Required summer reading
Photo courtesy of Andrew Giddings
Senior Linus Griesshammer reads Macbeth during his fifth-period study hall. All rising ninth through twelth graders are required to read atleast one book for the English class that they will be taking in the fall. Some classes assign a specific book, while others provide students with a list of books to choose from. These books do not always become students favorites, but they ensure that students’ minds stay active.
November 1, 2016
Summer Reading. Every student does it.
It’s one of the few constant high school experiences that students have. It gives students a chance to read books they might not have read. On the other hand, summer reading lists also tend to be short and somewhat restrictive. Without summer reading, students could get more of a chance to read what they want.
Sophomore Craig Goreranger read Ender’s Game and Alas, Babylon for his 10th Grade Honors English summer assignment.
“I really wish that there weren’t specific books, but they weren’t bad selections,” said Goreranger.
He had also hoped he could have more options to pick books closer to his actual interests.
There are a lot of very good books on the summer reading lists. English 9’s list has Eragon, the first book in a fantasy epic, featuring a captivating world with elves, dwarves, and, most importantly, dragons. English 10 honor’s list features Ender’s Game, which is about a dark future in which the world prepares for alien invasion.
“It was really good,” said sophomore Nana Baah.
AP English Language and Composition’s list includes The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, a fascinating and chilling non-fiction story about Frederick Douglass’ life as a slave, written by Frederick Douglass himself. AP English Literature had students read Shakespeare’s Macbeth, a tragedy about a Scottish lord’s quest for power at any cost.
“I thought [Macbeth] was a pretty good play. It was a general Shakespearean tragedy. It was a little hard to read.” said senior Preston Cole.
No matter which books you read over the summer, it’s good that people have to read over the summer. It helps people explore new ways of thinking and continue learning, even in the off months without school. It’s just that a short list of five or so books doesn’t play to an individual’s interests. While there might be a few favorites on the lists, it’s still better to give students more liberty in their choice of reading material, otherwise they might not want to read over the summer months at all.
