SUMMER SIZZLERS FOR GRADES 9 - 10
FICTION
HEAT
by Mike Lupica
Michael Arroyo can throw some serious heat, and he dreams of pitching in the
Little League World Series. But Michael --- newly orphaned after his father
led the family's escape from Cuba --- must deal with the reality of his day-
to-day life and can only rely on his older brother.
Ender's Shadow
by Orson Scott Card
Bean begins life as an illegal experiment and ends up a disciple and safety
net for Ender Wiggins in the battle to save Earth from the Buggers. A sci-
fi series not to be missed - Ender's Game is the best known of this
series.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
by Stephen Chbosky
In this controversial coming of age book, freshman Charlie's collection of
letters to an unspecified recipient details the humorous trials and
tribulations of trying to discover who he is and what he might become.
A "Booklist" Best Book of the Year for Young Adults.
Things Not Seen
by Andrew Clements
When 15-year-old Bobby wakes up and finds himself invisible, he, his
parents, and his new blind friend Alicia try to find out what caused his
condition — and how to reverse it.
Whale Talk
by Chris Crutcher
A high school swim team without a pool, led by an athletic loner, improves
its times and bonds of friendship while managing to get team jackets over
the objections of coaches of the other school sports.
Eagle Strike (An Alex Rider Adventure)
by Anthony Horowitz
After a chance encounter with assassin Yassen Gregorovich in the South of
France, teenage spy Alex Rider investigates international pop star and
philanthropist Damian Cray whose new video game venture hides sinister
motives involving Air Force One, nuclear missiles, and the international
drug trade.
Dunk
by David Lubar
While hoping to work as the clown in an amusement park dunk tank on the New
Jersey shore the summer before his junior year in high school, Chad faces
his best friend's serious illness, hassles with police, and the girl that
got away.
Ruby in the Smoke
by Philip Pullman
In 19th-century London, 16-year-old Sally, a recent orphan, becomes involved
in a deadly search for a mysterious ruby.
Cupid
by Julius Lester
Cupid did not understand what had happened to him. He was the god of love,
but he had never been in love.
His Dark Materials Trilogy
by Philip Pullman.
In the epic trilogy His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman unlocks the door to
worlds parallel to our own. Dæmons and winged creatures live side by side
with humans, and a mysterious entity called Dust just might have the power
to unite the universes--if it isn't destroyed first. Pullman's heroic
fantasy series,includes The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber
Spyglass. Join Lyra, Pantalaimon, Will, and the rest as they embark on the
most breathtaking, heartbreaking adventure of their lives. The fate of the
universe is in their hands.
A Crack in the Line
by Lawrence, Michael.
When teenage Alaric travels to an alternate universe, he meets a
girl who could be his twin and gets a glimpse of his mother, who, in his own
world, has died. Rich sensory detail and a wealth of clever connections mark
this inventive, complex fantasy that considers the quirks of chance and fate.
Private Peaceful
by Morpurgo, Michael.
In this World War I story, the terse narrative of a young English
soldier is as compelling about the world left behind as about the horrific
daily details of trench warfare. Suspense builds right to the end, which is
shocking, honest, and unforgettable.
Dough Boy
by Peter Marino
In this funny but heart-wrenching story, 15-year-old Tristan spends one week
with his college-professor mom and her boyfriend Frank, and the next with
his college-professor dad and his girlfriend, and the situation works for
everyone. Tristan's excess weight has always bothered him but since both of
his parents live with heavy partners, he's been able to deal with it. But
all that changes when Frank's daughter moves in. Beautiful, calorie-
conscious Kelly turns heads, but her mouth is lethal as she immediately
zeroes in on Tristan's weight and twists a knife into the wounds that she
inflicts on his self-esteem.
Fat Kid Rules the World
by Going, K. L.
Troy is almost 300 pounds of sweating, unhappy insecurity. Then,
out of a moment of despair, comes a charismatic punk rocker who befriends
him. An impressive debut that offers hope for all kids—dross transmuted into
gold.
The River between Us
by Peck, Richard.
Personal secrets drive the plot and reveal the history in this
powerful novel about two young women who get off a boat in a small southern
Illinois town at the start of the Civil War.
Milkweed
by Spinelli, Jerry.
Part survival adventure, part authentic Holocaust history, this
captures the perspective of a young orphan in the Warsaw ghetto. The child’s
bewildered, matter-of-fact account distances the brutality without
sensationalizing or lessening the truth.
Sword of the Rightful King
by Yolen, Jane.
A malicious witch, a throne in peril, and a plot twist that will
take readers by surprise are the ingredients in this fresh, exceptionally
skillful retelling of King Arthur’s story.
The House of the Scorpion
by Farmer, Nancy
The science is as scary as the fiction in Farmer's riveting story
of a teenage clone who discovers his special destiny in a future world.
In Country
by Mason
In the summer of 1984, the war in Vietnam comes home to Sam Hughes, whose
father was killed there before she was born.
The Lambkins
By Eve Bunting
Returning from a gallery where his paintings are on display, high-school
student Kyle stops to help a woman with a flat tire. As he reaches for the
jack, he finds himself stuffed into the trunk and injected with some sort of
formula. He wakes up to discover that he is the size of a Coke bottle and
trapped in a dollhouse with three other shrunken kids and a shrunken dog,
all prisoners of the demented Mrs. Shepherd. Usually, tales of human
shrinkage are played for laughs, but Bunting explores the horror of Kyle's
situation, placing a delicious villain at the center of her story.
Any of the Lord of the Rings trilogy
by Tolkien .
Adventures of the underdog hobbits in the wider and more fantastic world of
elves, dwarves, wizards and the evil ring wraiths.
NON - FICTION
The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition
by Caroline Alexander
Drawing on previously unavailable sources, this riveting account of Sir
Ernest Shackleton's 1914 expedition to Antarctica presents 150 images by
Australian photographer Frank Hurley, whose stunning visual record of the
ordeal was — amazingly — preserved. Winner 1999 Alex Award.
Seabiscuit:An American Legend
by L. Hillenbrand
The true story of jockeys and trainers who create a Depression-era
thoroughbred racing champion that captures the imagination of an entire
nation.
West of Kabul, East of New York: An Afghan American Story
by Tamin Ansary
Begun as an E-Mail sent to friends the day after the World Trade Center was
attacked, Ansary’s story sheds light on the makings of the Muslim
extremists.
Kaffir Boy: the true Story of a Black Youth's coming of Age in Apartheid
South Africa
by Mark Mathabane.
Against overwhelming odds, a young boy triumphs over dire poverty and racism
in this inspiring autobiography.
October 1964
by David Halberstam
Heroes have a habit of growing larger over time, as do the
arenas in which they excelled. The 1964 World Series between the Yankees and
Cardinals was coated in myth from the get-go.
The Complete Maus: A Survivor’s Tale
by Art Speigelman
Art Spiegelman's "Maus: A Survivor's Tale" is a unique and unforgettable
work of literature. This two-volume set of book-length comics (or "graphic
novels," if you prefer) tells the story of the narrator, Artie, and his
father Vladek, a Holocaust survivor. "Maus" is thus an important example of
both Holocaust literature and of the graphic novel. (Pulitzer Prize Winner)
All But My Life
by Gerda Weissmann Klein
All But My Life is a memoir of Gerda Weissmann Klein’s six-year ordeal as a
victim of Nazi cruelty. The story begins with her being forced to leave her
home in Bielitz, Poland and ends with her liberation by American troops in
Czechoslovakia in 1945.
The Glass Castle
by Jeannette Walls
From no indoor plumbing to a Park Avenue apartment in New York—this is the
real life odyssey that Jeannette Walls, MSNBC columnist, takes you on. It’s
the story of one family with two extremely eccentric parents who believe
that life is an adventure even while their own four children suffer through
poverty, starvation, and chaos. Funny, sad, honest, and inspiring—this
memoir is a great summer read.
Marley and Me
by John Grogan
Dog lovers will delight in the true story of this yellow lab named Marley, a
neurotic, loving, mischievous dog whose owners adore him despite his
antics. Marley doesn’t fit the mold of calm, even-tempered labradors; he
was an adorable puppy that by adulthood grew to be a lovably naughty,
hyperactive, drooling 100 pound menace of destruction and loyalty. Follow
Marley and his owners as they live their lives together. This isn’t just
the story of a hilariously energetic dog, it’s also the heart-tugging story
of the owners as they get married in their 20s and start a family. This
book has been on the New York Times bestseller list for many months because
it’s so touching, and it will even make someone who’s “not emo” laugh and
cry by the end. This is an easy, fast, fun read for anyone who has ever
owned and loved a pet.
It’s Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life.
by lance Armstrong.
A teenage misfit who finds his niche in cycling calls on the same
personal characteristics that made him a cycling champion to survive
cancer, win the Tour de France and find real joy.
All Over but the Shoutin’.
by Rick Bragg
Pulitzer-prize winning reporter Rick Bragg remembers his years of growing up
in poverty-stricken Alabama and how football became the vehicle for his
success.
Pont, Sally.Finding Their Stride.
by Sally Pont.
Members of a track team from a small, private Pennsylvania school, although
typically outnumbered and defeated as a team, find success as individuals.
We Are All the Same: A Story of a Boy’s Courage and a Mother’s
Love.
by Jim Wooten.
Nkosi Johnson, a young South African boy born with AIDS, comes to
symbolize the strength of the human spirit and the global battle against the
disease.
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