Middle Township High School

Summer 2012

Reading List

The following novels are included for your summer reading assignment. Please take the time to find a book that meets your interests by reading the brief descriptions and student and teacher recommendations.

Middle Township High SchoolReading List

Grades 9 -10

In a world where some people are born with extreme and often-feared skills called Graces, Katsa struggles for redemption from her own horrifying grace of killing and teams up with another young fighter to save their land from a corrupt king.

Katsa is an independent girl struggling to find her true purpose in life. She’s the type of girl who finds her way, with the help of her friend, through a world of surprises. Cashore user her imagination to create a vivid world.

~Darlene Errickson

Graceling blends fantasy with strong characters and a seemingly impossible conflict.  I couldn't put the book down!

~Mrs. Hogg

Katniss thought life would get better after she and Peeta beat the odds to win the 74th Hunger Games. She thought that she could return to her home with a feeling of safety. She thought she could put the games and the controlling elements in the Capitol behind her. She thought wrong. Katniss, the Girl on Fire, must be destroyed.

Catching Fire combines all the elements of great story telling. It’s got danger, love, pain and death all woven together into an edge-of-your-seat storyline that will keep readers awake all night. Collins rarely gets off topic, and the result is one of the most entertaining reads in years. For those who mss the hallways at Hogwarts, welcome to your new obsession.

~Mr. Towns

As a teen, Claudette Colvin sparked the protest that led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott and desegregation of public facilities by refusing to relinquish her seat to a white woman.

This is actually a non-fiction novel that offers a different insight into the fight for civil rights. Claudette is an unsung hero who preceded Rosa Parks.

~ Ms. Tice

It’s easy to put yourself in Auden’s place and to sympathize It’s easy to put yourself in Auden’s place and to sympathize with her situation: staying with her dad, stepmom and new with her situation: staying with her dad, stepmom and new screaming baby doesn’t sound like an awesome summer, but it screaming baby doesn’t sound like an awesome summer, but it ends up that way.ends up that way.

~Mrs. Lasher~Mrs. Lasher

Auden gets a chance to recapture the carefree teen life she missed while her Auden gets a chance to recapture the carefree teen life she missed while her parents were going through a divorce when she goes to spend the summer parents were going through a divorce when she goes to spend the summer with her dad and his new family in a charming beach town and meets Eli, an with her dad and his new family in a charming beach town and meets Eli, an intriguing loner fighting demons of his own.intriguing loner fighting demons of his own.

The dynamic characters, complex characterization and vivid plots really brought this book to my attention. The books I enjoy most are the ones I can mostly relate to, and this one did the job.

~Amanda Bertha

I loved this book and always wanted to keep reading. Dessen’s I loved this book and always wanted to keep reading. Dessen’s books are impressive because she makes her characters and books are impressive because she makes her characters and events real. This novel does not disappoint e at all.events real. This novel does not disappoint e at all.

~Danielle McCann~Danielle McCann

This is a very inspirational novel with a romantic storyline. It teaches about opportunities and opening up. Once you start reading, you truly won’t be able to put it down. It has made me look at things differently and it became one of my favorite novels.

~Kelsey Blum

While on summer vacation with his family in Brackinton, fifteen-year-old Hal begins to hear thoughts his sister is having, even though she is in a comatose state in a hospital back home, and discovers the truth behind the accident that put her there.

Waves is a book to put your mind and imagination to work. Told from the viewpoints of brother and sister, a remarkable story unfolds about the bond between the two. Hal’s feelings for his sister and the ones he loves touches the heart of the reader.

~Darlene Errickson

This is a story of summer love with surfers and surfer girls. There is suspense, mystery, pain and resolution. It’s a book that you can totally relate to and will enjoy reading.

~Mr. Mendo

This is a great story of courage set within the confines of WWII when women and African Americans had to defy society in order to be true to their dreams. Ida Mae allows the reader to follow that dream along with her.

~Ms.Tice

During WWII, Ida Mae Jones must go against her family and heritage to join the Army’s WASP program and fulfill her dream of being a pilot.

I really loved Ida Mae as a character. She was brave, hardworking, fiercely protective of her family, determined and not afraid to take any measures to follow her own dream and to save her brother. You will find you will grip this book, it will emotionally grab you by the heart and you won’t let go until the final page. Flygirl, more than anything, is about the characters and their own personal challenges, and I highly recommend to anyone and everyone.

~Victoria Raffale

Bradbury has a way of creating characters that instantly come to life.  Even the spooky, seemingly-crazy people in Something Wicked This Way Comes fascinate me; I always end up wishing I knew more about them.  Although I've read this novel several times, I find it mysterious and enjoyable each time.

~Ms. Hamilton

Can two young boys overcome the worst the devil himself can deal out? In a small anywhere town in anystate America, two young boys hear about a strange traveling carnival and decide to see what it is all about, even though most carnivals have ended their summer tours. When the ominous Mr. Dark, the Illustrated Man, rides into town on a dark midnight, setting up his massive carnival in a matter of seconds, the boys are both thrilled and terrified. It seems to be just another carnival at first, but it is not long before the forces of darkness are manifesting from the haunting melodies of the carousel and the glaring Mirror Maze. With his collection of freaks and oddities, Dark intends to take control of the town and seize more innocent souls to damn. It will take all the wit and hope of the two boys to save their families and friends, from “something wicked [that] this way comes.”

As Kofi, Arielle, Dana, November, and Jericho face personal challenges during their last year of high school, a misunderstood student brings a gun to class and demands to be taken seriously. This is the third book in a series, but you don’t have to read the

others to get this one. It was interesting, basically about typical high school students with a wide range of issues from pregnancy to homelessness. The author is not at the level of storytelling ability as, say, the author of The Hunger Games series. Many of the students speak with poor grammar, which may be appealing to some students, but may not be appealing to your English teacher. All in all it was interesting and a fast read, with a bang ending of a school incident involving an AK47.

~Mr. Decker

This is one of those books that talks about the good and bad experiences of high school. As I read, I became part of each character’s experiences. I cried. I laughed. I smiled. I got disappointed in the characters as if I knew them personally. This book is not only a great read, but it teaches many lessons. You won’t want to put it down.

~Sarah Morano

Senior year seemed to be going great until the fire alarm went off during English class; did Crazy Jack pull the alarm again? No – this time it was pulled for an extremely different reason. There’s only a matter of seconds to stop disaster, and all eyes are searching for someone, anyone, to step up and be a hero.

~Justin McAnulty

Devon Davenport is a straight-A student and prominent player on her school's soccer team, but when she is linked to an abandoned baby found in the trash she is accused of attempted murder.

I did not want to read this book. I knew I wouldn’t like the topic or the character. I was wrong. I got drawn into the story and ended up with a new perspective. Definitely worth the read.

~Ms. Tice

Devon seemed to be almost in denial that anything happened, probably because she blocked it out. While some parts of the story were hard to read, others will shock you. When you read a book like this you develop a personal connection with the character, and though what she did was wrong…I was really proud of her for her final decisions.

~Lauren Marshall

The novel proves to be utterly suspenseful ,as well as inspiring. Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism encourages human productivity and the idea of man as a heroic being. The Fountainhead furthers this concept specifically through the battle of individualism vs. collectivism. The devastating climax just goes to show that common minds are no match for the “fountainhead” of human progress.

~Alex Colin

The novel proves to be utterly suspenseful as well as inspiring. Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism encourages human productivity and the idea of man as a heroic being. The Fountainhead furthers this concept specifically through the battle of individualism vs. collectivism. The devastating climax just goes to show that common minds are no match for the “fountainhead” of human progress.

The Fountainhead was Rand's "breakthrough" novel: her first book to top the best-seller charts. Many fans of Rand's novels consider it her best. Here is the story of a young architect, Howard Roark, of his violent battle against a mindless status quo, and of his explosive love affair with a beautiful woman who worships him yet struggles to defeat him. In order to build his kind of buildings according to his own standards, Roark must fight against every variant of human corruption.

When a repo demon comes for her Cadillac, Bug Smoot finds that her deceased grandfather pledged both her soul and her car as collateral on a deal.

This book has a good plot, and you'll like the main character, Bug.  It's a really funny book, so it will appeal to you who like humor.

~  Mr. Mendo

If you like mystery, page turners, books about people selling their souls to the devil for material items or just entertaining books, this is the book for you. Reading Soul Enchilada is recommended; it’s a really good book.

~Marcella Romero

This book was very interesting and left me wanting to read more of it. Some people might take this book in the wrong way because Bug is very rude, but I would recommend this book to teenagers who like adventure books with a twist.

~Madalyn Anagnou

In 1866, fifteen-year-old Aidan and his In 1866, fifteen-year-old Aidan and his thirteen-year-old sister Maddy, penniless thirteen-year-old sister Maddy, penniless orphans, leave drought-stricken Kansas on orphans, leave drought-stricken Kansas on a wagon train hoping for a better life in a wagon train hoping for a better life in Seattle, but find there are still many Seattle, but find there are still many hardships to be faced.hardships to be faced.

This novel is exiting and adventurous. It is This novel is exiting and adventurous. It is about a boy’s fight for survival and answers – about a boy’s fight for survival and answers – and finally hope.and finally hope.

~Mr. Mendo~Mr. Mendo

The Devil’s Paint Box The Devil’s Paint Box is a wonderful read. It takes you is a wonderful read. It takes you back to the time where traveling west was an adventure back to the time where traveling west was an adventure full of danger, Indians, promise, and a small pox full of danger, Indians, promise, and a small pox epidemic. This book takes an integral look at racism in epidemic. This book takes an integral look at racism in the form of the white man’s view of Indians of the West the form of the white man’s view of Indians of the West that can still be applied to today’s society. For a that can still be applied to today’s society. For a thrilling, slightly philosophical read, I would definitely thrilling, slightly philosophical read, I would definitely recommend recommend The Devil’s Paint BoxThe Devil’s Paint Box..

~Brian Strohmetz~Brian Strohmetz

While recuperating in a Baghdad hospital from a traumatic brain injury sustained during the Iraq War, eighteen-year-old soldier Matt Duffy struggles to recall what happened to him and how it relates to his ten-year-old friend, Ali.

Purple Heart was a very good novel about an 18 year old soldier in Iraq who is recovering from wounds sustained during his patrol. He has difficulty remembering what happened when he wakes up in the clinic and the book is about him recalling eventually what happened. It is nicely written and keeps things "real", as we would imagine conditions over there. I enjoyed reading this very much. Two thumbs up.

~Mr. Decker

If you are the type of person who enjoys action and is into military based stories, this is the book for you. It gives you the mindset of a military situation and makes you feel like you are the soldier. It also teaches many military-based morals that are useful in people’s everyday lives. Purple Heart offers an adrenaline rush like no other that can make you feel as if you are truly experiencing war.

~Blodin Ukella

Steampunk novel that is a strange mixture of Victorian times with mechanical inventions. Bio-society countries are at war with mechanical countries in this extremely fresh novel.

Leviathan is an extremely well written book for young adults that helps make World War I informative and full of adventure.  The information is well researched and students are able to relate to the two main characters.  Leviathan is an excellent springboard for anyone interested in the Historical Fiction Genre.

~Mr. Schleckser

Sixteen-year-old Thomas wakes up with no memory in the middle of a maze and realizes he must work with the community in which he finds himself if he is to escape.

The Maze Runner, by James Dashner, is a book about friendship, trials, and how the human spirit can conquer all obstacles when given the chance. It is a book you cannot put down, even if you wanted to. It provides a fast-paced, seat-gripping read that will appeal to both guys and girls.

~Hannah Whipple

This novel is often tragic and quite violent, but if you are up for that, it is also thrilling – a true mental puzzle until the very end.

~Mr. Mendo

This is for those who wants to always be on the edge of their seats. It has non-stop mystery and you are always trying to put the different clues together. The tension builds and builds and it just keeps you reading.

~Zach Buchanan

In 2097, men are a small and controlled minority in a utopian world ruled by women, and fourteen-year-old Kellen must fight to save his father from an outbreak of the virus that killed ninety-seven percent of the male population thirty years earlier.

It is so interesting to see a society where women are totally in charge, and what the possible advantages – and drawbacks – of that situation are. The parts of this book that made me think the most were the epitaphs at the beginning of each chapter, which gave a glimpse into the lives of the men lost during the virus outbreak.

~Mrs. Lasher

The first book I ever read was Treasure Island; I love the book and have watched many different movies about it, but no movie has ever beaten the novel. I have read the book about four times in my life, the last time being in 2009, in about three days. The adventures of Jim Hawkins on that island always gets me to thinking of finding treasure in the sand dunes and marshes of Avalon. I love this book and still often use the line, "I remember it as if it was yesterday.”

~Mr. Richardson

The story is about a young boy who runs an inn with his mother. One day an old pirate named Billy Bones comes to the inn and makes Jim's life hard and scary. When Billy dies, his old shipmates come looking for the treasure map to Captain Flints' treasure. This is the beginning of Jim's adventures in trying to get the treasure. The book is filled with double crosses and surprises as Jim grows from a boy into a man.

In a polygamous cult in the desert, Kyra, not yet fourteen, sees being chosen to be the 7th wife of her uncle as just punishment for having read books and kissing a boy in violation of Prophet Childs' teachings, but she is torn between facing her fate and running away.

Sometimes, reading a book takes you into someone else’s life, and you know you’re lucky not to be that person. After reading about Kyra and the choices she faced, my problems seemed small.

~Mrs. Lasher

Kyra has taken walks beyond the compound and discovered a Mobile Library Van, and she begins taking books out and hiding them in her favorite tree. She also has a male friend, and they secretly meet and read the "forbidden" books. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book – it gets 3 thumbs up. I especially liked Kyra’s thirst for reading, of course.

~Mr. Decker

This book makes you feel for Kyra and the situation she is put in. If she tries to run, she will betray her family, but if she marries her uncle she will be unhappy for the rest of her life. The final scenes are suspenseful and very unpredictable and you won’t know what choice she will end up making.

~Erin Dagney

The lives of Leticia, Dominique, and The lives of Leticia, Dominique, and Trina are irrevocably intertwined Trina are irrevocably intertwined through the course of one day in an through the course of one day in an urban high school after Leticia urban high school after Leticia overhears Dominique's plans to beat overhears Dominique's plans to beat up Trina and must decide whether or up Trina and must decide whether or not to get involved.not to get involved.

This is a good short book for girls who don’t like to read. The conflict will keep you at the edge of your seat; you will want to keep reading to find out if Leticia warns Trina about getting jumped. I liked that it was short and straight to the point.

~Danielle Cauz

Middle Township High SchoolReading List

Grades 11 -12

After a knee injury destroys sixteen-year-old Cody's college hopes, he drops out of high school and gets a job in his small Montana town; but when his ex-girlfriend disappears from her Vermont boarding school, Cody travels cross-country to join the search.

This novel is the type of book where you try to solve the ending on your own. It makes you feel like you’re a detective solving a missing person’s case like off of NCIS or Law & Order. The book, itself, gives you a lot of evidence and stories about the people within the book. I would strongly recommend this book for someone who loves suspense and mystery.

~Jared Smith

Reality Check is an entertaining, quick read with a few plot twists that leaves readers guessing. Although Clea is a major part of the novel’s mystery, the plot really focuses on Cody’s journey and self-discovery.

~ Miss Snyder

Eighteen-year-old Lia comes to terms with her best friend's death from anorexia as she struggles with the same disorder.

The pressure to be thin can feel suffocating.  This book teaches about the struggles of self acceptance, which can sometimes take a lifetime to learn.

~Mrs. Rothenbiller

This book was absolutely mesmerizing! I was completely engrossed and I really enjoyed it. This book gets five stars and not four from me, despite a couple of flaws, because Lia seemed so real and the writing style was wonderful and the language was lovely.~Lisa VeganThis book was absolutely mesmerizing! I was completely engrossed and I really enjoyed it. This book gets five stars and not four from me, despite a couple of flaws, because Lia seemed so real and the writing style was wonderful and the language was lovely.~Lisa VeganThis book was absolutely mesmerizing! I was completely engrossed and I really enjoyed it. This book gets five stars and not four from me, despite a couple of flaws, because Lia seemed so real and the writing style was wonderful and the language was lovely.~Lisa VeganThis book was absolutely mesmerizing! I was completely engrossed and I really enjoyed it. This book gets five stars and not four from me, despite a couple of flaws, because Lia seemed so real and the writing style was wonderful and the language was lovely.~Lisa Vegan

This book is absolutely mesmerizing! I was completely engrossed and really enjoyed it. This book gets five starts from me despite a number of flaws because Lia seemed so real , the writing style was wonderful and the language was lovely.

~ Lisa Vegan

Cameron knew there was something wrong when he started seeing pillars of fire and angels, but he never imagined he had mad cow disease.

Who wants to read a 480-page novel about a 16-year-old who has four to six months to live and suffers from progressive muscle weakness, dementia and delusions? Libba Bray manages to turn a hopeless situation into a hilarious and hallucinatory quest to find the mysterious Dr. X; if he succeeds, he may just save his own life. (Or, it’s all just a hallucination.) Despite the novel’s length, Bray doesn’t waste a sentence. With just one chapter heading (regarding “High School Hallway Etiquette and the Fact That Staci Johnson Is Evil; Also, Unfairly Hot”) she can neatly suggest an entire subplot. Libba Bray not only breaks the mold of the ubiquitous dying-teenager genre — she smashes it and grinds the tiny pieces into the sidewalk. For the record, I’d go anywhere she wanted to take me.

~Lisa Von Drasek

Follow nine-year-old Oskar Schell as he encounters a number of interesting characters in his search for information about his father who died in the World Trade Tower and tries to find the lock that fits the mysterious key his father had.

This novel has been established as a humorous and charismatic contemporary work, but it is also an equally profound and educational novel like The Great Gatsby, The Jungle or 1984.

~Jarrett Porter

On the surface Oskar searches only for a lock, but he is really searching for much more. This novel is not chronological, so it may confuse you at first, but following Oskar’s search is worth it. You may discover that he isn’t the only one looking for something.

~Ms. Tice

I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a fun read or anyone who is interested in one of our country’s most remembered days, September 11th. It was extremely well written and incredibly fast-paced.

~Chris Karimalis

While in a coma after her family is killed in a car accident, Mia struggles to decide whether to live or die.

This novel is about a girl in-between the realms of Heaven and Earth. It makes readers consider how they view the gift of life and the blessings of family, love, and music. It teaches the reader to love deeper and to not take a single moment for granted.

~Mrs. Walter

I read If I Stay quickly, feeling sad for the main character, Mia, while also cheering her on.  By explaining her out-of-body experiences and flashbacks, she narrates the 24 hours after a tragic car accident killing her family.   Reading the book makes you realize how difficult it would be to be in her place, choosing between fighting to live or giving up and letting go. 

~Ms. Hamilton

If I Stay was an interesting book. Sometimes it was just a little bit confusing, but there’s a lot of mystery and a lot of reason why it kept me turning the pages and continuing my reading.

~Marcella Romero

This was a wonderful book that dealt with tragedy, insight and teen issues. A young woman (girl) is faced with the most unimaginable tragedy and has to make choices as she reviews her life from a state between life and death, while observing people she cares about attending to her broken body in an ICU. Well written and moving, I give this a high rating.

~Mr. Decker

Seeing no way out of his difficult life in Harlem, seventeen-year-old Seeing no way out of his difficult life in Harlem, seventeen-year-old Jeremy "Lil J" Dance flees into a house after a drug deal goes awry and Jeremy "Lil J" Dance flees into a house after a drug deal goes awry and meets a strange man who reveals different turning points in Lil J's life meets a strange man who reveals different turning points in Lil J's life when he could have made better choices.when he could have made better choices.

Myers perfectly portrays the life of a kid on the streets of NYC – tough scenes, language and all. Lil J faces his reality, which is not always an easy thing to do, in order to think about his future. This book is Myers’ message about second chances and redemption.

~Ms. Tice

This novel is the first attempt I know of to inject existentialism and fantasy into the Urban/African-American novel. As Lil J attempts to re-examine his circumstances, the reader is plunged into a world of bad decisions, fake friends, and the unforgiving urban landscape. This book may strike readers as slightly abnormal, but is an enriching reading experience.

~Mr. Towns

This story is a great mix of realistic events and unrealistic ideas. I never wanted to put the book down and you never knew what would happen next. I felt bad for Lil J because he was put into a situation that no one should have to be in.

~Cody Stanford

After one of four rough cut high school guys disappears, his friends become suspicious of their teacher Mr. Haberman, who refers to them as gentlemen while teaching Crime and Punishment.

This novel is reminiscent of the style of The Catcher in the Rye. Mike and his friends go through the typical activities of teenage boys in a small town but get in over their heads and into trouble. Mike tells his side of the story to his reader and keeps you wanting to know how what happened to Tommy and how things will turn out for all of them.

~Ms. Tice

F. Scott Fitzgerald's F. Scott Fitzgerald's This Side of Paradise This Side of Paradise is the is the opening statement of his literary career. Published opening statement of his literary career. Published originally in 1920, when he was just 23, the novel originally in 1920, when he was just 23, the novel captures the rhythm and feel of the gaudy decade captures the rhythm and feel of the gaudy decade that was to follow in America. This Side of Paradise that was to follow in America. This Side of Paradise made Fitzgerald famous for the stylish exuberance made Fitzgerald famous for the stylish exuberance of his writing. The novel describes life at Princeton of his writing. The novel describes life at Princeton among the glittering, bored, and disillusioned—the among the glittering, bored, and disillusioned—the post–World War I “lost generation.” post–World War I “lost generation.”

F. Scott Fitzgerald's F. Scott Fitzgerald's This Side of Paradise This Side of Paradise is the is the opening statement of his literary career. Published opening statement of his literary career. Published originally in 1920, when he was just 23, the novel originally in 1920, when he was just 23, the novel captures the rhythm and feel of the gaudy decade captures the rhythm and feel of the gaudy decade that was to follow in America. This Side of Paradise that was to follow in America. This Side of Paradise made Fitzgerald famous for the stylish exuberance made Fitzgerald famous for the stylish exuberance of his writing. The novel describes life at Princeton of his writing. The novel describes life at Princeton among the glittering, bored, and disillusioned—the among the glittering, bored, and disillusioned—the post–World War I “lost generation.” post–World War I “lost generation.”

Read online: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/805

This novel is recommended for those students who enjoyed reading The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald or for those who would like to read the novel in preparation for their study of The Great Gatsby in their junior year. I really enjoy this novel because of its ability to show the Lost Generation culture. So often when we study this era of American History, we don't see the emotional and psychological effects that the "American Dream" had on people during this time period. The characters that Fitzgerald creates in the story are so dynamic and interesting that you don't know whether you like them or are completely annoyed by them. I enjoy that complexity in the characters.

~Ms. Snyder

This novel is recommended for those students who enjoyed reading The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald or for those who would like to read the novel in preparation for their study of The Great Gatsby in their junior year. This Side of Paradise is the debut novel of F. Scott Fitzgerald. In the novel, the protagonist, Amory Blaine, leaves his midwest roots behind to attend boarding school and, eventually, Princeton. The novel follows Amory ’s experiences through Princeton, World War I, and post-World War I. The story is a telling tribute to Fitzgerald ’s turbulent courtship with Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald and speaks of the disillusionment of the Lost Generation.

For five years, Wyatt travels the country with his drifter Uncle Spade, first as a companion, then as a money-making bare-fisted fighter, until realizing Spade doesn't exactly have Wyatt's best interests at heart.

While the fighting is a fairly obvious metaphor for Wyatt’s hardscrabble journey from victim to victor, it will engage male readers. The story succeeds because of Wyatt’s voice, capturing all his vulnerable, messy humanity. This novel is a tough-guy’s coming-of-age story, and its brief length will likely appeal to reluctant readers.

~Amy Fiske

I liked this story. Even though the beginning was slow and kind of drawn out, it was a great book. It had some smart relative scenarios, too. Why I Fight caught my attention, and I really enjoyed it.

~Marc DeSalis

The people of Sterling, New Hampshire, are forever changed after a shooting at the high school leaves ten people dead, and the judge presiding over the trial tries to remain unbiased, even though her daughter witnessed the events and was friends with the assailant.

This is a great book that helps one understand the true darkness of bullying.  

~Mrs. Rothenbiller

This is an extremely emotional novel that shows what it means to be different in society. It is about verbal and physical bullying in high school and how one boy is tormented so far that he is the reason for a high school shooting. This story is something everyone in high school can relate to about wanting to fit in or not being afraid to stand out and be yourself. Bullying is a huge problem in our society, and this book really helps you to understand how if affects others. I have read several of Jodi Picoult’s books and all of them are so amazing that you will not want to put the book down.

~Jennifer Hicks

This is an interesting and easy read. However, it is very intense and depressing. It covers a very controversial and emotionally draining topic. It’s not for people who are bothered by bullying or are sensitive, but it does teach the value of friendship.

~Emily Wannen

Through twists and turns of fate, orphaned Mary seeks knowledge of life, love, and especially what lies beyond her walled village and the surrounding forest, where dwell the Unconsecrated, aggressive flesh-eating people who were once dead.

I recommend this novel to people who like zombie, suspenseful, love stories. If you are really into this type of book, it will bring a lot of emotions to you and will make you keep reading to find out what will happen next. The ending is disappointing because it doesn’t tell you what happens, so you have to come up with your own ending, but if you are someone who likes to wonder at the end of it all, you will like this book.

~Lee-Ann Thomas

The Forest of Hands and Teeth takes the common theme of teenage rebellion and puts it in a suspenseful and dangerous world.  What would you do if you were one of the few people left in the world.  Would you focus on preserving humankind or your own desires?

~Mrs. Hogg

This novel is a post-apocalyptic romance/adventure, which sounds corny, but I couldn’t put this book down from the second I started reading it. It’s an exciting read with suspense and so much detail that it kept me intrigued the entire book. There’s a sequel and a 3rd book, that I ended up reading within the week.

~Carrie Ryan

Set in a near-future U.S.A. whose economy is collapsing as a result of the mysterious disappearance of leading innovators and industrialists, this novel presents an astounding panorama of human life-from the productive genius who becomes a worthless playboy...to the great steel industrialist who does not know that he is working for his own destruction...to the philosopher who becomes a pirate...to the woman who runs a transcontinental railroad...to the lowest track worker in her train tunnels. Peopled by larger-than-life heroes and villains, charged with towering questions of good and evil, Atlas Shrugged is a philosophical revolution told in the form of an action thriller.

Ryan Smithson recounts the experiences he had serving his first tour of duty as an Army engineer in Iraq when he was only nineteen.

Ryan Smithson’s first-hand account as a 20-something veteran of the War in Iraq is interesting and valuable for young Americans to read.  He joins the army after 9/11 and takes the reader through basic training, deployment, and his eventual return to the U.S.  Smithson tells his story in a humorous, relatable way that makes him seem more like a sibling or a friend than a war hero.

~Ms. Hamilton

This book isn’t so action packed, but that’s not what its supposed to be. It’s called Ghosts of War because it is showing you that not just people on the front lines are doing everything in Iraq. He does things like drive trucks, build bridges and work on machinery. You wouldn’t hear about him on the news, but his platoon does play a big role in the effort in Iraq.

~Kevin Haywood

Fringe dwellers Jonas (Ghost Boy) and Beatrice (Robot Girl) use their adopted alter egos to help navigate the difficulties of fractured families and impending adulthood during their senior year.

Bea is a confused teenager who moves from place to place due to her father's career.  She struggles to show her emotions and often questions whether her heart is robotic, unfeeling, and cold. Bea connects with Jonah, another character who appears to be lost.  How to Say Goodbye in Robot is an unexpected love story that will touch many students, especially those who sometimes feel disconnected.

~Mrs. Rothenbiller

Enzo, the dog of professional race car driver Denny Swift, recalls the memories of his life and shares his insight into the human condition that he learned from observing his owner.

The Art of Racing Through the Rain is one of my favorite books from last summer.  It changed my perspective on life, and I highly recommend it for anyone, but especially young people. If you are an animal lover, this book will change the way you say good morning and good night to your pets for the rest of your life!

~Mrs. Rothenbiller

This is an excellent book. It is easy reading and keeps your attention. I loved it!

~Mrs. Brault

Blanche is in real need of a protector at this stage in her life when circumstances lead her into paying a visit to her younger sister Stella in New Orleans. She doesn't understand how Stella, who is expecting her first child, could have picked a husband so lacking in refinement. Stanley Kowalski's buddies come over to the house to play cards and one of them, Mitch, finds Blanche attractive until Stanley tells him about what kind of a woman Blanche really is. What will happen when Stella goes to the hospital to have her baby and just Blanche and her brother-in-law are in the house?A Streetcar Named Desire is a deeply dark story about the twists-and -turns of love and life.   It is a beautifully written play that explores the hazy “truth” of perception and reality.  Blanche Dubois struggles to maintain a sense of self, after her heart and trust is broken, in a world that is far too harsh.  As she spirals further away from reality, Blanche shows the audience that our “truth” is merely “...fifty percent illusion.”  Blanche, Stella, and Stanley call into question the very definition of happiness and to what extent people can bend before they just break.

~ Mrs. Rothenbiller

This story is told by Martin as he tries to This story is told by Martin as he tries to make it through his days at Rikers. Volponi make it through his days at Rikers. Volponi has truly captured the character of a has truly captured the character of a teenaged boy from a broken home in the city. teenaged boy from a broken home in the city. You can totally understand him and his You can totally understand him and his situation, and you will want to keep reading situation, and you will want to keep reading to find out what happens to him. to find out what happens to him.

~ Ms. Tice~ Ms. Tice

Arrested on a minor offense, a New Arrested on a minor offense, a New York City teenager attends high York City teenager attends high school in the jail facility on Rikers school in the jail facility on Rikers Island while waiting for his case to go Island while waiting for his case to go to court.to court.

Overall this was a mildly entertaining book. The Overall this was a mildly entertaining book. The main character, Martin, wasn’t very interesting, main character, Martin, wasn’t very interesting, but the story he told about jail is what made it but the story he told about jail is what made it interesting. It seems real and not a bunch of interesting. It seems real and not a bunch of fairy tales. The only thing I didn’t like was the fairy tales. The only thing I didn’t like was the amount of profanity. I would recommend this amount of profanity. I would recommend this book and it would make a great movie.book and it would make a great movie.

~Tyler Gretz~Tyler Gretz

The epic tale of a beautiful, vital woman's life during one of the most tumultuous periods in America's history. From her young, innocent days on a feudalistic plantation to the war-torn streets of Atlanta; from her first love whom she has always desired to being a widow; from the utmost luxury to absolute starvation and poverty; from her innocence to her understanding and comprehension of life.

This is one of my favorite novels! It vividly depicts the "Old South" and its destruction, caused by the Civil War. The love story of Scarlet O'Hara and Rhett Butler is an American classic.

~Mrs. Walter

Remy, a talented, seventeen-year-old auto mechanic, questions his decision to join his girlfriend when she starts college in Pennsylvania, after a visiting artist helps him realize what his family home in a dying West Virginia mountain town means to him.

This is a good novel, especially for those high school students who are considering going away to college. The main character finds it hard to leave the landscape and small town he grew up with, and he ultimately needs to make the decision between Home and Love.

~Mrs. Walter

After a disturbing freshman year at New York University, Mimi is happy to get away to her father's remote Canadian cottage only to discover a stranger living there who has never heard of her or her father and who is convinced that Mimi is responsible for leaving sinister tokens around the property.

"If you like vampire stories combined with a modern and realistic take on teenage life, this book may be for you!“

~ Mrs. Rothenbiller

I read this book not expecting the thrilling and suspenseful story that I did get. It is not at all like the movie of the same title, but rather a story about family and discovering yourself. I could not put this book down and it was by no means predictable.

~Emma Campbell

Happy Reading!