Summer Assignments
The objective of summer reading is to provide students with meaningful, relevant selections that will help foster their critical reading and analytical skills hopefully sparking a new curiosity and appreciation for literature, as well as the wondrous world around them.
We provide a variety of assessments, including projects, writing assignments, and objective tests. English teachers will provide specific instructions and dates within the first two weeks of school. The assessments enable our students to demonstrate their comprehension of the books they read, as well as their ability to analyze and connect with the literature.
English 2025
General Information
The objective of RBC’s summer reading program is to provide our students with meaningful, relevant selections that will help foster their critical reading skills and vocabulary while hopefully sparking a greater curiosity and appreciation for literature. In the sections where choices are provided, students (and their parents) should choose a book that suits their individual level of comfort and ability.
All summer reading assessments, including any specific instructions, will be provided by students’ English teachers within the first weeks of school.
Students are not required to annotate the books they read over the summer, though they may find that annotating helps them comprehend and keep track of what they are reading, as well as prepare for the assessments when they return to school. For guidance on how to annotate a book, please click on the link labeled “Annotating a Book.”
If you should have any questions over the summer, please email Ms. Beth Boylan, English Department Chairperson, at bboylan@redbankcatholic.com (she will be on a summer schedule but will respond to any questions as soon as possible).
Tips for annotation
Freshman Year
Honors English I
Required Books:
Salt to the Sea – Ruta Sepetys
Choose 1 of the Following:
We Were Liars – E. Lockhart
Station Eleven – Emily St. John Mandel
Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore – Robin Sloan
Assessment for the required book: An objective, multiple-choice reading comprehension quiz. Questions will relate mainly to the book’s plot, characters, setting, conflicts, and overall themes.
Assessment for the book of choice: An essay written during class. Writing prompts will be provided by the teacher at that time.
For guidance on how to annotate your summer reading book, please CLICK HERE.
Accelerated College Prep English I
Required Book:
Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck
Salt to the Sea – Ruta Sepetys
The Gospel According to Larry – Janet Tashjian
Assessment for the required book: An objective, multiple-choice reading comprehension quiz. Questions will relate mainly to the book’s plot, characters, setting, conflicts, and overall themes.
Assessment for the book of choice: An essay written during class. Writing prompts will be provided by the teacher at that time.
For guidance on how to annotate your summer reading book, please CLICK HERE.
College Prep English I
Required Books:
The Pigman – Paul Zindel
The Gospel According to Larry – Janet Tashjian
Assessment for the required book: An objective, multiple-choice reading comprehension quiz. Questions will relate mainly to the plot and characters of the book.
Assessment for the choice book: A creative project. Your English teacher will provide specific instructions when you return to school in September.
Sophomore Year
Honors English II
Assessment for the required book: An objective, multiple-choice reading comprehension quiz. Questions will relate mainly to the book’s plot, characters, setting, conflicts, and overall themes.
Assessment for the book of choice: An essay written during class. Writing prompts will be provided by the teacher at that time.
For guidance on how to annotate your summer reading book, please CLICK HERE.
ACP English II
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet – Jamie Ford
Bad – Jean Ferris
Friday Night Lights – H.G. Bissinger
Assessment for the required book: An objective, multiple-choice reading comprehension quiz. Questions will relate mainly to the book’s plot, characters, setting, conflicts, and overall themes.
Assessment for the book of choice: An essay written during class. Writing prompts will be provided by the teacher at that time.
For guidance on how to annotate your summer reading book, please CLICK HERE.
CP English II
All CP American Literature students must read a total of 2 books. One of those books must be the required book. The other selection must come from the second list. All of the books listed are considered “Young Adult” and are written by American authors.
Required Book:
Into the Wild - Jon Krakauer
Assessment for the required book: An objective, multiple-choice reading comprehension quiz. Questions will relate mainly to the plot and characters of the book.
Assessment for the choice book: A creative project. Your English teacher will provide specific instructions when you return to school in September.
Junior Year
All juniors are required to read the following book for their Religion class:
Left to Tell: Discovering God amidst the Rwandan Holocaust – Immaculee Ilibagiza
AP Seminar
Honors English III
Assessment for the required book: An objective, multiple-choice reading comprehension quiz. Questions will relate mainly to the book’s plot, characters, setting, conflicts, and overall themes.
Assessment for the book of choice: An essay written during class. Writing prompts will be provided by the teacher at that time.
For guidance on how to annotate your summer reading book, please CLICK HERE.
ACP English III
Assessment for the required book: An objective, multiple-choice reading comprehension quiz. Questions will relate mainly to the book’s plot, characters, setting, conflicts, and overall themes.
Assessment for the book of choice: An essay written during class. Writing prompts will be provided by the teacher at that time.
For guidance on how to annotate your summer reading book, please CLICK HERE.
CP English III
Assessment for the required book: An objective, multiple-choice reading comprehension quiz. Questions will relate mainly to the plot and characters of the book.
Assessment for the choice book: A creative project. Your English teacher will provide specific instructions when you return to school in September.
Senior Year
AP Literature
How to Read Literature Like a Professor – Thomas C. Foster
Honors World Literature
Seniors in Honors World Literature may expect to be assessed on The Namesake through an objective quiz, which will focus on plot, characters, conflicts, and overall themes central to the novel.
Students will be assigned a creative project to assess their understanding of the book they choose to read.
English IV
Seniors in English IV may expect to be assessed through an objective quiz, in-class essay and/or creative project. Students should read carefully to understand the plot, characters, conflicts, and overall themes of both books.
Religion 2025
Freshman
Sophomores
Sophomores
Prayers and Mysteries of the Rosary may be found at
http://www.catholicity.com/prayer/rosary.html
- Apostles Creed
- Mysteries of the Rosary (Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, Glorious each set has five)
- Structure of the Rosary
- Structure of the Bible
Juniors
Seniors
AP US History 2025
CLICK HERE for the summer Khan Academy Assignment.
Calculus AB/BC 2025
*optional*
The assignments are on Khan Academy. Use the course codes below to join.
Calculus AB - Class code: 65SWG893
Calculus BC - Class code: W2SNWB3R