SUMMER READING tips & Picks
FALL IN LOVE WITH READING Staten Island Technical High School believes very strongly in the social-emotional well being of our students. We have instituted assignment free breaks so that a break can be a reset! However, reading can be a GREAT way to relax, so this pamphlet gives you some of our English Department's favorite summer reads without any assignment attached.
KEEP IT FUN Try a genre you've never read, or read something based on a beloved movie to catch the differences and compare. Choose books that are part of the subject areas you love the most! Historical Fiction for the history buff, fantasy for the dreamers and writers, graphic novels for the artists etc. The sky's the limit!
AUDIO BOOKS Find a book with a great narrator and listen while you relax at the beach.
GET A LIBRARY APP No time to make a library run? Try downloading an app that connects to your local library and borrow books on the go!
Mrs. Cavaliere's Picks Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
This book is the prequel to The Hunger Games Series but can be read without knowledge of the series. It is the rise of President Snow. This page-turner is one of the best in the entire series acting as an entertaining read, with a commentary on government, politics, and social interactions. The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson This book is relevant in any time period and highlights curiosity, the importance of evidence-based research, and the need for problem-solving. It discusses scientific beliefs and how they have changed over time. A perfect choice for anyone interested in science, but for the avid reader too, this book shows the importance of evidence and looking at situations from multiple perspectives.
Mrs. Federico's Picks All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
This beautiful, Pulitzer Prize winning novel follows two protagonists whose lives run parallel courses during WWII. Every sentence is poetry -- like jewelry in the written form. It's a page- turner, but when I read it, I paced myself, as I never wanted it to end. It's transcendent, engaging, heartbreaking, and life-affirming. It touches upon fascinating topics, and will engage those interested in history, science, art, travel, and literature. It immediately rocketed to the top of my favorite books list. The Hundred Secret Senses by Amy Tan I read this novel after being inspired by Tan's better-known work, The Joy Luck Club. This novel grapples with conflicts between siblings, and introduces a unique dynamic by presenting two sisters, one of whom was born and raised in China, (Kwan) and one who was born and raised in America (Olivia). I love ghost stories and folklore and was immediately drawn into Tan's illustration of the "Yin World," via her beautiful characterization of Kwan. Kwan's sincerity, hopefulness, and determination to believe in something more are so engaging and palpable, that I couldn't help but feel a lightness and joyful swell of possibility whilst reading. When I finished the book, I sincerely missed the characters, especially Kwan.
Mr. Frazzetto's Picks The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Rothfuss’ ability to create a vivid and wonderful world that is full of both scoundrels and lovers is fantastic. The creative characters have a depth to them and the main character Kvothe litters the text with words of wisdom and experience. Book one of a trilogy (the third is still being written). The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead This is an eye-opening piece about a third-generation slave who must attain her freedom by escaping on a very real Underground Railroad. Though the novel is fiction, it sheds light on some very real realities that existed throughout slavery and the horrors experienced by victims of slavery.
Mrs. Fusaro's Picks Kindred by Octavia Butler
Time-traveling between the early 19th century and 1976, Dana, a young, black woman, is transported to the antebellum south on a plantation where she is mistaken as a slave. Unable to control her time-traveling abilities, she must learn how to toggle between two very different worlds as a black woman, facing feelings and circumstances she never expected to encounter. Octavia Butler mingles science fiction with historical fiction to bring a beautiful, captivating feminist work to highlight the complexities of human relationships in various power dynamics and the breadth of emotion as she stretches our empathy muscles.
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
The Song of Achilles bears all of the accuracies of The Iliad but is humanized through the lens and voice of Patroclus. Madeline Miller is a master of bridging classical mythology for the modern world through an LGBTQ lens; she ignites our passions, breaks our hearts, and brings us on a journey like never before.
Mr. Luu' s Picks Eon by Alison Goodman
The first in a series, Eon is a coming of age story where a 16-year old disabled girl masquerades herself as a boy to learn techniques to become a stronger version of herself. If the secret about her identity gets out, the penalty is death! We see her struggle against the odds as she tries to change the world. Themes include politics, eastern culture, and a bit of fantasy with dragons in the mix. Death Note Tsugumi Ohba Ace student Light Yagami is intrigued by a notebook that has the power to kill any human simply by writing their name in the book. He vows to use this power to rid the world of evil! Will power cloud Light’s judgement? Is this a power any human should ever have? This is the first in a 12 volume series that will have you wanting more.
Ms. Mannino's Picks
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
This is my favorite of Steinbeck's work, it has a compelling narrative, great characters, some of whom you'll love and others you'll love to hate, food for thought, and something beautiful to say about the human condition- there's hope in there! It's a big book, but the type of book you'll want to reread as soon as it's done and tell all your friends to read.
Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem
A 1999 detective/mystery novel with a most unique (and loveable) first-person narrator, the narrative is told from the perspective of a private detective with Tourette's Syndrome, and it's one of the most quirky and entertaining reads I've picked up in the past 5 years. I love the way the narrator fixates on a word and riffs on it without letting those tics distract him from his purpose. The novel is hilarious at times; nevertheless, it says something important about how our differences are perceived and can affect the people we encounter, and how all of this affects us too (and not always in a bad way!)
Mrs. Michan's Picks Season of Migration to the North by Tayeb Salih
The novel depicts a non-Western view of the human experience, and the surprise ending is an eye-opening reminder that human nature doesn't adhere to political and cultural geographic divisions. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemmingway I love the post-World War I perspective that Hemingway offers through his characters, whom, for one reason or another, find themselves in uncharted territories emotionally and continently. It begs the question: Can we truly attain certainty in a world that is unpredictable?
Mr. Misciagna's Picks The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow by Rolin Jones
Witty and charmingly outlandish, The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow offers a fresh, surprisingly insightful take on the human vs. technology theme. Our leading lady is Jennifer, a young, agoraphobic tech whiz who’s afraid to leave her room. She longs to find her birth mother in China, so she creates a robot twin named Jenny Chow to tackle the quest on her behalf. The script isn’t without its flaws, but it’s funny, touching, and worth a read. Topdog/Underdog by Suzan-Lori Parks Topdog/Underdog is one of the best contemporary plays from one of the most celebrated modern playwrights: Suzan-Lori Parks. In fact, it won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2002. Brothers Lincoln and Booth — yes, the names are intentional — are just trying to stay afloat after a challenging upbringing. Lincoln wants to make an honest living, but Booth can’t help but bring him down. This is a tale of sibling rivalry — the kind that comes with devastating consequences.
Mrs. Peterson's Picks
The Pelican Brief The Client both by John Grisham
I love Grisham’s writing which often feels like a race against time, making the books so easy to read. After teaching the writing course, I've noticed Grisham uses many of the tension tools that we teach the students to show suspense. I have even used excerpts in my writing class!
Mrs Sanguinedo' s Picks The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King
This is the perfect introduction to Stephen King, master of frightening suspense! With this beautifully written tale of a young girl lost in the woods, King takes you through all of the feels from fear and terror to the highs and lows of hope and dread, while you hang on the character's connection to reality. This "not too scary" novel is full of imagery and suspense putting the reader into the action and proving why King is a master of his craft!
One Second After by William R. Forstchen
This is Book 1 of 4 in Forstchen's series on a post-apocalyptic thriller citing the after- effects of a terrorist EMP strike! Cited on the floor of Congress as a must read for all Americans, this is something that is a warning to all Americans that are waist deep in technology just to get through the day.
Mr. Terrusa's Picks
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Thoughtful and easy to understand, James Clear’s Atomic Habits is a must for anyone trying to change their productivity. This simple guide will help create a strong foundation for building good habits and make it easy to say goodbye to bad habits for good.
The Ride of a Lifetime by Bob Iger
In The Ride of a Lifetime, Robert Iger shares the lessons he learned while running Disney and leading its 220,000-plus employees, and he explores the principles that are necessary for true leadership, including: optimism, courage, decisiveness, and fairness.
Mr. Wiley's Picks
The Life of Pi by Yann Martell
This is a memorable book that asks the reader to balance the tightrope as to what is real and what might be imagined. The author and its characters provide no concrete answers. Pi learns to deal with the trauma of losing his family through his relationship with a 450-pound Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. This is a book that can be read and re- read and will continue to reveal beautiful language and characters.
The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates
The Water Dance r tells the story of a young slave and the atrocities he faces on a southern plantation. He has a brush with death and discovers an unusual magical power that ultimately provides an opportunity for a new life. This book weaves the experiences of runaway slaves with elements of magic and fantasy. I could not put this book down, and Coates is a contemporary author with a powerful voice
TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT SEPTEMBER HAS IN STORE Didn't find something you liked?
LOOK AT THE LIST BELOW TO SEE WHAT NOVELS YOU CAN GET A JUMP ON FOR THE FIRST SEMESTER
FRESHMAN YEAR Freshman Year begins your "Journey" through literature. To begin this quest, students will read The Alchemist , by Paulo Coelho. **Students are encouraged to purchase the books whenever possible so that they can take detailed notes and annotations within the margins of the text. If using a library book, please use post-its for the purpose of annotations.
SOPHOMORE YEAR Sophomore Year students learn of dystopian societies and the themes and motifs that connect to larger symbols & imagery. To begin this year of tension and warning, students will read Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury. **Students are encouraged to purchase the books whenever possible so that they can take detailed notes and annotations within the margins of the text. If using a library book, please use post-its for the purpose of annotations. JUNIOR YEAR
Junior Year students gain a love for American Literature and make connections to historical contexts. In order to see the correlation between time and craft, students will read The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne. **Students are encouraged to purchase the books whenever possible so that they can take detailed notes and annotations within the margins of the text. If using a library book, please use post-its for the purpose of annotations.
SENOR YEAR Senior Year students have a lot more choice in their courses. Therefore, we recommend that students focus over the summer on College Applications. A fantastic read for students AND parents is Where You Go Is Not Who You'll Be, by Frank Bruni. Bruni speaks of the application process Do's & Don'ts and that sometimes there is more value in a great education than in choosing a school with a big name.
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