NO SCHOOL: Holiday Recess 12/23–1/1
Summer Reading: Grades 9-12
Welcome to our Albany High Summer Reading page!
In this space, you will be able to view an book recommendation videos starring our wonderful librarians, and find directions for the writing assignment that is due in September upon return to school.
Summer reading is here!
Check out the top 10 recommendation videos below from Ms. Abdul and Ms. Majkut! You can also view the welcome letter from Jen Houlihan, Secondary Instructional Supervisor for English Language Arts, Reading, and Library Media.
Dear Falcons:
I can hardly believe it’s almost summer - this year has been a whirlwind - somehow that is true of every school year and yet, this year seemed to fly by even faster. As all of our falcons take flight for their summer breaks, whether you plan to travel or stay close to home, I do hope you will be sure to take along a great book, because it is there where anyone can go on a journey, from any place in the world, to any place in the world!
With that, we are pleased to announce that Summer Reading 2024 is now live on our district website. In this space, you will be able to view an introductory video starring our wonderful librarians – Mrs. Abdul and Mrs. Majkut – in which they describe how to access the many titles from which you can choose a book that piques your interest, along with their respective Top 10 recommendations. Every book on this list was carefully chosen to take into consideration the varied interests of high school students. You will also find directions for the writing assignment that is due in September upon return to school. Those entering grades 9-11 have a three-part journaling assignment based on the book of their choice; 12th grade students along with those enrolled in AP coursework have specific readings and writing tasks to complete.
There are many ways to access both print and digital copies of books. The Albany High School library is accessible during the summer, as are the branches of the Albany Public Library. We also have a robust collection of eBooks and audiobooks available; directions for access can be found on the district website.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to connect with our school librarians or Megan Donohue, AHS English Department Chair. On behalf of the City School District of Albany and the AHS English Department and librarians, we wish you a wonderful, healthy, and safe summer full of new adventures and great books!
Happy Reading!
Sincerely,
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Our recommendations
Grades 9-11
Journal assignment
Your summer reading journal is a place where you can reflect upon and draw meaning from what you read over the summer. Your summer reading journal will also serve as a place for you to demonstrate your willingness to read and thoughtfulness as a reader. This journal will be the first assignment you submit in the beginning of the school year in September and will be a portion of your first quarter grade. Use the button below to access the journal assigment.
Suggested titles
- Jason Reynolds
- Marie Lu
- Gail Giles
- Aisha Saeed
- Brandy Colbert
- Erik Larson
- Angie Thomas
- Ruta Sepetys
- Gail Jarrow
- Rupi Kaur (poet)
- Jeff Zentner
- Deborah Hopkinson
- Ann Bausum
- Candace Fleming
- Paul Volponi
- The Raft by Bodeen
- Life As We Knew It by Pfeffer
- The Selection by Kiera Cass
- Orbiting Jupiter by Gary Schmidt
- Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
- Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi
- Rucker Park Setup by Paul Volponi
- Crank by Ellen Hopkins
- Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamaki *
- Death Note by Tsugumi Ohba *
- Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram
- The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
- I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga
- Kindred by Octavia Butler *
- Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson
* Denotes graphic novel format
- They Called Us Enemy by George Takei *
- Ghosts of War: The True Story of a 19-year old GI by Ryan Smithson
- All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team by Christina Soontornvat
- The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater
- Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town by Jon Krakauer
- Just Mercy: A True Story of the Fight for Justice (Adapted for young adults) by Bryan Stevenson
- It’s Trevor Noah (Adapted for young readers) / Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
- I Was Their American Dream: A Graphic Memoir by Malaka Gharib *
- Poisoned Water: How the Citizens of Flint, Michigan, Fought for Their Lives and Warned the Nation by Candy J. Cooper and Marc Aronson
- How Dare the Sun Rise: Memoirs of a War Child by Sandra Uwiringiyimana
- Lucky by Alice Sebold
- My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf *
- The Unwanted: Stories of the Syrian Refugees by Don Brown *
- The Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty
- The Beauty in the Breaking by Michele Harper
* Denotes graphic novel format
For ENL students
A modified version of the written assignment for ENL students is also available. ENL students can choose either the modified or the original assignment. ENL students can also seek additional support by contacting Wan Oliviere at woliviere@albany.k12.ny.us or Jennifer Poli at jpoli@albany.k12.ny.us.
(Classroom code is erk7hyq; students must use their @albany.k12.ny.us credentials to join)
Grade 12
Common app assignment
Choose from the seven prompts in the document below to create two 600-word minimum essays. These will be used in your Senior Symposium classes for the first quarter.
Article and video response assignment
After reading each article below, you will respond to three questions via the Google Form (also linked below):
- What argument is the author making in this article?
- Where in the text is this supported?
- What is your position on the topic? Provide reasonable support for your opinion.
You will also be asked to respond to three questions based on the video below:
- Who is the Speaker? How does he establish ethos? Who is the audience?
- What is the occasion for this speech? How does he utilize logos?
- What is the tone developed by the speaker? How does he develop pathos?
(Classroom code is dqo4qkq; students must use their @albany.k12.ny.us credentials to join)
For ENL students
A modified version of the written assignment for ENL students is also available. ENL students can choose either the modified or the original assignment. ENL students can also seek additional support by contacting Wan Oliviere at woliviere@albany.k12.ny.us or Jennifer Poli at jpoli@albany.k12.ny.us.
(Classroom code is erk7hyq; students must use their @albany.k12.ny.us credentials to join)
AP
Reading assignment
The required reading is Kareem Rosser's Crossing the Line: A Fearless Team of Brothers and the Sport That Changed Their Lives.
We recommend you review the assignment and rubric before beginning the reading. After completing the reading, choose one of two essay options and write well-constructed, cohesive responses that rely upon both assigned readings as evidence to support your position. There is no page minimum or maximum for either assignment; however, you should not take more than an hour to complete each one as they are designed to prepare you for the rigor of the timed AP exam next May.
(Classroom code is eyxi74v; students must use their @albany.k12.ny.us credentials to join)
Reading assignment
The required reading includes How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster, paired with a collection of short stories. Select one short story and chapter pairing from each of the three provided categories. Write a 2-3 paragraph response for each, demonstrating your understanding of Foster's ideas and their reflection in the short story, using evidence from both texts.
(Classroom code is q26wboo; students must use their @albany.k12.ny.us credentials to join)
E-books and audio books
In addition to the e-book and audio resources below, which may be particularly useful during summer reading, the full Albany High Library online resource catalog is available as well.
Overdrive
A digital collection of ebooks and audiobooks for download.
Sora
A more personalized app for K-12 schools to read ebooks and audiobooks on any device, by a simple, one-click download.
Project Gutenburg
A digital collection of a library of over 60,000 free eBooks
Have questions?
If you have any questions about summer reading and the related assignments, please contact any of the individuals below.
English Teacher & Department Chair
School Librarian
School Librarian
