7th grade English

The Giver is about a 12-year-old boy named Jonas who lives in a seemingly utopian society that has eliminated pain and emotion through "Sameness". When Jonas is selected to be the next Receiver of Memory, he begins training with the current Receiver, who is called The Giver, and learns the painful and joyful memories of the past that his society has forgotten. This knowledge forces him to question his community's values and ultimately leads him to make a choice that could change his society forever.

A Long Walk to Water tells the story of two children in Sudan, Nya and Salva, whose lives are impacted by the struggle for survival and the quest for clean water. The book alternates between Nya's story in 2008, where she walks for hours daily to fetch water, and Salva's story in 1985 as a "lost boy" refugee forced to flee his home during the Sudanese Civil War. Ultimately, their stories converge as Salva, now an adult, helps bring a well to Nya's village.

The Outsiders is about a group of "greasers," or poor teenagers, and their conflict with a rival gang of wealthy kids called "Socs". The story, narrated by 14-year-old Ponyboy Curtis, explores themes of class division, identity, and empathy as he and his greaser friends confront violence and search for their place in a society that categorizes them as outsiders. The plot is set in motion when a fight results in a Soc's death, forcing Ponyboy and his friend Johnny to flee and confront the consequences of their actions.