Summer Reading
9th Grade Summer Reading
2024 MJHS Summer Reading - English I Honors Summer reading is a requirement of 9th-grade honors. Summer reading includes one full book as well as two chapters from an additional text. The goal of summer reading is for all 9th-grade honors students to have a consistent reading experience that allows us to hold dynamic conversations about our first thematic unit: The Hero’s Journey. Although the full text is not a difficult read, it exemplifies the hero’s journey archetype. The informational text chapters are more challenging reading, but they are short and help introduce the concept of “The Quest.” Please review this one-pager as well as the more detailed post on the MJHS website (under “Parents and Students”).
● Required Text #1: Daughter of the Deep by Rick Riordan ○ Please plan to purchase this text or borrow it from a local library.
● Required Text #2: How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster 89
○ Do NOT read the entire book.
○ Read the following excerpts:
■ “Introduction: How’d He Do That?” and “Every Trip is A Quest (Except When It’s Not)”
○ PDFs are available on the MJHS website (under parents and students - summer reading requirements)
○ Please print before you leave for the summer if necessary. ○ If you need a printed copy during the summer, please visit the main office of MJHS.
FAQ:
1. Do I need to have this book read by the first day of school?
a. Yes. We will begin using the book as a resource on day one. We will also test over the book in the first week of school.
2. How much will this test affect my grade?
a. It is a test grade during quarter 1 of the school year. It will have the same impact as our other tests. You will have at least two additional unit tests during quarter 1.
3. I am worried - should I change to college prep because of summer reading?
a. A big NO! The three bonus points you earn in honors are worth way more than the impact of one unit test, and CP classes read almost the same amount as honors classes throughout the year, so dropping won’t adjust your reading expectations.
b. Many of the students who have dropped out in the past regret the decision.
4. When should I read it?
a. This is very much a personal decision. You need to read it based on how long you retain information, if you plan to review it, etc.
b. The best-case scenario would be to read the book mid-way through the summer. Read the Foster text afterward. Then, review the novel in order to identify characteristics of the hero’s quest.
5. Can I listen to the audiobook?
a. YES! We support listening to audiobooks. The best option is to listen as you read or at least read some of it; however, listening to the entire book is fine too!