212 EAST MAIN STREET, LITITZ PA 17543
(p) 717.626.8512
(w) lindenhall.org
SummerReading2016
Readingisanintegralpartofastudent’songoingeducationanddevelopment.Summeristheidealtime
totakeastepawayfromthepressuresoftheschoolyearandtoexplorenewworldsandtopics.Reading
teachesusabouttheworldbeyondwhatweexperienceonadailybasis,helpsusdiscovernewinterests,
andenhancesourunderstandingofalreadyestablishedinterests.Byreadingthesamebooksasyour
LindenHallschoolmatesandteachers,youwillcomebackfromyoursummeradventureswithashared
experiencethatwewilldiscussandexploretogether.
Thissummer,weaskthatyoureadtwobooks.First,readeithertheMiddleorUpperSchoolcommunity
book,andthenreadoneofthebooksfromthechoicelist.Pleasenotethatmostofthebooksdonot
specifyiftheyareforMiddleorUpperSchoolstudents;wewouldlikeyoutochooseabookthatisnew
toyouandisatalevelthatyouarecomfortablereading.
Weencourageyourparentstojoininthissharedexperienceaswell,andtoreadyoursummerreading
selectionswithyou.Thelistthatfollowsincludesbooksfromawiderangeofgenresandtopics,and
eachofyouwillbeabletofindsomethingthatsparksyourinterest.Pleasenotethatnoteverybookis
appropriateforeverystudent.Itisimportantthatyouandyourparentsworktogethertolookoverthe
choicesthatfollowandtomakethebestselectionforyou.
Youshouldreturntoschoolpreparedtodiscussbothofthebooksthatyoureadandtoengageina
varietyofactivitiesabouteachbook.
WeinviteyoutoexplorethebooksbeforemakingyourchoicebycomingtotheSummerReadingBook
FairinthemainlobbyonApril8and9.Atthebookfairyouwillhavetheopportunitytolookateachof
thesummerreadingtitlesandtoorderthebookstotakehomewithyouattheendoftheyear.
Asinthepast,certainclasseswillrequireadditionalsummerreadingthisyear.Thatinformationwill
besharedwithyouclosertotheendoftheschoolyear.
Ifyouhaveanyquestionsaboutthesummerreadingassignmentsthisyear,contactMs.Roman
([email protected]).
MiddleSchoolCommunityBook
Forstudentsenteringgrades6-8
TheOmnivore’sDilemma:YoungReadersEditionbyMichaelPollan
“What’sfordinner?”seemedlikeasimplequestion—untiljournalistandsupermarketdetectiveMichael
Pollandelvedbehindthescenes.Fromfastfoodandbigorganictosmallfarmsandold-fashioned
huntingandgathering,thisyoungreaders’adaptationofPollan’sfamousfood-chainexploration
encourageskidstoconsiderthepersonalandglobalhealthimplicationsoftheirfoodchoices.
UpperSchoolCommunityBook
Forstudentsenteringgrades9-12
Animal,Vegetable,MiraclebyBarbaraKingsolver
AuthorBarbaraKingsolverandherfamilyabandonedtheindustrial-foodpipelinetolivearurallife—
vowingthat,foroneyear,they’donlybuyfoodraisedintheirownneighborhood,growitthemselves,or
learntolivewithoutit.Partmemoir,partjournalisticinvestigation,Animal,Vegetable,Miracleisan
enthrallingnarrativethatwillopenyoureyesinahundrednewwaystoanoldtruth:Youarewhatyou
eat.
ChoiceBooks
Eachstudentshouldchooseatleastonebookfromthelistbelowtoreadthissummer.
TheAbsolutelyTrueDiaryofaPart-TimeIndianbyShermanAlexie
BestsellingauthorShermanAlexietellsthestoryofJunior,abuddingcartoonistgrowinguponthe
SpokaneIndianReservation.Determinedtotakehisfutureintohisownhands,Juniorleaveshis
troubledschoolonthereztoattendanall-whitefarmtownhighschoolwheretheonlyotherIndianis
theschoolmascot.
Heartbreaking,funny,andbeautifullywritten,TheAbsolutelyTrueDiaryofaPart-TimeIndian,whichis
basedontheauthor'sownexperiences,coupledwithpoignantdrawingsbyEllenForneythatreflectthe
character'sart,chroniclesthecontemporaryadolescenceofoneNativeAmericanboyasheattemptsto
breakawayfromthelifehewasdestinedtolive.
ChainsbyLaurieHalseAnderson
AstheRevolutionaryWarbegins,thirteen-year-oldIsabelwagesherownfight...forfreedom.Promised
freedomuponthedeathoftheirowner,sheandhersister,Ruth,inacrueltwistoffatebecomethe
propertyofamaliciousNewYorkCitycouple,theLocktons,whohavenosympathyfortheAmerican
RevolutionandevenlessforRuthandIsabel.WhenIsabelmeetsCurzon,aslavewithtiestothe
Patriots,heencourageshertospyonherowners,whoknowdetailsofBritishplansforinvasion.Sheis
reluctantatfirst,butwhentheunthinkablehappenstoRuth,Isabelrealizesherloyaltyisavailabletothe
bidderwhocanprovideherwithfreedom.
NoNameintheStreetbyJamesBaldwin
Thisstunninglypersonaldocumentandextraordinaryhistoryoftheturbulentsixtiesandearlyseventies
displaysJamesBaldwin'sfuryanddespairmoredeeplythananyofhisotherworks.Invividdetailhe
rememberstheHarlemchildhoodthatshapedhisearlyconsciousness,thelatereventsthatscoredhis
heartwithpain—themurdersofMartinLutherKingandMalcolmX,hissojournsinEuropeandin
Hollywood,andhisreturntotheAmericanSouthtoconfrontaviolentAmericaface-to-face.
ThisbookismostsuitableforUpperSchoolstudents.
TheIllustratedManbyRayBradbury
RayBradburybringswondersalive.ForthispeerlessAmericanstoryteller,themostbewitchingforcein
theuniverseishumannature.Intheseeighteenstartlingtalesunfoldingacrossacanvasoftattooed
skin,livingcitiestaketheirvengeance,technologyawakensthemostprimalnaturalinstincts,and
dreamsarecarriedaloftinjunkyardrockets.Provocativeandpowerful,TheIllustratedManisa
kaleidoscopicblendingofmagic,imagination,andtruth—asexhilaratingasinterplanetarytravel,as
maddeningasawalkinamillion-yearrain,andascomfortingassimple,familiarritualsonthelastnight
oftheworld.
TheDoubleLifeofZoeFlynnbyJanetLeeCarey
SheusedtoliveinCalifornia,inabigoldhouse--thebesthouseintheworldreally--at18HawkRoad.
Itrambledandcreakedandwasfullofgoodhidingplaces.SheusedtohaveabestfriendnamedKellen
wholivedrightdowntheroad,andadognamedMerlinwholovedtoplaywithher.Butnowshelivesin
alittletowninOregon,andeverythinghaschanged.
Now,Zoehastobecareful.Carefulthatshedoesn'ttellanyone,notherfriendsorherteacheror
especiallythatcopwho'sbeenwatchingher,thatshedoesn'tliveat18HawkRoadanymore.Thatnow
herfamilylivesinanoldgreenvanthat'scrampedanddirtyanddoesn'tevenworkallthetime.Zoe's
alwayshopingthatsomedayshe'llfindherwaybackhome....
ThisbookismostsuitableforMiddleSchoolstudents.
TheTestingbyJoelleCharbonneau
It’sgraduationdayforsixteen-year-oldMalenciaVale,andtheentireFiveLakesColony(theformer
GreatLakes)iscelebrating.AllCiacanthinkabout—hopefor—iswhethershe’llbechosenforThe
Testing,aUnitedCommonwealthprogramthatselectsthebestandbrightestnewgraduatestobecome
possibleleadersoftheslowlyrevitalizingpost-warcivilization.WhenCiaischosen,herfatherfinallytells
herabouthisownnightmarishhalf-memoriesofTheTesting.Armedwithhisdirewarnings(“Cia,trust
noone”),shebravelyheadsofftoTosuCity,farawayfromfriendsandfamily,perhapsforever.Danger,
romance—andsheerterror—await.
TheMirrorCrack’dfromSidetoSidebyAgathaChristie
InTheMirrorCrack’dfromSidetoSide,afataldoseofpoisonmeantforaglamorousmoviestarfellsher
ardentadmirerinstead—andMissMarpleistheretounmaskamurderer.
BoybyRoaldDahl
WheredidRoaldDahlgetallofhiswonderfulideasforstories?
Fromhisownlife,ofcourse!Asfullofexcitementandtheunexpectedashisworld-famous,best-selling
books,RoaldDahl'stalesofhisownchildhoodarecompletelyfascinatingandfiendishlyfunny.Didyou
knowthatRoaldDahlnearlylosthisnoseinacaraccident?Orthathewasonceachocolatecandy
testerforCadbury's?HaveyouheardabouthisinvolvementintheGreatMousePlotof1924?Ifnot,you
don’tyetknowallthereistoknowaboutRoaldDahl.Suretocaptivateanddelightyou,theboyhood
anticsofthismasterstorytellerarenottobemissed!
CoralinebyNeilGaiman
WhenCoralinestepsthroughadoortofindanotherhousestrangelysimilartoherown(onlybetter),
thingsseemmarvelous.Butthere'sanothermotherthere,andanotherfather,andtheywanthertostay
andbetheirlittlegirl.Theywanttochangeherandneverlethergo.Coralinewillhavetofightwithall
herwitandcourageifsheistosaveherselfandreturntoherordinarylife.
Catch-22byJosephHeller
SetinItalyduringWorldWarII,thisisthestoryoftheincomparable,malingeringbombardier,Yossarian,
aherowhoisfuriousbecausethousandsofpeoplehehasnevermetaretryingtokillhim.Buthisreal
problemisnottheenemy—itishisownarmy,whichkeepsincreasingthenumberofmissionsthemen
mustflytocompletetheirservice.YetifYossarianmakesanyattempttoexcusehimselffromthe
perilousmissionshe’sassigned,he’llbeinviolationofCatch-22,ahilariouslysinisterbureaucraticrule:a
manisconsideredinsaneifhewillinglycontinuestoflydangerouscombatmissions,butifhemakesa
formalrequesttoberemovedfromduty,heisprovensaneandthereforeineligibletoberelieved.
TheGirlsofAtomicCitybyDeniseKiernan
AttheheightofWorldWarII,OakRidge,Tennessee,washometo75,000residents,andconsumed
moreelectricitythanNewYorkCity,yetitwasshroudedinsuchsecrecythatitdidnotappearonany
map.Thousandsofcivilians,manyofthemyoungwomenfromsmalltownsacrosstheU.S.,were
recruitedtothissecretcity,enticedbythepromiseofsolidwagesandwar-endingwork.Whatwere
theyactuallydoingthere?Veryfewknew.Thepurposeofthismysteriousgovernmentprojectwaskept
asecretfromtheoutsideworldandfromthemajorityoftheresidentsthemselves.Somewondered
why,despitetheconstantworkandround-the-clockactivityinthismakeshifttown,didnotangible
productofanykindeverseemtoleaveitsguardedgates?Thewomenwhokeptthistownrunning
wouldfindoutattheendofthewar,whenOakRidge’ssecretwasrevealedandchangedtheworld
forever.
DrawingfromthevoicesandexperiencesofthewomenwholivedandworkedinOakRidge,TheGirlsof
AtomicCityrescuesaremarkable,forgottenchapterofWorldWarIIfromobscurity.DeniseKiernan
capturesthespiritofthetimesthroughthesewomen:theirpluck,theirdesiretocontribute,andtheir
enduringcourage.“Aphenomenalstory,”andPublishersWeeklycalleditan“intimateandrevealing
glimpseintooneofthemostimportantscientificdevelopmentsinhistory.”
GoSetaWatchmanbyHarperLee
Maycomb,Alabama.Twenty-six-year-oldJeanLouiseFinch—"Scout"—returnshomefromNewYorkCity
tovisitheragingfather,Atticus.Setagainstthebackdropofthecivilrightstensionsandpoliticalturmoil
thatweretransformingtheSouth,JeanLouise'shomecomingturnsbittersweetwhenshelearns
disturbingtruthsaboutherclose-knitfamily,thetown,andthepeopledearesttoher.Memoriesfrom
herchildhoodfloodback,andhervaluesandassumptionsarethrownintodoubt.Featuringmanyofthe
iconiccharactersfromToKillaMockingbird,GoSetaWatchmanperfectlycapturesayoungwoman,
andaworld,inpainfulyetnecessarytransitionoutoftheillusionsofthepast—ajourneythatcanonly
beguidedbyone'sownconscience.
Studentsshouldhavecompleted8thgradeandreadToKillaMockingbird.
TheAmazingMauriceandhisEducatedRodentsbyTerryPratchett
TheAmazingMauricerunstheperfectPiedPiperscam.Thisstreetwisealleycatknowsthevalueofcold,
hardcashandcantalkhiswayintoandoutofanything.ButwhenMauriceandhiscohortsdecidetocon
thetownofBadBlinitz,itwilltakemorethanfasttalkingtosurvivethedangerthatawaits.Forthisisa
townwherefoodisscarceandratsarehated,wherecellarsarelinedwithdeadlytraps,andwherea
terrifyingevillurksbeneaththehunger-strickenstreets....
TheLuministbyDavidRocklin
INCOLONIALINDIA,atatimeofgrowingfrictionbetweentherulingBritishandtherestlessIndian
populace,aVictorianwomanandheryoungTamilIndianservantdefyconvention,class,andheartbreak
toinvestigatewhatisgained-andlost-byholdinglifestill.Suggestedbythelifeandworkof
photographicpioneerJuliaMargaretCameron,TheLuministfilters19thcenturyCeylonthroughthelens
ofanEnglishwoman,CatherineColebrookanda15-year-oldTamilboy,EligiusShourie.Leftfatherless
bysoldiers,EligiusisbroughtasaservanttotheColebrooks'neglectedestate.Intheshadowof
Catherine'sobsessiontoarrestbeauty-toselectamomentfromthethousandscomprisingherlifein
Ceylonandholditapartfrommerememory-Eligiustransformsintoherapprenticeinthecreationof
thefirsthauntingphotographsinhistory.
ThebookismostsuitableforUpperSchoolstudents.
AnInvisibleThreadbyLauraSchroff
Stoppingwasneverpartoftheplan...
ShewasasuccessfuladsalesrepinManhattan.Hewasahomeless,eleven-year-oldpanhandleronthe
street.Heaskedforsparechange;shekeptwalking.Butthensomethingstoppedherinhertracks,and
shewentback.Andshecontinuedtogoback,againandagain.Theymetupnearlyeveryweekforyears
andbuiltanunexpected,life-changingfriendshipthathastodayspannedalmostthreedecades.
Whatevermademenoticehimonthatstreetcornersomanyyearsagoisclearlysomethingthatcannot
beextinguished,nomatterhowrelentlesstheforcesalignedagainstit.Somemaycallitspirit.Some
maycallitheart.Itdrewmetohim,asifwewereboundbysomeinvisible,unbreakablethread.And
whateveritis,itbindsusstill.