High School Summer Reading
Dear High School Families,
As we approach the end of the school year, we encourage our students to continue growing as learners throughout the summer. One of the most meaningful and enriching ways they can do this is through reading.
Reading strengthens critical thinking, builds empathy, expands knowledge, and sparks creativity. To support and inspire students, we’re excited to share our annual Summer Reading List, featuring titles from both the Mountain Laurel 2025-2026 Nominees (formerly the Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award) and the 2026 Reading Olympics List. These curated lists offer a wide range of engaging books across genres, themes, and perspectives.
To make accessing these books easier, Children’s Book World in Haverford is partnering with us to host a special summer reading shopping event. On Wednesday, June 18th, between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM, families can shop in person or by phone, (610) 642-6274, to support both this local independent bookstore and LMSD school libraries. All purchases made during the event, including items not on the recommended reading lists, will benefit your school’s library. Simply mention your school at checkout to ensure it receives credit.
We encourage all students to dive into summer reading, whether they choose a captivating novel, a powerful nonfiction book, or join friends in a book club. However they engage, we hope they experience the joy and enrichment that reading brings.
Thank you for supporting our efforts to foster a lifelong love of reading and learning within the Lower Merion School District.
Warm regards,
Ms. Sara Brenner, Harriton High School Librarian
Ms. Kerry Smith, Lower Merion High School Librarian
Some choice texts contain controversial, provocative, sexual, or violent elements. You may or may not be willing to expose yourself to these materials, and your parents/guardians need to be part of your book decision when choice is involved. For this reason, parental/guardian approval is required before you start reading any choice titles.
English 1
All students, honors and college preparatory, should choose one age-appropriate work of fiction to read over the summer. If you need help choosing a book, see the list curated by the LMSD High School Librarians for recommended titles.
(Students attending the SMART program should await direction from the program teachers; a single book be used in this program.)
English 2
Students in an Honors class should choose and read two of the five books listed below.
Students in a College Preparatory class should choose and read one of the five books listed below.
- Becoming by Michelle Obama
- Dear Martin by Nic Stone
- Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
- Shoe Dog by Phil Knight
Reading & Writing Non Fiction
The Color of Water by James McBride (Honors and College Preparatory)
A Memoir of Choice (Honors)
Sport in Literature and Non-Fiction
The Lost Dogs by Jim Gorant (Honors and College Preparatory)
Modern and Contemporary Literature
The Bean Trees by Barabara Kingsolver (Honors and College Preparatory)
The Curious Incident of the Dog in Night-Time by Mark Haddon OR Fledgling by Octavia Butler (Honors)
Voices in African American Literature
Black Enough: Stories of Being Young and Black in America edited by Ibi Zoboi (Honors and College Preparatory)
Film and Literature
Student-selected film AND book on which the film was based (Honors and College Preparatory)
Heroes and Monsters
Grendel by John Gardner (Honors and College Preparatory)
AP Language
Caste by Isabel Wilkerson AND Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson AND a student-selected nonfiction book related to education or politics.
AP Literature
The Dead by James Joyce AND Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison, AND Atonement by Ian McEwan
IB Literature Part 1
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
IB Literature Part 2
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë AND The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
IB English B HL 1 and 2
Choose a memoir or autobiography of your choosing.