Stonington High School
Summer Reading Assignment, 2012
http://gofeedyourmind.blogspot.com
The Summer Reading List will be available on the SHS Website.
ASSIGNMENT EXPECTATIONS

Students must read two books from the appropriate grade level list of books for
summer reading. The list is leveled by grade; students should choose from the list for
the grade they will be in during the 2012-2013 school year.
For each book, students are asked to copy two brief passages of significance to them (3 to 5
sentences) onto index cards- one passage from the beginning and one from the end of the
book. The cards should include the student’s name, grade, book title, and author. Students will
be required to bring these cards to home-base during the first week of school and to
participate in a book discussion group. Students will receive a “pass” or “fail” grade based on
completing the reading, submitting the cards, and participating in the book discussion.
 Students with IEPs may choose from this list or list approved at PPT (available from
program manager).
 All AP students may choose one title in addition to completing their summer work from
their AP teachers. A word to the wise, the top three titles on each list will help you
broaden your reading horizons AND expand upon choices on the AP Literature free
response question. Also, be reminded that your AP 11 teachers strongly encourage AP
Language students to choose Caleb’s Crossing, the one book, one region selection.
CRAFTING THE LISTS
 We generated the 2012 list with the support of many people and resources. If you don’t think
you like to read, maybe you just haven’t found the right book. Our grade level lists have
something for every reader. The list includes contributions from students, staff members, local
librarians, and the titles from Connecticut READS, the 2012 Governor’s Summer Reading
Challenge.
GET MORE ENJOYMENT BY…
 Reading with a friend: Explore titles with your friends or advisory group and agree to read the
same book.
 Tasting the food before you eat it: Read the first few pages of five or six books on your list.
Then, choose the one you liked the best and keep going.
 Allowing yourself to change your mind: Maybe the book isn’t for you because of its topics;
maybe you just cannot “get into it.” Change books to find one you’ll enjoy.
 Giving yourself a challenge: The first three titles on each list could help you if you want to study
literature in college or take AP Literature 12. Some of these are paired with a Young Adult
book with a similar theme. So, try to read a “paired” selection.
 Giving yourself an escape: Choose a book that is nothing like your own life.
 Getting help! Having a hard time getting a book that is right for you, go to your library and see
the teen librarian. She has the list and would love to help you!
 Making time to read before August 29th!
 Try blogging: This year, we are trying something new. Members of the SHS staff are
contributing to our school reading blog. Read, comment, or request to be a contributor on
Bears READ at http://gofeedyourmind.blogspot.com/.
THE TITLES
Stonington High School
Summer Reading Assignment, 2012
http://gofeedyourmind.blogspot.com
ALL STUDENTS HAVE THE OPTION OF CHOOSING THE ONE BOOK, ONE REGION
SELECTION, CALEB’S CROSSING, by GERALDINE BROOKS.
Grade 9
Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens
Prometheus Unbound, by Aeschylus
Son of Neptune, by Rick Riordan paired with The Power of Myth, by Joseph Campbell
Darwin’s Radio, by Greg Bear
Post Cards from France, by Libby McNeil
Moneyball, by Michael Lewis
Moving the Chains: Tom Brady and the Pursuit of Everything, by Charles P. Pierce
Marcelo in the Real World, Francisco X. Stork
A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness
Anya’s Ghost, by Vera Brosgol
Matched, by Ally Condie
The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak
Steve Jobs: The Man Who Thought Different, by Karen Blumenthal
Never Fall Down, Patricia McCormick
Mockingjay and/or Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins
Seedfolks, by Paul Fleischman
Under the Never Sky, by Veronica Rossi
Legend, by Marie Lu
Darkness Becomes Her, by Kelly Keaton
Grade 10
The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck
The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams
The Taste of Salt, by Frances Temple paired with Brother, I am Dying, by Edwidge
Danticat
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
Bleachers, by John Grisham
Hot Zone, by Richard Preston
Delirium, Lauren Oliver
Born on a Blue Day, Danie Tammet
Suite Francaise, by Irene Nemirovsky
Ship Breaker, by Paolo Bacigalupi
The Future of Us, by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler
Peak, by Roland Smith
Smile, by Raina Telgemeier
Never Fall Down, Patricia McCormick
Mockingjay and/or Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins
The Chocolate War, by Robert Cromier
Stargirl, by Jerry Spinelli
Inkspell, by Cornelia Funke
Grade 11
Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison
The Piano Lesson, by August Wilson
Monster, by Walter Dean Myers paired with Native Son, by Richard Wright
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, by Mark Haddon
Room Full of Mirrors: A Biography of Jimi Hendrix, by Charles Cross
My Losing Season, by Pat Conroy
Super Rich, by Russell Simmons
Portrait of an Artist: A Biography of Georgia O'Keefe, by Laura Lisle
Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac, by Gabrielle Zevin
Wake, by Lisa McMann
The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green
Shift, by Jennifer Bradbury
Walk in the Woods, by Bill Bryson
Stick Figure: A Diary of my Former Self, by Lori Gottlieb
Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell
Breaking Night, by Liz Murray
Bunch of Amateurs: A Search for the American Character by Jack Hitt
The Glass Castle, by Jeannette Walls
A Child Called It, by David Pelzer
The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold
Grade 12
Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
A Doll House, by Henrik Ibsen
All Good Children, by Catherine Austen paired with Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
My Sister’s Keeper, by Jodi Picoult
House Rules, by Jodi Picoult
Empire Falls, by Richard Russo
Chronicles, by Bob Dylan
If I Stay, by Gayle Forman
The Glass Castle, by Jeannette Walls
Bel Canto, by Ann Patchett
Blink, by Malcolm Gladwell
The Letters of Vincent VanGogh, Author Van Gogh, Editor Mark Roskill
My Most Excellent Year, by Steve Kluger
Impossible, by Nancy Werlin
Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern
Where Men Win Glory, by Jon Krakauer
Bunch of Amateurs: A Search for the American Character by Jack Hitt
Whirligig, by Paul Fleischman
Deception Point, by Dan Brown
The Help, by Kathryn Stockett
Looking for Alaska, by John Green
THE TITLES with ANNOTATIONS
Stonington High School
Summer Reading Assignment, 2012
http://gofeedyourmind.blogspot.com
Grade 9
Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens
When a mysterious benefactor enables Pip--a young orphaned boy--to rise in Victorian society,
Pip is educated as a gentleman and snobbishly neglects his childhood friends.
Prometheus Bound, by Aeschylus
This tragedy is based on the myth of Prometheus, a Titan who was punished by the god Zeus for
giving fire to mankind.
Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan
Demigod Percy Jackson, still with no memory, and his new friends from Camp Jupiter, Hazel and
Frank, go on a quest to free Death, but their bigger task is to unite the Greek and Roman camps so
that the Prophecy of Seven can be fulfilled.
paired with The Power of Myth, by Joseph Campbell
The noted mythologist discusses the relationship of ancient myths to modern life, including
discussions of recent heros, tales of love and marriage, the power of myth, and mythic themes
Darwin’s Radio, by Greg Bear
All the best thrillers contain the solution to a mystery, and the mystery in this intellectually
sparkling scientific thriller is more crucial and stranger than most. Why are people turning
against their neighbors and their newborn children? And what is causing an epidemic of still
births? A disgraced paleontologist and a genetic engineer both come across evidence of cover-ups
in which the government is clearly up to no good. But no one knows what's really going on, and
the government is covering up because that is what, in thrillers as in life, governments do. And
what has any of this to do with the discovery of a Neanderthal family whose mummified faces
show signs of a strange peeling?
Post Cards from France, by Libby McNeil
A year-long tour of France is seen through the postcards of a high-school junior, who records such
experiences as her war with the French language, an attempt to make Thanksgiving dinner with a
deer, and her feelings of isolation on her first day at school.
Moneyball, by Michael Lewis
Explains how Billie Beene, the general manager of the Oakland Athletics, put into play a new kind
of thinking and ball playing--a compilation of statistics, locker room knowledge and players
rethinking what they know about playing baseball--demonstrating how success can be obtained
without spending enormous sums of money.
Moving the Chains: Tom Brady and the Pursuit of Everything by Charles P. Pierce
Chronicles NFL quarterback Tom Brady's rise to the top of his profession and examines how he
stays there in this study of highly honed skills, discipline, and making the most of good fortune.
Marcelo in the Real World, Francisco X. Stork
Marcelo Sandoval, a seventeen-year-old boy on the high-functioning end of the autistic spectrum,
faces new challenges, including romance and injustice, when he goes to work for his father in the
mailroom of a corporate law firm.
A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness
Thirteen-year-old Conor awakens one night to find a monster outside his bedroom window, but
not the one from the recurring nightmare that began when his mother became ill--an ancient
creature that wants him to face truth and loss.
Anya’s Ghost, by Vera Brosgol
Anya, embarrassed by her Russian immigrant family and self-conscious about her body, has given
up on fitting in at school, but when she falls down a well and makes friends with the ghost there,
she thinks she's found just what she needs--or has she?
Matched, by Ally Condie
Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her, so when Xander appears
on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows he is her ideal mate--until Ky Markham's face
appears for an instant before the screen fades to black.
The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak
Living with a foster family in Germany during World War II, a young girl struggles to survive her
day-to-day trials through stealing anything she can get her hands on, but when she discovers the
beauty of literature, she realizes that she has been blessed with a gift that must be shared with
others, including the Jewish man hiding in the basement.
Steve Jobs: The Man Who Thought Different by Karen Blumenthal
The book traces the inspiring life and career of the late founder of Apple, covering topics ranging
from his struggles as an adopted child and a college dropout to his Buddhist faith and friendship
with Steve Wozniack, in a portrait framed around his inspirational Stanford University
commencement speech.
Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins
In a final installment in the dramatic trilogy by the author of The Hunger Games and Catching
Fire, two-time Hunger Games survivor Katniss Everdeen is targeted by a vengeful Capitol that
vows to make Katniss and all of District 12 pay for the ensuing unrest.
Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins
By winning the Hunger Games, Katniss and Peeta have secured a life of safety and plenty for
themselves and their families, but because they won by defying the rules, they unwittingly
become the faces of an impending rebellion. Second book of the Hunger Games trilogy.
Seedfolks, by Paul Fleischman
Fleischman's innovative short novel is the story of an urban garden started by a child and
nurtured by people of all ages and ethnic backgrounds. Each of the thirteen chapters is narrated
by a different character, allowing the reader to watch as a community develops out of
disconnected lives and previous suspicions. One by one, people of varying ages and backgrounds
transform a trash-filled inner-city lot into a productive and beautiful garden, and in doing so, the
gardeners are also transformed.
Under the Never Sky, Veronica Rossi
Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the
outer wasteland--nicknamed The Death Shop--are slim; then she meets an Outsider named Perry,
who is as wild and dangerous as a savage, and soon learns that he's her only hope.
Legend, Marie Lu
Raised in an elite military family in a war-torn nation that was once the Western United States,
15-year-old June embarks on a revelatory cat-and-mouse manhunt for criminal youth Day, who is
declared a prime suspect in the murder of June's brother.
Darkness Becomes Her, Kelly Keaton
In post-apocalyptic New Orleans, now a sanctuary for supernatural beings, a hardened teenager
on the run searches for the truth about her monstrous heritage and discovers a curse that could
ignite the ancient war between gods and monsters.
Grade 10
The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck
Depicts the hardships and suffering enduring by the Joads as they journey from Oklahoma to
California during the Depression
Glass Manegerie, by Tennessee Williams
In this drama a strong willed woman attempts to impose her shattered dreams into the life of her
reclusive daughter. Crippled Laura Wingfield momentarily accepts reality and breaks free from
the imaginary world of her glass animals when her mother arranges for her to have a gentleman
caller.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
Budding cartoonist Junior leaves his troubled school on the Spokane Indian Reservation to attend
an all-white farm town school where the only other Indian is the school mascot.
The Taste of Salt, by Frances Temple
In the hospital after being beaten by Macoutes, seventeen-year-old Djo tells the story of his
impoverished life to a young woman who, like him, has been working with the social reformer
Father Aristide to fight the repression in Haiti
paired with Brother, I am Dying, by Edwidge Danticat
The men closest to her--her father and his brother, Joseph, a charismatic pastor with whom she
lived after her parents emigrated from Haiti to the U.S.--in a poignant story of family, love, grief,
tragedy, hope, and triumph.
Bleachers, by John Grisham
This is a nostalgic novel about high school football in a small Texas town, a place in which football
has become a religion.
Hot Zone, by Richard Preston
Describes how a strain of lethal virus showed up in 1989 at a Virginia laboratory, and relates the
efforts of a military biohazard SWAT team to identify and contain the virus.
Delirium, by Lauren Oliver
Lena looks forward to receiving the government-mandated cure that prevents the delirium of
love and leads to a safe, predictable, and happy life, until right before her eighteenth birthday and
her treatment, when she falls in love.
Born on a Blue Day, Danie Tammet
Traces the inspiring story of an autistic savant with genius-level mathematical talents, describing
how he was eschewed by his classmates in spite of his near-photographic memory and superhuman capacity for math and language, in a firsthand account that offers insight into how he
experiences the world.
Suite Francaise, by Irene Nemirovsky
Published more than sixty years following the author's death at Auschwitz, a remarkable story of
life under the Nazi occupation includes two parts--"A Storm in June, " set amid the chaotic 1940
exodus from Paris on the eve of the Nazi invasion, and "Dolce," set in a German-occupied
provincial village rife with jealousy, resentment, resistance, and collaboration.
Ship Breaker, by Paolo Bacigalupi
In a futuristic world, teenaged Nailer scavenges copper wiring from grounded oil tankers for a
living, but when he finds a beached ship with a girl in the wreckage, he has to decide if he should
strip the ship or rescue the girl.
The Future of Us, by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler
Receiving her first computer and an America Online CD-ROM in 1996, student Emma and her best
friend, Josh, log on and discover themselves on Facebook, fifteen years in the future, and learn
astonishing things about their adult selves.
Peak, by Roland Smith
After being arrested for scaling a New York skyscraper and then sent to live with his long-lost
father and fellow climber, Peak Marcello finds it difficult to rebuild their bond, thus when his
father suddenly pushes him to climb Mt. Everest, Peak must take into consideration his father's
questionable motives.
Smile, by Raina Telgemeier
In this coming-of-age true story, Raina just wants to be a normal sixth grader, but one night after
Girl Scouts she trips and falls, severely injuring her two front teeth, and what follows is a long and
frustrating journey with on-again, off-again braces, surgery, embarrassing headgear and even a
retainer with fake teeth attached--on top of all that, there's a major earthquake, boy confusion
and friends who turn out to be not so friendly
Never Fall Down, by Patricia McCormick
Separated from his family and assigned to a labor camp when soldiers invade his home in
Cambodia, young Arn volunteers to become a musician for the army and uses his wits to survive
and steal food for other child prisoners before he is conscripted as a boy soldier.
Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins
In a final installment in the dramatic trilogy by the author of The Hunger Games and Catching
Fire, two-time Hunger Games survivor Katniss Everdeen is targeted by a vengeful Capitol that
vows to make Katniss and all of District 12 pay for the ensuing unrest.
Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins
By winning the Hunger Games, Katniss and Peeta have secured a life of safety and plenty for
themselves and their families, but because they won by defying the rules, they unwittingly
become the faces of an impending rebellion. Second book of the Hunger Games trilogy.
Chocolate War, Robert Cormier
Jerry Renault, a high-school freshman who refuses to participate in the Trinity School annual
fund-raising chocolate sale, is forced to defend his convictions.
Stargirl, Jerry Spinelli
In this story about the perils of popularity, the courage of nonconformity, and the thrill of first
love, an eccentric student named Stargirl changes Mica High School forever.
Inkspell, Cornelia Funke
In the captivating sequel to Inkheart, a year has passed and times have changed, but Meggie,
Dustfinger, and Farid long for the past, and will do anything to find that special place in Inkheart
again.
Grade 11
Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison
An African-American man's search for success and the American dream leads him out of college
to Harlem and a growing sense of personal rejection and social invisibility.
The Piano Lesson, by August Wilson
When Boy Willie wants to sell the family's prized upright piano to purchase some land, the family
must re-evaluate the piano's true worth.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, by Mark Haddon
Despite his overwhelming fear of interacting with people, Christopher, a mathematically-gifted,
autistic fifteen-year-old boy, decides to investigate the murder of a neighbor's dog and uncovers
secret information about his mother.
Monster, by Walter Dean Myers
While on trial as an accomplice to a murder, sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon records his
experiences in prison and in the courtroom in the form of a film script as he tries to come to terms
with the course his life has taken.
paired with Native Son, by Richard Wright
This book traces the fall of a young black man in 1930s Chicago as his life loses all hope of
redemption after he kills a white woman.
Room Full of Mirrors: A Biography of Jimi Hendrix, by Charles Cross
Meticulously researched and based on more than three-hundred interviews with those who knew
him best, a landmark book recounts the entire arc of the guitar legend's life, from his troubled
childhood in Seattle's projects to his struggles against racial prejudice as a young musician and
his rapid ascent to the top amidst the swinging London scene, and finally to headlining
Woodstock in 1969 and his death a year later.
My Losing Season, by Pat Conroy
The author reflects on the place of sports in his life, describing his love of basketball, the role of
the athlete for young men searching for their own identity, his education at the Citadel, and his
journey to best-selling writer.
Super Rich by Russell Simmons
A popular entrepreneur explains that true happiness comes not from wealth but from inner
contentment and shares personal stories of his own rise to success and how he never failed to
remain grounded during the process.
Portrait of an Artist: A Biography of Georgia O'Keefe Author: Laura Lisle
Recollections of more than one hundred of O'Keeffe's friends, relatives, colleagues, and neighbors
as well as published and previously unpublished historical records and letters are used to provide
an in-depth study of the celebrated painter's life
Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac, by Gabrielle Zevin
A toss of the coin ends up changing Naomi's life after a slip on the stairs results in amnesia, a
disconnect with the life she once led, and a new relationship with a young man with a
questionable past.
Wake, by Lisa McMann
Tired of being dragged into other people's dreams and watching their subconscious fantasies and
fears revealed in all their glory, Jane's powers take a dangerous turn after she discovers herself in
a terrifying dream in which she is not only an observer but an unwilling participant.
The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green
Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few more years, Hazel has
never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis, but when a
gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at the Cancer Kid Support Group,
Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.
Shift, by Jennifer Bradbury
When best friends Chris and Win go on a cross country bicycle trek the summer after graduating
and only one returns, the FBI wants to know what happened.
Walk in the Woods, by Bill Bryson
This book traces the author's adventurous trek along the Appalachian Trail past its natural
pleasures, human eccentrics, and offbeat comforts.
Stick Figure: A Diary of my Former Self, by Lori Gottlieb
Based on diaries written in 1978, when she was eleven years old, the author offers a chronicle of
her battle with anorexia and the pressures from family, peers, and society that led her to starve
herself.
Outliers: The Story of Success, by Malcolm Gladwell
The author identifies the qualities of successful people, posing theories about the cultural, family,
and idiosyncratic factors that shape high achievers, in a resource that covers such topics as the
secrets of software billionaires, why certain cultures are associated with better academic
performance, and why the Beatles earned their fame.
Breaking Night:, A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey from Homeless to
Harvard by Liz Murray
The author offers an account of her journey from a fifteen-year-old living on the streets and
eating garbage to her acceptance into Harvard, a feat that prompted a Lifetime movie and a
successful motivational-speaking career.
Bunch of Amateurs: A Search for the American Character, by Jack Hitt
Hitt, an Award-winning journalist, examines how the amateur status of everyday Americans is
helping to drive the nation's success and sense of identity, documenting his visits to garages
throughout the country where he has surveyed promising innovations.
The Glass Castle, by Jeannette Walls
Having grown up with parents whose ideals and nonconformity were both their curse and their
salvation, Jeannette Walls shares her story of triumph against all odds, and the unconditional love
in a family that, despite its profound flaws, gave her the fiery determination to carve out a
successful life on her own terms.
A Child Called It, Pelzer
This book chronicles the unforgettable account of one of the most severe child abuse cases in
California history. It is the story of Dave Pelzer, who was brutally beaten and starved by his
emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother: a mother who played tortuous, unpredictable games-games that left him nearly dead. He had to learn how to play his mother's games in order to
survive because she no longer considered him a son, but a slave; and no longer a boy, but an "it."
The Lovely Bones, Alice Sebold
After a fourteen-year-old girl is murdered, she reaches out from the afterlife to help her family
find her killer and move on with their lives.
Grade 12
Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austin
In a remote Hertfordshire community, the Bennet family has a sensitive enterprise. Mrs Bennet
must find husbands for her five young daughters. So with the arrival of some eligible young men
in the neighborhood, naturally there is excitement. But misconceptions and hasty judgments lead
to heartache and scandal.
A Doll House, by Henrik Ibsen
The Helmers are all set to enjoy Christmas. Torvald has been promoted and Nora is delighted.
Everything at last seems to be going right, until a visitor arrives uninvited and causes them to
question just how perfect is their marriage.
All Good Children, by Catherine Austen
Seventeen-year-old prankster Maxwell Connors tries to maintain his identity in a mid-twentyfirst century world where the children of his elite corporate town of New Middletown are treated
with a drug to turn them into obedient, well-mannered citizens.
paired with Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
Aldous Huxley’s classic prophetic novel capturing the socialized horrors of a futuristic utopia
remarkably explores the now-timely themes of cloning, individual creativity and freedom, and the
role of science, technology, and drugs in humankind's future.
My Sister’s Keeper, by Jodi Picoult
Conceived to provide a bone marrow match for her leukemia-stricken sister, teenage Kate begins
to question her moral obligations in light of countless medical procedures and decides to fight for
the right to make decisions about her own body.
House Rules, by Jodi Picoult
Unable to express himself socially but possessing a savant-like knack for investigating crimes, a
teenage boy with Asperger's Syndrome is wrongly accused of killing his tutor when the police
mistake his autistic tics for guilty behavior.
Empire Falls, by Richard Russo
Milo Roby tries to hold his family together while working at the Empire Grill in the oncesuccessful logging town of Empire Falls, Maine, with his partner, Mrs. Whiting, who is the heir to a
faded logging and textile legacy.
Chronicles, by Bob Dylan
An autobiographical portrait of the acclaimed musical performer recounts personal and
professional experiences.
If I Stay, by Gayle Forman
While in a coma following an automobile accident that killed her parents and younger brother,
seventeen-year-old Mia, a gifted cellist, weighs whether to live with her grief or join her family in
death.
The Glass Castle, by Jeannette Walls
Having grown up with parents whose ideals and nonconformity were both their curse and their
salvation, Jeannette Walls shares her story of triumph against all odds, and the unconditional love
in a family that, despite its profound flaws, gave her the fiery determination to carve out a
successful life on her own terms.
Bel Canto, by Ann Patchett
When terrorists seize hostages at an embassy party, an unlikely assortment of people is thrown
together, including American opera star Roxane Coss, and Mr. Hosokawa, a Japanese CEO and her
biggest fan.
Blink, by Malcolm Gladwell
Drawing on a range of case studies, Gladwell explores the process by which people make
decisions, explaining how the difference between good and bad decision making is directly
related to the details on which people focus, and counsels readers on how to become better
decision makers in every aspect of life.
Letters of Vincent VanGogh, author Van Gogh, Editor Mark Roskill
This volume features a chronologically arranged collection of letters, mostly written to van Gogh's
art dealer and brother, Theo, that reveal the joy and inspiration he derived from literature, art,
and nature as well as his romantic disappointments, poverty, and relationships with fellow
artists.
My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins & Fenway Park, by Steve Kluger
Three teenagers in Boston narrate their experiences of a year of new friendships, first loves, and
coming into their own.
Impossible, by Nancy Werlin
When seventeen-year-old Lucy discovers her family is under an ancient curse by an evil Elfin
Knight, she realizes to break the curse she must perform three impossible tasks before her
daughter is born in order to save them both.
Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern
Waging a fierce competition for which they have trained since childhood, circus magicians Celia
and Marco unexpectedly fall in love with each other and share a fantastical romance that
manifests in fateful ways.
Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman , by Jon Krakauer
This book traces the controversial story of NFL player and soldier Pat Tillman, describing the
military's efforts to hide the truth about his death by friendly fire, in an account that draws on
Tillman's journals and letters as well as interviews with family members and fellow soldiers.
Whirligig, by Paul Fleischman
After a drunk teenage boy kills a girl while driving, his life is transformed by fulfilling a request of
the girl's mother. While traveling to each corner of the country to build a whirligig in memory of
the girl whose death he caused Brent finds forgiveness and atonement.
Deception Point, Dan Brown
On the eve of a presidential race in which NASA's budget is a pivotal issue, the space agency
announces the discovery of an ancient meteorite filled with fossils deep in the Arctic ice.
Looking for Alaska, John Green
Sixteen-year-old Miles' first year at Culver Creek Preparatory School in Alabama includes good
friends and great pranks, but is defined by the search for answers about life and death after a fatal
car crash.
The Help, Kathryn Stockett
Limited and persecuted by racial divides in 1962 Jackson, Mississippi, three women, including an
African-American maid, her sassy and chronically unemployed friend and a recently graduated
white woman, team up for a clandestine project against a backdrop of the budding civil rights era.