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Reading ListThank you to all the teachers that sent me your favorites! This list is organized by recommending teacher, grade level and subject area. The majority of the book descriptions are taken directly from . Check your online, local public library, the school library, and your teachers’ classroom libraries for these great books and resources. Sixth Grade: Recommendations from Mrs. McElwee and Mrs. Atkinson – 6th grade LA teachersThe Red Kayak by Pricilla CummingsPublished by Puffin BooksCopyright: 2004Reading Level: Middle SchoolLexile Level: 800LAge Level: 10-14Information from Brady loves life on the Chesapeake Bay with his friends J.T. and Digger. But developers and rich families are moving into the area, and while Brady befriends some of them, like the DiAngelos, his parents and friends are bitter about the changes. Tragedy strikes when the DiAngelos’ kayak overturns in the bay, and Brady wonders if it was more than an accident. Soon, Brady discovers the terrible truth behind the kayak’s sinking, and it will change the lives of those he loves forever. Priscilla Cummings deftly weaves a suspenseful tale of three teenagers caught in a wicked web of deception.Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom RiggsPublished by: Quirk BooksCopyright: 2003Reading Level: Upper Middle School to High SchoolLexile Level: 890LAge Level: 14-17Information: Three books in this series and the movie is coming out soon!Seventh Grade Science – recommendations from Mr. Hooper, Life Science Teacher at LDMSSilent Spring By Rachel CarsonPublished by First Mariner BooksCopyright: (first in 1962), most recent 2001Reading Level: AdultLexile Level: 1340 LAge Level: advanced readers with high interest in middle school could be successfulInformation from Rachel Carson’s?Silent Spring?was first published in three serialized excerpts in the?New Yorker?in June of 1962. The book appeared in September of that year and the outcry that followed its publication forced the banning of DDT and spurred revolutionary changes in the laws affecting our air, land, and water. Carson’s passionate concern for the future of our planet reverberated powerfully throughout the world, and her eloquent book was instrumental in launching the environmental movement. It is without question one of the landmark books of the twentieth century.?The Voyage of the Beagle by Charles DarwinPublished by Penguin BooksCopyright: (first in 1839), most recent 2015 by Create Space Independent PublishingReading Leve:l Middle School to AdultLexile Level: 1220LAge Level: advanced readers with high interest in middle school could be successfulInformation from About the Author: Charles Darwin was an English naturalist and author best-known for his revolutionary theories on the origin of species, human evolution, and natural selection. A life-long interest in the natural world led Darwin to neglect his medical studies and instead embark on a five-year scientific voyage on the HMS Beagle, where he established his reputation as a geologist and gathered much of the evidence that fueled his later theories. Under the Sea Wind by Rachel CarsonPublished by Unicorn PressCopyright: originally in the 1940’s, however there have been more recent, updating the illustrationsReading Level: Middle SchoolLexile Level: 770LAge Level: 8-12Information from “Under the Sea-Wind: A Naturalist's Picture of Ocean Life (1941) is the first book written by the American marine biologist Rachel Carson. Under the Sea Wind describes the behaviour of fish and seabirds accurately, but in story form, often using the scientific names of species as character names. Carson's stated goal in doing so was "to make the sea and its life as vivid a reality for those who may read the book as it has become for me during the past decade."A Sand County Almanac by Aldo LeopoldPublished by Oxford University PressCopyright: 1948Reading Level: Middle School to AdultLexile Level: unavailableInformation from “These astonishing portraits of the natural world explore the breathtaking diversity of the unspoiled American landscape -- the mountains and the prairies, the deserts and the coastlines. A stunning tribute to our land and a bold challenge to protect the world we love.”Seeds of Hope: Wisdom and Wonder from the World of Plants by Jane GoodallPublished by Grand Central Publishing Hachatte Book GroupCopyright: 2014Reading Level: Middle School to AdultLexile Level: unavailableInformation: This book is about the benefits and importance of plants and their conservation.The Life of the Spider by J. Henri Fabre – regarded by some as the Father of Entomology. He wrote several texts, mostly on insects.Published by ?CreateSpace Independent Publishing PlatformCopyright: 2015Reading Level: Upper Middle School to AdultLexile Level: unavailableInformation from “The Spider has a bad name: to most of us, she represents an odious, noxious animal, which everyone hastens to crush under foot. Against this summary verdict the observer sets the beast's industry, its talent as a weaver, its wiliness in the chase, its tragic nuptials and other characteristics of great interest. Yes, the Spider is well worth studying, apart from any scientific reasons; but she is said to be poisonous and that is her crime and the primary cause of the repugnance wherewith she inspires us.”Science World Magazine Recommended by Miss Dell, Life and Physical Science Teacher at LDMSMagazine is available by subscription at by ScholasticCopyright: current, with back issues availableReading Level: Grades 6-10This magazine is currently being used in the 7th and 8th grade science classes.Eighth Grade Science – Recommendations from Mrs. Weimer, 8th grade Physical Science TeacherThe Martian by Andy WeirPublished by Broadway BooksCopyright: 2014Reading Level: Middle School to AdultLexile Level: HL680LAge Level: 14-17Information from “Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars.?Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there.After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive.?Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first.?But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?”The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca SklootPublished by: Broadway BooksCopyright: 2011Reading Level: Upper Middle School to AdultLexile Level: 1140LAge Level: 14-17Information and book recommendation from Mrs. Weimer: Henrietta was a poor African American and they extracted the cells from a cancerous tumor she had without her consent and used it for research around the world.? Many vaccines we now have used her cells as part of the research to develop them.? The story also goes into the effects of her family and the controversy behind her family not knowing they used her cells.Seventh and Eighth Grade English – Recommendations from Mrs. Gilroy, 7th and 8th Grade English teacher at LDMSSpeak by Laurie Halse AndersonPublished by: Square FishCopyright: 2011Reading Level Upper Middle School to HighLexile Level: 840 LAge Level: 14-17Information: modern topics13 Reasons Why by Jay AsherPublished by RazorbillCopyright: 2011Reading Level: 7 and upLexile Level: 550LAge Level: 12-16Information: Bestseller; From - When Clay Jenson plays the cassette tapes he received in a mysterious package, he's surprised to hear the voice of dead classmate Hannah Baker. He's one of 13 people who receive Hannah's story, which details the circumstances that led to her suicide. Clay spends the rest of the day and long into the night listening to Hannah's voice and going to the locations she wants him to visit. The text alternates, sometimes quickly, between Hannah's voice (italicized) and Clay's thoughts as he listens to her words, which illuminate betrayals and secrets that demonstrate the consequences of even small actions. Hannah, herself, is not free from guilt, her own inaction having played a part in an accidental auto death and a rape. The message about how we treat one another, although sometimes heavy, makes for compelling reading.?The House of the Scorpion by Nancy FarmerPublished by: Atheneum Books for Young ReadersCopyright: 2004Reading Level: Middle School to AdultLexile Level: 660LAge Level: 11-19+Information from - Atteo Alacrán was not born; he was harvested.His DNA came from El Patrón, lord of a country called Opium--a strip of poppy fields lying between the United States and what was once called Mexico. Matt's first cell split and divided inside a petri dish. Then he was placed in the womb of a cow, where he continued the miraculous journey from embryo to fetus to baby. He is a boy now, but most consider him a monster--except for El Patrón. El Patrón loves Matt as he loves himself, because Matt is himself.Eleanor and Park by Rainbow RowellPublished by: St. Martin’s GriffinCopyright: 2013Reading Level: Middle School to AdultLexile Level: HL580LAge Level: 14-18Information from - An Amazon Best Book of the Month, March 2013: While?Eleanor & Park?is technically classified as YA lit and has a cutesy cover, don’t let the stigma of “books for teens” fool or deter you. It is written?about?teens, sure, but the themes are so universal that anyone who survived high school will relate to the lives of the two protagonists. Eleanor is the new girl in town and her wild red hair and patchwork outfits are not helping her blend in. She ends up sitting next to Park on the bus, whose tendencies towards comic books don’t jibe with the rest of his family’s love of sports. They sit in awkward silence every day until Park notices that Eleanor is reading his comics over his shoulder; he begins to slide them closer to her side of the seat and thus begins their love story. Their relationship grows gradually--making each other mixed tapes (it is 1986 after all) and discussing?X-Men?characters--until they both find themselves looking forward to the bus ride more than any other part of the day. Things aren’t easy: Eleanor is bullied at school and then goes home to a threatening family situation; Park’s parents do not approve of Eleanor’s awkward ways. Ultimately, though, this is a book about two people who just really, really like each other and who believe that they can overcome any obstacle standing in the way of their happiness. It’s a gem of a book.?--Caley AndersonThe Book Thief by Markus ZusakPublished by: Alfred A. KnopfCopyright: 2007Reading Level: Middle and upLexile Level: 730LInformation: holocaust historical fictionEighth Grade English – Recommendations from Miss Pfeffer, 8th Grade English teacher at LDMS The Harry Potter series by J.K. RowlingPublisher: Arthur A. Levine BooksCopyright: Boxed set – 2009Reading Level: Middle and upLexile Level: books range from 950L-1030LAge Level: high interest for readers –elementary to adultInformation: Really? Do you really need information on this? Teen Fiction.The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk KiddPublisher: Penguin BooksCopyright: 2003Reading Level: Middle and upLexile Level: 830LInformation: New York Times Best Seller, movieFever 1793 by Laurie Halse Andersen (and any of her other books)Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young ReadersCopyright: 2002Reading Level: Middle and upLexile Level: 580LAge Level: 10-15Information: Historical FictionMonster by Walter Dean MyersPublisher: AmistadCopyright: 2004Reading Level: Middle and upLexile Level: GN420LAge Level: 11-17Information from : The story of Steve Harmon, a teenage boy in juvenile detention and on trial. Presented as a screenplay of Steve's own imagination, and peppered with journal entries, the book shows how one single decision can change our whole lives.The Glory Field by Walter Dean MyersPublisher: Scholastic PaperbacksCopyright: 2008Reading Level: Middle and UpLexile Level: 800LInformation from : This is the story of one family. A family whose history saw its first ancestor captured, shackled, and brought to this country from Africa. A family who can still see remnants of the shackles that held some of its members captive -- even today. It is a story of pride, determination, struggle, and love. And of the piece of the land that holds them together throughout it all.Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers (pretty much anything by Walter Dean Myers)Publisher: Scholastic PaperbacksCopyright: 2008Reading Level: Middle and upLexile Level: 650LInformation from : A coming-of-age tale for young adults set in the trenches of the Vietnam War in the late 1960s, this is the story of Perry, a Harlem teenager who volunteers for the service when his dream of attending college falls through. Sent to the front lines, Perry and his platoon come face-to-face with the Vietcong and the real horror of warfare. But violence and death aren't the only hardships. As Perry struggles to find virtue in himself and his comrades, he questions why black troops are given the most dangerous assignments, and why the U.S. is even there at all.The Hobbit by J.R.R. TolkienPublisher: Houghton Mifflin HarcourtCopyright: 2012Reading Level: Middle and upLexile Level: 1000LAge Level: 13-17Information from : A great modern classic and prelude to The Lord of the RingsThe Lord of the Rings by J.R.R TolkienPublisher: Mariner Books – 50th AnniversaryCopyright: 2005Reading Level: Middle and upLexile Level: 860LInformation: fantasyThe Chronicles of NarniaPublisher: Harper FestivalCopyright: 2010Reading Level: Middle and upLexile Level: 870LInformation from : Epic battles between good and evil, fantastic creatures, betrayals, heroic deeds, and friendships won and lost all come together in this unforgettable world, which has been enchanting readers of all ages for over sixty years.The Outsiders by S.E. HintonPublisher: SpeakCopyright: Platinum Edition - 2006Reading Level: Middle and upLexile Level: 750LAge Level: 10-16Information from : Written over forty-five years ago,?The Outsiders?is a dramatic and enduring work of fiction. S. E. Hinton's classic story of a boy who finds himself on the outskirts of regular society remains as powerful today as it was the day it was first published.The Life of Pi by Yann MartelPublisher: Mariner BooksCopyright: 2003Reading Level: Middle and upLexile Level: 830LAge Level: 14-adultInformation from : The son of a zookeeper, Pi Patel has an encyclopedic knowledge of animal behavior and a fervent love of stories. When Pi is sixteen, his family emigrates from India to North America aboard a Japanese cargo ship, along with their zoo animals bound for new homes.?Code Name Verity- Elizabeth WeinPublisher: Disney-HyperionCopyright: reprinted in 2013Reading Level: middle and upLexile Level: 1012LAge Level: 14-17Information from : Oct. 11th, 1943-A British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France. Its pilot and passenger are best friends. One of the girls has a chance at survival. The other has lost the game before it's barely begun.Prisoner B- 3087 by Alan GratzPublisher: Scholastic PressCopyright: 2003Reading Level: Middle and upLexile Level: 760LAge Level: 11-13Information: Historical FictionProjekt 1065 by Alan GratzPublisher: Scholastic PressCopyright: 2013Reading Level: Middle and upLexile Level: 780LAge Level: 9-12Information from : From acclaimed author Alan Gratz (Prisoner B-3087) comes a pulse-pounding novel about facing fears and fighting for what matters most.Code of Honor by Alan GratzPublisher: Scholastic PressCopyright: 2015Reading Level: Middle and upLexile Level: HL660LAge Level: 12-17Information from : From the acclaimed of author of?Prisoner B-3087, a timely, heart-racing action-adventure about the War on Terror -- and the bond between brothers.The Help by Katherine StockettPublisher: BerkleyCopyright: reprinted in 2011Reading Level: middle and upLexile Level: 730LAge Level: 14-19+Information from : Aibileen is a black maid in 1962 Jackson, Mississippi, who's always taken orders quietly, but lately she's unable to hold her bitterness back. Her friend Minny has never held her tongue but now must somehow keep secrets about her employer that leave her speechless. White socialite Skeeter just graduated college. She's full of ambition, but without a husband, she's considered a failure. Together, these seemingly different women join together to write a tell-all book about work as a black maid in the South that could forever alter their destinies and the life of a small town...Counseling ResourcesRecommendations and Information from Mrs. Schaefer, guidance counselor at LDMSFor Students:Fire In My Heart, Ice In My Veins by Enid Samuel-Traisman.? It is a journal for teenagers experiencing a lossPublished by: Centering CorporationCopyright: 1992Reading Level Middle School to AdultInformation: A journal for teenagers experiencing a lossFor parents:Good resources on Adolescent Girls –?Reviving Ophelia – Mary Pipher, Ph.D Published by: Riverhead BooksCopyright: 2005Lexile Level: 900LInformation: Everyday dangers of being a femaleOdd Girl Out by Rachel Simmons Published by: Mariner BooksCopyright: 2011Lexile Level: 980LInformation: Hidden Aggression in GirlsAdolescent Boys Real Boys by William Pollack Published by: Owl BooksCopyright: 1999Information: Rescuing our sons from the Myths of BoyhoodThe Parent Institute. An on line website with a number of resources available for parents to help their children in many different areas.Published by The Parent InstituteReading recommendations by Mrs. Engle, reading teacher at is a general, current event site available free, onlineTechnology Education – Recommendations provided as links by Mr. Fox, Tech Ed Teacher at LDMSEducational Technology Blogs Creator5 Free Audio ToolsRoyalty Free AudioImcompetechDanoSongsSound EffectsJamendoVideo/AnimationVideoScribeGo AnimateTop 5 Animated Video SoftwaresEdpuzzle GraphicsThe 5 Best Free Drawing and Painting ToolsPhotographyPicmonkey5 Free Desktop Image EditorsWebsite CreationWixImCreatorOnline TutorialsKhan GCF Learn FreeBrain GenieArt History – Recommendations and information provided by Mr. Gawron and Mrs. Nagle, LDMS Art TeachersHistory of Art?for Young People by Anthony JansenPublished by: Prentice HallCopyright: 1997Reading Level: middle gradesLexile Level:Age Level:Information: this is a popular book for the middle school level studentsThe?Annotated Mona Lisa by Carol StricklandPublished by: Andrews McMeel PublishingCopyright: 2007 Reading Level: see belowInformation: Art history overview that is easy to read but not designed for the Middle School levelHow to draw…Information: at this point, if a student wants to draw something, it’s probably easier to just look it up and follow steps on you tube (with parental supervision of course)MagazinesScholastic Art Published by: ScholasticCopyright: currentReading Level: MiddleInformation: These magazines are great and are used in the classrooms. Online subscriptions are available we use them in our room. Students can subscribe to the online version (we aren't sure if you can subscribe for just 1 paper copy)Music – Recommendations by Music Teacher Mrs. Connell?Wicked: The Grimmerie, A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Hit Broadway Musical by David CotePublished by: ?Hachette BooksCopyright: 2005Reading Level: 7th grade and upInformation: A behind the scenes look at the musical.Riverdance?by Sam SmythPublished by: Trafalgar SquareCopyright: 1997Reading level: 7th grade and upInformation from : An illustrated account of the success of Riverdance, which charts how a seven minute Eurovision showpiece, designed to fill an interlude during the TV show, has gone on to become a hugely popular theatrical phenomenon.Music by DKPublished by: DKCopyright: 2013Reading Level: 7th grade and upInformation:? nice overview of instruments, their history, and great photos!Music – Recommendations by Music Teacher Mr. DickinsonGarage Band for iPad by Robert BrockPublished by: Peachpit PressCopyright: 2011Reading Level: AllInformation from : GarageBand for iPad is truly a revolutionary tool that inspires the music maker in anyone by making song creation simple and fun. In this book you'll see how to use GarageBand's unique tools make it easy to explore the musical concepts of rhythm, chords and melody–even if you’ve never created your own song before. You'll see how to quickly create music using iPad's revolutionary and fun Touch Instruments, as well as how to record your own voice, guitar and more. Once you've laid down your tracks, you'll discover how to edit, arrange and tweak the sound of your song so that you can share your masterpiece with the world.Uproot: Travels in 21st-Century Music and Digital Culture?by Jace Clayton?Published by: FSG OriginalsCopyright: 2016Reading Level: Upper Middle to AdultInformation from : In 2001 Jace Clayton was an unknown DJ who recorded a three-turntable, sixty-minute mix and put it online to share with friends. Within weeks, Gold Teeth Thief became an international calling card, whisking Clayton away to play a nightclub in Zagreb, a gallery in Osaka, a former brothel in Sao Paolo, and the American Museum of Natural History. Just as the music world made its fitful, uncertain transition from analog to digital, Clayton found himself on the front lines of creative upheavals of art production in the twenty-first century globalized world.Uproot?is a guided tour of this newly-opened cultural space. With humor, insight, and expertise, Clayton illuminates the connections between a Congolese hotel band and the indie-rock scene, Mexican rodeo teens and Israeli techno, and Whitney Houston and the robotic voices is rural Moroccan song, and offers an unparalleled understanding of music in the digital age.Family and consumer science: for those kids interested in sewing/textiles/fashion recommendations made by Mrs. Spayed, FCS here at LDMSGoldy Bear Culinary Mysteries (A series) by Diane Mott DavidsonPublished by:Copyright: Reading level:Information: A fun mystery series with a caterer as the main character Sewing Resource sites ? (A comprehensive list of sewing resources books – I have a few of these in my personal collection.)Leisure reading series/book listDeadly Notions Mysteries by Cate PricePublished by: BerkleyCopyright: 2013Reading level: Middle SchoolInformation: Mystery set in PennsylvaniaMagical Dressmaking Mysteries by Melissa BourbonPublished by: NALCopyright: 2015Reading level: Middle SchoolInformation: A seriesNeedlecraft Mysteries by Monica FerrisPublished by: BerkleyCopyright: 2009Reading level: Middle SchoolInformation: A seriesVintage Magic Mysteries by Annette BlairPublished by: BerkleyCopyright: 2012Reading level: Middle SchoolInformation: A seriesFamily and Consumer Science – Cooking: Recommendations made by Mrs. Amici here at the LDMSEat This Not That by David ZinczenkoPublished by: RodaleCopyright: 2008Reading level: Middle School and upInformation from Amazon: “This book puts the entire food industry under the spotlight, and arms you with the savvy tricks and insider information it takes to eat well no matter where you are.”Chew On This by Charles WilsonPublished by: Houghton MifflinCopyright: 2007Reading level: Middle School and upLexile Level: 1110LInformation from Amazon: #1 Bestseller in Teen and Young adult diet and nutrition Fast Food Nation by Eric SchlosserPublished by: Mariner BooksCopyright: 2012Reading level: Middle School and upLexile Level: 1240LInformation from Amazon: #1 Bestseller in Agriculture Industry Resources recommended by Mrs. Bigler, gifted support teacher at LDMSThe Gifted Teen Survival Guide: Smart, Sharp and Ready for Almost Anything by Judy Galbraith and Jim Delisle Published by Free Sprit Publishing, Inc.Copyright 2011Lexile Level: 1150LAge Level: 11 and upReading Level – Middle School and upInformation from on new surveys of nearly 1,500 gifted teens, this book is the ultimate guide to thriving in a world that doesn’t always support or understand high ability. Full of surprising facts, survey results, and step-by-step strategies, inspiring teen quotes, and insightful expert essays, the guide gives readers the tools they need to appreciate their giftedness as an asset and use it to make the most of who they are. The fourth edition has been revised for a new generation of high-end learners and includes information on twice-exceptionality, emotional and social intelligence, creativity, teen brain development, managing life online, testing and standards, homeschooling, International Baccalaureate programs, college alternatives, STEM careers, cyberbullying, and other hot topics.The Story of Science: Einstein Adds a New Dimension by Joy HaikimPublished by Smithsonian BooksCopyright 2007Reading Level – Middle to AdultLexile Level: 1000LAge Level: 11-13Information: One of my (Mrs. Bigler’s) favorite authors – writing non-fiction for “young readers”. Mrs. Hakim writes for the reader to truly understand the topic! ................
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