Summer Work & Reading 2025

Upper School: English Class Summer Read

Students in Grades 9 through postgraduate must read additional texts selected by the English Department. Students are required to read the assigned book(s) for the English course in which students are enrolled in the fall. Students should annotate their books, tracking at least five moments where they see the course theme and essential question illustrated. Students must complete each text before class begins, as a paper and other assessments will be assigned the first two weeks of the term based on this reading.

Assigned English Book
New International Students

Assigned English Book

English 9

Students need to read one novel:

What does it mean to “Speak True” in an ever-changing world? Our English 9 summer reading choices all relate to this question. Choose one of the following texts and mark five places in the book where you think this question is answered.

Choose ONE from the list below:

Title, Author, and Genre	ISBN #	Short Summary
Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram (Realistic Fiction)	978-0525552970	Darius doesn’t feel like he fits in—at home in America or with his family in Iran—and dealing with depression only makes things harder. But everything begins to change when he visits Iran for the first time and meets Sohrab, a new friend who helps him feel seen and understood. This heartfelt story explores identity, mental health, and the power of connection across cultures.
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo (Verse Novel)	978-0062882776	When their father dies in a plane crash, Camino in the Dominican Republic and Yahaira in New York each face grief, secrets, and the shock of discovering they’re sisters. Told in verse, this powerful novel explores family, identity, and what it means to find your voice after loss.
Scythe by Neal Shusterman (Fantasy/Dystopian Fiction)	978-1442472433	In a future where death has been eliminated, Scythes are the only ones allowed to take life to keep the population under control. Citra and Rowan are chosen to train as Scythe apprentices—though neither wants the job. As they’re forced to confront impossible choices, they learn that even in a perfect world, speaking the truth can come at a deadly cost.
Speak by Laurie Halse Andersen (Realistic Fiction) *	978-0312674397	After calling the cops at a summer party, Melinda starts high school as an outcast—silent, isolated, and carrying a secret no one wants to hear. As she retreats further into herself, she must find the strength to confront what happened and reclaim her voice. Speak is a powerful story about trauma, truth, and the courage it takes to be heard. TW: mentions of implied sexual assault
Animal Farm by George Orwell (Allegorical Satire) *	978-0451526342	When the animals on a farm overthrow their human owner, they dream of creating a society where everyone is equal. But as power shifts and the rules change, they begin to realize that not all voices are heard—and not all truths are told. This classic allegory explores how revolutions can be twisted by those in control, and what happens when truth is replaced by fear and manipulation.

* = texts that may be challenging reads, either due to reading levels or content

Honors English 9

Students need to read two novels:

What does it mean to “Speak True” in an ever-changing world? Our Honors English 9 summer reading choices all relate to this question. Annotate your chosen texts, marking five places in each book where you think this question is answered.

Choose TWO from the list below:

Title, Author, and Genre	ISBN #	Short Summary
Elatsoe – Darcie Little Badger (Mystery/Fantasy)	978-1646142767	In a world where ancestral magic is real, Elatsoe—an Apache teen who can raise animal spirits—sets out to solve the mystery behind her cousin’s death. With help from her ghost dog, her best friend, and the wisdom of her ancestors, she uncovers dark secrets hidden beneath a seemingly quiet town. This genre-blending novel mixes mystery, fantasy, and Indigenous storytelling in a haunting and powerful journey of truth and courage.
Almond – Sohn Won-Pyung (Psychological Realism)	978-0062961389	Yunjae has a condition that makes it nearly impossible to feel emotions like fear or anger, but his quiet life is upended by a sudden tragedy. Left on his own, he forms an unlikely friendship with a violent classmate—and begins to discover what it truly means to connect, care, and act. Almond is a quiet yet powerful coming-of-age story about empathy, healing, and finding your voice when you’ve always lived in silence.
The House on Mango Street – Sandra Cisneros (Vignettes)	978-0679734772	Esperanza is growing up in a small house on Mango Street, and she’s determined it won’t define who she becomes. Told in short, powerful snapshots, her story captures moments of joy, struggle, and discovery as she finds the courage to imagine a future beyond her neighborhood. This lyrical coming-of-age novel explores identity, belonging, and the power of claiming your own voice.
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe – Benjamin Alire Sáenz (Realistic Fiction)	978-1442408937	Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be. This is a quiet, emotional story about identity, connection, and the truths that can only be found through real friendship.
Speak by Laurie Halse Andersen (Realistic Fiction) *	978-0312674397	After calling the cops at a summer party, Melinda starts high school as an outcast—silent, isolated, and carrying a secret no one wants to hear. As she retreats further into herself, she must find the strength to confront what happened and reclaim her voice. Speak is a powerful story about trauma, truth, and the courage it takes to be heard. TW: mentions of implied sexual assault
A Separate Peace – John Knowles (Realistic Fiction) *	978-0743253970	At a boys’ boarding school during World War II, quiet, thoughtful Gene forms a complicated friendship with his charismatic roommate, Phineas. But beneath their carefree summer lies a growing tension that leads to a moment that will change them both forever. This classic novel explores friendship, jealousy, and the loss of innocence in a world shaped by conflict and silence.

* = texts that may be challenging reads, either due to reading levels or content

English 10

English 10/Honors Eng 10 (choice read, student in English 10 select one text to read; students in Honors English 10 must read class assigned book plus a second choice read):

Essential Question: What can literature teach us about how and why humans are othered in societies?

Students are to annotate at least five moments in the text where they see this question being addressed, and how characters are impacted by othering.

ENGLISH 10 - students select one of the following books:

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
I am Malala
The Archer by Coelho
We Are Not Free by Traci Chee

HONORS ENGLISH 10 - students must read this memoir:

Born a Crime by Noah Trevor ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0399588198

And SELECT a second book from this list:

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0062498533
We Are Not Free by Traci Chee ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0358668107
The Book Thief by Mark Zusak ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0375842207
The Girl Who Smiled Beads: A Story of War and What comes After by Clemantine Wamariya ISBN-13: 978-0451495334

English 11

Choice Read - students select one to read

Essential Question: What is America’s story, and who gets to tell it?

Students are required to annotate their texts and note at least five moments in the text where this question is being addressed

Kindred by Octavia Butler
● Beacon Press (Paperback edition) ISBN-13: 978-0807083697

There, There by Tommy Orange
● Knopf (Paperback edition) ISBN-13: ‎978-0525520375

The Beautiful Struggle by Ta Nehisi Coates
● One World (Paperback edition) ISBN-13: ‎978-0385527460

Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
● Penguin Books (Paperback edition) ISBN-13: ‎978-0140481341

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
● Vintage (Paperback edition) ISBN-13: ‎978-0679734772

AP Language

Students need to read two memoirs:

Essential Question: How can authors create compelling voices to tell their stories?

On Writing: Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Contemporary Literature and Senior Electives

The Nickel Boys (African American Literature)

AP Literature

Students need to read two novels:

Essential Question: How can literature teach us to rescript dominant social narratives?

* Students should make 10 annotations in each text to track character development, setting and imagery, and consider the dominant social narratives the authors are addressing.

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

New International Students

Other Upper School Summer Work

Class of 2026

College Essay

College Essay

AP Classes

AP Biology

Summer Reading and Assignment

"Microbe Hunters" by Paul de Kruif (1926) - Read the book. There are many options for locating
this to read, including a free on-line version.
The Microbe Hunter not only chronicles people and their scientific successes and failures, but
also advancements in scientific methodology. Please identify several of those advancements
De Kruif describes and explain why they are so important for modern experimentation.
This should be a short essay using MLA format.
Next, identify the one investigator with whom you were most impressed.

AP Chemistry

AP Environmental Science

AP Human Geography

AP Macroeconomics

AP Microeconomics

AP Physics C: Mechanics

AP Psychology

AP Research

AP Seminar

AP Spanish

AP Studio Art

AP 2-D Art and Design

Self-Portrait.

1. create a pencil drawing on paper that show proportions, values, and likeness to you. Use white paper - must be at least 11 x14 inches.

2. Based on drawing No. 1, try out a different medium for the next three self portraits. Each image is the same subject (you) but you must use different materials to create each one (e.g., pencil, acrylic, marker, collage, digital) but you are not limited to just these. You may mix media.

3. Each of three subsequent self-portraits must be created on different material - not white paper. Think about other materials that you can draw/paint on, many of them are already around you. See if you can find unusual materials or to create some of these on.

AP 3-D Art and Design

1.Choose a simple object, e.g., cup, shoe, jacket, bowl, etc. Your object should have volume (3 Dimensions), so don't choose flat objects, such as a knife, spoon, ruler.

2. Sketch it from 3 angles.

3.Create four different interpretations of your one selected object using four different materials. For example, you may construct using clay/plaster for the first one, papier mache or cardboard for the second, wood for the third one and recycled materials for the fourth. Take note of what seemed to work or did not work.

4.If you cannot return to WMA with your work, you MUST take photographs with a simple single color background from several angles for each of the four sculptures.

AP US History

AP World History: Modern

Students should read “King Leopold’s Ghost,” by Adam Hochschild. The 1999 publication date is preferred, but if you acquire a more recent copy (2019), do not read the forward by Barbara Kingsolver (this forward represents only the view of Kingsolver, and is therefore not objective, nor relevant to our study). You may begin with the Introduction. (Helpful link: Link to 1999 version of book on Amazon.)

"King Leopold's Ghost" by Adam Hochschild is a compelling historical account that delves into the exploitation and colonization of the Congo Free State by King Leopold II of Belgium in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This book previews Unit 6 of our AP World History: Modern journey. This gripping narrative reveals how Leopold's avaricious quest for wealth led to the extensive abuse and subjugation of the Congolese people, utilizing forced labor to extract rubber and ivory under brutal conditions. Hochschild illuminates the atrocities committed during this period, including widespread violence, mutilation, and the decimation of the population, which drew international condemnation and ultimately led to humanitarian reforms. The book also chronicles the efforts of individuals like E.D. Morel and Roger Casement, who, through their relentless activism, exposed the horrors of Leopold's regime to the world. "King Leopold's Ghost" serves not only as a sobering recount of colonial exploitation, but also as a testament to the power of advocacy and the enduring struggle for human rights.

As you read, pay particular attention to the characters in the story, reflecting on their motivations and actions.

Students will create an in-class essay based on their reading of “King Leopold’s Ghost” during the second week of class.

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