Nichols

Middle

School

Summer Reading List Grades 5 through 8

2015

Dear Parents,

Summer reading is part of life at Nichols. In addition to

developing and extending skills, it is important that students experience the pleasure of discovery, reflection, and imagination that a good book provides.

Summer reading is used to review, supplement, or introduce

content that will be part of the regular school year. Middle School students are asked to read a minimum of five books: the required book plus the students' own selections.

This booklet contains both a list of required books for each

grade level and a variety of other summer reading choices. The books in this list are divided into Middle Reader books, which are appropriate for all middle school students and Young Adult books, which contain challenging vocabulary and more mature subject matter. The titles are suggestions, but please encourage your child to select at least one title marked with an asterisk. These books deal with a diversity of characters and settings, and should serve to expand your child's reading and world experience.

Students do not need to write summer book reports, but must

be prepared to discuss and write compositions about the books during the first weeks of school in September. Please have your child record the titles and authors of all books read over the summer on the record sheet that they will be given in English class, and sign your name when each book is completed. This form is due on the first day of school. Please talk with your child about how to make reading a part of his or her summer plans.

Sincerely, Carol Sue Stapleton

Middle School Librarian

Required Reading List

5th Grade: Babbitt, Natalie - Search for Delicious

Buyea, Rob, - Because of Mr. Terupt

6th Grade: Sachar, Louis—Holes

7th Grade: Ritter, John H. - The Boy Who Saved

Baseball

8th Grade: Portis, Charles - True Grit

8th Grade (New Students Only):

In addition to the Portis required book, new students should read

Heroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths by Bernard

Evslin (Bantam Press). The last three books may be titles of their

own choosing.

NICHOLS MIDDLE SCHOOL

Summer Reading List 2015

For Students Entering Grades 5, 6, 7 and 8 The following authors have written so many books, we cannot list every title.

Please consider books by:

Alexander, Lloyd Haddix, Margaret Peterson O'Dell, Scott

Avi Horowitz, Anthony Paterson, Katherine

Beatty, Patricia Ibbotson, Eva Paulsen, Gary

Bauer, Joan Jacques, Brian Peck, Richard

Christie, Agatha Jones, Diana Wynne Pierce, Tamora

Cooper, Susan Konigsburg, E.L. Rinaldi, Ann

Dahl, Roald Lasky, Kathryn Rowlings, J.K.

DiCamillo, Kate L'Engle, Madeleine Spinelli, Jerry

Fox, Paula McCaffrey, Anne Voigt, Cynthia

George, Jean Craighead Nixon, Joan Lowery Yep, Laurence

ADVENTURE—Middle Readers

Alexander, Lloyd The High King

Creech, Sharon The Wanderer

Eames, Brian The Dagger Quick

George, Jean Craighead Julie of the Wolves*; My Side of the Mountain

Gutman, Dan ...and me series

Harper, Suzanne The Unseen World of Poppy Malone: A Gaggle of Goblins

Higson, Charlie James Bond Adventures series

Hobbs, Will Ghost Canoe; Far North

Horowitz, Anthony The Alex Rider series

Konigsburg, E.L. From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

London, Jack White Fang

Paulsen, Gary Hatchet; Brian’s Return; Brian’s Winter, Voyage of the Frog

Sperry, Armstrong Call It Courage*

Taylor, Theodore A Sailor Returns

ADVENTURE—Young Adults

Bartholomew, Lois T. The White Dove

Borland, Hal When the Legends Die*

Fox, Paula The Slave Dancer*

Greene, Bette Summer of My German Soldier*

Hinton, S.E. The Outsiders

Jacques, Brian Castaways of the Flying Dutchman

Krakauer, Jon Into Thin Air

Paulsen, Gary Canyons

Rees, Celia Pirates!

Schaefer, Jack Shane

Verne, Jules Around the World in 80 Days

Conflict/REALISTIC FICTION— Middle

Readers

Auch, Mary Jane The Road to Home; The Journey to Nowhere

Avi The Secret School

Babbitt, Natalie The Eyes of the Amaryllis

Banks, Kate Dillon Dillon

Bauer, Joan Close to Famous, Rules of the Road, Sticks

Beatty, Patricia Lupita Manana*

Betancourt, Jeanne My Name is Brian*

Blume, Judy Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

Burg, Shana Laugh with the Moon

Byars, Betsy Summer of the Swans

Caldwell, V.M. The Ocean Within

Cerrito, Angela The End of the Line

Cleary, Beverly Dear Mr. Henshaw; Henry Huggins; Strider

Clements, Andrew Frindle; The Landry News; Lunch Money; The School

Story; Things Not Seen Cowing, Sue You Will Call Me Drog

Creech, Sharon Bloomability; Love That Dog; Hate That Cat; Granny

Torrelli Makes Soup; Chasing Redbird; The Castle Corona Curtis, Christopher Paul The Watsons Move to Birmingham*, The Mighty

Miss Malone*

Danzinger, Paula P.S. Longer Letter Later; Snail Mail No

More; Pistachio Prescription

De Clements, Barthe Nothing's Fair in Fifth Grade

DiCamillo, Kate Because of Winn-Dixie; The Tiger Rising

Draper, Sharon Forged by Fire*

Fenner, Carol Yolanda’s Genius

Fitzgerald, Dawn Soccer Chicks Rule

Fitzhugh, Louise Harriet the Spy

Gantos, Jack Joey Pigza Loses Control; What Would Joey Do?

George, Jean Craighead The Missing 'Gator of Gumbo-Limbo

Giff, Patricia Reilly The Girl Who Knew It All; Left-Handed Shortstop;

Pictures of Hollis Woods

Henkes, Kevin Olive’s Ocean

Holt, Kimberly Willis When Zachary Beaver Came to Town

Ibbotson, Eva Journey to the River Sea

Jacobson, Jennifer Richard Small as an Elephant

Kehret, Peg My Brother Made Me Do It

Kerr, Judith When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit*

Konigsburg, E.L. The View From Saturday

Korman, Gordon No More Dead Dogs; Ungifted

L'Engle, Madeleine Meet the Austins

Lord, Bette Bao In the Year of the Boar & Jackie Robinson*

Martin, Ann M. A Corner of the Universe

Mass, Wendy A Mango Shaped Space; Every Soul a Star; Jeremy Fink and

the Meaning of Life Mohr, Nicholasa Felita*; Going Home*

Palacio, R.J. Wonder

Paterson, Katherine The Great Gilly Hopkins; Flip-Flop Girl; The Same

Stuff as Stars

Peck, Richard The Dreadful Future of Blossom Culp

Price, Susan Ghost Song*

Rocklin, Joanne One Day and One Amazing Morning on Orange Street

Sachar, Louis Holes

Shreve, Susan Trout and Me

Stead, Rebecca Liar and Spy

Streatfield, Noel Theater Shoes

Taylor, Theodore The Maldonado Miracle*

Turnage, Sheila Three Times Lucky

White, Ruth Bell Prater’s Boy

Yep, Laurence Ribbons*

Conflict/REALISTIC FICTION—Young

Adults

Alexie, Sherman The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Avi A Place Called Ugly; Nothing But the Truth

Bauer, Joan Hope Was Here; Peeled; Rules of the Road; Stand Tall; Sticks;

Close to Famous

Blume, Judy Deenie; Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.

Borland, Hal When the Legends Die*

Brashares, A. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants books

Byars, Betsy Summer of the Swans

Cabot, Meg All-American Girl, Shadowland, Avalon High

Cerrito, Angela The End of the Line

Cormier, Robert The Chocolate War; Beyond the Chocolate War

Haddix, Margaret Peterson Don’t You Dare Read This Mrs. Dumphrey

Hamilton, Virginia M.C. Higgins the Great*

Hinton, S.E. The Outsiders

Holland, Isabelle The Man Without a Face

Holman, Felice Slake’s Limbo*

Koss, Amy Goldman Side Effects

Laird, Elizabeth Kiss the Dust

Les Becquets, Diane The Stones of Mourning Creek

Levoy, Myron Alan and Naomi*

Moore, Yvette Freedom Songs*

Myers, Walter Dean Won't Know Till I Get There

Neri, Greg Ghetto Cowboy

Nielsen, Susin The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen

O’Connor, Sheila Sparrow Road

O'Neal, Zibby The Language of Goldfish

Paterson, Katherine Jacob Have I Loved

Peters, Julie Anne Define Normal

Rawls, Wilson Where the Red Fern Grows

Salm, Arthur Anyway*: *A Story About Me with 138 Footnotes, 27

Exaggerations, and 1 Plate of Spaghetti

Scheier, Leah Secret Letters

Sebestyen, Ouida Far From Home*

Singer, Marilyn Stay True: Short Stories for Strong Girls

Smith, Jennifer E. Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

Spinelli, Jerry Maniac Magee*; Stargirl; Wringer; Crash

Staples, Suzanne Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind*

Tashjian, Janet The Gospel According to Larry

Thomas, Joyce Carol, ed. A Gathering of Flowers (short stories)*

Uchida, Yoshiko Journey Home*

Van Draanen, Wendelin Flipped

Wartski, Maureen Crane A Boat to Nowhere*; A Long Way From Home*

Whitaker, Alecia Queen of Kentucky

Wojciechowska, Maia Shadow of a Bull*

Wolff, Virginia Auwer True Believer; Make Lemonade; The Full House

Yee, Lisa Warp Speed

Zindel, Paul The Pigman

FANTASY/SCIENCE FICTION—Middle

Readers

Alexander, Lloyd The High King; Time Cat

Banks, Lynn Reid Indian In the Cupboard Series

Bernstein, Nina Magic by the Book

Burgis, Stephanie Kat, Incorrigible

Clements, Andrew School Story; Things Not Seen, Lunch Money

Coatsworth, Elizabeth The Cat Who Went to Heaven

Colfer, Eoin Artemis Fowl series

Collins, Suzanne Gregor and the Code of Claw; Gregor the Overlander

Conley, Jane Leslie R.T. Rats of NIMH series

Corder, Zizou LionBoy

Coville, Bruce Juliet Dove: Queen of Love; Jeremy Thatcher: Dragon

Hatcher; The Monster’s Ring Cowing, Sue You Will Call Me Drog

Dahl, Roald Matilda, The Witches, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The

BFG DiCamillo, Kate A Tale of Despereaux

DuPrau, Jeanne City of Ember; The People of Sparks

Farmer, Nancy The Ear, the Eye and the Arm*; Sea of Trolls, The House of

the Scorpion; The Land of the Silver Apples Ferris, Jean Once Upon a Marigold

Fletcher, Susan. Shadow Spinner*

Funke, Cornelia The Thief Lord; Dragon Rider; Inkheart

Gaiman, Neil Coraline

Gidwitz, Adam A Tale Dark and Grim; In a Glass Grimmly

Haddix, Margaret Peterson Just Ella; The Hidden series; Running Out of

Time; The Missing series; Turnabout

Hale, Shannon Princess Academy

Harper, Suzanne The Unseen World of Poppy Malone: A Gaggle of Goblins

Harris, Lewis A Taste for Red

Hartley, A.J. Darwen Arkwright and the Peregrine Pact

Hawking, Lucy and Stephen George’s Secret Key to the Universe; George’s

Cosmic Treasure Hunt Healy, Christopher The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom

Hunter, Mollie A Stranger Came Ashore

Ibbotson, Eva Island of the Aunts; Dial-A-Ghost; Secret of Platform 13;

Which Witch?; The Ogre of Oglefort

Jacques, Brian Redwall series

Juster, Norman Phantom Tollbooth

Kloepfer, John The Zombie Chasers

L'Engle, Madeleine Wind in the Door

Levine, Gail Carson Ella Enchanted; The Two Princesses

of Bamarre; The Wish; Ever; Fairest Lewis, C.S. Chronicles of Narnia series

Loftin, Nikki Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy

Mould, Chris Pip and the Wood Witch Curse

Nelson, O.T. The Girl Who Owned A City

Nimmo, Jenny Charlie Bone series

O'Brien, Robert Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH

Oliver, Lauren Liesl & Po

Rowlings, J.K. Harry Potter series

Sage, Angie Septimus Heap series

Schlitz, Laura Amy Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!; Splendors and Glooms

Selden, George The Cricket in Times Square

Sharp, Margery The Rescuers

Shulman, Polly The Grimm Legacy

Verrillo, Erica F. Ellissa’s Odyssey; Ellissa’s Quest; World’s End

White, E.B. Charlotte's Web; Stuart Little; The Trumpet of the Swan

FANTASY/SCIENCE FICTION—Young

Adults

Adams, Douglas Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Alexander, Lloyd Taran Wanderer

Ashby, Amanda Fairy Bad Day

Asimov, Isaac I, Robot

Barry, Dave Peter Pan and the Starcatcher series

Barron, T.A. Child of the Dark Prophecy; Shadows of the Stars

Bradbury, Ray The Illustrated Man; Something Wicked This Way Comes

Bradford, Richard Red Sky at Morning

Canavan, Trudi The High Lord; The Wizard Heir; The Warrior Heir

Card, Orson Scott Ender’s Game; Ender’s Shadow

Chabon, Michael Summerland

Clement-Davies, David Fire Bringer; The Sight; Fell

Clements, Andrew Things Not Seen

Cooper, Susan King of Shadows; Over Sea, Under Stone

Gier, Kerstin Ruby Red

Haddix, Margaret Peterson Turnabout; Escape from Memory

Harris, Rachel My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century

Hartley, A.J. Darwen Arkwright and the Peregrine Pact

Hoffman, Mary Starganza series

Hurmence, Belinda A Girl Called Boy*

Ibbotson, Eva Secret of Platform 13; Which Witch

James, Mary Shoebag

Kendall, Carol The Gammage Cup

Keyes, Morgan Darkbeast

Kloepfer, John The Zombie Chasers series

Lasky, Kathryn Guardians of Ga’Hoole series

LeGuin, Ursula A Wizard of Earthsea

Lowry, Lois Gathering Blue

McCaffrey, Anne Dragondrums; Dragonflight

McKinley, Robin The Blue Sword; Spindle’s End; Beauty: A Retelling of the

Story of Beauty and the Beast

Meloy, Maile The Apothecary

O’Brien, Robert C. Z for Zachariah

Paolini, Christopher Eragon series

Patterson, James Maximum Ride series

Peters, Andrew Ravenwood

Pullman, Philip His Dark Materials series

Putney,Mary Jo Dark Mirror

Riorden, Rick Percy Jackson series

Schlitz, Laura Amy Splendors and Glooms

Schmidt, Gary Straw Into Gold

Selznick, Brian The Invention of Hugo Cabret; Wonderstuck

Snyder, Zilpha The Egypt Game

Stroud, Jonathan The Bartimaeus Trilogy

Sutcliff, Rosemary The Dragonslayer

Tan, Shaun Lost & Found

Tingle, Rebecca The Edge on the Sword

Tolkien, J.R.R. Lord of the Rings series

Verne, Jules Around The World in 80 Days

Wells, H.G. War of the Worlds

ANIMAL—Middle Readers

Anderson, Laurie Halse Homeless; Manatee Blues; Say Goodbye

Applegate, Katherine The One and Only Ivan

Armstrong, William H. Sounder

Conly, Jane Leslie R.T., Margaret, and the Rats of NIMH;

Racso and the Rats of NIMH

DiCamillo, Kate Because of Winn-Dixie; The Tale of Despereaux

George, Jean Craighead Julie of the Wolves*; My Side of the Mountain;

Far Side of the Mountain

Grogan, John Marley: A Dog Like No Other

Henry, Marguerite King of the Wind

Herlong, M.H. Buddy

Hesse, Karen Music of the Dolphins

Hiaasen, Carl Chomp

Hobbs, Valerie Sheep

Karwoski, Gail Langer Seaman: The Dog Who Explored the West with

Lewis & Clark

Kadohata, Cynthia Cracker! The Best Dog in Vietnam

Korman, Gordon The Swindle series

Martin, Ann M. A Dog’s Life: The Autobiography of a Stray

Matthews, L.S. A Dog for Life

Naylor, Phyllis R. Shiloh; Saving Shiloh; Shiloh Season

Nazum, K.A. The Leanin’ Dog

Neville, Emily It's Like This, Cat

North, Sterling Rascal; The Wolfling

O'Brien, Robert C. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH

O’Dell, Scott Island of the Blue Dolphins*

Selden, George The Cricket in Times Square

Sharp, Margery The Rescuers

Smith, Roland The Captain’s Dog: My Journey with the Lewis and Clark

Tribe*; Elephant Run*; Thunder Cave*; Cryptid Hunters* Taylor, Theodore Trouble With Tuck; Tuck Triumphant

White, E.B. Charlotte's Web; Stuart Little; The Trumpet of The Swan

Wojciechowska, Maia Shadow of the Bull*

ANIMAL —Young Adults

Burnford, Sheila The Incredible Journey

Durrell, Gerald My Family and Other Animals

Farley, Walter The Black Stallion

Gipson, Fred Old Yeller

Herriot, James All Creatures Great and Small

Hiaasen, Carl Chomp

Kipling, Rudyard Just So Stories

Kjelgaard, James Big Red

Langton, Jean The Fledgling

London, Jack White Fang

Mowat, Farley Never Cry Wolf; The Dog Who Wouldn't Be

Rawls, Wilson Where the Red Fern Grows

MYSTERY—Middle Readers

Avi Midnight Magic; Murder at Midnight

Allison, Jennifer Gilda Joyce series

Barrett, Tracy The Beast of Blackslope, The Case That Time Forgot, The

Hundred-Year-Old Secret Beil, Michael D. Red Blazer Girls series

Bell, Juliet Kepler’s Dream

Bellairs, John Any of the John Bellairs books

Berlin, Eric The Potato Chip Puzzles, The Puzzling World of Winston Breen

Broach, Elise Missing on Superstition Mountain

Carey, Benedict Poison Most Vial

Dahl, Michael Finnegan Zwake Mystery series

Feinstein, John Change-Up: Mystery at the World Series

Fitzgerald, John The Great Brain series

Hahn, Mary Downing Closed for the Season

Hoobler, Dorothy & Thomas In Darkness, Death; A Samurai Never Fears

Death; The Sword That Cut the Burning Grass Korman, Gordon On the Run series; Swindled series

Lawrence, Caroline The Roman Mysteries series; The Case of the Deadly

Desperados

L’Engle, Madeleine Wind in the Door; A Wrinkle in Time

Peacock, Shane Death in the Air; Eye of the Crow; Vanishing Girl

Peck, Richard Ghost I Have Been; The Ghost Belonged To Me; Are You in

the House Alone?

Raskin, Ellen The Westing Game

Snicket, Lemony Series of Unfortunate Events series

Springer, Nancy An Enola Holmes Mystery series

VanDraanen, Wendelin Sammy Keyes series

MYSTERY—Young Adults

Aiken, Joan The Wolves of Willoughby Chase

Christie, Agatha Any of the Agatha Christie books

Clark, Sherryl Dying To Tell Me

Cooney, Caroline Both Sides of Time; Face on the Milk Carton; Voice on

the Radio; Wanted!; Whatever Happened to Janie? Duncan, Lois Daughters of Eve; Twisted Window

Frost, Helen Hidden

Holland, Isabelle The Man Without a Face

Mazer, Norma The Solid Gold Kid; I Love You, Stupid

Nixon, Joan Lowry The Weekend was Murder; Murdered, My Sweet

Peck, Richard Are You In the House Alone?; A Day No Pigs Would Die

Pullman, Philip The Sally Lockhart quartet

Scheier, Leah Secret Letters

Thomson, Sarah L. Mercy: The Last New England Vampire

Valentine, Jenny Double

HUMOR—Middle Readers

Blume, Judy Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and others

Cleary, Beverly Dear Mr. Henshaw; Henry Huggins; Strider

Curtis, Christopher Paul Mr. Chickbee's Funny Money

Dahl, Roald Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Fitzgerald, John The Great Brain series

Hiaasen, Carl Chomp

Howe, James and Deborah Howe Bunnicula; Howliday Inn

Kinney, Jeff Diary of a Wimpy Kid series

Mowat, Farley The Dog Who Wouldn't Be

Peck, Richard A Long Way From Chicago; A Year Down Yonder

Robinson, Barbara Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Rockwell, Thomas How to Eat Fried Worms

Rodgers, Mary Freaky Friday

Smith, Clete Barrett Aliens on Vacation; any Intergalactic Bed &

Breakfast series book

HISTORICAL FICTION—

Middle Readers

Almond, David Kit’s Wilderness

Alvarez, Julia Before We Were Free*

Anderson, Laurie Halse Fever, 1793; Forge; Chains*

Avi Midnight Magic; Crispin: The Cross of Lead; Don’t You Know There’s

a War On?; Secret School Babbitt, Natalie The Eyes of the Amaryllis

Beatty, Patricia The Coach That Never Came; Charley Skedaddle

Blackwood, Gary Shakespeare’s Scribe; The Shakespeare Stealer

Bruchac, Joseph. Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines*

Clark, Margaret Goff Freedom Crossing*

Crossley-Holland, Kevin The Seeing Stone: Arthur

Curtis, Christopher Paul Elijah of Buxton*; Watsons Go to Birmingham*

Cushman, Karen Midwife's Apprentice; Alchemy and Meggy Swann;

Matilda Bone Ellis, Deborah The Breadwinner

Fast, Howard April Morning

Fletcher, Susan Shadow Spinner*

Forbes, Esther A Mirror for Witches; Johnny Tremain

Giff, Patricia Reilly Lily’s Crossing

Hesse, Karen Letters From Rifka*; Out of the Dust

Lasky, Kathryn The Night Journey*, Ashes*

Latham, Jean Lee Carry On, Mr. Bowditch

Lawrence, Caroline The Roman Mysteries series

Lawson, Robert Ben and Me

Levine, Gail Carson Dave at Night*

Lewis, Elizabeth Foreman Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze*

Lowry, Lois Number the Stars*

Mazer, Harry Heroes Don’t Run; The Last Mission

Meyer, Carolyn Beware, Princess Elizabeth; Mary, Bloody Mary; Doomed

Queen Anne; Duchessina: A Novel of Catherine de Medici; The True

Adventures of Charley Darwin O'Dell, Scott My Name is Not Angelica*; Streams to the River, River to the

Sea Park, Linda Sue A Single Shard*

Paterson, Katherine Jip, His Story; Master Puppeteer*; Sign of the

Chrysanthemum*

Petry, Ann Tituba of Salem Village*

Preus, Margi Shadow on the Mountain

Reiss, Joanna The Upstairs Room*; The Journey Back*

Rinaldi, Ann Come Juneteenth*; Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons*;

Keep Smiling Through; Redheaded Princess; Wolf by the Ears Schlitz, Laura Amy Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval

Village; Splendors and Glooms

Speare, Elizabeth The Witch of Blackbird Pond; Sign of the Beaver*

Whelan, Gloria Homeless Bird*; Angel on the Square

Willard, Barbara If All the Swords in England

Yep, Lawrence Dragonwings*

Yolen, Jane Devil's Arithmetic*

HISTORICAL FICTION—Young Adults

Aiken, Joan The Wolves of Willoughby Chase

Alexander, Lloyd The Arkadians

Avi The Fighting Ground; Don’t You Know There’s a War On?

Bagdasarian, Adam Forgotten Fire*

Beatty, Patricia Lupita Manana*

Bell, William Forbidden City*

Bennett, Cherie and Jeff Gottesfield Anne Frank and Me, The Play

Blos, Joan A Gathering of Days

Bond, Victoria and T.R. Simon Zora and Me

Borton de Trevino, Elizabeth I, Juan de Pareja*

Boyne, John The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: A Fable

Broach, Elise Shakespeare’s Secret

Buffie, Margaret Winter Shadows

Cather, Willa Shadows on the Rock

Collier, James Lincoln My Brother Sam is Dead; Who is Carrie*; Jumpship

to Freedom*

Cooper, Susan King of Shadows

Dalgliesh, Alice The Courage of Sarah Noble

Draper, Sharon M. Forged by Fire

Edmonds, Walter D. Drums Along the Mohawk*

Fitzmaurice, Kathryn A Diamond in the Desert

Fox, Paula The Slave Dancer*

Greene, Bette Summer of My German Soldier*

Hamilton, Virginia House of Dies Drear*; Mystery of Drear House*

Hesse, Karen Out of the Dust; Witness

Hunt, Irene Across Five Aprils

Hurmence, Belinda A Girl Called Boy*

Keith, Harold Rifles for Watie

Laird, Elizabeth Kiss the Dust

Levine, Kristin The Lions of Little Rock

Lewis, Elizabeth Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze*

Liele, Janet Taylor The Art of Keeping Cool

Marsden, Carolyn The White Zone*

Matas, Carol In My Enemy’s House*

Montgomery, Lucy Anne of Green Gables

Myers, Walter Dean Fallen Angels

Na, An A Step from Heaven

Nairdoo, Beverley Burn My Heart*

Neri, Greg Ghetto Cowboy

Nixon, Joan Lowery Land of Hope*; Land of Promises*; Land of Dreams*

Pausewang, Gudrun The Final Journey

Pearsall, Shelley Jump into the Sky

Peck, Richard The River Between Us; A Season of Gifts; Long Way from

Chicago

Pinkney, Andrea Davis Bird in a Box

Richter, Hans Peter Friedrich*

Rinaldi, Ann Any young adult book by this author

Schlitz, Laura Amy Splendors and Glooms

Schmidt, Gary D. Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy

Sebestyen, Ouida Far From Home*

Shaara, Michael Killer Angels

Staples, Suzanne Fisher Shiva’s Fire*

Taylor, Mildred The Land

Temple, Frances Taste of Salt: Story of Modern Haiti*

Thomson, Sarah L. Mercy: The Last New England Vampire

Uchida, Yoshiko Journey Home*

Wiseman, David Jeremy Visick

Wojciechowska, Maia Shadow of a Bull*

NONFICTION—MIDDLE READERS

Agard, John and Satoshi Kitamura The Young Inferno

Allen, Thomas B. Mr. Lincoln’s High Tech War

Batten, Jack The War to End All Wars: The Story of World War I

Bausum, Ann Denied, Detained, Deported: Stories of the Dark Side of

American Immigration* Butzer, C.M. Gettysburg: The Graphic Novel

Chevat, Richie The Omnivore’s Dilemma: The Secrets Behind What You

Eat Hakim, Joy A History of US series

Hakim, Joy Story of Science series

Hoose, Phillip M. Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice*

Jiang, Ji-Li The Magical Monkey King: Classic Chinese Tales

Jurmain, Suzanne Yellow Death: A True Story of Medical Sleuthing

Martin, Russell The Mysteries of Beethoven’s Hair

Murphy, Jim Truce: The Day the Soldiers Stopped Fighting

Osborne, Linda Barrett Traveling the Freedom Road: From Slavery and

Civil War through Reconstruction St. George, Judith The Duel: The Parallel Lives of Alexander Hamilton

and Aaron Burr

Swanson, James L. Chasing Lincoln’s Killer

Walker, Sally M. Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and

Colonial Maryland

NONFICTION–YOUNG ADULT

Aronson, Marc Art Attack: A Short Cultural History of the Avant-Garde

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell They Called Themselves the KKK: The Birth of

an American Terrorist Group

Bowers, Rick Spies of Mississippi: The True Story of the Spy Network

That Tried to Destroy the Civil Rights Movement

Heiligman, Deborah Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith

Jacobs, Thomas A. Teen Cyberbullying Investigated: Where Do Your

Rights End and Consequences Begin?

Nonfiction

We have added non-fiction books to our summer

reading list because many readers enjoy true stories

and factual information. There are many different

subjects covered in non-fiction books; please feel

free to choose a title from an area that interests

you. This is only a starting point.

Simmons, Rachel Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls

Rubalcaba, Jill Every Bone Tells a Story: Hominin Discoveries, Deductions

and Debates

BIOGRAPHIES/MEMOIRS–Middle Readers

Any of the Great Lives Series

Adler, David A. Frederick Douglass: A Noble Life*

Angel, Ann John Glenn: Space Pioneer

Cameron, Ann The Kidnapped Prince: The Life of Olaudah Equiano*

Coren, Michael J.R.R. Tolkien: The Man Who Created The Lord of the

Rings

Fleischman, Sid Sir Charlie Chaplin: The Funniest Man in the World

Frank, Anne Diary of a Young Girl*

Gilbreth, Frank B. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey Belles on Their Toes

Guthridge, Sue Thomas A. Edison: Young Inventor

Jiang, Ji-li Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution

Krass, Peter Sojourner Truth*

Lord, Walter A Night to Remember

McClard, Megan Harriet Tubman, Slavery and the Underground Railroad*

Nelson, Marilyn Carver*

Paulsen, Gary Guts: The True Story Behind Hatchet and the Brian Books

Seaver, James E. Captured by Indians: The Life of Mary Jemison

Shorto, Russell Abraham Lincoln: To Preserve the Union

Stone, Tanya Lee Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream

Tillage, Leon Walter Leon’s Story*

BIOGRAPHIES/MEMOIRS—Young

Adults

Angel, Ann Janis Joplin: Rise Up Singing

Calcines, Eduado F. Leaving Glorytown: One Boy’s Struggle Under Castro

Hillenbrand, Laura Seabiscuit: An American Legend; Unbroken: A World

War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemtion

Madden, Kerry Harper Lee

Smithson, Ryan Ghosts of War: The True Story of a 19-Year-Old GI

Spiegelman, Art Maus: A Survivor’s Tale*

Wiesel, Elie Night*

Woodson, Jacqueline Brown Girl Dreaming

Wright, Simeon Simeon’s Story: An Eyewitness Account of the Kidnapping

of Emmett Till*

SPORTS (Fiction & Nonfiction) —

Middle Readers

Aronson, Sarah Beyond Lucky

Christopher, Matt Soccer Halfbacks

Cochrane, Mick The Girl Who Threw Butterflies

Dygard, Thomas Quarterback Walk-on

Giff, Patricia The Girl Who Knew It All; Left-handed Shortstop

Green, Tim Unstoppable; Football Genius; Deep Zone; The Big Time

Gutman, Dan Jackie & Me; Honus & Me; Shoeless Joe & Me

Lupica, Mike Any young adult sports book by this author

Ritter, John H. The Boy Who Saved Baseball; Choosing Up Sides; Over the

Wall; Under the Baseball Moon

Tunis, John R. The Kid Comes Back; Highpockets; The Kid From

Tomkinsville

SPORTS (Fiction & Nonfiction) —

Young Adults

Alexander, Kwame The Crossover

Aronson, Sarah Beyond Lucky

Fitzmaurice, Kathryn A Diamond in the Desert

Green, Tim Unstoppable; Football Genius; Deep Zone; The Big Time

Lipsyte, Robert The Contender*; The Brave*

Myers, Walter Dean Hoops*

Soto, Gary Pacific Crossing*

Environmentalism (Fiction &

Nonfiction) —Middle Readers

Babbitt, Natalie The Eyes of the Amaryllis

Conley, Jane Leslie Racso and the Rats of NIMH

George, Jean Craighead The Missing 'gator of Gumbo-Limbo; My Side of

the Mountain; Far Side of the Mountain Hiaasen, Carl Hoot; Flush; Scat

Rohmer, Harriet Heroes of the Environment: True Stories of People Who

are Helping to Protect our Environment

ENVIRONMENTalism—Young Adults

Carson, Rachel The Silent Spring

Gore, Al Earth in the Balance

L'Engle, Madeleine A Ring of Endless Light

Paulsen, Gary Tracker; The Island

Sivertsen, Linda Generation Green: The Ultimate Teen Guide to Leading an

Eco-Friendly Life

Classics for Middle Readers and Young Adults

Because there is a wide range of readability, use the following difficulty scale

as a general guideline when choosing classics:

(1) easy reading, vocabulary, large type, and numerous illustrations

(2) moderate level of vocabulary, type size, illustrations, and style

(3) challenging reading, vocabulary, style, and format

Alcott, Louisa May Little Women (3)

Andersen, Hans Christian Fairy Tales (2)

Bagnold, Enid National Velvet (1)

Barrie, James Peter Pan (2-3)

Baum, L. Frank The Wizard of Oz (1)

Brontë, Charlotte Jane Eyre (3)

Burnett, Frances H. The Secret Garden; Little

Princess (2)

Crane, Stephen The Red Badge of Courage (3)

Collodi, Carlo Pinocchio (1)

Defoe, Daniel Robinson Crusoe (3)

Dodge, Mary Mapes Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates (3)

Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (3)

Dumas, Alexandre Count of Monte Cristo (3); The Three Musketeers (2)

Farley, Walter The Black Stallion (1)

Irving, Washington Rip Van Winkle and Other Stories (2)

Kipling, Rudyard The Jungle Book* (2)

Knight, Eric Lassie Come Home (1)

Lenski, Lois Strawberry Girl (1)

Lindgren, Astrid Pippi Longstocking (2)

Lofting, Hugh The Voyages of Dr. Dolittle (1-2)

London, Jack Call of the Wild (3); White Fang (3)

Merrill, Jean The Pushcart War* (2)

Rawlings, Marjorie Kinnan The Yearling (2)

Sewell, Anna Black Beauty (1)

Shelley, Mary Frankenstein (3)

Spyri, Johanna Heidi (1-2)

Stevenson, Robert Louis The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (3);

Kidnapped (2); Treasure Island (2)

Stoker, Bram Dracula (3)

Travers, Pamela L. Mary Poppins (1)

Twain, Mark The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (3); The Adventures of

Tom Sawyer (2); The Prince and the Pauper (3)

Verne, Jules Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (2); Journey to the

Center of the Earth (2)

Webster, Jean Daddy Long Legs (2)

Wyss, J.R. Swiss Family Robinson (3)

Nichols

School

1250 Amherst Street, Buffalo, NY 14216

www.nicholsschool.org

Middle School 716-332-5100

Middle School Fax 716-877-1090