Message from the English Department Chair

 

On behalf of the Maine South English Department, I would like to welcome you to the new and improved summer reading program for 2014. In contrast to previous years, this year’s program requires all 9th through 11th graders to read one book from a list of titles selected around a grade-level theme. 12th graders will have a required book or a list of books to choose from depending upon their first semester English course. Students should plan to bring their selected summer reading book to class during the first week of school. In August, each student will be asked to write an essay about how his or her book connects to the grade-level theme.

 

Reading is vital to academic success in every subject area including English. It is a skill that requires consistent practice, and fortunately, it can also be a pleasurable and enriching activity. Research shows that avid readers: read better, write better, and concentrate better. They also tend to be more nimble in their thinking and empathetic in their interactions. This page contains links to recent articles on the benefits of reading.

 

We hope you find the books in this year’s program to be both interesting and challenging. We invite parents to join in on the reading too. Students, after finishing your required book, we encourage you to explore other books on your grade-level list. The teachers of the English Department look forward to hearing your observations about your selections at the beginning of the school year.

 

Sincerely,

Matthew Parrilli

English Department Chair

 

P.S. - When browsing through the summer reading titles, you will encounter some book descriptions with these icons at the bottom (               ).  The icons indicate that the title is available in OverDrive as an e-book and/or an audiobook.