, and much more. VMS Upper School Summer Reading 2016 | Page 5
● Danticat, Edwidge. Krik? Krak! Stories from Haiti combined with later stories from New York work together to make an eloquent picture of the suffering and poverty that Haitians have endured. ● Delany, Sarah and Elizabeth A. Delany. Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years. Two AfricanAmerican sisters recount their battles against racism and sexism. ● Denenberg, Barry. Voices from Vietnam . Personal narratives, letters, and other quotations tell the story of Americans’ struggle to make sense of the war years. ● Diamond, Jared. Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fate of Human Societies. I n this Pulitzer Prizewinning book, Diamond argues that both geography and the environment played major roles in determining the shape of the modern world, an argument that runs counter to the usual theories that cite biology as a crucial factor. ● Dillard, Annie. Mornings Like This: Found Poems. Unique poems of love, death, nostalgia, and natureboth serious and light. ● Dostoyevsky, Fyodor. Crime and Punishment. T his psychological novel studies Raskolnikov before, during, and after murder. ● Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. Former slave and famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass describes the horrors of his enslavement and eventual escape. ● Dove, Rita. On the Bus with Rosa Parks. Rhythmic, open lines about personal life and politics told by an inspiring master storyteller and poet. ● Dumas, Alexandre. The Count of Monte Cristo. This French 19th century adventure story includes unjust imprisonment, escape, and a new life. ● DuMaurier, Daphne. Rebecca. T he timid new mistress of Manderley is haunted by her predecessor. A suspense story. ● Eliot, T. S. Murder in the Cathedral. The story of the murder of Thomas Becket is seen through the eyes of the great poet. ● Ellison, Ralph. Invisible Man . This is an account of one black man's fervent search for his own identity. National Book Award. ● Faulkner, William. The Sound and the Fury. The classic novel describes the decay of an aristocratic southern family. ● Feynman, Richard. Six Easy Pieces. The essentials of physics are explained by its most brilliant teacher. ● Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Gatsby, Daisy, and Nick experience the superficial high life of the Roaring Twenties. ● Ford, Jamie. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. A story of commitment and enduring hope, this novel is set in Seattle during one of the most conflicted and volatile times in American history. Henry, a Chinese American, raised by a fiercely nationalistic father, and Keiko, a young Japanese American, develop a bond of friendship and innocent love that transcends time and the longstanding prejudices of their Old World ancestors. ● Frazier, Charles. Cold Mountain. A wounded Confederate soldier makes a perilous journey home, where he hopes to be reunited with his prewar sweetheart. National Book Award. ● Gaiman, Neil. Neverwhere. Richard Mayhew helps an injured girl and finds his life changed when he leaves the reality of presentday London and enters the city’s underground world of sewers and abandoned subway stations. ● Garcia, Christina. The Aguero Sisters. The story of two sisters: Reina, an electrician living in Havana, and Constancia, a cosmetician living in New York, reveals the impact of Castro's revolution on one family. ● Garcia Marquez, Gabriel. Chronicle of a Death Foretold. M urder, humor, and upset wedding plans. ● Garner, Eleanor Ramrath. Eleanor’s Story: An American Girl in Hitler’s Germany. Eleanor and her family sail from America in 1939 just as war is declared, forcing them to remain in Germany. VMS Upper School Summer Reading 2016 | Page 6
● Gibbons, Kaye. Ellen Foster. The unforgettable story of Ellen who loses her mother, lives briefly with a series of relatives, and finally finds a home where she is loved. ● Gladwell, Malcolm. Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking. How do we make decisionsgood and badand why are some people so much better at it than others? Utilizing case studies, Gladwell reveals that what we think of as decisions made in the blink of an eye are much more complicated than assumed. ● Golden, Arthur. Memoirs of a Geisha: A Novel. This is a captivating tale of the making of a geisha from young innocent to powerful courtesan. ● Guterson, David. Snow Falling on Cedars. A murder trial, forbidden love, and prejudice against JapaneseAmericans in postWorld War II Puget Sound. PENFaulkner Award. ● Gyatso, Palden. The Autobiography of a Tibetan Monk. Palden Gyatso was born in a Tibetan village in 1933 and became an ordained Buddhist. ● Haddon, Mark. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NightTime. An autistic boy keeps a diary of his efforts to solve the mystery of who killed his neighbor’s dog. This funny, touching novel is a revealing look into the mind of an autistic person. ● Hamilton, Edith. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. T he classic authority on mythology and its interpretations. ● Hansen, Ron. Atticus: A Novel. An adult who was responsible for the death of his mother searches for meaning in the death of his son ● Haruf, Kent. Plainsong. The story of family and the romance, tribulation and tenacity of four generations, set on the High Plains east of Denver. ● Hawking, Stephen. A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes. Hawking explains his theory of nature and the creation of the universe. ● Hawking, Stephen. The Universe in a Nutshell. Hawking takes us to the cutting edge of theoretical physics, where truth is often stranger than fiction, to explain the principles that control our universe. ● Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The House of the Seven Gables. Hepzibah tries to shelter her brother from the evil of Judge Pyncheon in 19th Century Massachusetts. ● Heinlein, Robert. Stranger in a Strange Land. T he ways of Earth are strange to the young man from Mars. Hugo Award, 1962. ● Heller, Joseph. Catch22. A wildly surreal novel describes a group of American servicemen in the Mediterranean during World War II. ● Hemingway, Ernest. A Farewell to Arms. A British nurse and an American ambulance driver fall in love during World War I. ● Herbert, Frank. Dune. The Atreides family is banished to planet Dune, where the ferocious Fremen live. ● Hillerman, Tony. Thief of Time. Navajo tribal policemen Lt. Joe Leaphorn and Officer Jim Chee plunge into the past to unearth the truth behind two murders at a sacred Indian ruin. ● Hockenberry, John. Moving Violations: War Zones, Wheelchairs, and Declarations of Independence. Journalist Hockenberry is fearless and funny as he relates the personal and professional experiences he encounters from his wheelchair. ● Hoffman, Alice. Local Girls. Gretel navigates life with the help of her best friend Jill, her romanceaddicted cousin Margot, and her mother Fanny w hose spiritual journey affects them all. ● Huyler, Frank. The Blood of Strangers: Stories from Emergency Medicine. Reallife tales from the ER will keep you on the edge of your seat! ● Jiang, Jili. Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution . Jili Jiang. A young Chinese girl must make difficult choices when the government urges her to repudiate her ancestors and inform on her own parents. ● Jordan, Robert. Eye of the World. During the Third Age, the Age of Prophecy, the world and time hang in the balance, in peril of falling under the Shadow. (Book 1 of The Wheel of Time series)
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● Kingsolver, Barbara. The Poisonwood Bible. T he missionary zeal of an overbearing preacher, his wife, and four daughters is tested by primitive, dangerous realities of life in 1959 Belgian Congo. ● Kinkaid, Jamaica. Annie John. Seven years of joys and sorrows are related in the life story of a young girl growing up in the Caribbean. ● Klass, David. You Don’t Know Me. Fourteenyearold John creates alternative realities in his mind as he tries to deal with his mother’s abusive boyfriend, his crush on a beautiful but shallow classmate, and other problems at school. ● Knowles, John. A Separate Peace. Life, rivalry, and a tragic accident in a private boys' school during World War II. ● Krakauer, Jon. Into Thin Air: a Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster. A riveting account of the 1996 expedition to Mt. Everest that took several lives also raises questions about the accountability of those using the mountain. ● Lansdale, Joe R. The Bottoms. An old man narrates a riveting, poignant, and suspenseful tale of the events surrounding a series of savage murders that occurred when he was a boy in Depressionera East Texas. ● Larson, Erik. Isaac’s Storm: A Man, a Time and the Deadliest Hurricane in History. A vivid account of the 1900 Galveston storm that killed at least 6,000 people. ● Levitt, Steven D. and Stephen J. Dubner. Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything. The authors show that economics is, at root, the study of incentiveshow people get what they want, or need, especially when other people want or need the same thing. ● Luttrell, Marcus. Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10. Marcus Luttrell was the only survivor of a mission with three American Navy SEALS in the mountainous AfghanistanPakistan border. It is a question of which part is more compelling to read: the stories of the brutal Navy and SEAL boot camps or the account of Luttrell’s team fighting on the Afghan border. ● Mah, Adeline Yen. Chinese Cinderella. The author describes how she suffered cruelty from her stepmother, and callous indifference from her welltodo father while growing up in China at the end of World War II. ● Mahfouz, Naguib. Palace Walk . The Nobel Prizewinning author's novel describes the severe and alluring world of a Muslim family living in Cairo during Egypt's occupation by British forces in the early 1900's. ● Marchetta, Melina. Looking for Alibrandi . During her senior year in a Catholic school in Sydney, Australia, seventeenyearold Josie finally meets the father she has never known. ● Markandaya, Kamala. Nectar in a Sieve. A realistic novel about a life of terrible hardships and disasters lived out in India with unflagging optimism and courage by a peasant woman and her family. ● Markham, Beryl. West with the Night. These memoirs describe the pilot's childhood in British East Africa and her unconventional life. ● Marti, Jose. Versos Sencillos/Simple Verses . Heartfelt poems in Spanish/English reflect life experiences of Cuba's 19th century literary leader and patriot. ● Massie, Robert K. Nicholas and Alexandra. At the brink of revolution, the last Tsar of Russia and his family become victims of their own mismanagement and personal problems. ● Mathabane, Mark. Kaffir Boy: The True Story of a Black Youth's Coming of Age in Apartheid South Africa . Growing up under the brutalities of apartheid South Africa, Mathabane describes the growing unrest in his country and his eventual escape through his ties to the tennis community. ● McBride, James. The Color of Water . A Black man’s tribute to his eccentric, determined white mother. ● McCourt, Frank. Angela’s Ashes. Sensitive, humorous memoirs of the author’s povertystricken childhood in Ireland culminate with the promise of a new life in America. Pulitzer Prize. VMS Upper School Summer Reading 2016 | Page 8
● McCullers, Carson. The Member of the Wedding . A lonely young girl decides to accompany her brother and his wife on their honeymoon. ● McCullough, David. John Adams. A powerful biography details the adventurous life, extraordinary times and achievements of the second president of the United States. ● McDonald, Joyce. Swallowing Stones. Seventeenyearold Michael copes with having discharged an antique rifle and unknowingly killing the father of high school classmate, Jenna. ● McMurtry, Larry. Lonesome Dove. This Pulitzer Prizewinning epic masterpiece is set in the American West. It’s even better than the TV miniseries! ● Mitchell, Margaret. Gone With the Wind . After her genteel, romantic lifestyle is swept away by the Civil War, Scarlett O’Hara summons strength to salvage her plantation home. ● Morrison, Toni. The Bluest Eye. This Nobel Prizewinning author's novel describes a young black girl who yearns for beautiful blue eyes like the little white girls she sees. ● Murphy, Timothy. Set the Ploughshare Deep: a Prairie Memoir. A Midwest farmer conveys the deep rewards of a farming life through prose, verse, and woodcuts. ● Myers, Walter Dean. Fallen Angels. Young American soldiers are soon disillusioned and challenged by the realities of the war in Vietnam. Coretta Scott King Award 1989. ● Naslund, Sena Jeter. Ahab’s Wife or The StarGazer . “Captain Ahab was neither my first husband or my last:” so begins the magnificent retelling of Melville’s masterpiece from the female point of view. ● Nordan, Lewis. Wolf Whistle. A Novel. A lyrical, tragic and comic novel based on the 1955 lynching of black teenager Emmett Till in Mississippi near the author’s hometown. ● Norman, Elizabeth. We Band of Angels: the Untold Story of American Nurses Trapped on Bataan by the Japanese. The harrowing story of nurses held captive in the jungles of the Philippines during World War II. ● Nye, Naomi Shihab and Paul B. Janeczko, compilers. I Feel a Little Jumpy Around You: A Book of Her Poems and His Poems Collected in Pairs. Gender attitudes and differences are explored through poetry pairs. ● Paton, Alan. Cry, the Beloved Country. A black minister in South Africa tries to save his son, who has been accused of murder. ● Philbrick, Nathaniel. In the Heart of the Sea. The whaling ship, Essex, is rammed and sunk by a whale, leaving its crew to navigate the Pacific in three small boats. ● Plath, Sylvia. The Bell Jar. This autobiographical novel describes an ambitious and brilliant young woman's search for values and her eventual breakdown. ● Pratchett, Terry. Nation. Mau is caught in the tidal wave that destroyed his island, and Daphne is her ship’s only survivor of that tsunami. Together on the devastated island, they form a new nation. ● Proulx, E. Annie. The Shipping News. Bighearted Quoyle starts over with an elderly aunt, two daughters, and a toothless dog in remote Newfoundland. National Book Award/Fiction; Pulitzer Prize. ● Rand, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged. In an age where everyone looks to the state for guidance and protection, one man wants to go it alone. ● Rinaldi, Ann. The Second Bend in the River. A girl in Ohio territory tutors Shawnee chief Tecumseh in English and must choose between the life she knows and the man she loves. ● Rodriquez, Richard. Hunger of Memory: the Education of Richard Rodriguez: an Autobiography. Rodriguez's journey through the educational system leads to his belief that family, culture, and language must be left behind to succeed in mainstream America. ● Rosenberg, Liz. LightGathering Poems. Using light as a metaphor, this collection of poems brings images of light and hope into focus. ● Santiago, Esmeralda. Almost a Woman. Ambitious and determined teenager overcomes the challenges of language barriers, cultural stereotypes, poverty, and a fiercely protective mother. ● Shields, Charles J. I Am Scout: The Biography of Harper Lee. This biography provides interesting facts and sheds light on the reclusive life of Nelle Harper Lee, author of To Kill a VMS Upper School Summer Reading 2016 | Page 9
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Mockingbird . Readers will see many parallels between the feisty author's life in a small Southern town and the characters she created in the only novel she has ever written. Siegel, Jan. Prospero’s Children. Fern, a 16yearold British girl who discovers she has special powers, obtains a magical key that will open the door to fabled Atlantis. Silverberg, Robert (editor). Legends: Short Novels by the Masters of Modern Fantasy. Original short novels by bestselling modern creators of fantasy fiction. Skloot, Rebecca. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer, yet her cellstaken without her knowledgebecame one of the most important tools in medicine. Sobel, Dava. Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time. The story of a critical discovery in the history of man. Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. The hardships of a family caught in the Oklahoma dust bowl in the 1930's are the subject of this classic story. Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men. Shorttempered George and childlike Lennie are a mismatched pair who share a dream of owning a farm. Stevenson, Neil. Architecture . An annotated guide explores and explains the world’s greatest buildings, from the Parthenon to the Sydney Opera House. Tsukiyama, Gail. Women of the Silk. In 1926, a group of Chinese women toiling from dawn to dusk in a vast silk factory forge a sisterhood and lead the first strike against their employers. Vonnegut, Kurt. Slaughterhouse Five. After surviving the bombing of Dresden in World War II, Billy Pilgrim spends time on the planet Trafalmador. Wells, Ken. Meely LaBauve: A Novel. A n evocative comingofage story, reminiscent of Huck Finn and full of Cajun culture. This novel ambles along, stopping on the way to meet alligators, flying ants and even an unidentified body. Welty, Eudora. One Writer's Beginnings. M ississippi writer describes her childhood and the influences that shaped her life. Werlin, Nancy. The Killer’s Cousin. Seventeenyearold David, recently acquitted of murder, must face his past as he learns more about his strange cousin Lily. Wharton, Edith. The Age of Innocence. In New York City society in the 1870's, money counted for less than manners and morals. White, T. H. The Once and Future King. The chivalry and romance of medieval England are transported to the modern world. Wilson, August. Fences. Troy Maxson, a strong, hard man who has learned how to be black and proud in the 1950s, finds the changing spirit of the 1960s hard to deal with. Pulitzer Prize (Drama). Wong, Janet S. Behind the Wheel: Poems about Driving. Thirtysix poems use aspects of driving as metaphors for life, including passing the written driver’s test, being pulled over by a cop, and having an accident. Wright, Richard. Black Boy (American Hunger): A Record of Childhood and Youth. This classic autobiography gives the moving and harrowing account of growing up in the racist preWorld War II South. Zemser, Amy Bronwen. Dear Julia. Shy sixteenyearold Elaine Hamilton wants to be a chef like her hero Julia Child, but her bossy and flamboyant best friend, Lucida Sans, is about to make life much more interesting.
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