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EISENHOWER MIDDLE SCHOOL REQUIRED SUMMER READING LIST
GRADE 8 BOOKS, FOR CURRENT GRADE 8 STUDENTS
AUTHOR TITLE TYPE Adams, R. Watership Down Modern Classic/ Adventure Anderson, L. Fever 1793 Historical Fiction Bradbury, R. Fahrenheit 451 Science Fiction Brooks, B. The Moves Make the Man Realistic Fiction Cabot, M. Princess in the Spotlight Fantasy Card, O. S. Ender's Shadow Science Fiction Christie, A. Death on the Nile Mystery Christie, A. And Then There Were None Mystery Collier, J. The Bloody Country Historical Fiction Cooney, C. Driver's Ed Realistic Fiction Cooper, S. The Dark Is Rising Realistic Fiction Deuker, C. Night Hoops Fiction Doyle, A. The Hound of the Baskervilles Mystery Doyle, A. The Mysterious Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Mystery Duncan, L. Don't Look Behind You Mystery Duncan, L. Ransom Mystery Forbes, E. Johnny Tremain Historical Fiction Funke, C. Dragon Rider Fantasy Gaiman, N. Coraline Fantasy Goodman, J. Hope's Crossing Historical Fiction Gorman, G. No More Dead Dogs Realistic Fiction Haddix, M. Among the Barons Science Fiction Herriot All Creatures Great and Small Animal Fiction Hinton, S.E. Rumblefish Realistic Fiction Hinton, S.E. The Outsiders Fiction Holt, K. When Zachary Beaver Came to Town Fiction Horvath, P. Everything on a Waffle Realistic Fiction Jacques, B. The Legend of Luke Fantasy Keith, H. Rifles for Watie Historical Fiction Konigsburg, E. L. Silent to the Bone Realistic Fiction Lalicki, T. Spellbinder: Life of Harry Houdini Biography London, J. Call of the Wild Survival Lord, W. A Night To Remember Non Fiction Lowry, L. Gathering Blue Science Fiction Magorian, M. Good Night Mr. Tom Historical Fiction Murphy, J. Blizzard! The Storm That Changed America Non Fiction Namioka, L. Ties That Bind, Ties That Break Historical Fiction Naylor, P. Jade Green: A Ghost Story Mystery Naylor, P.R. Outrageously Alice Realistic Fiction Nixon, J.L. The Weekend Was Murder Mystery Nixon, J.L. Nobody's There Mystery Nixon, J.L. The Kidnapping of Christina Lattimore Mystery Paulsen, G. The Transall Saga Science Fiction Pullman, P. The Golden Compass Fiction Rinaldi, A. Secret of Sarah Revere Historical Fiction Rinaldi, A. A Ride into Morning - Story of Tempe Wick Historical Fiction Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Fiction Shusterman, N. The Dark Side of Nowhere Science Fiction Sleator, W. Interstellar Pig Science Fiction Spinelli, J. Stargirl Realistic Fiction Strasser, T. Here Comes Heavenly Realistic Fiction Strasser, T. The Wave Realistic Fiction Strasser, T. Against the Odds - Shark Bite Adventure Strasser, T. Against the Odds - Buzzard's Feet Adventure Taylor Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry Historical Fiction Tolkien The Hobbit Fantasy Tolkien The Fellowship of the Ring Fantasy Twain, M. The Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court Satire Voight, C. Izzy Willy Nilly Realistic Fiction Voight, C. The Homecoming Realistic Fiction Wells, H.G. The Time Machine Science Fiction Please select any two of the books listed above. Books with an asterisk (*) indicate curriculum related literature. Assessments will be conducted for both books in the Fall.
Book Summaries
Adams, R. Watership Down
A tale about a band of rabbits forced to flee the destruction of their fragile community and pursue a new glorious dream called "home".Anderson, L. Fever 1793
Mattie's family runs an inn in Philadelphia. Yellow fever plagues the city. The wealthy leave and the poor struggle to survive.Bradbury, R. Fahrenheit 451
In this futuristic society, firemen start fires to burn books.Brooks, B. The Moves Make the Man
An unlikely friendship develops between two athletes in North Carolina.Cabot, M. Princess in the Spotlight
Surprises, a secret admirer and royal intrigue await Mia.Card, O.S. Ender's Shadow
A science fiction story, about a group attempting to save Earth from an alien attack, is
set in the future.Christie, A. Death on the Nile
When newly married Linnet and her husband take a cruise on the Nile, Detective Poirot uncovers trouble.Christie, A. And Then There Were None
Why were people brought to an island to meet with Mr. Owen who was not there?Collier, J. The Bloody Country
In the mid-eighteenth century, a family moves from Connecticut to Pennsylvania and becomes involved in the property conflict between the two states.Cooper, S. The Dark Is Rising
A struggle between good and evil is experienced by a boy during the Christmas season.Deuker, C. Night Hoops
Joining the Varsity Basketball Team is Nick's goal. He must learn to deal with problems on and off the court.Doyle, A. The Hound of the Baskervilles
Sherlock Holmes and Watson attempt to discover the identity of the beast lurking in the moors and killing people.Doyle, A. The Mysterious Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
The famous British detective has complicated cases to solve and does so as no one else can.Duncan, L. Don't Look Behind You
April's world is turned upside down when her family is forced to enter the Witness
Protection Program.Duncan, L. Ransom
Five teenagers, kidnapped by a new bus driver, try to plan their survival, and in the process, learn about themselves.Forbes, E. Johnny Tremain
The American Revolution sets the stage for the brave deeds of fourteen-year old Johnny called upon to sneak messages past the British for the Sons of Liberty.Gaiman, N. Coraline
Coraline's journey through a strange door results in significant challenges she must now
face.Goodman, J. Hope's Crossing
Captured by the Tories during the Revolutionary War, Hope must now plan her escape.Gorman, G. No More Dead Dogs
An eighth grader's detention served while assisting with the school play results in interesting changes for everyone.Haddix, M. Among the Barons
Luke's adventures continue as he struggles with his identity.Herriot, All Creatures Great and Small
The memoirs of an English veterinarian whose love of animals is only exceeded by his love of life.Hinton, S.E. Rumblefish
Rusty is known to be "tough" but wants to be even tougher. His goal is to be the strongest street fighter and most respected guy this side of the river.Hinton, S.E. The Outsiders
Conflicts grow between the wealthy high school students and those considered to be the less desirable "outsiders".Holt, K. When Zachary Beaver Came to Town
Set in a small Texas town during the Vietnam War, Cal and Todd reach out to Zachary, an abandoned overweight boy.Horvath, P. Everything on a Waffle
A girl, living in a small fishing village, must deal with life after the loss of her parents
at sea.Jacques, B. The Legend of Luke
Martin learns about the adventures of his father in this Redwall Chronicle.Keith, H. Rifles for Watie
Jefferson is sixteen and a soldier defending the Union during the Civil War. A crisis develops when he finds he is unsure as to whether he should betray or join the enemy.Konigsburg, E.L. Silent to the Bone
As a result of a traumatic experience, thirteen year old Branwell is now mute. Attempts are made in a behavioral center to try to arrive at the truth as to what had really happened.Lalicki, T. Spellbinder: Life of Harry Houdini
Explore the world of the famous magician, illusionist and escape artist.London, J. Call of the Wild
This is the story of Buck, a dog taken from his pampered home to be an Alaskan sled dog and his struggle to survive.Lord, W. A Night to Remember
The final hours of the Titanic are told in a riveting account.Lowry, L. Gathering Blue
Kira is mysteriously transported from her poor village to residing in a palatial building where she must use her "gifts" to benefit the Guardians.Magorian, M. Good Night Mr. Tom
Set during WW II, this is the story of a boy who lived with a difficult recluse and how he changed his life.Murphy, J. Blizzard! The Storm That Changed America
This is the factual account of the massive blizzard of 1888 which buried the Northeast for days.Namioka, L. Ties That Bind, Ties That Break
Historical fiction set in China involving a girl's refusal to bind her feet as was the custom
for upper class girls.Naylor, P. Jade Green: A Ghost Story
After the death of her parents, Judy is forced to live with her eccentric uncle who will allow nothing "green" in the house.Naylor, P.R. Outrageously Alice
For Alice, being "different" is what it is all about. Dying her hair green is just the start.Nixon, J.L. The Weekend Was Murder
Mary Elizabeth is taking part in a Murder Mystery Weekend when she comes across a strange finding.Nixon, J.L. Nobody's There
Abbie's arrest for malicious mischief forces her to volunteer in a community service program which matches teens with the elderly. She is assigned to Mrs. Merkel, who is intent upon taking on "con men" who target senior citizens.Nixon, J.L. The Kidnapping of Christina Lattimore
Proving she did not plan her own kidnapping is the challenge facing Christina.
Paulsen, G. The Transall Saga
Mark follows a light beam into another time and possibly to another planet.Pullman, P. The Golden Compass
Lyra vows to save kidnapped children from the evil "Gobblers" and rescue her father from the polar bears.Rinaldi, A. Secret of Sarah Revere
The daughter of Paul Revere reveals information about events preceding his famous ride.Rinaldi, A. A Ride into Morning Story of Tempe Wick
During the American Revolutionary War, Tempe must hide her most prized possession
from the enemy.Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
The Quidditch World Cup Finals have begun as the Hogwart's students start their fourth year.Shusterman, N. The Dark Side of Nowhere
Science fiction tale about a 14-year-old boy who is an alien left behind on Earth.Sleator, W. Interstellar Pig
A sixteen year old may hold the world's fate in his hands as the result of a game played.Spinelli, J. Stargirl
Stargirl, the epitome of non-conformity, arrives at Mica High School and makes quite an impression.Strasser, T. Here Comes Heavenly
Strange does not even begin to describe this nanny, Heavenly Litebody.Strasser, T. The Wave
A classroom experiment explores the impact that group pressure can have on individuals.Strasser, T. Against the Odds Shark Bite
Three teenagers aboard a yacht to Cancun find themselves in a storm, on a sinking ship,
with no captain and surrounded by sharks.Strasser, T. Against the Odds Buzzard's Feet
A simple trip to visit their dad in Las Vegas becomes very complicated when Henry and
Paul decide to leave L.A. and cross the desert in a van with friends.Taylor, Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry
An African American family living in Mississippi during the 1930's Depression struggles to survive poverty, humiliation, and racial violence.Tolkien, The Hobbit
As Bilbo fights off trolls, gigantic spiders and wolves, he discovers the strength and courage for the ultimate confrontation with the Dragon Smaug.Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
In the sequel to The Hobbit, Frodo must save a magical ring from the evil hands of the Dark Lord of Mordor.Twain, M. The Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
Hank Morgan awakens to find himself in 528 A.D. as a member of King Arthur's Court. Modernizing King Arthur's kingdom is not out of the question.Voight, C. Izzy Willy Nilly
Izzy loses his leg in a car accident and must come to terms with his life as an amputee.Voight, C. The Homecoming
The story of Dicey's attempts to save her siblings from being sent to foster homes. They have been abandoned by their parents and are in search of a relative to take them in.Wells, H.G. The Time Machine
A scientist invents a time machine, which transports him to the year 802,700.