Let’s Read!
HCPS High School Summer Reading: Rising 9th-12th Graders
If you are taking Honors, AP or IB English next year,
there is a different required reading list you must follow.
Please see your school website for details.
Why do I have to read on summer break?
Reading during the summer is a great way to keep your mind active and growing while you are away from school. While it is essential to your progress as a student, the English and reading teachers of Henrico County Public Schools also believe summer reading should be fun! This year, we’ve partnered with Henrico County Public Library to expand your love of reading. The goal is for you to read 20 minutes a day. Studies show that good readers naturally spend more time in daily reading. Exposure to reading is important in developing vocabulary for fluency and comprehension. Also, students who score in the top percentiles on reading tests read for more than20 minutes a day – exposing them to 1.8 million words a year. So, your goal this summer is to log 20 minutes of reading a day (We’ll give you the holiday and weekends off).
How will I do this? What do I have to read?
Reading is fun when we have choice. This year, you have lots of choices. Yes, you must read 20 minutes each weekday, but you can choose the type of texts you read (you may even choose to read-along with an audio version). We want you to be exposed to different types of text. Below are samples of different genres and texts to look at:
Fiction(Novels/ Novellas/Chapter Books) / Fiction
(Shorter Works--many in collections) / Non-Fiction
(Longer Works) / Non-Fiction
(Shorter Works)
-Fable/Folk Tale/Fairy Tale / -Poetry / -Autobiography / -Magazine Article
-Legend/Myth / -Short Story / -Biography / -Newspaper article
-Realistic Fiction / -Memoir / -Professional Essay
-Fantasy/Mystery/Suspense / -Self-Help/How-to / -Professional Speech
-Graphic Novel / -Trade Book (careers) / -Published Letter
How do I find the right book for me?
- Visit your local library: The public librarians are here to guide you to the right books. If you let them know your interests, the librarians can easily guide you to the best reads. You can even fill out a form online and get personalized recommendations emailed directly to you:
- Research the Books: We’ve provided links to resources that will help you find those books that might be interesting to you. Use these resources to learn about the books on our list.
- Virginia State Reading Association -
- Teen Reads -
- Young Adult Book Central -
- Preview the Books: Once you’ve reviewed the information, go to the library or the bookstore and preview the book. Read the first few pages before you check it out or buy it. Consider the vocabulary. If there are more than seven words on the page that you don't know, you might want to try a different book. Remember, you’re looking for books that are fun, interesting and appropriate for you!
- Read! Read! Read!: We hope your ability to choose your readings will inspire you to read much, much more.
Okay, so I read a book, now what?
Great! We hope you really enjoyed the texts you chose and we want you to show your understanding of what you have read. Here’s what you need to do:
- Find (or get) your public library card (If you can’t get to your local library this summer, that’s fine. You can log your reading on the attached sheet).
- Join the Public Library’s Summer Reading Club and log your readings. The public library has incentives and treats for members of the summer reading club! Find out more online at Your first quiz grade for the year will be for your summer reading log.
- Choose one of your readings and complete an assignment below to show your understanding of the text. The activity will be due to your English teacher during the second week of school. This assignment will count as an extra credit grade during the 1st nine weeks of school (if you have turned in a log). You must turn in a paper copy of your assignment.
- Personal Dictionary – Create a booklet of ten new/unfamiliar words you discovered in the text. For each word, give (1) your own definition of the word, (2) synonyms for the word, (3) antonyms for the word, (4) scenario to help you remember the new word and (5) a picture. See sample below.
Word / tend
Student-friendly Definition / To take care of something or someone.
Synonyms / manage, watch, supervise, mind
Antonyms / hurt, ignore, neglect,
Scenario / My mom tends to me and my sister.
Picture /
- Epilogue - Write either a prologue or an epilogue to the book. Describe events that could have taken place before or after the plot of the book. Include at least four events that are connected to the existing plot of the book. The connection should be explained if it is not clear. Use descriptive language.
- Newsletter - Create a one page newsletter for your book. Summarize the plot in one article. Write a feature story on one of the more interesting characters in a second article. Be sure to include pictures. You may use a computer program or cut and paste the newspaper by hand.
- Character Journal - Use a journal to document the main characters in the book. Identify themain character(s) by name and record the page number on which that character first appears. Describe the character in detail. Record the character's most important quotation and include the page number on which the quotation appears.
- Word Journal - Use a journal to document the eight most important words in the text. Choose eight words from the text that you feel are the most significant. Document one word per page of your journal. Include the sentence in which the word is found. Document the page number on which the sentence is found. Write oneshort paragraph explaining the significance of the word to the text as a whole.
- Turn in your work for your first two “As” in English this year (one for your log and one for your activity).
If you have questions, please feel free to contact Erica Basnight-Johnson, Educational Specialist for English and Reading, at 652-3740.
Summer Reading Book Log
Student Name ______
School ______Grade ______
Text Read / Author / Genre