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Converse Middle School
Students Entering Grade 6
2014 Summer Reading List
Guidelines
What do I need to do?
(1) Read one Massachusetts Children’s Book Award nominated book
(2011 – present please).
(2) Complete the attached Story Map and Paper Bag Book Project.
(3) Bring the book to class the first week of school ready to be discussed.
When is my Story Map
The Story Map and Paper Bag Book Project (using a white lunch size paper
and Paper Bag Project due? bag) are due no later than Tuesday, September 2nd (the day after Labor Day).
What is a Massachusetts
Children’s Book Award?
Each year since 1975 twenty-five middle school books are nominated by teachers,
librarians, and publishers to receive the MA Children’s Book Award. Each one of
these books is considered to be an example of the best middle school literature
available. For summer reading, you can select any of these nominated books
to read (2011–present).
How do I find a list of
nominated books? What
if I lose my original list?
A list of nominated books is attached. Extra copies will be available in the CMS
library, at the Palmer Public Library, or online at wwww.palmerschools.org.
More information about these books (including reading levels and
summaries of each book) can be found at www.salemstate.edu/mcba/.
Choose 2011 or newer.
Reading Bonuses!
Participate in the Palmer Public Library’s Summer Reading Program. Details
are available at the Palmer Public Library or by visiting their website at
http://www.palmer.lib.ma.us.
Read other Massachusetts Children’s Book Award nominees. If you read at least
five of the 2014-2015 nominated books, you may be able to vote for next year’s
award winner.
Entering Grade 6 – MA Children’s Book Award Nominees
Remember: Summaries and reading levels can be found at www.salemstate.edu/mcba/.
2014-2015 Nominees
Abdel-Fattah, R. (2012). The Friendship Matchmaker. (Walker Childrens)
Bauer, M. D. (2012). Little Dog, Lost. (Atheneum)
Bradley, T. J. (2013). Infestation. (Scholastic)
Cervantes, J. (2010). Tortilla Sun. (Chronicle Books)
Connor, L. (2010). Crunch. (Katherine Tegen Books)
Cox, J. (2012). The Secret Chicken Society. (Holiday House)
Creech, S. (2012). The Great Unexpected. (HarperCollins)
Epstein, A. J., & Jacobson, A. (2010). The Familiars. (HarperCollins)
Fairlie, E. (2012). The Lost Treasure of Tuckernuck. (Katherine Tegen Books)
Frazier, S. (2012). Brendan Buckley’s Sixth-Grade Experiment. (Delacorte)
Kelly, D. A. (2011). Ballpark Mysteries #1: The Fenway Foul-Up.
Levine, K. (2012). The Lions of Little Rock. (Putnam Juvenile)
Lin, G. (2012). Dumpling Days (A Pacy Lin Novel). (Little, Brown)
Lorenzi, N. D. (2012). Flying the Dragon. (Charlesbridge)
MacLachlan, P. (2013). White Fur Flying. (Margaret K. McElderry Books)
Messner, K. (2012). Capture the Flag. (Scholastic)
Myron, V. (2010). Dewey the Library Cat: A True Story. (Little, Brown)
Perl, E. (2011). When Life Gives You O.J. (Knopf)
Riordan, R. (2011). The Son of Neptune (Heroes of Olympus, Book 2).
Rocklin, J. (2011). One Day and One Amazing Morning on Orange Street.
Schroeder, L. (2011). Sprinkles and Secrets. (Aladdin)
Stead, R. (2012). Liar & Spy. (Wendy Lamb Books)
Tarshis, L. (2010). I Survived: The Shark Attacks of 1916. (Scholastic)
Watson, G. (2010). Edison’s Gold. (EgmontUSA)
West, J. (2010). The Shadows (The Book of Elsewhere, Vol. 1). (Dial)
2013-2014 Nominees
Auxier, J. (2011). Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes
Beha, E. (2009). Tango: The Tale of an Island Dog
Beil, M. (2010). The Red Blazer Girls: The Vanishing Violin
Bowen, F. (2013). Perfect Game
Christopher, M. (2010). World Cup
Clements, A. (2010). We the Children (Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers
of the School)
Cohagan, C. (2010). The Lost Children
Cronin, D. (2011). The Trouble with Chickens: A J.J. Tully Mystery
Curtis, C. P. (2012). The Mighty Miss Malone
Dionne, E. (2010). The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet
Draper, S. (2010). Out of My Mind
Flores-Galbis, E. (2010). 90 Miles to Havana
Frazier, S. (2010). The Other Half of My Heart
Hiaasen, C. (2012). Chomp
Jacobson, J. (2011). Small as an Elephant
Lai, T. (2011). Inside Out and Back Again
Lupica, M. (2010). Hero
McMann, L. (2011). The Unwanteds
Pennypacker, S. (2010). Summer of the Gypsy Moths
Pinkwater, D. (2009). The Yggyssey: How Iggy Wondered What
Happened to All the Ghosts,Found Out Where They Went, and Went
There
Riordan, R. (2010). The Lost Hero (Heroes of Olympus, Book 1))
Simon, C. (2011). Emma on Thin Icing (Cupcake Diaries)
Spinelli, J. (2012). Jake and Lily
Tarshis, L. (2011). I Survived: Hurricane Katrina, 2005
Vernon, U. (2009). Dragon Breath #1
2012 – 2013 Nominees
Bauer, M.D. (2011). The Golden Ghost.
Buyea, R. (2010). Because of Mr. Terupt.
Dowell, F. O. (2010). Falling In
Erskine, K. (2010). Mockingbird
French, V. (2008). The Robe of Skulls: The First Tale from the Five
Kingdoms
Gifford, P. (2009). Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Practicing the Piano
Grimes, N. (2009). Make Way for Dyamonde Daniel
Gutman, D. (2010). Roberto & Me
Holm, J. (2010). Turtle in Paradise
Jennings, P. (2010). Guinea Dog
Law, I. (2010). Scumble
Lord, C. (2010). Touch Blue
Lupica, M. (2011). Shoot-Out
Malone, M. (2010). The Sixty-Eight Rooms
Martin, A. M. (2009). Everything for a Dog
Mass, W. (2010). The Candymakers
Preus, M. (2010). Heart of a Samurai
Prineas, S. (2008). The Magic Thief
Scaletta, K. (2010). Mamba Point
Schlitz, L.A. (2010). The Night Fairy
Senzai, N.H. (2010). Shooting Kabul
Stephens, J.(2011). The Emerald Atlas
Tashjian, J. (2010). My Life as a Book
Vanderpool, C. (2010). Moon Over Manifest
Williams-Garcia, R. (2010). One Crazy Summer
2011 – 2012 Nominees
Alvarez, J. (2009). Return to Sender
Baggott, J. (2009). The Prince of Fenway Park
Barshaw, R.M. (2007). Ellie McDoodle: Have Pen, Will Travel
Bosch, P. (2008). If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late
Cammuso, F. (2008). The Dodgeball Chronicles (Knights of the Lunch Table,
No.1)
Clements, A. (2008). Lost and Found
Cochrane, M. (2009). The Girl Who Threw Butterflies
DiCamillo, K. (2009). The Magician’s Elephant
Feldman, J. (2008). The Gollywhopper Games
Fitzmaurice, K. (2009). The Year the Swallows Came Early
French, S.T. (2009). Operation Redwood
Hiassen, C. (2009). Scat
Jonell, L. (2009). The Secret of Zoom
Kadohata, C. (2007). Cracker: The Best Dog in Vietnam
Kelly, J. (2009). The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate
Klise, K. (2009). Dying to Meet You: 43 Cemetery Road
Lin, G. (2009). Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
Lupica, M. (2008). Long Shot (Comeback Kids)
Mills, C. (2009). How Oliver Olson Changed the World
Nuzum, K.A. (2008). The Leanin’ Dog
Paratore, C.M. (2009). Sunny Holiday
Philbrick, R. (2009). The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg
Smith, R. (2009). I, Q: Independence Hall (I, Q. The Series)
Stead, R. (2009). When You Reach Me
Weston, R.P. (2008). Zorgamazoo
2010 – 2011 Nominees
Anderson, L. H. (2008). Chains
Appelt, K. (2008). The Underneath
Applegate, K. (2007). Home of the Brave
Avi. (2007). Iron Thunder. (Hyperion Books).
Balliett, B. (2008). The Calder Game
Barrows, A. (2007). The Magic Half
Baskin, N. (2009). Anything but Typical
Berlin, E. (2009). The Potato Chip Puzzles: The Puzzling World of Winston
Breen
Blume, J. (2008). Cool Zone with the Pain and the Great One
Clements, A. (2007). No Talking!
Goodman, A. (2008). The Other Side of the Island
Harper, C. (2007). Just Grace
Key, W. (2006). Alabama Moon
Law, I. (2008). Savvy
Lowery, L. (2006). Truth and Salsa
Lowry, L. (2008). The Willoughbys
MacLachlan, P. (2007). Edward's Eyes
Mass, W. (2009). 11 Birthdays
Mortenson, G., & Relin, D. (2009). Three Cups of Tea (Young Edition)
Reilly Giff, P. (2008). Eleven
Scaletta, K. (2009). Mudville
Stead, R. (2007). First Light
St. John, L. (2007). The White Giraffe
Stuchner, J. (2008). Honey Cake
Wilson, N. D. (2007). 100 Cupboards: Book 1
Grade 6 Summer Reading – Story Map
Name: __________________________________________________
Book Title: ___________________________________
Homeroom: ___________
Author: _____________________________
Book Genre (historical fiction, fantasy, biography, etc.): ____________________________________________
Setting of Book (Describe the time and place): ____________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Other Characters: _______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Character Traits That Describe the Main Character: ____________________________
Main Character: ________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Introduction and Conflict: How does the book start? What is the overall
conflict, problem, or struggle?
Major Events: Explain 3 – 5 important events from the story that help tell the
story and lead the story to a resolution (solution).
Resolution (Solution): How is the conflict resolved? How does the main
character overcome the problems from the beginning of the story?
Theme of Book (Friendship, Maturing, Overcoming Fears, Etc.) – What lessons can we learn from what the
main character experienced in this book?
Paper Bag Book Project
For this project, you will need:
 A lunch size paper bag (white please).
 Your book.
 Crayons, colored pencils, and fine tip markers.
 The story map you completed.
 Design the front of the bag so that it
tells the title of book, the author, and
the genre of the book.
 On the back of the bag, illustrate the
most important part of the story.
 On one side of the bag, name the
main character and a few other
characters.
 On the other side of the bag, use
words and/or pictures to share what
you liked and/or didn’t like about the
book.
 Choose 5 – 8 objects or pictures to
put into the bag. These objects or
pictures should help to symbolize
(show) important events or themes in
the book. They also may tell about
the characteristics of the character or
may help explain the setting. This
part takes some thinking!
Rubric:
Front of Bag (20), Illustration on the Back of Bag (20), Sides of Bag (10),
Objects in Bag – Quality, Correct Quantity, & Good Information From Story
(30), Presentation to Class – Explanation of Objects & Illustrations, Knowledge
of Book (20)