Incoming Freshmen

Greetings soon-to-be Midlanders! There is no required summer reading for you, although Mr. Cummings offers the following suggestions:.

Watership Down, Richard Adams
My Antonia, Willa Cather
The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger
Red Sky at Morning, Richard Bradford
Going After Cacciato, Tim O'Brien
Cry the Beloved Country, Alan Paton
The Chosen, Chaim Potok
Cannery Row, John Steinbeck
Player Piano, Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Rising Sophomores

In anticipation of next year’s World Studies course, you must read the first two novels listed. The longer list of novels that follows are books that fall within the thematic units of the World Studies course. They are not required, but we encourage you to read for pleasure. There will be an assessment in the form of brief quizzes and a writing assignment on the two mandatory readings upon your return.
Required:
Herman Hesse, Siddhartha
Isabel Allende, The House of the Spirits
For Pleasure:
Khalil Gibran, The Prophet
Frank McCourt, Angela’s Ashes
Ngugi Wa Thiongo, The River Between
Nevil Shute, On the Beach
Virgil, The Aneid
Kenzaburo Oe, Shoot the Buds, Nip the Kids
Jung Chang, Wild Swans
Sun Tzu, Art of War
Adam Hothschild, King Leopold’s Ghost
Mark Mathabane, Kaffir Boy
Anita Diamant, The Red Tent
Ayn Rand, Anthem
Che Guevara, Motorcycle Diaries
Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness
Albert Camus, The Plague
Daniel Quinn, Ishmael

Though we will not be discussing these novels in specific detail, you are expected to have a basic understanding of the plot and character development within the stories. Journaling or taking notes in the margins is encouraged, though not required, and may be useful for the assessments at the beginning of the year. Feel free to support the used bookstore economy, as well as your local library systems to obtain your books. (You will not need to bring them back to school with you, but you may find them useful at times throughout the year.)

Rising Juniors

I would like you to include reading in your summer adventures. Here are some parameters:
Everyone read 2 books.

*If you have not read The Catcher in the Rye, please do. It’s one of those books you really should read first as a teenager—and then again later when you’re older. It will count as 1 of your books if you haven’t already read it. If you decide to reread it, good—but you still have 2 books to read.

Beyond this, choose from the following:
• Another book by an author you’ve read and enjoyed
• A book someone gave you as a gift that you haven’t read yet
• A book in which the first sentence or paragraph TOTALLY reels you in
• A book set during a time period other than your own—including the future
• A book that sounds like it will teach you something you need or want to know about life
• A book about an animal OR with an animal in the title (the second type of book may or may not actually be about an animal, i.e. Pigs in Heaven, by Barbara Kingsolver is not about pigs.)
• A book about writing

What you read must be of book length and written for a young adult or older.

*Book-length works include memoirs, essay collections, novels, collections of short stories, plays, books of poetry, etc. One graphic novel is acceptable.

*If you want to search for book titles, the Midland Library website has some hyperlinks to various book lists on its “Paper Cuts” blog. Book stores and libraries are also a good place to browse. You can also search the Internet for lists of books for teens and college-bound teens. The Internet makes available many “best-books” lists, some of them include plot summaries. One of the ways I search for books is to go on Amazon.com and check out the lists of favorite books drawn up by customers.

*I am also not interested in what reading guides will tell you about the books you read. Rather, I will want to know about your reading experience when you return at the end of the summer. In September, I will be interested in your reflections on these reading adventures. They will be the subject of your first writing assignment.

I would like you to include reading in your summer adventures. Here are some parameters:

Honors: 3 books; Regular English: 2 books

Choose from the following:
• A book you’ve read before and want to reread
• A book you’ve always wanted to read but never have
• A book you think you should read
• A book that intrigues you, but which you think you might not finish
• A book about a monster
• A book about a journey
• A book about the outdoors
• A book about art or an artist (includes writing and writers, of course)

Additionally, what you read must be of book length and written for a young adult or older.

*Book-length works include memoirs, essay collections, novels, collections of short stories, plays, books of poetry, etc. One graphic novel is acceptable.

In September, I will be interested in your reflections on these reading adventures. They will be the subject of your first writing assignment.

If you want to search for book titles, the Midland Library website has some hyperlinks to various book lists on its “Paper Cuts” blog page. Book stores and libraries are also a good place to browse. You can also search the Internet for lists of books for teens and college-bound teens. The Internet makes available many “best-books” lists, some of them include plot summaries. One of the ways I search for books is to go on Amazon.com and check out the lists of favorite books drawn up by customers.

**Please don’t substitute reading with watching the movie-version of the book. Movies often change elements of the plot in important ways; besides, reading is an entirely different experience from watching a movie. If you want to see the movie, just read the book first.
**I am also not interested in what reading guides will tell you about the books you read. Rather, I will want to know about your reading experience when you return at the end of the summer.