Head's Summer Reading List 2024

MS. DE LA TORRE'S

SUMMER READING LIST

Moorestown Friends School - 2024

Introduction

READ FOR JOY & LEARNING

Likeformanyofyou,summerismytimeto reconnectwithadifferentpartofmyselfand tacklethatlistofbookrecommendations thatIhavebeencollectingallyear.Ilean heavilytowardsnon-fiction,butIalwayslike topickatleastonebookthatwhisksme awaytoanothercultureandanotherthatis readbyourstudents.Isharemyreadinglist withyouinthehopesthatyouwillread alongwithmeandsharesomeofyour insightswhenIseeyounext.Aswehead towardssummer,Iameagertolosemyself inabook,reflectonthispastyear,and challengemybraininnewways. Ihopeyou'lljoinme.

"THAT’STHETHINGABOUT BOOKS.THEYLETYOU TRAVELWITHOUTMOVING YOURFEET."

JHUMPA LAHIRI

The Caliph’s House

BY: TAHIR SHAH

AnMFSparentrecentlyrecommended thisbooktome,aswesharealoveof anythingMoroccan.IlivedinMarrakech asayoungteacherinmy20s,wantingto bringknowledgeofFrancophoneNorth AfricabacktomyFrenchstudentsand fellinlovewiththeculture.Each summer,Ienjoy“armchairtravel”by readingtravelliterature,andthisbook certainlyfitsthebill.

The Importance of Being Little

BY: ERIKA CHRISTAKIS

Alwaysinterestedinthevariousstagesof childdevelopment,Ichoseabookfocused onearlychildhoodeducationforthis summer.Christakis’booktakesalookat theimportanceofachild’searlylearning environments,focusingonhowchildren developlanguage,howtheircreativeminds grow,andthewaysinwhichwecanhelp thembuildstrongemotionalbonds.The summaryofthisbookfeelssomuchlikeour approachtotheBeginningsprogramat MFS.I’meagertoexploremore.

Prairie Lotus

BY: LINDA SUE PARK

EveryyearItrytopickonebookthatstudentsatMFS arereading.Mostyears,IleantowardsanUpper Schoolbooks,butthisyearIhavechosen Prairie Lotus,abookreadbyourfifthgraders.NowthatI havearisingMiddleSchoolstudent,myself,I’m eagertoreadalongsidethem.Foryears,Ihave enjoyedchildren’sliteraturebyLindaSueParkand herreflectionsonhistoryandculturethroughthe storiesofothers.I’mlookingforwardtoreadingone exampleofwhattheMiddleSchoolershavebeen enjoyingthisyear.

"READINGISANEXERCISEIN EMPATHY;ANEXERCISEIN WALKINGINSOMEONE ELSE’SSHOESFORAWHILE."

MALORIE BLACKMAN

Fourteen Talks by Age Fourteen

BY: MICHELLE ICARD

Themiddleschoolyearsareoftenatimeof joyandexcitementforlearning.It’salsoa timewhenmanycriticalconversations happenbetweenchildrenandtheadultsin theirlives.Fromchangingfriendshipsand independence,totechnologyuseand reputations,thereisnoshortageof importantconversationsthathelpshapea child’spresentandtheirfuture.Thisbook highlights14ofthemostimportanttalksto havewithkidsbeforetheystarthighschool.

Never Enough

BY: JENNIFER BREHENY WALLACE

Intheworldofindependentschools,weareno strangerto“achievementculture”-aculture thatsurroundsstudents,families,andschools, encouragingyoungpeopletoperformatthe highestlevel,oftenattheexpenseoftheir relationshipsandmentalhealth. Never Enough callsonusasadultstoconsiderthemessages wesendyoungpeopleinordertohelpthem excelwhilealsocommunicatingtochildren theirintrinsicworth.Thisbookhasswept throughindependentschoolsthisyear,andI’m eagertotalkwithfaculty,staff,andfamilies abouthowwecanbestsupportourstudents.

Taste

BY: STANLEY TUCCI

Ihavealwaysenjoyedfoodshowsandgot toknowStanleyTucci’sconnectionto Italythrough“SearchingforItaly”onCNN. Hislatestbook Taste isafoodmemoirthat showshowfood,family,andcultureare closelyintertwined.Withfoodplayinga largeroleinmyownfamily’sculture,and withafamilytriptoItalyonthehorizon, I’mexcitedtoimmerseinItalian-American culturethroughTucci’spersonal experiencesandrecipes.

HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!

Whateveryouchoosetodothissummer,Ihopeyoutakethe timetoconnectwithfriendsandfamily,enjoytheactivitiesyou love,andreflectonthelearningfromanothergreatyear.

SeeyouinSeptember.