Summer Reading

Summer Reading 2025 | Middle School

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

All 5th and 6th grade students will read the novel Hidden Truths by Elly Swartz in advance of an author visit from the author in September.

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. The Middle School Library webpage features a “Find a Book” tab that houses links to prominent book awards and book lists, in addition to hundreds of book recommendations from TAMS students themselves.

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 local bookstores Buttonwood Books and Frugal Bookstore.

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Each rising 5th grader will read:

• Hidden Truths by Elly Swartz | Kirkus Review
• 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:

• Hidden Truths by Elly Swartz | Kirkus Review
• Lucky Broken Girl by Ruth Behar | Kirkus Review
• ONE of the following eleven books, presented according to genre:
  • Novel in Verse:
    • BenBee and the Teacher Griefer by K.A Holt | Kirkus Review
    • The Crossover by Kwame Alexander | Common Sense Media Link
    • Unsettled by Reem Faruqi | Kirkus Review
  • 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 | Kirkus Review
  • 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:
    • The Lightning Thief by Rick Riorden | Common Sense Media Link
    • Bloom by Kenneth Oppel | Common Sense Media Link
    • Windswept by Margi Preus | Kirkus Review
• 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:

• Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk | Common Sense Media Link
• Undefeated: Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football Team by Steve Sheinkin | Common Sense Media Link
• ONE of the following eight books, presented according to genre:
  • In Verse:
    • Lifeboat 12 by Susan Hood | Kirkus Review
    • Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga | Common Sense Media Link
  • Realistic Fiction:
    • Checked by Cynthia Kadohata | Kirkus Review
    • The Hurricane Girls by Kimberly Willis Holt | Kirkus Review
  • 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
  • Fantasy/Science Fiction:
    • Scythe by Neal Shusterman | Common Sense Media Link
    • Ikenga by Nnedi Okorafor | Kirkus Review
• 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 Beyond the Bright Sea and Undefeated: Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football Team in their English classes.

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Each rising 8th grader will read:

• Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson | Common Sense Media Link
• A Separate Peace by John Knowles
• ONE of the following eight books, presented according to genre:
  • In Verse:
    • The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo | Common Sense Media Link
    • Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds | Common Sense Media Link
  • Realistic Fiction:
    • The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway | Common Sense Media Link
    • Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson | Common Sense Media Link
  • Historical Fiction/Nonfiction:
    • The Woman All Spies Fear: Code Breaker Elizebeth Smith Friedman and Her Hidden Life by Amy Butler Greenfield | Kirkus Review
    • Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys | Common Sense Media Link
  • Fantasy/Science Fiction:
    • The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer | Common Sense Media Link
    • Animal Farm by George Orwell | Common Sense Media Link
• 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 and A Separate Peace in their English classes.