Summer Reading 2014 – Literary Response Journals
AP English Language & Composition
English 9 – Pre AP
--Your LRJ should convince your teacher that you have read and thought carefully about each assigned literary work. If
your understanding of the work is “wrong,” yet your journal clearly proves that you read (or misread), you may well
receive full credit.
--Your grade is based on content -- what you have to say, how well you say it, your thoughts and feelings about the
literature, and your explanation of the logic that led to your interpretation.
--Your grade is also based on following directions. You will not be penalized for grammar and usage errors, but to receive
credit, you MUST include the following in every LRJ:
● the literary work’s title in quotation marks
● the writer’s name
● a quotation from the work -- integrated with your own sentence, properly punctuated, and commented upon as
necessary to show why you cited that particular passage. No Quote Lumps!
● specific references to the piece of literature
● careful thought
After you’ve included the five MUSTs above, you may choose any of these MAYBEs to guide your response. You may
choose more than one to write about or you may even choose the same one every time. Consider the possibilities:
►►►You will write 5 LRJs for each book. Use the chapter breaks provided by your
teacher to determine what content to consider in your LRJ.
Summer Reading 2014 – Literary Response Journals
AP English Language & Composition
English 9 – Pre AP
Google Instructions:
1. Use your ODCS-issued Google account (lastname.firstname@odcspatriots.org).
● PLEASE CHECK THAT YOU KNOW YOUR PASSWORD BEFORE THE LAST DAY OF
SCHOOL!
● Mrs. Hawks can reset your password if you forget. Please email me and I will reset it as soon as
I am able.
2. Create a new document for each LRJ you write.
3. Name the file according to the title of the book/essay and the number of the LRJ (ex: “Lord of the
Flies #3” or “Mother Tongue #1”).
4. Once you have finished typing your LRJ, SHARE it (Comment Only) with Mrs. Hawks.
● ehawks@odcspatriots.org
5. Your grade will be docked if these instructions and the following format are not followed.
Format:
● Font: Times New Roman or Arial, 12-point
● Spacing: Double Spaced
● Margins: 1” on all sides
● Title and Author’s Name on the top of the page
Length: At least 1 full page double-spaced – NO QUOTE LUMPS/BLOCK QUOTATIONS!
Due Date: All LRJs must be shared via Google before the first day of school, August 20. No exceptions will
be made AFTER that date. You must contact Mrs. Hawks via email during the summer if you have extenuating
circumstances that keep you from completing your summer reading assignments.
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►English 9: Pre-AP
There is one book to read for this class, Lord of the Flies by William Golding. You can borrow a copy from
Mrs. Hawks – first come, first served.
-Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Chapter Breaks for LRJ
1. Chapters 1-3
2. Chapters 4-6
3. Chapters 7-8
4. Chapters 9-10 Include in your journal Golding’s development of Simon as a Christ-type figure.
5. Chapters 11-12 Include in your journal your thoughts on the Biblical parallels that Golding draws.
►AP English Language & Composition:
- The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (Mrs. Hawks has limited copies that you may borrow; first
come, first served)
“Chapter” Breaks for LRJ:
1. Book One: Genesis & Book Two: The Revelation
2. Book Three: The Judges
3. Book Four: Bel and the Serpent
4. Book Five: Exodus
5. Book Six: Song of the Three Children & Book Seven: The Eyes in the Trees
- One Hundred Great Essays compiled by Robert DiYanni (Borrow a copy from Mrs. Hawks)
Essays for LRJ:
1. “Learning to Read and Write” by Frederick Douglass, pg. 216-221
2. “Never Do That to a Book” by Anne Fadiman, pg. 261-265
3. “Mother Tongue” by Amy Tan, pg. 690-696
4. “Just Walk on By: Black Men and Public Spaces” by Brent Staples, pg. 651-654
5. “Naps” by Barbara Holland, pg. 343-346
If you have trouble thinking of enough to fill a page, use some of the following suggested sentence leadins.
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I wonder what this means…
I really don’t understand this part because…
I really like or dislike this book because…
This character, __________ , reminds me of somebody I know because…
This character, __________ , reminds me of myself because…
This character, __________ , is like __________ in __________ because…
I think this setting is important because…
This scene reminds me of a similar scene in __________ because…
This part is very realistic or unrealistic because…
I like or dislike this style of writing because…
This section makes me think about __________ because…
This section is particularly effective because…
I think the relationship between ________ and _______ is interesting because…
The ideas here remind me of the ideas in __________ because…
I like or dislike the character, __________ , because…
This situation reminds me of a similar situation in my own life when…
The character I most admire is __________ because…
If I were __________ at this point, I would…
Avoid plot summary
Explore your feelings, thoughts, reactions, questions. Take some risks. Write about what you like or dislike,
what seems confusing or unusual to you. Tell what you think something means. Make predictions about what
might happen later. Try to relate this book to another work you’ve read. Connect your personal experiences
with the characters, plot, or setting.