Mrs. Treece’s
Summer Reading Assignment
CP English 12
Students are to select a book from the approved list and do the following five steps. This project is due
on the first day of school and is worth 100 points. Mrs. Treece will be checking her email throughout the
summer and can be reached at [email protected] if you have any questions or concerns.
1. Identify, for a character in your book, the character traits that apply to him/her (listed below). He/she should have one trait from
each pair (you should end up with 4 traits total-ex: INTJ). In MLA essay format, type a 2 page paper identifying each character trait
and give textual evidence why the character displays these traits. Please give page numbers and make sure to use quotation marks
around any part of the text that is directly quoted). (36 points)
Character traits:
E(extrovert)
 prefers action and variety
 likes to talk to others while thinking
 acts quickly, sometimes without much
reflection
I(introvert)
 prefers quiet time to think about
things
 thinks on own , then talks to others
 wants to understand before/slow to
start
S(sensing)
N(intuitive)



follows steps to solve problems
patient with details
likes to do things the same way



jumps quickly to an answer
frustrated by details
likes to try new approaches
T(thinking)
 may accidentally hurt other peers’ feelings
 is okay if everyone is not getting along
 wants to be treated with fairness & equality
F(feeling)
 is very aware of others’ feelings
 feels upset by conflict in group
 wants to make people happy
J(judging)
 likes to make a plan, decides things ahead of time
 likes to finish one project before starting another
 likes to research and make best choice possible
P(perceiving)
 likes to stay flexible and avoid fixed
plans
 like to start many projects but may
not finish them all
 likes to try everything and then
make a decision
2. Make a list of five ethical/moral dilemmas that the protagonist faces in the book. Choose one and write a 1-2 page essay typed in
MLA format explaining how the character’s ‘character traits’ influence how he/she handles the situation. (36 points)
3. Write a one sentence summary of either the theme or plot. (3 points)
4. Identify three trends that are pertinent to this book. Trends may include things such as: clothing (Do the characters wear armor?),
speech (Do they speak in Southern slang?), elements that represent the time or setting, etc. Identify the trends and explain how they
contribute to the credibility of the book. Students should write a paragraph for each trend. (15 points)
5. Create two unanswered questions you still have about the book. What would you like to know? Be specific.
If you do not have any unanswered questions, create two extended response questions that could be used on a test over the book you
read. (10 points)
CP English 12
Mrs. Treece
Summer Reading Approved Book List
A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens - Cruel miser Ebeneezer Scrooge has never met a shilling he doesn’t like...and hardly a man he
does. And he hates Christmas most of all. When Scrooge is visited by his old partner, Jacob Marley, and the ghosts of Christmas Past,
Christmas Present, and Christmas Yet to Come, he learns eternal lessons of charity, kindness, and goodwill.
A Farewell to Arms- Ernest Hemingway- LIEUTENANT FREDERIC HENRY is a young American ambulance driver serving in the Italian
army during World War I. At the beginning of the novel, the war is winding down with the onset of winter, and Henry arranges to
tour Italy. The following spring, upon his return to the front, Henry meets Catherine Barkley, an English nurse’s aide at the nearby
British hospital and the love interest of his friend Rinaldi. Rinaldi, however, quickly fades from the picture as Catherine and Henry
become involved in an elaborate game of seduction. Grieving the recent death of her fiancé, Catherine longs for love so deeply that
she will settle for the illusion of it. Her passion, even though pretended, wakens a desire for emotional interaction in Henry, whom
the war has left coolly detached and numb.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is a novel written by English author Charles
Lutwidge Dodgson under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. It tells the story of a girl named Alice who falls down a rabbit hole into a
fantasy world populated by peculiar and anthropomorphic creatures. The tale is filled with allusions to Dodgson's friends. The tale
plays with logic in ways that have given the story lasting popularity with adults as well as children. It is considered to be one of the
most characteristic examples of the genre of literary nonsense, and its narrative course and structure have been enormously
influential, mainly in the fantasy genre. The book is commonly referred to by the abbreviated title Alice in Wonderland, an
alternative title popularized by the numerous stage, film and television adaptations of the story produced over the years.
All But My Life – Gerda Weissman Klein – All But My Life is the unforgettable story of Gerda Weissmann Klein's six-year ordeal as a
victim of Nazi cruelty. From her comfortable home in Bielitz (present-day Bielsko) in Poland to her miraculous survival and her
liberation by American troops--including the man who was to become her husband--in Volary, Czechoslovakia, in 1945, Gerda takes
the reader on a terrifying journey.
Anne of Green Gables – L.M. Montgomery - Everyone's favorite redhead, the spunky Anne Shirley, begins her adventures at Green
Gables, a farm outside Avonlea, Prince Edward Island. When the freckled girl realizes that the elderly Cuthberts wanted to adopt a
boy instead, she begins to try to win them and, consequently, the reader, over.
Call of the Wild- Jack London- BUCK, A POWERFUL DOG, half St. Bernard and half sheepdog, lives on Judge Miller’s estate in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. He leads a comfortable life there, but it comes to an end when men discover gold in the Klondike
region of Canada and a great demand arises for strong dogs to pull sleds. Buck is kidnapped by a gardener on the Miller estate and
sold to dog traders, who teach Buck to obey by beating him with a club and, subsequently, ship him north to the Klondike.
Follow the River- James Alexander Thom- Mary Ingles was twenty-three, married, and pregnant, when Shawnee Indians invaded
her peaceful Virginia settlement, killed the men and women, then took her captive. For months, she lived with them, unbroken, until
she escaped, and followed a thousand mile trail to freedom--an extraordinary story of a pioneer woman who risked her life to return
to her people.
Frankenstein – Mary Shelley - Written in 1816 when she was only nineteen, Mary Shelley's novel of "The Modern Prometheus"
chillingly dramatized the dangerous potential of life begotten upon a laboratory table. A frightening creation myth for our own time,
Frankenstein remains one of the greatest horror stories ever written and is an undisputed classic of its kind.
Gone With the Wind – Margaret Mitchell - American classic in which a manipulative woman and a roguish man carry on a turbulent
love affair in the American south during the Civil War and Reconstruction.
Grendel- John Gardner- As a young monster, Grendel lives with his mother in a cave on the outskirts of human civilization. A foul,
wretched creature who long ago abandoned language, Grendel’s mother is his only kin or companion. One day, the young Grendel
discovers a lake full of firesnakes and, swimming through it, reaches the human world on the other side. On one of his early
explorations he finds himself caught in a tree. A bull and then a band of humans attack Grendel before his mother rescues him.
Gulliver’s Travel- Jonathan Swift- GULLIVER’S TRAVELS recounts the story of Lemuel Gulliver, a practical-minded Englishman
trained as a surgeon who takes to the seas when his business fails. In a deadpan first-person narrative that rarely shows any signs of
self-reflection or deep emotional response, Gulliver narrates the adventures that befall him on these travels.
Her Mother’s Hope – Francine Rivers - The first in an epic two-book saga by beloved author Francine Rivers, this sweeping story
explores the complicated relationships between mothers and daughters over several generations. Near the turn of the 20th century,
fiery Marta leaves Switzerland determined to find life on her own terms. Her journey takes her through Europe and finally lands her
with children and husband in tow in the central valley of California. Marta’s experiences convince her that only the strong survive.
Hildie, Marta’s oldest daughter, has a heart to serve others, and her calling as a nurse gives her independence, if not the respect of
her mother. Amid the drama of WWII, Hildie marries and begins a family of her own. She wants her daughter never to doubt her
love—but the challenges of life conspire against her vow. Each woman is forced to confront her faulty but well-meaning desire to
help her daughter find her God-given place in the world. (***This book is Christian fiction and has religious themes).
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings- Maya Angelou- A phenomenal #1 bestseller that has appeared on the New York Times
bestseller list for nearly three years, this memoir traces Maya Angelou's childhood in a small, rural community during the
1930s. Filled with images and recollections that point to the dignity and courage of black men and women, Angelou paints a
sometimes disquieting, but always affecting picture of the people--and the times--that touched her life.
Invisible Man – Ralph Ellison – A gripping &satisfying novel about a young black man’s search for identity in a society where his
color makes him invisible.
Ivanhoe – Sir Walter Scott - Ivanhoe is the story of one of the remaining Saxon noble families at a time when the English nobility
was overwhelmingly Norman. It follows the Saxon protagonist, Wilfred of Ivanhoe, who is out of favor with his father for his
allegiance to the Norman king, Richard I of England. The story is set in 1194, after the failure of the Third Crusade, when many of the
Crusaders were still returning to Europe. King Richard, who had been captured by the Duke of Austria on his way back, was believed
to still be in the arms of his captors. The legendary Robin Hood, initially under the name of Locksley, is also a character in the story,
as are his "merry men." The character that Scott gave to Robin Hood in Ivanhoe helped shape the modern notion of this figure as a
cheery noble outlaw. Other major characters include Ivanhoe's intractable father, Cedric, one of the few remaining Saxon lords;
various Knights Templar and churchmen; the loyal serfs Gurth the swineherd and the jester Wamba, whose observations punctuate
much of the action; and the Jewish moneylender, Isaac of York, who is equally passionate about money and his daughter, Rebecca.
The book was written and published during a period of increasing struggle for emancipation of the Jews in England, and there are
frequent references to injustice against them.
Jane Eyre- Charlotte Bronte Orphaned at an early age, Jane Eyre leads a lonely life until she finds work as a governess at Thornfield
Hall, where she meets the mysterious Mr. Rochester and sees a ghostly woman who roams the halls by night. This is a story of
passionate love, travail and final triumph. The relationship between the heroine and Mr. Rochester is only one episode, albeit the most
important, in a detailed fictional autobiography in which the author transmuted her own experience into high art. In this work the
plucky heroine is outwardly of plain appearance, but possesses an indomitable spirit, a sharp wit and great courage. She is forced to
battle against the exigencies of a cruel guardian, a harsh employer and a rigid social order which circumscribes her life and position.
Little Women- Louisa May Alcott- This is a beguiling story of happiness and hope, of the joys of companionship, domestic harmony
and infinite mother love, all seen through the life of the March family. But which of the four March sisters to love best? For every
reader must have their favorite. Independent, tomboyish Jo; delicate, loving Beth; pretty, kind Meg, or precocious and beautiful Amy,
the baby of the family?
Mary, Queen of Scots – by Antonio Fraser – Fraser’s goal in this detailed biography is to separate the facts from the fiction
surrounding Mary, Queen of Scots, whose life makes most fictional thrillers seem tame. As an infant, she becomes Queen of Scotland
and at six years old is sent to live in France as a pawn to secure a Scot-French Catholic alliance against Protestant England. Her
French husband dies, and her second husband is murdered. She then marries the man responsible for his murder. The Pope severs
relations with Mary, and she is deposed. Frantically, hoping for help from Elizabeth, she flees to England.
Mutiny on the Bounty- Charles & Hall, James Norman Nordhoff- A thrilling account of the strange, eventful, and tragic voyage of
His Majesty's Ship Bounty in 17881789, which culminated in Fletcher Christian's mutiny against Captain Bligh.
Oliver Twist- Charles Dickens- This fiercely comic tale stands in marked contrast to its genial predecessor, The Pickwick Papers.
Set against London's seedy back street slums, Oliver Twist is the saga of a workhouse orphan captured and thrust into a thieves' den,
where some of Dickens's most depraved villains preside: the incorrigible Artful Dodger, the murderous bully Sikes, and the terrible
Fagin, that treacherous ringleader whose grinning knavery threatens to send them all to the "ghostly gallows." Yet at the heart of this
drama is the orphan Oliver, whose unsullied goodness leads him at last to salvation.
Out of the Silent Planet – CS Lewis - The first novel in C.S. Lewis's classic sci-fi trilogy which tells the adventure of Dr Ransom who is
kidnapped and transported to Mars In the first novel of C.S. Lewis's classic science fiction trilogy, Dr Ransom, a Cambridge
academic, is abducted and taken on a spaceship to the red planet of Malacandra, which he knows as Mars. His captors are plotting
to plunder the planet's treasures and plan to offer Ransom as a sacrifice to the creatures who live there. Ransom discovers he has
come from the 'silent planet' -- Earth -- whose tragic story is known throughout the universe!
Sense and Sensibility-Jane Austin- Spirited and impulsive, Marianne Dashwood is the complete opposite to her controlled and
sensible sister, Elinor. When it comes to matters of the heart, Marianne is passionate and romantic and soon falls for the charming, but
unreliable Mr. Willoughby. Elinor, in contrast, copes stoically with the news that her love, Edward Ferrars is promised to another. It
is through their shared experiences of love that both sisters come to learn that the key to a successful match comes from finding the
perfect mixture of rationality and feeling.
Robinson Crusoe-Daniel Defoe- The sole survivor of a shipwreck, Robinson Crusoe is stranded on an uninhabited island far away
from any shipping routes. With patience and ingenuity, he transforms his island into a tropical paradise. For twenty-four years he has
no human company, until one Friday, he rescues a prisoner from a boat of cannibals.
The Acts of King Arthur and his Noble Knights by John Steinbeck - Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur was the first book that John
Steinbeck truly enjoyed reading as a child. Fascinated by Arthurian tales of adventure, knighthood, honor and friendship, in addition
to the challenging nuances of the original Anglo-Saxon language, Steinbeck set out to render these stories faithfully and with keen
animation for a modern audience. Here then is Steinbeck’s modernization of the adventure of King Arthur and the Knights of the
Round Table, featuring the icons of Arthurian legend—including King Arthur, Merlin, Morgan le Fay, the incomparable Queen
Guinevere, and Arthur's purest knight, Sir Lancelot of the Lake.
The Blue Flower- Penelope Fitzgerald- In eighteenth-century Germany, the impetuous student of philosophy who will later gain
fame as the Romantic poet Novalis seeks his father's permission to wed his true philosophy -- a plain, simple child named Sophie.
The attachment shocks his family and friends. This brilliant young man, betrothed to a twelve-year-old dullard! How can it be?
The Devil in the White City – Erik Larson —author of #1 bestseller In the Garden of Beasts—intertwines the true tale of the 1893
World's Fair and the cunning serial killer who used the fair to lure his victims to their death. Combining meticulous research with nailbiting storytelling, Erik Larson has crafted a narrative with all the wonder of newly discovered history and the thrills of the best
fiction.
The Hiding Place –Corrie Ten Boon - “I pray that God forgive them...” Corrie Ten Boom stood naked with her older sister Betsie,
watching a concentration camp matron beating a prisoner. “Oh, the poor woman,” Corrie cried. “Yes. May God forgive her,” Betsie
replied. And, once again, Corrie realized that it was for the souls of the brutal Nazi guards that her sister prayed. Both woman had
been sent to the camp for helping the Jews. Christ’s Spirit and words were their guide; it was His persecuted people they tried to
save—at the risk of their own lives; it was His strength that sustained them through times of profound horror.
The Hours After: Letters of Love and Longing in War’s Aftermath - Gerda Weissman Klein and Kurt Klein – Over fifty years ago, Gerda
Weissmann clung to life and the end of a 350-mile death march that took her from a slave labor camp in Germany to the Czech border. On May 7,
1945, the American military stormed the area, and among the first soldiers to approach Gerda was Kurt Klein. A great love had begun. By
September they were engaged. Forced to separated just weeks after liberation and hours after their engagement, Gerda and Kurt began a
correspondence that lasted until their reunion and wedding in Paris a year later. Their poignant letters reflect upon the horrors of war and
genocide, but above all, upon the rapture and salvation of true love.
The Natural- Bernard Malamud- Nineteen-year-old Roy Hobbs, a country bumpkin with a great pitching arm, is on his way to
Chicago to try out for the Chicago Cubs. He is on the train with the Cubs' scout, Sam Simpson. While on the train, Roy meets a
woman named Harriet Bird, for whom he immediately develops a crush. He also meets a sports journalist, Max Mercy, who is on the
train with a famous baseball hitter, the Whammer.
The Odyssey – Homer (translated by Robert Fagle) - The Odyssey is literature's grandest evocation of everyman's journey through
life. In the myths and legends that are retold here, renowned translator Robert Fagles has captured the energy and poetry of
Homer's original in a bold, contemporary idiom and given us an Odyssey to read aloud, to savor, and to treasure for its sheer lyrical
mastery. This is an Odyssey to delight both the classicist and the general reader, and to captivate a new generation of Homer's
students.
The Once and Future King by T.H. White -T.H. White's masterful retelling of the saga of King Arthur is a fantasy classic as legendary
as Excalibur and Camelot, and a poignant story of adventure, romance, and magic that has enchanted readers for generations.
The Picture of Dorian Gray- Oscar Wilde- IN THE STATELY LONDON HOME of his aunt, Lady Brandon, the well-known artist Basil
Hallward meets Dorian Gray. Dorian is a cultured, wealthy, and impossibly beautiful young man who immediately captures Basil’s
artistic imagination. Dorian sits for several portraits, and Basil often depicts him as an ancient Greek hero or a mythological figure.
When the novel opens, the artist is completing his first portrait of Dorian as he truly is, but, as he admits to his friend Lord Henry
Wotton, the painting disappoints him because it reveals too much of his feeling for his subject. Lord Henry, a famous wit who enjoys
scandalizing his friends by celebrating youth, beauty, and the selfish pursuit of pleasure, disagrees, claiming that the portrait is
Basil’s masterpiece. Dorian arrives at the studio, and Basil reluctantly introduces him to Lord Henry, who he fears will have a
damaging influence on the impressionable, young Dorian.
The Road – Cormac McCarthy - The Road is a 2006 novel by American writer Cormac McCarthy. It is a post-apocalyptic tale of a
journey of a father and his young son over a period of several months, across a landscape blasted by an unspecified cataclysm that
has destroyed most of civilization and, in the intervening years, almost all life on Earth. The novel was awarded the 2007 Pulitzer
Prize for Fiction and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Fiction in 2006.
The Scarlet Letter – Nathaniel Hawthorne - Set in the harsh Puritan community of seventeenth-century Boston, this tale of
anadulterous entanglement that results in an illegitimate birth reveals Nathaniel Hawthorne's concerns with the tension between
the public and the private selves. Publicly disgraced and ostracized, Hester Prynne draws on her inner strength and certainty of spirit
to emerge as the first true heroine of American fiction. Arthur Dimmesdale, trapped by the rules of society, stands as a classic study
of a self divided.
The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis - In this humorous and perceptive exchange between two devils, C. S. Lewis delves into moral
questions about good vs. evil, temptation, repentance, and grace. Through this wonderful tale, the reader emerges with a better
understanding of what it means to live a faithful life.
Wuthering Heights-Emily Bronte- A somber tale of consuming passions and vengeance played out against the lonely moors of
northern England, the book proved to be one of the most enduring classics of English literature.
The turbulent and tempestuous love story of Cathy and Heathcliff spans two generations -- from the time Heathcliff, a strange, course
young boy, is brought to live on the Earnshaw's windswept estate, through Cathy's marriage to Edgar Linton and Heathcliff's plans for
revenge, to Cathy's death years later and the eventual union of the surviving Earnshaw and Linton heirs.
Book descriptions taken from www.amazon.com