Summer Reading - Great Books!

Summer!  It's almost here! That time of year when both students and teachers are excited to have the freedom to do whatever they want - sleep until noon, eat ice cream for breakfast, stay up late and watch for shooting stars, and have absolutely no cares in the world.  Summer is the best!  For me, it's time to read - read while eating breakfast, read while sitting on the front porch, read at the beach, read late into the night . . . I want this for my students as well, so here is a list of books that middle school students and high school students might enjoy! Enjoy!

Upper Middle School and High School Books: These books tend to have more mature content and language.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas: I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book, which came out in late February, and it didn't disappoint. Amazing book from an amazing author!  I cried at the end, not because I was sad, but because Starr brings hope. FYI - mature content and language, but I think most 8th graders and up could handle it just fine.

I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson: I'll be honest. Even though the book received rave reviews, I didn't want to read it. Why? I didn't like the cover. Yes, I can be one of those readers. Anyway, my 13 year old daughter begged me to read it because she loved it, and so I began . . . slowly.  It took me about the first 40 pages to actually get into the book, which I did,  but then I still read it slowly . . . because I didn't want it to end. It ended (to my dismay), and now I get to recommend it to students!

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie: Don't like to read? Well, you haven't found the right book yet, and this is the right book!  I recommend this book to any kid who says he hates reading because this book will hook anyone in!  It's a quick read but deep on life.  

Middle School (Grades 6-8) Books

As Brave As You by Jason Reynolds: Oh, I loved this book! It had a wonderful storyline and wonderful characters to which any middle schooler can relate.  It's a coming of age story about family, love, and dealing with the hard things in life. (I love the cover!)  Growing up can be tough.

Written in the Stars by Aisha Saeed: I could not put this book down - read it in a day! For me, reading this book was difficult because my American ways are so different from the more conservative ways of the Pakastani parents in this book. My heart ached for Naila (and her parents, too, at times).

Cloud and Wallfish by Anne Nesbet: This book takes place in East Berlin/East Germany before the Berlin Wall comes down.  I remember sitting in my high school English class when we heard the Wall had come down in East Germany, and we were all thrilled - even though we didn't know much except communism was coming to an end. This book explores what life was like before the wall came down with an American boy who moves to East Germany.  Interesting read!

Happy reading!