12

th
GradeEnglishSummerReadingAssignment

StandardEnglishIV:
ReadingChoicesChooseoneofthefollowingbooks,readit,andcompletetheSummer
AssignmentMajorWorksDataSheetlistedbelow.Thisassignmentandthebook
selectionsbycourseareavailableelectronicallyoncroomsaoit.org

CopperSunbySharonDraper
WhenpalestrangersenterfifteenyearoldAmari'svillage,herentiretribewelcomesthem;
forinherremotepartofAfrica,visitorsarealwaysacauseforcelebration.Butthese
strangersarenotheretocelebrate.Theyareheretocapturethestrongest,healthiest
villagersandtomurdertherest.Theyareslavetraders.Andinthetimeittakesaguntofire,
Amari'slifeassheknowsitisdestroyed,alongwithherfamilyandvillage.Withstrengthand
dignity,Amarifirstlearnstosurvive,thenyearnstoescapetoamostunlikelydestination.
Whentheopportunitytoescapepresentsitself,AmariandPollydecidetoworktogetherto
findthethingtheybothwantmostfreedom.820L320pg

UnbrokenbyLauraHillenbrand
OnaMayafternoonin1943,anArmyAirForcesbombercrashedintothePacificOceanand
disappeared,leavingonlyasprayofdebrisandaslickofoil,gasoline,andblood.Then,on
theoceansurface,afaceappeared.Itwasthatofayounglieutenant,theplanes
bombardier,whowasstrugglingtoaliferaftandpullinghimselfaboard.Sobeganoneofthe
mostextraordinaryodysseysoftheSecondWorldWar.ThelieutenantsnamewasLouis
Zamperini.Inboyhood,hedbeenacunningandincorrigibledelinquent,breakinginto
houses,brawling,andfleeinghishometoridetherails.Asateenager,hehadchanneledhis
defianceintorunning,discoveringaprodigioustalentthathadcarriedhimtotheBerlin
Olympicsandwithinsightofthefourminutemile.Butwhenwarhadcome,theathletehad
becomeanairman,embarkingonajourneythatledtohisdoomedflight,atinyraft,anda
driftintotheunknown.AheadofZamperinilaythousandsofmilesofopenocean,leaping
sharks,afounderingraft,thirstandstarvation,enemyaircraft,and,beyond,atrialeven
greater.Driventothelimitsofendurance,Zamperiniwouldanswerdesperationwith
ingenuity;sufferingwithhope,resolve,andhumor;brutalitywithrebellion.Hisfate,
whethertriumphortragedy,wouldbesuspendedonthefrayingwireofhiswill.Inherlong
awaitednewbook,sevenyearsinthemaking,LauraHillenbrandwriteswiththesamerich
andvividnarrativevoiceshedisplayedinherblockbusterbestseller,Seabiscuit.Tellingan
unforgettablestoryofamansjourneyintoextremity,Unbrokenisatestamenttothe
resilienceofthehumanmind,body,andspirit.Nonfiction950~L

HonorsEnglishIV:
ReadingChoicesChooseoneofthefollowingbooks,readit,andcompletetheSummer
AssignmentMajorWorksDataSheetlistedbelow.Thisassignmentandthebook
selectionsbycourseareavailableelectronicallyoncroomsaoit.org

AngelasAshesbyFrankMcCourt
Despiteimpoverishinghisfamilybecauseofhisalcoholism,McCourt'sfatherpassedonto
hissonagiftforsuperbstorytelling.HetoldhimaboutthegreatIrishheroes,theolddaysin
Ireland,thepeopleintheirLimerickneighborhood,andtheworldbeyondtheirshores.
McCourtwritesinthevoiceofthechild,withnoselfpityorreviewofevents,andjustretells
thetales.Herecountshisdesperatelypoorearlyyears,livingonpublicassistanceandlosing
threesiblings,butmanagestomakethebookfunnyanduplifting.Storiesoftryingonhis
parents'falseteethandhisadventuresasapostofficedeliveryboywillhavereaders
laughingoutloud.Youngpeoplewillrecognizethetruthinthesecompellingtales;the
emotionsexpressed;thedescriptionsofteachers,relatives,neighbors;andthecasualcruelty
adultsshowtowardchildren.Readerswillenjoythehumorandthemusicinthelanguage.A
vivid,wonderfullyreadablememoir.1110L

HitchhikersGuidetotheGalaxybyDouglasAdams
JoinDouglasAdams'shaplessheroArthurDentashetravelsthegalaxywithhisintrepidpal
FordPrefect,gettingintohorriblemessesandgenerallywreakinghilarioushavoc.Dentis
grabbedfromEarthmomentsbeforeacosmicconstructionteamobliteratestheplanetto
buildafreeway.You'llneverreadfunniersciencefiction;Adamsisamasterofintelligent
satire,barbedwit,andcomedicdialogue.TheHitchhiker'sGuideisrichincomedicdetailand
thoughtprovokingsituationsandstandsuptomultiplereads.Requiredreadingforscience
fictionfans,thisbook(anditsfollowups)isalsosuretopleasefansofMontyPython,Terry
Pratchett'sDiscworldseries,andBritishsitcoms.1000L

TheGlassCastlebyJeannetteWalls
JeannetteWalls,nowafreelancewriter,writesofthepoverty,hunger,jokes,andbullying
thatsheandhersiblingsenduredwhilegrowingup.Hermother,unwillingtoassumethe
responsibilitiesofparenting,andherfather,analcoholic,taughttheirchildrentofendfor
themselves.TheGlassCastledetailsthestoryofJeannetteWallsandherfamily.Constantly
shortoncashandfood,thefamilymovesaroundthecountryfrequentlyandtriestore
settle.Thoughthefamilyisdysfunctional,thememoircommunicatesitselfwithout
condemningeitheroftheWallsparents.Humorfrequentlyimbuestheworkwithalight
spiritedtone. Nonfiction1010L




Crooms Academy Summer 2013 Reading Assignment for English- This assignment and the book selections
by course are available electronically on croomsaoit.org
Name: Title: Author:

Point of View (POV) From what point of view is the
story told? (First-person narrator, a character in the
story; omniscient third-person narrator, an all-knowing
narrator can tell what any character thinks and feels; or a
limited third-person narrator, who sees the world
through only one characters eyes and only reveals that
characters thoughts.) How does the POV affect the
story?








Setting Information Consider both time
(year/historical period) and place (geographic
location). Quote two passages from the book (provide
page numbers) that help the reader visualize the
setting: Use the example below as a guide: Her
parents had moved her to Cincinnati, to a large house
with beveled glass windows and several porches
p.282
Characterization Authors use direct characterization( the author directly states the characters traits) and
indirect characterization (the characters appearance, what the character says, what he/she does, how other
characters react to him/her) to allow the reader to get to know the characters in their stories. Complete the
following activity below to show your understanding of the characters in the novel you chose.
Character: Choose two
major characters:


Choose two minor
characters:


Direct Characterization For each
character, find two examples of direct
characterization. Copy the passage
from the book and include the page
number.

Example- Uncle Marcoss manners
were those of a cannibal! (53).
Indirect Characterization For each
character, find two examples of indirect
characterization/ Copy the passage from
the book and include the page number.

























Conflict/Resolution Consider the different types of conflict: internal conflict (man vs. himself) and external
conflict (man vs. man, man vs. nature, man vs. society). Describe two major conflicts and how they were resolved.
Include direct quotations that show the moment of conflict or explain the resolution of conflict.







Themes A theme is an idea the writer wishes to convey about the subject the writers view of the world or a
revelation about human nature: For example, love is an example of a topic in Romeo and Juliet, where love
conquers all is an example of a theme for Romeo and Juliet. *Think of the theme as a what about question
for the topic. A theme is NOT one word, but is an idea, expressed in a complete sentence. List all major themes
developed in the novel.

Vocabulary: List and define in your own words
10 challenging words you encountered while
reading the novel.
1.


2.


3.


4.


5.


6.


7.


8.


9.


10.
Use each of the 10 words you chose in an original,
meaningful sentence.

1.


2.


3.


4.


5.


6.


7.


8.


9.


10.