University High School

English Department

2005 Summer Reading Lists

List for Incoming Freshmen:

There will be class activities based on your summer reading, and you will be writing your first essay on a summer book, so you may find it helpful to keep some notes on your reading. Have a good summer, and enjoy your two books. (We encourage you, of course, to read even more if you have time!!!) Read TWO of the following selections:

Ender's Shadow, Orson S. Card

Charms For the Easy Life, Kay Gibbons

Anne Frank Remembered, Miep Gies (Note: NOT The Diary of Anne Frank!)

The Agony and The Ecstasy, Irving Stone

The Good Earth, Pearl S. Buck

Sister of My Heart, Chitra Divakaruni

The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Alexander McCall Smith

Around the World in Eighty Days, Jules Verne

Incoming Sophomores:

As an incoming sophomore at University High School, you are required to read two novels from this list. Honors, College Prep and Sheltered each have one "required" title. The second title you choose must be made from choices #1-6. You will be tested on your two novels at the beginning of September. Honors students will also write an essay on the required novel.

HONORS REQUIRED READING: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith

COLLEGE PREP REQUIRED READING: In Country by Bobbie Ann Mason

SHELTERED REQUIRED READING: Red Pony by John Steinbeck

1. Falling Leaves, by Adeline Yen Ma

2. Bless Me, Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya

3. In Country, by Bobbie Ann Mason

4. Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston

5. Peace Like a River, by Leif Enger

6. A Lesson Before Dying, by Ernest J. Gaines

INCOMING JUNIORS:

All English 3H students must read How the Irish Saved Civilization and any other two options.

How the Irish Saved Civilization, by Thomas Cahill

All English 3CP students must read any two options from the following list.

The Forest House, by Marion Zimmer Bradley

The Crystal Cave, by Mary Stewart

Absolution by Murder by Peter Tremayne

The Queen's Man, by Sharon Kay Penman

The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn, by Robin Maxwell

Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor, by Stephanie Barron

INCOMING SENIORS:

Incoming Seniors must read any TWO of the following (AP Students MUST read Scarlet Letter):

A Farewell to Arms, Ernest Hemingway

The Bean Trees, Barbara Kingsolver

The Kitchen God's Wife, Amy Tan

The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne (AP only)

Tortilla Curtain, T.C. Boyle

Five Quarters of the Orange, Joanne Harris

The Samurai’s Garden, Gail Tsukiyama