Suggested Reading for High School Students
M - R
Makes me Wanna Holler (Nathan Mc Call)
-- NON-FICTION (AUTOBIOGRAPHY) --
An autobiography of a black journalist writing today for the Washington Post, discusses his life as a boy in a black neighborhood in Portsmouth, VA, his participation in violent criminal acts, and his eventual imprisonment for armed robbery.
-- NON-FICTION (AUTOBIOGRAPHY) --
An autobiography of a black journalist writing today for the Washington Post, discusses his life as a boy in a black neighborhood in Portsmouth, VA, his participation in violent criminal acts, and his eventual imprisonment for armed robbery.
Maus Box Set (Art Spiegelman)
-- NON-FICTION (MEMOIR) --
In cartoon form, Art Spiegel tells the survival story of his father during the Holocaust.
-- NON-FICTION (MEMOIR) --
In cartoon form, Art Spiegel tells the survival story of his father during the Holocaust.
Me Talk Pretty One Day (David Sedaris)
-- NON-FICTION --
A humorous and almost cynical glimpse into the life of David Sedaris, where dogs outrank children, guitars have breasts, and French toddlers unmask the inadequacies of the American male.
-- NON-FICTION --
A humorous and almost cynical glimpse into the life of David Sedaris, where dogs outrank children, guitars have breasts, and French toddlers unmask the inadequacies of the American male.
Midnight’s Children (Salman Rushdie)
-- FICTION --
Two children are born at the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947--the moment at which India became an independent nation--are switched in the hospital. The infant scion of a wealthy Muslim family is sent to be raised in a Hindu tenement, while the legitimate heir to such squalor ends up establishing squatters' rights to his unlucky hospital mate's luxurious bassinet.
-- FICTION --
Two children are born at the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947--the moment at which India became an independent nation--are switched in the hospital. The infant scion of a wealthy Muslim family is sent to be raised in a Hindu tenement, while the legitimate heir to such squalor ends up establishing squatters' rights to his unlucky hospital mate's luxurious bassinet.
A Million Little Pieces (James Frey)
-- NON-FICTION --
The story of Frey’s life as he battles drug and alcohol addiction and begins to turn his life around.
-- NON-FICTION --
The story of Frey’s life as he battles drug and alcohol addiction and begins to turn his life around.
The Miracle of St. Anthony (Adrian Wojnarowski)
-- NON-FICTION/SPORTS --
The story of one basketball season at St. Anthony’s, winner of twenty-two New Jersey state championships and two national titles in the last thirty-one years. [This book is available only in hardcover.]
-- NON-FICTION/SPORTS --
The story of one basketball season at St. Anthony’s, winner of twenty-two New Jersey state championships and two national titles in the last thirty-one years. [This book is available only in hardcover.]
Mirror Mirror (Gregory Maguire)
-- FANTASY --
Beholden to sinister Cesare Borgia and Cesare's sister (and perhaps lover) Lucrezia, Vicente is sent on what appears to be a fool's errand, to discover and steal from a Middle East monastery a branch of the Tree of Knowledge complete with three apples. This is the story of Snow white in a modern era.
-- FANTASY --
Beholden to sinister Cesare Borgia and Cesare's sister (and perhaps lover) Lucrezia, Vicente is sent on what appears to be a fool's errand, to discover and steal from a Middle East monastery a branch of the Tree of Knowledge complete with three apples. This is the story of Snow white in a modern era.
Monster (Walter Dean Myers)
-- FICTION --
A sixteen-year-old African-American boy goes on trial for murder.
-- FICTION --
A sixteen-year-old African-American boy goes on trial for murder.
Motorcycle Diaries (Ernesto Che Guevara)
-- NON-FICTION (AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL)--
This is the personal account of Che Guevara as he traveled through South America on a motorcycle begining in Argentina, his home town and ending in Venezuela. This journey is humorous and full of emotion as he spends many months posing as a doctor specializing in leporacy. He and his friend scam and survive off of instinct as they spend a few months at a leper colony, see the poverty in the mountains of Peru, and travel across the country side of Chile on his motorcycle. As you read, you gain insight into many of the injustices of South America in the 1950's that led to Che's motivation to begin a revolution in Cuba.
-- NON-FICTION (AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL)--
This is the personal account of Che Guevara as he traveled through South America on a motorcycle begining in Argentina, his home town and ending in Venezuela. This journey is humorous and full of emotion as he spends many months posing as a doctor specializing in leporacy. He and his friend scam and survive off of instinct as they spend a few months at a leper colony, see the poverty in the mountains of Peru, and travel across the country side of Chile on his motorcycle. As you read, you gain insight into many of the injustices of South America in the 1950's that led to Che's motivation to begin a revolution in Cuba.
A Moveable Feast (Ernest Hemingway)
-- MEMOIR --
The famous account of life among American ex-patriots in Paris in the 1930s.
-- MEMOIR --
The famous account of life among American ex-patriots in Paris in the 1930s.
Mules and Men (Zora Neale Hurston)
-- FICTION --
Listen to the stories of an African American woman in New Orleans. Tales of witchcraft and voodoo and insight into the culture dating back to slavery. These are the stories that the author grew up listening to.
-- FICTION --
Listen to the stories of an African American woman in New Orleans. Tales of witchcraft and voodoo and insight into the culture dating back to slavery. These are the stories that the author grew up listening to.
My Friend Leonard (James Frey)
-- NON-FICTION --
Frey chronicles his journey out of the terrifying darkness of addiction, and the friend he meets along the way, Leonard. A gangster, raconteur and mentor, Leonard was introduced in Pieces as one of Frey's new rehab friends.
-- NON-FICTION --
Frey chronicles his journey out of the terrifying darkness of addiction, and the friend he meets along the way, Leonard. A gangster, raconteur and mentor, Leonard was introduced in Pieces as one of Frey's new rehab friends.
Naked (David Sedaris)
-- NON-FICTION --
The author, David Sedaris, humorously tells tales of his crazy, backwards, and quirky family.
-- NON-FICTION --
The author, David Sedaris, humorously tells tales of his crazy, backwards, and quirky family.
The Namesake (Jhumpa Lahiri)
-- FICTION --
As his parents struggle to cope with their adopted country, an Indian-American boy has his own difficulties with adolescence, love, and a name that carries its own special burden.
-- FICTION --
As his parents struggle to cope with their adopted country, an Indian-American boy has his own difficulties with adolescence, love, and a name that carries its own special burden.
Nectar in a Sieve (Kamala Markandaya)
-- FICTION --
The story of a woman’s life growing up in rural Southern India
-- FICTION --
The story of a woman’s life growing up in rural Southern India
Night (Elie Wiesel)
-- NON-FICTION (AUTOBIOGRAPHY) --
Survival story of how Elie Wiesel survived the Holocaust.
-- NON-FICTION (AUTOBIOGRAPHY) --
Survival story of how Elie Wiesel survived the Holocaust.
Number the Stars (Lois Lowry)
-- FICTION --
A ten-year-old Danish girl helps shelter her Jewish friend from the Nazis during World War II.
-- FICTION --
A ten-year-old Danish girl helps shelter her Jewish friend from the Nazis during World War II.
Of Mice and Men (John Steinbeck)
-- FICTION --
A man with autism and severe fears befriends a man who becomes his mentor and guide with his own fears. They both struggle to fix their lives as they try to overcome their fears.
-- FICTION --
A man with autism and severe fears befriends a man who becomes his mentor and guide with his own fears. They both struggle to fix their lives as they try to overcome their fears.
The Outsiders (S. E. Hinton)
-- FICTION --
A tough 14-year-old boy is caught between two rival gangs: one rich and snobby, and the other from his own neighborhood on the poor side of town.
-- FICTION --
A tough 14-year-old boy is caught between two rival gangs: one rich and snobby, and the other from his own neighborhood on the poor side of town.
A Passage to India (E. M. Forster)
-- NON-FICTION --
This novel puts colonialism under the microscope and examines racism in India during the period of English colonization. Forster gives us a tale of a rare friendship and the delicate threads that keep it alive - or allow it to fall apart.
-- NON-FICTION --
This novel puts colonialism under the microscope and examines racism in India during the period of English colonization. Forster gives us a tale of a rare friendship and the delicate threads that keep it alive - or allow it to fall apart.
Persepolis and Persepolis 2 (Marjane Satrapi)
-- NON-FICTION --
Autobiography of Marjan Satrapi growing up as young girl during the Islamic revolution in Iran. (in cartoon form)
-- NON-FICTION --
Autobiography of Marjan Satrapi growing up as young girl during the Islamic revolution in Iran. (in cartoon form)
The Phantom Tollbooth (Norton Juster)
-- FANTASY --
This bored, bored young protagonist who can't see the point to anything is knocked out of his glum humdrum by the sudden and curious appearance of a tollbooth in his bedroom. Since Milo has absolutely nothing better to do, he dusts off his toy car, pays the toll, and drives through. What ensues is a journey of mythic proportions, during which Milo encounters countless odd characters who are anything but dull.
-- FANTASY --
This bored, bored young protagonist who can't see the point to anything is knocked out of his glum humdrum by the sudden and curious appearance of a tollbooth in his bedroom. Since Milo has absolutely nothing better to do, he dusts off his toy car, pays the toll, and drives through. What ensues is a journey of mythic proportions, during which Milo encounters countless odd characters who are anything but dull.
Plainsong (Kent Haruf)
-- FICTION --
A coming of age story about a young teenager who learns to deal with life after she becomes pregnant.
-- FICTION --
A coming of age story about a young teenager who learns to deal with life after she becomes pregnant.
The Plot Against America (Philip Roth)
-- FICTION --
A theoretical version of history and how it could have been different.
-- FICTION --
A theoretical version of history and how it could have been different.
Poetry 180 (Billy Collins)
-- POETRY --
An anthology of contemporary poetry. A compilation of thoughtful and thought provoking poems put together by Billy Collins.
-- POETRY --
An anthology of contemporary poetry. A compilation of thoughtful and thought provoking poems put together by Billy Collins.
Poetry in Motion
-- POETRY --
100 poems from NYC subways and busses
-- POETRY --
100 poems from NYC subways and busses
They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky
-- NON-FICTION --
The story of 3 lost boys from Sudan after attacks on their small village. They were brought to the U.S. through Refugee camps.
-- NON-FICTION --
The story of 3 lost boys from Sudan after attacks on their small village. They were brought to the U.S. through Refugee camps.
The Princess Bride (William Goldman)
-- FICTION --
A farm boy pirate rescues his true love as they travel together on exciting adventures.
-- FICTION --
A farm boy pirate rescues his true love as they travel together on exciting adventures.
Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
-- MEMOIR --
A memoir of an English boy's lonely childhood in South Africa during WW II who explores racism and cultural differences.
-- MEMOIR --
A memoir of an English boy's lonely childhood in South Africa during WW II who explores racism and cultural differences.
Push (Sapphire)
-- FICTION --
Claireece Precious Jones endures unimaginable hardships in her young life. Abused by her mother, raped by her father, she grows up poor, angry, illiterate, fat, unloved and generally unnoticed. So what better way to learn about her than through her own, halting dialect. That is the device deployed in the first novel by poet and singer Sapphire.
-- FICTION --
Claireece Precious Jones endures unimaginable hardships in her young life. Abused by her mother, raped by her father, she grows up poor, angry, illiterate, fat, unloved and generally unnoticed. So what better way to learn about her than through her own, halting dialect. That is the device deployed in the first novel by poet and singer Sapphire.
Random Family (Adrian Nicole LeBlanc)
-- NON-FICTION --
Journalist LeBlanc spent some 10 years researching and interviewing one extended family-mother Lourdes, daughter Jessica, daughter-in-law Coco and all their boyfriends, children and in-laws-from the Bronx to Troy, N.Y., in and out of public housing, emergency rooms, prisons and courtrooms.
-- NON-FICTION --
Journalist LeBlanc spent some 10 years researching and interviewing one extended family-mother Lourdes, daughter Jessica, daughter-in-law Coco and all their boyfriends, children and in-laws-from the Bronx to Troy, N.Y., in and out of public housing, emergency rooms, prisons and courtrooms.
Reading Lolita in Tehran (Azar Nafisi)
-- NON-FICTION/MEMOIR --
A moving testament to a female professor in Tehran change in 1995, after resigning from her job as a professor at a university in Tehran due to repressive policies, Azar Nafisi creates a secret underground society where she and her former female students can read banned books.
-- NON-FICTION/MEMOIR --
A moving testament to a female professor in Tehran change in 1995, after resigning from her job as a professor at a university in Tehran due to repressive policies, Azar Nafisi creates a secret underground society where she and her former female students can read banned books.
The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
-- FICTION --
A novel that depicts the traditions and turmoils of womanhood in ancient times.
-- FICTION --
A novel that depicts the traditions and turmoils of womanhood in ancient times.
Riding the Bus with My Sister (Rachel Simon)
-- NON-FICTION --
The author recounts what happens when she spends a year with her mentally retarded sister.
-- NON-FICTION --
The author recounts what happens when she spends a year with her mentally retarded sister.
The Ring of Five Dragons (Eric Van Lustbader)
-- FANTASY --
After being conquered by their enemies, the Kundalan race must find their way back to their traditional beliefs and ideals in order to fight back.
-- FANTASY --
After being conquered by their enemies, the Kundalan race must find their way back to their traditional beliefs and ideals in order to fight back.
The Road from Home (David Kherdian)
-- MEMOIR --
The author recounts his mother’s experience as a young Armenian girl expelled from Turkey with her family in 1915.
-- MEMOIR --
The author recounts his mother’s experience as a young Armenian girl expelled from Turkey with her family in 1915.
Roll of Thunder Hear my Cry (Mildred D. Taylor)
-- HISTORICAL FICTION --
This is the story of four young black children growing up in the early 1930's in rural Missisipi. This book portrays their childhood as they face constant racism and discrimination.
-- HISTORICAL FICTION --
This is the story of four young black children growing up in the early 1930's in rural Missisipi. This book portrays their childhood as they face constant racism and discrimination.
Running With Scissors (Augusten Burroughs)
-- NON-FICTION/MEMOIR --
Augusten describes his life after his Alcoholic father and unstable mother after they put him up for adoption to his mother’s therapist. As the adopted child of the therapist, he battles drug addiction and hard times.
-- NON-FICTION/MEMOIR --
Augusten describes his life after his Alcoholic father and unstable mother after they put him up for adoption to his mother’s therapist. As the adopted child of the therapist, he battles drug addiction and hard times.