DHS Library News

June 2023

By Alice N. Johnson, Library Media Specialist | ajohnson@dedham.k12.ma.us

Hours: Monday - Friday 7:00am - 3:30pm | DHS Library Website

From the Librarian

I can’t believe it’s time to say goodbye to another great year at DHS. From starting the school year in our temporary location in the Back Gym to reopening the newly renovated library in October, we were off to a busy start! The library has been home to numerous students selecting books for independent reading and school projects, those who needed a comfortable place to study, those in need of Chromebook support, those that have worked on puzzles and/or played chess, and the many classes that visited for research and collaborative projects. We're ending the year by making sure everyone is set with the DHS Summer Reading Program.

This last newsletter of the year offers ideas and activities for the summer: DHS Summer Reading Program information, Summer Library Book Checkouts, eBook & audiobook options & suggestions, Summer Library Enrichment ideas, and information about the Dedham Public Library. I’ve also included my own personal summer reading list, and when September rolls around, I will be very eager to hear what you have read over the break. I hope you all have an enjoyable summer vacation!

Best wishes to the Class of 2023! I wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

― Mrs. Johnson

“I like to travel in the summer, which is why I read.”

― Unknown

DHS Summer Reading 2023

By now, all students and staff should know what book they will be reading for this year’s Summer Book Discussion program. If you have any questions, please see the information included below or visit the 2023 DHS Summer Reading Website.

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Program Requirements

In order to earn the 0.5 graduation credit, you must:

1. Read your assigned book over the summer.

2. Complete the reading response form.

3. Participate in the group discussion in September (date TBA).

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Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I get my book? Check this document for suggestions.
I forgot which book I need to read! How can I find out? Check this list to locate your name and assigned book. (Note: This list can only be viewed by Dedham students & staff. Please use your Dedham school email to access.)
I don't think I've been assigned to a book group (or I haven't selected a book yet). Please contact Mr. Burd or Mrs. Johnson.

Summer Book Checkouts!

Are you interested in borrowing books from your high school library over the summer?

PRINT BOOKS:
Borrow up to 5 print library books over the summer and return them in September.
Here are the details!
This does not include PRINT copies of DHS Summer Reading books.
See the Where do I get my DHS summer reading book? document for more information.

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EBOOKS & AUDIOBOOKS:
Our Sora eBook & audiobook collection is available 24/7.
This is also a great place to look for a digital copy of your DHS Summer Reading Book!
Click here to learn more!

Sora Sweet Reads

Always Available eBooks & Audiobooks: May 15 - August 28

Check out this collection available through our subscription to the MLS Commonwealth Collection/Sora. Kick off the summer with this summer's selection of always available eBooks & audiobooks. The collection contains 57 titles in three collections: Elementary, Middle School, and High School. Every title is free and always available – no matter how many students are reading at once – now through August 28.

Find them on Sora when you click on the Explore at the bottom of the screen. (Log in with your school email). If you find something you like, you can spread the word in your community by using #SoraSweetReads on social media.

Mrs. Johnson’s Summer TBR List

People often ask me what books I’ll be reading over the summer, so I thought I’d share a few of the books on my current reading wish list.
I probably won't read all of these books (I’ll probably skip some and add others) but I always like to have a place to start.

Here’s my list (in no particular order):

Dead Man's Wake: A Novel (Mike Bowditch Mysteries, Book 14) by Paul Doiron - I've read a new release in this mystery series each summer for the past several years. It's typically my kickoff book for summer reading and I'm happy to see there's another book available this year.
Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li - I picked this up at my local bookstore and am intrigued by both the mystery as well as discussion of Chinese art and identity.
Our Last Echoes by Kate Alice Marshall - I borrowed this supernatural thriller from our DHS library collection. I've liked other books by this author and thought I'd give this one a try too.
The Final Gambit (The Inheritance Games, Book 3) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes - I am invested in this trilogy and need to find out how this story ends!
All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir - This winner of the 2023 Printz award, and also a DHS Summer Reading book, has been on my must-read list for awhile.
The Library of the Dead (Edinburgh Nights, Book 1) by T.L. Huchu - Of course I need to read this one . . . it's set in a library!
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo : a novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid - I have heard so many good things about this book and was able to pick up a used copy to bring on vacation.
Anatomy : a love story (Anatomy Duology, Book 1) by Dana Schwartz - The beautiful cover alone makes me want to read this historical mystery and DHS Summer Reading book!
The Last Beekeeper by Julie Carrick Dalton - A post-apocalyptic book about beekeeping?? I'm in!
The Eye of Minds (The Mortality Doctrine, Book 1) by James Dashner - Another DHS Summer reading book, this sci-fi, action story by the author of The Maze Runner sounds like an exciting summer read!
Alice (The Chronicles of Alice, Book 1) by Christina Henry - With my first name as Alice, I read many versions of Alice in Wonderland during my childhood. This fantasy / horror retelling is a totally different spin on the childhood classic and I thought I'd check it out.
Solito : a memoir by Javier Zamora - I have seen this award-winning memoir of a young boy's migration from El Salvador to the US on numerous book lists and was finally able to borrow a copy.

Any suggestions on which I should read first?
Are any of these titles on your TBR list?
Do you have any other suggestions for me?

What’s on YOUR summer TBR list?

I’d love to hear what you’re reading! Send me an email if you read any amazing books during the summer that you’d like to recommend.

Library Summer Enrichment Activities

Although the library will be closed for the summer, we're still offering you suggestions for library activities you can do at home. Click here to learn more! When you return in September, we'd love to get your feedback on any that you tried.

Main Library

43 Church St, Dedham

(781) 751-9284

Endicott Branch

257 Mount Vernon St, Dedham

(781) 751-9178

https://dedhamlibrary.com/

Visit Dedham Public Library this Summer

If you haven't visited the Dedham Public Library lately, this summer would be a great time to check it out. The DPL has a very active calendar of events, offering a variety of programs this summer for children through adults. Check out both their Calendar and their Teen Page to see what is being offered. Get away from the summer heat and enjoy the air conditioned space as you read, explore, create, and more!

Did you know that the Dedham Public Library has a large collection of free and/or discounted museum and park passes? If you’re looking for something to do this summer, check out one of the great places on their list. Art, history, science, zoos, aquariums...the options are great! You can reserve your passes online with your library card number. Summer is the perfect time to take advantage of these great resources available through your public library!

July 13-27, 2023

Available in Sora with no waitlists or holds.

Available as both an eBook and digital audiobook.

Big Library Read:
Participate in a free, global, digital book club!

The Big Library Read program connects readers around the world with the same book (eBook/audiobook) at the same time. This worldwide digital version of a book club is available for free through your school and/or local library.

It's official: The next Big Library Read will be available July 13-27, 2023
Once available, you will be able to access this ebook or audiobook through Sora / Commonwealth ebook Collections without any waitlists or holds!
(Log in with your school email address.)

About the Book: A Very Typical Family by Sierra Godfrey

All families are messy. Some are disasters.

Natalie Walker is the reason her older brother and sister went to prison over 15 years ago. She fled California shortly after that fateful night and hasn’t spoken to anyone in her family since. Now, on the same day her boyfriend steals her dream job out from under her, Natalie receives a letter from a lawyer saying her estranged mother has died and left the family’s historic Santa Cruz house to her. Sort of. The only way for Natalie and her siblings to inherit is for all three adult children to come back and claim it—together.

Natalie drives cross-country to Santa Cruz with her willful cat in tow expecting to sign some papers, see siblings Lynn and Jake briefly, and get back to sorting out her life in Boston. But Jake, now an award-winning ornithologist, is missing. And Lynn, working as an undertaker in New York City, shows up with a teenage son. While Natalie and her nephew look for Jake—meeting a very handsome marine biologist who immediately captures her heart—she unpacks the guilt she has held onto for so many years, wondering how (or if) she can salvage a relationship with her siblings after all this time.

Written with delightfully dark humor and characters you can’t help but cheer for, A Very Typical Family is an uplifting family drama that will have you reveling in the power of second chances.

― From the Publisher

DHS Yearbook Archive

Our collection of DHS Yearbooks is available in digital format!

Dedham High School Yearbook Digital Archives (1851-1889, 1932-2016)

Local funding for this project was generously funded by the Dedham Alumni Association. This is part of a larger digitization project in Massachusetts, supported by a federally funded LSTA Grant and administered by the Boston Public Library.

BOOKS! BOOKS! BOOKS!
Looking for Suggestions!

I am placing book orders for 2023-24 school year. Please complete this book suggestion form if you have a suggestion, whether it is a topic, series, a specific title, or author. We may not be able to get all the books that are suggested, but we appreciate your help in maintaining a selection of books that will be of interest to our school community! Please share your ideas!

Parents, Guardians, & Families

We’d love to hear from you.

If you have any questions about our library program and/or any suggestions on what we can offer, please let us know by completing this Parent/Guardian Feedback Form.

Have a wonderful summer break!

See you in September!

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