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PWCS Summer Reading Program Grades 6-8

2016 Potomac Middle School

The purpose of the PWCS Summer Reading Program is to encourage students to enjoy quality literature and to continue developing their independent reading skills. Student participation in the program is voluntary. Students who choose to participate in the program are required to complete a minimum of two books. Students participating in the program in Grades 6 - 8 will complete a list of books read. The documentation is to include the name of the author, the title of the book, an explanation of the topic or plot of the book, and a parent or guardian statement that the student has completed the reading. Students in Grades 6 - 8 who participate in Prince William County Public Library's Summer Reading Program, the Public Library documentation will apply. Students will receive an extra “A” (100) for each book completed, for a total of two. The summer reading documentation will be submitted by the student by the end of the first week of school.

The following titles are suggestions for summer reading. Other books selected by the student with guidance from a parent/guardian and/or librarian may be used. Participation in the PWC Public Library Summer Reading Program and its documentation is also acceptable.

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PWCS Sixth Grade Summer Reading Program

Suggested Reading

The following titles are suggestions for summer reading. Other books selected by the student with guidance from a parent/guardian and/or librarian are also acceptable. Participation in the PWC Public Library Summer Reading Program and its documentation is also acceptable.

Author Title Pub. Date

Annotation

Applegate, Katherine

Crenshaw 2015 Jackson and his family have fallen on hard times. There's no more money for rent. And not much for food, either. His parents, his little sister, and their dog may have to live in their minivan again. Crenshaw is a cat. He's large, he's outspoken, and he's imaginary. He has come back into Jackson's life to help him. But is an imaginary friend enough to save this family from losing everything?

Black, Peter Jay Urban Outlaws 2015 The world's most destructive computer virus has been unleashed, and it's up to the Urban Outlaws--five tough kids dedicated to bringing justice to their city--to destroy it. Deep beneath the city live five extraordinary kids: world-famous hacker Jack, gadget geek Charlie, free runner Slink, communications chief Obi, and decoy expert Wren. Orphans bonded over their shared sense of justice, the kids have formed the Urban Outlaws, a group dedicated to outsmarting criminals and handing out their stolen money through Random Acts of Kindness (R.A.K.s).

Bradley, Kimberly Brubaker

The War that Saved My Life

2015 Nine-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada’s twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn’t waste a minute—she sneaks out to join him. So begins a new adventure of Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan—and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?

Cameron, Bruce Ellie’s Story 2015 Ellie is a very special dog with a very important purpose. From puppyhood, Ellie has been trained as a search-and-rescue dog. She can track down a lost child in a forest or an injured victim under a fallen building. She finds people. She saves them. It's what she was meant to do. But Ellie must do more. Her handlers―widowed Jakob, lonely Maya―need her too. People can be lost in many ways, and to do the job she was born to do, Ellie needs to find a way to save the people she loves best.

Cervantes, Angela Allie, First at Last 2016 Allie Velasco wants to be a trailblazer, a trendsetter, a winner. No better feeling exists in the world than stepping to the top of a winner's podium and hoisting a trophy high in the air. At least, that's what Allie thinks, she's never actually won anything before. Everyone in her family is special in some way -- her younger sister is a rising TV star; her brother is a soccer prodigy; her

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great-grandfather is a Congressional Medal of Honor winner. With a family like this, Allie knows she has to make her mark or risk being left behind. She's determined to add a shiny medal, blue ribbon, or beautiful trophy to her family's award shelf.

Chapman, Clay McCleod

The Tribe: Homeroom Headhunters (Book 1)

2014 All Schools are the same and Spencer Pendleton expects no less from Greenfield Middle. But Spencer hasn't met them yet-the Tribe, a group of runaway students who hide out in the school. They live off cafeteria food, and wield weapons made out of everyday supplies. No one seems to know they exist, except for Spencer. And when the group invites him to join their ranks, all he has to do is pass the initiations...and leave his life behind. Can Spencer go through with it? Better yet, what will happen if he says no?

DeFelice, Cynthia Fort 2016 In this boys-will-be-boys summer story about friendship and revenge, eleven-year-old Wyatt and his friend Augie aren't looking for a fight. They're having the best summer of their lives hanging out in the fort they built in the woods, fishing and hunting, cooking over a campfire, and sleeping out. But when two older boys mess with the fort--and with another kid who can't fight back--the friends are forced to launch Operation Doom, with unexpected results for all concerned, in this novel about two funny and very real young heroes.

Flake, Sharon Unstoppable Octobia May

2014 In 1953 ten-year-old Octobia May lives in her Aunt's boarding house in the South, surrounded by an African American community which has its own secrets and internal racism, and spends her days wondering if Mr. Davenport in room 204 is really a vampire--or something else entirely.

Grey, Jacob Ferals 2015 Blackstone was once a thriving metropolis before the Dark Summer, a wave of violence and crime that swept through the city eight years ago. Now the Spinning Man is on the move again, and a boy named Caw is about to be caught in his web. Caw has never questioned his ability to communicate with crows. But as the threat of a new Dark Summer looms, Caw discovers the underground world of Blackstone's ferals, those with the power to control animals. Caw is one of them. And to save his city, he must quickly master abilities he never knew he had . . . and prepare to defeat a darkness he never could have imagined.

Korman, Gordon Masterminds

2015

A group of kids discover they were cloned from the DNA of some of the greatest criminal masterminds in history for a sociological experiment.

Grimes, Nikki

Words with Wings 2013 Gabby daydreams to tune out her parents' arguments, but when her parents' divorce, and she begins a new school, daydreaming gets her into trouble. Her mother scolds her for it, her teacher keeps telling her to pay attention, and the other kids tease her. Until she finds a friend who also daydreams and her teacher decides to work a daydreaming-writing session into every school day. With a notebook "thick with daydreams," Gabby grows more confident about herself and her future.

Jamieson, Victoria Roller Girl 2015 For most of her twelve years, Astrid has done everything with her best friend Nicole. But after Astrid falls in love with roller derby and signs up for derby camp, Nicole decides to go to dance camp instead. And so begins the most difficult summer of Astrid's life as she struggles to keep up with the older girls at camp, hang on to the friend she feels slipping away, and cautiously

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embark on a new friendship. As the end of summer nears and her first roller derby bout draws closer, Astrid realizes that maybe she is strong enough to handle the bout, a lost friendship, and middle school... in short, strong enough to be a roller girl. 2015 Newbury Honor winner.

Jobling, Curtis

Rise of the Wolf (or any other in the Werewolf Series)

2013 When a beast invades his father's farm, sixteen-year-old Drew suddenly transforms into a werewolf. He runs away from his family, seeking refuge in an obscure part of Lyssia. He is captured by Lord Bergan's men and forced to battle numerous “Were” creatures while trying to prove that he is not the enemy.

Leyson, Leon The Boy on the Wooden Box

2013 The memoir of Leon Leyson, who was a young teen when sympathetic factory-owner Oskar Schindler—and his now-famous list—helped Leon survive the terrible atrocities during the Holocaust.

Lloyd, Natalie The Key to Extraordinary

2016 Everyone in Emma's family is special. Her ancestors include Revolutionary War spies, brilliant scientists, and famous musicians--every single one of which learned of their extraordinary destiny through a dream. For Emma, her own dream can't come soon enough. Right before her mother died, Emma promised that she'd do whatever it took to fulfill her destiny, and she doesn't want to let her mother down. But when Emma's dream finally arrives, it points her toward an impossible task--finding a legendary treasure hidden in her town's cemetery. If Emma fails, she'll let down generations of extraordinary ancestors . . . including her own mother. But how can she find something that's been missing for centuries and might be protected by a mysterious singing ghost?

Lord, Cynthia Half A Chance 2014 When Lucy's family moves to an old house on a lake, Lucy tries to see her new home through her camera's lens, as her father has taught her -- he's a famous photographer, away on a shoot. Will her photos ever meet his high standards? When she discovers that he's judging a photo contest, Lucy decides to enter anonymously. She wants to find out if her eye for photography is really special -- or only good enough. As she seeks out subjects for her photos, Lucy gets to know Nate, the boy next door. But slowly the camera reveals what Nate doesn't want to see: his grandmother's memory is slipping away, and with it much of what he cherishes about his summers on the lake. This summer, Nate will learn about the power of art to show truth. And Lucy will learn how beauty can change lives . . . including her own.

Messner, Kate All the Answers 2015 What if your pencil had all the answers? Would you ace every test? Would you know what your teachers were thinking? When Ava Anderson finds a scratched up pencil she doodles like she would with any other pencil. But when she writes a question in the margin of her math quiz, she hears a clear answer in a voice no one else seems to hear. With the help of her friend Sophie, Ava figures out that the pencil will answer factual questions only – those with definite right or wrong answers – but won't predict the future. Ava and Sophie discover all kinds of uses for the pencil, and Ava's confidence grows with each answer. But it's getting shorter with every sharpening, and when the pencil reveals a scary truth about Ava's family, she realizes that sometimes the bravest people are the ones who live without all the answers...

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Nye, Naomi Shihab The Turtle of Oman: A Novel

2014 Aref Al-Amri does not want to leave Oman. He does not want to leave his elementary school, his friends, or his beloved grandfather, Siddi. He does not want to live in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where his parents will go to graduate school. His mother is desperate for him to pack his suitcase, but he refuses. Finally, she calls Siddi for help. But rather than pack, Aref and Siddi go on a series of adventures. They visit the camp of a thousand stars deep in the desert, they sleep on Siddi's roof, they fish in the Gulf of Oman and dream about going to India, and they travel to the nature reserve to watch the sea turtles. At each stop, Siddi finds a small stone that he later slips into Aref's suitcase—mementos of home.

Palacio, R.J.

Wonder 2012 August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid--but his new classmates can't get past Auggie's extraordinary face. The story begins from Auggie's point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community's struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance.

Raskin, Ellen The Westing Game 2004 A bizarre chain of events begins when sixteen unlikely people gather for the reading of Samuel W. Westing’s will. And though no one knows why the eccentric, game-loving millionaire has chosen a virtual stranger—and a possible murderer—to inherit his vast fortune, one thing is for sure: Sam Westing may be dead…but that won’t stop him from playing one last game!

Ryan, Pam Munoz Echo

2015

Lost and alone in a forbidden forest, Otto meets three mysterious sisters and suddenly finds himself entwined in a puzzling quest involving a prophecy, a promise, and a harmonica. Decades later, Friedrich in Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania, and Ivy in California each, in turn, become interwoven when the very same harmonica lands in their lives. All the children face daunting challenges: rescuing a father, protecting a brother, holding a family together. And ultimately, pulled by the invisible thread of destiny, their suspenseful solo stories converge in an orchestral crescendo.

Sloan, Holly Counting by 7s 2013 Willow Chance is a twelve-year-old genius, obsessed with nature and diagnosing medical conditions, who finds it comforting to count by 7s. It has never been easy for her to connect with anyone other than her adoptive parents, but that hasn’t kept her from leading a quietly happy life until now.

Squire, Ann Extreme Weather 2015 The book discusses various extreme severe weather events from all around the world. Readers will find out how scientists study some of the most extreme weather on Earth, from violent tornadoes to deadly hailstorms. They will also learn about some of the most devastating weather events in history

Tonatiuh, Duncan Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family's Fight for Desegregation

2014 Years before the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling Brown v. Board of Education, Sylvia Mendez, an eight-year-old girl of Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage, played an instrumental role in Mendez v. Westminster, the landmark desegregation case of 1946 in California.

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Vawter, Vince Paperboy 2013 An 11-year-old boy living in Memphis in 1959 throws the meanest fastball in town, but talking is a whole different ball game. He can barely say a word without stuttering, not even his own name. So when he takes over his best friend's paper route for the month of July, he knows he'll be forced to communicate with the different customers.

Ventura, Marne

Astrophysicist and Space Advocate Neil deGrasse Tyson

2014 Have you ever stared into the night sky, full of stars and planets? As a kid, Neil deGrasse Tyson was star struck when he first visited a planetarium. The universe was calling him. Tyson pursued his interest in astronomy and studied to be an astrophysicist. In 1996, he became the director of New York's Hayden Planetarium. He is passionate about teaching people about the universe and is known for making science fun and easy to understand. Follow his path from fascinated kid to popular space expert, Director of New York's Hayden Planetarium and narrator of Cosmos television program.

White, J.A. The Thickety: A Path Begins (Book 1 in Series)

2015 When Kara Westfall was five years old, her mother was convicted of the worst of all crimes: witchcraft. Years later, Kara and her little brother, Taff, are still shunned by the people of their village, who believe that nothing is more evil than magic…except, perhaps, the mysterious forest that covers nearly the entire island. It has many names, this place. Sometimes it is called the Dark Wood, or Sordyr's Realm. But mostly it's called the Thickety. The villagers live in fear of the Thickety and the terrible creatures that live there. But when an unusual bird lures Kara into the forbidden forest, she discovers a strange book with unspeakable powers. A book that might have belonged to her mother. And that is just the beginning of the story.

White, Ruth You’ll Like It Here (Everybody Does)

2011 While Meggie and David Blue are from another planet, they're a lot like Earth kids, with similar hopes and dreams, and can't wait to grow up. They also have unique qualities, such as blue streaks in their hair that pop up randomly and language skills that sound like nothing on this planet. The story takes these alien kids, along with their mother and grandfather, by accident, to a far planet in which the society is not only oppressive but hostile to individual freedom. People are kept submissive through drugs and brainwashing. The Blues, who have spent time in free societies recognize the upside-down-ness of this world. They're almost helpless to do anything, but do what they can, plan their escape, and vow to help others.

Williams-Garcia, Rita

Gone Crazy in Alabama 2015 Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern are off to Alabama to visit their grandmother, Big Ma and her mother, Ma Charles. Across the way lives Ma Charles’s half sister, Miss Trotter. The two half sisters haven’t spoken in years. As Delphine hears about her family history, she uncovers the surprising truth that’s been keeping the sisters apart. However, when tragedy strikes, Delphine discovers that the bonds of family run deeper than she ever knew possible.

Williams-Garcia, Rita

P.S. Be Eleven 2014 Sequel to: One crazy Summer. After spending the summer of 1968 with their mother and the Black Panthers, Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern return home to Brooklyn with a new feeling of independence, but they discover their father has a new girlfriend, Uncle Darnell has come home from Vietnam a changed man, and Big Ma still expects Delphine to take care of everything. Feeling overwhelmed, Delphine writes to her mother, who reminds her to enjoy being eleven and not grow up too fast.

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PWCS Seventh Grade Summer Reading Program

Suggested Reading

The following titles are suggestions for summer reading. Other books selected by the student with guidance from a parent/guardian and/or librarian are also acceptable. Participation in the PWC Public Library Summer Reading Program and its documentation is also acceptable.

Author Title Pub. Date

Annotation

Bacon, Lee Joshua Dread 2013 Middle school is tough already—but when your parents are evil supervillains and you’ve just discovered you have powers of your own, life can be a real challenge. Not only do bullies pick on Joshua, but do you see those supervillains over there trying to flood the world? The ones that everyone, including his best friend Milton, are rooting for Captain Justice to take down? They're the Dread Duo, and they just happen to be his parents. As if trying to hide his identity wasn't hard enough, Joshua has started leaving a trail of exploding pencils and scorched handprints in his wake, and only Sophie, the new girl in town with a mysterious past, seems unsurprised. When a violent attack at the Vile Fair makes it clear someone is abducting supervillains, and that his parents may very well be next, Joshua must enlist both Sophie and Milton's help to save them.

Bell, Cece El Deafo 2014 Going to school and making new friends can be tough. Going to school and making new friends while wearing a bulky hearing aid strapped to your chest. That requires superpowers! In this funny, poignant graphic novel memoir, author/illustrator Cece Bell chronicles her hearing loss at a young age and her subsequent experiences with the Phonic Ear, a very powerful--and very awkward--hearing aid. The Phonic Ear gives Cece the ability to hear--sometimes things she shouldn't--but also isolates her from her classmates. She really just wants to fit in and find a true friend, someone who appreciates her as she is. After some trouble, she is finally able to harness the power of the Phonic Ear and become "El Deafo, Listener for All." And more importantly, declare a place for herself in the world and find the friend she's longed for.

Benjamin, Ali The Thing About Jellyfish

2015 After her best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy is convinced that the true cause of the tragedy must have been a rare jellyfish sting-things don't just happen for no reason. Retreating into a silent world of imagination, she crafts a plan to prove her theory--even if it means traveling the globe, alone. Suzy's achingly heartfelt journey explores life, death, the astonishing wonder of the universe...and the potential for love and hope right next door.

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Black, Peter Jay Urban Outlaws: Blackout

2015 Power is out. Security is down. Computers hacked. The world's most destructive computer virus is out of control and the pressure is on for the Urban Outlaws to destroy it. Jack knows that it's not just the world's secrets that could end up in the wrong hands. The secret location of their bunker is at the fingertips of many and the identities of the Urban Outlaws are up for grabs. But capturing the virus feels like an almost impossible mission until they meet Hector. The Urban Outlaws know they need his help, but they have made some dangerous enemies. They could take a risk and win - or lose everything ...

Booth, Coe Kinda Like Brothers 2014 It was one thing when Jarrett's mom took care of foster babies who needed help, but this time it's different. This time the baby who needs help has an older brother Jarrett's age named Kevon. Everyone thinks Jarrett and Kevon should be friends, but that's not going to happen. Not when Kevon's acting like he's better than Jarrett, and not when Jarrett finds out Kevon's keeping some major secrets. Jarrett doesn't think it's fair that he has to share his room, his friends, and his life with some stranger. He's got to do something about it -- but what?

Burpo, Todd

Heaven is for Real 2010 When Colton Burpo made it through an emergency appendectomy, his family was overjoyed at his miraculous survival. What they weren't expecting, though, was the story that emerged in the months that followed—a story as beautiful as it was extraordinary, detailing their little boy's trip to heaven and back.

Corman, Richard Misty Copeland: Power and Grace

2015 Power and grace define Misty Copeland, an influential ballet dancer who has broken through barriers to become the first female African-American to be promoted to principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre. Misty has proven adversity can be conquered by reaching higher and working harder to define what is humanly possible, regardless of the path one chooses to follow their dreams. In Misty's own words, “Finding your power doesn't have to be scary. Instead, it makes you feel in control, strong, and proud”. Her inspiring message of hope, strength, and focus speaks to young girls and women. Misty Copeland is the embodiment of the American dream.

DiCamillo, Kate Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures

2013 It begins, as the best superhero stories do, with a tragic accident that has unexpected consequences. The squirrel never saw the vacuum cleaner coming, but self-described cynic Flora Belle Buckman, is just the right person to step in and save him. What neither can predict is that Ulysses (the squirrel) has been born anew, with powers of strength, flight, and misspelled poetry -- and that Flora will be changed too, as she discovers the possibility of hope and the promise of a big heart. This laugh-out-loud story is filled with eccentric, endearing characters and an exciting new format -- a novel interspersed with comic-style graphic sequences and full-page illustrations.

DiCamillo, Kate Raymie Nightingale 2016 Raymie Clarke has come to realize that everything, absolutely everything, depends on her. And she has a plan. If Raymie can win the Little Miss Central Florida Tire competition, then her father, who left town two days ago with a dental hygienist, will see Raymie's picture in the paper and (maybe) come home. To win, not only does Raymie have to do good deeds and learn how to twirl a baton; she also has to contend with the wispy, frequently fainting Louisiana Elefante, who has a show-business background, and the fiery, stubborn Beverly Tapinski, who’s determined to sabotage the contest. But as the competition approaches, loneliness,

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loss, and unanswerable questions draw the three girls into an unlikely friendship — and challenge each of them to come to the rescue in unexpected ways.

Draper, Sharon Out Of My Mind 2010 Melody has cerebral palsy, a condition that affects her body but not her mind. Although she is unable to walk, talk, or feed or care for herself, she can read, think, and feel. A brilliant person is trapped inside her body, determined to make her mark in the world in spite of her physical limitations.

Draper, Sharon Stella by Starlight 2015 When the Ku Klux Klan's unwelcome reappearance rattles Stella's segregated southern town, bravery battles prejudice in this Depression-era novel. Stella lives in the segregated South; in Bumblebee, North Carolina, to be exact about it. Some stores she can go into. Some stores she can't. Some folks are right pleasant. Others are a lot less so. To Stella, it sort of evens out, and heck, the Klan hasn't bothered them for years. But one late night, later than she should ever be up, much less wandering around outside, Stella and her little brother see something they're never supposed to see, something that is the first flicker of change to come, unwelcome change by any stretch of the imagination. As Stella's community - her world - is upended, she decides to fight fire with fire. And she learns that ashes don't necessarily signify an end.

Erskine, Kathryn Mockingbird 2010 In Caitlin’s world, everything is black or white. Things are good or bad. Anything in between is confusing. That’s the stuff Caitlin’s older brother, Devon, has always explained. But now Devon’s dead and Dad is no help at all. Caitlin wants to get over it, but as an eleven-year-old girl with Asperger’s, she doesn’t know how. When she reads the definition of closure, she realizes that is what she needs. In her search for it, Caitlin discovers that not everything is black and white—the world is full of colors—messy and beautiful.

Fern, Tracey Pippo the Fool 2009 In fifteenth-century Florence, Italy, a contest is held to design a magnificent dome for the town's cathedral, but when Pippo the Fool claims he will win the contest, everyone laughs at him. Based on a true story.

Goldblatt, Mark Twerp 2013 Julian Twerski isn’t a bully. He’s just made a bad mistake. So when he returns to school after a weeklong suspension, his English teacher offers him a deal: if he keeps a journal and writes about the terrible incident that got him and his friends suspended, he can get out of a report on Shakespeare. Julian jumps at the chance, and so begins his account of life in sixth grade—blowing up homemade fireworks, writing a love letter for his best friend (with disastrous results), and worrying whether he’s still the fastest kid in school. But lurking in the background is the one story he can’t bring himself to tell, the one story his teacher most wants to hear.

Green, Tim Lost Boy 2015 After a near-fatal car accident, twelve-year-old Ryder's mother needs an operation they cannot afford and while a new friend tries to raise funds, Ryder travels with a grouchy, disabled neighbor, from Yankee Stadium to Turner Field seeking the major league baseball player who might be Ryder's father.

Herrera, Juan Felipe ***

Portraits of Hispanic American Heroes

2014 An inspiring tribute to Hispanic Americans who have made a positive impact on the world. This visually stunning book showcases twenty Hispanic and Latino American men and women who have made outstanding contributions to the arts, politics, science, humanitarianism, and athletics. Gorgeous portraits complement sparkling biographies of Cesar Chavez, Sonia

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Sotomayor, Ellen Ochoa, Roberto Clemente, and many more. Complete with timelines and famous quotes, this tome is a magnificent homage to those who have shaped our nation.

Holczer, Tracy The Secret Hum of a Daisy

2014 Grace must deal with the sudden death of her mother, and moving in with a grandmother she has never met. Grace's mother leads them on a nomadic life of moving from one place to another, always searching for just the right home, until her untimely death. Grace must then find a way to get to know and forgive her grandmother who has always been a stranger in her life. She soon discovers that her mother has left her one more treasure hunt. The clues take her deep inside her family's past and unlock memories that finally give her the stability and roots she has always been craving. The undercurrent theme of loss is balanced well with humor and an authentic protagonist. More than simply a book about grief and the death of a parent, Grace's story is about the search for identity.

Hopkinson, Deborah

Courage & Defiance 2015 When the Nazis invaded Denmark on Tuesday, April 9, 1940, the people of this tiny country awoke to a devastating surprise. The government of Denmark surrendered quietly, and the Danes were ordered to go about their daily lives as if nothing had changed, but everything had changed. The author traces the stories of the heroic young men and women who would not stand by as their country was occupied by a dangerous enemy. Rather, they fought back. Some were spies, passing tactical information to the British; some were saboteurs, who aimed to hamper and impede Nazi operations in Denmark; and 95% of the Jewish population of Denmark were survivors, rescued by their fellow countrymen, who had the courage and conscience that drove them to act.

Hunt, Lynda Mullaly Fish in a Tree 2015 “Everybody is smart in different ways. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its life believing it is stupid.” Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time she lands in a new school, she is able to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions. She is afraid to ask for help; after all, how can you cure dumb? However, her newest teacher Mr. Daniels sees the bright, creative kid underneath the trouble maker. With his help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of. As her confidence grows, Ally feels free to be herself and the world starts opening up with possibilities. She discovers that there’s a lot more to her—and to everyone—than a label, and that great minds don’t always think alike.

Gratz, Alan Prisoner B-3087 2013 Ten concentration camps. Ten different places where you are starved, tortured, and worked mercilessly. It’s something no one could imagine surviving. But it is what Yanek Gruener has to face. As a Jewish boy in 1930s Poland, Yanek is a the mercy of Nazis who have taken over. Everything he has and everyone he loves have been snatched brutally from him. And then Yanek himself is taken prisoner—his arm marked B-3087. He is forced from one nightmarish concentration camp to another, as World War II rages all around him. He encounters evil he could never have imagines, but also sees surprising glimpses of hope amid the horror. Can Yanek make it through without losing his will to live—and, most of all, his sense of who he really is inside? The book is based on an astonishing true story!

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Levine, Kristin The Paper Cowboy 2014 In a small town near Chicago in 1953, twelve-year-old Tommy faces escalating problems at home, among his Catholic school friends, and with the threat of a communist living nearby, but taking over his hospitalized sister's paper route introduces him to neighbors who he comes to rely on for help.

McKissack, Pat A Friendship for Today

2007 Twelve-year-old Rosemary Patterson learns that she will be attending an all-white school in the fall; but when her best friend is diagnosed with polio, she must face the first day of school alone.

Murphy, Jim An American Plague: the True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793

2003 Provides an account of the yellow fever epidemic that swept through Philadelphia in 1793, discussing the chaos that erupted when people began evacuating in droves, leaving the city without government, goods, or services, and examining efforts by physicians, the Free African Society, and others to cure and care for the sick

Pennypacker, Sara Pax 2016 Pax and Peter have been inseparable ever since Peter rescued him as a kit. But one day, the unimaginable happens: Peter's dad enlists in the military and makes him return the fox to the wild. At his grandfather's house, three hundred miles away from home, Peter knows he isn't where he should be—with Pax. He strikes out on his own despite the encroaching war, spurred by love, loyalty, and grief, to be reunited with his fox. Meanwhile Pax, steadfastly waiting for his boy, embarks on adventures and discoveries of his own. . . .

Salerni, Dianne The Eighth Day 2015 When Jax Aubrey’s father is killed in a car accident, a mysterious stranger shows up claiming to be his guardian. Jax isn’t thrilled; Riley Pendare never buys groceries, keeps to himself, and is full of secrets. Soon Jax discovers an eighth day—a day between Wednesday and Thursday, known as Grunsday—that only descendants of Merlin, Arthur, and the Knights of the Round Table can pass through. Evangeline, a girl who only lives on Grunsdays, becomes the target of those hoping to destroy the normal seven-day week, and it’s up to Jax and Riley to protect her. The adventure starts early and whizzes along at a brisk clip, with more about Jax’s past and the legend of Grunsday unfolding as the novel continues. Perfect fodder for fans who adore mythology, legends, and series with more volumes yet to come.

Smith, Dan My Brother’s Secret 2015 This book is a fictitious, personalized take on the real-life rebel German youth group, the Edelweiss Pirates. Karl Friedman is only twelve, but like all boys his age in Germany, he's already playing war games, training to join the Hitler Youth. Stefan, Karl's nonconformist older brother, wants nothing to do with it. Then their father is killed, and what had been a game suddenly becomes deadly serious. Karl's faith in the Fuhrer is shaken: Is Hitler a national hero-or a villain? Karl soon finds out as he joins his brother in a dangerous rebellion against the burgeoning threat of Nazism.

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Stroud, Jonathan The Screaming Staircase

2014 A sinister Problem has occurred in London: all nature of ghosts, haunts, spirits, and specters are appearing throughout the city, and they aren't exactly friendly. Only young people have the psychic abilities required to see-and eradicate-these supernatural foes. Many different Psychic Detection Agencies have cropped up to handle the dangerous work, and they are in fierce competition for business. In The Screaming Staircase, the plucky and talented Lucy Carlyle teams up with Anthony Lockwood, the charismatic leader of Lockwood & Co, a small agency that runs independent of any adult supervision. After an assignment leads to both a grisly discovery and a disastrous end, Lucy, Anthony, and their sarcastic colleague, George, are forced to take part in the perilous investigation of Combe Carey Hall, one of the most haunted houses in England. Will Lockwood & Co. survive the Hall's legendary Screaming Staircase and Red Room to see another day?

Swanson, James L. The President Has Been Shot!: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy

2013 In this breathtaking and dramatic account of the JFK assassination, the James Swanson will transport readers back to one of the most shocking, sad, and terrifying events in American history. The author uses his signature "you are there" style -- a riveting, ticking-clock pace, with an unprecedented eye for dramatic details and impeccable historical accuracy -- to tell the story of the JFK assassination as it has never been told before. The book is illustrated with archival photos, and has diagrams, source notes, bibliography, places to visit, and an index.

Westrick, Anne Brotherhood 2013 The year is 1867, the South has been defeated, and the American Civil War is over. However, the conflict goes on. Yankees now patrol the streets of Richmond, Virginia, and its citizens, both black and white, are struggling to redefine their roles and relationships. By day, fourteen-year-old Shadrach apprentices with a tailor and sneaks off for reading lessons with Rachel, a freed slave, at her school for African-American children. By night he follows his older brother to the meetings of a group whose stated mission is to protect Confederate widows like their mother. But as the true murderous intentions of the brotherhood—-now known as the Ku Klux Klan—-are revealed, Shad finds himself trapped between old loyalties, a terrorist organization and what he knows is right.

Woodson, Jacqueline

After Tupac and D. Foster

2010 In Queens, NY in the year 1996, three girls bond over their shared love of Tupac Shakur's music, as together they try to make sense of the unpredictable world in which they live.

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PWCS Eighth Grade Summer Reading Program

Suggested Reading

The following titles are suggestions for summer reading. Other books selected by the student with guidance from a parent/guardian and/or librarian are also acceptable. Participation in the PWC Public Library Summer Reading Program and its documentation is also acceptable.

Author Title Pub. Date

Annotation

Abdel-Fattah, Randa

Does My Head Look Big in This?

2007 Sixteen-year-old Amal makes the decision to start wearing the hijab full- time and everyone has a reaction. Her parents, her teachers, her friends, people on the street. But she stands by her decision to embrace her faith and all that it is, even if it does make her a little different from everyone else.

Alexander, Kwame,

Booked 2016 Like lightning/you strike/fast and free/legs zoom/down field/eyes fixed/on the checkered ball/on the goal/ten yards to go/can’t nobody stop you/can’t nobody cop you… Soccer, family, love, and friendship, take center stage as twelve-year-old Nick learns the power of words as he wrestles with problems at home, stands up to a bully, and tries to impress the girl of his dreams. Helping him along are his best friend and sometimes teammate Coby, and The Mac, a rapping librarian who gives Nick inspiring books to read.

Alexander, Kwame

The Crossover 2014 The court is SIZZLING. My sweat is DRIZZLING. Stop all that quivering. Cuz tonight I'm delivering," announces 12-year old Josh Bell. He and his twin brother Jordan are awesome on the court. But Josh has more than basketball in his blood, he's got mad beats too. He tells his family's story in verse.

Alifirenka, Caitlin & Ganda, Martin

I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives

2015 The true story of an all-American girl and a boy from Zimbabwe and the letter that changed both of their lives forever. It started as an assignment. Everyone in Caitlin's class wrote to an unknown student somewhere in a distant place. Martin was lucky to even receive a pen-pal letter. There were only ten letters, and fifty kids in his class. But he was the top student, so he got the first one. That letter was the beginning of a correspondence that spanned six years and changed two lives. In this compelling dual memoir, Caitlin and Martin recount how they became best friends --and better people--through their long-distance exchange. Their story will inspire you to look beyond your own life and wonder about the world at large and your place in it.

Aveyard, Victoria Red Queen 2016 Mare Barrow is many things: a sister, a fighter, a thief. She is also a Red, a lower caste in a fantastical society split by blood color. Silvers are the elite ruling class whose blood gives them magical powers, while Red bloods are born to serve and are often conscripted to fight in a distant war. Mare resigns herself to the war, until a chance encounter lands her in front of the Silver court and she discovers she has powers of her own, an unheard-of phenomenon in a Red. To cover this up, the Silver monarchs claim Mare as a lost Silver princess, and she soon finds herself caught up in a world of politics, betrayal, and rebellion.

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Burgan, Michael The Voting Rights Act of 1965 : an interactive history adventure

2015 In You Choose format, explores the history of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, including the struggles minorities had in achieving the right to vote, enforcement of the law, and the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s.

Charbonneau, Joelle

The Testing 2015 It’s graduation day for sixteen-year-old Malencia Vale, and the entire Five Lakes Colony (the former Great Lakes) is celebrating. All Cia can think about—hope for—is whether she’ll be chosen for The Testing, a United Commonwealth program that selects the best and brightest new graduates to become possible leaders of the slowly revitalizing post-war civilization. When Cia is chosen, her father finally tells her about his own nightmarish half-memories of The Testing. Armed with his dire warnings (”Cia, trust no one”), she bravely heads off to Tosu City, far away from friends and family, perhaps forever. Danger, romance—and sheer terror—await.

Draper, Sharon

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We Beat the Street 2006 Sampson, George, and Rameck could easily have followed their childhood friends into drug dealing, gangs, and prison. Like their peers, they came from poor, single-parent homes in urban neighborhoods where survival, not scholastic success, was the priority. When the three boys met in a magnet high school in Newark, they recognized each other as kindred spirits who wanted to overcome the incredible odds against them and reach for opportunity. They made a friendship pact, deciding together to take on the biggest challenge of their lives: attending college and then medical school. Along the way they made mistakes and faced disappointments, but by working hard, finding the right mentors, separating themselves from negative influences, and supporting each other, they achieved their goals--and more.

Feinstein, John The Walk On 2014 After moving to a new town his freshman year in high school, Alex Myers is happy to win a spot on the varsity team as a quarterback but must deal with idea of not playing for two years since the first-string quarterback is not only a local hero, he is also son of the corrupt head coach.

Fitzgerald, Laura Marx

Under the Egg 2015 When Theodora Tenpenny spills a bottle of rubbing alcohol on her late grandfather’s painting, she discovers what seems to be an old Renaissance masterpiece underneath. That’s great news for Theo, who’s struggling to hang onto her family’s two-hundred-year-old townhouse and support her unstable mother on her grandfather’s legacy of $463. There’s just one problem: Theo’s grandfather was a security guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and she worries the painting may be stolen. With the help of some unusual new friends, Theo's search for answers takes her all around Manhattan, and introduces her to a side of the city—and her grandfather—that she never knew. To solve the mystery, she'll have to abandon her hard-won self-reliance and build a community, one unexpected friendship at a time.

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Gemeinhart, Dan The Honest Truth 2015 It's never too late for the adventure of a lifetime. In all the ways that matter, Mark is a normal kid. He's got a dog named Beau and a best friend, Jessie. He likes to take photos and write haiku poems in his notebook. He dreams of climbing a mountain one day. But in one important way, Mark is not like other kids at all. Mark is sick. The kind of sick that means hospitals. And treatments. The kind of sick some people never get better from. So Mark runs away. He leaves home with his camera, his notebook, his dog, and a plan. A plan to reach the top of Mount Rainier. Even if it's the last thing he ever does. The Honest Truth is a rare and extraordinary novel about big questions, small moments, and one incredible journey.

Griffin, Paul Adrift 2015 Matt and Mike are best friends, just two working-class guys trying to earn some money in Montauk for the summer. When they meet Driana, JoJo, and Stef, three friends who live a much different life of privilege, Matt and Mike find themselves in a sticky situation where temptation rivals sensibility. Worlds collide when the group ventures out to sea aboard a small boat that Stef sneaks out from her dad's dock. As the waves rise and the fragile vessel weakens, things go horribly wrong. Adrift at sea for days, who will have what it takes to survive?

Jarrow, Gail Red Madness: How a Medical Mystery Changed What We Eat

2014 One hundred years ago, a mysterious and alarming illness spread across America's South, striking tens of thousands of victims. No one knew what caused it or how to treat it. People were left weak, disfigured, insane, and in some cases, dead. The author tracks this disease, commonly known as pellagra, and highlights how doctors, scientists, and public health officials finally defeated it..

Kadohata, Cynthia

Half a World Away 2015 Jaden is adopted, and he knows he’s an “epic fail.” That’s why his family is traveling to Kazakhstan to adopt a new baby—to replace him, he’s sure. And he gets it. He is incapable of stopping his stealing, hoarding, lighting fires, aggressive running, and obsession with electricity. He knows his parents love him, but he feels...nothing. When they get to Kazakhstan, it turns out the infant they’ve traveled for has already been adopted, and literally within minutes are faced with having to choose from six other babies. While his parents agonize, Jaden is more interested in the toddlers. One, a little guy named Dimash, spies Jaden and barrels over to him every time he sees him. Jaden finds himself increasingly intrigued by and worried about Dimash. Already three years old and barely able to speak, Dimash will soon age out of the orphanage, and then his life will be as hopeless as Jaden feels now. For the first time in his life, Jaden actually feels something that isn’t pure blinding fury, and there’s no way to control it, or its power.

Khoury, Jessica Kalahari 2015 When an educational safari goes wrong, five teens find themselves stranded in the Kalahari Desert without a guide. It's up to Sarah, the daughter of zoologists, to keep them alive and lead them to safety, calling on survival know-how from years of growing up in remote and exotic locales. Battling dehydration and starvation she does her best to hold it together, even as their circumstances grow increasingly desperate. A silver lion, as though made of mercury, makes a vicious, unprovoked attack on the group. After a narrow escape, they

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uncover the chilling truth behind the lion's silver sheen: a highly contagious and deadly virus that threatens to ravage the entire area—and eliminate life as they know it.

Lang, Gene Luen American Born Chinese

2008 Jin Wang starts at a new school where he's the only Chinese-American student. When a boy from Taiwan joins his class, Jin doesn't want to be associated with an FOB like him. Jin just wants to be an all-American boy, because he's in love with an all-American girl. Danny is an all-American boy: great at basketball, popular with the girls. But his obnoxious Chinese cousin Chin-Kee's annual visit is such a disaster that it ruins Danny's reputation at school, leaving him with no choice but to transfer somewhere he can start all over again. The Monkey King has lived for thousands of years and mastered the arts of kung fu and the heavenly disciplines. He's ready to join the ranks of the immortal gods in heaven. But there's no place in heaven for a monkey. Each of these characters cannot help himself alone, but how can they possibly help each other? They're going to have to find a way―if they want fix the disasters their lives have become.

Lewis, John March: Book One 2013 March is a vivid first-hand account of John Lewis' lifelong struggle for civil and human rights, meditating in the modern age on the distance traveled since the days of Jim Crow and segregation. Rooted in Lewis' personal story, it also reflects on the highs and lows of the broader civil rights movement

Lupica, Mike QB1 2013 Jake Cullen, fourteen, lives in the shadows of his father and older brother until he becomes the starting quarterback for the high school football team and finally has his chance to shine.

Martin, Ann Rain Reign 2014 Struggling with Asperger's, Rose shares a bond with her beloved dog, but when the dog goes missing during a storm, Rose is forced to confront the limits of her comfort levels, even if it means leaving her routines in order to search for her pet.

McDonald, Abby Jane Austen goes to Hollywood

2013 Hallie and Grace Weston have never exactly seen life eye to eye. When their father dies and leaves everything to his new wife, It forces the girls to pack up and leave San Francisco for a relative's house in shiny Beverly Hills. The two sisters take to their changing lot in typically different styles. Shy, responsible Grace manages to make friends with an upbeat, enterprising girl named Palmer. Meanwhile, drama queen Hallie is throwing herself headlong into life in L.A. But is Hallie blinded by the stars in her eyes? And is Grace doomed to forever hug the sidelines?

McDowell, Rebecca

This is Not a Drill 2012 When high school seniors Emery and Jake are taken hostage in the classroom where they tutor, they must work together to calm both the terrified children and the gunman threatening them. Brian Stutts, a soldier suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after serving in Iraq, uses deadly force when he's denied access to his son because of a custody battle.

McKenzie, Paige The Haunting of Sunshine Girl: Book One

2015 Shortly after her sixteenth birthday, Sunshine Griffith and her mother Kat move from sunny Austin, Texas, to the rain-drenched town of Ridgemont, Washington. Though Sunshine is adopted, she and her mother have always been close, sharing a special bond filled with laughter and inside jokes. But from the moment they arrive, Sunshine feels her world darken with an eeriness she cannot place. And even if Kat doesn’t recognize it, Sunshine knows

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that something about their new house is just ... creepy. In the days that follow, things only get stranger. Sunshine is followed around the house by an icy breeze, phantom wind slams her bedroom door shut, and eventually, the laughter Sunshine hears on her first night evolves into sobs. She can hardly believe it, but as the spirits haunting her house become more frightening—and it becomes clear that Kat is in danger—Sunshine must accept what she is, pass the test before her, and save her mother from a fate worse than death.

Mikaelson, Ben Jungle of Bones 2014 Dylan Barstow has finally crossed the line. After getting caught on a late-night joyride in a stolen car, Dylan is shipped off to live with his ex-Marine uncle for the summer. Uncle Todd has bigger plans for Dylan than push-ups and early-morning jogs. Deep in the steamy jungles of Papua New Guinea, there's a WWII fighter plane named Second Ace that's been lost for years, a plane that Dylan's own grandfather barely escaped from with his life. In all this time, no one has ever been able to track down Second Ace -- but now Dylan and his uncle are going to try.

Mills, Claudia Zero Tolerance 2014 Seventh-grader Sierra Shepard has always been the perfect student, so when she sees that she accidentally brought her mother's lunch bag to school, including a paring knife, she immediately turns in the knife at the school office. Much to her surprise, her beloved principal places her in in-school suspension and sets a hearing for her expulsion, citing the school's ironclad no-weapons policy. While there, Sierra spends time with Luke, a boy who's known as a troublemaker, and discovers that he's not the person she assumed he would be--and that the lines between good and bad aren't as clear as she once thought.

Myers, Walter Dean

Invasion 2013 It's May 1944. World War II is ramping up, and so are these young recruits, ready and eager. In small towns and big cities all over the globe, people are filled with fear. When Josiah and Marcus come together in what will be the greatest test of their lives, they learn hard lessons about race, friendship, and what it really means to fight. Set on the front lines of the Normandy invasion, this novel, rendered with heart-in-the-throat precision, is a cinematic masterpiece. Here we see the bold terror of war, and also the nuanced havoc that affects a young person's psyche while living in a barrack, not knowing if today he will end up dead or alive.

Nielsen, Jennifer A Night Divided 2015 With the rise of the Berlin Wall, twelve-year-old Gerta finds her family suddenly divided. She, her mother, and her brother Fritz live on the eastern side, controlled by the Soviets. Her father and middle brother, who had gone west in search of work, cannot return home. Gerta knows it is dangerous to watch the wall, to think forbidden thoughts of freedom, yet she can't help herself. She sees the East German soldiers with their guns trained on their own citizens; she, her family, her neighbors and friends are prisoners in their own city. But one day, while on her way to school, Gerta spots her father on a viewing platform on the western side, pantomiming a peculiar dance. Then, when she receives a mysterious drawing, Gerta puts two and two together and concludes that her father wants Gerta and Fritz to tunnel beneath the wall, out of East Berlin. However, if they are caught, the consequences will be deadly. No one can be trusted. Will Gerta and her family find their way to freedom?

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Rice, Luanne The Secret Language of Sisters

2016 Mathilda (Tilly), fourteen, and Ruth Anne (Roo), sixteen, are sisters and best friends in Connecticut, but when Roo crashes her car while texting she is confined to a hospital bed with "locked-in syndrome," aware of her surroundings, but apparently comatose--and Tilly must find a way to communicate with her sister, while dealing with her own sense of guilt.

Riggs, Ransom Library of Souls – The Third Novel of Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children

2015 A boy with extraordinary powers. An army of deadly monsters. An epic battle for the future of peculiardom. The adventure that began with Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and continued inHollow City comes to a thrilling conclusion with Library of Souls. As the story opens, sixteen-year-old Jacob discovers a powerful new ability, and soon he’s diving through history to rescue his peculiar companions from a heavily guarded fortress. Accompanying Jacob on his journey are Emma Bloom, a girl with fire at her fingertips, and Addison MacHenry, a dog with a nose for sniffing out lost children. They’ll travel from modern-day London to the labyrinthine alleys of Devil’s Acre, the most wretched slum in all of Victorian England. It’s a place where the fate of peculiar children everywhere will be decided once and for all.

Romero, Jordan and Leblanc, Linda

No Summit Out of Sight

2015 On May 22, 2010, at the age of 13, American teenager Jordan Romero became the youngest person to climb to the summit of Mount Everest. At 15, he became the youngest person to reach the summits of the tallest mountains on each of the seven continents. In this energizing memoir for young adults, Jordan, recounts his experience, which started as a spark of an idea at the age of nine and, many years of training and hard work later, turned into a dream come true.

Sachar, Louis Fuzzy Mud 2015 Be careful. Your next step may be your last. Fifth grader Tamaya Dhilwaddi and seventh grader Marshall Walsh have been walking to and from Woodridge Academy together since elementary school. But their routine is disrupted when bully Chad Hilligas challenges Marshall to a fight. To avoid the conflict, Marshall takes a shortcut home through the off-limits woods. Tamaya, unaware of the reason for the detour, reluctantly follows. They soon get lost. And then they find trouble. Bigger trouble than anyone could ever have imagined. In the days and weeks that follow, the authorities and the U.S. Senate become involved, and what they uncover might affect the future of the world.

Sheinkin, Steve

Bomb – The Race to Build and Steal the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon

2012 In December of 1938, a chemist in a German laboratory made a shocking discovery: When placed next to radioactive material, a Uranium atom split in two. That simple discovery launched a scientific race that spanned 3 continents. In Great Britain and the United States, Soviet spies worked their way into the scientific community; in Norway, a commando force slipped behind enemy lines to attack German heavy-water manufacturing; and deep in the desert, one brilliant group of scientists was hidden away at a remote site at Los Alamos. This is the story of the plotting, the risk-taking, the deceit, and genius that created the world's most formidable weapon. This is the story of the atomic bomb.

Vail, Rachel Unfriended 2014 When thirteen-year-old Truly is invited to sit at the Popular Table, she finds herself caught in a web of lies and misunderstandings, made inescapable by the hyper connected world of social media.

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Van Tol, Alex

Sonia Sotomayor: U.S. Supreme Court Justice

2011 Sonia Sotomayor, born of Puerto Rican parents in the Bronx, New York, became a household name when President Barack Obama nominated her to the United States Supreme Court in 2009. Her confirmation made her the country's first Hispanic Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. But even before that, Sonia was an inspiration to others for her hard work and her accomplishments as a student, an attorney, and a judge. Raised by her widowed mother in the housing projects of New York, Sonia Sotomayor has built a life as a jurist, activist, and mother, committed to the rights and advancement of people of all backgrounds and ethnicities.

Watson, Renee’ This Side of Home 2015 A debut novel about sisters, friends, and what it means to embrace change. Maya Younger and her identical twin sister, Nikki, have always agreed on the important things. Friends. Boys. School. They even plan to attend the same historically African American college, but nothing can always remain the same. As their Portland neighborhood goes from rough-and-tumble to up-and-coming, Maya feels her connection to Nikki and their community slipping away. Nikki spends more time at trendy coffee shops than backyard barbecues, and their new high school principal is more committed to erasing the neighborhood's prior reputation than honoring its history. Home doesn't feel like home anymore. As Maya struggles to hold on to her black heritage, she begins to wonder with whom--or where--she belongs. Does growing up have to mean growing apart?

Yousafzai, Malala

I Am Malala 2014 Malala Yousafzai was only ten years old when the Taliban took control of her region. They said music was a crime, women weren't allowed to go to the market and girls couldn't go to school. Raised in a once-peaceful area of Pakistan transformed by terrorism, Malala was taught to stand up for what she believes. So she fought for her right to be educated. And on October 9, 2012, she nearly lost her life for the cause: She was shot point-blank while riding the bus on her way home from school. No one expected her to survive. Now Malala is an international symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest ever Nobel Peace Prize winner. Malala's powerful story will open your eyes to another world and will make you believe in hope, truth, miracles and the possibility that one person -- one young person -- can inspire change in her community and beyond.

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