Summer Reading

Class of 2022

Asher, Jay. Thirteen Reasons Why. When high school student Clay Jenkins receives a box in the mail containing thirteen cassette tapes recorded by his classmate Hannah, who committed suicide, he spends a bewildering and heartbreaking night crisscrossing their town, listening to Hannah's voice recounting the events leading up to her death. Provided by the publisher. AR BL3.9 Fiction

Beam, Chris. I am J. -J had always felt different. He was certain that eventually everyone would understand who he really was: a boy mistakenly born as a girl. Yet as he grew up, his body began to betray him; eventually J stopped praying to wake up a "real boy" and started covering up his body, keeping himself invisible -- from his parents, from his friends, from the world. But after being deserted by the best friend he thought would always be by his side, J decides that he's done hiding -- it's time to be who he really is. And this time he is determined not to give up, no matter the cost. Amazon. AR BL 4.9 Fiction

Blanco, Jodee. Please Stop Laughing at Me - The author shares the cruelty that was heaped on her by her classmates when she was labeled a freak in high school, describing what it meant to be an outcast among one's peers, the realities and consequences of bullying, and her struggle to overcome the torment. Provided by the publisher. AR BL 5.3 Nonfiction

Chbosky, Stephen. The Perks of Being a Wallflower - A haunting coming of age novel told in a series of letters to an unknown correspondent reveals the life of Charlie, a freshman in high school who is a wallflower, shy and introspective, and very intelligent. It's a story of what it's like to grow up in high school, tracing a course through uncharted territory in the world of first dates, family dramas and new friends. Summary from Request. AR BL 4.8 Fiction

Coben, Harlan. Just One Look. Suburban wife and mother Grace Lawson's idyllic life begins to unravel when she picks up a set of newly developed family photographs that contains a much older picture of a group of men that includes her husband Jack, and sets off a chain reaction of kidnapping and murder leading back to a deadly rock concert. Provided by the publisher. AR BL 4.0 Fiction

Cronn-Mills, Kirstin. Beautiful Music for Ugly Children. "Gabe has always identified as a boy, but he was born with a girl's body. With his new public access radio show gaining in popularity, Gabe struggles with romance, friendships, and parents--all while trying to come out as transgendered. An audition for a station in Minneapolis looks like his ticket to a better life in the big city. But his entire future is threatened when several violent guys find out Gabe, the popular DJ, is also Elizabeth from school". Provided by publisher. AR BL 3.9 Fiction

Crowe, Chris. Getting Away with Murder: the True Story of Emmett Till - Presents a true account of the murder of fourteen-year-old, Emmett Till, in Mississippi, in 1955. Summary from agent. AR BL 8.7 Nonfiction

Dessen, Sarah. Just Listen. Isolated from friends who believe the worst because she has not been truthful with them, sixteen-year-old Annabel finds an ally in classmate Owen, whose honesty and passion for music help her to face and share what really happened at the end-of-the-year party that changed her life. Provided by the publisher. AR BL 4.9 Fiction

Doctorow, Cory. Little Brother - After being interrogated for days by the Department of Homeland Security in the aftermath of a major terrorist attack on San Francisco, California, seventeen-year-old Marcus, released into what is now a police state, decides to use his expertise in computer hacking to set things right. Summary from Request. AR BL 5.9 Fiction

Green, John. An Abundance of Katherines. Having been recently dumped for the nineteenth time by a girl named Katherine, recent high school graduate and former child prodigy Colin sets off on a road trip with his best friend to try to find some new direction in life while also trying to create a mathematical formula to explain his relationships. Provided by the publisher. AR BL 5.6 Fiction

Greitens, Eric. The Warrior's Heart: Becoming a Man of Compassion and Courage - In this young-reader adaptation of his memoir, THE HEART AND THE FIST, Eric speaks directly to teen readers, sharing stories of friendship, struggle, and hard-earned wisdom that allow readers to exercise their imagination and broaden their horizons. AR Book Find.

AR BL 6.3 Nonfiction

Grisham, John. Sycamore Row. The suspense never rests when A Time to Kill's Jake Brigance fights the good fight once again. Often named an all-time favorite by John Grisham's legions of fans, the book that started it all gets a brand-new chapter. America's favorite storyteller returns to Ford County, Mississippi, where defense attorney Jake Brigance will have to fight for justice in a trial that could tear the small town of Clanton apart. Summary from Request. AR BL 6.2 Fiction

King, Stephen. Cell. Maine artist Clayton Riddell, elated after closing the deal for his first comic book, comes down to Earth quickly when a brain-zapping energy burst--The Pulse--strikes, reducing cell phone users to zombie-like creatures, and leaving Clayton desperate to find a way home from Boston to see if his wife and son have survived. AR BL 5.7 Fiction

Lupica, Mike. QB1. Jake Cullen, fourteen, lives in the shadows of his father and older brother until he becomes the starting quarterback for the high school football team and finally has his chance to shine. Summary from Request. AR BL 5.4 Fiction

Oliver, Lauren. Before I Fall. After teenage Samantha dies in a car crash, she relives the day of her death over and over again until, on the seventh day, she finally discovers a way to save herself. The plot contains profanity and sexual references. AR Book Find. AR BL 5.4 Fiction

Sheinkin, Steve. Bomb: the race to build and steal the world's most dangerous weapon - Recounts the scientific discoveries that enabled atom splitting, the military intelligence operations that occurred in rival countries, and the work of brilliant scientists hidden at Los Alamos. Summary from Request. AR BL 6.9 Nonfiction

Weir, Andy. The Martian. "When a dust storm forces his crew to evacuate the planet while thinking him dead, astronaut Mark Watney finds himself stranded on Mars's surface, completely alone. Armed with nothing but his ingenuity, his engineering skills--and a gallows sense of humor that proves to be his greatest source of strength--Mark embarks on a dogged quest to stay alive, but will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?" Summary from Request. AR BL 5.4 Fiction