Maine South Summer Reading and Listening 2024

Welcome to the 2024 Summer Reading Program!  We hope this letter finds you and your family well and ready to explore a book! We recommend that each student read or listen to books that are interesting to them over the summer. We base this recommendation on what we know about the positive impact that reading and listening have on brain development. Additionally, we want Maine South students to continue learning, pursuing interests, and nurturing curiosities during the summer.  

Many of our students and staff have lists of books they will jump into without needing a list. However, for those looking for recommendations, we suggest choosing one from the lists of books selected for the Illinois Teen Reader’s Choice Lincoln Award, run by the Illinois Association of Illinois School Library Educators. Named after President Abraham Lincoln, a self-proclaimed avid reader, the Lincoln Award committee determines a master list of books of high interest to teens. Teen readers then vote on the titles, and the book with the most votes wins the award. Maine South students can choose to use the lists in a couple of ways. 

1. Read a past winner! Find information about past nominees and winners here.
2. Read books on the current list! Get a front-row seat to the competition by reading the 2025 titles.

The books on these lists are all available in a number of formats, and we have provided information about all of the ways that students can access texts.  Students should feel free to find and read a digital copy or listen to an audio copy of their selection. A limited number of copies of the titles (e-books and audiobooks) are also available digitally through Maine South’s online library.  Additionally, local libraries have been notified of the list and students can find both physical and digital copies of the texts there.

We have included a series of resources (see below) to assist students and families in both selecting and finding summer reading books if they are looking for a book off of the Lincoln Award lists.  Students, Maine South teachers look forward to hearing your thoughts about your selections at the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year!

Department Chair
Julianna Cucci
847.692.8139

Administrative Assistant
Marie Lang
847.692.8061

Department Information
Engagement as a citizen, in a career, and as a lifelong learner, requires strong literacy skills, and English classes provide a deep foundation for students with reading, writing, listening, and speaking. English classes range from focusing on reading and understanding fiction and non-fiction text, conducting original research, and writing and speaking for a variety of audiences. Additionally, there are a number of courses that offer college credit as part of successful course completion through both Advanced Placement tests as well as through dual-credit with Oakton Community College.

The major goals of English classes are that students will be able, at various levels of skill development to…

• read with understanding and fluency
• understand the expressed meaning in literature representative of various societies, eras, and ideas
• write in order to communicate for a variety of purposes
• listen and speak effectively in a variety of situations
• use reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills to research and apply information for specific purposes.

Regardless of the course selected, students will have experiences leading them to the successful accomplishment of these five goals.