Summer Reading

Summer Reading 2022 | Middle School

Middle school students will read at least four books this summer. 

First, all TAMS students will read the novel When Life Gives You Mangos by Kereen Getten, which will serve as our community read.

Beyond that, grade-specific expectations are outlined below. While we have required titles at each grade level, we hope to ensure that at least part of the summer reading is free choice. We know that finding books can often be challenging, so we’ve built a website we’re calling the “TAMS Independent Reading Guide,” which houses links to prominent book awards and book lists, in addition to hundreds of book recommendations from TAMS students themselves. We encourage parents and students to poke around; the site is only there to help.

Each fifth grader will read:

• When Life Gives You Mangos by Kereen Getten
• The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate | Common Sense Media Link
• ONE of the following novels:
  • Wishtree by Katherine Applegate | Common Sense Media Link
  • Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling | More Information
• ONE additional student-choice book—anything that is 5th-grade reading level or above.

Each sixth grader will read:

• When Life Gives You Mangos by Kereen Getten
• The Cay by Theodore Taylor | Common Sense Media Link
• ONE of the following novels:
  • So Far from the Bamboo Grove by Yoko Kawashima Watkins
  • Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt | Common Sense Media Link
• ONE additional student-choice book—anything that is 6th-grade reading level or above.

Sixth grade students should expect September assignments in their English classes based on The Cay and their chosen novel. With this in mind, we recommend all students have copies to bring to school in September. 

Each seventh grader will read:

• When Life Gives You Mangos by Kereen Getten
• Refugee by Alan Gratz | Common Sense Media Link
• ONE of the following nonfiction texts:
  • Undefeated: Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football Team by Steve Sheinkin | Common Sense Media Link
  • Hidden Figures: Young Readers’ Edition by Margot Lee Shetterly | Common Sense Media Link
• ONE additional student-choice book—anything that is 7th-grade reading level or above.

Seventh grade students should expect September assignments in their English classes based on Refugee and their chosen nonfiction text. With this in mind, we recommend all students have copies to bring to school in September.

Each eighth grader will read:

• When Life Gives You Mangos by Kereen Getten
• Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson | Common Sense Media Link
• ONE of the following nonfiction texts:
  • I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World by Malala Yousafzai and Patricia McCormick | Common Sense Media Link
  • Unbroken: An Olympian’s Journey from Airman to Castaway to Captive by Laura Hillenbrand | Common Sense Media Link
• ONE additional student-choice book—anything that is 8th-grade reading level or above.

Eighth grade students should expect September assignments/discussions in their English and Contributing Citizens classes based on Brown Girl Dreaming and their chosen nonfiction text. With this in mind, we recommend all students have copies to bring to school in September.

World Languages

Classes not included below (i.e. French I & II, Chinese I, Latin I, Spanish I) do not have a summer reading assignment.