Embedded Files
All English classes at Natomas High School are asking 600 pages per semester as a small part of a comprehensive class. The honors courses target 800. Some of us have a lack of interest, a lack of availability, or a lack of proper reading role models. We are high school students with middle school reading levels. We need to be able to find books that we can understand while also reaching for high school interests. We have many copies of what is listed below and Mr. E has two sets of the Bluford High series.
Everybody needs to meet their semester reading goals.
Any Small Goodness: A Novel of the Barrio by Tony Johnston (2001)
Award-winning picture-book author Tony Johnston presents the poignant story of a loving Mexican-American family in East L.A. in her first novel for young readers.
Los Angeles is a place of movie stars and fast cars and people who are too rich and people who are too poor. An area of freeway chases and drive-bys and death. But there's another L.A., one where warmth and humor and humanity pervade. Where a tacqueria sign declares: "One cause, one people, one taco."
This L.A. is a place where random acts of generosity and goodwill improve the lives of the community. Any Small Goodness is a novel filled with hope, love, and warmth.
United States - Lexile Measure 600L - ATOS Book Level 4.1 - 16,500 Words - 128 Pages
Breaking Through by Francisco Jimenez (2001)
At the age of fourteen, Francisco Jiménez, together with his older brother Roberto and his mother, are caught by la migra. Forced to leave their home in California, the entire family travels all night for twenty hours by bus, arriving at the U.S. and Mexican border in Nogales, Arizona. In the months and years that follow during the late 1950s-early 1960s, Francisco, his mother and father, and his seven brothers and sister not only struggle to keep their family together, but also face crushing poverty, long hours of labor, and blatant prejudice. How they sustain their hope, their good-heartedness, and tenacity is revealed in this moving, Pura Belpré Honor-winning sequel to The Circuit. Without bitterness or sentimentality, Francisco Jiménez finishes telling the story of his youth.
United States - Lexile Measure 750L - ATOS Book Level 5.3 - 43,806 Words - 208 Pages
Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes (2002)
Using the structure of a poetry slam, Nikki Grimes' award-winning novel is a powerful exploration of self, an homage to spoken-word poetry, and an intriguing look into the life of eighteen urban teens. This anniversary edition--celebrating ten years of this wonderfully evocative work--will feature discussion questions, testimonials from teachers, and an all new introduction from the author.
United States - Lexile Measure 670L - ATOS Book Level 4.5 - 24,229 Words - 176 Pages
Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two by Joseph Bruchac (2005)
Throughout World War II, in the conflict fought against Japan, Navajo code talkers were a crucial part of the U.S. effort, sending messages back and forth in an unbreakable code that used their native language. They braved some of the heaviest fighting of the war, and with their code, they saved countless American lives. Yet their story remained classified for more than twenty years.
But now Joseph Bruchac brings their stories to life for young adults through the riveting fictional tale of Ned Begay, a sixteen-year-old Navajo boy who becomes a code talker. His grueling journey is eye-opening and inspiring. This deeply affecting novel honors all of those young men, like Ned, who dared to serve, and it honors the culture and language of the Navajo Indians.
United States - Lexile Measure 910L - ATOS Book Level 6.4 - 56,150 Words - 231 Pages
Crazy Loco by David Rice (2001)
Meet Loco, a dog with a passion for firecrackers. And Pedro, an altar boy forced to lean a hard lesson from two of the toughest, oldest men ever to serve the Lord. Jordan and Todd are two boys from California who don't know what they're in for when they push their Texas cousins a little too far. Loosely based on the author's own childhood as a Mexican-American boy in south Texas, this story collection is a moving whirlwind of humor and insight--brash, tender, and full of the unexpected.
United States - Lexile Measure 830L - ATOS Book Level 5.2 - 33,717 Words - 176 Pages
Dance Hall of the Dead by Tony Hillerman (1973)
Two Native-American boys have vanished into thin air, leaving a pool of blood behind them. Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn of the Navajo Tribal Police has no choice but to suspect the very worst, since the blood that stains the parched New Mexican ground once flowed through the veins of one of the missing, a young Zuñi. But his investigation into a terrible crime is being complicated by an important archaeological dig . . . and a steel hypodermic needle. And the unique laws and sacred religious rites of the Zuñi people are throwing impassable roadblocks in Leaphorn's already twisted path, enabling a craven murderer to elude justice or, worse still, to kill again.
United States - Lexile Measure 870L - ATOS Book Level 5.6 - 51,056 Words - 220 Pages
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson adapted by Kate McMullan (1984)
Bubbling potions can be bad for your health! Just ask Dr. Jekyll. By day, he's a kind doctor. But by night, he's the merciless kill Mr. Hyde. And all because of a magic formula. Will anybody find out the horrible secret of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?
United States - ATOS Book Level 2.6 - 7,414 Words - 58 Pages
Dr. Jenner and the Speckled Monster: The Search for the Smallpox Vaccine by Albert Marrin (2002)
Award-winning author Albert Marrin explains the significance of "immortal" Jenner's gift to mankind as he narrates the epic story of smallpox, a disease so contagious and deadly it has dramatically influenced the course of history. From the mummified remains of its first known victim to the sinister threat of the "frozen monster" that lurks in the vials of ultramodern laboratories, readers will be held spellbound by this readable and timely combination of science and history.
United States - Lexile Measure 990L - ATOS Book Level 7.6 - 18,593 Words - 108 Pages
Dracula by Bram Stoker adapted by Stephanie Spinner (1982)
String garlic by the window and hang a cross around your neck! Follow Johnathan Harker, Mina Harker, and Dr. Abraham van Helsing as they discover the true nature of evil. Their battle to destroy Count Dracula takes them from the crags of his castle to the streets of London... and back again.
United States - Lexile Measure 290L - ATOS Book Level 2.6 - 7,031 Words - 57 Pages
Emako Blue by Brenda Woods (2004)
Emako Blue was supposed to be a star. She was beautiful and good-hearted. She was Monterey's best friend. She was the only girl Jamal cared about, the one who saw through his player act. She was the one who understood the burden of Eddie's family. She was the best singer anyone had ever heard, with a voice like vanilla incense, smoky and sweet. She was Savannah's rival, the one who wouldn't play by the rules. She was destined for greatness, already plucked from South Central Los Angeles by the record producers. She was only fifteen when she died.
United States - Lexile Measure 600L - ATOS Book Level 3.5 - 21,269 Words - 128 Pages
Facing the Lion: Growing Up Maasai on the African Savanna by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton (2003)
Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton gives American kids a firsthand look at growing up in Kenya as a member of a tribe of nomads whose livelihood centers on the raising and grazing of cattle. Readers share Lekuton's first encounter with a lion, the epitome of bravery in the warrior tradition. They follow his mischievous antics as a young Maasai cattle herder, coming-of-age initiation, boarding school escapades, soccer success, and journey to America for college. Lekuton's riveting text combines exotic details of nomadic life with the universal experience and emotions of a growing boy.
United States - Lexile Measure 720L - ATOS Book Level 5.1 - 24,557 Words - 111 Pages
Finding Miracles by Julia Alvarez (2004)
Milly Kaufman is an ordinary American teenager living in Vermont—until she meets Pablo, a new student at her high school. His exotic accent, strange fashion sense, and intense interest in Milly force her to confront her identity as an adopted child from Pablo’s native country. As their relationship grows, Milly decides to undertake a courageous journey to her homeland and along the way discovers the story of her birth is intertwined with the story of a country recovering from a brutal history.
United States - Lexile Measure 770L - ATOS Book Level 4.9 - 61,784 Words - 291 Pages
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte adapted by Jane E. Gerver (1997)
Orphaned at an early age, Jane Eyre, leads a lonely life until she finds a position as a governess at Thornfield Hall. There she meets the mysterious Mr. Rochester and sees a ghostly woman who roams the halls at night. What is the sinister secret that threatens Jane and her new found happiness?
United States - ATOS Book Level 3.8 - 17,212 Words - 115 Pages
Keeper by Mal Peet (2003)
When Paul Faustino of LA NACION flips on his tape recorder for an exclusive interview with El Gato — the phenomenal goalkeeper who single-handedly brought his team the World Cup — the seasoned reporter quickly learns that this will be no ordinary story. Instead, the legendary El Gato narrates a spellbinding tale that begins in the South American rainforest, where a ghostly but very real mentor, the Keeper, emerges to teach a poor, gawky boy the most thrilling secrets of the game. A seamless blend of magic realism and exhilarating soccer action, this evocative novel will haunt readers long after the story ends.
United States - Lexile Measure 780L - ATOS Book Level 5.1 - 54,893 Words - 227 Pages
Hole in My Life by Jack Gantos (2002)
In the summer of 1971, Jack Gantos was an aspiring writer looking for adventure, cash for college tuition, and a way out of a dead-end job. For ten thousand dollars, he recklessly agreed to help sail a sixty-foot yacht loaded with a ton of hashish from the Virgin Islands to New York City, where he and his partners sold the drug until federal agents caught up with them. For his part in the conspiracy, Gantos was sentenced to serve up to six years in prison.
United States - Lexile Measure 840L - ATOS Book Level 5.7 - 47,392 Words - 227 Pages
Hoop Dreams: The True Story of Hardship and Triumph by Ben Joravsky (1995)
For nearly five years Arthur Agee's and William Gates' remarkable lives were chronicled by a team of filmmakers. Roughly 250 hours of film were devoted to their journeys from the playgrounds to high school competition to college recruitment and -- whittled down to three hours -- it became the award-winning film Hoop Dreams. Now journalist Ben Joravsky vividly brings to light all the richness and subtlety of their stories, and the impact their aspirations had on themselves, their families and their relationships. It is an intimate look, complete with an up-to-date epilogue on the latest developments in their lives.
United States - Lexile Measure 800L - ATOS Book Level 5.6 - 91,245 Words - 377 Pages
Left Behind by Velma Wallis (1993)
There is not enough food for a group of Athabascan Native Americans to survive the harsh Alaskan winter, and the chief must decide to leave two old women behind. Can the women survive alone, or will they die before the winter is over?
108 Pages
Miracle's Boys by Jacqueline Woodson (2000)
For Lafayette and his brothers, the challenges of growing up in New York City are compounded by the facts that they've lost their parents and it's up to eldest brother Ty'ree to support the boys, and middle brother Charlie has just returned home from a correctional facility.
Lafayette loves his brothers and would do anything if they could face the world as a team. But even though Ty'ree cares, he's just so busy with work and responsibility. And Charlie's changed so much that his former affection for his little brother has turned to open hostility.
Now, as Lafayette approaches 13, he needs the guidance and answers only his brothers can give him. The events of one dramatic weekend force the boys to make the choice to be there for each other--to really see each other--or to give in to the pain and problems of every day.
United States - Lexile Measure 660L - ATOS Book Level 4.3 - 23,834 Words - 151 Pages
Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle adapted by Judith Conaway (1982)
What is the secret of a goose that swallowed a priceless blue gem? How is a woman killed when she is alone in a locked room? Why does a mysterious club only include people with red hair? These puzzles are all solved by the greatest detective the world has ever known in Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes.
United States - Lexile Measure 370L - ATOS Book Level 2.8 - 9,125 Words - 65 Pages
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave by Frederick Douglass (1849)
Former slave, impassioned abolitionist, brilliant writer, newspaper editor and eloquent orator whose speeches fired the abolitionist cause, Frederick Douglass (1818–1895) led an astounding life. Physical abuse, deprivation and tragedy plagued his early years, yet through sheer force of character he was able to overcome these obstacles to become a leading spokesman for his people.
In this, the first and most frequently read of his three autobiographies, Douglass provides graphic descriptions of his childhood and horrifying experiences as a slave as well as a harrowing record of his dramatic escape to the North and eventual freedom.
United States - Lexile Measure 1030L - ATOS Book Level 7.9 - 40,412 Words - 147 Pages
Novio Boy by Gary Soto (1997)
Ninth grader Rudy has a date with eleventh grader Patricia. Now he has to come up with the money, the poise, and the conversation to carry it off. This one-act play, by turns heartwarming and heart-wrenching, follows Rudy from his desperate search for guidance through the hilarious date itself--all the way to its happy conclusion.
United States - 113 Pages
Of Sound Mind by Jean Ferris (2001)
High school senior Theo is fluent in two languages: spoken English and sign. His parents and brother, Jeremy, are deaf, but Theo can hear, which has over the years cast him in the role of interpreter for his family. Unfortunately, it's not a welcome duty, especially in the case of his mother, Palma. She is a successful sculptor who, being deeply suspicious of "hearies," expects Theo to act as her business manager. And Jeremy relies on Theo for company and homework help. It's become especially frustrating lately because Theo has met a fascinating new girl at school, Ivy, with whom he wants to spend as much time as possible. Theo's father, Thomas, is the only one who has never burdened him, but that changes when Thomas has a stroke. Palma, frightened and self-absorbed, cannot bring herself to nurse her husband, leaving Theo with the full burden to bear. But with the help of Ivy and some of her friends, Theo is finally able to change his family's dynamics and find time to plan his future.
United States - Lexile Measure 730L - ATOS Book Level 5.1 - 47,707 Words - 256 Pages
Out of War: True Stories from the Frontlines of the Children's Movement for Peace in Colombia by Sara Cameron (2001)
Through nine intimate first-person narratives, Out of War tells the story of the Children's Movement for Peace, a network of organizations struggling against the forty-year civil war in Colombia. Readers will meet young people like Juan Elias, who decided he could best avenge his father's murder by fighting to end the war; Maritza, who found refuge in the peace movement after her family and friends abandoned her in the communas of Medellin; and Beto, who works for the peace he never had in his abusive home. The voices of these children are raw and real, and their stories are nothing short of inspirational. In 1996, the Children's Movement for Peace helped organize the Children's Mandate, a referendum on children's rights in Colombia. Two million children turned out to vote for their right to peace, sending the Colombian government a powerful message about its inability to control the violence within its borders. Since then, the Movement has worked to help children cope with loss, displacement, poverty, and other effects of the war. It has also taught children how to resolve conflict without fighting. The movement's work is impressive, yet Out of War is really about the individual children who lead the group. Through them, readers will learn not only about the tenuous life of children in Colombia, but about what it means to give back to your community and face adversity with true courage and hope.
United States - Lexile Measure 910L - ATOS Book Level 6.3 - 37,600 Words - 100 Pages
Parrot in the Oven: Mi Vida by Victor Martinez (1996)
In his debut novel, set in a dusty California town, Victor Martinez employs a series of compelling, frequently troubling vignettes to illuminate a Mexican American boy's coming of age. It's not easy for Manuel Hernandez to discover his place in the world, especially when he is constantly bombarded with the hardships of his poor and woefully dysfunctional family. Their tiny sheetrock house in the projects is the scene of angry arguments-even of threats at rifle point. Manny steps onto a battlefield at every turn, whether he is collecting his alcoholic and violent father from the local pool hall, withstanding the ethnic slurs of white school mates, or seeking initiation into a neighborhood gang. But as the months pass and some of his wounds heal, Manny slowly begins to understand the sense of self that he can derive from his role within this difficult household.
United States - Lexile Measure 1000L - ATOS Book Level 6.1 - 44,063 Words - 224 Pages
Romiette and Julio by Sharon M. Draper (2001)
When Romiette Cappelle meets Julio Montague, she feels as though she has met the soul mate who can rescue her from her recurring nightmare about fire and water. But like the Shakespearean characters whose names echo theirs, Romiette and Julio discover that not everyone approves of their budding romance. In their case, it is because Romiette is African-American and Julio is Hispanic, and the Devildogs, a dangerous local gang, violently oppose their interracial relationship.
When the Devildogs threaten to teach them a lesson, Romiette and Julio come up with a risky plan to escape from the gang's fearsome shadow. But things go terribly awry, and the two find themselves caught up in a deadly reality more frightening that Romiette's nightmare -- and in a desperate struggle to avoid the tragic fate of Shakespeare's famous young lovers.
United States - Lexile Measure 610L - ATOS Book Level 4.7 - 66,868 Words - 338 Pages
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli (2000)
Stargirl. From the day she arrives at quiet Mica High in a burst of color and sound, the hallways hum with the murmur of “Stargirl, Stargirl.” She captures Leo Borlock’ s heart with just one smile. She sparks a school-spirit revolution with just one cheer. The students of Mica High are enchanted. At first.
Then they turn on her. Stargirl is suddenly shunned for everything that makes her different, and Leo, panicked and desperate with love, urges her to become the very thing that can destroy her: normal. In this celebration of nonconformity, Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli weaves a tense, emotional tale about the perils of popularity and the thrill and inspiration of first love.
United States - Lexile Measure 590L - ATOS Book Level 4.2 - 41,214 Words - 200 Pages
The Afterlife by Gary Soto (2003)
You'd think a knife in the ribs would be the end of things, but for Chuy, that's when his life at last gets interesting. He finally sees that people love him, faces the consequences of his actions, finds in himself compassion and bravery . . . and even stumbles on what may be true love.
United States - Lexile Measure 810L - ATOS Book Level 5.2 - 35,211 Words - 162 Pages
The Ch'i-lin Purse: A Collection of Ancient Chinese Stories by Linda Fang (1995)
In turns funny, poignant, and wise, these nine lively stories are peopled with an array of unusual characters, including a young woman raised as a boy who is then faced with the complicated business of marriage; a carp-fish spirit who changes herself into a young woman for love's sake; a Miracle Doctor who can cure all illnesses except one; and a shopkeeper who learns the hard way the true meaning of justice.
United States - Lexile Measure 790L - ATOS Book Level 5.3 - 19,834 Words - 118 Pages
The Code: The 5 Secrets of Teen Success by Mawi Asgedom (2003)
Overcoming a childhood beset by civil war in East Africa and living on welfare in Chicago, the author grew up to attend Harvard on scholarship. Asgedom shares his experiences, insights, and five proven secrets that will help teens succeed in high school and beyond.
United States - Lexile Measure 850L - 129 Pages
The Friends by Rosa Guy (1973)
Phyllisia eventually recognizes that her own selfish pride rather than her mother's death and her father's tyrannical behavior created the gulf between her and her best friend.
United States - Lexile Measure 730L - ATOS Book Level 5.0 - 49,963 Words - 224 Pages
The Other Side of the Sky: A Memoir by Farah Ahmedi with Tanim Ansary (2005)
Equal parts tragedy and hope, determination and daring, Ahmedi's memoir delivers a remarkably vivid portrait of her girlhood in Kabul, where the sound of gunfire and the sight of falling bombs shaped her life and stole her family. She herself narrowly escapes death when she steps on a land mine. Eventually the war forces her to flee, first over the mountains to refugee camps across the border, and finally to America. Ahmedi proves that even in the direst circumstances, not only can the human heart endure, it can thrive.
United States - Lexile Measure 850L - ATOS Book Level 5.9 - 70,158 Words - 273 Pages
The Stone Goddess by Minfong Ho (2003)
Twelve-year-old Nakri's beloved home in Cambodia is shattered when the nation's capital is overrun by government rebels. Her family is forced to flee, and she and her siblings end up in a children's labor camp, separated from everything they've ever known. At long last, Cambodia is liberated and Nakri's family sets out for America, a place to begin again. There, Nakri learns that she can leave Cambodia behind, but the memories will be a part of her forever.
United States - Lexile Measure 1020L - ATOS Book Level 6.3 - 41,070 Words - 195 Pages
Thura's Diary: My Life in Wartime Iraq by Thura Al-Windawi (2004)
Nineteen-year-old Thura al-Windawi kept a diary during the conflict in Iraq, saying that it was her way of "controlling the chaos." The diary, which documents the days leading up to the bombings, the war itself, and the lawless aftermath, puts a personal face on life in Baghdad. As Thura describes her life and that of her two younger sisters, she shows readers the many small details that illuminate the reality of war for Iraqi families, and especially for Iraqi children.
United States - Lexile Measure 990L - ATOS Book Level 6.1 - 27,911 Words - 136 Pages
Ties That Bind, Ties That Break by Lensey Nakioma (1999)
It's 1911, and China is slowly beginning to accept modern ideas--but the changes may not happen fast enough for young Ailin. Her grandmother has decided it's time she has her feet bound, to make her more attractive to a future husband. When Ailin sees the sad state of her sister's feet, she is stunned. Luckily, Ailin's progressive father allows her to keep her feet unfettered, even though it means breaking off her prearranged marriage into a more traditional family. He also sends her to a public school to learn English. But by the time Ailin is in her teens, her father has died, leaving her less tolerant Big Uncle to be the head of the family. Big Uncle forbids Ailin's schooling and gives her the choice of either being a nun or a peasant's wife--the only alternatives left for an unmarried Chinese woman with "big feet." Ailin refuses both options, and instead becomes a nanny for an American missionary couple. Due to their generosity, Ailin starts a new life in the United States.
United States - Lexile Measure 830L - ATOS Book Level 5.5 - 34,358 Words - 154 Pages
Walking Stars: Stories of Magic and Power by Victor Villasenor (1994)
Best-selling novelist Victor Villaseñor grew up with these stories that he now is sharing with young people far and wide. The tales of derring-do and self-discovery set to the backdrop of the Mexican Revolution and his family’s immigration to the United States all involve young people overcoming physical, emotional, and psychological barriers during times of extreme stress.
The over-riding message of Villaseñor’s exciting narrations is that we can all be heroes. Especially young people, who have the power to create their own futures, can find within themselves the power to achieve great feats of skill and courage, whether fighting witches or real-life oppressors. And, too, spirituality, imagination, and love of family are also the domain of the young, and these can help young men and women overcome all manner of adversity.
United States - Lexile Measure 980L - ATOS Book Level 5.6 - 45,349 Words - 159 Pages
Warriors Don't Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock's Central High by Melba Patillo Beals (1994)
In 1957, Melba Pattillo turned sixteen. That was also the year she became a warrior on the front lines of a civil rights firestorm. Following the landmark 1954 Supreme Court ruling, Brown v. Board of Education, Melba was one of nine teenagers chosen to integrate Little Rock's Central High School.
Throughout her harrowing ordeal, Melba was taunted by her schoolmates and their parents, threatened by a lynch mob's rope, attacked with lighted sticks of dynamite, and injured by acid sprayed in her eyes. But through it all, she acted with dignity and courage, and refused to back down.
United States - Lexile Measure 1000L - ATOS Book Level 6.5 - 56,413 Words - 261 Pages
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