Lincoln-Sudbury RHS: Summer Reading Info for Class of 2026, 2027, 2028

How often do we take our water supply for granted? Sometimes we’re asked to conserve water, but it’s hard to remember to do so when you can turn on the tap and water pours out. Until one day, it doesn’t. 

Nobody in California expects the Tap-Out, so when the water supply cuts off, most people are not prepared. Panic ensues as stores sell out of bottled water and all other beverages. There’s hope that the government will provide relief, but as the days pass and not enough help arrives, people become angrier and even savage. 

For Alyssa, Garrett, and Kelton, separated from their respective parents and attempting to leave town toward safety, this anger puts their lives in danger. The unwelcome addition of Jacqui and Henry complicates the journey to Kelton’s family’s bug-out location in the woods. How will they find the strength to survive?

How to read it:

• Unlike some other books you might have read, the Shustermans alternate between four different narrators—Alyssa, Kelton, Jacqui, and Henry—and brief “snapshots” that focus on other people. The chapters start with a number and a name: the name is the person who is telling the story at that point.

• There are also dates, which can be interesting to follow to see how quickly the crisis develops.

• Many people are busy in August, so some of you will read the book sooner or early in the summer. Since you will be asked to speak knowledgeably about the book when you return, it’s a good idea to either take notes and/or review the book right before you come back to school.

• The assignment when you come back will likely involve some writing. As you read, try to note your reaction to the story. Consider some of these questions:

  • Does the plot feel real? Would events really develop in this way? Why or why not?

  • Which of the characters do you relate to, if any? Which ones do you have the most intense reactions to and why? 

  • What social issues come up in the book? Does the book offer helpful insights into them?

  • If you had written the book, would you have taken a different approach to any part of it?