9th Grade Reading List (9 Basic and 9LC classes) Students are required to read TWO of the following

books before the start of the school year.

9th Grade Slays by Heather Brewer
High school totally bites when you're half human, half vampire. Freshman year sucks for Vlad Tod. Bullies still harass him. The photographer from the school newspaper is tailing him. And failing his studies could be deadly. A trip to Siberia gives "study abroad" a whole new meaning as Vlad connects with other vampires and advances his mind-control abilities, but will he return home with the skills to recognize a vampire slayer when he sees one? In this thrilling sequel to Eighth Grade Bites, Vlad must confront the secrets of the past and battle forces that once again threaten his life. Find out why author D.J. MacHale calls The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod "Gruesome, heartwarming, spellbinding."

Beastly by Alex Finn

I am a beast. A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright--a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster. You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll stay this way forever--ruined--unless I can break the spell. Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly . . . beastly.

Black Boy by Richard Wright

Richard Wright grew up in the woods of Mississippi, with poverty, hunger, fear, and hatred. He lied, stole, and raged at those around him; at six he was a "drunkard," hanging about taverns. Surly, brutal, cold, suspicious, and self-pitying, he was surrounded on one side by whites who were either indifferent to him, pitying, or cruel, and on the other by blacks who resented anyone trying to rise above the common lot. Black Boy is Richard Wright's powerful account of his journey from innocence to experience in the Jim Crow South. It is at once an unashamed confession and a profound indictmenta poignant and disturbing record of social injustice and human suffering.

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak (This is a 9 honors required reading)

Its just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . . Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusaks groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she cant resistbooks. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau. This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul.

Boy 21 by Matthew Quick

You can lose yourself in repetition--quiet your thoughts; I learned the value of this at a very young age. Basketball has always been an escape for Finley. He lives in broken-down Bellmont, a town ruled by the Irish mob, drugs, violence, and racially charged rivalries. At home, his dad works nights, and Finley is left to take care of his disabled grandfather alone. He's always dreamed of getting out someday, but until he can, putting on that number 21 jersey makes everything seem okay. Russ has just moved to the neighborhood, and the life of this teen basketball phenom has been turned upside down by tragedy. Cut off from everyone he knows, he won't pick up a basketball, but answers only to the name Boy21--taken from his former jersey number.

Curveball, The year I lost my grip by Jordan Sonnenblick

Sometimes, the greatest comebacks take place far away from the ball field. Meet Peter Friedman, high school freshman. Talented photographer. Former baseball star. When a freakish injury ends his pitching career, Peter has some major things to figure out. Is there life after sports? Why has his grandfather suddenly given him thousands of dollars worth of camera equipment? And is it his imagination, or is the super-hot star of the girls' swim team flirting with him, right in front of the amazing new girl in his photography class? In his new novel, teen author Jordan Sonnenblick performs his usual miraculous feat: exploring deep themes of friendship, romance, family, and tragedy, while still managing to be hilariously funny.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

This intriguing combination of fantasy thriller and moral allegory depicts the gripping struggle of two opposing personalities one essentially good, the other evil for the soul of one man. Its tingling suspense and intelligent and sensitive portrayal of man's dual nature reveal Stevenson as a novelist of great skill and originality.

Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

Welcome to Elsewhere. It is warm, with a breeze, and the beaches are marvelous. Its quiet and peaceful. You cant get sick or any older. Curious to see new paintings by Picasso? Swing by one of Elsewheres museums. Need to talk to someone about your problems? Stop by Marilyn Monroes psychiatric practice. Elsewhere is where fifteen-year-old Liz Hall ends up, after she has died. It is a place so like Earth, yet completely different. Here Liz will age backward from the day of her death until she becomes a baby again and returns to Earth. But Liz wants to turn sixteen, not fourteen again. She wants to get her drivers license. She wants to graduate from high school and go to college. And now that shes dead, Liz is being forced to live a life she doesnt want with a grandmother she has only just met. And it is not going well. How can Liz let go of the only life she has ever known and embrace a new one? Is it possible that a life lived in reverse is no different from a life lived forward? This moving, often funny book about grief, death, and loss will stay with the reader long after the last page is turned.

Emmett Till: Getting Away with Murder by Chris Crowe

The kidnapping and murder of Emmett Till is famous as a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement. Emmett Till, a fourteen-year-old Black teenager from Chicago, was visiting family in a small town in Mississippi during the summer of 1955. Likely showing off to friends, Emmett allegedly whistled at a white woman. Three days later his brutally beaten body was found floating in the Tallahatchie River. The extreme violence of the crime put a national spotlight on the Jim Crow ways of the South, and many Americans-Black and white-were further outraged at the speedy trial of the white murderers. Although the two white men were tried and acquitted by an all-white jury, they later bragged publicly about the crime. It was a galvanizing moment for Black leaders and ordinary citizens, including such activists as Rosa Parks. In clear, vivid detail Chris Crowe investigates the before-

and-aftermath of the crime, as well as the dramatic court trial, and places it into the context of the nascent Civil Rights Movement.

The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck (This is a 9 honors required reading.)

The Good Earth is Bucks classic story of Wang Lung, a Chinese peasant farmer, and his wife, O-lan, a former slave. With luck and hard work, the couples fortunes improve over the years: They are blessed with sons, and save steadily until one day they can afford to buy property in the House of Wangthe very house in which Olan used to work. But success brings with it a new set of problems. Wang soon finds himself the target of jealousy, and as good harvests come and go, so does the social order. Will Wangs family cherish the estate after hes gone? And can his material success, the bedrock of his life, guarantee anything about his soul? Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the William Dean Howells Award, The Good Earth was an Oprahs Book Club choice in 2004. A readers favorite for generations, this powerful and beautifully written fable resonates with universal themes of hope and family unity.

Heist Society by Ally Carter

For as long as she can remember, Katarina has been a part of the family business thieving. When Kat tries to leave the life for a normal life, her old friend Hale conspires to bring her back into the fold. Why? A mobsters art collection has been stolen, and Kats father is the only suspect. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kats dad needs her help. The only solution is to find the paintings and steal them back. Kats got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her familys historyand, with any luck, steal her life back along the way.

If I Grow Up by Todd Strasser

In a gripping novel with a plot pulled from the headlines, Todd Strasser turns his attention to gang life in the inner-city projects. DeShawn is a teenager growing up in the projects. Most of his friends only see one choice: join up to a gang. DeShawn is smart enough to want to stay in school and make something more of himself, but when his family is starving while his friends have fancy bling and new sneakers, DeShawn is forced to decide--is his integrity more important than feeding his family?

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

Annabel Greene is the girl who has everything. At least, thats what she portrays in her modeling shoots. But Annabels life is far from perfect. Her friendship with Sophie ended bitterly, and her older sisters eating disorder is weighing down the entire family. Isolated and ostracized at school and at home, Annabel retreats into silent acceptance. Then she meets Owen intense, music-obsessed, and determined to always tell the truth. And with his guidance, Annabel learns to just listen to herself and gains the courage to speak honestly. But will she be able to tell everyone what happened the night she and Sophie stopped being friends?

Keeper by Mal Peet

In a small newspaper office in South America, Paul Faustino, a veteran sports reporter, begins an exclusive interview with El Gato, the World Cup-winning soccer phenom. Over the course of the long night, El Gato tells the story of how an unspectacular teenager in a poor logging town became the world's most accomplished goalkeeper. It is a tale filled with tension, hunger, and magic, set in a mythic corner of the jungle. But above all it is a tale about El Gato's ghostly, but very real mentor: the Keeper.

Letters to a Bullied Girl: Messages of Healing and Hope by Olivia Gardner, Emily Buder, and Sarah Buder
Olivia Gardner, a northern California teenager, was severely taunted and cyberbullied by her classmates for more than two years. News of her bullying spread, eventually reaching two teenage girls from a neighboring town, sisters Emily and Sarah Buder. The girls were so moved by Olivia's story that they initiated a letterwriting campaign to help lift her spirits. It was a tender gesture of solidarity that set off an overwhelming chain reaction of support, encouragement, and love. In Letters to a Bullied Girl, Olivia and the Buder sisters share an inspiring selection of messages that arrived from across Americathe personal, often painful remembrances of former targets, remorseful bullies, and sympathetic bystanders. Letters to a Bullied Girl examines our national bullying epidemic from a variety of angles and perspectives, and includes practical guidance from bullying expert Barbara Coloroso, author of The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander. Though addressed to Olivia, the letters speak to all young people who have been bullied, offer advice and hope to those who suffer, and provide a wake-up call to all who have ever been involved in bullying.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

The first book in the New York Times bestselling Maze Runner seriesThe Maze Runner is a modern classic, perfect for fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent. When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But hes not alone. When the lifts doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Gladea large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls. Just like Thomas, the Gladers dont know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night theyve closed tight. And every thirty days a new boy has been delivered in the lift. Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent upthe first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.

Peak by Roland Smith

The only thing youll find on the summit of Mount Everest is a divine view. The things that really matter lie far below. Peak Marcello After fourteen-year-old Peak Marcello is arrested for scaling a New York City skyscraper, hes left with a choice: wither away in juvenile detention or fly to Kathmandu with his long-lost father. Peak quickly learns that his fathers renewed interest in him has strings attached. As owner of Peak Expeditions, he wants his son to be the youngest person to reach the Everest summit. The story of Peaks dangerous ascenttold in his own wordsis suspenseful, immediate, and impossible to put down.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Its the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place. Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets. And like most of humanity, Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate

lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortuneand remarkable powerto whoever can unlock them. For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that Hallidays riddles are based in the pop culture he lovedthat of the late twentieth century. And for years, millions have found in this quest another means of escape, retreating into happy, obsessive study of Hallidays icons. Like many of his contemporaries, Wade is as comfortable debating the finer points of John Hughess oeuvre, playing Pac-Man, or reciting Devo lyrics as he is scrounging power to run his OASIS rig. And then Wade stumbles upon the first puzzle. Suddenly the whole world is watching, and thousands of competitors join the huntamong them certain powerful players who are willing to commit very real murder to beat Wade to this prize. Now the only way for Wade to survive and preserve everything he knows is to win. But to do so, he may have to leave behind his oh-so-perfect virtual existence and face up to lifeand lovein the real world hes always been so desperate to escape. A world at stake. A quest for the ultimate prize. Are you ready?

The Six Most Important Decisions Youll Ever Make by Sean Covey
The challenges teens face today are tougher than at any time in history: academic stress, parent communication, media bombardment, dating drama, abuse, bullying, addictions, depression, and peer pressure, just to name a few. And, like it or not, the choices teens make while navigating these challenges can make or break their futures. In The 6 Most Important Decisions You'll Ever Make, Sean Covey, author of the international bestseller The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, gives teens the strong advice they need to make informed and wise decisions. Using real stories from teens around the world, Sean shows teens how to succeed in school, make good friends, get along with parents, wisely handle dating and sex issues, avoid or overcome addictions, build self-esteem, and much more. Jam-packed with original cartoons, inspiring quotes, and fun quizzes, this innovative book will help teens not only survive but thrive during their teen years and beyond. As their final year of high school brings these two boys together, a unique friendship may turn out to be the answer they both need.

Tears of a Tiger by Sharon Draper

Tigers don't cry, or do they? After the death of his longtime friend and fellow Hazelwood Tiger, Andy, the driver of the car, blames himself and cannot get past his guilt and pain. While his other friends have managed to work through their grief and move on, Andy allows death to become the focus of his life. In the months that follow the accident, the lives of Andy and his friends are traced through a series of letters, articles, homework assignments, and dialogues, and it becomes clear that Tigers do indeed need to cry.