Summer Reading 2013

Eighth Grade

What do you think?

Ronde and Tiki Barber are entering eighth grade and ready to defend their school's title as football division champs. Unfortunately, their beloved coach announces that he has accepted a job at the nearby high school. On top of that, their quarterback is dividing the team with his hotdogging antics and insults. The Barber twins are convinced that, if they can get the team to listen to their new coach, they can salvage the season.

The authors are NFL players and know a thing or two about football. A glossary for the vocabulary is included, but a solid familiarity with terms and rules is still necessary. An adult sensibility prevails: a former teammate declares that a player is "just immature…. I was the same way in seventh grade." On the same note, in the midst of training, Tiki has an inner monologue about how lucky he is "in the mom department.”

Go Longby Tiki and Ronde Barber

• 5 AR points• 160 pages• Sports

What do you think? In the newly formed Third Reich, Hitler's initial political doctrine is filled with hopeful solutions for a country plagued with unemployment, poverty, and a post-World War I feeling of defeat.

Propaganda and promises quickly turn to oppressive new laws including the required participation in the Hitler Youth. Helmuth Hübener enters the program and is at once impressed with the bravado, shiny uniforms, boots, and patriotic fever sweeping the country. But his Mormon-based teachings trigger questions in his mind about the reality behind the regime's invasions of neighboring countries, mistreatment of Jewish citizens, and closely controlled media.

He creates an underground newsletter with information gathered from BBC reports using an illegal shortwave radio. As he secretly distributes the flyers throughout the town, his boldness encourages him to gather several accomplices resulting in his arrest, trial, and execution. The novel opens as he is on death row, and the story is told as a series of flashbacks. Helmuth is portrayed as a brave, outspoken voice amid a family of brothers, mother, and new SS stepfather.

The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

• 5 AR points• 192 pa• Historical fiction

What do you think?Jason Blake is anything but typical. He

tells his story in his own language, that of an autistic twelve-year-old boy. He is intelligent and sensitive, with many special gifts, and he is different. We learn of his sensitivity and "differentness" as he writes about his life and describes his world.

Through his writing, which he posts on a writing website, he meets another young writer, Rebecca, who responds to the post of his story. Jason is intrigued with this girl in his life and fantasizes about her being his girlfriend. Jason's challenges in school, socially, and at home all portray his difficulty in navigating normal life situations. Complicating his life is his desire to have a girlfriend, and his fear of meeting Rebecca and of her rejection becomes almost too much for Jason. By facing his fear and meeting Rebecca, he is able to grow and ultimately accept himself.

Anything But Typicalby Nora Raleigh Baskin

• 5 AR points• 208 pages• fiction

What do you think?Jake Forrest, who has grown up on

the Indian reservation, leaves it to live with his widowed mother, a high-powered attorney. When he enters an exclusive boys' prep school, he learns that it has made room for him based on his lacrosse prowess; student life revolves around the game.

Thanks to his gifts, Jake seems to gain acceptance easily. However, his teammates' and coach's well-meaning but ignorant remarks leave Jake isolated and increasingly aware of the enormous differences in their values. Only after the coach is seriously injured does Jake find a way to explain the spiritual dimensions of lacrosse. Readers will want to believe in the story and in Jake.

The Warriorsby Joseph Bruchac

• 3 AR points• 126 pages• Fiction – sports, Native Americans, friendships

What do you think?Strange things are happening in

Skeleton Creek . . . and Ryan and Sarah are trying to get to the heart of it. But after an eerie accident leaves Ryan housebound and forbidden to see Sarah, their investigation takes two tracks: Ryan records everything in his journal, while Sarah uses her videocam to search things out. . .and then email the clips for Ryan to see.

The story is broken into two parts -- Ryan's text in the book, and Sarah's videos on a special website, with links and passwords given throughout the book.

Skeleton Creekby Patrick Carman

• 4 AR points• 144 pages• Horror, mystery

What do you think?Luke has never been to school. He's

never had a birthday party, or gone to a friend's house for an overnight. In fact, Luke has never had a friend.

Luke is one of the shadow children, a third child forbidden by the Population Police. He's lived his entire life in hiding, and now, with a new housing development replacing the woods next to his family's farm, he is no longer even allowed to go outside.

Then, one day Luke sees a girl's face in the window of a house where he knows two other children already live. Finally, he's met a shadow child like himself. Jen is willing to risk everything to come out of the shadows — does Luke dare to become involved in her dangerous plan? Can he afford not to?

Among the Hiddenby Margaret Peterson Haddix

• 5 AR points• 160 points• fiction

What do you think?

Ashley, finds a doll in the garden of her new house and soon discovers that it belonged to a girl who is now dead.

An old woman snatches the doll and soon afterwards Ashley finds that she is meeting the girl who owned the doll.

The most exciting part in the story is when Ashley suddenly travels back in time when she goes to a certain place in the garden.

It's a good book because there also is a strange cat in the garden. It is a little scary and adventurous. This was a thrilling book.

The Doll in the Gardenby Mary Downing Hahn

• 3 AR points• 128 pages• Mystery, suspense

What do you think?An overnight camp out at the zoo turns

into a nightmare for Ellen and her little brother Corey when an escaped prisoner also takes refuge there. Through a series of mostly implausible coincidences, they find themselves locked in the zoo grounds with a dangerous and desperate man who plans to hold them for ransom.

Each of the several adults responsible for the children thinks someone else is with them, so no one comes to their rescue. Several pursuit scenes through the ominous dark lead the siblings to the Elephant Forest, where Ellen communicates telepathically with the elephants, spurring her favorite one to attack the man. The last minute arrival of the children's parents and a security guard prevents any blood from being shed.

This adventure will appeal to animal lovers looking for a spooky story. There is plenty of suspense, as the children are never sure around which dark corner the criminal lurks. A baby monkey and, of course, the heroic elephants add color to the story.

Terror at the Zooby Peggy Kehret

• 5 AR points• 144 pages• Mystery, suspense

What do you think?Forced to live and work together, six

children fight through daily chores, arguments, disappointments and frustrations as they try to survive on this long, strange, terrifying adventure.

Luke, J.J, Will, Lyssa, Charla, and Ian earned this trip by being mischievous or unruly; their parents had enough and did not know what else to do. This trip's purpose is to give them a second chance.

The boat trip is guided by two men, the captain, James Cascadden, and the first mate, Mr. Radford. The children live in close conditions and become the crew of the ship. The captain teaches them lessons, and the mate guides them throughout their daily chores and activities. Each of the characters has his or her own unique problems and abilities, but they all agree on one thing: They do not want to be on this ship headed out to sea.

Shipwreckby Gordan Korman

• 3 AR points• 144 points• Fiction - adventure

What do you think?The Willoughby's—Timothy; his twin

brothers, Barnaby A and Barnaby B; and their little sister, Jane—are old-fashioned children who adore old-fashioned adventures. Unfortunately, the Willoughby parents are not very fond of their children, and the truth is that the siblings are not too keen on their parents either. Little do the Willoughby kids know that their neglectful mother and father are hatching an evil plan to get rid of them!

Not to worry—these resourceful adventurers have a few plans of their own. But they have no idea what lies ahead in their quest to rid themselves of their ghastly parents and live happily ever after.

The Willoughbysby Lois Lowry

• 4 AR points• 176 pages• Adventure, humor

What do you think?It's Rafe Khatchadorian's first day at

Hills Village Middle School, and it's shaping up to be the worst year ever. He has enough problems at home without throwing his first year of middle school into the mix, but luckily he's got an ace plan for the best year ever--if only he can pull it off. With his best friend Leonardo the Silent awarding him points, Rafe tries to break every rule in his school's oppressive Code of Conduct. Chewing gum in class--5,000 points! Running in the hallway--10,000 points! Pulling the fire alarm--50,000 points!

But not everyone thinks Rafe's plan is a good idea, especially not the teachers, parents, and bullies who keep getting in his way. Will Rafe decide that winning is the only thing that matters? Are things about to go from magic to tragic?

Middle School: The Worst Yearsby James Patterson

• 4 AR points• 224 pages• Realistic humor

What do you think?His reflexes honed chasing triplet

toddler sisters, Lyle Williams, 12, earned the nickname Mudshark during an especially fierce game of Death Ball. He relishes reading and observing the world as much as he enjoys sports, and his memory for finding lost articles wins him the prestige of unofficial school detective.

The inevitable trouble in paradise occurs when the librarian's psychic parrot threatens his reputation. Mudshark decides that he can simultaneously neutralize the bird and solve a missing-eraser problem with a little help from a wacky assortment of classmates.

The principal's intercom announcements that introduce each chapter may cause teary-eyed chortles ("Please refrain from forming hunting parties to hunt the gerbil"). Fresh and light with scads of humor, this is a tale that doesn't take itself too seriously.

Mudsharkby Gary Paulson

• 2 AR points• 96 pages• Humor, realistic fiction

What do you think?When a tornado watch is issued

one Tuesday evening in June, twelve-year-old Dan Hatch and his best friend, Arthur, don't think much of it. After all, tornado warnings are a way of life during the summer in Grand Island, Nebraska. But soon enough, the wind begins to howl, and the lights and telephone stop working. Then the emergency siren starts to wail.

Dan, his baby brother, and Arthur have only seconds to get to the basement before the monstrous twister is on top of them. Little do they know that even if they do survive the storm, their ordeal will have only just begun. . . .

A fictional account of the night freakish and devastating tornadoes hit Grand Island, Nebraska, as experienced by a twelve-year-old, his family, and friends.

Night of the Twistersby Ivy Ruckman

• 4 AR points• 160 pages• Realistic fiction

What do you think?Fifth-grader Willie Ryan doesn't

play baseball well and has an overprotective mom. As a result, he's one of the least popular kids in school. In fact, the closest thing he has to a friend is Lizzy, a weird British girl.

While walking home through the woods one day, Willie picks up an old fast-food bag which turns into a genie-style lamp. Within minutes out pops Dodger, a giant blue chimpanzee who can talk. However, Dodger isn't a genie (he prefers the term "bottled American") and can't grant wishes.

Dodger follows Willie home, and so begins their zany adventures to help Willie attain his three "hearts desires" with comical results.

Dodger and Meby Jordan Sonnenblick

• 5 AR points• 192 pages• Fiction – fantasy and magic

What do you think?Will Tuppence is a sensible kid, good at

science, with an average social life and a loud-mouthed little sister, Tabby, whom he does his very best to avoid. But when he learns that scientists have recorded the first instance of proton decay, his logical mind goes into free fall contemplating the implications. When, soon after, he catches his friends Mi-Su and BT kissing, his confusion skyrockets. Does he like Mi-Su himself? Would Mi-Su kiss him? Does it even matter now that all protons in the universe are impermanent?

But the point of the story is not proton decay; nor is it the uncertainty that the phenomenon represents—as manifested in Will's life via the love triangle. The story ultimately hinges on Tabby, and Will's relationship with her. Will's teenage insecurities, overanalyzing, and mood swings are entirely believable, and readers empathize fully with him while willing him to step outside himself and look around at what he has.—

Smiles to goby Jerry Spinelli

• 5 AR points• 272 pages• Realistic fiction, humor

References

• Pictures:www.barnesandnoble.com

• Reviews:www.amazon.com