LibGuides: Middle Years Summer Reading 2024: Summer 2024

Survey: What will you read?

What will you read this summer?

Fiction for fun: 19 votes (95%)

Non-Fiction for fun: 1 votes (5%)

Fiction for school: 0 votes (0%)

Non-Fiction for school: 0 votes (0%)

Total Votes: 20

Reading LIsts

RECOMMENDED TITLES

Mrs Seewald's favourite books that she read in '23-'24 from the MY Library: all genres covered!

DYSTOPIAN/ADVENTURE: The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne by Jonathan Stroud
ISBN: 9780593430361
Publication Date: 2021
Scarlett McCain is an outlaw, a bank robber and a sharp shooter--a girl of formidable skills. Fueled by a tragic injustice in her past, she travels the broken kingdoms of England alone, carrying out daring heists in the surviving towns and fending off monstrous beasts in the wilds outside their fortified walls. Her life is dangerous, free, and simple--until she finds a wrecked bus on a lonely road.
DYSTOPIAN / GRAPHIC NOVEL: Little Monarchs by Jonathan Case
ISBN: 9780823442607
Publication Date: 2022
In the twenty-second century, a sun shift has made it impossible for mammals to survive in the daylight, and ten-year-old Elvie and her caretaker, Flora, are studying the migration route of monarch butterflies along what used to be the western coast of the United States, hoping that something in the butterflies wing scales can be used to protect people from the sun and save humanity from extinction.
FANTASY: Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim
ISBN: 9780593300916
Publication Date: 2021
A princess in exile. Six enchanted cranes. An unspeakable curse.
HISTORICAL FICTION: I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys
ISBN: 9781432895389
Publication Date: 2023
In a country governed by isolation, fear, and a tyrannical dictator, seventeen-year-old Cristian Florescu is blackmailed by the secret police to become an informer, but he decides to use his position to try to outwit his handler, undermine the regime, give voice to fellow Romanians, and expose to the world what is happening in his country.
HISTORICAL FICTION: Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
ISBN: 9780399160301
Publication Date: 2016
It's early 1945 and a group of people trek across Germany, bound together by their desperation to reach the ship that can take them away from the war-ravaged land. Four young people, each haunted by their own dark secret, narrate their unforgettable stories.
HORROR/ANIMALS: Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker; Junyi Wu (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9781250250445
Publication Date: 2021
When Mia and Uly are separated from their litters, they discover a dangerous world full of monsters. In order to find a den to call home, they must venture through field and forest, facing unspeakable things that dwell in the darkness: a zombie who hungers for their flesh, a witch who tries to steal their skins, a ghost who hunts them through the snow . . . and other things too scary to mention.
REALISTIC FICTION / NOVEL IN VERSE: Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
ISBN: 9780062882769
Publication Date: 2020
Separated by distance - and Papi's secrets - the two girls are forced to face a new reality in which their father is dead and their lives are forever altered. And then, when it seems like they've lost everything of their father, they learn of each other.
SCIENCE FICTION: Last Day on Mars by Kevin Emerson
ISBN: 9780062306715
Publication Date: 2017
While waiting to leave Mars before it burns up just like the Earth before it, Liam and his friend Phoebe discover some facts about time and space and realize that the human race is just one of the races trying to survive in space.
ROMANCE: The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
ISBN: 9781416968238
Publication Date: 2009
Belly spends the summer she turns sixteen at the beach just like every other summer of her life, but this time things are very different as she finds herself falling for a boy she has known since childhood.
FANTASY/KOREAN MYTHOLOGY: The Last Fallen Star (a Gifted Clans Novel) by Graci Kim
ISBN: 9781368059633
Publication Date: 2021
After thirteen-year-old Hattie Oh casts a dangerous spell so her adopted sister, Riley, will get a share of her inherited magic, Riley must undertake a near-impossible quest to save Hattie from death.
REALISTIC FICTION / ADVENTURE: These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant
ISBN: 9781250793393
Publication Date: 2021-11-16
No electricity, no family, no connection to the outside world. For eight years, Cooper and his young daughter, Finch, have lived in isolation in a remote cabin in the northern Appalachian woods. When a shocking disappearance threatens to upend the only life Finch has ever known, Cooper is forced to decide whether to keep hiding--or finally face the sins of his past.
REALISTIC FICTION/MYSTERY: That's Not My Name (Age 13+) by Megan Lally
ISBN: 9781728270111
Publication Date: 2023
Shivering and bruised, a teen wakes up on the side of a dirt road with no memory of how she got there-or who she is. A passing officer takes her to the police station, and not long after, a frantic man arrives. He's been searching for her for hours. He has her school ID, her birth certificate, and even family photos. He is her father. Her name is Mary. Or so he says. (For readers 13+)

SUMMER reads: Books with a summer theme!

Best Friends, Bikinis, and Other Summer Catastrophes by Kristi Wientge
ISBN: 9781534485037
Publication Date: 2023-05-02
Alex has always known her best friend and next-door neighbor, Will, will be there for her. That’s just how it’s always been. Until a girl from the pool named Rebekah comes over to them and says hi. Suddenly, Will is changing his clothes, restyling his hair, and breaking all their summer plans and Alex is not happy about it.
Lost in Taiwan (a Graphic Novel) by Mark Crilley
ISBN: 9781368040990
Publication Date: 2023-05-23
This wasn't Paul's idea. The last thing he's interested in is exploring new countries or experiencing anything that might be described as 'cultural enrichment.' But like it or not, he's stuck with his brother, Theo, for two weeks in Taiwan.
My Jasper June by Laurel Snyder
ISBN: 9780062836625
Publication Date: 2019
The school year is over, and it is summer in Atlanta. The sky is blue, the sun is blazing, and the days brim with possibility. But Leah feels. . . lost. She has been this way since one terrible afternoon a year ago, when everything changed. Since that day, her parents have become distant, her friends have fallen away, and Leah's been adrift and alone. Then she meets Jasper, a girl unlike anyone she has ever known.
A First Time for Everything by Dan. Santat
ISBN: 9781626724150
Publication Date: 2023
In this feel-good coming-of-age memoir, the best-selling author and Caldecott Medalist shares his life-changing middle school trip to Europe during which he experiences a series of firsts, including first love. Graphic Novel.
Strange Birds by Celia C. Pérez
ISBN: 9780425290439
Publication Date: 2019
After Ofelia, Aster, Cat, and Lane fail to persuade a local girls club to change an outdated tradition, they form an alternative group that shakes up their sleepy Florida town. Includes tips for beginning birders, characteristics of crystals, a cookie recipe, tips for aspiring journalists, directions for creating badges, and facts about the killing of birds for fashion.
Wink by Rob Harrell
ISBN: 9781984815149
Publication Date: 2020
After being diagnosed with a rare eye cancer, twelve-year-old Ross discovers how music, art, and true friends can help him survive both treatment and middle school.
Sunshine: a Graphic Novel by Jarrett J. Krosoczka (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9781338356311
Publication Date: 2023
In this graphic novel memoir, author Jarrett J. Krosoczka recounts his high school experience as a sixteen-year-old counselor at Camp Sunshine, a camp for seriously ill kids and their families. Initially, Jarrett thinks it might be a depressing experience for him, but instead, Jarrett learns from the kids how to make every moment count.
See You in the Cosmos by Jack Cheng
ISBN: 9780399186370
Publication Date: 2017-02-28
A space-obsessed boy and his dog, Carl Sagan, take a journey toward family, love, hope, and awe in this funny and moving novel for fans of Counting by 7s and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

Morning Calm 2024-25

Morning Calm Middle Years Titles

2024-2025

Skandar and the Unicorn Thief (FANTASY) by A.F. Steadman
ISBN: 9781398512429
Publication Date: 2022
Unicorns don’t belong in fairy tales; they belong in nightmares.
You Are Here: Connecting Flights (REALISTIC FICTION) by Ellen Oh
ISBN: 0063239086
Publication Date: 2023
An incident at a TSA security check point sows chaos and rumors, creating a chain of events that impacts twelve young Asian Americans in a crowded and restless airport.
Falling Short (REALISTIC FICTION) by Ernesto Cisneros
ISBN: 9780062881731
Publication Date: 2023
Isaac and Marco already know sixth grade is going to change their lives. But it won’t change things at home—not without each other’s help.
Button Pusher (REALISTIC FICTION / GRAPHIC NOVEL) by Tyler Page
ISBN: 9781250758330
Publication Date: 2022
In Button Pusher, cartoonist Tyler Page delves into his childhood experiences and explores what it means to grow up with ADHD. From diagnosis to treatment and beyond, Tyler’s story is raw and enlightening, inviting you to see the world from a new perspective.
Good Different (REALISTIC FICTION / NOVEL IN VERSE) by Meg Eden Kuyatt
ISBN: 9781338816105
Publication Date: 2023
This is a moving and unputdownable story about learning to celebrate the things that make us different. Good Different is the perfect next read for fans of Counting by 7s or Jasmine Warga.

Thought Provoking Nonfiction: new in the library this year!

The Cat I Never Named by Amra Sabic-El-Rayess; Laura L. Sullivan
ISBN: 9781547604531
Publication Date: 2020
The stunning memoir of a Muslim teen struggling to survive in the midst of the Bosnian genocide--and the stray cat who protected her family through it all.
Save the People! by Stacy McAnulty; Nicole Miles (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9780759553941
Publication Date: 2022
"Save the People is engaging, funny, affecting and delightful. You'll never have more fun learning science." --Stuart Gibbs, bestselling author of the Spy School series
"Serious science and great gags, with a bit of hope thrown in." --Steven Sheinkin, bestselling author of Bomb and Fallout
A Quantum Life (Adapted for Young Adults) by Hakeem Oluseyi; Joshua Horwitz
ISBN: 9781984849649
Publication Date: 2023
A NASA astrophysicist narrates his improbable journey from an impoverished childhood and an adolescence mired in drugs and crime to the nation's top physics PhD program at Stanford in this inspiring coming-of-age memoir.
You: the Story by Ruta Sepetys
ISBN: 9780593524381
Publication Date: 2023
You- The Story is a powerful how-to book for aspiring writers that encourages you to look inward and excavate your own memories in order to discover the authentic voices and compelling details that are waiting to be put on the page.
Meltdown: Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Disaster in Fukushima by Deirdre Langeland
ISBN: 9781626727007
Publication Date: 2021-02-23
Tells the story of the 2011 Fukushima power plant disaster, examining the science behind the catastrophe and the courage and tenacity of the people who experienced an unprecedented trifecta of destruction.
How to Win at Chess by Levy Rozman
ISBN: 9781984862075
Publication Date: 2023-10-24
How to Win at Chess teaches you everything you need to know about the game, including all the important moves and strategies to start off strong and keep you thinking several steps ahead.
What It's Like to Be a Bird (Adapted for Young Readers) by David Allen Sibley
ISBN: 9780593430194
Publication Date: 2023-10-03
More than a compendium of bird species, Sibley’s superior volume captures the essence of each bird, delving into the particularity of each one.

Morning Calm WINNER 2023-2024

As voted by the students of international schools in Korea:

Winner of the competition '23-'24

96 Miles by J. L. Esplin
ISBN: 9781250192301
Publication Date: 2020-02-11
During a massive blackout in rural Nevada, two brothers struggle to survive without their self-reliance-obsessed dad and without enough water cross the desert for help.

What is your favourite way to read?

Books in print: 8 votes (72.73%)

E-books: 0 votes (0%)

Audiobooks: 3 votes (27.27%)

Online news, blogs, websites: 0 votes (0%)

Total Votes: 11

Alan Gratz

Alan Gratz's action packed novels, often based on historical events, remain enduringly popular. We will have his latest book, Heroes, available in the library from August.

Ground Zero by Alan Gratz
ISBN: 9781338245752
Publication Date: 2021-02-02
Master storyteller Alan Gratz (Refugee) delivers a pulse-pounding and unforgettable take on history and hope, revenge and fear -- and the stunning links between the past and present.
Refugee by Alan Gratz
ISBN: 9780545880831
Publication Date: 2017-07-25
The award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling novel from Alan Gratz tells the timely--and timeless--story of three different kids seeking refuge.
Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz; Ruth Gruener; Jack Gruener
ISBN: 9780545459013
Publication Date: 2013-03-01
From Alan Gratz, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Refugee, comes this wrenching novel about one boy's struggle to survive ten concentration camps during the Holocaust. Based on the inspiring true life story of Jack Gruener.
Two Degrees by Alan Gratz
ISBN: 9781338735673
Publication Date: 2022-10-04
Alan Gratz is back, tackling the urgent topic of climate change in this breathtaking, action-packed novel that will keep readers turning pages while making their own plans to better the world.
Fire. Ice. Flood. Three climate disasters.Four kids fighting for their lives.

Bryn Bernard

Nonfiction author and artist Bryn Barnard will be visiting us in '24-'25!

The New Ocean: the Fate of Life in a Changing Sea by Bryn Barnard
ISBN: 9780375870491
Publication Date: 2017
Outbreak! Plagues That Changed History by Bryn Barnard
ISBN: 9780553522228
Publication Date: 2015
The Genius of Islam by Bryn Barnard
ISBN: 0375840729
Publication Date: 2011

Middle Years Summer Reading 2024: Summer 2024

Why summer reading?

How to use SORA

SORA's Magazine Collection

Mrs Seewald recommends these books on SORA:

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Visiting Author Feb 2024

June Hur