Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Recommended Resources Summer Reading suggestions for High School

I am looking for books to suggest to my DS for his summer reading. Because of changes in the law, my son's school no longer tells the students WHAT to read for there summer reading. (Otherwise they would have to provide the books.) Instead they ask that they read ONE book of their choice that fits the theme of the class they will be taking next year. They do provide a "suggestions" list from some of the teachers, but I am very unimpressed with their list. Some of these are books my DS read in both 6th & 8th grade FOR school.

My son will be taking American Literature next year. I am looking for further suggestions partially because most of what we have in the house is scifi/fantasy, British mysteries, math and art books. And I am looking to give him my own list of suggestions. I am looking for something that a teenager would have fun reading yet still be considered "American Literature". Tricky part is finding books that my son either hasn't read or isn't going to read this year. My son loved reading To Kill a Mockingbird for school this past year, but otherwise mostly reads books like Lord of the Rings or other fantasy.

Books idea's I have come up with:

Catch-22 by Josehph Heller
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
American Gods by Neil Gaimen. (Not sure if this American literature?)
Piano Player by Curt Vonnegut.

Any other idea's?


I know we have a sticky post recommended reading posts but there really isn't much up there for 13+.

I would search for summer reading lists from schools that still have lists. Here is a link to a list from a private school in our area -

http://inside.episcopalacademy.org/...pper/readinglistspages/usrecreadhome.htm

There is some classic stuff, some newer stuff on the list.

I don't understand the school district needing to provide the books. Choose some for which the school (or the local library) has plenty of copies or choose ones for which there is a free digital download. I just purchased my rising junior's required books, but I think we could have borrowed them from the library (hard copy or digital). In any case, the school always works with families if there is a financial problem. However, it is an area where even the "poor kids" (in a relative sense) are from families with an income well above the US average.

And here is a link to our county library "lists of summer reading lists" - it includes private, parochial and public schools.

http://www.delcolibraries.org/summerreading13.htm

Thanks for the links. This is because of my districts interpretation of a 2012 CA law that stating.

"AB 1575 reaffirms that students may not be charged fees to participate in any activity that is “educational in character,” though it does allow schools and districts to request voluntary donations to maintain programs and services."

My district is taking literally to mean they can't charge for summer school if the student is getting H.S. credit. Teachers can't ask students to purchase books during the school year or for summer reading. Honestly I don't mind that the student can read any book they really want this way. I just wish the teacher recommended list had been better.

When my son was in high school, he took a class called "coming-of-age novel". Here is the reading list for his class, maybe you'll find it useful.

A Portrait of the artist as a young man by Joyce
The catcher in the rye by Salinger
Black swan green by Mitchell
The Bell Jar by Plath
Sag Harbor by Whitehead
Housekeeping by Robinson
Girl in landscape by Lethem

Also, what about Gone with the wind?

This is the kind of thing I'm looking for, "coming-of-age" novels. Never heard of Sage Harbor but it looks good.

The Red Badge of Courage is another classic novel in this genre.

If he hasn't read them already, Okay for Now and The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt are both very good books. Okay for Now is quite a bit grittier.

My 14 y.o. read THE CATCHER IN THE RYE and CATCH-22 in the last year or two, and he found them fresh and appealing, even though he was skeptical, given their iconic status. Also Vonnegut's WELCOME TO THE MONKEY HOUSE (short stories, wackily smart and challenging).

A very new option: Phil Klay, REDEPLOYMENT (short stories, heart-rendingly done, by an Iraq veteran who is a stunning writer) (if your DC is up for a serious treatment of a serious situation).

THE KITE RUNNER (Khaled Hosseini) is American literature. Again, a serious treatment of serious (adult) issues, so it depends on the teen.

This list reminded me of

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

I tried reading this book once but I didn't really care for it, though I'm not sure why since it seems like the type of book I would like. Any kids out there who read this and liked it?

It fits in the coming of age genre, but as the author is British I guess it doesn't qualify as American Literature? Not quite sure how to define American Literature. If the author is American? That the book is set in America? Either? Not sure this even matters as at least half of the teacher recommendations were books I wouldn't classify as American Literature.

You could try something from the list of Great Books - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Books

or Greater Books - http://www.greaterbooks.com/ and the master list here - http://www.greaterbooks.com/master.html

Or this listing from the National Association of Scholars - http://www.nas.org/resources/recommended_books