ESMS Reading Lists

Going into Sixth Grade in the Fall

REQUIRED: Maroo of the Winter Caves  by Ann Turnbull

Going into Seventh Grade in the Fall

REQUIRED: Anna of Byzantium  by Tracy Barett

Choose one from the list below. You must have completed both books before school starts in September.


Going into Eighth Grade in the Fall

REQUIRED:
My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier

Choose one from the list below. You must have completed both books before school starts in September.

Going into Ninth Grade in the Fall - You must know which English courses you are taking, as the lists vary considerably

ENGLISH 9 (regular)
Choose one of these two books
ENGLISH 9 HONORS - Both books are required

ESHS Summer Reading 2008
Note: If for any reason a parent feels a book/novel is inappropriate for his son/daughter, please contact the teacher for an alternative reading assignment.

Entering 10th Grade
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
Explains what really happens to a body that is donated to the scientific community: dissection in medical anatomy classes, contemporary uses such as stand-ins for crash-test dummies, and considerable historical and background information.

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Life is So Good by George Dawson & Richard Glaubman
“Dawson, a black manual laborer who learned to read at age 98, has written a memoir that stands apart from other end-of-the-century texts and from the history generally recorded in textbooks--but is essential to an accurate understanding of this century. The
product of a collaboration between Dawson and high school history teacher Glaubman, the book juxtaposes significant events of the century with Dawson's personal experiences. Although he endured hardship, Dawson's positive philosophy sustained him to a ripe old age. Written in a simple, conversational style, this volume will be valuable for general readers and in college classes. A welcome addition to any academic or public library.” ---Theresa McDevitt, Indiana Univ. of Pennsylvania

Entering 10 Grade Honors (Two are Required)
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
Explains what really happens to a body that is donated to the scientific community: dissection in medical anatomy classes, contemporary uses such as stand-ins for crash-test dummies, and considerable historical and background information.

<OR>

Life is So Good by George Dawson & Richard Glaubman
“Dawson, a black manual laborer who learned to read at age 98, has written a memoir that stands apart from other end-of-the-century texts and from the history generally recorded in textbooks--but is essential to an accurate understanding of this century. The product of a collaboration between Dawson and high school history teacher Glaubman, the book juxtaposes significant events of the century with Dawson's personal experiences. Although he endured hardship, Dawson's positive philosophy sustained him to a ripe old age. Written in a simple, conversational style, this volume will be valuable for general readers and in college classes. A welcome addition to any academic or public library.” ---Theresa McDevitt, Indiana Univ. of Pennsylvania
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The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak (Required Reading)
Historical Fiction
Death narrates the story set in a Nazi Germany town during and after World War Two.
The Association of Jewish Libraries Inaugural Teen Book Award
The Jewish National Book Award

Entering 11th Grade
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
This is a play about a middle class African American family living in Chicago in the 1950’s.

Recommended Reading for Parents:
Admission Matters: What Students and Parents Need to Know About Getting Into College by Sally P. Springer and Marion R. Franck
The authors explain college applications, what admission counselors look for, how to prepare for the new tests, how to put together an application package, early admissions, and financial aid. Sample application forms and recommendation letters are included.

Entering 11th Grade Honors
Roots by Alex Haley
It begins with a birth in 1750, in an African village. It ends seven generations later at a funeral in Arkansas.
California recommended reading.

Recommended Reading for Parents:
Admission Matters: What Students and Parents Need to Know About Getting Into College by Sally P. Springer and Marion R. Franck
The authors explain college applications, what admission counselors look for, how to prepare for the new tests, how to put together an application package, early admissions, and financial aid. Sample application forms and recommendation letters are included.

Entering 12th Grade
The Way We Will Be 50 Years From Today: 60 of the World’s Greatest Minds Share Their Vision of the Next Half Century
Veteran television journalist Mike Wallace asked the question “What will life be like 50 years from now?” to sixty of the world’s greatest minds. Their responses glimpse into the cultural, scientific, political, and spiritual moods of the times.

AP English Language and Composition (Both required)
The Gatekeepers: Inside the Admissions Process of a Premier College by Jaques Steinberg
The author follows a diverse group of prospective students as they compete for places in the nation’s most elite colleges.
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The Way We Will Be 50 Years From Today: 60 of the World’s Greatest Minds Share Their Vision of the Next Half Century
Veteran television journalist Mike Wallace asked the question “What will life be like 50 years from now?” to sixty of the world’s greatest minds. Their responses glimpse into the cultural, scientific, political, and spiritual moods of the times.