The Procrastinator’s Guide to Quarterly Reading

        At my school, you have to read a book per quarter and write a review for your classmates. Sounds easy, right? All I have to do is read a little bit along the way. While in the car, at bed time, while getting ready for bed, there more and more and more circumstances where we could read. But, do we? No, we don’t. After lacrosse, soccer, dance practices or violin, insert your instrument here lessons, we have to eat dinner, finish our homework, get ready for bed, and after all of this, sleep. Today’s world does not permit anyone having any free time or any moments to themselves. Now that Quarterly Reading is due in about a week, people are scrambling. This, Procrastinators, is dedicated to you. Here are a couple of quick and easy books that are interesting and could be read in 3-7 days.

#1) When my Sister Started Kissing:

   












     When my Sister Started Kissing is a novel written in verse that is about two sisters named Abi and Claire. These sisters go to their lake house every summer, but this year, everything is different. Their father and their stepmom, Pam, are expecting a new baby. Last summer, Abi was looking at boys. Now, they are as interested in her as she was in them last summer and still is. This adds to the problem. Abi sneaks off every night and Claire has to stay home and cover for her. Claire does not want her family to change, but she sees no way around these changes. By the end of their summer stay at the lake, the sisters learn that growing up doesn’t mean their family must change completely.

Number of Pages: 187

Why is this book good for procrastinators?

This is a book written in verse and has a relatively low number of pages. It is also interesting, so you will fly through it.

#2) Funny Girl:

   Funny Girl is a book full of short stories (with pictures!!!) about Ursula Brown. In the book, Ursula’s grandmother drives her on a disastrous road trip. You will find the details of their adventures in the book.

Number of Pages: 193

Why is this book good for procrastinators?

This book is good for procrastinators because it has a low number of pages and includes pictures. You will feel at the end of each short story is bench mark. Once you read each of these stories, you will have reached benchmark/goal. The format is very easy to read. This book is a little babyish for seventh graders though.

#3) The Swap:

   The Swap is a book about two middle school kids who, though a certain spell, switch lives for couple of days. There are two problems here. First, they are two different people with different parents, backgrounds, interests, routines. Second, they are different genders. It would not be that hard if they were the same gender. (Yeah, like living someone else’s life who you have no idea about is easy…)

Ellie is falling apart over having just been dropped by her very popular “friend.” (This “friend” is actually the queen-bee, so to speak, at the school.) She decides seventh grade is not going to be easy. After not feeling well one day at school, she goes to the nurse’s office where she meets Jack.

Jack, starting the seventh grade as well, is treated as the King of the middle school already, however his situation at home is not the life of royalty. His disciplinary father does not tolerate slackers. Though Jack is not a slacker, he, like a teenager, want to lay around sometimes. After getting into a fight with the class bully, he gets pretty banged up and ends up in the nurse’s office where he meet Ellie.

This is the funky part. The nurse says some sort of chant and these two kids switch bodies. Read The Swap to see how each of these middle schoolers handle a couple days in each other’s body.

Number of Pages: 400 (I will explain my reasoning because it seems long, doesn’t it?)

Why is this book good for procrastinators?

Before you say, “Nope. This book has way too many pages in it. I cannot read it in time. Hallie, what are you thinking?” Trust me. This book has HUGE font and is interesting and I flew through it. It is also an easy read probably best for sixth graders, but there is no judgment here for a busy seventh grader reading a sixth-grade level book.

#4) Paperboy:

   Paperboy, the winner of The Newbery Honor Award, tells the story of a young boy who agrees to take over his friend’s job as a paperboy in a part of Memphis, Tennessee which is segregated at this time. The new paperboy’s first doubt about taking the job comes early. He has a stutter. This will make it hard to communicate. In this book, he learns a lot more about his family background, responsibility, and about adult issues like having to deal with violence for example.

Number of Pages: 224

Why is this book good for procrastinators?

This book is good for procrastinators because it has a low number of pages and is not hard to understand. One does not have to reread passages repeatedly to understand them.

#5) Mockingbird:

   Mockingbird is about young, but very intelligent, Caitlin with Aspergers Syndrome. She is trying to make friends at school and understand the world around her. Grief is a main point in this story. Caitlin’s brother, Devon, is shot in a school shooting and killed. Dealing with grief and trying to understand the world as a little girl is a lot of weight on young Caitlin’s shoulders. Plus, Devon answered all of her big questions about making friends, relationships, parents, and more. Read Mockingbird to see how Caitlin plays the cards life has dealt her.

Number of Pages: 235

Why is this book good for procrastinators?

This book is short in length and in size. The pages are not as long as other books because the pages are physically cut shorter. The reading level on this book is also pretty low, so you will fly through this one too.

#6) The Nest:

   The Nest by Jon Klassen is an easy read about young Steve who has a new baby brother who is fighting to stay alive. Needless to say, Steve’s family, mostly his parents, are stressed about this new child in their household that may or may not live. This family issue haunts Steve’s dreams and everyday life. How will Steve learn to cope with his brother’s health problems? And more importantly, will Steve’s baby brother live?

Number of Pages: 244 (with pictures)

Why is this book good for procrastinators?

This book is short in length and in size. (The size is the same as Mockingbird) These two books’ pages are a full inch shorter than a standard size book. The font is large and it has pictures. This book, as simple to read as it might be, has deep and meaningful themes. This book is perfect to write a review on.

Sources:

• ·       Common Sense Media
• ·       Simon and Schuster
• ·       Goodreads