Regular & Honors English

Summer 2026

Grades 9-12

One School, One Theme

Help me get a book!

Beginning in summer 2020, Southern Guilford High School English Department has expanded summer reading to include all students in a "One School, One Theme" project. Students in all grade levels will select reading materials from the same list organized around a common theme. A new theme will be selected each year.

During the summer, read your book. As you read, jot down some notes about the book's main ideas, plot, and characters. This is helpful if you don't have English until the spring semester. If you own the book, you can highlight and mark pages in it too.

During the first weeks of school, class activities will incorporate the materials from the summer reading list. Students will be asked to represent how their reading contributes to their understanding of the chosen theme and collaborate with classmates to synthesize multiple sources.

Note: Students taking AP English courses have a different assignment. Please see the 11th Grade AP or 12th Grade AP pages for the AP requirements.

2026: Technology - Blight or Blessing?

Technology is the application of scientific or organized knowledge to practical tasks. It can something as simple as a wheel used to transport an item or complex like a program that can identify any species of plant life. Technology has benefitted humans throughout the course of history. At what point, does technology go to far? Do the benefits outweight the cost of technology and are we willing to pay the cost? Should we be wary about the increase of technology and its infiltration of our everyday lives? Do humans have full control over technology or is it an illusion?

This summer, our book list represents various views on how technology has or can shape society and/or humanity. Some may read the word "technology" and immediately think about electronics, but there are so many technological applications that many overlook like running water, medicine, or any practical device that makes the simplest of tasks easy. While you read, consider the moral and ethical implications of certain applications of technology. Many things exist in the realm of possibilities for humans because of technology, but does it make it right or just for human to use technology for those purposes? Explore the wonderous and dangerous possibilities of technology through these works and gain a new understanding and perspective on the impact of technology in our lives.

As you read, we recommend keeping notes on the major events and how they impact the development of the plot and the characters. Also, note how technology is a result of or shapes the setting of the novel.

Book Lists

Select one (or more) of the following books to read.

Students must choose a book they have not read before. Books may be borrowed from a public library or purchased. Audiobook versions are acceptable; in fact, we encourage students who struggle with reading independently to use audiobooks paired with the print copy to maintain focus.

Some books on the list may contain strong language or content that may not be suitable for very young or sensitive readers. However, each book on this list has been included because we believe that it has educational value and can help students connect with our theme through a variety of perspectives. Students and parents with concerns about content are encouraged to preview content warnings using websites like Common Sense Media or Storygraph to choose a book that is suitable for them, and students may switch books at any time. Contact an English teacher, school media specialist, or a public librarian if you want help selecting a book that suits your comfort level.

Students and parents may request inclusion of a book not already on this list. Please contact Ms. Barnes (barnesa3@gcsnc.com) or your student's English teacher to ensure that the proposed book will work for the project that accompanies the summer reading. In general, the proposed book should connect to the theme, be appropriately advanced for a high school reader, and should be a book that the student has not read before.