BOOK LIST
The following is a list of suggested books for students in 6th, 7th and 8th Grades to read for independent reading during the school year. Please keep in mind that this is NOT a comprehensive list. Students may ask Mr. Epperson about whether or not a particular book is acceptable.
o Alex Rider series, by Anthony Horowitz
o Wolf Brother, by Michael Paver
o Young James Bond series (starting with SilverFin), by Charlie Higson
o Maze Runner, by James Dashner
o Dangerous Days of Daniel X, by James Patterson
o Tentacles, by Roland Smith
o Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentlman? by Eleanor Updale
o Mister Monday (Keys to the Kingdom series), by Garth Nix
o Among the Hidden, by Margaret Peterson Haddix
o Elephant Run, by Roland Smith
o Pendragon series, by D.J. MacHale
o White Giraffe, Lauren St. John
o Wicked series, by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguié
o Leviathan, by Scott Westerfeld
o Artemis Fowl series, by Eoin Colfer
o Seventh Tower series, by Garth Nix
o The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, by Michael Scott
o Uglies series, by Scott Westerfeld
o Wee Free Men, by Terry Pratchett
o Evermore (the Immortals series), by Alyson Noel
o Wednesday Wars, by Gary Schmidt
o Game, by Walter Dean Myers
o Scat, by Carl Hiassen
o Alabama Moon, by Watt Key
o Saffy's Angel, by Hillary McKay
o The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet, by Erin Dionne
o A Corner of the Universe, by Ann Martin
o Dirty Little Secrets, by C.J. Omololu
o Rules of the Road, by Joan Bauer
o Dear John, by Nicholas Sparks
o Guys Write for Guys Read, edited by Jon Sciezska
o The Schwa Was Here, by Neal Shusterman
o Savvy, by Ingrid Law
o When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead
o Smile, by Raina Telgemeier
o Indigo Blue, by Cathy Cassidy
o That Was Then, This is Now, by S.E. Hinton
o Friendship for Today, by Patricia McKissack
o Al Capone Does My Shirts, by Gennifer Choldenko
o Blood on the River, by Elisa Carbone
o My Louisiana Sky, by Kimberly Willis Holt
o The Call of the Wild, by Jack London
o Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls
o The Georges and the Jewels, by Jane Smiley
o Chestnut Hill, by Lauren Brooke
o Sheep, by Valerie Hobbs
Rules / Cynthia Lord; in or
Frustrated at life with an autistic brother, twelve-year-old Catherine longs for a normal existence but her world is further complicated by a friendship with an young paraplegic.
Legend / Marie Lu; in , or YA kindle
In a dark future, when North America has split into two warring nations, fifteen-year-old Day--a famous criminal, and prodigy June--the brilliant soldier hired to capture him, discover that they have a common enemy.
Running Dream / Wendelin Van Draanen; in , , YA Kindle or
When a school bus accident leaves sixteen-year-old Jessica an amputee, she returns to school with a prosthetic limb and her track team finds a wonderful way to help rekindle her dream of running again.
Crash / Jerry Spinelli; in , , or YA Kindle
Seventh-grader John "Crash" Coogan has always been comfortable with his tough, aggressive behavior, until his relationship with an unusual Quaker boy and his grandfather's stroke make him consider the meaning of friendship and the importance of family.
Little Women / Louisa May Alcott; in , , , or ,
Chronicles the joys and sorrows of the four March sisters as they grow into young ladies in nineteenth-century New England.
The true confessions of Charlotte Doyle / Avi; in , or
As the lone "young lady" on a transatlantic voyage in 1832, Charlotte learns that the captain is murderous and the crew rebellious.
Chasing Vermeer / by Blue Balliet
When strange and seemingly unrelated events start to happen and a precious Vermeer painting disappears, eleven-year-olds Petra and Calder combine their talents to solve an international art scandal.
The Shakespeare stealer / Gary Blackwood; in or
A young orphan boy is ordered by his master to infiltrate Shakespeare's acting troupe in order to steal the script of "Hamlet," but he discovers instead the meaning of friendship and loyalty.
Tangerine / Edward Bloor; in or
Twelve-year-old Paul, who lives in the shadow of his football hero brother Erik, fights for the right to play soccer despite his near blindness and slowly begins to remember the incident that damaged his eyesight.
Abigail Adams : witness to a revolution / Natalie S. Bober
Abigail Adams is often referred to as the wife of one president and the mother of another. Rarely is she described as a woman in her own right. Although her primary focus and concerns were in her role as wife and mother, she lives in history because of her extraordinary letters to her family and to her friends.
Flags of our fathers : heroes of Iowa Jima / James Bradley with Ron Powers ; adapted for young people by Michael French
Now abridged for young people, Flags of Our Fathers is the unforgettable chronicle of perhaps the most famous moment in American military history: the raising of the U. S. flag at Iwo Jima.
The unthinkable thoughts of Jacob Green : a novel / by Joshua Braff
It's 1977. Jacob Green, a Jewish kid from suburban New Jersey, sits on the stairs during his family's housewarming party, waiting for his father, Abram--charming host, everyone's best friend, and amateur emcee--to introduce him to the crowd. But when the confetti settles and the drapes are drawn, the affable Abram Green becomes an egotistical tyrant whose emotional rages rupture the lives of his family.
The sisterhood of the traveling pants / Ann Brashares
During their first summer apart, four teenage girls, best friends since earliest childhood, stay in touch through a shared pair of secondhand jeans that magically adapts to each of their figures and affects their attitudes to their different summer experiences.
Jane Eyre / Charlotte Bronte; in , , or
An orphan girl's progress from the custody of cruel relatives to an oppressive boarding school culminates in a troubled career as a governess with the enigmatic Mr. Rochester.
Lucas / Kevin Brooks
On an isolated English island, fifteen-year-old Caitlin McCann makes the painful journey from adolescence to adulthood through her experiences with a mysterious boy, whose presence has an unsettling effect on the island's inhabitants.
Flight of passage / Rinker Buck
In the Summer of 1966, Rinker and Kernahan Buck - two teenaged schoolboys from New Jersey - bought a dilapidated Piper Cub airplane for $300, rebuilt it, and piloted it on a record breaking flight across America - navigating all the way to California without a radio, because they couldn't afford one.
Adrift : seventy-six days lost at sea / Steven Callahan; in or
Before The Perfect Storm, before In the Heart of the Sea, Steven Callahan’s dramatic tale of survival at sea was on the New York Times bestseller list for more than thirty-six weeks. A riveting firsthand account by the only man known to have survived more than a month alone at sea, fighting for his life in an inflatable raft after his small sloop capsized only six days out.
And then there were none / Agatha Christie; in , , , , or
Considered the best mystery novel ever written by many readers, And Then There Were None is the story of 10 strangers, each lured to Indian Island by a mysterious host. Once his guests have arrived, the host accuses each person of murder. Unable to leave the island, the guests begin to share their darkest secrets--until they begin to die.
Murder on the Orient Express / Agatha Christie
Classic Agatha Christie murder mystery starring Hercule Poirot
Fire bringer / David Clement-Davies
There is a prophecy among the deer. One day, a fawn will be born with the mark of an oak leaf upon his forehead. His courage will lead the deer to freedom; his strength will defeat their greatest enemy. Rannoch was born on the night his father was murdered. In a herd where hunger for power has destroyed all that is good, he must escape to survive.
The dark is rising series / Susan Cooper; in , , , , , or
On his eleventh birthday, Will Stanton discovers that he is the last of the Old Ones, destined to seek the six magical Signs that will enable the Old Ones to triumph over the evil forces of the Dark.
The red badge of courage / Stephen Crane; in , , , or
During his service in the Civil War a young Union soldier matures to manhood and finds peace of mind as he comes to grips with his conflicting emotions about war.
Children of the river / Linda Crew
Having fled Cambodia four years earlier to escape the Khmer Rouge army, seventeen-year-old Sundara is torn between remaining faithful to her own people and enjoying life in her Oregon high school as a "regular" American.
Bucking the Sarge / Christopher Paul Curtis; in or
Deeply involved in his cold and manipulative mother's shady business dealings in Flint, Michigan, fourteen-year-old Luther keeps a sense of humor while running the Happy Neighbor Group Home For Men, all the while dreaming of going to college and becoming a philosopher.
Oliver Twist / Charles Dickens; in , ,
The tale of a waif's unwilling but inevitable recruitment into a scabrous gang of thieves, this novel offers a realistic portrait of the correlation between poverty and crime.
David Copperfield / Charles Dickens; in , , , or
Orphaned as an infant, David must suffer the privation and cruelties of his evil stepfather, Mr. Murdstone--who packs David away to a workhouse at the age of ten. A trusting but vulnerable boy, David finds himself at the mercy of a rogue's gallery of characters: the dashing but deceitful Steerforth, the detestable clerk Uriah Heep, and, last but not least, the beautiful but ditzy Dora.
The London Eye mystery / Siobhan Dowd; in , , , or
When Ted and Kat's cousin Salim disappears from the London Eye ferris wheel, the two siblings must work together--Ted with his brain that is "wired differently" and impatient Kat--to try to solve the mystery of what happened to Salim.
The City of Ember / Jeanne DuPrau; availlabe in , or
In the year 241, twelve-year-old Lina trades jobs on Assignment Day to be a Messenger to run to new places in her decaying but beloved city, perhaps even to glimpse Unknown Regions.
Love among the walnuts / Jean Ferris
Born and raised in isolation in a wealthy, eccentric family, Sandy is shocked when he, his parents, and their servants become victims of a vicious plot by his greedy uncles to incapacitate them and take their money.
Hole in my life / Jack Gantos
The author relates how, as a young man, he became a drug use and smuggler, was arrested, did time in prison, and eventually got out and went to college, all the while hoping to become a writer.
Shattering Glass / Gail Giles
When Rob, the charismatic leader of the senior class, turns the school nerd into Prince Charming, his actions lead to unexpected violence.
The curious incident of the dog in the night-time / Mark Haddon; in , or
Despite his overwhelming fear of interacting with people, Christopher, a mathematically-gifted, autistic fifteen-year-old boy, decides to investigate the murder of a neighbor's dog and uncovers secret information about his mother.
Out of the dust / Karen Hesse; in or
In a series of poems, fifteen-year-old Billie Jo relates the hardships of living on her family's wheat farm in Oklahoma during the dust bowl years of the Depression.
Hoot / Carl Hiaasen; in , , , , or
Roy, who is new to his small Florida community, becomes involved in another boy's attempt to save a colony of burrowing owls from a proposed construction site.
Flush / Carl Hiaasen; in or
Noahs dad is sure that the owner of theCoral Queencasino boat is flushing raw sewage into the harbor&–which has made taking a dip at the local beach like swimming in a toilet. He cant prove it though, and so he decides that sinking the boat will make an effective statement. Right. The boat is pumped out and back in business within days and Noahs dad is stuck in the clink.
Chomp / Carl Hiaasen; in , , playaway, , or
When the difficult star of the reality television show "Expedition Survival" disappears while filming an episode in the Florida Everglades using animals from the wildlife refuge run by Wahoo Crane's family, Wahoo and classmate Tuna Gordon set out to find him while avoiding Tuna's gun-happy father.
Rocket boys : a memoir / Homer H. Hickam, Jr; in or
The life and times of aerospace engineer Home Hickman and his friends in Big Creek, West Virginia.
Bearstone / Will Hobbs
A troubled Indian boy goes to live with an elderly rancher whose caring ways help the boy become a man.
Downriver / Will Hobbs
Jessie and the other rebellious teenage members of a wilderness survival school team abandon their adult leader, hijack his boats, and try to run the dangerous white water at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.
Far north / Will Hobbs
After the destruction of their floatplane, sixteen-year-old Gabe and his Dene friend, Raymond, struggle to survive a winter in the wilderness of the Northwest Territories.
When Zachary Beaver came to town / Kimberly Willis Holt; in or
During the summer of 1971 in a small Texas town, thirteen-year-old Toby and his best friend Cal meet the star of a sideshow act, 600-pound Zachary, the fattest boy in the world.
New boy / Julian Houston
As a new sophomore at an exclusive boarding school, a young black man is witness to the persecution of another student with bad acne.
Soldier boys / Dean Hughes
Two boys, one German and one American, are eager to join their respective armies during World War II, and their paths cross at the Battle of the Bulge.
Toning the sweep / Angela Johnson
On a visit to her grandmother Ola, who is dying of cancer in her house in the desert, fourteen-year-old Emmie hears many stories about the past and her family history and comes to a better understanding of relatives both dead and living.
Howl's moving castle / Diana Wynne Jones; in or
Eldest of three sisters in a land where it is considered to be a misfortune, Sophie is resigned to her fate as a hat shop apprentice until a witch turns her into an old woman and she finds herself in the castle of the greatly feared wizard Howl.
Geeks : how two lost boys rode the Internet out of Idaho / Jon Katz
Geeks is the story of how Jesse and Eric—and others like them—used technology to try and change their lives and alter their destiny.
Alabama moon / Watt Key; in or
After the death of his father, ten-year-old Moon leaves their forest shelter home and is sent to an Alabama institution, becoming entangled in the outside world he has never known and making good friends, a relentless enemy, and finally a new life.
Pop / Gordon Korman; in or
Lonely after a midsummer move to a new town, HS quarterback Marcus Jordan becomes friends with a retired professional linebacker who is great at training him, but whose odd childish behavior keeps getting Marcus in trouble.
See you at Harry's / Jo Knowles; in or
Twelve-year-old Fern feels invisible in her family, where grumpy eighteen-year-old Sarah is working at the family restaurant, fourteen-year-old Holden is struggling with school bullies and his emerging homosexuality, and adorable, three-year-old Charlie is always the center of attention, and when tragedy strikes, the fragile bond holding the family together is stretched almost to the breaking point.
A wizard of Earthsea series / Ursula K. Le Guin; in or
Ged was the greatest sorcerer in all Earthsea, but once he was called Sparrowhawk, a reckless youth, hungry for power and knowledge, who tampered with long-held secrets and loosed a terrible shadow upon the world. This is the tale of his testing, how he mastered the mighty words of power, tamed an ancient dragon, and crossed death's threshold to restore the balance.
The call of the wild / Jack London; in , , or
This masterpiece of American fiction recounts the gripping adventures of Buck, a courageous creature forced into the brutal life of sled-dog during the Alaskan gold rush. Forced to relinquish the safety of his familiar world, Buck survives and ultimately prevails in the harsh realities of the Far North through the discovery of his own primitive nature.
White fang / Jack London; in , or
Born in the wilds of the freezing Yukon, the wolf-cub White Fang soon learns the harsh laws of nature, growing fiercer and more independent in his struggle to survive. Yet buried deep inside him are distant memories of affection and love - can he learn to trust man again?
Chinese Cinderella : the true story of an unwanted daughter / Adeline Yen Mah;
A riveting memoir of a girl's painful coming-of-age in a wealthy Chinese family during the 1940s.
Never fall down : a boy soldier's story of survival / Patricia McCormick; in or
From National Book Award finalist McCormick ("Sold") comes a raw, powerful novel based on the true story of Arn Chorn Pond, a boy who survived the Killing Fields of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia to become a human rights activist.
Cinder / Marissa Meyer;
As plague ravages the overcrowded Earth, observed by a ruthless lunar people, Cinder, a gifted mechanic and cyborg, becomes involved with handsome Prince Kai and must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect the world in this futuristic take on the Cinderella story.
Tree Girl / Ben Mikaelsen; in or
One day from the safety of a tree, Gabi witnesses the sights and sounds of an unspeakable massacre. She vows to be Tree Girl no more and joins the hordes of refugees struggling to reach the Mexican border.
Anne of Green Gables / L.M. Montgomery; in , , ,
Anne, an eleven-year-old orphan, is sent by mistake to live with a lonely, middle-aged brother and sister on a Prince Edward Island farm and proceeds to make an indelible impression on everyone around her.
Private Peaceful / Michael Morpurgo
When Thomas Peaceful's older brother is forced to join the British Army, Thomas decides to sign up as well, although he is only fourteen years old, to prove himself to his country, his family, his childhood love, Molly, and himself.
My dog Skip / Willie Morris
In 1943 in a sleepy town on the banks of the Yazoo River, a boy fell in love with a puppy with a lively gait and an intellingent way of listening. The two grew up together having the most wonderful adventures.
Zazoo / by Richard Mosher
Amid old secrets revealed and rifts healed, a thirteen-year-old Vietnamese orphan raised in rural France by her aging "Grand-Pierre" learns about life, death, and love.
The great fire / Jim Murphy
By weaving personal accounts of actual survivors together with the carefully researched history of Chicago and the disaster, the author constructs a narrative of the Great Fire of Chicago. He goes on to show how, even in a time of deepest despair, the human spirit triumphed, as the people of Chicago found the courage and strength to build their city once again.
Hoops / Walter Dean Myers
A teenage basketball player from Harlem is befriended by a former professional player who, after being forced to quit because of a point shaving scandal, hopes to prevent other young athletes from repeating his mistake.
The greatest : Muhammad Ali / Walter Dean Myers
Through the story of Ali's childhood, his rise as a champion, his politics, and his battle against Parkinsons' disease, readers will come to know the man behind the brash public persona -- the man whose talent and legacy will stir and inspire a new generation of fans.
145th Street : short stories / Walter Dean Myers; in or
Ten stories portray life on a block in Harlem.
The other side of truth / Beverley Naidoo
Smuggled out of Nigeria after their mother's murder, Sade and her younger brother are abandoned in London when their uncle fails to meet them at the airport and they are fearful of their new surroundings and of what may have happened to their journalist father back in Nigeria.
The tree is older than you are : a bilingual gathering of poems & stories from Mexico with paintings by Mexican artists / selected by Naomi Shihab Nye
English translations appear alongside the Spanish poems and tales that explore everything from a table set for supper to a peach tree to a legend of rabbit's long ears.
Habibi / Naomi Shihab Nye; in or
The day after Liyana got her first real kiss, her life changed forever. Not because of the kiss, but because it was the day her father announced that the family was moving from St. Louis all the way to Palestine.
In my hands : memories of a Holocaust rescuer / Irene Gut Opdyke; in or
In My Handsbegan as one non-Jew’s challenge to any who would deny the Holocaust. Much likeThe Diary of Anne Frank,it has become a profound document of an individual’s heroism in the face of the greatest evil mankind has known.
Airborn / Kenneth Oppel;
Matt, a young cabin boy aboard an airship, and Kate, a wealthy young girl traveling with her chaperone, team up to search for the existence of mysterious winged creatures reportedly living hundreds of feet above the Earth's surface.
Inheritance series / Christopher Paolini
1st book in series - Eragon; in , , , , audio Children's Kindle or playaway
John Lennon : all I want is the truth : a photographic biography / by Elizabeth Partridge
Award-winning biographer Elizabeth Partridge dives into Lennon’s life from the night he was born in 1940 during a World War II air raid on Liverpool, deftly taking us through his turbulent childhood and his rebellious rock’n’roll teens to his celebrated life writing, recording, and performing music with the Beatles.
Rosa Parks : my story / by Rosa Parks
Even those familiar with her name will realize on reading this engrossing account how little they really know of Parks's life and the events that surrounded the dawning Civil Rights movement.
The same stuff as stars / Katherine Paterson
When Angel's self-absorbed mother leaves her and her younger brother with their poor great-grandmother, the eleven-year-old girl worries not only about her mother and brother, her imprisoned father, the frail old woman, but also about a mysterious man who begins sharing with her the wonder of the stars.
Nightjohn / Gary Paulsen
Twelve-year-old Sarny's brutal life as a slave becomes even more dangerous when a newly arrived slave offers to teach her how to read.
Soldier's heart : a novel of the Civil War / Gary Paulsen; in , or
Eager to enlist, fifteen-year-old Charley Goddard has a change of heart after experiencing both the physical horrors and mental anguish of Civil War combat. A powerful novel that re-creates the agony of the Civil War, based on the real-life experiences of a Union soldier who was only 15 when he went to war.
Criss cross / by Lynne Rae Perkins
Teenagers in a small town in the 1960s experience new thoughts and feelings, question their identities, connect, and disconnect as they search for the meaning of life and love. Newbery Medal winner.
Freak the Mighty / Rodman Philbrick; in or
Two boys – a slow learner stuck in the body of a teenage giant and a tiny Einstein in leg braces – forge a unique friendship when they pair up to create one formidable human force.
The last book in the universe / Rodman Philbrick
After an earthquake has destroyed much of the planet, an epileptic teenager nicknamed Spaz begins the heroic fight to bring human intelligence back to the Earth of a distant future.
Protector of the Small series / Tamora Pierce
1st book in series - First test; in or
In the medieval and fantastic realm of Tortall, Keladry of Mindelan (known as Kel) is the first girl to take advantage of the decree that permits females to train for knighthood.
His Dark Materials trilogy / Philip Pullman
1st book in series - The Golden Compass, in , , , or audio
In this first book of a fantasy trilogy, young Lyre & her alter ego, a protective animal named Pantalaimon, escape from the child-stealing Gobblers & join a group heading north to rescue a band of missing children.
Sally Lockhart series / Philip Pullman
1st book in series - Ruby in the smoke; in or
In nineteenth-century London, sixteen-year-old Sally, a recent orphan, becomes involved in a deadly search for a mysterious ruby.
Hungry City Chronicles / Philip Reeve
1st book in series - Mortal Engines
In the distant future, when cities move about and consume smaller towns, a fifteen-year-old apprentice is pushed out of London by the man he most admires and must seek answers in the perilous Out-Country, aided by one girl and the memory of another.
The fifth of March : a story of the Boston Massacre / Ann Rinaldi
Fourteen-year-old Rachel Marsh, an indentured servant in the Boston household of John and Abigail Adams, is caught up in the colonists' unrest that eventually escalates into the massacre of March 5, 1770.
Hang a thousand trees with ribbons : the story of Phillis Wheatley / Ann Rinaldi
A fictionalized biography of the eighteenth-century African woman who, as a child, was brought to New England to be a slave, and after publishing her first poem when a teenager, gained renown throughout the colonies as an important black American poet.
Choosing up sides / John H. Ritter
In 1921 thirteen-year-old Luke finds himself torn between accepting his left-handedness or conforming to the belief of his preacher-father that such a condition is evil and must be overcome.
The impossible rescue : the true story of an amazing Arctic adventure / Martin W. Sandler; in
The dead of an Arctic winter. Whaling ships full of men, stranded in ice. Follow three rescuers in a race against time - and all odds - in this heartpounding true adventure.
Shooting Kabul / N.H. Senzai
Escaping from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan in the summer of 2001, eleven-year-old Fadi and his family immigrate to the San Francisco Bay Area, where Fadi schemes to return to the Pakistani refugee camp where his little sister was accidentally left behind.
Bomb : the race to build - and steal - the world's most dangerous weapon / Steve Sheinkin;
This is the story of the plotting, the risk-taking, the deceit, and genius that created the world's most formidable weapon. This is the story of the atomic bomb.
The Schwa was here / Neal Shusterman; in or
A Brooklyn eighth-grader nicknamed Antsy befriends the Schwa, an "invisible-ish" boy who is tired of blending into his surroundings and going unnoticed by nearly everyone.
The dark side of nowhere / Neal Shusterman
Fourteen-year-old Jason faces an identity crisis after discovering that he is the son of aliens who stayed on earth following a botched invasion mission.
A tree grows in Brooklyn / Betty Smith; in ,
Young Francie Nolan, having inherited both her father's romantic and her mother's practical nature, struggles to survive and thrive growing up in the slums of Brooklyn in the early twentieth century.
Drums, girls, & dangerous pie / Jordan Sonnenblick;
Steven has a totally normal life: he plays drums in the All-Star Jazz band, has a crush on the hottest girl in the school, and is constantly annoyed by his five-year-old brother, Jeffrey. But when Jeffrey is diagnosed with leukemia, Steven's world is turned upside down.
Zen and the art of faking it / by Jordan Sonnenblick; in , or
When eighth-grader San Lee moves to a new town and a new school for the umpteenth time, he doesn't try to make new friends or be a loner or play cool. Instead he sits back and devises a plan to be totally different. And just when he thinks everyone (including the cute girl he can't stop thinking about) is on to him, everyone believes him . . . in a major Zen way.
The Little Prince / Antoine de St. Exupery
An aviator whose plane is forced down in the Sahara Desert encounters a little prince from a small planet who relates his adventures in seeking the secret of what is important in life. Howard's new translation of this beloved classic beautifully reflects Saint-Exupery's unique, gifted style.
Under the persimmon tree / Suzanne Fisher Staples
During the 2001 Afghan War, the lives of Najmal, a young refugee from Kunduz, Afghanistan, and Nusrat, an American-Muslim teacher who is awaiting her huband's return from Mazar-i-Sharif, intersect at a school in Peshawar, Pakistan.
Queen's Thief Trilogy / Megan Whalen Turner
"I can steal anything." After Gen's bragging lands him in the king's prison, the chances of escape look slim. Then the king's scholar, the magus, needs the thief's skill for a seemingly impossible task -- to steal a hidden treasure from another land. To the magus, Gen is just a tool. But Gen is a trickster and a survivor with a plan of his own.
The Queen of Attolia;
Forsaken by the gods and left to his own devices, Eugenides, Royal Thief of Eddis, summons all his wit and wiles in an attempt to conquer the rival Queen of Attolia.
The king of Attolia
Eugenides, still known as a Thief of Eddis, faces palace intrigue and assassins as he strives to prove himself both to the people of Attolia and to his new bride, their queen.
The adventures of Tom Sawyer / Mark Twain; in , , or
The classic story of a mischievous nineteenth-century boy in a Mississippi River town and his friends, Huck Finn and Becky Thatcher, as they run away from home, witness a murder, and find a treasure in a cave.
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's court / Mark Twain
When young Edward VI of England and a poor boy who resembles him exchange places, each learns something about the other's very different station in life.
Izzy, willy-nilly / Cynthia Voigt; in or
A car accident causes fifteen-year-old Izzy to lose one leg and face the need to start building a new life as an amputee.
The Final Four / Paul Volponi
As the last moments tick down on the game clock, you'll learn how each of four players went from being a kid who loved to shoot hoops to a powerful force in one of the most important games of the year. Which team will leave the Superdome victorious? In the end it will come down to which players have the most skill, the most drive, and the most heart.
Homeless bird / Gloria Whelan; in , or
When thirteen-year-old Koly enters into an ill-fated arranged marriage, she must either suffer a destiny dictated by India's tradition or find the courage to oppose it.
Now is the time for running/ Michael Williams
When soldiers attack a small village in Zimbabwe, Deo goes on the run with Innocent, his older, mentally disabled brother, carrying little but a leather soccer ball filled with money, and after facing prejudice, poverty, and tragedy, it is in soccer that Deo finds renewed hope.
Adam Canfield of the Slash / Michael Winerip; in or
Extra! Extra! Middle-school reporters stand up to authority to expose a school scandal in this funny, inspiring story set behind the scenes at a student newspaper.
Briar Rose / Jane Yolen; in or
It is an old, old tale, the German story of Briar Rose, the Sleeping Beauty. Now one of America's most celebrated writers tells it afresh, set this time in the forests patrolled by the German army during World War II. A tale of castles, of mists and thorns, of a beautiful sleeping princess, and an astonishing revelation of death and rebirth.
Sword of the rightful king : a novel of King Arthur / Jane Yolen
The newly crowned King Arthur is unsure of himself; worse, the people are unsure of him. Too many people want the throne, and treachery is everywhere. Merlin must do something before the king is betrayed, or murdered, or--worst of all--gets married.
I am the messenger / Markus Zusak; in or
Ed Kennedy is a nineteen-year-old cab driver who doesn't think much of his life. He inadvertently helps stop a bank robbery, and that is when his life starts to change. He begins to receive mysterious messages that instruct him to go to addresses where people need help. Ed becomes the messenger, but who is behind the messages?
The book thief / by Markus Zusak; in , , YA kindle, ,
It's just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . . On the NY Times bestseller list for almost five years!
o Wolf Brother, by Michael Paver
o Young James Bond series (starting with SilverFin), by Charlie Higson
o Maze Runner, by James Dashner
o Dangerous Days of Daniel X, by James Patterson
o Tentacles, by Roland Smith
o Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentlman? by Eleanor Updale
o Mister Monday (Keys to the Kingdom series), by Garth Nix
o Among the Hidden, by Margaret Peterson Haddix
o Elephant Run, by Roland Smith
o Pendragon series, by D.J. MacHale
o White Giraffe, Lauren St. John
o Wicked series, by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguié
o Leviathan, by Scott Westerfeld
o Artemis Fowl series, by Eoin Colfer
o Seventh Tower series, by Garth Nix
o The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, by Michael Scott
o Uglies series, by Scott Westerfeld
o Wee Free Men, by Terry Pratchett
o Evermore (the Immortals series), by Alyson Noel
o Wednesday Wars, by Gary Schmidt
o Game, by Walter Dean Myers
o Scat, by Carl Hiassen
o Alabama Moon, by Watt Key
o Saffy's Angel, by Hillary McKay
o The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet, by Erin Dionne
o A Corner of the Universe, by Ann Martin
o Dirty Little Secrets, by C.J. Omololu
o Rules of the Road, by Joan Bauer
o Dear John, by Nicholas Sparks
o Guys Write for Guys Read, edited by Jon Sciezska
o The Schwa Was Here, by Neal Shusterman
o Savvy, by Ingrid Law
o When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead
o Smile, by Raina Telgemeier
o Indigo Blue, by Cathy Cassidy
o That Was Then, This is Now, by S.E. Hinton
o Friendship for Today, by Patricia McKissack
o Al Capone Does My Shirts, by Gennifer Choldenko
o Blood on the River, by Elisa Carbone
o My Louisiana Sky, by Kimberly Willis Holt
o The Call of the Wild, by Jack London
o Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls
o The Georges and the Jewels, by Jane Smiley
o Chestnut Hill, by Lauren Brooke
o Sheep, by Valerie Hobbs
Rules / Cynthia Lord; in or
Frustrated at life with an autistic brother, twelve-year-old Catherine longs for a normal existence but her world is further complicated by a friendship with an young paraplegic.
Legend / Marie Lu; in , or YA kindle
In a dark future, when North America has split into two warring nations, fifteen-year-old Day--a famous criminal, and prodigy June--the brilliant soldier hired to capture him, discover that they have a common enemy.
Running Dream / Wendelin Van Draanen; in , , YA Kindle or
When a school bus accident leaves sixteen-year-old Jessica an amputee, she returns to school with a prosthetic limb and her track team finds a wonderful way to help rekindle her dream of running again.
Crash / Jerry Spinelli; in , , or YA Kindle
Seventh-grader John "Crash" Coogan has always been comfortable with his tough, aggressive behavior, until his relationship with an unusual Quaker boy and his grandfather's stroke make him consider the meaning of friendship and the importance of family.
Little Women / Louisa May Alcott; in , , , or ,
Chronicles the joys and sorrows of the four March sisters as they grow into young ladies in nineteenth-century New England.
The true confessions of Charlotte Doyle / Avi; in , or
As the lone "young lady" on a transatlantic voyage in 1832, Charlotte learns that the captain is murderous and the crew rebellious.
Chasing Vermeer / by Blue Balliet
When strange and seemingly unrelated events start to happen and a precious Vermeer painting disappears, eleven-year-olds Petra and Calder combine their talents to solve an international art scandal.
The Shakespeare stealer / Gary Blackwood; in or
A young orphan boy is ordered by his master to infiltrate Shakespeare's acting troupe in order to steal the script of "Hamlet," but he discovers instead the meaning of friendship and loyalty.
Tangerine / Edward Bloor; in or
Twelve-year-old Paul, who lives in the shadow of his football hero brother Erik, fights for the right to play soccer despite his near blindness and slowly begins to remember the incident that damaged his eyesight.
Abigail Adams : witness to a revolution / Natalie S. Bober
Abigail Adams is often referred to as the wife of one president and the mother of another. Rarely is she described as a woman in her own right. Although her primary focus and concerns were in her role as wife and mother, she lives in history because of her extraordinary letters to her family and to her friends.
Flags of our fathers : heroes of Iowa Jima / James Bradley with Ron Powers ; adapted for young people by Michael French
Now abridged for young people, Flags of Our Fathers is the unforgettable chronicle of perhaps the most famous moment in American military history: the raising of the U. S. flag at Iwo Jima.
The unthinkable thoughts of Jacob Green : a novel / by Joshua Braff
It's 1977. Jacob Green, a Jewish kid from suburban New Jersey, sits on the stairs during his family's housewarming party, waiting for his father, Abram--charming host, everyone's best friend, and amateur emcee--to introduce him to the crowd. But when the confetti settles and the drapes are drawn, the affable Abram Green becomes an egotistical tyrant whose emotional rages rupture the lives of his family.
The sisterhood of the traveling pants / Ann Brashares
During their first summer apart, four teenage girls, best friends since earliest childhood, stay in touch through a shared pair of secondhand jeans that magically adapts to each of their figures and affects their attitudes to their different summer experiences.
Jane Eyre / Charlotte Bronte; in , , or
An orphan girl's progress from the custody of cruel relatives to an oppressive boarding school culminates in a troubled career as a governess with the enigmatic Mr. Rochester.
Lucas / Kevin Brooks
On an isolated English island, fifteen-year-old Caitlin McCann makes the painful journey from adolescence to adulthood through her experiences with a mysterious boy, whose presence has an unsettling effect on the island's inhabitants.
Flight of passage / Rinker Buck
In the Summer of 1966, Rinker and Kernahan Buck - two teenaged schoolboys from New Jersey - bought a dilapidated Piper Cub airplane for $300, rebuilt it, and piloted it on a record breaking flight across America - navigating all the way to California without a radio, because they couldn't afford one.
Adrift : seventy-six days lost at sea / Steven Callahan; in or
Before The Perfect Storm, before In the Heart of the Sea, Steven Callahan’s dramatic tale of survival at sea was on the New York Times bestseller list for more than thirty-six weeks. A riveting firsthand account by the only man known to have survived more than a month alone at sea, fighting for his life in an inflatable raft after his small sloop capsized only six days out.
And then there were none / Agatha Christie; in , , , , or
Considered the best mystery novel ever written by many readers, And Then There Were None is the story of 10 strangers, each lured to Indian Island by a mysterious host. Once his guests have arrived, the host accuses each person of murder. Unable to leave the island, the guests begin to share their darkest secrets--until they begin to die.
Murder on the Orient Express / Agatha Christie
Classic Agatha Christie murder mystery starring Hercule Poirot
Fire bringer / David Clement-Davies
There is a prophecy among the deer. One day, a fawn will be born with the mark of an oak leaf upon his forehead. His courage will lead the deer to freedom; his strength will defeat their greatest enemy. Rannoch was born on the night his father was murdered. In a herd where hunger for power has destroyed all that is good, he must escape to survive.
The dark is rising series / Susan Cooper; in , , , , , or
On his eleventh birthday, Will Stanton discovers that he is the last of the Old Ones, destined to seek the six magical Signs that will enable the Old Ones to triumph over the evil forces of the Dark.
The red badge of courage / Stephen Crane; in , , , or
During his service in the Civil War a young Union soldier matures to manhood and finds peace of mind as he comes to grips with his conflicting emotions about war.
Children of the river / Linda Crew
Having fled Cambodia four years earlier to escape the Khmer Rouge army, seventeen-year-old Sundara is torn between remaining faithful to her own people and enjoying life in her Oregon high school as a "regular" American.
Bucking the Sarge / Christopher Paul Curtis; in or
Deeply involved in his cold and manipulative mother's shady business dealings in Flint, Michigan, fourteen-year-old Luther keeps a sense of humor while running the Happy Neighbor Group Home For Men, all the while dreaming of going to college and becoming a philosopher.
Oliver Twist / Charles Dickens; in , ,
The tale of a waif's unwilling but inevitable recruitment into a scabrous gang of thieves, this novel offers a realistic portrait of the correlation between poverty and crime.
David Copperfield / Charles Dickens; in , , , or
Orphaned as an infant, David must suffer the privation and cruelties of his evil stepfather, Mr. Murdstone--who packs David away to a workhouse at the age of ten. A trusting but vulnerable boy, David finds himself at the mercy of a rogue's gallery of characters: the dashing but deceitful Steerforth, the detestable clerk Uriah Heep, and, last but not least, the beautiful but ditzy Dora.
The London Eye mystery / Siobhan Dowd; in , , , or
When Ted and Kat's cousin Salim disappears from the London Eye ferris wheel, the two siblings must work together--Ted with his brain that is "wired differently" and impatient Kat--to try to solve the mystery of what happened to Salim.
The City of Ember / Jeanne DuPrau; availlabe in , or
In the year 241, twelve-year-old Lina trades jobs on Assignment Day to be a Messenger to run to new places in her decaying but beloved city, perhaps even to glimpse Unknown Regions.
Love among the walnuts / Jean Ferris
Born and raised in isolation in a wealthy, eccentric family, Sandy is shocked when he, his parents, and their servants become victims of a vicious plot by his greedy uncles to incapacitate them and take their money.
Hole in my life / Jack Gantos
The author relates how, as a young man, he became a drug use and smuggler, was arrested, did time in prison, and eventually got out and went to college, all the while hoping to become a writer.
Shattering Glass / Gail Giles
When Rob, the charismatic leader of the senior class, turns the school nerd into Prince Charming, his actions lead to unexpected violence.
The curious incident of the dog in the night-time / Mark Haddon; in , or
Despite his overwhelming fear of interacting with people, Christopher, a mathematically-gifted, autistic fifteen-year-old boy, decides to investigate the murder of a neighbor's dog and uncovers secret information about his mother.
Out of the dust / Karen Hesse; in or
In a series of poems, fifteen-year-old Billie Jo relates the hardships of living on her family's wheat farm in Oklahoma during the dust bowl years of the Depression.
Hoot / Carl Hiaasen; in , , , , or
Roy, who is new to his small Florida community, becomes involved in another boy's attempt to save a colony of burrowing owls from a proposed construction site.
Flush / Carl Hiaasen; in or
Noahs dad is sure that the owner of theCoral Queencasino boat is flushing raw sewage into the harbor&–which has made taking a dip at the local beach like swimming in a toilet. He cant prove it though, and so he decides that sinking the boat will make an effective statement. Right. The boat is pumped out and back in business within days and Noahs dad is stuck in the clink.
Chomp / Carl Hiaasen; in , , playaway, , or
When the difficult star of the reality television show "Expedition Survival" disappears while filming an episode in the Florida Everglades using animals from the wildlife refuge run by Wahoo Crane's family, Wahoo and classmate Tuna Gordon set out to find him while avoiding Tuna's gun-happy father.
Rocket boys : a memoir / Homer H. Hickam, Jr; in or
The life and times of aerospace engineer Home Hickman and his friends in Big Creek, West Virginia.
Bearstone / Will Hobbs
A troubled Indian boy goes to live with an elderly rancher whose caring ways help the boy become a man.
Downriver / Will Hobbs
Jessie and the other rebellious teenage members of a wilderness survival school team abandon their adult leader, hijack his boats, and try to run the dangerous white water at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.
Far north / Will Hobbs
After the destruction of their floatplane, sixteen-year-old Gabe and his Dene friend, Raymond, struggle to survive a winter in the wilderness of the Northwest Territories.
When Zachary Beaver came to town / Kimberly Willis Holt; in or
During the summer of 1971 in a small Texas town, thirteen-year-old Toby and his best friend Cal meet the star of a sideshow act, 600-pound Zachary, the fattest boy in the world.
New boy / Julian Houston
As a new sophomore at an exclusive boarding school, a young black man is witness to the persecution of another student with bad acne.
Soldier boys / Dean Hughes
Two boys, one German and one American, are eager to join their respective armies during World War II, and their paths cross at the Battle of the Bulge.
Toning the sweep / Angela Johnson
On a visit to her grandmother Ola, who is dying of cancer in her house in the desert, fourteen-year-old Emmie hears many stories about the past and her family history and comes to a better understanding of relatives both dead and living.
Howl's moving castle / Diana Wynne Jones; in or
Eldest of three sisters in a land where it is considered to be a misfortune, Sophie is resigned to her fate as a hat shop apprentice until a witch turns her into an old woman and she finds herself in the castle of the greatly feared wizard Howl.
Geeks : how two lost boys rode the Internet out of Idaho / Jon Katz
Geeks is the story of how Jesse and Eric—and others like them—used technology to try and change their lives and alter their destiny.
Alabama moon / Watt Key; in or
After the death of his father, ten-year-old Moon leaves their forest shelter home and is sent to an Alabama institution, becoming entangled in the outside world he has never known and making good friends, a relentless enemy, and finally a new life.
Pop / Gordon Korman; in or
Lonely after a midsummer move to a new town, HS quarterback Marcus Jordan becomes friends with a retired professional linebacker who is great at training him, but whose odd childish behavior keeps getting Marcus in trouble.
See you at Harry's / Jo Knowles; in or
Twelve-year-old Fern feels invisible in her family, where grumpy eighteen-year-old Sarah is working at the family restaurant, fourteen-year-old Holden is struggling with school bullies and his emerging homosexuality, and adorable, three-year-old Charlie is always the center of attention, and when tragedy strikes, the fragile bond holding the family together is stretched almost to the breaking point.
A wizard of Earthsea series / Ursula K. Le Guin; in or
Ged was the greatest sorcerer in all Earthsea, but once he was called Sparrowhawk, a reckless youth, hungry for power and knowledge, who tampered with long-held secrets and loosed a terrible shadow upon the world. This is the tale of his testing, how he mastered the mighty words of power, tamed an ancient dragon, and crossed death's threshold to restore the balance.
The call of the wild / Jack London; in , , or
This masterpiece of American fiction recounts the gripping adventures of Buck, a courageous creature forced into the brutal life of sled-dog during the Alaskan gold rush. Forced to relinquish the safety of his familiar world, Buck survives and ultimately prevails in the harsh realities of the Far North through the discovery of his own primitive nature.
White fang / Jack London; in , or
Born in the wilds of the freezing Yukon, the wolf-cub White Fang soon learns the harsh laws of nature, growing fiercer and more independent in his struggle to survive. Yet buried deep inside him are distant memories of affection and love - can he learn to trust man again?
Chinese Cinderella : the true story of an unwanted daughter / Adeline Yen Mah;
A riveting memoir of a girl's painful coming-of-age in a wealthy Chinese family during the 1940s.
Never fall down : a boy soldier's story of survival / Patricia McCormick; in or
From National Book Award finalist McCormick ("Sold") comes a raw, powerful novel based on the true story of Arn Chorn Pond, a boy who survived the Killing Fields of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia to become a human rights activist.
Cinder / Marissa Meyer;
As plague ravages the overcrowded Earth, observed by a ruthless lunar people, Cinder, a gifted mechanic and cyborg, becomes involved with handsome Prince Kai and must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect the world in this futuristic take on the Cinderella story.
Tree Girl / Ben Mikaelsen; in or
One day from the safety of a tree, Gabi witnesses the sights and sounds of an unspeakable massacre. She vows to be Tree Girl no more and joins the hordes of refugees struggling to reach the Mexican border.
Anne of Green Gables / L.M. Montgomery; in , , ,
Anne, an eleven-year-old orphan, is sent by mistake to live with a lonely, middle-aged brother and sister on a Prince Edward Island farm and proceeds to make an indelible impression on everyone around her.
Private Peaceful / Michael Morpurgo
When Thomas Peaceful's older brother is forced to join the British Army, Thomas decides to sign up as well, although he is only fourteen years old, to prove himself to his country, his family, his childhood love, Molly, and himself.
My dog Skip / Willie Morris
In 1943 in a sleepy town on the banks of the Yazoo River, a boy fell in love with a puppy with a lively gait and an intellingent way of listening. The two grew up together having the most wonderful adventures.
Zazoo / by Richard Mosher
Amid old secrets revealed and rifts healed, a thirteen-year-old Vietnamese orphan raised in rural France by her aging "Grand-Pierre" learns about life, death, and love.
The great fire / Jim Murphy
By weaving personal accounts of actual survivors together with the carefully researched history of Chicago and the disaster, the author constructs a narrative of the Great Fire of Chicago. He goes on to show how, even in a time of deepest despair, the human spirit triumphed, as the people of Chicago found the courage and strength to build their city once again.
Hoops / Walter Dean Myers
A teenage basketball player from Harlem is befriended by a former professional player who, after being forced to quit because of a point shaving scandal, hopes to prevent other young athletes from repeating his mistake.
The greatest : Muhammad Ali / Walter Dean Myers
Through the story of Ali's childhood, his rise as a champion, his politics, and his battle against Parkinsons' disease, readers will come to know the man behind the brash public persona -- the man whose talent and legacy will stir and inspire a new generation of fans.
145th Street : short stories / Walter Dean Myers; in or
Ten stories portray life on a block in Harlem.
The other side of truth / Beverley Naidoo
Smuggled out of Nigeria after their mother's murder, Sade and her younger brother are abandoned in London when their uncle fails to meet them at the airport and they are fearful of their new surroundings and of what may have happened to their journalist father back in Nigeria.
The tree is older than you are : a bilingual gathering of poems & stories from Mexico with paintings by Mexican artists / selected by Naomi Shihab Nye
English translations appear alongside the Spanish poems and tales that explore everything from a table set for supper to a peach tree to a legend of rabbit's long ears.
Habibi / Naomi Shihab Nye; in or
The day after Liyana got her first real kiss, her life changed forever. Not because of the kiss, but because it was the day her father announced that the family was moving from St. Louis all the way to Palestine.
In my hands : memories of a Holocaust rescuer / Irene Gut Opdyke; in or
In My Handsbegan as one non-Jew’s challenge to any who would deny the Holocaust. Much likeThe Diary of Anne Frank,it has become a profound document of an individual’s heroism in the face of the greatest evil mankind has known.
Airborn / Kenneth Oppel;
Matt, a young cabin boy aboard an airship, and Kate, a wealthy young girl traveling with her chaperone, team up to search for the existence of mysterious winged creatures reportedly living hundreds of feet above the Earth's surface.
Inheritance series / Christopher Paolini
1st book in series - Eragon; in , , , , audio Children's Kindle or playaway
John Lennon : all I want is the truth : a photographic biography / by Elizabeth Partridge
Award-winning biographer Elizabeth Partridge dives into Lennon’s life from the night he was born in 1940 during a World War II air raid on Liverpool, deftly taking us through his turbulent childhood and his rebellious rock’n’roll teens to his celebrated life writing, recording, and performing music with the Beatles.
Rosa Parks : my story / by Rosa Parks
Even those familiar with her name will realize on reading this engrossing account how little they really know of Parks's life and the events that surrounded the dawning Civil Rights movement.
The same stuff as stars / Katherine Paterson
When Angel's self-absorbed mother leaves her and her younger brother with their poor great-grandmother, the eleven-year-old girl worries not only about her mother and brother, her imprisoned father, the frail old woman, but also about a mysterious man who begins sharing with her the wonder of the stars.
Nightjohn / Gary Paulsen
Twelve-year-old Sarny's brutal life as a slave becomes even more dangerous when a newly arrived slave offers to teach her how to read.
Soldier's heart : a novel of the Civil War / Gary Paulsen; in , or
Eager to enlist, fifteen-year-old Charley Goddard has a change of heart after experiencing both the physical horrors and mental anguish of Civil War combat. A powerful novel that re-creates the agony of the Civil War, based on the real-life experiences of a Union soldier who was only 15 when he went to war.
Criss cross / by Lynne Rae Perkins
Teenagers in a small town in the 1960s experience new thoughts and feelings, question their identities, connect, and disconnect as they search for the meaning of life and love. Newbery Medal winner.
Freak the Mighty / Rodman Philbrick; in or
Two boys – a slow learner stuck in the body of a teenage giant and a tiny Einstein in leg braces – forge a unique friendship when they pair up to create one formidable human force.
The last book in the universe / Rodman Philbrick
After an earthquake has destroyed much of the planet, an epileptic teenager nicknamed Spaz begins the heroic fight to bring human intelligence back to the Earth of a distant future.
Protector of the Small series / Tamora Pierce
1st book in series - First test; in or
In the medieval and fantastic realm of Tortall, Keladry of Mindelan (known as Kel) is the first girl to take advantage of the decree that permits females to train for knighthood.
His Dark Materials trilogy / Philip Pullman
1st book in series - The Golden Compass, in , , , or audio
In this first book of a fantasy trilogy, young Lyre & her alter ego, a protective animal named Pantalaimon, escape from the child-stealing Gobblers & join a group heading north to rescue a band of missing children.
Sally Lockhart series / Philip Pullman
1st book in series - Ruby in the smoke; in or
In nineteenth-century London, sixteen-year-old Sally, a recent orphan, becomes involved in a deadly search for a mysterious ruby.
Hungry City Chronicles / Philip Reeve
1st book in series - Mortal Engines
In the distant future, when cities move about and consume smaller towns, a fifteen-year-old apprentice is pushed out of London by the man he most admires and must seek answers in the perilous Out-Country, aided by one girl and the memory of another.
The fifth of March : a story of the Boston Massacre / Ann Rinaldi
Fourteen-year-old Rachel Marsh, an indentured servant in the Boston household of John and Abigail Adams, is caught up in the colonists' unrest that eventually escalates into the massacre of March 5, 1770.
Hang a thousand trees with ribbons : the story of Phillis Wheatley / Ann Rinaldi
A fictionalized biography of the eighteenth-century African woman who, as a child, was brought to New England to be a slave, and after publishing her first poem when a teenager, gained renown throughout the colonies as an important black American poet.
Choosing up sides / John H. Ritter
In 1921 thirteen-year-old Luke finds himself torn between accepting his left-handedness or conforming to the belief of his preacher-father that such a condition is evil and must be overcome.
The impossible rescue : the true story of an amazing Arctic adventure / Martin W. Sandler; in
The dead of an Arctic winter. Whaling ships full of men, stranded in ice. Follow three rescuers in a race against time - and all odds - in this heartpounding true adventure.
Shooting Kabul / N.H. Senzai
Escaping from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan in the summer of 2001, eleven-year-old Fadi and his family immigrate to the San Francisco Bay Area, where Fadi schemes to return to the Pakistani refugee camp where his little sister was accidentally left behind.
Bomb : the race to build - and steal - the world's most dangerous weapon / Steve Sheinkin;
This is the story of the plotting, the risk-taking, the deceit, and genius that created the world's most formidable weapon. This is the story of the atomic bomb.
The Schwa was here / Neal Shusterman; in or
A Brooklyn eighth-grader nicknamed Antsy befriends the Schwa, an "invisible-ish" boy who is tired of blending into his surroundings and going unnoticed by nearly everyone.
The dark side of nowhere / Neal Shusterman
Fourteen-year-old Jason faces an identity crisis after discovering that he is the son of aliens who stayed on earth following a botched invasion mission.
A tree grows in Brooklyn / Betty Smith; in ,
Young Francie Nolan, having inherited both her father's romantic and her mother's practical nature, struggles to survive and thrive growing up in the slums of Brooklyn in the early twentieth century.
Drums, girls, & dangerous pie / Jordan Sonnenblick;
Steven has a totally normal life: he plays drums in the All-Star Jazz band, has a crush on the hottest girl in the school, and is constantly annoyed by his five-year-old brother, Jeffrey. But when Jeffrey is diagnosed with leukemia, Steven's world is turned upside down.
Zen and the art of faking it / by Jordan Sonnenblick; in , or
When eighth-grader San Lee moves to a new town and a new school for the umpteenth time, he doesn't try to make new friends or be a loner or play cool. Instead he sits back and devises a plan to be totally different. And just when he thinks everyone (including the cute girl he can't stop thinking about) is on to him, everyone believes him . . . in a major Zen way.
The Little Prince / Antoine de St. Exupery
An aviator whose plane is forced down in the Sahara Desert encounters a little prince from a small planet who relates his adventures in seeking the secret of what is important in life. Howard's new translation of this beloved classic beautifully reflects Saint-Exupery's unique, gifted style.
Under the persimmon tree / Suzanne Fisher Staples
During the 2001 Afghan War, the lives of Najmal, a young refugee from Kunduz, Afghanistan, and Nusrat, an American-Muslim teacher who is awaiting her huband's return from Mazar-i-Sharif, intersect at a school in Peshawar, Pakistan.
Queen's Thief Trilogy / Megan Whalen Turner
"I can steal anything." After Gen's bragging lands him in the king's prison, the chances of escape look slim. Then the king's scholar, the magus, needs the thief's skill for a seemingly impossible task -- to steal a hidden treasure from another land. To the magus, Gen is just a tool. But Gen is a trickster and a survivor with a plan of his own.
The Queen of Attolia;
Forsaken by the gods and left to his own devices, Eugenides, Royal Thief of Eddis, summons all his wit and wiles in an attempt to conquer the rival Queen of Attolia.
The king of Attolia
Eugenides, still known as a Thief of Eddis, faces palace intrigue and assassins as he strives to prove himself both to the people of Attolia and to his new bride, their queen.
The adventures of Tom Sawyer / Mark Twain; in , , or
The classic story of a mischievous nineteenth-century boy in a Mississippi River town and his friends, Huck Finn and Becky Thatcher, as they run away from home, witness a murder, and find a treasure in a cave.
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's court / Mark Twain
When young Edward VI of England and a poor boy who resembles him exchange places, each learns something about the other's very different station in life.
Izzy, willy-nilly / Cynthia Voigt; in or
A car accident causes fifteen-year-old Izzy to lose one leg and face the need to start building a new life as an amputee.
The Final Four / Paul Volponi
As the last moments tick down on the game clock, you'll learn how each of four players went from being a kid who loved to shoot hoops to a powerful force in one of the most important games of the year. Which team will leave the Superdome victorious? In the end it will come down to which players have the most skill, the most drive, and the most heart.
Homeless bird / Gloria Whelan; in , or
When thirteen-year-old Koly enters into an ill-fated arranged marriage, she must either suffer a destiny dictated by India's tradition or find the courage to oppose it.
Now is the time for running/ Michael Williams
When soldiers attack a small village in Zimbabwe, Deo goes on the run with Innocent, his older, mentally disabled brother, carrying little but a leather soccer ball filled with money, and after facing prejudice, poverty, and tragedy, it is in soccer that Deo finds renewed hope.
Adam Canfield of the Slash / Michael Winerip; in or
Extra! Extra! Middle-school reporters stand up to authority to expose a school scandal in this funny, inspiring story set behind the scenes at a student newspaper.
Briar Rose / Jane Yolen; in or
It is an old, old tale, the German story of Briar Rose, the Sleeping Beauty. Now one of America's most celebrated writers tells it afresh, set this time in the forests patrolled by the German army during World War II. A tale of castles, of mists and thorns, of a beautiful sleeping princess, and an astonishing revelation of death and rebirth.
Sword of the rightful king : a novel of King Arthur / Jane Yolen
The newly crowned King Arthur is unsure of himself; worse, the people are unsure of him. Too many people want the throne, and treachery is everywhere. Merlin must do something before the king is betrayed, or murdered, or--worst of all--gets married.
I am the messenger / Markus Zusak; in or
Ed Kennedy is a nineteen-year-old cab driver who doesn't think much of his life. He inadvertently helps stop a bank robbery, and that is when his life starts to change. He begins to receive mysterious messages that instruct him to go to addresses where people need help. Ed becomes the messenger, but who is behind the messages?
The book thief / by Markus Zusak; in , , YA kindle, ,
It's just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . . On the NY Times bestseller list for almost five years!