Summer is such a great time to read! I am crazy busy during the school year and feel “guilty” if I sit down to read. However, during the sumer I allow myself time to kick back, relax and just do some readin’.

Among some of the books I have chosen to  read this month are middle school (4-6th grade) and  junior high (7th-8th grade) books. I scrapped quite a few that were recommended on websites. Twaddle (a Charlotte Mason term) is a word that best describes those titles and I ended up whittling the towering stack of books down to ones that I thought were either interesting, funny, or thought-provoking. All of these books can be found at the local library.

The Great Brain John D. Fitzgerald  *MS  This series is one of my all-time favorites. Tom, the older brother of the narrator, is always scheming to make money and in his little brother’s eyes he’s “The Great  Brain”. I have read them to students in third grade and sixth grade. These are books that are universally loved.

Far Flung Adventures: Fergus Crane, Paul Stewart, Chris Riddell  *MS  I loved this book! Very creative, funny and original. The illustrations are interesting as well.

Perloo the Bold, Avi  *MS Timid and fearful Perloo becomes an unwilling leader in this tale.

Because of Winn-Dixie Kate Di Camillo  *MS,*JH I enjoyed this book because of the transformation of the narrator. A great book to discuss.

The Witch of Blackbird Pond Elizabeth George Speare *JH Don’t let the title fool you, there aren’t really any witches. This is  a terrific read.

Calico Captive Elizabeth George Speare *JH Based upon a true story during the French and Indian War.

Bronze Bow Elizabeth George Speare *JH A Newberry award winner of a story of a young man whose life is changed after hearing the teachings of Jesus.

The Westing Game– Ellen Raskin  *JH A mystery with a twist that will keep readers engaged in trying to figure out “who dun-it” or didn’t!

Watership Down– Richard Adams  *JH An adventure story of courage and fortitude. This would be a great book to discuss character issues with your children.

Maniac Magee Jerry Spinelli *JH A Newberry Award winner about a young man who doesn’t see “color” in a town that is divided. I ended up crying although I didn’t expect to do so.

*MS= Middle School

*JH= Junior High

I realize that many middle school students can read older level books, but it doesn’t always mean that they understand the complexity of a story. Therefore, I listed some titles as junior high rather than middle school.