Romeo and Juliet Young Adult Novels
Independent Reading Project
Son of the Mob, Gordon Korman
Vince Luca is a regular high school guy. He has regular problems like any other person, such as his best
friend Alex who keeps trying to beat him at everything, and his father, who tells him he must become serious
in life. But there is only one difference between him and other kids - his father is the head of a huge criminal
organization. There are many advantages to this relationship however. For example, if Vince ever gets poor
grades, his teachers will automatically change his marks, thinking that his father will kill them. But Vince is
thinking about the future. How will new people he meets react to his family relations? Would he ever be
offered a job anywhere? Would he ever be expected to carry on his father's business after completing high
school? And the biggest question of all - How will he explain to a girl what his father does for a living? The
tempo of the book rises when Vince finally thinks he has found someone. But instead of his dad being the
problem between their love life, the girl's dad seems to be the problem. The problem is that her father is an
FBI agent, who is working day and night to stash Vince's father in jail! From here, the book shows the son of
the mob's struggle in his social life, and how he tries to overcome all obstacles.
Scribbler of Dreams, Mary E. Pearson
Kaitlin Malone and her sister had to transfer to the public high school. They were registered under their
mother's maiden name to protect their identity. Their father had killed Robert Crutchfield and their mother felt
this would make things easier for them. The Malones have been feuding with the Cruthfields for several
generations and his death was a result of this conflict. Kaitlin meets a very special guy at her new school and
they immediately fall in love. She has a major problem: he is Bram Crutchfield, son of Robert Crutchfield.
Bram does not know that she is a Malone. Her family does not know Bram is a Crutchfield. Kaitlin's lies
continue to build until they explode around her. The future of the Crutchfield/Malone feud depends on Kaitlin
and Bram to either continue the conflict or to defuse it.
Countess Below Stairs, Eva Ibbotson
After the russian revolution turns her world topsy-turvy, Anna, a young russian countess, has no choice but to
flee to england. penniless, Anna hides her aristocratic background and takes a job as servant in the household
of the esteemed westerholme family, armed only with an outdated housekeeping manual and sheer
determination. Desperate to keep her past a secret, Anna is nearly overwhelmed by her new duties—not to
mention her instant attraction to rupert, the handsome earl of westerholme. to make matters worse, rupert
appears to be falling for her as well. As their attraction grows stronger, Anna finds it more and more difficult
to keep her most dearly held secrets from unraveling. And then there’s the small matter of rupert’s beautiful
and nasty fiancée...
Saving Juliet, Suzanne Selfors
Seventeen-year-old Mimi Wallingford, of the Broadway Wallingfords, has a life most girls can only dream
of—complete with the starring role in her family’s production of Romeo and Juliet. But acting is not her
dream, and she’s fighting for the right to trade her script for a scalpel and become a doctor.
Fourteen-year-old Juliet Capulet, of the Verona Capulets, has lived a lonely life—imprisoned by the
feud that consumes her family and by her iron-fisted mother’s forcing her into an unwanted marriage. She
will do anything to avoid her betrothed, even if it requires faking a boil on her bottom—or something more
dangerous.
During the play’s final performance, Mimi’s wish to get away actually comes true when she and her
heartthrob costar, Troy Summer, are magically transported into Shakespeare’s Verona. Now that she knows
the real Juliet, Mimi doesn’t want to stand by and allow the play to reach its tragic end. But if saving her new
friend means changing the ending of the greatest love story of all time, will she and Troy ever make it back to
Broadway?
Once Upon a Marigold, Jean Ferris – Regular Only
"Part comedy, part love story, part everything-but-the-kitchen-sink." "A young man with a mysterious past
and a penchant for inventing things leaves the troll who raised him, meets an unhappy princess he has loved
from afar, and discovers a plot against her and her father." Princess Marigold is blessed (or cursed as one
might see it) with a special fairy gift, and has a habit of rejecting suitors; the conniving step-mother who
dabbles with poisons and the Dark Arts and, who naturally will stop at nothing to attain power; the seemingly
befuddled but likeable old king; and finally, a dashing young hero with a mysterious past, raised by a troll,
and whose hobby it is to invent gadgets.
Just Ella, Margaret Peterson Haddix – Regular Only
A 15-year-old girl is forced to work for her evil stepmother after her father died. Like every commoner she
dreams of going to the ball, meeting Prince Charming, and having a luxurious life in a palace. When she is
chosen to marry the prince she finds herself trapped in a cobweb of etiquette, and people trying to force her to
be something that she is not.
Ella is a headstrong and determined commoner who loves to read and to be outside. She is very smart, and
loves to learn when she is interested in something. When she has to learn rules and needlepoint at the castle
she feels bored and out of place.
Jed, her tutor and best friend, is also very important in this story. He dreams but never really takes action
about anything. An example is that he wants to start a refugee shelter, but since the prince won't fund him, he
has almost given up. Now Ella must choose between a life of luxuries and riches or happiness. Can Ella
choose what is right and live happily ever after?
The Smile, Donna Jo Napoli – Honors Only
In the Florentine countryside, Monna Elisabetta struggles to become the noblewoman she's destined to be.
Although her father is challenged to keep his silk business thriving during difficult economic times, Monna's
mother is planning to give her an elaborate 13th birthday party in order to meet a suitable husband. But upon
Mamma's sudden death, the event is canceled, and Monna turns her grief into preparing meals and working
alongside her father. His friend Leonardo da Vinci has introduced her to Giuliano de' Medici, who becomes
smitten with her smile. When her father remarries into nobility, Monna is forced into an arranged marriage,
despite the fact that she has given her heart to Giuliano. This tribute to the woman behind Leonardo's
masterpiece is another wonderfully researched and well-crafted novel from Napoli. Artfully blending fact and
fiction, the author tells a tender story of a girl coming of age during a turbulent time. Readers will be moved
by the plight of this three-dimensional protagonist
Twelfth Night, William Shakespeare – Honors Only
In the two major subplots of the play, Sebastian (Viola's twin, presumed dead) comes ashore in Illyria
thinking that Viola has drowned in the shipwreck. A man named Antonio rescued him from the surf, and
continues to aid him—at some risk to himself, as Antonio fought against the Duke at one time. Meanwhile, in
Olivia's house, Sir Toby Belch (her uncle) has hoodwinked a foppish Sir Andrew Aguecheek into supporting
him by convincing him that he could be a suitor to Olivia. There is a running feud between Malvolio and
Belch; with the help of Maria, Olivia's maid, and Feste, a clown, Belch plots to make a buffoon of the
steward. Maria writes a love letter to Malvolio that will make him think Olivia has fallen for him.
Malvolio falls entirely for the sport, which eventually leads to his confinement as a madman. All the while,
Belch is egging Sir Andrew into a duel with Viola's "Cesario" character as she departs from Olivia; Olivia is
now entirely smitten with Cesario, even though Viola continues to press Orsino's cause. As Viola and Sir
Andrew prepare for a duel that neither one wants, Antonio happens upon the scene. Believing Viola to be
Sebastian, he intervenes and is arrested. Viola, of course, does not recognize Antonio. Later, Belch and Sir
Andrew encounter Sebastian, who doesn't back down from Aguecheek when challenged and resoundingly
beats him. Olivia intervenes in the matter, and—mistaking Sebastian for Viola/Cesario—presses her suit for
him. A bemused Sebastian agrees to marry her.
Romiette and Julio, Sharon Draper – Took Out
When Romiette Cappelle and her best friend Destiny, decide to order The Scientific Soul Mate System from
the back of the Heavy Hunks magazine, they're not sure what they're getting into. But Destiny, a selfproclaimed psychic, assure Romi that for $44.99 plus shipping and handling, it's the only way they're ever
going to find out who their soul mates really are. If nothing else, maybe Romi will get some insight into that
recurring dream she's been having about fire and water.
But they are never expect that the scented candle and tube of dream ointment will live up to their promises
and merge Romiette's destiny with Julio Montague, a boy she's just met in the "cosmos" of an International
chat room. It turns out they go to the same high school, not to mention having almost the same names as
Shakespeare's famous lovers! Sweet-scented dreams of Julio have almost overtaken Romi's nightmares...
......when suddenly they return , but this time in real life. It seems the Devildogs, a local gang, violently
oppose the relationship of Romiette and Julio. Soon they find themselves haunted by the purple-clad shadows
of the gang, and the fire and water of Romiette's dream merge in ways more terrifying-and ultimately more
affirming- than even Destiny could have foreseen.
The Shakespeare Stealer, Gary Blackwood
Steal Shakespeare's play Hamlet or else. That's the mission from his master, Simon Bass. Widge is a poor
orphan who has the rare ability to write a unique coded shorthand that he learned from a previous master. He
has no choice but to follow these orders. So Widge works his way into the Globe Theatre, where
Shakespeare's troupe rehearses and performs. This is where Widge's life changes forever. At all costs he must
hide his real reason for being there from Shakespeare and his players, who take him in and treat him as one of
their own. He begins to like the theatre and his new friends. Maybe he could hide out and stay there. However
his master's henchman, Falconer, is combing the city looking for his master's property.
Will he do it? Will Widge take the book betraying his new friends and giving up his first chance he has ever
had to belong? Read the book...