Mrs. Howey’s Summer Reading List
2015-2016
Incoming 9th/10th Grade
HC = hard copy available
EB = E-book
Death Wind
Fry Readability – 3.2
HC
Allie, failing school and fearing she is pregnant by her ex-boyfriend, decides there is no way she can face
her always fighting parents and decides to run away, but she gets a different perspective on her life and
future when a tornado hits, destroying her home and injuring her mother.
Bio-pirate
Fry Readability – 4.0
HC
Trevor, Robyn, and Nick find themselves in deep trouble when they decide to investigate the theft of some
research into the use of carob beans to treat cancer.
Jumper
Fry Readability – 3.2
HC
Reese places her life in peril when she attempts to keep some wild horses purchased at an auction from
being sold for slaughter.
Kicker
Frye Readability – 3.8
HC
Best friends and soccer teammates Izzy and Julia team up with their coach's son and Izzy's crush Drew to
discover who is threatening Julia, and why someone is trying to sabotage their practice field.
Cobra strike
Fry Readability – 4.0
HC
High school football player Ray Linden, on course to earn a college scholarship, puts his future in peril
when he learns his small coal-mining town is in danger from a toxic threat.
Hitmen triumph
Fry Readability – 3.2
HC
Left winger Nolan Andrews has to make some difficult decisions that will affect him and his brother for the
rest of their lives.
Hurricane power
Fry Readability – 3.2
HC
When David is confronting angry gang members and malicious teammates, he finds out what it really
means to run for your life.
Maverick mania
Fry Readability – 4.1
HC
The disappearance of his soccer team's leading scorer during the championship finals leads sixteen-yearold Matt to investigate and entangles him in a possible kidnapping.
Scarlet thunder
Fry Readability – 4.1
HC
Seventeen-year-old Trent is helping his uncle film a television documentary about Scarlet Thunder, a stock
car racing team, when he begins to suspect that someone is sabotaging the shoot.
Tiger threat
Frye Readability – 2.4
HC
Ray Hockaday, a center in the Western Hockey League who holds a secret, is assigned to help his
newteammate, a Russian named Vlad, get accustomed to Canada and soon finds that his companion holds
a very dangerous secret of his own.
Titan clash
Fry Readability – 3.2
HC
Popular high school basketball star Jack Spencer's life takes a downhill turn when his mother is severely
injured in a suspicious car accident, and his father is arrested for fraud.
Chat room
Fry Readability – 4.0
HC and EB
Linda, too shy to meet people at school, develops an anonymous online persona that gains quite a
reputation, but things get out of hand when she begins receiving gifts from a secret admirer.
Zee’s way
Fry Readability – 3.2
HC
Zee is torn between making a statement and making art.
Thunderbowl
Fry Readability – 4.0
HC
Sixteen-year-old Jeremy, caught up in the excitement of playing guitar for the hot band Thunderbowl,
begins to lose control of the rest of his life.
Wave warrior
Fry Readability – 3.4
HC
Ben, warned away from the ocean by his grandfather and parents, meets Ray, an aging surfer dying of
cancer, who shares his skills and philosophy of surfing with Ben.
Two foot punch
Fry Readability – 3.2
HC
Nikki blames her brother for their parents' death in a house fire, but when he gets involved with a gang,
Nikki knows she is the only one who can save him.
Impact
Fry Readability – 3.8
HC
The death of Jordan's brother two years earlier in what appeared to be a random act, has lasting effects on
theentire family, especially Jordan who knows more than he is saying about the murder.
Scum
Fry Readability – 3.0
HC
While still grieving her the death of her brother, who was killed during a robbery, Megan learns some
startling facts about Danny's life; and when the police seem unmotivated to solve the crime, Megan
searches for answers.
Battle of the bands
Fry Readability – 2.9
HC and EB
Jay, Kelvin, and Cia are The Lunar Ticks, a dedicated band, convinced they are on their way to the top.
One more step
Fry Readability – 3.2
HC and EB
When Julian's mother decides to marry a French-Canadian man, Julian learns that it is not always blood
that determines true family.
Chill
Fry Readability – 3.5
HC
An artistically talented young man with a physical disability decides to fight for what he believes when a
spirit-crushing new teacher arrives at his school.
No problem
Fry Readability – 2.2
HC
Curt, a teen blessed with friends, a summer job, and a promising future in baseball, puts everything at risk
when he begins experimenting with drugs.
Kicked out
Fry Readability – 3.0
Sixteen-year-old Dime has difficulty adjusting to her parents' rules.
HC
Something girl
Fry Readability – 2.8
HC
Sophie lives in constant fear of her father, who beats her on a regular basis, until the day the beating is so
severe it sends her to the hospital.
Sticks and stones
Fry Readability – 2.6
HC
When Jujube finds herself the butt of cruel jokes that are ruining her reputation, she decides to fight back.
5708
Who owns Kelly Paddik
Fry Readability – 3.1
HC and EB
After attempting suicide, Kelly Paddik is sent to a "secure facility," and as she tries to find a way out, she
has to come to terms with her memories of abuse.
Dead-end job
Fry Readability – 3.6
HC
Francis meets a rather annoying boy at the convenience store where she works, but before long she
realizes that this boy is a stalker and she may be in some very real danger.
I.D.
Fry Readability – 2.8
HC
Chris finds a wallet on the street and wants to return it to the owner; but when he realizes that the owner
looks a lot like him, he is tempted to assume the person's identity in order to break away from the
problems he faces at home.
Pigboy
Fry Readability – 2.0
HC and EB
Dan Hogg's school trip to a heritage farm--where taunts about his last name are funny to everyone but
him--goes from miserable to dangerous when an escaped convict appears.
Blue moon
Fry Readability – 3.4
Bobby Jo tries to turn a beat-up old horse into a champion barrel racer.
HC and EB
Bull rider
Fry Readability – 3.0
HC and EB
Sixteen-year-old Layne faces a dangerous challenge when he defies his mother and enters himself in a bull
riding contest--the same rodeo event in which his father was killed.
Bull’s eye
Fry Readability – 4.3
HC
After the death of her aunt, Emily finds that her life has been a lie and she has to search for the truth
about where she came from and who she is.
Hit squad
Fry Readability – 3.8
HC
Students in an upscale high school decide to take on the bullies and take back their school, with decidedly
mixed consequences.
Truth
Fry Readability – 3.2
HC
When a prominent local adult is killed at a teen house party, the whole school seems to know who is to
blame,but no one will go to the police.
Exit point
Fry Readability – 2.8
HC
Sixteen-year-old Logan is dead, but he realizes he still has unfinished business.
Charmed
Fry Readability – 3.8
HC
Izzy, left alone with her mother's boyfriend while her mom goes to work in a logging camp, falls in with
Cody Dillon, a great looking school dropout who lures Izzy into love with him and then sells her into
prostitution.
Crush
Fry Readability – 3.4
HC
During a summer in New York, Hope falls in love with another girl and must decide whether she is gay.
Pain & Wastings
Fry Readability – 3.6
Fifteen-year-old Ethan faces the truth about his mother's murder.
HC
Fastback Beach
Fry Readability – 2.9
HC and EB
When Miles is put on probation for stealing a car, he learns about hot rods and rebuilding cars. When the
project is stolen, Miles has to face up to his friends.
Bang
Fry Readability – 3.0
HC and EB
High school juniors Quentin and JD engage in a robbery that turns deadly, and one of them is left to take
the blame.
Down
Fry Readability – 3.6
After serving time for assault, Remy must learn how to control his anger.
Snitch
Fry Readability – 2.1
After his best friend snitches on him, Josh must learn to control his anger.
HC
HC
Tell
Fry Readability – 4.0
HC
David must find a way to handle the secret he has learned about his stepfather and his younger brother's
death when he becomes the prime suspect in his stepfather's murder.
Exposure
Fry Readability – 2.8
HC
Julie, tired of being bullied and not fitting in, gets a chance for revenge when her brother captures her chief
tormentor, Dana, in a compromising position, but she learns that getting even does not feel as good as she
thought it would.
Middle row
Fry Readability – 2.4
HC
Raedawn and Vince fight against ignorance and hate in their small town as they search for a missing friend
who is in more trouble than they thought possible.
121 Express
Fry Readability – 3.9
HC
Lucas is determined to be part of the popular crowd at his new school and put his reputation as a "brainiac"
behind him, but he discovers that there is a limit to what he is willing to do to fit in.
Home invasion
Fry Readability – 3.6
HC
While a home invader terrorizes the city, Josh finds himself sneaking into other people's houses.
No more pranks
Fry Readability – 4.0
Pete has to pull the most important prank of his life to bring about justice.
HC
Crossover
Fry Readability – 4.0
HC
Rising basketball star Kyle's interest in theater causes huge problems both on and off the court.
Paralyzed
Fry Readability – 4.0
HC
Senior linebacker Reggie Scott deals with accusations that he is a cheater while trying to figure out if he
still wants to play football.
Responsible
Fry Readability – 3.2
HC
Kevin steps in when Nick's pranks go to far and stops Nick from assaulting a girl at their school, but he
soon learns that doing what is right is not always the easy choice.
Saving Grace
Fry Readability – 2.4
HC
Evie, a young girl who was forced to give up her baby, kidnaps the child and runs to Montreal but must
make a difficult decision when baby Brianna gets very ill.
Dead in the water
Fry Readability – 3.1
HC
Simon, having signed up for a cruising course so he can become a solo delivery skipper, learns about foul
weather sailing, teamwork, and environmental protection.
Darwin expedition
Fry Readability – 2.5
HC
Liam and Tej must rely on all of their survival resources to escape a ferocious bear tracking them after they
lose control of their truck in a rainstorm on a remote logging road.
Lockdown
Fry Readability – 2.9
HC
Adam races to help a friend when a shooter opens fire at the school, but despite his efforts, his life is
forever changed.
Flower Power
Fry Readability – 3.5
HC and EB
Callie Powers tries to cope with a bunch of reporters and television cameras, her grandmother, and her
mother who has climbed a tree in protest to keep her neighbor from cutting it down.
Grind
Fry Readability – 2.2
HC
Philip, obsessed with skateboarding, finds himbself pushed to perform more and more dangerous stunts
when he begins taping himself and posting the movies on a Website to make money.
House Party
Fry Readability – 3.1
HC
Trying desperately to fit in and make friends, Casey and her friend hold a house party when her parents
are out of town.
Juice
Fry Readability – 2.9
HC
When Coach Reeves retired, he was replaced by Coach Barnes, whose own determination to obtain a
college post rested on his ability to create a division one high school team; however, to do this involved the
illegal distribution of steroids to the team.
Overdrive
Fry Readability – 2.8
HC and EB
When Jake is involved in a street-racing accident, he struggles to do the right thing.
Stuffed
Fry Readability – 3.8
HC and EB
Ian, inspired by a documentary on fast food, starts an online boycott of Frankie's fast food restaurants that
multiplies to the extent that it attracts the attention of the company's lawyers and eventually forces the
chain to add healthy choices to its menu.
Breathless
Fry Readability – 3.0
HC and EB
Beverly gets into serious trouble when her starvation diet interferes with her scuba diving.
Daredevil Club
Fry Readability – 3.9
HC and EB
Kip struggles to maintain his status as a member of the Daredevil Club even after being seriously injured in
one of their stunts.
Learning to fly
Fry Readability – 3.4
HC
Jason, a recent immigrant from China, has trouble fitting in and learns that he must fight to belong.
See no evil
Fry Readability – 2.2
HC and EB
Shawn and his friend Daniel accidentally witness a gang beating behind the local mall and must decide on
the best course of action when one of the perpetrators threatens them with violence.
Big Guy
Fry Readability – 2.9
EB
Derek thinks he might be falling in love. The problem is, he hasn’t been entirely honest with his on-line
boyfriend.
Cracked
Fry Readability – 3.4
EB
Trevor, Nick and Robyn are ready to solve another mystery. When bobsledder Josh Gantz is accused of
deliberately injuring a fellow competitor, he runs the risk of being thrown out of the sport-right before the
World Cup.
Finding Elmo
Fry Readability – 3.9
EB
Fifteen-year-old Tim loves his job at his dad's pet store, partly because he gets to spend time with his best
friend, a black cockatoo named Elmo. But things at work have been tense since the store moved to a
larger, more expensive location.
Hannah’s Touch
Fry Readability – 3.1
EB
Shaw Sebring is sixteen and trying desperately to understand and accept his father's recent suicide.
Moving with his mother halfway across the county in an effort to distance themselves from the awful truth,
Shaw lands in a new school and finds that the ghost of his father, a best-selling author, has followed him.
Hypnotized
Fry Readability – 3.1
EB
Rufus and his sister Alexa hate each other at the best of times. When Rufus's friend Phil manages to
hypnotize Alexa, Rufus is ready to enjoy the power.
In A Flash
Fry Readability – 3.1
EB
The first flash mob Ian puts together himself is a sixty-plus person, four-minute pillow fight in a
department store. His friend Oswald is thrilled with the event, but Julia, the one Ian really wants to
impress, is still convinced that flash mobs are stupid.
Junkyard Dog
Fry Readability – 3.1
HC and EB
One worn-out dog inspires Justin to change his life. Justin is fascinated with the aged guard dog at the
corner store. He names it Smokey and sneaks the dog treats. Smokey belongs to a company that supplies
working dogs to local businesses.
Picture This
Fry Readability – 3.6
EB
What does Ethan know that someone is willing to kill for? Ethan lives in a foster home, struggling to put his
life on the right track. Involved in a photography program for at-risk kids, he finds himself threatened
again and again by someone who wants his camera.
Queen of the Toilet Bowl
Fry Readability – 3.6
EB
When Renata is chosen to play the lead role in the school musical, students who used to ignore her start
saying hello and congratulating her in the hall. She is happy until it becomes evident that Karin, a wealthy
girl who expected to get the lead role, will go to great lengths to ruin Renata’s reputation.
Refuge Cove
Fry Readability – 3.2
EB
Greg is an avid sailor. On a solo trip off the rugged Newfoundland coast, he stumbles upon a family of
desperate refugees stranded in a lifeboat. Fearing for their lives if they are deported to their homeland, the
family convinces Greg to help them, and keep their existence secret.
Spiral
Fry Readability – 2.5
EB
When fifteen-year-old Abby is seriously injured, her wounds go far deeper than her broken back.
Rehabilitation therapy teaches her to cope with her new physical reality but once she's home with her
family, she refuses to participate in life and withdraws into a world of drugs.
Spoiled Rotten
Fry Readability – 2.8
EB
Jessica loves her yearly backpacking trip with her father, but this year everything has changed. This year
Jessica has to share her vacation with her new stepmother and her spoiled new stepsister, Amy.
Sudden Impact
Fry Readability – 3.3
EB
When Kurt is hurt in a soccer game and ends up in the hospital Tina tries to help him, but nobody will tell
her what is wrong, and Kurt’s parents don’t want her around. Tina learns that Kurt needs a donor with a
rare blood type, and she finds a match in Kurt’s soccer rival Jason.
Wired
Fry Readability – 2.9
EB
Keegan Bishop, championship skier, is almost injured in a dangerous trap set for one of his teammates.
Snowboard tracks leading away from the trap are the only clue as to who might be responsible.