Dear Falcons:

As I begin this letter, I’m thinking about how gorgeous it’s going to be this evening - that magical time of day after this blazing heat subsides but before the sun sets - and how I can’t wait to sit outside and dive back into the fantastic book I’m reading right now, escaping however briefly from the “May-hem” of a winding down school year.  

Writing to our students and families to launch the page of our website dedicated to summer reading is one of my favorite to-dos each year because I get to take a moment to share a piece of me with the community that I have loved and served for twenty-two years in the hopes of inspiring an adventure that can only be found in a book.  So much has happened since I last crafted this letter, both good and bad, beautiful and ugly.  The paradoxical world in which we live continues to evolve at lightning speed while simultaneously reverting back to times that are decidedly unevolved, challenging each of us to lean into what unites us rather than divides us.  We are living in incredibly complex and difficult times, and the impact it is having on our young people is at times, hard to digest.  My twelve year old autistic son told me over the long weekend that he is having an existential crisis.  As we worked through what was troubling him and he was able to clearly articulate what was weighing heavily on his mind and in his heart, I found myself thinking about how deeply fortunate I am that he is surrounded by educators who have ensured he is literate in every sense of the word.  And though admittedly he learned how to describe his “existential crisis” in a contextually accurate manner from YouTube and not from a book, I am deeply attuned to just how much reading both in and outside of school continues to shape how he steers his own path, makes his own choices, and decides who and what he wants to be.  Because he learned to read, he can read to learn, opening doors for him that I wasn’t always sure were going to open. Because he has experienced stories and storytelling, he can better navigate social situations and conflicts that are a challenge for him.  Because he has developed the argumentation skills of a mid-career attorney as a matter of self-preservation, he is a strong self-advocate.  And because he loves to read, he has traveled alongside fictional characters of all different backgrounds, experiences, challenges, and journeys, and has grown into a deeply empathetic and kind boy who walks in the world with a wide-open heart - what more can a mother want for her child?  That is the lens from which I am writing to you today - as a mother, deeply invested in the children of Albany, who hopes for them what I want for my own children - a life rich with agency, choice, freedom, success, and most of all, hope - our amazing students make me incredibly hopeful for the future.

With that, we are pleased to announce that Summer Reading 2023 is now live on our district website.   In this space, you will be able to view an introductory video starring our wonderful librarians – Mrs. Abdul and Mrs. Majkut – in which they describe how to access the many titles from which you can choose a book that piques your interest, along with their respective Top 10 recommendations.  Every book on this list was carefully chosen to take into consideration the varied interests of high school students. You will also find directions for the writing assignment that is due in September upon return to school.  Those entering grades 9-11 have a three-part journaling assignment based on the book of their choice; 12th grade students along with those enrolled in AP or IB coursework have specific readings and writing tasks to complete.

There are many ways to access both print and digital copies of books.  The Albany High School library is accessible during the summer, as are the branches of the Albany Public Library.  We also have a robust collection of eBooks and audiobooks available; directions for access can be found on the district website.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to connect with our school librarians or Megan Donohue, AHS English Department Chair.  On behalf of the City School District of Albany and the AHS English Department and librarians, we wish you a wonderful, healthy, and safe summer full of new adventures and great books!
 

Sincerely,

1. Jason Reynolds
2. Marie Lu
3. Gail Giles
4. Aisha Saeed
5. Brandy Colbert
6. Erik Larson 
7. Angie Thomas
8. Ruta Sepetys
9. Gail Jarrow
10. Rupi Kaur (poet)
11. Jeff Zentner
12. Deborah Hopkinson
13. Ann Bausum
14. Candace Fleming
15. Paul Volponi

1. The Raft by Bodeen
2. Life As We Knew It by Pfeffer
3. The Selection by Kiera Cass
4. Orbiting Jupiter by Gary Schmidt
5. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
6. Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi
7. Rucker Park Setup by Paul Volponi
8. Crank by Ellen Hopkins
9. Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamaki *
10. Death Note by Tsugumi Ohba *
11. Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram
12. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
13. I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga
14. Kindred by Octavia Butler *
15. Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson

* Denotes graphic novel format

1. They Called Us Enemy by George Takei *
2. Ghosts of War: The True Story of a 19-year old GI by Ryan Smithson
3. All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team by Christina Soontornvat
4. The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater
5. Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town by Jon Krakauer
6. Just Mercy: A True Story of the Fight for Justice (Adapted for young adults) by Bryan Stevenson
7. It’s Trevor Noah (Adapted for young readers) / Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
8. I Was Their American Dream: A Graphic Memoir by Malaka Gharib *
9. Poisoned Water: How the Citizens of Flint, Michigan, Fought for Their Lives and Warned the Nation by Candy J. Cooper and Marc Aronson
10. How Dare the Sun Rise: Memoirs of a War Child by Sandra Uwiringiyimana
11. Lucky by Alice Sebold
12. My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf *
13. The Unwanted: Stories of the Syrian Refugees by Don Brown *
14. The Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty
15. The Beauty in the Breaking by Michele Harper

* Denotes graphic novel format

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