Dear Parents/Guardians & Students, June 7, 2002

In preparation for the next academic year, the English department is requiring all APR students to read at least one book over the summer vacation. Independent reading increases students' vocabulary and helps them to develop strong language skills. We encourage parents and guardians to join their children in reading over the summer, by discussing books and reading them aloud together.

A summer reading list for your student's grade level is included with this letter. Books can be checked out at Boston Public Library Branches or purchased at local bookstores. Students should choose to read at least one book form this list. An assessment will be given, early in the new school year, so your student must read the book he or she chooses before the new school year begins. We hope this new program will result in pleasurable reading times for you and your family this summer.

Enjoy Your Summer Reading,
The English Department

Witch Baby
By Francesca
One upon a time in the city of Shangri-L.A., someone left a baby on a doorstep. She had wild, dark hair and purple eyes and looked at the world in a special way. The family that took her in called her Witch Baby and raised her as its own. But even though she tried to fit in, Witch Baby never felt as though she truly belonged. So one day she packed her bat-shaped backpack, put her black cowboy-boot roller skates, and went out into the real world to find out who she really was… No one understands her, except her new friend, Angel Juan. Then one day, he disappears… Witch Baby is a must read for anyone who is looking for where they belong.

The Moves Make The Man
By Bruce Brooks
"Reverse spin, triple pump, reverse dribble, stutter step with twist to the left, stutter into jumper, blind pass. These are me. The moves make the man. The moves make me."
Jerome Foxworthy - the Jayfox to his friends - likes to think he can handle anything. He handled growing up without a father. He handled being the first black kid in school. And he sure can handle a basketball. Then Jerome meets Bix Rivers - white, mysterious and moody, but a great athlete. So Jerome decides to teach Bix his game. He can tell that Bix has the talent. All he's got to do is learn the right moves… Jerome and Bix are unforgettable as they learn "the moves" of basketball, of friendship, and of life.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
By Lewis Carroll
Alice is sitting with her sister outdoors when she spies a White Rabbit with a pocket watch. Fascinated by the sight, she follows the rabbit down the hole. She finds herself in the middle of a bizarre series of adventures… Not only do logic and causality work differently in Wonderland, but all the people and animals there seem to be a little bit insane… and is Alice really any different? Everyone should read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland at least once in their life. No matter what year it is or how old you are. Alice's adventures will never become dull.

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Age 13 ¾
By Sue Townsend
Teen angst has never been such serious business-or this much fun! In his secret diary, British teen Adrian Mole excruciatingly details every morsel of his turbulent adolescence. Mixed in with daily reports about the zit sprouting on his chin are heart rendering passages about his parents' chaotic marriage. Adrian sees all, and he has something to say about everything. Delightfully self-centered, Adrian is the sort of teen who could rule a much better world-if only his crazy relatives and classmates would get out of his way. This book is a masterpiece and will be for years to come.

Inherit the Wind
By Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee
In 1925, a high school teacher named John Scopes was put on trial in Tennessee for violating a law that forbade the teaching of Darwinian evolution. With William Jennings Bryan for the prosecution and Clarence Darrow for the defense, this became on of the most important trials in United States history. The trial remains a key battle in the ongoing war of biblical literalism versus science. This book is filled with great insights into the past century where instead of school without religion, they fought for school without science.

Year of Impossible Goodbyes
By Sook Nyui Choi
A fictionalized account of Choi's last months as a Korean child in Pyongyang under the
brutal Japanese rule that oppressed Korea for more than 30 year before 1945, and her harrowing escape with her seven-year-old brother. When the equally oppressive Russians drive out the Japanese, Sookan, her brother, and their mother must flee and undertake a harrowing journey south to the safety of the thirty-eighth parallel. Despite all, Choi's family preserved dignity, familial love, and loyalty to their heritage. A moving account, with may poignant, vivid moments.