Summer Reading Assignment Grade 9 & 10 2012 Assalamu Alaikum Parents and Students, It is hard to believe that we are coming to the conclusion of a productive school year. Throughout the year, students had many opportunities to read many interesting books – some of my choosing, and some of their own choices too. Did you know that reading over the summer significantly improves your performance in school and on standardized tests such as the SAT and ACT? Studies show that students who read during their summer vacation have significantly better grades in all of their subjects throughout the school year. This year, all incoming tenth grade students are required to read at least two books over the summer to keep “your head in the game.” All students will be assessed on their chosen books when they return to school in September. This will count as a test grade for the first quarter in English class. In addition, students have to complete a response log for the two books that they choose to read for the class. A model for the response log is attached with this letter. Students can access these books at the public library, or through Amazon.com. This assignment document will also be available online through www.al-amal.org. Happy Reading!! I look forward to seeing you all in September, InshAllah!

Jazak Allah Khair, Ishrat R. Islam Language Arts Teacher (Grades 7 to 10)

Summer Reading Assignment Grade 9 & 10 2012 Notes and Instructions:  You must have read, in its entirety, your required reading books by the first day of class for the 2012-2013 school year. Assessments and/or activities on the required reading books could be administered as early as the first week of school.  It is recommended that you take notes and/or create a reading journal so you can be ready to discuss the book for your grade and take part in related activities throughout the school year.  Include questions you have about the chapter and the answer with the page number(s) once the answer is found.  Students must finish a dialectical note taking sheet, or a double-entry response journal for the “required reading” books. A Sample is attached to the document.  All note taking sheets are required to be typed papers. You can make copies of the sheets given here, or make your own charts.  Assignments are due on the first day of school for 2012/2013 InshAllah.

Re com m e n d e d Re ad in g List f or In com in g Te n t h an d Ele v e n t h Gr ad e r s

Civilization of Faith by Mustafa As Siba'ee This is an excellent read, a journey through Islamic history, focusing on the highlights of the civilizations: racial equality, religious tolerance, etiquette in war, kindness to animals, etc. Walk to Freedom: A Historic Journey by Javed Mohammed A grandfather tells the story of his life in India and the mass exodus of Muslims moving from the Punjab as India was divided into 2 countries.. He himself was one of them and he had to fight for his freedom across 3 continents. An important and interesting book. Zoya's Story: An Afghan Woman's Struggle for Freedom by John Follain After both her parents were killed by the predecessors of the Taliban, Zoya journeyed to Pakistan, where she could receive an education. A few years later, Zoya returned to Afghanistan to help her people and get firsthand accounts of the horrors of the Taliban reign. Zoya herself witnessed public executions and amputations, but she also witnessed heartening displays of courage--women defying the Taliban by holding secret classes and shopping in the marketplace. Zoya remains skeptical about the future of Afghanistan after the Taliban, afraid that after the U.S. involvement ends, the Mujahideen will return to their old ways. A stirring memoir by an uncompromisingly brave woman.

Summer Reading Assignment Grade 9 & 10 2012 The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeannette Walls Jeannette Walls has carved a story with precision and grace out of one of the most chaotic, heartbreaking childhoods ever to be set down on the page. This deeply affecting memoir is a triumph in every possible way, and it does what all good books should: it affirms our faith in the human spirit. Nation by Terry Pratchett When a giant wave destroys his village, Mau is the only one left. Daphne—a traveler from the other side of the globe—is the sole survivor of a shipwreck. Separated by language and customs, the two are united by catastrophe. Slowly, they are joined by other refugees. And as they struggle to protect the small band, Mau and Daphne defy ancestral spirits, challenge death himself, and uncover a long-hidden secret that literally turns the world upside down. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley In this futuristic, dystopian novel, Huxley foresaw test-tube babies and the ethical issues raised by bioengineering. "Community, Identity, Stability" is the motto of Aldous Huxley's utopian World State. Here everyone consumes daily grams of soma, to fight depression, babies are born in laboratories, and the most popular form of entertainment is a "Feelie," a movie that stimulates the senses of sight, hearing, and touch. Though there is no violence and everyone is provided for, Bernard Marx feels something is missing and senses his relationship with a young woman has the potential to be much more than the confines of their existence allow. The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson The ethics of bioengineering in the not-so-distant future drives this story. Jenna, 17, severely injured in a car crash, is saved by her heartbroken father, a scientist who illegally uses the latest medical technology to help her. Only 10 per cent of her original brain is saved, but Dad has programmed her by uploading the high-school curriculum. She could live two years, or 200. Is she a monster or a miracle? Why have her parents hidden her away? The science (including allusions to the dangerous overuse of antibiotics) and the science fiction are fascinating, but what will hold readers most are the moral issues of betrayal, loyalty, sacrifice, and survival. Jenna realizes it is her parents’ love that makes them break the law to save her at any cost. Although a young adult novel, the questions about science’s role in our world resonate with the similar themes raised in Frankenstein, which is required reading in English 10. The Unidentified by Rae Moriz Fifteen-year-old Katey (aka Kid) goes to school in the Game—a mall converted into a “school” run by corporate sponsors. As the students play their way through the levels, they are also creating products and being used for market research by the sponsors, who are watching them 24/7 on video cameras. Kid has a vague sense of unease but doesn’t question this existence until one day she witnesses a shocking anticorporate prank. She follows the clues to uncover the identities of the people behind it and discovers an anonymous group that calls itself the Unidentified. Intrigued by their counterculture ideas and enigmatic leader, Kid is drawn into the

Summer Reading Assignment Grade 9 & 10 2012 group. But when the Unidentified’s pranks and even Kid’s own identity are co-opted by the sponsors, Kid decides to do something bigger—something that could change the Game forever. Birthmarked by Caragh M. O’Brien In the future, in a world baked dry by the harsh sun, there are those who live inside the wall and those, like sixteen-year-old midwife, Gaia Stone, who live outside. Gaia has always believed it is her duty, with her mother, to hand over a small quota of babies to the Enclave. But when Gaia’s mother and father are arrested by the very people they so dutifully serve, Gaia is forced to question everything she has been taught to believe. Gaia’s choice is now simple: enter the world of the Enclave to rescue her parents, or die trying. The book is the first of a trilogy by O’Brien. Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson In the spring of 1776, Isabel, a teenage slave, and her sister, Ruth, are sold to ruthless, wealthy loyalists in Manhattan. While running errands, Isabel is approached by rebels, who promise her freedom (and help finding Ruth, who has been sent away) if she agrees to spy. Using the invisibility her slave status brings, Isabel lurks and listens as Master Lockton and his fellow Tories plot to crush the rebel uprisings, but the incendiary proof that she carries to the rebel camp doesn’t bring the desired rewards. Isabel finds that both patriots and loyalists support slavery. Overwhelmed with domestic concerns, Isabel and indeed all the women in the household learn about the war from their marginalized position: they listen at doors to rooms where they are excluded, and they collect gossip from the streets. Anderson explores elemental themes of power (“She can do anything. I can do nothing,” Isabel realizes about her sadistic owner), freedom, and the sources of human strength in this searing, fascinating story. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Things Fall Apart tells two intertwining stories, both centering on Okonkwo, a “strong man” of an Ibo village in Nigeria. The first, a powerful fable of the immemorial conflict between the individual and society, traces Okonkwo’s fall from grace with the tribal world. The second, as modern as the first is ancient, concerns the clash of cultures and the destruction of Okonkwo's world with the arrival of aggressive European missionaries. These perfectly harmonized twin dramas are informed by an awareness capable of encompassing at once the life of nature, human history, and the mysterious compulsions of the soul. The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins The extraordinary, ground breaking New York Times bestsellers The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, along with the third book in The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, Mockingjay, are available for the first time ever in a beautiful boxset edition. Stunning, gripping, and powerful. The trilogy is now complete! The Maze Runner series by James Dashner When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself

Summer Reading Assignment Grade 9 & 10 2012 surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls. Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift. Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind. Kon-Tiki by Thor Heyerdahl Five men in search of a mythical hero journey from Peru to Polynesia in this classic account of nautical adventure. The Help by Kathryn Stockett A modern classic, The Help has been a cultural touchstone for the millions of readers who have cheered on Skeeter, laughed with Minny, and hissed at Hilly. The noble and strong Aibileen has become a heroine for countless fans whose letters have poured in from all over the world. Now the bestselling and beloved book is available in a deluxe gift edition. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein A heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope--a captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life . . . as only a dog could tell it. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs. It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive. A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows. The Outsiders S. E. Hinton First published by Viking in 1967, The Outsiders immediately resonated with young adults. This groundbreaking novel was like nothing else out there?it was honest and gritty, and was a deeply sympathetic portrayal of Ponyboy, a young man who finds himself on the outside of regular society. Forty years later, with over thirteen million copies sold, the story is as fresh and powerful to teenagers today as it ever was.

Summer Reading Assignment Grade 9 & 10 2012 The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Sue Monk Kidd's ravishing debut novel has stolen the hearts of reviewers and readers alike with its strong, assured voice. Set in South Carolina in 1964, The Secret Life of Bees tells the story of Lily Owens, whose life has been shaped around the blurred memory of the afternoon her mother was killed. When Lily's fierce-hearted "stand-in mother," Rosaleen, insults three of the town's fiercest racists, Lily decides they should both escape to Tiburon, South Carolina—a town that holds the secret to her mother's past. There they are taken in by an eccentric trio of black beekeeping sisters who introduce Lily to a mesmerizing world of bees, honey, and the Black Madonna who presides over their household. This is a remarkable story about divine female power and the transforming power of love—a story that women will share and pass on to their daughters for years to come. Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser Fast food has hastened the malling of our landscape, widened the chasm between rich and poor, fueled an epidemic of obesity, and propelled American cultural imperialism abroad. That's a lengthy list of charges, but Eric Schlosser makes them stick with an artful mix of first-rate reportage, wry wit, and careful reasoning.

Inkheart Trilogy by Cornelia Funke Cornelia Funke's masterful trilogy is now available in this lovely keepsake edition. Meggie and Mo's extraordinary adventure through the exhilarating and sometimes terrifying world of books that come to like is here in its entirety. Paperback editions of each of Inkheart, Inkspell, and Inkdeath are included, all at one great price. Relive the magic again and again! Enders Game by Orson Scott Card Andrew "Ender" Wiggin thinks he is playing computer simulated war games at the Battle School; he is, in fact, engaged in something far more desperate. Ender is the most talented result of Earth's desperate quest to create the military genius that the planet needs in its all-out war with an alien enemy. Is Ender the general Earth needs? The only way to find out is to throw the child into ever harsher training, to chip away and find the diamond inside, or destroy him utterly. Ender Wiggin is six years old when it begins. He will grow up fast. But Ender is not the only result of the experiment. The war with the Formics has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway for almost as long. Ender's two older siblings, Peter and Valentine, are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. Between the three of them lie the abilities to remake a world. If, that is, the world survives. Ender's Game is the winner of the 1985 Nebula Award for Best Novel and the 1986 Hugo Award for Best Novel.

Summer Reading Assignment Grade 9 & 10 2012 Dialectical Note-taking Sheet (Required Books) DIRECTIONS: A dialectical note taking sheet is another name for a double-entry journal or a readerresponse journal. This sheet records a dialogue, or conversation, between the ideas in the text (the words that you are reading) and your own ideas. While you are reading, choose at least 6 passages that stand out to you and record them in the left-hand column. In the right-hand column, write your in-depth response to the text. (3-5 sentences) Be sure to include any thoughts, questions, insights, and ideas that you think are powerful, significant, thought provoking, or puzzling. Quotation sample

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“When the key of the store- shed was lost, the whole farm was convinced that Snowball had thrown it down the well. Curiously enough, they went on believing this even after the mislaid key was found under a sack of meal.”

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…how the author uses irony to demonstrate a human weakness. The animals blame a scapegoat for something that goes wrong and cling to this mistaken belief even when the truth is obvious. This seems like clear evidence to me that often- times people are more interested in their own beliefs than in the truth.

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