Spring 2008 

Dear Parents and Students,

      I hope this letter finds you well. The attached booklet contains the Saddle River Day School Summer Reading list for the 2008-2009 academic year.  The English Department requires at least one book to be read at each grade level.  You will also note that in some departments there are required books for upper level honors or Advanced Placement courses.  Some of teachers have included particular requirements that must be completed for the opening of school in September.  In addition, there are many excellent recommended reading selections. 

      Please notice that the books this year are listed by division groupings.  We strongly encourage our students to read as much as possible over the summer vacation.  These readings will better prepare them for the educational challenges they will face next year.  If you have any questions concerning this booklet, please feel free to contact us at school.  We wish you a happy, healthy and enlightening summer. 

Respectfully yours, 

Evan C. Strager
Dean of Academic Affairs

1. Lower School
2. Middle School
   1. English
   2. Math
   3. Social Sciences
3. Upper School
   1. English
   2. Social Sciences
   3. Math
   4. World Languages

LOWER SCHOOL: Required 

Grade 1 Frog and Toad Are Friends, by Arnold Lobel

Grade 2 Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Stolen Diamond, by David Adler

Grade 3 Mr. Popper’s Penguins, by Richard and Florence Atwater

Grade 4 The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden

Grade 5 Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls 
 

MIDDLE SCHOOL 

English Department: Required

English 6: Dragonwings by Laurence Yep

            Dragonwings is the story of a Chinese immigrant boy coming to America at the beginning of the twentieth century.  He has come to live with his father and faces the challenges of growing up in a new land where cultures clash.  He learns about his father, his people, and himself in the process.

English 7: The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi

            In The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, Avi tells the exciting tale of a young girl coming of age on a pirate ship.

English 8: Animal Farm by George Orwell

Math Department: Suggested 

For all Middle School Math courses

      The Number Devil by Hans Magnus Enzenberger 
 
 
Social Sciences Department: Suggested

6th Grade World Geography

      Where Angels Glide at Dawn, by Lori M. Carlson and Cynthia Ventura:An anthology of Latin American short stories. 

      The Moonlight Bride, by Buchi Emecheta: The story of a traditional village in  Nigeria. 
 
      Nectar in a Sieve, by Kamala Markandaya: A novel that traces the life of a woman in rural India who leaves her       village for opportunity in   the city. 

      The Power of One, by Bryce Courtenay: A novel about an English boy growing up in South Africa during the time of       Apartheid

      Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind, by Suzanne Fisher Staples: A novel telling the story of a girl in a nomadic family in       modern day Pakistan. 

      Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe:  A novel depicting Nigerian tribal life before  and after European colonialism. 

      Zlata’s Diary, by Zlata Filipovic: A personal account by an adolescent girl living through the war in Bosnia in the       1990’s. 

7th Grade:  World History I:

            It is suggested that parents might like to preview these books before they are read by the students.

      Emperor – The Gates of Rome, by Conn Iggulden
      Emperor – The Death of Kings, by Conn Iggulden
      Emperor – The Field of Swords, by Conn  Iggulden
      Emperor - The Gods of War, by Conn Iggulden

The four above books are historical novels about Julius Caesar and his life from young man to adulthood

      Gates of Fire, by Steven Pressfield – A novel of the Battle of Thermopylae and a terrific story.

      Tides of War, by Steven Pressfield – A novel of Alcibiades and the Peloponnesian War.

      The Virtues of War, by Steven Pressfield – A novel of Alexander the Great.

      The Afghan Campaign, by Steven Pressfield- A novel of Alexander in Afghanistan:  All of Pressfield’s books are great       reads and contain a lot to learn based on excellent historical research.

      Pompeii, by Robert Harris: A recent best selling novel based on the events leading up to and including, the eruption       of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD.  A historical detective novel, with the full flavor of life during the time of   the Roman       Empire.

      Imperium, by Robert Harris: Harris’ novel of Rome based on the early career of Cicero.

      The War at Troy, by Lindsay Clarke: A novel based on Homer’s Iliad.  A great read for those interested in the Trojan       War but not an easy book.  For strong readers only.

      Songs on Bronze- The Greek Myths Made Real, by Nigel Spivey: A retelling of the classical stories of Ancient       Greece.

      Zipporah by Marek Halter: Book two of Halter’s Canaan Trilogy.  A novel based on the life of the wife of Moses.

      Lilah by Marek Halte: Book three of Halter’s Canaan Trilogy

      A Gladiator Dies Only Once by Steven Saylor: A collection of short stories based on the fictional Roman “detective”       Gordianus the Finder

      The Ten Thousand, Gods and Legions, The Last King, and, The Sword of Attila by Michael Curtis Ford: Historical       novels based in the ancient world.  The stories tell of Xenophon’s march, the reign   of the Emperor Julian, the story       of Mithridates VI in Pontus, and the struggle between the   Romans and the Huns in the last years of the Roman       Empire. 

      Spartan, by Valerio Massimo Manfredi: A novel about a Spartan and Helot family caught up in the events of the       Persian Wars.

      Pilate’s Wife, by Antoinette May: A novel of ancient Judea at the time of the execution of Jesus, seen through the       eyes of  the wife of a Roman governor.

      Nefertiti, by Michele Moran: This is a wonderful novel of Ancient Egypt which tells the story of a great pharaoh.

8th Grade- World History II

      1215 – The Year of Magna Carta, by Danny Danziger and John Gillingham: A book on life in England during the       Middle Ages and that revolutionary year.

      The Great Scot, by Duncan A. Bruce: A novel about the life of Robert the Bruce, who defeated King Edward I of       England to win Scottish independence.

      The Crusader, by Michael Thomas Eisner:  A novel of the Crusades, war, religion, romance and redemption, a       serious book on a serious topic.

      What If?  Volumes I and II, by Robert Cowley: Essays on counter-factual history.  Examples include: “What if the       Persians had won at Salamis,” and “The Triumph of the Spanish Armada.”

      The Falcon of Palermo, by Maria Bordihn: A novel based on the life of Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II.  A young       boy grows up in Sicily and rises to great power during a life of incredible adventure and achievement

      The Last Kingdom, The Pale Horseman, Lords of the North and Sword Song, by Bernard Cornwell: The story of       Uthred, a great Saxon warrior and of Alfred the Great of England, during the   800’s AD. This is a series of four novels       of what seems to be an ongoing series. 

      Jerusalem by Cecilia Holland: A novel based on the events leading up to the Third Crusade.

      Innocent Traitor, by Alison Weir: A novel of the life of Lady Jane Grey, Queen of England for nine short days in the       1500s

English Department: Required

English I- Regular

      The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver

English I- Honors

      The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver

      Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera

English II –Regular

      Lord of the Flies, by William Golding:The classic tale of a group of British schoolboys who find themselves stranded       on an island   after their plane crashes.  What unfolds as they attempt to create their own society will both   amaze       and disgust reader.

English II- Honors

      Lord of the Flies as above

      The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd 

English III – Regular

      This Boy’s Life, by Tobias Wolff 

English III- Honors 

      This Boy’s Life, by Tobias Wolff

      The Member of the Wedding, by Carson McCullers 

English IV Honors and Regular

      Tortilla Curtain – by T.C. Boyle:Tortilla Curtain is a modern, often satirical look at the illegal immigration in this       country.

      Honors Only, in addition to the above text – Selected never before read poems from the Norton Anthology.

Coming of Age: A Critical Thinking, Reading and Writing Elective

      An American Childhood, by Annie Dillard 

Shakespeare

      As You Like It, by William Shakespeare (The Arden edition).

World Literature: Regular

      The Stranger, by Albert Camus

World Literature Honors

      The Crucible – by Arthur Miller 

      I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem – Maryse Condé: These two books take differing views of the Salem witch trials.        The Crucible is a play written about the trial itself and the community politics and intrigue surrounding it.  Miller also       is commenting on the hearings of the Congressional Committee on Un-American Activities, being held at the time       he wrote the play.  I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem is a first hand fictional account of one of the eye-witnesses to       the trial.  It is the story as well of her life both before and after the historic event. 

AP English Literature

      The Orestia by Aeschylus (edition translated by Ted Hughes)

      Mourning Becomes Electra – Eugene O’Neill

The cycles of the two plays deal with the same basic classic plot:  the return of Agamemnon   from the Trojan war, the deadly reception he received on his arrival and the playing out the   revenge for his Murder.  The Orestia is the original and Mourning Becomes Electra is the   retelling of the tale set in post Civil War New England.  This is to be found in the test called   Three Plays. 
 

Social Sciences Department: Recommended/Required
 

Global Perspectives: Regular and Honors (9th Grade)

      Any student enrolled in these classes is encouraged to read at least ONE book from this list.

      It Doesn’t Take a Hero: The Autobiography of Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf

      My Dear Alex:  Letters from the KGB, by Dinesh D’Souza, Gregory Fossedal

      The Children of NAFTA: Labor Wars on the U.S. /Mexico Border, by David Bacon

      Of Paradise and Power: American and Europe in the New World Order by Robert Kagan

      Dangerous Waters, by John Burnett

      Fail Safe, by Eugene Burdick, Harvey Wheeler

      Mission to Tashkent, by F.M. Bailey

      The Teeth of the Tiger, by Tom Clancy

      The Hunt for Red October, by Tom Clancy

      Red Storm Rising, by Tom Clancy

      The World is Flat, by Thomas L. Friedman 

United States History I and United States History I Honors

      Any student enrolled in this class is encouraged to read at least ONE book from this list.

      The Last of the Mohicans (Bantam Classics) by James Fenimore Cooper

      The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara

      Gods and Generals, by Jeffrey Shaara

      The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown

      In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex, by Nat Philbrick

      Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation, by Joseph J. Ellis 

      Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery, by Kenneth Burns, Dayton Duncan

      Sleuthing the Alamo: Davy Crockett’s Last Stand and Other Mysteries of the

      Texas Revolution, by James E. Crisp

      1776, by David McCullough 

United States History II and United States History II Honors

      Students enrolled in this class are encouraged to read at least ONE book from this list 

      In Harm’s Way: The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis and the Extraordinary

      Story of Its Survivors- by Doug Stanton

      The Greatest Game Ever Played: Harry Vardon, Francis Ouimet, and the

      Birth of Modern Golf, by Mark Frost

      Flu:  The Story of the Great Influenza Pandemic, by Gina Kolata

      Fire in Boston’s Coconut Grove, by Paul Benzaquin

      The Things They Carried, by Tim O’Brien

      The Greatest Basketball Story Ever Told: The Milan Miracle, by Greg Guffey

      The Jungle: The Uncensored Original Edition, by Upton Sinclair

      The Greatest Generation, by Tom Brokaw

      Triangle: The Fire That Changed America, by David Von Drehle

      Seabiscuit: An American Legend, by Laura Hillenbrand

      Rocket Boys, by Homer Hickam

      The Devil and Sonny Liston, by Nick Tosches

      The Grapes of Wrath: John Steinbeck Centennial Edition (1902-2002), by John Steinbeck

      The Wild Blue: The Men and Boys Who Flew the B-24s Over Germany 1944-45, by Stephen E. Ambrose

      Summer of ‘49 (Perennial Classics) by David Halberstam

Great Civil Wars of Western Civilization

      The Tides of War, by Steven Pressfield: A novel of Alcibiades and the Peloponnesian War.  Pressfield is a great       writer and his novel gives the real flavor of of the violent and exciting time in Greek history.

      When We Were Gods, by Colin Falconer: A novel of Cleopatra and her influence on Roman history during the time of       Caesar, Antony and Octavian.  A terrific read from the view of one of history’s most influential women.

      The Sands of Pride and The Fires of Pride, by William Trotter: Two great novels telling the story of Wilmington and       North Carolina during the American Civil War.  Full of incredible characters and amazing stories! 

American Government AP 

      Students enrolled in this class are encouraged to read at least ONE book from this list. 

      A Court Divided: The Rehnquist Court and the Future of Constitutional Law by Mark Tushnet

      The Presidency, by Jeffrey Cohen

      Understanding Power: The Indispensable Chomsky, by Noam Chomsky

      Firewall: The Iran-Contra Conspiracy and Cover-Up, by Lawrence Walsh

      Inside the West Wing, by Paul C. Challen, Paul Challen

      Wag the Dog: A Novel, by Larry Beinhart

      Hollywood’s White House: The American Presidency in Film and History, By Peter C. Rollins, John E. O’Connor 

AP American History I: Required

      A Short History of Reconstruction, by Eric Foner

      The Coming of the Civil War 1837-1861, by John Niven 
 
 

AP American History II: Required

      The Nation Takes Shape 1789-1837, by Marcus Cunliffe

      The Incorporation of America, by Alan Trachtenberg

      Making Peace with The 60’s, by David Burner                                                     

      Russia, America & The Cold War 1949-1991, by Martin McCauley 

Psychology

      Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens, by Sean Covey

      Life Strategies for Teens, by Jay McGraw

      Closing the Gap: A Strategy for Bringing Parents and Teens Together, by Jay McGraw

      Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life’s Greatest Lessons, by Mitch Albom

      Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, by Malcolm Gladwell

      Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders, by Vincent T. Bugliosi and Curt Gentry

      Manson in His Own Words, by Nuel Emmons

AP Modern Europe- Required

      The Great Rising of 1381 by Alistair Dunn 
 

MATH DEPARTMENT: Recommended 

Geometry and Geometry Honors

      Flatterland: Like Flatland Only More So, by Ian Stewart

      Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions, by Edwin Abbott

Pre-Calculus Honors, Calculus AB and Calculus BC

      Fermat’s Enigma: The Epic Quest to Solve the World’s Mathematical Problem, by Simon Singh

      In Code: A Young Woman’s Mathematical Journey, by Sarah Flannery and David Flannery 

WORLD LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT 

French AP Language: Required

      L’Enfant Noir, by Camara Laye (Pocket edition, ISBN 2-266-02312-8)

            Note: The book will be given to current French IV honor students on loan from the World   Language Department in May.  New students will have to purchase the book in the summer.    Students are responsible to read the book over the summer and to answer the questions    submitted in June.  The assignment will be collected on the first day of regular school in    September.  One the second day, AP students will be given a test in class about the reading.    Failure to complete the summer reading assignment will lead to an “F” grade for this    assignment. 

AP Spanish Language, AP Spanish Literature and Spanish 5 Honors: Required

      Text: Literatura y Arte: Mi Caballo Mago by Sabine Ulibarri

            Unit 12, pages 178-184

      Students will read the Enfoque a la Literatura on page 178

      Find synonyms for the Vocabulario Util

      Do Para Ptacticar on page 179.

      You will then read the story on pages 181-184.

            After you have read the story, please type the Comprehension questions and answers (1-16) on   page 185 as well as the Expansion questions and answers (1-4).  The Expansion questions   should be answered in essay form, 200 words typed and double-spaced in Spanish.  Please,   save it as a Word document. 

      This assignment is due on the first day of school.  No excuses will be accepted.  If you do not  have your assignment on the first day, your grade will be lowered by a full letter.  If you do  not have the assignment on the second day, you will receive an F for the first grade of the term  for the school year 2007-2008. 

      On the second day of school, students will be given a test on the summer reading.  You will be  responsible for the vocabulary, story line, and notas culturales of the story assigned over the  summer. 

      THIS POLICY WILL BE ENFORCED NEXT YEAR WITHOUT EXCEPTION for  students who are in SRDS during the 2007-2008 school year.  NO EXCUSES WILL BE  ACCEPTED. 
 

Latin I (optional)

      Any novel in Falco Series, by Lindsey Davis and/or

      The First Man in Rome, by Colleen McCullough

Latin II (optional)

      Any novel in Falco Series, by Lindsey Davis and/or

      The Grass Crown, by Colleen McCullough 

Latin III and Latin III Honors

      The Course of Honor, by Lindsey Davis: Optional

      Caesar’s Women, by Colleen McCullough: Optional 

Advanced Placement Latin and Latin IV: Required

      The following is required summer reading for students enrolled in Advanced Placement Latin and

      Latin IV for the school year 2007-2008.  Note: the assignment regarding this summer reading is to write  8-15 sentences (approximately ½ page) on each chapter.  One half of what you write should describe  the content and the information in the chapter you find interesting.  The other half should be your  personal response to the material, that is, your reactions to the information presented.  Thus, if you write  15 sentences on a given chapter, 8 should be on content and 7 on your own interpretation or feelings  about the topic.  This paper must be typed and double-spaced.  It may well be 10-15 pages.  It is due on  the first day back to school in September.  There will be no test on the material.  However, you will  have the opportunity to present what you have written to the class. 

      1. The Greek Way, by Edith Hamilton (WW Norton)

            Available from Amazon.com and in most bookstores.  Students are to read each chapter in   this book.

      2.  The Roman Way, by Edith Hamilton. (WW Norton).  Students are to read the              following chapters: Chapter 2 (pages 23-40) and Chapters 4-12 (pages 50-161).