Summer Reading

AP English Language & Composition 2026 Summer Reading

AP Lang is an awesome course designed to teach reading, writing, and thinking skills to students. It is NOT a literature class, although we do manage to squeeze in some fiction. The class will be 99% nonfiction and heavy on writing, including in-class timed writing. I wanted you to know this up front in case you were thinking this is similar to an English class you’ve taken before. AP Lang runs on discussion, presentation, and writing, and I should warn you that some of the issues we talk about in class require maturity. In taking this class, you are also signing up to take a 3.5 hour writing test in May, so we will be preparing for that with frequent practice throughout the year.

Due the 2nd class of the school year:

1. Select any non-fiction book that has been on a best seller list (current or past) and read it. This is totally YOUR choice, so pick something that sounds good, interesting, or engaging to you.

• Select a short passage to read aloud to the class (1 paragraph to 1 page of your book, so you’ll need to bring the book with you the first week of the class.)
• Be prepared to present the context of the passage (what is going on and why the passage is significant to the rest of the book) to the class.
• Write out the answers, in complete sentences, to the following questions and be prepared to share them with the class (your response should be typed and double-spaced).

                                    i. Who is the author? (Tell a little about them. Where are they from? What is their  background/profession?)

                                    ii. Who is the book marketed toward? (Who is the intended audience?)

                                    iii. What was the author’s purpose in writing this?

                                    iv. What is the subject of this book?

                                    v. What stood out to you in how the author crafted the book?

                                    vi. Why should or shouldn’t the class read the book?

Due the 2^nd week of the school year. You need to have completed reading:

A)     Educated, Tara Westover

• Enjoy this book! It’s usually a favorite of students. I want you to annotate, but not the point where it’s merely obligatory. Read and enjoy this excellent book. We will use it to kick off our enlightenment unit;

B) The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet, John Green

• This is a cool book of essays in which the author reviews random “humanly” things like the QWERTY keyboard, Tetris, and diet Dr. Pepper. How does Green craft each of his arguments? Focusing on how arguments are built is the basis of our first unit, rhetorical analysis, so start zoning in on it during your reading.

The second week of class:

• You will have a “Did You Read?” quiz on each book, so make sure you’ve really done your reading.
• We will be writing an essay comparing these two books, so do NOT leave all your reading to the last minute. We will discuss the books before we write the essay.

Have a great summer and enjoy your reading!

AP English Literature 2026 Summer Reading

For this assignment, you will read and annotate TWO plays, one being a Greek tragedy and the other a modern tragedy. The plays are Sophocles’ Oedipus the King and Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman. Please get The Three Theban Plays by Sophocles (Penguin Classics) as we will also be using this text to read Antigone later. You may use whatever copy of Death of a Salesman that you wish. I hope that you will not only learn from reading these texts but also appreciate and enjoy them.

In addition to the reading and annotation, you will write an essay during the summer on Oedipus the King, and you should expect to write a timed essay during the first couple of weeks of class on Death of a Salesman.

As the nature of this course is rigorous and requires you to carefully read and thoughtfully analyze, please pay attention to directions and be thorough in your work. This assignment will count towards your first semester grade. If you have any questions, you may contact me at mtracy@rosaryacademy.org.

DUE DATE: THE FIRST FULL DAY OF CLASS

Please bring a printed copy of the Oedipus the King essay to turn in during class. You will also be required to upload your essay to Turnitin. Also, please bring printed copies of both plays to class and be ready to discuss them.

Directions for Annotation:

Your annotations should analyze various elements of the plays, including the following:

• Character Development: Values, beliefs, biases, and cultural norms reflected and represented by characters and the ways in which characters change.
• Setting: Setting can depict time, place, and values associated with a location.
• Structure: Sequence and arrangement of the text can contribute to interpretation and understanding.
• Conflict Development: Look for major internal and external conflicts in the story and how they develop as the play progresses.
• Figurative Language and Symbolism: Look out for all important, meaningful, or repeated literary techniques.
• Themes: Look for major ideas that run throughout each text.
• Writer’s Style: This includes elements such as diction, tone, and syntax.

In addition, analyze for any connections and similarities that you see between the texts. Consider how Oedipus and Willy Loman are similar.

Directions for Essay:

Prompt: Many works of literature not readily identified with the mystery or detective story genre nonetheless involve the investigation of a mystery. In these works, the solution to the mystery may be less important than the knowledge gained in the process of its investigation.

Choose a character from Sophocles’ Oedipus the King that confronts a mystery. Then write an essay in which you identify the mystery and explain how the investigation illuminates the meaning of the work as a whole.

In your response you should do the following:

• Respond to the prompt with a thesis that presents a defensible interpretation.
• Provide evidence to support your line of reasoning.
• Explain how the evidence supports your line of reasoning.
• Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your argument.
• Include an introduction that gives background on the play and topic.
• Include a conclusion that offers a final insight or observation about the ideas that have been presented.
• Include at least two body paragraphs.
• Type your essay and follow MLA format.

Have a great summer and enjoy your reading!

Honors English IV 2026 Summer Reading

Part I:

Please come to school with a complete Common App essay. Even if you do not think you will need an essay for the Common App, your assignment is still to write an essay in response to one of the Common App prompts and bring it with you to the 2^nd class of the school year. Your essay should be no longer than 650 words and respond to one of the following Common App prompts:

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
4. Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you
5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

• Your essay should be double-spaced and PRINTED. It is due on the 2^nd class of the school year.
• Your essay will be posted to Turnitin.com when school starts.

Part II: 

Read and annotate Antigone by Sophocles ISBN: 978-0140444254 (Penguin Classics)

*This copy is going to have 3 plays in total in it. You’re only responsible for reading Antigone over the summer.

Assignment: Read, think about, and annotate the text. Annotating means reading closely and carefully, which will take effort on your part. It might mean you look up words you come across and don’t understand. It might mean you ask questions while you read. Or, even better, it might mean you write interjections in the margins because you’re shocked or disgusted. Ultimately, it means you are not just passively reading. You may feel that annotating the book slows down your reading. Yes, it does. That is the point. If annotating as you read annoys you, read a section, then go back and annotate after.

Here are some ideas on how to get the most out of your summer reading annotations:

• Underline names of characters. In the margin, make a note about the personality/traits of the character.
• Mark the setting- when and where does scene take place?
• At the top of each page, Summarize important plot events. Not every page will be marked.
• Look up unfamiliar words and make a note of their definitions.
• Look for patterns, symbols, or reoccurring themes.
• Make predictions.
• Underline quotes or lines you think are significant, powerful, or meaningful.
• Put a question mark in areas of the text you do not understand.

There will a graded discussion when we get back to school, so make sure the reading has been completed. Your contributions to the discussion should show whether or not you took the time to read, think about, and interpret the text.

Part III:

Read (and annotate as you read) the novel Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim, by Patricia Park

• Enjoy this fun book! It’s about a high school senior dealing with her multicultural background, elite prep school, family, and college dreams.
• You will be having a test on the book the 2^nd class of the school year.

Have a great summer and enjoy your reading!

Honors English III 2026 Summer Reading

Congratulations on your decision to take Honors English III next year! I look forward to meeting you. Here is your summer assignment:

• Read and annotate Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller. This is a play written in the late 1940s, which is considered a modern-day tragedy. The play explores themes related to the American Dream, a concept that we will discuss throughout the year.

• Read and annotate Educated by Tara Westover. This is a riveting memoir from 2018. This book shows the concept of the American Dream in a contemporary way. 
• Annotate each text as you go, but not so much that you stop appreciating or enjoying the work. In the margins, ask questions and make comments about parts that you react to or that stand out.

What you should know:

• We will have a “Did You Really Read?” quiz on both books the 2^nd week of school, so make sure to do your reading.
• We will be writing an essay comparing and examining these books’ presentations of parent-child relationships, so it would be a good idea to annotate for this topic as you read.
• How are the parent-child relationships in each text portrayed? How do these relationships affect the characters in the stories?
• How are the idea and pursuit of the American Dream related to or impacted by these parent-child relationships?

Have a great summer and enjoy your reading!

Honors English II 2026 Summer Reading

Text Needed: The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

Read The Joy Luck Club and then respond to the following prompt.

Prompt:
In The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan explores the complexities of family, cultural identity, generational confl ict, sacrifice, and the struggle to understand both ourselves and those who came before us. Through the stories of mothers and daughters, the novel reveals how misunderstandings, expectations, and inherited experiences shape identity and relationships. At the same time, the novel shows that greater understanding can emerge when individuals reflect on the past and reconsider the perspectives of others.

For this essay, write an analytical personal narrative that explores how your own experiences with family, identity, communication, or cultural expectations have shaped your sense of self. Consider a moment in your life when misunderstanding, differing expectations, or a lack of perspective affected a relationship or your understanding of yourself. Then reflect on how growth, empathy, or a shift in perspective helped you better understand that experience.

In your narrative, be sure to:

• Reflect on a significant moment or period in your life when you experienced tension related to family expectations, identity, communication, or cultural values.
• Analyze how this experience shaped your personal development. How did it challenge your assumptions, strengthen your self-awareness, or change the way you understood someone else?
• Explain how perspective, empathy, or greater understanding played a role in that experience. Did you come to see the situation differently over time? Did your relationship with another person change as a result?
• Conclude with a reflection on how this experience has contributed to your evolving identity and your understanding of family, relationships, and personal growth.

Guiding Questions:

• How did your background, family, or community shape your initial understanding of this situation?
• What misunderstanding, tension, or conflict made this moment significant?
• In what ways did your perspective change, and what led to that change?
• How does your experience reflect or differ from the struggles faced by the mothers and daughters in The Joy Luck Club?
• What did this experience teach you about identity, relationships, empathy, or communication?

Requirements:

• 500–600 words
• Typed
• MLA Formatting
• Maintain academic writing rules
• Sophisticated refl ection and analysis: Move beyond simply telling the story. Analyze your thoughts, choices, emotions, and the significance of the experience.
• Evidence of thoughtful introspection: Support your narrative with detailed reflection on how the experience influenced your growth, perspective, or future relationships.
• Organization and clarity: Include a clear introduction, well-developed body paragraphs, and a reflective conclusion.

Have a great summer and enjoy your reading!

Honors English I 2026 Summer Reading

English I CP and Honors Summer Assignment:

Text needed: A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes

ISBN: 9780063065406

Prior to reading A Thousand Ships, it would be helpful to familiarize yourself with the stories of The Ilidad. 

You can find summaries online and even some good, animated summaries on YouTube. 

For ease of A Thousand Ships, it is important to understand the definition of an "Epic". The definition of an "Epic" is: a long poem, typically one derived from ancient oral tradition, narrating the deeds and adventures of heroic or legendary figures or the history of a nation (Oxford Languages). 

Assignment: As you read A Thousand Ships, create a brief character summary (2-3 sentences) for the following characters. You may type this or write this by hand.

1. Odysseus
2. Achilles
3. Penelope
4. Clytemnestra
5. Helen of Sparta
6. Thetis
7. Paris
8. Hecabe
9. Calliope
10. Eris
11. Themis
12. Gaia

Additionally, as you read please annotate when you see the following in your reading: 

• Character: Values, beliefs, biases, and cultural norms represented by characters.
• Setting: Setting can depict time, place, and values associated with a location.
• Structure: Sequence and arrangement can contribute to interpretation and understanding.
• Narration: Narrator's perspective controls details and emphasizes reader's experience.
• Figurative Language: Look out for all important, meaningful, or repeated literary devices.
• Literary Argumentation: Major themes (some examples of themes: good will always triumph over evil, bravery can be found in the most unsuspecting people, etc.)

Text Needed: Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno Garcia

ISBN: 9781529402643

Assignment: As you read Gods of Jade and the shadow, create a brief character summary (4-5 sentences) for each of the following characters. This can be handwritten or typed. 

1. Casiopea
2. Martin
3. Hun-Kame
4. Vucub-Kame

Once you have finished reading Gods of Jade and Shadow, look over the following characteristics of an epic hero. Then answer the following questions (7-10 complete sentence responses for each question). Please type your responses. 

1. Is Casiopea an epic hero? Why or why not?
2. What is one attribute of an epic hero (see “Characteristics of Epic Heroes” below) Casiopea does not have? Does this affect her ability to be considered a hero? Why or why not?

Characteristics of Epic Heroes: 

Trait 1: A Noble Birth - Most epic heroes will have an above average station in life. They will be kings, princes, o nobles of some sort. Commoners usually do not become epic heroes.

Trait 2: Capable of deeds of great strength and courage. Basically, this means the hero has the potential for great deeds.

Trait 3: Great Warrior- Before the hero of an epic does his business in the epic, he has usually established himself in combat during war. 

Trait 4: Travels over a Vast Setting- Simply put, you cannot be an epic hero if you stay in your village your whole life. The more countries or areas traveled to, the better. The farther away from your own country, the better. 

Trait 5: National Heroism- Before a hero can be celebrated by countries the world over, he must first be recognized in his home country as a great and heroic person. 

Trait: Humility- Even as the rest of the world recognizes the great deeds of the hero, he is never a braggart or even willing to take applause.

Trait 7:  Faces Supernatural Foes and/or Receive Supernatural Help- Most epic heroes either receive aid from a god or goddess or battle some superhuman enemy.

The department would like to stress how important reading and annotating will be for your success at Rosary!

Have a great summer and enjoy your reading!

English IV 2026 Summer Reading

Your TWO-part summer assignment is as follows:

1. Please come to school with a complete Common App essay. Even if you do not think you will need an essay for the Common App, your assignment is still to write an essay in response to one of the Common App prompts and bring it with you to the 2^nd class of the school year. Your essay should be no longer than 650 words and respond to one of the following Common App prompts:

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
4. Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

• Your essay should be double-spaced and PRINTED. It is due on the 2^nd class of the school year.
• Your essay will be posted to Turnitin.com when school starts.

2. Read (and annotate as you read) the novel Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim, by Patricia Park

• Enjoy this fun book! It’s about a high school senior dealing with her multicultural background, elite prep school, family, and college dreams.
• You will be having a test on the book the 2^nd class of the school year.

Have a great summer and enjoy your reading!

English III 2026 Summer Reading

I am excited to see you all in English III next year! I look forward to meeting you.

Here is your summer assignment:

•  Read Educated by Tara Westover. This is a pretty riveting memoir. Some students have even said it’s a beach read. Annotate as you go, but not so much that you stop enjoying yourself. In the margins, ask questions and make comments about parts that you like or that stand out. This book shows the American Dream topic in a modern way.
• Write a short response (500-600 words TYPED in MLA format and printed for day 2 of class) on the prompt “what’s your American story?”. For example: do you have family who came to America in pursuit of a dream? Are you 1^st generation? 2^nd? 3^rd?  Does your lineage date back all the way to the Mayflower? Tell me about you and your family/ancestry!

o   This is all in preparation for the overall idea of the course: what is the American Dream? Is it attainable?

What you should know:

• We will have a “Did You Really Read?” quiz the 2^nd week of school, so make sure to do your reading. You will also begin writing an essay on the text in the first week of school (different from the writing assigned on this page).
• It would be a good idea to annotate for the following as you read: What is the author saying about what/who is true? What is the author saying about how we recognize truth? Does truth mean the same thing in all settings or does it vary?

Have a great summer and enjoy your reading!

English II 2026 Summer Reading

Text Needed: The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

Read The Joy Luck Club and then write on the following prompt.

Prompt:
In The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan explores the relationships between mothers and daughters, focusing on cultural identity, family expectations, and the challenges of communication across generations. Many characters struggle to understand one another due to differences in experiences, values, and perspectives, but they also grow through moments of reflection and understanding.

For this essay, write a personal narrative that reflects on your own experience with family expectations, identity, or communication and how a moment of growth—or a shift in perspective—impacted you.

In your narrative, be sure to:
1. Describe a moment when you experienced a challenge related to family expectations, identity, or communication.
2. Reflect on how this experience shaped your understanding of yourself or your relationships with others.
3. Explain how you were able to navigate or respond to this challenge, whether through a change in perspective, improved communication, or personal growth.
4. Conclude by reflecting on how this experience has influenced your personal growth or your understanding of relationships and identity.

Guiding Questions:

• How did your background or family influence the way you reacted to this situation?
• What misunderstanding, conflict, or challenge made this moment significant?
• How did your perspective change, and what led to that change?
• How does your experience connect to or differ from the relationships in The Joy Luck Club?

Requirements:

• 300–400 words
• Typed
• Answer the entire prompt
• MLA Formatting
• Maintain academic writing rules

Have a great summer and enjoy your reading!

English I 2026 Summer Reading

English I CP and Honors Summer Assignment: Text needed: A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes

ISBN: 9780063065406

Prior to reading A Thousand Ships, it would be helpful to familiarize yourself with the stories of The Ilidad. 

You can find summaries online and even some good, animated summaries on Youtube. 

For ease of A Thousand Ships, it is important to understand the definition of an "Epic". The definition of an "Epic" is: a long poem, typically one derived from ancient oral tradition, narrating the deeds and adventures of heroic or legendary figures or the history of a nation (Oxford Languages). 

Assignment: As you read A Thousand Ships, create a brief character summary (2-3 sentences) for the following characters. You may type this or write this by hand.

1. Odysseus
2. Achilles
3. Penelope
4. Clytemnestra
5. Helen of Sparta
6. Thetis
7. Paris
8. Hecabe
9. Calliope
10. Eris
11. Themis
12. Gaia

Additionally, as you read please annotate when you see the following in your reading: 

• Character: Values, beliefs, biases, and cultural norms represented by characters.
• Setting: Setting can depict time, place, and values associated with a location.
• Structure: Sequence and arrangement can contribute to interpretation and understanding.
• Narration: Narrator's perspective controls details and emphasizes reader's experience.
• Figurative Language: Look out for all important, meaningful, or repeated literary devices.
• Literary Argumentation: Major themes (some examples of themes: good will always triumph over evil, bravery can be found in the most unsuspecting people, etc.)

The department would like to stress how important reading and annotating is for your success here at Rosary!

Have a great summer and enjoy your reading!