Junior High Novels
Invitation the Game- Monica HughesSynopsis
A sci-fi novel set in 2154 where robots and machines have entirely taken over the workforce. Lisse and her friends complete school, but find themselves unemployed among many other large groups of people. Then, the new and mysterious sensation of the "The Game" starts appearing and suddenly, an invitation to the "The Game" is highly coveted. It turns out to be a computer simulation where they must navigate and survive in a terrain, but how to "win" the "The Game" isn't clear, and the characters in the game begin to wonder if "The Game" is just a simulation or it is real. Why Teach This Novel This futuristic novel explores the ideas of over-population and the prospect of technology completely taking over the world in a way that makes humans no longer relevant. Lisse and her friends partake in a simulation that they think is a exploration game, but they soon discover that the "game" is actually a test for them to see how they would survive in new terrain. When they are successful, they find themselves unknowingly deposited on a new planet. |
A Modest Proposal- Jonathan SwiftJonathan Swift's satirical essay "A Modest Proposal" discusses eating Irish children as a solution to over-population. Use this as an addition to the novel.
Appropriate Grade Level/Reading Level
Gr. 6-9 Curriculum Gr. 8 Themes -future society -overpopulation; unemployment; replacing human workers with machines; -technology; game/living simulation -starting over; new beginnings; pioneering; survival -government control Links Novel Study Guide Novel Study Guide (2) |
A Mango Shaped Space- Wendy MassSynopsis (from Amazon)
Mia, 13, has always seen colors in sounds, numbers, and letters, a fact she has kept secret since the day she discovered that other people don't have this ability. Then she discovers that she has a rare condition called synesthesia, which means that the visual cortex in her brain is activated when she hears something. From then on, she leads a kind of double life-she eagerly attends research gatherings with other synesthetes and devours information about the condition, but continues to struggle at school, where her inadvertent pairing of particular colors with numbers and words makes math and French almost impossible to figure out. Her gradual abandonment of her frustrating school life in favor of the compelling world of fellow synesthetes and the unique things only they can experience seems quite logical, although readers may feel like shaking some sense into her. Finally, and rather abruptly, her extreme guilt at her beloved cat Mango's illness brings her back down to earth and she begins to work on some of the relationships she let crumble. |
Why Teach This Novel It's fascinating to learn about synesthesia, a condition I had never even of before reading this. As the readers learn of Mia's struggles, students can empathize with her when tries to explain what she is experiencing, but no one understands. It makes readers really step into the shoes of someone else, and tries to make them understand that everyone sees the world differently. Appropriate Grade Level/Reading Level Gr 5-8 Themes -synesthesia; neurological conditons-struggling to make others understand -death of a pet Links Neuroscience Explains Synesthesia for Kids More Synesthesia Information Discussion Guide and Questions |
Stargirl - Jerry SpinelliSynopsis (from Wikipedia)
The novel is narrated by Leo Borlock, an eleventh-grade student at the fictional Mica Area High School in Arizona, and chronicles his interactions with new student Susan "Stargirl" Caraway. Stargirl, an eccentric and compassionate tenth grader with a strong individualistic streak, is rejected by most of her classmates but sparks Leo’s interest, and he is gradually drawn into her unconventional life and world view. Why Teach This Novel Stargirl stands out from everyone around her, and she embraces her individuality even when everyone else around her prefers to conform. This teaches students the importance of being true to one's self and how a strong and independent mindset can make you shine. |
Appropriate Grade Level/Reading Level Gr. 6-9 Themes -individuality; originality -diversity -acceptance Notes -There is a sequel called Love, Stargirl -New York Times Bestseller, a Parents Choice Gold Award Winner, an ALA Top Ten Best Books Award winner, and a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. Links Chapter Summary and Notes Jerry Spinelli Unit Plans and Resources Student Chapter Questions Study Guide Questions |
Weedflower- Cynthia KadohataSynopsis (from Amazon)
Twelve-year-old Sumiko feels her life has been made up of two parts: before Pearl Harbor and after it. The good part and the bad part. Raised on a flower farm in California, Sumiko is used to being the only Japanese girl in her class. Even when the other kids tease her, she always has had her flowers and family to go home to. That all changes after the horrific events of Pearl Harbor. Other Americans start to suspect that all Japanese people are spies for the emperor, even if, like Sumiko, they were born in the United States! As suspicions grow, Sumiko and her family find themselves being shipped to an internment camp in one of the hottest deserts in the United States. The vivid color of her previous life is gone forever, and now dust storms regularly choke the sky and seep into every crack of the military barrack that is her new "home." Sumiko soon discovers that the camp is on an Indian reservation and that the Japanese are as unwanted there as they'd been at home. But then she meets a young Mohave boy who might just become her first real friend...if he can ever stop being angry about the fact that the internment camp is on his tribe's land. |
Why Teach This Novel This novel deals with tough and painful issues of racism as it is told from the perspective of a girl whose family is interned during WWII. Her friendship with a Native American boy shows the readers genuine humanity and emotions. Appropriate Grade Level/Reading Level Gr. 5-8 Themes -racism -Japanese-internment and WWII -friendship Links Reading and Question Discussion Guide |