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We understand that our rising and incoming students have a broad range of interests and reading levels, but our hope is that students take the opportunity to read one book that provides a window into another’s lived experience as well as one book that mirrors their own lived experience. Our goal is to provide a list of  titles to give students the opportunities to dive into a variety of books that represent a broad range of topics, plots, and experiences as well as a range of levels in sophistication of literature and content. Our summer reading booklist was compiled by the English Department in consultation with our Library Director, Christina Dominique-Pierre. 

 

We encourage families to review the list of books together, and if interested, research the books via the resources Ms. Dominique-Pierre consults to help you and your student make an informed decision about which books to read. While Ms. Dominique-Pierre notes these sites have recommendations for an age range, because she is familiar with our community, she adjusts those recommendations accordingly.

GRADE 7 EXPECTATIONS

Choose two of the following to read this summer.  You do not have to take active reading notes, but you should write up a brief summary (3-5 sentences) when you complete the book so you remember what it was about.  Most, if not all, of these books should be available through your local library’s E-book system and the BB&N E-book library through SORA. If you are having access issues, please contact Ms. Dominique-Pierre (MS Librarian) at cdominiquepierre@bbns.org or Ms. Jamison (MS English Dept Chair) at rjamison@bbns.org

 

Book Choices (You may only read ONE graphic novel)

  1. All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot*

  2. Amari and the Night Brothers by B. B. Alston

  3. Best At It by Maulik Pancholy

  4. The Call of the Wild by Jack London

  5. Carry Me Home by Janet Fox

  6. Dress Coded by Carrie Firestone

  7. A First Time for Everything by Dan Santat (graphic novel)

  8. Haven Jacobs Saves the Planet by Barbara Dee

  9. How to Find What You're Not Looking For by Veera Hiranandani

  10. It's Boba Time For Pearl Li by Nicole Chen

  11. It's Trevor Noah: Born A Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood (Young Readers Edition) by Trevor Noah

  12. I Was Their American Dream by Malaka Gharib (graphic novel)

  13. Iveliz Explains It All by Andrea Beatriz Arango**

  14. Little Women  by Louisa May Alcott

  15. Refugee by Alan Gratz

  16. Restart by Gordon Korman

  17. A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger**

  18. Spin with Me by Ami Polonsky

  19. XOXO by Axie Oh

*Unlikely available in your library's E-book system or BB&N SORA

**Some Mature Content or Heavy Themes: A novel that is accessible to our middle school students, although parents/guardians may want to be involved in book choice.

GRADE 8 EXPECTATIONS

Choose two of the following to read this summer.  You do not have to take active reading notes, but you should write up a brief summary (3-5 sentences) when you complete the book so you remember what it was about.  Most, if not all, of these books should be available through your local library’s E-book system and the BB&N E-book library through SORA. If you are having access issues, please contact Ms. Dominique-Pierre (MS Librarian) at cdominiquepierre@bbns.org or Ms. Jamison (MS English Dept Chair) at rjamison@bbns.org

 

Book Choices

  1. American Street by Ibi Zoboi**

  2. Before the Ever After by Jaqueline Woodson

  3. The Boys in the Boat: The True Story of an American Team's Journey to Win Gold at the 1936 Olympics (Young Adult Adaptation) by Gregory Mone & Daniel James Brown

  4. Children of Blood and Bone and/or Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi**

  5. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon**

  6. Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram**

  7. Here to Stay by Sara Farizan

  8. How to Excavate a Heart by Jake Maia Arlow**

  9. Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim by Patricia Park**

  10. Just Mercy: A True Story of the Fight for Justice (Young Adult Adaptation) by Bryan Stevenson

  11. King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender**

  12. My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell* 

  13. Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson

  14. Poet X  by Elizabeth Acevedo

  15. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

  16. Quiet Power: The Secret Strengths of Introverts by Susan Cain

  17. Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

  18. Slay by Brittany Morris**

  19. Sunshine by Jarrett J. Krosoczka (graphic novel)**

  20.  A Time to Dance by Padma Venkatraman 

  21. Tokyo Ever After and/or Tokyo Dreaming by Emiko Jean

  22. What Happened to Rachel Riley by Claire Swinarski

 

*Unlikely available in your library's E-book system or BB&N SORA

**Some Mature Content or Heavy Themes: A novel that is  accessible to our middle school students, although parents/guardians may want to be involved in book choice.

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