June 1, 2010
John F. Kennedy High School
Summer Reading for 2010
Dear Students and Parents/Guardians,
Research shows that well-read students have advanced vocabularies and are sensitive to the
nuances of language. Also, research strongly suggests that reading, like most skills, improves with
practice and decreases when we don’t engage in it for even a short time. Consistent with our
commitment to student success during high school and after graduation, each student enrolled in an
English course for the 2010-2011 school year is required to complete summer reading as specified
below.

Students enrolled in ESOL classes will choose one or more books from the lists provided and
complete the attached graphic organizer and writing assignment.

Students who are also enrolled in English classes will need to complete the separate summer
reading assignment for the English department as well.
Check the public library or local bookstore for your selections. Books may also be checked
out from the John F. Kennedy High School library on June 18th, 19th and June 22nd between
7:30 – 11:30 a.m. Bring your school I.D. Do not wait until August to begin reading!! Students who
transfer between schools during the summer are expected to complete the assignment for either
school. As you read the book(s), complete a graphic organizer (attached) for your book. The scoring
rubric is also attached. Use it to make sure you have completed all parts of the assignment.
The assignments are due to your ESOL teachers on the second day of school, Tuesday,
August 31, 2009.
Writing Assignment
For each book you read, you should write a summary. The components of the summary are the
same for every ESOL level, although some levels will have to do more writing than others.
Title: Don’t forget to capitalize
correctly and underline!
Subject: What is the story generally
about?
Who?: Who
is/are the main
character(s) in
the story?
Where and
When?:
Where and
when does the
story take
place? What is
the setting?
What?:
How?: How
Why?: Why
What happens
in the story?
What is the
main idea or
problem?
do the main
characters
solve the
problem?
is this book
worth reading?
Students entering ESOL 2: Complete the graphic organizer and write a short summary of one
book.
Students entering ESOL 3: Read a total of four books (or more) in English. Read for at least 30
minutes a day. Every day, record your progress in a reading log. As you
read, keep a vocabulary journal where you record the page number,
sentence where found, definition in your language, part of speech (noun,
verb, adverb, adjective, etc.), and an original sentence of your own. The
reading log and vocabulary journal are due on August 31. Choose your
favorite book from the four (or more) and write a book report. Your report
must be typed and must include: protagonist, characters, setting, plot, and
theme (main idea).
Students entering ESOL 4: Read two books. Fill out the graphic organizer for both books. Then
write a one-page summary of each book. DO NOT TRY TO COPY
YOUR SUMMARY FROM THE INTERNET. Teachers can tell when it
is written by you, and when it is written by someone else!
Students entering ESOL 5: Complete the graphic organizer for 1 book and a 5-paragrahph
summary of the book OR 1 graphic organizer for and a 5-paragraph
summary for each of 5 articles. Include why you enjoyed or did not
enjoy what you read. Your summaries must be typed.
Summer Reading Book Suggestions
The author is listed by last name and then first name. The title is in italics and bold print.
Level 2
easy to harder
Fitzgerald Howard, Elizabeth. Papa Tells Chita a Story (pictures)
Soto, Gary and Ed Martinez. Too Many Tamales (pictures)
Tokuda, Wendy and Richard Hall. Humphrey the Lost Whale: A True Story (pictures)
Gutman, Dan. The Million Dollar Shot
Parke, Barbara. Mick Harte Was Here
Porter, Connie. Meet Addy an American Girl
Fleischman, Sid. The Whipping Boy
Fritz, Jean. Homesick: My Own Story
Kidd, Diana. Onion Tears
Osborne, Mary Pope. Mummies in the Morning or any other Magic Tree House books
Level 3
Alvarez, Julia: How Tia Lola Came to Visit/Stay
Armstrong, William: Sounder
Beatty, Patricia: Lupita Manana
Blume, Judy: Iggie’s House
Byars, Betsy: The Computer Nut
Bunting, Eve: The Hideout
Carlson, Natalie Savage: The Family Under the Bridge
Christopher, Matt: Soccer Halfback; Johnny Long Legs; Top Wing
Cleary, Beverly: Runaway Ralph or any other books by Cleary
Clements, Andrew: Frindle and Room One (Clements has also written several other books.)
Dahl, Roald: The Magic Finger
Danziger, Paula: The Cat Ate My Gymsuit
Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds: Shiloh
Rylant, Cynthia: Missing May; A Fine White Dust
Schwartz, Daniel and Byars, Betsy: House of Wings
Sobol, Donald J.: Two-Minute Mysteries
Soto, Gary: Jesse; Pacific Crossing
Stine, R.L.: Rotten School
Yep, Laurence: Child of the Owl
Wallace, Bill: Red Dog
Whelan, Gloria: Goodbye, Vietnam
White, E.B.: Charlotte’s Web; Stuart Little
Level 4
Cisneros, Sandra: Woman Hollering Creek; The House on Mango Street
Cohen, Sasha: Fire on Ice (autobiography of a championship figure skater)
Draper, Sharon: Darkness Before Dawn
Enright, Elizabeth: Return to Gone-Away
Gallico, Paul: The Snow Goose and Other Stories
Irwin, Hadley: Kim/Kimi
Kalnay, Francis: Chicaro: Wild Pony of the Pampa
Mead, Alice: Girl of Kosovo
Munoz Ryan, Pam: Esperanza Rising
Paterson, Katherine: Bridge to Terabithia
Sachar, Louis: Holes
Sachar, Louis: There’s a Boy in the Girl’s Bathroom
Soto, Gary: The Afterlife
Yep, Laurence: Dragon’s Gate
Level 5
Avi, Nothing But the Truth
Carson, Gifted Hands
Danticat, Behind the Mountains
Hinton, Tex
Blake, Dances With Wolves
Kennedy, Profiles in Courage
Kincaid, Annie John
Crane, The Red Badge of Courage
Crichton, Jurassic Park
Parks, The Learning Tree
Potok, The Chosen
Forbes, Johnny Tremain
ESOL Summer Reading Assignment Scoring Rubric
Excellent
Introduction
(n/a ESOL 1)
Main Characters (Who?)
Conclusion (Why? How?)
Good (2)
Poor (1)
1st paragraph:
includes the book title
with a brief
description. 5-7
sentences.
1st paragraph: no
title, minimal
description, too much
plot, 5 sentences.
Excellent (3)
Excellent (3)
Structure
Poor (1)
Setting is briefly
mentioned, either
where or when it
takes place, but not
both.
Good (2)
Poor (1)
Problem is briefly
described with 3
major events not
specifically described.
Solution is present.
Problem and Solution
are described with
minimal details.
Difficulty providing
information regarding
the problem and
solution.
Excellent (3)
Good (2)
Continuation of plot.
Somewhat of an
ending to the book is
present. 5-7
Sentences
Poor (1)
Ending is unclear. No
specific details. 5
Sentences
Must do Over (0)
No attempt.
Must do Over (0)
No attempt.
Must do Over (0)
No attempt.
Must do Over (0)
No attempt.
Must do Over (0)
No attempt.
Excellent (3)
Good (2)
Poor (1)
Must do Over (0)
Book report has been
edited and the final copy
contains very few errors
in puntuation, spelling,
and grammar.
Book report contains
5-10 errors in
punctuation, spelling,
and grammar.
Book report contains
between 10-15 errors
in punctuation,
spelling, and
grammar. More effort
could have been put
into proofreading.
No attempt. Book report is
difficult to read and
doesn't appear to be
proofread very carefully or
not at all.
Excellent (3)
Excellent (3)
Report is clearly and
neatly typed.
Score: ______/24
Good (2)
Setting, when and
where is mentioned
with little details.
Poor (1)
Characters are named
(not main).
Excellent (3)
Clearly followed outline
format. Each paragraph
is indented and
seperated clearly.
Presents with proper
sentence structure. All
topics are present.
Neatness
Good (2)
Main characters are
mentioned with plot
elements.
Problem is clearly stated
and summarized. 3
specific major events
are clearly listed and
described. Solution to
the problem is described
concisely.
How the book ends is
clearly stated with
details. Clear conclusion
of the book with details.
7-10 Sentences
Grammar/Mechanics
Must do Over
Excellent (3)
Setting is clearly
described with the time
the story takes place
and where it takes place
is clearly described.
Problem/Conflict
(What? How?)
Poor
1st paraghraph: includes
title of the chapter book,
clearly stated main idea
including who/what the
story is about and what
about them. 7-10
sentences.
Main characters are
clearly named and a
brief character
description is included
for each main character.
Setting (Where? When?)
Good
Good (2)
Attempted to follow
outline format.
Paragraphs are
indented. Good
sentence structure.
Topics may be out of
order.
Poor (1)
No indentation.
Format is not
followed. Poor
sentence structure.
Good (2)
Poor (1)
Report is neatly typed
with little to no
mistakes on format.
Report is typed, but in
incorrect format and
not easy to follow.
Must do Over (0)
No attempt.
Must do Over (0)
No attempt.