Special Collections
Students Choice
Description: List created by a teacher for high school students to make independent reading choices,
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A Monster Calls
by Patrick NessThirteen-year-old Conor awakens one night to find a monster outside his bedroom window, but not the one from the recurring nightmare that began when his mother became ill -- an ancient, wild creature that wants him to face truth and loss.
A Place to Stand
by Jimmy Santiago BacaThe Pushcart Prize–winning poet&’s memoir of his criminal youth and years in prison: a &“brave and heartbreaking&” tale of triumph over brutal adversity (The Nation). Jimmy Santiago Baca&’s &“astonishing narrative&” of his life before, during, and immediately after the years he spent in the maximum-security prison garnered tremendous critical acclaim. An important chronicle that &“affirms the triumph of the human spirit,&” it went on to win the prestigious 2001 International Prize (Arizona Daily Star). Long considered one of the best poets in America today, Baca was illiterate at the age of twenty-one when he was sentenced to five years in Florence State Prison for selling drugs in Arizona. This raw, unflinching memoir is the remarkable tale of how he emerged after his years in the penitentiary—much of it spent in isolation—with the ability to read and a passion for writing poetry. &“Proof there is always hope in even the most desperate lives.&” —Fort Worth Star-Telegram &“A hell of a book, quite literally. You won&’t soon forget it.&” —The San Diego U-T &“This book will have a permanent place in American letters.&” —Jim Harrison, New York Times–bestselling author of A Good Day to Die
Louie
by Ellen MilesMeet Louie the Landseer (a Newfoundland with black-and-white coloring). He's adorable now, but he'll be a huge dog someday. Can Charles and his soccer teammates find Louie a big enough home?
Monsters and Creatures
by Andrew Wheeler and Jim Zub and Dungeons & Dragons and Stacy KingThis introductory guide to DUNGEONS & DRAGONS provides a fun and immersive primer to its beasts and monsters.In this illustrated guide, you're transported to the legendary and magical worlds of Dungeons & Dragons and presented with one-of-a-kind entries for some of its most sinister, foul, and memorable monsters. Featuring amazing illustrations and expert insights on some of D&D's most dangerous monsters, the guide shines a spotlight on the beasts that scare, excite, and cause trouble for adventurers, from creatures that live underground, to those that dwell in the wilderness and boneyards or soar in the sky. In these profiles you will find information on the size of each monster, its danger level, and tips for how to survive an encounter. The perfect entry point for young fans of fantasy eager to become D&D adventurers, this book also features introductory "Encounter" stories so readers can practice the problem-solving skills they'll need to fight these monsters when they play a D&D adventure of their own.
Spite fences
by Trudy KrisherMaggie Pugh, thirteen, lives in Kinship, Georgia, where in 1960 there are racially segregated parks, lunch counters, and bathrooms. Maggie is good friends with Zeke, a black man who peddles goods in Kinship. When Zeke is brutally beaten, life changes dramatically for Maggie, who is no stranger to abuse. She uses the camera given her by Zeke to record the truth. Violence. Junior high and older. 1994.
Love Is a Gift
by Lauren BrookeWhen Amy journeys to Australia with her sister Lou to visit their father on his horse ranch, she doesn't feel like part of his new family. So Amy delves into the stable work, certain that the horses will at least welcome her.
Always and Forever, Lara Jean
by Jenny HanLara Jean’s letter-writing days aren’t over in this surprise follow-up to the New York Times bestselling To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and P.S. I Still Love You.
Lara Jean is having the best senior year a girl could ever hope for. She is head over heels in love with her boyfriend, Peter; her dad’s finally getting remarried to their next door neighbor, Ms. Rothschild; and Margot’s coming home for the summer just in time for the wedding. But change is looming on the horizon. And while Lara Jean is having fun and keeping busy helping plan her father’s wedding, she can’t ignore the big life decisions she has to make.
Most pressingly, where she wants to go to college and what that means for her relationship with Peter. She watched her sister Margot go through these growing pains. Now Lara Jean’s the one who’ll be graduating high school and leaving for college and leaving her family—and possibly the boy she loves—behind. When your heart and your head are saying two different things, which one should you listen to?
The Puppy Place #36
by Ellen MilesWelcome to the Puppy Place--where every puppy finds a home! Charles and Lizzie Peterson love puppies. Their family fosters these young dogs, giving them love and proper care, until they can find the perfect forever home. Meet Stella, the cutest thing ever, a little Maltese. But why won't she follow any commands? It's Charles who figures out that the little pup is deaf, and learns how to help her become the perfect puppy for someone special!
The Puppy Place #3
by Ellen MilesWelcome to the Puppy Place! This new Little Apple series stars a lovable new puppy in every book! And it's Charles and Lizzie Peterson's job to find every puppy the perfect home. Charles and Lizzie Peterson know a lot about puppies. That's because the Petersons are a foster family for young dogs. Someday, they will have a puppy of their own. Until then, they keep busy helping special puppies find homes. When the Petersons meet Shadow, they know he is very special. He is a cute black Labrador retriever, and he is extremely smart. Everyone agrees that Shadow deserves the best. He will be the perfect puppy for someone. But who will be the perfect owner for him?
The Giver
by Lois LowryThis haunting story centers on twelve-year-old Jonas, who lives in a seemingly ideal, if colorless, world of conformity and contentment. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory does he begin to understand the dark, complex secrets behind his fragile community.
Lois Lowry has written three companion novels to The Giver, including Gathering Blue, Messenger, and Son.
Newbery Medal Winner
Winner of Pacific Northwest Library Association’s Young Reader’s Choice Senior Award
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
by J. K. RowlingHarry Potter has no idea how famous he is. That's because he's being raised by his miserable aunt and uncle who are terrified Harry will learn that he's really a wizard, just as his parents were. But everything changes when Harry is summoned to attend an infamous school for wizards, and he begins to discover some clues about his illustrious birthright. From the surprising way he is greeted by a lovable giant, to the unique curriculum and colorful faculty at his unusual school, Harry finds himself drawn deep inside a mystical world he never knew existed and closer to his own noble destiny.
Elfish Gene
by Mark Barrowcliffe"[Barrowcliffe] writes how D&D twisted his teenage development -- and about how twisted teenage development is in general. It's easy to read in a weekend, and thanks to several hilarious, unbelievably well-remembered recountings of dialogue-heavy extreme nerdiness, begs a movie adaptation."--Seattle Times "Barrowcliffe's retrospective self-awareness is by turns poignant and amusing ... as fantasy movies dominate the box office; the author offers a timely, appropriate memoir of addiction recovery ... worth a few hours holed up in the basement." -Kirkus Reviews "I urge you to buy it yourself and make up your own mind. You'll love discussing it with your friends. There's not a whole lot written about gaming, especially from the inside, and The Elfish Gene belongs in every gamer's library." -Enter the Octopus Blog "This is a good, funny book, and I am enjoying the heck out of it so far. Barrowcliffe ... has an excellent writing style that is light and funny, and when he describes the game, you feel his excitement as he rolls the dice.... I hope [it] intrigues you as much as it intrigued me." -Geekscribe.com Summer, 1976. Twelve-year-old Mark Barrowcliffe had a chance to be normal. He blew it. While other teenagers were being coolly rebellious, Mark--and twenty million other boys in the 1970s and '80s--chose to spend his entire adolescence pretending to be a wizard, a warrior, or an evil priest. Armed only with pen, paper, and some funny-shaped dice, this lost generation gave themselves up to the craze of fantasy role-playing games. Spat at by bullies and laughed at by girls, they now rule the world. They were the geeks, the fantasy war gamers, and this is their story. Mark Barrowcliffe grew up in Coventry, England. He worked as a stand-up comedian before writing his first hit novel, Girlfriend 44. He has written two other acclaimed comic novels, Lucky Dog and Infidelity for First-Time Fathers. He lives in Brighton, England.From the Hardcover edition.
Seedfolks
by Paul FleischmanOne by one, a number of people of varying ages and backgrounds transform a trash-filled inner-city lot into a productive and beautiful garden, and in doing so, the gardeners are themselves transformed.
Every New Day
by Lauren BrookeWhen Amy has no cure for Mercury's jumping problem, she can't believe Ty thinks they should suspend treatment. But a Native American healer has some new methods that just may work.
The Hate U Give
by Angie ThomasSixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.
Winner of the 2018 William C. Morris award
A New York Times Bestseller
Making Strides
by Lauren BrookeThe tryouts for the equestrian riding team are over, and Malory earned her spot as the second-ranked rider for Chestnut Hill. Still, she doubts whether she belongs at the elite school despite receiving a top scholarship. Then the pony she's training gets hurt, and Malory wants to ride Tybalt in the next show. But Tybalt is wary and defensive. Her instinct tells her they share a special bond, but she doesn't know how to reach him. Malory has always trusted her gut when it comes to horses, and she's willing to bet her future at Chestnut Hill that Tybalt has what it takes to win.
Ghost Camp
by R. L. StineHarry and his brother, Alex, are dying to fit in at Camp Spirit Moon.
But the camp has so many weird traditions. Like the goody camp salute. The odd camp greeting.
And the way the old campers love to play jokes on the new campers.
Then the jokes start to get really serious. Really creepy. Really scary. First a girl sticks her arm in the campfire. Then a boy jams a pole through his foot. Still, they're just jokes...right?
Hamlet
by William Shakespeare and Burton RaffelOne of the most frequently read and performed of all stage works, Shakespeare's Hamlet is unsurpassed in its complexity and richness. Now the first fully annotated version of Hamlet makes the play completely accessible to readers in the twenty-first century. It has been carefully assembled with students, teachers, and the general reader in mind.Eminent linguist and translator Burton Raffel offers generous help with vocabulary and usage of Elizabethan English, pronunciation, prosody, and alternative readings of phrases and lines. His on-page annotations provide readers with all the tools they need to comprehend the play and begin to explore its many possible interpretations. This version of Hamlet is unparalleled for its thoroughness and adherence to sound linguistic principles.In his Introduction, Raffel offers important background on the origins and previous versions of the Hamlet story, along with an analysis of the characters Hamlet and Ophelia. And in a concluding essay, Harold Bloom meditates on the originality of Shakespeare's achievement. The book also includes a careful selection of items for "Further Reading." [This text is listed as an example that meets Common Core Standards in English language arts in grades 11-12 at http://www.corestandards.org.]
Beyond the Horizon
by Lauren BrookeBeing away from Heartland has been anything but easy for Amy Fleming. The work at the horse sanctuary was her life for years. Now she is in a pre-vet program, and she has new challenges and new friends. Amy refuses to believe anything has changed. But as soon as she's come home for spring break and been reunited with her boyfriend, Ty, she gets a call from another vet student. Will Savage is on a ranch in Colorado where there's a horse that needs Amy's help. Torn between her old life and her new one, Amy has to decide. But, in the end, she learns that she isn't the only one who is moving on.
Twelfth Night
by William ShakespeareA delightfully comic tale of mistaken identities revolves around the physical likeness between Sebastian and his twin sister Viola, each of whom, when separated after a shipwreck, believes the other to be dead. Filled with superb comedy, this entertaining masterpiece remains one of Shakespeare's most popular and performed comedies.
The Bad Beginning
by Lemony Snicket and Brett HelquistImagine tales so terrible that as many as fifty million innocents have been ruined by them - tales so indelibly horrid that the New York Times bestseller list has been unable to rid itself of them for seven years.
Now imagine if this scourge suddenly became available in a shameful new edition so sensational, so irresistible, so riddled with lurid new pictures that even a common urchin would wish for it. Who among us would be safe?
Begin at the beginning - even if it is a bad one - with the first in A Series of Unfortunate Events.
Dungeons and Dragons and Philosophy
by Jon Cogburn and Mark SilcoxThis volume will convince readers that the swift ascent of the tabletop role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons to worldwide popularity in the 1970s and 1980s is "the most exciting event in popular culture since the invention of the motion picture." Dungeons and Dragons and Philosophy presents twenty-one chapters by different writers, all D&D aficionados but with starkly different insights and points of view. It will be appreciated by thoughtful fans of the game, including both those in their thirties, forties, and fifties who have rediscovered the pastime they loved as teenagers and the new teenage and college-student D&D players who have grown up with gaming via computer and console games and are now turning to D&D as a richer, fuller gaming experience. The book is divided into three parts. The first, "Heroic Tier: The Ethical Dungeon-Crawler," explores what D&D has to teach us about ethics and about how results from the philosophical study of morality can enrich and transform the game itself. Authors argue that it's okay to play evil characters, criticize the traditional and new systems of moral alignment, and (from the perspective of those who love the game) tackle head-on the recurring worries about whether the game has problems with gender and racial stereotypes. Readers of Dungeons and Dragons and Philosophy will become better players, better thinkers, better dungeon-masters, and better people. Part II, "Paragon Tier: Planes of Existence," arouses a new sense of wonder about both the real world and the collaborative world game players create. Authors look at such metaphysical questions as what separates magic from science, how we express the inexpressible through collaborative storytelling, and what the objects that populate Dungeons and Dragons worlds can teach us about the equally fantastic objects that surround us in the real world. The third part, "Epic Tier: Leveling Up," is at the crossroads of philosophy and the exciting new field of Game Studies. The writers investigate what makes a game a game, whether D&D players are artists producing works of art, whether D&D (as one of its inventors claimed) could operate entirely without rules, how we can overcome the philosophical divide between game and story, and what types of minds take part in D&D.
Ghost Beach
by R. L. StineDo You Believe in Ghosts? Jerry can't wait to explore the dark, spooky old cave he found down by the beach. Then the other kids tell him a story. A story about a ghost who is three hundred years old. A ghost who comes out when the moon is full. A ghost...who lives deep inside the cave! Jerry knows that it's just another silly made-up ghost story.... Isn't it?
Classic Goosebumps Collection: Books 1-4
by R. L. StineFour best-selling Classic Goosebumps with bonus materials in eBook format!A collection of four best-selling Classic Goosebumps books including Night of the Living Dummy, Deep Trouble, Monster Blood, and The Haunted Mask. Compiled together for the first time in an eBook format!