Gr. 7 Lit. Survey

READING LIST FOR SEVENTH GRADE STUDENTS:
a one-year survey of 52 novels for seventh-grade students
who are competent readers

Once you are a competent reader, you should no longer focus on improving your skill level. Instead, you should focus on expanding your knowledge and appreciation of literature while still maintaining your skill level. One way to do this is to use a reading list that will expose you to many different genres, to many different authors and to some of the classics. If you read one novel per week, you will have read all these books by the end of a year.

Canadian Authors
These novels will introduce you to a few great Canadian writers.
Ellis, Deborah. Sacred Leaf. (AR 4.9)
Hughes, Monica. Devil on My Back.
Little, Jean. Willow and Twig. (AR 5.0)
Matas, Carol. Daniel’s Story. (AR 4.9)
Mowat, Farley. Lost in the Barrens. (AR 6.6)
Oppel, Kenneth. Airborn. (AR 5.1)
Pearson, Kit. Perfect Gentle Knight. (AR 4.4)
Smucker, Barbara. Days of Terror. (AR 5.8)
Walters, Eric. Caged Eagles. (AR 4.7)

International Authors
These books will give you an overview of some great writers from other countries.
Babbitt, Natalie. Tuck Everlasting. (American; AR 5.0)
Bondoux, Anne-Laure. The Killer’s Tears. (French; AR 5.3)
Boyne, John. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. (Irish; AR 5.8)
Cleaver, Vera. Where the Lilies Bloom. (American; AR 5.2)
Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. (American; AR 5.3)
Defoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe. (British; AR 12.3)
Dickens. Charles. A Christmas Carol. (British; AR 6.7)
Fox, Helen. Eager. (American; AR 5.0)
Garfield, Leon. Smith. (British; AR 6.1)
Gordon, Roderick. Tunnels. (British; AR 7.0)
Hobbs, Will. Ghost Canoe. (American; AR 5.9)
Konigsburg, E.L. Silent to the Bone. (American; AR 5.4)
London, Jack. The Call of the Wild. (American; AR 8.0)
McCaffrey, Anne. Dragonsong. (American; AR 6.8)
Naidoo, Beverley. The Other Side of Truth. (South African; AR 5.3)
Nix, Garth. Mister Monday. (Australian; AR 5.9)
Paterson, Katherine. The Day of the Pelican. (American; AR 5.2)
Paulsen, Gary. How Angel Peterson Got His Name. (American; AR 6.0)
Peck, Richard. Here Lies the Librarian. (American; AR 5.1)
Pratchett, Terry. Diggers. (British; AR 4.4)
Riordan, Rick. The Lightning Thief. (American; AR 4.7)
Sewell, Anna. Black Beauty. (British; AR 7.7)
Spinelli, Jerry. Stargirl. (American; AR 4.2)
Stevenson, Robert Louis. Treasure Island. (Scottish; AR 8.3)
Verne, Jules. Around the World in Eighty Days. (French; AR 9.6)

Newbery Winners
The Newbery Award was named after a British bookseller who lived in the 1700s: John Newbery. Every year, the American Library Association recognizes one author for making the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. Note that this is an American award and so many outstanding books from other countries are not eligible. Therefore, it is important to also read great literature from other countries. Keeping that in mind, here are some Newbery novels especially suitable for seventh-grade students:
Alexander, Lloyd. The High King. (1969 Medal Winner; AR 6.1)
Bond, Nancy. A String in the Harp. (1977 Honor Book; AR 5.2)
Couloumbis, Audrey. Getting Near to Baby. (2001 Honor Book; AR 5.1)
Fox, Paula. One-eyed Cat. (1985 Honor Book; AR 5.4)
Gipson, Fred. Old Yeller. (1957 Honor Book; AR 5.0)
Hamilton, Virginia. The Planet of Junior Brown. (1972 Honor Book; AR 5.1)
Henkes, Kevin. Olive’s Ocean. (2004 Honor Book; AR 4.7)
Hesse, Karen. Out of the Dust. (1998 Medal Winner; AR 5.3)
L’Engle, Madeline. A Wrinkle in Time. (1963 Medal Winner; AR 4.7)
Lowry, Lois. The Giver. (1994 Medal Winner; AR 5.7)
North, Sterling. Rascal. (1964 Medal Winner; AR 7.1)
Rylant, Cynthia. Missing May. (1993 Medal Winner; AR 5.3)
Sachar, Louis. Holes. (1999 Medal Winner; AR 4.6)
Schmidt, Gary D. The Wednesday Wars. (2008 Honor Book; AR 5.9)
Speare, Elizabeth George. The Bronze Bow. (1962 Medal Winner: AR 5.0)
Taylor, Mildred D. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. (1977 Medal Winner; AR 5.7)
Ullman, James Ramsey. Banner in the Sky. (1955 Honor Book; AR 5.1)
Voigt, Cynthia. Dicey’s Song. (1983 Medal Winner; AR 5.0)

[This page may be copied for use with students if the following credit is provided: ©2010 Sophie Rosen.]

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