Special Collections
Amplify ELA Curriculum Grades 6-8
Description: Here you will find the books listed as Core texts and the Extra texts for each unit of the Amplify ELA Grade 6-8 Curriculum.
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The Glass Castle
by Jeannette WallsJeannette Walls grew up with parents whose ideals and stubborn nonconformity were both their curse and their salvation. Rex and Rose Mary Walls had four children. In the beginning, they lived like nomads, moving among Southwest desert towns, camping in the mountains.
Rex was a charismatic, brilliant man who, when sober, captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and above all, how to embrace life fearlessly. Rose Mary, who painted and wrote and couldn't stand the responsibility of providing for her family, called herself an "excitement addict." Cooking a meal that would be consumed in fifteen minutes had no appeal when she could make a painting that might last forever.
Later, when the money ran out, or the romance of the wandering life faded, the Walls retreated to the dismal West Virginia mining town--and the family--Rex Walls had done everything he could to escape. He drank. He stole the grocery money and disappeared for days. As the dysfunction of the family escalated, Jeannette and her brother and sisters had to fend for themselves, supporting one another as they weathered their parents' betrayals and, finally, found the resources and will to leave home.
What is so astonishing about Jeannette Walls is not just that she had the guts and tenacity and intelligence to get out, but that she describes her parents with such deep affection and generosity. Hers is a story of triumph against all odds, but also a tender, moving tale of unconditional love in a family that despite its profound flaws gave her the fiery determination to carve out a successful life on her own terms. For two decades, Jeannette Walls hid her roots. Now she tells her own story. A regular contributor to MSNBC.com, she lives in New York and Long Island and is married to the writer John Taylor.
A New York Times Bestseller
Shores Beyond Shores:
by Irene Butter and John D. Bidwell and Kris HollowayAs Irene’s Pappi fights to save his family during the Holocaust, Irene’s childhood is lost. Play is restricted. Family and friends disappear. Finally, with the Dutch police at their door comes the reality that Irene’s father has not moved his family far enough from Hitler’s Germany. By January 1945, the family is struggling to survive a death camp. Irene tends her ailing parents, cares for starving kids, and even helps bring clothes to her Amsterdam neighbor Anne Frank, before her family is offered a singular chance for freedom…providing the Nazi doctor says they are healthy enough. After two weeks of heart-lifting miracles and heart-breaking tragedies, Irene arrives in the Algerian desert to journey into redemption and womanhood, without her parents or brother. Irene’s first person memoir, Shores Beyond Shores, is an account of how the heart keeps its common humanity in the most inhumane and turbulent of times. Irene’s hard-earned lessons are a timeless inspiration.
The Speckled Band
by Sir Arthur Conan DoyleIt is with great sadness that we report the death of Miss Julia Stoner of Stoke Moran. The cause of death remains unknown. The mysterious noises last heard around the time of Julia’s death are back, and her sister Helen knows it is simply a matter of time before she suffers the same fate. There is a dark plot afoot and the only way to catch the culprit is to walk into a deadly trap … A simplification of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes, perfect for young fans of mystery books. A great introduction to classics for children aged 7+. About Sweet Cherry Easy Classics: Sweet Cherry Easy Classics adapts classic literature into stories for children, introducing these timeless tales to a new generation.
The Secret Garden
by Frances Hodgson BurnettGet lost in the gardens of Misselthwaite Manor with this stunning illustrated edition of The Secret Garden. Beautiful contemporary artwork fills the pages of this unique collectible classic.The Secret Garden has enchanted readers for over a century with its story of second chances, found family, and the healing power of nature. Rediscover the timeless tale with this lush, illustrated volume featuring the unabridged text by Frances Hodgson Burnett and beautiful paintings by Kate Lewis created especially for this edition. Lewis’s immersive illustrations invite us to join Mary Lennox as she discovers the wonders of the overgrown garden and befriends the kind Dickon and the stubborn Colin. With new art on almost every page, this is a keepsake edition to be handed down through the generations.A COLLECTIBLE CLASSIC FOR ALL AGES: The Secret Garden is a beloved story shared across generations through films, TV shows, and other adaptations. Now, readers of all ages can rediscover the original story in this sophisticated illustrated edition and add it to their collections as a personal keepsake. GORGEOUS ILLUSTRATIONS: The colorful artwork of contemporary painter Kate Lewis fills the pages, bringing the English countryside to life in a fresh style. Readers will delight in the original art created for this new edition, from full-page scenes to floral page borders and illustrations of the curious robin and other animals from the garden and the moors. LOVELY GIFT: Featuring beautiful artwork on the cover and a matching ribbon marker, this elegantly designed hardcover is an eye-catching display book for the home. This is a great gift for adults who enjoyed The Secret Garden as children and for younger readers discovering the story for the first time. Share this new edition with a loved one on Mother’s Day or any special occasion!Perfect for:Fans of The Secret Garden who want to rediscover the story they loved as childrenParents who want to share a beloved classic novel with their kidsAnyone looking for a meaningful birthday, housewarming, or Mother's Day giftFans of classic American and English literatureChildren’s book collectorsFans of Kate LewisLovers of colorful botanical artHome décor seekers and interior designers
Life on the Mississippi
by Mark TwainA stirring account of America's vanished past... The book that earned Mark Twain his first recognition as a serious writer... Discover the magic of life on the Mississippi. At once a romantic history of a mighty river, an autobiographical account of Mark Twain's early steamboat days, and a storehouse of humorous anecdotes and sketches, Life on the Mississippi is the raw material from which Twain wrote his finest novel: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn .
Red Scarf Girl
by Ji-Li JiangIt's 1966, and twelve-year-old Ji-li Jiang has everything a girl could want: brains, tons of friends, and a bright future in Communist China. But it's also the year that China's leader, Mao Ze-dong, launches the Cultural Revolution-and Ji-li's world begins to fall apart. Over the next few years, people who were once her friends and neighbors turn on her and her family, forcing them to live in constant terror of arrest. When Ji-li's father is finally imprisoned, she faces the most difficult dilemma of her life. This is the true story of one girl's determination to hold her family together during one of the most terrifying eras of the twentieth century.
Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allen Poe
by Edgar Allan PoeThis single volume brings together all of Poe's stories and poems, and illuminates the diverse and multifaceted genius of one of the greatest and most influential figures in American literary history.From the Hardcover edition.
A Night to Remember
by Walter Lord#1 New York Times Bestseller: The definitive book on the sinking of the Titanic, based on interviews with survivors, by the author of The Miracle of Dunkirk. At first, no one but the lookout recognized the sound. Passengers described it as the impact of a heavy wave, a scraping noise, or the tearing of a long calico strip. In fact, it was the sound of the world&’s most famous ocean liner striking an iceberg, and it served as the death knell for 1,500 souls. In the next two hours and forty minutes, the maiden voyage of the Titanic became one of history&’s worst maritime accidents. As the ship&’s deck slipped closer to the icy waterline, women pleaded with their husbands to join them on lifeboats. Men changed into their evening clothes to meet death with dignity. And in steerage, hundreds fought bitterly against certain death. At 2:15 a.m. the ship&’s band played &“Autumn.&” Five minutes later, the Titanic was gone. Based on interviews with sixty-three survivors, Lord&’s moment-by-moment account is among the finest books written about one of the twentieth century&’s bleakest nights.
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave (Civil War Classics)
by Frederick DouglassTo commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the end of the Civil War, Diversion Books is publishing seminal works of the era: stories told by the men and women who led, who fought, and who lived in an America that had come apart at the seams. One of the most important figures of the Civil War, Frederick Douglass, was born into slavery but rose to become a tremendous orator, an impassioned abolitionist, and a representative of all who remained voiceless through slavery and oppression. His narrative resonates today with its eloquence, its incendiary history, and its profound and moving arguments for the humanity, and the equality, of Americans.
Life of Pi (Illustrated)
by Yann Martel and Tomislav TorjanacAfter the sinking of a cargo ship, a solitary lifeboat remains bobbing on the wild blue Pacific. The only survivors from the wreck are a sixteen-year-old boy named Pi, a hyena, a wounded zebra, an orangutan--and a 450-pound royal bengal tiger. The scene is set for one of the most extraordinary and beloved works of fiction in recent years.
Life of Pi is at once a realistic, rousing adventure and a meta-tale of survival that explores the redemptive power of storytelling and the transformative nature of fiction. It's a story, as one character puts it, to make you believe in God.
In 2005 an international competition was held to find the perfect artist to illustrate Yann Martel's Man Booker Prize-winning novel. From thousands of entrants, Croatian artist Tomislav Torjanac was chosen. This lavishly produced edition features forty of Torjanac's beautiful four-color illustrations, bringing Life of Pi to splendid, eye-popping life. Tomislav Torjanac says of his illustrations: "My vision of the illustrated edition of Life of Pi is based on paintings from a first person's perspective--Pi's perspective. The interpretation of what Pi sees is intermeshed with what he feels and it is shown through [the] use of colors, perspective, symbols, hand gestures, etc."
Man Booker Prize winner
The Wide Window
by Lemony Snicket and Brett Helquist and Michael KuppermanDear Reader,
If you have not read anything about the Baudelaire orphans, then before you read even one more sentence, you should know this: Violet, Klaus, and Sunny are kindhearted and quick-witted, but their lives, I am sorry to say, are filled with bad luck and misery. All of the stories about these three children are unhappy and wretched, and this one may be the worst of them all.
If you haven't got the stomach for a story that includes a hurricane, a signalling device, hungry leeches, cold cucumber soup, a horrible villain, and a doll named Pretty Penny, then this book will probably fill you with despair.
I will continue to record these tragic tales, for that is what I do. You, however, should decide for yourself whether you can possibly endure this miserable story.
With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket
Murphy, Gold Rush Dog
by Alison HartA girl, her mother, and their dog must find a way to survive in gold rush-era Alaska.After escaping from his brutal and merciless owner, Murphy is taken in by a young girl named Sally. She and her mother have just arrived in Nome, Alaska, intent on joining the other gold seekers and making a new life. Yet even with Murphy at their side, Sally and Mama find living in the mining town harsh and forbidding. When it seems they may have to return to San Francisco, Sally and Murphy decide to strike out on their own, hoping to find gold and make a permanent home. But dangers await them—not only blizzards and grizzly bears, but also Murphy's original owner, who will stop at nothing to get what he wants.The Dog Chronicles series features fast-paced, fascinating historical fiction about working dogs, perfect for readers who love books.
Liberty for All?
by Joy HakimEarly nineteenth-century America could just about be summed up by Henry David Thoreau's words when he said, "Eastward I go only by force, but westward I go free." It was an exuberant time for the diverse citizens of the United States, who included a range of folk, from mountain men and railroad builders to whalers and farmers, as they pushed forward into the open frontier and all their hopes and fears are captured in Liberty for All? In addition to colorful accounts of the massive westward migration, the California Gold Rush, a war with Mexico, the Oregon boundary conflict, Texas and the Alamo, Liberty for All? takes a deep look at the issue that began to gnaw at the country's core: How, in the land where "all men are created equal," could there be slaves? This text is listed as an example that meets Common Core Standards in English language arts in grades 4-5 at http://www.corestandards.org.]
The Boys' War
by Jim MurphyFirst-hand accounts that include diary entries and personal letters describe the experiences of boys, sixteen years old or younger, who fought in the Civil War.
To Be Young, Gifted and Black
by Lorraine HansberryAn informal autobiography by the author of "Raisin in the Sun", with an introduction by James Baldwin.
Gris Grimly's Frankenstein
by Mary ShelleyGris Grimly's Frankenstein is a twisted, fresh, and utterly original full-length, full-color graphic-novel adaptation of Mary Shelley's original text, brought to life by acclaimed illustrator Gris Grimly."Grimly enlivens the prose while retaining its power to both frighten and engage sympathy for the monster-creator Victor Frankenstein. This is a richly morose nightmare of a book, a primer for young readers on the pleasures and dangers of decadent languidness."—New York Times Book ReviewThe first fully illustrated version to use the original 1818 text, this handsome volume is destined to capture the imagination of those new to the story as well as those who know it well.New York Times bestselling illustrator Gris Grimly has long considered Frankenstein to be one of his chief inspirations. From the bones and flesh of the original, he has cut and stitched Mary Shelley's text to his own artwork, creating something entirely new: a stunningly original remix, both classic and contemporary, sinister and seductive, heart-stopping and heartbreaking.
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
by Harriet JacobsTormented by her master, a young mother plots a daring escape, in this courageous and captivating slave narrative When her mother dies, six-year-old slave girl Linda Brent is sent to the big house, where she grows up serving a gentle mistress who teaches her to read and write. But the mistress&’s death brings about a sudden and terrible change in Linda&’s fortunes. Her lecherous new master torments Linda mercilessly, making her life a living hell. Unable to join her two young children in their escape to the North, Linda hides in the attic above her grandmother&’s house. For seven years, she waits for the opportunity to flee North Carolina and reunite with her son and daughter in the land of freedom. But when the chance finally comes, Linda discovers she has yet more pain to endure. Based on the true story of Harriet Jacobs&’s escape from the South, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is one of American literature&’s most powerful indictments of the evils of slavery. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
Benjamin Franklin
by Walter IsaacsonIn this authoritative and engrossing full-scale biography, Walter Isaacson, bestselling author of Einstein and Steve Jobs, shows how the most fascinating of America's founders helped define our national character.Benjamin Franklin is the founding father who winks at us, the one who seems made of flesh rather than marble. In a sweeping narrative that follows Franklin’s life from Boston to Philadelphia to London and Paris and back, Walter Isaacson chronicles the adventures of the runaway apprentice who became, over the course of his eighty-four-year life, America’s best writer, inventor, media baron, scientist, diplomat, and business strategist, as well as one of its most practical and ingenious political leaders. He explores the wit behind Poor Richard’s Almanac and the wisdom behind the Declaration of Independence, the new nation’s alliance with France, the treaty that ended the Revolution, and the compromises that created a near-perfect Constitution.In this colorful and intimate narrative, Isaacson provides the full sweep of Franklin’s amazing life, showing how he helped to forge the American national identity and why he has a particular resonance in the twenty-first century.
The Secret of the Yellow Death
by Suzanne JurmainRed oozes from the patient's gums. He has a rushing headache and the whites of his eyes look like lemons. He will likely die within days. Here is the true story of how four Americans and one Cuban tracked down a killer, one of the word's most vicious plagues: yellow fever. Set in fever-stricken Cuba, the reader feels the heavy air, smell the stench of disease, hear the whine of mosquitoes biting human volunteers during the surreal experiments. Exploring themes of courage, cooperation, and the ethics of human experimentation, this gripping account is ultimately a story of the triumph of science.
A History of Us
by Joy HakimA History of US is a 10-volume, award-winning series about the birth and development of the United States as related by master storyteller Joy Hakim. All the People, the last volume in the series, covers US History from the end of World War II to the present. This updated fourth edition covers, for the first time, events that have taken place in the past 6 years, including the 2008 election of Barack Obama and the signficance of this election. All the People focuses on Civil Rights in the last half of the 20th Century and the beginning of the 21st, ensuring that readers will have a firm grasp of the groundbreaking nature and lasting importance of this movement. Throughout the book, which has been completely redesigned with a bold new look, Hakim portrays contemporary American life in a lively, engaging way. Readers will encounter fascinating stories about famous Americans (Joe McCarthy, Martin Luther King, Jr., Richard Nixon), historical events (the Vietnam War, the first man on the moon), and major cultural movements (1960s counterculture, feminism). Interspersed features provide further anecdotes about the characters that have shaped the last 65 years--for instance, one conjectures about what Alan Greenspan might hide in his briefcase; another discusses the life and times of Mark I, the world's first automatic computer. Sidebars, illustrations, definitions and quotes line the margins, providing illimitable sources of information and entertainment. About the Series: Master storyteller Joy Hakim has excited millions of young minds with the great drama of American history in her award-winning series A History of US. Recommended by the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy as an exemplary informational text, A History of US weaves together exciting stories that bring American history to life. Hailed by reviewers, historians, educators, and parents for its exciting, thought-provoking narrative, the books have been recognized as a break-through tool in teaching history and critical reading skills to young people. In ten books that span from Prehistory to the 21st century, young people will never think of American history as boring again.
Boy
by Roald DahlA famous children's author recounts the formative crises of his boyhood in Great Britain. These include severe canings from teachers, watching a sadistic doctor lance another little boy's boil, discovering photography, an and the indignity of having to warm a senior's lavatory seat at public school.
Good Fortune
by Li Keng WongIn this dramatic memoir of early-twentieth century immigration, author Li Keng Wong shares her family's difficult journey from rural China to a new life in California.In 1933, seven-year-old Li Keng's life changed forever when her father decided to bring his family from a small village in southern China to California. Getting to America was not easy, as their family faced America's strict anti-Chinese immigration laws that meant any misstep could mean deportation and disgrace. Life in America during the Great Depression brought many exciting surprises as well as many challenges. Hunger, poverty, police raids, frequent moves, and the occasional sting of racism were a part of everyday life, but slowly Li Keng and her family found stability and a true home in "Gold Mountain."An author's note contains photos and an update on Li Keng Wong's family. This evocative memoir presents the joys and sorrows of pursuing the American Dream during a time of racism and great poverty, but also immense opportunity. The book also contains information on Angel Island and its significance in history as well as an explanation of the Chinese Exclusion Act.
The Red-Headed League
by Sir Arthur Conan DoyleThe Red-Headed League is looking for a new member to assist with minor tasks. The salary for this position will be four pounds a week. All red-headed men in good health and over the age of twenty-one will be considered. After Jabez Wilson’s well-paid position with the Red-Headed League ends with no warning, he asks Holmes to find out why. What starts out as a straightforward investigation turns into a midnight stakeout as Holmes attempts to prevent a shocking crime. A simplification of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes, perfect for young fans of mystery books. A great introduction to classics for children aged 7+. About Sweet Cherry Easy Classics: Sweet Cherry Easy Classics adapts classic literature into stories for children, introducing these timeless tales to a new generation.
The Yellow Wallpaper and Other Writings
by Charlotte Perkins GilmanCharlotte Perkins Gilman (1860–1935) championed women’s rights in her prolific fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Discover three influential works by one of America’s first feminists in their unabridged form: the short story The Yellow Wallpaper, a haunting interpretation of postpartum depression; the feminist utopian novel Herland; and Women and Economics, which when published in 1898 established Gilman as a sociologist, philosopher, ethicist, and social critic, and is considered by many to be her greatest work.
The Story of My Life
by Helen KellerAn American classic rediscovered by each generation, The Story of My Life is Helen Keller's account of her triumph over deafness and blindness. Popularized by the stage play and movie The Miracle Worker, Keller's story has become a symbol of hope for people all over the world.
This book-published when Keller was only twenty-two-portrays the wild child who is locked in the dark and silent prison of her own body. With an extraordinary immediacy, Keller reveals her frustrations and rage, and takes the reader on the unforgettable journey of her education and breakthroughs into the world of communication.
From the moment Keller recognizes the word "water" when her teacher finger-spells the letters, we share her triumph as "that living word awakened my soul, gave it light, hope, joy, set it free!" An unparalleled chronicle of courage, The Story of My Life remains startlingly fresh and vital more than a century after its first publication, a timeless testament to an indomitable will.