Summer Reading

Summer Reading 2021 | Middle School

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

First, all TAMS students will read the graphic novel New Kid by Jerry Craft (Common Sense Media Link), which will serve as our community read. Many of our students have already read New Kid, including a number of our 5th graders. In that case, we ask students to read Class Act (Common Sense Media Link), the sequel to New Kid. Students are certainly welcome to read both!

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:

• New Kid and/or Class Act
• 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:

• New Kid and/or Class Act
• 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:

• New Kid and/or Class Act
• 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:

• New Kid and/or Class Act
• 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 in their English 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.

Summer Reading 2021 • Upper School

Students entering all grades must read THREE books: one required for their grade level (under “For All”), one from the “Choose at Least One” list for their grade level, and one of their own selection. Please note that students registered for Honors or AP level English must read a second required text in addition to those three, and that the second required text for AP Literature & Composition is different than the second required text for AP Language & Composition.

The optional texts lists are intentionally short so that more students read the same books. We hope this common reading will spark frequent, substantial literary discussions about those texts. A defining characteristic of the Thayer community is that we enjoy sharing with each other—that sharing includes passionate conversations about books!

MEMBEAN: Membean accounts will stay open and available throughout the summer. We encourage students to continue their work with Membean; frequent vocabulary practice improves reading comprehension (and confidence!) and performance on standardized tests. 9th graders and new 10th and 11th graders will open Membean accounts at the start of the school year.