Westborough High School Summer Reading Selections 2014

Name Title and Author Brief explanation of why the teacher is recommending this title and/or why he/she plans to read it this summer. Some titles may also have a description (typically from Amazon.com).

Ms. Tucker The Maze Runner by James Dashner

I saw the trailer for this story when I went to see Divergent this Spring, and then I remembered that a former student had recommended it. I’ve enjoyed The Hunger Games trilogy as well as the Divergent series, and now seems like a good time to read The Maze Runner since the movie is coming out in September.

Ms. Pelletier Where’d You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple

This is a story told in letters and emails as well as “regular” narration. Fifteen­year­old Bee tries to piece together the mystery of what happened to her mother, who, after a series of mishaps and misunderstandings, simply disappears one day. Sounds serious, butit’s actually also really funny.

Mr. Soutter The Water Thief by Nicholas Lamar Soutter

A near future dystopia, set in a world where governments have fallen, corporations rule the world, and everything from the air you breathe to your own futures, are privatized. It the story of Charles thatcher, a man who turns in a woman for stealing rainwater, and his search for redemption. A rebuttal to Atlas Shrugged, and much in the vein of 1984 or Fahrenheit 451. Anyone interested in politics, economics, or dystopias should like it.

Mr. Brown Looking for Alaska by John Green

Admittedly, that book description from Amazon is overwrought and pretentious. And yet,at the heart of this novel rests an important question: How will we ever get out of this labyrinth of suffering? It’s about life, and love, and loss, and finding a way to move on when every part of your being longs for inertia. So I’m reading this book for two reasons:The story and themes seem relevant to teenagers (and adults), and since John Green also wrote The Fault in Our Stars, I’m thinking that students may actually be excited to read some of his other work. Seriously, it seems like every student is obsessing over Fault, so Green must be doing something right, right? Fingers crossed. P.S.: Students who choose to read this book should come to the book discussion with theirfavorite “last words” written on an index card. “Before. Miles “Pudge” Halter is done with his safe life at home. His whole life has beenone big non­event, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave “the Great Perhaps” even more (Francois Rabelais, poet). He heads off to the sometimes crazy and anything­but­boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous,

clever, funny, sexy, self­destructive, screwed up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young. She is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart. Then. . . . After. Nothing is ever the same.”

Ms. Miller The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd

As a history teacher I love historical fiction. This book in particular grabbed and hooked me due to its rich portrayal of the themes mentioned above. I hope you read and enjoy it too! “Loosely based on real­life abolitionist and women's rights activist Sarah Grimke, The Invention of Wings reveals how an intelligent woman of privilege was just as much a prisoner of her times as the slave girl, Hetty, who was given to Sarah as a birthday gift when she was 11 years old. This is a splendid tale that will reaffirm the injustices of slavery and will open some eyes to how women were treated in the 1800s. As always, Kidd offers rich, well­developed characters that readers think about long after the book isclosed.”

Ms. Lonergan Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

I was doing some online research to find a novel that I would want to do for summer reading. This novel was one of the first titles that came up and when I read the description, I knew it was a good fit for my interests. I enjoy reading fiction that is rootedin history and tells the story of individuals who were part of little known events in our nation’s past.

“Penobscot Indian Molly Ayer is close to “aging out” out of the foster care system. A community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thingkeeping Molly out of juvie and worse...As she helps Vivian sort through her possessions and memories, Molly learns that she and Vivian aren’t as different as they seem to be. A young Irish immigrant orphaned in New York City, Vivian was put on a train to the Midwest with hundreds of other children whose destinies would be determined by luck and chance. Molly discovers that she has the power to help Vivian find answers to mysteries that have haunted her for her entire life – answers that will ultimately free themboth.”

Mr. Callaghan Startup by Glenn Ogura This book was recommended to me by my niece last summer. This past Easter weekend,a high school­aged neighbor of mine asked me if students at WHS read Startup. Given the fact that I had not taken my niece’s advice last year, and I could not find a student at WHS who has read this book, I figured it would be a good choice. The book’s rating among teens and young adults is high. The plot is very interesting to me (“In this

fast­paced thriller, a young entrepreneur faces moral dilemmas in Silicon Valley, a place where the inner working of the legal system favors the aggressor”), especially the fact that many of today’s ethical issues in business inspired this story. This is author Glenn Ogura’s debut novel and it is considered a brilliant piece. I simply can’t wait to pickthis book up. I hope you read more about it on Amazon or Goodreads.

Ms. Matson Le Freak: An Upside Down Story of Family, Disco, and Destiny by Nile Rodgers

Chances are, if you are into music, you have in some way been influenced by Nile Rodgers. From disco to jazz fusion to pop, Nile has been a force in the music industry since the 70s ­ and is still relevant today in his work with artists such as Pharrell Williamsand Daft Punk. I started his autobiography at the suggestion of my husband and so far have found it to be quite a compelling story. I’m looking forward to finishing it! Here’s the Amazon blurb: “In the 1970s and 1980s, Nile Rodgers wrote and produced the songs that defined the eraand everything that came after: “Le Freak,” “Good Times,” “We Are Family,” “Like a Virgin,” “Let’s Dance,” “I’m Coming Out,” “Rapper’s Delight”—and worked with everyinfluential pop star to create a string of enduring hits, from Diana Ross and Madonna to Duran Duran and David Bowie. Even today, he is still musically relevant: writing and performing record­breaking hits like “Get Lucky” with Daft Punk and Pharrell. But beforehe reinvented pop music, Nile Rodgers invented himself. From jamming with Jimi Hendrixin a Greenwich Village haze to the decadence of the disco era to witnessing the birth of Madonna on the Danceteria dance floor, Le Freak traces one of the greatest musical journeys of our time.”

Ms. Cellucci Noggin by John Corey Whaley

When I am making my choices for summer reading, I typically like to chose something from a newer young adult author. As I read a lot of books during the summer, I wanted something for this that has an interesting storyline. This book sounds really different! Here is the GoodReads Summary: “Listen — Travis Coates was alive once and then he wasn’t. Now he’s alive again. Simple as that. The in between part is still a little fuzzy, but he can tell you that, at some point or another, his head got chopped off and shoved intoa freezer in Denver, Colorado. Five years later, it was reattached to some other guy’s body, and well, here he is. Despite all logic, he’s still 16 and everything and everyone around him has changed. That includes his bedroom, his parents, his best friend, and his girlfriend. Or maybe she’s not his girlfriend anymore? That’s a bit fuzzy too. Looks like ifthe new Travis and the old Travis are ever going to find a way to exist together, then there are going to be a few more scars. Oh well, you only live twice.”

Ms. DiCarlo The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and their Quest for Olympic Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown

This book combines a few of my interests: sports, the Olympics, the fight of the underdog, and history. When looking for a book to read this summer I stumbled into thisbook on Amazon.

From Amazon: “ Daniel James Brown's robust book tells the story of the University of Washington's 1936 eight­oar crew and their epic quest for an Olympic gold medal, a teamthat transformed the sport and grabbed the attention of millions of Americans. The sons ofloggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the boys defeated elite rivals first from eastern and British universities and finally the German crew rowing for Adolf Hitler in the Olympic games in Berlin, 1936. The emotional heart of the story lies with one rower, JoeRantz, a teenager without family or prospects, who rows not for glory, but to regain his shattered self­regard and to find a place he can call home. The crew is assembled by an enigmatic coach and mentored by a visionary, eccentric British boat builder, but it is theirtrust in each other that makes them a victorious team. They remind the country of what can be done when everyone quite literally pulls together ­ a perfect melding of commitment, determination, and optimism. Drawing on the boys' own diaries and journals,their photos and memories of a once­in­a­lifetime shared dream, The Boys in the Boat is an irresistible story about beating the odds and finding hope in the most desperate of times­ the improbable, intimate story of nine working­class boys from the American west who,in the depths of the Great Depression, showed the world what true grit really meant.”

Mrs. Greer Espinosa Leaving Mother Lake: A Girlhood at the Edge of the World by Christine Mathieu

I read this book several years ago and found it fascinating since it appealed to my interests in Eastern cultures, cultures that value women differently than our cultural norm,and, of course, singing. This is the Amazon Summary: “With the help of anthropologist Mathieu, singer Namu describes growing up on the Chinese­Tibetan border in Moso country, "the Country of theDaughters." Detailing her late­1960s, early­'70s upbringing­she was known in her villageas "the girl who was given back three times"­she sheds light on the unique matrilineal Moso culture, with its "walking marriages," where women take as many lovers as they want and the men continue to reside in their mothers' homes. The interweaving of the customs of this remote part of China­where "a man and a woman may sing to each other from the peaks of two mountains, but they will need to carry food for three days if they want to meet halfway"­with Namu's determination to have a worldly life despite her family's poverty and her own inability to read and write lend this tale poignancy. Most readers will find themselves rooting for Namu as she runs away from home, travels across the country and successfully auditions for a place in the Shanghai Music Conservatory at age 16. There, she learns to read and write and launches her international

singing career. For those who doubt that a land could exist where girls are favored over boys and marriage is viewed with distrust, Mathieu appends an afterword about her research on the Moso and the changes that have taken place, including universal education

Ms. Cavanaugh Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

I’m not sure what my problem is, but when it comes to summer reading I have a propensity to go all old school. So, I’ve chosen Du Maurier’s Rebecca. I first read this novel when I was doing my student teaching. It’s a lovely text­­not super literary­­but it’sa great study in point of view, and it offers murder and mystery and revenge and love and...well, it’s just pretty groovy. One final perquisite: it appears frequently on Jeopardy, so if trivia’s your game, you’ll want to read Rebecca. Seriously, I think you’ll love it. Here’s the Amazon blurb: “So the second Mrs. Maxim de Winter remembered the chilling events that led her down the turning drive past the beeches, white and naked, the isolated gray stone manse on the windswept Cornish coast. With a husband she barely knew, the young bride arrived at this immense estate, only to be inexorably drawn into the life of the first Mrs. de Winter, the beautiful Rebecca, dead but never forgotten...her suite of rooms never touched, her clothes ready to be worn, her servant ­­ the sinister Mrs. Danvers ­­ still loyal. And as an eerie presentiment of evil tightened around her heart, the second Mrs. de Winter began her search for the real fate of Rebecca...for the secrets of Manderley.”

Ms. Freedman The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks

I am not an avid reader, but I always enjoy a Nicholas Sparks book! I have read all his books and was excited to read this one last summer, but it wasn’t going to be published until after the school year started. It is now here and I am looking forward to another love story with a possible twist.

Mr. Collins I May Be Wrong, but I Doubt It by Charles Barkley

I have no idea what the actual content of the book is, but I find Charles Barkley to be a former high profile athlete and current sports commentator that is interested in telling it “how he sees it”; I do not think we have enough of that attitude in today’s world.

Mr. Parsons A History of Histories by John Burrow

Burrow’s book is a well­written and insightful look at the history of the study of history, atleast in the western tradition. Burrow shows how the study of history has evolved since Herodotus and, more importantly, that history, as an art, is a product of the culture that produces it.

Ms. Potosnak Firefly Lane by Kristen Hannah

I have read and loved many of Kristen Hannah’s books but have never gotten around to reading Firefly Lane. This was on the New York Times bestseller list and is a powerful novel of love, loss and the magic of friendship that becomes the bulkhead of their lives!

Mr. Perryman and Mr. Myers

The Strain by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan

This is a vampire epic ­ a really cool take on the vampire and zombie genre. It’s got nastymean vampires drinking lots of blood; you’ll be so scared you’ll never be able to take thetrash out again at night. Please do not read this book unless you are ultimately cool. Planon taking a moment in August to mock all of your friends who chose different books. You must watch the miniseries this summer (on FX). From Amazon: “The first of a trilogy, The Strain is everything you want from a horror novel­­dark, bloody, and packed full of mayhem and mythology. But, be forewarned, theseare not like any vampires you've met before­­they're not sexy or star­crossed or "vegetarians"­­they are hungry, they are connected, and they are multiplying. The vampirevirus marches its way across New York, and all that stands between us and a grotesque end are a couple of scientists, an old man with a decades­old vendetta, and a young boy. This first installment moves fast and sets up the major players, counting down to the beginning of the end. Great summer reading.”

Ms. Apuzzo Langton and Ms. Snider

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

At the close of each school year, I attempt to select a book that will capture my attention and interest students enough to read. For the most part, I have enjoyed my books but few students have joined. This year I asked my daughter and each time I gave her a title and a summary she responded with a dramatic head nod of NO. Finally she said, “why don’t you read The Book Thief, I know you will like it. It is long but from the time you begin you will not want to put it down, and it is a story that students can relate to.” So, Iset out to find out as much as I could and I enlisted Ms. Snider to read with me, the bait being a summer reading group with my daughter Flannery, taking place by the shore. We know that there is a movie, but we ask that you read the book and in the fall we will set a date to watch the movie together. Here is the summary from the back of the book: It is 1939, Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier,and will become busier still. By her brother’s graveside, Liesel Meminger’s life is changed when she picks up a single object, partly hidden in the snow. It is The Grave Digger’s Handbook, left there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery. So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordion­playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book­burnings, the mayor’s wife’s library, wherever there are books to be found. I told my mom to read The Book Thief because it is honestly the best book I have ever read. The book is narrated by Death, which gives it an interesting look into the death­plagued world of Nazi Germany. This story is also filled with fabulously developedcharacters that you will just fall in love with as you watch them grow up as World War 2

progresses. This is a story about the power of words and the effect they have on people no matter the circumstance. This is something that touched me deeply for I have always loved books which gives me a connection to this book that just can't be broken. We hope you will join us and enjoy this story.

Ms. Purdy The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan

So what are you going to pack in your lunch? Buy at the grocery store? Feed your kids? Grow in your garden? Where will you shop for food? How can we make good choices about food and sustainability on a planet that clearly does not have unlimited resources? Good question. I want to have a dialogue with students and discuss how their food choices impact everyone. Here is the Amazon blurb: A national bestseller that has changed the way readers view the ecology of eating, this revolutionary book by award winner Michael Pollan asks the seemingly simple question: What should we have for dinner? Tracing from source to table each of the food chains that sustain us ­­ whether industrial or organic, alternative or processed ­­ he develops a portrait of the American way of eating.

Ms. Perryman and Ms. Shea

The Accidental Universe: The World You Thought You Knew by Alan Lightman

I love Alan Lightman’s work – he combines his background in theoretical physics with a novelist’s sense of language and story­telling to grapple with some of the biggest philosophical questions out there. I read this book this winter, and I need to read it again. “Alan Lightman brings a light touch to heavy questions. Here is a book about nesting ospreys, multiple universes, atheism, spiritualism, and the arrow of time. Throughout, Lightman takes us back and forth between ordinary occurrences—old shoes and entropy, sailing far out at sea and the infinite expanse of space. In this slight volume, Lightman looks toward the universe and captures aspects of it in a series of beautifully written essays, each offering a glimpse at the whole from a different perspective: here time, theresymmetry, not least God. It is a meditation by a remarkable humanist­physicist, a book worth reading by anyone entranced by big ideas grounded in the physical world.” —Peter L. Galison, Joseph Pellegrino University Professor, Harvard University

Mr.Huse and Ms. Roney

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Neither one of us know much about this book. Mr. Huse thinks it is a science fiction taleabout a far away planet; I told him he was wrong. It’s about young love. This is not usually what either of us has picked for a summer reading book; we always pick the dudsthat no one seems to want to read. We’re both curious to read a bestseller for a change. Join us. From Amazon…

“At 16, Hazel Grace Lancaster, a three­year stage IV–cancer survivor, is clinically depressed. To help her deal with this, her doctor sends her to a weekly support group where she meets Augustus Waters, a fellow cancer survivor, and the two fall in love. Both kids are preternaturally intelligent, and Hazel is fascinated with a novel about cancercalled An Imperial Affliction. Most particularly, she longs to know what happened to its characters after an ambiguous ending. To find out, the enterprising Augustus makes it possible for them to travel to Amsterdam, where Imperial’s author, an expatriate American, lives. What happens when they meet him must be left to readers to discover.”

Ms. Vavruska The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

I read this memoir several years ago, and it remains one of my all­time favorites. I was moved by the author’s very personal story of her family’s dysfunction and dire poverty and her ability to persevere and succeed in spite of it. I am eager to re­read the book this summer and hope you will join me! From Amazon: “Jeannette Walls grew up with parents whose ideals and stubborn nonconformity were both their curse and their salvation. Rex and Rose Mary Walls had four children. In the beginning, they lived like nomads, moving among Southwest desert towns, camping in themountains. Rex was a charismatic, brilliant man who, when sober, captured his children'simagination, teaching them physics, geology, and above all, how to embrace life fearlessly.Rose Mary, who painted and wrote and couldn't stand the responsibility of providing for her family, called herself an "excitement addict." Cooking a meal that would be consumedin fifteen minutes had no appeal when she could make a painting that might last forever. Later, when the money ran out, or the romance of the wandering life faded, the Walls retreated to the dismal West Virginia mining town ­­ and the family ­­ Rex Walls had doneeverything he could to escape. He drank. He stole the grocery money and disappeared fordays. As the dysfunction of the family escalated, Jeannette and her brother and sisters had to fend for themselves, supporting one another as they weathered their parents' betrayals and, finally, found the resources and will to leave home. What is so astonishingabout Jeannette Walls is not just that she had the guts and tenacity and intelligence to get out, but that she describes her parents with such deep affection and generosity. Hers is a story of triumph against all odds, but also a tender, moving tale of unconditional love in afamily that despite its profound flaws gave her the fiery determination to carve out a successful life on her own terms.”

Ms. Richards All These Things I’ve Done by Gabrielle Zevin

I read a review of another book by Gabrielle Zevin (The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry), and while looking into it I realized she has written a series for young adults about a teenage

girl who becomes the head of her crime family in a dystopian future in which chocolate isillegal. This is the first book in the series, and I’m curious to see what it’s like. Amazon says: “In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen­year­old daughter of the city's most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school, taking care of her siblings and herdying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant D.A.'s son, and avoiding her loser ex­boyfriend. That is until her ex is accidently poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she's to blame. Suddenly, Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight­­at school, in the news, and most importantly, within her mafia family.”

Ms. Rourke­Dupuis and Ms.Leuci

The Bookman’s Tale by Charlie Lovett

We enjoy reading books associated with art,antiquities, literature,and historical fiction. This book appears to have all of that and more! “Peter Byerly isn’t sure what drew him into this particular bookshop. Nine months earlier,the death of his beloved wife, Amanda, had left him shattered. The young antiquarian bookseller relocated from North Carolina to the English countryside, hoping to rediscoverthe joy he once took in collecting and restoring rare books. But upon opening an eighteenth­century study of Shakespeare forgeries, Peter is shocked when a portrait of Amanda tumbles out of its pages. Of course, it isn’t really her. The watercolor is clearly Victorian. Yet the resemblance is uncanny, and Peter becomes obsessed with learning thepicture’s origins. As he follows the trail back first to the Victorian era and then to Shakespeare’s time, Peter communes with Amanda’s spirit, learns the truth about his ownpast, and discovers a book that might definitively prove Shakespeare was, indeed, the author of all his plays.”

Ms. Flanagan and Dr. Ryan

Tears of the Cheetah by Stephen J. O’Brien

Stephen O’Brien does a great job describing how he used science to learn secrets about a variety of endangered animals. This is part of the description from Amazon.com: “In Tears of the Cheetah, medical geneticist and conservationist Stephen J. O'Brien narrates fast­moving science adventure stories that explore the mysteries of survival among the earth's most endangered and beloved wildlife. Here we uncover the secret histories of exotic species such as Indonesian orangutans, humpback whales, and the imperiled cheetah­the world's fastest animal which nonetheless cannot escape its own genetic weaknesses. Among these genetic detective stories we also discover how the Serengeti lions have livedwith FIV (the feline version of HIV), where giant pandas really come from, how bold genetic action pulled the Florida panther from the edge of extinction, how the survivors ofthe medieval Black Death passed on a genetic gift to their descendents, and how mappingthe genome of the domestic cat solved a murder case in Canada. With each riveting account of animal resilience and adaptation, a remarkable parallel in human medicine is drawn, adding yet another rationale for species conservation­mining their genomes for cures to our own fatal diseases. Tears of the Cheetah offers a fascinating glimpse of the insight gained when geneticists venutre into the wild.”

Ms. Hilfinger Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell

Outliers by M. Gladwell, looks at different facets of culture, society and human behavior to explain "why." In this book Gladwell finds the common threads in what makes peoplesuccessful, and I love the logic and the threads that are teased out to explain seemingly random events. And I like that the book is written so each chapter examines a different type of success (or lack there of) and can stand alone. It creates a "choose your own adventure" approach to reading the book because it doesn't have to be chronological. I anticipate that each person who reads this book will likely gravitate toward adifferent chapter or identify with different parts of a chapter and this creates a great opportunity for discussion. “In this stunning new book, Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey throughthe world of "outliers"­­the best and the brightest, the most famous and the most successful. He asks the question: what makes high­achievers different? His answer is that we pay too much attention to what successful people are like, and too little attention to where they are from: that is, their culture, their family, their generation, and the idiosyncratic experiences of their upbringing. Along the way he explains the secrets of software billionaires, what it takes to be a great soccer player, why Asians are good at math, and what made the Beatles the greatest rock band.”

Mr. Lefebvre Paper Towns by John Green

The John Green craze is sweeping the nation! The Fault in our Stars has already been made into a movie, and I learned that Paper Towns is scheduled to go into production. Students can watch some of John Green’s youtube videos to get a sense of his personalityand learn more about this very popular author.

“Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo RothSpiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his life–dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge–he follows. After their all­nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discoverthat Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues–and they’re for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees of the girl he thought he knew.”

Mr. McIntyre The Story of the Human Body: Evolution, Health, and Disease by Daniel Lieberman

I spend much of the year reading books related to social studies, but reading widely is important to me so during the summer I usually plan to diverge from my key area of knowledge. Often this includes some literature and popular science. In this case I thoughtit would be nice for students to learn along with the teacher rather than have me as the authority on the matter. Here’s the Amazon description: “In his landmark book of popular science, Daniel E. Lieberman—chair of the department of human evolutionary biology at Harvard Universityand a leader in the field—gives us a lucid and engaging account of how the human body evolved over millions of years, even as it shows how the increasing disparity between thejumble of adaptations in our Stone Age bodies and advancements in the modern world is occasioning this paradox: greater longevity but increased chronic disease.” This book appears to provide an interesting bridge between social studies and important discoveries in evolutionary science.

Ms. Gormley I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb

As a student of history, I have often thought about how lucky I am, as a woman, not only to be born in this time period but also this country. Through my studies as well as my travels I have become painfully aware that many women and girls have not been privy to the rights and opportunities I have. In this young girl we see someone who is not afraid tostand up for what she thinks is right. I don’t know if I could have that conviction; to risk my life for a cause. That is the ultimate commitment. I want to read her story so I can find out more about her as a person and where her amazing courage comes from. Also since I do so much research based reading during the year, I normally reserve my summers for fiction reads. I have used the WHS summer reading to push me out of my comfort zone and into non­fiction.

From Amazon: “When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, one girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education. On Tuesday, October 9, 2012, when she was fifteen, she almost paid the ultimate price. She was shot in the head at point­blank range while riding the bus home from school, and few expected her to survive. Instead, Malala's miraculous recovery has taken her on an extraordinary journey from a remote valley in northern Pakistan to the halls of the United Nations in New York. At sixteen, she has become a global symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest nominee ever for the Nobel Peace Prize. I AM MALALA is the remarkable tale of a family uprooted by global terrorism, of the fight for girls' education, of a father who, himself a school owner, championed and encouraged hisdaughter to write and attend school, and of brave parents who have a fierce love for their daughter in a society that prizes sons.”

Ms. Stoker Baseball as a Road to God: Seeing Beyond the Game by John Sexton

Since I was a little girl, I’ve been a baseball fanatic. I love the game and I love the connections and relationships that have been created among people in the game or watching the game. So when I recently saw the title and purchased it as a gift, I bought acopy for me, too! I’m hoping it will prove to be a good read as the Amazon review suggests. I also think if you’re a sports fan enthusiast, you’ll like the book. So one comeall...even if you’re a Yankees fan. :) From Amazon: “A love letter to America's most beloved sport and an exploration of thedeeper dimensions it reveals. For more than a decade, New York University president John Sexton has used baseball to illustrate the elements of a spiritual life in a wildly popular course at NYU. Using great works of baseball literature as well as the actual game's fantastic moments, its legendary characters, and its routine rituals ­ from the long­sought triumph of the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers to the heroic achievements of playerslike the saintly Christy Mathewson and the sinful Ty Cobb to the loving intimacy of a game of catch between a father and son ­ Sexton teaches that through the game we can touch the spiritual dimensions of life.

Baseball as a Road to God is about the elements of our lives that lie beyond what can be captured in words alone ­ ineffable truths that we know by experience rather than by logic or analysis. Applying the inquiry usually reserved for the study of religion to the secular activity of baseball, Sexton reveals a surprising amount of common ground between the game and what we all recognize as religion: sacred places and times, faith and doubt, blessings and curses, and more. In thought­provoking, beautifully rendered

prose, Baseball as a Road to God elegantly demonstrates that baseball is more than a game or even a national pastime: It can be a road to a deeper and more meaningful life.”

Ms. Hoey The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

Why did I choose this book?? I love animals, and so many people I know are surprised I haven’t read it yet. It comes highly recommended by many, and friends promised me thatI would absolutely love it! Here is the overview from Amazon: “A heart­wrenching but deeply funny and ultimatelyuplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope­­a captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life . . . as only a dog could tell it.”

Ms. Rodriguez Curtain by Agatha Christie

I love mysteries and Agatha Christie is my favorite mystery author. Even though I’ve already read all of her books, I like to re­read one each summer. I try to select one I haven’t read in many years so I can enjoy the challenge of trying to re­solve the puzzle. This summer I plan to read Curtain. This book is the final case of Hercule Poiriot, her most popular detective. She actually wrote it during the 1940’s but sealed it in a vault to be published after her death. If you enjoy solving puzzles and trying to figure out “whodunnit”, then I am sure you will enjoy this book.

Mr. Anderson In Pursuit of Excellence by Terry Orlick

“How to win in sport and life through mental training.” This book is all about reaching your potential. I’m extremely passionate about and very interested in sports psychology and peak performance in all aspects of life. Amazon describes the book this way: “Reach your potential! Whether you are an athlete, a coach, or a promising high achiever in another walk of life, In Pursuit of Excellence provides the expert advice and proven techniques to help you fulfill your aspirations. Author Terry Orlick, an internationally acclaimed sport psychologist, has helped hundredsof Olympic and professional athletes maximize their performances and achieve their goals. In this fourth edition, Orlick provides new insights and a powerful step­by­step planfor you to develop your own personal path to excellence. You'll learn to focus for excellence and high­quality living. You'll gain a more positive outlook, a more focused commitment, better ways of dealing with distractions, and strategies for overcoming obstacles. You'll also achieve greater personal and professional satisfaction and discover better ways to work with teammates, respond more effectively to coaching, and become more self­directed in your thoughts and actions.”

Ms. Patch The Closer by Mariano Rivera

One of my loves is sports. Since I grew up on Long Island, I am a big Yankees fan. For those of you who follow baseball, it is well known that Mariano Rivera retired last year

and was a class act on and off the field. My parents gave me as signed copy of his book for Mother’s Day this year, and I can’t wait to have the time to be able to read it. A description from Amazon follows: “In The Closer, Rivera takes readers into the Yankee clubhouse, where his teammates are his brothers. But he also takes us on that jog from the bullpen to the mound, where the game ­­ or the season ­­ rests squarely on his shoulders. We come to understand the laserlike focus that is his hallmark, and how his faith and his family kept his feet firmly on the pitching rubber. Many of the tools he usedso consistently and gracefully came from what was inside him for a very long time ­­ his deep passion for life; his enduring commitment to Clara, whom he met in kindergarten; and his innate sense for getting out of a jam. When Rivera retired, the whole world watched ­­ and cheered. In The Closer, we come to an even greater appreciation of a legend built from the ground up.”

Ms. Coelho The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milain Kundera

About a year ago, in one of my bookstore jaunts, I picked up this book and read the back cover. The title intrigued me, and I wanted to know more. The summary on the back didn't immediately appeal, so I put it back down. Now it seems that I trip across this bookeverywhere. I have picked it up and read the back cover at least five times. I just decided to surrender to whatever force keeps compelling me to pick it up and read it. “In The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera tells the story of a young woman in love with a man torn between his love for her and his incorrigible womanizing and one of his mistresses and her humbly faithful lover. This magnificent novel juxtaposesgeographically distant places; brilliant and playful reflections; and a variety of styles to take its place as perhaps the major achievement of one of the world’s truly great writers.”

Mr. Kittredge Education of a Coach by David Halberstam

I have read a little bit of Halberstam in the past and thoroughly enjoyed it. I am interestedin this book as it focuses on Bill Belichick and the Patriots championships of the early 2000’s. Insight into the thought process of Coach Belichick is not something one comes upon often and I am therefore quite intrigued.

Ms. MacAlpine Crónica de Una Muerte Anunciada by Gabriel García Márquez

I love everything that Marquez has written; this one is a great first novel to gete into his work. From the first sentence, you know that someon’s going to die. It’s cool the way this book is written backwards in a way. I love the scary stories, and this one is certtainlycreepy (not gory) and engaging. We’ll be reading the original version ­ in Spanish. Here’s a summary: “Publicada en 1981, esta novela del escritor colombiano Gabriel García Márquez basa su argumento en un suceso ocurrido durante la juventud del escritor:

un asesinato por motivos de honor. Muchos años después el narrador, erigido en cronista e investigador de unos hechos que vivió muy de cerca pero que no llegó a presenciar, reconstruye minuciosamente la historia, sin ocultar en ningún momento su desenlace, queanuncia desde la primera frase de la novela: "El día en que lo iban a matar, Santiago Nasar se levantó a las 5.30 de la mañana..."

Mr. O’Brien Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick This is an in depth discussion of the meeting between European and Native American culture in the 17th century and helps explain the workings of what historians describe as the Atlantic World. From Amazon: “Nathaniel Philbrick became an internationally renowned author with hisNational Book Award? winning In the Heart of the Sea, hailed as ?spellbinding? by Timemagazine. In Mayflower, Philbrick casts his spell once again, giving us a fresh and extraordinarily vivid account of our most sacred national myth: the voyage of the Mayflower and the settlement of Plymouth Colony. From the Mayflower?s arduous Atlantic crossing to the eruption of King Philip?s War between colonists and natives decades later, Philbrick reveals in this electrifying history of the Pilgrims a fifty­five­yearepic, at once tragic and heroic, that still resonates with us today.”

Mr. McCoskery The Fairy Tales of Hermann Hesse Fairy Tales are not just for kids, or are they for kids at all? I have read some of the Fairy Tales in the Brothers Grimm collection and find them to be slightly different than may beportrayed in a Disney movie. As I was looking for a book to read for the summer, I cameacross these stories in a pile of books that my brother left behind when he moved. I read the first story and I am hooked. I look forward to reading the rest this summer and hope to see where these stack up next to the classics. From Amazon: “A collection of twenty­two fairy tales by the Nobel Prize­winning novelist, most translated into English for the first time, show the influence of German Romanticism, psychoanalysis, and Eastern religion on his development as an author.”

Mr. Fontaine One Second After by William R.

Forstchen

Here’s Why I’m reading it… Any story that involves EMP's, survival, and prepping mustbe a good read! From Amazon: “New York Times best selling author William R. Forstchen now brings usa story which can be all too terrifyingly real...a story in which one man struggles to save his family and his small North Carolina town after America loses a war, in one second, a war that will send America back to the Dark Ages...A war based upon a weapon, an Electro Magnetic Pulse (EMP). A weapon that may already be in the hands of our enemies.”