Summer Reading

Our Foundations program serves students in grades 6-12 with a primary diagnosis of dyslexia or other language learning-based difference. If your student is not registered for our Foundations program, please see the summer reading tabs for the standard classes.

Non-Foundations 6th grade students have no summer reading assignment.

Please, read TWO books from the list below. Select books from two different GENRES. Do not read two books by the same author. If you have already read the first book in a series, you may choose one of the sequel books.

Be prepared to take an AR test on each of the two summer reading books you select.  You will complete a one-page assignment on one of the two books during the first two weeks of school.

NOTE: It is strongly recommend reading your books at the end of July or beginning of August. It’s best to have them fresh in your memory when you come back to school! Parents- please feel free to check commonsensemedia.org to review the content of books before your child makes their selections.  All books are categorized as Middle Grade and suitable for a middle school interest level.

Realistic Fiction

• City Spies by James Ponti
• Peak (Book 1), The Edge (Book 2), Ascent (Book 3) by Roland Smith
• Ungifted, Swindle series, Restart, The Unteachables by Gordon Korman
• Unstoppable, Left Out, Pinch Hit, Touchdown Kid, or Baseball Genius by Tim Green
• Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie or Falling Over Sideways by Jordan Sonnenblick
• Blooming at the Texas Sunrise Motel by Kimberly Willis Holt
• Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage
• Zebra Forest by Adina Rishe Gewirtz
• All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook by Leslie Connor
• Where the Watermelons Grow by Cindy Baldwin

Historical Fiction

• Into the Killing Seas, The Enemy Above by Michael Spradlin
• My Louisiana Sky or The Water Seeker by Kimberly Willis Holt
• The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

Nonfiction

• The Mona Lisa Vanishes: A Legendary Painter, a Shocking Heist, and the Birth of a Global Celebrity by Nicholas Day
• All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team by Christina Soontornvat
• Bomb, The Notorious Benedict Arnold, Born to Fly, Undefeated, Lincoln’s Grave Robbers by Steve Sheinkin

Science Fiction/Fantasy

• Beneath (Book 1), Above (Book 2), Cryptid Hunters, Sasquatch by Roland Smith
• Wizard for Hire (Book 1), Wizard for Hire: Apprentice Needed (Book 2) by Obert Skye
• Killer Species by Michael Spradlin
• Loot (Book 1) or Sting (Book 2) by Jude Watson
• Steelheart (Book 1), Firefight (Book 2), or Calamity (Book 3) by Brandon Sanderson
• Magnus Chase: The Sword of Summer (Book 1), The Lightning Thief (Book 1) by Rick Riordan

For questions regarding Summer Reading, please contact the English Department Head, Brittany Arnold at barnold@cacmustangs.org.

As you review the diverse list of summer reading options, focus on selecting books that pique your interest and excite you. Pick two books from the list below that you have not already taken an AR test over. One book can be your choice, but the second must be a nonfiction book. When you return from summer break, you will take AR tests and complete an assignment over the two books you read. 

Take notes on the characters, settings, and important events as you read to aid in comprehension for the AR tests and your assignment.

Historical Fiction

• Allies, Prisoner B-3087, Projekt 1065, Code of Honor or Ground Zero by Alan Gratz
• Between Shades of Gray, Salt to the Sea, Fountains of Silence, or I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys
• Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson 
• Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

Non-Fiction

• I am Malala (Young Adult Adaptation) by Malala Yousafzai 
• Just Mercy (Young Adult Adaptation) by Brian Stevenson
• The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank  
• Unbroken (The Young Adult Adaptation) by Laura Hillenbrand

Fantasy/Dystopian

• Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay,  Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, or Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
• Scythe by Neal Schusterman
• Eragon series by Christopher Paolini
• Michael Vey series by Richard Paul Evans
• The Chronicles of Narnia series (any book other than The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe) by C.S. Lewis

For questions regarding Summer Reading, please contact the English Department Head, Brittany Arnold at barnold@cacmustangs.org.

All students entering the 9^th grade will read Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom. A test will be given over the book during the first week. The test will check for completion of the reading as well as comprehension. You will spend the first few days looking at lessons from this book.

An AR test will also be given during the first week. This can be any book of your choice, so find a book that you love and start reading! This is a great time to start a new series that you can finish with other AR book assignments throughout the year. The requirements for 9th grade AR books are 6.0 reading level, 6 points. Check to see if your book has a test, or check the book level and points at AR Book Finder.

For questions regarding Summer Reading, please contact the English Department Head, Brittany Arnold at barnold@cacmustangs.org.

In addition to Tuesdays with Morrie and the AR book of choice, students taking Honors English must also read Anthem by Ayn Rand. Be ready to take a test over the book upon return. The test will check for completion of the reading as well as comprehension. It will be the first piece of literature you will study as the new school year resumes.

For questions regarding Summer Reading, please contact the English Department Head, Brittany Arnold at barnold@cacmustangs.org.

All students entering the 10^th grade will read the introduction and parts one and two of David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcolm Gladwell (you may read part three for a chance at bonus points).  A test will be given over the book upon return to school. The test will check for completion of the reading as well as comprehension. You will spend the first few days looking at lessons from this book. All students must bring a copy of David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants on the first day of class. Click here if you would like to purchase a copy from Amazon. 

A theme in Gladwell’s David and Goliath is that a perceived weakness can actually be a person’s strength. As you read, annotate specific examples throughout the book that develop that theme. In addition, think about how this theme relates to your own experiences or observations, and in the margins or on sticky notes, write down any personal connections you can make. Be prepared to share your thoughts and observations through class discussion and an in-class essay. 

Parents, if you have never read a Malcolm Gladwell book, you may want to read this one along with your child. It may provide some insightful talking points. His other books include Blink, Talking to Strangers, Outliers, and Tipping Point.

If you have any questions over the summer, feel free to email English Department Chair barnold@cacmustangs.org.

In addition to David and Goliath, students taking Honors English will also read A Separate Peace by John Knowles. Be ready to take a test over the book upon return. The test will check for completion of the reading as well as comprehension. It will be the first piece of literature you will study as the new school year resumes. This Reading Guide provides background to the novel and will help direct your reading. Click here if you would like to purchase a copy from Amazon.

For questions regarding Summer Reading, please contact the English Department Head, Brittany Arnold at barnold@cacmustangs.org.

Your summer reading is The October Country by Ray Bradbury. Find a good used copy. Check your local bookstores. Check eBay. Find one with cover art you like. Here’s an audio intro to get you started and here is a vocab list to help you as you read. 

Below is a suggested reading schedule, as well as the assessment questions you will be responsible for when we return in August. Listed alongside each story are its corresponding assessment questions.

• The first Friday we are back, I will randomly choose 3 of these 4 questions to answer. You will select 2 that you want to respond to. You may use notes, outlines, summaries to help you, but they must be turned in the day before (approx. 8/13)in order for them to be approved for use. You will have 40 minutes to write both responses. Your responses must be in paragraph form and should be thorough and use proper grammar. 

• Notes can be no more than 1 page (front and back). 
• No pre-written responses will be accepted. If they are on your notes, your notes will not be available for you to use. 
• Approved Notes = 10 points

Response Rubric

For questions regarding Summer Reading, please contact the English Department Head, Brittany Arnold at barnold@cacmustangs.org.

Welcome to AP Language and Composition! As this is not a typical English class, your summer reading will look different from the standard “read this book and take a test” format from years before. AP Lang is a nonfiction course, and we will spend the summer training our minds to read nonfiction texts. Due dates are assigned throughout the summer, and assignments will be submitted in Google Classroom – Code 2r4tvyjk. There will be no test when we return to school; therefore, your summer reading grade will consist of the work turned in on Google Classroom.

Each assignment will consist of a group of essays divided by theme. The essays are posted in Google Classroom and should be printed so that you can annotate them. The annotated essays will be submitted back to Google Classroom. Also due for each assignment is your response to each group of essays in which you answer the prompt given in the assignment. 

In Google Classroom, you will see one assignment where you will upload your annotations and another to submit your responses. To upload your annotations clearly, you will need to scan them in using your phone or a scanning app (i.e. TurboScan).

If you have trips or camps scheduled, either submit your work in advance or make arrangements with Mrs. Arnold prior to leaving.  

If you are a new student, or if you have any questions regarding Summer Reading, please contact the English Department Chair, Brittany Arnold at barnold@cacmustangs.org.

English 12 will use readings from classic world literature to help you develop critical thinking skills and learn to express your ideas clearly and in a style that is appropriate to the writing situation. 

We will begin this summer by reading portions of some of the oldest known written texts in the world. Begin by reading the first 9 chapters of Genesis, hopefully not for the first or the last time. After carefully reading Genesis 1-9, you will read a less familiar text, noticing similarities and differences between it and the chapters in Genesis. 

The comparison text is The Epic of Gilgamesh, translated by Stephen Mitchell, an epic poem that was written long before the events of Genesis were written down. This translation was chosen because it is easy to read, but be warned that it is also an unnecessarily graphic translation; please use maturity. You do not have to read the introduction, but please do begin on p. 65 with “About This Version.”

Gilgamesh culminates in a segment that will be clearly reminiscent of Genesis. Be ready to discuss both the obvious similarities and differences, as well as at least one point of comparison that you think others might not have noticed. 

You will take a test on The Epic of Gilgamesh as soon as we return to school. A comparison essay on the summer reading will also be assigned. 

For questions regarding Summer Reading, please contact the English Department Head, Brittany Arnold at barnold@cacmustangs.org.

College English will use readings from a combination of nonfiction sources and classic world literature to help you develop critical thinking skills and learn to express your ideas clearly and in a style appropriate to the academic writing situation. 

We will begin this summer by reading portions of some of the oldest known written texts in the world—and two much more recent texts. Begin by reading the first 9 chapters of Genesis, hopefully not for the first or the last time. After carefully reading Genesis 1-9, you will read two probably less familiar texts, noticing similarities and differences between each and the chapters in Genesis. 

The first is The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis. Maybe you read The Chronicles of Narnia as a child (or it was read to you). We hope so! However, this is the 6^th book in a series that can be read on many levels. This time, read it like an adult; enjoy the story, but also look for layers of meaning—and, of course, for similarities to Genesis. 

The second comparison text is The Epic of Gilgamesh, translated by Stephen Mitchell, an epic poem that was written long before the events of Genesis were written down. This translation was chosen because it is easy to read, but be warned that it is also an unnecessarily graphic translation; please use maturity. You do not have to read the introduction, but please do begin on p. 65 with “About This Version.”

Both of these stories culminate in segments that will be clearly reminiscent of Genesis. Be ready to discuss both the obvious similarities and differences, as well as at least one point of comparison that you think others might not have noticed. 

Finally, you will read C.S. Lewis’s “Myth Became Fact,” chapter 5 in, God in the Dock, a collection of Lewis’s lectures that you will need to purchase NEW or unmarked, as we will use it as a text throughout the fall semester. Be prepared to give Lewis’s definition of “myth” and to explain why you believe this lecture-essay was assigned in connection with the previous three readings. 

You will take a test on The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Magician’s Nephew and a quiz on “Myth Became Fact” as soon as we return to school. An essay on all of the summer reading will be assigned that same day.   For questions regarding Summer Reading, please contact the English Department Head, Brittany Arnold at barnold@cacmustangs.org.

Senior AP Literature and Composition will use readings from classic as well as modern literature to help you develop critical thinking, practice close reading and analysis, and hone your writing skills in preparation for the AP Literature Exam. 

We will begin by reading Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights and Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations. I recommend accompanying your reading of Great Expectations with the audiobook read by Martin Jarvis. It will help you pick up on the humor, irony, and characterization in the book. You are welcome to listen to Wuthering Heights as well. You will, however, need a hard copy of both novels and good notes on the names of characters, places, major events, and any symbols, motifs, and themes you notice along the way. 

In addition, you should choose one of the titles on the list of works Most Frequently Cited 1970-2015 on the AP Literature & Composition Exam that you have not read before (the list begins on page 12). This is a chance to expand your exposure to works that the College Board considers worthy and that are likely to appear in some form on the exam. Before making a selection, ensure that AR also considers your choice worthy: AR Book Finder. 

You will take tests over Wuthering Heights and Great Expectations and an AR test over the title you selected from the list linked above during the first week of school. In addition, we will practice AP-style questions and writing prompts over Wuthering Heights and Great Expectations throughout the fall semester.

For questions regarding Summer Reading, please contact the English Department Head, Brittany Arnold at barnold@cacmustangs.org.