AVID SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENT
One of the most important ways to prepare for college is to read. Reading develops language skills, like vocabulary and writing, and improves analytical thinking. People who read are smart, knowledgeable, and interesting. Students who read earn higher GPA’s than those who don’t.
Required for rising AVID11 Students: 1 book, fiction or nonfiction (NOT part of ELA summer reading)
The AVID reading list (below) includes well-written and challenging books. An excellent list is also available at the College Board. Alternatively, ask a teacher for recommendations.
For each book, write a one-page paper, as outlined below:
Paragraph 1: Introduction
Paragraph 2: Summarize
Paragraphs 3 & 4: Reflect
Format your paper(s) following MLA rules:
• Heading, upper left corner: your name teacher name class name date
• Paper title, centered
• Citation format: Lastname, Firstname. Title of Book. City of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication. Medium of Publication. (use Bibme.org or EasyBib.org)
• one-inch margins –12 point standard font – double spaced
One of the most important ways to prepare for college is to read. Reading develops language skills, like vocabulary and writing, and improves analytical thinking. People who read are smart, knowledgeable, and interesting. Students who read earn higher GPA’s than those who don’t.
Required for rising AVID11 Students: 1 book, fiction or nonfiction (NOT part of ELA summer reading)
The AVID reading list (below) includes well-written and challenging books. An excellent list is also available at the College Board. Alternatively, ask a teacher for recommendations.
For each book, write a one-page paper, as outlined below:
Paragraph 1: Introduction
- What book did you read? How did you find out about this book? Why did you choose it?
Paragraph 2: Summarize
- What is the book about?
Paragraphs 3 & 4: Reflect
- Why does this book qualify as “well written and challenging”?
- How did it challenge you?
- How did it affect you?
- When and where did you read? Did the times and places in which you did the reading affect your experience – make it more enjoyable or more difficult? What can you learn from that?
Format your paper(s) following MLA rules:
• Heading, upper left corner: your name teacher name class name date
• Paper title, centered
• Citation format: Lastname, Firstname. Title of Book. City of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication. Medium of Publication. (use Bibme.org or EasyBib.org)
• one-inch margins –12 point standard font – double spaced
AVID READING LIST
These books and many others are available through the public library, even if they are not on the shelf in the library. For more suggestions that might be right for you, show this list to the librarian. If you want to buy a book, check out Barnes & Noble or Amazon. If you’re interested in another book, e-mail me or text me for approval. Either way, look for books about issues and topics that interest you, but challenge yourself.
Eric Schlosser.
Shocking (and true) story about your food.
THE 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TEENS:
The Ultimate Teenage Success Guide
Sean Covey
Help for surviving high school.
INTO THIN AIR: A PERSONAL ACCOUNT
OF THE MT. EVEREST DISASTER
Jon Krakauer
A tragic attempt to conquer Mt. Everest
GUNS, GERMS, AND STEEL
Jared Diamond
Human history from 11,000 BC.
LIES MY TEACHER TOLD ME
James W. Loewen.
The truth about U.S. history.
WAR IS A FORCE THAT GIVES US MEANING
Christopher Hedges.
A journalist and war correspondent examines the
reasons for war, and its effects.
ALL RIVERS RUN TO THE SEA: A MEMOIR
Elie Wiesel.
The author of Night survived the Holocaust
and became a journalist and writer.
GROWING UP CHICANA/O: AN ANTHOLOGY
Tiffany Ana Lopez, editor.
ALWAYS RUNNING
Luis Rodriguez.
Rodriguez leaves gangs behind him, but sees his son
make a different choice.
WETBACK NATION
Peter Laufer.
The author argues for an U.S. - Mexico border, with
free movement for all in both directions.
Into the Wild
by Jon Krakauer
In April 1992 a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley.
Grit
by Angela Duckworth
Angela Duckworth shows parents, educators, students, and business people both seasoned and new that the secret to outstanding achievement is not talent but a focused persistence called grit
BAGHDAD BURNING: GIRL BLOG FROM IRAQ
NELSON MANDELA: A BIOGRAPHY
Martin Meredith
From prison to leader of his country.
THE BEAUTY MYTH
Naomi Wolf.
Do you have to look like someone else?
STAND AND DELIVER
Nicholas Edwards
Students from East L.A. learn the value of hard work
and dreams – from their calculus teacher.
NICKEL AND DIMED
Barbara Ehrenreich
How working people live on low wages.
HOW READING CHANGED MY LIFE
Anna Quindlen
Math/Science (11/12 prep)
THE THERMODYNAMICS OF PIZZA: ESSAYS
ON SCIENCE AND EVERYDAY LIFE
Harold Morowitz
Thoughts of a distinguished biophysicist.
STIFF: THE CURIOUS LIVES
OF HUMAN CADAVERS
Mary Roach.
A surprising and sometimes funny story of
the ways scientists use the human body.
SILENT SPRING
Rachel Carson
First book to present the effects of pesticides
on the environment; inspired the first
BEING DIGITAL
Nicholas Negreponte
The founder of the media lab at MIT predicts the
technological future, such as wearable computers
the heart of the war.
MEMOIR and FICTION
THE KITE RUNNER
Khaled Hosseini
Two boys growing up in Afghanistan meet different
fates when the Taliban changes their lives.
Sandra Cisneros,
The lives of Mexican-American women
in two worlds.
IN THE TIME OF THE BUTTERFLIES.
Julie Alvarez.
Sisters become involved in gunrunning and
revolutionary politics.
PARROT IN THE OVEN: MI VIDA
Martinez, Victor. Fourteen-year-old Manny
Hernandez lives in the projects of California's Central
Valley with his troubled family.
GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN
James Baldwin
Semi-autobiographical novel about a 14-year-old
black youth's religious conversion.
CHICANO: A NOVEL.
Richard Vasquez.
A family flees the Mexican Revolution for life
in the U.S.
THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES.
Sue Monk Kidd.
Lily Owens confronts loss, loneliness, and racism,
and learns about the power of love.
THINGS FALL APART
(or, NO LONGER AT EASE, a sequel)
Chinua Achebe
Adjustments are needed when new ways conflict with old ways in post-colonial Africa.
EVA LUNA
Isabel Allende.
These books and many others are available through the public library, even if they are not on the shelf in the library. For more suggestions that might be right for you, show this list to the librarian. If you want to buy a book, check out Barnes & Noble or Amazon. If you’re interested in another book, e-mail me or text me for approval. Either way, look for books about issues and topics that interest you, but challenge yourself.
- NON-FICTION
Eric Schlosser.
Shocking (and true) story about your food.
THE 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TEENS:
The Ultimate Teenage Success Guide
Sean Covey
Help for surviving high school.
INTO THIN AIR: A PERSONAL ACCOUNT
OF THE MT. EVEREST DISASTER
Jon Krakauer
A tragic attempt to conquer Mt. Everest
GUNS, GERMS, AND STEEL
Jared Diamond
Human history from 11,000 BC.
LIES MY TEACHER TOLD ME
James W. Loewen.
The truth about U.S. history.
WAR IS A FORCE THAT GIVES US MEANING
Christopher Hedges.
A journalist and war correspondent examines the
reasons for war, and its effects.
ALL RIVERS RUN TO THE SEA: A MEMOIR
Elie Wiesel.
The author of Night survived the Holocaust
and became a journalist and writer.
GROWING UP CHICANA/O: AN ANTHOLOGY
Tiffany Ana Lopez, editor.
ALWAYS RUNNING
Luis Rodriguez.
Rodriguez leaves gangs behind him, but sees his son
make a different choice.
WETBACK NATION
Peter Laufer.
The author argues for an U.S. - Mexico border, with
free movement for all in both directions.
Into the Wild
by Jon Krakauer
In April 1992 a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley.
Grit
by Angela Duckworth
Angela Duckworth shows parents, educators, students, and business people both seasoned and new that the secret to outstanding achievement is not talent but a focused persistence called grit
BAGHDAD BURNING: GIRL BLOG FROM IRAQ
NELSON MANDELA: A BIOGRAPHY
Martin Meredith
From prison to leader of his country.
THE BEAUTY MYTH
Naomi Wolf.
Do you have to look like someone else?
STAND AND DELIVER
Nicholas Edwards
Students from East L.A. learn the value of hard work
and dreams – from their calculus teacher.
NICKEL AND DIMED
Barbara Ehrenreich
How working people live on low wages.
HOW READING CHANGED MY LIFE
Anna Quindlen
Math/Science (11/12 prep)
THE THERMODYNAMICS OF PIZZA: ESSAYS
ON SCIENCE AND EVERYDAY LIFE
Harold Morowitz
Thoughts of a distinguished biophysicist.
STIFF: THE CURIOUS LIVES
OF HUMAN CADAVERS
Mary Roach.
A surprising and sometimes funny story of
the ways scientists use the human body.
SILENT SPRING
Rachel Carson
First book to present the effects of pesticides
on the environment; inspired the first
BEING DIGITAL
Nicholas Negreponte
The founder of the media lab at MIT predicts the
technological future, such as wearable computers
the heart of the war.
MEMOIR and FICTION
THE KITE RUNNER
Khaled Hosseini
Two boys growing up in Afghanistan meet different
fates when the Taliban changes their lives.
Sandra Cisneros,
The lives of Mexican-American women
in two worlds.
IN THE TIME OF THE BUTTERFLIES.
Julie Alvarez.
Sisters become involved in gunrunning and
revolutionary politics.
PARROT IN THE OVEN: MI VIDA
Martinez, Victor. Fourteen-year-old Manny
Hernandez lives in the projects of California's Central
Valley with his troubled family.
GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN
James Baldwin
Semi-autobiographical novel about a 14-year-old
black youth's religious conversion.
CHICANO: A NOVEL.
Richard Vasquez.
A family flees the Mexican Revolution for life
in the U.S.
THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES.
Sue Monk Kidd.
Lily Owens confronts loss, loneliness, and racism,
and learns about the power of love.
THINGS FALL APART
(or, NO LONGER AT EASE, a sequel)
Chinua Achebe
Adjustments are needed when new ways conflict with old ways in post-colonial Africa.
EVA LUNA
Isabel Allende.