| Online you can find lots of sites that will have a | | | | write in their book list for a few months, but they still |
| "Reading List for the College Bound." They should not | | | | have a ton of other books on the list, I would not |
| be used as a "to do" list, though. Every student will | | | | worry about it. |
| have a unique reading list that can reflect their unique | | | | The "everything" list can be helpful to a child who |
| abilities and interests. | | | | hates reading as well. A very small list for freshman |
| These sorts of lists vary widely - depending on the | | | | year can indicate a possible area for improvement for |
| child and how much the child loves to read. Some kids | | | | the following year. It may start with a conversation like, |
| are doing well to read 6 books a year, and others may | | | | "Honey, 6 books are not enough for me. What can we |
| read 60. Because my own children are voracious | | | | do to increase the number of books you read this |
| readers, I chose to make a reading list that was | | | | coming year?" By keeping a reading list, even a very |
| broken down by a year at a time. In other words, you | | | | short reading list, you will be able to assess the |
| may want to have a one list for freshman year, a | | | | situation and make some adjustments. |
| different list for sophomore year, etc. When a child is | | | | My reading list was just for my children, based on their |
| "not so voracious" about books, then you probably | | | | interests. It included books they were required to read |
| want to have a single reading list for the entire high | | | | for school. It also included books they loved to read for |
| school period. | | | | fun. I did not include textbooks, because my children |
| However you break it down, the reading list includes | | | | read so much I did not need to fill out the list even |
| everything the child reads: reading for school (like Jane | | | | more. I know that some home-schoolers do include |
| Austen), reading for pleasure (like Harry Potter), goofy | | | | textbooks and that is OK. Your reading list should not |
| stuff (acres and acres of chess books), professional | | | | look the same as mine - it should reflect your child. |
| reading (PC World Magazine) and books on tape (as | | | | I used the books on the list to make course |
| long as you include the words "audio"). The list includes | | | | descriptions. My course description would include the |
| everything! | | | | text they used, plus the books they read as a |
| An "everything" list can be stressful when your child | | | | supplement, and the things they did for that class. |
| reads a lot. Believe me, with a voracious reader you | | | | But again, my reading list is not meant to be a "to do |
| do not need to include every single book they read for | | | | list" but is just one child's reading history. Your reading |
| an entire high school period. You just want to get | | | | list should look completely different, and should |
| enough books on the list to say "well-read, voracious | | | | represent your child's reading history. |
| reader." For that reason, if your child has forgotten to | | | | |