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Hansberry, Adams, Knowles and Bradbury are the most commonly read authors in the summer before sophomore year - find out what they're all about!
The end of school is quickly approaching, but the summer of reading is just beginning. Each June students get assigned summer reading, which is usually not looked upon too fondly. But what of it? Across the country, major patterns emerge as to which books are being read by what ages. The following are the most commonly read books in the summer for incoming sophomores: A Raisin in the Sun – Lorraine Hansberry (ISBN: 0679755330) Watership Down – Richard Adams (ISBN: 0743277708) A Separate Peace – John Knowles (ISBN: 0743253973) Fahrenheit 451 – Ray Bradbury (ISBN: 0743247221) A Raisin in the Sun Also a popular Broadway production in the 1950s, Hansberry’s play follows an African-American family, the Youngers, through their struggles and hardships. A time-honored story of perseverance and overcoming obstacles, A Raisin in the Sun also deals with the important themes of racism and poverty. Most readers enjoy following this family and seeing their successes along the way. Watership Down Though it may be hard to believe that a long book about rabbits is a classic, Richard Adams’ book has been read and reread by English students everywhere, and often by those same students in adulthood. Following a warren of rabbits who have lost their home to a new development, readers learn all about this small community of rabbits, and often find themselves unable to put it down, wondering what will happen to their favorite rabbits next. Teen readers may find it valuable to read Watership Down thinking of it as an allegory, representing more human characteristics than rabbit, but at the end of the day, no matter how you read it, it is still a very entertaining read. A Separate Peace Harry Potter’s Hogwarts and Haddix’s Hendrick’s all owe their success, in part, to their precursor in great books about all-boys schools, particularly John Knowles’ A Separate Peace. This sophomore favorite about Finny and Gene plays on a number of themes like youth vs. age and the innocence lost in war, but is also a book with a number of great adventures. From the Super Suicide Society of Summer Session to the invention of a new sport, Blitzball, Finny’s antics and Gene’s reactions continue to entertain teen readers. Fahrenheit 451 One of the most important books high school students read is found here in this Bradbury work. Eerily close to the present time, Bradbury’s characters live in a society that is so inundated with technology, that books have become obsolete (not to mention the fact that many of the powers that be find books, and the ideas found within books, to be dangerous). The fireman, ironically, do not put out fires, but find people who are hiding books and start fires to burn these books. Fahrenheit 451 is an exciting mystery story with a message to all generations: keep reading! If your school district does not provide a way for you to purchase the summer reading books, do not forget that your local library will have these copies (although get them early before classmates beat you to it). Amazon.com is also a good option to get the books quickly and inexpensively. Enjoy your reading!
The copyright of the article Summer Reading - 10th Grade in Teen Fiction is owned by Laura L. Johnson. Permission to republish Summer Reading - 10th Grade in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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