Summer Reading 2009

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Core Texts to Avoid Selecting: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Animal Farm, Catcher in the Rye, The Crucible, Death of a Salesman, The Great Gatsby, Lord of the Flies, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Odyssey, Othello, and Romeo and Juliet.

Brooklyn	Toibin, Colm	Eilis Lacey, a smart young woman unafraid of hard work, must leave Ireland to find a more lucrative existence in booming New York City. Eilis gets a job at a department store and a place to live in a rooming house for young women. She meets a handsome, charming Italian man, and their relationship quickly flowers into love. A family crisis forces her to return to Ireland and Ellis must decide whether to stay in Ireland or return to her new life in New York. Winner of Multiple Awards.
Confederacy of Dunces	Toole, John Kennedy	This farce, set in pre-Katrina New Orleans, tells about Ignatius J. Reilly and his various attempts at employment and one-man wars. Time magazine stated, "If a book's price is measured against the laughs it provokes, A Confederacy of Dunces is the bargain of the year." Pulitzer Prize winner. Recommended by Stacey Landowne.
Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks: A Novel	Lockhart, E.	Frankie Landau-Banks attempts to take over a secret, all-male society at her exclusive prep school, and her antics with the group soon draw some unlikely attention and have unexpected consequences that could change her life forever. This is an engaging story, filled with wordplay, interwoven with elements of a mystery. But the story’s comedy also has deep undercurrents. Finalist for both National Book Award and Michael L. Printz Award. Recommended by Mary Parmelee.
Let the Great World Spin	McCann, Colin	Beautiful, powerful writing with an important, moving theme -- and a great story! Traces the multiple storylines of a a variety of people living in Manhattan in the early 90s; one is the man who tightroped between the World Trade Centers. National Book Award. Recommended by Julia McNamee, Barbara Robbins, and Lyn Birkmaier. Mature content.
Life of Pi (and the newly released Beatrice and Virgil)	Martel, Yann	When 16-year-old Pi Patel finds himself stranded in a lifeboat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with only a menacing 450-pound Bengal tiger for company, he quickly realizes that the only way to survive is to make sure the tiger is more afraid of him than he is of it. Man Booker Prize.

After	Efaw, Amy	Devon Davenport is a straight A student and prominent player on the school's soccer team. When she is linked to an abandoned baby found in the trash she is accused of attempted murder. Recommended by several students.
Duma Key: A Novel	King, Stephen	Self-made millionaire Edgar Freemantle's wife walks out on him after a construction accident leaves him disfigured, so he heads for Florida's Duma Key and starts to paint; however, his work appears to take on a life of its own. As usual, King surprises and shocks. Recommended by Lyn Birkmaier.
Fairy Tale	Balog, Cyn	15 year-old Morgan Sparks has her entire life planned. Granted, she doesn't know where she'll be going to college or what she will major in, but she knows she will be with her boyfriend, Cam. Friends since toddlers, a couple since middle school, nothing can tear them apart. Then Morgan, with her psychic abilities, sees something in Cam's future that makes her doubt her life's plan. Recommended by Mary Parmelee.
Going Bovine	Bray, Libba	Cameron Smith, 16, is slumming through high school, overshadowed by a sister “pre-majoring in perfection,” while working at the Buddha Burger. Then something happens to make him the focus of his family's attention: he contracts mad cow disease. What follows is either a religious experience or a hallucination in which Cameron and two companions, a neurotic dwarf and a Norse god cursed to appear as a yard gnome, go on a road trip during which they learn about string theory, wormholes and true love en route to Disney World. Michael L. Printz Award. Recommended by students.
Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall	Mass, Wendy	With a dodge ball soaring toward her head, time slows as Tessa considers all of the trivial things floating through her mind, but the final thought she must consider is the question she needs to answer--if only she could remember it. At 16, Tessa finds herself in heaven taking a journey through past events in her life while she wavers in and out of consciousness in the hospital. Written in verse, her recollections span her earliest memories as a toddler to her most recent memories leading up to the gym-class accident. Tessa's funny, honest voice tells the story of a girl who struggles to make friends, maintain family relationships, and to be true to herself. Before she can return from where the accident has taken her, she must face the reality of her life and her role in creating that reality. Funny, thought-provoking, and at times heartbreaking.
Keeping Faith (The Pact, Change of Heart, Handle with Care, My Sister's Keeper, Nineteen Minutes, Plain Truth and others)	Picoult, Jodi	Picoult's books include mystery, legal proceedings, and teenagers. Always popular. Recommended by Rebecca Anderson-Furlong.
Queen of the Big Time: A Novel	Trigiani, Adrianna	Nella Castelluca, a farm girl from Roseto, Pennsylvania, dreams of living in the city, but when she meets and falls in love with Renato Lanzara, her plans change. But he disappears without a trace and does not return until four years later on the night before Nella's wedding. Recommended by Christine Talarico.
Wicked (Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, Mirror Mirror, Son of a Witch, A Lion Among Men)	Maguire, Gregory	Since Wicked was first published in 1995, millions of readers have discovered Gregory Maguire's fantastically encyclopedic Oz, a world filled with characters both familiar and new, darkly conceived and daringly reimagined. Recommended by Rebecca Anderson-Furlong.

Befriend and Betray: Infiltrating the Hells Angels, Bandidos and Other Criminal Brotherhoods	Caine, Alex	Chilling and gritty, this account of an undercover police agent for 25 years, showcases his skill of infiltrating any group while tracking their crimes. It's amazing that Caine survived to tell these tales.
Book of the Dead	Preston, Douglas and Lincoln Child	The Museum of Natural History recovers a stolen gem collection, but it has been ground to dust. To quell the PR nightmare, the museum decides to reopen the Tomb of Senef. But then the killings and talk of ancient curses return. FBI agent Pendergast is pitted against his brother Diogenes who stole the gems. Bestseller favorite.
Caught	Cobin, Harlan	Seventeen-year-old Haley McWaid is a good girl, the pride of her suburban New Jersey family, headed off to college next year with all the hopes and dreams of her parents. When her mother wakes one morning to find that Haley never came home the night before and three months pass without word from the girl, the community assumes the worst. Recommended by Alice Addicks.
Devil Bones (Death Dujour, Bones to Ashes)	Reichs, Kathy	The TV series Bonesis based on Reichs' books which relate fictionalized cases that Reichs has worked on as a forensic anthropologist. With its grisly details, adrenaline-inducing story lines, and spirited heroine, Kathy Reichs has become one of the top ranked crime-fiction writers. Recommended by Rebecca Anderson-Furlong.
Freeze Frame	Ayrabe, Heidi	No matter how many times Kyle rewrites the scene, he can't get it right. He tries it in the style of Hitchcock, Tarantino, Eastwood, all of his favorite directors—but regardless of the style, he can't remember what happened that day in the shed, the day Jason died. And until he can, there is one question that keeps haunting Kyle: Did he kill his best friend on purpose? Recommended by students.
If the Witness Lied	Cooney, Caroline B.	Tris Fountain killed his mother. Tris Fountain killed his father. Tris Fountain is two years old! Recommended by Julia Roberts.
In Cold Blood	Capote, Truman	In the work that launched the true crime genre, Truman Capote paints a chilling portrait of the savage murders of four members of the Clutter family in rural Kansas. Capote reconstructs the murder and the investigation that led to the capture, trial, and execution of the killers, generating both mesmerizing suspense and astonishing empathy.
Lush Life	Price, Richard	This is a riveting story of two urban worlds in collision. The novel starts with a killing, the consequence of a late-night robbery. Eric, a 35-year-old failed actor and writer, is paralyzed by guilt over his failure to stop the murder. The police, who find him highly suspicious, arrest him, and everything goes downhill from there. Price's New York is a city that no longer works: too many people are left bruised, with no safety net.
Promise Not to Tell	McMahon, Jennifer	Part mystery-thriller and part ghost story, Promise Not to Tell alternates smoothly between past and present. In the fall of 2002, Kate Cypher, a divorced Seattle school nurse, returns to New Hope, the decaying Vermont hippie commune where she grew up, to visit her mother, Jean, who's suffering from Alzheimer's. Kate has avoided New Hope since the grizzly, unsolved murder of her fifth-grade friend, Del Griswold, 31 years earlier. Another local girl is murdered in a similar manner at the time of Kate's return. Could the killer be loose again? Kate investigates and learns stunning truths about her youth.
Reality Check	Abrahams, Peter	QB of the varsity football team. Passing grades in all his classes. Dating the hottest—and smartest—girl at school. Things in Cody's world seem to be going pretty well--until his girlfriend is sent off to boarding school across the country and a torn ACL ends his high school football career. But bad things come in threes—or in Cody's case, sixes and twelves—and the worst is yet to come.
Shutter Island	Lehane, Dennis	If you are intrested in action and suspense, you will love this book. It tracks the journey of "Teddy," a WWII veteran and federal agent who is on a mission (actually two missions, but you'll need to read it to understand) that has brought him to an island set aside as a hospital for the criminally insane. Recommended by Dan Geraghty.
Special Topics in Calamity Physics	Pessl, Marisha	Sixteen-year-old Blue van Meer and her professor father settle into North Carolina after a decade of moves, where she becomes a part of an elite group of student intellectuals and is rocked by the suspicious death of their mentor, film studies teacher Hannah Schneider, whose murder she tries to solve. Recommended by Kristin Veenema.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle	Kingsolver, Barbara	Kingsolver and her family spent a year on their Virginia farm growing their own food and eating locally. This books will make you think about what you eat and how it is produced and distributed. Recommended by Susan Pels.
Cook's Tour: Global Adventures in Extreme Cuisines	Bourdain, Anthony	The only thing celebrity chef and bestselling author Anthony Bourdain loves as much as cooking is traveling. Inspired by the question, "What would be the perfect meal?" Tony sets out on a quest for his culinary holy grail, and in the process turns the notion of perfection inside out. Winner of Food Book of the Year.
Eat This, Not That (series)	Zinczenko, David	Offers dietary and nutritional advice to encourage weight loss with guidance on food selection from restaurants and supermarkets, detailing the calories, fat, sodium, sugars, and related content information on thousands of items.
Twinkie Deconstructed: My Journey to Discover How the Ingredients Found in Processed Foods are Grown, Mined (Yes, Mined), and Manipulated into What America Eats	Ettlinger, Steve	Drawing on interviews with industry professionals, we discover that snack cakes and other popular food products are concocted from by-products of chlorine bleaching, gypsum mining, petroleum processing, and other non-food chemicals.

Evolution of God, The	Wright, Robert	This is not an easy read, but is a scholarly look at how religion came to be and how it evolved into the organized religions we know today. Recommended ONLY if you enjoy being challenged to think critically about something that is very personal to so many. Recommended by Lis Comm.
Hours, The (and Mrs. Dalloway and To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf)	Cunningham, Michael	Two women with very different lives meet at a party for an ailing poet, and together they realize that even though their lives are different, they are tied together by a common bond. Some critics have said that Virginia Woolf's style and technique revolutionized the 20th century novel. Recommended by Mr. Fray, who states that he reads and rereads these novels, both by Cunningham and Woolf.
How to Talk About Books You Haven't Read	Bayard, Pierre	No, this isn't promoting Spark Notes. Bayard explores the ideas that bind books to one another and challenges our criteria for what makes someone a good reader, ultimately creating a commentary about current intellectual society. Recommended by Ms. Stiles
If I Stay	Forman, Gail	While in a coma following an automobile accident that killed her parents and younger brother, seventeen-year-old Mia weighs whether to live with her grief or join her family in death.
Last Night in Twisted River	Irving, John	Mishaps seem to direct the lives of logging and sawmill settlement cook Dominic Baciagalupo and his son Danny, whose accidental shooting of the constable's girlfriend in 1954 sent the pair fleeing Coos County on a fifty-year journey that takes them to Boston, Vermont, Toronto, and Iowa. Recommended by Chris Radler. Mature content.
Plot Against America	Roth, Philip	Philip Roth imagines an alternate version of American history in which Charles Lindbergh is elected President. He negotiates a cordial "understanding" with Adolf Hitler, while the government embarks on a program of folksy anti-Semitism. For one boy growing up in Newark, Lindbergh's election heralds a series of ruptures that threaten to destroy his small, safe corner of America. Recommended by Julia Roberts.
Saturday	McEwan, Ian	McEwan (who also wrote Atonement) portrays a single day in the life of an upper-middle-class Londoner. While crowds gather to protest the coming invasion of Iraq, Henry Perowne, a 48-year-old neurosurgeon, intelligent and self-aware, goes about a normal Saturday. That evening Henry's family is held at knifepoint in their own home. In an odd turn of events, Henry operates on the thug who terrorized his family. A sort of middle-class humanist manifesto: when you find yourself fortunate beyond all measure in a random universe, gratitude, generosity, and compassion are a decent response. Recommended by Jim Goodrich.
Sister Wife	Hrdlitschka, Shelley	Celeste lives in Unity, a community where polygamy is the norm. As her 15th birthday approaches, she must marry an older man against her wishes. One student said, "It gives inside knowledge of what it is like to live in a communuity where individuality is punished."
Graceling	Cashore, Kristin	In a world where some people are born with extreme and often-feared skills called Graces, Katsa struggles for redemption from her own horrifying Grace of killing and teams up with another young fighter to save their land from a corrupt king. Recommended by students.
Methland: The Death and Life of an American Small Town	Reding, Nick	This terrifying book looks at the underlying economic despair and psychological malaise that underpinned the stranglehold meth has on small towns. He focuses on one town in Iowa but looks at America and Americans as a whole and how our unique lives and philosophies have made this drug so successful at ruining lives. Recommended by Michael Fulton.

Blind Side: Evolution of a Game	Lewis, Michael	Author Lewis explains how changes in the NFL (such as rushing from the quarterback's blind side) have transformed the game. Entwined is the story of Michael Oher, one of 13 children of a drug-addicted mother. Oher is adopted by a wealthy white family, finds a sense of belonging, and a future. He has gone on to be a great left tackle. His strange, sad, and yet inspiring story is awesome.
Born to Run--A Hidden Tribe, Super Athletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen	McDougall, Christopher	From the centuries-old running techniques of Mexico’s Tarahumara tribe to a research lab at the University of Utah, author McDougall celebrates humankind’s innate love of running. The inspirational Tarahumara runners show the rest of the world the false limitations we place on human endurance. Recommended by Robin Stiles.
Bullpen Gospels: Major League Dreams of a Minor League Veteran	Hayhurst, Dirk	Hilariously self-effacing and brutally honest, Hayhurst captures the absurdities, the grim realities, and the occasional nuggets of hard-won wisdom culled from four seasons in baseball's minor leagues. Dirk reveals a side of baseball rarely seen on ESPN.
Open: An Autobiography	Agassi, Andre	Tennis player Andre Agassi reflects on his personal and professional life, discussing his childhood, family, training, media attention, matches, challenges, successes, struggle with depression, drugs, and more. Recommended by Ally Krubski.
Long Snapper : A Second Chance, a Super Bowl, a Lesson for Life	Marx, Jeffrey	Chronicles the career of professional football player Brian Kinchen, who was called upon in 2003 to be a snapper for the New England Patriots. This opportunity clarified what was truly valuable in his life: marriage, family, and teaching. Nicely done, with plenty of insider football action.
Mike and Mike's Rules for Sports and Life	Golic, Mike, Mike Greenberg, and Andrew Chaikivsky	Every morning more than 3 million listeners tune into Mike and Mike in the Morning on ESPN Radio--mostly to hear the Mikes' funny back-and- forth on everything from why baseball managers should dress like real people to how to lose a fight with dignity. If you're one of Mikes' legions of followers you probably can't get enough of this sort of provocative, hilarious, and occasionally obsessive info.
Once a Runner	Parker, John	An inspiring tale of one man’s quest to become a champion. Originally self-published and sold out of the trunk of the author’s car, the book found its way into the hands of athletes all over the country. Reading it became a rite of passage on many teams and tattered copies were handed down like sacred texts. Once a Runner captures the essence of what it means to be a competitive runner, to devote your entire existence to a single-minded pursuit of excellence. In doing so, it has become one of the most beloved sports novels ever published. Recommended by Robin Stiles.

Crazy for the Storm: A Memoir of Survival	Ollestad, Norman	Ollestad tells the tragic story of an airplane crash into the side of a mountain. As the sole survivor and only 11 years old at the time, he uses the athletic skills he learned in competitive downhill skiing to survive the bone-chilling cold and a blizzard atop the 8,600-foot mountain. Ollestad's unyielding concentration on the themes of courage, love and endurance seep into every scene, making this memoir an inspiring, fascinating survival story and more.
Last Climb: The Legendary Everest Expeditions of George Mallory	Breashers, David and Audry Salkeld	Chronicles George Mallory's final attempt to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 1924. Breashers, himself a renowned mountaineer, reveals the astounding facts of early climbing on Mt. Everest.
Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon	Grann, David	Percy Fawcett, a celebrated member of the Royal Geographical Society, explored the Amazon the hard way: on foot. His exploits were widely reported, especially when he told of his belief in a lost city— he called it “Z”—that would offer proof an advanced civilization had once thrived in the region’s hostile environment. In 1925, having vowed to find Z, he disappeared into the jungle and was never seen again. If you liked Into Thin Air, you'll love this. Recommended by Jon Shepro.
Shadow Divers: The True Adventure of Two Americans Who Risked Everything to Solve One of the Last Mysteries of World War II	Kurson, Robert	Tells the story of the discovery in 1991 of a World War II German U-boat, sunk off the coast of New Jersey. Yet all official records agree there could not be a sunken U-boat and crew at that location. Follow as the story unfolds.
Trap, The	Smelcer, John	Smelcer tells an unforgettable survival tale set in the Alaskan Arctic. Albert Least-Weasel stumbles into his own wolf-trap while running his trapline. His grandson Johnny fights for honor in a community that has turned from tradition to alcohol and nihilism. Alternating chapters tell their stories over the course of four subzero January days. The resolution provides no easy answers.

Along for the Ride	Dessen, Sarah	Want a change from fictional neckbiters and backbiters? Welcome Auden West, a studious good girl about to be sun-kissed…Confiding and dry-witted, Auden's voice is like listening to your best bud while splitting a container of Haagen-Dazs. Author Sarah Dessen beautifully captures that sense of summer as a golden threshold between past regrets and future unknowns, a time that shimmers with the sweet promise of now. Dessen is recommended by students.
Have a Little Faith	Albom, Mitch	Author Mitch Albom, having been asked to write a eulogy for an elderly rabbi, begins a relationship with the man in order to get to know him better, and, in the process, also becomes involved with the plight of a local pastor whose church is falling down around him, leading Mitch to better understand the importance of faith. Recommended by Bill Walsh.
Matter of Class, A	Balogh, Mary	The families of Lady Annabelle Ashton and Mr. Reginald Mason have had nothing to do with each other for 30 years, ever since the coal merchant Masons moved next door. The highly successful Mr. Mason would like to teach his son how to behave like a gentleman, while rescuing the Earl's finances and the reputation of the Earl's daughter. Marriage between the two seems the only solution. The unexpected climax will have readers gasping and smiling with delight. A can't-miss choice for romance fans. Recommended by Angela Cockfield.
Slightly series (Slightly Sinful, Slightly Tempted, Slightly Scandalous, Slightly Wicked, Slightly Married, Slightly Dangerous)	Balogh, Mary	Meet the Bedwyns…six brothers and sisters--men and women of passion and privilege, daring and sensuality…Enter their dazzling world of high society and breathtaking seduction…where each will seek love, fight temptation, and court scandal. Recommended by Angela Cockfield.

Bone series(books 1-9)	Smith, Jeff	This epic series is about three blobby creatures who have stumbled into a valley full of monsters, magic, farmers, an exiled princess and a huge, cynical dragon. The story is something like satirical version of The Lord of the Rings: hilarious and action-packed, but rarely losing track of its darker subtext about power and evil.
Imposter's Daughter	Sandell, Laurie	Presents a memoir in graphic form in which the author discusses her admiration for her father and her gradual realization, while checking his sources for an interview she conducted with him, that many of his apparent accomplishments were based on lies. She begins by showing the father of her earliest memories, full of exciting adventures. She takes us through her 30s when she realizes truths. As she matures in the book, her drawing increases in clarity with her understanding.
Stitches: A Memoir	Small, David	A graphic memoir that chronicles the life of American author and illustrator David Small, detailing his sickly childhood and teenage years, relationship with his parents, his cancer, and more. Like other “important” graphic works, this is a frequently disturbing, pitch-black funny, ultimately cathartic story whose full impact can only be delivered in the graphic art medium.

China Road	Gifford, Rob	As the Beijing correspondent for NPR, Gifford took a long road trip before ending his assignment. This is an account of his trip west, with many personal anecdotes and insights coming from his experiences in China. Recommended by Susan Pels.
Chronicle of a Death Foretold	Gabriel Marquez, Gabreil	By the time the Vicario brothers murdered the young, rich, and handsome Santiago Nasar, nearly everyone in the small Latin American town knew the murder was going to happen except for Nasar himself. Twenty-seven years later, the novel's narrator tries to untangle the myriad causes and consequences of the violent act. Nobel Laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez's intricate novella delicately exposes the simmering issues of class, religion, convention, and distorted concepts of good and evil. Recommended by Catalina DeLuca.
El Coronel No Tiene Quien Le Escriba (The Colonel Has No One to Write to Him)	Garcia Marquez, Gabriel	The novel is the story of an impoverished, retired Colombian colonel who still hopes to receive the pension he was promised some fifteen years earlier. The action opens with the colonel preparing to go to the funeral of a town musician whose death is notable because he was the first to die from natural causes in many years. The novel is set during the years of "La violencia" in Colombia, when martial law and censorship prevail. Recommended by Catalina DeLuca.
Homage to Catalonia	Orwell, George	Traces the true story of Orwell's experience fighting in the Spanish Civil War. A masterpiece of journalism. Recommended by Eamon Griffin.
However Tall the Mountains: A Dream, Eight Girls, and a Journey Home	Ayub, Awista	Details the efforts of the author who established a soccer clinic for Afghan women to instill them with hope after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. His efforts allow hundreds of Afghan girls to compete in the Afghanistan Football Federation.
I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced	Nujood, Ali and Delphine Minoui	One of 16 children living in squalor in Yemen, Nujood was married off at about age 10. Though her husband vowed he'd wait for sex until she reached puberty, he does not keep his promise. After months of abuse, Nujood goes to the courthouse where she tells a judge she wants a divorce. Supported by the legal system, Nujood gets her wish. A dividend: Her case has brought international exposure to the archaic practice of robbing girls of their youth—half the girls in Yemen are married before age 18. Nujood's story ends with her back in school, given a rare second chance to start her childhood over.
Leopard Hunts in Darkness, The	Smith, Wilbur	Craig Mellow is the toast of the literary world, a young writer whose bestselling novels and larger-than-life adventures are fueled by natural-born charisma. But Craig lost a limb and a legacy in Africa. A representative of the World Bank recruits Craig to return to his war-torn homeland--to use his knowledge of Zimbawe's people, languages, and wildlife to stabilize its future. Soon, this scion of a legendary family is caught in a new era of massive ivory poaching, of tribal warfare waged with modern killing tools, and international politics hardwired directly to Washington and Moscow. Recommended by Ed Huydic.
Over a Thousand Hills I Walk with You	Jansen, Hanna	Jeanne, the only member of her family not murdered in the Rwandan genocide, struggles to start a new life without her family while coping with the violent memories that haunt her. While telling Jeanne's story, her adoptive mother writes also ob the emotional and philosophical issues of the genocide. An unforgettable book.
Sin Noticias de Gurb (No Word from Gurb)	Mendoza, Eduardo	A shape-shifting extraterrestrial named Gurb has disappeared in Barcelona. He assumes the form of Madonna, whose image he glimpses on a street poster. His partner goes about trying to find him in a more discreet guise. No stone is left unturned, no danger too much, in his search for his old pal Gurb. "No Word From Gurb" is a riotous satire highlighting the contradictions of Western society in a lively, intelligent and sweetly ironic way. Recommended by Catalina DeLuca.
Stones into Schools: Promoting Peace with Books, not Bombs, in Afghanistan and Pakistan	Mortenson, Greg	Takes up where Three Cups of Tea left off. Mortenson builds schools in rural Afghanistan against many odds. Recommended by students.
When the Lion Feeds	Smith, Wilbur	He began life at his twin brother’s side, soon running wild on his father’s ranch on the edge of Africa. But violence, desire, and fate sent Sean Courtney into exile—where he would fight and love his way to extraordinary success and heartbreaking failure...Recommended by Ed Huydic.
Staples High School: 120 Years of A+ Education	Woog, Dan	Riveting history of the greatest high school on earth! Familiar faces, and some not so familiar, tell the tales that made this school so amazing. Great photos, too.

Supergirls Speak Out: Inside
the Secret Crisis of
Overachieving Girls

Funk, Liz

Discusses problems that can accompany motivated, perfectionist young women who pressure themselves at school, at work, and in society, causing themselves to suffer from anxiety, exhaustion, eating disorders, and insecurity, with advice for how to relax and enjoy life.

Audrey, Wait!	Benway, Robin	Audrey breaks up with her boyfriend Evan because his band is more important to hm than she is. Evan then writes a song about her that soars to the top of the charts, and Audrey's life will never be the same again. Now she's the target of paparazzi and websites are devoted to her. This is an irresistable, laugh-out-loud romp. Recommended by students.
El Misterio de la Cripta Embruajda (The Mystery of the Enchanted Crypt)	Mendoza, Eduardo	Released from an asylum to help with a police enquiry, the quick-witted and foul-smelling narrator delves deep into the underworld of 1970s Barcelona to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a teenage girl from a convent school, aided only by his prostitute sister Mercedes. Recommended by Catalina DeLuca who could not stop laughing from beginning to end.
Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible	Jacobs, A. J.	What would it require for a person to live all the commandments of the Bible for an entire year? That is the question that animates this hilarious, memoir. He didn't just keep the Bible's better-known moral laws (being honest and giving to charity), but also the obscure ones: not mixing wool with linen in his clothing; calling the days of the week by their ordinal numbers to avoid voicing the names of pagan gods; trying his hand at a 10-string harp; growing a ZZ Top beard; and eating crickets. Jacobs laces his story with absurdly funny cultural commentary. Recommended by Rob Rogers.

Big Short, The: Inside the Doomsday Machine	Lewis, Michael	Reuters financial blogger Felix Salmon writes: “There aren't many reasons to be happy about the global financial crisis, but here's one: that it brought Michael Lewis back to his roots, to produce what is probably the single best piece of financial journalism ever written." Lewis also wrote The Blind Side.
Carjacked	Fernandez, Anne Lutz & Lutz, Catherine	Sisters anthropology professor Lutz and businessperson-turned-Staples English teacher Fernandez researched and wrote this book after their cousin was killed in a crash. They use interviews, statistics, advertising analysis, and personal experiences to argue that we love cars because they tap into the American Dream but that this can blind us to their many costs in terms of money, time, health, and lives. Written by SHS' own Anne Fernandez.
Children of E4: American Education on Trial	Eaton, Susan	Something is wrong in our Connecticut society when Westport is 98% white and wealthy and Bridgeport is 98% minority and poor. Talk about a tale of two cities! This book reveals the inequalities of public education in our own state. Recommended by Steve Rexford.
Game Change : Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime	Heilemann, John and Mark Halperin	Political reporters John Heilemann and Mark Halperin offer a behind-the- scenes look at the 2008 presidential campaign, discussing how Barack Obama rose from a virtual unknown to win the election, how the relationship between Bill and Hillary Clinton shaped her campaign, why McCain chose a novice governor for his running mate, and other related topics. Non-fiction that reads like fiction. Recommended by Julia Roberts.
Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide	Kristoff, Nicholas and Sheryl WuDunn	Tells the stories of women in Africa and Asia who have been victims of sex trafficking and forced prostitution, gender-based violence, and maternal mortality, and shows how girls' education and micro-finance can change their lives while providing a boost to the economies of developing countries. Recommended by Vicky Capozzi and Linda McClary.
How to Be a Hepburn in a Hilton World: The Art of Living with Style, Class, and Grace	Christy, Jordan	Though fashions may change, certain things never go out of style. Despite the headline- grabbing antics of certain flashy celebutantes, most of us would rather have class. Keep your chin up and your skirt down. Provides guidance and advice for women on being classy and achieving personal and professional success. Recommended by Robin Stiles.
Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI--1933-34	Burrough, Bryan	Burrough produces the definitive account of the 1930s crime wave that brought notorious criminals like John Dillinger and Bonnie and Clyde to America's front pages. This true crime history balances violent shootouts and schemes for daring prison breaks with a detailed account of how the robberies and headlines helped an ambitious federal bureaucrat named J. Edgar Hoover transform a small agency into the FBI we know today.

Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Vol I & II	Anderson, M. T.	Young Octavian is being raised by a group of rational philosophers known by numbers instead of names. After he opens a forbidden door he learns the hideous nature of their experiments, and his own chilling role in them. Set in Revolutionary Boston, M. T. Anderson’s mesmerizing novel takes place at a time when Patriots battled to win liberty while African slaves were entreated to risk their lives for a freedom they would never claim. The first of two parts, this deeply provocative novel reimagines the past as an eerie place that has startling resonance for readers today. National Book Award.
Book Thief, The	Zusak, Markus	Living in Germany during World War II, young Liesel Meminger scratches out a meager existence. Then she encounters something she can't resist --- books. Michael L. Printz Honor. Recommended by Kim Palca.
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet	Ford, Jamie	Jamie Ford gives us a beautiful story told with vivid detail and memorable characters. He creats the corner of bitter and sweet as both a physical place--the Panama Hotel--and Henry's emotional homebase as he explores the experiences of Chinese and Japanese-Americans during World War II with sensitivity and insight. A fascinating story, reminiscent of Snow Falling on Cedars only written in a younger voice. Recommended by Linda McClary.
Imperium (and Conspirata)	Harris, Robert	These thrillers take place during the time of Cicero, the Roman politician. They have some clear connections to the Rome of today. The insight that it gives into our own time is fantastic. Recommended by Daniel Heaphy.
Sarah's Key	de Rosnay, Tatiana	American journalist Julia Jarmond researches the brutal 1942 Nazi roundup in Paris and stumbles upon a connection between her family and one of the victims, which compels Julia to learn more about the girl's life. Recommended by Ally Krubski, Elaine Schwartz, and Beth Semaya.
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan	See, Lisa	In remote nineteenth-century China, a girl named Lily, at the tender age of seven, is paired with a laotong, “old same,” in an emotional match that will last a lifetime. As the years pass, Lily and Snow Flower send secret messages on fans, compose stories on handkerchiefs, reaching out of isolation to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments. Together, they endure the agony of foot-binding, and reflect upon their arranged marriages, shared loneliness, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood. The two develop a bond that keeps their spirits alive. But when a misunderstanding arises, their deep friendship threatens to tear them apart. Recommended by Fran Evan.
Wives and Daughters	Gaskell, Elizabeth	Do you ever wish that Jane Austen had written more novels? This one was written in 1869s but set decades earlier, close to Austen's time. Molly Gibson and her family come to life as much as Austen's characters do. Recommended by Susan Pels.

Big Stone Gap: A Novel	Trigiani, Adrianna	Filled with big-time eccentrics and small-town shenanigans, Big Stone Gap is a jewel box of original characters.Comic and compassionate, Big Stone Gap is is the story of a woman who thinks life has passed her by, only to learn that the best is yet to come. Recommended by Christine Talarico.
Bridge of Sighs	Russo, Richard	This novel describes with great generosity the lives of three characters--two artists and a shopkeeper--who have grown up in the same small town in upstate New York. In writing that is at times funny, at times poignant, Russo addresses both the relationship between intimacy and individual identity and broader questions of our national character. A rich and wonderful book. Recommended by Gus Young.
Help, The	Stockett, Kathryn	The Help is a novel about black domestic servants working in white Southern households in the early 1960s in Mississippi. One woman works especially tirelessly. She labors long into the night. She is exhausted. Her eyes are stinging, her fingers bloody and sore but she finds the time and courage to collaborate with a young struggling writer who happens to be wealthy and white. Recommended by Fran Sinay, Barbara Robbins, and Trema Voytek, Julia Roberts and Robin Stiles
How I Live Now	Rosoff, Meg	Soon after 15-year-old Daisy arrives at her relatives' remote farm in England, her aunt goes away on business. The next day an unnamed enemy sets off bombs in London. Despite the war, it's a kind of Eden at the farm, with no adults and no rules. But the war is everywhere, and Daisy and her four cousins must lead each other into a world that is unknown in the scariest, most elemental way. Michael L. Printz Award.
Hunger Games (sequel is Catching Fire)	Collins, Suzanne	Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used to be the United States. Each district must send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called "The Hunger Games." The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change, but one thng is constant: kill or be killed. When Kat's sister is chosen by lottery to compete, Kat steps up to go in her place. If you like reality shows with violence and a great plot, you'll love this. (The next in the series, Mockingjay, will be released in August.) New York Times Notable Book of the Year. Soon to be a movie. Recommended by multiple students and teachers.
Marcelo in the Real World	Stork, Francisco X.	Marcelo Sandoval, a seventeen-year-old boy on the high-functioning end of the autistic spectrum, faces new challenges, including romance and injustice, when he goes to work for his father in the mailroom of a corporate law firm.This book, like Marcelo himself, surprises. National Book Award Nominee.
Paper Towns (also by Green--Looking for Alaska and An Abundance of Katherines and the recently-released co-written Will Grayson, Will Grayson)	Green, John	Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his life, he follows. When a new day breaks, he arrives at school to discover that Margo is no longer there. Q soon learns that there are clues to where she may be— and they're for him. The closer he gets, the less Q sees the girl he thought he knew. Recommended by many students and Julia Roberts.
Perfect (also Bounce and Lush)	Friend, Natasha	Although Perfect is about a girl struggling with bulimia, it's so much more than a "problem novel." It also explores the intersections between family history and personal poblems, as well as the differences between outward appearances and the complex emotions that lie beneath the surface.
Will Grayson, Will Grayson	Green, John and David Levithan	In alternating chapters, the authors track two teens, both named Will Grayson. One Will is vintage Green: a smart nerd whose rules to live by include “don't care too much,” with a scene-stealing sidekick—Tiny Cooper, a large, flamboyantly gay classmate intent on staging an autobiographical musical. The other will (lowercase throughout) is angry and depressed; the one bright spot in his existence is an online friendship with “Isaac.” When Will and Will meet, it may change both their lives. Recommended by students and Julia Roberts

Body of Work: Meditations on Mortality from the Human Anatomy Lab	Montross, Christine	Interested in medicine? Anatomy? Body of Workis the story of a medical student and the many lessons she learns through her dissection of a human body. She is paired with lab partners who have to learn the ins and outs of the human body and at the same time learn compassion and understanding of the human life. This story is not for readers who have queezy stomachs. It helps to have some anatomy knowledge before reading. Recommended by Janet Zamary.
Death By Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandries	Tyson, Neil deGrasse	Presents a collection of over forty essays by astrophysicist Tyson on the mysteries of outer space, and examines such issues as the relationship between science and religion and the physics of black holes. Smoothly entertaining, full of fascinating tidbits and frequently humorous. Recommended by A.J. Scheetz.
Fly by Wire: The Geese, the Glide, the Miracle on the Hudson	Langewiesche, William	Examines factors that contributed to the successful emergency landing on the Hudson of flight 1549 by Chesley Sullenberger on January 15, 2009. The author discusses the design of the aircraft and bird strikes throughout aviation history, along with the financial problems of the airlines, the competition between Airbus and Boeing, and more. This work’s discernment of underlying issues contributes depth to the feel-good story that we already know.
Physics of the Impossible : A Scientific Exploration into the World of Phasers, Force Fields, Teleportation, and Time Travel	Kaku, Michio	The imagination of science fiction faces up to the laws of physics in this prognostication of future technologies from a high-profile string theorist. Most things Kaku examines, such as ray guns, deflector shields, invisibility, and interstellar travel, are theoretically possible, provided one harnesses energy on a titanic scale. Kaku entertains techno-dreamers through his clarity about the physics of mind reading and time machines. Recommended by A. J. Scheetz.
This Is Your Brain on Music	Levitin, Daniel J.	Interesting look at the physiological reasons that we all love music. Describes the elements of music (rhythm, melody, etc.), then explains how the brain processes those elements and puts them together into something we enjoy. A mix of music theory, psychology, and brain physiology--the book makes you realize that art and science complement, not conflict with each other. Recommended by Matt Filip.

Boy Who Dared	Bartoletti, Susan	This is the true story of Helmuth Hubener, a young man growing up in Nazi Germany. Although he enters the Hitler Youth, and he has family members serving in the German army, Helmuth's conscience will not allow him to be swept up in the nationalistic fervor of the times and becomes part of the resistance movement. The novel is told in flashbacks as Helmuth sits in his jail cell awaiting execution for his crimes against the Nazi government. The Boy Who Dared is a compelling story that will appeal to those interested in historical fiction, World War II, or stories of individuals defying a corrupt government. Recommended by students.
Contractor	MacKinnon, Colin	Rick Behringer runs Global Reach Technologies, a company that designs communications systems, but his real job is as a contractor to the CIA. He buys weapons illegally from other countries and passes them along to the CIA. The money is good, and Rick has a strong sense of patriotism, but mostly he likes the adrenaline high that comes with this outsourced spy work. When Rick comes across a Pakistani, who is attempting to acquire nuclear material from a Russian gangster to build an atomic weapon for terrorist purposes, Rick's CIA handlers push him to investigate. Soon Rick finds himself in serious trouble.
Ghosts of War: The True Story of a 19-Year-Old GI	Smithson, Ryan	"I am just a GI. Nothing special. A kid doing my job. A veritable Joe Schmo of the masses, of my generation." In this Iraq War memoir, an Army engineer takes readers from basic training to dodging explosives in the desert to returning home. He deftly re-creates his experiences, both horrifying and mundane. An eight-page insert of Smithson's personal photographs adds immediacy.
Good Soldiers, The	Finkel, David	Presents the true story of the January 2007 surge into Iraq and President Bush's order to increase the number of American troops in order to provide security to Baghdad and Al Anbar Province. Recommended by Michael Fulton.
Purple Heart	McCormick, Patricia	Private Matt Duffy struggles to remember how he received a traumatic brain injury while on patrol in Iraq. This fiction book deals with dynamic friendships, battle, and Matt's internal struggle.
War Child: A Child Solder's Story	Emmanuel, Jal and Megan Lloyd Davies	Rap artist Emmanuel Jal, Lost Boy of Sudan, child soldier, witness to the horror of Sudan's civil war, is able to find refuge and peace through hope, faith, and music.

Be More Chill	Vizzini, Ned	Badly in need of self-confidence and a change of image, high school nerd Jeremy Heere swallows a pill-sized super computer that is supposed to help him get whatever he wants. By instructing him on everything from what to wear to how to talk and walk, the computer transforms Jeremy into one of the most popular guys in class. Soon he has more friends and has the attention of the hottest girls in school. But Jeremy eventually discovers that there is also a dark side to having a computer inside your brain--and it can have disastrous consequences. Searingly witty and surprisingly poignant.
Dies the Fire	Stirling, S. M.	The Change occurred when an electrical storm centered over the island of Nantucket produced a blinding white flash that rendered all electronic devices and fuels inoperable. What follows is the most terrible global catastrophe in the history of the human race—-and a Dark Age more universal and complete than could possibly be imagined. Recommended by Rob Rogers.
Hero	Moore, Perry	High school basketball star Thom Creed is used to being on his own. His father Hal had once been one of the greatest and most beloved superheroes of The League. The last thing in the world Thom would ever want is to disappoint his father. So Thom keeps two secrets from him: that he's gay and that he has the power to heal people. Recommended by students.
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy	Adams, Douglas	Seconds before the Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy who, for the past fifteen years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor. Together this dynamic pair begins an unusual journey through space. Recommended by students and Rob Rogers.
Knife of Never Letting Go	Ness, Patrick	Todd Hewitt is the only boy in a town of men. Ever since the settlers were infected with the Noise germ, Todd can hear everything the men think, and they hear everything he thinks. In the midst of the cacophony, he knows that the town is hiding something from him — something so awful Todd is forced to flee with only his dog, whose simple, loyal voice he also hears. The two stumble upon a strange and eerily silent creature: a girl. Who is she? Why wasn't she killed by the germ like the rest of the females?
Little Brother	Doctorow, Cory	Seventeen-year-old techno-geek w1n5t0n (aka Marcus) bypasses the school’s gait-recognition system by placing pebbles in his shoes, and chats secretly with friends on his IMParanoid messaging program. While skipping school, Markus is caught near the site of a terrorist attack on San Francisco and held by the Department of Homeland Security for six days of intensive interrogation. After his release, he vows to use his skills to fight back against an increasingly frightening system of surveillance.
Maximum Ride (5 book series)	Patterson, James	Max and 5 other kids, who amazingly have the ability to fly, deal with evil scientists and saving the world. Series recommended by students.
Nano	Marlow, John Robert	A near-future technological thriller with terrifyingly feasible implications, Marlow's novel delves into the wonders -- and dangers -- of nanotechnology. Someone has a dream of seeing nanotechnology create a virtual paradise without hunger, disease, death, or even war. But some government leaders will do anything to possess the technology and turn it into a weapon of mass destruction, or more specifically, a weapon of mass disassembly. Impeccably researched, action-packed, filled with incredible plot twists (the ending will blow readers away!) and with pacing that can only be described as breakneck, this is a spectacular page-turner that demands to be read. Recommended by Rob Rogers.
Num8ers	Ward, Rachel	Fifteen-year-old Jem knows when she looks at someone the exact date they will die, so she avoids relationships, but when she meets a boy named Spider and they plan a day out together, they become more involved than either of them had planned. This novel is a fast-paced thriller with philosophical roots and empathy for those who don’t fit the mold, not to mention a jaw-dropping ending that makes the reader eager for a sequel. Recommended by Mary Parmelee.

Extras (part 4 of Uglies series)	Westerfeld, Scott	In an alternative civilization where the social status of each person is continually monitored and rated, fifteen-year-old Aya Fuse's popularity ranking is so low her only chance of moving up is to find a good story, so when she meets a group of girls who hide an explosive secret, Aya decides to expose the group and unknowingly puts her own life in danger. Recommended by Rob Rogers.
Fight Club	Palahniuk, Chuck	An American satire that puts a black eye on the face of American consumerism. The first rule of Fight Club is "never talk about fight club"...so you'll have to read and find out for yourself! Recommended by students.
Forest of Hands and Teeth, The	Ryan, Carrie	Flesh-eating zombies have kept the people of Mary's walled village trapped for generations. When the zombies get in again Mary and a handful of survivors must do everything in their power to survive. Recommended by students.
Juvie Three	Korman, Gordan	Korman scores again with this book. What happens when you take three teenagers (a gangbanger, a car thief, and a murderer) out of prison and put them together in a halfway house? Not what you might think. This book grabs readers from the first stolen car getaway and keeps them going until the final pages when they learn the fate of the trio. Fast cars, high school drama, and even a love interest are added, along with realistic wise-cracking dialogue. Recommended by Julia Roberts.
Punkzilla	Rapp, Adam	For a runaway, kicking a meth habit and a life of petty crime is a prelude to a mission: reconnecting with his older gay brother who is dying far away. Against a backdrop of seedy motels, dicey bus stations and hitched rides, the desperate young man meets a colorful, sometimes dangerous cast of characters. In letters to his sibling, he catalogs them all. Quick, easy, intriguing read.
Reformed Vampire Support Group	Jinks, Catherine	Fifteen-year-old vampire Nina has been stuck for fifty-one years in a boring support group for vampires, and nothing exciting has ever happened to them--until one of them is murdered and the others must try to solve the crime.

God of Small Things	Roy, Arundhati	Set in India, in 1969, The God Of Small Things is the story of seven-year-old twins Rahel and Estha, born of a wealthy family. Rahel and Estha are cared for by a host of characters: their beautiful mother, Ammu, who has left a violent husband; their Marxist uncle, Chacko, still pining for his English wife and daughter who left him; their prickly grandaunt, Baby Kochamma, pickling in her virginity; and the volatile Veluth, a member of the Untouchable caste. When Chacko's ex-wife, Margaret, and lovely daughter, Sophie, unexpectedly return, the household is thrown into disarray. Tragedy strikes in the form of an accident (that may not have been accidental) and a terrifying murder. Rahel and Estha learn too soon that love and life can be lost in a millisecond. Required reading for AP English Language and Composition.
Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts	Kingston, Maxine Hong	A Chinese American woman tells of the Chinese myths, family stories and events of her California childhood that have shaped her identity. Required reading for AP American Literature.

Knight, The (and many other titles by this author)	Wolfe, Gene	A teenage boy takes on the name and persona of Sir Able, a knight, after being transported to a magical realm and transformed into a grown man. He soon discovers through encounters with giants, elves, wizards, and dragons, that he has much to learn before he can truly call himself a hero. Recommended by A. J. Scheetz.
Looking Glass Wars (series--ArchEnemy & Seeing Red)	Beddor, Frank	When she is cast out of Wonderland by her evil Aunt Redd, young Alyss Heart finds herself living in Victorian , England. She struggles to keep memories of her kingdom intact until she can return and claim her rightful throne. Recommended by students.

Dizzy in Your Eyes: Poems About Love	Mora, Pat	Fifty poems written in the voice of teenagers which reveal the speakers' feelings about and experiences with love.
Fire to Fire: New and Selected Poems	Doty, Mark	Doty's subjects—our mortal situation, the evanescent beauty of the world, desire's transformative power, and art's ability to give shape to human lives—echo and develop across twenty years of poems. National Book Award. Recommended by Brian Tippy.

Ford County	Grisham, John	Very entertaining short stories. One story was "poetic justice," another was very sad, and another was very funny. Recommended by Lyn Birkmaier.
Rendezvous and Other Stories	O'Brian, Patrick	This collection of short naval stories are wonderful for their sparse realism. Everyday occurences here are treated with a detached, naturalistic voice, as men find themselves alone amidst an indifferent natural world. Recommended by Gus Young.
Too Much Happiness	Munro, Alice	In this riveting new collection of stories, Munro probes loss, loneliness, regret, separation, and death in her typically brilliant fashion. Ordinary men and women seek to find the clues that will help them toward wholeness or, at the very least, acceptance. The collection delivers what Munro is renowned for: poignancy, flesh and blood characters and a style nothing short of elegant. Recommended by Beth Semaya.