Boston Latin School Summer Reading List for Students Entering Class VI 2017 This summer, you will be required to read a total of four books:  Required: Read the following three books: o The Friends, Rosa Guy o The Pearl, John Steinbeck o Let the Circle Be Unbroken, Mildred Taylor  Also required: Read one of the following three books: o The Crossover by Kwame Alexander o Counting By Sevens by Holly Goldberg Sloan o Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead

Not required but recommended for avid readers: You may enjoy one or more of the titles below, selected by our English teachers and librarians.

BIOGRAPHY, AUTOBIOGRAPHY, AND OTHER NON-FICTION

Abdul-Jabbar, Kareem BLACK PROFILES IN COURAGE Stories about inspirational people in history who acted with integrity, discipline, and self-respect Altman, Linda J. FOREVER OUTSIDERS Description of the Holocaust using primary sources Auerbacher, Inge I AM A STAR Description of a child's hardships living in a concentration camp for three years Ballard, Robert D. EXPLORING THE TITANIC Description of the large luxury liner which sank in 1912 as well as the discovery and exploration of its underwater wreckage Borden, Louise FLY HIGH! Biography of the first African-American woman aviator Bruchac, Joseph LASTING ECHOES History of Native Americans, with excerpts from accounts of their experiences Cleary, Beverly GIRL FROM YAMHILL Autobiography that tells what it was like growing up with an interest in writing Cole, Sheila GROWING UP IN AMERICA Description of the lives of different boys and girls Coolidge, Olivia E. GHANDI A biography of the Mahatma Ghandi, the great Indian leader TROJAN WAR Description of one of the greatest wars in all history Crouse, Anna ALEXANDER HAMILTON AND AARON BURR An account of their lives as well as their famous duel Douge, Daniel CARIBBEAN PILGRIMS An account describing the flight of Haitian refugees Filipovic, Zlata ZLATA'S DIARY A record from 1991 to 1993 that tells of her hardships living in Sarajevo during the war Grant, Neil THE WORLD OF ODYSSEUS A biography of the famous Odysseus Greenburg, Judith NEWCOMERS TO AMERICA Interviews of fourteen new immigrants from such countries as Korea, Cambodia, El Salvador, and Lithuania Hacker, Carlotta SCIENTISTS Stories of Rachel Carson, Diane Fossey, Mary Leakey, Margaret Mead, Chien-shiung Wu, and other women scientists Hamilton, Virginia PAUL ROBESON Biography of the world famous actor and singer who lost much of his popularity when he became a champion of communism W. E. B. DU BOIS Biography of the African-American leader, author, and sociologist who spent his life fighting for the rights of blacks everywhere Hautzig, Esther THE ENDLESS STEPPE Author's hardships of spending five years in Siberia after her family and she were exciled from Poland during World War II Holliday, Laure CHILDREN OF THE DREAM Description of the hardships of several African- Americans who grew up during the civil rights era Honan, Linda SPEND A DAY IN ANCIENT ROME Description of the Ancient Roman culture and politics Jensen, Marilyn PHILLIS WHEATLEY Biography of the first colonial slave poet Jiang, Ji-Li RED SCARF GIRL: A MEMOIR OF THE CULTURAL REVOLUTION Memoir that tells of the author's realization of the truth about the Chinese communist government Keller, Helen TEACHER Timeless story about Helen Keller's teacher, Anne Sullivan Macy Kosof, Anna JESSE JACKSON Biography of the major African-American leader and 1984 presidential candidate Lawrence, Jacob THE GREAT MIGRATION: AN AMERICAN STORY Between 1926 and 1919, harsh living conditions impelled large numbers of African Americans to leave their homes in the rural South for the promise of a better life in the industrial North. Accompanied by paintings from the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C., Lawrence gives that story immediacy and power for a contemporary audience. McKissack, Patricia and Fredrick McKissack SOJOURNERTRUTH: AIN’T I A WOMAN? Illustrated with black-and white photographs, this book explores the life of Sojourner Truth, born into slavery, who ran away to freedom at age 46 and became an important leader of the abolitionist and feminist movement. Includes a good bibliography. Mehta, Ved SOUND-SHADOWS OF THE NEW WORLD Account of Mehta's journey from India to the United States with all the hardships associated with his blindness tempered by his courage and intelligence Meltzer, Milton LANGSTON HUGHES Story of a leading poet of the Harlem Renaissance during the 1920's, who devoted his life to writing about the black experience in America MARK TWAIN Biography with more than six-hundred illustrations that help capture the essence of one of America's favorite authors NEVER TO FORGET: THE JEWS OF THE HOLOCAUST Collection of first-person accounts that serve as a timeless reminder of how European Jews reacted to the threat of extermination Meyers, Walter Dean THE GLORY FIELD This compelling saga follows an African-American family from Africa to South Carolina, spanning a period of 250 years. In each generation, the book focuses on a strong teenage character and the ongoing struggle for freedom, dignity, and continued ownership of the family’s precious land, the Glory Field. Mills, Judie JOHN F. KENNEDY Life and political career of the thirty-fifth president Morey, Janet N. FAMOUS HISPANIC AMERICANS Mini-biographies with profiles and descriptions of achievements Morison Samuel ONE BOY'S BOSTON Memoirs of the author's memories and impressions of Boston Nhuong, Huynh LAND I LOST Life in the central highlands of Vietnam, where the author and the villagers encounter many wild animals Ortiz, Victoria SOJOURNER TRUTH: A SELF-MADE WOMAN Biography of the northern slave who, after gaining her freedom, gave anti-slavery lectures in the United States Pantaeva, Irina SIBERIAN DREAM Memoir of a courageous young woman born in communist Siberia who became a fashion model half way around the world Parks, Rosa DEAR MRS. PARKS Parks's responses to real letters of young correspondents, challenging them to become a force for positive social change ROSA PARKS: MY STORY Description of the civil rights movement and the author's active role in it Pelligrimo, Charles HER NAME, TITANIC Story of The Titanic's tragic maiden voyage and its discovery more than seventy years later Penn, W. S. THE TELLING OF THE WORLD Legends and stories from many Native-American nations that follow the path of life Petry, Ann Lane HARRIET TUBMAN Biography of a woman who was a conductor on the Underground Railroad Platt, Larry KEEPIN' IT REAL An extraordinary look inside the NBA, both the on-court pyrotechnics and off-court scandals Riley, Patricia GROWING UP NATIVE AMERICAN Tales of twenty-two Native Americans and their hardships today Scott, Elaine CLOSE ENCOUNTERS Description of what scientists have been able to discover about our solar system using the Hubble telescope Siegel, Beatrice CORY: CORAZON AQUINO AND THE PHILIPPINES Biography of a political newcomer who ran for the office of presidency following her husband's assassination Sis, Peter THE TREE OF LIFE:A BOOK DEPICTING THE LIFE OF CHARLES DARWIN, NATURALIST, GEOLOGIST, AND THINKER This well-crafted book brings to life Darwin’s ominivorous intellectual curiosity. The intricate design of the text will make readers feel like explorers. Sparks, Beatrice ALMOST LOST True story of a depressed teenage boy who discusses the events that led to his leaving home and joining a street gang Stuart, Jesse THE THREAD THAT RUNS SO TRUE Personal narrative of the author's experiences as a teacher in the mountains of Kentucky Suro, Robert STRANGERS AMONG US An examination of Latino immigration to the U.S. Takaki, Ronald LIVES OF NOTABLE ASIAN AMERICANS Lives of Asian-Americans known primarily for their writing, including Amy Tan, Dharati Mukherjee, and Laurence Yep Tran, Barbara WATERMARK Collection of Vietnamese-American poetry and prose that focuses on the lives of people living in Vietnam Ziner, Feenie SQUANTO Biography of the Wampanoag Indian who, after living in England and Spain, returned to New England in 1619 and befriended the Pilgrims

FICTION/SCIENCE FICTION

Aiken, Joan WOLVES OF WILLOUGHBY CHASE Bonnie and her cousin Sylvia are left in the care of an evil governess and must escape from her and the wolves that besiege them. Alcott, Louisa M. LITTLE WOMEN In this classic adventure, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy make their transition from girlhood to womanhood. Alexander, Kwame CROSSOVER In this Newbery Award winning verse novel, two brothers are junior high school basketball stars who begin moving apart from one another. Alexander, Lloyd THE BLACK CAULDRON In this second book in the Prydain Chronicles, Prince Gwydion leads the quest to destroy the black cauldron. Anderson, Laurie Halse, CHAINS The story of Isabel, a slave in New York City during the American Revolution, and her attempt to escape her servitude. Banks, Kate WALK SOFTLY, RACHEL Fourteen year-old Rachel learns about her deceased brother Jake through reading his journal. Her discoveries help transform her sorrow and help her family cope with their loss. Beatty, John Louis WHO COMES TO KING'S MOUNTAIN? Living in the South Carolina hills in 1780, a young Scottish boy must decide for himself whether to be a Loyalist or a rebel. Bradbury, Ray SOMETHING WICKED COMES THIS WAY When a carnival like no other comes to town one week before Halloween, two boys discover its evil secret. Burnford, Sheila THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY Three pets suffer through hardships, hunger, and danger as they travel over two-hundred miles through Canadian wilderness to make their way home. Burton, Hester THE REBEL Disillusioned by the French Revolution, an idealistic eighteenth- century English student searches for a new cause through which to express his love of freedom. Chambers, Aidan POSTCARDS FROM NO MAN’S LAND Twin tellings unfold related stories, one a contemporary coming of age story and the other a World War II love story. The novel deals with themes of identity, love, and the value of life. Christopher, John THE CITY OF GOLD AND LEAD Three boys set out on a secret mission to penetrate the City of the Tripods and learn more about these strange beings that rule the earth. Cleary, Beverly STRIDER In a series of diary entries, Leigh tells how he comes to terms with his parents' divorce and acquires joint custody of an abandoned dog. Collier, James JUMP SHIP TO FREEDOM In the second book in the Arabus family saga, Daniel is trying to retrieve the notes that ensure his and his mother's freedom, until he is forced into slavery in the West Indies. Cooper, Susan THE DARK IS RISING On his eleventh birthday, Will Stanton discovers that he is the last of the Old Ones, destined to seek the six magical Signs that will enable the Old Ones to triumph over the evil forces of the dark. Creech, Sharon THE WANDERER Against her family’s wishes, Sophie joins her three uncles and two male cousins on their transatlantic sail from Connecticut to England. She discovers a love for the ocean as well as a far-away grandfather, whose stories she retells on the trip. Told through journal entries of Sophie and her cousin Cody. Crew, Linda CHILDREN OF THE RIVER Sundara flees Cambodia for the safety of Oregon, where she struggles to be a "good Cambodian girl"; nevertheless, she falls in love with a white boy. Deuker, Carl ON THE DEVIL'S COURT Joe, who has never succeeded at anything, suddenly has everything going his way, and he even makes the varsity basketball team. Duncan, Lois KILLING MR. GRIFFIN Several students kidnap their English teacher to teach him a lesson but end up doing much more. LOCKED IN TIME Nora arrives at her stepmother's Louisiana plantation to find her new family odd and an aura of evil and mystery about the place. Flake, Sharon THE SKIN I’M IN Maleeka is absorbed by her social standing and endures teasing from a clique of girls for her appearance. Then a new teacher recognizes her ability in creative writing. George, Jean JULIE OF THE WOLVES A young girl finds herself lost in the Alaskan wilderness and befriends a pack of wolves in order to survive. Haddix, Margaret RUNNING OUT OF TIME Jessie Keyser thinks her home is a log cabin in 1840; however, she really lives in a replica of a small nineteenth-century village, and the year is actually 1996. Hahn, Mary DAPHNE'S BOOK As Jessica and Daphne collaborate on a book for a seventh-grade English contest, Jessica becomes aware of conditions in Daphne's home that seem to threaten her health and safety. WAIT TILL HELEN COMES Molly and Michael dislike their spooky new stepsister Heather but soon realize that they must try to save her when she seems ready to follow a ghost child to her doom. Haldeman, Joe THE FOREVER WAR Drafted into the ranks of Earth's interstellar warriors, private William Mandella finds his fight against the Taurians secondary to the side-effects of faster- than-light space travel. Hamilton, Morse YELLOW SCHOOL BUS MEANS I LOVE YOU When Timur moves from Russia to a New England boarding school, he is very lonely and depressed until he meets a girl at a dance. Hamilton, Virginia THE PLANET OF JUNIOR BROWN An overweight young boy develops schizophrenia. SWEET WHISPERS, BROTHER RUSH Fourteen-year-old Tree, resentful of her working mother who leaves her in charge of a retarded brother, encounters the ghost of her dead brother. Heinlein, Robert STARSHIP TROOPERS A recruit of the future goes through the toughest boot camp in the universe and into battle against mankind's most frightening enemy. Hesse, Karen OUT OF THE DUST Fourteen-year-old Billie Jo writes in sparse, free-floating verse about the grim domenstic realities of living during years of constant dust storms and family tragedy in Oklahoma. Hobbs, Valerie SONNY’S WAR With her father’s death and her beloved brother’s departure for Vietnam, high school freshman Cory is looking for something to hold onto. Set in the late 1960s in a small California town. Holm, Anne NORTH TO FREEDOM After escaping from an Eastern European concentration camp where he has spent most of his life, a twelve-year-old boy struggles to cope with an entirely strange world. Holtze, Sollace A CIRCLE UNBROKEN Captured by a band of Sioux Indians and brought up as the chief’s daughter, Rachel is recaptured by her white family and finds it difficult to adjust. Hossock, Sylvie GREEN MANGO MAGIC While living with her grandmother in a deserted valley in Hawaii, Maile makes an important discovery about herself. Hughes, Mark Peter LEMONADE MOUTH The story of five teens who are empowered by the popularity of their newly formed band and by the ensuing bonds of their friendships to take on their school’s administration. Hunt, Irene UP A ROAD SLOWLY After her mother's death, Julie goes to live with Aunt Cordelia where she experiences many emotions and changes as she grows from seven to eighteen. Kassem, Lou MIDDLE SCHOOL BLUES A twelve-year-old girl discovers that seventh grade, despite a disastrous beginning, isn't nearly as bad as she had thought it would be. Konigsburg, E. L. A PROUD TASTE FOR SCARLET AND MINIVER While waiting in heaven for divine judgment to be passed on her second husband, Eleanor of Aquitain and three other people recall the events of her life. Lai, Thanhh Listen, Slowly 12-year old Mai spends the summer in Vietnam with her grandparents and grows to understand her grandparents and the culture that is not part of her life in the United States. L'Engle, Madeline MANY WATERS The fifteen-year-old Murry twins are accidentally sent back to a strange Biblical time period during which mythical beasts roam the desert and a man named Noah is building a boat. THE ARM OF THE STARFISH A marine biology student, reporting to his summer job on an island off Portugal, finds himself at the center of a power struggle between his boss and another group of Americans. Lantz, Frances Lin FADE FAR AWAY Fifteen-year-old Sienna feels shut out from her father's glamorous life as a famous sculptor. Le Guin, Ursula A WIZARD OF EARTHSEA A boy grows to manhood while attempting to subdue the evil he has unleashed on the world as an apprentice to the Master Wizard. Lee, Marie G. F IS FOR FABULOSO After Jin-Ha moves to America from Korea, she is able to adjust well, but she has trouble with math and lies to her parents about it. Little, Kimberley BREAKAWAY Luke dreams of playing soccer with a father whom he has never known and learns his father's secret. Lowry, Lois NUMBER THE STARS During the German occupation of Denmark, Annemarie helps shelter a Jewish friend from the Nazis. Markle, Sandra THE FLEDGLINGS After Kate discovers that her grandfather is a Cherokee, she decides to find him. Matas, Carol DANIEL'S STORY Daniel, his family and friends suffer through deportation by the Nazis, their experiences in a ghetto, and their experiences in Auschwitz and Buchenwald. LISA'S WAR During the Nazi occupation of Denmark, Lisa and other teenage Jews become involved in an underground resistance movement. Mathis, Sharon Bell TEACUP FULL OF ROSES Joe's decision to leave home is prompted by despair over his Mother's blindness to his younger brother's talents and his older brother's drug addiction. Mazer, Norma Fox AFTER THE RAIN After discovering her grandfather is dying, fifteen-year- old Rachel gets to know him better than ever before and finds the experience bittersweet. McCaffrey, Anne DRAGONSINGER Pursuing her dream to be a Harper of Pern, Menolly studies under the Masterharper, learning that more is required than a facility with music and a clever way with words. McCauthrean, Geraldine THE STONES ARE HATCHING The shy Phelim Green awakens one morning to find the stove pulled away from the stove and furniture blocking all the windows and doors—the work of a distraught household sprite. The protagonist soon ventures on a classic hero’s journey, with details taken from Celtic mythology. Myers, Walter THE GLORY FIELD Five generations of an African-American family, from the capture and enslavement of the first ancestor, through the Civil War to the end of segregation, come alive. Na, An A Step from Heaven The story of teenager Ju Park’s life and the challenges that growing up in Southern California after immigrating from Korea present. Neufeld, John EDGAR ALLEN When the Ficket family decides to adopt a little black boy, they are faced with threats, angry phone calls, a burning cross on the lawn, and an ultimatum from their oldest daughter. LISA, BRIGHT AND DARK Lisa is losing her mind, and only her friends can help her. Nielsen, Jennifer A. Mark of the Thief (Mark of the Thief, Book 1) An enslaved boy finds a magical amulet in ancient Rome and uses his newfound powers to navigate the The Praetor War and seek his freedom. Nye, Noami Shihab HABIBI When fourteen-year-old Liyanne Abboud moves with her family from St. Louis to a new home between Jerusalem and a Palestinian village, she faces many changes and many tensions. O'Dell, Scott KING'S FIFTH While awaiting trial for murder and withholding from the king the obligatory fifth of the gold found in Cibola, Esteban recounts his adventures with a band of conquistadors. Paterson, Katherine THE MASTER PUPPETEER A thirteen-year-old boy describes the poverty and discontent of eighteenth-century Osaka and the world of puppeteers in which he lives. THE SIGN OF THE CHRYSANTHEMUM Muna, an illegitimate Japanese boy, must search for his father, a samurai warrior, during the twelfth-century clan wars in Japan. Paulson, Gary CANYONS Finding a skull on a camping trip in the canyons outside El Paso, Brennan becomes involved in the fate of a young Apache Indian who lived in the late 1800's. HATCHET After a plane crash, thirteen-year-old Brian must survive alone in the Canadian wilderness with only a hatchet. Peck, Richard LOST IN CYBERSPACE Josh Lewis, a sixth-grader, embarks on a great adventure after his best friend, Aaron, mysteriously vanishes into cyberspace. PRINCESS ASHLEY When popular Ashley Packard accepts Chelsea, a newcomer to Crestwood High, Chelsea doesn't worry about her follower status until her senior year, when it becomes a problem. VOICES AFTER MIDNIGHT Chad and Luke hear voices in an old New York City brownstone, and eventually the two are transported to the 1880's. Potok, Chaim DAVITA'S HARP When Davita Chandal finds out how many hardships there are in America in the 1930's, she turns to the Jewish faith as a solace. Pullman, Philip THE RUBY IN THE SMOKE In nineteenth-century London, sixteen-year-old Sally, a recent orphan, becomes involved in a deadly search for a mysterious ruby. Raskin, Ellen FIGGS AND PHANTOMS This book chronicles the adventures of the unusual Figg family after they leave show business and settle in the town of Pineapple. THE WESTING GAME The mysterious death of an eccentric millionaire brings together an unlikely assortment of heirs. Robinson, Margaret A WOMAN OF HER TRIBE Fifteen-year-old Annette, whose dead father was a Nootka Indian, travels with her English mother from their country home on Vancouver Island to the city of Victoria. Silverberg, Robert FAR HORIZONS In this collection of new stories, science fiction's most beloved writers once again revisit the remarkable worlds they have created and made famous. Sleator, William INTERSTELLAR PIG Barney's boring seaside vacation suddenly becomes more interesting when the cottage next door is occupied by three exotic neighbors. ODDBALLS From the creepy to the hilarious, this book of science fiction will engross readers. Sloan, Holly Goldberg COUNTING BY 7s A young genius with an obsession with the number seven, Willow Chance loses her parents in a tragic accident and begins a life as a true outsider looking for a way in. Soto, Gary A SUMMER LIFE This collection of short stories focuses on the author's growing up in Frenso, California. Speare, Elizabeth THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND In 1687 Connecticut, Kit Tyler, feeling out of place in the Puritan household of her aunt, befriends an old woman considered a witch by the community. Staples, Suzanne SHABANU: DAUGHTER OF THE WIND Eleven-year-old Shabanu, a Pakistani, is pledged in marriage to an older man whose money will bring prestige to the family. Stead, Rebecca LIAR & SPY Georges moves into a new apartment building and meets his 12 year-old neighbor, Safer. Together they become allies and fellow spies, but Georges begins to wonder how far is too far to go for your only friend? Steinbeck, John THE RED PONY A young boy lives on his father's California ranch, raising a sorrel colt. Taylor, Theodore TEETONCEY In this first novel of a trilogy, eleven-year-old Ben rescues an English girl from a shipwreck off the Outer Banks of North Carolina. TROUBLE WITH TUCK A girl cares for her beloved, blind Labrador Retriever. Venkatraman, Padra A TIME TO DANCE In this verse novel, Veda pursues her dream of a life in classical Indian dance only to lose her leg in an accident. As she heals and forms an important friendship, Veda begins to find her place in the world. Voigt, Cynthia DICEY'S SONG Now that the four abandoned Tillerman children are settled in with their grandmother, Dicey finds that their new beginning requires love, trust, humor, and courage. HOMECOMING Abandoned by their mother, four children begin a search for a home and an identity. Walker, Paul Robert HOOP DREAMS Two boys who live in the inner city believe that the only way that they can escape from poverty is by playing basketball and getting into the NBA. Wells, H. G. THE TIME MACHINE A scientist invents a time machine and uses it to travel hundreds of thousands of years into the future where he discovers the childlike Eloi and the hideous underground Morlocks. Wojciechowska, Maia SHADOW OF A BULL Manolo Olivar has to make a decision: to follow in his famous father's shadow and become a bullfighter or to follow his heart and become a doctor. Wolff, Virginia Euwer MAKE LEMONADE In rhythmic prose arranged in free verse, this novel depicts a fourteen-year-old whose goal of escaping poverty is challenged by friendship with a single teenage mother. Woodson, Jacqueline I Hadn’t Meant to Tell You This The story of a friendship between Marie and Lena, who have both lost their mother, despite being from quite different backgrounds. Wunderli, Stephen THE HEARTBEAT OF HALFTIME After Wing's football team finally starts winning, he faces the larger problem of his father's illness. Zindel, Paul THE PIGMAN Two high school students befriend a strange old man, Mr. Pignati, and learn his strange story.