Orientation Essentials

LCS Reads Summer 2026 | Reading List

What Lakefield College School Students are Reading This Summer 

What began five summers ago as a way to keep students connected to learning has become a much-anticipated tradition: LCS Reads Student Edition is back for 2026!

At Lakefield College School, we believe reading does more than build vocabulary—it sparks curiosity, broadens perspectives, and inspires meaningful reflection long after the final page. This summer’s selections invite students to step into stories that will challenge, inspire, and stay with them well beyond the break. 

The goal? To ignite a love of reading—not just for school, but for life.

Check out the books our students will be reading this summer and join us on this literary journey:

Grade 9 English

Animal Farm by George Orwell

"Animal Farm is a satirical allegorical novella, in the form of a beast fable, by George Orwell, first published in England on 17 August 1945. It tells the story of a group of anthropomorphic farm animals who rebel against their human farmer, hoping to create a society where the animals can be equal, free, and happy. Ultimately, the rebellion is betrayed, and under the dictatorship of a pig named Napoleon, the farm ends up in a far worse state than before." Wikipedia

Grade 10 English & Page to Stage

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

Trevor Noah’s bestselling memoir offers a powerful and often humorous reflection on growing up in apartheid and post-apartheid South Africa while exploring themes of identity, resilience, and family. 

Grade 10 War Experience

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles

"Based on the true World War II story of the heroic librarians at the American Library in Paris, The Paris Library is a moving and unforgettable 'novel about the power of books and the bonds of friendship, and the ordinary heroes who can be found in the most perilous times' (Kristin Hannah, author of The Nightingale). (Simon & Schuster) 

Grade 11 English

The Outside Circle by Patti LaBoucane-Benson, Illustrated by Kelly Mellings

"In this important graphic novel, two brothers surrounded by poverty, drug abuse, and gang violence, try to overcome centuries of historic trauma in very different ways to bring about positive change in their lives." (House of Anansi) 

Grade 11 AP Language

Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain

"Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly is a New York Times bestselling nonfiction book written by American chef Anthony Bourdain, first published in 2000. In 2018, following Bourdain's death, it topped the New York Times non-fiction paperback and non-fiction combined e-book and print lists." (Wikipedia)

Grade 12 English

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

"Told in short, fierce staccato narrative verse, Long Way Down is a fast and furious, dazzlingly brilliant look at teenage gun violence, as could only be told by Jason Reynolds." (Simon & Schuster)

Grade 12 AP Literature

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

"The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s third book, stands as the supreme achievement of his career. First published by Scribner in 1925, this quintessential novel of the Jazz Age has been acclaimed by generations of readers. The story of the mysteriously wealthy Jay Gatsby and his love for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan is an exquisitely crafted tale of America in the 1920s." (Simon & Schuster)