Your Name: ____________________________________

Medford Public Schools

Summer Reading Assignment

(For Students Entering Grade Eight)
Your Two Summer Reading Books:
We underline book titles!

Book 1: _______________________________________
Author: _______________________________________
Book 2: ______________________________________
Author: _______________________________________
Directions:
1. Before you read, please fill out the Before You Read
section for each book. (Assignments #1 and #4)
2. As you read, please fill out the While You Read
section for each book. (Assignments #2 and #5)
3. After you read, please complete the Character Letter
for each book. (Assignments #3 and #6)
4. Bring this completed packet to school with you to English
class on the first day of school.

All six assignments must be completed!

Assignment #1: Before You Read for Book 1

Book 1 Title: _____________________________________________(underlined)
Book 1 Author: _____________________________________________________
Directions: Before you read the book listed above, please list five assumptions
(expectations), predictions, or questions you have about the book.
1.) ________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
2.) ________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
3.) ________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
4.) ________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
5.) ________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

Assignment #2: While You Read for Book 1

Directions: Please complete this form as you read your book. You may use bullet
format. Your notes should be specific and include details.
1. Book 1 Title: ___________________________________________(underlined)
2. Book 1 Author: ___________________________________________________
3. WHO?
List three (or more) main characters. Please list physical and personality
characteristics for each character.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
4. WHAT?
Part A: List two (or more) main conflicts, problems, or struggles that take place
during the book.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Part B: List the message, lesson, or theme of the book. What does the author want
us to understand after we read this book?

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
5. WHEN and WHERE?
List the setting of the story. Be sure to list time(s) and place(s).
Where:____________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
When:_____________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
6. HOW?
Tell whether or not the conflicts are resolved in the end. What happens to the
characters? How does the story end?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
7. WHY?
List connections you were able to make about this book. Does it remind you of
another book or story you read? Does it remind you of something that happened to
you or someone you know?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
8. SUMMARY/PLOT
In paragraph form, list the events/action that happened in the book. This will be a
minimum of ten sentences/bullet points.

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

Assignment #3: Character Letter for Book 1

Directions: After reading your book, you need to write a personal letter to one of
the characters discussing the events in the book. Be sure to include your feelings
about this characters actions throughout the book.
Length Requirement: 200 (or more) words
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

Assignment #4: Before You Read for Book 2

Book 1 Title: _____________________________________________(underlined)
Book 1 Author: _____________________________________________________
Directions: Before you read the book listed above, please list five assumptions
(expectations), predictions, or questions you have about the book.
1.) ________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
2.) ________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
3.) ________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
4.) ________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
5.) ________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

Assignment #5: While You Read for Book 2

Directions: Please complete this form as you read your book. You may use bullet
format. Your notes should be specific and include details.
1. Book 1 Title: ___________________________________________(underlined)
2. Book 1 Author: ___________________________________________________
3. WHO?
List three (or more) main characters. Please list physical and personality
characteristics for each character.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
4. WHAT?
Part A: List two (or more) main conflicts, problems, or struggles that take place
during the book.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Part B: List the message, lesson, or theme of the book. What does the author want
us to understand after we read this book?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
5. WHEN and WHERE?
List the setting of the story. Be sure to list time(s) and place(s).
Where:____________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
When:_____________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
6. HOW?
Tell whether or not the conflicts are resolved in the end. What happens to the
characters? How does the story end?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
7. WHY?

List connections you were able to make about this book. Does it remind you of
another book or story you read? Does it remind you of something that happened to
you or someone you know?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
8. SUMMARY/PLOT
In paragraph form, list the events/action that happened in the book. This will be a
minimum of ten sentences/bullet points.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

Assignment #6: Character Letter for Book 2

Directions: After reading your book, you need to write a personal letter to one of
the characters discussing the events in the book. Be sure to include your feelings
about this characters actions throughout the book.
Length Requirement: 200 (or more) words
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

GRADE 8: SUMMER READING LIST

Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan
Like many girls her age in India, thirteenyearold Koly faces her arranged marriage
with hope and courage. But Koly's story takes a terrible turn when in the wake of the ceremony,
she discovers she's been horribly misled; her life has been sold for a dowry. As Thirteen-year-old
Koly enters into this ill-fated arranged marriage, she realizes that she must either suffer a destiny
dictated by India's tradition or find the courage to oppose it. Reading Level: Average
King of Shadows by Susan Cooper
Only in the world of the theater can Nat Field find an escape from the tragedies that have
shadowed his young life. So he is thrilled when he is chosen to join an American drama troupe
traveling to London to perform A Midsummer Night's Dream in a new replica of the famous
Globe Theater. Shortly after arriving in England, Nat goes to bed ill and awakens transported
back in time four hundred years -- to another London, and another production of A Midsummer
Night's Dream. Amid the bustle and excitement of an Elizabethan theatrical production, Nat
finds the warm, nurturing father figure missing from his life -- in none other than William
Shakespeare himself. Does Nat have to remain trapped in the past forever, or give up the
friendship he's so longed for in his own time? Reading Level: Average
So B It by Sarah Weeks
Heidi and her mentally challenged mother have lived in an apartment that is next to their
neighbor, Bernadette, since the twelve-year-old was probably no more than a week old.
Bernadette accepted and loved them from the moment they arrived at her door. Heidi struggles
with knowing nothing about her father or her family history, and never having a real last name.
Then she finds an old camera, which prompts her quest to learn the identity of the people in the
photographs. Heidi relies on her luck, instinct, and the people she meets on the way to learn
about her mother and her past. Reading Level: Average
Summer Ball by Mike Lupica
When you 're the smallest kid playing a big man's game, the challenges never stop
especially when your name is Danny Walker. Leading your travel team to the national
championship may seem like a dream come true, but for Danny, being at the top just means the
competition tries that much harder to knock him off. Now Danny's heading to Right Way
basketball camp for the summer, and he knows that with the country's best players in attendance,
he's going to need to take his game up a notch if he wants to match up. But it won't be easy. Old
rivals and new battles leave Danny wondering if he really does have what it takes to stand tall.
Reading Level: Average

The Girl in Blue by Ann Rinaldi

The year is 1861. When spirited teenager Sarah Louisa learns that she is to be married off
to her despicable neighbor, she runs away from home. Disguising herself as a boy, Sarah boldly
joins the army--and before long is a soldier in the Civil War. Sarah navigates the joys and
hardships of army life, all the while struggling to keep her true identity a secret. But Sarah's real
adventure is only just beginning. A chance encounter with a detective soon draws her into a web

of mystery, intrigue, and romance--and Sarah's courage will be put to the test as never before.
Reading Level: Average
The People of Sparks by Jeanne Duprau
The People of Sparks picks up where The City of Ember leaves off. Lina and Doon have
emerged from the underground city to the exciting new world above, and it isnt long before they
are followed by the other inhabitants of Ember. The Emberites soon come across a town where
they are welcomed, fed, and given places to sleep. But the towns resources are limited and it
isnt long before resentment begins to grow between the two groups. When anonymous acts of
vandalism push them toward violence, its up to Lina and Doon to discover whos behind the
vandalism and why, before its too late. Reading Level: Average
The Road to Memphis by Mildred Taylor
The Road to Memphis catches up with the Logan family in 1941. Cassie is entering her
last year of high school in Jackson, Mississippi and her older brother Stacey is driving his first
car. After a family trip to Memphis, a sequence of events, including pregnancy, death and the
intrusions of Pearl Harbor and World War II wreaks havoc on the family, threatening to separate
them from each other, perhaps forever. Drawing upon their strength as a family and the support
of their community, the Logans fight for survival, particularly Cassie, who dreams of becoming a
lawyer. Recipient of the 1991 Coretta Scott King Award. Reading Level: Average
Just Listen by Sarah Desson
When Annabel, the youngest of three beautiful sisters, has a bitter falling out with her
best friendthe popular and exciting Sophieshe suddenly finds herself isolated and friendless.
but then she meets Owena loner, passionate about music and his weekly radio show, and
always determined to tell the truth. And when they develop a friendship, Annabel is not only
introduced to new music but is encouraged to listen to her own inner voice. With Owen's help,
can Annabel find the courage to speak out about what exactly happened the night her friendship
with Sophie came to a screeching halt? Reading Level: Above Average
Shipwreck at the Bottom of World by Jennifer Armstrong
In August 1914, Ernest Shackleton and 27 men sailed from England in an attempt to
become the first team of explorers to cross Antarctica from one side to the other. Five months
later and still 100 miles from land, their ship, Endurance, became trapped in ice. The expedition
survived another five months camping on ice floes, followed by a perilous journey through
stormy seas to remote and unvisited Elephant Island. In a dramatic climax to this amazing
survival story, Shackleton and five others navigated 800 miles of treacherous open ocean in a 20foot boat to fetch a rescue ship. Winner of the Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction
for Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World. Reading Level: Above Average
Slam by Walter Dean Myers
Male reluctant readers as well as basketball fans will be captivated with this realistic
story in which 17-year-old Greg Harris tells of the year in which he transfers to a magnet school
for the arts, a more academically challenging, mostly white school. After being the hot shot star
of his Harlem high school team, he has to learn to fit in and be a team player at his new school.
He may not be able to do anything about the rest of his life--his relationships with his family and
friends, his grandmother's illness, his scholastic difficulties, or what goes on in his Harlem

neighborhood--but when he gets onto the basketball court, "Slam" feels in control. Readers will
enjoy this fast-paced, energetic story following Slam's progress as he tries to deal with basketball
and life. Myers has created a character and a story that have great appeal for teens. Reading
Level: Above Average
Trouble by Gary D. Schmidt
Tragedy and troubleoutsidersdisrupt Henrys traditional New England family
when Cambodian refugee Chay is involved in an auto accident that kills Henrys older brother.
Henry wrestles with grief, anger, and racial tensions in the aftermath of the accident. Henry
embarks on an adventure to climb Mt. Katahdin, in Maine, a trip he and his brother had planned
he is determined to make the climb One morning Henry, his best friend, and a stray dog decide to
hitchhike to the mountain and are picked up by Chay. Prejudice takes on a different face entirely
as Chay's personal story develops, entwined with all three boys' growing understanding of their
families, their town, and what really happened the night of the accident. Reading Level:
Challenging
A Dog's Life: The Autobiography of a Stray by Ann M Martin (Students need permission to
read this book from their previous ELA teacher or Special Education Teacher)
Squirrel and her brother Bone begin their lives in a toolshed behind someone's summer
house. Their mother nurtures them and teaches them the many skills they will need to survive as
stray dogs. But when their mother is taken from them suddenly and too soon, the puppies are
forced to make their own way in the world, facing humans both gentle and brutal, busy
highways, other animals, and the changing seasons. When Bone and Squirrel become separated,
Squirrel must fend for herself and in the process makes two friends who in very different ways
define her fate.
Notes from the Dog by Gary Paulsen (Students need permission to read this book from their
previous ELA teacher or Special Education Teacher)
Sometimes having company is not all its cracked up to be. Fifteen-year-old Finn is a
loner, living with his dad and his amazing dog, Dylan. This summer hes hoping for a job where
he doesnt have to talk to anyone except his pal Matthew. Then Johanna moves in next door.
Shes 10 years older, cool, funny, and she treats Finn as an equal. Dylan loves her, too.
Johannas dealing with breast cancer, and Matthew and Finn learn to care for her, emotionally
and physically. When she hires Finn to create a garden, his gardening ideas backfire comically.
However, Johanna and the garden help Finn discover his talents for connecting with people.
Schooled by Gordan Korman (Students need permission to read this book from their previous
ELA teacher or Special Education Teacher)
Homeschooled on an isolated "alternate farm commune" that has dwindled since the
1960s to 2 members, 13-year-old Cap has always lived with his grandmother, Rain. When she is
hospitalized, Cap is taken in by a social worker and sent -like a lamb to slaughter - to middle
school. Smart and capable, innocent and inexperienced (he learned to drive on the farm, but he
has never watched television), long-haired Cap soon becomes the butt of pranks. He reacts in
unexpected ways and, in the end, elevates those around him to higher ground.

Grade 8 Summer Reading Rubric

Evidence of
Completion

Complete and
Demonstrates
Outstanding
Effort

Complete with
Adequate Effort

Mostly
Complete with
Evidence of
Some Effort

Less than Half

Complete with
Minimal Effort

Before You
Read

Complete and
Demonstrates
Outstanding
Effort

Complete with
Adequate Effort

Mostly
Complete with
Evidence of
Some Effort

Less than Half

Complete with
Minimal Effort

While You
Read

Complete and
Demonstrates
Outstanding
Effort

Complete with
Adequate Effort

Mostly
Complete with
Evidence of
Some Effort

Less than Half

Complete with
Minimal Effort

Character
Letter

Ideas were
expressed in a
clear and
organized
fashion. It was
easy to figure
out what the
letter was about.

Ideas were
expressed in a
pretty clear
manner, but the
organization
could use some
improvement.

Ideas were
somewhat
organized, but
were not very
clear. It took
more than one
reading to
figure out
what the letter
was about.

The letter
seemed to be a
collection of
unrelated
sentences. It
was very
difficult to
figure out what
the letter was
about.

Conventions
and Legibility

Letter is written
in correct format
and can easily
be read. No
errors in
grammar or
spelling in body
of letter.

Letter is mostly
written in correct
format and can
easily be read.
Almost no errors
in grammar or
spelling in body
of letter.

Letter is
somewhat
written in the
correct format.
Few errors in
grammar or
spelling in
body of letter.

Letter has
some
indications to
being written
in the correct
format. Errors
in grammar or
spelling in
body of letter.

Started but
Showing
Evidence of
Little or No
Effort
Started but
Showing
Evidence of
Little or No
Effort
Started but
Showing
Evidence of
Little or No
Effort
Ideas are not
organized and
sentences are
unrelated. It
was very
difficult to
figure out
what the letter
was about and
depict the
main ideas.
Letter is not
written in the
correct
format.
Errors in
grammar or
spelling in
body of letter.

Not Completed

Not Completed

Not Completed

Not Completed

Not Completed