Annotated Reading List ILS 512

Wendy Fredricksen 2/11/12

I began this assignment by reading the Wallingford Public Schools 8th grade curriculum guide on the school system’s website and determining the curriculum components appropriate for this assignment (see section I). Using this information, I created a chart to evaluate the books I considered for my Summer Reading List. My final selections were based on relevance to the curriculum, reading ability, diversity, as well as gender, personality, and reading interests. The twenty titles selected for the reading list are highlighted (see section II). My completed Annotated Reading List can be found in section III.

I. CURRICULUM RESEARCH– 8th Grade

Language Arts

  • Nonfiction, realistic fiction, historical fiction, science fiction/fantasy, plays, poetry, short stories
  • Interpret, analyze, and evaluate the influence of culture, history, and ethnicity on themes and/or issues in literature
  • Use of flashback, humor, point of view, satire
  • How author’s experience influences text

Social Studies

  • 19th Century US History including pre-Revolutionary War, Constitution, Bill of Rights, War of 1812, Civil War, westward expansion, industrialization, immigration, movement of Native Americans, slavery

Physical Education

  • How applied effort affects performance outcomes
  • Offense/defense
  • Warm up, cool down, stretching, conditioning
  • Conflict resolution
  • Leadership
  • Respect for differences

Health

  • Family life, relationships, communication skills
  • Nutrition
  • Social influences
  • Advocacy
  • Decision making

Art

  • Apply a variety of sources for art content, such as music, literature, poetry, cultural and historical context.

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II._BOOKRESEARCH

Wallingford Public Schools Grade 8 Summer Reading List Evaluation Table

Title / Author / Book Level / Award? / Gender Appeal / Nonfiction / Realistic fiction / Historical fiction / Sci-Fi/ fantasy / Poetry / Short stories / Graphic novel / Humor / PE applied effort / PE conflict resolution / PE leadership / PE respect for differences / SS 19th century history / Science – solar system / Science - structures / Health – family life, social influences, nutrition, relationships, advocacy, decision making / Art & Music – Apply a variety of sources for art content, such as music, literature, poetry, cultural and historical context.
Freestyle Soccer Tricks / Sean D’Arcy / X / B / X / X
Girls Got Game: Short Stories and Poems / Sue Macy / 5.6 / X / F / X / X / X / X / X
Locomotion / Jacqueline Woodson / 4.7 / X / B / X / X / X / X
Phineas Gage / John Fleishman / 7.4 / X / B / X / X / X
Secrets of a Civil War Submarine / Sally
Walker / 8.2 / X / B / X / X
Worlds Afire / Paul Janeczko / 5.2 / B / X / X
The Boy Who Saved Baseball / John Ritter / 4.4 / X / M / X / X / X / X / X
Bone / Jeff Smith / 2.2-4.2 / X / B / X / X / X / X
Chains / Laurie Halse Anderson / F / X / X / X
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks / E. Lockhart / X / F / X
Dying to Meet You / Kate Klise / 4.9 / X / B / X / X
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate / Jacqueline Kelly / 5.3 / X / F / X / X / X / X
The Fashion Disaster That Changed My Life / Lauren Myracle / 4.0 / F / X / X
Gods of Manhattan / Scott Mebus / 4.5 / X / M / X
The Graveyard Book / Neil Gaimon / 5.1 / X / M / X
Herbert’s Wormhole / Peter Nelson / 4.9 / M / X / X
Iron Thunder / Avi / 4.3 / X / B / X / X
The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Fig / Rodman Philbrick / X / B / X / X / X
Olive’s Ocean / Kevin Henkes / 4.7 / X / F / X
One-Handed Catch / Mary Jane Auch / 4.2 / X / B / X / X / X / X / X
Paint the Wind / Pam Muanoz Ryan / 5.3 / X / F / X / X
Pieces of Georgia / Jen Bryant / 5.6 / X / F / X / X / X / X
Princess in Love / Meg Cabot / 5.8 / F / X / X / X / X
Rules / Cynthia Lord / B / X / X / X / X
The Seeing Stone / Kevin Crossley-Holland / 4.3 / X / B / X / X
The Thing About Georgie / Lisa Graff / 4.3 / B / X / X / X / X
Unwind / Neal Shusterman / 5.0 / X / B / X
Waiting for Normal / Leslie Connor / 3.7 / X / B / X / X / X / X
Frida – Viva la Vida = Long Live Life / Carmen T. Bernier-Grand / 4.5 / X / B / X / X / X / X / X

III. ANNOTATEDREADING LIST

Bone—Jeff Smith

Fone and Smiley Bone encounter complications in the form of Rock Jaw, an enormous mountain lion, and baby animals orphaned by rat creature attacks as they journey through the wilderness with a lost rat creature cub they are returning to the mountains. Fantasy saga in comic book form.

The Boy Who Saved Baseball by John H. Ritter

The fate of a small California town rests on the outcome of one baseball game, and Tom Gallagher hopes to lead his team to victory with the secrets of the now disgraced player, Dante Del Gato. Can an average boy, an ornery old baseball star, and one last game save Tom’s small California town from destructionby a developer?

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

After being sold to a cruel couple in New York City, a slave named Isabel spies for the rebels during the Revolutionary War.

The Evolution of CalpurniaTate by Jacqueline Kelly

2010 Newbery Honor Book. In central Texas in 1899, eleven-year-old Calpurnia (Callie Vee) Tate is instructed to be a lady by her mother, learns about love from the older three of her six brothers, and studies the natural world with her grandfather, the latter of which leads to an important discovery.

The Fashion Disaster that Changed My Life by Lauren Myracle

A humorous account of the difficulties of being a seventh grade girl. Seventh-grader Alli inadvertently arrives on the first day of school with underwear static-clinging partly outside her pant leg.

Frida – Viva la Vida=Long Live LifebyCarmen T. Bernier-Grand

"Biographical poems about the life and work of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo"--Provided by publisher.

Freestyle Soccer Tricks by Sean D’Arcy

The professional soccer freestyler offers tips, exercises, and drills designed to improve coordination and ball control and provides instructions for performing various types of juggling tricks. Step by step photos.

Girls Got Game: Sports Stories and Poems by Sue Macy

A collection of short stories and poems written by and about young women in sports.

Gods of Manhattan by Scott Mebus

Thirteen-year-old Rory discovers a spirit world that thrives alongside his contemporary New York City, filled with fantastical creatures and people from the city's colorful past who have become gods and goddesses and who have chosen Rory to perform a dangerous mission.

Iron Thunder by Avi

Thirteen-year-old Tom Carroll finds work at the Brooklyn Navy Yard on a secret project that may benefit theNorthern armies during the Civil War. Pursued by spies from the South, he ends up in the middle of a sea battle.

Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson

In a series of poems, eleven-year-old Lonnie writes about his life, after the death of his parents, separated from his younger sister, living in a foster home, and finding his poetic voice at school.

The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick

2010 Newbery Honor Book. Twelve-year-old Homer, a poor but clever orphan, has extraordinary adventures after running away from his evil uncle to rescue his brother, who has been sold into service in the Civil War.

One-Handed Catch by M. J. Auch

After losing his hand in an accident in his father's butcher shop in 1946, sixth-grader Norman uses hard work and humor to learn to live with his disability and to succeed at baseball, art, and other activities.

Phineas Gage: A Gruesome But True Story About Brain Science by John Fleischman

Explores the strange case of Phineas Gage, who, in 1848, was injured at work when a thirteen-pound iron rodwas shot through his brain, baffling scientists and doctors alike when he miraculously recovered but suffereda severe personality change.

Pieces of Georgiaby Jen Bryant

In journal entries to her mother, a gifted artist who died suddenly, thirteen-year-old Georgia McCoy reveals how her life changes after she receives an anonymous gift membership to a nearby art museum.

Rules by Cynthia Lord

Frustrated at a life with an autistic brother, twelve-year-old Catherine longs for a normal existence, but herworld is further complicated by a friendship with a young paraplegic.

Secrets of a Civil War Submarine Solving the Mysteries of the H.L.Hunley by Sally M. Wallker

Chronicles the 1995 discovery of the sunken submarine that made history when it was the first to sink an enemyship.

The Thing About Georgie by Lisa Graff

Everything is a challenge for Georgie, a 42 inch dwarf, including school furniture, running track, and playing an

instrument. Georgie's dwarfism causes problems, but he could always rely on his parents, his best friend, and classmate Jeanie the Meanie's teasing, until a surprising announcement, a new boy in school, and a class project shake things up.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

In a future world where those between the ages of thirteen and eighteen can have their lives "unwound" andtheir body parts harvested for use by others, three teens go to extreme lengths to uphold their beliefs--and,perhaps, save their own lives.

Waiting for Normalby Leslie Connors

Twelve-year-old Addie tries to cope with her mother's erratic behavior and being separated from her belovedstepfather and half-sisterswhen she and her mother go to live in a small trailer by the railroad tracks on the outskirts of Schenectady, New York.

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