* = Keith Valley Middle School Library

C = Classroom – Limited number available; see your teacher

Classics

*

Alcott, Louisa May

Little Women A heart-warming classic based on the author's family life growing up in a

household of four girls each with a unique personality. (1868)

*

Austen, Jane

Pride and Prejudice

Amusing story of a young woman's adventures and misadventures in the

society of the 19th century English gentry. (1813)

*

Burnett, Frances Hodgson

The Secret Garden Mary, a self-centered girl, and Colin, a pampered invalid boy come to

understand compassion and generosity within a mysterious abandoned

garden. (1911)

*

Bronte, Charlotte

Jane Eyre An unassuming English orphan becomes a governess and falls in love with

her employer. (1847)

C

Cisneros, Sandra

House on Mango Street Told in a series of vignettes, this is story of a young Latina girl growing up

in Chicago, inventing for herself who and what she will become. (1991)

*

Clark, Walter Van Tilburg

The Ox Bow Incident Set in 1895, this classic story is a searing portrait of frontier life and mob

violence in the American West, focusing on the lynching of three innocent

men and the tragedy that ensues when law and order are abandoned. (1940)

*

Defoe, Daniel

Robinson Crusoe Daniel Defoe, is generally credited with being one of the first novel writers

in the English language: this is his tale of an English sailor marooned on a

desert island for nearly three decades. (1719)

Dana, Richard Henry

Two Years before the Mast The remarkable story of life at sea, as told by a 19 year old, who has left

the privileged world of Boston and harvard to become a common sailor.

(1840)

C

Dickens, Charles

A Christmas Carol Carol tells the story of a bitter old miser named Ebenezer Scrooge and his

transformation resulting from a supernatural visit by the ghost of his former

business partner. (1843)

*

Dickens, Charles

David Copperfield This is the story of David, an orphan boy, who grows up amongst a diverse

and delightful cast of characters--termed "the most perfect of all of the

Dickens novels by Virginia Woolf. (1850)

C

Hinton, S.E.

The Outsiders Ponyboy knows he can count on his brothers, Darry and Sodapop, and he

can count on his friends. When it comes to the Socs – a vicious gang of

rich kids who enjoy beating up on “greasers” like him and his friends – he

knows that he can count on them for trouble. (1967)

*

Hilton, James

Lost Horizon Four Westerners are hijacked and kidnapped in the Tibetan mountains,

where they are held in a hidden valley, known as Shangli-La. (1933)

*

Knowles, John

A Separate Peace Against the backdrop of World War II, the rivalry of two roommates at a

boys’ school turns into a private war. (1959)

Lombardo, Stanley

[Homer]

The Iliad This new translation of the classical Greek epic of love and war is here

rendered into a contemporary American idiom in a colloquial, modern

voice.

McCaughrean, Geraldine

Cyrano Staying true to Edmond Rostand's original tale, McCaughrean introduces a

new generation to the swashbuckling hero. All his life, Cyrano has loved

his beautiful young cousin, Roxanne, and she cannot see beyond his ugly

face with its huge nose. (2006)

*

Montgomery, Lucy

Anne of Green Gables This is the story of Anne Shirley, a scrawny, red-haired, eleven-year-old

orphan. She is adopted by an elderly couple and changes their lives forever.

(1908)

*

Potok, Chaim

The Chosen Two Jewish boys in New York, one traditional and one liberal, learn the

differences between their fathers' teachings. (1967)

*

Pyle, Howard

Otto of the Silver Hand This story, set in medieval Germany, tells the tale of young Otto who was

raised in a monastery following his mother's death and returned at age

twelve to the bitter, feudal world of his loving father. (1888)

*

Richter, Conrad

The Light in the Forest A white boy, captured by Indians as a four-year-old, comes to understand

and love the Indian culture over his own. (1953)

Roberts, Kenneth

ANY TITLE BY THIS AUTHOR

*

Smith, Betty

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn This story tells of the difficulties and delights of life for Francie and her

Irish family in New York, in the early 1900's. (1945)

*

Steinbeck, John

Of Mice and Men This tragic story, a masterpiece of literature, explores the complex bond

between two migrant laborers, George Milton and Lennie Small, itinerant

ranch hands who dream of one day owning a small farm. (1937)

*

Wilder, Thornton

The Bridge of San Luis Rey In search of the meaning of their deaths, the narrator tells the life stories of

five people who die when a bridge collapses. (1927)

Modern Fiction

Agee, James

A Death in the Family A sensitive account of a family's reaction to the death of one of its members, this

novel examines the most delicate, private realms of emotion. (1956)

*

Alexie, Sherman

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Arnold Spirit, a goofy-looking dork with a decent jumpshot, spends his time

lamenting life on the Spokane Indian reservation, drawing cartoons (which

accompany, and often provide more insight than, the narrative), and, along with

his aptly named pal Rowdy, laughing those laughs over anything and

nothing that affix best friends so intricately together. When a teacher pleads with

Arnold to want more, to escape the hopelessness of the rez, Arnold switches to a

rich white school and immediately becomes as much an outcast in his own

community as he is a curiosity in his new one. (2007)

Anderson, Laurie Halse

Wintergirls Lia and Cassie are best friends, wintergirls frozen in fragile bodies, competitors

in a deadly contest to see who can be the thinnest. But then Cassie suffers the

ultimate loss-her life-and Lia is left behind, haunted by her friend's memory and

racked with guilt for not being able to help save her. (2009)

Anonymous

Go Ask Alice Adolescence has rarely been captured as clearly as it is in this classic diary by an

anonymous, addicted teen. Although there is still some question as to whether

this diary is real or fictional, there is no question that it has made a profound

impact on millions of readers during the more than 25 years it has been in print.

Despite a few dated references to hippies and some expired slang, Go Ask Alice

still offers a jolting chronicle of a teenager's life spinning out of control. (reprinted in 2009)

*

Asher, Jay

Thirteen Reason Why Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name

on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by

Hannah Baker - his classmate and crush - who committed suicide two weeks

earlier. Hannah's voice tells him that there are thirteen reasons why she decided

to end her life. Clay is one of them. (2011)

Baldwin, James

If Beale Street Could Talk A young black couple, separated by an unjust imprisonment, is bolstered by their

love for each other and the young man's loyal family. (1974)

*

Bauer, Joan

Rules of the Road Hired by Madeline Gladstone, the president of a shoe company, to help her

prevent a corporate take-over, 16-year-old Jenna Boller embarks on an eye-

opening adventure that teaches both of them the rules of the road--and the rules

of life. (1998)

*

Bauer, Joan

Close to Famous When twelve-year-old Foster and her mother land in the tiny town of Culpepper,

they don't know what to expect. But folks quickly warm to the woman with the

great voice and the girl who can bake like nobody's business. Thanks to the folks

in Culpepper, though Foster and her mama find the strength to put their troubles

behind them for good. (2011)

C

Bauer, Joan

Hope Was Here Sixteen-year-old Hope and her aunt Addie move from Brooklyn to the Welcome

Stairways Diner in Mulhoney, Wisconsin. There they offer to help the diner

owner G.T. Stoop, who is battling leukemia, run for mayor. Full of self-

discovery, quirky characters, and moments of bright humor, this book really

does deliver on its title. (2005)

*

Bauer, Marion Dane

On My Honor Joel's best friend Tony drowns while they are swimming in the forbidden,

treacherous Vermilion River. Joel is terrified at having to tell of his disobedience

and overwhelmed by his feelings of guilt. Newberry Honor (1986)

Blundell, Judy

Strings Attached The year is 1950, the place New York, and Kit is a 17 yr old high school drop

out who wants to be a professional dancer. The only problem is Nate. He's a

friend of her father and aunt, who helped raise her, and the father of her

boyfriend. And, his problem is that he's mixed up with the mob. Which makes it

Kit's problem because being a naive 17 yr old, she doesn't realize that his help is

going to cost her. (2011)

Bradford, Richard

Red Sky at Morning Joshua Arnold, a wise, wry man-child, must cope with an absent father and a

sherry-tippling mother while learning to live in a new town, make friends, and

finish growing up. (1968)

*

Brooks, Bruce

The Moves Make the Man As Jerome, a black athlete, shares his skills and interest in basketball with Bix, a

white baseball player, their friendship grows and the game becomes a reflection

of both their lives (1985).

Cormier, Richard

Tunes For Bears To Dance To

Numb and lonely after his brother's death, Henry is befriended by a bigoted new

employer, who attempts to involve the boy in an act of cruelty against a

Holocaust survivor. (1992)

*

Crutcher, Chris

Crazy Horse Electric Game

Willie Weaver is the luckiest guy on earth. He has it all going for him, he has

talent, friends, and a great family. Everything is great when one day Willie has

a terrible accident that leaves him crippled.

Crutcher, Chris

Ironman While training for a triathlon, Bo, a seventeen year old boy, attends an anger

management group at school which leads him to examine his relationship with

his father. (1995)

*

Deuker, Carl

Heart of a Champion

Jimmy Winter is a born star on the baseball field, and Seth Barnam can only

dream of being as talented. Still, the two baseball fanatics have the kind of

friendship that should last forever. But when Seth experiences an unthinkable

loss, he's forced to find his own personal strength--on and off the field. (2009)

Draper, Sharon M.

Tears of a Tiger A high school basketball star struggles with guilt and depression following the

drunk-driving accident that killed his best friend.. (1995)

*

Dressen, Sarah

What Happened to Goodbye After a scandal involving her mom and a famous college basketball coach rock

her family and her old hometown, McClean decides to live with her dad. (2011)

*

Erskine, Kathryn

Mockingbird (Mok'ingbûrd)

Caitlyn, who has Asperger’s syndrome, finds being in school difficult. After her

brother is killed in a school shooting, how will she adjust to life without him?

(2011)

* Gantos, Jack

Dead End in Norvelt

Jack thinks his summer is over until his mother volunteers him to help a

neighbor. He discovers a mystery behind his unusual assignment. (2011).

*

Gardner, Graham

Inventing Elliot Elliot, a victim of bullying, invents a calmer, cooler self when he changes

schools in the middle of freshman year, but soon attracts the wrong kind of

attention from the Guardians who "maintain order" at the new school. (2004)

*

Giff, Patricia Reilly

Lily’s Crossing Lily's blissful summer of 1944 comes to a rude halt when her father is drafted

into the military. Left alone with her grandmother in the family's summer home

in Rockaway, New York, Lily befriends Albert, a shy Hungarian refugee her

own age. A Newberry Honor Winner (1998)

Green, John

Looking for Alaska Miles “Pudge” Halter is done with his safe life at home. He heads off to the

sometimes crazy and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding

School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is

Alaska Young. She pulls Pudge into her world and nothing is ever the same.

(2008)

C

Hahn, Mary Downing

December Stillness Fifteen-year-old Kelly’s desire to help a homeless Vietnam veteran teaches her

about the devastating impact of the war. (1990)

*

Hiaasen, Carl

Chomp Carl Hiaasen taps into a pop culture phenomenon taking on the popularity of

reality television shows with one of his own, “Expedition Survival!.” The Florida

Everglades provide the perfect backdrop for a reality survival show and Mickey

Cray, a wild animal wrangler, and his son Wahoo are hired to keep the pampered

Expedition Survival! star from accidentally killing himself with the local

wildlife. (2012)

PA Young Reader’s Choice Awards 2014

*

Hinton, S.E.

That was Then, This is Now S. E. Hinton paints a richly textured portrait of two boys at a crossroads in their

friendship. With careful, intimate strokes, Hinton reveals a boy struggling over

whether to protect his best friend or whether to follow his own beliefs about

right and wrong. The ending will surprise readers, challenging them to puzzle

over Bryon's dilemma in their own hearts.

*

Holt, Kimberly Willis

When Zachary Beaver Came to Town During the summer of 1971, thirteen year old Toby and his best friend Carl meet

the star of a sideshow act, 600 pound Zachary, the fattest boy in the world

(1999).

Houston, Julian

New Boy

Rob Garrett, 15, leaves Virginia for a prestigious Connecticut boarding school.

His dentist father and schoolteacher mother are proud of their son’s academic

record and potential but anxious because he is the first African American to

attend Draper. Rob quickly learns that bigotry takes many forms.

*

Jaramillo, Ann

La Linea Fifteen-year-old Miguel leaves his rancho deep in Mexico to migrate to

California across la linea, the border, in a debut novel of life-changing, cliff-

hanging moments. (2006)

Jen, Gish

Typical American This story is an account of the rise and sway of fortune in the life of a Chinese

immigrant family and the collision between personal history and world history.

(1991)

*

Johnson, Maureen

The Last Little Blue Envelope The sequel to 13 Little Blue Envelopes. Now a mysterious boy has contacted

Ginny from London, saying he's found her bag. (2012)

*

Johnson, Maureen

13 Little Blue Envelopes When seventeen-year-old Ginny receives a packet of myst erious envelopes from

her favorite aunt, she leaves New Jersey to criss-cross Europe on a sort of

scavenger hunt that transforms her life. (2005)

Kinsella, William

Shoeless Joe This is a wonderful book about baseball, love, and the power of dreams. (1982)

*

Lawrence, Iain

Ghost Boy Fourteen-year-old Harold Kline is an albino--white from head to toe, even his

hair and his eyes that are like drops of water. His life is made unbearable by the

other kids, who call him "snow" or "maggot," and ever since his father died and

his brother was reported missing in Vietnam, his mother has become angry and

withdrawn. As a result, Harold runs away. (2002)

Lupica, Mike

Heavy Hitters

An action-packed look at middle school sports that explores issues of friendship,

problem solving and “coming-of-age." (2014)

*

Mass, Wendy

Heaven Looks a lot like the Mall When 16-year-old Tessa suffers a shocking accident in gym class, she finds herself in

heaven, which happens to bear a striking resemblance to her hometown mall. In the

tradition of It's a Wonderful Life and The Christmas Carol, Tessa starts reliving her life

up until that moment. (2008)

*

Mass, Wendy

Leap Day On her fourth Leap birthday, when she turns sixteen, Josie has a number of

momentous experiences, including taking her driver's test, auditioning for a school

play, and celebrating with her family and friends. (2007)

*

Mass, Wendy

A Mango-Shaped Space Thirteen-year-old Mia Winchell has a secret: sounds, numbers, and words appear

to her in color. Mia has synesthesia, the mingling of perceptions whereby a person

sees sounds or tastes shapes. This coming-of-age novel chronicles Mia's

developing appreciation for her gift. (2008)

*

Mikaelsen, Ben

Touching Spirit Bear Cole Matthews is angry. Angry, defiant, smug--in short, a bully. His anger has

taken him too far this time, though. After beating up a ninth-grade classmate to the

point of brain damage, Cole is facing a prison sentence. But then a Tlingit Indian

parole officer named Garvey enters his life, offering an alternative called Circle

Justice, based on Native American traditions, in which victim, offender, and

community all work together to find a healing solution. (2001)

Mochizuki, Ken

Beacon Hill Boys Set in Seattle’s Beacon Hill area in 1972, a teenager in a Japanese American

family struggles for his own identity, along with a group of three friends who share

his anger and confusion. (2004)

*

Myers, Walter Dean

Fallen Angels

Fallen Angels is a tale of five soldiers coming from different parts of the States to

serve their country in the Vietnam War which is taking place in the 1960's.

Myers, Walter Dean

Kick

Told in alternating voices, Myers teams up with high school student Workman, to

tell the dramatic story of a 13-year-old soccer player who faces serious criminal

charges, and the police officer who is investigating his case. (2012)

*

Myers, Walter Dean

Sunrise over Fallujah

Robin "Birdy" Perry, a new army recruit from Harlem, isn't quite sure why he

joined the army, but he's sure where he's headed: Iraq. Birdy and the others in the

Civilian Affairs Battalion are supposed to help secure and stabilize the country and

successfully interact with the Iraqi people. Officially, the code name for their

maneuvers is Operation Iraqi Freedom. But the young men and women in the CA

unit have a simpler name for it: WAR (2008).

*

Murdock, Catherine Gilbert

Dairy Queen After spending her summer running the family farm and training the quarterback

for her school's rival football team, sixteen-year-old D.J. decides to go out for the

sport herself, not anticipating the reactions of those around her. (2006)

Na, An

A Step from Heaven In this 2002 Printz winning novel, a young girl recounts her bittersweet experience

in the United States after her family immigrates from Korea. (2001)

Oppel, Kenneth

Half Brother

When Ben’s dad is doing research into animals and language, a chimp named Zan

comes to live with the family. What happens when research work is over and

medical testing is about to begin? (2010)

Parkinson, Sioghan

Long Story Short From Ireland's first laureate for children's literature comes a story of abuse and

neglect told with sincerity, heart, and a healthy dose of humor. Jono has always

been able to cope with his mother's drinking, but when she hits his little sister

Julie, he decides it's time for them to run away.

(2011)

*

Patron, Susan

The Higher Power of Lucky Lucky lives in tiny Hard Pan, California (population 43), with her dog and the

young French woman who is her guardian. The heroine in this Newberry Medal

winning novel is totally contemporary, teetering between bravado in daily life and

fear that her guardian will leave her to return to France. She determines to find her

"higher power", to get herself through the tough times. (2006)

*

Peck, Robert

A Long Way from Chicago What happens when Joey and his sister, Mary Alice--two city slickers from

Chicago--make their annual summer visit to Grandma Dowdel's seemingly sleepy

Illinois town? In the tradition of American humorists Mark Twain and Flannery

O'Connor, Richard Peck has created this memorable world filled with characters

who, like Grandma herself, are larger than life and twice as entertaining. (1998)

*

Perkins, Lynne Rae

Criss Cross Teenagers in a small town in the 1960s experience new thoughts and feelings,

question their identities, connect, and disconnect as they search for the meaning of

life and love. (2005)

Resau, Laura

The Queen of Water Based on a true story, a young Quechua Indian girl in Ecuador is taken from her family to

be a servant to an upper class “mestizo” family. (2012)

*

Schmidt, Gary

Okay for Now

Doug Swieteck must overcome a deadbeat father, an older brother who steals from

him, a brother returning from the Vietnam War and being the new kid in boring

Marysville, New York. (2011)

*

Smelcer, John

The Trap Written in alternating chapters that relate the parallel stories of Johnny and his

grandfather, this novel poignantly addresses the hardships of life in the far north,

suggesting that the most dangerous traps need not be made of steel. (2006)

*

Sonnenblick, Jordan

Drums, Girls, & Dangerous Pie The life of eighth-grader Steven Alper, already complicated by his friendship with

two girls and a prodigious talent for drumming, is turned upside down when his

five-year-old brother Jeffrey is hospitalized, having fallen while Steven is

watching him. (2004)

*

Stead, Rebecca

When you Reach Me Twelve-year old Miranda encounters shifting friendships, a sudden punch, a

strange homeless man and mysterious notes that hint at knowledge of the future.

These and other seemingly random events converge in a brilliantly constructed

plot. 2010 Newberry Medal Winner. (2010)

Van Draanen

Runaway Readers won’t look at homeless people in quite the same way after meeting Holly

and seeing her through five long months on her own. This novel chronicles the

daily struggle for food, shelter, safety, and cleanliness that becomes the focus of

life once a home and income are stripped away. (2008)

*

Voigt, Cynthia

The Runner As a dedicated runner, a teenage boy has always managed to distance himself from

other people until the experience of coaching one of his teammates on the track

team gradually helps him see the value of giving and receiving. (1994)

*

Weeks, Sarah

So B. It A heartwarming story about Heidi and her mentally disabled mother. Her mother

knows twenty-three words, common words, except for one. Soof. Heidi feels that

she has to know what this mysterious word means so she goes on a mission to find

out. (2005)

*

White, Ruth

A Month of Sundays As a dedicated runner, a teenage boy has always managed to distance himself from

other people until the experience of coaching one of his teammates on the track

team gradually helps him see the value of giving and receiving. (2011)

Historical Fiction

*

Anderson, Laurie Halse

Chains

Set in New York City at the beginning of the American Revolution,

Chains addresses the price of freedom both for a nation and for

individuals. Isabel tells the story of her life as a slave. Well

researched and affecting in its presentation, the story offers readers a

fresh look at the conflict and struggle of a developing nation.

*

Avi

City of Orphans

Maks, a newsboy in 1893 New York City, works with a homeless girl

to get his sister out of prison in this fast-paced historical mystery

C

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell

No Man’s Land

Because he had been unable to fight off the gator which injured his

father, fourteen-year-old Thrasher joins the Confederate Army hoping

to prove his manhood. This is a different perspective on the Civil

War. (1999).

*

Berry, James

Ajeemah and His Son Parallel stories evolve from the capture of an African father and son

early in the nineteenth century. Slave traders shipped them to Jamaica

and sold them to separate plantations. (1991)

*

Cooper, James Fennimore

The Last of the Mohicans Natty Bumpo is a rebel against the corruption in society. In this story,

Cooper portrays a romantic brotherhood between Native Americans

and European settlers. (1826)

*

Curtis, Christopher Paul

Elijah of Buxton

In 1859, eleven-year-old Elijah Freeman, the first free-born child in

Buxton, Canada, which is a haven for slaves fleeing the American

south, uses his wits and skills to try to bring to justice the lying

preacher who has stolen money that was to be used to buy a family's

freedom. (2007)

*

Cushman, Karen

Catherine, Called Birdy This unusual book provides an insider's look at the life of Birdy,

14, the daughter of a minor English nobleman. The year is 1290

and the vehicle for storytelling is the girl's witty, irreverent

diary. She looks with a clear and critical eye upon the world

around her, telling of the people she knows and of the daily

events in her small manor house.

Dogar, Sharon

Annexed Everyone knows about Anne Frank and her life hidden in the

secret annex – but what about the boy who was also trapped

there with her? (2010)

*

Fox, Paula

The Slave Dancer Thirteen-year-old Jessie is kidnapped and shanghaied onto an

illegal slave trading ship until he escapes with a new friend. This

is a haunting tale of one of the most brutal chapters in American

history. (1975)

*

Green, Bette

Summer of My German Soldier In this sensitive novel set in a small southern town during World

War II, a Jewish girl helps a German prisoner of war escape.

(1973)

Grey, Zane

Rides of the Purple Sage In this, the first of Zane Grey's many Western-saga best sellers, a

gunslinger named Lassiter helps a wealthy Mormon rancher

protect her ranch from cattle rustlers and the church. (1912)

*

Hesse, Karen

Out of the Dust A poem cycle that reads as a novel, Out of the Dust tells the

story of Billie Jo, a girl who struggles to help her family survive

the dustbowl years of the Depression. Fighting against the

elements on her Oklahoma farm, Billie Jo takes on even more

responsibilities when her mother dies in a tragic accident. (1997)

Hoffman, Alice

Incantation Hoffman tears a horrific page from history and melds it with

mysticism to create a spellbinding tale told by Estrella, the

youngest in a tight-knit family of Spanish Jews hiding as devout

Catholics during the Inquisition. (2006)

*

Ibbotson, Eva

Journey to the River Sea Orphaned and living in London in the early 1900s, Maia finds

herself on the adventure of a lifetime when she is sent with her

new governess to live on a rubber plantation along the Amazon

River in Brazil with relatives she's never met. (2001)

*

Mazer, H.

The last Mission Using his older brother’s birth certificate, fifteen-year-old Jack

Raab signs up for the U.S. Air Force. After twenty-five

successful missions, he is unprepared for the terror of being shot

down and taken to a German POW camp. (1981)

*

Meyer, Caroline

Mary, Bloody Mary Mary Tudor, who would reign very briefly as Queen of England

during the mid-sixteenth century, tell the story of her troubled

childhood as the eldest daughter of King Henry VIII (1999).

*

Myers, Walter Dean

Riot 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. (2010).

*

Rinaldi, Ann

ANY TITLE BY THIS AUTHOR

Rylant, Cynthia

I had Seen Castles John Dante is seventeen when the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor,

and he wants to fight for his country. But then he falls head over

heels for Ginny Burton, who is against all war, and his beliefs

are suddenly questioned. Rather than be judged a traitor or a

coward, though, John enlists--a decision that changes his life

forever. (2004)

C

Shaara, Michael

The Killer Angels The novel reveals more about the Battle of Gettysburg than any

piece of learned nonfiction on the same subject. This account of

the three most important days of the Civil War features deft

characterizations of the main actors, including Lee, Longstreet,

Pickett, Buford, and Hancock. (1987)

Staples, Suzanne Fisher

Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind Eleven-year old Shabanu, the daughter of a nomad in the

Cholistan Desert of present-day Pakistan, is pledged in marriage

to an older man whose money will bring prestige to the family,

and must either accept the decision, as is the custom, or risk the

consequences of defying her father’s wishes. (2003)

*

Speare, Elizabeth George

The Witch of Blackbird Pond In 1687 in Connecticut, Kit Tyler, feeling out of place in the Puritan

household of her aunt, befriends an old woman considered a witch by the community and suddenly finds herself standing trial for

witchcraft. (1958)

*

Stevenson, Robert Louis

ANY TITLE BY THIS AUTHOR

Wallis, Velma

Two Old Women The retelling of a classic Alaskan legend about two elderly

women abandoned by their tribe during a severe winter famine

depicts their friendship, fierce determination, desperate struggle

for survival, and ultimate need to forgive. (1993)

Biography

Beals, Melba

Warriors Don't Cry : Searing Memoir of Battle to Integrate Little

Rock In 1957 Melba Pattillo turned sixteen, and it is also the year she entered

the front lines of a civil rights firestorm. Her remarkable story, taken

from the diary she kept at the time, chronicles her experience as one of

nine teenagers chosen to integrate Little Rock's Central High School.

(1995)

*

Dahl, Roald

Going Solo Roald Dahl outdoes himself as he brilliantly portrays the horrors of war,

along with the wonderful details that made up his life as a young soldier

during WWII. (1999)

Edwards, Nicholas

Stand and Deliver Based on a true story, Jaime Escalante inspires a group of potential

school drop-outs to learn calculus to pass the Advanced Placement

exam. (1989)

*

Fleming, Candace

Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart

Sometimes courage and perseverance can carry you even farther than

talent, and sometimes a cascade of mistakes can be fatal. (2011)

Gunther, John

Death Be Not Proud For 15 months, Johnny Gunther fought courageously against a

progressive brain tumor. His father poignantly tells his memorable story.

(1949)

Haley, Alex

Roots When Haley traced his family back to the days of slavery, his book

raised national consciousness about the hatefulness of prejudice and the

importance of family love. (1976)

C

Houston, Jeanne

Farewell to Manzanar Jeanne Wakatsuki was seven years old in 1942 when her family was

uprooted from their home and sent to live at Manzanar internment camp

– with 10, 000 other Japanese Americans. This is a true story.

Linnea, Sharon

Princess Ka’iulani Using journal entries, letters, and black-and-white photographs, this

book tells the story of the life and times of Princess Ka'iulani, heir to the

Hawaiian throne, the most beloved figure in Hawaiian history, and one

of America's most overlooked heroines. (1999)

*

Lobel, Anita.

No Pretty Pictures The author, an award-winning author of children's books, tells the story

of her own early childhood years, first as a "hidden child", and

subsequently as prisoner in a succession of concentration camps during

the Second World War. (1998)

Lu Chi Fa with Becky White

Double Luck: Memoirs of a Chinese Orphan Orphaned in 1944 at age three, Chi Fa had no real home. Passed among

Chinese relatives and even sold to strangers, he grew up amid abuse,

poverty, and family betrayal. But through it all, he found hope and

sustenance in small things. His story is a heartfelt, intimate glimpse at

tragedy, triumph, and the Asian experience during a time of political

change. (2001)

*

Myers, Walter Dean

The Greatest, Muhammad Ali A riveting portrayal of Ali, his spirit and courage, from childhood to the

present, as well as the hazards of boxing--the sport which he loved, but

which ultimately damaged him. (2001)

Watkins, Paul

Stand Before Your God Watkins tells of his upsetting and hilarious days at Dragon and Eton,

two prestigious boys' schools in England. (1994)

Science Fiction/Fantasy

*

Alexander, Lloyd

ANY TITLE BY THIS AUTHOR

Anderson, M.T.

Feed In a future society, where everyone is connected by computer

implants in their brains, Titus tries to help Violet, who is

resisting the feed. (2012)

Asimov, Isaac

Fantastic Voyage A miniaturized submarine carrying a team of doctors travels

through the bloodstream of a brilliant scientist in order to

save his life. (1966)

*

Bacigalupi, Paolo

Shipbreaker In dystopian future, Nailer, a teenage boy, works the light

crew, scavenging for copper wiring just to make quota--and

hopefully live to see another day. But when he discovers a

clipper ship beached during a recent hurricane, Nailer faces

the most important decision of his life: Strip the ship for all

it's worth or rescue its lone survivor, a beautiful and wealthy

girl who could lead him to a better life. (2010)

*

Bedford, Martyn

Flip One December night, 14-year-old Alex goes to bed. He

wakes up and looks in the mirror, another boy's face stares

back at him. A boy named Flip. Unless Alex finds out what's

happened and how to get back to his own life, he may be

trapped forever inside a body that belongs to someone else. (2011)

Bell, Hilari

A Matter of Profit Sick of the horrors of conquering beings on other planet,

Ahvrem will end his service as soldier and save his sister

from an unhappy marriage if he can discover who is behind a

rumored plot to assassinate the Emperor. (2003)

Bradbury, Ray

Something Wicked This Way Comes An American treasure in which Jim and Will make a deal

with Dr. Park at "Cooger and Park's Pandemonium Shadow

Show". In the deal, they are granted their secret desires, but

there is a price. (1990)

Bunce, Elizabeth

Star Crossed

Using her skills as a spy, Digger works to protect a group of

rebels while keeping a secret of her own. (2010)

*

Cashore, Kristin

Graceling (first of series, may also read Fire or Bitterblue)

Award-winning fantasy 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. (2010)

Clarke, Arthur C.

2001: A Space Odyssey After the signal is discovered on the moon, astronauts set out

in their ship Discovery to find out who left it there, only to

have their plans changed by a computer gone berserk. (1969)

*

Cooper, Susan

King of Shadows

While in London as part of an all-boy acting company

preparing to perform in a replica of the famous Globe

Theatre, Nat Field suddenly finds himself transported back to

1599 and performing in the original theater under the tutelage

of Shakespeare himself. (1999)

Dickinson, Peter

The Tears of the Salamander

Burning questions about the twin influences of nature and

nurture, the true meaning of family, and the possibility of

guiding one's fate, to name a few blaze below the surface of

this engrossing, almost operatic novel, set in long-ago Italy.

(2003)

DuPrau, Jeanne

The Prophet of Yonwood Set about 50 years before the previous books in the Embers

series, this novel focuses on 11-year-old Nickie, who believes

her great-grandfather's old mansion in Yonwood, North

Carolina, may be a haven from the city wracked with fear of

impending war. (2006 ).

*

Farmer, Nancy

The House of the Scorpian This novel may be futuristic, but it hits close to home, raising questions

of what it means to be human, what is the value of life, and what are

the responsibilities of a society. Readers will be hooked from the first

page, in which a scientist brings to life one of 36 tiny cells, frozen

more than 100 years ago. (2004)

Fisher, Catherine

Incarceron

When you are trapped in a prison that is alive and wants to hurt you,

you can only escape with a little help from outside. (2011)

*

Gaiman, Neil

The Graveyard Book

After toddler Nobody Owens’s family is murdered, he wanders into the

nearby graveyard to be raised by the spirits who live there. (2010)

*

Haddix, Margaret Peterson

Found When thirteen-year-olds Jonah and Chip, who are both adopted, learn they

were discovered on a plane that appeared out of nowhere, full of babies

with no adults on board, they realize that they have uncovered a mystery

involving time travel and two opposing forces, each trying to repair the

fabric of time. (2009)

Herbert, Frank

Dune This is the first of the epic Science-Fiction series about a desert world

and the immense struggle for wealth and power there. (1965)

*

Horowitz, Anthony

Power of Five Books (Gatekeeper Series) – may NOT read Raven’s

Gate

Anthony Horowitz's bestselling Gatekeepers series. (2007-2012)

Kerr, Philip

The Akhenaten Adventure When twelve-year-old twins Philippa and John discover that they are

descended from a long line of djinn, their mother sends them away to

their Uncle Nimrod, who takes them to Cairo where he starts to teach

them about their extraordinary powers. (2004)

Kostick, Conor

Epic On New Earth, a world based on a video role-playing game, fourteen-

year-old Erik persuades his friends to aid him in some unusual gambits

in order to save Erik's father from exile and safeguard the futures of

each of their families. (2004)

*

Levine, Gail Carson

Fairest In the kingdom of Ayortha, the people sing songs, and no one has a

more beautiful voice than Aza. Aza also has the extraordinary ability to

"throw" her voice, called illusing, to make it seem to come from places

other than from Aza. This talent finds her in a deceitful arrangement

with the new queen, an outsider who does not have the ability to sing

in a kingdom that prizes singing. (2006)

Lerangis, Peter

Seven Wonders Series: The Colossus Rises (any in series) Percy Jackson meets Indiana Jones in the New York Times bestselling

epic adventure Seven Wonders! The Colossus Rises is the first book in

a seven-book series. This first installment chronicles the story of Jack

McKinley, an ordinary kid with an extraordinary problem. In a few

months, he’s going to die—unless he finds seven magic Loculi that

have been hidden in the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. (2013)

C

Lowry, Lois

The Giver The story of Jonas is set in a society which at first appears as a utopian

society but then is later revealed to be a dystopian one as the story

progresses. (1993)

MacDonald, George

The Princess and the Goblin Said to be a favorite of both Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, The Princess and

the Goblin is the story of the young Princess Irene, her good friend

Curdie--a miner's son--and Irene's mysterious and beautiful great-great

grandmother, who lives in a secret room at the top of the castle stairs.

(1872)

*

Nicholson, William

The Wind Singer In this first volume of a planned trilogy, the focus is on Amaranth,

where life is very structured: people live in color-coded rings around

the city--white for best, gray for the gritty outer circle--and tests rule

all. A rebellious trio sets the orderly city on its ear by escaping it’s

walls and embarking on an adventure that takes them from city sewers

to desert sandstorms, as they seek to save their people from their

dreamless existence. (2000)

Nix, Garth

Mr. Monday: Keys to the Kingdom During a running exercise at school, Arthur Penhaligon collapses from

an asthma attack. Upon awakening, he meets a stranger, Mister

Mondaywho hands him an unusual key which begins a wild adventure.

Using the powers of the key, Arthur travels to another realm and

battles many evil creatures in a struggle to save his world from a

mysterious disease. (2003)

Okorafor, Nnedi

Akata Witch Twelve-year-old Sunny lives in Nigeria, but she was born American.

Her features are African, but she's albino. She's a terrific athlete, but

can't go out into the sun to play soccer. There seems to be no place

where she fits. And then she discovers something amazing - she is a

"free agent," with latent magical power. Soon she's part of a quartet of

magic students, studying the visible and invisible, learning to change

reality. (2011)

*

Oppell, Kenneth

Airborn A swashbuckling adventure, in an imagined world, the air is populated

by transcontinental voyagers, pirates, and beings never before dreamed

of by humans who sail the skies. (2004)

Pfeffer, Susan Beth

Life as we Knew it A meteor is going to hit the moon, and 16-year-old Miranda, like the

rest of her family and neighbors in rural Pennsylvania, intends to watch

it from the comfort of a lawn chair in her yard. But the event is not the

benign impact predicted. (2006)

*

Reeve, Philip

Mortal Engines In the distant future, when cities move about and consume smaller

towns, a fifteen-year-old apprentice is pushed out of London by the

man he most admires and must seek answers in the perilous Out-

Country, aided by one girl and the memory of another. (2003)

*

Riggs, Ransom

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

As a kid, Jacob formed a special bond with his grandfather over his

bizarre tales and photos of levitating girls and invisible boys. Now at

16, he is reeling from the old man's unexpected death. Then Jacob is

given a mysterious letter that propels him on a journey to the remote

Welsh island where his grandfather grew up. There, he finds the

children from the photographs--alive and well--despite the islanders’

assertion that all were killed decades ago. (2011) PA Young Reader’s

Choice Awards 2014

*

Riordan, Rick

Lost Hero After saving Olympus from the evil Titan lord, Kronos, Percy and

friends have rebuilt their beloved Camp Half-Blood, where the next

generation of demigods must now prepare for a chilling prophecy of

their own: Seven half-bloods shall answer the call, To storm or fire the

world must fall. An oath to keep with a final breath, And foes bear

arms to the Doors of Death. (2010)

*

Shelley, Mary

Frankenstein As timely as ever, this is the classic take off of a scientist who tries to

play God and create life. This is a profound and scary look at the realm

of the human spirit. (1988 [1881])

*

Skelton, Matthew

Endymion Spring

Blake, an American teen visiting modern-day Oxford, stumbles upon

Endymion Spring-- one portion of "the most legendary, sought-after

book in the world." While he attempts to uncover the secrets of the

book, and evade cutthroat members of an antiquarian book society,

flashbacks reveal the book's fifteenth-century connections to the

original printing press, recounted by an apprentice of Gutenberg

himself. (2006)

*

Stiefvater, Maggie

The Scorpio Races

Sean Kendrick and Kate “Puck” Connolly will ride their horses in this

year’s deadly Scorpio Races. Both need to win, but someone has to

lose. (2011)

*

Van de Velde, Vivian

Heir Apparent A near-future teenager trapped in a full-immersion virtual reality game

finds herself racing the clock to beat non-virtual death in this plausible,

suspenseful outing. (2002)

*

Verne, Jules

ANY TITLE BY THIS AUTHOR

Vonnegut, Kurt

Slaughter House Five The story of Billy Pilgrim's life, "unstuck in time", between his youth,

his horrific experiences as a POW during World War II, and his

kidnapping by Tramalfadorians. (1969)

Mystery

*

Abrahams, Peter

Down the Rabbit Hole

An avid reader of Sherlock Holmes, Ingrid Levin-Hill, 13, is also a fleet-

footed soccer player with a knack for stage acting–skills that come in

handy when she finds herself caught in a police investigation following

the murder of an eccentric woman. (2005)

C

Avi

The Man Who Was Poe Set in the early nineteenth-century Providence, Rhode Island, this is a

historical mystery with Edgar Allan Poe as a character. This is an

excellent novel of murder, intrigue, danger, and suspense. (1997)

*

Bradbury, Jennifer

Shift

Best friends Chris and Win head out on a West Virginia to Washington

State bicycle adventure after high school graduation, at the end of which

Win disappears. Great realistic mystery. (2010)

Albert, Susan Wittig

The Tale of Hill Top Farm

It's England in 1905, Beatrix Potter has purchased Hill Top Farm in

Near Sawrey in the Lake District. Local farmers are upset that the farm

is now owned by an outsider and a woman at that. However, on arrival,

Beatrix Potter finds the woman she was to board with, Abigail Tolliver,

has died unexpectedly and foul play is suspected.

Brown, Dan

The Lost Symbol

The Lost Symbol finds famed symbologist Robert Langdon in a deadly

race through a real-world labyrinth of codes, secrets, and unseen truths .

. . all under the watchful eye of Brown’s most terrifying villain to date.

Set within the hidden chambers, tunnels, and temples of Washington,

D.C.(2010)

*

Christie, Agatha

MOST TITLES BY THIS AUTHOR - check with me

Donnelly, Jennifer

A Northern Light Set in 1906, against the backdrop of a murder that actually took place in

the Adirondacks, 16-year-old Mattie Gokey finds her voice as an author

and the strength and determination to live her own life. (2003)

*

Dowd, Siobhan

The London Eye Mystery

Salim disappears while riding the London Eye Ferris wheel. Ted, his

cousin with an Asperger-like syndrome, looks for the patterns others

miss while investigating this mystery. (2009)

*

Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The Hound of the Baskervilles

Sherlock Holmes and Watson set about to solve the most bewildering

case of their careers, as they investigate the latest death to befall the

Baskerville family. (1902)

Goldman, William

Marathon Man A marathon runner becomes trapped in a series of events involving a

Nazi fugitive. (1974)

*

Haddix, Margaret Peterson

Double Identity

One October evening, Bethany's parents drive her to another state to stay

with an aunt she never knew existed. Left confused and without a way to

contact her parents, the 12-year-old tries to figure out the reason behind

their strange behavior and learns some family secrets in the process.

(2005)

*

Haddix, Margaret Peterson

Turnabout

Melly and Anny Beth agree to participate in Project Turnabout, a

scientific experiment in which they are given a shot that will make them

grow younger, until they receive a second injection that will stop the

aging process, but when other participants die after receiving the second

shot, Melly and Anny Beth refuse to have the shot and set out to find

someone to care for them when they are too young to do it themselves.

(2002)

Hillerman, Tony

Dance Hall of the Dead Tribal Policeman Joe Leaphorn tracks a brutal killer. The search is

complicated by an archaeological dig, a steel hypodermic needle, and

the strange laws of the Zuni.

(1990)

*

Hoobler, Dorothy and Thomas

The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn Although Seikei has been born into the merchant class, he dreams

impossibly of becoming a samurai. In 1735, on the Tokaido Road, the

life of this fourteen-year-old Japanese boy changes dramatically. (1999)

King, Laurie R.

The Beekeeper's Apprentice The year is 1914. Long retired, Sherlock Holmes quietly pursues his

study of honeybee behavior on the Sussex Downs. While he never

imagined he would encounter anyone whose intellect matched his own,

Miss Mary Russell becomes Holmes' pupil and quickly hones her talent

for deduction, disguises and danger. When an elusive villain enters the

picture, their partnership is put to a real test. (1994)

Konigsburg, E. L.

Father's Arcane Daughter When Caroline appears on her father's doorstep seventeen years after

being kidnapped, the effect on the family is dramatic. (1976)

*

L'Engle, Madeleine

Dragons in the Waters A thirteen-year-old's trip to Venezuela with his cousin culminates in

murder and the discovery of an unexpected bond with an Indian tribe,

dating from the days of Simon Bolivar. (1976)

Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds

Jade Green While living with her uncle in a house haunted by the ghost of a young

woman, recently orphaned Judith Sparrow wonders if her one small

transgression causes mysterious happenings. (2001)

Penman, Sharon Kay

The Queen's Man: A Medieval Mystery Epiphany, 1193: Eleanor of Aquitaine sits upon England's throne. Her

beloved son Richard Lionheart is missing, presumed dead, and her

younger son John is plotting to seize the crown. Meanwhile, a destitute

young man receives a bloodstained letter from a dying man; this missive

becomes his passport into the queen's confidence--and into the heart of

danger, as he pursues a cunning murderer and jousts with secret traitors

in Eleanor's court of intrigue and mystery. (1996)

Peters, Ellis

Morbid Taste for Bones In the 12th-century Benedictine monastery of Shrewsbury, Brother

Cadfael has settled down to a quiet life in charge of the herbarium. It is

fortunate his prowess as a herbalist is matched by his detective skills -

when his prior acquires the bones of a saint, the obstacles include

murder. (1977)

Rohmer, Sax

The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu

Sax Rohmer, a contemporary of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, created one of the greatest villans

of mystery literature: this, the first in the popular Fu-Manchu mystery series, introduces English

sleuth Denis Nayland Smith and his companion, Dr. Petrie, to the evil genius Dr. Fu-Manchu, a

cunning Chinese criminal mastermind who means to rule the world. (1913)

Sayers, Dorothy

Whose Body? First published in 1923, Whose Body? established the disarmingly

debonair Peter Wimsey as one of the most enduring characters in

English literature: when a naked body is found lying in the tub, a gold

pince-nez perched before the sightless eyes, Lord Peter Wimsey, who

dabbled in mystery detection as a hobby, is put to the test of discovering

who and why. (1923)

*

White, Robb

Deathwatch

An exciting novel of suspense, based on a fight to the finish between an

honest, courageous young man and a cynical business tycoon who

believes that anything can be had for a price. Winner of an Edgar Award

from the Mystery Writers of America. (1972)

*

Voigt, Cynthia

The Callender Papers

In nineteenth-century Massachusetts, orphaned Jean, employed to

sort out the family papers of a reclusive artist, becomes curious

about the mysterious, long-ago death of his wife and the

subsequent disappearance of their young child. (1983)

Animal Stories

*

Adams, Richard

Watership Down A tale of survival, this story records the adventures of a band of wild

rabbits who leave their ancestral home, hoping to build a more humane

society. (1992)

Bakker, Robert

Raptor Red This is the realistic survival story of a young raptor as it evolves over the

course of a year. It is complete with a unique cast of characters set in a

lush, exotic prehistoric world. (1995)

*

Bagnold, Enid

National Velvet This is a classic story about English family life, a girl, her horse, a village

lottery, and the Steeplechase. (1935)

Crecraft, Rick

The Monarch of the Tall Pines: An Adirondack Adventure

The author, an EA alumnus, recalls his own youth in this fictional

account of a boy and his grandfather who go camping together,

embarking on a quest to capture a trophy brook trout. (2002)

Clement-Davies, David

The Sight In Transylvania, a pack of wolves sets out on a perilous journey to

prevent their enemy from calling upon a legendary evil one that will give

her the power to control all animals.

(2002)

Gallico, Paul

The Abandoned This is the story of a boy who is transformed into a cat and his attempts

to struggle for existence in a strange and unsympathetic world. (1950)

Hingson, Michael

Thunder Dog On September 11, 2001, Michael and his seeing eye dog, Roselle, walked

down 78 flights of stairs in the North Tower of the World Trade Center

and survived. The story of this day is told throughout the book,

interspersed with the story of the author's life. (2011)

*

Jacques, Brian

ANY TITLE BY THIS AUTHOR

Morpurgo, Michael

Shadow From the author of War Horse: When Matt's friend Aman is threatened

with deportation, Matt's grandfather visits Aman in prison, hears how an

army sniffer dog helped the boy and his mother escape from Afghanistan,

and brings the family's plight to the attention of people who can assure

their asylum. (2014)

Mowat, Farley

Never Cry Wolf Mowat recounts his experience of living alone among wild wolf packs in

the Canadian Tundra. His admiration for these maligned animals

contrasts the growing fear of bounty hunters and federal exterminators.

(1963)

*

Sewell, Anna

Black Beauty Black Beauty tells his own story: all about his early home, his "breaking

in," and how he saved his master’s life. (1945)

Seidler, Tori

The Wainscott Weasel Bagley Brown Jr., son of the most famous weasel in Wainscott Woods,

takes the opportunity to prove his own courage because of a most

improbable relationship. (1993)

Stein, Garth

The Art of Racing in the Rain “The Art of Racing in The Rain has everything: love, tragedy,

redemption, danger, and--most especially--the canine narrator Enzo. This

old soul of a dog has much to teach us about being human.” (Sara Gruen,

Author of Water for Elephants ). (2009)

NonFiction

Adams, Douglas and Mark Carwardine

Last Chance to See The authors embark on a personal journey filled with humor, irony, and

frustration, as they attempt to observe some of the earth's exotic

endangered species. (1992)

Carson, Rachel

Silent Spring This book represents over four and one half years' work, during which

Carson gathered data from all over America and around the world. It

constitutes a biologist's warning about the possible effects of wide

spread use of pesticides on the balance of nature. (1962)

*

Freedman, Russell

The Wright Brothers Newberry Award winning account of the life and work of Orville and

Wilbur Wright, this book traces their interests and experiences and

records their progress with contemporary photographs. (1991)

Helfer, Ralph

Modoc: The True Story of the Greatest Elephant That Ever Lived This is the true story of a remarkable animal, an elephant named Modoc,

whose life spans eight decades and three continents. It is a tale of love,

loss, and the spiritual bond between a man and his extraordinary nine

thousand pound companion, accurately recounted by a well-known

Hollywood animal behaviorist. (1997)

*

Herriot, James

All Creatures Great and Small This memoir of a countryside veterinarian is filled with humor, tale-

telling, and a love of life, as he recollects and chronicles his experience

in the Yorkshire region of England. (1972)

*

Hersey, John

Hiroshima Six individuals, survivors of the bombing of Hiroshima, reflect on life

and why they were saved, in the midst of destruction. (1946)

*

Heyerdahl, Thor

Kon-Tiki Six remarkable men set out on a forty-foot raft to prove the scientific

theory that the ancient peoples of Peru discovered and populated these

Islands of Polynesia. This book records their adventures, beginning with

the building of their raft, and following them across the South Pacific.

(1950)

Hillenbrand, Laura

Seabiscuit A wonderfully written history of a horse and the misfit humans who

cared for him, who saw his potential, and turned him into a horseracing

legend for all time. (2001)

Kraske, Robert

Marooned The true survival story of Alexander Selkirk, the man who inspired

Defoe's novel Robinson Crusoe. (2005)

*

Krakaur, John

Into Thin Air This is the definitive account of the deadliest season in the history of

Everest by the acclaimed journalist and author of bestseller Into the

Wild. (1997)

Alexander, Caroline

Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage Published in conjunction with the American Museum of Natural

History's landmark exhibition on Shackleton's journey, Endurance

thrillingly recounts on of the last great adventures in the heroic age of

exploration--perhaps the greatest of them all. (1998)

LeGuin, Ursula

Dancing at the Edge of the World : Thoughts on Words, Women,

Places This collection of lucid, incisive, warm and intelligent lectures, essays,

journal entries, and reviews, by the award-winning fiction writer Ursula

LeGuin, offers food for thought on a variety of topics, as well as

excellent examples of a variety of writing styles. Humor and serious

thought combine, providing a fascinating peek into the mind and

thoughts of a remarkable woman. (1997)

*

Marrin, Albert

Flesh and Blood So Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Its Legacy

Throughout history workers had few rights, and employers had all the

control. That changed after a 1911 fire killed 146 workers locked inside

the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. (2011)

Philbrick, Nathaniel

Revenge of the Whale or, In the Heart of the Sea

Recounts the 1820 sinking of the whale ship "Essex" by an enraged

sperm whale and how the crew of young men survived against

impossible odds. The whale's attack on the Essex gave Herman Melville

the idea for the climactic scene in Moby Dick. (2002)

Preston, Richard

Hot Zone A recent "best seller," this book recounts the events which identified the

deadly Ebola virus in Africa, and traces the outbreak of a related strain

here in the U.S. (1994)

Shanower, Eric.

Age of Bronze: A Thousand Ships A graphic novel, drawn from a variety of sources--ancient legends,

medieval romances as well ascontemporary scholarship, and woven into

a rich narrative--chronicles the events which started the Trojan War.

Shanower won the Will Eisner Comics Industry Award for Best

Writer/Artist for this extraordinary project. (2001)

Wolfe, Tom

The Right Stuff This book gives the inside story of the seven Mercury astronauts,

America's first space heroes. (1980)

Drama

Blinn, William

Brian's Song This drama is based on the true story of courage and friendship

between Brian Piccolo and Gayle Sayers, two players on the

Chicago Bears football team. (1972)

Guerney, A.R.

The Dining Room This drama is a wry, compassionate portrait of family life in the

American upper class, organized, both literally and

metaphorically, around the family dining room. (1982)

Laurents, Arthur

West Side Story One of the most popular musical dramas of our time, this play is

based on Romeo and Juliet, but strikingly retold, set in the inner

city in modern times. (1957)

C

Lawrence, Jerome and Robert E. Lee

Inherit the Wind The accused was a slight, frightened man who had deliberately

broken the law. At stake was the freedom of every American.

One of the most moving and meaningful plays of our generation.

(play first produced 1957)

Medoff, Mark

Children of a Lesser God The sensitive drama tells of the love and growth of James Leeds, a

speech teacher at the State School for the Deaf, and Sarah Norman,

one of his students. (1980)

*

Shakespeare, William

The Taming of the Shrew A romantic comedy, this tale describes the "taming" of Katherine,

whose sharp tongue and fiery temper make her impossible to wed.

(c1593)

Shaw, George Bernard

Androcles and the Lion Based on a medieval European legend and set in classical times,

this is the story of a runaway slave who is saved by a lion. (1912)

Simon, Neil

Brighton Beach Memoirs Meet Eugene Jerome and his family, fighting the hard times and

sometimes each other - with laughter, tears, and love. It is 1937 in

Brooklyn during the heart of the Depression. (1984)

Zindel, Paul

The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds This Pulitzer Prize-winning play centers on the Hunsdorfers:

Tillie, her sister Ruth, and their mother Beatrice. Tillie studies the

growth of flowers for a science project, in an effort to escape the

bitterness of her family and surroundings. (1971)

Myths and Legends

*

Goldman, William

Princess Bride A spoof on historical romance, this adventure is a series of unbelievable feats

and narrow escapes with a medieval setting. (1973)

*

Lester, Julius

The Tales of Uncle Remus Lively, humorous stories, this work represents a contemporary retelling of the

adventures of Brer Rabbit and his friends. (1987)

*

Napoli, Donna Jo

Zel UpThis retelling of the story of Rapunzel is no simple fairy tale retold for the

entertainment of children. Instead, it is a searing commentary on the evil that can

result from human longings gone awry. Napoli sets the novel in 16th-century

Switzerland and alternates the various characters' points of view. (1998)

*

Pyle, Howard

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood This is the classic tale of Sherwood Forest’s legendary hero, as told by a local

author and illustrator.

(1883)

Spinner, Stephanie

Quiver Greek gods and mortals spring to life in this riveting retelling of the myth of

Atalanta, the fleet-footed girl warrior who could outrun any man in ancient

Greece. (2002)

Springer, Nancy

I am Mordred Merlin, the great magician and prophet, has foretold the death of Arthur at the

hands of his only son. When the boy Mordred discovers his own true identity,

and the nature of his destiny, he struggles with feelings of hatred for his father,

and also fights the fate, which determines that he should slay the good and

gracious King of Camelot. (1998)