Books Leading Up to Senior Year!
You would be surprised how many I actually read
Junie B. Jones- Barbara Park (1992)
Juniper "Junie B." Jones is a energetic, sassy, but loveable little five year old who has an amazing personality. Junie B. lives with her mother, Susan, and her father, Robert, and her baby brother, Ollie. Junie B's first adventure begins when she starts her first day of kindergarten where she meets her two best friends, Lucille and Grace. Junie B then proceeds on to first grade where she then butts heads with May, someone Junie B does not care for. Junie B has lots of stories to share that are funny and easy to understand for most first graders and the series is a definite must read for elementary school kids.
Beastly- Alex Flinn (2007)
Beastly is more of a modern day twist to Beauty and the Beast. The story is based on a high school student named Kyle Kingson who is rich, popular, spoiled, and arrogant that decides to play a prank on a student named Kendra who is considered an outcast. Kendra is considered a witch, so when Kyle plays a prank on Kendra she curses him to be as ugly as his soul. Kendra then tells Kyle that the only way to solve the curse is to find someone who will love him within a year looking the way he does. The real question for Kyle is, will he be able to find someone who will love him for himself or will he be doomed to look this way forever? Beastly is a beautiful story about finding love and realizing your looks don't always matter when finding love.
New Beastly Movie Trailer - Official
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians)- Rick Riordan (2005)
Percy Jackson is a young boy who has always struggled in school and also with his temper. One day while on a field trip Percy swears that his teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy's mother hears Percy tell her this story she knows it is time to tell him a secret: Percy is the son of Poseidon. Learning this shocking news his mother then proceeds to send Percy to Camp Half-Blood where he meets a satyr and a demigod daughter of Athena. While at the camp a mystery the begins to unfold and all three set off on a mission across the United States to get to the Underworld (located in Hollywood). The Lightning Thief is a wonderful book that ties in modern day life with greek mythology and it is a series that is historical but also leaves you hanging on the edge of your seat.
To Kill a Mockingbird- Harper Lee (1960)
During the Great Depression a little story is told from the town of Maycomb, Alabama. Jean Louise "Scout" Finch is a six year old girl who has a brother named Jem and they live with their widowed father Atticus. Jem and Scout end up befriending a boy named, Dill, who comes down to stay with his Aunt over the summer. The three children are terrified of Scout and Jem's neighbor Arthur "Boo" Radley. A man ends up getting into trouble involving a rape case and Atticus, who is a lawyer, is appointed to his case to try and prove his innocence. To Kill a Mockingbird is a story based on rape and racial injustice. This book is a great example of it being easy to be blamed for a crime just because of your race.
The Yellow Wallpaper- Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1892)
The Yellow Wallpaper is a short story about a woman who begins off talking about her summer vacation that her and her husband had taken in a mysterious house that begins to make her think about the situation. The narrator then begins talking about her illness-she is suffering from "nervous depression"- and of her marriage. John, her husband and also her doctor, who has ordered her to do absolutely nothing not even work or write. The narrator thus begins to write in a journal but has to hide it from John. While stuck in a room doing nothing she begins to notice the wallpaper and becomes fixated on it. Will John think she is losing her mind or will he believe what she has to say? This is a must read short story for high school students!
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight- Pearl Poet (14th Century)
During a New Year's Eve gathering at King Arthur's court, a odd figure emerges from the shadows by the name of the Green Knight. The Green Knight challenges the leader or anyone else willing to go against him to a game. Arthur being all high and mighty decides that he will be the one to challenge the Green Knight but Sir Gawain steps in and says he will be the one to take on the challenge. Sir Gawain takes the axe and beheads the Green Knight, then the Green Knight picks up his severed head and rides off on his horse. After time has passed, Sir Gawain is preparing to leave Camelot, facing many obstacles Sir Gawain is off to fight the Green Knight. Will Sir Gawain end up winning or falling to the Green Knight? This book is a great poem to read to reflect the language spoken during this time.
Night- Ellie Wiesel (1956)
Night is told by a young boy named Eliezer, who is a teenager and also Jewish. Eliezer lives in Hungarian Transylvania and in the summer of 1944 the Nazi's took over Hungary. People in Eliezer's town are forced into ghettos and then transported to Birkenau, which is the gateway to Auschwitz. Pushed to every limit possible Eliezer has been everything now all he has to do is to try and survive. Night is a must read that talks about history and the pain people felt through the Holocaust. Night also discussed the Holocaust from the Jews situation and how they felt.
Great Gatsby- F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925)
In the times of the 1920's back when life was great and partying was the life style there was a man named Nick Carraway who moves out to New York to learn about the bond business. Nick buys a house out in West Egg next to a wonderful mansion and the owner of that mansion is Jay Gatsby. While in town Nick goes to meet his cousin, Daisy Buchanan, who lived in East Egg. The summer goes on and Nick finally gets an invitation to one of Gatsby's wonderful parties, while at his party Gatsby meets with Nick alone and begins to learn about Nick. After realizing Nick is Daisy's cousin Gatsby's begins to tell Nick of how he knew Daisy before she was married to Tom. Gatsby then pursues to tell Nick of a plan on how he is going to win back Daisy and rekindle their love. Does Nick go along with the plan or does he decide not to ruin the love Daisy already has? Gatsby is a historical book that teaches you all about the 1920's and how the lifestyle was different back then than it is now.
Frankenstein- Mary Shelley (1818)
Frankenstein is a novel that contains the main character named Victor Frankenstein who looses his mother at a young age. Victor becomes fascinated with learning new things so Victor heads off to the university of Ingolstadt. While in college Victor becomes fascinated with bringing the dead back to life so he shuts himself away and begins to create a monster with body parts from the dead to create life once again. While creating the monster Victor begins to have mixed feelings about what he has done. This book is a must read for high school students who have an interest in a good mystery story.
The Importance of Being Earnest- Oscar Wilde (1895)
Have you ever created a double life so you can go and party without anyone knowing who you actually are? Jack Worhting a man, who was adopted when he was an infant by a man named Thomas Cardew, now watches over Mr. Cardew's granddaughter Cecily Cardew. Jack has created a brother by the name of "Ernest" who lives in the city and is very sneaky and gets into trouble a lot. While in reality it is Jack being Ernest so he can be who he wants in the city and a responsible guardian in the country. While playing Ernest, Jack befriends a man named Algernon Moncrieff who defines Jack's life as Bunburying. Jack soon then falls head over heels for Algernon's cousin Gwendolen but is not allowed to marry her due to Lady Bracknell. Jack then proceeds to tell Gwendolen about where he lives in the country and the address ,that Algernon overhears and then jots it down. Why is this house important to Algernon and what does he plan on doing? Looks like you will have to read to find out why it is so important. This book is a must read for students in high school looking for something satirical and very ironic.