#BHSreads2015
List of Suggested Titles for September 2015 Event at BHS
The Assignment: Select at least one book from the titles below to read this summer & join us in September for collaborative discussions!
*Please note that students enrolled in honors and AP courses for the 2014-15 school year will have additional/alternate required reading and associated assignments to complete. Click here to access the Honors/AP summer reading information.
Eleanor & Park
by Rainbow Rowell
Summer is a great time to enjoy reading a good book!
Will Grayson, Will Grayson
Co-authored by John Green (The Fault in Our Stars), Will Grayson tells the story of two teens, one gay and one straight, who meet accidentally and discover that they share the same name.
Unwind
A great example of dystopian fiction, Unwind tells the story of a society in which parents can declare their teenage children to be unfit and have them "unwound" by having their organs harvested for others.
Between Shades of Gray
Based on the author's own family, Between Shades of Gray tells the story of a Lithuanian girl who is sent to Siberia during WWII.
And Then There Were None
A classic mystery, And Then There Were None tells the tale of ten people who are invited to a lonely island mansion and begin to disappear one by one.
The Archived
Mackenzie Bishop works as a Keeper of Histories in the Archive. It sounds like a dull job, but not when you realize that Histories are what remain of the dead: ghost-like beings that are often violent when they escape. The Archived also features Librarians who catalog and maintain the Histories!
Monster
While on trial as an accomplice to a murder, sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon records his experiences in prison and in the courtroom in the form of a film script as he tries to come to terms with the course his life has taken. Monster is a winner of multiple awards and a favorite among BHS students!
Bel Canto
Bel Canto tells the story of a group of international guests, taken hostage by terrorists while attending a birthday party at the home of the vice president of a small South American country, form bonds with their captors and enter into an almost idyllic lifestyle.
The Tyrant's Daughter
The Tyrant's Daughter tells the story of Laila--exiled to the United States after her father, a Middle Eastern dictator, is killed in a coup. She must learn to cope with a completely new way of life, the truth of her father's regime, and her mother and brother's ways of adjusting.
The Tipping Point
In The Tipping Point, selected as this year's faculty choice title, author Malcolm Gladwell "explores and brilliantly illuminates the tipping point phenomenon, is already changing the way people throughout the world think about selling products and disseminating ideas." Visit the author's website for more information!
Persepolis
"Wise, funny, and heartbreaking, Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi’s memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. In powerful black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the story of her life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah’s regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq " (Goodreads.com description).
Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother
In Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, author Amy Chua recounts her decision to raise her children in the "Chinese" way by setting high expectations and preparing them for their future work endeavors at a very young age. Chua received a great deal of criticism for her "cold" approach to parenting, but demonstrates in this narrative how her actions were out of love and concern for her children.
The Future of the Mind
In The Future of the Mind, bestselling author Michio Kaku explores questions surrounding the human brain. How does the brain function? What are the limitations of the human mind? What does the future hold for us? "Recording memories, telepathy, videotaping our dreams, mind control, avatars, and telekinesis are not only possible; they already exist" (Goodreads.com description).
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America
This fascinating non-fiction account of the events surrounding the Chicago World's Fair of 1893 tells the story of two men: Daniel H. Burnham, the fair's architect, and H.H. Holmes, a serial killer who posed as a charming doctor. The Devil in the White City is a former bestseller and a truly engrossing read.
Michael Jordan: The Life
In Michael Jordan: The Life, basketball journalist Roland Lazenby draws upon personal interactions and interviews with coaches, family members, and Jordan himself to provide a full picture of the legendary figure.
The BHS Library wants to hear from you!
Let us know by visiting this Google Form!
You can also tweet us at @BethelHighLMC with suggestions!
What If?
In What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions, the author explores a variety of questions (examples: If your cells suddenly lost the power to divide, how long would you survive? How dangerous is it, really, in a pool in a thunderstorm? What would happen if the moon went away?) through textual and visual representations of possible answers or explanations.
Where can I get these books?
- BHS Library's OverDrive ebook catalog (log-in with regular Bethel Public Schools username and visit #BHSreads2015 under "Collections" tab for ebook & audiobook versions of most titles--can be downloaded onto any device)
- Bethel Public Library
- iConn.org (search for books in libraries throughout CT)
- Amazon.com (Many of the Kindle versions of these books are now available at reduced prices. Most titles are also available in paperback versions that are priced lower than the hardcover versions.)
- Local bookstores: Rainy Day Paperback Exchange, Barnes & Noble, Byrd's Books, Relay Bookhouse
Don't forget to join the #BHSreads2015 conversation!
You can also follow the BHS library @BethelHighLMC on Twitter to find out updates and more!