29 June 2021
Dear Parents/Guardians,
The true mark of an educated mind is its expansiveness, as well as its intellectual curiosity. In
this regard, the most vital enterprise is the ability to read and write. As an institution whose
primary mission is to prepare students for four-year undergraduate programs, it is incumbent
upon us to do all that we can to enlarge the intellectual horizons of our students.
With this in mind, Kennedy Catholic High School has reinstated the mandatory summer reading
program for our students. A program such as this reminds our students that education and
enrichment are a year-long endeavor. For the summer of 2021, each student must read a book
under the appropriate grade level that the student will be entering for the 2021-2022 school
year.
Attached is a Summer Reading List for each grade level. Each student is to choose a book from
this list. In addition, students will complete and turn in a physical copy of the Plot Diagram
Worksheet. This worksheet will help prepare each student for an assessment on the book during
the first weeks of school.
On the first day of school, each student must turn in the Summer Reading Verification Form
with the required signatures. If you have any questions, please contact us.
Sincerely,
The English Department
Summer Reading List
7th Grade
● The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
● The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
● The Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank
● A Place to Belong by Cynthia Kadohata
● Snow White by Matt Phelan
● Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
● The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton
8th Grade
● The Color Purple by Alice Walker
● The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
● The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
● The Trials of Apollo by Rick Riordan
● The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
● The Call of the Wild by Jack London
● Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen
Plot Diagram Worksheet
Directions: Read through the definition for each part of the plot. Then, after reading your
novel, fill in the blank boxes on the attached plot diagram.
Exposition: At the beginning of the story, characters, setting, and the main conflict are typically
introduced.MS Summer Reading 2021
Rising Action: The main character is in crisis and events leading up to facing the conflict begin
to unfold. The story becomes complicated.
Climax: At the peak of the story, a major event occurs in which the main character faces a major
enemy, fear, challenge, or another source of conflict. The most action, drama, change, and
excitement occurs here.
Falling Action: The story begins to slow down and work towards its end, tying up loose ends.
Resolution: Also known as the denouement, the resolution is like a concluding paragraph that
resolves any remaining issues and ends the story.
Summer Reading Verification Form
Completion of summer reading is a requirement in order to pass English for the year.
Student Name: ____________________________________________________________
Grade Level: ____________________________________________________________
Title and Author: ____________________________________________________________
I. Our signatures indicate that I/my child did complete the required summer reading.
_______________________________________ __________________
Parent/Guardian Signature Date
_______________________________________ __________________
Student Signature Date
II. Our signatures indicate that I/my child did not complete the required reading. We hereby
understand and acknowledge that the student will receive a zero for the assignment.
_______________________________________ __________________
Parent/Guardian Signature Date
_______________________________________ __________________
Student Signature Date
In the spirit of the Kennedy Catholic Schools honor code of intellectual honesty, we are requiring
the signature of both the parent and the student to verify the completion of this assignment.
Thank you.