2016 Summer Reading
High School
English Language Learners
Summer Reading Purpose Statement
Literacy involves reading, writing, speaking, listening and thinking. As
we prepare our students for the skills needed to be successful in the
21st Century, it is important that we provide opportunities for our
students to engage in the activities that will help to build this literacy skill
set. Reading over the summer is a good way to practice English and
prepare to participate in a shared literacy community in the fall.
ELL High School
Summer Reading Requirements
♣ Each student reads 2 books during the summer
♣ One book is chosen from the ELL course list
♣ One book is chosen by the student to read and share with the class
after school starts
By asking students to read over the summer, we believe that we can
help to develop a lifelong habit of reading.
Student Assignment
1. Select one book from the book list for the ELL course you will be taking in
2016 – 2017.
2. Read the questions listed for each book and be ready to talk about these
questions after school starts.
3. Choose another book to read, it does not have to be on the ELL list.
4. Have your parents sign the attached permission form to approve the book
you chose. Return the permission form at the beginning of school.
Assessment: Information will be shared the first week of school. The
assessment will be given after the first week of school. The grade for the
assessment will be less than 10% of the student’s first quarter grade
Your teacher may provide information about book sales before the end of
school.
High School
ELL Summer Reading List
There is additional information and
questions about each book on the
following pages.
ELL 905
One Giant Leap: The Story of Neil
Armstrong by Don Brown
Stinky Cecil in Operation Pond
By Paige Braddock
ELL 906
Magic Tree House #1; Dinosaurs
Before Dark by Mary Pope
Osborne
ELL 907
Sadako and the Thousand Paper
Cranes by Eleanor Coerr
I Survived… The Battle of
Gettysburg, 1863 by Lauren
Tarshis
ELL 908
I Am #4: Martin Luther King Jr.
by Grace Norwich
Tuesdays With Morrie
by Mitch Albom
Shooting Kabul by N. H. Senzai
ELL 909
Grade Level English Summer
Reading selection
Grade 9: And Then There Were
None by Agatha Christie
Grade 10: Warriors Don’t Cry
by Melba Pattillo Beals
Grade 11: The Absolutely True
Diary of a Part-time Indian by
Sherman Alexie
Grade 12: The Last Lecture
by Randy Pausch
2016 Summer Reading
High School
English Language Learners
ELL 905:
One giant Leap: The Story of Neil Armstrong by Don Brown
ISBN: 978-0618152391
Summary:
As an young boy, Neil Armstrong had a recurring dream in which he
held his breath and floated high in the sky. He spent his free time
reading stacks of flying magazines, building model airplanes, and
staring through a homemade telescope. But who was to know that
this shy boy who also loved books and music, would become the first
person to set foot on the moon, on July 20, 1969.
Questions:
1. Did you love to watch something as a young child, like two-year-old Neil Armstrong watched airplanes?
2. What were some of the jobs Neil did to help pay for his model airplanes?
3. Neil had to work twenty-five hours to pay for one hour of flying lessons. What is something you care
enough about to work twenty-five hours?
Stinky Cecil in Operation Pond by Paige Braddock
ISBN: 978-1-4494-5711-2
Summary:
Cecil is a toad. A toad busy doing what any other toad does with its days--judging the pond
splashing contest, or visiting his friends. And, of course, trying to keep clear of the local
hawk. But when Cecil discovers a freeway construction project aimed right at the pond, he
knows he has to come up with a plan to save his home. But what can a small group of
amphibians do? Cecil isn't sure, but he knows they have to try.
Questions:
1. Do you have something important to you that you would try to save?
2. What was the plan Cecil came up with to save his home?
4. Have you ever explored near a pond? What did you see?
2016 Summer Reading
High School
English Language Learners
ELL 906:
Magic Tree House #1; Dinosaurs Before Dark by Mary Pope Osborne
ISBN: 978-0679824114
Summary:
A tree house that travels through time? Not possible, says Jack. But he has to admit when
he and his younger sister, Annie, start running into dinosaurs — that they're not in Frog
Creek, Pennsylvania, anymore. This is the first book in the Magic Tree House time-travel
fantasy series.
Questions:
1. Which character in the story are you most like? Why? Are you generally a careful person, like Jack, or a
more adventurous person, like Annie?
2. When the story begins Annie is pretending a monster is after them. What do you think a monster would
look like? In the story, does the T-rex sound like a monster?
3. What would you do if you found a tree house full of books? If you had a tree house what would you put
in it?
2016 Summer Reading
High School
English Language Learners
ELL 907
(Choose 1 book from the list and another book of your choice.)
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr
ISBN: 978-0142401132
Summary:
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes is a true story about a girl named Sadako who
lived in Hiroshima, Japan. Sadako dreams to be a very good runner but when she gets
dizzy, she can’t live that dream. Read this book to find out what happens to Sadako
and her dream.
Questions:
1. Was it right or wrong that Sadako tried to keep her dizzy spells from her parents? Why?
2. Why did Chizuko tell Sadako the story about the cranes if she did not believe in good luck charms?
3. Sadako said that folding cranes gave her hope that she might get better. What gives you hope when
you are faced with a challenge?
I Survived #7: I Survived the Battle of Gettysburg, 1863 by Lauren Tarshis
ISBN: 978-0545459365
Summary:
It’s 1863, and Americans are fighting each other in the Civil War: the Union (North) vs.the
Confederates (South).
Thomas and his little sister Birdie have spent their whole lives as slaves on a farm in
Virginia. It’s a hard life, but at least they are together. One day, men come to take Thomas
away, and Thomas realizes he has no choice: he and Birdie must escape to the North.
Slave hunters are trying to catch them, so they rush into the dark forest! They hope their
Journey will lead to freedom. But soon they find themselves in the middle of the bloodiest battle in American
history: The Battle of Gettysburg.
Questions:
1. What was life like for slaves? How would you have felt if you were a slave?
2. Find examples in the book that show how the Union soldiers were nice to Thomas and Birdie.
3. In historical fiction stories, the author uses some real events from history and imagines other events to
make a story that seems like it could have happened. What did you learn about the American Civil War
from this story?
2016 Summer Reading
High School
English Language Learners
ELL 908
(Choose 1 book from the list and another book of your choice.)
I AM #4: Martin Luther King Jr. by Grace Norwich
ISBN: 978-0545447805
Summary
I helped organize the Montgomery Bus Boycott. I am only 34 when I give the "I Have a
Dream" speech. I am Martin Luther King Jr. Learn all about this heroic man, whose
accomplishments are truly inspiring, in the continuation of Scholastic's latest biography
series: I AM. This book will feature illustrations throughout, a timeline, an introduction to the
people you'll meet in the book, maps, sidebars, and a top ten list of important things to
know about Martin Luther King Jr.
Questions:
1. What are three ways life is better now for Black Americans?
2. What are two other organizations like the NAACP that help people get fair treatment?
3. Who has helped you with a problem, and how?
Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom
ISBN: 978-0767905923
Summary
This true story about the love between a spiritual mentor and his pupil has soared to the
bestseller list for many reasons. For starters: it reminds us of the affection and gratitude
that many of us still feel for the significant mentors of our past. It also plays out a fantasy
many of us have entertained: what would it be like to look those people up again, tell them
how much they meant to us, maybe even resume the mentorship? Plus, we meet Morrie
Schwartz--a one of a kind professor, whom the author describes as looking like a cross
between a biblical prophet and Christmas elf. Even on his deathbed, this twinkling-eyed
mensch manages to teach us all about living robustly and fully.
Questions:
1. Did your opinion about Mitch change as the book went on? In what way?
2. Who do you think got more out of their Tuesday meetings, Mitch or Morrie? In what ways? How do you
think each would answer this question?
3. Describe Morrie's criticisms of Mitch throughout the book. Do you think Morrie should have been
tougher on him? Easier?
2016 Summer Reading
High School
English Language Learners
ELL 908 continued
Shooting Kabul by N. H. Senzai
ISBN: 978-1442401952
Summary
Fadi never imagined he’d start middle school in Fremont, California, thousands of miles
away from home in Kabul. But, here he was, half a world apart from his missing six year
old sister who’d been lost because of him, as they’d fled Afghanistan. Adjusting to life in
the United States isn’t easy for Fadj’s family and as the events of September 11th unfold,
the prospects of locating Mariam in a war torn Afghanistan seem slim - impossible.
Desperate, Fadi tries every harebrained scheme he can think of to find her. When a
photography competition with a grand prize trip to India is announced, Fadj sees his
chance to return to Afghanistan and find his sister. But can one photo really bring Mariam home?
Questions:
1. What was life like in Afghanistan when the Taliban were in control? Why does Fadi’s family have to run
away?
2. Fadi feels so guilty about what happened to Mariam. How do other characters show their feelings about
guilt and responsibility throughout the book? Have you ever felt guilty about something? How did you
deal with that guilt?
3. In her Author’s Note, N. H. Senzai tells readers that she “didn’t want to write this book.” Why do you
think she wrote it anyway? What big lessons can readers learn from this book?
Independent summer Reading
Parent/Guardian Permission Form
All Dublin City Schools secondary students are required to read a book of their
choice over the summer as part of our summer reading program. This book may
be fiction or nonfiction, classic or contemporary, serious or funny.
We would like students to consider books that will be appropriate for a school
setting and sufficiently challenging in terms of reading level. Students will have an
opportunity to share this summer read with other students in the class during the first
week of school.
All students are expected to bring this permission form to their English teachers
on the first day of school.
Please print.
Student’s name:
Title of the Book:
Author:
I have reviewed my student’s Independent Choice Book and have determined that it is
appropriate for my child and this assignment. I can verify that my child has completed
the reading of this book.
Signature of the Student:
Date:
Signature of the Parent/Guardian:
Date: