Summer Reading
Columbia High School
Maplewood, NJ
COLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
Recommended Summer Reading for Incoming Freshmen - 2005
Dear Parents/Guardians of Future CHS Freshmen:
Most of us have heard, at one time or another, the phrase, "Reading is fundamental." We believe
that the summer reading list for incoming freshmen is, indeed, a fundamentally important
component for your child to explore as he or she makes the transition from middle to high
school. It is also a good way to encourage your child to choose reading as an important way of
growing.
This is our current recommended reading list. These titles represent a selection of
autobiography/biography, fantasy, historical fiction, non-fiction, realistic fiction, science fiction,
and sports. They focus on the exploration of ideas and concerns about one's seif, family,
community, and the global society in which we live. These explorations will help to prepare your
son or daughter for the units of study he or she will encounter in our ninth grade curriculum.
English teachers at Columbia require that students read at least two books from this list over the
summer. Of course, if you or your child selects a book not on the list, that's okay, too. The
important thing is that he or she read over the summer.
Students should be prepared to discuss and possibly write about their selections in their ninth
grade English class. Examples of possible assignments are listed at the end of this booklet. Your
child should review the assignments, but they do not have to be completed for September. Your
child's English teacher will provide the assignment.
However, the one assignment your son or daughter must complete before returning to school in
September is the "Self description of Your Reading and Writing Processes and Goals" located
near the back of this summer reading booklet.
Please call us if you have any questions or concerns about the books or assignments. If you have
suggestions about titles we should consider including in the next edition of the summer reading
list, please let us know. The English Department's phone number is 973-378-9665. You may also
email the department chairperson ([email protected]).
We look forward to meeting you in September.
Sincerely yours,
Robert G. Young, Ph.D.
English Department Chair
AUTOBIOGRAPHY/BIOGRAPHY
Dahl, Roald
GOING SOLO
Roald Dahl's autobiography creates a world as bizarre and unnerving as any you will find in his
fiction.
Chambers, Veronica
MAMA'S GIRL
Growing up in Brooklyn, Chambers relied on her single mother after her father left her family.
This memoir is a hit with many readers - the story of an overachieving student from an
underprivileged family who has become a successful author.
Fontalne, Smokey D. and Simmons, Earl
E.A.R.L: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF DMX
One of the superstars of Hip Hop, DMX's early life was anything but bright. DSMX was born to
a single mother in the projects; his first 25 years of life were spent in and out of jail for crimes
too numerous to mention. Still, he was eventually able to harness and positively direct his
considerable talent. This is a classic tale of the rise and fall and rise of a young man able to
overcome great odds.
Fricke, Aaron
REFLECTIONS OF A ROCK LOBSTER
A gay teen describes his childhood and his decision to use the courts to allow him to bring a
male date to his senior prom.
Gantos, Jack
HOLE IN My LIFE
Jack Gantos' riveting memoir of the fifteen months he spent as a young man in federal prison for
drug smuggling is more than a harrowing, scared~straight confession: it is a beautifully realized
story about the making of a writer.
Gies, Miep
ANNE FRANK REMEMBERED
In this biography, Miep Gies tells of the years she and her husband helped hide the Franks from
the Nazis and of the diary - Anne's Legacy - that she gave to Otto Frank.
Giovanni, Nikki
GEMINI
An extended autobiographical statement on the author's first 25 years of being a black poet.
Hohler, Robert T.
I TOUCH THE FUTURE
The story of Christa McAuliffe, the teacher who died in the space shuttle
Challenger disaster.
Lund, Doris
ERIC
Bestselling true story of a 17 year-old boy who, afflicted with a terminal illness, lives life to the
hilt.
Matthews, Jay
ESCALANTE: THE BEST TEACHER IN AMERICA
The story of an immigrant from Bolivia who became an extraordinary high school teacher to
inner city school Hispanic students.
McFadden, Cyra
RAIN OR SHINE
A true tale of rodeo, open roads, motels, and towns, combining the real West and the romantic
one.
Myers, Walter Dean
BAD BOY: A MEMOIR
How does it feel to be gifted and black, growing up in Harlem in the 194Os?
Myers, now a successful writer of books popular with young adults, looks back on his childhood
and paints a fascinating picture of life in Harlem and his struggles to survive Harlem's mean
streets and to resolve his own considerable inner turmoil.
Nasu, Masamoto
CHILDREN OF THE PAPER CRANE
Chronicles the life and death of a 12 year-old girl in Hiroshima following the A-bomb attack.
"This book moved me so much, I began to think differently about how WWII ended."
- Ian Duval
Paulsen, Gary
THE BEET FIELDS
In this autobiography, Paulsen recalls his teenage years and his harsh life as a migrant worker
after he runs away from home.
Reef, Catherine
SIGMUND FREUD: PIONEER OF THE MIND
Back when the newly-scientific study of medicine focused on the purely physical, Sigmund
Freud dared to imagine what effects the mind might have on the body, on its physical symptoms
as well as its behavior. The author weaves the developing theories of the first psychoanalyst into
a chronological report on his eventful life, setting both in the political and social currents of his
era.
Sullivan, Tom
IF YOU COULD SEE WHAT I HEAR
Inspiring testament of a young man who used his blindness as a springboard to high
accomplishments.
Suskind, Ron
A HOPE IN THE UNSEEN: AN AMERICAN ODYSSEY FROM THE INNER CITY TO THE IVY
LEAGUE
This compelling story follows Cedric Jennings from his senior year at an inner city Washington,
D.C. high school to Brown University, where he relies on faith and inner strength to meet tough
challenges.
Wright, Richard
BLACK BOY
A powerful account of growing up as a "black boy" in the South.
FANTASY
Adams, Richard
WATERSHIP DOWN
The unique odyssey of a community of rabbits and their efforts to survive when a construction
team moves into their territory.
Cormier, Robert
FADE
Paul Moreaux, the 13 year-old son of French-Canadian immigrants, inherits the ability to
become invisible, but this power soon leads to death and destruction.
Donalson, Stephen R.
THE MIRROR OF HER DREAMS
Geraldean breaks out of a mirror into the living room of Terisa Morgan and begs her to return
with him to save Mordant from destruction.
Furlong, Monica
WISE CHILD
Wise Child is temporarily adopted by Juniper, a local sorceress whose kindness and tutelage in
the healing arts make up for hard work and a rugged life, and is tempted to leave when her real
mother reappears promising a life of luxury.
Harrison, Harry
WEST OF EDEN
Kerrick, a young hunter, grows to manhood among the dinosaurs, escaping at last to rejoin his
own kind.
Klause, Annette Curtis
THE SILVER KISS
Zoe is wary when, in the dead of night, a beautiful yet frightening Simon comes to her house.
Simon seems to understand the pain of loneliness and death and Zoe's brooding thoughts of her
dying mother. But can Zoe trust Simon?
LeGuin, Ursula K.
A WIZARD OF EARTHSEA
Ged, the boy wizard, brings forth a beast that wants to destroy his soul. This is the first of a
trilogy. The other two books are the TOMBS OF ATWAN and THE FARTHEST SHORE.
MacAvoy, LA.
DAMIANO
To save his beloved city from war, Damiano left his cloistered life and set out on a pilgrimage,
seeking the aid of a powerful sorceress. But his road was filled with betrayal, disillusionment.
and death.
McKinley, Robin
THE BLUE SWORD
Kidnapped by King Corlath, Harry Crewe, an orphan girl, is trained by him to be a mighty
warrior. In a short time, she is a match for even the best of his soldiers and slowly begins to
discover her mysterious powers.
Pullman, Philip
THE GOLDEN COMPASS
Lyra and Pantalaimon assist her uncle as they travel to the North and struggle to solve the
mystery involving scientists performing experiments on children, witch clans, and armored
bears.
Rowling, J.K.
HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE
Rejoin our orphan hero as he confronts dragons, house-elves, and death-defying challenges. Now
14, Harry finds himself engaged in a wizard Quidditch tournament, one that could cost him his
life.
Stewart, Mary
THE CRYSTAL CAVE
Was Merlin, the famed magician of Arthur's court, a prince of darkness, or a man of intelligence
and love with unusual gifts?
Tolkien, J.R.R.
FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING
The adventures and trials facing Frodo, a Hobbit, as he attempts to return a ring with evil powers
to its source for destruction before it falls into the hands of the Dark Lord that wants to control
the world.
Zimmer, Bradley Marion
THE MISTS OFAVALON
This retelling of the Arthurian legend is dominated by the character of Morgan le Fay, the
powerful sorceress who symbolizes the historical clash between Christianity and the early pagan
religions of the British Isles.
HISTORICAL FICTION
Avi
CRISPIN
In medieval England, the young peasant Crispin flees from home after being falsely accused of
committing a crime. He meets up with a strange traveling juggler and together they trek across
England, with Crispin hiding from his pursuers and trying to unravel the mystery of his true
identity.
Cormier, Robert
HEROES
18-year-old Francis Cassavant returns to his hometown from World War II with his face horribly
disfigured. A grenade has blown away his nose, his ears, his teeth, and his cheeks. His only
thought now is to plot murder against Larry LaSalle, who was once his hero.
Forman, James D.
FREEDOM'S BLOOD
A fictionalized account of the murder of three Civil Rights workers in Mississippi.
Gaines, Ernest, J.
A GATHERING OF OLD MEN
When a white man in rural Louisiana is murdered, all the local black men claim responsibility
for the murder.
Hamill, Pete
SNOW IN AUGUST
A novel set in Brooklyn shortly after World War II depicting the unlikely friendship between an
Irish Catholic boy and a rabbi examines questions of prejudice, justice, loyalty, and faith.
Lord, Bette Bao
SPRING MOON
Five generations in the life of Spring Moon, favored daughter of a noble house, and how her life
came to fulfill a prophecy made at her birth.
Myers, Walter Dean
THE GLORY FIELD
A five-generation saga follows one family from the slave who arrived in the 1700s to his
descendants at a family reunion in South Carolina in 1994. Male and female main characters take
turns revealing the social order of their changing times.
Namioka, Lensey
TIES THAT BIND, TIES THAT BREAK
In early 20th century China, a girl defies her family and tradition by refusing to have her feet
bound, and must find her own way in the world.
Paulsen, Gary
SOLDIERS' HEART
The nightmare of the Civil War comes alive as Charley Goddard, a hardworking, sweet tempered
Minnesota farm boy eagerly enlists for what he thinks will be a great adventure.
Potok, Chaim
DAVITA'S HARP
Potok captures the essence of the religious experience--sometimes joyous, sometimes painfulthrough the life of a young girl growing up in New York City during the 1930s and 1940s.
Rinaldi, Ann
THE EDUCATION OF MARY: A LITTLE MISS OF COLOR -1832
Two sisters choose different paths to their education in 1832. Mary is content with private
lessons after her chores at the school for girls where she works, but her sister Sarah is determined
to break down the barriers against Black students at the elite white school. Their choices cause
an upheaval in the anti-slavery movement and a rift between the girls. Rinaldi's other historical
fiction titles include HANG A THOUSAND TREES WITH RIBBIONS: THE STORY OF
PHYLLIS WHEATLEY and A BREAK WITH CHARITY: A STORY ABOUT THE SALEM WlTCH
TRIALS.
Taylor, Mildred
THE LAND
If you liked ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY, you'll love The Land. Here, Taylor recounts
the history of the Logan family. We meet Cassie's grandfather, Paul Edward, whose struggles
with racism and prejudice and his conflict over being half black and half white are vividly
portrayed.
Walker, Margaret
JUBlLEE
A Civil War novel that chronicles the triumph of a free spirit over many kinds of bondage.
NON-FICTION
Bartoletti, Susan
BLACK POTATOES: THE STORY OF THE GREAT IRISH FAMINE, 1845-1850
Drawing heavily on news reports of the time and first-person accounts, Bartoletti chronicles the
Irish potato famine that left so many dead and so many others fleeing Ireland for America. A
book of great poignancy, it puts a very real face on suffering that happened over a century ago.
Carson, Rachel
SILENT SPRING
The world famous bestseller about man-made pollutants that threaten to destroy life on this
Earth.
Cerem, C.W.
GODS, GRAVES AND SCHOLARS:THE STORY OF ARCHEOLOGY
This account of the adventures and explorations of the great archaeologists brings to life the
mysterious past of mankind.
Davis, Sampson, et. al.
THE PACT: THREE YOUNG MEN MAKE A PROMISE AND FULFILL A DREAM
As teenagers living in Newark, New Jersey, three young Black men vowed to stick together and
support each other through University High School and Seton Hall University. Refusing to be
diverted by drugs, gangs, crime, or family troubles, they realized their dreams of becoming
doctors.
Fleischman, John
PHINEAS GAGE: A GRUESOME BUT TRUE STORY ABOUT BRAIN SCIENCE
Phineas Gage had the misfortune in 1848 of being struck in the head by a
13-pound iron rod, which entered his cheekbone and exited the front of his skull leaving quite a
large hole in his brain. Gage lived ten more years after that, but he was never the same.
Fleischman chronicles what happened to him, his brain, and his personality as a result of his
collision with cruel fate. There are pictures, MRI scans, and diagrams with the text.
Graham, Robin Lee
DOVE
Inspiring true story of 16-year-old Robin Graham's incredible voyage around the world in a
twenty-four foot sloop.
Highfield, Roger
THE SCIENCE OF HARRY POTTER:HOW MAGIC REALLY WORKS
A detailed look behind the science details involved with the fascinating Harry Potter stories and
how they either already exist or can be made to exist through the utilization of technology. A true
adventure for those who are fans of the Harry Potter series, or for those who are interested in
when fiction becomes scientific reality.
Kozol, Jonathan
AMAZING GRACE
A portrait of the lives of children living in the South Bronx which reveals their spirit and grace as
they try to cope with poverty, violence, and the indifference of society at large.
Meltzer, Milton
POVERTY IN AMERICA
This non-fiction work examines the nature of poverty in America, its effects on children, women,
the elderly, racial minorities, and the past and present efforts to fight it.
Perna, Paula D.
JURIES ON TRIAL
This non-fiction work examines the history of the jury system, considers important cases of the
past, and reports on recent trials.
Weiss, Ann. E.
EASY CREDIT
A detailed and very involved look at the use and abuse of credit throughout history. Practical
advice is given for utilization of the benefits and protection from the deficits caused by credit
cards in today's economy. An excellent place for anyone to learn how to make the best of “plastic
cash."
REALISTIC FICTION
Alvarez, Julia
BEFORE WE WERE FREE
What is it like to live under a dictatorship, knowing that at any time the secret police could come
and arrest your loved ones? Anita de la Torre is too involved in her own life to notice the
increasing danger around her. That preoccupation soon ends when the coup d'etat her father and
uncles are involved in fails.
Anaya, Rudoffo
HEART OF AZTLAN
Portrays life in an Albuquerque barrio in postwar New Mexico where urban and rural, political
and religious realities coexist, collide, and combine.
Arrick, Fran
CHERNOWITZ
What began with one bully soon became a terrifying, tormenting campaign of prejudice and
hatred. Anti-Semitic abuse causes Bobby to plot revenge against his tormentor.
Bardi, Abby
THE BOOK OF FRED
This story of two 15-year-olds from disparate backgrounds is told with humor, understanding,
and love. Mary Fred was raised in a fundamentalist community. From living with little
schooling, she is plunged into Heather's world of TV, pizza, high school, and a family that is
shockingly disorderly and undisciplined.
Bloor, Edward
TANGERINE
Paul Fisher spends his first year in Tangerine County, Florida, striving for recognition on the
middle school soccer team and attempting to remember an incident involving his brother that
resulted in Paul's vision impairment.
Corman, Carolyn
WHAT JAMIE SAW
Having fled to a family friend's hillside trailer after his mother's boyfriend tried to throw his baby
sister against a wall, 9 year-old Jamie finds himself living an existence full of uncertainty and
fear.
Cottonwood, Joe
DANNY AIN'T
Danny doesn't remember his mother. And now with his father in the hospital with one of his bad
spells---a flashback to the Vietnam War that has never really ended for him---Danny is on his
own.
Danticat, Edwidge
BEHIND THE MOUNTAINS
As life becomes more difficult in Haiti as political violence spreads, Celiane prepares to leave
her beloved homeland and join her father in Brooklyn, New York. The adjustment isn't easy
because so many things are different - the language, the food, clothing, expectations, even her
father.
Dean, Carolee
COMFORT
Freshman Kenny Wilson's alcoholic father is coming home from prison just as Kenny has been
saving money to leave small-town Comfort, Texas. Forced to give up two of his loves -football
and band - to slave away at his abusive mother's dive cafe~, Kenny's ouly chance to earn enough
money is through writing and interpretive poetry competitions. Readers who crave independence
and a way to break destructive family cycles will take interest, as will fans of poetry and poetry
slams.
Donovan, John
REMOVING PROTECTIVE COATING A LITTLE AT A TIME
Amelia was 72-years-old and lived alone in a vacant tenement. Harry started visiting her
regularly. How had they become friends? Why had they become friends?
Farmer, Nancy
A GIRL NAMED DISASTER
In this exciting survival tale, adventure and myth are woven together to tell a story of Nhamo,
who has escaped from her African village to avoid an arranged marriage and embarks on a
journey down the river to Zimbabwe in search of her father's family.
Fleishman, Paul
WHIRLIGIG
A non-linear narrative, this is the story of a 16-year-old boy who causes the death of a girl and is
asked to atone for it by traveling to the four corners of the United States to build whirligigs. His
odyssey has profound effects on others' lives.
Girion, Barbara
A TANGLE OF ROOTS
When her 38-year old mother dies suddenly, 16-year-old Beth Frankie experiences
overwhelming anger, grief and loneliness, but both she and her father find the strength and
understanding to help each other survive.
Guest, Judith
ORDINARY PEOPLE
The story of a youth's breakdown and recovery and the effect it has on his family.
Harris, Marilyn
HATTER FOX
The story of a 17-year-old Navajo girl and the white doctor who tries to save her is poignant,
triumphant, and terribly sad.
Hentoff, Nat
THE DAY THEY CAME TO ARREST THE BOOK
School newspaper editor Barney Roti protests library censorship efforts. Students and faculty at a
high school become embroiled in a censorship case over HUCKLEBERRY FINN.
Koertge, Ron
THE ARIZONA KID
For Billy it was a summer to remember: away from home for the first time and living with his
gay uncle, working at Tucson's biggest racetrack, and falling in love with Cara.
Levitan, Sonia
MARK OF CONTE
When he realizes that the computer at his new school thinks that he's two people, Conte decides
to take a double course load and graduate in half the time.
Lisle, Janet Taylor
HOW I BECAME A WRITER AND OGGIE LEARNED TO RIDE
Archie desires to become an author, but gets involved with a neighborhood gang he joins in an
attempt to get back the bike they stole from his younger brother. The lessons learned as he
struggles with the conflict of interests generated by his "good" deed and his new "good" friends
are compelling and riveting.
Lubar, David
DUNK
Growing up along Atlantic City's fabled boardwalk - "one of the coolest places on the planet" Chad thinks he's seen everything. But on the first day of the summer tourist season, the teenager
becomes mesmerized by the new Bozo working in the dunk tank. As the carnival clown skillfully
selects his "marks" from the strolling crowds and comically taunts them, Chad decides that he
too wants to be a dunk-tank Bozo.
Mazer, Harry
SNOWBOUND: A STORY OF RAW SURVIVAL
Two emotionally immature teenagers struggle for survival while stranded in a desolate area
during a severe snowstorm.
McDonald, Janet
CHILL WIND
Aisha is a 19-year-old high school dropout with two children. On the whole, life is pretty good
for her until she receives a notice from welfare informing her that her limit for receiving welfare
is over and she has 90 days to enroll in the workfare program. Attempting to stay on welfare at
any cost, Aisha comes up with one wild scheme after another.
McDonald, Joyce
SWALLOWING STONES
After a stray bullet from Michael's rifle kills Jenna's father in a freak accident, Jenna deals with
her grief and Michael must learn to confront and admit his guilt.
Naidoo, Beverly
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TRUTH
Sade and her younger brother must flee Nigeria for London when government soldiers kill their
mother and her father goes into hiding. Strangers in London, and on their own, they must find a
way to reunite with their father and find a safe place to stay.
Newton, Suzanne
I WILL CALL IT GEORGIE'S BLUES
The complacent facade projected by a small town preacher's family hides the fact that
relationships are terribly strained. Then tragedy brings family members together, and they make
a start at understanding each other's needs.
Oates, Joyce Carol
BIG MOUTH AND UGLY GIRL
In her first novel for young adults, Oates pairs a loudmouth boy who is being accused of
threatening to bomb his school with a heroic girl he barely knows who heard what he really said.
Oates captures the family life, the social pressures, the e-mail rumors, and the cruelty of
exclusiveness in a wealthy suburb of New York.
Placide, Jaira
FRESH GIRL
14-year-old Mardi is a stranger in this country. Newly arrived from Haiti, she must learn to
adjust to a new culture. Still, Haiti is very much with her as are the horrors she experienced
during her last days there. Can she bring herseff to reveal the terrible secret that is making her
life a waking nightmare?
Porter, Connie
IMANI ALL MINE
At 15 Tasha is a mother struggling to finish high school and make something of herself. Her
mother is no help and things are not going well at school. Looking for unconditional love and
acceptance, she finds it in her daughter, Imani. Surrounded by gang violence, drugs, and
neighborhood decay, Tasha needs all the help she can get to overcome the odds stacked against
her.
Sachar, Lous
HOLES
Stanley Yelnats is sent to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention facility in Texas with no 1ake,
and no happy campers. Despite his innocence, Stanley is forced to rise before dawn to dig a hole
five feet deep and five feet in diameter under the watchful eye of the warden, who paints her
fingernails with rattlesnake venom.
Santiago, Danny
FAMOUS ALL OVER TOWN
A 14-year-old Chicano street gang member beats the odds against him.
Scoppettone, Sandra
THE LATE GREAT ME
A realistic look at teenage alcoholism. Having thought that drinking would help her make and
keep friends, a 16-year-old comes to realize that she is no longer in control and seeks help.
Smith, Betty
A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN
In this deeply moving story of childhood and family relationships, young Francie comes of age
in the poverty of the Brooklyn slums.
Swarthout, Glendon
BLESS THE BEASTS AND CHILDREN
Poignant tale of young people striking a desperate blow against a world that has no place for
them.
Voigt, Cynthia
HOMECOMING
After Dicey's mother abandons her and her three siblings in the parking lot of a shopping mail,
Dicey uses her wits and survival skills to help them travel through Connecticut and beyond in
search of a place they can call home.
Wallace, Rich
WRESTLING STURBRIDGE
Stuck in a small town where no one ever leaves, and relegated by his wrestling coach to sit on
the bench while his best friend becomes state champion, Ben decides he can't let his last high
school wrestling season slip by without challenging his friend and the future.
Wartski, Maureen
LONG WAY FROM HOME
Kien, a young Vietnamese refugee trying to make a new life for himself in America, finds
himself caught in the middle of a battle between the local townspeople and the new immigrants.
Woodson, Jacqueline
IF YOU COME SOFTLY
A poignant tale of an interracial romance between two high school
students in New York City, told from the perspectives of both main characters.
Wouk, Herman
MARJORIE MORNINGSTAR
Marjorie is a young, talented, and respectable Jewish girl. She meets Noel, a brilliant and
charming advocate of the Bohemian way of life. The novel evolves into a dash of temperaments
between the two.
SCIENCE FICTION
Asimov, Isaac
FOUNDATION
This is the first of four novels about a Galactic Empire of the future and its struggle for control of
the universe's destiny.
Bradbury, Ray
SOMETHING WICKED THlS WAY COMES
What if someone knew your secret dream, that one great wish you would give anything for? And
what if that person suddenly made your dream come true before you learned the price you had to
pay?
Butler, Octavia
PARABLE OF THE SOWER
By the mid-2000s, the United States has become a wasteland. It is a society of walled cities,
diseases, fires, and madness. When her neighborhood is destroyed and her family killed, Lauren
must flee for her life.
Card, Orson Scott
ENDER'S GAME
Aliens have attacked Earth twice and attempted to destroy the human species. To avoid this
happening again, the world government begins breeding military geniuses, one of whom is Ender
Wiggin. Other books in the series are ENDER'S SHADOW, SHADOW OF THE HEGEMON, and
SHADOW PUPPET.
Clarke, Arthur C.
CHILDHOOD'S END
A world-wide arms race is suddenly halted by the appearance of space ships over every major
city on Earth. The Overloards take control and wipe out ignorance, disease, and poverty. But will
this "golden age" last?
Farmer, Nancy
HOUSE OF THE SCORPION
Students who liked Farmer's THE EAR, THE EYE, and THE ARM, will enjoy the complexities of
life in the land of Opium, a corrupt drug empire between Mexico and the US. Where the main
character is a clone in a culture in which humans despise clones. This novel combines a comingof-age story with thoughtful science fiction.
Haddix, Margaret
AMONG THE HIDDEN
Luke has spent 12 years in hiding because he is the third child born to his parents under a
totalitarian government that even controls the number of children families may have. When he
begins to wonder if he might not be the only hidden child, larger questions arise. To what extent
is he willing to defy the government in order to have a life worth living?
Heinlein, Robert
FRIDAY
An artificial person is a dangerous secret agent in a futuristic society.
.
Jones, Terry
DOUGLAS ADAMS' STARSHIP TITANIC
Three earthlings, on Blerontin, a journalist, a semi-deranged parrot, and a ship full of disoriented
robots must overcome their differences to save Starship Titanic.
Lowry, Lois
GATHERING BLUE
The author of THE GIVER has created a female protagonist, Kira, who has been removed from
the poverty of her small town to live in the luxurious Council Edifice. Although Kira is
physically challenged and an orphan, her gifts as a waver will be used to help the powerful
Guardians.
Wells, H.G.
THE TIME MACHINE
An intrepid inventor ventures a half million years into the future where
humanity is divided between the peaceful Ebi and the war-like Morlocks.
SPORTS
Blais, Medeline
IN THESE GIRLS, HOPE IS A MUSCLE
The true story of the Amherst, Massachusetts High School girls' basketball team and their
exciting and inspiring quest for the state championship.
Brancato, Robin F.
WlNNlNG
Paralyzed as a result of a football accident, a high school student struggles to accept the reality of
his condition and the effect it will have on his friendships and his future.
Crutcher, Chris
THE CRAZY HORSE ELECTRIC GAME
Willie, star athlete hurt and brain damaged in an accident, finds himself abandoned by all of his
friends and family. Frustrated by the situation, he enrolls in a school for the mentally and
physically challenged.
Lipsyte, Robert
ONE FAT SUMMER
Obese 14-year-old Bobby takes a summer job while in the process slimming down. Bobby
experiences a turning point from which he learns to stand up for himself.
McKissack, Patricia and Frederick
BLACK DIAMOND: THE STORY OF THE NEGRO BASEBALL LEAGUES
This book gives the reader a glimpse of another time. The McKissacks recount the history of the
Negro Leagues and their great heroes, including Monte Irwin, Buck Leonard, and Cool Papa
Bell.
Miklowitz, Gloria D.
ANYTHING TO WIN
The startling reality and devastating effects of steroid use in high school athletics are exposed in
this timely and moving novel.
Myers, Walter Dean
SLAM
"Slam" Harris is counting on his basketball talents to get him out of the inner city, but his coach
sees things differently.
Peterson, Robert
ONLY THE BALL WAS WHITE: A HISTORY OF LEGENDARY BLACK PLAYERS AND ALLBLACK PROFESSlONAL TEAMS
This is a fascinating account of the many talented black baseball players who were excluded from
professional baseball for a half-century because of their color. Their hardships and triumphs in
the leagues they formed are recounted through interviews and news reports of the time.
COMPLETE THIS PAGE OVER THE SUMMER
Self-description on your Reading and Writing Processes and Goals
Take some time to think back on years before this, as well as to think ahead to the future. Write a
description of your reading and writing processes. Include the following items and others which seem
logical inclusions as you write:
READING:
Write about yourself as a reader in any form you desire: a letter, a play, a poem, a newspaper article, a
song, a comic book, a short story ... whatever form allows you to express yourself clearly and creatively.
Include the following as fits you best:
•
What are your reading habits? What sorts of books or other material do you like to read? When and
where do you read or have you read the most? What influences your reading habits? Who has
influenced your reading habits?
•
What books that you've read this year and in previous years have had a lasting impact on you or were
significant in some way? Why?
•
What is best for you as a reader? What is most difficult for you as a reader? What kinds of reading
go on in your household? Do you ever talk about your reading? When? With whom? Why? What
childhood reading do you recall? Did someone read to you? Do you ever read to someone else?
Include any other information that you feel is relevant to your discussion of your personal reading.
Discuss your summer reading, especially the books you read, but any other reading you did as well. (Do
not skip this part.)
Your reading goals for this school year: In sentence and paragraph form specify what you would like to
do to continue to grow as a reader. How might you do this (in the short term and in the long term)? What
resources do you need to work toward this goal (these goals)?
WRITING:
Write about yourself as a writer in any form that fits you creatively. Include the following as fits you best:
• What pieces of your own writing stand out significantly in your memory as you think back over your
years of writing? Why do they stand out?
• What do you like to write? How do you go about doing the writing? What gets you stared writing?
What moves you along to completion? What helps when you get stuck for a way to continue? What
kinds of revision does your work go through? How do you feel about your work at the end?
•
What is best for you as a writer? What is most difficult for you as a writer?
Your writing goals for this school year: In sentence and Paragraph form specify what you would like to
do to continue to grow as a writer. How might you do this (in the short term and in the long term)? What
resources do you need to work toward this goal (these goals)?
SAMPLE SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENTS
DOUBLE-ENTRY JOURNALS
(NOTE: If you like to keep track of your reading, then you may want to keep a double-entry journal as
you read this summer. Then, when your teacher gives you the summer reading assignment, you can use
your journal to help jog your memory about the books you mad.)
As you engage in outside-of-class (and, at times, in-class) reading, you will be required to keep a DoubleEntry Journal. You may use a separate notebook for this purpose, or maintain a section in your regular
English notebook. The pages will be taken out and submitted to me from time to time, so a spiral notebook is not desirable.
On the left side of the page, write down quotations from your reading. These may be quotations of things
that strike you particularly strongly. They may include vivid description, situations of things especially
meaningful to you because you have had similar experience, particular events in the book that are
.important for one reason or another, or anything else that you feel you want to reflect on. On the right
side of the page, write your personal response/reaction to the quotations you have selected.
Make sure that the title (underlined) and author appear at the top of each page, and indicate page numbers
of your quotes.
SAMPLE
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Girl/Portrait of the Artist as a Young Girl
John Quinn, ed.
"My father always encouraged us to read ... My
mother was not a great reader, although she
liked novels and read quite a few of them..."(p.8)
"I did some writing as a child but I stopped
writing at age 17 because I was so confused."
(p.59)
John Quinn, ed.
I Although in my family, it was the other
I way around (Dad didn't have as much time
I for reading, and tended to read more
I professional journals, I grew up in a
I house of reading. In fact, one of my
I earliest memories is sitting on my Mom's
I lap while she read to me. Ican still
I picture vividly the corner of the living
I room, and the chair. At one point, I
I discovered a small hole drilled in the
I floor near that chair. Presumably It
I was for stereo wires, but my young,
I much-read-to mind was convinced it was
I the access route used by Ariadne and Pod,
I the miniature creatures in The Borrowers,
I a book my mother read to me.
I Although I've always taught high-school
I age students during the regular school
I year, I have, at times, taught younger
I students in summer school. I've often
I wondered what happens to that "spark"
I and that wonderful creativity that I've
I found in young kids. Do teenagers beI come too intimidated? And if so, why?
SAMPLE SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENTS
"SHRINKLITS"
A "shrinklit" is a brief light-hearted synopsis of a work of literature. It is written as rhymed lines
containing some of the important information in the literary work, and usually concludes with some
advice for the reader about whether you would recommend the book or not.
Write a shrinklit for at least one book you read over the summer and submit it with your reading analysis
assignment. Shrinklits which are "A" quality may be featured in the Library's display case on "Summer
Reading."
Below are two examples from summer reading:
The Peaceable Kingdom
by Jan DeHertog
The Quakers in England could not reflect,
so they moved to Pennsylvania to get some respect.
At farming and business they were the masters,
but westward expansion was fraught with disasters.
If you like fiction '”twined in hist'ry,
The Peaceable Kingdom is a good book for "thee."
Pillars of the Earth
by Ken Follett
Medieval England provides the setting
for intrigue, murder, power, weddings.
Tom the Builder had his dream:
to build a cathedral was his scheme.
The rich and greedy were his foes,
but his family and the clergy eased his woes.
If you really want your reading's worth,
try Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth.
SAMPLE SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENTS
EXTRA CREDIT - BOOK REPORT
Use the following format to prepare a book report for a novel you have read. The
heading should include the title (underlined or in italics) and author. The report
should be at least five paragraphs.
Paragraph 1 Introduction
Tell where the story takes place (settings).
Tell when the story takes place.
Who is the main character?
Paragraphs 2-4
Discuss the plot and other characters.
Include the important events and the main idea of the story.
Describe how the whole story moved toward the ending.
Paragraph 5
Give your opinion of the story, and tell whether or not you liked the
story.
Did you like or dislike the characters? Why?
Compare the book or characters to other books or characters you've
read, or a television show you've watched.
or
You can tell about something you learned about life, people, places, or
yourself, which you didn't know before reading this book.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Committee Members
Ms. Ellen Columbus
Mr. Joseph Fanning
Ms. Jane Rauen
Dr. Carol Collins
Mr. Nelson Trias
Dr. Robert Young
South Orange Public Library
SOMS/MMS Librarian
SOMS Librarian
CHS Librarian
CHS English Department
CHS English Department Chair
Special Thanks
Ms. Meg Wastie
CHS English Department
Sample Lessons/Proofreading
Mr. Ben Foley
CHS English Department
Cover Design
Ms. Tina Nardone
Booklet Production
Ms. Linda Baron
Booklet Printing
Mr. James G. Memoli
Assistant Superintendent