Madison County Summer Reading List 2012 - Middle School (6th, 7th, 8th grades)

The Lexile Framework for Reading Supporting MCSD Summer Reading 2012 www.lexile.com The Lexile Framework for Reading is an educational tool that matches students with reading materials using a common measure called a Lexile. The Lexile Framework is unique in that it measures reading ability and text difficulty on the same developmental scale. When used together, Lexile reader measures and Lexile text measures help students and parents to select books, articles, and other materials that match their child’s reading ability. Targeting reading material at the child’s Lexile level can help to improve his or her comprehension and expand his or her personal interests. What should you know about Lexile measures? · A Lexile measure represents both a child’s reading ability and the difficulty of a text. · Lexile measures provide you with valuable information about your child’s reading ability and helps to make reading practice more meaningful. · When your child reads text within his or her Lexile range, he or she is likely to comprehend enough of the text to make sense of it, while still being sufficiently challenged to maintain interest and learning. · While Lexile measures target the difficulty of a text, they do not measure the appropriateness of the content. For example, a text with a low Lexile measure may not contain appropriate material for the students within that text’s range. A text with a lexile high above the grade span may contain inappropriate material for the student’s age. · Lexile measures do not translate specifically to grade levels but do define a range of abilities expected within a grade. Within a classroom, there will be a range of readers and a range of materials to be read. · Lexile measures track reading growth over time and across content areas, no matter what grade your child is in. -Common Core State Standards demand increasing text complexity in schools, as indicated below: Text Complexity Grade Band Lexile Ranges for Common Core State Standards Aligned to Common Core State Standards

K–1 N/A 2–3 450–790 4–5 770–980 6–8 955–1155

Madison County Summer Reading List 2012 - Middle School (6th, 7th, 8th grades)

Madison County School District SIXTH GRADE Summer Reading List May 2012 Choose one of the following books (near your Lexile Level) to read by the time school begins in August. Peter Pan by James M. Barrie Lexile 1098 Peter Pan, the book based on J.M. Barrie's famous play, is filled with unforgettable characters: Peter Pan, the boy who would not grow up; the fairy, Tinker Bell; the evil pirate, Captain Hook; and the three children--Wendy, John, and Michael--who fly off with Peter Pan to Neverland, where they meet Indians and pirates and a crocodile that ticks. Tunnels by Roderick Gordon Lexile 1029 14-year-old Will Burrows has little in common with his strange, dysfunctional family. In fact, the only bond he shares with his eccentric father is a passion for archaeological excavation. So when his dad mysteriously vanishes, Will is compelled to dig up the truth behind his disappearance. He unearths the unbelievable: a subterranean society that time forgot. (Note: Overall good reviews. Several mentioned having trouble getting into the book but then being pleased they stuck with it.) Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos Lexile 970 Joey Pigza can't sit still. He can't pay attention. He can't follow the rules. And he can't help it! He just does whatever pops into his head.. even if it's swallowing a key.

The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket Lexile 967 Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire are intelligent children. They are charming, and resourceful, and have pleasant facial features. Unfortunately, they are exceptionally unlucky. (Reviewers comment: Just one word of warning--when the author says if you like cheerful books or happy endings, stop reading now, he means it. But if you like miserable scary books with unhappy endings, keep reading!) Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis Lexile 844 Eleven-year-old Elijah lives in Buxton, Canada, a settlement of runaway slaves near the American border. He's the first child in town to be born free, and he ought to be famous just for that. Unfortunately, all that most people see is a "fra-gile" boy who's scared of snakes and talks too much. But everything changes when a former slave steals money from Elijah's friend, who has been saving to buy his family out of captivity in the South. Now it's up to Elijah to track down the thief--and his dangerous journey just might make a hero out of him, if only he can find the courage to get back home. (Note: Winner of the Coretta Scott King Award and a Newbery Honor Book for 2008.) The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis Lexile 844 On a daring quest to save a life, two friends are hurled into another world where an evil sorceress seeks to enslave them. Rules by Cynthia Lord Lexile 780 Catherine's brother, David, is autistic, and their family life revolves around his needs. Catherine loves her brother and cares enough about him to attempt to help him by compiling lists of rules for living like an ordinary person: "If someone says 'hi,' you say 'hi' back." "If the bathroom door is closed, knock (especially if Catherine has a friend over)!" But Catherine is also frustrated and

Madison County Summer Reading List 2012 - Middle School (6th, 7th, 8th grades) embarrassed by David and by the way her needs seem secondary, if not nonexistent, to her family. When a girl her age moves in next door, Catherine hopes to be friends but worries that David will ruin the relationship. And her growing friendship with a mute paraplegic boy makes things even more complicated. Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher by Bruce Corville Lexile 765 When Jeremy Thatcher stumbles into Mr. Elives' magic shop, he leaves with a small marbled dragon's egg. When it hatches, Jeremy's wildest dreams take wing. Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski Lexile 750 The land was theirs, but so were its hardships…Strawberries — big, ripe, and juicy. Ten-yearold Birdie Boyer can hardly wait to start picking them. But her family has just moved to the Florida backwoods, and they haven't even begun their planting. “Don't count your biddies 'fore they're hatched, gal young un!” her father tells her. Making the new farm prosper is not easy. There is heat to suffer through, and droughts, and cold snaps. And, perhaps most worrisome of all for the Boyers, there are rowdy neighbors, just itching to start a feud. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Lexile 731 Classic Greek mythology is mixed with modern adventure in this brand-new, action-packed series. After learning he is a demigod, Percy Jackson is sent to a summer camp on Long Island, where he meets the father he never knew — Poseidon, God of the Sea. Boy at War by Harry Mazer Lexile 530 This book is about the bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese during World War II (graphic representation of the horrors of war). The story settles around a young boy named Adam whose father is in the Navy. One day Adam is fishing with some friends in a lake near Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Suddenly, he sees planes flying over him toward the Navy base. In front of his eyes he sees his father’s ship get bombed along with many others.

Madison County Summer Reading List 2012 - Middle School (6th, 7th, 8th grades)

Madison County School District SEVENTH GRADE Summer Reading List May 2012 Choose one of the following books (near your Lexile Level) to read by the time school begins in August. The Hobbit by J. R. Tolkien Lexile 1000 “If you care for journeys there and back, out of the comfortable Western world, over the edge of the Wild, and home again, and can take an interest in a humble hero (blessed with a little wisdom and a little courage and considerable good luck), here is a record of such a journey and such a traveler.” So Tolkien begins The Hobbit, the great epic adventure which precedes the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Heat by Mike Puica Lexile 940 Michael, an unusually talented 12-year-old pitcher on his Little League team, has a lot going on at home that only his best friend Manny and the kindly lady upstairs in his apartment building, Mrs. C., know about. Born in Cuba, Michael lost his mother to cancer when he was very young. His father brought Michael and his brother Carlos to America with the hope of seeing Michael pitch in the Little League World Series. Now his father is dead too, and he and Carlos are trying to keep it a secret until Carlos, just months shy of his 18th birthday, can legally assume custody of Michael. But Children's Services are getting suspicious, and a rival coach and player have accused Michael of being older than he claims, causing him to be suspended until he can find proof. Something needs to go right -- and soon. • Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor Lexile 920 The Logan family tried hard to keep their four hundred acres of land. Papa Logan must work half the year on the railroad far away to pay for it. Meanwhile, Mr. Granger, whose family owned the land during slavery times, wants to buy it back and constantly threatens to take it from them. The family endures many racial injustices. The Logans value their land and are determined not to lose it. They learn of the high price they must pay to fight injustice and to hold on not only to the land but the independence it represents. • Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery Lexile 850 When Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert of Green Gables, Prince Edward Island, send for a boy orphan to help them out at the farm, they are in no way prepared for the error that will change their lives. The mistake takes the shape of Anne Shirley, a redheaded 11-year-old girl who can talk anyone under the table. Fortunately, her sunny nature and quirky imagination quickly win over her reluctant foster parents. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott Lexile 790 This novel tells the much-beloved story of the four March girls, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, as they grow to adulthood in 19th-century New England. Money is tight, and what they do have the family shares with their even poorer neighbors. But the girls are resourceful, and they can never be really poor when they have each other. The girls all experience social triumphs and disasters as they try to find their place in the world.

Madison County Summer Reading List 2012 - Middle School (6th, 7th, 8th grades)

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech Lexile 770 This is a story about journeys, family love, and commitment. Salamanca Hiddle and her Gram and Gramps are on a cross-country trip to Idaho to see Sal’s mother. As they travel, Sal tells her grandparents about her friend Phoebe Winterbottom, whose mother mysteriously left the family, just as strange messages began appearing anonymously on the Winterbottoms’ porch. At the same time, Sal thinks about her own past with her parents, including her mother’s mysterious reasons for leaving her husband and daughter to take a bus to Idaho. These two stories unfold simultaneously as Sal continues the journey westward with her colorful, storytelling grandparents. The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin Lexile 750 Sixteen individuals who are mysteriously chosen to live in the Sunset Towers apartment building on the shore of Lake Michigan come together to hear the will of the self-made millionaire, Samuel W. Westing. The will takes the form of a puzzle, dividing the sixteen heirs into eight pairs, giving each pair a different set of clues, and challenging them to solve the mystery of who killed Sam Westing. As an incentive, each heir is given $10,000 to play the game. Whoever solves the mystery will inherit Sam Westing's 200 million dollar fortune. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle Lexile 740 Meg's father, an eminent physicist, has been missing for two years. One night a strange old woman, Mrs. Whatsit, appears, "blown off course" while she, along with Mrs. Who and Mrs. Which, was tessering, or taking a shorcut through time and space. They take Meg, her little brother Charles Wallace, and their new friend Calvin, to rescue Dr. Murray, who is a prisoner on a planet ruled by IT, a giant pulsating brain that controls the minds of everyone on the planet. Charles Wallace also falls under IT's control, and when Meg finds her father, she discovers that he is not the invincible protector she thought he was. She must not only come to terms with this realization, but find a way to rescue them both. • Money Hungry by Sharon G. Flake Lexile 650 Thirteen-year-old Raspherry Hill will do just about anything legal to get her hand son money. Memories of being homeless haunt her. But even money can’t answer the questions that keep Raspberry awake at night. Will she and her mother every move out of the projects? What did her friend Ja’nae do with the $200 Raspberry loaned her? The Amanda Project: Invisible i by Amanda Valentino Lexile Not Recorded Callie Leary has exactly one thing, and one thing only, in common with Nia Rivera and Hal Bennett: They were each chosen by Amanda to be her guide. When Amanda arrived at Endeavor High, she told Callie she moves around a lot and always picks one person to help her navigate the choppy waters of a new school. Why did Amanda lie? Following a course that they suspect Amanda deliberately plotted, Callie, Nia, and Hal piece together some cryptic clues. But they find more questions than answers and quickly realize that before they can figure out what happened to Amanda—the girl who changed their lives—they'll need to solve the most important mystery of all: WHO IS AMANDA VALENTINO?

Madison County Summer Reading List 2012 - Middle School (6th, 7th, 8th grades)

Madison County School District EIGHTH GRADE Summer Reading List May 2012 Choose one of the following books (near your Lexile Level) to read by the time school begins in August. Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson Lexile Level 1210 Back in America after twenty years in Britain, Bill Bryson decided to reacquaint himself with his native country by walking the 2,100-mile Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Georgia to Maine. The AT offers an astonishing landscape of silent forests and sparkling lakes--and to a writer with the comic genius of Bill Bryson, it also provides endless opportunities to witness the majestic silliness of his fellow human beings. For a start there's the gloriously out-of-shape Stephen Katz, a buddy from Iowa along for the walk. Despite Katz's overwhelming desire to find cozy restaurants, he and Bryson eventually settle into their stride, and while on the trail they meet a bizarre assortment of hilarious characters. Marley and Me by John Grogan Lexile Level 1050 John and Jenny had just begun their life together. They were young and in love, with a perfect little house and not a care in the world. Then they brought home Marley, a wiggly yellow furball of a puppy. Life would never be the same. Brisingr by Christopher Paolini Lexile Level 1050 Following the colossal battle against the Empire’s warriors on the Burning Plains, Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have narrowly escaped with their lives. Still there is more at hand for the Rider and his dragon, as Eragon finds himself bound by a tangle of promises he may not be able to keep. Eragon is the greatest hope to rid the land of tyranny. Can this once-simple farm boy unite the rebel forces and defeat the king? (Note: Well-loved and highly acclaimed fantasy.) The Island by Gary Paulsen Lexile Level 1050 Fifteen-year-old Wil must move with his parents to a small rural town in Northern Wisconsin when his father transfers to a new job. Keeping mostly to himself, Wil discovers a small lake while bicycling on the back roads near his home. On the island, Wil discovers the wonders of nature and decides that he wants to stay on the island until he learns everything the island has to teach him. Along the way in this coming of age story, Wil is visited by his parents, the town bully, a reporter and eventually even the television media bent on telling his story. The Pale Assassin by Patricia Elliott Lexile Level 941 Spoiled, beautiful fourteen-year-old Eugénie de Boncoeur is accustomed to outrageous privilege. The French Revolution may rage around her, but Eugénie's luxurious lifestyle. As the Revolution becomes increasingly violent, Eugénie is shipped off to convent school. Finally, there is no place in France that is safe for her. Eugénie dusts off her lightly used brains and rises to the challenge of survival; and soon she is in the thick of turmoil and romance, confronting spies, secret agents, and double-crossing suitors in her quest to get out of France alive.

Madison County Summer Reading List 2012 - Middle School (6th, 7th, 8th grades)

Bran Hambric: The Fairfield Curse by Kaleb Nation Lexile Level 941 Bran Hambric was found locked in a bank vault at six years old, with no memory of his past. For years, he has lived with one of the bankers, wondering why he was left behind -- until one night, when he is fourteen, he is suddenly confronted by a maddened creature, speaking of Bran’s true past and trying to kidnap him. Bran finds that he is at the center of a plot which started years before he was even born: the plot of a deadly curse his mother created…and one that her former masters are hunting for him to complete. Haunted by the spirit of his mother’s master and living in a city where magic is illegal, Bran must undo the crimes of his past...before it is too late. Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements Lexile Level 701 A teenage boy, Bobby, suddenly turns invisible. The story revolves around Bobby as he deals with his ‘condition', meets new people, and tries to get back to normal. Bull Rider by Suzanne Morgan Williams Lexile Level 631 Cam O'Mara, grandson and younger brother of bull- riding champions, is not interested in partaking in the family sport. Cam is a skateboarder, and perfecting his tricks — frontside flips, 360s — means everything until his older brother, Ben, comes home from Iraq, paralyzed from a brain injury. What would make a skateboarder take a different kind of ride? And what would get him on a monstrosity of a bull named Ugly? If Cam can stay on for the requisite eight seconds, will the $15,000 prize bring hope and a future for his big brother? Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli Lexile Level 549 Newbery Medal-winning author Jerry Spinelli paints a vivid picture of the streets of the Nazioccupied Warsaw during World War II, as seen through the eyes of a young, heartbreakingly naive orphan known as Misha. Readers will love Misha the dreamer and his wonderfully poetic observations of the world around him, his instinct to befriend a Jewish girl and her family, his impulse to steal food for a local orphanage and his friends in the ghetto, and his ability to delight in small things - even surrounded by the horror of the Holocaust.