Summer Experiences 2026
The 2025-2026 school year is over, but the fun doesn’t have to end! This summer, the English Department is asking incoming sophomore, junior, and senior students to participate in meaningful and educational experiences, rather than a traditional summer reading assignment. Use the resources provided on page 2 to broaden your knowledge, discover new interests, and actively participate in your community. Activities range from reading and listening to podcasts to visiting Chicago museums or the Indiana Dunes.
The summer is a wonderful time to relax and rewind, but learning is a lifelong process that can be done in fun and interesting ways. You are challenged and encouraged to do something you’ve never done before, read about a topic you know nothing about, and/or support your local community in a new way. Explore each of the categories and create at least 2 experiences for yourself this summer!
Junior and Senior students, PLEASE NOTE: AP Language and Composition and AP Literature and Composition students have traditional summer reading assignments to complete; however, you are encouraged to participate in the experiences as well.
Note: The word “appropriate” is defined in different ways. Because of this, the English Department asks parents to be aware of what your child is reading and engaging in, so you may approve of the content. The books and activities range from middle school to college level, so your participation is essential in guiding your child to appropriate and challenging experiences.
Academic, Advanced, and Honors English Classes
PODCASTS
Use the following websites to explore popular podcasts:
- College Raptor Recommendations for College-Minded Teens
- Good Housekeeping Recommendations for Teens
BOOKSTORES & LIBRARIES
MUSEUMS
Some museums mentioned on the website include the Shedd Aquarium, Museum of Science & Industry, Field Museum, Holocaust Museum, Art Institute, Chicago History Museum, and Museum of Contemporary Art.
Advanced Placement (AP) English Classes
AP LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION
Welcome to AP Language and Composition! We are looking forward to an exciting year ahead!
This summer, we would like you to read from John Green’s New York Times Bestselling collection of nonfiction essays, The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on A Human Centered Planet. You may know and love John Green from his widely-acclaimed novels, Turtles All the Way Down and The Fault in Our Stars, or from his other popular writings, podcasts, and YouTube videos. Even if you are not familiar with him, we think you will enjoy these short, poignant essays on everything from Viral Meningitis to the World’s Largest Ball of Paint.
In this book, Green thoughtfully reviews more than 40 topics. We are asking that you choose 15 of the essays to read closely and annotate with margin notes showing your reactions, observations, and questions.
You are encouraged to choose a variety of topics. Some essays are light and funny, some deeply moving, but all are thought-provoking. Consider areas of interest, as well as topics about which you know virtually nothing.
**We highly recommend listening to the author read his essays to you as an audio book while you read as well. Each essay is under 15 minutes.
**Please have a copy of the book that is your own, as we will be using it throughout the school year.
Have a wonderful summer and see you in August!
AP LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION
Read one of the following novels and come to class prepared to write an essay that will be assigned in class about your book.
- Blindness by Jose Saramago
- 1984 by George Orwell
- The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
- The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
- Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
- The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
- Catch 22 by Joseph Heller
- Lord of the Rings by J.R. Tolkein
- Americana by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
- A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
- The Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
- Beloved by Toni Morrison
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
- On the Road by Jack Kirouac
- The Awakening by Kate Chopin
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
- The Women by Kristin Hannah
- Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
- A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
- The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender
Summer Reading for the Class of 2030
Summertime provides a great opportunity for students to continue reading for pleasure and to catch up on reading they did not have time for during the school year. During students’ time away from the classroom, it is important they do not lose the literacy skills gained throughout the previous school year. In order to maintain these skills, students are required to read a book of their choice. We provided some options below, or the girls can pick any novel that appeals to their interests.
Students are encouraged to download the e-text version of their book choice to begin familiarizing themselves with reading on their iPads; however, this is not required and a paperback/hard copy text is always acceptable.
Recommended Reading
The following books are recommended by The Evergreen Park Library in conjunction with our 9th grade English teachers.
The Fault in Our Stars
YA Romantic Drama,
Tragic Romance
by John Green
This story follows Hazel Grace Lancaster, a terminally ill teenager. Her life changes when she meets Augustus Waters at a support group. Together, they navigate the challenges of young love, terminal illness, and mortality, discovering deep purpose and connection in their brief time together.
The Grace Year
YA Dystopian Novel
by Kim Liggett
16-year-old girls in Garner County are banished for a year to release their supposed dangerous magic, only to face survival challenges, poachers, and the brutality of their own peers, all while questioning the patriarchal society that controls them. The story follows protagonist Tierney James as she navigates this "grace year," a dark fairytale exploring themes of female power, oppression, and resilience, often compared to The Hunger Games and The Handmaid's Tale.
Into the Sunken City
YA Dystopian Thriller Novel
by Dinesh Thiru
Five hundred years ago, an apocalyptic weather event led to constant rainfall, submerging the world’s cities. Jin could earn a fortune diving for the lost treasures of Vegas-Drowned, if not for her fear of diving -- not to mention the pirates and monstrous sea creatures in her way.
Bridge to Terebithia
Realistic Fiction,
Coming of Age Story
by Katherine Paterson
This touching coming-of-age story about Jesse Aarons, an artistic boy from a struggling rural family, and Leslie Burke, his imaginative new neighbor. Together, they build "Terabithia," a secret magical kingdom in the woods that helps them deal with their real-world hardships.