Student Summer Reading
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2023 Summer Reading Assignments
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Summer Reading (Downloadable PDF)
English Summer Reading 2023o Freshman:
● Memoir: My Family Divided: One Girl’s Journey of Home, Loss, and Hope by Diane Guerrero
● Diverse Culture: The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie OR The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives by Dashka Slatero Sophomore:
● Memoir: Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt
● Diverse Culture: (Historical Fiction/Africa) Half of a Yellow
Sun by Chimamanda Nigozi Adichieo Junior:
● Memoir: Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell
● Diverse Culture: (South African Apartheid/Africa) Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Patono Senior:
● Memoir: The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
● Diverse Culture: I Am Malala by Christina Lamb and Malala YousafzaiMathematics Summer Reading 2023
o Freshman:
● The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
● An Abundance of Katherines by John Greeno Sophomore:
● An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
● The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddono Junior:
● The Rose Code: A Novel by Kate Quinno Senior:
● Digital Fortress by Dan Brown
● A Beautiful Mind by Sylvia NasarScience Summer Reading 2023
o Freshman:
● Code Orange by Caroline Cooneyo Sophomore:
● Virals by Kathy Reichso Junior:
● A Rip Through Time by Kelley Armstrongo Senior:
● Livid by Patricia CornwellReligion Summer Reading 2023
o Freshman:
● Carlo Acutis: The First Millennial Saint by Nicola Gori
o Sophomore:
● Carlo Acutis: The First Millennial Saint by Nicola Gorio Junior:
● Story of A Soul: The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux (the Little Flower) [The Authorized English Translation of Therese’s Original Unaltered Manuscripts] (translated) by John Clarkeo Senior:
● Story of A Soul: The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux (the Little Flower) [The Authorized English Translation of Therese’s Original Unaltered Manuscripts] (translated) by John ClarkeHistory Summer Reading 2023
o Freshman:
● The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker
● I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education by Malala Yousafzai & Christian Lamb
● There Are No Children Here by Alexander Kotlowitz
● The Good Food Revolution by Will Alleno Sophomore:
● An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
● Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Philip Hoose
● Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal by Eric Schlosser
● Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond
● Evicted by Matthew Desmondo Junior:
● The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
● O Pioneers! by Willa Cather
● Poverty by America by Matthew Desmond
● Evicted by Matthew Desmondo Senior:
● Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult
● The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
● Our Class: Trauma and Transformation in an American Prison by Chris HedgesForeign Languages Summer Reading 2023
o Freshman:
● Before We Were Free by Julia Alvarezo Sophomore:
● Before We Were Free by Julia Alvarezo Junior:
● With the Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedoo Senior:
● With the Fire On High by Elizabeth AcevedoReading is a fundamental skill that helps students to learn and use new vocabulary, think critically, make predictions and assertions, and use evidence to support their ideas. Equally crucial to the assigned reading for a specific purpose is reading at one’s own pace and reading books of interest. To that end, the Little Flower faculty has compiled a list of exciting books across the various subject areas, from which students will pick one and complete the assignments that will be due at the end of the first week of classes.
Assignment Packet:
Part 1. Book Review—Write a one-page book review that talks a little about the book as a summary and a little bit about how readers your age might like/might not like to read the book. Use details to support your thoughts (for example: The book is a good beach read as one can read it without thinking too much about what will happen next because the author uses interesting transitions and ideas that make a reader want to keep reading. For example…). Make sure to give the book a 1-3 rating on stars (1 is least interesting, 2 is moderately interesting, and 3 is really interesting).
Set the paper up using 12” Calibri or Arial font, typed and double-spaced. Make sure to indent paragraphs and use as much description as possible.
Part 2. Best/Favorite Character—Write a paragraph that would give readers a good idea about the best character or your favorite character in the book. Who is this person, why are they the best, and what are some things they do or say that will allow readers to invest in them? Set the paper up using 12” Calibri or Arial font, typed and double-spaced. Make sure to indent paragraphs and use as much description as possible.
Part 3. Incredible Scene-Write a paragraph that describes a scene that really stands out. What happens in it, and why does it stand out? Set the paper up using 12” Calibri or Arial font, typed and double-spaced. Make sure to indent paragraphs and use as much description as possible.
Part 4. Vocabulary—As you read, note at least ten words that you do not know very well/ do not know at all. For each word, number them, spell them out, find and note an antonym and a synonym for each, the etymology and origin of each word, and the part(s) of speech and the definitions. You can limit the part of speech and the definition to the one that suits how the word is used in the text to avoid writing every definition and part(s) of speech. Use the Merriam-Webster Dictionary online for the most complete feedback for each category. Occasionally you might have to Google the word and antonym, but most synonyms and other information are easily found in this dictionary.
Example: In the following example, it is easier to look up the synonym for the meaning word than the actual word, but it works.
1. Sooth (noun) = truth; (s) reliable or honest; (a) lie; (e/o) Adjective from Middle English, from Old English sōth; akin to Old High German sand true, Latin esse to be and first used before the 12th century.