Seventh Grade Reading List

This summer all incoming seventh graders are required to read three books from the following list:

Walk Two Moons, by Sharon Creech
Holes, by Louis Sachar
That Was Then, This Is Now, by S.E. Hinton
Drawing Lessons, by Tracy Mack
Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen
Maniac Magee, by Jerry Spinelli
Esperanza Rising, by Pam Munoz Ryan
Al Capone Does My Shirts, by Gennifer Choldenko

These two books are challenging, but worth the effort:

The Wave, by Todd Strasser*
The View From Saturday, by E. L. Konigsberg*

For each novel that is read, each student must write a one-page, double-spaced response (use 12 point font) that focuses on one of the following two questions:

1. What aspects of the main character are interesting? Is the character anything like you?
2. Does the ending of the novel offer a message or lesson to the reader? How does it apply to your life?

Do not summarize the novels in your responses—answer the above questions.

BRING ALL THREE NOVELS AND THE RESPONSES TO SCHOOL ON THE FIRST DAY.