LRHSD Announces 2024-2025 Common Reading List

The Lenape Regional High School District (LRHSD) is excited to announce the theme for the 2024-2025 common reading list: "One Book...at a Time." The One Book, One District Committee collects book suggestions submitted by students in English class. Members meet to discuss and finalize the list, often making strategic decisions, such as including the first book in a series.

LRHSD’s “One Book” program unites students, staff, families and even members of the community through the shared experiences of reading the same book. In recent years, the district moved away from choosing one book for all to read, instead creating a short list of books with a common theme for readers to choose from.

“Reading over the summer should be an exciting time to slow down and read for enjoyment,” said David New, assistant principal at Cherokee High School and head of the committee. “Our theme this year, ‘One Book…At a Time’ stresses the importance of slowing down and choosing a book that the reader will enjoy. Students and staff had many great submissions this year and the committee put the top vote earners on the list. The committee’s goals remain consistent: for all students to find something on the list that they want to read, and once they start, have trouble putting it down.”

The full list of One Book titles for the 2024-2025 academic year include:

• The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold by Daniel James Brown (Nonfiction)
• Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (Fantasy Fiction)
• Confessions: The Private School Murders by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro (Mystery Fiction)
• I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys (Fantasy/Classic)
• The Wishing Game: A Novel by Meg Shaffer (Mystery/Magical Realism Fiction) 

“LRHSD’s One Book program is a unique take on common summer reading, because the whole school and surrounding communities can participate,” said Heather Xenakis, LRHSD Director of Curriculum and Instruction. "We may not all read the same One Book, but we can still connect to discuss what we have read, share what we have learned and get recommendations for what we will pick up next. Our students enter these conversations with greater enthusiasm and excitement, because they are sharing about something they chose to read and subjects that interest them."

Each media center throughout LRHSD will carry limited copies of the books on the One Book reading list. Barnes and Noble in Marlton also has copies of each for purchase.