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Language Arts

Read Aloud Recommendations - Middle School Titles

Intermediate

Middle school

High school

This list was reviewed and recommended by Mary Jo Iagulli, Gruening Middle School

Title	Author	Details	Categories	ISBN	Description
The Art of Keeping Cool	Janet Taylor Lisle	Atheneum Press 2000 216 p	World war Family Life Discrimination	0689837879	Robert, a thirteen-year-old who must move with his mother and sister narrates this story of life in a New England town during World War II. Robert is introduced to his cousin Eliot and explores the tension that exists within the family, the town and himself. Against the backdrop of the war, Robert seeks to unravel the mystery of why his father is never mentioned within the family and why his grandfather is allowed to bully everyone. A book to be used when looking at how war impacts everyone, even those who are physically removed from the devastation.

Because of Winn-Dixie	Kate DiCamillo	Candlewick Press 2000 182 p	Dogs Florida	0763607762	Opal seems to be mired in sadness and devoid of friends until she saves a mutt dog and names him Winn-Dixie after the place of redemption. The story of Opal and Winn-Dixie is honest, humorous and populated with some of the most eccentric characters to grace the page. A great new addition to the stories of dogs who bring new people, new experiences and new insights to their owners. This book will be important for any student who longs to find friendship in a lonely world. A good choice to use for talking about voice in connection with the six traits of writing. Newbery Honor Book 2001

Castaways of the Flying Dutchman	Brain Jacques	Philomel 2001 327 p	Time travel Dogs	0399236015	For anyone fascinated by high adventure on the seas, time travel, and eternal youthfulness, the story of Neb and Den, or Ben and Ned will capture their absolute attention. After a harrowing escape from the doomed Flying Dutchman this young man and his mutt travel the world to help those in need. Although somewhat disappointing in its predictability, this adventure story is sure to win new fans for Jacques.

The Color of My Words	Lynn Joseph	Harpercollins 2000 96 p	Oppression Poverty Family life	0060282339	Ana Rosa writes on whatever scrap of paper she can find and longs to have a notebook of her very own, however in the Republica Dominicana, commoners are not allowed to write. Ana's poetry introduces the chapters and students should find this story revealing about what it means to long for something. Students will be provided a glimpse of how different the world is in different areas and how poverty only defines circumstances, not desires or abilities.

Fever 1793	Laurie Halse Anderson	Simon & Schuster 2000 251 p	Yellow fever U.S. history Philadelphia	0689838581	Mattie Cook helps her mother and grandfather run the Cook Coffeehouse in Philadelphia, but she doesn't much enjoy all the work involved. When Mattie's friend Polly dies of a mysterious fever things start to change rapidly and we find ourselves traveling a frightening road with Mattie as her entire world changes. This story of the yellow fever epidemic is told with great intensity and adventure. An excellent historical fiction work, this book will be especially useful for American history studies.

Gathering Blue	Lois Lowry	Houghton Mifflin 2000 215 p	Science fiction Future Physical handicaps	0618055819	Kira is saved by her embroidery skill even though her mother has died and she is lame, a condition that renders her disposable. Kira is charged by the elders with restoring the Singer's robe, an historical record of her people. Living in luxury, Kira meets Thomas and Jo, two more children with equally extraordinary talents and begins to understand how she might possibly make a difference and create a new future for her society. This book is a good companion for The Giver and should open up rich discussion for students.

Holes	Louis Sachar	Farrar, Strauss & Giroux 1998 233 p	Juvenile delinquency Friendship	0374332657	Stanley Yelnats is at Camp Green lake, although there is no longer a lake here as it dried up years ago and it's not a typical summer camp, but rather, a detention center where boys spend their days digging holes, as deep and wide as the shovel they have which means Stanley's holes need to be five feet wide and five feet across. Stanley has arrived at Camp Green Lake by an unfortunate set of circumstances, but not surprising for his unlucky existence. At camp, Stanley becomes friends with Zero; a friendship that draws them both into an unconventional mystery and adventure that students will find completely compelling. An excellent choice for students who enjoy odd characters and situations which lead to interesting discoveries about themselves and the surrounding world.

Homeless Bird	Gloria Whelan	Harpercollins Books 2000 192 p	India Tradition	006284528	At the young age of thirteen Koly is married, widowed, and abandoned by her mother-in-law in a holy city where widows are deserted by families who no longer want to deal with them. This book will present students with a glimpse of a culture very different from their own and with a young woman who must figure out how to make a life for herself where nothing comes easily. This book is an excellent choice for examining world cultures and the treatment of anyone on the fringe of society.

Jason's Gold	Will Hobbs	Morrow Junior 1999 192 p	Gold rush Travel	0688150934	Jason Hawthorne is fifteen and living in New York when gold is discovered in the Canada Yukon territory. Jason's brothers are in Seattle and even though he has promised himself that he would remain on his own for a year before returning home, the excitement of adventure on the rush for gold is too alluring and Jason journeys west and then north to discover his fortune. This is an action packed, page turning adventure and survival story resplendent with characters like Jack London and Kid Barker. Students will be utterly captivated by this exciting, fast paced tale. A nice complement to the 7th grade Alaska curriculum.

A Long Way from Chicago and A Year Down Yonder	Richard Peck	Dial Books 1998 148 p. and Dial Books 2000 130 p	Depression U.S. history Adolescence Family life	0803722907 and 0803725183	In the first book, we hear about the summer trips to Grandma Dowdels that Joey and his sister, Mary Alice make from 1929 to 1935. Each chapter reveals a summer visit and introduces us to a woman who is a true "character". In the sequel, we spend lengthy time with Mary Alice and Grandma Dowdel as they spend a year together. Joey is off working with the Civilian Conservation Corps and Mary Alice has to deal with her grandmother on her turf and play by her rules. Grandma Dowdel is feisty and funny and students will learn something of what small town America was like during the depression years. These companion titles have very distinctive voices and would lend themselves to excellent writing opportunities for students.

Many Stones	Carolyn Coman	Front St. Press 2000 160 p	Grief Family life S outh Africa	1886910553	Berry Morgan is rude, angry, and determined to live by her own rules, but instead finds herself traveling to South Africa with her "Mr. expense account" father to witness a memorial service for her sister Laura who was murdered while volunteering at a school. Berry herself doesn't understand why she acts so cruelly to her father or what motivates her, but through this journey, she comes to understand the world a little better.

Nory Ryan's Song	Patricia Reilly Giff	Bantam Doubleday 2000 148 p	Ireland Potato famine	0385321414	Nory Ryan loves to sing but her voice becomes silenced by the specter of starvation as she struggles to help provide for her family as she waits for her father's return from the sea. Nory is buoyed by her long standing friendship with Sean and her new friendship with the reclusive widow, Anna. An excellent historical fiction work set in Ireland in 1845, this novel will help students better understand the desperate plight of the Irish when the potatoes rotted and hope seemed lost. This book is a superb example of complete characterization.

Silent to the Bone	E.L. Konigsburg	Atheneum Press 2000 261 p	Child abuse Step families Friendship	0689836015	Branwell is mute and the question is why? Is he responsible for the condition of his sister who lies in a coma in the hospital? Connor is Branwell's friend, and as such, he is on a quest to bring his friend back to the speaking world so that he can face his accusers and offer the details to that fateful day. But what if he is the reason for Nikki's suffering? And what is the role of Vivian, the English au pair? An excellent book for prompting discussions about loyalty in friendship, assumptions made surrounding teens, and how trauma alters us. *Warning: this book deals with mature themes and situations

Stargirl	Jerry Spinelli	Knopf 2000 186 p	Popularity Friendship Eccentrics	0679886370	For every student who thinks they are a non-conformist, this story will touch a deep chord. For every student who wonders what people will think if they base their actions on kindness rather than popularity, for every student who feels that they simply will never fit, this story will resonate with truth and beauty. Discovering who you are and who you want to be can be painful and even those with high self-esteem can be injured by cruelty. For every student struggling to be an individual and yet, fit in with a group, this story will be on to hold onto. This book would be a great starting point for discussions about stereotypes and societal expectations versus personal conviction.

Stop Pretending, or what really happened when my big sister went crazy	Sonja Sones	Harpercollins 1999 128 p	Mental illness Family	0060283874	Through her blank verse poetry Cookie relates what happens to her life, her family and her sister when her sister is hospitalized after suffering a nervous breakdown. Cookie shares her fear about her own future, her raw and painful feelings surrounding her sister and her condition and leads us on a journey of discovery that takes us to places of deep emotion. This book will open up discussion and writing opportunities for mature students. *Recommended for 8th grade.

Stuck in Neutral	Terry Trueman	Harpercollins Publishers 2000 128 p	Cerebral palsy Euthanasia	0060285192	Shawn is a prisoner within his body as he suffers with cerebral palsy, a condition that renders him powerless to speak or interact with others. This book allows us to journey into the life of a young man who strives to share his life with his family. As he comes to suspect that his father is going to kill him, Shawn is desperate to communicate his love for living. This first person narrative will speak to everyone who has ever felt cornered or out of control over his or her life circumstances and may indeed help to explore the contribution that every individual makes to the society as a whole. The voice in this novel is powerful, making the book a good choice when working with the six traits of writing.

The Tiger Rising	Kate DiCamillo	Candlewick Press 2001 128 p	Grief Friendship Family	0763609110	Rob Horton has recently moved and is having to adjust to life in a new town, a new school, a different home, and life without his mother, propelling his father to change their circumstances to escape the painful reminders. Rob's discovery of a caged tiger behind the Kentucky Star Motel leads to his involvement and friendship with Sistine, a girl so brutally honest that eventually, as she drags Rob into a scheme to free the tiger, Rob will be forced to deal with all the issues he has stuffed down and caged. This book will captivate student's imagination and the language choice is enthralling.

The Wanderer	Sharon Creech	Harpercollins Books 2000 303 p	Ocean voyages Family life	0060277300	Sophie joins her uncles and boy cousins on a sailboat journey across the Atlantic to England to see her grandfather, Bompie. This journey is revealed through the journals of Sophie and her cousin Cody and the distinct voices keep the story moving. Family tension as well as confinement tensions all surface as the crew attempt to make a successful crossing. A good resource for looking at point of view and how truth may differ between people.