Anderson High School Summer Required Reading
ALL 9th Graders, 10th Advanced, 11th AP/IB, 12th AP/IB, and ACC & OnRamps
Why do we have a summer reading assignment?
The key to being a great reader is to read extensively, and the key to being a great writer is exposure to great writing. Reading is not something that we want you to do just during the school year; lifelong learners are also lifelong readers. Summer provides time to enjoy uninterrupted reading and allows students to digest ideas prior to discussing and interpreting writing techniques in class. It also reinforces the skills students learned and keeps them in touch with great literature.
The Assignment
Read and enjoy the book. If you foresee any difficulty in purchasing a copy of the book, please talk to your English teacher before the end of the year. Many of the books are available as eBooks and audiobooks through the Austin Public Library, Teen Book Cloud, and MackinVIA. *Some of these books contain adult content, so please research them and ask or email your teacher for recommendations.
Marking significant moments or key passages in each section will help you recall the details of the novel in August. Detailed annotation is not necessary for this particular assignment, but feel free to add notes if it is a helpful tool for you.
What should I be looking for while I read?
Look for (and possibly mark) significant moments. Consider passages that:
- reveal a truth about a character, the theme of the novel, or life in general
- indicate a major change in the character, plot, or tone
- demonstrate the writer’s craft (consider major literary devices)
- strike a chord in you or grab your attention, for whatever reason
When and how will I be assessed?
You should be finished with the book by the first day of class. You will have a reading check quiz the first week of school, and a major writing assessment or two in the first month. In addition, all class activities in the first unit of the school year will thematically relate to the summer reading.
Questions?
For more information about the assignment or to find teacher emails, visit the Anderson website. www.anderson.austinschools.org
Incoming 9th Graders
Over the summer, we would like for all incoming freshmen to find a book that connects with their interests. The book you choose must be at least 200 pages long, must be fiction (no non-fiction please!), and must have appropriate literary merit for high school. Annotations, however that looks for you, are encouraged, but they are not required. You will have to pull quotes from the book for this assignment, so mark ones that are important along with the number of the page on which they are found. Remember that you have access to Teen Book Cloud, MackinVIA, and the Austin Public Library’s online collection.
Incoming 10th Grade - English II Advanced - CHOOSE ONE!
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls*
Dressed in Dreams by Tanisha C. Ford
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
An Ordinary Man by Paul Rusesabagina
*These books contain adult content, so please research them and ask or email your teacher for recommendations.
Incoming 11th Grade - English III AP/IB - CHOOSE ONE!
The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui
The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien*
The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen*
The Sorrow of War: A Novel of North Vietnam by Bao Ninh*
*These books contain adult content, so please research them and ask or email your teacher for recommendations.
Incoming 12th Grade - English IV AP/IB
Medea and learner portfolio
Incoming 12th Grade - English IV OnRamps
Incoming 12th Grade - ACC Dual Credit
Find an engaging and interesting non-fiction book. If you have a chance, start reading your book this summer. In the fall, you will be looking at the modes of writing in your book.