Summer Reading Requirements 2023

Dear Caregivers,

Summer is almost here and summer reading is the expectation for all Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School students, including incoming freshmen.  This year, all students are required to read at least two books. 

BOOK #1: The first book is an open-choice book and can be fiction or nonfiction, but must be written for young adults or adults. 

BOOK #2: Incoming Grade 9 students will read "Make Your Bed" by Admiral William H. McRaven.  Books may be purchased at amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and in support of local businesses bookshop.org.  

When students return to school, each English teacher will assign a Summer Reading Project for BOTH books.  Past assignments have included book talks, Goodreads book reviews, and creative projects based on the books such as movie trailers, children’s book adaptations, sculptures, music playlists, and more.  As we did last year, we are hoping to have a featured speaker talk to us, either in person or remotely, and share thoughts with students and staff about one of the books. 

Please note that students taking either A.P. English Language and Composition in grade 11 or A.P. English Literature and Composition in grade 12, you have a separate summer reading assignment, but all students, including those in these A.P. classes, will be expected to read their class read.  Students who are enrolled in these courses will be given the additional A.P. summer reading assignment before the end of the school year by their respective teacher.

Students entering grades 10, 11 and 12, please consider choosing your open-choice audio or online book from the SORA and/or the EBSCO eBooks collection, both located on our library website library.essextech.net. Here you can download a “great read” to any device.  For students with access to Learning Ally, you can download an audiobook version.  This year, SORA is also providing access to the Massachusetts Teen Choice Book Award titles.  Here is the list and summary of each nominated title - https://www.mateenchoicebook.org/current-nominees.  

Our goal for summer reading is to keep students reading throughout the summer and to unite our school community through a book about qualities or strengths that inspire us and that we think are important to talk about when we all return for the start of the next school year.

If you have any questions about summer reading, please contact Mrs. Garron, our school Media Specialist, at [email protected], or, during the summer, please contact me, Dr. O’Toole, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment, at [email protected]. 

Thank you and read on!

Thomas J. O'Toole, Ed.D.

Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment 

Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School

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How to access a book using Sora: 

Log into your device using your Google school login and password. Go to library.essextech.net, scroll down and click on Sora. Once you choose a title to your device it will appear on your Bookshelf in Sora where you can pick up on your reading where you left off. You can use any device to access your online book as long as you use your Google school login and password to sign in. 

How to access a book using EBSCO eBooks:

In addition to using SORA, you can log into your device and use EBSCO eBooks to download a book. Just use your Google login and password on any device and go to library.essextech.net, scroll down and click on EBSCO eBooks. Search for a title. Once you find a book you would like to read just click on the title. To download to your device click on one of these options below.