Summer Reading
Middle School Reading
Summer Reading 2023 | Middle School
Middle school students will read at least three books this summer.
First, all Middle School students will read the novel The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat, which will serve as our community read in advance of a virtual visit from the author in September. Christina Soontornvat’s website has a page devoted to the novel, including a discussion guide that might prove useful and/or helpful. The Last Mapmaker is available as an audiobook, as are most of the grade-specific texts that follow, and we encourage students to utilize audiobooks for their summer reading if it’s helpful and/or preferred.
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 TAMS students themselves. 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.
Please note: Middle School summer reading books can be purchased at the local bookstore Buttonwood Books.
Each fifth grader will read:
- The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat | Common Sense Media Link
- Wishtree by Katherine Applegate | Common Sense Media Link
- ONE of the following books:
- Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin | Common Sense Media Link
- Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas | Common Sense Media Link
- Encouraged, though not required: at least ONE additional student-choice book—anything that is 5th-grade reading level or above.
Each sixth grader will read:
- The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat | Common Sense Media Link
- Attack of the Black Rectangles by Amy Sarig King | Common Sense Media Link
- ONE of the following eleven books, presented according to genre:
- Graphic Novel:
- Best Friends by Shannon Hale and LeUyen | Common Sense Media Link
- When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed | Common Sense Media Link
- Novel in Verse:
- The Crossover by Kwame Alexander | Common Sense Media Link
- Alone by Megan E. Freeman
- Realistic Fiction:
- Those Kids from Fawn Creek by Erin Entrada Kelly | Common Sense Media Link
- The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson | Common Sense Media Link
- Historical Fiction:
- Becoming Muhammad Ali by James Patterson and Kwame Alexander | Common Sense Media Link
- Show Me a Sign by Ann Clare LeZotte
- I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys | Common Sense Media Link
- Fantasy/Science Fiction:
- Scythe by Neal Shusterman | 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.
- Graphic Novel:
Each seventh grader will read:
- The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat | Common Sense Media Link
- Refugee by Alan Gratz | 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
- Undefeated: Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football Team by Steve Sheinkin | Common Sense Media Link
- Encouraged, though not required: at least ONE additional student-choice book—anything that is 7th-grade reading level or above.
Each eighth grader will read:
- The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat | Common Sense Media Link
- 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 Link
- 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.
Summer Math
Hello from the Middle School Math Department!
Summer is a time for fun in the sun and exciting adventures. It is also a time to rest and recharge. It can also be a time for the Summer Math Slip. Students who practice math even a little bit can help retain what they learned during the previous year. We do not have a “math packet”, but we do have a list of helpful websites and related articles for families looking to avoid or alleviate the Summer Math Slip.
Please dedicate time over the summer to using your math skills. Rest and recharge and adventuring can include using math skills- whether it is by being in charge of the family budget, calculating arrival time on a road trip using distance and traveling speeds, being the banker when playing monopoly or playing uno pool side. And we hope you can establish the right timing and schedule for you and your family to practice math using these resources below.
We hope this list inspires you and your family to take steps to do a little more math this Summer.
Thank you,
The TAMS Math Department
Math Practice Websites
https://webmathminute.com/
This is one of the best for math facts – can be done every day for 10 minutes or less
https://www.desmos.com/
We used in class, you will need to set up a home account for access
https://www.khanacademy.org/
Great for all kinds of practice
https://phet.colorado.edu/
Offers interactive practice sessions
Articles For Parents- more ideas/strategies for math during the summer
https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/16/06/summer-math-loss
https://kateshomeschoolmath.com/12-cheap-and-easy-summer-math-options/
https://alexandertutoring.com/how-to-get-better-at-math-over-the-summer/
Upper School Reading
Summer Reading 2023 | 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.
9th Grade
REQUIRED
For All: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, Benjamin Alire Sáenz
For Honors: The Catcher in the Rye, J. D. Salinger
For All (choose at least one):
Pet, Akwaeke Emezi
Orphan Train, Christina Baker Kline
Warcross, Marie Lu
10th Grade
REQUIRED:
For All: The Universe Versus Alex Woods, Gavin Extence
For Honors: Slaughterhouse-Five, Kurt Vonnegut
For All (choose at least one):
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, Hank Green
The Porcupine of Truth, Bill Konigsberg
On the Come Up, Angie Thomas
11th Grade
REQUIRED:
For AM I & AM 2: Educated, Tara Westover
For AP Lang: Educated, Tara Westover AND Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer
For AP Lit: Let the Great World Spin, Colum McCann AND and Claire of the Sea Light, Edwidge Danticat
For All (choose at least one):
In Cold Blood, Truman Capote
Born a Crime, Trevor Noah
Patron Saints of Nothing, Randy Ribay
12th Grade
REQUIRED:
For All: Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro
For Honors: Frankenstein, Mary Shelley
For Voice/Advanced Comp: The Elements of Journalism, edit. by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel
For All (choose at least one):
The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini
Everything Here Is Beautiful, Mira Lee
The Secret History, Donna Tartt
French
French III, French III Honors, French IV/V (GSP): Les Trois Mousquetaires (with audio option)
AP French (GSP): Les Trois Mousquetaires (with audio option); On Ramp to AP French Language and Culture Online Course via EDX.ORG Best done in July/August. Students should screenshot their score at the end of the course and email it to Madame Harper.
Chinese
These books will enhance your understanding of Chinese culture but are optional for fall of 2023.
Chinese II: Mao's Last Dancer, L. Cunxin
Chinese III: Under the Hawthorn Tree, Ai Mi
Chinese IV: Life and Death in Shanghai, Nien Cheng
Chinese V: 烏龜過馬路 A Turtle Crossing the Street Reading Comprehension Article (Students will have a copy from Miss Lee)
Latin
Latin IV Honors: Caedes In Via Appia, Emma Vanderpool
Spanish
Spanish II Honors, Spanish III: La Gran Aventura de Alejandro - Read and summarize first 4 Chapters - Do "Ejercicios de interpretación" for each chapter.
Spanish III Honors, Spanish IV (GSP): La hija del sastre
Spanish IV Honors (GSP), Spanish V (GSP): Viviana - Read and summarize the first five chapters. Do "Ejercicios de interpretación" for each chapter.
SpanishLang -AP (GSP): Secretos