Recommended Books for Independent Reading – Gr. 11

Allende, Isabel

*City of the Beasts

An adventure story that takes place during a treacherous trip down the Amazon river.  Ghosts, snakes, an adventurer grandmother … there’s a lot going on in these 400 pages! 

translated from the Spanish; YA

Anderson, Laurie Halse

Speak

Tough, tender, darkly funny story of a teenage outcast.  Gripping plot, powerful characters.  Melinda’s sarcastic wit, honesty & courage make her a memorable protagonist.  Highly recommended.

YA (SWC)

Anderson, Laurie Halse

Fever 1793

Fictional account of the yellow fever epidemic that killed thousands in Philadelphia in, you guessed it, 1793.  Good historical detail, and a compelling story of the events that befall an independent-minded young girl.

YA

 2000

Baird, Alison

The Hidden World

A girl is sent to Newfoundland for the summer and discovers a secret world of Celtic myths and legend.

YA, Cdn (SWC)

Bell, William

Crabbe

An 18 yr.-old boy learns important lessons about life in Algonquin Park.

YA, Cdn (SWC)

Bell, William

Stones

Boy in his last year of high school meets mysterious girl.  Together they learn about prejudice and persecution in their community.

YA, Cdn

Bradford, Karleen

There Will be Wolves

During the 11th century, a young girl experiences the dark side of the Crusades.  Winner 1992 Cdn Library Assoc. YA award.

YA, Cdn (SWC)

Brooks, Martha

True Confessions of a Heartless Girl

Set in a little Manitoba town, a 17 yr. old girl is on the run, and she's pregnant too. Fiercely independent and stubborn, she is taken under the wing of the owner of the local café, and Del, a bachelor farmer and poet.  A novel full of startlingly insights into the rich inner lives of ordinary, yet always extraordinary, people.  Winner of 2002 GG award. (adapted from an Amazon.ca review)

YA (SWC)

Card, Orson Scott

Ender’s Game

classic science fiction; written in the 70s but doesn’t seem dated at all; very readable (war games, personal clashes)

(SWC)

Cather, Willa

My Antonia

Beautiful novel about immigrants settling in the American West (prairies) in the mid-1800s.

 (SWC)

Choy, Wayson

The Jade Peony

"A lyrical tale of growing up in Vancouver's early Chinatown."  Witty and intelligent.

Cormier, Robert

Heroes

After World War II, an 18 yr old boy returns without a face to murder his childhood hero.

YA (SWC)

Crew, Linda

Children of the River

A Cambodian girl whose family has recently immigrated to Oregon faces cultural conflicts.  Excellent!

YA (SWC)

Danticat, Edwidge

The Farming of Bones

A gritty, haunting story of a young housemaid to a wealthy Spanish family in 1930s Haiti.  Wonderfully lyrical prose describes heartbreak, political upheaval and the carnage that follows.  The events described are historically accurate.  A challenging read, but well worth it.

Haiti

Davies, Robertson

Murther and Walking Spirits

Narrated by main character, who has just been killed!  Blend of farce and mystery.   Retraces lives of his ancestors, including life in late 1700s to the present.

Dickens, Charles

A Tale of Two Cities

The classic story of a family caught in the middle of the conflict during the French Revolution. 

Brit (SWC)

Ellis, Deborah

Looking for X

Rebellious young girl, with special needs brothers, seeks to regain her mother’s respect.  Governor General’s Award winner.  132 pages.

YA, Cdn

Foon, Dennis

Double or Nothing

About a teenage boy with a gambling problem.  Very realistic; this author tells it like it is.

YA (SWC)

Fox Mazer, Norma

After the Rain

A girl discovers that there is more to her grumpy old grandfather than she thought.

YA

Gaines, Ernest J.

A Lesson Before Dying

the relationship between a young black man on death row and a teacher in 1940s Louisiana

(SWC)

Galloway, Priscilla

Snake Dreamer

An exciting mystery combining ancient mythology with modern characters.  When Dusa sees two doctors on TV claiming to be able to cure the strange condition called "snake dreaming," she heads off to their special clinic hoping to rid herself of the imaginary snakes haunting her. But there is something strange about the doctors and the island their clinic is on…

 (SWC)

YA

Gibbons, Kaye

Ellen Foster

The story of a spunky girl from the American South who overcomes adversity with humour, honesty and determination.  First person narrative.

Grenville, Kate

*The Secret River

When he is caught stealing to feed his family in the slums of London, William Thornhill is sent, along with his wife and child, as a convict to Sydney in New South Wales (Australia).  He and Sal struggle in this largely unsettled land and are put to the test as they have to deal with the aboriginal people that were there first.  Historical fiction.

Aus

2005

Haddon, Mark

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

told from the point of view of an autistic boy as he tries to unravel a number of mysteries.

Br

Hickam, Homer

October Sky

A blend of fiction and autobiography; about a boy, his friends, and their rockets.

Holeman, Linda

Mercy's Birds

Grade 10 girl's life is spinning out of control.  Selected by NY Public Library as one of its 1998 recommended books for teens.  Mother has problem with depression and creepy boyfriend.  Highly recommended.

 YA

Holeman, Linda

Raspberry House Blues

16 yr. old Vancouver girl doesn’t get along with her adoptive mother, stays with her dad and his new family in Winnipeg.  Searches for biological mother and discovers what real family love can be like.  Lovely story!

YA, Cdn (SWC)

Holeman, Linda

Search of the Moon King’s Daughter

Set in 1830s London and Manchester, a young girl must fend for herself when her mother is injured and her young brother, who is deaf, is sold.  Vivid portrayal of the contrasts of Victorian life, with an engaging, determined protagonist.  Wonderful supporting characters, drama, suspense, and a hint of romance.

YA (SWC)

Holland, Isabelle

The Search

A girl searches for the baby she gave up for adoption.

YA

Hughes, Monica

Blaine's Way

A young man's World War II experiences and how they have changed him.

YA, Cdn (SWC)

Hughes, Monica

Hunter in the Dark

An 18 yr.-old boy comes to terms with his serious illness during a hunting trip.

YA, Cdn (SWC)

Hughes, Monica

Storm Warning

Sandra Williams seems like an ordinary teenager, on holidays with her family at a northern Ontario resort town.  Then she is paired up with Bryan for scuba diving.  Only he can help Sandra solve a terrible mystery that links the two families in a tragic history.

YA (SWC)

Hurston, Zora Neale

Their Eyes Were Watching God

Set in the 1930s, about an African-American woman in the South.  Challenging to read because of the use of dialect, but worth the effort.  On many highly regarded reading lists.

Itani, Frances

Deafening

Historical fiction; story of a deaf young woman, set during WWI.  Includes the effects of war on the people at home and the soldiers on the front lines, as well as an account of the Spanish Flu epidemic in 1918.

LeGuin, Ursula

Tehanu

Sequel (written years later) to the Earthsea trilogy.  Fantasy.

YA,(SWC)

Lohans, Alison

No Place for Kids

A story about two girls on the run after the death of their mother and their father's descent into drugs and alcohol. Honest and direct, this story follows the two sisters' journey through enclaves of urban homelessness in Winnipeg and Regina as they travel to their aunt's in Vancouver.

YA (SWC)

Lynch, Chris

*Inexcusable

Keir is a high school senior about to graduate.  He knows that he’s a good guy but he’s being accused of something that good guys just do not do.  A story about truth, lies and responsibility.  Not for the faint-hearted but very realistically presented.  National Book Award finalist.

2005

YA

Major, Kevin

Hold Fast

A teenage boy and his cousin flee an oppressive father to search for freedom and a sense of family.

YA, Cdn (SWC)

Marsden, John

So Much to Tell You

A young girl's journal entries are her "voice" as she struggles to come to terms with personal tragedy.

YA, Aus  (SWC)

Marsden, John

Winter

Another great book by Marsden, this time about a girl who returns to her home 12 years after being orphaned at age 4.  Very strong-willed and independent, she unravels the mystery of her mother’s death.  Suspenseful, and well-written.  At only 150 pages in length, a quick but satisfying read.

YA, Aus

2000

Marsden, John

Tomorrow, When the War Began (series)

A group of teens are caught in the middle of a war.  Set in Australia.

YA, Aus (SWC)

McClintock, Norah

Password: Murder

17-year-old Harley faces the nightmare of his father’s death, in a car accident in which Harley was the driver.  But he is visited by  a ghost who assures him that murder was the cause of death. Harley and his best friend Rat try to solve the mystery.  (Two-time Arthur Ellis Award-winning mystery writer.)

YA (SWC)

McNaughton, Janet

An Earthly Knight

Set in 1162, 16 yr. old Lady Jeanette, daughter of a minor Norman nobleman, is chosen as a potential bride for the heir of the King of Scotland.  She meets a mysterious young man said to have been kidnapped by fairies.  A beautifully woven story set in a magical, medieval world about a young woman with an independent spirit.

YA, Cdn

(SWC)

McNaughton, Janet

To Dance at the Palais Royale

A Scottish girl immigrates to Canada and begins a new life in Toronto.

YA, Cdn (SWC)

Mori, Kyoko

Shizuko's Daughter

A young  Japanese girl is forced to deal with the loss of a beloved mother.

YA, Japan (SWC)

Na, An

A Step from Heaven

A young girl from Korea struggles to adjust to life in California.  Told from her point of view as she grows from a child to an adolescent.  A “ tale of both tragedy and triumph” and multiple award winner.

YA, Korean-Amer

Nattel, Lilian

The River Midnight

The interwoven story of four young Jewish women and their lives and secrets in a Polish village in the 1890s.

Cdn

(SWC)

Nix, Garth

Lirael

Second book of three, following Sabriel; could be read on its own.  Fantasy with elements of horror.  Two main characters, one 14-17 year old girl, 17 year old Prince with heroic qualities and realistic insecurities.  Good suspense.

YA, Aus

Nix, Garth

Sabriel 

An 18 yr.-old girl journeys through death to find her father and faces evil along the way.  Adventure/fantasy.

YA, Aus (SWC)

Salinger, J.D.

Catcher in the Rye

Holden Caulfield seeks to discover meaning in his life.

 (SWC)

Slade, Arthur

Tribes

An intriguing story about the very unique Percy Montmount, Jr. and his last year of high school.  Can’t say much more without giving too much away.  If you want to read something a little different, check this one out.

YA, Cdn

Smith, Alexander McCall

The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency

First in a series of 5 books.  Set in Botswana (Africa).  35 yr. old Mma Ramotswe solves cases ranging from missing husbands to suspected murder.  NOT your typical suspenseful mystery; “smart & sassy” with “the power to shock, amuse or touch the heart”. 

Afr

Suskind, Ron

*A Hope in the Unseen: An American Odyssey from the Inner City to the Ivy League

Based on the Wall Street Journal series that won a Pulitzer Prize, this is an inspiring account of a young African-American teen and his rejection of the inner city world of drug dealing and violence.  His academic and social struggles are chronicled very realistically, without melodrama, providing a gritty glimpse into his world.  Reads like fiction but is far more intriguing than the usual Disney-like fare.  NY Times Book Review ‘best book’.

Non-fiction

(St. Cath. Library)

Tan, Amy

The Joy Luck Club

The story of four Chinese mothers and their Chinese-American daughters, told through the perspective of each one.  Interweaves the experiences of the Chinese mothers and their past lives in China with the lives of their more modern, Americanized daughters.

Tolkien, J.R.R.

The Lord of the Rings (trilogy)

Fantasy; hobbits and wizards battle evil. 

Brit (SWC)

Tsukiyama, Gail (Asian-American; writes about China and Japan)

The Samurai’s Garden

Women of the Silk

The Language of Threads

All beautifully written books!  Check them out …  For someone who wants a bit more of a challenge. 

Wilton Katz,

Welwyn

Whalesinger

Nick is a research assistant for a conservation project, wants to escape the pain of his brother’s mysterious death.  Ecological theme.

YA, Cdn

Ye, Ting-Xing

Throwaway Daughter

Abandoned on the steps of a Chinese orphanage and adopted by a Canadian family, a young girl is haunted by the fact that she was unwanted.  She spurns her Chinese heritage until she makes a trip to China and makes a dramatic discovery. 

Chinese-Cdn (SWC)

Yolen, Jane

Briar Rose

Sleeping Beauty and the Holocaust woven together in an unforgettable, powerful story.

Yolen, Jane & Coville, B.

Armageddon Summer

Narrated by two main characters, alternating back and forth.  A group of Believers is led to a mountaintop to await the end of the world.  Interesting treatment of a religious cult, family dynamics.

YA

Yolen, Jane & Harris, R.

Queen’s Own Fool: A novel of Mary Queen of Scots

The story of Mary Queen of Scots told from the perspective of her court jester (a young girl), a traveling player that Queen Mary befriends in France.  Historical fiction.

Amer/Scot

Zusak, Markus

*The Book Thief

It’s about, among other things, a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist fighter, and quite a lot of thievery.  Narrated by Death, this is an unusual but unforgettable book about people living in Nazi Germany from about 1935 to 1943.  Both brutal and beautiful and well worth reading.  Highly recommended.

Aus

2006