. . . READING SUGGESTIONS FOR ADVANCED READERS
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FICTION CLASSICS |
SCIENCE FICTION |
FANTASY
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The March sisters come of age in Concord during the Civil War. |
Alcott, Lousia May: LITTLE WOMEN.Christie, Agatha: MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS.
Hercule Poirot investigates a variety of motives for murder as the Calais Coach races across Europe. The passengers provide the intriguing clues.
Crane, Stephen: THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE.
A young soldier comes of age under the stress of Civil War combat.
Dickens, Charles: GREAT EXPECTATIONS.
Pip's life is changed by a strange circumstance. He grows to adulthood expecting a great inheritance and marriage with his childhood sweetheart - but neither expectation is fulfilled. And if you have not read A TALE OF TWO CITIES, you might want to consider it a highly recommended option over this summer.
Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan: THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES.
You and Dr. Watson can attempt to figure out all the clues which Sherlock Holmes finds so simple.
Dumaurier, Daphne: REBECCA.
The mysterious atmosphere of an old English estate and the peculiar behavior of the housekeeper arouse a young bride's suspicions about the death of her husband's first wife.
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This is perhaps the greatest "cloak and sword" story ever written; it is a fast-paced tale of the heroic deeds of Athos, Porthos, Aramis and D'Artagnan as defenders of Louis XIV. Dumas, Alexandre: THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO. Young sailor Edmond Dantes, unjustly accused of aiding the exiled Napoleon, is sentences to life imprisonment. After 14 years, Dantes makes a daring escape and uncovers a vast treasure on the island of Monte Cristo. Adopting the persona of the Count of Monte Cristo, Dantes comes back home to seek revenge. Full of excitement and suspense, this is one to read on summer nights. |
Fleischman, Paul: WHIRLIGIG.
When sixteen-year-old Brent Bishop accidentally causes the death of a young woman, he is sent on an unusual journey of repentance, building wind toys across the land. This was a 2000 Young Readers Choice selection.
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Sheltering an escaped prisoner of war is the beginning of some shattering experiences for a twelve-year-old girl from Arkansas. |
Golding, William: LORD OF THE FLIES.
In this investigation of the roots of fear and violence, a group of English schoolboys marooned on an island sets up their own society.
Hesse, Karen: OUT OF THE DUST.
Set against the backdrop of Dust Bowl era Oklahoma, 16-year-old promising young pianist Billie Jo's heart-wrenching story is told in series of free-form poems. For its excellence in literary achievement, this title won Karen Hesse a Newberry Medal in 1998.
Kipling, Rudyard: KIM.
A young Irish boy in colonial India is involved with a native mystic and the Secret Service.
London, Jack: THE CALL OF THE WILD.
This enduring classic story tells the story of an extraordinary dog named buck who is torn between his love of man and his love of the wild. Another Jack London classic is WHITE FANG.
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This epic saga of the years before, during and after the civil War in Georgia continues to fascinate all ages. The many characters include the unforgettable Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler. |
Mitchell, Margaret: GONE WITH THE WIND.Paterson, Katherine: JACOB HAVE I LOVED.
Louise knew that she was the despised twin and that Caroline was the one everyone loved best. It took her a long time and a lot of growing up until she could accept herself as a worthwhile person.
Steinbeck, John: OF MICE AND MEN.
This poignant story of George Milton and mentally retarded Lennie searching for a better life is a remarkable classic.
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Generations have loved this tale about Jim Hawkins who sets out to recover the hidden fortune that many dangerous men are plotting to obtain. |
Stevenson, Robert Louis: TREASURE ISLAND.Twain, Mark: THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER.
This is the classically movinng story about the swapped identities of a poor Cockney lad and the Prince of Wales. For any Arthurian fan out there, A CONNECTICUT YANKEE IN KING ARTHUR'S COURT definitely offers a very different vies.
Twain, Mark: THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER & THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN.
Twain's matchless excursion delves into the joys and troubles of boyhood on the Mississippi.
Zindel, Paul: THE PIGMAN.
Two teenagers who lead unhappy lives at home form a strange relationship with a lonely old man. Other titles include THE PIGMAN AND ME, THE PIGMAN'S LEGACY, THE AMAZING AND DEATH-DEFYING DIARY OF EUGENE DINGMAN.
Adams, Douglas: THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY.
The hilarious journey of Arthur Dent and his friend Ford Prefect, who escaped from Earth seconds before it is demolished and travel to a variety of galactic civilizations while gathering information for a hitchhiker's guidebook. Read the entire trilogy if you find this one fascinating: THE RESTAURANT AT THE END OF THE UNIVERSE and LIFE, UNIVERSE & EVERYTHING.
Bradbury, Ray: DANDELION WINE.
A twelve-year-old boy experiences the events of a strange and wonderful summer.
Bradbury, Ray: FAHRENHEIT 451.
This is the classic tale of an unsettling future in which all books are banned or burned.
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In this first book of a series (SPEAKER FOR THE DEAD, XENOCIDE & CHILDREN OF THE MIND) young (very young) Ender Wiggin is destined to become the leader of a troop of child army in a space mission to completely annihilate an alien species on another planet. These stories are "intense," intelligent, and full of surprises and imagination. Card, Orson Scott: ENDER'S SHADOW. Card manages to tell yet another intriguing and gripping story based on a minor character from ENDER'S GAME, 20 odd years later. Bean's story of surviving in the toughest environment and outsmarting the most vicious enemies in Battle School is as well-crafted, exciting, and insightful as its predecessor. |
Clarke, Arthur C.: 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY.
After a signal is discovered on the moon, astronauts set out to trace its source, only to have their plans endangered by a computer gone berserk.
Crichton, Michael: THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN.
In a race to find out why people are dying in a small western town and whether Los Angeles will be next, Crichotn is at his best.
Crichton, Michael: JURASSIC PARK.
When a scientist decides to clone dinosaurs to create an exciting theme park, chaos and terror reign.
Heinlein, Robert: STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND.
A satirical view of human behavior as observed by the first human born on Mars who returns to Earth to claim his birthright.
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This is a devastating satire of the avaricious rulers of an imaginary totalitarian state. Orwell, George: 1984. This is Orwell's chilling, prophetic vision of a totalitarian "future." |
Orwell, George: ANIMAL FARM.Verne, Jules: 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA.
A huge, glowing sea monster has attacked and wrecked several ships. Professor Arronax joins a mission to hunt down the monster, and finds himself aboard a secret submarine. It's exciting to explore the ocean's depths, but what if he wants to leave: Captain Nemo seems to have made him a captive -- 20,000 leagues under the sea!
Wells, H.G.: THE WAR OF THE WORLDS.
The Martians are landing on earth! They've already destroyed London. Who or what can stop them from taking over the whole world? This classic story brings the hysteria and madness of such a nightmare to life.
Anthony, Piers: SPLIT INFINITY.
Welcome to the astonishing parallel worlds of Phaze and Proton, where magic and science maintain an uneasy truce.
Beagle, Peter: THE LAST UNICORN.
A funny/sad story in which an enchanting unicorn -- joined on her journey by a bungling magician, a pure-at-heart wench, and a butterfly--leaves her idyllic forest in search of others of her kind.
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A young actor, 13-year-old Nat, travels back in time to 1599 and performs at the Globe Theatre alongside Master William Shakespeare himself in the first ever production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. The two form a bond that helps Nat come to terms with his own loss from a family tragedy. |
Jones, Diana Wyne: HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE.
When a witch turns 17-year-old Sophie into an old woman, Sophie goes to live with the feared wizard Howl in his castle and becomes embroiled in the zany events that eventually lead to her happiness.
L'Engle, Madeleine: MANY WATERS.
Sandy and Dennys, twins, find themselves in a harsh, remote desert land where unicorns, mammoths and humans are embroiled in many conflicts. This is a continuation of the author's famed Time Trilogy, A Wrinkle in Time.
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Sparrowhawk, the archmage of Earthsea, returns from the dark land stripped of his magic powers. He finds refuge with the aging widow Tenar and a crippled girl who carries an unknown destiny. A WIZARD OF EARTHSEA, TOMBS OF ATUAN, and THE FARTHEST SHORE are the first three titles in the series. |
McCaffrey, Anne: DRAGONSINGER.
With the help of the Master-harper, Menolly and her fire lizards overcome the prejudice against a woman's becoming a harper on the planet Pern. From the Dragonriders of Pern Series.
Saint-Exupern, Antoine: THE LITTLE PRINCE.
An airplane pilot, forced to land in the desert, learns about life on other planets from a little prince. This book has been delighting readers since 1943.
Swift, Jonathan: GULLIVER'S TRAVELS.
A satire revealing human foibles through Gulliver's adventures in fantastic lands, this classic continues to endure.
Tolkien, J.R.R.: THE LORD OF THE RINGS.
Starting with THE HOBBIT, the journey through Middle Earth, told with poetic language and vivid description of creatures and landscapes, this classic series (FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, THE TWO TOWERS and THE RETURN OF THE KING) has enjoyed the highest acclaim in the realm of fantasy writings in our century.
White, T.H.: THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING.
The magnificent legend of King Arthur is retold as a novel for modern readers. Arthur's anguish over war, the love story of Guinevere and Lancelot, and the evil Mordred comprise the story of Camelot.
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