Requirements
Students may select any two books that interest them. The books must be ones the student has not read before and must not have been made into a movie.
You may read from any genre that interests you, and there is no requirement to read one fiction and one nonfiction book. As long as it is a book, it counts! Do you want to read two books about World War II? Great! Do you want to read a graphic novel? Awesome! Do you want to sit by the pool this summer and read about zombies? Go for it!
Recommended Reading
While you may choose to read whatever you would like, we thought some of you might like to see a list of recommended books. The list for each grade level/class has been compiled from awards lists, teacher recommendations, and even student recommendations!
Teacher Recommendations
Student Recommendations
Challenge List*
*Please note: The Challenge List includes classic titles that deal with issues/themes which have historically been of great interest to high school seniors. Many of these titles, however, were originally intended for adult audiences and include more mature themes. They were included here because they will help prepare/challenge students as they prepare for college. None of these texts are required, and students should select summer reading that best fits their interests and goals.
Students may select any two books that interest them. The books must be ones the student has not read before and must not have been made into a movie.
You may read from any genre that interests you, and there is no requirement to read one fiction and one nonfiction book. As long as it is a book, it counts! Do you want to read two books about World War II? Great! Do you want to read a graphic novel? Awesome! Do you want to sit by the pool this summer and read about zombies? Go for it!
Recommended Reading
While you may choose to read whatever you would like, we thought some of you might like to see a list of recommended books. The list for each grade level/class has been compiled from awards lists, teacher recommendations, and even student recommendations!
Teacher Recommendations
- The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
- Eight Men Out: The Black Sox and the 1919 World Series by Eliot Asinof
- Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
- King of the World: Muhammad Ali and the Rise of an American Hero by David Remnick
- The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
- The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell
- Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand
Student Recommendations
- The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho
- American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History by Chris Kyle
Challenge List*
- Animal Farm by George Orwell
- Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
- The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
- Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
*Please note: The Challenge List includes classic titles that deal with issues/themes which have historically been of great interest to high school seniors. Many of these titles, however, were originally intended for adult audiences and include more mature themes. They were included here because they will help prepare/challenge students as they prepare for college. None of these texts are required, and students should select summer reading that best fits their interests and goals.