Summer 2008 Reading List for English 11

Over the summer, you are required to read the following four books. At the beginning of the fall semester, you will be given some form of assessment for each one.

1) Read The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver. You will need to write a paper to hand in on the first day of class in the fall semester. Type your full name in the upper left –hand corner.

• For the body of the paper, write a letter to one of the characters in the book.
• Choose the character whom you consider to be the wisest person in the story. Look up the word “wise” in a dictionary.
• Begin your letter with a salutation.
• In the first paragraph, tell the person why you have selected him or her. Illustrate your reasons with some examples of words or deeds of the character in the story.
• In the second paragraph, explain why you respect the thoughts and actions of the character.
• In the third paragraph, relate this person's actions to your own life. Explain to the character how you are similar to or different from him or her. Be sure to give examples from your life and from the story to illustrate your points.
• In the last paragraph, tell the character what you think of him or her.
• End your letter with a proper closing .
• Sign your letter.
• Remember, you are speaking directly to the character, so address him or her as “you.”
• Format: Papers must be typed and double-spaced. (That means skip lines!) Use font size 12 in Courier, Arial, or Times New Roman. Teachers will not read italics or any other font styles. Do NOT attach any cover page.
• Due date: First English class meeting in Semester I. This paper will be your first grade of the year!

2) Read Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. You will take a quiz on this book at the beginning of semester I. Other assignments will be determined by your teacher.

3) Read Daisy Miller by Henry James. For this book, you will have an essay assignment given to you at the beginning of the semester.

4) Read Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. Assignments will be determined by your teacher.