Pollard's 2023 Summer Reading Program
Summer reading is important for all students, for it fosters a lifelong love of reading and helps students maintain the gains in reading comprehension skills they make during the school year. For this reason, we expect all rising 7th and 8th graders to read a minimum of two books over the summer, but we encourage you to read more!
Please refer to the Pollard Summer Reading Letter for more detailed information in addition to what is found on this page.
Book 1: Because reading a book together builds and expands a sense of community, Pollard is asking all students to choose at least one book from the grade-level list: Rising 7th Grade List & Rising 8th Grade List
Book 2: Students are also expected to read at least one additional book of their choice. Students should choose new books rather than reread titles they have read in the past. For their second choice, students are not limited to books on the required list, but they may choose from it. We encourage parents to help students make good choices, taking into consideration your child's reading level, maturity, and interests.
If you have any questions about summer reading over the summer, please email Pollard's ELA Coordinator Liz Welburn.
See below for suggestions and ideas for your second book.
Suggestions for the Free Choice Summer Reading Book
1. Sora Summer Reading Resources (see below)
Tip: tap the three dots to view this in full screen.
Sora has many great books and is always adding more! You may be able to get access to your required grade level choice through Sora as well. If you add all the available Massachusetts public library networks, you will have a good chance of finding most books you're looking for. See this library webpage for information about how to add more libraries and use Sora.
3. Book Recommendations and Reviews for Teens and Tweens
Webpage with many different lists and review websites, all focused on books for teens
4. Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, 1997-2003
Tip: sort by "Year Published" for most recent books on top
5. Pollard Library Recommendations: Below is a table with some recommendations that would appeal to a wide range of students. Use the tabs in the green bar at the top of the table to switch to different genres. You can also filter for more specific topics and formats. The User Guide on the first page has more information and tips.