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MHS Summer Reading for 2010 - for those going into 9^th grade!

To the class of 2014:

Welcome to Mamaroneck High School!  As we have in the past, we are asking ninth graders to prepare for their careers at MHS with summer reading.  We hope that reading will be one of the many things you enjoy this summer.  You are required to read two books.

Once again this year, all students, their families and staff at Mamaroneck High School will participate in the Shared Read Program, which gives you the chance to select one book from a limited and thematically related list of options.  Check the school's website for further details.

In English classes, too, we want to honor choice, and so this year to fulfill your summer reading requirement you may read any one of these books.  If you have time, read more than one!

·   The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian , by Sherman Alexie, is about Junior, a 14 year old Native American living on a reservation in Washington State.  Junior is a quirky character who is often the target of bullies, and when he switches to a rich white school, he continues to deal with the feelings of being an outcast.  The story, while it deals with serious issues, is told with a great sense of humor.  The book is illustrated with cartoons by Ellen Forney.

·   Fallen Angels, by Walter Dean Myers, is a historical fiction about seventeen-year-old Richie Perry, a high school graduate from Harlem who travels to Vietnam to fight in the United States Army. When Richie leaves basic training for Vietnam. He believes that the medical profile he has received for a knee injury will be properly processed and prevent him from engaging in combat. He also believes in the flurry of rumors about imminent peace and in the prevalent romantic myths about warfare.

·   The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan is a fantasy novel within a modern-day setting.  The main character, Percy Jackson, has been expelled from several schools.  He and his friend Percy (who he learns is actually magical) ends up at Camp Half-Blood, a secretive training ground for demigods.   This fast-paced and humorous novel uses ancient Greek mythology for much of the fantasy and is a great introduction to The Odyssey, which all students will read in 9^th grade.

·   Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier , by Ishmael Beah, is the true story of the author's experiences in war-torn Sierra Leone in the 1990s.  At the age of twelve, Beah gets swept up into the horrors of war and becomes a soldier in the government's army.  He finds that while he is capable of terrible acts, it is never too late to redeem himself. 

·   When I was Puerto Rican , by Esmeralda Santiago, is the true story of the author's childhood in Puerto Rico and New York.  Santiago tells of the hardships and poverty she experiences while growing up and how she learns to survive by relying on her own talents. 

You will be evaluated on your reading in the fall, so jot down ideas about your reading experience and the book as you read or after you finish.  Have a wonderful summer and we look forward to meeting you in the fall!

  Sincerely,

  Your Ninth Grade English Teachers  

Check out this link for more info:

http://www.mamkschools.org/education/school/school.php?sectionid=23 and click on Summer Reading.

Summer Ideas:

·   Go see a great show - Othello- only 35 minutes away for free!

http://www.shakespeareonthesound.org/shakespeare_layout_1/Home.html 

·   How would you like to study at Amherst, Stanford or the College of William and Mary?  Check out: http://greatbookssummer.com/

·   Mamaroneck Library has great programs; check them out:  http://mamkteen.wordpress.com

  Writing Project:

Manhattanville is offering a summer writing program from July June 22-26 .  Call Adonis Calderon in the guidance department for more info: (914) 220- 3300.