2026-2027 Summer Reading List - Freshmen to AP English IV Books

Sep 7, 2026

2026-2027 summer reading list for students assigns required selections across grade levels, including two-book requirements for freshmen and sophomores with an expectation that students take notes while reading. The list also includes grade-specific honors requirements and additional reading for juniors and seniors, plus Advanced Placement English III and IV extra texts. Fiction covers classics and contemporary works and young adult titles, while non-fiction focuses on memoirs, inspiration, and education-centered writing.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages4

Reading Time6 min

AccessFree to download

Freshmen Summer Reading

Fiction (Classics and Contemporary)

Fiction (Young Adult)

Non-Fiction

Honors English I Students

Sophomore Summer Reading

Fiction (Classics and Contemporary)

Fiction (Young Adult)

Non-Fiction

Honors English II Students

Junior Summer Reading

Fiction (Classics and Contemporary)

Fiction (Young Adult)

Non-Fiction

Advanced Placement English III Students

Senior Summer Reading

Fiction (Classics and Contemporary)

Fiction (Young Adult)

Non-Fiction

Advanced Placement English IV Students

Freshmen Summer Reading All students must read two books chosen from the following list. Students will be tested on both books during the first week of school. The English department recommends that students take notes as they read. Parents and guardians should review books on sites such as Common-Sense Media ([www.commonsensemedia.org](www.commonsensemedia.org)) when helping to choose a book appropriate for their student. Fiction (Classics and Contemporary) A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith The Three Musketeers by Alexander Dumas And Then There Where None by Agatha Christie The Pearl by John Steinbeck Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien Fiction (Young Adult) Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz The Uglies by Scott Westerfeld Eragon by Christopher Paolini Cinder by Marissa Meyer City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab Gallant by Victoria Schwab 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson Non-Fiction A Treasury of Miracles for Teens: True Stories of God’s Presence Today by Karen Kingsbury Grace, Gold, and Glory: My Leap of Faith by Gabrielle Douglas and Michelle Burford Ablaze: Stories of Daring Teen Saints by Colleen Swain Honors English I Students: Honors students must also read The Chosen by Chaim Potok Sophomore Summer Reading All students must read two books chosen from the following list. Students will be tested on both books during the first week of school. The English department recommends that students take notes as they read. Parents and guardians should review books on sites such as Common-Sense Media ([www.commonsensemedia.org](www.commonsensemedia.org)) when helping to choose a book appropriate for their student. Fiction (Classics and Contemporary) The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Album Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie Fiction (Young Adult) Maximum Ride by James Patterson Variant by Robison Wells Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson Matched by Allyson B. Condie Orleans by Sherri L. Smith Bridge of Souls by Victoria Schwab Non-Fiction IAm Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai Make Your Bed by William McRaven A Time to Break Silence: The Essential Works of Martin Luther King, Jr. for Students by Martin Luther King, Jr. Honors English II Students: Honors students must also read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak Junior Summer Reading All Juniors must read Call of the Wild by Jack London. In addition to Call of the Wild, students must pick one of the following books to read: Fiction (Classics and Contemporary) The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath For One More Day by Mitch Albom The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien Fiction (Young Adult) The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes We Were Liars by E. Lockhart Any of the Unwind series by Neal Shusterman Nearly Gone by Elle Cosimano Wonder Woman by Leigh Bardugo Non-Fiction Coming Back Stronger: Unleashing the Power ofAdversity by Drew Brees Unbroken (Young Adult Version) by Laura Hillenbrand The Other Side of Beauty by Leah Darrow Advanced Placement English III Students: AP students must also read The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Senior Summer Reading All Seniors must read Mere Christianity by C.S . Lewis . In addition to Mere Christianity, students must pick one of the following books to read: Fiction (Classics and Contemporary) Emma by Jane Austen East of Eden by John Steinbeck A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khalid Hosseini A Prayerfor Owen Meany by John Irving Persuasion by Jane Austen The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan Evil Under the

FAQs

How many books do students need to read during freshman and sophomore summer?

Freshmen and sophomores must read two books chosen from the provided lists. Students are tested on both books during the first week of school.

What additional books are required for Honors and AP students?

Honors students include extra required titles for Honors English I and Honors English II. AP students must also read The Great Gatsby for English III and additional novels for English IV.

Are students expected to take notes while reading?

The English department recommends that students take notes as they read.

Sep 7, 2026

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