ENGLISH III BOOK LIST
2015-2016
You will independently and outside of class read two books from an approved list for each semester. If you are below the grade level lexile,
1000, you must read a book within 200 points of your lexile. If you are on grade level (above 1000), each semester you must choose one
book from the “Masterpiece List” and the other can be any other list above 800. There will an objective portion that is closed book to assess
comprehension and two short answers which require textual support (i.e. open book). You must choose from the approved list below!
0-600
Breaking Point by Alex Flinn. (L-410) Tripped in class, mooned in the hall, cola poured through the slats in his locker, spitballs stuck in his
hair--how much more can Paul Richmond take at his super-snobby private school, expensive Gate-Bicknell Christian? Paul is there free
because his mom works in the guidance office, but that fact makes him an instant outcast, his only friend a funny-looking, independent girl
named Binky. Even worse off is David Blanco, whose mom is a cafeteria lady and whose father is the janitor.
The Boy Who Drank Too Much by Shep Greene. (L-450) Buff Saunders is a friend in need. His father is an abusive alcoholic who expects
Buff to become a star hockey player. Buff adopts his father’s method of dealing with pressure and ends up with a drinking problem of his
own. Buff can’t handle all of the pressure and the drinking. Luckily, he has friends who recognize his problem.
Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly (L 560 )- While in Paris with her estranged father, a Nobel geneticist hired to match the DNA of a heart
said to belong to the last dauphin of France, Andi discovers a diary hidden within a guitar case--and so begins the story of Alexandrine, who
herself had close ties to the dauphin. Redemption and the will to change are powerful themes of the novel, and music is ever present--Andi
and Alex have a passion for the guitar, and the playlist running through Revolution is a who's who of classic and contemporary influences.
Fade to Black by Alex Flinn. (L-590) Flinn, author of Breathing Underwater, takes aim at bullying once again. This time HIV-positive
Alejandro Crusan, a Florida high-school junior, is the target.
How I Spent My Last Night on Earth by Todd Strasser (L-590) Something strange is happening in the parking lot of Time Zone High… the
established cliques aren’t in their usual gathering places. Instead, everyone has joined in one large, frantically interacting mass. Why?
Maybe it’s because the world may end… tomorrow!
600-800
Timeline by Michael Crichton (L-620) A group of present-day historians are employed by a billionaire genius who plans a theme park
featuring artifacts from a lost world revived via cutting-edge science. When you step into a time machine, fax yourself through a quantum
foam wormhole, and step out in feudal France circa 1357, be very, very afraid.
In the The Last Mission by Harry Mazer. (L-620) Fifteen-year-old Jack Raab uses his older brother’s birth certificate to appear old enough
to enlist is the U.S. Army Air Corps. As World War II draws to an end, he and the other members of his unit are assigned bombing raids over
Germany’s capital city, Berlin. The men become more than just another fighting unit; they become good friends who depend on each other
for their lives.
How I Changed My Life by Todd Strasser (L-630) A knee injury has left football star Kyle Winthrop sitting on the sidelines of high school
life. Meanwhile, Bolita Vine has vowed to change her image. She loses weight and works on becoming more assertive. She even lands the
job of stage managing the school play. When Kyle tries out for the play, he and Bo become friends. But when Bo tries to take the relationship
one step further, she learns the difference between fantasy and reality.
first in a series~ All These Things I’ve Done by Gavielle Zevin (L 630)- In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water
is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the
city's most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine.
second in a series: Because it is My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin. Anya comes into her birthright.
Bull Rider by Suzanna Morgan Williams (L 650 ) Cam O’Mara, 14, is a champion skateboarder, and when he is not helping out on the family
desert ranch, he is practicing his moves with his friends in his small Nevada town. But when his older brother, Ben, comes home from the
Iraq War severely injured and depressed, everything changes.
Cut by Patricia McCormick. (L-660) Burdened with the pressure of believing she is responsible for her brother's illness, 15-year-old Callie
begins a course of self-destruction that leads to her being admitted to Sea Pines, a psychiatric hospital the "guests" refer to as Sick Minds.
Although initially she refuses to speak, her individual and group therapy sessions trigger memories and insights. Slowly, she begins
emerging from her miserable silence, ultimately understanding the role her dysfunctional family played in her brother's health crisis.
Hanging on to Max by Margaret Bechard. (L-660) Between the midnight feedings and the diaper issue, it's never easy being a new parent.
But when you're also a high-school student trying to graduate, the job becomes even more overwhelming. Sam Pettigrew never dreamed
he'd spend his senior year pushing a stroller. But when his former girlfriend, Brittany, decided that she couldn't handle being a parent, Sam
knew he had to try.
Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin. (L-720) This coming-of-age novel by Gabrielle Zavin (Farrar, 2005) has a unique twist. Although Liz is
maturing, coping with disappointments, and controlling her anger, she is getting younger. Having been killed by a hit and run driver, she
now lives in Elsewhere with the grandmother who died before she was born. After death, the residents get younger until they become babies
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and are reborn onto Earth again. Initially mad at the driver and sad that she will not have a boyfriend and attend the prom, Liz misses her
family and is sullen and depressed. Gradually, she begins to realize that life is not so bad in the hereafter.
The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci (L-720) The often-tortured class oddball has disappeared, leaving an enigmatic note in
the school library computer. Is he a runaway, a suicide, or a murder victim? Sixteen-year-old Torey Adams and his friends remember
beating up Christopher Creed when his gentle but obnoxious ways exasperated them. Now that he’s gone, they joke uneasily about him to
ease their guilt. Nobody wants to take responsibility, nobody wants to admit they had a part in what has happened…
On the Devil’s Court by Carl Deuker (L-730) Struggling with his feelings of inadequacy and his failure to make the basketball team in his
new school, 17-year-old Joe Faust finds himself willing to trade his soul for one perfect season of basketball. But is it worth it?
Ransom by Lois Duncan. (L-750) The lives of five captives hang in the balance while their families gather the ransom. Two brothers, their
family frantic to find their sons. A loner whose uncle doesn’t even know he’s missing. An Army brat whose family will never be able to raise
enough money. And a cheerleader who can’t count on her step-dad, but knows her father will come through.
The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks. (L-760) On Christmas Eve, Julie Barenson, 25 years old and newly widowed, finds an unexpected
present-a Great Dane pup that her late husband, Jim, had arranged for her to receive after he died from a brain tumor. On that melodramatic
note, bestselling author Sparks (Nights in Rodanthe) begins his latest love story, one in which he combines elements of romance with those
of a thriller. Julie's new dog, Singer, turns out to be a better judge of character than she, which is unfortunate because the dog nearly gives
away the book's ending when he growls warily at Richard Franklin, the new man in Julie's life.
The Wave by Todd Strasser. (L-770) The powerful forces of group pressure that pervaded many historic movements such as Nazism are
recreated in the classroom when history teacher Burt Ross introduces a "new" system to his students. And before long "The Wave," with its
rules of "strength through discipline, community, and action, " sweeps from the classroom through the entire school.
first in a series A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb (L 780) - Helen died 130 years ago as a young woman. Unable to enter heaven
because of a sense of guilt she carried at death, she has been silent and invisible but conscious and sociable across the generations. Her spirit
has been sustained by its attachment to one living human host after another, including a poet and, most recently, a high-school English
teacher.
second in a series: Under The Light by Laura Whitcomb (L 780) - 130-year-old spirit Helen has occasion to inhabit Jenny, a contemporary
teen whose fundamentalist Christian parents go past the limit of acting abusively in their efforts to curtail their daughter’s social life.
Meanwhile, Helen’s old love, James, possesses the body of Jenny’s ne’er-do-well classmate, Billy. Although choppier in phrasing and world
building than the original story, this new title expands a compelling concept while introducing readers to characters who must stretch to
make the best of circumstances that they did not necessarily create.
Stranger with My Face by Lois Duncan. (L-780) Laurie is accused by her friends of being places and doing things she knows she has never
been or done. Laurie begins to question her sanity as she becomes aware of a ghostly presence invading her life. As she begins to explore
the metaphysical world, Laurie matches good against evil in a contest of life and death.
800-1000
Jude by Kate Morgenroth (L 800) Fifteen-year-old Jude believes that his mother abandoned him at birth. When his heroin-dealer father is
murdered, the authorities discover that he is the son of DA and mayoral candidate Anna Grady, and that he was kidnapped by his father at
three weeks old.
The She by Carol Plum Ucci. (L-810) This gripping story revolves around the sea, shipwrecks, drug smuggling, and a mythical creature
known as The She.
The Third Eye by Lois Duncan. (L-810) Karen discovers she has a hidden psychic ability to locate missing children. This “third eye” causes
Karen’s friends to think she is strange. Publicity results in unwanted pressure from parents of missing children all over the country. Karen
learns to accept the unusual “gift” and uses it to rescue children.
first in a series Graceling by Kristin Cashmore (L 830) - Graceling tells the story of the vulnerable yet strong Katsa, a smart, beautiful
teenager who lives in a world where selected people are given a Grace, a special talent that can be anything from dancing to swimming.
Katsa’s is killing. Along the way, Katsa must learn to decipher the true nature of her Grace . . . and how to put it to good use.
second in a series: Fire by Kristin Cashmore (L 830) It is not a peaceful time in the Dells. In King City, the young King Nash is clinging to the
throne, while rebel lords in the north and south build armies to unseat him. War is coming. And the mountains and forest are filled with
spies and thieves. This is where Fire lives, a girl whose beauty is impossibly irresistible and who can control the minds of everyone around
her.
third in a series Bitterblue by Kristin Cashmore (L 830) When Queen Bitterblue took the throne of Monsea, she was a child, and her advisers ran
the kingdom for her. Now she is beginning to question their decisions, especially how they handle the legacy of her father Leck, who who ruled
through his Grace—a special talent for mind-altering—and his taste for darkness and violence. Bitterblue needs to know Monsea’s past to lead it into
the future, so she begins exploring the city streets at night, disguised and alone. As she does, she meets two thieves, who hold a key to the truth of
Leck's reign. And one of them, with a Grace that he hasn't yet identified, holds a key to her heart.
The Rainmaker by John Grisham. (L-830) Rudy Baylor, a new law school graduate, once dreamed of the good life as a corporate attorney.
Now he faces joblessness and bankruptcy--unless he can win an insurance case against a heavyweight team of lawyers, a case that starts
small but mushrooms into a frightening war of nerve and legal skill that could cost Rudy not only his future, but also his life.
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Mary, Bloody Mary by Carolyn Meyer. (L-830) Carolyn Meyer brilliantly captures the mood and setting of the Tudor rein by writing the
book from Mary's, King Henry the VIII's first daughter, point of view. Mary shares with you her deepest feelings about her father, the royal
court, her mother, and even the "witch" Anne Boleyn.
First in Series ~ Peeps, by Scott Westerfeld- (L-840) Nineteen-year-old Cal, a Texas transplant, lost a lot when he first arrived in New York
City. He became a parasite-positive, or peep–he prefers not to use the v-word. Now he works for the Night Watch, a secret branch of city
government dedicated to tracking others of his kind. Unlike the rare natural carriers like Cal, who has acquired night vision, superhuman
strength, and a craving for lots of protein, most peeps are insane cannibals lurking in darkness.
Second in series ~ The Last Days, by Scott Westerfeld (L 820 ) The names of rock bands are used for chapter titles in this intriguing, fastpaced sequel to Peeps (Penguin, 2005), and music permeates the novel. While mysterious, dark happenings have taken over New York City's
hot, humid summer (black water bubbling from faucets and hydrants, and rats congregating in packs on city streets), Moz, an aspiring
guitarist, and his closest associate, Zahler, search for promising musicians to complete their sound.
The Kite Runner, by Khalid Hassani (L 840)- The Kite Runner follows the story of Amir, the privileged son of a wealthy businessman in
Kabul, and Hassan, the son of Amir's father's servant. As children in the relatively stable Afghanistan of the early 1970s, the boys are
inseparable. They spend idyllic days running kites and telling stories of mystical places and powerful warriors until an unspeakable event
changes the nature of their relationship forever, and eventually cements their bond in ways neither boy could have ever predicted.
first in a series Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier (L 880) - Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her
entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!
Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up
on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose
presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the
18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.
second in a series: Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier (L 880) Gwen's life has been a rollercoaster since she discovered she was the Ruby, the final
member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve. In between searching through history for the other time-travelers and asking for a bit
of their blood (gross!), she's been trying to figure out what all the mysteries and prophecies surrounding the Circle really mean.
At least Gwen has plenty of help. Her best friend Lesley follows every lead diligently on the Internet. James the ghost teaches Gwen how to fit
in at an eighteenth century party. And Xemerius, the gargoyle demon who has been following Gwen since he caught her kissing Gideon in a
church, offers advice on everything. Oh, yes. And of course there is Gideon, the Diamond. One minute he's very warm indeed; the next he's
freezing cold. Gwen's not sure what's going on there, but she's pretty much destined to find out.
third in a series Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier (L 880) Gwen has a destiny to fulfill, but no one will tell her what it is.
She's only recently learned that she is the Ruby, the final member of the time-traveling Circle of Twelve, and since then nothing has been
going right. She suspects the founder of the Circle, Count Saint-German, is up to something nefarious, but nobody will believe her. And she's
just learned that her charming time-traveling partner, Gideon, has probably been using her all along.
The Cell by Stephen King (L 890) Graphic artist Clay Riddell was in the heart of Boston on that brilliant autumn afternoon when hell was
unleashed before his eyes. Without warning, carnage and chaos reigned. Ordinary people fell victim to the basest, most animalistic
destruction. And the apocalypse began with the ring of a cell phone....
It Happened to Nancy: By An Anonymous Teen, A True Story From Her Diary (L 900) The editor of the classic GO ASK ALICE has
compiled the poignant journals of a 14-year-old date-rape victim who contracted AIDS and her journey.
1st is a series ~ Game of Thrones by George RR Martin (L- 900 )- In a world where the approaching winter will last four decades, kings and
queens, knights and renegades struggle for control of a throne. Some fight with sword and mace, others with magic and poison. Beyond the
Wall to the north, meanwhile, the Others are preparing their army of the dead to march south as the warmth of summer drains from the
land. After more than a decade devoted primarily to TV and screen work, Martin (The Armageddon Rag, 1983) makes a triumphant return to
high fantasy with this extraordinarily rich new novel, the first of a trilogy.
2nd in a series~ Clash of Kings by George RR Martin (L900)- The second book in the Game of Thrones series.
The Summons by John Grisham. (L-900) Law professor Ray Atlee and his prodigal brother, Forrest, are summoned home to Clanton,
Mississippi, by their ailing father to discuss his will. But when Ray arrives the judge is already dead, and the one-page document dividing his
meager estate between the two sons seems crystal clear. What it doesn't mention, however, is the small fortune in cash Ray discovers hidden
in the old man's house--$3 million he can't account for and doesn't mention to brother Forrest, either.
First in a trilogy~ The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman (L-930) The protagonist of this complex fantasy is young Lyra Belacqua, a
precocious orphan growing up within the precincts of Oxford University. But it quickly becomes clear that Lyra’s experiences at Oxford are
not what we would expect – as she and her friends experience terror, heartbreak, betrayal and loss along with love, loyalty and ultimately a
world of abiding morality.
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Second in a trilogy~ The Subtle Knife by Phillip Pullman (L-890) Having slipped through a newly formed astral portal, the intrepid Lyra
finds herself in the beautiful, haunted world of Cittàgazze--a city where soul-eating Specters stalk the streets and the wingbeats of distant
angels sound against the sky. But she is not without allies. For young Will Parry, in search of his father, has also stumbled into this strange
new realm via a magic gateway. Together the enlightened pair forge ahead on a perilous journey between worlds teeming with witches,
angels, and sorcery--and uncover a deadly secret: an object of extraordinary and devastating power. But with every step, they move closer to
an even greater threat--and the shattering truth of their own destiny.
Third in a trilogy~ The Amber Spyglass by Phillip Pullman (L-950) This is the third book of the trilogy known collectively as His Dark
Materials. The first book was The Golden Compass; the second was The Subtle Knife. In this book, Will and Lyra continue their adventures as
Lord Asriel prepares for a monumental battle. Characters and situations introduced in the first two novels are fully explained.
The Twisted Window by Lois Duncan. (L-950) When Brad tells Tracy that his little sister Mindy has been kidnapped by his stepfather, she
promises to help him locate the child.
I Am A Seal Team Six Warrior- Henry Wasdin (L980) When the Navy sends their elite, they send the SEALs. When the SEALs send their
elite, they send SEAL Team Six—a secret unit made up of the finest soldiers in the country, if not the world. I Am a SEAL Team Six Warrior is
the dramatic tale of how Howard Wasdin overcame a tough childhood to live his dream and enter the exciting and dangerous world of
U.S. Navy SEALS and Special Forces snipers.
Locked in Time by Lois Duncan (L-990) It doesn’t occur to Nore to take the dream-warning seriously. Her new stepmother and
stepbrother seem nice. But why does Nore feel so uneasy around them? Maybe she should have listened…
The Perfect Shot by Elaine Marie Alphin. (L-990) This engrossing thriller weaves issues of civil rights, racial prejudice, the judicial system,
and the lessons of history into a suspenseful tale of a high-school senior who wants to do the right thing. Brian's girlfriend, Amanda; her
brother, and their mother are shot to death in their garage. The girls' father is put on trial for the crime. On the day of the murders, however,
Brian saw something that he thinks might affect the case.
1000-1200
Fever Crumb by Phillip Reeve (L 1000) Fever Crumb is the adopted daughter of Dr. Crumb, and the only female member of the Order of
Engineers. Taken from the safety of the Order into the streets of London, Fever discovers a world where bands of Skinners have virtually
exterminated a mutant race of people with speckled skin known as the Scriven. Suspected of being a Scriven herself, Fever must elude
capture while she searches to find out who she really is. The answers she finds have far-reaching implications for the future of the world.
Soldier’s Heart by Gary Paulsen. (L-1000) Based on the life of a real boy, it tells the story of Charley Goddard, who lies his way into the
Union Army at the age of 15. Charley has never been anyplace beyond Winona, Minnesota, and thinks war would be a great adventure. And it
is--at first--as his regiment marches off through cheering crowds and pretty, flag-waving girls.
That Summer by Sarah Dessen (Lexile- 1010)- Haven feels tall and lost; at 15, she's 5 feet 11 and counting; it feels as if her body has
betrayed her and made her a giant--unlike her sister, Ashley, who seems "to live a life just like Barbie's; popular and perfect, always with a
handsome boyfriend and the cool crowd." Now Ashley is THE BRIDE. As the wedding hysteria mounts, Haven feels too huge for the pretty
pink bridesmaid dress. Only Ashley's attractive first boyfriend seems to understand Haven. Why did Ashley ever break up with him? This
first novel is written with such easy grace that you want to quote sentence after sentence.
Escape From Camp 14 - (L - 1130) Blaine Harden unlocks the secrets of the world’s most repressive totalitarian state through the story of
Shin’s shocking imprisonment and his astounding getaway. Shin knew nothing of civilized existence—he saw his mother as a competitor for
food, guards raised him to be a snitch, and he witnessed the execution of his mother and brother.
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King. (L-1040) Trisha McFarland is a plucky 9-year-old hiking with her brother and mom,
who is grimly determined to give the kids a good time on their weekends together. Trisha's mom is recently divorced, and her brother is
feuding with her for moving from Boston to small-town Maine, where classmates razz him. Trisha steps off the trail for a respite from the
bickering. And gets lost.
A Stranger Came Ashore by Mollie Hunter (L-1060) Set on the windy peat bogs of Ireland, this is the story of a Seikle king who came to
take away a little boy’s sister and make her his bride. Will her first love be able to save her from this false love?
The Chalice by Robin McKinley (L-1070)- As the newly appointed Chalice, Mirasol is the most important member of the Master’s Circle. It is
her duty to bind the Circle, the land and its people together with their new Master. But the new Master of Willowlands is a Priest of Fire, only
drawn back into the human world by the sudden death of his brother. No one knows if it is even possible for him to live amongst his people.
Mirasol wants the Master to have his chance, but her only training is as a beekeeper. How can she help settle their demesne during these
troubled times and bind it to a Priest of Fire, the touch of whose hand can burn human flesh to the bone?
Stick Figure by Lori Gottlieb. (L-1100) In the image-conscious world of 1970s Beverly Hills, 11-year-old Lori knows she's different. Instead
of trading clothes and dreaming of teen idols like most of her pre-adolescent friends, Lori prefers reading books, writing in her journal and
making up her own creative homework assignments. Chronically disapproving of her parents' shallow lifestyle, she challenges their
authority and chafes under their constant demands to curb her frank opinions and act more "ladylike." Feeling as though she has lost control
over her rapidly changing world, Lori focuses all her concentration on one subject: dieting. Her life narrows to a single goal--to be "...the
thinnest eleven year old on the entire planet." But once she achieves her "stick figure," Lori really sees herself for the first time in a
restaurant bathroom mirror and decides then and there to bring herself back from the brink of starvation
The Beekeeper's Apprentice, Laurie R King (1100) - In 1915, long since retired from his observations of criminal humanity, Sherlock
Holmes is engaged in a reclusive study of honeybee behavior on the Sussex Downs. Never did he think to meet an intellect to match his own-
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until his acquaintance with Miss Mary Russell, a very modern fifteen-year-old whose mental acuity is equaled only by her audacity, tenacity,
and penchant for trousers and cloth caps.
The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline - Nancy Springer – (L 1120)--Kids who enjoy the details of historical settings and solving mysterious
ciphers will cheer this feisty heroine as she leaps out of windows, jumps onto the backs of coaches, and fights evil villains in the dark streets
of London to rescue her dear landlady.
The Blue Mirror by Kathe Koja (L1130) Seventeen-year-old loner Maggy Klass, who frequently seeks refuge from her alcoholic mother's
apartment by sitting and drawing in a local cafe, becomes involved in a destructive relationship with a charismatic homeless youth named
Cole.
A Morbid Taste For Bones by Ellis Peters (1160)- They chronicle the decade of civil war in England, between the factions of King Stephen
and the Empress Maud. The books always have the ongoing story of this, in a little history lesson, usually at the beginning of the book. It can
be complicated history for those coming to it, as I did, uninformed. But we are taken through the war years with these stories, and in
chronological order, they tell the story of the civil war, along with the mystery of each book.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (L-1180) Christopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of
the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions.
He cannot stand to be touched. Although gifted with a superbly logical brain, Christopher is autistic. Everyday interactions and
admonishments have little meaning for him. Routine, order and predictability shelter him from the messy, wider world.
I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have To Kill You- by Aly Carter (L1190)- Cammie Morgan is a student at the Gallagher Academy for
Exceptional Young Women, a fairly typical all-girls school—that is, if every school taught advanced martial arts in PE and the latest in
chemical warfare in science, and students received extra credit for breaking CIA codes in computer class. The Gallagher Academy might
claim to be a school for geniuses but it’s really a school for spies.
Saint Iggy, by K.L Going- (L-1190) Iggy Corso, 16, doesn’t do drugs, even though he was born addicted to crack. He lives in a city housing
project, in an apartment filled with furniture that his stoned and drunken father collects from the street. Iggys mother is an addict who has
been AWOL for a month. The cool thing about the teen is that, despite his parents and his environment, he doesn’t feel sorry for himself. A
freshman who has failed two grades and been suspended eight times, he takes things for what they are, until he gets suspended again,
pending a hearing.
1200-1400
Shadow of the Warlock Lord (Part 1 of The Sword of Shannara) by Terry Brooks (L1220)--In spite of his protests that he is only an
ordinary man and not a hero, Shea Ohmsford eventually accepts his role as the leader of his people in the struggle against the Lord of Evil.
Spindle's End by Robin McKinley – (L 1220)--The infant princess Briar Rose is cursed on her name day by Pernicia, an evil fairy, and then
whisked away by a young fairy to be raised in a remote part of a magical country, unaware of her real identity and hidden from Pernicia's
vengeful powers.
Stiff by Mary Roach. (L-1230) Those curious or brave enough to find out what really happens to a body that is donated to the scientific
community can do so with this book. Dissection in medical anatomy classes is about the least bizarre of the purposes that science has
devised. Mostly dealing with such contemporary uses such as stand-ins for crash-test dummies, Roach also pulls together considerable
historical and background information.
Masterpieces
12 Years A Slave -by Solomon Northup - This unforgettable memoir is the true story of Solomon Northup, who was born and raised as a
freeman in New York. He lived the American dream, with a house and a loving family - a wife and two kids. Then one day he was drugged,
kidnapped, and sold into slavery in the deep south. These are the true accounts of his twelve hard years as a slave - many believe this
memoir is even more graphic and disturbing than the film. His extraordinary journey proves the resiliency of hope and the human spirit
despite the most grueling and formidable of circumstances.
Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt- (L-1110) Angela’s Ashes is a memoir by Irish-American author Frank McCourt and tells the story of his
childhood in Brooklyn and Ireland. It was published in 1996 and won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography.
Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin - The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is one of America's most famous memoirs. In this text,
Ben Franklin shares his life story and details his attempts to build a life of good habits and virtues. His plan for self-improvement was one of
the first "self help" books and his role as a founder of the United States is given a personal perspective.
*The Autobiography of Malcolm X Civil Rights, 20th century history, counterculture, etc.
Billy Bud by Herman Melville (L-1530) Melville's posthumously published novella, the story of the rivalry between a handsome sailor and
his demonic captain.
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott- This non-fiction book, published in 1994, is like a written course on writing and life in which Anne Lamott
provides intimate details of her life.
Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden- Drawing on interviews from both sides, army records, audiotapes, and videos (some of the material is
still classified), Bowden’s minute-by-minute narrative is one of the most exciting accounts of modern combat ever written—a riveting story
that captures the heroism, courage, and brutality of battle.
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Boys on the Boat by Daniel James Brown-out of the depths of the Depression comes an irresistible story about beating the odds and finding
hope in the most desperate of times—the improbable, intimate account of how nine working-class boys from the American West showed the
world at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin what true grit really meant.
Brothers and Keepers by John Edgar Wiseman- A haunting portrait of lives arriving at different destinies, Brothers and Keepers is John
Edgar Wideman’s seminal memoir about two brothers — one an award-winning novelist, the other a fugitive wanted for robbery and
murder. Wideman recalls the capture of his younger brother Robby, details the subsequent trials that resulted in a sentence of life in prison,
and provides vivid views of the American prison system.
Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown- Using council records, autobiographies, and firsthand descriptions, Brown allows great
chiefs and warriors of the Dakota, Ute, Sioux, Cheyenne, and other tribes to tell us in their own words of the series of battles, massacres, and
broken treaties that finally left them and their people demoralized and decimated. A unique and disturbing narrative told with force and
clarity, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee changed forever our vision of how the West was won, and lost. It tells a story that should not be
forgotten, and so must be retold from time to time.
Child of the Dark: The Diary Of Carolina Maria De Jesus- The powerful firsthand account of life in the streets of São Paulo that drew
international attention to the plight of the poor. Written between 1955 and 1960, Child of the Dark is the daily journal of an artist, a writer
who, as the single mother of three young children, supports her family by picking through garbage for paper and scraps to sell. They live in a
cardboard and wood-scrap shack in a Brazilian slum called the favelas, where there is no plumbing, and one public cold-water spigot is the
only clean water source for several hundred people. Carolina de Jesus is a poet of intense dignity.”—500 Great Books by Women
Chinese Cinderella: The True Story of an Unwanted Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah - Adeline Yen Mah returns to her roots to tell the
story of her painful childhood and her ultimate triumph and courage in the face of despair. Adeline's affluent, powerful family considers her
bad luck after her mother dies giving birth to her. Life does not get any easier when her father remarries. She and her siblings are subjected
to the disdain of her stepmother, while her stepbrother and stepsister are spoiled. Although Adeline wins prizes at school, they are not
enough to compensate for what she really yearns for -- the love and understanding of her family.
The Color of Water by James McBride (L-1240) A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother, which doesn't begin to do justice to the utterly
unique and moving story contained within. The Color of Water tells the remarkable story of Ruth McBride Jordan, the two good men she
married, and the 12 good children she raised.
*Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick-By 2021, the World War had killed millions, driving entire species into extinction
and sending mankind off-planet. Those who remained coveted any living creature, and for people who couldn't afford one, companies built
incredibly realistic simulacrae: horses, birds, cats, sheep. . . They even built humans. However, the androids were so sophisticated it was
impossible to tell them from true men or women. Fearful of the havoc these artificial humans could wreak, the government banned them
from Earth. But when androids didn't want to be identified, they just blended in.
Empire Falls by Richard Russo- Miles Roby has been slinging burgers at the Empire Grill for 20 years, a job that cost him his college
education and much of his self-respect. What keeps him there? It could be his bright, sensitive daughter Tick, who needs all his help
surviving the local high school. In Empire Falls Richard Russo delves deep into the blue-collar heart of America in a work that overflows with
hilarity, heartache, and grace.
Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation by Joseph Ellis- In this landmark work of history, the National Book Award—winning
author of American Sphinx explores how a group of greatly gifted but deeply flawed individuals–Hamilton, Burr, Jefferson, Franklin,
Washington, Adams, and Madison–confronted the overwhelming challenges before them to set the course for our nation.
Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing up Iranian in America by Firoozeh Dumas - Funny in Farsi chronicles the American journey of
Dumas’s wonderfully engaging family: her engineer father, a sweetly quixotic dreamer who first sought riches on Bowling for Dollars and in
Las Vegas, and later lost his job during the Iranian revolution; her uncle, who combated the effects of American fast food with an army of
miraculous American weight-loss gadgets; and Firoozeh herself, who as a girl changed her name to Julie.
The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls- (L-1110) Walls chronicles her upbringing at the hands of eccentric, nomadic parents--Rose Mary, her
frustrated-artist mother, and Rex, her brilliant, alcoholic father. To call the elder Walls's childrearing style laissez faire would be putting it
mildly. As Rose Mary and Rex, motivated by whims and paranoia, uprooted their kids time and again, the youngsters (Walls, her brother and
two sisters) were left largely to their own devices.
Gorillas in the Mist by Dian Fossey- One of the most important books ever written about our connection to the natural world, Fossey’s
memoir is the riveting account of Dian Fossey's thirteen years in a remote African rain forest with the greatest of the great apes. Fossey's
extraordinary efforts to ensure the future of the rain forest and its remaining mountain gorillas are captured in her own words and in candid
photographs of this fascinating endangered species.
*Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief by Lawrence Wright A recent, meticulously researched nonfiction account
of the rising presence of Scientology in the world told through biography of the founder, the development of the process, and the transition
into a religion on the world stage.
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova- If your pulse flutters at the thought of castle ruins and descents into crypts by moonlight, you will
savor every creepy page beautifully structured thriller The Historian. When the girl confronts her father, he reluctantly confesses an
unsettling story: his involvement, twenty years earlier, in a search for his graduate school mentor, who disappeared from his office only
moments after confiding to Paul his certainty that Dracula--Vlad the Impaler, an inventively cruel ruler of Wallachia in the mid-15th century-was still alive.
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Hot Zone by Richard Preston- The bestselling landmark account of the first emergence of the Ebola virus. A highly infectious, deadly virus
from the central African rain forest suddenly appears in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. The Hot Zone tells this dramatic story, giving a hairraising account of the appearance of rare and lethal viruses and their "crashes" into the human race. Shocking, frightening, and impossible to
ignore, The Hot Zone proves that truth really is scarier than fiction.
How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff (L 1610)- Rosoff's story begins in modern day London, slightly in the future, and as its heroine has a 15-yearold Manhattanite called Daisy. She's picked up at the airport by Edmond, her English cousin, a boy in whose life she is destined to become
intricately entwined. Daisy stays at her Aunt Penn's country farmhouse for the summer with Edmond and her other cousins. They spend
some idyllic weeks together--often alone with Aunt Penn away travelling in Norway. Daisy's cousins seem to have an almost telepathic bond,
and Daisy is mesmerized by Edmond and soon falls in love with him. But their world changes forever when an unnamed aggressor invades
England and begins a years-long occupation.
*In Cold Blood by Truman Capote - On November 15, 1959, in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas, four members of the Clutter family were
savagely murdered by blasts from a shotgun held a few inches from their faces. There was no apparent motive for the crime, and there were
almost no clues. As Truman Capote reconstructs the murder and the investigation that led to the capture, trial, and execution of the killers,
he generates both mesmerizing suspense and astonishing empathy.
The Liar’s Club by Mary Karr- Karr’s comic childhood in an east Texas oil town brings us characters as darkly hilarious as any of J. D.
Salinger’s—a hard-drinking daddy, a sister who can talk down the sheriff at twelve, and an oft-married mother whose accumulated secrets
threaten to destroy them all.
Lincoln by David Herbert Donald- Donald goes beyond biography, illuminating the gradual development of Lincoln’s character, chronicling
his tremendous capacity for evolution and growth, thus illustrating what made it possible for a man so inexperienced and so unprepared for
the presidency to become a great moral leader.
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry- Journey to the dusty little Texas town of Lonesome Dove and meet an unforgettable assortment of
heroes and outlaws, whores and ladies, Indians and settlers. Richly authentic, beautifully written, always dramatic, Lonesome Dove is a book
to make us laugh, weep, dream, and remember.
Look me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s by John Elder Robison- It was not until John Elder Robison was forty that he was diagnosed
with a form of autism called Asperger’s syndrome. That understanding transformed the way he saw himself—and the world. A born
storyteller, Robinson has written a moving, darkly funny memoir about a life that has taken him from developing exploding guitars for KISS
to building a family of his own.
*Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk- A starry-eyed young beauty, Marjorie Morgenstern is nineteen years old when she leaves New
York to accept the job of her dreams-working in a summer-stock company for Noel Airman, its talented and intensely charismatic director.
Released from the social constraints of her traditional Jewish family, and thrown into the glorious, colorful world of theater, Marjorie finds
herself entangled in a powerful affair with the man destined to become the greatest-and the most destructive-love of her life.
*Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris - A recent transplant to Paris, humorist David Sedaris, bestselling author of "Naked", presents a
collection of his strongest work yet, including the title story about his hilarious attempt to learn French.
My Antonia by Willa Cather A gorgeous portrait of an adopted girl raised on the Nebraska frontier. The novel is flawless example of
American Modernism, and Antonia is among the most inspiring female characters from literature.
My Life with Chimpanzees by Jane Goodall-From the time she was a girl, Jane Goodall dreamed of a life spent working with animals. Finally
she had her wish. When she was twenty-six years old, she ventured into the forests of Africa to observe chimpanzees in the wild. On her
expeditions she braved the dangers with leopards and lions in the African bush. And she got to know an amazing group of wild chimpanzees
-- intelligent animals whose lives, in work and play and family relationships, bear a surprising resemblance to our own.
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri-With penetrating insight, she reveals not only the defining power of the names and expectations bestowed
upon us by our parents, but also the means by which we slowly, sometimes painfully, come to define ourselves. The New York Times has
praised Lahiri as "a writer of uncommon elegance and poise." The Namesake is a fine-tuned, intimate, and deeply felt novel of identity.
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass- Former slave, impassioned abolitionist, brilliant writer, newspaper editor and eloquent
orator whose speeches fired the abolitionist cause, Frederick Douglass (1818–1895) led an astounding life. Physical abuse, deprivation and
tragedy plagued his early years, yet through sheer force of character he was able to overcome these obstacles to become a leading
spokesman for his people. Douglass provides graphic descriptions of his childhood and horrifying experiences as a slave as well as a
harrowing record of his dramatic escape to the North and eventual freedom.
*No Country For Old Men by Cormac McCarthy A rural Texas sheriff faces the collision of his old-school way of doing things with a new and
unpredictable type of criminal in a rapidly changing world.
On Writing by Stephen King- Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing
and practical view of the writer’s craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. Brilliantly structured, friendly and
inspiring, On Writing will empower and entertain everyone who reads it—fans, writers, and anyone who loves a great story well told.
Outliers By Malcolm Gladwell - Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of "outliers"--the best and the
brightest, the most famous and the most successful. He asks the question: what makes high-achievers different? His answer is that we pay
too much attention to what successful people are like, and too little attention to where they are from: that is, their culture, their family, their
generation, and the idiosyncratic experiences of their upbringing. Along the way he explains the secrets of software billionaires, what it takes
to be a great soccer player, why Asians are good at math, and what made the Beatles the greatest rock band.
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Persuasion by Jane Austen - Set in Somersetshire and Bath, the novel revolves around the lives and love affair of Sir Walter Elliot, his
daughters Elizabeth, Anne, and Mary, and various in-laws, friends, suitors, and other characters, In Anne Elliot, the author created perhaps
her sweetest, most appealing heroine. At the center of the novel is Anne's thwarted romance with Captain Frederick Wentworth, a navy man
Anne met and fell in love with when she was 19. At the time, Wentworth was deemed an unsuitable match and Anne was forced to break off
the relationship. Eight years later, however, they meet again. By this time Captain Wentworth has made his fortune in the navy and is an
attractive "catch." However, Anne is now uncertain about his feelings for her.
Reviving Ophelia by Mary Piper-Told in the brave, fearless, and honest voices of the girls themselves who are emerging from the chaos of
adolescence, Reviving Ophelia is a call to arms, offering important tactics, empathy, and strength, and urging a change where young hearts
can flourish again, and rediscover and reengage their sense of self.
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe – The title character leaves his comfortable middle-class home in England to go to sea. Surviving a
shipwreck, he lives on an island for 28 days, alone for most of the time until he saves the life of a savage, whom he names Friday. The two
men eventually leave the island for England.
Sacred Hoops by Phil Jackson Basketball, Eastern philosophy, strategies for teamwork and leadership
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis An example of Christian apologetics that uses heavy characterization and personification to expound
the ideas and beliefs of Lewis.
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse - In the novel, Siddhartha, a young man, leaves his family for a contemplative life, then, restless, discards it
for one of the flesh. He conceives a son, but bored and sickened by lust and greed, moves on again. Near despair, Siddhartha comes to a river
where he hears a unique sound. This sound signals the true beginning of his life -- the beginning of suffering, rejection, peace, and, finally,
wisdom.
Some of My Best Friends are Black by Tanner Colby A study of race relations and how groups have moved, settled, and interacted in
American cities and suburbs. A large section is devoted to Kansas City.
The Stranger by Albert Camus The story of a man suddenly overcome with emptiness following the loss of his mother and the resulting
decisions he makes with his newfound outlook on existence.
Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Wyss. (L-1260) This fascinating tale of a resourceful family shipwrecked on a deserted tropical island
make up one of the most exciting survival stories ever written.
Tales of a Female Nomad: Living at Large in the World by Rita Gelman-In 1986 she sold her possessions and became a nomad, living in a
Zapotec village in Mexico, sleeping with sea lions on the Galapagos Islands, and residing everywhere from thatched huts to regal palaces. She
has observed orangutans in the rain forest of Borneo, visited trance healers and dens of black magic, and cooked with women on fires all
over the world. Rita’s example encourages us all to dust off our dreams and rediscover the joy, the exuberance, and the hidden spirit that so
many of us bury when we become adults.
*Tartuffe by Moliere - Teeming with lively humor and satirical plot devices, this timeless comedy by one of France's greatest playwrights
follows the outrageous activities of a penniless scoundrel and religious pretender. Invited to live in his benefactor's house, he wreaks havoc
among family members by breaking off the daughter's engagement, attempting to seduce his hostess, and resorting to blackmail and
extortion.
Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck A story set in a poor community in rural California. It is a retelling of the Arthurian Legend, and it has
infinitely more humor and warmth than should be expected out of the author of Of Mice and Men.
*Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer An account of various events throughout the history of Mormonism. Written by the Into the
Wild author.
*We Were the Mulvaneys by Joyce Carol Oates- The Mulvaneys of High Point Farm in Mt. Ephraim, New York, are a large and fortunate clan,
blessed with good looks, abundant charisma, and boundless promise. But over the twenty-five year span of this ambitious novel, the
Mulvaneys will slide, almost imperceptibly at first, from the pinnacle of happiness, transformed by the vagaries of fate into a scattered
collection of lost and lonely souls.
*World War Z by Max Brooks- The Zombie War came unthinkably close to eradicating humanity. Max Brooks, driven by the urgency of
preserving the acid-etched first-hand experiences of the survivors from those apocalyptic years, traveled across the United States of America
and throughout the world, from decimated cities that once teemed with upwards of thirty million souls to the most remote and inhospitable
areas of the planet. He recorded the testimony of men, women, and sometimes children who came face-to-face with the living, or at least the
undead, hell of that dreadful time.
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte - A somber tale of consuming passions and vengeance played out against the lonely moors of
northern England, the book proved to be one of the most enduring classics of English literature. The turbulent and tempestuous love story of
Cathy and Heathcliff spans two generations — from the time Heathcliff, a strange, coarse young boy, is brought to live on the Earnshaws'
windswept estate, through Cathy's marriage to Edgar Linton and Heathcliff's plans for revenge, to Cathy's death years later and the eventual
union of the surviving Earnshaw and Linton heirs.
* first in a series~ Fool by Christopher Moore Here's the Cliff Notes you wished you'd had for King Lear—the mad royal, his devious
daughters, rhyming ghosts and a castle full of hot intrigue—in a cheeky and ribald romp that both channels and chides the Bard and all
Fate's bastards. It's 1288, and the king's fool, Pocket, and his dimwit apprentice, Drool, set out to clean up the mess Lear has made of his
kingdom, his family and his fortune—only to discover the truth about their own heritage.
* second in a series~ Serpent of Venice by Christopher Moore The Serpent of Venice, a satiric Venetian gothic that brings back the Pocket of
Dog Snogging, the eponymous hero of Fool, along with his sidekick, Drool, and pet monkey, Jeff. Venice, a long time ago. Three prominent
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Venetians await their most loathsome and foul dinner guest, the erstwhile envoy of Britain and France, and widower of the murdered Queen
Cordelia: the rascal Fool Pocket.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies-by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith - Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is an expanded edition of the
beloved Jane Austen novel featuring all-new scenes of bone-crunching zombie mayhem. As our story opens, a mysterious plague has fallen
upon the quiet English village of Meryton—and the dead are returning to life! Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet is determined to wipe out the
zombie menace, but she’s soon distracted by the arrival of the haughty and arrogant Mr. Darcy. What ensues is a delightful comedy of
manners with plenty of civilized sparring between the two young lovers—and even more violent sparring on the blood-soaked battlefield.
Or by suggestion: Look up the lexil (https://lexile.com/) and explain why it should be approved. It may not be a recent movie or
something you have previous read.
*This novel contains mature content of either a graphic, controversial, or sexual nature.
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