Every high schooler knows the feeling of dread that hits their stomach in May when their teacher passes out the summer reading list.
They also know the even worse feeling when they realize it’s August, and they haven’t read any of their books.
Why should I even do my summer reading? We only talk about it for the first few weeks of school and then move on. Plus, everything on the quiz is on SparkNotes.
It seems like pure evil that teachers would be forcing us to do school during our break from school, but in reality, summer reading is valuable.
There are plenty of things that one would rather do than read a boring, school-mandated book: go to the beach, travel, spend time with friends, sleep.
Summer reading allows you to retain knowledge as your brain continues working through the summer months instead of taking a full-blown hiatus. So while you’re reading about a farm with animals that isn’t really about animals or farms, you can still remember how to set up an algebraic system.
Contrary to popular opinion, reading during the summer actually will help you succeed for the next school year.
Many of the required books that I have read during the summer and during the school year have been incredible. They offer new perspectives and teach valuable lessons that SparkNotes cannot summarize for you. To really understand a story, you have to read the book.
Here are a few that I couldn’t resist sharing. If you ever have to read these for school or just want to read them for fun, I would highly recommend it.
1. "The Namesake," Jhumpa Lahiri
"The Namesake" provides a window into the cultural identity crisis of Indian-Americans, specifically Bengali-Americans.
2. "A Lesson Before Dying," Ernest J. Gaines
"A Lesson Before Dying" covers death and racism in the South during the mid-twentieth century.
3. "The Glass Castle," Jeannette Walls
"The Glass Castle" covers alcohol abuse and growing up with little means.
4. "The Poisonwood Bible," Barbara Kingsolver
"The Poisonwood Bible" covers a Christian mission to the Belgian Congo in the mid-twentieth century, along with the Congo Crisis.
5. "1984," George Orwell
"1984" covers a dystopian society in which the government controls every aspect of a person’s life and changes the past to fit the present.
So, get reading! The end of summer is approaching quickly, whether we like it or not.