English Department  2007
Hamden Hall Country Day School
1108 Whitney Ave., Hamden, CT. 06517


2007 SUMMER READING

“He who binds to himself a joy
Does the wingéd life destroy,
But he who kisses the joy as it flies
Lives in eternity’s sun rise.” --William Blake

This list is now fully updated for Summer 2007. (as of May 18, 2006)

Introduction

Hamden Hall expects each student to read at least four books (gaining four credits) during the summer months. If students have already read the selections listed for a particular favorite author, they may select another book written by that author. Occasionally, books of notable length will be noted as "counts twice"; these texts gain students two credits. In September, students will write about the books that they have read as a normative part of the curriculum.

The best way to choose summer books is to travel to a major book outlet in the area. Then, students should browse promising titles and choose those which begin to speak to you. Style, after all, is inextricably linked with plot and should be its best vehicle, and a tangible source of appeal to the reader. Happy Searching!

Additionally, please note:

There are required summer texts for students entering:
Grades 7, 8. 9 and 10 (1 title required)

Chemistry (1 title required)

A.P. English Literature (1 title required) and A.P. English Language (3 titles required)

A.P. U.S. History, A.P. European History, A.P. World History, A.P. Economics (1 title required).

A.P. Biology (1 title required).

There is a required text for Academic Decathlon team members (see Section 4A).

There is a recommended summer text for Ninth Grade History students, for Physics and Astronomy students, and for A.P. Economics students.

Foreign Language Students:

1. French students should consider a recommended title from the Departmental List at their particular grade level.

2. Spanish, Latin: Titles suitable for learning more about foreign cultures (especially in the area of students' foreign language study) are included in the general list of recommended texts at grade levels.

Hamden Hall Summer Reading 2007

1. Entering Grades 7 and 8

2. Entering Grades 9 and 10

3. Entering Grades 11 and 12

4. Departmental Listings A & B

Entering Grades 7 and 8


Entering Seventh Graders must read:

Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston


Entering Eighth Graders must read:

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

Aiken, Marriott The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (series)
Bonnie Green's wealthy life at Willoughby Chase is threatened when her parents leave, and relatives begin tampering with legal documents. Bonnie is further threatened by her relatives, and must stand up to them before it is too late.

Alcott Little Women
The classic tale of Jo March, middle sister who doesn't want to fit into a woman's conventional role in 1880's New England . Jo's heroic personal determination to become an acclaimed writer forms the spine of this multifaceted study of family life.

Alexander The Book of Three (series)
"Taran, assistant pig keeper, grumbles with frustration at home in the hamlet Caer Dallben; he yearns to go into battle like his hero, Prince Gwydion. Before the story is over, he has met his hero and fought the evil leader who threatens the peace of Prydain: the Horned King.°[amazon]

Asimov The Fantastic Voyage
A science fiction story about travel inside the body; a thriller of a ride!

Ayer Parallel Journeys
A young Jewish girl and a member of the Hitler youth, growing up several miles from each other, travel parallel paths during World War II. A prize-winning recent publication.

Beals Warriors Don't Cry
An account of the historic integrating of Little Rock 's Central High written by one of the nine African-Americans who formed the first wave.

Bloor Tangerine
Intense sibling rivalry takes center stage in this tale of a younger brother who wants to play soccer despite the football fanaticism of his older brother, and the blindness that threatens him.

Bradbury Something Wicked This Way Comes
A now classic sci-fi thriller featuring a palpable atmosphere of foreboding, and impending doom.

Brashares Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (series)
A seemingly ordinary pair of jeans fits four very different friends perfectly. As they prepare to go their separate ways, they agree to share the pair of pants. As a result the pants go from beautiful Lena to athletic Bridget to fiery Carmen and then to Tibby the rebel.

Birch They Cage the Animals at Night
A true story of an orphan boy who recounts his nights of fear and days of crushed dreams as he struggles to find his way through a deeply troubled childhood.

Cabot All-American Girl
Samantha is unhappy with her life. The boy of her dreams is dating her popular sister, and she cannot stand her brainy younger sister. This all changes when she accidentally foils an assassination attempt on the president.

Colfer Artemis Fowl
A fantasy world in which the fairies are real, and so are the trolls and gnomes-- they're armed with modern electronic weapons, and dangerous. Newly published and well received by Independent Booksellers.

Cooney Burning Up
"Shocked to learn that her community could have been so racially biased as to tolerate an attempted murder, Macey and her boyfriend Austin gradually uncover enough facts to confront the prejudice they perceive in others and to begin to assess their own level of responsibility."  [amazon.com]

Crichton Sphere
A group of scientists find a spaceship over 350 years old. In this spaceship is a spherical compartment-- one that makes all the thoughts of those who enter it actually occur.

Christie And Then There Were None
Ten people come to Indian Island , and are accused by the voice of an unseen man of murder.  One by one they are murdered, and everyone on the island is a suspect. A much-respected, classic whodunit.

Christie Murder on the Orient Express
Required of all entering 8th graders.  In this classic novel of murder and sleuthing in
the grand style, Christie’s Hercule Poirot is sure to track down his man—or woman. 

Clement-Davies The Sigh
"In the shadow of an abandoned castle, a wolf pack seeks shelter. They are being stalked by  a lone wolf, Morgra, possessed of a mysterious and terrifying power known as The Sight. But the pack she hunts will do anything to protect their own, even if it means setting in motion a battle that will involve all of nature." [amazon.com]

Easley I Am the Ice Woman
14 year-old Allison survives a plane crash above the Arctic Circle , only to find herself
stranded among the Inupiat. Will she be accepted into a foreign culture?

Fisher Snow-Walker
"Long ago, the evil sorceress Gudrun the Snow-walker banished her powerful son, Kari, to a distant castle, then seized control of the Jarl's people. Now, the Jarl's subjects Jessa and Thorkil seek to restore the kingdom to its rightful ruler." [amazon.com]

Gunther Death Be Not Proud
A father's memoir of a dying son, haunting in its emotions, recounts the author's attempts to rescue meaning from the chaos of death.

Herriot All Things Bright and Beautiful (series)
A set of humorous animal stories, set in the English countryside, told by one of the greatest literary vets of all time; read the sequels, too.

Hersey Hiroshima
The moving stories of Japanese people whose lives were forever decimated by the atomic blast of 1945.

Hiaasen Hoot
This novel "plunges readers into the middle of an ecological mystery, made up of endangered miniature owls, the Mother Paula's All-American Pancake House scheduled to be built over their burrows, and the owls' unlikely allies-three middle school kids determined to beat the screwed-up adult system." [amazon.com]

Hickam Rocket Boys (series)
After seeing Sputnik in 1957, Homer dreams of building rockets for the newly formed NASA. He lives in Coalwood, where only a few boys leave town on football scholarships. A touching true story of fighting for your dreams.

Hinton The Outsiders
A story about the clash of gangs, the importance of brotherhood, and the bonds of friendship.

Hinton Taming the Star Runner
Travis must adjust from the gang world to grueling life on a ranch. If you liked The Outsiders, you'll enjoy this novel.

Hobbs Far North
The story of three boys' struggle to survive during five months in Canada 's Northwest
Territories .

Horowitz Point Blank (series)
"Sixteen boys in a boarding school suddenly turn into model students. It's up to 14-year-old Alex Rider to find out why someone has engineered it all in a bid to take over the world of Point Blank." [amazon. com]

Houston Farewell to Manzanar (required for grade seven)
In 1942, seven year old Jeanne Wakatsuki and her family are relocated to the Japanese internment camp of Manzanar. Their experience there contains elements of both tragedy and comedy, and gives a vivid picture of what life was like for those whose lives were dislocated during this pivotal time in American history.

Jacques Redwall (series)
When rats threaten Redwall Abbey, it is up to one small mouse, Matthias, to find the
sword of Martin and save the day. A wonderful adventure story about woodland animals in a fictional kingdom.

Klugar Almost Like Being in Love
Travis and Craig both have great lives, careers, and loves. But something is missing, and Travis is the first to figure it out. He's still in love with Craig, and come what may, he's going after the boy who captured his heart, even if it means forsaking his job, making a fool of himself, and entering the great unknown. Told in letters, checklists, and more, this is the must-read novel for anyone who's wondered what ever happened to that first great love."[amazon]

Lasky True North
The parallel stories of two girls-- one escaping family obligations, the other escaping slavery.  Read about their adventures in the Underground Railroad!

Lawrence, Lee Inherit the Wind
A classic play about the 1925 court case, the Scopes Monkey Trial (as it was called), in which evolution was put on trail.

L'Engle A Wrinkle in Time
Required of all entering 7th Graders. Two siblings take a perilous journey in search of their missing father through a universe threatened by a dark power. A classic tale, winner of many literary awards.

L'Engle Troubling a Star
The story of Vicky Austin's seemingly harmless trip to Antarctica , which soon becomes both dangerous and memorable.

London White Fang
White Fang, part wolf, part dog, has to survive the wilds of the North and the cruelties of man.

London The Call of the Wild
Jack London's most famous outdoor adventure, as man and dog fight to survive the savagery of a Canadian winter.

Lowry Number the Stars
This novel describing the severe daily struggles involved in surviving the Holocaust has received very favorable reviews.

Lowry The Silent Boy
"The daughter of the town doctor observes the intersection between the life of privilege and the working-class realities of her family's hired girls. The story also examines Katy's relationship with Jacob, the silent boy regarded by many as 'touched'." [amazon.com]

Lypsyte The Contender
If you liked The Outsiders, you'll love this story of Alfred, who must placate his Harlem gang--and the white world as well. A gripping, realistic tale.

Maguire Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
Read the story of the Wizard of Oz from the Wicked Witch's perspective. This chronicles the life of the Wicked Witch from birth, demonstrating just what wild harm a twisted childhood can do.

Meyer Gideon's People
When Isaac Litvak, an Orthodox Jew, finds himself stranded in the home of an Amish family, things begin to get complicated. Will the two boys survive the clash of cultures?

Myers Monster
"Monster” is what the prosecutor called 16-year-old Steve Harmon for his supposed role in a fatal shooting. But was Steve just in the wrong place at the wrong time? In this novel, the reader becomes juror and witness during the trial of Steve's life." [amazon.com]

Mikaelsen Touching Spirit Bear
Cole Matthews, a violent juvenile delinquent, is sent to Alaska instead of to jail. A story about courage, and the power within us all to change our ways.

Morris My Dog Skip
A touching World War II-era story of a boy and his dog. This is beautifully well written,
representing some of the best "pet" writing ever.

Myers Scorpions
A strong friendship that bridges their cultures holds Jamal and Tito together as they struggle to survive on the harsh streets of New York .

Myers The Glory Field
A powerful epic which traces five generations of an African-American family from slavery to present day Harlem . A new Roots for a new age.

Namioka April and the Dragon Lady
April lives in a traditional Chinese household, ruled by her grandmother. Will she be able to date Steve, a white boy, and still please her family? A compelling story.

Paolini Eargon (series)
"Eragon, a young farm boy, finds a marvelous blue stone in a mystical mountain place. Before he can trade it for food, it hatches a beautiful sapphire-blue dragon, a race thought to be extinct.  Eragon bonds with the dragon, and they set out to find their role, growing in magic power and understanding as they endure perilous travels and sudden battles. A highly regarded epic saga.

Paulsen Canyons
Meet Brennan Coles, a boy who has few interests besides running-- until he comes upon the skull of an Apache warrior, and destinies intertwine.

Peck A Day No Pigs Would Die
The son of a Vermont pig slaughterer faces the day of doom for his pet pig, which is sterile and of no further use to the farm, or his father. A modem classic with a strong following indeed.

Ransome Swallows and Amazons
If you love sailing, this book (a sailor's dream) and its sequels are for you!

Rawls Where the Red Fern Grows
During the Depression era in the South, a boy achieves his dream of owning and training hunting dogs.

Rennison Angus. Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging (series)
14-year-old English teenager Georgia Nicolson has to suffer through her father's moving to New Zealand , a cat who has vanished, and the boy of her dreams dating someone older. This novel is proof that no matter which side of the Atlantic you live on, it's hard being a teenager.

Rinaldi First of March
The story of Rachel Marsh, colonial American, and the conflict she faces when she befriends a British soldier and clashes with her own friends and family.

Rowling Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (series)
When Harry gets entered in the Triwizard tournament at Hogwart's school, he faces many trials and challenges along the way. Read the earlier titles in this series, as well.

Sachar Holes
A boy who is innocent of stealing a famous ballplayer's shoes is sent to Camp Green Lake in Texas . Fun there consists of digging 6' x 6' holes in 100-degree heat-- and in trying to escape!

Sleator Singularity
"Sixteen-year-old twins Harry and Barry stumble across a gateway to another universe, where a distortion in time and space causes a dramatic change in their competitive relationship." [amazon.com]

Smith Crown Duel (series)
"Young Countess Meliara swears to her dying father that she and her brother will defend their people from the growing greed of the king. But war is simple compared to what follows in peacetime. If she is to survive, Meliara must learn a whole new way of fighting."  [amazon.com]

Sones One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies
"After the death of her mother, Ruby has turned her grief into anger at her father because he divorced her mother before she was born and because he is a movie star." [amazon.com]

Snicket The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 1)
"This series chronicles the unfortunate lives of the Baudelaire children, three orphans who must use their talents to survive as their lives move from one disastrous event to another." [amazon.com]

Taylor The Maldonado Miracle
An illegal Mexican immigrant accidentally bleeds on a statue of Jesus, causing people to think a miracle has occurred. A touching story of faith with more than a few twists and turns.

Tolkein The Lord of the Rings (trilogy-- each text counts once)
If you liked The Hobbit, you'll want to continue reading about Tolkein's bumptious gnomes and other furries. (If you haven't read The Hobbit, read this first.)

Townsend The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole
This is an amusing first-person account of a thirteen-year-old’s acerbic attitude towards the English society that he is about to join.  A good light-hearted read.

Voight Homecoming
"Abandoned in the middle of Connecticut , four children have to find their way to their great-aunt's house in Bridgeport . This is harder than it sounds, and their journey continues to an unexpected conclusion -- and some surprising discoveries about their history." [amazon.com]

Watkins So Far from the Bamboo Grove
"Eleven-year-old Yoko Kawashima had led a peaceful life as the daughter of a Japanese government official stationed in North Korea near the end of World War II. Abruptly, all is changed as she and her family flee the wrath of North Korean Communists and make their way to an unwelcoming, war-ravaged Japan . Yoko's story is spellbinding." [amazon.com]

White Deathwatch
Can Ben survive the murderous Madec and the merciless desert? Find out!

White The Sword and The Stone
The story of King Arthur, his adventures and preparations to be king.

Woods The Red Rose Box
After being orphaned, two southern black children live with their northern black relatives. This book does a wonderful job of depicting differences between the lives of northern and southern blacks during the Jim Crow era.

Entering Grades 9 and 10

Incoming 9th graders must read Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe.

Incoming 10th graders must read Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse.

Chemistry students must read Uncle Tungsten by Oliver Sacks.

Achebe Things Fall Apart 
Required of all entering Ninth Grade students. In this celebrated novel, an African tribe struggles to maintain its identity in the face of the arrival of colonizing Europeans.

Achebe The Arrow of God
African tribal life is rendered here with vibrant detail and sympathetic depth. A sequel to Things Fall Apart.

Adams The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
"Arthur Dent is grabbed from Earth moments before a cosmic construction team obliterates the planet to build a freeway. You'll never read funnier science fiction;
Adams is a master of intelligent satire, barbed wit, and comedic dialogue." [amazon.com]

Albom The Five People You Meet in Heaven
"As the novel opens, readers are told that Eddie, unsuspecting, is only minutes away from death. The author follows Eddie into heaven, where he encounters five pivotal figures from his life. See what each has to tell him, and how their lives interweave with Eddie's." [amazon.com]

Banks Rule of the Bone
Bone, a young man with a troubled home life, encounters living spaces filled with Hell's Angels, Rastafarians and troubled friends in this modem H. Caulfield yam.

Boyle Tortilla Curtain
A witty writer, Boyle loves to depict the vivid insanities of our culture in colorful parodies that both support and mock his characters.  In this tale of the towns along the
Mexican border, Boyle illuminates both the chaos and comedy of this clash of cultures.

Brown Crossing Over Jordan
From the end of the Civil War to the early twenty-first century, this novel describes a haunting drama that slavery has set in motion. Truly a panoramic novel.  

Butler   Parable of the Talents
Science Fiction by this much-lauded African American writer, whom Vibe magazine compares to William Gibson, saying that “just as Gibson gave white people a sci-fi future, so Butler has given black people an imaginable future” in a scientific age.  In the midst of a collapsing society, young prophets must struggle to survive, and to begin anew.

Chbosky The Perks of Being A Wallflower
The summer before 10th grade, Charlie's best friend committed suicide. Since then, he has grown away from his friends and spends his time observing others, trying to discover what makes them tick.

Clancy Rainbow Six
John Clark, a CIA agent, is sent to England to work on "Rainbow Six," an elite team of special forces. However, Clark has suspicions when the KGB starts showing interest in his work.

Clarke Childhood's End
Science fiction with a heavy surprise in its midst about past visitors to planet Earth; a very well-imagined tale.

Crane The Red Badge of Courage
Henry Fleming, a young man, feels it is necessary to join the Union army during the Civil War to see if he can face his fears, and become a hero. A classic American novel.

Dostoevsky The Adolescent
Arkady Dolgoruky becomes involved in a scandal involving blackmail, and a very important letter. This is a lot for an adolescent to handle, but Arkady  sees no way out.

DuMaurier Rebecca
A windswept romance of a young woman who marries her employer, a rich gentlemanly widower; then the intrigue begins.

Earley Jim the Boy
A southern boy is brought up by three bachelor uncles and experiences a new route through adolescence to manhood. Newly published and well-received.

Enger Peace Like A River
Narrated by an asthmatic 11-year-old, this novel involves a family’s trip across South Dakota ’s Badlands to catch up with the older brother, who is charged with the murder of two local thugs who had bedeviled their family.  The father, a man of faith, is sure that the family can save their son from the law.  A much praised prizewinner from 2001.

Fuentes The Good Conscience
A prominent family in Guangiato struggles with questions of conscience and personal integrity.

Gaines A Lesson Before Dying
The story of an African-American man accused of a crime who finds himself in the courtroom facing prejudice and stereotypes one final time. A highly praised recent novel.

Gies Anne Frank Remembered  
An account of the Frank family, told by the woman who helped to keep the secret of their hidden lives during their years of hiding from the Nazis.

Goldberg Bee Season
This recent fictional study of a family that fractionates as each member pursues his/her own separate goals.

Griffith Black Like Me
The now classic account of a Southern white journalist who colors his skin and records the stresses and trials of racial discrimination firsthand.

Halberstam Playing for Keeps;  Michael Jordan and the World He Made
"In focusing on Jordan --as athlete and force of nature--and his osmosis from a young hoop dreamer to product pitchman, Halberstam is really examining intangibles like myth and legend, celebrity and fame, wealth and image, excellence and genius, race and style, the qualities of heroism and the pursuit of perfection." [amazon.com]

Hamill Snow in August
Lessons pass both ways in this contemporary story of a young American baseball fan who trades youthful joy for the friendship and teachings of a newly arrived Rabbi from the Old World .

Haruf Plainsong
This newly published, much-praised novel looks in microcosm at a small Plains community, as six of its members learn to gain perspective on their relations to the people around them.

Herbert Dune (counts twice)
Those who control space control the universe. A fantastic sci-fi story of survival, political intrigue, and a plan to create a super being.

Hesse Journey to the East
This simple, compact, profound novel provides an unmatched introduction to some of the essential tenets of Zen Buddism and Eastern religions.

Hesse Siddhartha (required for 10^th grade)
This classic “coming of age” tale traces the spiritual journery of a young Bhuddist man in India who has to choose among a life of aseticism, a life of physical pleasures, or an unchartered middle path. 

Hoffman Second Coming
A man raised by wolves is forced to join a human community and ultimately decide how he wants to live his life.

Huxley Brave New World
In many ways an eerily accurate work of early twentieth century science fiction; a chilling vision of a totally gene-engineered future is brought fully to life.

Junger The Perfect Storm : A True Story of Men Against the Sea
"The book weaves the history of the fishing industry and the science of predicting storms into the quotidian lives of those aboard the Andrea Gail and of others who would soon find themselves in the fury of one of the biggest storms of the last fifty years." [amazon.com]

Kahn The Boys of Summer
"This is a book about some young men who learned to play baseball during the 1930s and 1940s in such places as Reading, PA, Anderson, IN, Plainfield, NJ and Woonsocket, RI, and then went on to play for one of the most exciting professional teams that the major leagues ever fielded-- the Brooklyn Dodgers of the 1950's." [amazon.com]

Kingsolver The Bean Trees
An adolescent girl travels out West adventurously, acting as mother to an Indian child and caregiver to refugees.  A moving tale.

Kingsolver Pigs in Heaven
The sequel to Bean Trees, as the heroine forges on in her new life as mature mother and voice for change in her community.

Kinsella Shoeless Joe
The dream of an Iowa farmer yields a mystical crop: past baseball greats return from "the beyond" to play again. A novel for believers in the power of dreams.

Klein All But My Life
A gripping story of the friendship of two girls set against the inhumanity of the Holocaust.

Kluger The Last Days of Summer
When a thirteen-year-old boy gets to be a bat boy, a dream comes true and life-lessons are learned.

LeGuin A Wizard of Earthsea (series)
This classic work of science fiction features the art of wizardry and the quest of Ged, a
young man who aspires to such mastery. LeGuin's world is vivid, imagistic, and unforgettable.  (If you like this title, read the other two novels in this trilogy.)

Ludlum The Bourne Identity
Jason Bourne is a spy who cannot remember anything about his past but must remember very soon, as he is a target of an assassin.

McBride The Color of Water
The autobiography of a black man's childhood with his white mother in Harlem , NYC, and his coming to terms with his own identity and the predicament of race. A highly acclaimed 2000 publication.

Morgan Mutant Message Down Under
The tale of an authority on Aborigines who gets abducted by her subjects and taken on a three-month walkabout of the Australian Outback. Quite a story!

Opdyke Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer
This inspirational memoir of a young Catholic girl illustrates acts of love and courage that cast light into the darkness of the Holocaust.

Paul Catapult: Hany and I Build a Siege Wagon
Jim Paul decides one day that he has to build a catapult to shoot rocks into the Pacific Ocean .  Soon he comes to look for better ammunition inside his own head.

Potok My Name is Asher Lev
A very true-to-life story of an artistic boy whose talents and aspirations clash with the old-world values of his father.

Renault The King Must Die
Recommended for all Ninth Grade History students. The Theseus myth, labyrinth, minotaur, and rise to power, comes to life in this modern retelling.

Rosenbaum Second Hand Smoke
The children of a Holocaust survivor take very different paths as they leave the protection of their mother (a Miami card shark) to shape their own destinies in the shadow, still, of modem history's darkest hour.

Sacks Uncle Tungsten (required for Chemistry)
Sack's London boyhood, full of science in the shape of an uncle who did extensive electrical experiments, is the subject of this autobiography. London in the 1930's is lovingly sketched in this story of a family that successfully unites scientific discovery with living full personal lives.

Selvadurai Cinnamon Gardens
Set in the beautiful garden that is Sri Lanka , this novel details the life of an indigenous family during the struggle for independence in the early part of the past century (1900’s).

Shute On The Beach
This novel is about the world after a nuclear war, and how each of the protagonists deals with the arrival of the radioactive air that will eventually kill them.

Sittenfeld Prep  
"Lee Fiora is an Indiana teenager who wins a scholarship to the prestigious Ault school. As  we follow Lee through boarding school, we witness firsthand the triumphs and tragedies that shape our heroine's coming-of-age." [amazon.com]

Sparks The Notebook
In 1932 in North Carolina , Noah Calhoun and Allie Nelson fall in love. Fourteen years later, Allie must choose between Noah, a poor boy, or the rich boy her family wants her to marry.

Steinbeck Cannery Row
This is a classic fictional account of "a blue-collar community of people who lead simple lives. It is a book about the risks of trying to fulfill one's dreams, and the heartaches and pleasures that this crazy life has to offer. A wonderful book." [amazon.com]

Spark The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
At the Marcia Blaine School in Edinburgh , a much admired teachers breaks the rules and inspires great loyalty from her students.

Strege Tiger: A Biography of Tiger Woods
A biography of today's most famous professional golfer.

Twain Puddinhead Wilson
This novel is about a a number of buglaries that are taking place, and a lawyer's determination to find out who is behind them. The lawyer is the laughing stock of the town, but in the end suprises everyone.

Van Draanen Flipped
"A romance told in alternating chapters by two teens. The first time Juli Baker saw Bryce Loski, she flipped. The first time he saw her, he ran. That was in second grade, but some things don't change-- or do  they?" [amazon.com]

Vonnegut Slaughterhouse-Five
A shell-shocked veteran of World War II time-travels to the distant planet of Trafalmador in this classic sci-fi novel about the burdens and blessings of time travel.

Walker The Color Purple
The triumphant, poetic story of a young black woman's transformation amid the poverty and abuse of a cruel Southern environment.

Wolff This Boy's Life
The gripping tale of a young boy's struggle to attain manhood in the face of a demanding, abusive stepfather.

Wouk Marjorie Momingstar
A classic account of a young girl who tries to balance her emerging feelings and thoughts on love with the modem realities of life. A truly engaging read.

Wright Native Son
This stark account of a young black man trapped in the Chicago ghetto is one of the best accounts ever of the ways in which poverty and low horizons lead to dilemmas of  fear and violence (counts twice). 

Entering Grades 11 and 12

There are no required books for eleventh and twelfth graders, except for those students entering an AP English class, an AP History class, Chemistry class (see grade ten list), and/or the AP Biology course. There is also a required text for Academic Decathlon team members. See descriptions of these  books and others suggested by academic departments in "Departmental Selections".

Allende The Stories of Eva Luna  
The author of the acclaimed House of the Spirits weaves more of her reality-based magic in these stories involving the complexities of Chilean culture.

Allende Daughter of Fortune
A young Chilean woman raised in an upper-class British household heads for California during the gold-rush era to find her lover, who is pursuing his fortune.

Altamirano El Zarco-- La Navidad en las Montanas
A classic Mexican "charro" novel from which Zorro's popular character and mission can be traced.

Angell A Pitcher's Story
This new work by a highly regarded baseball writer of tweny-five years in the trade depicts the struggles and triumphs of one of baseball's most highly regarded pitchers.

Ansary West of Kabul , East of New York
This autobiography of a young Afganhi living in New York describes in detail the author’s attempts to bridge two so very different cultures.  This text is for readers who like to give a human face to our world’s political struggles, and wars.