Choose one book from the books listed for your grade level or course and complete the attached assignment, which is due either September 9th or 10^th 2008 depending on which day your English class meets. A copy of each book listed is available in the Paul V. Moore Library to be signed out for your use.

IF YOU HAVE REGISTERED TO TAKE AN ADVANCED COURSE NEXT FALL, YOU MUST READ AN ADDITIONAL TEXT: 

ENGLISH 9RA:   THE CHOSEN by CHIAM POTAK

ENGLISH 10RA :  TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by HARPER LEE

ENGLISH 11H :  A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN by BETTY SMITH

SUPA ENGLISH :   Select Essays from CRITICAL ENCOUNTERS WITH TEXT

Books for Advanced courses may be signed out through the English office before you leave in June. (Room 1027)

English 9

The Best Little Girl in the World  LEVENKRON (fiction) - This is a revealing story of a young girl's battle with anorexia. Realistic and relevant, extremely readable, readers will weep and cheer right along with the young woman as she struggles to find self-acceptance and life.  Reading Level: 9

Kirkus Review:  The diagnosis comes a bit too easily, promising a bit too zippy a cure, and this certainly doesn’t furnish the eye-opening epiphany required for gripping psycho-drama.  Still, Sandy is one of the more believable and reassuring fictional therapists in recent fiction, and there’s enough quiet authenticity here to reward those readers interested in the disease but not interested enough to dip into Hilde Bruch’s thorough, fascinating non-fiction study, The Golden Cage.

The Chocolate War  CORMIER (mystery) - A high school boy refuses to be intimidated by those around him. It looks at the struggle of teens to be themselves and the power of a group.  Reading Level: 6.7

The New York Times Book Review:  “Cormier’s fourth novel, written for teenagers but a strong read for adults, is a story with a highly serious message …about the usurpation and misuse of power.  It is masterfully structured and rich in theme; the action is well crafted, well timed, suspenseful; complex ideas develop and unfold with clarity.  The novel may be faulted only for its general shortchanging of character.  The characters are quick studies, recognizable at a glance, two-dimensional. Although humorous scenes do precede the novel’s denouement, an easy out does occur.

The Library Journal:  Cormier is especially sharp in showing the boys’ relationship to and manipulation of each other.  Realistic language and the usual horniness of adolescent boys crop up throughout in the natural way, but the brutality of the Vigil’s reign of terror and Archie’s dictatorial sway makes this novel unique in its uncompromising portrait of human cruelty and conformity.

The Wave  STRASSER (fiction) - In order to help his students understand how the German people could have followed Hitler, Mr. Ross creates a movement called The Wave. Before the week is out, The Wave governs the school. Two students set out to stop The Wave before it’s too late!  Reading Level: 5.7

No review available

English 10

Please Stop Laughing at Me, is a national best selling autobiography by Jodee Blanco.  This book vividly illustrates the issue of bullying in our schools today. 

Publisher's Weekly:  "Although the text is overwritten in parts, the author's courageous and honest memoir of the years she spent as the victim of her contemporaries points smartly to the inability of adults to deal with issues of serious bullying."

Shattering Glass by Gail Giles, a fictional story of clumsy Simon Glass, a fat nerd loser who occupies the lowest rung on the high school social ladder.  Everyone picks on him until Rob Haynes shows up.  Rob, a transfer student with charisma to spare immediately becomes the undisputed leader of the senior class, and he has plans for Simon. (Contains some graphic sexual references and language, which may be offensive to some readers.)

Booklist:  "This first novel has flaws.  Some of the adults are caricatures, and if you look too closely at the plot, you'll find cracks in some places.  But the pacing is superb, and the story's twists are unexpected and disquieting.  Heading the chapters are the comments of those involved, five years after the event.  This conceit extends the story and will keep readers wondering.  Fans of Nancy Werlin's books will appreciate this one; it's a page-turner."

Kirkus Review:  "A grimly comic debut novel revisits the dark hell of high school cliques...a sure fire hit for book discussion groups."

Publisher's Weekly:  "A suspenseful, disturbing novel"

Shades of Simon Gray by Joyce McDonald

Seventeen -year old Simon lies in a coma, finding his space and time overlapping with that of a man who was lynched over 200 years ago, while a member of the cheating ring he has been helping, wonders if their actions have caused the plagues assaulting their New Jersey town.

Joyce McDonald is a new and powerful voice in thriller fiction for teenagers. Like Lois Duncan’s protagonists, McDonald’s teenage characters stumble into dangerous territory, and along the way must make moral and ethical decisions that will fundamentally affect their future. Whether it’s computer crime, a stray gunshot, arson, or an accidental murder, McDonald promises her readers a gripping story. Her characters might be recognizable from the nightly news or the front pages of local newspapers, but the consequences they suffer turn their misdeeds into a “reality check” for teen readers and force them to think about the serious outcomes of teenage crime in the United States.  This book also asks them to think about the consequences of following the crowd because you’re too afraid to be who you are despite others’ criticisms.

Because of the recent increase in school violence around the country, we chose these titles as a preface to our tenth grade literature, which deals with issues of intolerance.  It has been proven that bullying leads to violence, and in turn we feel strongly about our choices of summer reading titles.

“Every day of being teased and picked on, pushed up against lockers- just the general feeling of fear in the school.  And you either respond to a fear by having a fear, or you take action and have hate.”

                                          Brooks Brown, a student at Columbine High School

English 11

A Murder is Announced Agatha Christie (murder mystery) - Invited to a party game of "who-done-it' at the manor house of a friend, Miss Jane. Marple finds out murder is no laughing matter when a player actually turns up dead.

No review found

The Honk and Holler Opening Soon Billie Letts (contemporary fiction) - A winsome and heartfelt story centered on a cast of regulars at an Oklahoma roadside cafe.

Publisher’s Weekly Review:  Letts’s gently humorous second novel confirms the promise of her debut, Where the Heart Is. Even a few unresolved loose ends can’t diminish the cumulative effect of this warm, sentimental tale, abundant with quirky detail and homespun wisdom, which emphasizes not only the power of romantic love but the healing power of community as well.

The Things They Carried Tim O'Brien (fiction) - A presentation of fictional, myriad perspectives of Vietnam. This book is a testament to those who risked their lives in America's most controversial war.

Library Journal:  O’Brien shows his literary stuff with this brilliant collection of short stories many of which have won literary recognitions and have appeared in O. Henry Awards’ collections of Best American Short Stories.  Not sine Kurt Vonnegut has the American soldier been portrayed with such poignancy and sincerity.

O’Brien’s meditations—on war and memory, on darkness and light—suffuse the entire work with a kind of poetic form, making for a highly original, fully realized novel.

Drama

Ah! Wilderness:  Eugene O’Neill

Richard Miller is a rebellious high school senior in love with his neighbor. Her father disapproves of the relationship, unhappy with Richard's wildness, and breaks up the relationship.  Will Richard and Muriel get back together?

"Although not primarily intended for young adults, this age group can enjoy Ah! Wilderness because of its sensitive depiction of adolescent and parental interactions.  Perhaps for young readers the most accessible of O'Neill's plays, the drama effectively reveals the positive qualities of American nostalgic family comedy and provides an interesting comparison to other works in the genre."  Delmer Davis

Lost In Yonkers: Neil Simon

Set during World War II, the play draws on Neil Simon's experiences growing up in                     New York City.  The main themes - including survival, the importance of family, and

 acceptance - earned Simon a Pulitzer Prize.  Simon explores his characters with

 deep levels of pain and humorous dialogue, which helps to strike a balance between

 tragedy and comedy.  This is considered Simon's best work - and Simon is considered

 one of America's greatest playwrights.

"Lost in Yonkers received even more praise than The Brighton Beach trilogy winning Simon a Tony Award for best play and a Drama Desk Award.  Although Simon predicted that he would never win a Pulitzer Prize, Lost in Yonkers won in 1991. Mainly critics termed it Simon's best play-his least sentimental and most satisfying dark comedy, mining its humor out of very painful material."

Knights and Heroes

The Mists Of Avalon: Here is the magical legend of King Arthur, vividly retold through the eyes and lives of Marion Zimmer Bradley one of the women who wielded power from behind the throne.  Bradley has added a whole new dimension to the Arthurian saga. With Bradley's spellbinding prose, it is little wonder that she has so many devoted fans.

The Once and Future King: White recreates the epic saga of King Arthur, from his childhood experiences.  Its contemporary tone gives the novel a unique present-day feeling, and White's addition of new characters to the Arthurian legends makes this a truly rich and rewarding read.

"This story has everything: heroism, love, lust, betrayal, the truth about both societal and political edifices, a bitterly beautiful screed about the inefficacy of war, and a rise into the numinous.  For the sheer glory of the language, for the wonderful interplay of history and anachronism, for the ever-deepening of its characters, for the sweep of the magical crossed with the real, I choose TS White's version."  Jane Yolen

Novels

Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson

Kate Malone is a straight A science and math geek, minister’s daughter, ace long-distance runner, new girlfriend to Mitchell “Early Decision Pangborn”, an unwilling family caretaker and an emotional avoidance champion. Kate manages her life by organizing it, as logically as the periodic table.  She can handle it all-or so she thinks.  Then, things happen like a string of chemical reactions:  first the Malone’s neighbors get burned out of their own home and move in.  Kate has to share her room with her nemesis, Teri Litch, and Teri’s little brother.  The days are ticking by, and she’s still waiting to hear from the only college to which she’s applied:  MIT.  Kate feels that her life is spinning out of control-and then, something occurs that truly blows it all apart. 

Horn Book:  An unlikely friendship as a catalyst for change is a common element of adolescent literature, but Anderson’s take on human relations succeeds through her fresh writing and exceptional characterization.

Lucky by Alice Sebold

This is the memoir of a survivor of rape. When she was an eighteen-year-old, college student Alice Sebold was raped and beaten as she was on her way home through a park near the Syracuse University campus. This book is the story of her struggle to understand and accept what happened to her and of her efforts not to have her life defined by that one horrendous event. She also tells of the effect the attack had on her friends and family and their personal struggles to support her.

It is a well-written book, which conveys the upheaval an unprovoked attack causes to both the victim of the attack and the community in which they live. Although not an easy book to read because of the light it throws on society’s attitudes towards rape victims, I found the account of her questioning by the police very harrowing. The skepticism of the detectives listening to a traumatized and injured teenager whose life had been irrevocably changed was difficult to understand.

When she eventually identified her attacker and agreed to testify against him, the subsequent court case and cross-examination seemed like a further assault on her. The formality of the courtroom is daunting enough for a person to cope with, but the personal character assassination practiced by lawyers in defense of their client was truly horrible. Overall, this is a very thought- provoking book on many levels and is an uncomfortable read as it holds a mirror to society and forces us to re-examine our own responses to the evil in our midst and the victims thereof.

This is a book that everyone, male and female, should read for a better understanding of what is, unfortunately, an all too common occurrence for many people. It helps us to comprehend the battle that sexual assault victims have to wage in order to reclaim their lives and identity and re-establish trust in the human race, so they can begin to live without fear and terror of every person they meet.

Reviewed by Marie, a Clare County Library staff member.

Warning:  This text contains a vivid description of the rape, which may be too uncomfortable for some readers.

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

This book is a memoir of the life of Jeannette Walls. The book tells the story of her childhood with eccentric, non-conformist parents.  Her father Rex was brilliant yet alcoholic, while her mother, Rose Mary, was a frustrated artist.  Walls describes her zany yet sometimes traumatic childhood with a sense of humor that is admirable.

Kirkus Review: Wall’s detached, direct, and unflinching account of her rags-to-riches life proves a troubling ride. The author’s tell-it-like-it-was memoir is moving because it’s unsentimental; she neither demonizes nor idealizes her parents, and there remains an admirable libertarian quality about them, though it justifiably elicits the children’s exasperation and disgust.  Wall’s journalistic barebones style makes for a chilling, wrenching incredible testimony of childhood neglect.

Speech

A Packet of Select Speeches to be picked up in Room 1021 before June 13, 2008

English 12

Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah

Chinese Cinderella is a memoir that tells the story of a young girl growing up in China in the 1940s.  Adeline's mother dies shortly after giving birth to her.  Adeline is blamed and shunned by her older siblings and ignored by her father.  Her father remarries, and Adeline is treated cruelly by her new stop-mother.  It is a beautiful story of perseverance in the face of adversity.

VOYA "Well written with short chapters, this is a touching tale of a child's struggle and triumph.  The author offers readers a glimpse into her own life and China in the mid-twentieth century.  The reader learns the history and struggles of the region, and is exposed to Chinese culture, including written Chinese characters.  There is an author's note and preface, and learning opportunities are highlighted.  Mah invites readers to write to her and promises to write back.  Her story will inspire children who feel unwanted."  An easily read text.

Memoirs of Geisha

A literary sensation and runaway bestseller, this brilliant debut novel tells with seamless authenticity and exquisite lyricism the true confessions of one of Japan's most celebrated geisha.
Speaking to us with the wisdom of age and in a voice at once haunting and startlingly immediate, Nitta Sayuri tells the story of her life as a geisha. It begins in a poor fishing village in 1929, when, as a nine-year-old girl with unusual blue-gray eyes, she is taken from her home and sold into slavery to a renowned geisha house. We witness her transformation as she learns the rigorous arts of the geisha: dance and music; wearing kimono, elaborate makeup, and hair; pouring sake to reveal just a touch of inner wrist; competing with a jealous rival for men's solicitude and the money that goes with it.

In Memoirs of a Geisha, we enter a world where appearances are paramount; where a girl's virginity is auctioned to the highest bidder; where women are trained to beguile the most powerful men and where love is scorned as illusion. It is a unique and triumphant work of fiction—at once romantic, erotic, suspenseful—and completely unforgettable.

Kirkus Review:  "Cherry blossom-delicate, with images as carefully sculpted as bonsai, this tale of the life of a renowned geisha, one of the last flowers of a kind all but eliminated by WWII, marks an auspicious, unusual debut."

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

This powerful first novel...tells a story of fierce cruelty and fierce yet redeeming love.  Both transform the life of Amir, Khaled Hosseini's privileged young narrator, who comes of age during the last peaceful days of the monarchy, just before his country's revolution and its invasion by Russian forces.  But, political events, even as dramatic as the ones that are presented are only a part of this story.  Hosseini gives us a vivid and engaging story that reminds us how long his people have been struggling to triumph over the forces of violence-forces that continue to threaten them even today.

Kirkus Review:  "Here's a real find:  a striking debut from an Afghan now living in the US.  His passionate story of betrayal and redemption is framed by Afghanistan's tragic recent past.

Composition

All My Sons Arthur Miller (drama) - This play is set after WWI and deals with a son who must confront his own father about the morality of a decision the father made during the war. The play deals with facing consequences and confronting those we love.

This play was Miller’s first success that retains the flavor of post-World War II America, though it is indubitably something beyond a period piece.  The drama is an Ibsenite play and the dialogue is admirably constructed.  Ebsco

Into the Wild Jon Krakauer (non-fiction)- In April 1992, a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley.  Four months later, a moose hunter found his body.  Krakauer explores the profound pull of the American wilderness on our imagination, the allure of high –risk activities and the complex, charged bond between fathers and sons.

This book by the same author of the Best Book for Young Adults 1998 winner, Into Thin Air, began as a magazine article. Krakauer, who understood Christopher McCandless’s motivation, turned this true story into a well-received book.

Creative Writing

Cold Mountain is the story of a wounded Confederate deserter's return to his home and the city girl who learns to live there on a farm with the help of a tough, capable, and independent mountain girl.

A gravely wounded Confederate soldier, a veteran of the savage Battle of Fredericksburg, writes from the hospital to the woman he left behind that he is coming home to her. Inman deserts, knowing that Home Guards are on the prowl for deserters, and he begins a long trek westward to Cold Mountain, where he grew up. Inman's youth has filled him with respect for Indian lore, and warfare has filled him with nightmares of shattered bodies and incompetent leadership. Having enlisted to protect his homeland from invaders, Inman is disillusioned by humanity's brutality and has no loyalties.

Publisher's Weekly:  "Rich in evocative physical detail and timeless human rights, this debut novel is a leisurely, literate narrative."

Jane Eyre is a first-person narrative of the title character, a small, plain-faced, intelligent, and passionate English orphan girl. The plot follows the form of a coming of age story of a child's maturation and focuses on the emotions and experiences that lead to her maturity. The novel goes through five distinct stages: (1) Jane's childhood at Gateshead, where she is abused by her aunt and cousin; (2) her education at Lowood School, where she acquires friends and role models but also suffers privations; (3) her time as governess at Thornfield Manor, where she falls in love with her employer, Edward Rochester; (4) her time with the Rivers family at Marsh's End (or Moor House) and at Morton, where her cold clergyman-cousin St. John Rivers proposes to her; and (5) her reunion with and marriage to her beloved Rochester at his house of Ferndean. Partly autobiographical, the novel abounds with social criticism and sinister elements.

No review found

Film

These books are very different from the film versions.

Forrest Gump  by Winston Groom

There is a joyously madcap feeling to the first half of this unusual novel, but then the absurdity gathers its own speed and begins to run dangerously amok.  Groom's picaresque tale is told by an idiot, the Gump of the title, and follows his outrageous life from early stardom for Bear Bryant's Crimson Tide, through a tour in Vietnam and across the broad campus of America during the '70s and '80's.  Like most literary idiots, Forrest Gump is a lot smarter than the people he encounters.  He is also no ordinary idiot.  Instead, he is a mathematical idiot savant, capable of outperforming NASA's on-board computers, which is why Gump ends up on a space mission with an ape and the first woman astronaut mission that ends in the forests of New Guinea where Gump meets a Yale-tutored cannibal.

Library Journal:  Forrest Gump provides social commentary in a light, humorous style. This is a delightful and easy read."

I am Legend by Richard Matteson

One of the most influential vampire novels of the 20th century, I Am Legend regularly appears on the "10 Best" lists of numerous critical studies of the horror genre.  As Richard Matheson's third novel, it was marketed as science fiction.  A terrible plague has decimated the "futuristic" 1976 world, and those who were unfortunate enough to survive have been transformed into bloodthirsty creatures of the night.  Except, that is, for Robert Neville.  He alone appears to be immune to this disease, but the grim irony is that now he is an outsider. He is the legendary monster who must be destroyed because he is different from everyone else. Employing a stark, almost documentary style, Richard Matheson was one of the first writers to convince us that the undead can lurk in a local supermarket freezer as well as a remote gothic castle.  His influence on a generation of best selling authors, including Stephen King and Dan Koontz, who first read him in their youth is, well, legendary.  Stanley Wiater