MVMS Summer Reading Choices Grades 5-8

GhostJason ReynoldsSportsGhost has been running for the wrong reasons—until he meets Coach, an ex-Olympic Medalist who sees something in Ghost: crazy natural talent. If Ghost can stay on track, literally and figuratively, he could be the best sprinter in the city. Can Ghost harness his raw talent for speed, or will his past finally catch up to him?

Save Me a SeatBy Sarah Weeks & Gita VaradarajanRealistic FictionRavi has just moved to the United States from India and has always been at the top of his class; Joe has lived in the same town his whole life and has learning problems--but when their lives intersect in the first week of fifth grade they are brought together by a common enemy (the biggest bully in their class) and the need to take control of their lives.

Hello UniverseBy Erin Entrada KellyRealistic FictionVirgil is shy and kind hearted. Valencia, is smart, brave, and secretly lonely. Kaori is a self-proclaimed psychic. Chet Bullens wishes the weird kids would just stop being so different so he can concentrate on basketball. One day, Chet pulls a prank that traps Virgil and his pet guinea pig at the bottom of a well. This leads Kaori, Gen, and Valencia on a quest to find missing Virgil. Through luck, smarts, bravery, and a little help from the universe, a rescue is performed, a bully is put in his place, and friendship blooms.

Some Kind of CourageBy Dan GemeinhartHistorical FictionSet in the 1800’s, Joseph Johnson has lost just about everyone he's ever loved. He lost his pa in an accident. He lost his ma and his little sister to sickness. And now, he's lost his pony--fast, fierce, beautiful Sarah, taken away by a man who had no right to take her. He may have lost just about everything. But he hasn't lost hope. And he hasn't lost the fire in his belly that says he's getting his Sarah back--no matter what.

Nine, Ten: A September 11th StoryBy Nora Raleigh BaskinHistorical FictionSergio is struggling to come to terms with the absentee father he hates and the grandmother he loves. Will’s father is gone, too, killed in a car accident. Naheed has never felt uncomfortable about being Muslim, but at her new school she’s getting funny looks because of the headscarf she wears. Aimee is starting a new school in a new city and missing her mom, who has to fly to New York on business. These four don’t know one another, but their lives are about to intersect in ways they never could have imagined.

WoofBy Spencer QuinnMysteryBowser is a mutt, just adopted by eleven-year-old Birdie Gaux and her grandmother, but when they all get home to Grammy's bait and tackle shop in the bayou they discover that their prize stuffed marlin has been stolen--so Bowser decides to investigate, and things quickly become complicated and dangerous.

Greenglass HouseBy Kate MilfordMysteryAt Greenglass House, a smuggler's inn, twelve-year-old Milo, the innkeepers' adopted son, plans to spend his winter holidays relaxing. However, guests start to arrive and tell strange stories about the house. Milo and Meddy, the cook's daughter, then embark on an adventure to decipher clues and untangle mysteries about Greenglass House.

Gregor the OverlanderBy Suzanne CollinsFantasy/ Science FictionWhen eleven-year-old Gregor and his two-year-old sister are pulled into a strange underground world, they trigger an epic battle involving humans, bats, rats, cockroaches, and spiders while on a quest foretold by ancient prophecy.

The Girl Who Drank the MoonBy Kelly BarnhillFantasy/ Science FictionEvery year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. They hope this will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch, Xan, is kind and gentle and accidentally fills a child with magic. When Luna approaches her 13th birthday, her magic begins to emerge. Meanwhile, a young man is determined to free his people by killing the witch. Soon, it is up to Luna to protect those who have protected her -- even if it means the end of the loving, safe world she’s always known.

Kid OwnerBy Tim GreenSportsWhen Ryan’s father unexpectedly dies, Ryan learns that he has inherited the Dallas Cowboys football team. With the help of his friends, Ryan takes advantage of his newfound stardom. He convinces his coach to use a tricky passing offense that plays to his strengths. Just when things are looking up, Ryan’s nasty stepmother makes a legal play to make her own son the Cowboys’ kid owner. With drama heating up both on and off the field, Ryan quickly realizes he may lose more than just the Dallas Cowboys.

Inside Out & Back AgainBy Thanhha LaiNovel in VerseInspired by the author's childhood experience as a refugee - Hà has only ever known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, and the warmth of her friends close by. But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. Hà and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed toward hope—toward America.

House ArrestBy K. A. HoltNovel in VerseTimothy is under house arrest for the next year. He must check in weekly with a probation officer and a therapist, and keep a journal for an entire year. And mostly, he has to stay out of trouble. But when he must take drastic measures to help his struggling family, staying out of trouble proves more difficult than Timothy ever thought it would be.

MVMS Summer Reading Choices Grades 5-8 Continued

If You’re Reading ThisTrent ReadyRealistic Fiction YAFor a responsible sixteen-year-old, Michael Wilson has a lot of problems--his father was killed in Afghanistan in 2005, his overworked and overprotective mother will not talk about their situation, and does not want him playing football, and he has suddenly started to receive letters that his father wrote before his death.

MVMS Summer Reading Choices Grades 7-8 ONLYRefugeeBy Alan GratzHistorical FictionAlthough separated by continents and decades, Josef, a Jewish boy living in 1930s Nazi Germany; Isabel, a Cuban girl trying to escape the riots and unrest plaguing her country in 1994; and Mahmoud, a Syrian boy in 2015 whose homeland is torn apart by violence and destruction, embark on harrowing journeys in search of refuge, discovering shocking connections that tie their stories together.

Lost in Outer SpaceBy Tod OlsonNarrative NonfictionFrom "Houston, we've had a problem" to the final tense moments at Mission Control, Lost in Outer Space takes readers on the unbelievable journey of Apollo 13 and inside the minds of its famous and heroic astronauts.

Lincoln’s Spymaster: Allan Pinkerton, America’s First Private EyeBy Samantha SeipleNarrative NonfictionAllan Pinkerton is known as the father of modern day espionage. Pinkerton was just an immigrant barrel-maker when he stumbled across his first case. His reputation grew and people began approaching Pinkerton with their cases, leading him to open the first-of-its-kind private detective agency, Pinkerton assembled a team of undercover agents who uncovered and stopped an assassination plot against president-elect Abraham Lincoln!

Wicked Bugs (Young Readers Edition)By Amy StewartInformational NonfictionDid you know there are zombie bugs that not only eat other bugs but also inhabit and control their bodies? There’s even a wasp that delivers a perfectly-placed sting in a cockroach’s brain and then leads the roach around by its antennae — like a dog on a leash. Organized into thematic categories and featuring full-color illustrations a creepy-cool guide to the worst of the worst of insects, arachnids, and other arthropods.

Paws of Courage: True Tales of Heroic Dogs that Protect and ServeBy Nancy FurstingerInformational NonfictionModern wars recruit more than just human soldiers. Our canine companions also serve in the line of duty and under fire, whether helping police protect our home turf or accompanying soldiers on missions abroad. Readers will cheer for the hero dogs featured in this collection, profiled with stunning photos and inspiring tales of bravery, friendship, heroism, and devotion. Their touching stories are sure to inspire animal lovers everywhere.

Death CloudBy Andrew LaneMystery YAIn 1868, with his army officer father suddenly posted to India, and his mother mysteriously "unwell," fourteen-year-old Sherlock Holmes is sent to stay with his eccentric uncle and aunt in their vast house in Hampshire, where he uncovers his first murder and a diabolical villain.

The House of ScorpionBy Nancy FarmerFantasy/Science FictionMatteo Alacrán was not born; he was harvested.As Matt struggles to understand his existence, he is threatened by a sinister cast of characters, including a power-hungry family, and he is surrounded by a dangerous army of bodyguards. Escape is the only chance Matt has to survive. But escape from the Alacrán Estate is no guarantee of freedom, because Matt is marked by his difference in ways he doesn't even suspect.

TangerineBy Edward BloorSports YAPaul Fisher sees the world from behind glasses so thick he looks like a bug-eyed alien. His family moves to Tangerine County, Florida. Adjusting to life in Tangerine isn’t easy for Paul—until he joins the soccer team at his middle school. Will he gain the courage to face some secrets his family has been keeping from him for far too long?

MooBy Sharon CreechNovel in VerseWhen Reena, her little brother, Luke, and their parents first move to Maine, Reena doesn't know what to expect. She's ready for beaches, blueberries, and all the lobster she can eat. Instead, her parents "volunteer" Reena and Luke to to work for an eccentric neighbor named Mrs. Falala, who has a pig named Paulie, a cat named China, a snake named Edna--and that stubborn cow, Zora.

Hidden Figures Young Readers EditionBy Margot Lee ShetterlyNarrative NonfictionBefore John Glenn orbited the earth or Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, a group of dedicated female mathematicians known as “human computers” used pencils, slide rules, and adding machines to calculate the numbers that would launch rockets, and astronauts, into space. This book tells the stories of four African-American women whose work forever changed the face of NASA and the country.

Chew on This: Everything You Don’t Want to Know About Fast FoodBy Eric SchlosserInformational NonfictionThe fascinating and sometimes frightening truth about what lurks behind those sesame seed buns; the authors focus on the nonconformist entrepreneurs who founded the industry; the mistreatment of animals and of employees in restaurants; the shocking effects that too much fast food can have on growing bodies; and the impact of the industry on schools, communities, and the earth. . . . read to find out more.