good books for book report 11th grade

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23 Books For 11th Graders: Novel, Classic, Narrative, Fiction, Romance, And More

December 24, 2023 //  by  Kellie Tanner

A student’s eleventh grade year of high school is an exciting, rigorous, and academically filled year. Teachers are striving to prepare their students for the world beyond high school which can be a very challenging task. Students are also getting more mature and much more serious about their goals and aspirations after high school. Therefore choosing terrific books for eleventh grade students to read is a must.

Expose them to a variety of stories and topics that will prepare, challenge, inspire, and encourage them as they enter one of the most exciting transitions of their lives. We have created a list of 23 of the best books for eleventh grade students that will assist you as you prepare your students for their future journeys.

1. Fahrenheit 451 (Ray Bradbury)

This book by author Ray Bradbury is an amazing, classic novel. This story takes place in a somber, dystopian future. However, the message provided by this novel has grown even more relevant in today's world.

2. The Bell Jar (Sylvia Plath)

Your 11th graders will be drawn into this haunting, classical story of a young, talented woman who is dealing with mental illness as well as the pressures of society. Students will be able to relate to and understand the battles of life faced by the main character Esther Greenwood.

3. The Call of the Wild (Jack London)

High school students will enjoy this survival story about Buck, a St. Bernard, who was stolen from his master in California and turned into a sled dog during the Klondike Gold Rush. This story is about Buck’s survival and how he adapts to his new, challenging life in the wilderness.

4. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Ken Kesey)

Students in your 11th grade literature classes will absolutely love this book. It is a best-selling novel and a largely successful film that is filled with humor and defiance as well as a war between two opponents in a mental hospital.

5. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)

This book will definitely keep the attention of your 11th graders. This devastating, first-person story is told by the main character from beyond the grave. She tells about her murder that took place when she was fourteen, her heavenly home, her killer’s life, and her saddened family.

6. The Color Purple (Alice Walker)

Add this novel to your 11th grade reading list. It has received the National Book Award as well as the Pulitzer Prize. This beautiful story allows students to understand what life was like in Georgia as an African American woman during the early part of the 20th century.

7. Lord of the Flies (William Golding)

This iconic novel is a must-read for 11th grade students. Published in 1954, this story features schoolboys involved in a plane crash on a deserted island with no adults around to supervise them. Their freedom and adventure soon lead to terror.

8. To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee)

One of the best-loved books for grade 11, this 20th-century masterpiece has sold over 40 million copies! This story revolves around prejudice in the South. A lawyer with a young daughter takes huge risks as he defends a black man accused of a horrific crime.

9. A Tale of Two Cities (Charles Dickens)

10. last of the mohicans (james fenimore cooper).

This is another great novel for history teachers to use in their 11th grade history classes. Set in 1757, it includes British and French armies and struggles with the Native Americans over land possessions.

11. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)

This contemporary, bestselling novel is loved by readers of all ages, and it is a great addition to your 11th grade literature classes. This devastating story takes place in Afghanistan and involves an unlikely friendship between a servant’s son and a wealthy young man. It is filled with sacrifice, love, and lies.

12. Not if I See You First (Eric Lindstrom)

This book is definitely a must-read for 11th grade book clubs or literature classes! It is a beautiful story about a blind girl learning to maneuver life and love during her high school years.

13. The Glass Menagerie (Tennessee Williams)

This play first premiered in 1944 in Chicago and has been performed numerous times around the world. It even won the New York Critics Circle Award. This story is about a family involved in an interesting triangle of love, lost love, and sorrow.

14. Seize the Day (Saul Bellow)

Dealing with failures in life, the main character in this book is a failed actor that is separated from his family. He has ultimately reached a day of reckoning. Through a sense of truth and understanding, he now has one last hope.  Your 11th graders will want to read this!

15. The Plague (Albert Camus)

Published in 1947, this haunting 20th Century masterpiece tells a story of resilience, fear, bravery, and hope despite a ravaging plague epidemic overtaking the North African people. Your 11th graders will be intrigued now more than ever!

16. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)

This story is a timeless masterpiece that people of all ages enjoy, but your 11th graders will totally love it! Elizabeth Bennet’s spirit and her perception and dislike of Fitzwilliam Darcy will have your students begging to read more.

17. The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins)

Your 11th graders will be glued to the pages of this book as they read about 16-year-old Katniss Evergreen. This story is filled with intensity as Katniss participates in the Hunger Games in place of her sister. She must fight and kill to be the last one standing and alive in a horrific, publicized battle.

18. All the Light We Cannot See (Anthony Doerr)

19. flowers for algernon (daniel keyes).

Could a surgery really increase someone’s intelligence? Charlie Gordon gets the opportunity to find out. Does this amazing opportunity end well for Charlie? Your 11th graders will be enthralled as they read to find out!

20. Into the Wild (Jon Krakauer) 

A best-selling novel that will grab your students’ attention and keep it, this story reveals the story of a missing person. It is a story filled with heartbreak and mystery, and it will keep your 11th graders mesmerized until the end.

21. Of Mice and Men (John Steinbeck)

Add this novel to your daily lesson plans for 11th grade students! This contentious story takes place during the Great Depression, and it tells the story of friendship, tragedy, and consequences. Your students will not be able to stop reading this gripping and thrilling story.

22. On Writing (Stephen King)

For those 11th graders choosing to prepare for college, this book is a must-read! Stephen King explains his life and provides terrific lessons on writing. Your students will learn amazing writing lessons about characterization, plot, and much more from this famous, best-selling author.

23. Macbeth (William Shakespeare)

Capture the attention of your 11th grade students with this story about a hero who turns evil. It includes violence, traitors, witches, wizards, treason, witchcraft, and consequences! All things have a price in this compelling story written by one of the greatest authors of all time.

21 Crucial Books For 11th Graders To Navigate Change

Elise Moser

Elise works with kids and teens at a public library, where her speciality is finding awesome book recommendations for customers. She has a degree in journalism and is a certified early childhood educator. When she’s not reading, Elise enjoys watching baseball, running, board games, and playing the flute. She lives in the St. Louis area with her partner Allen and their three cats.

View All posts by Elise Moser

Recommending the best books for 11th graders requires a mix of serious and heartwarming. Junior year is a hugely important academic year for high school students. For college-bound students, it’s a year of standardized testing, college visits, and AP classes. It’s also a year of personal growth. High school juniors mature significantly from 16 to 17.

With these pressures and changes in mind, this list includes stories of teens dealing with life transitions and figuring out what to do after high school. There are stories of navigating friendships and romantic relationships through personal change. The best books for 11th graders challenge them with new information while also calming their fears.

Here are some of the best books for 11th graders:

Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han

The third book in the To All the Boys series is perfect for juniors because it focuses on Lara Jean’s college decision. Lara Jean has to decide if she and Peter will stay together after high school, even if it means they’re apart.

Educated by Tara Westover

Juniors will learn a lot from Westover’s harrowing memoir and her pursuit of education despite her abusive family life. 11th graders are developing their own opinions about current issues, which mirror’s Westover’s own experience leaving her family home to attend college.

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In the Country We Love by Diane Guerrero

At age 14, actress Diane Guerrero arrived home from school to an empty house. Her parents had been detained by immigration authorities. Diane, a U.S.-born citizen, stayed in the United States after her parents were deported to Colombia. 11th graders will learn a lot from her adversity and strength.

The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

This is a sweeping love story about two teens who meet by chance. Natasha is trying to keep her family from being deported to Jamaica. Daniel is a hopeless romantic afraid to tell his Korean parents about his true dreams. As they spend a day together, Yoon makes readers wonder if everything happens for a reason.

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

This is an important read for 11th graders. In a small, hockey-obsessed town, one of the players is accused of sexual assault. The reactions of his peers and the adults in the town play out over the course of the novel. Readers will examine rape culture and how it affects us all.

American Panda by Gloria Chao

Defying your parents’ expectations can be difficult. In American Panda, 17-year-old Mei starts college a year early, just like her parents always wanted. But her true dream is to dance, not become a doctor as her parents expect. 11th graders will connect with Mei as they start to make their own choices about the future.

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

This is a devastating story that highlights the injustice in the American criminal justice system. It’s a great read for 11th graders because it’s set at a reform school for teen boys. It will start conversations about racism and criminal justice reform.

Dry by Neal and Jarrod Shusterman

We’ve seen tons of teens lead the fight against global climate change. For those who aren’t as well-informed about climate change, Dry is a perfect read. It imagines a near-future where Southern California has run out of water. Panic ensues and a small group of kids ends up together, all trying to survive. The novel is fast-paced, exciting, and terrifying. It’s a commentary about climate change as well as human behavior.

I, Claudia by Mary McCoy

Don’t sleep on this book: it was a Printz Honor Book and, despite the unfortunate cover art, is a compelling high school political drama. This book is for anyone who loves political and interpersonal drama. It’s narrated by Claudia, a novice historian. She recounts her rise to power in her high school’s prestigious student government. Despite seeing the abuses of her predecessors, Claudia can’t help but fall victim to the corruption of power.

Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom

This is a surprising young adult contemporary novel about Parker Grant, a junior who is blind and dealing with her father’s recent death. It’s a fascinating portrayal of life as a blind high schooler. It’s also a great example of the importance of developing, setting, and enforcing boundaries with others, an important lesson for 11th graders.

The Nowhere Girls by Amy Reed

In this book, a group of misfits bands together to avenge the rape of a classmate. It’s an examination of a number of feminist ideas: rape culture, slut-shaming, sexuality, and gender roles. Readers will feel vindicated and inspired by the three main characters.

Heroine by Mindy McGinnis

As America continues to deal with an opioid crisis, Mindy McGinnis’s novel about a high school student who becomes addicted to opiates is as relevant as ever. Mickey is a star softball player entering her senior year when she’s injured in a car accident. What begins as pain management quickly spirals out of control as Mickey becomes dependent on opiates. It’s a harrowing account of how a seemingly average girl with a supportive family can fall victim to drug addiction.

Jackpot by Nic Stone

The premise of this novel will keep juniors turning the pages. Rico is working at the local gas station on Christmas Eve when she sells two lottery tickets to a little old lady. Soon, Rico comes to believe the woman is holding a ticket worth $106 million. She enlists the help of a wealthy classmate, Zan, to hunt down the woman and help her cash in the ticket. Beyond the exciting main plot line, Nic Stone creates an amazing romantic story between Zan and Rico. The book also looks at class differences in the United States.

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi

Juniors are on the cusp of adulthood, and with that comes the right to vote. It’s important for 11th graders to be knowledgable about current events. “Stamped” lays out the history of racist ideas in America, how it affects teens today, and how we can reach an antiracist future.

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman

This novel is perfect for teens struggling with mental illness. It’s a perfect portrayal of how anxiety and depression affect teens in their everyday lives. It’s also a great example of queer representation, including bisexuality and demisexuality.

Birthday by Meredith Russo

Morgan and Eric are forever connected. Both were born on the same day and in Birthday we meet the characters each year on their birthday. As the years go by, they grow and change: Morgan is deciding to live as her true self and Eric is trying to figure out how he fits into the world. This is an important exploration of sexual and gender identity.

Slay by Brittney Morris

17-year-old Kiera, a successful student, has a secret: she’s the developer of an extremely popular online role-playing game. The game celebrates Black culture. But after a teen is murdered over an in-game dispute, Kiera must work to defend her online world while maintaining her anonymity.

War Girls by Tochi Onyebuchi

Sisters Onyii and Ify are living in 2172, when much of the world is unlivable due to climate change and nuclear war. In their home country of Nigeria, a war rages on. The girls want to escape the unrest for a peaceful future, but they may have to fight in order to escape.

How Dare the Sun Rise by Sandra Uwiringiyimana

In this memoir, Sandra recounts her childhood growing up in the Democratic Republic of Congo. After surviving a horrific massacre in a refugee camp, Sandra immigrates to the United States. But just coming to the U.S. doesn’t magically make life easy. Sandra tells of her struggles as a refugee starting middle school in America.

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

A 15-year-old boy contemplates vengeance on one long elevator ride from his apartment down to the street. He’s got a gun in his waistband and he’s ready to use it to bring justice for his brother’s murder. But each time the elevator stops, he learns new information about his brother’s death, making him question what really happened.

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

This fantasy novel is based on ancient Rome. It follows Laia, an enslaved girl, as she embarks on a mission to save her brother after he is arrested for treason. She soon meets Elias, an unwilling soldier, and they find their lives are intertwined.

Want more great recommendations for high schoolers? Check out the best books for 9th graders and 21 must-read books for 12th graders by authors of color.

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Home » Reading lists for High School students » 11th grade reading list for students aged 16-17

11th grade reading list for students aged 16-17

Books for grade 11 – this list of recommended reading books has been curated and compiled for high school juniors in the 11th Grade, aged 16-17. Over a year, these stories should provide inspirational reading material, and also challenge pupils to think independently. This list of 11th grade reading recommendations includes titles by Laekan Zea Kemp, James Agee, Shideh Etaat, Saul Bellow, Sylvia Plath, Laurie Halse Anderson, Margaret Atwood, Andrea Rogers, Isak Dinesen, Alice Sebold, Alice Walker and many more.

Books for Grade 11 – our recommendations

Somewhere between bitter and sweet by laekan zea kemp.

Two teenagers battle mental health, love life, legal and family issues in this powerful exposition of identity and coming of age. Should Pen follow the path laid out for her by her mum, or her dad, or should she follow her own dreams? Either way, someone is going to be disappointed. Add into the mix a secret Pen is keeping and ‘Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet’ has all the ingredients for a compelling read.

Rana Joon and the One and Only Now by Shideh Etaat

Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson

Deeply personal vignettes of life are told through luminous biographical verse in this memoir that echoes the author’s very personal journey. Through powerful reflections, issues of assault, censorship, and empowerment through having the courage to speak out are explored. ‘Shout’ is a compelling call to action, urging readers to find their voices and feel confident to make change happen. An ideal choice for book clubs.

Man Made Monsters by Andrea Rogers

There are not just zombies, werewolves, and vampires in this very modern YA horror novel, but also social, family, and life-story horrors in this collection of powerful short stories. Following one Cherokee family over several generations through first, third, and second-person narratives, these stories present an unsettling and memorable portrait of the soul. This paperback includes startling illustrations by Jeff Edwards.

City of Thieves by David Benioff

Lev and Kolya are arrested and thrown into the same cell during the siege of Leningrad. Offered the chance to escape execution, the pair set off on a mission impossible. A compelling coming-of-age story.

A Death in the Family by James Agee

James’ father was killed in a traffic accident in 1915. This autobiographical work explores the impact that his death had on his immediate family in the years that followed. A Pulitzer prize-winning novel, it is regarded as one of the best English language novels of the 20th century.

Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis

A scathingly amusing look at the stifling atmosphere prevailing in an English university in post-war Britain. A hugely successful novel that rocked the foundations of academia.

The Plague by Albert Camus

A novel that has many layers of meaning to explore. A plague sweeps through Oran in French Algeria. The way the inhabitants react to the ongoing horror and suffering is eloquently and passionately portrayed.

The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper

The most popular of James Fenimore Cooper’s Leatherstocking Tales, this novel looks at the changing frontiers in America during the French wars and the animosity between rival tribes and settlers. A touching account of a vanishing way of life.

Seize the Day by Saul Bellow

In Seize the Day, Tommy Wilhelm has to face up to his failures in life and examine the personal traits that have led him to this day. Can he retrieve his self-belief?

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn

A classic novel. A graphic and unforgettable account of a day in a Stalin-era work camp in Russia. Ivan Denisovich has to learn how to survive hunger, exhaustion, disease and freezing temperatures and to maintain his dignity and belief in humanity.

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

The Bell Jar is a terrifyingly realistic account of a descent into insanity. An American classic by Sylvia Plath. A useful counterpoint to One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey.

Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton

One of the most influential and moving novels in South Africa’s literary canon. In a country divided by race and factionalism, this is a story that contains a hope that the best of human nature will prevail.

On Writing by Stephen King

Written by one of the most popular and best-selling authors ever, this is a clear and accessible insight into the techniques every writer hopes to possess. Enthusiastic and thought-provoking. This should be required reading.

Collected Stories by Raymond Carver

This collection of short stories by Raymond Carver, written in the 1970s and 1980s, introduced a new and succinct style of writing – the influence of which continues today. Stephen King believed Raymond Carver was “surely the most influential writer of American short stories.” Ideal for 11th grade book clubs and discussion groups.

Collected Poems by Philip Larkin

This comprehensive collection of Larkin’s poems includes all his best-known works – including This Be The Verse and Toads, as well as some later editions. A greatly admired English poet. An accessible collection that will appeal to more reluctant readers.

American Pastoral by Philip Roth

Set in America in the late 1960s and early 1970s this novel encompasses the social and political upheavals of that era. A vivid depiction of the disintegration of ‘The American Dream’. A Pulitzer Prize winner.

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

A disturbing novel about how being different can cause animosity and rejection, rather than understanding. After nightmares convince Yeonj-Hye to become vegetarian, her isolation from her family increases with dire consequences.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams

Tennessee Williams’ Pulitzer Prize-winning play is set on a plantation in Mississippi. Twists and turns take the audience through a gamut of human emotions – both good and bad. Filmed in 1958, this playscript is still relevant.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey

Exploring the fine line between sanity and madness, this book attacks the overmedication of patients in an Oregon State mental institution. McMurphy, the rebel, sets out to oppose the system and do battle to change the status quo.

A Room with a View by E. M. Forster

Lucy, a middle-class Edwardian young lady, with her life neatly planned out, visits Florence in Italy. Once there, her tidy world is overturned. Which will be the right path for her?

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

An award-winning novel set in France during World War Two. Marie-Laurie is a blind French girl, and Wermer, a German employed to uncover the resistance. A Pulitzer Prize winner.

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

A story set in London and Paris during a time of upheaval and revolution. The themes of hope, redemption, and sacrifice are central to the novel, both on personal and wider societal levels.

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

An unusual murder story, in that it is told by the victim. Watching over her family from heaven, Suzie describes the agonies of her suffering family and yearns for them to discover her killer. A great book to study in 11th grade literature classes.

The Waste Land by T. S. Eliot

The Waste Land an epic poem in five sections published in 1922, is considered a modernist masterpiece. Useful to compare to modern American works on the themes of materialism, depression, and Alienation. A challenging yet rewarding pre-college read for 11th grade students.

Carrie by Stephen King

Stephen King’s first published novel – the story of Carrie White and her terrible powers. Rejected and isolated by her peers, her revenge is shocking. A stand-out thriller from a great American writer.

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

Written by British author Dodie Smith this story is told through the diaries of Cassandra Mortmain. Living in poverty, in a derelict castle, as part of an eccentric family, the entries are sharp, witty and poignant. A good choice for 11th grade book groups.

On the Road by Jack Kerouac

A modern American classic following the travels of Kerouac and his friend across the United States. Rejecting convention, they travel unknown routes and discover an alternative America. A great novel.

Dig by A.S. King

Brutally candid in the way attitudes are passed down through the generations, this story encompasses societal ills of class, sexism, racism, patriarchy and abuse. An eye-opener for young adult students, the author states this book is meant to be uncomfortable reading.

Family | Racism

My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

An inspirational story of young Sam Gribley who runs away to the Catskill Mountains and through trial and error learns to live off the land. Living in his tree trunk home, his experience with wildlife, weather and random companions make for compulsive reading. A thought-provoking read for 11th grade students.

Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen

Out of Africa is an account of life on a coffee plantation near Nairobi in Africa from 1914 to 1931. A brilliant contemporary account of colonial society. Turned into a movie in 1985.

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

Set in dystopian New England in a patriarchal society, Offred is a handmaiden. Deprived of her name, her family and her freedom, she relates the circumstances that changed her life and the lives of all women. A thought-provoking read for 11th graders.

The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler

Philip Marlowe is drawn into a complex case of murder and adultery when he meets Terry Lennox. Multiple twists and turns arrests and murder pepper the plot before the final astonishing reveal.

The Cider House Rules by John Irving

A complex plot centered on Homer Wells, who was born and raised in an orphanage. Trained by his mentor, his life remains uncomplicated until he is drawn into the outside world with its confusing temptations and difficulties.

My Name Is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok

Asher Lev grew up in a strict Hasidic Jewish family. He is a very gifted artist. Unfortunately, this talent is not welcomed by his father or his community. However, he persists and achieves great success but at considerable personal cost.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

A hard-hitting, no holds barred, novel – very highly regarded. Centered around Celie and her sister Nettie – born in poverty and segregation their abuse and degradation is uncomfortable but rewarding reading.

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

Algernon is a lab mouse, and Charlie is a cleaner with a low IQ. They are brought together through an experiment to increase mental abilities. Charlie’s delight in his newfound intelligence is soon tempered by what he discovers about his past, and by what is happening to Algernon.

Click for more reading recommendations – Kindergarten books |  Grade 1 books | Grade 2 books | Grade 3 books | Grade 4 books | Grade 5 books | Grade 6 books | Grade 7 books | Grade 8 books | Grade 9 books | Grade 10 books | Grade 11 books (this page)  | Grade 12 books

Click the buttons below to purchase all of the books in this 11th grade book list, as well as classroom sets of any of these books and many more, from Bookshop.org. Or buy the 20 most popular titles from this list from Amazon – ideal for gifts or stocking your school library. If you are ordering from outside the US, have a look at our ‘worldwide orders’ page which makes this process easy.

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The Best Book-Report Books for Middle Schoolers

No need to dread a book report! When kids find titles that are engaging, interesting, and thought-provoking, they're hooked. If it's fiction, students can dissect plot, theme, and characters. If it's nonfiction, they can plunge into a subject that fascinates them or learn a lot about something they've never heard of before. Here's a list of surefire selections for students in sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. For even more ideas, check out 50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12 .

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

Inspiring wartime journal reveals teen's inner life.

The Apothecary, Book 1

Cold War kids use magic to save world in brilliant novel.

Everything Sad Is Untrue: (A True Story)

Young refugee's story is told in memories, myths, fables.

Goodbye Stranger

Bittersweet, lovely story of friendship and social media.

Genesis Begins Again

Teen learns to love herself in uplifting tale of misfits.

Hold on tight for an intense tale of survival.

A Long Walk to Water

Touching take on Lost Boys of Sudan, based on true story.

One Crazy Summer

A gem, with strong girl characters, '60s black history.

Poverty, being unhoused explored in hopeful tale.

The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights

Little-known disaster gets overdue, in-depth treatment.

The Red Badge of Courage

Compelling Civil War novel questions morality of battle.

Uglies: Uglies Quartet, Book 1

Thoughtful sci-fi about the price of beauty.

Interned girl, Native boy find common ground in moving tale.

All-American Muslim Girl

Captivating coming-of-age tale explores identity, racism.

American Ace

Moving, fast-paced novel-in-verse; great for teen boys.

Bomb: The Race to Build -- and Steal -- the World's Most Dangerous Weapon

Complex, suspenseful story of developing The Bomb.

The Boys Who Challenged Hitler: Knud Pedersen and the Churchill Club

Thrilling true story of teenagers who stood up to the Nazis.

Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings

Poignant memoir-in-verse recalls Cuban American's childhood.

Long Way Down

Gripping, unnerving story of teen boy contemplating revenge.

My Name Is Not Easy

Fascinating story of Alaskan kids growing up in the 1960s.

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50 Must-Read Books for Eleventh Graders

by AuthorAmy

Welcome to Amy’s Bookshelf! Here, teachers will find carefully curated book lists for each grade level from kindergarten to twelfth grade. Moving forward, new lists filled with book recommendations will be published weekly. Sometimes, these lists will be organized around a specific theme, like a holiday or seasonal event. Other times, they will feature rockstar books – books practically guaranteed to get your students reading. 

Before jumping into reading recommendations, a few words about how books are selected.

First, it is so important that teachers prioritize reading interest over reading level. Students will often choose to read well above or below their reading level if they are particularly interested in a book or topic. Teachers only hurt students by limiting them to a specific selection of titles grouped according to an arbitrary number or level. Think of the books on these lists as starting places for you and your students, but if a student wants to read up (or down), that is a-ok.

Also, please note that these lists lean heavily toward modern selections as opposed to the classics many teachers are familiar with. A true renaissance is happening in children’s literature today, and the books coming out are truly exciting. One of the factors that makes this such an exciting time for kid lit is how diverse the selections are in terms of genre, characters and subject matter. These lists will feature fiction and nonfiction selection as well as graphic novels, novels written in verse, and more.

Any book list or classroom library worth its salt includes books featuring LGBTQIA+ characters, racially diverse characters, characters with disabilities, characters in the foster care system, characters from a wide variety of socioeconomic and religious backgrounds, and so on. Importantly, the diversity of the characters doesn’t always need to be the focus of the literature – in other words, a book featuring a black character or gay character doesn’t need to be about those individuals exploring their blackness or their gayness; those characters can have kid problems that apply to all children regardless of their race or sexual orientation. Similarly, students should be encouraged to read stories featuring people of diversity all year long – not just during a month set aside to celebrate a specific heritage.

One final note: today’s children’s literature does not shy away from frank discussions of gender, race, sex, sexuality, abuse, mental illness, and more – nor should it. I will not censor books from these lists based on these controversial areas. What books you recommend will depend on the specific district you work in and your clientele. I encourage you and your students to read widely without fear.

Eleventh Grade

Eleventh grade is often the time when students take language arts classes focused on American history and culture. For that reason, this list is filled with historical fiction and nonfiction titles as well as books that delve into contemportary American issues. 

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1. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

Get it HERE .

Death personified narrates this book set during the Holocaust. He tells the story of a young girl named Liesel Meminger, whose moth gives her and her brother to a foster family out of wartime desperation. Liesel’s brother dies within the first few pages, and at his perfunctory burial, she steals a book out of impulse. Liesel’s life in Nazi Germany is populated by moments of book thievery, which end up feeding her soul and saving her life. 

2. Revolution

by Deborah Wiles

Revolution (and its precursor, Countdown) are being called documentary novels, because they contain a fictional story interwoven with historical artifacts – quotes, song lyrics, compelling photographs, etc. This book is like reading a time capsule. In it, Freedom Summer in Mississippi is seen through the eyes of preteen Sunny, who doesn’t understand why her town is suddenly invaded by white people from the north or why a registering black people to vote makes so many people angry. 

3. Salt to the Sea

by Ruta Sepetys

At the end of World War II, refugees were loaded onto the ship the Wilhelm Gustloff for transport. Soviet ships torpedoed the boat, killing 9,343 people. Salt to the Sea tells the story of the boat’s sinking from the alternating perspectives of four passengers aboard the ship. Ruta Sepetys is a master at young adult historical fiction. 

4. Dread Nation

by Justina Ireland

Dread Nation imagines a world where the Civil War is interrupted by a zombie apocalpyse. Jane McKeene is a young black woman attending a special kind of finishing school – one where she learns to kill zombies for whatever rich white family hires her for their protection. Jane just wants to return home to make sure her mother is safe but finds herself caught up in a conspiracy where racial tensions run high. 

5. Boys on the Boat (Young Readers Adaptation)

by Daniel James Brown

This is the true story of a crew team from the University of Washington in the 1936 Olympics. The team of blue collar students roundly defeated elite East Coast teams in an unexpected routing and went on to row against the German crew boat. 

6. Audacity

by Melanie Crowder

This novel in verse is inspired by the true story of Clara Lemlich who came to New York via Russia at the turn of the twentieth century and refused to work in factories with poor working conditions. She ultimately organizes a strike of women factory workers in an event known as the Uprising of 20,000. 

7. Maus: A Survivor’s Tale by Art Spiegelman

Easily one of the most important graphic novels ever, Maus depicts the author’s father recounting his time living during the Holocaust. In this story, the Jews are depicted as mice and the Nazis as predatory cats, but don’t think for a second that using animals instead of people tones down the violence of history. This is a brutal, unflinching look at an ugly time in history. 

8. Egg and Spoon

by Gregory Maguire

Author Gregory Maguire of Wicked fame conjures up a fairy tale brimming with elements of Russian folklore. It’s a case of mistaken identity when a peasant from the countryside switches lives with the daughter of a noble family. The Russian witch Baba Yaga and her house that walks around on chicken legs really steals the show in this book. 

9. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

At first, Aristotle and Dante seem to have nothing in common when their lives collide one summer at the public swimming pool. Over the summer, however, they develop a friendship that turns into a relationship in this coming-of-age story. 

10. #NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American Women

edited by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale

This book is a powerful collection of art created by Native American women to capture the experience of being native. The writing changes from poetry to essays to art pieces, but together they create a portrait of powerful indigenious women demanding to be heard. 

11. Royal Bastards

by Andrew Shvarts

Tilla is the bastard daughter of Lord Kent. She is relegated to the bastards table at royal events while her father lavishes attention on his royal children. One day, a princess visits and scandalizes everyone by sitting with Tilla at her table during a banquet. The two young women find themselves fast friends and, exploring the kingdom late at night, they witness a crime they were never meant to see. 

12. Everything, Everything

by Nicola Yoon

Maddy has a disease known as SCIDs, or severe combined immunodeficiency. In layman’s terms, she’s essentially allergic to everything and lives inside in a carefully controlled environment. From her bedroom, she watches the boy next door move in. His name is Olly. From that moment, Maddy decides to risk her health for the sake of being a normal teenager who just wants to date a nice boy. 

13. Dear Martin by Nic Stone

Justyce McAllister is an honor roll student and an all-around good guy who winds up handcuffed in a moment of racial profiling. To cope with the injustice, and a mounting awareness of the racism that is pervasive in his world, Jus starts writing letters to Martin Luther King, Jr. in his notebook. It’s an important book.

14. The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia by Candace Fleming

Winner of the Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children, The Family Romanov tells the true story of Russia’s last royal family. It’s a nonfiction book, of course, but it reads like a novel and would be a great starting place for teens looking to foray into the world of nonfiction. 

15. Replica by Lauren Oliver

Half of the story is Lyra’s. Lyra is a replica, a human model raised in the Haven Institute. Haven is attacked, and Lyra escapes, along with a boy known as 72. The other half of the story is Gemma’s. Gemma is chronically ill and discovers her father’s connection to the Haven Institute, which leads her to travel to the institute and encounter the two escaped replicas. The book has two covers and two starting places – read it like normal for one story, then turn it over and upside down for the other perspective. 

16. Midnight at the Electric

by Jodi Lynn Anderson

This novel bounces between three perspectives. First the reader meets Adri, living in 2065, as she is getting ready to be on the first manned space mission to Mars. Adri discovers the journal of Catherine, from 1934 who is trying to survive the Dust Bowl, and Lenore, who, in 1919, is planning a voyage from England to America. The three stories intertwine in engaging ways, and the characters are remarkably well-developed. 

17. Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee

Mercy Wong, the daughter of Chinese immigrants, uses her wits (and a little bribery) to earn her admitance to St. Clare’s School for Girls. Mercy finds herself a bit in over her head when disaster strikes in the form of a massive earthquake. Mercy must rise above the petty squabbles of her classmates and help them survive, because help is coming no time soon. 

18. Once and For All

by Sarah Dessen

Louna doesn’t believe in love anymore, which makes it that much more ironic that she works as a wedding planner. Along comes Ambrose, who sets his sights on Louna. He just has to convince her to give love a second chance. 

by Kwame Alexander

Blade is the son of a former rock star turned drug addict, and everyone assumes that because Blade loves music, Blade will wind up just like his father. They even forbid him from seeing his girlfriend Chapel. When a family secret threatens to change life as Blade knows it, he must decide what to do next. 

20. A Psalm for Lost Girls

by Katie Bayerl

Teen Tess De Costa passes away, and her town petitions the Pope to grant her sainthood. Tess’ sister Callie, who knew Tess best of all, wants to prove to the world that Tess was more than this saint caricature that everyone is making her out to be. But when Callie starts investigating Tess’ life, she unearths some secrets she wishes she hadn’t known. 

21. The Perks of Being a Wallflower

by Stephen Chbosky

This is the classic coming of age story. It features Charlie as he travels the usual roads through adolescence – heartache, love, drugs, new friends. As Charlie observes the outer world from his position as a wallflower, he also starts to look inward to understand who he is becoming. 

22. Ask the Passengers by A.S. King

Astrid Jones spends her days watching airplanes flying overhead. She begins to tell the passengers thousands of feet above her her greatest fears and secrets, including her budding romance with a girl. 

23. The Marrow Thieves

by Cherie Dimaline

In this dark, dystopian story, Native Americans are being hunted for their marrow, which people believe will bring back the ability to dream. The world has been practically destroyed by global warming, humanity turns desperate. 

 24. Midwinterblood

by Marcus Sedgwick 

Midwinterblood is seven separate stories with interwoven elements. All seven stories take place on a Scandanavian island called Blessed. Blessed is more than just an island; magic lurks and infuses the stories with atmospheric ambiance. 

by Elana K. Arnold

Ama is rescued from a dragon by the handsome Prince Emory, who tells her his heroic tale and takes her back to his kindgom of Harding to wed. But Ama has no memory of the time before the dragon took her, and once in Harding she learns the secrets behinds the damsels and dragons that everyone would rather stay hidden. 

26. The Monstrumologist

by Rick Yancey

Will Henry is an apprentice to a doctor who specializes in monster hunting. One dark night, an Anthropophagus is brought to the doctor, a monster about to unleash horror upon the world unless Will can stop it. This is the first in a four-book series. 

27. A Wreath for Emmett Till

by Marilyn Nelson and illustrated by Philippe Lardy

This beautiful picture book features a poem written to honor the legacy of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old black teen who was brutally murdered and who helped inspire the civil rights movement. 

28. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

by Douglas Adams

Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect journey through the galaxy doing research for Prefect’s book, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Filled with oddballs and whimsy, the Hitchhiker’s Guide has quite the cult following. In it, you will learn the answer to life, the universe, and everything. 

29. Code Talker

by Joseph Bruchac

This historical fiction novel tells the story of World War II Navajo code talkers. Specifically, the story centers on Ned Begay, who becomes a code talker, braves the horrors of war, and saves lives. 

by Elie Wiesel

This is Elie Wiesel’s blunt, brutal account of surviving Nazi death camps. Readers get a horrifying firsthand account of life in Auschwitz and Buchenwald. Wiesel also spends time reflecting on the human condition that allowed such an atrocity as the Holocaust to happen. 

31. The Things They Carried

by Tim O’Brien

The Things They Carried is a loose collection of stories, vignettes, and moments designed to capture what it meant to be a soldier during the Vietnam War. 

32. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier

by Ishmael Beah

Ishamel Beah was conscripted into the Sierra Leone army as a 13 year old boy. This is his autobiographical account of what it was like to be a child soldier witnessing and partaking in the absolute horrors of war. 

33. The Radium Girls

by Kate Moore

At the turn of the twentieth century, young women worked in factories with a promising new substance isolated by the Curies known as radium. These women were responsible for painting watch faces with the sparkly new substance. They did not know about the terrible health hazards they would face later in life thanks to their constant exposure to the dangerous radium. 

34. Juliet Takes a Breath

by Gabby Rivera

Juliet is a Puerto Rican lesbian who just came out to her family. She’s not sure if her mother will ever speak to her again. Luckily, she’s interning for the author of her favorite book about feminism, and she hopes this summer job will help her figure out everything else. 

35. Autoboyaugraphy

by Christina Lauren

Tanner Scott is a closeted gay teen living in Utah. He’s fine with his sexuality, but he knows his community is not. But, in just a few short months high school will be over and he can go be who he really is in college. But, one semester in a writing class changes all that as Tanner finds himself in a relationship with his mentor Sebastian.  

36. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before

by Jenny Han

Lara Jean Song writes love letters like most people write diaries. To each of the five boys she’s loved, she has written them a letter pouring out her most intimate thoughts – things she never dared share with them in real life. The letters were for her eyes only, until they get accidentally mailed. 

37. Up to this Pointe

by Jennifer Longo

Harper is determined to become a professional ballerina. Her plan is not going to work out. So Harper makes the drastic decision to literally follow in the footsteps of her ancestor Robert Falcon Scott, who died in a race to the south pole. Harper finds herself in Antarctica on some pretty thin ice after things don’t go according to plan. 

38. Six of Crows

by Leigh Bardugo

Kaz is a criminal mastermind, and a con man. He is offered to lead the heist of a lifetime along with a crew of five other con artists. The story is told in multiple points of view and is filled with twists and turns to make it a page-turning read. 

39. Exit, Pursued by a Bear

by E.K. Johnston

Hermione Winters is the captain of her cheerleading team, and the summer of her senior year is when she’s going to make it all count. But when someone slips something into her drink during a cheer camp party and she finds out she’s pregnant from a rape, her world changes drastically. Hermione’s tough character makes this an emotional but ultimately positive book. 

40. If I Was Your Girl

by Meredith Russo

Amanda meets Grant at her new school and the two of them are drawn to each other. But Amanda has a big secret – she is a transgender teen who used to go by Andrew. She fears that Grant will leave as soon as she tells him her biggest secret. 

41. Passenger

by Alexandra Bracken

Passenger is a time-travel tale about Etta Spencer who is pulled back in time by a stranger who needs her help. She finds herself aboard a ship and is put to work searching for a valuable object from the past. On the ship, she meets Nicholas Carter and sparks fly. 

42. The Knife of Never Letting Go

by Patrick Ness

A germ has infected the world, killing all females and imbuing men with the ability to hear each other’s thoughts. In spite of the thought noise, Todd suspects the townspeople are keeping something from him, so he runs away with his dog. Soon, he finds a girl. She is silent. This is the first in a white-knuckle trilogy. 

43. Children of Blood and Bone

by Tomi Adeyemi

Zélie Adebola remembers the awful night the magic disappeared, when the king ordered all the maji killed. Now Zélie must bring the magic back in this African-inspired fantasy novel. 

44. On the Come Up

by Angie Thomas

In Thomas’ follow-up to The Hate U Give, readers are back in Garden Heights, this time in the world of Bri, who wants to be a rapper like her late father. Her first song goes viral when she raps about the hood life, and suddenly Bri finds herself labeled as a hoodlum. It’s a novel about finding your voice and the cost of free speech.  

45. We Rise: The Earth Guardians Guide to Building a Movement that Restores the Planet

by Xiuhtezcatl Martinez

The author of this book, Xiuhtezcatl Martinez, is a teenager himself. He works as a climate activist and his mission is to get teens involved in activism to save the planet and build a better world for all of us. We Rise, is, at its center, an action guide for teens who want to get involved in a movement. 

46. Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe

by Preston Norton

Cliff Hubbard is enormous, nicknamed the Neanderthal by everyone at school. His life is not great. He particularly dislikes ultra-cool quarterback Aaron Zimmerman, until one day, after a near-death experience, Aaron tracks down Cliff and asks for his help. Specifically, Aaron says God gave him a list of things to do to make their high school suck less. Cliff joins in, and together they set out to save their high school. 

47. Odd One Out

by Nic Stone

This is the story of a love triangle. First, there are best friends Courtney and Jupiter. Jupiter starts feeling like he might have feelings for Courtney, when new girl Rae moves to town. Rae has feelings for both Jupiter and Cooper, and quickly she starts dating Cooper – and this is when Jupiter realizes her feelings for Cooper. 

48. The Seven Torments of Amy and Craig

by Don Zolidis

Craig and Amy are a couple. And then they aren’t. And then they are. They break up seven times over the course of this novel about first love and finding yourself. 

49. Heretics Anonymous

by Katie Henry

Atheist Michael isn’t too pleased about attending a Catholic school until he finds himself in a secret society known as Heretics Anonymous. Here, all the kids who don’t quite fit in find their space until Michael starts using the heretics club to expose what he sees as hypocrisies in the school.  

50. What If It’s Us

by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

Arthur and Ben are all about reading the signs from the universe, and the universe is telling them to get together. Unless they are reading the signs wrong. They’re not sure, and the whole book is a will they/won’t they romance as the two are brought together and pulled apart. 

Other book lists from Amy’s bookshelf you’ll love: 

• 50 Must-Read Books for Kindergarteners
• 50 Must-Read Books For First Graders
• 50 Must-Read Books for Second Graders
• 50 Must-Read Books For Third Graders
• 50 Must-Read Books for Fourth Graders
• 50 Must-Read Books For Fifth Graders
• 50 Must-Read Books For  Sixth Graders
• 50 Must-Read Books for Seventh Graders
• 50 Must-Read​ Books for Eighth Graders
• 50 Must-Read​ Books for Ninth Graders
• 50 Must-Read Books for Tenth Graders

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Home / Activities & Resources / Books / 120 Primary & Ideal 11th Grade Reading Books For Students Aged 16-17 For Intellectual Growth

120 Primary & Ideal 11th Grade Reading Books For Students Aged 16-17 For Intellectual Growth

This post will explore a curated list of engaging and thought-provoking books tailored specifically for 11th-grade students aged 16-17. Our selection includes a diverse range of genres and themes, allowing young readers to expand their horizons, enhance critical thinking skills, and foster a love for reading. We’ve got you covered with recommendations to challenge and captivate high school juniors on their literary journey.

Welcome to an enriching world of literature crafted for 11th-grade students aged 16-17. Our curated collection is more than just books; it’s a gateway to diverse experiences, ideas, and cultures.

Each narrative has been meticulously chosen to resonate with young adults, encouraging them to question, reflect, and grow. These stories, ranging from historical fiction to modern-day dilemmas, are not only about understanding the world but also about understanding oneself.

They are tools for critical thinking, empathy, and intellectual engagement.

As educators and guardians of knowledge, we understand the transformative power of reading . It’s not just about acquiring information; it’s about igniting a passion for lifelong learning. Our selection aims to do just that.

We invite students to dive into these pages, find their voice, and join a larger conversation about the world and their place in it. Welcome to a year of discovery and inspiration.

Did you know Did you know that the human brain can generate about 23 watts of power when awake, enough to power a small light bulb? This energy supports the complex thought, memory, and consciousness processes that define our human experience.

What Are The Key Themes And Ideas That 16-17-Year-Old Students Can Explore Through Reading?

16-17-year-old students can explore a range of key themes and ideas through reading that are crucial for their personal development and understanding of the world

• Identity and Self-Discovery: At this age, students often explore who they are and their place in the world. Books can offer diverse perspectives and experiences, helping them shape their identity and understand others.
• Independence and Responsibility: As they near adulthood, themes of independence , personal responsibility, and the transition from adolescence to adulthood are particularly resonant.
• Social Issues and Justice: Reading can expose students to various social, political, and cultural issues, fostering empathy and a deeper understanding of the world around them. Themes might include inequality, human rights, and environmental concerns.
• Love and Relationships: Understanding emotional intelligence, the complexity of relationships, and the nature of love is vital at this age, and literature can provide insight into these nuanced topics.
• Ethical and Moral Dilemmas: Books that present characters in complex situations can help teens explore their values and the consequences of choices, developing their moral compass.
• Mental Health: Exploring themes of mental health through literature can provide comfort and understanding for those who might be struggling and empathy for those who are not.
• Future Aspirations and Dreams: Stories of success, failure, ambition, and resilience can inspire students to think about their future and what they hope to achieve.
• Historical Context and Perspective: Understanding history through the lens of personal narratives can make it more relatable and provide a deeper understanding of how the past shapes the present and future.
• Science and Technology: As the world advances, reading about science, technology, and its ethical implications can be crucial for students to understand and navigate the modern world.
• Cultural Awareness: Books can act as windows into different cultures, promoting understanding, respect, and a global perspective.

Why Is It Important To Include Diverse Voices And Contemporary Themes In An 11th-Grade Reading List?

Including diverse voices and contemporary themes in an 11th-grade reading list is crucial for several reasons

• Reflects the Real World: Our global society is inherently diverse. Reading lists that reflect this diversity prepare students for the real world, helping them understand and engage with people from various backgrounds, cultures, and experiences.
• Promotes Empathy and Understanding: Exposure to different perspectives fosters empathy and understanding. It helps students appreciate the richness of human experience and see the world through others’ eyes, reducing stereotypes and prejudices.
• Encourages Critical Thinking: Contemporary themes and diverse perspectives challenge students to think critically about the world. They learn to analyze, question, and form their own opinions about complex issues, which is a vital skill for their future academic and personal lives.
• Engagement and Relevance: Students are more engaged when they read about characters and situations they can relate to or reflect current societal issues. This relevance can spark a deeper interest in reading and learning .
• Inspires Positive Change: Understanding diverse perspectives can inspire students to become empathetic leaders and advocates for positive change. It encourages them to consider how they might contribute to a more just and inclusive society.
• Cultural Competency: As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, cultural competency is more important than ever. Diverse reading lists help students navigate and succeed in diverse environments.
• Personal Identity and Development: For students from underrepresented groups, seeing their experiences reflected in literature can be affirming and empowering. For others, it can broaden their understanding and dismantle misconceptions.
• Innovation and Creativity: Exposure to various thoughts and ideas can inspire creativity and innovation. Diverse perspectives can lead to new ways of thinking and problem-solving.

120 Different Genre Books For 11th Grade Students Aged 16-17

Dive into a world of diverse genres with our curated selection of books for 11th-grade students aged 16-17. Each genre offers a unique journey, from the intricate plots of mystery novels to the imaginative realms of science fiction.

These books are carefully chosen to challenge, inspire, and broaden the horizons of young adults , encouraging them to explore various perspectives, cultures, and ideas.

Whether it’s the emotional depth of a classic novel or the thrilling pace of a modern thriller, there’s a story for every curious mind.

RELATED: Inside The Mind Of Montessori: Revealing 5 Montessori Key Principles

20 Classic Literature Books For 11th Grade Students Aged 16-17 

1. “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee: Explores themes of racial injustice and moral growth in the American South through the eyes of a young girl.

2. “1984” by George Orwell: A dystopian novel that delves into the dangers of totalitarianism and extreme political ideology.

3. “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald: Captures the glamour and despair of the Roaring Twenties, highlighting the elusive nature of the American Dream.

4. “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen: A witty exploration of manners, marriage, and social status in 19th-century England.

5. “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding: Follows a group of boys stranded on an island, examining the breakdown of civilization and the rise of savagery.

6. “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger: Chronicles the experiences of a disillusioned teenager, exploring themes of alienation and the loss of innocence.

7. “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley: A cornerstone of science fiction and gothic literature, questioning the ethics of scientific advancement.

8. “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Brontë: A tale of passion and revenge set on the Yorkshire moors, exploring the destructive nature of love.

9. “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley: Presents a futuristic society where happiness is mandated and individuality is suppressed.

10. “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Brontë: Follows an orphan’s journey to find love and independence , addressing themes of class, gender, and religion.

11. “Moby-Dick” by Herman Melville: An epic tale of obsession and revenge, exploring the depths of human ambition and the sea.

12. “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne: Explores the consequences of sin and the complexities of moral judgment in Puritan society.

13. “Animal Farm” by George Orwell: A satirical allegory about the rise of Stalinism, highlighting the corrupting nature of power.

14. “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck: Chronicles the struggles of a family during the Great Depression, highlighting themes of injustice and resilience.

15. “Crime and Punishment” by Fyodor Dostoevsky: A psychological exploration of guilt and redemption following a man who believes he’s above the law.

16. “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain: Follows the adventures of a young boy and a runaway slave, critiquing the moral values of society.

17. “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare: A tragic play about the Prince of Denmark, delving into madness, revenge, and the human psyche.

18. “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde: Examines the superficial nature of society and the consequences of living a life of hedonism and vanity.

19. “Heart of Darkness” by Joseph Conrad: Explores the darkness of imperialism and human nature through a journey into the African Congo.

20. “A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens: Set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, this novel explores themes of resurrection, sacrifice, and destiny.

Fun Fact Did you know that octopuses have three hearts? Two pump blood to the gills, while the third sends it to the rest of the body. Remarkably, when an octopus swims, the heart that delivers blood to the body stops beating!

20 Contemporary Fiction Books For 11th-Grade Students Aged 16-17 

21. “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas: Follows a teen girl navigating life after witnessing the police shooting of her friend, exploring race and activism in modern America.

22. “Eleanor & Park” by Rainbow Rowell: A tale of two misfit teens finding love and understanding in each other amidst chaotic family lives.

23. “Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky: Chronicles the life of an introverted teen through letters, dealing with themes of adolescence, trauma, and friendship.

24. “The Fault in Our Stars” by John Green: A poignant love story between two teens who meet in a cancer support group, exploring life, death, and love with humor and sensitivity.

25. “Looking for Alaska” by John Green: Follows a boy’s journey at a boarding school, his friendships, and the enigmatic girl he’s drawn to, all leading to an unexpected tragedy.

26. “An Ember in the Ashes” by Sabaa Tahir: A gripping fantasy set in a brutal, Rome-like world where a slave and a soldier find their destinies intertwined.

27. “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak: Set in Nazi Germany, a young girl finds solace by stealing books and sharing them, narrated by Death itself.

28. “Thirteen Reasons Why” by Jay Asher: A haunting story of a girl who leaves behind thirteen tapes explaining the reasons for her suicide, impacting those she leaves behind.

29. “All the Bright Places” by Jennifer Niven: Chronicles the relationship between two troubled teens who find solace and understanding in each other.

30. “I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter” by Erika L. Sánchez: Deals with the pressures of growing up in a Mexican family in America and the struggle to meet parental expectations.

31. “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” by Benjamin Alire Sáenz: A coming-of-age story about friendship, family, and identity between two Mexican-American boys.

32. “We Were Liars” by E. Lockhart: A suspenseful, twisty tale of a wealthy, seemingly perfect family and the dark secrets that change everything one summer.

33. “One of Us Is Lying” by Karen M. McManus: A gripping mystery where five students walk into detention, but only four walk out, and everyone is a suspect.

34. “The Sun Is Also a Star” by Nicola Yoon: A romantic and timely story of a Jamaican girl and a Korean boy whose paths cross in New York City on an eventful day.

35. “Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda” by Becky Albertalli: A funny, heartfelt story about a boy coming out and falling in love, all while being blackmailed.

36. “Long Way Down” by Jason Reynolds: A novel in verse about a boy’s elevator ride, contemplating revenge, with each floor revealing a different party to a complex story.

37. “American Street” by Ibi Zoboi: A powerful story of a girl’s struggle to find her place in America after emigrating from Haiti, facing the challenges of immigration and poverty.

38. “Turtles All the Way Down” by John Green: Centers on a teen girl dealing with OCD and her quest to solve a mystery, exploring friendship and the spirals of her thoughts.

39. “They Both Die at the End” by Adam Silvera: Set in a world where people get a call on their last day alive, two boys meet and live a lifetime in a single day.

40. “ Children of Blood and Bone” by Tomi Adeyemi: A West-African-inspired fantasy where magic is outlawed, and a young girl must fight against the monarchy to bring it back.

Fun Fact Did you know that honey never spoils? Archaeologists have found honey pots in ancient Egyptian tombs that are over 3,000 years old and still perfectly edible. Honey’s natural composition and low moisture content make it an eternal sweet treat!

RELATED: The Montessori Legacy: How Maria Montessori Transformed The Landscape Of Education

20 Non-Fiction Books That Inspire For 11th Grade Students Aged 16-17

41. “I Am Malala” by Malala Yousafzai: The powerful story of a young Pakistani girl who stood up for education against the Taliban and became the youngest Nobel Prize laureate.

42. “Into the Wild” by Jon Krakauer: Chronicles the journey of Christopher McCandless, who abandoned his possessions to explore the Alaskan wilderness, delving into themes of adventure and self-discovery.

43. “The Diary of a Young Girl” by Anne Frank: An intimate portrayal of life in hiding during the Holocaust, offering insights into the human spirit under dire circumstances.

44. “Educated” by Tara Westover: A memoir of a woman who grew up in a strict and abusive household but eventually escaped to learn about the wider world through education .

45. “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot: Explores the story of Henrietta Lacks, whose cells were taken without her knowledge and used for groundbreaking medical discoveries.

46. “In Cold Blood” by Truman Capote: A groundbreaking work of nonfiction that reconstructs the murder of a Kansas family, exploring the complexities of American violence.

47. “Nickel and Dimed” by Barbara Ehrenreich: The author goes undercover to report on the struggles of the working poor in America, offering a critique of economic inequality.

48. “Fast Food Nation” by Eric Schlosser: An investigation into the fast food industry’s impact on the world, touching on health, economy, and labor issues.

49. “Just Mercy” by Bryan Stevenson: A powerful account of a lawyer’s fight for justice in a flawed judicial system, emphasizing the importance of compassion and justice.

50. “The Glass Castle” by Jeannette Walls: A memoir recounting the author’s unconventional, poverty-stricken upbringing and her journey towards self-sufficiency and success.

51. “Between the World and Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates: A profound letter to the author’s son, discussing the realities of being Black in America and the fraught history that has led to present circumstances.

52. “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand: The inspiring true story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner who became a WWII prisoner of war, surviving incredible challenges.

53. “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind” by William Kamkwamba: The story of a Malawian teenager who built a windmill from scraps to create electricity for his village, demonstrating the power of ingenuity and determination.

54. “Hidden Figures” by Margot Lee Shetterly: Reveals the contributions of African American women mathematicians at NASA, who played crucial roles in America’s space race.

55. “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell: Explores what makes high-achievers different, emphasizing the importance of cultural context and hidden advantages.

56. “The New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander: A compelling study of the American criminal justice system and its impact on African American communities, highlighting issues of race and inequality.

57. “Sapiens” by Yuval Noah Harari: A thought-provoking journey through human history, exploring how Homo sapiens became the dominant species and the impact of our actions.

58. “A Long Way Gone” by Ishmael Beah: A former child soldier recounts his heart-wrenching experiences in the Sierra Leone civil war and his journey to recovery.

59. “Hillbilly Elegy” by J.D. Vance: A personal analysis of the white working class in America, offering insights into social, regional, and class decline.

60. “The Soul of an Octopus” by Sy Montgomery: A fascinating exploration of the intelligence, emotion, and personality of octopuses, encouraging a greater appreciation of the natural world.

Fun Fact Did you know that Venus, the second planet from the sun, rotates in the opposite direction to most planets in our solar system? This means on Venus, the sun would appear to rise in the west and set in the east!

20 Recommended Reads That Celebrate Different Cultures, Identities, And Experiences For 11th Grade Students Aged 16-17 

61. “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini: A powerful tale of friendship, betrayal, and redemption set against the backdrop of Afghanistan’s tumultuous history.

62. “Americanah” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: A story of love and identity that spans Nigeria, the UK, and the USA, exploring the nuances of race, immigration, and the search for belonging.

63. “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe: A seminal work portraying the clash of cultures and the impact of colonialism in Nigeria, as seen through the life of a tribal leader.

64. “The Joy Luck Club” by Amy Tan: Explores the relationships between Chinese-American women and their immigrant mothers, delving into themes of family, identity, and cultural heritage.

65. “Persepolis” by Marjane Satrapi: A graphic novel memoir detailing the author’s experiences growing up during and after the Islamic Revolution in Iran.

66. “The House on Mango Street” by Sandra Cisneros: A series of vignettes offering a glimpse into the life of a young Latina girl growing up in Chicago, highlighting her cultural and personal challenges.

67. “Born a Crime” by Trevor Noah: A memoir from the South African comedian about growing up during apartheid, filled with humor and poignant observations about race and identity.

68. “Pachinko” by Min Jin Lee: An epic saga following four generations of a Korean family in Japan, exploring issues of identity, ambition, and survival.

69. “The Namesake” by Jhumpa Lahiri: Chronicles the life of an Indian-American man and his struggle to assimilate while staying connected to his heritage.

70. “Like Water for Chocolate” by Laura Esquivel: A magical realist novel set in Mexico, weaving together themes of love, family, and the power of food.

71. “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” by Junot Díaz: Combines humor, history, and fantasy to tell the story of a Dominican-American family and their curse.

72. “Between the World and Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates: A profound letter to the author’s son on the realities of being Black in America, exploring the country’s racial history and its impact on personal identity.

73. “Purple Hibiscus” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: A coming-of-age novel set in Nigeria, detailing a young girl’s journey to find her voice amidst political upheaval and family dynamics.

74. “The God of Small Things” by Arundhati Roy: A richly layered narrative that explores complex family relationships and societal norms in Kerala, India.

75. “Swing Time” by Zadie Smith: Follows the intertwined lives of two girls who dream of being dancers, addressing themes of friendship, race, and cultural differences.

76. “My Brilliant Friend” by Elena Ferrante: The first in a series about two friends growing up in a poor but vibrant neighborhood in Naples, Italy, exploring the power of female friendship.

77. “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie: A semi-autobiographical novel featuring a Native American teenager striving for a better life outside his reservation.

78. “White Teeth” by Zadie Smith: A humorous and insightful story of two North London families over three generations, tackling issues of cultural clash and personal identity.

79. “The Reluctant Fundamentalist” by Mohsin Hamid: A tense, compelling novel about a Pakistani man’s disenchanted love affair with America post-9/11.

80. “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker : A powerful, epistolary novel about the lives of African American women in the early 20th century American South, addressing themes of racism, sexism, and resilience.

Fun Fact Did you know that a group of flamingos is called a “flamboyance”? These striking birds are known for their bright pink feathers and synchronized, ballet-like movements, which make a gathering of flamingos one of the most visually captivating sights in the animal kingdom!

20 Graphic Novels For 11th Grade Students Aged 16-17 

81. “Maus” by Art Spiegelman: A profound narrative where the author illustrates his father’s experiences during the Holocaust, with Jews depicted as mice and Nazis as cats.

82. “Persepolis” by Marjane Satrapi: An autobiographical graphic novel depicting the author’s childhood and early adult years in Iran during and after the Islamic Revolution.

83. “Watchmen” by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons: A dark and complex story that deconstructs the idea of the superhero, set in an alternate history where superheroes emerged in the 1940s and 1960s.

84. “V for Vendetta” by Alan Moore and David Lloyd: A dystopian narrative set in a post-nuclear war England, focusing on the mysterious V, a freedom fighter seeking to overthrow the fascist government.

85. “March” by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell: A three-part series that firsthand accounts of Congressman John Lewis’s lifelong struggle for civil and human rights.

86. “American Born Chinese” by Gene Luen Yang: A tale about identity and acceptance, weaving together the story of a modern-day teenager and the ancient Chinese fable of the Monkey King.

87. “Saga” by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples: A space opera/fantasy comic book series that’s an epic and bizarre tale of two lovers from warring extraterrestrial races, seeking peace and safety for their family.

88. “Blankets” by Craig Thompson: An autobiographical coming-of-age story exploring the author’s upbringing in a strict, religious family and his first love.

89. “Ghost World” by Daniel Clowes: A darkly comic story of the transition from teen to young adult, following two quirky, cynical teenage girls.

90. “Sandman” by Neil Gaiman: A blend of mythology, history, and literature, Gaiman’s series follows the adventures of the Dream King and other Endless beings.

91. “Fun Home” by Alison Bechdel: A memoir presented as a graphic novel exploring the author’s complex relationship with her father and her identity.

92. “The Arrival” by Shaun Tan: A wordless graphic novel telling a universal immigration story through beautifully drawn images depicting an immigrant’s experience in an imaginary world.

93. “Paper Girls” by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang: A science fiction/mystery series about four 12-year-old newspaper delivery girls who experience strange and supernatural occurrences while out on their route.

94. “Ms. Marvel” by G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona: Follows a Muslim American teenager named Kamala Khan as she gains powers and becomes the superhero Ms. Marvel, tackling issues of identity, culture, and adolescence.

95. “Black Hole” by Charles Burns: Set in the suburbs of Seattle during the mid-1970s, the story follows a group of teenagers who contract a mysterious STD called “The Bug,” which causes bizarre mutations.

96. “Y: The Last Man” by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra: In a post-apocalyptic world, a young man named Yorick and his pet monkey are the last surviving males of the species after a mysterious plague.

97. “Batman: The Killing Joke” by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland: A dark and disturbing take on the Joker’s origin story and his attempt to drive Commissioner Gordon insane.

98. “Asterios Polyp” by David Mazzucchelli: A richly layered story about an arrogant architect who has a profound experience that changes his perspective on life.

99. “Sculptor” by Scott McCloud: Tells the story of a young artist who makes a deal with Death to gain the ability to sculpt anything he can imagine with his bare hands.

100. “Through the Woods” by Emily Carroll: A collection of five eerie and beautifully illustrated tales that explore the dark and creepy things lurking just out of sight, especially in the woods.

Fun Fact Did you know that cashews grow on the bottom of a fruit called a cashew apple? The apple is brightly colored and can be eaten. Still, the cashew nut is protected inside a hard shell with caustic substances, requiring careful extraction.

RELATED: The Art Of Language: Understanding The Montessori Pink, Blue, And Green Series

20 Poetry And Short Story Books For 11th Grade Students Aged 16-17 

101. “The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes”: A comprehensive collection that captures the essence of African American life, culture, and identity through Hughes’ influential and vibrant verse.

102. “The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson”: Featuring Dickinson’s unique and introspective style, this collection offers profound insights into life, death, and nature.

103. “Leaves of Grass” by Walt Whitman: A cornerstone of American literature, Whitman’s poetry celebrates the human spirit, democracy, and the natural world.

104. “Ariel” by Sylvia Plath: Known for its intense and emotional content, Plath’s collection delves into themes of feminism, death, and personal anguish.

105. “The Waste Land and Other Poems” by T.S. Eliot: Featuring modernist masterpieces, Eliot’s work explores complex themes of disillusionment and despair in the post-World War I era.

106. “Nine Stories” by J.D. Salinger: A collection of short stories that explore the deeper side of human experience, often focusing on the innocence and complexity of youth.

107. “Interpreter of Maladies” by Jhumpa Lahiri: This Pulitzer Prize-winning collection of short stories provides insight into the Indian and Indian-American experience, exploring themes of love, identity, and cultural transition.

108. “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien: A collection of linked short stories about a platoon of American soldiers in the Vietnam War, blending fact with fiction and reality with imagination.

109. “The Flowers of Evil” by Charles Baudelaire: A seminal work in French literature, Baudelaire’s poetry deals with themes of beauty, decadence, and eroticism.

110. “Birthday Letters” by Ted Hughes: A collection of poems that Hughes wrote over 25 years, chronicling his relationship with Sylvia Plath.

111. “Dubliners” by James Joyce: A classic collection of 15 short stories by Joyce, depicting the everyday lives of residents in early 20th-century Dublin.

112. “Don’t Call Us Dead” by Danez Smith: A bold and incisive collection of poems that confronts race, sexuality, police brutality, and mortality.

113. “Goblin Market and Other Poems” by Christina Rossetti: This collection features Rossetti’s lyrical and mythical poems, including the well-known and enigmatic “Goblin Market.”

114. “Brown Girl Dreaming” by Jacqueline Woodson: A memoir in verse, Woodson shares her experiences growing up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s.

115. “Selected Poems” by Gwendolyn Brooks: A collection showcasing Brooks’ powerful and poignant reflections on race, politics, and everyday life.

116. “Men Without Women” by Haruki Murakami: A captivating collection of short stories, each revealing the deep loneliness and complexity of life without women.

117. “The Sun and Her Flowers” by Rupi Kaur: A vibrant and transcendent collection of poetry and prose about growth , healing, ancestry, and honoring one’s roots.

118. “Night Sky with Exit Wounds” by Ocean Vuong: A haunting and emotional debut that explores the power of storytelling, family, love, and war.

119. “The Scribner Anthology of Contemporary Short Fiction”: A collection of 50 short stories by some of the most essential and compelling writers of the last few decades.

120. “The Prophet” by Kahlil Gibran: A collection of poetic essays that delve into life’s big questions and the human condition, touching on themes of love, work, joy, and sorrow.

Fun Fact Did you know that the smell of freshly cut grass is a distress signal? It’s a blend of compounds called green leaf volatiles that grass releases when in distress, serving as a signal to predators of the insects harming the grass.

Why Is It Important To Develop Critical Thinking Through Reading?

Developing critical thinking through reading is essential for several reasons

• Enhances Understanding: Critical thinking enables readers to delve beyond the surface of the text, understanding complex ideas, and recognizing subtle nuances. It fosters a deeper, more comprehensive understanding of the material.
• Promotes Independent Thinking: By analyzing and questioning the content, readers learn to form their opinions and judgments, becoming more independent and confident in their thought processes.
• Improves Decision Making: Critical thinking skills are vital in weighing options and making informed decisions in everyday life. Through reading, individuals practice analyzing various scenarios and outcomes, leading to better decision-making skills.
• Encourages Open-Mindedness: Readers learn to consider different perspectives and ideas, leading to greater empathy and open-mindedness. This is crucial in a diverse and rapidly changing world.
• Enhances Problem-Solving Abilities: By tackling complex texts and ideas, readers develop the ability to dissect problems and identify solutions, enhancing their problem-solving skills .
• Prepares for Real-World Challenges: The ability to analyze information critically is essential in navigating the vast amount of information in today’s digital age, helping to distinguish between credible and unreliable sources.
• Fosters Lifelong Learning: Critical thinking encourages curiosity and a love for learning. Readers who think critically are more likely to engage in self-directed learning throughout their lives.
• Strengthens Communication Skills: Understanding how to construct and deconstruct arguments effectively is a key part of critical thinking that directly improves verbal and written communication skills .
• Builds Academic and Professional Success: Critical thinking is a sought-after skill in higher education and the workplace. The ability to think critically about texts and issues sets individuals up for academic and professional success.

Key Takeaway

• Critical thinking enhances deeper understanding and comprehension of complex ideas.
• It fosters independent thinking, allowing individuals to form their opinions and judgments.
• Critical thinking is crucial for effective decision-making and problem-solving abilities.
• It encourages open-mindedness and empathy by considering diverse perspectives.
• Developing critical thinking through reading prepares individuals for real-world challenges, particularly in discerning credible information.
• It directly improves communication skills by teaching how to construct and deconstruct arguments.
• Cultivating critical thinking is essential for academic success and is highly valued in professional settings.
• It promotes lifelong learning and intellectual curiosity.

Frequently Asked Questions 

What is critical thinking and why is it important.

Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and rationally, understanding the logical connection between ideas. It’s important because it helps us make informed decisions, solve problems effectively, and understand complex issues. It’s a fundamental skill in both academic pursuits and everyday life.

How Can Reading Improve Critical Thinking Skills?

Reading exposes you to various perspectives and ideas, challenging you to analyze, question, and form your opinions. It encourages you to look beyond the text, make connections, and understand deeper meanings, enhancing your critical thinking abilities.

Can Critical Thinking Be Taught?

Yes, critical thinking can be taught and developed over time. It involves practicing various cognitive skills like analysis, evaluation, and synthesis. Educational systems and personal reading habits can be structured to encourage the development of these skills.

What Are Some Methods To Develop Critical Thinking Through Reading?

You should actively engage with the text to develop critical thinking through reading. This can include questioning assumptions, making inferences, identifying the author’s perspective, and relating the content to your experiences and knowledge. Discussing the material with others can also deepen understanding and perspective.

How Do I Know If I’m A Critical Thinker?

Critical thinkers typically question information and arguments presented to them, analyze underlying assumptions, recognize biases, make reasoned judgments, and communicate effectively about complex ideas. Doing these things regularly makes you likely to engage in critical thinking.

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100 Best 11th Grade Books of All Time

We've researched and ranked the best 11th grade books in the world, based on recommendations from world experts, sales data, and millions of reader ratings. Learn more

The Things They Carried

Tim O'Brien | 5.00

Karl Marlantes But when O’Brien wrote The Things They Carried he came down to absolute real brass tacks. It was no longer surreal, it was like here’s a list of what a grunt carries, an infantry soldier… (Source)

Caroline Paul A beautiful book by a writer who fought in Vietnam. (Source)

Eugene Gu @realDonaldTrump Tim O’Brien is the author of the book The Things They Carried, which was about the Vietnam War. Must be very triggering for Trump since he dodged the draft multiple times with fraudulent doctors’ notes for fake bone spurs like a coward. (Source)

See more recommendations for this book...

The Great Gatsby

Francis Scott Fitzgerald | 4.93

Barack Obama When he got to high school, the president said, his tastes changed and he learned to enjoy classics like “Of Mice and Men” and “The Great Gatsby.” (Source)

Bill Gates Melinda and I really like [this book]. When we were first dating, she had a green light that she would turn on when her office was empty and it made sense for me to come over. (Source)

Marvin Liao For Non-Business, I'd have to say Dune (Herbert), Emergency (Strauss), The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald) or Flint (L'Amour). I re-read these books every year because they are just so well written & great stories that I get new perspective & details every time I read them. (Source)

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Mark Twain | 4.80

Walter Isaacson Read [this book]. (Source)

Richard Branson Today is World Book Day, a wonderful opportunity to address this #ChallengeRichard sent in by Mike Gonzalez of New Jersey: Make a list of your top 65 books to read in a lifetime. (Source)

Michael Voss I enjoy nearly everything Mark Twain ever wrote, but my favorite is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This novel showcases Twain at the top of his game in terms of acerbic wit, sharp societal observations and the use of regional dialects - for which he initially garnered great criticism, before the passage of time enabled critics to understand and acknowledge its authenticity. (Source)

George Orwell | 4.78

Steve Jobs called this book "one of his favorite" and recommended it to the hires. The book also inspired one the greatest TV ad (made by Jobs) (Source)

D J Taylor In terms of how technology is working in our modern surveillance powers, it’s a terrifyingly prophetic book in some of its implications for 21st-century human life. Orwell would deny that it was prophecy; he said it was a warning. But in fact, distinguished Orwell scholar Professor Peter Davis once made a list of all the things that Orwell got right, and it was a couple of fairly long paragraphs,... (Source)

The Story of Success

Malcolm Gladwell | 4.73

Bill Gates [On Bill Gates's reading list in 2011.] (Source)

James Altucher Gladwell is not the first person to come up with the 10,000 hour rule. Nor is he the first person to document what it takes to become the best in the world at something. But his stories are so great as he explains these deep concepts. How did the Beatles become the best? Why are professional hockey players born in January, February and March? And so on. (Source)

Cat Williams-Treloar The books that I've talked the most about with friends and colleagues over the years are the Malcolm Gladwell series of novels. Glorious stories that mix science, behaviours and insight. You can't go wrong with the "The Tipping Point", "Outliers", "Blink" or "David & Goliath". (Source)

In Cold Blood

Truman Capote | 4.68

Lynda La Plante One of the reasons I like this true crime novelisation is down to the fact it was so out of character for Capote and took everyone by surprise. It is also an excellent, almost biographical, insight into the two young killers’ minds. (Source)

Ben Shapiro Truman Capote's best book. It's a really, really good book. (Source)

R J Ellory I think in all honesty it is one of the finest books ever written. It took him six years to finish it because he had to wait for the court case and the final verdict which was the two perpetrators being executed. (Source)

Invisible Man

Ralph Ellison | 4.66

Barack Obama As a devoted reader, the president has been linked to a lengthy list of novels and poetry collections over the years — he admits he enjoys a thriller. (Source)

Jacqueline Novogratz I read it as a 22-year-old, and it made me think deeply about how society doesn’t “see” so many of its members. (Source)

Dan Barreiro Riveting time capsule material. Literary giant Ellison on the blues, on race, on his powerful book, Invisible Man. https://t.co/iS6xQ7ojE8 (Source)

The Catcher in the Rye

J. D. Salinger | 4.61

Bill Gates One of my favorite books ever. (Source)

Woody Allen It was such a relief from the other books I was reading at the time, which all had a quality of homework to them. (Source)

Chigozie Obioma He sees everybody as phony because they take life too seriously. (Source)

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Betty Smith | 4.60

Stephen Dubner I read it over and over in part because I felt it was describing to me what my parents’ life was like when they were kids. (Source)

Tracy Chevalier It’s about an Irish-American family living in Brooklyn at the beginning of the 20th century. (Source)

To Kill a Mockingbird

Harper Lee, Sissy Spacek, et al | 4.59

Eric Berkowitz The case is about racism, but it’s also about white sexual fear of the black man, and the failed effort of white America to stop intermixing. I think the notion of the scary black man still permeates the American justice system today. I don’t think To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the greatest pieces of literature ever, but it is a very good window into the ingrained sexual fear that permeated at... (Source)

Scott Turow It’s dated in many ways; it’s extremely sentimental. But it’s beautifully done – you can’t take a thing away from it. (Source)

David Heinemeier Hansson Really liking this one so far. I’m sure a lot of people here probably read it in high school or whatever, but it wasn’t on the Danish curriculum, so here I am! (Source)

Don't have time to read the top 11th Grade books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

• Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
• Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
• Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass | 4.54

Bianca Belair For #BlackHistoryMonth  I will be sharing some of my favorite books by Black Authors 6th Book: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass By: Frederick Douglass The 1st of many autobiographies that he wrote, and another classic you will find on almost every must-read A.A list. https://t.co/v5PgGpoqxQ (Source)

The Crucible

Arthur Miller, Christopher W. E. Bigsby | 4.52

Claire Fox This is the Salem witch hunt in the context of the McCarthy era. The reason I chose it is because I feel that we ourselves, in the contemporary period, are in danger of having our own heresy-calling and witch hunts. It is very popular to say this book proves what it is like when hysterical religions name people as witches, and how intolerant religion is. But I think we can see it in a much more... (Source)

The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)

Suzanne Collins | 4.51

Bill Gates [On Bill Gates's reading list in 2012.] (Source)

Robert Muchamore A brutal, exciting, action-based sci-fi novel. Hugely popular and excellent fun. (Source)

The Scarlet Letter

Nathaniel Hawthorne, Thomas E. Connolly, Nina Baym | 4.47

Carol Gilligan The Scarlet Letter is a tragic love story, but it’s also a story about resistance and transformation. (Source)

Toni Morrison | 4.46

Esi Edugyan I was shocked by the blunt force of its subject matter and its exquisitely torqued prose. It remains one of my most adored novels. (Source)

Bianca Belair @ylc130 I went to the library when I was in the 3rd grade and read Beloved... I remember being so confused and my Mama having to explain it to me... I later read it as an adult and it hit me completely different. GREAT BOOK! (Source)

Farah Jasmine Griffin Beloved was Morrison’s fifth novel. It’s a gripping story, inspired by a famous abolitionist case, the true story of a woman who runs away from slavery with her children, but when the slave catchers catch up with her, she kills one of her own and tries to kill the others, rather than returning them to slavery. (Source)

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Stephen Chbosky | 4.45

Richard Speight Jr. A pal for 30 years, @StephenChbosky ‘s first book #ThePerksofBeingaWallflower had a MASSIVE impact on me & countless others. Then came his great movies. Now..THE NEXT BOOK! Be like me & buy it THE DAY it comes out. (Then harass him until he agrees to put me in the movie! 🎥 🤠) https://t.co/02bMKPgF9A (Source)

Jamie Grayson Holy shit there’s no way this book is that old because that really ages me but I COMPLETELY agree. This book is a masterpiece and a must-read. Lessons about being human are in there and those are important right now. https://t.co/fF1spEFrUH (Source)

Rae Earl It is a tremendously powerful study of PTSD, a mental health issue that isn’t talked about enough (Source)

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Rebecca Skloot | 4.44

Yet Henrietta Lacks remains virtually unknown, buried in an unmarked grave.

Now Rebecca Skloot takes us on an extraordinary journey, from the “colored” ward of Johns Hopkins Hospital in the 1950s to stark white laboratories with freezers full of HeLa cells; from Henrietta’s small, dying hometown of Clover, Virginia — a land of wooden slave quarters, faith healings, and voodoo — to East Baltimore today, where her children and grandchildren live and struggle with the legacy of her cells.

Henrietta’s family did not learn of her “immortality” until more than twenty years after her death, when scientists investigating HeLa began using her husband and children in research without informed consent. And though the cells had launched a multimillion-dollar industry that sells human biological materials, her family never saw any of the profits. As Rebecca Skloot so brilliantly shows, the story of the Lacks family — past and present — is inextricably connected to the dark history of experimentation on African Americans, the birth of bioethics, and the legal battles over whether we control the stuff we are made of.

Over the decade it took to uncover this story, Rebecca became enmeshed in the lives of the Lacks family—especially Henrietta’s daughter Deborah, who was devastated to learn about her mother’s cells. She was consumed with questions: Had scientists cloned her mother? Did it hurt her when researchers infected her cells with viruses and shot them into space? What happened to her sister, Elsie, who died in a mental institution at the age of fifteen? And if her mother was so important to medicine, why couldn’t her children afford health insurance?

Intimate in feeling, astonishing in scope, and impossible to put down, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks captures the beauty and drama of scientific discovery, as well as its human consequences.

Carl Zimmer Yes. This is a fascinating book on so many different levels. It is really compelling as the story of the author trying to uncover the history of the woman from whom all these cells came. (Source)

A.J. Jacobs Great writer. (Source)

Einstein's Dreams

Alan Lightman | 4.44

Walter Isaacson This is a work of fiction that weaves in the whimsy of Einstein’s days as a patent clerk in Switzerland and the types of dreams he may have had. They are little fables that come from his dreams. (Source)

Eric Weinstein [Eric Weinstein recommended this book on Twitter.] (Source)

Frankenstein

Mary Shelle | 4.43

Michael Arrington Shelley wrote this book as a teenager, and most of us read it in high school. Often credited as the first science fiction novel. You can read just about any political viewpoint you want into the book, and there are strong undertones that technology isn’t all good. But what I get out of it is the creativeness that can come with solitude, and how new technology can be misunderstood, even perhaps by... (Source)

Adam Roberts Brian Aldiss has famously argued that science fiction starts with Mary Shelley’s novel, and many people have agreed with him. (Source)

Brave New World

Aldous Huxley | 4.43

Yuval Noah Harari The most prophetic book of the 20th century. Today many people would easily mistake it for a utopia. (Source)

Ellen Wayland-Smith It is a hilarious, and also very prescient, parody of utopias. Huxley goes back to the idea that coming together and forming a community of common interests is a great idea – it’s the basis of civil society. At the same time, when communities of common interests are taken to utopian degrees the self starts to dissolve into the larger community, you lose privacy and interiority; that becomes... (Source)

John Quiggin The lesson I draw from this is that the purpose of utopia is not so much as an achieved state, as to give people the freedom to pursue their own projects. That freedom requires that people are free of the fear of unemployment, or of financial disaster through poor healthcare. They should be free to have access to the kind of resources they need for their education and we should maintain and... (Source)

The Grapes of Wrath

John Steinbeck, Robert DeMott | 4.43

Elizabeth Tsurkov @Maysaloon great book! (Source)

Jonathan Evison This is the great American novel for me—the humanity, the landscapes, the progressive and political and social ethos of the novel, not to mention the amazing characters. Steinbeck is the American Dickens, at least in terms of social consciousness. (Source)

John Kerry While there is a story that takes place between characters, the hardship and unfairness is a central element of the book. It shows how fiction can create progressive change as well. (Source)

The Fault in Our Stars

John Green | 4.39

Elon Musk Must admit to liking [this book]. Sad, romantic and beautifully named. (Source)

James Comey @johngreen You should not be. It is a great book. Was recently in Amsterdam and walked some of the scenes with your huge fan, my youngest daughter. Loved hearing from you and meeting you at Kenyon. (Source)

Lord of the Flies

out of 5 stars5,34 | 4.39

Scott Belsky [Scott Belsky recommended this book on the podcast "The Tim Ferriss Show".] (Source)

Chigozie Obioma William Golding imbues some of these children with wisdom that would read, in the hands of a lesser author, as implausibly knowing (Source)

Disco Donnie @JoshRHernandez1 I love the book “Lord of the Flies” so just started watching The Society (Source)

The Kite Runner

Khaled Hosseini and Simon & Schuster Audi | 4.38

James Altucher Excellent novel. (Source)

Vanessa Keng I've always loved fiction - mainly crime and legal thrillers, but there's something wonderful about reading a completely different style of writing from what I'm used to. I found myself absorbed in the narrative of guilt and love in The Kite Runner, and The Curious Incident told me a story from a completely different perspective. (Source)

Magda Marcu I’m currently reading “The Kite Runner”. I never have expectations from books, I let them surprise me as I get into the story. Learning about characteristics of different cultures, in this case the Afghan one, it’s one aspect I am interested in. (Source)

The Glass Castle

Jeannette Walls | 4.35

Slaughterhouse-Five

Kurt Vonnegut and Kevin Power | 4.35

Carlos Eire Even though he is no philosopher Vonnegut is still able to ask the questions that all of us think about – how time affects our lives. (Source)

Dan Christensen @MetaHumean Love that book. (Source)

Bernard Tan I’m also a Murakami and Vonnegut fan, Kafka on the Shore, The Wind-up Bird Chronicle, Norwegian Wood, Slaughterhouse-Five, etc. Now that I look at the books listed, they seem to carry an existential theme. I guess I like to understand humanity and human behaviour ultimately to better understand myself. I find reading a means to connect with people who may have lived before my time, or in a... (Source)

Animal Farm

George Orwell and Christopher Hitchens | 4.33

Whitney Cummings [Whitney Cummings recommended this book on the podcast "The Tim Ferriss Show".] (Source)

Vlad Tenev When I was in sixth grade I remember being very upset by the ending of [this book]. (Source)

Sol Orwell Question: What books had the biggest impact on you? Perhaps changed the way you see things or dramatically changed your career path. Orwell's Animal Farm and 1984 (though Huxley's Brave New World is a better reflection of today's society). (Source)

East of Eden

John Steinbec | 4.33

Oprah Winfrey It's the perfect summer read...a novel so rich and full of drama you won't be able to turn the pages fast enough! (Source)

John Lilly @ben_mathes @kevinakwok @samhinkie @aweissman Amazing book. Ive always liked it better than Grapes of Wrath. (Source)

Steve Benjamins My favorite non-business book is East of Eden by John Steinbeck. I think all of John Steinbeck’s books are uplifting. He sees the best in humanity and it leaves me feeling warm and generous. (Source)

A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption

Laura Hillenbrand | 4.33

In her long-awaited new book, Laura Hillenbrand writes with the same rich and vivid narrative voice she displayed in Seabiscuit . Telling an unforgettable story of a man's journey into extremity, Unbroken is a testament to the resilience of the human mind, body, and spirit.

The lieutenant’s name was Louis Zamperini. In boyhood, he'd been a cunning and incorrigible delinquent, breaking into houses, brawling, and fleeing his home to ride the rails. As a teenager, he had channeled his defiance into running, discovering a prodigious talent that had carried him to the Berlin Olympics and within sight of the four-minute mile. But when war had come, the athlete had become an airman, embarking on a journey that led to his doomed flight, a tiny raft, and a drift into the unknown.

Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, a foundering raft, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, and, beyond, a trial even greater. Driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would answer desperation with ingenuity; suffering with hope, resolve, and humor; brutality with rebellion. His fate, whether triumph or tragedy, would be suspended on the fraying wire of his will.

Their Eyes Were Watching God

Zora Neale Hurston | 4.33

Farah Jasmine Griffin Hurston gives us one of the first true love stories in African American writing. (Source)

Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, #2)

Suzanne Collins | 4.33

Kathryn Stockett | 4.32

Twin Mummy And Daddy I love a good book and The Help is exactly that! In fact it’s an amazing book! Read my review over on the blog today! https://t.co/efaf9aRGOK #TheHelp #KathrynStockett #bookreview #bookblogger #mummybloggers #daddybloggers #pbloggers #mbloggers @UKpbloggers @UKBloggers1 #books (Source)

William Shakespeare | 4.31

Ryan Holiday Philosophy runs through this play–all sorts of great lines. There are gems like “..for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so” which I used in my last book and “Beware of entrance to a quarrel; but, being in, bear it, that the opposed may beware of thee.” was a favorite of Sherman. (Source)

Tim Lott I love the speech when Hamlet’s uncle Claudius admits to being inflicted with the primal eldest curse for killing his brother, and begs on his knees for forgiveness for this ultimate violation of the law of nature. (Source)

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

J. K. Rowling | 4.30

Joe Lycett guys i just read this book called harry potter well worth checking out it’s about a really interesting magic lad (Source)

Crime and Punishment

A Russian Realistic Novel

Fyodor Dostoyevsky | 4.30

Esther Perel You can reread the Russians. They are timeless. (Source)

Irvine Welsh It is not a crime book in the way that we understand crime fiction today. Instead it is like an existential psychological thriller. (Source)

Ben Domenech @SohrabAhmari @li88yinc @jgcrum @BlueBoxDave @InezFeltscher @JarrettStepman Maybe the best book ever written. (Source)

Charlotte Brontë, Michael Mason | 4.29

Orphaned as a child, Jane has felt an outcast her whole young life. Her courage is tested once again when she arrives at Thornfield Hall, where she has been hired by the brooding, proud Edward Rochester to care for his ward Adèle. Jane finds herself drawn to his troubled yet kind spirit. She falls in love. Hard.

But there is a terrifying secret inside the gloomy, forbidding Thornfield Hall. Is Rochester hiding from Jane? Will Jane be left heartbroken and exiled once again?

John Sutherland There is an interesting debate … that the real heroine of Jane Eyre is not the plain little governess but the mad woman in the attic, Bertha Mason (Source)

Tracy Chevalier The idea of marriage is that two people are going to become one, but here you know—because of the mad woman in the attic—that it’s one thing about to be split in two. (Source)

Audrey Penn My next one is Jane Eyre. She was orphaned and sent to a very rich aunt, who had her own very selfish children. Jane Eyre was not the perfect child and she was sent to live in a girls’ school. She made one friend, but unfortunately the little girl died, so she had to toughen up. She grew up there and learned everything she needed to know about teaching. She was a very good artist, she played a... (Source)

The Last Lecture

Randy Pausch, Jeffrey Zaslow, et al | 4.29

Gabriel Coarna I read "The Last Lecture" because I had seen Randy Pausch give this talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo (Source)

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Ken Kesey, John C. Reilly, et al | 4.28

Chuck Palahniuk | 4.28

Ryan Holiday I’m amazed how many young people haven’t read this book. Truly life-changing. This is the classic of my generation; it is the book that defines our age and ultimately, how to find meaning in it. It’s a cautionary tale too—about being too caught up in revolutionary ideas. (Source)

Van Badham SUPER EXCITED to receive my copy of “Solved! How Other Countries Have Cracked the World’s Biggest Problems and We Can, Too” by Andrew Wear. SO GREAT to read a political book that’s about both pragmatic action *and* hope. Squee! #auspol https://t.co/jIYgr36kZO (Source)

The Martian

Andy Weir | 4.27

Craig Barrett This book didn’t really change my mind, but rather reinforced the concept of the power of the individual. At a time when we depend more and more on big institutions to solve our business and social problems the real solutions are crafted by individual actions and initiative. This is true in the business world, where ideas from individual researchers or entrepreneurs can create mega companies... (Source)

Dan Christensen @EconTalker @cable_co1 The Martian... hey it can’t all be economics and it’s a great book (Source)

Patrick Chovanec @acgleva The book was great. (Source)

J. R. R. Tolkien | 4.27

Cressida Cowell The Hobbit is such a richly imagined fantasy that, especially as a child, you can live in it. It is so completely immersive. (Source)

Lev Grossman First up, The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, by JRR Tolkien. But you knew I was going to say that. This one book, which was published in 1937, defined so many variables for the fantasy tradition that are still in place today. Tolkien’s extraordinary achievement was to recover the epic landscapes of Anglo-Saxon myth, bring them back to life, and then to take us through them on foot, so we could... (Source)

Pride and Prejudice

Jane Auste | 4.26

Meg Rosoff It’s a coming-of-age story, because she throws aside her prejudices but also sees the house and realises that she could be quite comfortable and maybe realises how important that is. (Source)

A Story of Justice and Redemption

1, 160 | 4.26

Chris Sacca Proud that @crystale and I could help fund the making of a film about one of our heroes, Bryan Stevenson. If you’ve read the book, then you know how powerful this film is. #JustMercy https://t.co/vNfXK4Imwr (Source)

Howard Schultz Perhaps one of the most powerful and important stories of our time. (Source)

The Book Thief

Markus Zusak | 4.25

Lydia Ruffles The (Source)

The Old Man and the Sea

Ernest Hemingway | 4.24

Jack Dorsey I keep coming back to it. I love the straightforwardness, the tightness, and the poetry. I think it shows a common struggle that is repeated over and over in so many narratives both fictional and nonfictional. (Source)

Jordan B Peterson The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway https://t.co/7dJE4Pfn56, a book from my great books list https://t.co/AxBNX3QpMb (Source)

May Witwit I taught this book to my students in Iraq during the economic sanctions. And I feel like it gave me some kind of strength to continue. (Source)

Elie Wiesel, Marion Wiesel | 4.24

Johanna Reiss Elie Wiesel wrote..that he was considering running into the barbed wire once, but he didn’t because his father needed him. (Source)

Steven Katz Probably the best known memoir that has been written about the experience of the death camps. (Source)

John Hersey | 4.23

Alex Blumberg I had always been interested in this kind of [...] long form narrative nonfiction. (Source)

The Other Wes Moore

One Name, Two Fates

Wes Moore | 4.20

The Bell Jar

Sylvia Plath, Maggie Gyllenhaal, et al | 4.20

Bryony Gordon As a teenage girl, you have to read The Bell Jar. It’s a rite of passage. (Source)

The CEO Library Community (through anonymous form) One of the best 3 books I've read in 2019 (Source)

Tim Kendall Despite its subject matter, The Bell Jar is often a very funny novel. Perhaps we miss it because the pall of Plath’s biography descends across the whole work and reputation. But The Bell Jar is viciously funny. There are people still alive today who won’t talk about it because they were so badly hurt by Plath’s portrayal of them. (Source)

How to Read Literature Like a Professor

Thomas C. Foster | 4.20

In this practical and amusing guide to literature, Thomas C. Foster shows how easy and gratifying it is to unlock those hidden truths, and to discover a world where a road leads to a quest; a shared meal may...

In this practical and amusing guide to literature, Thomas C. Foster shows how easy and gratifying it is to unlock those hidden truths, and to discover a world where a road leads to a quest; a shared meal may signify a communion; and rain, whether cleansing or destructive, is never just rain. Ranging from major themes to literary models, narrative devices, and form, How to Read Literature Like a Professor is the perfect companion for making your reading experience more enriching, satisfying, and fun.

The Handmaid's Tale

Margaret Atwood | 4.20

Grady Booch I read this several years ago but — much like Orwell’s 1984 — it seems particularly relevant given our current political morass. (Source)

Cliff Bleszinski @HandmaidsOnHulu Done. Love the show, book is a classic, can't wait for season 2. (Source)

Jason Kottke @procload Not super necessary, since you've seen the TV show. This first book is still a great read though...different than the show (tone-wise more than plot-wise). (Source)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2)

J.K. Rowling | 4.19

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, #7)

J. K. Rowling, Mary GrandPré | 4.19

William Shakespeare, Dr. Barbara A. Mowat, Paul Werstine Ph.D. | 4.18

Of Mice and Men

John Steinbeck | 4.18

Steve Benjamins I think all of John Steinbeck’s books are uplifting. He sees the best in humanity and it leaves me feeling warm and generous. I always love this paragraph in Of Mice and Men that hints at the tension between business and humanity: "It has always seemed strange to me that the things we admire in men, kindness and generosity, openness, honestly, understanding, and feeling are the concomitants of... (Source)

Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3)

Suzanne Collins | 4.18

The Color Purple

Alice Walker | 4.18

A Different Mirror

A History of Multicultural America

Ronald Takaki | 4.17

Maus I: A Survivor's Tale

My Father Bleeds History (Maus, #1)

Art Spiegelman | 4.17

Fahrenheit 451

Ray Bradbury | 4.16

Timothy Ferriss This classic work on state censorship remains as relevant in today’s world of digital delights as it was when published in the black-and-white world of 1953. In a futuristic American city, firefighter Guy Montag does not put out blazes; instead, he extinguishes knowledge and promotes ignorance by conducting state decreed book burnings. After an elderly woman chooses a fiery death with her books... (Source)

Ryan Holiday I’m not sure what compelled me to pick Fahrenheit 451 back up but I’m so glad I did because I was able to see the book in a very different context. Bradbury’s message (made explicit in his 50th Anniversary Afterword) is much less a warning against government control and much more about a road to hell paved by people attempting to rid the world of offensive speech and conflicting ideas. In a world... (Source)

Ender's Game

Orson Scott Card | 4.16

Mark Zuckerberg Oh, it’s not a favorite book or anything like that, I just added it because I liked it. I don’t think there’s any real significance to the fact that it’s listed there and other books aren’t. (Source)

Timothy Ferriss At one point, this was the only book listed on Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook page. If it’s good enough to be the sole selection of the founder of Facebook, maybe there’s something to it. The plot: In anticipation of another attack from a hostile alien race, the search for a brilliant military strategist has led to Ender Wiggin. In space combat school, Ender stands out, demonstrating exceptional... (Source)

Travis Kalanick About a kid who is trained by the military to play video games [...] But he realizes at the end that the video games he was playing were an actual war. (Source)

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar Wilde | 4.15

Eric Berkowitz The Picture of Dorian Gray is now a part of the canon that no one would admit to not having read. Most of us have read it and delighted in its witticisms. It’s hard to imagine, but when Dorian Gray was first published, the book was not well received at all. It was totally panned. It was held against him as being an example of an effete character. It was being serialised by Lippincott’s Magazine,... (Source)

Marc Montagne My favorite fiction book is the The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. I'm a huge Oscar Wilde fan, he has one of the brightest minds and the Picture is a masterpiece and his unique novel. I consider that you should only read books that you would consider reading again at some point while still enjoying the same pleasure. The Picture is definitely one of those. (Source)

Andra Zaharia A copy from 1903 of this book is my most prized possession. (Source)

The Stranger

Albert Camus, Jonathan Davis, et al | 4.15

David Heinemeier Hansson Seminal novel on existentialism and the absurd by Albert Camus from 1946. Explores that feeling of disconnectedness from society, its norms, and the absurdity of every day life. Striking first-person account in a powerful, direct language. (Source)

Kyle Maynard [Kyle Maynard said this is one of his most-recommended books.] (Source)

Into the Wild

Jon Krakauer | 4.15

Holger Seim When it comes to adventure stories, Into the Wild. (Source)

The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch

Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett | 4.15

Jim Lee @thecameroncuffe @skydart Lovely pic! And a great show! (And book 👍🏼) (Source)

Veronica Belmont @stephenmalovski Not necessary but the book is great! (Source)

Zoe Keating @TheTwoHeadedBoy @GoodOmensPrime @neilhimself I love the book so much. Re-read it in preparation. (Source)

The Lively Art of Writing

Lucile Vaughan Payne | 4.14

Laurie Halse Anderson | 4.12

The Joy Luck Club

Amy Tan | 4.12

Armistead Maupin The novel is structured around the four corners of the mahjong table. The device makes clear the distance between the old world of China and the new world that these women inhabit in San Francisco. The novel focuses on the memories and secrets that these women carry about their mothers and their daughters. It shows modern Chinese-Americans dealing with cultural differences across generations.... (Source)

The Hate U Give

Angie Thomas | 4.12

Bianca Belair For #BlackHistoryMonth  I will be sharing some of my favorite books by Black Authors 7th Book: The Hate U Give By: Angie Thomas @angiecthomas The movie was really great, but it just hits different when you read the book! https://t.co/rxMH5Uu6JN (Source)

Vladimir Nabokov | 4.11

Richard Cohen It’s more imbued with references to the sun and using the sun as symbol or metaphor – almost a kind of character in the novel – than any other work in literature. (Source)

Bryan Callen So here are my three must read books. I've been reading a lot of great books like: Outsmart Your Instincts, The Culture Code, and Antonio Damasio’s The Strange Order, and sometimes when you read a lot of nonfiction it’s very enriching, sometimes you need a novel. I really believe you should take a minute and read something beautiful. Listen, listen to Lolita by Nabokov. But also listen to Blood... (Source)

Steven Amsterdam What’s spectacular for me is the triumph of the humour over his loathsomeness. (Source)

A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #2)

Sarah J. Maa | 4.10

The Outsiders

S. E. Hinton | 4.10

The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation

An Easy-To-Use Guide with Clear Rules, Real-World Examples, and Reproducible Quizzes

Jane Straus, Lester Kaufman, et al. | 4.10

Mark Nichol This book is good for beginners, but I also find it helpful for people who might consider themselves experts. It’s very clean, and it’s in a workbook format with many exercises in it. You read a short, simple lesson about adjectives and adverbs, or about when you use ‘that’ or ‘which’ in a sentence, and then you can practise with the exercises. (Source)

A Streetcar Named Desire

Tennessee Williams | 4.09

Divergent (Divergent, #1)

Veronica Roth | 4.09

Memoirs of a Geisha

Arthur Golden | 4.07

Alice Little The author uses language that is very, very rich and colorful. [...] You can really immerse yourself into that world and kind of get a sense of what things were like, at that time. (Source)

The Elements of Style

William Jr. Strunk | 4.07

Tobi Lütke [My] most frequently gifted book is [this book] because I like good writing. (Source)

Bill Nye This is my guide. I accept that I’ll never write anything as good as the introductory essay by [the author]. It’s brilliant. (Source)

Jennifer Rock If you are interested in writing and communication, start with reading and understanding the technical aspects of the craft: The Elements of Style. On Writing Well. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. (Source)

Bram Stoker | 4.07

Becky Cloonan @Noise_Raptor Oh, thank you so much! This book was such a delight, and such a challenge! Dracula is one of my favorites- funny enough I'd jump at the chance to do this again XD (Source)

Douglas Starr When you read the physical description of Count Dracula, he does not resemble the handsome vampires we see on television; rather, he looks like a thug. He has one continuous eyebrow across his forehead, thick hands, pointy teeth and pointy ears. (Source)

Andrei Codrescu Vampirism is a growth industry. Dracula is bigger than Jesus now. (Source)

Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass, #2)

Sarah J. Maas | 4.06

Joseph Heller, Christopher Buckley | 4.05

Mark Bittman I used to buy [this book] for a lot of people because I just thought if you hadn’t read it, you had to but maybe that era is over. (Source)

William Boyd The most wonderful novel ever written, because of its absurdist sense of humour and the way it looked at war. (Source)

The One (The Selection, #3)

Kiera Cass | 4.05

A Raisin in the Sun

Lorraine Hansberry | 4.04

City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, #1)

Cassandra Clare | 4.04

My Sister's Keeper

Jodi Picoult | 4.03

The Lovely Bones

Alice Sebold | 4.03

Alice Sebold's haunting and heartbreaking debut novel, The Lovely Bones , unfolds from heaven, where "life is a perpetual yesterday" and where Susie narrates and keeps watch over her grieving family and friends, as well as her brazen killer and the sad detective working on her case. As Sebold fashions it,...

Alice Sebold's haunting and heartbreaking debut novel, The Lovely Bones , unfolds from heaven, where "life is a perpetual yesterday" and where Susie narrates and keeps watch over her grieving family and friends, as well as her brazen killer and the sad detective working on her case. As Sebold fashions it, everyone has his or her own version of heaven. Susie's resembles the athletic fields and landscape of a suburban high school: a heaven of her "simplest dreams," where "there were no teachers.... We never had to go inside except for art class.... The boys did not pinch our backsides or tell us we smelled; our textbooks were Seventeen and Glamour and Vogue ."

The Lovely Bones works as an odd yet affecting coming-of-age story. Susie struggles to accept her death while still clinging to the lost world of the living, following her family's dramas over the years like an episode of My So-Called Afterlife . Her family disintegrates in their grief: her father becomes determined to find her killer, her mother withdraws, her little brother Buckley attempts to make sense of the new hole in his family, and her younger sister Lindsey moves through the milestone events of her teenage and young adult years with Susie riding spiritual shotgun. Random acts and missed opportunities run throughout the book--Susie recalls her sole kiss with a boy on Earth as "like an accident--a beautiful gasoline rainbow." Though sentimental at times, The Lovely Bones is a moving exploration of loss and mourning that ultimately puts its faith in the living and that is made even more powerful by a cast of convincing characters. Sebold orchestrates a big finish, and though things tend to wrap up a little too well for everyone in the end, one can only imagine (or hope) that heaven is indeed a place filled with such happy endings. --Brad Thomas Parsons

The Giver (The Giver, #1)

Lois Lowry | 4.03

Looking for Alaska

John Green | 4.03

Angel Dei My favorite John Green book 😭😭 https://t.co/Aqkvmuu9Q5 (Source)

Death of a Salesman

Arthur Miller | 4.03

Tim Lott Death of a Salesman is more about the relationship between fathers and sons than brothers, but the motif of maimed brother relationships runs in all directions. (Source)

American Gods (American Gods, #1)

Neil Gaiman | 4.03

Ricky Whittle Nobody can break my family.I’m proud to be apart of this diverse cast & crew who are working their butts off to deliver a fantastic season 3 continuing to tell Shadows story and the awesome characters he meets along the way as in @neilhimself incredible book #readit #details🤔 https://t.co/PahPC9j3HB (Source)

Scott Johnson American Gods by Neil Gaiman. This is a brilliant thought experiment about what happens to a god when its believers stop believing. My preferred edition is the 10th Anniversary release with expanded text. (Source)

Marko Rakar Basically, first of all, I am a huge fan of science fiction and fantasy books and I grew up with Douglas Adams and Arthur C Clarke. For me, this is the best of Gaiman’s books and I’ve got all of them. It’s set in the present time and talks about settlers who have settled a continent and have brought their gods with them. So, if you are Swedish and you cherish Nordic gods and move to the US, the... (Source)

Great Expectations

Charles Dickens, Margaret Cardwell, Kate Flint | 4.02

Marvin Liao My list would be (besides the ones I mentioned in answer to the previous question) both business & Fiction/Sci-Fi and ones I personally found helpful to myself. The business books explain just exactly how business, work & investing are in reality & how to think properly & differentiate yourself. On the non-business side, a mix of History & classic fiction to understand people, philosophy to make... (Source)

Robert Douglas-Fairhurst What the rest of Great Expectations shows is that having Christmas lasting all the way through your life might not be a good thing. Having a Santa Claus figure who keeps throwing gifts and money at you when they’re not necessarily wanted or deserved might be a handicap. (Source)

Rainbow Rowell | 4.02

Ashley C. Ford @ALNL I love this book (Source)

Laura Wood A powerful and moving story about identical twins trying to find their individual identities outside of their own powerful relationship. (Source)

A Tale of Two Cities

Charles Dickens | 4.01

Amelia Boone Remains one my favorites to this day. (Source)

Antonio Villaraigosa As mayor of a large metropolis, the living conditions of our residents are always present in my mind. Every decision I make, I try to evaluate if it will help improve the quality of life of every Angeleno. But Dickens really dissects both the aristocrats and the revolutionaries, to show that change is never easy. As progressives, we value government’s role and power to improve our cities and... (Source)

May Witwit I started a paper about the historical reality in this book. And as I studied it more deeply I got depressed because the things that were happening were similar to Iraq. How the mob could be turned against people by devious minds. They just killed people without even knowing them. The people who were killed were probably very good people, you never know. You just can’t kill haphazardly, heads... (Source)

Charlie And The Chocolate Factory

Roald Dahl, Quentin Blake | 4.01

Tilly Burn because you believe Roald Dahl and trust him and because you know he tells a good story, you immediately accept that he’s telling you to root for Charlie Bucket. And you’re like, Yeah, sure. Here we go! (Source)

Song of Solomon

Toni Morrison, Reynolds Price | 4.01

Barack Obama According to the president’s Facebook page and a 2008 interview with the New York Times, these titles are among his most influential forever favorites: Moby Dick, Herman Melville Self-Reliance, Ralph Waldo Emerson Song Of Solomon, Toni Morrison Parting The Waters, Taylor Branch Gilead, Marylinne Robinson Best and the Brightest, David Halberstam The Federalist, Alexander Hamilton Souls of Black... (Source)

Bozoma Saint John I love [this book]. Her writing style is incredibly poetic and complex. (Source)

Jesse Williams The characters’ dilemmas just rocked my world in high school. (Source)

A Farewell to Arms

The Hemingway Library Edition

Ernest Hemingway, Seán Hemingway, Patrick Hemingway | 4.00

Jordan B Peterson A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway https://t.co/dwAYVoKl3K, a book from my great books list https://t.co/AxBNX3QpMb (Source)

Julia Enthoven For non-business, I’ve loved so many different books that it’s hard to pick a favorite. Recently, I’ve enjoyed The Art of Fielding and Americanah, and I love classics like A Farewell to Arms and Lord of the Flies. (Source)

Jordan Peterson [Jordan Peterson recommended this book on his website.] (Source)

Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass, #3)

Sarah J. Maas | 4.00

Black Like Me

John Howard Griffin and Robert Bopnzaai | 4.00

Twilight (Twilight, #1)

Stephenie Meyer | 4.00

Things Fall Apart (The African Trilogy, #1)

Chinua Achebe | 4.00

Barack Obama As 2018 draws to a close, I’m continuing a favorite tradition of mine and sharing my year-end lists. It gives me a moment to pause and reflect on the year through the books I found most thought-provoking, inspiring, or just plain loved. It also gives me a chance to highlight talented authors – some who are household names and others who you may not have heard of before. Here’s my best of 2018... (Source)

Jacqueline Novogratz The first book I read by an African author. Achebe is unflinching in his portrayal of the challenges of change, the relationships of colonialism, and power/powerlessness. (Source)

Sam Kiley I think what’s so fantastic about it is that it’s sort of portentous, if that’s the right word, in that it captures that moment between the end of colonisation and independence, and the inevitable crushing of Africa’s dreams. I can’t remember exactly when it was written, but it was very early on in the process. It sounds really pessimistic – I mean, it’s a beautifully written book, but it’s the... (Source)

The Bluest Eye

Toni Morrison | 4.00

11th Grade .css-fjkx37{display:inline;-webkit-appearance:none;-moz-appearance:none;-ms-appearance:none;appearance:none;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;-webkit-user-select:none;-moz-user-select:none;-ms-user-select:none;user-select:none;vertical-align:middle;outline:2px solid transparent;outline-offset:2px;line-height:inherit;font-weight:500;transition-property:var(--chakra-transition-property-common);transition-duration:var(--chakra-transition-duration-normal);height:auto;min-width:3rem;-webkit-padding-start:var(--chakra-space-6);padding-inline-start:var(--chakra-space-6);-webkit-padding-end:var(--chakra-space-6);padding-inline-end:var(--chakra-space-6);background:none;color:inherit;margin:0px;padding:0.3em;padding-left:0px;border-bottom:2px 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11th Grade Common Core Suggested Reading Lists

11-1 Literary Texts—The New World

• “An Hymn to the Evening ” (Phillis Wheatley) (EA)
• “To His Excellency General Washington”  (Phillis Wheatley) (EA)
• “On Being Brought from Africa to America”  (Phillis Wheatley) (E)
• “To My Dear and Loving Husband”  (Anne Bradstreet)
• “Upon the Burning of Our House”  (Anne Bradstreet)
• “ Upon a Spider Catching a Fly ” (Edward Taylor)
• An Almanack for the Year of Our Lord 1648  (Samuel Danforth) (selections)
• “The Day of Doom”  (Michael Wigglesworth)
• “The Sot-Weed Factor”  (Ebenezer Cook)
• The Crucible  (Arthur Miller) (EA) (L 755)

Informational Texts

• Of Plymouth Plantation  (William Bradford) (selections)
• “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”  (Jonathan Edwards)
• The Bloody Tenent of Persecution, for Cause of Conscience  (Roger Williams) (selections)
• A Key into the Language of America  (Roger Williams) (selections)
• The Secret Diary of William Byrd of Westover, 1709-1712  (William Byrd) (selections)
• A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson  (Mary Rowlandson)
• The Selling of Joseph: A Memorial  (Samuel Sewall)

11-2 Literary Texts—A New Nation

• “The Star-Spangled Banner”  (Francis Scott Key)
• “The Wild Honeysuckle”  (Philip Freneau)
• “The Indian Burying Ground”  (Philip Freneau)
• The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin  (Benjamin Franklin) (L 1370)
• Equiano’s Travels: The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African  (Olaudah Equiano)

Informational Text

• “Declaration of Independence”  (Thomas Jefferson) (E) (L 1252)
• “Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom”  (Thomas Jefferson) (EA)
• Letter to John Adams (1 August 1816) (Thomas Jefferson) (EA)
• Benjamin Banneker’s Letter to Thomas Jefferson  (August 19, 1791)
• Thomas Jefferson’s Letter to Benjamin Banneker  (August 30, 1791)
• Preamble to the Constitution  (E)
• “ The Way to Wealth ,”  Poor Richard’s Almanack  (Benjamin Franklin) (selections) (L 630)
• Speech to the Virginia Convention  (Patrick Henry) (E)
• Common Sense or The Crisis  (Thomas Paine) (E) (L 1330)
• Federalist No. 1  (Alexander Hamilton) (E) (L 1450)
• Federalist No. 10  (James Madison) (L 1450)
• The Complete Anti-Federalist  (Herbert J. Storing) (selections)
• Letters from an American Farmer  (J. Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur) (selections)

Art, Music, and Media Prompt: How did artists portray historical figures and events from the founding of America?

• Emanuel Leutze,  Washington Crossing The Delaware  (1851)
• John Trumbull,  Declaration of Independence  (1819)
• John Copley,  Paul Revere  (ca. 1768)
• Thomas Pritchard Rossiter,  Washington and Lafayette at Mount Vernon  (1859)
• Gilbert Stuart,  James Monroe  (ca. 1820-1822)
• Gustavus Hesselius,  Lapowinsa  (1735)
• Auguste Couder,  Siège de Yorktown  (ca. 1836)

11-3 Literary Texts—American Romanticism

• “ The Old Oaken Bucket ” (Samuel Woodworth)
• “ The Raven ” (Edgar Allan Poe) (E 9 -10)
• “ Annabel Lee ” (Edgar Allan Poe) (EA)
• “ Song of Myself”  (Walt Whitman) (E)
• “I Hear America Singing ” (Walt Whitman) (EA)
• “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d”  (Walt Whitman) (EA)
• “ A Bird came down the Walk ” (Emily Dickinson) (EA)
• “This is my letter to the World ” (Emily Dickinson) (EA)
• “ Because I could not stop for Death ” (Emily Dickinson) (E)

Short Stories

• “ The Fall of the House of Usher ” (Edgar Allan Poe) (EA)
• “ The Legend of Sleepy Hollow ” (Washington Irving) (L 1019)
• “ Rip Van Winkle ” (Washington Irving) (L 930)
• “ Rappaccini’s Daughter ” (Nathaniel Hawthorne) (EA)
• “ The Minister’s Black Veil ” (Nathaniel Hawthorne) (EA) (L 1270)
• “ Young Goodman Brown ” (Nathaniel Hawthorne) (EA)
• “ Billy Budd ” (Herman Melville) (E) (L 1450)
• “The Piazza ” (Herman Melville) (EA)
• The Scarlet Letter  (Nathaniel Hawthorne) (E) (L 1332)
• The Pioneers  (James Fenimore Cooper) (L 1260)
• Moby-Dick  (Herman Melville) (EA) (L 1200)
• Uncle Tom’s Cabin  (Harriet Beecher Stowe) (L 1050)
• “ Self-Reliance ” (Ralph Waldo Emerson) (EA)
• “ Society and Solitude ” (Ralph Waldo Emerson) (E)
• Walden; or, Life in the Woods  (Henry David Thoreau) (E) (L 1340)
• “ Civil Disobedience ” (Henry David Thoreau) (EA) (L 1240)
• “Annexation” United States Magazine and Democratic Review 17, No. 1  (1845) (John O’Sullivan)
• “ Address to William Henry Harrison ” (Shawnee Chief Tecumseh, 1810) (text and audio)

Art, Music, and Media

Art Paintings

• Frederic Church,  Niagara  (1857)
• George Inness,  The Lackannawa Valley  (1855)
• Asher Durand,  Kindred Spirits  (1849)
• Albert Bierstadt,  Looking Down Yosemite Valley  (1865)
• Declaration of Independence

10-4 Literary Texts—A Troubled Young Nation

• “Promises of Freedom ” (search for “Promises of Freedom” in the  Negro Folk Rhymes  ebook)
• “Plantation Proverbs ” ( Uncle Remus )
• “ All God’s Children Had Wings ”
• “The Signifying Monkey”
• “Roman Fever”  (Edith Wharton)
• “ The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County ” (Mark Twain) (EA) (L 982)
• “What Stumped the Bluejays ” (Mark Twain) (EA)
• T he Adventures of Huckleberry Finn  (Mark Twain) (EA) (L 850)
• The Awakening  (Kate Chopin) (L 960)
• Ethan Frome  (Edith Wharton) (L 1160)
• Daisy Miller  (Henry James) (L 850)
• The Call of the Wild  (Jack London) (L 951)
• Sister Carrie  (Theodore Dreiser) (L 945)
• My Ántonia  (Willa Cather) (L 970)

Historical Nonfiction

• Letter to Albert G. Hodges  (Abraham Lincoln) (EA)
• Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass , an American Slave , Written by Himself  (Frederick Douglass) (EA) (selections) (L 1077)
• Up From Slavery: An Autobiography  (Booker T. Washington) (L1320)
• The Narrative of Sojourner Truth  (Sojourner Truth and Olive Gilbert)
• Declaration of Sentiments, Seneca Falls Convention  (1848)
• “The Higher Education of Women” A Voice from the South  (Anna Julia Cooper)
• The Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man  (James Weldon Johnson) (L 1100)
• Twenty Years at Hull House  (Jane Addams) (selections) (L 1650)
• “A House Divided”  (Abraham Lincoln) (EA)
• “The Gettysburg Address”  (Abraham Lincoln) (E) (L 1340)
• “Ain’t I a woman?”  (Sojourner Truth) (May 29, 1851)
• “I will fight no more forever”  (Chief Joseph the Younger of the Nez Perce Nation) (October 5, 1877)

Music Spirituals

• “ Go Down, Moses ” (Traditional)
• “ Swing Low, Sweet Chariot ” (Traditional)
• “I Thank God I’m Free at Last” (Traditional)
• “Lift Every Voice and Sing ” (James Weldon Johnson) (E)

Art Painters

• Thomas Eakins
• Winslow Homer

Film “Unchained Memories” (HBO Documentary, in conjunction with the Library of Congress, 2003) (Readings From the Slave Narratives)

10-5 Literary Texts—Emerging Modernism

• “Tableau”  (Countee Cullen) (EA)
• “Yet Do I Marvel ” (Countee Cullen) (E)
• “Richard Cory ” (E.A. Robinson)
• “ The House on the Hill ” (E.A. Robinson)
• “ The Negro Speaks of Rivers ” (Langston Hughes) (EA)
• “ Mother to Son ” (Langston Hughes) (EA)
• “Harlem”  (Langston Hughes) (EA)
• “The Death of the Hired Man ” (Robert Frost) (EA)
• “ Birches ” (Robert Frost) (EA)
• “ The Road Not Taken ” (Robert Frost) (E)
• “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock ” (T.S. Eliot) (E)
• “ Poetry ” (Marianne Moore)
• The Pisan Cantos  (Ezra Pound) (selections)
• “ Domination of Black ” (Wallace Stevens)
• “ A High-Toned Old Christian Woman ” (Wallace Stevens)
• “ Conscientious Objector ” (Edna St Vincent Millay) (EA)
• “In the Dordogne” (John Peale Bishop)
• “ Grass ” (Carl Sandburg) (EA)
• “The Silent Slain ” (Archibald MacLeish)
• “ A Rose for Emily ” (William Faulkner) (EA) (L 1270)
• “Hills Like White Elephants ” (Ernest Hemingway) (EA) (L 790)
• “ The Snows of Kilimanjaro ” (Ernest Hemingway) (EA) (L 820)
• “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place ” (Ernest Hemingway) (EA) (L 790)
• Their Eyes Were Watching God  (Zora Neale Hurston) (E) (L 1080)
• The Great Gatsby  (F. Scott Fitzgerald) (E) (L 1070)
• As I Lay Dying  (William Faulkner) (E) (L 870)
• A Farewell to Arms  (Ernest Hemingway) (E) (L 730)
• The Pearl  (John Steinbeck) (EA) (L 1010)
• Of Mice and Men  (John Steinbeck) (EA) (L 630)
• Winesburg, Ohio  (Sherwood Anderson) (selections) (L 1050)

Plays The Piano Lesson  (August Wilson)

• Black Elk Speaks  (Black Elk, as told through John G. Neihardt) (selections) (L 910)
• “The Solitude of Self”  (Elizabeth Cady Stanton) (February 20, 1892)
• “Freedom” (White)
• “ The Spirit of Liberty ” speech at “I Am an American Day” (1944) (Learned Hand) (EA)
• “If Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?” (James Baldwin)
• Marsden Hartley,  Mount Katahdin, Maine  (1942)
• Georgia O’Keefe,  Ram’s Head, Blue Morning Glory  (1938)
• Alfred Stieglitz,  From the Back Window, 291  (1915)
• Jacob Lawrence,  War Series: The Letter//  (1946)
• Charles Sheeler,  Criss-Crossed Conveyors, River Rouge Plant, Ford Motor Company  (1927)
• Stuart Davis,  Owh! In San Pao  (1951)
• Charles Demuth,  My Egypt  (1927)
• Arthur Dove,  Goat  (1934)
• Imogen Cunningham,  Calla  (1929)

11-6 Literary Texts—Challenges and Successes of the Twentieth Century

• “Petrified Man ” (Eudora Welty)
• “ A Good Man is Hard to Find ” (Flannery O’Connor)
• “ The Swimmer ” (John Cheever)
• “A Small, Good Thing”  (Raymond Carver)
• “Flying Home” (Ralph Ellison)
• “The Man Who Was Almost a Man”  (Richard Wright)
• “A & P”  (John Updike)
• “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”  (Joyce Carol Oates)
• Death of a Salesman  (Arthur Miller)
• A Streetcar Named Desire  (Tennessee Williams)
• Invisible Man  (Ralph Ellison) (L 950)
• Native Son  (Richard Wright) (L 700)
• Seize the Day  (Saul Bellow)
• The Catcher in the Rye  (J.D. Salinger) (L 790)
• Cat’s Cradle  (Kurt Vonnegut) (L 790)
• The Joy Luck Club  (Amy Tan) (L 930)
• Love Medicine  (Louise Erdrich) (L 780)
• Song of Solomon  (Toni Morrison) (L 870)
• All the Pretty Horses  (L 940) or  The Road  (L 670) (Cormac McCarthy)
• “Sestina”  (Elizabeth Bishop) (E)
• “The Fish”  (Elizabeth Bishop) (EA)
• “One Art”  (Elizabeth Bishop) (EA)
• “America”  (Allen Ginsberg)
• “Love Calls us to the Things of This World”  (Richard Wilbur)
• “Skunk Hour”  (Robert Lowell)
• “Memories of West Street and Lepke”  (Robert Lowell)
• “July in Washington”  (Robert Lowell)
• “The Black Swan”  (James Merrill)
• “The Octopus”  (James Merrill)
• “Days of 1964”  (James Merrill)
• “Address to the Broadcasting Industry”  (Newton Minow)
• Inaugural Address  (John F. Kennedy) (January 20, 1961) (L NC1110)
• “Brandenburg Gate Address” (Ronald Reagan) (June 12, 1987)
• “On Being an American”  (H.L. Mencken)
• “Seeing”  or other essays from  Pilgrim at Tinker Creek  (Annie Dillard) (L 1100)
• “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”  (Martin Luther King, Jr.)

Biography and Autobiography

• Patton: A Biography  (Alan Axelrod) (selections)
• The Autobiography of Malcolm X: as Told to Alex Haley  (Malcolm X) (selections) (L1120)
• The Feminine Mystique  (Betty Friedan)
• “This Land is Your Land”  (Woody Guthrie)
• “Where Have All the Flowers Gone? ” (Pete Seeger)
• “Blowin’ in the Wind”  (Bob Dylan)
• A Streetcar Named Desire  (1951)
• A Streetcar Named Desire  (1955)

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11th Grade Recommended Reading List

Explore this curated collection of vocabulary lists for books that are frequently assigned by educators in Grade 11.

• 25 Words: "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin Learn Assign
• 10 Words: "On Being Brought from Africa to America" by Phillis Wheatley Learn Assign
• 30 Words: The Declaration of Independence Learn Assign
• 50 Words: "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" by Frederick Douglass Learn Assign
• 65 Words: "The Fall of the House of Usher" by Edgar Allan Poe Learn Assign
• 40 Words: "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman Learn Assign
• 36 Words: "A Rose for Emily" by William Faulkner Learn Assign
• 35 Words: Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954) Learn Assign
• 60 Words: The Federalist Papers, No. 10 by James Madison Learn Assign
• 30 Words: "The Declaration of Sentiments" (1848) Learn Assign
• 20 Words: Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address (1865) Learn Assign
• 45 Words: "The Cask Of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe Learn Assign
• 15 Words: "Because I Could Not Stop for Death" by Emily Dickinson Learn Assign
• 35 Words: Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) Learn Assign
• 40 Words: "The Minister's Black Veil" by Nathaniel Hawthorne Learn Assign
• 40 Words: "Take the Tortillas Out of Your Poetry" by Rudolfo Anaya Learn Assign
• 40 Words: "The Pit and the Pendulum" by Edgar Allan Poe Learn Assign
• 50 Words: "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce Learn Assign
• 18 Words: "Chicago" by Carl Sandburg Learn Assign
• 15 Words: "Mending Wall," by Robert Frost Learn Assign
• 40 Words: The Bill of Rights Learn Assign
• 14 Words: Abraham Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" (1863) Learn Assign
• 75 Words: John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address, January 20, 1961 Learn Assign
• 20 Words: "My Last Duchess" by Robert Browning Learn Assign
• 22 Words: "An Address by Elizabeth Cady Stanton" Learn Assign
• 10 Words: "The Red Convertible" by Louise Erdrich Learn Assign

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Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.

Punk-Ass Book Jockey

11th Grade Summer Reading Recommendations – 2021

As a high school librarian, offering reading recommendations for students is one of my favorite parts of my job. These lists are for parents, library workers, and teen readers. In particular, this list is aimed at current and rising eleventh graders.

Educators are welcome to use these lists either as a whole (please credit me and let me know) or as inspiration. I always suggest providing students a list of material to choose from rather than requiring all students to read one thing. That way the students can find something that meets them where they are or allows them to stretch at their own pace. The point of summer reading should be to foster a love of reading, not force every kid into the same small box.

I created these lists through an alchemy involving age of the protagonists, themes, genre, tone, complexity, reader skill/comfortability level, events and topics a student will likely encounter in their studies during the school year, and books they are unlikely to read for school. I also tried to pick materials that published in the last few years or will be published by June 2021. Preference to #ownvoices and marginalized authors.

All links affiliate.

The Art of Starving by Sam J. Miller —Matt hasn’t eaten in days. His stomach stabs and twists inside, pleading for a meal, but Matt won’t give in. The hunger clears his mind, keeps him sharp–and he needs to be as sharp as possible if he’s going to find out just how Tariq and his band of high school bullies drove his sister, Maya, away. Matt’s hardworking mom keeps the kitchen crammed with food, but Matt can resist the siren call of casseroles and cookies because he has discovered something: the less he eats the more he seems to have…powers. The ability to see things he shouldn’t be able to see. The knack of tuning in to thoughts right out of people’s heads. Maybe even the authority to bend time and space. So what is lunch, really, compared to the secrets of the universe? Matt decides to infiltrate Tariq’s life, then use his powers to uncover what happened to Maya. All he needs to do is keep the hunger and longing at bay. No problem. But Matt doesn’t realize there are many kinds of hunger…and he isn’t in control of all of them.

The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X. R. Pan —Leigh Chen Sanders is absolutely certain about one thing: When her mother died by suicide, she turned into a bird. Leigh, who is half Asian and half white, travels to Taiwan to meet her maternal grandparents for the first time. There, she is determined to find her mother, the bird. In her search, she winds up chasing after ghosts, uncovering family secrets, and forging a new relationship with her grandparents. And as she grieves, she must try to reconcile the fact that on the same day she kissed her best friend and longtime secret crush, Axel, her mother was taking her own life. Alternating between real and magic, past and present, friendship and romance, hope and despair, The Astonishing Color of After is a stunning and heartbreaking novel about finding oneself through family history, art, grief, and love. Read my review.

Dealing in Dreams by Lilliam Rivera —Nalah leads the fiercest all-girl crew in Mega City. That role brings with it violent throw downs and access to the hottest boydega clubs, but the sixteen-year-old grows weary of the life. Her dream is to get off the streets and make a home in the exclusive Mega Towers, in which only a chosen few get to live. To make it to the Mega towers, Nalah must prove her loyalty to the city’s benevolent founder and cross the border in a search for a mysterious gang the Ashé Ryders. Led by a reluctant guide, Nalah battles other crews and her own doubts, but the closer she gets to her goal, the more she loses sight of everything—and everyone— she cares about. Nalah must do the unspeakable to get what she wants—a place to call home. But is a home just where you live? Or who you choose to protect? Read my review.

Down and Across by Arvin Ahmadi —Scott Ferdowsi has a track record of quitting…With college applications looming, Scott’s parents pressure him to get serious and settle on a career path like engineering or medicine. Desperate for help, he sneaks off to Washington, DC, to seek guidance from a famous professor who specializes in grit, the psychology of success. He never expects an adventure to unfold out of what was supposed to be a one-day visit. But that’s what Scott gets when he meets Fiora Buchanan, a ballsy college student whose life ambition is to write crossword puzzles. When the bicycle she lends him gets Scott into a high-speed chase, he knows he’s in for the ride of his life. Soon, Scott finds himself sneaking into bars, attempting to pick up girls at the National Zoo, and even giving the crossword thing a try–all while opening his eyes to fundamental truths about who he is and who he wants to be.

The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by F.C. Lee —Genie Lo is one among droves of Ivy-hopeful overachievers in her sleepy Bay Area suburb. When she’s not crushing it at volleyball, Genie is typically working on how to crack the elusive Harvard entry code. But when her hometown comes under siege from hellspawn straight out of Chinese folklore, her priorities are dramatically rearranged. Enter Quentin Sun, a mysterious new kid who becomes Genie’s guide to battling demons. While Genie knows Quentin only as an attractive transfer student, in another reality he is Sun Wukong, the mythological Monkey King incarnate. Suddenly, acing the SATs is the least of Genie’s worries. Read my review.

Even If We Break by Marieke Nijkamp —For five friends, this was supposed to be one last getaway before going their separate ways–a chance to say goodbye to each other, and to the game they’ve been playing for the past three years. But they’re all dealing with their own demons, and they’re all hiding secrets. Finn doesn’t trust anyone since he was attacked a few months ago. Popular girl Liva saw it happen and did nothing to stop it. Maddy was in an accident that destroyed her sports career. Carter is drowning under the weight of his family’s expectations. Ever wants to keep the game going for as long as they can, at all costs. When the lines between game and reality start to blend with deadly consequences, it’s a race against time before it’s game over–forever.

The Fever King by Victoria Lee —In the former United States, sixteen-year-old Noam Álvaro wakes up in a hospital bed, the sole survivor of the viral magic that killed his family and made him a technopath. His ability to control technology attracts the attention of the minister of defense and thrusts him into the magical elite of the nation of Carolinia. The son of undocumented immigrants, Noam has spent his life fighting for the rights of refugees fleeing magical outbreaks–refugees Carolinia routinely deports with vicious efficiency. Sensing a way to make change, Noam accepts the minister’s offer to teach him the science behind his magic, secretly planning to use it against the government. But then he meets the minister’s son–cruel, dangerous, and achingly beautiful–and the way forward becomes less clear. Caught between his purpose and his heart, Noam must decide who he can trust and how far he’s willing to go in pursuit of the greater good.

For a Muse of Fire by Heidi Heilig —Jetta’s family is famed as the most talented troupe of shadow players in the land. With Jetta behind the scrim, their puppets seem to move without string or stick a trade secret, they say. In truth, Jetta can see the souls of the recently departed and bind them to the puppets with her blood. But the old ways are forbidden ever since the colonial army conquered their country, so Jetta must never show never tell. Her skill and fame are her family’s way to earn a spot aboard the royal ship to Aquitan, where shadow plays are the latest rage, and where rumor has it the Mad King has a spring that cures his ills. Because seeing spirits is not the only thing that plagues Jetta. But as rebellion seethes and as Jetta meets a young smuggler, she will face truths and decisions that she never imagined—and safety will never seem so far away. Read my review.

Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson —Award-winning author Tiffany D. Jackson delivers another riveting, ripped-from-the-headlines mystery that exposes horrific secrets hiding behind the limelight and embraces the power of a young woman’s voice. When legendary R&B artist Korey Fields spots Enchanted Jones at an audition, her dreams of being a famous singer take flight. Until Enchanted wakes up with blood on her hands and zero memory of the previous night. Who killed Korey Fields? Before there was a dead body, Enchanted’s dreams had turned into a nightmare. Because behind Korey’s charm and star power was a controlling dark side. Now he’s dead, the police are at the door, and all signs point to Enchanted.

Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith —When Louise Wolfe’s first real boyfriend mocks and disrespects Native people in front of her, she breaks things off and dumps him over email. It’s her senior year, anyway, and she’d rather spend her time with her family and friends and working on the school newspaper. The editors pair her up with Joey Kairouz, the ambitious new photojournalist, and in no time the paper’s staff find themselves with a major story to cover: the school musical director’s inclusive approach to casting The Wizard of Oz has been provoking backlash in their mostly white, middle-class Kansas town. From the newly formed Parents Against Revisionist Theater to anonymous threats, long-held prejudices are being laid bare and hostilities are spreading against teachers, parents, and students — especially the cast members at the center of the controversy, including Lou’s little brother, who’s playing the Tin Man. As tensions mount at school, so does a romance between Lou and Joey — but as she’s learned, “dating while Native” can be difficult. In trying to protect her own heart, will Lou break Joey’s?

I Hope You Get This Message by Farah Naz Rishi —News stations across the country are reporting mysterious messages that Earth has been receiving from a planet–Alma–claiming to be its creator. If they’re being interpreted correctly, in seven days Alma will hit the kill switch on their “colony” Earth. True or not, for teenagers Jesse Hewitt, Cate Collins, and Adeem Khan, the prospect of this ticking time bomb will change their lives forever. Jesse, who has been dealt one bad blow after another, wonders if it even matters what happens to the world. Cate, on the other hand, is desperate to use this time to find the father she never met. And Adeem, who hasn’t spoken to his estranged sister in years, must find out if he has it in him to forgive her for leaving. With only a week to face their truths and right their wrongs, Jesse, Cate, and Adeem’s paths collide as their worlds are pulled apart.

In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan —The Borderlands aren’t like anywhere else. Don’t try to smuggle a phone or any other piece of technology over the wall that marks the Border — unless you enjoy a fireworks display in your backpack. (Ballpoint pens are okay.) There are elves, harpies, and — best of all as far as Elliot is concerned — mermaids…Elliot? Who’s Elliot? Elliot is thirteen years old. He’s smart and just a tiny bit obnoxious. Sometimes more than a tiny bit. When his class goes on a field trip and he can see a wall that no one else can see, he is given the chance to go to school in the Borderlands. It turns out that on the other side of the wall, classes involve a lot more weaponry and fitness training and fewer mermaids than he expected. On the other hand, there’s Serene-Heart-in-the-Chaos-of-Battle, an elven warrior who is more beautiful than anyone Elliot has ever seen, and then there’s her human friend Luke: sunny, blond, and annoyingly likeable. There are lots of interesting books. There’s even the chance Elliot might be able to change the world. Read my review.

Internment by Samira Ahmed —Set in a horrifying near-future United States, seventeen-year-old Layla Amin and her parents are forced into an internment camp for Muslim American citizens. With the help of newly made friends also trapped within the internment camp, her boyfriend on the outside, and an unexpected alliance, Layla begins a journey to fight for freedom, leading a revolution against the internment camp’s Director and his guards. Read my review.

Not So Pure and Simple by Lamar Giles —Del has had a crush on Kiera Westing since kindergarten. And now, during their junior year, she’s finally available. So when Kiera volunteers for an opportunity at their church, Del’s right behind her. Though he quickly realizes he’s inadvertently signed up for a Purity Pledge. His dad thinks his wires are crossed, and his best friend, Qwan, doesn’t believe any girl is worth the long game. But Del’s not about to lose his dream girl, and that’s where fellow pledger Jameer comes in. He can put in the good word. In exchange, Del just has to get answers to the Pledgers’ questions…about sex ed. With other boys circling Kiera like sharks, Del needs to make his move fast. But as he plots and plans, he neglects to ask the most important question: What does Kiera want? He can’t think about that too much, though, because once he gets the girl, it’ll all sort itself out. Right?

Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay —A powerful coming-of-age story about grief, guilt, and the risks a Filipino-American teenager takes to uncover the truth about his cousin’s murder. Jay Reguero plans to spend the last semester of his senior year playing video games before heading to the University of Michigan in the fall. But when he discovers that his Filipino cousin Jun was murdered as part of President Duterte’s war on drugs, and no one in the family wants to talk about what happened, Jay travels to the Philippines to find out the real story. Hoping to uncover more about Jun and the events that led to his death, Jay is forced to reckon with the many sides of his cousin before he can face the whole horrible truth — and the part he played in it.

The Scapegracers by Hannah Abigail Clarke —Skulking near the bottom of West High’s social pyramid, Sideways Pike lurks under the bleachers doing magic tricks for Coke bottles. As a witch, lesbian, and lifelong outsider, she’s had a hard time making friends. But when the three most popular girls pay her $40 to cast a spell at their Halloween party, Sideways gets swept into a new clique. The unholy trinity are dangerous angels, sugar-coated rattlesnakes, and now-unbelievably-Sideways’ best friends. Together, the four bond to form a ferocious and powerful coven. They plan parties, cast curses on dudebros, try to find Sideways a girlfriend, and elude the fundamentalist witch hunters hellbent on stealing their magic. But for Sideways, the hardest part is the whole ‘having friends’ thing. Who knew that balancing human interaction with supernatural peril could be so complicated? Read my review.

A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow —In a society determined to keep her under lock and key, Tavia must hide her siren powers. Meanwhile, Effie is fighting her own family struggles, pitted against literal demons from her past. Together, these best friends must navigate through the perils of high school’s junior year. But everything changes in the aftermath of a siren murder trial that rocks the nation, and Tavia accidentally lets out her magical voice at the worst possible moment. Soon, nothing in Portland, Oregon, seems safe. To save themselves from drowning, it’s only Tavia and Effie’s unbreakable sisterhood that proves to be the strongest magic of all. Read my review.

The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli —Seventeen-year-old Molly Peskin-Suso knows all about unrequited love. No matter how many times her twin sister, Cassie, tells her to woman up, Molly can’t stomach the idea of rejection. So she’s careful. Fat girls always have to be careful. Then a cute new girl enters Cassie’s orbit, and for the first time ever, Molly’s cynical twin is a lovesick mess. Meanwhile, Molly’s totally not dying of loneliness–except for the part where she is. Luckily, Cassie’s new girlfriend comes with a cute hipster-boy sidekick. If Molly can win him over, she’ll get her first kiss and she’ll get her twin back. There’s only one problem: Molly’s coworker, Reid. He’s a chubby Tolkien superfan with a season pass to the Ren Faire, and there’s absolutely no way Molly could fall for him.

War Girls by Tochi Onyebuchi —The year is 2172. Climate change and nuclear disasters have rendered much of earth unlivable. Only the lucky ones have escaped to space colonies in the sky. In a war-torn Nigeria, battles are fought using flying, deadly mechs and soldiers are outfitted with bionic limbs and artificial organs meant to protect them from the harsh, radiation-heavy climate. Across the nation, as the years-long civil war wages on, survival becomes the only way of life. Two sisters, Onyii and Ify, dream of more. Their lives have been marked by violence and political unrest. Still, they dream of peace, of hope, of a future together. And they’re willing to fight an entire war to get there.

You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson —Liz Lighty has always believed she’s too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed midwestern town. But it’s okay — Liz has a plan that will get her out of Campbell, Indiana, forever: attend the uber-elite Pennington College, play in their world-famous orchestra, and become a doctor.But when the financial aid she was counting on unexpectedly falls through, Liz’s plans come crashing down…until she’s reminded of her school’s scholarship for prom king and queen. There’s nothing Liz wants to do less than endure a gauntlet of social media trolls, catty competitors, and humiliating public events, but despite her devastating fear of the spotlight she’s willing to do whatever it takes to get to Pennington.The only thing that makes it halfway bearable is the new girl in school, Mack. She’s smart, funny, and just as much of an outsider as Liz. But Mack is also in the running for queen. Will falling for the competition keep Liz from her dreams…or make them come true? Read my review.

The Deep by Rivers Solomon —Yetu holds the memories for her people–water-dwelling descendants of pregnant African slave women thrown overboard by slave owners–who live idyllic lives in the deep. Their past, too traumatic to be remembered regularly, is forgotten by everyone, save one–the historian. This demanding role has been bestowed on Yetu. Yetu remembers for everyone, and the memories, painful and wonderful, traumatic and terrible and miraculous, are destroying her. And so, she flees to the surface escaping the memories, the expectations, and the responsibilities–and discovers a world her people left behind long ago. Yetu will learn more than she ever expected about her own past–and about the future of her people. If they are all to survive, they’ll need to reclaim the memories, reclaim their identity–and own who they really are. Read my review.

Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark —In 1915, The Birth of a Nation cast a spell across America, swelling the Klan’s ranks and drinking deep from the darkest thoughts of white folk. All across the nation they ride, spreading fear and violence among the vulnerable. They plan to bring Hell to Earth. But even Ku Kluxes can die. Standing in their way is Maryse Boudreaux and her fellow resistance fighters, a foul-mouthed sharpshooter and a Harlem Hellfighter. Armed with blade, bullet, and bomb, they hunt their hunters and send the Klan’s demons straight to Hell. But something awful’s brewing in Macon, and the war on Hell is about to heat up. Can Maryse stop the Klan before it ends the world? Read my review.

River of Teeth by Sarah Gailey —In the early 20th Century, the United States government concocted a plan to import hippopotamuses into the marshlands of Louisiana to be bred and slaughtered as an alternative meat source. This is true. Other true things about hippos: they are savage, they are fast, and their jaws can snap a man in two. This was a terrible plan. Contained within this volume is an 1890s America that might have been: a bayou overrun by feral hippos and mercenary hippo wranglers from around the globe. It is the story of Winslow Houndstooth and his crew. It is the story of their fortunes. It is the story of his revenge. Read my review.

The Tea Master and the Detective by Aliette de Bodard —Welcome to the Scattered Pearls Belt, a collection of ring habitats and orbitals ruled by exiled human scholars and powerful families, and held together by living mindships who carry people and freight between the stars. In this fluid society, human and mindship avatars mingle in corridors and in function rooms, and physical and virtual realities overlap, the appearance of environments easily modified and adapted to interlocutors or current mood. A transport ship discharged from military service after a traumatic injury, The Shadow’s Child now ekes out a precarious living as a brewer of mind-altering drugs for the comfort of space-travellers. Meanwhile, abrasive and eccentric scholar Long Chau wants to find a corpse for a scientific study. When Long Chau walks into her office, The Shadow’s Child expects an unpleasant but easy assignment. When the corpse turns out to have been murdered, Long Chau feels compelled to investigate, dragging The Shadow’s Child with her. As they dig deep into the victim’s past, The Shadow’s Child realises that the investigation points to Long Chau’s own murky past–and, ultimately, to the dark and unbearable void that lies between the stars…

Short Story Anthologies

It’s a Whole Spiel: Love, Latkes, and Other Jewish Stories edited by Katherine Locke, Laura Silverman —A Jewish boy falls in love with a fellow counselor at summer camp. A group of Jewish friends take the trip of a lifetime. A girl meets her new boyfriend’s family over Shabbat dinner. Two best friends put their friendship to the test over the course of a Friday night. A Jewish girl feels pressure to date the only Jewish boy in her grade. Hilarious pranks and disaster ensue at a crush’s Hanukkah party. From stories of confronting their relationships with Judaism to rom-coms with a side of bagels and lox, It’s a Whole Spiel features one story after another that says yes, we are Jewish, but we are also queer, and disabled, and creative, and political, and adventurous, and anything we want to be. You will fall in love with this insightful, funny, and romantic Jewish anthology from a collection of diverse Jewish authors.

Slasher Girls & Monster Boys stories selected by April Genevieve Tucholke —A host of the sharpest young adult authors come together in this collection of terrifying tales and psychological thrillers. Each author draws from a mix of literature, film, television, and music to create something new and fresh and unsettling. Clever readers will love teasing out the references and can satisfy their curiosity at the end of each tale, where the inspiration is revealed. There are no superficial scares here; these are stories that will make you think even as they keep you on the edge of your seat. From blood horror, to the supernatural, to unsettling, all-too-possible realism, this collection has something for anyone looking for an absolute thrill. Authors: Stefan Bachmann, Leigh Bardugo, Kendare Blake, A. G. Howard, Jay Kristoff, Marie Lu, Jonathan Maberry, Danielle Paige, Carrie Ryan, Megan Shepherd, Nova Ren Suma, McCormick Templeman, April Genevieve Tucholke, Cat Winters. 

A Thousand Beginnings and Endings edited by Ellen Oh, Elsie Chapman —A mountain loses her heart. Two sisters transform into birds to escape captivity. A young man learns the true meaning of sacrifice. A young woman takes up her mother’s mantle and leads the dead to their final resting place. Bestselling and award-winning authors explore the timeless themes of East and South Asian lore in sixteen original stories that will appeal to every reader. From fantasy to science fiction to contemporary, from romance to tales of revenge, these stories will beguile readers from start to finish. Featuring: Renée Ahdieh, Elsie Chapman, Sona Charaipotra, Preeti Chhibber, Roshani Chokshi, Aliette de Bodard, Melissa de la Cruz, Julie Kagawa, Rahul Kanakia, Lori M. Lee, E. C. Myers, Cindy Pon, Aisha Saeed, Shveta Thakrar, Alyssa Wong, and a new original story by Ellen Oh.

Comic Books & Graphic Novels

Bloom by Kevin Paetta and Savanna Ganucheau —Now that high school is over, Ari is dying to move to the big city with his ultra-hip band–if he can just persuade his dad to let him quit his job at their struggling family bakery. Though he loved working there as a kid, Ari cannot fathom a life wasting away over rising dough and hot ovens. But while interviewing candidates for his replacement, Ari meets Hector, an easygoing guy who loves baking as much as Ari wants to escape it. As they become closer over batches of bread, love is ready to bloom…that is, if Ari doesn’t ruin everything.

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connell —Laura Dean, the most popular girl in high school, was Frederica Riley’s dream girl: charming, confident, and SO cute. There’s just one problem: Laura Dean is maybe not the greatest girlfriend. Reeling from her latest break up, Freddy’s best friend, Doodle, introduces her to the Seek-Her, a mysterious medium, who leaves Freddy some cryptic parting words: break up with her. But Laura Dean keeps coming back, and as their relationship spirals further out of her control, Freddy has to wonder if it’s really Laura Dean that’s the problem. Maybe it’s Freddy, who is rapidly losing her friends, including Doodle, who needs her now more than ever. Fortunately for Freddy, there are new friends, and the insight of advice columnists like Anna Vice to help her through being a teenager in love.

March: Book One by John Lewis, Andrew Audin, Nate Powell —March is a vivid first-hand account of John Lewis’ lifelong struggle for civil and human rights, meditating in the modern age on the distance traveled since the days of Jim Crow and segregation. Rooted in Lewis’ personal story, it also reflects on the highs and lows of the broader civil rights movement. Book One spans John Lewis’ youth in rural Alabama, his life-changing meeting with Martin Luther King, Jr., the birth of the Nashville Student Movement, and their battle to tear down segregation through nonviolent lunch counter sit-ins, building to a stunning climax on the steps of City Hall. Many years ago, John Lewis and other student activists drew inspiration from the 1958 comic book Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story. Now, his own comics bring those days to life for a new audience, testifying to a movement whose echoes will be heard for generations.

On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden —Two timelines. Second chances. One love. A ragtag crew travels to the deepest reaches of space, rebuilding beautiful, broken structures to piece the past together. Two girls meet in boarding school and fall deeply in love–only to learn the pain of loss.

Everything You Wanted to Know about Indians But Were Afraid to Ask: Young Readers Edition by Anton Treuer —From the acclaimed Ojibwe author and professor Anton Treuer comes an essential book of questions and answers for Native and non-Native young readers alike. Ranging from Why is there such a fuss about nonnative people wearing Indian costumes for Halloween? to Why is it called a ‘traditional Indian fry bread taco’? to What’s it like for natives who don’t look native? to Why are Indians so often imagined rather than understood?, and beyond, Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask (Young Readers Edition) does exactly what its title says for young readers, in a style consistently thoughtful, personal, and engaging.

The (Other) F Word: A Celebration of the Fat & Fierce edited by Angie Manfredi —Chubby. Curvy. Fluffy. Plus-size. Thick. Fat. The time has come for fat people to tell their own stories. The (Other) F Word combines the voices of Renée Watson, Julie Murphy, Jes Baker, Samantha Irby, Bruce Sturgell, and more in a relatable and gift-worthy guide about body image and fat acceptance. This dazzling collection of art, poetry, essays, and fashion tips is meant for people of all sizes who desire to be seen and heard in a culture consumed by a narrow definition of beauty. By combining the talents of renowned fat YA and middle-grade authors, as well as fat influencers and creators, The (Other) F Word offers teen readers and activists of all ages a tool for navigating our world with confidence and courage. Read my review.

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11 Books to Read Before College for Juniors

We’ve assembled this collection of 11 books to read before college to help you improve your vocabulary and reading comprehension skills while simultaneously helping you prepare for the SAT . 

Only have 20 minutes of free time per day in your packed junior year schedule? That’s perfect! According to a study conducted by Nagy and Herman in 1987, that’s enough time to learn 1,800,000 words per year. According to the same study, students who read just 20 minutes a day gain the reading and comprehension skills necessary to score in the 90th percentile on standardized tests.  Reading is one of the most valuable ways to spend your free time. If you feel like you don’t have enough time to read, you may need to manage your time more effectively. Instead of only surfing social networks, invest some time into yourself by picking up one of these engaging 11th grade reading level books. 

Classic Literature 

The ACT Reading Test includes a handful of long reading passages, while each question on the digital SAT ELA Test is its own mini-passage. Regardless of which college admissions test you’re taking, you should be have strong ELA skills, and reading the classics is a great way to hone your reading abilities.

Piqosity has chosen a series of classic books to read before college so engaging that you won’t even realize you are building vocabulary, improving your reading comprehension, and preparing for the SAT. 

1. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

“I have an excessive regard for Miss Jane Bennet, she is really a very sweet girl, and I wish with all my heart she were well settled. But with such a father and mother, and such low connections, I am afraid there is no chance of it.” (Austen, Chapter 8)

Elizabeth Bennet, however, rejects these societal norms and refuses to marry for money. Stubborn at first, Elizabeth starts to overcome her prejudice and Mr. Darcy swallows his pride, and they fall in love.

Everyone should read Pride and Prejudice at least once in their lifetime, but you shouldn’t save this one for later. Reading Pride and Prejudice in 11th grade will help you build and strengthen your vocabulary, and you’ll slay on the literary passage on the SAT. (Plus, you can watch—or rewatch—the acclaimed 2005 movie with a deeper understanding of the story Austen developed!)

2. A Tale of Two Cities , Charles Dickens

These opening lines are from one of the most widely read novels in history: A Tale of Two Cities,  a historical novel set in London and Paris before and during the French revolution. English novelist Charles Dickens takes readers on a journey back in time to a turbulent period of great social and political unrest. Even though the novel takes place forever ago, its timeless themes remain relevant and interesting to today’s generation.

Dickens uses satire and a little bit of humor to shed light on serious issues like class conflict and social injustice. A Tale of Two Cities is a worthy addition to this list of books to read before college due to its ongoing resonance with readers of all generations. The novel is full of challenging vocabulary, so make sure to keep a dictionary close by. 

3. Don Quixote , Miguel de Cervantes

“Look there, Sancho Panza, my friend, and see those thirty or so wild giants, with whom I intend to do battle and kill each and all of them, so with their stolen booty we can begin to enrich ourselves.” (Cervantes, Chapter 8) Though delusional, Don Quixote inspires readers to imagine the impossible and act on their dreams. As demonstrated by the quote above, his vivid imagination turns the windmills into giants so he can achieve his dream of conquering evil. In addition to taking readers on chivalric adventures, Don Quixote offers a plethora of medieval vocabulary and a glimpse into the historical past of España.

¿Hablas español? Try reading the original Don Quijote de la Mancha en español!

Poetry and Plays 

Coming up on our list of books to read before college aren’t actually books, but rather poetry and plays. Reading poetry is a great way to build reading skills and boost your vocabulary. If you are planning on taking the SAT or ACT, we recommend jotting down words in a vocabulary journal as you read. 

4. Macbeth , Shakespeare

Enhance your vocabulary and improve your understanding of the English language with Macbeth , one of Shakespeare’s most popular and easy to read plays. Yet another story that exposes the innate evil that lies in every man, Macbeth is a classic tragedy that centers around a tragic hero with a fatal flaw that ultimately leads to his downfall. 

“Yet do I fear thy nature

It is too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness

To catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great,

Art not without ambition, but without

The illness should attend it.”

(Shakespeare, Act 1 Scene 5)

Macbeth is a must-read for any college-bound 11th grader, but reading Shakespeare can be a little daunting. Before you start, consider watching the play first, or reference an online Shakespearean glossary to familiarize yourself with common terminology. 

5. Odyssey, Homer 

The Odyssey is a classic poem that every student should read before college. Being that it is an epic, it is a long, often book-length, narrative in verse form that retells the heroic journey of a single person or a group of persons (3). The Odyssey follows the journey of the legendary king of Ithaca back home after the Trojan War. 

“As the sail bellied out with the wind, the ship flew through the deep blue water, and the foam hissed against her bows as she sped onward.” (Homer, Book II)

During his 10-year-long journey on his boat , Odysseus bravely battles both natural forces and mythological creatures. A classic adventure story, readers will be entertained by the challenges Odysseus faces and will be inspired by his will to overcome adversity. This read is riveting for all ages, even 11th graders, and it’s a feature in our ELA 9 course !

Contemporary Classics

The remaining novels on our list of books to read before college are contemporary classics. 

These are modern stories that will expand your knowledge, broaden your perspective, and, hopefully, help guide you toward a successful future. These novels are so readable that even the most reluctant readers won’t be able to put them down. 

6. The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzerald 

Overwhelmed by the wealth of the man she left behind, Daisy realizes she’s made a mistake. Will Daisy stay with her husband Tom? Or will she leave him for Gatsby, now that he is rich? Read the book to find out! Full of symbolism and sophisticated vocabulary, this novel (featured in our 11th grade English course ) is perfect for any junior who wants to prepare for the SAT or boost their reading comprehension skills.  

7. Fahrenheit 451 , Ray Bradbury

Fahrenheit 451 presents a great opportunity to gain exposure to the different kinds of figurative language used in literature, which will ultimately make you more prepared for the reading section of the SAT. As the shortest book on the list so far, we’re sure you will burn through this one. 

“There must be something in books, things we can’t imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there. You don’t stay for nothing.” (Bradbury, page 24)

8 . The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger 

“I am always saying “Glad to’ve met you” to somebody I’m not at all glad I met. If you want to stay alive, you have to say that stuff, though.” (Salinger, Chapter 12)

Holden Caufield has an opinion on just about everything and everyone, especially people he considers to be phony. Due to his painful past, Holden holds himself personally obligated to protect children from growing up, preserve their innocence, and most importantly, prevent them from becoming phony. Interestingly, the word phony appears in The Catcher in the Rye 48 times (4). Phony isn’t the only vocabulary word you’ll learn by reading this classic novel. Its complex and unique vocabulary and essential literary devices make Catcher and the Rye worthy of a spot in this collection of books to read before college .

9. Memoirs of a Geisha , Arthur Golden

“My name back then was Chiyo. I wouldn’t be known by my geisha name, Sayuri, until years later.” (Golden, Chapter 1) 

The novel presents a unique take on your typical coming-of-age story. Her major life events happen within the context of becoming a geisha, a destiny she did not choose for herself. Her new geisha name represents a complete change of identity, both in appearance and mind.

If you want an even more realistic look at this topic, read  Geisha, A Life —a firsthand account of the life of Mineko Iwasaki, one of the geishas Golden interviewed when researching for Memoirs of a Geisha .

10. Love in the Time of Cholera , Gabriel García Márquez

“The only regret I will have in dying is if it is not for love.” (Márquez, Chapter 4)

Márquez is a master storyteller who will transport you to his home country with his vivid descriptions. The complex plot and dense prose make it challenging, but it is well worth the read. 

11. Lord of the Flies , William Goldin

“Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through the air of a true, wise friend called Piggy.” (Golding, Chapter 12)

Golding’s use of descriptive language brings the story to life, making you feel like you are stranded on the island too. You’ll be so involved in the story that you won’t even realize you are boosting your vocabulary. 

Improve Reading Comprehension with Piqosity

We hope this list of books to read before college has motivated you to find a fictional world to immerse yourself in! The books featured on this list were chosen not only to help you improve your vocabulary and comprehension skills, but also to open your mind and broaden your horizons. 

If you’re struggling with these books or looking for ways to improve your English skills, Piqosity’s here to help! Along with our SAT and ACT test prep courses, we also offer full online English courses —each includes dozens of concept lessons, personalized practice software, and over 100 reading comprehension passages.

• 5th Grade English Course  
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The best part? You can try out all of Piqosity’s features with our free community account, which feature a free mini diagnostic exam to evaluate your current ELA skills. When you’re ready to upgrade, Piqosity’s year-long accounts start at only $89.

More Educational Resources by Piqosity: 

• 6 Speeches to Teach Rhetorical Devices
• Sci-Fi and Nonfiction Books to Inspire STEM Students to Read
• ACT Costs, SAT Costs, & Fee Waivers
• The Differences Between the ACT and SAT
• How Long Should You Study for the ACT Test?
• The New Digital SAT Format—Easy vs. Hard Modules

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11th Grade Reading List: Best Books for Homeschoolers

Are you a homeschool family in need of some great reading material for 11th-grade studies? You’ll be delighted to discover this comprehensive list of the best educational books for 11th graders. Enjoy a mix of classic and modern titles. You can find something that’s both informative and entertaining in the 11th-grade reading list. Don’t miss your free download below.

So, let’s get started on your 11th-grade reading journey.

Table of Contents

11th-grade reading list: best books

For 11th graders, discovering new and interesting books can be especially difficult. This is why providing homeschooling parents with a comprehensive 11th-grade reading list is so important. High school students need to read challenging works that offer a wide range of perspectives, allowing them to further develop their critical reading skills.

Finding the best books for 11th graders can be tricky, as many of these works should cover themes related to the United States and international history and culture. Popular selections for 11th-grade reading lists include:

• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott FitzGerald,
• A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry,
• Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe,
• Brave New World by Aldous Huxley,
• 1984 by George Orwell,
• Beloved by Toni Morrison,
• The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger,
• The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, and
• Animal Farm by George Orwell.

These novels don’t just provide invaluable insight into world events; they also offer engaging narratives that entice readers to think more deeply about life’s issues — oftentimes through independent reading or lively discussions.

Parents should carefully research any book before assigning it as part of their student’s curriculum as some novels may contain offensive language or topics not suitable for an 11th-grade student’s audience level. Use Common Sense Media to check reviews as part of your curriculum planning process. However, there are plenty of robust novels available that serve as great literary supplements to any high school curriculum.

summer reading lists

Summer reading lists can provide homeschoolers with an excellent opportunity to explore their academic interests and gain a better understanding of the world around them. By compiling the best books for 11th grade, homeschoolers can ensure they have the right material to enhance their learning experience and level up their reading skills.

For starters, comic books are a great source of storytelling and the perfect way to spark the imagination. They’re also easy to read, making them a great stepping stone for struggling readers who may not be ready for more complex materials. Additionally, there’s an abundance of critically acclaimed titles available that will help sharpen your student’s reading level.

11th grade Reading List: Classics

Classics are usually an essential component of any literature list, so don’t forget to include works by renowned authors such as:

• F Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby or
• Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird .

These timeless stories introduce readers to various aspects of life in America during different eras in history.

Pulitzer Prize-winning books for 11th grade

Finally, no summer reading list should be complete without some Pulitzer Prize-winning books for 11th grade such as:

• William Faulkner’s ‘ As I Lay Dying ‘ and
• John Steinbeck’s ‘ The Grapes Of Wrath ‘

These are two American classics that offer poignant yet powerful messages about struggle and resilience in the human spirit through difficult times. Having these works associated with your homeschool lesson plans is sure to help drive effective learning opportunities for your homeschooled student. Everyone should consider incorporating these titles into their literature study for 11th graders which includes well-guided discussion to ensure quality learning aligned with your family’s values.

The classic novel

When it comes to the 11th-grade reading list, there are certain classic books that should be included. A great book for young people embarking on their senior year of high school is ‘ The Scarlet Letter ‘ by Nathaniel Hawthorne. This novel follows the story of a young woman, Hester Prynne, who is accused of adultery in colonial America. This tale of Puritan values, justice, and society during this time period is timeless and will have readers caught up in its depiction of the struggle between public opinion and individual beliefs. It’s a powerful story that brings to life the inner conflicts faced by someone whose ambitions are hindered by overwhelming societal constraints.

Although ‘The Scarlet Letter’ focuses heavily on morality, other classic novels can still help immerse young people in profound stories that bring to life the American Dream.

Jane Austen’s ‘ Pride and Prejudice ‘ depicts an upper-class English family striving for financial stability amidst high society’s shallow lifestyle. This whimsical yet thought-provoking novel provides homeschoolers with insights into money troubles during the 19th century. It also includes lessons about social class and preferences based on looks versus real worth.

11th grade Reading for Imaginative Readers

Finally, imaginative readers can find solace in ‘ Robinson Crusoe ‘ by Daniel Defoe. Subtitled “The Life and Strange Surprising Adventures”, this novel takes place on a deserted island with its central protagonist thrown into situations filled with danger while trying his best to make it back home alive.

Themes such as confronting one’s fears, learning new skills, and discovering hidden talents often resonate deeply with homeschoolers since such stories boost their sense of inner strength through understanding character traits more clearly.

Here is a list of 11th-grade reading books with literature study curriculum links . You will find these interesting and relevant to your student’s studies. They’re all included in the downloadable reading list .

• The Great Gatsby   by F. Scott Fitzgerald: This classic American novel tells the story of Jay Gatsby, a wealthy man who is obsessed with the past and with recapturing a lost love.
• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn  by Mark Twain: This humorous and adventure-filled novel tells the story of Huck Finn, a young boy who runs away from home and travels down the Mississippi River with an escaped slave named Jim.
• The Scarlet Letter  by Nathaniel Hawthorne: This historical novel tells the story of Hester Prynne, a woman who is forced to wear the scarlet letter “A” on her chest after she gives birth to an illegitimate child.
• The Crucible  by Arthur Miller: This play is based on the Salem witch trials of 1692. It tells the story of a group of young girls who accuse their neighbors of witchcraft.
• Beloved  by Toni Morrison: This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel tells the story of a former slave who is haunted by the ghost of her dead daughter.

These are just a few examples of the many great books that you could read in 11th grade.

Grab Your 11th grade Reading List

Parents, please use Common Sense Media to check reviews as part of your curriculum planning process.

FAQs about literature study guides

Yes. There are several online resources that offer study guides and lesson plans for the books on the 11th-grade reading list. We recommend Literary Adventures for Kids , Compass Classroom , and Progeny Press , for self-paced resources. For online classes, we recommend Arise Home Education .

Frequently Asked Questions

Some of the best books for 11th-grade homeschoolers on the reading list include To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1984 by George Orwell, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Yes, you can add additional books to the 11th-grade reading list for your homeschooler. It is important to ensure that the books you choose are appropriate for their grade level. Also ensure they align with educational goals.

It is recommended that your homeschooler reads all of the books on the 11th-grade reading list. But, it is not mandatory. It is important to prioritize the books that align with their educational goals and interests.

Encourage your homeschooler to read the books on the 11th-grade reading list by making it a part of their daily routine. You can also engage in discussions and activities related to the books to make them more interesting and interactive.

Yes, you can find audiobooks and e-books for most of the books on the 11th-grade reading list. Some popular sources for audiobooks and e-books include Audible , Amazon , Project Gutenberg , and Librevox .

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42 Creative Book Report Ideas for Students

Inspire your students to share their love of books.

Responding to what you read is an important literacy skill. Reading about other people’s experiences and perspectives helps kids learn about the world. And although students don’t need to dive deeply into every single book they read, occasionally digging into characters, settings, and themes can help them learn to look beyond the prose. Here are 42 creative book report ideas designed to make reading more meaningful for kids.

1. Concrete Found Poem

This clever activity is basically a shape poem made up of words, phrases, and whole sentences found in the books students read. The words come together to create an image that represents something from the story.

2. Graphic Novel

Have students rewrite the book they are reading, or a chapter of their book, as a graphic novel. Set parameters for the assignment such as including six scenes from the story, three characters, details about the setting, etc. And, of course, include detailed illustrations to accompany the story.

3. Book Snaps

Book Snaps are a way for students to visually show how they are reacting to, processing, and/or connecting with a text. First, students snap a picture of a page in the book they are reading. Then, they add comments, images, highlights, and more.

4. Diary Entry

Have your students place themselves in the shoes of one of the characters from their book and write a first-person diary entry of a critical moment from the story. Ask them to choose a moment in the story where the character has plenty of interaction and emotion to share in a diary entry.

5. Pizza Box Book Report

If you’re looking for creative book report ideas that use upcycled materials, try this one using a pizza box. It works well for both nonfiction and fiction book reports. The top lid provides a picture of the book cover. Each wedge of the pizza pie tells part of the story.

6. Book Jacket

Have students create a new book jacket for their story. Include an attractive illustrated cover, a summary, a short biography of the author, and a few reviews from readers.

7. Mint Tin Book Report

There are so many super-creative, open-ended projects you can use mint tins for. Teacher blogger Teacher Thrive describes the process of creating book reports using them. There’s even a free template for cards that fit inside.

8. Fictional Yearbook Entries

Ask your students to create a yearbook based on the characters and setting in the book. What do they look like? Cut out magazine pictures to give a good visual image for their school picture. What kind of superlative might they get? Best-looking? Class clown? What clubs would they be in or lead? Did they win any awards? It should be obvious from their small yearbooks whether your students dug deep into the characters in their books. They may also learn that who we are as individuals is reflected in what we choose to do with our lives.

9. Book Report Cake

This project would be perfect for a book tasting in your classroom! Each student presents their book report in the shape of food. Learn more about book tastings .

10. Current Events Comparison

Have students locate three to five current events articles a character in their book might be interested in. After they’ve found the articles, have them explain why the character would find them interesting and how they relate to the book. Learning about how current events affect time, place, and people is critical to helping develop opinions about what we read and experience in life.

11. Sandwich Book Report

Yum! You’ll notice a lot of our creative book report ideas revolve around food. In this oldie but goodie, each layer of this book report sandwich covers a different element of the book—characters, setting, conflict, etc.

12. Book Alphabet

Choose 15 to 20 alphabet books to help give your students examples of how they work around themes. Then ask your students to create their own Book Alphabet based on the book they read. What artifacts, vocabulary words, and names reflect the important parts of the book? After they find a word to represent each letter, have them write one sentence that explains where the word fits in.

13. Peekaboo Book Report

Using cardboard lap books (or small science report boards), students include details about their book’s main characters, plot, setting, conflict, resolution, etc. Then they draw a head and arms on card stock and attach them to the board from behind to make it look like the main character is peeking over this book report.

14. Act the Part

Have students dress up as their favorite character from the book and present an oral book report. If their favorite character is not the main character, retell the story from their point of view.

15. T-shirt Book Report

Another fun and creative idea: Create a wearable book report with a plain white tee. Come up with your own using Sharpie pens and acrylic paint.

16. Bookmark

Have students create a custom illustrated bookmark that includes drawings and words from either their favorite chapter or the entire book.

17. Rays of Sunshine Book Report

This is great for biography research projects. Students cut out a photocopied image of their subject and glue it in the middle. Then, they draw lines from the image to the edges of the paper, like rays of sunshine, and fill in each section with information about the person. As a book report template, the center image could be a copy of the book cover, and each section expands on key information such as character names, theme(s), conflict, resolution, etc.

18. Reading Lists for Characters

Ask your students to think about a character in their book. What kinds of books might that character like to read? Take them to the library to choose five books the character might have on their to-be-read list. Have them list the books and explain what each book might mean to the character. Post the to-be-read lists for others to see and choose from—there’s nothing like trying out a book character’s style when developing your own identity.

19. Character To-Do List

This fun activity is an off-the-beaten-path way to dive deep into character analysis. Get inside the head of the main character in a book and write a to-do list that they might write. Use actual information from the text, but also make inferences into what that character may wish to accomplish.

20. Collage

Create a collage using pictures and words that represent different parts of the book. Use old magazines or print pictures from the Internet.

21. Book Reports in a Bag

Looking for book report ideas that really encourage creative thinking? With book reports in a bag, students read a book and write a summary. Then, they decorate a paper grocery bag with a scene from the book, place five items that represent something from the book inside the bag, and present the bag to the class.

22. Timeline

Have students create a timeline of the main events from their book. Be sure to include character names and details for each event. Use 8″ x 11″ sheets of paper taped together or a long portion of bulletin board paper.

23. File Folder Book Report

Also called a lap book, this easy-to-make book report hits on all the major elements of a book study and gives students a chance to show what they know in a colorful way.

24. Public Service Announcement

If a student has read a book about a cause that affects people, animals, or the environment, teach them about public service announcements . Once they understand what a PSA is, have them research the issue or cause that stood out in the book. Then provide a template for a storyboard so they can create their own PSA. Some students might want to take it a step further and create a video based on their storyboard. Consider sharing their storyboard or video with an organization that supports the cause or issue.

25. Triorama Book Report

Who doesn’t love a multidimensional book report? This image shows a 3D model, but you can also try an accordion-folded book report, a quadrama, or an info-sphere.

26. Character Cards

Make trading cards (like baseball cards) for a few characters from the book. On the front side, draw the character. On the back side, make a list of their character traits and include a quote or two.

27. Book Report Mobile

This creative project doesn’t require a fancy or expensive supply list. Students just need an ordinary clothes hanger, strings, and paper. The body of the hanger is used to identify the book, and the cards on the strings dangling below are filled with key elements of the book, like characters, setting, and a summary.

28. Fact Sheet

Have students create a list of 10 facts that they learned from reading the book. Have them write the facts in complete sentences, and be sure that each fact is something that they didn’t know before they read the book.

29. Dodecahedron Book Report

Creative book report ideas think outside the box. In this case, it’s a ball! SO much information can be covered on the 12 panels, and it allows students to take a deep dive in a creative way.

30. Be a Character Therapist

Therapists work to uncover their clients’ fears based on their words and actions. When we read books, we must learn to use a character’s actions and dialogue to infer their fears. Many plots revolve around a character’s fear and the work it takes to overcome that fear. Ask students to identify a character’s fear and find 8 to 10 scenes that prove this fear exists. Then have them write about ways the character overcame the fear (or didn’t) in the story. What might the character have done differently?

31. Charm Bracelet Book Report

What a “charming” way to write a book report! Each illustrated bracelet charm captures a character, an event in the plot, setting, or other detail.

32. Mind Maps

Mind maps can be a great way to synthesize what students have learned from reading a book. Plus, there are so many ways to approach them. Begin by writing a central idea in the middle of the page. For example, general information, characters, plot, etc. Then branch out from the center with ideas, thoughts, and connections to material from the book.

33. Book Report Booklets

This clever book report is made from ordinary paper bags. Stack the paper bags on top of each other, fold them in half, and staple the closed-off ends of the bags together. Students can write, draw, and decorate on the paper bag pages. They can also record information on writing or drawing paper and glue the paper onto the pages. The open ends of the bags can be used as pockets to insert photos, cut-outs, postcards, or other flat items that help them tell their story.

34. Letter to the Author

Have kids write a letter to the author of the book. Tell them three things you really liked about the story. Ask three questions about the plot, characters, or anything else you’re curious about.

35. Cardboard Box TV

This cardboard box TV book report project is a low-tech version of a television made from a cereal box and two paper towel rolls. Students create the viewing screen cut out at the top, then insert a scroll of paper with writing and illustrations inside the box. When the cardboard roll is rotated, the story unfolds.

36. Board games

This is a great project if you want your students to develop a little more insight into what they’re reading. Have them think about the elements of their favorite board games and how they can be adapted to fit this assignment.

37. Foldables

From Rainbows Within Reach, this clever idea would be a great introduction to writing book reports. Adapt the flap categories for students at different levels. Adjust the number of categories (or flaps) per the needs of your students.

38. Timeline

Create a timeline using a long roll of butcher paper, a poster board, or index cards taped together. For each event on the timeline, write a brief description of what happens. Add pictures, clip art, word art, and symbols to make the timeline more lively and colorful.

39. Comic Strips

If you’re looking for creative book report ideas for students who like graphic novels, try comic strip book reports. Include an illustrated cover with the title and author. The pages of the book should retell the story using dialogue and descriptions of the setting and characters. Of course, no comic book would be complete without copious illustrations and thought bubbles.

40. Movie Version

If the book your students have read has been made into a movie, have them write a report about how the versions are alike and different. If the book has not been made into a movie, have them write a report telling how they would make it into a movie, using specific details from the book.

41. Wanted Poster

Make a Wanted poster for one of the book’s main characters. Indicate whether they are wanted dead or alive. Include a picture of the character and a description of what the character is “wanted” for, three examples of the character showing this trait, and a detailed account of where the character was last seen.

42. Wheaties Box Book Report

Recycle a cereal box and create a book report to look like an old-fashioned Wheaties box that features sports heroes. Include a main image on the front side of the box. Decorate the sides of the box with information about the book’s characters, setting, plot, summary, etc.

Come share your own creative book report ideas in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, dont’ miss 100 famous children’s books every kid should read (plus free printable), you might also like.

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Your current subscription allows you to be actively logged in on up to three (3) devices simultaneously. click on continue below to log out of other sessions and log in on this device., 31 great new reads, including books by jandy nelson, ellen hopkins, and a ruta sepetys & steve sheinkin collaboration | starred reviews, august 2024.

This month's starred titles include a first day of school story by June Sobel, biographies on Mae Jemison and Roberto Clemente, and a new picture book from Kyle Lukoff.

Back-to-School

SOBEL,  June. First Day, Hooray! illus. by ­Nabila Adani. HarperCollins/Clarion. 

Picture Books

HRAB,  Naseem.  How to Staycation Like a Snail .   illus. by Kelly Collier. Owlkids. 

LUKOFF,  Kyle.  I’m Sorry You Got Mad .   illus. by Julie Kwon. Dial.

OSO,  Maisha.  My Hair Is a Book .   illus. by London Ladd. HarperCollins.

WHITE,  Jesse.  Brave Like Fireweed .   Union Square & Co.

Middle Grade

BAPTISTE,  Tracey.   Boy 2.0 .   Algonquin. 

COLE,  Olivia A.  The Empty Place .   Little, Brown. 

EDGMON,  H.E.  The Flicker .  Feiwel & Friends. 

NGUYEN,  Doan Phuong.  A Two-Placed Heart .   illus. by Olga Lee. Lee & Low/Tu Bks. 

POLONSKY,  Ami.  Every Story Ever Told .   Little, Brown. 

RUNDELL,  Katherine.  Impossible Creatures .   illus. by Ashley Mackenzie. Knopf. 

HOLLIS,  Myah.  Not About a Boy .   HarperTeen.

HOPKINS,  Ellen.  Sync .  Penguin/Nancy Paulsen. 

NELSON,  Jandy.  When the World Tips Over .  Dial. 

RIBAY,  Randy.  Everything We Never Had .   Penguin/Kokila. 

SEPETYS,  Ruta & Steve Sheinkin.  The Bletchley Riddle .   Viking. 

STRINGFIELD,  Ravynn K.  Love Requires ­Chocolate .  Random/Joy Revolution. 

Graphic Novels

HUNSINGER,  Emma. How It All Ends . Greenwillow. 

KOCHALKA,  James. Jimmy’s Elbow . Top Shelf.

RATHGEBER,  Trina. Lost at Windy River: A True Story of Survival . illus. by Alina Pete. Orca. 

WHITLEY,  Jeremy. Navigating with You . illus. by Cassio Ribeiro. Mad Cave Studios. 

WILLIAMS,  Lesley.   It’s Her Story: Mae Jemison . illus. by Brooke O’Neill. PI Kids/Sunbird. 

ALONSO,  Nathalie.  Call Me Roberto!: Roberto Clemente Goes to Bat for Latinos .  illus. by Rudy Gutierrez. Astra/Calkins Creek. 

ARMITAGE,  Dan.  Let’s Learn to Fish!: Everything You Need to Know to Start Freshwater Fishing .  Storey. 

DYSON, Michael Eric & Marc Favreau. Represent: The Unfinished Fight for the Vote . Little, Brown. 

GREEN,  Harold, III.  Words Are My Superpower: A Kid’s Guide to Affirmations, Mantras, and Positive Thinking .  illus. by Andrea Pippins. Running Pr. 

LARSEN,  Andrew.  Gifts from the Garbage Truck: A True Story About the Things We (Don’t) Throw Away .   illus. by Oriol Vidal. Sourcebooks/Explore.

LEBOX,  Annette.  Mother Aspen: A Story of How Forests Cooperate and Communicate .   illus. by Crystal Smith. Groundwood. 

ROBESON,  Teresa.  Clouds in Space: Nebulae, Stardust, and Us .  illus. by Diana Renzina. MIT Kids. 

ROTNER,  Shelley.  Nature Spy Guide .   Lerner/Millbrook. 

WINTER,  Jonah.  It Happened in Salem .  illus. by Brad Holland. Creative Eds. 

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