Summer Reading Listing for Holyoke High Schools 2014
Grade 9
English I read one book from the listing below AND complete the Assignment Worksheet.
English I Honors students must read The Book Thief AND 1 other book from the list below. Additionally, they must
complete the Assignment Worksheet for each book.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (honors must read)
Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence
for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of
her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her
neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her bathroom.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs As a kid, Jacob formed a special bond with his grandfather over his bizarre tales and photos of
levitating girls and invisible boys. After his grandfather’s death Jacob is given a mysterious letter
that leads him on a journey to the remote island where his grandfather grew up. There, he finds
the children from the photographs--alive and well--despite the islanders’ assertion that all were
killed decades ago. As Jacob begins to unravel more about his grandfather’s childhood, he
suspects he is being trailed by a monster only he can see.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor black tobacco
farmer whose cells—taken without her knowledge in 1951—became one of the most important
tools in medicine, vital for developing the polio vaccine, cloning, gene mapping, and
more. Henrietta's cells have been bought and sold by the billions, yet she remains virtually
unknown, and her family can't afford health insurance. This phenomenal New York Times
bestseller tells a riveting story of the collision between ethics, race, and medicine; of scientific
discovery and faith healing; and of a daughter consumed with questions about the mother she
never knew.
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson "Speak up for yourself--we want to know what you have to say." From the first moment of her
freshman year at Merryweather High, Melinda knows this is a big fat lie, part of the nonsense
of high school. She is friendless, outcast, because she busted an end-of-summer party by
calling the cops, so now nobody will talk to her, let alone listen to her. As time passes, she
becomes increasingly isolated and practically stops talking altogether. Only her art class offers
any solace, and it is through her work on an art project that she is finally able to face what
really happened at that terrible party: she was raped by an upperclassman, a guy who still
attends Merryweather and is still a threat to her. Her healing process has just begun when she
has another violent encounter with him. But this time Melinda fights back, refuses to be silent,
and thereby achieves a measure of vindication.
The Pact by Jodi Picoult
Until the phone calls came at three o'clock on a November morning, the Golds
and their neighbors, the Hartes, had been inseparable. It was no surprise to
anyone when their teenage children, Chris and Emily, began showing signs
that their relationship was moving beyond that of lifelong friends. But now
seventeen-year-old Emily is dead—shot with a gun her beloved and devoted
Chris pilfered from his father's cabinet as part of an apparent suicide pact—
leaving two devastated families stranded in the dark and dense predawn,
desperate for answers about an unthinkable act and the children they never
really knew.
The Crazy Man by Pamela Porter
It is 1965, and 12-year-old Emaline, living on a wheat farm, must deal with a
family that is falling apart. When her dog, Prince, chases a hare into the path
of the tractor, she chases after him, and her father accidentally runs over her
leg, leaving her with a long convalescence and a permanent disability. Even
worse, from Emaline’s point of view, is that in his grief and guilt, her father
shoots Prince and leaves Emaline and her mother on their own.
Despite the neighbors’ disapproval, Emaline’s mother hires Angus, a patient
from the local mental hospital, to work their fields. Angus is a red-haired giant
whom the local children tease and call "the gorilla." Though the small town’s prejudice creates a cloud
of suspicion around Angus that nearly results in tragedy, he just may hold the key to Emaline's
coming to grips with her injury and the loss of her father.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years,
Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon
diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly
appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely
rewritten.
Grade 10 English II read one book from the listing below AND complete the Assignment Worksheet.
English II Honors students must read Beauty AND 1 other book from the list below. Additionally, they must complete
the Assignment Worksheet for each book.
Beauty Queens by Libba Bray (honors must read) Survival. Of the fittest: The fifty contestants in the Miss Teen Dream Pageant thought
this was going to be a fun trip to the beach, where they could parade in their stateappropriate costumes and compete in front of the cameras. But sadly, their airplane
had another idea, crashing on a desert island and leaving the survivors stranded with
little food, little water, and practically no eyeliner. What's a beauty queen to do?
Continue to practice for the talent portion of the program - or wrestle snakes to the
ground? Get a perfect tan - or learn to run wild? And what should happen when the
sexy pirates show up? Welcome to the heart of non-exfoliated darkness. This novel
will make you laugh, make you think, and make you never see beauty the same way
again.
Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a story about what it’s like to travel that strange
course through the uncharted territory of high school. The world of first dates, family
dramas, and new friends. Of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Of those
wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up.
Will Grayson Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan
One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, Will Grayson crosses paths with . . .
Will Grayson. Two teens with the same name, running in two very different circles, suddenly
find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, and culminating in epic turns-ofheart and the most fabulous musical ever to grace the high school stage.
The Realm of Possibility by David Levithan
Here’s what I know about the realm of possibility— it is always expanding, it is never what
you think it is. Everything around us was once deemed impossible. From the airplane
overhead to the phones in our pockets to the choir girl putting her arm around the
metalhead. As hard as it is for us to see sometimes, we all exist within the realm of
possibility. Most of the limits are of our own world’s devising. And yet, every day we each do
so many things that were once impossible to us. Enter The Realm of Possibility and meet a
boy whose girlfriend is in love with Holden Caulfield; a girl who loves the boy who wears all
black; a boy with the perfect body; and a girl who writes love songs for a girl she can’t have.
Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina
One morning before school, some girl tells Piddy Sanchez that Yaqui Delgado hates her and
wants to kick her ass. Piddy doesn’t even know who Yaqui is, never mind what she’s done to
piss her off. Word is that Yaqui thinks Piddy is stuck-up, shakes her stuff when she walks,
and isn’t Latin enough with her white skin, good grades, and no accent. And Yaqui isn’t
kidding around, so Piddy better watch her back. At first Piddy is more concerned with trying
to find out more about the father she’s never met and how to balance honors courses with
her weekend job at the neighborhood hair salon. But as the harassment escalates, avoiding
Yaqui and her gang starts to take over Piddy’s life. Is there any way for Piddy to survive
without closing herself off or running away?
.
The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker
Julia is an eleven-year-old who lives in California. Weeks before her birthday, the world
undergoes an unexplained phenomenon called 'slowing', in which the time taken to
complete one rotation of the Earth increases. By the time it is confirmed by experts, a day is
24 hours and 56 minutes. The hours steadily increase and dramatically alter life on Earth.
Reactions differ: while some try to adapt with it, others, like Julia's grandfather, believe
slowing to be a government hoax and still others, like Julia's best friend Hanna's family
believe it to be God's wrath and return to their hometowns. After weeks of chaos, the
American government announces the adoption of 'clock time', in which the world functions
as normal according to the 24-hour clock, regardless of whether it is day or night outside.
Some people reject clock time altogether, like Julia's neighbor Sylvia, and set their lives
according to the sun, ignoring clock time. Such people, called 'real timers', face
discrimination from "normal" people. Meanwhile, the longer days have psychological effects
on people: Julia's mother starts suffering from a slowing-related disorder (referred to as 'the
syndrome', its effects vary from person to person), crime rates hike and people purportedly become more impulsive (the
excuse Julia uses to convince herself when she finds her father is having an affair with Sylvia). In addition to this, Julia's
grandfather goes missing on her twelfth birthday.
Grade 11 and 12
English III and English IV read one book from the listing below AND complete the Assignment Worksheet.
English III and IV Honors students must read Last of the Mohicans AND 1 other book from the list below. Additionally,
you must complete the Assignment Worksheet for each book.
Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper (honors must read)
Published in the early 19th century, The Last of the Mohicans is a fictionalized adventure taking
place during the French-American War. The daughters of an American colonel become caught
up in the conflict between the two nations’ contest for supremacy in North America, and
embroiled in the war between the Native American allies of the two sides. Cooper’s trademark
intricacy of description and his portrayal of life during this tumultuous era have made The Last
of the Mohicans one of the world’s most widely read American novels.
Divergent by Veronica Roth
In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated
to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless
(the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every
year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives.
For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she
can’t have both. So she makes a choice that
Stardust by Neil Gaiman
Catch a fallen star . . .
Tristran thorn promised to bring back a fallen star. So he sets out on a journey to fulfill the
request of his beloved, the hauntingly beautiful Victoria Forester—and stumbles into the
enchanted realm that lies beyond the wall of his English country town. Rich with adventure and
magic, Stardust is one of master storyteller Neil Gaiman's most beloved tales
The Life of Pi by Yann Martel
The son of a zookeeper, Pi Patel has an encyclopedic knowledge of animal behavior and a
fervent love of stories. When Pi is sixteen, his family emigrates from India to North America
aboard a Japanese cargo ship, along with their zoo animals bound for new homes. The ship
sinks. Pi finds himself alone in a lifeboat, his only companions a hyena, an orangutan, a
wounded zebra, and Richard Parker, a 450-pound Bengal tiger. Soon the tiger has dispatched
all but Pi, whose fear, knowledge, and cunning allow him to coexist with Richard Parker for 227
days while lost at sea. When they finally reach the coast of Mexico, Richard Parker flees to the
jungle, never to be seen again. The Japanese authorities who interrogate Pi refuse to believe his
story and press him to tell them "the truth." After hours of coercion, Pi tells a second story, a
story much less fantastical, much more conventional--but is it more true?
No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
The plot follows the interweaving paths of the three central characters (Llewelyn Moss, Anton
Chigurh, and Ed Tom Bell), set in motion by events related to a drug deal gone bad near the
Mexican-American border in southwest Texas. While Llewelyn Moss is hunting antelope, he
stumbles across the aftermath of a drug-deal gone wrong, which has left everyone dead but a
single badly wounded Mexican who pleads with Moss for water. Moss responds that he
doesn't have any and searches the rest of the vehicles, finding a truck full of heroin. He
searches for the "last man standing" and finds him dead some ways off under a tree, with a
satchel containing $2.4 million in cash. He takes the money and returns home. Later, however,
he feels remorse for leaving the wounded man and returns to the scene with a jug of water,
only to find that the wounded man had since been shot and killed. When Moss looks back to
his truck parked on the ridge overlooking the valley, another truck is there. When he tries to
run, he is seen, which sparks a tense chase through a desert valley. This is the beginning of a
hunt for Moss that stretches for most of the remaining novel. After escaping from his pursuers, Moss sends his wife, Carla
Jean, to her mother in Odessa while he leaves his home with the money.
The Shining by Stephen King
Jack Torrance’s new job at the Overlook Hotel is the perfect chance for a fresh start. As the
off-season caretaker at the atmospheric old hotel, he’ll have plenty of time to spend
reconnecting with his family and working on his writing. But as the harsh winter weather
sets in, the idyllic location feels ever more remote . . . and more sinister. And the only one to
notice the strange and terrible forces gathering around the Overlook is Danny Torrance, a
uniquely gifted five-year-old.
Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
Jeannette Walls grew up with parents whose ideals and stubborn nonconformity were both
their curse and their salvation. Rex and Rose Mary Walls had four children. In the beginning,
they lived like nomads, moving among Southwest desert towns, camping in the mountains.
Rex was a charismatic, brilliant man who, when sober, captured his children's imagination,
teaching them physics, geology, and above all, how to embrace life fearlessly. Rose Mary,
who painted and wrote and couldn't stand the responsibility of providing for her family,
called herself an "excitement addict." Cooking a meal that would be consumed in fifteen
minutes had no appeal when she could make a painting that might last forever.
Later, when the money ran out, or the romance of the wandering life faded, the Walls
retreated to the dismal West Virginia mining town -- and the family -- Rex Walls had done
everything he could to escape. He drank. He stole the grocery money and disappeared for
days. As the dysfunction of the family escalated, Jeannette and her brother and sisters had
to fend for themselves, supporting one another as they weathered their parents' betrayals
and, finally, found the resources and will to leave home.
AP Language and Composition (gr. 11)
A. Each student is responsible for reading in entirety the following two texts and keeping a
dialectical journal for each focused on style. Use the Attachment Worksheet as your
journal, (it includes style specifics).
1. Angela’s Ashes, by Frank McCourt – memoir OR When I was Puerto Rican, by Esmeralda
Santiago - memoir
In Cold Blood—a novel by Truman Capote
B. Each student is responsible for reading Chapter Two- CLOSE READING: The Art and Craft of
Analysis- from the Textbook The Language of Composition, 2nd Edition
2.
C. In addition, each student is responsible for reading at least five current events over the
summer (They cannot all be from one week- one event a week) from a credible news
source and keeping track of the following information:
1. What is the headline of your current event and where did you get your information? What makes
this a credible or reliable source?
2. What happened?
3. Who was there?
4. Why did it happen?
5. When did it happen?
6. Where did it happen?
7. Why is it important/Why did you pick it?
8. Create a new Headline for the Current Event.
Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt “When I look back on my childhood I wonder how I managed to survive at all. It was, of course, a miserable childhood: the happy childhood is hardly worth your while. Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood, and worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood. So begins the luminous memoir of Frank McCourt, born in Depression‐era Brooklyn to recent Irish immigrants and raised in the slums of Limerick, Ireland. Frank’s mother, Angela, has no money to feed the children since Frank’s father, Malachy, rarely works, and when he does he drinks his wages. Yet Malachy—exasperating, irresponsible, and beguiling—does nurture in Frank an appetite for the one thing he can provide: a story. Frank lives for his father’s tales of Cuchulain, who saved Ireland, and of the Angel on the Seventh Step, who brings his mother babies.
When I Was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago
Esmeralda Santiago's story begins in rural Puerto Rico, where her childhood was full of both
tenderness and domestic strife, tropical sounds and sights as well as poverty. Growing up, she
learned the proper way to eat a guava, the sound of tree frogs in the mango groves at night,
the taste of the delectable sausage called morcilla, and the formula for ushering a dead baby's
soul to heaven. As she enters school we see the clash, both hilarious and fierce, of Puerto Rican
and Yankee culture. When her mother, Mami, a force of nature, takes off to New York with her
seven, soon to be eleven children, Esmeralda, the oldest, must learn new rules, a new language,
and eventually take on a new identity. In this first volume of her much-praised, bestselling
trilogy, Santiago brilliantly recreates the idyllic landscape and tumultuous family life of her
earliest years and her tremendous journey from the barrioto Brooklyn, from translating for her
mother at the welfare office to high honors at Harvard.
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (AP must read) On November 15, 1959, in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas, four members of the Clutter family were savagely murdered by blasts from a shotgun held a few inches from their faces. There was no apparent motive for the crime, and there were almost no clues. As Truman Capote reconstructs the murder and the investigation that led to the capture, trial, and execution of the killers, he generates both mesmerizing suspense and astonishing empathy. In Cold Blood is a work that transcends its moment, yielding poignant insights into the nature of American violence. AP English Literature (gr. 12)
The highlighted titles are required readings.
See below for Reading Assignment instructions and Journal.
How to Read Literature Like A Professor by Thomas C. Foster
Thomas C. Foster's classic guide—a lively and entertaining introduction to literature and literary
basics, including symbols, themes, and contexts—shows you how to make your everyday reading
experience more rewarding and enjoyable.
How to Read Literature Like a Professor helps readers discover the deeper meanings of novels,
poems, and plays by looking at literature with the eyes—and literary codes—of the ultimate
professional reader: the college professor. This revised and updated edition contains new
chapters, new preface and epilogue, and updated teaching points developed over the last
decade.
What does it mean when a literary hero travels along a dusty road? When he's drenched in a
sudden rain shower? Ranging from major themes to literary models, narrative devices, and form,
Foster provides us with a broad overview of literature—a world where a road leads to a quest
and rain, whether cleansing or destructive, is never just a shower—and shows us how to make our
reading experience more enriching, satisfying, and fun.
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Born a generation apart and with very different ideas about love and family, Mariam and Laila
are two women brought jarringly together by war, by loss and by fate. As they endure the ever
escalating dangers around them-in their home as well as in the streets of Kabul-they come to
form a bond that makes them both sisters and mother-daughter to each other, and that will
ultimately alter the course not just of their own lives but of the next generation. With heartwrenching power and suspense, Hosseini shows how a woman's love for her family can move
her to shocking and heroic acts of self-sacrifice, and that in the end it is love, or even the
memory of love, that is often the key to survival.
Suggested Reading:
5 Steps to a 5: AP* English Literature by Estelle M. Rankin and Barbara L.Murphy
Ed. 2014-15 published by McGraw Hill Education.
A PERFECT PLAN for the PERFECT SCORE
STEP 1: Set up your study plan with three customized study schedules
STEP 2: Determine your readiness with an AP-style diagnostic exam
STEP 3: Develop the strategies that will give you the edge on test day
STEP 4:Build your confidence with full-length practice exams
AP English Literature (gr 12) SUMMER READING Assignment Instructions and JOURNAL, 2014-2015
Thanks to Kathryn Hutchinson of Buffalo Grove High School, Buffalo Grove, IL)
Welcome to “A.P. English Literature and Composition” and your first assignment…
Over the summer, I would like you to keep a “Summer Reading Journal” in conjunction with your reading of How to Read
Literature Like A Professor by Thomas C. Foster and A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. This will NOT BE a
personal response journal, in which you simply write down random thoughts about how you are feeling about the reading.
It is much more than that. This journal is designed to help you further develop your critical thinking and reading skills,
become aware of your growth in these skill areas, and ultimately improve your ability to discover and articulate legitimate
readings of a text through the process of metacognition.
Metacognition is defined as the act of thinking about one’s own thinking; in other words, the self-conscious cognition in
which we engage when we try to understand why we think the way we do in certain situations and environments. As you
read this book, I would like you to chart the progress of your thinking, just as if you were an onboard ship’s captain
charting navigational routes or the quality of the weather.
STEP ONE: THE NEW NOTEBOOK:
You will need to purchase a new notebook designated as your journal. No exceptions to this. Psychologically speaking,
this will be helpful to you. Please put your name and AP Literature and Composition on the front cover in a clear hand.
Neatness in this journal is absolutely essential and will count as credit: It is the evidence of a clear, concentrated mind.
Therefore, your journal should be free of drawings and doodles, with good titles, and clear demarcations.
You will first do the reading and complete journaling for How to Read Literature… and then skip a page or two and do the
reading and journaling for Suns. In other words, investigate both texts in the same notebook. It is essential that you read
the books in this order so you can look at the novel through a new lens.
STEP TWO: FLIP THE PAGE
Flip the first page of the notebook and you will, of course, see two blank pages, side by side...
STUDENT QUESTION: “HOW DO I ORGANIZE MY JOURNAL?”
On the left-hand pages, you will be taking notes about each text. (I’ll address specifics later on in this handout.) On the
right-hand pages, you will be writing down your metacognition work (more on this later, as well).
STEP THREE: WHAT TO NOTE ON THE LEFT-HAND JOURNAL PAGES FOR HOW TO READ LITERATURE LIKE A
PROFESSOR:
This is the page on which you will take your copious notes concerning How to Read Literature Like a Professor. Analyze
the data presented to you, chapter by chapter, and write down all of the main ideas, either as you read, or after you have
read. Do not use bullet points or fragmented language. Please write everything down in complete sentences, with strict
attention to grammar and syntax. Points will be taken off for sloppy English. The more detailed you are the better
prepared you will be for the first week of class. Organize your journal by chapters, for example:
“Chapter 9: It’s Greek to Me”
In addition to the notes, I would like you to answer the following chapter questions (don’t worry if you use up more than
one page on these; that’s actually good – you’re investigating with purpose): [Ideas and questions from this section are
from Effinger, Anglin, and Nelson, with edits by Asmussen]
Introduction: How'd He Do That? – “Discuss a time when your appreciation of a literary work was enhanced by
understanding symbol or pattern.”
Chapter 1 -- Every Trip Is a Quest (Except When It's Not) – “Apply the five aspects of the “Quest” to something you have
read (or viewed).”
Chapter 6 -- When in Doubt, It's from Shakespeare... – “Discuss a work that you are familiar with that alludes to or reflects
Shakespeare. Show how the author uses this connection thematically.”
Chapter 8 -- Hanseldee and Greteldum – “Think of a work of literature that reflects a fairy tale. Discuss the parallels. Does it
create irony or deepen appreciation?”
Chapter 10 -- It's More Than Just Rain or Snow – “Discuss the importance of weather in a specific literary work, not in
terms of plot.”
Interlude -- Does He Mean That – “Reflect deeply on the issue of an author’s intentions. What do you think of what Foster
says? Why?”
Chapter 11 --...More Than It's Gonna Hurt You: Concerning Violence – “Present examples of the two kinds of violence
found in literature. Show how the effects are different.”
Chapter 12 -- Is That a Symbol? – “Use the process described in the chapter and investigate the symbolism in a work you
have read.
Chapter 19 -- Geography Matters... – “Discuss at least three different aspects of a specific literary work that Foster would
classify under ‘geography.’”
Chapter 20 -- ...So Does Season – “Think of a story or novel that mentions a specific season. Then discuss how the writer
uses the season in a meaningful, traditional, or unusual way.”
Chapter 21 -- Marked for Greatness – “Figure out Harry Potter's scar. If you aren't familiar with Harry Potter, select another
character with a physical imperfection and analyze its implications for characterization.”
Chapter 26 -- Is He Serious? And Other Ironies – “Select an ironic literary work (google it, this can be a short story or
poem) and explain the nature of the irony in the work.”
Chapter 27 -- A Test Case – “Read ‘The Garden Party’ by Katherine Mansfield, the short story. Complete the exercise,
following the directions exactly. Then compare your writing with the three examples. How did you do? What does the
essay that follows comparing Laura with Persephone add to your appreciation of Mansfield's story?”
These questions are designed to allow you to practice immediately the kind of textual analysis you will perform in the
course. Whenever I ask for a “work” I am asking for an example from a short story, a novel, a play, or a film. You may not
use the personal pronoun “I” in your responses. Instead of saying, “I believe that Captain Ahab is a cruel man,” simply say,
“Captain Ahab is a cruel man.” It’s actually very easy to drop the “I” with a little practice. Regarding length, think at least
one paragraph of 4-6 sentences for every question.
STEP FOUR: WHAT TO NOTE ON THE LEFT-HAND JOURNAL PAGES FOR Suns…
For the left-hand journal pages devoted to Hosseini’s novel, let Professor Foster’s ideas be your guide while you analyze
in-depth. Much of the point of asking you to read/journal Suns right after reading his book is to give you the practice of
applying his teaching to an actual text. Here is where you will do your best to put the following, organized appropriately,
for each chapter:
Chapter Summaries:
Brief but meaningful summary of the plot
Character Breakdowns:
Detailed descriptions and investigations of the thoughts, feelings, ideas, and
motivations of the characters
Setting Analysis:
Detailed descriptions and investigations into what functions the setting serves
Theme Analysis:
Detailed investigations into the many themes of the novel
STEP FIVE: WHAT TO NOTE ON THE RIGHT-HAND PAGE FOR BOTH TEXTS:
Here is where the metacognition part comes in. You will write about the following in close, specific detail as it happens to
you:
1. Times when you note changes in the text or how you are reading it. E.g., When…
a. You see something you didn’t see before.
b. You recognize an ‘idea pattern’ – i.e., the images start to overlap or reappear, some
gestures or phrases reoccur, or some details seem associated with one another.
c. You discover that you were misreading.
d. The writer introduces a new context or a new perspective.
2. Times when you are surprised or puzzled. E.g., When…
a. Something just doesn’t fit. Explain clearly why this is so.
b. Things do not make sense. Pose explicitly the question you have.
3. Details that seem important and make you look again. And again.
4. Author’s style devices you notice – how do they enhance the sense of what the author says?
5. Anything else that happens to you, mentally, as you slowly read and understand.
Again, as always when writing in your journal, use complete sentences. This will force you to draw out your thoughts fully.
Be explicit about your thoughts – cite text and page numbers.
The journal will seem less like an intrusion if you use it in a way that fits naturally with your reading. For some of you, this
will mean keeping a pen in hand at all times and jotting as you read. For others, this might mean reading a chapter or a
chunk of pages, and then reflecting and writing on what you read. Or it may be a combination of both methods. Keep in
mind:
Good readers of good literature stop and reflect as they read!
SOME ADVICE…
1) Begin this project early in the summer. There is much thoughtful work to be done. Don’t wait till summer’s end. If you
do, you’re only making things unnecessarily hard for yourself, and continuing poor habits of mind that will severely impact
your education in the years to come. Just sit down and begin working, early. Don’t complain. Don’t stress. Just do.
2) As for the length of journal notes and entries: I respect students who take the time to do proper thinking and writing.
This kind of effort is never shallow or brief. Dig deeply.
3) If you skim the books and do only so-so journaling, you’ll be hobbling yourself with respect to the rest of the year, not
to mention wasting your summer time. Start learning well now and put yourself ahead of the curve. If you do, you will
thank yourself for it later, especially around the time of the A.P. English Literature & Composition Exam. Trust me.
Getting Ahead:


In the fall you will be required to have a personal dictionary, a notebook and a large binder with dividers.
I also recommend that you purchase the workbook 5 Steps to a 5: AP* English Literature by Estelle M. Rankin and
Barbara L. Murphy (2014-2015 edition published by McGraw Hill Education) and review it’s contents. This is not a
requirement, but the text will give you an overview of the AP Literature Exam and we will use it during the first
quarter. Handouts will be provided for those who need them.
*Feel free to email me with any questions and concerns. mharrison@hps.holyoke.ma.us
*I will also be setting up an AP Lit webpage. I will email the link to everyone who provided me with his or her
email address at orientation. Feel free to pass it on to others who did not do so.