Summer Reading: Sixth Grade

Mrs. Greene:
So many books and so little time…Reading, what does it do for me? I increase my vocabulary; explore real and imagined worlds; meet new people, animals, and beings; study the past, present, and future; cry, laugh, and reflect; compare and contrast; imagine new ways to do things; envision ideas for new or improved inventions; learn about healthy living and the ravages of sickness and diseases; study conflicts and wars; enjoy information about art, music, dance, theatre, and the movies; relax to the sounds of poetry; stimulate my senses by browsing recipes; learn about careers; better understand relationships and others’ feelings; explore the mysteries of numbers and shapes; place myself beside sports figures as they practice and compete; acknowledge that some reading is propaganda; and sometimes read just to relax. I hope this summer you delve into varied genres and enjoy the magic!

Mrs. Greene suggests:
Rumble Fish by S. E. Hinton is the story of two friends that has many surprising twists and turns. Is friendship enough?

Tex by S. E Hinton is a classic novel about two brothers and their relationship after their mother dies and their father deserts them. Do we blame others for our actions? Is their power in family bonding?

Gentlehands (for mature readers) by M. E. Kerr is a story of two young people from different lifestyles who enjoy summer adventures until a reporter arrives in search of a man known as Gentlehands. Will the identity of this person ruin the friendship of Buddy and Skye?

The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings relates the story of a young boy growing up in a swampy area of Florida who adopts a fawn, Flag, as his pet. This book is a study of nature, growing up, survival, family relationships, and the power of love.

Collection of Short Stories:
Norse Myths
Aesop Fables
Legends of Robin Hood and his Merry Men
Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table

Other Suggestions:
Katherine Paterson, Jacob Have I Loved
Ellen Raskin, The Westing Game
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle,

1. The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone
2. The Adventure of the Copper Beeches
3. The Boscombe Valley Mystery
4. The Adventure of the Dying Detective
5. The Hound of the Baskervilles

Chris Columbus, Young Sherlock Holmes
Mark Twain, The Prince and the Pauper
E. L. Konigsburg, The Second Mrs. Giaconda
Paula Danziger, The Cat Ate My Gymsuit
Theodore Taylor, The Cay
Fred Gipson, Old Yeller
Marjorie Rawlings, The Yearling
Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island
Jonathan Swift, Gulliver’s Travels
Jack Schaefer, Shane
Paul Gallico, The Snow Goose
Lois Lowry, The Giver
Carolyn Meyer, Mary, Bloody Mary
Karen Cushman, Catherine, Called Birdy
Emily Neville, It’s Like This Cat
Rudyard Kipling, The Jungle Book
Jane Yolen, The Devil’s Arithmetic
M. E. Kerr, Gentle Hands*
Bette Greene, Summer of My German Soldier*
Laurence Yep, Hiroshima*

*For mature readers