High School - Summer Reading Selections - South Windsor Public Schools

South Windsor High School

Summer Reading

As we near the end of another academic year and head into the summer months, we hope everyone enjoys some fun in the sun, while also keeping your minds active with summer reading. The purpose of summer reading is to engage in ongoing reading and learning, and to develop a culture of literacy in our community. This year, we expect all of our students to set personal goals for reading, and commit to reading at least one book that can be shared during opening activities in your English classroom in the fall.

Assignment for Students Entering Any English Course:
Read any fiction or (novel-length) informational text and write a one page personal response to the text. You may use the following prompts to help start your thinking:

Responding to Fiction
	Why does this text appeal to a particular audience?
	How does the author develop relatable characters?
	What themes are evident in the text? How does the author establish these themes?
	How does this book compare with other titles in the same genre?
	Do you have any unanswered questions about the story? What are they and why are you curious about them?
	What moments or quotes from the text stood out? Why are they important?

Responding to Non-Fiction
	What was the author's purpose? Include evidence in your response to explain your thinking.
	How is the argument or information organized? How does this affect your understanding of the text?
	What are the main ideas presented in the book? How are these supported by details?
	Describe new insights or understandings you have after reading the book.
	Do you feel like the author is believable? Is the text written with any bias? Explain.
	Describe how you can use what you learned from this book in your own life.

There are many book recommendation lists that can help readers select high-interest novels to read this summer. We would like to highlight the 2025 Nutmeg Nominees for both Middle and High School. You can visit the Nutmeg website for the complete lists and descriptions.

Just as athletes need to stay in shape during the off-season, reading throughout the summer is meant to “keep you in shape." Research supports that wide reading promotes academic success across all content areas. South Windsor High School is a community that values and celebrates literacy, so we encourage you to read several texts throughout the summer.

Link Summer Reading Letter to Students and Parents

For students entering Grade 11 AP Language and Grade 12 ECE Literature English courses, click on the links below for summer 2024 assignments:

AP Language

ECE Literature

South WindsorPublic Schools