Rising 7th Grade Summer Learning

Scroll to the bottom of this page to find printable Choice Book lists and discussion questions for Required Books.
Required Math Practice
This summer we are offering three options for students to reinforce their math proficiency over the summer months. Practicing 1 to 1.5 hours a week consistently every week of the summer (10 to 15 hours total) will help ensure a smooth transition back to school in August. If your child wants to do more, all the better! Review the following options with your child to determine which is preferred.
Keyboarding Practice
Ideally by fifth grade, students have developed beginning level keyboarding skills with attention to correct finger and hand positioning with touch typing skills. For students entering grades 6-8, computer literacy and keyboarding expectations continue to grow. Students are expected to type assignments and complete and submit assignments in Google Classroom in each of their classes. Depending on your student's current technology exposure and typing skills, we strongly recommend summer practice to increase typing speed and accuracy and computer literacy to ease their transition. Typing.com offers fun, helpful, and free practice for keyboarding, along with computer literacy modules and information. Students should create an account to keep track of their progress (not for teachers to monitor) and aim to complete courses based on their unique skill levels. Typing practice at the intermediate and advanced levels are encouraged, along with informational modules in digital literacy as time and interest allow.
Required Books
Read BOTH books and answer associated discussion questions.
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Chasing Lincoln's Killer
​by James L. Swanson
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Dragon Hoops
​by Gene Luen Yang 
Choice Books
Choose at least TWO, preferably from different genres; as well, select titles you have NOT read previously. If you choose a graphic novel as one of your choice books, please choose a traditional book as your second choice book.
​Printable lists available below.
HISTORICAL FICTION
Across So Many Seas by Ruth Behar
Four 12-year-old Jewish girls in different time periods leave their homelands but carry their religion, culture, language, music, and heritage with them. In 1492, when King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella expel Jews from Spain, Benvenida and her family flee, vowing to remember where they came from. In 1923, Reina celebrates Turkish independence with her friend, a Muslim boy, causing her father to disown her and send her to live with an aunt in Cuba. Reina’s daughter, Alegra, serves as a brigadista in Castro’s literacy campaign before fleeing to the U.S. in 1961. In Miami in 2003, Paloma, Alegra’s daughter, is traveling to Spain to explore her family roots. There they find a miraculous connection.

Black Star by Kwame Alexander (or the prequel, The Door of No Return)
12-year-old Charley Cuffey dreams of becoming the first female pitcher to play professional baseball, despite the barriers she faces as a Black girl in segregated Virginia. Inspired by her grandfather Kofi’s stories, she’s determined to prove herself, even as her parents try to shield her from painful family truths. When she challenges a bully at the church picnic, her bold decision leads to unexpected consequences. In this riveting sequel to The Door of No Return, Kwame Alexander explores history, resilience, and the power of dreams.

Heroes by Alan Gratz
December 6, 1941: Frank and Stanley have it good. With their dads stationed at the Pearl Harbor naval base in Hawaii, the boys get to soak up the sunshine while writing and drawing their own comic books. World War II might be raging overseas, but so far America has stayed out of the fight. December 7th, 1941: Everything implodes. Frank and Stanley are touring a battleship when Japanese planes attack. Frantically, the boys struggle to find safety. But disaster and danger are everywhere--from torpedoes underwater to bullets on the beach to the shocking cruelty that their friends and neighbors show Stanely. Because his mom is Japanese-American, Stanely is suddenly seen as the "enemy." And Frank, who is white, cannot begin to understand what his friend is now facing.

Last of the Name by Rosanne Parry
Twelve-year-old Danny O’Carolan and his older sister, Kathleen, escape hunger and oppression in Ireland for the promise of a new life in America. But with the constant threat of starvation, disease, violence, and racism, life in 1863 NYC is scarcely better. The only work the two can find is that of a lady’s maid and a laundress. So Danny gamely dons a dress in hopes of passing as a girl, but he lives for the times when he can escape into the city. There, he earns pennies for his dancing and singing. But he also learns that the Irish are hated not just for their faith, but because they are competing for low-wage jobs, setting the stage for the unrest that caused the New York City draft riots. Familiar historical events are given new life through Danny’s wide-eyed optimism and Kathleen’s determination.

Safiyyah’s War by Hiba Noor Khan​
​Safiyyah loathes the brutal Nazi occupation of Paris, even though her Muslim identity keeps her safe. Or, at least, safer than her Jewish neighbors. Safiyyah longs to fight back and, after unravelling the mystery of her father’s odd behavior, is drawn deep into underground resistance to the Nazis, where her bravery is put to the ultimate test. Inspired by the true story of how the Grand Mosque of Paris saved the lives of hundreds of Jews during World War II, here is a tale of suspense, compassion, and courage, and an extraordinary heroine you will never forget.

Uprising by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Poland has fallen under Nazi occupation, and 12-year-old Lidia wants to fight. Lidia begins to smuggle wheat and food to the Jewish people held captive in the Warsaw Ghetto. Soon, she begins to work as a courier, smuggling weapons and messages for the resistance throughout the city. When the Warsaw city uprising begins with gunfire and bombs echoing throughout the streets, Lidia joins the Polish nationalists’ fight. Drawing on the extraordinary real-life story of Polish teenager Lidia Zakrzewski, this story presents an inspiring and dramatic account of the Polish resistance fighters who struggled to force out their Nazi occupiers and reclaim their nation's freedom from tyranny.

White Bird: A Wonder Story (graphic novel) by R. J. Palacio
In R. J. Palacio's stories Auggie & Me, readers were introduced to Julian's grandmother, Grandmère. In White Bird, Palacio makes her graphic novel debut with Grandmère's heartrending story: how she, a young Jewish girl, was hidden by a family in a Nazi-occupied French village during World War II; how the boy she and her classmates once shunned became her savior and best friend.

MYSTERY/THRILLER
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
First, there were ten - an assortment of strangers summoned as weekend guests to a private island. Their host, an eccentric millionaire unknown to all of them, is nowhere to be found. All that the guests have in common is a wicked past they're unwilling to reveal - and a secret that will seal their fate. For each has been marked for murder. One by one they fall prey. Before the weekend is out, there will be none. And only the dead are above suspicion.

City Spies by James Ponti (or any in series)
For fans of Spy School and Framed!
Operating out of a castle in Scotland are five kids from around the world who've fallen through the cracks only to form a family like no other. When they’re not at the local boarding school, they’re mastering their “spy” skills like sleight of hand, breaking and entering, covert observation, and explosives. Their first mission has them hacking into a rival school’s computer to prevent them from winning a million euros, dangling thirty feet off the side of a building, and trying to stop a villain.

The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney (or any in series)
The message on the milk carton reads, "Have you seen this child?" Three-year-old Jennie Spring was kidnapped 12 years earlier, but Janie Johnson, looking at the photo, suddenly knows that she is that child. Fragments of memory and evidence accumulate, and when she demands to know about her early childhood years, her parents confess what they believe to be true, that she is really their grandchild, the child of their long-missing daughter who had joined a cult. Janie wants to accept this, but she cannot forget Jennie's family and their loss.

What Lives in the Woods by Lindsay Currie
For fans of Agatha Christie!
All Ginny Anderson wants this summer is to sleep in, attend a mystery writing workshop, and spend time with her best friend. But when Ginny's father surprises the family with a trip to Michigan, everything changes. They aren't staying in a hotel. No, they're staying in a twenty-six room, century-old building surrounded by dense forest. Woodmoor Manor. What follows is a teeth-chattering, chilling ghost story about a girl living in the decrepit and creepy mansion, who discovers something in the woods is after her.

​NONFICTION/MEMOIR
The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis
When we first meet Michael Oher, he is one of thirteen children; he does not know his real name, his father, his birthday, or how to read or write. Nor has he ever touched a football. What changes? He takes up football, and school, after a family plucks him from the streets. Their love alters the world's perception of the boy and the priceless combination of his size, speed, and agility makes him essential to the game.

Blood and Germs: The Civil War Battle Against Wounds and Disease by Gail Jarrow
The Civil War took hundreds of thousands of lives and left countless others with disabling wounds and chronic illnesses. Bullets and artillery shells shattered bodies, while microbes and parasites killed twice as many as did the battles. Yet out of this tragedy came progress. Doctors and nurses gained experience treating the injured and sick. Military and medical officials recognized that proper sanitation could save lives. Improvements to the ambulance service and hospital system lowered the fatality rate. Jarrow explores the science and grisly history of U.S. Civil War medicine, using actual medical cases and first-person accounts by soldiers, doctors, and nurses.

El Deafo (graphic novel) by Cece Bell
A bout of childhood meningitis left Bell deaf at age four, and she was prescribed a Phonic Ear, with a receiver draped across her chest and a remote microphone her teachers wore. Her graphic memoir records both the indignities of being a deaf child and its joys, as when she discovers that the microphone picks up every word her teacher says leading to her invention of an alter ego—the cape-wearing El Deafo!

​Mexikid (graphic novel) by Pedro Martin
Pedro Martín has grown up hearing stories about his abuelito—his legendary crime-fighting grandfather who was once a part of the Mexican Revolution! But that doesn't mean Pedro is excited at the news that abuelito is coming to live with their family. After all, Pedro has 8 brothers and sisters and the house is crowded enough! Still, Pedro piles into the Winnebago with his family for a road trip to Mexico to bring Abuelito home, and what follows is the trip of a lifetime, one filled with laughs and heartache. Along the way, Pedro finally connects with his abuelito and learns what it means to grow up and find his grito.

Unbroken (Young Adult Adaptation): An Olympian’s Journey from Airman to Castaway to Captive by Laura Hillenbrand
The inspirational true story of how Louis Zamperini, a juvenile delinquent-turned-Olympic athlete and World War II pilot, crashed into the ocean and survived for weeks on a life raft only to become a prisoner of war.

Warrior Dog: The Navy SEAL and His Fearless Canine Partner by Will Chesney and Joe Layden
Starting in 2008, Will and Cairo worked side by side, depending on each other for survival on hundreds of critical operations in the war on terrorism. Their bond went beyond their military service. In 2011, Cairo and Will trained for weeks for a secret mission; a mission which resulted in the successful elimination of bin Laden. As Cairo settled into a role as a reliable “spare dog,” Will went back to his job―until a grenade blast in 2013 left him severely injured. Unable to participate in further missions, it was up to Cairo to save Will's life once more―and then up to Will to be there when Cairo needed him the most.

REALISTIC FICTION
Bystander by James Preller
Thirteen-year-old Eric has moved to Long Island, NY, with his mother and younger brother. Eric soon meets Griffin Connelly, a natural leader with lots of charisma and a mean streak. While Griffin is the perfect bully, David Hallenback is the perfect victim. At first, Eric is a bystander, not participating in the bullying but not doing anything to stop it. However, a series of events move him out of this passive role.

Kisses and Croissants by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau
Mia Jenrow knows that she is destined to be a professional ballerina. In fact, according to family legend, her too-many-greats-to-count-grandmother once danced for the Paris Opera and was painted by Degas himself! Mia is planning to spend a summer in France pursuing her dream, but as she pirouettes into Paris, she soon realizes it may be a bit more complicated. There’s her rival, Audrey, and her ballet instructor, whose impossibly high standards push her to the breaking point. And then there’s distractingly charming Louis. He’s eager to show Mia his city—and Mia is more than happy to hop on his Vespa and wrap her arms around him as they pass the gleaming lights of the Eiffel Tower. Mia’s summer was supposed to be about ballet—but there’s a reason Paris is called the City of Love.

Linked by Gordon Korman
Link, Michael, and Dana can’t believe it when someone sneaks into school and vandalizes it with a swastika. Michael, the first person to see it, is the first suspect. Dana, the only Jewish girl in town, is being treated like an outsider. And everyone is looking to Link to figure out who did this! The mystery deepens as more swastikas begin to appear. Some students decide to fight back and start a project to bring people together. The closer Link, Michael, and Dana get to the truth, the more there is to face-not just the crimes of the present, but the crimes of the past.
REALISTIC FICTION (cont'd)
​Louder than Hunger by John Schu
Jake volunteers at a nursing home because he likes helping people. He likes skating and singing, playing Bingo and Name That Tune, and reading mysteries and comics aloud to his teachers. He also likes avoiding people his own age and the cruelty of mirrors and food. Jake has read about kids like him in books and would do anything not to be that kid, including shrink himself down to nothing. But the less he eats, the bigger he feels. A fictionalized account of the author’s experiences and emotions living in residential treatment facilities as a young teen with an eating disorder.

Love and Olives by Jenna Evans Welch
a Mamma Mia-inspired tale!
Liv Varanakis hasn’t seen her father since he left for Greece when she was eight, but their shared love of Greek myths and Atlantis still lingers. When he unexpectedly invites her to Santorini to help with a National Geographic documentary on Atlantis, she jumps at the chance. However, their reunion is filled with unanswered questions, awkward moments, and the presence of Theo, her father’s charming protégé. As Liv explores the island’s beauty, she begins to realize that her father’s true reason for bringing her to Greece isn’t just about Atlantis—it’s something much more personal.

Mani Semilla Finds Her Quetzal Voice by Anna Lapera
Twelve-year-old Mani Semilla feels trapped between childhood and adulthood and is desperate to get out from under her overprotective mother’s control.  At school, she and other girls face constant harassment, only to be blamed and dismissed by teachers. Inspired by her ancestors’ fight against femicide in Guatemala, Mani and her friends, Las Nerdas, take a stand to challenge the toxic culture. As she finds her voice, Mani leads the charge for change, turning silence into a powerful roar for justice.

Not Nothing by Gayle Forman
Twelve-year-old Alex is sentenced to spend his summer volunteering at a retirement home after doing something bad. Very bad. There, he meets Josey, a 107-year-old Holocaust survivor who has given up on life—until Alex starts listening to his story. As their unlikely bond grows, Josey’s past reveals new possibilities for Alex’s future. With each visit, Alex begins to confront his own mistakes and consider a different path forward.

Northwind by Gary Paulsen
for fans of Hatchet; does for the ocean what Hatchet does for the woods!
When a deadly plague reaches the fish camp where he lives, Leif is forced to take to the water in a cedar canoe. He flees northward, following a wild, fjord-riven shore, navigating from one danger to the next, unsure of his destination. Yet the deeper into his journey he paddles, the closer he comes to his truest self. A young person’s battle to stay alive against the odds, where the high seas meet a coastal wilderness.

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli 
From the day she arrives at Mica High in a burst of color and sound, the hallways hum with the murmur of "Stargirl." She captures Leo Borlock's heart with just one smile. She sparks a school-spirit revolution with just one cheer. The students of Mica High are enchanted. At first. Then they turn on her. Stargirl is suddenly shunned for everything that makes her different, and Leo, panicked and desperate with love, urges her to become the very thing that can destroy her: normal.

Tear This Down by Barbara Dee
Freya has always loved her hometown of Wellstone, where everything is named after local hero Benjamin Wellstone. But while researching for a school project, she uncovers troubling truths about him—he opposed women’s rights and believed they should stay out of public life. Determined to set the record straight, Freya launches a campaign to replace his statue with one honoring suffragette Octavia Padgett. However, her efforts spark unexpected backlash, even from her own parents. With support from her Nan, friends, and a remarkable librarian, Freya must decide if she’s ready to stand up for what she believes, no matter the cost.
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​REALISTIC FICTION-SPORTS RELATED
Fantasy League by Mike Lupica
Charlie is known as a football stats genius. This makes him great at fantasy football; then reality comes center stage. His best friend is the granddaughter of the man who has brought NFL football back to LA, Joe Warren. But the team hasn’t done well and the GM is being blamed. Enter Charlie, who loves the team and soon comes to love Joe as the grandfather he never had. Charlie shares his massive football knowledge with Joe, and soon players are being recruited at Charlie's suggestion.

Keeping Pace by Laurie Morrison
Grace has been working for years to beat her former friend Jonah Perkins’s GPA so she can be named top scholar of the eighth grade. But when Jonah beats her for the title, it feels like none of Grace’s academic accomplishments have really mattered. With nothing planned for the summer and eager for something to occupy her days, Grace signs up for a half-marathon race that she and Jonah used to talk about running together. Jonah’s running it, too. Maybe if she can beat Jonah on race day, she’ll feel OK again. But as she begins training with Jonah and checking off a new list of summer goals, she starts to question what—and who—really matters to her. Is winning at all costs really worth it?

Knockout by K.A. Holt
Levi just wants to be treated like a typical kid. As a baby, he had a serious disease that caused him respiratory issues. He's fine now, but his mom and overprotective brother still think of him as damaged, and his schoolmates see him as the same class clown he's always been. He feels stuck. So when his dad—divorced from his mom—suggests he take up boxing, he falls in love with the sport. And when he finds out about a school with a killer boxing team and a free-study curriculum, it feels like he's found a ticket to a new Levi. But how can he tell his mom about boxing? And how can he convince his family to set him free?

Lucky Scramble by Peter Raymundo
Despite qualifying for the Speed Cubing National Championships in Las Vegas, twelve-year-old Tyler Goodman and his mom don’t have the money to get him there. That is, until the retailer CubeMania offers him one of their coveted all-expenses-paid sponsorships! But getting to Vegas is just the beginning: There are hundreds of speed cubers from around the country, and each has something to prove. Like Dirk, looking to nab his 3rd straight National Championship trophy. Lizzy and Izzy Peterson, twins who crush cubing competitions. Renowned 8-year-old prodigy Eli Newton solved his first puzzle cube at five. And Miles Oldman, the first American to solve the cube in under 40 seconds. Puzzle cube devotees won’t be able to resist racing through the pages until the very last cube has been solved.

Nikki On the Line by Barbara Carroll Roberts
Nikki Doyle's dreams of becoming a basketball great feel within reach when she's selected to play on an elite-level club team. But in a league with taller and faster girls, Nikki suddenly isn't the best. The stress piles on as Nikki's best friend spends more time with another girl, and when her science teacher assigns a project that she can’t complete without revealing her most embarrassing secret. As if that's not enough, to cover the costs of her new team, Nikki has agreed to take care of her younger brother after school. As the stakes rise on the basketball court, at school, and at home, Nikki's confidence plummets. Can she learn to compete at this new, higher level? And how hard is she willing to work to find out?
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​One Last Shot by John David Anderson
Malcolm has never felt like he was good enough. Especially not for his dad, whose competitive drive and love for sports Malcolm has never shared. That is, until Malcolm discovers miniature golf, the one sport he actually enjoys. Something about mini golf just clicks for Malcolm. Soon he is signed up for lessons and entered in tournaments. Yet, even as he becomes a better golfer and finds unexpected friends, he wonders if he might not always be a disappointment.

Rebound by Kwame Alexander (or any in series)
Before Josh and Jordan Bell were streaking up and down the court, their father was learning his own moves. In this prequel to The Crossover, Chuck Bell takes center stage, as readers get a glimpse of his childhood and how he became the jazz music worshiping, basketball star his sons look up to. Go back in time to visit the childhood of Chuck "Da Man" Bell during one pivotal summer when young Charlie is sent to stay with his grandparents where he discovers basketball and learns more about his family's past.

Select by Chris Matheson
12-year-old Alex loves playing soccer, and she’s good at it, too. Very good. When her skills land her a free ride to play for Select, an elite soccer club, it feels like a huge opportunity. Joining Select could be the key to a college scholarship and a bright future—one that Alex’s family can’t promise her. But as the team gets better and better, her new coach pushes the players harder and harder, until soccer starts to feel more like punishment than fun. And then there comes a point where enough is enough, and Alex and her teammates must take a stand to find a better way to make their soccer dreams come true.

The Walk On by John Feinstein
Alex Myers, 14, is the new kid at his suburban Philadelphia high school. Knowing that he has a great arm, he tries out for the football team, but the quarterback position is already taken—by the coach’s son, Matt. So it’s third string for Alex, despite his talent, until, in Friday Night Lights fashion, Matt is injured and Alex must step up.

SCI-FI/FANTASY/DYSTOPIA/FAIRY TALE
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (or any in series)
After his grandfather’s death, Jacob travels to a remote Welsh island to find the orphanage where his grandfather was sent to escape Nazi persecution. When he arrives, he finds the “peculiar” children from his grandfather's stories are still at the orphanage, living in a time loop in 1940. The monsters that killed Jacob's grandfather are hunting for "peculiar" children and the group at the orphanage is in danger. Jacob must face the possibility that he, too, has certain traits that the monsters are after and that he is being stalked by adults he trusted.

The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani (or any in series)
Every four years in the village of Gavaldon, two children are stolen away by a mysterious person known only as the Schoolmaster. These children become students at the School for Good and Evil. One will be taught the ways of goodness, honor, and beauty; the other will be instructed in the ways of darkness and villainy. Sophie just knows she's destined to be picked for the school of Good this year. Her best friend, Agatha, is surely villain material with her black clothes and dour demeanor. So how is it that Sophie winds up in the School for Evil and Agatha the School for Good?

Scythe by Neal Shusterman (or any in series)
A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery: humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now Scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control. Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia (or any in series)
A Rick Riordan Presents fantasy! 
After the death of his best friend, Tristan Strong is sent to his grandparents' farm to heal. But on his first night, a sticky “doll?” shows up and steals Eddie's notebook. Tristan chases after it and, in an attempt to wrestle the journal back, Tristan punches a Bottle Tree and accidentally rips open ‘the sky’ and finds himself in battle with black American folk heroes such as John Henry and Brer Rabbit. In order to get back home, Tristan and these new allies need to entice the god Anansi, the Weaver, to come out of hiding and seal the hole in the sky. But bartering with the trickster Anansi always comes at a price. Can Tristan save this world before he loses more of the things he loves?
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A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel by Hope Larson
​ISBN-13: 978-0374386153
Commemorating its fiftieth anniversary, Hope Larson reproduces a graphic adaptation of this beloved coming-of-age story chronicling the journey of Meg Murry, her younger brother, Charles, and their friend Calvin O’Keefe, across distant worlds to save the Murry’s, lost father. Guided by three grandmotherly guardian angels, they navigate the dangers of a mind-controlled world fallen under the influence of a cosmic force of pure evil.
Rising 7th Grade Summer Reading List (alpha by title)

Rising 7th Grade Summer Reading List (alpha by genre; includes summaries)
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​Discussion Questions for Required Reading
​Answer the discussion questions in complete sentences. You may type or write your responses. We will discuss them as a class in August.

Summer Reading Record​