Great 10th grade summer reading list for high school students aged 15-16 (aka: sophomore age). Huge range of books for a high school reading list for tenth grade from social issues book list, contemporary books for high schoolers, and classic books for high school students. Free summer reading log printable to go along with the books recommended for 10th graders!
Best 10th Grade Summer Reading List
We’ve included some of the best fiction books for 10th graders, classic books for 10th graders, as well as high school non-fiction books. This is clearly not a comprehensive list of books to read for 10th graders, but it’s a great start and includes a wide variety of books and authors of interest.
What books should 10th graders read?
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
- The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
- Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
- The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
- Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
- The Odyssey by Homer
- Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
- Looking for Alaska by John Green
- The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
- One Hundred Years Of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
- The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy
- The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
- The Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyer
- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
- The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
- The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
- The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
- The Outsiders by S.E Hinton
- Lord of the Flies by William Golding
See the full list of tenth grade book categories below. KEEP SCROLLING for the free summer reading chart printable.
What books do they read in 10th grade?
What to look for in 10th grade literature:
Books in tenth grade English cover different genres, as well as books with advanced writing / grammar, and those that require critical thinking skills for detailed discussion. Summer reading lists for 10th grade are typically designed to challenge students to read more advanced texts and to encourage independent reading and thinking, as well as help entertain to develop a lifelong love of reading!
What books do you read in 10th grade honors English?
Tenth grade honors English book lists may vary by school and curriculum, but these are all great honors English literature readings and the kind of books included for book reports for 10th graders.
Good books for 10th graders in honors classes:
- To Kill a Mockingbird
- Anthem
- Life of Pi
- A Raisin In The Sun
- Romeo And Juliet
- Inherit the Wind
- Everything, Everything
- Julius Caesar
- Night by Ellie Wiesel
Tenth Grade Reading List By Category
Required Readings for 10th Grade
Required reading is typically a list of books that are required to be read by all students at the end of the year. Some high school teachers require their students to complete summer reading assignments in order to prepare for the upcoming school year. Often, these books include non-fiction titles on scientific or historical subjects, as well as novels and short story collections.
Required reading lists for 10th graders typically include the following books…
Book list for 10th graders:
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
- The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger
- The Outsiders by S.E Hinton
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
- Lord of the Flies by William Golding
- Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
- Of Mice And Men by John Steinbeck
- The Pedestrian by Ray Bradbury (great if you’re looking for short stories 10th grade English)
ALSO CHECK OUT:
Summer Reading Programs for Kids to Get Free Stuff
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Recommended Readings for 10th Graders
In addition to required reading, many 10th grade students also read recommended books over the summer.
While not required, these titles are often selected by educators or parents and used as supplemental reading for English or literature class.
A typical list of recommended books for 10th graders might include the following…
Summer Reading Books For 10th Graders
- The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
- 1984 by George Orwell
- Beloved by Toni Morrison
- The Giver by Lois Lowry
- Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race
Personal Interests / Contemporary Books for 10th Grade
Some 10th grade students also choose to read books that interest them personally over the summer.
These titles may be recommended by friends or family members, or they may simply be books that a particular student has heard good things about or a topic of interest.
Popular modern high school reading list books:
- The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins
- Harry Potter series by J.K Rowling
- The Perks Of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
- The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
- Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan
- Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
- A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Tenth Grade Reading Recommendations For Social Issues / Cultural Issues
As an added bonus, many 10th grade summer reading lists also include books that deal with social and/or cultural issues, such as racism, discrimination, and hot social issues that help students reflect on and discuss difficult topics.
We’ve provided a good mix of fiction books about social issues and nonfiction books about social issues for high schoolers to read.
Social issues books for high school:
- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (GET LESSON PLAN IDEAS FOR HATE U GIVE)
- The Help by Kathryn Stockett
- Innercity Girl Like Me by Sabrina Bernardo
- Dear Martin by Nic Stone
- I Am Malala By Malala Yousafzai
- The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
- Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
- Never Fall Down By Patricia McCormick
- Night by Elie Wiesel
- The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Grade 10 Summer Reading List Tips
The books listed are just a starting summer reading list for 10th graders. (Most of these work for 9th and 10th grade reading list.) Let us know your favorite summer reading 10th grade books and we’ll add them to our best high school reading list!
It’s always a good idea to check with your school, co-op, teacher or specific curriculum to see if they have specific books that they want your kids to read, especially if you’re trying to get a head start on a summer reading list for 10th grade honors English.
Also, let your kids pick some of their 10th grade summer reading books! If they are interested in popular teen books instead of books from the classics list, that’s OK! Give them a choice reading high school books. At least they’re reading! Have them add those to their summer reading list 10th grade log, too.
Free Summer Reading Log Printable
How do you keep track of summer reading?
Use this to track summer reads or even reads during the year for a 10th grade reading list – homeschool and classroom. Great for summer reading challenge tracking!
CLICK HERE OR ON THE IMAGE TO GET THE FREE DOWNLOAD
CHECK THIS HIGH SCHOOL RESOURCE OUT NEXT: HOW TO WRITE A HIGH SCHOOL ESSAY
What’s on your tenth grade summer reading list or 10th grade honors summer reading list?
Let us know your favorite books to add to our 10th grade summer reading list!
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