 You are required to have fun over the summer, to spend time outdoors, to laugh with family and friends, and to read!  You will be tested on your reading when you return to school.  You must complete a literary analysis activity for each assigned book – we will talk about this assignment later.  It is important that you look carefully at the summer reading list. It has been revised, so please do not assume that a book your older sibling or neighbor read is still an option.

Stargirl – Jerry Spinelli Zane and the Hurricane – Rodman Philbrick Endangered – Eliot Schrefer The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates – Wes Moore The Book Thief – Markus Zusak All incoming 8 th grade students are required to read two (2) books from this list.

Stargirl Leo Borlock follows the unspoken rule at Mica Area High School: don't stand out—under any circumstances! Then Stargirl arrives at Mica High and everything changes—for Leo and for the entire school. After 15 years of home schooling, Stargirl bursts into tenth grade in an explosion of color and a clatter of ukulele music, enchanting the Mica student body. But the delicate scales of popularity suddenly shift, and Stargirl is shunned for everything that makes her different. In a celebration of nonconformity, Jerry Spinelli weaves a tense, emotional tale about the fleeting, cruel nature of popularity—and the thrill and inspiration of first love.

Zane and the Hurricane Zane Dupree is a charismatic 12-year-old boy of mixed race visiting a relative in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hits. Unexpectedly separated from all family, Zane and his dog experience the terror of Katrina's wind, rain, and horrific flooding. Facing death, they are rescued by a kind, elderly musician and a scrappy young girl- -both African American. The chaos that ensues as storm water drowns the city and shelter and food vanish, creates a page- turning tale that completely engrosses the reader. Based on the facts of the worst hurricane disaster in U.S. history, Philbrick includes the generosity and courage of those who risked their lives and safety to help others. Here is an unforgettable novel of heroism in the face of truly challenging circumstances.

Endangered This unforgettable new novel is set in the Congo during a violent coup. Sophie is initially reluctant to spend her summer visiting her activist mother’s sanctuary for bonobos. However, when revolution breaks out and the sanctuary is attacked, it is Sophie who must rescue the animals. Together, they will hide in the jungle and fight to survive. Eliot Schrefer’s adventure story challenges readers to think about the 8 th grade Language Arts theme of social justice and what it means to be human.

The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates Two boys with the same name live in the same decaying city of Baltimore. One becomes a Rhodes Scholar, decorated combat veteran, White House Fellow, and business leader. The other receives a life sentence in prison. Wes Moore writes this powerful memoir about his own life and that of the “other Wes Moore”, including both the fascinating ways their lives parallel each other and the different choices they made.."

The Book Thief It is Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still. Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist – books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement.

Summer Book Reading Suggestions If you read the book early in the summer, reread it in August to refresh your memory of the story and its details. If you own the book, you can mark it up, talking to the text, as you read. If you don’t own the book, record notes separately on post-its or in a journal. Pay particular attention to the following: o The setting o Characters’ names, personality traits, and important contributions they make to the story o How the characters change throughout the book o The conflict o Important plot events that helped solve the problem o The turning point in the story o The resolution o Consider writing a brief summary of each chapter Keep notes to review in August. Bring self-generated notes to class when you return to school. Notes and book may be used for the tests. E-readers or digital forms of the book (including highlighting and note taking on the devices) are allowed to be used during the test. You will NOT be allowed access to the internet during the test. Complete the required activity for each book you read, and bring them to school with you in August. Be sure to read over the assignment BEFORE you begin reading. Some questions require you to respond as you are actively reading the book – not just at the end.

Summer Reading Literary Analysis Activity You must complete the following activity for each book you read.