Mayor Clark's Summer Reading Challenge
| Mayor Clark’s Summer Reading Challenge A Community Reading Initiative In order to promote literacy and reading in our community and county, Chico Mayor J. D. Clark is introducing a summer reading initiative for youth and adults. The goal for Mayor Clark, who is also a junior high reading teacher, is to keep Wise County students reading during the summer and to encourage Wise County residents of all ages to become more active readers. For Students Mayor Clark’s Summer Reading Challenge is open to elementary, middle, and high school students in Wise County, regardless of whether they attend public schools, private schools, or home schools. Reading lists are available at participating libraries and online, and participating students will be required to read any six of the books from the recommended reading list. Parents and guardians should help their readers select books that are appropriate for them in terms of difficulty and content. Students should not feel bound by their grade level when selecting books. After reading each book, students in grades three through twelve must write a half-page summary of the book and submit it by mail or e-mail to Mayor Clark. Any plagiarized summaries will be disqualified. Each student that completes the challenge of reading six of the books and submitting a summary for each will be recognized at a reception in the fall. Students completing the challenge will also be entered in drawings for prizes at the reception. Students who are in kindergarten, first grade, or second grade will not be required to write half-page summaries. However, they will be expected to submit the names of the six books they completed and pick their favorite three. For Adults Reading lists geared toward adults are also available. Mayor Clark created the adult recommendations and added personal comments to each recommendation. A discussion forum is available on the Mayor’s official Facebook page for readers to discuss the novels with each other and Mayor Clark. For More Information: Mayor J. D. Clark: jdclark.tx@gmail.com www.cityofchicotexas.com |
| Student Reading List KINDERGARTEN
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| MAYOR CLARK’S RECOMMENDED READING FOR ADULTS A Community Reading Initiative 1984 by George Orwell “Although the year 1984 has come and gone, this book remains the ultimate case against Big Brother-style government. Read it now, even if you’ve read it before.” As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner “One of the most respected writers of the twentieth century, Faulkner filled his novels with twisted families, morbid plots, and dark Southern imagery. This novel is a strange story of a rural family taking their dead mother into town for a funeral. Each chapter is seen through the eyes of a different family member, and on the journey, family secrets begin to spill out and unravel.” The Awakening by Kate Chopin “When published in 1899, this novel was groundbreaking and controversial. It is the story of Edna Pontellier, a woman whose ideas of femininity and proper behavior are not in line with the social standards. The ending will leave you shocked and thinking.” Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury “This book- even upon multiple readings- remains one of my favorites because it is able to teach so much and warn of so much. It’s a vision of the future where books are illegal, and the once-futuristic world full of gleaming technology doesn’t seem so foreign and strange anymore.” The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald “This book is a beautiful examination of the American dream. Is it money, fame, and success? Do we realize we have achieved the dream when we get there? This book takes a hard look at the things we think we want.” Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer “This is the only piece of non-fiction I selected for this list. It is the true story of 22-year-old Chris McCandless who drops his identity and disappears without notifying his family. Although it is the story of a young man trying to understand his existence, readers of all ages will connect with it emotionally.” The Road by Cormac McCarthy “People usually feel passionately (one way or the other) about Cormac McCarthy: they either think he’s a genius or terribly depressing. This novel is a bleak story of a father and a son (both nameless) walking across post-apocalyptic America. This is definitely not an uplifting summer read, but what is amazing is how McCarthy is able to convey so much in so few words.” Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston “This is the story of an African-American woman in the early 20th century as she struggles to find love and happiness in Florida. The thick dialects used in this book take some getting used to, but the story is one that will have you hooked.” To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee “No other book has been able to so effectively capture the struggle of an innocent child coping with the ugliness of the real world. This is a beautifully written story that hits you in your gut, and when people ask me for my favorite books, this title is always one of the first out of my mouth.” The Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck “This novel is often overshadowed by Steinbeck’s more famous works, but I consider this a small masterpiece. This was Steinbeck’s last novel, one dealing with issues of honesty, integrity, family heritage, and the American dream. Although published in 1961, its storyline dealing with illegal immigration will definitely reverberate with readers today.” |
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