Summer Reading – 8th Grade

Dear Class of 2022 Families,

It’s time for a well-deserved summer break, and many of you have already inquired about summer reading. Rising 8th Grade students are tasked with reading TWO books of their choice.

Students are encouraged to choose a book that truly interests them. The Rhode Island Teen Book Award Nominees List offers engaging and diverse choices, and your local library will also have some excellent recommendations. Students should also feel free to select books that do not appear on any of these lists – the important thing is that they read, read, read!

The required reading and all the books on the suggested reading list are Young Adult (YA) fiction, which is generally recognized as fiction written for readers aged 13-18. Often written in the first person, common themes in YA literature are: friendship, first loves, family, relationships, and identity. At times, these books address difficult or controversial topics that are of particular interest to teens. Though classified as YA, many adults enjoy this genre as well; as such, I encourage you to read and discuss the books your child chooses to explore this summer. Common Sense Media is an excellent website that offers tools, such as parent guides and discussion questions, to help you talk about these books with your child.

As always, I encourage students to take notes, highlight, and mark passages as they read; they should be ready to explore and analyze the novels they have read when we return in September.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email me; I will be checking my email periodically throughout the summer.

I wish you all a relaxing summer break!

Courtney Huth