Summer Reading

The St. Mary's Summer Reading Experience requires students entering grades 4-8 to read three books during the summer vacation.

The objective is three fold:

  1. To provide an oportunity for our students to continue reading through the summer holiday
  2. To assist those who read continually in reading more diverse material
  3. To assist reluctant readers in the selection of material that may be of interest
Remember, the more you read, the better you read and write. It is a win-win cycle.

Students are asked to choose one book from each of the three categories, Social Studies Content, Science Content, and Potpourri. If preferred, with parent approval, students may read other titles that fit into the categories and are not listed. You will notice that option on the lst line under each category. Each of the many titles listed is followed by the author, ISBN number and suggested reading level. Most selections may be found in the public library. There is enough variety so that no purchase should be necessary, however, if you wish to purchase books, many of the selections will be available during HSA Barnes and Noble Week (May 31-June 6). Some titles may have an audiotape available. Listening to the tape while reading the text is a good study tool for some students.

The guidlines for the St. Mary's Summer Reading Experience for grades 4-8 are as follows:

  1. Each student should choose titles from the selection of books that are listed or choose one of their own with parent approval. All title on this have been read by faculty and found to be worthwhile.
  2. Students are not limited to their age level. If a student is entering 8th grade but has never read some of the classics listed, this is a good opportunity to do so. Also, if a younger reader would like to "stretch", take this occasion.
  3. There will be no book reports projects or writing samples based on this summer reading.
The honor contract (sample), requiring both student and parent signature, is to be returned to the homeroom teacher during opening conferences or on the first day of school. It will be passed on to the Language Arts teacher in each respective grade to help the teachers become aware of the students' reading interests.

Also below, you will find the Reading List Novels for School Year 2002-2003 for Grades 3-8

Social Studies Content Related

 

Novel Author ISBN# Age Level
I Was Born 10,000 Years Ago* Stephen Kellog 0688161561 7-9
Skylark* Patricia Maclachlan 0064406229 9-12
Lincoln: A Photobiography Russell Freedman 0395518482 9-12
Mayfield Crossing Vaunda M. Nelson 0698119034 9-12
What's the Big Idea Ben Franklin?* Jean Fritz 0698113721 9-12
Search For Shadowman Joan Lowery Nixon 0440411289 YA
Danger Along the Ohio Patricia Willis 0395770440 9-12
Journey to Nowhere Mary Jane Auch 0805049223 9-12
Jip, His Story Katherine Paterson 0140386742 9-12
When the Soldiers Were Gone Vera W. Propp 0698118812 9-12
I Have Lived One Thousand Years Livia Britton-Jackson 0689823959 YA
Perloo the Bold AVI 0590110039 9-12
Black Eagles: African Americans
In Aviation		 Jim Haskins 0590459139 9-12
The Black Americans:
A History in Their Own Words		 Milton Melzer 006446055X YA
The House of Dies Drear Virginia Hamilton 0027425002 9-12
Dragonwings Laurence Yep 0064400859 9-12
Journey to Topaz (1st in series) Yoshiko Uchida 0916870855 All Ages
Journey Home (2nd in series) Yoshiko Uchida 0689716419 9-12
The Watson's Go to Birmingham-1963 Christopher P. Curtis 0440414121 YA
Caddie Woddlawn* Carol Ryrie Brink 0689815212 8-12
The Egypt Game Zilpha K. Snyder 0440422256 9-12
Beyond Mayfield Vaunda M. Nelson 0399233555 9-12
Any book by this author Louisa May Alcott varies 9-12
Freedom Crossing Margaret Goff Clark 0590445693 9-12
Other Choice Approved by Parent

*suggested for less experienced reader
YA=Young Adult

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Science Content Related

 

Novel Author ISBN# Age Level
The Magic School Bus
Electric Field Trip*		 Joanna Cole Bruce 0590446835 4-8
Joyful Noise, Poems
For Two Voices*		 Paul Fleischman 0064460932 8-12
A Day In The Tropical Forest* Jean Craighead George 0064420167 9-12
Going Through the Gate Janet S. Anderson 014130698X 9-12
The Talking Earth Jean Craighead George 0064402126 YA
The Apprenticeship of
Lucus Whitaker		 Cynthia Defilice 0380729202 9-12
Gifted Hands Ben Carson 0310214696 YA/Adult
Island of the Aunts Eva Ibbotson 0142300497 9-12
Black Stars in Orbit: NASA's
African American Astronauts		 Khephra Burns
William Miles		 0152002766 9-12
After the Spill: The Exxon
Valdez Disaster, Then and Now		 Sandra Markle 0802786103 9-12
The Adventures of Sojourner Wunsch 0965049361 8-10
Bug Boy* Carol Sonenklar 0440414652 8-10
Bug Girl* Carol Sonenklar 0440415659 9-12
Dolphin Adventure Wayne Grover 0380732521 9-12
The Kid Who Invented the Popsicle Don L. Wulffson 0141302046 9-12
Space Challenger J. B. Bluford 0876142595 All Ages
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Jues Verne 0394853334 YA
Summer of the Monkeys Wilson Rawls 0440415802 YA
Lost in Cyberspace Richard Peck 0140378561 9-12
Out of Darkness: Story
of Louise Braille		 Russell Freedman 0395968887 9-12
Music of the Dolphins Karen Hesse 0590897985 7-9
The Day They Left the Bay Mick Blackistone 0962772631 All Ages
Power of Un Nancy Etchemendy 0812628500 9-12
Waterman's Boy Susan Sharpe 0027823512 9-12
Other Choice Approved by Parents

*suggested for less experienced reader
YA=Young Adult

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Potpourri

 

Novel Author ISBN# Age Level
Walk Two Moons Sharon Creech 0064405176 9-12
Mother Teresa, No Greater Love Mother Teresa 1577310063 YA/Adult
Where the Sidewalk Ends Shel Silverstein 0060256672 4-8
Hatchet Gary Paulsen 0689826990 9-12
Bud, Not Buddy Christopher Paul Curtis 0440413281 9-12
The Little Prince A. De-Saint Exupery 0156012197 9-12
Far North Will Hobbs 0380725363 YA
Until Angels Close My Eyes Lurlene McDaniel 055357115X YA
The Palm of My Heart
Poetry by African American Children		 David Adedjouma 1880000768 All Ages
White Water* P. J. Petersen 0440415527 9-12
Dancing Teepees: Poems of
American Indian Youth*		 Virginia Driving 0823408795 4-8
Olympic Dream Matt Christopher 0316141631 9-12
A Wrinkle in Time Madeleine L'Engle 0440498058 9-12
Any book by this author Louisa May Alcott varies 8-15
The Road to Memphis Mildred D. Taylor 0140360778 YA
A Child's Book of Prayer and Art* Sister Wendy Peckett 1564588750 All Ages
The Kindnappers Willo Davis Roberts 0689813937 9-12
Treasure Island Robert Louis Stevenson 0812505085 9-12
Wilma Unlimited* Kathleen Krull 0152020985 4-8
Harry Potter (any of the series) J. K. Rowlings varies 8-15
Ella Enchanted Gail Carson Levine 0064407055 9-12
Felita Nicholasa Mohr 01441306432 9-12
Anne of Green Gables Lucy M. Montgomery 0316141631 All Ages
My Louisiana Sky Kimberly W. Holt 0440415705 YA
Missing May Cynthia Rylant 0440408652 9-12
Any of the Sammy Keyes series (6) W. Van Draanen varies 9-12
The Sword in the Stone T. H. White 0440984459 8-12
Other Choice Approved by Parent

*suggested for less experienced reader
YA=Young Adult

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Novel Reading List
for
School Year 2002-03

 

Grade 3 These are class sets. There is no Parent purchase necessary.
Stone Fox   by John Reynolds Gardiner
Sarah, Plain and Tall   by Patricia MacLachlan

Grade 4 These are class sets. There is no parent purchase necessary.
The Sign of the Beaver   by Elizabeth and George Speare
Dear Mr. Henshaw   by Beverly Cleary
Summer of the Swans   by Betsy Byars

Grade 5
Oyster Moon   by Margaret Meacham
The Cay   by Theodore Taylo
Lily's Crossing   by Patricia Griff
One Black-Eyed Susan nominated book for the SY 2002-03, Grades 4-6

Grade 6
Where the Red Fern Grows   by Wilson Rawls
Maniac Magee   by Jerry Spinelli
Island of the Blue Dolphins   by Scott O'Dell
Number of the Stars   by Lois Lowry

Grade 7
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry   by Mildred D. Taylor
Crash   by Jerry Spinelli
The Pearl   by John Steinbeck

Grade 8
To Kill a Mockingbird   by Harper Lee
A Christmas Carol   by Charles Dickens
Parallel Journey   by E. Ayer, A. Heck, H. Waterford
Of Mice and Men   by John Steinbeck

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