Freshmen

All rising freshmen are required to read The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. Then pick one more title from either this list or any of the upperclassmen lists.

**You may pick books from reading lists that are higher than your grade list (ie. a sophomore may select a book from the senior list...just not vice versa).

**You may not select a book that you have already read. 

Mystery:

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

“This is an amazing book with an incredible mystery filled with twists and turns that you can never truly anticipate but the book does a great job of setting the ground work for the conclusion. Alongside this we get a great cast of characters like Watson and Holmes himself. I would recommend this to anyone who would like a great mystery alongside an incense psychological thriller.”

             ~ Garrett Blevins, Class of 2018

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder

Adventure:

The Adventures Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins (trilogy: select one)

            The Hunger Games

            Catching Fire

            Mockingjay

 Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Crime:

An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser

Nonfiction:

The Chinese American Family Album by Dorothy & Thomas Hoobler

The Cross and the Switchblade by David Wilkerson

Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams and Ark Carwordine

Moon Shot: The Inside Story of America’s Race to the Moon by Alan Shepard and Deke Slayton

Historical Fiction:

The Chosen by Chaim Potok

Life in the Elizabethan Theater by Diane Yancey

Mutiny on the Bounty by Charles Nordoff and James Norman Hall

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

“This story is about a young girl in Nazi Germany, and her life during this horrific time. Although I am not a fan of history, this book has made the top of my favorites list. Narrated by Death, this book is a work of art, leaving the reader with feelings of sadness and joy.”

~ Lauren Silvious, Class of 2015

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

Sci-Fi:

The Ear, the Eye and the Arm by Nancy Farmer 

Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad

The Winds of Mars by H. M. Hoover

Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

“This book is a probably my favorite of the many monster books I've read and presents a really unique way of presenting a very cool way of showing what happens when your dark side takes control alongside doing a really great gothic style monster story.” 

            ~ Garrett Blevins, Class of 2018

The Maze Runner (trilogy: select one) by James Dasher

“The Maze Runner is a story following a group of teenage boys, specifically one named Thomas, and they’re struggles as they try to live together. None of them remember anything before they were placed in ‘The Glade’; they must work together to learn about their past and understand why they are in the Glade. The suspense keeps you wanting to read more and more.”

~ Lauren Silvious, Class of 2015

Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

Fantasy:

The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien

“If you have never read The Hobbit, you have been sincerely deprived of one of the most influential works of fiction of the 20th century. JRR Tolkien’s masterpiece precedes the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, following the story of Bilbo Baggins, a strange little creature called a Hobbit who is unexpectedly thrown into the middle of an adventure that will change his life forever. Be warned: if you have seen the movies, you won't be able to read the dragon’s voice without hearing Benedict Cumberbatch in your head.” 

~ Christen Barber, Class of 2015

A Once and Future King by T.H. White

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Mythology:

The Kane Chronicles  (books 2 or 3) by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan

“If reading is not your favorite past time, I highly recommend that you pick this book. If you at all enjoyed The Hunger Games or Divergent or if you have even the smallest interest in Greek mythology, Percy Jackson and the Olympians will be your new favorite book. This book is fast paced, full of action, and of the most enjoyable books I have ever read. It tells the story of an average teenager who discovers that he is the son of Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea, and then goes on an adventure to save the world.”

~ Taylor Nicole Rogers, Class of 2015

King Arthur Trilogy select one) 

The Sword in the Circle by Rosemary Sutcliff

The Light Beyond the Forest: the Quest for the Holy Grail by Rosemary Sutcliff

The Road to Camlann by Rosemary Sutcliff

Greeks by Susan Peach & Anne Millard

Romans (Illustrated World History) by Anthony Marks & Graham Tingay 

Drama:

A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt

Our Town by Thorton Wilder

Romance:

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

Collections:

Poems for Life by the Grade V Classes from the Nightingale Bamford School

I Have a Dream: Writings and Speeches that Changed the World by Martin Luther King Jr.

Biography:

Sojourner Truth: Ain’t I A Woman? by Patricia C. McKissack