Summer Reading

Summer Reading 2024 | Middle School

Middle School students will read at least three books this summer.

First, all Middle School students will read the novel Shark Summer by Ira Marcks, which will serve as our community read in advance of an author visit from the author in September. Ira Marcks has a website devoted to the graphic novel, including a “Reading Guide,” a digital “Island Tour,” and an “Easter Eggs” compilation, all of which might prove useful, helpful, and/or fun.

Additional grade-specific expectations are outlined below. Though we’re only encouraging, not requiring, students to read a self-selected title beyond those listed, we certainly hope they will do so. We’ve built and maintained over the past few years a website called the “TAMS Independent Reading Guide,” which houses links to prominent book awards and book lists, in addition to hundreds of book recommendations from Middle School students themselves. (Note: TAMS is an abbreviation for Thayer Academy Middle School). You’ll also find a section of the site built by Ms. Francois, our librarian, that includes book talks, a featured author, and free choice summer reading suggestions.

We encourage students to utilize audiobooks for their summer reading if it’s helpful and/or preferred.

Please note: Middle School summer reading books can be purchased at Thayer's online bookstore (open from June 10 to August 12 for summer reading book purchases) or at the local bookstore Buttonwood Books.

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Each rising 5th grader will read:

• Shark Summer by Ira Marcks
• Wishtree by Katherine Applegate | Common Sense Media Link
• ONE of the following four books:
  • Wonder by R.J. Palacio | Common Sense Media Link
  • Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin | Common Sense Media Link
  • When You Trap A Tiger by Tae Keller | Common Sense Media Link
  • Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly | Common Sense Media Link
• Encouraged, though not required: at least ONE additional student-choice book—anything that is 5th-grade reading level or above.
• Rising 5th grade students should expect assignments and discussion in September around Wishtree in their English classes.

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Each rising 6th grader will read:

• Shark Summer by Ira Marcks
• Lucky Broken Girl by Ruth Behar
• ONE of the following eleven books, presented according to genre:
  • Novel in Verse:
    • BenBee and the Teacher Griefer by K.A Holt
    • The Crossover by Kwame Alexander | Common Sense Media Link
    • Unsettled by Reem Faruqi
  • Realistic Fiction:
    • Those Kids from Fawn Creek by Erin Entrada Kelly | Common Sense Media Link
    • Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes | Common Sense Media Link
    • Defending Champ by Mike Lupica
  • Historical Fiction:
    • Becoming Muhammad Ali by James Patterson and Kwame Alexander | Common Sense Media Link
    • The Mona Lisa Vanishes by Nicolas Day with art by Brett Helquist | Common Sense Media Link
  • Fantasy/Science Fiction:
    • Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief  by Rick Riorden | Common Sense Media Link
    • Bloom (The Overthrow) Book 1 by Kenneth Oppel | Common Sense Media Link
    • Windswept by Margi Preus
• Encouraged, though not required: at least ONE additional student-choice book—anything that is 6th-grade reading level or above.
• Rising 6th grade students should expect September assignments/discussions around Lucky Broken Girl in their English classes.

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Each rising 7th grader will read:

• Shark Summer by Ira Marcks
• Refugee by Alan Gratz | Common Sense Media Link
• ONE of the following nine books, presented according to genre:
  • In Verse:
    • Lifeboat 12 by Susan Hood
    • Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga | Common Sense Media Link
  • Realistic Fiction:
    • Checked by Cynthia Kadohata
    • The Hurricane Girls by Kimberly Willis Holt
  • Historical Fiction/Nonfiction:
    • Freewater by Amina Luqman-Dawson | Common Sense Media Link
    • I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World by Malala Yousafzai and Patricia McCormick | Common Sense Media Link
    • Undefeated: Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football Team by Steve Sheinkin | Common Sense Media Lin
  • Fantasy/Science Fiction:
    • Scythe by Neal Shusterman | Common Sense Media Link
    • Ikenga by Nnedi Okorafor
• Encouraged, though not required: at least ONE additional student-choice book—anything that is 7th-grade reading level or above.
• Rising 7th grade students should expect September assignments/discussions around Refugee in their English classes.

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Each rising 8th grader will read:

• Shark Summer by Ira Marcks
• Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson | Common Sense Media Link
• ONE of the following nonfiction texts:
  • Unbroken: An Olympian’s Journey from Airman to Castaway to Captive by Laura Hillenbrand | Common Sense Media Lin
  • The Woman All Spies Fear: Code Breaker Elizebeth Smith Friedman and Her Hidden Life by Amy Butler Greenfield
• Encouraged, though not required: at least ONE additional student-choice book—anything that is 8th-grade reading level or above.
• Rising 8th grade students should expect September assignments/discussions around Brown Girl Dreaming in their English classes.