Summer Reading

Although you are not required to "annotate," it is important to take notes so that you can use the books in August. Be prepared to write about your books in the first full week of school. Tips for annotations are located in General Suggestions.

Also, all 9th graders are required to take a summer typing course through typing.com. You will find this course on Canvas. If you can already type proficiently, you will be able to test out of the course. When you come to school in August, you should be a minimally proficient typist. 

Rising sophomores, please choose one of the following books and one additional book, on or above your grade/reading level and something you have not read previously, of your choosing to read this summer.  Be prepared for your individual teacher’s assignments and activities upon returning to school in August as well as some cross-sectional activities. This list was updated 5/16/24, so if you chose from the previous list, please choose from the list below.

• All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brandon Kiely (Diversity and social justice, Community and identity, Self-discovery, Ripped from the headlines)
• All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir (Fiction, Romance, Cross-cultural experiences, Self-discovery, Coming of Age, Family and relationships)
• Blackout by Clayton, Jackson, Stone, Thomas, Woodfolk, Yoon (Short Stories, Romance, Diversity and social justice, Coming of Age)
• Dry by Neal Shusterman (Dystopia, Necessity of Resilience, Moral dilemmas, Environmental Issues)
• A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham (Crime/Mystery/Thriller, Louisiana setting, some adult themes)
• In the Wild Light by Jeff Zentner (Fiction, Coming of Age, Self-discovery, Family and relationships)
• I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys ( Historical Fiction, Romance and Adventure elements, Family Secrets)
• Rez Ball by Byron Graves (Sports Fiction, Indigenous Culture, Family and relationships)
• Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (Mystery, Aquatic creatures, Unique perspectives, Relationships)

Reminders:

• Book choices must be on or above your grade/reading level and something you have not read previously. Please consult the lists provided in Student Choice. 
• Annotate and make notes about your book to prepare for class assignments and activities

• For your summer reading, you will read two books, one completely free choice and A Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. Rather than complete an accompanying project, you will be expected to work with your books when school resumes. Make notes, annotate, and do whatever will help you be able to engage the material when you begin English III. Expect to discuss and write about the book during the first week of class.
• For your completely free choice, consider award-winning books and other recommended texts appearing on the Student Choice page.​

Your first AP Lang (AP English III) challenge, writers, is to read below carefully and follow the directions!

1. ​First, read Francine Prose’s Reading Like a Writer. This is non-fiction text about the relationship between reading and writing. It can be helpful and thought-provoking, but it's not a fast read (though it's a short book). Get started on it soon. Based on Prose’s discussion of reading and writing, create a “reading plan” for your next book. Post your plan on the discussion board.
2. Read the following texts, in any order. Use your reading plan in reading the first book. As you read, be aware of the rhetorical situation of the text. Also, respond to the reading in any way you’d like, being sure to think about the text in terms of your reading plan. Of course, be aware and make note of how the author uses language. Refer to these sites about rhetorical terms and literary devices. For your second reading, adjust your reading plan based on your previous reading experience.. A Canvas course will be provided to house support documents and to support your reading throughout the summer. Visit the course site for periodic discussion board check-ins throughout the summer, but you must post at least twice per book. As you are reading, you should be posting. Check your email for updates. 
   1. The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet by John Green
   2. A free choice from one of the authors of “significant literary merit” on this list. If you choose a book of less than 150 pages (e.g. Animal Farm, The Old Man and the Sea or a play), you must read two choice books.

Additionally, because AP Lang will be testing digitally next year, all students must demonstrate proficiency in typing. You have been enrolled in a Typing.com class. If you can already type, you will be able to test out of the course. Otherwise, you must complete the assigned typing course on Canvas before the beginning of school.

Check out the Summer Support section (the beachball) on our Canvas page for more specific instructions. If you have any questions, please email Mrs. Duke. 

Read the two books listed under 12th Grade and a third only for AP Lit students, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey. 

Ken Kesey wrote this novel after working the night shift in a psychiatric ward, and he based many characters on actual patients. Kesey was a leading figure in the counterculture movement of the 1950s and 1960s, resisting government control and oppression. For extra income, he participated in government studies with hallucinogenic drugs. Consider this information as you enjoy the text.

Engage in a close and active reading of the novel. Read like a detective: interact with the text and annotate. Notice aspects of style, language, plot, characterization, point of view, and symbolism. Ask questions, make connections, construct meaning, and be conscious of the author’s choices. 

For each part of the novel (four in all), write a one-and-a-half to two-page journal entry where you comment and reflect on your reading. This work is due on the first day of school. Our course Canvas page will be available for summer support. 

Also, you have been assigned to a summer typing course because the AP exam will be digital next year. If you can already type, you will be able to test out of the course. Otherwise, complete the assigned typing course found on Canvas.