Incoming sophomores will be expected to read three novels over the course of the summer. Each student will be expected to write a review of each work he/she has read. These reviews will be due upon the commencement of the 2014-15 school year in August, 2014. A copy of the review guidelines is attached to this handout. (Note: the reviews will be expected at the rate of one per week.)
Students accustomed to having the entire summer free of intellectual pursuits and then inclined to moan and groan about a summer reading list are reminded that the brain is a muscle as well. Like any muscle, if not exercised, it will become weak. Just like the athletes who exercise their bodies over the summer so they can dominate on the field, court, and race course in the fall, so too will you get to exercise your brain over the summer so you can dominate in the classroom this fall.
INCOMING SOPHOMORE READING LIST (BOLD titles are required reading. The student must then choose one of the remaining seven titles for the third review).
Things Fall Apart — Chinua Achebe
All Quiet on the Western Front — Erich Maria Remarque
A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy — Douglas Adams British
Watership Down — Richard Adams British
Fahrenheit 451 — Ray Bradbury American
Ender’s Game — Orson Scott Card American
Life of Pi — Yann Martel Canadian
1984 — George Orwell American
Chronicle of a Death Foretold — Gabriel Garcia Márquez Columbian

A book review is a critical evaluation of the text you’ve just read. More than anything, a review
makes an argument. It is not merely a summary.
Consider the following:
 Review the book you’ve read, not the book you wish you had read. If you think the book has its deficiencies, that’s fine—just don’t criticize it for being something the author did not even intend it to be.
 Be precise with your language. The author said what he/she wanted to say, and you should do the same. (So avoid vague word choices: “good,” “bad,” “interesting,” “boring,” etc.)
 Support your opinions with specific examples (no reviews saying, “I dislike this book
‘just because.’ Explain why. Be convincing).
 Have a strong opinion. If you’re going to challenge an assumption, approach, or argument made by the author, be firm and assertive, not wishy-washy. PICK A SIDE AND
DEFEND IT! o Having said that, be fair—provide a balanced argument, acknowledging that other opinions may exist. It is your job, however, to make yours the most important.
 Check your facts. All factual material pertaining to the writer and literature must be correct.
 Make it interesting. No one wants to read a boring review, and you can’t convince anyone unless they are listening to you. Establish a voice, tone, and personal style that make the review interesting.
Formatting and length requirements:
 1-2 pages in length (this means it cannot be less than a page)
 Typewritten
 MLA formatting (see attached page)
A WORD TO THE WISE: While Internet sites such as SparkNotes can easily provide quick summations to popular stories such as these, the astute, moral—and self-preserving—student will note that such sites, while easily accessed by students, are also easily accessed by staff members. A student copying or paraphrasing text from an outside source is engaging in plagiarism, and will be greeted with a “0” for the assignment and a report to the Academic Dean. Not the best way to start off an academic year.
Furthermore, by drawing from these sources or failing to read the entire book, you are cheating yourself from the opportunity to respond truthfully and originally to that book. A summary can never capture a book in its entirety, and you miss out on language, character development, and other complexities that come only from the book itself. Don’t let someone else serve as a filter or director of your thoughts about what you read. You have your own fertile imagination, so read the book (the entire book) yourself. Think and write with originality.

Luna Lovegood
Ms. Wageman
World Literature
1 June 2014
This is a heading. Like the rest of your paper, it will be double-spaced. It is placed on the left side of the page.
This is a header.
Lovegood 1
This is a title. It is centered. It is not bold, italicized, or underlined
Title
Every paper written for this class will be done in MLA format. Papers will be typed, using either Times New Roman or Garamond size 12 (hand-written papers will not be accepted). All paragraphs will be indented. All papers, like this one, will be double-spaced throughout.
Q
1
: Instead of making a proper header, can I just tab over until I get there?
A
1
: No. The header is not part of the regular page. This is why you need to do a proper header.
Q
2
: How do I insert a proper header?
A
2
: Find the tab at the top of your screen that says “Insert”. Click on it. Then click on the menu where it says “Page Number.” Choose “Top of the Page” and align your number on the right side of the page. Click next to the page number and type your last name.
Q
3
: Can I make my paper look longer by changing the margin sizes?
A
3
: No. The margins should stay the size that they are (which is 1 inch).
Q
4
: Should I add extra spaces between the heading and the title, or the title and the first paragraph, or between paragraphs?
A
4
: No. Just double-space the entire document without adding additional spaces.
*If you have more questions about MLA format, search for “Purdue OWL
MLA format” online. There is a sample paper as well as information about intext citations.