Pecos High School
Summer Reading List 2015-2016
Grades 9-12
Mrs. Britton/Mrs. McComb
SUMMER READ-IN
SUMMER WRITE-ON
The Pecos High School English department requires students to continue the development of their literacy
skills over the summer. Students receive extra credit in English for each book read, if the reading responses
are submitted in August. It is crucial students complete the reading and work required.
All students: Read three (3) books total, the one required and two from the list.
Required book for all high students:
Looking for Alaska
By John Green
“Miles "Pudge" Halter's whole existence has been one big nonevent, and his obsession with famous last words has
only made him crave the "Great Perhaps" (François Rabelais, poet) even more. He heads off to the sometimes crazy,
possibly unstable, and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the
opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwedup, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young, who is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him
into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart.”
GoodReads Review
Parents/Guardians are encouraged to be involved with their student’s summer reading. The titles suggested
are regarded as some of the best adolescent and young adult books available. Some may contain issues and
themes that should be previewed and approved by parents/guardians. If you feel a title is objectionable,
simply have your student select a different title.
Assessments:
Reflective Journal (Extra Credit): Choose your books and keep a reflective journal on each while you read.
Every fifty (50) pages, write a one-page entry in your journal. (Standard sized paper or 300 words typed.) The
journal should NOT be a summary, but a response to the literature. It should include entries about your
thoughts and feelings about the book while reading: questions, observations, comments, predictions about
character and plot, connections to your life. Please use one journal for all of your entries and bring it to
school the first day.
English class Writing Assessment (Classwork grade): During the first week of school, you will complete an inclass writing assessment on one of the books you have read. This will be your first grade for the 1st 9-week
grading period.
Finding the Novels:
You can check many of the titles out from the Santa Fe Public Library, or you can purchase new or used books.
We recommend Book Mountain (on Cerrillos, across the street from Dion’s Pizza); you can take paperbacks
and trade them for new-to-you books. You can also purchase any of the titles for a small price and download
them onto your iPads, Kindles, or other ereaders.
Suggested Titles
You can log onto Amazon.com to read brief descriptions of each book title. You may select books not on this list.
Please make sure that the books you read are at your grade level or higher.
Westerns/Horses/Outdoors/Mystery
The Cold Dish-Craig Johnson or any of the Walt Longmire Series
Recommended by Britton and McComb!
Dry Bones- Craig Johnson or any of the Walt Longmire Series
The Hearts of Horses – Molly Gloss
Falling Off Horses – Molly Gloss
Mrs. Britton’s favorites!
East of the Border – Johnny D. Boggs
Any book by Boggs will be accepted.
Santa Fe author!
The Sacketts – Louis L’amour
Any L’amour book will be accepted.
Dance Hall of the Dead – Tony Hillerman
Any Hillerman book will be accepted.
Romance/Historical Fiction
Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
Dragonfly in Amber – Diana Gabaldon
The White Queen – Phillippa Gregory
Any Austen book will be accepted.
Any book from the Outlander series will be accepted.
Informational Text
The Running Dream – Wendelin VanDraanen
My Losing Season: A Memoir – Pat Conroy
Basketball memoir
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee – Dee Brown
Born to Run:
A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen – Christopher McDougall
The Teen’s Guide to World Domination: Advice on Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Awesomeness – Josh Shipp
Band of Brothers - Stephen Ambrose
World War II
Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America – Erik Larsen
The Devil’s Highway: A True Story – Luis Alberto Urrea
Blood and Thunder – Hamilton Sides
Mystery/Fantasy/Suspense
Mortal Instruments – Cassandra Clare (Any book in this series.)
13 Reasons Why – Jay Asher
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – Mark Haddon
Any Stephen King novel
We will accept any book you chose to read, as long as it is at your reading level and you do the
required responses.
If you have any questions over the summer, you may contact:
Mrs. MaryBeth Britton
mbritton@pecos.k12.nm.us
Mrs. Valerie McComb
vmccomb@pecos.k12.nm.us