Middle School Required Reading

If you are new to Crefeld, we welcome you to the Middle School!  

Summer is here, and no better time to read a book!

All MS students are required to read The Other Side of the Island by Allegra Goodman.

Additionally, all students MUST read another book of their choosing at the middle grade level or up or have your child take a look at the list below for possibilities and pick a book that interests him/her/them. The books range in content, genre, length, and reading level. This should not be a book that students have read before. Please click here to access the MS reading assignment in its entirety.

9/10 Recommended Reading

Crefeld’s rising 9/10 English students are strongly encouraged–but not required–to read at least one of these books during the summer of 2023. Each group of texts corresponds to one of the units we will be studying under the Humanities theme of “American Identities” in 2023-24.

  • Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich (more challenging)

  • There There by Tommy Orange (more challenging)

  • The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (less challenging)

  • Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (more challenging)

  • The Hate U Give or Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas (moderately challenging)

  • Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson (less challenging)

  • The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros (less challenging)

  • Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wang (more challenging)

  • Good Talk: A (Graphic) Memoir in Conversations by Mira Jacob (less challenging) NB: This book broaches some controversial current political topics.

  • Interior Chinatown: A Novel by Charles Yu (more challenging) NB: This book is the “One Book, One Philadelphia” citywide selection of the Philadelphia Public Library for 2023. 

11/12 Recommended Reading

Students are encouraged to read ONE book on the list during the summer, but there will be time at the beginning of the year to accomplish this. The first unit for English 11/12 will be Banned Books, which coincides with Banned Books Week. In addition to time for students to complete the reading, classes will complete various activities regarding banned books in general, eventually doing assignments related directly to their chosen books. Here are suggested Summer Reading Books, which will segue into the first unit of the year - Banned Books.

  • The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

  • The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

  • All Boys Aren't Blue George M. Johnson

  • The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

  • Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

  • The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien

7/8, 9/10, & 11/12 Math Classwork through Kahn Academy

Crefeld is strongly suggesting, but not requiring, students to take part in one of the following math classes this summer. Choose the class that is appropriate for your math level.

PRE-ALGEBRA: Here is the link to the Pre-Algebra summer work.

ALGEBRA 1: Here is the link to the Algebra 1 summer work.

ALGEBRA 2: Here is the link to the Algebra 2 summer work. 

GEOMETRY: Here is the link to the Geometry summer work. 

PRE-CALCULUS: Here is the link to the Pre-Calculus summer work.

Any questions about this or any summer work can be directed to Gena Lopata, Dean of Faculty - glopata@crefeld.org