Summer Reading 2015 – 12th Grade
Purpose of Summer Reading:
 Encourage leisure reading & promote free choice reading to develop life-long readers
 Reduce summer learning loss
 Prerequisite for a successful school year
Requirements:
 Read TWO books, not previously read. Select titles from the student’s 2014-15 grade lists.

Students who wish to read more are encouraged to do so! RC quizzes may be taken for all books
read during this summer. Additional books are not limited to the grade level lists.

English Honors IV, V, and AP read THREE required books. Besides the RC quiz these titles will be
discussed in class and included in writing assignments. Students who wish to read more are
encouraged to do so!

Students will confirm that they have COMPLETELY READ their books by taking Reading Counts
quizzes and scoring a 70% or higher.

RC quizzes will count as quiz grades for English class.
NEW: Selected titles will also count as credit in other appropriate courses. Those titles and
subjects are noted on the grade level lists.

NEW: Students who score slightly below 70% on the RC quiz must produce evidence of ACTIVE
READING to receive a reading response form that may be completed to raise their grade.

Active reading includes writing notes in the book, underlining important passages and vocabulary
words, and using sticky notes to summarize chapters. If reading eBooks or library books, students
should keep a reading journal of characters, important details, and chapter summaries. Bring
books/journals to the quiz dates.

Take quiz AS SOON AS POSSIBLE after completely reading the book.

Summer Testing dates: Librarians will be available in the library to administer RC quizzes on
Tuesday, June 30, 2015 and Tuesday, July 14, 2015 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon .

FINAL Testing date: Deadline for summer reading quizzes will be check-in day August 10, 2015.
Students may come to the library for quizzing anytime during check-in hours on August 10 .
Free Choice Reading Tips:
 Make wise title selections. Read blurbs on books by clicking on the blue hyperlink titles. Read
about several titles before making a selection. Use ARHS Library Catalog or amazon.com for more
detailed summaries and reviews.

Choose books on themes or topics that make interesting and enjoyable reads.

If not enjoying the read or if experiencing difficulty with the book, put it down and choose
another title.

Parents, please allow your sons to read titles that they will enjoy.

Academic Honesty Policy: ARHS students and parents are required to sign and uphold the
Academic Honesty Policy that includes the following Reading Counts issues:
--Select RC books that have not been read previously.
--Complete entire book before taking the RC quiz.
--Cliff Notes, Spark Notes, movies, etc. are not a substitute for reading a book.
Quizzes have been movie proofed.
Title Selection Criteria for Summer Reading books:
 Newbery winners, Best Books for Adolescent Readers, Best Books for Young Adults, Books for the
College Bound, English AP suggested readings, and other award winning book lists
 Titles suggested by teachers, students, & librarians that have received positive reviews
 Titles popular among adolescent readers
Adolescent literature:
 Speaks to teenagers through the realism of the language and situations with which the readers
can readily identify. Adolescent readers will quickly reject books that do not ring true.
 Attempts to subtly teach positive lessons to its readers.
 Summaries and reviews of the summer titles can be found online in the Rummel Library Catalog
and at amazon.com.
Where to Obtain Books:
 Borrow from the local public libraries or from friends.
 Purchased from commercial bookstores or used bookstores.
Questions may be directed to the school librarian through email [email protected].
GRADE LEVEL LIST FOLLOWS:
Important New Information: Remember to interact with the book while reading. This includes writing
notes in the book, underlining important passages and vocabulary words, and using sticky notes to
summarize chapters. If reading library books or eBooks keep a reading journal of characters, important
details, and chapter summaries. Bring books/journals to the quiz dates.
Look up information on books in the ARHS Library Catalog. Click on Archbishop Rummel High School
from ARCHNO page. Login using ID: rufusraider PW: rummel for longer summaries under TitlePeek
ALL incoming 12th Grade 2015– 2016 - Click on hyperlink title for information on the book
Read TWO books NOT read previously. Reading books that have been read will violate the AHP.
Fiction:
Non-Fiction:
Hanging on to Max- Bechard OR
First Part Last – Johnson
*Tuesdays with Morrie: A Young Man, an Old Man, and Life’s
Greatest Lessons – Albom [Mr. Scalco] (English plus religion credit)
Brave New World – Huxley
Five People You Meet in Heaven - Albom
Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao – Diaz [Dupre’]
The Alchemist – Coelho [Ms. Lee, Schott, Mallaun]
Coming Back Stronger: Unleashing the Hidden Power of
Adversity – Brees (English plus religion credit)
Lords of Discipline – Conroy [Mr. Chepolis, Mr. Neill]
My Losing Season – Conroy
Timeline – Crichton
A Narrative Life of Frederick Douglass – Douglass [Dupre’]
Count of Monte Cristo - Dumas [Ms. Mallaun]
(English plus social studies credit)
Running for My Life:My Journey in the Game of Football and
Beyond – Dunn
Peace Like a River – Enger [Ms. Otillio]
A Lesson Before Dying - Gaines (English + religion)
Street Lawyer – Grisham [Mr. Cadella &Ms. Lobrano]
(English plus religion credit)
Runaway Jury– Grisham [Mr. Cadella]
*Hole in My Life – Gantos
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of
Electricity and Hope – Kamkwamba (English + science credit)
**Season of Life : A Football Star, a Boy, A Journey to Manhood –
Marx [Mr. Chepolis, Ms. Lobrano] (English plus religion credit)
*The Body of Christopher Creed - Plum-Ucci [Lobrano]
Streams of Babel - Plum-Ucci [Lobrano]
Dead Man Walking – Prejean (English plus religion credit)
The Road – McCarthy [Ms. Otillio]
I am a SEAL Team Six Warrior – Wasdin (Young Readers edition)
(English plus social studies credit)
Boy’s Life – McCammon
The Right Stuff - Wolfe (English plus social studies credit)
***Fallen Angels – Myers (English + social studies)
Sunrise over Fallujah – Myers (English + social studies)
The Things They Carried – O’Brien [Mr. Pinero, Boh]
*Marcelo in the Real World – Stork
Confederacy of Dunces – Toole
Slaughterhouse-Five – Vonnegut [Mr. LeBoeuf]
*Award winning books
**Recommended
Teacher Favorites and recommendations are
bracketed behind author names
Ex: The Alchemist – Coelho [Ms. Lee, Webb, Mallaun]
Series: Read books IN ORDER or Start with the first book that
you have not read in the series.
Foundation Series – Asimov [Mr. Stout]
(English plus science credit)
Ender’s & Shadow (Bean) Series – Card [Stout, Lobrano]
Ender’s Game – Card (Book 1) – MUST READ FIRST***
Speaker for the Dead (book 2 in publication order)
Xenocide – (3rd book in publication order )
Children of the Mind (4th of Ender’s story)
Ender’s Shadow (Bean’s story-can follow Ender’s Game)
Shadow of the Hegemon
Shadow Puppets
Shadow of the Giant
Ender in Exile (published in 2009 continues Ender’s story immediately
following Ender’s Game. Can read immediately after Ender’s Game or in
publication order)
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Series – Adams [Mr. Bautista]
English V H and English V AP listed on next page
English V H and English V AP :
English V Honors
Required Summer Reading – all 3 required.
In Cold Blood – Capote
Season of Life : A Football Star, a Boy, A Journey to
Manhood - Marx
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich - Solzhenitsyn
English V AP
Required Summer Reading - all 3 required
Contact Mr. Brackvitch and Ms. Silbernagel
[email protected]
[email protected]