St. Alphonsus middle school students are required to read one classic work over the summer each year. This year’s reading assignments are included below together with study guides for each book. The study guide questions are designed to help guide the students’ reading comprehension. All students are expected to have carefully read their assigned books for discussion and assignments in their ELA class during the first week of school.
Summer 2024 (for 24-25 school year)
5th/6th Grade
A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare (adapted)
Prepare for romantic mix-ups and mischievous magic on a night of midsummer merriment! This edition presents one of Shakespeare’s funniest comedies, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, first as a short story, and then as the script for a play, perfect for readers’ theater or classroom performance, in a specially adapted, condensed version using Shakespeare’s original language. The book also provides background information on William Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre.
Download the Reading AssignmentCopies are distributed at the end of the school year. If you lose a book, purchase here.
7th/8th Grade
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson (adapted)
A mix of horror tale, science fiction, and detective story, Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was an immediate success when it was first published. Something about the story—something beyond the thrill of a good scare or the pull of a good mystery—keeps readers returning to it even after many generations.
Download the Reading AssignmentCopies are distributed at the end of the school year. If you lose a book, purchase here.
Core Classics Summer Camp (2024)
Summer Camp (optional): Class reading and discussion of the novel with art enrichment in the afternoon. Register online: https://stalseattle.org/school/academics/summer-camps.
Summer Recommended Reading en Español (Middle School grades 6th-8th)
Dragones Y Tacos 1 and 2 por Adam Rubin
This is a fun book series and students are likely to be familiar with the English version. It uses easy phrasing and lots of pictures to help the reader follow along. These books also contain several words and phrases that our students will likely need to look up translations for, which is a good practice for learning. Gracias! ~Sr. Anderson