Welcome Chipmunks!

We are excited to announce that this summer all Archbishop Chapelle High School students will participate in an exciting new summer reading program. This program is designed to cultivate student choice, faculty mentoring, and small group discussions as well as promote a culture of reading among students, faculty, and staff. After reading their books over the summer, students will participate in “book club” style meetings with other students and faculty members who read the same book.


Expectations for Students

Students who will be in 9th-12th grades next school year will choose a book from the provided list, read it over the summer, and then engage in a small group discussion facilitated by a faculty or staff member at the start of the school year. We expect all students to be active contributors to these discussions. Also, each student is required to have a print/paper copy of the chosen book with her at the book discussion in August, and a student may not select a book she has read in a previous year. 


Expectations for Parents

Parents should be a part of the book selection process so that all family members are comfortable and excited about the chosen title.

Review Book Options

Scroll below to view all summer reading book descriptions by genre.

Click to View →

Sign Up for Book

Beginning April 23rd, sign up for the summer reading book of your choice.

Click for Sign-Up →

Purchase Book

After your selection is complete, purchase your book on Amazon and begin your reading journey!

Scroll Below →

FICTION

Romance

This genre typically involves stories about characters navigating love, friendship, and personal growth. 

  • Emma

    Emma by Jane Austen

    Emma is a captivating tale that revolves around the spirited and independent young woman, Emma Woodhouse. Living in the charming village of Highbury, Emma fancies herself a matchmaker and takes it upon herself to navigate the intricate world of love and relationships among her friends. As she plays Cupid, Emma discovers that her well-intentioned meddling often leads to unexpected and humorous consequences. Packed with wit, humor, and a timeless exploration of human nature, Emma promises a delightful journey into the complexities of friendship, romance, and self-discovery.        

    Purchase Book
  • Fake Famous

    Fake Famous by Dana L. Davis

    In this breezy novel from the author of Somebody That I Used to Know , one Iowa farm girl—a dead ringer for a global pop star—gets an unlikely shot at stardom. Will she choose fame…or the family farm? Red Morgan is fresh out of high school. With signature red curls and a remarkable singing voice, the bubbly teenager is a devoted daughter and big sister. The world should be her oyster. But Red already knows exactly where her future the family farm in Orange City, Iowa. Zay-Zay Waters is at the top of her game. The Brooklyn-born singer has it all—talent, fame, even a smokin’ hot boyfriend. But life in the limelight isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. And when a video of Red singing in the mud—looking and sounding exactly like Zay-Zay herself—goes viral, the pop star begins to hatch a plan. Red is the key to Zay-Zay’s scheme. With much-needed money on the line, Red agrees to step into Zay-Zay’s famous shoes for one week. But when planned appearances start to go off script, Red may be in over her head. Can she really pull it off?

    Purchase Book
  • Love & Gelato

    Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

    Lina is spending the summer in Tuscany, but she isn’t in the mood for Italy’s famous sunshine and fairy-tale landscape. She’s only there because it was her mother’s dying wish that she get to know her father. But what kind of father isn’t around for sixteen years? All Lina wants to do is get back home. But then Lina is given a journal that her mom had kept when she lived in Italy. Suddenly Lina’s uncovering a magical world of secret romances, art, and hidden bakeries. A world that inspires Lina, along with the ever-so-charming Ren, to follow in her mother’s footsteps and unearth a secret that has been kept for far too long. It’s a secret that will change everything Lina knew about her mother, her father—and even herself.

    Purchase Book
  • Love & Olives

    Love & Olives by Jenna Evans Welch

    Liv Varanakis doesn’t like to think about her father much, which makes sense—he fled to Greece when she was only eight, leaving her with just a few painful memories of their shared love for the lost city of Atlantis. So when teenage Liv suddenly receives a postcard from her father, who explains that National Geographic is supporting a documentary about his theories on Atlantis—and asks if she will fly out to Greece and help—Liv is less than thrilled.


    When she arrives in gorgeous Santorini, things are just as awkward as she'd imagined. There are so many questions, so many emotions that flood to the surface after seeing her father for the first time in years. Liv doesn’t want to get sucked back into her father's world. She also definitely doesn’t want Theo, her father’s charismatic so-called protégé, to witness her struggle.


    Even so, she can't help but be charmed by everything Santorini has to offer—the beautiful sunsets, the turquoise water, the sun-drenched villages, and the delicious cuisine. But not everything on the Greek island is as perfect as it seems. Because as Liv slowly begins to discover, her father may not have invited her to Greece for Atlantis, but for something much more important.

    Purchase Book
  • Once Upon a K-Prom

    PLEASE NOTE: For 9th & 10th Grade Only

    Once Upon a K-Prom by Kat Cho

    Elena Soo has always felt overshadowed. Whether by her more successful older sisters, her more popular twin brother, or her more outgoing best friend, everyone except Elena seems to know exactly who they are and what they want. But she is certain about one thing - she has no interest in going to prom. While the rest of the school is giddy over corsages and dresses, Elena would rather spend her time working to save the local community center, the one place that's always made her feel like she belonged.

    So when international K-pop superstar Robbie Choi shows up at her house to ask her to prom, Elena is more confused than ever. Because the one person who always accepted Elena as she is? Her childhood best friend, Robbie Choi. And the one thing she maybe, possibly, secretly wants more than anything? For the two of them to keep the promise they made each other as kids: to go to prom together. But that was seven years ago, and with this new K-pop persona, pink hair, and stylish clothes, Robbie is nothing like the sweet, goofy boy she remembers. The boy she shared all her secrets with. The boy she used to love.

    Besides, prom with a guy who comes with hordes of screaming fans, online haters, and relentless paparazzi is the last thing Elena wants - even if she can't stop thinking about Robbie's smile...right?

    Purchase Book
  • The Summer I Turned Pretty

    The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

    The Summer I Turned Pretty is a coming-of-age story about love, friendship, and growing up. Belly is a relatable character who is struggling to figure out who she is and what she wants. She is also dealing with the complicated relationships she has with Conrad and Jeremiah. Conrad is the older brother, and he is more brooding and mysterious. Jeremiah is the younger brother, and he is more outgoing and carefree. Belly is drawn to both brothers for different reasons, and she must decide who she wants to be with.

    Purchase Book

FICTION

Young Adult

This genre features stories that follow the lives of teenagers dealing with friendships, relationships, and personal growth in a variety of settings and situations. 

  • Anne of Green Gables

    Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery 

    Anne Shirley, an eleven-year-old orphan, has arrived in this verdant corner of Prince Edward Island only to discover that the Cuthberts—elderly Matthew and his stern sister, Marilla—want to adopt a boy, not a feisty redheaded girl. But before they can send her back, Anne—who simply must have more scope for her imagination and a real home—wins them over completely. A much-loved classic that explores all the vulnerability, expectations, and dreams of a child growing up, Anne of Green Gables is also a wonderful portrait of a time, a place, a family… and, most of all, love.

    Purchase Book
  • Every Last Word

    PLEASE NOTE: For 11th & 12th Grade Only

    Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone 

    A contemporary young adult novel about a teen girl dealing with purely obsessional OCD. Samantha continuously attempts to keep her diagnosis at bay while maintaining her role in the "cool squad" at school.  As her friends begin to let her down during her Junior year, Samantha meets Caroline, who introduces her to a hidden room on campus where a group of "misfit" artistic kids meet up to hold secret meetings. During these secret meetings, the misfits read their own poetry without judgement or ridicule from others. Samantha slowly discovers that her new friends in the "Poet's Corner" are all dealing with their own private issues which makes her feel less alone. 

    Purchase Book
  • A Good Girl's Guide to Murder

    PLEASE NOTE: For 11th & 12th Grade Only

    A Good Girl's Guide to Murder Book 1 by Holly Jackson

    Everyone in Fairview knows the story.

    Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. It was all anyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town.

    But she can't shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day. She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her. How could he possibly have been a killer?

    Now a senior herself, Pip decides to reexamine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation. But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal innocent . . . and the line between past and present begins to blur. Someone in Fairview doesn't want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger.

    Purchase Book
  • My Father, The Panda Killer

    My Father, The Panda Killer by Jamie Jo Hoang

    A poignant coming-of-age story told in two alternating voices: a California teenager railing against the Vietnamese culture, juxtaposed with her father as an eleven-year-old boat person on a harrowing and traumatic refugee journey from Vietnam to the United States. San Jose, 1999: Jane knows her Vietnamese dad can't control his temper. Lost in a stupid daydraem, she forgot to pick up her seven-year-old brother, Paul, from school. Inside their home, she hands her dad the stick he hits her with. This is how it's always been. She deserves this. Not because she fogot to pick up Paul, but because at the end of the summer she's going to leave him when she goes away to college. As Paul retreats inward, Jane realizes she must explain where their dad's anger comes from. The problem is, she doesn't understand it herself. ssing Effect is an action-packed youth-fiction novel that inspires us to reach out to those in need of love, care and inclusion. This fast-paced story motivates young and old alike to embrace the supernatural power of prayer and kindness to bring about the change that our world needs today! Let's accept the challenge to be a blessing to others... and change the world one soul at a time!

    Purchase Book
  • The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

    PLEASE NOTE: For 10th - 12th Grade Only

    The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes by Suzanne Collins

    It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capital, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.

    Purchase Book
  • The Blessing Effect

    The Blessing Effect by Robert K. Pozil

    The Blessing Effect is an action-packed youth-fiction novel that inspires us to reach out to those in need of love, care and inclusion. This fast-paced story motivates young and old alike to embrace the supernatural power of prayer and kindness to bring about the change that our world needs today! Let's accept the challenge to be a blessing to others... and change the world one soul at a time!

    Purchase Book

FICTION

Fantasy &

Science Fiction

This genre includes stories filled with magical creatures, futuristic technology, and imaginary worlds that spark the imagination and explore unique possibilities. 

  • The Adoration of Jenna Fox

    The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Holly Jackson

    Who is Jenna Fox? Seventeen-year-old Jenna has been told that is her name. She has just awoken from a coma, they tell her, and she is still recovering from a terrible accident in which she was involved a year ago. But what happened before that? Jenna doesn't remember her life. Or does she? And are the memories really hers?

    Purchase Book
  • Ender's Game

    PLEASE NOTE: For 10th - 12th Grade Only

    Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

    Set in a future Earth threatened by an alien species known as the “Buggers,” the story follows Ender Wiggin, a young and exceptionally gifted boy recruited into a military training program. Ender undergoes rigorous training, honing his strategic and tactical skills in a series of war simulations. The novel delves into themes of leadership, morality, and the psychological toll of war, offering a thought-provoking exploration of the human condition.

    Purchase Book
  • Divergent

    Divergent by Veronica Roth

    In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue. On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself. During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves... or it might destroy her.

    Purchase Book
  • The First Phone Call from Heaven

    The First Phone Call from Heaven by Mitch Albom

    A page-turning mystery and a meditation on the power of human connection.


    One morning in the small town of Coldwater, Michigan, the phones start ringing. The voices say they are calling from heaven. Is it the greatest miracle ever? Or some cruel hoax? As news of these strange calls spreads, outsiders flock to Coldwater to be a part of it.


    At the same time, a disgraced pilot named Sully Harding returns to Coldwater from prison to discover his hometown gripped by “miracle fever.” Even his young son carries a toy phone, hoping to hear from his mother in heaven.


    As the calls increase, and proof of an afterlife begins to surface, the town—and the world—transform. Only Sully, convinced there is nothing beyond this sad life, digs into the phenomenon, determined to disprove it for his child and his own broken heart.


    Moving seamlessly between the invention of the telephone in 1876 and a world obsessed with the next level of communication, Mitch Albom takes readers on a breathtaking ride of frenzied hope.

    Purchase Book
  • Gulliver's Travels

    Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift

    Swift's tale of a ship surgeon's travel to fantastic lands is an incredible satire of both human nature and the prevailing genre of its time. Written nearly 300 years ago, Swift's masterpiece reminds us to respect others (even when it seems absurd), to always seek truth (not validation), and to always be a learner. As it is considered "a Classic", Gulliver's Travels is a book of which everyone has heard, but none have read. Don't be that guy. Read Gulliver's Travels.

    Purchase Book
  • Red Queen

    Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

    This is a world divided by blood—red or silver. The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change. That is until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power. Fearful of Mare's potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime. But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance—Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart.

    Purchase Book
  • Tress of the Emerald Sea

    Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson

    The only life Tress has known on her island home in an emerald-green ocean has been a simple one, with the simple pleasures of collecting cups brought by sailors from faraway lands and listening to stories told by her friend Charlie. But when his father takes him on a voyage to find a bride and disaster strikes, Tress must stow away on a ship and seek the Sorceress of the deadly Midnight Sea. Amid the spore oceans where pirates abound, can Tress leave her simple life behind and make her own place sailing a sea where a single drop of water can mean instant death?

    Purchase Book
  • Watership Down

    Watership Down by Richard Adams

    Watership Down is a timeless classic, and one of the most beloved novels of all time. Set in the Hampshire Downs in Southern England, an idyllic rural landscape, this stirring tale of “suspense, hot pursuit, and derring-do” (Chicago Tribune) follows a band of rabbits in flight from the incursion of man and the destruction of their home. Led by a stouthearted pair of brothers, they travel forth from their native Sandleford warren through harrowing trials to a mysterious promised land and a more perfect society. “A marvelous story of rebellion, exile, and survival” (Sunday Telegraph) this is an unforgettable literary classic for all ages.

    Purchase Book

Spiritual

& Religious

This genre consists of stories that explore faith, beliefs, and the search for meaning in the world. 

  • The Five People You Meet in Heaven

    The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

    Eddie is a wounded war veteran, an old man who has lived, in his mind, an uninspired life. His job is fixing rides at a seaside amusement park. On his 83rd birthday, a tragic accident kills him, as he tries to save a little girl from a falling cart. He awakes in the afterlife, where he learns that heaven is not a destination. It's a place where your life is explained to you by five people, some of whom you knew, others who may have been strangers. One by one, from childhood to soldier to old age, Eddie's five people revisit their connections to him on earth, illuminating the mysteries of his "meaningless" life, and revealing the haunting secret behind the eternal question: "Why was I here?"


    Purchase Book
  • The Great Divorce

    PLEASE NOTE: For 11th & 12th Grade Only

    The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis

    C.S. Lewis’ The Great Divorce is a classic Christian allegorical tale about a bus ride from hell to heaven. An extraordinary meditation upon good and evil, grace and judgment, the book follows conversations of those in heaven trying, in a last resort, to convince those who have chosen hell, to stay in heaven forever. Lewis’s revolutionary idea in the The Great Divorce is that the gates of Hell are locked from the inside. Using his extraordinary descriptive powers, Lewis’ The Great Divorce will change the way we think about good and evil. 

    Purchase Book
  • The Magician's Nephew

    The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis 

    On a daring quest to save a life, two friends are hurled into another world, where an evil sorceress seeks to enslave them. But then the lion Aslan's song weaves itself into the fabric of a new land, a land that will be known as Narnia. And in Narnia, all things are possible.

    Purchase Book
  • The Return of the Prodigal Son

    The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri J.M. Nouwen

    The themes of homecoming, affirmation, and reconciliation will be newly discovered by all who have known loneliness, dejection, jealousy, or anger. The challenge to love as God loves, and to be loved as God’s beloved, will be seen as the ultimate revelation of the parable known to Christians throughout time, and is here represented with a vigor and power fresh for our times.

    Purchase Book
  • St. John Paul the Great: His Five Loves

    Saint John Paul the Great: His Five Loves by Jason Evert

    Although there are countless ways to study Saint John Paul the Great, the most direct route is by entering the man’s heart. Discover the five greatest loves of Saint John Paul II, through remarkable unpublished stories about him from bishops, priests, his students, Swiss Guards, and others. Mining through a mountain of papal resources, Jason Evert has uncovered the gems and now presents the Church a treasure chest brimming with the jewels of the saint’s life.

    Purchase Book

Memoirs & Non-Fiction

This genre features real-life stories and informative texts that provide insight into people’s experiences, historical events, or topics of interest. 

  • The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

    The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind  by William Kamkeamba

    He's from Malawi, and when he was growing up, the country was experiencing a famine. His family couldn't afford to send him to school, so he educated himself with library books. He built a wind turbine from scraps that helped his family's farm and brought them out of poverty. 

    Purchase Book
  • The Inner Game of Tennis

    The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental SIde of Peak Performance  by Timothy Gallwey

    Whether you want to play music, write a novel, get ahead at work, or simply unwind after a stressful day, Gallwey shows you how to tap into your utmost potential. No matter your goals, The Inner Game of Tennis gives you the definitive framework for long-term success.This phenomenally successful guide to mastering the game from the inside out has become a touchstone for hundreds of thousands of people. Billie Jean King has called the book her tennis bible; Al Gore has used it to focus his campaign staff; and Itzhak Perlman has recommended it to young violinists. Based on W. Timothy Gallwey’s profound realization that the key to success doesn’t lie in holding the racket just right, or positioning the feet perfectly, but rather in keeping the mind uncluttered, this transformative book gives you the tools to unlock the potential that you’ve possessed all along. “The Inner Game” is the one played within the mind of the player, against the hurdles of self-doubt, nervousness, and lapses in concentration. Gallwey shows us how to overcome these obstacles by trusting the intuitive wisdom of our bodies and achieving a state of “relaxed concentration.” With chapters devoted to trusting the self and changing habits, it is no surprise then, that Gallwey’s method has had an impact far beyond the confines of the tennis court.

    Purchase Book
  • Left To Tell

    Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust by Immaculee Ilibagiza

    Immaculee Ilibagiza grew up in a country she loved, surrounded by a family she cherished. But in 1994, her idyllic world was ripped apart as Rwanda descended into a bloody genocide. Immaculee’s family was brutally murdered during a killing spree that lasted three months and claimed the lives of nearly a million Rwandans.

    Incredibly, Immaculee survived the slaughter. For 91 days, she and seven other women huddled silently together in the cramped bathroom of a local pastor while hundreds of machete-wielding killers hunted for them.

    It was during those endless hours of unspeakable terror that Immaculee discovered the power of prayer, eventually shedding her fear of death and forging a profound and lasting relationship with God. She emerged from her bathroom hideout having discovered the meaning of truly unconditional love—a love so strong she was able seek out and forgive her family’s killers.

    The triumphant story of this remarkable young woman’s journey through the darkness of genocide will inspire anyone whose life has been touched by fear, suffering, and loss.

    Purchase Book
  • The Six

    The Six: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts  by Loren Grush

    When NASA sent astronauts to the moon in the 1960s and 1970s the agency excluded women from the corps, arguing that only military test pilots - a group then made up exclusively of men - had the right stuff. It was an era in which women were steered away from jobs in science and deemed unqualified for space flight. Eventually, though, NASA recognized its blunder and opened the application process to a wider array of hopefuls, regardless of race or gender. From a candidate pool of 8000, six elite women were selected in 1978 - Sally Ride, Judy Resnik, Anna Fisher, Kathy Sullivan, Shannon Lucid, and Rhea Seddon.

    Purchase Book
  • Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World

    Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Endurance by Jennifer Armstrong

    Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World vividly re-creates one of the most fascinating adventure stories in history. 

    In August 1914, Ernest Shackleton and his crew sailed from England on the Endurance in an attempt to become the first team of explorers to cross Antarctica from one side to the other. Five months later and still 100 miles from land, their ship, Endurance, became trapped in ice. 

    Award-winning author Jennifer Armstrong recounts the story of Shackleton, his crew, and ship the Endurance, in one of the most extraordinary adventure stories in history.

    Purchase Book
  • Success is in the Details

    Success is in the Details by Pat Williams

    For nearly 20 years, John Wooden ran scores of summer youth basketball camps, imparting wisdom and teaching skills to thousands of boys and girls between the ages of eight and fifteen. Most would not grow up to play professional or even college ball, but all of them found their lives changed by their interaction with the greatest coach who ever lived. In those camps, Coach Wooden also impacted hundreds of camp counselors and assistant coaches. This one-of-a-kind book shares their inspiring stories, highlighting six fundamental lessons from Coach Wooden for a life of success and unforgettable impact on others.

    Purchase Book
  • Soul Surfer

    Soul Surfer by Bethany Hamilton

    In this moving personal account of faith and fortitude, internationally ranked surfer Bethany Hamilton tells how she survived a shark attack that cost her arm--but not her spirit.

    They say Bethany Hamilton has saltwater in her veins. How else could one explain the passion that drives her to surf? How else could one explain that nothing—not even the loss of her arm—could come between her and the waves? That Halloween morning in Kauai, Hawaii, Bethany responded to the shark’s stealth attack with the calm of a girl with God on her side. Pushing pain and panic aside, she began to paddle with one arm, focusing on a single thought: “Get to the beach....” And when the first thing Bethany wanted to know after surgery was “When can I surf again?” it became clear that her spirit and determination were part of a greater story—a tale of courage and faith that this soft-spoken girl would come to share with the world.

    Soul Surfer is a moving account of Bethany’s life as a young surfer, her recovery after the attack, the adjustments she’s made to her unique surfing style, her unprecedented bid for a top showing in the World Surfing Championships, and, most fundamentally, her belief in God. It is a story of girl power and spiritual grit that shows the body is no more essential to surfing—perhaps even less so—than the soul.


    Purchase Book
  • Tattoos on the Heart

    PLEASE NOTE: For 11th & 12th Grade Only

    Tattoos on the Heart  by Gregory Boyle

    For twenty years, Gregory Boyle has run Homeboy Industries, a gang-intervention program located in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, the gang capital of the world. In Tattoos on the Heart, he distills his experience working in the ghetto into a breathtaking series of parables inspired by faith. Arranged by theme and filled with sparkling humor and glowing generosity, these essays offer a stirring look at how full our lives could be if we could find the joy in loving others and in being loved unconditionally. From giant, tattooed Cesar, shopping at JCPenney fresh out of prison, we learn how to feel worthy of God's love. From ten-year-old Lula, we learn the importance of being known and acknowledged. From Pedro, we understand the kind of patience necessary to rescue someone from the darkness. In each chapter, we benefit from Boyle’s gentle, hard-earned wisdom. These essays about universal kinship and redemption are moving examples of the power of unconditional love and the importance of fighting despair. Gorgeous and uplifting, Tattoos on the Heart reminds us that no life is less valuable than another.

    Purchase Book
  • Tuesdays with Morrie

    Tuesdays with Morrie  by Mitch Albom

    Tuesdays with Morrie, originally titled to have this followed by, "An Old Man, A Young Man and Life's Greatest Lesson," is a 1997 memoir by American author Mitch Albom about a series of visits  Albom made to his former sociology professor, Morrie Schwartz, as Schwartz was dying from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

    Purchase Book

Historical Fiction

This genre weaves fictional characters and plots into real historical settings, events, and time periods. 

  • All The Light We Cannot See

    PLEASE NOTE: For 11th & 12th Grade Only

    All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

    Marie-Laure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History where he works as the master of its thousands of locks. When she is six, Marie-Laure goes blind and her father builds a perfect miniature of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris, and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel.

    Purchase Book
  • Artifice

    Artifice by Sharon Cameron

    Isa de Smit was raised in the vibrant, glittering world of her parents' small art gallery in Amsterdam, a hub of beauty, creativity, and expression, until the Nazi occupation wiped the color from her city's palette. The ""degenerate"" art of the Gallery de Smit is confiscated, the artists in hiding or deported, her best friend, Truus, fled to join the shadowy Dutch resistance. And masterpiece by masterpiece, the Nazis are buying and stealing her country’s heritage, feeding the Third Reich's ravenous appetite for culture and art.

    So when the unpaid taxes threaten her beloved but empty gallery, Isa decides to make the Nazis pay. She sells them a fake--a Rembrandt copy drawn by her talented father--a sale that sets Isa perilously close to the second most hated class of people in Amsterdam: the collaborators. Isa sells her beautiful forgery to none other than Hitler himself, and on the way to the auction, discovers that Truus is part of a resistance ring to smuggle Jewish babies out of Amsterdam.

    But Truus cannot save more children without money. A lot of money. And Isa thinks she knows how to get it. One more forgery, a copy of an exquisite Vermeer, and the Nazis will pay for the rescue of the very children they are trying annihilate. To make the sale, though, Isa will need to learn the art of a master forger, before the children can be deported, and before she can be outed as a collaborator. And she finds an unlikely source to help her do it: the young Nazi soldier, a blackmailer and thief of Dutch art, who now says he wants to desert the German army.

    Yet, worth is not always seen from the surface, and a fake can be difficult to spot. Both in art, and in people. Based on the true stories of Han Van Meegeren, a master art forger who sold fakes to Hermann Goering, and Johann van Hulst, credited with saving 600 Jewish children from death in Amsterdam, Sharon Cameron weaves a gorgeously evocative thriller, simmering with twists, that looks for the forgotten color of beauty, even in an ugly world.

    Purchase Book
  • The Book Thief

    The Book Thief  by Markus Zusak

    Set in 1939 Nazi Germany, this book focuses on the lives of children during WWII. By her brother's graveside, Liesel Meminger's life is changed when she picks up a single object partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger's Handbook, left there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery. So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordian-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever there are books to be found. But these are dangerous times. When Liesel's foster family hides a Jew in their basement, Liesel's world is both opened up and closed down. This is truly a beautiful, eye-opening story of a part of the Holocaust not everyone knows about.

    Purchase Book
  • Our Town

    Our Town  by Thorton Wilder

    Written by Thorton Wilder, Our Town is a play that explores the lives of people living in a small, quintessentially American town. It follows two neighbors, Emily and George, who fall in love and experience the ups and downs of life. It was first produced in 1938 and received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The play is divided into three aspects of the human experience: Act One: Daily Life, Act Two: Love / Marriage, and Act Three: Death / Loss. The play is uniquely set up and provides a realistic look into, and wonderful lessons that can be learned from, the average day-to-day of the human experience.

    Purchase Book
  • Silence

    PLEASE NOTE: For 10th-12th Grade Only

    Silence  by Shūsaku Endō

    It is a fictionalized account based on real historical characters. It's set in the late 17th century. Two Portuguese priests get into Japan by ship from Macao at a time when Japanese officials had banned Christianity and were killing priests and torturing suspected Christians to apostatize (give up their faith).

    Purchase Book
  • We Are All That's Left

    We Are All That's Left  by Carrie Arcos

    Zara and her mother, Nadja, have a strained relationship. Nadja just doesn't understand Zara's creative passion for, and self-expression through, photography. And Zara doesn't know how to reach beyond their differences and connect to a closed-off mother who refuses to speak about her past in Bosnia. But when a bomb explodes as they're shopping in their local farmers' market in Rhode Island, Zara is left with PTSD - and her mother is left in a coma. Without the opportunity to get to know her mother, Zara is left with questions - not just about her mother, but about faith, religion, history, and her own path forward.

    Purchase Book

Mystery & Adventure

This genre features thrilling stories full of suspense and exciting situations as characters work to solve mysteries and embark on daring journeys. 

  • All Thirteen

     All Thirteen: The Incredible Rescue of the Thai Boys Soccer Team by Christina Soontornvat

    On June 23, 2018, twelve young players of the Wild Boars soccer team and their coach enter a cave in northern Thailand seeking an afternoon’s adventure. But when they turn to leave, rising floodwaters block their path out. The boys are trapped! Before long, news of the missing team spreads, launching a seventeen-day rescue operation involving thousands of rescuers from around the globe. As the world sits vigil, people begin to wonder: how long can a group of ordinary kids survive in complete darkness, with no food or clean water? Luckily, the Wild Boars are a very extraordinary "ordinary" group. Combining firsthand interviews of rescue workers with in-depth science and details of the region's culture and religion, author Christina Soontornvat—who was visiting family in Northern Thailand when the Wild Boars went missing—masterfully shows how both the complex engineering operation above ground and the mental struggles of the thirteen young people below proved critical in the life-or-death mission. Meticulously researched and generously illustrated with photographs, this page-turner includes an author’s note describing her experience meeting the team, detailed source notes, and a bibliography to fully immerse readers in the most ambitious cave rescue in history.

    Purchase Book
  • Murder on the Orient Express

    Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

    “The murderer is with us—on the train now . . .”

    Just after midnight, the famous Orient Express is stopped in its tracks by a snowdrift. By morning, the millionaire Samuel Edward Ratchett lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside. Without a shred of doubt, one of his fellow passengers is the murderer.

    Isolated by the storm, detective Hercule Poirot must find the killer among a dozen of the dead man’s enemies, before the murderer decides to strike again.

    Purchase Book
  • Ruined

    Ruined by Paula Morris

    A gripping supernatural mystery and romance set in post-Katrina New Orleans. Rebecca couldn't feel more out of place in New Orleans. She's staying in a creepy house with her aunt, who reads tarot cards. And at the snooty prep school, a pack of filthy-rich girls treat Rebecca like she's invisible. Only gorgeous, unavailable Anton Grey gives Rebecca the time of day, but she wonders if he's got a hidden agenda. Then one night, among the oak trees in Lafayette Cemetery, Rebecca makes a friend. Sweet, mysterious Lisette is eager to show Rebecca the nooks and crannies of New Orleans. There's just one catch: Lisette is a ghost.

    Purchase Book
  • She is Not Invisible

    She is Not Invisible by Marcus Sedwick

    Laureth Peak's father has taught her to look for recurring events, patterns, and numbers--a skill at which she's remarkably talented. Her secret: She is blind. But when her father goes missing, Laureth and her 7-year-old brother Benjamin are thrust into a mystery that takes them to New York City where surviving will take all her skill at spotting the amazing, shocking, and sometimes dangerous connections in a world full of darkness. Marcus Sedgwick's She Is Not Invisible is an intricate puzzle of a novel that sheds a light on the delicate ties that bind people to each other.

    Purchase Book

For Incoming

8th Graders

All students attending Chip Start are required to have the book with them at the start of summer enrichment since they will be given time to read.

  • The Summer I Saved the World

    PLEASE NOTE: For Incoming 8th Grade Only

    The Summer I Saved the World . . . in 65 Days by Michele Weber Hurwitz

    It's summertime, and thirteen-year-old Nina Ross is feeling kind of lost. Her beloved grandma died last year; her parents work all the time; her brother's busy; and her best friend is into clothes, makeup, and boys. While Nina doesn't know what "her thing" is yet, it's definitely not shopping and makeup. And it's not boys, either. Though . . . has Eli, the boy next door, always been so cute?This summer, Nina decides to change things. She hatches a plan. There are sixty-five days of summer. Every day, she'll anonymously do one small but remarkable good thing for someone in her neighborhood, and find out: does doing good actually make a difference? Along the way, she discovers that her neighborhood, and her family, are full of surprises and secrets. In this bighearted, sweetly romantic novel, things may not turn out exactly as Nina expects. They might be better.

    Purchase Book

For Transfer

Students

Welcome home, new Chips!  Your book selection is There You Will Find Me by Jenny B. Jones.

  • There You Will Find Me

    PLEASE NOTE: For Transfer Students Only

    There You Will Find Me by Jenny B. Jones

    Finley Sinclair is not your typical eighteen-year-old. She's witty, tough, and driven. With an upcoming interview at the Manhattan music conservatory, Finley needs to compose her audition piece. But her creativity disappeared with the death of her older brother, Will. She decides to study abroad in Ireland so she can follow Will's travel journal. It's the place he felt closest to God, and she's hopeful being there will help her make peace over losing him. So she agrees to an exchange program and boards the plane. Beckett Rush, teen heartthrob and Hollywood bad boy, is flying to Ireland to finish filming his latest vampire movie. On the flight, he meets Finley. She's the one girl who seems immune to his charm. Undeterred, Beckett convinces her to be his assistant in exchange for his help as a tour guide. Once in Ireland, Finley starts to break down. The loss of her brother and the pressure of school, her audition, and whatever it is that is happening between her and Beckett, leads her to a new and dangerous vice. When is God going to show up for her in this emerald paradise? Then she experiences something that radically changes her perspective on life. Could it be God convincing her that everything she's been looking for has been with her all along?

    Purchase Book

FAQS

BELOW are answers to some common questions

  • What kinds of books are on the list and how do I choose a book?

    There are over 40 books on the summer reading list from a variety of genres. Each book was recommended by a faculty member. In each of the drop-down menus above, you will see the title of a book, the author, the book cover, a brief description, and a link to the book on Amazon. Parents should be a part of the book selection process so that all family members are comfortable and excited about the chosen title. Also, a student may not select a book she has read in a previous year.

  • How do students sign up for their books?


    • Each student will use this SignUpGenius link to select her chosen book. 
    • Students must sign up using their school email addresses.
    • The sign-up will “go live” at 2 P.M. on Tuesday, April 23, which is Testing Day.
    • The deadline to select a book is 11:59 P.M. on Friday, April 26.  
    • Each book will be limited to the first 12 students who select that title. Once the maximum number is reached, that book will no longer be available, and students will have to choose from the remaining books.  
    • If a student does not select a book by the deadline date and time, a book will be assigned to her by the Summer Reading Committee.

  • Will students be required to read any additional books over the summer for their English classes?

    • Honors and AP students in English III - English V will have additional required reading to prepare them for these more rigorous courses. More information will come from those teachers in May.
  • What about incoming 8th graders and transfer students?

    What about incoming 8th graders and transfer students?


    Incoming 8th Graders – All incoming 8th graders will read The Summer I Saved the World…in 65 Days by Michele Weber Hurwitz. Students may purchase this book from any vendor.  All students attending Chip Start are required to have the book with them at the start of summer enrichment since they will be given time to read.


    Transfer Students – All students who transfer from another high school to Chapelle over the summer will read There You’ll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones. Students may purchase this book from any vendor.


  • Why are some books restricted to certain grade levels?

    Most books on the list are suitable for all grade levels, but a few are restricted to certain age groups due to the topics discussed or the reading level required. If a book is restricted to a certain age group, the grade levels listed refer to the level a student will be in next school year.  For example, if a student will be in 9th grade next year, she may not select a book that is restricted to 11th and 12th graders.

  • What if a student is absent on the day of the book discussion?

    All absent students will be contacted by a member of the Summer Reading Committee with information regarding a make-up assignment.  

  • What if a student does not participate meaningfully in the group discussion?

    These students will be required to complete an alternate assignment. The details of this assignment will communicated to the student either by a member of the administration or a member of the Summer Reading Committee. 

  • Whom do I contact with questions?

    Please contact:

    Mrs. Christina Taix '96, English Department Chair

    ctaix@archbishopchapelle.org

Have SPECIFIC Questions?

Connect with

Mrs. Taix

Share by: