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Teen Reading Lists

Woodlands Jr./Sr. High Schools

Local Middle/High School Summer Reading Lists

Woodlands, Grade 7

1. Alvarez, Julia—Before We Were Free —Life changes for twelve-year-old Anita, who lives in the Dominican Republic during the early 1960s, when she discovers her family's involvement with an underground movement trying to overthrow Trujillo's brutal dictatorship.
2. Ayres, Katherine—North by Night: A Story of the Underground Railroad —Through sixteen-year-old Lucinda's journal entries and letters, we learn about the Underground Railroad in a small Ohio town.
3. Ayres, Katherine—Macaroni Boy —In Pittsburgh in 1993, sixth grader Mike Costa notices a connection between several strange occurrences. The only way he can find out the truth about what's happening is to be nice to the class bully.
4. Cabot, Meg—All-American Girl —In this funny story, a sixteen-year-old girl saves the life of the President of the United States.
5. Codell, Esme Raji—Sahara Special —Sahara wants to be a writer, and Miss Pointy is the only one who believes in her.
6. Couloumbis, Audrey—Say Yes —;-Left alone in New York City, Casey turns to her landlord's teenage foster son for help. But that help comes with a price—breaking the law.
7. Creech, Sharon—Walk Two Moons —Salamanca's mother has disappeared. She decides that she must find her and journeys with her grandparents to locate her mother. On the way, she relates the story of her friend Phoebe, whose mother also disappeared. These two stories are intertwined and lead to an unexpected ending.
8. Creech, Sharon—Granny Torrelli Makes Soup —Rosie and her grandmother discuss relationship problems with her best friend while making soup.
9. Cushman, Karen—Matilda Bone —Fourteen-year-old Matilda is an apprentice bonesetter and practitioner of medicine in a medieval English village.
10. DiCamillo, Kate—Tiger Rising —Twelve-year-old Rob Horton unexpectedly and surprisingly finds a caged tiger in the woods behind his residence. Discovering the tiger triggers all sorts of changes in Rob's life and helps him to understand about cages—escape as well as imprisonment.
11. DiCamillo, Kate—The Tale of Despereaux —In this story of a talented mouse, the princess he loves, and a servant girl who longs to be a princess, a devious rat's goal is to squash all their dreams.
12. Duane, Diane—So You Want to Be a Wizard —Two lonely kids find themselves caught up in a never-ending battle between good and evil. There is plenty of suspense and magic.
13. Elish, Dan—Born Too Short —Thirteen-year-old Matt is so envious of his best friend Keith that he wishes for bad things to happen to him.
14. Farmer, Nancy—The Ear, The Eye and The Arm —In the year 2194, Zimbabwean General Matsika's three children are kidnapped. Three mutant detectives must use their special powers to search for them.
15. Gaiman, Neil—Coraline —Coraline unlocks a door in her new house leading to another world and set of parents.
16. Glover, Savion—Savion: My Life in Tap —This autobiography of the acclaimed tap dancer and choreographer Savion Glover is enthralling.
17. Haddix, Margaret Peterson —Among the Hidden —Luke, a third child living in a society where family size is limited to only two children, has to spend his life hiding from the authorities. Unexpectedly, he glimpses another “shadow child” living in another house and they begin a secret friendship.
18. Henkes, Kevin—Olive's Ocean —Martha learns about life, death, family, first love, and the future during her summer by the ocean.
19. Hesse, Karen—Aleutian Sparrow —With the attack on the Aleutian Islands in World War II, the Aleuts are forced into internment camps.
20. Hiaasen, Carl—Hoot —Roy, who is new to his small Florida community, becomes involved in another boy's attempt to rescue some burrowing owls.
21. Howe, James—The Misfits —The four “misfits” of this novel have been best friends and allies for year. They've all been the target of cruel name-calling and stereotyping for years, but now that they are in seventh grade, they are not going to put up with it anymore.
22. Jacques, Brian—Redwall (Book 1) —The inhabitants of Redwall Abbey are enjoying the peace and quiet of a glorious summer, unaware that the evil one-eyed rat warlord is planning on destroying their tranquility. This is the first book in a magical and mystical legend.
23. Johnson, Angela—Looking for Red —A thirteen-year-old girl tries to find out what happened to her beloved older brother, who disappeared four months earlier in Cape Cod.
24. Konigsburg, E. L.—Silent to the Bone —Something happened on Wednesday, November 25th to cause Branwell Zamborska to become mute. All we know is that he tried to call 911 when his baby sister stopped breathing and was unable to speak. His best friend Conor is determined to find out what caused Branwell's silence.
25. Levine, Gail—Ella Enchanted —At birth, a fairy bestows Ella with the “gift” of obedience. She is required to do anything anyone tells her to do. But this enforced obedience just makes her want to rebel. This is a delightful and profound version of the Cinderella story.
26. Mikaelson, Ben—Touching Spirit Bear —Cole Matthews is a mean, angry, defiant bully whose actions have gone too far. He has beaten up a classmate to the point of brain damage and is facing a prison sentence. But a Native American parole officer intervenes and suggests an alternative sentence—banishment for a year to a remote Alaskan island.
27. Myers, Walter Dean—The Greatest: Muhammad Ali —Myers relates the life story of the well-known heavyweight boxing champ.
28. Myers, Walter Dean—The Dream Bearer —During a summer in Harlem, David relies on his mother, a close friend, and an old man he meets in the park to help him come to terms with his father's outbursts and unstable behavior.
29. Napoli, Donna Jo—Three Days —Jackie has gone on a business trip to Italy with her dad, where he collapses while driving on a remote road. She tries to stop a car to get him some help and ends up being kidnapped by two men.
30. Nimmo, Jenny—Charlie Bone and the Time Twister —Henry Yewbeam appears from 1916 and needs Charlie's help to survive.
31. Park, Linda Sue—A Single Shard —In Ch'ul'po, a potter's village in 12th century Korea, Crane-man raises ten-year-old orphan Tree Ear. Tree Ear accidentally destroys a piece of pottery made by the most talented craftsman and pays his debt in servitude for nine days. This starts his transformation from apprentice to artist.
32. Paulsen, Gary—Caught by the Sea: My Life on Boats —The author, a celebrated outdoorsman, relates his passion for the sea in this memoir. In the first few pages, he recalls a shocking childhood memory of witnessing a gruesome plane crash that killed several people.
33. Peck, Richard—A Long Way from Chicago: A Novel in Stories —Joey and his sister spend summers with their Grandma Dowdel. These yearly summer adventures are related as individual stories tied together by Grandma's unstoppable personality.
34. Pinkney, Andrea Davis—Abraham Lincoln: Letters from a Slave Girl —In the third volume of the Dear Mr. President series, a lively correspondence between Abraham Lincoln and Lettie Tucker, a twelve-year-old slave living on a plantation in South Carolina, is related.
35. Ryan, Pam Muñoz—Esperanza Rising —Esperanza and her mother are forced to flee a comfortable life in Mexico for a migrant camp in California. This is the story of her transformation from spoiled and self-centered to generous and self-aware.
36. Sachar, Louis—Stanley Yelnats' Survival Guide to Camp Green Lake —the camp first introduced in Holes is reopened and Stanley, who was wrongfully sentenced there as punishment for a crime, provides a survival guide.
37. Van Draanen, Wendelin—Sammy Keyes and the Hollywood Mummy —This is the sixth Sammy Keyes mystery and a very exciting one. Sammy and her friend Marissa decide to take a Greyhound bus to Hollywood to find Sammy's long-absent mom. Once they get there, they become involved in solving a mysterious murder.
38. Veciana-Suarez, Ana—Flight to Freedom —In 1967, Yara and her family flee to Miami during Castro's regime.
39. Whelan, Gloria—Homeless Bird —Following the custom in India, Koly's impoverished family is forced to marry her off at the age of thirteen. Unfortunately, she is also widowed at thirteen and finds herself a “cast out” living on the street. Koly courageously works on transforming her hopeless future.

Woodlands, Grade 8

1. Alcott, Louisa May—Eight Cousins —After the Civil War, orphaned Rose Campbell goes to live with six doting aunts and seven boy cousins.
2. Bauer, Joan—Stand Tall —Tree, the tallest boy in seventh grade, learns to cope—to “stand tall”—by helping others during the tough times of his parents' divorce, his grandfather's leg amputation, and, finally, a flood. There's lots of heroism and bighearted humor!
3. Blume, Judy—Tiger Eyes —After Davey's father is killed in a holdup, she must find the strength to carry on with her life and conquer her fear.
4. Brashares, Ann—Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants —They were just a soft, ordinary pair of thrift-shop jeans until the four girls took turns trying them on—four girls, that is, who are close friends, about to be parted for the summer, with very different sizes and builds, not to mention back grounds and personalities.
5. Cabot, Meg—The Princess Diaries —Mia Thermopolis is your average urban ninth-grader. Even though she lives in Greenwich Village with a single mom who is a semi-famous painter, Mia still puts on her Doc Martens one at a time. The most exciting things she ever dreams about are smacking lips with very sexy senior Josh Richter, “six feet of unadulterated hotness,” and passing Algebra I. Then, Mia's dad comes to town and drops a major bomb.
6. Colfer, Eoin—Artemis Fowl —Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is the most ingenious criminal mastermind in history. With two trusty sidekicks in tow, he hatches a cunning plot to divest the fairy-folk of their pot of gold.
7. Cushman, Karen—Catherine, Called Birdy —Through Catherine's diary, Karen Cushman gives a view of life in medieval England, including its fleas, crude manners, squalor and the special treat of clean bed linen.
8. Danziger, Paula—Can You Sue Your Parents for Malpractice? —After losing her boyfriend to a cheerleader type, Laura is inspired by a course on the rights of minors to dedicate her life to study—or so she thinks until she meets Zack.
9. DeFelice, Cynthia—Under the Same Sky —While trying to earn money for a motorbike, fourteen-year-old Joe Pederson becomes involved with the Mexicans who work on his family's farm and improves his relationship with his father.
10. Doyle, Arthur Conan—The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes —This is a collection of some of the famous cases solved by the great detective Sherlock Holmes and his partner, Dr. Watson.
11. Fradin, Dennis Brindell—Bound for the North Star: True Stories of Fugitive Slaves —Like Virginia Hamilton's landmark Many Thousand Gone (1993) and individual accounts of Harriet Tubman and other rescuers on the Underground Railroad, this collective biography is an inspiring history of those who escaped slavery and their rescuers.
12. Gantos, Jack—Joey Pigza Loses Control —Here's the sequel to Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key. Joey, who is still on medication for ADHD, spends the summer with his “hard-drinking father…and tries to help the baseball team he coaches win the championship.
13. Gantos, Jack—What Would Joey Do? —Jack Gantos's acclaimed hyperactive hero discovers that settling down isn't good for anything if he can't find a way to stop the people he cares about from winding him up all over again.
14. George, Jean Craighead—Julie of the Wolves —Lost in the Alaskan wilderness, thirteen-year-old Miyax, an Eskimo girl, is gradually accepted by a pack of wolves that she comes to love.
15. Grimes, Nikki—Bronx Masquerade —While studying the Harlem Renaissance, students at a Bronx high school read aloud poems they've written, revealing their innermost thoughts and fears to their formerly clueless classmates.
16. Herriot, James—All Creatures Great and Small —Herriot tells an often funny, sometimes sad, true story of the problems and joys in the life of a country veterinarian.
17. Hesse, Karen—Witness —It is 1924, and a small Vermont town finds itself under siege by the Ku Klux Klan.
18. Horvath, Polly—The Canning Season —Thirteen-year-old Rachet spends a summer in Maine with her eccentric great-aunts Tilly and Penpen, hearing strange stories from the past and encountering a variety of unusual and colorful characters.
19. Kadohata, Cynthia—Kira-Kira —The Japanese-American Takeshima family moves from Iowa to rural Georgia in the 1950's. Both Katie and her older sister Lynn have trouble adjusting to their new life in a town with only 31 Japanese-Americans.
20. London, Jack—The Call of the Wild —The dog hero, Buck, is stolen from his comfortable home and made into a sled dog in the Klondike.
21. Lowry, Lois—Silent Boy—-Precocious, sensitive young Katy befriends an autistic boy.
22. McCaffrey, Anne—Dragonsong —Menolly, a young girl in the kingdom of Pern, befriends the fire lizard.
23. Myers, Walter Dean—The Journal of Biddy Owens: The Negro Leagues (My Name is America) —In this fictional journal, part of the My Name is America series, seventeen-year-old Biddy Owens tells of his year as “equipment manager, scorekeeper, errand boy and sometime right fielder” for the Birmingham Black Barrons.
24. Myers, Walter Dean—Scorpions —Two boys from the inner city are caught up in overwhelming circumstances involving poverty, drugs, gangs, and guns.
25. Nelson, Marilyn—Carver: A Life in Poems —One of the very few black Americans accorded great respect before the 1960s was botanist and educator George Washington Carver (1864?-1943).
26. Paterson, Katherine—Lyddie —A poor Vermont farm girl travels to Lowell, Massachusetts in the 1840s to work in the mills in hope of making a better life for herself.
27. Peck, Richard—The River Between Us —During the early days of the Civil War, the Pruitt family takes in two mysterious young ladies who have fled New Orleans to come north to Illinois.
28. Plum-Ucci, Carol—The Body of Christopher Creed —The often-tortured class weirdo has disappeared, leaving an enigmatic note on the school library computer. Is he a runaway, a suicide, or a murder victim?
29. Rennison, Louise—Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging: Confessions of Georgia Nicolson —Georgia has a precocious three-year-old sister who tends to leave wet nappies at the foot of her bed, an insane cat who is prone to leg-shredding “call of the wild” episodes, and embarrassing parents who make her want to escape to Stonehenge and dance with the Druids.
30. Salisbury, Graham—Lord of the Deep —Thirteen-year-old Mikey Donovan has nothing but admiration for his stepfather, Bill. An accomplished charter fisherman who works in and around the Hawaiian islands, Bill is teaching Mikey the ins and outs of his boat, the Crystal-C, and Mikey is soaking up Bill's nautical know-how faster than a sea sponge.
31. Scott, Walter—Ivanhoe —In 12th century England, the disinherited knight Ivanhoe loves the beautiful Lady Rowena. He, in turn, is loved by Rebecca.
32. Spinelli, Jerry—Stargirl —“She was home-schooling gone amok.” “She was an alien.” “Her parents were circus acrobats.” These are only a few of the theories concocted to explain Stargirl Caraway, a new 10th grader at Arizona's Mica Area High School, who wears pioneer dresses and kimonos to school, strums a ukulele in the cafeteria, laughs when there are no jokes, and dances when there is no music.
33. Spinelli, Jerry—There's a Girl in My Hammerlock —When Maisie doesn't make the cheerleading squad, she decides to go out for the junior high wrestling team.
34. Trueman, Terry—Stuck in Neutral —Fourteen-year-old Shawn McDaniel loves the taste of smoked oysters and his mother's gentle hugs. Unfortunately, it's impossible for Shawn to feed himself or to hug his mom back.
35. Twain, Mark—The Prince and the Pauper —A prince and a poor boy who look exactly alike change places as a joke.
36. Verne, Jules—Around the World in Eighty Days —Phileas Fogg makes a bet that he can travel around the world in eighty days and then undertakes to do so.
37. Werlin, Nancy—Black Mirror —The snowy prep school setting is the perfect backdrop for Werlin's chilling and well-constructed mystery. Her narrator is a unique creation, a girl who begins to discover herself as she unravels a huge conspiracy.
38. Wittlinger, Ellen—Razzle —Quiet Kenyon Baker is a little disgruntled. Always a good kid, Ken has never given his elderly parents much trouble. But now they have retired to Cape Cod and bought an old set of beachfront rental cabins, and suddenly they're paying more attention to Ken than ever before—especially when it comes to cleaning, painting, and repairing.
39. Wrede, Patricia C.—Dealing with Dragons —Cimorene, Princess of Linderwall, is a classic tomboy heroine with classic tomboy strengths—all of which are perceived by those around her as defects. “As for the girl's disposition—well, when people were being polite, they said she was strong-minded. When they were angry or annoyed with her, they said she was stubborn as a pig.

Woodlands, Grade 9

1. Alverez, Julia—How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents —It's a long way from Santa Domingo to the Bronx. But if anyone can go the distance, it's the Garcia girls—four lively Latinas plunged from a pampered life of privilege on an island compound into the big-city chaos of New York.
2. Anonymous—Go Ask Alice —This timeless classic is the diary of an anonymous, addicted teen.
3. Bonham, Frank—Durango Street —A young man deals with the dangers of gangs.
4. Brian, Kate—The Princess and the Pauper —In this new take on Mark Twain's classic story, Julia, who lives in a run-down apartment, finds that she's a look-alike of the Crown Princess of Vineland.
5. Burchard, Peter—Frederick Douglass: For the Great Family of Man —In this biography, a runaway slave becomes an abolitionist, a crusader for women's rights, and an advisor to Abraham Lincoln.
6. Crowe, Chris—Getting Away with Murder: The True Story of the Emmett Till Case —When a Mississippi court failed to convict the white murderers of a fourteen-year-old African-American in 1955, it helped spark the civil rights movement.
7. Crutcher, Chris—Whale Talk —T. J. forms a swim team from misfits to fight his school's jock culture.
8. Davis, Jill, editor—Open Your Eyes —Popular writers share memoirs and stories of travel experiences that changed their lives.
9. Deuker, Carl—High Heat —When sophomore Shane's father is arrested for money laundering, the star pitcher's life of privilege begins to fall apart.
10. Frank, E.R.—Friction —When a new girl at Alex's school spreads rumors about a well-liked teacher, Alex and her 8th grade classmates are not sure how to act around him or with one another.
11. Frey, Darcy—The Last Shot —Written as a journal, this true story tells of four high school basketball players (including Stephone Marbury) and the obstacles they face on their way to playing Division I college basketball.
12. Frost, Helen—Keesha's House —Keesha and six other teens with difficult family lives find a haven at Joe's house. Their stories are told in poems.
13. Gaines, Ernest—A Gathering of Old Men —When a murder occurs in rural Louisiana, several black men claim responsibility, each appearing before the local sheriff with an identical shotgun.
14. Greene, Bette—Summer of My German Soldier —Because of her unlikely friendship with a German soldier during World War II, a young Jewish girl becomes involved in his attempt to escape prison camp.
15. Grisham, John—The Street Lawyer —A lawyer decides to fight for those in need instead of reaching for wealth.
16. Gunther, John—Death Be Not Proud —This is Gunther's memoir of a brave, intelligent, spirited boy facing death at age seventeen — his own son.
17. Hughes, Langston—Not Without Laughter —This coming-of-age novel filled with humor is set in a small Kansas town.
18. Jennings, Michael (Librarian's note: typographical error—the author's name is Burch, Jennings Michael)—They Cage the Animals at Night —This is the story of a young boy who goes from one foster home to another.
19. Kerr, M.E.—Fell —A new identity and admission to a prep school changes John in this funny story.
20. Kincaid, Jamaica—Annie John —Kincaid tells the story of the teenage years of a girl's life in Antigua. Her lively childhood is soured by conflict with her mother, and eventually, she must leave her beautiful island for a better education.
21. Koertge, Ron—Shakespeare Bats Cleanup —A fourteen-year-old baseball player with mononucleosis turns to writing poetry out of boredom, and finds it helps him cope with life, love and loss.
22. Levine, Gail Carson—The Two Princesses of Bamarre —A timid princess must learn bravery to search for a cure when her adventurous sister becomes ill with the “gray death.”
23. Lewis, C.S.—The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe —This is the magical tale of children who step into enchanted Narnia.
24. Lubar, David—Dunk —New Jersey Shore resident Chad becomes fascinated with the “Bozo” in the boardwalk dunk tank.
25. Mathabane, Mark—Kaffir Boy —This extraordinary memoir of growing up in a world under apartheid shows courage and conviction.
26. McCullers, Carson—A Member of the Wedding —Twelve-year-old Frankie tries to escape her life and start a new one.
27. Mosley, Walter—Devil in a Blue Dress —Easy Rawlins, a black detective in Los Angeles, gets caught up in a web of corruption and betrayal while trying to locate a missing young woman.
28. Myers, Walter Dean—Malcolm X: By Any Means Necessary —Walter Dean Myers has written a compelling account of a complex man whose life reflected many of the major issues of our time.
29. Naidoo, Beverly—The Other Side of Truth —Nigerian refugees Sade and her younger brother are abandoned in London when their uncle fails to meet them at the airport.
30. Orczy, Baroness—The Scarlet Pimpernel —This classic adventure story depicts the hardships of the nobility during the French Revolution.
31. Paulsen, Gary—How Angel Peterson Got His Name —The author tells wacky tales of extreme sports from his own childhood.
32. Pullman, Philip—The Golden Compass —In this fantasy, a young orphan growing up in a strange world. This is part one of a trilogy.
33. Ritter, John H.—The Boy Who Saved Baseball —The fate of a small California town rests on the outcome of one baseball game, and Tom hopes to lead his team to victory.
34. Saldaña, Rene, Jr.—Finding Our Way —Each distinct Mexican-American teenage voice in these stories shares thoughts that draw the reader into daily dramas of love, danger, loyalty and pride.
35. Sheldon, Dyan—Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen —In her new school, “Lola” sets her sights on the lead in the annual drama production, and finds herself in conflict with the most popular girl in school.
36. Smith, Betty—A Tree Grows in Brooklyn —A young girl growing up in Brooklyn strives to survive.
37. Soto, Gary—Living Up the Street —A boy comes of age in the barrio, attending parochial school, going to church, at public summer school, and trying to fall out of love so he can join a baseball team.
38. Tan, Amy—The Kitchen God's Wife —This is the story of Jiang Weile's life, from when she was six years old in China to her life as a widowed matriarch in San Francisco.
39. Uchida, Yoshio—Picture Bride —A Japanese immigrant comes to the U.S. to marry a man she has never met.
40. Wallace, Rich—Losing is Not an Option —In nine interwoven stories, Wallace brings a small-town high school to life through the sharp, spare voice—and the heart-pounding defeats and triumphs—of an athlete's experiences from sixth grade through high school.
41. Wells, H.G.—The War of the Worlds —Wells tell the tale of the destruction of earth and what happens after.
42. White, T.H.—Once and Future King —This is a popular telling of the great Arthurian legend of Arthur's quest for the Excalibur.
43. Woodson, Jacqueline—I Hadn't Meant to Tell You This —Marie, the only African-American girl in the eighth grade willing to befriend her white classmate Lena, discovers that Lena's father is doing horrible things to her in private.
44. Woodson, Jacqueline—Locomotion —In a series of poems, eleven-year-old Lonnie writes about his life after the death of his parents, being separated from his younger sister, living in a foster home, and finding his poetic voice at school.

Woodlands, Grade 10

1. Bauer, Joan—Hope Was Here —Sixteen-year-old Hope runs a diner with her aunt and becomes involved in the mayoral race of the diner's owner, a leukemia victim.
2. Carter, Forrest—The Education of Little Tree —This is the super-seller memoir of a Cherokee boyhood in the 1930s. The most sensitive and evocative autobiographical account ever of the Cherokee way is told through the eyes of a young boy in the Appalachian Mountains.
3. Cheaney, J.B.—The Playmaker - While working as an apprentice in a London theater company in 1597, fourteen-year-old Richard uncovers a mystery involving the disappearance of his father and a traitorous plot to overthrow Queen Elizabeth.
4. Cooney, Caroline B.—Goddess of Yesterday —Caught up in the Trojan War, Anaxandra must reinvent herself to appease the gods and save her own life.
5. Crutcher, Chris—Ironman —Triathlete Bo gets sent to anger management class after calling his English teacher a name. There, he learns to deal with his father.
6. Frank, E.R.—America —Teenaged America, a part-black, part-white, part-anything boy who has spent many years in institutions for disturbed, antisocial behavior, tries to piece his life together.
7. Fiedler, Lisa—Dating Hamlet: Ophelia's Story —With Shakespeare's classic play as a frame, Lisa Fiedler gives voice to Ophelia in a gripping novel full of romance, ghosts, and a touch of alchemy.
8. Guterson, David—Snow Falling on Cedars —Guterson has written a compelling novel about racial discrimination, hatred, love and forgiveness.
9. Hersey, John—Hiroshima —This classic is a chilling story of six who survived the dropping of the atomic bomb.
10. Hidier, Tanuja Desai—Born Confused —Dimple, born in New Jersey but with parents from India, feels that she is too Indian for Americans and too American for Indian people. She spends the summer she turns 17 finding herself and resolving this situation.
11. Klass, David—You Don't Know Me —Fourteen-year-old John creates alternative realities in his mind as he tries to deal with his mother's abusive boyfriend, his crush on a beautiful but shallow classmate, and other problems at school.
12. Klass, David—Home of the Braves —A hotshot soccer player from Brazil shows up and threatens to take over team captain Joe's position and would-be girlfriend.
13. Kingsolver, Barbara—The Bean Trees —A poor but plucky Kentucky girl accidentally becomes the guardian of an abandoned baby girl and arrives at a new meaning of love, friendship and family in this warmhearted, funny novel.
14. Korman, Gordan—Son of the Mob —Vince Luca is a typical high school guy except that his father is a Mafia boss…and now Vince has fallen in love with the daughter of the FBI agent trying to expose his dad!
15. Korman, Gordon—Jake Reinvented —Through his friend Rick, we get to know the new guy at school, who has all the mysteries of popularity, acceptance and human nature solved. At first we admire him, then like him, and finally, fear him.
16. Lopez, Tiffany Ana—Growing Up Chicano —This is a fine collection of short stories by Mexican-American authors.
17. Mace, Nancy—In the Company of Men —The first female graduate of The Citadel tells her story.
18. Mackler, Carolyn—The Earth, My Butt and Other Big, Round Things —Fifteen-year-old Virginia does not feel like she fits in with her thing, brilliant, and good-looking family. She tries to deal with her self-image, her first physical relationship, and her disillusionment with some of the people close to her.
19. Matthews, Andrew—Flip Side —Robert, a British fifteen-year-old, discovers new parts of his personality that he never new existed when he plays a female role while studying Shakespeare in school.
20. Marquez, Gabriel Garcia —(Librarian's Note: error—author should be Garcia Marquez, Gabriel)—Of Love and Other Demons —This bittersweet story of a doomed love affair is set in the colonial era.
21. Napoli, Donna Jo—The Great God Pan —The author retells the Greek myths about Pan, transforming a familiar figure into the hero of a love story.
22. Oates, Joyce Carol—Big Mouth and Ugly Girl —Big mouth Matt Donaghy jokingly threatens to blow up Rocky River High school, and loner Ursula Riggs is the only one who can help him when that threat is taken seriously.
23. Oates, Joyce Carol—Freaky Green Eyes —Fifteen-year-old Franky relates the events of the year leading up to her mother's mysterious disappearance and her own struggle to discover and accept the truth about her parents' relationship.
24. O'Brien, Tim—The Things They Carried - O'Brien offers an unparalleled Vietnam testament and a profound study of men at war that illuminates the capacity, and the limits, of the human heart and soul.
25. Pelzer, David—A Child Called “It” —The author recalls his severe childhood abuse.
26. Prose, Francine—After —A crisis counselor gains control of a school and gradually chips away at students' rights after a school shooting occurs 50 miles away.
27. Reisert, Rebecca—Third Witch —An incredibly mesmerizing first novel, this is the story of Macbeth told through the voice of Gilly, the youngest of the three witches.
28. Rinaldi, Ann—Taking Liberty —Oney Judge, George Washington's slave and Martha Washington's personal servant, became like a member of the family yet made her choice for freedom by running away.
29. Roy, Arundhati—The God of Small Things —This is a beautiful and evocative first novel about the fragility of love, life and the loss of innocence, as seen through the eyes of Estha and Rahel, the twin son and daughter of the wealthy Kochamma family
30. Santana, Patricia—Motorcycle Ride on the Sea of Tranquility —Growing up in her large Mexican-American family in the late 1960's, fourteen-year-old Yolanda tries to help her favorite brother Chuy, who has returned from the war in Vietnam and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.
31. Santiago, Esmeralda—When I Was Puerto Rican —Santiago recounts her childhood in rural Puerto Rico and her teenage years in New York City.
32. Steinbeck, John—The Grapes of Wrath —The story of bankrupt landowners from Oklahoma heading for a new life in California is moving an memorable.
33. Strasser, Todd—Give a Boy a Gun —After an incident similar to the Columbine school shooting, a reporter tries to figure out why it happened.
34. Tashjian, Janet—The Gospel According to Larry —Teen genius Josh creates a computer alter ego named Larry to spread his anti-materialist ideas. Things spiral out of control when a rock star brings it national attention.
35. Walker, Margaret—Jubilee —This stunningly different Civil War novel boasts a heroine to rival Scarlett O'Hara, daughter of the white plantation owner and his beloved black mistress. Vyry was conceived, born and reared to womanhood behind the house. Steeped in knowledge of and feeling for the times and the people, Jubilee is a magnificent tale told with devastating truth.

Woodlands, Grade 11

1. Abraham, Pearl—The Romance Reader - This is a coming-of-age story of a young Chasidic girl who struggles with her identity and religious restrictions.
2. Anderson, Laurie Halse—Speak —After being raped at a party, Melinda dials 911, but is afraid to speak when help arrives. Afterwards, she is shunned for having called police attention to the party, and still lacks the strength to speak up for herself.
3. Binchy, Maeve—Circle of Friends —Friendship is tested by heartbreak and betrayal.
4. Brashares, Ann—Second Summer of Sisterhood —In this sequel to Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, four girls embark on their sixteenth summer, with lots of mother-daughter interaction.
5. Brashares, Ann-Girls in Pants: The Third Summer of the Sisterhood —The four friends embark on their third summer of adventures, beginning with their high school graduation.
6. Brown, Rita Mae (and Sneaky Pie)—Murder, She Meowed —Two detectives, one human and one feline solve the murder of a jockey.
7. Buck, Pearl—The Good Earth —Set in China, this is the classic story of the honest farmer Wang Lung and his selfless wife Olan.
8. Cather, Willa—O Pioneers!— -This is the story of the loves and struggles of a strong-willed young woman on the Nebraska prairie.
9. Chandler, Raymond—Farewell, My Lovely —This classic detective novel deals with the Los Angeles gambling circuit, murder, and three very beautiful but potentially dangerous women.
10. Chevalier, Tracy—Falling Angels —Told through a variety of shifting perspectives—wives and husbands, friends and lovers, masters and servants, and a gravedigger's son—this novel follows the fortunes of two families in the emerging years of the twentieth century.
11. Chevalier, Tracy—The Lady and the Unicorn —This fanciful and engaging tale of the making of the famous unicorn tapestries now hanging in a museum in Paris is woven together as skillfully as the artworks themselves.
12. Chopin, Kate—The Awakening —A woman is caught between a loveless marriage and middle class mores in nineteenth century Louisiana.
13. Dickey, Eric Jerome—Milk in My Coffee —In this interracial story, two people come together with the attitudes that shape their identities, where hearts and minds learn painful lessons.
14. Evans, Nicholas—The Smoke Jumper —Jumping from planes, firefighters battle Montana forest fires in this story of love, danger and choices.
15. Fitzgerald, F. Scott—This Side of Paradise —This tale of a young man's college years at Princeton circa 1920 is filled with a longing for idealism in the midst of war, radicalism, and love lost and won.
16. Flinn, Alex—Breathing Underwater —A judge orders Nick to receive counseling and keep a journal after he hits his girlfriend. Nick examines the relationship and why he behaved as he did.
17. Grafton, Sue—A is for Alibi —Detective Kinsey Millhone, a female private investigator, solves a crime in a resourceful and eccentric way. This book is the first of a series.
18. Gregory, Philippa—The Other Boleyn Girl —This work of historical fiction is based on the sisterly rivalry between Anne Boleyn and her sister Mary during the reign of English King Henry VIII.
19. Grisham, John—The Brethren —Three disgraced former judges do time in a Florida federal prison, but do not quite reform.
20. Herbert, Frank—The Santaroga Barrier —In a mysterious California town, none of the residents ever leave. It is a good choice for those who like or want to explore science fiction.
21. Hillenbrand, Laura—Seabiscuit —This is the true story of a race horse who defied expectations to become an American hero.
22. Hillerman, Tony—Talking God —A grave robber and a corpse reunite Navajo Tribal Police Lt. Joe Leaphorn and Officer Jim Chee when Leaphorn seeks the identity of the murder victim.
23. Kidd, Sue Monk—The Secret Life of Bees —A young girl searches for the truth about her mother and gains the courage to find her place in a community of women.
24. Le Guin, Ursula K.—Gifts —In this beautifully crafted story, the author conveys the potential cruelty of power, the hardships involved in growing up and how difficult it is to find the gift of light in the world's darkness.
25. Lewis, Sinclair—Arrowsmith —The idealism of a medical researcher is put to the test in the early part of the twentieth century in this Pulitzer-winning novel that moves from the Midwest to the West Indies.
26. McBain, Ed—Money, Money, Money: A Novel of the 87th Precinct —This suspenseful novel involves greed, conflict and the eternal search for money.
27. McCourt, Frank—Angela's Ashes —This bittersweet memoir tells of a deprived but spirited childhood spent in New York and Ireland.
28. McNamee, Graham—Acceleration —During a summer job in the lost and found of the Toronto Transit Authority, seventeen-year-old Duncan finds the diary of a serial killer and sets out to find him.
29. Miller, Arthur—All My Sons —This play is about guilt and delusion in a broken family after World War II.
30. Mitchard, Jacquelyn—The Deep End of the Ocean —A kidnapping changes the lives of members of a family.
31. Orwell, George—1984 —Published in 1950, this book was a dire prediction of life with total government control as “Big Brother” watches and sees all. It is still relevant today.
32. Read, Piers Paul—Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors —The true story of plane crash survivors.
33. Seabold, Alice—The Lovely Bones —A young murder victim watches her family from the afterlife as her parents and sister cope with her death and eventually learn the identity of her killer.
34. Shute, Neville—On the Beach —The last survivors during earth's final days face deadly radiation resulting from atomic warfare as it reaches Melbourne, Australia.
35. Sinclair, Upton—The Jungle —An immigrant seeking a better life in America instead finds poverty and corruption, particularly in the meatpacking industry of Chicago.
36. Sparks, Nicholas—A Walk to Remember —This is the story of an unlikely and touching high school romance.
37. Tashjian, Janet—Fault Line —Aspiring comic Becky gets caught in a mentally and physically abusive relationship.
38. Trueman, Terry—Inside Out —A sixteen-year-old with schizophrenia is caught up in the events surrounding an attempted robbery committed by two other teens who eventually hold him hostage.
39. Vonnegut, Kurt—Slaughterhouse-Five —This is one of the world's great anti-war books, centered on the infamous firebombing of Dresden. It follows Billy Pilgrim's odyssey through time.
40. Wharton, Edith—The Age of Innocence —This book has been described as “an elegant, masterful portrait of desire and betrayal in old New York.
41. Wilson, August—Ma Rainey's Black Bottom —This starts Wilson's cycle of plays dealing with different eras in the twentieth century African-American experience.
42. Wittlinger, Ellen—Zigzag —A high school junior discovers new places and finds strengths in herself during a trip with her aunt and two cousins.

Woodlands, Grade 12

1. Albom, Mitch—Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, A Young Man and the Last Great Lesson —The author introduces us to a former professor who is dying, but who, even on his deathbed, teaches us how to live with humor and grace.
2. Albom, Mitch—The Five People You Meet in Heaven —Eddie, a wounded war veteran, is tragically killed on his 83rd birthday. He awakens in the afterlife to discover that five people explain your life to you.
3. Allende, Isabel—Daughter of Fortune —Set in the mid-1800's, this historical novel follows the fortunes of Eliza Sommers, who is Chilean by birth but adopted by British spinster Rose Sommers and her bachelor brother Jeremy after she is abandoned on their doorstep.
4. Atwood, Margaret E.—The Handmaid's Tale —Atwood paints a chilling portrait of the future in which women's bodies belong to the Republic of Gilead (formerly the U.S.A.).
5. Austen, Jane—Emma —In this comic masterpiece, Emma Woodhouse finds her matchmaking skills sadly misdirected as she learns humility and self-knowledge at the same time she discovers love.
6. Banks, Russell—The Sweet Hereafter —Banks follows the aftermath of a school bus accident as seen by four people: the bus driver, the father of two students killed, a lawyer assisting the families, and a student who has been left paralyzed.
7. Brown, Dan—The Da Vinci Code —This page-turning thriller combines the excitement of an international murder mystery with an intriguing exploration of 2000 years of Western history.
8. Cahill, Thomas—How the Irish Saved Civilization —Cahill's absolutely fascinating narrative details the pivotal role the Irish played in preserving and transmitting the classical literature of both Greece and Rome.
9. Donaldson, Stephen R.—Lord Foul's Bane —In the first book from the fantasy series Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, Covenant, the leper, travels to Revelstone and leads the lords to Mont Thunder in pursuit of the magic staff of Drool, the evil cavewright.
10. Emucheta, Buchi—Bride Price —This novel is a touching story of a young girl, Akun-na and her family in Nigeria. After her father's death, Akun-na must fight a sexist society in order to be with her own true love.
11. Garcia, Cristina—Dreaming in Cuban —Set in Havana, Brooklyn, and the Cuban seaside in the 1970's, this novel revaels the lives and fortunes of four women of the colorful Del Pino family divided by politics and geography.
12. Garcia Marquez, Gabriel—One Hundred Years of Solitude —This is the story of a century lived in the mythic village of Macondo, somewhere in South America. The Buendia family struggles to create a life in a place where everything is larger than life and the rain never stops.
13. Garcia Marquez, Gabriel—Love in the Time of Cholera —Man loves woman, woman marries another, man continues to love woman for the rest of their lives. All this passion is set against the landscape of a steamy Spanish island.
14. Golden, Arthur—Memoirs of a Geisha —Experience the life of a Geisha from her origins as an orphaned fishing village girl to magnificent Geisha to distinguished mistress.
15. Haddon, Mark—The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night -Time —When an autistic teen discovers his neighbor's dog brutally stabbed to death, he decides to emulate his favorite detective—Sherlock Holmes—and investigate the crime.
16. Hamill, Pete—Snow in August —Brooklyn in the 1940's is sharply divided into ethnic groups that do not mingle. A young Irish boy witnesses an Irish teenage gang brutally beating an elderly Jewish man. The boy recognizes that informing on his neighbors would be cultural suicide. He finds solace in his friendship with a rabbi who is a refugee from Nazi Germany.
17. Harr, Jonathan—A Civil Action —Nonfiction. This book focuses on the lawsuit filed by eight families in Woburn against the W.R. Grace Company.
18. Heinlein, Robert A.—Stranger in a Strange Land —Science Fiction. A Mars-born earthling arrives on this planet for the first time as an adult, and the sensation he creates teaches Earth some unforgettable lessons.
19. Ishiguro, Kazuo—When We Were Orphans —When Christopher Banks becomes a private detective, he fulfills a life long ambition. However, none of his new professional chores have the force of one very personal assignment: Banks decides to return to his Shanghai birthplace to trace his parents, who disappeared when he was just a boy.
20. James, Henry—The Turn of the Screw —First published in 1898, this novel contains the theme of demonic possession of children as a young governess fights for control of her young charges controlled by ghosts.
21. Kay, Guy Gavriel—Lions of Al-Rassan —Fantasy. Intelligently bending history at a slightly different angle, the setting is based on early Medieval Spain, in which Muslims, Christians, and Jews are also suitably modified. The story revolves around two kingdoms; into this skillfully-imagined, eloquently-described stew of war, intrigue, and magnificence, a warrior from each side and a female physician play key roles.
22. Kingsolver, Barbara—Poisonwood Bible —The Price family, originally from rural Georgia, are now wrestling with inner demons while living in the small African village of Kilanga. The saga revolves around Nathan Price, an abusive southern Baptist evangelical minister who forsakes his family on his quest to save the souls of the natives.
23. Lamb, Wally—I Know This Much is True —This novel on mental illness is narrated by a man whose twin brother, a schizophrenic, amputates his hand as atonement for his sins. The story describes the family abuse that led to the illness and the narrator's efforts to obtain the brother's release from an asylum.
24. Lamb, Wally—She's Come Undone —Dolores Price is a mess. Growing up in the “perfect 1950's,” her life, unraveling from the day she was born, falls completely apart when she is thirteen. The author does an excellent job presenting the emotional state of Dolores—particularly in his description of what makes her fat and what being fat does to life.
25. Larson, Nella—Passing —The tale is simple on the surface—a few adventures in Chicago and New York's high life, with lots of real people and race-mixing events described (explicated by Tadious M. Davis's helpful introduction and footnotes). But underneath, it seethes with rage, guilt, sex and complex deceptions.
26. LeGuin, Ursula—Left Hand of Darkness —This groundbreaking science fiction novel tells the story of a lone human emissary to Winter, an alien world whose inhabitants can change their gender. His goal is to facilitate Winter's inclusion in a growing intergalactic civilization. But to do so, he must bridge the gulf between his own views and those of the completely dissimilar culture that he encounters.
27. Liss, David—Conspiracy of Paper —Here is the story of Benjamin Weaver, an outsider in 18th century London: a Jew among Christians, a ruffian among aristocrats, a retired pugilist now tracking down debtors and thieves. While investigating the mysterious death of his estranged father, Weaver uncovers the beginnings of a strange new economic order based on stock speculation.
28. Ludlum, Robert—Bourne Identity —Jason Bourne has no identity and is caught in a maddening puzzle, racing for survival through the deep layers of his buried past into a bizarre world of murderous conspirators led by Carlos, the world's most dangerous assassin.
29. Martel, Yann—Life of Pi —In this glorious spiritual adventure, Pi's epic voyage encompasses hardships on the high seas as well as meditations on religion, faith, art and life.
30. McCall-Smith, Alexander—The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency —First in a series, this book introduces clever detective Pamela Ramotswe, who is hired to track down a missing husband, expose a con man, and follow a wayward daughter.
31. Morrison, Toni—Sula —This is the story of the friendship of two black women, from early childhood to death.
32. Petry, Ann—The Street —Written in 1946, this story tells of a young black woman's attempt to make a life for herself, despite racial and sexual prejudice.
33. Remnick, David—King of the World: — Muhammad Ali and the Rise of an American Hero —This biography shows the man for what he was: larger than life. Paying great attention to Ali's early career, Remnick shows Ali as an athlete who personified a larger cultural movement and represented a sea change in American culture.
34. Sobel, Dava—Galileo's Daughter: — A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith and Love —Through the voices of Galileo and his daughter Sister Maria Celeste, the author brings Galileo to life as never before.