JCJHS Summer Reading 2021
Who?
Students in grades 6, 7, & 8When?
Between now and SeptemberWhere?
Anywhere!Why?
Reading is fun!How?
1. Read at least one book from your grade level list.
2. Take advantage of the journaling materials attached - this is optional!
3. Be prepared to write about your book when you return to school.
4. Feel free to read more! Additional suggestions are included!
5. Visit the Swansea Public Library for assistance, if needed.
Summer Reading Selections- Grade 8
1. New Kid by Jerry Craft
Seventh grader Jordan Banks loves nothing more than drawing cartoons about his life. But instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school known for its academics, where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade.
As he makes the daily trip from his Washington Heights apartment to the upscale Riverdale Academy Day School, Jordan soon finds himself torn between two worlds—and not really fitting into either one. Can Jordan learn to navigate his new school culture while keeping his neighborhood friends and staying true to himself?
2. The Seventh Most Important Thing by Shelley Pearsall
It was a bitterly cold day when Arthur T. Owens grabbed a brick and hurled it at the trash picker. Arthur had his reasons, and the brick hit the Junk Man in the arm, not the head. But none of that matters to the judge—he is ready to send Arthur to juvie for the foreseeable future. Amazingly, it’s the Junk Man himself who offers an alternative: 120 hours of community service . . . working for him.
Arthur is given a rickety shopping cart and a list of the Seven Most Important Things: glass bottles, foil, cardboard, pieces of wood, lightbulbs, coffee cans, and mirrors. He can’t believe it—is he really supposed to rummage through people’s trash? But it isn’t long before Arthur realizes there’s more to the Junk Man than meets the eye, and the “trash” he’s collecting is being transformed into something more precious than anyone could imagine.
3. Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko
The Newbery Honor Book and New York Times Bestseller is historical fiction with a hint of mystery about living at Alcatraz not as a prisoner, but as a kid meeting some of the most famous criminals in our history. Al Capone Does My Shirts has become an instant classic for all kids to read!
4. It’s Trevor Noah: Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood (Young Reader Edition) by Trevor Noah (Biography)
You’ve seen him behind the desk of The Daily Show. But you might not know that talented comedian Trevor Noah has an inspiring back story.
Trevor was born in apartheid South Africa. As if that wasn’t hard enough, his very existence was a crime because he was the child of a white father and a black mother. His mother had to go to extraordinary measures to protect him. From his isolated upbringing as a curious and mischievous boy to discovering himself and his new freedom as a teen at the end of apartheid, you’ll see it all. Trevor Noah’s funny and heartfelt stories of his life in a dangerous time only equipped with humor and wit will give you a whole new appreciation for him.
5. TBH: 51 True Story Collabs by Hunter March
Featuring stories from Alex Aiono, Jenn McAllister, Meg DeAngelis, Lauren Elizabeth, The Merrell Twins, Claudia Sulewski, Andrew Lowe, Aspyn Ovard, Cimorelli, Rebecca Black, Ryan Abe, Alexis G. Zall, Rickey Thompson, Meghan Tonjes, Maddy Whitby, Monica Sherer, Lex Lee, and Aija Mayrock. Hunter March has made a career out of interviewing creators about their lives all while putting his own life on the internet too.
But what happens when the cameras turn off? Crushes turn to relationships and parents get divorced. Friendships are made and hearts are broken. Tests get flunked and dreams come true. Sometimes creators' real lives happen off-screen, and in TBH: 51 True Story Collabs, they happen on the page. With thousands of videos and millions of views, it might seem like they've got all the answers. But no one knows it all, so they've collabed to get a little closer to figuring it out. Because TBH, growing up is tough and sometimes you need a little help from your friends.
Additional Reading Suggestions
Wonder by R. J. Palacio
Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper War Horse by Michael Morpurgo
Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman
Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins Bloom (The Overthrow) by Kenneth Oppel A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer Shouting at the Rain by Lynda Mullaly Hunt A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz
A Fire in My Hands: Revised and Expanded Edition (poetry) by Gary Soto The Journey of Little Charlie by Christopher Paul Curtis
The Royal Rabbits of London by Santa Montefiore and Simon Sebag Montefiore Word of Mouse by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein
Left Out by Tim Green
Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk Half Upon a Time by James Riley The Lifters by Dave Eggers
Good Dog by Dan Gemeinhart
Hope in the Holler by Lisa Lewis Tyre
The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh by Candice Fleming
Legends: The Best Players, Games, and Teams in Basketball by Howard Bryant Life in Motion: Young Reader’s Edition by Misty Copeland and Brandy Colbert All Heart : My Dedication and Determination to Become One of Soccer’s Best by Carli Lloyd, Wayne Coffey
Castle in the Stars: The Space Race of 1869 by Alex Alice
