2007 Note to Parents about the Summer Reading Program

A note from the MHS/MMS English/Language Arts Department:

Dear Parents

One of our school’s goals is to make our students better readers. This is reflected in our learning standards, our School Improvement Plan, and by our implementation of our required Summer Reading Program.

Increased reading has been linked to higher achievement in all subject areas. Research has shown that parents who model and encourage reading and have reading materials abundantly available in the home assist their secondary students in developing higher reading levels. Whether reading is completed for knowledge or for pleasure is not important.

The books listed in this letter are available in the Marathon library, local bookstores, and on-line (www.bn.com & www.amazon.com) so that they will be available to you and your child all summer long. Recommendations have come from selection guides, faculty members, parents, and students themselves. It is our hope that while your teens enjoy their summer activities, reading will be one of them.

During the first week back to school, students will participate in activities relevant to their summer reading including an essay test, comprising 10% of their grade for the first quarter. As these activities will affect their grade in reading class (for middle school students) or English class (for high school students), it is imperative that students do read from the list during summer break.

We count on your efforts to communicate the higher standards called for in our state and community. Your example, encouragement, and support of your child’s reading will go a long way toward helping us meet the student learning goals that we all share.

Summer gives you more time to help your child develop a love for books and reading. The staff of Marathon Middle/High School invites you to join your child in choosing readings from those listed in this letter. Thank you for your support and encouragement.

Students enrolled in regular reading or English choose ONE book from the appropriate grade level list; students enrolled in ADVANCED reading or HONORS English choose TWO books from the appropriate grade level list.

DE and Advanced Placement students have separate lists. They are to see either Mr. Arena for Dual Enrollment or Mr. Schubert for A.P. Literature summer reading assignments.

Sincerely

MHS/MMS English/Language Arts Department

2007 Book List for the Summer Reading Program at Marathon Middle/High School

When Heather Doney gave us the list for your Summer Reading Program, we went through it to see which books we had, and which books were NOT AVAILABLE at any Monroe County Public Libraries.

This morning, we ordered all the missing books, but they’re not here, yet. We also found out which books are backordered. That means that even though they will show up here some day, they probably won’t show up in time for you to check them out for this summer’s reading assignment.

Our suggestion is that, if you want a book that isn’t available NOW in one of the public libraries, you grab a copy IMMEDIATELY from the school’s library. Remember, you can check it out now, for the entire summer. That’s what Heather told me.

So, find a book, check it out, read it and make notes, and then relax and enjoy your summer break. On last thing, some of these books are available on cassette tapes or CDs. These are unabridged versions (which means nothing has been left out), every last word from the book is on the sound recording.

NOTE:
"Not Available" means the book is out of print—we can’t get it—get it at school.
"Backordered" means we’ll get the book—eventually—get it at school.
"Ordered" means it’s coming, but it’s not here, yet--but we'll mark the list when it arrives.

Here’s the list. ENJOY!

Grade 7 Reading

Adams, Richard
* Watership Down

Farmer, Nancy
* The Sea of Trolls
** Also available, unabridged on 12 CDs

Howe, James
* Misfits

Mikaelsen, Ben
* Stranded

Park, Barbara
* Skinny-Bones / (rec'd 5/24/2007)

Peck, Richard
* A Long Way from Chicago / (rec'd 5/9/2007)
** Also available, unabridged on 3 cassette tapes

Philbrick, Rodman
* The Last Book in the Universe / (rec'd 6/20/2007)


**Recommended for 7th grade Advanced Reading

Burgess, Melvin
* The Cry of the Wolf / Not available

Dahl, Roald
* Boy : Tales of Childhood (Autobiography)


Grade 8 Reading

Cooney, Caroline
* The Face on the Milk Carton
** Also available, unabridged on 4 cassette tapes

Haddix, Margaret Peterson
* Running Out of Time

King, Stephen
* Thinner / (rec'd 6/20/2007)
** Also available, unabridged on 8 cassette tapes

Konigsburg, E L
* View from Saturday

Pelzer, Dave
* A Child Called It (Adult non-fiction, 362.76 PEL)
* The Lost Boy (Adult non-fiction, 361.7609 PEL)

Speare, Elizabeth George
* Sign of the Beaver
** Also available, unabridged on 2 cassette tapes

Windsor, Patricia
* The Blooding / Not available


**Recommended for 8th grade Advanced Reading

Avi
* Nothing But the Truth

Collier, James & Chris
* My Brother Sam is Dead

Snicket, Lemony
* The Grim Grotto


English l

Cooney, Caroline
* Freeze Tag

Going, K L
* Fat Kid Rules the World

Lipsyte, Robert
* The Contender

Paolini, Christopher
* Eragon
** Also available, unabridged on 14 CDs

Patterson, James
* Maximum Ride
** Also available, unabridged on 8 CDs

Picoult, Jodi
* My Sister’s Keeper
** Also available, unabridged on 10 cassette tapes

Zusak, Markus
* I am the Messenger
** Also available, unabridged on 7 CDs


**Recommended for Honors English l

Twain, Mark
* Huckleberry Finn, also listed as
* The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn


English ll

Brashares, Ann
* Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
** Also available, unabridged on 6 CDs
** Also available, unabridged on 4 cassette tapes

Colfer, Eoin
* Artemis Fowl
** Also available, unabridged on 5 CDs

McCaffrey, Anne
* Dragonsong

Paolini, Christopher
* Eldest
** Also available, unabridged on 20 CDs

Roberts, Willo Davis
* Hostage / (rec'd 7/11/2007)

Sparks, Nicholas
* The Notebook

Stewart, Mary
* The Crystal Cave Series is available as
*** Mary Stewart’s Merlin Trilogy, and also under the titles:
***** The Crystal Cave (First book in the trilogy)
***** The Hollow Hills (Second book in the trilogy)
***** The Last Enchantment (Third book in the trilogy)


**Recommended for Honors English ll

Potok, Chaim
* The Chosen

Tan, Amy
* Joy Luck Club


English lll

Alten, Steve
* Meg

Alvarez, Julia
* How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent

Chbosky, Stephen
* The Perks of Being a Wallflower / (rec'd 5/24/2007)

Giles, Gail
* Shattering Glass

Hersey, John
* Hiroshima (Adult non-fiction, 940.5425 HER)

Kidd, Sue M
* The Secret Life of Bees

King, Stephen
* The Stand

Meyer, Stephanie
* New Moon (Sequel to Twilight)

Sebold, Alice
* The Lovely Bones
** Also available, unabridged on 11 CDs
** Also available, unabridged on 9 cassette tapes

Wells, H G
* The Time Machine


English lV

Allende, Isabel
* The House of the Spirits (Your list left out the word the in the title.)

Haddon, Mark
* The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
** Also available, unabridged on 5 cassette tapes

Haley, Alex
* Roots (Adult non-fiction 929.2 HAL)

Hosseini, Kheled
* The Kite Runner
** Also available, unabridged on 10 CDs
** Also available, unabridged on 9 cassette tapes

Morrison, Toni
Beloved

Niffenegger, Audrey
* The Time Traveler’s Wife

Peretti, Frank
* This Present Darkness / (rec'd 5/24/2007)

Sinclair, Upton
* The Jungle : The Uncensored Original Edition /(rec'd 5/9/2007)

2007 Summer Reading Program at Marathon Middle/High School

Heather Doney gave us the list for your Summer Reading Program. Just to remind you…

“Students enrolled in regular reading or English choose ONE book from the appropriate grade level list; students enrolled in ADVANCED reading or HONORS English choose TWO books from the appropriate grade level list, including at least one selection from the starred Advanced/Honors choices.

* DE English and Advanced Placement English students have separate lists. They are to see Mr. Schubert for A.P. Literature (room 2206) and Mr. Arena (room 2205) for D.E. English summer reading assignments.”

Heather said that you should check out the books you want right NOW from the Media Center at school. Check them out for the whole summer. You’ll be all set for the reading assignment without trying to find a copy of the book you want after school closes and you can only get the book from us. The public libraries in Monroe County don’t allow their books to be checked out for the entire summer.

We have most of the books on your list, and we’ll try to get the ones we’re missing. But, since we don’t know how long it will take for them to arrive, it’s best if you look for something that’s available now—either at your Media Center, or in the public library. Don’t wait until the end of July, or August to find the book you want. Last summer we weren’t able to get enough books for everyone that wanted them at the last minute. Get your book early so you aren’t forced to read something you really don’t like because it’s the only book on the list that we could get for you.

Start off the next school year with a smile—pick out the book you want nice and early. Don’t leave it to the last minute.