Assigned Reading for Magnolia I & Magnolia II
MAGNOLIA I
These books have been especially selected for Magnolia I students. Please read all the assigned reading for your class. You can find all of the books at the Memphis Public Library or purchase and add to your collection. Magnolia I students may need help from a caregiver or they may prefer to read independently--either is fine. We will be discussing these books when school resumes in the fall.
JUana and Lucas / juana medina
Juana loves many things: drawing, living in Bogotá, Colombia, and especially her dog, Lucas, the best amigo ever. She does not love wearing her itchy school uniform, solving math problems, or learning the English. Why is it so important to learn a language that makes so little sense? Hilarious, energetic, and utterly relatable, Juana will win over los corazones (the hearts) of readers everywhere.
a boy called bat / Elana K. Arnold
For Bixby Alexander Tam (nicknamed Bat), life tends to be full of surprises—some of them good, some not so good. Today, though, is a good-surprise day. Bat’s mom, a veterinarian, has brought home a baby skunk, which she needs to take care of until she can hand him over to a wild-animal shelter. But the minute Bat meets the kit, he knows they belong together. The first book in a funny, heartfelt, and irresistible young middle grade series starring an unforgettable young boy on the autism spectrum, from acclaimed author Elana K. Arnold.
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing / Judy Blume
Two is a crowd when Peter and his little brother, Fudge, are in the same room. Grown-ups think Fudge is absolutely adorable, but Peter and his pet turtle, Dribble, know the truth. From throwing temper tantrums to smearing mashed potatoes on the wall, Fudge causes mischief wherever he goes!
ready for more?
After finishing the assigned reading, you might enjoy some of the books from the Magnolia I Summer Reading List. You’ll find fiction and nonfiction in a variety of formats and genres that have been selected with the Magnolia I students in mind.
MAGNOLIA II
These books have been especially selected for Magnolia II students. You can find all of the books at the Memphis Public Library or purchase and add to your collection. Magnolia II students will read all the assigned reading for their class, keeping the linked reader's guide questions in mind as you read. These books will be discussed when school resumes in the fall.
Aru Shah and the End of time / Roshani chokshi
Rick Riordan introduces this adventure by Roshani Chokshi about twelve-year-old Aru Shah, who has a tendency to stretch the truth in order to fit in at school. One day, three schoolmates show up at Aru's doorstep to catch her in a lie. They don't believe her claim that the museum's Lamp of Bharata is cursed, and they dare Aru to prove it. She unwittingly frees the Sleeper, an ancient demon whose duty it is to awaken the God of Destruction. Her classmates and beloved mother are frozen in time, and it's up to Aru to save them.
DOWNLOAD THE READER’S GUIDE
One Crazy Summer / Rita Williams-Garcia
Eleven-year-old Delphine is like a mother to her two younger sisters, Vonetta and Fern. She's had to be, ever since their mother, Cecile, left them seven years ago for a radical new life in California. But when the sisters arrive from Brooklyn to spend the summer with their mother, Cecile is nothing like they imagined. While the girls hope to go to Disneyland and meet Tinker Bell, their mother sends them to a day camp run by the Black Panthers. Unexpectedly, Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern learn much about their family, their country, and themselves during one truly crazy summer.
DOWNLOAD THE READER’S GUIDE
Out of my mind / Sharon draper
Eleven-year-old Melody is not like most people. She can’t walk. She can’t talk. She can’t write. All because she has cerebral palsy. But she also has a photographic memory; she can remember every detail of everything she has ever experienced. She’s the smartest kid in her whole school, but NO ONE knows it. Most people—her teachers, her doctors, her classmates—dismiss her as mentally challenged because she can’t tell them otherwise. But Melody refuses to be defined by her disability. And she’s determined to let everyone know it…somehow.
DOWNLOAD THE READER’S GUIDE
ready for more?
After finishing the assigned reading, you might enjoy some of the books from the Magnolia II Summer Reading List. You’ll find fiction and nonfiction in a variety of formats and genres that have been selected with the Magnolia II students in mind.