Reading List
Grades 9 - 10
A-B
Adams, Richard.
WATERSHIP DOWN.
Follow the epic Tolkienesque adventures of Fiver, Hazel, and a ragtag lapin band. Rabbits
will never be the same again.
Anaya, Rudolfo.
BLESS ME,
ULTIMA. This novel tells the story of growing up Chicano in southeastern New Mexico
during the 1940s.
Anderson, Laurie Halsey. SPEAK.
A tough, tender, and darkly funny story of a teenage outcast which captures the
harsh conformity of high-school clique. This is a Printz Honor Book, a National
Book Award Finalist and an Edgar Allan Poe Award Finalist.
Avi. NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH.
It is against regulations to hum the
national anthem in school. Philip decides to disobey the rule, and the whole
nation watches what happens.
Bakker, Robert.
RAPTOR RED.
One of the world’s foremost paleontologists dramatizes his theories through the eyes
of a dinosaur.
Bosse, Malcolm. THE EXAMINATION. This novel of historical
fiction set in 16th century China portrays
two very different brothers and the divergent paths they take to
prepare for their school examinations.
Bradbury, Ray. DANDELION WINE;
A NOVEL. A novel about one summer in the life of a boy in the summer of 1928. A rare
reading experience of real people.
Bradbury, Ray. FAHRENHEIT 451. What happens when censorship reigns supreme forms the basis of this chilling story.
Bradbury, Ray. THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES. This collection of short stories depicts the colonization of Mars.
Bronte, Charlotte. JANE EYRE. The love story of a shy, quiet governess and the strange, violent man who holds a long kept secret.
Brooks, Bruce. THE MOVES MAKE THE MAN. An African American athlete shares his skills with an emotionally troubled white baseball player and they form a precarious friendship through basketball.
Buck, Pearl S. THE GOOD EARTH. Set in pre-revolutionary China, this is the story of Wang Lung, a Chinese peasant and his rise from poverty to the position of a rich landowner.
Burns, Olive Ann. COLD SASSY TREE. This emotion-filled novel tells how the modern age comes to the Georgia town of Cold Sassy.
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C - E
Card, Orson Scott. MEMORY OF EARTH. In a futuristic society women hold the power and the world is monitored by a supercomputer that tries to prevent violence and war.
Cather, Willa. DEATH COMES FOR THE ARCHBISHOP. This novel recounts the efforts of a French bishop and his priest to establish a diocese in the territory of New Mexico.
Clavell, James. SHOGUN. This exciting novel offers a panoramic view of 17th century Japan as encountered by three shipwrecked British sailors.
Comier, Robert. AFTER THE FIRST DEATH. Ben tries unsuccessfully to balance his father's betrayal and his own failure after a busload of children is hijacked by a group of ruthless terrorists.
Crutcher, Chris. RUNNING LOOSE. Louie takes a stand against his coach and playing dirty football, falls in love and loses his girlfriend in a fatal accident - all in his senior year.
Crichton, Michael. THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN. A team of scientists unite to unravel the puzzle of a killer microorganism that has arrived from space.
Dickens, Charles. A TALE OF TWO CITIES. The French Revolution is the setting for this tale of adventure, love, and intrigue.
Dickens, Charles. DAVID COPPERFIELD. This novel traces the early years of the orphan-narrator as he experiences both good and bad people and events in the early 18th century.
Dickens, Charles. OLIVER TWIST. An orphan escapes to London, where he is captured by thieves and is forced to join in their escapades before finding happiness through an unexpected benefactor.
Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan. THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES. This collection recounts 12 masterful tales by the father of detective fiction.
Draper, Sharon M.
TEARS OF A
TIGER. High-school senior Andy Jackson is overcome by guilt after his best friend
dies in an automobile accident that happened when Andy was driving drunk.
Du Maurier, Dame Daphne. REBECCA. The lovely
and charming wife of English aristocrat Maxim de
Winter dies unexpectedly and the mystery surrounding her
death haunts all who remain at the
Manderley country estate including Maxim's new young wife.
Dumas, Alexandre.
THE COUNT OF
MONTE CRISTO. In 19th century France, a falsely convicted man escapes from prison and
plots a course of revenge.
Engdahl, Sylvia. ENCHANTRESS
FROM THE STARS. Elana unexpectedly joins the team leaving the spaceship to study the
planet Andrecia and becomes an integral part of an adventure involving three very
different civilizations.
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F - K
Fleischman, Paul.
MIND'S EYE.
A novel in play form in which 16 year old Courtney, paralyzed in an accident, learns about
the power of the mind from an elderly blind woman who takes Courtney on an imaginary
journey using a 1910 guidebook.
Fleischman, Paul. BULL RUN. 16 individuals voice their hopes and fears in this interwoven collage of "snapshots" set during the first battle of the Civil War.
Garden, Nancy. DOVE AND SWORD: A NOVEL OF JOAN OF ARC. This work of historical fiction tells the story of Joan of Arc and the Hundred Years’ War through the eyes of ordinary people in the 15th century.
Guy, Rosa.
DISAPPEARANCE. Released
from jail in the custody of the Aimsley family, Imamu Jones immediately becomes a prime
suspect when Perk, their daughter disappears.
Hansberry, Lorraine. RAISIN IN
THE SUN. This drama depicts the personal and social struggles of a Black
family.
Hillerman, Tony. LISTENING
WOMAN. An old man and a high school girl are found murdered after a
Navajo spiritual
ceremony. Lt. Joe of the Navajo tribal police uses his cultural insight to solve the
interesting mysteries.
Hinton, S. E.
THE OUTSIDERS.
This remarkable novel by a 17 year old girl, gives a moving, credible,
view of gang
members - their loyalty to each other, their sensitivity under tough crusts, and their
understanding of self and society.
Hurwin, Davida Wills.
A TIME
FOR DANCING. Best friends have been inseparable for most of their 16
years and then one of then is diagnosed with cancer.
Keyes, Daniel. FLOWERS FOR
ALGERNON. A mentally retarded man enrolls in a class to "become smart".
He keeps a journal after experimental surgery that increases his IQ but he is unhappy because
he cannot
shed his former personality.
King, Laurie R. THE BEEKEEPER'S APPRENTICE, OR, ON THE
SEGREGATION OF THE QUEEN. Retired
Sherlock Holmes meets his intellectual match in 15 year-old Mary Russell,
who challenges him to "
investigate yet another case.
King, Steven.
THE GIRL WHO
LOVED TOM GORDON. 9 year old Trisha runs from her bickering brother
and mother and
wanders in the mosquito-infested forest with nothing but her wits, her Walkman and the
thoughts of the ballplayer Tom Gordon to guide her.
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L - M
Lawrence, Jerome, and Robert E.
Lee. INHERIT THE WIND. This drama recounts the proceedings of the famous
Tennessee "monkey trial."
Lee, Harper. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.
A young girl
tells of life in a small Alabama town in the 1930's and her father's defense in court of an African American accused of raping a
white women.
LeGuin, Ursula. THE LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS.
The
first
envoy
to
the
technologically
primitive world
of Gethen, the Winter planet must deal with a hostile climate, a suspicious,
bickering government and
the mores of the Gethenians.
London, Jack.
CALL OF THE WILD.
A dog is stolen from his comfortable home and is pressed into service as a sledge dog
in the Klondike. He is abused but he learns to survive as the lead dog on the team.
(F)
McCullers, Carson. THE MEMBER OF THE WEDDING.
Frankie is experiencing a boring summer until
news arrives that her older brother will soon be returning home in order to
marry. Plotting to accompany the newlyweds on their honeymoon. (F)
McCunn, Ruthanne Lum. THOUSAND PIECES OF GOLD. This novel tells the story of a Chinese girl who was sold by her parents and brought to California during the Gold Rush.
McKinley, Robin. BEAUTY: A RETELLING OF THE STORY OF BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. Fantasy and romance are beautifully blended in an evocative, much-expanded version of the classic fairy tale.
McMurtry, Larry.
LONESOME DOVE.
Two former Texas Rangers break up their old camp, pull up stakes, and head north to
greener pastures. Their dusty trek is filled with troubles, violence, and unfulfilled
yearning.
Martinez, Victor. PARROT IN THE OVEN. A coming of age
experience as a member of a poor Mexican
family witnesses his father's struggle with alcohol.
Mazer, Harry. A BOY AT WAR: A NOVEL OF PEARL HARBOR. While fishing with his friends off Honolulu on December 7, Adam is caught is the midst of the attack and chaos.
Michener, James. THE SOURCE. This is a fictionalized saga of archaeologists digging in Israel and the drama of their findings.
Mitchell, Margaret.
GONE WITH
THE WIND. While the larger conflict of the Civil War rages around
them, ruthless Scarlett O’Hara and scoundrel and sometime gentleman, Rhett Butler meet.
Myers, Walter Dean. FALLEN
ANGELS. Fictional account of an inner city youth's experience as a soldier in Vietnam.
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N - S
Nordhoff, Charles. THE BOUNTY
TRILOGY. Based on actual events stemming from a mutiny on a British
war vessel in 1787, this is the story of the men who mutinied and the
Captain, who with followers were set adrift in a small boat and made an
incredible journey to safety.
Orwell, George. ANIMAL FARM. After capturing Manor Farm, rebellious animals attempt to create a society based on equality.
Paulsen, Gary. THE CROSSING. Manny Bustos is an orphan, scrambling for survival on the streets of Juarez, Mexico. He makes friends with an American sergeant in order to make it across the border.
Potok, Chaim. THE CHOSEN. In a rivalry between two Jewish boys’ schools, possible hostility results in friendship and understanding.
Rinaldi, Ann. WOLF BY THE EARS. Set at Monticello, this provocative historical novel deals with the conflicts of teenage Harriet Hemings, daughter of Sally and allegedly of Thomas Jefferson.
Ryan, Cornelius.
THE LONGEST
DAY. The author presents an exciting retelling of the story of D-day and the invasion
of Normandy.
Salinger, J. D. THE CATCHER IN THE RYE.
16 year old Holden Caulfield runs away from a
boarding school in PA to New York where he preserves his innocence despite
various attempts to lose it.
Scott, Sir Walter. IVANHOE. This chivalrous tale takes place in 12th century England and tells of the struggle between King Richard and his evil brother, Prince John.
Shakespeare, William. MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. Misunderstandings, masks, and matchmaking all play a role in this well-known comedy.
Shakespeare, William. TAMING OF THE SHREW. This comedy tells of the wooing and wedding of shrewish Katharina by Petruchio, who thinks his will is stronger than hers.
Shakespeare, William. TWELFTH NIGHT. A woman falls in love and must disguise her identity in this light-hearted comedy.
Shaara, Michael. THE KILLER ANGELS: A NOVEL. This is a fictionalized account of the Battle of Gettysburg, July, 1863, from the points of view of men from both sides of the conflict.
Shaw, G. B.
THE DEVIL’S
DISCIPLE. Ne’er-do-well Dick Dudgeon is hunted by redcoats and finds that
sacrificing himself for someone else makes him a better person.
Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft. FRANKENSTEIN: OR, THE MODERN
PROMETHEUS. A student of natural philosophy discovers the
secret of imparting life to inanimate matter, constructs the semblance of a
human being and gives it life.
Shute, Nevil. ON THE BEACH. A nuclear war annihilates the world's Northern Hemisphere, and as atomic wastes are spreading southward, residents of Australia try to come to grips with their mortality.
Simon, Neil. BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS. A humorous look at growing up in the Bronx during the 1940s.
Sleator, William. DANGEROUS WISHES. This story is set in Thailand where 15-year-old Dom and his friend Lek try to return good luck to Dom’s family and lead the reader on a cliff-hanging adventure.
Solzhenitsyn, Alexander. ONE DAY IN THE LIFE OF IVAN DENISOVICH. This documentary novel describes the experiences of a Russian citizen unjustly imprisoned for a ten-year term.
Steinbeck, John. THE GRAPES OF WRATH. This award winning novel tells the story of the hardships of the Joad family, "Okie" farmers from Oklahoma, driving to California for a new life.
Stevenson, Robert L. KIDNAPPED. In this tale of high adventure, noble and ignoble characters experience the turmoil of 18th century life at sea.
Stoker, Bram. DRACULA. This novel, written in the form of a journal by the main characters of the story, is about the "undead" villain from Transylvania who uses his supernatural powers on innocent victims..
Swarthout, Glen. BLESS THE BEASTS AND THE CHILDREN. Troubled youths discover the meaning of friendship and responsibility.
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T -
U
Tan, Amy.
THE JOY LUCK CLUB.
Four aging Chinese women who knew life in China before 1949, share thoughts about their
American-born children.
Taylor, Theodore.
WALKING UP A
RAINBOW. The setting is a sheep farm in 1851, and the heroine is orphaned 13-year-old
Susan Carlisle, who has to fight to keep her parents’ beautiful home and 2000 sheep.
Tolkien, J. R. R. THE HOBBIT and THE LORD OF THE
RINGS. Hobbit Bilbo Baggins joins Gandalf the
Wizard to seek to recover stolen treasure hidden in Lonely Mountain. The
trilogy continues the stories
as the hobbits embark on a journey to prevent a magic ring from falling
into the grasp of the powers of
darkness.
Turgenev, Ivan.
FATHERS AND
SONS. This novel tells of the conflict between two generations in19th century Russia.
Twain, Mark. THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER. Tom, a shrewd and adventurous boy, is at home in the respectable world of Aunt Polly and as well as the self-reliant, parentless world of Huck Finn.
Uris, Leon. EXODUS. This is a fictionalized account of the people and events that led to Israel declaring itself an independent Jewish national state in 1948.
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V - Z
Verne, Jules. A JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH. An adventurous scientist and his assistant experience remarkable events while searching for the passageway to the center of the Earth.
Vonnegut, Kurt. CAT’S CRADLE. A New York man finds the woman of his dreams and tries to prevent the end of the world.
Walker, Alice. THE COLOR PURPLE. A novel about an abused and uneducated black woman's struggle for empowerment.
Wells, H. G. THE INVISIBLE MAN. The life and death of a scientist who has gone mad having learned to make himself invisible.
White, T. H. THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING. The romance and chivalry of medieval England are transported to the modern world in this tale of fancy.
Wiesel, Elie
NIGHT. DAWN.
THE ACCIDENT. Three tales of the Holocaust. Night is a memoir. In Dawn, a young
Jewish terrorist is fighting for the creation of Israel. The Accident concerns a survivor
of Auschwitz who is recovering from an near fatal accident.
Wilson, August. FENCES: A PLAY.
A garbageman recalls his career as a
Negro League baseball star.
Yolen, Jane. BRIAR ROSE. Grandmother Gemma always told the story an unusual and frightening version of Briar Rose, and after she dies, her granddaughter discovers Gemma's secret.
Zindel, Paul. THE PIGMAN. John and Lorraine become friendly with Mr. Pignati who welcomes them into his home and shows them his collection of ceramic pigs. When Mr. Pignati goes to the hospital after a heart attack, John and Lorraine take advantage of his friendship and hold a party in his house.
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Last updated:
11.20.2006
Woodbridge High
Library | Irvine, California 92614