St. Andrew's 6th Grade Summer Reading 2021
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St. Andrew’s 6th Grade Summer Reading 2021
Welcome to the summer before sixth grade! This summer, please read two books as instructed below. When we kick off the new
school year in your 6th grade English class, you will be required to respond to two books from these lists. You will need to finish both of
your books before the first day of school and be prepared to complete activities based on the books. We can’t wait to hear all about the
adventures you took through books when we meet you this fall. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or would like even
more reading recommendations! -- Ms. Renée Mills rmills@sasaustin.org and Mrs. Rassy Carlson rcarlson@sasaustin.org (6th English)
REQUIRED: TWO CHOICE BOOKS-- Select one book from Chart A and one book from Chart B below (you’re always welcome to
read more!) Please select two books that you have never read before, selecting ONE BOOK from Chart A (non-fiction and historical
fiction) and ONE BOOK from Chart B (Realistic fiction & Mystery, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Early Classics, Narrative Poetry). Read the
“Book Blurbs” at the end of this packet for more information on each book.
Note on Annotating your Books : Annotating your books is a helpful way to help you actively read instead of passively consuming text.
Also, annotating will help you remember and reflect upon important moments, questions, words, connections, and inferences you make
while you are reading. This will be so important and necessary since you will be asked to respond to the book when you return to school and
weeks may have passed since you finished the book! Annotating does not mean underlining or highlighting the whole book. Annotating
means making small notes to yourself (ex: summarizations), underlining important sentences, or putting stars or question marks or
symbols in the margin next to powerful moments that can help you recall and comprehend more deeply. You are encouraged to annotate
your books but are not required to do so if it becomes distracting to your comprehension. How to Annotate a Book
1CHART A: Non-Fiction and Historical Fiction (choose one from either column)
Non-Fiction Historical Fiction
Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
A Long Walk to Water: Based On a True Story by Linda Sue Park Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson
I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare
the World (Young Readers Edition) by Malala Yousafzai and
Patricia McCormick Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
The Boys in the Boat (Young Readers Adaptation) by Daniel James The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
Brown
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
Unbroken (Young Readers Adaptation) by Laura Hillenbrand
The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
Lives of the Writers: Comedies, Tragedies (and What the
Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
The Story of My Life by Helen Keller Listening for Lions by Gloria Whelan
A Young People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac Penny from Heaven by J.L. Holms
Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True
Story of Shackleton and the Endurance by Jennifer Armstrong
2CHART B: Realistic Fiction & Mystery, Fantasy/Science Fiction,
Early Classics, and Narrative Poetry (choose one from any column)
Realistic Fiction & Mystery Fantasy/Science Fiction Early Classics Narrative Poetry
Where the Red Fern Grows by The Phantom Tollbooth by Tales from Shakespeare by Brown Girl Dreaming by
Wilson Rawls Norton Juster Charles & Mary Lamb Jaqueline Woodson
Island of the Blue Dolphins by The Nest by The Iliad & The Odyssey Crossover by Kwame Alexander
Scott O’Dell Kenneth Oppel Boxed Set by Gillian Cross
Inside Out and Back Again by
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Thanhha Lai
Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. L’engle Myths by Ingri & Edgar Parin
Konigsburg d'Aulaire The Red Pencil by Andrea Davis
The Goose Girl by Shannon Pinkney
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Hale King Arthur and His Knights
Paterson of the Round Table by Roger The Weight of Water by Sarah
Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan Lancelyn Green Crossan
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm The Adventures of Robin Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
Twerp by Mark Goldblatt by Nancy Farmer Hood by Roger Lancelyn
Green
The Westing Game by Ellen
Raskin
Under the Egg by Laura Marx
Fitzgerald
Hide and Seek by Kate Messner
The Bridge Home by Padma
Venkatraman
3Book Blurbs! Read the following “blurbs” about each book to help you in your choice reading books. Of course, you are
encouraged to read as many books as you can over the summer! It will keep your brain active and engaged! Remember, read books you
have never read before!
Non-Fiction
Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank In 1942, with the Nazis occupying Holland, a thirteen-year-old Jewish girl and her
family fled their home in Amsterdam and went into hiding. For the next two years, until their whereabouts were betrayed to the Gestapo, the
Franks and another family lived cloistered in the “Secret Annexe” of an old office building. Cut off from the outside world, they faced hunger,
boredom, the constant cruelties of living in confined quarters, and the ever-present threat of discovery and death.
A Long Walk to Water: Based On a True Story by Linda Sue Park This is told in alternating sections, about two eleven-year-olds in Sudan,
a girl in 2008 and a boy in 1985. The girl, Nya, is fetching water from a pond that is two hours’ walk from her home: she makes two trips to
the pond every day. The boy, Salva, becomes one of the "lost boys" of Sudan, refugees who cover the African continent on foot as they search for
their families and for a safe place to stay.
I Am Malala (Young Readers’ Edition) by Malala Yousafzai with Patricia McCormick When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley
in Pakistan, one girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education. On Tuesday, October 9, 2012,
when she was fifteen, she almost paid the ultimate price. This story will make you believe in the power of one person's voice to inspire change
in the world.
The Boys in the Boat (young readers version) by Daniel James Brown The story of one crew and their epic quest for an Olympic gold
medal, a team that transformed the sport. The sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the boys defeated elite rivals first from eastern
and British universities and finally the German crew rowing for Adolf Hitler in the Olympic games in Berlin, 1936. Joe Rantz, a teenager
without family or prospects, rows not for glory, but to regain his shattered self-regard and to find a place he can call home.
Unbroken (young readers version) by Laura Hillenbrand This riveting account tells the story of Louis Zamperini, a thief turned track
star, Olympian, airman, castaway, and prisoner of war. Born to Italian immigrants in 1917, Zamperini was heading down a path of crime
(stealing, fighting) until his older brother Pete stepped in, encouraging him to join the track team. It wasn't long before Zamperini was
winning every race, eventually going on to the 1936 Berlin Olympics. The book details how the 1940 Olympics were canceled due to World
War II and describes how Zamperini was drafted into the U.S. Air Force. Hillenbrand relates how tragedy struck when Zamperini's plane was
shot down and he and two other men spent 47 days in a lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean, fighting sharks, starvation, and dehydration, before
being captured by the Japanese navy as prisoners of war. This captivating book emphasizes the importance of determination, the will to
survive against impossible odds, and support from family and friends.
4Lives of the Writers: Comedies, Tragedies (and What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull Shakespeare wrote with a feather
quill and ink; Emily Dickinson wrote with a fountain pen; Isaac Bashevis Singer wrote on a Yiddish typewriter. But what did such writers do
when they weren't writing? What did Jane Austen eat for breakfast? What could make Mark Twain throw his shirts out the window? Why
would Zora Neale Hurston punch a fellow elevator passenger? Lives of the Writers tells all that and more.
The Story of My Life by Helen Keller When she was 19 months old, Helen Keller suffered a severe illness that left her blind and deaf. Not
long after, she also became mute. Her tenacious struggle to overcome these handicaps — with the help of her inspired teacher, Anne Sullivan
— is one of the great stories of human courage and dedication.
A Young People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn Recommended for you by your social studies teacher, Mr. Barnes, this
brings to US history the viewpoints of workers, slaves, immigrants, women, Native Americans, and others whose stories, and their impact, are
rarely included in books for young people. Zinn presents a radical new way of understanding America’s history.
Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac The only memoir by one of the original Navajo code talkers of WWII. Although more than 400 Navajos
served in the military during World War II as top-secret code talkers, even those fighting shoulder to shoulder with them were not told of their
covert function. And, after the war, the Navajos were forbidden to speak of their service until 1968, when the code was finally declassified. Of
the original twenty-nine Navajo code talkers, only two are still alive.
Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Endurance by Jennifer Armstrong In
August 1914, Ernest Shackleton and 27 men sailed from England in an attempt to become the first team of explorers to cross Antarctica from
one side to the other. Five months later and still 100 miles from land, their ship, Endurance, became trapped in ice. One of the most
extraordinary adventure stories in history.
Historical Fiction
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor Set in Mississippi at the height of the Depression, this is the story of one family's
struggle to maintain their integrity, pride, and independence in the face of racism and social injustice. And it is also Cassie's story—Cassie
Logan, an independent girl who discovers over the course of an important year why having land of their own is so crucial to the Logan family,
even as she learns to draw strength from her own sense of dignity and self-respect.
Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson For most of her life, sixteen-year-old Hattie Brooks has been shuttled from one distant relative to another.
Tired of being Hattie Here-and-There, she summons the courage to leave Iowa and move all by herself to Vida, Montana, to prove up on her
late uncle’s homestead claim. Under the big sky, Hattie braves hard weather, hard times, a cantankerous cow, and her own hopeless hand at
the cookstove. This young pioneer's story is lovingly stitched together from Kirby Larson’s own family history and the sights, sounds, and
scents of homesteading life.
5The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare This gripping, action-packed novel tells the story of eighteen-year-old Daniel bar Jamin—a
fierce, hotheaded young man bent on avenging his father’s death by forcing the Romans from his land of Israel. Daniel’s palpable hatred for
Romans wanes only when he starts to hear the gentle lessons of the traveling carpenter, Jesus of Nazareth. A fast-paced, suspenseful, vividly
wrought tale and a powerful, relevant read in turbulent times.
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry As the German troops begin their campaign to "relocate" all the Jews of Denmark, Annemarie Johansen’s
family takes in Annemarie’s best friend, Ellen Rosen, and conceals her as part of the family.
Through the eyes of ten-year-old Annemarie, we watch as the Danish Resistance smuggles almost the entire Jewish population of Denmark,
nearly seven thousand people, across the sea to Sweden. The heroism of an entire nation reminds us that there was pride and human decency
in the world even during a time of terror and war.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne Berlin, 1942: When Bruno returns home from school one day, he discovers that his
belongings are being packed in crates. His father, a Nazi officer, has received a promotion and the family must move to a new house far, far
away, where there is no one to play with and nothing to do. Bruno longs to be an explorer and decides that there must be more to this desolate
new place than meets the eye. While exploring his new environment, he meets another boy whose life and circumstances are very different
from his own, and their meeting results in a friendship that has devastating consequences.
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi Thirteen-year-old Charlotte Doyle is excited to return home from her school in England to
her family in Rhode Island in the summer of 1832. But when the two families she was supposed to travel with mysteriously cancel their trips,
Charlotte finds herself the lone passenger on a long sea voyage with a cruel captain and a mutinous crew. What begins as an eagerly
anticipated ocean crossing turns into a harrowing journey, where Charlotte gains a villainous enemy.
The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt Meet Holling Hoodhood, a seventh-grader at Camillo Junior High, in 1967, who must spend
Wednesday afternoons with his teacher, Mrs. Baker, while the rest of the class has religious instruction. Mrs. Baker doesn’t like Holling—he’s
sure of it. Why else would she make him read the plays of William Shakespeare outside class? But everyone has bigger things to worry about,
like Vietnam. But how can Holling stay out of trouble when he has so many things to contend with-- a bully demanding cream puffs; angry
rats; and a baseball hero signing autographs the very same night Holling has to appear in a play in yellow tights!
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare Sixteen-year-old Kit Tyler is marked by suspicion and disapproval from the
moment she arrives on the unfamiliar shores of colonial Connecticut in 1687. Alone and desperate, she has been forced to leave her beloved
home on the island of Barbados and join a family she has never met. Kit struggles to survive in a hostile place when she finds a kindred spirit.
But Kit’s friendship with Hannah Tupper, believed by the colonists to be a witch, proves more taboo than she could have imagined.
Listening for Lions by Gloria Whelan Africa is the only home Rachel Sheridan has ever known. But when her missionary parents are struck
with influenza, she is left vulnerable to her family’s malicious neighbors. Surrounded by greed and lies, Rachel is entangled in a criminal
scheme and forced into a life of deception. Like the lion, she must be patient and strong, awaiting the moment when she can take control of her
6own fate—and find her way home again at last.
Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson As the Revolutionary War begins, thirteen-year-old Isabel wages her own fight...for freedom. When Isabel
meets Curzon, a slave with ties to the Patriots, he encourages her to spy on her owners, who know details of British plans for invasion.
Penny From Heaven by J.L. Holms It's 1953 and 11-year-old Penny dreams of a summer of butter pecan ice cream, swimming, and baseball
with her cousin Frankie. But sometimes things don’t go according to plan. Penny’s mom doesn’t want her to swim because she’s afraid Penny
will get polio. Frankie is constantly getting into trouble, and Penny feels caught between the two sides of her family. Set just after World War
II, this thought-provoking novel also highlights the prejudice Penny’s Italian American family must confront because people of Italian descent
were “the enemy” not long ago.
Realistic Fiction & Mystery
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls Billy has long dreamt of owning not one, but two, dogs. So when he’s finally able to save up
enough money for two pups to call his own—Old Dan and Little Ann—he’s ecstatic. It doesn’t matter that times are tough; together they’ll
roam the hills of the Ozarks. Soon Billy and his hounds become the finest hunting team in the valley. Billy learns that hope can grow out of
despair, and that the seeds of the future can come from the scars of the past.
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell is the remarkable story of a strange and beautiful Indian girl who lives a serene and
courageous life as the solitary survivor on a rocky island off the California coast. This timeless classic about an unusual adventure of survival
is also a tale of natural beauty and personal discovery that touches everyone who hears Karana's unforgettable story.
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg Claudia knew that she could never pull off the old-fashioned
kind of running away...so she decided not to run FROM somewhere, but TO somewhere. And so, after some careful planning, she and her
younger brother, Jamie, escaped -- right into a mystery that made headlines! If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to hideout in a
museum, you’ll love this story.
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson Jess Aarons' greatest ambition is to be the fastest runner in his grade. He's been practicing all
summer and can't wait to see his classmates' faces when he beats them all. But on the first day of school, a new girl boldly crosses over to the
boys' side and outruns everyone.That's not a very promising beginning for a friendship, but Jess and Leslie Burke become inseparable.
Together, they create Terabithia, a magical kingdom in the woods where the two of them reign as king and queen, and their imaginations set
the only limits.
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen After a plane crash, thirteen-year-old Brian finds himself alone in the Canadian wilderness with nothing but his
clothing, a tattered windbreaker, and the hatchet his mother had given him as a present. At first consumed by despair and self-pity, Brian
7slowly learns survival skills as well as a greater understanding of himself and his parents.
Twerp by Mark Goldblatt Julian Twerski has made a big mistake. So when he returns to school after his suspension from school, his teacher
offers him a deal, and Julian jumps at the chance. So begins his account of life in sixth grade--blowing up homemade fireworks, writing a
disastrous love letter, and worrying whether he's still the fastest kid in school. Lurking in the background is the one story he can't bring
himself to tell.
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin This highly inventive mystery involves sixteen people who are invited to the reading of Samuel W.
Westing's will. They could become millionaires, depending on how they play the tricky and dangerous Westing game, which involves blizzards,
burglaries, and bombings. Ellen Raskin has entangled a remarkable cast of characters in a puzzle-knotted, word-twisting plot filled with
humor, intrigue, and suspense.
Under the Egg by Laura Marx Fitzgerald When Theodora spills a bottle of rubbing alcohol on her late grandfather’s painting, she discovers
what seems to be an old Renaissance masterpiece underneath. That’s great news for Theo, who’s struggling to hang onto her family’s
two-hundred-year-old townhouse and support her unstable mother on her grandfather’s legacy of $463. There’s just one problem: she worries
the painting may be stolen.
Hide and Seek by Kate Messner José, Anna, and Henry are junior members of the secret Silver Jaguar Society, sworn to protect the world's
most important artifacts. When they discover that the society's treasured Jaguar Cup has been replaced with a counterfeit, the trio and their
families rush to the rainforests of Costa Rica in search of the real chalice. But who can they trust?
The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman Life is harsh in Chennai's teeming streets, so when runaway sisters Viji and Rukku arrive, their
prospects look grim. Very quickly, eleven-year-old Viji discovers how vulnerable they are in this uncaring, dangerous world. Fortunately, the
girls find shelter--and friendship--on an abandoned bridge. With two homeless boys, Muthi and Arul, the group forms a family of sorts. And
while making a living scavenging the city's trash heaps is the pits, the kids find plenty to laugh about and take pride in too.
Fantasy/Science Fiction
King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table by Roger Lancelyn Green One of the greatest legends of all time. From the magical
moment when Arthur releases the sword in the stone to the quest for the Holy Grail and the final tragedy of the Last Battle, Roger Lancelyn
Green brings the enchanting world of King Arthur stunningly to life.
The Nest by Kenneth Oppel For some kids summer is a sun-soaked season of fun. But for Steve, it’s just another season of worries. Worries
about his sick newborn baby brother who is fighting to survive, worries about his parents who are struggling to cope, even worries about the
wasp’s nest looming ominously from the eaves. Until a certain dream offers him the chance to “fix” his brother. Will he be brave enough to
accept the help?
8A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’engle It was a dark and stormy night; Meg Murry, her small brother Charles Wallace, and her mother
had come down to the kitchen for a midnight snack when they were upset by the arrival of a most disturbing stranger.
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kildenree, spends the first years of her life listening to
her aunt's stories and learning the language of the birds, especially the swans. When Ani's mother sends her away to be married in a foreign
land, she finds herself at the mercy of her silver-tongued lady in waiting, who leads a mutiny that leaves her alone, destitute, and fleeing for
her life. To survive, Ani must work to discover her own true, powerful voice.
Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan Lost and alone in a forbidden forest, Otto meets three mysterious sisters and suddenly finds himself entwined in a
puzzling quest involving a prophecy, a promise, and a harmonica. Decades later, Friedrich in Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania, and Ivy in
California each, in turn, become interwoven when the very same harmonica lands in their lives, each facing a unique challenge.
The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm by Nancy Farmer General Matsika's children steal out of the house on a forbidden adventure--and
disappear. In Zimbabwe, in the year 2194, the children's parents call in Africa's most unusual detectives--the Ear, the Eye and the Arm--who
have powers far beyond those of other human beings. The children must avoid the evils of the past, the technology of the future, and a motley
assortment of criminals.
Early Classics
Tales from Shakespeare by Charles & Mary Lamb The Tales from Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb were written to be an
'introduction to the study of Shakespeare', but are much more entertaining than that. All of Shakespeare's best-loved tales, comic and tragic,
are retold in a clear and robust style, and their literary quality has made them popular introductions to the Bard.
The Iliad & The Odyssey Boxed Set by Gillian Cross Epic and thrilling, Homer’s two age-old classics have been revisited countless times.
Gillian Cross and Neil Packer’s exquisite versions of The Iliad and The Odyssey make up an essential set for both Homer collectors and readers
who have not yet made the acquaintance of Odysseus, Achilles, or Hector.
D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths by Ingri & Edgar Parin d'Aulaire has introduced generations to Greek mythology—and continues to
enthrall young readers. Here are the greats of ancient Greece—gods and goddesses, heroes and monsters—as freshly described in words and
pictures as if they were alive today.
King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table by Roger Lancelyn Green King Arthur is one of the greatest legends of all time. From
the magical moment when Arthur releases the sword in the stone to the quest for the Holy Grail and the final tragedy of the Last Battle, Roger
Lancelyn Green brings the enchanting world of King Arthur stunningly to life.
9The Adventures of Robin Hood by Roger Lancelyn Green The classic story of social justice and outrageous cunning. Robin Hood,
champion of the poor and oppressed, stands against the cruel power of Prince John and the brutal Sheriff of Nottingham. Taking refuge in the
vast Sherwood Forest with his band of men, he remains determined to outwit his enemies.
Narrative Poetry
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jaqueline Woodson Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In
vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of segregation
and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement.
Crossover by Kwame Alexander "With a bolt of lightning on my kicks . . .The court is SIZZLING. My sweat is DRIZZLING. Stop all that
quivering. Cuz tonight I’m delivering," announces dread-locked, 12-year old Josh Bell. He and his twin brother Jordan are awesome on the
court. But Josh has more than basketball in his blood.
Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai Hà has only ever known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, and the
warmth of her friends close by. But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. Hà and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they
board a ship headed toward hope—toward America.
The Red Pencil by Andrea Davis Pinkney Finally, Amira is twelve. Old enough for new responsibilities. And maybe old enough to go to
school, her true dream. But life in her Sudanese village is shattered when the terrifying Janjaweed arrive, forcing Amira to make a long
journey--on foot--to safety. And then, she is given the red pencil.
The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan Armed with a suitcase and an old laundry bag filled with clothes, Kasienka and her mother
immigrate to England from Poland. Kasienka isn't the happiest girl in the world. The only time she feels comforted is when she's swimming at
the pool. But she can't quite shake the feeling that she's sinking. When someone special swims into her life, Kasienka learns that there might be
more than one way for her to stay afloat.
Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse A terrible accident has transformed Billie Jo's life, scarring her inside and out. Her mother is gone. Her
father can't talk about it. And the one thing that might make her feel better -- playing the piano -- is impossible with her wounded hands. To
make matters worse, dust storms are devastating the family farm and all the farms nearby. While others flee from the dust bowl, Billie Jo is left
to find peace in the bleak landscape of Oklahoma -- and in the surprising landscape of her own heart.
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