Choices for Grades 9-12

Students will choose one of the following books to read over the summer. Students in Honors and AP classes will have an additional reading Requirement.

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

This fantasy novel is a dragon tale whose real focus is on xenophobia and the need to peacefully accept others who are different. 

In the kingdom of Goredd, dragons and humans live and work side by side – while below the surface, tensions and hostility simmer.

The newest member of the royal court, a uniquely gifted musician named Seraphina, holds a deep secret of her own. One that she guards with all of her being.

When a member of the royal family is brutally murdered, Seraphina is drawn into the investigation alongside the dangerously perceptive—and dashing—Prince Lucien. But as the two uncover a sinister plot to destroy the wavering peace of the kingdom, Seraphina’s struggle to protect her secret becomes increasingly difficult… while its discovery could mean her very life.

Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/Seraphina-Rachel-Hartman/dp/0375866221/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1456179807&sr=8-1&keywords=seraphina
   
Common Sense Review: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/seraphina
760 lexile. $7.59

The Physics of Super Heroes by James Kakalios

This nonfiction science title presents physics through a discussion of various superheroes’ powers.

Since 2001, James Kakalios has taught "Everything I Needed to Know About Physics I Learned from Reading Comic Books," a hugely popular university course that generated coast-to-coast media attention for its unique method of explaining complex physics concepts through comics. With The Physics of Superheroes, named one of the best science books of 2005 by Discover, he introduced his colorful approach to an even wider audience. Now Kakalios presents a totally updated, expanded edition that features even more superheroes and findings from the cutting edge of science. With three new chapters and completely revised throughout with a splashy, redesigned package, the book that explains why Spider-Man's webbing failed his girlfriend, the probable cause of Krypton's explosion, and the Newtonian physics at work in Gotham City is electrifying from cover to cover.

*Note: There are two published editions of this book. Either is fine.

Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Physics-Superheroes-Spectacular-Second/dp/1592405088/
No lexile available. No parent review available. $13.89

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne

An exciting classic. The tale of Captain Nemo and the Nautilus. This book is one of the world’s most frequently translated classics and is available in more than 75 languages. Many of the translations are available free on the internet. 

Originally published in 1870, Verne’s amazing undersea adventure is one of the earliest science fiction novels ever written. Since that time, generations of readers have plunged below the ocean’s waves with Captain Nemo and his first-ever submarine, The Nautilus. It’s a voyage of exploration and the imagination.

Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/Leagues-Under-Sterling-Unabridged-Classics/dp/140272599X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1456179507&sr=8-2&keywords=20%2C000+leagues

Common Sense Media Link:
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/20000-leagues-under-the-sea
1050 lexile $8.99

Fly Girl by Sherri Smith

This book is historical fiction, heavy on the historical. While the actual details of these fliers are unknown, the story of their work is imagined in this beautiful and captivating novel.

Ida Mae Jones wants to do is fly. Her daddy was a pilot, and years after his death she feels closest to him when she's in the air. But as a young black woman in 1940s Louisiana, she knows the sky is off limits to her, until America enters World War II, and the Army forms the WASP-Women Airforce Service Pilots. Ida has a chance to fulfill her dream if she's willing to use her light skin to pass as a white girl. She wants to fly more than anything, but Ida soon learns that denying one's self and family is a heavy burden, and ultimately it's not what you do but who you are that's most important.

Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Flygirl-Sherri-L-Smith/dp/0142417254/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1456180112&sr=1-2&keywords=fly+girl

No Common Sense review available.
Lexile 680  $6.48

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