Help a Freshman Out. Recommend a Sizzling Summer Read

Mine's nine. What's your number?

The number of books you've read off of 's summer reading list for incoming freshmen, of course.

Rising college prep freshmen must read one book from the list and complete a summer assignment; honors freshmen must read both a fiction and a non-fiction book and complete two summer assignments.

The list ranges from old favorites like "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," by C.S. Lewis, to graphic novels like "Maus," by Art Spiegelman and "Persepolis," by Marjane Satrapi, to contemporary hits like "The Help," by Kathryn Stockett.

All of which are included in the nine I've read.

I found the most surprising inclusion to be "The Martian Chronicles," by Ray Bradbury. I went through a strong Ray Bradbury phase as an adolescent, but now I remember his science fiction as unusual and somewhat moralistic.

My most recent read from the list was "The Spy Who Came in From the Cold," a John Le Carre Cold War spy novel classic, which I would strongly recommend to any rising SSFHS freshman who likes a good read.

To make your summer reading picks for incoming SSFHS students, click on the PDF on the top right for the full list. Then share your likes and dislikes in the comments below.