Wheaton Warrenville South
Freshmen Summer Reading Assignment
What is the
Summer Reading Assignment?
Read a
book(s)
Take indepth
notes
Develop
critical
thinking
and
reading
skills
Discuss,
write,
and take
a test
about
the
texts.
Why Do Your Future Teachers Want
You to Read Over the Summer?
Assessments
• Objective test –
second full day of
school
• Written analytical
essay – second week
of school
Novel Options
FRESHMEN I-LEVEL
FRESHMEN A-LEVEL
When No One is Watching – Joseph Hayes
A charismatic Chicago politician causes a deadly accident
where he flees the scene and doesn’t take responsibility
for the mess he’s made. This is a tale of inspiration and
redemption, and makes the reader think about the sins
some people commit when no one is watching.
The Bean Trees – Barbara Kingslover
The main character, Taylor Greer, cannot wait to leave
Kentucky and start her own life. During her travels, the
unexpected happens: she has to take care of an
abandoned child. Throughout her experiences, Taylor
learns the importance of belonging, and comes to terms
with the idea of putting down roots.
Peace Like a River – Leif Enger
When Israel Finch and Tommy Basca, the town bullies,
break into the home of school caretaker Jeremiah Land,
wielding a baseball bat and looking for trouble, they find
more of it than even they expected. For seventeen-yearold Davey is sitting up in bed waiting for them with a
Winchester rifle. Told in the touching voice of an elevenyear-old boy, it revels in the legends of the wild west and
the possibility of magic in the everyday world. Above all,
it shows how family, love, and faith can stand up to the
most terrifying of enemies, the most tragic of fates.
Boy 21 - Matthew Quick
Basketball has always been an escape for Finley. He lives
in broken-down Bellmont, a town ruled by the Irish mob,
drugs, violence, and racially charged rivalries. At home,
his dad works nights, and Finley is left to take care of his
disabled grandfather alone. He's always dreamed of
getting out someday, but until he can, putting on that
number 21 jersey makes everything seem okay.
Boy’s Life– Robert McCammon
Zephyr, Alabama, is an idyllic hometown for eleven-yearold Cory Mackenson—a place where monsters swim the
river deep and friends are forever. Then, one cold spring
morning, Cory and his father witness a car plunge into a
lake—and a desperate rescue attempt brings his father
face-to-face with a terrible vision of death that will haunt
him forever.
As Cory struggles to understand his father’s pain, his eyes
are slowly opened to the forces of good and evil that are
manifested in Zephyr. From an ancient, mystical woman
who can hear the dead and bewitch the living, to a
violent clan of moonshiners, Cory must confront the
secrets that hide in the shadows of his hometown—for
his father’s sanity and his own life hang in the balance.
Note-Taking Tips
It is strongly recommended that you keep detailed notes as you read these works.
However, do not simply summarize the plot. Instead, focus on the following:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Defining unfamiliar vocabulary words
Keeping a time-line of events
Creating an organized list of characters including description, development, and
change throughout the book – VERY IMPORTANT
Creating an organized list of themes and how they are developed, including
important quotations
Identifying literary devices
Commenting on the authors’ writing styles
Noting your personal reaction to events and character
Listing questions you have regarding character actions, plot events, authors’
intentions, etc.
*Remember to bring these notes and the novels to the first day of class.
Terms to Know
• Plot: exposition, rising action,
climax, falling action, dénouement
• Theme
• Direct, indirect characterization
• Types of characters: static,
dynamic, flat, round, antagonist,
protagonist
• Internal conflict/External conflict
• Six universal conflicts: man v. self,
man v. man, man v. society, man v.
nature, man v. technology, man v.
supernatural
• Simile
• Metaphor
• Symbolism
• Setting/Mood
• Points of View: first person, third
person limited, third person
omniscient
• Irony: verbal, dramatic, situational
• Personification
• Allusion
• Alliteration/Assonance
• Archetype (general)
• Character archetypes: hero,
scapegoat, outcast, wise old
man/woman, temptress
• Symbol archetypes: colors,
numbers, water, nature
Tips from Current Freshmen
• Order the books early
• Don’t wait until August to read the
book, but don’t read too early
• SparkNotes doesn’t work in place of
reading, but use the SparkNotes
quizzes to test your understanding
• Annotate and know what to annotate
for (follow what the letter told you to
read for)
• Summarize each chapter once you
read through it to review later
• Find a friend to discuss the book with
QUESTIONS??