All students are required to read the 7th Grade Core Summer Reading Book

as well as one other book on the list.

The 2011/2012 Entering Seventh Grade Core Su mmer Rea ding Book is:
ALL ST UDE NTS ARE RE Q UI RED T O REA D THI S B OO K

Schooled
by Gordon Korman
All Cap knows is the isolated farm commune where just he and his grandmother, Rain,
live. When Rain is hospitalized, Cap is taken in by a social worker and sent to a public
middle school. Smart and capable, innocent and inexperienced (he learned to drive on
the farm, but has never watched television), long-haired Cap finds it hard to fit in.
From chapter to chapter, the first-person narrative switches from everyone from Cap
himself, to his social worker, to her daughter, to the coolest kid in school, and so on.
Through all their stories we see Cap’s unique way of dealing with his very unique
situation.


All students are required to read the 7th Grade Core Summer Reading Book
as well as one other book on the list below.

13 Treasures by Michelle Harrison
Bedeviled by evil fairies that only she can see, thirteen-year-
old Tanya is sent to stay with her cold and distant
grandmother at Elvesden Manor. There, she and the
caretaker's son solve a disturbing mystery that leads them to
the discovery that Tanya's life is in danger.
Amelia Lost by Candace Fleming
Traces the life of female aviator Amelia Earhart from her
childhood to her final flight, discusses the extensive search
for her and her missing plane, and includes photographs,
maps, handwritten notes by Amelia, and sidebars.
Bystander by James Preller
Thirteen-year-old Eric discovers there are consequences to
standing by and watching as the bully at his new school hurts
people, but although school officials are aware of the
problem, Eric may be the one with a solution.
Okay For Now by Gary Schmidt
Fourteen-year-old Doug Swieteck faces many challenges,
including an abusive father, a brother traumatized by
Vietnam, suspicious teachers and police officers, and
isolation, but when he meets a girl known as Lil Spicer, he
develops a close relationship with her and finds a safe place
at the local library.
Bloodline Rising by Katy Moran
Cai, a thief in seventh-century Constantinople, finds himself
held captive on a trading ship bound for Britain—the home
his father, a ruthless barbarian assassin, fled long ago—
where he discovers that his English captors know more about
the secrets of his family than he does.


The Watsons Go to Birmingham by Christopher Paul
Curtis
The ordinary interactions and everyday routines of the
Watsons, an African-American family living in Flint, Michigan,
are drastically changed after they go to visit Grandma in
Alabama in the summer of 1963
The Midwife’s Apprentice by Karen Cushman
In medieval England, a nameless, homeless girl is taken in by
a sharp-tempered midwife, and in spite of obstacles and
hardship, eventually gains the three things she most wants: a
full belly, a contented heart, and a place in this world.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle
Meg Murry and her friends become involved with unearthly
strangers and a search for Meg's father, who has
disappeared while engaged in secret work for the
government.
The Contender by Robert Lipsyte
A Harlem high school dropout escapes from a gang of punks
into a boxing gym. There, he learns that being a contender is
hard and often discouraging work, but that you don't know
anything until you try.
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor
An African-American family living in Mississippi during the
Depression of the 1930s is faced with prejudice and
discrimination which the children do not understand.
Freedom Walkers by Rusell Freedman
Drawing on the best of the personal stories and historic
accounts of the triumphant Montgomery Bus Boycott of the
Civil Rights era, Freedman, in this photo essay, allows the
reader to understand what it was like to be there, on the
street and on the bus.
When Plague Strikes by James Cross Giblin
While the Black Death, smallpox, and AIDS may seem to
have little in common, Giblin draws parallels between them
that are fascinating. The Black Death was often blamed on
Jews, leading to hatred and violence against them. In the
same way, many people have blamed AIDS on homosexuals.
The author traces the medical community's fearful and
confused reactions to these diseases.
Left for Dead by Peter Nelson
Recalls the sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis at the end of
World War II, the Navy cover-up and unfair court martial of
the ship's captain, and how a young boy helped the survivors
set the record straight fifty-five years later.
If I Had a Hammer by David Rubel
The author describes his experiences working with Habitat for
Humanity, a non-profit organization that builds housing with
volunteer laborers.
Radioactive Boy Scout by Ken Silverstein
Growing up in suburban Detroit, David Hahn was fascinated
by science. While he was working on his Atomic Energy
badge for the Boy Scouts, David began building a model
nuclear reactor in his backyard garden shed. This true story
reads like a first rate thriller.



The Trouble with Half a Moon by Danette Vigilante
Thirteen-year-old Dellie is overcome with guilt and grief when
her brother dies, but when she finds herself at odds with her
best friend, Dellie reaches out to a neglected boy who lives in
her building in the projects and learns how to have faith in
herself.
Stitches by Glen Huser
Travis, a middle-school student who wants to become a
professional puppeteer, has endured years of torment from a
trio of bullies, but he finds himself fighting for his life when the
harassment turns to violence just after the ninth-grade dance.
Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie by Jordon
Sonnenblink
Thirteen-year-old Steven has a totally normal life: jazz band,
crushes, annoying little brother. But when that little brother is
diagnosed with leukemia, Steven is forced to deal with his
brother's illness and his parents' attempts to keep the family
in one piece. Salted with humor and peppered with
devastating realities, this is a heartwarming journey through a
year in the life of a family in crisis.
Emma Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree by Lauren
Tarshis
A quirky and utterly logical seventh-grade girl named Emma-
Jean Lazarus discovers some interesting results when she
gets involved in the messy everyday problems of her peers.
If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson
After meeting at their private school in New York, fifteen-year
old Jeremiah, who is black and whose parents are separated,
and Ellie, who is white and whose mother has twice
abandoned her, fall in love and then try to cope with people’s
reactions.
Anya’s War by Andrea Alban
Anya Rosen moves with her family from Odessa to Shanghai
in order to escape religious persecution from Adolf Hitler and
the Nazis, but after Anya discovers a newborn baby
abandoned in the middle of the street and her hero, Amelia
Earhart, goes missing, Anya fears that there is no safe place
for her family.
War Games by Audrey Couloumbis
What were once just boys' games become matters of life and
death as Petros and his older brother Zola each wonder if,
like their resistance-fighter cousin, they too can make a
difference in a Nazi-occupied Greece.
Prisoners in the Palace by Michaela MacColl
Sixteen-year-old Liza becomes a lady's maid to Princess
Victoria and finds that the gossipy world of the palace
servants gives her the chance to determine her own fate and
help Victoria become queen.
Half Brother by Kenneth Oppel
In 1973, when a renowned Canadian behavioral psychologist
pursues his latest research project—an experiment to
determine whether chimpanzees can acquire advanced
language skills—he brings home a baby chimp named Zan
and asks his thirteen-year-old son to treat Zan like a little
brother.
A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park
When the Sudanese civil war reaches his village in 1985,
eleven-year-old Salva becomes separated from his family and
must walk with other Dinka tribe members through southern
Sudan, Ethiopia, and Kenya in search of safe haven. Based
on the life of Salva Dut, who, after emigrating to America in
1996, began a project to dig water wells in Sudan.
Small Persons with Wings by Ellen Booraem
Mellie Turpin learns her family's legacy when her grandfather
wills her his run-down inn and bar and she must embark on a
magical quest when the small persons with wings demand
that Mellie finds and returns a magical ring that is missing.
The Lost Conspiracy by Frances Hardinge
When a lie is exposed and their tribe turns against them,
Hathin must find a way to save her sister Arilou—once
considered the tribe's oracle—and herself.
The Night Tourist by Katherine Marsh
After fourteen-year-old classics prodigy Jack Perdu has a
near fatal accident, he meets Euri, a young ghost who
introduces him to New York's Underworld. When Jack
realizes those who died in New York reside in this Underworld
until they are ready to move on, he vows to find his dead
mother there.
The Legend of the King by Gerald Morris
Sir Dinadan and his friend Sir Palomides, Sir Gaheris, Sir
Terence, and other knights of the Round Table and their
associates try to stop Mordred and his White Horsemen from
ending King Arthur's rule of Great Britain.
Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
A girl is transformed, through instruction in life at court,
determination, and magic, from sullen, pudgy, graceless Ben
into a Crown Princess, a fit ruler of the kindgom of Montagne
as it faces war with neighboring Drachensbett.

Stuck on Earth by David Klass
On a secret mission to evaluate whether the human race
should be annihilated, a space alien inhabits the body of a
bullied fourteen-year-old boy.
No More Dead Dogs by Gordon Korman
Eighth-grade football hero Wallace Wallace is sentenced to
detention attending rehearsals of the school play where, in
spite of himself, he becomes wrapped up in the production
and begins to suggest changes that improve not only the play
but his life as well.
Guys Read: Funny Business by multiple authors
A collection of humorous stories featuring a teenaged
mummy, a homicidal turkey, and the world's largest pool of
chocolate milk.
Crazy Weekend by Gary Soto
Seventh-grader Hector’s and Mando’s visit to Uncle Julio in
Fresno turns unexpectedly exciting when their photograph of
a robbery is published in the newspaper and they are
pursued by the hilariously inept thugs.
How Lamar’s Bad Prank Won a Bubba-Sized Trophy
by Crystal Allen
When thirteen-year-old, bowling-obsessed Lamar
Washington finds out that his idol is coming to town, he finds
himself involved in some unsavory activities as he tries to
change his image to impress people.
Fire Pony by W. Rodman Philbrick
Roy and his troubled adult brother Joe find refuge at the Bar
None Ranch, where Roy befriends Lady Luck, a wild pony
that wins over Roy's heart, but when Joe's past catches up
with the brothers, they must choose between fleeing and
finally facing the truth.
Heist Society by Ally Carter
Fifteen-year-old Kat schemes her way into the best boarding
school, hoping to leave the antics of her family of theives
behind her, but Hal, a former co-conspirator, appears on
campus to tell Kat that a powerful mobster believes her father
stole art from a priceless collection, and in order to save him,
Kat will have to recover the paintings.
Gilda Joyce, Psychic Investigator by Jennifer Allison
Ever since her father died, quirky Gilda Joyce has been
determined to communicate with spirits and become a crack
investigator of spooky, twisted mysteries. Hair-raising and
hilarious, this is a behind-the-scenes, tell-all account of her
very first case.
London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd
When Ted and Kat's cousin Salim disappears from the
London Eye ferris wheel, the two siblings must work
together—Ted with his brain that is "wired differently" and
impatient Kat—to try to solve the mystery of what happened
to Salim.
The Trap by John Smelcer
In alternating chapters, seventeen-year-old Johnny Least-
Weasel, who is better known for brains than brawn, worries
about his missing grandfather, and the grandfather, Albert
Least-Weasel, struggles to survive, caught in his own steel
trap in the Alaskan winter.
Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon and Dean Hale
Rapunzel, raised in a grand villa surrounded by towering
walls, dreams of a different mother than Gothel, the woman
she calls Mother. She climbs over the wall and finds out the
truth. Her real mother, Kate, is a slave in Gothel's gold mine.
In this Old West retelling, Rapunzel uses her hair as a lasso
and to take on outlaws.
The Storm in the Barn by Matt Phelan
Eleven-year-old Jack Clark struggles with everyday obstacles
while his family and community contend with the challenges
brought on by the Dust Bowl in 1937 Kansas.
Mouse Guard by David Petersen (series)
A graphic comic about the world of Mouse Guard, mice with
capes and swords defending themselves against their
enemies as if they were Knights of the Round Table.
Cat Burglar Black by Richard Sala
K. Westree arrives at Bellsong Academy, where she hopes to
leave her past as a cat-burglar behind, but she quickly learns
that the school contains a hidden treasure left by its founder,
and as she resumes her old habits, she starts to question
whether she really wants a normal life.
Satchel Page by James Sturm
A graphic novel account of the career of Negro League
pitcher Satchel Paige, discussing the show he put on as a
popular player, as well as the respect he demanded as an
African-American.
Cover Up by John Feinstein (series)
More than 95 million fans will be watching the Superbowl, but
Steve Thomas and Susan Carol Anderson know that what
they'll be watching is a lie. They know that the entire offensive
line of the California Dreams failed their doping tests and that
the Dreams' owner is trying to cover up the test results.
These two teens are sitting on the biggest sports scandal of
the decade. How can they prove it?

Football Genius by Tim Green

Troy, a sixth-grader with an unusual gift for predicting football
plays before they occur, attempts to use his ability to help his
favorite team, the Atlanta Falcons, but he must first prove
himself to the coach and players.

Go Big or Go Home by Will Hobbs

Fourteen-year-old Brady and his cousin Quinn love extreme
sports, but nothing could prepare them for the aftermath of
Brady's close encounter with a meteorite after it crashes into
his Black Hills, South Dakota, bedroom.

Breakaway by Andrea Montalbano

When seventh-grade soccer star LJ befriends Tabitha, who
could not be more different from her, LJ learns to curb her
competitive nature, which has been slowly alienating her
friends.

Peak by Roland Smith

After Peak is arrested for scaling a New York City skyscraper,
he's left with two choices: wither away in Juvenile Detention
or go live with his long-lost father, who runs a climbing
company in Thailand. Peak chooses the latter, but quickly
realizes that his father’s reasons for wanting Peak with him
aren’t completely innocent