Summer Reading
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Summer Reading 2026
The summer reading program is intended to ensure that all students productively engage in reading throughout the summer months.
The benefits of reading are numerous. Research indicates that students who engage in reading often will:
We strongly encourage you to select a book from the recommendations that follow: there are options that appeal to a variety of audiences.
Grade 9
Aza's life is a whirlwind of mystery and mental struggle as she embarks on an unexpected journey to solve a billionaire's disappearance with her best friend.
On a private island, a beautiful and wealthy family hides dark secrets, and a group of friends must confront the truth about a fateful summer.
When a luxury cruise turns into a fight for survival after a devastating earthquake, Shy must navigate more than just the wreckage to find hope.
In the bustling streets of New York, a chance encounter between a pragmatic girl and a romantic boy sparks a life-changing day filled with love and possibility.
X: A Novel by Ilyasah Shabazz: Discover the formative years of Malcolm X through this gripping novel, co-written by his daughter, that chronicles his journey from a troubled youth to a revolutionary leader.
Grade 9
Americanized: Rebel Without a Green Card by Sara Saedi: Sara navigates the tumultuous teenage years while dealing with the added complexity of her undocumented status, blending humor with heartfelt moments.
Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram: Darius, a teen struggling with depression, finds unexpected friendship and self-discovery during a life-changing trip to Iran.
After the Shot Drops by Randy Ribay: The lives of two friends are turned upside down when one transfers to a prep school on a basketball scholarship, testing the bonds of loyalty and friendship.
Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig: Ginny, an autistic teenager with a troubled past, concocts a daring plan to reunite with her birth mother, revealing her fierce determination and resilience.
Nimona by Noelle Stevenson: In a whimsical and dangerous world, a shapeshifting young villain named Nimona teams up with a notorious supervillain, challenging the concepts of good and evil.
Grades 10-12
(see last 5 slides for Honors & AP Requirements)
Science Fiction/Fantasy
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff: When their planet is invaded, two teens must navigate a deadly spaceship war, a rogue AI, and a terrifying plague, all documented through hacked files and secretive documents.
Dread Nation by Justina Ireland: In an alternate Civil War era, a young girl trained to combat the undead finds herself at the heart of a terrifying conspiracy.
Scythe by Neal Shusterman: In a world where death has been conquered, two teens are chosen to become Scythes, tasked with controlling the population, leading them to question the morality of their world.
Science Fiction/Fantasy
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas: In a kingdom of darkness, an imprisoned assassin competes in a deadly contest to win her freedom and uncovers a greater destiny.
They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera: In a near-future world where people know their death date, two teens meet on their last day and embark on a journey that changes everything.
The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware: A live-in nanny's dream job at a high-tech home turns into a nightmare when she finds herself accused of murder and surrounded by inexplicable occurrences.
Graphic Novels/Memoirs
Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett Krosoczka: A moving graphic memoir about a boy growing up with a drug-addicted mother and finding solace and purpose in art.
They Called Us Enemy by George Takei: Actor George Takei shares his childhood experiences in Japanese-American internment camps during World War II in this poignant graphic memoir.
Kindred (graphic adaptation) by Octavia Butler/Duffy: A modern Black woman is mysteriously transported to a pre-Civil War plantation, where she must navigate the horrors of slavery to ensure her own survival.
The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui: This powerful graphic memoir chronicles one family's journey from war-torn Vietnam to their new life in America, exploring themes of identity and belonging.
Contemporary Fiction
Solo by Kwame Alexander: A 17-year-old struggles with his identity and family legacy as the son of a washed-up rock star, finding solace and inspiration in his music.
Still Life with Tornado by A.S. King: A talented artist's existential crisis leads her to uncover hidden family secrets and confront the truths about her past and present.
Picture Us in the Light by Kelly Loy Gilbert: As he uncovers a deeply buried family secret, an aspiring artist questions everything he thought he knew about his life and future.
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell: Two misfit high school students form an unlikely bond through shared comics and mixtapes, finding love and solace in each other.
Contemporary Fiction
Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina: Piddy Sanchez's life is turned upside down when she becomes the target of a relentless bully, forcing her to discover her own strength and resilience.
Far From the Tree by Robin Benway: Three siblings separated at birth reunite as teens, navigating their complex relationships and individual struggles while searching for a sense of family.
The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez: The Rivera family's move to America for their daughter's education intertwines with the lives of their diverse neighbors, exploring love, hope, and identity.
The Porcupine of Truth by Bill Konigsberg: Two teens embark on a cross-country road trip to uncover a long-lost family secret, discovering truths about themselves and their families along the way.
Contemporary Fiction
The Inexplicable Logic of My Life by Benjamin Alire Sáenz: A high school senior grapples with identity, family, and friendship as he faces significant changes and challenges in his life.
The Grief Keeper by Alexandra Villasante: A young Salvadoran refugee must participate in a secret experiment, carrying the grief of another to stay in the U.S., all while dealing with her own trauma and fears.
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas: A young rapper dreams of making it big to lift her family out of poverty, facing tough choices and societal pressures along the way.
Invisible by Pete Hautman: Doug Hansen has spent years perfecting the art of being invisible at school, but his quiet existence unravels when a new friendship exposes hidden truths and dark secrets.
Non-Fiction
The Nazi Hunters by Neal Bascomb: In 1945, after WWII, Adolf Eichmann, a key figure in the Nazis' Final Solution, disappeared into the mountains of Germany. Sixteen years later, an elite team of spies captured him at an Argentine bus stop and brought him to Israel for a crucial trial, which cemented the Holocaust in the public imagination.
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling: Comedian Mindy Kaling offers a hilarious and candid look at her life, career, and the universal challenges of friendship and romance.
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates: A profound letter from a father to his son, exploring the history and realities of being Black in America with raw honesty and poignant insight.
Escape from Camp 14 by Brian Harden: chronicles the harrowing life of Shin Dong-hyuk, the only known person born in a North Korean “total control” prison camp to escape. Raised in a brutal environment, Shin betrayed his family to survive before fleeing to China and eventually the US.
Mystery/Thriller
One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus: Five high school students enter detention, but only four leave alive; everyone is a suspect, and everyone has something to hide.
Blank Confession by Pete Hautman: A mysterious new student at school confesses to a crime that hasn't been discovered yet, unraveling a web of secrets and lies.
Young Adult Romance
I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson: Twins Jude and Noah, once inseparable, navigate their fractured relationship and artistic dreams, discovering the transformative power of love and art.
To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han: Lara Jean's secret love letters are unexpectedly sent out, causing her love life to spiral out of control.
Grade 10 Honors
Choose a fiction or non-fiction book by an American author that is appropriate for your grade and reading level.
Take notes and be prepared to write about the book
when you return in the fall.
Grade 11 Honors
Choose a fiction or non-fiction book by an author that is from a non-American country that is appropriate for your grade and reading level.
Take notes and be prepared to write about the book
when you return in the fall.
Grade 11 AP Language & Composition
Students must read one book from the list below
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah: In this powerful memoir, Ishmael Beah recounts his experiences as a child soldier during Sierra Leone's civil war, offering a harrowing glimpse into the brutality of war and the struggle for survival.
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: This acclaimed novel follows the lives of Ifemelu and Obinze, two young Nigerians whose paths diverge as they navigate love, race, and identity in Nigeria and America, offering a poignant exploration of immigration, belonging, and cultural identity.
Where Men Win Glory by Jon Krakauer: This gripping non-fiction narrative tells the story of Pat Tillman, a professional football player who left his career to enlist in the Army Rangers, only to tragically lose his life in Afghanistan under controversial circumstances.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot: This groundbreaking work of non-fiction delves into the story of Henrietta Lacks, an African American woman whose cells were taken without her consent in the 1950s, leading to groundbreaking medical discoveries and raising important ethical questions about consent and exploitation.
Grade 12 Honors
All students MUST complete this combination.
Choose a topic/theme/place, and read either a fiction or nonfiction novel connected to it. Then choose a movie that has the same theme. Don’t watch the movie version of your novel -make it a movie with a different storyline/plot but the same theme.
Take notes and be prepared to write about the theme
using both works.
Be creative with your choice. See samples on 2 next slides.
Grade 12 Honors Examples
Book (Fiction or Nonfiction) | Movie (Different Plot, Same Theme) | Identified Theme |
"The Nickel Boys" (Colson Whitehead) | "The Shawshank Redemption" (Frank Darabont) | Maintaining internal autonomy and hope within a crushing institution. |
"The Road" (Cormac McCarthy) | "Children of Men" (Alfonso Cuarón) | The persistence of hope and paternal legacy in a dying world. |
"Killers of the Flower Moon" (David Grann) | "There Will Be Blood" (Paul Thomas Anderson) | The corrupting nature of greed and the erasure of history. |
"Homegoing" (Yaa Gyasi) | "Everything Everywhere All At Once" (The Daniels) | How ancestral trauma and legacy ripple across generations. |
"The Martian" (Andy Weir) | "Cast Away" (Robert Zemeckis) | The "survival language" of human ingenuity and isolation. |
"The Book Thief" (Markus Zusak) | "Pan’s Labyrinth" (Guillermo del Toro) | Using imagination and storytelling as a shield against political horror. |
Grade 12 Honors Examples
Book (Fiction or Nonfiction) | Movie (Different Plot, Same Theme) | Identified Theme |
"Never Let Me Go" (Kazuo Ishiguro) | "The Truman Show" (Peter Weir) | The awakening to a "designed" reality and the quest for autonomy. |
"Between the World and Me" (Ta-Nehisi Coates) | "Moonlight" (Barry Jenkins) | The struggle to define one's own identity within a prescribed social "mask." |
"Circe" (Madeline Miller) | "Brave" (Pixar) | The defiance of traditional roles to design one’s own destiny. |
"Dark Matter" (Blake Crouch) | "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" (Sony) | The weight of choice and the "What Ifs" that define a life’s path. |
"The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" (Rebecca Skloot) | "Gattaca" (Andrew Niccol) | The ethical boundaries of science and the ownership of one's own body. |
"Small Things Like These" (Claire Keegan) | "Spotlight" (Tom McCarthy) | The courage required to break a "culture of silence" in a small community. |
Grade 12 AP Literature & Composition
All students MUST read ONE of the following titles: