Dear Students and Families,

Whether it’s sitting with your toes in the water at the beach, passing time on a quiet afternoon, or even curled up in your bed in the middle of the night, summer is the perfect time to grab a great book and get lost in its world.  As a community, Newtown High School values reading as the foundation of becoming a critical thinker.  We also recognize that while reading itself is an individual activity, shared reading experiences promote discussions, open minds, build connections and spark ideas. 

This year, we encourage all NHS students to choose books that intrigue, inspire, or even challenge them. Better yet, join up with a group of friends and find a book you want to read together! Rather than providing a specific selection of books, we have compiled a long list of recommendations along with information about how to access these books digitally.  The list was compiled based on recommendations from teachers from all disciplines and includes books that meet a range of interests and reading levels, representing fiction and non-fiction.

As a faculty, NHS teachers will be choosing among a selection of six texts for shared reading around the topics of race and equality. We invite you to consider these titles as you browse for the perfect summer read, but most of all, we encourage you to read as many books as you can this summer and to share your recommendations with us as well!

Though there is something special in opening a cover and breathing in the pages of a book, the magic of words prevails in any format. So, enjoy the experience of reading and sharing your reactions with your friends, families, and teachers!