Summer Reading List

Incoming students in Grades 9 and 10 will have the opportunity to experience award-winning, high-interest, multi-cultural, non-fiction books over the summer. Students will be required to read two engaging books and then discuss key concepts about each book with classmates when they return in the fall. One book will be from a list of suggested titles (below); the second book will be a book-of-choice (any genre, any book). Since some books may contain controversial and/or sensitive material, parents are encouraged to be a part of their son/daughter’s book selection process.

For students and parents who are looking for more guidance with the book-of-choice, we recommend you review the College Board’s website “101 Great Books Recommended for College-Bound Readers”

Students are encouraged to complete a “Bookmark” and/or graphic organizer to assist in their reading comprehension as they read their books (a sample graphic organizer and “Bookmark” follow the book lists). In September, class time will be spent discussing the key concepts in the non-fiction texts. In addition, students will construct a letter to the author of the book-of-choice as part of the “Letters About Literature” essay contest sponsored by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. The contest prompts students to write a letter to the author- discussing the effect the book had on the reader. The assignment is available online here for review: In an effort to promote more independent reading during the course of the school year, a collection of the summer reading books will be housed in English classroom libraries starting in September. Students will be encouraged to read additional books based upon peer recommendations during the course of the school year. This new initiative is supported by the district administration, Words Bookstore in Maplewood, and a SOMEF grant. Although the purchase of summer reading books is recommended, summer reading books are available in the Maplewood and South Orange public libraries. Please contact me via e-mail if there is any trouble locating a summer reading title. We hope this initiative will broaden your child’s love of literature and increase his/her interest in the art of reading.

Have a great summer.

Book Selections for Incoming Columbia High School Freshmen and Sophomores

9th Grade

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown

Close to shore: a true story of terror in an age of innocence by Michael Capuzzo

In My Hands: memories of a Holocaust rescuer by Irene Gut Opdyke

Funny in Farsi: a memoir of growing up in America by Dumas Firoozeh

The Jump: Sebastian Telfair and the high stakes business of high school ball by Ian O’Connor

Once Upon a Quinceanera: coming of age in the USA by Julia Alvarez

Shadow Divers: the true adventure of two Americans who risked everything to solve one of the last mysteries of World War II by Robert Kurson

7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey

10th Grade

The Glass Castle: a memoir by Jeannette Walls

Dreams from My Father: a story of race and inheritance by Barack Obama

Tuesdays with Morrie: an old man, a young man, and life’s greatest lesson by Mitch Albom

One Writer’s Beginnings by Eudora Welty

Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt

If you have any questions please speak email Gary Pankiewicz Supervisor of Secondary English Language Arts at gpankiew@somsd.k12.nj.us

For a detailed list of the books and the assignment please visit the CHS website.