Oak Mountain High School
2015 Suggested Summer Reading Selections
The following is a list of books that have been chosen from the young adult and teen section of various book sellers.
Honors and AP students will receive an additional REQUIRED reading list. There will be no grade associated with
summer reading this year, but we HIGHLY suggest that you choose a book that interests you and enjoy reading for
pleasure. Once you find a genre that you enjoy, read some more! Take advantage of the fact that you will be reading for
pleasure with no test or writing assignment. Parents, please be aware of your student’s book choices. All subject
matter should be reviewed for appropriateness for your student.
The Mermaid's Sister by Carrie Anne Noble
Set in 1870 on and around Llanfair Mountain, Pennsylvania, this delightful fantasy novel introduces the reader to
Clara and Maren, sisters adopted around the same time by a woman (“Auntie”) known throughout the village for
her cures. Maren came to Auntie in a conch shell, while Clara arrived via stork. Now, at sixteen, Maren is slowly
turning into a mermaid, her fingers webbing and scales appearing on her sides. Clara wants Auntie to cure Maren,
but that is not an option. Auntie responds, “There is no cure for being who you truly are.” As time passes, Maren’s
body transforms more rapidly; it becomes obvious that it is time for Maren to be taken to the sea or she will die.
Clara and a very close family friend, O’Neill, who also happens to be the object of desire of both sisters, decide to
take Maren themselves. The story follows their adventure to the sea and the unexpected perils they face on the journey as their
caravan burns down and they are “rescued” and then held captive by a group of traveling performers.
The Sin Eater’s Daughter by Melinda Salisbury
Seventeen-year-old Twylla has a gift and a curse as the embodiment of a goddess on Earth: she is worshipped and
she can kill men in seconds with the briefest of touches. Twylla's mother is a Sin Eater, one who eats symbolic
foods of the deceased person's sins at their grave site; Twylla is set to pursue this path until the Queen of Lormere
takes her from her home to become the goddess Daunen Embodied. Every month, the teen ingests a poisonous
substance that reinforces her position as the goddess's personification and the kingdom's executioner, and every
month Twylla becomes more isolated. Her only hope of escape lies with her future marriage to Lormere's prince,
Merek. Possible deliverance comes in the form of a new guard who joins her service—Lief is different from the
others. He does not shrink away as his mistress draws near; he engages in conversation with her and asks questions. As the
protagonist grows closer to Merek and Lief, she becomes more aware of how truly trapped she is in her role with the Queen—and
how much she will have to sacrifice to break free.
The Heir by Kiera Cass
Princess Eadlyn has grown up hearing endless stories about how her mother and father met. Twenty years ago,
America Singer entered the Selection and won the heart of Prince Maxon—and they lived happily ever after. Eadlyn
has always found their fairy-tale story romantic, but she has no interest in trying to repeat it. If it were up to her,
she'd put off marriage for as long as possible. But a princess's life is never entirely her own, and Eadlyn can't escape
her very own Selection—no matter how fervently she protests. Eadlyn doesn't expect her story to end in romance.
But as the competition begins, one entry may just capture Eadlyn's heart, showing her all the possibilities that lie in
front of her . . . and proving that finding her own happily ever after isn't as impossible as she's always thought.
Where She Went by Gayle Forman
In the three years since the tragic accident Mia barely survived in If I Stay, she and high school ex-boyfriend Adam
have lived separate lives on opposite coasts. But then Adam, now the dissatisfied front man of popular LA-based
band Collateral Damage, stops over in New York City for one night before kicking off the European leg of his tour. It
happens to be the same evening that Mia, now well on her way to becoming a renowned cellist, is performing at
Carnegie Hall. Adam buys a ticket, planning to slip in and out, but Mia spots him and for the first time in years
they’re face-to-face with each other and their shared past. Over the course of one evening, as Adam and Mia
traverse the city’s streets, they relive the four days Mia spent in the intensive care unit as well as her departure to
Juilliard and from the life she knew.
Mosquitoland by David Arnold
After the sudden collapse of her family, Mim Malone is dragged from her home in northern Ohio to the
“wastelands” of Mississippi, where she lives in a medicated milieu with her dad and new stepmom. Before the
dust has a chance to settle, she learns her mother is sick back in Cleveland. So she ditches her new life and hops
aboard a northbound Greyhound bus to her real home and her real mother, meeting a quirky cast of fellow
travelers along the way. But when her thousand-mile journey takes a few turns she could never see coming, Mim
must confront her own demons, redefining her notions of love, loyalty, and what it means to be sane.
Firefight: The Reckoners—Book Two by Brandon Sanderson
Newcago is free. They told David it was impossible, that even the Reckoners had never killed a High Epic. Yet
Steelheart--invincible, immortal, unconquerable--is dead. And he died by David's hand. Eliminating Steelheart was
supposed to make life simpler. Instead, it only made David realize he has questions. Big ones. And no one in
Newcago can give him answers. Babylon Restored, the city formerly known as the borough of Manhattan, has
possibilities, though. Ruled by the mysterious High Epic Regalia, Babylon Restored is flooded and miserable, but
David is sure it's the path that will lead him to what he needs to find. Entering a city oppressed by a High Epic
despot is risky, but David's willing to take the gamble. Because killing Steelheart left a hole in David's heart. A hole
where his thirst for vengeance once lived. Somehow, he filled that hole with another Epic--Firefight. And now he will go on a quest
darker and even more dangerous than the fight against Steelheart to find her, and to get his answers.
Asylum by Madeleine Roux
For sixteen-year-old Dan Crawford, the New Hampshire College Prep program is the chance of a lifetime. Except
that when Dan arrives, he finds that the usual summer housing has been closed, forcing students to stay in the
crumbling Brookline Dorm—formerly a psychiatric hospital. As Dan and his new friends Abby and Jordan start
exploring Brookline's twisty halls and hidden basement, they uncover disturbing secrets about what really went on
here . . . secrets that link Dan and his friends to the asylum's dark past. Because Brookline was no ordinary mental
hospital, and there are some secrets that refuse to stay buried.
Taking Flight by Michaela DePrince
The extraordinary memoir of Michaela DePrince, a young dancer who escaped war-torn Sierra Leone for the
rarefied heights of American ballet. Michaela DePrince was known as girl Number 27 at the orphanage, where
she was abandoned at a young age and tormented as a “devil child” for a skin condition that makes her skin
appear spotted. But it was at the orphanage that Michaela would find a picture of a beautiful ballerina en pointe
that would help change the course of her life. At the age of four, Michaela was adopted by an American family,
who encouraged her love of dancing and enrolled her in classes. She went on to study at the Jacqueline Kennedy
Onassis School at the American Ballet Theatre and is now the youngest principal dancer with the Dance Theatre
of Harlem.
Chasing Lincoln’s Killer by James L. Swanson
This account of Lincoln's assassination and the 12-day search for his killer reads like a historical thriller, no matter
that the narrative jumps among its locations and characters. As President Lincoln delivers victory speeches in
April 1865, an enraged John Wilkes Booth vows death: "Now, by God, I'll put him through." Every bit of dialogue
is said to come from original sources, adding a chill to the already disturbing conspiracy that Swanson unfolds in
detail as Booth persuades friends and sympathizers to join his plot and later, to give him shelter. The author
gives even the well-known murder scene at Ford's Theatre enough dramatic flourish to make the subject seem
fresh. While Lincoln lays dying, Booth's accomplices clumsily attempt to kill Secretary of State William H. Seward,
and Booth talks his way past a guard meant to bar him from crossing a bridge into Maryland. In focusing on
Booth, the author reveals the depth of divisions in the nation just after the war, the disorder within the government and the
challenges ahead.
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
A great modern classic and the prelude to THE LORD OF THE RINGS. Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a
comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is
disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away
on an adventure. They have launched a plot to raid the treasure hoard guarded by Smaug the Magnificent, a
large and very dangerous dragon. Bilbo reluctantly joins their quest, unaware that on his journey to the Lonely
Mountain he will encounter both a magic ring and a frightening creature known as Gollum.
The Final Four by Paul Volponi
March Madness is in full swing, and there are only four teams let in the NCAA basketball championship. The
heavily favored Michigan Spartans and the underdog Troy Trojans meet in the first game in the seminfinals, and
it's there that the fates of Malcolm, Roko, Crispin, and M.J. intertwine. As the last moments tick down on the
game clock, you'll learn how each player went from being a kid who loves to shoot hoops to a powerful force in
one of the most important games of the year. Which team will leave the Superdome victorious? In the end it will
come down to who has the most skill, the most drive, and the most heart.
The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson
For the past five years, Hayley Kincaid and her father, Andy, have been on the road, never staying long in one
place as he struggles to escape the demons that have tortured him since his return from Iraq. Now they are back
in the town where he grew up so Hayley can attend school. Perhaps, for the first time, Hayley can have a normal
life, put aside her own painful memories, even have a relationship with Finn, the hot guy who obviously likes her
but is hiding secrets of his own. Will being back home help Andy’s PTSD, or will his terrible memories drag him to
the edge of hell, and drugs push him over?
The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen
Jessica thinks her life is over when she loses a leg in a car accident. She's not comforted by the news that she'll
be able to walk with the help of a prosthetic leg. Who cares about walking when you live to run? As she
struggles to cope with crutches and a first cyborg-like prosthetic, Jessica feels oddly both in the spotlight and
invisible. People who don't know what to say, act like she's not there. Which she could handle better if she
weren't now keenly aware that she'd done the same thing herself to a girl with CP named Rosa. A girl who is
going to tutor her through all the math she's missed. A girl who sees right into the heart of her. With the
support of family, friends, a coach, and her track teammates, Jessica may actually be able to run again. But
that's not enough for her now. She doesn't just want to cross finish lines herself—she wants to take Rosa with
her.
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Marie-Laure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where he works as the master of
its thousands of locks. When she is six, Marie-Laure goes blind and her father builds a perfect miniature of their
neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. When she is twelve, the Nazis
occupy Paris and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive
great-uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable
and dangerous jewel. In a mining town in Germany, the orphan Werner grows up with his younger sister,
enchanted by a crude radio they find. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new
instruments, a talent that wins him a place at a brutal academy for Hitler Youth, then a special assignment to
track the resistance. More and more aware of the human cost of his intelligence, Werner travels through the heart of the war and,
finally, into Saint-Malo, where his story and Marie-Laure’s converge.
Becoming Steve Jobs by Brent Schlender and Rick Tetzeli
Schlender and Tetzeli make clear that Jobs's astounding success at Apple was far more complicated than simply
picking the right products: he became more patient, he learned to trust his inner circle, and discovered the
importance of growing the company incrementally rather than only shooting for dazzling game-changing
products. A rich and revealing account that will change the way we view Jobs, Becoming Steve Jobs shows us
how one of the most colorful and compelling figures of our times was able to combine his unchanging,
relentless passion with a more mature management style to create one of the most valuable and beloved
companies on the planet.
Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys
her conscience.
Up-Against a vivid 1950s New Orleans backdrop, 17-year-old Josie Moraine is caught between the harsh reality
of her negligent, prostitute mother's lifestyle and her desire to escape to a new life. Josie is smart, resourceful,
and determined. Her support group includes Willie, the shrewd brothel madam who recognizes Josie's
potential; Cokie, Willie's kind and devoted driver; Patrick, who runs the bookshop where Josie works;
Charlotte, an upscale acquaintance who encourages Josie to join her at Smith College; and Jesse, the
handsome motorcyclist neighbor who has eyes only for Josie. When a mysterious death leads police to Josie's
mother and abusive boyfriend, the teen is drawn into the investigation and into an underworld of threats,
violence, and retribution. After her mother skips town, Josie is targeted to repay her debt to a powerful
criminal boss. As she tries to handle mounting adversity on her own, she struggles with fear, desperation, and
The Alex Crow by Andrew Smith
From the critically acclaimed author of cult teen novel Grasshopper Jungle, Andrew Smith, comes a startlingly
original tale of friendship and brotherhood, war and humanity, identity and existence. Ariel, the sole survivor
of an attack on his village in the Middle East is 'rescued' from the horrific madness of war in his homeland by
an American soldier and sent to live with a family in suburban Virginia. And yet, to Ariel, this new life with a
genetic scientist father and resentful brother, Max, is as confusing and bizarre as the life he just left. Things get
even weirder when Ariel and Max are sent to an all-boys summer camp in the forest for tech detox. Intense,
funny and fierce friendships are formed. And all the time the scientific tinkerings of the boys' father into
genetics and our very existence are creeping up on them in their wooden cabin, second by painful second.
Divided We Fall Book 2: Burning Nation by Trent Reedy
Private Daniel Wright finds himself at the forefront of Idaho's fight for independence from the United States.
Following the state's refusal to enforce the Federal Identification Card Act, military occupation ensues, and
Wright and his fellow soldiers, overwhelmed and outnumbered, find themselves on the losing side of America's
Second Civil War. Surrounded by death and escalating brutality, Danny, conflicted over his sense of duty and
his desire to start a peaceful life with his girlfriend JoBell, watches the Idaho he loves descend into savagery. A
symbol for the rebellion and the target of federal forces, Danny struggles to maintain his humanity while his
enemies will stop at nothing to destroy him and the rebellion. Adrenaline-fueled and gut-wrenching, Reedy's
depiction of an America on the brink of governmental collapse feels all-too-plausible in today's complex
political climate. Here, readers are given an intense first-person look at the atrocities of war as seen and
experienced by Danny, whose growing inner turmoil is understandable in light of the brutality he faces, and it's this gradual change
in character that makes Danny more believable. Further pushing the boundaries of realism is Reedy's use of italicized news reports
and social media posts in particular that puts the audience in the middle of the action.
The Gifted Series Book 2: The Claimed by Anna Kathryn Davis (OMHS Graduate)
The War has started. Rose Hawthorne and her friends are fighting every day just to stay alive. With new secrets
unraveling and new Gifts changing Rose’s role in fighting the Infestation, there is never a moment of safety.
When news comes of other Gifted members in Europe, Rose and the others must somehow get the Circle
across the ocean to bring the war to save the human race to a head. In this second installment of The Gifted
series by Anna Kathryn Davis, The Claimed takes Rose and the others deeper into the darkness that is The
Infestation.
Honors and AP Required Summer Reading Selections 2015
Please note that summer reading is REQUIRED for all Honors and AP students. Honors students will be given
an assessment upon returning to school, while AP students have actual assignments to complete during the
summer.
Honors English 9:
• Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
Honors English 10:
• Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
• The Awakening by Kate Chopin
* Honors English 10 students will begin reading The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd the first week of
school. Please have a copy on the first day of school.
AP Language 11:
• The Color of Water by James McBride
• Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
• Thank You for Arguing by Jay Heinrichs
• The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
* AP Language 11 students MUST see Ms. Blakemore (Room 230) or Ms. Hart (Room 223) for the actual
summer reading assignment.
AP Literature 12:
• Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya
• Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton
• How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas Foster
* AP Literature 12 students MUST see Ms. Touchstone (Room 215) for the actual summer reading assignment.