Toms River Intermediate Schools
For Students EXITING 8th Grade
Tuesdays with Morrie Mitch Albom
The author, an alumnus of Brandeis University, tells of his meetings with a former professor suffering
from Lou Gehrig's disease and of the lessons he learned about life and death from his college mentor.
Chains or Forge Laurie Halse Anderson
After being sold to a cruel couple in New York City, a slave named Isabel spies for the rebels during
the Revolutionary War.
The Rhyming Season Edward Averett
A senior basketball player shoulders the hopes of a dying mill town and her bereaved family when she
and an eccentric English teacher-coach try to lead their team to state basketball history.
The Boy Who Dared Susan Bartoletti
In October 1942, 17-year-old Helmuth Hubener, imprisoned for distributing anti-Nazi leaflets, recalls
how he came to dedicate himself to bringing the truth about Hitler and the war to the German people.
One Whole and Perfect Day Judith Clarke
As her irritating family prepares to celebrate her grandfather’s eightieth birthday, sixteen-year-old Lily
yearns for just one whole perfect day together.
Hunger Games or Catching Fire or Mockingjay Suzanne Collins
The series begins when 16-year-old Katniss becomes a contender in the annual Hunger Games, a
competition hosted by the Capitol, where boys and girls are pitted against one another in a televised
fight to the death.
Code Orange Caroline Cooney
While conducting research for a school paper on smallpox, Mitty finds an envelope containing 100year-old smallpox scabs and fears that he has infected himself and all of New York City.
Heroes: A Novel Robert Cormier
After joining the army and having his face blown away by a grenade in a battle in France, Francis
returns home hoping to find - and kill - the former childhood hero he feels betrayed him.
Getting Away with Murder: The True Story of the Emmett Till Case Chris Crowe
Using archival photographs and primary sources, Crow describes how the Mississippi murder of
fourteen-year-old Emmett Till contributed to the Civil Rights Movement.
Maze Runner or Scorch James Dashner
Sixteen-year-old Thomas wakes up with no memory in the middle of a maze and realizes he must work
with the community in which he finds himself if he is to escape. In the sequel, Thomas and the
Gladers, having solved the Maze, plan on returning to their lives, but instead find the earth a wasteland
with Cranks roaming the desert in search of their next meal.
Keeping the Moon Sarah Dessen
Fifteen-year-old Colie, a former fat girl, spends the summer working as a waitress in a beachside
restaurant, staying with her eccentric Aunt Mira, and trying to explore her sense of self.
That Summer Sarah Dessen
During the summer of her divorced father's remarriage and her sister's wedding, fifteen-year-old Haven
comes into her own by letting go of the myths of the past.
Runner (or any sports book by this author) Carl Deuker
Living with his alcoholic father on a broken-down sailboat on Puget Sound has been hard on 17-yearold Chance Taylor. When his love of running leads to a high-paying job, he quickly learns that the
money is not worth the risk.
A Northern Light Jennifer Donnelly
Sixteen-year-old Mattie, determined to attend college and be a writer against the wishes of her father
and boyfriend, takes a job at a hotel in 1906 where the death of a guest renews her determination to
live her own life.
The Battle of Jericho Sharon Draper
A high school junior and his cousin suffer the ramifications of joining what seems to be a "reputable"
school club.
Tears of a Tiger Sharon Draper
The death of high school basketball star Rob Washington in an automobile accident affects the lives of
his close friend Andy, who was driving the car, and many others in the school.
Number 8 Anna Fienberg
While hiding out from the mob in the suburbs with his mother, Jackson uses his fascination with math
and numbers to make friends. Strange phone calls and even greater threats endanger not only Jackson
and his mother, but his new girlfriend as well.
The Skin I’m In Sharon Flake
Thirteen-year-old Maleeka, uncomfortable because her skin is extremely dark, meets a new teacher
with a birthmark on her face and makes some discoveries about how to love who she is and what she
looks like.
Breaking Point Alex Flinn
Fifteen-year-old Paul enters an exclusive private school and falls under the spell of a charismatic boy
who may be using him.
Fade to Black Alex Flinn
A hate crime is perpetrated against HIV-positive Latino high-schooler Alex. A roving point of view
provides three different perspectives on the events that led up to it.
Gone Michael Grant
In a small town on the coast of California, everyone over the age of fourteen suddenly disappears. This
sets up a battle between the remaining town residents and the students from a local private school, as
well as those who have "The Power" and are able to perform supernatural feats and those who do not.
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How Ya Like Me Now Brendan Halpin
After his father dies and his mother goes into rehab, Eddie moves from the suburbs into his cousin's
Boston loft, where he gradually adjusts to being one of the few white kids in a progressive private
school and learns to feel like a normal teenager.
Hex Hall or Demonglass Rachel Hawkins
Witch Sophie Mercer, having been sent to a reform school by her father after a prom night spell went
horribly wrong, learns that her roommate (the only vampire on campus) is the suspect in a series of
attacks on students. In the next book, Sophie goes to England with her father, friend Jenna, and Cal
hoping to have her powers removed, but soon she learns that she is being hunted by the Eye--and
haunted by Elodie.
Girl Overboard Justina Chen Headley
After a snowboarding accident, Syrah Cheng, a billionaire's daughter, must rehabilitate both her knee
and her self-esteem while forging relationships with those who accept her for who she is.
Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith Deborah Heiligman
This biography of English naturalist Charles Darwin provides an account of the personality behind
evolutionary theory and the effect of his work on his personal life, such as his relationship with his
religious wife.
Slam Dunk Kate Jaimet
Sixteen-year-old Salvador "Slam" Amaro signs on as assistant coach of the girls' basketball team,
hoping to pad his resume to win a spot on the Ontario Under 17 men's team. The job gets complicated
when the head coach and the star point guard go missing, leaving him to solve the mystery and lead the
team to victory.
The Year of the Bomb Ronald Kidd
In 1955 California, as Invasion of the Body Snatcher" is filmed in their hometown, thirteen-year-old
Arnie discovers a real enemy when he and three friends go against a young government agent
determined to find communists at a nearby university or on the movie set.
Jake Reinvented Gordan Korman
When Jake Garrett arrives at F. Scott Fitzgerald High, the students immediately take a liking to him
and he becomes one of the most popular boys in school, but when a dark secret is revealed, the same
students begin to fear him.
Schooled Gordon Korman
Cap lives in isolation with his grandmother, a former hippie; but when Grandma falls from a tree and
breaks her hip, Cap is sent to a foster home where he has his first experience in a public school.
Son of the Mob or Son of the Mob: Hollywood Hustle Gordon Korman
In the first book, 17-year-old Vince's life is constantly complicated by the fact that he is the son of a
powerful Mafia boss, a relationship that threatens to destroy his romance with the daughter of a FBI
agent. In Hollywood Hustle, Vince goes away to college in southern California hoping to escape his
past, but soon his brother and a series of "uncles" appear at his dorm, and before long he is caught up
in criminal activity once again.
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Side Effects Amy Goldman Koss
Everything changes for Isabelle, not quite fifteen, when she is diagnosed with lymphoma.
Into Thin Air John Krakaur
This is journalist Jon Krakauer's cathartic account of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster in which four
climbers from his expedition, and several members of other expeditions, perished.
Best Bad Luck I Ever Had Kristin Levine
Harry "Dit" Sims and his newest friend Emma Walker work together to come up with a plan that could
save the town barber, an African-American, who is on put on trial and faces a horrible end.
Sleeping Freshman Never Lie David Lubar
While navigating his first year of high school and awaiting the birth of his new baby brother, Scott
loses old friends and gains some unlikely new ones as he hones his skills as a writer.
A Boy at War: A Novel of Pearl Harbor Harry Mazer
While fishing with his friends off Honolulu on December 7, 1941, Adam is caught in the Japanese
attack. Adam tries to find his father, an officer serving on the U.S.S. Arizona when the bombs fell.
Acceleration Graham McNamee
Stuck working in the lost and found department of the Toronto Transit authority for the summer,
seventeen-year-old Duncan finds the diary of a serial killer and sets out to stop him.
Dairy Queen or The Off Season or Front and Center Catherine Gilbert Murdoch
After spending her summer running the family farm and training the quarterback for her school's rival
football team, D.J. decides to go out for the sport herself. In The Off Season, D. J. staggers under the
weight of caring for her injured brother, her responsibilities on the farm, a changing relationship with
her friend Brian, and her athletic aspirations. The hilarious saga continues in Front and Center.
Hoops Walter Dean Myers
A teenage basketball player from Harlem is befriended by a former professional player who, after
being forced to quit because of a point shaving scandal, hopes to prevent other young athletes from
repeating his mistake.
Riot Walter Dean Myers
In 1863, fifteen-year-old Claire, the daughter of an Irish mother and an African father, faces ugly truths
and great danger when Irish immigrants, enraged by the Civil War and a federal draft, lash out against
African-Americans and wealthy "swells" of New York City.
Slam Walter Dean Myers
Sixteen-year-old "Slam" Harris is counting on his noteworthy basketball talents to get him out of the
inner city and give him a chance to succeed in life, but his coach sees things differently.
Forbidden Sea Sheila Nelson
When a mermaid attempts to lure her into the sea, fourteen-year-old Adrianne, who lives in a
superstitious island community, must choose between the promise of an underwater paradise and those
she loves.
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Left for Dead: A Young Man’s Search for Justice Peter Nelson
Recalls the sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis at the end of World War II, the Navy cover-up and court
martial of the captain, and how a young boy helped the survivors set the record straight 55 years later.
Cuba 15: A Novel Nancy Osa
Violet Paz, a Chicago high school student, reluctantly prepares for her upcoming "quince," a Spanish
nickname for the celebration of a Hispanic girl's fifteenth birthday.
Notes from the Dog Gary Paulsen
When Johanna shows up at the beginning of summer to house-sit next door to Finn, he has no idea of
the profound effect she will have on his life by the time summer vacation is over.
Life As We Knew It or The Dead and the Gone Susan Pfeffer
Sixteen-year-old Miranda describes her struggle to survive after a meteor hits the moon, causing
tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. The Dead and the Gone describes the same event from
the viewpoint of Alex Morales, who must take care of his sisters in the chaos of New York City.
The Body of Christopher Creed Carol Plum-Ucci
Sixteen-year-old Torey Adams embarks on a path of terror and pain when he sets out to investigate the
disappearance of Christopher Creed, a weird kid who vanished from his small hometown of
Steepleton, leaving only a cryptic E-mail message as a possible clue to what happened to him.
What World Is Left? Monique Polak
Anneke Van Raalte and her family are taken by the Nazis to a concentration camp in 1942, and
Anneke's father is coerced into helping a propaganda campaign falsely depicting the camp as an idyllic
place for Jews. Anneke struggles with her loyalty to her family and her sense of right and wrong.
Bystander James Preller
Thirteen-year-old Eric discovers there are consequences to not standing by and watching as the bully at
his new school hurts people, but although school officials are aware of the problem, Eric may be the
one with a solution.
Lord Loss (or any book in the Demonata series) Darren Shan
Presumably the only witness to the horrific and bloody murder of his entire family, a teenage boy must
outwit not only the mental health professionals determined to cure his delusion, but also the demonic
forces only he can see.
Full Tilt: A Novel Neal Shusterman
When sixteen-year-old Blake goes to a mysterious, by-invitation-only carnival, he somehow knows
that it could save his comatose brother, but soon learns that much more is at stake if he fails to meet the
challenge presented there by the beautiful Cassandra.
The Schwa Was Here or Antsy Neal Shusterman
A Brooklyn eighth-grader befriends the Schwa, an "invisible-ish" boy who is tired of blending into his
surroundings and going unnoticed by nearly everyone. In the sequel, Antsy learns about life, death, and
more when he helps a friend with a terminal illness feel hopeful about the future.
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Love, Stargirl Jerry Spinelli
Still moping months after being dumped by her boyfriend Leo, fifteen-year-old Stargirl, a homeschooled free spirit, writes "the world's longest letter" to Leo, describing her new life in Pennsylvania.
The Amulet of Samarkind or The Golem’s Eye or Ptolemy’s Gate Jonathan Stroud
This trilogy begins when Nathaniel, a young magician's apprentice, summons the djinni Bartimaeus
and instructs him to steal the Amulet of Samarkand from the powerful magician Simon Loveland.
Nathaniel becomes caught in a web of magical espionage, murder, and rebellion.
Chasing Lincoln’s Killer James L. Swanson
This book recounts the twelve-day pursuit and capture of John Wilkes Booth, covering the chase
through Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. It describes Abraham Lincoln as a father, husband,
and friend and examines the impact of his death on those close to him.
The New Policeman Kate Thompson
Fifteen-year-old musician J.J. Liddy leaves his small, Irish town and travels to the land of the fairies to
search for time so he can give it to his busy mother. When he gets there, he discovers that the
inhabitants are in trouble and learns about his family's secret history.
Cruise Control Terry Trueman
A talented basketball player struggles to deal with the helplessness and anger that come with having a
brother rendered completely dysfunctional by cerebral palsy and a father who deserted the family.
Climbing the Stairs Padma Venkatraman
In India, in 1941, when her father becomes brain-damaged in a non-violent protest march, fifteen-yearold Vidya and her family are forced to move in with her father's extended family and become
accustomed to a totally different way of life.
Killer’s Cousin or Double Helix Nancy Werlin
Killer’s Cousin tells of 17-year-old David who, after being acquitted of murder, goes to stay with
relatives in Massachusetts. He finds himself forced to face his past as he learns more about his strange
young cousin Lily. In Double Helix 18-year-old Eli discovers a shocking secret about his life and his
family while working for a Nobel Prize-winning scientist whose specialty is genetic engineering.
The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp (or any book in the series) Richard Yancey
The last descendant of Sir Lancelot, teenage misfit Alfred Kropp is drawn back into the OIPEP to
battle a group of demons bent on freeing themselves from the confines of an ancient relic.
Good Enough Paula Yoo
A Korean American teenager tries to please her parents by getting into an Ivy League college, but a
new guy in school and her love of the violin tempt her in new directions.
Sweethearts Sara Zarr
Jennifer Harris, years after being the tormented outsider on the playground, has reinvented herself into
Jenna Vaughn, a popular girl with what seems to be the perfect life. When a childhood friend re-enters
her life, she is forced to confront the most traumatic event of her past and question who she really is.
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