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Do the Right Thing!

Ghost Boys

George

When people look at George, they think they see a boy. But she knows she's not a boy. She knows she's a girl. George thinks she'll have to keep this a secret forever.......

When Stars Are Scattered

Caught Reading This Summer!

GREAT PLACES TO READ

There are SO MANY great places to read -

on the beach, under a tree or in a hammock.
in a bookshop, in a gallery or museum, in a park, or at your favorite cafe,
in a garden, under a blanket, in a tent, or by the pool.
on a plane, train, bus, car, boat/ferry, tram, or funicular.
in a comfy chair by a window (with or without your pet), at your cousin’s or grandparent's house, on a mountain top...
and of course in a library!

You can read just about anywhere.

We hope to catch you reading this summer. Wherever you are in the world, be sure to snap a photo of yourself reading and share it with me. It will be fun to share what you're reading and where you're reading. I’ll share them all when we return next school year. Please remember to Include “Caught Reading” in the e-mail's subject heading.

Middle School Destiny Catalog

Peek Inside Our Library

Reading Suggestions

Book Recommendations

Our library has thousands of books and we are continually adding new titles. You can find mystery, adventure, fantasy, realistic, graphic novels and more! Come in, check-out one of the new ones or an old favorite. Here are some of our recommendations:

Courage to Dream: Tales of Hope in the Holocaust by Neal Shusterman; Andrés Vera Martínez (Illustrator)
Call Number: GRA SHU

ISBN: 9780545313476

Publication Date: 2023-10-31

This multifaceted tapestry is woven from Jewish folklore and cultural history. Five interlocking narratives explore one common story--the tradition of resistance and uplift
Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas (Illustrator)
Call Number: GRA CHR

ISBN: 9780063056763

Publication Date: 2022-05-17

A splashy, contemporary middle grade graphic novel from bestselling comics creator Johnnie Christmas!

Bree can’t wait for her first day at her new middle school, Enith Brigitha, home to the Mighty Manatees—until she’s stuck with the only elective that fits her schedule, the dreaded Swim 101. The thought of swimming makes Bree more than a little queasy, yet she’s forced to dive headfirst into one of her greatest fears. Lucky for her, Etta, an elderly occupant of her apartment building and former swim team captain, is willing to help.

With Etta’s training and a lot of hard work, Bree suddenly finds her swim-crazed community counting on her to turn the school’s failing team around. But that’s easier said than done, especially when their rival, the prestigious Holyoke Prep, has everything they need to leave the Mighty Manatees in their wake.

Can Bree defy the odds and guide her team to a state championship, or have the Manatees swum their last lap—for good?
The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani; Iacopo Bruno (Illustrator)
Call Number: (FAN) FIC CHA

ISBN: 9780062104892

Publication Date: 2013-05-14

The first kidnappings happened two hundred years before. Some years it was two boys taken, some years two girls, sometimes one of each. But if at first the choices seemed random, soon the pattern became clear. One was always beautiful and good, the child every parent wanted as their own. The other was homely and odd, an outcast from birth. An opposing pair, plucked from youth and spirited away.
Turtle Boy by M. Evan Wolkenstein
Call Number: (REA) WOL

ISBN: 9780593121573

Publication Date: 2020-05-05

A boy who has spent his life living inside a shell discovers the importance of taking chance in this "winner" (Booklist, starred review) of a friendship story that's perfect for fans of Wonder.

Seventh grade is not going well for Will Levine. Kids at school bully him because of his funny-looking chin. And for his bar mitzvah community service project, he's forced to go to the hospital to visit RJ, an older boy struggling with an incurable disease.

At first, the boys don't get along, but then RJ shares his bucket list with Will. Among the things he wants to do: ride a roller coaster; go to a school dance; swim in the ocean. To Will, happiness is hanging out in his room, alone, preferably with the turtles he collects. But as RJ's disease worsens, Will realizes he needs to tackle the bucket list on his new friend's behalf before it's too late. It seems like an impossible mission, way outside Will's comfort zone. But as he completes each task with RJ's guidance, Will learns that life is too short to live in a shell.
When Stars Are Scattered by Omar Mohammed and Victoria Jamieson
Call Number: (GRA) JAM

ISBN: 9780593162583

Publication Date: 2022-03-08

Omar and his younger brother, Hassan, have spent most of their lives in Dadaab, a refugee camp in Kenya. Life is hard there: never enough food, achingly dull, and without access to the medical care Omar knows his nonverbal brother needs. So when Omar has the opportunity to go to school, he knows it might be a chance to change their future . . . but it would also mean leaving his brother, the only family member he has left, every day.

Heartbreak, hope, and gentle humor exist together in this graphic novel about a childhood spent waiting, and a young man who is able to create a sense of family and home in the most difficult of settings. It's an intimate, important, unforgettable look at the day-to-day life of a refugee, as told to New York Times Bestselling author/artist Victoria Jamieson by Omar Mohamed, the Somali man who lived the story.
The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Call Number: (HIS) BRA

ISBN: 9780803740815

Publication Date: 2015-01-08

Ten-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada’s twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn’t waste a minute—she sneaks out to join him.

So begins a new adventure of Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan—and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?

This masterful work of historical fiction is equal parts adventure and a moving tale of family and identity—a classic in the making.

Battle of the Books Champions

We are on a winning streak at ZIS! Congratulations ZIS for taking the Battle of the Books Championship three years in a row. Over 40 students participated to represent ZIS in the Championships and our winning team went up against other International School to claim the top honor. Battle of the Books (BOB) is a reading challenge for our Middle School students meant to inspire a love of reading. Students form teams, read the selected books, and compete in a friendly game-style competition with other Swiss International Schools. Visit the library to find out how to get involved.

Teacher Librarian

Welcome to the Middle School Resources page of the Secondary Library online. I'm looking forward to working closely with you as you continue to grow as a reader and as you explore all the wonderful resources we have to offer.

Linda Maley

Middle School Librarian

lmaley@zis.ch

Here's what I'm currently reading:

Dry by Neal Schusterman

MS - ZIS Middle School Library Resources: Home