2015 CAISLN Reading List

ABOUT THESE LISTS The following lists of recently published books were compiled by members of CAISLN, the Cleveland Area Independent School Library Network. Members are certified library media specialists at independent schools in and around Cleveland, Ohio. The lists are organized by grade level, beginning with preschool and continuing through grade 12, and include both Fiction and Non-fiction titles. Each book received positive reviews in major library publications and was read and critiqued by at least one group member. We hope you find these lists helpful in the selection of your (or your child’s) reading, and that you will find many hours of enjoyment as you discover the magic within the pages of these books!CONTENTS  Preschool – 1st Grade EDITORS Heather Swift [Old Trail School]  1st Grade – 3rd Grade  3rd Grade – 5th Grade With Assistance From:  5th Grade – 8th Grade Jane Spencer [Western Reserve]- Summaries  9th Grade – 12th Grade Vicki Marty [Old Trail School] - Cover Art Kirsten Rosebrock-Hayes, Allison Snyder, Lisa Ulery - Proof Readers Contributors:  Holly Bunt [Western Reserve Academy]  Paula Campanelli [Western Reserve Academy]  Nancy DeVault [Andrews Osborne Academy]  Meagan Fowler [St Joseph Academy]  Kathy Fehrenbach [Hawken School]  Victoria Karakasis [Mary Queen of Peace]  Kirsten Rosebrock-Hayes [Laurel School]  Jacque Miller [Western Reserve Academy]  Jane Spencer [Western Reserve Academy]  Allison Snyder [Gilmour Academy]  Heather Swift [Old Trail School]  Rebecca Synk [St Joseph Academy]  Lisa Ulery [University School]

Fiction Recommended Reading 2015Fiction Preschool – 1st GradeFiction Barnett, Mac. Sam and Dave Dig A Hole (2014)Fiction Sam and Dave are sure they will discover something exciting if they just keep digging their hole. 2015 Caldecott Honor AwardFiction Becker, Aaron. Quest (2014)Fiction Presents a wordless book in which two young children enjoy an adventureFiction in Central Park on a rainy day.Fiction Boyd, Lizi. Flashlight (2014) In this story without words, a boy explores the woods after dark with a flashlight. Cole, Henry. Big Bug (2014) Beginning with a bug, various objects are revealed as being big and small in comparison with other objects on a farm under the big, big sky. Frazee, Marla. The Farmer and the Clown (2014) A wordless picture book in which a farmer rescues a baby clown who has bounced off the circus train and reunites him with his clown family. Gay, Marie-Louise. Any Questions? (2014) Answers many of the questions the author receives from children on writing, including where she gets her ideas, how she learned to draw, and how many books she can write in one day. Haughton, Chris. Shh! We Have a Plan (2014) Three bumbling hunters try to capture a beautiful bird with nets, while their gentle-hearted companion befriends the bird with a friendly hand and some bread. Soman, David. Three Bears in a Boat (2014) Afraid to face their mother after breaking her beautiful blue seashell, three bears set out on an high seas adventure to try to find a replacement.Preschool – 1st Grade Page 1

Fiction Recommended Reading 2015Fiction Spires, Ashley. The Most Magnificent Thing (2014)Fiction A little girl has a wonderful idea. With the help of her canine assistant, she is going to make the most magnificent thing! She knows just how it will look.Fiction She knows just how it will work. But making the most magnificent thing turns out to be harder than she thinks.Fiction Tullet, Hervé. Mix It Up! (2014)Fiction Using no special effects other than the reader's imagination, simpleFiction directions lead the reader to experiment with mixing and changing colors on the printed page. Barnett, Mac. Count the Monkeys (2013) The reader is invited to count the animals that have frightened the monkeys off the pages. Bean, Jonathan. Building our House (2013) A young girl narrates her family's move from the city to the country, where they have bought a piece of land and live in a trailer while they build a house from the ground up, with help from relatives and friends. Daywalt, Drew. The Day the Crayons Quit (2013) When Duncan arrives at school one morning, he finds a stack of letters, one from each of his crayons, complaining about how he uses them Heder, Thyra. Fraidyzoo (2013) Little T remembers that she was frightened last time her family visited the zoo but not why, so her creative family helps by imitating animals from A to Z until she recalls exactly what caused her fear. Isadora, Rachel. Old Mikamba Had a Farm (2013) The inhabitants of Old Makimba's farm in Africa, including a baboon, an elephant, and a lion, are described, verse by verse. Includes facts about African animals.Preschool – 1st Grade Page 2

Fiction Recommended Reading 2015Fiction Lewin, Betsy. Thumpy Feet (2013)Fiction Thumpy thumpy thumpy thump thumpy. Spend a day with Thumpy Feet, a spirited orange cat.Fiction Sullivan, Mary. Ball (2013)Non-Fiction Non-Fiction Non-Fiction Non-Fiction While searching for someone to play ball with him, a dog dreams of fantastical adventures he could have with his ball. Wiesner, David. Mr. Wuffles (2013) Mr. Wuffles ignores all his cat toys but one, which turns out to be a spaceship piloted by small green aliens. When Mr. Wuffles plays rough with the little ship, the aliens must venture into the cat's territory to make emergency repairs. 2014 Caldecott Honor Award Novak, B.J.. The Book With No Pictures (2014) \"In this book with no pictures, the reader has to say every silly word, no matter what.\" Sayre, April Pulley. Raindrops Roll (2015) In her latest gorgeously photo-illustrated nonfiction picture book, celebrated author April Pulley Sayre sheds new light on the wonders of rain, from the beauty of a raindrop balanced on a leaf to the amazing, never- ending water cycle that keeps our planet in perfect ecological balance. Ehlert, Lois. The Scraps Book: Notes from a Colorful Life (2014) This gifted picture book maker opens the doors to her studio and her life to share her thoughts about her creative process. Gandhi, Arun. Grandfather Ghandi (2014) Arun visits his grandfather, Mahatma Gandhi, and wonders if he has the patience, temperament, and character to make him proud in this uniquely personal tale. Levine, Sara. Bone by Bone (2014) Explores how human skeletons are like and unlike those of other animals.Preschool – 1st Grade Page 3

Non-Fiction Non-Fiction Non-Fiction Non-Fiction Recommended Reading 2015Non-Fiction Rosenstock, Barb. The Noisy Paint Box (2014)Non-Fiction A picture book biography of Russian abstract painter Vassily Kandinsky, who experienced colors as sounds and sounds as colors.Non-Fiction 2015 Caldecott Honor Award Stewart, Melissa. Feathers Not Just for Flying (2014) \"Young naturalists meet sixteen birds in this introduction to the many uses of feathers\" Gibbons, Gail. Beavers (2013) Explores the lives of beavers, including where they live, what they eat, how they raise their young, and more. Rosenstock, Barb. Thomas Jefferson Builds a Library (2013) Thomas Jefferson loved to read and collect books on almost every subject. He built his first library as a young man, and kept on building until his book collection helped to create the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., the world's largest library. Stone, Tanya Lee. Who Says Women Can't Be Doctors (2013) An introduction to the life and achievements of the first American female doctor describes the limited career prospects available to women in the early nineteenth-century, the opposition Blackwell faced while pursuing a medical education, and her pioneering medical career that opened doors for future generations of women. Low, William. Machines Go to Work in the City (2012) This book provides illustrations and fold-out pictures of machines that are used in a city. Seegar, Laura Vaccaro. Green (2012) In this Caldecott Honor book, illustrations and simple, rhyming text explore the many shades of the color green.Preschool – 1st Grade Page 4

Fiction Recommended Reading 2015Fiction 1st Grade – 3rd GradeFiction Calmenson, Stephanie. Teachers Pet's (2014)Fiction The girls are dismayed when their teacher is out sick and they have a substitute. Mr. Z makes goofy jokes and can't keep the class under control.Fiction Worst of all, he doesn't say anything when mean Darlene makes fun of Kate and Lucie. Luckily, once the girls turn into dogs, Kate and Lucie learn theyFiction can save the day--and even make a new friend. Cronin, Doreen. The Chicken Squad (2014) When the squirrel Tail comes barreling into the chicken coop ranting about a round, shiny, green, big, scary thing in the yard, Dirt, Sweetie, Poppy, and Sugar investigate this strange object. Bond, Michael. The Paddington treasury : six classic bedtime stories about the bear from Peru (2014) A collection of best-loved tales featuring the bear from Peru includes \"Paddington at the Zoo,\" in which Paddington's marmalade sandwiches prove to be irresistable to the zoo animals. DiCamillo, Kate. Leroy Ninker Saddles Up (2014) Saddle up for this first volume in a spin-off series starring favorite characters from DiCamillo's \"New York Times\"-bestselling Mercy Watson books. Leroy Ninker has a hat, a lasso, and boots. What he doesn't have is a horse--until he meets Maybelline, and then it's love at first sight. Johnson, Angela. All Different Now: Juneteenth, the First Day of Freedom (2014) In 1865, members of a family start their day as slaves, working in a Texas cotton field, and end it celebrating their freedom on what came to be known as Juneteenth. Keller, Laurie. Invasion of the Ufonuts (2014) Arnie is shocked when he hears his neighbor Loretta Schmoretta tell news reporters that she was the victim of an alien abduction. And not just any aliens--alien doughnuts from outer spastry. Arnie thinks this is a ridiculous story--until he gets abducted.1st Grade – 3rd Grade Page 1

Fiction Recommended Reading 2015Fiction Rosenstock, Barb. Ben Franklin's Big Splash: The Mostly True Story of His First Invention (2014) A freethinker from a young age, eleven-year-old Benjamin Franklin created his first invention--swim fins--at a time when swimming was rare and considered unhealthy. Includes a time line of Benjamin Franklin's life. Santat, Dan. Adventures of Beekle (2014) An imaginary friend waits a long time to be imagined by a child and given a special name, and finally does the unimaginable--he sets out on a quest to find his perfect match in the real world. 2015 Caldecott Award Winner Schachner, Judith. Skippyjon Jones in Snow What (2014) SeriesFiction Skippyjon Jones, the Siamese cat that thinks he is a Chihuahua dog, stars in a fairy tale set in the winter wonderland of his imagination.Fiction Yamada, Kobi. What Do You Do With an Idea? (2014) This is the story of one brilliant idea and the child who helps to bring it into the world. As the child's confidence grows, so does the idea itself. And then, one day, something amazing happens.Fiction Calmenson, Stephanie. No Dogs Allowed (2013) Best friends and dog lovers Kate and Lucie live in apartments where dogs are not allowed, but a pair of unusual necklaces they find in a thrift store allow them to become dogs whenever they wish.Fiction Gerstein, Mordicai. The First Drawing (2013) Thirty thousand years ago, an imaginative child sees the shapes of animals in clouds and on the walls of the cave he shares with his family, but no one else can see them until he makes the world's first drawing. Includes author's note on cave drawings.1st Grade – 3rd Grade Page 2

Fiction Recommended Reading 2015Fiction Henkes, Kevin. Penny and Her Marble (2013)Fiction Penny feels guilty after taking a beautiful blue marble that she sees in Mrs. Goodwin's grass, but gets a pleasant surprise when she goes to return it theFiction next day.Fiction Keller, Laurie. Bowling Alley Bandit (2013)fiction Arnie the talking doughnut is delighted to be Mr. Bing's new pet \"doughnut- dog,\" so when Mr. Bing starts rolling gutter balls during a big bowling tournament, Arnie suspects foul play and sets out to solve the mystery. Rau, Dana Meachen. Robot, Go Bot! (2013) A young girl makes so many demands on the robot she has constructed that he runs away. Catrow, David. Fly Flew In (2012) A fly flies into a concert hall wreaking havoc. Willems, Mo. Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs (2012) Presents the wacky story of three dinosaurs, including a visitor from Norway, who insist that they have not tidied up their home and prepared yummy pudding to trap a tasty little girl. Kirk, Daniel. Library Mouse: A Museum Adventure (2012) Sam, the shy mouse that lives in the library and likes to write books, and his friend Sarah, visit a museum and write about their experience in each of their journals. Sam shows Sarah that journals can include drawings and artifacts as well as the written word.1st Grade – 3rd Grade Page 3

Non-Fiction Recommended Reading 2015Non-Fiction Bryant, Jen. The Right Word (2014)Non-Fiction The story of \"shy young Peter Mark Roget, [for whom] books were the best companions--and it wasn't long before Peter began writing his own book.Non-Fiction But he didn't write stories; he wrote lists. Peter took his love for words and turned it to organizing ideas and finding exactly the right word to expressNon-Fiction just what he thought. 2015 Siebert Nonfiction Award; 2015 Caldecott HonorNon-Fiction Halfman, Janey. Animal Teachers (2014) What's a great way for kids to learn about learning? Tell them how an otter takes swimming lessons, or how a chick learns to peck! Short entries portray how twelve different animals are taught various \"lessons.\" Loads of information about nature is offered in brief, kid-friendly explanations paired with striking illustrations.\" Winter, Jonah. Joltin' Joe DiMaggio (2014) The baseball legend, Joe DiMaggio's picture book biography Bober, Natalie. Papa is a Poet (2013) When Robert Frost was a child, his family thought he would grow up to be a baseball player. Instead, he became a poet. His life on a farm in New Hampshire inspired him to write \"poetry that talked, \" and today he is famous for his vivid descriptions of the rural life he loved so much. There was a time, though, when Frost had to struggle to get his poetry published. Told from the point of view of Lesley, Robert Frost's oldest daughter, this is the story of how a lover of language found his voice. Brooks, Susie. Get into Art Animals (2013) Introduces readers to works of art featuring animals by such esteemed artists as M.C. Escher, Andy Warhol, Georges Braque, and Henri Matisse, and provides instruction for animal-centered art projects. Helligman, Deborah. The Boy Who Loved Math (2013) Paul Erdos traveled around the world, from one mathematician to the next, collaborating on an astonishing number of publications. A beautiful introduction to the world of math and a fascinating look at a great man.1st Grade – 3rd Grade Page 4

Non-Fiction Recommended Reading 2015Non-Fiction Huber, Raymond. Flight of the Honey Bee (2013)Non-Fiction Demonstrates how Scout the bee searches for nectar to sustain her hive and pollinates flowers to produce seeds and fruits.Non-Fiction Markel, Michelle. Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Maker's StrikeNon-Fiction of 1909 (2013)Non-fiction When Clara arrived in America, she didn't know that young women had to go to work and grow up fast. But that didn't stop Clara. She went to night school and helped her family by sewing in a factory. She never accepted that girls should be treated poorly with low pay, so she led the largest walkout of women workers the country had seen. She learned that everyone deserved a fair chance, to stand and fight for what she wanted, and, most importantly, that she could do anything she put her mind to. Stewart, Melissa. No Monkeys, No Chocolate (2013) Describes how the cocoa bean is used to make chocolate and how the animals and other living things in the tropical rain forest play important parts in its creation. Leedy, Loren. Seeing Symmetry (2012) Introduces the concept of symmetry, discussing how it appears in the world. Includes activities. Markel, Michelle. The Fantastic Jungles of Henri Rousseau (2012) A child's biography of French artist Henri Rousseau, who spent his life as a toll collector, but created unheralded masterpieces in his spare time. Ed., Lewis, J. Patrick. National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry with Photographs that Sqeak, Soar, and Roar! (2013) Combines photography with lyrical text celebrating the animal world, in a compilation that includes works by such poets as Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost and Rudyard Kipling.1st Grade – 3rd Grade Page 5

Fiction Recommended Reading 2015Fiction 3rd Grade – 5th GradeFiction Birdsall, Jeanne. Penderwicks in Spring (2015)Fiction As spring arrives on Gardam Street, there are surprises in store for each Penderwick, from neighbor Nick Geiger's expected return from the war toFiction Batty's new dog-walking business, but her plans to use her profits to surprise her family on her eleventh birthday go astray.Fiction Kuhlmann, Torben. Lindbergh: The Tale of a Flying Mouse (2014) Follows the trials of a small mouse who pursues a brilliant idea to escape to America by plane after the introduction of the mechanical mousetrap. Egan, Kate with Magician Mike Lane. The Vanishing Coin (2014) Mike reluctantly bonds with good-girl neighbor Nora while learning fun skills at The White Rabbit magic shop, the owner of which believes Mike could become a great magician. Herrera, Robin. Hope is a Ferris Wheel (2014) \"After moving from Oregon to a trailer park in California, ten-year-old Star participates in a poetry club, where she learns some important lessons about herself and her own hopes and dreams for the future.\" Cheng, Andrea. The Year of the Three Sisters (2015) Andee eagerly plans to bring Fan, Anna’s friend from China, to Ohio for the school year. But when Fan arrives, Andee is distant, Fan is unhappy, and Anna is caught in the middle. Perkins, Lynne Rae. Nuts to You (2014) After surviving being carried off by a hawk, a young squirrel resolves to find his way home, as his best friends begin their search for him.3rd Grade – 5th Grade Page 1

Fiction Recommended Reading 2015Fiction Scieszka, Jon. Frank Einstein and the Electro-Finger (2014)Fiction In his Grandpa Al's garage workshop, child genius Frank Einstein tries to invent a robot that can learn on its own, and after an accident bringsFiction wisecracking Klink and overly expressive Klank to life, they set about helping Frank perfect his Antimatter Motor until his archnemesis, T. Edison, steals theFiction robots for his doomsday plan.Fiction Van Vleet, Carmella. Eliza Bing is (Not) a Big Fat Quitter (2014) After learning she cannot take a cake decorating class with her best friend, partly because her parents consider her a quitter, eleven-year-old Eliza tries to prove herself by sticking with a taekwondo class all summer. DiCamillo. Flora & Ulysses (2013) Rescuing a squirrel after an accident involving a vacuum cleaner, comic- reading cynic Flora Belle Buckman is astonished when the squirrel, Ulysses, demonstrates astonishing powers of strength and flight after being revived. Gaiman. Fortunately, the Milk (2013) While picking up milk for his children's cereal, a father is abducted by aliens and finds himself on a wild adventure through time and space. Grabenstein. Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library (2013) Twelve-year-old Kyle gets to stay overnight in the new town library, designed by his hero (the famous gamemaker Luigi Lemoncello), with other students but finds that come morning he must work with friends to solve puzzles in order to escape. Pennypacker, Sarah. Clementine and the Spring Trip (2013) Third-grader Clementine's school field trip to Plimoth Plantation leads to all kind of discoveries, from fourth grade eating rules to the source of the stink on the bus.3rd Grade – 5th Grade Page 2

Fiction Recommended Reading 2015Fiction Trine, Greg. Pinkbeard's Revenge (2013)fiction Fourth-grade superhero Jo Schmo and her sidekick Raymond face Dr. Dastardly and Numbskull, who break out of jail and join forces withFiction Pinkbeard's band of time-traveling pirates in an evil revenge plot.fiction Wight, Tamra. Mystery on Pine Lake (2013)fiction Cooper thought living at a campground would be cool, but ever since his parents bought the lakeside campground, he's had more chores and less time to explore. Now his ex-friend Roy has chosen him as this summer's bullying target! Cooper's only bright spot this summer is his new friend, Packrat, a guy who carries the world in his coat pockets. When someone dams up the lake and floods the loon nest, it's up to the boys to figure out who, why, and how to stop the culprit! Clements. Benjamin Pratt & The Keepers of the School: The Whites of Their Eyes (2012) With a key to the Oakes School in his possession Benjamin, his friend Jill, and a new friend continue to seek ways to protect the school and their town but Lyman, the janitor and a spy, has new tricks up his sleeve. Henkes, Kevin. Year of Billy Miller (2013) Seven-year-old Billy Miller starts second grade with a bump on his head and a lot of worries, but by the end of the year he has developed good relationships with his teacher, his little sister, and his parents and learned many important lessons. Hicks, Betty. The Worm Whisperer (2012) Ellison Ellis Coffey, a lonely fifth-grader, discovers he might have the special gift of talking to bugs and decides to use his ability to win his town's annual Woolly Worm Race. Moundic, Charlotte. The Bathing Costume, or, The Worst Vacation of My Life (2013) On his first vacation without his parents, eight-year-old Myron faces a scary grandfather, teasing older cousins, his first dive off the ten-foot board, and his grandmother's encouragement to write his mother daily, telling her of his adventures.3rd Grade – 5th Grade Page 3

Graphic Novel Recommended Reading 2015Graphic Novel Graphic Novel Bell, Cece. El Deafo (2014) The author recounts in graphic novel format her experiences with hearing loss at a young age, including using a bulky hearing aid, learning how to lip read, and determining her \"superpower.\" Cammuso, Frank. Cookie Camp Catastrophe (2014) After selling enough cookies to earn her troop a camping trip, Salem discovers that the rest of the girls don't enjoy camping, so she and her cat, Whammy end up in the wilderness alone, with only magical mishaps for company. Holm, Jennifer. Comics Squad: Recess! (2014) A collection of comics about every kid's favorite school subject: recess.Graphic Novel Maihack, Mike. Cleopatra in Space (2014)Graphic Novel Mysteriously zapped thousands of years into the future, a teenaged Cleopatra discovers that she is destined to save the galaxy, a prophecyGraphic novel that compels her to enroll in a high-tech school where she can learn modern subjects, alien languages, and combat fighting. Torres, J. The Sound of Thunder (2014) Rufus, Penny and their squirrel friend, Sidney, are eager to recapture the magic totem they lost to the ravens in the previous book. But how? With Rufus no longer in possession of his powers, the trio seems destined to fail. Their luck turns, however, when they learn the local legend of Thunderbird. It seems the mighty bird had created the magic totem decades earlier to be used to ward off developers who wanted to destroy the precious Pacific Northwest forest. Developers who were much like the ones cutting down their trees today! Empowered with a newfound purpose to protect the woods, they finally know just what they have to do to save the day -- and the trees! Aquirre, Jorge. Dragons Beware! (2015) Setting off on an adventure with her brother, her best friend, and seven lovelorn princes in tow, Claudette must find a way to rescue her father and save her village from the evil sorcerer Grombach.3rd Grade – 5th Grade Page 4

Graphic novel Recommended Reading 2015Non-Fiction Torres, J. The Unkindness of Ravens (2013)Non-Fiction Another weekend at Grammy's, another weekend of Rufus using his magic totem to transform himself into Bigfoot Boy! But when you're big, hairy andNon-Fiction loud, it's hard to keep your powers a secret, especially when there are trickster ravens that want the magic for themselves. You won't want to missNon-Fiction this second rrrawesome adventure of Bigfoot Boy and his friends!Non-Fiction Grimes, Nikki. Chasing Freedom (2015) In this imaginative biographical story, Harriet Tubman and Susan B. Anthony sit down over a cup of tea in 1904 to reminisce about their struggles and triumphs in the service of freedom and women's rights. Davis. Mr. Ferris and His Wheel (2014) Presents a picture book story about George Washington Gale Ferris and the opposition he faced on the way to inventing his famous Ferris Wheel. Janeczko, Paul. Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems (2014) A selection of short American poems dealing with the four seasons and the different weather events and animal patterns that can occur within each. Rosenstock, Barb. Noisy Paint Box (2014) Describes how Vasya Kandinsky's creative life was profoundly shaped by a neurological condition called synesthesia which caused him to experience colors as sounds and sounds as colors. Wagner, Lisa. Cool Backyard Grilling (2014) Contains recipes for backyard grilling.3rd Grade – 5th Grade Page 5

Non-Fiction Recommended Reading 2015 Floca, Brian. Locomotive (2013) Learn what it was like to travel on the transcontinental railroad in the 1860s. 2014 Caldecott Award; 2014 Siebert Nonfiction Honor AwardNon-Fiction Jenkins, Steve. The Beetle Book (2013)Non-Fiction Beetles squeak and beetles glow. Beetles stink, beetles sprint, beetles walk on water. With legs, antennae, horns, beautiful shells, knobs, and otherNon-Fiction oddities--what's not to like about beetles? The beetle world is vast: one out of every four living things on earth is a beetle. There are over 350,000Non-Fiction different species named so far and scientists suspect there may be as many as a million. From the goliath beetle that weighs one fourth of a pound to the nine inch long titan beetle, award-winning author-illustrator Steve Jenkins presents a fascinating array of these intriguing insects and the many amazing adaptations they have made to survive. McLachlan, Brian. Draw Out the Story (2013) Boils cartooning down to ten tried-and-true secrets that will inspire a novice and challenge a budding young master. Whatever cartooning style you want to use, this one book explains it all: from the drawing and writing to even the most powerful techniques of metaphor, color, placement, and so much more. Chin, Jason. Island: A Story of the Galapagos (2012) An island is about to be born- one that in time will become the home of plants and animals that exist nowhere else on Earth. This book is the biography of a Galápagos island- from birth, through adolescence, to adulthood, and beyond. Person, Stephen. Saving Animals After Tornadoes (2012) Describes the rescue efforts involved in saving the lives of animals affected by a tornado.Non-Fiction Aronson, Marc. The griffin and the dinosaur: how Adrienne Mayor discovered a fascinating link between myth and science (2014) Traces the research scientist co-author's explorations in Greece and the Gobi Desert for the origins of the mythical griffin, relating the story of the ancient Scythians and the griffins that were said to have guarded their treasure.3rd Grade – 5th Grade Page 6

Fiction Recommended Reading 2015Fiction 5th Grade - 8th GradeFiction Hale, Shannon. The Forgotten Sisters (2015)Fiction Miri is eager to return to her beloved Mount Eskel after a year at the capital, but the king and queen ask her to first journey to a distant swamp and startFiction her own miniature princess academy for three royal cousins, but once there she must solve a mystery before she can return home.Fiction Hayes, Tom. Secret of the Warlock's Crypt (2015) A 12-year-old boy and his uncle, a historian, search for the missing artifacts of a dead millionaire, and unearth clues to an old, macabre unsolved mystery. Written by a Cleveland author and set in Cleveland, with many familiar landmarks including Lake View Cemetery. Alexander, Kwame. The Crossover (2014) Fourteen-year-old twin basketball stars Josh and Jordan wrestle with highs and lows on and off the court as their father ignores his declining health. 2015 Newbery Winner Jeter, Derek. The Contract (2014) In Kalamazoo, Michigan, eight-year-old Derek Jeter, who dreams of playing for the New York Yankees, learns what it takes to be a champion on and off the field. Lloyd, Natalie. A Snicker of Magic (2014) The Pickles are new to Midnight Gulch, Tennessee, a town which legend says was once magic--but Felicity is convinced the magic is still there, and with the help of her new friend Jonah the Beedle, she hopes to bring the magic back. Lubar, David. Wipeout of the Wireless Weenies (2014) Thirty-three stories about clothes-eating bacteria, a zombie apocalypse, a monstrous butcher shop, and other frightening things. Includes notes on how the author got his ideas for these stories.5th Grade – 8th Grade Page 1

Fiction Recommended Reading 2015Fiction Wertheim, L. Jon. The Rookie Bookie (2014)Fiction When seventh-grader Mitch Sloan moves to Jonasburg, Indiana, he uses his exceptional skills in math, money, and sports statistics to make friends--butFiction gets in over his head when he starts a football betting ring.Fiction Angus, Sam. Soldier Dog (2013)Fiction It's 1917. In the trenches of France, miles from home, Stanley is a boy fighting a man's war. He is a dog handler, whose dog must be so loyal thatGraphic Novel he will cross no-man's-land alone under heavy fire to return to Stanley's side, carrying a message that could save countless lives. But this journey is fraught with danger, and only the bravest will survive. As the fighting escalates and Stanley experiences the true horror of war, he comes to realize that the loyalty of his dog is the only thing he can rely on. Sloan, Holly Goldberg. Counting by 7's (2013) Twelve-year-old genius and outsider Willow Chance must figure out how to connect with other people and find a surrogate family for herself after her parents are killed in a car accident. Turnage, Sheila. Three Times Lucky (2013) Washed ashore as a baby in tiny Tupelo Landing, North Carolina, Mo LoBeau, now eleven, and her best friend Dale turn detective when the amnesiac Colonel, owner of a café and co-parent of Mo with his cook, Miss Lana, seems implicated in a murder. Lowry, Lois. Son (2013) Unlike the other Birthmothers in her utopian community, teenaged Claire forms an attachment to her baby, feeling a great loss when he is taken to the Nurturing Center to be adopted by a family unit. Gibbs. Spy School (2012) Twelve-year-old Ben Ripley leaves his public middle school to attend the CIA's highly secretive Espionage Academy, which everyone is told is an elite science school. Dauvillier, Loic. Hidden: A Child's Story of the Holocaust (2014) A grandmother shares the story of her experiences in WWII with her grandchild in this graphic novel for young readers.5th Grade – 8th Grade Page 2

Non-Fiction Graphic novel Recommended Reading 2015Non-Fiction Non-Fiction Non-Fiction Gaiman, Neil. The Graveyard Book Graphic Novel: 2 (2014)Non-Fiction The second volume of a two-volume graphic novel adaptation of Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book. Bod must remain in the graveyard, forNon-Fiction leaving it could mean his death at the hands of a man named Jack--the man who murdered Bod's family. Burns, Loree Griffin. Beetle Busters - A Rogue Insect and the People Who Track It (2014) This book about the tree-killing Asian longhorned beetle reveals how the help of everyday people, their neighborhoods, teams of beetle-sniffing dogs, and a nationwide effort from bug scientists to tree doctors are working to eradicate this invasive pest. Roy, Katherine. Neighborhood Sharks - Hunting with the Great Whites of California's Farallon Islands (2014) An up close look at the ocean's most fearsome and famous predator and the scientists who study them--just twenty-six miles from the Golden Gate Bridge. 2015 Siebert Honor Award for Non-fiction. McClafferty, Carla Killough. Fourth Down and Inches (2013) Contains an in-depth examination of the head and brain injuries that are on the rise among football players. Stone, Tanya Lee. Courage Has No Color: The True Story of the Triple Nickles, America's First Black Paratroopers. (2013) Examines the role of African-Americans in the military through the history of the Triple Nickles, America's first black paratroopers, who fought against attacks perpetrated on the American West by the Japanese during World War II. Hoose, Phillip M. Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95 (2012) National Book Award-winner Hoose (Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice) introduces readers to the small rufa red knot shorebird known as B95, which makes an 18,000-mile migratory circuit from the bottom of the world to the top and back again each year. Voorhoeve, Anne C. My Family for the War (2013) Before the start of World War II, ten-year-old Ziska Mangold, who has Jewish ancestors but has been raised as a Protestant, is taken out of Nazi Germany on one of the Kindertransport trains, to live in London with a Jewish family. Here, she learns about Judaism and endures the hardships of war while attempting to keep in touch with her parents, who are trying to survive in Holland.5th Grade – 8th Grade Page 3

Fiction Recommended Reading 2015Fiction 9th Grade - 12th GradeFiction Baker, Jo. Longbourn (2014)Fiction Sarah, a servant at Longbourn, which belongs to the Bennet family, while scrubbing laundry, polishing floors and emptying chamber pots, watchesFiction the romances, heartbreaks, and intrigue happening downstairs of the main house, but when a mysterious new footman arrives, the order of theFiction servants' hall is threatened. Doerr, Anthony. All the Light We Cannot See (2014) A blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II. Jandy Nelson. I'll Give You the Sun (2014) Jude and her brother, Noah, are incredibly close twins. At thirteen, isolated Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude surfs and cliff-dives and wears red-red lipstick and does the talking for both of them. But three years later, Jude and Noah are barely speaking. Kidd, Sue Monk. Invention of Wings (2014) \"The story follows Hetty \"Handful\" Grimke, a Charleston slave, and Sarah, the daughter of the wealthy Grimke family. The novel begins on Sarah's eleventh birthday, when she is given ownership over Handful, who is to be her handmaid. \"The Invention of Wing \" follows the next thirty-five years of their lives. Inspired in part by the historical figure of Sarah Grimke (a feminist, suffragist and, importantly, an abolitionist), Kidd allows herself to go beyond the record to flesh out the inner lives of all the characters, both real and imagined.\" Klay, Phil. Redeployment (2014) Phil Klay's collection of short stories about soldiers in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and their experiences as veterans back home. Ng, Celeste. Everything I Never Told You (2014) The daughter of a Chinese American family is found dead, turning the family's lives upside down.9th Grade – 12th Grade Page 1

Fiction Recommended Reading 2015Fiction Thomas, Sam. The Harlot's Tale (2014)Fiction It is August, 1645, one year since York fell into Puritan hands. As the city suffers through a brutal summer heat, Bridget Hodgson and Martha Hawkins are drawn into a murder investigation more frightening than their last. In order to appease God's wrath- and end the heat-wave--the city's overlords have launched a brutal campaign to whip the city's sinners into godliness. But for someone in York, this is not enough. First a prostitute and her client are found stabbed to death, then a pair of adulterers are beaten and strangled. York's sinners have been targeted for execution. Bridget and Martha--assisted once again by Will, Bridget's good-hearted nephew--race to find the killer even as he adds more bodies to his tally. The list of suspects is long: Hezekiah Ward, a fire and brimstone preacher new to York; Ward's son, Praise-God, whose intensity mirrors his father's; John Stubb, one of Ward's fanatic followers, whose taste for blood may not have been sated by his time in Parliament's armies. Or could the killer be closer to home? Will's brother Joseph is no stranger to death, and he shares the Wards' dreams of driving sin from the city. To find the killer, Bridget, Martha, and Will must uncover the city's most secret sins, and hope against hope that the killer does not turn his attention in their direction. Thomas, Sam. The Witch Hunter's Tale (2014) Winter has come to the city of York, and with it the threat of witchcraft. As women and children sicken and die, midwife Bridget Hodgson is pulled against her will into a full-scale witch-hunt that threatens to devour all in its path, guilty and innocent alike. Bridget--accompanied once again by her deputy Martha Hawkins and her nephew Will Hodgson--finds herself playing a lethal game of cat and mouse against the most dangerous men in York, as well as her sworn enemy Rebecca Hooke. As the trials begin, and the noose begins to tighten around her neck, Bridget must answer the question: How far will she go to protect the people she loves? Ullah, Haroon K.. The Bargain from the Bazaar (2014) The story of one struggling middle-class Pakistani family, compellingly narrated by a young scholar and diplomat who has observed the traumas of the region firsthand. As a young boy, Awais Reza's family moved from Indian Kashmir to Lahore in Pakistan after Partition. Now middle-aged, Awais is a shopkeeper in the Anarkali Bazaar. Married, with three sons, he looks back on his journey from idealistic young nationalist to increasingly watchful and anxious member of the mercantile class at the heart of Pakistani life. Awais's eldest son has drifted, but returned to help his father run the shop; the middle one is involved in radical Islamist politics; and the youngest is a law student who believes that a secular future is Pakistan's last and only hope. Their lives unfold against an increasingly turbulent and violent background as suicide bombers enter the life of urban Lahore with devastating consequences. Haroon K. Ullah's portrait of a middle class family oppressed by a state falling apart around them is a remarkable piece of storytelling. Radical Islam is confronted not only in distant mountain passes by the armed forces, but most personally and tellingly across the kitchen table as families like the Rezas debate their future.9th Grade – 12th Grade Page 2

Fiction Recommended Reading 2015Fiction Zevin, Gabrielle. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry (2014)Fiction When his most prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, is stolen, bookstore owner A. J. Fikry begins isolating himself from his friends, familyFiction and associates before receiving a mysterious package that compels him to remake his life.Fiction Andrew Smith. Winger (2013) Two years younger than his classmates at a prestigious boarding school, fourteen-year-old Ryan Dean West grapples with living in the dorm for troublemakers, falling for his female best friend who thinks of him as just a kid, and playing wing on the varsity rugby team with some of his frightening new dorm-mates. Hosseini, Khaled. And the Mountains Echoed (2013) Khaled Hosseini, the #1 New York Times; bestselling author of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, has written a new novel about how we love, how we take care of one another, and how the choices we make resonate through generations. In this tale revolving around not just parents and children but brothers and sisters, cousins and caretakers, Hosseini explores the many ways in which families nurture, wound, betray, honor, and sacrifice for one another; and how often we are surprised by the actions of those closest to us, at the times that matter most. Following its characters and the ramifications of their lives and choices and loves around the globe; from Kabul to Paris to San Francisco to the Greek island of Tinos; the story expands gradually outward, becoming more emotionally complex and powerful with each turning page. Laban, Elizabeth. The Tragedy Paper (2013) While preparing for the most dreaded assignment at the prestigious Irving School, the Tragedy Paper, Duncan gets wrapped up in the tragic tale of Tim Macbeth, a former student who had a clandestine relationship with the wrong girl, and his own ill-fated romance with Daisy. Leganski, Rita. The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow (2013) Bonaventure Arrow is so quiet he can hear everything, including flowers growing, different shades of the color blue, and the voice of his father's spirit, with this special gift he sets out to soothe his troubled family.9th Grade – 12th Grade Page 3

Fiction Recommended Reading 2015Fiction McCall Smith, Alexander. The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon (2013)Fiction Mma. Ramotswe is asked to help the proprietor of the Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon, who is having trouble with her business. The salon has sufferedFiction some unfortunate events, including face cream that burns the skin. Could someone be trying to put the salon out of business? Meanwhile, on theFiction home front, Mma Makutsi is going to have a baby. But in Botswana-- a land where family has always been held above all else but which is on the crossroads between old and new-- this may be cause for as much controversy as celebration. Rowell, Rainbow. Eleanor & Park (2013) Set over the course of one school year in 1986, this is the story of two star- crossed misfits--smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. Thomas, Samuel. The Midwife’s Tale (2013) It is 1644, and Parliament's armies have risen against the king and laid siege to the city of York. Even as the city suffers at the rebel's hands, midwife Bridget Hodgson becomes embroiled in a different sort of rebellion. Wein, Elizabeth. Rose under Fire (2013) When young American pilot Rose Justice is captured by Nazis and sent to Ravensbrck, the notorious women's concentration camp, she finds hope in impossible through the loyalty, bravery, and friendship of her fellow prisoners. Condie, Ally. Reached (2012) In search of a better life, Cassia joins a widespread rebellion against Society, where she is tasked with finding a cure to the threat of survival and must choose between Xander and Ky.9th Grade – 12th Grade Page 4

Fiction Recommended Reading 2015Fiction Flower, Amanda. A Plain Death (2012)fiction While her Cleveland friends relocated to Southern California and Italy, 24- year-old computer whiz Chloe Humphrey moves with some uncertainty toGraphic Novel Appleseed Creek to direct technology services at a nearby college. Her first acquaintance is Becky, an ex-Amish teenager looking for a new home.Graphic Novel While driving Chloe's car, Becky collides with a buggy, killing an Amish bishop. But what looks like an accident is soon labeled murder when police discover the car's cut brake line. Now, Chloe must take on the role of amateur sleuth to discover who the real intended victim was before the murderer makes a second attempt. Becky's handsome Amish-turned- Mennonite brother, Timothy, a local carpenter, comes in handy along the way. With God's help, they'll solve the mystery that's rocking this small community. Maxwell, Robin. Jane: The Woman Who Loved Tarzan (2012) Reimagines the classic story of Tarzan from Jane's perspective, following the only woman student in Cambridge's medical program as she travels the world to prove the theories of Darwin and finds love with an extraordinary man in the jungles of West Africa. Merullo, Roland. The Talk-Funny Girl (2012) Raised by parents so intentionally isolated that they speak their own hybrid dialect, abused youth Marjorie witnesses her parents' submission to a sadistic cult leader before she is rescued by another abuse survivor who teaches her stoneworking skills. Lewis, John. March: Book Two (2015) After the success of the Nashville sit-in campaign, John Lewis is more committed than ever to changing the world through nonviolence -- but as he and his fellow Freedom Riders board a bus into the vicious heart of the deep south, they will be tested like never before. Fetter-Vorm, Nathan. Trinity: A Graphic History of the First Atomic Bomb (2014) In graphic novel format, presents the history of the development of the first atomic bomb, from the earliest experiments with nuclear fusion during the nineteenth century through the Manhattan Project. Additionally, describes the destruction caused by the bomb in Japan, and the tensions over nuclear weapons that have kept the world on edge ever since.9th Grade – 12th Grade Page 5

Graphic Novel Recommended Reading 2015Graphic Novel Kleist, Reinhard. The Boxer (2014)Graphic Novel Poland, 1941. Sixteen-year-old Harry Haft is sent to Auschwitz. When he is forced to fight against other inmates for the amusement of the SS officers,Graphic Novel Haft shows extraordinary strength and courage, and a determination to survive. As the Soviet Army advances in April 1945, he makes a daring escape from the Nazis. After negotiating the turmoil of postwar Poland, Haft emigrates to the United States and establishes himself as a professional prizefighter, remaining undefeated until he faces heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano in 1949. In The Boxer, Reinhard Kleist reveals another side to the steely Harry Haft: a man struggling to escape the memories of the fiancée he left behind in Poland. This is a powerful and moving graphic novel about love and the will to survive. Lewis, J. Patrick & Gary Kelley. Harlem Hellfighters (2014) A regiment of African American soldiers from Harlem journeys across the Atlantic to fight alongside the French in World War I, inspiring a continent with their brand of jazz music. Bonneval, Gwen de. William and the Lost Spirit (2013) In this graphic novel that combines medieval legends and folklore, the brutish feudal world, and devotion to family, William, the grandson of an elderly feudal lord in the thirteenth century, sets out on a labyrinthine journey to discover his father's killer. Lewis, John. March: Book One (2013) This graphic novel is a first-hand account of Congressman John Lewis' lifelong struggle for civil and human rights, meditating in the modern age on the distance traveled since the days of Jim Crow and segregation. Rooted in Lewis' personal story, it also reflects on the highs and lows of the broader civil rights movement. Book one spans Lewis' youth in rural Alabama, his life-changing meeting with Martin Luther King, Jr., the birth of the Nashville Student Movement, and their battle to tear down segregation through nonviolent lunch counter sit-ins, building to a stunning climax on the steps of City Hall. HIs commitment to justice and nonviolence has taken him from an Alabama sharecropper's farm to the halls of Congress, from a segregated schoolroom to the 1963 March on Washington D.C., and from receiving beatings from state troopers, to receiving the Medal of Freedom awarded to him by Barack Obama, the first African-American president -- From cover flaps.9th Grade – 12th Grade Page 6

Non-Fiction Recommended Reading 2015Non-Fiction Hobbs, Jeff. The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace: A Brilliant Young Man Who Left Newark for the Ivy League (2014)Non-Fiction Looks at the life of Robert Peace, who was born outside Newark in a ghetto known as \"Illtown, \" earned a full scholarship to Yale University, and graduated. He returned home and taught at a Catholic high school, but was killed at the age of thirty in a drug-related shooting. Isaacson, Walter. The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution (2014) Chronicles the lives and careers of the men and women responsible for the creation of the digital age, including Doug Englebart, Robert Noyce, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and more. Fleming, Candace. The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion & the Fall of Imperial Russia (2014) Details the history of Russia's last royal family, the Romanovs.Non-Fiction Glover, Lorri. Founders as Fathers: The Private Lives and Politics of the American Revolutionaries (2014)Non-Fiction Surprisingly, no previous book has ever explored how family life shaped the political careers of America's great Founding Fathers-men like George Mason, Patrick Henry, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison. In this original and intimate portrait, historian Lorri Glover brings to life the vexing, joyful, arduous, and sometimes tragic experiences of the architects of the American Republic who, while building a nation, were also raising families. The costs and consequences for the families of these Virginia leaders were great, Glover discovers: the Revolution remade family life no less than it reinvented political institutions. She describes the colonial households that nurtured future revolutionaries, follows the development of political and family values during the revolutionary years, and shines new light on the radically transformed world that was inherited by nineteenth- century descendants Jones, Dan. The Wars of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the Tudors (2014) The best-selling author of The Plantagenets traces the 15th-century civil wars that irrevocably shaped the British crown, particularly evaluating the roles of strong women including Margaret of Anjou, Elizabeth Woodville and Margaret Beaufort in shifting power between two ruling families. Includes six maps and four genealogies.9th Grade – 12th Grade Page 7

Non-Fiction Recommended Reading 2015Non-Fiction Kondo, Marie. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing (2014) Japanese cleaning consultant Marie Kondo takes tidying to a whole new level, promising that if people properly simplify and organize their home once, they'll never have to do it again. Most methods advocate a room- by-room or little-by-little approach, which doom a person to pick away at piles of stuff forever. Her method with its revolutionary category-by- category system, leads to lasting results. In fact, none of Kondo's clients have lapsed (and she still has a three-month waiting list). Lepore, Jill. The Secret History of Wonder Woman (2014) Examines the life of Wonder Woman creator William Moulton Marston and his polyamorous relationship with wife Elizabeth Holloway and mistress Olive Byrne, both of whom inspired and influenced the comic book character's creation and development.Non-Fiction Levitt, Steve. Think Like a Freak: The Authors of Freakonomics Offer to Retrain Your Brain (2014)Non-Fiction Levitt and Dubner take us inside their thought process and teach us all to think a bit more productively, more creatively, more rationally-- to think, that is, like a Freak. Whether your interest lies in minor lifehacks or major global reforms, you'll learn to put away your moral compass, think like a child, and discover how incentives rule our world. Marrin, Albert. Volcano Beneath the Snow: John Brown's War Against Slavery (2014) Examines the life of abolitionist John Brown and the raid he led on the United States arsenal at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, in 1859, exploring his religious fanaticism and belief in \"righteous violence,\"--and committment to domestic terrorism. Miodownik, Mark. Stuff Matters: Exploring the Marvelous Materials That Shape Our Man-Made World (2014)Non-Fiction Why is glass see-through? What makes elastic stretchy? Why does a paper clip bend? Why does any material look and behave the way it does? With clarity and humor, world-leading materials scientist Mark Miodownik answers all the questions you've ever had about your pens, spoons, and razor blades, while also introducing a whole world full of materials you've never even heard of: the diamond five times the size of Earth; concrete cloth that can be molded into any shape; and graphene, the thinnest, strongest, stiffest material in existence--only a single atom thick. Stuff Matters tells enthralling stories that explain the science and history of materials. From the teacup to the jet engine, the silicon chip to the paper clip, the plastic in our appliances to the elastic in our underpants, Miodownik reveals the miracles of engineering that permeate our lives. As engaging as it is incisive, Stuff Matters will make you see the materials that surround you with new eyes.9th Grade – 12th Grade Page 8

Non-Fiction Recommended Reading 2015Non-Fiction Munroe, Randall. What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions by Randall Munroe (2014)Non-Fiction From the creator of the wildly popular xkcd, hilarious and informativeNon-Fiction answers to important questions you probably never thought to ask. Millions visit xkcd.com each week to read Randall Munroe's iconic webcomic. FansNon-Fiction ask him a lot of strange questions. How fast can you hit a speed bump, driving, and live? When will Facebook contain more profiles of dead people than living? How many humans would a T Rex rampaging through New York need to eat a day? In pursuit of answers, Munroe runs computer simulations, pores over stacks of declassified military research memos, solves differential equations and consults nuclear reactor operators. His responses are masterpieces of clarity and hilarity, complemented by comics. They often predict the complete annihilation of humankind, or at least a really big explosion. Nordberg, Jenny. The Underground Girls of Kabul: In Search of a Hidden Resistance in Afghanistan (2014) Foreign correspondent, Jenny Nordberg, reveals the secret Afghan custom of disguising girls as boys to improve their prospects, discussing its political and social significance as well as the experiences of its practitioners. O'Reilly, Bill. Killing Patton: The Strange Death of World War II's Most Audacious General (2014) The authors examine the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of American World War II General George S. Patton, Jr., who died months after the war ended after being injured in a staff car accident in Germany. Sides, Hampton. In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Voyage of the USS Jeannette (2014) A dramatic account of the ill-fated 19th-century naval expedition to the North Pole cites the contributions of German cartographer August Peterman, New York Herald owner James Gordon Bennett and famed naval officer George Washington De Long in the team's efforts to survive brutal environmental conditions. Van Wagenen, Maya. Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek (2014) Presents a memoir of a one year social experiment in which teen author Maya Van Wagenen followed a 1950's popularity guide, written by former teen model Betty Cornell.9th Grade – 12th Grade Page 9

Non-Fiction Recommended Reading 2015Non-Fiction Brown, Daniel James. The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics (2013)Non-Fiction This book tells the story of the University of Washington's 1936 eight-oar crewNon-Fiction and their epic quest for an Olympic gold medal, a team that transformed the sport and grabbed the attention of millions of Americans. It traces theFiction story of the team that defeated elite rivals at Hitler's 1936 Berlin Olympics, sharing the experiences of their enigmatic coach, a visionary boat builder,Fiction and a homeless teen rower. Gladwell, Malcolm. David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants (2013) Argues that the obstacles and disadvantages experienced by the underdog require adaptations that can lead to benefits and success in professional life, and draws upon examples from the world of business, sports, and culture. Kilmeade, Brian. George Washington’s Secret Six: The Spy Ring that Saved the American Revolution (2013) When General George Washington beat a hasty retreat from New York City in August 1776, many thought the American Revolution might soon be over. Instead, Washington rallied--thanks in large part to a little-known, top-secret group called the Culper Spy Ring these spies finally take their place among the pantheon of heroes of the American Revolution. Alexander, Eben. Proof of Heaven (2012) A Harvard-trained neurosurgeon shares a minute-by-minute account of his religiously transformative near-death experience and revealing week-long coma, describing his scientific study of near-death phenomena while explaining what he learned about the nature of human consciousness. Walker, Karen Thompson. The Age of Miracles (2013) Imagines the coming-of-age story of young Julia, whose world is thrown into upheaval when it is discovered that the Earth's rotation has suddenly begun to slow, posing a catastrophic threat to all life. Wein, Elizabeth. Code Name Verity (2013) In 1943, a British fighter plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France and the survivor tells a tale of friendship, war, espionage, and great courage as she relates what she must to survive while keeping secret all that she can.9th Grade – 12th Grade Page 10

Fiction Recommended Reading 2015Non-Fiction Baggott, Julia. Pure (2012)Non-Fiction In a post-apocalyptic world, Pressia, a sixteen-year-old survivor with a doll's head fused onto her left hand meets Partridge, a \"Pure\" dome-dweller who is searching for his mother, sure that she has survived the cataclysm. Zuckoff, Michael. Frozen in Time: An Epic Story of Survival and a Modern Quest for Lost Heroes of World War II (2013) Drawing on intensive research and Zuckoff 's firsthand account of the dramatic 2012 expedition, Frozen in Time is a breathtaking blend of mystery, adventure, heroism, and survival. It is also a poignant reminder of the sacrifices of our military personnel their families--and a tribute to the important, perilous, and often-overlooked work of the U.S. Coast Guard. Roach, Mary. Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal (2013) \"America's funniest science writer\" (Washington Post) takes us down the hatch on an unforgettable tour. The alimentary canal is classic Mary Roach terrain: the questions explored in Gulp are as taboo, in their way, as the cadavers in Stiff and every bit as surreal as the universe of zero gravity explored in Packing for Mars. Why is crunchy food so appealing? Why is it so hard to find words for flavors and smells? Why doesn't the stomach digest itself? How much can you eat before your stomach bursts? Can constipation kill you? Did it kill Elvis? In Gulp we meet scientists who tackle the questions no one else thinks of--or has the courage to ask. We go on location to a pet-food taste-test lab, a fecal transplant, and into a live stomach to observe the fate of a meal. With Roach at our side, we travel the world, meeting murderers and mad scientists, Eskimos and exorcists (who have occasionally administered holy water rectally), rabbis and terrorists--who, it turns out, for practical reasons do not conceal bombs in their digestive tracts.Like all of Roach's books, Gulp is as much about human beings as it is about human bodies.9th Grade – 12th Grade Page 11