Summer book list
Incoming 7th and 8th Grade Students
In parenthesis are the reading levels designated by the Accelerated Reader system.
Dog Walker (3.0) Karen Spafford-Fitz
Turk, in need of money but not really wanting to work, notices that girls love dogs, so he starts a dog-walking business, recruiting friends to do the actual work with the side benefit of meeting girls, but the whole scheme is threatened when Chuck, the school tough guy, wants in on the action.
Mirror Image (3.2) K. L. Denman
Thirteen –year-old Sable is reluctantly paired up with Lacey for an art project, but their mutual dislike for one another begins to soften as the two begin to get to know each other better.
A Boy at War (3.5) Harry Mazer
While fishing with his friends off Honolulu on December 7th, 1941, Adam is caught in the midst of the Japanese attack as he searches for his father, a naval officer serving on the USS Arizona as the bombs hit.
Sewar Rats (3.5) Sigmund Brouwer
A group known as Sewer Rats take up the challenge of an underground game of paintball.
Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret (3.6) Judy Blume
Faced with the difficulties of growing up and choosing a religion, a twelve-year-old girl talks over her problems with her own private God.
Scorpions (3.7) Walter Dean Myers
When his brother goes to jail, Jamal takes over the responsibilities for the family, but when his brother asks him to take over his gang, Jamal has second thoughts.
Swiped (3.7) Michele Martin Bossley
Trevor and his friends become caught up in solving several mysteries at their junior high school in Calgary involving missing lunches and stolen books.
NightJohn (3.8) Gary Paulsen
A story of slavery on a southern plantation, NightJohn risks his life to educate others.
Kicker (4.1) Michele Martin Bossley
Best friends and soccer teammates Izzy and Julia team up with their coach’s son and Izzy’s crush Drew to discover who is threatening Julia, and why someone is trying to sabotage their practice field.
Chat Room (4.2) Kristin Butcher
Linda, too shy to meet people at school, develops an anonymous online persona that gains quite a reputation, but things get out of hand when she begins receiving gifts from a secret admirer.
121 Express (4.2) Monique Polak
Lucas is determined to be part of the popular crowd at this new school and put his reputation as a “brainiac” behind him, but he discovers that there is a limit to what he is willing to do to fit in.
Paralyzed (4.6) Jeff Rud
Senior linebacker Reggie Scott deals with accusations that he is a cheater while trying to figure out if he still wants to play football.
Pick any two books to read over the summer. Make sure to pick one based on interest! The more you like a book, the more you connect to the book and remember it. You will be tested on the books in September.
