Greetings!
Here is the summer reading list.  I have chosen books of varying levels of difficulty and topics.  Additionally, these have always been considered high-interest or “good” books by past students and of high literary value.  I have also tried to choose books that are the first in a series or by authors who have written several high-interest works, so if students really like a book, they can easily find a similar work.  Students should read at least two books over the summer and submit two letter-essays, one on each book. You will find directions for the letter-essay below. The first book should be from the list below. The second book can be either another book from the list, or it can be another book by the same author of the first book read. The letter-essays are due on the first day of school but can be sent to me care of the school anytime over the summer.

A. Pietrus
8th Grade LA Teacher
Our Lady of Lourdes School


Airborn – Opel, Kenneth
First Test – Pierce, Tamora
Into Thin Air – Krakauer, Jon (note: contains coarse language)
Foundling –  Cornish, D.M.
The Outsiders – Hinton, S.E.
Stargirl  - Spinelli, Jerry
Hatchet – Paulsen, Gary
The Lightning Thief – Riordan, Rick
Summer of My German Soldier – Greene, Bette

Letter-Essay Directions
Each letter-essay should be approximately 350-500 words. You should use a standard 10-12 point font. Each letter essay should be a personal yet well considered response to one book. That is to say, it is not to be a series of paragraphs about a series of books but a long look at the one book on which you are writing. I hope you have chosen one of the books that you think you will enjoy and that will intrigue you.
Before you write, look back over your reading. Think about what you have read and what it taught you, or what about it made you think.
Skim it, and select at least one passage you think is significant, in terms of how you reacted to the books theme, problem, character development, or plot arc, or to the author’s style. Choose a chunk of the text that you think shows something essential. In your letter-essay, quote – copy – the passage you chose, and write about what you think it shows about the book, the author, or your response to either. (Nancie Atwell In The Reading Zone. 77)
You might wish to do something else in a letter-essay. Maybe you want to discuss the themes in the book. Tell me what surprised you. Talk about questions you might have for the author or characters in the book.