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2011 Summer Reading List Radnor High School English Department Click to jump to summer assignments for departments other than English: Art ... Social Studies ... Science (AP Chem: scroll down after you click the link ... AP Bio: PDF) ... World Language (AP French) Radnor High School's English department assigns summer reading for all of its English courses. For your reference, we have made this webpage, complete with the list of titles for all classes, to help you complete the summer reading requirements. Students are expected to return in September having read the book(s) and prepared to work with it (them). Teachers will teach the book(s) as part of an opening unit and/or ask students to write about it on one of the first days of school. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Carl Rosin at carl.rosin@rtsd.org. Thank you in advance for your interest in and support of our program. (Note on the course numbering scheme : the first two digits are 01 for English or 00 for Interdisciplinary; the third digit represents the year in high school: e.g., 3 for 11th grade, the third year of high school; and the fourth digit represents the level: 0 for honors, 2 or 3 for college prep, 4 or 5 for academic. 11th grade college prep, for example, is course number 0132. Electives and the senior year courses are numbered somewhat differently: the third digit in multi-grade courses' numbers does not represent the year, and [due to technical reasons] senior CP and academic use different numbering for the fourth digit.)class of 2015: 9th Grade ... Integrated Western Civilization ... Focused Reading/Writing class of 2014: 10th Grade Honors ... 10th Grade College Prep ... 10th Grade Academic/Writing ... Global Issues ... Focused Reading/Writing class of 2013: 11th Grade Honors ... 11th Grade College Prep ... 11th Grade Academic ... Viewpoints on Modern America ... Focused Reading/Writing class of 2012: Advanced Placement English ... 12th Grade College Prep ... 12th Grade Academic ... We notify local bookstores and libraries of our summer reading list (click here to open a new browser window to read the website for the Radnor Memorial Public Library). Many of the books are also available for downloading from Delaware County Library System (DCLS) libraries, in e-reader or audiobook form; check out http://www.delcolibraries.org/summerreading11.htm for more details. We hope you have an easy time finding and buying/borrowing these books. Enjoy your reading this summer! Ninth GradePurpose: Pleasure reading
Note: Although the English Department strongly feels that interest and maturity are the most important criteria you should use in choosing books, we also plan to provide a metric as a guideline in case you are looking for help in making appropriate selections. Most of the ninth grade book notes, below, are supplemented by information about the reading level (based on books Approximate Reading Level): easy, medium, or challenging. Grade 3-6 level reading skills would be sufficient for an easy book, grade 6-8 for a medium book, and 8-12 for a challenging book. We also approximate a content level (as projected by the English Department and Literacy Coach), which refers to complexity or the required maturity level: young adult or adult. You may read any book these ratings are merely guidelines to help you make selections. It is very important that you note that some books may have content that requires more maturity than the instructional reading level suggests. Please read thoughtfully; if a book troubles you, talk about it with someone, and feel free to contact Mr. Rosin. COLLEGE PREP (0112) or ACADEMIC (0114) students: read any ONE of the following; HONORS (0110) students, read any TWO of the following; INTERDISCIPLINARY (0010) students read any ONE and read a second text that is listed below.
Life is all about getting married for many girls in England around the year 1800, but snobbery, stereotyping, greed, pride, and rumors can make that quest sometimes funny, or strange, or otherwise difficult...especially for a poor family with five daughters. This classic novel, a famous depiction of society and romance, follows the feisty Elizabeth Bennet and her sisters through a slew of troubles and successes.
In this futuristic version of the United States, reality TV features children fighting to the death as gladiators. The books in this series are action books that will also make you think -- about both entertainment and what it means to be a human being in society.
On one level this is a story about baseball, but it really digs deeply into myth and the American dream. The baseball is good, and the story goes beyond it.
There are novels out there that deal with race and justice, novels that deal with teenagers, and novels that deal with all of these factors -- but not many that also deal with bees. This innovative historical (civil rights era) novel about a girl trying to remember her murdered mother has a lot to say about the American South and about bees...but it's mostly about human nature.
A horror story in which the monster is something we cant see -- and its all true. This combination of science and suspense leaves doctors and researchers trying to stop a deadly and incurable Ebola virus.
Follow the brown rat through a maze-like, amazing history of New York City. Sullivan's idea is to teach us about the rat, and in so doing, teach us about the city that is renowned as its most popular home. His plan works beautifully...if you are willing to accept that anything about this often disgusting, sometimes dangerous, extremely flexible, and highly resilient creature is beautiful. The subject matter may make you squirm a bit, but you'll be happy that you squirmed through this fascinating history.
Ninth Grade Interdisciplinary (Integrated Western Civilization)Purpose: Introduction to some of the content and themes of the year You will read any ONE book listed on the Ninth Grade Reading List (above) PLUS a second book listed below. The second book you read will depend on which section of the course you end up being scheduled into, although you won't know this until sometime around the beginning of July. Take your time, enjoy your summer, and get to your second book after your schedule arrives in the mail! Be prepared to work with the books in class when you return to school -- both should be completed BEFORE you arrive to class in September. (Note: Although one or more of these may have been made into films, you are reminded that all evaluation of your understanding will be based on the written works.) After the schedules have been determined by the school, you will know....
If you are looking for something to read and you're not sure yet what section you'll be in, the English department suggests that you read both of the novels listed above. Both are excellent books that give very different insights on the world. Summer reading is not all about reading only what is required! Focused Reading/Writing 9/10Purpose: Focus on reading and writing skills. All students will read any ONE book from any of the 9th grade English department lists. Tenth Grade HonorsPurpose: Background for study of multi-cultural literature Important Note: Some of these books are full of mature themes, including injustice and violence and sex and cruelty and heroism. Of course, these mature themes are often what make a book effective and important. If you find a story to be too disturbing, respect yourself and take a break from it. All incoming English 0120 students must read TWO novels:
AND
The class will discuss the books during the first weeks of the new school year. Students should be prepared to write an essay or take a quiz or complete a short assignment on each book. Also required: You must prepare yourself for these readings, each of which is about a culture quite different from modern America's. Come to school in September able to demonstrate (suggestion: some notes, some research) that you have activated some background knowledge about Afghanistan in the late 20th century (Kite Runner) and Sierra Leone/Western Africa in the late-20th century into the 21st(A Long Way Gone). Be creative: how can you find out about these topics to give you a jumpstart on understanding the stories built around them? Note: The Kite Runner has been made into a movie. If you want to watch the movie, read the book first; in-class assessment and discussion will be based on the book, not the movie. Tenth Grade College PrepPurpose: Introduction to some of the themes of the year study of multi-cultural literature Important Note: This book is full of mature themes, including injustice and violence and sex and cruelty and heroism. Of course, these mature themes are often what makes a book effective and important. If you find the story to be too disturbing, respect yourself and take a break from it. All students will read this novel: · The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini Students must have read the novel by the first day of school. Because the class may be working with the novel for some time, students must come to school with their own copy or a library copy that they can use in class. Note: The Kite Runner has been made into a movie. If you want to watch the movie, read the book first; in-class assessment and discussion will be based on the book, not the movie. Tenth Grade Academic (Writing)Purpose: Introduction to some of the themes of the year study of multi-cultural literature All students will read this memoir (non-fiction) from a young woman suffering during the terrible events of war-torn Sierra Leone in the 1990s. Parts of the story are brutal, as are most war-time memoirs, and her survival makes for an inspirational story. · Bite of the Mango, by Mariatu Kamara and Susan McClelland. ORGANIZE YOUR THOUGHTS! Use our literacy resources to help you: it is NOT a requirement, but you may want to print out and fill out this graphic organizer to help you as you move through your book. Mrs. Swinehart suggests this as a tool to help aid comprehension. Tenth Grade Interdisciplinary (Global Issues)Purpose: Background for interdisciplinary study of global issues Sections: Global Issues (Interdisciplinary 0020). Important Note: These books are full of mature themes, including injustice and violence and sex and cruelty and heroism. Of course, these mature themes are often what make a book effective and important. If you find a story to be too disturbing, respect yourself and take a break from it. Read carefully, because you will be discussing, writing about, and perhaps even presenting them during the first month of school. All Global Issues students must read the following two novels:
AND
This class also requires the student to read up on international current events over the summer. That assignment is given out on a paper handout before the end of school; a version of the assignment is downloadable here. There is a website for this course -- click this link to go see it! Focused Reading/Writing 9/10Purpose: Focus on reading and writing skills. All students will read any one book from any of the 10th grade English department lists. Eleventh Grade HonorsPurpose: Background for study of American literature. As you read these books, consider the lives of the main characters in the context of the setting (time and place). We will use the books to introduce some of the year's themes. In particular, think about what these books suggest about America, and what things like "the American Dream" means. These authors -- and that includes Gaines along with the memoirists -- have a lot to say about this nation, although they may not say it explicitly; your task is to think carefully about the stories they tell and how those stories make us look at the land, its people, and what those people stand for. Section: English 0130 (honors). Students taking eleventh grade honors English will be required to read TWO books:
AND
Take a few minutes to look at Amazon's or BN.com's descriptions of these memoirs before you make your choice. We think you might enjoy either of them, but you should consider making yourself aware of a general topic and context (1950s? 1960s? the Midwest? social class? poverty?). Some disturbing stuff happens in these stories, especially in the Walls book, so you should be prepared to put it down and step away if it gets too intense for you. If you find you that you like memoirs and want to read some more, books that have been on this list in the past have included historian Doris Kearns Goodwin's Wait Till Next Year, about her childhood as a baseball fan on Long Island in the 1940s; Timothy Tyson's Blood Done Sign My Name, about his growing up the child of a white minister in a North Carolina embroiled in the struggle over Civil Rights; and Walter Kirn's disturbing Lost in the Meritocracy, about his ambition to attend an Ivy League university in the 1970s and how disenchanted he is by what he finds when he gets there. You may also want to pick up a copy of the challenging and especially interesting historical novel The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing: vol. 1, The Pox Party, by M.T. Anderson (the author of Feed). Eleventh Grade College PrepPurpose: Background for study of American literature. Sections: English 0132 (college prep) Students taking English 0132 in the fall must read ONE of the following novels over the summer. These stories about injustice and the differences between people reflect a variety of perspectives on different timeframes in American history. These are issues that concern all Americans, however.
OR
OR
As you read, consider what you find uniquely American about the novel. Be aware of the world the author creates that is, the time, the place, the traditions, the speech, and the manners presented. How does this book reflect the time period(s) in which the story occurs? How does it deal with the issues facing the country then and now? Be prepared to discuss and write about the novel when you return to school. While it is not required for 0132, you may want to pick up one of the memoirs (one of which IS required for students taking Honors or Viewpoints). Eleventh Grade AcademicPurpose: Background for study of American literature. Sections: English 0134 (academic) Students taking English 0134 in the fall must read the following memoir over the summer. This story about a soldier's journey gives a strong perspective on a number of issues that concern all Americans.
As you read consider what you find uniquely American about him, his voice, and his story. How does this book reflect the time period in which we live? How does it deal with the issues facing the country now? Be prepared to discuss and write about the story when you return to school. While it is not required for 0134, you may want to pick up one of the memoirs (one of which IS required for students taking Honors or Viewpoints), or the challenging and especially interesting historical novel The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing: vol. 1, The Pox Party, by M.T. Anderson (the author of Feed). Eleventh Grade Interdisciplinary (Viewpoints)Purpose: Background for interdisciplinary study of American literature and history. Section: Viewpoints on Modern America (Interdisciplinary 0030) Students taking Viewpoints will read one novels and one memoir and watch one film during the summer. Please be aware that Viewpoints teachers take all assignments books, films, etc. VERY seriously. Consequently, we expect you to arrive at school not only having read and seen these works but also being able to discuss them in depth. Discuss these materials with fellow viewers (parents, friends, classmates). NOVEL:
NON-FICTION (memoir):
Take a few minutes to look at Amazon's or BN.com's descriptions of these memoirs before you make your choice. We think you might enjoy either of them, but you should consider making yourself aware of a general topic and context (1950s? 1960s? the South? social class? race? poverty?). Some disturbing stuff happens in these stories, so you should be prepared to put it down and step away if it gets too intense for you. If you find you that you like memoirs and want to read some more, books that have been on this list in the past have included historian Doris Kearns Goodwin's Wait Till Next Year, about her childhood as a baseball fan on Long Island in the 1940s; Bill Bryson's The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid, which tells stories from his "typical" Midwestern childhood in the 1950s; and Walter Kirn's much more disturbing Lost in the Meritocracy, about his ambition to attend an Ivy League university in the 1970s and how disenchanted he is by what he finds when he gets there. If you're looking for more fiction to read, by the way, you may also want to pick up a copy of the challenging and especially interesting historical novel The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing: vol. 1, The Pox Party, by M.T. Anderson (the author of Feed). FILM:
In addition, you may want to watch Godfather II, the only sequel ever to win an Academy Award for Best Picture. Note: RTSD Board policy states that any R-rated film to be used in class must be a part of the curriculum and requires parent permission for viewing. Get your parents permission before viewing The Godfather; if your parent does not want you to watch it, please contact the teachers to tell us, and we will provide you with an alternative. To think about:
There is a website for this course -- click this link to go see it! Focused Reading/Writing 11/12Purpose: Focus on reading and writing skills. All students will read any one book from any of the 11th grade English department lists.
Twelfth Grade Advanced Placement English Sections: English 0140 (AP English Literature). Come to your first AP English class with some insights on (all of) these three texts. Think about them and be prepared to talk about them; plan on writing about them. Sample this one first:
Then read BOTH of these:
As you read these two works, drop your yellow highlighter and instead annotate the text (in the margins), recording questions that we can discuss when the school year starts. You are expected to be a self-motivated, independent thinker if you are participating in AP. (IN CASE YOU'RE CURIOUS: Another short, classic text that is NOT required summer reading for this course is Elements of Style, 4th edition, by William Strunk, Jr., and E.B. White.) FOR FUN for any senior (NOT a requirement for any course): Mrs. Pearsall recommends the non-fiction book Crazy U.: One Dad's Crash Course on Getting His Kid Into College, by Andrew Ferguson, which takes a swipe at the college admissions process. You may see a lot that you recognize from your own college search, but distance may help you recognize the craziness! Twelfth Grade College Prep OR Twelfth Grade AcademicPurpose: Background for study of English literature Section: English 0141 (college prep) or English 0149 (academic). There is no separate summer reading for "Modern literature", which is the second semester of this course. Read ONE of the following books -- all written by authors from Britain or Ireland -- and be prepared to write about that book when you return to school in September:
You can look around on the Internet (Amazon.com or BN.com?) or at the library for brief descriptions of these books, to help you make an informed choice about what you'd enjoy reading. Some of these books have been made into movies (Emma was also modernized into the 1990s movie Clueless). If you want to watch the movie, read the book first; in-class assessment and discussion will be based on the book, not the movie. FOR FUN: And click here to see a non-required recommendation, a book "For Fun" for seniors.
Purpose: Background for interdisciplinary study of intellectual history -- world history and literature with a touch of science and philosophy. Section: Senior Seminar (Interdisciplinary 0040) Read these:
To think about before, during, after your reading:
FOR FUN: And click here to see a non-required recommendation, a novel "For Fun" for seniors. Focused Reading/Writing 11/12Purpose: Focus on reading and writing skills. All students will read any one book from any of the 12th grade English department lists. Last Modified on August 29, 2011
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