Summer Reading 2013

1. Summer Reading 2013 Seventh Grade Level 2

2. What do you think? What I really enjoyed about this story were the characters and the alternating third-person narratives. Anyone who has ever played on a sports team will be able to relate to them, feel for them, and cheer for them. It's interesting to see how sports affect each young athlete differently--from parents living vicariously through their children, the pressure of trying to impress parents, and girls being cast aside while sports expectations are placed on sons. The team endures some humiliating losses, the loss of coach after coach, and the reality of putting up with demanding parents, but in the end, the theme of team and friendship prevails. A great read for any sports fan! Lori Calabrese "Children's Books Examiner... (Connecticut, USA)

3. Basketball (Or Something Like It)by Nora Raleigh Baskin • 4 AR points • 176 pages • Sports, growing up

4. 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.

5. Skeleton Creekby Patrick Carman • 4 AR points • 144 pages • Horror, mystery

6. What do you think? Welcome to the story of Despereaux Tilling, a mouse who is in love with music, stories, and a princess named Pea. It is also the story of a rat called Roscuro, who lives in the darkness and covets a world filled with light. And it is the story of Miggery Sow, a slow-witted serving girl who harbors a simple, impossible wish. These three characters are about to embark on a journey that will lead them down into a horrible dungeon, up into a glittering castle, and, ultimately, into each other's lives. What happens then? As Kate DiCamillo would say: Reader, it is your destiny to find out. This is a story of the adventures of Desperaux Tilling, a small mouse of unusual talents, the princess that he loves, the servant girl who longs to be a princess, and a devious rat determined to bring them all to ruin.

7. The Tale of Despereauxby Patricia DiCamillo • 5 AR points • 272 pages • Fiction

8. 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. Based on a real person, the novel includes black-and-white photos of Hübener and his family.—Rita Soltan, Youth Services Consultant, West Bloomfield, MI

9. The Boy Who Daredby Susan Campbell Bartoletti • 5 AR points • 192 pa • Historical fiction

10. What do you think? • In my opinion, I think the book The Doll in the Garden is very interesting. The main character, 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. In conclusion, this was a thrilling book. A Kid's Review from Amazon.com

11. The Doll in the Garden By Mary Downing Hahn • 3 AR points • 128 pages • Mystery, suspense

12. What do you think? It looks like Tim, the world’s worst private detective, and Nick, his brainy kid brother, are in trouble again. They’re dead broke. But money is the least of their worries when a mysterious man bursts into their office and offers Tim a wad of cash for his coat. Minutes later, the stranger is dead and Nick and Tim are left to puzzle over his final words. What could he have meant by "suff bee suff-iss"? Or was it "south by southeast"? Neither one seems to make much sense, but the Diamond brothers will have to figure it out, and fast! Whoever killed the stranger is now after Nick and Tim!

13. South by Southeastby Anthony Horowitz • 5 AR points • 160 pages • Fiction – mystery, thriller

14. What do you think? Could seven sixth graders in a small New York town pull off an unimaginable heist? The answer is found in a wonderful book, Swindle, by Gordon Korman. It all starts in Cedarville when Griffin Bing finds a million dollar baseball card in a condemned building. His family is low on money and Griffin (a.k.a. the Man with a Plan) hopes the card will solve their problems. He goes to a card shop where the owner rips him off, buying the card for $120. When Griffin finds out how much it's worth and realizes the shop owner won't give it back, he tries to steal it from the store. But the card is gone! Griffin is devastated. When his best friend, Ben, suggests that the card could be at the swindler's house, Griffin gets the dream team together for round two. Can they do it? This is a great book for young and old alike. First of all, it has lots of action, so you can't put it down. Secondly, the characters seem very real; Korman does a great job with dialogue. He also uses descriptive words to create a vivid image in your head. I have only one problem with this book. It's the amount of lying the kids do. Otherwise, it's an "A" read. A great book for anyone. Swindle, by Gordon Korman, is a book that everyone should read! A Kids’ review from Amazon.com

15. Swindleby GordanKorman • 5 AR points • 256 pages • Humor, suspense

16. What do you think? What would you do if your best friend was:     1. Imaginary?     2. An oversize blue chimp in surfer shorts? (Potentially embarrassing, but hey, no one else can see him . . . right?)     3. Proposing a plan to help you improve your life?     4. Did we say imaginary?     5. Driving you crazy?!?!Now you have an idea of what Willie Ryan’s life is like when he meets Dodger. It’s the beginning of a lot of trouble—and a friendship you’ll never forget! Amazon.com

17. Dodger and Meby Jordan Sonnenblick • 5 AR points • 192 pages • Fantasy, humor

18. What do you think? Seventh-grader Crash Coogan is a jock, a jokester, and a tormenter of dweeb Penn Webb. The book gets off to a hilarious start as Crash recalls his first meeting with Penn at age six. Penn, recently arrived from North Dakota, wears a button honoring that state's bird, which proclaims, "I'm a Flickertale." Let the hassling begin. Crash's beloved grandfather comes to live with the Coogans, and when he suffers a stroke, Crash finds himself with a vein of empathy that wasn't evident before. At the book's conclusion, Crash and Penn are pitted against each other in a big race, but Crash, knowing that Penn's great-grandfather is there to watch, makes the ultimate sacrifice of compassion over competition. Spinelli's writing style is great for kids in this age-group, fast-paced and funny. The strongly drawn characters the focal point. Ilene Cooper

19. Crashby Jerry Spinelli • 5 AR points • 176 pages • Realistic fiction

20. What do you think? On March 2 and 3, 1859, the largest auction of slaves in American history took place in Savannah, Georgia. More than 400 slaves were sold. On the first day of the auction, the skies darkened and torrential rain began falling. The rain continued throughout the two days, stopping only when the auction had ended. The simultaneity of the rain storm with the auction led to these two days being called "the weeping time." Julius Lester tells the story of several characters including Emma, a slave owned by Pierce Butler and caretaker of his two daughters, and Pierce, a man with a mounting gambling debt and household to protect. Emma wants to teach his daughters-one who opposes slavery and one who supports it-to have kind hearts. Meanwhile, in a desperate bid to survive, Pierce decides to cash in his "assets" and host the largest slave auction in American history. And on that day, the skies open up and weep endlessly on the proceedings below.

21. Day of Tearsby Julius Lester • 4 AR points • 192 pages • Historical fiction

22. 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? Amazon.com

23. Among the Hiddenby Margaret Peterson Haddix • 5 AR points • 153 pages • Science fiction

24. What do you think? When the other members of Maya's clique decide to ostracize her, the girl is shocked and devastated. She has no clue what she could have done wrong, and neither do Brianna, Renae, or Darcy. However, Candace is their leader, the self-assured one, the one who decides who's in and who's not, and, suddenly, Maya's not. In brief chapters that jump from one girl's perspective to another, a picture emerges of social status and peer pressure among middle schoolers who are struggling to figure out who they are, where they belong, and maybe even what is right. The voice of each character is clear and will be familiar to any adolescent. Koss's exceptional skill at evoking not only the girls, but also their families, makes this an important story for those in the midst of the cruelty of middle-school society. This provocative page-turner will be passed from one girl to the next like a note with the latest gossip.Susan Oliver, Tampa-Hillsborough Public Library System, FL

25. The Girlsby Amy Goldman Koss • 4 AR points • 128 pages • Realistic fiction

26. What do you think? Nick Crandall, a seventh grader, is looking forward to being the star catcher of his junior varsity baseball team. However, when the varsity team catcher is injured, Nick must suit up behind the plate with the eighth graders. Frustrated by Nick's presence, the team members go to great lengths to make the boy feel unwelcome. Nick cracks under the pressure. As with most Mike Lupica novels, Nick's home life plays a significant role in this installment in the series. The fact that Nick is adopted, and that his parents are both professors with little interest in sports, are burdens for Nick to bear. Predictably, Nick saves the day at the big game, and even finds a way to connect with his dad, all within a few weeks. This title is a good choice for readers with a background in baseball, as not all terminology is explained. Keith Nobbs's narration helps to build tension and excitement. For boys and girls who have outgrown novels by Matt Christopher. Richelle Roth, Boone County Public Library, Florence, KY

27. Safe At Homeby Mike Lupica • 5 AR points • 192 pages • Baseball, sports

28. What do you think? In this well-written sequel to Boys Are Dogs (Bloomsbury, 2008), sixth-grader Annabelle continues to adjust to the changes in her life. She's happy and confident, but she feels a bit unsettled by the catty behavior of her new school's mean-girl clique, Taylor and the Terrible T's. They're expert in being sneaky and putting everyone down, and Annabelle just doesn't know how to handle it. In addition, her mom is getting married, and Annabelle's new stepbrother-to-be is so handsome that she can't help but have a crush on him. Margolis handles Annabelle's minor crises with sensitivity and humor, whether describing her first experience shaving her legs, buying her first bra, or standing up for herself even when it means losing a friend. A good addition to collections where the first book is popular, as well as an appealing stand-alone.— Susan Riley, Mount Kisco Public Library, NY

29. Girls Acting Cattyby Leslie Margolis • 5 AR points • 208 pages • Realistic fiction

30. What do you think? Eric is the new kid in seventh grade. Griffin wants to be his friend. When you’re new in town, it’s hard to know who to hang out with—and who to avoid. Griffin seems cool, confident, and popular.     But something isn’t right about Griffin. He always seems to be in the middle of bad things. And if Griffin doesn't like you, you’d better watch your back. There might be a target on it.     As Eric gets drawn deeper into Griffin’s dark world, he begins to see the truth about Griffin: He’s a liar, a bully, a thief. Eric wants to break away, do the right thing. But in one shocking moment, he goes from being a bystander . . . to the bully’s next victim.

31. Bystanderby James Preller • 5 AR points • 256 pages • Realistic fiction

32. What do you think? The Wayside School was supposed to be one story high, with 30 classrooms side by side; instead, it was built sideways, with 30 one-classroom stories. As befits such a strange school, these tales are a bit strange too. In one, Jason is stuck to his seat by a large wad of chewing gum. His teacher tries throwing ice water on him (to chill the gum to brittleness) and turning him upside down. She even contemplates cutting his pants off. Finally, though, he falls from his upside-down position when kissed (ugh!) by one of the girls in the class. Other tales include a bit of a moral, such as the story of Kathy, whose assumption that no one will ever like her is proved right, or the story of Bebe, who draws quickly but without artistic merit. The quirky humor in this book is appealing to children, and it makes a good read-aloud book.--Richard Farr

33. Sideways Stories from Wayside Schoolby Louis Sachar • 4 AR points • 128 pages • Fantasy, humor

34. References • Pictures: www.barnesandnoble.com • Reviews: www.amazon.com