Welcome to Connally Middle School’s Summer Reading!
As a Northside student, we encourage you to read at least one novel of your choice this summer. Reading helps you grow your vocabulary, inspires great writing, sharpens your critical thinking, and sparks your imagination. Your only summer assignment is to read and be ready to discuss your book when school begins.
Book Choices:
You may pick any book you like! The list below offers popular options to get you started. Titles with an asterisk (*) are approved by Northside ISD. If you want to read something else, please research it and talk with your family first. Questions? Email Melissa Estrada at [email protected].
Accessing Books:
Check out digital books through your school library on Sora, Libby, or the San Antonio Public Library.
Summer Reading is required for Advanced ELA students in grades 6-8 but open to everyone!
Suggested Books by Popular Topics
What’s Love Got to Do With It? (Romance)
★ Beastly by Alex Flinn
★ Drama by Raina Telgemeier
★ The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora by Pablo Cartaya
★ Shug by Jenny Han
★ Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
There’s No Place Like Home (Sci-Fi, Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic)
★ Cinder by Marissa Meyer
★ City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
★ Legend by Marie Lu
★ Matched by Ally Condie
★ Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
That’s Sus (Mystery)
★ 39 Clues: The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan
★ Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan
★ Holes by Louis Sachar
★ Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass
★ Masterminds by Gordon Korman
A Picture in Time (Historical Novels)
★ A Night Divided by Jennifer Nielsen
★ The Boys Who Challenged Hitler by Phillip Hoose
★ Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse
★ Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys (8th Grade)
★ They Called Us Enemy by George Takei
Who Runs the World? (Strong Female Protagonists)
★ Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
★ The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
★ The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
★ Maybe a Fox by Kathi Appelt and Alison McGhee
★ Sky Jumpers by Peggy Eddleman
★ The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin
Boy Meets World (Strong Male Protagonists)
★ Crash by Jerry Spinelli
★ Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
★ The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
★ The Maze Runner by James Dashner
★ Ranger’s Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan
Middle School Mirrors (Relatable Middle School Stories)
★ New Kid by Jerry Craft
★ Schooled by Gordon Korman
★ The Schwa Was Here by Neal Shusterman
★ Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
★ Zack Delacruz: Me and My Big Mouth by Jeff Anderson
Leaving Our Mark on the World (Coming of Age)
★ American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
★ Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
★ The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
★ Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick
★ Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick
★ Ghost by Jason Reynolds
So True! (Nonfiction & Memoir)
★ Bee Fearless: Dream Like a Kid by Mikaila Ulmer
★ The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (Young Readers Edition) by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer
★ Guts by Gary Paulsen
★ How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of The Awfully Famous by Georgia Bragg
★ I Am Malala (Young Reader’s Edition) by Christina Lamb and Malala Yousafzai
★ They Called Us Enemy by George Takei
Happy summer reading, Connally Coyotes! We can’t wait to hear about your book when school starts. 📚✨