Special Collections
Students Choice
Description: List created by a teacher for high school students to make independent reading choices,
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Fish in a Tree
by Lynda Mullaly HuntA New York Times Bestseller!
The author of the beloved One for the Murphys gives readers an emotionally-charged, uplifting novel that will speak to anyone who’s ever thought there was something wrong with them because they didn’t fit in.
“Everybody is smart in different ways. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its life believing it is stupid.”
Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time she lands in a new school, she is able to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions. She is afraid to ask for help; after all, how can you cure dumb? However, her newest teacher Mr. Daniels sees the bright, creative kid underneath the trouble maker. With his help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of. As her confidence grows, Ally feels free to be herself and the world starts opening up with possibilities. She discovers that there’s a lot more to her—and to everyone—than a label, and that great minds don’t always think alike.
From This Day On
by Lauren BrookeAs Amy helps a lost horse, she makes the difficult decision of whether to leave Heartland in order to go to college.
Ghost Beach
by R. L. StineDo You Believe in Ghosts? Jerry can't wait to explore the dark, spooky old cave he found down by the beach. Then the other kids tell him a story. A story about a ghost who is three hundred years old. A ghost who comes out when the moon is full. A ghost...who lives deep inside the cave! Jerry knows that it's just another silly made-up ghost story.... Isn't it?
Ghost Camp
by R. L. StineHarry and his brother, Alex, are dying to fit in at Camp Spirit Moon.
But the camp has so many weird traditions. Like the goody camp salute. The odd camp greeting.
And the way the old campers love to play jokes on the new campers.
Then the jokes start to get really serious. Really creepy. Really scary. First a girl sticks her arm in the campfire. Then a boy jams a pole through his foot. Still, they're just jokes...right?
Ghostcoming!
by Orli ZuravickyLucy has just joined the afterlife, and as a brand-new ghost she's mostly see-through, not able to stand or sit normally, stuck in the ballet clothes she was wearing before she crossed over...and stuck in middle school. Can't a ghost get a break? But then the cutest (ghost) boy she's ever seen turns out to be her very own guide to school, and things start looking brighter. Maybe she's not quite solid yet, but Lucy is definitely going to make this the best afterlife ever!
The Giver
by Lois LowryThis haunting story centers on twelve-year-old Jonas, who lives in a seemingly ideal, if colorless, world of conformity and contentment. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory does he begin to understand the dark, complex secrets behind his fragile community.
Lois Lowry has written three companion novels to The Giver, including Gathering Blue, Messenger, and Son.
Newbery Medal Winner
Winner of Pacific Northwest Library Association’s Young Reader’s Choice Senior Award
Goosebumps Wanted
by R. L. StineFor the first time ever, Goosebumps is in hard cover! Catch the series' most notorious characters--undead or alive... From horror master R.L. Stine come two new chilling stories in one spooky standalone: The Haunted Mask has returned and is determined to make this the worst night of your life! Where's the last place you would want to get stuck? A haunted pumpkin patch where the jack o'lanterns are after you! And watch for Goosebumps: Most Wanted, an all-new paperback series coming in the fall.
The Halloween Tree
by Ray Bradbury and Gris Grimly"A fast-moving, eerie...tale set on Halloween night. Eight costumed boys running to meet their friend Pipkin at the haunted house outside town encounter instead the huge and cadaverous Mr. Moundshroud. As Pipkin scrambles to join them, he is swept away by a dark Something, and Moundshroud leads the boys on the tail of a kite through time and space to search the past for their friend and the meaning of Halloween. After witnessing a funeral procession in ancient Egypt, cavemen discovering fire, Druid rites, the persecution of witches in the Dark Ages, and the gargoyles of Notre Dame, they catch up with the elusive Pipkin in the catacombs of Mexico, where each boy gives one year from the end of his life to save Pipkin's. Enhanced by appropriately haunting black-and-white drawings."--Booklist
Hamlet
by William Shakespeare and Burton RaffelOne of the most frequently read and performed of all stage works, Shakespeare's Hamlet is unsurpassed in its complexity and richness. Now the first fully annotated version of Hamlet makes the play completely accessible to readers in the twenty-first century. It has been carefully assembled with students, teachers, and the general reader in mind.Eminent linguist and translator Burton Raffel offers generous help with vocabulary and usage of Elizabethan English, pronunciation, prosody, and alternative readings of phrases and lines. His on-page annotations provide readers with all the tools they need to comprehend the play and begin to explore its many possible interpretations. This version of Hamlet is unparalleled for its thoroughness and adherence to sound linguistic principles.In his Introduction, Raffel offers important background on the origins and previous versions of the Hamlet story, along with an analysis of the characters Hamlet and Ophelia. And in a concluding essay, Harold Bloom meditates on the originality of Shakespeare's achievement. The book also includes a careful selection of items for "Further Reading." [This text is listed as an example that meets Common Core Standards in English language arts in grades 11-12 at http://www.corestandards.org.]
Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban
by J. K Rowling and J. K. Rowling and Mary GrandPréHarry is relieved to be back at Hogwarts for his third year with his friends Ron and Hermione even though he isn't completely safe. The escaped convict Sirius Black, a staunch supporter of Voldemort, is after Harry. Sequel to Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (DB 48437). For grades 4-7. Bestseller
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
by J. K. RowlingHarry Potter has no idea how famous he is. That's because he's being raised by his miserable aunt and uncle who are terrified Harry will learn that he's really a wizard, just as his parents were. But everything changes when Harry is summoned to attend an infamous school for wizards, and he begins to discover some clues about his illustrious birthright. From the surprising way he is greeted by a lovable giant, to the unique curriculum and colorful faculty at his unusual school, Harry finds himself drawn deep inside a mystical world he never knew existed and closer to his own noble destiny.
The Hate U Give
by Angie ThomasSixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.
Winner of the 2018 William C. Morris award
A New York Times Bestseller
Holes
by Louis SacharStanley Yelnats is under a curse. A curse that began with his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather and has since followed generations of Yelnats.
Now Stanley has been unjustly sent to a boys' detention center, Camp Green Lake, where the warden makes the boys "build character" by spending all day, every day, digging holes: five feet wide and five feet deep. It doesn't take long for Stanley to realize there's more than character improvement going on at Camp Green Lake. The boys are digging holes because the warden is looking for something. Stanley tries to dig up the truth in this inventive and darkly humorous tale of crime and punishment--and redemption
Newbery Medal Winner
National Book Award
The House on Mango Street
by Sandra CisnerosAcclaimed by critics, beloved by readers of all ages, taught everywhere from inner-city grade schools to universities across the country, and translated all over the world, The House on Mango Street is the remarkable story of Esperanza Cordero. Told in a series of vignettes – sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes deeply joyous – it is the story of a young Latina girl growing up in Chicago, inventing for herself who and what she will become. Few other books in our time have touched so many readers.
Iconic Cars 5-Book Bundle
by Road & TrackThese 5 volumes collect decades of expert coverage from Car and Driver and Road & Track to explore some of the world&’s finest automobiles. CorvetteCar and Driver has tested nearly every version of the Chevrolet Corvette. Here, they compile and curate more than 50 years of articles, reviews, and news about this classic sports car from the first &’Vettes of the 1950s to the new Corvette Stingray. PorscheCar and Driver has chronicled this high-end German brand from its first commercial automobile, the 356 Roadster, to its modern lineup of supercars, super sedans, and even super SUVs. This volume presents its most informative and entertaining articles from 1975 to today. Camaro With more than 30 years of Camaro articles and reviews from the experts at Road & Track, this volume covers the launch, the racers, the duds, and, of course, the Camaro&’s triumphant return. You&’ll find road tests, reviews, and comparisons, along with interviews with the folks behind the scenes and columns from Matt DeLorenzo and Peter Egan. Mustang The original pony car, the Ford Mustang is a beloved American icon. Culled from 50 years of Road & Track coverage, this volume presents road tests, reviews and articles on everything from Ford&’s game-changing win at Le Mans in 1966 to the dark years of the Mustang II. BMW M Series This eBook collects Road & Track&’s coverage of the acclaimed BMW M Series from 1985 to 2014, including features, reviews, comparison tests, and interviews on everything from the M3 and M5 to the short-lived M1 supercar, and even today&’s M-badged SUVs.
Itachi's Story
by Masashi Kishimoto and Takashi YanoTogether with his sworn friend Shisui, Itachi takes on a mission to assassinate a spy in the village in order to join the Anbu. The rivalry between the Uchiha clan and the village grows ever more fierce, until finally death comes for his friend. Despairing at both his clan and the village, Itachi heads into the tragic night with his new eye and a fatal resolve. The hope and the dreams he spoke of to his brother. The gentle yet cruel truth awaits.
King Lear
by William ShakespeareKing Lear descends into madness after foolishly disposing of his estate between two of his three daughters based on their flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all.
Kobe Bryant
by Jeff SavageIntroduces the life and accomplishments of basketball guard Kobe Bryant, whose high scoring game helped bring the Los Angeles Lakers three straight world championships.
Lola
by Ellen MilesCharles and Lizzie Peterson love puppies. Their family fosters these young dogs, giving them love and proper care, until they can find the perfect forever home. When Charles and his friends find Lola stuck outside right before a rain storm, they have a tough decision to make. They know the French bulldog has a home but she isn't safe being locked out during the storm. Do they take the poor puppy with them or let her ride out the weather?
Louie
by Ellen MilesMeet Louie the Landseer (a Newfoundland with black-and-white coloring). He's adorable now, but he'll be a huge dog someday. Can Charles and his soccer teammates find Louie a big enough home?
Love Is a Gift
by Lauren BrookeWhen Amy journeys to Australia with her sister Lou to visit their father on his horse ranch, she doesn't feel like part of his new family. So Amy delves into the stable work, certain that the horses will at least welcome her.
Making Strides
by Lauren BrookeThe tryouts for the equestrian riding team are over, and Malory earned her spot as the second-ranked rider for Chestnut Hill. Still, she doubts whether she belongs at the elite school despite receiving a top scholarship. Then the pony she's training gets hurt, and Malory wants to ride Tybalt in the next show. But Tybalt is wary and defensive. Her instinct tells her they share a special bond, but she doesn't know how to reach him. Malory has always trusted her gut when it comes to horses, and she's willing to bet her future at Chestnut Hill that Tybalt has what it takes to win.
Master And Commander
by Patrick O'BrianThis novel establishes the friendship between Captain Aubrey, R. N., and Stephen Maturin, ship's surgeon and intelligence agent, against the thrilling backdrop of the Napoleonic wars.