Grade 7 Favorite Reads

Adventure/Mystery

 

Blue is for Nightmares by Laurie Faria Stolarz

For those of you looking for a new series involving adventure, romance, and mystery this is one of my favorite books. Over the summer, the little girl Stacy has been babysitting is found dead in the woods, exactly as she dreamed would happen. Now back at boarding school, for her junior year, Stacy's having more nightmares and this time they're about her best friend Drea. I love this series, because they are so good and suspenseful!
-- recommended by Lily

The Other Side of Truth by Beverly Naidoo

Do you want to read a book about adventure, loss, and reuniting with family? Yes? Then The Other Side of Truth needs to be on your “to read” list. Beverly Naidoo did an excellent job writing this book. It is a fairly quick read but it has a lot of depth in it. The Other Side of Truth has two main characters: Sade and Femi. These two siblings experience the loss of their mother and getting lost in London with fake identities and lots of other things. The Other Side of Truth is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat!
--recommended by Nneka

Silver Fin by Charlie Higson

Silver Fin by Charlie Higson is a very excititing, suspenseful, thrilling, adventure book. This is about James Bond as a kid. James gets sent off to boarding school where strange things start happening.
-- recommended by Alexander

 

Watership Down by Richard Adams

A group of rabbits lives peacefully in their warren, but nothing stays perfect forever. A rich land developer buys their field and kills most of the rabbits. Most die in the holes, but some live. They band together and led by Hazel, a courageous rabbit, they go to find a new home. On their way they meet enemy rabbits, a huge seabird, and a shotgun wielding farmer. Will they accomplish their goal? Read on to find out!
-- recommended by Nicky

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Seven murderers were invited to come to an abandoned island out in the middle of nowhere, and slowly one by one they die. One of the seven people is murdering one person at a time, but who is it? -- recommended by Celina

Missing Persons: The Rose Queen by M.E. Rabb

This is the perfect book if you looking for a suspenseful mystery. Two sisters, Sam and Sophie, are from Queens, NY, and have to start new lives in Venice, Indiana, with new IDs and hair color. Help Sam and Sophie solve missing persons’ cases and try to stay missing themselves. -- recommended by Nicole

Airborn by Kenneth Oppel

Matt, a cabin boy aboard a luxury airship, saves a dying balloonist whose ship has been damaged. The balloonist’s last words are about beautiful, winged creatures. One year later, the granddaughter of the balloonist takes passage on the airship, hoping to find the mysterious creatures.--recommended by librarians

Fantasy/Sci-Fi

The Giver by Lois Lowry

A world with no emotion, memories, or dangers is the home of 12 year old Jonas. At age 12 Jonas is given the title of "the giver", the holder of all memories. As Jonas learns about the past he realizes the imperfections of his screened world. You join Jonas as he deals with thedifficulties of the past and the realization of his future. This is an incredible science fiction book dealing with the problems of a "perfect" world. Watch as you get sucked into the world of "the giver". The book is fiction with a twist of reality, making it harder to put down. A mustread for all.
--Recommended by Samantha

Timeline by Michael Crichton  

This is an exciting story of a group of interesting individuals, who are tied together by the same subject- science. In a site of an ancient ruin, the small group consisting of world class scientists and historians come across an amazing discovery that will change history forever. A portal takes the group back to a war going on between France and Spain in the medieval times. The group has to fight for their lives while trying to find a way out to the future.-- recommended by Ryan

Flyte by Septimus Heap

Flyte is one of the best fantasy books I have ever read. It is the sequel to Magyk which is another great book. I love how the author captures the reader in every book. These books have betrayal, adventure, excitement and much more. The characters range from a lost princess to a message rat. If you love Harry Potter or fantasy/adventure then these are the books for you!-- recommended by Kate

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Ender's Game is a compelling mix of action, adventure, and suspence. This book has some bad words, but there are many characters to like. Ender is a normal kid who is chosen to join the army (in space) and then things happen, but Ender is secretly being trained to command an invasion. This book is extremely gripping. I loved it.-- recommended by Max

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton is a fascinating novel about a park full of cloned dinosaurs. Due to many people claiming that the park will fail, the owner sends a group on a guided tour. When the park starts breaking down, it is up to the tour group to survive among the dinosaurs. Crichton does an excellent job of describing the terror of Jurassic Park.--recommended by Max
Exciting, gory, and imaginative, Jurassic Park is the right book for you. A multi-millionaire tries to build a park that contains cloned dinosaurs. But the system is just not quite perfect. A flaw in the system lets everything "run wild."
also recommended by Geoffrey -- recommended by Geoffrey

The Demonata Series: Book 1-Lord Loss by Darren Shan

The She by Carol Plum-ucci

A terrifying sea monster is waiting for you in Carol Plum-ucci’s The She. The book is about a boy named Evan whose parents were supposedly killed by a legendary sea monster when he was nine. Now he is seventeen and searching for answers to the questions he has about his parent’s disappearance. This is a great book because it has a lot of suspense and mystery. This book has its bad parts too. It has a lot of drug reference and inappropriate language that may not be suitable for younger readers. Despite the bad parts, this book is for anyone who enjoys mystery stories.
--recommended by Mihir

Clay by David Almond

Clay is a wonderfully written novel by David Almond. If you like straight out horrific, ghastly, and appalling books, READ THIS ONE; it will really not let you go to sleep at night. The book is all about how a boy named Davie gets his life turned upside down when a mysterious boy named Stephen Rose comes to town. Stephen can do many fantastic things, fantastic meaning simply murderous. This is an awesome book!--recommended by Jacob

The Mediator Series by Meg Cabot

This an amazing series called The Mediator Series by Meg Cabot. This book is a bout a girl named Susannah who has just moved to California with her new family. She is a mediator which means that she can see and talk to ghosts. She meets a guy named Jesse who lives in her room. He helps here defeat evil ghosts, so they can go to the afterlife. The weird thing is that she is in love with Jesse even though he is a ghost. The series is six books long and its amazing. You will never want to stop reading this series. I recommend this book to a girl that is 12 and older.

The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman

His Dark Materials series is a collection of dazzling, magical adventures with spellbinding characters, magnificent creatures and lore, and a setting that will hook you for hours on end. Each book is a progression of an interesting storyline with a plot and theme that will keep you thinking about the book for a long time. The author has truly made a piece of work where almost anyone can become immersed in a tale that will truly leave you breathless.--recommended by Andrew

Prey by Michael Crichton

We are the prey. Xymos Technologies have accidentally released millions of nanobots into the desert surrounding the factory. They can’t be shot down, and they are killing animals. The nanobots are programmed to behave as predators, and we are the prey. Prey, by Michael Crichton, is an exciting thriller with a twist at every page. If you like an exciting mystery, this is a great book.--recommended by John

 

Realistic Fiction

A Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass

A Mango-Shaped Space is an exciting novel about a young girl named Mia with this rare disease where numbers, letters and sounds have color to her. Mia has to go through a journey of self-discovery and may have to lose some things that are very special to her to find herself. A Mango-Shaped Space is definitely a book you will not forget for a long time. -- reviewed by Berry

One of those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies by Sonya Sones

A great fast-read book, One of those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies, is a perfect book for your summer vacation. But guys this is strictly a girl’s book! This book is both funny and tough; it is a real page turner. Ruby Milliken’s mother died ruining her perfect life with her best friend Lizzie and her boy friend Ray. She moves to live with her super-famous movie star dad, Whip Logan, whom she has never met in her entire life! She has to face her new school, the high life, the sadness of her mom’s death, and her father. Can she live through this? To find out you know what to do. -- recommended by Shannon

Perfect by Natasha Friend

Perfect is a thrilling, suspenseful novel by Natasha Friend. If you like life changing novels then this book is the one for you. Isabelle Lee is a 14 year old girl who is living with her mom and her little sister. Her dad has passed away, and for some reason this leads to bulimia. Her mom makes her attend this group, and she finds out that the most popular girl in school has the same problem. Could this be the start of a new relationship? Will Isabelle and her family ever be happy? You’ll have to read the book to find out.
--recommended by Darrian

the curious incident of the dog in the night time by Mark Haddon

Clever, wicked and witty… the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime is a journey which portrays a young boy cursed with autism. After discovering a neighbor’s dead dog, he is determined to track down the killer. But in the process, he stumbles across a deep family secret that his father has been keeping from him all this time! Mark Haddon is brilliant and at his best!--recommended by Michael

Speak by Laurie Anderson

Speak will keep you speechless with its character's feelings. This book captures the truth about high-school problems. Laurie Anderson made this book come to life with this story of one teenage outcast and how she survives many tragedies. This book may appeal more to girls, but boys should read it too to see a girl's perspective. How can one party change a persons life? Find out in Speak.
This book is about how one teenager busted an end of the summer party by calling the cops. After her friends found out, they left her, and after an incident at the party, she feels the safest place for her to be is at home. Found out about teenage struggles, cliques, and much more in Speak.--recommended by Amani

The A-List by Zoey Dean

The A-List is a book full of surprises. The book, written by the same author as the popular Clique books but for older readers, is a book about mischievious rich girls living out their lives to the fullest for their senior year and onwards. The book is set in Beverly Hills, California, and starts off when a girl named Anna moves to California for an internship with a new hit TV show and to finish out her senior year. It is the story of her meeting new people, making new friends-boys and girls,-and new enemies as they live the high life together, party together, shop together and have fun together. This book is written more for girls, but boys could try it to. Happy reading! --recommended by Amanda

Memories of Summer by Ruth White

Lyric has always enjoyed spending time with her fun- loving older sister Summer, but when Lyric and her family move to Flint, Michigan, Summer changes. She drops out of school and she becomes seriously ill. Lyric and her father are then faced with the most difficult decision of their lives; should they put Summer in the asylum? In this heart wrenching tale of sisterhood and hope, Lyric discovers just what love means. --recommended by Caroline

Historical Fiction

Annie Between the States by Laura Elliott

Annie Between the States is about a girl named Annie who grows up in Virginia during the Civil War. Annie and her mother tend to soldiers from both sides of the war in their Virginian home. Annie’s brother is fighting for the south, but after Annie begins to talk with some kind, Union soldiers, she is unsure which side she should support. The book is all about her adventures with the Union and Confederate Armies and is a great book even if you don’t like historical fiction.--recommended by Rebbekah

 

The Notorious Izzy Fink by Don Brown

The Notorious Izzy Fink is a great book and a great read. It is about a boy, Sam, who gets himself involved in the gang lifestyle in the turn of the twentieth century New York. This book is action packed with a great plot. I highly recommend it for boys who like to be boys.--recommended by Eli

The Teacher’s Funeral: A Comedy in Three Parts by Richard Peck

Russell, growing up in 1904, doesn't like school, and he's delighted when his teacher, Miss Myrt Arbuckle, dies. But when his older sister Tansy becomes the new teacher, Russell finds himself facing all kinds of new troubles.

Biographies and Nonfiction

Nigh by Elie Wiesel

Night by Elie Wiesel is a life changing book that you absolutely can't put down. It is about a boy's journey during the Holocaust. He goes through concentration camps, his friends and family being sent to the crematorium, and so many unimaginable experiences. Night is very powerful, so make sure that you are ready for how intense this book can get. I would definitely say it is one of my favorite books that I have ever read. -- recommended by Emily

The Color of Water by James McBride

The Color of Water is the tribute of a black man to his white mother. He tells about how he goes through life, living with twelve siblings and his single mother. She was so strong that it inspired the boy to grow up strong. This true story will touch your heart and engage you in a world unlike your own. It is a fantastic read.--recommended by Lauren