Enfield High School Summer Reading Lists 2009
9th Grade
The Hobbit; or, There and Back Again by J.R.R. Tolkien-This prequel to The Lord of the Rings trilogy chronicles the adventures of the inhabitants of Middle-earth and Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit who battles the fierce dragon Smog and brings home to The Shire the One Ring of Power.
Fire-us #1: The Kindling by Jennifer Armstrong-The Fire-us trilogy gets off to a dynamic start in this first entry set in 2007, five years after a catastrophic virus has apparently killed all the adults and nearly everyone else. Seven children seem to be the only survivors.
All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot-Take an unforgettable journey through the English countryside and into the homes of its inhabitants-- four-legged and otherwise-- with the world's best-loved animal doctor.
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams-This play explores the fragile nature of the human heart. Tom Wingfield, his mother Amanda and his sister Laura live in a run-down apartment in St. Louis. They deal with abandonment, handicaps, broken hearts, and unfulfilled dreams.
Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen-In 1967, after a session with a psychiatrist she'd never seen before, the teenager Susanna was put in a taxi and sent to McLean Hospital and spent most of the next two years on the ward for teenage girls. This is an insightful memoir, encompassing horror and razor-edged perception, providing vivid portraits of her fellow patients and their keepers.
Almost Lost by Beatrice Sparks-Fifteen-year-old Sam is in pain. This is the real-life story of Sam's recovery, told from tapes of his therapy sessions. It tells what drove him to leave home, how he survived on the street, and why he was desperate to escape from the brutality of the gang that had become his "family" and from the torment of his own self-loathing.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie-Village rumor hints that Mrs. Ferrars poisoned her husband, but no one is sure. The village doctor narrates as Hercule Poirot, the Belgian sleuth, uses his “little gray cells” to determine which of the many town characters is the murderer.
Acceleration by Graham McNamee-Stuck working in the Lost and Found of the Toronto Transit Authority for the summer, 17-year-old Duncan finds the diary of a serial killer and sets out to stop him.
The Serious Kiss by Mary Hogan-Fourteen-year-old Libby Madrigal tries to deal with her unhappily married alcoholic father and overeating mother, her move to a new town, and the search for the perfect boy to "seriously" kiss.
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë -The large family home of the Earnshaws is located on an isolated moor in England. There the love and hate between the wealthy Catherine Earnshaw and the homeless orphan Heathcliff comes to a major crisis with haunting consequences.
Monster by Walter Dean Myers-While on trial as an accomplice to a murder, sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon records his experiences in prison and in the courtroom in the form of a film script as he tries to come to terms with the course his life has taken. This book has a unique and interesting format—it’s not just prose!
Twilight by Stephanie Meyer-Bella Swan moves from Phoenix, Arizona to Forks, Washington to allow her mother to travel with her new husband. After moving to Forks, Bella finds herself drawn to a mysterious boy, Edward Cullen, who turns out to be a vampire. They fall in love and must fight off a rival clan of vile vampires who are after Bella.
SideScrollers by Matthew Loux-A trio of low-achieving, video-game playing buddies work to save another friend from a bully. The dialogue is witty and funny, and the storyline is meaningful and interesting.
* * See end of list after 12th grade for more options**
10th Grade
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Doug Adams-After the Earth is destroyed to make way for an intergalactic superhighway, Arthur Dent, the sole survivor, travels the galaxy with Ford Prefect to find the meaning of life. He knows the answer: 42. Now he’s got to find the question!
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card-Aliens have attacked Earth twice and almost destroyed the human species. To make sure humans win the next encounter, the world government has taken to breeding military geniuses -- and then training them in the arts of war. The early training takes the form of “games”. Ender Wiggin is a genius among geniuses; he wins all the games. He is smart enough to know that time is running out. But is he smart enough to save the planet?
Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton-Read this deeply moving story of Zulu Pastor Stephen Kumalo and his son Absalom, set against the backdrop of a land and people driven by racial inequality and injustice.
Biloxi Blues by Neil Simon-This autobiographical play follows the enlistment and basic training of Eugene Jerome in the last year of World War II. Jerome’s experiences with his sadistic drill sergeant, motley crew of fellow recruits, and local girls are humorous and poignant.
Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team and a Dream by H. G. Bissinger-This timeless account of the Permian Panthers of Odessa- the winningest high-school football team in Texas history- chronicles a season in the life of Odessa and shows how single-minded devotion to the team shapes the community and inspires, and sometimes shatters, the teenagers who wear the Panthers' uniforms.
It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life by Lance Armstrong, with Sally Jenkins-It is the personal story of Lance Armstrong's life so far, from childhood through early success, nearly fatal cancer, recovery, survivorship, more triumph (victory in the 1999 Tour de France), marriage, and first-time fatherhood.
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle-The story of the "Hound from Hell" has haunted the Baskervilles through many generations. Now, Sir Henry Baskerville has more than the legendary hound to take on as Seldon, the infamous Notting Hill murderer, has escaped from prison and is lurking around the moor. What a time for Sherlock Holmes to be detained in London! Watson is left to take on the case.
No Second Chance by Harlan Coben-Marc Seidman awakens to find himself in an ICU. Twelve days earlier, he'd had an enviable life as a successful surgeon, living in a peaceful suburban neighborhood with his beautiful wife and a baby he adored. Now he lies in a hospital bed, shot by an unseen assailant. His six-month-old daughter, Tara, has vanished with only a ransom note left behind. A thriller that is a bone-chiller.
A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly-It's 1906 and 16-year-old Mattie Gokey is at a crossroads in her life. She's escaped the overwhelming responsibilities of helping to run her father's broken down farm and she's been accepted to Barnard College in New York City, but she's held back by her sense of responsibility to her family--and by a budding romance.
Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray-Two heroines--one humble, the other scheming and social-climbing--meet in school and embark on markedly different lives. Amid the swirl of London's ballrooms and affairs of love and war, their fortunes rise and fall. Through it all, Thackeray lampoons the shallow values of his society.
The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom-Killed in a tragic accident, Eddie, an elderly man who believes that he had an uninspired life, awakens in the afterlife, where he meets five people who will explain the meaning of his life.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon-Despite his overwhelming fear of interacting with people, Christopher, a mathematically-gifted, autistic 15-year-old boy, decides to investigate the murder of a neighbor's dog and uncovers secret information about his mother.
American Born Chinese by Bene Luen Yang-This graphic novel is made up of three individual plotlines: the efforts of the Chinese folk hero Monkey King to shed his humble roots and be revered as a god; the struggles faced by Jin Wang, a lonely Asian American middle school student who would do anything to fit in with his classmates; and the problems of Danny, an All-American teen ashamed of his Chinese cousin Chin-Kee (a purposefully painful ethnic stereotype). All three storylines converge for an amazing ending.
* * See end of list after 12th grade for more options**
11th Grade
Dune by Frank Herbert-Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of the boy Paul Atreides, who will become the mysterious man known as Maud'dib. He will avenge the traitorous plot against his noble family--and bring to fruition humankind's most ancient and unattainable dream.
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Doug Adams-Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect are back in the second installment of the Hitchhiker’s series as they wait for news of a friend, Zaphod, who is trapped on Frogstar World B, the “most totally evil planet in the Universe!” Zaphod must overcome the Total Perspective Vortex machine, which renders its victims with low self-esteem, and find out the identity of the ruler of the Universe. Meanwhile Arthur continues to search for the questions to life, the universe and everything.
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller-Anti-hero Captain John Yossarian, stationed at an airstrip on a Mediterranean island in World War II, wants out of the military and desperately attempts to stay alive while he figures out an escape. The "catch" in Catch-22 involves a mysterious Air Force regulation that is utterly ridiculous and utterly inescapable.
Fences by August Wilson -This play explores the conflicts of the young African American man in the South. The dreams and desires of Bono and Troy reflect the optimism of youth until the reality of family tensions, racism, and economy threatens to destroy their happiness.
Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt-Born to Irish parents, McCourt endured a childhood of extreme poverty. He rose from humble beginnings to become a Pulitzer Prize-winner. In "Angela's Ashes", he recounts the heartbreaking stories and soul-saving humor of his childhood.
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah-When he was twelve years old, Ishmael Beah was abducted and forced into the horrors of a civil war Sierra Leone. For five years he struggled to survive while following the orders of military leaders. Having witnessed the worst of humanity, Beah escaped to narrate this extraordinary story of strength.
Blackout by John J. Nance-FBI agent Kat Bronsky's investigation of recent airplane crashes has led to troubling questions. If the blinding lights aren't caused by pilot error, missile attack, or plane malfunction, then is it something more insidious -- something she wasn't meant to uncover?
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson-What monsters lurk inside us? Something strange is going on with scientist Dr. Jekyll, and his monstrous, murderous acquaintance Mr. Hyde may just have the answer.
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden-A young Japanese woman taken from her home at the age of nine and sold into slavery as a geisha discovers a rare opportunity for freedom when the outbreak of World War II forces an end to the only life she has ever known.
The English Patient: a Novel by Michael Ondaatje-Three individuals--nurse Hana, thief Caravaggio, and bomb expert Kip--are brought together in an abandoned Italian villa at the end of World War II by a nameless and hideously burned English patient, with a heartbreaking and exciting story of romance and treachery.
Big Mouth & Ugly Girl by Joyce Carol Oates-When sixteen-year-old Matt is falsely accused of threatening to blow up his high school and his friends turn against him, an unlikely classmate comes to his aid.
She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb-Overweight and sensitive Dolores Price grows from painful childhood, through excruciating adolescence, to lonely adulthood, experiencing the heartache of being a misfit in a confusing world. Can she learn to love herself?
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi-Marji tells of her life in Iran from the age of 10, when the Islamic revolution of 1979 reintroduced a religious state, through the age of 14 when the Iran-Iraq war forced her parents to send her to Europe for safety. This story, told in graphic format with simple, but expressive, black-and-white illustrations, combines the normal rebelliousness of an intelligent adolescent with the horrors of war and totalitarianism.
* * See end of list after 12th grade for more options**
12th Grade
VALIS by Philip K. Dick-VALIS stands for Vast Active Living Intelligence System. Its main character, Horselover Fat, discusses religion and philosophy with the author as a plotline about healing the cosmic wound slowly unwinds.
Once a Hero by Elizabeth Moon-Despite her family's military history, Esmay Suisa believes herself satisfied without the prospect of commanding her own ship, until she finds herself the senior surviving officer in the middle of a vital space battle.
Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald-This lyrical, beautifully written novel details the ruin of a life. Brilliant psychiatrist Dick Diver marries a former patient, the wealthy Nicole, and embarks on a soul-crushing, career-destroying journey.
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving-John’s best friend is a diminutive boy with a GIGANTIC VOICE named Owen, who believes he knows his future. Could his future involve John, penguins, armadillos, a baseball, an amazing basketball trick, a manikin, and the Vietnam War?
Fast Food Nation: the Dark Side of the All-American Meal by Eric Schlosser-Explore the homogenization of American society and the impact of the fast food industry on modern-day health, economics, politics, popular culture, entertainment, and food production. You’ll never look at fast food the same way again!
Me Talk Pretty One Day by Dave Sedaris-Sedaris shares hilarious, satirical stories of his dysfunctional family, his French lessons, and his bizarre career path.
Charm School by Nelson DeMille-On a dark road deep inside Russia, a young American tourist picks up a most unusual passenger with an incredible secret. Poised against the very heartland of America is a vast and astounding KGB enterprise known as "The Charm School" where agents learn from Prisoners of War how to infiltrate their enemies’ society by acting just like them.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde-Spellbound before his own portrait, vain Dorian Gray utters a fateful wish. Selling his soul to the devil in exchange for beauty and youth, Dorian Gray learns the true nature of ugliness and evil from his horrifying mentor Lord Harry Wotton.
Emma by Jane Austen-Emma is a matchmaker at heart, with very little success. Yet while she attempts to arranger marriages for her friends, she struggles with a romance of her own.
The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks-Volunteer fireman Taylor McAden leaps to the aid of anyone in trouble, but cannot make the leap to fall in love. Then he meets single mom Denise Holton, who revives in a crashed car during a horrible storm. He gets involved in a search for her son, and maybe involved in a search for love, as he looks into his past and examines his pain.
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova-The story opens in Amsterdam in 1972, when a teenage girl discovers a medieval book and some yellowed letters in her diplomat father's library. When the girl confronts her father, he reluctantly confesses an unsettling story: his involvement, twenty years earlier, in a search for his graduate school mentor, who disappeared from his office only moments after confiding to Paul his certainty that Dracula--Vlad the Impaler, cruel ruler of Wallachia in the mid-15th century--is still alive. The search for Dracula is on again.
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini-Mariam, 15, marries the 40-year-old Rasheed, who abuses her for years. Eighteen years later, Rasheed takes another wife, 14-year-old Laila, a smart and spirited girl. Mariam and Laila become allies in a battle with the misogynistic Rasheed.
Maus II: A Survivor’s Tale: And Here My Troubles Began by Art Spiegelman-In this sequel, which is a true story, Artie continues to interview his father Vladek about his experiences in Auschwitz to find out more about his mother and to better understand his father. Spiegelman uses animal symbolism (the Germans are cats; the Jews are mice) to add an extra dimension of visual meaning.