RMS Reading
~ SIXTH GRADE PAGE ~

Everyone At Richmond Reads!

All English teachers at the Richmond School ask their students to read a minimum of two books over the summer and hope they will read a great deal more. This page contains the sixth grade list and links to the lists for 7th and 8th graders. The sixth grade list contains new books from Vermont's Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award List and New Hampshire's Great Stoneface Award List.

The Seventh Grade List contains brief reviews written over the years by students leaving the seventh grade; the Eighth Grade List contains a wide selection of books listed by genre: fantasy and science fiction, historical fiction, realistic fiction, and non-fiction. You can access Howe Library as well with many links. The lists are not meant to be exclusive or definitive; they are simply an expression of Richmond's deep commitment to pleasure reading. All teachers encourage students to read books which they are comfortable reading in terms of difficulty and enjoy reading because of subject matter or genre.

SIXTH GRADE SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENT: Below the lists!

2007-2008 Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award

The Dorothy Canfield Children's Book Award was first given in 1957. It is co-sponsored by the Vermont State PTA and the Vermont Department of Libraries. These books, to be read during the school year, comprise the master list for the award. Students vote each spring for their favorite book. All information below came from the DCF website.

Vermont Students Choose 2007 Winner:
Flush by Carl Hiassen

You know it's going to be a rough summer when you spend Father's Day visiting your dad in the local lockup. Noah's dad is sure that the owner of the Coral Queen casino boat is flushing raw sewage into the harbor-which has made taking a dip at the local beach like swimming in a toilet. He can't prove it though, and so he decides that sinking the boat will make an effective statement. Right. The boat is pumped out and back in business within days and Noah's dad is stuck in the clink.

Now Noah is determined to succeed where his dad failed. He will prove that the Coral Queen is dumping illegally . . . somehow. His allies may not add up to much-his sister Abbey, an unreformed childhood biter; Lice Peeking, a greedy sot with poor hygiene; Shelly, a bartender and a woman scorned; and a mysterious pirate-but Noah's got a plan to flush this crook out into the open. A plan that should sink the crooked little casino, once and for all. ~ Barnes & Noble

2007-2008 DCF BOOKS - VT Students Vote in the Spring!

Abbott, Tony.  Firegirl.  A middle school boyís life is changed when Jessica, a girl disfigured by burns, starts attending his Catholic school while receiving treatment at a local hospital.

Anderson, M. T.  The Clue of the Linoleum Lederhosen.  Looking forward to a vacation, Katie, Lily and Jasper attach their flying Gyroscopic Sky Suite to Moose Tongue Lodge and Resort, where they mingle with other child heroes found in books, and where they become embroiled in a mystery involving lederhosen-clothed quintuplets and a screaming ventriloquist.

Auch, Mary Jane. One-Handed Catch.  A strong sense of purpose, leavened by generous doses of humor and post-World War II period detail, drives this story of a resilient middle-grader who demonstrates that having one hand is an opportunity rather than a handicap.

Dowell, Frances Oí Roark.  Phineas L. MacGuireÖErupts!. $15.95.  ISBN 1-4169-0195-7. Gr 4 up.  Fourth-grade science whiz Phineas L. MacGuire is forced to team up with the new boy in class on a science fair project, but the boyís quirky personality causes Phineas to wonder if they have any chance of winning.

Ellis, Sarah, Odd Man Out. Twelve-year-old Kip goes to his grandmotherís house in British Columbia while his mother and stepfather are on their honeymoon, and finds an unexpected treasure hidden within the walls of the attic.

Fleischman, Sid.  Escape!: The Story of the Great Houdini.  A biography of the magician, ghost chaser, aviator, and king of escape artists whose amazing feats are remembered long after his death in 1926. 

Fleischman, Sid.  The White Elephant.  In old Siam, young elephant trainer Run-Run and his old charge, Walking Mountain, must deal with the curse of a sacred white elephant.

Fletcher, Susan.  Alphabet of Dreams.  Fourteen-year-old Mitra, of royal Persian lineage, and her five-year-old brother Babak, whose dreams foretell the future, flee for their lives in the company of the magus Melchior and two other Zoroastrian priests, traveling through Persia as they follow star signs leading to a newly-born king in Bethlehem. 

Freedman, Russell.  The Adventures of Marco Polo. A beautifully illustrated look at Marco Poloís life, journeys, including a discussion about what was true in his tale and what was not.

Hatkoff, Isabella.  Owen & Mzee. The true story of a hippopotamus orphaned by the December, 2004 tsunami and his friendship with a giant Aldabra tortoise.

Hobbs, Will. Crossing The Wire.  Fifteen-year old Victor Flores journeys north in a desperate attempt to cross the Arizona border and find work in the United States to support his family in central Mexico.

Kadohata, Cynthia.  Weedflower.    After twelve-year-old Sumiko and her Japanese-American family are relocated from their flower farm in southern California to an interment camp on an Indian reservation in Arizona, she helps her family and neighbors, becomes friends with a local Indian boy, and tries to hold on to her dream of owning a flower shop.

Key, Watt.  Alabama Moon.   After the death of his father, ten-year-old Moon leaves their forest shelter home and is sent to an Alabama institution, becoming entangled in the outside world he has never known and making good friends, a relentless enemy, and finally a new life.

Kurlansky, Mark. The Story of Salt. The story of the only rock we eat, including its origin, the other discoveries made because of it, and tales of salt and the people who have been involved with it through the ages.

Larson, Kirby.  Hattie Big Sky. After inheriting her uncleís homesteading claim in Montana, sixteen-year-old orphan Hattie Brooks travels from Iowa in 1917 to make a home for herself.

Lawrence, Iain.  Gemini Summer.  Dannyís grief over the death of his older brother Beau is eased when a stray puppy adopts him, but he soon decides that Beau is somehow in the dog, and sets out to make his brotherís dream of seeing a rocket launch at Cape Kennedy come true.

Leavitt, Martine.  Keturah and Lord Death.   When sixteen-year-old Keturah follows a legendary hart into the forest she becomes lost, and eventually Lord Death comes to claim her, but when she is able to charm him with her story she gains a reprieve of twenty-four hours, if she can find her one true love.

Lisle, Janet Taylor.  Black Duck.    Years afterwards, Ruben Hart tells the story of how, in 1929 Newport, Rhode Island, his family and his best friendís family were caught up in the violent competition among groups trying to control the local rum-smuggling trade. 

Lord, Cynthia.  Rules.  Frustrated at life with an autistic brother, twelve-year-old Catherine longs for a normal existence but her world is further complicated by a friendship with a young paraplegic.

Lowry, Lois. Gossamer. While learning to bestow dreams, a young dream giver tries to save an eight-year-old boy from the effects of both his abusive past and the nightmares inflicted on him by the frightening Sinisteeds.

Nuzum, K.A.  A Small White Scar. Fifteen-year-old Will Bennon's brother Denny has Down syndrome, but when Will is ready to leave his familyís ranch and become a professional cowboy, Denny unexpectedly joins the journey. 

Paterson, Katherine.  Bread and Roses, Too. Jake and Rosa form an unlikely friendship as they try to survive and understand the 1912 Bread and Roses strike of mill workers in Lawrence, MA and later are sent to Barre, Vermont.

Patron, Susan.  The Higher Power of Lucky.  Fearing that her legal guardian plans to abandon her to return to France, ten-year-old aspiring scientist Lucky Trimble determines to run away while also continuing to seek the Higher Power that will bring stability to her life.

Pearsall, Shelley.  All of the Above. Four urban middle school students, their teacher, and other community members relate how a school project to build the worldís largest tetrahedron affects the lives of everyone involved. 

Schlitz, Laura Amy.  A Drowned Maidenís Hair. At the Barbary Asylum for Female Orphans, eleven-year-old Maud is adopted by three spinster sisters moonlighting as mediums who take her home and reveal to her the role she will play in their séances.

Shinn, Sharon.  The Dream-Makerís Magic.  Kellenís mother insisted her only child was born a male and raised her as a boy till she was forced to go to school.  Then she became friends with Gryffin who would become the new Dream-Maker of their village. 

Springer, Nancy.  The Case of the Missing Marquess. Enola Holmes, much younger sister of detective Sherlock Holmes, must travel to London in disguise to unravel the disappearance of her missing mother.

Tolan, Stephanie S.  Listen.    During her solitary convalescence from a crippling accident, twelve-year-old Charley finds a wild dog, and the arduous process of training him leads her to explore her feelings about her mother's death two years earlier.

Turner, Megan Whalen. The King of Attolia. Eugenides, still known as the Thief of Eddis, faces palace intrigue and assassins as he strives to prove himself both to the people of Attolia and to his new bride, their queen.

Winthrop, Elizabeth. Counting on Grace.   Itís 1910 in Pownal, Vermont.  At 12, Grace and her best friend Arthur must go to work in the mill, helping their mothers work the looms.  Together Grace and Arthur write a secret letter to the Child Labor Board about underage children working in the mill.  A few weeks later Lewis Hine, a famous reformer, arrives undercover to gather evidence.

2007-2008 Great Stone Face Book Award

The Great Stone Face Book Award is sponsored by the Children's Librarians of New Hampshire (CHILIS)and is given each year to an author whose book receives the most votes from fourth through sixth graders throughout the state. Each year a committee chooses 25 recently published titles, which children then use as a guide for voting. The vote takes place every April during National Library Week, and the winner is announced in May. The purpose of the award is to promote reading enjoyment, to increase awareness of contemporary writing, and to allow children to honor their favorite author. All information came from the Dover Public Library website. Check out the illustrated covers of all the books, with annotations on this site.

New Hampshire Students Choose 2007 Winner:
The Ghost's Grave by Peg Kehret

Josh is thrilled when he makes the baseball team; now he'll be able to practice all summer with the guys. But then his mom and Steven (her significant other) announce they have a job that will take them to India for the summer, and Josh will spend his summer with an eccentric aunt who lives thousands of miles away. Talk about a summer gone bad!

On Josh's very first night, his aunt hauls out a rifle and shoots a bat, which falls down behind a cupboard, to remain rotting there all summer. The next morning, he is awakened by a terrifying scream. His aunt informs him that the source of the noise is his dead Aunt Florence who has returned as a peacock, as she promised.

There is an old treehouse that Steven used to play in when he was a boy. Josh goes to find it, and takes his books and a pillow to read in peace. Two things happen that will make Josh's summer anything but boring. First, a stray and starving cat appears from out of the woods. And second, a stray ghost starving for conversation appears in the treehouse.

What? You don't believe in ghosts? Neither does Josh. Until the ghost proves that he in fact is a ghost. His name is Willie, and he needs Josh to help him rest in peace. It turns out that he lost his leg in an accident, and his leg bones are buried far apart from the rest of him. Josh finally agrees to dig up the bones and transfer them to the place where Willie is buried. ~ Kid's Read Review

2007-2008 GSF BOOKS - NH Students Vote in the Spring!

Auch, Mary Jane. One-Handed Catch. After losing his hand in an accident in his fatherís butcher shop in 1946, sixth-grader Norman uses hard work and humor to learn to live with his disability and to succeed at baseball, art, and other activities.

Cottrell, Frank Boyce. Framed. Dylan and his sisters have some ideas about how to make Snowdonia Oasis Auto Marvel into a more profitable business, but it is not until some strange men arrive in their small town of Manod, Wales with valuable paintings, and their father disappears, that they consider turning to crime.

Duble, Benner. The Sacrifice. Two sisters, aged ten and twelve, are accused of witchcraft in Andover, Massachusetts, in 1692 and await trial in a miserable prison while their mother desperately searches for some way to obtain their freedom.

Fardell, John. The 7 Professors of the Far North. Eleven-year-old Sam finds himself involved in a dangerous adventure when he and his new friends, brother and sister Ben and Zara, set off for the Arctic to try and rescue the siblings' great-uncle and five other professors from the mad scientist holding them prisoner.

Hahn, Mary Downing. Witch Catcher. Having just moved into the West Virginia home they inherited from a distant relative, twelve-year-old Jen is surprised that her father is already dating a local antiques dealer, but more surprised by what the spooky woman really wants.

Haven, Paul. Two Hot Dogs with Everything by Paul Haven. Although everyone credits him and his superstitions for the Slugger's first winning streak in 108 baseball seasons, eleven-year-old Danny Gurkin believes that his discovery of a secret from the team's past may be the real reason behind the ball club's success.

Hobbs, Valerie. Sheep . After a fire destroys the farm where he was born, a young border collie acquires a series of owners and learns about life as he seeks a home and longs to fulfill his life's purpose of shepherding sheep.

Jones, Kimberly. Sand Dollar Summer . When twelve-year-old Lise spends the summer on an island in Maine with her self-reliant mother and bright--but oddly mute--younger brother, her formerly safe world is complicated by an aged Indian neighbor, her mother's childhood friend, and a hurricane.

Kehret, Peg. Trapped. When his owner, Alex, finds an illegal animal trap in the woods, Pete the cat faces grave danger as he tries to help his human friends find the culprit who set the trap.

Lord, Cynthia. Rules. Frustrated at life with an autistic brother, twelve-year-old Catherine longs for a normal existence but her world is further complicated by a friendship with an young paraplegic.

Lowry, Lois. Gossamer by Lois Lowry. While learning to bestow dreams, a young dream giver tries to save an eight-year-old boy from the effects of both his abusive past and the nightmares inflicted on him by the frightening Sinisteeds.

Lubar, David. Punished! by David Lubar. Logan and his friend Benedict are playing tag in the library. Logan gets caught when he runs into a mysterious man. When Logan doesn't apologize sincerely, the mysterious gentleman punishes him by causing him to speak in puns. Only finding seven examples each of oxymorons, anagrams and palindromes within the time limits will return Logan to normal.

Mowell, Joshua. Operation Red Jericho by Joshua Mowll. The posthumous papers of Rebecca MacKenzie document her adventures, along with her brother Doug, in 1920s China as the teenaged siblings are sent to live aboard their uncle's ship where they become involved in the dangerous activities of a mysterious secret society called the Honourable Guild of Specialists.

Naylor, Phyllis. Roxie and the Hooligans . Roxie Warbler, the niece of a famous explorer, follows Uncle Dangerfoot's advice on how to survive any crisis when she becomes stranded on an island with a gang of school bullies and a pair of murderous bank robbers.

Nuzum, K. A. A Small White Scar. Fifteen-year-old Will Bennon leaves his family and begins life as a cowboy, but his mentally retarded twin brother follows him and joins the journey.

Paterson, Katherine. Bread and Roses, Too. Jake and Rosa, two children, form an unlikely friendship as they try to survive and understand the 1912 Bread and Roses strike of mill workers in Lawrence, Massachusetts.

Pennypacker, Sara. Clementine. While sorting through difficulties in her friendship with her neighbor Margaret, eight-year-old Clementine gains several unique hairstyles while also helping her father in his efforts to banish pigeons from the front of their apartment building.

Roy, Jennifer. Yellow Star . From 1939, when Syvia is four and a half years old, to 1945 when she has just turned ten, a Jewish girl and her family struggle to survive in Poland's Lodz ghetto during the Nazi occupation.

Russell, Christopher. Dogboy. In 1346, twelve-year-old Brind, an orphaned kennel boy raised with hunting dogs at an English manor, accompanies his master, along with half of the manor's prized mastiffs, to France, where he must fend for himself when both his master and the dogs are lost at the decisive battle of Crécy.

Schlitz, Laura. A Drowned Maiden's Hair: a Melodrama. At the Barbary Asylum for Female Orphans, eleven-year-old Maud is adopted by three spinster sisters moonlighting as mediums who take her home and reveal to her the role she will play in their seances.

Springer, Nancy. The Case of the Missing Marquess: an Enola Holmes Mystery. Enola Holmes, much younger sister of detective Sherlock Holmes, must travel to London in disguise to unravel the disappearance of her missing mother.

Stanley, Diane. Bella at Midnight. Raised by peasants, Bella discovers that she is actually the daughter of a knight and finds herself caught up in a terrible plot that will change her life and the kingdom forever.

Stewart, Paul. Fergus Crane. Nine-year-old Fergus Crane's life is filled with classes on the school ship Betty Jeanne, interesting neighbors, and helping with his mother's work until a mysterious box flies into his window and leads him toward adventure.

Woods, Brenda. My Name is Sally Little Song. When their owner plans to sell one of them in 1802, twelve-year-old Sally and her family run away from their Georgia plantation to look for both freedom from slavery and a home in Florida with the Seminole Indians.

Yep, Lawrence. The Earth Dragon Awakes: the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Eight-year-old Henry and nine-year-old Chin love to read about heroes in popular "penny dreadful" novels, until they both witness real courage while trying to survive the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

Sixth Grade Summer Reading Assignment

MS. SYLVESTER SAYS "READ, READ, READ!"
Your first task over the summer is to read at least 2 books and record them on the sheet attached. Do not stop at two books if you love to read! I encourage you to read to your heartís content, which is why I have left extra spaces on the sheet. Then, below your book list, there is a place for you and your parents to sign it: this is so that I know your parents are aware of what you have read over the summer.

It is difficult to enjoy a book that is much too hard or much too easy to read. Therefore, look carefully at a number of books before you choose one. If you are a slow reader, it is a good idea to plan ahead. You should feel free to drop a book which you do not enjoy and find a better one. Please do not pick a book you have already read.

If you have trouble finding a good book, use the two lists above to help you or access one of the other ones listed at the beginning. Reading is an excellent way to give your mental muscles a work-out and a terrific way to relax! So enjoy your books.

LETTER to Ms. Sylvester...
Your second task is to write me a letter about yourself. I want to know as much as I can about you as a learner/student and how you see yourself in school. Iíd also like to know about the things you are interested in outside of school. This will help me get to know you more quickly.

Your letter should be 4 or 5 paragraphs long; some of you may want to tell me even more, and thatís fine. Please write a paragraph (about 4 sentences in length) about each of the following topics:

  • Start with a catchy opening sentence about yourself (in my letter to you I start with ìIf I could, Iíd transform myself into a cat with the snap of my fingers!î). Then tell me about what you really enjoy doing in your free time. This can include things like: being outdoors or indoors, playing specific sports, taking care of animals, hanging out with friends, being with your family, cooking, camping, skate boarding, kite-flying, etc. Or this can include your hobbies, such as making model airplanes, making jewelry or collecting something special like minerals or stuffed animals.

  • What is easiest for you in school? This can include subjects you enjoy (like reading, writing, science, math, history, art, music, sports, or drama) or, it can include things like being really good at class discussions, memorizing things, using computers, problem solving, working in groups, doing school projects, following directions, meeting due dates, taking tests or quizzes, or other things like that.

  • What is hardest for you in school? Include specific subjects (math, writing, reading, history, etc.). Or, tell me about things like: listening in class, following directions, meeting due dates, sitting still for 40 minutes, staying organized, taking tests or quizzes, or working in groups, for example. Tell me how teachers or your parents have helped you in the past solve some of these problems. Or, tell me things you wish your teachers or your parents would do to help you solve these kinds of problems.

  • What do you imagine yourself doing when you grow up? What kind of job (or jobs) would you like to try? (When I was in eighth grade I imagined myself becoming a marine biologist, but instead I became a jeweler and then a teacher.) Where do you imagine yourself living - - somewhere warm year-round? near the mountains? in the city? in the country? in a foreign country?

  • OPTIONAL PARAGRAPH: What kinds of things do you wish your teachers knew about you as a person? Maybe you have had a piece of your writing published or you have won a special award. Maybe you have traveled across the U.S. or have lived in a foreign country. Maybe you have some very special family traditions that mean a lot to you. Tell me anything else you really want me to know about you.
TWO DRAFTS: Please do at least two drafts of your letter (the first draft is to get your ideas down on paper; the second one is revised and ìcleaned upî for the reader). Staple the two drafts together with the ìfinalî draft on top. If you use the computer, I would like you to write the first draft by hand. Begin the letter with ìDear Ms. Sylvesterî and the date and then sign it with your name at the end.