Sixth Grade Reading List Annotations 2011-2012
The Cay
In 1942, 11-year-old Phillip Enright lives with his parents on the Dutch island of Curaçao, but when the war
moves too close for comfort, his mother decides to travel with him back to the safety of Virginia. When their
boat is torpedoed, however, Phillip is blinded and finds himself adrift on a life raft with an old black man and a
cat. They eventually land on a deserted island, and Phillip needs to learn to survive.
Indian Captive
In this classic frontier adventure, Lois Lenski reconstructs the real life story of Mary Jemison, who was
captured in a raid as young girl and raised amongst the Seneca Indians. Meticulously researched, this novel
offers an exceptionally vivid and personal portrait of Native American life and customs.
My Brother Sam is Dead
All his life, Tim Meeker has looked up to his brother Sam. Sam's smart and brave -- and is now a part of the
American Revolution. Not everyone in town wants to be a part of the rebellion. Most are supporters of the
British -- including Tim and Sam's father. With the war soon raging, Tim know he'll have to make a choice --
between the Revolutionaries and the Redcoats . . . and between his brother and his father.
Born Free
Adamson recounts her adventures as the "mother" of an orphaned lion cub named Elsa, whom she raised and
taught the skills Elsa would need to survive in the wild. Her teaching, against all odds, was effective: three years later, the Adamsons took Elsa to a place near that of her birth and set her loose, hoping that she would find her "real pride" among other lions of the Kenya grasslands--as she soon did.
National Velvet
Fourteen-year-old Velvet is determined to turn her untamed horse into a champion and personally ride him to
victory in the world's greatest steeplechase, the Grand National.
House with a Clock in its Walls
After the death of his parents, Lewis finds himself in living in a mansion--his Uncle Jonathan's. When he
discovers that his uncle is also a wizard, Lewis is excited. Unfortunately, the previous owner of the mansion
was also a wizard--but an evil one who has placed a ticking clock somewhere in the house, marking off the
minutes until the end of the world. Doomsday draws near--unless Lewis can stop the clock!
Trouble River
Faced with the imminent danger of attack by marauding Indians while both his parents are away, twelve-year-
old Dewey Martin prevails upon his grandmother to escape by means of his homemade log raft.
Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism
The other children pick on orphan Molly Moon, as do the mean-spirited women who run Hardwick House
Orphanage. Molly occasionally escapes to the Briersville library to avoid them all. One day she finds a
mysterious tome on hypnotism hidden in the stacks and discovers her real talent. With her newfound skill, she is
able to change her luck and her life. However, evil Professor Nockman will stop at nothing to get the book.
Behind the Attic Wall
At twelve, Maggie had been thrown out of more boarding schools than she cared to remember. This time, she is
sent to a new home, that of her great-aunts, Maggie's only living relatives. But from behind the closet door in
the great and gloomy house, Maggie hears faint whisperings. And in the forbidding house of her ancestors,
Maggie finds magic... the kind that lets her, for the first time, love and be loved.
Artemis Fowl
Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is the most ingenious criminal mastermind in history, and he hatches a cunning
plot to divest the fairyfolk of their gold. He knows that the only way to do it is to kidnap one of them and
demand a ransom. But he doesn't count on Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon (Lower Elements Police
Reconnaissance) Unit--and her senior officer, Commander Root, a man (sorry, elf) who will stop at nothing to
get her back.
My Brother Sam is Dead
All his life, Tim Meeker has looked up to his brother Sam. Sam's smart and brave -- and is now a part of the
American Revolution. Not everyone in town wants to be a part of the rebellion. Most are supporters of the
British -- including Tim and Sam's father. With the war soon raging, Tim know he'll have to make a choice --
between the Revolutionaries and the Redcoats . . . and between his brother and his father.
Ballad of Lucy Whipple
When California Morning Whipple's widowed mother uproots her family from their home and moves them to a
rough mining camp called Lucky Diggins in the Sierras, California Morning resents the upheaval. Desperately
wanting to control something in her own life, she decides to be called Lucy, and as Lucy she grows and changes
in her strange and challenging new environment. Author Karen Cushman helps the American Gold Rush spring
to colorful life.
Johnny Tremain
This story of a tragically injured young silversmith who ends up hip-deep in the American Revolution is
inspiring, exciting, and sad. Winner of the prestigious Newbery Award in 1944, Esther Forbes's story has lasted
these 50-plus years by including adventure, loss, courage, and history in a wonderfully written, very dramatic
package.
My Side of the Mountain
Young Sam Gribley runs away to the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York. There he sets up house in a huge
hollowed-out tree, with a falcon and a weasel for companions and his wits as his tool for survival. Sam learns to live off the land, and faces blizzards, hunters, loneliness, and fear.
Old Yeller
A wily stray dog, Old Yeller helps Travis and his family stay safe from the many dangers of the wild Texas
frontier in this heartwarming tale of the Old West.
Wind in the Willows
This book was begun as a series of bedtime stories for the author's son and was first published in 1908. The
tales relate the adventures of four animal friends and neighbors in the English countryside--Mole, Rat, Toad (of
Toad Hall), and Badger.
Wrinkle in Time
Everyone in town thinks Meg Murry is dull-witted, and that her younger brother, Charles Wallace, is dumb.
People are also saying that their physicist father has run off and left their brilliant scientist mother. Spurred on by these rumors and an unearthly stranger, Meg and Charles Wallace and their new friend Calvin O'Keefe
embark on a perilous quest through space to find their father. In doing so, they must travel behind the shadow of an evil power that is darkening the cosmos, one planet at a time.
Indian Captive
In this classic frontier adventure, Lois Lenski reconstructs the real life story of Mary Jemison, who was
captured in a raid as young girl and raised amongst the Seneca Indians. Meticulously researched and illustrated
with many detailed drawings, this novel offers an exceptionally vivid and personal portrait of Native American
life and customs.
Chronicles of Narnia
In the first book of the series, four English schoolchildren find their way through the back of a wardrobe into
the magical land of Narnia, where they come to the aid of Aslan, the golden lion, in his battle against the White Witch, who has cursed the land with eternal winter.
Ella Enchanted
At birth, Ella is inadvertently cursed by a fairy named Lucinda, who bestows on her the "gift" of obedience.
Anything anyone tells her to do, Ella must obey. When her mother dies, leaving her in the care of a mostly
absent father, and later, a loathsome stepmother and two treacherous stepsisters, Ella's life and well-being seem in grave peril. But her intelligence and saucy nature help her as she sets out on a quest for freedom and self-
discovery, trying to track down Lucinda to undo the curse, fending off ogres, befriending elves, and falling in
love with a prince along the way.
In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson
Shirley Temple Wong sails from China to America with a heart full of dreams. Her new home is Brooklyn,
New York. America is indeed a land full of wonders, but Shirley doesn't know any English, so it's hard to make
friends. Then a miracle -baseball- happens. It is 1947, and Jackie Robinson, star of the Brooklyn Dodgers, is
everyone's hero. Jackie Robinson is proving that a black man, the grandson of a slave, can make a difference in
America and for Shirley as well, on the ball field and off.
Island of the Blue Dolphins
Once, Indians lived on the island. And when they left and sailed to the east, one young girl was left behind.
This is the story of Karana, the Indian girl who lived alone for years on the Island of the Blue Dolphins. She
kept herself alive by building shelter, making weapons, finding food, and fighting her enemies, the wild dogs. It is not only an unusual adventure of survival, but also a tale of natural beauty and personal discovery.
Eragon
Eragon, a young farm boy, finds a marvelous blue stone in a mystical mountain place. Before he can trade it for
food to get his family through the hard winter, it hatches a beautiful sapphire-blue dragon, a race thought to be extinct. Eragon bonds with the dragon, and when his family is killed by the marauding Ra'zac, he discovers that
he is the last of the Dragon Riders, fated to play a decisive part in the coming war between good and evil.
Hatchet
This Newbery Honor book is a dramatic, heart-stopping story of a boy who, following a plane crash in the
Canadian wilderness, must learn to survive with only a hatchet and his own wits.
Lyddie
Lyddie Worthen must decide whether to risk losing her job running a loom at a Lowell, Massachusetts fabric
mill in the 1840s--a job she has taken to earn enough money to reunite her family--by protesting the poor
working conditions. Try as she might to focus on making money to save the farm, Lyddie cannot ignore the
issues around her, including the inequality of women.
Where the Red Fern Grows
Billy and his precious coonhound pups romp through the Ozarks, trying to "tree" the elusive raccoon. In time,
the trio wins the coveted gold cup in the annual coon-hunt contest, captures the wily ghost coon, and bravely
fights with a mountain lion. When the victory over the mountain lion turns to tragedy, Billy grieves, but learns
the beautiful old Native American legend of the sacred red fern that grows over the graves of his dogs.
A Light in the Forest
John Butler was only four years old when he was captured by the Lenni Lenape Indians, adopted into the tribe,
and renamed True Son. He has grown up to think, feel, and fight like an Indian. Now he is fifteen years old and
the Indians have made a treaty with the white people, agreeing to return all white captives to their own people.
True Son is very angry and does not want to return to his people. He tries at first to hide but is caught and sent back to live with his real family. Just as he is about to settle into this new life, Half Arrow, True Son's Indian cousin, comes to visit him with very bad tidings.
Ride into Morning
The Revolutionary War is raging. Food and firewood are scarce, and Tempe Wick is worried that she will not
be able to care for her ailing mother and her family and still maintain the farm. Her ability to hold on to her
world is threatened when a mutinous soldier demands that she lend him her beloved horse in exchange for
keeping her brother's rum-smuggling activities secret from the authorities. This dramatic historical novel is
based on a real event that has been popularized into American legend.
Black Beauty
Set in turn-of-the-century London, Black Beauty tells the story of a horse's long and varied life, from a well-
born colt in a pleasant meadow to an elegant carriage horse for a gentleman to a painfully overworked cab
horse. Throughout, Sewell rails--in a gentle, 19th-century way--against animal maltreatment. Young readers
will follow Black Beauty's fortunes, good and bad, with gentle masters as well as cruel.
Call It Courage
Mafatu's name means "Stout Heart," but his people call him a coward. Ever since the sea took his mother's life
and spared his own, he has lived with deep fear. And even though his father is the Great Chief of Hikueru--an
island whose seafaring people worship courage--he is terrified, and consequently, he is severely scorned. By the
time he is fifteen years old, Mafatu can bear it no longer. He must conquer his fear alone . . . even if it means certain death.
Seventh Grade Reading List Annotations 2011-2012
House of the Scorpion
Matteo Alacran is a feudal drug lord in the country of Opium, which lies between the United States and Aztlan,
formerly Mexico. All menial tasks are done by "eejits," humans in whose brains computer chips have been
installed to insure docility. Alacran, or El Patron, has lived 140 years with the help of transplants from a series of clones, a common practice among rich men in this world. The intelligence of clones is usually destroyed at birth, but Matt, the latest of Alacran's doubles, has been spared simply because he belongs to El Patron.
Gradually Matt realizes the fate that is in store for him, and with the help of Tam Lin, his bluff and kind
Scottish bodyguard, he escapes to Aztlan. There he and other "lost children" are trapped in a more subtle kind of slavery before Matt can return to Opium to take his rightful place and transform his country.
Something for Joey
This is a true story of courage and love between two brothers. In 1973, while John Cappelletti was winning the
Heisman Trophy as the outstanding college football player in America, his younger brother Joey was suffering
from leukemia.
Tangerine
So what if he's legally blind? Even with his bottle-thick, bug-eyed glasses, Paul Fisher can see better than most people. He can see the lies his parents and brother live out, day after day. No one ever listens to Paul, though-- until the family moves to Tangerine. In Tangerine, even a blind, geeky, alien freak can become cool. Who knows?
When Legends Die
When his father killed another brave, Thomas Black Bull and his parents sought refuge in the wilderness. There
they took up life as it had been in the old days. But an accident claimed the father's life and the grieving mother died shortly afterward. Left alone, the young Indian boy vowed never to return to the white man's world, to the alien laws that had condemned his father.
Home Before Dark
Stella, a fourteen-year-old migrant worker, is looking for some roots to hold onto. Stella's father, James Earl, decides to return to the family farm. Finally Stella has a place she can call home, somewhere she can explore all the exciting things going on in her life, like boys and friends. But Stella's mother dies, and after a while, James Earl decides to marry again. Stella does not want to move again, after finally getting some roots established.
I am the Cheese
Imagine discovering that your whole life has been a fiction, your identity altered, and a new family history
created. Suddenly nothing is as it once seemed; you can trust no one, maybe not even yourself. It is exactly this revelation that turns 14-year-old Adam Farmer's life upside down. As he tries to ascertain who he really is,
Adam encounters a past, present, and future too horrible to contemplate. Suspense builds as the fragments of the
story are assembled--a missing father, government corruption, espionage--until the shocking conclusion shatters
the fragile mosaic.
Walk Two Moons (or any other)
13-year-old Salamanca Tree Hiddle travels west with her Grams and Gramps to Lewiston, Idaho,in order to find
her missing mother. Sal's search for the truth about her mother becomes a journey of discovery about much
more.
Slave Dancer
Snatched from the docks of New Orleans, thirteen-year-old Jessie is thrown aboard a slave ship where he must
play his fife so that captured slaves will "dance," to keep their muscles strong and their bodies profitable for
their owners' use.
Hiroshima
John Hersey recorded the stories of Hiroshima residents shortly after the explosion of the atom bomb there in
1945. The words of Miss Sasaki, Dr. Fujii, Mrs. Nakamara, Father Kleinsorg, Dr. Sasaki, and the Reverend
Tanimoto create an unforgettable picture of what nuclear war is like.
Stormbreaker: An Alex Rider Adventure
Alex Rider is the 14-year-old hero of British author Horowitz's series of spy thrillers. In the first book,
Stormbreaker, Alex discovers after the mysterious death of his uncle Ian that his uncle was not the bank vice-
president he purported to be, but rather a spy for the British government. Now the government wants Alex to
take over his uncle's mission: investigating Sayle Enterprises, the makers of a revolutionary computer called
Stormbreaker. Posing as a teenage computer whiz who's won a Stormbreaker promotional contest, Alex enters
the factory and immediately finds clues from his uncle.
Farewell to Manzanar
During World War II a camp called Manzanar was created to house thousands of Japanese American internees.
The Wakatsukis were ordered to leave their fishing business in Long Beach and take with them only the
belongings they could carry. Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston recalls life at Manzanar through the eyes of the seven-
year-old child she was. She tells of her fear, confusion, and bewilderment as well as the dignity and great
resourcefulness of people in oppressive and demeaning circumstances.
Across Five Aprils
During the Civil War, Jethro has to grow up fast. He also has to consider both sides of the war, since he has
family members in both armies.
Up a Road Slowly
Bright, sensitive, and a bit of a rebel, Julie faces the tough challenges of growing up smart and female. During
her childhood, Julie learns bittersweet lessons in heartbreak and compassion and justice and love as only as
children do. As idyllic as her country life seems, there is prejudice, meanness, and smallness of human spirit in all corners of the world.
Gentlehands
When a newspaper story claims that Buddy Boyle's grandfather is a former Nazi, the ensuing chaos threatens
the boy's familial ties and a romantic relationship.
Wizard of Earthsea (any in series)
A reckless, awkward boy named Sparrowhawk becomes a wizard's apprentice. The boy comes to realize that his
fate may be far more important than he ever dreamed possible. Great challenges await Sparrowhawk, including
an almost deadly battle with a sinister creature, a monster that may be his own shadow.
Arms of the Starfish
Adam Eddington, a gifted marine biology student reports to his summer job on an island off Portugal. Here
Adam finds himself at the center of a deadly power struggle between his boss, the renowned scientist Dr.
O'Keefe, and another group of Americans. As the danger escalates, Adam must make a decision that could
affect the entire world--which side is he on?
Call of the Wild
During the Klondike gold rush of the 1890s, Buck, a big dog used to a comfortable life as a family pet, is stolen and sold in Alaska as a sled dog. In a climate where every day is a savage struggle for survival, the last traces of Buck's pampered existence are erased as his dormant primordial urges are awakened.
A Night to Remember
The story of the Titanic is told by several characters. The author interviewed scores of surviving Titanic
passengers, to fashion a gripping you-are-there account of the ship's sinking.
Anne of Green Gables (or any other)
The Cuthberts had decided to adopt an orphan. They wanted a sturdy boy to help with the chores. But the
orphanage sent a girl instead - an impetuous, talkative redhead! But the longer Anne stayed, the harder it was
for anyone to imagine life without her in the small Canadian town of Avonlea.
Never Cry Wolf
The Canadian Wildlife Service assigned the naturalist Farley Mowat to investigate why wolves were killing
arctic caribou. This is his account of the summer he lived in the frozen tundra alone-studying the wolf
population and developing a deep affection for the wolves.
Of Nightingales that Weep
Takiko, whose samurai father was killed in battle, is unhappy when her mother remarries an ugly potter. To get
away from her miserable home, Takiko accepts a position at the imperial Japanese court. There, her beauty and
nightingale voice captivate the handsome young warrior, Hideo -- who also turns out to be an enemy spy. As
war breaks out, Takiko flees the court and is forced to choose between loyalty to her people and her love for
Hideo.
A Day No Pigs Would Die
A Vermont farm boy raised in the Shaker Way must take on the duties of a man at age 13, because his father is
dying.
Shades of Gray
The Civil War has left 12-year-old Will Page an orphan, and he is sent to his mother's relatives in the country in Virginia. Prepared to hate his uncle, a "coward" who refused to fight for either side, Will slowly comes to
respect the man's position.
The Last Silk Dress
Susan, 14, of Richmond, helps the Southern cause during the Civil War by sewing and nursing the wounded.
After collecting silk dresses from ladies and prostitutes alike to be patched together for a reconnaissance
balloon, Susan's view of the war changes; through her charismatic brother Lucien, she begins to see how slavery
(and adultery) has undermined and all but destroyed her family. She is forced to rethink and challenge the very system she was born into. Does she have the courage to do what is right even though it may hurt the ones she
loves?
The Moon is Down
Originally published during WWII, this book explores the effects of invasion on conquered and conquerors
alike. A small, peaceable town is occupied by enemy troops, and conmes face-to-face with evil imposed from
the outside as well as betrayal from within the close-knit community.
The Hostage
Jamie Tidd and his father capture a giant killer whale, and learn that a marine park in California has offered
$100,000 for just such a whale. Jamie's family could really use the money. But Jamie grows to admire the whale
and he can't help wondering if it is right to keep the big mammal in captivity even if his family needs the
money.
Jackaroo
There is much poverty in the kingdom and tales of Jackaroo, the legendary masked outlaw who helps the poor
in times of trouble, are on everyone's lips. When Gwyn, the high-spirited daughter of the innkeeper, finds a
disguise she believes to be that of Jackaroo, she decides to use it to help those less fortunate. But she learns that playing a hero isn't as simple as she thought.
The Sword and the Stone
Young "Wart" slowly learns the code of being a gentleman. His remarkable old tutor, Merlin, even transforms
him into various animals, so that he may experience life from all points of view. In every conceivable and
exciting way he is readied for the day when he is destined to draw forth the marvelous sword from the magic
stone and become the rightful King of England.
Pigman
John and Lorraine both come from constricting, unhappy homes. Unusual circumstances introduce them to a
lonely old man with an awful secret. An intense friendship results, and together the three create a private world out of their zaniness and laughter. But the very energy which built this world soon works to destroy it, and John and Lorraine are left to deal with the results.
The Pigman's Legacy
Mr. Pignati has been dead for four months when John and Lorraine visit his empty house-and discover an old
man on the run from the tax collector. Convinced he's a sign from beyond the grave, John and Lorraine decide
they've been given a chance to make up for what happened to their friend. Suddenly they're deep in another
zany adventure with a surprising old man.
Eighth Grade Reading List Annotations 2011-2012
The Outsiders
Ponyboy is fourteen, tough and confused, yet sensitive behind his bold front. Since his parents' death, his
loyalties have been to his brothers and his gang, the rough, swinging, long-haired boys from the wrong side of
the tracks.
Arabian Nights
These are the tales that saved the life of Shahrazad, whose husband, the king, executed each of his wives after a single night of marriage. Beginning an enchanting story each evening, Shahrazad always withheld the ending: A
thousand and one nights later, her life was spared forever.
More Than Meets the Eye
Liz Gaynor, 15, is delighted that her friendship with fellow classmate Ben Lee has taken a romantic turn. Liz's
parents, however, are concerned--not only because Ben is Chinese, but he's also Liz's main competitor for a
scholarship. The book addresses prejudice, interracial dating, and cultural differences.
The Good Earth
Set among peasants in China in the 1920s, the story shows the life of Wang Lung, from his beginnings as an
impoverished peasant to his eventual position as a prosperous landowner. He is aided immeasurably by his
equally humble wife, O-Lan, with whom he shares a devotion to the land, to duty, and to survival.
The Secret Garden
When orphaned Mary Lennox, lonely and sad, comes to live at her uncle's great house on the Yorkshire moors,
she finds it dreary. Then, she meets Dickon, a magical boy who can charm and talk to animals. Together they
find a secret garden, walled and locked, which has been completely forgotten for years and years. As Mary, her
sickly cousin Colin, and Dickon replant it, the secret garden begins to restore their health and good spirits.
Ender's Game
Intense is the word for Ender's Game. Aliens have attacked Earth twice and almost destroyed the human
species. To make sure humans win the next encounter, the world government has taken to breeding military
geniuses -- and then training them in the arts of war... The early training, not surprisingly, takes the form of
'games'... Ender Wiggin is a genius among geniuses; he wins all the games... He is smart enough to know that
time is running out. But is he smart enough to save the planet?
Where the Lilies Bloom
Mary Call has promised her dying father to keep her brother and sisters together forever on the mountain, and
never to take any help from strangers. She is determined to keep her word. No matter what. At first she is sure
she can manage, but then winter comes.
Burning Up
Teenaged Macey Clare and her new love Austin begin to explore the mysterious fire of 1959 that burned down
a barn for a school project, their families and neighbors become strangely evasive. But the pieces begin to fit
together when Macey and Austin discover that long ago the barn had been turned into an apartment, the
inhabitant of which was the first--and last--black high school teacher in Shell Beach. Why was the building
burned down? And, more importantly, whose hand lit the match? As they dig deeper, Macey and Austin
become more frightened of the truth--of answers that will rekindle fires of bigotry much too close to their own
lives.
Catherine Called Birdie
The 14-year-old daughter of a rustic knight records the events of her days in the year 1290, writing perceptive,
scathing, and often funny observations about her family, friends, and would-be suitors. Birdy is a delightful,
rebellious heroine, determined not to marry the man of her father's choice.
Rebecca
Married life should be blissfully idyllic for the new Mrs. de Winter, but she finds herself entrapped by an
overwhelming sense of gloom, overshadowed by the ghostly presence of Maxim's former wife, Rebecca. Mrs.
de Winter begins to suspect that there is more to Rebecca's supposedly accidental death than she has been led to
believe.
On Wings of Eagles
Follett presents the factual account of Ross Perot's daring plot to rescue two of his corporate employees from an Iranian prison. The book gives a compelling picture of Iran just before the revolution that put Ayatollah
Khomeini in power.
Any title by Dick Francis
Generally set in the world of English steeplechasing, Dick Francis's books are fast-paced murder mysteries with
exciting plot twists.
Waiting for the Rain
This novel shows the bonds of friendship under the strain of apartheid as two lifelong friends, Tengo and
Frikkie, come of age amidst the tragedy of South Africa.
Dove
In 1965, 16-year-old Robin Lee Graham began a solo around-the-world voyage from San Pedro, California, in a
24-foot sloop. Five years and 33,000 miles later, he returned to home port with a wife and daughter and enough
extraordinary experiences to fill this bestselling book, Dove.
Among the Hidden
Born third at a time when having more than two children per family is illegal and subject to seizure and
punishment by the Population Police, Luke has spent all of his 12 years in hiding. Gazing through an air vent at new homes, he spies a child's face at a window after the family of four has already left for the day. Is it possible that he is not the only hidden child? Answering this question brings Luke greater danger than he has ever faced before, but also greater possibilities for some kind of life outside of the attic.
Old Man and the Sea
Tells the story of an old Cuban fisherman, down on his luck, and his supreme ordeal -- a relentless, agonizing
battle with a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream.
Phoenix Rising
Nyle Sumner, 13, and her grandmother, living on a Vermont sheep farm, are completely surrounded by the
grotesque results of an accident at a nuclear-power plant. Because of the accident, Nyle's cousin Bethany has
radiation poisoning. Then Gran does the unthinkable: she takes in two fugitives who were exposed to the worst
of the radiation, Miriam Trent and her son, Ezra, who is also sick with the poisoning. They stay in the back
bedroom, the room marked by the death of Nyle's mother and grandfather. Now it seems likely that it will be
the place that Ezra dies too. How can Nyle face another loss?
Jungle Book
The lost boy raised by wolves in the jungles of India, Mowgli learns the ways of the jungle from the wise old
bear, Baloo, and the great black panther, Bagheera. He is befriended by the faithful wolf, Gray Brother, and is
carried off by the crafty Monkey-People -- only to be rescued by the mighty python, Kaa. And through it all,
Mowgli knows that he must someday face his sworn enemy: the ferocious man-hating tiger, Shere Khan.
Beyond the Divide
Tells the story of an Amish girl who heads west with her father after he has been shunned by their community.
The Contender
Struggling to live respectably in a rundown ghetto, Alfred Brooks defends himself against junkies, thieves, and
gangs.
Lisa's War
Lisa is 12 years old when the Nazis invade Denmark. Lisa and her family each join the resistance, doing their
part for their country while trying to hide their activities from the others. Lisa starts with a small assignment of delivering some pamphlets (and finds that frightening enough), but by the end she is helping to organize a mass evacuation of Danish Jews to Sweden.
On the Beach
A novel about the survivors of an atomic war, who face an inevitable end as radiation poisoning moves toward
Australia from the North.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Francie, the protagonist, grows up in the slums of Brooklyn during the early part of the twentieth century, and
life treats her badly. Less favored in her dysfunctional family than her brother, forced to leave school early,
maltreated by fate and by people--she plunges forward, indomitable, courageous.
Shabanu
Set against the backdrop of desert life in present-day Pakistan, this book offers a passionate and deeply personal portrait of a young girl's struggle for identity growing up among camel-dealing nomads in a culture that forbids even token expressions of independence by women.
Bridge to the Sun
The author, an American, married a Japanese diplomat in 1931. After Pearl Harbor she went with her daughter
and husband to spend WWII in Japan, and recounts her experiences in this book.
Surviving the Applewhites
Jake Semple, 13, is on the fast track to the juvenile detention center when he suddenly finds himself living in
rural North Carolina with the outrageously eccentric Applewhite clan. Jake has been expelled from a long line
of schools before coming to the Applewhites to be homeschooled. This extended family forms what a visiting
reporter christens an "artistic dynasty," with various creative endeavors absorbing the adults' time and attention. Jake is left largely to his own devices, since the family doesn't believe in telling their charges what or when to study. Can the Applewhites change Jake's negativity, or will Jake prove to be too much for them?
The Hobbit (or any of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy)
The setting of these books is MiddleEarth, in the ancient time between the age of Faerie and the dominion of
men, when the famous forest of Mirkwood was still standing, and the mountains were full of danger. There are
men, Hobbits, trolls, goblins, dwarves, dragons, elves, and many other magical creatures.
Dicey's Song (or any other)
The four Tillerman children finally have a home at their grandmother's rundown farm on the Maryland shore.
It's what Dicey has dreamed of for her three younger siblings, but after watching over the others for so long, it's hard to let go. Who is Dicey, if she's no longer the caretaker for her family?
A Boat to Nowhere
In their isolated village in Vietnam, Mai and her family thought themselves safe from war. But when the
conquerors arrived and brought an end to peace, a dangerous escape aboard a fishing boat would become their
last chance for survival.
Ninth Grade Reading List Annotations 2010-2011
The Book Thief
Death himself narrates the World War II-era story of Liesel Meminger from the time she is taken, at age nine, to
live in Molching, Germany, with a foster family in a working-class neighborhood of tough kids, acid-tongued
mothers, and loving fathers who earn their living by the work of their hands. The child arrives having just stolen her first book-although she has not yet learned how to read-and her foster father uses it, The Gravediggers Handbook, to lull her to sleep when she's roused by regular nightmares about her younger brothers death. Across the ensuing years of the late 1930s and into the 1940s, Liesel collects more stolen books as well as a peculiar set of friends: the boy Rudy, the Jewish refugee Max, the mayor's reclusive wife (who has a whole
library from which she allows Liesel to steal), and especially her foster parents.
Little Women
This book presents the March family--spirited Jo, beautiful Meg, sensitive Beth, and romantic Amy--as they
make their transition from girlhood to womanhood.
Pride and Prejudice
Elizabeth Bennet is intelligent, generous, and sensible, but if provoked is not above skewering her antagonist
with a piece of her exceptionally sharp -- but always polite -- 18th century wit. The point is, you spend the
whole book absolutely fixated on the critical question: will Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy hook up?
Hope Was Here (or any other)
16-year-old Hope's used to thinking on her feet-she hasn't become a terrific waitress by accident. But when she
and her aunt Addie move from New York City to a small town in Wisconsin to run the Welcome Stairways
Diner, she isn't sure she'll fit in. Then G.T., the owner of Welcome Stairways, decides to run for mayor even
though he has leukemia. And his corrupt opponent, the incumbent, has a powerful group of supporters. Some
think G.T. is crazy, but Hope sees the goodness and power in him. Will everyone else see it, too?
Jane Eyre
This is a suspense-filled romance about an unhappy orphan, Jane, and her life. Eventually Jane becomes a
governess at Thornfield, and falls in love with its owner, the mysterious Mr. Rochester. Their love story is
filled with difficulty, including a shocking revelation on their wedding day.
My Antonia
Set in Nebraska in the late 19th century, this is the story of the spirited daughter of a Bohemian immigrant
family told through the romantic eyes of Jim Burden. Jim's memories tell of the land and of Antonia, a girl who
works the fields like a man and who hears the songs of old Bohemian women in the cries of a cricket. In
Antonia, Willa Cather portrays one of the great women of literature - strong, capable, and honest.
Clancy (any except Hunt for Red October)
Tom Clancy writes political thrillers, and is best known for his technically-detailed espionage and military
science story-lines set during the Cold War.
Shogun
An explorer in seventeenth-century Japan, ambitious Englishman Blackthorne encounters the powerful and
power-hungry Lord Toranaga and Catholic convert Lady Mariko.
Christie (any mystery)
Agatha Christie is the most popular mystery writer of all time. In a career that spans over half a century, her
name is synonymous with brilliant deception, ingenious puzzles, and the surprise denouement. By virtually
inventing the modern mystery novel, she earned her title as the Queen of Crime. The best-loved and best-
known of all of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot mysteries is Murder on the Orient Express-the story of one
thrillingly exotic journey, one brutally stabbed victim, and seventeen extremely suspicious suspects.
The Chocolate War or Beyond the Chocolate War
You wouldn't think that Jerry Renault's refusal to sell chocolates during his school's fundraiser would create
such a stir, but it does; it's as if the whole school comes apart at the seams. To some, Jerry is a hero, but to
others, he becomes a scapegoat--a target for their pent-up hatred.
The Andromeda Strain
When an unmanned satellite returns to earth lethally contaminated, four American scientists are ordered to a
secret lab to work against the threat of a worldwide epidemic.
Young Joan
This book paints a fictional portrait of Joan of Arc, from her first visions until she leaves on her historic
mission.
I, Claudius
This novel is written as if it were an autobiographical memoir by Roman emperor Claudius. Physically weak,
afflicted with stammering, and inclined to drool, Claudius is an embarrassment to his family and is shunted to
the background of imperial affairs. The benefits of his apparent disabilities are twofold: he becomes a scholar
and historian, and he is spared the worst cruelties inflicted on the imperial family by its own members during
the reigns of Augustus, Tiberius, and Caligula. Palace intrigues and murders surround him.
The Luck of Troy
When Prince Paris of Troy kidnapped Helen and her baby son Nico, the furious Greeks fought for years against
his seemingly invincible city. But as Nico reaches his teens, he decides to take a hand in the war himself - by
removing the ancient secret, Troy's "luck", from the temple.
Morning is a Long Time Coming
In the sequel to Summer of My German Soldier, Patty Bergen, now out Jenkinsville High School, travels to
Germany to meet the family of Anton, the escaped German POW she had sheltered as a girl.
Black Like Me
In the Deep South of the 1950s, journalist John Howard Griffin decided to cross the color line. Using
medication that darkened his skin to deep brown, he exchanged his privileged life as a Southern white man for
the disenfranchised world of an unemployed black man. This true eyewitness history is a work about race and
humanity that still has something important to say to every American.
Death, Be Not Proud
Johnny Gunther was only seventeen years old when he died of a brain tumor. During the months of his illness,
everyone near him was unforgettably impressed by his level-headed courage, his wit and quiet friendliness, and,
above all, his unfaltering patience through times of despair. This deeply moving book is a father's memoir of a
brave, intelligent, and spirited boy.
All Creatures Great and Small (or any other)
This is the heartwarming true story of Dr. James Herriot, an English country veterinarian, whose humor and
natural storytelling ability have captured the hearts of readers in a very special way.
A Separate Peace
Sharing a room at Devon, an exclusive New England prep school, in the summer prior to World War II, Gene
and Phineas form a complex bond of friendship that draws out both the best and worst characteristics of each
boy and leads ultimately to violence, a confession, and the betrayal of trust.
Gathering Blue
Kira, an orphan with a twisted leg, lives in a world where the weak are cast aside. She fears for her future until she is spared by the all-powerful Council of Guardians. Kira is a gifted weaver and is given a task that no other community member can do. While her talent keeps her alive and brings certain privileges, Kira soon realizes she is surrounded by many mysteries and secrets.
Spindle's End (or any other)
Newbery Medalist McKinley embroiders and expands upon the tale of Sleeping Beauty, and creates a cast of
action-oriented heroines.
We Goddesses
The Greek myths, told by their leading ladies in a charming, conversational, yet dramatic and modern way. The
tellings of Athena, Aphrodite, and Hera intertwine (though none repeats a myth), enabling us to hear more than
one perspective on events and motives -- say, for instance, their wrangle over the golden apple and the outbreak
of the Trojan War.
Picard's The Iliad of Homer
This is a readable retelling of Homer's story about the Trojan War. NOTE: Other translations are NOT very
accessible.
All Quiet on the Western Front
Paul Baumer enlisted with his classmates in the German army of World War I. Youthful and enthusiastic, they
become soldiers. But as the horrible trench warfare plods on year after year, Paul holds fast to a single vow: to fight against the principles of hate that meaninglessly pits young men of the same generation but different
uniforms against each other--if only he can come out of the war alive.
The King Must Die
This is an adaptation of the legend of Theseus who masters the art of bull leaping and slays the Minotaur in the
process of fulfilling his destiny.
The Human Comedy
Set in Ithaca, in California's San Joaquin Valley during World War II, this book tells the story of the Macauley
family -- a mother, sister, and three brothers whose struggles and dreams reflect those of America's second-
generation immigrants. In particular, it focuses on fourteen-year-old Homer's coming of age.
The Prince and the Pauper
Tom Canty, a poor boy, bears a striking resemblance to Prince Edward, heir to the throne of England. Through
a series of mishaps, the boys change places, and those around them do not believe them when they each claim to
be the other boy.
Dicey's Song (or any other)
The four Tillerman children finally have a home at their grandmother's rundown farm on the Maryland shore.
It's what Dicey has dreamed of for her three younger siblings, but after watching over the others for so long, it's hard to let go. Who is Dicey, if she's no longer the caretaker for her family?
The Once and Future King
This is an often humorous retelling of the Arthurian legend, from Arthur's birth to the end of his reign, and is
based largely on Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte Darthur.
this page last updated:
31-May-2011
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