Ballard High School

Summer Reading 2021-2022

Grade 9 Choose 1 of the following texts:

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

A thrilling and elegantly told account of a group of British schoolboys marooned

on a tropical island. Alone in a world of uncharted possibilities, devoid of adult
supervision or rules, the boys begin to forge their own society, their own rules,
their own rituals. With this seemingly romantic premise, and through the
seemingly innocent acts of children, Golding exposes the duality of human
nature itself: the dark, eternal divide between order and chaos, intellect and
instinct, structure and savagery.
Purchase your own copy here.

The Color of Water by James McBride

Who is Ruth McBride Jordan? A self-declared "light-skinned" woman evasive

about her ethnicity, yet steadfast in her love for her 12 black children. James
McBride, journalist, musician, and son, explores his mother's past, as well as his
own upbringing and heritage, in a poignant and powerful debut, The Color Of
Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother. The son of a black minister and a
woman who would not admit she was white, James McBride grew up in
"orchestrated chaos" with his 11 siblings in the poor, all-black projects of Red
Hook, Brooklyn.
Purchase your own copy here.

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

Sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes deeply joyous, The House on Mango Street

tells the story of Esperanza Cordero, whose neighborhood is one of harsh
realities and harsh beauty. Esperanza doesn't want to belong, not to her
rundown neighborhood, and not to the low expectations the world has for her.
Esperanza's story is that of a young girl coming into her power, and inventing
for herself what she will become.
Purchase your own copy here.

All summaries provided by Amazon

 Ballard High School
Summer Reading 2021-2022

Grade 10 The Alchemist by Paul Coelho

Paulo Coelho's masterpiece tells the mystical story of

Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in
search of a worldly treasure. His quest will lead him to riches
far different—and far more satisfying—than he ever imagined.
Santiago's journey teaches us about the essential wisdom of
listening to our hearts, of recognizing opportunity and
learning to read the omens strewn along life's path, and,
most importantly, to follow our dreams.

Purchase your own copy here.

Grade 11 & A2C The Piano Lesson by August Wilson

At the heart of the play stands the ornately carved upright piano
which, as the Charles family's prized, hard-won possession, has
been gathering dust in the parlor of Berniece Charles's Pittsburgh
home. When Boy Willie, Berniece's exuberant brother, bursts into
her life with his dream of buying the same Mississippi land that his
family had worked as slaves, he plans to sell their antique piano for
the hard cash he needs to stake his future. But Berniece refuses to
sell, clinging to the piano as a reminder of the history that is their
family legacy. This dilemma is the real "piano lesson," reminding us
that blacks are often deprived both of the symbols of their past
and of opportunity in the present.
Purchase your own copy here.

All summaries provided by Amazon

 Ballard High School
Summer Reading 2021-2022

Grade 12 Honors Life is so Good by George Dawson and Richard Glaubman

In this remarkable book, George Dawson, a slave’s grandson who learned to read
at age 98 and lived to the age of 103, reflects on his life and shares valuable
lessons in living, as well as a fresh, firsthand view of America during the entire
sweep of the twentieth century. Richard Glaubman captures Dawson’s irresistible
voice and view of the world, offering insights into humanity, history, hardships,
and happiness. From segregation and civil rights, to the wars and the presidents,
to defining moments in history, George Dawson’s description and assessment of
the last century inspires readers with the message that has sustained him
through it all: “Life is so good. I do believe it’s getting better.”
Purchase your own copy here.

Grade 12 Dual Credit Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Homegoing follows the parallel paths of these sisters and their descendants
through eight generations: from the Gold Coast to the plantations of Mississippi,
from the American Civil War to Jazz Age Harlem. Yaa Gyasi’s extraordinary novel
illuminates slavery’s troubled legacy both for those who were taken and those
who stayed—and shows how the memory of captivity has been inscribed on the
soul of our nation.

Purchase your own copy here.

Grade 12 AP Literature and Composition We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

Merricat Blackwood lives on the family estate with her sister Constance and her
uncle Julian. Not long ago there were seven Blackwoods—until a fatal dose of
arsenic found its way into the sugar bowl one terrible night. Acquitted of the
murders, Constance has returned home, where Merricat protects her from the
curiosity and hostility of the villagers. Their days pass in happy isolation until
cousin Charles appears. Only Merricat can see the danger, and she must act
swiftly to keep Constance from his grasp.
Purchase your own copy here.

All summaries provided by Amazon