Ramsey High School
Summer Reading 2021
The Ramsey Public School District is dedicated to encouraging young people to see reading as a meaningful way to better understand the world. In these particularly trying times, we feel that reading now, more than ever, is an essential outlet for our young people as it provides a medium to grow creativity, critical thinking, communication, empathy, reflection, and the essential literacy skills that they will need in the future. We also have received feedback which indicated that choice and developing a personal connection are essential to finding the right book. In essence, self-directed reading produces deeper engagement.
With this in mind, we look to continue to promote a lifelong love of reading that works alongside our curriculum. Our goal is to find the kinds of literature which draw upon what students feel is both important and enjoyable; therefore, this summer students will be able to read any book, fiction or nonfiction, which they feel would be both engaging and appropriate for a high school audience. Although the minimum is one, we hope that students will read more. This must be completed by September 21, 2021; during this week, students will need to be prepared to present why they feel the book they selected will motivate young people to read, which will count as their mandatory assignment. As they read, we encourage them to use the skills and strategies they have learned this year to be active readers. From our research, we have found that overly assessing reading can take away from the joy of reading; however, students who would like to dig deeper into the process may complete a non-mandatory reflective journal. This will serve as an extra credit assignment.
We understand that accessing paper books may be difficult at this time. Listed below are a few resources that offer free e-texts and audio books. In addition, we will be working with the Ramsey Public Library to offer as many diverse print texts as we can when it is possible. We also have a list of student generated recommendations for this year, many of which are available both digitally and in print. We encourage you to read as a family, draw upon common interests, and have conversations that create deep and lasting connections with literature. We also very highly recommend that you preview any book to ensure it is appropriate for you and your family. One resource to help with this is Common Sense Media.
Honors / AP students will have a separate mandatory reading assignment, which can also be viewed below. Any Honors / AP student should feel free to read a choice book and complete the extra assignment, however, it is not mandatory.
We wish you a healthy and happy summer.
If you have any questions about the summer reading, or if you are having trouble finding a book, please feel free to contact Carmen Lacherza, English Language Arts Supervisor, at clacherza@ramsey.k12.nj.us.
Honors and Advanced Placement Assignments
Summer Reading recommendations
Below are a few of the works that Ramsey High School students loved this year. Please don't feel limited by this list. You also may want to visit the Ramsey High School Media Center, the Ramsey Public Library, or speak with your peers for more recommendations. We encourage you and your family to preview any book to be sure it is appropriate.
Extra Credit Reflective Journal Assignment
Where You Go is Not Who You Will Be by Frank Bruni
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba
Unbroken: An Olympian's Journey from Airman to Castaway to Captive- Laura Hillenbrand
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
Defending Jacob by William Landay
The Gunslinger by Stephen King
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See
What Made Maddy Run: The Secret Struggles and Tragic Death of an All-American Teen by Kate Fagan
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson
How Lovely Ruins edited by Annie Chagot and Emi Ikkanda
Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse
Girl Gone Viral by Arvin Ahmadi
The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer
A Night To Remember by Walter Lord
Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging by Sebastian Junger
Barnes and Noble Teen Bestsellers