Middle School Summer Reading

Purpose of Summer Reading

Reading is the key to learning, and Pace Academy seeks to promote reading throughout the curriculum. The summer reading requirement is one component of that mission. Summer is the perfect time to spend some pleasurable hours with a good book, and so all students, grades 6-8, are asked to read two books during the summer. The books on this list are divided by grade levels, but that is merely a suggestion. The books you choose do not have to come from these lists, but the books listed below are excellent – both in content and in literary worth. Students may, of course, read more than two books over the summer.

Reading Level and Availability

This list of choices has been compiled with an eye toward variety of subject matter, accessibility to all reading levels, and issues such as gender differences. At the time this list was printed, all of the titles were in print and most were available in paperback.

Periodicals

While books do most to foster fluency among readers, any reading is better than no reading at all. Please encourage your student to read additional materials that appeal to him or her, including periodicals. Some popular periodicals among current students are Dig, an archeological/history magazine; Stone Soup, a great magazine full of fiction and poetry done by middle school students; Muse, a Smithsonian magazine publication; and Sports Illustrated Kids.