Summer Reading: Freshmen

SUMMER READING JOURNAL GUIDELINES

1. Purchase a standard Mead or Five-Star clean-tear, one-subject notebook. I will not accept spiral notebooks for this assignment, nor will I in the future accept homework ripped out of a spiral notebook (unless it has a clean-tear edge).

2. Stop after reading each chapter. On a fresh sheet in your notebook, for each chapter, date and head your entries with the appropriate chapter number. Then, respond to the following questions/prompts, in complete sentences and paragraphs. Consider each entry to be a mini-essay of no less than 400 words.

- What happens? Describe the plot specifically in the chapter (summarize it briefly),
     then relate it to the story as a part of the whole. How does it fit with the other
     chapters? Was it exciting/boring/something else? Make predictions of what you
     think may happen later in the book based on what you have already read and know
    about the characters and their situations.
- What is the setting? Is it different than in previous chapters? Is it important to the
     development of the story itself? How does it affect the story and the characters?
     Does it influence or change them in any way?
- What characters are in it? Describe them. Go beyond physical characteristics—what
    are they like? Are they “good” guys or “bad” guys (or neither)? How do they affect the     story? Are their actions believable or justifiable, or do they seem forced or random?     
     Why? How do you feel about them as individuals? If they are characters from a     
     previous chapter or chapters, have they changed? If so, how? If not, why would that be?
- What is your personal reaction? What did you think of the chapter? Did you enjoy it or     dislike it? Why? How do you feel about the characters and their actions? How would     
     you act if you were in their positions?
- Add anything else you may think is relevant. I encourage extra effort!

3. After finishing the book, compose another response to the following questions/prompts:

- What did you think of the book as a whole? What did you like/dislike? What did you find     interesting/boring? Why?
- How accurate were your predictions? Why do you think you were able to predict accurately
    some of the events? Why were you incorrect on others? What clues were you able to pick     up on that may have helped you? Having finished the book, what can you see as clues     now, but missed when first reading it?

4. Re-read your entries. Use your journal as a study guide to remember what happens in past chapters. Take note of how certain parts of the book made you feel, and you will be able to remember intricate details much more easily. Study the settings, characters, and how the story develops. Be prepared to be tested on the material within the first few days of school.

5. Turn in your summer reading journal on the first day of school. Late assignments will be docked one full letter grade per day late, no exceptions. Your grade will reflect your effort, organization, and attention to detail. We will discuss the book in class, so bring your copy with you every day until instructed otherwise.

Remember, a poor performance on this assignment is the worst possible way to start a career at St. John’s Jesuit. Begin reading and responding early in your summer break and spread it out accordingly, so there is no need for multiple late-night cram sessions one week before school begins. As Benjamin Franklin, one of our country’s Founding Fathers, said, “You may delay, but time will not.”

One Minute Author Biography:

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"Pat Frank" was the lifelong nickname adopted by the American writer, newspaperman, and government consultant, who was born Harry Hart Frank (1908-1964), and who is remembered today almost exclusively for his post-apocalyptic novel Alas, Babylon. Before the publication of his first novel Mr. Adam launched his second career as novelist and independent writer, Frank spent many years as a journalist and information handler for several newspapers, agencies, and government bureaus. His fiction and nonfiction books, stories, and articles made good use of his years of experience observing government and military bureaucracy and its malfunctions, and the threat of nuclear proliferation and annihilation. After the success of Alas, Babylon, Frank concentrated on writing for magazines and journals, putting his beliefs and concerns to political use, and advising various government bodies. In 1960 he served as a member of the Democratic National Committee.

In 1961, the year in which he received an American Heritage Foundation Award, he was consultant to the National Aeronautics and Space Council. From 1963 through 1964 the Department of Defense made use of Frank's expertise and advice, and this consultancy turned out to be his last response to his country's call. His other books include Mr. Adam and Forbidden Area.