This year there are many new changes in the summer reading lists. Over the summer students will be able to choose among more book options as they complete the assigned reading for next fall.

According to English teacher Mrs. Marlo Spritzer, who helps the department organize the summer reading lists, there are a few reasons for the changes.

For one thing, it has been proven that students who read over the summer maintain more of what they learned over the previous school year. It is also true that if students have more of a choice, they are more likely to read, and most importantly enjoy, a novel they choose.

“We don’t want students to see summer reading as a punishment,” Mrs. Spritzer said.  “We hope every student will now be able to find a book that they will enjoy.”

For each grade there are a number of new options.

“I think the updated summer reading lists provide students exposure to both classic and contemporary literature, which is fantastic,” school librarian Mrs. Corry Robbins said. “The required journal entries are thought provoking and interesting.”

Ninth graders entering college prep English now have the choice of two out of eight books in comparison to the limited three choices students had before.

Honors English 9 students must choose only one of the classics, and then two more books out of ten options. Previously, the Honors English 9 students had only four books to choose from. New options include “The Secret Life of Bees,” “Childhood’s End,” and “Dracula.”

Students entering English 10 CP must now read two books from their list of ten books. Last year they had to read only one.  However, the list of books includes popular teen reads such as “The Fault in Our Stars” and “Divergent.”

Honors English 10 students still have to read five books, but not the same five. Among the eight books on the list, new choices are “A Raisin in the Sun” and “The Killer Angels.”

Students entering English 11 will find there have been more books added to list their list, including “The Metamorphosis,” “Unbroken,” and “Angela’s Ashes.”  They will choose two.

Honors 11 students used to be required to read the same five mandatory books. For next year they still have to read five books, but have 11 new options. Various categories include “The Book Thief,” “The Joy Luck Club,” and “A Thousand Splendid Suns.”

The English 12 list has offered choice to students for several years, and are no changes for this year. Students must pick two books from the list of five.  Popular choices include “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” and “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” among others.

The Honors English 12 list includes more choices in each category such as “1984” and “The Ocean at the End of the Lane.” While “Macbeth” is still a mandatory read, it is paired with a new book, the popular nonfiction title, “Outliers.”

Finally, AP students will see many more options on their list. In the previous years, AP students had to read the same four mandatory books, with no choices. Next year students will still read some mandatory titles, but they will now choose two more from a list of ten, including “Pride and Prejudice,” “The Natural,” and “The Island of Dr. Moreau.”

Another big change to the summer reading list is that Applied Communications classes in all four grades will also be required to do summer reading. In previous years, applied students did not have assigned summer reading.  Now each student will choose one book from a list high interest books. The choices vary from grade to grade and include popular teen reads such as “Crash,” “Catching Fire,” “13 Reasons Why,” and “The Notebook.”

Teachers are due to share specific summer reading lists with students by May 1st. The complete list is already posted on the high school library webpage.  New this year is that electronic versions of the lists include hyperlinks from each title to Amazon.com where students can explore book descriptions, reviews, and even click to “look inside” the book and read the first chapter to see if they find it interesting.

Both the high school and the public library will have summer reading books available, and the local Barnes and Noble also makes an attempt to stock books on the summer reading list.  Many books are also available in electronic form for free through our school subscription to Overdrive.  More information is available on the high school library website.

“I think the changes to the 2014 list are very positive,” director of secondary education Mrs. Joan Takacs said.  “It will allow all students the opportunity to read books on their interest level, and read books that will also [relate to the] curriculum.  I also like the fact that it offers students more choices.”

Click here to access the complete 2014 summer reading list for all courses at Southern Lehigh High School.